Private Tales No matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it

[Fraeya]

The wind howled like a banshee. Snow and ice pelted her skin and face, anything that was exposed quickly became numb with cold. And Fraeya knew, if she was still human she'd be frozen dead by now. It was too windy for them to fly and loud enough that she could barely hear her and Raphael's trudging footsteps on the snow as they continued on the rocky expanse of the exposed hillside along the Spine.

It was night and every now and then some stars peaked through the storm clouds, her fae eyes enabled her to see some dark shapes up ahead. A small wood. And beyond that a light of a small town. Relief tried to chase around the growing cold and fatigue in her bones. They'd have a warm place to stay tonight. And perhaps beds instead of a bedroll.

If Fraeya had thought training was hard before, Raphael made it look like child's play now. She understood why with the war coming. The Erlking wanted her ready. Wanted to see what kind of tool she could be sharpened into. And beyond her sovereign's wishes, she wanted to be ready. After what her friend, Maeve, had been through. She wanted nothing more than to rip the summer fae faces off their bones. A part of her wondered if the bloodlust was being fueled by the Book. That ancient magic was twisting with her own and she could feel its power threatening to spill over.

Her teeth chattered as she pointed ahead to the Spymaster, "Think we'll be lucky and they'll have some soup?"

 

[Raphael]

"If you are expecting a warm welcome from my kin, you took that blow to your head harder than I thought in our last session," Raphael's deep voice seemed to echo through their landscape, bounding off snow and tree back at them. He winced at the noise and the shadows that followed him withered into the deeper night as though the noise had offended them. The puca didn't seem to feel the cold at all. His outfit of fighting leathers looked no different to those he wore in the summer months when they had trained in the Autumn Palace's arena. The only hint he had extra layers on was the thick rollneck that hinted he wore a jumper beneath the jacket. Black, of course.

At her curious look he nodded to the flickering lights, snow spilling from his hair and catching in his lashes.

"This is the last true village before one crosses the Spine - whether that's through or over it. It's a key checkpoint so Sid has many puca stationed here as guards."

A few months prior and Fraeya would have had to pry the information out of the Truth Teller but during their sessions he had come to either trust her enough to speak more, or had realised the badgering questions were not worth the smaller pieces of information he had held back.

 

[Fraeya]

A small sniff beneath the olive-scarf Maeve had given her. They'd exchanged presents at Winter's Eve Festival. Fraeya had never done that before and it had been...nice. Even with the gag gift Sid had given to his brothers. It had surprised her at how freely and loudly the General had laughed. Only in Endora. Only around their small little family that Fraeya had been tugged into.

She'd given Raph a pair of dark-leather gardening gloves.

"As long as Izak isn't here." Another sniffle as if she were trying to smell his scent on the wind. It was blowing in the wrong direction for her to get anything even with her new gifts.

Looking closer, she could see the bright orange and yellow flashes of multiple fires spread out along the border of the village they approached. Sid must've sent more troops than there usually were. Which made sense with the looming war. Lips tugged into a frown at the idea of not getting a room and about all the alphahole males she was about to encounter.

"Do you think we'll get any allies against Summer?" A quiet question that was nearly snatched up into the mountain wind. As they approached the closer encampment of puca soldiers, heads swiveled and looked up in their direction. Most had wings like Sid's and Raph's. A few had some of black gossamer feathers and others like insects. Fraeya found herself walking a halfstep closer to Raphael.

 

[Raphael]

Whereas most would grimace, Raphael's face seemed to grow smoother to not betray the emotions Izak's name dredged up. The way his father looked to him as more of a son than he did his actual flesh and blood.

He was almost grateful for her question when it came.

"Winter and Spring are almost certain allies," Raphael confided, picking his way carefully along the snow covered pathway. It would be easy to break a foot out here with rocks and diverts hidden beneath the soft pockets of white. "Dawn will fight merely because they hate Summer - but even if that were not a guarantee, Lorcan's mother is one of their High Priestesses. She would leap to attack anything that hurts her son," aside from his own father. "The others..." he shrugged. He and Sid had their own bets but they kept them private; it was a tense subject with Lorcan still.

Raphael didn't elaborate further as they had entered the town, not trusting the ears that might be listening. His eyes slid to her as she stepped closer. Only a few months ago she would have rather have slit her own wrists. His lips kicked up a fraction at the corners. Instead of offering soothing comments like she was safe with him - which he had been told by Maeve was something called alphahole behaviour - he let the shadows he usually kept a tight grip on spill out to encompass her too: a clear sign to any that Fraeya was with him.

