Bruno was on board with the idea immediately, confessing that he was going to suggest it himself if Caspian hadn't done it first. He even convinced Stephanie to join them so that it wouldn't look too suspicious.
A respected soldier teaching a random maid self-defence? Sure to raise a few brows. His lover and her hapless roommate? Much less suspicious.
And it was easy to see why Bruno garnered the respect that he did, Alessandra was sure he was going much easier on them then they probably deserved, but she was grateful for him all the same. She wouldn't be on the frontline of any battle any time soon but after a fortnight of training with him she had new aches in her muscles but she felt confident in her ability to at least protect herself.
She avoided Professor Cornelius for all of a week after he confessed to her what her future was apparently supposed to look like. But found that she missed his company quite a bit and returned the following week. They didn't talk about what he told her but his books for her stayed in the vein of the Golden Age, policies and diplomas, the history of Narnia itself and the neighbouring lands. Half of which she didn't understand, but the older man was patient, sitting with her to help her read through the tomes and gently explaining to her different terms and concepts. She thought before that that professor was preparing her for something, now she was certain and she knew for what.
Things with Caspian remained the same, perhaps now that everything was out in the open, they didn't talk about marriage anymore. But Caspian was always open to talking about their future. A frightening concept that constantly served to remind her how different she and Caspian were.
She never thought much further than tomorrow, if she did think about a real future it normally included whether or not she would stay within the castle, perhaps make it to head maid but that was about it. Caspian on the other hand, had his entire future planned out for him, and he knew that at a very young age. But now she liked the idea of having a real future that extended beyond work and had someone else in it, someone that loved her and she loved them back. Much different from the way Bruno and Steph loved her.
Speaking of Steph and Bruno their relationship seemed different. For as long as she'd known the pair of them they loved different, it wasn't superficial and dramatic displays, their love was passionate and intense. It was the only relationship she'd known and she wasn't ashamed to admit she admired it. But lately there seemed to be a rift between them, Bruno didn't join them for lunch when he was free and Steph was spending more and more nights in their shared room. When they trained together Alessandra got the feeling that it was for her benefit since when they first started she had to practically pry the two of them off of each other now it seemed they barely wanted to touch each other.
"You don't have to stay here you know?" Steph told her softly one evening.
Since she wasn't spending her nights with Bruno anymore Alessandra stayed with her. It meant that neither or Caspian slept well but he understood that her friend needed her.
"Of course I do," she responded easily, "Somethings changed, I don't know what yet but you shouldn't be alone right now."
Stephanie crumbled joining Alessandra on her bed and hugging her tightly, she returned it and was surprised to feel tears soaking her shoulder. "I think I frightened Bruno away."
That was the last thing she expected to hear, "What? Why would you say that?" She asked pulling back to look at her friend.
"Because I did." She murmured sadly, they sat in silence for a moment as Alessandra waited for her to continue, "It's just we've been together for some time now, so I thought naturally it was time for us to take the next step." Alessandra remained quiet taking her hand, " I told him I wanted us to try for a babe and that I wanted to stop drinking my tea, and it's like he just shut down."
"Have you guys talked about children before?"
"Yes, many times. But this is the first time I've made a suggestion to actually start trying, and I think it scared him."
"Because of what you said or the timing of it?"
"Both I guess?" she sighed, "One of the things I love most about Bruno is his confidence, he's always so sure of himself in everything, and the fact that this is the thing that made him fumble, makes me think that perhaps it wasn't meant to be."
"Don't say that!" Alessandra insisted. "I'm sure you two have worked things like this out before?" She asked hopefully.
"Never anything this serious, and he's never been so distant before." She explained sadly and that seemed to be the end of the conversation, Alessandra didn't know what else she could possibly say to comfort had friend so she simply held her instead. Falling asleep beside her with both of them cramped on her tiny half bed.
The next morning after helping Tamara clean Caspian's room Alessandra set out on a mission. Maids such as herself were usually the first to be awake and moving about the castle at sunrise. She wasn't sure exactly what time soldiers were up and about but she doubted it was that much later than when her duties started so she stomped to the guardhouse with singular focus. Half hoping Bruno would still be asleep so she could wake him most unpleasantly.
