Fantasy A Royal Engagement [Closed]

[PicaPirate]

Frederick chuckled when he heard her statement, Taking a cherry in his mouth and slowly chewing it after rolling it around a bit in his mouth, enjoying the taste. He then slowly pushed the pit out his mouth with his tongue onto a thumb, where it was then flicked it with the finger away. He slowly rolled to where she was so that he was also propped up with crossed arms and he looked directly at her, somewhat close to her face with a confident smile. "Curious you could say. I find your convictions admirable compared to a standard princess, which is why I am intrigued to see what you do. Out of the people I know, you are interesting to watch. It makes me only want to see more how you do beside me.".

 

[redroseknight]

Geoffrey laughed and brought his arm up to block the water splashed at him. "Hilarious for you! I would have definitely needed you to rescue me. And then you would have that to hang over my head," he teased. "I don't need a near death experience to make you my hero, Edward." This was exactly what the pair had needed, some time away to relax with no immediate concerns on their minds. While Geoffrey was able to escape some of his duties easier than Edward, he found that he never truly found enjoyment except when he was with his friend. Despite what his peers thought, Geoffrey was not nearly as solitary as he seemed.

"Of course, that bottle from Roderick has long been over due for consumption. And there is no better company with which to share it. You and I have been friends long enough, I believe, that it won't matter that I forgot glasses." He strode from the water, beginning to work on setting up a small campfire. He opened the bottle and took a drink, nodding in approval. "Roderick does have fine taste," he stated motioning to hand the bottle to Edward.

 

[Misty Gray]

"Oh, so I'm already your hero, Geoffrey? How sweet of you," he joked. He felt his cheeks blush a little and couldn't help but chuckle. "You're making me all hot and bothered. I think I'm falling for you," he teased. He managed to straighten his face as he realised his more introverted friend may find his words embarrassing. "Seriously, though... I don't know where I'd be without you to blow off steam with."

When Geoffrey mentioned the lack of glasses, Edward shrugged his shoulders. "My mouth may have been in the metaphorical gutter earlier, but I can assure you it is safe to share a bottle with me," Edward remarked as he followed his friend out of the water. His attention was once again diverted to the knight's strong physique and he couldn't help but admire him. He then stopped alongside Geoffrey as the man lit a campfire. After taking a drink, the knight then passed the bottle on to Edward who took a drink from the bottle. It seemed like today was a day to throw away his usual inhibitions as he'd never dream of being seen drinking from a bottle. Dropping such etiquette felt better than he always imagined it would. It was nice to throw away protocol for a change. "You're right. This is good," he agreed, handing the bottle back to Geoffrey. Drinking in the morning - how very rebellious of him!
​

redroseknight

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

"And how would your family take to me, do you think? Their son marrying the enemies daughter for a peace treaty that may raise up rebellions." She asked, never hearing his opinion on much. The closer he got to her, the more attractive he was to her and it was almost sickening; that he was so attractive to her. Though in her defense, she couldn't help herself. She was a woman after all. Just as he looked at her, she looked at him and leaned in, her lips brushing against his. "Oh Frederick, you should know by now that I'm so much more than any standard princess you've ever known." ​

 

[PicaPirate]

He chuckled at what she initially said about family. "Oh please, our family is organised enough to know of this marriage. They see no issue in it, they simply only worry about it remaining royal. And one cannot get more royal than the princess of the great Argonian kingdom.". In honesty, family strife was little because frankly, his mother was placid and did little and his father was a man with an ambition similar to his own but not as great. For a while now, he had learnt his fathers ways and surpassed them too with his own studies, hence why he was already establishing such a track record.
When she brushed a kiss against his lips, he raised an eyebrow smiling. So this was the game she was going to play? Well, it takes two to dance. Frederick lightly held her chin between two fingers and whispered "Is that so? Sounds like something I'd have to experience first hand.", then giving her small kisses from up her chin to one one her lips, which he slightly let linger. He wasn't one for romantics, but he had at least learnt on how to be charming, only another aspect of being a royal. Admittedly, an inner desire to dominate her was coming out, but he held it back at the risk of ruining everything at this moment.