"Come, I know a quieter inn that might have some rooms left," he led her along the streets which were more slush than snow due to the amount of feet that had been passing through. Fae milled about still even down a street where the buildings looked less well kept and leaned against one another for support. War truly was just around the corner. Or, in this case, beyond the mountain.

Raphael stopped outside of an unassuming establishment. A small wooden sign swung from above showing a prancing pegasus. Inside the inn was near to bursting. A female puca rushed about, urging her staff to clean tables and fill cups. When the pair entered she looked up, some tart remark clearly poised on her tongue, until she saw who it was. A warm smile broke across her face instead.

"Raphael! I wondered if I would be seeing you," the female moved through the crowds with the practised ease of someone who worked in the profession and then tugged the stoic puca into a tight hug. What was more starting was Raph returned the gesture with a small smile.

"Emerie, this is Fraeya, we were hoping for a couple of rooms for the night. But I can see you're full..." His amber eyes flickered to the full room.

"Nonsense! If you don't mind sharing a room that is? I can have another cot put in the room for you."

 

[Fraeya]

Her body visibly relaxed as they entered the warmth of the Inn. Even if it hadn't had the fire roaring in the center place, it would've been warm by the sheer number of bodies here. Other fae hunched over their steaming bowls of...was that?

The smell pulled her curious gaze away from the exchange Raphael shared with Emerie.

Rosemary with roasted potatoes and meat.

A stew. One that reminded her of the kind Delun used to make when she was really little. Her mouth instantly watered. Much of her expression still hidden beneath the thick scarf wrapped around much of her face.

"We can share," an uncertain slice of her eyes to Raphael wondering if he would agree. They'd camped and put bedrolls near one another. Fraeya didn't see this being much different. It's not like they were sharing a bed. Emerie looked between them as if curious about something then put an arm around Fraeya's shoulders pulling her further into the hustle and bustle of the Inn and to that fire.

"You look half frozen. Warm up. Standing room only down here. I'll get you both some stew. Emerie's voice lowered, "I heard of the girl who made a bargain with the Erlking."

Fraeya stiffened.

"But never would've believed it until seeing you. You're with a good one." Emerie's gaze flickered back to Raphael before she released Fraeya and moved back to where Fraeya assumed were the kitchens. Fraeya chose not to acknowledge any prying eyes from the others around them. With the cold in her fingers being chased away by the warmth, Fraeya began unwinding the scarf from around her face and peeled off her gloves.

There was really no where to scooch but she tried to make some room for Raphael if he, too, wanted the warmth of the fire. It was funny how quickly she was getting used to his presence. And those shadows that should've terrified her now only brought her a sense of familiarity bordering on comfort.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael said nothing as Fraeya agreed on their behalf, his dark amber eyes crashing into hers when she looked his way. If she had been uncomfortable he would have merely told Emerie he would sleep down here before the fire. There had been worse places he had slept. Indeed, worse places not at all far from where they stood now. He tucked his wings in tight to his back as people moved past them to head up the stairs or came in from the cold to greet friends with cheerful shouts. His discomfort was quite plain to see as they progressed deeper into the throngs of people to stand by the fire.

It seemed as though he were not the only one uncomfortable by his presence in the inn. A few fae glanced in their direction and murmuring left, leaving a rare table free. Raph swept a hand towards it to quietly ask if she wished to sit given it was close still to the fire.

Almost as soon as they were seated one of the bar maids appeared. She looked haggard but still had a bright smile for Raphael and a curious one for Fraeya.

"Not seen you here for a while Raphie - the usual? And what would you like...?" her eyes lingered on Fraeya's ears.

 

[Fraeya]

The direction of her gaze did not go unnoticed. Fraeya lightly clenched her jaw even as hunger won out. "The stew, bread, and," she paused wondering if it was a silly question but swearing that her heightened senses had picked up the smell.

"Do you have any hot chocolate?"

"Aye, we might have some left. All out of mulled cider and the whiskey, though. Unless there's anything else?"

Fraeya shook her head and waited for the female to leave before she leaned forward lightly on the table and looked to Raphael. She couldn't help the slight twitch of one corner of her lips as her blonde-brows arched.

"Raphie?"

 

[Raphael]

"A childhood nickname," Raphael bristled, glaring daggers at the retreating barmaids back for having used it in front of company. Clearly Emerie had put her up to it or rather not given her her usual warning.

"My mother used to work here before she had me. When she died and my father decided he didn't want me, and when Lorcan's mother couldn't have me, Emerie took over. Cinders," he nodded to the barmaid returning with their drinks. "Is her daughter. She was older and treated me like her personal doll."

"It was to stop you being so grumpy -- he was such a quiet child," she gave Fraeya a grin then set down two mugs of hot chocolate. She had even added cream to the top.

