Full Sail [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 05-21-2017
Owen wrote Julianna a series of stir crazy letters from sea. He would often have to send her packets of letters at port because they gathered in his possession while they sailed. Owen wasn’t profuse in his style of writing. The bulk of his letters were actually sketches and he’d write her a few lines about what was going on or what was on his mind at the time. One letter was an eleven by eight inch sketch of Julianna in profile aboard the Lanoria. The picture was done from memory and a few lines on the back read, do you remember all the times you failed to teach me Veridian style star navigation? And the CAF has left me in charge of this city-sized warship. The fools. Ha-ha. I hope this finds you well. What do you think? Did I capture you?
He sent her a series of sketches of sea-life. Fishes, crustaceans, plants, and sponges. I had occasion to snorkel while at port in [ ______]. Only half of these are edible; I’m not sure which is which. Sea-creatures are not my forte. Yet. P.S., the port city will no doubt be redacted. You’re not allowed to know where I am. Here’s as much of a hint as I’m allowed. It’s beautiful here; not as lovely as the Isles.
Owen sent her a self portrait of himself appearing tired and looking through his own fingers. He'd also scribbled all over in heavy black pencil. It wasn't enough to make the picture indiscriminate but was enough to ruin the life-like detail he'd put into the drawing. I'm sick of this ship, of the sea, of the men, of the same five meals in rotation, of the night sky, of salt air, of logs reports inventory personnel business bureaucracy, the rocking of this monstrosity, the stupid fucking squawking seagulls, the rotting deadfish smell, razor burn. Everything. The sea take this forsaken ship. I'm through. I'm sick of missing you.
The final letter was postmarked in late November.. Only a few lines.
Dearest Juliana -- I hope this note finds you well. You are finally allowed to know where I am: going home. I’m happy to announce an arrival at the Eskran port-city of Lyle in time for winter festivities with my family on December the 12th. Finally finally finally. Yours truly, ORH.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 05-21-2017
“Sairus, pick me up!”Sai glanced down at the diminutive Queen that stood by his side and was demanding that he pick her up. He cocked a brow at her, and she huffed, but none of her childish indignant particularly motivated him. An excited crowd of people moved around them, crowding the docks in the port city of Lyle.
One week prior Julianna had received her final bundle letters from Owen. After a maddeningly long nine months at sea, he had informed her that he was returning home. His letters had become more and more desperate for land, just as her desire to see him, to be with him, had grown immensely with each passing day.
Finally, with confirmation of his return, Julianna had announced at breakfast that she would be going to Eskra. Much to her father's surprise. He had tried to protest, but she wouldn’t hear any of it. She was set and determined in her plan. Set and determined to be reunited with Owen. He could only get her to agree to take a guard of her choosing with her. Which is how Sairus had ended up traveling with Julianna to the frozen north.
They’d arrived a day before the Desdemona was scheduled to arrive at port, and now they milled around with other families and friends waiting for the sailors to depart.
Even bundled up in a long dress and an elegant cloak, Julianna was still shivering. She’d not been prepared for her trip to the taiga. Her ears were pressed tight against her head, flattened by chilly gusts of air. She didn't wear crown, she wasn't interested in drawing attention to herself. There were flakes of snow in her fur, and her hair and decorating Sai’s beard and long blonde locks.
“Pick me up,” she insisted again, gazing up at him with wide and pleading green eyes. She seemed to be confused about the sway she had on him. They’d been friends longer than he had been her guard, and it made him forget his place. “Why?” he asked in a gravelly and rumbling baritone, even though he was already making moves to grab her around the waist.
“Because I want to see,” she explained, as she was hoisted upwards and settled on one of his broad shoulders. Sairus was a tall man and she was well above the crowd now.
“You mean you want to be seen,” he corrected her. “It’s a warship, Julianna, even you should be able to see it.” He squeezed her side playfully as he teased her and she lightly swatted him on the back of his head and insisted he shush.
