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Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow finally made it a night without nightmares ^^

I'm also thinking Albin will want him to start learning to ride horseback today

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow groaned and rolled over on his bed as the light from the window hit his eyelids. He couldn’t tell what time it was, but he knew he didn’t want to get up. The warmth of the sheets felt good as the weather cooled down, bringing the temperature of his room down with it. He didn’t want to leave his bed until he absolutely had to. He pulled the blanket over his head and exhaled contentedly. Vaguely, he noticed that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so well-rested. The morning was peaceful, his muscles were relaxed, and he hadn’t woken up in a cold sweat from nightmares—

No nightmares.

The realization struck him at once, and he sat up with a start. Dazedly, he looked around the room and then down at himself, finding that nothing had changed since the night before. Somehow, it seemed he’d escaped the plague of horrible dreams this time. He felt weak with relief.

“Good morning, Collin.”

The viceroy blinked and turned toward Preston, who was sitting at the same table as usual. The attendant got up and carried a cup of water over to him. “You’re calmer than usual,” he observed as he handed the container off. “Your nightmare didn’t come back last night, did it?”

“No,” Crow answered absently. His throat didn’t hurt this morning since he hadn’t woken up screaming, but he downed the drink anyway.

“Do you think it’s finally going away?” the servant asked curiously.

“I don’t know,” the viceroy shook his head. “Honestly, I’m not sure why it did last night.” He stared down at the empty glass in his hand with a bewildered look. After he’d seen the mercenary in the market yesterday, he’d thought he was getting worse, but now he didn’t know what was going on. It was strange for the nightmare to suddenly vanish too. Had he done something different that had caused the dreams to go away?

Suddenly, he remembered what Penelope had told her about her talk with Tybalt a few days ago. The older knight had told her that exercise could help. He had spent most of the previous day walking with her to and through Bellmare, and they had even spent a portion of their trip running when he had challenged her to that competition. Maybe the physical exertion had been just enough to help him sleep through the night. He wasn’t certain, but the thought was enough to give him hope that he could fight back this time.

“Well I’m glad it didn’t come back,” Preston said as he took the cup from him again. “You’ve been looking like you could keel over any day lately.”

Crow rolled his eyes. He wanted to say the boy was wrong, but he had been pretty exhausted since the dreams had come back. It wouldn’t have surprised him if his poor sleep had started taking a toll on his appearance. “You’re lucky you work for me, kid,” he snorted, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed to get up. “If you said that to anyone else, they’d send you to the stocks.”

Preston just shrugged, not seeming to care one way or the other as he stepped over to the wardrobe.

Crow let the servant pick out his clothes for him while he straightened up his appearance a bit in the mirror. He still didn’t overly care about what he looked like, but with the party coming up so soon, he didn’t want to give the other nobles in the castle another reason to dislike him. It seemed to be worth his effort to comb out the knots in his long hair and trim back his beard again, so he wouldn’t stand out for “looking like a peasant” or some other nonsense like that.

Once he finished getting ready and had dressed himself in the tunic and trousers Preston had chosen for him, the two headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. Crow walked at a brisk pace through the corridors, feeling much better than he usually did in the morning. He was eager to find out if he would catch Penelope before his next lesson too. After all the time they had spent together the day before, his closeness to her felt rekindled, and he couldn’t wait to talk to her again.

He just hoped Elizabeth wouldn’t be there too.

~Bonsoir~

At least Victoria seemed to desire his touch as much as Vail craved hers. He relaxed into the mattress as she drew closer and nestled her head beneath his chin. Her lithe body fit comfortably against his, staving off the slight chill in the air with its warmth. He was glad he had ventured to put his arm around her. Their current position was quite comfortable, only adding to the bliss he already felt after achieving physical satisfaction with her. He was nearly tempted to fall asleep as he was, though he knew he needed to remain alert so they wouldn’t linger at the inn too long. They still had time left before dawn, but that didn’t mean they didn’t have a deadline to observe.

As she joked about him trying to get rid of her, he rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the faint smile that pulled at his lip. Like her mischievousness, he found her bold humor endearing. Her willingness to poke and tease a man she barely knew was something that separated her from the other human women who lived their lives in boring meekness. It wasn’t very respectful, but respect for social convention’s sake was overrated anyway. He much preferred when she spoke her mind without fear of how she would be perceived by him. Her honest personality was refreshing, and he knew he could expect her to tell him what was on her mind without any tricks or games.

