A Court of Flight and Valor

@ sun spirit

"So that's why the city is carved into the mountain.. And I've seen places that you can only get to by flying, is that because they're places that are only for caelus?" Bridris asked curiously, letting out a little surprised squeak when she finally caught a glimpse of herself in a window, grabbing onto his arm excitedly as she turned to look at him. "I've got horns! And my ears look like a deers!" She proclaimed excitedly, shocked that she could look so different. She smiled a little when he said that his wings were nothing special, shaking her head. "I don't think they're plain. They have all sorts of colors and spots, while other guards just have boring brown wings. I think yours are special." She explained, frowning a little as he announced that Aubrius wouldn't be joining them. "Oh.. Alright. Maybe she'll teach me to dance tomorrow. You said the festival wouldn't start for another day or two probably, so that's plenty of time... But if Aubrius doesn't go to Roedanya anyway, I actually don't need to learn, since it's not like I can dance with anyone if I'm glamoured, in case they realize I'm not really a faun."

---

Ailuin was absolutely miserable for the next day or two, refusing to leave his room and barely eating the meals that were brought to him. He felt sick, broken, and all he could think about was Aubrius walking away from him. It plauged his dreams, her words haunted the quiet moments when he was awake, he couldn't get her out of his head. Out of his heart. Eventually Ramyth had come to see him after he and Bridris had gone to check in on Aubrius and were turned away rather harshly, the poor human taking the rejection badly, although not nearly as bad as he was taking it. After a long conversation where he admitted some things he hasn't even told Aubrius, Ailuin agreed with the guard that he needed to go see Aubrius, and left that minute to do so, sneaking out the window and letting his wings carry him to her house. Luckily it was the middle of the night, so no one saw the king knocking at her door, but he would have done it even if it was the middle of the day.

He frowned as he heard something thrown at the door and Aubrius's snarl, placing a hand on the door handle to try to open it anyway. "Aubrius, please. Let me in." He begged soflty, resting his forehead against the door when it seemed like she was ignoring him. At the sound of broken glass and the smell of blood, though, he began to panic, using his magic to break the lock on the door before rushing inside, eyes scanning the small house for her. He took in all the broken glass and damaged walls and furniture before his eyes finally rested on Aubrius, sitting on the floor picking glass from her bare feet, her hands not looking much better. "Aub." His voice held a lot of emotion as he said her name, voice sounding broken and terrified and hopeful all at once. He rushed to her side, lifting her off the floor and into his arms as he used his magic to clean up the glass and repair everything that she'd broken, setting her down again on her kitchen table before kneeling down to tend to the glass in her feet. He knew she was drunk, so he was using his magic to keep her in place while he pulled the shards of glass from her skin and then healed the wounds, looking up at her with tears in his eyes once he was finally done. "Why did you leave if you didn't want to?"

@ katahdin

"Sort of. The caelus were here before this was ever a kingdom. They didn't need bridges or stairs. There are a couple of temples that can only be reached through flying, but we've made sure to make everything else accessible to everyone. You've probably seen some rarely used or abandoned places mostly," Ramyth explained, laughing when she squeaked and grabbed his arm as she finally saw herself. "I tried to tell you," he smiled, squeezing her hand as they kept walking. He felt a little warm inside as she defended his wings and called him special and wasn't really sure how to respond. Aubrius apparently had good timing for once though, because her note gave them a distraction. And though she didn't outright say it, as she talked about not dancing at the festival, she seemed disappointed. "I'll dance with you. I mean, I would, if you wanted to dance. I'm not a great partner, but I know how."

---

Ailuin's voice was the last one Aubrius expected to hear, and even drunk, she stilled, her throat closing up. She wasn't supposed to see him. Not until the ceremony. Gods, had she somehow missed it? There was usually a pull, but magic wine did weird things. Wine. She'd pretend he wasn't there and drink and damn the consequences if she had missed the ceremony. She reached for the bottle, which she'd left on the table, growling when her clumsy fingers knocked it over instead, and it broke, the bottle empty anyway. She was cursing and just about to give up getting the last bits of glass out of her foot before looking for whichever bottle still had wine in it, because she could already tell she'd need the crutch, when her door flew open suddenly Ailuin was there, already moving towards her.

