Romain/Allya, day 3
Jun. 13th, 2022 08:54 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
airyannadahliaThat night he dreamed of Allya, and in the morning, he was eager to return to her. Yet he delayed, picking some flowers from a field very near his fortress, before bundling them in a charming little ribbon and getting dressed and all but cantering down the hill.
Rebecca Butler
The night passed swiftly, and soon dawn broke through the horizon. The sun rose and found both Allya and Becca wide awake and up doing things about the house. Cleaning, prepping food for winter early, fixing up the rooms, weapons and such to keep the place in good working order. Then it was outside to do such things that needed doing out there, like cutting wood, tending the garden, picking the fruits of their labor.
Catching a scent upon the breeze, Allya paused in cutting wood to look towards the darker parts of the forest as a small smile crossed her face. Raising her axe, she split a huge log in half before she dropped it to the ground and started towards the direction of the scent. Romain was close and she would meet him halfway.
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain smiled as he saw Allya come into view. "These are for you," he said, handing her the flowers. "From the field behind my castle." Giving thanks that he had moved from the dark fortress in Vylia, literally called the Bastion of Darkness. Moving to the borderlands had been a good decision. A woman as beautiful and sweet as Allya belonged nowhere near the dark. Since he, being dark, could not bear to be away from her, he was allowing himself to slowly become more light, day by brand-new day. "Did you... sleep, well?" he asked.
Rebecca Butler
"Ohhh! Thank you so much! Romain, they are beautiful." She took the offered flowers and smiled brightly up at him. Leaning forward and kissing his cheek. She had noticed a slight change in him since the first time they had met. He was more upbeat, and he seemed a bit brighter. Hearing him ask if she slept well, she smirked and nodded. "I did sleep well, yes. Thank you. Did you?" He was awkward and cute and it made her smile to herself.
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain saw no shame in answering truthfully. "I did. I dreamed of you, in fact," he said matter-of-factly. "It was pleasant. We were swimming, then drying off the natural way sitting in the field and telling tales to your friends the animals." His tone warm and genial. "Do you dream?"
Rebecca Butler
Hearing about Romain's dream, Allya actually smiled a true smile. "That sounds...lovely, Romain. Maybe we should do that sometime together." She replied with a grin. "I do have more stories to tell, if you'd like to hear them; and if you ever want to actually visit those places with me, I'd be happy to take you."
The fact that she trusted him enough already to make such an offer, spoke volumes to her at least. She hoped Romain realized what it meant, to be taken to another realm when you were an 'outsider'.
Airyanna Dahlia
"I did come to hear more stories," Romain agreed, "and for the undenniable pleasure of your company." Smiling as they walked together. "Where shall we go today?" he asked. They had gone swimming yesterday, which had prompted him to dream of swimming with her, but if she wished to swim with him again today, he would not protest. She had dried him with magic, which had been pleasant, but there was something to be said for letting the warm rays of the sun, as warm and sweet as her smile, dry him off instead.
Rebecca Butler
"You flatter me, Romain. You are going to make me blush and that doesn't happen easily." Allya giggled softly, smirking over at the man beside her. Really, he was quite charming. Even more so when he didn't seem to realize it.
She thought a moment and then chuckled softly. "Well, I took you to my meadow yesterday. How about you take me someplace you like today?" She posed it as a question to see if he would be agreeable. "I can tell you another story, when we get there, if you'd like; but I'd really love to see the things you love too, Romain."
Airyanna Dahlia
"Someplace I like?" Romain repeated. The places he liked could be counted on one finger. There was the library in Sorlian, but it was frowned upon to speak aloud for too long there. There was Vylia, the bastion of darkness, but Allya didn't seem liek the sort of person who would enjoy that. That left his fortress. He shrugged with a little frown and started leading her back up the hill.
"Don't mind Lachlan, he's my mouthiest Lieutenant," he warned her. "He's a vampire that acts like a horse's ass."
Rebecca Butler
She turned to follow Romain back up the hill, curious as to where he was taking her. "Vampire? You keep company with vampires?" She asked, curious. Making a mental note to make sure Rheagal knew whenever he would come to visit. If there was one thing Rheagal hated most in life, it was vampires...followed quickly by anything religious, like a church. Her poor brother had been through a lot when he was younger. A vampire had stolen him from town one day and had nearly killed him, hence his intense hatred for them; and when they lived in a different town, a priest got it into his head that Rheagal had the devil in him and he had his congregation kidnap her brother and hang him on the cross, intent on burning him. Becca had found out and saved him, killing the entirety of those involved and once Rheagal was better, moved them some place safer, but the damage had already been done. "Just don't let my brother know about that." She said softly. "He hates vampires..."
