Page 1 of 1
Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:06 pm
by Ford Edevane
59th of Ash, Year 4622
Since Eloise’s departure, Ford had spent some time easing Taelian’s emotions, although he knew deep down, he understood and, in some way, reflected the same emotions but he had internalized them. For the remainder of the day, Ford had gone through and took extra care to make sure some things had been prepared because regardless of his personal feelings, he had wanted to hit the ground running and not give anyone a chance to doubt his abilities, or at least, not to doubt the potential of his capabilities. Up to and including the time they had gone to bed and regardless of what transpired into the night hours, they found a calming solace in the protection of their room.
I will keep you safe.
Ford could hear himself saying it, repeatedly since he had said it, especially after the point and time Eloise had made her departing comments and left. Regardless, Taelian had found him encompassed from behind within the comforts of their bedding. Ford had a muscular arm, draped over his body and Ford’s body was pressed perfectly against the back of his lover, their bodies melding together nigh perfectly, and Ford’s lower part of his face was buried into his lover’s neck, but his eyes remained open, staring into the nothing of the night air of their room. What helped ease Ford into that quiet atmosphere were the soft sounds of Taelian sleeping, or perhaps, if he was feigning sleep, he was doing an impeccable job at it.
The blonde could see her face, the disapproving look and the stares he had received during their conversation and remembered the words of her assessment of their situation. This and then some floated around his mind, making for an ill attempt at falling asleep. As he continued to lay there, he could feel himself growing restless and carefully, knowing there was almost a one hundred percent chance that Taelian would wake up as he did it, if not shortly after he would get up. Gingerly, Ford extracted himself from holding his significant other, not because he wanted to leave, but he felt he was almost poisonous with his thoughts and Taelian needed his sleep for whatever Eloise had planned for him and the covenant. As quietly as he was capable, Ford found the pair of slacks he had been wearing earlier in the day and had pulled them onto his frame and fastened them while also pulling on the white and blue collared shirt he had worn earlier as well. It was the middle of the night, so he hadn’t planned on buttoning it as he leaned to pluck up his journal, he could be seen random times scribbling in. As he approached the door to their room, he gave a glance over his shoulder in Taelian’s direction and as quietly as possible, slipped out with a lantern in hand.
Quiet steps brought the Griscian male down the hall and down to the same couch they had been sitting on earlier in the day where that face had been burned into his memory. The lantern lit and set on the floor, Ford took a seat to that same sofa he had graced earlier and brought a bare foot up onto the couch, bending his knee upward to face the ceiling as the other rested down the front of the sofa with his bare foot pressed flat against the flooring. His back rested against the arm/side of the sofa as the journal was rested on a thigh. A folded piece of paper had been unfolded and pressed where he could look to it often.
Taking in a deep breath, he watched the constant flicker of the lantern dancing its orange glow with shadows being cast across the ceiling, walls of the room and off his own partially bared flesh. Closing his eyes, he could hear her voice as clear as day.
All of the ways she had compared him to the past loves or his past choices. How the choice of becoming involved so deeply with Ford had been considered a mistake for Taelian.
His hand began writing things down as he thought them out. The now unfolded piece of paper that usually lived in the front of that journal was referenced to on multiple occasions.
For the briefest of moments, his eyes grew half-lidded, and he watched the flickering shadows across the floor as the lantern glowed and he couldn’t help but lose his train of thought, and during that briefest of moments, he felt like he was back home. Chastised for a mistake that he had no control over. Ford had never felt anything before like he had with Taelian. It was as if some unseen force drove them together and would not allow them to be apart for long. But he had been called those things before, only he could hear them in his father’s voice.
Words like, mistake and blunder.
Sentiments like, Your worth is insignificant where his is magnanimous.
The words had not been spoken out loud, but Eloise was not mincing her words nor her intent on pointing out the situation from her perspective. The words and sentiments were things he had before in slightly different scenarios, but the feelings and meanings of them were still the same.
The sound of scribbling continued, unable to stop himself from finishing what he was writing, though his eyes did not carry their usual expressive happiness that was potentially infectious. His gaze was reserved, if not slightly dulled as he was processing most of the information still.
“Ford you are a fool…”
Whispered to himself as he looked to the knee that was still pointed upward, but at some time had leaned against the back of the sofa,
“I can’t be weak, not for him. He deserves more. He deserves the best.”