He wasn't wrong, however.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 05-22-2017
The docking of a warship in the main port was in a way of speaking, kind of a big deal. Not only families came to collect their weary sailors, but unaffiliated community members came to admire the ship and take part in the energy at the docks. It had become a sort of unofficial festival. Vendors set up and sold warm food and drinks to those that milled about and waited.The ship unloaded from the lowliest of ranks to the highest which meant Owen was last to touch land. As he came down the ramp, he surveyed the crowd below him. Owen wasn’t expecting anyone as his family forewent the unloading ceremonies having attended them numerous times over. They would greet him in the intimate setting of their home without having to haul all the children to the docks.
His eyes passed over her in his once-over of the people waiting below. His head jerked back to where he thought he’d seen a pair of feline ears in the hubub. Indeed, there she was, perched atop the shoulders of a very tall man. Owen raised his hand and waved at her a smile immediately lighting up his face.
He’d missed her at sea but now seeing her just there nearly within arm's reach was almost too much. Once off the ramp, Owen pushed through the crowd heading roughly towards the place where he’d seen her. She had been lowered from the man’s shoulders and was attempting to peer over the crowd for him. “Julianna!” He called her name and trotted towards her.
Owen wasted no time. Once she was within his reach he grabbed her around the waist pulling into a tight hug that lifted her feet from the ground. He could hear himself laughing against her snowy hair in the din of the crowd around them. “What are you doing here?” He asked without meaning anything negative by the question. “And what are you wearing? You must be freezing! You’ll catch cold!” He was scolding her with a grin on his face.
Owen lowered her back to the ground and taking her face in gloves hands, he bent to enthusiastically kiss her mouth. He broke away to look at her again before pressing his mouth back against hers. “Come here,” he said when he broke away once more. He drew her into the warmth of the thick and heavy military cloak that hung around his shoulders. He brushed snow from her hair and off her ears. “Here,” he said suddenly and unclasped the cloak. It flared out when he swung it around to place it over her shoulders.
He’d completely neglected to even acknowledge the other man that was with her.
“Do you have a place to stay? Nevermind that. Come on, my parents left a car for me. You’ll stay with us.” His arm around her shoulder, Owen steered her away and towards a sprawling parking lot that serviced the port.
“Take these too.” He instructed her as he pulled off the white gloves that went with his navy blue dress uniform.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 05-22-2017
It was no surprise that he spotted her. Thanks so Sai’s assistance she towered over the crowd and she was frantically waving her hands back and forth. It was drawing a lot of attention. Being Veridian, she was doing that all on her own. Eskran adults and children alike were peering at her curiously, without trying to seem rude. Their glances became less surreptitious when they realized a high-ranking officer was rushing to meet her. Ears perked when Owen called her name; she started wiggling like an excited puppy that was demanding to be put down. Sai lifted her off his shoulders, and she’d just barely been placed back on the ground when her beau appeared out of the crown and swept her. Sai watched silent, and amused, at the display. He’d not had a chance to meet the sailor when he was in Veridian, or observe how obviously enamored with him the queen was.
She was laughing too, arms thrown around his neck as they hugged. She was shivering from both the cold and her own giddiness at being reunited with him. “When I read that you were coming home, I wanted to surprise you,” she explained, still clinging to him, more so for warmth now. She would have explained that in her hurry to reach Eskra in time for his arrival, she’d neglected to pack anything proper, but his mouth was on her and she forgot all about it. She held his hands against her face with her own, once again, for the warmth. Her face was cherry red from the cold. She was grinning when he kissed her again.
Sairus had quickly come to realize that Julianna had forgotten he was there. The sailor, had never been interested. The cold also didn’t bother him as much as the queen. He seemed perfectly tolerable of the temperature in jeans and a heavy, fur-lined parka.
Julianna’s ears fell to facilitate Owen’s brushing at her hair, snuggling into the warmth he was offering. She would have been more content to cling to him, but having the heavy cloak draped around her shoulders was nice, too. It cancelled out some of the harsh bite of the wind.
