Always Anyways...

It was morning still when I heard the jovial voices and laughter echoing down the hall from the regent office. Aryness was sitting quietly with me, keeping the fire high and me tucked warm in bed. She tilted her head so I know she heard the odd sounds as well. Just as she was standing from her chair, Captain Evandar burst into my bedchamber. “My Princess, I beg your forgiveness. But your brother the Prince is here requesting you.” I lifted my head from my arm, “Requesting me?” Evandar seemed to cringe a little when he answered, “You and the Lady Aryness...Prince Dmitri is with him. And my Lady, he seemed...upset that you were not working in the council office.” Aryness took a step, “I will make my Lady's excuses myself. She is unfit to work today.” Her firm determination would not go well with my brother, especially not with Prince Dmitri on his heels. “No....Nessa....quickly see me dressed.” Before she could protest, I was on my feet, “Evandar please bring them wine and make whatever excuse you need. Do not let my brother know I was in bed.” Aryness kept switching her gaze between me and Evandar exasperated at my stubbornness and looking for support. But when Evandar quickly agreed, she burst into action. “Nothing fancy....because we have been working all morning,” I directed. As she tightened my bodice, I gasped fearing it would be my last breath. Nessa's hands immediately stopped, “My Lady, I beg of you...” I turned back to her, “Nessa, my brother is a cruel man, and his cruelty will extend to anything I care for. I do this not for him or even myself, I do this for you.” She bit her lip, and I continued. “If you wish this Prince's advances, tell me now. If not, I will continue to shield you from him and my treacherous brother.” Nessa lowered her voice, knowing that our words were edging on traitorous, “I do not care what he commands. I will run away from that prince and come home.” I shook my head, “No...please finish my dress. The quicker we are, the less his anger will grow.” Nessa was more nervous then I have ever seen her, as her hands trembled pinning up my hair. Clearly the nerves soaked the room as my gray shadow of a hound was standing firm at the doorway like a guard. I stared at Kenrick's banner, gathering my strength.

Each second felt like hours, but I know it was not as long as it felt before I walked into my council office with Aryness right behind me. I bowed deeply, “Good Princes...what a pleasant visit to my busy office. I beg your forgiveness for waiting, I was tending to staff matters in another room.” Prince Dmitri's face broke into a huge smile, where as my brother's eyes narrowed disapprovingly at the wait. Prince Dmitri quickly closed the distance, taking my hand to kiss it tenderly. But his eyes were focused over my shoulder and directly on Aryness. My hound made a beeline for my brother, sniffing at him from a small distance before sitting with a disapproving huff. It distracted my brother and there was an insult on his lips, but keeping Prince Dmitri in his good graces trumped it. “Ah....your loyal protector!” Prince Dmitri cheered, rubbing the dog on the head affectionately gaining a wagging tail in response. “It seems he has bonded to you quickly.” I nodded, “Oh indeed, What an amazing animal!” Prince Dmitri nodded happily in agreement, “Well I must apologize Princess Jane, for we are here for less the honourable reasons.” He smacked my brother playfully on the arm as he joined him in stepping back to gaze as Aryness and me. My mind was well aware what brought him here, so I tilted my head chuckling, “Oh good Princes, I cannot believe such a lie.” However, my own lie sounded convincing enough.

