Night had began to fall upon Volare's farm and still the old warrior hadn't returned. All the chores were done hours ago, and Arayna had even begun to put together a small dinner with what supplies she and Volare had left. The chilly wind had increased outside and snowflakes were plopping onto the warm windows of the kitchen.

As the light faded, so to did her fragile certainty that all was well. He had told her that he would likely be gone all day, but she hadn't thought he'd still be out quite this late. Placed the silverware and empty plates on the table, she looked once more out the window. "Volare, you know good and well you're worrying me... stubborn old mer." She would be hanging a lantern out if he were gone too much longer.

The snowstorm came on in full force a few minutes later the wind howling wildly outside. Volare had said the snows had been coming earlier and earlier the past few years, but whether this storm was natural or a result of the Hex from Yismera. Doubt continued to grow and became almost palatable throughout the house. A particularly hard wind blew, kicking up a cloud of white snow, but between the clouds a strange orange glow appeared in the distance bobbing lightly through the darkness.

As the wind howled outside, Arayna threw a few more logs on the fire and began to pace. She would pause for a few moments each time her path drew her past the window facing the direction she had left. On one such pause, her eyes caught sight of a faint glow in the distance. A heavy sigh of relief escaped her lips, certain it was him. He must have fashioned together a torch when the light was fading on him.

The glow had come closer now and behind it the She-Elf saw a dark figure bobbing slowly behind it. It was a lantern not a torch, but it was too bright to see many of the features of the person holding it. But the figure's height and bulk gave the worried woman hope. Who else would be out here and look so close to Volare's size? Grabbing another lantern she moved to the door, but she stayed her hand as another kind of doubt crept into her mind. The Old Mer had told her time and again about bandits in the area.

Her hand hovered above the door handle for a moment as her mind raced to examine the facts. Volare had not taken a lantern with him, but someone roughly his same size was headed this way with the aid of lantern light. She knew from his previous warning that bandits were a worry here, and those bandits knew how to fight against magic users. She wanted it to be Volare, more than anything, but in the back of her mind she knew it wasn't. A shiver ran down her spine as she turned the latch for the door lock and made haste to secure the windows. It could have simply been someone that was caught by the storm and seeking shelter, but what if it wasn't?

As soon as the figure and the light reached the fence around Frostfire Farm it was quickly snuffed out. And what could almost be called a sinister laugh rode on the back of the now screaming wind. A minute later the sound of heavy boots crunched the snow outside before they stopped and a light knock was heard at the door.

Arayna felt a sudden weight in the pit of her stomach as soon as the light was snuffed. This was no lost traveler, their approach was too deliberate. "Two Brothers, Volare, where are you?!" She whispered absently to herself as she moved to grab the largest knife in the kitchen. Was is just her imagination, or did the blowing wind sound like laughter? The light knock at the door practically made her jump and she stared at it for a long silent moment before working up the nerve to speak. "...Yes?"

There was silence for a few seconds before a soft crackly voice sounded very faintly on the other side of the door. "Hello deary, I'm an old woman that got lost on the road into town. This storm took me quite by surprise. And now my old wrinkled hands have scarce the feeling left to hold my lantern, can you please let me in until the storm passes?" The voice sounded deeper than an old woman's should, but it also sounded sincere.

Every hair on the back of Arayna's neck stood on end the instant she heard the voice. It didn't sound right and it certainly didn't seem to match the silhouette she saw in the distance. Blessed anger began to well up inside her to chase away the fear and doubt that had hold of her just moments before. "And just what exactly is an old woman like yourself doing wandering these parts alone?" Thankfully, her voice carried an edge well and did not waver.

A light crackle of a laugh answered her. "I told you deary, I got lost on my way to town. I'm an Alchemist and was out gathering ingredients. Please let me in." The voice bangs on the door again this time sounding louder and heavier than before.

The sudden louder bang at the door made her jump. She still didn't fully believe the stranger's story, but she was still quite uncertain about the area and the different people that traveled through it. Volare hated when she used magic, but he wasn't here to intervene in this situation. Firming her resolve, she quickly moved to gather a small bit of ash from the fire and used it to trace a line and a few intricate symbols across the floor in front of the doorway. The ward was a basic one, designed to prevent those wishing to to do harm from crossing the threshold easily. Once that little failsafe was in place, she tightened her grip on the knife but kept it out of sight as she cracked the door open an inch and peeked out. "If you were truly gathering herbs, show them to me."

There was silence on the other end of the door for a few seconds. She could tell the stranger was trying to think quickly. "I...told you deary, my hands are too numb to move. Please just let me in." The voice shifted into a deep somewhat annoyed sounding register. And a force began pressing more into the door, for more than small old woman could make.

