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Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Apparently, Albin had quite a bit that he had wanted to cover in regard to the trip. Crow did his best to pay attention and give input on his preferences about the size of travel rations, what kind of accommodations he would need—and how much to pay for inns versus sleeping in the woods—along with various other details he found incredibly unimportant. It was difficult to stay focused when his thoughts kept drifting back to the subject he really wanted to go over with his father. However, to his increasing impatience, a good time to mention Penelope didn’t come up. The king was too single mindedly concentrated on the items they were refining for the upcoming journey to tolerate any distractions.

The viceroy sank down tiredly in his chair, watching Albin write the three offers he and his advisors had come up with on six separate parchments. According to his instructions, Crow was to present the scrolls containing the accepted offer to the Younisian king to procure a signature. Each pair of scrolls contained identical treaties, one for his father’s archive and another for the foreign monarch’s. When he returned from the northern kingdom, he would then pass off the signed parchments to Albin, who would add his own signature. The copy for the other king would be delivered again to Younis by courier, and the deal would be complete. It was a tedious process.

“You don’t have to stay, you know,” Albin said without looking up. He had only started composing the second of the six scrolls, a replica of the first. “Your time would be better spent practicing your riding skills or your swordsmanship.”

At the mention of swordsmanship, Crow blinked, suddenly reminded of the promise he had made to Naida. He’d gotten so caught up in his plan to talk about Penelope that he’d completely forgotten about his sister’s request. His eyes flicked up from the papers to his father’s face. Perhaps there was a way for him to slip in both of the things he needed to ask.

“I still need to talk to you,” he reminded the king, sitting up straighter in his chair and stretching his back.

Albin sighed and set down his quill. “We’ve made plenty of progress today, I suppose,” he decided. “What’s on your mind?”

“Well,” Crow shuffled his feet. “Firstly, I was wondering if you’ve already made up your mind about who will be accompanying me to Younis.” The king had mentioned before that he wouldn’t let him leave the kingdom without protection, since they were still in the middle of a heated war.

“I’ve assigned four of my best men to act as your guards,” Albin frowned. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that I would feel more comfortable traveling with people I know,” Crow explained. “I used to be hated by your knights, and there are still many who would be happy to let me die if we’re attacked. I don’t want to go to Younis without the company of guards who’ve earned my trust.”

Albin tapped his quill against the table in thought. “I suppose that request isn’t unreasonable,” he admitted. “However, I must insist that you bring at least two of the men I’ve selected for you. I cannot justify send you off with four guards who have never been tested. Who did you have in mind?”

It was Crow’s turn to think about the question. He didn’t know very many knights, and he hated most of the ones he’d had the displeasure of meeting. However, there was one man whom he felt was trustworthy enough to fill the spot next to Naida. “Percival Granger,” he recommended decidedly. “…And Naida.”

Albin stiffened at the suggestion of his daughter, “I’ll give you Percival, but Naida must remain in the citadel.”

“Why?” Crow pressed. “Out of all the people I’ve met in the castle, I trust her more than anyone. She’s a skilled knight, and I think she would make an excellent guard.”

“She’s second in line for the throne,” Albin answered curtly. “I can’t risk allowing anything to happen to her.”

The viceroy pursed his lips. His father sounded like he wasn’t going to budge on the issue, but he couldn’t leave without trying his best. His half-sister deserved that much. “She thinks you don’t have faith in her, you know,” he exhaled quietly. “She told me that in all the time she’s been a knight, you’ve never let her leave the inner kingdom. She’s been hoping for a chance to prove her mettle for years, and it’s starting to hurt her that you still coddle her like a child.” He met the king’s identical green eyes with a helpless shrug. “I think this trip would be a good opportunity for you to show her that you do think she’s a good knight. I mean, do you really think the Younisians would attack a negotiator right now? I paid attention during the council meeting, and I know they’ve been suffering in this war just as much as we have. It’s far more likely that the king will hear us out.”

Albin fell silent, and Crow held his breath as the monarch considered his words. “I didn’t know she felt that way,” he shook his head. “Alright. She may accompany you, but I will inform the other three that in the unlikely event of an attack, they are to protect both of you.”

“I’m sure she’ll be ecstatic when you tell her,” Crow smiled.

“Mmh,” Albin nodded noncommittally. “If that’s all, you may go.”