She smirked a bit as she followed. Surely Romain was a most interesting person and she couldn't wait to see where he was taking her. She had one good story she could tell verbatim too, since it being one of her favorites that her mother told them growing up a lot. This might prove to be an interesting day!
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain gave Allya an odd look. "Yes, of course," he said. "I keep company with anyone who wishes. I have no prejudice." Frowning, "I thought you would know better than that after what I have shared with you." Then she mentioned her brother hating vampires and he unconscioulsy moved a few paces away from her, as if to distance himself from the idea of prejudice. He spoke no more until they were at the cast, where Lachlan greeted them.
"Allo!" the cheerful vampire said. "Yer the lass I saw the day Romain here started mysteriously running trips." His words light and cheerful without accusation, but giving Romain a knowing look.
"She has been good enough to refresh my knowledge regarding the lands beyond our border," Romain explained. As if he somehow owed Lachlan an explanation. As if Lachlan was a FRIEND and not just his valet. "We shall be in the library if there is need of me."
Lachlan followed behind them, to Romain's annoyance. "Yes?" he asked.
"I'm curious about the lady," was Lachlan's explanation.
Rebecca Butler
Upon seeing how her words affected Romain, whether he admitted them or not, Allya felt badly for it. She didn't hold to her brothers disdain, but merely sought to give a warning. Rheagal could be a hothead at the best of times and downright black-out rage mad at the worst. She just thought Romain should know....but maybe she should explain it better? Though later, as they reached the castle, her eyes went wide at seeing his home. Awe clearly etched across her face. "You---live here?" She asked, before turning her attention to the other male who waited to greet them.
"Hello. I am Allya. Pleasure." She said with a genuine smile. Attempting to show Romain that she held no ill will towards Lachlan or his kind, or anyone in general. She knew exactly what he was simply by his smell and was curious more so than off-putting. Her demeanor friendly and open. "It's nice to meet you."
Hearing Romain speak, she held in a giggle at his explanation as she turned to walk with him towards....did he say library!? She was as bad as her mother about books, for she loved the written word, but seeing as the other male, whose name she did not yet get, was following them, she turned her attention back to him a moment, hearing Romain's annoyance and the others curiosity.
"It's ok, Romain....I don't mind." She said with a grin, nodding towards Lachlan. "What are you curious about?" Her words curious themselves.
Airyanna Dahlia
"I did tell you I was a king" was Romain's response. "I used to live in Vylia, Bastion of Darkness, but Lachlan and others convinced me to move.
"Well met, Allya," Lachlan said, taking a bite out of a red apple he held. "Pretty name for a pretty girl" with a wink. Romain gave him a "really?" sort of look. After a beat, Romain asked,
"Will you not introduce yourself? To the *pretty girl*?"
"Happy to. I'm his boyfriend, Lachlan." Earning himself a swat upside the head.
"No," Romain said in an unamused sort of way. "He is a scout."
Romain playfully put a hand over his heart. "You wound me, sire!"
"How would you like to live on rat's blood for a month?" Romain had become vastly more lighthearted and playful these last two days.
"This," Lachlan said, pointing at Romain. "He has done a complete 180 in the time he has known you. I'm curious what it is about you that causes this change so." As they continued walking to the library, in the heart of the castle.
The castle appearened to be made of onyx. So dark and shiny was everything. Lit only by the light of many, many scented candles (carrying the same scent Romain liked to wear). He liked to remind his people he was always among them, awlways watching. The candles were in sconces protruding from walls and chandeliers from the ceiling. Alternating between wall candles and ceiling candles every few yards, so it was well lit despite the dark of the walls.
Their footsteps, even Romain's in his soft shoes, padding with the silghtest echoes in the halls. He threw open the ornately cared doubledoors leading to the hallway of the library, which itself was stacked with scrolls detailing current events and periodicals his historians and archivists labored over for respectable pay. Keeping up with the goings-on in his kingdom was very important to Romain.
Making it to another doubledoors at the end, this time Lachlan went ahead and threw them open, he taking such liberties now! In stark contrast to the rest of the castle, the library was cozy and comfortable, the only place that was not scented and yet just lit warmly, candles only mounted on walls behind convex glass to prevent them from damaging any reading material. The floor covered in bean bags and lounge chairs. Actual real lamps scattered here and there! Bookcases out from the sides of the walls in nonetheless orderly fasion. They could fold in, giving more room to walk as well. It was many people's favorite room in the castle and there were several here reading They looked up and bowed their heads at his presence, and he actually nodded respectfully back to them!
