As Ranni watched Owain's expression of wonder, her chest finally released some of the tension of the last few weeks. Owain was awake! He was hale! She hid her trembling fingers at her back, laughing as her sentinel allowed Morgott to aid him to a stand. Melina came to stand quietly at her side. Ranni allowed the girl to hold her hand. She conceded that it helped settle her nerves as well, Ranni was entirely a mess.
"My thanks, my lord. I…." Owain trailed off, perhaps at last realizing that little Melina was not the only one so changed. Morgott stood silent as Owain slowly reached a hand out to his face. "This is no veil." The smile that lit her consort's face was as a spring rain on parched fields. Her heart thrummed happily, she had brought joy to her beloved. Ranni desperately hoped that such happiness would be enough to buoy him through the realization of what she had done to make such a thing possible.
"It…is not." Morgott said, voice wavering with held back emotion.
Owain clasped the man's nape, wrapping him tightly in a hasty embrace. "I know you have ever desired to be free of your blessed aspects. As long as you are happy, my pr- my king; then so am I."
"I am happy, Wain." The man said softly, expression a rare kind of hopeful. When Ranni had first written to Morgott with an offer to free him from his omen affliction, the king had thought her lying. It was only through Miriel's affirmation and seal that Morgott believed her. Morgott was important to Owain, so Ranni would give him what gifts she could. She hoped it would cement the king as an ally to Caria, and not just to Owain. The sentinel kissed his king's head with a low laugh. As the two men spoke in murmurs, Ranni felt Melina squeeze her hand. "Thank you for this, sister. I will defend you, should Wain become angry." She whispered softly.
Ranni pinched her brow with her free hand, leaning against the cold stone of the wall. It was soothing against her aching back, alas she was so very exhausted. "Let us hope it dost not come to that, little sister." They watched on in silence until at last Owain's eyes found Melina.
She crept forward cautiously, pausing before both lords with a shallow bow. "Hello, Wain." Her voice was soft, hesitant.
Owain reached forward slowly, tenderly running a thumb across her cheek. His eyes met Ranni's above her sister's head and she knew he realized what she had done. His brow furrowed in a scowl for but a moment before he caught himself. Instead, he smiled at Melina, kneeling before her. "Hello, little one. It has been some time, how are you feeling?"
Her small hand came to rest on his. Ranni watched him take her shaking fingers in his own. The princess knew well how jarring it was to regain corporeality after so long apart from it; knew better than any just how comforting the solid presence of Owain was at such a moment. She found herself smiling wistfully despite the promise of future argument with her Sunbeam.
"I am well." Melina said smally, gaze to the floor. "Only, I have a request."
"How may I aid you, my princess?" His hand rested on her slim shoulder.
"May I…may I have a hug, Wain?" Whatever he thought she was to ask, Ranni was sure it was not that. Owain rumbled out breathy laughter.
He opened his arms for her with a smile. "Come then, child. I am most happy to oblige." Melina rushed into Owain's arms, finally beginning to shed the tears Rani knew she'd been holding back. As the two shared their own low words, Morgott's eyes found hers. The man nodded with a smile. Ranni felt slightly bolstered for the coming storm, to have two allies instead of none.
Eventually both his lord Morgott and lady Melina departed from the infirmary, leaving Owain with a very troubled looking Ranni. She had yet to shift from her place by the door, like she thought she might yet need to escape. Owain took a few steps towards her, stopping within arm's reach. "Ranni." He said, making sure not to scowl. She would not meet his eye, only ducking her head further, worrying at a nail with her teeth. How unlike her. He gently captured her hands, bringing them to his lips. "Ranni." He called quietly, dipping his head to peek at her scrunched face.
Fat tears spilled from tightly shut eyes. "Art thou not pleased, Wain? Did I not maketh thee happy with mine efforts?"
Owain hummed low in his throat. Ranni was never one to shy away from his anger, she must be quite drained indeed to behave thusly. Owain was angry, yes, but it was not an all consuming rage. He was frustrated she had plainly sacrificed others' lives for her spells, bloodied her own hands at what she'd anticipated his behest to be. The lives of the captured tarnished were worth nothing to him, their crime had already warranted their final deaths. Perhaps this was one of the rare times that Ranni presumed his sense of honor would impede their shared goals.
