RP:Lost And Bound
Summary: Lanara is on her way to Talyara’s house when she gets lost in a snow storm and winds up seeking refuge at the Frostmaw Towers. It just so happens that her friend Alvina works there as an Engineer, and she gives a tour of the building, and shows off some fancy things that have been made within its walls. The women chat over lunch while the blizzard rages outside, excitedly making plans for a future meeting, and hope to bring Aira into the mix of things.
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara trudges through the knee-high snow of Frostmaw, mentally cursing herself for not wearing something warmer. Sure, lycans run a few degrees hotter than the average human, but having to repeatedly cast a warming spell while maneuvering through a blinding blizzard is exhausting for the petite witch. At one point she tumbles face forward into the snow and she lies there in a daze, not having the energy to pick herself back up and move onwards, until the fear of frostbite kicks in. Where is she?! Once a week she tries to visit her sister’s home, so she’s somewhat familiar with the land, but -everything- looks the same when it’s in a stark white setting and beneath an overcast sky. How did she get turned around when she had been paying attention?! Lana’s stomach rumbles as her quick metabolism alerts her that it’s time for lunch, and so she hugs the fur parka tightly around her shivering form and walks the distance to a building far off in the distance. Her footfalls are quickly covered up with each step she takes, as the falling snow doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. The smart thing to do is to seek shelter and wait out the storm, then she can truly catch her bearings.
(Post 2 of 2) At long last the witch arrives at the Frostmaw Towers and she quickly slips inside, her teeth chattering and her body shaking with each breath she takes. The warmth of the building is such a welcome surprise that tears sting her eyes, because she had been out in the harsh elements for a number of hours. Lana kicks the snow from her boots and inspects her hands for any signs of frostbite, before she dares to step further into the building. The squishy sounds of her boots against the floorboards announce her long before she comes into view, and when she rounds the corner and sees a familiar redhead at a workstation, her frozen lips break into a wide smile, “Alvina?! It seems as though we are destined to keep bumping into each other!” She steps into the shop and takes a look around at all the machines, designed items, and blueprints for future use, her eyes widening with pride for her friend. “I didn’t know you were some sort of engineer!” Lana knew about Alvina’s gift for the arts and music, but aside from that, she had assumed that the bard was a homemaker. Having four children and a husband that’s often working late, it’s no wonder she came to that assumption, but Lana seems genuinely interested in learning more about the woman behind the mechanics. “What exactly do you do here?”
(Post 1 of 2) Alvina didn't usually leave her office upstairs, except to get food from the café, but today she's in the front gift shop, studying the blueprints and various baubles for a project she's working on. It's the shop of a fellow blacksmith. Blueprints of famous weapons hang on the wall (faux but decorative). The blueprint of Hildegarde's halberd holds the place of honor over the register, blown up and signed by the Queen herself. Other smaller blueprints show familiar shapes of swords, shields and polearms. Frostmaw was a hard city well acquainted with war. Their Queen -is- a dragon. Alvina's deep in thought when Lanara calls out to her. The bard spins around and calls the witch's name with warm affection, setting her own blueprints down to embrace her. "Destined indeed." Alvina agrees with a relaxed grin. Lana’s appraisal of the shops contents with wide eyes and growing pride and Alvina feels bad telling her the works here -aren't- hers. But she -is- an Engineer. "Oh gods, I never told you?" How would she have ever brought that up? It was a part of her old life. The life where she wasn't a mother of a million kids or the wife of a mafia boss. So it was fair to assign her the role of homemaker, that's just not all she was. "I work upstairs! I can show you my office and some of my works?" Alvina nods at the shop keeper before scooping up her own blueprints and snagging Lanara's wrist to drag her through security and up to the second floor. They'll pass several different offices with a large café / food court in the center behind the security desk. It looks like your standard big amalgamation of offices or maybe even a mall.
