Summary: The Mark of Mastery is almost here.
Terra and Aqua have one last mission to complete
before they they are evaluated for all the efforts they put into being Keyblade Masters.
If only they had mastery over their own emotions.
Terra is 19, Aqua is 18.
Rating: T (for sexual tension)
A/N: holyteapotofrussell sent me this prompt:
"It's three in the morning."
Terra twirled the card detailing the goals of his next mission, written neatly in the Master's handwriting, in his hand. He would share this mission with Aqua, who was currently busy drilling her dance movements. He learned to respect her time to that kind of dedication, since it was such an important aspect to her fighting style. It was also a craft that wasn't shared with either him nor Eraqus - it was her own thing, her time for herself.
This annoyed him a little though, not that he would ever ask her to stop dancing. He normally loved watching her, admiring her ability to adapt such beauty and grace to the way she commanded her magic. It proved fruitful, since he had been stumbling more often in their last several duels. And if he was going to be honest... watching her dance was also the one chance he got away with gazing at her.
But the Mark of Mastery was less than two weeks away. Eraqus had already informed them that an old friend of his, another Master, would be on his way to examine them. Another pair of eyes from a stranger, there to judge their performance. Terra needed the both of them to do well, including this mission. They've worked too hard for too long to make a bad impression on someone else who wouldn't know a thing about them.
I'm sure Aqua is also nervous. Why else would she be dancing before we have to embark?
He entered the castle's lounge, a spacious room featuring several desks and loveseats, a small library, a wardrobe, and massive windows with an unbeatable view of the mountains. We really need more students. This castle is far too big for us.
Ventus sat there alone with an open book, looking like he was working on an essay. Except he really wasn't. He was doodling a mess of himself fighting monsters. Terra pulled on the backrest of the boy's chair so that the blonde can look directly up at him.
"That looks like a fantastic essay you've got written there," Terra said to the young boy who was showing off a grin, happy to see his oldest best friend.
But the grin quickly faded. "This book sucks," was all Ventus had to say.
Terra let go of the chair and leaned over to read the cover of the book. Guidelines from the Philosophies of the Greats: On the Adjustment of a Keyblade Bearer's Lifestyle. It was the driest book he and Aqua had ever studied, and it was mandatory. He didn't understand why Eraqus still required it.
Terra didn't grimace at the sight however, knowing that showing any sign of discouragement was going to make it so much harder for Ventus to start his essay - a feat that the boy already struggled with. It usually led to too many long nights before the deadline, rushing to finish it. Terra was often the one to help him, as Aqua quickly ran out of patience.
"You know, when you finish this book, it will do wonders for your sparring. It will completely change the way you approach fighting," Terra said.
It was a lie. There was nothing in this book about fighting.
Ventus at first looked suspicious, then softened his expression as a timid excitement seeped through. "Really?"
"Of course. It's the most important book that a Keyblader wielder needs." Terra tried hard to keep a straight face.
Ventus put his doodles aside, curious to find out how the book would cater to his interests. It was then that Terra noticed another book underneath the messy stack of papers and pencils. It was battered and well-worn, displaying the image of a fox and a bear donning a bow and arrow. The Adventures of Robin Hood. This book belonged in the library normally, but if he were to open it, the very first page would grace the scratchy hand-written words of a ten-year old: this book belongs to Terra.
"What is this doing here?" Terra asked, a little smile curled on his lips as his heart pumped with childish excitement.
"Isn't it the coolest book ever? It's so much better than this crap."
"Well, there's nothing that could be better because Robin Hood is the greatest hero of all time." He cleared his throat. "But it's no excuse not to do your studies." Terra flipped through the pages. He read this so many times that he could almost recite the entire thing. Images of his childhood imagination threatened to take his mind away. "I actually wanted to be exactly like him."
"You know he reminds me of you."
Terra flashed a look of disbelief at first, not certain if it was a genuine compliment or a jab. Still, he was proud of the comparison. Not that he had the time to respond, since Aqua rushed into the lounge, panting a little bit, and looking a bit more serious than what was usual after a drilling session. Dance normally perked her up.
"I'm ready," she said as she approached Terra. She gave a small smile, but the tone of her voice forced optimism.
Yup, she's stressed.
