Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. For that matter I don't own Christian Rosenkreuz either (he was a real person, once). The only thing I own here is my OC, Mokuba's Medieval incarnation, and concepts/ideas shown in this story.
RP: Duelists of the Roses
Fandom: Yugioh
Roleplayers: ValarSpawn, JW%
Characters in this segment: Rose Duelist/PC, Christian Rosenkreuz, Hans Rosenkreuz
Location: Skype
Christian slept the night, awakening for his turn at watch (needed or not) as always.
This despite any alarm 'face downs' placed at their door or near the inn. Alaine shivered in her sleep, the draft in the room threatening to rouse her from sleep she needed along with the dreams playing out in her mind at that moment.
Noticing her shiver Christian placed another blanket on her.
She stopped shivering and slept on...until her hand fell on the empty space beside her. Alaine opened her eyes then and sat up, peering at his form in the darkness in the darkness before quietly wrapping the blanket around herself and scooting over to where he was sitting.
Christian glanced over at her, wondering why she was up, but not asking, since he was up as well. He hadn't really left the bed when he had awakened, just sat up to look around and momentarily 'test' the face downs.
"It's hard to sleep easy during wartime." She whispered as she moved over to sit by his side, resting her head on his shoulder as her eyes gazed out into the dark, not really taking anything in yet seeing everything as she allowed her Inner Sight to expand.
Christian didn't respond as she rested against his shoulder, letting her take everything in, to check the field and her hand and her deck...
It didn't take too long, and Alaine heaved a sigh as she finished checking on all that. She was practically snuggling against him by this point but so far he hadn't pushed her away.
Christian leaned back into the bed, pulling her with him. He didn't really force her to lay snuggled as he tried to drop back to sleep, but he certainly encouraged it.
His body had practically shifted to fit against her own like a mold. Likely it was unintentional but Alaine didn't object, soon falling asleep in his arms.
It would be a little before dawn when Alaine would wake up again, and then only because of a nightmare. It was obviously a memory-dream and from what she could remember, it had shown the death of whoever she might have been then. Alaine could still recall the city sinking into the storm-tossed seas, as well as the three dragons flying away from it before the waters closed over her... She shut her eyes and shook her head a little in an attempt to calm down her racing heart.
Christian awakened at the dawn, perhaps slightly before, knowing they would need to continue on.
When he woke up, Alaine was already shrugging on her chainmail and the surcoat that went over that, the leather jerkin being the last item she put on before collecting her weapons, cloak and muffler. She made sure to avoid eye contact, not wanting him to see the haunted light in her eyes as she headed towards the door.
He did likewise, though unsure of the reason why. Perhaps it had been the spending of time together in the bed... their first time to sleep that closely together instead of in separate bedrolls. By the time he was dressed and eating what breakfast the road house supplied for a few minor coins, he had considered that perhaps she had expected something more intimate of him... something he didn't feel ready to give, as she would be heading off to battle without him once they reached Dover.
In truth, she hadn't expected it of him though it would be a lie to say she didn't want it. At the moment, Alaine was more preoccupied with the battles to come as well as trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over her person like a shroud because of the dream. Memory-dream or no, nightmares were never pleasant, and ones where you (or someone very much like you but not) died were even worse. That in turn would lead to her being hyper-vigilant when they took off for the next village, keeping an eye and ear out for ambushes that might not have been there but the possibility remained: they were at war, after all.
Alaine wasn't the only one who remained vigilant as they traveled. Christian too was watching out for further ambushes. They had already encountered one, and it would only grow more perilous as they went further.
Finally, they do get ambushed. Common brigands and highwaymen. The cry Alaine lets out is one of mixed relief and frustration as she leaps off Chanson to take the fight to them: relief because now she has an outlet to get rid of her unease. Frustration because these scum of the earth are delaying her from her goal. She lands in between two and immediately her arms stretch out to their unprotected necks, the hidden blades sliding out from her bracers to deal them a quick death before moving on to other opponents.
Christian battled more with boasts and fists, making it clear that he was indeed carrying a sword, and that he indeed could do more to them, but that he didn't need to. His armor seemed to suitably protect him from most glancing blows, and he was nimble enough to close and strike rather powerful gauntleted blows while shouting derisive comments about how each brigand was a disappointment to him, to the British Isles, and to their own mothers who may or may not know who their father was.
Eventually, the brigands get smarter: they start to avoid attacking him. Unfortunately, they weren't smart enough because they decide to focus their attacks on his companion, who is not as armored as he, not as intimidating (though certainly deadly with the weapons they are currently wielding) and by that logic, easier to take down. Unfortunately for them, Alaine isn't entirely against a battle at that moment...