She didn't have the will to push him away or throw something at him or make him get out or anything she should've done once he picked her up, his touch alone easing more of whatever it was that had felt so wrong inside her since she'd left the castle than any amount of wine ever had. She didn't think she could speak though. She tried several times when he'd put her down and started pulling glass out of her feet, much faster than she'd been, but didn't think her voice even worked anymore, and even though she tried to get up or at least move closer, it took several moments for her to realize he was using magic to keep her in place. Her voice must have returned though, because it was small and scratchy as she turned away from him. "I didn't have a choice. You would've convinced me to give you longer after Roedanya, and I wouldn't want to stop and we'd have to anyway. It wasn't supposed to hurt this way." Her eyes were hot and blurry suddenly, but she kept going. "You said it yourself; the two of us can't happen. I'm angry and mean and fight with everyone, and there's only three people in the world who like me and one of them's leaving to get married and another one's probably going to follow her because he's almost as much of a gods-damned idiot as me, and the other one's you, and it doesn't matter if you like me or not because of all that and because I just wanted to fucking fly and be a royal guard, and maybe the other stuff would be alright if it weren't for my damned wings. I'm disfigured and dirty and you'd a fucking joke if you even got far enough to get there because they'd sooner smother me in my sleep than let you stoop this low and you deserve happy and whole anyway. Fuck, my stop crying you idiot." The last was directed at herself. She hadn't cried in years, and her wine addled mind hadn't recognized the hot, blurry feeling as a warning until tears had started falling, and she didn't want to be crying.

@ sun spirit

"Oh.. Do you ever go to the temples? Do you like flying, too? I bet it's amazing to fly, and see how pretty everything is from the sky." Bridris said dreamily, squeezing his hand in return as he laughed at her reaction, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "It's still strange, though.. I didn't even see a tail or hooves, and I almost don't want to." She laughed a little, although looked up at him in surprise when he said that he would dance with her at the festival, eyes brightening as she gazed up at him. "Really? I'd love to dance with you.. If you don't mind, that is. I don't know how to dance, and if you're bad a dancing it might be a bit of a disaster."

---

Ailuin's heart felt like it was breaking as he listened to her speak, taking her hands in his and giving them a gentle squeeze. "Of course I would have convinced you to give me longer than Roedanya. I want to convince you to give me eternity, if you'd give me the chance." He murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles when she paused before looking up at her as she continued. He was quick to stand though as she spoke about how she wasn't worthy of him, taking her face in his hands as he gently wiped her tears away, looking at her with heartbroken eyes.

"Aub, no, no. You are perfect. I'd be honored, honored, to have you at my side. I'm so incredibly thankful that the gods gave me you as a mate instead of some stuffy noble or stuck up princess. You care about the people in this kingdom, you want it to be better than it is, and you keep me accountable. You're perfect just the way you are, and I love every bit of you, especially your wings, and your bad temper, and your pretty green eyes." He murmured as he looked at her, offering her a weak, desperate smile. "Please, Aub.. Give us a chance to figure this out. They can't stop us from being mates, they can't take what the gods gave us away from us. And I'd never let anything happen to you. Please.. Please."

@ katahdin

Ramyth chuckled as his answer led to more questions. "Sometimes. The temples aren't much used anymore. And I love flying. Sometimes it feels more natural than walking. We'll have to arrange a flight for you before you leave," he said, smiling as she blushed and squeezed his hand back, not minding in the least when she didn't release it. "That's probably why you didn't see it," he grinned, coming to a stop as he noticed that they'd reached the doors that led to the kitchens and nodding when she asked if he was sure about dancing. "I'd be honored to, and even if it is a disaster, all that matters is that you have fun. It's Roedanya, not a royal ball, and most people will be too drunk to notice anyway. Besides, Aub is still going to teach you."

---

If Aubrius thought she was surprised when Ailuin stood up and started talking about eternity and wanting, really wanting her, it was nothing compared to the surprise when he said the word mate. She picked it up almost belatedly, eyes widening, and almost as if he'd known she was wondering if she'd actually heard him right, he said it again, as he begged her not to push him away again, to stay with him. And what he was saying, all of it was so fucking crazy, and he looked so desperate, he couldn't have possibly made it up, but she still swallowed hard as she put her hands over his still cupping her face and quietly asked: "Are you sure? Because I need you to be, because I've never felt worse in my entire fucking life, and I'm going to have the worst hangover because I honestly don't know how many days I've been drinking, and all I've been doing is trying to stop feeling like I'm broken, and I can't do it a second time. I'll kill someone, Ailuin. I don't know who or how many, but that's how bad it feels. So I need you to be sure, and the entire fucking kingdom better be sure too, or you need to walk away right now so I can look for more wine and write a note to Ram telling him to take me with him when he leaves with Bri."

@ sun spirit

Her eyes brightened even more as he said he'd arrange for her to go flying before she had to leave, squeezing his hand excitedly. "Really? Would you take me? I know Aubrius wouldn't be able to take me, and King Ailuin's probably too busy doing kingly things to do it. But if you do you have to promise not to drop me." Bridris smiled teasingly, nodding excitedly when he said that he wanted to dance with her. "I'd love to dance with you, Ram." She blushed a little as she squeezed his hand once more before letting him go as she realized that they'd reached the kitchens. "I can wait out here while you get everything, that way we don't risk someone seeing who I am."

