Goodbyes {Tag: All the Mormonts and John and Jane Tully}

The wedding had come and gone, it was now time for the Mormonts to leave and go back home. There was a new wedding to be arranged, things to be done. Beside, the Tully’s castle wasn’t their place and Anne was starting to be homesick. They were all in the courtyard, the carriage was ready and the horses were saddled: it was now time to say goodbye. They were all waiting for Jane, killing time as they could. Anne was keeping an eye on her boys and in particular on the little Damian, giving orders to the servants about the luggages.
When Jane and John finally arrived, Anne was the first one to walk toward them. She smiled to John giving him the good morning, but obviously her focus was on her daughter.
Jane was smiling, more for John’s sake than for any other reason. She was a bit pale and it was evident she wasn’t able to sleep much, but that was pretty normal for a bride.
“Look at yourself: you’re a woman now.” Anne took her daughter’s face into her hands with a loving, moved expression. “I’m so proud of you.” she murmured.
Jane’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened and teared up, but before she could say or do anything, Anne removed with her thumb the first and only tear and tightened her grip on Jane. “Stop that. You’re a lady now, you won’t cry.”
Jane forced herself to take back the tears and smile, then she nodded. “That’s better” approved Anne.
“My lady, we are ready to go” Anne nodded to the servant, letting go of her daughter’s face. She was going to say goodbye to the couple, but jane couldn’t contain herself and hugged her, hiding her face between her mother’s neck and shoulder “I’ll miss you mom…” her voice was low and trembling, but she was still fighting to smile and she wasn’t crying. Anne was surprised by Jane’s hug, and normally she would have scolded her, but for once she decided to let it go. She petted her hair “Hush now. You’ll see me again soon enough. Beside, you’ll be too busy to think of me, think of laying some healthy child soon, instead.”
Gently, she forced Jane to let her go and stand, giving her hand to John. “Please, take care of my daughter. Goodbye, Lord Tully, and thanks for you hospitality.” With a last smile toward Jane, Anne walked away and got in the carriage. There were more goodbyes to be said, but it was getting too emotional for Anne’s standards. Beside, she had already said everything she had to say.
Jane stayed back, next to John. Her eyes were watery, but she was forcing herself not to cry and she kept smiling even after her mother left.
“She never said she was proud of me before…” she whispered, more to herself than to John, though she said it loud enough for John to hear it.

John had escorted Jane outside to bid farewell to her family. Of course he had joined her. As a host, he could not be so rude as to not send them on their way. His own family had even come out to see them off, but they stayed quiet in the background. They knew this wasn't their place, and that John had to make connections on his own. It was enough for them to be seen.
Jane had ben quiet since their wedding night. More so than usual. It made John uncomfortable, feeling as if she saw him as her enemy. He knew he had hurt her, but he wasn't sure if there was any way he could have acted differently. It was his responsibility to provide an heir. He was not going to neglect his duties and his own desires because his wife had shut him out.
The walk outside had been quiet and strained. He could feel Jane shiver next to him, but that was to be expected on this day. She had probably never been apart from her family, and now she was about to be left alone, with a man she didn't like. He felt pity for her. This would have been hard on anyone, but he knew Jane was a fragile soul, and probably took this harder than most.
John stayed quiet as Jane said goodbye to her mother, watching her trying her hardest to keep her good posture and appearance. He wasn't sure why she bothered to do that here of all places. Once her mother had left her, and Jane was back by John's side, he bent his head to whisper in Jane's ear.
"We're all family here. You don't have to pretend anymore." He hoped it would help her, but had no idea how she would take his words. He realized more and more lately that he knew absolutely nothing about her.

Jane followed with her glance her mother entering into the carriage. She took a deep breath and tried to control herself. She had to. Jane sought her mother's approval more than anything, she had spent a lifetime seeking that: she knew her mother loved her, even if she didn't say that often. But her approval... her approval was hard to obtain. She couldn't let her down, now that she had just said she was proud of her! Even from the carriage, she could still see her and she wasn't going to disappoint her, no matter how hard it was.
When John whispered in her ear she turned toward him and smiled, even though she didn't manage to look at him in the eyes for more than a few seconds. She didn't mean to shut John out, she knew he did nothing wrong toward her, but she couldn't help but feel a huge embarrassment: they had shared a really intimate moment, but they still were two perfect strangers. Beside, she felt like she might have done something wrong, like she wasn't enough. Jane couldn't deny she found John charming, she wanted to reach him somehow but she felt like she was unable to do so. He was always gentle, but somehow always so distant... she felt somehow like she sought from him the same approval she never received from her mother, and unconsciously she wondered if she was ever going to get it.
"Thank you." she really was thankful for the fact he wanted to comfort her, but the truth was that his words, as nice as they were, didn't sound true to her. It wasn't John's fault, but they were all strangers to her...