"I didn't need to be loud with you talking for half the town," he muttered into his cup.

 

[Fraeya]

There was a lot to unpack in what he just said as casually as a hello to another friend. Her eyes slid away from the Spy Master and around the raucous room. Trying to picture him growing up here. A personal doll? Fraeya had seen these things in the window shops of the human towns she sometimes visited. She understood them to be things children played with.

Or so that's what she'd been told.

An assessing glance between Cinders and Raphael as she took up her hot chocolate and took a sip, whipped cream snagging on her nose and lips. Tongue able to remove the latter.

Stars it was good and it was starting to chase the rest of the chill from outdoors away from her body.

Quiet child and grumpy.

"Has that changed?" She feigned innocence and took refuge in the warm cup of cocoa. That got a swift, bark of laughter out of Cinders. Probably a glare from Raphael but Fraeya didn't look up.

"Any words of advice you'd share?" Fraeya looked up to Cinders with still a dallop of cream on her nose.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael was indeed glowering. His irritation had spiked so much the shadows had reappeared, slithering over the chair at his back and to his side. Even part of the table. Cinders swatted at them like one might a fly.

"Oh stop sulking," she clicked her tongue and without invite took the spare seat to rest her feet. Raphael glowered at her harder. "As you can see, if anything he has just perfected it," the female rolled her eyes dramatically. "My advice is just treating him as though it's not happening. It's much more fun that way."

Raphael took a sip of his drink and muttered something rude and dark.

"So, sugar, what did you do to end up being stuck with Grumpy here?"

 

[Fraeya]

Fraeya rubbed the back of her hand across her nose. Verdants tracked those shadows and the look of lightness across her expression disappeared. Lips turning downward. The last thing she'd wanted was to upset him. The more time they spent together, just the two of them, the more she felt it was all she ever did.

She knew it wasn't his choice to be here with her.

"He's not always grumpy," she said quietly in Raphael's defense. And perhaps she found it true enough since she'd been able to speak those words.

"He's stuck with me," she looked at Cinders before her eyes fell away and peered into the top of her cocoa. "The Erlking ordered me to be trained and was curious as to what I could do."

Who better to report back to the king than his Spymaster?

"Ah, you're the changed girl. The same one that kneed Prince Lorcan in the balls a few seasons ago."

At the words 'changed' a few of those sitting close to their table looked up in curiosity. Whispers spreading between the tables.

Fraeya's eyes widened but she didn't look up from her mug. She could feel her cheeks warm and knew it wasn't from the cocoa or the fire in the bustling room. "I was young and didn't..."

"You ARE young," Cinders chuckled. "You one of those dogs then, a shuck?"

Fraeya wanted to disappear beneath the table. "Not exactly. I," she paused noticing a good few sets of eyes on them know and a good few sets of ears. It probably wasn't wise to say so much out in the open. There could be spies from other courts around. And Fraeya was tired of having the spotlight on her.

There was a yell from the kitchen.

"FOOD is up!"

 

[Raphael]

"I'll be right back!" Cinders chirped and dashed off to attend the call of her mother leaving Raphael and Fraeya blissfully alone. The shadows became normal once more.

"I'm not stuck with you," the puca said after a long pregnant silence. He studied the mug in his hands as he debated his next words. Rehearsed them in his mind to make sure they would not cause offence to the fae with a still human heart. Hesitated. Decided to say it anyway.

"Midir said you could have a different trainer. One of the Shucks, now we know your skills are similar. I volunteered to keep training you."

 

[Fraeya]

"That's very..." she looked at him. Past the mask that he easily slipped on around almost everyone except a select few. "Kind." She wondered if he'd ever been told that before.

Cinders came back bringing back steaming bowls of warm stew and bread, placing them on the table. Rosemary, garlic, and onions scented the air. Cinders made another comment meant to tease and poke at Raphael. Fraeya did not offer any commentary, only a quiet observation of the two before Cinders was called away to one of the many other tables around them.

Fraeya dug into the stew, a sigh of contentment escaping her lips.

With their bellies full and only a few words passing between them, they were shown to the room Emerie had promised up two sets of winding stairs. It was the very top room in the attic. Emerie apologized about the size, saying it was all they had left as she opened the door for them and stepped back.

To Fraeya just to be inside, even the attic, was a dream.

 

[Raphael]

"I'll take the cot," Raphael eased round Fraeya where she had frozen only a few steps inside, careful not to brush against her. He gave her an odd look when she continued to stand there and seemed about to ask before thinking better of it. He dumped their packs on the small dresser and then kicked off his boots with a sigh. The jacket came next which he put neatly over the back of the single rickety wooden chair.