(Post 2 of 2) "They heightened security a few years ago after some guy tried to bomb the place. I want to say it was related to..." It was so hard to keep track. "Either way, Lionel managed to save it." She rolls her eyes. How many times had people said 'Lionel saved' something? "BUT! We can go down and grab a bite to eat after I give you the little tour." Alvina beams brightly before stopping in front of an unassuming but otherwise empty corridor and accompanying door. "Ma'am." Alvina gestures for Lana to open the door as it's unlocked. Inside Lana will see a large desk covered in wilted and ancient blueprints. Coffee cups litter the large window sill behind her desk but otherwise the office is sparse and small. The Engineer dumps the blueprints she's holding on to her desk, knocking over a small framed painting. "I'm the Eyrie's Engineer!" Or blacksmith. She forgets the official title she accepted from the Queen all those ages ago. "It was my job before I became a homemaker." This makes Alvina laugh lightly before pulling Lana into a real hug and welcoming her to the Towers. "Your name is on the security list now, so you can visit any time." They'd done that run down at the security counter on the way up. In the corner, a bow is leaning against the wall. It's covered in metal vines that mimic their plant counterparts. "Are you warm enough? Do you need coffee?" She hadn't let Lana get a word in edgewise until now. "I'm so sorry, we should have stopped in the café! What are you doing out here!?!"
Lanara is still freezing and trying to figure out where she has wound up, when Alvina takes her by the arm and leads her up a set of stairs. She seems to be in a hurry and is talking so fast that the witch is barely keeping up, but it’s refreshing to see her friend so passionate about her work. Dark eyes take in their surroundings as Hildegarde’s halberd blueprints hang overhead, as well as the drawings of many swords and various other weapons. Lanara is impressed, and she smiles as she is ushered into Alvina’s office, and her gaze travels around the room until it settles upon the engineer. She’s gushing about coffee, the Eyrie, a lunch room, and how Lana is on a list so that she may visit whenever she desires. “It’s obvious you love the work that you do… I am the same way when introducing people to dance, or to some of the animals that are for adoption.” The flushed cheeks, the rapidness of speaking, the hurried nature, all are signs that she’s devoted to her work, and it’s endearing to see! Especially as the last time they met, Alvina hadn’t been brimming with happiness, so Lana is happy to see that her friend has an area of her life where she can truly escape. “Lunch would be great, and yes to that coffee!” The heat of the building is finally defrosting the chill in her bones and Lana finds her gaze drawn to the exquisite bow pressed against the wall, as the metal vines reflect her autumnal homeland. “That is so beautiful… Is this one of your creations?” She steps closer to the bow to admire it up close, and she proudly pats Alvina on the shoulder, “You have a gift. It’s wonderful that you share it and that you’re doing something you truly love!” She pauses, to answer the question, “I was coming up to visit Taly, but I somehow got turned around in the storm! She lives north of the berry garden, just west of the tavern? I saw the tower and I figured I could warm up, but I never thought I would see you here!” The hug is returned and her smile is sincere, “Do you only design weapons? How long have you been doing this?” Lionel’s name is mentioned and the witch giggles and snorts, “Actually? I saved -him- twice! But yes, I’ve heard he’s earned quite the heroic reputation!” Shrugging off her fur parka, Lana places it upon the back of a chair, and follows after Alvina to take a tour of the building. Although this place wasn’t her intended destination, she’s pleased that she’s bumped into her friend again, and that they are going to grow even closer.
(Post 1 of 2) Alvina laughs at the mention of Lana saving Lionel. "I always knew you had a hero streak in you." She shuffles the blueprints back into a neater pile before continuing. "I remember you having that enthusiasm when I took dance lessons from you!" The bard then smiles gently when Lana observes her love for her work. "It's what I wanted to do for a long time. When I was younger I just babysat kids and played music. I couldn't fight or defend myself. I lost an arm being sold into slavery." Had she ever mention how she lost her arm in the first place? Before the curse of Lycanthropy magically regrew it? "When my arm was lost, I was saved by an avian known as Cerinii. She built me that magic infused metal arm and that...was what I wanted to do. To stop being a victim of circumstance and find a way to use my magic outside of music." It was Cerinii who instilled in Alvina her original, authentic confidence. Cerinii the engineer (or truthfully a selective form of Artificer but the title wasn't well received) was, in truth, Alvina's first true friend. "And that," Alvina laughs, "was an information dump." The witch points to the bow and Alvina flitters over to grab and show her. "Yes! It was a custom design, from Khitti for Meri, but it's come back to me for some design updates. Potentially." The design still was in the works with nothing set in stone but Alvina'd been happy to take the job from the psion.
