"Oceans between us
And there's nothing
That can change the way I feel"
-Evanescence
Dinner passed in relative silence, both Logan and Aia having been content with enjoying each other's presence, knowing that soon after he would be pulled away to board the ship. She was saddened by this news of course but delighted by the prospect of having Fenrir by her side, it was nice to know that she would not truly be alone during this time, simply with a new friend. Servants swarmed about them, clearing the table of the empty plates and cups, leaving it bare before the two who now sat in an awkward silence, neither wanting to say goodbye. Fenrir sat beside her leg, leaning against her as he looked up, maw hanging open, tongue lolling to the side as his eyes lay closed. He was utterly content, perhaps a bit tired from running about the palace all day, smelling every servant they passed and being showered with pets. A knock at the door drew their attention, Logan looking over to the massive oak frame awaiting the welcome distraction. The creaking was barely audible as the wooden mass swung into the room, an armored man entering with a cold air about him.
"The ship is set to sail my King, we await your command." The soldier spoke, Voice clear and to the point. Though his face was obscured Logan could see his blue eyes staring at the princess through the slats in his helm and for some unknown reason this unnerved him, driving the King to stand and quickly usher the soldier from the room. The door shut with an audible click as Logan stood halfway across the room, eyes downcast, and fists clenched. Why did he bother going on these excursions?! What was the point when he was left with such a bitter feeling at leaving her behind. He sighed, knowing that his time was drawing short and that he would eventually need to fight the twisting feeling in his gut and bid her farewell, he would not tell her goodbye, he would be back. Unlike their father he would return from this trip, he would not leave her alone. He steeled himself to turn, to set her mind at ease but a small hand upon his arm snapped him from his mental preparation.
"Have fun brother, I love you." Those words were enough to reduce him to tears, and so he did, he dropped onto his knees, wrapping his arms around her and smashing her small body against his, taking her breath away with the force he applied. She stood still in shock for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "Just come back soon, okay brother?" She begged him, barely keeping the sob from her voice though her tears spilled over, dripping into his slicked hair. He nodded, the soft hairs of his soul patch tickling her neck as he sucked in a harsh breath before standing, straightening his chest plate and wiping the tears from his eyes. He must look presentable for his men.
"I will return, sister. I promise this." He smiled at her, his eyes squinting as he took her hand in his own, pulling it up to his lips to leave a kiss on her small knuckles, "I love you too, I must go now. I'll bring you back a souvenir." He let her hand go, watching it fall to her side as she smiled through her tears, nodding a silent farewell before he turned and walked away, sparing a look back to see her turned away, unwilling to watch him leave, not wanting this moment to be real. Fenrir's eyes caught his own and the dog immediately set about licking Aia's fingers as she raised a hand to clear her eyes. He chuckled to himself, he had made a good choice.
The trip had began at a rough pace, the men being jostled about by rough seas yet still they managed, and Logan felt himself enjoying the sensation even as he found himself tossed from his cot onto the wooden floor that smelled of salt and smoke. Traveling had always been his dream, seeing far off lands, meeting different people, learning their culture. He smiled as he pulled himself up from the ground, returning to his seat, mind running over a distant memory of him holding his Father's hand.
"let me come with you father! I want to see the dessert too!" He had pleaded, tears in his eyes as the age worn man before him smiled down at him, a sadness clear in his weary eyes.
"I cannot. Who will stay to look after your sister Logan?" He dropped to his knees, tired bones cracking, the years of fighting to rid Albion of Lucien had certainly taken it's toll, not that he'd ever admit that fault to the sniffling boy that still held firmly to his sleeve. His father sighed, running a hand through his peppered grey hair and pulling Logan into a tight embrace. "You have to be the man of the house while I'm away son, I cannot bring you with me, though I wish I could." His breathy laugh mussed Logan's hair as he stood up, releasing Logan from his grasp so that he could pat the boy on the head. My how he had grown.
