A Court of Flight and Valor

@ sun spirit

Bridris nodded a little, offering the guard a weak smile as he spoke about Aubrius and her love of fighting. A few times some boys from my village would come to the woods to harass me whenever I'd go out to meet her, but she'd always beat them up and tell them to go home or else she'd eat them or something silly like that.. Sometimes they'd be mean to me back in the village too, but I'd just hide from them or run and try to find Aubrius." She murmured softly, wincing a little when she touched a particularly tender spot on her arm, shifting a bit to lay down on her side with a little sigh.

---

Ailuin growled as he began to thrust into her, not taking the time to let her adjust or the care to be gentle. All he knew was that he needed her desperately, and that his desire for her was urgent enough to not to care. He kissed her deeply as he thrust into her, one hand holding her hips while his other moved to her throat, giving a little squeeze. Not enough to hurt her, gods, he never wanted to hurt her, but just enough to remind her who was in charge. "Will you never learn to shut that stupid mouth of yours?"

@ katahdin

Even a tiny smile was better than nothing. Ramyth would take what he could get. He smiled a bit as she explained how Aubrius had beat up boys in her village for her. If they'd been brave enough to keep harassing Bridris though, she'd undoubtedly gone very easy on them, which he was proud of her for. She'd certainly never pulled punches with him. Because he was casually watching from across the room as they spoke, he caught Bridris' wince and frowned a bit as he sat up. "Are you alright?" he asked, already getting up and padding over. "Could you show me? All guards have to be capable of basic healing."

---

Gods, this moment with Ailuin was nothing like Aubrius had ever experienced before, but even with bricks digging into her back, her ribs barking in pain along with a few other bruised area, and him mercilessly pounding into her with a hand at her throat as if it'd occurred to him to shut her up that way, right then she wouldn't do a damn thing different. She needed it--this--him--them. "Make me." She growled the challenge as she bit his lip again, taking his lower lip into her mouth and sucking on it as it bled. "Fuck me so hard and fast I can't speak. Fuck me complacent." The crackling fire in her leaf-green eyes said she didn't think he could, but damn if she didn't want him to try.

@ sun spirit

Bridris frowned almost immediately as Ramyth started to get up and move over to her, curling up a bit more on her side as she attempted to hide her arm, looking at him cautiously. She didn't doubt that he could heal the injury, or wanted to help, but she couldn't help but be afraid of magic after everything that had happened to her. Besides, she felt sore in other areas too, and she didn't want to have to let him heal those too. "It's just a bruise.. It's fine, really. I just poked it wrong." She murmured softly, hoping he'd leave it alone, although something told her that he wouldn't let it go.

---

Ailuin growled as she bit into his lip once more, teeth and lips and tongue clashing as he kissed her deeply. He pulled her away from the wall to carry her over to his bed, slamming her back down into the mattress as his lips found her neck, hooking her legs up over his shoulders so that he could do as she'd asked, his hips thrusting into her hard and fast with the new angle the bed afforded them. He held her down against the mattress forcefully, although he was surprisingly aware of her wings under her, not restraining her in any way that could potentially harm the delicate appendages. He was furious with her, wanted to teach her a lesson, wanted her to understand how frustrating it was to try to help her, but never wanted to risk hurting her.

@ katahdin

Seeing her reaction as he approached, Ramyth made sure to pause short of the bed, giving Bridris a little breathing room and personal space, frowning a bit as she said her arm was fine. "Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly. He wouldn't push if she didn't want help. "I don't mind helping, and it wouldn't be any trouble." He hoped Aubrius came back soon. Bridris had seemed more animated and comfortable with the other woman around, whereas she was flinching, crying, or otherwise snapping at everything he did. He kept trying to figure out the right thing to do to help, but he felt like he was just stumbling in the dark.

---

There had been some semblance of control even pressed against the wall, but Aubrius lost that when Ailuin carried her over to his bed and pushed her down into the mattress. There was only a pause during which he repositioned them, and then he had her pinned and was thrusting into her with renewed purpose as his lips moved over her neck. She wasn't even aware when speech failed her, replaced instead with little growls and moans that increased in volume and frequency as she bucked against him until she came undone beneath him, even her legs tightening around him as he rode her orgasm.

@ sun spirit

Bridris frowned a little as she watched Ramyth hesitate, looking at him for a moment before sitting up with a little sigh before attempting to roll up her sleeve as best she could, although she struggled more than she should have. "It's just a bruise, but if you want to look, go ahead.. Aubrius said that my clothes were all torn when she found me, and now that I've noticed it I think I've got some bruises here and there, but I don't understand why.. I don't understand what I did wrong to deserve this.." she admitted softly, staring down at her lap.

