Emma wraps her arms around Priscilla and holds her close, letting her just cry it out for a few minutes, offering quiet support. Sometimes people just needed someone to listen, and be able to confess their feelings without fear of judgement.
Knowing that her friend had reached a critical point in her belief system though, Emma knew she had to say something.
She gives her friend a few moments before saying, "I know...I didn't think it existed either. I just thought it was a story my parents made up to try to stop me from being so mischievous. Like, "If you don't behave, the carriage is gonna come take you away." That kind of thing." Turning her head so she could look at Priscilla she sighs, "Honestly, I never thought of you as one or the other, you've always just been Priscilla to me...my friend. Someone with cool gadgets and nice smelling herbs, that while seemingly a little eccentric at times, is a really wonderful person with a good heart that just wants to help people. I feel awful that I didn't stop and talk to you last night before you went and made yourself sick offa that stuff....but I'm here now, and I'm telling you...I don't know where that vile thing came from, but we are going to find it and free every single person that it took from us and then some. Then we are going to figure out how to destroy it so that it can never hurt anyone ever again."
Emma smooths some of Priscilla's hair out of her face, "As far the Gods allowing something to happen or not happen, I don't think it really works like that. Sometimes for reasons that are beyond us, some things just happen and even if it seems like there is nothing we can do...we have to hold onto our hope and our faith because it is in those times that we need it most. We need it so we can fight against that very evil that threatens to take our faith from us. They don't allow things to happen, but they give us the strength and the wisdom to deal with them. Does that make any kind of sense at all?"
Aiden heads back to the house, keeping an eye out for how the town seems to be faring in the meantime.
With no one else out and about, the village is unsettlingly quiet. Yesterday evening's promise of fun and community lingers in the untouched, rain-soaked decorations. Unfortunately, so too does today's tidings of dread and anxiousness find themselves reflected in the same decorations.
***
Priscilla smiles and shakes her head. "No, it makes no sense t' me, but it sounds very pretty and hopeful when ye say it."
She stands up and starts stripping out of her soiled garments. "Ah guess that'll have t' do until ye make things right."
Emma gives her a sad smile, "I'm sorry, I wish I could say something that could make everyone feel better. The truth is, until we get back our friends and family....it's not going to be better. Let me go get your water and I'll be right back. Just leave those things on the floor in the bathroom, Aiden is fetching you some clean clothes."
Emma hurries to the kitchen to fetch the water she was heating on the stove, and takes it to the bathroom to pour in the tub. She fetches some cooler water to add to the hot so it's not scalding, and tests the temperature of the water to make sure it's just right before adding a little soothing oil to it.
"Your bath is ready. Would you like me to stay and help wash your back and hair?" She asks, concern still in her voice for her friend.
"Ah kin manage," Priscilla says, stepping into the tub,
Emma hands her a washcloth, "I'll put a couple of clean towels on the bench for you. As soon as Aiden gets back with your clothes, I'll lay them on the bench for ya as well. I'll be in the bedroom stripping the bed and stuff. If you need anything just holler." Emma gives her a reassuring smile before stepping out of the bathroom, leaving the door opened just a crack, so she could hear Priscilla, in case her friend needed anything.
Taking an older towel with her, Emma starts cleaning up the mess in the bedroom, and strips the bed of everything. She puts all the dirty things in one pile to be washed, and then takes the towel to rinse it out quickly.
Once back in the bedroom, Emma takes off her dirty clothes and wraps a robe around herself. She sits in Aiden's big comfy chair in the room, with Shadow laying next to her on the floor and waits for her beloved to return.
Heading back home, Aiden heads to the bedroom, smiling at the sight of Emma sitting in his chair in her robe. "So, how is she doing?" he asks, setting the clothing on the foot of the bed.
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"Gimmie just a sec love, I'll be right back. Thanks for getting these." Emma says as she gets up and grabs the clothes he brought for Priscilla.