(Post 2 of 2) Lana's encouragement lights the bard's face up. She looks almost girlish in her glee. "I design all manner of things. Charms, trinkets, items to make every day life a little easier. You should have seen the crazy things I designed with Linn back in the day. That boy was something else. If you ever need anything made, I'm your Engineer." She pauses to sigh contentedly. "You're so kind to say that, don't keep at it or I'll cry." Alvina gingerly sets the bow back in its respective corner before turning her undivided attention to Lanara. "Oh, Taly lives up here?" That made sense, the witch was engaged to the warrior Krice. She tucks that bit of information away for later. She had something to ask of Lana's sister, soon. "I'm so sorry about the storm but I'm selfishly thankful it brought you here." The rest of the tour is short and sweet and finds the two women in a cafe kind of food court with various vendors offering various food and drinks. Alvina decides to point out a good tea bar next to a place that sold sweets. "It won't be as good as Taly's tea and cookies but it'll be a start to warm you up. So you can tell me all about your honeymoon."
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara listens to Alvina’s story about how she had lost her arm and found salvation from an avian by the name of Cerinii, concern etched into her features. Lanara had almost been sold into slavery on two separate occassions, though thankfully she had only been emotionally scarred and hadn’t lost any limbs. “I think it’s wonderful that you found the will to go on again… So many would drown in despair and just give up.” Lana had basically given up on the thought of ever dancing again, until lycanthropy came along and mended the injury she sustained to her achilles tendon. The bow is picked up and the witch admires the workmanship, running her fingers along the curve of the bow, “It’s so lovely!” The mention of Khitti and Meri has her smile momentarily faltering, as she does miss the bond the three of them once shared. For years, they had been best friends and there for each other in every way, and some invisible force pried them apart. “Meri is lucky to have received such a gift! How long did it take you to make this bow?” She’s genuinely curious about the process, and her eyes again scan over the office, “So… You draw a blueprint, first? And then you gather the materials and build the item?” Another name is brought forth, a man that has been missing for many years, and there is fondness in Lana’s stare, “I remember Linn. He was a wonderful friend! I can only imagine what he came up with!”
(Post 2 of 2) Alvina gives her a tour of the building and Lana is fascinated by all that occurs in the tower, the sheer admiration not once leaving her eyes, each time she looks at Alvina. The bard had truly made a name for herself in various ways, and she cannot be prouder of her friend! “I think this is so cool! I’m so happy that I wandered in here, today! I never would have imagined that you worked all the way up here.” Frostmaw is pretty far from Cenril, both in climate and distance! As they enter the cafe, Lana orders a lavender tea and a lemon poppyseed muffin, waiting at the side to see what Alvina orders, before she offers to pay for them both. It’s the least she can do, since she had arrived unannounced! They sit down and after taking a sip of her tea, Lana laughs, “Okay. So! We didn’t attend any nude beaches, but some rather comical stuff did go down!” She pauses as her cheeks turn a faint shade of pink, and through giggles she dives right into discussion about her honeymoon, “The first day turned out to be a disaster! Tiber and I had a little spat and so I figured I would go shopping to clear my head. Well. That wasn’t a good idea! Because I was accused of shoplifting and arrested! I haven’t had a broom in years, unfortunately, so I couldn't fly away. And forget running, with that many guards!” She shakes her head and rolls her eyes, “Tiber bailed me out and we spent quite a few days doing nothing… Well. Not -nothing- but things I shouldn’t mention at your workplace!” An obvious wink is given to Alvina, “We sort of toured around the realm and we had a few romantic nights on the beach and just so many fond memories that will stick with me forever!” A bite of the muffin is taken, as well as another sip of tea, “Also, I apparently need my eyes checked, or maybe I had one too many mimosas? Anyway! I could -swear- that I saw a sign up sheet for beer tasting in Craughmoyle, and thinking it was a sweet gesture, as every man likes ale, I of course planned it as party of our honeymoon!” Lana chokes back a laugh, “However! When we got there, it ended up being bear wrestling, not beer tasting! Tiber had to step into the ring with this big grizzly bear! And they tossed me into a pool of mud with this wild woman! It’s a good thing we heal quickly, because that just may have ruined our trip!” Tears are streaming down Lana’s face as she laughs heartily, “I would have preferred a nude beach to getting beat up and thrown in a cell!” Once the laughter dies down a little bit, Lana’s gaze softens and she reaches for Alvina’s hand, “How are things with you? Have you looked at any houses yet?”
