inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Jan 23, 2021 16:01:19 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The tightness of her hug was welcomed, it brought a small smile to his lip as he continue to hum a song from his childhood. He too was being lulled into comfort and a very calm state as he went on. Their breathing had falling in rhythm together, nothing felt more right than this moment. Slowly his hand moved gently through her hair, petting her his eyes closed as well as they just melded into one for the time.
As her head began to grow heavy in his hand he smiled a bit once more, so she was tired. Anyone with a brain would be able to realize that. His eyes opened slowly as he looked down at her tired face, the slight pout and half lidded eyes made his heart flutter. A faint blush made it's way to his cheeks, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, she just looked so beautiful and calm. The fear had washed away and that was what he'd hoped for. Silas let her get off of him, he figured she'd be ready to sleep and that it was time for him to go. No matter how much he wanted to stay.
His brows raise ever so slightly as she pat the bed. But he didn't hesitate to lay beside her and snuggle into close to her. He liked nothing better than to be beside her just having some form of physical contact with her. It was slowly becoming something he was realizing it was both of them that needed it. For different reasons, but they lead to the same place and that was each other. As he settled beside her he chuckled. "It is a song my mother used to hum to me. I don't know the words or if it is something she made up but it is a song she hummed when I was upset, or had cried that day. It always made me feel better no matter what had happened." Now he said that but there was a deeper meaning to it, the night he'd lost someone he'd been lucky enough to be held, along with his other siblings. and hummed that song. It was a puddle of his family, some of the smaller ones in his arms, others laid on his lap and his mothers, but everyone was there including his father. They'd all needed that safety then and his mother had offered it without fail. Even if she was crying as she did.
He reached toward her once more, to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear as she finally settled. The moment was quickly gone when and her hair fell out of place just as fast as she sat up nervous once more. Had he done that? So perhaps he had not calmed her the way he'd hoped.
Stay? She wants me to stay?
His cheeks flushed matching her's and a small gentle smile formed. "It would be my honor to stay with you Talulla." Silas held his arms out for her to drop back into the bed so he could hold her all night and keep her safe. This was going to be the rest of their lives and he couldn't wait for it to start. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Jan 23, 2021 20:53:05 GMT -5
 Orson
 Talulla
Talulla felt her heart thump violently in her chest as she sat there, shifting to give him space. If he didn’t think it was appropriate, she could get over it. It was only six more days; though, she’d waited a lifetime to find him, six days now seemed like an eternity before them. None the less, she would wait, if he wanted, and she would just squash the night terrors down just like everything else. Silas didn’t need to bear any more of her burden. She felt her heart seize with concern, palpitating against her ribs in a fluttering pattern as she swallowed her fears and forced herself to look at him.
He was lying there, face flushed and eyes wide, seeming surprised, hair loose around his face, softly fanning his grecian features. She felt her heart swell slightly, overwhelmed with the sudden passion she felt for this man. She gave a nervous smile, biting her bottom lip gently as she held his gaze, waiting anxiously for his response. As he smiled, she felt herself relax, watching him lean back and hold his arms out for her. ”It would be my honor.” She swallowed, heart fluttering a little harder at his statement. She shifted, pulling the blankets forcefully over and leaving Silas laying on the mattress cover.
She then shifted forward, snuggling up to him with a soft giggle, pulling the sheets across them. She nestled against his chest, burying her face against his neck, wrapping her arms around him as she gave a soft yawn. She sighed, inhaling his scent deeply as she leaned into him with a contented sigh.
”Thank you, Silas,” She murmured, beginning to drift off again. Softly, she found herself humming back Silas’s lullaby as Dario slipped up and came to nestle in the pillows behind her head. He blinked wide, golden eyes at Silas, slow and deliberate with a gentle purr beginning to surround them. Talulla smiled, shifting suddenly to lean up and press a tender kiss to his cheek, soft and gentle before she nestled back against him, returning to gently humming his mother’s song once more.
And so, like that, Talulla’s humming slowly faded as she drifted off into sleep.
The night fell into quiet as the princess allowed herself to finally rest. For once, she did not have any dreams. Meanwhile, the King was sleepless as he tried to get over the disrespect he had suffered earlier that evening. How his daughter could be so insolent, and her prince to be so defensive of her, a disgraceful wench? It just didn’t sit right with him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to go give Silas a piece of his mind. And by the time the dawn was rising to bathe the kingdom in golden tranquility, he had restlessly festered enough to do such that. He rose from his chambers in the early morning, making his way to the man’s (unbeknownst to him, empty) room. He knocked the door with three sharp raps, waiting. When he heard nothing, he pounded harder this time. He finally turned, feeling that his miscreant daughter and the prince were off together, in some inappropriate business.
And yes, although he was right about them being together, there was hardly anything inappropriate about their current business.
At her door, the king pounded roughly on the wood. Talulla shot up, pulling free from Silas. She began to panic, heart taking off suddenly as her body began to tremble violently once more. She gently shook Silas, pushing him to the edge and slipping past him. She looked around in her visible approaching panic attack, breath hiccuping in small bursts now as her father pounded on the door once more.
”You have to leave.” Her voice was low, breathless, shaking free from her quivering lips. ”You have to get out, like, right now,” She mumbled, eyes dilating as she assessed the room, trying to figure out how to get Silas out of here with out her father seeing.
Now this was a true nightmare. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Jan 24, 2021 21:20:42 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla felt her chest constrict as King Maynard began to pound harder on the door. She watched in fear as the door knob rattled angrily. ”Talulla? Open up, I want to have a word.” She swallowed her fear down as Silas finally stirred, herself forcing her panic into her stomach as she turned to face him. She felt relief at his gentle reassurance, closing her eyes as he briefly kissed her—over far too quick for her taste—before disappearing out her window. Her gaze flit to Dario’s quickly, the small black kitten taking the hint and darting out behind the man. Talulla braced herself, summoning all her courage and turning to face her father.
Dario slid between Silas’s legs, giving a chirp and a flick of his tail and darted off to the side, leading Silas over to a tapestry, sliding behind it with another chirp, enticing the man to follow him. Once Silas found the door, Dario began to lead him in a winding path through the hidden labyrinth while Talulla faced her dad alone. She peeked through the door, hand shaking so hard she could barely turn the knob. The king shoved his way in at the small opening, shoving the princess back down onto the ground with a low thud. She gave a slight yelp, scrambling to get back to her feet as the king glowered over her. She staggered to her feet, biting her bottom lip as she pulled herself up. The king tore around the room, stalking out on to the balcony before coming to stand before her.
”Stand up straight, stop slouching. Who were you talking to?” She blinked, terrified and mute up at the angry man who grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her again. ”What are you, deaf?” His voice rose, anger growing with her insolence. "N-no, no s-s-sir,” She stammered, teeth clacking together as she quaked, her eyes on the floor. The king released her, sending her staggering to the side as she collapsed back, sitting on her bed and folding her hands.
”Where is he?” The king demanded. She blinked up at him with wide, horrified eyes, face pale and lips quivering. ”Who, Dario?” She feigned ignorance. The king gave a growl, leaning forward and popping her lightly on the side of the head. She flinched, eyes squeezing shut. ”Don’t play dumb. Where is the prince?” She swallowed hard, licking her lips nervously as she looked away. ”I don’t… I don’t know, Father,” She croaked out. After ascertaining that the prince wasn’t, in fact there, he turned back to her.
”Well, it would seem you have for once, managed not to be an utter failure. Get dressed; his siblings are arriving today, so I expect you to be at breakfast to apologize to his parents for missing dinner last night. And you will be there to greet our guests. Or else,” He warned, hand rising once more above her. She flinched, holding her breath. Instead, he released her, turning and striding out of the room, slamming the door. Talulla burst into tears, hand clamped over her mouth as she prayed that Silas was far away by now.
The king returned to his own room to get ready for breakfast while Talulla composed herself before getting up and heading in to her bathroom to begin getting ready for the day. She finally appeared downstairs at breakfast with slightly puffy eyes and a rosy complexion. She had settled on a simple pink gown with a delicate tulle skirt and quarter sleeves. Her hair was loose around her face, and she came down quietly. She curtseyed in greeting to them all, then took her seat beside Silas. She kept her gaze down, pushing her food around her plate until her father cleared his throat. She looked up, slightly panicked, nerves trembling down through her fingers once more. She straightened slightly, giving a faint nod, pulling her gaze up to his parents.
”I would like to apologize for missing dinner last night; I was so… caught up in my studies, I lost track of time,” She lied, head bending forward out of respect, averting her eyes in shame, tucking her hands in her lap and curling them into fists to hide the tremors. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Jan 25, 2021 0:35:23 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The prince looked down quickly as her felt something move below him, his heart for a moment had quickened with fear but he relaxed as Dario chirped. "You know Dario you are slowly becoming my hero." He followed after the cat quickly, wanting nothing more than to be back in his room so the king would have no real proof of his being in her room. He stopped as her heard the princess hit the floor though, he didn't know if it had been her or the door who had made that sound but he had to take a moment. With a deep breath he shut his eyes and calmed the rage that swelled within. Silas lit a small ball of fire in his hand to give himself some light so he wouldn't step on Dario in the dark and it was a little larger than he'd meant at first considering the fact he was trying to control his anger. It wasn't long before the two ended up in his room. Well that was convenient to say the least.
As much as he wanted to go comfort the princess he had to get ready for breakfast and meet his parents and the low life king. He hoped with all hope that Talulla would show for breakfast. She needed to eat and he wanted to make sure she was okay. So he got cleaned up and dressed. His clothing was brighter than normal, he'd chosen a white under button up and a pale gray coat and pants to match. Of course his hair was pulled back neatly and he made his way to breakfast. Once there he greeted his mother and father warmly and the king with a polite bow and soft greeting before seating himself.
As the princess walked in his eyes went to her immediately, she looked beautiful in pink. He liked that color on her. But it was the pink on her cheeks and eyes that he didn't like. She'd been crying. His eyes moved to the kind for a moment but he bit his tongue, he wasn't supposed to know. As she walked over he stood pulling her chair out for her, offering a small smile. Silas knew he couldn't say anything right now but he was glad to see her at breakfast.
The queen turned to her as she spoke, the green gaze that matched Silas' resting gently on her as she spoke. She was seated to the side of her and it was the queen who reached out gently touching the young girl's hands. "My dear girl there is no need to fret. We hold no bad feelings, I am glad you made it for breakfast on this lovely morning." The woman smiled giving her hand a soft squeeze before returning to her food. "Your dress is lovely dearie." The queen spoke gently to her and she'd felt the poor thing's hands shaking. Though she had no idea the reasoning behind the young princess fear. "Isn't it Silas." His mother looked over at the boy who was trying hard to bite his tongue.
His eyes moved to his mother and then to the princess. "Yes mother, she looks beautiful." The gaze the rested on her was soft and full of adoration. "Pink suits you princess."
"Yes I have to agree pink is flattering on you. It compliments your complexion perfectly." The king spoke up after swallowing, he paused looking at his wife. "That is the right word yes?" His mother just laughed and nodded shaking her head slowly afterwards. For an educated man he was dense. Silas ate his food, glancing over her and there to make sure the angel beside him was eating. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Jan 25, 2021 14:35:57 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Dario glanced over his shoulder at Silas when the man thanked him, pausing with a flick of his tail. He chirped with a tone that could only translate to, “Duh, now hurry up dummy,” before flitting ahead of Silas into darkness. He noted the bright ball of fire, and his own heart ached for their beloved Talulla. He sent her all the strength his little kitten heart could manage and then darted faster to get Silas to safety quicker and return swiftly to her. Once Silas was safe in his room, Dario disappeared into the passage and sprinted back to his princess.
Talulla, meanwhile, was doing everything she could to get herself back under control. She swallowed hard, gasping for air as she squeezed her eyes shut, clamping her hand across her mouth tightly. Get it together, for Silas. Don’t be a burden. And so, she squashed it down in her chest and hesded to breakfast, still swiping at her eyes.
At breakfast, she was quiet and sullen, save for her feeble apology. She ignored the glower from her father at how rickety it had been assembled, but she had done her best. she could barely manage more. Of course, given how fragile she was feeling, it was no surprise that she jolted back from the queen slightly, but fought to stay still as the queen gently touched her hand. She swallowed her fear, forcing a smile as she glanced up to Silas for guidance, knuckles white as she fought the tremors.
”Ah, thank you, your majesty,” She finally choked out, voiced hardly above a whisper. She blinked, eyes locked on Silas’s own, clearly struggling to keep her composure. She blinked, surprised at the queen’s compliment, turning to stare with a gaping mouth. She flushed slightly, shutting her mouth quickly when she caught her father’s glare, the pink blossoming in her cheeks. The color deepened to rose at Silas’s compliment, draping across her nose and trickling down to her neck, becoming brilliant crimson at the king’s final agreement, ears scarlet to match. She glanced down at her lap, shyly, flustered beyond speech. That is, until her father gave a forceful cough. She straightened instantly, almost soldier like, as she gave a nervous smile. Anxiously, she tucked her hair behind her ears, ignoring her pounding heart as she looked up at the royalty before her.
”You are all far too kind, and I am more than grateful for your generous words,” She practically whispered, voice soft and low. ”I can only hope to have a similar impression on our new guests arriving today,” She finished, dropping her gaze once more. Her father gave a short nod, and the table returned to usual breakfast activities. She, however, still did not eat, returning to merely pushing fruit around her plate in a feeble attempt to appear to be eating. She focused on the grapes, watching them roll around her plate with eyes that were fixed anywhere but there. She had that distant, distracted gaze once more, and her fingers still trembled whenever she unclenched her fists, causing her to quickly grip them back. Her knuckles were so taut in her grip that one might fear the skin to burst open with the intensity of her struggle to control her emotions.
