A Court of Flight and Valor

@ sun spirit

Bridris's eyes lit up as she nodded when he suggested they have a picnic before beginning to tell her about the history of the festival, giving his hands a little squeeze as she listened, practically at the edge of her seat. She always got excited when he told her about fae history or customs, and a few times he'd told her fae myths and folklore stories to help lull her to sleep. "The festival sounds beautiful.. Do you and Aubrius and King Ailuin eat the petals?" She asked curiously, looking up at him. She was quite excited to be able to see the festival, especially because she'd grown up listening to stories that Aubrius would tell her, although she wasn't as good of a storyteller as Ramyth.

---

Ailuin groaned as he heard her gasps and moans and growls, keeping her pinned with one hand as he moved his other to her center, pumping his fingers into her as his mouth pleasured her, humming happily as he looked up at her. "That feel good, Aub? You regret ignoring me now?"

@ katahdin

Seeing her perk up immediately, Ramyth was glad he'd decided to go ahead and explain what Roedanya was and the sorts of traditions that went with it. Before meeting Bridris, he'd known that humans lived differently than the fae, but he'd never realized exactly how many there were, even down to the holidays they celebrated. Without magic, without the same gods, he knew there were differences, but he supposed he'd thought it was more in how the celebration was held, not what was celebrated and at what time. And he couldn't help but smile as she asked about the petals. "Well, Aubrius only shows up on the last day of the festival and only because all fae are required for the ceremony on that day. She's never eaten the petals or made any wishes. She drinks alone, so I usually try to keep her company, make sure she doesn't accidentally kill herself, although I've eaten the petals a few times. Not that anything's happened. And King Ailuin... well, I don't know whether he eats petals every year with any hope of finding someone. He's never shown much interest in women. But he is our king and unattached and even if he isn't interested, it's expected of him, so he'll eat a petal every year." He gave her an amused smile. "As well as just about every female faerie without a husband or a mate."

---

Aubrius let a noise that seemed to mix pleasure, need, and frustration as Ailuin looked up at her and spoke, finding herself in the position he'd been in last time of wanting him to shut up. She'd been blessedly close, and then he'd pulled back, as if he'd known the exact moment to stop to frustrate her the most. "Gods, what's there to regret? Getting worked up and no follow through? I can do better than that on my own." She was pushing him again, couldn't seem to stop.

@ sun spirit

Bridris frowned a little as he spoke about Aubrius spending the day drinking, clearly worried for her friend. "Do you think she'd want to come with us this year? Maybe having friends there would make her feel better... She said she'd teach me how to dance properly for the festival, but I didn't know that meant she wouldn't come too.." She nodded in understanding as he mentioned Ailuin eating the petals out of duty, smiling a bit at the mention of all the female Fae doing the same. "Aubrius says he's young for a king, so maybe he's just waiting until he gets older before he marries... And I'm sure one year the petals will work out for you, you shouldn't give up." She encouraged with a little smile, giving his hands a squeeze.

---

Ailuin growled lowly at her challenge, biting her thigh as he continued to pleasure her with his fingers. "Maybe I don't want to follow through. Maybe I want to keep you on the edge until you admit you were wrong, until you beg for it. For me." He murmured, his mouth finding her center again, although every time he felt her get close he'd pull back or slow down to keep her worked up, holding her down against the table with his free hand.

@ katahdin

"You can always ask, but I invite her to go with me every year, and every year she turns me down. She claims that she's just not interested in the festival and it's just an excuse to get drunk and have sex, which she can do any day of the year," Ramyth explained with a little shake of his head, not concerned in the same way Bridris was but his demeanor obviously saying: 'it's Aub, what can you do?' He chuckled a bit as she addressed him and Ailuin, only noticing as she squeezed his hands that they were still holding hands. She didn't seem to mind it though, so he gently squeezed hers back as he gave her a smile. "It's definitely possible. Gods know he's been busy since becoming king. He might just be waiting until things calm down a bit. The problem with being so young is that he's been challenged and contested a lot, and it's only just starting to slow down," he explained. "I appreciate it. I hope they do one day too."

---

Aubrius' stubbornness wouldn't let her give him what he wanted, even though it would also mean getting what she wanted, and she even attempted to sit up, put a stop to this battle of wills, only to growl and curse him thoroughly as his magic pinned her to the table, and he did just as he said he would, until she was practically whimpering with need and her resolve crumbled to dust. "Gods, please, Ailuin. Please, just let me come. You're right, I shouldn't have avoided you." Her voice had lost its growl, the hardness replaced by desperation, need.