(Post 1 of 2) Alvina would have confirmed Lana’s question about her process. She drew and measured out the blueprints and then gathered up the base material before going able the more aesthetic changes.The bard’s delighted when the witch remembers Linn. Some friends feel like lifetimes ago. They gather their food and drink before sitting. “I’m really glad you got blown off course today too. It’s been so nice.” Even if she’d overshared a bit, sorry Lana! Alvina gets a strawberry tart and a cup of coffee to add to her growing collection in her office. She acquiesces and lets Lanara pay with a side eye that threatens of future retaliation. The curtain opens on the details of the honeymoon and Alvina nearly snorts during a sip of coffee. Accused of shoplifting on her honeymoon!? That gives the Engineer an idea that she tucks away for later. Lana winks about the, no doubt, honeymoon perks of staying in and even though Alvina flushes slightly, she waggles her eyebrows back. She was married with a million kids, she KNEW what was up. “Taking my advice on those Lycanthropy kids I see.” She studies the witch over the brim of her cup and continues to listen intently. Lanara looks so happy. It makes her heart ache with relief. She truly deserved it. All of her friends deserved it, after all they’d been through. Being unlucky in love felt like a rite of passage at this point. The confusion of beer tasting and bear wrestling is met with a full laugh of surprise, her own eyes stinging with tears at the hilarious situation. “If anyone was going to pull off being in a mud pit, it would be you!” The adventures the witch had were beyond amazing. Being arrested and bear wrestling were a different kind of interesting than her own honeymoon but it felt fitting. Lanara had a wildness to her that felt untamable and it sounded like becoming a werewolf only helped protect her when things got a little crazy. “I don’t know, a nude beach is sounding pretty vanilla right now.” She teases, chewing a bite of her tart when Lana touches her hand. How are things with her?
(Post 2 of 2) It was such a nice, kind question that people kept asking her that she didn’t like answering. She didn’t want to lie or turn away her friend’s concern but she also didn’t want to study too closely how she was. Looking inward just made her feel alone. But there’s no real, nice way to say that without making Lanara worry. “I’m okay.” She smiles with a soft nod. “I haven’t started looking yet, I’m still trying to decide what location makes the most sense.” Frostmaw was cold and the farthest point from where her other travel destinations usually were. Cenril was out for obvious reasons. Rynvale also. Kelay seemed like a good middle point. She regrets selling her old teacher’s house but maybe she could talk to the owners, buy it back at a much higher price. “I had a house in Kelay but I sold it. It felt too much like I was living a double life, having them both.” At the time she had a huge house in Cenril with her family. Why did she need to keep the little cabin? “ My only hesitation is it has a lot of memories attached to it. It’s a blessing and a curse kind of feeling.” She sighs, taking another drink of coffee. “Do you know any nice houses for sale? The kids might prefer running wild in the Sage over trudging through snow on a daily basis. Plus Frostmaw isn’t the most…lively place most of the time.”
