Hello hope everyone had a great Christmas or at least are having an enjoyable Winter break!
This one has taken me awhile. I apologise for the usual issues in advance (spelling, grammer, butchering of beloved dgm characters and general awfulness.) Anywho hope you like!
The thundering beat of hooves on solid ground filled the air as Joyed galloped down the path from the Manor and straight into the wooded patch that separate the Kamelots from the town below, carrying the slim redhead further and further away. Tyki watched Lovely fly away from the top of the path, Cotton-Socks docile beneath him.
"Aren't you going to go after her?" The white haired boy asked curiously. Tyki shook his head patiently.
The initial fear he had felt for the red head slipped away when he saw how easily the woman had positioned herself on the saddle. She moved with grace, and Tyki was stunned that Joyd had taken to a new rider so easily. It made him want to watch her for longer, sat upon the back of the midnight stallion Lovely shone vibrantly. Tyki found himself imagining how she would if her harsh braid were to be undone and billowed about her, flowing like a red cloud streaming out behind her.
"What are you smiling about?"
Tyki touched his hand to his mouth; the unexpected shape of a smile surprised him. Flashing a brilliant smile at Allen, "That's my horse."
"So?"
"So it means Miss Lovely hasn't closed all the doors on me yet." Tyki slapped Cotton-Socks into action and started after the pair ahead of them. He beamed down at Allen. "Who wouldn't choose Mikk over Kamelot?"
"What's that got to do with anything? Shouldn't you be more worried she'll break her neck?" Allen called after him.
In a cloud of dust Tyki Mikk left a bemused and thoroughly confused Allen Walker behind.
I'll teach her she can't lose me this easily. The enlivened lord thought to himself as he pushed Cotton-Socks to close the distance separating them from his goal.
The trees thickened the deeper Tyki rode into the woods, Lovely was no more than fifty yards ahead. The path that cut a great swathe through the woods was straight and clear for the most part. That did no worry Tyki, following the straight route would lead right into town; what did worry him however were the smaller less travelled tracks that splintered, meandered and re-joined the main path. Lovely had been using these paths stay ahead and lose Tyki, not allowing him to come closer that than fifty yards in between.
For a while now he had not seen or heard Lovely and Joyd…
Although Tyki was familiar with the woods and he had great confidence in Joyd beginning able to remember the correct path, Tyki began to question how well Lovely would be able to control the temperamental stallion. If he decided to follow a different route would she be able to rein him in? What if Lovely came into disagreement with the horse?
This tree root crept far enough onto the path to catch the spindly legs of an unsuspecting horse. That branch is pretty low hanging, maybe low enough to knock a rider of her horse and tumble down the sharp ridge at the bend in the path.
Tyki could not fend off the various horrible accidents that could have occurred in the time he hesitated to chase after the young woman. He peered through the trees surrounding him futilely. Wondering if he should continue along the path Tyki stroked Cotton-Sock's mane absently.
"What do you think Cotton? You're no hound but do you reckon you can find my horse and my girl?" He thought out loud.
Cotton-Socks tugged at the reins, shaking her great grey head and snorted impatiently, setting off down a narrower branching path. The woods were quiet without a sound besides the dry crunching of the foliage under hoof. Tyki's spirits lifted however, as not too far down the path he began to hear the signs of his target.
"Get moving will you! You're stupid master is going to catch up any minute now."
Tyki and Cotton-Socks entered a wide grassy clearing, in the centre of which stood a large black stallion and an incredibly frustrated red head. The latter ignored the newcomers, focussing instead on getting the stubborn animal to move out of the clearing.
Tyki climbed on Cotton-Socks' back and let her wander freely, then he sat himself down quite comfortably at the base of a hazel with knotted roots to watch the spectacle more enjoyably, a small wicker hamper by his side. It did not look as if Joyd was ready to throw the woman off his back just yet. He was completely indifferent to the obstinate instructions from Lovely. Even though Lovely sat atop him, Joyd had completely bowed his head to graze unimpeded.
