(514-06-21) Persuading Passions
Summary: Aluksander and Deryn meet to talk about religion, and their future together. Passion is inflamed, a proposal is made, and baptism is planned.
Date: June 21, 514
Related: This one or any others with them!
aluksander deryn 


White Abbey

The more open Abbey of Sarum, the White Abbey keeps its main doors open on most days. The monks within offer a selection of wine the vint themselves here. Tall walls keep their open court something of a secluded luxury within the city itself. A few of the vines they grow are located here, around this courtyard. A garden in the centery is offered for tranquility and their small chapel has open doors as if becoming part of this garden itself


With all of the trouble in Sarum lately, most of the town has been on alert. Just a few days removed from the massive battle with invading Saxons, there are still places in Sarum that are scorched or in rubble. The White Abbey is not one of those places- even the Saxons dare not defile holy ground. And, with it being the more open and welcoming of the Christian properties in the town, Aluksander has chosen it as the place where he would meet Deryn so they could have a serious discussion about their future. With the town still on edge, Aluksander is wearing armor- not full chain mail, but definitely leathers on his torso and breeches. His sword is likewise at his side, though his shield is not present. He is pacing slowly and thoughtfully outside of the walls of the abbey, waiting. And thinking. A lot.

Deryn gets the message about meeting Aluksander, and doesn't even think twice about the venue he's chosen. With places burned and people sort of crowding the city, seems like a logical place to her to meet! Likewise, she wears her lighter armor, her sword upon her belt as she moves through the city towards the abbey. Pausing outside the doors, movements nearby gain her attention, and so she spies him there, pacing. Changing directions, she heads overtowards him, soon to call his name, "Aluksander?"

Looking up from his reverie, Aluksander smiles at Deryn when he sees her, stopping his pacing and waiting for her to come to him. "Well met, love. You seem to be healing well," he says, a careful gaze cast about her body- apparently, he's still slightly skeptical about her durability. Or just overly protective. Probably that. "I'm glad you have time to meet with me. With all of the commotion lately, I was afraid we'd have to postpone our talk even longer. But, we haven't yet determined which direction the Saxons would have fled, and I thought it would be good for us to have this talk before either of us were sent off on a mission somewhere," he says. And, as Deryn approaches, he unfolds his hands from behind his back and starts to reach for her, but then pauses and thinks better of it. But, then he changes his mind again and steps towards her, only to stop himself once more, frowning a little. It seems he's not quite sure what sort of greeting to offer his woman at the moment.

Deryn dips her head into a nod as she hears his words, ehr steps to come to an end there before him. When he seems to uncertain how he might greet her, she makes some decision, reaching out with one hand to clasp his, to lace fingers together to offer a squeeze, "I would agree. As you say, there is much for us to discuss, and perhaps the sooner, the better, hmm?" Looking about, the motions towards a bench nearby where they might sit away from the bustle of those that might come and go into the abbey itself, "Shall we sit?" She asks of him then, a brow quirked upwards.

Smiling when Deryn takes his hand, Aluksander nods as if agreeing with that decision and squeezes her hand back. However, at the suggestion of a bench, Aluk shakes his head and gestures towards the open door to the Abbey. "Actually, I asked you to meet me here for a reason. Because … well … it is our religions that we really must speak about. And I think I have come up with a way to show you … not that you or your beliefs are wrong, but …. Perhaps a little amiss?" he offers gently, quirking an eyebrow.

When her suggestion of the bench is declined, Deryn does pay attention to what reasons he gives. Taking a deep breath, she releases and then slowly nods, "I will certainly speak of this in more detail. I.. wish this to work out between you and I, Aluksander." And so, she makes the slight gesture, willing him to escort her within, to explain things as he would.

Aluksander nods when she speaks, giving her hand another squeeze before he pulls it to his elbow, folding his other hand over it as they walk into the abbey. Aluksander heads for the cemetery, where the garden is, nodding politely to a few of the monks who are busying themselves with cleaning and tending to the building. "I wish for this to work out as well. I … well, it is foolish for me to say I cannot imagine feeling so strongly for anyone else, because I had no idea I could feel this way until I felt it. But … I would rather not go about /not/ feeling this way, especially not feeling this way for you, whose company I enjoy so thoroughly," he says, smiling warmly over at Deryn. He even leans over so that he can kiss her head, holding her as close on his arm as he can.