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Ana was going to comment more on their families but at the moment, her mind was a little preoccupied. They were so close, he was so close. She could feel the tension between them, the heat and she wanted to do something about it. But then her conscience took over and started to move away. She couldn't give in too early, not matter what happened. Except, she couldn't take it anymore. He as was just so attractive and the tension was an overwhelming. Without any thought about it, she pressed her lips against his. She could only hope that this feeling she had wasn't love and was instead lust. Lust she could deal with but love? That wasn't something she could handle considering she still didn't know how she felt about Edward or Geoffrey just yet. ​

 

[PicaPirate]

Ana's reaction was more like one and a half reactions, making it all the more amusing to see. First her mind seemed to recoil and she initially moved away a bit, maybe taking her by surprise that he bit her bait and went for it, maybe snapping out of a state of mind she was having. However that feeling didn't seem to last long for her, as her eyes fluttered and she went in for a kiss against his lips, a proper one.
It didn't invoke much of a love out of him admittedly. Or maybe it did, he was unsure, being an alien feeling for him. However he was definitely feeling the lust creeping in, more so than before. Not that he would completely fight it, just manage it. Besides, he could allow himself some fun.
Edward held her cheek, almost cupping her face, giving now lingering kisses to her lips, since that was likely her current limit in intimacy, observing her response to see where to go from there.

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

When he kissed her back, she wasn't taken by too much surprise. Well, from him anyway. The surprise was herself, the way her body was reacting and how she put her arms around his neck. Now this was for sure going to complicate things a lot more but she hadn't felt like this in a while so what was the big deal? She wasn't letting her mind handle things but her body. The thought of how her servants were watching and how they would most definitely go around spreading the day around. There was no question Edward would hear about it then absolutely freak out or be heartbroken. But again, the thought wouldn't hit her, and at this moment? She wasn't even thinking about that. She was thinking about how far he was willing to let this go on for. ​

 

[PicaPirate]

He chuckled internally in his mind to the situation and mostly their response as a whole. So this was how it was going? Well, it would satisfy a lust he supposed. It was likely a lust of hers as well, but as an opportunity for her to mentally bond with him, this only worked in his favour either way. Besides, even he couldn't fully shut down the machinations of the brain which asked for primal things such as mating. He let himself be held with the arms around him and he put a hand to her side, where he held her as they continued kissing, his other hand putting a gentle pressure on the shoulder, to hold her. He too wondered how far she would go with this.

 

[redroseknight]

"That's not..I didn't mean" He huffed, flushing at his friend's teasing. The knight tried his best to find the right words to say in response, but this was never his strongest skill. So instead he gave up tripping over his words. Geoffrey was grateful for Edward's mercy, the knight sending a sheepish smile at him. "I believe you would be in your study, brooding, rather than being a scoundrel with me and drinking a few hours after the sun has risen," he teased.

Geoffrey sat in front of the fire once he was handed back the bottle, taking another drink from it. He set it down next to him and let his arms rest on his knees, his gaze on the crackling flames. "Your words to Sir Henry were not the worst that I have heard, Edward." His dark eyes moved from the fire to look at his friend's face. "I have been so caught up in training and my own emotional issues..I hadn't realized how much I missed just spending time with you like this, like we did when we were kids and snuck out of the castle at dawn. I'm sorry I haven't been nearly as diligent of a friend as I should have."


Gwynyffer chuckled at Andrew. "I will give your offer of assistance if it will ease you, but Rosie tends to take care of herself well. She isn't like any other royalty." Her gaze had softened when she looked to Rosie before she could even catch herself. When she realized it, she tried to nonchalantly cover it up and approached Rosie, touching her shoulder softly so she knew she was at her side. The redhead smirked a bit as she wrote, Andrew wishes to offer his assistance in helping you straighten up in here. Anything he can help with or you need a strapping knight for? We're both able to do some heavy lifting, she asked with a playful grin on her face.