The viceroy’s smile faded, “Actually, there’s one more thing…”

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Writing is definitely my favorite, haha.

I hope so too! I'm actually good at getting ahead in my classes, so I'm not too concerned unless the projects are just so huge that I drown anyway xD

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

“Okay, I don’t come here that often,” Cas defended himself with a roll of his eyes when Iris accused him of having a sweet tooth. “I’ve just visited occasionally since I was kid, and my taste in ice cream hasn’t really changed.” Turning back to Ellen, he stiffened as he noticed that the old woman was watching them with a knowing glint in her eyes. He had brought one other girl to the historic district for a date before, so she probably thought that’s what they were doing here now. The thought made his face feel hot, and he averted his gaze, trying to will the flush away before anyone else saw it. The trip would have been much easier if he didn’t actually have feelings for the amnesiac.

When Iris declared that she would be taking him out for dinner, he casted her an amused smile. That was one big difference between her and the women he’d actually dated before. They always seemed to expect him to foot the bill. The offer gave him pause though. It was hard to tell if she was flirting or sincerely planning to use a meal to repay him for covering her at the park. “I would never refuse dinner,” he grinned at her playfully, deciding to go along with it no matter what her motives were. “But if you think I’m gonna let you pay, you’ve got another thing coming.”

As Ellen prepared the ice cream they had requested, Cas laughed at the way Iris nudged him back. She really was friendly considering they hadn’t known each other longer than a few days. “Go ahead,” he greenlighted. “But in exchange, you have to give me a bite of yours or it’s just not fair.” Now he was flirting with her, but he couldn’t help himself. He’d been trying to keep things platonic all day, which wasn’t easy when she kept making comments to him that could be taken as coquettish. While he was still determined not to make things awkward by blatantly expressing interest in her, he decided there was no harm in a little ludic banter.

“Here you are,” Ellen’s voice drew the prince’s attention as she set down two cups of ice cream on the counter. There was a smile on her lips indicative of her entertainment watching them exchange playful remarks.

“Thanks,” Cas dug in his trouser pocket for his wallet and proffered his credit card to pay for the treat. Once the transaction was complete, he picked up both of the cups so that Iris wouldn’t have to fumble to hold hers and use her crutches at the same time. “Over here,” he gestured for her to follow him over to a bench, where they could sit down and eat before returning to his car.

Settling down as comfortably as he could on the wooden seat, he waited for Iris to do the same before he handed off her ice cream and dug into his own. The cold dessert melted on his tongue in a pleasant way, and he sighed contentedly. “How do you like yours?” he asked, turning to her curiously. “Does it bring back any memories?”

~Bonsoir~

Would Diana have ever seen Peter before? She might not realize it was Vail who just approached her, since they all appear the same age. Unless she remembers Victoria's sketches in detail, haha.

~Bonsoir~

At the sound of a distant knock on the front door, Vail paused in what he was doing and turned curiously toward the hall. As far as he knew, no one among his family was expecting any visitors. Deciding it was probably a vampire from another clan who had come to seek sanctuary with the Hygraces, he resumed fastening the buttons on his coat. His mother always took care of the refugees who needed them, and he didn’t need to stay to help her. This evening, the only matter on his mind was finding out why Victoria had yet to reach out to him. He wasn’t entirely certain how he would get ahold of her when she was probably still among Saints in the Crest manor, but he was determined to try.

As soon as he was dressed to leave, he stepped over to his bedroom door and then halted again. There was a new scent in the air, but it didn’t belong to another vampire. Rather, it almost smelled like Victoria. He wavered with one hand on the knob, momentarily shocked as he wondered if the Crest heiress was really bold enough to show her face at the Hygrace manor after Peter had expressed his rabid dislike of her. However, his initial surprise faded when he realized the spoor wasn’t identical to the Crest heiress’s. It was merely similar, denoting a blood relative.

Intrigued and perplexed by the appearance of a Crest whom was not Victoria, he made his way downstairs to find out what was going on. Faintly, he picked up Ray’s familiar cologne as well and set his jaw, put off by the return of the Saint who had sent a bullet through his shoulder. The Lord’s return wasn’t unexpected though, and he seemed to be further away than the individual who had knocked on the door. He was probably just here to offer protection.