As they enter the cemetery, Aluksander sighs and looks around at the graves and the plants and everything. He's quiet for several seconds, composing his thoughts once more. "So, first, I would begin by asking about your faith and what you believe. You know how upset and angered I was by Sir Aeryn's death. So … tell me. What do you believe becomes of her, now that she has left these mortal coils?" he asks, looking to Deryn earnestly.

Drawn deeper into the abbey, Deryn walks at his side, listening quite intently to his words. The honesty shown brings a blush to her cheeks, but when her eyes are cast aside to him, they hold a mirror of emotions to his. To the cemetery they move, and once there, she considers her words carefully when he asks her of her ideas, her beliefs. "In many ways, Pagan and Christians do believe the same, do you know that?" She asks of him softly, turning to face him, "Many of us believe in the Otherworld… a place outside this world. We can go there in many ways, but death is one of them. But at the same time, many of us believe that once you die here.. you can be reborn again. As someone else.. as something else. " A squeeze is given to his hand, "Right now… I believe that Aeryn is experiencing a time of birth, or rebirth, even though we are experiencing that as her death to us."

"Oh, I agree, there are many similarities. We're mortal and there is so much about the world that we can't know. And I do believe you have reasons for believing as you do- season changing, the moon and the sun's eternal cycles …. But, as I think I've said before, it seems to me like a lot of your beliefs are just alternate explanations for what God put into motion when he created the world," Aluksander says gently, looking back out to the cemetery. "So … you believe that Aeryn may come back as someone or some /thing/ else?" he asks, just clarifying to make sure he understood Deryn correctly.

There's a small smile that plays upon her lips as she listens, but then nods again to the last, "Yes. We are a very nature-oriented belief. There are those that might believe that she could return as.." A sparrow takes wing, and she gestures to the bird as it flies over their head, "A bird… a deer.. even a sacred tree within a grove.." Turning back, she leans in to murmur, "Who's to say your religion is not born of ours? Your Christ died only recently, and our beliefs have been spoken of throughout the time… "

Aluksander smirks a little. "We believe that the first man, Adam, walked and spoke with our God, so I don't think we should try and argue which came first," he replies, giving Deryn's hand a pat. He then looks to the bird that was flying as it lands in another branch and gestures to it, with his head. "So, if Aeryn is now that bird, then what was the purpose of her life as a human? Was she meant to be a bird, and her human life was just a waste of time? Does she remember being human? And if she does, what if she longs to be human again? How could she not yearn to be with Sir Perin once again? Or her family and friends? Why would your gods allow her to die, then return her to life in such a way that she could never truly be with her loved ones again?" he asks.

"We shall never truly and utterly know what came first. Not without having been there ourselves. " Deryn points out then glances back to the bird, "She is not that bird right now. She'll be born again… to something new." That said, she tilts her head, "Each life we live, teaches us something new. Helps us become better, grow closer to being… perfect. Some lessons can only be taught in certain ways." Such as being human or a tree or even a bird. "Each life we live gives us a different point of view. You cut down a tree to build yourself a house right now… but did you consider how that might affect the tree? The bird that built it's nest within it's branches? The deer it might have shaded on a hot day? What if you were that deer? How would life be lived? What thing would affect you that might not affect you.." To this, she gestures to him standing there now, a male human.

Aluksander's smile remains, soft, just a touch playful mixed with a little bit of self-assuredness. "If we do not remember our previous lives, what does it benefit us? Because surely we can't all be humans first, or else how would humans have come to be?" he asks.

Deryn laughs softly, then shakes her head, "Perhaps you do not remember it here.." Her hand lifts to touch his head, only to fall back to press against his chest, "But you remember it within here. Do you remember the day you were born? Right now, can you tell me what happened to you upon that day, that isn't a story that you've heard? " She asks of him then, only to continue, "But after you die.. you would remember everything with clarity, yes? Because your /soul/ would remember it all.."

Aluksander shakes his head a little. "I do not remember being born, no, because I had not developed the faculties to do so at the time. Much like I do not remember being with my Heavenly Father. But, I have since developed those faculties, and I will not forget what my life was like," he says. He then takes a hold of her hand and brings it to his face, nuzzling against it. "Could you, would you forget me, my love? If you became a bird, or a tree? Could you live a full and happy life never knowing this feeling again?" he asks, pressing his lips into her palm.

Critical Success!
Deryn check your amor for aluksander at 16, you rolled 16.

Ready to defend her religion, if only because she's found that their discussions delight her. Deryn loves to see how he thinks, to discover more about him and the way he sees the world, even colored by his religion. Lips part in preparation to speak, but as he kisses the palm of her hand, as his words actually sink into her head, something else happens.