Ventus swung around in his chair. "I hate the both of you right now for leaving me here alone."
"We don't have a choice, Ven," Aqua said as she gently brushed his hair. "You can always have the Master help you out."
Ventus rolled his eyes. "All he's going to do is criticize the way I do anything. Terra is much more fun doing the most boring things with."
Terra snorted. "I hope that's not all I'm good for."
"And it sucks that I can't do anything."
Aqua let out a deep breath through her nose, her jaw a little tense. She normally was soothing and understanding of how isolated Ventus felt in the castle, but it seemed as though she was itching to get this mission over with.
"C'mon Ven," Terra said, "what do we make you repeat every time one of us goes away on a mission?"
Ventus let out an incredibly loud and snarky sigh as if to protest. "When you guys were my age," he started with clear mockery and contempt, "you weren't allowed to go out either."
Terra gestured to Ventus to continue the speech.
And Ventus glared at him. "And one day, even though it will never happen because the Master is absolutely paranoid, I will be able to leave the grounds - let me mention that the Master took you guys out when you were young and never does for me."
"That's good enough." Terra smirked. There was nothing he could do to ease his friend's restlessness and feelings of abandonment except to keep the atmosphere uplifting. Aqua smiled sadly.
"Where are you guys going this time?" Ventus asked, seemingly unaware of her mood.
Terra held up the card with the details. "We need to guide a princess of a kingdom into following her destiny. Apparently, the forces of fate are stirring for her, and the Master doesn't want her following a dark path. That's where we come in."
"And we can't mess up," Aqua said with a forced smile. They normally had a philosophy of keeping positive about their prospects, although her slightly perfectionist tendencies were definitely going to get in the way this time.
Well, we can't always have a great outlook. I'm going to have to be the one to let her relax this time.
"We won't," Terra said as he gently squeezed her shoulder.
The two Keyblade wielders stood in the throne room, guards surrounding them. They were being questioned by the king and queen while their daughter, Merida, pleaded with them to listen to her. She tried to tell them that they had saved her from her horse reacting to a round of boars and throwing her off - hiding the fact that she was there to hunt them in the first place.
The queen in particular was much more concerned about the way Terra and Aqua looked and dressed. She focused on Aqua's choice of hairstyle and how she refused to dress like a woman. She focused on Terra's tan skin, and wondered where he had come from. Clearly, they were outsiders, and the queen feared an invasion. The king, however, burst into a fit of hysteria and dismissed his wife. He pointed to Terra and exclaimed that there was no way they could pose a threat since this pretty boy has eyelashes like a cow's!
Merida used her father's reaction as leverage to convince her mother that neither of them posed a threat and that they were her friends. So, please Mum, let them stay.
The queen was convinced to agree. The king pulled Terra aside while Merida grabbed Aqua by the hands and led her away. The princess took quite a liking to her the moment they met. Aqua lingered back at him as she disappeared through a doorway.
The king listed the things he expected Terra to do as they walked through the stone castle halls. Hunting. Upkeeping the farms. Guarding the castle. He slipped into his long speech that Terra could not continue to dress the way he did. He took time to tell Terra of a tale where he faced a large, monstrous bear and how proud he was of his accomplishments (even though he failed to capture or kill said bear). He then introduced Terra as "the foreigner" to his men.
Terra was shown to his quarters, a large room of bunkers that he would share with the other servicemen in the castle. He was given what they called a kilt, and was dragged outside to start his chores. The other men flipped between calling him "pretty boy" and "foreigner" for nicknames. The latter made Terra's skin crawl, though he tried not to let it terrify him. He focused on making himself seem as less threatening as possible. The last thing I need right now is to be thrown into the dungeon because they suspect I'm a spy or something.
When he sparred, he messed up on purpose in order to make it seem like he didn't know what he was doing - despite that none of the other men posed a challenge to him. Nonviolent. As long as they understand me as nonviolent.
This invited more teases and laughs from the other men however, who then considered Terra as someone who wanted very hard to look like a man but could never be one. Terra bit his tongue each time they referred to him as a "lady," and instead thought about ways to reunite with Aqua. He wasn't allowed up in the princess' ward of the castle, so he couldn't just walk up to her.