How strange it must seem to the visitors, to see the boisterous princess subdued in such a manner, though the King didn’t seem at all fazed. Rather, his mood seemed to have improved, almost a glimmer of happiness seeming to shine through his rain clouds. It was almost as if the less his daughter did to exist, the better he seemed to feel. This, to him, was the proper behavior of a princess: seen and not heard, beautiful though not vain, and composed beyond measure, even if her gaze was a million miles beyond the plate before her.
How sad this commonplace between the strange pair must seem to outsiders who had not experienced a “well behaved” Talulla before now. Even sadder was it to those who had, watching from the sideline as Talulla disappeared back into herself once more. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Jan 27, 2021 3:57:42 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
Silas had caught her eyes, he could tell she was nervous and was having trouble handling everything happening and he offered her a small smile of encouragement. It was the flinch that caused his smile to fade and his fingers to grip the utensils firmly. The metal began to heat up a bit as he clenched his jaw briefly to keep himself calm. But his family chiming in on complimenting her brought a small smile for his face. He knew they would love her and would make sure she left loved if it killed them. They had always made him and his siblings feel like the were the world to them.
The queen had noticed the girl move back from her touch at first, why would she shy away from human contact? She knew the young princess was shy but scared? That was a whole different story. She didn't like that, her eyes moved to Silas and she could see the boy grow tense. So he knew why she moved like that. A question for a later time. "Yes, the guests who are arriving today, I am sure the guests will love you, my dear." The queen said, careful to not mention who was coming. It was a surprise for Silas. Of course, the vagueness of their comments earned his interest.
"Guests? Guests are to be arriving today?" The prince asked looking between the princess and his mother confused. Who would be joining them today?
"My dear son that is not for you to know." His mother said with a raised brow and this only caused the confusion to set in deeper. But the raised brow told him not to question it. His eyes moved to Talulla once more, she wasn't eating, he'd make sure to grab something for her to eat once breakfast was over. Silas watched as she slowly regressed again, it didn't look like the king had hit her this time at least not as he had before. Though, the thump he heard as he snuck back into his room said otherwise.
Breakfast seemed to drag on as everyone ate and the prince tried his best to not fight with the king but the small smile that peeked its way on the man's face did it. "A question, your highness." He cleared his throat turning to look at him. Instantly his mother's eyes locked on to him, she'd warned him about this the other night. "I heard a loud sound from what sounded like the directions of the princess's room, while I bathed and readied myself for breakfast. I overslept, heavy sleeper you know." He said, knowing the king had stopped in at his room to see if he was there. "Surprising such a noise could be heard from my quarters." Silas looked genuinely concerned, "Did you happen to hear anything about the commotion?" His eyes never left the man, he wanted to know just how good of a liar he was or if he'd be honest. Was this violent man only that behind closed doors or did it leak onto the breakfast table.
It was then that the door opened, though Silas did not turn to see until he heard a familiar voice.
"Wow! There a so many fwoers in here!" The voice of a small boy echoed through the room and the prince's face changed instantly, his eyes widened and he whipped his head around to see all seven of his siblings entering the room. His jaw dropped, they weren't supposed to be coming until the wedding! Silas stood up quickly shocking ringing clear on her face. "Silas!!!!!" The smallest who couldn't have been more than four ran over crashing into the tall man's leg with a loud smack. though he didn't seem phased by it. A huge smile spread across his face as he scooped the young boy up and hugged him tightly.
"What are you doing here?! It is so early!" Silas said squeezing the small boy causing a small squeak to escape him. The moment was cut a bit sort as their father gently cleared his throat. Silas set the boy down and watched as he pouted and ran back to the seven children standing politely waiting to introduce themselves. As a group they bowed before the king.
The second tallest of the ground spoke, a dark-haired boy who looked very similar to Silas, just younger with brown eyes. "Thank you for having us so early your Majesty. I am Zion second son to King Zyre and Queen Nera of Elizazar, these are my siblings, Adreil." The tallest boy with light brown hair stepped forward bowing to the king, " Ximena" A girl stepped forward shyly curtsying, her hair was almost black, and her eyes a pale green. She stepped back awkwardly and her brother continued, "Laila," a short girl stepped forward her hair was short cut above her shoulders and was reddish-brown her eyes matched her mother's, "Kairo and Kaia." The twins stepped forward together the boy had the same hair as Silas and blue eyes, the girl, had the same hair and eyes but one of her eyes was green. "And the youngest son Gael." The tiniest one looked around for a moment before bowing quickly almost falling over as he did.
Silas watched them swelling with pride and excitement. He couldn't wait to talk to them and introduce his bride-to-be to each one of them. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Jan 28, 2021 16:34:53 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla desperately leaned into Silas’s gentle reassurance and guidance, relying heavily on the small smile of encouragement to push her forward. After all, Silas was quickly becoming one of the few people who she found she could actually trust. Never once had the gentle prince pushed her to be anything more or less; he met her right where she was. And now, she was determined to do better because she wanted to be better. For him.
As her gaze returned to her haphazard plate, she felt the concerned gaze of the queen on her, and silently she begged her to look away. She couldn’t bear the thought of the gentle queen feeling pity or concern for her; she was enough of a burden as it was.
She blinked up Silas’s question, eyes nervously darting to the queen in concern and apology. She didn’t realize that Silas wasn’t aware that arrangements had been made for his siblings to arrive earlier to help in the preparations and to get to know Talulla better. She felt her father’s stern gaze, and her heart fluttered anxiously as she dropped her hands to her lap, clenching them together out of worry that the queen might be upset. After the playful banter between mother and son, the tense breakfast lurched forward once more, though Talulla merely faded into the background as the visiting royalty engaged in small talk once more with the much more amiable king.
When Silas finally spoke directly to him, King Maynard turned his steel gaze to the younger man. He was sitting up straight, head held high and eyes sharp and focused for once rather than clouded with grief. He nodded his head to allow the young prince to go ahead, not noticing the queen’s look of irritation and worry. As Silas continued speaking, his gaze grew sharper, the man becoming so still one could have sworn he had transformed into a literal statue right then and there. It didn’t even look like he was breathing. Talulla, right beside him, had done the opposite, the tremors returning more violently now. She could barely hide the faint quivering of her body as she dipped her head slightly, hair coming to drape beside her face and offer some concealment as she sank back into her chair feebly, shoulders slumping down. While her father sat there, smoldering and proud, she looked as if she were trying for all the world to be swallowed up by the very chair she was seated in.
”Hmm, surprising you heard that when you did not hear my knocking this morning to ensure you were awake for breakfast, or to receive my invitation to join me for my daily stroll through the garden. After all, I figure it’s about time we try to get to know each other, since you’ll be my son in law very soon.” The king’s curt reply met Silas’s challenge with a cold, calculated response, his gaze narrowing slightly in a challenge to the young man’s probing “curiosity”. The king had long begun to suspect that Silas had been poking into business he had no right to and no understanding of prior, and he didn’t like where this seemed to be heading. ”I mean, I did knock quite loudly several times, so it’s almost a little worrisome, just how heavy of a sleeper you seem to be. One might even be tempted to believe you weren't in there.” He let the statement hang in the air before sighing, taking a drink of water before continuing.
”Nevertheless, the ‘commotion’ you speak of was just your lovely bride to be’s doing. Our… darling Talulla here was a little overzealous in her attempt to return her books to the library this morning after her reviews yesterday, you know, with the bad ankle and all. It seems she had a bit of a rough start to her morning, and had a small tumble and sent the books flying everywhere. It was quite the sight,” He dismissed Silas’s concern with a wave of his hand a slight chuckle at the end of his statement. ”Isn’t that right, dear?” The king’s gaze, already sparking with irritation, flickered to his daughter. Talulla froze, eyes down on the table, trying to avoid reacting out of the ordinary. Slowly, she brought her gaze up to the king’s, eyebrows lifting as she fought to keep the rest of her expression merely at an aloof interest, prodding him to repeat the question. She truly had not been listening, having been distracted with trying to conceal the tremors that still escaped her form.
”I asked you, Talulla, about the commotion this morning when you dropped your books after you misstepped on your bad ankle. Do you know what I’m referring to?” His gaze narrowed in warning as Talulla gulped, reaching a shaky hand up to tuck her hair behind her ears and forced herself to straighten in her seat. ”Oh, yes, that,” She caught on quickly, gaze flashing to her soon to be in laws nervously with a faint attempt at a smile that held all the charm of a grimace. ”Yes, sorry if that woke any one else. You all know I am certainly, uh, not the most graceful per se,” She blurted out, talking a little too quickly. Anyone who knew her well enough would be able to see clean through her lie.
She prayed however, that it was enough to cover up for her now rather annoyed father.
She was saved, however, from further speculation by the opening of the doors. Her eyes flew to her father, who held her gaze for a long moment. An unspoken conversation happened that caused her to blanche slightly and drop her gaze first before the steely king turned his eyes to Silas once more, giving a small, almost triumphant smirk. He held the man’s gaze until he turned to the group of new visitors, rising as he did so. Talulla was lost in the folds of her skirt for a moment as Dario darted out of the sight of the new children, the kitten already fearing for his tail’s safety. Her father snapped his fingers and she lurched to her feet, a small hint of color returning to her cheeks in her embarrassment. She gave a polite curtsy in greeting as King Maynard bowed beside her, coming to stand at his side with a faint hint of a smile, pushing her hair behind her ears once more to see them more clearly.
As the siblings began to introduce themselves, Talulla felt herself grounding with gentle warmth at the loveliness of the whole family. They were all beautiful children, much like the dashing parents, though Silas was somehow still more handsome in her eyes. That’s a good thing, I suppose, since you’re marrying him directly. Her gaze softened on the younger children, a small smile relaxing her features as the color returned to her face once more. She nearly lunged forward when Gael began to topple, concern flitting in her features for a moment. However, he righted himself, and she folded her hands in front of her once more with a soft giggle despite it all.
Already, she could tell that she was going to love them very much, especially the younger ones. And, already, she was a little nervous to protect them from the wrath of her father and to keep herself from being a burden to them. Her father, in that moment, was less than amused, simply taking them each in with a short nod of his head. As they finished their introductions, he gave a tight lipped smile that didn’t even come within miles of his burning gaze as he loudly clapped his hands together.
”Well, the gang has all arrived. Welcome, it is an honor to have you all present for the coming celebration ahead. I hope you all have some time to get to know Talulla and myself more personally before the big wedding. Talulla, of course, is my only daughter, heir to my throne, and soon to be Silas’s wife and your sister,” He explained, gaze falling more gently on the younger ones, though it was still intimidating considering how much larger of a man he was than them.
Talulla gave a small wave and a bigger smile, then, hoping to ease some of the awkward air, stepping forward shyly. ”Uhm, hello, and welcome. I’m sure you’re all very tired, so if it’s alright with you, uh, Father, I think I’ll go ahead and start them on the tour of the castle and get them to their rooms so they can freshen up, and you adults can finish breakfast. Yes?” She seemed uncertain, nerves getting the better of her with a small crack in her voice as she fought to hold his gaze, imploring him to release them quickly.
King Maynard glanced at King Zyre and Queen Nera, gauging their reactions for a moment before simply giving a short nod and turning to return to his seat. Talulla gave a small, excited clap now, grinning brightly with slightly rosy cheeks as she gave a soft giggle once more. ”Alright then. Silas, are you finished? Or do you want to stay?” She asked then, turning to face the prince with a glimmer of humor and one brow quirked up, taunting him with a tiny smile. She knew for a fact that he absolutely would not stay for anything, but she also knew she would enjoy teasing him in front of his family far too much and that might be enough to deter him. Really, she just wanted him to come along so she could hold his hand to hide the few trembles lingering in her fingertips. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Jan 28, 2021 19:08:41 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
Silas played it mellow, while the king accused him of not being in his room, "I'm afraid adjusting to a new place has made me rather tired. My apologizes for any, confusion that may have caused you your majesty." He let the smallest of smiles make it's way to his lips. "Once I am awake though I assure you my hearing is far better. As for joining you on your morning stroll, I'd be honored to accompany you on your next one." The king didn't scare him in the least, he wasn't afraid of much especially not some drunk aggressive king.
The moment had been broken by his siblings, luckily for everyone at the table, Silas wasn't one to give up but he wasn't going to challenge the king in front of his younger siblings. At least not like he was currently doing. He'd managed to keep his temper under control while the king lied through his teeth and pointed out how he was most likely not in his room. Though it had taken everything in his power to not let the smoke rise from his hands. His mother and father relaxed as their children came in, glad Silas was dropping the whole thing. Impeccable timing.
Zion had his eyes locked on the young princess who stood beside the king. Mother had chosen quite a beautiful girl for his brother. Lucky bastard. Speaking of Silas, the prince had taken full notice of his brother's gaze on his princess and narrowed his eyes in warning. But that only brought a small smirk to the young man's face. Funny. So he likes this one. This would interesting to get to know the girl who had finally cause Silas to grow protective over someone outside the family. The eldest three didn't shy away from the intimidating king, they politely held their ground but didn't challenge his authority. The younger kids though were a different story, Kaia had taken to tucking herself behind Zion a bit holding Kairo's hand nervously. Laia wasn't really paying too much attention which earned her an elbow from Ximena which earned her older sister a vicious glare. Gael was being, well Gael, his eyes were everywhere but where they needed to be. His mouth was wide open as he stared at the flowers and then his eyes landed on the king. Big scary man right? Wrong. Gael smiled and waved at him happily and then continued to look around. Finally, he looked at Talulla, she looked like the princesses Silas had read to him about. She looked like a fairy. When she offered to show them around he could barely keep himself still excited to be shown around by the fairy princess.