@ sun spirit

Bridris blushed a little at Ramyth's explanation of their friends attitude toward the holiday, but nodded a little in understanding as she stifled a small laugh at Ramyth's facial expression. "Aubrius can be stubborn.. But that doesn't mean she doesn't deserve to have fun." She pointed out, smiling as he began to speak about the King. "King Ailuin seems like a good King to me.. How old is he if he's considered young? And how old are you and Aubrius? I think it's sort of silly that I'm practically a child to you all, but I'm the one whose engaged." She blushed a little at the thought, giving his hand another squeezing as she thought of more questions to ask. "What are Fae weddings like? And why are everyone's wings so different? I know the wing question is unrelated, but yours look different from Aubrius's, and King Ailuin's wings are a lot different than everyone else's... Can I touch your wings?"

---

Ailuin groaned against her center as he heard her give in, heard her begging him for her release. He looked up at her with a smirk, pressing a kiss to the bite mark he'd left on her inner thigh earlier. "Good girl. And are you going to avoid me in the future?" He asked, waiting for her to affirm that she would not be avoiding him in the future before his mouth was at her center again, this time not holding back with his teasing as he pushed her toward the edge. "You can come, Aubrius."

@ katahdin

Ramyth nodded. “That’s why I always go to her house for at least part of the festival. We’ll both drink, maybe play a game, though Aub’s even more competitive drunk, and talk and laugh.” He gave Bridris a little smile. “She enjoys it in her own way. If she doesn’t want to join us when you ask, I wouldn’t push too much.” He smiled at her comment about Ailuin seeming like a good king, nodding, though he laughed a bit as it became a series of questions, squeezing her hands a bit, though he cleared his throat, cheeks becoming slightly pink as she asked to touch his wings. “Umm... well, I suppose you can, just once, but you shouldn’t ask that of anyone else. Wings are, they’re delicate, and to our race of fae, sacred almost. As a rule of thumb, we don’t touch wings that aren’t our own. It’s... well, wings are private. Even lovers wouldn’t touch each other’s wings. That’s a privilege held only for your spouse or mate. Think for a moment about how Aubrius is treated. It isn’t merely because she occasionally makes a nuisance of herself and gets into fights. After her accident damaged her wing, it had to be healed. An exception can be made for that sort of thing, since her life would’ve been in danger without treatment. But later, after she became an adult, she started searching for someone who could help her fly again. There were some who turned her down on principal, some who simply couldn’t help, and then Hanvosi offered his services. Aubrius and Hanvosi are obviously not partners, and to many, the fact that she’s repeatedly let him touch her wing makes her dirty. If she ever attempted to get married, she might be refused the ceremony.” Realizing how confused she must be that he’d given her permission, he quickly plunged ahead, “The reason I hesitantly told you yes is because we’re in private and you’re human and not bound by our rules and customs and you’re simply curious. But I wanted you to understand what it usually means so you don’t accidentally ask someone else. A wedding ceremony is sealed when the fae touch their partners’ wings for the first time and mates accept their bond through washing each other’s wings.”

---

Aubrius had no challenges or comebacks for once, desperately telling Ailuin what he wanted to hear, that she wouldn’t continue to avoid him. It wasn’t much longer before he finally drove her to her release, and even had she not meant it before, she would’ve regretted avoiding him simply because it was the best orgasm she’d ever had. Gods, and some needy part of her still wanted him and as she came down from her release, would have sat up to pull his pants off and take him were she not still pinned from the waist up by his magic.

@ sun spirit

Bridris's brows furrowed slightly as he cleared his throat and blushed, her own blush heating up her cheeks as he began to explain what wings meant to the fae here, that they were private and special, and that they weren't to be touched. "O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize.." She started as she shook her head, her cheeks heating up in a brighter blush as she realized her hands were still in his, and she quickly pulled them away, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. "I-I didn't know that they were important.. Well, I know they're important, but didn't know what they meant, if that makes sense.. I'm sorry I asked, and made you uncomfortable. I promise that I won't do it again, and that I won't touch your wings." She promised, tucking her hands underneath her legs as if to prove her point.

