[color=lightgray][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/8s7Dbx7.png[/img] [img]https://i.ibb.co/MDgZ1L4Q/301b060e-d426-41f9-9f43-1c2491d2c8b2.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jZw9UZh.png[/img] [color=Burlywood]Time:[/color] Evening of Ignis 5 [color=Burlywood]Location:[/color] Edwards Estate [img]https://i.imgur.com/jZw9UZh.png[/img] [/center] The dining room wore Victoria’s taste like a crown. Every corner was gilded with gold, and tall windows darkened by the night beyond. It was a lot to take in for anyone, especially one not used to her taste. Gideon Edwards waited at the head of a table that looked fit for a royal procession rather than a family meal yet the food itself was modest in comparison, the sort of comfort he preferred when he had any say: a roast carved, buttery vegetables, bread still steaming beneath a cloth, and a baked dish set to the side that smelled richly of cheese. He stood in a dark, well-tailored evening coat, smoothing his cuff once too often. When he turned and noticed Sir Nikolai had finally arrived, Gideon’s expression brightened into ease. [color=Burlywood]“Sir Nikolai,”[/color] he said, offering his hand with gratitude that didn’t feel performative. [color=Burlywood]“I’m so glad you arrived safely… I won’t pretend this is a light commission, but I am sincerely relieved to have you in my household. My staff is arranging your chamber as we speak—everything you require will be seen to, and if anything is missing, you need only say so.”[/color] It would become clear to Nikolai that the man loved to talk [i]very[/i]quickly as he hadn’t even let the man first reply before he continued. However, Nik was fairly accustomed to shows of wealth, his grandfather loved to flaunt it, but the Edwards estate was truly something else entirely. From first glance, it seemed to put his own family’s obsession with wealth and power to shame. He had to relax his expression once he noticed his host. His face shifted very quickly from mild disappointment to a welcoming smile. He put on his best charismatic smile and walked over to Gideon, his steps as sure as his confidence. The outfit he’d chosen had been intentional too. Strong but flexible dark brown leather, form fitted and well-worn. The fabric went down to his wrists, hiding the scratches he’d been getting in his sleep. He looked down to earth and practical with a sword strapped to his side. He left the sword at the side of the door, all while feeling the weight of the small dagger he had hidden on his person. The weight of it kept him feeling grounded, stable. The dagger in his boot helped too. [color=khaki]”Duke Edwards! A pleasure, sir.”[/color] He replied, matching Gideon’s cadence. He reached his hand out to shake his, the gesture [i]entirely[/i] performative. [color=Burlywood]“We’ll have plenty of time to talk tonight; however, I’ll be plain with you while it’s just us two: my daughter has a habit of walking where she shouldn’t, alone when she ought not. After what happened—after the… incident in the tavern last night—I will not gamble on luck or appearances. You have full authority to keep her within sight when she is outside these walls, and if she attempts to dismiss you, I expect you to follow anyway. If trouble finds her, I want you between it and her. Always send word to me immediately, no matter the hour.”[/color] Gideon’s smile held, but the weight behind his glassy eyes revealed how worried he truly was for that girl. He then eased his breath out; it was a needed release—as if saying all this aloud turned his fear into something more manageable. [color=Burlywood]“Ariella should be down shortly,”[/color] he informed him. [color=Burlywood]“As a fair warning, she’s… independent, and she dislikes feeling managed.”[/color] Gideon glanced toward the stairs, listening for approaching steps, then returned his attention to Nikolai with a small, apologetic chuckle. [color=Burlywood]“And for the sake of clarity, my wife is out this evening with friends. Tonight, it will be just the three of us.”[/color] Nikolai listened as Gideon spoke, keeping his hands clasped at his back as he looked around. He kept the same relaxed smile on his face, but inside he was absolutely cringing. It was clear to him that the girl must be strong-willed considering her father felt the need to word-vomit all this information before she had come down. He kept his smile, nodding at points he felt he should nod. [color=khaki]”Of course, sir.”[/color] He replied with another nod. [i]Damn pampered Princess…[/i] He would never admit his jealousy or how much he wished he’d had a father like Gideon. [i]Independent, huh? You don’t say…[/i] Nik chuckled lightly at Gideon’s words. [color=khaki]”I won’t let that stop me from keeping her safety a top priority, sir.”[/color] He promised, giving him a practiced smile. He nodded at the comment about his wife, curious where that had come from but grateful for the information nonetheless. His gaze shifted to the stairs as he heard footsteps, his curiosity for whom he’d be guarding very much real. [color=Burlywood]“That is precisely what I hoped to hear, Sir Nikolai,”[/color] Gideon replied and gave him a satisfied nod. [color=Burlywood]“You have my thanks.”