A boy coughed quietly standing in the doorway, visibly debating whether or not to enter. The room was quite dark, the tall doorway barely making the boy look grown at all, and to him the lowlight must have made them look quite threatening.
"Your Majesty King Tryndamere. A letter, from Rakelstake." The messenger boy sounded young, he did seem slightly intimidated and a tad out of breath -all to be expected of course. He stood awkwardly in the doorway waiting for the leader to respond. Brynjar looked confused as Tryndamere raised his brow.
"Come 'ere lad." The boy rushed over, to the two drinking men. He held out the letter, Avarosa's crest pressed into the blue wax seal.
"Avaros'ns." He grunted as his callused fingers tore open the delicate paper.
" '...Ere we go." Bryn said taking another gulp from his cup.
Tryndamere,
I would like to request your company here with us, in Rakelstake, I feel we have a mutual interest in the future of the Freljord that should be discussed.
You may bring whoever you feel is necessary to accompany you.
Beds and rescources will be available upon your arrival, and should you need anything to make your journeys I will provide this also.
I hope we may welcome you within the upcoming weeks Tryndamere.
Princess Ashe of Rakelstake.
He grunted and passed the letter to Brynjar, who raised his eyebrows. "Gutsy ain't she. Inviting barbarians over for supper."
"I don't know if supper was what she was insinuating." Tryndamere said taking a swig of the Glaserport mead he'd happily poured out earlier.
"Princess of Rakelstake huh. Pretty."
"I wouldn't call Rakelstake pretty really but-"
"I wasn't talking about the place." Brynjar said chuckling to himself. "You know her people tried to kill her when she came to power. Now she's like half dervish or somethin'"
"You really do talk some shit Bryn." Trynd said shaking his head as he polished the metal on his helm with a piece of suede leather.
"It's true I tell ya, Mora told us."
"Ahh there's the problem you're letting your women talk too much, you'll be gossiping with em all if you're not careful." He grinned, bending down on one knee and steadying his blade against his thigh, shining it as they spoke.
"Ay and you, your royal highness, could 'ave any woman you wish but theres no sounds echoing the royal chambers at night is there." The blade scraped the floor as Tryndamere twisted it to turn it over, engraving the floor with the blade unintentionally.
"You mind your tongue or I'll leave you behind." Tryndamere joked back.
"Wait you're goin'? Why in Runeterra-" Brynjarl sputtered, nearly spitting out his most recent gulp.
"It's been quiet in the Freljord of recent Bryn, it's unsettling. Besides, I'm intrigued, no ones heard anything from that side for decades. Anyway I want to know what a girl like that wants with a tribe of barbarians don't you?"
The king and queen sat at two tall silver thrones at the head of the great hall. After about an hour gracefully accepting different gifts from their people Ashe stood up, she glared at Tryndamere, he got the message and stood up too - he could tell Brynjar would laugh at that.
"We thank you for joining us on this fine day, thank you for your gifts and your presence and support. Today we unite two tribes as one, doubling our strength and determination. This is it, a new step for the Freljord, a new step for Avarosa and a new step for each and every one of us. One that will surely drive us ALL to unity!" A few of the handmaids started to clap, then a few more avarosans, soon the whole room was clapping and cheering, even the barbarians joined in, clashing together beer steins as they cheered. "Now please, these months have been unsurely, but this is the beginning of peace within our Freljord. Tonight is yours, eat, drink dance whatever you may choose, it is much deserved. Long live the Freljord!" Oh how they cheered, Tryndamere laughed at the crowds reaction, throroughly impressed and albeit slightly thankful he didn't have to say anything.
Watching the celebrations unfurl in front of them Margery wondered how could such a joyous event full of laughter and happiness come from the joining of two people that had barely laid eyes on eachother. She watched the two of them carefully knowing the answer to her own question was perspective. The king was a bulky man tall and wide shouldered, he was handsome in a rugged way, his body having seen its fair share of weapons. Most of his skin was covered by the traditional cermonial outfit of the barbarians, still with the visible skin littered with scars of varying sizes. He made her look so small, like she could snap as easily as an icicle in his hands, but Margery knew that wouldn't be the case.
"It's mad isn't it?" Tryndamere said happily, his eyes remaining still on the crowd.
"What?" Ashe said, slightly surprised at the sudden attempt at conversation.
"They're so happy about it."
Ashe looked onwards watching a woman from the village swinging around in the arms of a barbarian laughing hysterically.
"Why shouldn't they be? It's been a long time since anyone has had much hope around here." She sighed quietly and looked down at the dainty ring that would now remain on her finger for as long as it mattered. "I was slightly apprehensive as to how they would take this, suddenly merging our tribes as one."
"Seems to be working." He said with a chuckle as the woman from before was pulled into a kiss with the same barbarian.
