Fantasy To Love a Prince

[vada]

| Vada & SleepingInTheGardens |

Sir Aimeri
Princess Helena

​

Helena sighed softly to herself as the carriage left the borders of Emavaria, her gaze toward the window, forlorn and helpless. Most of the vehicles on the road were much more modern than this, vintage cars from the 1950’s and 60’s, as the wealthy really seemed to drool over them. But Helena was old-fashioned, even more than the rest, and preferred to travel by horse and carriage. It was antiquated, for sure, and took much longer, but if she were to ride off to a marriage she didn’t want with a man she didn’t know, why not take longer than necessary?

The journey itself took little more than a week, Helena barely speaking through most of it. Her belongings, what little she cared enough for to take with her, were packed into a few trunks on the back of the carriage. With them, was the one, much smaller trunk her riding companion had brought along. He had even fewer possessions than she, and spoke as little as she did. Normally, Sir Aimeri would be doing his best to cheer up his lifelong friend and charge, but he could see this was not the time nor the place. Instead, the knight sat beside her quietly as they traveled across the country, lost in his own thoughts.

Neither of them were leaving behind a great deal - very few friends or family, no real future, but in the same stroke, neither of them could be sure what they were traveling toward. Helena knew little of her future husband, in spite of being engaged to him for several weeks, and it wasn’t Aimeri’s job to know anything, just to protect his princess. There was a heaviness in the air about them, uncertainty and a deep sadness that both could feel, yet do nothing about.

Finally, on the last day of the journey, Aimeri decided he’d had enough. If it was the last thing he did, he would pull at least one smile from her.

“Helena,” he prompted, using her first name as he only did when they were alone like this. The two of them had been connected since the princess was five years old, and had grown fond of each other over the years. He looked at her as one might a sister, and she felt the same for him. Still, when she turned her blue gaze to him, there was no smile, no light in her eyes.

“Hm?”

“What do you think he’s like, this Prince.. Leo, is it?” He asked with a grin, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

“It’s Theodore, Em,” Helena said with a small sigh. “And I’m sure he’s just.. Swell.”

There was no real emotion in her voice as she spoke, just a quiet resignation, and Aimeri shook his head. “No, he can’t be just swell, can he? If he was, he’d have been married by now. I bet he’s short. Really, really short.” He held a hand, palm down, in the center of his chest, chuckling. “Childlike. The people may think you his mother, not his wife.”

Helena rolled her eyes, a small chuckle slipping from her lips. “His mother.. Oh joy.”

Aimeri nudged her lightly with his shoulder, happy for even the smallest spark of humor, but the motion unexpectedly sent her flying into the opposite side of the carriage. No.. it wasn’t the nudge of his shoulder at all. The carriage flipped as a hard object came into contact with it, slamming into Aimeri’s side and rolling the entire vehicle. Cries of pain and surprise filled the air around them as they toppled and then finally came to land upside down in the grass beside the road.

“Helena??” Aimeri cried in alarm. He’d landed on top of the princess, practically crushing her, and he lifted himself off her carefully, touching her face with his hand. “Are you alright?”

Slowly, the princess opened her eyes, nodding her head. There was a gash across her cheek, broken window glass having sliced open the delicate pale skin there. “My head hurts,” she said quietly, blinking up at him with confusion. “What happened?”

Aimeri frowned down at her, shoving the door open with his foot. “I think we were hit.. Hold still, I’ll help you out.”

Gingerly, he managed to pull himself free of the wreckage, blinking into the sunlight. His side ached terribly where the carriage had been impacted, but he ignored it, instead helping Helena out as carefully as he could. “Easy, easy… You’re alright.” She stumbled slightly and his arms instantly went around her, holding her up. His eyes, at once worried and furious, took in the sight around them. The princess’s beloved carriage was destroyed, the horses running off into the distance. The driver, a young man with black hair and grey eyes sat on the ground nearby, trembling. “You!” Aimeri barked, instantly all business. “Go on to the castle. Find Prince Theodore. The princess is hurt. She needs attention, now.”

The young man nodded and stumbled to his feet, hurrying off toward the castle. Aimeri’s fierce gaze turned to the bright red antique car, and the giggling blonde girl pulling herself from the driver’s seat. She swayed in her spot, then bent and threw up on the grass. “Oops…”

Aimeri sighed. Of course, she was intoxicated. He dismissed the girl, knowing better than to let his anger get the better of him. Spoiled, rich, drunk girl… he doubted anything would happen to her, and his priority was Helena. He looked down at her, lifting her face to his so he could peer into her eyes. “Help is on the way, Princess. Worry not. How do you feel?”

Helena blinked up at him again, the motion too slow and deliberate. “Sleepy, Em. Are we home yet?”

Aimeri shook his head. “No, not yet, Lena. Soon.” His eyes turned toward the road where the boy had dashed off. “Very soon.”

 

[Pink Venom]

Prince Theo Blanc
Prince Troy Blanc


Light particles traveled across the room, each one dancing as if it had a life of its own. A small shadow moved along with them, the soft purr echoing against the stone walls of the palace corridor. Theodore watched patiently from behind one of the pillars, his fingers shifting with the lights, each one traveling closer to him. Whiskers twitched as the feline moved from one colorful spark to the other. It paused, eyes wide and curious, meowing loudly as a pair of hands scooped it up.

“Gotcha! I told you I’d win.”

Theo’s triumphant calls intertwined with Troy’s as the older man called for his brother. The younger prince twirled on his heels, eyes wide for a moment before taking in his brother’s presence, “Your fiancé will be here in less than an hour and you’re chasing around a cat?” The question came with no real surprise. The prince was used to his younger brother’s antics. He stretched a hand out, gently petting the Persian’s head.

“This ungrateful punk keeps trying to leave” the protest came with a sigh as Theo looked towards his pet. “Do I not love you enough, Francis? Is it because I wouldn’t let you eat my sandwich? We’ve got to figure this out, buddy.” Theo’s impromptu interrogation of the cat made Troy chuckle, his attention shifting from the furry friend to its owner. The boy’s features were as bright and lively as usual, eyes big and bold, but the smile that shaped his lips didn’t reach them. Theo could fool anyone, but not his big brother.

“Are you scared?” The question was followed by a short silence as the two walked back down the corridor towards the main hall of the palace. Theo hummed, his hand lazily playing with Ferdinand’s ears.

“I’m not scared of anything, Troy.” His brows knitted together. “Bring on the marriage!” He was deflecting. It was obvious. Determined as he may have been to go about this as if he didn’t mind, the slightly down-turned lips that followed his statement gave the answer he needed. Theo was aware that his brother could read him like a book, yet still persisted.

“Theo…”

“I’m fine, I promise.” The young prince interjected, knowing exactly where Troy was going with his tone of voice. The eldest sighed, one hand resting gently on Theo’s shoulder. It was not the first time they’d had a talk like this, each time Theo assured him that he was okay. An arranged marriage went against everything Theo stood for, but he knew that if he wasn’t the one to do it, his brother would be forced into it in his place.

Troy always did everything for others, his younger brother most of all. Theo had always been the type to chase his own desires. There was no part of Theo that wanted to get married, especially to someone he’d never met. But even a free spirit like him had limits. He would find it hard to live peacefully if, because of his selfish choices, his brother ended up married to someone he didn’t love. Troy had already been through enough for one year. Theodore, in turn, had never been in love. He didn’t know what it felt like to want to spend the rest of your life with someone, and he certainly couldn’t imagine what it felt like to lose that in one single night.

The bright rays of sun welcomed them to the main room, bringing the conversation to a halt as one of the palace guards rushed inside. His huffs of breath brought a worry to both of the brother’s faces. “Timothy, what’s wrong, did something happen?” Troy’s question was followed by another huff as the guard pointed towards a young man, an expression of sheer terror on his face.

“Your highnesses! The princess- there was- accident.” The familiar words seemed to leave Troy speechless. Theo quickly stepped forward, one hand gently reaching out to Timothy’s arm.

“Alright, Tim…deep breaths. Slow down.” The man nodded, following Theo’s lead as the prince took breaths of his own to demonstrate. After a couple of tries, the man spoke again. “This young man, he’s the princess’ driver. They were hit by a car just a few miles from here, your highness.” A look was exchanged between the brothers, Troy immediately asking Timothy to get one of their cars. Theo placed Ferdinand back into the confines of the palace, following his brother into the vehicle that was pulled up front.

