AN/ So Hi there it's me. Another WIP (I'm still working on More Than the Stars so don't fear! Just a bit slower)! This story however is a brainchild with LisaFlowers that we thought would be fun and romantic. Completely AU with a few cannon moments. Anything that didn't fit what we needed, we changed so please don't expect lore to match with every detail. Above all, this is a romance and meant to be enjoyed. Slow burn with eventual M rated material. Eventually there will be a companion fic to this with Auberon's story. Enjoy!
Breathe In
Petals that should have been blood red, perfectly velvet, and surrounded by their familiar scent were instead darkened and dry. Petal after petal, bloom after bloom, all were dying and for the life of her, Áine could not figure out why.
Which made no sense to the currently fuming and mud streaked Áine because if there was one thing in all of creation that Áine Órlaith Rhiannon Muircetach, Princess of Tir ná Lia, Rose of the Falls, and most importantly, younger sister to the King, knew… it was roses. And not just roses. Anything that could be planted, she could nurture and grow, and took considerable pride in her ability as well as her gardens.
It was a sign of great favor for her to accept an invite to tour a noble's own garden, for her to study their creations, criticize them on their poor choice of fertilizer, and begin to prune the choking wisteria's herself.
Never in all her three hundred and twelve years has she lost a plant, be it tree, vine, or bloom. She just didn't. In fact, the rose bush which she currently knelt before, studying the dying blooms intently, was nearly as old as she was and had faithfully grown each season from a single seed to its current expanse over countless trellises and archways.
"Selly, the trowel." Áine said quietly, reaching a hand out without breaking her gaze from the curling petals.
"Do you think it is the frost Your Highness?" Selly, her most favored servant, asked with a tremor in her voice as she placed the requested tool in Áine's hand.
"That is nothing but utter nonsense fed to my brother by Eredin and Avallac'h in their attempt-" Áine dug the trowel roughly into the soft dirt at the base of the sick bush before stopping her beginnings of a furious speech. "No, Selly, I don't believe this is a result of the legendary White Frost." Áine held her hand over the cool earth now scooped into the curve of her tool and brought it to eye level.
"Does Your Highness not believe in the threat of the White Frost?" Selly asked cautiously, studying her lady's expression.
Áine kept her silver gaze on the soil, inspecting from any anomalies that could be seen without aid of scientific equipment. "I believe all worlds face some threat of extinction or another at some point, but that is not what is killing my roses. Roses protect themselves during colder weather, which presently we are now enjoying a lovely spring. And this is not what frost damage looks like."
Áine took another moment to scan the soil while Selly nodded along with wide understanding eyes before huffing in frustration. "A jar Selly."
"Of course. Forgive me Your Highness, if you believe in the threat of the frost, why do you believe it to be nonsense?" Selly shuffled closer to Áine's side, holding the request jar out with steady hands.
Áine carefully shook the soil into the jar. "When prophecies and end-of-the-worlds are involved only those in the prophecy need be concerned. I am not in this prophecy of swords and axes, madness and disdain. And neither are my brother and his advisors. They are meddlers and liable to get themselves killed." Áine bit out rather fiercely, her irritation showing again in her pointed movements in brushing up fallen petals.
With a worried sigh she straightened from her task and wiped her brow with the back of her wrist and swept her gaze over her surroundings. For as far as one could see, flowers, trees, vines, and statues were placed carefully throughout. The gentle brook weaving through willows and under stone bridges until it fell from the edge of the garden in the smallest of waterfalls.
Come morning the sun would rise over the fountain that fed the brook, a nymph wild and bare save for the vines wrapped around her, as the water fell from her stone hands. The glow of the evening sun would turn the leaves and petals into works of art unlike any stained glass could manage.
Fondly she recalled countless memories of disappearing amongst the flowers for days with only those she wished to know, aware of her whereabouts. Of days reading books endlessly bathed in sunlight and falling asleep to the sound of the brook. A little magic imitating the glow of fireflies long after the insects had disappeared for the season… none could bother her here.
Until now it seemed, as she was intently bothered.
Áine's fond gaze turned into a concerned frown as she turned it back on the rose bush. "I will take the soil Selly, you may leave me."
