Vows of Blood and Honor
Author's Note: It might not have been noticed in my other fics but my husband and I are huge Joss Whedon fans. My husband has a major crush on Eliza Dushku and when I brought up the idea of Watchers for the royal family he insisted we incorporate the character of Faith, slightly adapted for the world of the Forgotten Realms.
Faith opened the sealed square of parchment the page had pressed into her hand. She noted that the boy was dressed as if he'd come from the palace kitchens instead of its marble halls and that he'd entered through the stage door. "Thanks." She told him. "You better get on back now."
The boy nodded solemnly and whispered. "Bad things happening." He jerked his head in a polite nod and hurried out of the theatre.
The parchment made a crackle that had the director glaring at her but Faith ignored him. Asrai gave her an anguished look, the girl was so eager to please these fools, but Faith winked and looked back down at the message. A low oath left the watcher's lips and she shoved the parchment into her belt.
The square heels of her boots echoed loudly on the stage as she strode across it purposefully. "Asrai, time to go." She told the princess firmly.
"What?" Asrai blinked. "But we're not even halfway done Faith." She protested.
Faith smiled. "Sorry babe, boss's orders." Tossing the princess her cloak Faith pulled her own jacket on. "We're leaving."
"Now see here!" The director snapped. "I will not have my rehearsal interrupted on the whim of a guttersnipe. She stays and finishes the act or she doesn't come back!"
"Oh really?" Faith inquired in her low careless voice. "How effective a director will you be with your fingers missing?" She'd pulled her long curved knife at some point and was regarding it and his fingers speculatively.
"Are you threatening me?" The shaken director huffed.
"Nope," Faith said in a distracted manner. "Just asking a question."
"You wouldn't dare!" The balding man didn't seem quite as convinced as he'd would have liked to sound.
"No?" Faith drawled wickedly. "If I didn't kill you, I'm sure my boss would be happy to. Her family wants her home. I tend to take those orders seriously since they're, you know, royal commands." She tilted her head and smiled threateningly. "Still want to object?"
"Uh…" The director was thinking rapidly. "We can…uh, work around her part for the rest of the afternoon. But we really need her back tomorrow." He finished weakly.
"She'll let you know when is good for her." Faith informed him sheathing the knife she'd pulled.
Asrai was wrapping her cloak around her and had to spit a lock of her long hair out of her mouth as Faith pulled the hood over her golden head. "Faith, why in the world…" she began to ask.
"Sebastian wants you home now." Faith said shortly. "He wouldn't interrupt your rehearsal unless it was important and that's all I need to know. I don't question the boss unless I know something he doesn't."
Asrai subsided immediately. "I hope everyone is all right."
"Well, let's hope that we're all right too." Faith muttered. "The message emphasized discreet, as in, don't let the princess be seen. If he felt the need to tell me that, you're in a lot of danger babe. So close that pretty mouth of yours and let's not let anyone see all that glorious curly hair you got, right?"
"Mmhm." Asrai nodded and pushed her hair firmly under her hood.
Faith looked at her and then looked around at where they were. Quickly she pushed the girl into a shop and looked at the clerk behind the counter. "Get her a wig to match my hair, and me a blond one." Looking at Asrai again the brown haired girl grinned. "Get undressed babe, we're going to change clothes."
"What?" Asrai asked, but automatically began to unfasten her cloak.
"No offense babe, but I've seen you fight in a skirt. You need more practice. We're almost the same size." Faith was rapidly shedding her leather breeches and boots along with her thick shirt. "But thanks to a well rounded education, I fight real good in a skirt."
Asrai sighed and unlaced her bodice and gown. "All right." She handed them to Faith and shook her head as the girl began donning them. "Faith you'll want the shift too. Trust me, you'll freeze otherwise." She pulled it off and shivered, grabbing Faith's shirt and pulling it on. The clerk walked back in as Faith was pulling the shift over her head.
"What are you looking at?" Faith snapped, standing guard in front of Asrai even though the princess was more clothed than she was.
"Your, uhmm… hair…" The clerk stammered turning red. "I brought you pins to put it up under the wigs?" He offered the pins and the wigs he held.
"Thanks." Faith nodded to the counter. "Put 'em there." She looked at Asrai. "How do you stand this?" She pulled the shift until it hung evenly and then threw the gown over her head, lacing it up rapidly.
"How do you wear these?" Asrai held her breath as she pulled Faith's breeches up over her hips. "Sweet Lord and Lady Faith, I can hardly breathe in them."
"Loosen the side laces silly." Faith told her as she fastened the bodice around her waist. She slipped her feet into Asrai's low boots and thanked Nicodemus that at least their feet were the same size and they both liked comfortable footwear.
