Trash Panda

~Bonsoir~

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll enjoy dancing with your betrothed even more than with me,” Vail assured Lady Victoria, though he knew he was lying through his teeth. It was true that Lord Spencer was more than likely a good dancer, since he could have lived for just as long as Vail had—it was impossible to tell with other members of their kind—but his prejudice toward all Wynters influenced his opinion of the other vampire. It was petty, but he wanted to believe he was better at dancing than his rival.

As if to prove the point to himself, he went on to lead the Lady through some more complex steps, keeping her close for the added challenge of moving without tripping over each other’s feet. Throughout the years, he’d come to learn that he quite enjoyed dancing. It was an elegant art with plenty of room for creativity, and it was always changing as humans came up with more styles and motions to add to it. Plus, there was no denying it was a bit of a treat to get so close to a Lady without needing an excuse to do so. He had enough self-control not to bite, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy her scent or the lingering aroma of her spilled blood. Both were stimulating to the predator inside of him and got his heart pumping in an exhilarating way.

For a moment, Vail nearly forgot he was dancing with a Crest. As he let himself sink into the intoxicating smells and the rhythm of the waltz, his previous inhibitions about staying close to the Lady Victoria fled from his mind. However, the moment didn’t last long before the dance ended, and he was brought back down to reality.

Having fulfilled his offer, the Lord bowed gracefully to the Crest heiress and turned to leave, relieved to finally be able to put some distance between them. He was still determined to enjoy the rest of the party, regardless of how rocky the start had been—though, if he was honest, dancing with Victoria hadn’t been nearly as terrible as he’d thought it would be. Unfortunately, it seemed the Lady had a different agenda as she walked with him away from the other dancers.

At her question, Vail nearly groaned. Apparently it had been a mistake to bring up their fathers’ relation to each other after all. He located another drink on the table, port this time, and took a sip as he thought of a way to speak of their past without telling the truth or getting himself tangled in a lie that would be too complex to climb his way back out of.

“They met through your father’s work,” he finally stated, deeming the answer safe enough to use. “Although I believe they only crossed paths once or twice during chance encounters, so I’d hardly call them close.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Definitely ^^;
Crow isn't prepared at all

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow’s lesson with his father went by just as smoothly as the last two had. He reviewed the characters of the Gorman language one more time and continued to read through the book the king had given him. Like the last time, there were quite a few words he didn’t recognize, but it didn’t bother him anymore. He’d figured out that Albin had given him this specific book because he wanted him to learn more about trade between kingdoms, since he was going to need to know how to negotiate properly with the foreign king if or when he left for his trip. Though the intermittent lessons on commerce bored the former thief, he paid close enough attention to remember what he was told, just in case his father ever chose to test his memory on the subject.

Throughout the afternoon Crow maintained a good performance, keeping up with the information Albin gave him and asking questions whenever the king threw a term at him that he didn’t understand. However, by the end of it, he felt just as exhausted as if he had spent the day in training with John rather than studying books and scrolls. When he got up from the chair he’d been lounging in to leave, he nearly swayed on his feet, yawning tiredly and wishing his lesson had ended earlier so he could take another nap. Judging by the level of light coming in through the window, it looked like he was going to have to go straight to supper if he wanted to eat at all.

Before he left, Albin noticed his weariness.

“By the way,” the king mused, gathering the Gorman reading material he’d laid out on his table earlier to put away. “I’ve spoken with your other tutors, and we all agree that you’ve been excelling in your studies.”

Crow turned back to him, slightly surprised by the sudden compliment. “Thank you,” he dipped his head. “I’ve been trying to learn as quickly as I can, so I’m glad to know my efforts are yielding results.”

“They are indeed,” his father looked up at him with a pleased smile. “That’s why I’ve decided to let you take tomorrow off. You’re free to enjoy your leisure time however you see fit.”

Crow’s eyes widened, “Really?”

“Of course,” the king chuckled, seeming amused by his stunned reaction. “You’ve earned it.”

The viceroy nearly felt weak with relief. After enduring long lessons day after day, he felt ready to take a break from it all. The wheels of his mind turned as he already started imagining what he could do with the newfound free time. Of course, the first thing he intended to do was take a lengthy nap. He could sleep after breakfast and have Preston wake him up before his nightmares could plague him again. The thought of getting more rest brought an eager smile to his lips.