The first indication he might have, is that tears gather in her eyes, to roll down her cheeks as she shakes her head, "I would never. Ever. Forget you. " The words are spoken with a hushed intensity that some might consider a little passionate. "I think I would die.. without you." The talk of religion, fades, and she looks about at the monks that come and go doing their work, then to him, "I do not wish to be without you, and if that means I give my religious heart to your monks, then so be it. I lay my heart at your feet, Aluksander, and my soul within the caring hands of those you follow."

Failed.
Aluksander checked his romance of 2, he rolled 19.

When the tears come to Deryn's eyes, Aluksander blinks rapidly. And then she's laying her heart at his feet? Aluksander's eyebrows shoot up and he immediately starts looking around to see if anyone notices that he's caused this good woman to burst into tears. "I … oh, Deryn," he says, grimacing and quickly reaching into his shirt. A handkerchief is produced and he leans down and very intently dabs at the tears on her cheeks. "Deryn, I was not trying to give you an ultimatum. And I do not want you to convert because you love me. I want you to convert because you truly believe as I do. Because /I/ don't want to ever be without you. And, if you don't believe Jesus is your savior, then he won't save you, and then when I die, I'll have to spend the rest of eternity wishing you had learned what I know to be true," he murmurs very softly, doing everything in his power to try and STOP THE TEARS FROM FALLING! He's almost like a child with a broken toy, so determined is he that gently touching and dabbing at the tears might make them stop or somehow reverse their flow.

Awww. He cares! As he proceeds to dab at her falling tears, Deryn shakes her head again, sniffling as she does so, "But do you not see… your faith, Aluksander, has put me on this path to better understanding because.. I do not wish to be without you. Is it bad that I wish to convert because of you? Because of my feelings for you? " She wonders then as he continues to get her to stop crying. Still, those tears do fall - she is having a hard time not thinking of being without him!

Stammer. That is what they call it when you keep starting to say something, but can't get anything out. Which is precisely what Aluksander starts doing, now, because, as much as he really /ought/ to argue with her point, he really doesn't /want/ to. Frowning slightly and furrowing his brow as he tries to concentrate and come up with the right words for the moment, Aluksander pauses. Then, he cups Deryn's face gently in both hands and looks her in the eyes. "Do it because you wish, in your heart, to be able to spend an eternity with me, and only Jesus Christ can grant that, and I shall fall upon my knee right here and ask you to do just that."

Blue eyes meet his gaze then, and while shimmering with tears still, they are no less intense as she has been from the moment the depth of her feelings hit her. "But.. that is what I've been trying to say, Aluksander. I /do/ want to spend eternity with you.. always and forever. "

Aluksander nods, then, and does just as he said he would, dropping to one knee, throwing propriety to the wind. But, hey, she's crying! What's a guy supposed to do? Everybody knows men can't deal with women when they're crying. They'll forgive him, for sure. He reaches for one of Deryn's hands, holding it gently in front of him. He doesn't have a ring or anything. Well, except the one /she/ gave him, but … that thought doesn't even occur to him. Mostly just 'make her stop crying' and 'this'll fix it!' He then looks up at Deryn, swallowing, and not for a second noticing that there's several graves in his immediate vicinity, and asks her, "Sir Deryn de Woodford, would you … do me the great honor … and … um … well …," he trails off for a second, not really sure exactly how to put it, as he obviously has not prepared for this moment yet. "Well, I haven't asked your father or cousin yet, but if they are amenable … would you … how would …," he considers. Finally, he gets fed up and just settles for, "marry me, Deryn? Please? I can't think of how else to put it, I'm sorry."

Sure, he said he'd propose to her if she agreed, and there he is, going to a knee to do just that. Right there in the cemetery. Surely if the monks notice, they might stare, and wonder about his choice in popping the question, but Deryn doesn't seem to think it odd at all. She begins to nod her head, and by the time he speaks the last, she steps forwards, wrapping her arms about him and saying over and over, "Yes.. yes.. yes.." The comes the laughter, giddy almost, "A thousand times yes, Aluksander de Pitton.." There's no doubt in her mind that her father and cousin would be amendable!

Aluksander smiles as he rises again, coming right up into her arms. "… well, then! That was not nearly as difficult a conversation as I thought it would be. I should have perhaps determined we should have such a talk sooner," he says, grinning from ear to ear. He then looks down at Deryn and quirks an eyebrow as he considers her. "You're … quite certain, right? You won't regret making such a quick decision later and force me to recant?"