---

Ailuin felt a swell of pride as he listened to the little noises Aubrius made as he thrust into her, absolutely thrilled that he'd been able to do what he'd wanted - shut her up. He growled needily as he felt her come undone around him, his lips finding hers again as he looked down at her. "Is this what you wanted? Have you learned your fucking lesson yet?" He growled, nipping at her lower lip as his hand found her neck again, giving a little squeeze just to hear her gasp, finding that he rather enjoyed the sound. It wasn't long after that he too reached his orgasm, his thrusts becoming erratic before finally stopping altogether as he stilled inside of her, growling almost possessively as he released himself inside of her.

@ katahdin

As Bridris sat up and offered to let him take a look, Ramyth stepped back to pick up a chair and pulled it next to the bed, close enough that she was within reach but far enough to give her space, then seated himself, guessing it would be preferable to hovering. He gently took her arm and looked at the bruise, which definitely looked new but nasty, frowning at her comment about what she'd done to deserve what was happening to her. "There are fae who've pushed against the rules Ailuin's put in place trying to create peace between us and humans. They think they should be able to do as they please because they're stronger or more quick-witted. We've tried to get everyone to see reason, have put a lot of work into enforcing the laws, but we aren't perfect. This isn't on you in any capacity. This is our mistake--our oversight. Before this, there hadn't been any trouble in some time, and we must've grown lax," he told her softly, sending his magic to her bruise and quickly healing it. Since she'd mentioned other bruises, he used his magic to find those and heal them as well. "Hopefully that feels better," he said, withdrawing his touch.

---

For several moments after Ailuin found his release, there was no speaking or growling or groaning, just their heavy breathing. In those seconds, Aubrius' mind was silent, shell-shocked, as it attempted to catalogue the various sensations in her body as well as the events that had led up to those sensations. What. The. Fuck. She licked her lips, mouth dry, as she rasped, "Let me up." He was still pinning her to the bed, though without the force he'd shown moments before. She still wasn't entirely sure how she felt about what had just happened, but she knew without a doubt that it shouldn't have happened. Gods, even if it had somehow felt amazing. A little shiver went through her, and she quickly shut down the part of her mind that dared suggest again quietly in the back of her head as she slipped her arms out of his hold and slid her legs off him as she sat up, wincing as her ribs yelled at the movement but stubbornly getting to her feet anyway, cursing when she had to perch on the bed moments later. Flying faster and farther than she had in years out of sheer stubbornness, the fight, her momentary lapse of sanity with Ailuin--it was adding up. Her body demanded food and rest so it could recuperate and didn't necessarily need it in that order. The full weight of the events of the last hour had yet to really, truly sink in though, and with a stubborn set of her jaw, Aubrius pushed herself to her feet again, fairly certain Ailuin was the last person she'd want to be around when everything did finally hit her.

@ sun spirit

Bridris frowned as she listened to Ramyth speak, unable to help but let a few stray tears fall, too exhausted at this point to stop them. "B-But I think I knew the Fae who did this.. Th-They were my friends, h-how else would I have gone with them?" She watched with wide eyes as the bruise disappeared from her arm, finding that the magic almost tickled, and then promptly squirmed a bit as he felt his magic healing the rest of her bruises, most of which were around her torso. She gave a little nod as he asked if it felt better, wiping at her eyes to try to stop the tears, although at this point she couldn't do much to stop them as they silently slipped down her cheeks.

---

In the moments after his release, the world disappeared, and it was just the two of them. Ailuin's mind raced to catch up with what had happened, tons of questions filling his mind, most of which could be boiled down to "what the hell just happened?". He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard her ask to be let up, staring at her for a second or two, into those beautiful green eyes, before he released her, sitting back into a kneeling position as he watched her get up, sighing in frustration as she stood despite the obvious pain. "Aubrius, stop." He said, standing to grab her arms before she could get too far, although his touch was gentle. "Gods, will you ever learn? Sit down, let me heal you, at least. They'll think I tried to kill you if you walk out like this." His gaze was hard, although his eyes held a mixture of emotions, and he only released her arms once she agreed to sit again, kneeling on the floor in front of her before he got to work healing. He started with the worst injuries, the ones from her fight with the guards, before he started in on the ones he'd caused: the bite marks on her neck and chest, the scrapes on her back from where he'd pressed her into the bricks too hard, the bruises on her hips and arms from holding her down, and finally her busted lip, which he'd definitely made worse than it had been. Once that was finished he stood with a sigh, her clothes appearing on the bed next to her neatly folded. "There, good as new."