---

Ailuin smirked as he watched her come undone, pressing a few tender kisses along the inside of her thighs as she caught her breath. When he realized that his magic was still holding her down he quickly released it, moving to help her sit up slowly, wrapping a steady arm around her waist to make sure she didn't tip over or anything. "Are you alright? I didn't pin you too hard, did I?" He asked, glancing over her shoulder at her wing, clearly worried that he might have injured her accidentally.

@ katahdin

Ramyth had tried to just stay composed and not act embarrassed as he explained about wings, not wanting to make her feel any more awkward than she might upon hearing everything, though he wasn't sure how much it had actually helped as she turned bright red, quickly pulled her hands from his, and began to stutter out an apology. His own cheeks were still slightly red, even as he shook his head. "No, I know you didn't realize," he assured her immediately. "If you knew, you wouldn't have asked, and honestly, I'm just happy you had good timing. If you'd asked in front of a group, especially if they weren't in the loop of what's happening, it would've gone badly. And I'm glad you didn't ask Aub." He would've reached out to squeeze her hand again, reassure her, but she'd tucked her hands out of sight, as if they'd do something they weren't supposed. to if she didn't hide them. "You didn't make me uncomfortable. You just... surprised me. It's fine, really." He didn't try to reassure her that he didn't mind if she touched his wings. Even if she wasn't bound by their laws and customs, it was still intimate, and he wasn't sure what had possessed him to even consider for a moment that it was okay if she was just curious, which she was bound to be because she was human, and it was completely innocent. Deciding for both of their sakes that a change of subject was in order, he cleared his throat. "Um, you asked about our ages, right? Ailuin and I are fairly close in age. We're both a little over 300 years old. Aubrius is a good bit younger. She hasn't quite reached her 200th name day yet. Most kings don't assume the throne until they're at the apex of their power, unless there's a tragedy that requires it be sooner, which usually happens at around 500 years. It would be reckless if one fae was born with tremendous power and no way to wield it. Those born with the sort of power to one day be kings slowly learn to wield it with years of practice, and around 500 years is when most are able to access their full power. Others have assumed their thrones before that time, but it isn't common. King Ailuin is... his strength is already comparable to older, more experienced Kings. It was initially thought that he'd grown into his power faster than most, but it looks as if his powers haven't quite settled yet. It was decided, given his strength and his level-headedness, that it was alright for him to step in earlier than expected."

---

Aubrius stared at Ailuin as if he'd lost his mind as he helped her sit up, acting as if he were worried she'd fall over, then asked after how she felt with genuine concern in his expression as she saw his gaze flick behind her, to her wings. "I'm-I'm fine--you're really asking how I feel?" She tried to be nice, told herself that he was right in what he'd yelled at her earlier and he didn't deserve to be snapped at because of her shitty emotional state, but her confusion squashed the attempt within seconds. "This is the second time we've fought and then fucking... fucked, and while I was laying here thinking about getting you out of your pants, you're, you're... not confused, not horny or questioning your sanity, but concerned?" Having a few moments to breathe and questioned everything had definitely helped cool her.

@ sun spirit

Bridris was still blushing as he reassured her that everything was fine and that she hadn't done anything wrong, giving a little nod as she slowly untucked her hands from under her legs, keeping them clasped in her lap though. "Alright.. I'm still sorry if I made you uncomfortable, even though you said that you aren't.." She trailed off as he cleared his throat and changed the subject, very thankful for him doing so, and started to lose her embarrassment disappearing as her curiosity returned while he talked about their ages, and how King Ailuin was quite strong for his age. "Wow, 300 years old... When is your birthday? Do you do anything special to celebrate? If it's soon, I'll have to get you a gift." She offered him a small smile, looking out the window as she noticed some fae heading through the courtyard below with decorations for the festival.

---

Ailuin frowned a little as she spoke, his arm loosening from around her waist although he didn't completely pull back, giving a little nod as she said that she was fine. His brows pulled together as she spoke, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear as he tugged her close. "Aub, I'm sure that I've gone insane, and there's nothing I'd rather do than fuck you right now, but I didn't realize I was using my magic to hold you down, and I was worried that I might have accidentally hurt you, which is the last thing I want, even if you do piss me off." He gave her a little teasing smile, leaning forward to press a few kisses and teasing nips to her jaw.