Romain led his companions with a gesture to a more secluded room, one with a desk and proper sitting chair. There was one lone bookcase and it had long, wide shelves for drying maniscripts. He waited for those two to get situationed and then said, "Now, Allya. Your story. Please," he added.
Rebecca Butler
Allya would have blushed at Lachlan's compliment had she not been so good at controlling her emotions. She had been called pretty many times, by strangers in town, and she never let it get to her. In fact, it made her giggle softly. Even more so, Romain's response to Lachlan's words and smack to his head when he said he was Romain's boyfriend. "Hey, it's ok if you are..." She teased back with a soft laugh. "I share...fairly well." She teased.
She stayed close to Romain's side as they walked though, curious about his home and the way he decorated it. The walls seemed so shiny, it really made her curious what he had built his home out of. But when they entered the library through the first door, her eyes went wide as a soft gasp escaped her lips. So many scrolls and the like lined the walls! What knowledge this little room must hold. It wasn't till Lachlan threw the last set of double doors open wide that Allya actually froze in awe of the huge space!!
Entering, like a bug drawn to a flame, eyes wide and jaw dropped, Allya spun slowly to take everything in! It was spacious, and filled to the brim with books and scrolls and the like! She could spend forever here! It took her a few moments to realize that Romain had continued on, and she blinked out of her shock and rushed to follow him. "This place....is marvelous!" She said in almost a whisper, taking a seat before turning her attention back to Romain and his friend. She had to take a few moments more to get herself to think of what Romain had asked her and chuckled softly when her brain clicked back on, in a fashion. "Want another story, do you?" She giggled softly and sat back in her seat, getting comfy. "I shall tell you one of my favorites. It's a story my mother told me and my brothers every night at bedtime, because we would always ask for it." She smiled at the two men in front of her.
"Do you ever wonder why wolves howl at the moon?" She asked, as a beginning to her story. "This is the story of why they do exactly that." She cleared her throat and began.
"Long ago, when the world was new and the Gods and Goddess were already old....long before people, the world was watched over and cared for by three main Deities. There was Quaztaquatal, the Great Sun God. Amun, the Beautiful Moon Goddes, and Lupan, the God of all living things. Now, the three lived in harmony for the most part, until both Quaztaquatal and Lupan fell in love with Amun. Both strived for her hand, but she only had eyes for Lupan and had since they were small children. So when she picked Lupan over Quaztaquatal, it made the Sun God very angry. He did not think Lupan worthy of such beauty and grace.
He strove to prove it to Amun, how unworthy Lupan was; but everything he did was only seen as tricksy or unkind and made Amun lose faith in the God that had once been her closest friend. In the end, she chose Lupan, and Quaztaquatal harbored that hatred for the other God for eons.
One day, after many centuries, Quaztaquatal came across Lupan sitting by the creek of Eternal Life, looking very sad.
"What is the matter my friend?" Quaztaquatal asked.
"Ohhhh...today is Amun's birthday, and I have no idea what to get her." Lupan replied, sounding very morose. "We have so many children on earth now, she has the stars I have given her as gifts in the sky for her to look at, and everything she could possibly want...I don't know what else to do for her, and I wanted to make today special." He continued. For it was true, he and Amun were VERY happy and still so very much in love, but he did love to surprise and spoil her.
Quaztaquatal pretended to think for a moment and then smiled darkly, but schooled it off his face before Amun could see. "Why not go down to Earth and get her some of the rare and beautiful flowers that grow there?" He suggested. "I know she would love to see them. For she only gets to see them at night, when they are closed and asleep. She has commented on seeing their beauty often."
Lupan seemed to brighten at that very idea and thanked his friend heartily, before making a rainbow bridge to the Earth and taking the form of a Great Wolf, ran here and there, gathering up many flowers for his beloved. Only....when he returned to where he had made the bridge, it was not there! For he forgot the most important thing of all. Any God or Goddess, when leaving their plane of existence, MUST bring with them a Guiding Star to help them find their way back. Or else, be stuck forever away from home, for the bridge would not recognize them, and would not open!
Seeing to his horror that this had happened, Lupan ran all over the Earth, trying to find a way back home, to his Beloved Amun; and when he could not find a way, he threw back his head and HOWLED out his agony at being separated from his one true love forever.
Over time....he grew old, and died. But his descendants keep up his song, whenever the moon is full in hopes that one day, she will be able to hear him and remember so they can be together again." Allya breathed a bit after she finished her story, wondering what both men had thought of it.
