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[Mallory Ventrue]

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Mallory was practically floating on air as she walked around Moonglow with Lady Toni. They had come to do a quick walkabout of the town, to ensure all was quiet, and they sat outside of the maze garden enjoying the quiet and talking about the recent developments. As they sat talking Mallory noticed as two young girls, obviously sisters, playing in the grassy area across from the bank. She only half listened to Toni as she watched the two sit in the grass and play with her dolls. Her thoughts drifted to a recent conversation she had had with Gailan. They had been talking about families, what they both desired in the future. Granted she did more of the talking than he, but he didn’t seem to mind. That was one of the many things that she loved that about him. How he was able to listen to her ramble and surprisingly remember everything she had said.

She had mixed memories of her childhood. She recalled her mother, a lovely woman of both physical beauty and compassion for all those she met. She would sit out under the shade of a tree, mending clothes and singing softly, watching as Mallory would play with her friends. Mallory recalled the way she smelled, of a mixture of cinnamon and spices and the salty sea air of Minoc. Her father had been a quiet man of little words. He was very much in love with her mother. She recalled him often coming home from the mines, exhausted from the long days and the hard toil, but he still had the energy to grab up her mother and twirl her around like a doll as she kissed him, the grime and all. She recalled asking her mother if he didn’t like her because she was a girl and not a boy, and her mother replied that men were just not able to say things the way women were. She had always told Mallory that they were blessed with her, and that there was always time for a boy. Then she had fallen ill…

Mallory had only been nine when the sickness took her mother and her brother from them. Her mother had a sense from early on that it was going to be a boy, from how active he was. She said that Mallory had been a feisty one, but this baby was even more so. While she was pregnant, Mallory’s mother was always doing for others. She continued to mend clothing, and had become the local healer to those living on the outskirts of Minoc. One night she returned home late, and as Mallory fixed her a supper plate she placed a hand on her stomach, inhaled sharply and told Mallory to go for her sister, her aunt, Elizabeth. Mallory knew that it meant that it was time and she hurriedly grabbed her shawl and ran as quickly as she could through the dark forest and knocked on her aunt and uncles door. Her aunt saw Mallory there and knew what she had come for and within minutes they were hurrying once again towards their own cottage near the mines. Mallory noticed the door was already open and when they entered they found her mother on the floor, curled up in pain. Mallory looked on as her aunt calmly helped her mother to the bedroom. She looked at Mallory and smiled softly and told her to try to get some rest, it was looking like a long night. Mallory nodded and curled up on the bear rug in front of the fireplace. Several times she was awoken with muffled sounds from the bedroom. As the sun began to peak over the horizon her aunt came out, looking exhausted and softly told Mallory that she had a brother, and that her mother and her brother were both resting. Her aunt asked her if her father was home, and Mallory shook her head slightly, and said that he had not been home for a few days. Her aunt frowned deeply and for the first time in her life Mallory heard words that only crossed the lips of the sailors come out of her aunt’s mouth. Just then her father came through the doors and her aunt motioned for Mallory to go upstairs so she could speak to her father alone. From her room Mallory heard raised voices, her aunt speaking about a sickness that would likely take the life of both mother and child. Her father threw a chair against the wall and stormed out of the house. Two days later, Mallory stood beside her aunt and uncle as her mother and her infant brother were laid to rest. Mallory looked around for her father, but he was no where to be seen. Her aunt and uncle packed up her things, and she went to live with them.

Mallory shook her head from her memories and again watched the girls as they played, and Toni followed her gaze. Suddenly a dove alighted on Mallory’s shoulder with a message attached. She read over it and smiled brightly. Her friend and sister Rryn had written to invite her for tea in Zento. Apparently she had found out more information on the problem that affected Mallory’s memory. Mallory looked to Toni and asked if she would also like to come, and with a nod and smile Toni opened them a portal to Zento. They stood at the bank and while they waited for Rryn, Mallory and Toni began talking about he recent royal wedding, and began joking about how quickly there would be a new heir within the kingdom, when Mallory noticed a man watching them very closely. She recognized him as Tai, and she respectfully lowered her head to him in greeting and continued with her conversation.

Not much later Mallory and Toni were surrounded by guards and being asked quite rudely to leave Zento. Mallory and Toni refused, and continued to the inn where they met Rryn. The guards continued to follow them, and although they had not broken any laws, it was made clear if they did not leave that they were to be arrested. Mallory looked at horror at the man that had once treated women as precious jewels and spoke non stop of honor, as he now spoke quite rudely to women, and obviously had lost his way on his path of honor. After what seemed like a very long time of trying to reason with them, Mallory, Toni and Rryn left on their own accord. As Mallory and Toni returned to Sanctus, Mallory realized she and Rryn had not spoken of her findings.

Gailan would be home soon from Trinsic and Mallory excused herself to Britain to pick up some cloth for some dresses she was having made. She thought Gailan would have himself a nice chuckle over her adventures, but hoped that next time she and Rryn would actually be able to drink their tea….
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Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you always know they are there...

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Ken 05:39PM You want to see the short of it?