This one-shot is based on my headcanon that you will have no trouble finding by reading this text. The characters, except my OC, belong to Julie PLec, and yes for those who watched the Spartacus series this is where her name comes from.
Her Tristan
Aurora de Martel was the daughter of the Count Martel and the deceased countess of Martel. She was born in one of the richest families in the region of Marseille. She had been three years old a few weeks ago and was carefully monitored by her nanny who looked after her as if she was her own daughter. The young countess was very fond of her nurse, she was kind, gentle, and she looked after her wonderfully. When the girl was hungry, she did not have to cry for a long time for the adult to come and give her the breast that contained the white liquid that Aurora loved to drink. When she was having trouble falling asleep, Sura whispered to her a lullaby that each time plunged her into the realm of dreams, while gently caressing her hair.
The child did not often see the count, her father, and sometimes something in her screamed that it was a good thing. His eyes were cold and cruel, especially when they were on her. He scared her, and every time she crossed him in the corridors, she hid her face in the neck of her nanny. Yet, some nights, when she was still awake, she felt very sad. She did not understand what she had done wrong so that he looked at her with so much hatred, and as she could not speak, she could not ask the question to Sura.
One afternoon of Maius, as it was very beautiful, the woman had decided to go out with her young mistress in the courtyard, as the redhead did not walk yet, it was useless to go further. The child was delighted to breathe the fresh air, to breathe the scent of the nearby fruit trees, as well as that of the flowers. She loved to feel the wind on her face, and play with her hair. The song of the birds in her ears echoed like a melody. She could have stayed that way forever, comfortably settled against the one who was always there for her.
"Lady Aurora, look who comes to visit you." Sura whispered.
The redhead turned her attention away from the birds that had landed on a branch of the yard tree under which they had settled. Her eyes lit up, a huge smile was born on her lips, and she began to clap her hands while waving her legs.
Three of her father's guards came towards them and surrounded a fourth, smaller person. It was a child, older than her of three years, who was named Tristan and who was her brother. If there was someone she loved more than Sura, it was him. He was blond with blue eyes like their father, but unlike him, his irises were always soft and warm when it was she they were contemplating.
The future count accelerated his pace when he saw the state of excitement in which her younger sister was. The soldiers who were with him advanced also a bit faster to ensure the safety of the one who one day would rule on these lands. The closer he came, the faster his younger sister was gesticulating, eager to have him close to her.
"Lord Tristan," Sura greeted him the best she could in view of her position.
He answered with a brief nod. The brunette had also been his nurse and still looked after him from time to time, but less often than on the other child of Martel. She was one of the few people of lower rank for whom he had respect and a little consideration. She was very caring for Aurora and for that Tristan would always be grateful to her. The men who had accompanied the boy had divided up in strategic places of the court, near enough to ensure the safety of the two children, but far enough to leave them their privacy.
"Hello Aurora," he said, bending down and putting a tender kiss on the girl's forehead.
This gesture made her laugh, she loved when he kissed her there. It made her happy. She began to clap in her little hands and the blonde understood what she wanted. He sat next to Sura and once he was well positioned, she handed him the little girl. He took her gently as if holding the most fragile and precious thing in the world. That was what she was for him, she was the only person for whom he would have given his life, he was only five, soon six, but he already knew death and refused to live in a world without the human being in his arms.
The little countess snuggles closer to him, placing her head in the crook of his neck and letting herself be rocked by the voice of her elder brother. Tristan was the most wonderful big brother, he always spoke softly to her, he caressed her and whispered comforting words to her when she was afraid of something. He played with her as often as he could, and listened attentively to her when she "spoke" in her own language. He always came to kiss her before sleep, and sometimes, on evenings when the count received guests, he discreetly entered the nursery to listen to the stories told by their nanny to his little sister. He returned to his bedroom, which was the next room, only when he was certain that Aurora was sleeping soundly.
He was everything to her, and she was everything to him. Tristan was her source of joy, and he was hers, only hers forever. Aurora was his sunbeam, she was his, only his forever and nobody would separate them from each other. Tristan, that name was the favorite word of the girl. It was the one who gave a meaning to her life, the one who refered to her brother, her hero.
Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, Tristan, turned around in her head. She heard it utter by different persons, in different tones, but it did not matter who spoke these seven little letters, because they filled the heart of the young Countess with happiness.
She opened her eyes again and stared intently at her elder, who, feeling that she was looking at him, lowered his.
"Tistan" she exclaimed, frowning her eyebrows in concentration.
The blond boy's eyes widened, then he turned them towards the adult, not sure what he had just heard.
"Do you see that, our little lady just said her very first word, and she chose the name of her older brother," the nurse commented, smiling.
So he had understood what she had said. He looked down at his youngest, who was smiling.
Tistan, Tistan," she repeated several times laughing.
He slowly brought his face closer to Aurora's forehead before kissing it again, to the delight of the other de Martel.
"Yes Aurora, I'm here, your big brother Tristan is here, and I'll always be," he swore before concluding his promise with another kiss.
The laughter of the redhead increased, before she began to yawn.
"The young lady is tired, I'm going to put her to bed," Sura indicated.
"I'll go with you, I finished my lessons of the day, and our father receives lords" replied the little boy by giving his sister to her.
''As you wish" she agreed, picking up the three year old girl.
She got up, imitated by the boy and the three soldiers came to surround them to escort them to the nursery. All the way, Tristan hold himself to the brunette's dress and inspected every corner in order to protect Aurora. They reached the room unhindered, and only the two children of the count and the one who had been there since the blond's birth, entered it. The nurse placed the youngest in her cradle, under the attentive and tender eyes of the future count. The more years passed the more Tristan's heart darkened, but it was perfectly normal knowing what kind of man his father was. This relieved the servant to see that he had not completely become his father, a cruel being who loved nobody except himself and his wealth.
''Tistan" Aurora called weakly.
"Hush Rory, sleep, I'm here," he whispered, taking her hand.
She nodded her head slightly, before capitulating and letting her eyelids close.
''It's a beautiful nickname you just gave her'' the woman with them complimented.
Tristan raised an eyebrow, he did not even pay attention that he had named her like this, it came out by itself. Now that he was thinking about it, he had to admit that their nurse was right. Rory sounded like a joyous melody that we never got tired of. He did not move a single millimeter the whole time he was at her side. Aurora, his Rory, he would never let anything happen to her, he swore it.