"As nice as dinner was, I can't wait to get home and out of this dress," the Countess Redmane comments to her companion once their carriage has made it out of the Castle vineyards. She holds the bottle of wine she was gifted with awkwardly, as if unsure what to do with it. The sun has set fully now, and the stars are out; bright and crystal clear.
"And back into jeans and a tee-shirt?" Thomas asks from where he sits and looks out of the wagon's window. "Or wander around naked in your house, I suppose, and scare your servants! That could be funny..."
"I do not walk around in my birthday suit," Redmane notes. "I'll change into my pajamas. After the scrubbing I got earlier I think I can skip taking a bath."
"You brought your pajamas over? I just sleep in my underwear, usually. Easier. Discard clothes, hop into bed, sleep," Thomas notes. "And as long as you didn't sweat in that dress you can probably skip a bath, yes..."
"I hope you at least change your underwear now and then," the woman comments. After a moment, she notes, "The wine was good. It didn't go to my head or anything."
Thomas laughs. "I do change it now and then. When it starts getting stiff, usually," he quips and finally looks back to the woman. Peering at her, he leans in asking, "Are you certain? I could only stomach one glass myself. I don't like feeling light-headed."
"Yeah, I think it's something I picked up from Old Redmane," the woman says. "I'd probably be under the table after two glasses back in Ainigton."
"I fear what other habits you may still have from her," Thomas commets as he sits back and sighs comfortably. "You didn't need me around tonight. You did fine with them."
"I still appreciated the company," Redmane notes, and absently reaches over to pat Tom's forearm. "And I don't think I've gotten any habits. I mean.. what sort of habits are you talking about?"
Thomas cracks open an eye, noting, "I have memories of her being ... aggressive." Shrugging, he adds, "Not that it's a bad thing, just saying. Out of the two, I was the one with, eh, well. Issues."
"Aggressive?" Redmane asks, looking confused. "I don't remember her trying to pick fights or anything." Then she shrugs, and says, "Well, do you still have issues? I don't carry around Old Red's baggage, after all. I mean.. except for Ahearn. But he's not baggage, so don't even think about telling him.. blah! Maybe the wine did affect me a little; I'm running off at the mouth!"
"Time will tell on that. And I don't know, you always had a tendency to talk a lot," Thomas quips and prods at her dress-buried leg with his foot.
"Girls talk more, that's all," Redmane claims, and tries to straighten out the 'petals' of her dress. "Boys can get by with a few grunts, after all."
"Grunting is simple, direct, and easily understood. Girls just like to talk so they can confuse people," Thomas claims with his usual grin. "So ... are you enjoying being a Countess? Being a hero and all, too."
"It's a lot of responsibility, but so far.. not too much work," Redmane notes. "It'll keep me occupied until a threat comes along, or.. hmm. Speaking of 'ors', how long do you expect visiting the wolves will take? I have to make arrangements for being away."
"A week at minimum. Longer if we don't take the direct route of the siege of winds to do the travel. I'd like to see the land along the way but I'm accommodating if you'd rather just siege travel," Thomas answers after some brief thought. "By foot, expect two weeks, roughly."
"Two weeks isn't so bad," Redmane notes, and then asks, "Have you actually been able to summon the Siege of Wind already?"
"I can, yeah. It's made locating the old outposts less difficult," Thomas admits. There's a pause as Tom rolls his jaw in thought. With an arched brow, he asks, "Did you want the trip to take longer?"
"Huh?" Redmane asks. "I hadn't even thought about something like that. I don't mind walking, and by the time I get back Ahearn will be happy to spend some riding time with me."
"Ah, right. I can't keep you away from your boyfriend too long, now can I? That would be terrible," Thomas quips.
"He's not my boyfriend, he just acts like he is sometimes," Redmane says, rolling her eyes. "And other times he's more interested in attending his fillies. I really can't complain about that though."
"I saw how he looked at the celebration. Are you sure he's not your boyfriend?" Thomas teases. "And with how he insisted he dance with you, well..."
"He and Old Red didn't part on the greatest of terms," Redmane says softly. "I think meeting up with a younger version of her, more like the one he first met, probably made him feel younger himself and eager to rekindle the old 'spark' they used to have."