Not that these restrictions in behavior were important to Aqua, or to Merida for that matter. He saw them together in the field while he was herding sheep. They were practicing archery and riding horses. Aqua wore a long brown gown made of cotton, indicative of maid work. She looked pretty. But she was pretty anyway in whatever she wore, even after grueling training sessions that left her sweating. She beamed a smile as she rode a horse for the first time in her life, radiant as her short hair bounced. A stress-free smile.
Terra forgot he had sheep to take care of. The men made sure to remind him of that as they guffawed about his pretty little head up in some maid-in-waiting's bosom where it don't belong. One of the sheep bayed as if she was in agreement.
Aqua noticed him from the distance and while on her horse, gestured with her head toward the forest behind the castle. It was to say that they should meet later that day, in private. Terra knew what was expected of him and how it should happen. He tended to his sheep with determination and focus to finish as fast as possible, and it kept the other men off his back. Knowing he will reunite with her was comforting enough to keep him going on with his meaningless chores.
With every single one of his sheep accounted for, Terra took the opportunity to sneak away when the other men gathered together for a late afternoon brew. He slid through the shadows in between the trees, leaving the castle behind, which sat in a valley amidst serene mountains that were threatened by storm clouds far away. Lakes rested in between, undisturbed by wind or any other force of nature. Taller mountains stood peacefully beyond with snow caps. It was a beautiful sight, very much like home.
Deep in the thicket, he placed his thumb and middle finger up against his tongue as he rolled it. He whistled three short times. Silence. A half hour later, after finding a clearing with a creek, he whistled three short times again.
Two long ones replied. This was the signal. Anytime they were separated in the mountains as children, this was their call to find each other.
Aqua arrived, her brown dress dragging the leaves on the ground and her short, choppy hair perfectly framing her face. Terra must have stared for a little too long because she suddenly got self-conscious.
"It's called a dress, Terra. Sheesh."
He forced a chuckle to hide his nervousness. "As long as you're comfortable."
She put her hands to her hips. "What about what you're wearing?"
"A kilt." He wrinkled his chin and swayed his hips back and forth. "It's nice and airy. But... well..."
Something on his face must have given his anxious disposition away, because Aqua immediately gave him a knowing smile that told him she was ready to tease.
"What is it?" She grinned, not a single ounce of stress on her face and this was the way he liked her best.
"Well..." His voice wavered. "Some of the men, you know, kind of... don't... wear anything underneath."
She snorted very loudly and eased herself into laughter, the sound of which made his heart jump. She was most beautiful laughing, and he had to control the aching need to touch her.
He continued, "I've had my fair share of sights today as it is."
"No!" Her hand was on her chest and her eyes were tearing from the laughter. "Tell me you're-"
"Of course I'm wearing shorts under it, Aqua," he stressed, his nose wrinkling as she laughed harder. "What is hard to deal with though is how the guys here just have these very specific expectations of how I am supposed to act - like I'm not worth their respect otherwise."
"Tell me about it, it's suffocating. I swear, I think the queen mentioned the length of my hair three times." She composed herself and wiped her tears. "Merida really struggles under this kind of pressure, which is a shame because she has such spirit and she's a great fighter. I'm grateful the Master doesn't force such insignificant and stupid rules on us, it's ridiculous. I wish I could take her with us."
"I would like to do the same for her..." Terra started to say and then fell silent. He didn't need to finish the sentence. They both knew that they could not mess with the political affairs of other worlds. Merida was just unlucky and he was no Robin Hood.
Merida however was lucky enough to have Aqua as a friend. She told him that she served mainly as a personal counselor for the princess: sparring with her, learning about archery, and meeting her trivial needs. Aqua gained the princess' trust fairly easily.
"Anyway, I asked you to come here for a reason." Aqua proceeded to take her brown dress off and toss it to the side, revealing a shorter but simple white cotton underdress with no sleeves. White was the best color on her. Her skin looked nice, too. She summoned her Keyblade and got serious, her upright posture ready to duel. "We can't slack off."
Terra summoned his own, grateful for the chance to practice so shortly before their exam. "Who said we would?"