"O-okay." Logan's voice shook with his effort to quell his tears, his father was the world to him and seeing him go made his heart catch in his throat, but he would try. He would try to be brave, to accept that his father knew best.
"That's my boy. I'll bring you back a souvenir." Logan watched his father turn away, saw him board the ship that only weeks later took his life.
His smile had faded, the bittersweet memory eliciting a scowl from the man. The ship had stopped jostling, rough seas having passed as Logan was stuck in the confines of his own mind. He could faintly hear the cheers of the crew as they yet again successfully made it through the ravenous seas that surrounded Albion. It was quite a feat indeed, not many ships could sail without a dutiful crew and skilled helmsman. He silently whispered thanks to the large jolly man that stood somewhere above him on the deck of the ship. He sighed, standing up to stretch as his body could finally revel in the nearly still waters, the waters gently rocking, lulling him to an early slumber. Today had been emotionally taxing to say the least, physically too what with his unexpected training session with sir Walter and Aia, though she was no match now, she would improve, he was sure of it. He stripped off his chest plate, glad that the weight was gone from his shoulders as he fell back on the lumpy cot. It may not have been his luxuriously soft mattress but it was exhilarating. The smell of the ocean, the swaying of the seas as they made their way across the waters to the unknown. Logan melted into the cot, pulling an arm beneath his head as he stared up at the dark wooden slats of the ceiling above him, a sad smile on his face as he fell into a content sleep.
Fenrir jumped up onto her bed, shaking the mattress as he clambered over to her, plopping down by her side again, despite her wishes to have him sleep in the bedding that a maid had set up for her in the corner. Aia rolled over, sighing as she looked into the pup's small eyes, cast dark by shadow. Logan was sure to disapprove, but if the dog wanted to sleep upon the bed then she would make do for a night, perhaps she should seek out some training for her faithful hound? She yawned, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth as she reminded herself that she had yet to ask Walter to train her. She would broach the subject to him tomorrow, for now she needed sleep, and the warmth at her side was comforting. A smile making it's way onto her soft features as she passed into a peaceful slumber, furry companion at her side, happily dreaming away in his new master's arms.
A soft whine and impatient patter of large paws on her carpet roused the young princess from sleep, bleary eyes trying to focus through the dim light that filtered through her deep red curtains. She sighed, pulling herself from bed and wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her sleeping gown as she walked over to her companion, opening the door and nearly being knocked over by the force of his run as he bolted from the door, starling her into full awareness.
"Fenrir!" she yelled, chasing out into the chilled air of the courtyard as green orbs followed the grey be speckled dog. Aia had made it halfway down the stairs by the time she noticed that he was simply standing in a small green patch of grass, leg hiked to relieve himself. She chuckled, falling back to sit on the cold stone of a step as she was racked with wave after wave of laughter. She had ran out over nothing, and now here she was, streaks of wetness slipping down her cheeks as she doubled over. The prickling chill sending shivers through her, dressed in only her gown. What a royal sight she must have made right now. Gravel crunched under his weight as Fenrir made his way back up to his confusing friend, pink tongue poking out to lick away her tears, a flash of warmth against the ice. She smiled, looking down at him with love filled eyes, still rimmed with tears.
"Princess! Come in here you'll catch cold." Jasper's worried voice rang out, his dainty gloved hands wrapped around the railing as he leaned over to see her with better clarity. She sighed, standing up and brushing off her backside of any dirt that may have stuck to her silver dress. Tapping a pale hand against her leg she called for Fenrir to follow her as she made her way up the stairs, into Jasper's watchful gaze, his arms now crossed over his chest as he eyed the pup that merrily trotted beside her. "You had me worried sick young miss, I had thought something ill had befallen you in your brother's absence." He chastised her, even as his glare simmered down into a worried glance about the court, blue eyes tracing every crevice for suspicious activity as he ushered her inside.
