Wahrheit und Konsequenzen-(Invite)

[Louvel von der Marck]

Yes.

It echoed in his groggy brain as his sleep influenced lids went up like the blinds had yet to do above his head. One word and everything shifted with the sound of her voice saying it. Leonie's. Was that how it was supposed to be? Louvel never invested much in what things were supposed to 'be like.' Nothing was set in stone for him. Everything had the possibility of being what he didn’t expect or count on. That in itself could be a good thing or a situation that would be in need of patience and more effort on his part.

Whatever it was the effects were great. The power of that single word said in the manner in which Leonie had said it lifted him in ways he had no prior knowledge of having a desire for. It wasn’t temporary either. It was lasting through the hours that trailed behind the moment it was spoken. It carried on long after the warmth of her skin disappeared from the empty space of their bed and he had woke alone wearing the scent of her. A palm massage of both hands to his face left him with decisions to make. He stretched which effectively sent his sun worn and manual labor conditioned fingers upward then out so he could roll the last of the natural sedation from his waking shoulders.

Once that was accomplished he edged his body upward to balance on an elbow while his free hand reached over to the drawer beside the bed. The sensation of velvet beneath his fingertips confirmed that what he was looking for was exactly where he put it. Safe and undiscovered snuggly tucked deep against the back wall of the small drawer in the centuries old bedside table he always remembered sleeping next to. All of the last thirty plus years of his natural life, that is. The drawer was tapped to close and set in motion plans he had made amidst the hours he fended off sleep in favor of hearing her say yes, at times breathlessly, over and over again.

The routine of the day played out as it usually did. The Keeper showered, ingested the fruits and gifts of his routine labor fresh from the fields around him. He dressed casual before leaving in the truck that could put in it’s final notice of service at any given moment. Again, nothing said the day was special from any of the general appearances he made to those around him. He had hours left to see through before the one he would be engaging for a serious conversation would be alert enough to participate. This, of course, gave him time to prepare. Prepare for whatever could happen. Whether it was to be or not to be would be so much a part of the question. Timing was everything. So were the details.

He stepped out of the specialty shop and slipped on his sunglasses. Hiding the rich mossy orbs from those going around him to enter the business kept him in the moment of it all, less distracted by those he would otherwise notice from his various business. Pockets of free time, like the one currently freeing him, had him adding the final touches to the night ahead. A delivery was in the early stages of being sent out as he climbed back into the creaking truck. He was never great at planning these types of things out but maybe that would be the charm in at all. The jingle of keys gave way to the twist of his wrist turning over the ignition.a sputter and a sharp click sounded. Another attempt quickly followed along with the firm press of his worn work boot on the gas pedal. This time the aging engine coughed and rumbled as it came to life. He glanced in the rear view mirror then leaned to the left to second check out his driver’s window. A slow moving body cleared the back of the truck then paused at the corner of the bumper. Lou held the brake. Knotted up hands summoned something from out of his view as the elderly man smiled with gratitude for the patience extended. Louvel pulled up the sunglasses from the bridge of his nose and perched them on the top of his head while he waited.

“He doesn’t move as fast as he used to.”

The voice called out as the appearance of mesmerizing creature found it’s way to the old man’s side. Despite the claim the massive wolf was not appearing to be hindered or compromised in any way, shape or form.The lush dark grey coat sparkled beneath the noon sun as the wolf’s steps were made to circle around the man’s legs in assessment of safety. Satisfied that all was fine the piercing gaze of the eyes set on the window of the truck and namely Louvel.

“He knows you.” A casual acknowledgment of the stare down caught Lou’s attention. “Only time he does that.”
“I don’t know about that.” His arm curled on the outside of the door as he watched the alpha appearing beast moving towards him. “I would remember him if I had seen him.” The dominant posture of the creature changed dramatically. The tail half tucked between the hind legs while it’s ears dropped to appear far more comfortable than it should be as it continued to leave the old man’s side and bridge the distance between them. “I am pretty sure of it.” He leaned a little more so his hand could drop down for offering.
“I don’t think you are.” His hand shot up in a wave displaying far more dexterity than Louvel ever expected to see out of the stranger and with it the wolf seemed to have disappeared into thin air. “See!”

The sound of something landing and moving in the back of his truck had him twisting to view the inside of the truck and looking over his right shoulder at the wolf now sitting in the back of his vehicle.

