4-27-04

Characters involved:
Sorrel
Rahier
Keiran
Keita
Rory
Kylie

RW Abbey: Cavern Hole
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This room is slightly smaller than Great Hall, but still of a size large enough to accomodate a great number of gathered beasts. A large fireplace is set into one of the walls, and there are a series of small tables and chairs near one end for beasts who are eating late, or simply prefer the smaller tables for their meals. Cushions and blankets have been set in one corner.
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Exits/Entrances:
[G]reat [H]all
[Ki]tchen
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Sorrel sits at a table, writing something down. It's a page for her personal notebook, describing all the beasts she knows. So far on this page, she has written Zoe, Buckthorn, and is now pondering over how to describe Rahier.

What's to describe? XD The major in immediate question makes his way out of the kitchen. Yeeep... he's munching on a scone, and looking generally himself. Very exciting. Of course, he takes note of Sorrel, turning his meanderings in the doe's direction.

Sorrel takes no notice of Rahier, she's to wrapped up in thinking to notice him. hmm...perceptive, no, i have to think up more than that.. She thinks to herself.

Right. Unnoticed. That's understandable. The buck walks his way over to the doe's side, quirking a brow quite unabashedly at her notebook. Uhuh. His paws rest lightly behind his back, and he clears his throat.

Sorrel jumps a bit, covering the paper,she looks over her shoulder. "Oh. Hi Rahier>"

"Yes. Hello. Why aren't you in uniform?" Rahier's brow is still quirked. Leave it to him to intone darkness within a cheery greeting. ;P

Sorrel shrugs. "Don't have one yet."

Rahier purses his lips. Oh. That makes sense. "Well. That must be a fluke. Y'should get one from th'67th as soon as possible, y'know. T'wouldn't do t'have y'in civilian dress like this, would it?"

Sorrel stands up, folding the peice of paper in half, and stuffing it in her pocket. apparantly Rahier's in a bad mood. "Don't know where the 67th is, sah.

Rahier doesn't look to be in a bad mood. He's just being.. curt. Heh. "Oh! Ah... 'tis out in Mossflower. Any o' th'runners could take ya." He doesn't seem to care to comment on her writings, despite being so nosy.

By now the abbeybeasts must realize that Keiran only knows one song, because it seems whenever he's not talking, eating, or sleeping, he's whistling the tune. As usual, he's keeping the beat as he walks with his walking staff, and, without stopping, he gives a nod to the two hares already occupying the Cavern Hole as he takes a seat by the fireplace.

Sorrel nods to Keiran, and takes a seat in a more comfortable chair. One of two identical armchairs, they sit next to each other, with a coffee table between them.

Rahier seems to remember that he's holding a scone, and pops the last bit of it in his mouth. Of course, -he- remains standing, in his stiff, less-than-comfortable posture. One ear levels to the side, and he looks to Keiran. It's the crazy's brother. ;P

Keiran stops whistling briefly, as he turns to talk. "Ah, Sorrel, right? I met ya yesterday. In th'library." Grin, as he turns back around.

Sorrel nods again, and closes her eyes, obviously thinking about something.

Rahier folds his paws behind his back, looking between the two other hares, stopping on Sorrel. "Ah. Yeh. Well, that was m'only question, so.."

Sorrel opens one eye. "So...?

Turning around again, Keiran eyes Sorrel's stationery. "Wha's that y'got there?"

Rahier nods his head forward, drawing out the word. "So... is there anythin' else?" Very busy hare, obviously. ;p

Sorrel shrugs. "Ye're the one that came here, aren't ya?

Keiran whistles absently, as (and this is very not like him) he finds nothing to say at the moment. :-\

You say, "Ah... yeh. Anyway. How... are ya?"

Sorrel nods. "I'm dine." She cocks her head toward the other armchair. "Would ye like te sit, or go outside? Maybe you could show me where the 67th is."

Rahier shuffles his feet, glancing towards the chair, though he makes no motion to accept. "Ah, I'm fine. An' no, s'quite alrigh'. I'm sure you'll find it eventually." XD

Sorrel nods, and, having an idea, gets up and walks out, saying. "Be right back."

Sorrel returns with a ceramic bottle. She takes a swig, and tosses it to Rahier. "Have some."

Keita happens to follow in after Sorrel, pausing in the doorway. She nods to the two, smirking slightly at the ceramic bottle that's tossed. "Cheatin' on m'brew, Rah?" Hee.

