RP:It Can't Rain All The Time
Summary: Meri takes Cal to Gualon, which is his first time there, shows him around a bit, and tells him they're having a date night where Meri proceeds to pour her heart out to Cal for the first time since she's been back from the Shadow Plane.
Methany Manor, Gualon
Decisions were made in Craughmoyle, Meri and Cal have decided they officially want to move out of Larket. The urgency of this decision has been increased with Macon’s appearance at a certain resurrection. Both shop and house were on the market now, and neither Meri or Cal were staying within the boundaries of that city. She would not have it, especially not for Cal. She also would not allow him to hide out in the basement in Sage forever and a day. Since her return from the Shadow Planes, she was happy to be more reclusive but she still could not stand being cooped up inside all the time. Plus the gears in her brain have started turning, there were more decisions she wanted to try and make. Life with a she-devil, it will just never be the same, Cal. Let’s go to Gualon, she insists.
The route into Gualon is not a pleasant one for more travelers, most people do not enjoy traveling swamps. Cal and Meri have horses to help with that and the blonde is familiar with the route, as is Kadence, who leads them all there with very few cues from her rider. Once they make their way into the city, things improve. The roads are paved, the buildings surprisingly maintained given the population that tends to frequent Gualon. Their travels through the city are not long, a few clicks down the road and Meri is stopping before Methany Manor. “This is where we are staying. I used to live in a room in this place years ago. We are actually going to be staying in my old room.” A beat. “I am thinking that, you should take our things to the room while I take our horses to get stabled. Have yourself a bath, relax, unwind, and then in about two hours, we could meet down in the gardens just down the way?” Two hours would put this outing in mid-sunset. Meri smirks, because she is a she-devil and cannot help herself at times, she just thinks she is so amusing. “And definitely wear something cute.”
If Cal is agreeable to this plan, he will find a blonde woman waiting for him over a romantic picnic spread. She definitely looks like she followed her own advice and found something cute for herself to wear. A black dress? What? Nothin trashy, Meri knows Cal is not seduced by women in seductive dresses. It’s classy. And she has a rose in hand? She must want something Cal, trying to butter you up, she is.
Gualon? But… okay, fine. It was entirely uncharted territory for Callum, but since it was where Meri used to frequent, Cal let her do the leading. They’d get to the manor and instructions were promptly given and Cal could only blink at the blonde as she wander off to deal with the horses. A bath? Unwind? Wear something cute? The Catalian had a weird feeling about this; his sprout senses were tingling.
Gualon Gardens, Gualon
Cal took that bath--it was a nice one with lavender, honeysuckle, and dried orange pieces--and got dressed and headed over to those gardens. He stopped like a deer in headlights just a few few before he was to reach her, making Meri walk the rest of the way. Meri… was in a dress? “Y-you’re in a dress.” Ohgodohgodohgod. Why is she wearing a dress? After all this time, had she decided to trick him and kill him? She was certainly capable of it. Maybe Meri was really a black widow. But, if that was the case, both Eirik and Trent would probably be dead. He’d take that rose from her with wide eyes that were ever-fixed on the whole of her form as he tried to figure out what was going on. “You, uh, you did all of this while you were gone?” That silver tongue of Cal’s was definitely gone now--not that it ever really worked on Meri anyway--and he was fumbling to find things to say. He’d definitely did as she instructed earlier though and was wearing his nicest green shirt and black pants and waistcoat. He’d brought the coat that matched it all as well, but wasn’t wearing it currently, and instead just carried it in the other hand that wasn’t holding the rose--he’d forgotten already that they were in the swamp and that it might be -a little- too warm for such things.
Well Cal! Part of the problem with that logic could be that Eirik and Trent were never lovers to Meri. Who are Meri’s ex lovers anyway? -Where- are Meri’s ex lovers? The only clue Cal would have about that is one tattoo on the inside of her wrist. Daine. But Meri is not habit of discussing her exes with her current love, and she is blissfully unaware of the grim thoughts Cal is thinking. Look at her, smiling all giddy like, definitely with a case of the butterflies. The rose is taken, a chaste kiss is pressed to Cal’s cheek, and then cue the Catalian stuttering over his own words. Meri cannot read Cal’s mind, but she can sense his nervousness, and it is only further compiling to her own nerves. She tries to not let that show.
