<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/Ro2jnY3.jpg)<br/><br/><div align="center">(http://i.imgur.com/t42uR11.jpg)</div></div>Tehr nodded, finishing brushing down Blondie as Angelique filled him in on what was going on in the house.  She had that perfect tone of voice that was clear to him at a few feet away but probably wasn't loud enough to carry to the guard and stable master who were seeing to horses ten feet away.  He pat Blondie's neck affectionately and fed her a dried apple as he looked Angelique in the eye,<strong>"I understand the queen's need to keep her consort safe, but I am capable of my own protection.  My greatest worry is that something befalls one of those in Hewthorne hall when I am not around.  If you were to be assaulted while on business for the house, I don't know what I would do.  I promise that I will take care of myself about the city, but I ask that you do the same.  And that you spread the word among the rest of the house as well.  I would prefer it if those who stay under the roof of Hewthorne hall left it's gates only with at least one other by their side.  I trust Alex and Tera to take care of themselves, but as for the rest, you, Christina, Rosalyn, Heidi, Sarah, I would feel much better if you practiced extra precautions.  I will likewise keep my head on a swivel."</strong><br/><br/>He thought about how distracted he had been this morning on the ride home, his mind consumed with thoughts of Rosalyn, and vowed silently to himself to make sure he did not let himself be so distracted again.  He fed Blondie a second apple and then hung her saddle blanket over the stall wall, exiting the stables with his half elven servant trailing,<strong>"Where is Alex now?"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"He is upstairs, preparing one of the two empty guest rooms for his sister's arrival.  The empty one that the duke stayed in, between his chambers and my own."</strong>Angelique responded as he opened the door to the solarium and holding it open for his servant.<br/><br/>Tehr raised one eyebrow, he'd thought that Alex would have put his twin sister on the south side of the house, between Christina and Rosalyn.  But he supposed it made sense that he would rather his sister be in the room next to him.<strong>"I wish to speak with Rosalyn, but I need to speak with Alex post haste, would you please go and tell him that I will be there very shortly?"</strong><br/><br/><strong>"Of course m'lord,"</strong>Angelique replied.  The pair split off then, heading for different directions inside Hewthorne Hall.<br/><br/>Tehr spied Rosalyn sitting near a window looking out.  She gazed out the window until after the door to the solarium closed with Angelique on the other side.  Tehr waited patiently, knowing that she knew he stood closeby.  Finally she turned and cast a sidelong glance at him,<strong> "Yes?" </strong>She said simply.<br/><br/><strong>"Rosalyn, I understand your need for some distance.  I would do nothing to force myself upon you, but I wish you to know that I would spend all day in your arms were it possible.  That being said, your buisness is your own.  Hewthorne hall is your home while you remain here, and you are free to treat it as such.  I will not place any restrictions on who may visit you or whom you invite into this home.  But know that I can be quite protective of the people in it, especially if they are my lovers.  I would not see you hurt, not even by those you invite.  I just wanted to let you know that if you wish to talk about this guest who seems to visit, this elven woman, I am always available.  So too if you wish her to not darken your doorstep, I would inform the guards that she is unwelcome unless I am present."</strong><br/><br/>She sighed and looked back out the window.<strong>"Go speak with your apprentice lover, I need a little time anyways.  I will seek you out in a little bit and speak to you."</strong><br/><br/>Tehr took one half of a step towards her, wishing to put his arms around her, to kiss her neck, to nibble on the points of her ears, to feel her body.  But she was a delicate flower and he would not crush her.  Instead he forced a smile towards her, though she did not see it.  A smile that found his mouth but not his eyes and he said in the most upbeat manner possible,<strong> "Of course dearest Rosalyn, I look forwards to it."</strong>Then before he could say anything else that might make her uncomfortable he left the solarium.<br/><br/>He stopped in his office on the first floor and divested himself of most of his traveling gear, his staff, his pouches, and the like.  The things he took with him when he traveled outside Hewthorne hall.  Leaning his staff against the side of the desk, he knew he could summon it anyways at a thought from anywhere in the house.  He glanced upwards at the two small gemstones that floated just above his head, out of his line of sight.  He had already gotten used to the gems hovering above his head, and wondered how it appeared.  Did it make him appear foppish, like a spoiled noble?  Or did it make him appear mystical and arcane, like the mage that he was?   He shrugged to himself and went up to find Alex.<br/><br/>Angelique had already left, though Christina sat on the bed as Alex moved about the room nervously, straightening it, fidgeting, seeming nervous about his sister's arrival.<strong>"You seem nervous my apprentice,"</strong>Tehr said as he entered with a smile for Alex and Christina.<br/><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc</div><div class="spoiler_body">I had a lot more.  Stuff about their childhood, the nature of a young changeling, the expectations of sexual contact.... but I don't know... it felt very forced and didn't seem to fit.  I went over it a few times and finally just decided to cut it all out.  I hope this post is ok the way it is.</div></div>