The meeting had petered out, with horse after horse taking their leave. Ever the dutiful, Máni had remained behind, eager to finally reunite with Rannveig in a more.. proper, way. One that was in private, with just the two of them.
Well. Two and a new Bonded. Vidar reminded him of his presence by digging claws down in to his mane, clinging a little tightly and clicking his beak.
Máni shook his head just the slightest, before he turned it toward Rannveig and finally allowed himself to lean toward her, to brush his muzzle against her neck and her face, anywhere he could reach as his larger form closed in on her. It was a reunion of the senses; touch, taste, smell, hearing, seeing. All of them were lit up as he pressed to his beloved, and he drew his head back, only to bump soft velvet noses against one another. "Congratulations are in order, my beloved." His voice was a murmur of delight, his eyes showing the sheer joy he felt for her, and for being with her once more.
"I had planned on giving you these trinkets when I had come back regardless, but now it seems fitting to present them to you as gifts for your position as well," he hummed. He shifted himself, and the white raven came moving up his neck, perching on his head and letting out a soft caw as he wiggled the pouch from his neck. Gently, it fell, and Máni caught it in his mouth, offering it to his love.
"Gifts from my journey." A few precious gems and perhaps a necklace or two, things he showed as he opened it with the lesser telekinesis that all in the lands possessed. A wolf's fang, a hawk's skull. Plenty of trinkets. He hoped to please her with them. "I am sorry I took so long on my journey.." he apologized after a moment, offering a small smile.
The conclusion of the meeting laid to rest any unease she had about the well-being of the Dusk Court; those who showed filled her heart and reassured her that their fate would be a good one. Vespera would have been proud of her followers.
But one in particular pulled at the strings that raveled Rannveig, his approaching figure causing her heart to beat in a way she was unfamiliar with. It pattered like falling rain against the symphony of her body, a pulse so strong yet fleeting she was unsure if it would ever right itself again. She was caught in the sight of him, everything slowing to a hum while she refamiliarized herself with his form. He came with a bag around his neck and a bird on his back, but both of those were things she skipped over for the time being. She drank up his figure and dared not blink in fear of him disappearing again.
Time stood still with him beside her, and once the group of Dusk left the two to be alone her body melted against his as he moved around her. His words were a song she had craved the lyrics to, a voice so much like home that she hadn't realized the ache she had felt until it was gone.
Except he wasn't gone, anymore, he was there. There with her.
He breathed into her and she breathed back into him, facial expression hiding all she felt inside with a flat exterior. But any who looked at her eyes could tell that her ribs worked hard to keep her heart from spilling out of her chest. "But with me comes you, Máni." Her nordic heritage shone bright with her words, accented voice lilting in a somewhat broken language. "I might be called 'Sovereign' for putting our Court back together, but you stand Regent by my side." At the mention of 'gifts' her stoic expression broke into a grin and a slight laugh passed between them. If he had brought her gifts, she had nothing to give him return.
It was while she took her time gazing over his body that the white raven finally came into focus. The smile slipped away silently, replaced with a soft mask of discomfort. Clearly, he had brought more back than just a handful of items. "And," she looked back at Máni with a disapproving glance as she shifted to face him, "bird is yours?"
It was like floating on air, being with Rannveig again; another portion of himself seemed to fill the void that had been there when he had left. Rather than be sappy, Máni leaned, gently touching his nose to hers and drawing back, offering a smile that pulled at the corner of his lips. It was soft, something rarely ever seen save by his beloved. "Are you so sure you want to hand that title to me?" He was not questioning her choice, merely voicing if he was the best suited for it, if there were others perhaps that would be suited for the position. He didn't want a title simple because he was hers and she was his.
"I thank you for the title and position, my beloved. I will cherish it and do my best to be Regent." A dip of his white head was given, before his ears perked with a slight flop, and he felt the shuffle of feet in his mane and the soft click of a beak. Blue eyes stared at Rannveig, and Máni merely nodded, giving a shift of his body and his head turning to look at the bird, shooing him down his back. "His name is Vidar. He came to me on my journey and.. we are Bonded. A companion." He smiled.
"Much like the deities of old with their animal companions." Odin and his ravens. "Do not worry, he is of no harm. He is just a bit smart-alecky. He reminds me of Loki with his attitude." There was a soft squawk and the bird nipped his ear, causing him to shake his head before he huffed. "Away, Vidar. Explore the Dusk Court, this is home now."
