September 2, 1171
"El, how noticeable are these bags under my eyes? Can you see them from over there?"In truth, the bags were the least of Ietrin's concerns. Ellona had scarcely said a word to him all morning, and as hard as he was trying to keep a level head for the day, he didn't think he could make it if she wouldn't speak to him. "El?"
"You look fine." She pried herself from the couch cushions and strained to sit up straight. "I'm surprised you even care, anyway."
Startled, he turned away from his reflection and looked at her--looked at her not looking at him. She sat with the stillness of a quiet pool, but her eyes were aflame as if they housed a thousand torches. In her frosty, fiery anger, she still managed to be beautiful: her alabaster skin, her kissable mouth, her dark curls pulled back in an elaborate knot yet still struggling against their bounds. Had his father promised him to someone like her--magnificent even in her misery, with her raven hair and piercing eyes--he would have walked down that aisle without reservation. A pity she was only a knight's daughter. She might have made a splendid queen.
"Oh, you're not jealous, are you?" He joined her on the couch, trying to smile as best he could manage today; somehow, it was easier when he was looking at her. "Nothing's going to change, really. Sure, we might have to start meeting in your room, but other than that..." Other than what? He had no idea what he was saying. Things were going to change--but with any luck, they wouldn't change much.Ellona sniffed. "You dare flatter yourself by thinking I'd be jealous over you?" He blinked; at last, a grin broke out on her face. "I'm kidding, you idiot."
"Oh." Feeling a little foolish, he reached toward her and placed his fingers on the exposed skin of her shoulder, letting them spider across her back as she leaned toward him, until at last his arm had exhausted its reach. "Sorry. I think we're both a little distracted today.""So it seems."
She snuggled up against him, the edge of her silk slipper running up and down his leg; content for the first time since he'd woken, Ietrin sighed. "I'm giving you that castle by the lake."As if she thought he must have been joking, Ellona snorted. "Wasn't your father saving that one for one of your brothers?"
Ietrin shrugged. "I convinced him that the smaller, uglier ones were more defensible."
"So I get the pretty, big castle, but woe unto me if ever it's attacked?""Pretty much."
He leaned inward and kissed her on the cheek; in turn, she did him one better and nipped his earlobe. "But I trust you'll be there to fend off invaders more often than not?"
"Well, naturally." Ietrin laced his free arm under Ellona's legs and pulled her onto his lap. She was tall for a girl, but somehow managed to be light as a feather. "What sort of man would I be could I not defend my lady?"
Her finger tracing the edge of his shoulder blade, she placed her forehead to his and sighed. It was not a resigned sigh, or an enamored sigh; in truth, he was not sure what sort of sigh it was. "Do I have your word?""Yes, my love." He did not think it possible to lie to her. All he could do was pull her closer and whisper, "You have my word."
NEXT CHAPTER:
12 comments:
Err... anyone know any quick treatments for a pulled neck muscle? :(
I don't know any quick treatments for one of those exquisitely painful pulled neck muscles. A heating pad and alcohol...
Ietrin does not think it possible to lie to Ellona? And he will protect her while they have a big pretty castle? I kind of like him here. They're not in love (and maybe he never will be), but there's a sweet bond.
I second Dr. Beth's prescription and up her one neck massage from one hot gentleman. Should a hot gentleman not be available, simply substitute with more booze.
I just don't know how to feel about these two. I do find his attraction to Ellona intriguing since she couldn't be more different from Laralita. And the reason why I mention Laralita is because Ietrin is so similar to Roderick, I might have expected him to want someone vapid and cheerful. But mostly vapid. However, Ellona's personality type is somewhat like Aldhein's. I don't know why I am looking to explain this boy's preferences through his parents. :p I aslo don't quite know what Ellona is setting herself up for.
I love how you're approaching the wedding, showing the "before" from the PoV of each of the leads for today's circus. It's been quite illuminating for some of them, showing a glimpse at a part of their persona we hadn't yet encountered and for others finding a new way to look at the situation. Married life will surely be interesting for them all - but then isn't the phrase "may you live in interesting times" considered to be a curse?