---

Ailuin nodded a little as she rested her hands over his, pressing a small kiss to her forehead. "I've never been more sure about anything, Aub. And the kingdom the kingdom can fuck itself, you're my mate and what they think doesn't matter. They'll come to accept it, or I'll leave with you. I can't live without you, Aub." He murmured, moving to wrap his arms around her tightly, as if afraid she'd try to run away if he didn't. He gave her a little smile as he wiped the last of her tears away, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "I'd like to see them try to fight you, though. They wouldn't stand a chance."

@ katahdin

Ramyth couldn't help but grin at her reaction to his mention of taking her for a flight. Her excitement was infectious, and he already couldn't wait to see her expression once she was in the air. Maybe they'd even visit a temple, since she'd been curious about them. "Of course I will, and I promise I won't drop you," he reassured her, squeezing her hand. "We should wait until it gets a little warmer, since it's always colder the higher you go and I don't want to freeze you, but I promise you won't have to wait long." His smile softened as she said that she'd love to dance with him, and he nodded a little, self-consciously letting his hand drop to the side when she let go of it, realizing they'd been standing around laughing and holding onto each other. "It shouldn't be problem. We don't have to sneak around nearly as much so long as you have the bracelet. And you should help me pick what we want to eat during the picnic anyway."

---

Ailuin's affirmation seemed to trigger something in Aubrius, because while she'd been very still and passive up until that moment, now she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close and tight. Just holding him, she felt like she could breathe a little easier. "I don't think I could live without you either. There's not enough wine in the world. Or things to break. And I thought it just hurt because I had feelings and couldn't act on them and if I drank and broke things long enough, I'd feel better. And that you'd be glad later, even though you were upset when I left. And I avoided you for three weeks because we had sex, and I really liked it, and I wanted to do it again. And most of the time, I'm angry at myself or something else when I yell at you, but sometimes I'm actually angry at you, and sometimes I want you to be mad too, because the way you act when you're angry at me turns me on a lot, and I never act the same around you as I do anyone else." Aubrius had long since lost her point and was just telling him things she thought he needed to know, a lot of it things she'd purposely never told him or tried to hide from him. She smiled as he pulled back and kissed her nose. "Practice makes perfect, and I've beat up a lot of people. Soon, I'll be a royal guard, and I'll be beating up people for you, instead of getting trouble for it." She unwrapped herself from around him and pushed him away just enough to slid off the table, a bit unsteady as she gained her footing. "Come on," she said, taking his hand--partially for support--and stumbled to the bathroom, where she blindly turned the water on so that it would flow into the tub and started pulling off her clothes.

@ sun spirit

Bridris was practically beaming as he said he'd be the one to take her, nodding as he suggested they wait until it got warmer so she wouldn't get too cold. "Of course.. I'm so excited. I never thought I'd get to fly before." She smiled, although as they separated she too tucked her hands behind her back self consciously, blushing a bit as she looked away from him and at the kitchen doors as he explained that she would be able to go into the kitchens with him, giving a little nod. "Oh, alright.. I don't really know what I'd want to eat, whatever they already have made is fine by me. I'm not very picky."

---

Ailuin rested his forehead against hers as she spoke, holding her a little tighter as her arms wrapped around him too, some of the weight on his chest disappearing. He moved to gently tuck her hair away from her face, smiling and laughing a little as she rambled on with everything she wanted to tell him. "I like it when you're angry too, but I've never seen you when you're happy, and that's something I very much want to see. I want to be the cause of your happiness, too, if possible." He murmured, surprised when she pushed him back and slid off the table, although he immediately moved to steady her as she led him to the bathroom, brows furrowing a bit in confusion. "Aub, what are you.." he trailed off as she started the tub and began to undress, his eyes softening a bit in realization. He stepped closer, pulling her into his arms as he leaned down to press a slow, loving kiss to her lips, smiling gently when he finally pulled back. "Let me undress you." He murmured softly, his fingers moving to help her with the clasps of her shirt, pressing little kisses to her jaw as he helped to tug it off, before helping with her pants and undergarments as well. Once she was done he was quick to discard his own clothes, unable to help as his wings fluttered excitedly as he pulled her into his arms to kiss her again. "I love you, Aubrius."