“Hey!”

With the verbal protest Louvel’s left hand had the door opening and gave his leg the space needed to step out. Obviously the old guy wasn’t going to be lifting the wolf out of the back of his truck so he was going to have to man up. Once he was on two feet and about to close the door he discovered the stranger was gone. Leaving it ajar he moved around the truck and looked under the vehicles beside his. He was left bewildered at finding nothing but the focus of a mysterious wolf’s constant stare.

“And I bet you aren’t going to tell me where he went.” He mumbled as he prepared to open the tailgate of the truck and so he could go about physically inviting the wolf out. “Am I right?” A sharp nearly blinding flash of sunlight hit his eyes. He turned his head to locate the source. When he turned back the wolf was again gone. “Well, that was easy enough.”

The sunglasses were situated back on the bridge of his nose as the tailgate was once again secured. A series of steps had him climbing back into the truck and sending it into reverse once the street was clear for his entry. A grinding of gears had the truck rolling forward and heading through the intersection. Turning left and increasing the traveling speed had his thoughts returning back to the plans ahead. His checked off the things accomplished in his head to the sound of his voice though his lips barely moved. Several items came to note then faded in turn of another’s mental mention.

“Wine?” He shook his head with an expression that said ‘of course.’ “Ring?” He rubbed his fingers at the back of his head trying to calm his nerves at how involved it was all getting to be. He glanced over at what would be the empty seat next to him as if it would offer him some helpful hints on pulling off the epic formal proposal. “Wolf?” He said it with hesitation as he set eyes on the gray wolf sitting beside him. It’s head turned from the passenger window and the view it offered to look at him as if it had been there all along. Lou shifted in his seat and saddled closer to the driver's door just in case. “Alright. I see you and I need to have a chat once we get back to the farm.”

[Leonie von der Marck]

The Lioness paced, nervously, as the hour grew later. The night before had been privately celebratory in nature, on the heels of a long European flight that had only enhanced the delirium of the entire affair. She and he had agreed to something that had her equally elated and amazed, it was true, but caught up in the moment as they had been, Leonie hadn’t considered the consequences or necessities that would come to light in the waking hours.

Consequences such as the need to inform Alaric, for starters, and then her parents. Because Leonie being Leonie, had already decided it was simply a blessing they sought. Not permission, though she dearly hoped for his approval. But years upon years of disappointing and doing her damndest to shock her parents and grandfather had toned the Lioness and created within her the expectation that she would always fall short, no matter what she chose or decided. She was already stealing herself for just such a reaction from the elder, even though he’d never given the woman any reason to worry he would react in a negative way.

Still, despite her pragmatic thought process, it hadn’t stopped her from dressing conservatively in a high-necked blouse and slacks, an outfit that would make Alaric far more comfortable than she, even with the addition of understated high heels. She checked her watch. One more sweep of her hand downward and one last look in the mirror had her satisfied with her appearance. She gathered up her phone and clutch, and moments later was on her way up the hill and across the grounds, to make her way to the front door of the manor. The sun had set a short while before; it wouldn’t be long until Alaric woke, and Leonie thought it best to arrive early, if not perfectly on time. She quietly swung the door open, and moved to the parlor to wait for Louvel and, hopefully soon, Alaric.

[Alaric von der Marck]

WEARING

The elder did not generally take his time waking up. When he did wake up it was often without preamble. Sometimes he woke up as the sun had only just started to sink, and thus he waited ten minutes for the drowsiness to completely dissipate. At other times, he slept through until the sun had disappeared entirely; on those night he woke with a start. Down in the caverns beneath the estate there were no lines put in for electricity, otherwise he might have had a lamp installed to keep the stone room illuminated while he slept. Whenever he tried to sleep upstairs he woke up feeling like a man who’d not slept for weeks – tired, weak, and irritable beyond redemption. He had to sleep downstairs, in the crypt, otherwise he would become impossible to deal with.

And so he always spent the first fifteen minutes making sure the fire was blazing, unable to handle the darkness for too long. And after that, he’d go to the large cupboard that had been set up for him – the elder had become obsessed with clothes. Where he’d once insisted only on wearing suits, he’d now accumulated quite a few casual pieces, too. When he knew he definitely would not be leaving the estate, he dressed like someone homeless. Even then, though, he never knew when there might be visitors. The family liked to bring visitors to the Estate, and he would be prepared.

