Completed Saying Goodbye (Rinya)

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

"You're right. We do see his worth differently," Farline replied, shaking her head. "Because you put such stock in something so ephemeral, so fleeting as an emotion. Such foolishness... "

But Farline for her part could tell that Rinya wasn't reacting the way she expected anymore. The Kelvic was actually tired of the conversation. And it showed in the weariness of her voice, and the fact that she did not shoot back her response with the expected fire. And surprisingly... Farline herself could not really find the fire inside herself either. Oh, she still hated Rinya with a passion. But with her face already ruined... what good did it do to face off against Rinya like this?

"Why does it bother me? You truly do not understand, do you?" she smirked, as Rinya mentioned that she wondered why it bothered Farline so much. "Had it been that Akalak, it would have been different. But this is Jorin. He doesn't warrant such a reaction. I suppose you'll never understand. You are so blinded by your 'love' that you don't see. The man is barely good enough; he's given you nothing substantial, and yet you love him to that degree?" Farline snorted in disbelief. It was clear that Farline was never going to believe that Rinya was in love.

Farline listened in impotent silence as Rinya continued to pounce on her pride. Telling her that despite all her efforts she did not have a big, strong man by her side. But then, neither did Rinya. Jorin was hardly the pinnacle of the human form, although the stupid bird didn't seem to care.

"I'll have you know I had plenty of big, strong men come after me," Farline insisted. But her insides twisted as she said it. They may have gone after her, but none of them stayed. The only one who stayed was Jorin. It was why she always went back to him, because he provided her with the stability she needed. It was the best of both worlds: she could have the handsome, strong man and still have a backup in case something went wrong.

"Jorin might have been a fool, but he was a reliable fool," Farline concluded finally. "I could always count on him to be there. Even when I... tired of other men, he'd always take me back. And if he's too stupid to fight back then he deserves to be exploited," she insisted.

But at least Rinya seemed somewhat affected by Farline's talk of always being in Jorin's heart at least to some degree. Farline knew Jorin; after years of stringing him along she learned all she needed to dig her hooks in. But her final jab did not have the sting she was hoping for. Rinya's rage did not manifest, she merely insisted that she was first in Jorin's heart, and that was all that mattered. And then Rinya asked her if she had anything else to say. But Farline knew what it was. Dismissal. As though she didn't even matter.

"My threats are never empty," Farline snapped. "If you think they are, I will show you -"

It was at this moment that Jorin walked back out of his tent, his face set into a grim line. He was at least able to act friendly and cheerful as he bid farewell to several of his friends but he could feel Rinya's frustration and exhaustion dealing with Farline. Surprisingly, he didn't feel the burning hatred and anger he was expecting, but Rinya seemed to be reaching a different sort of breaking point. Deciding he'd hobnobbed long enough, he had begun heading in the direction of his wife.

Well, at least Farline wasn't sporting a matching set of scars down her other cheek. Jorin supposed he should be grateful for that. In fact, the woman appeared unhurt, except of course for the healing scratches on her face. Rinya for her part was calm, but Jorin could feel across the bond that she was nearing the end of her patience. Jorin suspected that despite their chimes-long 'discussion', Rinya still had no better idea of what Farline wanted. And if he had to speculate, he'd guess Farline didn't either.

"Rinya, my love, are you finished here?" he interrupted, before turning to Farline. "Apologies if I've interrupted you," he added. The apology was genuine; Jorin was far too nice and polite a man to just interrupt without apology, even in a tense situation like this where his wife probably welcomed his intrusion. But Farline snarled at him.

"Of course you interrupted me, Jori-dear," she sneered. "Riding to the rescue of your little bird. How sweet. But you and I both know that birds are skittish and like to fly. What are you but an anchor that ties her to the ground?" Jorin answered Farline's triumphant glower with an even stare of his own.

"My wife is always free," Jorin insisted. "I never tied her to anything. If she ever wished to leave, I would never stop her. She stays by my side because she wants to."

Jorin sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Farline," he said eventually. "You think you've lost everything. But what you see as a total loss, could potentially become your gain. If you worked at it."

Farline continued to glare at him, but Jorin just pressed on. "Eric hasn't kicked you out like he did me, right?" he sighed. "That means he still sees potential in you. Unlike me, he still sees you as a good actor, one worth nurturing."

Farline just snorted at Jorin's words. It was clear the woman wasn't taking it to heart; she couldn't see any silver lining in the dark clouds hanging over her head. From Jorin's perspective, the scars stood out and certainly were striking, but they didn't necessarily detract from Farline's beauty. But Jorin knew his former romantic partner well enough to know that she thought they did. And in the echo chamber that was her own mind, that was all that mattered.

"I don't need your pity, Jori-dear," she spat. "You can keep your 'advice'. And your bird. I hope you have a nice long life with her," she ground out, sarcasm dripping from every word and it was clear she didn't hope that at all. "You two deserve each other!"

With that, she spun on her heel and marched away, unaware that her words would be interpreted as a compliment by its recipients, though both of them likely knew it was intended as a final insult. Jorin couldn't help but feel pity for Farline; she hadn't lost very much at all if she was just willing to see it. But there were few so blind as those that refused to see.

"I hope she can find some measure of peace someday," Jorin mused, as he walked up to Rinya and offered his arm almost instinctively.

Rinya would feel that Jorin actually meant those words, he felt genuine concern and pity for Farline, despite what she had done. And Jorin knew that his wife might be somewhat frustrated that he couldn't hate Farline but the truth was, it just wasn't in his nature to hate in general. And besides, Rinya had stated many times that it was one of the things she loved most about him. So he wasn't in any particular hurry to change it.