Prince Dmitri winked at me, clearly in quite a jovial mood. “Well sweet ladies, it seems that Eadgar and I have stayed awake too long drinking wine, and as you well know men tend to get in all sorts of trouble that way.” Eadgar forced a smile, that looked anything but amused, in fact it sent chills over my skin. My brother was not known for overdrinking and appeared far from drunk. But Prince Dmitri was clearly enjoying my brother's wine as it faintly wafted from his skin. He quickly continued, “We were discussing our last hunt, and then we started talking of archers.” Eadgar nodded in agreement, “I still state that my archers are the best trained and could never be outshot by a mere woman.” His voice was cold but Dmitri did not notice. “I could not disagree more Eddie! All they know is training and commands on the battlefield, not real practical use. I am telling you...I've seen this!!” I do not know which shocked me more, when Dmitri called my brother Eddie or the realization of exactly why they wanted Aryness. Before I could try to shift the topic, Dmitri turned back to me, “Settle a bet for us dear girl....I beg of you to help me free your brother of his pouch of gold coins!” My mind reeled - A bet! Aryness was to be part of a bet? I forced a smile, “Dear Prince, I could not begin to imagine how I could help you with that.” Eadgar folded his arms, and clearly did not enjoy me playing naïve, but Dmitri, ever dramatic, dropped to his knees at my feet. He took my hands with a stage-worthy gasp of desperation. “I beg you to loan me your Lady Archer for Eddie and I have set up a little challenge. May the best sea captain and most handsome Prince of the realms win!” He laughed as he kissed my fingers one at a time waiting for my response. My face burned at his careless and flippant foolishness as he was playing with someone's life. I lowered my voice carefully, “Prince Dmitri, you are speaking of one of the Ladies of my court. I believe you know how I feel about things of this nature.” He blinked up, batting his eyes at me. As I looked back at him firm, I began to see a shift. Was this drunken humorous nature of his just an act? A conniving way to get what he wants both from Eadgar and me? That insulted me even more and I grit my teeth about to refuse him again. But Eadgar knows me all too well, seeing the change in my face. “Indeed a Lady of the court, that is under her king's command,” he corrected me. I have never come so close to striking Eadgar in public before, so I did it with words, “And my king is not in this room!” I said a little too angrily. Eadgar's face twisted into a nasty smile, “Indeed...” he said taking a threatening step toward me. But before he could close the distance, Aryness blurted out. “I will do it!” She stepped alongside of me, “What my Prince commands...I will do.” she followed her offer with a deep bow. Dmitri jumped to his feet in a cheer and before I could refuse, Eadgar continued, “Very well girl...come down to the training square.” Aryness folded her hands humbly, keeping her gaze downcast, “Might I gather my personal bow and bracers?” Eadgar waved his hand dismissively, “Yes, go...I am eager to win this bet!” I stood like a fool as Aryness quickly disappeared.

Captain Evandar's mouth hung wide open and I was quick to command him, “Go with my Lady...see that she is properly escorted.” Evandar looked pained, for I was asking him to go directly against his sworn charge from Kenrick of protecting me and never leaving my side. As the Princes watched, he hesitated and I felt his agony strong in my chest when he refused, “I protect you alone my Princess.” I tried to act exasperated as if I had no such need, “Well then find someone else. She is my Lady after all! Princes, let me gather my cloak for there is a chill in the air this morning. Then I will meet you there.” They both promptly left as I hurried toward Aryness's chamber, with Captain Evandar on my heels. I found Aryness calmly tying on her bracers as I ran to her, “You did not have to do that. I was going to refuse them.” Aryness looked calm and resolute, far more composed then she was before. “No my Lady....you were going to anger your brother. We have already seen what he will do when he is angry with you.” She tugged her bracer tight before turning to me, “I am a very good archer. I will put on a good show for your brother but I will lose in the end, so that he might save face against the foreign Prince. Then we have all made him happy.” Evandar however was growing agitated, “Don’t do this Nessa...he is going to want you more! He will take you now for sure!” The look between them told me everything, for somehow while always performing their duties and caring for me, they have fallen desperately in love. It had only been 2 months, yet in that time a true love had grown. I felt like an intruder as they spoke to each other. Aryness was quick to work on her other bracer, “You have seen me shoot Evan...I’ve out-shot you plenty of times. I'll give 'em a good show.” Evandar stepped closer, “I know you will...you can best this entire damn army if you wanted, but please don’t do this. You don’t understand how men think!” Aryness reached for her bow, “Oh no?? I don’t?? Please Evan....don’t be this way with me now.” Evandar sighed frustrated, “Nessa....don’t be this stubborn! A prince can take whatever he wants!” Aryness turned toward him with such determination, “He cannot take everything...the rest does not matter.” The impact of her statement hung with power in the room. It was my words that broken the spell, “Quick....send for Captain Gregor. I want him watching over Nessa.” Evandar immediately returned back to himself, charged with his duty. “You know we are sworn to never leave your side, for anything or anyone.” I nodded, “Both of you are not leaving my side. There are times only one of you guards me. This is your shift and Gregor is sleeping is he not? Wake him and send him with Nessa. For if you go now, they will know you have a reason to be with her.” He grabbed the first guard in the hallway and it was mere moments before Gregor burst into the room, half dressed holding his remaining clothes and sword belt. “Are we being attacked!?” He blurted out. Evandar caught him up on the the morning's events while he finished putting on his clothes. I could hear Gregor grumble under his breath, “That little shit....” Aryness looked over at me, “You are worrying for nothing, my Lady. It is just a shooting match. I will make you proud.” I hugged her tightly, for she was too precious for such games, “I do not give a damn about that. Agree to nothing more without letting me speak first.” Aryness hugged me back, “I will my Lady. I promise.”