Sai watched as his charge was basically commandeered from him. He didn’t say anything, just let it happen. He was putting a lot of faith in the idea that Owen wasn’t a murderer, besides, Julianna wouldn’t want him tagging along like some overprotective guard dog the entire time either. He’d figure something out and find her later.
Let her have her fun with her sailor.
“It won’t be any trouble?” she asked, as they walked, pulling the too big gloves over her hands. “I am thrilled to meet your family of course, but I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 05-27-2017
“Of course not!” Owen exclaimed as he squeezed Julianna against him while they walked together. He matched their gaits so their hips didn’t bump one another while they walked. It was easy to do, she fit perfectly next to him. “There is always plenty of room at the Hart household for guests. My mother will be thrilled. The family will love you. And they will make sure you enjoy your first trip to Eskra - your other home.” He winked at her. He was harking back on the fact that she was half Eskran herself. That this trip could be a sort of birthright. A discovery of the other part of her heritage.
Owen led Julianna to a truck that was partly covered with snow. He brushed with bare hands on snow that had gathered precariously along the door handle and then tugged at the door until it opened. A sound like cracking was ice being broken along the seal of the door and window when he jerked the door open. Owen bent inside and stuck the keys into the ignition and cranked the truck. He put the heat on and then opened the glove box to pull out an ice scraper.
“This is an Eskran birthright, right here.” He remarked with a little bit of annoyance in his voice as he worked to scrape away the ice and snow that had gathered on the windshield. “Along with shoveling the walk and chopping wood.” Owen arched his eyebrow at her and smirked. “You’ll find this place is much harsher than the Isles, but still has it’s own natural beauty.”
Owen took her along a winding road that climbed the face of a rocky cliff. One side was a wall of rocks that sometimes extended straight up, at other times an incline. Sometimes the face of the cliff seemed to arch out over the road. One was left wondering what held it all up there. Luck? Magic? Periodically a sign warned drivers of the potential for falling rocks. The other side of the road was a guard rail….and then a drop straight into the freezing ocean below. There wasn’t much room for error on the road that climbed up to the Hart residence.
At some point he turned a curve and the road opened up, leading them straight up to a mansion home - lit up like a beacon - on top of the hill. From up there that house looked down on the dark freezing ocean from the back and down on the lights of Lyle in the front.
“This is home.” Owen announced as they pulled into the driveway. “I’m so glad you came Julianna.” Owen reached over and touched her arm affectionately. He whipped the truck around and parked it in a line of half a dozen other vehicles that belonged to his siblings and parents.
They hadn’t even parked before the door opened and a flood of Harts and dogs poured out. The excited shrieks of the children, more tempered but still raised voices of adults, and barking could be heard from inside the truck. Owen smiled over at Julianna. “This is the calm before the storm.” He said jokingly and then shoved the door open.
“Hey!” He greeted his family.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 05-27-2017
Julianna was content to ride in the middle of the truck and cuddled close to Owen as he drove. Eskra was quite literally the opposite of the Isles, but it didn’t take her long to find the beauty in it. She marveled at the blanket of snow that covered everything as far as she could. Her tail swayed excitedly at the outcropping of rocks and the whitecaps that crashed against the cliff side. Everything was different, even the trees. Tall and study and green despite the frost. She was grinning as the drove higher up that twisting mountainside and towards that glimmering mansion that shone like a lighthouse over the bay. Her tail swayed excitedly. Ears pushed to attention. Her trembling now was mix of excitement and cold.
“It’s beautiful,” she replied softly, leaning closer to the windshield and peering out of it. When he touched her arm she turned her attention to him. She fell back into the seat, pressing against his side and leaving a gentle kiss against his cheek. “I’m glad I came too.”
Julianna didn’t immediately leave the truck when the parked, she opened the door, but just sort of leaned out of it. She wanted to watch and give Owen time to greet his family before he was forced to introduce her. Julianna watched as a dark haired woman separate herself from the general throng of the crown.