Airyanna Dahlia
"He's not!" said Romain quickly, his cheeks turning a brilliant shade of crimson. Lachlan merely laughed.
"Romain doesn't," he said. "Everything he likes, is his alone. Isn't that right, honey?" with a slight elbow jab to Romain who gave him a "do it again and you're dead" look. Lachlan backed up with his hands in the air.
"Of course it's marvelous," said Romain, a note of pride in his voice. "It's my favorite place."
Lachlan's eyebrows and the sides of his mouth lifted, as if to say "the ego on this man", but no words left his lips as he did not wish to be punished this day.
The two sat and listened, spellbound, by Allya's tale.
"Could they not have just shared Amun?" Lachlan wanted to know.
"Did Amun settle for Quatztaquatal to continue her lineage?" Romain wanted to know.
"Of course not! She loved Lupan!" Lachlan retorted. Romain held up a hand and looked pointedly to Allya, he had not been asking Lachlan.
Rebecca Butler
"Of course not..." Allya said as she looked back at Romain. "Would you settle for less than the one you loved above all else? No. She waits for Lupan, still to this day and hears his decendants songs and remembers." Her eyes furrowed a bit as she looked over at Lachlan and chuckled.
"God's and Goddess do not share. That is common knowledge."
She tilted her head at them both. "Is that all you got from this story? It's a beautiful love story. About true love and sacrifice."
Airyanna Dahlia
"People do it all the time," Romain said. It was true. He had had countless wives killed, by their own husbands' hand, and yet the husbands usually did remarry and made more children. Many other matches in Adornia, were beneficial of status regardless if the person had a loved one. Romain still did not understand the concept of "one you loved above all else". He liked Allya, more than he had liked anyone else, but they had only known each other a few days.
"Gods and goddesses do share," Lachlan countered. "I have known of it, such tales from lands other than this. Why do you think I'm head scout?"
"It was a story about betrayal and dirty tricks," Romain said, "and a fool who trusted where he should have stayed cautious. The ony thing sacrificed was common sense."
Rebecca Butler
Allya looked back to Romain when she heard him speak, her eyes furrowing. "People do it all the time where you are from?" She asked, curious more so than angry, at first. "Not where I come from. To an Elf, it is very rare if they mate again after their Beloved dies. They are bound together for all eternity, two souls becoming one and when one dies, the other enters a deep mourning period which could last a few days to a few millennia. We do not mate or bond or join lightly. It is quite literally, for Life, with us." She explained the best she could. "However, myself and my siblings and mother are only half-elves, so while we still hold to those ideals, we are very capable of falling in love again, but just haven't had that happen yet." She giggled softly.
Though she looked at Lachlan like he was crazy when he spoke. "Our Gods and Goddess do not!" She retorted back sharply, as if offended by the very idea.
But her attention was driven back to Romain and she openly frowned at him. Not liking his take on the story, as he seemed to miss her point. "In a way, I guess it was...but it is also a story about devotion, love, honor, respect and diligence. They were so much in love that she never took another mate, and even though Lupan couldn't touch or hold Amun ever again, he still sang to her, hoping she would hear him. He still voiced his love for her. It is a beautiful story, if you look at it in a different light."
Airyanna Dahlia
"I am also an elf," Romain reminded her. Half-elf, but it counted as far as him concerned. His lip curled at her schmaltzy words. If she was also a Halfling like himself, why did it matter so much what full elves from her realm did?
"Maybe you should consider that other viewpoints than yours are valid," Lachlan said lazily when Allya snapped at him, a perfect contrast to this uppity girl as he put his feet up. Far be it from him to question his king in his own castle, but he did not understand what Romain saw in her. He would ask why it bothered her to think that other gods and goddesses might be okay with polyamory, but at the end of the day, he would not care about this conversation a week from now, so he simply took an apple out of his pocket and began to munch on it.
"Devotion? Love? Those are what led him to such foolish behaviors," Romain replied. "Honor, respect, and diligence?Hardly. My own soldiers are trained to act with deligence and they would not make such foolish choises." He glared at Lachlan. "Although some still make the foolish choice to eat in the library."
Lachlan rolled his eyes and spat his bite of apple into a nearby trash can, then threw the rest of the apple away. Without lifting his feet from the desk as Romain not scolded him for that.
"What good did it do him in the end?" Romain asked. "He could not touch or hold her. Out of sight, out of mind. For all he knew, she could never hear him and he was wasteing his breath.
Lachlan turned his head and gave Romain an incredulous look. He knew his king could be an emotionless dick, but this was a girl he supposedly liked, and he was shooting down her story that he had asked her to tell him! He clicked his tongue. "If I can be honest, Lord King, you'd better have a more romantic speech prepared when you propose to the lady."
