Long Time Coming

ooc: lol, as if you have to worry about that with me...my internet is too horrible for me to even check posts and reply like I want to; sorry my post isn't better...


To Eimilie, Tristan had never really been the odd one. They were all different, even if most of them did share the common enjoyment of the forest. She merely saw him as her brother, and as a good man who did what he thought was right. He may have seen places and things that she couldn't even imagine, but he would always be her big brother. She would always welcome him with open arms, and her love for him would never change.

After speaking with a few people, including a page boy, she discovered that the knight was on patrol near the Gardiner home. The quiet one in the family, it had taken a little effort for her to speak with more than one or two strangers about pretty much anything, but she was glad she had. The reward was most definitely worth it. She headed out in search of the man, dressed perhaps in a little nicer gown than usual. It was one thing she didn't like about being in a city like Lockewood, but there was nothing for it, really. She would do what she needed to and look forward to being home where she could wear her normal, everyday dresses and get dirty without anyone thinking poorly about it.

The brunette walked along a path near the Gardiner estate, searching the trees nearby, hoping to spy the knight on his patrol. Her wavy hair was loose today, and the light breeze teased the locks as she turned, finally spotting the man in question. The smile that formed on her face could have lit a dark room as she paused a moment, hardly believing her eyes. It had been far too long since she'd seen him. "Tristan!" Her feet carried her quickly toward him, and she couldn't help herself as she threw her arms around his neck.

Tristan Deschênes

It was so good to be able to hold her brother again. Time seemed to have stretched on for years since she'd last seen him, though she knew it hadn't been that long. But a part of her didn't want that hug to end! She wasn't sure when she would see him again after this journey and she wanted to make the most of every moment they had. When he pulled back, she couldn't help but keep her hands on his arms, smiling back at him as they looked each other over. "Trouble? Me? I stay far too busy for that, dear brother. I think you may be confusing me with Gwyn." She chuckled lightly at the teasing. "You look as tall and fit as ever, Tristan. I trust you've been hard at training." They truly did rarely venture out of Forestier, and though she was enjoying her trip, she missed home.

She chuckled again as he asked a question and immediately went into explaining how he was. It was good to hear he was well and seeing so many things, but sometimes she did worry about him. The mountains did sound beautiful, but she could tell he'd been distracted by the dancing. Tristan was fairly easy to read, as she knew she was. His blush gave away more than he likely would have wanted, but she let it go for now. He would tell her in time, when he was ready. "I'm glad you've been well, and I've been well, also. Keeping busy, as usual. There's always something to do at home." Daragh said she worked too hard, but she wished she could do more.

However, her smile faded only a hair when he asked if their cousin was there. "I'm afraid Daragh couldn't make the journey with us. He had...business...to attend to in Forestier." She didn't want to worry him about exactly what that business entailed. "Our plan is to join you on the journey to Bordelaix and go on from there after the festival. I'm hoping he can join us there, but I'm not sure yet." She hoped he could take care of business quickly and join them in the royal city, but she knew it might not happen.

Tristan Deschênes

Em chuckled lightly at the thought of Gwyn. She could be mischievous, that was certain. Tristan had often joined her in trying to keep the younger girl in line, though she figured they likely failed many times. Still, they were good memories to think upon. Sometimes they seemed so far away, though. Their younger siblings were growing up far too quickly, especially Gwyn. It would be too soon when she would be married and move on to her own family.

But Tristan truly was a sight for sore eyes. He looked good, and it was obvious the Clavigers kept him training. She smiled a little more at him. "I'm glad they're keeping you out of trouble." And she was glad he was healthy. She knew there's been an incident, but she was happy he hadn't been injured in any way.

His questions continued, making her heart warm. It was good to see him again. "Mother and father are doing well. They do stay fairly busy. Father tends to spend more time with the twins than the rest of us, taking them under his wing, I suppose." She wasn't sure about his ambitions when it came to the twins, but she mostly stayed away from the subject when she could. After all, Tristan had turned out quite well, and he seemed happy in his role.

Daragh was very busy, and if she thought of it, he really didn't leave Forestier very often. Neither did she, of course. But he'd practically pushed her on this trip, and she really wished he could have been there with him. "Indeed, the world is a rather large place. You've seen so much of it, too. Someday you'll have to tell us about it."

Tristan Deschênes