~ For a bit of background music ~
Erik had returned home by the next morning, his uniform bloody from his mission. He removed it and placed it in the wash pile, the one he did himself for his uniforms. He was not home before he and Holly began to argue, as they did most days now.
The shouting could be heard in the streets. A modest home on Onyx street, and no peace to be found. "I do not understand what has gotten into you lately. I come home and we fight, I go you your house and we fight! It is out of no where!" shouted the boy. Younger, shaggy hair, so few scars. "By the twelve Holly! Where is it coming from?" The woman had a fire in her eye, her arms crossed her body, from one angle defiant, from another broken, "I... I don't need a reason for feeling this way Erik! I don't like what you do, I never did!" she shouted. She bit hard into her lip, keeping her mask of anger. "I don't like that cloak in the room, I don't like that damn pearl going off at all hours of the day and night! I hate when Cien comes by because I don't know if he's visiting or picking you up for days at a time!" Erik sat at the table now, "Holly, I understand, but you need to also. What I do is important. How am I suppose to marry you broke? You still want to do you not?" he said glancing at the ring on her finger. "Married! How do you plan to marry me! Raise children......" She paused momentarily, collecting herself, "You vanish for days, return with blood on your boots!" Erik stood and turned his back, "I am a soldier!" She snapped back, "My father was a soldier! Soldiers have orders! If they leave in the middle of the night, you hear about why the next day! I never hear anything when you vanished, not a fucking thing!" Erik turned to face her, pleading in his eyes, "If you think I am seeing someone else I sw....." She cut him off, "I know you're not! Twelve that would be so much better. Everyone knows what the Hall of Records does Erik! You go in and out of there all the time! And you have the balls to tell me you and Montblanc just deliver papers! Fully armed with Cian and his spear in tow?!? I'm not stupid! I sleep next to you! You shout in your sleep!" She almost lost it, tears fell but she stopped them, her voice going soft, "I... I don't want to do this. I love you, you know that right? I'm just worried." Erik softened and moved to hold her, only to be stopped by her outstretched hand, "No.... can you.. can you just give me a little time. I don't know what exactly you do, but I have a pretty good idea. Its so dangerous... you so love your danger.... and I don't want to get one of those letters one day." She was quiet for a long time, then, "What if we had children? I lost my dad while he fought, and mom didn't hold out after him. And your parents too. Do you really want our children going through that? You could walk away, I know you're not in to deep that you can't leave... not yet. Leave the Flames, come and work with me in the mines. You were apprenticed before you came here. You could make as much if not more then you do now. We could even move out of this damned city. They're starting a huge project near Black Brush, it would be perfect." Erik shook his head, "Holly, I cannot do that, I am needed here, and all this talk of......." He was interrupted by the pearl in his year. "Yes Sir?... I can be there right away..... Yes Sir." Lowering his finger he turned fearfully toward Holly. Her blue eyes closed as though she had found enlightenment. "Holly.... I hav..." She silenced him simply by opening her eyes, "It's fine baby. Go, they need you. We can talk when you get back.
As she watched him turn the corner she crumpled to the ground. She only allowed herself a moment. She walked to the master washroom to wash her face. As she finished, she turned to leave and caught herself in the body length mirror. Pulling the front of her shirt to just below her breast, sh touched her stomach with her free hand. Tears welled as she gently rubbed her stomach, sobbing as she lowered herself to the floor. It was that moment that the frustration took hold. Taking a bag from the cabinet she went back into the room and grabbed whatever she thought she would need. As she reached the front door she removed the ring from her finger and went to sit it on the table... but could not. Slipping into her pocket she left the house. Erik never saw her again.
------
It had been two days when since he had left. Walking in he called to her. She had been so distant lately, he was to young to understand. Not the man most knew, he was a boy, no stranger to immaturity. He wandered the house calling to her, but there was no answer. The extra room was open, a note on the desk. He walked in, looking about he thought the room perfect for the study he was wanting, just another thing she seemed against, so scared and angry he couldn't understand why. The note was simple and heartbreaking. As he leaned against the wall he found himself sliding down the wall. As he reached the end he thought about how much he loved her. He knew it was his fault, but he wasn't sure how. All he wanted was to chase after her, but it was forbidden to him. She was clear with the last line of the letter, "Part of me will always love you, but just let me become somebody that you use to know." As the sun set outside, all he could do is cry, the house seemed so lonely.
Erik had returned home by the next morning, his uniform bloody from his mission. He removed it and placed it in the wash pile, the one he did himself for his uniforms. He was not home before he and Holly began to argue, as they did most days now.