"If I was you I would just accept defeat and jump down." Tyki called to her helpfully. "Or you could stay up there Miss Lovely and I'll just have to enjoy all this on my own."
Lovely continued to ignore the man, but the hamper had caught her attention. Curious of its contents she watched Tyki lift out a clear bottle of golden liquid and two porcelain cups. Lovely quickly changed the direction of her gaze when Tyki flicked his eyes up, an amused tilt to his mouth. Feigning ignorance Tyki poured a cup and left the other on the grass. After taking a satisfying sip Tyki then proceeded to lift out a container of assorted sandwiches, bright orange salmon slivers topped with cucumber and lemon, roast lamb in rich sauce and salted celery chicken.
"It would be a shame for all this to go to waste. There are fruits and cheeses too, but don't to bring the ants to us as well do we?"
Lovely slowly dismounted, and sat down at the edge of Tyki's picnic like a mouse at a table. Inside Tyki cheered, being angry must be hungry work. She glared at him reproachfully, "Well that lumbering animal won't move."
"You probably should have stuck with Cotton-Socks if you can't control Joyd." Tyki said with good humour. "She's quite a horse and a keen tracker to. Just had to ask her to find my girl and not ten minutes later, here we are!"
"That's a bit presumptuous don't you think?" Lovely gasped, horrified at the pronoun.
"I only meant it in the way of one friend to another." Tyki covered the comment quickly taking another sip from his cup. He paused with the cup halfway to his mouth when he saw Lovely stand up. "You're not going to leave now are you?"
"No it's this thing. I want it off." Tyki averted his gaze although he still managed to follow the line of the pale trouser legs up from her shoes to her hips and then back down again. Lovely was undoing her riding skirt and pulling the dark cloth off. "It's too damn restrictive I can't sit properly."
Lovely laid the skirt on the grass and sat down stretching her legs out, "Much better!" She sighed and held out her cup for Tyki to fill. "What?"
"Nothing – I just wonder about you sometimes..." Lovely raised an eyebrow. "You're not one half of a twin are you? No, alright, but you know this is a well-travelled route and I might get jealous if someone else got to see you like this."
Glass clinked on porcelain as Tyki poured a cup of apple wine for Lovely, smiling wickedly at her as he did so. Things appeared to be easy, Lovely had either forgotten or forgiven him for whatever had offended her so the previous day. While he was reluctant to push his luck with her, it was difficult to hold himself back.
"I wouldn't worry about people sharing the view, they would probably think me a boy. Don't you worry about being seen in such a scene with a member of the same gender?" Lovely smacked her lips and had another drink. "Mm!"
"And what kind of scene is this? Is it not simply too people enjoying a meal together?" Tyki moved closer to Lovely, topping up her cup. He watched her carefully, Lovely rest her head in her palm watching him back. It seemed to Tyki that she was fishing for a rise of some sort out of him.
"What kind of scene would you like this to be?" Lovely drank from her cup, her eyes fixed on his.
"Can we talk seriously a moment please Lovely?"
"I thought we were?"
"Yes but," Tyki struggled with his words, now the moment was here he did not want to ruin the mood with talk of the previous day.
"Spit it out." Lovely urged him on. To his ears she sounded apprehensive, and maybe it was just him but Lovely would not meet his eye. "If you have something to say, it is better it is said than to be kept quiet. What do you want to say Tyki?"
"Yesterday…" A cloud covered the sun, a momentary chill passed through the clearing. Tyki draped his coat over Lovely's shoulder, grateful that she accepted it without complaint. It made it easier for him to say his next words. "Lovely, do you love Sheril?"
Like a whip Lovely's head snapped towards him in wide-eyed shock. Awkwardly Tyki scratched the back of his neck and drove his point further.
"I know I didn't give you much reason to stay but yesterday you left me and went straight to him. When I asked you to come out with me Lovely, you only agreed when he told you to come. And, and you were looking pretty cosy when I walked in. In this time that you've been here Lovely, have you grown… fond of him?"
