An Andaris at Heart

[Celeste Andaris]

5th Saun, 717

"Frankly, it was very good of you not to gnaw at my leg," Celeste smiled at Xander as the pair of them walked together hand in hand along the beach. It was a beautiful Saun trial and the newly married couple were just walking along the stretch of private coastline which was part of the grounds to Astedia. Celeste had asked him if he'd like to do so, after they'd had breakfast together. She was teasing him, of course, about their three trials locked together in a room after their wedding. They had gone along with it because they had no wish to do anything other than what was right and traditional where they could, but Xander was always hungry at the best of times and Celeste had arranged for food to be snuck into their room under the guise of her pregnancy.

Really, it had mostly been for him.

Still, with one hand in his and the other resting protectively on her swollen stomach, Celeste tugged him over to the outcrop of rocks where they could sit and get their feet wet in the sea. "I have something for you," she said, with a smile. She'd been coy about the bag she was carrying, refusing to comment on it, so she evidently had planned something.

When they got there, she sat down and reached into the bag, then stopped. "I know I don't speak of her much, but my mother would be so pleased to see me now. With you." Celeste smiled a slight smile at the memory of her mother, at the woman she had been. "She didn't follow Rynlism, she said that it was wise to remember the Seven, but to never forget that there is and will always be a difference between mortal and Immortal." Celeste looked at his hand, tracing the shield on it.

"Qylios was her Immortal of choice. She told me once that she hoped and prayed that, one trial, I would know the love of someone who was good of heart, strong, protective and not afraid to do what is right." Celeste shook her head and wiped at her eyes. Damn pregnancy and all that came with it, she considered. "So, I ordered this for you." It was a book she pulled from the bag, one written about the Immortal in question.

"It says that she is the Immortal of light and courage, of unbreakable bonds and strong leadership. That's you." Handing him the book she let him look at it for a while and then, pulling herself against him Celeste spoke quietly. "I hope you like it." She leaned her head against his shoulder and just sat there for a few moments, letting him examine the book and enjoying, just enjoying the feeling of her husband and her sitting on a rock together.

The quiet, though was broken after a few bits as Celeste let out a squeaking noise. "Xander! Oh!" She beamed at him and took hold of his hand. Sitting there, whilst they were quiet, the feeling of their baby moving was evident under his hand as she pressed it to her stomach. "Can you feel her?" Celeste whispered and realised that, of course, she'd started to cry again.

Off Topic

10gn deducted for non-fiction book

[Xander Andaris]

"YOU, are lucky I don't eat you now!" He chuckled and looked at his new wife, grinning happily as the sand moved between his toes. Something about the ocean was inviting to him, perhaps there was some of that Biqaj heritage in him somewhere. Still, he was smiling mostly due to the presence of his lover. Their time had been more limited as both their roles had grown in importance recently.

He walked along beside her following her eager pull as she led him over to the rocks. Not the most comfortable of seats but better than no seat at all and the cool ocean lapping their bare feet made it much more enjoyable. It appeared she was finally going to reveal the contents of the bag she had been so secretive about.

He watched curiously and listened carefully as she did so. Noticing the slight catch on her throat and the tears that snuck into her eyes as she mentioned her mother. Xander rested a hand on her cheek and smiled at her, understand the pain of losing a family member that was dear to you. "It's okay to cry, we all have too sometimes." He gently squeezed her soft warm cheek and winked, something he had never actually done before and regretted a little feeling somewhat awkward.

Still as she revealed the book explaining why it was what it was he took it carefully, turning it over in his hands. The binding was well made and it was a sturdy and nice item but its contents were certainly what would make it a good gift no doubt. "I have never heard of this Qylios, however, if she were good enough for your mother I have no doubt she is a most deserving immortal of my worship."

He flicked briefly through the pages, it seemed many tales of her lay within as well as more scientific information. Things about her appearance and skills, her home and such things. He was sure it would make an interesting read. "I am sure that both Ethelynda and Qylios are watching over us, guiding us to our goal in some way, Ethelynda watching as I tackle the challenges thrown in front of me. I have sworn to protect you and our family in that name but I think I should bring the noble Qylios into this as well."

He looked at Celeste as she leaned on his shoulder and smiled. "So in the name of the noble Ethelynda and courageous Qylios I will protect you and the family who we will soon have." He kissed her forehead as she suddenly took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"I do." He let his hand rest against her bump, the child moving around within. "It's beautiful." He smiled and gently bent over, placing his ear against Celeste's belly and began to hum. A low warm sound, a song that he must have heard at some party long ago. Still it had stuck with him and now he was reciting it for their child. "You've made me the luckiest man alive." He whispered as his own eyes hidden from her glossed over slightly.

