A Favor (Mature Theme)

[Roland]

Roland examines the spell Aria left behind. As he examine's it he begins to understand it. However as he studies it Aveline clamps around his middle and he turns away from the syghles and wraps his arms around her to comfort her. He felt bad that all of this was surrounding her, but at this moment all he could do was try to help her feel better.

He continues to embrace her and bends down a bit to softly kiss her head, trying to reassure her. “No one can hear us right now Aveline.” He assures her as he looks at the spell and double checks the protection.

“You know I will do anything in my power to help.” He promises and crouches down a bit so that they were on eye level.

[Deleted]

Aveline looked up at Roland, her expression suddenly deeply afraid. “I know I- I know I said I wanted to wait but-” she bit at her finger, looking down. It was hard to keep herself together and rational with the fear gripping her chest. “I know we have- we have a plan but- but what if we went now? What if we went right now? Got married and we could leave. We wouldn’t have to see these people ever again. I wouldn’t-”

She was shaking suddenly, fear wrapping in her thoughts, remembering the King’s anger. “My- my mother doesn’t remember what happened when she went with Brenton. I tried- I tried asking her but she sort of… she brushed it off. She’s never like that, she tells me everything.” she chewed on her fingernail, trying to collect herself. “And her Highness- I don’t know if I can can do this in this court any longer.” she looked back up to Roland. “Let’s get married. Today. Let’s just go.”

[Roland]

Roland takes her hand and again pulls her in close to him. The scruff of his beard ran along her skin as he hugged her. “Listen Aveline, you need to calm down for a bit. Take a deep breath.” He tells her and nuzzles her softly. He could tell she was really distraught and he did not want to rush what she had to say.

“Aveline, if you want to move on this right now I will do everything I can to move forward with the wedding, but I cannot just leave this city. I have a duty to it, I've sworn an oath.” He explains hoping that she would understand.

“Your mother was sent to Brenton, he is a unique individual and very powerful, not just politically, but also personally.” He explains as she reaches her hand up to bite her nail Roland catches it and nods at her before leaning in to give her a light kiss on the mouth hoping it would break her out of her panic. “Wait for 10 minutes, and if you still want to rush the marriage then we can talk about it and how we are going to actually do. If you still want to get married immediately, I will agree, but I want to talk to Jeon first.”

[Deleted]

Aveline clung to Roland as he held her, her breath shaking and mind racing. The feeling of stubble against her skin though did comfort her a little and she sucked in a sharp breath, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. “I-I-” she tried to begin, and swallowed down a frightened sob. “I don’t- you don’t realize how- how afraid I am of him. Of- of his Majesty. I don’t know what’s going to happen to my mother. If he- if he has her killed-”

Aveline clung to Roland tighter, not able to look at him. “Would you protect me? With your oath, would you protect me if my family fell out of favor completely? Without my mother I’m alone but with you-”

Her words were stopped with the kiss. It took her a moment, but she nodded. “I’m afraid of what is going to happen.” Aveline murmured. “I don’t want to be alone.” She pushed him a little so he would sit back down, settling in his lap and clinging to him tightly. “I wanted you to- I wanted to see if you could manage to send some letters to my siblings. I don’t know who might be watching me now. I have to warn them, let them know what is happening with us and with my mother.”

Aveline lifted her head a little, cupping his face in her hands. She felt desperate with this, flushed with anxiety and embarrassment. “Can you help me forget? Just for a little while? I just want to be happy with you.”

[Roland]

Roland frowned as Aveline continued to panic, he was unsure what to do so he continued to hold her until she began speaking again. Afraid? Of his majesty? Roland had never really considered being afraid of the man, he was the king, he made the laws, he was overall a good ruler, and though Roland often disagreed with him the king had done the most important thing a ruler could do, trust those who knew what they were doing to do their jobs.

