Homecoming., -Wyste

[Akedhi]

Treon is understandably irritated.

His wife told him she was going to visit her relatives. As he isn't very fond of any of them - the only tolerable one is Michael, and he doesn't feel like travelling all the way to see Michael and deal with all the rest - he allowed her to go alone.

A few weeks ago, he sent a message to see when she was coming back.

She never went.

He's about ready to pummel something. Of course he tracked her as far as he could, but the trail was cold and she is remarkably good.

It ended in Bavarat.

He's worried and angry and dammit, where the hell is that woman!?

[Wysteria]

Right here.

Riding, in point of fact - not her favorite horse, just a horse, and dismounting.

This trip has been good for her. Getting away from everything and everyone who ever protected her and surviving and even thriving - it was never something she thought herself capable of.

It's nice to know.

So it's with renewed self confidence that she smiles at their home. Her son's in there. She missed him.

[Akedhi]

Treon hears a horse and comes outside.

He's got Collin by the hand, because he can't leave the baby alone with only the cats for company, and he doesn't know where Tiersa is at the moment.

Blink.

"Riana."

His voice is just this side of a growl.

"Where the hell have you been?"

[Wysteria]

"Visiting. I told you." She is casual without being blithe, because she would never be dismissive of him. She makes a show of not understanding the question, however, because she does have something to hide.

And she smiles at Collin, and says quietly to him, "Hi there."

She missed them. She missed them a lot.

[Akedhi]

"Visiting where? You didn't go to see your family, you didn't go to the City, you went to bloody Bavarat and took ship."

He is grr.

Grr!

Also he was worried, and now that she's back, that's translating to anger.

[Wysteria]

"I did. I wished to visit Jiaang. It was beautiful."

Since he already knows what's going on, she might as well see about her bags.

"I brought back tea, and paper cranes for Collin."

It's the most natural thing in the world to visit Jiaang.

And he never told her what went wrong with that job, so she couldn't possibly be to blame for putting herself in danger.

The whole thing might be her trying to drive home to her husband that he shouldn't keep things from her.

In a round-about way.

[Akedhi]

He chokes.

"Jiaang?"

It only takes a few steps for him to reach her and take her by the shoulders.

"Are you all right?"

Make sure nothing happened first, swear at her later.

[Wysteria]

"Of course I'm alright."

Gods, man, how fragile do you think I am?

But she controls her temper, and summons up a gentler smile.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asks lightly.

She doesn't use the innocent, gay tone automatically anymore. She dropped it somewhere in her travels. But it comes back naturally. It's part of who she is to her family - she'll get used to using it - and thinking that way again - soon enough.

[Akedhi]

His first impression of her was of a child he could break in half with one hand. He hasn't seen reason to change that.

"Why wouldn't you--gah. That..."

And here he uses several very child-inappropriate terms for Shandar that exceed my profane vocabulary to relate.

"He didn't come near you?"

He better not have.

[Wysteria]

"You mean the man you worked for? You didn't like him?"

Her gaze is wide-eyed and innocent and completely, totally false.

Because she is being a liarpants.

He frustrates her. He didn't tell her Shandar was anything terrible.

[Akedhi]

"No. I did not."

Scowl.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going there?"

Why did she lie?

That's one of the most infuriating things about it.

[Wysteria]

"I thought...." Her first instinct is to lie, but she doesn't want to lie to him.

"You would have said I couldn't go."

Simple as that.

And she had to go.

[Akedhi]

"Of course I would have."

There is no reason she could give him that would convince him that it was necessary to go to Jiaang.

"That place is dangerous."

And if it's dangerous for him, how much more for her?

[Wysteria]

"I had a perfectly lovely time," she says a mite sharply. "I made some very good friends. We're going to write."

So there, mister.

[Akedhi]

Grrrrr.

"You could have at least let me find someone to look out for you."

He can't go himself.

He's banished from Jiaang on pain of death.

[Wysteria]

Patience, Riana. Patience. Do not snap at your husband.

"I'm not planning to go back."

She wants to, she truly does, but she won't. Her family needs her.

[Akedhi]

"Good."

He doesn't want to talk about Jiaang anymore.

Therefore, he's going to unload the horse and take her things inside.

Silently.

[Wysteria]

And she is going to see about reacquanting herself with her son.

Once again, she needs patience. She needs so much patience she wants to cry.

She had to go. She truly wishes someone understood that.

[Akedhi]

He carries it all at once - because he's stubborn and in a bad mood and also he wants to get it done, and sets things down.

She has entirely too much stuff, he decides.

Where did all this come from? A case of some kind of tea, bags that are heavier than they ought to be...

What's this?

A small box of... something. With a note.

From Sombra.

"The hell!?"

[Wysteria]

In she comes, carrying Collin on her hip.

"What-" is it?

Oh. That.

"I should put that away."

Ignore the elephant in the room, shall we?

[Akedhi]

"You didn't think to mention that Sombra was one of the 'good friends' you say you made?"

Honestly, the little man was all right.

Except for when he was trying to keep Treon from going after Shandar. At which point he was in the way, and therefore Treon wanted him out of the way.

Hmph.

[Wysteria]

"No, I didn't. I don't believe that's any of your business."

...well, gee, there goes her patience.

Oh well.

[Akedhi]

"None. Of my. Business."

Treon is incredulous.

"The hell is that supposed to mean?"

[Wysteria]

"I believe I am allowed to have friends?"

Or is it your almighty husbandly word that I may not?

Riana is finding his reaction tiresome. She's also overreacting because she's been tense all month, all last month, and the month before that.

[Akedhi]

"I never said you weren't."

And now she's putting him on the defensive.

He dislikes that.

"But when your friend is a goddamned assassin and spy, I think I should know."