[Celeste Andaris]

Celeste leaned her head against Xander's shoulder and she smiled. When he told her that it was alright to cry, Celeste sniffled and shook her head, "But not like this, Xander. All I seem to do is cry. Happy? Cry. Sad? Cry. Amused? No prizes for guessing what I do." Her expression when he winked spoke a few volumes to him about how strange that expression looked on his face. She said nothing, however, simply left it to his imagination.

She was quiet, just enjoying the moment with her husband. Such a strange thing, she thought, looking down at the ring on her finger. Her husband. "If we were commoners, I'd be Celeste Krome now," she considered. How odd. "Baron and Baroness Andaris. We sound quite important." None of it mattered in that moment and her yelp of surprise at the babe moving inside her drove all other thoughts out of her and as he leaned forward to hum to their child, Celeste felt the tears start to fall again as she put her hand in Xanders hair, stroking his head as she sat on the rocks, simply content.

"I know you will protect us, Xander. Always. But," there was an amendment, a condition on that for her and Celeste had to voice it. "It's my job to support you. To give you the strength to do what you need and want to do and the trials to come will be hard. I want to be a practical help, but also I know I can't go charging in with you if there's danger. I have to protect her." Celeste's hand went to her swollen stomach, a smile on her face. "So, I've thought about it, and I thought I'd learn alchemy. I was planning on learning jewel crafting, but it occurred to me that if I undertake both, I can make you things. Useful things, maybe. What do you think?"

As frustrating as it was for her, Celeste was coming to realise that, since they were in a partnership, she and Xander she had to take what he wanted into account. She would be a lot more prone to risky behaviour, but equally, she understood why he was so protective. So, she held it back and thought about it more than she might, otherwise, be inclined to do.

[Xander Andaris]

He considered it, Celeste working on Alchemy. In truth he knew little about the discipline, he just knew it was some kind of special skill that was close to magic. Beyond that he knew nothing. "It is an idea, I don't really know anything about it though." He shrugged slightly, contemplating the idea. He of course would be thankful for the help, anything she did to assist in the hard journey ahead was useful and appreciated.

"Just don't get yourself blown up. Okay?" He looked at her with heavy tone of seriousness in his voice, even if the idea seemed far fetched. He smiled softly and looked again at the book in his hand, curious that he seemed to be getting mixed up with another immortal. Apparently there were a few who he aligned with, not long ago he was not convinced they existed. He turned the book over and looked at the back of his hand, the silvery shield that sat permanently there.

Lots had changed since that fateful night, his name, his home and his abilities. He knew that he had Ethelynda to thank for a lot of it and he did, often he would pray to her and think of the power she granted him. He was a lucky man. "We have the trial late this season and the Royal wedding too, are you sure you want to attend them?" He enquired mostly for two reasons, one, she was rather pregnant and, two, he was fearful of taking her out to such events.

Perhaps he was just paranoid but people had tried to kill Celeste in the past and the King was not currently the most popular man in the Kingdom. It was risky to put yourself into such open places and events that could be targets for less savoury people and it was not just Celeste he had to look out for any more. He looked at her bulging stomach and bit his lip.

"How long?" He looked towards her bump and touched softly with his hand to make it clearer what he meant. He was both excited and nervous to soon be a father, to have a child to care for and raise. His own family's future rested within the womb of his wife and possibly even the future of the Kingdom if his dreams were realised. "There is a little Prince or Princess in there, in what will one trial be the fairest Queen Rynmere has seen." He stood and waded a few small steps into the water, pulling up his trousers to his knees. The cold water lapped around him and he smiled as he looked out to the sea.

[Celeste Andaris]

"I promise you, my Baron, that I will endeavor not to blow myself up. It will probably be too hard and I won't like it or be clever enough to do it." She wanted to prepare him for that, just in case. It was more than a possibility for her. Celeste had never been quick in book learning, although Xander saw the breaks and breaks that she spent trying to get to grips with the barony.

"Do I want to attend them?" Celeste looked at him honestly and shook her head. "No, I don't. But I will. My grandfather would hear no different and besides, I'm going to wear the simplest clothes and bring no gift to the King's wedding. Instead I'm going to give the money to charity." She shook her head, "and I couldn't stay away from the trial, for Andraska's sake. If he looked up and noticed I wasn't there, I would never quite forgive myself." She looked at Xander and placed her hand over his on her stomach where their child rested now.