@ katahdin

As she started crying again, Ramyth instinctively wanted to reach out and offer some comfort, but she'd shown more than once that she wasn't exactly comfortable around him, especially when he got too close, so he made himself sit back in his chair instead, shaking his head a little as she insisted that she knew who'd taken her. "That... might not necessarily be true. You've said it was friends wanting to celebrate, but you haven't mentioned any names. You don't know who. They might have glamoured themselves to appear to you as your friends or tampered with your memory or... there's a lot of or's." His voice had been soft so far, but it hardened a little as he continued. "I promise you this though. We are going to figure out how to get you back to your family and fiancé, we are going to catch the fae responsible, and they'll be punished for what they did. And so long as you're here, I'll make sure no more harm comes to you."

---

Aubrius reluctantly sat down again when he asked, mostly because moving hurt like a bitch and he could've knocked her over without having to try too hard. It was mostly the fight, but definitely aggravated by the sex. "They might think that anyway, if they heard even half of what just happened," she said as he knelt in front of her again, apparently deciding to forego the ointment from earlier. It took awhile for him to work through everything, and honestly, she hadn't expected him to be able to entirely heal the patchwork she'd collected over the last couple of hours. By the time he finished, saving the most minor wounds for last, she could've curled up right there and napped, but then, anything other than minor healing had always had that effect on her, as if the nature of the magic itself sent sleep signals to her brain. "Thanks." Beyond caring about the illusion of modesty, she got up as he stood and started to pull on her clothes. "You have..." she glanced up at him. "Bites on your neck, your lip is in bad shape, and your back probably isn't fairing much better. I could take care of it if you need. Then you should get dressed so no one sees anything they shouldn't when I leave." Erase the evidence and never talk about whatever insanity had come over them again. It sounded like a damn decent plan, even as she contemplated whether to go clear out a spot in Hanvosi's office to nap or have Ramyth find her somewhere. If she could find him. Which sounded like more trouble than she was currently willing to go to. Hanvosi it was.

@ sun spirit

Bridris remained quiet as he spoke, although her tears and sniffling became worse as everything seemed to sink in. Soon enough though she'd leaned forward where she sat until her head rested lightly against his shoulder, her hands clasped together tightly in her lap as she tried to calm herself down, as if digging her nails into her skin would help. She was exhausted though, and was struggling to keep her eyes open through the little sobs that made her small frame tremble, considering just closing her eyes and letting herself fall asleep like this.

---

Ailuin let out a little chuckle, shaking his head. "Most of the rooms in the castle are soundproof, including this one, so that eavesdroppers can't listen in on confidential meetings. No one heard a thing." He assured her as he worked. As she stood to pull on her clothes he located his pants and tugged them up, stretching his wings a bit to loosen the muscles he hadn't realized he'd been tensing. He turned back to her though when she mentioned the bite marks and scratches to his back, giving a little nod as she offered to fix them for him. "Oh, yes.. If you don't mind." He murmured, considering making a snippy remark about it being her fault for not shutting up, although he didn't dare start another fight with her, not after what had happened. Once she'd healed him he bowed a little in thanks, moving to tug his shirt on, although one of his wings got stuck in the process and it took him a moment to get it sorted, cursing softly as he finally got the shirt on and everything buttoned properly.

@ katahdin

Ramyth was surprised when Bridris leaned into him as she cried and froze for a moment, sure she’d remember who she was leaning into and jerk away, and when she didn’t, he slowly stood up from the chair he sat in and moved onto the bed beside her so she didn’t have to stretch so far, hesitantly placing a hand on her back and starting to make soothing circles as she cried. He didn’t say anything, just rubbed her back and let her cry on him as much as she needed to.

