OOM: Eleni Cooper's House (Tortall)
After giving the Bazhir who guard his mother's house the signal that allows him to pass without challenge, George stands before the familiar door, marked with the healer's symbol. He stopped by the Dove on his way here and confirmed that his Mother is in fact at home, and not at sir Myles' keep, where she's been spending much of her time lately. George likes Myles very much, cares a great deal for the older man, but for this he'd rather not have to have this conversation with anyone else present.
He presses his forehead against the door for a moment, trying to get himself as together as possible. Then, taps a simple code on the door with one of his fists, and opens the door.
His mother is seated by a table, using a mortar and pestle to grind something into a fine powder, most likely adding to her vast store of medicines. She looks up as he walks into the room, not in the slightest bit alarmed by the entrance of a shadowy hooded figure.
"Well, if it isn't my wayward son, home at last to visit his mother." she says, tone teasing. He knows she's glad to see him. He slips the hood off his head, undoes the clasp and turns to hang it by the door. Then, with a deep breath he turns to face his mother.
Seeing his expression, the smile on her face instantly vanishes. "George, dearheart what's wrong?" She puts the mortar and pestle down on the table, brushes off her hands on her apron and takes a step toward her son.
Suddenly this is great deal harder than he expected it to be. He opens his mouth to answer, and closes it again without saying a word. Understanding, Eleni shuts the door behind him. He allows his mother to take him by the hands, and lead him across the room to a chair. He sits down, watching his mother busy herself putting water into the kettle, and putting the kettle over the flames in the fireplace. He's grateful for the the extra time she's giving him.
She pours two cups of tea, then pulls up a chair and sits down across from her son. He picks up one of the cups, but doesn't drink it. She searches his face, already guessing what he has to tell her.
He knows he can't put it off any longer, so he doesn't. "Alanna is getting married." the words are whispered, he stares down into the tea in the cup. "I've lost her for good this time."
She bites her lip, but says nothing, knowing if she interjects at this point he'll stop talking. And she knows, how badly he needs this right now.
"I'm a damn fool, Mother.." his voice breaks, and the hand holding the tea cup is shaking. Without a word, Eleni reaches over and takes the cup, placing it back on the table. Then she rises to her feet, and wraps her arms tightly around her son.
Safe at last, George cries out the anguish that has been building in him since his conversation with Alanna. Tears pour down his cheeks, as he sobs - something he hasn't done since he was a little boy.
"I love her Mother.. I love her so much." he says, between the sobs. Eleni can feel tears in her eyes as well.
"I'm sorry George," she murmurs. She strokes her son's hair, as his body is wracked with sobs. In her heart of hearts, she knows one of her own dreams has died, as well as his. She'd always hoped that Alanna, the child who she's taught so much, now a woman in her own right, would marry her son and become her daughter. If things continue to progress with her and Myles, that may yet happen, but not in the way she'd hoped. For a time, they cry together.
Half a candle-mark later, his tears cried out, she releases her hold on him and returns to her chair, wiping her own eyes with a handkerchief.
"It's not like you to give up without a fight." she points out gently, squeezing her hand. In all his life, she's never seen her son look as utterly defeated as he does now.
"What am I do to?" he asks, voice rough from crying. "I went seeking her. I followed her to end of the Universe mother, the end of the universe. And by the time I found her, she'd found someone else..." he trails off.
"I don't know." she admits, wishing that she could take all of her son's pain away. "I wish I had the answers for you my son. And I will do whatever I can to help you find them.."
He presses his forehead against the door for a moment, trying to get himself as together as possible. Then, taps a simple code on the door with one of his fists, and opens the door.
His mother is seated by a table, using a mortar and pestle to grind something into a fine powder, most likely adding to her vast store of medicines. She looks up as he walks into the room, not in the slightest bit alarmed by the entrance of a shadowy hooded figure.
"Well, if it isn't my wayward son, home at last to visit his mother." she says, tone teasing. He knows she's glad to see him. He slips the hood off his head, undoes the clasp and turns to hang it by the door. Then, with a deep breath he turns to face his mother.
Seeing his expression, the smile on her face instantly vanishes. "George, dearheart what's wrong?" She puts the mortar and pestle down on the table, brushes off her hands on her apron and takes a step toward her son.
Suddenly this is great deal harder than he expected it to be. He opens his mouth to answer, and closes it again without saying a word. Understanding, Eleni shuts the door behind him. He allows his mother to take him by the hands, and lead him across the room to a chair. He sits down, watching his mother busy herself putting water into the kettle, and putting the kettle over the flames in the fireplace. He's grateful for the the extra time she's giving him.
She pours two cups of tea, then pulls up a chair and sits down across from her son. He picks up one of the cups, but doesn't drink it. She searches his face, already guessing what he has to tell her.
He knows he can't put it off any longer, so he doesn't. "Alanna is getting married." the words are whispered, he stares down into the tea in the cup. "I've lost her for good this time."
She bites her lip, but says nothing, knowing if she interjects at this point he'll stop talking. And she knows, how badly he needs this right now.
"I'm a damn fool, Mother.." his voice breaks, and the hand holding the tea cup is shaking. Without a word, Eleni reaches over and takes the cup, placing it back on the table. Then she rises to her feet, and wraps her arms tightly around her son.
Safe at last, George cries out the anguish that has been building in him since his conversation with Alanna. Tears pour down his cheeks, as he sobs - something he hasn't done since he was a little boy.
"I love her Mother.. I love her so much." he says, between the sobs. Eleni can feel tears in her eyes as well.
"I'm sorry George," she murmurs. She strokes her son's hair, as his body is wracked with sobs. In her heart of hearts, she knows one of her own dreams has died, as well as his. She'd always hoped that Alanna, the child who she's taught so much, now a woman in her own right, would marry her son and become her daughter. If things continue to progress with her and Myles, that may yet happen, but not in the way she'd hoped. For a time, they cry together.
Half a candle-mark later, his tears cried out, she releases her hold on him and returns to her chair, wiping her own eyes with a handkerchief.
"It's not like you to give up without a fight." she points out gently, squeezing her hand. In all his life, she's never seen her son look as utterly defeated as he does now.
"What am I do to?" he asks, voice rough from crying. "I went seeking her. I followed her to end of the Universe mother, the end of the universe. And by the time I found her, she'd found someone else..." he trails off.
"I don't know." she admits, wishing that she could take all of her son's pain away. "I wish I had the answers for you my son. And I will do whatever I can to help you find them.."