“I did do all this, it’s not that much really.” Just a simple spread, she bought all of the stuff and did none of the cooking. “And I am in a dress. I thought it might be fun to get a little fancy for one another, we don’t go out on actual dates -too- often.” Which is not a complaint from a Meri. Meri sinks down to a seated position on the ground and pats a spot next to her. While he is getting settled, she is diving into a picnic basket. Cal may or may not discover that he is NOT ALLOWED to help with the basket. It is like Meri is hiding something in there. Maybe she is hiding something like poison. Or a knife. A mini-crossbow? There were a number of objects just that could be easily stowed away in the covered container and used to put Cal to his death, right? So far she is pulling out things like glasses, plates, silverware, a container that contains a hot cooked meal (bought from the local inn). While she is setting and serving dinner, Meri explains, “When I lived in Gualon this used to be one of my favorite places to sit and draw. Did you know that Tristram himself maintains these gardens?”
Cal’d never pressed Meri about her past lovers. He only knows of the dudes she’s been friends with. And the women too. But none of the friends she had now were dead--mostly because at least two of them had been resurrected--so perhaps she wasn’t a black widow? But she’s so full of smiles right now, so soon after the Shadow Plane. So soon after Valrae and Khitti’s deaths--despite the fact that both were very much alive now, it was perfectly valid for there to be lingering feelings of grief for both women.
He could only nod as she explained things and got settled, but then he started inwardly freaking out again when she WOULDN’T LET HIM MESS WITH THE BASKET. Meri was not a terrible girlfriend to be sure. She was a strong independent woman that didn’t need no man--Cal was more hamster than man, really--and he was perfectly fine with this. She wasn’t clingy, wasn’t always checking up on him like some of those females from back home. She certainly wasn’t doing that now, but this whole ‘date’ was still giving him weird vibes. “N-no, I didn’t know that.” He took a moment and finally looked around after a few blinks. “It really -is- very nice.” A pause. “I wonder if Uma would let me have my own gardens in the city. I’d consider asking here, but if Tristram is that dedicated to it, I’d rather not try my luck. I know how it is to be attached to a garden.” But, that was business talk and this was probably not the time for it. “Sorry. Uh… everything looks really good.” As she ‘set the table’ essentially, Cal summoned up a globe of water around the rose he’d been given, much like when he’d done the same for the water lily that had been given to Reginae upon their first meeting (it was nothing romantic then of course; he just didn’t want the thing to die).
Meri tries to focus on what Cal is saying, business or not, but she was starting to wonder if those were just butterflies in her stomach anymore. The nerves! Her nerves, his nerves, the nerves! “You are nervous,” Meri states, as if calling Cal out will make him any less nervous. “I guess maybe you should be. Part of the reason I came out here was to show you a little more of my past.” What she could show, they have likely already established she is a foreigner like Callum. “Share one of my few favorite places in these lands. Maybe we could see about Tristram and you helping in these gardens. I think you would be most happy building your own greenhouse and becoming a supplier...” It was Meri’s turn to talk a little business (okay she is stalling). “ But. Also...Well there are some things I want to talk about.” They already talked about a new house. What else?! “But maybe dinner before it gets cold.” Chicken, potatoes, it looked edible — especially given they were in orc town. Meri is having a hard time finding her appetite though. Meri was nervous from the start, as much as she was trying to hide it, and Cal’s nervousness was increasing that. She tries to take her own advice and eat but in hindsight maybe food and a picnic was not such a good idea. “I think you will be...probably maybe I hope okay...with one thing I want to bring up...the other thing though...” Meri furrows her brows, not really looking upset, but perplexed. Like she could not decide which thing to make Cal suffer through first.
“I am definitely nervous. This isn’t exactly something we always do. Or, if we did, like when I showed you the house in Sage, it was during business trips or something like that. And you don’t, uh… wear dresses… especially with how much you dislike wearing them.” Callum eyed the food warily, mainly--as it has already been pointed out--they were in orc town. A piece of potato was plucked up with his fork and shoved into his mouth… but then he almost choked on it as Meri started getting to get to the point. There’s a bit of coughing, a bit of those blue eyes bugging out of his head, and then finally that potato went down the right way and he was allowed to breath again. “What… uh… things? I’m not sure which thing you should go with first because I think I’ll be panicking either way until you tell me what it is.”