Taking the clothes into the bathroom, she deposits them on the bath bench as promised, "I have your clothes here for you whenever you're ready for them, no rush. We're going to step out of the room to give ya some privacy, but I'll leave the door cracked. If you need anything, just holler." Emma slips back out of the bathroom, leaving the door slightly cracked before motioning for her husband to follow her out of their bedroom.
Leaving the door slightly cracked so she could hear if Priscilla calls for her, she turns to her husband and says quietly as to not disturb Rosie who still slumbers on their couch, "It's hard to say, but I've never seen her like this before. The whole thing is hitting her pretty hard, and I feel that she's having some sort of crisis of faith. She's doubting herself, doubting her beliefs...I think she's just pretty much overwhelmed by everything at the moment. I'm just really glad we found her when we did. I have to make sure that she isn't going to do anything like that again before we leave." Emma sighs, concern obvious in her tone for her friend's mental and emotional well being.
Taking a breath she looks up at her beloved with soulful eyes, "I know we have to catch that carriage...but I have a duty to those that remain here as well. To make sure we leave them with as much peace of mind as possible. I can't let them lose hope love, I just can't." Her voice almost breaks into a sob at the end and she buries her head in his waist to muffle the sound as she wraps her arms around his legs as far as they'll go.
Emma took her calling as Vicar very seriously, and cared deeply for everyone in their quaint little village. The fact that everyone was hurting so deeply, only intensified her need to care for them and make everything right again. The fact that she couldn't just."fix" this problem....was very hard to swallow and caused her to hurt just as much as those she cared for, grew up with, and loved as her own family.
Knowing just how hard this was on his wife, Aiden rubs her back comfortingly, while gently running his other hand through her hair. "I know love. We'll make sure she's okay before we go. Something like this happens, it's normal to question things."
Emma nods as she sniffles and continues to hold onto him, "I know....it's just hard seeing her like this, as well as the general unease and hurt from everyone else this morning. I know in the end though, we'll all pull together and get through this because that's what we do." She replies softly, a slight tremor in her voice.
Priscilla raps lightly on the wall as she emerges from the bathroom. "Ah hope Ah'm no' interrupting anythin', but Ah'm gonna go home and sleep the rest o' this off. An', Emma, Ah figure Ah'll do yer laundry since Ah went ahead an' heaved on ye an' yer bed. Don't say no. Ye've got more important things t' think abou'."
Letting go of Aiden and composing herself, Emma goes over to Priscilla and gives her a hug.
"I'm really glad we found you. I was worried that you had run off after that awful carriage by yourself. Thanks for offering to do the laundry for me, I know better than to tell you no. Just...please take care of yourself, and kinda keep an eye on the others for me. Don't let those girls overdo it. I better get my bath now." Emma looks over at Aiden, "Could you heat up some water for my bath love?"
"Of course." Aiden says with a smile. "Get home safe and get some rest, Priscilla. Mr. Dimmesdale is waiting for you.”
Heading into the kitchen, the hunter sets more water to boil.
Emma goes back to Aiden's big comfy chair and sits in it, tucking her legs up under her.
Once the water is finished boiling, Aiden gets the bath ready, making sure it's just hot enough to the point that Emma likes it.
"Ready love."
Emma gets up from the chair, and goes in the bathroom. Taking off her robe, she lays it across the bench along with a clean towel.
Climbing up on the bench, she turns towards Aiden and wraps her arms around him, "Thank you honey, I love you sooo much. Would you like to join me for one more nice bath inside before we're roughing it outdoors for who knows how long?"
Holding her close, Aiden smiles. "You don't have to offer me twice." he says with a smile.
Standing up he strips out of his armor and clothing, setting them aside before walking back over to the tub, helping Emma in before settling in behind her, enjoying the warmth almost as much as the moment.
Emma sighs contentedly as she feels Aiden get behind her. Allowing the water to soothe her sore muscles as well as her nerves, she sinks down into the water and leans back against her beloved, "Hmmmm....I'm gonna miss this while we're traveling. I haven't had to bathe in a cold stream for quite some time." She says, reminiscing of previous adventures.