"Didn't part on the greatest terms with me, either," Thomas points out and shrugs. "Besides, honestly, he's a good sort. I just like tweaking his tail and seeing the snort."
"You do that to everyone, tail or no tail," Redmane notes, wagging a finger. "I'm amazed you have a pet cat and not a bunch of rowdy dogs."
"Cats are independent. I appreciate that," Thomas claims as he makes a grab for the wagging finger.
Redmane yanks it back quickly. "Yeah, but they don't put up with teasing very well!" she points out. "Anyway, when did you want to start the trip to December? It's Friday now, so the soonest I could leave is Monday afternoon."
Thomas leans over, getting rather close to Redmane and waggles his brow. "Monday afternoon is fine. It gives me time to pack a few things," he says.
The girl is forced to lean back a bit. "Including clean underwear I hope?" she asks.
"It's either that or going commando," Thomas answers. He still hasn't leaned back yet.
"Bring the underwear!" Redmane insists, with a grimace.
Laughing, Thomas sits back. "You are too easy to tease," he says with a wheeze.
Flushing, Redmane says, "That's no excuse for doing it, you know!"
The lights of the ranch can be made out up ahead along the road now, along with the faintest scent of... coffee?
"No, your reactions are!" Thomas claims as he still tries to fight back the giggles. "C'mon, Red, you're my best friend. It's all in fun."
"Well, fun at my expense," the girl comments, crossing her arms against her chest (and crushing some of the silk roses adorning it). "It's not fair when you have no shame and can't be embarrassed back!"
The laughing does stop at the scent of coffee, though His ears almost perk even as he takes another sniff. "You started a coffee mill?" he asks.
"Coffee?" Redmane asks, then deliberately sniffs the air. "Oh, Sanka. It's Friday night," she says by way of explanation.
"Who, what?" Thomas asks as he sticks his head out the window. (Are you sure he didn't retain some of those canine traits?)
The carriage pulls into the main yard before the ranch house, which is lit up with lamps, including a lantern on the porch railing. Since they've been gone, a porch swing has been installed, and Violetta and a red-haired man are swinging on it. A camp-stove with a tin coffee pot is set up on a barrel next to it. "Countess!" the flower woman chirps, hopping to her feet and rushing over to open the carriage door.
"Hey, there's a red-haired guy on your porch. A suitor?" Thomas has to ask as he sits back so the flower-woman can open the door without his head sticking through its window. "Well, as a Countess I do imagine you are popular..."
Redmane hurries out of the carriage, and jogs past her servant to look at the swing. "Wow! It looks great! Where'd you manage to find the chain?"
Rolling his eyes after the impatient woman leaves, Thomas follows. He flashes a grin and a wink to Violetta in passing.
"Marine Supply Catalog," the man says, and Thomas can recognize the voice now: it's John Cunningham, Agatha's father. "Solid aluminum, and Toby made the bench without using any nails. Let me get a look at you, Pumpkin!"
With a look of teenage suffering, Redmane - or rather, Agatha - turns around to show off her dress.
"You look like a bridesmaid," the man notes, before finally noticing Thomas. "And who is this?" he asks.
Thomas blinks. Repeatedly. "Er ... he shouldn't be here," Thomas hisses at Redmane. It's also about the point Thomas starts scouting the area for a nice, quick, escape path.
Redmane grabs Tom's shoulder before he can escape, and says, "It's Tommy Winthrope, just.. cleaned up."
"Oh ho!" John says, grinning now. "So you two went out on a date?"
"Daaaad!" Agatha says, "It was not a date! It was just dinner with my neighbors and I didn't want to go by myself."
"No, I saved her from facing certain nobility alone," Thomas mutters darkly.
Mr. Cunningham laughs, and waves to the door. "Fine, fine! Go ahead and get out of that thing, as I'm sure you want to," he says. Agatha lets go of Tom, and gives her father a kiss on the cheek before heading inside with Violeta on her heals.
"So ... I suppose I should be going too. I'm sure you have plenty to talk about with her," Thomas says with a polite smile and starts inching back towards the shadows.
