The Future....

[Ladorak]

The future Boneparte Lantzer looked grim indeed. He had arrived back on his beloved Personza only to find things had changed. He had received no warm welcome from his idol, Lukas Pascale this time. Instead all he had gotten were two of his brothers telling him that his older brother was now out of a job, once again leaving him as the sole breadwinner for his mammoth family.

After having briefly visited his mother and his many siblings, Boneparte had dropped Valeata off at his house in order for her to more fully recover and had made his way across the mountains to Pascale's residence in the middle of the island. What awaited was a cold brush off and a near argument they had gotten into.

It had left the meerkat feeling as if perhaps he should have never come back here and that his regiment in Rosferia might have been a better option than coming home. It was now an unwonted and reserved Boneparte that had rejoined his battalion of volunteers here on the island. There were rumors they were going to attack the island to the south of them for Rosferia, something that was unsettling for many of his troops, as the island chain in this area were mostly made up of meerkats alike of the same kin.

He had been passing the few months here pondering his future and what to do about circumstances. Valeata Mist....Valeata Mist....she in particular weighed heavily upon his mind. There were so many possibilities that could come out of his life now. He no longer felt as if he had any direction.

He had sent a letter to his mother asking her to send Val out to his camp. It was right outside Pascale's residence, but the two meerkats hadn't spoken to each other since that initial time when he had returned. He just didn't want to risk angering Lukas any further. But he did wish to speak to Val about things, and he sat outside of his tent, stopped over an empty crate that he was using for a table to read. He was only half dressed in his uniform, lacking the overcoat and only wearing a white undershirt topside, but did have on his green pants and black boots of the Personza National Guard.

He looked out across the mountainous landscape around him, wondering how things would go these next few months. Things would in fact be changing....and some things would shake this meerkat to his core.

[jaydjasmyn]

~Val

Indeed she had received instructions from Bone's mother to meet her son at the camp. She arrived alone, having insisted that she travel alone because she needed time to think and it wasn't like she was directionally challenged. Enough provisions were packed for her as she traveled.

Upon entering the camp she immediately began to look for Boneparte. It didn't take long to find him sitting outside of what Val supposed was his tent. He looked rather unhappy. What could Val do? She knew that she may be partly the cause for his mood but she had little choice with the decisions that she made in the past. Hopefully he was smart enough to understand that.

Gracefully she strode up to him with a blanket wrapped around her lithesome shoulders. She was more frail these days. Recovery for her was slow, especially knowing that she lost their child. Had she known that she was pregnant she would have made a totally different decision. But hind sight is twenty-twenty and there was no way that she could have known.

Softly she spoke so as not to startle him. A warm smile was on her face and many thoughts were running through her head. She wondered if he still felt the same for her. Val knew how she felt but she also knew that Boneparte thought that she left him. She didn't even know if they were still engaged... likely not. Such thoughts might have been displayed on her etched forehead. "You sent for me Boneparte?" Val didn't move forward and hug him like she really wanted to. For now she would find no comfort in his arms.

[Ladorak]

Looking up from the letter he had been writing, the Captain turned Lieutenant-Colonel (but only when he was on Personza) gave her a tired if not a bit off stare. He just wasn't himself these days, and felt so detached from the world and everything around him.

"Yes I did Ms. Val." He said, addressing her a bit more formally and toying with the ring still around his finger. His paw played over it, twisting it, turning it, but not removing it. "How have you been? I hope my family has been tending to you well. They can be a bit much at times, as most of them are young children, but my older brother and Lucien should have been fine yes?" he asked, knowing that both of his brothers (one older and one younger than he, at 24 and 17 respectively) would have been good stewards.

"The fact of the matter is I felt concerned about you. I was certain that now that a few months have passed you'd have recovered....and truth be told I can barely stand it here. I thought that going home would solve all my problems...but they only deepened them. I feel alien here....as if I'm no longer welcomed by the one I wanted to trust the most. There is a possibility I'll be heading back to my hometown soon, to prepare for an expedition against a nearby island. I....wanted to know how you were. Before I might have to leave of course."

His tone was not impolite. It was inquisitive, but not overly so. It was almost as if he were studying her, trying to gauge her reactions and see how she was, how she would react, and how she viewed him.