PS - sorry I'm so behind in commenting, life is a little hectic right now.
I have no idea what to do for a pulled neck muscle, Van. Sorry. :( Painkillers, maybe?
Although while we're on the subject, does anybody know what to do for a pulled ... Achilles tendon, I think I might be? I did something to it on Sunday and it still hurts whenever I bend over.
Ahem. Anyway. I thought Ietrin was almost ... cute, here? It's nice to see him having some type of feelings for someone other than himself. Maybe it's not love, but at least he seems to care a little bit about Ellona.
As for what Ellona's feeling, I can't wait to find that out. She can't actually be ... jealous, could she?
I still feel worst for Jeda, though.
Holy shit, I come home from class thinking I'll have maybe one comment waiting for me, and lo and behold! Four :)
Beth: Alas, I have no heating pad--alcohol, however, is doable :)
Yeah, I don't think there in love, but it's probably the closest either of them has been to it, possibly the closest either ever will. Neither of them are exactly the romantic type. They do have a sweet little relationship though; they seem to bring out the best in each other.
Pen: Yeah, I don't think there are many hot gentlemen around here. Or maybe I'm just picky. Either way, I have pretty much a whole bottle of kahlua that I've been hiding from my roommates, so it's all good :)
Interesting idea about what attracts Ietrin. Ellona does sort of fall into the same general personality type as the Aldhein of today, but I'm not sure if he was quite the same before Lyssie was born; the Aldhein Geneva knew seemed a lot more hedonistic and devil-may-care. Maybe Geneva saw past that? Or maybe Ietrin just has his own tastes.
As for Ellona... well, we know that she started sleeping with Ietrin because her mother told her too, but there seems to be a little more here. She does seem to be developing feelings for him.
Illandrya: Don't worry about comments. Life has certainly been hectic for you these past few weeks :S
Glad you're enjoying :) And yeah, the aftermath is certainly going to be... uh, interesting... :S
Morgaine: Alas, I have no painkillers :(
Anything on the leg, I usually just ice it, but that can be inconvenient if you want to do something that doesn't involve lounging around with the leg elevated :S
"Cute" is an odd word to describe Ietrin, but he certainly doesn't seem like the same asshole who was telling Jeda what was what a few posts ago. I don't think it's love--not quite, not yet--but it's definitely something. Ellona seems to have a sense of that too, although I'm not sure when we'll get her next POV.
But yeah, Jeda's definitely the victim here :(
Ugh... poor Jeda. Ietrin is so callous and mean. I do have some hopes that he will grow up. He is rather young after all and doesn't really have good role models in his life. It would be nice if he actually ended up as a good King.
He certainly could grow up a bit; he's quite young and hopefully still malleable. If nothing else, at least he seems somewhat smarter than his father.
But yeah, "Poor Jeda" is right :S
I like neither of these two right now. I don't care if her mother told her to sleep with Ietrin or not, she made a very selfish, hurtful choice.
Jeda deserves so much more than this. Big, pretty castle indeed. Ietrin is a bigger putz than his father and that is saying a lot.
And I wouldn't feel this strongly were it not for your wonderful way of telling a tale!
Whoever Ellona was taking into consideration when she started up the thing with Ietrin, it certainly wasn't Jeda :S
Ietrin... well, I do still think he's smarter than Roderick, but Roderick was very much a harmless sort of idiot. There seems to be something a little more sinister about Ietrin, and that will probably come to sharp light when Roderick is gone :S
Thanks Gayl :)
He probably gets that more sinister side from Geneva. Not that she was sinister but she would have made a better ruler than Roderick...hell Florian would be a better ruler than Roderick.
King Florian? That would be an interesting alternate universe, to say the least o_O
Geneva was always a good enough queen, even if she found the job rather boring and eventually gave society the finger and ran off. She wasn't sinister, but she was clever enough in her own thoughtless, somewhat self-centered way, and I think Ietrin got that from her.
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