#guineverich

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@rom-e-o Considering still touching on the whole lichdom concept in my AU because liches would still be a thing but making it a bit more nuanced. Points to note:

Emmerich and Guinevere have a much longer and deeper conversation about the idea that may take a few days rather than a few minutes in front of lichlords.

Guinevere raising such questions as: "Why do you really want this?", "Have you really thought about what immortality means?", "What does it truly mean to be a lich?", and "Can you really throw your humanity away so easily?"

G'iney claiming she's not so sure Emmerich's lich form will still be him. At least not exactly. "How can it really be you when your humanity is gone? If your heart is in a jar and a part of it is gone? Manfred was a piece of your heart. He was a piece of our heart."

Speaking of his heart, G'iney lamenting never being able to hear it again, never being able to feel it again should he become a lich.

Confessing she feels like there will be less of him for her to love at best and a facsimile of him to love at worst. "I don't want a copy, no matter how exact it is. I want the original Emmerich. I want you."

Also confesses, while his greatest fear is dying and leaving her alone to mourn him, her greatest fear is dying and spending eternity without him. "As much as I do dread the thought of you dying and leaving me behind one day, I find comfort in knowing you'll be there on the other side to welcome me when my own time comes. And should I happen to go before you, know that I'll be waiting with bated breath and preparing to do the same. But those things can't happen if we're separated by immortality."

Expanding on the previous a bit: "You'll never get to meet my Gramps and Gran. You'll never see your parents again."

"What if you lose touch with who you were as a mortal? What if you stop being you--the man I fell in love with? The man Manfred loved."

Declares she wants a meeting with the lichlords to ask them questions Emmerich can't answer herself. Whether he goes with her or not is entirely up to him, but I think he does.

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So, Bess likes seeing her Wolfy in sweater vests … does G’iney have any clothing items/accessories (or undergarments) she finds especially delish on Emmrich? 😏

Ooh, this is a good question. And kind of a tough one, actually, because Emmrich looks amazing in just about anything and has very good fashion and style tastes, so G'iney likes him in lots of things. However, as much as she loves him in his suits and uniforms, and all primped to perfection, I think she has a particular fondness for when he's more casual. Not in his workout clothes of pj's, that's a given. No, she loves seeing him in a good polo and slacks. The way a polo hugs his upper torso makes the drool run, and slacks just have a way of making his booty pop, and G'iney wants to bite it. And, honestly, any semi-fitted top he wears is sure to keep G'iney's eyes and thoughts preoccupied with him. And darker colors always earn extra points.

As for accessories, his reading glasses make her want to his face into the next century. And she goes wild when he dons ear cuffs. She's also rather enamored with the grave gold he wears on his feet.

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@rom-e-o I'm not saying Guinevere never bites Emmrich--in the throes of passion she's been known to get a little wild. But, unlike Bess, she's not a random biter: There is no sitting there on the lounge cuddled quietly together and suddenly chomp! No, it's more like:

... Nestled into a plush blanket cocoon with his perfect and petite spitfire of a lover snuggled up little spoon to his big, Emmrich had never felt more cozy or content.

Stretching his long legs a bit along the massive lounge, the necromancer gently tightened his grip around the woman and cuddled her closer, pressing a kiss to the back of her head. Guinevere let out a quiet, sighing giggle of satisfaction and he couldn't help but rumble a purring chuckle of his own. When he felt her feet nudging his legs apart, he took it upon himself to indulge her silent request and twine their appendages together. The act warmed him to the very deepest chasm of his soul: To be this close and entwined with another, in every aspect of being, was nothing short of a rare treasure.

Yet another "I love you" was building up in Emmrich's chest when suddenly he felt something warm and wet firmly stroke the inside of his arm coiled around Guinevere's chest and shoulders. He froze in stupification. The sensation was quite familiar, he was just much more accustomed to it caressing... other parts of his anatomy.

"G'iney... did you-"

"I licked your arm," his little love announced rather cheekily. She kissed the wet stripe she'd left on his inside wrist. "It's mine now, too."

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ALSO, I’m gonna need you to spill on what you think a double-date between the Wolves and Ravens would be like. Vibes, topics of discussion, etc. And dress codes.

Because I know these couples would look absolutely GLORIOUS and beautiful out and mingling with each other.

Why can I see Wolf and Em giving each other good-natured grief over the romanticism of it all, before each seamlessly slips back into sweeping their lovely lady off her feet?

Ooh, a double-date with the Ravens and Wolves.