Alaric knew of no plans that evening, but still he donned the all-grey suit that was only a recent addition to his collection; it was simple, modest, but appealed to his tastes of propriety. And, it was comfortable. Comfort had become a huge factor in the elder’s decisions regarding clothing. If nothing else could be said about modern society, they had mastered the art of comfort.

Once he had dressed, he left the gloomy chamber behind and took the winding halls and stairs to the manor above. He was greeted by the friendly buzz and warmth of the electric lighting, banishing the darkness and cobwebs from the corners of his mind. It was through the kitchen and toward the back door that he went; he had a nightly routine of doing his rounds of the Estate, preferring to get a couple of hours of fresh air before returning indoors. Although he was aware of the presence of Louvel and Leonie in nearby vicinity (and he knew that they would have returned from Germany that day or the night before) he did not know of their intention to speak with him; like the ghost he often imagined himself to be, he did not intrude on their time.

They were home, and they were safe. It was a relief, and it was what mattered.

[Louvel von der Marck]

The newly befriended wolf appeared rather content to dart from the truck as soon as the door opened on the driver’s side. Once Louvel recovered from the face full of moving fur he slid out of the truck and closed the door behind him. So much for the talk. It would have to wait. He had no time to chase the creature down that appeared to favor the von der Marck woods instead of sticking around for a brief tour.

If all was still going according to plan then Leonie would be meeting him at the manor. Which meant he had just enough time to clean up, change and slide his hand into hers before Alaric’s waking hour. A glance at the clock as he entered the cottage confirmed he had twenty minutes tops.

Layer by layer the limited material on his body was peeled from his day long sticky skin and dropped into the laundry basket he passed by. Fifteen minutes later and shower fresh a white linen long sleeve shirt went over his sun warmed shoulders. Relaxed fingers rolled each cuff upward until each sleeve was nearly level just below the elbow. A brief pause of his movements had the chosen dress pants hiking up over his hips and fastening as his steps resumed. The dress shoes he would much rather donate than to wear slipped over his sock covered feet and were tied quickly.

Just as he was about to step out of the front door of the cottage he remembered what he had found impossible to forget up until that point. He darted back to the bedroom and retrieved the velvet box from the back of the night stand drawer. Now he was ready. The sounds of loose pebbles crunching beneath the soles of his shoes followed him towards the manor. Each new step inspired his relaxed pace to quicken with increasing anticipation. That is when he noticed the very one he wanted to speak with exiting the rear of the manor earlier than expected. It would appear the Keeper was just in time.

“Guten abend.” His approach slowed and then stopped. The small velvet box fit snug and hidden in the palm of his right hand. “I was hoping to speak with you if you could spare a few moments. Leonie will be joining us as well.”

[Leonie von der Marck]

Leonie paced every bit as much there in the parlor as she had back at the cottage. Her nerves were more fraught by the moment, even as hands gripped upper arms and next one another as her thoughts raced. So many what-ifs and ponderings, and yet it was all colored by pure elation and excitement. An utter contradiction, but then, Leonie often found herself in the middle of one without fail. A giddy smile sidled over her features as she recalled the night previous, and all the hours leading up to the present. It had been the dreamiest engagement she could have ever wished for, and that feeling had not disappeared. Not with the morning light, not with the setting of the sun.

She’d gotten up early that morning, to her dismay, not quite ready to leave the snug little nest they’d created together. But one or two sleepy kisses later, she’d been showered and dressed and ready for a morning romp with her pitbull, Daisy, who currently resided with Melba, a short distance away. Leonie had ensured her surrogate mother was able to retire in style, close by, and she visited with her every chance she got. The former nanny had taken well to her new life, traveling and fulfilling dreams of lifelong hobbies. It had treated her well so far and it made Leonie practically glow with happiness to see it in action.

And now, with the whole day gone by, she stood in the quiet Manor, waiting for the two most important men in her life. But with the sudden whoosh of air that indicated a door had opened somewhere, she realized no one was currently within, and that someone had exited. With a set to her lips, the Lioness drew in a deep breath, and headed for outside. No one was around, she was almost certain of it, save Alaric and, soon, Lou.

Once arrived to the back door she knew the elder to favor, Leonie quietly swung it open, only to find the very two she awaited standing a short walk away. A fresh smile crossed her lips; no matter the nerves that tried to sneak in and take over, nothing could ever make her so happy as the sight of her Lou, and the man who had become more father to her than her own.

