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[gypsy_merrique]

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Unable to sleep, Merrique left Walter's bed and began walking. Perhaps it was habit, perhaps it was a sense of needing to be somewhere she felt was 'hers', she eventually came to step through the moongate at Umbra. It just seemed too soon, it had only been weeks since she'd handed the potion bottle over to Walter. But regardless of how things seemed, there were certain truths that couldn't be avoided.

One of those truths was the sickness that had woke her up that morning. Thank the gods Walter had already been out hunting. Merrique was still embarrassed over the night he had seen her throwing up all that blood, after the Matriarch Ceinwyn's ritual. Seeing her this morning certainly would have put him off. She'd bolted from the house, gagging and pale, off into the woods. Once the illness had passed she'd felt fine. Weak but alright, at any rate. In her heart she knew it had nothing to do with medicinal potions or stress. She vaguely remembered this feeling from her adolescence.

Her feet turned her in the direction of the mountain-top laboratory in Umbra. How she loved this place...it was perfect for thinking and looking at the city she loved. She had thought the city to be deserted, but part of her wasn't surprised when Zeth stepped out of the shadows and asked her if she went there often; he knew she did and she detected a grin beneath that shadowy hood he was wearing.

For a multitude of reasons Merri could always talk to Zeth. As the morning hours passed slowly, the two friends sat across from one another in that mountain laboratory. Merrique rambled on about her adoration and love for Walter, her happiness, her shock at finding the capability to really have it in her life. It seemed that the night brought a surprise for both of them. Zeth shared with Merrique that Dae was gone from his life, and that he had found happiness elsewhere. When he told her with who, she was not as surprised as perhaps others would be and positively thrilled.

But her own shock was nothing compared to the evident surprise when she blurted out that she was pretty sure she was pregnant and needed to consult the Matriarch. After a very long silence, Zeth asked her if she'd forgotten to see her alchemist friend. Answering in the negative, she explained to him that it was a mutual decision made with Walter. That added to the surprise and the two sat looking at each other in prolonged quiet.

After more silence Zeth asked her if she would raise the child as Umbran, and she answered that it was their intent. He also asked if she intended to continue to pursue shadow walking and she was enthusiastic with a positive reply. This brought a smile forth from her friend and he left, claiming that he would soon return.

When she heard footfalls coming up the stairs, she assumed it was Zeth returning. It was surprise she felt when Walter stood there. It was an awkward moment, when he asked her why she wasn't at home. Merrique suddenly felt herself unable to tell him what was going on. Eventually Walter sat in the chair vacated by Zeth. The silence spun out between them.

Moments later, Zeth returned. He handed her a silken bundle and greeted Walter. Turning back to Merri, Zeth spoke.

"This is for your unborn child, Merri" he said. Merri glued her gaze onto Walter to wait for his reaction.
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. . . But the dark is very trustworthy.
It's always as dark as you thought it was.
And you don't have to work at staying there.
All you have to do is survive it.
And I've been doing that forever.
from the novel "Dark Debts" by Karen Hall

[Walter]

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He found her sitting alone atop the mountian. He could feel something wasn't normal, was it bad news, good news he really didn't know but his brain was slowly trying to sort things out. Perhaps thats why he just stood there silently after saying hello. Finally his trance broke when she said, "You can sit down." Quickly shaking his head back into reality he sits down. They talk abit about her leaving last night, and coming here to think.
Then Walter turned when he saw Zeth come up the stairs. For a few moments it was just an ackward silence, finally once again the silence was broken as Zeth handed her a robe and a dagger. When he told her the dagger was for her unborn son, his brain clicked and thats why she had come up here.

He glanced at the dagger and lots of memories of his not so great past flooded his mind. The last thing he wanted was his son to have to go through things like that. His years as an assassin, a soldier. He really hoped deep down his son would choose a higher path, but the last thing he was going to do was tell his son what to be. That was his decision alone. Walter was going to be sure no one would tell his son what to do with his life.

He must of been quiet thinking for awhile, when he finally slipped out of his trance they were both looking at him. With that Zeth said that he will be leaving, that WAlter and Merri had alot to talk about. The two talked abit about Merri going to the matriarch to have things verified. But it wasn't long before Walter took her home, she looked and sounded exhausted and tired from a sleepless night. With that he tucked her into bed and sat down at his desk to draft several letters.
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[20:28] Inkari: walter=chuck norris

"What do you mean I can't sell castle deeds I create on Ebay?" - GM Darwin circa 1999