"No matter what she said about me, I will always love you," Jorin insisted, and decided to pull Rinya into another soft, tender kiss. It was pure love that he was feeling, the emotion clenching at his heart and causing him to feel warm all over. He wanted his wife to know that despite the poison he was sure Farline tried to drape on their relationship, he'd still feel the same way about Rinya.

They were both breathless when the kiss broke, Jorin gasping a bit for breath as he smiled down at his beautiful wife. It wasn't easy, trying to excise Farline from his heart. Every time he thought he succeeded she came back. Because she was his first love and as much as he tried, sometimes it was almost instinctual to just remember.

But Rinya was a huge help, sometimes hinting gently, other times slapping him softly across the back of the head to get him to just stop mentioning her. Would it work? Could it be enough for Jorin to finally excise the woman from his life? He couldn't be sure. But it was a start, and he knew Rinya loved him enough to be patient with him.

"You're my wife now," Jorin breathed, as grabbed Rinya's hand in both of his, and pressing it to his heart. "And even though we were mated and bonded before, it's a little different. Because we both chose this, with full knowledge and completely of our own volition." Jorin simply smiled at Rinya, pressing another quick kiss to her lips.

"It means... it means that we want to spend forever together. And nothing and no one can take that from us. Not the Akalaks, not Farline, not anyone. Not unless we let them. And I for one won't." Jorin released Rinya's hand and wrapped one around her waist while the other went to her back.

It occurred to him, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he was kissing Rinya a whole lot these last few days. More than he normally did, and he already kissed her quite often. Was it because she was now his wife? Perhaps. It didn't really matter though.

They both knew that kisses were something she enjoyed greatly. So he pressed forward with another one, closing his eyes and just letting the sensations of their tongues wrapping around one another, and the pure love that was flowing across the bond, echo through his soul.

x

[Rinya]

Rinya swore she could feel a headache begin to set in. They were talking in circles around each other. Farline saw this, Rinya saw that. Farline insisted she put too much stock in a single emotion, Rinya insisted if Farline ever felt it then maybe perhaps she would understand. But really in the long run it didn’t matter—they were just far to different to bend to each other. Really if Rinya thought about it, this was how Jorin and she should be. They didn’t actually have anything in common basis with each other, and that normally led to fights such as this. One person would see it one way, and the other—well thus far they only had one such fight and that wasn’t even over anything other than her feathers weren’t any different than her skin.

"I believe it’s foolish to rely simply on your looks and nasty back stabbing habits to get you what you want. After all, whatever will you do when you tempt the wrong person? And they decide to take it out on you far worse than I did on your face? Not everyone is easy to read Farline—or as forgiving." As much as she hated it, the threat was more of a warning. She had seen it from watching people below her—some men were exactly as her father depicted. They could be cruel, heartless, and sometimes they were the most handsome. Much like Farline they had such stock in how they looked—but it was a pretty face to an ugly personality.

Farline herself however insisted that she could never understand. To some degree that was true, but in others—when Rinya had first arrived in Riverfall she was very much like Farline. Love was an emotion that got her hurt up until then. The loss of her first bondmate, the loss of her father. She didn’t put any sort of trust in men, until she found one that was so completely different than the stories or what she had viewed most of her short life. Maybe Farline never saw that side—never truly lost someone she cared for. Or maybe it was just the opposite. However given her attitude… it was more likely the first choice. As hard as it was to believe Farline was quite young herself. It was entirely likely she had rose tinted eyes to her choices.

"That still begs the question Farline. Why does it matter? You have no idea what he’s given me… physically or mentally to earn him such loyalty on my own side. You only see small snips of us together. But it’s like you said… you’ll never understand. And it’s kind of sad actually…" Not that Rinya actually felt sad for her, just the pity. And apparently she hit a sore spot. Farline claimed to have several ‘worthy’ men come after her. But while it ran through Farline’s mind, Rinya actually said it. "Then where are they? Did they grow tired of your little games and leave you exactly where I said they would? Alone and with nothing."

Even if Rinya wanted to consider Jorin a fool—he was her fool. She would gladly take him, love him to her best ability. No one deserved to be treated the way Farline did to him—except maybe Farline herself. Rinya had the feeling that was the only way she could get the idea through her head—just what it was she did to others. But then, Farline was a bit thick skulled… okay really thick skulled. She hadn’t even learned yet that the more she poked at Jorin, the more likely she was to get hit… or worse. And while Rinya did not necessarily react to her taunts of remaining in Jorin’s heart, she tried her best with another attempt.

"Farline you’re threats are always empty. Because from the start you’ve misjudged that so called emotion that I put too much stock in." Rinya muttered low, as Jorin emerged from the tent finally. He didn’t entirely look all too happy, and Rinya was tempted to let herself think badly. After all she hadn’t done anything bad to the woman… she was in one piece and completely unharmed, from this current conversation at least. But instead she shoved the instinct down. Jorin had more than proved himself to be on her side as of late, and jumping down his throat over Farline’s useless conversation wasn’t going to help anything.

Jorin asked if she was finished with Farline, and it took everything in her power to keep herself from replying with a very snarky comment aimed at Farline. Instead she gave a tight nod as he apologized to the woman that ruined his career in the city. The barb exchanged for his apology simply caused Rinya to groan. "I’m not a song bird Farline. That idea is ridiculous. If you don’t know anything about birds then you should learn to keep that mouth shut." Rinya felt her patience beginning to snap again, seeing as the comment came out like the familiar acid they spit at each other every other time they seemed to meet.