Unfortunately for him he was very much awake when she stormed into his room, in the middle of getting dressed with his trousers half done up and bearing quite the look of shock.
"Ales what are you-" He began to ask but she cut him off.
"What is wrong with you?" she snapped
"Excuse me?"
"You and Stephanie are the only things in my life that have ever made sense, that were constant, if you can't work it out what's the point of me even trying?"
"What are you talking about?" Bruno asks in pure confusion, quickly tugging on a tunic.
"I swear to the Gods if you leave Stephanie-"
"Slowdown Les, why would I leave Steph?"
"You tell me. She says you've been avoiding her sneaking off all the time. You need to tell me what's going on."
"Listen, can we please talk later?"
"No, I want to talk now. What is going on with you?"
" I'll tell you if-" Whatever he was going to say was cut off by his roommate, who she didn't even realize was there, groaning from his bed on the other side of the room.
"Tash's talon! Bruno, could you tame your bitch I'm trying to sleep?"
"Excuse me?" Alessandra snapped moving to approach him but was blocked by Bruno.
"Jacob shut it," he snooped at his roommate, "You come with me." He instructed making to pull her from the room but she stood firm.
"No", Bruno sighed, rolling his eyes skyward before dipping slightly and tugging her over his shoulder. She screeched as he stomped from the room demanding that he put her down pounding at his broad back which she was sure he couldn't even feel. He released her when they got outside and blocked her feeble attempts at hitting him. She lacked all of the technique he'd taught her but she wasn't actively trying to hurt him, "Alright that's enough."
"What is wrong with you?"
"I'll tell you if you stop hitting me." he snapped trying to grip her wrists.
"Fine." she huffed placing her hands on her hips.
He cast a glance around as if to make sure no one was listening in, "Alright, I can't exactly tell you."
"Why not?" She was ready to hit him again.
"Because I have to show you." He swiped a hand down his face, "What time do you get off?"
"Just after dinner, I have a few hours before I," She paused, remembering that they were only mere feet outside of the guardhouse, "You know."
The older man nodded, "Can you meet me at the stables, it's about half an hour out."
"What is -"
"You'll find out if you show up later." He cut her off, clearly annoyed.
"Fine," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips, "Whatever is better be worth it."
"I assure you it will be." He told her smugly.
She scoffed turning away from him and heading back for the castle, her mind running wild with thoughts of whatever Bruno could be hiding.
That meant that she'd likely miss being with Caspian again tonight. She'd have to figure out a way to tell him though, as far as he knew she had been staying in to console Stephanie. Not that she'd be leaving the grounds with her friends lover. She ended up writing a note, during the lunch rush she snuck back into his study and stole a piece of parchment, shortly and clumsily explaining where she was going to be tonight. Her script was dismal at best, by now she had more experience reading than writing, she made a mental note to ask Professor Cornelius to teach her more of the latter. She stuck the paper into his notebook on the side of his desk, he always used it to take notes on whatever he was studying so she was certain he'd see it.
Later that night after a dinner that was spent further consoling Steph whilst also hiding from her she made her way to the stables. Bruno wasn't there yet so she took a look around at the lithe horses, most of them paid her no mind, one though she recognized and she seemed to remember her in turn.
"Hello girl," Alessandra hummed, approaching the stall where the dark haired house hung her head over the edge to greet her, "Nice to see you too." She giggled when Destrier whinnied tossing her mane and nuzzling into Alessandra's side, "What do you think Bruno's hiding?" She hummed, running hand down her nose.
"This is certainly a better sight than the last time I caught you in here." Bruno's familiar voice teased as he entered.
"Very funny." She smiled, turning to face him seeing him all prepared to saddle up a horse.
"I try, he shot back before nodding his head in the direction of one of the stalls, "Come here," He led them over to a brown mare that whined at their approach, "This is Bob." he announced and Alessandra couldn't contain her laugh.
"Really?" She asked before she could stop herself.