As he rises to his feet, Deryn shifts so she might continue to hug him, to keep him close for a moment. But eventually, her arms will loosen, and she steps bakc a little, to blush at his quesiton, "I will not regret my decision in any way.." She looks to the graves nearby, then whispers, "We have seen the other day just how quickly one can be taken away, and I have realized that… " Turning back, she offers a smile, her tears having stopped, "That I do not wish to be without you. I won't even regret when I must stay home and watch you go off to battle without me riding at your side because I carry our child, or have a little one that needs me." She might have regreteed it before. "You'll know that Pitton will never be left unguarded."

Oh jeesh. Now they're pregnant with children already? /That/ makes Aluksander turn pink and he rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly, smiling like a dope. "I … uh … yeah …," he stammers again, looking away as he flushes worse. After a few seconds, he just shrugs and settles both his arms around Deryn's waist, looking back to her. "Well … so … we should maybe go tell … or, well, I should ask, and then we can tell him of my proposal? … and … I should probably look in to what we will need to do so that you can try and become a Christian …. I honestly don't know what one does to convert," he admits sheepishly.

Future talk, but talk his mother would bring up rather quickly, right? Realizing they might have jumped the gun here, she nods, laughing a little, "We can talk to Acwel. I know he will approve, or he wouldn't have agreed to let us court." A pause, and she nudges him lightly, "And my father is already approved. Said he'd leave such decisions for the family to Acwel as head of the Woodfords. " So, he's really only got to ask one!

"Well, but … even so … it's your /father/ …. Even if he doesn't get to make the decision, as a man, it is proper to ask his permission, as well. Even if you're sure he'll give it … well, rather, it is good you know he'll give it. But, I will ask, just the same, as one hopes to not have the occasion to answer yes more than once in a lifetime, save he has more than one daughter," Aluksander responds, reaching up to stroke Deryn's hair again.

"Then no worries.." Deryn murmurs, pleased that he would still ask her father. "As for converting.." She looks to one of the monks, to the very abbey they stand outside of, "I think we're in the place to find out what we need to do?"

See? And this is why men need women. Because they can still think when their emotions are flowing. Men, it's pretty much either thinking or feeling, and very rarely do the two occur simultaneously. At least, rarely to any nominal degree. Aluksander follows Deryn's eyes and then he smacks his forehead lightly with his hand and chuckles. "I would dare say you are correct, milady," he responds, smirking ruefully. "Would you like to ask now? Or … save that for another time?"

Laughter is given into as he looks about, then facepalms. "We could speak to them, to get an understanding of what lies ahead of us?" Some details best found out now. "Tht way, you can also speaks with Acwel and my father that we have talked to the monks already?" Knowing her cousin, this will be a GOOD thing for him to find out! Ahem.

Aluksander nods, then, and offers Deryn his arm again. "Well, then I suppose we ought to introduce ourselves, eh?" he asks, his sheepish smile still present on his face as he escorts her towards one of the monks.

Another nod is Deryn's answers, her hand tucked through his arm as he guides her forwards to one of the monks. Greetings are given, and their situation soon explained. There is some happiness in learning that the young lady wishes to convert, however it might have come to be. For an hour or more, the trio will talk, questions and answers to be asked back and forth. Deep conversation that ends with the promise that Deryn will return in a few days to speak with the monk again.

As they leave the monk's company, Deryn takes a deep breath, flushed as she finally looks about the abbey, almost with new eyes. "I will continue speaking with him, and then.. I shall be baptized…" The wheels are set in motion upon the path.

Well, if Aluksander could look any more pleased with himself, you'd never know it, so satisfied is he with the events of the day, and apparently quite content to take all the credit for it occuring unto himself. Of course, he's not going to /say/ anything like that, but … he's happy. Happier than he's probably ever been in his entire life. And so he smiles, big and bright, and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. He's gonna marry Deryn, and they're in love.

As they leave the Abbey, Aluksander's smile wavers a little and he looks around. He hadn't planned this far ahead and grimaces, looking down to Sir Deryn. "So … what shall we do, now?" he asks her.

The only person that could begin to look happier, is Deryn. She's running neck and neck on the smile race too. Excited? Yes, yes she is. And a little awed by it all as well. Between the conversation with Aluksander and that which followed with the monk, she seems still just… dazed by the turn of events. In a good way! Reaching for his hand, shelaces her fingers with his again to offer a brief squeeze, "I'm not sure, but at the same time, I don't care as long as it's something with you?"

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