Sophia broke free of the grouping of Harts and crossed the yard to Owen in an excited jog. She didn’t waste any time. When she was near enough to Owen she threw her arms around his neck and pressed a hard kiss against his mouth.
Julianna’s ears pinned backwards. She stepped down from the truck and closed the door. Holding Owen’s cloak in her hands, she kept it from dragging and held it close against her chest. She didn’t move away from the vehicle.
The sound of the door surprised Sophia. She pulled her mouth away from Owen’s and dropped flat to her feet, grinning up at him. “Hey, sailor,” she greeted, coyly, pressing a hand against his chest. “Missed ya.”
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 05-27-2017
A wave of complete and utter surprise - and not the good time - seized Owen. He felt unable to react fast enough. Sophia was running towards him and then her mouth was on his. His eyes were wide open, staring at his family trailing behind, while Sophia pressed against him. “Um,” he managed to say, his mouth worked at words.The children were there now clamoring around the two and shouting Owen’s name. Their voices snapped him to the present. Used to being around children, Owen shook off the awkward moment and acted as if nothing had happened for the benefit of the kids.
“Hey guys!” He greeted them happily and knelt down for the children to flood into his arms. The hung off him like koala bears clinging around his middle, around his neck, and onto his arms. A Hart child for every limb and then some. Owen was laughing. “Okay, okay.” He eased back to a standing position and looked askance at his mother who was fawning over him in a din of Hart voices.
Little Morgan refused to let go of Owen and he had been forced to lift the child up with him. She clung around his neck and rested a pouty face onto his shoulder. Curious blue eyes tracked a woman lingering near the truck. “Uncle Owen, who’s that?” She had a tiny voice but the sound of the child’s curious question quieted the group.
Owen turned with the child, “Uhm, this is my friend Julianna.”
Ishara stepped forward from the crowd, standing next to her son she gazed up at him, “Julianna, like The Julianna?” Her voice pitched higher with the question and the realization that she had invited Sophia to Owen’s homecoming thinking the couple might like to reconcile and meanwhile her son had brought home a queen for himself. Oh no. This was awkward. “The Queen of Verdian?” She asked to verify.
Owen’s eyebrows raised pointedly. He was not happy about Sophia’s presence and knew his mother was behind it. “Yes mother, The Queen of Veridian.”
This caused a cacophony of squeals from the nieces and sisters. A gaggle of Hart girls rushed to Julianna to chatter and greet the queen that had come to make their acquaintance. Even Morgan who was always content to cling to Owen as long as he would tolerate it struggled to get down and join the crowd around the queen.
Ishara rushed forward herself, pushing through the throng of children. They parted for the matriarch of the household like water and Ishara took Julianna into a warm hug. Ishara pressed a kiss of greeting against each of the queen’s cheeks. “What an honor it is to host you! We had no idea you were coming. Owen didn’t inform us.” These were clearly accusations. She would try to kick the blame back over to her son who was doing his best to ignore his ex-girlfriend.
Ishara took Julianna's arm, she shooed at the children with her free hand, "Come. Come inside, dear. Get warm. You look down right freezing. Did you get a place in town?" She waved her hand erratically. "Nevermind that, you stay with us. There's plenty of room."
A train of Hart's turned around to stream back into the home.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 05-27-2017
Sophia was very aware of the way he’d gone still at her fawning over him. She’d expected him to greet her back a bit more enthusiastically, but she was willing to chalk it up to having surprised him. Sophia was all smiles and hugs, tight against him as if they’re last meeting hadn’t been yet another breakup before he’d left for close to a year. Sophia had gotten over it. She assumed he would have too, and they’d make up and go on like usual. The tall brunette was forced away from him by an influx of excited children. An imperceptible grimace crossed her features as she took the steps back necessary to avoid getting caught in the flood of them. She wandered off to rejoin some of the adults that lingered back; she’d catch up with him later.
Or so she thought, until the little blonde brat in Owen’s arms drew everyone’s attention to someone he’d brought with him.
Sophia was suddenly incensed with rage and jealousy. Owen had brought a woman home with him.