 

[Jess Buck]

​

It was strange to have people in her studio. The only people who usually visited her here were Ana or Ms. Adler. Although Rosie was appreciative that Gwynyffer and Andrew took interest in her work, especially Gwynyffer. While her mind was on the topic of the knight, she let it wander. She thought of what they would talk about tonight when they met and how much more Gwynyffer would learn. Much to Rosie's surprise, Gwynyffer was learning quickly and Rosie was hopeful that they'd be able to converse through sign much faster than she anticipated. It was then that Gwynyffer approached Rosie with a note. As she read the note, she giggled before writing back, "I appreciate the offer but it'd probably be best if I just tidy this up myself. I have a system and not to offend, but I don't want you or Andrew messing it up." She gave the knight a small smile before adding, "But if I need something heavy lifted, you'll be the first I ask." She gave Gwynyffer a quick wink before getting back to work.

redroseknight Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Edward nodded along as Geoffrey suggested he'd be brooding alone in his study if he wasn't with his friend right now. "Well, yes, you're probably right. I would be doing exactly that," he said, chuckling at his own expense. When Geoffrey reassured him his words towards Sir Henry weren't as bad as they could have been, he didn't argue. He supposed the words he used could have been much worse, but Edward knew it was more than what he said that bothered him - it was the way he said it and the way he felt whilst doing so. He didn't like the darkness that he feared was developing inside of him, not when he'd spent his life championing peace and tolerance.

After a short time by the fire, Edward felt dry enough to put his shirt back on, instantly feeling more comfortable. "Those were the days, Geoffrey. Hardly a care in the world and none of these responsibilities to tie us down. As a child, I always looked forward to returning home from sailing with my father, just so I could see you and muck around a bit," he admitted. "You have nothing to apologise for. We've both been busy with our duties and you've never let me down when I have needed you. You have been the best of friends," he reassured him.​

 

[redroseknight]

"Not that I blame you, per say, these have been most trying of times as of late. It feels as though we haven't had time to let everything sink in; every moment there seems to be something new." Geoffrey sighed softly as he thought about the events as of late; had he just been blind to how tense the castle had been that the entrance of the foreign prince had stirred so much trouble?

He was pleased to hear that Edward didnt feel that he had failed him, but Geoffrey was not as certain. Thinking back to their younger days brought a smile to Geoffrey's face. "I was always a bit jealous, you know. You were able to see so many places, but you always told me about your adventures so I was able to live vicariously through you. Then when I started being sent off to war with my mentor and I wanted nothing more than to come back home to see my best friend."

Gwyn chuckled at Rosie's response, her heart fluttering at the wink that she received. No matter how she tried to contain it, small gestures like Rosie's smile or a brush of her hand endeared her more to the redhaired knight. Then I shall be looking at your artwork and marveling at your talent until you find need of our strengthshe teased with a grin. After returning to Andrew, she shook her head. "Princess Rosie would prefer to not have our assistance since she has a certain order for things, and we are not aware of the system she uses." She started to look more intently at Rosie's work when there was a knock at the door. Curious and figuring it was best she go ahead and answer it, the knight opened the door to see a serious Sir Connor standing there.

He cleared his throat a little. "Lady Gwynyffer, I was told by a passing maid that you would be found here..I apologize for the intrusion, but I did not wish for the news to be delayed reaching your ears." The young knight was stumbling around the subject, but Gwynyffer was just going to let him get to the point at his own pace. It had to have been something important for him to actively track down an Elfian knight, even if they had parted recently on more pleasant terms. "A few of my fellow knights and I spied Sir Geoffrey and Lord Gladstone having Sir Henry arrested for what occured at the tournament. He was formally arrested, so there is bound to be a trial."