Obviously, they'd get on quite well; the whole Wolf and Emmrich going to college together and Bess and G'iney having some common interests in fashion and medical care and being the big sisters from a large family who moved away from their home to make a life in a strange city. (Very different circumstances, of course, but still, it's an intimidating transition whatever the reason.) There are lots of exchanges between the girls about where they found that cute thing because they both kind of have similar tastes: Guinevere's is just more predominantly dark, gothic, witchy, and elegant than Bess' is, with pops of bright or pastel colors to accentuate. They might also ask each other where they found a certain attractive item for their hubby from each other.

While I do see the men teasing each other a bit ("You indulge your woman far too much, Volkarin." "You're quite one to talk, sir. Is that not YOUR old leather jacket your darling is wearing. You wouldn't let anyone TOUCH it let alone borrow it at university.") I'm focused more on what the girls would be doing. And what are they doing? Partaking in a friendly challenge to see who can get whose hubby more riled up and flustered and who can do it the fastest. Whoever gets their man to break the date early and take them home or to a hotel first, wins.

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@rom-e-o So, my turn, I suppose?

The Guineverich Proposal

Considering the Wolves relationship takes forever😩 I decided to stick to the idea in the game that Emmrich and Rook are supposedly moving at a pretty quick clip for the Ravens. Just for something different.

They first say "I love yours" and consummate their relationship around the 3 month mark.

Doesn't take long at all after for Emmrich to decide that, yes, he's going to propose. She's the one.

He just needs to find the right ring.

Ring secured, his next step is to ask her parents. They're wonderful folks that think the world of their G'iney and he wouldn't want to make them feel like he's stealing her right out from under their noses without letting them know. So he gets in touch with them, telling them he needs to talk in person and asks them if they might issue an invite for G'iney, Manfred, and him to come visit the next convenient weekend. G'iney has to think it's their idea or she will be suspicious. So they do. Emmrich and Manfred more officially meet G'iney's family in a non-funeral related setting, and he asks for Guinevere's hand. Of course, they give him permission. Manfred spends all weekend playing with G'iney's younger siblings and cousins and Kat, because of course the snake goes too.

With ring and permission sets in stone, Emmrich sets to work at crafting the perfect setting. While Guinevere likes her jewelry to be more flashy, her proposal is a different matter entirely. She's much too shy for a public or even semi-public proposal. So Emmerich prepares a lovely, romantic meal to be held at the Memorial Gardens where they went on the date where they decided to make their relationship official. He plans to propose to her at his parents' graves. (Sorry! But it just seems only right for him to do!😭)

He stashes the ring in the meantime.

Unfortunately, fueled by the playtime he had with G'iney's family, Manfred is in a pirate-loving phase and is looking to find "treasure" for his "treasure chest". Naturally, in his search and snooping, he comes across a pretty little box. Now, Manfred knows, even as a pirate skeleton, that sometimes boxes contain very important things for his papa to use or keep safe, so before he decides to put the box in his treasure chest, he needs to see what's in it. But he can't get the little clasp open, and Papa is out. So he takes it to Mum instead!

Guinevere is... surprised to say the least. Emmerich already has a ring? There is nothing else this could be but an engagement ring: It's too new to have come from a crypt, there's no enchantment about it but a small charm to make the longevity of the sparkle last longer. He's already planning to propose! But... they've hardly been together as a couple for six months! It's so soon! And yet... it feels perfectly timed. And so right. And Guinevere finds, if she digs past those vicious voices in her head that constantly tell her she's worthless, not marriage material, she'll only be a burden, and Emmrich will end up hating her for tying him down to her brokeness, that she has no reservations. At least, none concerning him and his genuineness, goodness, and love for her.

She supposes she could have Manfred show her where he found the box and put it back to try and keep her beloved's surprise, but in contrast to the proposal, lying to Emmrich like that, even for what seems a good reason, doesn't feel right. So she tells and shows him when he gets home. Of course he's disappointed. Everything was going so perfectly according to plan, he was trying so hard to keep up.a good pokerface and had actually seemed to be succeeding. And the happy surprise of it for Guinevere is now ruined.

"I suppose I'll have to cancel things now."

"No, please don't! It sounds like such a lovely idea and you've gone to so much trouble to set it up. I don't need the perfect surprise proposal--I just need a lovely night with the man I love and all the happiness in the world to make it a dream."

So, cheered by her assurances, Emmrich does just that.

The night goes off without a snafu, except for one rogue wisp that seemed determined to hog their attention for a few minutes.

"Maybe Manfred needs a sibling?"

