imogen temult ⚡️critical role (anopenmind) wrote in valloic, @ 2022-11-21 15:51:00 |
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Entry tags: | !: action/thread/log, ₴ inactive: imogen temult, ₴ inactive: laudna |
Lavender colored hair was splayed out in every direction as she woke, a testament to the tossing and turning she had been doing prior. Imogen stared at the ceiling and listened to the sound of her heart thudding in her ears. She lay perfectly still, drawing in long inhales through her nose and exhaling through her mouth. It was a technique FCG had found to help her combat her anxiety and she’d found it surprisingly helpful. After a few minutes of breathing, Imogen felt a little better and sat up in bed. She had so many mixed emotions running through her. She looked at Laudna and was nearly overcome with relief and love. They had saved her. They’d done what most would deem impossible, and they’d fought Delilah Briarwood and won. But her happiness was still tinged with heartache and grief. Eshteross. Their patron, their friend was gone. Her chest gave another painful squeeze.
“Laudna?” Imogen whispered the name and softly reached over to touch her girlfriend’s cool shoulder. “Are you awake?”
Sometimes it was hard to determine if Laudna was awake, or dead, or asleep. Really, all three were pretty similar, sometimes with the open eyes (she tried not to do that, since she knew it was off-putting) or the slow heartbeat and breathing that were even more slow as she slumbered. But in this case she had been comforted by Imogen’s presence and slumbering softly.
It was easy enough to shake her awake, she sat up fast, like she was ready to help Imogen with whatever was needed. A dream. It was usually a dream. Immediately, she reached out to soothe Imogen. “Darling, what is it?” Her voice sounded a little dry and crackly, still full of sleep, but she pushed past it and smoothed a hand over Imogen’s arm and squeezed. “Was it a dream? Tell me about it.”
Imogen couldn’t help the wave of emotion that washed over her again as Laudna immediately began to comfort her. Meeting Laudna had been the best thing to ever happen to her. “Yes and no,” Imogen drawled softly. She reached a hand up and smoothed some of Laudna’s hair back. “It was a dream, but not like my other ones. This was like the one that you and Orym had. With all the new memories from home.”
Imogen took a very deep breath and reached over to cover Laudna’s hand with her own. She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice when she spoke, but there was still a slight tremble there. “We did it, Laudna. We got you back. You’re okay, and Delilah is gone.”
“Oh.” Laudna breathed out the word, with a longer rush of air than she’d felt in weeks. It was like Imogen’s words were hitting her slowly, despite the rush of them as Imogen got it all out.
It wasn’t that she didn’t have faith in her friends. She had all of the faith in them. She knew Imogen would do everything in her power-- but that power for anyone was limited means of resurrection. And-- Delilah being gone?
That sounded like a pipe dream. More of Laudna’s life had been consumed by Delilah Briarwood. Thirty years of having Delilah in her head, lingering, manipulating. There was no way she would go down easily, would she? Had the Bell’s Hells put themselves at risk for her? Laudna couldn’t pale any further, but she gripped Imogen’s arm. “Are you all-- okay? No one else was injured or hurt?”
The ghostly presence of Eshteross from her dream nagged at the back of Imogen’s mind, but she knew that wasn’t what Laudna was asking. “We’re all together and okay. We went to a spirit realm where Delilah was holding you. There was a fight, but we’re all okay.” Imogen’s hand still covered Laudna’s and she ran her thumb lightly back and forth in a comforting motion. “We went to Whitestone. Laudna, it’s so beautiful there now.”
Laudna could have practically wept with relief at that news, but at the same time-- she felt numb. The feeling that it was over, and that her friends had done all of that for her was such a foreign thing. No one had ever come for Laudna except Imogen. No one had ever been as important to Laudna as Imogen. Orym, Ashton, Chetney, Fresh Cut Grass, Fearne-- they did that for her.
Instead of words, Laudna just reached out and pulled Imogen into a hug. She needed that moment of peace to truly gather herself. “Whitestone? That rundown heap?” Her voice cracked. “Um- I imagine it’s doing quite well now that we know the de Rolo’s survived.”
Imogen easily melted into the hug. She wrapped her arms gently around Laudna and pulled her close. With all these new memories in her head, Imogen was certain she’d be holding onto Laudna as much as she’d allow in the coming days.
She didn’t bother ending the hug to respond. They could easily talk while still wrapped up in one another. “Orym called the Tempest for help, and she brought us there. We met Vex there, and her husband. And their friend Pike Trickfoot. They were the ones who helped us bring you back.”
Laudna was happy enough to not pull away on her end, either. She felt safe in Imogen’s arms and that was where she wanted to stay.
“Really?” The urge to peer curiously at her girlfriend was growing, but the hugs still won out. “That sounds like--” Laudna had to bite her tongue back to not get too emotional about this right now. “Quite the adventure.” For her. Done to bring Laudna, of all people, back to their arms. Her heart felt full. “I’m so incredibly lucky to have all of you.”
Imogen ran her hand softly over Laudna’s dark hair. She was able to pick up bits and pieces of her thoughts and emotions as they continued to cling to one another. She knew it was foregin for Laudna to accept that Bells Hells would go through all of that just for her, and Imogen pulled back just enough to cup Laudna’s cool face with her hands. “We’re the lucky ones, Laudna. You bring so much light into our lives. We were an absolute mess without you.”
She leaned forward and kissed Laudna tenderly. “We’re a family, all of us. And we’re never ever going to leave someone behind as long as there’s something we can do to fix it. So you better get used to that.”
“Oh,” she hadn’t noticed the tears as a few trickled down her cheeks, but Laudna was overwhelmed enough with the emotions that soared through her body. She’d never really had that. Usually it was screams of “evil witch!” or being run out of towns.
Never this kind of love. The things her friends would do for her was still enough of a surprise that Laudna was choked up. Pushing back would serve her no good, and she loved Imogen far too much for that so she just pushed away one of the tears. “I guess when you put it that way, who am I to argue?”
With Laudna’s face still cradled in her hands, Imogen used her thumb to gently wipe away one of those tears. “You’re damn right,” she replied with the hint of a smile forming. “I’ll sit right here in this bed and argue with you all day if you try.” She shifted herself slightly and pulled Laudna back in close, her arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. “I love you. And whether we’re here or back at home, we’ve still got lots more adventures together.”
Laudna smiled right on back, but this time it took on a little something extra. There was clearly a twinkle in her eye as she lifted her chin. “But if it will keep you in bed with me….?” That was a little selfish, to be sure, but Laudna wasn’t against the idea entirely.
She let her head rest against Imogen’s shoulder and held on just as tightly. “I love you, too. There’s no one else I’d rather have at my side for any adventure that might come up, darling.”
Imogen laughed softly. “You really don’t have to go to all that trouble to convince me to stay in bed with you, you know.” She pressed her nose against the top of Laudna’s hair and inhaled deeply. Her heart and mind battled to process the soul-shattering pain of grief and her absolute bliss at being here bed wrapped up with the woman she loved.
“Why don’t we stay here awhile before we go and tell the others?”
Laudna curled into Imogen’s frame and held tight. It was similar to the hold when she woke up with her own new memories, she didn’t want to let this go more than anything in the world.
Having Imogen here made her feel as if she could tackle anything, even the great D’s in life. Death and Delilah. “I think that sounds like a lovely idea. They’ll keep.”