As her eyes had fallen on Silas he looked at her and his face almost instantly flushed as she teased him. But not only for her teasing but the way all of his siblings leaned around to make sure they could see his face when he answered her. Bunch of idiots. Silas' eyes returned to her and he smiled softly, "I'd love to join you in showing them around." He wasn't about to leave his brothers alone with her, granted his sisters and the twins would be there to interrupt most things is didn't make him feel any better. Of course, he trusted his brothers with his life and knew they'd never be serious but still. The prince turned and bowed to his mother and father, then he bowed to the king. "I look forward to joining you on your stroll." His eyes met the king's for a brief moment before he turned and looked at the princess to lead the way.
Very quickly Gael ran over arms stretched upwards opening and closing his hands furiously. "Uppies." He demanded as politely as he could.
Once all nine of them had said their goodbyes they all followed Silas and Talulla out of the room. The twins already trailing very close to the prince, eyes never leaving the princess. Zion elbowed Silas playful once they were out of earshot. "Well brother? Aren't you going to say hello to your favorite sibling?"
"You are not my favorite." Silas said rolling his eye at his brother who pouted and looked at the princess.
"Yeah Zion why would you be his favorite?" Kario said raising a brow at him, "Yeah Zion you are the most annoying one" Kaia chimed in sticking her tongue out at him.
"Now now you animals, everyone knows Silas doesn't have favorites isn't that right dear brother." Ximena said coming to walk beside the princess, blocking Adreil and Zion with ease. "Don't let them bother you hun, boys you know. Your dress is really pretty, pink has never looked good on me, but you look stunning in it. Your home is beautiful too, all those flowers in that room back there were exquisite. "
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Jan 31, 2021 22:48:52 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla prayed desperately that her father was going to get a grip, quick. Never before had she been embarrassed of her father and his behavior, but now with Silas’s family here and the young ones cowering as he stared literal children down. They didn’t deserve her father’s unwarranted anger and hate; not like she did. She watched as he slowly returned to his seat, releasing a soft sigh of relief, eyes flickering to Dario. A quiet look passed between them as the cat settled down to keep an eye on the king for the girl. Talulla was distracted quickly by a small voice at her feet. “Uppies!”
Talulla’s eyes fell to the small boy before her; Gael. She knew how fond Silas was of his youngest sibling, and how much the young boy loved Silas. After all, he had immediately come sprinting into the older man’s arms, giggling and excited. So, she knew very quickly how important it was that Gael liked her. But, not just for Silas’s sake; for hers too. She grinned brightly, tucking her hair behind her ears before bending down and scooping the young boy up. She pulled Gael into a tight hug, giggling as the boy shifted to become more comfortable, moving the young prince onto her hip. She began to lead the group forward, glancing back at Silas with a small smile for reassurance, grinning at the young twins in order to try to help soothe them after their encounter with her father.
They began to move forward, into the long hallway. Talulla listened to the chatter around her, glancing over her shoulder with a giggle at the twins. She startled slightly at Ximena’s appearance, pulling Gael closer to her subconsciously before she gave a nervous giggle. ”Oh, they’re not bothering me. I think it’s kind of cute, actually. Your family is so large and beautiful, just like I dreamed mine would be,” She admitted with a brilliant smile, turning her gaze down to Gael. ”You are all so wonderful and kind, thank you so much for your generosity. I really must say, it is so kind of you to flatter me considering how much more beautiful you and your whole family are,” She turned her gaze up to the slightly taller, though younger girl.
”Ximena, correct? Thank you so much. I think you would look lovely in any color you choose, pink or not. And thank you, again, for your compliment on my flowers. I spend a lot of time with them, so if you have any specific flowers you would like, just let me know. I’d be happy to have some grown just for you,” She beamed, turning to look down at little Gael tucked safely against her.
”You too young man, anything you want,” She giggled, booping the small boy’s nose gently before glancing back to Silas, widening her eyes with a rather innocent expression. ”It’s a shame though, Si, really. I was hoping I would be your favorite, you know, considering you’re marrying me or something like that,” She teased, finishing with a loud sigh and turning forward once more. She glanced over at Laia, falling to the side, giving the girl a wink and stifling her giggle as they came to a stop at the first room in the long corridor. ”This is going to be dearest Kaia and Kairo’s room for the week, I hope you two don’t mind sharing,” She giggled slightly, opening the room to reveal a lavish bedroom with two beds and a balcony, a bathroom off to the side. She grinned at the twins, eyes glittering warmly at the two.
”I’m at the other end of the hall right across from Silas, so if you need anything in the night, then let me know. Lunch will be in a few hours, and your things should already be in there,” She smiled warmly, switching Gael to her other hip, leaning her head on the smaller boy’s as he tucked it back against her shoulder sleepily. She gazed down at the two twins with a gentle smile, the sunlight from the nearby window pouring across her gently and revealing her gentle baby hairs fluttering around her hair like a blonde halo, dress fabric shimmering in the light of day. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 1, 2021 5:12:07 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The prince was watching the princess as she held his littlest brother close his eyes gentle as they rested on her. It looked like the group was getting along with her already. As she looked back at him he blinked for a moment, and then a warm smile spread across his face, He was very happy with how things were going already.
Speaking of getting along, Gael was latched on her her, his face was buried in her hair, he had been right she did smell like flowers. Sweet pretty flowers. He'd squealed with glee when the princess had picked him up, his hands wrapped around her neck and his head rested on her shoulder as the walked. Until something caught his eye here and there like a painting or some pretty flowers. Then of course he strained himself to keep looking at it while everyone else talked among themselves.
Ximena smiled at the blonde princess a small laugh escaping the girl. "Well, in just a few days time our family will be your family so I hope you can deal with them. I know they can be a lot to handle." She giggled again. The twins had managed to get hold of the end of her skirt and now were holding that and with other hand held each other. Color flushed to the young princess's face as she complimented her on her beauty and the girl brought her hand to her shoulder rubbing it with a small giggle, "You are so sweet, I would love some flowers." She grinned happily, "Orchids are my favorite, what is your favorite princess?" She asked her head tilting ever so slightly to the side.
"I like the purple fwoers that smell like your hair!" Gael pipped up when she looked to him, "You smell nice." He giggled as she poked his nose quickly burying his face right into her hair once more.
When Talulla turned, teasing Silas his face flushed red instantly "Of course you are my favorite. In a different way" He paused rubbing the back of his neck while each sibling turned to look at him wide eyes. "You aren't my sibling thankfully. That would," He chuckled a bit, "Make things pretty odd considering." The prince smiled a little, he of course was referring to their private moments they'd spent together.
Laila was holding back her laughter, slapping her hand over her mouth but doing a terrible job. "Silas has a crush!!" She blurted out pointing at him, the chorus of giggles from the younger children rang clear down the halls. They were all poking fun at him now. And he was beet red.
The twins let go of her dress running into the room quick, pushing on another to claim the bed they wanted. "I don't mind sharing as long as Kairo doesn't snore all night!" Kaia teased her brother who just stuck his tongue out at her blowing air as he did.
"You are the one the snores! Like father does!" The boy cackled as she squealed with anger.
"Hey Hey you two what do we say to the princess you little demons?" Ximena said raising a brow at the two who where now wrestling on Kairo's bed. Kaia pinned him down and they both paused.
"Thank you Talulla!" The said happily before resuming their wrestling match. Gael was happy where he was, she was quickly become his favorite person. And Silas couldn't agree more with the small boy, framed with light in her hair, she was stunning. The color had faded a bit from his cheeks but a flush remained as he stood there quiet but gentle eyes brimmed with adoration for the woman who stood holding the youngest member of his family.
"Well, twins are you going to join us and our angelic hostess on looking at the other rooms or shall we leave you to beat each other up?" Zion said looking at the princess and the to his two siblings. "For we don't want to waste such a beautiful woman's time now do we?" His comments earn him a sharp jab in the ribs by Silas who was glaring at him now. The twins jumped off the bed a raced over to hug her goodbye, they knew they had to get cleaned up for lunch. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 2, 2021 22:50:40 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla’s heart melted as she scooped up the smaller boy, his delighted squeal like music to her ears. She tucked him close to her, already fond of the twins and their gentle grip on her skirt. They could cling to her all day, if they truly wanted. She gave a gentle smile to the twins, turning her gaze to Laila for a moment. She winked at the girl before being distracted by Ximena once more.
”Truthfully, I’ve always wanted a big family. And now, it’s like all my dreams are coming true at once,” She admitted, flushing slightly as she glanced down. At Ximena’s contact with her shoulder, she stiffened ever so slightly, grip tightening a bit on Gael defensively, but immediately relaxed, leaning into the girl’s gentle touch with a giggle. ”You would suit an orchid,” She agreed, not bothering to elaborate further, but making a mental note to have Constance send orchids up. She pondered Ximena’s question for a moment, head tilting to mirror the taller girl as she tried to determine her favorite. ”I suppose my favorite would have to be the forget-me-nots. Small, blue, and unassuming but so beautiful in bloom,” She rationalized, turning to gaze down with a giggle at Gael’s interjection. ”Lavender is also a close second,” She agreed, noting to the boy’s preference.
At Silas’s response to her tease, the chameleon of a girl flushed red to match, looking away with a soft giggle and brilliant smile. She glanced over at Laila and an actual laugh burst free from her chest, unable to resist, snorting softly as her nose wrinkled. She shook with laughter, jostling Gael lightly against her as she locked eyes with Laila once more. ”I would hope so, dear, or it’s going to be really awkward for me considering I have a massive crush on him,” She admitted warmly, flush spreading to her ears as her gaze flickered hungrily to Silas’s, offering him a dazzling smile before she moved forward, letting the twins into the room. She stumbled slightly as they tore past her, adjusting Gael carefully as she watched the twins with soft eyes, resting her head on the smaller boy’s once more. This… you are allowed to want this.
When Zion spoke, she turned her gaze to him, sobering slightly at his compliments, a slight flush crossing her cheeks despite herself. Usually, the only person who had ever complimented her before like that was Silas, but here was Zion throwing one after another right at her without even a thought between them. It was almost, well, unnerving how he just easily handed them out to her without thought. She swallowed hard, watching Silas jab his brother before she was distracted once more by the twins. ”Oh, I wouldn’t say wasting. If this is what they’re doing, I certainly don’t mind.” She giggled as they cuddled up to her, and she did her best to pull them closer, arms winding tightly around the babes as she pulled them to her, Gael tucked safely against her side.
”I’m really glad you like it; don’t fight too much, I can assure you that both beds are identical and very comfy, so enjoy,” She grinned, straightening up as she readjusted her grip on Gael to make sure the small boy was secure before heading further down the hall, leading the group. She came to a stop at the next door across the hall, pushing it open. Inside, this room held a smaller, single bed, as well as chair and vanity. It looked like a mini version of her own room, with gracious, sloping windows overlooking the greenery leading down to the stables and pastures. Perfect for spotting horses.
”This is for you, miss Laila,” She grinned, turning to the younger girl with a bright gaze, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder. Laila didn’t strike her as being super touchy-feely right to begin with, so she didn’t want to pressure the girl to do anything. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 6, 2021 4:33:05 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
A look of confusion washed across her face as she felt the girl's body stiffen against her touch. The feeling quickly went away as the princess relaxed into it and Ximena let her look of confusion melt into a smile. "Well, welcome to the family love! We are glad to have you sweetie." The other princess smiled happily. As everything went on Silas watched closely, his heart fluttered as everyone chatted together flocking around the princess. He hadn't been worried about them meeting her, the prince knew they'd love her. Silas hadn't expected this though, he didn't expect how seeing her hold his little brother made his heart feel warm. How sweet it was to see the twins clinging to her already and Laila getting a bit shy around her. His eyes flicked over everyone, resting on her finally as she spoke about her favorite flowers. The little blue flowers that popped up when they kissed, of course those were her favorites. Honestly they were quickly becoming one of his favorite flowers as well, just because they meant she was happy.
Laila giggled as the princess joined her in teasing of her brother. Gael was giggling softly just because she was moving him around. As gross as it was, it was kind of cute she guessed.
The prince continued to glare at his brother for a moment before Adreil wrapped his arm around Silas' neck laughing as he caught him off guard. "Surely you know its rude to hit your guests brother." He joked as Silas managed to wiggle his way out. Adreil was about his height, maybe an inch or two shorter. Zion on the other hand just chuckled watching the pretty princess brush him off.
The twins hugged her tightly burring their faces in her dress. Each child stood up tall a planted big kisses on her cheeks before giggling and running back to their beds. "We won't! We promise!" They called waving as she and the rest of their family left the room. Gael on the other hand just frowned at them; she was now his princess and he was starting to get tired. So the grumpiness was setting in a little bit. As soon as they were on the move again he planted his face in her shoulder once more, closing his eyes and getting ready to sleep.
Laila looked at the room peering around the door as it was opened, she could see big green fields and that meant horses. Her eyes turned to Talulla and she glanced at the girls hand for a moment before she quickly hugged her. A huge grin was on her face, as she stayed for a moment before letting go and blushing. "Thank you princess!" The young girl folded her hands in front of her, almost bouncing with excitement to go see if she could spot any of the castle's horses. Her cheeks were a bit flushed since she'd hugged the other girl so randomly. "I'm going to get ready for lunch now." The girl waved shyly as she walked into her room.
Meanwhile, Silas had broken away from his brother, dusting himself off a bit now that his shirt was a bit messed up. He'd caught the sudden hug and couldn't help but smile. Talulla had judged correctly Laila wasn't a big touch person unless she knew you well but it seemed like the young girl had even caught herself of guard. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect picture. His heart was full and it was because of her, she made everything that much better. Silas was glad she was going to be his wife soon, she was already fitting right in with his family and he couldn't wait for her to know what having a real family was like again. He was going to make sure she never knew loneliness again. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 8, 2021 22:08:59 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla had never had a big family before. When she was younger, very small, she had dreamed of having a sibling or two to run around with her. But, of course, as soon as she was old enough to dream of that, her mother was old enough to get sick. But now, now it was different. Here was this perfect man she was due to be married with the most lovely family straight out of a picture book. It was almost too much.