Julianna almost felt like she was hiding. The boldness of the other woman that had clung to Owen with familiar ease had roused a nervousness in her. For the first time, she considered that her unannounced visit, had been a mistake.
Her ears pushed to alertness when the attention was put upon her. Friend he had called her. She didn’t know why that surprised her, they’d never talked about whether she was anything more. She took that as her cue to move away from the truck and closer to the horde of Harts that wanted to greet her. The children spoke at her all at once, questions that she couldn’t quite keep up with as they marveled at her ears and her tail, but knew well enough not to touch. “The honor is all mine of course,” she replied, tilting her face to receive the greeting. She had quickly identified the woman has Owen’s mother. “I will admit that my trip was a bit impulsive, and I did not make the proper plans.” Julianna’s ears twitched as she laughed at herself, eyes were downcast in her embarrassment. She walked with Ishara, eager to get out of the cold and the snow, even with as beautiful as the scene was. “But Owen promised to show me around,” her tone was teasing. Trying to sound chipper despite her feeling of awkwardness. “A whole half of my heritage is here.”
“I also left my guard somewhere,” she explained, suddenly realizing she had quickly abandoned Sairus when Owen had appeared to claim her. “I’m sure he will find his way, but he has all my belongings and the gifts I brought.” She laughed again.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 05-31-2017
“It’s no trouble at all darling, think nothing of it.” Ishara cooed at Julianna. She led the queen into their home by arms linked together all the while Ishara petted Julianna’s arm idly while they walked. “Half Eskran, huh?” She gasped with delight. “Well welcome home, love. Welcome home.” The children heard talk of gifts and immediately shrieked with delight and clamored around their parents asking when the gifts would arrive. Easily consoled that they needed to be patient, the Hart children then divided into two camps. One that bustled around Julianna and one that bustled around their returned uncle. Those that came to Owen demanded he mark his travels on a map in their grandfather’s study.
Owen was glad for the children that commandeered him so he wouldn’t have to face Sophia and his conflicted feelings about her presence. He spared a look at Julianna, an encouraging smile, before he let the children pull him away and into the study.
Ishara herded Julianna and the children into the kitchen which was warmer than the rest of the house from the cooking going on in there. “Let’s get you something to warm you up.” She rubbed Julianna’s arms briskly. “We’ve got some buttered cider on.” She suggested before moving to a slow cooker to stir the contents inside. “It’s virgin so the kids can have some. We’ll put a little rum in it.” She turned and winked at Julianna.
While Ishara fussed over the cider, a quiet blonde man entered the kitchen and hovered in the doorway. Without even turning around Ishara spoke over her shoulder, “Those kids chase you from your study, hun? Be a dear and get down the rum for me?”
Renly scratched the back of his neck, “Yeah. Owen’s filling out that map for the kids.” He said as he shuffled around Julianna. There was a bit of apprehension evident in the man. It seemed incongruent given his physical stature. He was sort of like an old guard dog that had seen a little too much action and had gone skiddish. Ishara turned suddenly, “Oh where’s my head. Renly, this is Julianna Maxillion from the Veridian Isles. That Owen wrote home about, you remember?” She prompted him playing the part of host to introduce her shy husband to the newcomer. “She’s come to visit Owen and to, I’m guessing, tour Eskra a bit? Apparently she has some Eskran in her.” She placed one hand on her husband’s hand and the other on Julianna’s arm acting as a kind of social bridge. “Julianna, this is my husband, Renly.”
“Welcome.” Renly greeted her with a half smile before bringing her into a modest hug and brushing the traditional greeting kisses over her cheeks. “We’ve heard a little bit about you from Owen’s letters. The children must be thrilled, eh?” He glanced at the children that were milling around and eavesdropping and begging for cider with their eyes. “So how long will you be staying with us?”