"Had he not sent me that necklace, we would never have argued that trial. It was when we made this babe, you know." He asked her how long and Celeste shrugged slightly. "The doctor says towards the end of Vhalar. Sooner, I hope, as long as she's alright. I read a book." Celeste looked at him. "About childbirth. I don't think we've entirely thought this through you know." She smiled, but she was growing nervous about the birth, there was no doubting it. "There aren't twins in your family, are there? The doctor says I'm growing so fast, we should consider it. I told him if he used the word again, I'd have him beheaded." Was she allowed to do that, the doctor had asked. Would he care to find out, she had replied.

A prince or princess? Celeste put her hand on his and when he said that she would be the fairest Queen Rynmere had ever seen she looked at him and her brown eyes followed him as he stepped away, wading into the water. He was still close enough, she knew. He could still hear her. "I always had a plan, you know." She breathed in and then studied the rock in the distance, not looking at him. "I knew that my power would need to come from my name, no matter who I married. So, when I found out that I was to marry you, I knew that I would need to make you fall in love with me. I played you, Xander and I'm sorry." Well, she was crying again. Celeste couldn't even be surprised.

"All of my life I have lied, manipulated and sought power. All my life. Yet you. You lumbering wolf pup with your honesty and your honour and your gentleness." She shook her head and looked at him. "You're not like me, Xander. You're a good man, but now? Now this child, our child is growing inside me and all I can think of is to look after her, to protect her. To make you happy, to look after our baby. All my life I've only ever thought about myself." Tears fell down her cheeks and Celeste wagged a finger at him. "I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you. It wasn't in the plan, you know." She looked genuinely cross.

Then, she sighed. "But I did. I fell in love with you. But that person I used to be? I'm her too. Everywhere but here, with us. And we need her, I think. So, lets think about this." Nodding her head once, Celeste considered. "The trial. The wedding. How can we use them?"

[Xander Andaris]

She was always doing what was right for those she cared about and Xander loved that about her, she was there for those who were important to her. "I truly do admire your loyalty and care for your friends." He smiled warmly as his hand rested against her bump, their future safely contained inside. He sighed somewhat longingly for the day he would be able to hold the child in his arms, to treasure its existence more than all else in the world.

When he was honest with himself he knew what she said to be true but he did not necessarily like to think about the idea of another man being the reason for his wife's pregnancy. For all he appreciated Andráska as a noble man he somehow still struggled to accept him in his life. What role the man played was unclear to him, he struggled to separate him from friend and threat. He said nothing about it though, knowing this was his problem and one that Celeste would find foolish and offensive.

"I do not believe we have underestimated childbirth, we have just not quite decided how to face it yet." He studied her and saw the rare appearance in her that was nervousness, perhaps even fear of what could go wrong. It was not a trait she often showed and one he knew she would never show to others. "Vhalar is not long off, soon we will be a family and I could not be more happy about that." The question about twins seemed out of the blue until she further explained and he thought for a moment. "I do not know of any twins in my family but the history is long, I would likely not remember if there were." He was not sure of he liked or feared the idea of twins, four small feet pattering around the house instead of two.

As he stood in the water, allowing it to make circles around his calves he sighed. He could not deny that her admittance hurt him but he could not claim to have tried a similar thing at first. They both had gone into their relationship knowing that they needed to make the best of it but in truth he had not tried to make her fall in love with him. Perhaps that was the only difference in their early relationship. Still he did not blame her.

He turned aorund in the water to face her fully, his feet set shoulders width as he kept his face gentle, allowing the feelings of hurt to subside before speaking. "It is okay, Celeste. Do not dwell on the past or you will find yourself trapped their in your mind, unable to escape the guilt or the shame. I made that mistake and I will not allow you to do the same." He moved back closer to her again and as she wagged her finger, tears on her cheeks and a cross expression on her features he could not help but think how she seemed the most honest he had ever seen her, the most real. "As for my goodness, well, we all have our bad sides and none of us are perfect. You do me an honour to view me in such a way but even I am not truly good but I try to be and that is what makes the difference."

He took both of her hands and kissed her forehead before wiping the tears from her eyes. "How would you suggest we use them? I have ideas and ways things could be done, however, I have never been as discrete as yourself." He shook his head and sat down once again beside her, kissing her cheek softly and then running his fingers through his hair as he looked out over the ocean.

[Celeste Andaris]

He was unsure of Andraska, Celeste knew and she leaned forward to kiss her husband with a gentle brush of her lips against his. Would he ever understand that she loved the man as a brother, not as she did him? That her heart beat in time with his and his alone? Her eyes lowered, regarding his hand on the bump of her stomach and she smiled. It was strange to recognise it, but she was quite content. But on childbirth she was less sure. "With so much time having had it practiced, you'd think that there was a better, more efficient way to do it really." Celeste smiled at him and then a thought crossed her mind. "Do you want to be there? I had assumed you did not," frankly, if they could do it without her, that would be great. Why Xander would be there when he had an out was beyond her, but then he was a strange one, her husband. The word itself still made her smile.