She giggled as the twins pecked her cheeks, making sure Gael was tucked tightly and securely to fall back asleep against her shoulder, further melting her heart. She very quickly found herself falling in love with this boisterous family, and found her desire to hide them and protect them from her father grow immensely. She grinned over her shoulder at Silas as they began to move to the next room, giggling slightly at his disheveled look. She paused, flushing slightly as she was struck once more by his beauty, the rose creeping across her cheeks and down her neck. She blinked, clearing her throat as she turned forward before stumbling a bit when Laila crashed into her for a hug. She adjusted her grip on Gael to then stoop a bit to wrap her arm around the smaller girl, tucking her gently against her with a bubbling giggle pulling forth from her chest.
”Of course, my sweet dear,” She assured, releasing Laila immediately when the younger girl pulled away. ”If you have any questions about the horses or anything regarding room situations, I’m right down the hall,” She giggled with a wink at the smaller girl before turning to lead them further down the hall. She came to a stop at the next bedroom, pushing open the door with a gentle kiss to Gael’s forehead to keep the smaller boy placated against her shoulder.
”This is for you Madam Ximena,” She grinned at the taller girl and pushed open the door to the third room. The room was plush and light with very minimal decoration and much more chic, with more modern furniture than had been seen previously. She had lovely accents of flowers dusted throughout, as well as some fresh green plants peeking out and from the balcony.
”It’s a bit more spacious than the younger rooms, I hope that’s alright,” She offered with a shy smile to the older girl. She glanced back at Silas, and immediately regretted it, the flush darkening on her cheeks as she swallowed hard and forced her gaze back to Ximena’s, smile never wavering. Inside her chest, however, her heart had taken off, fluttering anxiously at how gorgeous Silas was, and how intimidating his brothers were beside him. She had never had to deal with this many men in her life before, and it was a bit alarming. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 10, 2021 22:18:01 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The short haired girl nodded once a big grin on her face as she waved excitedly as the others left. Laila closed the door softly and sprinted to the window to see if she could see anything right now It wasn't long before Adreil was beside the princess taking up Laila's spot now and Zion followed closely. Silas eyed the two carefully, he knew they were trying to get on his nerves and they knew exactly how to do it too. As Gael curled his fingers around the fabric of her dress the second third oldest brother spoke up, "So suppose we have questions, where exactly is your room so we can direct any concerns over there?" He asked raising a brow at her, it was just a question but Zion made sure to follow his brother's idea.
"Yes and what are the hours of operations? Suppose we had a late night question?" He asked draping himself Adreil also raising a brow at her. "Are the rooms near you available?"
It took everything in Silas to not hit his brothers but he made sure they saw the look he was giving them. It was the I swear when we are alone kind of look. But the two brushed him off by flashing equally stunning grins her way. "Just out of curiosity of course Darling." Adreil said, his voice sweet and seemingly innocent as he tilted his head ever so slightly, furthering the innocence façade. It was then that they got to Ximena's room, and that of course meant one less in their way.
Ximena had placed herself so the boys couldn't be right next to the pretty princess, she knew them well enough and Silas unfortunately had a left an opening for them as he'd fallen behind the kids earlier. He had been too caught up in her beauty and how easy it was for her to fit into his family. It was like she was meant to be there, like Talulla had been the missing piece in the large group. She was his missing piece.
As much as Ximena wanted to help her brother out by keeping the two dogs at bay this was her stop is seemed. She looked at Silas for a moment and he just smiled at her. A signal that it would be fine. Of course she knew that, it would seem that for whatever reason Talulla had taken a shine to the typically standoffish prince. She couldn't wait to see how much she'd made him open up in such a short amount of time. The girl smiled softly at the other princess stepping into the room and turning around to get a view of the whole thing. It was perfect, just the way she kept her room at home. Simple and neat. "Thank you so much, the room is perfect." She walked over taking Talulla's hand and squeezing it gently, "It was wonderful to meet you, I cannot wait to get to know you more as sisters." The dark haired girl leaned forward kissing her gently on the cheek and she paused before pulling away fully. "My brothers can be a handle full. Just let me know if I need to grab any of them by their ears. Silas included love." She moved back giving her hand another warm squeeze before looking at the younger of the three boys beside her. As if she was warning them.
Zion just pulled his eye down a bit and stuck his tongue out at her quickly as their sister closed the door to her room to freshen up. As quickly as he'd done it he was pushed out of the way by Silas who hooked his arm around the boy. It looked friendly but he was squeezing his head a little. Zion was shorter than Silas, so he was the perfect height to bully him still if it was needed. Adreil on the other hand was as tall if not maybe an inch taller than Silas. And he was planted right next to Talulla while Silas and Zion grappled each other for a moment."Goodnight sister!" Silas called while he kept Zion on his other side and he smiled at his bride to be happily. "Gael seems to have taken quiet a liking to you. He is picky about who he falls asleep on usually. But I'm not surprised he likes you-"
"Yes! I too would wish to be held while I sleep princess." Zion interrupted finally breaking out of his eldest brother's clutches almost gasping a bit as he did. Silas' eye visably twitched at the comment.
"Me too, I enjoy a pretty woman's voice while I sleep." Adreil said leaning in a bit towards her as they walked. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 10, 2021 22:57:19 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla felt small Gael’s fingers curl around her dress as he sighed into sleep, and her heart swelled for a moment. It had been so long since Talulla had been around a child, much less held one close to her. It was a much needed feeling, the weight of a tiny head on her shoulder. She leaned her head onto the smaller boy’s as they moved on, distracted by her thoughts for a moment. So distracted that she almost didn’t notice Adreil sidling up to her.
”Hmm? Oh, mine is at the end of the hall. You know, right across from Silas,” She grinned over at her prince before turning to face Zion, leaving the statement deliberately vague. Her eyes narrowed faintly, mischief springing in the warm amber pools as the smile shifted to almost a smirk. "Uh, I guess the hours are whenever is deemed appropriate per your mother’s standards,” She warned. She knew their mother had an iron fist, and that she wouldn’t tolerate much tomfoolery, especially not with a wedding so soon. ”Besides, it’s best to stay out of the path of my father, if you can,” She added, turning her gaze forward, more serious now.
The warning in her tone had become less teasing and more serious as she had finished her thought, tucking Gael closer to her as they came to a stop outside Ximena’s room. A small frown played at the corner of her lips, and she glanced back to make sure the other little ones hadn’t burst free from their rooms yet; she knew her father had yet to be appeased for her actions earlier, and that he was still suspicious of Silas and her being alone. She hated to imagine one of the smaller ones being in the wrong place at the wrong time and facing her father’s wrath, and hand, alone and—
She startled slightly as Ximena spoke, giving a not so convincing grin initially, still lost in her worry for a moment. The grin relaxed into a genuine Talulla smile as the girl went on, giggling shyly at the flattery. She flushed, however, tomato red when Ximena bent forward to kiss her cheek, a reflex from lack of this kind of sisterly intimacy with anyone other than Constance over the years. She gave a nervous flutter of a laugh, shaking her head slightly with a glance at each of the brothers before coming to rest on Silas. Her eyes softened slightly, smile more reserved as she soaked him in for a moment. ”Honestly, I don't think I have much to worry about,” She murmured more to herself than Ximena before they bid the taller woman adieu.
She continued on down the hall, grinning and walking a little closer to Silas when he moved forward, eyes flashing up to his excitedly as she adjusted the drooping boy, making sure he was secure. She gave a soft laugh at his statement, eyes falling to rest tenderly on the small boy as she adjusted his curls. ”Well, I am more than flattered. Honestly Si, out of all your brothers, the only real threat seems to be little Gael. I’m already growing rather fond of him,” She teased, eyes flashing to Zion’s deliberately for a moment. Her gaze, although mischievous, was steady and sincere. Truly, Silas was the only one she had eyes for.
Her gaze only broke his to roll in distaste at his comment before she snorted in her rather unladylike fashion at Adreil’s following statement, shaking her head gently and sending her baby hairs fluttering freely once more. ”Well, I’m certain Constance or Bernice would be happy to help with that. Constance gives the best hugs for you Zion, and Bernice has a lovely tenor to soothe you Adreil,” She snickered slightly, another small snort escaping her out of humor at her own words. She glanced back up to Silas quickly, eyes glittering excitedly and seeking his approval, almost desperately. Although she knew his brothers meant well and were teasing, she did want to reassure him that he was the only one for her. He had very quickly secured that rather small spot in her life. Really, rather large considering he’s everything you’ve been missing.
”Ah yes, finally. Adreil, this is your room, so you can remove your hand from my shoulder and get ready to mind your manners at dinner this evening,” She sharped, bumping the man off with her hip before pushing open the door to his room. This room had rich mahogany features and a dark carpet, lush and inviting. There was a small desk in the corner with some paint sets and sketchbooks, and a rather comfortable chair placed in the perfect patch of sunlight for reading. The bed had deep, burgundy sheets and luscious pillows, making the room feel very inviting and cozy with a hint of rustic tavern and sequestered artist. She smiled brightly, despite herself, at the taller man, eyes wide as she awaited his reaction. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 13, 2021 18:15:32 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
Across from Silas huh? Well that would be easy enough to figure out later. Not that they were really going to go, at least not super often just enough to bug their brother. In case it wasn't obvious enough they'd already taken a liking to the sweet princess. Little did they know she was far more than the sweet girl they just met. Of course that made sense, sweet wasn't enough to catch Silas' attention. There had to be something special about her to have bring that rosy flush to his cheeks. They'd be making fun of him for that later.
The second son blinked for a moment at her response and his face flushed a bit. For once he was quiet, for a moment he just stared at her. How was he supposed to come back from that one? There wasn't a way to really. Slowly a smile spread across his face and he put his hand on the back of his head and laughed "You've got me there darling." It wasn't until after the princess mentioned her father that his smile faded, he didn't mention anything to her though but he just glance over at Adreil who was now looking at Silas. The prince's face was hard to read since he made no real reaction but his eyes burned with anger for a split second. With the young woman's serious tone and the rage in their brother's eyes it was more than enough for them to get the hint that the king was not the best of people. Well now Silas had the backing of his whole family and so did Talulla.
Ximena remained quiet though she had gotten the hint as well and the overwhelming urge to protect Talulla washed over her. She didn't know what exactly she'd be able to do or what she'd be protecting her from but she would do it. The princesses were going to be good friends, Xim could already tell their time here was going to be fun.
Silas looked at Talulla as she shifted close to him the prince did the same he could feel her arm brush against him as they walked together. Her comment made him laugh, he bent down a bit and kissed the small prince on the forehead as he snore gently tucked close to the pretty girl. His eyes met Talulla's for a moment and he kissed her cheek softly, "He is quiet the little charmer." The prince shook his head chuckling a bit once more.
Adreil and Zion both frowned, she was good. Quickly shutting the two down they glanced at each other. That was it, they liked her. It was clear now why Silas liked the princess. She was a little ball of fire inside as well, it would seem she would be keeping all three brothers on their toes. "I'm sure they would love the company of your ladies maids angel." Silas said grinning at his brothers who had exactly had them in mind. As they got to Adreil's room the prince had begun to get a bit too close to the princess, ready to say something flirty again. Before he had the chance he was shut down and his cheeks turned red as he removed his hand from his shoulder. Before his finger tips even left her skin he was bumped away. The man laughed a bit rubbing his arm nervously. Walking into the room the tall prince turned around and bowed to her.
"The room is as lovely as you are princess. I'll bring my manners I promise. I seem to have left them with my belongings." The man smiled a bit. He looped his arm around Silas and moved like he was going to put him in a headlock but Silas moved quickly to put Adreil in one instead. "Okay okay I give I give." The younger prince wiggled out of Silas' grasp "I'll see you all at lunch." The prince laughed before returning to the room, bowing to the princess once more. With that it was down to the two oldest siblings and the youngest. Who was surprisingly still fast asleep hand still curled tightly around her dress.
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 17, 2021 20:14:55 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla found herself surprised by Zion’s response to her statement. She had only meant it teasingly, and found his gentle grin and response enough to bring a small flush to her cheeks. She glanced down, nervously adjusting Gael and praying her father was far out of earshot and in Dario’s gentle line of sight so she could keep these lovely people protected.
She turned her gaze up to Silas as they began walking, grinning when he leaned in and giving a soft giggle as he did, rose blossoming in her cheeks anew. She held his gaze at his comment, slowing her walk just a bit. ”Well, he must have been picking up some tips from you,” She smoothed, batting her eyelashes slightly at him with another giggle, bumping him gently with her free shoulder, leaning her head on Gael’s as they moved along. She ignored the older princes’ looks as she brushed off Adreil with a charming smile.
”Thank you Adreil, you are kind as ever. I look forward to seeing you later,” She grinned with a wink, wrinkling her nose with a soft giggle as she moved forward, leading the last brother and her fiancé to Zion’s room. She moved closer to Silas as they walked, gently bumping him with her shoulder, giggling slightly. ”Anyway, now there’s just us four. I have to say Si, your family is charming, and perhaps it is the only child in me speaking, but they are all so exhilarating and now… maybe a little exhausting,” She admitted, giggling slightly. She yawned, giving a gentle sigh after as she glanced over at Zion as he fell into step on her other side.
”I hope you enjoy your room, and your stay,” She mumbled, drifting a bit further against Silas, stumbling a bit and apologizing with a light flush. She winced slightly, her limp returning a bit more as she felt her exhaustion and stress catching up to her. She swallowed hard, adjusting Gael before they came to a stop before the final door.