Aqua, having trained with him since she was eight years old, utilized her acrobatic abilities to outmaneuver him. It was best for her not to directly encounter him head-on since he was a powerhouse, and she struck him whenever he left himself open, which happened more often than Terra would like to admit, since his attacks could get slow and wide as he pushed every ounce of strength into each blow. He could easily brutalize her if he caught her unguarded, but over time she barely allowed it. Of course, there was also her magic that he had to juggle as well. He bore magic too, but it never shone a light in comparison to her skill.
Because of this, Terra stumbled several times, as what had become usual in the last few weeks. Normally, he would have no trouble keeping up with her or making up for his mistakes. She has improved so much in the last couple of years and I'm now falling behind. I'm sure the Master has noticed my lack of performance. ...Am I not going to be able to pass the exam?
When their duel was over, Aqua headed over to the creek to rinse the sweat from her arms, neck, and face. He silently squatted next to her and did the same. It wasn't just the Master that he worried about. For as much as he admired Aqua, he wanted her to reciprocate. He wanted her to continue to see him as an equal. What if she doesn't think that I am good enough for her anymore? What if I drag her down?
"How did I do?" she asked. It was always the question that followed after a duel. Checking on their progress. This was the way the two of them held each other accountable for their work.
"You were incredibly difficult to pin down. You've been working hard, I can tell," he said.
She sighed, sounding as if she was relieved. It made sense. Progress was always a good sign. Terra didn't bother asking about his own performance, however. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what she had to say.
She noticed that he didn't ask and went ahead with her thoughts anyway. "I was pulling new moves on you. You'll eventually get the pattern down in no time and start beating me. Definitely by the exam. I mean, you know me. You've done this longer and you're an amazing fighter. You'll see that I'll get predictable again." She leaned forward in order to meet his gaze, to make sure he got the message.
All of those words made sense. They were far softer than anything the Master would have told him. But it brought little comfort. The point was to be good enough to hear only words of praise out of her mouth. Terra nodded in return, thinking about how time had changed his perspective completely. Before, he had no trouble bracing himself for what she had to say. They were on this road to becoming Keyblade Masters together. Only together should they succeed, and only together could they improve.
But as he got older, as he noticed different features on her, as he started to feel new sensations in his body and the pangs of loneliness that came after, he yearned for her praise. He needed any ounce of proof that he could win her affections, that he could be something more than just her equal. It had been a few years since she was more to him after all. As time passed, it was less comfortable for him to hear her criticisms. He had to do better. He had to be better.
She smacked him on the shoulder, a gracious smile on her face. "Hey, I'm not talking to myself for my health."
"Sorry." He forced a grin. "There's a lot to think about."
"Yeah." She nodded as she pursed her lips, the weight of the exam heavy in the air around them. But her eyes were bright and large and stunning anyway, and they locked with his. A pause between them. She chuckled and stood up, breaking the connection and it pained him a bit. She pulled her brown dress on and dusted off the dirt.
"I can't imagine the queen's fright if she saw me walking around in what is technically my underwear," she said. "I'm relieved that we fought. I needed to get away from all of those pointless rules."
It seemed as though she was trying to make him laugh, although he didn't give her what she wanted. She cleared her throat and gestured her head behind her. "C'mon, Terra. There is this secret passage that I want to show you back at the castle."
"Secret passage?"
"I asked Merida about it and she just showed it to me. It goes straight to her side of the castle." She stepped toward him.
"So we'll be sneaking around. The guys will never let it down if they ever find out."
"Then don't let them."
Another lingering look. Another nervous chuckle, Aqua and Terra together wondering about the implication of what sneaking around was supposed to mean.
Two nights after that duel, Terra sat with his best friend inside a room tucked away within the secret passage of the castle. It was the safest place for them to converse without any interruptions, expectations, or demands. They sat atop some dusty crates that the tens of people living within the castle had all forgotten about, eating lamb meat. Though Aqua made a passing comment that it had no flavor.
"You know," Aqua said, "the queen talked today about preparing Merida for a possible suitor for marriage. Three princes from other clans will arrive tomorrow." She sounded a bit apprehensive.
"I can't imagine that she would want that," Terra said.
"Maybe this is what the Master meant by fates changing for her? What am I supposed to do, though, Terra? Am I supposed to comfort her and make her feel at peace with the ceremony?"
