Magic of Books (Roland and Aveline)

[Roland]

"And how would your mother be able to tell if a man does it?" He finds himself asking with a smirk as he waves his hand and the dress holds him place, it wasn't laced up, but she would no longer need to actively hold it up. Then he reaches out and begins to tied her into the dress.

"Conversely, she'll definitely know if I use magic." He admits, Roland was not great at fine manipulation and animating the dress would cause it to fit far more snugly than any mortal maid could achieve, Serevine would notice a job that was supernaturally good in an instant.

Though the this did not stop him. he expertly continued his work as if he had done this hundreds of times. This was the skill of someone who'd acted in the capacity before, and not only that been very good at it. "This might come as a surprise to you, but I am not entirely dependent upon my magic to get things done." He says then suddenly cuts short and instructs "breath in and stand up straighter."

When she does so she would feel the dress pulled tightly. When all was said and done Roland stepped away and examined his work. Aveline was dressed as if her maid had done it themselves and Roland nods his head in approval.

[severine]

“A man’s hands are clumsy with this work. Trust me, she will inspect me thoroughly as soon as I walk inside my chambers-” Aveline’s breath caught as she felt his hands and she pressed her hand over her mouth. Her face burned and she was so thankful that he couldn’t see her face. A thought crept into her mind, wondering how he knew what he was doing, but she had to push it down. She sucked in a breath when she was asked to, standing up straight and obeying his command at once. She didn’t have much energy to joke, the thought of what would happen if her mother came to some sort of lewd conclusion about her outing with him still gripped her with an icy terror.

When Roland pulled away Aveline pulled on her gloves, pressing her hands to her face. She had to calm down. He couldn’t see her like this. Aveline took in a breath, the tightness of the dress now properly constraining it. This would have to do for now. She wiped her face, patting her hair to make certain it was straight. She turned to him, arms rigidly at her sides for a moment before gesturing out.

“How do I look?”

[Roland]

Roland snorts at her response and replies though upon reflection he shrugs. "I suppose you are not wrong, it would be pretty tough to do this without some magical assistance. Though I couldn't make it better than someone without magic would be able to or Serevine would notice that." He explains as he sits down and looks her over.

"You look good, but I don't think that's what you need to worry about. Will it pass Serevine's inspection?" he asks, despite referring to her mother by name there was no tone of affection or familiarity. The two had a professional dislike of each other, and he was sure no matter how this turned out that was only going to get worse.

"Well, I can toss you into the King's chambers if you think it'll help, but otherwise tell me what you think. I can get some of the people at the castle to do it again if it's not good enough, I am a little out of practice preparing nobles kids to go off and court. I haven't had to be a body guard/helper in years." He admits.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asks her with a serious expression. "What kind of punishment are you worried about?" He asks, both out of curiosity and to see if there was something he could do to help.

[severine]

Aveline looked down at her skirts when Roland mentioned her mother’s name. “...it feels tight enough. I think it will do.” She rubbed her arms, her face suddenly going ashen at Roland’s joke. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and clearly fearful.

“Please- please don’t send me there-” she took a step forward towards him, gripping his arm tightly. Her hand was shaking. Anything but to be thrown there. She could barely hear the rest of his words, but she soon determined by his expression that he wasn’t serious. She couldn’t let go of his arm however, she wasn’t sure she could remain upright without it. Aveline shook her head.

“Ah, I will be fine.” A weak smile came over her face and she looked up at Roland. “She does what any mother would do to insure her daughter remained virtuous. It is nothing to worry yourself with.”

[Roland]

Roland holds out his hand and pulls it a little tighter with magic, it should be about right now. Though when she goes pale and suddenly advances on him with genuine fear in her eyes he looks up at her in surprise and his eyes go wide. "Calm down Aveline, I understand, the joke was in bad taste." He says awkwardly attempting to placate her.

Though as Aveline seems to put on a 'good face' his frown deepens and the temperature around him seems to drop a few degrees. "You have done nothing wrong." He declares concretely and the very words seem to wring with a certain degree of power and truth.

He takes her hand and leads her to the carpet. "Sam, take care of yourself, and don't mention you saw the little Miss." he says and then steps onto the carpet. As it takes off, as the carpet moves towards the castle Roland points a finger at the back of her head. "You should put the pin back." He reminds her as the carpet seems to stop and hover and he looks down, lost in thought.

"Do you love her?" He asks suddenly "your Mom I mean, maybe it's something I don't understand because of who mine is, but...what is it like?" He asks honestly, and for the first time since this whole thing had begun he seemed very young.