Finding the wreckage wasn’t difficult. A carriage, with no forces, felt completely out of place in a land like this. Theo heard there were still places, and people, that preferred them. He’d never actually met anyone in person that did. Their vehicle came to a stop, both princes jumping out instantly. Troy reached the pair first. “What happened?” his eyes dashed from the man to who he assumed to be the princess, immediately kneeling down beside her. “Are you alright?”

Theo quickly followed, his eyes large with concern, though the antique vehicle was the first thing to catch his eye. “Where’s the driver?”

 

[vada]

While the pair waited for help to arrive, Aimeri got Helena seated on the grass, checking her over for further cuts or bruises. There were none, thank goodness, but the blank, confused look in her eyes, her left pupil blown, made his stomach tighten with worry, his frown deeply etched into his face. She was tired, she kept telling him, and wanted to sleep, but he wouldn’t allow it, instead asking her question after question to keep her talking. “You’re going to be alright,” he kept assuring her, and he silently prayed it was true. A life without the brightness of Helena’s presence would be a bleak existence, not one he looked forward to, ever. He wondered, too, how her life would fare without him, as the pain in his side grew to the point that it was almost unbearable. At first, it was little more than an annoying ache, but as the minutes ticked by, it became a most noticeable stabbing sort of pain, and there was a raspy scratching sensation whenever he breathed in too deeply. One particularly deep breath caused a coughing fit, blood spraying past his lips into the grass beneath them. Blood in the lungs… that wasn’t a good sign, he knew that all too well. Still, his focus remained on the princess beside him, his arm around her waist to keep her propped up, her head resting on his shoulder.

Finally, after what felt like hours but couldn’t have been that long - the sun had barely moved across the sky - an unfamiliar car pulled up, two royally dressed men jumping out and rushing over to them. Relief filled Aimeri, as help had come at last, and he shook his head at the first’s question.

“She hit her head. I think she has a concussion.” Aimeri’s voice held no trace of the pain that radiated through his abdomen like a fever, only a deep seated worry for his charge.

Helena’s eyes opened as the shadow of a figure blocked out the sun and she blinked blearily at the newcomer, a slow smile pulling up the corners of her mouth as she tried to focus her attention on his face. “You look like an angel,” she murmured quietly. “Are you an angel? Is this Heaven?”

Aimeri frowned at this, his normally warm and friendly features twisted with despair. “She keeps saying things like that..” His gaze shifted away, as if refusing to commit the image of Helena’s lost expression to memory. Instead, he looked at the second man, who had questioned the whereabouts of the girl that had hit them. He didn’t know which of these two men were Helena’s future husband, the ‘Prince Theo, not Leo’, but it randomly occurred to him that neither of them were really, really short at all. So much for that theory.

“I cannot say. She was intoxicated, quite heavily so from the looks of it. I’m surprised she managed to walk away in one piece, but walk away, she did.” With his arm still around Helena, all he could do was gesture with his head, so he nodded toward the town. “She wandered off in that direction, muttering about needing another drink.”

 

[Pink Venom]

The sun rays beat down on the small group mercilessly. Theodore’s eyes squinted in an effort to see clearly, his hand held over his forehead to provide some kind of shield. It wasn’t scorching hot, but just enough to be inconvenient. The prince tugged at his white shirt, attempting to let in some air.

“Agh- of course!” His exclamation came with a sigh at the thought of an intoxicated driver being the cause of all this trouble. His eyes narrowed at the vehicle, as if it was at fault for what had happened. “We-“

“Theo?” Troy’s voice interrupted the younger’s train of thought, his head turning abruptly in the direction it came from, brown curls dancing lazily in the warm breeze. “You wouldn’t happen to know how to heal a concussion, would you?”

Furrowed brows were the focus of Theo's expression as he abandoned his standing post, and the conversation with the nameless man, to join his brother’s crouching position next to whom he assumed to be the princess. His fiancé, to be exact.

“I’ve never tried-“ he admitted. New experiences were always exciting for Theo, but this time it was different. A concussion was serious. If he didn’t do a good enough job, Helena could…

No, there was no time for those thoughts now. Trying and failing was better than not trying at all. “Here, let me…” he moved in closer to the princess, his eyes searching her face for any signs of emotion. Anything that wasn’t the dazed look in her eye. “Hello! This isn’t exactly how I’d expected we would meet, but hey… here we are.” His voice was as cheerful as ever, eyes wide with worry hidden behind kindness. “I'm Theo, pleasure to meet you.”

The smile spread across his face as he introduced himself to the princess, all the while his hands reached for hers. Perhaps he couldn’t fix a concussion, but at the very least he could ease any pain and help her stay awake until they got her to a professional. “This is Troy, my brother.” He added in as an afterthought. “He’s not an angel, he’s actually quite mean to me.” There was a playful swat at the back of Theo’s head, which the prince merely laughed off.

Annoyingly bright as the sun may be, it was the perfect day for amplifying Theo’s magic. He allowed it to course through his arms and hands, right through Helena’s fingertips, gaze focused on her while he worked.”I promise we don’t usually welcome all out visitors this way.” The dilated pupil slowly began to return to normal, surprising even Theo himself. More than just helping her feel better, it looked like he was actually lessening the injury. Once he caught a glimpse of the girl’s expression shift, he let her hands go.

“That should do for now.” Troy interjected, calling over his shoulder at their driver. “Tim, call Emile. Tell him to meet us at the palace.” The brothers moved Helena onto her feet, hoping to get her to their car. It was only after he made sure Troy had a good handle on her that Theo turned to the quiet man beside them, eyes once again wide with concern.

“What about you? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” He made an attempt to look, not finding any obvious marks, though he could have sworn he saw pain flash across the man’s face.

 

[vada]

Aimeri felt relief wash over him in a cool wave as he watched the confused, loopy expression on Helena’s face fade away, and she seemed to come back to herself. “Oh, thank God,” he murmured under his breath, his shoulders sinking as the invisible weight lifted off him. “I thought she was going to…” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word, even now, and instead helped the two princes lift her to her feet. Her footing was more steady than it had been previously, and he watched for a moment as the seemingly older of the two, Troy, guided her over to the car.

After that, he hadn’t expected to be addressed again. He was only a knight, a soldier, after all, so when the prince turned to him, asking about his own injuries, Aimeri could only blink at him for a second or two. “Oh.. No, I’m alright.” It was a blatant lie, as the pain in his side was nearly enough to take him to his knees. But he hid it well, at least, he thought he did, nodding his head toward the car. Gratitude shown on his face, mingling with the slight worry that would remain until Helena was completely recovered. “We are indebted to you, your highness. You saved her life.”

It was obvious Aimeri cared deeply for his charge, and when the pair of them walked over to the car, he bent over to peer at Helena through the window. “How are you feeling, princess?”

Helena, sitting beside her ‘angel’, blushed with embarrassment. The cut on her cheekbone was all but healed, and she wiped nervously at the blood that lingered on her skin, staining her fingertips. “Embarrassed, Em. Did I behave foolishly?”

Aimeri shook his head, smiling at her warmly. “Not even a little. Don’t worry about that, okay? Just focus on improving. I’ll see to it that your bags make it the rest of the way in one piece.”

Her eyes widened then, a sudden realisation making her expression worried. “Oh! What about Kalli and Flicker? Are they alright?”

Aimeri let out a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a snort. “I’ll see.” Straightening, he looked to the prince. “The horses. She almost died, and she’s worried about the horses.” He looked to the horizon, having seen the horses dash off toward the woods moments after the wreck occurred. “Do you suppose they are long gone? I really don’t relish the idea of wandering through unfamiliar forestry in search of those beasts, but she has had them since she was a child…”

 

[Pink Venom]

Theo had been skeptical of the man’s answer. Though he didn’t appear to be injure, the pribcess had a concussion, which meant there was a possibility her companion had suffered some damage too. Deciding not to pry for now, Theo nodded and followed the man to the car.

“No reason to feel embarrassed.” Troy spoke, voicing Theo’s thoughts over the princess’ statement before he could. The younger prince nodded, adding in an afterthought.

“We’re just glad you’re alright.” He didn’t know the extent of his aid, and how long it would last. Getting the princess back to the palace to be seen by a doctor was first priority. The sun rays grew brighter by the second, bouncing off of the slick black exterior of the vehicle, making Theo squint. He idly followed the man’s line of vision, Em according to what Helena called him, as he voiced his concerns about catching the missing horses.