Okay. Planning a romantic date is harder than it looks. Cal expresses his nervousness, almost chokes on a potato, states that he is going to panic until he knows both either way. Dates are hard, sympathy to all the men out there with women who want them to be more romantic. Meri hears what Cal is saying, his words are registered in her mind, by they are competing with the sound of her beating into her chest. It was thumping so hard that it sounds like a base drum was being played in her skull. Meri swallows and tries to...spin it all into one long statement...for better or for worse.
“I had a lot of time to think while I was up in the Shadow Planes.” I mean obviously Meri was also busy trying to not die, but it was not like she was walking into pubs and making friends with the locals. It afforded her plenty of time to think. “About the people in my life, how I feel about them, what I am doing with my life, myself in general.” Meri shrugs and then presses on, she did not want to talk about any of that. Those were not the bombshells. “Khitti had her baby and that really just confirmed it for me.” Pause, a brief one, because Meri is trying to not die of heart failure right now. The nerves were getting to her, she was starting to feel like she was sweating. “I don’t know if I have ever seen anything more adorable than Dominic. Except I happen to think maybe a little mini-us might be cuter?” Really, she kind of regretted that she was not the crazy sort of girlfriend to try and drug Cal into giving her what she wants. That seemed so much easier than asking. Dammit. Meri clears her throat, trying to quickly add on. “I don’t want you to feel like I want to have a kid tomorrow. Or next month. I realize it might take us a bit of time to get there.” So no still means no in Meri’s book and she has not entirely forgotten his asexual ways in making this request. “I guess I would just like it to be an option.”
If that was not enough for Cal to process, Meri does not seem to be done. She is going for the basket again. For what? That crossbow, duh. Time to die, Cal. Naw, kidding. She pulls out a fancy looking jewelry box, duh. And what is inside? Rings of course, two of them, which is perhaps not traditional when trying to do this whole proposal things but leave it to Meri to make this all sorts of untraditional. Neither ring is set with a flashy gemstone, just two simple silver bands with a floral design on them. “Regardless of if you decide that we can have a kid together, I want forever with you. So Callum Erikk Rochester, will you marry me?” Meri was trying to look happy, excited, enthused, all of those good things...inwardly she felt like she was about to die from anxiety. She has literally forgotten how to breath while she waits for Cal to do...something with her heart.
Callum Erikk Rochester was one of those people who thought they'd die alone. Or, at the very least, surrounded by his plant babies. But here he was on a fancy date with his girlfriend (he still doesn't understand to this day how this happened) and was being told that she wants to make -real- babies with him, as opposed to just herbal ones, and that… she wanted to marry him?
He stared at her, almost unblinkingly (maybe this wasn't Cal; maybe it was actually Onyx in disguise with all of that lack of blinking) as she spoke and tried to comprehend it all. Did he… look like he was going to faint? Maybe it was the heat. “B-babies?” Meri said she never wanted to have babies though. Meri wanted a dog and and and probably more dogs. And some ponies. Cal could buy her all of that. “I-I’m going to go with I'm not sure yet. But! Not in a bad way! I just legitimately don't know. It's just not something I've ever thought about… and you said before that kids were not your thing so…”
And then addressing that second half of Meri’s question was supposed to happen. He looked down at the ground between them, the fork in hand idly picking at the chicken as he sat there in thought. “Are you sure? About us? We don't know what sort of bad things might come with me being a witch now. Things were already not easy before with the friends we keep--now it could potentially be worse, even if we move out of Larket. And, this is not a ‘no’. I'm just making sure.” Neither of them were a no, which would hopefully provide Meri with some much needed stress relief.
Neither answer were bad, neither answer were great. Meri was trying hard to not have some sort of overly emotional responses. WHY WON’T YOU MARRY ME AND GIVE ME A BABY CAL. She keeps it in check, but it is obvious that she is confused as to how she should respond. Not so much about the baby aspect of it all, that she was expecting. Was she sure? A brow is lifted at this question, Meri staring at Cal in silence as she weighs out what she should be saying here. “Of course I am sure,” she states to Cal in a firm but gentle tone, trying to sound confident but his lack of confidence was affecting hers. Needless to say, Meri only felt minor relief to any of the anxiety she was feeling. The ring box that contains the matching rings is slowly lowered between them, the box is left open for the time being.