As always Jorin tried to be the one that kept things—civil. If she didn’t love him so much for who he was, she might have told him to shove it because the woman clearly didn’t appreciate the thought. Then again Farline would never appreciate anything from him—even if she hadn’t taken the girl’s face. It was a never ending cycle and Rinya truly wished that it would just be over with. But Farline had already said it… that it wasn’t going to just go away. She would always be there, haunting her footsteps. Or preceding them at times. None the less by the time Farline stormed away Rinya felt a heavy depression of her own settle over her chest.

Rinya took his arm, unable to keep the snort at his comment about Farline finding peace. Rinya didn’t really care either way despite the pity. Farline dug her own grave, and she was bound to live in it someday. Jorin shifted instincts however and tried to reassure her that it didn’t matter what Farline said—that he loved her. It was true of course, but they were both right. The idea was just something Rinya would have to grow used to however, living with both Jorin and Farline to some extent, the rest of her life. For Jorin’s attempt to settle her depression with a kiss, it only worked to some extent, but Rinya returned it regardless.

It wasn’t so much that Farline poisoned her against him. There was no doubt that he wasn’t going to change how he felt about her. But suddenly the idea that he would be capable of excising Farline from their relationship, she wondered if that was really just hoping for too much. She would get over it—or come to accept it—eventually, but trying to draw out that promise from Jorin that she didn’t have to share his heart with Farline wasn’t fair. Rinya knew that, and most certainly wasn’t going to get him to promise her something he couldn’t fulfill in the long run.

But in the very least she was first. Jorin said as much as he pressed her hand to his heart and she simply took a moment to enjoy the feeling of it beneath her hand. She wasn’t quite able to muster the happy smile he probably wanted from her, but she leaned her forehead against his collarbone and took a deep breath. "She’s right you know. She’ll never be fully gone from you. She’ll be there… I will always have to share your heart with her. I think that’s why I get so jealous. Because I hate the fact that I have to."

She didn’t want to ruin his day, but he was so firm on the idea of no secrets between them, and it certainly felt as though she had an epiphany. She was so easily jealous of Farline because she already knew she would have to spend the rest of her life sharing Jorin’s heart. And Rinya did not share well. It most certainly wasn’t enough to end them—but it was the reason why the woman was such a sore spot for her.

white

[Jorin Ertihan]

Had it all been pointless?

That thought echoed through Farline's mind as Rinya continued to not care, her face displaying more pity than anything else. And if there was one thing Farline hated it was being pitied. Was she so pathetic that even the stupid bird pitied her? Somewhere in the back of her mind she suspected she was, but she refused to acknowledge it. No! She was Farline Darfi!

"I'm quite sure I can take care of myself, Rinya-dear," Farline insisted with a slight sneer. "I won't need your advice on who I can or cannot tempt. Men are all the same..."

Except Jorin, apparently. If there was one thing Farline and Rinya agreed on, even unconsciously, it was that he was unique. What they disagreed on was how he was unique. Rinya saw Jorin's kindness and patience and saw it as a virtue. Farline saw the same features and viewed them as liabilities. But both women acknowledged that he was quite unusually kind and forgiving, perhaps to a fault.

"It matters because you took my face!" Farline snarled. "You took the one thing most precious to me, over something, someone so useless... and you even have the temerity to call me sad?!" Rinya would never understand. It was starting to look more and more like she'd lost her beauty for no reason at all.

And then Rinya asked where the men she spoke of were. She drew herself up as best she could, gathering the pieces of her tattered dignity. "I don't see why I need to tell you about that," she sniffed slightly. "And in the game, the man is simply a tool to be used. A piece on the game board for both players to manipulate. Whether it be that big, strong Akalak of yours or Jorin, you don't fall into the trap of actually caring about them, any more than you care for a childhood blanket or a favorite toy."

But that sort of thinking was what left Farline alone at the end of the day. She never experienced what Jorin and Rinya had. Never experienced the strength and vulnerability, the intense happiness and sometimes overwhelming sadness that love like that could produce. Jorin and Rinya had opened their hearts to one another. When they were together, they were at their most vulnerable; no defenses were up at all and either one could hurt the other easily if they chose to do so.

But it was also a source of immense strength. Because since they loved one another, they knew the other would never hurt them. And so Rinya was the one person Jorin could unreservedly bare his heart for, knowing she'd treasure it the same way he treasured her heart. And because of that there were no 'games', at least not the sort of games Farline played. Because in the end, no matter who won the silly little games Jorin and Rinya played with one another, they both triumphed. And they both knew that.

But it was something one needed to experience, and Farline for her part never had and likely never would. It wasn't just that she put no stock in love. After all, neither had Rinya at least at first, and she ended up married. Farline didn't just put no stock in the emotion, but her entire worldview was fundamentally incompatible with the idea of loving.

But Jorin's timely arrival interrupted their conversation. Rinya continued to jab and poke at Farline, who just glared back at her. It was clear that she would hate Rinya for the rest of her natural life. If Jorin rejoined the Thespians, she'd likely make their life miserable simply via constant harassment. And while it was probable there was little else she could actually do to them, she knew that she still had some influence over Jorin, as evidenced by his reacting to her words earlier. Both women's eyes were sharp with unspoken warnings to each other, but in the end Farline had walked away.