Gwynyffer felt a mixture of emotion rising to the surface, but she struggled to keep it down. Now was not the time to let her temper get the better of her, no matter how much she wanted to. "Thank you for the news, Sir Connor, you are a good and honorable man to bring such tidings to me personally." He lingered for a moment then bowed awkwardly, departing at a stilted pace.

Once the door was closed, Gwyn shook her head and turned to Andrew with more playful of a smile than she felt. "Well, it seems you won't be having to do much investigating, my friend."

Misty Gray
Jess Buck

 

[Jess Buck]

​

Rosie finished tidying up a bit and was satisfied with how the place looked. She smiled to herself and turned to see Gwynyffer talking with Sir Connor. Rosie raised an eyebrow and walked over to them as Sir Connor left. The wrote a note to Gwynyffer "What did he say? Is everything alright?" The look on Sir Connor's face did not rest easily with Rosie. She wondered if it was about what had happened the day before at the festival. If they had found who'd done it, Rosie was going to rip them limb from limb. She could feel her blood boiling just thinking about it. And no doubt her face was revealing her secrets. Rosie had never been very good and hiding her emotions.

redroseknight Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Edward nodded in agreement. "The last couple of days alone has brought along enough news to last a lifetime. Ana's engagement, Bramble's engagement, the king's illness and now Sir Henry's crime," he went on, not even realising he'd let slip about Leo. "So it's no wonder we're drinking so early in the day," he remarked.

"Oh, I wish I could have taken you with me, friend. Perhaps the time will still come and we can share an adventure." He took another drink of alcohol. "But for now, here we are together and I wouldn't have it any other way. Who better to share our suffering with than each other?" he half-joked.

"Oh, wow. She has things in order. Then I'm not getting involved in that and messing up Rosie's system. No, Ma'am!" Andrew remarked, before folding his arms to stop himself from trying to help.

The page watched and listened as Sir Connor passed on the news to Gwyn. Andrew couldn't believe a knight would have stooped so slow, but it turned out this Sir Henry had been arrested for what had happened. He was shocked anyone would try to kill Gwyn, but even more so that it had certainly been another knight. After Sir Connor had left, Gwyn addressed Andrew and her words brought a smile to his face. "Maybe you're right. At least I don't have to go talk to Lord Gladstone now. It turns out standing around doing nothing actually does pay off," he playfully remarked.​

 

[redroseknight]

Geoffrey nodded silently, the words not catching up to him until a moment later. "The king is ill?" he asked, alarmed and shooting a look at Edward. Now that he thought about it, the king had been looking rather pallid lately. He had attributed it to the stress with his daughters, especially with Bramble's added spectacle. Maybe he was jumping ahead, his fears of illness rising from being in the service of the king when both Rosie and the queen fell ill. It could be a minor illness, one that he would recover easier from if he wasn't so stressed. If it was such a minor thing then it made sense for Edward to not tell him.

"Yes, hopefully the kingdom will have less need of my sword and shield so that we may take an adventure together." He chuckled at Edward's words of sharing suffering then picked up the bottle for a drink himself. Edward didn't know how much their suffering was shared, the pair having been in love with the same woman. And from Geoffrey's point of view, he didn't need to know. It would just add to the stress of the situation."How are you feeling now about Ana? Are you all right, my friend? I want an honest answer; I can practically sense when you lie to me."

Gwyn read the note and saw the expression on Rosie's face, her mind bringing back memories of how livid her lover had been when she had been hurt. She didn't wish to upset her once more, but at the same time, Gwynyffer knew better than to keep something of this magnitude from Rosie. Their relationship was new and tenuous; she wasn't going to risk it by not being forthright. Everything is fine. Sir Connor was just coming to inform me personally that there has been an arrest made for my injury. The trial is most certainly soon to follow. Your sister is efficient, I will give her that, she wrote with a relaxed smile. Gwyn was internally a maelstrom of emotions, but in contrast to the princess she loved, she was very skilled at keeping it hidden behind an easy smile.