And finally, a thought had crossed his mind that forced his heart to nearly skip a beat. But it was something Eloise had said right before she left, that had it cross his mind and his writing had stopped as he paused altogether, and his blonde brows furrowed.
“…Am I shadow of him? Am I only a reminder of something he can never have again?” Closing his eyes, he rested his head backwards. Eloise had compared him to Riven. It was to be expected, but at least Riven had given her a positive impression. Slowly, his eyes peeled open, and he stared up, at the ceiling, a healthy swallow taken as he couldn’t help it. He knew what Taelian had said to him, he did not question it. But Eloise tore it right open.
Am I hurting him?
I need to be better. I can never be Riven, but I can be me.
My Arlaed…I will do my best.
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:30 pm
by Taelian Edevane
Regardless of whatever it was that tormented his husband and Arlaed, the Sil'Norai Knight slept well. Eloise had only managed to damper his emotions until Ford helped him reconcile them, and afterwards he was much the same as he always was: largely even-level and reserved, until upswings of passion had him lunging onto Ford and wrapping the other within his embrace. They laid down together and fell asleep before long, and in that time inevitably did begin to wander towards strange, vivid dream-avenues, pathways through the corridors that made up his unconscious mind. He lived out memories that he once shared with Riven, spent in the mountain valley of Tor Ghilainn... back when he, himself, was smaller and weaker, and quite different in appearance. He remembered his old personality, too: he was much quieter, much less willing to express emotion, and far less assertive. All of that changed when his beloved died, mostly because it had to change.
At the end of each flicker back into the past, Riven was replaced with Ford, and he was replaced by his contemporary self. This change did not startle him, or evoke any sense of negativity: it was something that brought a smile to his face. It meant that he was ready to move on, and not with the same soul that wandered with him between those mountain chasms, but a new man who he loved more than he ever had Riven.
And then he awoke, and his lover was gone from him. Taelian shot up in bed, looking around and letting out a disgruntled puff of air once he'd clarified that his lover was indeed no longer beside him. He rubbed his eyes, yawned and stretched his legs before leaving the bed, one hand errantly smoothing over the surface of his chest. Without remedying his state of undress, Taelian left their room and into the hall in search of his lover. He approached room 216, slowly opening the door to see if Ford was there for... whatever reason. He wasn't. Taelian clicked with his tongue, sending out an Echo through Resonance that quickly scanned and transcribed the building, sending him a detailed cognitive sketch of everyone present and their pose and location. Ford was downstairs, on the couch, seemingly hunched over. The man furrowed his brows, lumbering toward and down the stairs and crossing the entryway towards the lounge where his lover was.
Taelian approached him from behind, and immediately lowered himself to kiss along the shape of his husband's neck, his lips paying special attention to the letters TEVK. "My dear, are you alright?" he asked, speaking smoothly into Ford's ear. Taelian's hands settled onto the frame of the sofa behind his spouse, then slid until he reached his shoulders. "Come back to bed. I must've felt you gone... I can't sleep without you."
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 5:57 pm
by Ford Edevane
It had been a few more minutes of silence as he contemplated the differences in what had transpired earlier to what Taelian and Ford had discussed what things would be like moving forward. Ford could feel it internally before his body felt the touched of his lover’s body against his own. Just as easily as the negative thoughts had filtered into his mind, they were already leaving. The feel of the other’s lips had his eyes closing and he could not help but feel as if he just wanted to go back with him and forget everything all over again… Which was a nice thought but it could not be done. Was he alright? In all actuality, yes, he was alright, or he would be.
The paper that was unfolded and the journal pages able to be seen were able to be seen with the glow from the lantern, especially as Taelian had come up behind him. The folded one that seemingly remained in the front fold of that journal had the words Lord Taelian von Klade with an outline of notes beneath it that had other notes running up along the spine of the journal and along the long edge of the journal page. The two other pages were each titled something different. One was titled The Gentry and the other The Covenant Both had notes under them, but none near as extensive as the one with Taelian’s previous name on it. And unless Taelian chose to take up the paper, that one was refolded as his lover asked him about how he was and tucked away in the journal before it was closed.
