Family Matters

Macha Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:41 am

Ah, Highever. Gareth missed coming here, as a lad he had always played with his cousins Fergus and Macha. As nephew of Teyrna Eleanor, Gareth had come to Highever on occasion to visit his relatives as the years passed.
He was currently living in Umoja with his parents. He was the only child of Arl and Arlessa Feres.
He stood at the gates to Castle Highever with his mother, Teyrna Eleanor's younger sister, Jinian.

Macha was lounging in the window seat of her room on the top floor of the Cousland manor, dressed casually in a pair of leggings and long tunic, fastened with a simple leather belt. She never wore dresses unless absolutely forced to, and much preferred comfortable men's clothing when relaxing. Her sword rested in her lap, and she was running a polishing cloth along the edges in a lazy manner.

The work was relaxing, and she was humming a tune as her eyes half lidded, going about the work automatically. Then, movement caught her eye outside of the window, and she looked down to the ground level of the manor, near the gates. She had to squint to see who or what it was, but then her face lit up, and she hurriedly placed the cloth and sword down on the small window-couch as she ran out of the room.

She almost barreled over two servants in her haste, and she called back hasty apologies to them as she flew down each flight of stairs. As she turned into the main hall she saw Fergus coming down from the opposite flight of stairs, though walking at a normal pace. He saw her, though, and stared in surprise for a moment before he caught a gleam in his eye, and he jumped down the last two steps, racing her to the door. Macha had to suppress a laugh in order to keep pace, but Fergus reached the double doors before her, nearly slamming against them in his haste. She slowed to a trot, heaving a breath as she laid a hand on the door, and he cast her the most childish of victory looks before running a hand through his hair to fix it from his sprint, and opened the door, calm and compose as any noble. Macha stayed behind the cover of the other door as she caught her breath, glaring at her brother playfully, and then walked around it, and out to the front gates.

"Gareth!" She called happily from behind Fergus as her brother opened the gates, happily taking the job from the two footmen who'd been about to do it. "Father didn't tell me you and Aunt Jinian were visiting!" She said with a bright smile, and as soon as the gates were opened she jumped towards her cousin for a hug.

Gareth waited patiently with his mother and when the doors finally opened, he grinned seeing his cousins Fergus and Macha practically tripping over each other to greet him. He sported his usual Grey Iron Scale Mail armor that he wore when travelling, and his family's train was behind them with their luggage. He spread his arms out to greet his dear cousins, embracing Macha first and then pounding a fist to Fergus' shoulder and the other did likewise. "Sorry about that, Mum told me it was all arranged but I suppose a surprise visit is acceptable as well!" he chuckled. Aunt Jinian smiled, she looked a lot like Eleanor, except for her eyes being the same hazel color as her son's. Her hair was also less gray and more dark brown. She hugged both her nephew and neice. "My dear girl, what fun would it be if you knew we were coming?"

Macha grinned at her aunt as she hugged the woman, planting a kiss on the woman's cheek before stepping back. "Surprise visits are just fine, my dear Aunt, but it's my own state of unpreparedness that throws me. If I hadn't been at my window, I might not have even known you were here for another half an hour. I'll simply have to chew father's ear off about this." She grinned conspiratorially at Fergus, and her brother returned the look before turning to look at the men behind Gareth and Jinian.

"You lads can just bring them up to the door. We'll have them taken care of from there." Then he turned to their guests, and Macha stepped over to stand next to her brother. "I suppose formal greetings are no longer necessary, and I suspect they are not wanted, in any case. Let's have you two inside. Father should be down by now, and Oren has been missing you." Fergus extended an arm to motion for them all to start towards the house, and Macha happily led the pack.

Argos was waiting for her at the door, having run along after Macha during her sprint to the ground floor, and had kept inside to allow his mistress time to greet her family. Now he jumped up in greeting for Macha and Gareth, his short tail wagging madly in an uncharacteristic show of affection. He was usually a rather stoic mabari.

Gareth grinned at the brief exchange and then stooped down to scratch Argos behind the ears. "Hey, boy! Sorry I couldn't bring Morris along. He was feeling a little ill back home." Morris, being Gareth's own Mabari war hound, was a housebroken lazy dog that was really fat from being spoiled. He turned his attention back to his cousins, wrapping his arms around their shoulders as he walked between them. "My dear Fergus, your little rascal needn't my bad influence unless you want him to become a dodgy bar crawler like myself."