"True...as much as I love the outdoors, there's something to be said for hot water." Aiden replies with a chuckle, wrapping his arms around Emma.
Emma sighs softly in his gentle embrace, and leans her head back against his chest, "I wonder if it happened in the other villages that are in the direction the carriage was going, and if so....what will we find along the way?" She thinks out loud, as she absent-mindedly runs her fingers up and down his arms.
"Hmmm... I don't know, I suppose if it did, word would get here within the next couple of days, though we might not be here to hear it." Aiden says quietly "Whatever we find, we'll figure out how to handle it."
Emma nods while grabbing a washcloth and soaping it up. As she starts washing herself she says, "I know it feels nice in here, and as much as I would love to take our time and enjoy other things as well....Rosie is still sleeping and I have no idea when she'll wake up, and I can't remember if we told Clyde to come over here once he got all his stuff together,or if we're picking him up on our way out of town. So, we probably shouldn't take too long in here." There's a hint of disappointment in her voice as she speaks her thoughts out loud.
Aiden's response is a low grumbling sound, deep in his throat, followed by a deep sigh as the starts washing her hair. "You're probably right."
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Emma tries to hold her giggles inside as she hears Aiden's response, "Don't worry my love. I'm sure at some point during our journey we'll have some privacy, and then we can enjoy doing other things with each other. Right now, this is good. Sometimes I just need to feel you close to me. Sometimes I wonder if I tell you enough how much I love you, how much you mean to me, and how much I appreciate you for everything that you do, and everything that you are. Last night made me realize just how....fleeting these moments with each other are and....how easily I could lose you. I would just die if something happened to you....there'd be....nothing left of me....without you." She says, getting a little softer near the end as she chokes out her words between quiet sobs that she can't seem to stop as tears mix with the water droplets on her face.
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Aiden wraps her in his arms, holding her to his chest, and lowering his head to meet hers. "I love you too, sweetheart. More than I can ever describe, and if anything happened to you...I don't even want to consider it."
Gently rubbing the back of her neck, he wipes the tears from her cheek. "As long as you're in my arms, the world will be okay. We'll figure this all out. I'm not going anywhere, love. Not without you."
After rinsing the soap out of her hair and off her body, so it wouldn't get in her eyes, she looks up into his eyes with her own deep azure blue eyes that seem to sparkle and grow brighter with the moisture in them, "Promise?"
"Always" Aiden replies with a smile that warms her to her very core.
Now facing Aiden as he turned her around to take her in his arms, Emma wraps her arms around him and lays her head against his strong chest. Nodding her head slightly, "Okay sweetie, I won't go anywhere without you either." His smile makes her feel better, he was always so confident. Emma sighs softly as she snuggles against him, "We should probably hurry and finish up in here. We're losing daylight." She says with a pouty look on her face.
"Yeah we should get moving." Aiden replies with a sigh, letting go of Emma and finishing rinsing off. Standing up and stepping out of the tub, and lifting his wife out of the tub, setting her on the bench before grabbing them both towels.
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Emma lets out a little squeal as Aiden picks her up and sets her on the bench. She loved the way he could pick her up in his big strong arms. It always made her feel safe.
Taking a towel from him, she starts drying off. Once her hair is mostly dry, she wraps the towel around herself and bends over the bench to pick up her soiled clothing off the floor where she tossed it, "Well, guess this is going to have to go in the pile of laundry in the bedroom, and I'm gonna have to find another traveling outfit to wear. I liked all the pockets that this one had though." She says with a whiney tone in her voice.
"Yeah, it was rather cute as well. Not that all your outfits aren't." he replies with a chuckle, wrapping a towel around his waist and picking up his clothes and armor, to take to the bedroom.
Emma allows herself to giggle as she follows him into the bedroom and tosses her soiled clothing on top of the dirty bed linens.
Going to her closet she pulls out a long dark mauve dress with long sleeves, and multiple pockets around the front and sides. The material is thick and warm, in case the weather turns colder the farther they go as they chase after the black carriage.
