|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:07 pm
Uhtred strode along the rocky beach, enjoying the call of the seabirds and the space. His den felt a lot smaller then it ever had before, with a wife ensconced inside of it, as eager as she was to please. Or maybe she just seemed eager. Uhtred did not have that much experience with coupled adults, and barely remembered his own parents.
He mused upon Ragnhild as he walked; a beautiful thing, no doubt, and delicate seeming; and even as she bound him to the warlord with ties of gifting and gratitude, she was not the mate he would have picked. He felt he wanted more fire, more iron in the mate he would have chosen.
He was recalled back from his revelry by the sight of the lioness he had been thinking of - not his delicate wife, but her sister. Of course, that's how things would work out - the sister of his wife is the wife he wanted.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 2:36 pm
Dalla had heard that Uhtred had returned to the pride from a recent viking. She was torn about the entire situation that her sister had placed the three of them into -- while she was upset with her sister on certain occasions for assisting with Gunne's demise, she loved her sister dearly. And while Uhtred replaced Gunne in Ragnhild's life, there was nothing to replace Gunne in Dalla's life.
He was gone, lost to her for all eternity.
She felt ashamed of the resentment that sometimes choked her when she gave too much thought to the situation. Resentment towards her sister, most of all. At these times she took to the beach in search of shells and stones that could take her mind off of these thoughts.
And so this is how Uhtred found her.
She was not quite certain how he felt about her, but she knew he was a good lion and she appreciated that in him. Offering him a smile as he approached, she spoke a greeting in soft, dulcet tones.
"Uhtred. It is nice to see you home safe and sound."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:07 pm
"It is good to see you, Dalla, and it is good to be home again." He offered her a genuine smile, being truly pleased to see her, and tried to push away the threads of guilt that he could offer her a smile that he could not give her sister.
Uhtred took a few moments to admire her figure, which was lovely; no one could deny that. He wondered what would have been different if Ragnhild had not made the choices she did and Gunne had survived. Would he still be a bachelor? Most likely - he probably had a few viking born running around, but he was more careful and deliberate when it came to the idea of lifemating. Ragnhild had never been on his radar as possible options - even before she was wedded to the Warlord.
Uhtred had accepted her when Aesir offered her because he knew the difference between a stupid lion and a living lion. To reject her would be to reject Aesir and all he could offer; it would be tantamount to declaring himself a rebel. To accept her not only granted him a longer life, but it made him Aesir's ally, as far as anyone was concerned. It was against nature to turn on a gift-giver.
"I see there haven't been any more regime changes in my absence."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:29 pm
"Thank the Gods," Dalla said derisively, all the while offering him a gentle smile, "Ragnhild is not in much of a position to offer any assistance with such tasks." Her words held no anger or hate; only love gleamed from those bright eyes that were so much like her sisters. She shook her head, watching him closely, noting the way he blatantly admired her.
She was shocked at the way her body reacted to his warm gaze. Her heart fluttered, breath caught in her throat. She was a Stormborn female grown, not some bashful breathless girl.
"How is my sister," she asked, her voice now a touch huskier. The sound shocked her, though she kept her expression placid. "I have not seen her as of late."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:42 pm
Uhtred watched, intensely interested, as Dalla responded to his attention with a slight skip of breath and a deepening of her voice. How very fascinating that was. So fascinating in fact, that Uhtred could not stop his own voice from lowering in response to her own, and his paws seemed to take him a few steps closer of their own volition.
"I'm glad nothing else has changed while I was gone."
The shadow of her sister fell between them again, and he took another step back.
"She is . . . still adjusting to everything. She isn't as upset as she was. Or she doesn't seem as upset. We have started walking together."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:40 am
Dalla's mouth twisted in a smile.
"I am glad that you are spending more time with her." I am glad that you were the one that she was given to. She purposefully skirted around the topic of Aesir. Now was not the time to lay her feelings at his feet. Now was not the time to see where his loyalties were placed.
Now was not the time to discuss the way Aesir had risen to power as Warlord, and most importantly now was not the time to investigate these desires that began thrumming in her chest whenever Uhtred was near no matter how much she craved to.
No matter how much she missed having a strong, determined male in her life even if she could not claim him.