"No, I'm sorry Jasper. Nothing happened Fenrir just had to go." She apologized, face falling into a practiced mask of apathy. She did not dislike Jasper, no it was far from that, though she did feel uncomfortable around others still, that had never changed from before her Father had moved on, she was a reclusive child. She could hear his soft sigh, the way that he made his way over to her closet and began to rummage through to find her something suitable to wear for the day. She shook her head, no longer feeling that she needed his assistance but never going against the old butler's wishes. She simply made her way over to her bed, grabbing hold of the covers and returning them to their place, it was not as perfect as the maids had always made it look but she did not believe in making their job any harder than it already was. Royal though she may be she still took pride in learning how the commoners were expected to act. Children woke early, made their beds, washed up then went for breakfast before setting about their play. So she followed suit, waking early, making her bed to the best of her abilities, getting dressed, and then following her daily schedule of study sessions, and free time. Her life was so different from theirs and yet she felt very much the same. It was this train of thought that had distracted her from Japer's movements. A small mannequin now dolled up in an ornate outfit that she only wore to parties when her brother allowed her to stand by his side. It was not for a regular day and her mind mulled over that fact, to her knowledge nothing of import was to happen while Logan was away, well nothing scheduled anyway. She tilted her head to the side, looking at Japer with curiosity filled eyes.
"You will be meeting master Elliot today miss, did you not remember? His family has traveled from the noble court to see you today. It is a shame that they arrived after your brother's departure but I thought better than to turn them away, it would be a lovely opportunity for you to mingle." Jasper informed her, all the while making his way to the door, allowing her the privacy to change in private. "If you would get dressed I will meet you in the dining hall, I will be sure that breakfast is hot for you ma'am." He smiled, moving to close the door but being stopped by her hand that clutched the wooden frame.
"Would you get sir Walter to join us for breakfast Jasper?" She asked innocently, his curiosity spiked, the edges of his smile now appearing forced but never faltering, he was a paragon in that regard.
"Of course miss. I will retrieve him then meet you for breakfast." The door closed behind him, the clasp of the lock echoing through her silent room even as she made her way back to the dress he had prepared. She ran her hand along the scratchy laced fabric. She hated this outfit, it was entirely too regal for her tastes. With a sigh she pulled her gown away from her body, cringing as it left her skin with no barrier from the biting cold, she inwardly cursed herself for instructing the maids not to stoke the fire through the night, it always left her room as cold as an icebox. She pulled the dark grey garment over her body, instantly regretting the fact that she owned it as the lace tickled her neck and began to make her itch. She sighed, pulling the shoes on before she laced up the dress. Today was going to be eventful, that much was to be sure.
Walter did not react badly to the idea of training the young princess, in fact he had been rather ecstatic where as Jasper appeared horrified by the thought of her learning to wield a weapon. To his credit though he stayed silent, his mind reeling but still sharp enough to realize that it was a smart idea to give the young girl the means to defend herself should the need arise. Aia laughed at the breakfast table a light sound that startled the two older men. They had not seen the princess laugh without the presence of her brother since the funeral. It had been far too long and both men leaned back smiling, listening to the light giggle that permeated the air.
The creak of a door silenced her as a well dressed young man with crisp brown hair walked into the room trailed by a tall man, garbed in a blue attire, the same brown adorned his head, swept back in a sad attempt at keeping the short tufts out of his face, a few wisps still managed to sweep across his forehead which he was no doubt tired of given the frustrated look upon his defined face. A woman followed, head held high and chest held out, a posture Aia had often seen the noble women of the court take upon, it was supposed to appear regal but in truth it made them look as though they had a back ailment, but she would not speak upon it. The woman was quite attractive, long blonde hair fell in ringlet curls down her back, the sides held up and away from her face by an ornate bronze hair piece that wrapped about her crown. All in all the trio looked as though they would appear before Logan's court, their outfits alone marked them as more than commoners. The crisp blue suede of the tall man's vest, the light tan silk on the younger boy, and the vibrant red of the woman's flowing dress, none of these colors appeared among the rabble, most could not afford to maintain them if they could afford to buy them at all. Aia sighed, setting down the cold metal of her eating utensil upon the edge of her plate, food nearly untouched save for the few bits of meat that she had snuck Fenrir when Walter and Jasper were not watching her. She folded her hands in her lap, turning her full attention to the people that had intruded upon her meal.