Selly hesitated, her head tilted to the side. "Forgive me-"
"I thought I would find you amongst the jasmine today, you went on about how well they came in." A warm voice came from the other side of the thick wall of roses.
"That had been the original plan yes. But Ge'els, tell me what you make of this." She quickly snipped a dying bloom and held it up above her head for her companion to see.
"Ah yes. A dead rose, terribly poetic and ripe with gothic symbolism." He replied dryly, leaning over the bush to inspect.
Áine rolled her eyes and dropped the rose into the jar. "So witty you are, little wonder you've yet to marry."
Noticing her intent, he immediately reached a hand over the bush which she took and allowed him to help her stand. She didn't need the aid, and likely would have refused nearly anyone else, but Ge'els liked to think himself gallant, and well, gallantry shouldn't be repressed.
Once she stood, he waited a moment while she braced her stance which she'd perfected over the years, a part of her disguise that only he knew she wore. She read the look in his amber eyes, one that clearly stated she should have had her leg seen to ages ago, to which she narrowed her own eyes at in her own reply.
Auberon would have had her locked to her quarters for half a millennium if he'd ever found out she'd broken her leg during a spontaneous horserace with Ge'els. It wouldn't have been cruel of him, he only would have done so an only brother who has lost much during his life. He worried so over her safety and had reacted poorly before when she was reckless.
No, it was best to heal her leg herself, leaving a jagged scar across her thigh and a limp that radiated pain which she allowed none to see other than Ge'els. By the time he'd made it to her side, she'd been up and walking towards her equally wounded horse and the two of them had worked together to heal and cover up all sign of her recklessness.
Ge'els had offered time and again his service in healing her fully but she continued to refuse him. A reminder of her own foolishness. She would never give up her rebellious little adventures, but she would be reminded to use caution when seeking out the need to feel her blood vibrating with excitement.
"Selly, return the tools to the shed, I will clean them later." Áine held up the jar of soil for Ge'els to see. "Something is wrong with the roses, and I need to use the laboratory if I'm to find answers."
Ge'els cleared his throat and held his hands behind his back, a familiar stance he used when he was deep in thought or had news.
Áine lowered the jar slowly, her gaze sweeping over him. "What is it?"
"Avallac'h has returned… with Lara's human descendent." He said simply.
Áine clenched her jaw around a curse and turned to the path that would eventually lead from the gardens.
"Your Highness! Allow me to fix your hair-"
"Hang the hair Selly. Deliver the tools to the shed as I said." Áine had paused to look over her shoulder, allowing Ge'els to join her side.
"Yes, Your Highness." Selly murmured and offered no more.
The pace Áine set off at was trying but she hardly cared. "My brother is a fool, listening to fools, and going to do something foolish because of it." She muttered hotly.
"At the very least they are interesting, would you not agree?" Ge'els easily kept pace with her.
"Beyond their cursed good looks? No. One is a bloodthirsty warmonger, the other so deep in his experiments I'm certain he forgot what true social interaction is all about." Áine replied with a roll of her eyes.
Avallac'h swept his gaze over the features of Cirilla- Ciri, easily picking out those which were similar to Lara. The roundness of her face was unmistakably human, but it was there in the shape of her eyes and the shade of her hair. Try as he might, he could no longer look at her and instead dragged his gaze to watch Auberon.
The loss of Lara stung them both still, for Auberon it was the loss of his daughter, for Avallac'h it was the loss of their future. Or rather the security of it. But he'd done his duty and brought Lara's heir before his king. Now all that was left was for them to bear a child, giving the Aen Elle that security once more.
He told himself that it mattered not that the child hid her fear well, or that his king looked vaguely repulsed. They all had burdens to bear and Auberon knew that. A movement from the girl brought his attention back to her, a look over her shoulder to the still armor clad Eredin.
Auberon sat on his throne, not having said a word since their arrival. He'd not asked for details on how Ciri came to be there, nor had he spoken of what was to happen next. He knew… Avallac'h had discussed it at length with him, but that had been a faraway plan at the time. Now that he'd successfully brought in the key to their salvation, the plan seemed… distasteful.
A commotion from the doorway to the great hall caught everyone's attention and a moment later one of the doors swung open roughly. The sight of the princess striding in had him biting back a sigh. Even from this distance he could see the dirt smudged across her hands, face, and incredibly expensive dress.