---

Well, at least there were small mercies in the world. Aubrius was sure there’d be questions about why he’d wanted to deal with her in private and why she left healed, just something else to fuel the fires, but at least no one would suspect what had actually happened or be able to twist it against her. She nodded as he accepted her offer of help with healing, quickly finishing rebuttoning the back of her tunic before stepping closer, healing the little bites, then having him turn around so she could heal the scratches. Sight wasn’t exactly required, but visualizing the wound had always helped her. It was a little uncomfortable when he bowed once she’d finished, but she said nothing, lingering near the door as he finished pulling his clothes on. She had to resist the urge to tap her foot and tell him to just tuck in his wings as he struggled with his shirt, and as soon as he looked more or less the way he had before she’d walked in the room, she flicked the locking mechanism on the door and slipped out into the hall. Ignoring the eyes on her, she navigated her way to Hanvosi’s chambers, pulled books out of the cot she’d laid in on more than one occasion while he worked on her wings, and curled up on her side. She was asleep before the noise she’d made drew him into the room.

@ sun spirit

Bridris continued to weep softly as he moved to sit next to her, turning slightly into him so that she could grip his tunic lightly, her head tucked in against his shoulder. Before long her crying wore her out, and she ended up drifting off into a light sleep like that. She was incredibly grateful for the comforting gesture by him, and although she hadn't meant to fall asleep actually leaning against him, she was sure that he wouldn't mind too much.

---

While dressing Ailuin had been contemplating what he could possibly say to Aubrius about what had just occurred, also struggling to come to terms with what had happened himself. By the time he'd managed to come up with a place to start the conversation, Aubrius was disappearing out the door and down the hall. By the time he reached the door to try to stop her she was gone, and with all the Fae lingering in the hall who had been waiting to speak with him about something or another, he sighed and simply let it go, walking down the hall to his study with his advisors to discuss whatever it was that they wanted.

@ katahdin

Though it had seemed like it would be a futile attempt at first, somehow Ramyth had managed to get Bridris to open up to him and had found that he actually enjoyed her company. He hadn’t exactly known how to feel initially when Ailuin assigned him as her guard, but it was actually… enjoyable. Not that he forgot his duties at any moment, but they’d formed a casual relationship that was certainly better maintained now that she was able to roam without hiding every second. He’d felt bad the first several days, having to move her through little used corridors and attempt to keep her out of sight as much as possible, but Ailuin had had a bracelet made that glamoured her to appear fae. A strong glamour that could trick even fae eyes unless you were on the hunt for such things or knew to look past it. Her mood had improved dramatically since then, especially since they’d managed to arrange correspondence with her fiancé. He hadn’t been impressed by the man’s first letter, demanding answers and that she figure out how to leave as soon as possible, but she’d looked so happy that a letter had arrived, had been so hopeful that he’d responded in the same loving way she’d dictated her letter to him, that Ramyth had lied about the contents of the first letter.

And now, sitting in her room with her, he was prepared to lie again because the second letter was no better. Due to lying about the contents of her fiancé’s letters, Ramyth also had to reply different than Bridris instructed, though he tried to keep as much of what she wanted to say in the letter as possible. And though they’d worked some towards teaching her to read and write, he suddenly wasn’t sure he wanted her to learn, at least not until after she left, because she’d inevitably learn of his deception. Even so, she was practically glowing as she waited for him to speak, and he didn’t have it in his heart to shatter that smile. “Dearest Bridris,” he said, “I’m relieved to hear that the fae are treating you well and appear to be dedicated to finding a solution, though I miss you more with each passing day and regret that we could not be wed as expected. I have taken care of everything here, and we can reschedule once we are able. Don’t fret about me or the state of things here and focus on taking care of yourself. I’m afraid I’m a bit rushed for time this week and cannot write a terribly long letter, but I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to more stories of your adventures. Stay safe, and don’t forget to smile. Your love, Sidero.” Ramyth cleared his throat and looked up at her. “I’m glad he’s so understanding.”

---

Following the incident, Ailuin haunted her mind like a plague. Aubrius tried to shake him off, and it worked so long as she was busy, but then she’d close her eyes and sleep, and the bastard was in her dreams. Not nearly every night, but waking even once aching for him was too much and far more of an impression than anyone else had left on her. After the first dream, she’d made it a point to intentionally exhaust herself to the point of hardly being able to stand. Gods, she didn’t hate him, but she wanted to. More than that, she didn’t want him to know about the internal struggle taking place within her. She’d hate herself for his smugness alone. And it wasn’t as if he’d given any of it a second thought; it had been one time, an angry accident that had pulled out feral parts of them both, and that was that. She hadn’t attempted to contact him, and vice versa. And while she made it a point to visit Bridris and do something with her friend every day, she was still careful not to run into him. She had no desire to acknowledge what happened and hoped if she stayed away long enough, it would all just leave her mind. Because even if, by chance, he’d given her a second thought, she couldn’t anyway. It was one thing for him to try to help from a distance without her knowledge—it would be another entirely if others found out what they were doing and she passed the exam and suddenly it was just because she’d fucked the king. As if he’d ever do that or the council would let him get away with it. And so Aubrius did everything in her power to wipe Ailuin from her mind.