“I am thinking of our conversation with Eloise. And to you of all people, I would never lie…” Pulling himself up into sitting upright, he slide the journal from his lap and reached for his lover, guiding him to taking a seat in his lap, if he so chose. He needed a moment to speak to Taelian while it was all at the forefront and not easily dumped off to be forgotten.
“…I would be lying if I was not thinking that I’ve come into your life and I am doing nothing but hurting you from this point forward… And I would also be lying if after what she spoke of me being as your third husband and… How she would have welcomed Riven back with open arms, where it seemed she almost took pleasure in trying to take me down pegs I was not even standing on in the first place. It was painfully aware of her opinion of me by the time she had left.”
He did fall quiet for a moment and his gaze looked to his husband and he did offer a smile. “I know I need to move forward. I need to train. I need to learn everything I can. Not to make her happy, but… Because in some ways she was right. I am simply not good enough the way I am right now. I do not want to distract you when you have to do something that requires your entire focus. And…” His blue-eyed gaze fell to the journal. “I want to be someone you can focus on being proud of, not constantly worrying about… So starting in the morning, when I am not speaking to the people, I want to be training. I am not going to wait for something to happen to warrant it.”
Giving a breath out, he did smile. “I did not want to worry you, which is why I got up, but here you are, anyway. My apologies, my love. Forgive my thoughts… Before her arrival, I had wanted so much and it pointed in many different directions… But I think now I have found my focus to at least begin somewhere.”
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 6:16 pm
by Taelian Edevane
As much as Taelian wanted to know the contents of Ford's journal, he did not pry. He saw only the most obvious letters, those top and center, and allowed the other to close his work and avoid further discussion or observation. The Knight did indeed indulge Ford's offer, though instead of climbing onto his husband's lap, the man circled around and seated himself on the sofa, pulling Ford into his own warmth. The man kissed him softly on the lips, listening quietly to what he had to say, even if he didn't agree with all of it or wanted very much to interject. He always liked to provide Ford space to speak; Taelian loved listening to him, and wanted to ensure nothing on his mind was left unsaid.
When his husband breathed out and concluded his thoughts, Taelian's lips brightened and warmed, as if to show an almost goofy and misplaced appreciation for his spouse. "You're such a silly man," he murmured, kissing him again. "How are you hurting me? You're the love of my life. Do you know how happy you make me -- how taken I am with you? I have prayed to the Gods every day since we've met... to thank them for bringing you to my side." Taelian scoffed, looking down as he repeated Ford's words. "Not 'good enough'... I know why you feel this way, but you are totally, utterly wrong. You are more than good enough for me: you are perfect, Ford," Taelian said, his features shifting until they were almost solemn. It hurt him to see his husband feel as he did.
"I am glad that you are going to train... but not because it will make you more 'worthy' of me: I think it will make you feel better, and stronger, and more able to actively participate in your own life. Power brings with it the ability to choose, and you need that liberty." Taelian averted his eyes back up, nodding once. "But, Ford... I don't want you to think you are somehow worth any less than me. You are my soulmate... my other half. I am not seventy and you thirty; we are two segments of one whole. Without you, I'm just a... formless, empty nothing. I need you to know that."
Reaching beneath Ford's shirt, Taelian slid his palms up along the shape of his muscular back, squeezing along his lats and rumbling with a simple, delicate appreciation. "I want you to know... I love you more than I ever did Riven, by... a lot. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. If you can't believe me when I say that, fine, but I'll say it regardless. You make me so happy, Ford... and I want to make sure you're happy, too. Tell me, if I can do even one thing to make this all easier for you. Please."
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 7:10 pm
by Ford Edevane
It brought a smile to his features as his husband called him a silly man. He knew a lot of what he was thinking was just initial shock and response to the words that Eloise had left them with before she took her timely departure to leave them with their feelings. But what his lover said edged the doubt and thoughts he’d had out of his mind. It was a dynamic that he would have to get used to, this give and take, this equal push and pull that was their connection. Eloise had done well to get under Ford’s skin, but it wasn’t something so deep that it would be allowed to fester. The kisses to his lips had the blonde unable to keep any form of a frown on his features. The presses of his lips often from his lover had him smiling into each and every one of those embraces of lips, his smile growing with each one.