Meri started lowering that box and Cal’s eyes got wide again. Oh no. “Heeeeey. No no. Don’t do that. Not this again.” And by ‘this’ he meant that it was feeling like a repeat of when she asked him to be with her. He promptly put his hands under hers and lifted that box again, so he can eye the rings. “I didn’t say ‘no.’ I know you had a lot of time to think over there, but I still wanted to make sure. You went through a lot and barely talked about it and now you suddenly want babies and to marry me. It’s a big jump from before, when we’d talked last about all this stuff.” His hands curled more snugly around hers, those ocean-colored eyes settling on the blonde again, “You are my entire world… and when you were gone, I was lost. I didn’t know what was up or down or left or right. The fact that I managed to dress myself was wonder.” He gave her hands a squeeze, nodded a bit, and smirked“So, if you really think I was going to tell you anything but ‘yes’, then I don’t think you know me very well, Meri Boyce.”
Cal puts a stop to the lowering of the rings with the request that she not do this again. It was a complicated situation then, just like now...! But pause that thought. Cal just said he wanted to get married and so Meri is going to go right ahead and plant a kiss right on his lips, where it will linger for as long as Cal will let it. When it does find it’s end Meri will smirk at the Catalian witch. “Future Misses Meri Rochester.” Without further adieu, those rings will find their way to the proper fingers with Meri’s help. “I was pretty damn sure you would say yes when I was picking out the rings. Wanting to get married? That idea is not so sudden. What I decided while I was out there was that I was just going to go ahead and not wait for you to be the one to ask.” Meri looks to the now empty ring box. Softly, “You didn’t say no, but when you said that you did not want me to take it as a no, I started thinking that maybe you would say you would need some time to think.” Which is why she put the ring box down, but left it open. It seemed like he had questions. Even more softly, “I have not talked about the Shadow Planes because of how I got back. Onyx had some plan, they made me promise because Facilier has eyes and ears everywhere. I had considered just trying to...skirt around the details, or at least avoid talking about how I got back? But I decided maybe it was better to just clam up about it.” Until Onyx told her otherwise, or Facilier died. “I’m sorry.”
Callum rolled his eyes at Meri, that smirk of his still remaining as she kissed him. “Perhaps not so sudden, no, but it never really seemed like something either of us were hellbent on doing.” He shrugged, listening to her as she continued on about the Shadow Plane. “I mean, I figured you had reasons, but… that didn’t mean I didn’t worry. More importantly, if you haven’t told them already about all of that stuff concerning Onyx, you should probably do so soon. Maybe give them a little while with the kid at least, but... “ He nodded, as if to say ‘yeah’ to his own advice. Cal peered down at that ring she put on his finger, nodding a bit more in approval. “You look wonderful, by the way. I, uh, didn’t get to say that because… well… my brain decided to fail me. You’ve got that effect on me, apparently.”
Meri was still a sucker for that smirk. That was what started all this, you know, Cal. It’s what prompted her to steal that dang book to begin with. That is what you are supposed to do when you think a guy is cute, right? Steal his stuff? Well evidently it worked out for Meri, who is now moving her cold meal somewhere out to the way. She might have gotten a yes but her stomach still has not managed to settle from all the excitement. She would eat later once they got back to the room, or maybe serve themselves fresh plates in a bit. But for now what Meri was going to try and do was sprawl out so that she can rest her head in Cal’s lap, allowing her to peer up at him...and also the night sky. “Yeah. It’s a nice dress. I did not want to look like a total scrub when trying to get you to marry me.” A beat. “And I will tell them. I just have not decided how.” Do you know who was going to hear about it first though? Cal.
He would hear about how things ended up going awry, leading to Meri getting stuck, How Max helped her escape and took her to Khitti’s old home. Meri would explain that she came to start doubting how real everything in the home was. Transparent from the outside, but step inside and it seemed solid? Her fiancé would come to learn that this doubt is what lead Meri to trying to forage and hunt on her own. Mistake, but it seemed like the most sensible option at the time. Grand scheme, Meri did not have many harrowing skirmishes in the Shadow Plane, but it was still like being trapped on a deserted island which in itself is a good way to toy with someone psychologically. Really. Finally Cal would come to learn about how she made it home and the vision that Onyx had shared with her. Onyx was Khitti’s kid? But not Khitti’s kid? And now Onyx was gone. How was she supposed to tell Khitti that? She hates making Khitti sad. Maybe Cal will have some advice, maybe not, maybe their conversation will steer toward less gloomy subjects before they make their way back to the castle. Either way, at least Cal finally has all the details, as he should.