As they had grown older, Gareth had become quite a ladies man, and it had been a source of exasperation from his parents who wanted him to settle down and have children, but his free spirit wouldn't permit him sticking to one woman. Handsome as he was, he was notorious for being disloyal to the women he courted. He had often prowled the local pubs picking up barmaids with (as the rumors say anyway) little more than a wink and some flirtatious words.

Argos fell in line with Macha, Gareth, and Fergus, keeping pace next to Macha as the noblewoman rolled her eyes at Gareth's admission, a fond smile on her face nonetheless. "Well, I'd rather he not pick up quite /those/ qualities from you, cousin," Fergus admitted, though he wore a smile identical to Macha's. "But I can hardly keep him from seeing his favorite cousin. Besides, I don't think you're /all/ bad for him," he admitted jokingly, as if it was a great burden on him to have his son see Gareth. Macha smiled, across at Fergus. "Of course, maybe if he gets to know Gareth, it won't take him as long to find a wife as it took his father," she teased, throwing back at Fergus. Fergus frowned, lifting an eyebrow.

"At least I /am/ married, dear little sister. You're almost twenty, and the closest you've got to a suitor is Rendon Howe's boy."

Macha made a face, and crossed her arms, even if it was a tad difficult to do, walking in stride with Gareth's arm around her shoulder. "And if I don't want to marry? I want to manage my own estate, and become a Knight for the king. Nathaniel is a nice guy, but I hardly want to marry him." She cast Fergus a glare that he happily matched with a wry look. "What estate, exactly, will you manage if you don't marry? You don't have to be a humble little kitchen-wife to marry, Macha. Mother is as good a fighter as you'll ever be, and she's happily married."

Argos whined as the two went back and forth, his little tail drooping slightly in displeasure.

Gareth let out a noisy breath through his nose. He always got this way when marriage was brought up. He even recalled saying to Fergus once he had married Oriana 'See, now you're life's over, cousin.' of course, Fergus had several witty retorts and life resumed as usual.

Jinian rolled her eyes. "Gareth, you're twenty three already. When are you going to give me grandchildren, eh?" Gareth groaned. "Mother, I don't want to be tied down like that... committing to one woman just seems so restrictive." He sighed. His mother shook her head. "Restricting or no, you're my only son and I am too old to bear another."

Gareth's face heated up. "I'm a free man, mother.." He mumbled, more to convince himself than his mother.

Macha snickered, distracted from her spat with Fergus as Gareth was reamed out by his mother. "I dunno, Gareth," she teased, tweaking his cheek as they reached the front sitting room. "I think you'd be a good father." Fergus rolled his eyes, and separated from the group to stride to the other end of the room, opening the door at the other end and calling to a servant in the hallway. He muttered something to the woman, and she scurried away as he walked back to pull out on of the chairs at the long table, sitting comfortably in front of an slowly burning fireplace. "I've sent for Father. Is there anything we can get you, Aunt Jinian, Gareth? Wine, or something to eat?"

Jinian sat down at the table gingerly, ever regal in her presence. Her lady in waiting sat beside her, a young girl that Gareth had incessantly flirted with on their ride up. She smiled to her nephew and neice. "Ah, some of that wine from '13 should do the trick for me." Meanwhile, Gareth shrugged. "Some simple stout for me."

Fergus nodded, and relayed the order to a young elven woman who was waiting just outside the door. He sent her off with a gentle smile, and she went with a red face to the kitchens. Macha sat down at the chair that was directly in front of the fire, hugging her knees up to her chest to keep in warmth. She get cold easily, to her chagrin, and liked to sit in front of the fire when she could. "So, cousin, aunt," she said, looking between the two with a smile, Argos resting by the fire at her feet. "Since your visit is quite the surprise for me, what brings you here so late in the year, hm? It can't have been an easy journey."

Gareth shook his head. "No, it rained as if Andraste Herself were weeping. Things in Umoja have been getting a tad hectic. Orlesian nobles have been coming asking for shipments of Grey Iron from us and our people still don't trust them to give us the time of day." He sighed, combing his fingers through his short, thick dark brown hair. "I brought mother up here so she could take a break from affairs of state, and left Umoja in father's hands."