@ katahdin

Thankfully, Bridris seemed just as ready to move on from the subject of wings as Ramyth felt, and he was glad when the awkward air between them caused by the previous subject dissipated as he revealed everyones' ages and how Ailuin was young for his position, knowing 300 would sound old to her when a human lifetime was often less than a faerie's childhood. He couldn't help but smile when she seemed to get caught on his birthday though. "My birthday's near the end of winter, so it came around shortly before I met you. It's nice of you to think of me, but we'll have you reunited with your fiancé long before it comes around again." When she turned towards the window, he followed her gaze, seeing fae carrying decorations. "Did you still want to pack a picnic and watch the preparations?" Preparations had started yesterday, with the appearance of the buds that meant Roedanya would be soon, but no one knew exactly when the festival would begin. The flowers could bloom that night or tomorrow or in three days. Everyone tended to get antsy with the first sighting of the buds, and they always prepared as soon as possible in the event of an early blooming.

---

Aubrius put a hand on Ailuin's chest, not quite pushing him away, but not letting him get close either, leaning back until she was out of range of his mouth. "Wait, we need to talk." She could think again now that his mouth was no longer between her legs, and though this strange need still pushed at her, its grasp on her wasn't as tight. "Because this can't keep happening. Not like it is anyway. I don't even know where we are, can barely remember how we got here, and who the hell knows who saw it. I definitely didn't think we'd ever be doing this again, I just assumed you'd realize you'd lost your mind the first time, and that'd be that even though you're fucking hot when you're pissed at me and I've definitely thought about riling you up again." She realized she was losing the point and tried to force herself to focus. "I want to fuck you a lot. And a lot more often than once in three weeks, and it seems like you want to too, but doing that will be very bad for both of us. So we shouldn't after today. I vote we finish today first at least. Roedanya's coming up, so you'll have to see me for like two seconds for the ceremony, but I can avoid the castle after that for a while, make things easier. Bridris is able to get out more now, so I can meet her and Ramyth in town and convince Hanvosi to do check-ups at my house. He's had to do it a couple of times before anyway. And you're always here, so until whatever crazy thing that's possessed us has gotten out of our systems, we'll just make sure we don't cross paths." Which was what she'd tried to do already, but she'd assumed it was one-sided when she did that, and now that she knew it wasn't, Ailuin would agree that her plan was for the best. As he'd pointed out himself before, he'd risked a lot in the past just by giving her leeway the previous king hadn't; it'd be ten times worse for him if they were fucking, and he knew it.

@ sun spirit

Bridris's face fell as little as he said that his birthday was at the end of winter, a little frown appearing on her lips as he said that she'd be reunited with her fiance by then, and insinuated that she'd be long gone and wouldn't be around to see him again. "Oh.. I suppose that you're right.." She murmured. She didn't know why it was upsetting to think that she wouldn't be able to see him on his birthday. Maybe it was because she didn't like the idea of not seeing him ever again. She looked up at him again when he asked about having the picnic, giving a little nod. "Yes, please. I can change into one of the outfits Aubrius left me, if it's better that I blend in a bit." She suggested, knowing that the dresses Ailuin had given her to wear were beautiful, but not useful for blending into a crowd if they went outside of the castle.

---

Ailuin frowned as she placed her hands on his chest and insisted that they needed to talk, leaning back a bit as she began to insist that they stop fucking, that they stop seeing each other all together. The words hurt more than he'd like to admit, feeling as if her words were squeezing his heart painfully tight, and before he knew it he was shaking his head. "No, Aub, wait a minute. I-" He trailed off as he looked at her, sighing in frustration as he leaned forward to rest his forehead against her shoulder, clearly struggling with what to say. "I know you're right. That we can't continue this, that we have to stop cause the council will kill both of us if they find out... But I don't want to stop. I can't explain any of it, but it's like there's something pulling me to you, and the thought of stopping, of never seeing you again.. It fucking hurts, Aub... But I know that you're right." He sighed as he moved back to give her space, releasing her.

@ katahdin

Ramyth was surprised when she frowned, not having expected her to be terribly upset that his birthday had passed. If anything, he’d thought she’d like to hear that he thought she’d be back with Sidero well before his birthday. She seemed a little more cheered as the conversation returned to the picnic though, and he gave her a smile as she suggested she change. “That might be smart, but because of me this time. It’d probably be assumed that you were visiting from another court, which to most would mean trying to win over the king, so it’d be a little out of place to see you eating with a guard.” And it made her uncomfortable when he stood aside, at alert, like a guard was supposed to, so they’d made the agreement that he’d be less formal, even if he still usually remained in uniform. “You look lovely in your gown though, and I don’t mind acting a bit more formal for an afternoon.”