"It's funny, I don't actually think it's the right thing to do." Terra imagined what Robin Hood would do. To the depths of the deepest cracks of the earth with the idea of a forced marriage! But if only he was working in an actual fairy tale. He swallowed his flavorless meat, though he didn't mind it. "But still... you can't tell her not to see it through. We can't actually affect how another world maintains its balance."
"I know, but I'd hate to agree with the queen on this one."
"Maybe you don't have to." Terra stopped eating. "So far, all we have done is observe. There is no darkness here. Maybe we should let it happen and see what Merida does."
Aqua nodded unenthusiastically. Terra noticed for the first time that she had stopped eating a while ago. "What's on your mind?" he asked.
Aqua smiled, though it wasn't her usual calm, collected grin. She was worried again. "I was thinking about the Keyblade Master coming. You know, Master Xehanort? Remember him?"
"Yeah," he shrugged. "He didn't spend a lot of time with us, though. He dropped Ventus off, and spoke with the Master for the most part. He was a bit eccentric. He actually tuned that old piano in the ballroom, played for a bit, and then left rather abruptly when Ventus wouldn't wake up. I remember him expressing a desire to have dinner with us. He was very nice otherwise."
"I remember him being very knowledgeable when he was talking with the Master."
"You nervous?"
"Well, if you ask me, he could never have a good reason to fail either of us. But that's just the one day he will see us. He won't get to see all the years we put into this."
"There's absolutely no way you can fail, Aqua."
She sighed through her nose. "There's no way you can fail, either. But even if we pass-"
"When."
"Okay, when we pass..." Aqua looked a bit overwhelmed. "We have been training our whole lives for this. Aside from the house I left when I lost my family, I know nothing else except training for this one special day. We have been dreaming for this for so long. Once we become Masters, what is left for us?"
Terra found the question rather strange. What else would she want besides being a Master?
"You do realize we can suck as Masters, right?" He cut a piece of lamb, but did not eat it. "I mean, there must be some incentive to be good at our jobs. Think of all the opportunities we will get to fail at our missions. Think about this scenario: we could tell Merida to relax about the marriage, and then she murders him."
Aqua laughed and it sounded genuine, as though he gave her an outlet to relax. He relished the thought that he could help her, even in small ways.
When she was done laughing, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but then stopped herself. She shuffled nervously and played with her food. Was she expecting a different answer from me?
"I'm so glad you and I are friends, Terra," she said softly as she held his forearm. She meant it.
While this should have been fantastic news to Terra, a part of him hurt to hear it.
The arrival of the neighboring clan members was met with a welcoming ceremony. Terra stood outside with the other men, garnishing fur on his shoulders. The king requested that all of his men should wear fur, as a representative of his kingdom. Bagpipe performers were there to welcome the guests with their music. Terra knew that Aqua, who was still in the castle, was enjoying it. That was always her favorite part of exploring new worlds: participating in the kinds of ceremonies, traditions, music, and dances that everyone else shared.
All the guests were escorted into the throne room. The suitors did nothing but boast about their accomplishments. Their fathers boasted more. Terra kept to himself, not really wanting to be part of this. He could be spending the time differently, with more interesting things to do. Such as sparring. When the feast officially began, he found a table off to the side, away from the thrones where he can sit by himself, a tall mug of ale in his hand. Nothing but a wallflower, watching the other guests converse and play competitive drinking games.
Merida arrived with her parents, followed swiftly by Aqua. Terra had his drink to his lips when he saw her, forgetting that he should be taking a sip of it. Aqua wore a brown dress again, but this one was... tighter than her simple cotton dress, hugging her curves. When she approached him, he could tell there was small embroidery detailing the fabric. She had a matching knotted headband around her head, contrasting with her blue hair.
"That looks tight," he told her, gesturing above her.
Aqua reached to touch her headband as she sat down next to him. "It is. But is that all you have to say?"
All I have to say?
Terra never ventured into the territory of actually complimenting her looks. He always forced himself to stay calm when those kinds of feelings swelled. To hint at what he truly thought of her wasn't anything he needed to do. Not yet anyway. He needed time.
But now she's expecting me to say something.
"You look refined," he said.
She scoffed and tugged at his fur, a contemptuous smile on her face. "You look refined, too."