He liked her unapologetic affection too. While he had been nervous to even wrap one arm around her midriff, she seemed to have no trouble cuddling up to his side and even nuzzling his chin with her head. Her obvious comfort helped him relax enough to stroke her back with his hand, less concerned about her opinion now that he could see that she enjoyed their closeness just as much as he did. It was funny how quickly they had gone from predator and prey to this. He never would have imagined there would come a day when he would call a human his lover. Yet, here they were, resting in each other’s embrace in the hazy euphoria of post coital felicity.

Despite his query about her sleep, Vail was glad that Victoria preferred to stay longer with him. He was content lying beside her until the minute they had to leave. As she settled down against him with the intent to rest, he closed his eyes as well. Of course, he wasn’t going to let himself drift off with her, since one of them had to keep track of the time, but he wanted to unwind a little too. As long as he made sure he didn’t grow too tired, he was confident he could last until close to dawn.

He passed the rest of the time by letting his mind wander to meaningless things and simply enjoying the feeling of Victoria’s body pressed warmly against his. Knowing she was probably more tired than she let on—he didn’t know any humans who operated nocturnally like his kind did—he let her sleep until about an hour before sunrise when he finally roused her with a gentle shake of her shoulder.

“We should get going,” he murmured, stifling a yawn as he sat up on the bed. Even though he was used to staying up all night, it was nearing the time when he would normally settle down to sleep for the day. His exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him, and he could feel it. “Will you contact me the same way next time?” he asked, attempting to keep his thoughts off his weariness by conversing with the Crest heiress.

Cirque du Sombre [Siaya Dragalorn & Summer]

At first, Rayth wasn’t sure what Lune was talking about when she answered him. He hadn’t asked her about any assignment. However, when she said she was the photographer, he realized she had taken his question to mean, ‘what was she in the circus.’ He didn’t know what to do with that.
For a moment, he considered reframing the inquiry to make it more clear, but he wasn’t sure if she had just misunderstood him or if she was dodging him intentionally. He didn’t want to pester her if she didn’t want to tell him what sort of creature she was. Maybe she thought the question was rude. She had been nice enough to him so far. The last thing he wanted to do was turn her against him like everyone else by intruding on her privacy, so he decided to let the subject drop for now.
“It’s my favorite part of the act,” Rayth laughed when Lune mentioned the volunteer he’d pulled during the show. “They always get so scared, even though I show them my accuracy before I ask someone to be my assistant.”
The only reason he could even get away with bringing a real audience member into the ring was because of the faeries. If it wasn’t for their relaxing magic in the big top, he was sure no human would be willing to let him strap them to an oversized wheel and throw sharp knives at their head. Their fright had to be numbed just enough that they wouldn’t be overwhelmed by it, so they wouldn’t scream or run away.
In a way, it was like the laced incense in the back yard.
He let out a slow exhale. Even after he took Lune to the train, it was going to take some time for the effects of the chemicals to pass out of his system. He was just glad his body had a little more of a tolerance to the stuff now than it did when he’d first breathed it in.
During his first week in the circus, he couldn’t even walk in a straight line when the incense sticks were burning, and it had been difficult to hold a conversation with anyone because the drug had affected his short term memory when he’d inhaled it for too long.
The other members of the circus had teased that he should have stayed behind with the other humans if he couldn’t handle it like a real supernatural. As always, they had no compassion for someone who was only a “half-breed.”
He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the memory.
“What brought you to the circus?” he asked, trying a different approach to get to know her. He wasn’t sure if she would tell him, since she hadn’t answered his first question, but he figured it was worth a shot anyway.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Okay, thanks xD Just wanted to make sure I'm on the same page as you

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

“It’s what we’re here for,” Crow teased when Penelope thanked them for making sure everyone would be drunk enough to listen to her. He was glad that she seemed to be feeling a little more confident at least. Throughout the whole ordeal, he hadn’t been able to do very much to help her. If emotional support was the only role he could take in ending the war, then he would do his best to be there for her in that way. That, and checking in with his father on occasion to make sure the king wasn’t rushing his trip to Gorm any more than he already had been. Albin’s plan to strike an alliance with their neighbor wasn’t as concerning to him now that the party was happening so soon though. He still didn’t even know how to ride a horse. There was no way the king could send him before the end of the week when he was so ill-equipped for the journey.

As the knight announced that she needed to leave, the viceroy felt a twinge of disappointment. After spending the whole day together, it was hard to know they were going to have to return to the way they’d been before. At least it won’t be for much longer, he reassured himself, finishing off the rest of his plate. “Goodnight,” he said in return as she walked away, leaving him alone with his sister.

As soon as she was gone, he felt Naida nudge his shoulder with hers. “You can’t seriously tell me you still don’t want to court her, can you?” she pressed him yet again.

