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[Mallory Ventrue]

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Mallory stretched as the warm morning sun entered through her window. As she opened her eyes she heard the birds outside and she smiled to herself. Surely it would be a beautiful day, already warm and full of promise. She threw back the covers and sat up and stretched her arms to the sky. Her mind raced back to the evening prior and as she recalled the prior evening her lips formed a gentle smile.

She had not received a message from Claudette, but having told Smiticles that she would meet him at the Freehold, as soon as she had finished her daily duties she made her way there hoping she had not missed him. The thought of seeing him again made her very happy, and she only wished that it was for other reasons. She couldn’t help but think that once they found the cure for Brianha perhaps they would go their separate ways again. As she walked in she gazed quickly around the room and she soon found Smiticles, Brianha and Claudette up at the bar. She couldn’t help but notice Smiticles’ eyes were rimmed in red and he looked extremely upset about something. She worried that something had occurred with Brianha and she made her way over to them. Claudette suggested they all retire to the large table. Through bits and pieces from Claudette and Brianha, Mallory was informed that Max had left the guild after being confronted about the possibility of Ceinwyn’s involvement in the loss of Brianha’s memory. During this Mallory noticed next to her Smiticles was becoming very agitated and she gently placed a hand on his to try to calm him. She did not realize in the midst of the conversation that he did not pull away. A little later when she looked back and noticed her hand still on his hand, she smiled slightly. After listening to all of the evenings events, they discussed the necessity of finding a cure for Brianha. It was then that Ceinwyn herself entered the room. All eyes turned toward the drow lady as she made her way to their table. Mallory instinctively held onto Smiticle’s hand tighter as she drew closer. She didn’t know if she did it for her own sense of comfort or to keep him from doing something rash, but she knew it felt comfortable. Something that was said caused Brianha to abruptly leave the table. It was not kept a secret that Nicodemus and Smiticles in particular did not care for the drow woman and she added fuel to the fire by asking where Max was. She left and soon Claudette followed the other two women downstairs. Mallory was listening to Hugh start to tell a tale and the things he was saying made her feel very uncomfortable so she excused herself from the table, and made her way downstairs.

Before long, Smiticles came down and they made their way over to the small pond area away from the rest of the crowd. Part of Mallory felt guilty because she knew they should be helping the others with Brianha, but she was enjoying the time she was spending with Smiticles. He took her hand in hers and they spoke of the mind loss of Brianha and the recent split of Max from the rest of the guild. She sat and listened as he expressed his fear and his hurt of Max’s betrayal and the future for the guild. They were all more a family then a guild and they hadn’t lost only a member, but a friend and a brother. She assured Smiticles that things would work out for the best and she would do anything she could to help. As the night grew late they both realized the need to retire, yet neither wanted to be the first to leave. They talked much and Smiticles sang a lovely song that made Mallory smile. As they were leaving, Mallory noticed he had trouble with the simple stable latch and she laughed to herself wondering how much of the evening he would remember the next morning, if any.

As Mallory finished getting ready for the day ahead she worried that perhaps it was the drink talking and not the man. She figured only time would tell, and if nothing else she knew she had found an unexpected friend in the midst of tragedy. She decided to write him a note to let him know that she would certainly welcome another visit with him.


Dear Smiticles,

Thank you for a lovely evening last night. I hope that you found your way home safe.

In Virtue and Friendship,
Mallory Rowdep


Thinking for a moment she ran down to her small flower garden and plucked a small flower and placed it in the note and wrote below…

Think of me...

She smiled hoping he would remember the reasoning for this gesture. She allowed the ink to dry. She closed the note and used a bit of sealing wax to close it, and turned it over and wrote Smiticles Cernach, Riverrun, Vesper. She then sent it with her messenger to the town of Riverrun.
_________________
Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you always know they are there...

Shabam 07:41PM actually meet me somewhere!
Shabam 07:41PM I looked at t.v....
Shabam 07:41PM and got lost

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

[Smiticles]

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He worried as he turned the small note over and over again in his hands. Its from Mallory and its probably telling me she never wants to see me again after seeing me in such a drunken state, and the gods only know what I may have said to her…he fretted out loud to his empty garden.

Opening the seal he smiled brightly as the little flower fell out and spiraled its way down to his feet. Well that’s a pleasant sign, he whispered. He grew more relieved as he read the simple, one line message. He grew delighted when he read the quickly penned post script. Think of me…I find myself thinking of you a great deal. He laughed at himself for worrying over such a silly little thing. So she saw me drunk and she wasn’t upset. I’m sure I must have poured my heart out to her for she’s not displeased at all. I believe she is as smitten as I am.

Mallory had quickly become his grounding foundation. To Smiticles it seemed everything in his life was unraveling and there she was, gathering up the loose threads and spinning him back together.

He quickly went to his desk to pen a reply.

My dearest Mallory;

I offer you my most heartfelt and sincere apologies for my behavior last eve. Although I was bit unruly in my youth, I can assure you that those days are far behind me. My recent behavior was an abnormality brought on by the stress of the current affairs.

Your note (and the little flower) brought a wonderful smile to my face. You have brightened my day. Think of you? Lately I can do nothing else but think of you. I must confess that I long to you see you and hold your hand once again.

Yours truly,
Smiticles

As he was about to seal the envelope he hesitated. He reached up for one of the older books on his shelf. Blowing away the dust and thumbing the pages he discovered just what he wanted. He slowly transcribed the words from the book to the bottom of the note…

Love and harmony combine,
And round our souls entwine
While thy branches mix with mine,
And our roots together join.

Joys upon our branches sit,
Chirping loud and singing sweet;
Like gentle streams beneath our feet
Innocence and virtue meet.

Thou the golden fruit dost bear,
I am clad in flowers fair;
Thy sweet boughs perfume the air,
And the turtle buildeth there.

There she sits and feeds her young,
Sweet I hear her mournful song;
And thy lovely leaves among,
There is love, I hear his tongue.

There his charming nest doth lay,
There he sleeps the night away;
There he sports along the day,
And doth among our branches play.*

Satisfied he sealed the note and arranged for its safe delivery to his new love.



*Footnote
I am terrible with poetry so I borrowed and must give credit where credit is due. This poem is entitled Love & Harmony by William Blake.