Ishara moved away to prepare mugs of cider for the begging children and their guest. One child reached for a cup before she dolled them out and she swatted at grabbing hands. “That’s for an adult. You take this one.” She moved towards Julianna and passed off a spiked cider.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 06-09-2017
Suddenly, it seemed as if a sea of people was separating her from Owen. She didn’t blame them, he’d been gone for close to a year. She sifted through excited conversation and smiling faces until she saw Owen through the crowd, he smiled at her and her heart lifted. She smiled back, but It faded a touch as he was lead away by eager children; Sophia trailing along with him. Julianna tried not to think about the tall brunette and immediately found comfort in Ishara’s motherly nature. Admittedly, she almost felt commandeer by her. The redheaded woman was warm and easy to talk to. The chilled queen queen sighed in delight as she was enveloped by the warmth of the kitchen. The air was was almost sweet with the cloying scent of spices and herbs. “That sounds delicious,” she replied, ears twitching as she smiled down at the children that had come along with her. It was mostly the young girls, excited by the idea of a real queen.
They milled around her excitedly and Julianna answered their questions as she pulled off the heavy cloak that Owen had wrapped around her and the jacket she wore underneath. Beneath the layers she wore a simple but elegant dress. It was more elaborate than anything she wore on the island, but was still unsuitable for the weather. The dipping V of the neckline revealed Owen’s Orelia charm hanging off its thin chain.
With their questions fulfilled, the children all but abandoned Julianna when they discovered that she had no gifts for them at the moment. They clamored around Ishara, instead, which left room for Renly to approach her for a greeting. “It’s nice to meet you.” She returned the hug and tilted her face for the kisses. Her ears pushed to attention, her tail swayed behind her shoulders.
“My trip is sort of...” she paused, gratefully accepting the steaming cup of cider. She held it in both hands and and close to her face to thaw her frozen face. One of her ears fell lopsided as she sipped the strong brew. Julianna lifted one hand away from the mug, waving it in a quick semi-circle as she reached for the words. “Spontaneous?” She chuckled, as if her dress and her lack of belongings didn’t give her away. “I, of course, have no intention of overstaying my welcome.”
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 06-17-2017
“Nonsense!” Ishara chimed as she handed out hot cider to the children and made shoo motions with her hands so the adults could speak alone. Renly touched the queen’s shoulder reassuringly. “You could never. Not in this household.”
Ishara brought a cider for her husband and surveyed the queen who had shed the couple layers of clothing including her son’s cloak which had been piled on her for warmth. The first thing she noticed was the woman’s figure which was full and curvy. Her eyes then settled on the familiar looking little pendant that was set against tanned skin.
“Oh!” She exclaimed recognizing it as the one she had given to Owen years ago for his patron goddess. “Is that Owen’s pendant necklace?” There was none of the trouble that Owen had promised should his mother find out that he had given it away. In fact she seemed rather pleased. Her index and middle fingers brushed the grapevine and she smiled. “It looks lovely on you, darling. Those amethysts were my grandmother’s...” she mused sadly indicating that the original owner had passed. “I think she would be very pleased that they ended up hanging on the neck of a queen.”
She brushed the back of her fingers affectionately on Julianna’s cheek before settling back against her husband who was content to quietly observe. The question that nobody asked was plain on his face when he glanced at the pendant necklace: just what was Owen’s relationship to this lovely queen who came into their home wearing his cloak and pendant?
They seemed much closer than he had ever let on.
As if summoned by the unspoken question that pertained to him, Owen appeared in the kitchen apparently having satisfied his nieces and nephews with some small gifts and the ritual filling out of the map. He sighed and leaned heavily against the counter next to Julianna looking tired from his trip and the excitement of the home. He spied the drink Julianna held. “Oooh is that -”
“Cider, yes, there’s one for you dear on the counter.” His mother interrupted him. She moved close and patted his cheek extra lovingly which made Owen’s gaze shift suspiciously between his mother and father and Julianna. Just what had they been talking about? “Why don’t you take your drink and go up and have a nap before dinner. You look exhausted.”
“But I -” he looked at Julianna, wanting to play host to her.
“It’s fine. We girls need to find her something warm to wear and you’ll have time to visit with her later.”