"And that is why I accomplish so much, Andrew; you have now learned the secret to my success," she teased, winking with a more genuine grin. "Though you could always speak to Lord Gladstone; maybe you can learn more from him to earn as high of admiration from Alyssa as he has."

Misty Gray
Jess Buck

 

[Misty Gray]

"The king? I...?" Edward stumbled on his words - something he rarely did. He then realised what he'd said when he'd been listing the troubles of the castle. Not saying anything had been difficult enough, but he couldn't now lie to his friend's face. Besides, he trusted Geoffrey not to repeat anything. "Yes, Leo is... ill," he confirmed. He was going to get into trouble if this got back to the king, but he couldn't deceive Geoffrey and play down the illness. "The king is dying, Geoffrey. He doesn't have much time left at all," he said, trying to keep his voice controlled. He used one hand to shield his eyes as he attempt to hold back any tears. "I'm sorry. Only... only Ana and I know this. I was meant to keep it to myself," he added. He took a deep breath as he removed his hand from over his face.

When asked about Ana, Edward quickly shook his head. "What is there to feel, really?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders. "I made a fool of myself by telling her how I felt. I should have never acknowledged such feelings, especially not for a princess. Ana didn't respond to my revelation directly, but she's made it clear in other ways," he told Geoffrey. "I think she's made her choice and I believe that choice is to submit to Frederick. The fact she suggested the man wasn't so bad seems to confirm it." He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't begrudge a person for not feeling the same. After all, I don't agree that anybody should be forced to be with someone they don't love."
​

redroseknight

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Before Ana could do anything she would regret, she finally pulled away and sat up. It was in that moment she knew she probably shouldn't have kissed him. She had given in to the lust she was feeling and it would perhaps become her biggest downfall. Pushing her hair back, she looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Well. Now that we got that out of the way, we should head back. Don't want to be gone that long, never know what might happen." After stretching her arms, she slowly and carefully stood up as not to show anything. The servants quickly scurried over to begin clean up their little picnic. While walking back to the carriage, she paused by a tree and placed her hand on it for a second before resuming to walk.

She started making her way back into the carriage. For the moment, she wouldn't tell anyone about what happened during their picnic. But then again, if she didn't say something to anyone soon, it would get out anyway considering they did have an audience. And then as if it was some shock to her, it hit her like a truck; Edward had feelings for her. Yeah, he told her that he did but she was crying and was really only focusing on the fact that she was being forced to wed someone she didn't know and her father was dying. Her mind didn't really process it then but now it was and she felt like an idiot. Not only did she not respond, but she now out with the enemy. Correction- made out and possibly almost went further with the enemy. She made a mental note to talk to him when she returned. One could only hope he would listen to her. ​

PicaPirate

 

[Jess Buck]

​

Rosie's expression changed drastically upon reading what Gwynyffer had written. Her rage had resurfaced as she recalled the events from the day prior. She quickly wrote back, "Did he tell you who did it? Do you know when the trial will take place? Has my sister sent for you?" A million things were going through her head, but all of them came back to one thing, she wanted to beat the man who hurt Gwynyffer into nonexistence. Rosie began to shake with rage, once again.

redroseknight

 

[Misty Gray]

Andrew grinned at Gwyn's remark about the secret to her success. "Yeah, and you manage to make standing around look like real work," he joked. When she suggested he still spoke to Edward, he nodded his head. "Of course, I'll be sure to talk to him when I next get the chance."

