I'm Here To Stay

[Artigas]

Artigas opened his eyes, lifting a hand to his face to shield his eyes from the early morning sun that lit up the room. Momentarily he forgot where he was and then it all came flooding back to him, propping himself up on his elbows, he looked around the room and it only confirmed that he was no longer in his home and the events of the day before had not been a dream. Glancing to the side, he looked to the space next to him in the bed and saw Mariahya still sleeping soundly next to him. He didn't want to disturb her, so as quietly as he could, he drew back the sheets that covered him and climbed out of the bed.

It didn't take him long to locate his clothes and he soundlessly crossed the room and began to dress himself, knowing that once he'd changed into his familiar clothes, he'd feel a lot more comfortable, especially if anyone were to disturb them now. He didn't bother to put on his armour, he had no need to wear it when he wasn't in danger of being attacked and he knew that he was perfectly safe staying there under Mariahya's protection, she'd already voiced how she wouldn't let her warriors harm him and he trusted her. He didn't know if she had plans already for that day, he knew that she was probably a busy person, especially when she had to lead her people and although he hoped that they could spend the day together, he was confident that he'd be able to find something else to occupy his time if she was busy.

Crossing back over to the bed, he sat down on the edge, watching her for a few moments before reaching over to place a hand gently onto her shoulder. He felt guilty about having to wake her, especially as he wasn't sure how long she usually got to sleep for, but he also knew that usually he'd be awake by now and he didn't know if it was late for her or she'd overslept like he had. "Mari" he called her name softly as he leant over the bed to her and softly shook her shoulder in an attempt to rouse her, hoping that he didn't scare her in the process.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Don’t let me slip away…I need you here till the very end…so stay here with me.. Artigas Mariahya didn’t remember when she fell asleep or what time it was, but all she knew was that she had to have slept very well because for the first time in a long time, she did not wake up once in the middle of the night. She was warm and comfortable. And she could feel an arm over her body. At one point, she finally woke up but kept her eyes closed. She just listened and could hear movement and smiled to herself. All of the night before came back to her. Before she knew it, Artigas was shaking her shoulder. She moaned softly, playfully, and opened her eyes slowly, blinking through her eyelashes. “Good morning…” She said gently, a smile playing on her lips. Artigas was immaculate in the morning sunlight. She let her hand find his and she slipped it into his. She closed her eyes again and smiled. “I don’t want to get out of bed today..” She giggled softly and rolled over to lay on her stomach, her face buried into the pillow. Her bed was too comfortable to want to leave just yet.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

"Morning" he greeted her, once she'd spoken and he was sure that she was awake "sorry for waking you" he apologised, he felt slightly guilty for having to wake her but he knew that the guilt wouldn't last long, not when he could spend every waking moment in her company. He felt her hand in his and he looked down to look at their hands, giving hers a gentle squeeze as a smile appeared on his face. "Did you sleep well?" he'd definitely slept well, even if he was in an unfamiliar place, sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, having her beside him had helped him to sleep. She looked happy and that was reassuring to the man, he couldn't imagine ever making her unhappy, not on purpose at least.

When she said that she didn't want to get out of bed, Artigas couldn't help but laugh. He couldn't imagine spending the whole day in bed. If he slept in back in Trikru, it wouldn't be long before somebody came to wake him. He couldn't remember ever being allowed to spend the whole day in bed, only when he was seriously sick or injured and that was rare. "We can't stay in bed all day" he told her gently, hopefully it wasn't normal for trishana to sleep in, Artigas didn't think he'd ever be able to get used to that. He needed something to do, a job, some direction and he wouldn't find that by lying around in bed, even if it meant passing up the opportunity to spend more time alone with Mariahya before having to leave the room and attempting to fit into a clan that was so different from his own.

He let out a sigh and lay back on the bed beside her again "what are the plans for today?" he asked, turning on his side to face her, although her face was buried in the pillow so he wasn't sure if she'd heard him or not. He figured that she must've had plans before he arrived and probably disrupted everything that she'd had in mind. He wasn't exactly sorry for that, at least they were together now, they didn't have all of that distance separating them.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Don’t let me slip away…I need you here till the very end…so stay here with me.. Artigas Mari moaned softly when Artigas said they couldn’t stay in bed all day. Feeling his body shift on the bed, she rolled back over and looked up at him smiling. “You didn’t wake me…” She kept her eyes on him. “I was trained to wake up at the slightest noise…and in these woods, a butterfly could wake me.” She laughed softly. She turned her body in her bed and faced him. “But I did sleep well… thank you.” She smiled and leaned up to kiss his lips gently. At his question, she signed and smiled. “Well…meeting my mom and brother…if you’re up to it…I know they would love to meet you.” She ran her hand against his cheek gently. Mari was a bit nervous about Hartley and her mother meeting Artigas, but at the same time she knew how happy her brother would be to meet the man that made Mari so happy all those years ago. And her mother would most definitely want to meet the man that Mari was madly in love with. But would Artigas still want to meet them? “And after that….well….I guess I have people to lead….” She smirked and laughed gently, pressing her face against his chest. “I love you….” She whispered against his neck. She was head over heels and beyond happy to have the man she loved in her bed.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