It also meant that Christian just seemed to grow angrier with them, and was more than willing to clot them on the head from behind, particularly if they were focusing on Alaine. Not that Christian stopped with the verbal abuse, if anything he went to chastising them on such dishonorable conduct for changing their tactics. He also demonstrated that he was able to strike an archer with a smooth river worn stone hard enough to knock the man from his tree branch perch and split his forehead open. "And you should see me skip it across a pond!"
"Really...?" That last remark took a lot of bite from the insult but Alaine was too busy fighting with one of the taller brigands to comment further. This man was practically a giant, reminiscent more of a Viking in stature. He was one of the few wielding a proper, well-maintained weapon: a war axe with a particularly broad blade. Alaine had already cut him in several places but she hadn't had the chance to make a fatal stab because the man was keen on preventing her from getting that opportunity.
"I was getting sick of batting away his poorly aimed arrows." Christian said. "And he certainly needed a stronger pull on the bow string; I could almost catch those weak quarrels. Hey, you think that getting beat by a girl is going to make you any mightier, big guy? You should have faced your defeat at my hands instead of hiding your face from me!" As he said this he walked up to the giant and tried to grab the man by the collar. Which involved reaching up.
The large man simply leaned back, avoiding the grab. "So cocksure." A pause as he looked Alaine over again, seeing her in a new and decidedly unsavory light. "Once I beat this fool, you'll have to keep us company. For killing some of my men, you see." He declared as he smacked her hard with the flat of his axe blade, the shock practically rendering her right arm numb and causing Alaine to stumble back.
"Hardly chivalrous of you, treating the lady like that." Christian said, pulling the man around to face him, and staying within the range of the axe blade. "But then I wouldn't expect any of you to have enough manhood between your legs to bother with chivalry."
"You call that a lady? That wench doesn't know her place...which me and my men will be sure to remind her of." The man advanced on him, trying for a swing at Christian's legs.
Christian caught the low swing with a grab on the man's arm and by planting his armored boot on the haft of the axe, effectively stopping it and putting all his weight on the mans weapon as he leaned in. Of course this only was to get him into position to give the giant a gauntlet armored backhand across the face. "I'll be the one reminding everyone of their place." Christian corrected the man.
The man stumbled back, reeling from the blow. Just as he was about to recover, Alaine suddenly leaped onto his back, barely hanging on with her still-recovering right arm while stabbing into the side of his neck with the left hidden blade. The brigand dropped like a stone, still clutching his war axe as he hit the ground face first. The few highwaymen that remained took that as their cue to flee, wanting nothing more to do with these two warriors.
Christian put his hands on his hips, having stepped just barely far enough aside that the giant did no more than scratch himself on Christian's shoulder armor as he fell. "That was unnecessary and poor form, but at least it brought the others to know their place." He told Alaine.
"At least." She murmured, massaging at her arm as she began taking stock of her injuries.
"Are you hurt?" He asked, finding an arrow in his leather under-armor and making an effort to pull it out.
"Nothing serious." A pause as she looked over to a gash on her left calf. Not a deep wound but it was bleeding a lot. With a sigh she began walking towards the horses, intending to retrieve the roll of bandages in her saddle pack.
"Good. We've faced worse than this lot." Christian said. "I think I have an arrow head somewhere in my doublet."
"Do you need help with that?" She asked as she found the roll and began looking about for a place where she could bandage the wound. Finally, Alaine spotted a boulder not far from the road and turned towards it, unintentionally granting him a view of her bleeding calf as she walked over to it.
He winced at the sight of her blood, and walked over to help her. "I could, but let me help you. That looks awkward to bandage by yourself."
Perhaps due to the sexist remarks of the giant brigand, Alaine was seriously considering saying no, wanting to prove she could take care of herself. In the end, common sense won out. "That would be most appreciated."
Christian came over to her and knelt to bandage her calf. He also winced as he did so. "You...may have to reach into my outfit...the arrow head broke off and is...shifting itself inside my shirt."
She looked him over. "Straighten up and stand still." Alaine ordered as she handed him the roll of bandages.
He straightened up and held perfectly still. "I think it's gone into my pants now." He noted.
"Right." She said, working at loosening the straps on the chest plate before unbuckling his belt so she could pull down his pants. By doing so, the arrow head would simply fall to the ground. Hopefully.
"Just reach in and get it out." He told her. "It shouldn't be that hard, I just can't do it with my gauntlets on."
"...If you insist." Alaine replied, somehow keeping a straight face even though she was certain her cheeks had gone pink as she reached in, carefully feeling about his pelvis and thighs as she sought out the arrow head by touch.
"I don't think...it's there..." He said, his breath catching. "More along the outside of my hip..."