The dress might have once been considered a masterpiece the way it artfully displayed her curves, the light material fluttering behind her. Only now the pale blue fabric stood no chance against the dark stains of dirt and grass. Her pale gold hair had possibly been swept into an elegant concoction at one point, but her obvious time working in her garden had it now looking more like a bird's nest. Her skin a shade darker than what the court would consider proper, from hours in the sun he supposed. Perhaps he should suggest a wide brim hat or parasol to Ge'els.
He would be doing her a favor if he did so.
He'd already noticed the jar of dirt held to her waist and dismissed it as one of her childish oddities, and instead focused on the clench of her jaw and the glare in her eyes. She'd come to meddle, there was no doubt, and Avallac'h was already exhausted from it. He watched as Ge'els touched her elbow as they walked, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
The tightness around her gaze eased some, the result of whatever the Viceroy had said, and Avallac'h felt a touch of curiosity stir within him. He didn't know the princess well, she kept to her gardens and he to his laboratory. From their handful of interactions, she'd always been borderline improper and quarrelsome. Doted on by Auberon and Ge'els, he'd never known her to not get her way and was certain she planned to interfere as soon as-
"Auberon, by all means, have children. I have always desired to be the doting aunt, and as I've equally no wish to be your heir, I fully, expressly, hope you would have children." Áine said as she came to a stop between himself and Ciri. Immediately he was surrounded by the scent of roses and the air felt… electric. Her words left him feeling rather surprised. "But this is not how it is done." She continued, leaving him to mentally sigh. There it was. The meddling.
"She has already agreed." Avallac'h said, drawing that piercing gaze of hers to meet his. He was not the tallest in the room, that spot was reserved for Ge'els, but he towered over the princess enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. She was close enough he could make out the lightest dusting of freckles across her nose. He would definitely remember to speak with Ge'els. Soon the season would start, and she would no doubt be the source of enough gossip as it was without the aid of her scandalous flaws.
"What exactly were the terms you offered the child?"
"Give our king an heir, and she may leave." He said simply, the words feeling like ash in his mouth, but it was what needed to be done.
Her gaze turned into one of wonderment as she shook her head, looking at each of the rooms occupants in turn. "Unbelievable. I can respect a healthy fear of the end of the world… but this level the lot of you are drowning in is… awe inspiring. It truly is."
"Have you a better plan Your Highness." Avallac'h managed to keep his tone level, despite his irritation. But only just.
She shared a look with Ge'els, a small smirk easing across her rosy lips.
Avallac'h blinked, and quickly ignored the fact he'd just thought of her lips as rosy, just as she shoved the jar of dirt she had been holding into his hands, her smirk turning to him. "Something is wrong with my roses, see to it that this soil sample is tested for the cause." She then picked up the still silent human's hand and pulled her gently to her side. "I do have a spectacular plan. A plan involving my brother's most highly regarded wine as I properly welcome a member of the family." Her gaze flicked over to Auberon who watched silently, his body tense but expression carefully blank.
When her brother offered no objection, like she would have cared anyway, she turned away, tugging Ciri along behind her. "My name is Áine. Your great-great something aunt. I didn't know Lara myself, only vaguely have I memories of her, but you share her loveliness."
Ge'els waited for a nod from Auberon before following after the two women, leaving Avallac'h alone with Eredin and the king and in silence. The electric feel of the air had dissipated but the scent of roses remained.
"We cannot wait on this. You must take her to your bed. Tonight, and every night until she is with child." Eredin demanded with an almost hysterical element to his voice. "Áine has always had a soft heart but when she sees our people are safe, she will see things different. Do not allow her to sway you. Exile her to her chambers if it means you will not have to hear her words and fall into their trap."
Avallac'h did not particularly like the way Eredin spoke. Áine was a complication yes, but she was still the princess, and it was unlikely she would do something truly against Auberon's wishes. She was spoiled and outspoken but otherwise harmless.
"I have another matter to see to. Avallac'h, keep an eye on Áine and our new ward." Auberon said quietly as he stood from his throne.
Avallac'h's gaze widened in surprise. "Me? Ge'els is already with them." He hadn't intended to protest but well… he tended to become lose tongued when genuinely surprised.
"Ge'els is much to fond of my sister to keep her best interest at heart."