She’d been at the castle for two reasons today. First, to spend some time with Bridris and Ramyth, who seemed to be getting closer every time she saw them, which she was glad for. Her friends had never intersected before and she’d never given much thought to how they’d act in a room together, but with Ramyth taking the orders he’d been given as seriously as ever, she was happy for both of them that they weren’t driving each other crazy. She’d stayed with them until it was time to visit Hanvosi, who’d wanted to check on her wing, ensure that all was how it should be, get a progress report on how the exercises he’d assigned to her were doing and what progress she’d made, then gave her instructions on what to do until it was time to see him next. She wasn’t sure whether or not to be insulted by how pleasantly surprised he was that all was well. Finished with him, she wished him a good day and left his office, prepared to make her way out of the palace and spend the rest of her day trying to track down the fae that had kidnapped Bridris, going still as she saw Ailuin at the end of the hall, a guard trailing him. She’d successfully avoided him for two weeks, had kept to parts of the castle he wasn’t often—or ever—seen in, and just stared at him for a moment now before she mentally knocked sense into herself and turned, changing direction. He hadn’t seen her, as far as she knew, and she was willing to take the long way out of the palace to keep it that way.

@ sun spirit

The first few days with Ramyth had been rather miserable for Bridris. She couldn't think of much beside her home and how upset she was, and had been a bit hesitant about sharing rooms with the guard, even if they had their own separate bedrooms. But after Ailuin had given her the magical bracelet that allowed for her to not have to hide in the room all the time, which helped ease her mind and gave her something to distract herself with. Getting to explore the castle with Ramyth and occasionally Aubrius had helped her mood to improve, and she'd found herself developing a sort of friendship with Ramyth. The letters from her fiance though were the highlight of her weeks, getting to hear from him and write back to him to tell him that she was safe and that she missed him and would be with him as soon as possible.

When Ramyth had come to her today to tell her the second letter had arrived she was thrilled, having been hoping all week that her fiance would send another letter in reply to the one Ramyth had helped her write to him last week, waving Ramyth over so he could sit on the edge of her bed next to her while he read the letter. She looked at her guard expectantly as she waited for him to begin reading, hands clutching the fabric of her dress in anticipation, her smile only widening and her eyes only brightening as she listened to him "read" the letter. She nodded in agreement at Ramyth's assessment that he was understanding, taking the letter from him gently to run her fingers over the letters, as if hoping that somehow that would help her feel closer to him. "I am too.. I was worried a bit at first that he wouldn't be, that he'd be upset with King Ailuin and the Fae and not understand that you are trying to help me get back to him, but I'm glad that he does.. Maybe later you can help me write a letter back to him? I want to tell him about all the things I've seen and done." She smiled as she looked up from the letter at Ramyth hopefully, hoping he wouldn't mind.

---

For the first time in years, Ailuin went without seeing Aubrius for weeks. No petitions, no fights with the guards, nothing. He knew that she was coming and going from the castle for her appointments with Hanvosi and to see Bridris, catching her scent lingering in a room or a hallway hours after she'd left, the faint smell always driving him mad. He didn't understand why he was so upset by her ignoring him, and despite his attempts to reason with himself and say that it was nothing personal, it felt completely personal, and it infuriated him. How could he talk to her about what had happened if she kept avoiding him? He didn't think he wanted to apologize, they'd both seemed to enjoy it, but he missed seeing her almost daily, but wasn't sure how to make amends and fix things.

Today, he just happened to be in the right place at the right time, spotting a flash of her wings as she disappeared down another hall. He managed to convince the guard to let him go on his own before he followed her quickly, rounding the corner and stopping her with his magic once he caught sight of her in the empty hallway. "Aubrius. Aub, wait." He called, and even though his magic had initially held her fast, it loosened a bit as he approached, wanting to give her the chance to move or walk away, even if he didn't really want her to. "We need to talk.. Where have you been the past few weeks? You've stopped making petitions.. Is everything alright?" He knew well enough that everything was just fine, but asked nonetheless, giving her a hard look as his brows furrowed, wings fluttering behind him.