(Post 1 of 2) Lanara laughs at the comment about having wolf babies and shakes her head, “I don’t think that’s in store for us, but good to know!” She cannot have children, so she thinks, but little does the witch know that when those canine teeth sunk into her wrist… The lycanthropy mended all of her organs that were damaged years prior, and she -can- get pregnant! Foolishly, she dismisses the notion, as though having children is impossible. Tiber would be a terrible father, she’s certain, and they agreed on adopting pets, rather than a baby. WELL, they will be in for a shocker in a few months! “I wouldn’t have minded the mud wrestling so much, if my opponent wasn’t so appalling! I thought men were into seeing girls get dirty in bikinis and make it all sexy? Um. So -not- what happened between me and that beast! She was like eight feet tall, triple my weight, she reeked of body odor, and at one point she lifted me over her head and spun me around so many times that I was dizzy for hours! She also mistook the mud for chocolate pudding and was eating fistfuls of it, between taking shots at me!” The witch scowls at the memory, but she’s also laughing as she tells the tale, her eyes locking with Alvina’s, “A nude beach -is- tame in comparison!”
(Post 2 of 2) Once the laughter dies down and the conversation turns serious, Lana gives her undivided attention to Alvina, her dark eyes scanning the woman's face for an accurate depiction of her inner feelings. It’s not so much what she says that’s important, it’s what her face says, and the things that she doesn’t say that concern Lanara. The ‘okay’ seems forced and the accompanying smile notes that she’s -not- okay, and is likely just going through the motions. Strength is an admirable quality, and the witch isn’t about to point it out to her close friend. Why put her on the spot and pry for details? Obviously there’s more to the story than some political nonsense in Cenril, but it’s not Lana’s business, and perhaps it’s best she doesn’t know about the truth behind the split. Hudson had lost a great girl, and she’s sure that he’s hurting deeply, but men rarely ever wore their hearts on their sleeves. With a soft ‘hm’ Lana finishes the remainder of her tea, collecting her thoughts before she carries on, “I’m glad that you are doing okay, but please know that I’m -always- here for you, if and when you need to talk.” A reassuring smile is given, as she continues, “I wouldn’t advise moving the children up to Frostmaw… The weather is unpredictable and too many go lost or sustain injuries, plus the school system isn’t up to par. My advice would be Kelay or Sage Forest, especially because that’s where us wolves fit in the best.” Did she just speak freely about the fact that she’s a newly turned wolf?! “There are a few homes that come to mind and you are actually the second person to ask for advice! Do you know Aira? She’s a blonde high elf, a tad, erm, difficult? Wild thing with an attitude and excellent in hunting? She wishes to move to Sage and I told her that I will help her with house hunting. You should come along, too! You wouldn’t be imposing and the three of us can make a real day of it, maybe grab dinner afterwards?” It will do the trio good to have some companionship!
(Post 1 of 2) Alvina squeezes Lana’s hand, grateful for her concern. There was no neat way to tell her friend that she’d killed a child after watching her mother get taken away in a box to be buried alive because of politics and the press. Words didn’t exist to explain the relief that came with killing Candice Snow, to know Alvina’s children and family were safe, mixed with the devastating guilt of snuffing out a tiny, innocent life. She thought about it often. How easy it was to snap her frail little neck and leave her body there. She hadn’t even buried the poor thing. Maybe Hudson had…she’d never asked him but had assumed as much. And what was she saving Candice’s daughter from? A life without a mother? A life without the monstrous things that went bump in the night in Cenril? Hudson had ruined Candice’s life so his friend Fitz could be mayor of Cenril and even Fitz had died. All those shady business dealings put both Uma and Alvina in precarious places in their lives. Uma might be what Alvina would have become if it had been Hudson and not Fitz running for mayor. If it had been Hudson and not Fitz who had died on that ship after winning the election. Maybe Alvina snapped that little girl’s neck to protect her own children. To make sure Candice’s Snow’s daughter didn’t grow up with a thirst for vengeance, a debt payable only by the Landons. Gods only know how many people did or could hold their family as a weak point. The business of running Cenril didn’t make Hudson many friends. That is what spins around behind Alvina’s lonely eyes. It isn’t the hate she wished it was. It was the regret and the guilt and the love that all the regret and guilt couldn’t protect. A constant string of guilt poisoned barbed wire coiled tight around her neck, the way her hands had coiled around Aubree. Suffocating her until she couldn’t breathe.