The instant the stranger began trying to push their way in, Arayna threw herself against the door to try to shut it back. It was little use as whoever was on the other side easily had her out-muscled. With a solid thump, Arayna was flung backwards and the door flew wide. A sudden gust of snowy wind howled through the open doorway with enough force to snuff all burning light but the hearth fire itself and, for that brief instant, all but the intruder's massive silhouette was shrouded in snow and darkness. A laugh, deep and sinister rolled from a very male throat just before he took his first step inside.

The instant his foot made contact with the floor across the threshold though, there was a sudden concussive blast of air that resonated through the house like a thunderclap. It hit the figure full force in the chest, sending him reeling. Arayna scrambled back to her feet and flung herself at the door, slamming it shut and locking it seconds before an there was a solid slam at the other side followed by a string of angry curses. Fearing whoever it was might be able to break it down, she began to mutter a quiet incantation and focused her mind's eye on a mental image of the outside door.

Another solid slam, followed by another threatened to break her concentration, but after yet another that managed to make the wood of the door frame groan under the stress of it came the sound like glass on glass and a sudden shout of surprise as the ground in front of the door was immediately surrounded by a five foot wall of ice spikes all pointed outward to ward off his continued attempts to break through it.

The intruder, giving up on further deception began shouting at Arayna. "You magic loving bitch! I was just gonna rob this shit shack, but now you pissed me off!" Soon the sound of a heavy weapon of some kind began banging and chipping away at the ice spikes. The man's size and strength were definitely equal to Volare's, the spikes held strong but they wouldn't hold forever.

As the intruder began to bash away at her wall of spikes, Arayna quickly tossed a few more logs in the fire to ensure a steady source of heat to draw energy from if he managed to break in. As the new logs began to crackle and spark, she shouted back. "Leave now and live! If you cross this threshold again, your life will be forfeit!"

The sound of breaking ice was the only thing that answered her threat. The first few feet shattered under the bandit's heavy blows. He didn't seem to care for her words nor for his own safety, it sounded like he was going to break though, but over the howling wind another man's voice sounded. The bandit's hammering stopped and he shouted back before he let out a pained scream that ended in a gurgling gasp. There was painful silence for a few tense minutes before Volare's voice sounded from beyond the door. "Are ye ok lassie?!"

For a long, tense moment all that answered Volare was silence. Then, finally, the bashed remains of the icy fortifications cracked and crumbled at his feet as a small, hesitant voice answered from beyond the door. "Volare?" The instant he confirmed that it was indeed him, relief flooded her. The door was jerked open and Arayna flung her arms around him. "Where have you been? Why didn't you come back?! I thought that man had done something to you!" She may have sounded mad, but the look in her eyes and the furious intensity with which she held him said without saying that she was simply relieved he was safely back.

The old Mer wrapped his arms firmly around the woman trying to wrap his around all that had happened on his hunt and his return home. But as another shrill winter wind blew across the farm he let out a noticeable shiver. "I will tell you everything lass, but first let's go inside. I've been tramping through the snow for the past three hours and could really use a drink and a sit by the fire." He kissed her upon her forehead before moving past and into the house.

As he made his way inside, Arayna closed and bolted the door before moving to take his heavy coat, motioning him toward his seat by the fire. She hung it up to dry out before moving to the kitchen to pour him a mug of cider, muttering a small heat spell as it filled the vessel so that it was steaming by the time she passed it into his hands. "What happened out there?"

Volare wearily took the mug breathing the crisp soothing aroma for a few long seconds before finally taking a sip and nearly melting back into his armchair. "Well first things first I managed to catch a deer so we won't starve yet, but I wasn't the one that had killed it. I poached a mountain lion's kill I think, it was partially eaten and buried in the snow." He took another sip his shoulder beginning to stiffen up as he thawed out, a low pained groan escaped his lips as he shifted in the chair. "Every trap I had set was empty or destroyed, and there wasn't tracks anywhere in...I'd say a three mile radius." Cradling his arm he continued. "Once I had found the carcass, I dug up as much as I could and began hauling it back. It wasn't more than five minutes afterwards though I started hearing something stalking me. Probably that big cat looking for it's dinner. Luckily the blizzard slowed him down as much as it slowed me, but nearly right up until the main road I could feel him getting closer and closer." The big man let out a shiver his hand shaking lightly either in fear or pain Arayna couldn't tell. "I thought for sure it would get me before I got back." He took a long shaky breath and took a long pull of his drink. "Looks like you had some trouble yourself."