He laughed and sipped his drink. The immediate sensation that followed burned his throat and sent chills up to his forehead. This ale was the strongest he had ever tried. He looked over to Merida, sitting on the throne. It was quite obvious that she was frustrated, a huge scowl on her face as she crossed her arms. She tossed glares toward her mother when the queen wasn't looking.
"She's happy," he said.
"It was incredibly difficult getting her into that corset," Aqua said, lowering her voice, as if scared that anyone would hear her. "Have you met the suitors?"
Terra leaned over to her and whispered, "they're idiots."
Aqua closed her eyes slowly and pursed her lips, taking a long exhale. She quickly shook her head, as though she was trying to shake off the oncoming stress that she undoubtedly felt in the moment. She stared at Terra's hands.
"What's that like?" she asked with a gentle nod toward his drink.
"You won't like it."
"How would you know that?" She cocked her head to the side.
He looked at her, close enough to see the individual strands of her hair. His peripheral vision was aware of the tightness of her dress, the way it shaped her chest and waist. Stay calm. "Because I know you."
"So then what, I can't try the drink out? I can't relax and let go at a party?" She smiled and her eyes looked like they sparkled. Stay calm.
An older gentleman sat in front of them. This was a man Terra recognized, who often worked with the cows. He was normally pleasant, and answered any questions Terra had about the sheep without a witty remark. He had his own ale, his breath stinking of alcohol. He hiccuped and burped.
"That's not a drink for cute ladies, lass, even ones who want to look like boys," the man said to her.
Aqua's pleasant expression froze for a bit as she stared at the man. Never, in the entire time that Terra knew her, did she ever tolerate being treated differently because she was a girl. But it wasn't just this. Aqua could get competitive, sometimes strongly so if she was provoked enough. The flash in her eyes told him this.
The worst thing that could ever be said to her was that she was cute.
"We'll see about that," she said, in the most polite way she could have mustered it when she looked like she really wanted to slap the man.
She grabbed Terra's drink from in front of him and took a large gulp. She shivered as her face contorted and her mouth was left open. When she composed herself, she narrowed her eyes at Terra, as if to say that she couldn't believe he would ever go near such a nasty thing.
The man laughed at her, shaking his head at her hideous expression and took a huge swallow of his own drink.
Another man approached the table. He was younger, and wore the red kilt and blue facial paint that labeled him as part of the Macintosh clan. He placed his hand on Aqua's shoulder. "What's a proper lady doing with a drink like that?"
She pulled her shoulder away from his grasp.
"There is no such thing as a proper lady," she told him, rolling her eyes in the most obvious way she could. She forced herself to drink more of the ale, frowning and distorting her chin with each swallow.
There she goes. Terra knew that she wouldn't pass the chance of proving these morons wrong.
"Aqua," Terra whispered to her. "You never drank this much before. Are you sure you're going to be okay with this?"
She shot him a glare. That was the wrong thing to say.
As if betrayed by his question, she lifted the mug to her lips, taking several gulps of the ale without stopping. She finished, moaning from the disgust, and slammed the mug on the table. She continued to glare at him, the men around them laughing and teasing about her tenaciousness. She wavered a bit, blinking a bit too much. Her cheeks were flushed, and her frown severe. I'm not sure drinking that much that fast was a good idea.
The men continued to make jokes about her, and while she tried to interject, they never allowed her to. She was losing her sharp wit. Eventually, she was left to lean on her elbows as the men continued to taunt, unable to reply. She held her hand to her head, as though she had a headache. Part of it was probably the headband. Terra, afraid to say anything to provoke her further, watched her.
It was at this time that the queen had announced that a competition of some kind was to be held in order to win Merida's hand in marriage. Merida declared archery, a skill that she never hesitated to show off on the castle grounds. It was a skill that he immediately noticed when he first met her in the forest.
"I guess something big is going to happen tomorrow," he said. "This is probably what we've been waiting for."
"I just want to get all of this over with," she said sluggishly. "I want to go back home."
A maid brought Terra another mug of ale. He waved his hand to reject it, but the fact that only Terra was offered it set Aqua on edge.
"Hey, I'm over here, too," she mumbled as she leaned over the table. The maid set the mug down, but in front of Terra.
He wasn't able to take a sip of his new drink, because Aqua grabbed it and swallowed some more. I guess it doesn't matter. It's probably better that I stay alert for both our sake.