"There is also Eredin…" Regret at the suggestion as soon as the words left his lips spread heavily through his chest. While he was aligned with Eredin in the need to control the fate of Tir ná Lia, he was not aligned with Eredin's violent nature and now he'd just suggested that nature to invade the princess's privacy.
"Eredin is welcome to try but we know that she has no patience for him. You on the other hand she gets on with quite well."
Avallac'h kept his face carefully expressionless but on the inside, he was a mixture of confusion and horror. He failed to think of a single instance where he 'got on with quite well' with Áine. If they were in the others presence at all it was filled with exasperation and impatience on his part or plain ignoring his presence on hers. They'd never shared a smile or held eye contact for more than was necessary, not like she did with Ge'els. But perhaps that was what the king saw as getting on with. At least she'd never demanded his presence be removed as she had with Eredin on more than one occasion.
But he was in a corner, so he nodded to Auberon once and turned to follow his king's command. He'd nearly reached her wing of the palace when he remembered the jar in his hands. Biting back a sigh, he asked it to be delivered to the laboratory by a servant. He wasn't particularly fond of the idea of the invader in the midst of his life's works, but it would take a very long time to make the journey himself.
Again, he was without choices, all because of her.
He could hear the laughter before he reached her wing. The sound vibrated through the air, a loud contrast to the rest of the palace, and brought him up short a step. He'd never been down here, not really. He'd visited the garden regularly, the practical part of it that is, for whatever herbs he might need for his experiments. But as the palace gardens were vast, he'd never had any desire to venture further into them than was needed. Much like the rest of her wing.
He'd never had any practical need to explore the palace beyond where Auberon needed him. The great hall, Auberon's study, the library, the laboratory, and his own quarters in the tower near Auberon's personal wing. Even before Áine's birth, and now he couldn't help taking in the details of the décor.
Paintings lined the red walls. Well over half were of her in settings of the water falls below the palace, astride an elegant mare, laying amongst the flowers… and all were signed by Ge'els. Avallac'h assumed she managed to strong arm the Viceroy into abandoning his favorite style as these depictions of her were more the traditional style he himself favored.
When the hallway ended, opening to an older part of the palace with old stone archways covered in vines and various colored roses, he knew the path to the right would lead directly to the gardens, one of several entrances. Straight would lead to Áine's solar, a place where he'd overheard not even her most favored servants were permitted, a detail he'd promptly forgotten but now that he was faced with the mysterious tower, his curiosity returned in full force.
But the laughter was coming from the path to the left, so with a hand raising to brush the vines from his path he followed the sound. Once he stood before the door he took a moment to gather his thoughts, wondering where he went wrong to where it would lead him, commanded by his king, to now be tasked with babysitting two grown women. He couldn't make out the words through the richly oiled wooden door, but a burst of feminine laughter had him suspecting there were more than the princess, the child, and the Viceroy.
Of course. Her ladies. Nobles sent to fawn over the princess in order to raise their worthiness in the eyes of the court and make excellent matches. Of course.
He bit back a mental curse at his misfortune and steeled his posture. Before he could delay it any longer he knocked firmly on the door. The laughter continued, but the door remained shut. He tried again, a bit more force behind it this time. The laughter died down and the door opened to reveal a young woman dressed elegantly in golds that matched her hair.
She swept her gaze over his form quickly. "Your Highness, the Sage is here."
"Blast it Ge'els, that's a hundred silvers." The muffled voice of the princess came from somewhere beyond his sight. "He may enter but for his sake as well as ours, pour him some wine."
Avallac'h had been hoping fervently that she would refuse his entrance. He could have upheld the command by waiting outside her main chamber just as easily, but she'd surprised him by granting him access. The lady before him grinned and left him to enter and close the door on his own. Roses… the scent of them surrounding him once more, had a distinct effect on his heart rate it seemed.
A quick survey of the seating room revealed the princess's nature was not contained to her own personal appearance. She enjoyed elegant and rich décor, that was not in doubt for elaborate rugs dominated the large room, overstuffed settees and high back chairs were gilded and expensively upholstered. Marbled walls gave way to arched windows where vines of roses swayed gently in the sunlight.