Damian did his best not to cry but when his mother was already in the carriage waiting for his father and his siblings as well as him to follow he felt like there was nothing being able to hold him back now. He ran right towards Jane and hugged her waist crying. "I´m going to miss you so much Jane."

Jane had just finished to thank John when she felt Damian running to hug her. Her little brother was crying, and though she felt new tears forming in her eyes, she had to be strong for him too. She took a deep smile and put on her best smile "Hey little one" she caressed his head gently, talking to him with a sweet and calm voice "It will be fine, you'll see. We're not going to say goodbye forever!" she bent down to be at his same level, took his head in one hand and with the other dried his tears "You can write to me, if you want. And you'll have so much to do back at home that you won't even have time to miss me." she said that jokingly, to cheer him up a bit. "And you don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine" she added, knowing far too well her little brother "I have a strong and handsome husband that will take care of me now." She caressed his cheek, still smiling. In that moment she didn't care if John could hear her, and she looked weirdly confident. She was doing all of that just for her little brother... "Damian, say goodbye and come here, we must go." Anne's voice reached the little one from the carriage. Jane hugged her little brother and then kissed his forehead "Go, now. Obey to mom."

((Here I am! (≧ω≦) ))

Garrett and Cedric were standing near the carriage, observing their family -especially their mother- finishing the last arrangements for the voyage. It was time to go back to Bear Island and return to their 'normal' life.
Garrett knew that sooner or later it was his time to marry, his parents were already talking about it and he had the chance to hear some of their alternatives, but a name was winning among the others: apparently house Reed was the most appropriate.
He made an annoyed sigh at that though, he didn't want to think at it in that moment -or any other moment- and moved his look to Jane and John, who were arriving to say goodbye. Mostly Jane, in the end they were HER family. It was sad to leave Jane all alone in her new life, but he knew quite well that their mother would never allow such thoughts: Jane was a grown woman and a wife now.

Garrett waited Anne to go in the carriage, then followed their little brother Damian with Cedric. It was time.
He stayed silent while Jane spoke with Damian, not wanting to interrupt their moment.
"Goodbye, Jane..." he hugged her when Damian let her go "We'll miss you." he smiled sightly letting her go from the hug.

Cedric couldn't think at anything to say, it was like that he had nothing to light the mood with. He just kept watching the ground, kicking random pebbles waiting for the fateful moment.
He had known very well that that day was coming, but in the past few days Cedric never thought at it for a single moment, maybe in that way it would have been easier to say goodbye to Jane; instead here he was: unprepared for the goodbyes, without even a joke to leave Jane with a smile.

Raising his look, Cedric watched Jane and John coming towards the whole family. He bit his lips tilting his head "Here we go..." he smiled sightly giving a pat on the back at Garrett. He could wear a smile for Jane even in that moment.
Following Damian and Garrett, Cedric hugged her too. How could he leave her without a hug?! Everybody hugged her, why shouldn't he too? "Same." he squeezed her in the hug "We'll miss you." he smiled letting her go.

Jeor stood near Anne, it always amazed him how easily she could take control how every kind of situation and make it work without problems. Exactly like in that moment: she was directing the servants perfectly, but at the same time she was thinking at the fresh bride and at the future marriage. He knew his wife too well, her thoughts were like an open book for the majority of the times.

He was right behind Anne, when the married couple arrived. He couldn't hide that, as a father, letting his daughter go with a 'stranger' was difficult: a part of him wanted to bring her back to Bear Island, despite Anne's rebukes and all the problems that it would cause on the political level; bring her back to be his little daughter, his little Janey. But of course, that couldn't happen, he was a leader, the head of his house, what kind of model would he be if he wouldn't accept the marriage and the separation? He had a role, like everyone else, and he had to follow it.
Clearing his throat before any of her siblings could interrupt him, Jeor walked towards her and hugged Jane "Your mother is right, Janey." he smiled observing his daughter "You're a woman now, and as every woman of our house you'll do great things." he smiled taking a step back. It was time to leave, he could hear the brothers behind him pawing to come to her. Smiling again at the couple he walked in the carriage, sitting in front of Anne.