“I can, and I will,” he rolled his eyes, downing a swig of wine. “Why do you keep trying to pressure me every time I even look at her?”

“Because I know you two would be perfect for each other,” Naida sighed. “You saw the way she smiled at you, right? I’m certain there’s something there. If you’d just consider giving her a chance—”

“Please,” Crow held up his hand to cut her off. “I’m too tired for this tonight. We’re friends, so we get along. That’s all there is to it.” He stood up from the bench. “Anyway, I should get some sleep too. I’m going to have another long day tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Naida deflated. “See you around, Collin.”

“’Night,” Crow yawned, heading out of the Great Hall to retire to his bedchamber.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow wanted to help ^^;

Also how many more days are left before the party? I don't really feel like looking back to figure it out xD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow nodded, chewing thoughtfully on his food. He wasn’t sure how his presence at the party would help anything since most of the nobles in the castle still seemed to hate him, but he didn’t want to point that out to Penelope. Regardless of whether or not anyone else wanted him there, he intended to go to support her. She had been working hard on her mission from the gods since the day they’d arrived in the inner kingdom, and this party could be the turning point they needed to end the war. He wasn’t about to sit it out in his room and ask her how it went. If there was even a chance that he could help her in some way, he wanted to be there to do just that.

At Naida’s words of encouragement, he shrugged. He knew she meant well by reminding him about all the people who had approached him at the banquet, but all he could think about were ones who probably despised him even more now that he was the king’s viceroy. For every man and woman who had congratulated him, there had to be at least two or three who would be happy to see him dead. Of course, he wasn’t overly concerned about being knifed in the back at a public event, but he was a little worried that the nobles who disliked him would be less willing to take Penelope’s side if they realized that meant they would be aligning with him too. He would likely have to keep his head down during the party until after the knight gained the support she needed.

When Penelope spoke up again, Crow glanced at her with a frown, noticing the sudden dip in her enthusiasm. He wished he could comfort her and remind her of all the reasons why he thought she was the perfect person to handle the job, but he couldn’t say any of that with Naida around. Instead, he subtly brushed his leg against hers beneath the table and tried a more neutral approach.

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” he assured her, turning to his sister with a smirk. “We can make it our job to keep everyone drinking, so they’ll be easier to convince.”

“Yeah,” Naida grinned back at him before reaching across the table to pat her friend’s shoulder. “Plus, I know you’ll do great even without our help. This is obviously something you care a lot about. As long as you show that care at the party, I’m sure it’ll bleed into everyone else too. You have nothing to worry about!”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

It worked cx
Crow realized he probably won't be super helpful with this party ^^;

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

It looked like Naida already believed him when he told her the rumors hadn’t been true, and for that, Crow was glad. He was too tired to argue with her about something as ridiculous as the drama Elizabeth had started. Leaning heavily on his arm, he stifled a yawn and glanced toward the door that led to the kitchen. He hoped the food wouldn’t take much longer to arrive. As much as he liked spending time with Penelope and his sister, he was feeling tempted to pass out at the table.

Almost as if on cue, he spotted Preston and two other servants approaching with their food. He could already feel his mouth begin to water at the enticing smell of cooked meat and vegetables, and he sat up straight when the three set down their plates on the table. As soon as the servants left them alone again, he dug into his meal, eager to fill his empty stomach while the noblewomen talked.

At Naida’s remark about courting, Crow snorted. “I don’t think avoiding someone is the right reason to court a woman,” he replied flippantly, taking a bite of baked potato. Despite his words, he hoped she was right. If Elizabeth continued to pester him after he and Penelope announced their relationship, it was going to be frustrating. He just wanted her to give up on whatever manipulative game she was playing and go back to Colchester. Maybe if she realized she didn’t have a chance to win him over, she would finally quit.

When Penelope changed the subject, he glanced up at her from his plate and then looked away again. He still hadn’t made very much progress on his end, since he didn’t know many people in the castle. It was hard to find opportunities to invite other nobles when many of them wouldn’t even look him in the eye.

“I’ve got plenty of friends to invite,” Naida grinned. “Most are knights from the castle barracks, but I know a lot of high-ranking nobles too. A few of them are pretty close to father, so their opinions would carry a lot of weight if you can convince them. I can make a list of all their names tonight, if you want.” She glanced expectantly at Crow. “What about you?”

The viceroy shuffled his feet beneath the table. “I mentioned the party to two people so far,” he admitted sheepishly. “I don’t know how many I’ll be able to talk to before it happens though. Maybe six or seven? I’m planning to tell them all that their families are welcome though... I might get a couple barons and dukes that way.”