[severine]

Aveline felt cold suddenly and rubbed her arms, looking back down at her skirts. He was right- technically she had done nothing wrong. At least, until she let Roland see her like this. She had said too much already. Roland took her hand and she allowed it, her hand still shaking in the glove.

She turned her quiet smile to Sam and nodded as she was lead out to the carpet. She took a cautious step on and settled down on it, adjusting her skirts. When she saw the pin, she nodded and placed it back in her hair. “Thank you.”

As the carpet rose higher Aveline leaned against Roland once more, reaching her arms around his chest and pressing her face to his side so she wouldn’t have to look over the edge of the carpet. Exhaustion was creeping over her as well, as well as a quiet dread for what would be expected when she returned home. At his question however, Aveline tilted her head up.

“Of course I love her. She’s my mother.” What sort of question was that? How strange. “She raised me, taught me everything I know… she made me.” it was a simple truth. “...what happened to your mother?”

As the castle started to come into view, Aveline felt something grip at her chest. “...don’t take me back just yet. Just give me a few more minutes before they see us.”

[Roland]

Roland stops the carpet and moves it away from the castle. He wanted to continue the talk as well, and she seemed reluctant to go back, he felt that he had a guess as to why. Serevine wouldn't beat Aveline in anyway that would leave a mark, but he could not imagine any love in that woman's life. If felt truly sorry for Aveline, but Serevine had not broken any laws so there was nothing he could do about it. He felt an emotion that he hadn't felt in many years, hatred, but he buried it quickly. Malice was an emotion that lead to acts of passion and those disrupted law, hatred was not something he was allowed to have.

He takes a deep breath, even if she was afraid, her life would continue on after this, and things would go back to normal for her soon enough. Serevine would move onto...well plotting as she usually did.

He looks down at the city below. This was what he had to protect, this was HIS city and it was his duty to protect it since those monsters that called themselves "gods" wouldn't.

"My Mother left me as a child in order to protect me. I suppose I love her, but I cannot even remember talking to her so I was wondering what it was like for someone who's mother was strict." He says as he continues to float above the city with Aveline, and as one small voice whispers in the back of his mind.

You let a criminal walk free because you hate her? Or are you afraid of doing what it really takes to uphold the law?

[severine]

Aveline watched Roland talk and look over the city, not tearing her eyes from his face. It felt safe here, with him, at least for this moment. High above where her mother’s spies could not see here, where there was no one around to listen or judge. Just… here. With company.

“She’s your mother. All mothers love their children. And all children love their mothers, at least a little.” Aveline smiled weakly. She watched his profile as he studied the city under them, chewing on her lower lip. He was concentrating, clearly, but she didn’t want Roland to focus on her mother. Or any mothers, really. He had made the night so pleasant so far, and that did deserve something. A reward.

Aveline reached up a gloved hand and touched Roland’s cheek, turning his face to hers. She swallowed, pushing herself up to her knees and leaned in, pressing her lips gently against his. She couldn’t breathe and her heart fluttered rapidly like a hummingbird in her chest even after she pulled away slightly, her face hot.

“...thank you.” was all she could say, barely able to look into his eyes.

[Roland]

"I am afraid I cannot have that much faith in people anymore." Roland replies in response to Aveline's comments about mothers. "Perhaps ours love us, but that's not..."

For a brief moment Roland's mind goes blank, they were fortunate the spell he'd made was designed to work without his concentration, otherwise they'd have plunged towards the ground. Though when they separate it was his turn to turn red. "Aveline..." He tries to think of something to say but he simply turns back towards the castle and they begin to float back.

"I had fun tonight, thank you." He says, but it was time for the dream to come to an end, and to prepare to deal with what was sure to come.

[severine]

Aveline could feel disappointment settle in the pit of her stomach as Roland turned away. Not clean-cut rejection, but it still stung her in a way she didn’t expect. But his face was still red and the way he spoke her name sent a quiet shiver through her, directly to her heart.

“I did too.” she replied quietly, looking back down at the carpet. She was quiet as they descended and Aveline slid her fingers over the threads, mulling something over. That job offer from those days before.

“...yes.” Aveline said after a moment, looking back up to him. “I want to learn more. I want to help you. If you will still have me?”

[Roland]

As they land Roland stands up and reaches down to help Aveline up. "You are hired." He says and smiles at her as he looks back at the gate.

"Well then, I suppose it is time for us to part ways, staying with me for any longer is only going to make your punishment worse." He says and begins to walk into the castle, it would be up to her if she wished to follow or hear straight home.