Asrai did as Faith suggested and pulled on the knee high boots Faith wore, lacing up the fronts and shaking her head over them. "All right. Let me get my hair up." She groaned. The thick curls never wanted to obey her but somehow she got them tightly braided and bound around her head.
The clerk was helping Faith since the watcher's thick dark hair was just as unruly in its waves as Asrai's was in its curls. The blond wig went over the dark braids and was fixed firmly to Faith's head with more pins. "There my lady." The clerk grinned his satisfaction
Faith grinned back. This fellow was pretty game once he got over his surprise. "Now you got a wig for her too?" She jerked her head at Asrai and he nodded.
"A little longer than your hair, but the same color." He explained and helped to tug it over Asrai's head. "Curls like her highness's and dark brown like yours is hard to find. Thank Sune for mages who like money." He chuckled and Asrai giggled at the thought of mages creating wigs of hair to match her curls because they were fashionable at the moment.
He held up a mirror as Asrai began pulling on Faith's jacket and the two girls regarded themselves carefully. Faith sighed. "Well, we'll never pass close up, but until we get to the palace we'll do."
"I have the very thing." The clerk said eagerly. He darted to the back of his shop and came out with a hatbox. "The hood of your cloak will help conceal your face." He nodded at Faith. "If she wears this hat." He pulled out a black leather, traveling hat, just worn enough that it looked like Faith might have possessed it. "She can pull it lower, since it's begun to rain a bit, it will look like you're both shielding from the elements." He set the hat on Asrai's head and adjusted it appropriately. "It also changes how your face looks, blocks off your forehead."
Faith nodded approvingly. "Real good." She said.
"To help Princess Asrai, anything." The clerk smiled. At Asrai's look and Faith's dark gaze he shrugged. "I was lucky enough to see the play at the Rose a few weeks ago. I can't wait for the next one. When will it be ready?" He asked eagerly. "I love the theatre!"
"In a month or so." Asrai laughed enjoying his enthusiasm. "And I'll make sure you have box seats, for your help today, as well as send payment for the wigs and hat."
The clerk beamed as Faith buttoned up the cloak and began pushing Asrai out the door. "Thank you!"
"What took you so long!" Sebastian snapped as the two girls walked into the sitting room. Then he simply blinked at them and uttered the astonished phrase. "What in the world?" The rest of the room's occupants were uttering similar sentiments.
"Hey, I got her here alive didn't I?" Faith asked of no one in particular. The watcher shrugged off her cloak. "What's the big emergency boss?" She looked at the couch where Briar, Sebastian, Lorelei and Dragon were all sitting.
"Good grief." Amon had come up behind his daughter. Looking at the two of them who were industriously removing their wigs and unbraiding their hair he shook his head. "Asrai, now that it's been proved beyond a doubt that you can wear Faith's clothes, please don't do so ever again."
"Why Daddy? I was finally getting used to them." Asrai rolled her eyes.
Amon looked at Faith still in the soft purple gown and his sapphire blue eyes gleamed wickedly. "Lets just say that now it's been proven my baby girl has the body of a many other ladies in or around this family, I don't need to have it flaunted before me. Certain ideas don't settle comfortably with a father."
"I think I'm flattered." Faith drawled. "But that doesn't mean I don't want my pants back Asrai." She grinned up at Amon and Sabine from her sprawled position in a wing chair. "Why did you have me drag her out of rehearsals? She was doing great."
Amon coughed and subtly motioned to Faith that she was giving the King and Queen a view that answered Amon's pondering on whether or not the young lady wore any undergarments.
Faith licked her lips almost not wanting to move. But, a look at the Queen told her now wasn't the time for any teasing. Shifting to not show Amon and Sabine her loins any further, Faith made a motion with her hands indicating that her question still hadn't been answered.
Briar's assembled family blinked at how she addressed the king and queen but the Obarskyrs seemed both pleased and accustomed to it. Sabine waited until her husband took a seat and then let him draw her into his lap. Faith continued to look at the queen and immediately tensed sensing what was to come.
"Jenny and Darew are dead." Amon said quietly. "Around the arrow that went through Darew's heart and into Andreas' shoulder was a message. It read very plainly. 'Your first son dies first. You die last.' And while I am grateful that thus far the threat has fallen short of its mark, I am taking this very seriously. Andreas lost a great deal of blood. He will live but he is weak. For now only family and the healers we know are allowed to see him. No one comes in or out of the palace unless they are known to us."
"Court tonight?" Sebastian inquired carelessly and earned an annoyed look from Vidanalas.
"We'll attempt to make everything appear as normal as possible." Sabine agreed. "I know it will be difficult for you Lorelei, but if you would assume your duties tonight it would help immensely with that impression."
Lorelei smiled weakly. "At least I will be doing something that can be construed as useful." She poked her brother. "Unlike you."
"In your ear chicken legs." Sebastian slouched down into the couch his arm around Briar's waist. His retort lacked both heat and conviction.