@ katahdin

Ramyth gave Bridris a little nod as he smiled. "There might be something you really want to try that I wouldn't think to pick up though," he pointed out, stepping up and opening the door for her, nodding for her to go in. He followed behind, the kitchen busy with fae cooking, much of what they made leaving to be taken to various places around the castle. A few looked up and offered greetings to Ramyth but otherwise didn't seem disturbed at the sight of him or Bridris in the kitchen. "There's several of us in the guard who usually come in here to eat. There's usually a bit more talking, but it's nearly lunch and close to Roedanya, so it's extra busy," he said, leaning in close so he could be heard without shouting. He pointed her to a table across the room. "Over there is where we'll find stuff we can take without getting yelled at. Why don't you go ahead and start looking, and I'll ask about a basket for us to put the food in."

---

Aubrius paused, still reaching back for the buttons on her shirt when Ailuin asked what she was doing. "Starting a bath. We'll probably have to go one at a time 'cause your wings are like a second person though..." She trailed off as he kissed her, happily returning it until he pulled away, humming her approval as he kissed her jaw and started removing her clothes, then quickly did away with his own. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing close as she kissed him back. "I love you too, Ailuin." She pulled back a bit with a frown. "I haven't said that yet, have I? It feels right though. I don't know when it happened, but probably before I got drunk, since I got drunk because I felt so bad, and I felt bad because I left. It probably doesn't matter when." She kissed him again, then pointed him to the tub. "Now you need to get in this tub with your ridiculous wings so I can wash them."

@ sun spirit

Bridris gave a little nod at his explanation, stepping into the kitchen after he opened the door for her, although once she was inside the bustling kitchen she moved back so that she was out of the way, practically tucking herself into Ramyth's side as she linked her arm through his, not wanting to get separated from him or get in the way of anyone. She glanced up at him as he leaned down to explain that he came her to eat occasionally, giving a little nod as she watched the various fae moving about the kitchen, although she frowned a bit when he pointed out a table covered in food, not liking the idea of leaving his side even for a moment. "Alright.. But you'll be right back, right?" She asked, waiting for him to confirm that he wouldn't be gone long before making her way over to the table, making sure to stay out of everyone's way as she stood by the table looking over the various foods that were there, in awe of some of the things that she saw. Some were familiar to her, like small meatpies, roasted vegetables, fresh fruits and cheeses, and a number of pastries, as well as things that she knew she'd have to ask Ramyth about when he returned.

---

Ailuin's arms tightened around her waist as she said she loved him, smiling down at her as he pressed another kiss to her lips. Those words were like music to his ears, and he was fairly confident that nothing else mattered as long as she loved him. "No, you haven't said it. But I hadn't said it either before today, even though it feels like I should have been saying it for the past hundred years." He smiled, gazing down at her lovingly. He chuckled when he was ordered into the tub, pressing one more kiss to her lips for good measure before climbing into the tub, ruffling his wings a bit as he settled into the water. "Do you really not like my wings? I know they're a lot, but I at least thought you'd like them a little." He teased as he looked over his shoulder at her, grinning slightly.

@ katahdin

Ramyth was surprised at how anxious Bridris suddenly looked, pressing herself close and asking if he'd be back soon, and he reached out to squeeze her hand as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Absolutely. And if I thought anything bad might happen, I wouldn't leave you alone for a second. You’re perfectly safe here, I promise.” He squeezed her hand once more, then went to ask about a basket as she moved to the table he’d pointed her to. It took him a minute, since he had to interrupt someone and they were all busy, but no one was too put out with him thankfully, and he promised to return the basket that afternoon. Once he had the basket, he made his way over to Bridris, having to be careful in the chaotic space, smiling as he approached. “Anything stand out to you?”

---

Aubrius snorted. “You haven’t felt this way this whole time. Every time I did something, it was like you were my father, lecturing me and acting disappointed and saying things like you knew I could do better. I can’t prove it, but I know Ram’s told on me as much as he’s helped.” Ailuin had never once looked at her with pity or disgust though, and she’d always thought he did good as king and liked him almost as soon as she’d met him and had tried not to piss him off as much as other people. Her wandering mind was pulled back when he kissed her though, and she smiled as she watched him get in the tub, which was almost too small for both him and his wings. “They’re beautiful, they’re just massive. And what the hell do you need two sets for? I honestly think if you compared sizes, your wings, if you put everything together, would be bigger than me. I don’t even know how you stand or sleep or can ever get comfortable in a chair. Gods, they must be amazing for flying though.” Though he was teasing, she was honest with every word, the last sentence even jealous as she finally settled for sitting on the edge of the tub. She hesitated a moment, little butterflies in her stomach, then dipped her hand into the water, catching some in her palm and letting it run down his wings (part of one anyway), her fingers just barely brushing against the feathers. “They’re really soft,” she said quietly as she scooped up more water, already knowing it would take some time to completely wash his wings.

