The New Home

Log Info

• Title: The New Home

• Emitter: Telamon

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Telamon

• Place: Ravenstongue and Telamon's house

University District, afternoon

It's been too long since they walked these streets. Two months, practically to the day, since they were forced to flee to their sisters' home. But things change, and now Telamon and Cor'lana Lúpecyll-Atlon have returned.

Tel and Lana walk arm in arm, a floating disk following them laden with some necessities. Tel himself is still a little stiff and sore, but refuses to do this any other way. "Besides, I want to see what you think, love."

Soon, they turn the corner, and suddenly they're standing in front of a house. Their house. And it's clear that Tel took the opportunity to remodel it almost from the ground up. Now it stands two stories, the angled roof perfect to shed snow in the Alexandrian winters. The bones of the old house are still there -- the window lintels and doorjamb remain, still inscribed with the wards laid by Seldan and Malik and later restored by Verna. But it's been rebuilt, complete with a new front door engraved with a raven soaring among a field of stars.

Deliberately, Tel slips a key out of his pocket, and offers it to Lana. "Would you like to do the honors, love?"

Cor'lana smiles brightly at Telamon as she takes the key offered to her, her violet eyes twinkling as she looks up at him. Gone are her war robes, worn out almost every time she's left Verna's house since that fateful day where Marsward chased them down with Micha in tow. She wears a light-colored lavender dress, so light that it could almost be mistaken for white in the bright summer sun, which features a dainty neckline tied together with a ribbon, puffed sleeves, and a knee-length hemline. She's even exchanged her adventurer's boots for sandals. She looks completely and utterly free of her burdens.

Except for Pothy. He's always a bird-en. He's on her shoulder and peering at the house with wide blue eyes. Sweeping around to see if maybe there's any hidden snacks in the new yard.

"Always," Cor'lana replies to Telamon, pushing the key into that beautiful front door and turning it to unlatch the lock. She pushes inside.

Inside, once again, there are traces of what was the old house -- indeed, the kitchen is in the same place it was before, but it's been expanded with a larger pantry and more room to work. The living area is larger as well, and a stairway leads upwards to the second floor. Interesting, the ceiling of the living room is freshly plastered, though dry, and the furniture -- some showing Myrrish design, other more elven flair -- has been covered with drop cloths. "Ah, Simony's been here. She mentioned she wanted to put a fresco on the ceiling, so she's getting a head start."

Telamon leads the disk inside, before starting to pull the chests and bags off it, setting them down by the stairway. He's dressed down in casual cotton garments and simple shoes, looking as relaxed as Lana is -- though he grunts a bit at one of the heavier packages. "Alright, that's done," he says. "I had our pantry stocked yesterday, so we should be good for food tonight... and snacks," he adds, eyes twinkling at Pothy. He pauses, inspecting a well-made rocking chair, ready for a certain grandfatherly personage. "But I think everything is in order..."

Cor'lana marvels around at the place's first floor, her eyes twinkling. Pothy, meanwhile, sails off her shoulder and onto one of the drop cloth-covered chairs that isn't flecked with paint in the living room.

"This place is wonderful, Tel," Cor'lana exhales after a long moment of pacing around and peering around corners to look into rooms. Her eyes in particular rest on the kitchen. "It'll be so much easier to move around in there when Auranar and Grandfather come over to visit. Goodness knows they both like to be in the kitchen."

"Oh, I am so happy," Pothy says with a sigh in his true voice, which Telamon hasn't heard in two months. "I get to finally talk to Telamon again without having to mimic everyone and everything!"

Telamon lifts one of the drop-cloths, checking the thickly-stuffed couch underneath. "Yeah. Our bedroom and the study got moved upstairs -- the backyard got expanded a tiny bit, and they put in a small greenhouse for the winter months. Sadly, there's not much further we can go in terms of 'out' so we had to go 'up'."

Letting the cloth drop, he looks around, his brow furrowed. "I think I'll task the pixies with setting up the flowering plants inside when the weather goes cold. Oh, and the kitchen window looks out onto the backyard and we can open it to let them in like we did before."

Tel laughs softly, and reaches over to pet Pothy. "Well, it's good to hear you again, little brother. It's been a rough road to get here, but we made it. Be happy." Then he walks over, and firmly kisses his wife -- hey, some things are necessary.

It's a happy little thing when he kisses Cor'lana. She wraps her arms around the back of his neck to keep him there for a long moment, but--she's the one who needs to breathe between the two, and she pulls away when breathing through her nose just isn't comfortable enough anymore. She looks back at Telamon, smiling warmly. "It's been more than a rough road," she says gently. "It's been... Well, it's been like the Hells in a lot of ways. Oppressive, horrible, and... the only reason I got through it is, really, in the end, you, my starborn king. In the end, it's always been and always will be you."

