Shielding The Rose (DigitalSiren x Sevatar)

[Bunny]

As a princess there were expectations of her. So while her King and father sat upon his throne looking down upon her as he told her what would be happening she fought to kept her face serenely blank. She was to be married to King Tarkan within the month, their union would cease hostilities that were brewing and gain the kingdom a powerful ally. It seems the tale of The Rose of Brensea's beauty had reached him and he'd offered the simple trade. A single rose for their allegiance, their support from anyone who dared threaten the Kingdom of Brensea. Surely one rose was worth such an allegiance... It seemed not to matter that the 'King' was a known brute, that the horror stories surrounding him were well known. That the title 'King' was a mere formality, the man was a warlord and lead through terror. No, it was expected she'd be the dutiful daughter, the perfect princess as she was sold off like a prized cow. That she smile and accept it without a lick of questioning. So that was what she did.

Standing before him Arabella gazed up at her King with a peaceful look on her face. Her golden locks tumbling down her back like waves or amber honey, ending just before her rear. The delicate lines of her face composed. The tears and fear she felt hidden behind a courtly mask as she accepted her fate without so much as a blink of her turquoise eyes. What else could she do? Defy him before the assembled court? She was many things but foolish wasn't one of them. There was little question of punishment should she act so brashly. No, her only choice was to accept it, hope that he would be a kind husband and King. Once dismissed she turned and left the great hall.

As she moved through the hallway, the white edge of her dress rustled softly against the polished stone, the soft step of her heals echoing back at her from the walls. As she passed by the windows she could see the teal overcoat that rested above the white gown in the polished glass, the intricate golden stitching catching the setting sunlight. She'd dressed to please her father, something she always strove to do... not that it ever seemed to make a difference. He'd wanted a boy, she was well aware of that. Instead he'd gotten her. She was never enough for him, it was something in her eighteen years she'd come to know as well as she knew herself, yet foolishly she strove to gain his favor.

The walk from the throne room to her own chambers took her only a few minutes, but as she closed the door her back pressed against it she began to cry. The tears that had begun to blur her vision as she'd neared her room now sliding down her cheeks silently. She'd been able to hold it in, no one would see her cry.. Sliding down along the door she let her tears fall hotly from her cheeks into her hands as she covered her face. How could she do this? How could she marry a man who was known for his cruelty? As she cried, her slender form trembled with the force of her tears.

Her mother had known the man her father was. That was why long before her death she had asked one man to watch over her daughter. He'd been her protector, her friend, her confidant since she'd been younger. Always there to help her smile, to keep her safe from the world around her that wanted nothing more than to see those tears. It had been him that had told her to never let them see how they hurt her, it would only fuel them.

 

[Sevatar]

The dreamy look on Arabella's face and whispered words of a no longer hidden truth caused Azhek's heart to flutter, and his arms wrapped even tighter around Arabella. He lost himself in every little bit of her, wanting nothing more then to treasure and cradle her for all of eternity. The soft cry of pain that escaped her lips from his affections would cause him to pull away from his love, a guilty look plastered across his face. "I'm sorry" He whispered, the harsh reminder of the fact that he had failed to protect her, combined with the fact that she wouldn't meet his gaze causing a uncomfortable knot of nervousness and fear to settle in his stomach, banishing the passion that had been welling within him.

The whispered request from Arabella made Azhek take a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. She was right, as she often was. He shouldn't, he couldn't let that brute of a man stop their passion, and their love for one another. He would lean into her hand, letting her delicate hand cup his chin, her finger brushing over his skin and causing goosebumps to ripple down his back. Azhek then leaned in, till his forehead was pressing against hers, meeting her gaze and staring into those beautiful eye's of hers. "Arabella" He whispered, his breath washing over her cheek. "I promise you, that I'm never going to let anyone take anything from us ever again" Azhek murmured, before granted her request to plant a loving kiss on her lips, trying his best not to hurt her bruised lower lip, before he pulled away.