Jorin for his part, once Farline had left, felt the heavy depression from his wife. Even his kiss, though returned, was not enough to wipe it away. That was new; he felt a lot of things from Rinya in the past when she'd butted heads with Farline. Frustration, definitely. Anger, almost always. But depression? What had the woman said that could have actually gotten to her? And then she said it. That Farline had been 'right', about her always being there, and Jorin sighed.

"No, my love, she is not right," he insisted, looking Rinya directly in the eyes. "Farline is not me. She doesn't get to tell me whether she'll be in my heart or not. It's my heart, and I get to determine who stays there." Jorin lifted one hand to stroke her face, an action he knew she liked.

"Rinya, I don't want Farline in here," he said, squeezing her hand that he'd placed over his heart slightly as he said the word 'here'. "She doesn't belong here, not anymore. When we... fought, I said it right? That I wanted to excise her from our relationship. I meant it." Jorin sighed slightly.

He was no fool. He knew that there were things that Farline had pounded into his soul from their years together, things that would be difficult to remove. He had to essentially re-learn much of what loving truly was. But Rinya had already smashed most of those old lessons. Their first fight was Jorin's epiphany.

"I won't pretend it'll be easy," he concluded finally. "Because it's one thing to say such things, and quite another to actually do them." Jorin shrugged, and grinned slightly. "But you have to start somewhere. I say we begin right this tick."

So Jorin decided to kiss her yet again. Drawing Rinya up to him and gently pressing his lips to hers. His intent was obvious; to show Rinya without a doubt that at that moment she was the only woman in the world. And it was true. It wasn't just when they kissed, either. Farline might be there, at least right now, but she was a ghost. And echo that was fading by the day.

When the kiss ended, Jorin just noted, "Rinya, when have you ever known me to do anything by half?" He looked at her seriously. "I said I would work to excise her, and that's just what I'll do. This heart you love so much is for you only. I don't want to share my love with anyone else." Jorin sighed, then gave Rinya an encouraging smile.

"In any case, one of the best ways to move on past the ghost of Farline is to just simply ignore her," Jorin explained. "And now that she's no longer physically present, that'll be much easier for us to do." And hopefully, if they did it for long enough, she'd simply... ffade away, like as though she'd never been there at all.

Jorin held out his arm for Rinya to take, and as she wrapped her arms around it, he gently led them into a nearby tent. The place was as crowded as Rinya would have remembered from the last time she'd been here. People rushing to and fro, getting last-chime things out of the way. If anything it was even more frenetic than before, the movements across the tents almost a jumbled chaos to the untrained eye.

Jorin's eye was far from untrained though; this was a sight he'd seen many a time over the five years he'd spent among their number. So it was with ease that he wove his way past scurrying stagehands and actors rushing about to reach the rear area, where he could hear Eric's voice over the din, barking out orders in that clipped tone that Jorin had once been so used to.

Two seasons of having not heard it and he'd thought he might forget, but simply being there brought back the years of being at the Thespians, and Jorin was seriously considering Rinya's suggestion of rejoining the Thespians. Had it been anyone else making the suggestion, his own pride would have caused him to simply reject it out of hand. But this was Rinya, his bondmate and his beloved wife. She'd never make any suggestion that didn't have his best interests in mind.

It was a tempting thought, and Rinya for her part seemed sure that Eric would take him back. Jorin for his part wasn't quite as sure, but that might have just been because Eric was the one who kicked him out to start with. Nonetheless it was a question worth asking. As he approached the older stage master, however, Eric noticed the young couple and grinned broadly, waving them over.

"Married already?" he laughed uproariously, clapping Jorin on the shoulder as he approached. "I didn't think you'd move so fast!" he confessed, winking at Rinya. "When you came to me asking about marriage, I thought you were just planning for something far into the future!" Eric chuckled slightly.

He clearly found it rather amusing that she would marry Jorin so quickly. But then he did see it, in her eyes and in her actions. She loved Jorin more than words could describe, which was the prime requisite for a successful marriage. Jorin just grinned in response.

"Hey now, Eric. How many plays have we put on where the hero marries for all the wrong reasons?" he chided. "At least I married RInya for all the right reasons!" he insisted, and Eric's face turned serious for a moment.

"Jorin, I know it sounds fun. And I know you love your wife very much," the older man began. "But a marriage isn't just fun and games," he stressed. "It's a huge responsibility. She's yours now, to treasure and love and take care of for as long as both of you are alive. Just as you are hers. And not all times will be good. Rinya told me about your first fight... there will be others. But if you love one another, those fights won't destroy you, just make you stronger. I just... wanted to make sure that the two of you understood that."

In truth it was too late; the marks upon their necks signifying they were already joined in marriage. Even if they hadn't been aware of it, there was little to be done now. But the truth was, after nearly two seasons of being bonded, in love, and mated, they had already accepted such responsibility for one another. So Jorin just nodded. He didn't even need to think about it. His decision to marry Rinya had been so natural, and as he glanced at her he couldn't help but feel a surge of love for his wife.

"I know," he replied simply, and Eric grunted his acknowledgement. Eric looked over at Rinya to catch her response. He knew what it would probably be, having spoken to the young Kelvic woman before, and her answer was not likely to change. Nonetheless saying it aloud, where people could hear, gave the words conviction.

After the talk of marriage, Jorin wasn't sure how to bring up the subject of rejoining the Thespians. Eric, for his part, was peering at Jorin curiously. He was actually testing the boy, seeing if he had grown up a bit. He had a bit of a surprise for Jorin, sort of a late wedding gift, but he wanted to wait to see if Jorin had the spine to ask him to rejoin the Thespians first before he'd tell him about it.

