#gwinletta

[peony-pearl]

Experimenting with face shapes

[peonypearls-muddled-musings]

Dargon being pardoned by Floryndus after saving his life and being allowed to live in the kingdom and joining the military when he comes of age?

Nope

Dargon saves Floryndus’ life on that boat, and the king realizes he could have a secret weapon. He has Dargon locked away, but knowing that the boy is so desperate for kindness, all he has to do is make sure he’s unharmed and fed and Dargon will do anything for him. Eventually the Usurper War becomes too much to ignore, and Floryndus takes Dargon out of his cell, only to keep him chained like an animal. 

Dargon is released into combat like a monster. Shifting and prowling and hunting, his speed and ferocity is unmatched.

Then, by chance, he saves Gwinletta. When he returns to camp, he’s shackled again, and remains in a meager tent, away from the other soldiers. But when Gwin comes to thank the man that saved her, she can’t find him. Floryndus urges her to let it be after he realizes she’s talking about Dargon.

But Gwin finds him. And she’s horrified to see him shackled and ignored; yet he doesn’t seem bothered. It’s just another day for him. Gwin sits with him and talks to him. He is soft spoken and polite, he answers her questions as best as he can before Gwin is forced to leave. 

She gets another view of Dargon’s prowess, being unchained to bolt into the battlefield, he’s like a wild animal, leaping into the fray.

And yet, when he returns, all of his teeth and claws are clipped when he offers his hands to be shackled again, led away to his tent.

Gwin, in the midst of reuniting with Rinwey, is angered when he talks about how the Shifter is in his rightful place under Floryndus’ thumb. She reminds Rinwey that Dargon saved her life, and he sighs. ‘That was his duty to do so.’

After the war, as her relationship with Rinwey eventually falls through, Gwin begins to visit Floryndus for treaties. During this time she reunites with Dargon, who is now held in slightly better accommodations for his service. His prison cell now resembles a small apartment, and he’s given food several times a day. They send him some books to keep him occupied, but he’s struggling to read. Gwin decides to teach him, and they grow close. 

Dargon is surprised that Gwin continues to return to him. No one’s ever come back to him without wanting something from him. And Gwin only wants his time; she wants him in her life.

Gwin takes the risk; she unchains Dargon one night and escorts him quickly to her car - and his life in Aubrelle is over. Gwin takes him to Olthandrynn, where he will never be shackled or chained again. He will be free to pursue anything he wants.

The first thing he pursues is Gwin’s heart; but that won’t be hard as she’s already soft on him.

[peony-pearl]

More inking practice w my OC, Gwinletta

[peony-pearl]

It’s real thinking about my original story ocs hours

[peonypearls-muddled-musings]

[peonypearls-muddled-musings]

Peaceful Limbo

Gwin and Dargon being soft just hours after Dagney arrives; they’re good and they deserve to be happy

___________________________

That beeping continued - the same as he'd awoken to earlier before -

Before?

Oh yeah; before it happened.

Stirring, Dargon's head bobbed on the pillow; exhausted, his eyelids heavy as he wanted so much to open them, but wanted so much to rest.

"Hey," whispered a voice that calmed him. He felt his wife's warm hand on his forehead, stroking back his dark hair. Dargon's eyes finally opened, and thankfully the bright lights the doctors had used were turned off. Now there was only the glow of a few lamps and the monitors that remained connected to Dargon as he recovered. His eyes focused on the visage in front of him, his wife; and the bundle of blankets in her arms. He smiled.

“Hey,” he just barely managed in response, feeling Gwin’s thumb stroke his temple as her fingers became lost in his hair. "She's okay?" He asked; his voice hoarse from wear and tear. Gwinletta smiled.

"She's fine," she said, holding Dargon's hand, her other arm cradling their new daughter. "She's perfect."

Dargon's eyes continued to fight to stay awake as he squeezed Gwin's hand. "Just like her mama," he mumbled.

Gwin beamed, looking at her husband with every ounce of light and tenderness she'd ever held.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"It's only been a few hours. It's 12:30 now."

"That's it?" Dargon asked, managing to lift his other hand to rub his face. "It feels like I've been out for days; and a car ran me over in the meantime. And then hit me again in reverse."

Gwin couldn't help but laugh, trying to not disturb Dagney as she slept peacefully.

"Get some more rest, we'll be right here."

"I know you will be; but... I just want to take this in. I want to be a part of this."

Gwin squeezed his hand back, lifting his hand to kiss his knuckles. "You already are. You made this happen; please, sweetheart. Get some rest."

Hearing Dagney coo in her mother's arms, Dargon's attention turned to his daughter; Gwin shifted, leaning over to let Dargon's heavy hand reach up, allowing Dagney's tiny hand grip one of his fingers.

Dargon's eyes began to gloss over, the amber in his iris glimmering in the soft lamp light. He felt Dagney's little hand slip off of his, and he reached in to stroke her cheek with his knuckles; her soft, new skin against his scarred, calloused wounds.

