|
Post by Willow on Apr 17, 2014 21:53:52 GMT -6
Faresh.
Home.
Willow was amazed at how little had changed... The small houses, with their inviting hearths, beckoned her like an old friend. The trees murmured, the birds chirped, and the sun glowed with a warm and benevolent light. Surrounded by townsfolk, Willow made small talk and caught up on the news in the hamlet, while introducing her friends to Oya.
Off a couple hundred meters in the center of town was a large stone church, which stood, gray and weathered, like a dignified sentinel. Willow's eyes floated to it, and, in her mind, she could see the interior, with its rows of oaken pews, its rock-hewn altar, and she sniffed the air, imagining the warm and heady scent of candles wafting in the air.
It was good to be home.
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 18, 2014 10:26:01 GMT -6
Oya followed Willow around almost like a lost puppy. He was introduced to her old friends and meet people she knew as she grew up. They were pleasant people, unlike the people he grew up with. It was strange how the two of them were so different, but then again that difference was the reason they were introduced to each other. However all the pleasantries and introductions were starting to get to Oya. Being polite to one person was not hard, but being polite to a hundred people was difficult. Everyone commented on how he looked feminine and other talked about how he dressed. Willow would probably not notice the stares and murmurs, but to Oya they might as well been shouting. Eventually Oya had enough and when he saw the church he saw a opportunity to get away from the prying eyes of the people for a bit.
"Hey Willow why don't we head inside the church for a bit", spoke Oya. He remembered he spoke with Willow about converting, but at the moment just getting out of the street was the only thing on his mind.
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 18, 2014 10:43:20 GMT -6
Willow was brought back to her senses by Oya, who, now that she looked at him, seemed quite uncomfortable. Oops. He probably wasn't used to the gossip of a tiny village. For her, it was second nature, but for someone who grew up as a pirate on the sea... This must feel about as alien as her taking the wheel of a ship.
"Oh! Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Oya."
Excusing herself, Willow hooked her arm with Oya and the two walked through the center of town until they arrived at the foot of the steps to the church. The edifice before them stood solemnly, grey and imposing. The large, arched doors were painstakingly crafted, with designs embossed in the beautiful wood, and two handles, showing the well-worn and weathered patina of age.
"Oya, I should tell you... My parents will be inside the church. Are you ready to meet them? Don't worry, I'm sure they'll love you... But, anyway... I don't want to pressure you, but if you are serious about converting, they'll be more than welcoming to you."
Willow snuggled herself closer to Oya and calmed her heart, which had inexplicably started racing.
"Well... Whenever you're ready, let's go in!"
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 18, 2014 11:37:28 GMT -6
"Their inside the church", spoke Oya with a bit of trepidation. It would be Oya's moment of truth. His mother was easy to convince as he would expect, but Willow's parents might be a lot harder. They were devout followers of the saint and they might not take to well with Oya and his long hair. Not to mention they wanted Willow to marry a bishop, what if he was not good enough for them. Oya was not a person of high stats, nor was he a devout man. Still he loved Willow. If he wanted to be with Willow he was going to need to do this. "Just give me a second", spoke Oya as he removed his scarf and allowed his long hair to fall down. The pirate stopped and gathered it all together and tied it into one large braid. He then folded the scarf into a headband and wore it across his forehead. "First impressions are important right", spoke Oya as he took a deep breath. As Oya walked forward the irony of the situation dawned on him. Willow had meet his mother inside of a church, though it was a church turned hideout, and now he was going to meet her parents inside one. He began to wonder if this was what she felt like right before she stepped into the door. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 18, 2014 16:32:56 GMT -6
"Relax, Oya... They'll love you, I know."
With that, Willow firmly grasped the handle of the right door, and swung it open, revealing a dark-looking interior. Ushering Oya in, the two stood as the door closed behind them and their eyes adjusted. Once she could see, Willow's face broke into a smile and tears of joy rose briefly to her eyes. Everything was the same as she knew it would be. Rows of oaken pews... The warm glow of the candles... And there. The side door, which lead to a humble home connected to the church... Slightly ajar, as she knew it would be. As it had been ever since her father became the priest in town. Open always, to anyone and everyone who had a need. Whether it was to talk, or to pray, or to eat... No one was turned away from that door.
"Come, Oya," she whispered. "They're waiting."
With her hand, Willow motioned toward the door, its outline bright against the soft glow of the church. She would wait until he was ready... And then, he would lead her in. He had to take the step... The leap of faith. Intertwining her fingers with his, she stood by his side. Once he leapt... She would follow.
