Arcaea/Dining Hall/The Shadow and the Sword
The morning was cool yet to be touched by the sun. The city streets quiet with only the very early birds up and about. He was one of them, the light morning air washed out his thoughts. The tranquility was soothing. It would seem this was what he needed. Without the thoughts of war weighing on his mind, he tingled slightly with excitement. His horse slowly trotted the well worn path to her estate. Thalathafn dismounted, threw down the hood on his cloak and knocked on the door.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel High Marshal of Arcaea
As she finished getting ready to receive her visitor, Adine looked out the window to see the High Marshal coming down the path. She left her room and ordered for a pot of coffee to begin brewing. Smoothing down the front of her lilac dress and shooing away a servant, Adine went to answer the door herself. Opening it, she smiled. "Thal, it's been far too long," she said, kissing him before he had a chance to respond. A moment passed and she broke the kiss to usher him inside.
Adine Evadne (Dame of Remton)
Thalathafn looked back at Adine and smiled to himself as she ushered him inside. He knew he had made the right choice. They made their way to the sitting room and sat by the idle fireplace. Thalathafn watched the clouds roll across the stretching horizon. He looked over at Adine and smiled, the weight lifted from his shoulders and he could finally enjoy being. He hadn't yet spoken since the kiss, at least not to the extent of a thought out sentence. He relaxed in the chair. This was not his war to fight, his war was over. Arcaea stood strong and proud as it had since the collapse of the empire. After years of leading armies over the fields, was he rewarded with fame or fortune? No, but he had the satisfaction of a simple estate in a land he called home. What more could he want than a safe and secure home. The days of lusting for the glory of the battlefield were behind him. There was so much more which life had to offer that he previously had been too occupied to accept.
The servant entering with coffee broke the silence in the room. "It has been far too long, Adine. But it doesn't have to be anymore. I have decided to step down as High Marshal. This isn't my war to fight. My captain will still be leading the lads into battle, but I will free to enjoy the finer things in life such as your company." Thalathafn said as he accepted the coffee and took a sip.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel (Knight of Remton)
Adine took the opportunity for silence by sipping at her coffee. She had heard word on the street of Thalathafn stepping down from his general position but had dismissed it as rubbish. Now here he was sitting in her house confirming it and talking of wishing to see her more frequently. She tried to push aside the faint sense of fear at that thought. The silence dragged on a touch too long and she decided to speak. "This is...nice. Sitting here. With someone. Walking in the shadows doesn't leave much room for companions, at least not any respectable ones. Ten years ago I would have been ashamed of myself for enjoying a bit of quiet but now I begin to see some of beauty in it." Adine took another sip and looked straight at Thalathafn.
"You say that this isn't your war to fight...what led you to that conclusion? And how do you intend to spend all of this new-found free time?"
Adine Evadne (Dame of Remton)
Thalathafn looked into Adine's eyes, those beautifully deep <fill in eye colour here> eyes. "There was no urgency to this war, no threat to the safety of Arcaea. I knew at the end of the day Arcaea would still stand regardless of the outcome on the battlefield. This is Jenred's war to punish Keffer, and if it were not for Ethiala's pride and ignorance to accept defeat this war would have lost my support long ago. I knew I couldn't lead the army when I lack the desire and ambition." Thalathafn paused to take a sip of his coffee, then turned his eyes away from Adine and back towards the window before continuing. "I came to Arcaea to find my family, my home. When that home was besieged by four realms I took up the mantle of generalship to defend it. But I realize now that home is not a place, but rather a sense of belonging."
Thalathafn placed his cup on the side table and raised himself up from the seat. "As for what I intend to do with my free time, I know the first thing I would like to do." He smiled, almost a smirk, as he walked over to Adine. "And I would like you to do it with me." He took her hand to lift her out of her seat and kissed it returning his gaze to her eyes.
Sir Thalathafn Urominiel (Knight of Remton)
As Thalathafn kissed her hand, Adine silenced the suspicion and fear within her, feeling in control of the situation once more. "Well then," she said, "feel free to share this home with me." She smirked back, challenging him with her gray eyes. "All those days you spent at the front half-heartedly must have allowed you plenty of time to come up with...interesting plans for your free time. Care to share them with me?"
The servant entered to refresh their drinks. Adine ordered him out with the understanding that they were not to be disturbed and returned her attention to Thalathafn.
Adine Evadne (Dame of Remton)