"Giggle all you want but my friend has carried me to more battles than you could count." he told her matter-of-factly opening and entering the stall to saddle him up, "He's also quite the flirt." he added when he gestured for Alessandra to enter the stall and the horse tossed his mane in greeting with a loud whine.
"So you have something in common."
He shot her a look from the corner of his eye as he started righting the saddle on the horses back, "Feed him a sugar cube will you?" he told her nodding the the brown bag that was hung up on the side of the stall, she did as told and the horse was all too eager to take the cube from her palm, much more enthusiastically that Destrier did, leaving a trail of spittle on her hand after would. She simply swiped her hand across Bruno's back as he passed her and in turn he shot her an unamused look.
"It's your horse." Was all she told him in defence.
He had no response to that, simply setting his foot in the stirrup and hoisting himself onto the back of the horse, "Get on," he told her, extending a hand down.
"Do I really have to?" she asked him wearily realising with a start that she'd never ridden on a horse before.
"Do you want to see it or not?"
"I'm not sure I do." she deflected, Bruno rolled his eyes and reached down gripping her by the upper arm and with a combination of leverage as Bob took a step forward and a strength that wasn't fair for him to possess swung her onto the saddle behind him. He kicked Bob into a gentle trod in the next breath muttering something about wondering how Caspian put up with her.
She glared at the back of his head but held on tight to his waist once she realised how high up off the ground they were.
"You'll get used to it." He told her reassuringly, patting her arm.
He led Bob with an easy confidence out into the night and through the guards private entrance and exit. From there he kicked the horse slightly to pick up the pace, not a full trod but quicker than they'd be if they were walking.
Alessandra rarely if ever went out into the city at night so it was different to see the streets mostly empty, save for a few people moving from house to house, each one lit up from a hearth within, when she asked Bruno why the streets were so bare he responded,
"Miraz implemented a curfew not too long ago. It's not for another hour or so but, most people find it easier to stay at home or within range than being caught out after hours."
"That's ridiculous."
Bruno shrugged and she didn't have to hear him voice it to know that he agreed. "It's just the way things are now."
"That doesn't make it right."
"I didn't say it did."
Their conversation faded after that, the trip carrying a much more solemn tone as Bruno guided the horse to whatever the surprise was.
Slowly the houses gave way until there were only a few with several feet of land between them, now she was starting to get an idea of what the surprise was, but she waited for him to confirm.
They arrived at the shell of a cottage and he pulled them to a stop, Bruno slid off the horse's back and guided him over to a tree tying the reins onto a low branch. He helped Alessandra down and looked bashful all of a sudden, "Come on." he said, placing a hand on her upper back.
She stayed quiet as he led them up the few steps and to a doorway entrance that was missing the door, "My Stephanie and I have talked about moving together for years now, one thing or another always kept us from following through," he explained softly, leading her through the house, "So we've sort of put it aside." The room that was clearly meant to be the bedroom was large, not as massive as Caspian's but still impressive, it also had a door to the side that led outside where a well was being constructed and a hole was dug in the ground. Possibly meant to be a firepit.
Bruno sat down in the threshold of the door and after a short moment of hesitation she squeezed in next to him, "I'd been planning to build this place for her for months, then she told me she wanted to start trying for a babe and," he looked down at his hands and she saw a rare insecurity in his body language, she didn't like it, "I panicked, I wanted to get the house built so we'd have somewhere. The castle isn't a place to raise children. I didn't mean to neglect her."
"I know you didn't." She said, covering his hand with one of hers, "Why not just tell her this?"
"I wanted to be certain about it," he sighed, "But I suppose now I'll have to."
"Not necessarily," he looked at her in question, "She thinks you're going to leave her, assure her that you're not."
Bruno blinks like he hadn't even thought about that, which he probably hadn't. A genius strategist he may be, he could also be quite dumb.
"When'd you get so smart?" he jested, squeezing her hand in his.
"I have good teachers." she teased nudging his shoulder.
They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment staring out at what was going to be the backyard. There was a pile of bricks on one side which she assumed was where the well was going to be built and running along the side of the house were soil beds, Steph had always wanted a garden.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?"
