Kingsley Family/Alyssa/Mountain Lodge

Adorable stuff to be added ^_^
Alyssa looked out across the overlook by the little mountainside lodge down into the valley below. Her mind raced with a dozen different things as the mountain breeze wispped around her, her golden hair blowing around her shoulders. She could smell Mama Cobb's roasted chicken from the nearby lodge wafting along the breeze as well. The sunset reminded her of that evening on the hillock with Isana. Alyssa idly adjusted her sword and belt she wore over her riding pants as she daydreamed of her sweetheart as she cast her gaze towards the foggy cliffs below. There was no one she trusted more. Isana would be honest with her and true. And she loved her, Alyssa felt safe confiding in her. There is no one else she would know who would help her. While her thoughts of the pretty woman wandered as if on cue she heard footsteps behind her. She stiffened reflexively and without thinking her hand lowered toward her hip as she turned around to see the woman she loved approach wearing a bright smile.

Alyssa exhaled, straightened, and gave a quick weary smile before rushing to her and putting an arm around her partner's waist, holding her tight, pushing herself up on the balls of her feet the couple inches between them and meeting Isana's lips in a loving kiss. Her darling's lips were warm, and her breath gave Alyssa's weary form life as they held each other

" 'Sana..." she muttered nuzzling her cheek as their lips parted. "I am happy to see you."

She took a long deep breath, taking in the fresh mountain air and the smell of roast chicken, and the closeness of the woman she loved. -- -- -- Isana waved off Cedric again. “Don’t worry, munchkin, I’ll be back safe tomorrow. I’ve got a meeting. Don’t worry, I’ll bring you some chicken.” Cedric had blushed red to the tips of his ears at being called munchkin, and stormed off to find some work to do in the camp as his dark-haired knight commander smiled to herself and took off at a quickstep. Now that the evening was here, and they had a plan, all the other misgivings and worries had been dissolved from sheer excitement. She hadn’t seen Alyssa since the night of the Gala (it was not even 2 days ago) and Isana had thought of little else. Those smiles, the dance, the feeling of her so close, their awkward happiness… she was grinning, again, as her quickstep turned into a jog following the delicious scent of roast chicken that led to her dearest heart. She spotted Alyssa before the Imperatrix saw her: blonde hair bright in the twilight and whipping about in the evening breeze, apparently investigating the mountains they were to cross on the morrow. Isana slowed her pace to approach quietly and appreciate the sight of her love’s athletic grace, as she had all those months ago in the training ring. She stood effortlessly, strong back straight, shoulders squared and statuesque even at her ease, profile and body language powerful and light at once. Alyssa was sharp as always. Isana was still 10 paces away when she saw Aly stiffen and spin with a hand toward her sword. Isana’s face broke into a wide, open-mouthed smile. She held her hands out to catch the lithe blonde woman who came flying into her arms. The expression Aly had worn when she spun around was full of her usual campaign weariness, but the warm and tender kiss that found Isana’s lips was full of electric life. " 'Sana..." she muttered nuzzling her cheek as their lips parted. "I am happy to see you." “Mmmmm, and I you, my darling.” Isana leaned into the nuzzle and giggled. She wrapped her strong archer’s arms around Aly’s warm shoulders and back and pulled her even closer in a tight hug, their bodies pressed together. Her lips softly found the side of her love’s neck and she breathed deeply of her scent. No sandalwood this time, she was all fresh mountain air and that certain something that was her own. “So close to you, is the best place.” Isana mumbled into the downy hair tickling her nose. She sighed blissfully. Then she slowly eased off the hug to move back where she could see the other woman’s eyes again, catching the blue in her deeper blue-green for a long moment. They stood with arms around each other and just breathed, smiling, in the twilight. Isana’s stomach growled, and they both laughed. “Haha! Um, shall we inside, Aly dear?”

-- -- --

Alyssa nodded, sliding her arm from her partner's waist through her arm. Together they followed the savory smell until they reached the dining all of the little mountain lodge. Inside was a quaint dining hall, tables on either side of the main walkway through the room towards the shelf of liquors and wines on the wall at the back. On one side of the shelf clatter and the busy sounds of cooking came from a kitchen from which the warm scent wafted throughout the room. On the other side a staircase leading to the Lodge's rooms.

The serving girl was lighting lanterns as the came in, she straightened up and giving a low curtsy as the entered. "M'lady." She said respectfully to Alyssa, looking at the floor. "And... M'lady" She said to Isana who Alyssa held close to. "Welcome to the Southwind Lodge, m'ladies!" She said with a welcoming smile. Alyssa recognized her from her previous stay her but she did not recall the name

"Svanna!" Called a familiar cranky voice from a familiar old woman from the nearby kitchen. The serving girl looked alarmed, Alyssa wondered what she could be in trouble for. "Did you get Lady Kingsley's room prepared? We don't get noble visitors too oft-" She interrupted herself as she poked her head out from the kitchen. "Ah, Lady Kingsley." Mama Cobb called out setting down whatever she was holding and drying off her hands. She came forward and gave a bow to her before giving another one to Isana. The old woman must be in her sixties, she was fairly short and plump her hair was short and white-gray mixed, and poorly cut. Her apron was fairly dirty, likely from having cooked a large meal for the inn's visitors of which there seemed to be only a handful.