@ katahdin

A part of Ramyth couldn't help but feel dirty for lying to Bridris--again--but when he looked up and found her practically beaming, the guilt was once again pushed away by a little voice insisting that he wasn't lying about anything important. It wasn't as if her fiancé wanted to end things between them or had threatened her or anything of the sort. He'd just changed the tone of the letter. If this Sidero loved Bridris as much as she seemed to love him, then it was entirely possible he was just taking the news of his fae-taken fiancé badly and was lashing out without meaning to and would be grateful when they were together and she wasn't upset with him. And in the meantime, though she was no longer wholly miserable, the only time he truly saw Bridris happy was in relation to the letters. He gave her a smile as she stroked the letter and voiced her concerns--which were exactly what the letters had actually said. "Maybe he just trusts you and hearing it from you, even if you aren't physically writing the letters yourself, helped. Plus King Ailuin adding a letter of his own to reassure him from the outset," he suggested, nodding in answer to her question and the hopeful look she gave him. "Of course. I'm at your disposal with these letters until you can leave or you feel comfortable enough with writing to do it yourself," he assured her.

---

Aubrius had nearly reached the end of the hallway when, out of nowhere, she was stopped in her tracks, quietly cursing, knowing exactly who it was even before she heard him call her name. She fought the magic, but it was only once he'd gotten close that it loosened, letting her move again, though she swore she could still taste it on the air, as if it were prepared to catch her again should she try to walk away. Though she didn't quite glare, her hackles were raised as she turned to him. And was immediately caught off guard when he seemed, at least partially, concerned. "I've just been focusing on other things. I didn't realize I had to check in with you.," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Don't worry. I'll be back to causing trouble soon. I'm just taking your advice and trying to get others on my side. And if you were concerned about when we last saw each other..." She shrugged. "I don't see that there's anything to talk about. I don't plan on crowing about it to anyone if you're worried about that, and anyway, it was just a moment of insanity. I'm more than happy to leave it at that." A bluff, acting as if she hadn't been actively avoiding him and hadn't given him a second thought, but she refused to let him know the real reason behind her absence. "If that was all..." She took a step back, then turned to continue on her way.

@ sun spirit

Bridris beamed when he said that he would help her write a returning letter, turning to tuck the one she held away with the other one her fiancé had sent. "Thank you. You know you don't have to though. I'm sure Aubrius could help me while she's visiting, if you wanted to take a break or something. You don't have to do everything yourself." She pointed out as she turned back to him. The first few days he hadn't slept much, having insisted he try to be awake to guard her as much as possible, but eventually he'd relented and agreed that stationing an additional guard outside in the hallway at night so that they could both sleep was acceptable. When they were sleeping was really the only time they weren't together, however, and she worried of him overworking himself. She stood and moved over to the little table by the window where a maid had set up a little tray of breakfast for her, picking at some of the fruit there while she looked out at the courtyard below. "..Do you think they'll find the Fae who took me soon?" She asked softly after a while, her bright and happy mood nearly disappearing altogether.

---

Ailuin's brows furrowed even further, especially as she spoke about the last time they'd seen each other, acting as if it had been nothing, and as if her avoiding him since then was nothing as well. A glare settled onto his features as she started to turn to walk away, quickly reaching out to grab her arm, tugging her back toward him. "Don't you dare turn away from me, Aubrius. Don't you dare lie to me, either." He growled, struggling against the urge to do something rash like last time. He shouldn't be taking her rejection toward him so personally, after all, what had happened was an accident. But nonetheless her attitude and actions hurt, and he didn't feel he deserved to be ignored, especially after everything he'd done to help her.

@ katahdin

“Sure, if you don’t mind someone teasing you mercilessly about how sappy you and your fiancé are,” Ramyth said with a little chuckle. “Honestly, I don’t mind in the least. Besides, Aubrius is so busy most of the time, I thought you’d prefer seeing new things with her. She always seems excited to show you.” As she moved to her breakfast table, he leaned against a wall, frowning as she asked about the asked about the fae, the happy bubble that had ensconced her upon seeing her fiancé’s letter seeming to pop in an instant. “I’m sure they will,” he said, moving to sit down in the seat across from her. “Ailuin has the royal guard investigating the matter. They’re the most well-trained fae in the kingdom. And if that doesn’t inspire confidence, you’ve heard Aub mention that she’s digging for answers on her own. If you need something done, especially if it seems impossible, she’s the one to call. Just... don’t mention what she’s doing in front of the king, okay? He forbade her from assisting. Likely, he knows that she’d do it anyway since he’s spent years handling her and personally doesn’t mind, but because she’s a civilian, he can’t ignore it on an official basis if anyone talks about it, at which point he’d have to stop her.”