@ sun spirit

Bridris gave a little nod at his reassurances, squeezing his hand before she released it so he could go find a basket. While she was scanning the table of food for options for their lunch she would occasionally glance back to make sure that Ramyth hadn't left the kitchen, unsure why she felt so nervous without him at her side. When he finally returned she looked up at him with a little smile, giving a little shake of her head. "There's just so much here.. I don't even recognize half of it, either. Do you have any suggestions? What are your favorites?" She asked, turning back to look at the table in thought.

---

Ailuin chuckled at her retort, giving her a little squeeze. "Alright, maybe I didn't know that I loved you, but I definitely cared about you, in one way or another. I've seen you almost every day for a hundred years, after all." He teased, pressing a kiss to her forehead before climbing into the tub. He laughed a bit as she spoke about his wings, reaching behind him as she moved closer to take her hand, giving it a squeeze as he smiled at her. "If I could give them to you, I would. In a heartbeat." He murmured, eyes soft and sincere as he looked at her. Her wings were beautiful too, but he knew how much she wished to be normal and fly, and if he could, and she wanted or asked for him to give her them, he wouldn't think twice before doing it. "I don't really know why I have or need two sets. That's a better question for the gods." He mused as he let go of her hand and shifted a bit to get more comfortable, a little shudder going through him as he felt her fingers brush against one of his wings. "I bet yours are soft too.. And strong. You'll be flying in no time. I bet you'd be faster than me, too. I've got more weight to lug around."

@ katahdin

Ramyth had thought Bridris might find something she really wanted or at least really wanted to try, but he supposed she must have been overwhelmed by the options and how much of it was foreign to her. He'd tried to make special requests for her in the past few weeks for things he thought she'd be familiar with, to make sure that she'd like it and to maybe help her feel less homesick, though Aubrius had showed her a few fae things. "Well, I'm not really sure what you'd even like... If something looks interesting to you though, I could tell you what I think it tastes like, like if it's really sweet or slightly bitter or spicy, that sort of thing. And I can pick a couple of things I like that you could also try."

---

As Ailuin said he'd give her his wings if he could and she saw the way he was looking at her, Aubrius squeezed his hand tightly. "I wouldn't take them, even if you could. I'm flying again, not nearly as much as I want to be, but the biggest problem was always making sure the material was strong enough and flexible enough, and all sorts of other things, and I'm finally at the stage where it's just rebuilding my strength and slowly flying in different conditions and seeing how the material reacts and getting used to how it feels and affects flight. I couldn't give up at this point, even if I had the option." The only reason it had taken so long was because her parents had been against anyone touching her wing after it had been healed, horrified when she'd suggested maybe something could be done. They'd forbidden it. So she'd had to wait 50 years until she was legally an adult and could make the decision for herself. Around the same time Ailuin had taken the throne. One of the first things he'd had to deal with was her parents trying to prevent her from getting. Hanvosi's help. There'd been nearly no communication between them since Ailuin had said she was an adult who could make her own decisions. She paused as she noticed him sort of tense after her fingers brushed his wings, and though she paused, worried she'd done something wrong, he didn't look uncomfortable or as if he'd prefer she stopped. So she slowly continued, making sure to get water over every feather. "You don't have to try and make me feel better about my wings. I don't mind admiring yours for a while," she said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his spine before picking up the soap. It couldn't be used on wings often, and she normally wouldn't, but this was a special occasion, so she lathered some on her hands and then gently started to apply it to his wings, careful not to rub any feathers the wrong way and couldn't help but quietly wonder what it felt like to him.

@ sun spirit

Bridris hummed a little in thought as he spoke, nodding a little at his suggestions. "I like meatpies.. Aub would sometimes bring me them when I was little and we'd meet in the woods.. And those pastries look very good, but meatpies and pastries isn't exactly the healthiest lunch." She blushed faintly as she glanced up at him, although she offered him a little smiled. "I think trying the things you like would be fun.. Especially if it's not something that I could get again once I leave." She looked a bit sad at the mention of her having to leave, turning her attention back to the table of food with a little sigh. "Maybe some vegetables and fruit too.. I'm not picky, though."

