Brie had experienced her fair share of embarrassing moments thanks to her sisters and mother. However, she was sure that this set some kind of new record as one of the most embarrassing things that’s happened to her.
As promised, Brie was going to accompany Darien to Ebonhawke (once he was cleared by the medics). She was slightly nervous because she knew it was likely inevitable they would run into the Varro girls. The pair were always together (and usually fighting over something) and they were a bit notorious for causing mischief. Brie smiled slightly uneasily as they passed through the gate leading to her homeland. As much as she cringed at the thought of being near her family, Ebonhawke always did feel like home. She had missed it. She led Darien along the road and took a turn to follow one of the winding corridors along the back side of the city walls. She seemed to be glancing over her shoulder fairly frequently. Brie's frequent over the shoulder glances didn't go entirely unnoticed, but for the moment Darien seemed content to simply let it pass unaddressed.
Instead, he kept his deep indigo gaze locked on the street ahead of them, asking as he walked at her side, "So, whereabouts in Ebonhawke did you live growing up?"
"Well, towards the outskirts of town," Brie replied. "My parents have a small little bit of land with some crops and sheep and goats. It's not much, really but it's home."
A faint smile flickered across Darien's lips as he listened to her speak, the expression remaining as out of place, yet contrastingly natural as it had upon their first meeting. "Do you miss being there? During your tours of duty with the Vigil that is."
Brie looked over at him. "Ebonhawke will always be home," she replied, "but, I was glad to leave. I felt a bit...trapped here.." she admitted.
Dipping his head into a slow nod, Darien replied softly, "I think I can relate, somewhat." Casting a glance up toward the looming presence that was the towering visage of the Hawk Gates, Darien couldn't help but to shake his head, "It's amazing really, the amount of historical significance Ebonhawke holds. The last true bastion of Ascalon, still standing strong after such a long time."
She sighed softly and nodded. "That's for sure," she replied. "I think sometimes that's why my parents were so...overbearing," Brie said. She turned the corner to start moving along the wall where various smiths and merchants were located. "The smith that Julian and Nic use has a shop down this way," she explained. Brie suddenly paused as she heard a very familiar giggle behind them. She widened her eyes and quickly tried to hide around a nearby merchant's cart. Too late. They'd been spotted.
"BRIE!" A voice called out loudly. "Verena, look! It's Brie. She has a boy with her. He's really handsome, too," the youngest Varro said in hushed tones to her sister.
Verena grinned. "Oh, wow. He is handsome. I wonder if she's dating him?"
"...and that would be my sisters.." Brie said as she looked over her shoulder. The Varro girls, in all their finery, were quickly making their way over. Brie put on a smile. "Carrie, Verena," she said with a little bit of forced patience.
"Mom will be so glad you're here!" Verena exclaimed brightly. "She keeps talking about how you're sure to get hurt out there and should do something else for work."
"Yeah, well. That's Mom for you..." Brie chuckled.
"She's nearby in the shop. We went on ahead of her," Carrie said with a nod.
Brie's eyes widened and she paled slightly. If the Varro girls werent enough to trifle with, Mrs. Varro was a whole other story. "Uh...Mom's here?"
"Uh huh!" Carrie nodded.
"..Great well um...we have things to do...so..." Brie chuckled nervously and looked at Darien.
"Waaaait! Aren't you going to at least introduce us to your boyfriend?" Carrie wined.
Brie's face lit up the color of a tomato. "He's..we're just--" she looked at Darien apologetically and mouthed 'i'm so sorry'.
"Brie! Is that you!?" A shrill voice rang out from nearby. Mrs. Varro came rushing down the street holding her recently purchased silks for making new dresses.
Brie was still blushing madly and chuckled nervously as her mother approached.
"Well! It's good to see you! And who's this?" Mrs. Varro exclaimed, looking at Darien.
"Her boy--" Carrie started.
Brie was very quick to interject. "My friend," she interrupted. "Er...acquaintence, really. He's in the Vigil." she sighed. "Darien, this is my mother. And my sisters, Verena and Carrie," she introduced, gesturing to each of them in turn. She flashed him another 'i'm so sorry' sort of expression.
Deep indigo eyes flickered in a slow blink as Darien simply took in the abrupt shift in events taking place around him. Throughout the course of Brie and her sisters' brief conversation, and then her mother's impromptu arrival, he simply held his silence, the farthest corners of his mouth struggling not to curl upward into a grin at Brie's expense. It wasn't until Brie completed her introductions that he at last took a slow step forward, his broad shoulders casting a wide shadow upon the street before him. Dipping his head into a curt nod that seemed to be directed toward the trio gathered as a whole he replied swiftly, yet concisely, "Carrie, Verena, Mrs. Varro, I am Sergeant Darien Augustine of the Vigil, it's a pleasure to meet you all."