“I understand you’re worried, princess, but your safety is more important right now. We’ll send some of our best knightsto track them down.” Troy’s voice registered in the back of Theo’s mind, though his focus was on the fields around them. He knew this area like the back of his hand. There were only a few yards of free space before reaching a large fence. Assuming they had ran off in the direction the man looked, the horses shouldn’t have been able to get very far.

“No need, I can find them for you.” The younger prince finally spoke out, his upper body leaning over slightly to peer into the car where the princess set, smile settling into place as his eyes met hers. Troy’s frown in the background made him chuckle. “What’s that look for?”

“Theo you can’t be serious? You’re a prince, not a stable lad.” Though he said this, it was punctuated with a sigh of defeat. The man knew better than to attempt to talk Theodore out of something once his mind was set. “Why am I wasting my breath, you’re going to do it anyways.” He admitted with a quiet chuckle. Theo’s smile brightened immediately.

“Right then, just send another car for me. In the meantime…” he straightened up, one hand gently patting the arm of the man beside him. “‘Em? And I will take care of the horses.” Chasing after startled horses wouldn’t be the easiest task, but Theo had an affinity for animals. Helena’s charge knew exactly what they looked like. Between the two of them, it would get done.

 

[vada]

Aimeri and Helena both were surprised when Theo offered to help find the horses. Aimeri hid it better than the princess did, her blue eyes widening as she looked at the prince through the car window. “Oh.. wow. Thank you, My Lord. I’m very grateful.”

Aimeri nodded in show of his own gratitude, a slight smile pulling up one corner of his mouth when Theo addressed him as ‘Em’. It was a nickname only ever used by Princess Helena, so it amused him somewhat to hear it come from another’s lips, and he found, surprisingly, he didn’t hate it.

“Aimeri,” he corrected, as the car pulled away from the two of them, leaving them to look for the horses while Troy saw Helena to the castle. He didn’t want the prince to feel embarrassed, calling him a nickname formed from years of companionship. “You may call me Em if you like, Your Highness, but I thought you should know my name is Aimeri. Sir Aimeri, to be exact.”

While he said this, he looked around the wreckage, still unable to believe the two of them had made it out alive. He hoped against hope that the girl responsible for injuring the princess would be punished, though the frown that had been etched into his face finally began to smooth itself out of existence, knowing Helena was heading toward safety.

“It was good of you to come yourself,” he said, walking toward the treeline. His stance was ever so slightly tilted as each step sent pain up his back and into his broken rib, but he made no grunt or expression of pain, doing his best to ignore it. “I believe it is uncommon for royalty to extend themselves in such a way, at least, where we come from. I know Princess Helena will remember your aid fondly.”

In the car, Helena settled more comfortably into her seat, turning her attention to the brother who had stayed by her side. The both of them seemed quite nice, nicer than she had expected, and she found a soft smile of grace touching her lips despite her earlier apprehensions. “Thank you so much for all your help, My Lord. It is quite an unfortunate way for us all to meet, isn’t it? But you both… you’re both very generous.”

 

[Pink Venom]

Theodore watched the car drive off, only now realizing that if they found the horses they wouldn’t be needing a second vehicle. He made a mental note to send Troy the message, attention turning to the man beside him as he spoke.

Aimeri… it suited him.

“Well then sir Aimeri…” he made a dramatic flourish of his arms, gesturing towards the pathless greenery. “Shall we?”

The trees were thick near the road, but not deep. Theo knew it wouldn’t be long until they’d reached a clearing, which was likely where the horses were now. Possibly eating pasture or waking off their fright. The thought of stray horses laying and feasting on the lush green grass under the sun brought a slight smile to Theo’s face. He nearly missed Aimeri’s comments.

“Ah, well… it’s quite uncommon here too.” He admitted, one hand brushing the curls away from his eyes in an effort to see better. “Troy always scolds me for it. Says I should-“ he quickly dodged a branch that had been seconds away from slapping against his face, steadying his pace again. “-act more princely. Whatever that means.” Compared to his brother, Theo was an odd boy. Troy embodied all the qualities a prince would be expected to have. Charm, honor, grace. While Theo had his own charm and surely held good honor, he was sorely lacking in grace. As if to punctuate this, he stumbled over a log, but quickly recovered.

“I don’t see what good it will do me if I sit in a palace all day and have others do the work for me. I- you’re hurt aren’t you?” The sudden cut off of his sentence came with a halt of his feet. He turned towards Aimeri, eyes narrowed in suspicion as he scanned the man’s body from head to toe. He’d noticed the slight limp early on, but had decided to observe for a bit. Now he was certain. The man was hurt and almost successfully hid it.

Theo stepped closer, observant gaze lowering to Aimeri’s midsection. “Is it your leg? Or rib?” He inquired, making it clear that the knight could no longer lie his way out of this.

-

Tory’s focus had been on the passing scenery outside the window, until Helena’s voice came. He nodded slightly, lips mimicking her smile as he spoke. “Unfortunate, yes. We would have liked for you to arrive without injuries. But we’re glad you’re here.” He glanced out the windshield, wondering if he’d see the lost horses walking around. “I don’t love the idea of Theodore running around wildly out there. He’s prone to getting into trouble.” He sighed, though maintained an endearing smile. “But he does have an affinity for animals. I’m sure he’ll find your horses.” He turned to her, a look of reassurance gracing his face. “In the meantime, we’ll have our doctor look you over to ensure you’re alright.”

 

[vada]

Aimeri blinked in surprise, his brows lifting at the sudden change in subject. He had been walking alongside the prince, ducking branches and stepping over fallen limbs, focusing almost entirely on his breathing and the pain radiating through his side. He did attempt to follow the prince’s train of thought as he spoke, not wanting to appear rude to one of the men who had saved his charge, but he was still caught off guard when the subject shifted to himself, and he pulled up short.

“Ah… I..” This wasn’t a question of whether or not he was hurt, but where. Without lying outright, Aimeri knew there was no way around it, and he had never been a fan of dishonesty. He sighed quietly through his nose, his shoulders sinking with the motion.

“Ribs.” He confirmed, lifting his hand to his opposite side, resting lightly there against his injured abdomen. “The car hit on my side.” He had taken the brunt force of the accident, something he would be eternally grateful for. Who knew if Helena, much smaller and more delicate than himself, would have survived the impact?

Just the slight sensation of his own palm against his side made a shudder of pain run through him and he coughed again, turning his face away from the prince respectfully. Droplets of blood splattered the cream colored long sleeve shirt he wore, where he covered his mouth with the crook of his arm. “It isn’t serious.”

It wasn’t a lie as much as it was a wish, and he ended up sighing again, relenting. “Actually, it’s quite serious. The pain is nearly blinding. I believe the ribs are broken inside, and the skin feels hot and also, a bit like…” He grimaced, “rotten fruit. Mushy…”

-

Helena’s own smile grew somewhat as she watched the concerned but affectionate way Troy spoke about his younger brother. “He is lucky to have someone like you looking out for him,” she said genuinely, reaching over to lightly pat his shoulder. “Don’t worry, though. Aimeri will protect him.”

She looked out her window then, seeing the castle come into view. It was more grand and beautiful than she had imagined, her blue eyes going wide at the sight. “Oh, how lovely…” A bit of the dizziness returned, though she couldn’t be sure if the culprit was her head injury or just the height of the castle before her, giving her a touch of vertigo. “How long has your family lived here?” She wondered aloud about her new home, turning her curious gaze to her companion once more.

 

[Pink Venom]

Theodore’s eyes widened in horror as he listened to Aimeri. Had he been walking around in this condition the entire time? The prince frowned, his steps quickly taking him towards the knight. He did not want to alarm, but judging by the description given, taking care of that injury was urgent. The horses could wait a little longer. Surely, they weren’t in any danger.

“Why did you lie earlier?” Theo’s question came with a huff, his hands resting on his hips for a brief moment before deciding he should heal first, and scold later. It was odd. He was typically the one being scolded by his older brother, but lying about an injury of that degree was extremely dangerous. Had Theo not noticed something was wrong, who’s to say what would have happened. Still, he let his arms drop to his side as he glanced around, eyes landing on a nearby trunk, huddled up to another tree. He quickly cleared it if any branches and bugs before gesturing for Aimeri to sit.

