The Reappearance of an Old Friend

[RileyOConnor]

On the back of her horse, that black slender steed who now bore scars from battles as well as her own body now baring more than just the 3 along her face. Easing toward the gates of that Kingdom she'd once called home away from home, fingers curled in the mane almost for security and a breeze drifted through her now pale nearly white hair.

She was a stranger now, half the Seelie Sidhe flowed through her permanently and the rest was her Fianna bloodline. To either side she was a freak of creation, to her own she knew what she'd done had been necessity. What else but to save Ireland and the world from being over run with demons. (note: typing up her story The Demon Trilogy[/i] ^__-)

She'd come back for her children, she had Marcus back now and have seen her daughter, Nicho had seen that reunion. She'd been hesitant to returning when many others could see her, like Lina and the few that knew her. Would they recognize her? Fingers tried to relax or rip the hair out, she patted his neck and he moved forward to the doors that were always open for her.

She dropped off the back past the gates and before the door. Standing there for what seemed to her like ages and surprise she didn't wither and turn to dust. Hands lifted touching the handles as she pushed inward ready to be unnoticed and unknown yet she knew these halls were like old friends.

"Hello, Oi'm back."

[Nym Zeal]

Nym was about to carry her daughter upstairs, the eight month old little girl squirming in her arms as she held her hands out to grab at the growing lion cub that sat at Nym's side. The candles flickered, however, as the door to the castle was opened. "Welcome to GoldenMyst," Nym spoke out of habit, turning around the corner from the main hall before she stopped. Riley. Nym had obviously grown since she'd last seen her old friend, her curls shorter and her build more full than it had been two years ago. She was older now, a woman of twenty rather than a girl of only seventeen years. Maximus still had a tendancy to look at the dragonrider and comment on how much she'd grown.

Then again, she was a mother now. She'd always been one, from the first day that Mal had called her Ma'ie, but she was becoming more adept at the role since Xia had been born. She'd been a wife, for a short period of time. She'd had her heart broken time and again since her friend had rode away to war, she'd battled her own demons and flown in war to protect those places she loved. Nym Evernblade Thornheart did not seem like the woman child Riley had left, though the remains of that girl still sparkled in Nym's eyes as she rushed forward and hugged Riley with her free arm as Xia gave a squeal of delight at her mother's sudden actions.

"Riley! I'd thought... I mean... I'd worried..." what to say? Oh it was so good to have her old friend home! Outside of Maximus, Riley had been one of the first that had truly befriended the lost dragonrider. The uniform she'd made her, though it no longer fit, still hung in her closets at Harwind. "It it so good to see you," she said instead, a shy smile given while Xia tried to grab at Riley's pale hair. "Careful," Nym said suddenly, stepping back. "She'll turn it blue, I fear."

[Sanguine Claws]

What had she feared? Rejection. Lost. Confusion. She'd heard a voice welcome her, then seeing a woman there with a child they seemed oddly familiar then she recognized her. Nym. Just as she was flooded with memories she'd also been hug tackled, a child grabbing the hair she didn't mind. Laughter slipped from the lips as scars now marred her body from countless battles.

"Ye forget, Oi have children too ye know. She is a cute wee lassie, what tis her name? My you have grown, I sense wisdom now and a little heartache as well." She simply hugged her friend, a kiss to the forehead of the child.

"And don't worry, if she turns it blue that'll be one color this mane of mine hasn't yet been." Soft chuckle slipped from the tiers.

She looked around a moment, body ached and her own heart ached in happiness of this place.

"So, now.. tell me what I have missed. I've been in a war now that's over, I'm back to stay this time."

[Nym Zeal]

What had been going on? A number of things jumped to mind at first. The war with Anto, her own short lives marriage, the wedding that resulted in a queen within GoldenMyst, her mother and sister's disappearance. She had so much to say, in fact, that when she opened her mouth to speak, nothing came out! Save a laugh, before speaking her daughter's name, "Xia Adamina Thornheart." Xia turned to look at her mother when her name was spoken, abandonning Riley's hair before she could turn it blue. It was likely a short reprieve.

"I can think of so much that you were not present for, my friend. Perhaps it would be best if I knew what you already knew of what occured during your absense?" That was certainly a mouth full. It didn't held that Xia had started to squirm again, wanting to get to the floor so that she could crawl into trouble.

[Sanguine Claws]

What had she heard? Numberous rumors nothing big but she had already spoken to Nicho directly having heard about him and his new wife with child.

"Oi spoke te Nicho, a young man he has become now, truly handsome and has a wife now with childe whom he's kept in bed. Lords thank the gods Oi was nae treated as such." She remembered being preggy she picked a fight with Caelum in Chronos form which also kept her from killing him.

"I have found Nova and Kitty, they are doing well having been reunited with them both, Marcus has been in his studies now I become his teacher. I also heard a rumor of a war that was going on between GoldenMyst and Golden Horn, but glad it hasn't done too much damage to either. I have yet to meet others than yourself, my children and Nicho. I went to visit Maximus where his lair is, heard he got married and has 2 kids now. Miracles do happen. I also heard Odin and Kai are still around and he has more followers. That's about all I have heard from other people's mouths not much else and the rumors I don't know if those were true as I prefer to see for myself. So you got married huh? Who knocked you up?"

She arched a brow wondering where was this husband, if he dare abandon Nym she was gonna rip that male's heart out and teach him the meaning of love. Gotta love that Irish Temper.