Could Jorin do it? Or would he choke, and let Rinya ask for him? Eric gave Rinya a warning look, hoping to ward her off. He had no idea if she understood his look, though thankfully Jorin was thinking a bit too hard to have noticed it. If Rinya asked for him then Jorin would have failed the test, but Eric wanted to give the boy as much chance as he could.

Spacer

[Rinya]

Rinya was trying to figure out which one of them was more stubborn. The fact that Farline thought all men were the same—and the cost for those thoughts was very well her face. She had to grit her teeth however at the simple thought that she apparently fell into some kind trap, in loving Jorin. It didn’t matter how much she said it—or how long. Farline always seemed to forget—or chose to ignore—that she never played the game. It made Rinya so irritated because it made all of Farline’s points… pointless. There was no tool; there was no game board for her. Just for Farline—and the woman played that game alone, just the same as the men she toyed with.

Jorin however insisted that Farline was not right. He repeated very nearly the same thing she had told Farline as well—that it was his choice just how affected he was by Farline. Her eyes fluttered shut as he stroked her face, a simple but effective means of comfort to her. "I know you don’t want her in there Jorin. And I know that she doesn’t belong there, but she is there Jorin." It was a long winded sigh that escaped her as she shook her head. Rinya did not doubt his intentions, but it was a very long road he was going to take—nearly by himself. There was only so much influence she could pull for him.

"If it was easy, then she’d be gone already, but I suppose to some extent I’ll be having to do the same—excise her from our relationship that is." Because if Rinya let herself she could let it eat at her, and that would most certainly affect their relationship. Ever wondering if he was thinking about her when they fought. So while Jorin focused on removing Farline from the equation, she would as well. Rinya hummed against his lips. The depression faded to something akin to background sound, something far easier to ignore than the pressing weight against her heart.

"No you don’t do anything by half Jorin." But Rinya also knew that didn’t always mean success. Jorin however was far more persistent than most men—if anyone was likely to pull it off it was him. So she took his arm, wrapping both of hers around his and decided that with Farline officially out of the way—for now—they could probably enjoy seeing the rest of his friends, and father figure in relative peace. If Jorin did decide to join the Thespians, it was going to take a lot of personal self control she could certainly see it now. Though she couldn’t help but wonder if the woman would ever just give up. Probably not…

Jorin weaved her easily through the throng of people moving frantically. Rinya thought with all the work they had done over the past few days that at their pace they probably should have been done. She never realized that the Thespians—even during her previous visit—was so utterly large. Rinya actually felt a little lost as Jorin led her through, but he seemed perfectly in his element despite not having been with the group for almost two seasons now. She could tell if Jorin did decide to rejoin the Thespians that he could easily fall back into this life. He may not want to travel with a family, but she could imagine him still enjoying the traveling.

To his credit Eric spotted them easily among the chaos and the moment they reached him he laughed over the fact that they were indeed married already. Rinya couldn’t help the burn in her cheeks as Eric mentioned that he hadn’t exactly expected them to marry so quickly. She supposed for most it was a longer more drawn out process. Some people took years to marry—but like everything else Rinya and Jorin charged ahead so long as the other was ready. "Well I'd rather not wait on a future not likely to change anyways." Rinya shrugged weakly. She didn't want to bring up that she didn't exactly have the longest lifespan either. She didn't want to wait...

Eric almost seemed to scold both of them however—not in the strictest sense as she already got this talking to, but it still annoyed her to some extent. Yes they were young, and it was far more likely they would make lots of mistakes. Rinya did her best not to let it get to her—it was probably left over from their current run in with Farline. She found her negative emotions were always strung out after a meeting with that petching woman. The older man meant well and that was something Rinya wasn’t used to outside of Jorin. Then again she probably would be completely hermit like without Jorin.

As Jorin agreed with Eric, there suddenly fell an odd silence. She glanced between the two men with a cocked eyebrow. Rinya herself had no idea what Jorin wanted to do—ask Eric to rejoin the Thespians, or just say goodbye. Eric himself shot her an odd look that she didn’t understand and she frowned slightly. Jorin was completely consumed by thought and the bond certainly didn’t clear those up for her. So she did the only thing she could do. Wait for Jorin’s choice—one that could potentially change their lives.

white

[Jorin Ertihan]

Rinya was, as always, greatly calmed by Jorin's words. He did not like to see his wife upset; he loved her smile and was always looking for ways to keep it on her face. For his part, Jorin wasn't sure if he wanted to spend the next few years in close proximity to Farline, which would be what would happen should he rejoin the Thespians. He didn't mention it as a reason for not wishing to rejoin the troupe, not because he wished to lie to Rinya but mainly because he didn't wish to mention Farline at all. He had promised to try to remove her from their relationship.

Rinya seemed to agree, although she was more pessimistic about the chances of it happening fully. She mentioned that neither of them wanted Farline there and yet she was, and that if it were easy, she'd be gone already. Jorin just sighed and nodded. "I guess nothing worth doing is ever easy," he mused, "but at least we'll be doing it together. I'll be relying on you to help me, my love. I'm sure together we'll be able to put this ghost to rest."

When Eric had fallen silent, Jorin knew what was being expected of him, yet still he mirrored the silence. It was really his pride that was preventing him from just straight-up asking Eric to take him back. After all, the man had kicked him out to begin with. Rinya was very convinced that he'd take Jorin back but then that still was no guarantee. And if even Eric turned him down, where would he go?