Azhek was certainly not prepared for what Arabella did next, the sight of his best friend and love crawling into his lap, their legs practically intertwined and a beautiful blush covering her face causing the Knight to pause. And when she started to peel her shirt off, he swallowed softly, mesmerized by the beautiful sight in front of him. Azhek hung on every word that left her lips, listening to her every request and demand, and he would open his lips to respond, before falling silent as Arabella wrapped her arms around his neck. The feeling of his love pressing kiss after kiss to his lips made the passion that had faltered upon hearing her pained cry had banished, and he allowed her to guide his hand to her bare waist, which made the man flush, and glance away, wanting to preserve her modesty, no matter how much he enjoyed the view, of the beautiful woman in her undergarments, and he reached down with his free hand, scooping up her top and he gently guided it back on over her head, his hand leaving her waist to guide the garment back over the woman.

Azhek then reached up with his hand, cupping Arabella's cheek just as she had done to his, and he ran a rough finger over her chin, his other hand grabbing hers, and wrapping his digits into her delicate fingers. "And I am yours Arabella" He whispered, leaning in till his forehead was pressed against hers, and he pressed the first of many kisses to her lips. "Till the end of time, I belong to you, mind, body and soul. I will always be here, by your side." He promised her, a kiss delivered to her lips in between every word. "And I promise you, My Love, that I am never going to let anyone or anything get between us ever again. I will never hide my love for you, for any reason." He murmured, passion filling his voice as he stared at the love of his life. "And if you think that you are never on the forefront of my mind, Aria" He teased, the smile that only she could bring out plastered across his face. "Then you are very mistaken" He cooed, before capturing her lips yet again.

The next hour seemed to pass in a blur for Azhek, concerned with nothing more then granting Arabella her request for him to kiss her, his lips plastered against hers at every opportunity, his arms and hands holding her as close as possible, the Knight determined to make up every single moment of time that the two star-crossed lovers had lost. And as Azhek barraged Arabella with another round of loving kisses, his eyes would drift out the window, and he could see that the sun had finally set.

Reluctantly, Azhek dragged himself away from Arabella's lips, but just barely, no more then an inch away, and he gasped for breathe, greedily sucking down fresh air as his hand removed itself from Arabella's waist, where it had made it's way sometime during their liplock, making its way up to cup her chin, brushing his thumb against her cheek. "My Lady, as much as I would love to spend the rest of all eternity kissing you" He resisted the urge to resume planting kisses all over Arabella's perfect face, reluctantly pulling back, his eyes never leaving hers. "We cannot be here in the morning, and we should use the best of the dark while we can." He hated to end something so wonderful, to bring up the worried subject of them running away, but it was a unfortunate necessity.

 

[Bunny]

Her words seemed to sway him and she smiled as his hand cupped her cheek, the roughness of his fingertips oddly soothing; perhaps it was the sign that the man who held her heart had worked for everything in his life? Unlike her, the man she was meant to marry, even with his conquering of nations, his hands were soft. For some reason it reassured her to know he'd not led a life like her own, though they'd been together most of it. Fingers laced with his own and she nodded. His promises, vows of love made her heart swell and she nodded, returning each kiss. At the end of his declarations she was blushing and smiling brightly. When he kissed her once more, Aria didn't even feel the pain from her lip, pleasure from his mouth on hers washing it all away.

Time whiled away slowly and for once, Arabella didn't mind it's crawl. The hour seemed to pass by almost blissfully, heir mouth never far apart and as he finally pulled back, her lips were rosy and fuller from his attentions. Taking in breaths much the same as he, she nuzzled her cheek into his hand, delighting in the touch. She didn't correct the My Lady, something told her had she been a peasant girl he'd wooed, the term would have been used. Azhek had this ability to make her feel like a princess, where in her day to day life, beyond the privileges allotted to her, she didn't feel like royalty. Only with Azhek. She felt cherished and precious. The idea made her smile and shake her head. Talk about privilege. I have never done a day's work nor gone hungry. Her eyes turned back to him and she nodded some. "I have a bit of money.. And I can pack clothing and jewels.." Some they could sell, the others her mother's and Arabella would not be able to part with them. Rising from his lap she reached down, fingers brushing against his cheek; the touch was soft and lingered and she nodded once more. "I will be back in your rooms within an hour.." It would hopefully give him time and if not, he'd know where she was. Nothing further to worry himself over over their daunting task to come.