"Hmm...which one?" She inquired, her hand already moving towards his left hip.
"Left side." He said. "There...now careful, I think it's chipped flint and rather sharp."
He felt her stiffen slightly. "...Found it." Alaine picked it up with her fingers and began to slowly, carefully, pull it out of his pants.
"I'd rather not have sharp pointy things... in there." He noted.
"No one likes having sharp pointy things near their unmentionables, Christian." Alaine deadpanned as she pulled it out. Frowning at the slight nick on her thumb that she got for her troubles, she discarded the arrow head.
He leaned over and gave her hand a kiss where she had nicked her thumb. "Let's onward before any of the brigands decide they could find more sticks to throw at us poorly."
"Alright but I need to see to this wound first. And you should probably pull up your pants, good ser." She turned her back to him before he could see the blush he had drawn out of her with the kiss, taking the bandages from his hand and moving over to a tree.
He snorted at the thought, as his pants weren't down that far... just loosened enough that she could put her hand into them. He proceeded to pull them up tight, retightening the buckles.
Alaine planted her foot against the trunk of the tree, extending her leg out so she wrap the bandages around the wound. Of course, it made for an awkward position for what she was doing but it needed to be done. That and she wasn't sure she could keep her usual skin tone around Christian right now.
Christian, his armor once more properly fitted, came over to her to help brace. "I said I'd help wrap your bandage."
She handed him the roll, pointedly avoiding his gaze as she lifted her leg off the tree.
Once more he knelt to work her leg, wrapping the bandage about in an efficient expert manner of a field surgeon.
She watched him work in silence, knowing she'd have to clean that later when they stopped for the day.
"Okay, let's move." He said, getting up again once he had finished binding it.
"Right." She quickly mounted Chanson. "How long till we reach the village?"
"It depends on our travel time." Christian said.
She nodded. "Shall we increase our pace?"
"We should."
Alaine dug her heels into Chanson's sides, accelerating the mare's trot into a canter and eventually a gallop, at which point she raised herself a little on the saddle.
Christian's mount matched hers in speed. "We don't need to wear them out." He cautioned.
"I don't intend to keep her going like this throughout the entire ride." Alaine replied, keeping her eyes on the road.
Christian kept up with her, his armor and the gallop making it hard to tell if he shrugged or not.
Eventually, she began to slow down, soon slowing down to a walk so Chanson could recover.
Christian reigned in his mount as well, riding by her side.
At some point during the ride, a strong wind had blown her hood back, revealing a few stray locks of hair had escaped the braid. She didn't seem to care or even notice as she leaned forward to pat Chanson's neck.
Christian rode on beside her.
It was around late noon that they reached the village, their first stop being the local inn. It was better in quality than the last inn but that was not saying much. Alaine had barely handed the reins to the hostler when she noticed the boy dashing towards them. More specifically, towards Christian.
Christian dismounted and glanced at the boy. "Yes?"
There was a soft clang as Christian was enveloped in a hug at the same time that the boy let out an excited "Bruder!" It could be none other than the younger Rosenkreuz, who really did not take much after his brother, with long black hair tied back with a leather band and dark cobalt eyes. At first glance, they didn't look related; one had to look closer to spot the similarities.
"Yes?" Christian repeated himself, even though his younger brother was hanging off his neck at the time.
"...I missed you! I take it everything went well? Who's your friend?" The boy was barely giving him any chances to answer his questions while Alaine simply left him there to make arrangements for a room, if none had been made.
"That was Alaine, the Duelist of Legend." Christian told Hans, putting him down. "And everything has been going... as well as to be expected, yes. How is it going with me away? The Rose Crusaders aren't doing anything foolish I trust. Nor the King..."
"They're doing alright; Hilde's made sure that they don't do anything foolish. Last I heard, the King was on Progress while on his way to Bosworth." Hans glanced over to Alaine as she went inside, then back at him. "Oh and here's the seal, as you asked." He added, handing him over a pendant featuring a Blue Eyes White Dragon biting down on its own tail while one paw grasped a small white rose.
"Thank you." Christian said, touching where Alaine's seal was being kept. "I'll have need of it before Dover."
"Is there anything else that you require, Ser?" Hans inquired, slipping back into the professional, competent squire persona now that he had gotten over his emotional outburst at reuniting with his older brother.
Christian gave a little look around to see if anyone was looking, and then smiled at his little brother. "No. Let's see if they serve honey cakes here."
The boy smiled back and the two headed inside, where the innkeeper informed them that their companion had gone on ahead to their reserved rooms to recuperate from the trip.
Christian went on ahead to see how Alaine was doing, leaving Hans to get them all a good meal.