When Mariahya told him that he hadn't woken her, Artigas was relieved that he hadn't disturbed her sleep but he was also slightly embarrassed that she'd heard him get up and walk around the room collecting his clothes. "I'm glad that I didn't wake you" he muttered and when she kissed him, he couldn't help but smile through the kiss. He was also glad that she'd managed to sleep well, even though she probably wasn't used to sharing her bed, he wasn't used to sharing his bed with anyone either and was pleasantly surprised by how well he'd managed to sleep. It seemed as though having her next to him helped him to sleep because he definitely felt more rested than he had in a while.

Her suggestion made the smile disappear from his face, he knew that he'd have to meet her family eventually, he just hadn't thought that it'd be so soon. He was worried about meeting her mother and her brother, he couldn't help but think that they wouldn't like him, despite her claiming that they would. "If it'll make you happy then I'll meet them" he told her, the smile slowly made it's way back onto his face although it was smaller this time. He'd do anything to make her happy, he knew that much and if agreeing to meeting her family would make her happy then he was willing to do it, he just hoped that they approved of him.

"People to lead" he repeated her words as she buried her head into his chest. That would take some getting used to, the idea of her leading her people was hard to adjust to. The girl he'd met in the forest when he was a kid hadn't been a leader, not yet, she'd had the makings of a great leader in her but now she was the real deal. He wasn't keen on the idea of having to share her with her people but he'd get used to it, the more time he spent in Trishana, he was eager to learn their ways and adjust to their way of live and to see how they differed from Trikru. Hearing her whisper, the smile on his face broadened and he was sure that he'd never get bored with hearing those words from her "I love you too" he muttered, holding her close as he lay beside her. As the moments passed, the idea of leaving the bed grew less appealing but he knew that they'd have to move soon.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Don’t let me slip away…I need you here till the very end…so stay here with me.. Artigas Mari giggled softly watching Artigas’s smile fall from his lips at the mention of Hartley and her mother. She looked up at him and squeezed his hand gently. “It would make me very happy…and I promise…they won’t bite.” She smirked and bit her bottom lip cutely. She knew how intimidating it would be for Artigas to meet her family, especially considering she was of a different clan and a leader to her people. But her mother was so eager to meet then man she was in love with and Hartley has been wondering who the mystery man is since they day she and Artigas met. It was time…it had been 5 years. When he repeated her words she smiled against his chest. She too found it weird that she was now in control and held so much power. She was not the controlling type, but being in charge required her to be. Her predecessors saw something in her from a young age and she had no choice but to live with their decisions. She wasn’t one to run from responsibility. She knew it was her right to take on the honor bestowed upon her. Besides that, she had to avenge her father. Somehow protect her family and people from the Mountain. She needed them to be safe. Artigas’s words brought her back to reality. Hearing him repeat the phrase to her calmed her. She smiled and cuddled into his side as he pulled her closer. She sighed against him and kissed his chest gently, then his neck, before setting on his lips. She pulled back and then rested her head in the crook of his neck. She could stay in his arms all day. Nothing could ruin her now. She had Artigas….and with Artigas all was right.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

Artigas didn't want to disappoint her, he wanted to make her happy and he knew that she really wanted him to meet her family. It meant a lot to her to be able to introduce him to the people that meant the most of her and no matter how nervous he was about meeting the people that had raised her, he didn't have the heart to turn her down. Smiling at her words he nodded his acceptance "then I guess I'm meeting your family today" he answered her, but saying it out loud didn't make the idea any less terrifying. He'd never been in this situation before, everyone in his village knew each other, so there was no need for anything like this to happen... Unless the person you loved came from a different village. "For the record, it was never their bite that I was worried about" there was a whole host of other things that concerned him about the situation. What if they didn't like him, he'd travelled all the way from his village to fine Mari but it would all mean nothing if her family disliked him, he wanted to be in her life but driving a rift between her and the people that she loved was not his intention and he wouldn't stick around if that's what his presence did.