“See if you can lean back against that tree.” Ideally, it would have been easier and much more comfortable to have the man lie on his back on the grass, but they were still a bit too far from the clearing for Theo’s liking. The wound had to be taken care of now. “That’s an order.” He made sure to add, in case Aimeri thought of protesting. Still, the slight smile on his face made it clear that he meant no harm by it.

The sun shone less under the canopy of leaves the trees created, casting shadows over the two. Still, it was bright enough out that Theo could use it to his advantage. He waited, not so patiently, for the man to settled down where he’d been instructed, immediately leaning down beside him once he did. “Can I see?” His voice was lower than before, nerves rising the moment he noticed the droplets of blood on the shirt. He wanted to keep as calm as possible, but healing injuries like these always made Theo a bit anxious.

He was capable, of course. After the accident that cost the life of Troy’s fiancé, Theo had really buckled down on learning how to use his abilities for healing. He was no doctor, but he liked to think he could at least help.

-

Troy almost laughed at the idea of Theo being protected by the knight and decided to keep the comment about how his brother may get them both into trouble. He smiled at the princess’ awe of the castle, wondering what her previous home would have looked like. He never thought about what other royal families lived like.

“We’re a few generations in. Ever since my great grandfather became king.” Troy explained as the car came to a stop. He thanked the driver, asking him to open Helena’s door. The prince was met by another one of the guards, bowing briefly before speaking. “Your highness, the doctor is here waiting for you.” Troy nodded, making his way to Helena’s side to guide her inside. “Thank you, Francis. We’ll be right there.”

He quickly turned to Helena, checking her over to assess her condition. “Just a moment, princess. I want to make sure my brother is alright.” He made a small gesture, as if he were writing on his palm with an invisible pen. A series of symbols came to life, dancing lazily between his hands before vanishing into thin air. “Alright, let’s go. Are you feeling well enough to walk?”

 

[vada]

Aimeri didn’t answer the prince’s scolding question. He would have thought the answer obvious. As a knight and personal guard, his duty was to protect the princess, nothing else. His own health and safety mattered little, as long as she was alright.

But he complied with Theo’s request.. demand.. with a quiet nod of his head, moving over to sit on the fallen trunk. The motion caused him a great deal of pain, but he withheld any sounds or expressions that would show weakness. Injured or not, he was still a knight, and knights didn’t cry about boo-boos.

The slight smile on the other man’s lips as he ordered him about made Aimeri chuckle with amusement. “Yes, your highness,” he said lightly. In truth, he wasn’t as worried about the injury as he should have been. The horses were still on his mind, Helena happiness coming second to her health and safety, but definitely before his own wellbeing. Still, he knew from looking at Theo’s expression that he wasn’t going to let the matter go easily, so it would be more beneficial to get it done and over with now, rather than argue about it.

Gingerly, he lifted his shirt up and over his head, sucking in a sharp hiss of pain that just couldn’t be contained. The entirety of his side appeared to be one large bruise, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly several shades of darkening hues, tracing along the muscles, tendons, and bones of his ribcage like an abstract painting. It was beautiful, in a grotesque sort of way, and Aimeri couldn’t help the surprise that bloomed on his face, his green eyes widening. “Ah… that’s unpleasant looking, isn’t it?”

-

Helena waited patiently while Troy took a moment, her curious gaze shifting away from the exterior of the castle to watch him scrawl something she couldn’t see right away on his hand. Then the symbols floated in the air between his hands for a moment, causing her eyes to widen with surprised wonder.

“I think so,” Helena said quietly in response to his question, pulling her gaze away from the spot where she’d seen the symbols to look up at him, even as she took a few tentative steps forward. She remained upright, thankfully, and it seemed Theo had done a good job of healing her injuries. “That was a spell..? You are both able to do magic, then?”

Most people of wealth were able to do magic of some sort or another, she knew. Her own parents had both inherited certain abilities, passed on to them from their parents. Helena, herself, wasn’t as lucky, but she had been bestowed magical gifts through the use of a talisman. She reached for it now, a golden heart shaped locket imbedded with a fire opal that hung around her neck, fingering it absently. “How was your magic given to you? Through your bloodline? Or like mine, was it bought?”

 

[Pink Venom]

It wasn’t hard to guess why Aimeri kept quiet about his injury. Theo knew of someone else who would always put everyone else’s well being above his, even if he was royalty. The idea of Troy and Aimeri being similar brought a slight smile to Theo’s lips. Perhaps his older brother had finally found someone who understood his woes. The prince repeated the same words he’d drilled into his brother’s head many times before. “I understand you were worried about the princess, but you won’t be of any help if you’re crippled! My-“

Theo’s words paused as his eyes landed on the bruise, or rather series of bruises. His nose scrunched, face contorting into a mask of worry. It really did not look good. Theo could only hope it looked worse than what it was. He had faith in his own skills. After all, he’d been able to help Helena. A concussion was much more complicated than broken ribs. Still, he knew the work would hurt Aimeri and if healed completely, would leave Theo depleted of most of his energy. It was looking like they would need that extra car after all.

“Easy fix. I can do it.” He assured with a nod. Carefully, he settled next to the man. His attention, previously focused on the multicolored bruise, was temporarily taken by a small dancing flame delicately landing on his palm, sparking into a series of symbols. Theo’s gaze followed them until they arranged into a sentence, his lips quirking into a smile. “Troy wants to know if we’re alright.” He paused then, eyes flickering to Aimeri, already guessing what he was thinking before he could voice it. “I won't say a word about this.”

After promising his silence, Theo quickly replied with a few symbols of his own. A simple message that let his brother know they were alright, and still searching for the horses. Once that was out of the way, the prince’s attention returned to the injured. He felt a small shiver upon looking at it again, rounded eyes flickering up towards the knight with a warning frown. “Um- this…will hurt a bit. Well…truthfully, it will hurt a lot.” He confessed, one hand reaching up towards the collar of his own shirt. He pulled on the thick ribbon that hung untied around the collar, folding it up into a palm sized square. “You may need this to bite down on.”

He knew men like Aimeri, after having lived with one for twenty two years. Surely he thought he wasn't allowed to feel pain, but Theo found that to be unreasonable and foolish. They were human, capable of feeling the same physical and emotional pain as everyone else. He made sure the man knew this as he took one of his hands for leverage. The prince’s free hand then hovered over the injured side, his gaze flickering to Aimeri. “Are you ready?” He waited for the go ahead before releasing the first wave of magic.

Underneath his palm, the man’s skin began to glow as the light worked away at the fractured bones first. Theo’s full attention was now on healing, starting from the inside, the most painful part of the process.

-

Before Troy could give Helena a response, the message was returned to him. The prince grabbed it, giving it a quick glance over before sighing in relief. “This is how we typically communicate when we’re apart.” He explained, the symbols once again vanishing with the breeze. “He assures us they are alright and still searching for your horses.” The warm smile barely settled on his lips before it morphed into an expression of thought.

“Magic in our family has been rather picky.” He preface, one hand carefully leading Helena up the steps to the main palace entrance. “Our great grandfather had it by birth. He was the first and only of his generation to be gifted with it.” the prince made sure to keep his steps slow and steady so that Helena could keep up, always keeping a hand behind her in case she should trip or lose balance. “After him, it was lost again, until Theo was born. He was gifted by the slight spirits.”

Neither of the brothers knew a lot about bought magic, but Troy probably knew the most. He remembered thinking he would have to buy a talisman much like the one Helena carried. “My parents planned on having me train and learn some basic magic skills at least, but the water spirits seemed to have a sense of humor. Days before my first class, they gifted me my abilities.” He chuckled softly, thinking back to the look of excitement on Theo’s face at the news.

As they reached the top of the stairs, the large doors opened to allow them inside. Troy made a small gesture with his free hand as he stepped with the princess. “Here we are. Welcome to Palace Le Blanc.”

 

[vada]

Aimeri had quietly watched the prince receive his magical message of concern and reply to it without much surprise. It seemed the two brothers cared a great deal for each other, much like Helena and himself, and though it didn’t surprise him, it did comfort him to know that his charge seemed to be marrying into an affectionate family. He worried about her, and it would certainly be a relief to not have to worry quite so much about whether or not her new husband would treat her well. Prince Theo had already tended to her once, and was now extending the same courtesy to Aimeri himself, even though it was entirely unnecessary. He was not a member of the royal family. He was a soldier. And yet Theo, thus far, had treated him with nothing but respect and kindness.