"I said a lot of things earlier."
"About Steph and I's relationship? Do you truly look up to us that much?"
"Of course I do, you're the only relationship I've known. Thank Gods it's a good one," that pulled a smile from him, "I don't know, you guys give me hope. I suppose? I've watched you withstand so much together and come out stronger. Makes me believe Caspian and I can have that one day."
"You can," Bruno was quick to assure, "You will," he nudged her, "You deserve it."
She smiled, gripping his hand tighter resting her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a long while before a long howl cut through the night and Bruno tensed.
"We should head back," he said, already standing and tugging her up.
"What is that?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with," he said walking her back through the unfinished house.
The ride back to the castle was calmer than the ride out, Bruno was loser like there was a weight lifted from him. Which she supposed there was, she smiled at having been trusted with this and rested her head gently on his shoulder enjoying the calm ride back to the castle grounds.
She pondered on her relationship shift with the guard, they went from barely acquaintances, to somewhat cordial with one another thanks to Steph to now her being the one to share this marvellous secret with. Was there any relationship in her life that was built normally?
The answer was no, but she wouldn't have it any other way.
By the time they made it back to the castle grounds they were mostly empty aside from the few guards stations and other maids milling about likely finishing up their duties. Bruno took them back to the stables the same way they exited with the same guard stationed at the gate. After unsaddling Bob, Bruno informed her that the true process of making sure the horse was fully 'untacked', his words, would be a much longer process he her escorted her back to the no maids passage, she thanked him for sharing this with her and he thanked her with one of his slowly less rare smiles and sent her on her way.
Stephanie was already asleep by the time she got to their shared room, she briefly considered going to Caspian but decided against it when Steph rolled over and Alessandra got a look at the dried fear tracks on her face. Instead she shucked off her outer dress and crawled into bed behind her, as she drifted off she prayed Bruno wouldn't daddle too much on revealing the surprise, she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand to see her friend like this.
Alessandra promised Bruno that she wouldn't breath a word about the house to Stephanie, he didn't say that she couldn't tell Caspian. After seeing Steph off the next morning and ensuring her best friend that things would start looking up soon, she carried out her duties as excited at the prospect of spending the night with Caspian again having been missing him terribly these past few nights.
She dusted over Caspian's study, wondering idly if he'd received her message from the night before. Her answer came when she'd lifted the books on his desk to clean beneath it as per usual, only to pause at the folded up piece of parchment that sat there. Lion's Mane, she was going to wring him for this, still after straining her ears to ensure Tamara was still out in the bathroom she picked up the paper and unfolded it easily, able to read the two words he'd written.
Stay Safe
X.
From the moment Caspian laid eyes on Alessandra he was infatuated, when he first touched her he felt longing, the taste of her bordered on addiction. But the thing he craved most of all was her presence, he didn't realise quite how much until he'd spent the last few nights alone. He knew that Stephanie needed her and how much that friendship mattered to her, but that didn't stop him from tossing and turning those nights when she wasn't there, fighting the urge to march down to their rooms just long enough to hold her in his arms.
Needless to say that when he'd received her note the day prior he was confused. An emotion bubbling in his chest he wasn't sure how to place. It wasn't anger per se, he trusted Alessandra implicitly and had built quite the friendship with Bruno as well, So why then did his chest seem to burn at the thought of the two of them spending the evening together?
He didn't think that they'd do anything untoward, Bruno had Steph and Alessandra had him, the closet they'd likely get if they left the castle grounds was on horseback. That did little to quell the feeling stirring in his stomach.
Not until he had Alessandra back in his rooms did he start to identify the feeling. When she came to him that night she was practically vibrating with excitement, she didn't even berate him for the note held left for her, something she'd explicitly told him not to do. They didn't even bother settling down in his study instead she whisked him to his rooms and he lounged on his bed watching her flit around as she told him about her night with Bruno.
"Cas you should have seen it," she gushed swaying just out of his reach, "I mean he really thought of everything, Steph has always wanted to start gardening so he built her one, he even," as she went on about Bruno's brilliance he was finally able to identify the feeling in his stomach for what it was. Jealousy.