Rebecca Butler
Allya wasn't sure what to think of Romain's replies to a story he had ASKED her to tell and that happened to be one of her favorites. Though she knew he was a slight pessimist from spending a few days with him, she didn't think his darkness went THAT far. She wasn't sure how to feel at rhe moment because though she knew she had a dark side within her, she was mostly a child of Light, as her people put it. Strange...that she would find one such as him to be attracted too.
"Those you love are never out of sight, out of mind. Not if you really loved them." Her Reply was soft, almost sad sounding. For though she and her siblings had never actually met their fathers, they having died weeks before either of them had been born, she still had memories from her mother and in a sense that 'gave them life' to her and her brothers. Able to actually see what their fathers had been like in a memory while gazing into the still waters of a bowl. Magic, Becca had called it but it let the triplets know who Thanor and Lucius had been. Allya still felt the pain of their loss considerably, even more so seeing her mothers hurt which she thought she hid from her youngsters. Had Romain NEVER felt that love...or that loss? How sad on both counts.
"He loved her, and she loved him...till death. That is all that matters in the end." Her words softer still as she looked away, not even registering Lachlan's tease.
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain listened calmlly to her words. He found he did not like disagreeing or arguing with her. He had no experience with love, no knowlege of what it really was, only seen it's effects on poor saps who let it chain them.
"I accept your words as your truth," Romain said seriously. It was the first time in his life he had not laughed in the face at the idea of love or truth or sentimentality. Seeing them only as tools to use against people. But Allya made him want to be different. To be a better man.
"Thank you for tellin' the story," Lachlan added, seeing how Romain had littel in the way of manners. "Yer experience and perspective are invaluable to opening the mind of my Lord King."
"You are dismissed," Romain said to Lachlan.
"Aye, but I choose to stay." Stubbornly staying in his chair. Somehow knowing Romain would not wish to cause a scene before his lady love. If in fact that was what this was.
Ignoring him as Lachlan predicted, Romain asked, "Your gods and goddesses die?"
Rebecca Butler
Romain's words made Allya tilt her head at him a little as she turned her eyes back to his. The sadness in them fading slowly, as she took him in. He wasn't going to argue with her? That was a first. Well, since they had met at least. They had really only known each other a few days. "Thank you, for trying to see it my way too, Romain. Though I know we are very different people and have very different outlooks, not everything has to be doom and gloom all the time."
Turning, hearing Lachlan's voice, Allya nearly snorted at the interaction between the two men. It was comical in a way. The way they bantered back and forth with each other. Though when Romain spoke again, she turned to look back at him.
"Our Gods and Goddesses? No." She paused and then tilted her head. "Well...depends. If one did something terrible enough to warrant it, they could be cast out as human and then killed. That has only happened twice in my lifespan.....and I am but a young one." She giggled softly, wondering how he would react if he knew her true age!
Airyanna Dahlia
Despite what Allya had told him about her and her siblings' life, Romain automatically thought they must have had an easier life than he did when she said things like that. He ignored Lachlan entirely, focusing only on Allya.
"But you said Amun and Lapan loved each other till death. Yet they do not die? How confusing this stroy of yours is!"
Rebecca Butler
"Lapan DID die." She gently reminded Romain, hiding her grin. "Remember? He went to earth as a mortal wolf, and forgot his star badge. He was unable to return to his world and thus, aged like any mortal would and died. His decedents keep up the story and howl at the moon for Amun to hear and remember her beloved. It truly is a beautiful tale." She smiled somewhat dreamily.
Airyanna Dahlia
"Lapan did die, but you said the gods--" Romain's frustrated reply cut short when she reminded him he had become mortal coming to earth. "Well now that is silly," he grumble out. "If he had had his head on straight, he would not have forgotten his badge."
Lachlan perked his head up at something else Allya said. "Descendants?" he repeated. "As in... children of the kids he had with people other than his true love?"
It was all well and good for Romain to poke at Allya's story, but for Lachlan to do it too, made Romain feel disquieted. "We are not here to gang up on her," he hissed at his captian of the goard.
"Eh, eh, eh, you asked for the story. I came out of curiosity. I have a higher ground to critique from... my Lord." the vampire added as an afterthought,, not to be beheaded.
Rebecca Butler
"No!" Allya nearly giggled at Lachlan's words. Really, how were they missing this? "Amun and Lapan fathered all the animals of the world. It was through them that Life began in the first place. Quaztacotlye eventually married another and it was through them, that people came into the world. Or so our legends say. Amun never took another Mate once Lapan died."