---

Aubrius went quiet as Ailuin started to argue unexpectedly, then leaned into her as he admitted that he felt a pull towards her and simultaneously agreed with what she’d said. And she suddenly wished he hadn’t said anything because it was easier believing he didn’t care either way or that he’d just be disappointed they wouldn’t have another round. She certainly didn’t expect his words to actually hurt, and when he suddenly moved away, she grabbed hold of him before he could go far. They had to stop, she’d been the one to say after today, but, “Let’s give it through Roedanya,” she blurted. “If anyone says anything, we’ll blame it on wine or whatever weird ass sex magic comes from the tree or whatever. Your magic works differently than everyone else’s so it could be that anyway. I know you’re busy and you’ll have shit to do at the festival, but we’ll just... work around your schedule and get it out of our systems. By the time Roedanya’s done, we’ll have to be sick of fucking anyway.” That could be three days from now or a week, and she knew she was desperately trying to use the holiday because she didn’t want to stop either, and even though it was smarter to stop now, she silently willed him to agree.

@ sun spirit

Bridris had nodded and stood as soon as he suggested that she change so that she would blend in, already moving to her wardrobe to pull out a much simpler dress that Aubrius had given her so that she could go out into the city with Ramyth and turn less heads. She looked up at him in surprise though when he said that she looked lovely in the dress she was already wearing and that he didn't mind acting formal for appearances. A bright blush spread across her cheeks, feeling a little fluttering in her chest that she hasn't felt since Sider had asked her to marry her, and quickly looked down at the dress she'd pulled from her closet. "I-I... Thank you. I don't mind changing, since whenever you act formal we don't get to really talk to each other, and we don't get to sit together, and more people stare... B-But if you think I shouldn't change, I don't have to. Especially if that's your way of saying you don't want to talk to me or sit with me. And if that's the case you don't have to bring me, I can just wait for Aubrius to come like she said she would, and you can have the afternoon off."

---

Ailuin met her eyes again when she suggested they give it through Roedanya as she grabbed him to keep him from getting too far away, slowly moving back so he could wrap his arms around her waist. He found himself nodding in agreement, a little smile on his face. "Yes.. We'll continue until the end of the festival, and get it out of our system.." he was fairly confident that he'd still want her and feel this way after Roedanya, but he wasn't about to say that and risk her forcing them to stop altogether, and he had a sneaking suspicion that she might feel the same, anyway. "But, I have a condition." He grinned a bit mischievously as he tugged her close, one hand running up her thigh as his lips found her neck again. "I want you to dance with me each day of the festival. And this isn't a condition, but I'd like you to belp me convince Ramyth that he likes Bridris. You've noticed the way he looks at her, right?"

@ katahdin

Ramyth stood as Bridris pulled out a different dress, planning to leave the room while she changed. Even if there was a privacy screen, there was no reason for him to sit around rather than give her some peace. In the past, he'd usually just retreated to the adjoining room and closed the door, coming back in once she called to him that it was okay to do so. He paused halfway there though, turning back to her as she started stuttering and talking awkwardly, her face pink. Had he done something wrong? He'd just said she looked lovely. Maybe there was some human custom he didn't understand around saying something of the sort that he didn't understand in the same way she hadn't understood about touching wings. "No, no, I'd love to have a picnic with you and sit and talk. I just thought that you might like to keep what you have on. I didn't want you to feel like you had to change for my sake. And I'm sorry. I was just trying to be truthful and compliment you, but I won't do it again if it's another matter like wings where I don't understand because I don't know human customs or if you'd prefer I didn't for any other reason."

---

When Ailuin moved in close again and wrapped his arms around her waist as he smiled, Aubrius was fairly certain he'd agree to her suggestion. She locked her legs around him anyway though, effectively trapping him, and tried not to let her relief show when he agreed, even if he sounded almost... hesitant. She started to frown and backtrack, but almost as if she'd imagined it, he was soon grinning and teasing her again, and she practically purred as she leaned into his touch, already looking forward to the following days more than she had any Roedanya she could remember. She frowned at his 'condition' though, pulling back to look at him incredulously, even letting go of the fabric of his shirt she'd been untucking from his pants. "What the hell do you want that for? It was clear that I was suggesting a minimum of three days of sex, right? And that's just if Roedanya starts tomorrow. It's probably going to start later than that. And you'd really turn that down for a dance?" She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not buying it. "And you should leave Ramyth alone. Bridris wants to leave very badly, is getting married once she leaves, and Ram's going to have a hard enough time with it without realizing he likes her."