Rahier catches the ceramic bottle with both paws, eyes widening out of reflex. Hee. He handles the bottle uncertainly. It's not often anyone other than Keita tries to get him to drink. ;P And as -that- doe appears, the buck blushes, rather uncharacteristically, shuffling his footpaws. "No, no." His head turns to Sorrel. "I really can't. I'm, ah... on duty." Excuses? XD

Sorrel nods. "Aye. On duty." She eyes him. "Eatin' scones is a big responsability, mate."

"Aye, well, if'n he's on duty.." Keita nods, soberly. Hee. She leans back against the doorframe, paws dipping into pockets.

Cough. Cough cough. "T'was lunch," he mutters, in response to Sorrel. Even if so, when's he ever refused a drink? XD Well, Keita'd know. Shuffle. "How goes it?" he pipes up, over at Keita.

"Goin' fine.. Just got back from a bit o' a trip, actually." Keita scratches behind an ear, arching a brow, "Didja miss me?" Griiiin.

Rahier sets the bottle on the tabletop as he walks his way over to Keita. "I did," he admits, with a small grin of his own. The buck is.. a lot more sheepish, than usual. But he seems happy. "Where'd y'go?" he ventures.

Sorrel looks a bit uneasy, watching the two, but she keeps her thoughts to herself.

"T' meet with m' suppliah. Picked a bit o' stuff up that the cellah needed." The grin remains, but there's something quizical about it. After all, he is acting a -little- oddly. Not very, but a little. She quirks a brow, "What've ya been up t'?" Then, mindful, she turns to look at Sorrel, in order to include her in the question. Hee. :D

"That's good," he replies, sticking his paws in his pockets and edging the stone floor with the toe of his boot. Hee. A slow grin spreads across his muzzle, as he shrugs. "Asked Maria t'marry me." Nonchalant? Never. XD

Ooh? Keita's eyebrows raise even further, and her lips curve up in a sly grin. "Ya did, didja?" Hee. And by his grin, it's obvious what her answer was. The doe leans towards him, nudge-elbowing him. "Ya sly ole buck, you.. When'd ya do it?"

Rahier's grin is barely contained. ;D He snickers, a little as she elbows him, bending out of the way. "Las' night." Since he can't resist cracking a joke, well. "Shoulda seen th'look on her face." XD

Sorrel looksa t the clock, and realizing what time it is, walks out, seemingly in a hurry, waving goodbye to the two hares.

"'Magine so," Keita says with a grin. "Guess she said aye, though, yeah?" The doe nudges him again, and now with Sorrel gone, a flask is pulled from inside a pocket and passed inconspicuously across to the buck. Mwaha. :D Keita is an Enabler, hiss-boo!

"Oh, yeh, took a lil' convincin', but in th'end, she saw reason." Rahier grins, and reaches to take the flask. Like he'd ever refuse a drink from Keita. He tips it toward the doe in a bit of a toast, ever the gentleman, before taking a sip. XD

Keita dips her head in response to the toast, grinning. She leans back against a table, looking content. "So, gettin' married, eh? Thinkin' about havin' some little rodents o' yer very own?" Hee. Noooo, she's not making fun of him.

"T'was a big part o' th'negotiations, in fact." He snickers at that, taking another sip, and passing the flask over. "Scary thought, lemme tell ya. Don't think Mossflower's big enough f'a lil' Rahier." Heehee.

"Aye, don't know if'n I've got enough brew t' support the lil'uns habit, s'well." Hee. Keita snickers softly.

"Oh, lor. If I so much as drink 'round any kid, Maria'll slug me. She hates th'stuff." Which is why he drinks on the sly, obviously. XD

"Aww, ain't nothin' wrong with drinkin'..." Keita pshts, shaking her head. "Guess I won't be seein' ya at the tavern with a lil'un toddlin' on beside ya, eh?"

"..Well, we'll see 'bout that," Rahier replies, grinning. Ever sly, he is. "Couldn't very well have 'im grow up without aunt Keita, now could I?" XD

Haha. How -ironic-. Just at that moment, Rory's inherent antsy demeanor gets the better of the poor doe, whose been hiding for -weeks- since the Long Patrol arrived. She shuffles along, draped in a cloak several sizes too large. How pregnant is she? Well, there's a considerable swell beneath her tunic - to the point where the tunic is left unbuttoned. Hence the cloak. Her droopy ears and whiskers complete the ashamed doe's appearance, as she seems not to catch the voices of Keita and Rahier. Yet.