"Stay awhile," Mr. Cunningham says, sitting on the bench-swing and pouring a cup of coffee from the pot. "Haven't seen you since you stayed for barbecue that time. Coffee?" he asks, offering a mug.
"Ah, no thanks. It makes me jittery," Thomas says and waves his hands quickly. "So, uh, how did you get here? And, not to mean anything bad by it ... why are you here?"
"It's Friday," the man says, still grinning. "I always come to stay over, then Aggie and I head back Saturday afternoon. Church on Sunday, spend the day together with her brother and all. Then I drop off her at the Siege of the Woods on Monday morning."
"Yes, but ... er, forgive me, but you shouldn't be here! My family from the mortal world doesn't come here ... or even know about it!" Thomas nearly blurts.
The man arches an eyebrow and sips his coffee. "Well, that's your decision, young man," he says. "Agatha told me and Toby all about this place when she became Countess. That's a big thing, being a Countess! Of course, I probably wouldn't have believed it if not for the big talking horse. Now I'm pretty proud of her."
"Uh, yeah. I guess it does at least provide a way for her to, uh, get money home. Or something," Thomas mutters as he rubs the side of his head.
"Money?" the man asks. "Well, I'll probably move here when I retire, assuming I don't cramp her style too much! But that's a long ways off." he says, and has another sip. "Not meaning to pry, what do you tell your folks to explain you being away? And did you want to come back with us tomorrow to visit 'em?"
"I spend a lot of time camping. Which is true," Thomas notes with a small shrug. "As for going home, well, I can manage that on my own, but thanks for the offer. I'm, well. It would be uncomfortable," he admits.
"Well, I don't really know your dad that well," Mr. Cunningham says, "so I can't offer to talk to him for you or anything. Won't say nothing otherwise to him though. Military, isn't he?"
"Was, yeah. Retired from that and is just a civilian advisor now, occasionally does recruitment drives too," Thomas explains as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.
"Aren't you head of the National Guard or something over here?" the man asks, and then Agatha returns from the house, wearing jeans again, bare feet, and what's probably an old button-up flannel shirt of her brother's. "What's up?" she asks, sitting down next to her dad on the bench - and promptly getting her hair mussed up by him. "Dad!" she chides.
"Kind of. More like a special ops group. We deal with all the more unpleasant and grungy stuff the nobles and knights don't want to dirty their fingernails with," Thomas mutters. "And that which they can promptly disavow any knowledge of if things went bad."
"So, that's not something your father would be proud of his son leading?" John asks. Agatha blinks at this, and pokes the man in the shoulder. "Lay off Tommy, pop. You'll just make him more stubborn."
"It's not about being proud. I have nothing to prove," Thomas claims and crosses his arms. "I'm not looking for recognition, either."
"Oh, Tom and I were gonna go see some old friends next week, and it's a long trip so I won't be around next weekend," Agatha notes. Her father raises his eyebrows again, but nods. "Okay, Pumpkin. Bring your sword if Ahearn isn't going with you. I wanted to go fishing next weekend with Richard anyway. I think I'm getting on Lord April's nerves after I asked him why I couldn't just drive my truck through the Siege."
"Ah, well, yes, the trip. It can be postponed or canceled too," Thomas offers, "It's not really that important."
Agatha blinks at Tom. "What? You don't want to go now?"
"Not if it's going to complicate things and plans you already have," Thomas answers and shrugs slightly. "Or give people ideas."
"It's no problem for me to go," Agatha points out. But her father asks, "Ideas?"
"Date," Thomas says flatly.
"Ah, I was just teasing my girl," John says with a grin, musses up Agatha's hair again to prove it. "You're just kids still - having an adventure is more fun than mushy stuff."
"Right. Well, I'll think about it," Thomas comments noncommittally. His right brow arches a bit and he has to ask, "How much has she told you?"
"Enough to scare me, son," Mr. Cunningham admits. "Not much about her friends though, I gotta admit. I know the Harcourt place is gonna be an Embassy of sorts."
Tom now looks to Agatha, brow still raised.
Agatha just shrugs, and says, "I told him about our fight with the Destroyer, and about the reincarnation stuff, and how Mirari came to be, back with the Harcourts and stuff."