@ sun spirit

Bridris glanced up at him as he spoke from halfway to the door, having started to move toward the changing screen in the corner. She was glad that he still wanted to have a picnic with her, although she only blushed brighter when he apologized for complimenting her, shaking her head. "No, it's nothing like fae and their wings.. I-I just.. I'm not used to getting compliments.." She explained, shaking her head a bit again as she stepped toward the changing screen. "I'll just be a moment, I promise." She said as she disappeared behind the changing screen. True to her word it only took a minute or two for her to change, mostly because she took the care to hang up the dress Ailuin had given her because it was so beautiful and she didn't want to ruin it by leaving it crumpled on the floor. "Alright.. How do we get a picnic? Oh, and I was curious, what do I look like when I wear the special bracelet King Ailuin gave me?" She wondered what her wings might look like, or if she looked like a different person with the glamour on.

---

Ailuin's arms tightened a bit around her even as she started to pull away, nipping at her ear before she pulled away to give him an odd look, grinning at her. "It's three dances, but yes. I'd turn down your offer for three dances during Roedanya, because that's what I want, and I think it's fair. Besides, I don't think you'll turn down my condition, because you were begging for me not even five minutes ago, and I don't think you can resist me." He grinned, knowing full well that he couldn't resist her either, but they were calling each other's bluffs, and he really didn't think that she'd turn down his condition, leaning in to kiss her as if to prove the point. He gave her a look though when he pulled back as she mentioned leaving Ramyth and Bridris alone, fingers starting to undo the clasps holding her shirt in place around her wings. "Have you seen the way Bridris looks at him? And I've read the letters from that fiance of hers, he's not nearly half the man that Ramyth is and doesn't deserve her, and you'd agree if you read them too."

@ katahdin

Ramyth blinked in surprise as she said that she was just not used to receiving compliments. For a moment, his brain tried to argue with it, that surely received plenty of compliments, but then he was reminded of her fiancé's letters and how she'd told him that the boys in her village had picked on her and came to the realization that, crime though it was, maybe she'd honestly never had anyone pay her compliments. He wasn't really sure what to say though, so he just nodded as she said she'd only take a minute, walking out of the room to give her privacy and returning soon after when she said it was alright, smiling as she immediately had questions to ask of him. "We get a picnic by going to the kitchens and asking. As for how you look... Well..." Because he knew to look past the glamour, it took him a moment to make himself actually see it. "You look a faun. Most of your features are the same, but fauns have a little more animal to them, horns and hooves and fur, and it distorts things enough that you aren't easily recognizable. It also makes the glamour more effective, keeping as much of you the same as possible. It was smart, not choosing a disguise with wings or anything that would stick out too much. If someone got too close to you accidentally and didn't feel something they saw, they'd know you were glamoured." He gave her a little smile. "It's an interesting look for you, though I think I prefer your unglamoured self." He wasn't sure whether he said it because it was true and meant it innocently or because he thought she deserved more compliments than she got.

---

Aubrius went from incredulous and trying to puzzle out what the hell was going through his mind to eyes narrowing on him when he said that he didn't think she'd turn him down. "Oh, really? Because if I'm remembering correctly, you've been the instigator so far and cornered me the first glimpse you got of me after just a few weeks." If he wanted to play this game, fine. She pulled him closer, her legs tightening around him as she leaned in and began to nibble and suck and tease, trailing from his jaw to along his neck, slowly leaving little marks in her wake and simultaneously pulling his hands away from her shirt where his fingers had been working at the buttons, making sure to hold them away from her so that he was doing nothing and had nothing to focus on except what she was doing. "You must have something mixed up. Bri was practically glowing after receiving her first letter, and from what she told me, he sounded like he truly loved her and was supportive but understandably worried about her." This she spoke softly against his skin, letting a little bit of a growl enter her voice so he'd feel it. Having nearly reached his collarbone, she returned her mouth to his and kissed him deeply as she let go of one of his hands and palmed his arousal through his pants, moving her hand to stimulate and tease him as she pressed close. "I wonder if I could have you begging for me without even having to take a single piece of clothing off you," she murmured. close to his ear, the rumble of her voice almost a purr as she nipped his earlobe.