He had no objections to her staying in bed for a couple more minutes, especially when she seemed to want to spend those minutes by his side. However, they couldn't stay in bed all day, especially when she was obviously a busy person... He didn't think it would be an easy task to try to lead people from their bed. "If we're to go see your mother, we've got to get up" he muttered, keeping his voice low so as to not surprise her. He placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head but made no attempt to move, allowing her to have the final say in whether or not they were to get up, if she wasn't ready to move from the bed then he would not force her to.

It was impossible for him to be able to tell what it was going to be like for them after they left the bed. The bedroom was like their own little sanctuary, tucked away from the other villagers and when they left, Artigas would be faced with a whole community of new people who didn't know him and he didn't know how willingly they would accept him into their clan, they might see him as a threat, he didn't expect his life to be as comfortable amongst the Trishana people as it was when he was in Tondc, at least not at first.

Mariahya

[Mariahya]

Don’t let me slip away…I need you here till the very end…so stay here with me.. Artigas Mari smiled when he agreed to meeting mom and Hartley. That was all she could ever want. The love of her life and her family finally meeting. At his words regarding their bite, she laughed softly. “Please Artigas, I know that it is worrisome being from outside my world…worrying what they will think of you. But my mother is happy I found someone who loves me…and Hartley just wants someone to take care of me….someone who isn’t going to use me…and I’ve known from day one that you would never do that. You promised me you wouldn’t and I believe you….and they will too.” She pressed her hand against his cheek gently and smiled. Kissing his lips gently, she rested against him and moaned gently when he mentioned moving again. “Yes…you’re right…” She whispered against his skin. Pushing up off of the bed, she leaned down and kissed his lips again. She wished for one moment that she could be anyone but the leader…she could stay here with him all day and not have to face the day. But that could never happen…not ever again. She would be the leader of her people until someone said otherwise. Sitting at the edge of her bed she smiled as the sun came in through her window. Wrapping a sheet around her, she went to her dresses and pulled out a deep maroon one before slipping it over her body. Turning to face him, she smiled before making her way to the vanity. Pulling her fingers through her hair, she braided it down her back before tying it with a ribbon. Smiling at him from the mirror, she laughed softly. She still couldn’t believe that all of this had happened. She turned to face him again. “I’m so happy…” She said gently.

BY SKYLARK'S FOLLY AT ADOXOGRAPHY & CAUTION

[Artigas]

Artigas trusted her but it didn’t stop him from worrying, he just really wanted her mother and brother to like him. He had been willing to leave his clan and his family for her and he hoped that they could see just how much he loved Mariahya. Leaving everything behind and relocating to join another clan was a big deal and he would not have done it had he not loved her, he hoped that they could see it that way. Leaning into her touch when he felt her hand upon his cheek, Artigas smiled “I just want you to be happy, I want them to like me… Or at least see how I feel about you” he told her. Before he’d met her he’d had no idea that it was possible to love someone as much as he loved her and that just made it even more important for him to win over her family, because now that he’d found her, he didn’t want to leave her again and he didn’t think he’d be welcome if he tried to return to his village now that he had left his clan behind.

Her reluctance to leave the bed brought a laugh from Artigas, he’d never thought that he’d get to wake up next to her and now he got to experience first hand how she acted in the mornings. She was such a different person here than she was when he’d seen her dealing with her people the day before. He found himself falling deeper in love with her with every passing second that they spent together and he loved that he’d got to see the two different sides to her. “I don’t want to be” he muttered after she kissed him and he watched her climb out of the bed, although he doubted that that would be of any consolation. He forced himself to sit up and move to the edge of the bed, if he was in Tondc he would have been up hours ago, he couldn’t start to get lazy just because he was in a new place or just because he wanted to spend the mornings lounging in bed with Mari.

He watched as she got ready to leave, all too aware that their time alone would soon be at an end, even if he knew that if luck was on their side they’d have the rest of their lives together. As she turned to face him from her place in front of the mirror, he got to his feet, a smile appearing on his face as she spoke because all he wanted was for her to be happy, he wanted to bring her happiness and to keep her safe from harm… Even if he had no doubt about her ability to protect herself. Walking over to her from his place by the bed, he took her face gently in his hands and kissed her lips softly “you have no idea how happy it makes me to know that you’re happy” he breathed, laughing softly as he looked down at her.

Mariahya