[/color] Ariella paused at the top of the staircase, fingers curled around the banister as if it were the only solid thing in the house. The light below was too bright. Not painfully so but just enough to press behind her eyes, a deep, bruised pressure that made her blink and steady her breathing. She waited a moment before moving, letting the brief wash of dizziness pass. Pushing through it would only make it worse. She knew that now. She took the first step down. Her body felt heavy, each movement delayed as though she were wading through thick water. By the third step, she could feel the faint tremor in her hands again, subtle but persistent, especially when she tried to adjust her grip. Annoying. Unavoidable. She loosened her fingers, forcing them to behave, and continued. Halfway down, the noise from below reached her all at once. She could hear voices, the crackle of the hearth, the soft echo of footsteps in another room. Too much. Her senses bristled, light and sound pressing in until she focused on the rhythm of her steps instead. One. Then another. Her head throbbed when she moved too quickly. Not sharp like it had been after the tavern, but deep and heavy, like a bruise she kept pressing by accident. She slowed again, lips parting as she breathed through it. [i]You’re fine,[/i] she told herself. The fog was the worst part. Thoughts arrived a heartbeat late, drifting in and out like they weren’t quite hers. She rehearsed what she meant to say when she reached the bottom but lost it halfway through, her mind going blank in an irritating, hollow way. Her jaw tightened. She started over. By the time her foot touched the final step, her stomach gave a soft, unpleasant roll. Tea and bread would have helped. She made a mental note to find some after, if she remembered. She straightened, smoothing her dress with hands that weren’t entirely steady, and lifted her chin. The motion sent a brief spike of pain behind her eyes, sharp enough to warn her not to try anything clever. Magic lingered at the edge of her awareness, tempting and dangerous. Even brushing against it made the world tilt. So she didn’t. Ariella stood there instead, holding herself together by sheer restraint. She drew a slow breath, steadying the hollow weakness in her limbs, and stepped forward to greet the evening as though nothing in her bones felt tired, as though her thoughts weren’t moving just a fraction too slowly. If she focused, if she stayed still enough, she could pass for whole. The echo of her bare feet hitting the marble floors bounced through the lobby with careful and deliberate steps as her hands attempted to steady her balance with each movement. Finally arriving in the dining room, a rather poorly looking woman appeared. Adorned with her fire-red hair, Ari’s eyes were dark as if she hadn’t slept for days. Thanks to her maids, her appearance was at least passable, but her eyes gave it away. [color=slateblue]” Good afternoon, father.”[/color] Her voice broke into a soft-spoken greeting as if she had just woken up. Gideon’s attention snapped toward the sound of bare feet against marble before Ariella even appeared. The moment she did, his expression changed so quickly it betrayed him. The easy charm drained into a paternal of concern. [color=Burlywood]“Ariella—”[/color] he said at once, his voice gentle. His gaze searched her face, taking in the darkened hollows beneath her eyes, the sluggishness she tried to disguise, and the fragility behind her posture. The sleepiness in her voice could be because she had just woken up for a nap—but what explained the rest? [color=Burlywood]“Sit down, my darling… Please.”[/color] He moved to pull out her chair himself, hovering perhaps too close. [color=Burlywood]“Good [i]evening[/i],”[/color] he returned,lightly correcting her, and then he gestured toward the darkened windows. [color=Burlywood]“...Have you… eaten today, sweetheart?”[/color] He hesitantly asked, still wearing a tender smile. Ari shuffled towards the chair, sitting down slowly as a breath of relief escaped her. Shaking her head wearily before smiling softly. [color=slateblue]” No, not yet, but this all smells amazing.”[/color] Her stomach slightly turned at the scent, but her father was right; she did need to eat something. Her eyes glanced up at the guest before looking back to her father [color=slateblue]” I’m sorry, I didn’t realize we had a guest.”[/color] Nikolai had been keeping himself quiet at the exchange. Another brief flare of jealousy spiked as he watched the two. There was also a small part of him that was absolutely pissed that she hadn’t even acknowledged his existence yet. He knew he was normally the sort that commanded at least [i]some[/i] sort of attention when he entered a room. But to be so totally invisible to this little girl? When he was finally acknowledged by the girl, he smiled gently. [color=khaki]”Good evening, Ms. Edwards.”