"Oh, well aren't you charming. Isnt he, girls?" Mrs. Varro exclaimed.
Brie forced a smile, her face still glowing brightly. She started to open her mouth to speak and hopefully, rescue them from any further interaction when her mother quickly began to speak again.
"Augustine did you say? Oh, well, that's a fine house is it not? You know, I keep telling my Brie she needs to stop this silly Vigil business and settle down and get married but of course, she's as stubborn as ever." She smiled at Brie and then Darien and then rather bluntly asks, "Are you single, Lord Darien?"
Darien lifted a brow and leaned back, his stance shifting into a straight backed military parade ground resting posture. Canting his head ever so slightly to the right, Darien stated in a calm, yet level tone. "No disrespect intended Mrs. Varro, but I can't help but refute your assessment of Brie's activities as a member of Vigil. I believe the word you used was 'silly', did you not? Well, to be entirely candid with you I can't help but feel that settling down and marrying in a time at which the whole of society in Tyria lies at risk is far sillier a concept than that of serving amid the Vigil. It is through the efforts of the Vigil as well as the rest of the pact that the Elder Dragons are held at bay, and your daughter is a vital part of those efforts." With his piece apparently spoken, Darien resumed his earlier more relaxed posture, his ever natural smile lingering upon his lips... Of course, the question of his relationship status hadn't been addressed, but perhaps that was a motivation for his having sparked a debate.
Brie was horribly flushed but flashed Darien a slightly thankful smile. She cleared her throat. "Well, we have some things to do. We really should be going," she said and looked at Darien again.
"Oh, we didnt interrupt anything did we? A date perhaps?" Mrs. Varro giggled girlishly. "Well, dont let us keep you, dears. Please come by the house later for tea! You know how your father will be if he knows you were in town and didnt come by to visit."
"I...i'm not sure I'll have time this trip, but tell him I said hello," Brie said, relaxing slightly and her expression warmed at the mention of her father.
"Yes, well. I'll do that but you know the man takes delight in vexing me," Mrs. Varro exclaimed with a sigh. "Girls, come along!" she beckoned to Verena and Carrie. They giggle girlishly, having been whispering back and forth to each other most of the time since Mrs. Varro showed up. And then they were gone.
Brie looked rather humiliated and put her face in her hands and groaned. "I'm so sorry..."she muttered with a chuckle, still blushing a shade of crimson red.
The moment that the Varro ladies, excluding Brie of course, had departed from earshot, Darien burst into a low, rolling chuckle. Turning his gaze to Brie he replied with a warm grin flickering across his lips, "There's nothing to apologize for. Besides, it certainly could have been worse." At that point he paused a lifted a brow, likely wondering himself about how exactly that could have been made more awkward.
Brie continued to laugh and looked up at him with raised brows. "What? Please tell me how that could have been worse?" she exclaimed, shaking her head, still blushing madly. "She practically asked you to propose to me. Ugh." She sighed and leaned against a nearby wall. "You can see why I dont come home often," she mused with a small smile. "I'm really sorry. I totally will understand if you dont want to come here ever again with me." she chuckled. "Or if my mother's scared you off from even being near me. Wouldnt be the first time."
A thought seemed to strike Darien abruptly and he rolled his shoulders into a shrug, beginning to walk once more as he replied with a playful trill of laughter floating past his lips, "Well, she could have asked us about our sex life, that certainly would have been a good deal worse. Also no, it would take a good deal more than that to convince me to keep away, as for coming back to Ebonhawke with you, well, I think that would depend on whether you'd like me to return with you or not."
She let out a nervous chuckle and felt her face heat up again rapidly as he spoke. "I um...well, I dont know," Brie admitted, looking slightly uneasy and unsure of herself. The previous events were still fresh in her mind and while Darien handled it better than most, she didnt know what he meant by his statements but she was also too shy to ask.
If Darien made not of Brie's blush, or her sudden hesitation in their conversation he chose not to make not of it. Instead, he simply continued on his way, asking as they walked, "So you were saying something about your brothers and the smith they employ?"
Brie cleared her throat slightly and nodded. "Right, it's just down this way," she replied and pushed off the wall to walk in step with him down the road. The flush on her face finally faded away and she let out a slow breath as she took on a more relaxed mindset. "Maybe after this, we can get a drink," she mused. "I know I could use one..." She stopped in front of a small storefront with various swords and pieces of armor hanging in a window display. "This is the place," she added and nodded towards the building.
(stay tuned for part 2...)
@toburnaphoenix (I dont know what Darien’s tumblr is! xD )