”Alright Zion, this is for you sweetheart,” She grinned, pushing the door open. The room was warm and cozy with a certain sophistication to it. The bed was covered in rich navy with dark oak details. A writing desk sat in the corner with a map spread across it and writing utensils near by. The balcony faced the garden the soft sunlight filtering through the windows into the room. A rich, gray carpet was stretched across the floor, soft and inviting, with a leather armchair in the corner with a matching gray blanket draped across. She turned to the man with a soft smile, head on Gael’s, looking more drowsy by the moment. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 18, 2021 1:18:27 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
Silas laughed softly his cheeks flushing as the two held the others gaze. The man couldn't help but smile at her as she giggled, but her comment had caused his face to turn redder than before but he didn't take his eyes away from her. Was she batting her lashes at him? A small smirk wiggled its way to his lips. She was perfect. From behind the beautiful princess Zion's head peeked over her and he had his eyebrows raised at Silas. This only made the color wash all the way down his neck and up his ears; the prince glared hard at him and his brother only snickered at him. He wasn't going to live this down, but looking at those beautiful doe eyes was worth any teasing he'd receive.
As she bumped him lightly he laughed a little and even more when she comment on his family. "Exhausting is and understatement sunshine." Silas shook his head, "I should have warned you they are all. well, a lot. Huh Zion?" The princes raised his brow at him for a moment.
"I don't suppose you mean me brother. I'm just the right amount." He huffed flashing a grin at his older brother.
"Yes the right amount of annoying for a kid brother." Silas said, finally getting some teasing back to him. The other prince pouted and Silas just laughed at him. His eyes moved to her ankle as she began to limp. This was too much walking for her considering she was hurt. Gently his hand rested on her lower back, offering support if she needed it. They got to his room and the perfectly placed sweetheart caused another laugh to escape the prince. She was perfect, he couldn't have been more in love with her than seeing her here holding one brother and teasing the other. The shorter brother made his way into his room, bowing to her as he did. Like the pretty princess the room was perfect. Much cleaner than his room as home too. "Try to keep it clean Zion." Silas warned looking at the young man who just glared at him.
"I thank you princess." He said bowing once more, "It is as beautiful as you my dear." Zion's gaze turn to his brother "I'll keep it clean Si." The man grinned at him.
Silas moved closer to the princess. "Your ankle is bothering you isn't it?" The green-eyed prince asked tilting his head a bit looking at her ankle for a moment. "Lets go nap with Gael and rest your injury." He looked at Zion for a moment and he could already tell he was going to say something stupid.
"My bed is open for you to rest princess." Zion said looking at them both expectantly.
This earned a sharp glare from Silas who bent slightly, scooping the princess up bridal style in his arms. As he did he adjusted Gael moving the small boy to her chest with easy. "No." Silas said glaring at Zion. "Good afternoon, Sweetheart." The prince leaned forward letting Talulla close to the door. Once she closed it he grinned at her. "Where do you want to nap princess?" He'd already started walking, eager to be alone with her again. Well, mostly. Gael was far easier than his other brothers were. "I'll take you anywhere you want after dealing with those bone heads with such ease"
Gael had stirred as he was moved around and at first he started to complain a frown forming on the tired prince's face. Quickly glee set in as he realized now he was being carried by both the lavender scented princess and his big brother. "Weeee!" He giggled his voice full of tiredness. Gael yawned burring himself into her dress once again. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 20, 2021 21:54:16 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla was trying her absolute hardest to contain her smirk and flirting, but she had never been very good at hiding her emotions. And now, with the troubling brothers, it was even more difficult for her to conceal her teasing remarks, despite the fact that she had never been one to be so forward with her emotions before now. Silas really does bring out the best and worst in you.
She giggled lightly at his laugh, nodding in agreement to his statement. It was the understatement of the century, though she would never admit that willingly in the presence of such lovely company. She’d take exhausted over lonely any day. ”Honestly, I always wanted a big family, really. I guess I should’ve been more specific when I was asking the universe for one,” She laughed, rolling her eyes slightly as she glanced at Zion, snorting in retort to his statement. She laughed heartily at Silas’s comeback, trying (unsuccessfully) to quickly stifle it in hopes of keeping young Gael asleep; though, it would seem that the young prince would sleep through a tornado if provided the opportunity. One must have to be a heavy sleeper in such a wild bunch.
”I appreciate your flattery, Zion, but I could hardly compare to such beautifully carved oak. Handmade here, of course,” She beamed with pride, failing to admit that she had helped Xandir* finish just about every wood piece in this castle. Although, she imagined one as smart as Zion would quickly pick up on the tiny flower with the small T carved into each piece; the princess’s own personal watermark to signify her work.
She was jolted from her trailing thoughts by Silas shifting into her space. She flushed faintly, looking away with a soft smile at his proposal. ”It’s not so bad, really,” She attempted to feign, though a small yawn afterwards betrayed her innocence. She would kill for Silas to wrap her in his arms and let her drift off soundly considering how poorly she’d been sleeping lately; of course, that’s to be expected when one is fighting demons both mentally and physically every day.
Zion’s words quickly sent Talulla into a standstill, her gaze locked on the floor as she flushed tomato red down her chest, a small tremor escaping despite her best efforts. Her eyes flew to the size of saucers, her grip on Gael statuesque as she became marble before them, unable to handle such a forward statement from such a new acquaintance. Though, he, much like Silas and the rest of his family, strangely feel familiar… as if I’ve been waiting for them my whole life.
”Zion, I-I would hardly, well, it wouldn’t, no, rather, I wouldn’t and, and—“ She was saved from such floundering byre noble prince who scooped her off her feet, allowing her to merely cradle Gael close and lean into him for support. Her brows furrowed together, now, as she gave Zion a mild glare, the flush still as crimson as the setting sun.
”I don’t think your bed is anywhere near as comfy as Si,” She finally shot back, eyes glittering with mischief as she shifted, settling comfortably against Silas’s chest, head leaning on his shoulder, smirking like the devil himself. She leaned forward then to shut the door a little too forcefully to let Zion feel her answer, truly, before relaxing back against him. She thought for a moment as she let Gael adjust with a soft giggle of her own, kissing the smaller prince’s curls with a tenderness that was new for the girl.
”Mmm, I don’t know. The plan was to drop Gael off with your parents, but I’m just so content to have him with us… and your room is a few centimeters closer than mine,” She pouted slightly, eyes coming up to catch his as the scarlet faded into rose against her cheeks, eyes wide and innocent once more; that devilish smirk was nowhere to be seen now that Talulla had Silas all to herself. Well, myself and Gael. She allowed a bold yawn once more, knowing she couldn’t hide anything from Silas anyway while she awaited his decision, one hand coming up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind the older prince’s ear, fingers soft and gentle.
*Xandir meaning craftsman/carpenter |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Feb 21, 2021 22:23:55 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The second born let his hands run over the woodwork, he had yet to notice the t carved into the wood work but he'd be examining everything in the room since it was so intricately done. Woodwork always fascinated the prince. Zion blinked for a moment at her comment and slight glare her had earned himself. He rubbed the back of his neck laughing a little, she was cute even with the glare, but he knew better than to push his luck, especially since both of them were glaring at him. He put his hands up surrendering, "Alright beautiful I got the hint." The prince laughed softly as the door was shut, hard. Rubbing the back of his neck again the prince shook his head, quiet the woman his brother had there. It was time for him to get ready anyway, it had been a long trip from their kingdom.
Silas grinned at her, she was the best he could ask for. His face softened as he looked down at her and the small prince she held in her arms. Gael had woken up finally as he was moved around a lot, he yawned and looked up at Talulla and smiled a little. He was half awake still as he cuddling back into the warmth what was the princess. His eyes fluttered open once more as she kissed his head and the young boy giggled softly. The older prince couldn't help but smile down at them, his heart was fuller than he thought it could ever be. She was going to be a wonderful mother.
Sila's face flushed for a moment at the thought and his heart skipped a beat, well a few actually. He'd thoroughly flustered himself. "I don't think Gael is going to want to be leaving your side for a while. And I couldn't be more on the same page with him." He leaned into her hand as she pushed his hair behind his ear with a soft smile that had permanently placed itself on his lips. "My room is always open for you to nap as you please sleepyhead." The prince teased her softly as he made his way to his room. Letting her open the door he pushed it open with his foot gently. His bed was large enough for the three of them to sleep comfortably together so he made his way to his bed and set her down softly.
Gael rolled off the princess and on to the bed beside her and he looked over at Silas and instantly spread out as much as he could. It was almost like he was trying to claim the whole bed for himself and Talulla. Silas grinned at him, "You know little prince." He sat on the bed where there was space, "I'm going to tickle you until you scoot over." Silas grabbed the small boy and started tickling him and Gael squealed loudly trying to escape him and go to the princess but he was scooped up and Silas blew air on his brother's belly. The young prince was laughing hard and pushing his hardest to get out.
"Okay!! I scoot I scoot!" He giggled as Silas let him go, and Gael sat up moving closer to Talulla grabbing onto the princess again. His eyes watched Silas for a moment before looking up at her and kissing her arm softly. "We take nap now?" |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Feb 22, 2021 21:22:16 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla was a little surprised to see Zion reacting so… gently to her woodwork. Most people hardly noticed her talent, nor took the time to appreciate it if they did. But this brother of Silas was carefully studying the work the same way Silas studied her. It made her feel a little vulnerable, something that brought a light flush to her face as she sank back against Silas’s chest, nestling Gael against her with a faint frown, staring forward blankly for a few moments.
She blinked up at Silas after a moment, catching his grin with a light smile of her own as her gaze softened upon its return to Gael. The young prince was well on his way to snatching her heart up himself, and she felt her heart flutter with a motherly love that was unfamiliar to her as Gael tugged closer to her. She loved this little boy almost as much as she loved Silas, it would seem. Wait, what?!
She giggled faintly at Silas’s reaction, hand cupping his cheek tenderly for a moment. Her thumb smoothed across the planes of his gentle face, eyes glittering as she studied him with that familiar intensity once more. Like she was trying to press the memory of him in that moment into the actual crevices of the membranes in her brain. Which, of course, she was. She was determined to memorize every detail of every moment with him, in fear that he would too leave her one day.
”So glad to know my husband would never turn me away,” She teased, wrinkling her nose gently and pulling her hand down to open the door for him, tightening her grip on Gael as she pulled the small boy closer to keep him from falling during the jostling. That is, until the small boy rolled free of her grasp onto the older man’s bed. She smiled in gratitude at Silas as she scooted up herself, kneeling to adjust the pillows and pulling off young Gael’s shoes, kicking her own off to the side. She burst into laughter at the sight of Gael trying to claim the whole bed for them with the playful glare directed at Silas, flopping down beside the little prince and looking up at Silas beside them, quirking one eyebrow upwards in response.
”Oh, hopefully he isn’t near as ticklish as you are Si,” She teased, moving over a bit and situating comfortably on her side, propping her head up on her arm to face Gael as she waited for them to settle their silly squabble. She laughed at Silas and Gael, quickly pulling Gael towards her when he was released, eyes flickering with gentle adoration down to the small prince beside her. At his gentle kiss, her face sobered slightly, heart moved by the tender and unfamiliar gesture. It was enough to almost bring tears to her eyes, swallowing hard as she nodded fervently with that faint smile.
”Yes baby, we take nap now,” She murmured hoarsely with a radiant grin. She bent forward, kissing his sweet little forehead before shifting and wrapping him up against her side as they lay there. Once the sleepy prince was situated, she turned her gaze up to Silas expectantly. When he climbed on beside them, she nestled her and Gael close to him, sandwiching the boy between them. She then leaned forward to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek, smiling up at her prince with a soft gaze, still a little watery from the kindness Gael had showed her moments ago.
”You know Si, as much as I love you, your brothers are sure making this difficult,” She teased before abruptly startling herself at her own admission. She flushed, suddenly tomato red, turning her gaze away as her heart picked up rate. She stared down at Gael for a moment, the little prince already fast asleep once more. ”That is to say,” She continued, in a much more hushed tone, eyes finally flickering back to his with that classic fierceness once more. ”Your brothers are very charming, Gael most of all,” She grinned, finishing her gentle prod at the man with a soft giggle, trying to be quiet for Gael’s sake.
”Though, you shouldn’t worry, really Si. I only have eyes for you,” She assured, yawning as she was suddenly struck with exhaustion once more. ”Don’t let us be late for whatever meal is next, okay?” She mumbled, leaning forward and nestling against him, one arm around Gael and the other coming to rest across his stomach, head coming to fall on Silas’s chest gently. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Mar 12, 2021 3:30:20 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
Her words echoed in his head, glad my husband would never turn me away. Color rushed to his face as he thought about being her husband, he'd never wanted anything more in life than this. To lay in bed with her every day and fall asleep keeping her safe. Silas grinned at her comment about him being ticklish, "A little secret about my siblings and I, the only one who isn't ticklish is Adreil and he is just good at pretending it doesn't." The prince chuckled as he scooted closer to his bride to be and youngest brother. He watched her kiss the small curly haired boy who was already starting to fall asleep between the two nestled in their warmth it didn't take long for him to start snoring lightly.
Stretching out his arm as she leaned in to kiss his cheek he pulled her closer to him, making sure Gael was still comfortable. The prince smiled at her and ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes resting on her like they always did. Full of warmth, love and intensity. Her next comment made him laugh for a moment, his brother did make things hard for everyone. That was their special talent; the two eldest had perfected that spending their entire lives coming up with ways to annoy him. They practiced daily. "Yes they are very good at that aren't they." Silas shook his head kissing her gently on her forehead, "Lucky for me loving you is easy" Silas chuckled softly.