“Thank you,” he said earnestly, leaning forward in a deeper bow than he usually offered. His father had given him a wonderful gift by letting him take a break from his lessons, so he decided the king deserved a little more respect than his normal curt gestures gave.

“You’re quite welcome,” Albin nodded, turning back to his task. “Have a good supper, Collin.”

Crow bobbed his head once more and headed out of the room, grinning to himself as he thought about how good it would feel to take a whole day to do whatever he wanted. However, his good mood didn’t last long. As he walked down the hallway that led to the Great Hall, he noticed that the knights he passed were watching him with more annoyance in their gazes than usual. He eyed them warily, remembering that Preston had said the night guards would likely start gossiping about him once their shifts ended. It was hard to tell what was going on in the heads of the men he walked by, but judging by the unfriendly looks they wore, word about him and Elizabeth was already getting around.

The viceroy ducked his head slightly and hastened his pace, eager to get away from their condescending gazes. Though he didn’t care what they thought about him, he was a bit worried about how far the rumors had spread. If Naida had already heard, he knew he was going to get an earful about how terrible it was that he’d “slept” with someone he wasn’t even courting. The gossip might make his relationships with the other noblemen more complicated too. The other men were fond of talking about women they wished to court, but from what he could tell, even they were still chivalrous in the way they treated the noblewomen in the castle. They wouldn’t support it if they found out he’d “used” Liz.

Crow let his breath out in a sigh. Even if the rumors had already reached the ears of those who were closer to him, here was nothing he could do at this point. He just hoped that anyone who’d already heard whatever lies the knights were spreading about him would ask questions to his face instead of whispering behind his back. At least that way, he could correct them and explain that he and Elizabeth hadn’t really slept together, and that the whole thing was just a huge misunderstanding.

But, knowing the habits of nobles, they’re probably going to whisper anyway, he thought dryly. If he was going to straighten this mess out, he had a feeling he was going to have to assert the truth by himself. Still, maybe there was a chance it could wait until tomorrow. He felt a bubble of hope in his chest. Just because the other guards had heard the gossip didn’t mean anyone else had. If it was still contained, then perhaps he could get away with having just one more meal without any drama.

With that thought in mind, he stepped into the Great Hall for supper, looking over the room to see if anyone he knew was already there.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow managed to get two invites out cx
dinner is going to be a disaster though

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Wanting to be seen with anyone but Elizabeth after what had happened the night before, Crow joined Wayne and Percival for breakfast at the Great Hall. The two noblemen eagerly welcomed him, which he appreciated since he wasn’t in the mood to deal with being looked down upon by anyone that morning. Knowing it wouldn’t be long before the rest of the nobles in the castle started whispering about him and Liz, he wanted to enjoy the dwindling peace while it lasted.

“So, I heard a rumor that the king is planning to form an alliance with Gorm soon,” Wayne said after a short silence, toying with the food on his plate. His eyes flicked indiscreetly toward the viceroy. “You were at the court meeting, right? Is it true that he’s going to negotiate with the Gorman king?”

“I’ve been curious about that too,” Percival nodded, turning to Crow with a hopeful look. “It would be good news for the knights on the warfront if he is.”

Crow shifted slightly in his seat. It seemed that word had already spread of his father’s intentions, and the two noblemen with him now were already on board with his idea. If there were more like them in the castle, it could be hard to change the king’s mind. “It is,” he admitted slowly, lifting his glass to his lips to stall for a moment. “But personally, I’m not sure if it’s the best course of action.”

“What do you mean?” Percival knitted his brows. “If we side with Gorm, Younis won’t be able to overpower us. This could be the push we’ve been looking for to finally defeat them.”

“Maybe,” Crow shrugged. “How many knights will lose their lives if the king plans such a large battle though? I think it would be better if he seeks peaceful terms with Younis.”

“And our kingdom would come off looking cowardly,” Wayne shook his head. “We’ve never ended a war without conquering our enemies in all of Brerra’s history.”

“It’s not too late to start,” Crow mumbled, popping a bite of food into his mouth.

Percival frowned, looking between the two before his gaze rested on the viceroy. “With all due respect, I think Wayne is right,” he said tentatively. “In an ideal world, negotiating with Younis would be the best way to end the feuding between our two kingdoms, but that’s never worked for us in the past. I don’t know if there’s anything we can agree upon that would be enough to fix the tension that’s existed between us for so many generations.”