He found her out of her boots and pants, unwinding the bandage around her calf and standing next to a bucket of water placed on a chair with a washcloth hanging from the rim. Because she was focused on dealing with the wound, Alaine did not react as she should have in such situations, though she was certainly aware of his presence.
"May I help?" He asked, walking over to her side.
She nodded, even as her cheeks tinged pink because her legs were exposed to his sight. Technically they more or less had been before but the pants she wore were somewhat loose-fitting and did not cling to her body.
He moved to kneel down to help with her footbath. "May I?"
"You may. Although I was trying to clean off the gash on my leg..."
He knelt and started cleaning her leg, including the gash on her calf.
"He must really be fond of you, given that greeting." Alaine began, watching him as he cleaned her leg.
"My brother. Yes, I've all but adopted him..."
"It must be a challenge, trying to raise him."
"He will grow to be a good man." Christian said, starting to work her foot now that the calf was cleaned.
"I can believe that." Alaine said, her eyes closing in pleasure as he cleaned and massaged her foot.
Christian continued to massage her foot dutifully, focusing on her intently. His efforts probably would cause pain if her stigmata were an actual wound, but if it were he'd be treating her differently anyway.
Alaine sighed, thankful she had the foresight to spread out several layers of bandages over the floor so that the blood wouldn't stain the wood. "You have wonderful hands, Christian."
"And you a wonderful body. From your hair to..." He paused a moment.
She opened one eye to look at him. "To...what?"
He glanced up at her and locked with her open eye for a moment, before very slowly and deliberately leaning down to worshipfully kiss her foot.
There was a sharp intake of breath at the gesture as her other eye opened to look at him. "Christian..." Her voice had dropped to a murmur but it had acquired a slightly husky edge to it.
"Alaine..." He replied, looking up to her and meeting her eyes once more.
She gazed back at him, unsure of whether to hold back and remind him to start on the other foot or to give in to her desires then and there. Eventually, she settled for the third option. "You should start on the other foot but…perhaps later tonight we could...arrange a rendezvous?"
A gleam came to his eye. "Start bathing your other foot? Or kissing it as well?" He teased as he went to bandage her foot before putting it down.
"Um..." Her mind suddenly went blank. "Both?" The Rose Duelist asked tentatively.
He started to bathe her other foot, innocently enough. "I have something for you." He said.
"Oh?"
He was already on his knees, and so he held up to her his seal. "Now the exchange is complete, is it not?"
"It is." Alaine replied as she held out her hand to take the seal.
He watched her for a moment as she took it, considering her reaction.
She studied the seal, gently caressing the intricately crafted surface with her fingers. Shortly after, she unclasped her chain from around her neck, smiling as it went through the metal loop and the pendant slid into place along with her family's coat of arms. "I will treasure this." Alaine said as she put the chain around her neck again, slipping it under her chemise as she met his gaze.
He bound her other foot and placed it not on the floor but on the bed where it wouldn't react. "We have dinner to attend... though I look forward to a rendezvous tonight." He stood up and then paused a moment, leaning over to her. "I seem to have forgotten to kiss your other foot." He pointed out.
"I suppose you'll have to make up for that." She replied playfully as she shot him a coy look.
"I suppose so. During our rendezvous you'll have me on my knees and be telling me to kiss your foot?" He teased as he got up, offering a hand to take her downstairs for the dinner.
Alaine finished pulling on her pants and boots, making sure they were secure before taking his hand. "Frankly, I'm not sure I even need to tell you to do it."
"Well, I don't think I'll do it if you don't ask." He continued to tease.
"Sounds like I will have to get firm with you." She said, teasing him back.
"We'll see how...firm I'll be tonight as well." He teased and led her downstairs. Hans had a suitable meal set out for them.
A/N: In light of recent developments in character relationships, I might have to bump up the rating to R if I decide to post the following scene. I could probably pull it off with some editing (and to be honest, it's nothing too graphic at the moment) but if there's any readers uncomfortable with this type of adult content, please say so and I'll see what I can do.
Hans Rosenkreuz: Obviously, this is Mokuba's incarnation in this time period. In addition, while he probably won't figure that much in the general story, Noa's incarnation is also present. Headcanon name for him is Klaus Rosenkreuz. Yep, in this lifetime, the three are biological brothers. X3 I'd say more but the remaining two members of Clan Rosenkreuz are kinda story-relevant so I won't say more on them until neccessary.
Random Trivia: At one point while working on the last chapter I considered changing the ancestral lands of Alaine's family from Aquitaine to Anet, mostly because I liked the idea of Diane de Poitiers being a descendant of theirs (likely descended from Alaine's older brother, Stefan). But then I remembered that Diane gained Anet from her marriage to Louis de Breze and the idea was scrapped.
As always, feedback is welcome!