"I can't disagree with you there." He looked at her as a small smile pulled at her lips. The eyes, so warm yet so icey, a royal contradiction. They sat silently for a bit, quietly sipping from ornate glass steins that well resembled the ice in the glaciers, watching the two tribes intergrate and mingle amongst the celebration.
"And what of the new Queen of Rakelstake?" Tryndamere said in a low voice.
"What do you mean?" she looked to him properly for the first time that night.
"It seems wrong for almost an entire region to be in such high spirits at the cost of their leader. Does it not?"
She froze, was he angry with her? Or was it concern that laced his voice.
"I am content." She said almost emotionlessly looking away from him. She has so much to say when it comes to leading her people and her land, but with her own heart she is silent.
The celebrations died down late into the night, both king and queen retreated back into the castle. As soon as Ashe got into the room she threw down her hair and shook it out of its hold, sighing lightly before remembering she wasn't alone anymore, she turned quickly to Tryndamere looking surprised at his proximity as if she forgot they were in the same room. If she wasnt vocal with her feelings, her eyes gave her away.
"I just need some air.. please excuse me for a moment." she whispered.
"Now we know you said you didnt want any gifts for your birthday, but this will sort of tie in with a wedding gift, if you will." Ashe felt the nerves in the pit of her stomach as they stood outside her parents old bedroom. Her chambermaids encouraged her excitedly to open the door. She put her hand on the doorknob, suddenly having hundreds of flashbacks to stretching up to reach it as a child. She wished they were here.
Opening the door she silently gasped. The bed frame and the old heavy furnishings like the wardrobes and chests were the same dark wood, but the foliage carved into them had been tipped with silver to decorate. The bedsheets were different, a cold silver colour one half embroidered avarosan patterns and the other half covered with a white fur blanket (sorry Voli). The doors to the balcony were open and blowing the thin curtains around freely, it was almost ethereal to her. At the end of the bed there was a dressing table, ornate mirror and above this a painting of two strong leaders, smiling, holding a baby in their arms. Ashe walked up to it, her fingertips brushing the paint textures, admiring the warm faces of her family.
"Do you like it?" She heard Margery say. "We weren't sure if you'd want less or more memories in here, anything can be changed if you want-"
"Its perfect." She turned to hug the two chambermaids who had clearly helped Margery execute this. Margery nodded to them dismissing them so thst she could speak with Ashe alone.
"We thought that now you're to be married it was a good time for you to get some more space." Ashe nodded silently, at least she would have her old room as a solace if need be.
"Are you alright?" She asked, noting the whiter shade of pale the princess had turned. "Is it too much Ashe?"
"No. I just- I don't know how to act around a husband. I don't know.. what to do."
He knew this would be the hardest part, Tryndamere despite being the heavy barbarian with a hunger for bloodshed did feel a bit guilty. He was a fair bit older than her and of course neither of them had any romantic interest in eachother, and the rumours that sufficed of a wedding night with a barbarian were not pretty, but he was better than that. This girl was the biggest hope anyone had for the future of the Freljord and they needed to work well together, she needed no reason to hate him.
"Ashe... Can I-"
"What?!" She turned her head to face him as her words cut out sharply through the icy air. Her eyes watering slightly glittering in the light. He pulled the glass door open slightly.
"You don't have to-" He exhaled a small cloud of mist into the night. "I don't expect anything from you, not tonight nor any other night. " She didnt say anything, but a cloud of breath exhaled and faded into the nightsky above her as her shoulders relaxed a little more.
When Ashe entered the room again Tryndamere had seemingly left, or so she thought until she heard a cough. Eyes led to the sound as she focused on Tryndamere in the low light. He was laying on a tiny little two seater chair with his legs squished up to his stomach in order to fit, covered in a big fluffy blanket taken from the bed. She looked at him for a few seconds before letting out a quiet chuckle. Tryndamere laughed with her and then said "It looked bigger before I sat down."
"There is much we must fight for, sleeping arrangments needn't be one of them." Tryndamere watched as she turned into the washroom and closed the door behind her. It was alien to him, to sleep in the same bed as a woman without being intimate with her, let alone someone he barely knew, but this entire arrangement was alien to the both of them, and Ashe was unlike any of the women he'd had met.
Ashe re emerged in a dark blue night dress, briefly coming into light to blow out the flames that lit the room and slipping under the sheets.
"Give me a chance to get to know you." Tryndamere said calmly, turning over to lay on his back.
"Good night." She whispered.
I could have been born into a normal family with normal people and lived a normal life with someone that I love and I could be happy. Or. I could be born into royalty follow an ancient goddess and marry politically and sleep as close to the edge of the bed as I can.
Let's not forget the motive Ashe, he's a fighter, strong and determined, the king of the barbarians and he wants the same thing you do. Keep that in your head. You just have to sleep in the same bed, that is all.
Please read and review :3 thank you to the following ive had so far im rwally surprised people are still interested in these two!