He pulled her to him gently, laying her head on his shoulder, plying her slender arms around his middle. "They sealed their fates in breaching our home. I only wish you would have waited for me to be at your side during such dangerous magic." Ranni buried her face in the crook of his neck, quiet sniffles her only reply. He rubbed calming circles in her back. So many tears shed today, he mused.
He waited for her to pull back and look at him before speaking again. "Be not afeard, beloved wife. I am here, I am hale." Her face was a frazzled mix of relief and happiness; her kisses tasted especially salty. Owain scooped up his princess, they could talk further later, she needed to rest now.
He'd been deep in magical slumber for almost two full moons. Despite the best efforts of Ranni, Mother, Pastor Miriel, and even Lady Fortissax; he would not move from the very edge of death's door. Ranni had waxed melancholy about his absence and foolhardiness, though he did not think that this time was particularly his fault. Once they had taken proper succor in one another and Ranni had had a few days to reassure herself of his continued health, Owain began the final preparations for the royal procession to depart for Stormveil. Thankfully, Lord Morgott and Oswald had handled most everything he had had left to sort out whilst he'd been incapacitated.
The assault on the manor had resulted in fewer lost lives than Owain had expected, but once he'd heard Oswald's full report it was made clearer. The majority of the soldiers had been of Ofnir's usual shoddy worth. Ofnir had struck at the perfect time, the little shit, not that he'd made an appearance himself. The man was a peerless coward. Owain had sent most all of his soldiers forth to Stormveil in preparation for the campaign into Caild, only a small guard remained to hold the manor. With the normal magical counter measures in place, it would have been enough, but Ofnir had snuck his men in as normal feast goers. Many hundreds of strangers had been within the walls, it had been the perfect opportunity. Ofnir had vastly underestimated the ferocity of the Carian knights and their queen; the arrogant bastard.
Still though, Carians had fallen in defense of their ladies; Owain and Ranni personally went to each of these families to offer royal apologies and death gratuities. The royal coffers that had lain untouched for most of the shattering were nigh empty after all the restoration efforts and now this fell tragedy.
The tarnished enemies had overwhelmingly sought out Owain, which, if Ofnir had received reports from within the manor, made damning sense. Now they had spies to ferret out as well!
Owain stationed most of the remaining sentinels around mother, alongside the dormitories of sorcerers, the Carian knights, and the lord hound. She was the best guarded of the four great runes within Caria. Lord Morgott had brought with him the best of Reginald's draconic sentinels and Owain's own brightest as well. Though, strangely, the sentinels that had sworn themselves as Godwyn's personal guard were nowhere to be found.
Owain and Ranni's wing was the least guarded, but as they were the furthest from any entrance, Owain had been complacent. When he had woken to the leers and pointed weapons of assassins hovering above Ranni's very throat…Owain could not recall if he had ever been so furious. Those fiends he had shown violence of the harshest order to, he wished he'd perhaps restrained himself better though. Ranni should not see such a beast of a man. When Owain finally got his hands upon Ser Gideon Ofnir, he would gift unto him shame and death vile enough to make the hardest of men sob for their mothers.
He cursed too, his drunkenness! To think he'd been ready to change naked out to battle! Without his princess, he would've been dealt a heavy blow to his reputation as a commander. Not to mention the mortification he would have felt at her mother seeing him thus, he could hardly bear the thought!
Witnessing Queen Rennala astride the lord hound, Relios, was certainly a spectacle. It felt, to Owain at least, that maphap the old queen was here to stay. That this battle had been a full rekindling of her warrior's spirit. It was a pity that Lady Rellana was not there to see her elder sister shine so brightly once more.
Ranni rarely left his side now, not that he minded. The small chaise in his office that he kept for guests had become her favored seat while he was working. His office was turning into quite the library. Owain had shown Ranni the memory of the voice that had spoken to him as he neared wakefulness and she too had not recognized it. His witch thought she might yet find the answers they sought in ancient texts of the crucible.