(Post 2 of 2) Lanara reassures Alvina that she’s always there for her and Alvina nods knowingly. “And I cherish that greatly. Thank you. I hope you know the same is true for you, from me.” The bard couldn’t today, Lana, forgive her. The bloody memories of her past fade into the background with Lana’s admission of being a wolf. They both knew Alvina knew but saying it outloud made it real. Alvina always felt that way about things. At Lana’s mention of Aira, Alvina chuckles. “She is a rather aggressive thing.” She agrees. “I’ve run into her a couple times but she tried to teach me to hunt a time or two. I was much too timid at the time to really do much. It was long before I became a wolf.” What was the first thing she’d hunted truly? The memory feels old and otherworldly. She only remembers being naked and covered in blood and crying when Hudson found her in the woods outside a rented cabin. “I would love to do that. Maybe she can give me a few new pointers and I can pick your brain about local packs I could run with.” Alvina draws her cooling hands back to swirl the coffee left in her cup. “I know I seem…” Her emerald eyes watched the dark liquid waves and pictured the sea. “...lost but I’ll find my back. Try not to worry too much until then. I want our conversations to be warm and bright and good. Not that we can’t talk about serious or dark things but I just want…all the good things you deserve. To be part of them and to be a thing that brings light to your life.” And what if the darkness drove Lana away too? Or Meri? Or Khitti? Or Brennia? Or anyone who knew her only as Mrs. Landon. “I don’t want people to look at me and think only about my husband.” At least Aira would not look at her that way. She gives Lanara an apologetic smile and pulls the conversation back to the dock. “And I’d be thrilled to learn more about Aira. Though I thought she lived in Frostmaw for some reason. I wonder what’s brought her to look elsewhere?” The question is more a rhetorical question than one asking Lana for the details of the huntress’s situation.
Lanara has deep dark secrets of her own, but she doesn’t speak of them, certainly not in the tower. Anyone could be listening, and while she trusts Alvina to keep her confidence, she prefers to have that conversation at a much later date. One day, she will confess about how she had to kill her own flesh and blood, and the deeds she did out of necessity, behind closed doors. Neither woman has that squeaky clean reputation that they portray, for they both put on their masks every morning and keep up the facade. It’s difficult to be a woman in the public eye; Alvina is well known as she has ties to Hudson, and Lanara earned her infamy for being a witch. The squeeze is returned and Lana snaps back to the present, her clouded thoughts brightening as her friend confesses that she’s a little lost, but she will always find her way home. There’s sadness in her gaze, but she looks stable. Lana sounds relieved as she smiles, “I know you’re strong, but you don’t always have to be. I’m proud of you for taking this stance, for putting your needs first, and in the long run I think you and Hudson will be a lot happier. Maybe you can even be friends one day.” They do have several children together. “Tiber and I would love to introduce you to the Amber Lunation, but of course, there’s never any pressure to join our Pack. I know it’s a big decision.” She nods and finishes the remainder of her tea, lips curving into a smirk at the mention of Aira. “Would you believe she asked -me- for help?! I adore Aira, we’ve had a love-hate relationship for many years, and she’s the fiercest woman I know. It came as a shock when she told me she was leaving Frostmaw, but given what happened…” She lowers her voice, even though they are alone, “Orikahn has gone missing… For over a year! She hasn’t seen him or received word, no one has mentioned his whereabouts, it’s as though he fled the lands and just abandoned their relationship.” Men truly suck, sometimes! She adds, “When I think of Aira, I don’t think of Kahn. Sure, I may think that what he did was cruel, but I don’t think of them as though their halves make up a hole… Just like when I think of you and Hudson? I don’t think of your marriage or political standing. I think of Huds as this boy that enjoys sports, booze, and a good time. Rarely is he serious!” She laughs, “And you? I think of someone who is gentle, sweet, gifted musically, beautiful inside and out, skilled beyond belief with making weapons and trinkets, and one of my best friends.” Lana smiles and looks away, a little shy about how she had been so candid. “It seems that the storm is dying down!” The wind isn’t whistling as loudly and the snow is falling at a slower pace, “I’m glad that it brought me here today.”