Standing together in the water, feeling it wrap around their legs, she looked at him and she knew that her words hurt him. Maybe that was why she was crying, she thought. Maybe. "I know. I know you're right, but I need there to be nothing between us, Xander, except truth. " Her hand moved to twirl his hair between her fingers and she nodded at his words about his goodness. He was a good man, she knew that; passionate and driven and determined to do what was right. He was a better person than her, there was no denying it. "Well, I can't claim to be like you, but you're right. I'm loyal. Especially to family and you are my family now." His goals had become their goals and she was absolutely determined that she would be a support to him.

His lips brushed her forehead and she squeezed his hands as he spoke again, asking her something and Celeste gave a slight and rather wry grin. "Well, if we have a need for a weeping woman, I know where we can find one." Drop of a hat, she considered, but only when she was alone with him. When others were there, she was too busy playing the role, but with him and no one else? She cried at the drop of a hat. "They are very different. The wedding is less complex in many ways. We are there, but we do not approve. Not of him, not of her and not of them. So, what we bring as a gift will be telling. I suggest we do not bring one at all, but donate money to charity." However, she considered, more than that it was an opportunity to see who was there and who was not. Those who were there could be observed in order to find out what their expressions, body language and so on told. More than that?

"Who does not attend, also, will be noticeable. We might be able to build alliances there, based on concern for those who did not attend. I think, to be honest, it will give us a much clearer idea of the political landscape, especially amongst the Ducal council. That will be vital." Her mind flitted to something else, then back again as it was rather prone to doing these trials. "What colour do you think we should paint the nursery?" Her hand on her stomach, Celeste considered. "I was thinking green or yellow, maybe? Is your father going to the wedding, do you know?"

[Xander Andaris]

"Of course I do want to be there." A puzzled look would come over his features then as he wondered why she would think that he would not want to be there. Was it weird of him to wish to be their when their child took its first breaths in this world, to hold it as soon as he could after it entered into their world. "Would you not want to be their to see your child's first moments in Idalos." Xander smiled at the thought of it, a tiny being cradled in his arms.

Still as they stood in the water and he pushed aside the hurt he felt he simply accepted her company. "I know Celeste and trust, loyalty and the truth are all things we share and hold highly. So I understand why you told me these things but the past is the past and now I care about the future more." Everything from now on was towards a new and changed future and dream, nothing was how it was before and they were both changed since the trial they met.

He smiled as he saw Celeste was still capable of planning and plotting, even with her heightened emotions from the pregnancy. Xander still wondered how someone with such an ability to scheme and deceive had stolen his dysfunctional heart but she had done it. "I agree that we should bring no gift, we can donate money to charity if you deem it fit and we can provide him with some words on the day." Xander was sure they had plenty to say in place of a gift at least he knew he did.

She continued to speak briefly about who was precent and who not as being important and he would have agreed, however, her pregnant mind moved too quickly and randomly as she asked a new question. "I am not sure, I had never really considered it I suppose yellow or green would work." He shrugged slightly without any real idea of how they got to the topic or why the colour was important, perhaps that was just him. Then the topic changed catching him a little by surprise.

"No, he won't be going and I am sorry he attended our wedding, if I could have had my way he would not have been within the same Duchy as you." Xander truly hated his father after what he had done, he had not liked him before but now it was pure disgust for the man that fuelled the fire that burned at the mention of Jersey Krome. "Let us hope he will not be a problem or danger for much longer, I do not want him near our children." Xander knew she did not want it either and that was one thing they would always agree on.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

Thread Rewards

There are a quite a few couples or would-be couples on Idalos, but you guys might just be the most wholesome, cooperative team amongst them all. They're always communicating about the baby and their future as a trio together and I think that's really great to watch.

Celeste

Points

XP:
15 | These points annot be used for magic.

Fame:
+2 (Giving a gift)

Loot

N/A

Injuries + Overstepping

N/A

Knowledge

Politics: Attending events in order to see who attends, and who does not.
Politics: Wedding gifts give a message.

Xander

Points

XP:
15 | These points cannot be used for magic.

Fame:
N/A

Loot

+1 book

Injuries + Overstepping

N/A

Knowledge

Politics: Attending events in order to see who attends, and who does not.
Politics: Wedding gifts give a message.

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