Leaving his rooms, Aria made her way to her own, doing her best to avoid guards and the poisonous courtiers that might have been lurking about. Within her own rooms, Arabella took time to decide what to bring. She didn't want to weigh them down, but some of her treasures she couldn't leave behind. A diamond necklace, a necklace of pearls and emerald, a large amethyst ring and a pair of garnet earrings. All four had been her mothers, other odds and ends were brought, but to sell should they need them. Clothing much like she was wearing, undergarments, her previously favored boots and two dresses that could pass for a Lady, but not fine enough for a Princess. A rose of copper that Azhek had bought her, a book from her favorite tutor and a few other odds and ends; a hair brush, a small vial of perfume. Most of the things she treasured would unfortunately need to be left behind, Arabella was careful to only take what she couldn't part with.

One neatly packed satchel was lifted into her hands, most of her hour had been taken with packing the precious items and clothing with enough room for her new clothing Azhek had provided her. Slipping into his rooms once more she let the door close behind her. Now, alone and without her lover and knight, she felt the worry building for what they were planning. Aria wasn't a fool, they'd be hunted to the ends of the earth... But with luck, they might be able to vanish. As she put the last of her gifts into the bag she let her mind wander. She should perhaps change her hair? The heavy, thick weight of her honey blonde hair rested about her shoulders and she bit the inside of her cheek, remembering her lower lip's cut. She loved her hair, the length and the rich color; it would however be noticeable... Sighing she decided before acting, she'd talk to Azhek. This wasn't a chess game, a hasty action could prove fatal.

 

[Sevatar]

Azhek's gaze would never leave Arabella's, even as she rose out of his lap, and he reluctantly let her go, his limbs falling away from her as she steadied herself. The gentle caress of his cheek made him shiver softly, and he nodded softly, leaning up and finding her lips one final time. "Stay safe, My Love" He murmured, fighting the urge to follow her out of the room and to her own chambers, the Knight not wanting to leave his Lady and Lover alone, especially considering what had happened with Tarkan. He did, however, realize, he needed to pack and prepare his own supplies, and his gaze would follow Arabella out of the room, drinking in the view of her, the way her hips swayed and bounced as she walked out, and the way her lovely hair waved back and forth, and the smile that had been covering his face stayed strong until she was gone from his gaze, before fading away.

He pushed himself to his feet, straightening himself before making his way into the small bed chambers that he had been granted, the man moving about with a practiced easy as he scooped up his traveling bag and started to pack the absolute necessities he would need for their travels. A couple of changes of clothes, followed by a thick jacket would make their way into the bag. A knife, still buried in it's sheathe made its way in next, an extra pair of boots chasing it in, and he nodded, happy with what he had so far.

Azhek's dark eyes danced around the room, resting on the full suit of plate mail that dominated a solitary corner and he sighed, walking over to rest a hand against the shoulder plate of the cold metal. The armor had practically become a second skin to him over the years, one that he had adapted to fit his needs, and had personalizations that he had done in a form of remembrance, small engravings covering his gauntlets and armors, etched there by the Knight in moments of self-reflection. And in some cases, in guilt. On the other hand, Arabella had also personalized his armor, engraving and painting one of his pauldrons as a rose, which Azhek had faintly protested, but still had allowed her to do, much to her father's chagrin, but, Azhek had stood firm, and refused to allow the man to replace it. Chuckling a little at the memory, Azhek retreated across the room to grab his bag, removing the boots and knife for a second, before returning to the armor and quickly started to pack it away, the boots and leggings followed by the gauntlets, pauldrons, and then the helmet, until only the breastplate remained on the rack, and he ignored it for now, instead opting to move back to his bed, ripping the coverings off, and stuffing them inside, offering him both bedding, and a way to mute the rattling the armor would make.

He then slipped the breastplate on, letting it settle over his tunic before he slid his jacket on, rolling his shoulders and settling in comfortably, Azhek grabbing one of the last items he would need, his greatsword being removed from its place on the wall, and slid delicately into the sheathe on his back, the familiar weight settling in and he went over his mental checklist, before heading over to his desk, rooting around in a drawer and withdrawing a heavy coin purse, which he slid into a small compartment at the top of his bag, which was full after everything he had put into it. He set it down on the corner of his now bare bed, instead opting to grab the larger bag designed to haul rations and survival supplies, and would allow him to nestle his bag on top of, once it was full.