[/color] He greeted her, as warmly as he could manage. [color=khaki]”If that’s the case,”[/color] He started, in reference to her hunger, [color=khaki]”Why don’t we skip introductions for now and head straight to the food? I don’t mind being introduced once she’s had a little time to get something on her stomach.”[/color] Nik’s tone was warm, a practiced cadence, but his words were absolutely meant more for the Duke than his daughter. [color=Burlywood] “Ah, yes, very well then,”[/color] Gideon agreed , then inclined his head toward the table. [color=Burlywood] “Please, let us not allow it to cool. I find matters settle more easily when taken alongside good food.”[/color] The three of them seated themselves, the clink of cutlery and the warmth of the room filling the space where conversation had not yet found its footing. Gideon ate little, though he made a point of encouraging the others, his attention drifting more than once to Ariella to ensure she was managing the evening. As the meal drew toward its end, he cleared his throat and said, [color=Burlywood]“Ariella, my dear,”[/color] he said gently, turning his gaze to her before inclining his head toward their guest, [color=Burlywood]“allow me to make proper introductions. This is Sir Nikolai Dragos Berova, who has very kindly agreed to lend his vigilance to our household.”[/color] Ariella sat poised at the dinner table, her posture graceful despite the lingering weight in her limbs. The soft glow of candlelight caught in her emerald gaze as she lifted her eyes to the gentleman across from her. He was tall, dark-haired, and undeniably handsome by society’s standards. A man sculpted for admiration. Yet it was the way he carried himself, relaxed but deliberate, that drew her closer attention. A charmer, she decided, and likely well aware of it. She offered a polite smile as she inclined her head slightly from her seat, fingers resting lightly against the edge of her plate. [color=slateblue]“I apologise, Sir Berova, for not being my normal self this morn—”[/color] She paused, catching herself with a soft breath and a faint shake of her head. [color=slateblue]“—evening. I am feeling a bit under the weather.”[/color] Her gaze drifted briefly toward her father at the head of the table, searching his expression for reassurance before returning to Sir Berova. There was a subtle tightening around her eyes as the meaning of his presence began to settle in. [color=slateblue]“Vigilance to our household?”[/color] Ariella repeated, the question gentle but edged with curiosity. She shifted slightly in her chair, smoothing her skirts as if to ground herself. [color=slateblue]“So… you will be staying with us then?”[/color] Her attention returned fully to the gentleman, studying him. [color=slateblue]“I imagine you might also be partaking in this year’s courting season then.”[/color] Oblivious as to why they would need his presence other than the courting season itself. Nikolai kept the same polite smile on his face as she spoke. It was clear to him why her father wanted protection for her. She wasn’t all there right now to begin with. [color=khaki][i]Maybe she’s just airheaded and doesn’t want to admit it,[/i] [/color] he thought dryly to himself. Regardless, he was here for a job and he would do it well. As well as a skirt-chaser of his nature could, anyway. [color=khaki]”No apologies needed, Lady Edwards.”[/color] He returned politely, his tone even. He paused at her questions and a realization dawned on him. He hadn’t told her yet. Had he really saved this moment for when he was being introduced to her for the first time? He had sudden empathy for her. [color=khaki][i]She must feel so blind-sided by this,[/i][/color] he thought to himself. Perhaps the most selfless thought he’d had all day. He turned from her to the Duke and back again, as if waiting to see if the Duke would help dig him out of this hole the Duke had seemingly thrown him into. [i]Help me, you damned fool,[/i] he thought bitterly. Gideon offered Nikolai a brief, apologetic glance before turning fully to his daughter. [color=Burlywood]“With the Queen’s condition weighing so heavily upon the city,”[/color] he began, [color=Burlywood]“the people of Sorian have grown rather… unsettled. Fear makes tempers quick and judgment poor, and it has rendered the streets far less forgiving than they once were.”[/color] He paused, as though choosing each word with her in mind.[color=Burlywood]“Add to that the activity of the hunters, and—”[/color] his mouth tightened into a line,[color=Burlywood]“—the regrettable incident at the tavern last evening, and I find myself unwilling to trust circumstance with your safety.”[/color] His tone softened, once again paternal. [color=Burlywood]“Sir Nikolai’s primary charge will be to keep watch over you when you are beyond these walls. Not to confine you, nor to command you—but to ensure that, should danger arise, it does not reach you first.”