“Hello,” she said softly, approaching the two of them at an easy saunter that completely hid her anxiety.

[Birdee]

It wasn't hot, but it was sticky in Harper Rock. Which meant for Birdee, the less amount of clothes she had to wear, the better. So, most these summer days and nights, Birdee could be seen wearing shirts that had no sleeves and shorts or skirts that accompanied it with boots typically. She didn't have any particular sense of style, Birdee just dressed how she felt the day she woke up and saw what the weather would be like and what she would probably get up to during the day.

The weekend had come again, which meant that Birdee would be heading to the Vod Der Marck place to try and spend some time with Louvel. After she packed a small bag and tossed it in the trunk of her Turquoise tornado, Birdee was off for the estate-final destination the cottage of her brother's.

After she had parked in the typical spot, behind Louvel's truck. She slammed the driver's door shut, grabbed her bag and left it unlocked. Who would steal it? And if they did, she would probably get more in insurance than taking the time to fix any of the problems with it. Birdee headed towards the cottage, used the spare key to enter the front door and trudged to her bedroom, after pulling the fabric from her shirt away from her abdomen section, once again being reminded of the humidity that was Harper Rock.

[Alaric von der Marck]

The elder’s shoes scuffed against the pavers as he was approached by Louvel. Alaric lifted his head and smiled, a broad smile, clearly happy to see Louvel, happy that the two had returned. The estate was quiet without them; Judah visited, of course, but not as often as he used to. Not when he used to live here. When Louvel was home, he and Leonie were there all of the time.

Before Alaric could speak the words, however, Louvel had already greeted him. He wanted to talk about something. Leonie would be joining them. Alaric’s shoulders straightened, the smile faltering just slightly, turning to nod as Leonie joined them.

”Ja,” he said, glancing between them. He could not read minds, but in this moment he wished that he could. Though, if there was anything that the elder had learned, it was patience. He would find out what they had to tell him, soon enough. ”It is not serious, I hope,” he said, gesturing to the steps that would lead down to the arboretum. It was pleasant down there, a dome within the house filled with indoor plants. Not overboard, but lovely nonetheless. There was an outdoor seating area, around which they could sit.

As he led the way, Alaric’s head swivelled, glancing in the direction of Louvel’s cottage. He heard the sound of a car door slamming – too soft, probably, for the others to hear. Mental fingers reached out, identifying Birdee’s aura.

”Birdee is here,” he stated, glancing over his shoulder. ”Will she be joining us…?” he asked. Whether or not the other would be joining them could, in a way, help him to gauge whether this would be bad news or good.

[Louvel von der Marck]

“It is rather serious.” His voice was relaxed and lacked the somber tone that would give any indication that something dark was about to be the topic of their conversation.

As soon as Leonie appeared he stilled momentarily. The steps she took drawing her closer to where they stood captured him. It was a simple distance to cover yet she did it in such a way that the impressive old world manor dissolved in the background and a cloudless night sky framed her as she moved.The imagined weaving of gold thornbush in the forming african savannah does nothing to slow her promising stride. She owns the space she travels in and the land she covers is hers beneath her feet. He catches his breath and holds it in as his chest rises. A sense of awe surfaces within him that is far too easy to indulge in and be taken away. Fortunately he soon realizes the silence would seem odd with his recent request of his patriarch’s time. With a respectful nod to Alaric he stepped forward to greet the von der Marck lioness with a kiss to her cheek. His hand resisted the temptation of resting at her hip and his fingertips felt lost in the open air as he stepped back from the very one he welcomed. Alaric would likely want to greet her. Perhaps there was no expected rigid formality or custom in their line but Lou felt compelled to extend it all the same. Especially now that he was about to ask for the elder von der Marck’s blessing.

“Birdee.” He turned from the two he stood with and discovered in the distance all the signs of the cottage coming to life with her presence were in fact there. “Excuse me for a moment so I invite her as well.” His mossy orbs danced briefly between the two with anticipation. The small velvet box in his pocket shifted as he did with a few more steps back in the direction of the cottage. “Be right back.”

Running never felt better. It was not enough distance to have his heart pumping for the physical effort it took but it was from the importance of the night ahead. Birdee couldn’t miss it. He never wanted her left outside or missing what she was going to be a part of. A future was shaping.His, hers and theirs collectively.