Crow eyed the knight for a moment and then looked away again. “I suppose,” he muttered. It was so difficult to convince anyone in the castle to believe that ending the war peacefully was the best decision they could make, and the worst part was that he nearly found himself siding with them too. The only reason why he didn’t agree with his father’s plan was because of what Penelope had told him about her meeting with the god. If she hadn’t said that Toreus himself was vying for negotiations with Younis, he would have avidly supported the king’s intention to ally with Gorm.

But just because I can’t convince anyone doesn’t mean she won’t be able to, he thought, suddenly remembering the guest list she had wanted him to make while she was gone. After everything that had happened between him and Elizabeth, he’d completely forgotten about it. However, there was still time for him to invite a few people.

“By the way,” he looked up at the other men abruptly, as if the idea had just come to him. “The Lenz’s are going to be throwing a party soon. I was invited to come, but I’m not sure if anyone else will be there that I know.” He casted them a grin. “Would you two be interested in coming with me?”

“A party?” Wayne brightened visibly, though there was still a calculating look in his eyes. “Have you heard the names of anyone else who’ll be coming?”

“Not many,” Crow mused thoughtfully, suppressing a smirk. “But I know some members of the royal family will be there, so I think they’re inviting quite a few high ranking people.” He met Wayne’s gaze with a mock frown. “That doesn’t bother you, does it?”

“Me? Of course not,” Wayne shook his head vigorously. “I’d be honored to attend the party with you, Collin. What about you, Percy?” He nudged the knight beside him.

“I suppose I can go too,” the other man answered in a more mild-mannered fashion. “As long as I don’t get assigned to guard the castle on the day of the party, that is.”

“Great,” Crow beamed at them. “I’ll let you both know more about the details when I hear news of them. In the meantime,” he stood up from the table. “I’d better get going. It’s almost time for my next lesson.”

“Alright,” Wayne nodded. “See you later, Collin.”

Percival waved wordlessly as he continued to eat his breakfast.

Crow returned the gesture and turned around to head out of the Great Hall, smiling to himself as he secured his first invitations to Penelope’s party. Perhaps if his lesson went well that afternoon, the day wouldn’t be quite as terrible as he expected.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Yep ^^;
Preston realized it first

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

The next morning, Crow was caught off guard by the strength of his nightmare. He shot upright on his bed, gasping for breath as the panic set in. After going a night without dealing with it, he completely forgot about the technique Penelope had taught him to calm down. His hands flew to his head, and he squeezed his eyes shut, losing himself to the intensity of the visions that consumed his thoughts.

Suddenly, he felt a hand rest firmly on his arm.

“Collin. Collin, breathe,” Preston’s familiar voice vied for his attention. “Remember what Penelope told you. Breathe in, hold it, and let it out.”

Crow nodded faintly as the memory came back to him. It had worked the last time. He was sure he could do it again. Carefully, he took a shaky breath in and forced himself to hold it without losing control. After a pause, he let it out again and repeated the process until his heartrate began to slow down. He wasn’t sure how long it took, but after a while, he fell back on the bed and exhaled tiredly, worn out from the effort of making himself relax.

Preston frowned down at him, “Feel better?”

Crow nodded wordlessly, resting his forearm across his face to block out the morning sunlight that was filtering in through the window. He stayed like that for a little while longer before he reluctantly got out of bed. Preston handed him a glass of water and stepped aside to give him room, shuffling his feet with a nervous energy that was confusing to the viceroy.

“Something you want to say to me?” he asked offhandedly as he pulled his old shirt over his head and tossed it aside.

“I was just wondering,” Preston said slowly, turning his head to look at something off to the side. “…Whose clothes are those?”

At his words, Crow stiffened and spun around to see that the attendant was gesturing to a dress and a set of women’s undergarments that had been piled by the window. At once, the events of the previous night came back to him, and he ran a hand over his face as his residual frustration with Elizabeth resurfaced.

“Penelope is on a trip, right?” the servant pressed tentatively. “Are… are you two not exclusive?”

“We are,” Crow sighed. He quickly finished changing clothes and stepped over to collect the garments that had been left against the wall. Unsure what to do with them, he moved back over to the wardrobe and stuffed them inside.

“Do you not want me to tell her?” Preston asked softly, seeming even more uncomfortable with the situation after watching the viceroy hide the clothes.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Crow shook his head, turning back to face the boy so he could see the sincerity on his face. “A noblewoman came here last night with the intent to sleep with me, but I turned her away.”