"Hello madam." The tall man spoke, his voice thunderous in the quiet room nearly causing Jasper to jump as he stood from his chair to formally greet the family before him. The young boy blushed as Aia's gaze fell on him, his hand grasping onto the woman's dress and tucking himself away behind her awkwardly. She could barely contain a chuckle as she stood, following Jasper into the middle of the room, now standing directly in front of the woman and the man, the boy peeking out from behind his mother's dress to sneak looks at the young princess who ignored him with all her might, choosing instead to focus her green gaze on the woman who looked down upon her. True she may be young but the princess was not a child any longer, already having passed into her teen years she stood only a few inches beneath the woman's height.
"Miss Aia, this is Lady Emily, Lord Elijah, and their son Sir Elliot." Jasper droned on, his normal tone dropping into one of immense boredom that to any other would cause him to sound like a well trained butler but to her sounded like an annoyed friend. He was not at all pleased to have them arrive early, Jasper was a stickler for schedules, as any who knew him were well aware of. Aia's lips pulled into a pale forced smile as Fenrir trotted up to the boy behind the woman and sniffed him curiously. A lightly tanned hand reached out to pet the dog who shied away from the contact but did not retreat.
"Hello Lady Emily, Lord Elijah. And hello to you too Sir Elliot." Aia spoke lightly, now she understood why Jasper would want her in such a ridiculous outfit. Though she did have to wonder if it was to showcase her status above the family or for another reason, it did not settle well with her as Elijah looked her over like a piece of meat from his spot beside Emily. She was unsettled to say the least, she did not like being stared at. Emily smiled at her, dazzling white teeth poking out from behind ruby stained lips even as she ushered her son out into view. He adverted his gaze, looking down to the carpets as he latched his hands together behind his back. Aia raised a thin brow at his demeanor, and almost missed the glare that had flickered across Emily's face as she looked down at the boy.
"What a pleasure it is to meet you Princess, we have waited for this for quite some time." Elijah spoke up, his deep rumble once again enveloping the room. Shrouding the princess in a blanket of tension she looked up at the man who towered above them all by nearly a foot. His light brown eyes now unabashedly studying her even as they flicked about the room looking for someone who was not there. "Where is the king if I may ask? I have pressing matters to speak to him about if someone would lead me to him." Aia's eye twitched at his tone, he was informed of the king's absence long before his departure, this she knew. So why was he now practically demanding an audience?
"I am sorry sir, King Logan has set sail for Aurora, he is no longer at the castle. We had sent out an envoy to inform you before your arrival, did his message not go through?" Jasper carried on, noting the Princess' still posture as did Walter, who worked his way behind her, setting his hand on her shoulder with a reassuring squeeze.
"I assure you we did not receive any such message, else why would I have wasted my time arranging this meet?" Elijah sighed seemingly exasperated as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yes well, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you in Jasper's capable hands. He can set you all up with rooms during your stay." Walter spoke up, lips a thin line as he removed his hand from Aia's shoulder and worked his way around the family, Elliot staring up at him in Awe of his beard no doubt. "Well Princess, we should start with your training now don't you think?" He spoke, a knowing smile spreading across his face.
"Yes! I apologize for this but I have duties that must be attended to." The princess excused herself, following quickly after Walter as Jasper stood there flabbergasted, perhaps it was cruel to leave him with them but she could not help herself. Barely containing her excitement over weapons training.
Behind the pair Elliot stood stiff watching them retreat in haste. A hand pressed against his back ushered him on and with a sparing look at his mother he took off after them, keeping far behind their steps as he trailed them through the castle.