The boy's attention was drawn to Rosie who appeared angry upon hearing the news they'd just learned about Sir Henry being arrested. He knew why she was really angry, but he could hardly bring attention to it. Figuring he was now getting in the way of Gwyn being able to truly console the princess, he backed away towards the door. "I believe this is my cue to leave and give Princess Rosaline some privacy," he began excusing himself. "Besides, I should see if Frederick needs me to report back to him about the investigation." Andrew would courteously bow to Rosie before leaving the room and making his way outside.
​

redroseknight Jess Buck

 

[PicaPirate]

Frederick chuckled when she slinked up and away, commenting about how they should return. Was it the audience that unnerved her? Or did the rest of her mind catch up with her? He had to admit, he would slightly mad at her retreating like this, but they did indeed have people watching, and any further was something he'd prefer to reserve for the bedroom. Ah well, for another time. Of course this didnt stop him from playing with her, such as saying to what she had said "Well, I'm sure you know what might happen, you just don't want to think on it.". He teased, then rose himself off the floor and walked following her to the carriage. He had noted her touching some tree, maybe something to do with the past. Well, it was pointless wasting his time thinking on it for now. What he cared more about at the moment was travelling back. He had to admit, while he wasn't one for romance, trips like these if they ended more like that would be...more bearable for sure.

 

[redroseknight]

Geoffrey felt like he had been struck with a warhammer. The king was dying? He had always been treated kindly by the king, his liege treating him more like a son than his own father. Clearing his throat a little and shelving his own emotions, Geoffrey reached out to touch his friend's shoulder. Edward had been much closer to the king than he had been, and his support was needed now more than ever. The time for his own grief would come later. "Thank you for telling me, Edward, I know that it is a risk to tell me but I won't betray your trust. So Princess Bramble and Rosaline don't know? Did he say why he didn't wish to tell them? They deserve to know."

Geoffrey listened to his friend's feelings regarding the princess and shook his head. "You weren't a fool, Edward, you were brave and she deserved to know how you felt about her. Don't regret having shared your heart; it is the best part of you. But that doesn't take away the pain of her not feeling the same way, and quite frankly, making sure that you are okay or that I can do anything to help ease that pain is the greatest concern of mine."




Gwyn could see the fury in her lover's eyes and the way that she wrote, the knight quite happy staying in the princess's good graces while possible. Her gaze snapped to Andrew, a few warning bells ringing in her head as he mentioned giving the princess privacy. Did her naive and innocent friend actually pick up on the relationship she was having with Rosie? If so, had anyone else figured it out..especially Prince Frederick since he was an observant man. Would he make her choose between her loyalty to him and her love? "If his highness needs a statement from me regarding the event, feel free to come find me again."

Brushing the thoughts away, they weren't going to have to face those issues for quite some time, she began to answer Rosie's questions. A knight by the name of Sir Henry, the name sounds familiar. He didn't give me a date for the trial, nor has your sister sent for me. Which she might not since I gave complete control of his fate over to your sister when we spoke on the day of the tournament. Gwynyffer wanted retribution, not only for her pain but for what Rosie was going through. She was beginning to learn that her words and actions were going to be affecting more than just herself now.

Misty Gray
Jess Buck

 

[Jess Buck]

​

Rosie watched as Andrew left, she couldn't hear what he had said, but she was relieved to not have to hide from him any longer. As she read the note Gwynyffer wrote she could feel herself losing control. She knew Sir Henry all too well. The man had asked for her hand in marriage far too many times and everytime, Rosie and her father declined. He was a cocky, self-serving man and Rosie didn't want anything to do with him. But now knowing he had sabotaged Gwynyffer's match, she wanted to march straight to his holding cell and give him what for. She took the paper back and wrote. "That foul, cockroach of a man is lucky my sister is merciful. Because if it were up to me...he would not be so lucky." Rosie closed the door to her studio before pulling Gwynyffer into a tight hug, trying to ease her shaking.

redroseknight

 

[Misty Gray]

"Geoffrey, you know you are permitted to grieve too," Edward noted, giving his friend's shoulder a squeeze. He knew the news would be upsetting for the knight and he also knew the man would shut off his own feelings to put others first. He always wished Geoffrey wouldn't be so hard on himself. "Bramble and Rosaline don't know yet. I tried to telling the king they deserved to know, but he wouldn't tell them yet. I had to pester him to allow me to break the news to Ana. I'm not completely sure of his reasons, but I only hope he will tell them before it's too late. At the same time, it is important that Frederick learns of the king's illness as late as possible."