However the idea that Noku was a terrifying threat struck him as strange, even when he had learned of the man's condition and of his power, Roland was his guard, someone who'd saved his life on numerous occasions. “I...” he began to speak before taking a deep breath. He had to trust Aveline, and if she was scared there must be some real danger to her.

Then Aveline ask him, would he protect her despite his oath, if her family fell. Roland looks Aveline in th eyes, his an odd mix of brown an amethyst as his magic recovered. “Aveline, of course I will protect you, though, but in your concern I think you have forgotten something important. You have a second family now, you are my wife, you are Aveline Walker.” He reminds her with the kindest smile she had every seen him display.

When she asks about the letters he nods. “I can get them where you need them, or I will find a way if need be.” He promises her. Then as she cups his face he places a hand on hers, he says softly “I will do whatever I can, just tell me how I can help.”

[Deleted]

“I am not Aveline Walker yet.” The little speech did cheer her though, even if she couldn’t quite meet his eyes in shyness. Aveline smiled a little, finally, leaning in and kissing him again. When she pulled away she sighed, turning her hand a little to grasp his.

“They’re… they’re here, actually. Back on my desk, ready when you’re recovered. They’re addressed where to go. And while I may be your wife by your oath I…” she let out another long, resigned sigh. “...it would be best not to change plans. We do not have long to wait anyway. I must pray harder that nothing else goes wrong between now and then.” Aveline gnawed on her lower lip a little, thinking. She sunk a little, her face flushing red as she came to a certain realization.

She needed protection. There was certainty that Roland would marry her, but she still carried a sought after commodity. If she rid herself of it now or in a few days, there would not be much of a difference. Just the guarantee that she would be tied to his side sooner.

“But…” she murmured, pulling his hand away from his face and kissing his fingers, “...I can be your wife in another way now.”

[Roland]

As Aveline says she is not Aveline Walker yet he shakes his head, if that was how she viewed it he supposed there was no sense in forcing the issue. Though when she leans in and kisses him again he finds himself smiling as he shifts them both slightly so that he could lean his back against the wall then he smiles. “Well when you put it that way you are suddenly very persuasive,” he says and then kisses her again. He was still not very good, but some of the hesitance was gone now and they were both becoming more comfortable with this.

“If the letters can wait that long I'd like to wait until morning, though I can try to send them sooner.” He admits, Roland could probably cast the spells to send the messages now, but if he did he'd be drained again and he wanted to keep enough power to defend himself, the king, or Aveline in case something happened and he needed to act immediately.

“Aveline...” Roland watched her with concern as she continued to fret unsure of what to do. “...what can I do to help?” He asks hoping direct communication would help to offset it poor people skills, but he falls silent when she kisses his fingers and speaks. His expression softens and he watches her to try and figure out how to proceed.

He reaches forward and grabs her shoulders then kisses her again, then pulling away and looking her in the eyes. His expression was soft and full of loving concern, the expression made him look younger. Then he smiles and for a brief moment his eyes shine as he casts a spell to block the door and then another he had learned very recently. As he finishes his eyes returned to their natural brown.

As he stares into her eyes he reaches down and pulls off his shirt revealing a surprisingly lean and muscular frame. There were a myriad of scars on his arms and chest including one very livid scar on his stomach and another only slightly older one just below his chest. Like the rest of him his body was very pale, though his limbs were knotted with muscles that had been built form use and work , and a regular exercise routine that he followed religiously.

His face turns slightly red and then he looked into her eyes again, his dark brown eyes questing “are you sure?”

[Deleted]

Aveline’s eyes fluttered shut as Roland took hold of her shoulders and kissed her again, her hands trembling against his chest. She blinked heavily at him, her expression a bit dazed rather than frightened as his expression softened. Heat suddenly flared up in her lower belly, not painful or uncomfortable, but warm. Her heart began to pound wildly, her eyes widening a little as his eyes faded back into brown.

She lifted her hands from his chest as he pulled his shirt off, curling her hands at the collar of her dress. Her eyes dropped down to the angry looking scar in his abdomen, previously covered by bandages. She lowered her hand to it, tracing her fingers around the scar. They were here right now because of this thing. It was a strange thought and she looked back to him, watching his face flush at the question.