Jinian placed a hand on her son's shoulder. "My son seems to be getting worried about me in my old age." She smiled sweetly. "For all his faults, he is a good son."

Gareth groaned. "Did you have to put it like that? Now I sound like a villain."

Macha laughed, uncurling her legs to cross them on the chair. "Well, for whatever reason, we are pleased to have you both with us. If it's rest you need, it is rest we will provide. You don't have to worry about anything up here, Aunt Jinian."

Fergus nodded his agreement, sitting in a chair near the door where he'd sent the maid off from. He looked over as he heard it creak open, expecting it to be the wine and stout, but he smiled when he saw that it was Father, already beaming at his company.

"Gareth. Jinian, what a pleasure to see you so soon. We weren't expecting your arrival until tomorrow." Macha muttered that she 'wasn't expecting it at all' under her breath, but her father didn't hear, and he walked around the table to give both his nephew and sister-in-law a warm hug in greeting.

"Eleanore should be down in a few minutes, my dear. She was resting, and I only just now had her woken up. I trust you arrived well?"

"Ah, Uncle Bryce! Sorry about so suddenly appearing." Gareth started, but Jinian interjected. "We're happy to be here, dear Bryce. We've arrived safely, yes, and the servants are tending to our luggage hence. Is my sister well?"

Bryce nodded, assuring his sister-in-law that all was well. "Yes, yes, she's fine. You know her- can't stand the cold, that one. A more fiery lady I've never met- yourself aside- but when the winter comes, sometimes I can't get her out of bed. Sounds like another lass I know, hm?" He said with a twinkle in his eyes, and looked back at Macha, who was trying to discreetly inch her hair nearer to the fire. She looked up as if she was a criminal caught in the act, and smiled sheepishly at her father. "Daft girl, if you're cold, put on an extra layer, instead of traipsing around in sparring clothes all the day long," he said, looking at his daughter with a raised brown.

Macha all but pouted, returning her chair to the table. "They're too hard to move in," she complained, resting her arms on the table-top. "And my warmest clothes are dressed, which I don't fancy to wear."

Fergus stifled a snort of laughter from his end of the table, and Macha turned her head to glare at him as Bryce shook his head, not bothering to fight it.

Gareth chuckled a bit. "Ah if only you weren't my cousin, Macha." he said in veiled meaning and chortled to himself. He turned to Teyrn Cousland, serious now. "Uncle Bryce... Father's getting worse. He was too ill to travel up here, so I left him in charge of Umoja back home. He's temporarily Arl again. Mother's not much better, but she had strength to make the journey."

Macha's face reddened, and she moved back from the table to cross her arms over her chest, looking unimpressed at Gareth. The action went unnoticed by Bryce, who's face darkened with worry as he listened to Gareth.

"The healer you called in did nothing, then? I am sorry to hear that his condition is worsening. Perhaps I shall ride down with you when you return to Umoja, to see if there is anything that can be done for him. In the mean time," he said, looking at Jinian with concern, "you should not have taken such a risk, coming all the way down here when you are ill, but now that you are here, we will make sure you are as comfortable as possible. If you'd like, I can have our healer look at you, to make sure the journey caused no undue strain."

Macha shared a concerned look with Fergus, who looked back to his Father as Macha looked down at Argos, rubbing the mabari's black fur with her foot.

Jinian smiled wearily. "I'm not so sick as to just lie in bed and die. I'm a tough old bird, you know, Bryce." She shook a finger at Teyrn Cousland. "Tarvek however, has gotten frailer. His time will be soon, but the healers can do nothing for him anymore. It is why he gave the Arling to Gareth to manage." She looked over at her son. "He delays so much in giving us a grandchild. You're quite lucky, Bryce."

Gareth sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. "I wish father could come, but he cannot. And I'm sure you have matters of state to attend to, Uncle, not to trouble yourself with our problems."

Bryce huffed, looking at Gareth. "Young man, there is nothing that stands as more important than family. If I needed to, I would drop everything to see to your father. Don't you forget that, or you'll never be half the man your father was."

