Floating Castle within the Thunderlands.

((Continued from Meriddia: "Recapturing a old life"))

{{He had been waiting within the confines of the castle throne room, a place he remembered rather fondly as his home for years. Now, the room felt large and empty despite the furniture set.

Standing tall and upright with his face towards the hearth, all he could do is watch the flames whilst he patiently awaited Maire's arrival, already notified that her carriage had pulled into the castle and she was finally within the building.

One hand smoothed across his dark obsidian hair, on this occassion he had allowed it to hang loose and straight across his shoulders, small strands falling across his sharp and alert eyes.}}

Maire was ushered in. She felt butterflies in her stomach. It had been a long time since she had seen him and she wondered if he had changed. Upon entering and seeing his form at the fire she took a sharp intake of breath . She froze and then calmed through sheer force of will.

Her voice held a warmth that few recieved. " Rensain, ...it has ..." for once words failed her and she stuttered . Finally she shook her head with a chuckle. She moved the distance between them and cradled his cheek for a moment , brushing a light kiss across his lips " my dear one, here I thought you might have changed. It seems that you are as handsome as ever." she smiled her eyes dancing.

"I am sorry I arrived so late. I was a bit lost. I had to wait for a carriage. " She finally looked around the room" Marcus wouldnt happen to have returned yet?. I brought him a few presents and one thing for you as well." She turned back to him and chided him playfully" A already decorated house, no pinks or glitter?" How he had hated the castle in Marloc until she had made it more of a home for them. " Very nice though , you must be very valuable to the King for him to have given you such a place. I am very proud of you "

{{Hearing her footsteps amongst his halls was almost too much as he turned sharply to face her, one arm behind his back in formal habit. His eyes fell across her form as it shimmered across the hall towards him.

He, too, had his nerves about him, since time had passed so much that he had convinced himself that this day would not ever come. Yet, here she stood with the elgeance and maturity that Maire had always held.

It would seem that his feet were frozen to the ground, the way he had not moved.}}

"Maire..I had not.."

{{His voice would trail off to find the correct words, and in the meantime she had approached closer still. His lips curved into his infamous smile to match her own, his arms embracing around her shoulders. He drank in her perfume, the silkness of her hair and the softness of her lips as she brushed them against his cheek. Things had indeed changed, but Rensain realized, this might not be a bad thing.}}

"It is good to see you again indeed, my dear. You look so beautiful, as always. I had hoped you'd return..but forgive me, I had given up on the idea."

{{Releasing her from his grip, he tilted her chin gently upwards with his thumb and finger.}}

"I have bad news. Marcus has not returned, and I have hired an excellent Necromancer, Mychael to help find him. I'm a bad father, Maire...I do not know where he is, but I am trying my best to find him."

Her pale cheeks held a tint of blush to him as he spoke. She could not turn back time and her decision to be at the temple had turned into much longer then she had imagined. She took a moment to drink him in again. Silent for a few moments her gaze remained locked then she spoke "I have been gone Rensain. I have not been much of a mother for the last two years but I had never a doubt nor do I even now that you were always watching out for Marcus. I know you will not rest till he is safe. " She took a deep breath and the firelight caught teardrops falling from her lashes and sliding down her cheeks.

" I trust you Rensain and I always have" Pent up emotion and the safety of his presence finally broke her " He isnt hurt is he ? Can I do anything?" she had regrets about leaving. She had found after she had gone that she left her heart in Aegis. She could not go back and change it . She regained her composure and swallowed " I am sorry, I missed him more then I ..." she took a shuddering breath and straightened her shoulders" I missed you too" She gave a wry smile "Look at me like a school girl instead of self assured woman. I think perhaps a glass of wine could set me to rights"

She glanced around again " Did you bring those goblins from Marloc or do you have better smelling servents now" she would try a bit of levity because she didnt want to break down in front of him. The weight of two years was squarely on her shoulders and it was crushing.

{The silence remained tense, only the crackle of the fireplace interupted whilst Rensain thought deeply about the past. His eyes shone with the memory, then dismay as he heard her words about being a bad mother. Exhaling himself, he reached out to move those precious tears away with his thumb.}

"Maire, never have you ever been a bad mother. Marcus loves you, and he always will. He no doubt misses us as much as we miss him.."

{He had found a lump in his throat, guilt and sorrow running through his very veins.}

"Its all my fault. I have been so concerned about what the realm was doing, that I did not watch him close enough. I thought he would be safe here in the castle or else I'd have taken him to Meriddia with me."

