Pure Moonlight (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Nowhere.'' Telma said with a shrug of her shoulders as Norr asked her where she had been. "Did Da notice I was gone? Is he upset?"

She had no idea what they had told Norr or her sister about. She wasn't sure that they would really understand the situation, but she knew that sooner or later the entire family would be involved.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not upset, just really worried." Whether Norr or Arin knew anything was a mystery as they tended not to bother with anybody else's business. "He's waiting for you around back in the garden."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Go back inside, Norr." Telma said to her brother as she went around to the back of the house to find her father in his garden.

The garden was lovely at night and in day time. At night the moon flowers were open and shining in the light. By day it was lush green with her mother's favorite daisies growing cheerfully in the corner. Her Da always worked hard on it and the dedication showed.

"Da?" Telma asked him softly. "You wanted to see me?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Sitting in the grass before the rows of the garden, Ghell reached out to take Telma's hand when she drew near. He pulled her down to sit in his lap, keeping an arm around her as he looked at the vibrant moon flowers before him. "Do you remember when we planted these?" He asked softly. She'd been only four years old at the time and he'd surprised her with a single moonflower in a pot and a small bag of seeds. He loved gardening and had always connected with Telma through that love.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I do. I still have my moon flower on my window sill." Telma said as she sat in his lap, looking at the flowers that she had helped him to plant when she was a little girl. "They always looked so beautiful. I was so happy wen you brought home those seeds and taught me how to plant them."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell smiled to himself, hugging her just a little closer. "It's memories like those that make me not want to give you up to another man... Every year we take last year's seeds and plant them again, but it seems more and more regrow on their own without our help. It makes me think of you. Every year you grew, you needed less help. I remember having to help you carry the watering can. It was almost as big as you were. Two years later, you could do it alone. Four years later, you were weeding everything when I started to have trouble bending down that far after my accident fixing the roof. This past spring, you did practically all the planting in the entire garden when I couldn't work quickly thanks to my broken wrist."

He laid his head against hers, closing his eyes. "Now you're a fully-grown woman with a good job, a good life outside home, and you've found someone for yourself who seems to be as serious as you are about a relationship... I'm incredibly proud, Telma, but I won't lie to you... I haven't felt this heartbroken since Selena was eighteen and left on her own."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da, you know I won't leave forever. I still need you around to help me figure things out sometimes." Telma said softly as he spoke about his heartbreak at knowing she was grown and ready for the world. "And I'll always come back to help you with the garden. I'll come back any time that you ask me to. Just because I found someone doesn't mean that I'm going away forever."

She nuzzled against his soft fur, letting out a long sigh. "Growing up is hard. I was scared to tell you and Ma. When you find out who it is you might still be angry with me. Losing you and Ma is almost too much for me to think about."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Love is not something to be angry about," Ghell assured her softly. "Your mother and I had a long talk while you were working, and we decided that we're going to let this go. Life is too short and too difficult to fault people for being in love, regardless of their age. After all... I'd be quite the hypocrite considering I'm nearly thirty years older than your mother, wouldn't I?" He smiled down at her. "Whoever it is... and I have my suspicions... as long as he's a respectable man and he treats you well, you have our support... If only for the fact that it'd break my heart more to deny you your love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He treats me like a princess." Telma said softly, her heart swelling as Ghell told her that they were going to give in to what she wanted. "Da, you already love him. You'll love him even more now as a son."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ah... So it is Ruben," Ghell chuckled. "He's treated you so well ever since you were small." It had never been a secret that she adored Ruben, nor that Ruben had enjoyed her company so long. He'd been her protector since they'd met.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I guess it's not much of a secret. We tried so hard to be careful about it though." Telma said as her father guessed who her mate was without her even telling him. "His Ma and Da might be upset with him though. I need you to let us be the ones to tell them. Selena has always been extremely protective of Ruben."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Just don't make them wait too long... And if they're angry, let me talk to them. Selena might be glad to see her son in love, but she may not want to give him up. I suspect it'll be even worse with Luna."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's scary, Da." Telma admitted to him. "Being in love isn't easy. I'm glad that you fell in love with Ma, though. I don't know how i would have survived without you in my life. She was so sad when my Dad died and I never thought I would see her smile again. Then you came and she's never stopped smiling."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's hard not to smile with a handsome old Wolf around," he smiled down at her. "But you're right... love isn't easy. Falling for someone and having adventures and whatnot is easy... but it's when things go wrong in the world around you that you realize whether you love someone truly or not. I think your mother knew she loved me when you were ill not long after I came to live with her, and I stuck with you through it all and she was willing to trust me with your life and make sure you made it through. And I knew I loved her when she realized how terribly scarred and terrified I was after my time in Spain, and she stayed with me through the nightmares and the residual pain and all the tormenting memories until I could stand on my own two feet again."