[jaydjasmyn]

Viv just stood there and listened. She was a very good listener as was evident by the sincereness in her lovely eyes. They almost seemed sheened with tears as she felt so much sympathy for what Boneparte was feeling. She still loved him, that much was evident. It may have seemed like in an instant they fell in love but she believed in love at first sight and that 'that' love could last for an eternity and only deepen. However... She knew that they had to endure more then most couples but she was most willing to endure any rocky roads that she needed to in order to be with the male that sat before her.

But the fact that he called her Ms. Val almost brought her to her knees. Her heart felt like it was being ripped in two and she found it hard to breath, even when she answered him about his family being hospitable. This she said with a smile, even though she found it very hard to be around young kits due to the loss of her child. "Your family is wonderful. I felt very comfortable there. A large family is most enjoyable to me." And yes she did note how he was playing with his ring. This made Val think that perhaps he was thinking about taking it off. Perhaps some things will be hashed over in this conversation.

Val did, however, leave out how she was. It was hard to explain. She was very sad about losing their kit. She was also confused as to how Bone felt for her. He seemed to take her leaving him for his own safety very hard. Val also wondered how her twin was doing. She wasn't even sure if she told Bone that she had a twin. Everything has been so confusing for her as of late.

Eventually she felt obligated to tell him how she was, especially so because he said that he may have to leave. Val couldn't contain her emotions any longer. The femme turned her back to him and spoke in muffled tones. "I'm sorry. I'm fine." Really she wasn't fine. The one that she loves has basically alienated himself from her and she felt more alone then she ever has in her life.

[Ladorak]

"No you're not." he said, standing up, pushing himself up from the crate. "You feel lost....and unsure. Rather like myself about being here." He said, muttering. He moved up behind her, but saw a familiar face approaching them as well.

"Lantzer!" the other meerkat called to him. Coming to attention, Boneparte saluted.

"Oh....Colonel Quenza....I wasn't aware it was you at first, sorry."

"No, no, that's quite alright...and don't salute, you know way more about this stuff than I do remember?" the meerkat called Quenza said, speaking in lower tones now and tipping his hat to Val. "Pardon me miss. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"No, no, not at all." Boneparte said, looking over at Val in a doleful way.

"Well here.....Pascale says to bring some of your regiments....I'd say about two, down to your hometown in preparation for an attack on our neighboring island. No later than December 15th. You know the one. Turns out you'll be third in command behind me and Pascale's cousin uh.....Cesari I think he said his name was." Quenza explained, handing over a communique to Boneparte.

"Cesari? I don't even know who that is? Does he had military experience?" Boneparte asked suspiciously.

"No idea....all I know is that he's Pascale's cousin...no wait! Nephew! He's his nephew!" Quenza exclaimed, remembering now.

"Well let's hope he knows what he's doing, cause this sounds an awful lot like favoritism to me." Boneparte scoffed, to which Quenza shrugged.

"I'll be around. And I'm sure I'll see you either in Ahachio or in Bonifacio as that's where we'll be sailing from. Won't be till next year though. Now I'm off to go make my rounds." Boneparte nodded, watching as Quenza walked off.

Turning back to Val, he came up to her, resting his paws on her shoulders. "I'll have to go back to Ahachio soon. Guess I should've just told you to stay there had I known I'd be going there myself. I've been here for too long, that's for sure. Now...." he ran a thumb over her shoulder, stroking her a bit. "I don't believe you're fine. I realize that all of this is probably sudden...but at least for now your father won't find you here. Val I'd rather you tell me what's actually bothering you." His words were still neutral though, as he wasn't sure if she hated him, liked him, loved him, or was indifferent. He felt so wrong being here. She had nothing to do with that though. It was mostly because of the cold reception he'd gotten from Pascale. He and Pascale...how did Pascale see him now?

[jaydjasmyn]

Indeed Val felt like they were being interrupted but there was little that she could do about it and it wasn't like the guy 'tried' to do it on purpose. Sadly though Bone was receiving some orders a communique. So he was leaving by December 15th. This only caused Val's heart to feel even heavier. She tried her best to hide her tears by turning away, also not wanting them to think that she was nosy but she couldn't help but to hear them.

Once the other beast was gone Bone again turned his attention to Val. She felt his paws on her shoulders and likely he could then feel her trembling. "No... It's okay. We will have a some time here at the camp at least. I think that we need them. Everything is such a mess." Surprisingly Bone began to stroke her shoulders with his thumbs. Val liked that.