Grand double doors lay open the view of Áine's bedchambers. The pale gold moldings of tangling vines and flowers weaved across the wall, bordering windows and drawing his gaze to the glass ceiling which dominated the entire room. The most impractical choice if ever there was one and made the mental note to be certain it was warded properly against ice. Not that ice storms were expected for awhile now but… he had to finally shake his train of thought back into place. He was after details at that moment not weather proofing impractical and potentially dangerous ceilings.
As with the sitting room, the bedchamber was richly furnished with settees, chairs, and even more pillows than he thought were necessary. Her bed alone would be impossible to space in his own chamber but in a room this size, it pieced in well. The personality of the two rooms came in with the countless books and plants scattered about every surface from the mantle of the fireplace in each room to her dressing table. An endless tangle of vines and roses crossed the domed ceiling, gathering in the center. Paintings again covered the walls but none of them were of her… in fact they were all of landscapes.
But beyond the disarray of books and plants, a harp stood in a corner draped with scarves, a sign it was rarely played. Pillows were tossed across the floor, chalices and wine bottles sat atop books or directly on the carpet. Platters of cakes, fruits, and smoked meats were resting on pillows in very real danger of sliding to the floor.
And no less than six women lounged across the settees and chairs, and one on the floor, each in various states of eating and drinking. Ciri sat on the dressing table bench, her back to the grand mirror and far removed whether by whose choice, Avallac'h could not say. Her wine sat on the table, but she looked a lot more at ease here than she had the entire time since her apprehension.
Ge'els… Avallac'h arched a brow when he finally dropped his gaze to the other man. The Viceroy lay with his head in the lap of one of the ladies, opening his mouth as she offered him a grape. He spared Avallac'h a brief look, gesturing to an empty chair. He waved off the offered chalice once he was seated, his back straight and ready for the moment to be passed.
The princess however, had yet to be seen. And the silence was uncomfortable. It ought to have bothered him, being the cause of it after all, but he felt it was a small victory. He preferred it this way.
"Did he accept the wine?" Her voice called from a far corner of the bedchamber, drawing his attention there immediately.
He felt his stomach drop at the shadowed form hidden from view by the thin patrician, her dress from before tossed over the top. "No, I did not accept the wine." He answered for himself. He found it oddly curious that she didn't have a lady helping her don her next dress, which he watched her shadow lift a hand and pause a heartbeat when he spoke, before pulling the red fabric from its place over the top of the patrician.
"Have you something against wine?" She called out. "I promise, none shall take offense if you indulge."
He'd yet to drag his gaze from her silhouette, watching as she expertly wrapped trailing sashes around her waist before stepping into view. Whether the swing of her hips, a movement one with a mind could be used convey her ease with his invading presence, was exaggerated or not, he could only guess. One detail stood out above all… her feet were bare. Her childishness knew no bounds.
All during her approach, up until the moment she came to the back of a chair and leaned against it with a relaxed manner, her gaze had not left his. Her thoughts he could only guess at, but he placed them along the line of her hopes in making him uncomfortable enough that he would voluntarily leave.
Well. He arched a brow at her in acknowledgement of her silent challenge. He was a scholar. A problem solver. He could spend years working to decipher a single equation, finding it at last, then promptly moving to the next. He enjoyed challenges.
Currently she must either believe if she continued to pressure him, he would leave. Or he would give in and overindulge, rendering him useless.
"Really Avallac'h, my brother sent you here to be sure I don't do something to jeopardize Tir ná Lia's last great hope, but surely you wish to celebrate your success in kidnapping a child, dragging her from her home world and family, dropping her into the bed of a stranger with commands to procreate in order to be granted her freedom." Her voice had grown ever colder with every word, before she suddenly offered a bright smile. "Come ladies! Let us drink to the true hero of Tir ná Lia. It is not Lara's heir we must thank, it is Avallac'h! All the glory to him but none of the mental ramifications."
She reached for the chalice held out to her, never breaking her gaze from his. "Even my brother is paying for this. Do you honestly expect your king to force himself on the very image of his daughter? A daughter, as rumor has it, who was quite close to you." Here expression twisted into mocking admiration. "Perhaps you're not as boring as they say. A rather dark side you must have."