"I have been making a gift for you," she said, grasping for the calm and cool lioness she usually portrayed herself as.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:32 am
Uhtred was pleased to hear she had a gift for him, even as the other half of his brain was telling him this was bad territory to be in, especially if he ever wanted a peaceful home life. Aesir and Morrigan were at the top of the pride now, exactly how he wasn't sure, and he was responsible for keeping his wife at least outwardly loyal. It was an difficult balance, but he had to keep it, to keep himself, his wife, and his sister in law safe. Dalla was right; it was not the time to discuss Aesir's rise to power, or the tension between them.
Instead, he focused on the lioness that was showing the world her composed face, and resolved to follow her example.
"Really? What is it?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 12:52 pm
"It is not yet finished," she chuckled softly, eyes narrowing sharply as she watched him, "and it is nothing special. A mere token of gratitude for you. On behalf of my sister and myself," she added, if only to save face. He belongs to my sister, after all, Dalla mused to herself, and I must not covet one that belongs to my sister. Not again. Not after Gunne.
"I will bring it to you when it is done," she promised, dipping her head with a soft smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:29 pm
"Well, special or not, I will still thank you for it. Everyone knows you are the cleverest crafter in the pride, and I will be proud to where something you have made on my next reaving."
Why the narrowing of the eyes? Had he offended her in some way? Did she know that she attracted him, and did she plan on telling Ragnhild?
That Uhtred did not believe. Although the sisters were different, from everything he had seen, they held each other in high regard and loved each other very much. He was sure there were squabbles, now and again, but he had become privy to their personal lives only recently, and Uhtred was not yet comfortable acting like part of the family.
"I'm sure Ragnhild will be pleased to see you, too."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:45 am
"Mmm," she agreed, still watching him carefully. She did not know why she felt this pull towards him. It was unexplainable and Dalla had to wonder if she was cursed. She'd known Uhtred for quite some time, had always admired him from afar -- after all, what was there not to admire? His strength, honor and the dignity with which he carried himself... it was enough to make any strong Stormborn female a little weak in the knees.
Perhaps she was just being silly about it all.
"I have been a poor sister," Dalla said mildly, dropping her gaze as she toed the fine-grained sand at her feet. "I have not spent as much time with my sister as I should have." She shook her head before continuing, "I ... I thought it would be best if I stayed away until the two of you had settled." Until I could be sure that she was safe, that she could be trusted. Such a horrible thought to have for ones own sister, but Dalla could not help it.
"Thank you for taking care of her, Uhtred." Those pale eyes lifted to meet his once more, filled with a warmth that her words echoed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:04 pm
"She is my wife. It is my duty to care for Ragnhild, even if she is not the lioness I had expected to ever take to wife. And she is sweet and dutiful and good to me. I do not think Aesir truly knows what he gave me in your sister."
That's what plotters like Aesir did though. They used other lions without knowing them, and then tossed them aside. But Ragnhild was already recovering from what happened. She had iron in her blood, not flowers, he was sure. Aesir probably should have killed her when he had the chance.
But he didn't, and now it was up to Uhtred to both protect Ragnhild from the Warlord, and to keep Aesir safe with the loyalty Ragnhild had bought him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:22 am
"Yes, she is your wife. But how does it feel to take a lioness to wife that you may not love?" Dalla shook her head, "and to reject this wife is to reject your Warlord? I find it demeaning to you, Uhtred, that you were not able to choose your own wife." She offered a smile.
"Though you are lucky my sister is beautiful. Perhaps even the most beautiful lioness in the pride, I would say." The smile turned a little sad, though she brusquely changed the topic. This was stepping into dangerous territory and Dalla was not sure if she wanted to push the topic further.
Dalla did not want to hurt her sister. She had been hurt enough.
"When you next see her, will you give her my love? Extend an invitation to visit me, if you would be so kind, Uhtred?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:17 pm
"I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, Dalla," he said, although not clarifying what he disagreed with her on. "But I will tell Ragnhild. I'm sure she will visit you soon. Until next time, then, sis- Dalla."
Uhtred decided to make his escape before he made more of a full of himself, and walked down the beach away from his sister in law.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