At that, Thomas shakes his head then closes his eyes. As he proceeds to rub them lightly with his fingers, he says, "I see."
The girl frowns now, and says, "I didn't do anything wrong, Thomas. You couldn't expect me to lie to my family forever! I never wanted to exclude them from this."
"I think I'll just mosey on inside now," John says, and reaches over to kill the camp-stove first. "You two seem to need some time alone."
"It's not just that. Now that they know, it's a matter of time before others know. I've had enough difficulties re-establishing the old outposts and organizing what I can to make sure we don't get attacked while everything is recovering," Thomas explains, "Now I have to worry about people from the other world invading too. So, now I have to figure out how to set up some sort of siege monitoring. You've just increased my work load by a considerable amount, Agatha." He then raises his hand, adding, "No, you're here to visit here. This is her home and her rules. I should get back to the archives and continue working out some stuff."
"Siege monitoring?" Agatha asks. "Invasion? Geeze Tom! We need to have them opened from this side to use them, and even then only because we schedule things in advance. Are you expecting the Westfields to attack or something?"
"The siege of the winds doesn't have to be opened from this side," Thomas points out. "How long do you think it would be before the sheriff finds out? Then from him the army? Think access to a place that can tactically open doors to places wouldn't be of interest to them?"
"You're the only one messing with the Siege of Wind, Tommy," Agatha points out. "It's just impossible to invade through a Siege! You know how hard it is just to take one other person through. You knew there was going to be more regular traffic between here and Ainigton back at the victory party. Or is it just that you can't trust anyone but yourself?"
"I thought I could trust you," Thomas says simply. "If it hadn't been Friday, seems you weren't going to tell me that you've been bringing others through, though."
"You hadn't been around before today," Agatha points out. "And I'd assumed you'd already told your own family something, but I guess you don't trust them either. But if you're actually worried about this, then stop using the Siege of Wind. That thing is unpredictable in that you can't know who might see it in use. Stick to Siege of the Woods in April or Stone and Water in October."
"You could have always, you know, written," Thomas argues, "Hey, just thought I'd let you know I'm bringing my parents through and telling them everything! Y'know, in case one of your scouts sees something strange and near me and reports it to you, not to worry."
Agatha sighs, and says, "Right, sorry, it's all my fault for surprising you. I apologize. Maybe I figured you'd already know, being who you are. Or I was just flattering myself thinking you'd be keeping tabs on me and the others. But if I'd told you in advance, what would you have done?"
"I don't spy on my friends outside of just knowing if they're okay, Agatha. Do you really want me having someone watch you all the time? And it's not like I have much in the way of people to spare right now on non-urgent things!" Thomas says and looks rather exasperated. "What would I have done? Well, found out at least who you were planning to tell and trying to make sure that it wouldn't endanger them or us." He thrusts a finger toward Agatha, adding, "Did you consider them being here also puts them in danger? So, you develop enemies here while dealing with issues. Okay, then they discover you have a parent who isn't a knight? What's the best way to get back at you? Not by attacking you, certainly. Now ... your bother or your father, well. I didn't tell my parents because I get into enough scrapes here that I didn't want to endanger them, okay? It wasn't about lying to them, at least give me some credit."
"Unlike you, I don't go around making enemies, Thomas," Agatha points out. "And I'm not about to go and throw away the best things in my life for fear of a possible threat. Do you remember Redmane's past? Her family? If anything, that made me appreciate what I have even more. My life is her promised reward, Thomas. My family has faced harder things together than dealing with the Destroyer, and we got through them together. That's what families do."
"Not all of my enemies I made, Redmane. Tristan, for example, hates me because of rumors. I'm a lovely target for certain nobles who want to disrupt his interest in someone," Thomas says and crosses his arms again, "Not that he would believe me if I said something. And telling the certain someone would have caused even more problems with that person's family." His jaws clench and he lets out a long sigh between his teeth. "You have no idea how lucky you are you don't have to deal with some things."
"Yes I do, and I also know it's all your own fault," Agatha notes. "You're too much like the old Thomas; almost identical. You make all the same mistakes he did, instead of learning from them. You are not alone. You have the choice to trust others to be able to take care of themselves and letting them help you instead of trying to shoulder it all yourself. The Old Thomas and Old Redmane died because they pushed others away and went it alone. Killed by stubbornness! Now, tell me: do I need to make sure you don't make the same mistakes or I can I trust you to try and live a better life than your predecessor?"