Her words left him breathless, and he struggled to keep his demeanor calm and collected. Every eye, save Ge'els, had danced between the two of them, but now they were locked on him, awaiting his rebuttal. Eagerly wishing to hear his defense against her accusations and the revolting way she depicted his role. But he held his tongue. He would not rise to the bait, though he had underestimated her.
He had expected her to start slow, to make her attack on him gradual until he could no longer tolerate her and left. But instead she had leapt for his throat with bared teeth and claws. A mistake and he mentally smirked at the idea that she would make a terrible Queen.
Rather than agree or disagree he pointedly broke eye contact and looked to the lady nearest him. "Lady Brigid how did your brother's voyage fare?"
He paid little attention to the girl's startled reply, something she only did after glancing her gaze to the princess who he assumed granted her permission. Instead he watched from the corner of his eye Áine gave the smallest smile and made her way over to Ciri. She paused when Ge'els tugged on the bottom of her dress, murmuring something up to her which escaped Avallac'h in the increasing volume of chattering ladies.
Whatever was said, Áine only replied with a wink before coming up to Ciri and picked up a brush from the table. The human girl stared up at her with ready affection, something that surprised Avallac'h as he knew her to be stubborn and mistrustful. But that affection turned into outright joy at whatever the princess whispered to her, setting Avallac'h on edge.
Perhaps it was a good thing he'd come after all.
"Ge'els that is utterly impossible." A lady exclaimed behind peals of laughter. "An orgasm that last three days! Why I never heard of such a thing!"
Laughter broke out as every eye turned toward Ge'els, including his own. The other man sat up smoothly and took a deep drink of his wine. Avallac'h picked up the fond look the princess sent the other man but other than a smile she did not comment and lowered onto an empty chaise.
"It certainly is possible." Ge'els said, lifting a hand. "It takes effort and a dedication to meditation but indeed very possible."
"Sounds exhausting if you ask me." Áine added, resulting in a wave of laughter. Avallac'h looked between the princess and the Viceroy with a new sense of curiosity that left him… uneasy.
"Oh, but Your Highness… to feel the throes of passion over and over for so long a period? What could be better?" A lady exclaimed, her gaze bright from her overindulgence.
The light in Áine's gaze however dimmed slightly, becoming faraway as she slowly began running the brush through the waist length hair until a lady hopped up to take over the task. "I can think of a thousand things better than relying on a man for one's own passion. Such as the lingering scent of the stables. No offense Ge'els." She said, her smile was small but teasing.
He knew her words were meant as a thin insult towards him when she did not include him in the pardon, but he paid no mind to her childishness. Perhaps he was wrong about his initial assumption on the closeness between the two.
He couldn't deny they would make a good match. He couldn't say why Auberon was taking so long in finding someone even more suitable however. Perhaps that was something he could bring up to the king as well. That would certainly put a stop to her interfering. But he was immediately left with a sour feeling.
The mindless and oftentimes inappropriate chatter continued so long as there was wine and food. He lost count of the number of cups Áine had consumed, but as she was now staring at him intently with a quizzical brow from across the room, he assumed it was a rather large amount.
He kept his gaze carefully from meeting hers though he couldn't help wondering what it was she was thinking of.
Ciri at some point curled up in Áine's bed, no doubt exhausted from their travels, something Avallac'h admitted wore on him as well, but still Áine did not dismiss her ladies. To be honest, Avallac'h was not even certain how long he was expected to stay in the princess's company. He probably could have left a while ago when it became apparent that if Áine intended to do something, it would not be in the immediate future. But instead he became entranced with watching the dynamics around him.
Every time a joke was told, every eye would be drawn to her, to see if she would laugh. And every time, whether the joke was actually worthy of laughter, she would follow through. He quickly picked up on the difference between her false laughter and her genuine. But he did give her credit for the effort of making her ladies happy.
What she did not tolerate it seemed, were offhanded comments about the human and her ancestry. A lady noted how close she allowed the girl to her side, whether out of jealousy or outright racism Avallac'h had yet to determine, but Áine had calmly reminded the lady that had Ciri been fully blooded, it would make her no less her niece. A foolish sentiment but then Avallac'h had come to expect such from the princess.