[/color] Ariella listened in silence as her father spoke, her expression carefully composed. Yet beneath the calm exterior, something bristled. Anger. Frustrations. Fear…Her fingers curled slightly against the linen of her napkin, knuckles whitening before she consciously loosened them again. Protection. Watchfulness. All reasonable words for some, until they brushed too closely against confinement. She lifted her gaze, emerald eyes steady now, clearer than they had been moments before. When she spoke, her tone was polite, but unmistakably firm. [color=slateblue]“I understand your concern, Father.”[/color] A pause.Measured, intentional. [color=slateblue]“Truly, I do.”[/color] Her eyes flicked briefly to Sir Nikolai before returning to her father, chin lifting just a fraction. [i]Here we go…[/i] Nik thought dryly as he waited for the little lady to continue. His face kept the same measured expression as before. [color=slateblue]“But I would be remiss if I did not say this plainly.”[/color] Her fingers smoothed her skirts again, not from nerves this time, but resolve. [color=slateblue]“I will not be escorted as though I am a prisoner in my own life.”[/color] [color=slateblue]“If Sir Nikolai’s role is to walk beside me when I choose to leave these walls, then I will have to accept it.”[/color] Her gaze sharpened slightly. [color=slateblue]“If it is his purpose to decide [i]when or where[/i] I may do so… then we will have an issue.”[/color] She turned her attention fully to Nikolai now, studying him not as a potential suitor, but as a variable in her freedom. An enemy [color=slateblue]“I value my independence, Sir Berova.”[/color] A faint, knowing smile touched her lips. Nikolai resisted the incredibly strong desire to roll his eyes at her. [color=slateblue]“You will find I am cooperative when it's respected and exceedingly difficult when it's not.”[/color] Only then did she lean back slightly in her chair, shoulders still relaxed, voice softer but no less resolute. [color=slateblue]“I will not be caged by fear, father, I’d rather die at the hands of someone being free than being paraded around in a cage.”[/color] Despite himself, Nik respected her bravado. He respected her willingness to at least try to fight the hand she was being dealt. It was far more than he had ever done. His letter back to his grandfather had been another measured calculation. Appease him for long enough and he would eventually [i]die[/i]. And then Nik wouldn’t need to deal with him [i]or[/i] get his hands dirty. He tried not to think about how deep a cut it was that his grandfather saw him more as a pawn than anything. Nik stayed rather quiet as he waited for Gideon’s response. It wasn’t quite his place yet to respond to her tantrums. Lord knows, however, how much he wanted to. She sounded naive and, worst of all, stupid. Accept it, embrace it, [i]use[/i] it. If she knew how to do that, she’d be much better off. Gideon did not flinch at her tone, though his expression fell apart as she proclaimed she’d [i]rather die.[/i] He stared at her with a heavy sadness, wishing he could be a shield he could place between her and the world. [color=Burlywood]“You are not a prisoner in this house, Ariella,”[/color] he said, gently, doing little this time to conceal the emotions from his face, [color=Burlywood]“And I will not have you treated like one.”[/color] He let that settle before continuing, [color=Burlywood]“Sir Nikolai is not here to decide your life for you. He is here because there are villains outside these walls who will try to decide it [i]for[/i] you, if given the chance.”[/color] His brows furrowed, restrained anger kept behind manners. [color=Burlywood]“None of this is because you have done wrong.”[/color] Nik glanced from Gideon to Ariella, wondering how she would take what he was saying. It sounded grounded and reasonable to him, he could only hope the girl was reasonable too. There was a pause, and then Gideon gave his daughter a gentle, reassuring smile. [color=Burlywood]“So this is what will be true: you will choose where you go. You will choose what you do. All within reason. And he will walk beside you—near enough to reach you, far enough that you do not feel paraded.”[/color] Gideon’s eyes flicked briefly to Nikolai with the kind of glance that carried instruction. The knight offered Gideon a small nod in understanding, trying not to let his annoyance show. [color=Burlywood]“He answers to me, and his charge is protection—not governance.”[/color] He looked back at Ariella. [color=Burlywood]“But hear me, my dear: if danger shows its face, pride is not permitted to outrank your life. If Sir Nikolai must pull you back from the edge of something vicious, he will do so—and you may be furious with me afterward, in the comfort of your own home, with all your freedom intact. Let us call it what it is: a temporary inconvenience in exchange for your continued existence.”[/color] Nik’s jaw clenched momentarily as he killed a laugh that threatened to bubble up his throat and kill his composure. [i]What a fucking line…[/i] He thought to himself. He cleared his throat as quietly as he could manage, trying to maintain his calm and charming appearance. His mind filled with thoughts of the look on her face if he did drag her out of a bad situation. Ariella’s jaw set as the meaning finally settled in. [i]All within reason.