"Ugh, why won't anyone take me seriously here?" she said as she slammed the mug down and wiped her mouth.
The man from the Macintosh clan leaned over and grabbed her by both of her shoulders. Terra could see that he was massaging them, and his own jaw clenched a bit with anger. The man's breath was incredibly strong, traveling too far for someone who was slightly drunk.
"Why don't you learn to behave the way you should, lass? Have some honor? Grow your hair out?" He laughed, clearly amused, and possibly aroused, by her behavior.
Terra started to reach over to push the guy off of her, but Aqua shrugged his shoulders off herself, and stood up to face him. He was a head taller than she was.
"Who gave you permission to grab me?" she asked, her speech the tiniest bit slurred. Terra stood up alongside her, attentive and watching for any small movements that might indicate the start of a struggle.
"Aw, lookit how the girlie thinks she can to talk to me this way." The man grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her toward him.
Aqua aggressively shook his grip off while reaching for Terra.
She leaned on Terra and kicked the man on the middle of his stomach, sending him backward against the wall behind him. "Don't touch me!"
The surrounding men collectively guffawed together, marking on how such a weakling could be overcome by a simple service woman. Terra knew what that meant. Hurt pride. Shameful reputation. A man from a different clan altogether would consider this an insult since he represented his own group.
And it seemed that Terra was right. The Macintosh clansman immediately contorted into rage.
But the slightest movement that was his first attempt to lunge toward Aqua was thwarted.
Terra stood in front of her, blocked his attempts to grab her, and punched him squarely in the jaw. He then grabbed the man by the throat and pushed him back up against the wall.
"Don't go near her again," Terra said to him, sternly but softly. A threat only meant for him, not for any one else to hear.
This change in events sparked an uproar among the men that had worked alongside Terra for the past several days. Compliments of how he had grown to be a man were showered on him. Statements such as looks like we got a brawler in our midst were passed around as one of the older men ruffled through Terra's hair.
But it didn't make Terra feel any better. The last time he came up against another person in such a way was when he was still in the orphanage. The Macintosh clansman of course was insulted, and called for justice to right this horrible embarrassment. Lord Macintosh took notice of course, and demanded an explanation.
This was exactly what Terra had wanted to avoid. He could be thrown into the dungeon for this. Aqua leaned on a chair, her hand still to her head and not entirely aware of what was going on. I can't leave her alone like this.
The king, however, brushed off any concerns. "What is it, Lord Macintosh? Your men can't stay away from things that aren't theirs? Let the man protect his woman."
Terra was tense and expected some sort of retort from Aqua, who probably didn't have the judgment anymore to tell her that she shouldn't speak back to the king. But she didn't say anything. She actually gazed into his eyes, a pale look on her face. He knew her well enough to understand what they said. They told him she wanted out. That she wanted some comfort from the pounding headache, from all the unwanted attention, and from her own mistakes.
The men continued to grant hard slaps on Terra's back for growing some real courage, of which he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.
He gently held her elbow and asked her what she wanted. Some alone time and rest, she told him. He began to escort her away from the table until he reached the stairs leading up the ward that should lead to the royal chambers. He caught sight of the queen, who gestured to him that it would be alright. Merida leaned over to see what was happening, a look of worry plain as day on her face. The noises of the hollering from the throne room faded away, as was the collective scent of alcohol when they entered the ward.
He held Aqua's arm as they walked down the halls, asking her to lead him to her room.
"Terra, am I that boyish?" she asked him as she stopped in front of a small wooden door, in a hallway of many.
He pushed the door open for her. "Well, honestly it's not important. But for your information, you're absolutely not."
Her room was tiny, almost like a walk-in closet. There was a small wardrobe and a bed with wool blankets. A candlestick stood on the tiny stool next to the bed, and he lit it. There was a bucket of water for washing and a small window. Better than sharing many bunks with snoring men who smelled of livestock.
He left her leaning on the wall while he looked through her wardrobe.
"I'm going to find you something comfortable to wear, then I'll leave you to it," he said as he sifted through some clothes. He heard a thump, and looked over to see her collapsed on her bed, with her shoes and everything else on. "Or not," he muttered to himself.