“Naked?” Preston gawked at him.

“No,” the viceroy answered, shifting his weight. “I was flustered, so I just gave her a bedsheet, because I wanted her to leave as soon as possible.”

“Oh no,” Preston’s eyes widened. “Tell me you didn’t actually do that.”

“I know it wasn’t the most respectful thing I could have done,” Crow admitted with a shrug. “But what was I supposed to do? She was completely exposed. I didn’t think it through.”

“I don’t think you understand,” Preston’s expression grew worried. “If the night guards saw a woman leaving your bedchamber in nothing but a sheet, they’re going to think—”

“Oh gods,” Crow blanched as the realization struck him. At the time, he’d been so caught up in his fear of the consequences of actually sleeping with Liz that he hadn’t even thought about what the situation looked like from the outside. He anxiously dragged his fingers through his hair, his heart pounding. This was so much worse. He could already imagine the rumors that would start spreading around the castle. It wouldn’t be long before everyone in the palace thought he’d spent the night with Elizabeth.

“Oh gods, oh gods,” Crow began pacing nervously. He looked up at his attendant worriedly. “How long do you think it will take before the guards start talking?”

“They haven’t even switched shifts yet,” Preston relayed with a concerned look. “I don’t think it will help your case if you tell them to keep their mouths shut though.”

“I know,” Crow groaned. The knights wouldn’t listen to him even if he tried. He ran his hand through his hair again. “There’s nothing I can do to reverse this is there?”

“I don’t think so,” Preston admitted quietly.

The viceroy let out a long exhale. “Well, I suppose there’s no point in fretting when the damage is already done,” he muttered, turning to the door. “I might as well enjoy my breakfast before the gossip starts…”

~Bonsoir~

Vail raised his shoulders in a shrug when the Lady Victoria asked him why he was so eager to dance with her. “Is there a reason why I shouldn’t be eager to dance with the guest of honor?” he queried with a smile, though eager was the furthest from what he was feeling. Of course, he knew he couldn’t tell her that he had only intervened because he didn’t trust the other Lord she’d been talking with—especially now that he knew the Wynter was to be her husband—so feigning impatience was the next best option.

As the dance began, he laid his hand on the small of her back to guide her through the movements. Her comment about his conversation with her betrothed—apparently the Lord’s name was Spencer—made him smirk. “You could say that,” he mused, walking her through a simple turn. After attending events like this for two centuries, the motions of each kind of dance had become second nature to him. He barely even needed to focus to lead her from move to move and thus conversed with her easily, never missing a step.

At her sarcastic question, Vail chuckled. “Luckily, no,” he answered, watching her red dress flow like water as she twirled in front of him. The succulent aroma of blood lingered about her as well, and though it had faded quite a bit from the pungency with which it had struck him before, he still found it stimulating. He pursed his lips together. She really was quite an alluring woman. Perhaps he could see why Spencer was so fascinated with the Lady Crest after all.

“Let’s just say we disagree about some things that prevent us from getting along,” he explained vaguely, pressing his hand a little more firmly against her back to pull her into a series of close-quarters steps. In the altered position, his face hovered close to her neck, something that would have been difficult for most vampires to handle. However, Vail prided himself on his self-control, abstaining from even touching her soft skin as he continued to walk her through the dance.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow definitely made a mistake sending Liz away with just a sheet ^^;

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Yawning tiredly, Crow ambled down the long hall that led to his room. Despite the rocky start to the morning, he felt like the day had gone quite well. He’d gotten to spend a little time with Penelope, his lesson had gone smoothly, he’d gotten to take a nap, and he’d even made up with his sister after their fight. Overall, he didn’t think he could have hoped for a better outcome. All he had to do now was keep an eye on Elizabeth in case the noblewoman tried to get between him and Penelope again. It wouldn’t be hard to do, especially after he’d made it quite clear to her that he didn’t want to be around her anymore. He even wondered if she was already packing her bags to go back to her home in Colchester.

Smiling to himself at the thought, Crow pushed open the door to his bedchamber and stepped inside. With everything else he still had to worry about in regards to the war and his relationship with the knight, it would be nice to have one less problem to deal with in the castle. In fact, he wouldn’t have minded seeing Liz off, himself, if it meant she would never come back again. Without her around, Penelope would be less stressed, and he wouldn’t have to look out for her at every meal. It was a pleasant thought.