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 19, 2014 13:37:18 GMT -6
Oya took a deep breath as willow finished speaking. This was the moment of truth thought Oya. The pirate noticed that his heart had picked up pace and that he was sweating a bit behind his head band. Look at me, thought Oya to himself. Here he was, a pirate. A man who literally grew up out at sea. He had faced down men three times his size and fought men that would kill their own mothers for coin. Here he was standing at the door way scared to see some priest. "What a coward I am", whispered Oya. As Willow intertwined their fingers Oya strengthen his grasp. Willow was waiting for him to be a man, and it was time Oya lived up to that expectations.
Oya began to walk toward the door with Willow's hand firmly in his own. He no longer felt nervous, or at the very least looked it, nor did he hesitate. The young man walked into the room knocking on the door seal as he entered with his free hand. "Excuse me", spoke Oya as he walked in.
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 19, 2014 18:25:31 GMT -6
"Oh? And who might you -- WILLOW?!"
With a crash, the man's chair fell to the floor as he stood up, giving a clear view of his appearance. The man was tall, at about 6'3", and a bit gangling. His priest's robes fit him loosely, and their white stood in contrast to his salt-and-pepper balding head and scraggly mustache, also graying. A woman had come rushing in through the doorway; at around 5'8", she looked to be about Willow's height, and was wearing clerical robes. A fine head of silverish hair sat in a bun upon her head, and glasses perched on the tip of her nose.
Both stood thunderstruck at the appearance of their daughter, who had not send word of her arrival, contrary to her custom. They were also amazed at the young (and slightly effeminate) man who stood at her side, holding her hand. Willow's mother recovered first, saying to her husband, "Dear, why don't you pull Willow and... the good sir some chairs?"
"Oh! Of course. My apologies." Grabbing two chairs, the man arranged them around a wooden table before sitting with his wife.
"I am this town's priest, and Willow's father, Aspen Elm, and this is my wife, Primrose. And you are?
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 23, 2014 4:31:40 GMT -6
Oya took a deep breath as Willow's mother and father walked in. This was the moment of truth. "I am Oya a traveling herbalist and seeker of knowledge", spoke the young pirate in a stable voice. Oya had taken control of his nervousness and was not going let his fear screw up their first meeting. "Me and Willow have been traveling together for quite some time now, and I have", spoke Oya as he took a deep breath. "I have come to love your daughter", spoke Oya as he stared into Aspen Elm's eyes. It was a bold move, but Oya thought it was time to be bold. Tip toeing around the subject was going to get him no where and would show him as a weak man. Oya was not weak.
"In response to that", spoke Oya as he started back into his conversation. "I have come here to meet you all, Willow's parents. I thought it was only proper to do so."
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 23, 2014 16:08:34 GMT -6
"You... Have come to love my daughter?
Well, I'm not very surprised. But... I'm sorry, I don't mean to be blunt...
Aren't you a bit young for my daughter?"
"Dear! He looks quite mature to me... He carries himself like a gentleman!"
"Well, yes, but his face is so... Youthful, I suppose."
"So you wanted him to be old? You saw how Willow reacted to that old ogre of a bishop!"
"Um... Thanks, Mom and Dad. I'm totally not standing in front of you, so please, keep on talking like I'm five thousand kilometers away on the Isles or something...
It seemed to suddenly hit the old married couple that indeed, their daughter and her suitor were in fact in the flesh and in front of them. Willow's mother jerked at her voice, before busily beginning to set the table for a hasty meal. Willow's father stammered a bit before continuing on his 'inquisition' of Oya.
"You'll stay for dinner, I hope? I'd like to talk to you a little more, sir, if you're planning on marrying my daughter and taking her far away from her poor, lonely family," the man said in a stern, fatherly voice, but with eyes twinkling with good humor and merriment. "Please, do stay awhile. I'd love to hear about your travels and how you met Willow."
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 25, 2014 2:03:24 GMT -6
The conversation started off as Oya expected. They started on their age. Sure Oya was younger than Willow, but he still cared about her. At the least it seemed Willow's mother was on his side. Well it seemed at the least to Oya. He was not sure how the conversation was going to turn. With his own mother there was always some form of violence, but he doubt Willows parents would do the same, but he still half expected it.
Willow's parents asked Oya to stay for dinner and the young pirate gladly accepted. "I would be delighted too", spoke Oya. He knew it was coming. It was to be expected really. Her father was going to put him through the ringer and drill him on questions. He has witness it a couple of times in his youth. One of the sailors on their ship would confess to a woman and would be asked to stay for dinner. A lot of them usually brought Oya along claiming him as their little brother. He remembered watching them get picked to pieces as the small lies they told were revealed and the truth behind them was brought to lite.
Oya really did not have anything to hide. Well except that, but he already had a story around that. He was fine at the moment and was ready to take any question her father would throw at hitm.
