toweredingly | The Morning After The Years Before [for gunslingerqueen]

He came awake with a barely-stifled groan, tears still wet on his face and his arms empty, the song still ringing in his ears. The fire had burnt down to ash, and there was a grey caste to the sky, the not-yet-dawn of a day he was going to have to drag himself up into. Roland closed his eyes, weary and heartsick in every way, and listened to the morning, slowing his breathing down to almost nothing.

There was Nathan's breathing, a warm huffing close against his ears. Further off, he could hear Kaine toss and turn, and Alain's low, steady snoring. It all seemed too loud, too much, especially set against the other sounds of the camp. Somewhere, a throcken yelped, a disconcertingly human sound. Bert moaned quietly in his sleep, something that might have been a name or might just have been a cry. Roland closed his eyes more tightly, then, giving up abruptly, sat up.

There was a shape nearby that hadn't been there before. Even before he'd fully registered that, let alone recognised Nariko in the dim half-light, his gun had leapt into his hand like a live thing, and he was wide awake. Then he did recognise her, and the weapon fell out of his suddenly nerveless hand.

"...Nariko?"

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Judging by the utter amazement painted all over Kaine's face she hadn't expected half, or maybe even any of what Bert decided to answer with. Before she could manage anything more than an awkwardly pitched squeak she was interrupted.

"It's more than enough," Certainly enough to threaten tears on Nariko's end, but this was hardly the moment to lose face. "... I'm really supposed to go into a long speech about the expectations of a promised couple but I think most of us can agree that tradition doesn't always get us to where we need or want to be. Kaine," Said girl finally yanked her gaze from Bert to pay attention, her back snapping rimrod straight. "You've a heart that can encompass worlds, so do not fault a man when he is foolish or even cruel, never admonish a gunslinger for being what he is. Use that heart to exorcise respect and understanding, respect for the great man Cuthbert is and will continue to grow into, understanding for the steel in him as well as the humanity. Remember that these are aspects of love, and use your time away to grow with him, and in that way you will become worthy of a man born from the line of Eld."

By now there was a noticeable tension among the group behind Nariko, expressions ranging from outright shock to muddled confusion. "As the thirtieth matara of the Lunae clan, I wholeheartedly welcome Cuthbert Allgood, son of Robert Allgood, to the arms of Kyrat, and to our family. He is of us, of Kaine, and of me," Here, she turned to face her own people, "and if any of you feel so strongly as to mutter and priss like pathetic, weak-willed pieces of shit I will take every one of you to the days of your training and beat you so furiously that your ancestors will shudder with disgust to see how pathetic you have become!"

Straightening her top, Nariko sloughed off that peculiar form of roughness that might have been easier to here from someone like Cort rather than herself. "Now, hug or kiss or something, I don't control your lives so whatever works, but we're losing daylight, so feel free to save it for later."

"... That's not how this is supposed to end," And if Kaine sounded mournful, well, she'd never admit to it.

"I really don't want to spend the next two hours chanting and singing, Kaine, we all literally have better things to do with ourselves." And since Nariko was back to business it was Alain she addressed next. "When you're ready." Because now there wasn't anything left over, or at least nothing that she would linger around to address.

Kaine waited until Nariko was at least halfway to her horse before whirling around to hopefully pull Cuthbert into a hug, one that might break a bone or two if he didn't speak up.

Cuthbert was still staring after Nariko in slack-jawed shock, and was taken off-guard by Kaine's hug, letting out a low oof! as she knocked the wind out of him. His confusion didn't fade, but he did hug her back, that familiar smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I don't know what spirits like you need," he wheezed, the lightness back in his tone, "but here in Mid-World we need to breathe."

Roland, who was looking more than a little misty-eyed himself, cleared his throat and nodded, tapping his throat in salute to Alain as the blonde followed after Nariko. Wiping his eyes, the dinh of what little was left of Gilead turned, patted Kaine and Bert's shoulders, and turned to head back to the gunslingers.

Alain, meanwhile, caught up with Nariko, raising his eyebrows at her. "Am I much mistaken, or did I just witness a marriage?"

"Sorry!" Granted the apology came a few seconds after Bert had asked her to let go, but she just needed to put a little extra love into it. "Sorry, it's just - I never thought!" And then she laughed in a delirious, shocked kind of way before finally coming back to herself. "I wasn't expecting any of that! Not from her, or you! Oh man." It was taking a near dangerous amount of effort to remain still. "We should get going before I come down from the high."

They had enough to go over, both joyful and angry, but there wasn't a lot of time left over for that. "Does anyone else need help?"

Across the way Nariko wiped at her eyes without any subtlety, but didn't attempt to hide it from Alain. "Marriage takes a week on our end, that was just a promise ceremony, along the lines of an engagement." She paused while securing her book to the horse, "... Although if that's how Cuthbert received it then I'm even more impressed with his response."

Cuthbert laughed, kissing her soundly before letting go himself, and raked his hair back from his face. "Could've done a lot worse, couldn't I?" he said lightly, then, clearing his throat, turned to follow Roland back towards the gunslingers. The smile lingered, though, tugging at his lips despite himself.

"We'd be best to decide now who's fit to ride, and who'll go pillion," Roland said matter-of-factly, when they were all gathered. "The more can ride alone, the better - if we find others, there'll be more space for them that way. Alfred, ride with Percival. I won't hear argument," he added sharply, as the one-legged man opened his mouth. "Mayhap you can ride one-legged, and mayhap you can't, but that's a thing to learn another time. Bert, you'll take a horse along riderless. Rope one up, and keep it in tow. You're up to that, aren't you?"

"Aye, Ro'." Cuthbert nodded, trying to look serious, but that smile kept sneaking in around the edges.

That Roland could maintain himself so well had to be some magical testament to his strength or focus as a leader, but Kaine was pleasantly below that. She couldn't really stop herself from grinning either, and didn't do nearly as much to hide it as she should have. And while Roland doled out orders and Cuthbert followed them, she mostly stuck to Bert, idly noting who was who, but otherwise keeping to herself.

Somewhere in the back of her head she could hear that ever familiar voice reminding her to observe and be watchful in a new situation but - She could get to that later. What did catch in her mind was the group opposite of them, and she reached over to tug at Bert's arm gently.

"... He'll be okay, right?" She meant Alain, of course, because there was no question about Nariko or the rest of them.

"Sure." Bert looked only a little worried, and it was easily missed under his smile. "He's got a better head on his shoulders than any of us, you should kennit by now. Save your worry for yourself, you're the one heading into occupied territory with two madmen as your guides." Finishing his work of knotting the reins of one horse to the saddle clasp of the other, he turned to look at her, reaching up to brush her hair back tenderly with the tips of his fingers. "He'll be fine. And so will we. The worst is past, I think."

"You're probably right." And she really did believe that. There might still be challenges but there was never a day or week without one of those. The apex was falling behind them, everything on the downward tumble would be simple enough. But knowing that wouldn't really calm her down, the best cure for her mood was to get going.

"At least this'll be interesting."

It would also be quiet and full of far too many men, but Kaine would hold her own. She gave the opposite party one more glance as they began to head off in their own direction, and suffocated the part of her that wanted to follow.

"That's the spirit!" Bert grinned at her, and leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth before turning away and vaulting into the saddle. "We'll do just fine. All of us. You'd best get ready to move, though. There's a long road ahead."

The Morning After The Years Before [for gunslingerqueen]

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