She nuzzles into that happy spot underneath Telamon's chin, her arms moving from the back of Telamon's neck to around his waist, where it's more comfortable for her petite stature when he isn't leaned over. "The people will write and say whatever they want about Zalgiman and I. You and I know the truth. That the only person I've ever loved so completely and utterly in all ways is you. No one else has ever come even close. And... We're here in our home again. Our space that's ours, and it's Pothy's, and it's also for all of our family--but we are the ones who sleep in it, who make it ours."

Telamon strokes her hair when she tucks in under his chin. Nuzzling her, before responding. "But we did make it. Together. I'm not worried about idle gossip -- though I reserve the right to reprimand anyone who pushes it further than just Crimson Pen novels." His voice is firm on that, his thoughts just as set. "But we know each other's minds, we know the score -- and to hells with anyone who thinks otherwise."

He sighs, considering Zalgiman. "I meant what I said, in that nightmare, as well. He deserved better. I'm always proud of you, queen of my heart, but when you set him free... that was a kindness like no other. I am happy to be your husband, and that you are my wife. Forever."

"He always deserved better," Cor'lana replies. "The life he lived before he found Marsward was an unkind one. He told me himself that I was the only person to ask him about his life on a personal level aside from Marsward. The reason he wanted to go to Marsward--even though it ended in him becoming that--was because he keenly wanted my friendship. Our friendship. He wanted to do something kind for us to repay us for the light we were offering him."

She sighs gently. "And now he's back into the beyond. Where... I think he should be. It's more peace than he ever had in living, and he'll be ushered into a world where he can be happiest."

Then she ducks back out from underneath Telamon's chin to look up at him, violet eyes staring into starstruck eyes. "In the end, we are unified. What we wanted for him was and is the same. What we intended for Marsward was and is the same. And we saw it through--even if it came at a price that was briefly paid. One that I repaid in kind to Seraquoix." Her eyes and voice are dark. "I never thought I was so able to take a healthy man and demolish him into pieces with the span of a single spell."

Telamon squeezes her gently. "I do hope he finds peace. Maybe... someday, we'll meet under better stars and skies. One can dream." Looking back into her eyes. "I wanted to save him too. So he could heal, live, find happiness here. But... at least he's no longer a slave, a tool for Seraquoix."

He can't help but wince a little. Not at anything physical, but at the pain Lana had suffered, if briefly. "Father once told me killing is never easy. Even if it seems so, you still pay a price here." He taps his heart. "It's why I try to be careful -- and it still haunts me that we reaved through those werewolves like they were little more than wheat before a scythe." Tel exhales. "But... they would not let us pass, not without being convinced they could not win."

Pressing a kiss to her brow, he says softly. "Just as Seraquoix was sworn to destroy us. He would've killed all of us, given the chance. He was a monster -- and now he is nothing. Take the lesson I've taught more than a few students: every spell is on your conscience, so make sure you're using it for a good reason. Slaying Seraquoix is a very good reason."

"Killing Seraquoix was... it wasn't difficult," Cor'lana replies thoughtfully, still a little darkness in her eyes and voice. "The decision to do so, anyway. I'd decided that a long time ago. But in the moment that I saw you die, Tel..."

She shakes her head, biting her lip for a moment. Staying close to him. She'd already shed tears for his death in the aftermath, had already clung to his revived body and cried pained and overjoyed tears in alternating turns in that meadow outside of Alexandria. A place she would always associate with renewal and rebirth now forever, that small and unassuming patch of grass and flowers.

"In the moment you died, it was entirely the Unseelie blood in me that took over. It looked for the way to kill him. It didn't even care that I had witnessed his ability to turn spells only a moment ago. Everything in my power was screaming that I had the ability to break through and end him for his crimes. And I did, and--I felt relief after. Not happiness. Not joy. Just satisfaction and relief that he was gone and that I'd avenged what had been done to you."

She exhales again. It's somewhere between a sigh and just letting everything fall off her shoulders. "The rest was... unfortunate, but had to be done. They knew what they were participating in, like you said."

Telamon holds her tightly, because he knows the echoes of that terrible moment still linger. Indeed, his own pain leaks through the bond -- a pain from knowing his wife had been wounded by the sight. But fortunately, the cure for that is right here: keeping his arms around her.

"Not just me," he says. "Zalgiman, and all the people Seraquoix had seduced and warped and ruined and destroyed. You avenged all of them. And that counts for something, Lana. I know, I'm the most important person to you -- and I feel the same about you -- but it's also important to remember all the other lives you've saved, all the other souls that you brought justice for. It helps put things in perspective."