On the eve before their departure to Stormveil, he was glad to at last have a moment of peace with her. They lay in bed, Owain's head in his princess' lap. She enjoyed reading both her book and his at once, though he did not understand how she could keep them straight. Summer was beginning to bear it head in truth and Owain was ever grateful that his beloved was so adept at ice magic. "Darling, could you-" She tapped his head with a distracted finger and a refreshing cold flowed through his body. "My thanks, great sorceress." She did not look away from her book but hummed amused acknowledgement.
Owain smiled, he'd missed moments the most, he thought. He went to voice his affection when he felt the beginnings of a memory overtake his senses.
Owain thought idly that he might actually keel over from the oppressive summer heat. Oh, how he yearned to throw off his stifling helm! He envied his queen, she wore such loose and free fitting clothing.
As if sensing his thoughts, the monarch halted at the side of the busy causeway, peering at him curiously. "Art thou well, Owain?"
Owain cursed his weak body, that she could see his discomfort! He could not allow the queen to worry on his behalf. "I am most excellent, my lady. Worry not for me, pray, let us proceed." It was exceedingly odd to see her veiled into the form of a normal human woman, warm brown eyes watched him knowingly for a moment before she spun and began once more down the walkway.
"Let us not tarry overlong in the sun then, com-" She paused, laughing at herself. " Knight." Owain was glad now to have his visor, that of a regular knight of Leyndell, blocking the look of wonder on his face. It was quite rare to see Her Majesty so lighthearted, he felt very privileged.
They continued on their journey. Today's venture was a new hobby of the queen's. She wished to walk among the people, to 'understand them better'. This outing was to a popular salon in the nobles district where young ladies of high standing oft went to socialize.
Before Lord Godfrey had departed for his usual rounds, he'd given Owain strict orders not to leave his wife's side. Orders Owain was taking quite literally, he'd even taken to sleeping in the nearest quarters to her chief handmaiden, a curt woman by the name of Alecto. The infant twins were fond of her, so she was of high esteem in Owain's eyes. All so that he was within the queen's call whenever she may need him.
Lord Godwyn had laughed heartily at his expense, but with the war of the dragons not even a few months behind them, Owain was over cautious even on the most peaceful of days. Even as they neared the salon his queen sought, the sentinel's eyes roved ceaselessly over the multitude of citizens.
With their veils, the people would think the queen and he were just a noble lady and her knight attendant. All the better for the eternal one's plans, as it was unheard of for the monarch to be out among the populace without at least four score of his sentinels safeguarding her every step. They would surely hear real opinions like this, rather than endless flattery. Most noble women were nothing if not prone to gossip.
As he held the door of the salon for his lady, an airy place of upper class quality; Owain thanked the great tree that the proprietors employed freezing magic to manage the temperature. This was truly an age of plenty, with magic and magic tools to spare. The very cause of such abundance hid herself away in a corner booth and bade him order them tea. After checking the entirety of the room for any persons of dubious intent and unsurprisingly finding none, Owain did as he was commanded.
It was fortunate she had set her illusion to mimic a noble, for so regal was her bearing, that any would look at her and know she was of the highest blood. Queen Marika took courtly decorum even more seriously than Owain himself did.
As he too sat at their claimed table with tea for his queen, he at last removed his helm; though he was careful to school his features. He made to speak but she halted him with a quick finger, her head tilted. Ah, she was already listening to the table next to them; Owain focused in as well. "-that this horrid war is done with, finally. Though I do wish the queen would find a way to remove that ghastly dragon, it is blocking most of my view of the royal palace." The women, a group of four, all groaned in unison.
"Trying to catch another glimpse of Prince Godwyn are you? Well, I've bad news; apparently he has been seen going about the capitol with a woman of mysterious origins." One woman whispered loudly, Owain tried to take in her looks out of the corner of his eye, for some reason this girl looked familiar. The queen's face was blank but he believed she was quite intrigued by this revelation. Owain knew Queen Marika was aware of Lady Fia's visits, but not of the more romantic nature they had been taking of late. He cleared his throat nervously.
"Mysterious? What, did she pop out of the ground?" The women laughed, Owain disliked such prattle but held back his sneer as this was just the type of talk they had come for.