"As to that." Amon said quietly. "Dragon, if you would act as escort for my daughter I would be grateful." The warrior mage nodded soberly and squeezed the princess' hand. "Briar, if you could give us a performance tonight, I have every confidence in your ability to distract the court from any tension among the royal family."
"I will be honored to try sir." Briar smiled and looked at her love who smiled encouragingly.
"Sebastian, I expect you'll be back in time but I want you to accompany your mother to see Raden." Amon told his son. "I'm sure he knows what's happening and is working on it already. The man's instincts are uncanny. I know he'd send us a report but I'd rather you went to see him."
Sebastian nodded and looked at the misty light out of the windows. "When would you like us to leave sir?"
"As soon as you can." Amon told them. "I know you're tired love," he said to his wife. "But we need to know what Raden has discovered."
Sabine nodded and slid from his lap. "The sooner we leave the sooner we return." She said quietly and Sebastian nodded.
Turning to his love he smiled. "You know where you are staying." He murmured. "In the flat chest in the bottom of my second wardrobe is a box. It was to be one of the gifts for your birthday. Wear it at court tonight love, with the rest of what you'll find there. We'll have someone fetch the rest of your belongings."
Briar nodded and he took her hand. "Be safe love." She whispered softly. His lips brushed over her knuckles and he rose. She stood up with him and crossed the room to stand with the queen by the door.
Sebastian smiled down at his sister and bent to give her a gentle hug. "I'm glad you are safe sister." He murmured. More quietly in her ear he whispered. "Please put Vidanalas in a room in a wing far from my own? I'll owe you a great favor."
Lorelei almost laughed at that and smiled. "No charge." She told him.
Sebastian stroked her hair affectionately and strode out of the room pausing to press a kiss to Asrai's cheek and tug at Faith's hair. "Very good work." He praised her quietly and his lips twitched at the pleased pink that tinged her cheeks.
He offered his arm to Briar and his mother and escorted them out the door. Once out of her father's sight Briar turned and smiled at them. "I don't wish to delay you both anymore." She said. "But I knew my father would find someway to stop me kissing Sebastian goodbye."
Sabine nodded her understanding and said quietly. "Sebastian, you know where to meet me."
The prince nodded and regarded Briar with a hot light in his eyes as his mother walked on ahead of them. His hands reached for and slid around her waist, drawing her into his embrace. "My prince of shadows." Briar whispered softly. "Please, have a care for your life. It is also mine."
Sebastian nodded soberly. "I will return to you my Rose." He murmured. "How could I not?" He bent and fused his mouth to hers in a sweet hot kiss that was over too soon. "Beloved, dare I hope my wait is nearing its end?"
Briar blushed and dropped her eyes shyly. "I think that we are close, it is just very difficult for me, to overcome what I had resolved all my life." She looked up at him. "I always told myself I would not give myself in anything less than marriage. That is changing, because I trust you more than anyone else in the world. It is just a slow change."
Sebastian looked at first shocked and then delighted. "I am honored you would even consider giving yourself to me then. Such beliefs are very safe feeling I think. And even harder because at least with such vows you have a commitment of safety and respectability." He began to walk towards the traveling room where his mother was waiting, keeping Briar's hand in his. She walked along with him with a nod of agreement.
"I didn't expect such from you at first." She told him shyly. "And then later, I had begun to hope you might want me forever. Then of late it hasn't seemed to matter so very much that I have that promise. I would be a gift to you Sebastian, not an exchange." She said softly. "Though that hope has never died."
"It should not." Sebastian told her firmly. "And if you wish to wait until then, if you are more comfortable having vows between us before you bestow on me that gift then we will wait until then. If you made me such promises, and I you, what we will share is not lessened my Rose." He looked through the door of the room with the teleportation ring and saw his mother pacing. "It is a decision that is yours entirely. I will not press you. But know that to be with you forever has been my wish since I first set eyes on you, albeit a subconscious desire. That will not change even if you decide to share my bed tonight, rather than at a later time."
Briar looked up at him in sweet surprise and did not have time to reply as he drew her to him again and kissed her passionately. Briar stood swaying and had to clutch at the doorframe when he let her go and hurried into the room to disappear along with his mother.
When Sebastian entered Raden's office he did not show by so much as a blink of surprise his shocked reaction to the sight of his wounded mentor. Sabine simply looked and turned right around again.
Sebastian regarded Raden and raised an eyebrow. The older man was sitting at his desk, left arm wrapped in a bloody bandage around his bicep while his left thigh had a similar accessory.
Raden rolled his eyes. "Your mother has doubtless gone to summon one of the Night priests." He said to the prince. "Which I will no doubt appreciate more when I have been healed." He gestured towards the chair opposite him. "Have a seat."
"So they struck at you too?" Sebastian observed, more to have something to say than to obtain information.