Thomas turns away without a word and walks towards the gate to the ranch; through not exactly very fast. As he goes, he runs his hands through his hair, then spreads his arms wide as if trying to release some tension.
"Hey!" Agatha calls, and starts after him despite being barefoot. "No fair just walking away, Tommy. You can show me at least some respect and tell me off or shout or hit me or something."
"I'm not going to fight," Thomas says in a forced calm as he stops for a moment. "What I might say wouldn't be logical and it wouldn't be kind. You deserve better than that."
Agatha steps up behind Tom and wraps her arms around him. It's not quite a hug, but she's pressed up against his back all the same. "I don't want to upset you, Tom, I just.. I don't want Old Thomas' past to poison you, you know? The Court that turned against him is thirteen Years gone now. You are the hero of Mirari and people want to see and meet you. Please don't just look at them through Old Thomas' eyes."
"That event still comes up in my dreams from time to time. He ... I ... we lost a lot in the first war against the Destroyer. It wasn't that I was ridiculed when they turned on me ... it was knowing that the whole war, all that pain, would have been for nothing if the Jack escaped. It was knowing that people I cared about wouldn't be safe, that we would all just be hunted in the shadows instead," Thomas tries to explain. His body feels oddly tense in Agatha's arms. "He, I, we, tried to write Redmane ... more than once in fact. One point stood on the hill not so far from here and looked down on this ranch. Almost came, almost knocked. But, couldn't say goodbye. It's stupid, but he thought if he didn't say goodbye he wouldn't break her heart. That somehow not saying it meant he would be back."
"Did he love her?" Agatha asks. "Is that why he didn't want her to come with him?"
"I ... he ... " Thomas fumbles, "Does it matter?"
"That depends," she asks. "When you look at me, do you use his eyes and heart, or your own?"
"I am not him, not exactly. Skill, memory, that is there," Thomas tries to explain, though poorly, "But no, I don't see everything the way he did. I would have said goodbye. You deserved that much. I've wanted to involve you in things, so ... well, the invite and such. Even with Hannah, she's on her own and has to figure it out on her own. I don't have anyone tracking them nor any birds spying. I'm trusting her to succeed."
"You can spy with birds?" Agatha asks in surprise, and then more calmly says, "Well, do you think two weeks will be enough for us to get to know each other as we are now? Not just as Thomas and Redmane, but Tommy and Agatha?"
"Massager birds, yes. It's fairly poor in details, but it works for general info," Thomas answers and rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "As for the time, I honestly don't know. I just wanted to be a werewolf for a few days..."
Agatha laughs. "Should I bring some rawhide chews back with me then? Or a ball?" she asks. "And don't even think of pulling the wet-dog-shake on me; I'm wise to that trick!"
Messenger, oy.
"My evil plan was to get you to join me for a romp in the wild as a wolf too," Thomas notes. "Not hunting or anything like that! Just, well, silly stuff."
"Maaaybe," Agatha says, and sticks her nose against the back of Tom's neck like a wolf might. "If they've solved the whole 'incredible pain' part of the transformation."
"Well after this like I would hope so," Thomas agrees after scrunching up from the sudden contact. "I'm curious to see how much has changed, if the crack is still there if the old paintings are there, if they added any to the paintings about ... everything. I want to see if we made a lasting difference."
like = time. argh. :/
"I just hope they cleaned the place up and wear clothes," Agatha says. "I mean, you're really 14-years old too, so not sure you should be seeing lots of naked hairy women!"
"I'm sure you're not hairy, regardless of what the old rumors at school claimed," Thomas insists. "Oh, wait, you mean the residents."
"Hey!" Agatha says, and squeezes. "What rumors? Or are you just making that up?"
"Ack!" goes Thomas, "I won't tell anyone Sasquatch, I mean Agatha!"
"Hah!" Agatha says, easing up on her 'hug' of doom. "And what makes you think you'll see me naked anyway? If I get transformed, you aren't gonna be watching!"