That was one of the reasons he didn’t immediately punch the man in the face when pain suddenly rocketed through him. Instead, he grunted and bit down on the folded tie he had shoved into his mouth, his grip on the prince’s hand tightening subconsciously. Had Helena’s healing hurt this badly? He couldn’t believe so, because she hadn’t shrieked or writhed in pain the way he so badly wanted to do. It felt like fire was igniting within his chest, and then something even worse as the bones of his ribcage seemed to snap back into place. Beads of sweat broke out across his forehead, his vision blurring around the edges, and for a moment, he wished to God the prince would just leave him and his damned broken ribs alone.

Without a word of resistance, as only the toughest men would dare to silently endure such pain, Aimeri remained as still as possible while Theo worked his magic repairing his abdomen. When, finally, the pain ebbed, Aimeri was breathing hard and dizzy, but no longer in unbearable agony. He leaned back against the trunk of the tree behind him, pulling the cloth from his mouth. He’d bit down on it so hard he thought his teeth might crack, and he shifted his jaw back and forth a bit, loosening it enough that he could speak without tension.

“No offence, my lord, but I honestly hated that.” He laughed, a winded chuckle that was a mixture of exhaustion and relief. “But I am eternally grateful to you. I don’t know how much longer I would have lasted.”

Gingerly, he released Theo’s hand, his knuckles tight from the grip. “Ah, forgive me. I hope I didn’t break anything.” Another small laugh escaped him, sheepish this time, and he offered the prince an apologetic smile. “Sometimes I forget my own strength.”

-

Helena listened to Troy’s story with interest, nodding her understanding. “Your family must be quite proud,” she noted. “Two sons born with magic. That is rather fortunate.”

Her gaze smoothly shifted away from his face as he welcomed her to her new home, and she took a moment to look around the entranceway. Her breath was stolen from her lungs at the sight of the beautiful interior, her hand pressing lightly to her chest. “Beautiful…” She breathed out the word, a little more breathless than she intended. She had thought she was more or less okay after Theo had helped her, but she was starting to feel weak, and she wasn’t sure if it was the injury or the overwhelming introduction to her new life.

A soft chuckle barely whispered past her lips as she brought her hand up to her head, resting her fingertips against her temple. “I think I might need to sit down. You said the doctor is close by?”

 

[Pink Venom]

Healing magic was tricky. Sometimes it came without much effort, like what Theo had done for Helena earlier. Granted, her injury wasn’t fully treated. He only did what little he could without jeopardizing her life. Other times, it was painful and exhausting. Theo knew, from the look on his face and the death grip on his hand, that Aimeri was probably on the verge of passing out from the pain. The prince teetered between going slower and therefore easing the pain, but taking longer and working as fast as he could. The pain would be almost unbearable, but it would be over much quicker. He chose to go with the latter.

“I’m sorry, just a bit longer-“ he had assured the man while he worked. Beads of sweat ran down the prince’s forehead, his full concentration on his work. Once finished, the injury was completely healed, including the bruising that had appeared on the skin. Theo breathed out a laugh at the man’s comment, his eyes examining the previously injured area. It looked, and probably felt, as good as new. “That’s never pleasant, I’m sorry.” He breathed, his head beginning to pound just the slightest. An injuring that deep took a lot of magic, and the healer’s body would surely start to feel it soon.

“Don’t worry about me.” He offered a soft smile, slowly rising to his feet to ensure he hadn’t grown dizzy. His head did spin a bit from the altitude shift, but he played it off well. “I’m much tougher than I look, you know.” Though it was the truth, at the moment he truly didn’t feel that strong. Still, he stood tall, his hand outstretched towards Aimeri as it had before. “Try taking a few steps, see how it feels.”

The gentle breeze that ran through the trees rustled a few leaves around them. Theo’s curls swayed lazily with the wind, the sweat all but gone. He felt a bit fatigued, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. If nothing else, he’d suggest they take a small break with the excuse of allowing Aimeri to rest. He was just put through excruciating pain after all. Surely, he must be feeling a bit drained.

-

Worry immediately painted Troy’s features, his gaze glancing around for the nearest seat. He knew Theo’s magic had only helped temporarily. It was important that Helena be seen by the doctor as soon as possible. “Yes, not to worry. I’ll call for him.” He assured, carefully leading the princess to a nearby bench by one of the arched windows. Once seated, the prince immediately instructed one of the knights to bring the doctor.

The spot at which they stopped overlooked one side of the courtyard. A kaleidoscope of colors and fragrances bloomed below. Winding vines and vibrant bushes decorated the columns and walls. Troy’s hand gestured towards the area, a faint smile on his face. “That’s Theo’s favorite place.” He paused, tilting his head slightly. “Well, that’s Ferdinand’s favorite place. His cat, that is.” He corrected with a slight shake of the head. “Theo merely follows.” He chuckled softly, recalling all the times his brother had raced into the gardens chasing after the Persian. “Quite a pair those two. You’ll surely have your hands full.” As he spoke, the prince kept his gaze on Helena, gauging whether she could still following the conversation.

 

[vada]

Aimeri stood, accepting the helping hand of the prince once more. The pain in his side was gone, but he stretched slowly and carefully just to be certain. Nothing ached or throbbed or pierced. It didn’t hurt to breathe in or out, and the rattling sensation he’d felt in his ribs was now nonexistent. An appreciative, grateful smile brightened his features as he turned toward Theo. “Good as new.”

It was true; Aimeri felt like a new man. Or, at least, as good as he had when he and Helena had set out on the journey that brought them here. If anything, he could complain about the feeling of being drained, like a basin with a hole in the bottom. But it was hardly worth mentioning, especially when he took a good look at Theo’s face, seeing the strain there behind his eyes.

“Oh… have you hurt yourself while helping me?” A frown of concern instantly pulled at Aimeri’s features, his eyes darkening in his worry.

“Here, sit..” He commanded, though gently, and since he was still holding Theo’s hand, he guided him to the same spot he’d been in just moments before. “Was it all too much?”

-

Helena followed Troy’s gaze to the gardens, listening to him talk quietly. It was a beautiful spot, and she could imagine her husband to be and a cat playing happily there. A slight smile tugged at her lips, but her eyes looked sad and a little worried. “He seems very sweet,” she admitted, looking down at her hands where they came to rest on her lap. “I hope we will be happy together…”

After a moment, she lifted her gaze to meet Troy’s once more, a question in her eyes. “And you? Do you have a wife as well, my lord?”

 

[Pink Venom]

The prince allowed himself to feel a bit proud of his work. It had been a while since he’d tended to a big injury such as this. He watched Aimeri move about, no signs of pain or discomfort on his face, and offered a satisfied smile. That was enough for him. He only wished he could have done more for Helena. He thought to ask Troy how she was doing, but his energy felt depleted. It’s likely he wouldn’t even have enough magic to send a quick message, at least not for a bit.

The knight’s question threw him off his train of thought. He thought he’d been hiding his fatigue well, but the man almost instantly noticed. Theo felt a light blush brush over his cheeks. “Ah, no I’m-“ his words trailed off as the man guided him to sit. Truthfully, a break would do him some good, but they’d already fallen behind on time quite a bit. The last thing Theo wanted to do was show up at the palace with no horses, after he’d promised to find them. He sighed softly, hesitantly nodding in response to the question, a few brown curls falling over his eyes in the process.

“I may have overdone it.” He admitted a bit sheepish. “But I’m getting better!” He quickly added, a smile forming his lips to show he was alright. “If I had done that a few months ago I surely would have blacked out.” His light chuckle laced with the hum of the wind, a few birds quietly singing nearby, filling the short silence. He realized then that it probably didn’t sound like a good thing to Aimeri, so he quickly tried to clarify. “What I mean is, with practice, healing injuries like yours should be a breeze. I’m not quite there yet, but soon!” He hoped the man wouldn’t try to scold him like his brother had before.

The man still held his hand, though admittedly the prince did not mind. In fact, he used it to his advantage, gently tugging on it and gesturing to the small log beside him. His eyes bright and inviting, looked to at the knight, a gentle smile to match. “If I have to rest, so do you.”

-

Troy quietly watched Helena as she spoke, not missing the hint of sadness in her eyes. He knew all too well what it was like to be engaged to someone you’ve never met. It turned out well for him, at least for a little while. He hoped the princess would soon come to love Theo the way he loved his own fiancé. “I have no doubts you will be.” He assured her with a smile. “Perhaps I’m a bit biased but…Theodore really is one of a kind.” She seemed like someone his brother would also come to care for a great deal. That alone felt like a big weight lifted.