“Birdee!” He announced as he came through the door like the roof above them was on fire. His shoes thudded with his quick steps across the hardwood floor. The small entry room and kitchen were empty of her presence. “I need you.” He was in the hallway when he noticed she likely was in her room. Instead of barging in like she had the only water source to put out the growing heat building around him he stopped and sank back against the wall behind him. He weaved his hands together with the locking of his bronze fingers and slid them over the top of his head and left them perched above to crown the golden shoulder length mane beneath. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

[Leonie von der Marck]

The Lioness leaned in to receive the chaste kiss to her cheek, the smile for Louvel only growing, along with the warm feeling spilling down her spine. It was more than the simple attraction they’d given in to; love was there and, at least for her, it had always been. The nature of it might have changed, grown, shaped itself into something deeper and more profound, but it hadn’t wavered in all their years. Mara’s written words echoed in her memory as she kept her gaze on his for a long beat: ”You will know you’re home.” How she knew, or guessed, when they had been on such completely different paths for so long, Leonie would never know and instead would simply have to accept that his mother’s uncanny insights had nearly always been spot-on.

Things were happening, exciting things that would set the path for the shared future they desired; she could feel it quickening within her chest. A whirlwind, she had thought more than once, and though it had been unanticipated that an open talk about what they wanted from one another would lead them to a firm decision so soon after, she also couldn’t see the sense in waiting for it, either. It had been a pleasant surprise that he was of the same mind.

She hadn’t been able to keep it from Melba. Sweet, steady Melba, who had seen Leonie in and through just about every mess she had made for herself, had been thrilled. She’d understood the reasons, working them out with the Lioness as they spoke through everything, for wanting a low-key wedding, sooner rather than later. She had voiced Leonie’s exact thoughts: “When you’re happy, and there is no reason, why wait?” It was enough confirmation that things had really changed, that the von der Marck heiress had at long last given herself permission to be the true person she was and not the completely shallow image, the reckless, jet-setting, good-time-seeking party girl she’d crafted for the benefit of others. It had been an empty, directionless existence, one that had carried on so long that she had never been quite certain the underlying nature remained, but a year returned to the Manor had proven otherwise.

That was something they’d still have to discuss, she knew - the desire for a short engagement, rather than the long, drawn-out ordeal that would be expected by much of her family. As well as who to have there, came the next thought as an unwanted image of her parents crossed her mind. But there were more important things at present, she knew, as she turned with that same bright smile, toward Alaric, who she greeted with a peck to the cheek.

“Serious, but in the best way,” she agreed with a wink. It hadn’t occurred to her that the elder might think something was wrong, but the sheer joy coursing through her was more than obvious. The nerves had melted into mellow excitement as they followed him down to the arboretum. Or, at least she thought they both followed; she had taken Lou’s lead and not reached automatically for his hand and before she could so much as say another word, he had excused himself and taken off for the cottage.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Birdee’s timing was excellent, and Leonie was more than happy to have her there if she wanted to join them.

The Lioness moved to a seat near where some delicious-smelling, fully-blooming honeysuckle plants were placed and sat back, crossing her legs at the ankles with a content sigh, to wait with the Patriarch.

[Birdee]

She had just put her book bag on the bed and was kicking the dirty clothes from last weekend towards the corner of a room when Birdee was interrupted. "WOAH! Where's the fire, Lou?" She looked in her brother's direction and then down at the clothes. "I was going to get to the pile this weekend. Last weekend got kinda busy...and I forgot. Last weekend hadn't been so busy as it had been Birdee chasing down a couple pills with some beer and then she woke up a 'few' hours later than she thought she would. But, she had gotten the best night sleep in a long time. Sucked that it ended so quickly.

"Oh. Birdee said as soon as she realized that Louvel wasn't around to ask about the way her room looked. Usually it wasn't this bad. Birdee wasn't a clean freak by any means, but the floor was usually clear and free. "Sure! You can ask me anything. I'd do it for you Lou." She wouldn't even need to breathe or blink before Birdee agreed, signed the dotted line, whatever needed to be done. "Is everything okay?" She moved out of her room and towards where her brother stood. "Look, whatever you need. It's not serious is it? You don't need a kidney or a part of a liver do you?" No, that was stupid to say. Birdee had told him he would live a long time and if he needed an organ off her, none of them would be living very long. "Tell me what you need and it's done."