He laughed as she prodded him, hitting a ticklish spot, though he bit his lip to keep quiet not wanting to wake Gael. "I'm glad to hear that angel, " He spoke softly his hand cupping her head as she laid against him. "I'll make sure we get up, Gael is an excellent judge of time when it comes to food. We will be up without a doubt." Silas tucked the younger prince's hair away from his face before letting his other arm drape across both of them, hand resting loosely on her hip. Quietly he hummed the song from when he'd brushed her hair the night before. It wasn't long before his humming faded as he too fell asleep holding two of the most important people in his life.
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A few hours passed and Gael had managed to wiggle his way out from between the two sleeping royals. For a minute he stared at them, both sound asleep. He would have to fix that. He was hungry. "Siiiilas" The small boy whispered. Nothing. He looked at the princess and frowned. "Taaaaweeeeee" Gael whispered a little louder before crawling over to the girl kissing her cheek till the woman stirred. "Taaaaawy I hungry. It's lunch time now please?" He said looking expectantly at the two of them.
Silas started to stir, opening his eyes a bit hearing his brother trying to wake them up. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand, "It's time to get up already?" He asked the young child.
"Yes pleease my tummy is making rumbles." Gael said with a small smile, "I gotta feed my monswer like mommy says. She calls it the pit."
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Apr 11, 2021 22:06:52 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla settled easily against Silas’s side, burrowing into the man gently so as not to squash Gael. She sighed in drowsy contentment with a soft rumble of a chuckle at Silas’s gentle comment about loving her being easy. This poor disillusioned man… Yet, somehow, he speaks truth. Quickly, she felt herself fall into an easy slumber. Lately, it would seem that Silas had a habit of driving the nightmares away far more successfully than any dreamcatcher ever had.
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As the hours passed, Talulla remained still as a log, completely passed out. She was so exhausted she didn’t even notice Gael wriggling free from their grasp, head tilting further onto Silas’s shoulder, face slack and cheeks rosy with sleep. Hers and Silas’s chests rose and fell in harmony once more, the couple to be synchronous once more.
The simple tranquility was interrupted by the smaller prince’s soft voice as he tried to stir the royals. It wasn’t until Gael climbed over and kissed her cheek that Talulla’s eyes flew open in slight fear. She swallowed hard, pulling her hand up to rub her eyes, giggling softly at Gael’s gentle kisses and nickname, heart swelling under his attention. How gentle was this tiny boy, so much like her Silas.
”You’re hungry? I’m famished,” She half teased, giggling slightly, having yet to eat since her lunch with Silas the day prior. Her stomach grumbled in agreement, and her rosy cheeks deepened into scarlet of embarrassment. She stretched, leaning forward to kiss Silas’s cheek gently with a soft giggle before shifting over, gently getting to her feet. Her ankle, although still tender, wasn’t quite as sore, so she pushed forward, stretching her slightly sore muscles from all the recent activity and weird sleeping habits (looking at you nap on the literal ground).
She scooped up Gael, kissing the small prince all over his face despite his giggles and protests, waiting expectantly for Silas to get up. She beamed up at him, gently smoothing his hair to try to make sure they were presentable enough for her father to avoid suspicion. She slipped into her flats, peeking out of his room before heading out and down to the dining hall, gently looping an arm through his while balancing Gael on her other hip securely.
”Silas, I have to say, I really am quite fond of your family. You’re like… a gift that keeps giving, if you’ll excuse the crude comparison,” She laughed slightly, eyes on him, however, with gentle adoration. It would seem the nap had done much to help soothe the tender girl’s nerves and help boost her confidence. She wasn’t feeling like as much of a burden with Gael around to keep her hands idle, and Silas to occupy her thoughts.
”Anyway, I just want to say, thank you. I know you are trying so hard for me, and I am so grateful. I just hope that I am enough for you,” She finished, looking away nervously with a light tease of a flush. They drew up quickly to the dining hall, finding that they were some of the first there alongside the parents.
King Maynard glanced up from the table, locking eyes with Talulla. The gentle princess froze on the spot, as still as a deer caught in the crosshairs of a hunter’s bow. She swallowed her palpable fear, grip tightening anxiously on Gael as they held each other’s gaze. Once more, an unspoken agreement flowed between them, rigid and stale as the air in the unused halls of the castle. It was old and foreign to the new family, but Talulla and her father knew it well.
A warning.
She led them down to the table, releasing Gael to his parents with a soft grin. She greeted Silas’s parents each with a gentle kiss on the cheek, polite and chaste, followed by a curtsy to the two. She then moved to her father. Her face paled as she approached the stony man, heart thundering in her ears so loud she could barely hear anyone else. She maintained her cool, coming to stand beside him. Her eyes flickered nervously to Silas before she bent forward, faintly pressing her lips to his cheek. She trembled violently as she did, heart increasing speed somehow before she quickly straightened before dipping into a curtsy. King Maynard stared straight ahead as if she weren’t there, eyes distant and shrouded.
Talulla wanted to drop through the floor.
She quickly scurried to Silas’s side, trying to keep her shaking under control, gazing intently at him for a long moment. She wanted, desperately, to hold his hand, but for the life of her could not summon the courage. What if that upset her father more, and he exploded right then and there? She couldn’t risk endangering any of Si’s family.
Instead, she merely gestured with quaking fingers to the table for Silas to move ahead, trying to contain her anxiety once more. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Apr 13, 2021 1:41:41 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The small child looked slightly confused as the princess woke up looking scared. Why were kisses scary? His head tilted but very quickly the confusion was gone as her stomach grumbled. He giggled as his did the same "Our tummies are talking."
Silas blinked for a moment as the girl kissed his cheek, still half awake he stretched his arms over his head shifting with her as she got off the bed. He had yet to get up fully though instead he watched the woman kiss his little brother. Gael was squealing and gently holding her face trying to stop her but putting very little effort into it. He enjoyed the attention. The older prince sat up finally his feet finally touching the floor as he walked over to the two. As her hands pushed his hair back a smile spread across his face as he pressed into her hand for the moment. "Hi Angel." He said softly before kissing Gael and blowing on the child's face. This caused a loud squeal and Gael rubbed his face quickly like it was gross.
Putting his shoes on too he followed after the princess not bothering to glance around. At this point he didn't care what the king thought, he just didn't want to get yelled at by his parents. "A gift? Me?" He laughed turning to look at her for a moment. His cheeks flushed when their eyes met. "You are the gift Talulla, and you will always be more than enough for me. Don't ever forget that." Silas leaned over and kissed her cheek earing a glare from Gael. "Hey, she is my fiancé kid." He said poking Gael in the nose. "And I'll always try for you, princess." Silas said.
As they entered the dinning hall his eyes fell on his mother and father; then briefly he made eye contact with the princess's father. He greeted his mother and father as the princess had kissing his mothers hand gently and bowing to his father. His eyes turned once more to the king and he bowed, though his eyes never left the king. Silas saw the fear set into her body and the anger set into his. The prince's mother and father watched the two closely, the poor thing was shaking like a leaf. What was so scary about bowing to her father? And why did Silas go from relaxed to challenging the king once more?
Moment after Gael ran to his mom and dad the rest of the siblings walked in, bowing as a group and then finding their way to their seats. Chatting as they did about how they shouldn't have followed Adreil since he had no idea where they were. Of course Ximena had told them the right way but the two oldest boys had been stubborn so she let them make their mistakes. As they sat down everyone saw how the princess was shaking and not so subtly each one looked at the king for a moment. Confusion set in across their faces before they looked at Silas.
It was as she gestured that his gaze left the king and turned to her, softening. One hand moved to touch her shoulder and the other cupped the trembling hand gently as he lead her to her seat. Once there he pulled her chair out for her and pushed her in as she sat. The tension in the air was heavy but broken by the twins who had begun bickering about who's seat was who's and who was going to sit closer to the princess. "Now now you too, pick a sit and sit. There will be no bickering at the table it is time for lunch not squabbles." The queen said with a quiet but firm tone. The two children looked at her than at each other glared and sat down calmly.
The queen then looked to her son who was seated beside her and the princess a raised brow at him. She said nothing but the side glance he gave her was more than enough between the two. Whatever was going on was not appropriate to talk about it now and not in front of the younger kids. At least he was behaving a little now, using some of the brain he had cultivated over the years. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Apr 13, 2021 10:02:29 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla did her best to try to calm herself, knowing merely from her father’s down set brows that he was displeased already. She knew he would be wanting to speak with her this evening. Anxiously, her mind replayed the events of today as she struggled to figure out what had set him off. Her gaze flickered absently to Dario, who blinked from the shadows in concern and was, surprisingly, silent for once. Even he could not ward off whatever was brewing in the angry king’s mind.
And that was almost enough to tip her over.
However, Silas came to her rescue then. His hand cupped around hers, rooting her, and she didn’t flinch away when his hand came into contact with his shoulder. Rather, her gaze flew to his, the small panic glittering in her usually bright orbs as she used him to stabilize and root herself. Her mind flickered back to their walk over, replying his gentle words that had left her speechless in return. You will always be more than enough for me. She managed a small smile, allowing him to lead her over with grace, the tremors slowing a bit as she latched onto his hand.
She gave him a grateful smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes when they reached her chair at the right hand side of her father (ironic, isn’t it?) bowing her head politely as she sank down, hands coming to fold neatly in her lap. Yes, she could play the perfect princess for now and maybe that would save Silas and his family from whatever was rumbling in her father’s chest. If you just keep him cool now, you can deal with it later. Keep him placated and keep them safe. That is your duty as princess.
Everything seem to settle into a tense air for a moment, foreboding and ominous before the twins made their way over, the bickering shattering the silence. Talulla felt anxiety snake down her spine as she anxiously assessed her father’s reactions to this innocent, naive bickering from the children. He merely gave a slow sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose to dispel his growing headache. Her face paled, eyes flashing anxiously to the twins. However, their mother swooped in, silencing the two. Talulla helped Kairo seat himself beside her, Kaia glaring. She gave the young girl a warm smile and a wink, forcing herself to swallow the anxiety for their sake. And, there goes my hunger.. However, Kaia got the message and seemed to settle down knowing she would have her turn later.
Her gaze trailed down to Silas, where the stately prince was seated by his mother, eyes searching his face for some unknown sign. She watched the interaction between the two, unable to hide her staring when the queen looked at her and Silas remained stoney faced as ever. In her peripheral, she saw the king’s fist tighten, and she looked down immediately, clenching her own hands into fists and fighting the tremors threatening to snake through her once more. Be strong for Silas. For the little ones. Be strong for them.
King Maynard shifted in his chair, taking a deep breath before forcing a faint, tight lipped smile that did nothing to melt his chiseled, marble features. ”Well, now that we have all finished playing musical chairs for the time being,” He began, flashing a disapproving look of irritation at the twins. Talulla leaned forward then, blocking them from his line of sight, her own eyes narrowing just a bit in warning. King Maynard held her gaze as he continued. ”It seems we can begin lunch, if you are all ready,” He finished in a low tone. Talulla fought to keep his gaze, their silent conversation resuming as her bottom lip trembled faintly, revealing her inner turmoil.
However, she for once wasn’t backing down, and King Maynard let it go.
The meal commenced, and she turned to glance with concern at the twins, though they didn’t seem too bothered by it. She began to pick at her food once more, absently watching the conversation flow about her, quiet as a mouse. This seemed to work well at calming her father’s beast, the man relaxing when he saw she was… “behaving”.
So, dinner lurched along rather smoothly and stiffly. That is, until Gael decided he wanted to sit in Talulla’s lap.
Faster than any horse, Gael wiggled free from his seat beside Silas and bolted around the table to Talulla with a giggle, despite the stares of everyone, including a now freshly irritated King Maynard. ”Taawwy, Uppies!” Small Gael’s hands were wrapped around her skirt tugging gently. Quickly, Talulla scooped him up, settling him closer to Kairo and kissing his head gently, making sure he was comfortable while her father’s gaze darkened into a glower.
”Some of us do not know our manners or our place,” He began in that disapproving and condescending tone of his that Talulla knew all too well. However, this was enough to snap a fierce glower from Talulla out. Silas’s family was perfect and proper. She may be a mess, but they certainly weren’t, and especially not the children. Her father had no right to cross that boundary, and it was enough to summon her own anger that had rumbled idly in her chest for so long.
”Yes, well some of us are still literal children, and are still learning,” She retorted with a sharp tone and a glare of her own. She had straightened slightly, voice calm and steady for once, the anger seeping from the edges as her grip tightened on Gael securely, keeping him close to her and physically shielding him from her father’s gaze. Her own matched his, and it was suddenly very clear the resemblance between the two, though her voice was not loud or necessarily disrespectful. Though, challenging the king in front of guests was about as disrespectful as she could get.
But, for once, Talulla wasn’t afraid of what would happen. She simply didn’t care what he did to her. As long as the others were safe.
The surprise that had morphed his glower at her interjection left King Maynard looking almost comical as he and Talulla entered a new staring contest, though the anger quickly over took the shock. She had stopped back talking years ago, especially in front of company (considering they hadn’t had company in ages), and she wasn’t one to usually defend against his comments. His glower darkened, his dark browns pulling further over his stone cold gaze, silvery and fierce. Hers, however, mirrored, her own dark brows (his, of course) pulling a bit over her brown gaze. Only Silas would recognize this hint of fierceness from when he had awakened the beast of a girl earlier, her fear swallowed up by anger fueling a new bout of courage.
The air was so thick one could almost feel it pressing down upon them as the father and daughter held this silent contest, staring the other down. From the patio, small tendrils of thorns began to creep through into the dining hall, Talulla unable to keep herself from physically summoning defenses.