Edward smiled at Geoffrey as he continued to show his concern regarding what had transpired with Ana. "You're too kind, Geoffrey. You really should consider sharing your own heart with someone - it is a great loss to the world that you won't entertain the idea," he observed. "I will be fine, though. Argonia has problems far bigger than my sorry excuse for a love life. I had, and wasted, opportunities to find happiness when I was younger and perhaps this is my life now. You still have a few more years left on me! But, if you don't find someone in five years, I'm afraid we'll just have to grow old together," he joked.
​

redroseknight

 

[redroseknight]

Geoffrey shook his head. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Geoffrey was more candid with Edward than he had ever been when it came to his emotions. He inhaled deeply then let it out in a sigh. "I don't really know how to do so, Edward. I feel the pain, but then I feel my obligations to be a stalwart knight, to have a strong shoulder for those who need it, to be clear headed because the future is so uncertain and my shield is the first line of defense for you and our royal family..then the overwhelming feeling goes away and I feel a little..hollow but able to focus on being there for you without my emotions getting in the way." He looked at the scar across his bicep, the wound having been a very deep cut when it had been delivered. "I hesitated once when my emotions were involved, and I won't let anyone else suffer from that mistake. Least of all you." Geoffrey had always been very tightlipped about what had happened to give him that scar; the most he had ever said had been that 'the encounter with the bandits didn't go as planned'.

Taking another sip from the bottle, Geoffrey gave an unhappy sound. "I could understand being cautious due to Princess Bramble not tending to take these sorts of things delicately or quietly and Princess Rosaline more than likely seeking comfort from Lady Gwynyffer who might inform Prince Frederick, but they are young woman who still love their father. They deserve time to come to terms with the news while Princess Ana is still here to assist with their grief."

At talk of Geoffrey not entertaining the idea of sharing his heart with someone, he frowned a bit. "I have loved someone for a bit of time now, but she is unobtainable, always has been. And now that I think upon it, perhaps that added to the appeal for me. I always knew my feelings would never be returned, and so it was safe to love her from afar. She would never know, and while painful since I do wish to be loved..I know I could never disappoint her." Geoffrey chuckled at Edward's joke of the two growing old together. "Careful, Lord Royal Advisor, some might take that as an offer of engagement," he teased, starting to feel the most relaxed he had felt in a decade. Actually opening up to Edward instead of just bottling his feelings made his shoulders and chest feel much lighter.




Gwynyffer hadn't made assumptions yet as to why this man had targeted her; there were many ranging from her gender to her heritage as Elfian. She didn't know he had been a persistent suitor of Rosie's, but it would have made sense then why he had been so specifically angry at Gwynyffer. And she would have been worried about her relationship with Rosie being brought to light during the trial. She watched Rosie carefully shut the door and accepted her embrace, soothingly stroking her hair as she felt the smaller girl shake in her arms. She kissed the top of her head, her heart beat a little swift due to her own bottled anger and her concern for Rosie. Part of Gwyn worried that, given how tenuous the peace was between Elfian and Argonia, attempts on her life and those close to the prince might be a possibility for retaliation or to spark the war anew. I'm sorry, Rosie It wasn't Gwyn's fault directly, she knew that, but she did feel responsible for the fact that her love was having to go through such unpleasant events. She wouldn't have changed her choices in the past regarding her knighthood or how she had dealt with the men she had met on the tournament field, but that didn't mean that she couldn't apologize to the person who meant the most to her and had been adversely affected by Sir Henry's actions.

Misty Gray
Jess Buck