A Place Of Ones Own (closed)

[KieranSoares]

David's eyes opened slowly as he registered what she'd said. He sat up and looked at her, and even in the dark, he could see the bloodstain. "Annie..." He rose quickly and stood before her, taking her hands. "Come on..." He knew there was no sense in rushing about, and he guided her to their washroom to help her clean up. He too knew that the baby was gone. He could feel it, but he remained steadfast for her sake, calm and careful.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie was numb as David led her into the washroom, her husband taking charge of the situation as she was cleaned and dressed in a fresh nightgown yet again. She sat on the edge of their basin, staring at the wall as the tears fell unheeded.

"I'm so sorry, David." She murmured softly as her husband came into her view. "I should have listened to my Grandfather when he told me to take things easy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Love..." he whispered, coming to hug her tightly. "It... it's okay... we can try again when all of this is over, when we don't have so much to worry about." He kissed her forehead and made her look him in the eyes. "It'll be okay."

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie hugged him tightly, her cheek pressed against his broad shoulder. "We wanted this for so long, David." She said miserably. "And I know you'll go with your mother when she goes out to sea."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Annie..." David lifted her head. "Don't think like that. I'm not going anywhere. I married you to be with you, not to have children. They'd be another adventure entirely. We can try again, we can always try again. I'm not leaving you. It's not your fault, it's this damned war."

 

[heartofcourage]

As her husband looked down into her eyes, swearing that they would try again, Annie's face melted into a miserable mask. The sobbing started, tears leaking down her cheeks in earnest. The sound that issued from her throat was like a wounded animal as she gathered herself close to her husband's chest.

 

[KieranSoares]

David spent the night comforting his wife, and in the morning, Vincenzo came to check on them when they hadn't come out for breakfast. He knocked lightly on the door, "Annie? David? Are you alright?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie was slumbering when the knock at the door woke her. She had little motivation to get out of bed as she heard her grandfather call through the door. She didn't want to see anyone at the moment except for David who was caring for her dutifully.

 

[KieranSoares]

David rose to greet Vincenzo, asking him softly to check Annie over and explaining what had happened. Annie felt Vincenzo's gentle hands take her own as he knelt beside her and kissed her forehead. "Hello, lovely..." he murmured.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hi, Grandpa." She said softly, turning her gaze towards him. "You didn't have to come and check on me this morning."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I certainly did... I knew something felt off." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "How are you feeling...? Anything hurt?" He at least wanted her to be well enough to have a baby another day.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Just my heart." She said softly as he squeezed her hand. "Please don't tell anyone. I don't want to add to their worries."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I won't. You just take good care of yourself. Kate and Kell struck a truce til late spring, so you have plenty of time to get things in order, and it'll be safe for you and David to go home when the Erygonians finish their retreat. We're to live in harmony with them until things are sorted out."

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie nodded gently at that, turning her gaze away from him to stare at the wall once more. She didn't want to think about anything that day. She simply wanted to be alone with her thoughts.

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincenzo sighed before pressing a kiss to her forehead and whispering, "Ti amo, bella..." He rose from her side and let them be. David quietly laid beside his wife, taking her hand gently and letting her know that even though he hurt too from this loss, he was there to support her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie slept off and on for the rest of the day and night. She ate when David brought her food, but otherwise, she remained in bed. When dawn came on the next day, Annie was already up and dressing. She glanced over her shoulder at her husband slumbering on his side of the bed. Leaning over him, she kissed his cheek and looked down into his eyes as they slowly opened.

"I'm going home." She said softly. "I need to care for the horses." It seemed that she had made up her mind that she was going to go on with her life, a wall built up around the raw emotions that she had at the loss of the child that she had wanted so badly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be along soon, love..." David told her softly as he sat up. He'd planned that morning to talk with Vincenzo, so she'd have some time alone to think.

When she came home to the horses, who'd just been returned to their home stable after having spent so long in Brogan's stables in the Keep courtyard, she found Ferrous waiting for her, poking his head out of his stall and looking at her in silence. Much like his grandsire, he tended to know when something was wrong with his keeper.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie greeted Ferrous as he poked his head out of his stall, knickering at her as she petted his great nose. She leaned her forehead against his own, knowing that the warhorse would know that something was bothering her.

"Let's get you our into the paddock. I'm sure you'd like to run." She murmured to the horse as she opened the bolt on the door and let it open for him to come out.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ferrous came out, but he paused before the open doors to the paddock, turning to look at her again as if waiting. He lowered his head to her level and returned to her, once more setting his forehead to her own and giving her a soft snort. Animals tended to know when something was wrong, and as formerly stubborn and wild as Ferrous had been, he was no exception, especially because he loved Annie so.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm alright, you great beasty." Annie promised the horse that was stubbornly refusing to go out in the paddock. "I'm alright."

She wasn't alright and it would be a long time before she was. Annie had wanted that baby more than anything, but it wasn't meant to be. While her body was still sore, her heart ached the most and there was little she could do about that. It would take time to heal, if it ever did.

"Go on, Ferrous. I'll let Annabelle out too if you're good." She said with a small smile on her lips as she mentioned the chestnut mare that Ferrous had always been a little sweet on.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ferrous stamped a hoof in stubborn rejection despite her offer of letting his favorite mare out. He went to get one of the lead ropes hanging from the wall, pulling it down with his teeth and bringing it back to drop right into her hands. He wanted to keep her close.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Alright, you stubborn thing." Annie murmured as she attached him to the lead rope and pulled him out into the paddock.

She walked with him, glancing over her shoulder at the warhorse that followed dutifully. It felt good knowing that he was there for her, even when all she had wanted as to be alone.

"I can't believe you turned down a morning with Annabelle. I'm sure she'll be jealous." Annie said with a smile as she nuzzled against Ferrous.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ferrous simply snorted once more, shaking his head before he tugged his lead rope from her hands and took off galloping several paces before showing off for her, rearing up like the handsome warrior he was and pawing the air before coming down hard and then kicking at the air behind him with his back hooves. He looked at her to see what she thought, hoping for a smile or some show of his beloved keeper's approval.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie smiled at Ferrous as he showed off for her. He was a magnificent beast, she thought to herself. He was incredibly handsome, strong, her pride and joy. She whistled for him to come back to her and when he did, she grabbed his mane and pulled herself onto his back.

"Lead the way, Ferrous." She said with a smile as she took his mane in her hands and prepared to let him run.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ferrous didn't bolt like he usually would, he started into a jog, a trot, a gallop, and then finally an all-out run with his head low. His huge strides were free but also very precise and optimal for his strength to carry him as quickly and efficiently as possible. They circled the entire huge paddock before he outright cleared the fence with a smooth leap and they were off across the countryside northward of the town and along the edge of the forest, her favorite place to ride.