Who did this woman make him think of? "The lady, Fia, my elder sister says she is quite beautiful." Elder sister? Oh, surely they had not just sat next to Tricia's mouthy younger sibling! Though, now that he'd realized it, the resemblance was too close to be coincidence. The perfumer would be embarrassed beyond belief if she were to find out her sister was spouting such gossip.
"Oh shut it, Alana, couldn't you leave me to my dreams?"
Another of the women cut in with a loud scoff. "Dreams of what? Imagine you as the princess! Hah! You'll have to aim a little lower than that, methinks."
"Like the Lord Commander? Owain the Burnished, they're calling him now. Did you see how he ripped that assassin clean in half at last month's banquet? Poor Margaret passed out into my arms! Are you sure you could handle such a man, Hermine?" The fourth woman teased.
The sentinel cringed. Oh, golden tree , this conversation was incredibly awkward for him. He sipped his tea and quickly scalded his tongue with a wince. The queen's eyes met his in rare amusement.
"Keep your eyes to yourself, Misa! You've never even seen his face!"
"I've no need to with how lordly he looks in his armor! He's as tall as Prince Godwyn! They make quite the pair."
Owain fought every impulse to bury his head in his hands, he had to remain alert lest anything threaten his queen. The table beside them continued with their leisurely gossip for a few more minutes before one, Alana he thought, brought up the topic of the queen. "And have you seen the queen lately?" All four made a winding motion upwards with their hands, a sign of deep reverence that many performed at any mention of the eternal one. "She has been looking positively cheerful of late!"
"The Elden Lord returns from his patrols soon and her first born has ended the war with the dragons. It would be strange if she were not happy, I should think." Hermine made good points, Owain caught himself nodding along.
Misa scoffed, evidently annoyed at having to explain herself. "Well yes, but you know what people have been saying." The queen's brow rose and Owain swallowed anxiously.
"Hush, Misa! You speak dangerous words so openly!" Alana chided.
Owain saw Misa lean forward conspiratorially. "I'm not she who has been speaking them anew! Only repeating what I have heard."
"Still, to speak any shade of ill of the goddess would be blaspheme most foul!" Again, Owain nodded along with Hermine.
"It is not ill speech to worry for her! She raised my mother to lordship personally, I owe all that I am to the golden goddess. These rumors of a growing malaise just make me…overanxious." At least this Misa woman sounded earnest in her love for the queen. Said queen stirred the tea of her cup, now cold. He spied a small frown pulling at her lips.
Alana spoke again. "It is not for you to mind her moods. Leave that to the Elden lord, or Lord Malekith. Great tree ; even Hermine's Lord Commander would be better equipped to tend to the queen than any of we four!" She cleared her throat. "Let us speak of things of less import, Margaret, you said your father's spice trade had almost doubled its earnings this year, didn't you?"
At that Owain began to tune them out, instead watching his liege closely. She said nothing, instead finishing the tea in her cup and allowing him to pour her another. "Doth it surprise thee, Wain, that such talk wouldst interest me?"
Truthfully he'd thought the mindless drivel of a few noble girls would be the last thing the queen took an interest in, but he did not voice that thought. He nodded. "Yes, my qu- my lady. I had thought such talk beneath your notice."
"I was a girl once, I held affections in mine heart; I too held such gossip with my…with mine friends." Her fingers tapped the rim of her tea cup. "I too was once mortal." She whispered the last part, almost seeming to affirm it to herself.
Owain was one of very few that held regular conversation with his goddess. It became surreal any time he was reminded of just who he was speaking to, but he tried to maintain a semblance of normalcy for her. He took a steady draught of tea. "I wish that they would discuss else beside the royal line, that you may join in on their conversation then; my lady."
She looked at him in surprise. "Perhaps next time. I am contented today to listen only." Her smile was brighter than before and Owain was happy to have helped chase away some of the shadow.
He'd dropped his book on his face during his reverie and Ranni was looking at him curiously. "Good or bad?" She asked, as was their new standard when he was struck by a sudden memory.
His eyes traced the intricate stone moldings of their ceiling. "I am unsure." Owain whispered.
She leaned down to kiss his temple. "If it troubles your heart, I am here, my dear."
His hand found her cheek. "I know, Starlight."
He slept restlessly that night.