Alvina mulls over the possibility that her and her husband could be friends one day. It was a nice thought, much like Brennia’s remark about Hudson still having her heart. If love could mend all the wrongs done to someone or by someone. They would be happier this way. That is what she tells herself too. Her red brows quirk curiously at Lanara’s remark about her pack. “Amber Lunation? I’d love to meet them.” She wondered what sort of roles the two shared in the pack, which reminds her. “What the heck is that guy’s last name? Or your last name now, I assume? I’m so rude, I didn’t even ask.” Hand to the goods, Alvina would -not- believe Aira asked for -anyone’s- help but it must be something about Lanara’s charms that made it easier. At the witch’s sorrowful tone, Alvina feels her shoulders slump. “Kahn is missing?” It makes her heart heavy to hear. “Kahn and I also had a love-hate relationship.” She mused, “He tried to kill me once, you know.” Which was true, and he truly would have. Lana continues to describe the whole affair and Alvina feels for the huntress. Lana had a stake in the disappearing men market too. She can’t help herself from smiling fondly at Lanara’s remembrance of Hudson. She had loved that boy. Who joked and was messy and who left empty cereal boxes in the cabinets. Time had made him much more serious but that’s just the nature of life and death. The sting of nostalgia is eased by Lanara’s assessment of Alvina as her own person, not just an accessory or part of the Landon Empire. A whole person. It was a lie, she wanted to scream. How could a beautiful woman do what she’s done? In the end, she’d become just like her husband and now she had to find a way to forgive herself for it. Alvina wants to gush boldly and loudly for all to hear about all the things she sees in Lanara but the witch’s words are too powerful and knock her off balance. The bard hiccups, swallowing a soft sob, and scolds Lanara playfully. “Did you just come here to make me cry? Ma’am!” Her eyes follow to the windows and the lessening snowfall. She resolves, when Lanara leaves, to take up a new, secret project, to say all the things her bardic tongue could not. “I feel very sorry for Aira’s situation. Men are often thoughtless and selfish, but maybe he had a good reason. I’ll give him only that.” It was a bad habit Alvina had; giving men the benefit of the doubt. “But I’m really glad you got knocked off course by the storm. So we could chat, and so I can join you and Aira with a house hunt. If nothing works, we could always talk to a builder about making something new, just for her. She deserves a fresh start and a chance to put the pieces in place where she wants them, after waiting so long.” Emerald eyes stay steady on the snow, the wheels of her mind turning slowly. “We all deserve that kindness.” The kindness of a fresh start and a second chance.
Lanara giggles as Alvina gets teary eyed from all the compliments, but she speaks the truth, so not a single word is taken back! “It’s Lowell! I’m Lanara Lowell.” It has a lovely ring to it, and she proudly states her name, as though she hails from royalty. It’s a big deal for the witch, as she never knew her true last name her entire life, and she just used ‘Banks’ because Aunt Sharna suggested it. “Kahn was always a tad strange around people, now that you mention it? But he never threatened to murder me.” He most certainly -thought- it, as most men cannot stand the endless babbling of the witch. She is quite a chatterbox! Lana rises from her chair and pulls Alvina into her arms for a tight hug, “I will message you soon about what day and time works best for the house hunting. I’m so excited! We’ll have the best time!” With one last squeeze, the witch heads into the hall to pick up her coat and belongings, before she merrily makes her way to Talyara’s house. It wasn’t the path she had originally chosen on this stormy day, but it fills Lana with glee to have spent a few hours with Alvina. Maybe she hadn’t gotten lost at all, maybe the fates had intervened and knew that the women needed to be in each other's lives. Only the Goddess knows what’s truly meant to be, and maybe Lana’s nudge for Alvina to shop for a house was an intended push from an invisible force.