[/i] [i]All within his control.[/i] The words echoed like iron bars disguised as silk. No matter how gently they were spoken, no matter how carefully they were dressed, the truth remained the same. The decision had already been made. Her consent was an illusion, granted only so long as it aligned with her father’s will. A cage, neatly wrapped in pretty words. Her gaze lowered, not in defeat, but in the quiet, burning realization that fighting this would only tighten the strings. Her father held them. And this stranger was simply another extension of that control, meant to follow her shadow into every corner of her life. When she spoke again, her voice was steady. Too steady. [color=slateblue]“I understand,”[/color] she said. Not I agree, or I accept. Just understanding. Her fingers curled slowly at her sides, nails pressing into her palms as she grounded herself.[color=slateblue]“I won’t apologise for what I did,”[/color] she continued, lifting her eyes once more. [color=slateblue]“I would make the same choice again. Every time.”[/color] Drake’s face flickered in her mind. Blood, fear, the weight of knowing that if she hadn’t acted, the cost would have been far worse. [color=slateblue]“If protecting my brother is a crime,”[/color] she said quietly, [color=slateblue]“then this is a punishment I'll accept…sorry”[/color]she corrected herself [color=slateblue]”...a temporary inconvenience in exchange for my continued existence.”[/color] she echoed, clearly unhappy. [color=Burlywood]“I would never ask you to apologize for protecting your brother,”[/color] Gideon clarified with a concerned look. [color=Burlywood] “And I’m not trying to punish you.”[/color] [i]Sweetheart, he [b]literally[/b] just said you hadn’t done anything wrong,[/i] Nik thought to himself, his gaze now fixed on the idiotic girl in front of him. Was she picking and choosing what she heard? If anything, this should delight her if whatever she’d done had been to protect her brother. Who wouldn’t want more protection? How’s she to know he wouldn’t just join her side instead of pulling her back? Of course if hunters were coming after her… He took in a breath that was sharper than he had meant to and released it quietly, evenly. He was going to have his work cut out for him, wasn’t he? He was beginning to understand why his grandfather hadn’t elaborated on his assignment here. Just another gilded cage to try and test his only heir. Perfect. Lovely. Thanks Gramps. Fuck you. Even as these thoughts crossed his mind, Nikolai kept an even face, looking from Ariella and back to Gideon. It still wasn’t quite his place to speak up. If it were just him and her, though. Ari glanced at the knight, his face betraying him as he sat silent. Frankly she didn't care what he thought, he was just as bad as her father but he got paid to be so. [Color=slateblue]”Well speak up..”[/color], she snapped, [Color=slateblue]“clearly you have a lot to say about my situation too, your smug expression gives it away.” [/color] He turned his gaze to the girl, a brow raised as she spoke to him. So [i]now[/i] she chose to acknowledge him. He tried to keep his expression even keeled. As he listened to her. He smiled brightly as she finished, a smile she could likely tell was not genuine. [color=khaki]"Lady Edwards, I look forward to serving you."[/color] He replied deliberately. She would not get a rise of of him, certainly not with her father present. He'd never hear the end of it with his grandfather. Great…he's spineless. Sighing heavily Ariella leaned back in her chair. She had to admit defeat, there simply was no winning this battle. Gideon suddenly rose from his seat. [color=Burlywood] “…Why don’t I leave you two to get to know each other? “[/color] He offered, and before either could protest he was already half-way through the archway. [color=Burlywood] “I’ll be over in the drawing room… You two play nice now; I’ll have the servants bring in a course of dessert.” [/color] Nik let out a breath as the Duke left. His gaze glanced to Ariella as he waited for the old man to be further out of earshot. Once he was sure he was, Nikolai relaxed. He leaned back against the seat, let his legs spread out a bit more, and watched the girl carefully. Now that he had a chance to say whatever he wanted, he found himself at a loss for words. [color=khaki]”Look, let me level with you, sweetheart.”[/color] He started, [color=khaki]”This is as much a cage for me as it is for you. I think we could potentially come to an agreement to scratch each other’s backs.”[/color] Nik shifted a bit, rolling his shoulder blades calmly. [color=khaki]”I’ll keep my distance so you won’t even know I’m there. And I won’t step in unless absolutely necessary. In return…”[/color] He explained, his voice low and quiet, [color=khaki]”You tell daddy dearest over there how wonderfully I protect you.”[/color] He pointed towards where Gideon had left with a head tilt. [color=khaki]”Do we have a deal?”[/color][/color]