And there was still the issue of traveling with a family. Both Jorin and Rinya wanted children, and even though she insisted they didn't need to worry about it until spring, that still meant he'd be dragging a pregnant Rinya all over Mizahar. Traveling was stressful as it was; and pregnancy certainly did not help in making it easier. Not to mention Farline would still be physically present, making their attempts at excising her from their relationship that much harder.

But this had been home for five years. Even though Rinya was his home now, Jorin still remembered the laughter and the camaraderie that he still saw among the actors that hurried about, shouting and joking and just in general interacting with one another. Ultimately that was what made the Thespians what they were. It wasn't just the colorful costumes and the dramatic plays, it was the sense of family.

"Eric," Jorin began slowly, his face carefully neutral although he knew Rinya would sense his nervousness across the bond. "I... I would like to come back. To the Thespians, I mean."

There was a brief pause as Eric appeared to consider Jorin's request. One thing was for certain, the older man was certainly a good actor. His face did not show any of the relief he was feeling that Jorin had managed to ask the question he'd wanted him to ask. He simply regarded Jorin for a moment, before asking, "Have you learned, then?"

Off Jorin's questioning look, Eric explained. "When I asked you to leave I had mentioned something. Do you remember, Jorin? I had said that there was a difference between a performer and an actor. Have you learned that difference?"

Jorin thought for a long moment, his mind working over what he'd learned at the Amphitheater over the last few seasons. An actor was a performer, but a performer was not always an actor. The difference was conviction. He was certain of it. "the difference is how seriously you take the work, the art," Jorin replied confidently. "Despite it being my livelihood, I had not taken acting seriously. Arriving late to rehearsals and not being particularly apologetic, playing jokes during practice when I should have been concentrating. Several seasons being an actor at the Amphitheater has taught me that success in acting comes with dedication." Jorin shrugged.

"A performer acts because it's fun for him. An actor acts because it's part of who he is," Jorin concluded. Eric continued to regard Jorin in silence for a few ticks before replying.

"There are a multitude of 'differences' between the two," he responded with a slight twitch of his lips giving away that he wasn't all that angry. "I, of course, have my own opinions; different from yours. But you didn't try to give me the response you thought I would want. Instead you gave me your answer." Eric's smirk broke into a wide grin, signifying that Jorin giving his own answer was in fact exactly what Eric had been looking for. Jorin's shoulders fairly slumped, as relief flooded through his system.

"About the Amphitheater, I can explain..." Jorin tried, but Eric waved him off.

"Do not bother," he sighed. "I am the stage master of the Thespians, I am generally aware of my actors' actions. I don't have the specifics but I know the general gist of what Farline had done." Eric sighed.

"After your then soon-to-be-wife left me the other day, I went to have a talk with that stage manager of yours at the Ampitheater," Eric explained, enjoying the look of surprise on Jorin's face. "I don't believe he knew that Farline was leaving at the end of the season. He was surprisingly... resistant, but let's just say we stage masters have little secrets of our own. Farline may be good at the game, but I've been a stage master for longer than the girl has been alive." With that statement, Eric stepped forward and clapped a hand on Jorin's shoulder.

Jorin's face, and the bond, swirled with a mess of emotions. What was Eric saying? Was he saying what Jorin thought he was saying? He could feel fuzzy emotions coming from Rinya but mostly he was caught in his own feelings, as surges of hope mixed with hesitation caused his heart to beat wildly. Eric ended the suspense with a cheerful laugh.

"Think of it as a late wedding gift from me, Jorin," he chuckled. "And I haven't congratulated you yet. So congratulations! I have to say, you have very good taste. That is one hai of a woman you chose for your wife. She's the whole package: beautiful, strong, and smart. And she loves you deeply, I can see it. A wife like that... you will need to take care of her. Thankfully, you will be able to." At this point the hint was rather obvious, but Eric decided to simply state it outright.

"I was able to convince that stage master of yours to reinstate you," Eric grinned. "Just return to work in the next few days, tell him I sent you. You'll have to start at last billed again, but given how quickly you rose I know you'll do just fine."

Jorin's jaw nearly dropped. Before he could stop himself he turned to Rinya, joy evident on his face as he snagged her by the waist and pressed a kiss to her lips, groaning a bit from the multitude of emotions he was feeling at that moment. It was just so wonderful to be able to share a moment like that with someone. Eric just stepped back, letting the two young love birds have their space as he brought one hand up to her neck and the other down to her waist, pressing Rinya up against him as he continued to kiss her strongly.

It was a different sort of joy. It wasn't like the moment when he realized he was married to the woman he loved more than any other. It wasn't like the day he managed to land the job at the Amphitheater. Like love, happiness it seemed was different for every situation. In this case, it was more of a relieving sort of joy; he was secure in the knowledge that he could once again take care of his wife, and wouldn't have to drag a pregnant Rinya across the map. It didn't even matter that he would once again be kicked to the bottom. He worked his way up once before. He could do it again.

But like everything else when it came to Rinya, Jorin's body started acting on its own. He had kissed her because he was feeling such happiness and he wanted to share it with her. But his tongue darted out almost of its own volition, slipping into her mouth and he could hear a moan as he kissed her even more strongly. He wasn't even sure which one of them had moaned, so fogged was his head with love, happiness, and want. Somewhere in the back of his head he knew this was exactly the wrong place to be doing this.