When the light from outside had dimmed, Áine had lit the fresh candles placed throughout her room with a snap of her fingers, and their gathering continued. Avallac'h couldn't say he was bored, as truthfully, he was learning a lot. Emphasis on lot. He now knew Áine detested carrots and the color orange, likely because of carrots. Had not had any suitors- ever. Only allowed her ladies to visit once a week, which happened unfavorably to be today. And spent more time in the city than he realized, leaving him wondering if Auberon was aware of that fact.
As far as he himself knew, full escorts were rarely ordered for her by the king, leading him to believe that no… her brother was not aware of her trips into the city.
Eventually the laughter began to die down and Áine finally dismissed the ladies. Their duties done, they left without further word, not even a friendly promise to return, and he was faced with the stark reality that these women were not her friends. They were there for their own ambitions, and while none looked at her with dislike, they were not there because they were anymore fond of her than anyone else. Something she was aware of it seemed as the moment the final woman closed the door Áine's shoulders dropped just a touch.
Silently, as she passed Ge'els he took her offered hand and followed her into the bedchamber. Avallac'h shifted in his chair as they relaxed in the settee and Áine rested her head on Ge'els shoulder. "Join us Avallac'h so I'm not yelling across all of Tir ná Lia." She called out.
More out of his cursed curiosity than her command, Avallac'h found himself with his hands braced behind his back, stepping into the princess's bedchambers. His gaze was drawn from the rather cozy looking couple on the settee to the stars shining through the ceiling. He now saw the appeal of such a architecture choice… still found it impractical but he could admit to the desire of sleeping under the blanket of stars.
"If you're waiting for my brother to summon the child, it seems you're to be disappointed." She said wearily and closed her eyes once Avallac'h resumed sitting in the chair closest to the bed. His gaze caught a shadowed portrait that dominated a wall between two tall windows and he could no more prevent the rising of his brows than he could prevent the sun from rising. The frozen forms of Princess Áine and Viceroy Ge'els posed in an embrace of a particular familiarity.
An arm wrapped around her shoulders.
Hers around his waist.
A touching of brows and matching secret smiles.
It was ostentatious and left him more than uncomfortable as he was again left wondering the true nature of their attachment.
When he at last dropped his gaze from the portrait he found Ge'els watching him with a pointed look. His words silent but heard all the same. He was intruding in her space… and yet… His gaze dropped from the other man's to rest on the still form of the princess tucked against his side. He found it odd that she allowed him to witness her in such form when just before with a room full of companions she'd kept her stance regal with the appearance of openness, only to realize she'd truly been closed off the entire time.
Curious, as she must know the vulnerability she exuded in that moment.
"Are you allowing the girl to remain in your bed?" Ge'els filled the silence left open by Avallac'h in his failure to answer.
"Yes Ge'els. She's a human, not a rat."
The Viceroy's brows lowered at her words, a lingering sign of his own reservations about the human race, but he did not offer more protest. Instead he held still as Áine moved away to stand. Avallac'h picked up the slightest movement of Ge'els hand, as if reaching to steady her when she never showed any sign of wavering, though she did pause a moment before walking away.
For some reason, instinct seemed to take over him and he held his breath as she passed behind him, her hands trailing over the back of the chair and he could have sworn he felt the faintest brush of her knuckles in his hair. He released his breath silently once she was of distance away and pulling a loose blanket up over the girls sleeping form.
"Good night Ge'els. I'll see you tomorrow." She said quietly, glancing over her shoulder.
Ge'els stood and quickly strode over to her. Once he reached her he lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, bringing a smile to her lips.
"Sleep well, and I shall join you for coffee in the usual spot." He replied before leaving her, his gaze locked on Avallac'h's until he passed him by.
With the Viceroy gone, Áine slid between the thick blankets on her bed and laid on her side, facing him with her head held in her palm. "I wonder, if I never dismissed you, how long would you stay unmoving in that chair, so dedicated to being certain that I don't whisk the child away." She widened her eyes and gasped. "You might very well become a permanent fixture."
He knew she was mocking him and his amusement was not her goal, but he felt his lips irresistibly pulled into a small smile anyways. Yes, definitely not the reaction she wanted if the disappearance of her own were anything to judge by.
"I did not take you for one to indulge for so long in your cups. One with such royal responsibilities are looked up upon their citizens, beacons of propriety and righteousness. And yet you lay about gossiping and drinking. I wonder if the lady's families know the influence you expose them to." He wanted his words to sting as much as hers from before had affected him. But he was feeling dissatisfied when the only sign that he'd succeeded was a disappointed sigh as she eased her head down to her pillow.