His eyes lowered at her question, the hint of sadness he’d seen in her now transferring to him. He cleared his throat quietly, looking for the right words. “I was engaged just as you and Theo were.” Troy thought back to the first time he’d been told he was to marry a stranger. He never protested, but felt the same fear Helena must have felt. “After meeting her, I soon realized…arranged marriages aren’t always a bad thing. She was easy to fall in love with.” He paused…his eyes shifting towards the garden behind them, remembering the nights spent with her there. “Sadly, she…passed. After an accident.” Before he could continue, a voice called to them. Troy immediately hooked up to see the doctor and one of the knights heading their way. He was thankful, not quite sure if he’d been able to continue the conversation much longer.

 

[vada]

Aimeri couldn’t help but chuckle lightly, allowing himself to be tugged back down into a seated position on the small log. “Alright, alright. We will both rest a bit. I think we’ve earned it, and I doubt the horses have wandered off too far.” He didn’t glance around in search of the horses while he said this. Instead, his attention remained attentively on the prince’s face, watching for signs of exhaustion or oncoming unconsciousness.

“I thank you for your help, my lord, truly. But you must promise me that you’ll not try to heal me or anyone else until you’re fully recovered. I can only imagine the uproar of the kingdom if their beloved prince were to meet his demise because of a few foolish foreigners.” Aimeri chuckled again, though his gaze was kind and gentle, even as he cracked the light-hearted joke.

A soft breeze picked up then, as the two of them sat there, fallen leaves and flower petals being picked up to dance along the wind. A small light purple petal planted itself in Theo’s hair, Aimeri having watched its descent with mild amusement. “Mm.. even the forestry bows to you, doesn’t it?” It was then that it dawned on the soldier that he was still holding Theo’s hand, when he moved to pluck the petal from his hair, but found their hands still gripping one another. Heat spread up his chest and collar, colouring the back of his neck and ears an embarrassing shade of red. “Oh… oh, my apologies…”

Releasing the prince’s hand, Aimeri did gently remove the petal from his brown locks, quietly noting just how soft and silky his hair was. Fighting the urge to run his calloused fingers through it further, he instead presented the little flower petal to Theo with a crooked smile. “A gift, for you.”

-

Sympathy shone in Helena’s eyes as Prince Troy spoke of his deceased wife. It would be difficult for most people to understand the pain of losing their love, but it was a pain Helena was all too familiar with. Her heart went out to the man that would soon be her brother-in-law, and she made to offer him comfort, or at the very least, understanding. But before she could speak the words, or extend a slender hand to him, they were heralded by someone.

Two men walked their way, and from the bag one carried, she could only assume this was the doctor, sent to examine her. She smiled politely as he approached. “Hello, good sir. Really, I’m feeling quite well, all things considered.”

It was true, for the most part. She felt a touch dizzy, and weak in the knees, but she honestly couldn’t be sure if it was brought on by the accident, or her impending marriage. Surprisingly, Troy’s presence at her side had alleviated much of her pain, both physical and mental, and she was able to offer the doctor a reassuring smile as he checked her over. “Am I going to be alright, doctor?”

 

[Pink Venom]

Theo’s light hearted chuckle danced with the breeze around them. The thought of his kingdom throwing a fit over their prince pushing his limits and meeting his end was a bit comical, and not at all unlikely. Everyone around Theo had always told him he could be a bit too reckless for his own good, often putting himself in danger’s way and never for a good reason. He didn’t agree with them, of course. Every time he’d gone out of his way to help someone, it had always been for good reason. They simply didn’t think a prince should be doing the types of things Theo did, but he never minded that. Troy was much better at leading, while he was more apt at doing.

Still, he knew Aimeri wouldn’t be satisfied with that answer, so he opted to simply nod in agreement. “Alright, I promise I’ll be careful.” It had been the same promise he’d made to Troy many times before. It’s not that he purposely tried to break it, he simply couldn’t find it in himself to stay still, and never realized the danger of a situation until he was already in it. He could only hope that Helena was a patient woman, otherwise she too would grow tired of his antics.

The breeze felt amazing on his skin. Theo’s eyes followed some of the petals that fell around them, but didn’t notice the one that had landed on his head until Aimeri pointed it out. The subtle hint of pink on his cheeks matched the knight’s as he pulled his hand away. It was odd, how they had only known one another for no more than an hour, yet Theo felt completely comfortable around him. “It’s alright.’ His eyes moved to the petal, fingers carefully plucking it from Aimeri’s grasp.

“Thank you.” He studied it for a moment, wondering how long he could keep it before it withered. “I will keep this as a reminder of our horse hunting adventure.” He joked, just then realizing that was the whole reason they were out here. Still, he made no effort to move. Instead, his head tilted towards the knight, an apologetic look in his eyes. “I’m sorry you had such a rough welcome. “ Most citizens within the kingdom had chosen to move forward with the advances, leaving carriages and horses behind, in exchange for cars and bicycles. Theo wasn’t in favor of one over the other. He always believed it to be a matter of preference. Still, with more cars came more possible accidents, such as the one that took the life of Troy’s fiancé.

“I hope this doesn’t give you a bad impression of our land. It’s not usually this dangerous.”

-

The doctor took his time looking at Helena over. He seemed a bit confused, as if something wasn’t quite adding up. Troy thought to ask, but the princess spoke up before he could. He too wondered the same thing as he looked to the doctor for the answer. The man in turn straightened up, his lips morphing into a gentle smile.

“Yes, I do believe you will be just fine.” The news was good, of course, but there was still the doubt in Troy’s mind.

“You looked puzzled for a moment, doctor. Is there something going on?” He didn’t want to alarm Helena, but if there was something, they should know about it. Still, the doctor shook his head, repeating that she was going to be okay.

“Some rest should be enough to recover fully.” He looked to Troy then. “I was puzzled by the lack of damage, actually. From what I was told, she fell out of a carriage and hit her head. I expected there to be a lot more.” As the doctor explained, Troy looked to Helena to ensure she was feeling alright before responding.

“Oh, well Theo actually tried to heal her as soon as we got there, but he wasn’t very confident about it.” The doctor’s brows rose up in surprise as he got to his feet.

“Well, if he wasn't a prince I would have suggested a career as a doctor. He did a splendid job.” Troy made sure to thank him, seeing the doctor off as he left before returning to Helena.

“Alright, well now that we know you’re alright, would you like something to eat? Or drink?”

 

[vada]

Aimeri smiled to himself as he watched Theo examine the soft purple petal, an oddly warm sensation settling in his chest. It was a sensation he wasn’t entirely familiar with, but also - he didn’t hate it. It was comfortable and soothing, like that of a cup of tea after a long day, one that warmed his aching bones and calmed his unsettled heart. He was still smiling when Theo thanked him and then apologised for the less than pleasant introduction to the kingdom. Reassuringly, Aimeri shook his head, an amused twinkle appearing in his green eyes. “Not at all, my lord. I have dealt with far worse in my time. Helena is alright, and for that I am grateful to you. I think the morning, despite the bumps along the way, has played out swimmingly.”

He grinned jokingly then, flashing a set of perfect white teeth as a dimple appeared in his cheek and his eyes crinkled around the edges. “That is, unless your brother is currently holding her hostage in a torture chamber in the bowels of the castle. Then we may have a genuine problem on our hands.”

Chuckling lightly, Aimeri stood, stretched to see how he felt, and satisfied that the pain in his ribs was completely gone, he extended a helping hand to the prince. “If we may, my lord, let’s find those horses and get you back to your bride, shall we? I know she and your brother both must be worried about us.”

-

Helena was delighted and relieved by the news of her wellbeing. Rest did sound good, and she knew that as soon as she had the chance, she’d quite happily take a nap. Waiting until the doctor departed to speak again, she smiled her thanks and appreciation toward Troy.

His question triggered the hunger she didn’t know she’d had, and embarrassingly, her stomach began to growl grumpily. Giggling, she clamped a hand over her middle as her face turned a soft shade of pink. “Oh, my! I had not realised I was hungry, but I guess I am. And thirsty, too. A glass of cold water would be great, thank you.”