"Your time to take my place may come sooner than you think." Raden shook his head. "I'm getting old and slow."
"Excuses, excuses." Sabine said crisply from the doorway. "Undoubtedly he could handle the position, but I'd rather see it wait a while longer. I find him useful at court still."
The priest behind her gave the Spymaster a long suffering look and began to work his healing prayers. He left without waiting for payment and merely smiled at Sabine's thanks.
Soon after he left there was a knock at the door and all three individuals tensed as Raden invited whomever it was to enter. A young man with the pale coloring of a clerk peered around the door and then came into the room. He handed Raden a scroll and retreated without a word.
Raden relaxed slightly, as much as he ever could and opened the message. "Well, we haven't had one of these in a long time." He said with interest. He looked up at Sabine and Sebastian. "It appears you are the focus of a Blood Feud. The Serendal family is determined to exterminate the Obarskyr line, and incidentally anyone who happened to have a hand in their son's death. Thus Briar and her family, Dragon, and apparently myself are also targets."
Sabine sighed. "What is wrong with the nobility of Cormyr?" She wondered aloud. "Don't they have any sense of self-preservation?"
Sebastian chuckled at that. "You sound like Grandfather." He noted. "And no, they don't. And precious little common sense as well it seems."
Raden nodded his agreement. "I'm already on my guard here. And I have no doubt you will take appropriate precautions as well." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'll start tracking down our overzealous family members. There are only three of them, but apparently they have a large amount of gold at their disposal. Money makes it easy to disappear and easier to hire faceless, nameless killers."
"You may also wish to double check the circumstances under which some of your agents died recently." Sebastian said in a sober voice. "From what Kelso and Briar told me, as well as reports from others, these men seemed to have had some military training. If you had someone less savory come to a convenient end of late, it might explain where they learned their skills."
Raden nodded. "Something to follow up on certainly." He agreed.
Sabine rose. "We'd best return to Aeliara." She said quietly. "Times like this I feel best having my family close by me where I may keep an eye on all of them."
"You'll have us all closer than you'll like." Sebastian noted grimly as he came to his feet. "I intend to convince Father that none of our family or Briar's leaves the palace. I dislike having even the courtiers come and go, but I know most of them and they aren't serious enough for a blood feud."
Raden nodded his agreement as he rose and bowed to his queen. "I'll send you word when I have something." He said as they left.
When Sabine and her son returned it was to find everyone almost exactly as they had left them. Merrila had been surrounded by her brothers, and now Vidanalas Dhulouragne had joined them. The elf should have looked out of place among the tall burly men but somehow the friendship they'd forged had not been broken and he seemed quite welcome in the affectionate group.
Briar stood alone by the window staring out at the now steadily pouring rain. Now and then her father looked at her in concern but Merrila always kept him from interrupting the girl's thoughts.
Lorelei and Dragon were sitting very closely on the sofa, they did not speak, perhaps feeling the weight of Jenny's death too closely for conversation. Every now and then Lorelei would look up at her love and Dragon would kiss the top of her head and rub her shoulder comfortingly.
Asrai and Faith were both sitting near Amon's feet as he sprawled like a lazy teen in his armchair. Now and then one of his hands would slip down to affectionately slide over Asrai's golden curls or Faith's wavy dark locks. The king looked weary but his eyes darted beneath partially lowered lids at any small sound.
The door flew open at their entrance and simultaneously every hand in the room save the kings held a blade. Sabine simply smiled and serenely moved towards her husband but Sebastian leaned nonchalantly against the doorjamb and remarked in languidly interested tones. "My but all of you are alert!" His bored gaze swept the range of weapons and he shook his head. "Too bad of you though, drawing weapons on Mother like that."
"Sebastian!" Briar too, had drawn her rapier when the door had opened but she let the blade slide back into its sheath. The bard nearly ran from her post at the window to throw herself into Sebastian's arms. "My prince, you had me worried." She was heard to murmur from within his embrace.
Sebastian smiled as he held her closely. "Is your opinion of my skills so poor then my lady?" He asked teasingly.
"Not your skill, your mental acuity." She retorted, able to tease back now that she knew he was well.
"Ouch. A hit! A palpable hit! You might just have drawn blood." Sebastian winced and still holding his bard closely he looked over her head at the rest of the folk who had waited for word. "Serendal has made the Obarskyrs the objects of a Blood Feud. My mother would like to request that all of you remain here as our guests, until this is resolved."
Sabine who stood now within her husbands arms nodded her confirmation of this. Amon's sapphire eyes were nearly glowing as they looked down at her and then his gaze flickered over Briar and Sebastian. "My prince." He mouthed the words to her and his wife's eyes grew as misty as his own. To hear someone address their son so lovingly in the same words she had used when they were young lovers was achingly sweet.
TBC