Aveline couldn’t bring herself to speak, only act.

With shaking hands undid the cloth around her hair, letting it fall loose and curly and big around her face and over her shoulders. She couldn’t quite look at him, clearly embarrassed, and placed the cloth aside with the heavy pin. Aveline focused on the scar in his abdomen, her fingers undoing the lacing of the dress along her side. She closed her eyes, sliding the gold dress off her narrow shoulders and slipping off his lap to step out of the dress and her shoes. Left in a lavender colored silk shift with the ring hanging on a chain around her neck, Aveline climbed back into his lap and kissed him.

“...this is… with you- this is the most sure I have ever been.” She ran her shaking fingers back through his hair, feeling improbably small and fragile in his arms. Like something made of glass. “Just- please. Be careful with me.”

[Roland]

Roland turned slightly brighter red as Aveline played with the scars on his chest. As she did he reaches down and takes her hand kissing her fingers. His stubble would add a slightly rough feeling to the kisses, but his touch was tender, though his hands were slightly damp with sweat and his movements were jerky as he was unused to this.

As she takes the cloth off her hair he looked a bit surprised, had she always had that much hair? He found himself wondering, then the next moment she had stripped to her shift and told him that she was certain. Suddenly it was like a dam had broken loose. He got to his feet and suddenly scooped her up before sitting back down on the bed and placing her on his lap. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” He says before placing his hands on her lower back and pulling her in close for a long and intense kiss.

“Aveline, I love you.” He whispers kissing her with a fervor that their other sessions had lacked. He kissed the nape of her neck and one hand moved up her back until it was tangled in her hair and something hard was pressed against her thigh. He moved awkwardly as if trying to hide it which made him shift awkwardly.

[Deleted]

So. That truly was what the goddess Vennessa stood for.

Aveline’s arms relaxed their grip around Roland’s neck at some point later, trying to catch her breath desperately. She felt… shining. She had been so afraid of pain, so desperately afraid as if she was going to lose a great part of herself but instead she felt complete. Whole. She had been looking for some form of control and now she had found it. Miraculously, she had found it.

She truly had not been expecting that.

Aveline slid her hands back into his rumpled dark hair, stroking the damp strands back from his forehead. Her own hair was a helpless curly and frazzled mess against the pillow under her head, unsalvageable without magic. A smile came over her face as unwound her legs from around his waist, still stroking at his hair.

“Roland.” she murmured, mirth clear in her voice despite it’s obvious hoarseness. At least for the moment he had robbed her of the ability to speak in a normal tone of voice. She couldn’t stop smiling and she lifted her head, kissing him gently. A small laugh that she couldn’t stop escaped her and she beamed up at him, biting her lip to try desperately to keep herself contained. Instead, she looked positively blissful. This man was truly hers now, her strange knight in shining armor.

“I’m glad you had her silence the room.”

[Roland]

... As Aveline releases her grip on him and moves away Roland found himself speechless at first. For the first time in a very long time Roland wanted nothing more than to simply lay there and stare at the ceiling with Aveline snuggled against him.

“That was, not what I expected.” He says suddenly, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small smile. “In a good way...” he adds on just late enough for it to sound awkward, but his small smile had spread. He had never really thought about being in this situation, when he hears her softly speech his name he feels his pulse race for a moment before she leans over and kisses him. In response he wraps and arm around her and hugs her again. He looked content, possibly even happy.

“I am too, I did not expect the screaming,” he teases, though at the time he had actually panicked. The memory caused him to blush a bit and he creased the bridge of his nose, but he was still smiling. Roland looked at the wards, they had about 20 minutes more on them, 20 minutes of peace and isolation. For just a moment he genuinely considered her suggestion to just run away. They could do it, Severine couldn't actually martial a force big enough to find him and capture him if he decided to hide, and he could make a living just about anywhere.