"As boring as I expected... You may go, report the nights activities to Auberon, tell him how I leave the city unescorted and gossip about all the lovers the ladies and Ge'els have taken. Do what you like, but do not return to this chamber."
His mind immediately ruffled indignantly at being called boring. He was more intelligent than the average Aen Elle, accomplished in everything he did whether it be magic, riding, arts- had a close relationship with the king and his advisement was taken seriously in every matter it was asked for.
He mentally shook his head. He was anything but boring.
"As you wish." He murmured and swiftly stood, resisting the need to stretch muscles that were kept still for too long.
"Your Highness." She said around a yawn.
The comment broke a bit of his resolve and he narrowed his gaze at her, but she'd already closed her eyes. "As you wish, Your Highness." He managed in his usual even tone, turning away when she didn't reply. It would be just like her for her to fall asleep while he followed her command. He told himself over and over that she was just young and spoiled. She couldn't help the way she was… but he also had the desire to wrap his hands around her shoulders and shake some sense into her.
"Avallac'h."
He froze with his hand on the door handle, his stomach tightening at the unexpected sound of her voice saying his name.
"Don't forget to report the results of that soil sample. You will find me in the garden in the morning."
Avallac'h was at the end of his patience, an unfamiliar feeling for him, and he didn't care if she would see it as a victory, he could take no more without saying something he would regret.
He left without reply.
And found Ge'els leaning against a stone archway.
Avallac'h stood still in the night, breathing in and out while his blood cooled. "She has freckles." He finally managed to say to the other man, latching onto the one thing he'd wanted to remember.
Ge'els lifted a brow as well as a corner of his lips. "I've seen them."
"She should be wearing a hat whilst gardening."
Ge'els straightened his stance. "And you wish me to demand her Highness wear one?"
"Yes. She listens to you, no?"
The small smile grew in amusement before Ge'els swept an arm, silently inviting Avallac'h to walk with him. "Her Highness listens only to herself. If you think she needs to change her ways, you will need to find a way to make her change her mind."
"Me? I am doing no such thing."
"You are the one who wishes to change her. Therefore, it is your task to undertake."
"I'm not speaking of changing her personality, her essence. Her reputation will be tarnished, putting such flaws on display."
Ge'els set a hand on his shoulder as they walked. "It is good you have her reputation in mind… but how little you know of your sovereign's sister… The princess has had freckles all her life, from her earliest days toddling about the garden at her father's and brother's knees. And she has yet to be ostracized for it." His hand hell back to his side. "But if it would put your mind at ease, I will bring the suggestion to her in your stead."
"Thank you Ge'els. All her life or not, she has a duty to her people. Exemplifying the very best of our qualities and the respect such perfection demands." Avallac'h said, barely masking his relief as his mind immediately turned to the intimate portrait. "I feel a sense of duty bringing this up. Duty to our king and all of his concerns. Ge'els-" Avallac'h paused to look at his friend as they made their way from Áine's wing. "What is the tale behind the portrait in her chambers?"
"Is there something wrong? A detail missed? A freckle not added perhaps?"
A corner of Avallac'h's lips lifted at the well-earned jab and he turned his gaze forward with a roll of his eyes. "Other than the pretentiousness in its size… the intimacy perhaps? It is more than implied."
Ge'els clasped his hands behind his back. "Ah. There is a tale indeed behind that painting. The intimacy. I have loved her Highness all her life, Avallac'h. Such things are easily captured on canvas if one has talent."
Avallac'h was not certain if that was telling or not as he was very aware that there could be many forms of love. He shook his head, mainly at himself for his own foolishness. It was not his business as he was certain Auberon would be well aware of any attachment between his sister and the Viceroy.
He did not ask for more as he doubted he would be given more details anyways did but nodded his head in respect when it came time for Ge'els to depart for his estate, and for Avallac'h to close himself in his laboratory.
There on the table in the center of the room sat the jar of dirt and the princesses' final command ringing through his memory. He readied himself for a long night, for he knew a challenge when it was voiced, and he did not falter in his resolve to rise up and prove her wrong.