{He shook his head and breathed hard. Running one hand across his head his expression held that of frustration. He could barely look at his lost love. }

"Maire, I have missed you also..but since you were gone, I was a fool. I took another woman out to dinner. I didn't know what was happening between us, I should have waited for you to just return. What was I doing? I'm sorry."

{He suspected the revellation might shock her, since throughout their partnership he had always remained faithful. }

"I suppose we shouldn't focus on that now, we need to get Marcus out of harms way and simply pray he is still alive."

{So lost in his thoughts, he had not heard her joke of the goblins. Unfortunately Rensain was not in the mood for jovialty this evening.}

She stopped breathing at his confession and looked past him for a moment into the fire. She had not expected such a confession. When she spoke it was with soft sincerety" I was gone Rensain, You had dinner with a woman that I am sure was interesting and ....you were lonely" She moved to him and held his face in her small tender hands" Nothing to forgive my dark one ...." She moved to embrace him. Her lithe body settling into the familarity and comfort. Her body was trembling as she pressed her cheek against his. He would feel the tears flow gently"I am proud of you. I have always believed you to be a great man. That hasnt changed and Marcus...he is proud of you. He is a Caladore and he has the pride of one" she placed her arms around his shoulders and her fingertips moved to caress his neck.

She knew he was as bare before her as she was him. Somehow, their was no need for walls between them. She simply held him and felt the flow of energy and comfort that he had fill her being. No words needed to be spoken now. What could not be said in words was said in simply being. They would find Marcus , and perhaps , recapturing a old life would happen, but for now , she simply wished to be with him.

{{It had never been Rensain's intention to ever hurt Maire, yet he had felt that he had to tell her of the other woman, for he would not lie to her of it. As she slid her arms about him comfortably, he could not move away. He wondered to himself how she could forgive him so quickly, since he could not.

Yet, she had shed more tears upon him and as he glanced down at her mournful expression his heart sank. Maire's sweet voice whispered amongst the darkness and spoke of how proud of him she was. Any wall that he had built over the past two years was now rapidly crumbling. She and Marcus had always been his only weakness.

Silence passed between them as he enjoyed the quiet understanding that they had both held. He would not wait any longer to tilt her head softly sideways with his upturned palm, his own eyes half closing as his lips met hers.}}

When she felt his warm lips upon hers she felt herself floating upon a rush of emotion. She had never thought that this moment would happen. Rensain was a man who was attractive and intelligent and she was sure that in her absence he would have found someone. She had kept her heart behind a wall, until this moment. She had thought she had lost him. She knew she loved him but she had been afraid that it would be unrequited.

In that kiss as their lips met and flesh began to heat she knew that he always was and always would be the one. Her lips were tender with a underlying of hunger building quicker then she thought possible. Once again words were not needed, for her heart cried out to his and her kiss said the rest.

{The first kiss in so long felt strange, but it was by no means unwanted, it was in fact needed. He had not realized her hold over him until he set eyes upon her once again and the feelings had not changed. He could not bring himself to let her go, perhaps an inner fear that she might leave once again. So, remaining within the passionate embrace, his fingertips stroked along the material of her soft clothing, his lips barely breaking from hers.}

With a bare fingers width between their lips Maire could feel his tender breath mingling with her own. She whispered to him " I must be dreaming for I have dreamt of your kiss for so long." she brought her fingers to graze his cheeks as her eyes closed. " I wont leave again, I promise. Unless death takes me, I will remain at your side if you will have me my dark beloved"

He was real and she could touch and smell him. No dream at all and then she knew she was lucky. Her eyes opened after a few moments and she smiled her gaze lingering on his face. A smile graced him as she almost shyly spoke " It is like the first time I ...kissed you" she indeed felt a fire spread through her as he touched her. She pulled away from him for only a moment" I brought you something, I saw it in the marketplace and thought of you" Truth was she thought of him the whole time she was gone but when she had seen this she knew she wished it for Rensain.

She went for the door and her bags. Rummaging she pulled out a silver topped cane. Its handle was wrought in silver and ivory depecting a dragon with emeralds for eyes. The detail was stunning as every scale had been meticulously worked into the silver. The cane itself was made of ebony and was polished so that it was almost mirror like reflecting that which was around it. She turned and stepped towards him.

"A dapper dresser like you shouldnt be without a walking stick." she winked and then pressed what looked like two ornamental pegs and with the sound of metal leaving a sheath she pulled out a blade. "One can never be too careful" A rapier was hidden within and the dragon became the pommel. " It is a well balanced blade , beautiful but deadly. I didnt know it was a rapier for I was admiring the cane." She resheathed it and there was a slight click as it went back into place. Offering it to him she looked at him anxiously to see what he thought.