He inhales the scent of her, the lavender that warms his spirit. "And the price we paid, in the end, was not more than we could bear. Though I suspect I may have to buy a new fishing rod..."

"At least we have a kitchen big enough for all of the fish that Tanith likes to eat," Cor'lana responds with a small grin, the first flower that peeks under the cracks of the stone that tried to keep it down. "And maybe we can persuade Grandfather into cooking for Tanith, too."

She nuzzles into him. In the bond, it feels like the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. The warmth that keeps them together, the sunrays that they are to each other--for Telamon is certainly her light. "No price is too great for you," she says, "but I'm at peace with what we did. There's loose ends to tie up, but--"

Tink tink. There's the sound of tiny knocks on glass on the nearest window. And there's two familiar pixie faces on the other end. Mirabilis and Lily-of-the-Valley look positively eager to fly in.

"I admit, I'm used to larger kitchens because of the Mythwood style of cooking, which involves more dishes. Hence why I expanded ours." Telamon smiles back, seeing that first bloom. Like the first flower opening shyly in spring.

"Be at peace, Lana. There'll be other challenges, I'm sure. But what we wrought that day, it is for the best." He squeezes her again, happily.

When the knocks come, Tel glances up, and he smiles happily. He doesn't let go of Lana -- he just gestures, a cantrip, that opens the window. "Well, I thought I'd have to send to Coriander to get you two back! Welcome home!"

The pixies fly in and are quickly flying circles all around each other and through the room, apparently doing the pixie equivalent of a ritualistic 'space-claiming' dance as they dart throughout the air in spirals that are dizzying to watch. Except that they're also just both screaming in sheer pixie-citement, so it's probably just pixie-zoomies. Cor'lana certainly stops trying to track them.

"There aren't US-SIZED MEN at Coriander's!" Lily-of-the-Valley wails. "And TRUST ME, I LOOKED!" She eventually alights on Telamon's shoulder, throwing her arms around a rather geographically-small portion of the man's neck. "I'm SO HAPPY TO BE HOME WITH THE MOST GORGEOUS LORD THERE COULD BE."

Mirabilis lands on Cor'lana's shoulder and clears her throat. "Please don't yell right in the Lord Lúpecyll-Atlon's ear, Lily," she says calmly. "We are very happy to be home, yes. Even if Lily-of-the-Valley nearly got us killed..."

"Look. I'm just saying. I was weighing the pros and cons of letting him step on me, okay? Okay. Don't shame me. I decided he wasn't worth dying for." Lily-of-the-Valley huffs.

Clearly Telamon can't track them either, and appears to give up after a few moments. Once they finally slow down and settle on shoulders, Tel clears his throat. "Yes. Well. At least your time away hasn't damaged your spirits." The tiniest hug is weird and Tel has to restrain himself from rubbing his head against his shoulder. "It's good to have you back."

Tel snorts. "Trust me though, Lily, he wasn't your type. He so wasn't your type. I don't think he was anyone's type." He offers Lily a fingertip to shake. "I know we'll have to get the flowers and vines back once the ceiling fresco is done, but what do you think of the house?"

Lily-of-the-Valley occasionally has manners. She shakes that fingertip very politely. And respectfully. Telamon is both her employer and her lady's consort, after all. Her blonde ringlets bounce a little with her bow. "I'm very pleased," she says. "Although--you said there's a fresco being painted?" Suddenly there's mischief dancing in her completely-jet black eyes and in her face.

"We are not having Simony paint beautiful fey boys in the fresco for you," Cor'lana says with a small, but smiling, sigh. It's Lily-of-the-Valley, all right.

"Counter-offer: the painter paints beautiful fey boys in only a partial state of undress," Lily-of-the-Valley suggests. Until, of course, Mirabilis zips over and smacks Lily on the head.

"It's a beautiful house," Mirabilis echoes. "A thing that we can surely work with. We're especially excited about the garden."

"And the potential boy-watching from the garden," Lily adds. She gets another smack for it, whining for it.

Cor'lana really can't help but laugh. Especially when it culminates in Mirabilis dragging her pixie-sister through the air and back out of the house. She looks to Telamon and grins. "Shall you take me around upstairs?" she suggests.

Telamon sighs in exasperation. "We are going to have something tasteful done, by a very nice priestess of Navos who has been a good friend, Lily." He scratches his chin. "Though she may want to sketch you as well, she does love to draw people and things."

As Mirabilis drags Lily off, Tel chuckles. "One thing first." He walks over to the pantry, and removes a large wooden bowl and a bag. Setting the bowl down on the coffee table, he fills it... with mixed nuts. "Wouldn't want Pothy to go hungry," he says with a grin.

With that, he takes Lana's hand, and leads her upstairs. Some things have changed, but some things remain the same, in the Lúpecyll-Atlon home.