---

Ailuin nodded in understanding as she spoke about how she was getting stronger everyday, and it would only be a matter of time before she was flying again, although he hoped that she understood that he was willing to do anything for her. "I know you will.. Soon enough you'll be in the royal guard, and you'll get to stand outside of my door all day while I'm in boring meetings." He teased, humming contently as she began to wash his wings, his arms resting against his knees as he leaned forward to make sure she had enough room to wash them. It definitely felt nice, and he couldn't help but smile as he looked at her. "I really do like your wings, though. I'm not saying it just to be nice." He murmured, looking at her for a long moment as he became lost in thought, speaking against after a few minutes. "Do you think we should speak to your parents about the mating bond?" He asked softly, almost hesitant. He knew that her relationship with her parents had practically ended the day she started seeing Hanvosi for treatment after he'd said that she was an adult and could make her own decisions, but they were still her parents, and had to care about her on some level. Besides, he thought it might be rude if they found out that they were mates once the rest of the kingdom found out, and figured that giving them at least a little warning would be the polite thing. "If you don't want to see them, I can send a letter, or go speak with them myself.. My parents are long gone, so we wouldn't have to worry about telling them."

@ katahdin

Ramyth nodded, considering what she said and his options. "How about this? There will be lots of food at Roedanya, desserts especially, so we'll just save pastries for another day, and we'll pack a couple of meatpies for our lunch, along with a few things I pick out, that way if you like nothing I picked, you at least have something you know you'll enjoy, but you can try something new too," he suggested, giving her a little smile. He hadn't missed her mentioning her eventual departure, but he tried not to focus too much on it. They both knew she'd be leaving, she'd said more than once that she hated that this had happened at all and that she wished they'd already found a way for her to leave, and he knew that. He knew all of that. He'd done nothing with the intentions of trying to get her stay, just to make her time here bearable, even enjoyable if he could.

---

"Sounds better than being in the boring meetings," she replied, smiling a bit as she caught him glancing back at her with a smile. He looked pretty content now, which she was glad for, since she'd been worried at first. And as much as she'd teased him about the size of his wings, she'd meant it when she said they were beautiful, and she was a little awestruck and honored that she was sitting at the edge of a tub, starting to rinse soap out of the feathers, almost having finished washing them for him. She went a little quiet as he mentioned her parents though and what to do about telling them, continuing to rinse soap out of his feathers. "I'll figure it out tomorrow. I'll write a letter or go see them or something. I'd say it's none of their damn business, but they'll find out anyway." She paused. "I'm done with your wings. And I'm sorry about your parents. Also slightly relieved though, since I can't be anything they would've imagined for you in a mate, even if I'm a horrible person for it."

@ sun spirit

Bridris nodded in agreement with his suggestion before she began to help him fill the basket he'd brought with food, taking care to make sure things that could spill or break wouldn't. She didn't know why, but the thought of her leaving soon upset her, which bothered her quite a bit. She was getting married once she left, she should be excited. But the more time she spent here, the less she wanted to leave. And Ramyth.. He was very kind, and had become a close friend over the last few weeks, and she'd be very sad if she never saw him again. The realization that she'd be fine never seeing Sidero again, but not fine if she never saw Ramyth again shocked her, but she did her best to hide her emotions as she tucked the last of the meatpies into the basket. Once they'd packed up the basket and left the kitchens, she took Ramyth's hand again as they left the castle, not wanting to lose him in the crowd that was preparing for the upcoming festival. ".. I'll be sad when I leave." She admitted softly after a long bit of silence, glancing up at him. "I'll miss it here, and I'll miss everyone. King Ailuin, Hanvosi, Aubrius, and.." his name got caught in her throat as her chest tightened, looking away in embarrassment.

---

Ailuin was quiet as he listened to her, shifting a bit in the tub so he could take her hand and give it a squeeze as he raised it to his lips. "You don't have to do it alone, Aub. I will be there with you if it's what you want. And don't worry about my parents or how you feel. Once my wings developed at a few months old and they realized I had two sets, they left me at the nearest inhabited temple in the middle of the night. I wouldn't even know where to go to find them and tell them myself, but I suppose if they're still here in the city they'll find out along with everyone else." He explained, standing slowly from the tub once she said she was finished with his wings, spreading them out as much as he could on the small bathroom to ruffle their feathers and get them to start drying, knowing he'd need to fly back after this. Hopefully with Aubrius. "Into the tub, my lady." He bowed slightly as he offered a hand to help her into the tub considering she still seemed wobbly on her feet.

@ katahdin

Ramyth let Bridris pick out the meatpies, selecting a few other things himself that he liked and thought she might enjoy to take on their picnic with them. Since she seemed to have a method for packing the basket, he let her, and once they were done, he took it, carrying it in one hand while Bridris took the other. He squeezed her hand gently, remaining right at her side as they started to make their way out of the castle. It almost seemed as if something were bothering her, and he was worried that maybe she was worried about her fiancé not waiting on her again, which was why she surprised him when she spoke up just as he was trying to think of something to distract her with and said that she’d be sad when she left. He hesitated, not quite sure what to say, especially when she didn’t name him among the people she would miss. “Maybe you could visit sometimes,” he offered softly. “I can’t imagine King Ailuin having a problem with it. And I-everyone’ll miss you too. Aub especially.”