He finally spilled the bean and brought things out into the open. Val turned to look up at him with a tear stained face. "I feel to blame for losing our child but I'm sure that my father will never bother be again. I'm not sure how you feel about me. I didn't leave you to hurt you. I wanted to protect you." Val wiped her cheeks off, sniffled and then continued. "I'm all healed but I'm depressed. I tried to do something good and it just messed everything up. Boneparte... I'm so much in love with you that it hurts. I'm afraid though that you don't feel the same. If you don't then I will leave and never return. I'll do what's best for you. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." There it was. It was all out in the open.

[Ladorak]

Boneparte breathed in and out very slowly, his nostrils keeping time to the steady pace. Not once did he get upset, or stressed about this. He simply listened to what Valeata had to say. She was obviously torn over what she had done to him. It was only to protect him of course, but how could he allow himself to get close to her again?

He was so busy with other things these days.....well in actuality he wasn't, he was simply considering his coming here a mistake. He wanted to leave...maybe travel somewhere far away...leave this continent behind and travel to the far east, or back to Rosferia. He wasn't sure.

"Val..." he said at last, trying to think of how best to compose his words. "Listen.....this thing that happened.....I'll forgive you alright?" he said, realizing that she had somehow managed to miscarry their child as well. But what had killed it? She hadn't even been expecting at the time he had found her again. Her physical mistreatment at the paws of her father had probably done that, but he couldn't be sure.

At any rate it was a touchy subject for him, and he decided to avoid it. "Listen..." he repeated. "I have to leave in a few days for my hometown anyways...I suggest you go with me. We can work things out there. I should have some time. It's too cold to mount an expedition this time of year at any rate, so I think they'll keep me around until next year. February or March sometime is my guess. Can't say for certain."

He looked beyond her at the mountains, and the snow topped peaks all around. "I called you here because I suspected I would be going on this expedition soon, I just wasn't sure." the meerkat explained. "It's all but been confirmed now. when I travel back to Ahachio.....will you come with me?" he asked. "I plan to spend the holidays with my family, and perhaps you can get to know them a bit better. I'm sure you were sequestered during your stay with them."

[jaydjasmyn]

He said that he would forgive her but he never really said how he felt about her. Val sighed. She supposed that this would have to be good enough for now. Obviously he wanted to spend time with her or he wouldn't have asked for her to go along with him and to spend the holidays with him and his family. In truth though she wasn't sure if she felt better about their relationship. He didn't even mention the child. Did he think that she was lying or did he just find the subject to soft to talk about? Maybe it would just take time.

Val came close to him and pressed her cheek into his chest. "Yes. I will go with you Boneparte. I just want to be with you, now more then ever. Even if you don't want to talk about certain things. I'm fine with that. I just want the past to go away." Her snout snuggled into the folds of his clothing. His smell was so familiar and yet she felt like she hadn't smelled it in seasons upon seasons. But alas she felt comfort in his arms.

After a few moments of basking in his warmth she looked up at him and smiled, kissing him on the cheek as she affirmed her desire to go with him. "It should be fun to get to know your family better. Maybe with you there I won't feel like a guest but more apart of the family." She was hoping that eventually Bone would want to marry her again. Val has 'never' taken her ring off and he would see that she still wore it.. if he looked.

[Ladorak]

((900th post!))

He did of course see the ring. He noticed she too still wore it. So...they were still technically engaged. But what to do with such information? Act on it? Marry her here while he was still around and wasn't being so tempted to journey to to the subcontinent?

He wrapped his arms about her and patted her backside. "Yeah.....I think staying with my family before we get ready to leave for the expedition would be good and....there's a possibility I may be able to take you with me as well. But of course only on the transport ship. I wouldn't want you ashore until we secured a beachhead."

Letting her go and turning back to his tent, looking into the dark interior and sniffing a bit, as his sinuses were acting up in the cold. "I'm sorry for what happened. I'm sure most of it was my fault." he said simply, wishing to at least take some if not all of this burden.

[jaydjasmyn]

Val was glad that he was sorry and had some feelings upon the matter besides just negative ones. This caused the femme kat to hug him even more deeply and to let out a content sigh of relief and comfort with being in his arms again. She was sure that time would heal all wounds and with the passing of time they will make new memories and such.

The pat on her rump wasn't unwelcomed. It even caused her to smile. "I would love to go with you and being with your family sounds lovely." Things were getting better. Val just wished that things would be cleared up for Bone in other parts of his life so that he could concentrate on things that made him happy.

He let go of her, sniffling as she shivered a bit. "I should have never gone to my father to reason with him. I'll never leave your side again.... that is if that's what you want." Val looked upon him softly as she approached him, toward the tent.