"'Course we couldn't!" And then, a grin: "'Him', eh? Lookin' fer a Rah-junior?" Hee. Keita's in the middle of snickering a bit more when her attention is attracted by the sudden apperance of Rory towards the other side of the room. The snicker dies off immediately, and she pushes off the table she leans against. She grins, not having seen the other doe in weeks, for one reason or another. "Rory, m'love!" she shouts, not having noticed the oddness of her appearance in favor of being happy that she's actually, ah.. appeared.

"Well, ah, y'know..." That is, of course he figured it'd be a boy. ;P Rahier shrugs his shoulders in his usual expression of indecision, paws searching out his pockets. But then, the buck's ears quail as Keita's voice rings out, gaze bidden towards the doorway. But he doesn't give her more than the casual glance, before the embarrassment hits, and he turns his head quietly towards the ground.

Awr, -no-. There's nothing more recognizable than Keita's voice. Rory's ears perk immediately. Fear. She stares wide-eyed at the other doe for a moment, and then looks past Keita to Rahier with even wider eyes. Nooo. "I-oh...I..." she stammers, or rather mumbles, before promptly turning and bolting. As fas as a cloaked, pregnant doe can.

Keita immediately deflates, the grin fading and her ears drooping. "... Rory?" Pause. Blink. She calls after the other doe, looking briefly from her to Rah and then back as does that, "Rory!" Bewilderment gives way to what -she- thinks of as understanding. Ror's just uncomfortable around -Rah-, of course. Yes, that's right. She waves an apologetic paw at Rahier and turns to jog after the other doe, "Ror', where ya goin'?"

Kylie skips into the cavern hole a scone in each paw, and a very big grin on her face.

Considering Rory ran the -last- time Rahier saw the doe, this isn't somehow surprising to him. Aye, but he looks after her this time. Is she... waddling? ;p Rahier's brow slowly raises upward, while his lips pull steady downward, in a reflexive frown. See? It's not like he can run after the does, either. Poor guy? ;P

"N-nothing!" Rory's reply is, the tone wavery and almost broken by something that sounds like a cough. Or a hiccup. And that's all she bothers to say, intent on escaping to the... Wine Cellar!

Kylie stops as she sees the hares and still grinning she takes a bite out of the scone while eyeing each hare very carefully. As if it could get any bigger she recognizes Rahier and quickly runs towards him dropping one of the scones on her way towards him. Quickly stopping to pick it back up and continues the run and stops infront of him. Barely swallowing all of the bite of scone she speaks mouth still partially full. "Whewe's K-ail?"

Tch! Silly doe, Keita knows the wine cellar like the back of her foot! The doe jogs after her, but doesn't try calling her back, anymore. And -is- there something strange about the way she's moving?

Rahier doesn't pursue, obviously. To Rahier, it's as if Kylie suddenly appeared, as his attention was riveted upon the doorway. He's too intrigued, and possibly mortified to be annoyed at the question, mumbling a decisive "I dunno," to the squirrel. -Now- that Rory and Keita have disappeared out the door, he begins walking in that direction.

RW Abbey: Wine Cellar
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The wine cellar is cool, dry, and dimly lit. It is a very large, low room, extending far back into the Abbey's underworks. The vast space is almost entirely taken up by rack upon rack of wine bottles and ale casks, barrels of all sizes, and shelves of flagons and stoneware flasks. For all the space available, the drink here only fills a small part of it, and most of the barrels still stand empty. There have been obvious work efforts occuring here recently, and the cellar is, if emptier than seasons past, cleaner than it has been in a long while. The further corners of the cellar are hidden in shadow, and consist of many nooks and crannies.
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Exits: [Up] to the Kitchens

Waddling? Hardly! Hmph. Rory makes her way... relatively well. The poor doe. She manages to scoot down into the cool wine cellar without much delay, though she seems worn out by the short dash. She makes her way to one corner, before collapsing in a heap. She groans, back to the kitchen stairs. Er. She's not -injured- or lying on her side. Just. Exhausted. And flushed.

It's not hard to keep up with the pregnant doe, and so, Keita appears at the foot of the kitchen stairs in time to hear the groan. Her ears perk, and she turns towards the sound. Squint. "... Ror'? Love?" Erf.

Aie. Rory straightens, keeping her back to the stairs, though. She draws the cloak around her fully. "... What?" she murmurs after a long pause, ears dropping.

"... What's the mattah?" The doe worries at her lower lip, inching forward towards Rory. She reaches out a paw to rest on her shoulder, hesitantly.

Rory flinches at Keita's touch, but doesn't draw away. "Nothing," Ro mumbles, looking down at her lap. Every movement seems stiff.