He had a brief fantasy of coming home after a day of working as a city guard in another kingdom to a small house and finding her there reading a book. A wonderful fantasy, but not something they he could do and still live with himself after. For the moment he just stared at Aveline's beaming face. Then on impulse he leans his head against hers. “I love you.”

[Deleted]

Aveline laughed at his delayed statement of ‘in a good way’, unable to stop herself from smiling broader. She rolled against Roland as he hugged her, pressing against him and throwing her arm across his chest. She swatted his shoulder playfully at the tease though, her face going red.

“Don’t tease me.” she whispered, evidence of her earlier vocalizations still clear in her voice. After a moment she dropped her head back down to his chest, kissing his shoulder and closing her eyes with a quiet sigh. A smile came back over her face when he leaned in, his forehead touching hers. She opened her eyes and looked back up at him.

“I love you too.” she murmured in reply and tilted her head, kissing him gently. She ran her fingers back through his hair again. “...how much longer can I stay?” she asked quietly, dropping her head to nuzzle against his throat. She didn’t want to leave anytime soon- all she really wanted right now was to just be held right here and fall asleep. Shut the world out completely. “I don’t want to leave.”

[Roland]

As Aveline swats him Roland laughs and nips her in the ear. “Well you can hardly blame me for being surprised by the whole thing, this was a first for me as well.” He admits realizing that he probably had not told her that before. Well not like she probably hasn't already figured that out. He thinks to himself as he reflects back on the events of the previous half hour.

As she returns his feelings he smiles again, a genuine smile that made him seem several years younger. He closed his eyes as she ran her hands through his hair and his expression turned more contented, not dissimilar to a contented hound.

“Well you can stay as long as you want,” He assures her as she nuzzles against him. “I've locked the door and I'm finally on vacation, and for the first time I think I am actually enjoying it.”

“You know Aveline, when we do finally make the announcement to the court, I'd like to go on a real vacation. We could rent a room in a travel in outside the city and explore the country. I haven't had a chance to really explore and enjoy myself in years.” He suggests with a slightly distant tone as if speaking of a far off dream.

[Deleted]

Aveline lifted her head a little, rolling so she was resting on his chest. She looked down at him, still stroking back his hair in a lazy, comforting gesture. A small smile grew over her face. “Were you not enjoying this before?” she asked, resting her chin on his collarbone.

“I can… I can stay for a little while longer. But someone might come looking if I stay too long. I don’t want to be in this state if someone tries to unlock the door.” Aveline pushed her thick hair back from her face, her fingers catching in the tight curls. She smiled at the suggestion of a real vacation.

“Where would you like to go?” she asked, lifting her head to kiss him and pull him back from his dazed-off look. “There is a lot of country out there and I haven’t been out of the city in a very, very long time.”

[Roland]

Roland gives Aveline a languid smile, “well let's say I was very tense before.” He admits looking at her from behind heavy lids. The touch had become strangely soothing, he was surprised how quickly he'd become accustomed to anyone touching him. For the briefest of moments he considered that if Severine was using the girl as an assassin it would have been a brilliant ploy, but he dismisses that thought immediately. For once in his life he didn't want to worry about the shadow behind the next corner.

He leans in and kisses her softly then again on the neck and the shoulder. “Let them come. I will take care of it.” He says voice filled with a strange contentment, he could feel a strange haze over his mind, but it was just so comfortable.

“I do not have a particular destination in mind, though I would like to go off somewhere away from this all for just a little while, maybe the crystal springs. What about you? Is there anywhere you really want to visit? I can take you anywhere.” He promises, pulling the sheet over the two of them and nuzzling her again.

Perhaps...I owe Ai and apology. He considers as he slides his hand to her leg, placing it over top of him again and bringing her close before closing his eyes. As he looks up at her for a moment the brown of his eyes changes again, not to amethyst but to a silver hue, then in an instant it is gone and Roland doesn't seem to notice at all.