Again not of Bruno, but of what he was able to give her. Although Caspian longed for little more than proclaiming his love for all of Narnia to hear, he'd settle for an evening in the city with her just as Bruno had. Instead they were confined to the relative safety of his bedchambers and study, not even having the slight freedom to roam the castle as they once did.
"I just can't wait for her to see it." She said at least coming to a stop leaning against one of the posts around his bed.
"I take it you enjoyed your evening then?" he tried to tease hoping his voice didn't betray his emotions.
"Absolutely," his light beamed, and it was almost enough to send the green vermin sitting on his shoulder away, almost.
"Perhaps I should let Bruno have you for the evening more often, if you come back in such high spirits." He meant it as a tease but his voice lacked the teasing edge he had hoped for.
Alessandra saw straight through him. "Perhaps you should," she shot back, lifting a knee to climb onto the bed. She noticed his tense demeanor once she began talking but didn't bother to stop herself, not ashamed to admit that she liked the look of jealousy on him, "Afterall, it's not everyday a lady is whisked away to get a preview of a future home."
"I thought you weren't a lady?"
"I certainly felt like one last night, on horseback for the first time."
"He let you ride his horse?"
"Yes he did," she grinned her hands meeting the bed as she began crawling up, "His big, strong, horse."
He knew deep down that she was baiting him, there's no way that this discussion needed to be as sensual as her tone of voice was suggesting. But still he took it.
"Bigger than mine?" They weren't talking about horses anymore.
She sighed gazing upwards as if in contemplation, exposing the lovely column of her neck his hands itched to wrap around it, but he refrained, momentarily.
"I might have to see your horse again, just to be certain."
His hand caught her wrist and tugged pulling her into him, his hand landed on his chest for balance and her lips met his in the next seconds. He felt her maddening little grin against his lips before his tongue slid into her mouth.
Gods above, she drove him insane. He tried to tug her leg up over his hip but she resisted, he figured she was still trying to tease him so he let her refrain.
Alessandra, for her part, loved seeing Caspian so riled up. He was usually so composed, go see him get so frustrated at the thought of her being intimate with anyone besides him truly tickled her. So much so that she momentarily forgot that her time of the month was upon her. A fact she was reminded of when he tried to tug her onto his lap and she felt the shift of the cloth between her legs.
"Cas". she pulled away trying to explain, he was undeterred turning his kisses to her neck, giving up on trying to get her in his lap, instead his hand went to her bottom, squeezing rhythmically nearly derailing her thoughts, "Caspian," she whined when he caught that sensitive spot on her neck, "I can't," she sighed in disappointment.
That made him pull back his obsidian eyes clouded in confusion, "What is-" he fumbled, "Have I done something?"
"No love," She soothed, running a hand over his hair "I cannot," she stressed, his confusion didn't lessen.
"Why not?" he hoped he didn't sound desperate or nagging but he was genuinely curious and a touch concerned.
"It is that time of the month darling." she explained gently. His hands palmed her waist looking no less confused shaking his head slightly, "That time, Cas a lady's time."
Finally understanding bled into his features, "Oh," he gasped slightly looking down at her body alongside his flexing his fingers again, "That won't bother me if," he trailed off leaving the decision to her.
In a momentary lapse of sanity she surged to take his mouth again, his hands returning to her bottom as if she hadn't stopped them at all. Again she pulled back resting her hands on his chest, "As intriguing as that sounds, I'm already having to ignore Tamara's jabs about your soiled bedsheets, I don't want to think about what she'd say if she sees bloody ones."
That made sense he supposed, he could only imagine the conversations that took place in the morning hours after they'd spent the night together. Try as he might, it was difficult to control where his releases went, especially since he wasn't allowed to spill inside her anymore. He alone wasn't to blame though, his Light's wetness made quite the mess of his sheets as well. Yet still he nodded in understanding.
She smiles and Kisses him again, her hands gliding down the front of his shirt to the top of his trousers,
"My light," he mumbles into her mouth, "You said?"