Macha winced as the slightly harsh tone, but knew that her father took family and duty very seriously, and she could sympathize with him. It was very sad that Uncle Tarvek was dying, but he raised a good family, had been a brave man when he was young, and managed a good and fair Arling. A man couldn't ask for more before his death.

Before Bryce could say anything else to Jinian, though, the door opened once again, and Teyrna Eleanore came bustling into the room, looking hurried except for the broad smile on her face.

"Jinian!" She cried, and hurried over as quickly as her feet could carry her to embrace her sister in a warm, tight hug. Macha smiled. Her mother was usually so composed, but she loved her sister dearly, and seemed to loosen up just a little around her.

Gareth also winced under the lecture. "Uncle, you know I love my family more than anything, but father's time is coming to an end and I-" He was cut short by Aunt Eleanor's entrance, and he put on a smile for her. Jinian embraced her sister with equal fervor. "Dear Eleanor, it's been so long." She said through happy tears.

Gareth smiled at the show of affection between the sisters, having no siblings himself, it was only right to long for something he could never have. Fergus and Macha were the closest he had to a brother and sister, but he saw them so rarely it was hard to place them in that category.

Macha looked towards the door, and only she and Fergus seemed to notice the small elven maid enter the room with a heavy looking platter of various spirits. She seemd to have anticipated that they'd need more than they ordered. The others were occupied with greetings, and didn't notice her come in, and Macha beat Fergus to getting out of her chair to help the elf set the tray on the table.

"Thank you," she said with a smile and a nod to the young elf, and the small thing nodded her head, face still red, and backed out of the room. As her Mother greeted her sister, so happy to see her after so long, Macha poured the drinks about, half watching the others talk.

Gareth had his mug in hand, but he was leaning over the fireplace, resting an arm on the keystones, staring into the flames beneath him. He was quiet, and whenever he was quiet like this, he had something on his mind.

Macha stood to that side for a few moments, watching her parents and Fergus speak with Aunt Jinian. They all had a lot of catching up to do, and we intent in their conversation. She crouched down to give Argos a scratch behind his ears, and the snoozing dog leaned his head into it before Macha stood up, leaning her shoulder on the mantle and tilting her head while she looked at Gareth.

"What's wrong, Gareth?" She asked quietly. "Is it about your father?"

He came out of his thoughts and nodded to Macha. "Yes. He shan't last much longer. I wish we could do something but the healers say he's too far gone now. Mother will be close behind soon." His lips twisted with a painful twinge. "They say father has one to three years to live." He sighed, hazel eyes starting once again into the flames.

"Uncle Bryce is right though, I can't hope to become as good an Arl as my father, but I do my best."

Macha frowned, and laid a hand on Gareth's arm. "I think you'll be a fantastic Arl. You're intelligent, and you know a lot more than you'd like people to think. If anything, your constant flirting just proves that you're good with people, and I think you really do care." She looked back at Fergus and Bryce, then back at Gareth. "Fergus is the eldest, so he'll run Highever someday. I don't like to think that someday Father and Mother will be gone, but I love them, and I trust that they'll go to the Maker happy. Both of you will do your fathers' justice, I can promise that."

He smiled weakly to Macha and nodded. "Alright, cousin. I suppose you're right. But the problem is I'm afraid of being betrayed, or someone marrying me for my money, and all sorts of little details. I'm a paranoid wreck who fills that hole with loose women and looser morals."

Macha frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. For a moment, she was silent, contemplating her cousin. "Naturally," she started evenly, "it's part of your duty as Arl to have an heir, whether male or female, to succeed you in running Umoja. Naturally," she continued, "it's difficult to get to that point without having a wife first. You're a good man, Gareth, and our mothers are both good women. There are good women out there, you just have to be willing to look. And local Taverns aren't exactly the best places to look," she raised an eyebrow at him wryly, then uncrossed her arms, and rested one hand on her hip while the other dangled in the warm air before the fire. "It's absolutely terrible advice, but you just have to keep looking, I suppose."

He grunted. "I'm still young. Let me live freely for a little while longer. I'm sure some girl will come around someday that'll make me lose my fear." He sighed and then stroked the dog behind the ears again. "I do hope mother recovers though...she still has a chance."