"Unlike Manfred, I don't believe this wisp would take too kindly to an earthly tether. And Manfred still has much to learn; I'm not certain I'm ready to take on another wisp as of yet."

Emmrich does manage to surprise Guinevere however, by getting Manfred a "Will you be my mama?" shirt and dressing him in it. (Bellara handled the tracking down of that one for him.) Manfred is wearing it when they meet him at the Volkarin's graves.

Guinevere laughs and cries and says "yes" to Manfred as she hugs him and accepts his flowers. Then she turns her attention to Emmrich as he goes down on two knees with the ring.

"Guinevere Vynhalsyne, the life of a Mourn Watcher is a lonely existence; mine has been no exception. From the moment I was orphaned as a young boy, I have been incredibly alone, even when surrounded by teachers, tutors, spirits. It has been hard for me to find solace even among my own peers. An enduring affection, such as that which I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember, is an incredibly rare find. I thought I'd missed my chance to find it.

"Then you come into my life and suddenly that deep shadow of loneliness flees into the corners at the touch of your light. Colors become ever more vivid. The air becomes fresh and clear and full of life. What unexpected splendor to be found in just the creases of your smile, the musicality of your laugh! And, most unexpected and splendid of all, enduring affection to be found in the purity and kindness of your wonderful heart.

"I love you, Guinevere, as the wolf loves the moon. As the sun ignites a rainbow after a storm, you have ignited my heart and soul for you. You have awakened my enduring affection. I offer it to you freely and will chose to do so all the days of my life if you will allow it. My dearest heart, my most precious beloved , flame of my heart, my Rook, will you grant an old fool the greatest honor of taking your hand in marriage to become your most devoted husband? My darling Guinevere, will you marry me?"

And, of course, through tears and sobs (which she feels a little silly about because she knew this was coming after all) Guinevere says "yes". A thousand times "yes".

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I know we’ve talked a bit, but … (chin in hands) do Wolfy or Emm have and secret little fantasies their wives have to kind of work to get out of them? They can be sensual or even wholesome (like for dates, courting, etc.)

Ooh, excellent question, and I would have to say, yes. Yes they do. Emmrich's is more spicy, Wolf's is more wholesome.

We've already mentioned Em liking the whole "professor play" thing, but that was/is his secret fantasy, professor and student roleplay. Guinevere does have to work to get it out of him, maybe get him a little drunk. He's kind of ashamed of it until she comes along. He's a professional. He's not supposed to look at/think of students like that (and he absolutely does not--never has), but even the idea of roleplaying that with someone... what does that say about him?

"It says you've got a streak of naughty in you, my dear professor. A pinch of forbidden dirt--a little badness. The wicked in me likes that quite a bit."

The evening G'iney shows up in his campus office in a slutty little school-girl uniform is when he both knows there's no turning back and that he's perfectly safe to indulge with her.

Wolf, however.... We've talked at length about how he was treated by past girlfriends. Used, teased, bullied because he wasn't "bad enough", "macho enough", "too needy", "too sensitive". This man, secretly, just wants to be spoiled, cared for, babied. Not all the time, and not in the way that he needs a mommy-wife to clean up after him, cook, tell him what/how to do, etc. But in a way that he can come home from a hard day and just have someone to curl up with, maybe lay his head in her lap, and vent his emotions to without judgement. Someone to hold him at night when he has a bad dream instead of rolling over with exasperation to leave him to calm himself and try to go back to sleep on his own.

But he's the tough guy, the "bad boy", Mr. Chip-on-his-shoulder. He's supposed to be unflappable and not need such tenderness. He's supposed to give the tenderness. After all, it's the man's job to always be the giver, right? So he's been told. His father was never a giver, and he certainly doesn't want to be his father.

Until Bess. Who is happy to both validate his giving roll and cater to the side of him that longs to be a receiver. The hurt little girl inside of her recognizes the hurt little boy inside of him. They'll help heal each other together.

It takes him a while to be comfortable and safe enough to tell her. But the kicker is, when he does, Bess already, mostly, knows. And when he thinks back over the entire time they've known each other... she's been taking care of and spoiling him since the beginning. And she hasn't mocked him once.

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@rom-e-o Guinevere taking a hand in Emmrich's Mourn Watcher duties by providing fine jewelry and beautiful clothes for the less fortunate who have passed on that couldn't afford such luxuries in life in order to have them at their end? After all, they deserve to be as honored in their deaths as the nobles who are laid to rest in their riches encrusted tombs.