She cuts him off by biting his bottom lip, the sting nearly snapping the bit of restraint he possesses and taking her, bloody sheets be damned, but he only just managed to hold himself back.
"I said that I couldn't, not you." She said kissing him again before he could question her. She had the uncanny ability to derail his thoughts and perhaps some of his sanity with just a twist of her tongue, it was quite impressive if he were being honest.
This time it was she hovering over him as she made her way down his neck pausing enough to tug his shirt over his head before she continued downwards. He'd had her lips on his dozens of times now and the thrill of her never faded, neither did the feel of those lips on his neck, his chest was rare but not unheard of and more often than not bore bruises in the shape of her teeth from the times she'd sunk them in during her climax and that part of him was within reach.
She didn't stop at his chest though, she continued down his body, her hand stroking his length over his trousers. His hands flex with the need to touch her, although he loved the feel of her hair sliding through his fingers he wished he'd at least removed her corset to have her flesh pressed against his especially since she didn't seem so inclined to make it happen herself.
Instead her focus seems to lie on trailing kisses along the thin line of hair on his lower stomach, her breath puffs across his waistband the closer she gets, then she pauses with her finger curled around it. Waiting for permission his Iust-addled mind somehow supplies for him, he cards his fingers through her hair pushing it back from her face and gathering it in a hand.
He caught her smirk seconds before she finally tugs him free from his trousers, usually it's a rush of cool air that greets him seconds before he buries himself inside her, this time though it's a puff of warm air that makes him shiver at the contrast before he's engulfed into an even warmer mouth. She pulls back whispering kisses across his tip while her hand twists around the base of him like he'd once shown her.
His hips stutter and his thighs tense with the effort of holding himself back from thrusting into her mouth and allowing her this time to explore him as he loves to explore her. Her hand meets his hip, her thumb caressing the bone there, his free hand covers hers the other tensed in her hair. Her tongue traces up a vein and he bites back a groan, then another when she takes him into her mouth again.
He wants to watch her but his eyes flutter when she drags her mouth up the length of hip popping of his tip before doing it again, he can't help his body's reaction to her and a single twitch of his hips nearly sends him to the back of her throat, the feel of her throat contracting around him made him want to do it again, it took great effort to hold himself back. Alessandra didn't seem mind though in fact after she caught her breath she sucks his length like she does his tongue in their more heated kisses taking him nearly to the hilt, even when she gags as she pulls back her hand maintains a steady grip and rhythm.
Lion's Mane she's going to be the death of him, Caspian thinks he pushes her hair back again holding it with both hands, he can see the wetness gathered in her eyes and the sight shouldn't strike him as it does, yet it did.
When she sets her mouth on him again she starts a feverish pace, she swirls her tongue in ways he never knew existed, it's messy and wet and all consuming and Caspian is helpless to do anything but give in. Nothing about the drag of her mouth is precise, but Caspian doesn't care and it pulls him to the edge all the same, he thrusts shallow into her mouth a few more times before her hand on his hip stops him, his stills in the next second giving her full control.
But she'd already had it hadn't she? Control of his length currently sliding in and out of her mouth? His heart? It's hers, She could take the very breath from his lungs if she needed nay wanted it. The thought pulls him straight to the edge quicker than he expected, he wants to warn her as that would be the gentlemanly thing to do, but from her own mouth she admitted she was no lady. The most warning he's able to give her is his fingers tightening in her hair before he releases into her mouth. Her name spilling over his tongue while his essence spills over hers, his chest heaves as his hands relax their grip around her hair and he sinks back into his pillows. She pulls off of him one more time pressing a final kiss to his tip that made his entire body twitch, she giggle, a self-satisfied sound, that not for the first time he wanted to bottle.
He caught her arm tugging her up alongside him to kiss her deeply, the taste of himself on her tongue is new but it's mingled nicely with the taste of her all the same so he swallows it down.
"You taste good," she smiles between his kisses and he matches her grin tugging her closer still, wishing he could feel her skin against his but settling for her heart beating in time with his own.