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 26, 2014 12:41:38 GMT -6
After about a half an hour of small talk and preparation, the four sat down to dinner. Willow's mother had prepared quite the spread, including steaks she had saved from the neighbor's cow, vegetables from their garden, and local cheeses. Willow's father took great pride in opening a prized bottle of old wine, pouring everyone a generous measure.
Firmly grasping Oya's and his wife's hand, the aging priest began to speak, head bowed.
"Saint Elimine, we thank you for this meal and for this company. We are truly blessed to have this man of learning and craft with us, to share meal and memories with our humble family. We are also grateful for the safe return of our daughter to us, from her long leave of absence."
Aspen fell silent, and Primrose began to speak in a similar way.
"Saint Elimine, we thank you for this day and this unexpected joy. We thank you for your kindness to us in keeping our daughter healthy and safe from distress. We praise you for your goodness to our family, and thank you for uniting us once more."
After Primrose had finished, Willow spoke.
"Saint Elimine... I thank you for your guidance in bringing me to meet Oya, and for protecting me and guiding me throughout my travels. It is by your intercession and your unfailing help that I have been able to return to see my family safely and in good health. I thank you for bringing Oya into my life, and I pray that you will continue to protect and bless us."
Falling silent, she gave Oya's hand a gentle squeeze. It was his turn.
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 26, 2014 15:45:56 GMT -6
Oh crap, thought Oya to himself. It was his turn to pray. Oya had never prayed before, or at least to Saint Elimine. The pirate paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. It would not be too hard to make up a prayer.
"Saint Elimine..., I thank you for protecting me. I thank you for looking out for Willow and allowing us to cross paths. I thank you for allowing us to leave Mark's town safely and watching over us as we crossed the sea. I thank you for allowing me to meet Willow's loving parents and I thank you the most for bringing Willow into my life. I ask you to watch over the food that we are about to receive. I ask you to purify it for the nourishment of our bodies and ask you to continue to bless us."
There, it was finished. Oya prayed he did not say anything wrong.
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 26, 2014 16:07:51 GMT -6
Willow sighed silently. Oya had passed the first test; now he'd be good to go. After all, he was a good man, and he wasn't hiding anything. They'd brought it all into the open together on the ship.
Dinner began, and Willow was happy to find that her mother's cooking remained the best she'd ever had.
"Mom, your cooking is still fabulous," Willow said, smiling happily.
"Forgive my interruption, Willow, but let's hear about your travels! I'm excited to hear how you met Oya, and how on Earth you managed to stay away from home for so long."
"Well... It all started when I rode into Mark's Town, seeking to stay a night. It was boring, but... It quickly got interesting. A man who called himself a demon appeared, and, naturally, I decided to unleash the holy Wrath upon him. And that's how a small war broke out within the town. There was a lot of chaos and confusion, and eventually I found myself on the balcony of a tavern. And that's where I met Oya."
Willow stopped and began to eat again. Now Oya could continue the tale.
|
|
|
Post by Oya on Apr 26, 2014 17:01:19 GMT -6
"Yes your cooking taste very well", spoke Oya as he ate from his plate. The pirate made sure to follow all the manner tips he had read about and not to eat too fast. "It is far better than anything I could cook", spoke the pirate.
Willow's father asked about their tale and how the two meet. Willow told a portion and she left the rest for Oya to finish.
"Well", spoke Oya as he regathered his memories. "To make a long story short", spoke Oya as he looked at Willow. Oya did not want to go into how he knew natch, nor did he want to bring him up in front of her parents. Still a feeling of guilt rose up in his stomach as he remembered the plague and death that spread across the town. It seemed hanging around Willow had soften him up. "A plague broke out", spoke Oya. "It was a sea fever common in the western isles. I am not sure how it got there, but its effects were devastating. Lucky for me I had contracted it early in my youth, and such I was immune to it. However everyone else was not so lucky. The disease spread like wild fire killing almost the entire town. Unfortunately I only had enough supplies to save only one person and that was Willow", spoke Oya. His facial expressions showed sadness as he spoke of the deeds.
|
|
|
Post by Willow on Apr 26, 2014 17:43:09 GMT -6
Willow's parents were enthralled by the story. As Oya continued to talk, the emotions on their faces flashed from fear to amazement and finally to joy.
"You saved our daughter... How can I thank you?"
While this was going on, something hit Willow abruptly.
She'd considered it before. But now... Knowing Oya's background... Could it be... Did he...? She'd have to talk to him later about it.
"Anyway," she continued, "After Mark's Town, we traveled to Little Rock, where Oya did some research on his family. We did a lot of talking and bonding there, and then we decided to meet Oya's mother. That's how I found myself on a ship bound for the Western Isles.
We were attacked by pirates, but thankfully, Oya was able to keep them at bay, and we safely made it to the harbor of St. Ides, a major city there."
She'd let Oya tell the next part.
|
|