A Love Unremarked On|Malagard, Khelek

[Kender Bard]

Delilah sipped at the mulled cider the Etafian priests were handing out to any and all who wished to take refuge in their wing against the spirits that returned this night. There weren't a great deal--there was Crawford and her, of course, and five others who kept to themselves plus two priests.

She'd brought a book with her but it lay untouched. She wasn't really in the mood for reading. Locket had invited both of them to stay in the Soahcian wing with her and her children but Delilah had said she would stay by Crawford all night instead.

She set the mug down and leaned over to kiss Crawford's cheek. "Quiet here," she remarked.

[Darastrix]

"Mm," Crawford murmured in agreement. "It usually is, but I think it's even more so tonight." He wondered, as he sometimes did, whether he might see any of his former family. Likely not, he supposed. That was a pain that had long since faded, and what would any of them have to say to one another?

[Kender Bard]

Delilah slipped her hand in his and remained quiet; her thoughts were mulling over Ragnar. Was he alive? If he was not, would she see him?

One of the priests went to the archway that led to the central temple room, then pulled away and made her way to the two of them. "Spirits cannot easily enter this sanctum," she began. "There is one without who is asking for you, Lady Delilah."

Ragnar. Delilah's heart constricted. "Is it a man?"

"It is."

Delilah swallowed hard and glanced at Crawford. "Come with me."

[Darastrix]

Crawford felt something inside give a painful twist. Etaf, not Ragnar.... He squeezed Delilah's hand gently and nodded.

[Kender Bard]

"I'll go to him," Delilah announced. The priest bowed and left them. Delilah headed out of the Etafian wing, nervous. "Ragnar?" she called out softly as she looked around.

The ghost who appeared before her was not Ragnar, but Delilah gasped in shock all the same. He was tall; of a height with Crawford. His hair was worn in a long braid and he was dressed exquisitely in fine clothing of the Grandisle style. "Delilah," the apparition said. He sounded as nervous as Delilah had felt moments before, anxiety and something more, something longing, mingling in his voice.

"Titus," Delilah whispered, wide-eyed.

[Darastrix]

Crawford regarded Titus in surprise. So, this was Delilah's late husband. What did he want? To just see Delilah or to give his opinion on his relationship with her? He sincerely hoped that Titus wasn't jealous like the Morilantan Delilah had been.

"Do you want me to go?" he murmured quietly

[Kender Bard]

"No," the two of them said in unison. Delilah seemed surprised.

"I have no problem with your presence, Brad Crawford," Titus told him. "I've kept a close eye on you and my former wife... And I've seen how you treat her and how she responds to you. I'm glad that she's found someone who can love her as I should have in life."

"Titus... I'm sorry," Delilah murmured. "For... Lots of things, I suppose."

Titus smiled sadly. "Don't be my dear. You've punished yourself over the years and for what? You tried to caution me against flying into Gingtaras's trap and I wouldn't listen. The fault was mine; I'm sorry I left you alone and devestated our people."

"Our people are broken more, still."

"Yes," Titus sighed. "Though there was nothing you could have done about that either. Gingtaras has made a strong ally in Morilanta; just as you have in Anarlina. I'm pleased you've agreed to continue to rule over Firegem's survivors. You're a better ruler than I was. I went to court with reluctance, pulled by the chain of duty."

"As was I."

Titus grinned. "Yes, well, at least you did it with style." He turned his attention back to Crawford. "You have no idea how grateful I am that you rescued her. If it weren't for you, she'd be dead or worse now. When I was dying, some madness seized me and I spoke poorly chosen words. They led Gingtaras to believe that Delilah had some sort of conspiracy against him to bring him down."

[Darastrix]

"I couldn't leave her," Crawford said, quietly. "It would have destroyed me." Forces, if it were Delilah visiting him here instead.... He thought that would have broken him, if he somehow hadn't been already broken from seeing the vision of what Morilanta and Fireteeth did to Grandisle.

[Kender Bard]

"I understand," Titus said quietly.

"Why not of all times to see me?" Delilah demanded of Titus now that the shock was beginning to wear off. "For years I've mourned your loss; never once did you come on Spirit Night!"

"A part of it was that I didn't think you'd recover well," Titus said. "But... I think a large part of it was also that I was afraid to hurt you more. But you're in good hands now, so I came to say farewell. I hope that you live a long and happy afterlife, my dear, and that it will be decades still until I can see you again in the flesh, as it were."

"So you won't come again?"

"No," Titus answered. "I don't think it'll be necessary, really. But I'll watch over you, as I always have." He gave Crawford a stern look. "I think it goes without saying that if you don't take as good of care of her as I believe you will, you're in for quite the haunting."

[Darastrix]

A faint smile flitted across Crawford's face, and he bowed his head in acknowledgement. "I expect nothing less," he told Titus. "And I'm rather certain that our friends wouldn't let me hear the end of it, either." If nothing else, Schuldig was always too happy to call him out on his bullshit.

[Kender Bard]

Titus smiled at that and lay a hand on Delilah's head, or at least made the illusion of it. It made Delilah smile at least. "Take care of yourself, my queen. Live long and happily, all right?"

"I will," Delilah said. "I still miss you. You were my best friend."

"And you were mine. I expect you to get a lot done so we can have years of things to talk about when we meet again."

When he faded away Delilah let out her breath. That had been bittersweet. Her heart twisted sadly at his departure, but she was still smiling. "That was good of him," she said quietly. "And I'm glad you got to meet him."

[Darastrix]

"So am I," Crawford murmured. "And it was nice to be reminded that there can be pleasant reunions on this night."