"I have my ways!" Thomas claims, "But since I don't want to go blind I won't use them..."
"Hah again!" the girl says. "I'm younger and sexier now than Redmane was when Thomas first met her, admit it! I've got the body of an 18-year-old here. Not that you'll ever see it. But if you're really nice, maybe I'll let you hold my hand during the trip."
"If we even go!" Thomas counters, "I still have all this mess you caused to clear up!"
"There's no mess, Tommy," Agatha says. "You know there isn't, and don't you dare go telling April and October that they aren't able to secure the Sieges without your help."
"I know you can't tell a noble anything," Thomas claims. "They're worse than Ahearn."
"Ahem," Agatha goes. "What did I just say about judging people you haven't met through Old Tom's eyes, hmm? There's no danger of 'other people' finding out anything so long as you don't go causing the Siege of Wind to appear in the fields. The King will decide if anyone else is to be told, really. And I did get his permission first, by the way. The only reason my family believed me is that I had Ahearn with me."
"I mean, Richard comes over to Ainigton still to go fishing!" she exclaims.
"You forget I've met Lord April and Lord October during the siege," Thomas points out and takes the chance to spin around so now he's facing Agatha. "You're also too easy to bait."
"Because I can never tell when you're being serious or not," Agatha complains, nose to nose. "So, you'll come pick me up Monday afternoon, or do you want to leave Tuesday morning? You can sleep in the stables with Ahearn if you like, if my guest room is too fancy for you."
"Be near Ahearn now? Not on your life. He's jealous enough normally. With all his activity he'll be even worse," Thomas points out. Brow arching again, he asks, "And to only be fair, how do you see me?"
"Thomas Winthrope, the boy I didn't want to know I wore a training bra," Agatha admits. "The Squirrel-Boy of Ainigton, with a ghost on his shoulder."
"I didn't know they required training," Thomas deadpans. "And I resent the ghost comment."
"Resent, why?" Agatha asks. "I've got one too."
"Because they're not entirely separate people," Thomas answers. "We are we we are and ultimately lucky to have a chance to do things right. OR at least mostly right. Or failing that, I hope at least in style."
We are who we are....
"Well, does that mean some part of you still has the hots for Redmane?" Agatha asks with a wicked grin.
"And you really expect me to answer that?" Thomas counters and smirks.
"Hey, it's the only button I know you've got!" Agatha says with a laugh. "So forgive me if I want to push it every now and then. Now, are you gonna try to kiss me goodnight, or just stay over because it's late?"
Thomas just rolls his eyes. And just after he starts to pull away, he suddenly takes a step forward to put Agatha off-balance. And in a short dip backward, she suddenly finds Tom kissing her. On the lips. As as fast as it came, it ends. As he pulls her back up, he faintly whispers in her ear an answer to an earlier question, "He loved her." And then Tom just pulls back, grinning impishly from ear to ear. "And now I think I had best head back. Night is a lovely time to travel; the stars make wonderful companions. Don't forget to pack your corset. I'm sure the wolves would love to see it!"
Agatha is still blinking, having not thought Tom would do it! "Wow.. glad I brushed my teeth when I changed. Try to not get into trouble on the road, okay Tom?"
"Right. I will try to not get into trouble. I'll only try to encounter it," Thomas offers, positively beaming in that he is still able to surprise people.
"Gah!" Agatha says, and throws her hands in the air. "You're hopeless!" she says with a laugh, and then turns to walk back the ranch house. But she pats her cheeks and makes sure she's not blushing before she heads inside. Explaining it to Violeta are her father would just be too embarrassing..
"And you love it!" Thomas calls after her. He starts for the gate out again, then heaves a sigh and turns around and heads after her "Wait up. Changed my mind; I'll take the guest room tonight. I can help your father a bit around the ranch tomorrow. The Hawks can survive a night or two without me around."
"You'll have to share with my dad," Agatha notes, waiting on the doorstep with a smile. "But there's a cot, since my brother stays sometimes. But if my dad snores, good luck trying to convince him of it come morning.."
"It can't be any worse than how Old Redmane snored..." Thomas quips, then runs towards the front door!
"What?!" Agatha says, and chases after!