Telma had never known much of her parents' relationship, only that it had happened very naturally and fairly quickly despite how they always seemed to be taking their time. Katina and Ghell were much alike in that way, never in a hurry and content to live life as it came.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I'm glad that you're my Da." She said softly, looking up at Ghell with a soft smile. "And you know I'll always come back to tend to the garden no matter where I go. I can't leave you alone with it after we put so much work into it."

She pressed her cheek against his chest, letting out a sigh as he hugged her tightly. She still felt like a cub sometimes, but he had put his trust in her to make the right decisions. She knew in her heart that being with Ruben was the right thing to do. He was her mate and she loved him dearly. In time, both families would come to realize that.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell gladly just held his daughter for a long while until Katina called them in. The next morning, everyone in the village was woken before dawn by the sound of warriors hammering on the palisade alarm bells that warned of approaching danger. Ghell was up immediately, beginning to lock the window shutters until runners came through calling for everyone to meet the elders in the village square.

 

[heartofcourage]

"What's going on, Da?" Arin asked her father as she stood in the middle of their kitchen, rubbing her sleepy amber eyes.

"They're calling everyone to the square." Telma commented, knowing that Norr was already out and on his way.

Arin and Norr were nearly complete opposites. Norr could hardly wait for the day when he could strike out on his own while Arin was content to stay at home. She always had a slightly nervous disposition and had always been a skittish little creature. She depended on her father and mother greatly but she also loved them so fiercely.

"Is there danger?" Arin asked as Katina came and pressed a kiss against her daughter's soft grey fur.

"We don't know, love. I suppose we should go and find out." Katina said softly, glancing towards Ghell for some reassurance of her own.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ghell's expression was gentle as Katina looked at him, and he came to wrap both Katina and Arin in his arms. "Let's stay close together. Norr will have gone to join the reserve warriors, so he's alright with them."

They all made their way out to find warriors armed and armored with torches along the streets, ushering everyone onward. Lunars didn't often wear armor, so it was surely something dangerous. Upon reaching the square, they found Taqu'un perched up on a wagon over the crowd so they could all see him, calmly watching his people assemble. Taqu'un's great capacity to remain calm and collected even in the darkest situations had been one of the many reasons Donan had chosen him to be the next Head Elder.

As just about everyone had gathered, Taqu'un raised his hands and called gently, "Quiet, please. Quiet." The noise trickled off and Taqu'un tucked his hands into his sleeves, a common habit of the elders. "I'm sorry to wake you all, my friends, but this can't wait. As you all know, we and our Erygonian neighbors have lived under the protection of Inverness' laws and had a safe haven few other werefolk in the world could even dream of. But only an hour ago, terrible news reached me in my home, brought by a bloodied traveler coming to forewarn us of what he was fleeing from. An influx of hunters has made their way from the mainland into the isles, all either killers for furs, or slavers for the Holy Roman Empire or other countries."

The crowd attending began to rile up and become nervous, but Taqu'un raised his hands again. "Please... making a fuss about it won't do anything for our safety. I am putting into effect, as of now, a curfew, and marshal law during curfew hours or in times of crisis. Without permission from a warrior of commanding rank or captaincy, no citizen of this village may be outside the walls past sunset. No citizen may be outside three hours past sunset. A commander will be assigned to each of our ten small districts and the captain will set up a base of operations here in the square. But outside of laws and changes to our inner workings... I must ask that none of you ever go anywhere outside the walls alone. Travel in pairs, better yet groups if you can, and when danger comes closer, stay out of the open. I wouldn't even trust the open road to Inverness before long... King Brogan will be sending patrols and safeguarding us as he is a dear friend to our people, so do not be afraid of Invernessian warriors when you see them. Thank you all for your time... if you have any questions, there are informed warriors with the commanders. I and the Captain have plans to make."