As Damian left her she was approached by her older brothers and by her father. She hugged them all one by one, trying to be as lady-like as she could, knowing that her mother was looking at her. She smiled to them all with watery eyes, giving a specially tight hug to Garrett and trying to smile more brightly for Cedric. She wasn’t able to reply anything, fearing that if she would try to say anything she would’t be able to contain the tears anymore.
She smiled to her father and nodded at his words. He was always so supportive, so different from her mother, but she wasn’t sure if she could be as great as he aspected her to be. She was probably already disappointing John…
Once Jeor reached the carriage, Anne called again her sons. They had to move.
“Goodbye…” Jane finally managed to say at least that. Looking her family ready to go, leaving her behind, gave her a deep pain in her heart. She wasn’t ready for that… She wanted to childishly scream, and cry, and beg them to take her back home, not because she didn’t like or want John, not because she didn’t like the Tully’s place, but she just wasn’t ready to grow up, she was too scared, too afraid she would do something terribly wrong, too afraid of being surrounded by strangers, of being alone…
But she kept smiling, a sad smile but still a smile. And instead of seeking for her family’s support, she timidly got her hand near John’s one, touching it lightly in a silent invitation, or maybe a plea, to take it.
She couldn’t change the fact that she had to stay, that she had to go on without her family, but she couldn’t bear the loneliness. She felt a sudden, desperate need to know John better, at least him! She felt the need to have at least one friend, to connect with him…

His eyes were already read when Damian raised his head to look at his oldest sister. He told her how much he´d miss her but that she was right and said smiling that he will try to write her everyday or at least once a week but since he was still crying lots his words were all mumbled. For one last time he hugged her tight and tried to make himself as tall as possible to give Jane a last goodbye kiss before he turned to John Tully, his new brother in law. Still with a shaking voice he took Johns hands and asked him to take good care of his sister and thanked him cuz he knew Jane just got a good husband who makes or at least will make her happy sooner or later. Damian hesitated at first but decided to give the new family member a brief hug before he hurried to his parents into the carriage sitting next to his mother and cuddled her still filled with tears.

Cedric couldn't help but smile as Damian hugged Jane and John; typical of him, but in the end he was so little and mother didn't let him to have a lot of 'human interactions'. He surely would be the one to miss Jane the most. Both he and Garrett knew it well.

Cedric smiled again at Jane and then turned to John -exactly as Damian did-
"Lord John.." he smiled giving him a pat on his back "Can I talk to you for a moment?" he smiled at Jane -as to reassure her- and moved John aside, away from earshot, followed by Jane and Garrett's eyes who still didn't know what he was doing.
"Look, I know how my sister is: shy, introvert, clumsy, anxious, sometimes even awkward." Cedric waved his hands as he spoke "But... she has worked his whole life to get to this point. To become a wife. Your wife." he tapped his finger on John's chest "She's a great person. Full of surprise and hidden talents it's up to you to find them all." he turned towards John, to be sure that he was listening carefully "Take care of her." Cedric's job was done there, he greeted John and they walked back to Jane and the rest of his family.

As he reached Garrett, Cedric was sure that his brother did understand what he had just done. Greeting him with an high five Garrett smiled and both of them turned to the couple, almost ready to leave.

John watched his new wife, while she was saying goodbye to her family, her brothers. A small smile curled up on his lips, but freezed immediatly when one of her twin brothers called him over to talk to him. They went a bit aside to talk in quiet. John listened to him carefully but found it rude, when he got poked on the chest. But he said nothing. For this time, he would just overlook it.

There was no need for a drama when his wife had to be with him and without family now. He noticed the brothers gesture and pressed his lips to a small line. John approached Jane and nodded slightly towards her. It was fine.

Standing next to her, while the carriage was riding away, he noticed her attempt of taking his hand. John tightened but then slowly took her hand in his.

Jane followed in surprise her brother's movements: she had no idea what Cedric was planning to do or say to her husband, but she didn't dare asking. As her mother called once again, she saw her twin brothers leaving. She thanked the gods that John took her hand, she tightened her grip into his, like his contact was the only thing in the world that could give her strength in that moment.
As the carriage started moving away, she realized she wouldn't be able to bear looking at her family leaving without crying. She turned toward John, faking a smile to hide the pain "Would you like to walk with me?" it was more than a simple request, it was a plea, she was begging him: she didn't want to sty lone, she couldn't handle it...

John turned his head away from the moving carriage and to his wife. Her request, her eyes shimmering with tears made him sigh. There was no time for a walk. He should go and do his duties, as it was hers to go and fulfill her duties now to. She was the wife of a Lord now. John understood it was hard to be alone without family. But it was more the behaviour of a little girl than a grown-up woman.

He lifted one hand and stroke through his blonde hair, before he finally nodded slightly. "For a moment.", he answered finally. Hopefully she could behave herself more after a little talk.