---

Aubrius shook her head, even as she Ailuin’s hand a small squeeze of thanks. “I’ll be fine. I don’t really want to talk to them at all, but I’d rather do it on my own terms than be ambushed, and after pretending I don’t exist for this long, they don’t get to suddenly be parents again and talk to you about me.” Maybe she was holding a grudge, but they’d basically abandoned her the moment she did something they disagreed with and hadn’t once reached out, apologized, or otherwise given any indication that they even knew she existed anymore. She didn’t know what they’d think or do when they heard she was mated, and the only reason she’d tell them herself would be to control the situation. As he told her about his parents though, she frowned. And maybe it was because she was drunk or maybe it was because she really had that little of a filter, but her response was: “What assholes.” As he stood to get out of the water, she pressed herself against the wall to give him space to get out and motioned him vaguely to a shelf. “There’s towels over there.” Not helpful for wings, but he’d sat in the water too. She was just pushing up from where she’d perched on the edge of the tub and getting her feet when he bowed and offered his hand. She rolled her eyes at him, but stepped in close and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m not a lady,” she said, and ignoring his hand, turned and climbed into the tub. A bit ungracefully (a lot ungracefully, actually), but she only knocked one bottle over and didn’t fall into the tub.

@ sun spirit

Bridris shook her head a little when he mentioned her being able to visit, giving his hand a squeeze as she tried to keep her eyes from watering. "I'd love to... But Sidero lives far away from here, and doesn't really like Fae that much, so I doubt he'd let me.. But I'll miss Aub too.. I'll miss our conversations, and how she always answers my questions, and how kind and sweet she is, and how she lets me hold her hand, and our walks through the city, and how she's helped me learn to read and write a little, even though I'm not very good, and I'll especially miss listening to her read to me, especially all of the myths and folktales before bed.. I-I guess the point is that I'll miss her a lot." She knew Aubrius hadn't done any of those things with her, and that it was really Ramyth who she'd miss most, who she didn't want to leave. But she didn't think it was possible for her to stay, and everyone had already put so much effort into trying to help her leave that it felt wrong to just disregard all of their hard work. And then there was Sidero.. She didn't think she really wanted to marry him anymore, but it felt wrong to break it off when she hadn't even seen him in weeks, especially when he seemed so concerned about her in his letters.

---

Ailuin nodded in understanding, squeezing her hand tightly. "If you want me there I'll be there, though. You shouldn't have to go through that alone, and I'm more than happy to support you if they start being jerks." He smiled a little as she called his parents assholes, shaking his head a bit. "In all likelihood as soon as someone found out about my wings I would have been taken from them anyway, so I could be trained and raised to take over as king once I was old enough. I think they figured that it would be easier to let an infant go than a little boy." He explained as he got out of the tub, grabbing a towel to dry himself off with before tying it around his waist, chuckling as he watched her stumble into the tub, ready to move to support her in case she fell. "You're a lady in my eyes." He murmured against her lips as he returned her kiss, before taking a handful of water to begin wetting her wings, being extra careful around her old injuries. "Tell me if I do anything that hurts, alright?"

@ katahdin

It took Ramyth a moment to catch onto what Bridris was actually saying, probably around the time he thought she was calling Aub kind and sweet. And it wasn’t that he didn’t think his friend had a good heart, but those weren’t exactly words most people would use to describe Aub. But she was talking about him, he realized, that she’d miss him. He was going to miss her too. Everything she mentioned and more. Some part of him had come to hope it took a long time to find her solution, though he refused to let his thoughts linger on that because she wanted to leave, and even now, she still wasn’t saying she wanted to stay. Just that she had things she’d miss when she left. And almost before he realized what he was doing, he blurted out, “Let me come with you when you leave.” Realizing how that might sound, he rushed ahead. “I-I mean, I’d miss you too, a lot. We’ve gotten really close, and I know you just said Sidero doesn’t really care for the fae, but I can stay out of the way most the time and protect you—you both I suppose. I can keep teaching you how to read and write, maybe even how to protect yourself, and keep answering your questions and telling you stories. And before you say a word about me missing my home and my friends, I can visit and come back after I’m-I’m done, whether it’s just making sure you’re settled and safe or longer. Never seeing you again once you leave this court and not knowing how you’re doing doesn’t sit well with me.”