Vail reached the foyer just as the maid closed the door and walked off to fetch Peter. He tracked her with his eyes until she disappeared from sight and then turned back to the portal. The visitor had obviously come to speak with the head of the clan, but it would take a minute before his father came downstairs to speak with her. He opened the door.

On the other side was a middle aged woman who reminded him instantaneously of Victoria. He studied her face, snared by the blue in her eyes that made him envision the Crest heiress’s more youthful visage. Her name had slipped his mind currently, but he knew he was gazing upon Victoria’s mother, Lord Alexander’s widow.

“Lady Crest,” he greeted her after a moment of silence, coming back to himself. “To what do we owe this visit?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow didn't quite make it to Albin in time ^^; He got roped into prepping for the trip lol

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow smiled at Penelope fondly as she assured him that they would figure it out. Hearing her say so put him at ease. She was right. They had never been traditional about the way they approached their relationship, by either noble or peasant standards. Even if Albin caused another bump in the road, they would find a way to make it work. They hadn’t come all this way just to give up, after all. One way or another, they would manage to be together, no matter who disapproved of their actions.

“Thanks,” he said appreciatively, rising to his feet from the table. “I’ll see you before supper.” Not wanting to lose any more time that morning, he took his leave from the Great Hall to search for his father. The most likely place for the king to be was in his private chamber, so he headed for the stairs that would take him up to the highest level of the castle, ruminating on the words he would say and the arguments he could use to convince Albin to let him court the knight. Even if he and Penelope could figure it out if he was denied permission, he didn’t want to fall back to doing that unless he had to. So, he did his best to plan out a compelling approach until he knocked on the heavy oak door that marked the king’s room.

A pause followed, and then the panel opened to reveal his father’s personal attendant, Hunter. The servant barely glanced at him before turning his head back into the room, “Your Highness, Lockton is here to see you.”

“Perfect, send him in,” Albin’s voice responded from just beyond the viceroy’s line of sight.

“Of course,” Hunter nodded politely and stepped aside to allow their visitor to enter the chamber.

Crow ambled past him to find his father standing by the table with a stack of papers in his hands. He seemed to have been reviewing the contents before being interrupted, but his features were relaxed, so the viceroy guessed it wasn’t anything pressing. “Ready to go early, I see,” Albin mused with a smile as he looked up from the papers to his son’s face. “I was just about to send Hunter to fetch you, but this is much better. Come over here. I have a few details I’d like to go over with you regarding your journey.”

Crow shifted his weight. Even though he’d gotten to his father as quickly as he could, it seemed like Albin had still managed to outpace him. The king was already working on the preparations for his trip to Younis. “Alright,” he agreed slowly, his heart beginning to race with nervousness as he stepped over to join him by the table. “But I actually came here to discuss something else with you…”

“Is it important?” Albin asked without looking away from the papers he had begun to examine again.

“Well, sort of,” Crow said sheepishly. “I was—”

The king held up his hand, “If it isn’t more important than your assignment, then it can wait until after we’ve finished here. Time is of the essence, boy.”

Crow bit the tip of his tongue. He wanted to have the conversation about courting Penelope as soon as possible, but he could tell that distracting Albin from his work would only irritate him. He sighed. If he wanted to get a ‘yes,’ he would have to play by the king’s rules. “Fine. What do you need to go over with me?”

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

That's cool ^^ I tried getting back into it last year, but I think my tastes have changed too much since I stopped watching it, because I got pretty bored lol I don't watch a lot of TV in general anymore, to be honest. Not because I think it's bad or anything. I just can't sit still long enough to follow a story without wanting to do something else xD I prefer writing my own plots now on RPG and leaving sit com re-runs playing on Netflix whenever I need background noise at home.

Yeah, it's been fun! Classes start tomorrow though, so I'm sure I'm about to get hella busy. I already posted it in my status, but I probably won't be online quite as much as I have been during this semester. Gotta hit the ground running so I don't get overwhelmed with homework ^^;

Amnesia [Suki & Summer]

Oh wow, it's been almost a decade since I've heard that name xD I didn't know that was still around! I also fell out of anime like five or six years ago though, so that's probably why. I'm glad to hear you liked the show though!

I'm doing good ^^ Just got home from lunch with my friends. We're all trying to spend as much time together as we can before school starts and we get busy.

~Bonsoir~

Sounds good to me! So we'll cut the part where she gets injured then. I'm excited to see where the story goes from there ^^