@ sun spirit

Bridris waited patiently for his answer to how she looked with the glamour, her eyes widening curiously as he said that she looked like a faun, and at the mention of horns immediately raised her hands to her head, as if she'd be able to feel the horns there. "I don't think I've seen a faun before.. Maybe out the window one of the first days I was here, but I don't really remember much.." She trailed off as he said he preferred her unglamoured self, her blush returning to her cheeks, although she offered him a shy smile as she moved over to where he stood by the door, mostly so they could get going to acquire their picnic, but also because she found she liked being close to him. "Not very fond of hooves?" She asked with a little teasing smile, giving him a little nudge.

---

Ailuin chuckled, humming contently as her legs wrapped around his waist and tugged him closer. "And if I remember correctly, not even five minutes ago you said that you wanted to fuck me a lot, and wanted to do so a lot more than once in three weeks." He pointed out, groaning as she began to kiss and nibble and suck at his neck and letting out a little frustrated growl when she moved his hands from where they'd nearly gotten her shirt undone to hold them at his sides. "Ram must have lied to her when he read the letters to her to spare her feelings. The fiance was nothing but short and rude and-- fuck, Aub." He growled as she palmed his arousal through his pants, his free hand moving to her hip to tug her closer and to steady himself, especially as she purred in his ear. "I'm sure you could, Aub.. I'd already do just about anything for you, if you asked me."

@ katahdin

Ramyth chuckled as Bridris' hands moved to her head as if she were trying to feel for horns. "If you want to see for yourself, you should be able to see the glamour in the mirror if you concentrate. Since you know it's there, it won't automatically work on you, but if you can make yourself believe that you should look like a faun, even for a moment, you'll be able to see it." Glamours only worked if the person believed what they were seeing was true, after all. Humans were more easily fooled, often believing what they saw to be truth without exposure to magic, but faeries, even the weakest of whom could weave glamour, were harder to trick. "Maybe you'll see one during our picnic. They're one of the more common species in this court, although as you've noticed, more than half of us are caelus: which is the name of the species Aub, King Ailuin, and myself belong to." As she joined him by the door, he opened it for her and let her enter the hall ahead of him, closing the door behind him though he led the way once in the halls because she still hadn't quite grasped the layout of the palace. As they walked, he smiled over at her. "You've caught me. The horns and tail I can abide, but hooves are just too far."

---

"But I have the self-control to stay away," Aubrius returned, smirking a little at his growl when she pulled his hands away from her shirt, which had to be a button or two from undone judging by the loose way it hung on her now. She was admittedly a little distracted as he talked about Ram and Bridris' fiancé, hardly hearing him as she focused instead on driving him crazy and was rewarded when he cut himself off, growling a curse at her, although his response threw her off balance, and there was a heavy silence as she went still. Slowly, she pulled away, meeting his eyes, recognizing suddenly that their temporary insanity went deeper than she'd thought and even three days wouldn't be enough. She looked away as she released him, mouth dry. "This was a bad idea. Forget what I said about Roedanya. You should dance with Bridris and make sure Ramyth does too; it'll make her happy. And don't let her drink too much faerie wine." She scooted back and stood on the table, pacing to the other end as she reached behind her to rebutton her shirt. Gods, she was pissed. The one fucking person in the entire fucking kingdom that was off-limits, and what happens? "I'll talk to Ram about the fiancé, see if he really has been lying about the letters, and if he has, try to talk to him about how he actually feels about Bri. I'm supposed to meet them this afternoon anyway, so I'll just steal him for a couple of minutes." She wanted to hit something; she wanted to hit herself. Shirt buttoned, she hopped off the table and walked back around towards the door to retrieve her pants, which she yanked on quickly, never once glancing in Ailuin's direction but careful to stay out of his reach. The moment he took a step towards her, she froze him with her magic, knowing it'd only work for a few moments before he countered it. "I'll send a letter to Hanvosi to rearrange where we meet, I'll make some excuse to Ramyth, probably claim I'm banned from the castle or something, and that just leaves the ceremony, which I can't help, but it's a long pain in the ass and every other faerie in the kingdom will be there, so it'll be fine." She shoved her feet back in her shoes, and it was only once she had her hand on the doorknob that she looked back at Ailuin. "I'm sorry," she said, not sure if he'd understand how much she meant it or even care, practically running and throwing herself out the nearest window once she'd slipped out of the room.