“I do know that, or at least I felt that I knew our connection was solidified. And I had withstood most of what she had to say, and it was at the very end that she had chipped away at just the right spot, and I allowed myself to doubt our choices.
The hands along his back felt his abdominal muscles flexing and tightening, and each pec took a moment to constrict and tighten as there was an electrified feeling each time his soulmate touched his flesh. The words soothed him, hearing them. For some reason, he had given Eloise’s words more power than he perhaps should have.
Ford did want to train, and he wanted to be better. He wanted to do more and not just be seen by others as a damsel in distress. He knew it would be hard work, but he also knew having Taelian at his side would be worth any task he put before himself.
What had caught him off guard was the mention of Riven. Lowering his gaze, he watched Taelian’s mouth move, his lips forming words as they came out, gracing his ears with their accented tones. Lightly, he lifted his fingers to trace where the most sensitive flesh of his lover’s lips ended and the tougher, stubble-lined flesh began. The words found themselves deep within Ford’s soul. That actually meant something for him to hear.
His smile couldn’t spread any farther as his fingertips moved from their appreciation of Taelian’s lower lip and stroked down to his chin and along his lower jaw. It was exquisite, the lines his bone structure made, how tanned his skin was and how perfectly it laid over just each ridge of bone and shaped to form the most handsome man in the world’s face.
“Just…”
He turned slightly, slid his other hand up to hold his husband’s cheeks, and leaned his forehead to press against the mage’s own. “Love me… Be patient because I know I can be stubborn at times… And give me a nudge once in a while to ensure I keep moving forward. I don’t want to be good enough… I want to be the best… And if anyone in this world is going to show me that… It’s you.” Pressing his lips against the others, he took that moment to appreciate Talien’s lips with his own, and his fingers gripped at the other’s face.
Only after his lips lingered far beyond what could be considered chaste he smiled. “I am sorry for leaving your bed and waking you. I will be fine, I promise. Want me to gather my things and return to bed?” He asked this as he lifted his nose, lightly rubbing it along the other’s as he placed another kiss, only this one was to the corner of Taelian’s mouth.
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 7:36 pm
by Taelian Edevane
No man was immune to doubt, and Eloise's words were particularly sharp, callous and cutting: it was like she tried to dig beneath their foundation and pull out whatever weakness lurked under, to pull Ford out of his stupor and make him feel lesser. Taelian knew Eloise well... and she always had some scheme brewing in her mind. Maybe she wanted to drive them apart -- he wouldn't have put it past her. She hadn't, though. Planting the seed of doubt didn't work so well between the two of them, as honest and open as they were with one another.
He was glad to see Ford smile, and he was glad to see those doubts dispelled. Taelian wasn't merely assuaging him, but telling him the truth of how he felt, which made his words worth all the more. The Knight nudged Ford as he asked him to, physically this time, his arm pulling back before gently elbowing the other man's obliques. "You're already the best to me, but... I understand what you mean. I'll teach you, Ford--I'll teach you plenty of things, and you'll teach me. How to be a good husband, a good man, a great father. You'll teach me just as many things as I, you."
He wrapped his arms tightly around Ford's back, pulling the man's legs around his waist before suddenly standing. Taelian carried him, almost losing his balance as they first stood, before he steadied. It wasn't that Ford was heavy to him, really--it was more a misdirection of his center of gravity. The Knight slowly carried him towards the stairs, kissing him every moment they traveled as a conjoined pair. "I'll get your things," he whispered to him. "Let me just take you to bed, first, and then I'll grab them and join you. Don't leave the bed."
The Knight brought him up each step until they were within the hallway again, taking him to their room and placing the man's glutes against the edge of the bed. Taelian hushed him, turning around and disappearing through the door again, before returning with his belongings a minute later. The man settled beside him, slung his arm around his shoulder, and kissed his husband on the tip of the nose.
"I'm glad you want to become strong, Ford," Taelian whispered. "Remember, though, that you are strong already. You handle me like I'm weightless... like I'm fragile. No one has ever made me feel that way before you." Taelian reached into Ford's open shirt with his free hand, running his palm over the large man's pec. "You're so strong, my husband. So... so strong."
Re: Pursuit
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 11:56 pm
by Taelian Edevane
Taelian and Ford
Lores
8 Generic Lores for both characters.
Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A
Points: 8
Comments: 