Macha Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:51 pm

Macha frowned, tilting her head to the side as she leaned into the fire's warmth. "Living freely is all well and good, but you won't be a young man forever. Your handsome looks won't always be there to help you pick up women, and" she said, looking up at him with a mischievous look, "it's not like you have very much else to attract them with." Her eyes made it clear that she was joking, of course

He scowled at her in good humor. "If looks could kill, I'd be a mass murderer." He chortled and then placed a hand on his cousin's shoulder.

Macha snorted a laugh, and turned to look at the fire next to her, squinting her eyes to look directly at it. "Yes, well, even if that is that case," she playfully thumped him on the chest, "maybe the one woman you need is the one women who won't fall for your charms- you know, the kind to scoff rather than swoon, and tell you when you're being an idiot."

He scowled again, this time in ernest. "Then she would probably be taken already, yes?"

Still, he smiled afterwards. "Well, you're probably right, but I don't know if anyone would be into me for that long."

"I doubt it," Macha said with a scowl of her own. "Unfortunately, most men prefer the swooning type over the scowling type." She looked back up when he said that he doubted anyone would want to be with him for long. "i think you'd be surprised, Gareth. I just don't think you give anyone the chance."

Gareth made a noisy breath of resignation. "Sure. We'll see if it happens." He turned when he heard his mother coughing up a fit, Teyrn Bryce was helping her stand upright while she was bending over in agony.

Macha looked over, startled, and quickly moved away from the fireplace to hover behind her father and mother, who were both tending to her with great urgency. Argos stood, tail drooped, and she saw from the corner of her eye that Fergus had gone from the room, presumably to get the healer.

Gareth was already at his mother's side, she was waving off all the attention. "It's..It's fine...just a spell of a cough." Jinian wheezed. Gareth looked caught between sick with worry and mildly annoyed. "Mother... you need to rest. It's a long journey."

Jinian nodded, leaning on Fergus now. "Sorry to be such a bother, dear Fergus."

Macha looked between Jinian and her mother, who looked like she was having sympathy pains for her sister. Her face was a shade whiter, and her knuckles were white as her fists clenched tight at her side. Fergus just nodded tensely, helping his aunt straighten up as Macha moved back, determined to not be in the way, as there was nothing much else she could do.

Argos looked towards the door as a small, mousy but sincere looking man entered the room, looking hurried but concerend, and more than a little bit uncertain. Bryce looked over a fraction of a second after the mabari, and his features too a slightly less harried look. "Oh, Hadrian, good. Come quickly, boy," He turned back to Jinian as the others helped her sit back down. "Jinian, this is Hadrian, our healer. He's very knowledgeable." Hadiran hurried forward, and tried to give the noblewoman his best smile. Macha knew that Hadrian was a wonderful healer, and a very kind man, but his bedside manner was shaky at best. Sometimes she thought that he got more frightened for his patients than his patients were for themselves.

Jinian nodded went with Hadiran and Fergus to the guest chambers. Gareth shared a worried look with Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Bryce and Macha.

Macha watched her mother fidget for a moment, casting glances towards the door, and she too a step towards her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Go with them, mother." She cast her daughter a grateful look, and excused herself, clutching her skirt in her hands to allow her to hurry quicker.

Bryce sighed, and slumped heavily into a seat near the fire, before looking up at Garethe and Macha with a bemused look. "Well, that seems a great deal more hectic than we would have liked for a first visit. I'm afraid we've been distracted from showing you and your mother proper courtesy, Gareth. Forgive us." Macha gave Gareth a similar look, and Argos just lied back next to the fire.

Gareth nodded in understanding, still his face was pale from the worry. "It's quite alright, Uncle Bryce. It was a surprise visit after all."

Gareth then stood up straight backed. "I'll head to my usual room I guess. Perhaps things will be better tomorrow."

Macha frowned as Gareth stood. "Would you like anything to eat to calm your nerves?"

He nodded to his cousin. "That would be good I think."

She nodded, and stood, Argos picking up his ears as she did, but otherwise made no other move. "Then, if you want to wait here, I'll find someone in the kitchens to make us something. You too, father?" She asked, glancing back at Bryce. He nodded. "That sounds lovely, pup." Macha smiled, and turned out the door.

Gareth sat down at the table again, staring down at the spread. He was worried for his mother, but his father was in worse condition.

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