 

[heartofcourage]

Arin clung to her father at the news that was announced, but Telma was more worried for Ruben. She glanced through the crowd towards her dark furred mate, concern on her features. She knew that his job was dangerous being outside of the town walls and with a curfew in effect there would be little time for her to see him. That news absolutely broke her heart.

Selena stood beside Kreston, listening to the news with a heavy heart. She never really understood the hunters that would kill a were for their fur. She had stood up against them most of her life, but with Ruben and especially Luna to think about, she was a little bit scared. Glancing towards Luna and Ruben, she noticed the way Telma was looking at them. It was the look of a mate terrified for her lover. She would have to speak to Kreston when they were alone, but in that moment, all she could think about was her daughter.

"Luna, take Ruben and gather your things. I want you staying with us until this danger has passed." Selena said in a firm tone.

They had often talked about the dangers of being a white wolf and Luna knew very well not to argue with her parents when her life was at risk. "The same for you, Ruben. I want you staying with us until all of this is settled."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben nodded, but paused a moment. "Ma... you know I might have to fight..." There were essentially three types of people in the village when it came to fighting; the warriors, the reserve, and the civilians. Ruben, like Kreston and Norr, was a reserve and would likely be called upon to fill patrol gaps or patrol within the village while the warriors kept to the more dangerous outside. The reserve were almost as well-trained so they were used often to fill safer roles while the career fighters were looking danger in the face. Able civilians could be called upon to volunteer in times of crisis, but were otherwise not expected to fight.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Humor me, Ruben." Selena said in that dry tone that told him she wasn't in the mood to listen to an argument. "I would feel better if you were closer to me."

"Ma, it'll all be alright." Luna said softly, knowing how scared her mother was of losing any of them. "Uncle Brogan will keep us all safe. None of those hunters will ever reach us here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Even your uncle's arm can only reach so far," Kreston warned his daughter quietly, knowing that both he and Selena were worried about just what Brogan could really do should a surprise attack come along. Ruben took Luna's arm and walked with her to her own home before going to his. It was around noon that the rest of their family came together to join them, all sitting together in the grass in front of their home. Volgo kept Dayja close at his side and Ghell's family was in their own group with the exception of Norr who was the first reserve warrior to volunteer for patrols. Ellen and Adane arrived soon after, and Taqu'un was the last to join them after speaking to the warrior captain.

Luna and Ruben were side-by-side, and Ruben shared a long look with Telma, his amber eyes deeply troubled by the idea that any of them were in danger.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena had never seen a family gathering so quiet. She had made a simple meal as they all sat out in the grass. From her kitchen, she could see them each wrapped up in their own thoughts. This was a threat that she hoped they would have never have had to face. It was frightening to think that they were all in danger, but they had to stay strong for the sake of their children.

She glanced up as Ghell entered her kitchen, a kiss pressed against his cheek before she turned back to the stewed lamb that she was finishing up. As he helped her gather the items to take outside, she suddenly paused and turned to look at him.

"How long has something been going on between Telma and Ruben?" She asked him softly, no hint of anger in her voice. "And don't tell me there's nothing because I see the way that they look at one another. Telma looked terrified of losing him. You only give that look to your mate."

 

[KieranSoares]

"A while," Ghell answered simply, but he gave her a gentle smile. "I don't tell secrets Selena. You of all people know that. They'll tell you in their own time, but don't push them." He seemed entirely unbothered by the relationship, calm as ever despite everything going on around them.

 

[heartofcourage]

Selena stared at Ghell for a long moment before she let out a long and tired sigh. "Those children will be the death of me, uvore. Ruben with his secrets and Luna with her stubbornness. At least you have sweet Arin who never causes any trouble."