White hot stinging spread across Tyki's cheek before he could even register that Lovely had even moved. "What was that for?" He yelped clutching the side of his face.
"Tyki Mikk you are the stupidest man I have ever met!" Lovely's entire countenance had changed. Angrily she pulled the coat closer about her shoulders. Lovely glared at him poisonously. "I'm leaving."
Tyki panicked, Lovely had risen to her feet and began saddling Cotton-Socks. He rushed after her, unwilling to let her go back to the Manor where it would be near impossible to broach the subject once more. Tyki half ran to cover the distance, Lovely spun around and caught him another slap.
"Who do you think you that you can ask me questions like that?" Tyki had never seen the woman so furious before. Her flashed dangerously and fists clenched tightly at her sides, Tyki kept back fearing she would lash out again.
"Aren't we friends? I should be able to ask that question." Struggling to keep his tone level Tyki took a step forward.
"Friends? We were never friends Tyki, you were always in it for one thing. Do I have to say it plainly for you to understand? I am not here in the Manor, in your world for fun. I am here in the Manor purely for the purposes of being Sheril's toy. To bend to his every whim while he dangles over me that which is most precious to me. I can't leave the Manor, I barely have the permission to leave that bloody room. I live in a prison Tyki. A prison called Sheril Kamelot. Are you so blind you did not see that was the shape of things?" Lovely scoffed derisively, "And you ask me if I love him?"
"Well then how do you explain holding on to him so tightly, crying on his shoulder?" Tyki felt his own anger flare. He was not oblivious to her situation, but neither did he understand why she tried so hard to push him away. "Why would you choose to go to him over staying with me?"
"What exactly is it that you think makes you better than your brother? You want the same things from me that he does. The only difference is you're taking an alternative route to get it."
Tyki was stung, what she said was true, had been true at one time, but no more. "Maybe at one time I did want that, but since you asked me to be a friend I've held myself back from doing anything that would cross the line. I've played by your rules, treated you better than I have any other person. Because of you I would not even look at another woman. So why don't you see me. You know I am here for you but you give all your time to Sheril instead."
At that moment Lovely's hand swung out suddenly and Tyki, fearing another smack made a grab for her wrist. He misjudged the distance and the momentum knocked Lovely back, her heel slipped on loose rocks and she fell backwards taking Tyki down with her. The pair landed with Tyki on top, Lovely's wrist gripped firmly in his fist, pinned to the ground high above her head.
She stared defiantly up at him, her eyes, pinpoints of angry green fire and face flushed. In his chest, Tyki's heart beat faster sounding a drumbeat against his bones. He propped himself up on his empty hand and knees. "You haven't answered my question Lovely."
"Do I love Sheril? No, I'd rather have my teeth pulled." She ground out roughly through clenched teeth.
"Not that one. Why do you choose to go to him every time? If Sheril hadn't stepped in would you even have come out today?"
"Right now I think you could both go rot." Tyki increased the pressure on her wrist. "Ow! Tyki what do you want from me? I don't have a choice, don't you get it? My time doesn't belong to me. When he calls I go no matter who I'm leaving behind. Do you want me to tell you that I prefer you?" A loaded pause punctuated Lovely's speech, it hung between them challenging Tyki. The tears welled into pools in her eyes, Tyki held his breath.
"I could choose you a thousand times Tyki and never have you." Lovely continued more softly closing her eyes. "How was I supposed to stay with you Tyki when you're the one who makes me cry?"
Guilt tore through his gut; Tyki stood and offered a hand that was slapped away. The rejection stung more than the action. "What did I do Lovely?"
"Lately I've begun to find myself wishing that I could be with you instead of Sheril, but I've also realised that when I am with you, maybe you also wish I was someone else. I can't be him. I can't be your Lavi."