She looked from one to the other and smirked. "Your questions are welcome. I do not mind answering them. Sometimes our stories confuse me as well, and I am the one who grew up with them." She chuckled softly.
Airyanna Dahlia
Lachlan scratched his head, an old habit from when he had been human. "Eh, your stories are confusing, but I am sure our would confuse you just as much," he said. "Yeh'll have to forgive milord, he does not understand love." Spoken simply and true. Romain could not argue. Love had never been modeled for him growing up, and as an adult he had seen only that it was a weakness.
"Have you any stories that are more then sentimental mush?" Romain asked in a curious tone.
Rebecca Butler
She tilted her head at Romain's words, wondering where he wanted her stories to go. She thought a moment and nodded. "I do...but its' about stealing fire and gods wrath and such things." She chuckled softly. "Would you be interested in something like that?" She looked back and forth between Romain and Lachlan. Curious as to what they wanted to hear. "Or give me an idea of what you like and I will think of a story that I remember."
Airyanna Dahlia
Lachlan shook his head. "Neh. Yer a girl, so any story you have for us would probably be just as girly as that one. It's not a bad thing, just not the sort of thing Romain is used to. His father did nae tell him faerie tells to get him to sleep at night, after all."
It was true. Romain was used to stories of bravey, conquest, control and triumph. Not good over evil, but ruling parties doing whatever was necessary to achieve the means to their ends.
"I enjoyed your story," Romain said slowly, "just not understand it. Yet. But I am sure I will come to understand you more fully."
Lachlan raised his eyebrows and made a little laugh. "Careful. Ye'll have her vyin' for yer innocence."
Rebecca Butler
"Me being a girl doesn't have anything to do with it." Allya huffed at Lachlan. "Our stories are designed to teach lessons. To give clarity to things we do not understand, and to make us question. To think. Not all stories can be bloody and gory and full of death and destruction! Though if you want one of those, I do have a few!" She smirked and rolled her eyes at the man.
Ignoring Lachlan completely, she smiled faintly at Romain. "It isn't all hard to understand such concepts, Romain....and I'd be happy to teach you." Her words playful but true.
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain glowered, finding her words condescending, and immediately the walls that had been slowly lowering slammed right back up. But he would still be diplomatic, she had come all this way to entertain them.
"My captain and I will patrol the grounds for the time being, you may avail yourself to any of our books and scrolls that you deem interesting." He needed to calm down fast!
"Ye should've left with one of those," Lachlan grinned. To Romain, "Mashell and the other knights are probably playing pinochle in the war room. It's been peaceful here."
"All that can change in a second," Romain's mind switching back to strategic mode. "It's been days since I have personally overseen the grounds." To Allya, "We shall return."
Rebecca Butler
She noticed the change in Romain right away at her words ands he wondered at it. Had she said something wrong? Done something? He was angry with her? Why?
Before she could ask, he stood and walked with Lachlan out, leaving her behind in this massive library by herself. "Well shit..." She said softly as she leaned back in her seat a moment, thinking. Though being in a library this big, she was curious as to what he might have as far as books and scrolls and such went.
Standing, she went to look on the shelves, perusing each one until she settled on a tome of ancient myths. Settling down in her chair, she opened the huge book and commenced to reading.
Airyanna Dahlia
Lachlan had predicted the soldiers were playing pinochle, but they were actually training with each other. Some of them had built a comraderie and when it came down to the wire, they would close ranks and protect their king. Once his valet explained this to him, Romain nodded his approval. As they strolled around the gorunds together, Lachlan asked,
"What are ye thinkin' of the girl?"
Romain glanced at him, guarded. To admit that he liked her would be exposing a weakness to someone who was already close enough to betray him.
"You don't like her," deflecting instead.
Lachlan held up his arms. "I've said nothin' of the sort."
"Touche."
Lachlan laughed boldly and they walked to Romain's favorite apple tree and picked apples to munch on the way back to the library. Disposing of the cores before entering. Romain much calmer now then he had been when they left.
Allya was sitting reading a large book of myths. Romain found the site enduring and he smiled without realizing it. Sitting down and picking up a book for himself. Lachlan busying himself with scroll and ink, illuminating.
Rebecca Butler
Allya knew the instant that Romain had returned, as she could sense him. It was uncanny, but whenever he was around, it was as if she knew without even having to look up! So, she didn't even lift her eyes from the page she was reading as Romain joined her, grabbing a book to read for himself; but her lips did turn up into the smallest hint of a smile for a few seconds.