A soft cough from Eric, probably repeated several times but he hadn't heard them, cut through the fog. With tremendous reluctance, Jorin broke off the kiss, gasping for breath when he realized how long he'd been kissing her. His face was flushed, but he felt no embarrassment or shame for having kissed her so... vigorously in public. It was only after he broke it off that he noticed the Thespians had broken into a chorus of cheers and whistles, and Eric was grinning broadly at them.

"Well now, I can see why it took you so long to get to me," he quipped with a wry smirk. "If that's how you kiss, I'm surprised that you even left your home these last few days!" Eric laughed. Jorin's face turned an even deeper color of scarlet, but he couldn't find it in himself to regret kissing Rinya like that. It felt natural and right. And besides he loved her. What was wrong with kissing the woman he loved?

"Thank you Eric," Jorin said finally, after he'd found his voice again.

He was still pressing his wife up against him, and he knew it was a very intimate position to be in, but he couldn't bring himself to care. So he simply hugged her even tighter to himself, his hand that had been on her neck going between her shoulders as he embraced her, before allowing her freedom of movement again so that she could get into a more comfortable position facing Eric. Nonetheless, he kept one arm snuggled comfortably around her waist.

"For taking care of me during those five years I was with you... for looking out for me even when I didn't know it. For getting me my job back..." Jorin explained, even though the look on Eric's face showed he didn't need to. Eric just waved it off.

"Jorin, my boy, you're like a son to me. Of course I'd look out for you. You get your buttocks back to that Amphitheater and you make it, like you said you would," Eric insisted with an encouraging smile. "And you make sure to take good care of that pretty little wife of yours!" Jorin nodded.

"Of course," he replied. Seemingly satisfied, Eric turned to Rinya.

"And that goes for you too, young lady," he chided gently. "Your husband needs a strong woman like you." Eric sighed. "I hate to say this, but Jorin is too kind for his own good... he's capable of defending himself but he's too kind-hearted to do it. He needs someone strong, and patient, and loving. I know you can be all three for him."

Even though Eric didn't know the details of how they met, or what they had gone through, he could tell just by watching their interaction, and how effortlessly Jorin had kissed his wife, that she would be everything Jorin needed to survive the sometimes cruel world out there.

"You look after my boy, alright?" he requested, eyes somewhat misty as he looked Rinya in the eye. Jorin really was like a son to him, and like any father, Eric found it harder to let go than he originally thought. "Make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble..."

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[Rinya]

"Maybe not, but some days I wish that wasn’t true." Rinya grumbled under her breath slightly. Rinya didn’t want to know what Jorin would have been like if anything in his life didn’t go exactly as it did—including Farline—but that didn’t always make it easier to deal with either. "I’ll do the best I can for you Jorin." Rinya shrugged slightly. There wasn’t anything else she could really do for him. Farline would be far easier to forget about for her, than him. She never imagined first love seeing as Jorin was technically her first. However to forget him would be impossible—then again he was nothing like Farline either.

The silence between the two men was starting to worry her a little. Rinya wasn’t sure if this was a natural occurrence, staring at one another. She could feel Jorin’s nervousness—the tension. Yet he managed to finally get out the statement that was going to change their lives. Jorin had decided he wanted to rejoin the group. In the back of her mind she realized that meant she was going to be spending quite a bit of time around Farline—the joy. However Eric continued to be silent, a near blank canvas until he finally asked Jorin if he had learned.

Rinya frowned while Jorin himself was confused. The petch…? Was there something specific that Eric had asked of Jorin before he had kicked him out? Jorin had never mentioned it and Eric himself left the actual question out when she had come to see him about the wedding. Eric had told her that she had expected Jorin to return after being kicked from the Thespians. If that had been the plan, just what exactly was Eric playing at? Eric’s explanation just left her all the more confused on top of it. Though it was to be expected she supposed—she knew nothing of the difference between an actor and performer. Honestly she thought they were the same thing.

Jorin obviously had thought the answer through however. She had only seen the serious Jorin that worked hard at his job, not the Jorin he described to be living off a lifestyle without caring about it. When she had met him he hadn’t been able to find a job in the first place—perhaps that alone set him on the straight and narrow path. The moment Eric let off that there were many difference between the two however it caused her to groan. She hated those kind of riddles and questions with hidden agendas behind them. Either way he seemed pleased by Jorin’s answer.

"General ‘gist’ is putting it lightly." Rinya growled to herself, looking away from the men. The woman was out to ruin her life. Maybe Rinya should have seriously tried to cost Farline her own job instead of just her face—but then she could always find another job herself. Probably with the Amphitheater thanks to that miserable stage master, and that left Rinya still without pity for the girl’s face. It was the only truly permanent way to show the woman… petch it Farline hadn’t learned a thing from that either.

Rinya was a little surprised that Eric had gone to the stage master much like she had wanted to. Even Jorin couldn’t even out his emotions enough. It left her a little dazed and confused—it was pointless in trying to keep up with the two of them it seemed.

As her head buzzed with a multitude of emotions, mostly from Jorin, she barely caught that the man had managed to get the stage master to back down and let Jorin back into the Amphitheater—as a wedding gift. Rinya herself was several ticks behind as she tried to process both emotion and words. She could feel her face heat as Eric praised Jorin for finding a girl like her—Rinya didn’t see herself as a rare type of breed really. Those descriptors could fill several women in Riverfall, like Kirsi—perhaps minus the love. She didn’t have time to say anything against the words however.

Jorin grasped her by the waist quickly, pulling her to him and kissing her as if she had been the one to get him his job back. She barely had time to squeal from surprise. The joy coursing through him clearly affected her mood as she grinned like a fool against his lips. He was so thrilled that Rinya couldn’t actually do much other than wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him back. Eric was quickly forgotten in Jorin’s joy—much less the rest of the tent.