Pausing, she looked around for a moment, realising she would be terribly lost if he wandered off to the kitchens and left her here alone. “Oh, but would it be alright if I accompanied you? I would like to learn the layout of the castle, and the kitchens were my favourite back home. The smells of dinner cooking, treats baking, and the sweet wines… it’s almost heavenly, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

[Pink Venom]

Theo’s huffed laughter came from deep within. It made a bit lightheaded even, but he quickly brushed it off to continue the joke Aimeri had laid out for him. “Ah, shame. You figured us out.” He huffed with feigned disappointment and a dramatic flourish of a hand. “This was all a ploy to steal your horses and sell them on our black market. But alas, you’re too clever.” He punctuated with a dramatic sigh, followed by a light giggle. It was funny how he’d known the man for such a short amount of time, yet he felt like they’d known one another for years.

He watched as the knight rose to his feet, stretching out his limbs. There was no sign of pain on his features, which either meant he was good at hiding it now or his magic had really worked. If the latter was the case, Theo would allow himself to feel a little bit off pride. He managed to heal two people in one day, though unsure of how helpful he was to Helena, without blacking out like he used to. The dizziness had even begun to subside as they sat there. His eyes moved to the offered hand, hesitantly taking it as if he was unsure whether it was offered for him or not.

Sure, he was used to being treated like royalty, but somehow the way Aimeri did it felt…different.

He pulled himself up, making sure he was on steady ground before taking a few steps. Dizzy or not, Theodore was still a clutz. One misstep could have him laying face down on the ground. Thankfully, the area they were in was relatively stable. “Troy is perpetually worried about me.” He admitted with a chuckle as they began to walk. “He thinks I’ll end up falling in a ditch somewhere or get distracted and end up lost for days.
“ He paused then, his lips pressing into a thin line before adding. “I mean, I have done both of those things, but I do learn from my mistakes!”

The breeze nestled around them, bringing another swirl of petals. He thought back to early, and only then realized he hadn’t let the man’s hand go. “Oh- I’m sorry.” He detached his hand, feeling the cold left by the lack of contact. “I knew I was walking a bit too steadily.” He chuckled

-

Troy chuckled quietly as he listened to Helena. Something about her felt familiar. Warm and inviting. It was very similar to how Theo usually made him feel. Of course he knew very little about her. It was likely that she and his brother were very different. Still, the energy they both emanated was similar enough to have him believe they’d have a successful marriage. Who’s to say they didn’t also fall for one another in the same way he and his late fiancé did?

“Of course.” He responded earnestly. The last thing he needed was a lost bride when Theo returned. Staying close at her side until then was probably the smartest course of action. “I think you’ll love ours as well.” He commented, gesturing for her to follow. The halls were quiet now, save a few knights making their rounds of guarding. “Theo loves his sweets, so there are always pastries and desserts being made.” He explained.

The hallways led them through a couple of halls, most of them were empty this time of day. The majority of the staff would either be in the kitchen or outside working on the gardens. “Is there anything in particular you’re craving? I could have it made for you.”

 

[vada]

Aimeri helped the prince to his feet, quietly noting once more how warm and comfortable Theo’s hand fit in his own. Not wanting to rush the process of steadying himself, Aimeri patiently allowed their hands to remain clasped together until the prince was ready to release him. It took a few moments for Theo to realise they were still holding hands, but Aimeri found that he didn’t mind the lingering contact. In fact, he was disappointed when the moment ended, which, again, surprised him.

The knight was unused to such sentimental thoughts, having never experienced anything like this before. Here he was, on a seemingly innocent search for the horses, with a stranger. A nice stranger, to be certain, but still… a stranger. And yet, Aimeri could feel a connection forming between the two of them in a way that he didn’t entirely understand, but if he were being honest with himself, he liked. A lot.

Mentally, Aimeri told himself that this was alright. It was good, expected even, to become friends with the man that would be his best friend’s husband. Friends. There was nothing dangerous or inappropriate about friendship. That’s what he kept repeating to himself as he simply smiled at Theo, resisting the urge to offer his lonely hand once more. Friends don’t hold hands.

“Mm.. well, I suppose it is his duty to worry about you, is it not? Older brother syndrome, and all that.” Aimeri said with a knowing sort of twinkle in his eye. He walked forward, moving a few paces ahead of Theo so he could move brush and branches out of the prince’s path. “I can understand where he’s coming from. Helena is like a sister to me. Seeing her hurt, or scared, it can feel like a knife to the chest. But, he needn’t worry about you when you’re with me. I won’t let you get lost.. Or fall into any ditches.” Aimeri winked at Theo then, teasing him just a little.

Movement in the distance caught his peripheral, pulling his attention away from Theo and toward a small clearing that lay before them, twenty feet ahead. The two horses waited there, grazing peacefully as if they had never been spooked. Aimeri’s brows lifted in surprise, a triumphant grin lighting up his face. “Well, would you look at that? They’re perfectly fine, aren’t they?”

-

Helena followed alongside Troy, quietly admiring the beautiful architecture of the castle as he led her toward the kitchens. The home she and Aimeri left behind had been beautiful, but in many ways it was lacking. Being here, even for such a short amount of time, already seemed to make up for many of those shortcomings, and Helena found herself completely enraptured with the beauty of her new home.

As Troy spoke, she pulled her gaze away from a set of stained glass windows to smile at him brightly. “Really? I have a weakness for sweets too. Cream pies are my favourite. Back home, the cook would make one for my birthday every year. It was always a different, unique recipe. I think after a while, he just liked to challenge himself… see what concoctions he could come up with,” she laughed lightly, “but they were always so delicious.” Her tone turned a little wistful, as she realised how much she was going to miss that little tradition, but then she cocked her head at Troy curiously, hopefully.

“Do you have anything like that here?”

 

[Pink Venom]

The beauty and tranquility of the forest surrounded them, but Theo could only focus on the man beside him as he spoke, lightly teasing him about his shortcomings. He let out a breathy chuckle, knowing fully well Aimeri would live to see Theo get himself into trouble on more than one occasion. It seemed to be a constant with the younger prince. Simply a byproduct of his curious nature. Even as they spotted the horses, Theo was hyper aware of the knight’s presence.

“Of course!” He mused, already having been certain the horses would be unharmed. As dangerous as the roads could be with all the vehicles moving about, there weren’t many things that could have harmed them judging by the direction they had ran in. He watched quietly for a moment, examining the horses and they gentle movements. They didn’t seem to be the type to be easily spooked, but considering what happened earlier, Theo thought it best to be as cautious as possible.

He wasn’t sure what AImeri’s relationship tot he creatures was, but his love sand affinity for animals had him inching towards them without even asking. One of them lifted their head, seemingly weary of Theo as he approached. “Hey there-“ his voice was soothing and gentle, one hand slowly reaching out. The beast eyed him for a moment, garnering the other’s attention, but didn’t move from its spot. The prince took this as a sign to continue moving closer, until he’d finally reached it.

Its head leaned against Theo’s touch, allowing the prince to pet it as much as he liked. “Well aren’t you a sweetheart.” He mused, looking over his shoulder at Aimeri. The other horse lingered just a few feet away, cautiously watching the interaction. “Can you handle the other one?” He briefly wondered if the knight was like Troy when it came to animals. Its not that they didn’t like him, but more so that he often didn’t know how to handle them. Especially the more skittish ones. He watched carefully, prepared to jump in to help in case Aimeri needed it.

-

“Cream pies?” Troy hummed quietly in thought, his gaze focused on the trek ahead. Truthfully, he didn’t know a lot about sweets. If it were Theo, he’d probably be able to answer. “I’ll be honest, I am not sure if we do.” He admitted with a bashful smile. “I don’t typically eat many sweets.” He was almost certain the cooks could whip up something similar to it, even if they didn’t have it. The prince didn’t miss the way in which Helena spoke about her home. It would be difficult, moving to a new place where you hardly knew anyone.

“Do you miss it?” He found himself asking this before he even had a chance to think about it. “Your home, I mean. You don’t have to answer that, of course. I just imagine it must be difficult moving to a new land with entirely different customs than your own.” He noted the kitchen just a few feet away, his head turning to look at Heliena once more. “If there’s anything you need us to do to battle homesickness, all you have to do is ask.” He assured her. He and Theo had already discussed beforehand that they’d do whatever was necessary to make Helena feel at home here.