He wiggled the boots off her feet and placed them gently on the floor, careful not to disturb her. He then stared at the headband. Her headache is going to be bad enough when she wakes up.
He reached over to take it off, trying not to wake her. But the headband was tight, and it pulled on her hair.
"Don't touch me!" She slapped him across the nose. He stumbled backward as his face stung and throbbed from the hit. Touching his nose only brought more pain as he groaned out loud.
She sat up quickly. "Terra, is that you?"
"Aqua, who else would it be?" His nose bled a little and he took a rag that laid on the stool rest to his face.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry." She reached out to him, her eyes squinting.
He held up his free hand and chuckled. "I'm innocent, please spare me."
She laughed, perhaps a little too much over his pain. "So how did I do?"
"It was a perfect strike. You've been practicing," he said in between some laughs and inspections of the rag to see how much he had been bleeding. He sat on the bed in front of her, noticing that the rag has been showing less signs of blood. "I was trying to get that headband off of you."
"It is tight." She nodded, her eyes drooping.
"Let me then."
She stood still and he reached over, trying to find the knots that would untangle such a piece from her hair. She whimpered in pain from his attempts.
"Sorry," he whispered.
"S'okay." She stared into his eyes while he continued to struggle with the headpiece. She wore a goofy grin. "Did anyone tell you that they're the color of the ocean?"
He smirked and shook his head. "You, apparently. Did anyone tell you that your breath stinks?"
She scoffed and he finally set the headpiece loose. She sighed loudly, reaching into her hair as she massaged her scalp. "That feels so much better. Thanks, Terra."
She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. It could have been a grateful, sisterly peck. But it wasn't. She had kissed him close to his nose, and while it hurt, Terra's heart was pounding too much for him to care. And she lingered, too. Close enough that he could see how her eyes reflected the light of the candle in the room, searching his own before they wandered downward.
She touched the edge of his lips with her own, soft and puckered. Then she moved to kiss him again, inching closer to him. He allowed himself to lean against her as he kissed her back, taking in the softness of her mouth and relishing the taste of the bitter alcohol, which he truly didn't mind. This was certainly different - of that he was sure. They had kissed a few years before. It was simple and innocent enough. And it was only done once. But this kind of yearning between them was everything he could have ever wanted. His heart beat so fast, it might as well tear itself out of his chest and dance down the hills outside.
Am I taking advantage of her, though?
He held her by her biceps and pushed her away. Her eyes scattered around the room, and she was nodding off. She didn't ask what went wrong. It didn't even look she registered what happened.
"What am I going to do with you?" He sighed loudly, unable to control how shaky he sounded. Stay calm.
"What?" She asked this incredibly slowly, as if it took her a while to calculate what he was saying.
A stifled laugh. "You're a dork."
"That's so rude." She sounded sleepy.
"I think you should rest."
She smiled sheepishly while her eyes closed. "Okay."
He laid her down and covered her with the blankets. Blowing out the candle, he tip-toed out of the room and shut the door behind him as quietly as he could. He leaned on the door, not bothering to control the smile that stretched from ear to ear. He rubbed his face as an attempt to manage his emotions, his hands shaking. Realizing that he was standing in the hallway where all of the maids must have slept, he sneaked out of there, finding the wall panel which would lead him down the secret passage, where he could eventually find his own bed.
He was the only one back in the large bunk room. Lying in bed, he tried counting sheep in order to fall asleep. This was futile, though. First of all, he didn't want to think about sheep when he wasn't herding them. Secondly, his heart just wouldn't allow it. It beat hard, and Terra tossed and turned as he asked himself what that kiss meant.
Did it mean that she felt something for him? Did it mean that she cared for him in the same way? Did she enjoy it? He was excited at these ideas and was desperate to ask her.
But what if he read her wrong? She was drunk, after all. What if she was just acting up? What if she regretted it?
This last thought hurt most of all, because it meant that he should stop hoping for anything he wanted. His stomach began to grumble, unable to handle all of these conflicting questions. I hope she doesn't regret it.
In reality, Terra spent hours in bed, staring at the moon through the window frame until it drifted out of his sight. He then stared at bottom of the bunker above him, analyzing every small detail of that kiss until a time when he couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep.
To be Continued...