They'd only ever told him he could destroy; he'd finally gotten the chance to prove them wrong as he looked at the little thing he'd created.

Gwin reached forward to wipe one of his tears away, her palm lingering on his cheek. Dagney wriggled in her grip and she returned her hand to brace her daughter. Dargon's arm retracted from the bundle with a shake in his muscles as his strength began to ebb. Lack of sleep still plagued him, but his heart was so full; how was he supposed to leave his girls behind? He fought so hard against the obstruction of his eyelids; he could hear Dagney's little sounds; Gwin's sweet, soothing voice, that lulled him just as well as their daughter; each hum and hush and sweet nothings almost lyrical like the lullabies she'd been writing over the past few months in anticipation for this day.

Just as the last of the lamp light dissipated as heaviness took him, Gwin's hand took his once more, and he couldn't differentiate whether her words were for him or for Dagney.

"It's alright; I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

[peonypearls-muddled-musings]

Sometimes they prefer the time they were forgotten, so maybe they can be together in peace

[peonypearls-muddled-musings]

A shop in Olthandrynn is bustling during a holiday; patrons are enjoying a stop in a local trinket shop. All of the handsome bits and bobs and knickknacks are hand carved, or molded, or envisioned in hot fire, taking form on a long pole, meticulously shaped until perfect.

The owners are having a chat with one patron as they wrap her order, talking about the festivities planned for that night; they're excited for a acrobatic dance troupe to perform, an act full of color and song. When the chime on the door clatters, the owners look to the door instinctively to say hello, but they and the patron both can only stare at the guest.

Little prince Bensith, who had turned one just that January (a mere four months ago) stood slightly bewildered and off guard at the doorway; his stance both inquisitive and daring.

"Oh! Hello, sweetheart!" The shopowner says as Bensith looks up, his hammy hands curling at his sides. The shopowner rounds the counter, about to approach the tot. "Are you okay, hon-"

But before she could say any more, Bensith had turned, as though lightning had hit him, and the bell of the shop signaled his exit as he tested his sprint on the sidewalk.

"Umm," the patron stared at the shopowner, and before anything else was said, the door clattered open again, with a dissheveled king Dargon panting, looking frazzled as his dark ashen hair was no longer finely coifed.

"Excuse me, have you-"

The ladies pointed in the direction Bensith had bolted, and the exhausted man was both relieved and concerned.

"Boy thinks he can outrun me," Dargon huffed, somwhere between embarrassed, entertained and irritated, and he sprinted away, much like his son had, rattling the poor door chime once more.

By now the other patrons are staring; and soon enough, queen Gwinletta is rushing by with five year old princess Dagney leading the way. A chuckle echoed in the walls of the shop as those who had been in similar situations sympathized with their leaders.

The small echo turned into a short bout of laughter once they recognized the scream of a caught explorer on the run.

Dagney holds her wriggly baby brother, admonishing him. "Benny!! You can't do that!" She says as he whines, wanting to be let loose.

Dargon, hunched over, shakes his head as he rests his burning lungs and throbbing feet. "So this is what they felt like trying to catch me," he grins at Gwin, as she too regains her composure, laughing with her husband. They watch Dagney soothe Bensith with a treat she's stored in one of her dress pockets, a little piece of soft candy in a colorful wrapper that she untwists at the ends, dropping it into his little palm for him to devour.

Before Bensith has the split second to sprint off without a thought in that precious little head, Dargon reaches forward, lifting his currently distracted son up into his arms, holding him as he chaws contentedly, looking out to the festivities with his large, green eyes as though nothing was amiss-for the moment at least.

Dargon pauses as Gwin reaches forward to smooth out his hair and clothing; he stands still just until Bensith decides to go slightly limp, testing his weight as he leans out of Dargon's hold as something catches his attention. Gwin can't help but laugh as she grabs her husband when his balance is tested, keeping him firmly on his feet before her boys can make friends with the pavement.

"Benny," Gwin tries to say sternly, but struggles. Her baby boy looks at her, just over his shoulder, trying to hide his impish smile before hiding his face into Dargon's jacket. Dargon's face visibly melts, and he can't help but give his son a little squeezing hug.

"Here, daddy!" Dagney approaches, holding up several of her soft candies. Dargon and Gwin both take one, Dargon holding onto an extra for Bensith.

"Where did you get these?" Gwin asks, unwrapping her piece.

Dagney smiled, popping one into her mouth.

"They were in a bowl at a stand over there!"

Dargon and Gwin looked towards where she pointed, to the space they were inhabiting just before Bensith's unplanned excursion.

It was the booth for the new candy store that had just opened; and they recognized the layout after spending time there, talking about buying treats for the kids later.

There hadn't been a sample bowl.

Dargon looks at Gwin, both concerned as they paused chawing on the pilfered candies. Dargon rubbed his temple as Dagney hummed to herself, enjoying another as she pocketed the rest blissfully. "Do you have the checkbook?"

"And cash."

"I'm glad one of us is prepared," Dargon says with an air of deflation as they walk back to the booth as Gwin pulls out her purse.