The moment, a peaceful one as she devoured the book before her. Curious as to his world and the things he had come to love. Such was a way to get to know someone without speaking, and she was good at watching and listening. Though, she caught the faint scent of ink and lifted her head long enough to watch Lachlan as he was fiddling around with a scroll. Curious, she closed her book and gently set it down before walking slowly over to him and glanced over his shoulder to see what he was doing.
"That is very beautiful...." She kept her voice low, out of respect. "How long does it take you to do a full scroll like that?" She hoped he wouldn't mind her questions for she was genuinely curious.
Airyanna Dahlia
Noticing the smile, effected Romain and him own smile widened the slightest. Lachlan could sense Romain's moods, so close of friends they where, and it put him at ease about Allya. When she came to him and asked about illumination, he was more at ease than he had been.
"Thank you. Eh, this is vellum, so it takes the longest, out of respect for the material. I am a practiced hands, but I must be cafreful none the less. Depending on what it is, I am writing and illustrating, it can take a few weeks. Before I met Romain, there was a ten year backlog. Now, three years into his service, I've completed 156 scrolls," his words proud.
"If he makes a mistake, he is made too throw the vellum into the fire himself," Romain said without looking up from his book. Still smiling, a hint of viscious sadistic joie in this. Knowing Fire was one of Lachlan's few fears.
Rebecca Butler
"Wow, that is most impressive, Lachlan. You are indeed, very good." Allya smiled faintly, watching him as he worked a moment. Trying to be polite and nice. She wasn't sure exactly why the vampire didn't seem to like her, but she was trying.
After a few moments, she moved back to where she was sitting and picked up another book. Though she lifted her foot and playfully nudged Romain, who was sitting across from her. "What are you reading, handsome?"
Airyanna Dahlia
"Of course, I am," Lachlan was not one to accept compliments graceiously. "If I wasn't good, he'd have had me killed." His tone light. But it was probably true. Romain did not suffer useless people. Lachlan was a mediocre captian, but he was loyal to a fault, and he was one of very few whom Romain trusted enough to keep the records.
He cut his eyes to Allya when he heard her call Romain handsome, then a wicked grin spread his cheeks ans he chuckled too, himself.
Ignoring him. Romain explained the book he was reading. "It is a book of poetry from a poet who lived long ago in another world. It is called La Vita Nuova. There are... concepts that I wish to understand, and how better then to read about them?"
"Ye can't learn about love by reading a book of love poems," Lachlan said, earning himself the light volume thrown at him. It was a very thin book, only a few millimeters thick. To Allya, the vampire explained. "La Vita Nuova," in a flawless Italian accent, so different then his usual Scots-reminiscent one, "is a collection of love poems written to the author's star-crossed beloved. A woman whom he obsessed over all his life, and yet it was not she whom he married and bore his children with. He believed even so, that she was his true love. In this book," he picked up the book from where it had bounced off his head and landed on the bench beside him, "are the poems of love he has written, and paragraphs of prose explaining their meaning. It's been translated from the language called Italian, into our Common tongue."
Rebecca Butler
Hearing what Romain was reading and ducking as he threw it at Lachlan, Allya stifled a giggle as she watched the two banter between each other. "That sounds like a most wonderful book. Even more so if it explains the meaning behind each poem." She smiled faintly, before looking back over to Romain.
She stood, and walked over to sit beside him, taking one of his hands into his own. "Please don't take my words wrong again, Romain. I did not mean to make you feel inferior earlier. But...I would be happy to help you learn about such desires if you would like. Reading about it is all well and good....but living it, is far more fun...and enlightening." She blushed ever so much as she smiled up at him.
"Even I am still learning, as Love is not something that you just learn about and you are done. No. It is ever changing, ever growing and it evolves as your feelings evolve. I would love to walk that path with you.....if....you would be willing?"
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain scowled, "I am never inferior," but kept his voice to a quiet, not to bother anyone else who was studying. If he was to be generous, perhaps Allya was poorly at expressing what she meant and simply chose incorrect words. He still bristled, but less then if she had been deliberate in condensation.
Lachlan himself, had too stifle a snigger as Allya asked Romain to live out love. He could barley in magine his king as the sappy type, and this bumpkin surly wasn't going to change him in a few days.
"Love is a butterfly," Lachlan proclaimed to the girl in a posh, faux-pompous version of his usual accent, "and you, its flower." Adding a little trill too the end of "flower". Switching back to his natural accent, "Perhaps yer hoping to be pollinated? Bear the seed to grow other such flowers?"