“I’m not -”
“Go go go. Rest. Wash up. We’ll tend to her.” She insisted shooing her grown son just the way she had the children.
Owen looked helplessly at Julianna before he exited the kitchen in accordance with his mother’s demands.
“Now. Let’s get you something proper to wear.” Ishara called for her youngest daughter, Victoria, knowing she would have fun dressing up the shivering islander. Mother herded her red-headed daughter and their visitor up the stairs behind Owen. He moved on down the hall and went into a bedroom. He caught Julianna’s eye making sure she knew which room he went into and winked at her before he closed the door.
The women pushed Julianna into another room and proceeded to dig out sweaters and multicolored tights, fingerless and fingered gloves, thick wool socks, scarves, and the like. They made piles of clothes they thought would look cute on Julianna and fawned over dressing her.
“Beautiful figure.” Ishara complimented with a chorus of Victoria’s humming agreement.
“Are you Owen’s girlfriend or what?” Victoria wasn’t content to skirt around the subject. She wanted to get straight to the point. A certain brunette downstairs concerned her and Ishara knew she was in trouble for calling the woman and complicating what clearly seemed to be a romantically driven visit from an island queen.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 06-22-2017
Julianna nodded gratefully as Ishara reassured that she was welcome. As she sipped the cider, her eyes surveyed around the cozy kitchen, taking in hanging herbs and stacked copper pots and pans. She’d never been in a space that was so warm and inviting, it was nothing like the bustling and almost corporate kitchen of the castle. The liquor in the drink was warming her up quite nicely. The queen didn’t mind at all when Ishara approached to handle the borrowed necklace, hanging well below the hollow of her throat on a its delicate chain. Her ears swiveled back towards the crown of her head, previously unaware of the necklace deep significance. “I am honored to wear such a remarkable heirloom,” she murmured, resisting the urge to lean into that motherly contact that was swept across her cheek.
Ears flickered to attention when Owen joined them in the kitchen. She hid an infatuated smile behind another long drink of the cider, but her eyes tracked him over the rim of the mug. When he leaned on the counter next to her, Julianna shifted on her feet just enough that her arm touched his.
In an instant Ishara was attempting to usher Owen away. Julianna’s heart sank. She wanted to spend more time with him. He looked at her and she looked at him, she felt as helpless as he but she tried to appear encouraging, as if to say they could be together later, since Ishara seemed insistence on his relaxation.
Julianna was easily led along with Ishara and Victoria, who she’d barely been able to make introductions with before Ishara was pushing them along. One of her ears fell lopsided as she stared longingly at the back of Owen’s head as he continued down that hall. It snapped upwards again when he winked at her, and she smiled at him before being pulled into the room with the women.
She stood passive and unobtrusive as the redheads piled clothes and accessories onto the bed for her to sift through. She was overwhelmed by the layers and the choices and the hospitality. Back home, dressing for the day was as easy as choosing a bikini and a sundress. Outfits in Eskra were apparently a bit more complicated.
She had no problem undressing in front of the other women and humbly accepted Ishara’s compliments. From the pile of clothing she choose a deep crimson wool sweater and soft leggings decorated in reindeer and snowflakes that matched. She quickly realized that she couldn’t wear her leralo with the tight leggings, she removed the jingling anklets even though she didn’t really want to and laid them carefully on top of her dress.
He head popped out of the collar of the sweater and she blinked back at Victoria, clearly caught off guard. She laughed breathlessly as she pulled her hair out of the sweater and continued dressing. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” she admitted, and quite honestly she didn’t. “I think we’re just friends.”
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 06-24-2017
Ishara and her daughter shared a look at the notion that Julianna dn Owen were just friends. It was pretty evident that they, in fact, were not just anything. “So you haven’t you slept with him?” Victoria asked being unnecessarily nosy.
“Victoria.” Ishara warned. The normally busy-body mother was feeling embarrassed at having invited Owen’s ex-girlfriend to his homecoming and that her decision to do so had seemed like a splash of cold water on whatever steamy relationship was brewing between her son and the sweet queen they were dressing.
