The Land of El'orei discussion
Ayni'l
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Courtyard
message 51:
by
Alizarin
(new)
May 11, 2013 07:25PM
Kav held in as many signs of pain as he could as she slid the armor off his leg. A shard of a dark black stone had penetrated his calf and left a gouging, inch-wide hole just under the knee. "Just help me with the other one, and I'll be able to walk to my room," he said. Cora was generous, but he didn't want to have to explain himself too thoroughly. The less she knew, the better.
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"Kav," Cora grimaced at the sight of the stone. What had he been doing? "I can help you walk to your room. You don't have to limp all the way there."
He nodded brusquely. As much as he wanted to protect her, it just wouldn't be practical to drag himself all the way up to the third floor alone. "What were you doing out here without your guards, anyway?"
"Um..." Cora knew she couldn't lie to her brother. He would find out sooner or later anyway, it was bound to happen. She grinned sheepishly before confessing her wrongdoing. "I kind of snuck out?"
He laughed despite the pain. "Well, good for you. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to walk freely among our own grounds."
Cora, feeling better that Kav laughed instead of scolded her, allowed herself to laugh lightly. "Yeah, every once in a while the beast is released from her cage." she joked.
Kav's expression grew more serious. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful, though. If someone had seen you with Rhiss, alone . . . " He gave her a concerned look. "I cannot protect you from everything."
Cora looked down in shame. "I know, but..." She didn't want to be so lonely all the time.
Kav winced as he pulled off the upper part of his armor. It clanged and fell to the ground; he'd send a servant to retrieve it later. "Rhiss wasn't showing you a scratch, was he?"
((Just so you know, her Eamon is the specialized role of her personalized guardian.))
Cora shook her head. Sometimes Kav was able to read into things much too easily for her liking, but it made it easier to be honest with him. She couldn't imagine him hiding anything from her. "I needed someone to talk to other than my Eamon. He's nice and all, but I like to talk to other people too."
Cora shook her head. Sometimes Kav was able to read into things much too easily for her liking, but it made it easier to be honest with him. She couldn't imagine him hiding anything from her. "I needed someone to talk to other than my Eamon. He's nice and all, but I like to talk to other people too."
((okay, cool. :) ))He understood her dilemma, he just didn't know what he could tell her without seeming too out of line. "What about your maids? Or have you frightened them all away?" he said jokingly.
Smiling, Cora responded easily. "They're more concerned with having me looking like a princess than talking to me. They'll talk, but it's all small talk. I don't like that because they feel they are required to act differently just because our father is the ruler of Ayni'l."
Kavanel said nothing, looking back up at the castle. "And they are required to act differently because our father is the ruler of Ayni'l. Everyone is," he muttered darkly. Usually he wouldn't be saying these things. It was a side of him he rarely showed, even to Cora. But he trusted her well enough. She was one of the only people he could act naturally around.
Cora sighed. "I don't understand him."
"Cora!" Eth called softly. She was supposed to meet the younger girl at some point today and she had brought fabric swatches for a new dress (the order had been placed by her mother). Due to her preference for the particular princess, she liked to let her get first pick on the dresses.
"Eth!" She turned to face the older woman who acted more like a sister than her own sisters. "It's nice to see you!"
"How are you, darling?" Eth questioned, eyes alight with curiosity as she pulled her fiery hair over her shoulder. A smile quirked her lips.
"Well, I was a bit lonely." Cora slouched a bit before straightening and displaying a wide grin. "But now you're here!"
"Yes, I am quite brilliant, aren't I?" Eth commented in a mocking tone, her eyelashes fluttering in a wink.
Cora smiled brightly. "What'd you come here to show me?"
Kav quickly hid his wounds. He hoped that Cora wouldn't give him away. "Would you tell father that I've gone to bed if you see him?" he muttered as he tied his outer tunic around the injured knee. "I'll have to explain myself to him tomorrow."
"Why, the dress designs of course~" Eth pulled a worn-looking, leather book from the folds of her (ironically) drab, bluish-gray dress. "Unless, you don't want to see..." Her tone was teasing.
Turning back to her brother, she nodded in response. "I will."
"Good," he replied, avoiding the eyes of them both. Kav turned to go, limping back up to his room.
