December 18, 2010

In Which Leara Doesn't Need the Time

February 21, 1171

"All right, I give up." Leara squirmed her hands out from Lorn's grasp and pouted. "If we're going for a walk and not a ride, then why did you insist on going down to the stables?"

Lorn chuckled--a bit of an odd response, but he seemed to be in a bit of an odd mood. "Don't you remember?"

She raised an eyebrow; having gone down to the stables pretty much every day since she'd been old enough to ride, she couldn't have been expected to recall one specific detail of any given trip. "Remember what?"

Lorn ran his hand along her forearm and laughed again, more clearly this time. "Silly girl--we were here the first time I kissed you, remember?"

"Oh... right." Idiot! How had she not that of that sooner? Of course she wouldn't have forgotten something like that... but why was he bringing it up? "What is this about, Lorn?"

Suddenly pensive, he drew back his arm and sighed. "Well... a lot's been happening lately, you know? I mean, first my brother dies, and then your mother..."

He turned away, as if he'd said too much. Perhaps she wished she could say he had, but truth be told, Leara didn't even remember her mother. In spite of their father's protests, she and her siblings would attend the funeral service that evening, but more out of a sense of curiosity than anything else; as far as they'd known before the news had spread, their mother had been dead for years. She hated to admit it, but she didn't understand why anyone who knew that might have assumed her to be mourning. "Ah... yes, that."

"Yes--that."

Lorn held back his head for a minute, then returned his gaze to her level, his eyes sad and his mouth somber. "Anyway, I've been thinking... life is short, you know? Farilon was just a little kid, and your mother's death was so bizarre; really puts everything into perspective, if you think about it. I mean, it's not like either of us are liable to drop dead any minute, but... well, maybe we will anyway."

Did this have a point? Or was he just playing some sort of sick joke? "All right, now you're just being morbid."

"Am I?" A sheepish blush flashed across his fair face. "I'm sorry. Anyway, Leara... uh, well, I want to marry you."

Well, this she couldn't fight; amused, she stared into his unblinking eyes and smirked. "Well, that's convenient, seeing as you've been told you have to since we were babies."

"No, I mean... soon." Lorn reached across the gap between them and took her by the hands once more; he was almost a man now, hairy flesh and callouses and all, but his touch was as soft as it ever had been. "Really, I'd carry you off to the chapel and marry you right now if you said you wanted me to."

Leara raised an eyebrow; embarrassed, Lorn tried to brush off her skepticism with a laugh. "Err, not that I think that's the best idea I've ever had. Anyway, I was thinking... maybe my birthday? I'll be sixteen, and I know that's kind of young, but if we're going to get married anyway, then why wait?"

September? That was sooner than she might have expected--then again, she'd be sixteen in October, and while that was a fairly young age for a groom, women did often marry younger. It hadn't occurred to her until just now that she was really that old. "Your birthday?"

"Well, if you want to wait a little longer, that's all right too." He grimaced, his eyes flickering downward--had she offended him? She hadn't meant to. "I talked to your father, and he seems to like the idea of September, but I told him I'd let you have the last word. So, if you need time to think about it..."

"Shut up."

Startled, he did as he was told. Leara grinned, then lifted herself to her toes and kissed him, his lips as raw and uncertain as they'd been that first time--all those long years ago now. "I don't need time to think about it. Yes, I'll marry you in September."

The corners of Lorn's mouth twitched nervously upward, as if afraid to commit to an actual smile. "You will?"

Stupid boy; adamant, Leara nodded. "Like you said, why wait? Besides, I can't imagine living with you will be any worse than living with my father and stepmother."

A lesser boy might have seen that joke for an insult, but not Lorn--not her Lorn. His eyes wide, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, the fresh scent of his neck wafting about her head and his warm breath tickling her ear. "I'm so happy."

"I know," she mumbled as she pressed her lips to his jawline. Her father would be furious to know that she dared kiss him in such unorthodox places, but she didn't care. "I'm happy too."

NEXT CHAPTER:

13 comments:

Van said...

Allow me to apologize in advance for the pictures from the next post. My hand must have slipped when I was fiddling with the contrast or something, and I no longer have the original PNG files, so the only way I can fix them without actually making them worse is to retake them--which I really, really don't want to do :S

Anonymous said...

I like Lorn

Van said...

I like him too. He's really on his way to becoming a great man.

Anonymous said...

Aww, these two are so sweet. I guess Lorn's all grown up now, isn't he? Maybe not in Sims terms, but in his head, I think he's all grown up. :-)

I hope these two can stay this sweet as the years go on.

And so ... when are we going to see Aldhein beat Roderick to a bloody pulp?

Van said...

Lorn and Leara are my "token happy couple". As a result, we probably won't see too much of them unless something big happens, or they're interacting with other, more dramatic people. They'll probably be continue to be all sickly-sweet on each other for decades to come ;)

Lorn is quite grown up. Actually, one of the reasons I brought Laralita's son Searle into the story was to introduce someone I could later bring back as a sort of Anti-Lorn: another boy who had to grow up quickly, but who turned out completely different.

Alas, Aldhein hasn't been allowed within spitting distance of Roderick since Lyssie was born, and that's not about to change any time soon. It would be kind of funny to see him try to get through the guards, though.

The Lunar Fox said...

I love Lorn too. Especially after this. Oh yes, I can see Searle as the anti-Lorn.

Van said...

I'm glad Lorn has fans :)

Searle is about as Anti-Lorn as they come :P

S.B. said...

the contrast with Searle is shocking. Lorn is a total darling, sweet and strong and compassionate. I love these two together!!

Van said...

If Searle ever comes back to Naroni--or if Lorn ever goes to Dovia--I'll have to do another post with both of them.

Lorn seems to get better and better with age. The next generation is going to definitely need him, between King Ietrin and Lord Jadin :S

Thanks Beth :)

Verity said...

Oooh I can't wait for the first of the new generation Naroni babies!

Van said...

Small spoiler, since I've rolled up pregnancies for the next few years already:

The first one won't actually be Lorn and Leara's. Their eldest will, however, be the first baby to have four founders as grandparents :)

Penelope said...

Aww somebody is finally getting out of the house that Roderick built.

Van said...

That must be an incredible relief :)