Tyki was stunned, of all the answers he expected from her that was not on the list. How could she possibly have known about Lavi? Lovely looked so heart sore, hugging her knees and looking up at him expecting something from him. Guilt wormed its way through him like a parasite. Tyki knew without a doubt that it was his actions that had led to Lovely feeling so miserable. Talk must have filtered back into the Manor that he favoured the boy more than others, and stupidly he had kissed the boy that night. Twice.
Surely he had shown his interest in Lovely though to keep that kind of talk down.
"You talk in your sleep, did you know that? Though you probably don't keep a woman in your bed long enough to find that out. When you called out for that person to stay I thought you were talking to me. It made me happy but then to find out that you thought I was someone else along was crushing. I hated myself for allowing myself for getting caught up once again only to be tricked again. To be the fool again."
"I didn't trick you Lovely…"
"Do you know that's how Sheril got me too. He pretended to know me, pretended to care about me and my family and like an infatuated little girl in love for the first time I followed him when he asked. You brothers are one and the same." She said bitterly.
Frustration spilled over, Tyki grabbed Lovely around the shoulders forcing her to look him in the eye. "I never once tried to deceive you in anyway, I was always clear with my intentions. You have to believe me. I can explain about the boy too. I'm not, I'm not like that, I can explain if you let me. Is that why you were angry? Because you thought I rejected you?" He cupped her face with his hands, startling the woman.
"It is true I don't want to be your friend anymore. I want more, and if I was that way I wouldn't be thinking these things. I would not be searching every room for this shade of red," he ran a hand down her braid. "I wouldn't find myself late at night wondering if he is with you or if I should take my chances and knock on your door. And then I remember that you only need me to be friend and I despair, losing hope that I'll ever kiss your lips again. If I did not call for you, it is only because I hold myself back knowing I would not be able to suffer the pain of knowing that you will not answer."
"Tyki, don't say these things." A tear rolled down Lovely's pale cheek.
Tyki laid his heart on the line, he could not go back to the way things had been these past days and if Tyki did not fix it now he would never be able to see eye to eye with this woman again. "We have but days until he will be gone. We will be free. We could be together."
"And when he returns? Do you forget what he what he will bring back?" Lovely held his hands in hers and looked up into his eyes searchingly. "A pretty little foreign wife for you and I will not be made to hurt her same as Tricia."
A pain like a knife driving though his chest afflicted Tyki, in all this time he had ignored that little fact. The reason the Earl had even sent him to Kamelot Manor: to prepare for married life. He steeled his heart. "I can't just give you back to him. We could leave?"
"No," Lovely squeezed Tyki's hands. "I can't."
"Listen…" Tyki slipped a hand beneath the base of her head, the other travelled down to the small of her back and softly drew Lovely to him. He wanted to kiss her as differently as he could from that first sloppy, lustful encounter to show Lovely that he could be more. This time Tyki went slow, savouring the taste of her, not knowing when he would ever have such a chance again. Like ice melting Lovely began to respond to Tyki's gentle touch, cautiously she opened herself up to him and Tyki breathed her in deeply and broke away.
"What need do I have of a wife I do not know?" Tyki pressed his forehead against Lovely's. "Come away with me, please. We could leave right now, without even a glance backwards, just climb up on those horses and go from here. Back to your home with the wall and the praying mantis flowers or we could go as far away from her as you like."
"You really are stupid Tyki, they're called clematis." Lovely chuckled. "I'm sorry Tyki, I can't go with you."
Tyki was crushed; he called out to her without a response. Lovely pretended to not hear and called for Cotton-Socks, she turned only to return Tyki's coat.
"Take it with you. It's cold and your jacket doesn't look warm enough. I'll come by and pick it up later." Tyki put the coat around her more securely, "and you should take Joyd, He seems to like you and he'll take you home faster."
"It's not my home." Lovely said numbly. "I'll have Melia get it back to you. Don't come to my room again. Don't look for me anymore Tyki. Please."
Tyki tilted Lovely's chin kissed her chastely and watched her leave.
Thanks for reading :)