 "You brought a pretty lady with you this time m'lady." She said looking back and forth between the two, arm in arm.  Alyssa nodded once.  

"Isana Everlight, Dawnstar of the Riverlands. She is my partner and my knight."

Mama Cobb gave Alyssa a sly look which she returned with a confused one and then grew concerned. Before she could speak however, Mama Cobb turned to Miss Svana who stood seeming awkward off to the side of them. "Go make sure the room is suitable. You've arrived just in time for supper Lady Dawnstar of the Riverlands. It'll be out shortly." She gave a kind smile and turned off before Alyssa could say anything. "I suppose we should find a seat. you can tell me of your journey up here." Alyssa glanced around the room. Most of the tables were occupied, a few by some of her trusted soldiers others by locals, all of whom were staring at the noblewomen, and all of whom turned back to their drinks upon Alyssa's cold gaze over them.

A few tables remained empty, another occupied by Maron, the singer who had incessantly attached himself to Alyssa's company, and who she had given up on ever being rid of. He held his feet up on the table (which Alyssa knew would earn him chastisement from the establishment's proprietor) and strummed his lute idly some unknown smirk on his face. On the other side of the room Alyssa's captain the short, sturdy, and exquisitely bearded Cal Reed sat drinking with one of her Lieutenants, a dark-humoured man the rest of the company knew as Sullen Gordon. They apparently just noticed the two ladies walk in as they stood up at attention with a Perdanese salute.

"M'lady!" Cal Reed said stiffly "M'lady's lady!" Sullen Gordon said half as stiffly as he stood up giving an 'ow' as he banged his knee on the table trying to do so.

Alyssa cringed slightly and saluted them back as the captain ribbed his subordinate.

Alyssa squeezed her darling's hand "Will you find us a place to rest our feet dearest, your journey has been long, I'll get some wine and be right there." She said pulling a coin from her purse and taking a step towards the large liquor-ladened shelf -- -- -- Isana smiled and squeezed her hand back as Alyssa went in search of refreshments. She greeted the men casually with a brief nod.

“At ease, gentlemen. Captain Cal, always a pleasure. I hope you enjoy your evening.”

She nodded again in dismissal, then took to looking about the room to choose a spot. It was busier than she had expected in this far-flung lodge. Since Alyssa had mentioned she wanted to talk, perhaps somewhere further from the troops where they could have relative privacy would be nice. She chose a table nearer the stairs on the side opposite the Captain, and as far as they could get from the dandy who followed Alyssa about (often irritating her in process) though she couldn’t remember his name. To both sides of the table she chose were locals; an older couple and a small family. Across the aisle was empty.

Isana pulled out a chair for Alyssa and stood waiting behind it with a cheeky little one-sided smile, which widened when the blonde woman approached laden with wine and saw her. Alyssa gave a little shake of her head and a silent laugh. She inclined her head and took the seat, Isana pushing it in gallantly behind her.

“You’re irrepressible, dearest,” Alyssa said warmly as her knight relaxed into the chair at her right. The small square tables made for a very comfortable conversational distance.

Isana smiled brilliantly at the compliment. She accepted the goblet with a nod and set it down to one side, questing instead to hold Aly’s hand in her own on the table.

“I love the sound of ‘Dawnstar of the Riverlands’, Aly. It’s so poetic! You know it was stories that brought me to Perdan in the first place… I read of the shimmering white city on the shores of the ocean, and hardly believed it could be so beautiful as the writer described. I should find that writer and thank them somehow, come to think of it. Following their words has thus far been a very fortunate venture.” She paused, taking in the room and her favourite company, and feeling entirely lucky in the moment. Her gaze filled with sky blue, and she noted some tension in Alyssa’s face. “You mentioned there was something you wanted to discuss, love?”

-- -- --

"Ah... yes." Alyssa said glancing at the clasped hands relaxing on the table. Her voice softened, for only Isana as the tavern's bustling noise began to pick up. "I wanted your opinion. Or, your help perhaps, whichever you feel you can give me." She traced her thumb across the other's hand as she looked back up at the pretty woman across from her. Her eyes always held such delight and acceptance. I am foolish to be afraid of her. She admitted to herself as she exhaled and straightened into a more confident posture.

"I am concerned that perhaps... I am too..." What is the right word? "Imperious? Err... Stubborn?" She frowned. "The King used selfish..."

Alyssa tapped her foot in her boot beneath the table. "Am I... controlling?" She asked with concern. "Perhaps you recall the situation with Lord Kenneth some time ago. It... blew up, as it always seems to do whenever I involve myself. Whether among my subordinates, or just among others in the realm. Particularly when Sir Nemean is involved." She noted, biting her tongue at the mention of the now de-marshaled knight. Alyssa looked back up at Isana hopefully.

"I want to be a good leader. I want to push people to better themselves. But whenever I ask of them for something more, for a better way, it always seems to explode into something dreadful and combative. I don't wish for this to happen, it's never my intention. I just... I don't know what I can do better, but I must find a way to do better."

She gave the other woman's hand a squeeze. "What do you think my love?" -- -- --

Isana felt her eyes roll...