"Now I know that ain't true.." Keita squeezes her shoulder lightly, frowning worriedly. "Love, turn 'round.. look at me, a'right? What's the mattah?" Pitiful! She's pitiful sound. Pity her, and turn around!

Rory's resolve begins to crumble - uncharacteristically weak as it is, already. She bites her lip hard, looking over her shoulder at Keita. Her eyes are also unusually sad looking. "I... don't want to," she whispers.

.. Awr. "Are ya hurt?" Her voice is dangerously soft, and worried. "Darlin', what's wrong? Yer startin' to scare me." She laughs, a little abruptly and oh-so-nervously.

Rory's ears droop further. She hesitates, almost shivering with nervous energy to match that contained in Keita's laugh. "... Not hurt," she manages.

".. Then why won't ya look at me, Ror'?" Her voice is gentle (and persuasive!), and she raises both paws to Rory's shoulders, rubbing comfortingly. "Please?"

The cloaked doe falls silent, trembling visibly now - even with Keita's comforting ministrations. At length, though, she lifts a shaking paw and unclasps the cloak. It tumbles down to rest around her lap, but no longer covers the considerable bulge, which Keita can likely see from her vantage point. Silence.

And -more- silence. Keita simply stares in utter disbelief, at the considerable bulge. This doesn't add up. Two does.. and one pregnant. In fact, for at least a few seconds, Keita can't resolve this. And then.. it dawns on her. "... 'ell gates." Her words are soft, a little broken-sounding. And perhaps not the doe's finest, most supportive moment ever.

Wince. Rory very nearly tumbles into tears, there. But she somehow manages to simply bite down harder on her lip, eyes dropping to the swell. Yes. Pregnant. Woo... She clutches the fallen cloak tightly in balled fists, helpless to really explain. Her voice would crack terribly if she did try.

( At least the doe's paws didn't fall away, though they wanted to. Hell, part of her just wanted to run away, period. She stares around Rory, at the bulge. She swallows, past the lump that's forming, seeming to make it hard to breathe. "... Why, ah.. why didn't ya tell me?" )

Argh. She fights back a similar lump in her own throat, croaking quite desperately: "-Look- at me, Keita..." Awr. Rory bites down on her lip before she can sound even more distraught. Not that it matters how she -sounds-, she -looks- bloody distraught.

"Ya look... ya look." Her words are halting, her gaze bewildered. Floundering. "Fine." She blinks back the sudden wateriness to her eyes, obviously just the... the dust. In the air. Right. She moves closer to the other doe, wrapping her arms around a bit further, though her stomach is avoided. Not quite ready to go near that, just yet.

Rory struggles to fight that odd tightness in her chest. She snorts softly at Keita's answer, looking distant. "Right." A grim sort of smile comes to her muzzle. "You know. I hate alcohol." Good thing to tell Keita.

"... Aye, well. Well... 'tis goin' t' be providin' fer.. fer yer lev'ret, there, so I wouldn't want t' speak -too- badly of it." Keita struggles through this sentence and manages even to smile, very slightly, though still a little wobbily. Rory is given a small hug, from behind. "I love ya, Ror'."

Rory's initial bitterness dissolves. She silently echoes those three final words, too, her voice too weak at the moment from sheer humiliation and distraught to voice them. After a moment, though, Ro does voice somewhat different words. Just two. "... our leveret," she whispers, with oh-so much hopefulness in her voice.

"-Our- lev'ret," Keita agrees, softly, her eyes slipping shut with a final nod, for emphasis. For finality, perhaps even mostly for herself. A gentle kiss is applied to Rory's shoulder. "I nevah.. expected t' have a child. I nevah.. wanted one. But I'll treat this'un as m'very own, Ror', I c'n promise ya that."

A flickering, timid smile of relief lightens Rory's dour expression, and her voice is just as relieved, and yet wavery. "... I never wanted... one either." Heh. The irony. She does, however, lean back into Keita's embrace just slightly, eyes closing. Mrph.

Keita cradles the other doe in her arms further, applying another soft, comforting kiss to Rory's shoulder. She then smiles, chuckling, "Well, might be nice t' have someone t' continue in the fam'ly business.." She pauses, arching a brow, "Whichevah.. one the lil'un chooses t' follah." Considering that that could be considered brewing, healing, -or- the Patrol. Hee.

Nooo. Not the Patrol. Healing or brewing. Yes. Leave... Rahier out of this. Rory nods mutely, now letting her head rest back against the other doe gently. After a moment, she speaks. "It's... Rahier's." Twitch.

"Figured." The doe doesn't even bother pausing before this is uttered, and then she continues. "S'pose.. if it had t' be anyone, Rah's the tod I'd mind the least." She sighs, nevertheless. "S'pose 'e doesn't know?"

