Beyond Time (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I wonder if there still are dragons in your time... most of them are hidden away even now. But I doubt you'll believe me, you could hardly believe werefolk exist at first," he chuckled.

 

[heartofcourage]

"They don't in my time, Ash. I've never seen one and as far as technology stretches, I think they would have been found long ago." Dylan murmured, looking at her husband as he teased her. "However, I never thought that a piano would transport me back in time either."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Dragons are crafty souls. They can hide anywhere. As for the piano... it wasn't the instrument itself, it was the tree it was made from. That one was mostly my fault..." He chuckled.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm glad it happened. Or else I would have missed out on meeting the love of my life." Dylan said with a smile, kissing Ashien's cheek as they continued their walk through the thick woods outside of Inverness.

 

[KieranSoares]

As they came near the forested edge of the loch, Ashien paused at a little clearing just within the treeline. There was a little ring of stones where campfires were built, and old but solid wooden benches built around it from logs. No one had camped there for some time, but Ashien seemed to regard it with fondness.

"Boar would occasionally use this as a little hunting camp, but Kay and I would take it over often, me for my art, and her for the relaxation. Sometimes she'd join me and I would paint her. Ma must have stacks of my old paintings hidden away somewhere."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Of course she does. She's the sweetest woman that I think I've ever met." Dylan said as she looked around the little camp, taking a seat on one of the worn benches. "And it's very clear that you love your sister. You're lucky having a twin."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I certainly won't disagree with you. About either of them." Ashien wandered toward an old stump with the rusted remains of a hatchet blade stuck in the side. "Boar used to use this for target practice. Hatchets, knives, arrows... He'd spend hours at it. If we were ever here together, I'd get annoyed with him after about a half-hour and I'd throw a pine cone at him."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I almost wish I had siblings." Dylan said with a chuckle. "Instead I just ran around the city until my grandpa started to insist I come to Darkwood. He made sure I was fed, entertained, and occupied. We saw all the art museums. The British Museum was a weekly stop for the both of us as well. All the items from all around the world captured my imagination and made me want to draw. He loved to encourage me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I ought to do the same," Ashien offered. "While you won't find many museum setups outside kings' private collections, I would certainly love to take you to see some places like Skye keep, and of course Dublin's castle. King Bernard has been asking me to come to Ireland to paint some portraits for some time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Skye is where your Ma is from, right? It would be a lovely get away from London. Perhaps we might even be able to have a honeymoon." Dylan said with a smile at her husband. "You work too much, Ash. Let's face it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know I do, and it's hard for me to make plans like trips to Skye and Ireland, but... I'd like to visit my Uncle Matthias especially."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ireland can wait but since we're already here in Scotland, we should go to Skye. No excuses. After the wedding, we'll go and visit." Dylan insisted.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Skye is just as far as Dublin, last I checked," Ashien chuckled. "But whatever milady wishes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Party pooper." Dylan said with a grin. "You just want to get back to Darkwood. I see how important I am."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I said 'anything you wish,' what more do you want?" Ashien laughed as he turned toward the loch. "But if that's how you're going to be, maybe I should just take you home and make you wait."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We both know you would never do that." Dylan said as she stood and slipped her arms around her husband's waist. "You love me too much to do that. And I know you want me to keep me happy."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien simply shook his head with a smile before muttering, "It'd be nice to see Skye again... And Uncle Matthias. My grandparents Martin and Lucina passed away a long time ago, having given control of Skye over to Matthias a few years beforehand. Grandpa passed after they met Annie and Gabriel and Elise for the first time, and Grandma followed a year later, to the day, once she was sure Ma and Papa were going to be together once Papa finished arrangements in Venice." There was a touch of sadness in Ashien's voice, but it was far outweighed by fondness for the memory of his grandparents.

"Ma was everything to them. Matthias left home young to learn from leaders around the world. They suffered a lot, watching Ma with Tamblin. But they still offered their love to him too when he finally came looking for it. They were as close to angels as I think humans could ever get, and Ma's right on their heels."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then we'll go to Skye. It's as simple as that, Ash." Dylan said, standing and wrapping her arm around her husband's waist. "I want to meet this man that you are obviously fond of and I want to see the place that has captured your heart. Perhaps we can see your grandparent's resting place while we're there as well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I haven't seen Matthias in... well, not since before Brogan married Julia." Ashien's hands laid on Dylandra's. "I wanted to be like him, that was why I traveled so much."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You have an adventurer's spirit, which is what I like about you, love. You are also immensely responsible and hardheaded, which I don't like so much sometimes." Dylan said as he took her hands and held her. "I know you have a duty to the crown, but sometimes I just wish there were more time in the day to spend with you. I'm lonely when you're gone and the only woman that I ever get to see is Elizabeth."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You ought to go out and explore London," Ashien told her softly. "I'm afraid I don't have many more friends there to introduce you to except in the were village. But there's plenty to do."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's hard, Ash. London isn't the same city that I knew." Dylan confessed to him as he told her that he really had no more people to introduce her to. "It frightens me sometimes."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ashien turned to face her, his hands laying on her shoulders. "I'll come with you, then. And if you don't feel safe on your own in the future when I'm not around, take Van with you. I'd say 'take Kiva' but sometimes there are people who are less than welcoming to werefolk..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Dylan leaned in and pressed her forehead against his own, letting out a sigh as he promised to show her around. Van would take her in a heartbeat, but he was usually busy as well.

"I don't miss my time." She said softly. "But I've come to realize how different this time is to my own."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I would say 'you'll get used to it,' love, but the truth is that I don't know if you ever will. There's so much here that never made it to your grandfather's time. So much left untouched still. I think it won't take you too long to cut your own path, especially once you get bored of me," Ashien gave her a handsome smile at that.