Cora waved at her brother's departure and turned back to Eth, waiting for a response.
Eth's eyes subtly followed Kav and she internally shook her head at his carelessness. Honestly, who wouldn't have noticed an injury like that. Quickly, she decided she would help him later. "Good day, Prince Kavanel." She greeted softly as he left. "Now." She flipped to a page in the middle of the book easily-- it looked as if the page had been turned to many times over. The fabric swath next to the design was a soft, almost white shade of pink silk. The dress had capped sleeves and an empire line of twisted golden cord that followed the length of the skirt to the ground where the full swarthy layers of fabric would pool lightly around one's feet.
"It's beautiful..." Cora eyes widened in astonishment. She always wondered about Eth's capabilities, because she always managed to make everything absolutely stunning. Even on paper.
"It's fairly light as well. And the fabric's durable. I've tested it." A mischievous grin spread over her features.
"That means it's almost ready?" Cora's eyes sparkled in delight. Eth was honestly the big sister she never had. Cora felt she could share anything with her and Eth would remain completely trustworthy.
"Need you ever doubt?" Eth pulled the girl into an affectionate side hug. "Of course, love."
Returning the hug, Cora's heart swelled to the point where she felt like dancing around. If there was one thing she was bad at, it was dancing. "You know you're the best right?"
"And again I say: need you ever doubt?" Eth giggled a bit. "I cannot wait to see you in it. You'll be breaking even more hearts than usual."
Cora frowned. "I don't break hearts, Eth."
"Not intentionally." Eth corrected with a smirk. Oh, she had seen the young guards, stable hands, town boys trailing after the oblivious girl like a line of lovesick, drooling pups. It was more than amusing. Cora truly had no idea.
"What do you mean Eth?!" Cora spoke in frustration. She didn't understand what she was getting at. "I'm not mean!"
"No, of course you aren't darling." Eth soothed, rubbing the girl's shoulders. "It's just an expression. If you're a heartbreaker, you're beautiful. That's all it means."
"O-oh." Cora spluttered, her brows wrinkling together as confusion turned to confused understanding. "Why would they like me though? I'm nothing special."
"You're cute, funny, and quite frankly, much nicer than your sisters." Eth tapped her nose with a sweet smile. "What other reasons are needed?"
Scrunching her nose as she thought about Eth's words, she decided on a solution. With a serious expression, Cora faced Eth. "Prove it."
((This didn't show up as new. O.o))"You want me to prove that you're beautiful?" Eth thought for a moment. "Note that I'm not as young as I used to be, but I might be called pretty by some." She waved and smiled at a younger guard. He simply nodded. "Now you smile at him."
((It's okay.))
Turning to the same guard Eth smiled at, Cora smiled, and even decided to wave.
Turning to the same guard Eth smiled at, Cora smiled, and even decided to wave.
The guard's face broke out in a grin and he gave an enthusiastic wave to Cora. "That," Eth nodded solemnly, "is how men react to beautiful women."
Turning back to Eth with a frown on her face, Cora denied everything. "That didn't mean anything, Eth. He could've done that for anyone. Maybe he just doesn't like you?" She knew she was being illogical, but she just didn't want to face the facts.
"I've never met him before." Eth shrugged honestly. "And if he didn't like me, he wouldn't have given so neutral a response as a nod."
"I still don't believe you." Cora crossed her arms in adamant denial. If Eth wanted to prove it to get her to understand so badly, there would have to be more than one guy with the same reaction. Eth could've just happened to pick the only guy that liked Cora, surely there weren't that many.
"Suit yourself." Eth scanned the courtyard before her eyes landed on a stable boy who looked rather confused. "Do you know him?"
Taking a sidelong glance at Eth, she shook her head. "No."
"All right." Eth waved and smiled again, this time though, her efforts yielded a wave though the expression was anxious and frantic. "Now you."
((Think it'd be funny if he fainted?))
Again, Cora smiled and waved at the stable boy much like she had the guard, expecting a similar reaction to the first time.
Again, Cora smiled and waved at the stable boy much like she had the guard, expecting a similar reaction to the first time.
((Lol! The added stress did him in!))He turned bright red, smiled, and before Eth could say 'I told you so,' his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out.