Closing the door, the viceroy turned around to head over to his bed, ready to lay down for the night. However, he didn’t take more than half a step before he froze, wide eyed, at the sight of a completely naked Elizabeth laying on the mattress. The noblewoman was positioned in a sexual manner that obviously flaunted her body, and she smiled at him as he stared at her.

“Brings back memories, right?” she crooned, shifting her bare hips on the bed. “Although, I think the last time, you tied my hand to the headboard.”

Crow gawked at her, struggling to process what was happening, until he forced himself to look away from the exposed woman in front of him. His face and neck burned scarlet, and his heart pounded against his will. “W-What the hell are you doing?” he stammered, too flustered by the situation to keep his voice steady.

“Oh, come now,” Liz frowned, sitting up. “I thought you’d like the surprise.” She slid down from the mattress and slowly made her way toward him. “Think of it as my way of saying congratulations on your new title… and this is your gift.” She grinned at the stunned viceroy coyly, slipping her arms around his back and leaning up so her lips brushed his ear as she whispered, “You can do whatever you want with me.”

Crow swallowed, trying futilely to calm his racing heart. Everything about this was wrong. He was with Penelope, and Liz was the one who had insulted the woman he loved. There was no way he would let anything happen between them, but for some reason, he found it difficult to make his body move. His thoughts were overwhelmed by the sight of Elizabeth’s bare figure, and he couldn’t gather them enough to make himself say or do anything to stop her.

The noblewoman seemed to take his silence as confirmation that he wanted to sleep with her. She giggled and reached for his hand, giving him a tug toward the bed, “Come on. Let’s make up for those seven years apart, shall we? I can’t wait to see just how much of a man you’ve become.”

Somehow, that was enough to snap Crow out of his trace. He took a step back, pulling his hand out of hers. “No,” he glared at her venomously. “I don’t know what made you think you had the right to do this, but I never agreed to it.”

“Collin,” Liz frowned. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy—”

“I’m not going to sleep with you,” Crow interrupted hostilely. His green eyes drifted down toward her chest, and he quickly turned his head away to keep himself from staring. Taking a stabilizing breath, he thought of Penelope, trying to meditate on her to remind himself why he couldn’t let Liz win. It was difficult to keep his thoughts straight with a naked woman standing directly in front of him though.

“Why not?” Elizabeth asked, knitting her brow. “You’re not taken, so what’s the harm?”

Crow opened his mouth and then closed it again, wishing more than ever that he could just tell her he was with Penelope. Without their relationship to use as an excuse, he couldn’t think of a good reason to give her for his behavior.

“See?” Liz smirked, reaching for his hand again. “It’s just a bit of fun. We don’t have to tell anyone either, if you’d prefer.”

The viceroy stiffened at that, her words reminding him painfully of the day Rikki had tried to seduce him. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, he pulled back again and curled his lip at her dangerously, “Get out.”

Elizabeth wavered briefly. “Collin, I—”

“I said, get out!” Crow snapped, all composure lost as he stepped hurriedly around her to get away from the wall she’d cornered him against.

Liz flinched, seeming frightened by his abrupt change in attitude. “I-I left my clothes—”

“I don’t care,” he shook his head. Yanking open the wardrobe, he grabbed one of the spare linen sheets and tossed it at her. “Take that and go.”

Liz grimaced, “But, I—”

“Get out!” Crow yelled at her again, growing more flustered the longer she stayed in the room with him.

The noblewoman’s eyes grew wide, and she quickly wrapped the white cloth around her before stumbling out of the bedchamber, finally leaving him alone.

Crow walked over to the open door and shut it roughly, turning around and pressing his back against the cold wood as he took a moment to calm himself down. He couldn’t believe Liz had actually been brazen enough to try something like this on him. Did she really think that just because they had slept together once seven years ago, he would want to be with her again, no questions asked? He raked his hands through his hair, sinking to the floor as a frustrated groan escaped his lips.

It took some time, but eventually, he relaxed enough to rise to his feet and step quietly over to his bed. His thoughts were still in shambles from the unexpectedness of his encounter with Elizabeth, but he was getting too tired to keep focusing on it. He yawned wearily and laid down, drawing his blanket all the way over his head as he drifted off into a fitful sleep.