She also takes out a black hooded cloak with a couple of pockets on the inside of the garment, since there was still a chill in the air.
Once dressed she puts on a pair of black traveling boots, and starts packing for their journey.
Finishing drying off, Aiden takes a moment to enjoy the view as Emma dresses, before quickly re-dressing, his clothes still basically clean from the morning, then cleans up the bathroom before donning his armor.
Knowing that her husband was watching her, Emma takes her time and slows her movements while dressing to entice him. Knowing exactly what she's doing, Emma can't help but giggle slightly.
Once she's dressed, she packs two changes of clothes and undergarments, two different sleep outfits, and her personal grooming set along with whatever she thought they would need for bathing.
Looking over at her beloved husband, "I know he can hunt, but make sure we pack enough food for Shadow. We should also take some extra water in case we're in a place where it's scarce."
"I'll make sure we have a couple of extra waterskins." Aiden says with a smile. "I figured out a new trick, a spell I guess, to conjure up water whenever we need it."
Emma gets a strange look on her face while packing some thick wool socks that her ma had knitted for her, before she starts laughing and shaking her head, "You know what? I totally forgot that I could do that as well. I guess I've just had a lot on my mind with everything going on. I guess we're good in that area then. We'll need his bowls though, and we'll need something that our valiant steed can drink out of, since he's going to be going with us and pulling our packed down wagon. We need treats for them too. I'll go by ma's and pick up some carrots and apples, and we need extra dried meat for Shadow, cuz he's such a good boy!" She coos at the wolf while scratching him enthusiastically behind the ears, before closing up her pack after making sure everything is in it, "Well, that's all my stuff. Do you need help packing up your stuff love, or should I go check on Rosie?"
"You can go check on Rosie, I got most of the other stuff packed earlier." Aiden replies
Emma nods and climbs up on his chair so she can give him a sweet loving kiss, "Okay." She says, before jumping down from his chair and running to the living room.
Going over to the couch she gently shakes Rosie's shoulder, "Rosie? It's time to start waking up, we need to go to your house so you can pack." Emma says a little softly so as not to startle her.
"Mmm..." Rosie groans as she starts waking up. She blinks a couple of times. "Vicar? I had the most awful dream..."
Emma is filled with compassion for Rosie. Sitting on the edge of the couch next to her, Emma brushes some of the hair from her eyes, "I'm sorry Rosie...I wish it had just been a bad dream. It's going to be okay though. We're going to follow the direction the carriage went in, we're going to find it, and release the souls that it trapped. Hopefully we can put a permanent stop to it." She says, in an attempt to comfort the young lady.
The girl's face falls slightly before she composes herself. "Okay...we better get my things. Ma and Pa are set in their room, so we don't have to...see them."
Emma gives her a hug and just holds her for a minute, offering comfort and support before pulling back from her, "I'm not going to tell you how to feel, or not to worry...but I promise you, we'll get them back. Everyone." She says with determination.
Emma gets up from the couch and goes to the bedroom, "We're going to go pick up her stuff now." She tells her husband.
"Okay, see you soon love, then hopefully we'll finally get going, once Clyde gets here." Aiden replies.
Emma nods, "You wanna go check on him while I go with Rosie?"
"We told him to meet us here, but I guess I'll go check on him once I grab the supplies for Shadow." Aiden replies.
Wrapping her arms around him she shakes her head, "It's okay, I forgot he said that. If he said he'd meet us here, then that's fine. I'm not gonna send ya all over town just because I can't seem to keep a single thought in my head right now. Rosie and I will be back soon. I love you." She says, giving him a squeeze before heading back out to Rosie, "Okay, let's go get your things."
"Love you too!" Aiden replies with a smile, returning the squeeze.
Despite everything, Emma giggles as she heads back into the living room.
Putting on her cloak she looks over at Rosie, "You ready? I'll help you when we get there, so we don't have to stay there a long time."
Rosie gives Emma a slight nod. "Most of my stuff was already packed for college."
She trudges along, a heaviness in her heart that weighs down her feet.