Even as Jorin slipped his tongue into her mouth and causing her to moan without thought, just reaction. Not even a background thought that they had quite the audience by this point. She would have been more than happy to just continue kissing him if it wasn’t for Eric and his interruption. However the moment the kiss was broken, Rinya could feel the eyes on them and she instantly buried her face into the side of his neck right next to his Cheva mark. It didn’t help that Eric mentioned leaving their home—at all. Rinya didn’t want to admit that they couldn’t keep their hands off each other, as it was clearly obvious now.

Jorin thanked Eric, and she knew that there was no way for him to show just how much he appreciated Eric. The time well spent learning under him and the return of his job. However she still couldn’t keep the bright red flush as he insisted that Jorin needed someone like her. She agreed instantly that Jorin was too nice for his own good—it was probably the only reason why she had a chance with him at all. Most men would never put up with her temper. "I will. Promise." Her voice was timid, more from the attention than the fact that she couldn’t fulfill the promise.

Rinya wasn’t entirely surprised when Jorin released her just long enough to hug the man he considered a second father. It was quite possible he would never seem him again—a very saddening thought if Rinya was to admit to it. She wouldn’t be entirely surprised if there was a soft melancholy that followed the next few days. Nothing like depression or true sadness, but Jorin was officially letting go of a family he loved for five years. And she was alright with that—it was understandable. She would be there with him when she could be to remind him that not all his family had gone.

So as they finally wandered from the tents to make their way back home, one thought crossed Rinya’s mind. One that she couldn’t help but grin over. "Thank the gods... I won’t have to spend the next few seasons putting up with Farline!"

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[Jorin Ertihan]

Rinya's embarassment was obvious after their intense kiss, her reddened face pressed into his neck when she realized they had an audience. Jorin just squeezed her waist tighter against himself to try to comfort her, to tell her it would be alright. The Thespians were a good bunch, perhaps a bit rowdy but like the Amphitheater the majority of them were good people. And he could see from their faces that they were happy for him, that he had finally found his happiness in Rinya.

Jorin had not really wanted to leave Rinya's side, but Eric had been his father figure for many years. In some ways, he had been more of a father than Rosik had ever been. He had gently encouraged Jorin when he was nervous, and praised him when he did well. He was stern when he needed to be yet was always there with a good word for him when he deserved it. It was probably why Jorin had been so distraught when Eric had kicked him out.

"Thank you for everything, Eric," Jorin got out, his voice thick and a bit strained with emotion. It was harder than he thought it would be to say goodbye. There was just something so permanent to 'goodbye'. Like he'd never see Eric again, and the idea caused a feeling of faint melancholy to settle in his gut. Nothing like the depression before, but he might never see Eric ever again...

"We'll meet again," he insisted, with a strained smile. Even though he tried to put some conviction into his voice, using his trademark optimism, he knew his wife would feel across the bond that he wasn't confident at all. He, Eric, and Rinya all knew the chances of them ever meeting again were minuscule. The Thespians were a traveling actor's troupe, after all. By this time next year they could be halfway across the world.

"Of course," Eric replied, with as much false confidence as Jorin, extending the charade. He knew why Jorin had insisted on those words. Eric himself had problems saying goodbye. Even when Jorin hadn't returned to the Thespians, opting instead to first stick around with Rinya and then go for the Amphitheater, at least he was still there. But in a few short days, the Thespians would be gone. And Eric would not be able to check in on, or look out for him any longer.

The two men embraced, neither one saying the word. Goodbye. It was such a simple word but both refused to say it, preferring to cling to the possibility that they might meet again in the future. Unlikely? Probably. But Jorin preferred to consider the best side of things first. There was a slim chance they might meet again, so he chose to believe that it would happen. As Rinya often chided him about, he was the eternal optimist.

Once Jorin had said his 'goodbyes' to Eric, he mingled in with a few more of the gathered actors and associated stagehands before finally heading home. As he did, he sensed tremendous relief from his wife. Were crowds really that big an issue for her?

"Thank the gods... I won’t have to spend the next few seasons putting up with Farline!"

Jorin paused for a moment. Then he began to chuckle. The chuckle turned into a small laugh. And the laugh burst into guffaws as he held his side, eyes twinkling with mirth and amusement at Rinya's words. To anyone else it might have been seen as rude, but he knew Rinya would understand. They knew each other well enough now that she wouldn't take offense to it. Once he'd calmed down he gave her a playful smirk.

"I thought we were excising her from our relationship," he joked. "But yes. It'll be a new season, and the start of our new lives. Together. Every single time we take a new step like this we get a bit closer to each other." Jorin leaned in and kissed her briefly to emphasize his point.

"Come on, Rinya," he sighed contentedly, looking at Syna's rapidly dying light on the horizon. "Let's go home."

~Fin~

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[Translucent]

Congratulations On Your Hard Work!

Jorin Ertihan:
XP:+2 observation, +3 socialization, +2 rhetoric
Lores:Saying good bye, Letting go of past hurts, Marriage is a responsibility, Eric’s Gift

Player:Rinya
XP:+1 persuasion, +5 rhetoric, +1 intimidation, +1 socialization
Lores:Suggestion to go with the Thespians, Facing an enemy, Farline’s threats,

Notes: Just a note, a healer like Kavala or Caelum with Rak’Kelli’s mark could have recovered Farline’s face to flawlessness. 

As always PM me if you have issues.