The shouting could be heard in the streets. A modest home on Onyx street, and no peace to be found. "I do not understand what has gotten into you lately. I come home and we fight, I go you your house and we fight! It is out of no where!" shouted the boy. Younger, shaggy hair, so few scars. "By the twelve Holly! Where is it coming from?" The woman had a fire in her eye, her arms crossed her body, from one angle defiant, from another broken, "I... I don't need a reason for feeling this way Erik! I don't like what you do, I never did!" she shouted. She bit hard into her lip, keeping her mask of anger. "I don't like that cloak in the room, I don't like that damn pearl going off at all hours of the day and night! I hate when Cien comes by because I don't know if he's visiting or picking you up for days at a time!" Erik sat at the table now, "Holly, I understand, but you need to also. What I do is important. How am I suppose to marry you broke? You still want to do you not?" he said glancing at the ring on her finger. "Married! How do you plan to marry me! Raise children......" She paused momentarily, collecting herself, "You vanish for days, return with blood on your boots!" Erik stood and turned his back, "I am a soldier!" She snapped back, "My father was a soldier! Soldiers have orders! If they leave in the middle of the night, you hear about why the next day! I never hear anything when you vanished, not a fucking thing!" Erik turned to face her, pleading in his eyes, "If you think I am seeing someone else I sw....." She cut him off, "I know you're not! Twelve that would be so much better. Everyone knows what the Hall of Records does Erik! You go in and out of there all the time! And you have the balls to tell me you and Montblanc just deliver papers! Fully armed with Cian and his spear in tow?!? I'm not stupid! I sleep next to you! You shout in your sleep!" She almost lost it, tears fell but she stopped them, her voice going soft, "I... I don't want to do this. I love you, you know that right? I'm just worried." Erik softened and moved to hold her, only to be stopped by her outstretched hand, "No.... can you.. can you just give me a little time. I don't know what exactly you do, but I have a pretty good idea. Its so dangerous... you so love your danger.... and I don't want to get one of those letters one day." She was quiet for a long time, then, "What if we had children? I lost my dad while he fought, and mom didn't hold out after him. And your parents too. Do you really want our children going through that? You could walk away, I know you're not in to deep that you can't leave... not yet. Leave the Flames, come and work with me in the mines. You were apprenticed before you came here. You could make as much if not more then you do now. We could even move out of this damned city. They're starting a huge project near Black Brush, it would be perfect." Erik shook his head, "Holly, I cannot do that, I am needed here, and all this talk of......." He was interrupted by the pearl in his year. "Yes Sir?... I can be there right away..... Yes Sir." Lowering his finger he turned fearfully toward Holly. Her blue eyes closed as though she had found enlightenment. "Holly.... I hav..." She silenced him simply by opening her eyes, "It's fine baby. Go, they need you. We can talk when you get back.
As she watched him turn the corner she crumpled to the ground. She only allowed herself a moment. She walked to the master washroom to wash her face. As she finished, she turned to leave and caught herself in the body length mirror. Pulling the front of her shirt to just below her breast, sh touched her stomach with her free hand. Tears welled as she gently rubbed her stomach, sobbing as she lowered herself to the floor. It was that moment that the frustration took hold. Taking a bag from the cabinet she went back into the room and grabbed whatever she thought she would need. As she reached the front door she removed the ring from her finger and went to sit it on the table... but could not. Slipping into her pocket she left the house. Erik never saw her again.
------
It had been two days when since he had left. Walking in he called to her. She had been so distant lately, he was to young to understand. Not the man most knew, he was a boy, no stranger to immaturity. He wandered the house calling to her, but there was no answer. The extra room was open, a note on the desk. He walked in, looking about he thought the room perfect for the study he was wanting, just another thing she seemed against, so scared and angry he couldn't understand why. The note was simple and heartbreaking. As he leaned against the wall he found himself sliding down the wall. As he reached the end he thought about how much he loved her. He knew it was his fault, but he wasn't sure how. All he wanted was to chase after her, but it was forbidden to him. She was clear with the last line of the letter, "Part of me will always love you, but just let me become somebody that you use to know." As the sun set outside, all he could do is cry, the house seemed so lonely.
![[Image: Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5YSh8yMniHU/VlLStr_7SSI/AAAAAAAAIQ4/qLoOmtz-Jdg/s100-Ic42/Emblem%252520by%252520Rhea%252520Zaheela%252520x50.png)