---

Aubrius lashed out before she could think better of it, and if either of them had been expecting it, she doubted it would have had an effect at all. But, some wild instinct having lashed out, her magic had flung him away from her and pinned him against a wall the moment he’d grabbed her and made his demands. If it hadn’t been just the two of them alone in a hallway, she’d already be in chains, and emotionally, she wasn’t sure she’d ever felt more confused. She clenched her fists, trying to find some stability as she stared at him. “I don’t know what you want from me,” she hissed, keeping her voice pitched low, “but you’re dead wrong if you think I can’t walk away from you or avoid you just because of who you are. Unfortunately for you, there’s no damn law for that. Nor are you entitled to my reasons why, unless I’m plotting against you, which I’m not, so fine, I was lying through my gods-damned teeth earlier. I’m sorry I was trying to be courteous and give you reason and reassurance that the situation was temporary until I worked through my personal shit.” Realizing she was raising her voice, she quickly pitched it low again as she all but snarled at him. “You’ll see me again when I’m full and damn ready and not a moment sooner and the only explanation you’ll get is what I’m willing to share. Understand?”

@ sun spirit

Bridris frowned as she listened to Ramyth's reassurances, wanting desperately to believe him. But it had been weeks, and both the royal guards and Aubrius had found nothing, which didn't exactly fill her with confidence. "I know all that.. But if they're so well trained why haven't they found anything? What good is all of their training and their magic and whatever else if they can't find the one Fae who kidnapped me?" She asked, her frustration evident in her voice, as well as a bit of hopelessness. "They've found nothing, and Hanvosi's trials haven't been working either, and I think some people are starting to get suspicious of me, and Sidero is so slow with his letters, maybe he's having second thoughts, and won't want to marry me anymore even if I do find a way home.." she was rambling, something she did when she was frustrated and at the end of her rope, and she was trying her hardest not to cry, feeling like she'd done enough crying in the past few weeks.

---

Ailuin's back slammed against the wall, one of his wings getting pinned painfully against the bricks, the man staring at Aubrius in shock for a few moments as she spoke before his face hardened. He knew that she was upset, but lashing out at him wasn't fair, and only angered him more. Before he could stop himself he'd pushed her magic back with his before using it to pull her to him, catching her in his arms before pinning her against the wall. "I don't give a damn what kind of a king you think I am, or if you respect my title, but I will not allow you to disrespect me, king or not." He growled, squeezing her tightly in his arms. "And I won't have you ignore me, either. Not when I'm haven't done anything to deserve it." Before he could stop himself his lips found hers, kissing her fiercely as he pinned her back to the wall.

@ katahdin

Ramyth could practically hear Bridris trying to bite back her tears as she spoke, her words getting more and more emotional as she continued, and he reached across the table, taking her hands in his and squeezing tightly. "Whoever did this was careful to hide their tracks. They left you alone in the woods, got you drunk on faerie wine so your memories would be scrambled, and overall did their damnedest to not be found. Aub says they left nothing in the woods, so she's resorted to trying to talk with every fae acquaintance you've had without making them suspicious, which is particularly hard for her, and the investigation team has their own troubles having to work within the law and try to keep quiet about what's happened. Remember, we always knew Hanvosi's trials were a long-shot, and though we've disguised you, we also knew we couldn't keep this a secret forever. We don't have any results yet, but things aren't going half as badly as they could be, I promise." He squeezed her hands again before continuing, "As for Sidero, I don't think you need to worry about him. Think about how far away he is and how we have to deliver your letter by courier, then check at the meeting place and bring it back. It takes time. He's likely responding as quickly as he can, and it just takes time for the letters to get back here. Besides, it doesn't sound like he's having second thoughts. He just said that he was upset that you weren't married already but that he was taking care of things so you could reschedule. He obviously doesn't want you to kill yourself with worry and tears while you're here. He's telling you things are fine because he knows you can't help the situation, and he doesn't want to put pressure on you, and I for one think you should listen. I'm not saying give up on ever leaving, but if you have to be here, then you may as well make the most of it. Or at least try to enjoy yourself. It's clearly what he wants." Ramyth was toeing a fine line between his own thoughts and the things he'd communicated to her in Sidero's voice, but it had been weeks, and she still spent more time upset and crying than smiling.