However, a small chirp from Dario finally broke the air. King Maynard gave her a final warning of glower, turning his gaze away. Talulla held her spot for a second before settling back down, smiling amiably at Gael as the small boy began to fiddle with her golden tresses, though the tremble in her bottom lip betrayed the new terror settling in. Although, she was delighted, there was that spark of adrenaline fueling her from standing up to her father. However, she knew that she would be dealing with the consequences later, and that was enough to dampen the joy she felt.
Nervously, her gaze flew to Silas, catching his. A small, unspoken cry of terror shone in her eyes as she held his gaze, begging for courage and strength in that moment. She needed him to remind her it would be okay, and to give her a reason not to disappear into thin air right then and there. As she held his gaze, the expression morphed into an apologetic one, as if she were trying to tell him, "I'm sorry for embarrassing you." The small tendrils of thorns receded a bit as tiny white flowers of surrender popped up along them, much like Talulla fearing for herself. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Apr 13, 2021 15:45:28 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
As the sat down, Silas' gaze was soft on her, their fingers intertwined for a moment before he let her go to sit down. The protective instinct had set in once more and he wasn't going to let the king make her feel afraid this morning. She needed to eat and his family would protect her if it came down to it. He had their support and so did she, he knew she was no longer alone and had a small army of Payne royalty to look after her.
After the exchange with his mother, his eyes shifted to his princess for a moment, her hands were clenched and she was scared again. He moved his hand to rest it gently on her hand closest to him. Giving her hand a soft squeeze he ran his thumb over the top of her hand, he wanted her to remember she wasn't there alone. If had anything to say about it she'd never be alone again. It was then that the king spoke and his gaze moved to the twins; Silas' face hardened once more his eyes locking on the king. The two children had begun to shrink out of view when Talulla did it for them. They glanced at each other then at her then back at each other. It was a silent communication between the two but clearly, they realized she was protecting them and that their manners needed to be minded a bit more so she wouldn't have to do that. Plus, they were crafty children, they were experts at wiggling their way out of trouble.
As everyone began eating Silas let his eyes leave the king and before he served his own food he put food on her plate. He didn't put a lot since he could already tell she was planning on not eating again, but she needed something. The prince offered her a small smile of reassurance, he knew she was scared and her stomach was probably churning. "I know you probably don't feel like it but you need to eat." His voice was soft, loud enough for her to hear considering the conversation that was carrying on. "If you can't I understand, we will eat together later." He sat up once more from where he'd leaned in a bit, he wasn't going to touch his food till she did that much was clear.
"Oh mother it was amazing I saw some of the horses from the stables before coming down!" Laila beamed she'd been so excited to see them the young girl hardly could contain herself as she talked about what type of horse she'd seen.
"Yeah and then Adreil got us all lost on the way here." Kairo said looking at his brother, "We ended up outside! How do you not know we are headed out the front door. Its big wide space the only door of its kind in the castle?" The small boy teased his brother who just glared at him. He'd get him later for that.
"Yes, your brother has never been very good directional has he." Their father joined the teasing a bit earning a snicker from Zion who very swiftly got an elbow jabbed into his side. It was quick enough that no one but their mother had noticed and she gave them the look and immediately the two elder boys stopped what was going to turn into a fit of bickering and trying to hit the other as hard as they could without looking like they were fighting.
No one had taken notice of Gael leaving his seat to go to the princess and they'd barely noticed when the small prince cried out for uppies. But everyone noticed as the king spoke. All ten pairs of eyes locked on to him, though they hadn't said anything yet. Silas on the other hand began to open his mouth to speak up, he didn't fear the king and didn't care. He wasn't going to ridicule his little brother. But the words never left his mouth as Talulla spoke up. His brows raised slightly as he looked at her; she was protecting the small child and he knew the look that had settled across her face. That was the look he'd gotten when she had pointed a knife at him earlier. Right now she was like a bear protecting her cub and he couldn't have been more smitten than in that moment and more proud of her.
His eyes moved to the king for a moment and the shock on his face brought a smirk to Silas' face, priceless. That was his girl, he was ready to back her up if she needed it and all the eyes locked on the king were ready too. Only a few took notice of the thorny plants that had made their way into the room. Silas, Ximena, Zion, and their mother all glanced at them and then at her. Finally, the three looked at Silas and he nodded ever so slightly, the chirp from Dario finally breaking the tension in the air that had clearly made the younger children nervous as they had fallen silent.
As Gael broke the tension further with soft giggles, everyone settled a bit although looking at his mother anyone would see where Silas had learned the cold glared he'd directed at the king many times before. For a moment it was directed at the king until her husband put his hand on hers and she snapped out of the rage, it was done. The princess had stepped in before she had the chance and handled it better than she would have in that instant. The queen softened and smiled lightly, covering up any anger still within. For now.
The smug look on his face faded as their eyes met, melting into a soft smile. She had nothing to be sorry for, in fact, pride was very clear on his face. He offered another smile and ruffled Gael's hair for a moment. Silas didn't thank her verbally but it was written all over his face, she'd stood up for the smallest in his family, and thanks to her the small boy had hardly noticed the hostility. He looked at Gael for a moment before leaning over kissing the small boy on the head pausing by her, "You did the right thing." He whispered quickly before sitting up once again beaming at the girl. |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Apr 13, 2021 23:33:30 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla had been more than grateful for Silas’ gentle squeeze of reassurance with their intertwined fingers before they had parted to sit. However, it hadn’t been enough to fully dispel the anxiety from her completely, the faint tremor lingering as she settled into the chair. And then, the charade had begun. And, throughout the whole ordeal, Talulla ran off that adrenaline high of defying her father in front of the company. Your future family. It was exhilarating and liberating, but mainly exhausting.
And so, her appetite had left her completely as she swallowed her fear in place. Fear was really good at filling you up, it would seem. She was loosened, however, by Gael’s soft giggles and the return of Silas in her space. She blinked, gaze coming up to him though she was clearly miles away, already dreading what exactly her father would have planned as punishment for her tonight. Not that she would have to wait long; after lunch, they were to all set about on their own. And, she knew he would ask to speak to her then while the others were busy exploring. And out of earshot.
She gave a faint, thin lipped smile at his reassurance, looking away and instead down at little Gael. She relaxed, finally, the meal lurching back to start around them, though she didn’t touch her food. Rather, she fed Gael fruits with giggles, teasing the small boy and answering the endless questions of the twins as well as telling Laia about each of the horses available. ”I promise, we can go riding tomorrow morning while it’s still cool,” She assured the younger girl with a bright grin and a nervous look at Silas’s parents, unsure if they would be alright with her stealing their young daughter away. Especially now that she had revealed what a disgraceful, bad influence she was.
Her father was strangely silent during the meal, merely giving polite answers that were short and didn’t allow for further conversation if he was addressed. The two were once more mirror images, simply pushing their food around, though her father seemed to be sinking into his grief once more and her into her terror instead. She truly was her father’s daughter, the two strikingly similar despite all their differences. It was no wonder they fought so much, both so stubborn and hard headed.
How badly they both needed her mother to compromise.
All too soon, the meal began to draw to a close. She shuddered faintly when her father finally made eye contact with her, pointed and sharp. Angry. She turned to Silas, forcing a soft smile that didn’t come within miles of her eyes. ”Hey Si, after lunch, can you make sure people stay clear of my father’s study? Please? I don’t want anyone to hear him… discussing some things with me.” Her voice was low, gaze on the table cloth for a moment. She didn’t want them to know about her father’s anger any more than they knew already. She wasn’t stupid; there was no hiding that much. But, she wouldn’t let them know her suffering. She wouldn’t be even more of a burden.
With a sharp clearing of his throat, King Maynard got to his feet, straightening. Talulla became very still, suddenly, eyes staring blankly ahead, as if she were trying to disappear right then and there. ”Well, this has been absolutely delightful, but I’m afraid I have a few tedious wedding details to attend to for now. Please feel free to roam about the castle, and any of the servants will be more than happy to attend to any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to joining you all at dinner,” He finished with a gentle bow. His tone had been amiable, polite, but his face held no expression save for his smoldering eyes. He turned then to Talulla, bending toward her ear.
”I’ll see you when you are finished. We have some things to discuss,” He hissed. Talulla merely nodded, the color draining from her face as she stared down at her lap once more. She knew this was coming, but she couldn’t help but wish that the meal had dragged on a little longer. The king disappeared, and the air was heavy for a few moments.
”I suppose it best not to keep him waiting, as he has several questions that he needs my help with. He’s very busy, and under a lot of stress with this whole wedding planning, so I apologize for how… distracted he seemed,” Talulla smoothed to Silas’s parents, eyes coming to meet theirs with a gentle sorrow. ”I don’t expect that it will take too terribly long, so please track me down if you need anything at all. I have had a wonderful time with you all,” She finished, looking away for a moment. Her words shook faintly, nerves getting the best of her, and every part of her simple speech seemed laced with sorrow. Almost as if she were trying to say goodbye.
Which of course, she was. She couldn’t even imagine any scenario where her father would still allow the wedding to continue. Not after her behavior today. It’s your own fault, and it’s for their own good. Silas deserves more. Better than you, at least. She smiled down at Gael, the small boy pouting. ”I especially enjoyed spending lunch with you, my little minnow,” She teased Gael, before kissing the small prince’s nose gently, earning a squeal of delight from him. She shifted then, handing him over to Silas with a sad, fearful glance before she dropped her gaze. ”I mean it, Si. Not even you. Stay away, please,” She murmured in a low tone, warning him. She didn’t want to subject him to her father. She leaned over, pecking him chastely on the cheek before standing unsteadily. She gave a low curtsy to the parents, waved gently to the twins and Laia, locking a nervous smile in for Ximena and the older boys before she disappeared out, leaving the Payne’s alone.
Dario crept forward then, leaping up and perching on the arm of her chair next to Silas, waiting expectantly. He knew the prince would want to see her, soon, and so he was ready to lead him immediately.
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Talulla made the solitary journey to her father’s study alone. The familiar walls felt like prison bars, feet turning to lead as she dragged herself along, the dread slumping her shoulders forward with worry. Nervously, she tucked her hair behind her ears before drawing to a stop at the door, heart thundering violently in her chest. She gave a soft knock, steeling herself for the worst.
”Come in.” The gruff voice was like a funeral bell tolling at the grave of all her dreams of her future with Silas and his family as she pushed the door open. She shut it gently, sealing her fate before turning to face her father. He was standing by the fireplace, staring up at the picture of her mother, eyes unreadable and strangely… calm. Uneasiness set into the pit of her stomach.
”I suppose you know why you’re here,” He began, finally turning to her. The stone cold eyes locked onto her gentle brown ones, the anger pooling forth once more. Talulla felt her hands begin to shake, but she simply pressed them together, moving forward with her head bent respectfully.
”I’m sorry, Father, but please. You must realize how… how embarrassing it was for me, to have you scolding children—“ She began, apology written into her features. She extended her palms up as a sign of apology and submission. Her father cut her off, however, snatching her wrists up and dragging her closer to him. Making it easier for him to land a blow.
”No, Talulla, what’s embarrassing is having a daughter who cannot control her tongue in front of the most important guests we have ever had. I cannot accept this kind of behavior anymore, Talulla. It is is disgraceful and disrespectful. They will call the wedding off,” He hissed, shoving her abruptly to the ground. She landed with a thud breath wheezing out of her. She shuddered, pulling herself up in silence for a long moment.
”They wouldn’t have a reason to call it off if you weren’t insulting their children’s upbringing and, subsequently, their parenthood,” She wheezed out, some of the left over anger oozing out of her despite her best efforts. Her father turned then, hand flying out sharply to connect with her cheek and send her stumbling once more to the floor. She felt tears sting once more, the room spinning around her.
”Do NOT tell me how to respectfully address guests when you don’t even know how to respectfully address me,” He roared now, dragging her up and giving her a rough shake. Talulla’s teeth rattled, stumbling as he released her, shaking his head. ”I don’t know what else to do with you. You have been nothing but an embarrassment. I only want what’s best for you, yet you refuse to see anyone but yourself. You only care about yourself, when you have a whole kingdom that is depending on you,” He sighed, voice lowering into exhaustion, the anger subsiding for a minute.
”The kingdom?” She barked, a laugh escaping in incredulity at his statement. ”Since when have you cared about anyone but yourself. You’ve change father, since mother died—“ She choked out, still struggling to right herself. He whirled on her then, rage raising in the form of a hand as he prepared to strike her again. Talulla suddenly felt her own anger rise within her in that moment. Time seemed to slow down as he drew his hand down sharply. She found her own hand moving of it’s own accord, flying up to grab his wrist, stopping them both in their tracks.
Time froze as they stared at each other, shock etched into both of their faces. Mirror images. She straighten, finally, still shaking violently from head to toe, vision slightly blurred from the tears welling in her eyes.
”Papa, please,” She finally managed, voice hardly above a whisper. She gently shifted closer, capturing his hand in hers as he stood there, frozen, unable to understand. Never once had she tried to defend, much less stopped him. Talulla was crying now, unable to hold it back, cheek burning where he had hit her earlier. She just wanted her father back. Not this angry, broken stranger before her.
”Papa, please, please,” She repeated a little louder, voice cracking as a small sob escaped her. She held his had tenderly, staring down at his worn, weathered knuckles, the familiar skin that used to protect but had instead turned on her. ”It doesn’t have to be like this, please,” She begged softly, watery eyes finally coming to his as her tremors stopped. They stood there, two sides of the same coin, two different sorrows marring their identical features. The king was still frozen, still unable to process or look at anything but her hands around his.