There was a ruffle of wings in response, and the weight lifted off of him as the corvid took off in to flight, leaving the two of them behind. He watched a moment, blinking purple eyes before he looked back to Rannveig, offering a still warm smile despite her slight discomfort. "I promise you, Vidar is good. Perhaps he can be our guard, hmm? Always in flight and on alert for those that wander in to the Court."
For all of the discrimination she faced for being a filly heir, she knew love. Her parents loved her as much as they would have any other child; they cared for her and taught her all sorts of family mannerisms. She learned what loyalty meant, that sacrifice came with the territory. Her Court's people treated her with kindness and respect, they an extension of herself if she were to one day rule. She knew about hard work and dedication for not only others but herself--it was ultimately for her own well being that she resigned herself to living out those years in Jarl. And even they, those of the warrior clan, showed her what it was to be strong outside of a physical prowess. It was as much of mind as it was of body to be given the honor of being 'loved.'
And still, through the years of growing up and seeing every facet of compassion in Hiemsterra, she had never felt anything like this before.
No one had broken off a piece of her heart as much as Máni had.
They stood together again after seasons apart, and she hadn't exactly realized the effect he had on her when he was there. She was a softer creature, reminded that with every strong blow came a kiss of comfort; he reassured her that even if the hushed lullaby claimed the lands of Dusk there was still life in their reach. For as much of a child of harshness as she was, he remained the embodiment of all she loved in the Court.
Her decision to pass along the role of Regent to him might have been a rather rash choice, but she hoped her members of Dusk would accept it as rational. There had been none other before their time of being a Court once again who showed their support and given themselves to the people as he had. So when he confessed his gratitude she said nothing in return, seeing it has being the only thing she would have considered anyway. She knew he meant what he said--if anyone would be there for her and her court, it would be him.
Their discussion led into the status of the bird Máni carried, and Rann only shifted her stance with a slight flick of her tail in what could indicated annoyance as they shared some secret language with each other. In all the years before her time and even after those of her birth, never had companionship been seen in Veteris. Their gods disapproved of such a connection; they saw it as a sever in their freedom, a removal of the ability to make one's own decisions. She had steeled herself away from the idea of ever bonding with another in such a way, and she would never herself have what Máni found.
But she was not jealous, instead unfamiliar with the process of bonding and what it now meant for them. The feeling made her uncomfortable, for if she didn't know how to act or what to make of her own emotions, how was she to follow the proper path set before her as Sovereign?
She brushed off the words he said, not committing the bird's name to memory or taking his supposed role as 'guard' to heart. Once Vidar was out of earshot, she spoke. "We are guards to us, Máni. How is a bird a reliable source of protection?" Her tone remained a calm brush of winter's hand, but her gaze turned hard. She had an entire court at her back to keep safe, and she wasn't going to put her faith in a raven. "Do not let him take your sight on the importance. We have a promise to Vespera to make her Court thrive, and it cannot be done if even one member is threatened." And perhaps it was toward the last of her sentence that she began to trail off, sight far away from them and a mind that fell prey to too many things at once.
A sigh slipped between her lips and she brought herself back against the warmth of him, pushing her face into the brush of his mane. Despite it all, no matter how she felt about personal things, she whispered to him all the same, "It is good you are back."
Máni could read the annoyance that emanated from her for what felt like miles off. All he had to do was take a glance at her motions, and his head gave a small bob of worry, his ears going back just a little and his violet eyes softening. Here was one of their differences in growing up, his wild herd of the North had seen bonded as companions from the gods themselves; the stories had been spoken between them that those that had the honor of a companion were in fact a god themselves, just merely walking among the mortals of the herd. It had been a story passed down generations, and truly, there was divinity that had mingled with them, there always had been. The deities had never kept it a secret that they enjoyed the comforts of seeing their followers in the flesh.
Where Rannveig came from it was different, and he very much understood that. So he did not take her words as a barb or anything from anger, merely something she didn't understand just yet. After all, she had grown up with the views that it was not right to have a bonded. "His sight can go far, and he can bring warning of something that may happen," he answered gently, but he merely nodded in agreement to her words, a slight bob once more before his ears were flicking forward instead of back. "Do not worry so, Rannveig. The members are far from threatened." For the moment, at least.
Rather than stay on the topic of so much responsibility at the moment, he merely allowed his head to tilt, to brush a soft muzzle against her head and allowing his eyes to close as he hummed with contentment. "I am glad to be back." It was a joy to be back, now. "I did miss you," he managed to murmur, and Máni shifted himself a little, allowing his bulk to press against her and rest, taking comfort in the feeling of her presence against him. It was soothing to be back with the one he cared so much for.