Rahier followed, yes. But not into the cellar. :S The buck stands at the top of the stairs, to the side of the doorway, out of sight from below. Because he finds it hard to... not eavesdrop, apparently. Let's just say that his face is.. rather pale? ;P

Wince. Rory shakes her head slowly, a frown darkening her features. "I... can't tell him. It... wasn't even supposed to happen. I was drunk. And... Keita, I didn't -- " Her voice cracks at this point. Explanations, apparently, are still hard to force. She falls silent, the lump in her throat having doubled in size.

Keita coaxes, gently, placing another kiss on the doe's shoulder. "Shh, shh.. ya don't need t' explain yerself t' me, darlin'." Another hug is delivered. Awr. "'Tis in the past, 'n' all we c'n do is deal with what's come of it.. 'n' havin' a lev'ret, that ain't so bad, righ'?" Heh. Brave words for a doe that was just bemoaning the very -possibility- of ever having a kid, none too long ago. And then, "If'n yer not ready t' tell him, we don't have t'."

Rory makes a slightly muffled, almost strangled, sound of consent. Keita's much too understanding. Rory clutches the bunched cloak tighter, looking back over her shoulder and straining her neck just enough to drop a small kiss of her own on Keita's cheek. Eemush. "Thank you, 'Ta..."

Keita shrugs away with the thank you with a playful grin, gently turning Rory around to face her, if the other doe will let her. "I get t' be the fathah figure, righ'?" The grin turns cheeky, but it's obvious she's trying to, however misguided, cheer Rory up.

Awr. Rory allows herself to be repositioned, nose wrinkling at Keita's comment. But humorously. A smile, still weak, wavers on her muzzle. "Of course. The business of alcohol, however lucrative, isn't the most... maternal profession." Hee.

"Righ', then, now that that's settled." The doe plants a kiss on the tip of her nose, her grin as encouraging and as cheerful as she can manage.

It's enough, for the poor frazzled Rory. She closes her eyes for a moment, the smile lingering on her muzzle. This time, she finds the strength to voice the words: "I love you... Keita."

"Why, a'course ya do." Keita smiles, but then the smile wavers slightly into uncertainty as her gaze lowers to Rory's stomach. Hmm. Her paw reaches out, hesitantly, hovering. "C'n I...?" Hee. Is that a slightly goofy grin?

The corners of Rory's own smile seem to turn up at the sides, upon Keita's oh-so adorable request. She lowers her own gaze, nodding. "... Of course."

Hee. The paw moves forward and makes contact, and as soon as it does, her lips twitch upwards into an even more goofy grin. Her eyes flit up to Rory's, and she leans forward, considerate of the mound, of course, and kisses her firmly. Hee. :D She pulls back. "'Tis a girl, I -know- it."

Rory's breath catches in her throat as Keita's paw finds her stomach. Following the kiss, Rory places her own paw, still shaking very slightly, on top of Keita's. "Really?" she breathed, feeling much better by now. "... I would prefer a girl."

"Aye, well, 'tis just a feelin'..." Keita shrugs, with a small smile, and she turns her own paw around so that it grasps Rory's, giving it a gentle squeeze. Mush-mush and love-struck looks abound.

Rory returns the squeeze, dropping her muzzle again. With half-closed eyes, she does her best to lean into the other doe, also conscious of the bulge. "... You're too... too... good, to me," mumbles Rory.

"Nah, just s'good as ya deserve." She delivers a forehead kiss as the other leans forward, her own eyes half-closed. But then, suddenly, her eyes pop open. Eeep! ".. Ah, darlin', are ya tired? Maybe we ought t' get ya upstairs? T' lie down?" Now, look what you've done to the poor doe? Put the force of what ought to've been ages of worrying and coddling into one look. Poor Keita's little head's going to explode. Tch.

Rory blinks, her own muzzle lifting slightly. Well. Protective, now, too. Ro's smile returns. She leans upwards, pushing herself onto her tip-toes a little just to reach Keita's muzzle, where she delivers another kiss. "... I'd like that." She pauses. "That is... if you plan to stay with me." Hee.

"Ya think I'd let ya outta m' sight?" Tch. Keita moves to stand next to Rory, slipping an arm around her. Supportive. "Shall we, then?" She nods to the stairs, and then leans over to deliver a kiss to the doe's temple.

Ee. Well, -this- night has certainly improved. Rory gives Keita one last nervous smile, nodding. "We shall, then." Hee. Sleepytime.