---

Aubrius certainly hadn't intended on shoving him away from her with her magic, much less starting a fight. It wasn't even really him making her upset, not anything he'd said anyway. It was... everything. Everything about them and her especially, and she didn't know what to do about it and would rather ignore it until it stopped bothering her but if he was trying to get answers, she had to deal with it, and it just happened. She snapped. And in a heartbeat, she was pulled towards him with the same suddenness she'd flung him away and forced against the wall where he'd been moments prior. "It doe--" He kissed her before she could fling her response at him, muscles already bunched to shove him away. She forgot all of that in a moment, rumbling a needy growl against his mouth, dragging him closer and already pulling at his shirt as she kissed him back just as fiercely, filled with a need for him, this, that she'd been desperately trying to pretend didn't exist.

@ sun spirit

Bridris sniffled a little as she listened to Ramyth speak, staring down at their joined hands as her thin fingers curled around his. His hands were rough, likely from who knows how many years of training, but they were warm and gentle as he held her hands in his. Sidero never held her hand, and if he did his hands were always cold and hard. Her brows furrowed a little at the thought, wondering why she would be comparing the two men, looking up at Ramyth as he spoke about her fiancé and how he'd want her to enjoy herself. She wasn't really sure she agreed with the sentiment, knowing how pushy Sidero could be, but quickly pushed the thought aside. Ramyth was the one who could read the letters, she could trust him to know what Sidero was saying and wanted. She gave a little nod at his words, giving his hands a gentle squeeze. "A-Alright... Can.. Can we do something today? I don't care what, I just.. I want to do something. I think Aubrius mentioned there was a festival coming up? Maybe we can go watch them set up all the decorations."

---

The easiest word to describe his actions was desperate. His kisses desperate, his groping through her shirt desperate, his rushed movements as he forced them apart to pull her into the nearest room that he knew was soundproofed, locking the door before trapping her between himself and the meeting table as his lips found hers again. All desperate. "I'll teach you to ignore me.." he growled against her lips, biting and kissing and sucking as he moved down her neck, hands hurriedly tugging at her pants. Once he'd tugged them down he pushed her back down onto the table, still mindful of her wing despite everything, before kissing down her body until he reached her inner thighs, where he left a number of bites as he pushed her legs apart. He let out a needy growl before his mouth was at her center, something between a groan and a purr rumbling through his chest as he licked and sucked and teased.

@ katahdin

It was a relief when, aside from a few sniffles, Bridris no longer looked as if she would break down sobbing again, and as she squeezed his hand and suggested that they go watch decorations being put, Ramyth gave her an encouraging smile. "I think we can manage that. Maybe make a picnic out of it?" he suggested. "The festival is actually Roedanya. It always comes shortly after the official start of spring. It takes place over three days. You see, Roedanya is the goddess of spring, new life, and love. It's a very peaceful time in general where it's encouraged that you put away fights and vendettas and attempt to start anew if you're in a bad place with someone but don't want to me. Fae leave wishes on Roedanya's tree, praying for peace or to find their mate or to conceive a child with their partner, things of that nature. Many wait until Roedanya to make declarations to their loves, there's plenty of celebrating, and on the third day, there's a long and boring ceremony in which we will all offer a drop of our power to the land and our King's power is replenished in turn, as he draws on the land's power. It's sort of a mixed meaning: it's both thanks for ruling us fairly and protecting us and promising our fealty for another year. We know to start decorating and preparing when we see buds on Roedanya's tree, and the festival lasts for the three days that they remain in bloom. And don't eat anything during Roedanya without checking with me. Many people will be eating petals from the blossoms, either whole or hidden in food. Among those who consume the blossoms, two are magically drawn together as Roedanya's blessed couple. Most unmarried or unmated fae take the chance, since many who are chosen later marry, completely happy with each other, and though chances are slim you'd get dragged into it, I'd rather not take the chance."

---

Everything Aubrius had been telling herself these last weeks fractured as they kissed and groped each other in the hall; at that moment, she couldn't have cared less where they were and snarled at Ailuin when he'd pushed away, barely giving him time to lock the door before she was on him again, not minding in the least when he backed her into the table. "Good." She growled her answer against his mouth as she worked on relieving him of his pants even as she felt his fingers working towards the same goal with her own pants, then suddenly lifted her onto the table and shoved her back against the wood and quickly put any protests to bed with his mouth. "Fuck," she gasped, body arching as he mercilessly attacked her center, only his hands at her hips keeping her from squirming more, especially as she felt the vibrations of his rumbled noises, needy, desperate growls leaving her as he wound her up.