As Guard-Captain, Aveline didn't rest and let others do the rough work like Captain Jeven did. She was right out there with them, pounding the pavement. It was her connection, deep and visceral to the place that had become her new start. There was much potential in Kirkwall, if they didn't squander it all with the infighting between all the various factions.
She rounded a corner near the docks, surprised to see a group of people in uniform. They were too well-armed to be slavers or bandits, too tall for the Carta. A passing thought made her think they might be smugglers before she got close enough to inspect the uniforms in the dim light of evening. They were blue. Warden issued.
"Aveline." Hearing her name from one of the assembled people made her tense with shock, but her rigidity faded when she saw Carver peeling away from the group. Warden Carver. A smile pricked the corners of her mouth and she did her best to suppress it, failing miserably.
"Hello Carver, and company." She said, feeling awkward as she nodded at the group of Wardens. They gave cordial if cool hellos and nods back to her behind Carver's brawny plated shoulder.
"First time back in Kirkwall?" Aveline asked.
"No, but don't tell my brother. Only here for a moment, anyway." Carver shook his head. "I don't want him or Mother waiting for me to come for a visit. We have business, and the Wardens are my family now."
"You can't just forget about all of us here. Family is important, Carver. They should know." Aveline protested, a frown on her face. Loyalty wasn't so easily forgotten, and after all they'd lost, neither was family.
Carver ducked his head down, lips unexpectedly capturing her still downturned mouth. The kiss was neat and hard, as if he'd done it a multitude of times before. His warm lips pushed into hers, insistent and forceful - just like the Carver she knew. What was different was the confidence behind it, the dark heat, the way it made her head swim. He was young, too young, but had come into his manhood in the Deep Roads and found a life that fit. All the time since that trip had made him keenly sharp, no longer a blunt instrument to wield, but a thinking man turned weapon. Deadly and fierce, his kiss said it all as it seared her lips. Time suspended, she didn't think to breathe as they kissed, just feel his touch, the hand lingering on the small of her back, her palm spread flat against the griffon insignia that he now called home. Her hand on his chest pushed gently, prying the two of them apart. This wasn't right, but that was probably why it felt so good.
"We'll have to agree to disagree about the family thing, but I won't tell your brother I saw you." Aveline said, coming back to her senses, desperate for something to say.
Carver let out a hard burst of laughter, as if the sound had been trapped in his chest and had finally broken free. "Agree to disagree, huh? You just won't tell him about that kiss."
"That's why you did it, you prat." Aveline said, smiling for the first time as she swatting at him. He jumped out of the way with a grin on his face.
"Maybe. Maybe I just wanted to kiss you. Take care, Aveline." He said, moving back towards the group at the edge of the dock.
She watched him stride away without looking back over his shoulder, black hair ruffled by the invisible hand of the sea breeze. The hard indent left by his lips was fading into memory on her own, but the feelings he conjured weren't so easily cast off. No, she would likely never mention that kiss - or that she saw him to anyone. But she was serious about agreeing to disagree. Family was never discarded, but she realized that this was probably for the best. His new life didn't allow for visits for tea or slow kisses, for what if and I wonders. What it called for was just what she'd gotten, something hard and quick that nearly felt familiar.
Carver/Aveline - Kirkwall, for One Moment, T
She rounded a corner near the docks, surprised to see a group of people in uniform. They were too well-armed to be slavers or bandits, too tall for the Carta. A passing thought made her think they might be smugglers before she got close enough to inspect the uniforms in the dim light of evening. They were blue. Warden issued.
"Aveline." Hearing her name from one of the assembled people made her tense with shock, but her rigidity faded when she saw Carver peeling away from the group. Warden Carver. A smile pricked the corners of her mouth and she did her best to suppress it, failing miserably.
"Hello Carver, and company." She said, feeling awkward as she nodded at the group of Wardens. They gave cordial if cool hellos and nods back to her behind Carver's brawny plated shoulder.
"First time back in Kirkwall?" Aveline asked.
"No, but don't tell my brother. Only here for a moment, anyway." Carver shook his head. "I don't want him or Mother waiting for me to come for a visit. We have business, and the Wardens are my family now."
"You can't just forget about all of us here. Family is important, Carver. They should know." Aveline protested, a frown on her face. Loyalty wasn't so easily forgotten, and after all they'd lost, neither was family.
Carver ducked his head down, lips unexpectedly capturing her still downturned mouth. The kiss was neat and hard, as if he'd done it a multitude of times before. His warm lips pushed into hers, insistent and forceful - just like the Carver she knew. What was different was the confidence behind it, the dark heat, the way it made her head swim. He was young, too young, but had come into his manhood in the Deep Roads and found a life that fit. All the time since that trip had made him keenly sharp, no longer a blunt instrument to wield, but a thinking man turned weapon. Deadly and fierce, his kiss said it all as it seared her lips. Time suspended, she didn't think to breathe as they kissed, just feel his touch, the hand lingering on the small of her back, her palm spread flat against the griffon insignia that he now called home. Her hand on his chest pushed gently, prying the two of them apart. This wasn't right, but that was probably why it felt so good.
"We'll have to agree to disagree about the family thing, but I won't tell your brother I saw you." Aveline said, coming back to her senses, desperate for something to say.
Carver let out a hard burst of laughter, as if the sound had been trapped in his chest and had finally broken free. "Agree to disagree, huh? You just won't tell him about that kiss."
"That's why you did it, you prat." Aveline said, smiling for the first time as she swatting at him. He jumped out of the way with a grin on his face.
"Maybe. Maybe I just wanted to kiss you. Take care, Aveline." He said, moving back towards the group at the edge of the dock.
She watched him stride away without looking back over his shoulder, black hair ruffled by the invisible hand of the sea breeze. The hard indent left by his lips was fading into memory on her own, but the feelings he conjured weren't so easily cast off. No, she would likely never mention that kiss - or that she saw him to anyone. But she was serious about agreeing to disagree. Family was never discarded, but she realized that this was probably for the best. His new life didn't allow for visits for tea or slow kisses, for what if and I wonders. What it called for was just what she'd gotten, something hard and quick that nearly felt familiar.