---

Aubrius shook her head. “I’m used to doing things alone,” she assured him, kissing his cheek. She thought about what he said about his parents though as she settled in the tub, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, then laying her down on top, turned so that she was facing Ailuin. “Have you ever tried to find them? If it was because of what you said, maybe they thought the same way I did, that they were doing what’s best, and that you don’t want anything to do with them. Or maybe they’re assholes, but they probably would’ve tried to talk to you and get something from you if they were.” She felt strangely content as she sat there watching him as he began to wet her wings, shivering a bit at the first bit of water falling over her feathers and then settling. “They aren’t anymore sensitive than other wings. If you feel a rough or raised spot, don’t try to scratch it off though. My feathers regrew everywhere so you can’t see the scars, but you can feel them. Or it might be where the material’s grafted. You wouldn’t be able to pull it off by scratching at it, but you’d probably make it itchy and it’s gods-awful trying to reach back and scratch there.” She was mostly telling him so he’d know and not be worried he was hurting her when he encountered those spots, rather than out of any worry that he’d do something. He hadn’t quite touched her wings yet, just let the water get them wet, and she was a little nervous that he’d recoil when he touched them, at the feeling of the scars and where they’d been made whole again by something other than bone and muscle and feathers.

@ sun spirit

Bridris looked up at Ramyth as he began to speak, staring up at him with wide eyes as he asked to go with her when she left. His words made her heart ache, especially as he offered to protect her, to keep teaching her how to read and write, to keep telling her stories. She could feel her eyes welling with tears as he spoke, shaking her head quickly as he said that he'd leave her as soon as he was sure she was safe and that he wouldn't be alright if he never saw her again. "But then if you left to come back here, I'd just want to come with you.." she admitted softly, squeezing his hand tightly as she looked up at him nervously. "I.. I-I don't think I want to marry Sidero anymore.. N-Not that I don't think he's a nice man, or that he doesn't care about me, but I... I-I don't think I'd be happy if I left here, if I left King Ailuin and Aubrius and Hanvosi behind.. And I know I wouldn't be happy if I left you behind, Ramyth.. But I know I can't stay, either, because I'm a human and you're and you're a Fae and King Ailuin wouldn't allow it."

---

"Just because you're used to it doesn't mean you have to anymore. I'm your mate, I'll always be at your side, if you'll have me." Ailuin murmured, pressing a kiss between her shoulders before he began to gently lather the soap into her wings, taking care not to mess with her feathers too much. "I have my suspicions of who they might be, but if they haven't come to me, I don't want to drag them into a position they don't want." He explained, smiling a little as she explained the injuries of her wings and what it might feel like when he washed them. "I just wanted to be sure.. and I'm happy to scratch any itch you get." He murmured teasingly, leaning forward to press a kiss to her neck as he washed her wings. He took his time, but it still didn't take nearly as long as it had taken for her to wash his, and once they were rinsed properly he helped her out of the tub and offered her a towel to dry off. "So, mate," he grinned, pulling her into his arms. "We'll have to fly back to the castle soon, but there's definitely time for us to enjoy ourselves a bit here.. Care to show me to your bedroom? Or if you prefer, the nearest table or wall?"

@ katahdin

This time Ramyth wasn't sure what Bridris' tears meant, and as she started to shake her head at him, he was worried that she was going to tell him that he couldn't come or that she didn't want him to or some version of her leaving while he stayed. When she said she didn't want to marry Sidero anymore, he squeezed her hand tightly, almost not believing his ears, but he quickly shook his head when she said she couldn't stay because she was a human and it wouldn't be allowed. "If you don't want to marry him and you don't want to leave, you don't have to. King Ailuin wouldn't make you leave if you wanted to stay. You're friends with many of the fae, so it's clear you can get along with us and you'd have plenty of people who'd speak up for you anyway, Aubrius wouldn't let you leave if you wanted to stay no matter what he said, and I'd make sure nothing happened to you. But he'd agree. I've been his guard for a hundred years and I've gotten to know him pretty well, so I'm not just being optimistic. There's no reason for him to kick you out if you don't want to go."

---

"I'm probably going to have trouble with that. Not automatically just doing things myself. I'll always want you though--you don't have to worry about that. You said you were sure, and you're washing my wings and everything, so you're stuck with me now." Despite being halfway convinced he'd recoil at any moment as he started to lather soap on her wings, he was rinsing almost before she knew it without having once shied away or even stumble, and she felt this part of her that she hadn't known was tense relax, soon finding herself smiling at his teasing words. "Around you, I'm sure I'll have itches often," she responded, smiling back at him. Once he'd finished rinsing her wings, she stood, barely having gotten out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself before Ailuin was pulling her close and suggesting some really good ideas, especially since they were both conveniently naked under their towels. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips. "We might be a little far from a table, but my bedroom's out the door and around the corner, and conveniently, we're surrounded by walls." As they kissed again, she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, then hopped and wrapped her legs around his waist, losing her towel in the process.