@ sun spirit

Bridris smiled a little as he said that she might be able to see it for herself if she looked in a mirror, attempting to catch a glimpse of her glamoured self in there reflection as they passed various mirrors and windows that lined the halls, although she made sure to stick close to Ramyth so she wouldn't get lost. Her attention turned to him again though as he spoke about the different kinds of Fae that lived in this court, glancing back at his wings for a moment as he explained what sort of species he was. "And you all have wings? But other Fae have wings too, what makes you and King Ailuin and Aubrius different?" She asked curiously, although she smiled at his teasing. "I don't know if I'd like hooves or tails or horns.. Wings are different, though. I like the red spot on Aubrius's, and King Ailuin's wings are blue like the sky. I like yours the best, though. They look soft and warm.."

---

Ailuin felt a sense of dread begin to settle in his stomach as she went still and pulled away, frowning as he looked at her, his desperation evident, although it wasn't related to his arousal, which had been forgotten as soon as she'd pulled away. "Aub. Aubrius, please." He begged, attempting to grab her but was stopped by her magic, which only made his panic and sense of dread worse. At every attempt to move toward her she stilled him with her magic, and as she approached the door it looked as if there might be tears in his eyes. "Please, Aubrius.. Don't go. We can figure this out, it's not impossible, please don't give up. Don't leave me. I don't want you to go. I don't care what everyone else thinks. We'll find a way to make it work. I-" he was cut off as she slipped out the door, not that she'd been listening anyway, and after he'd broken free of her magic he quickly followed after her, only to discover she'd jumped from the closest window to fly home, or to wherever it was Ram and Bridris were. He spent a good while staring out the window before heading back to his room, not even bothering to address the council members who tried to get his attention as he passed, slamming his door shut in the hopes it would make him feel better, but it didn't do anything to dull the ache in his heart.

@ katahdin

Ramyth caught Bridris glancing through windows as they passed, and guessing that she might be trying to glimpse her glamoured reflection, slowed down quite a bit to make it easier on her with a little smile. “You’re right, a lot of faeries have wings, but the caelus have feathered wings. We usually prefer to live in mountains or other places with high elevation. To my knowledge, we’re also the only species of fae that values wings as much as we do. Our wings are stronger though. A pixie can fly just as long, but their thin wings can’t brace against as strong of a wind. And our magic is tied to the air, rather than the earth, which isn’t very common,” he explained, going quiet and smiling as she said she liked their wings, though a faint blush crept to his cheeks as she claimed to like his the best. “Mine are nothing special. Just plain, like many others.” He might have said more but a piece of paper appeared in his hand. He opened it up, read it, and looked back to Bridris. “Aub says she isn’t going to be able to make it back to us today. Apparently she got caught up in something after seeing Hanvosi and will be busy the rest of the afternoon.”

---

Aubrius flew home and once inside, locked every window and door in the small house. She had the presence of mind to write a note to Ramyth and Bridris claiming to be busy or something like that and that she wouldn’t see them again that day. She didn’t really remember the words or when she sent it off. She didn’t remember fishing for one of the bottles of faerie wine she’d been saving for Roedanya either, but when she suddenly sat in the floor, overwhelmed at the thought of even walking to her bed, it was in her hand. And then she drank because she was empty and dark and hearing Ailuin beg, watching him panic and try to stop her, had broken something in her she hadn’t even known existed, much less could be broken. And blessedly, time didn’t mean much when you were drunk on faerie wine. Time was punctuated by knocks on her door and her answering snarls as she told them to fuck off. She knew time passed when she stumbled into the kitchen, hungry, or that brokenness tried to rise up and choke her and she drank more wine, or she blinked and the light coming through her windows suddenly changed. She assumed she slept at those times. And then sometimes she was so angry she scared herself and she hit or broke things. And it didn’t make her feel any better, but at least she had something tangible to focus on if her knuckles were bloody and bruised or she was picking shards of glass out of her hands or feet. Which was actually what she was doing, using a candle to try and see the bottom of her foot by, when a series of knocks landed on her door. Aubrius immediately three the first thing she got her hands on at it, some knickknack or another that Bridris had given her as a gift years ago. It hit the door hard and clattered to the ground as she snarled with force, “FUCK OFF ALREADY.”