Arayna listened intently, her lips forming a slow thin line as the realization that he well and truly could have been ended settled in. All it would have taken was one well timed attack and she would have been left to fend for herself and their child alone. Of course, that was assuming she would have been able handle the bandit alone. The warning he gave her on her first day was still fresh in her mind and though she doubted that the individual that attacked was able to counteract her magic, the simple thought that he might have been turned her stomach sour. She tried to think of something, anything, to say to sooth the situation and cloak her true thoughts in a layer of false optimism. "Well... at least we have a deer now. Poached or not, that's something to be thankful for." She smiled then, but it didn't quite reach her eyes as she waved off his comment about her own trouble while hoping she didn't look nearly as rattled by it as she felt. "It was just some lone brigand who thought he could come in uninvited, no need to worry over it now. Now try to relax and I'll draw you a hot bath, that'll have the chill off of you in no time."

Volare nodded slowly finishing his mug now holding his arm across his chest to keep his shoulder still. "Might need that ointment too lassie." He groaned lightly getting up from his chair to kick his boots off and begin the slow slightly painful process of pulling his heavy hunting clothes off.

Arayna readied the tub and began the process of collecting snow and ice in quick trips to put on to heat and melt. Why was she collecting snow instead of going directly to the pond? She simply couldn't see the edge in such a white out and didn't want to risk blundering into it. Once she had the large pots full, she hung some over the fire while the others she placed as close as she could around it. As the ice and snow melted and began to heat up, she retrieved the ointment from his bedside table and helped him the rest of the way out of his hunting clothes. "You know," she began in a casual manner, "there are still ways to fix that shoulder."

He chuckled pulling off his undershirt and breeches. "Aye, but I don't think you're strong enough to chop it off lassie." He kicked his breeches away then began working on his small clothes. "Besides, then I wouldn't have the excuse to get you into the tub with me." He gave her a wink and stepped out of his small clothes ambling stiffly about the washroom to get towels.

Rolling her eyes, Arayna shook her head but smiled. At least their bleak situation hadn't fully dampened the dirty old Mer's spirit. As he retrieved the towels, she began pulling the large pots off the fire to empty them one by one in the tub. Once it was full, she reached in to test it. It was hot, but wouldn't be enough to scald him. "If it's too hot for you, old Mer, I can bring in another bucket of snow."

Reaching his hand in Volare nodded his thanks. "Nay it's perfect Arayna thank you." Still moving rather stiffly the old warrior slid into the steaming tub his whole body shivering with the sudden change in temperature. Every inch of his skin tingled, but as the initial shock ended he sunk deeper into the tub sighing happily.

Arayna watched him settle into the tub and smiled, still extremely relieved to have him back. Moving around behind him to somewhat hide herself from view, she began to disrobe. "Move up a bit, Volare, and I'll help you wash your hair and back before applying the ointment." Once he did, she slowly eased her way in and set to work wetting and soaping his hair. "You really had me worried, you know... I'm seriously considering placing a tracking spell on you now, just in case you get it in your head to go wandering off all day again."

Volare smiled scooting up a little, but as he felt her behind him he leaned back a little so he could feel her breasts against his back and enjoy her closeness. "I know lass, I'm sorry, sometimes the land provides other times it doesn't. As for trying to track me, not sure what good that'll do unless you can come get me." He began scooping up water and scrubbing his body slowly.


"At least I'd know where to start looking if I did have to come get you." She smiles a bit as he leaned against her, continuing to work his scalp and locks with her fingers. "You're back now, that's all that matters..." She was quiet for a moment as she finished soaping his hair and began to wash his back. He would have to be told... it would be impossible to hide for much longer, it was no small miracle she had kept it secret for as long as she had already. But... where in oblivion to even start? "Lean back so I can rinse you."

After having scrubbed his front as much as he could the old warrior did as the woman bid leaning back against her soft warm body. "I suppose, but you know how magic makes my skin crawl." He kissed her cheek lightly whisking some soap from his eyes .

Chuckling, she rinsed his hair while she teased. "Who would have imagined a warrior of your standing getting unnearved by something as simple as magic." She kissed his temple and grinned, "alright, old mer, your clean. Let's get that shoulder seen to." Standing, she quickly stepped from the tub and wrapped herself in a towel before he had a chance to even glimpse her for longer than a second.

Volare chuckled once more and stood up his eyes catching flitting glimpses of her pale flesh before it was gone. He was still stiff, but he knew form years of living in the frozen reaches of northern Avelar that some cold takes awhile to pass. Wrapping a towel around his waist he followed Arayna out. "When you've seen what magic can do in battle, it doesn't stay such a simple thing lassie." Still holding his arm close to his body he passed the woman pinching her backside with his free hand before opening the door to the room and retrieving himself some clean underclothes.