[Nym Zeal]

"Oh... I doubt Solace will stay still for very long. You'll like her, Riley. She's young but she has such a beautiful heart..." she paused though, seeming uuncomfortable when Kai was mentioned. When did she last see him? It didn't take very long to recall the memory, sitting in... was it Harwind or GoldenMyst? Funny, she couldn't recall but it seemed cold so perhaps Harwind. He'd come to say goodbye to her, seeing her infant daughter briefly before he'd walked out of her life forever. The plans she'd had, the dreams she'd invested in girlish fantasies of their future together. She'd loved Kai, very much, once.

"Syn Thornheart was my husband," she answered quickly, trying to skip over it quickly before she dove into the rest of her sentance, "And I've not yet met our brother's children," assuming Riley was still part of the clan, though Nym herself sometimes felt distanced from them. Save for Maximus, of course. He'd met Xia as well, coming by to visit after her birth. "I have met his wife for a few short visits. She is a kindly woman and I think she will do him good. I have not seen much of Odin, I fear, but he ceased to come by Harwind some time back. Perhaps he tires of my trying to feed him," she smiled gently, bouncing her daughter lightly in her arms to keep her from squirming too much.

"It is good to hear that Nova and Kitty are well now. I had not seen much of the recently either, though I hope they knew I'd have helped them if ever there were a need."

[Sanguine Claws]

A nod was given as she listened, so Syn had married Nym, how their names went well together. She was still part of the clan, only killing her or Maximus really could part that even if she left cause of differences. Right now she had enough problems with people giving her a hard time for leaving her adoptive kids and her own flesh and blood to save the world. Why was it really that hard for them to understand she didn't want the children in harms way? Cause in this land things also endangered them yet the demons threatened to seal their childhood, her son had nearly been killed by an attack on her. She had stopped being safe long ago, now Nova was getting her own confusion and gathered perhaps she shouldn;t have revealed herself. Still she loved the kids, looking to Xia for a moment giving a smile.

"Well, I won't question why the 'was' in that sentence, I understand the loss of a husband as well and at least looks like this little one needs you more than some needy emotional male. Heh, I'm just a den mother now, perhaps I will be the Guild's baby sitter with nothing else to do." She rolled her shoulders, would have to pose the idea to Nicho at some point. "You can spread the word about that."

[reddrgnspirit]

Stepping into Nym's view, she leaned in the doorway, folding her arms across her leather vested chest. That firey red hair tumbling down over her shoulders, pale green hues gleaming as they land on Riley and she crosses one boot over the other at the ankle.

"Well, well... Look what the wolves dragged in." She couldn't help but grin. It had been a long time since she'd last seen Riley. Almost three years now, since she was dead for two of them. There were issues back then with Riley, Caelum and Summer, but she held a soft spot in her heart for the wolf.

"It's been a long time m'friend." Giving her a slight smile. She hoped that she wasn't forgetting anything that may have happened between them that went sour at one point or another. Not that it would matter now anyway. Life was too short to hold grudges and regrets of the past. She learned that a long time ago.

Then she wondered just how Riley would react. She didn't know what Riley knew of her death or what she knew of anything back then. All Gelina could remember was Riley having to leave and finding Caelum with Marcus in the snow. Alot had happened since that night.

[Sanguine Claws]

Yes, indeed, the old wolf no longer had a body unmarred but was covered in marks made by claws, teeth and weapons. Nearly dying then recovering only to fight again for her life. She turned around upon hearing a voice as well as an old scent, nothing had ever gone sour with Lina for they had remained good friend. She'd been one of the first friends she met in this castle, giving a bow to Lina and then rising.

"Yes, an old wolf now a days coming again to sit by the fireplace." She grinned softly.

She looked over at Lina arching a brow and a tilt of her head already seeing that all her friends were either knocked up or had gotten such during her leave. Yes, Three years had passed, she figured much had changed, people thought of her as dead never to return and sometimes she rather thought it best to have remained in seclusion never to be found.

"I see at least I may be late but better that than never reappearing. Forgive me for missing out on so much?" She gave those puppy eyes to Lina. Knowing she'd get a kick out of it since she looked hardly the puppy with the 3 red slash marks over the left eye ridge.

[Nym Zeal]

Though Nym would have seen Gelina before the infant, Xia still seemed more interested in staring at the dragon that had walked into the room than she was in squirming to get down from her mother's arms. Not that Nym was not visibly relieved to see her child mesmorized for the moment, giving her a chance to readjust the infant in her arms so that she had a better grip.

She was quiet though, taking the opportunity to close her eyes a moment and reach her own mind toward her dragon. As much as Riley was dear to her, hearing Kai's name and then speaking of Syn was almost physically draining to the rider. Now all they had to do was throw in reminders of Zoen and they'd have the trip down memory hell complete! Though, she chided herself, that was hardly fair. It hadn't felt like hell when it had happened, had it?

"You are free to Xia whenever you want her. She has a tendancy of getting away from me. For something so little..." though it wasn't the crawling that made her so easy to lose. It was much more to do with the random disappearing and then she had Lapis, Calais or Shimmy to drag her around when the mood hit her. In fact, Nym was starting to suspect her own cats of assisting. It was a well known fact that Cyra tended to help a number of children get from place to place, if the urge struck the mountain lion.