“What? I was just curious.” Victoria sang with a sly smile on her face. She was busy helping Julianna pull her hair out from the collar of the sweater. “Don’t you think they would make a cute couple, mom?” Victoria backed away and held her hands out as if she were offering up Julianna for Ishara’s assessment.
The mother smiled and nodded thoughtfully. “I do.” Somewhere down stairs a child was calling for Ishara. Her ear cocked and she pursed her lips. “Well, I’m needed. Dinner will be in an hour or so.” She announced as she slipped from the room leaving the two women alone.
When they were alone Victoria settled Julianna with a serious green-eyed gaze. “If he’s your man, you should lay claim to him . He has a history with that woman. And I don’t like her. At all.” Victoria didn’t indicate which woman was that woman, but she knew Julianna knew who she spoke of. “He’s third room on the left.” She hinted with a wink before leaving Julianna to her own devices.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - megs - 06-24-2017
Ears pushed to attention as she watched mother and daughter exchange a look. Julianna figured they were saying a lot to each other in that singular glance, but she couldn’t quite determine what all of it was. Watching them made her miss her own mother. She glanced down at the anklets she had left on with the rest of her clothing, the onyx shards in the crown shaped pendants of her monarchy anklet shimmered in the light of the room. Her attention jerked back to Victoria at the utterance of that probing question. Immediately, Julianna was flushed red; mahogany across the bridge of her nose and the apples of her cheeks. Possibly even to her shoulders, now hidden by the soft, borrowed sweater. “N-no,” she admitted with a bashful stutter, she felt her answer was mostly lost as the other women talked to each other. She looked down at herself and at her legs now clad in the cute leggings. The posture hid the smile the crossed her face when they expressed that she and Owen would make a cute couple.
Wishing Ishara farewell, she looked to Victoria to find the sister staring at her with a serious intensity. Her ears fell flat on either side of her head and her tail curled towards her spine when Victoria shared her advice. She nodded in response, unsure if there was anything she could say otherwise.
Victoria departed, leaving Julianna with a decision. She could walk down the hall to where Owen was possibly waiting, or she could retreat back with his family and continue being a bit of a coward. Deciding that she wanted Owen to see her cute new outfit, she left the room and padded softly down the hall. She knocked gently upon the door to the third room on the left.
RE: Full Sail [Closed] - saronym - 06-25-2017
The almost timid knock on his bedroom door informed Owen without any doubt that the knocker was Julianna. Anyone else in this household would have boldly rapped on the door or barged in or yelled from the other side. “Yeah?” Owen answered from within as if he didn’t know who it was. “Come in.”
He was lounged on the bed in full compliance with his mother’s instructions to relax. In the time he had alone he had changed from his dress uniform into sweatpants and a Navy t-shirt. His feet were clad in socks given to him by his nephew that had little cartoons of the abominable snowman on it. Owen was propped up on several pillows, with one arm stretched behind his head. His legs extended out but were crossed over at the ankles. A book was propped up on his chest.
He peered over his novel when Julianna pushed open the door and slipped inside. His eyebrows climbed higher on his head in curiousity over the outfit she had been given. He dropped the book down to the bed and sat up to give her a once over. Though he had seen much of her body given the sparse dress that was the custom in the isles there was certainly something attractive about the cling of the tights to her thighs. And the print was adorable. She was adorable. There was something extra cozy about the woman with feline traits in winter clothes. He felt an immediate and strong need to take her in his arms and hold her.
“Come here.”
When she got close, he reached his hands out to grab her by the hips and pull her into bed with him. They crashed backwards haphazard, he laughing while he tried to prevent either one of them from harming the other with wayward elbows and knees while they fell into bed.
“Sorry my family is so crazy.” He said while they made themselves comfortable. He arranged her the way he wanted, tucking her against him with an arm curled around her. “If it gets to be too much, we can find you a private hotel in town. Don’t be shy about it. There’s a lot going on and it can be overwhelming here sometimes.”