”I… I miss her too, Papa. But you cannot take it out on Silas’s family. The kingdom of Elizazar is good, and kind. They care about us, about… about me. Please, Papa, please. Just try to… to let go for just a moment. I’m getting married in five days. Is this not supposed to be the happiest day of my life? Are you not supposed to be proud… proud of me?” Her voice shook, cracking at the end as she searched his stony face, imploring him to respond, to see through the pain and grief. Her thumb smoothed over his hand, gentle and pleading. Please, Papa, please. I know you are still there.
”How could I be proud of such a blemish on our kingdom?” He finally sneered, jerking his hand free and sending her stumbling in surprise. ”You do not understand even a fraction of what I am going through. This marriage is simply for political reasons, happy or not. It doesn’t matter what you feel; it is your duty to your kingdom, and you should be satisfied with that alone. I thought you would have learned that by now,” He hissed, the anger released once more now that he had broken free of her gentle grasp. He turned away from her, striding away, coming to rest at his desk.
”I am tired, Talulla, of asking you. I am not asking much. Control yourself. I will not find another for you when Silas gives up on you out of embarrassment. This is your last chance to… to prove yourself. Do not let me down, again,” He finished, waving her away dismissively and still refusing to look at her. Talulla gave a choked sound a simple nod. She gave a shaky curtsy and turned to escape, heart crushed by his final words once more.
”I’m… I’m sorry, Father,” She whispered before bolting out of the door. She stumbled into the hallway, sniffling and swiping at her eyes, wincing at her smarting cheek. She wasn’t paying attention when she nearly stumbled into Zion. She jerked back, blinking rapidly as she straightened her shoulders, struggling quickly to compose herself.
”Ah, I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” She managed, glancing over at Adreil and Ximena standing to the side. ”I do hope you'll forgive me for being a bit out of sorts at the moment. Weddings are so stressful. I’m going to my room for a bit, if that’s alright?” She croaked out, lip quivering as she continued to fight the tears, shaking slightly. However, she was brave, keeping her head up and standing straight, trying to appear like the perfect princess her father dreamed of. Trying to be anything but herself. |
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inky
I'm a free woman again! At least until the semester starts up :D
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Post by inky on Apr 14, 2021 1:53:55 GMT -5
»Anaris Vass
»Silas Payne
The rest of lunch went without a hitch, in fact Laila was very excited about the next day the princess was promising. Her gaze turned to her parents as the other princess did. Her eyes glittered with excitement and she was practically begging them to say yes as she held her hand close to her. The queen and king nodding in sync with each other and the young girl almost jumped out of her seat with pure excitement.
Silas talked with his family, though his eyes always returned to her and the small boy in her lap. She was so soft and kind to him, how had the king raised such a perfect woman when he was so, vial. It took everything in him to hold his tongue and not say anything, not call him out in front of his whole family and make an enemy out of him. If he did that he'd never get to marry her. That would be it. The woman of his dreams would be ripped from him and forced to stay with that man alone again. He'd do anything to not let that happen. He just had to bite his tongue for a few more days. He could do that right?
Well he hoped he could. Tonight would be a big test for him. He already knew he was going to follow her wherever her father was going to have her meeting him. His guess what the kings study again. He knew Dario would lead him no problem. Lost in his thoughts for a moment he snapped out of them as he heard the golden-haired girl speak. Blinking for a moment he looked at her once more, there was sadness in his eyes. "Of course, I'll keep them away.." The prince spoke softly and offered her a small smile before Gael opened his mouth for more food. The prince shook his head and played with the food on his plate absentmindedly. Then King Mynard's voice sounded; just the sound of his voice made him angry. Yeah a real delight, insulting his brother, his bride, his family, he would have rather have been spat on. At least then the disrespect would have only been toward him.
His family was polite and bowed as the king left the room, then their eyes rested on the princess. The king had been far from distracted but no one pushed it, they all could tell she had too much going on internally to answer any questions. Plus Maynard hadn't exactly shown the kindest side of himself today. Everyone was a bit wary. "Do not worry dear, I'm sure we will do fine for now." The queen said with a soft gentle smile. "We had a wonderful time with you as well sweetheart, the same goes for you by the way. Our rooms are not far." She said, it wasn't hard to see through the nice words. But she'd pester Silas about it later.
The fit of giggles the escaped Gael echoed through the room as he was handled to Silas he pouted a little. and then she warned him of coming near the study. His eyes held her's for a moment, he almost said no but instead he nodded adjusting his grip on Gael as she kissed his cheek. As she went to move away he pulled her in for a moment taking a deep breath and kissing her forehead before letting her go to say her other goodbyes.
The moment she left the whole family turned to Silas and he sighed putting Gael down. "Laia, Kairo, Kaia, take Gael and go find one of the servants to talk you four somewhere fun. We need to talk with your older brothers and sister." The Queen said dismissing the younger children. Laia picked Gael up and with that they were off. This wasn't for the little ears. Once they were gone her eyes returned to him, "I want to know everything."
Sighing Silas told them everything, the abuse that he'd seen the fear she had all of it, including that fact that he'd spelt in her room and snuck out her window and almost got her in even more trouble. Of course that earned some ooo's from his brothers and a harsh glare from his mother. "That poor girl...I didn't really need you to tell us that, but I just need to confirm what I'd already seen..." The woman sighed looking at the cat, "Go on Silas I know you are getting antsy. You talk care of that girl, she is far to gentle and kind to have a man raising his hand to her. We will stay away. If you need us we are a few rooms away you know this." The woman kissed her sons head, making him bend down so she could do so. She was a small woman.
With that he was gone, he knew Dario would lead the way but what he didn't know is the three younger siblings followed quickly behind him. "Wait you guys can't come, I told her I'd keep you guys away.." He said
"When was the last time we listened to you?' Zion said rolling his eyes at his brother.
"Yeah last time I checked I'm the only one with a brain and enough sense to control you imbeciles from doing stupid." Ximena said placing her hands on her hips.
"Yeah right good luck stopping that idiot by yourself sister." He said gesturing to Silas who just glared at them.
"Fine. But be quiet and don't do anything dumb. She is in deep enough..." Silas said turning on his heel and following after Dario once again. They made it into the hidden hallways and it didn't take long to get to the little door of the study. They'd made it just in time to the princess hitting the ground. Silas flinched and clenched his fist.
"You were serious?" Zion whispered in his brothers ear earning are harsh glare as they continued to watch hidden from view. Then the princess stood and spoke once more and then he king's hand made contact with her face. Ximena's hand reached out a grabbed Silas' wrist covering her mouth quickly.
"I can't watch this anymore." He whispered pulling his hand away from his sister and pushing passed the three. Silas walked as quickly and as quietly as he could down the hall and outside. His hands smoked as he held his fists so tight her could feel his nails dig into his skin. The rage he felt was enough to cause flames to spark in his hands. He went outside through a window, it was the quickest way out and the least flammable. Still though behind him he left soot on the window.
He made his way away from the castle and his hand burst into flames, he'd made sure to be out of sight and away from anything that would catch and not go up in flames. He did however cause the grass he stood on to burn away around him as he stood there. The man stormed further away, trying his best to keep from setting the grass ablaze as he did. Once a little further away he found a tree that had already died but away barely standing and he hit the thing so hard with his hands blazing that it went straight through leaving the dead bark glowing with hot embers. Taking a deep breath the flames died down and he wiped his eyes. He had so much anger toward that man, he'd never needed to go for a walk before. This kind of emotion and rage was new to him, he'd never wanted to fight someone more in his life. The orange glow died down as he managed to calm himself a little.
He couldn't do anything to help her. There was nothing he could do to stop that man from raising his hand to her. The only woman outside of his sisters and mother than he wanted to keep safe, was being hit and belittled and he couldn't do anything but watch from the shadows. That made him even more angry. Rubbing his eyes quickly he stood up and dusted the bits of bark off of his suit. All he wanted was for her to be happy and safe, he couldn't even give her that. He couldn't even keep himself away when she asked him. Taking one more deep breath he made his way back to the castle. Slipping in and heading for her room quickly, lucky for him the door was unlocked and he sat on her bed waiting for her.
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Still left in the hall the three siblings saw and heard everything. No wonder she had been so scared, this man was cruel beyond words. It wasn't long after Silas left that the girl grabbed her fathers wrist and the two were frozen in time it seemed. All three watch wide eyed as she began to beg him to stop and not hurt her anymore. Ximena had almost cried quiet a few times but had managed to hold back anything the threatened to spill over on to her cheeks. All three siblings held hands as they each kept the other from bursting in to stop what was happening. When the king refused her pleading the three left. They'd seen enough, and had made up their minds to stop anything further from happening to her. She was a part of their family now and that man would never hit her again as long as they were around. They didn't even need to say it they all felt it.
The three made their way down the hall a bit, so they weren't so close to the study in cast Talulla came out and saw them. Ximena was holding Zion's hand shaking her head, she couldn't imagine her parents raising a head to a single on of them. Let alone how she'd react if they had. Kindness would not have been he go to reaction that much she knew. "No wonder Silas acted that way. I've never seen him so upset before. He should have stayed..." Adreil said with a sigh.
"Are you kidding if he had stayed he would have lost it. Zion almost did a few times." Ximena said, they were hushed but still talking.
"I mean but she'd really stood up for herself then. And for us. And him. Its astonishing how strong she was." Adreil said quietly.
Zion and Ximena just nodded silently and that was when the second oldest turned around hearing the princess's footsteps. "Oh hello princess." He said tilting his head a bit. "Your room? I c-" An elbow to his ribs shut up the prince.
Ximena smiled at her, "You didn't interrupt anything just Adreil getting us lost again." She said with a small laugh, "And you most certainly don't need our permission to go to your room." The princess tilted her head offering the smile still letting her eyes close so the other woman couldn't see the tears that had found their way to her eyes. "Rest up, we will be fine!" She said ushering her brothers away waving to the princess. Letting her be, she knew Silas had made it back to her room by now she was sure of it. It wasn't their place to interfere plus she knew he brothers would slip up.
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Silas sat in her room waiting, his leg shook as he struggled to keep himself calm. It was take her a while to get there and that worried him even more. He just wanted to hold her and let her cry into his shirt. He wanted to keep her safe and he'd failed at that again. Now he wanted nothing more than be selfish and hold her and not let her go till he felt that she'd calmed down and was safe. He needed to hold her for himself too, he felt so bad for letting that happened. And he couldn't even stay the whole time, what kind of husband was he going to be if he couldn't even keep her safe in her own home when he stood right there? |
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Post by ɪɴᴛʀᴀɴꜱɪɢᴇɴᴛ on Apr 14, 2021 21:49:34 GMT -5
Orson
Talulla
Talulla was, to put it lightly, a mess. You are so much the embarrassment your father says you are. It is no wonder that the kingdom is ashamed of you and all your shortcomings. Get a grip already. Her ear was still ringing from where her father’s open palm had connected with it, her head a little dizzy from the impact and lack of food. She had so many emotions that she was close to shutting down from lack of energy to sustain them, and she desperately wanted to curl up against Silas and be comforted in the way she had needed for years. Yet, here were her future siblings standing before her, looking concerned and worried. What an embarrassment. Her father’s words echoed through her head with as much sting as his fist.
Humiliation coursed through her in waves, enough to drown out her pain as she swallowed down her worries. Instead, she focused her attention on what Ximena had said; “Adreil getting us lost”. She turned her gaze to the taller woman then, swiping shakily at her eyes with a gentle sniffle. ”Well, if you’re lost, I’ll be happy to get you where you need to go. It’s probably on the way to my room, honestly,” She assured the three, gaze falling off to the side, eyes miles away once more. That all too familiar stare of hers, where one could see her actively shrinking away inside herself. Just the way Father prefers you; proper and silent.
However, much to her surprise, Ximena shook her head, refusing the help and excusing the princess. In that moment, her heart swelled, overcome by the gentleness she was not used to. Her eyes focused hazily on Ximena’s, concern filling her deep brown pools as she noticed that the other had been crying. A closer inspection revealed that Adreil and Zion were upset as well. Her heart sank to her stomach, suddenly fearing that despite her efforts, the wedding was called off, somehow. She looked away, forlorn for a moment, wishing for all the world that Silas were here to at least stand beside her, engaged or not.
”Well, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. I just… I want to make your time here, however brief, as easy as possible. I’m… sorry, for any trouble you may have experienced. You are all, truly, far kinder than I deserve,” She finished with a trademark Talulla voice crack, eyes watering anew as she looked away, tucking her hair behind her ears. Yet another strangely final departure from her, as if she were certain this was the end. With a small, wobbling curtsy, Talulla then made her exit. Her proud shoulders slumped forward as she made her way to her room, exhausted and aching. Every part of her ached. Especially, the heart.
She feebly pushed her large, ornate door open, grunting with a soft wince as her now bruising shoulder smarted in response. She sniffled, swiping at her eyes and sliding the door shut fully. She turned on her heel, finally catching sight of Silas. She jolted, nearly a foot straight up into the air, heart accelerating in fear as she began to shake fully once more. She took a gasp of air, struggling to calm herself, swiping fervently at her eyes once more.
”So… is it true? Are you… calling the wedding off and everything?” She started, glancing down nervously for a moment. ”Will you… will you be leaving me?” Her voice wavered, soft and ragged, bottom lip trembling as she stumbled closer, awkwardly waiting beside her own bed. Her eyes watered, though it seemed they had never really stopped, chest tightening under the weight of the silence. Her bottom lip poked out, though she did her best to hide her tears, blinking rapidly and keeping her head bent forward, turning slightly away from him. She didn’t want to see his face when he confirmed what she was certain was true. This has been so long coming, since the day you met. You knew better than to fall; you are not worthy. She knew hearing him say he was leaving was going to crush her like a grape, the weight already slumping her shoulders forward, arms coming to hug her midsection in a feeble last ditch attempt to self soothe.
If Silas left… Well, she would simply never recover. No one can touch you Silas, the love of my life. |
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