Azhek then departed from his bedroom, making his way lower into the castle, till he arrived at the storage level, and the remainder of the hour would be spent grabbing different supplies that he and Arabella would need. Rations, cooking supplies and fishing tools were first retrieved from the stores, followed by a tent and other survival necessities. Next would come the medical tools and supplies that Azhek prayed he would never need to use during their travels. He had no problem with blood and injuries, but the thought of having to see Arabella like that... It made his heart do things that he didn't quite know how to handle, and he did his best to brush off the thoughts and images that jumped to the forefront of his mind unwanted, and unabated.

Before long, Azhek found himself outside the door to his chambers, having grabbed everything he thought they would need, and perhaps a little more, evidenced by the full bag that he had slung over an arm and he pushed open the door to his rooms, his eyes landing on Arabella within a few seconds, the beautiful woman apparently lost in her thoughts, standing in the middle of the room. "I'm back Arabella" He called out to her, setting his backpack down before making his way across the room, till he was standing in front of his Lady again, and he leaned down, planting a chaste kiss against her cheek, doing his best to show restraint.

"Did you get everything you needed Love?" Azhek asked, grabbing her hand into his own and brushing a finger over her digits, the smile that had vanished at her departure, returning to his face, framed by his unruly blonde hair, and dark eyes. His restraint wavered a little bit as he took Arabella in, and he leaned in even closer, til his forehead was resting against hers. "I missed you" He confessed, the hour apart having allowed his mind to wander to unwelcome places, and he planted a very short kiss against her lips, barely pulling away as his free arm wrapped around his Lady's waist.

 

[Bunny]

Turning some at the sound of his door, Arabella gave Azhek a small smile. "Welcome back.." the sweetness of her voice was lowered, the worry still lingering within. Lips brushed her skin, cool and chaste, the feeling vanishing quickly as it had come. Nodding slightly Aria looked up at him, her large turquoise eyes holding her concerns and fears in their depths. "I did." Pulled closer, Aria's eyes fell closed as his forehead found her own. Breathing in his scent, she relaxed. Just being near him helped sooth her fears. Returning the kiss, Aria nodded once more. "I missed you too."

Cuddling into him, as his arm wrapped around her waist, Arabella fought with herself. In the past, had she been hurting, scared or worried about something she could tell Azhek. He'd always been the one to keep her safe, to reassure her and dry her tears. And now? He had her life to worry about. It had always been his to protect, but before their decision to run, there had never truly been a threat to her life. No credible ones at least. Resting her head on his shoulder, Aria wondered if she should tell him they could call this off. She could do this... She'd be miserable, but they could find a way to be together; he wasn't something she was willing to give up. No.. She realized.. that wouldn't be safer at all. Both would have risks and she'd be forced to share her body and bed with a monster.

Still, she stayed quiet on her own fears, not needing to add to his worries. Turning slightly against him, Arabella pressed a soft kiss to his jawline. "Azhek?" When he turned to look at her she smiled softly. "We should go, before we lose any more of the night." It wasn't what she'd wanted to say, the question about her hair still lingering in her mind. It wouldn't have been done now anyway; better to wait till they had been out of the castle to broach that subject. Stepping away she picked up a cloak, the simplest she owned with it's dark navy blue coloring so deep it was almost black, accented with bright pops of red. Settling the material over her shoulders she picked up her bag. Looking about his rooms she saw he left behind just as much as she did. "After you"

Following behind Azhek, she stayed close, perhaps at times too close as they skirted around guards and servants. They'd not be able to escape without a few people seeing them, but they hope was they could escape with as few as possible. Down stone hallways, spiraling steps and finally into the chilly night air. Across the yard of the castle to the stables, the pair stole away, keeping to the shadows.

Arabella could smell the horses well before she saw them. The scent of the beasts not all together unpleasant, the sweetness of the hay hitting her as they stepped within. Luckily for them both, she knew how to ride; her father had not been a fan of Aria learning to ride like a man, but she was happy she had learned now, more than ever. Her personal steed, Boreas, had come with them on the move. His unusual coloring made him look like he was covered in snow, the darkness of his coat studded with white and grey and his mane pure white. Moving towards him, she held up an apple.. Dancing in his stable lightly, his neck stretched out to snatch the proffered treat. "Azhek, am I allowed to take him?" Her hand brushed at his muzzle. She'd love to, but like her hair.. she was afraid of the coloring standing out.. If they didn't would her husband to be kill him out of spite? Her stomach turned at the thought and tears sprung, unbidden to her eyes.