Yehudit had been expecting Wulfsen to hug Sileas, so was taken by surprise when he hugged her.

"Uh, yeah. I guess we can go." Yehudit stammered.

Sileas narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Brave. Brave doesn't keep a body warm at night. Brave doesn't make the heart soar. Brave. Totally overrated.

"Let's go before Yehudit's crazy muvver comes and puts the mockers on us." Questa said, impatient with whatever was going on.

"We're ready," Sileas said to the knights on the front bench. And with that the horses began to move out. Sileas did not even look at Wulfsen.

Wulfsen watched the wagon ride away, still wanting to hug Sileas. He sighed and headed back inside the keep.

"What just happened?" Yehudit asked. "He hugged me! Mama's gonna kill him."

Sileas clenched her fists within the folds of her cloak. She stared off to the side, watching the scenery pass, saying nothing.

"I thought for sure he was about to hug you, Sileas, the way he was looking at you." Yehudit said. "Why'd he hug me?"

"I don't know and don't care. He obviously is more interested in you, more than likely because he knows I'm barren. I have nothing to offer." Sileas looked at her cousin. "He's a good man, the two of you should be very happy." She turned her head again to watch the scenery.

"I don't like him like that, and after I hit him with my walking stick earlier he probably can't father children either." Yehudit said. "You do care, this is how you always act when you're upset about something and don't want to admit it."

"I don't want to talk about it," Sileas stated. "And I don't care. I knew the minute I told him I was barren that I would be no more than a roll in the hay. He doesn't want me as wife material and I would accept nothing else.  It's fine. He's looking elsewhere. And I. Don't. Care."

"Oh yeah because that's always the tone and expression you take when you don't care." Yehudit said sarcastically and elbowed Sileas. "You want me to set Mama on him?"

"No. I don't want anything from your mother. Even if I did, she'd probably make me pay through the nose for her help. It's his life, his choice. I'm not it. And honestly, I don't want to talk about it."

Before heading for the stables, Shawn had stopped off in the healing room to let Brie know where he was going. He tried his very best to not make it seem like an emergency or that he was worried about Sileas. He saw worry and fear for her daughter settle in her eyes, despite his assurances that they were simply going to follow them to where they were going.

His heart hurt. He hated leaving his wife when she needed him the most and he equally hated that his daughter was out there, heaven knew where, with sailors and potentially these mermen.

Xavier pulled to a stop just outside the stables, his wagon fully loaded. He glanced around, looking for any sign of Sileas or Questa.

"Xavier! Good thing you're back, I need to leave." Wulfsen said as he came to the stable.

Xavier hopped down of the wagon bench. "Need to leave? I thought you had so much to do?" He glanced at the wagon. "Do you know if Sileas found a room? I need to offload what she asked me to bring back from the village."

"I had a lot to do... Got most of it done, when I should have been with Sileas. She went to Portside seeking information... And boarded a ship with an unknown name sailing God knows where." Wulfsen said. "I need to go after her."

Lek walked to the stables as if he were walking to his death.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 144):

Xavier sighed. "What was she thinking?" He glanced at his best friend. "You are going to have your hands ful when you start courting her."

Lek peered up at Xavier. "Sileas told me to ask you to put her stuff in the cellar under the kitchen."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Fri 12 Feb 2016.

In reply to Xavier DeVale (msg # 146):

"First I need to find her... Then there are other... obstacles. I don't think we were on the right foot when she left... It didn't feel right." Wulfsen picked up his saddle.

"Ah, thank you, Lek," Xavier gave the lad a smile. "I hope she realizes just how much was at the manor. I hope there's room to get it all in there."

He glanced back at Wulfsen. "What did you do?"

"Besides letting her leave without me?" Wulfsen asked. "Well I sort of hugged Yehudit."

Xavier stared at him with wide eyes. "Why...and Mrs. Buckley didn't murder you where you stood?" Xavier shook his head. "I thought you were smarter than this about women. Sileas may have understood you not going along, since you were just starting to take care of the keep, but hugging Yehudit..."