As they stepped into the kitchen, the aroma of freshly baked bread hit Troy’s nostrils, along with the scent of sugary sweets. It didn’t take long for the staff to notice they were there, all of them giving a quick bow of acknowledgement. “Troy?” The main cook tilted his head in curiosity as he approached. “You’re here awfully early. Is the little troublemaker with you?” He chuckled, but quickly stopped in his tracks the moment he took note of Helena. “Oh-! My apologies, your highness, I didn’t realize-“

“It’s alright, Ferdie. No need for that.” He stepped aside so Helena could greet the man. “This is our head cook, Ferdinand. He’s been working for our family long before Troy and I were even born.” He looked at the cook with a warm smile. “Ferdie, this is Princess Helena, Theo’s fiance.”

 

[vada]

Aimeri watched Prince Theo carefully approach the horses. He didn’t feel the need to warm the prince as he seemed to have it well in hand, and Kalli and Flicker had always been a sweet pair of beasts. A smile touched the corners of his mouth as Kalli pressed her head into Theo’s hand, a quiet chuckle of happiness bubbling up from his chest. He was relieved to see the horses were unharmed, merely grazing as if nothing treacherous had happened to them at all. But, also, he found it a good sign indeed that Helena’s future husband had already made a good impression on the horses that she had loved since she was a child.

He nodded quietly and approached Flicker, the darker coloured of the two. “C’mere, boy,” he said gently, reaching a hand out toward him. “You know me, don’t you? Yeah, that’s it…” Quietly encouraging the large animal forward with a gentle tone, he smiled victoriously when Flicker behaved in a similar way to that of his mate, allowing Aimeri to pet his muzzle. “Good boy,” he whispered, reaching his free hand down to his pocket to riffle around for a treat. There were a few sugar cubes there, and he fed one to Flicker, who snuffled happily as he ate. With a grin, Aimeri turned his attention back toward Theo and Kalli, holding his hand out to offer them the second cube of sweetness.

“Well, this is just fantastic. I assure you, Helena will be thrilled you brought her babies home.” Patting the side of Flicker’s neck before swiftly mounting the horse, he situated himself on the beast’s back, continuing to pet him in a reassuring and encouraging manner. “You’re quite good with them, aren’t you?” He asked Theo, watching him interact with the female of the pair. “Do you have horses of your own?”

-

Helena smiled graciously as Troy promised to help her acclimate to her new home. In truth, there were many things about the realm she’d left behind that she knew she would miss terribly, and she found herself nodding in response to his question. “Parts of it, I will miss deeply, but I’m starting to think maybe it will be okay,” she conceded, not able to get much more than that out before entering the kitchen and seeing the many faces of the staff there looking at her.

A warm smile graced her lips as she was introduced to the head chef, and she gave him a small curtsy. Her father had taught her it was important to be courteous and polite even to the staff. She was no better than they were, he had told her when she was still a small child, and so she held all people with the same regard. “It’s so nice to meet you, Ferdinand. Prince Troy speaks highly of you,” she said, and the words were as genuine as her smile.

The kitchen smelled wonderful, enticing another hungry grumble from her stomach. Laughing at herself, she gave the chef a sheepish smile. “Forgive me, I seem to be famished. I know it isn’t dinner time quite yet, but could I bother you for something to eat? Anything you have would be great.”

 

[Pink Venom]

Finding the horses was much easier and quicker than Theo expected. Not that he thought it would be much of a hassle. But truth be told, he was beginning to enjoy being alone with Aimeri. Perhaps it was the excitement of having made a new friend.

A friend…

But the moment that friend mounted one of the horses, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. This meant their time alone was just about over. Perhaps he was being selfish. He knew Troy would take good care of his bride, but he’s the one that should be there. And he would be…soon. But that didn’t mean he and Aimeri had to rush back.

“No horses.” Theo responded, making his way between the two beats to look up at Aimeri. “Just a grumpy cat.” He giggled, wondering how Francis would fare with Helena. He was picky about who he accepted. He just barely tolerated Troy. “But animals seem to like me for some reason.” He admitted. This had been a part of Theo his whole life. Animals almost always gravitated towards him. “They must think I’m like them.” He huffed away a few strands of hair from his eyes before deciding to send Troy a quick update.

His hands hovered over one another like before, one index finger typing out a couple of symbols before sending it off. “There. Just letting Troy know we found them and they’re safe.” He turned to face the female horse who still lingered by him, giving her a quick pet and look over before attempting to mount and failing. “Woah-“ balance was never his forte, but the hardest part was always getting on the horse. Once up there, he could mange. If he could get up there.

“Mmm…” his face contorted into thought as he attempted again, this time nearly falling backwards. By some miracle, he managed to get his foot over, clinging to the horse for dear life once he was up. He stared into the empty grassland ahead of him for a moment before letting out a satisfied breath.

“There. Easy, peasy.” He looked to Aimeri once he was sure he had his balance, offering a joyous grin. “Shall we?”

-

“Oh does he?”

Ferdinand’s response brought a slight sheepish blush to Troy’s face. He wasn’t one to wear his emotions on his face, unlike his brother. “Well, welcome to Ilya, princess.” He gave a quick bow before turning to gesture towards the kitchen. “We’ve got quite a few options for you.” He gestured for some of the kitchen staff to bring them some of the freshly cooked dishes.

Troy watched with a satisfied smile. “You’re always prepared, aren’t you?” A hearty laugh left the cook as he turned to face the duo again. “With the way little Theo eats, I have to be.” He leaned in towards Helena, giving her a cheeky smile. “But you didn’t hear that from me.” Troy chuckled quietly, his eyes following the plates as they were placed on the counter separating them from the rest of the kitchen.

“Sweet” one plate down. “Salty.” Another plate beside it. “Savory” a third plate joined the group. “Spicy.” One last plate was added. Ferdinand smiled wide, looking to Helena. “Simply choose and I’ll take it to the table for you, your highness.” Looking at the food made Troy realize he too was hungry.

“Actually, Ferdie could I have some of that spicy shrimp pasta of yours?” The man smiled, nodding his head in excitement. “You can have whatever your heart desires.” The prince mimicked his smile, but before he could respond, a small light fizzled in front of him, slowly forming into a message. After giving it a quick read, he turned to Helena.

“Good news. It seems Theo and Aimeri found the horses, and they are safe.”

 

[vada]

Aimeri watched first as Theo magically conversed with his brother, and then as the prince seemed to struggle with mounting the mare. Just as he was about to slide off to help, Theo got his bearings, and Aimeri grinned back at him. “We shall,” he confirmed, but gently nudged Flicker ahead into a leisurely trot instead of a hearty gallop. He didn’t want to risk rushing off and leaving Theo in the dust, or even worse, seeing him fall off the great beast. Kalli was as gentle as they came, patient too, but still, it wasn’t a risk he was willing to take. Falling into place beside the prince as they slowly made their way across the green meadow before them, he kept a careful watch over the other man, ready to jump into action at a moment’s notice.

“You’re doing great,” he commended, his tone genuinely impressed. After struggling to get up on the horse, Aimeri wasn’t sure Theo would be able to stay upright, but he seemed to have it well in hand. “I can see why the animals like you, horses and grumpy cats alike,” he chuckled. “I think they can tell you’ve got a good spirit. There’s nothing malicious in you, and they can sense that.”

“I must admit,” Aimeri went on, giving Theo a sidelong look. “It’s a relief to know that… I’ll be able to sleep a little easier knowing Helena is marrying a good man. Those can be hard to come by in your social class.” He winced even as the words fell from his lips, and he all but smacked himself in the forehead. “Ah.. damn. Forgive me, my lord, I meant no insult to you or your family. It’s just… some of the princes that have sought Helena’s hand have been… less than desirable. And it’s nice to see she’s ended up with one who… isn’t.”

-

Helena beamed as Ferdinand treated her and Troy so warmly. She immediately liked him immensely, his presence reminding her of her own beloved chef she’d had to leave behind. His grin was the kind to chase away shadows, and Helena felt more relaxed and comfortable with each passing minute.

She studied the plates set before her, the aromas and layout of the food each calling to her. While trying to decide which one she wanted more than the others, Troy broke through her thoughtfulness with the good news. “Oh, that’s such a relief,” Helena said happily as she tucked a golden lock behind her ear. “Flicker and Kalli are really good horses, I’d have been devastated if they were gone forever. Theo is so kind to have gone after them himself.”

Turning her attention back to Ferdinand, she gave the chef a sheepish smile. “Honestly, they all look too wonderful for me to pick just one. If it isn’t too much trouble, I’d love to try a bit of them all. Would that be alright?”