Romain, closed him eyes. Sighing quitely to himself. "No soiling in the library, if you please," his words still quite.
Rebecca Butler
Allya turned her eyes to Lachlan and almost felt the need to throw a book at him as well. What was it with him and teasing her, and not in a good way?
"If I had desired such things, I would have chosen someone who desired to give them to me. As such, the idea of physical love, I am as of yet, unaware of..." She trailed off, blushing. Why did she feel the need to blurt out everything at Lachlan like he deserved some sort of reply! The man was insufferable!
Airyanna Dahlia
Lachlan was amused by the look she gave him. "And how d'ye know when someoen desires to give them to ye?" he asked. "Never know until ye try, do ye?"
Romain's eyes furrowed. "Physical... love?" he tried out the words, feeling foreing on his tongue. "What has that to do with anything?"
Lachlan made a "Well, there you go" gesture at Romain while raising his eybrows. "Ye've that in common," he said aloud. "Before ye met, I had tried to explain the benefits of having a royal consort, but it didn't take." Tilting his head thoguhtfuly. "Come to thinkk, yer the first person he's shown any interest in, woman or man, other then "Join my army" or "This threat must be elimintated."
"That will do," Romain interjected, holding up a hand too silence his mouthy valet. Turning his eyes to Allya. "He wished me to beliecve it was to my benefit to have a consort, or a... multiple, consorts. He believes they would aid in stress relieve and bearing of heirs. However as King, I can choose any I wish to succeed me sould it come to that."
"Eh, ye don't know what yer missing," Lachlan muttered, leaning in close to the scroll he was writting and blowing gently on the ink. "Listen, Allya, come meet my humans sometime. The difference between the humans I drink blood from and those I attend in other ways, it's like night an' day. Romain thinks its beneath him, but if ye agree too go, mayhap he'll change his mind."
Olea Whitefur
Laessi was looking for his friend, he was not strictly part of Romains army because he kept his nose out of politics but he was not an enemy so he was normally tolerated within the grounds and not treated as an intruder or captured. He was looking for his friend and after asking around for a little while he was pointed towards the library. He walked around the large voluminous library for a while until he thought to go into the history room. Where Lachlan was illuminating as he should have expected.
"Hello Lachlan , hello my King," he bowed go Romain. Then turning to the woman. "Whom is this Lady whom I have the pleasure of acquainting?" He asked politely.
Rebecca Butler
Hearing a new voice, Allya turned to see a tall, dark male enter the room and nodded politely. "Hello. I am Allya. Nice to meet you." She had manners...sometimes, and knew when to use them. She chuckled softly at Lachlan's words and smirked a bit. "Perhaps I shall then. Sounds interesting."
Airyanna Dahlia
Romain was accustomed too Laessi's presents and barley acknowledged hism. He nodded to Lachlan that Lachlan was excused too go have a play date with his companion, he heard some of the females that complained Lachlan neglected them. When Laessi was around they worried not.
Lachlan looked to Allya. "Now is good," he insisted lightly. Missing the small frown that Romain gave him.
"Later, is better," said Romain. "Go on. Have a good time." With a half smile and up-nod to Laessi.
Rebecca Butler
Hearing Romain's words, Allya smirked a little and nodded at Lachlan. "Sorry, maybe later. But thanks though." She turned to look back at the dark haired man whose side she sat at. "What would you like to do tonight, Romain? The day is still young, but it grows darker and I would have to head home soon. But I would love to spend more time with you."
Airyanna Dahlia
"If you must head home, I would not keep you. Won't your fmaily worry? You sould not walk alone. Many terrible things, even here at the edge of the realm, lurk. We shall walk and talk, mayhap buy a drink at the tavern. Thogh I must put on my traveler cloak fist." Smiling affably. "People act diffent around royalty," his explaination.
Rebecca Butler
"My family never worries. They know that I can handle myself, and if I did get into trouble, they would know where I was and come looking." She smirked a bit. She waited for him to get his cloak and then turned to follow him out. A tavern? She hadn't been to one of those places before.
Airyanna Dahlia
"My cloak is in my room," Romain informed her walking through the halls to the hart of the keep. Opening luxuriant obsidian doors by their glittering gold handles and striding through to a room draped with black furs and foreboding tapestries. Surrounding a bed with red silk sheets and a fluffy black duvet.
He turned on an oil lamp and searched for his traveling cloak, unlike the rest of the surroundings it was gray, woolen, and tatty at the hem. He put it on and pulled up the hood, giving him a full coverage. Then looked to see if Allya had followed him before moving to turn off the lamp.
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Airyanna Dahlia
Rebecca Butler
Next