He peeked over his shoulder at her again, a small frown tugging at his brows.

"Is something wrong? I know it isn't much but we'll only be here a night..."

 

[Fraeya]

The cot was snug against the side of the bed. There was only a little walkway to shuffle between the edge of the cot and that dresser and chair. There was a small, porthole window that let in some of the snowy-sky from outside. No moonlight yet.

She hadn't realized she'd been staring at the two beds shoved together until he asked the question. It wasn't like they were sharing the bed. The cot was a few inches lower. A quick, silent shake of her head to Raphael as she squeezed inside, letting the door close behind her.

"I'd have taken a lot worse if it meant getting in from that cold." She admitted, trying to get used to the idea that it was okay to feel vulnerable sometimes.

Gloves and scarf came off first, set within a drawer of the dresser that barely had room to open. Then came her jacket. Scooching carefully around Raphael's wings, she gingerly climbed over the cot and made it to the single bed that was snug against the wall. Knees pulled up as she began unlacing the boots.

"Do you want the extra blanket?" There was a second at the foot of her bed. Looked hand-woven with a pattern of the stars and the mountains.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael glanced at the blanket then shook his head just a fraction.

"You're cold."

With that, the puca turned his back and carefully undid the small clasps of his shirt that made it fit around his wings, then pulled it up and over his head. An array of silver scars littered his back in a twisted version of the constellations. He set his shirt aside then moved to the door and left to use the small washroom opposite that Emerie had indicated when she had shown them to their room to give her time to ready for bed.

 

[Fraeya]

Eyes darted across the scars on his muscled back. Lips pressed into a thin line but she didn't say anything. Who had done that? Had it been his family here? Izak? She knew Cinders would probably tell her but didn't feel it her place to ask.

Her boots were tucked out of the way beneath the bed. Thick socks remained on and covering her feet. Fingers tugged her hair free from its tangled braid. She snuggled beneath both blankets and scooched as far against the wall as she could. Not because she didn't distrust Raphael or anything with his intentions with sleeping this close but because she knew his wings didn't like to be touched and she wanted to provide him with any extra space he might need.

Eyes closed but sleep did not come.

 

[Raphael]

Raph slipped back into the room a respectable amount of time later, having given her enough time to do... whatever it was a female needed to do before bed. He blew out the lanterns that lit the room as he went, leaving just the fire burning in the corner. He added a few more logs to it before shirking off his trousers and crawling onto the cot which groaned beneath his weight.

He tried not to sigh at the thought every movement would no doubt illicit such noises throughout the night.

Shifting with care he settled down facing in Fraeya's direction, more so to keep his wings further out of reach than for any other reason, though he did allow himself to study her face in the firelight a few moments before he closed his eyes too.

 

[Fraeya]

As Fraeya slept, a grey mist oozed off her figure. Its feathery-light tendrils swirling and rising into the air like lazy talons of smokey fingers. It expanded and contracted with each breath she took, the edges moving ever-so-slowly toward Raphael's sleeping form.

The first soft light of morning poked through the room.

The fireplace still held one or two glowing embers but the temperature in the room had dropped significantly without logs to gobble up. It wasn't the strange mist coming from her form or the morning light that woke her. It was the sound of a bugle honking in the distance. And as her eyelids opened, the tendrils of mist retreated back into her form.

 

[Raphael]

Raphael merely rolled over and threw an arm over his head as though he might be able to block out the noise of the bugle.

"Kinflyfuoff," came the muffled response as shadows crept up the walls to blot out the bits of sun coming through the windows, plunging the room into a soothing darkness. Almost immediately the puca began to lightly snore again.

 

[Fraeya]

One moment she saw light. The next moment the room was plunged back into darkness. She blinked a moment of panic clawing its way through her chest then she stilled as she realized it was Raphael's shadows. They'd been traveling on the road the last few weeks. It felt so nice to have a bed beneath her vs the cold, hard ground.

A little bit more sleep wouldn't hurt anyone.

Oops-nope.

The bathroom was calling. Thick-socked feet kicked down the blankets as she blearily tried to free herself from the cocoon she'd been in. She had to ease herself over the slumbering form of the shadow-master to make it out of the room.

Pushing to her hands and knees, she threw one leg carefully over Raphael. Then she just had to, ankle twisted in a vengeful blanket and she lost her balance landing in a tangle of limbs on top of him.

"Worm rot," she swore.

 

[Raphael]

Even slumbering, Raphael knew that the sound of the horn was nothing to stir for. The Sindarin Tribe had a particular love of blowing the instruments made of bone when patrols passed through. Having grown up with the noise he had gotten used to it. What he hadn't had had to deal with growing up was women falling on top of him when he slept.

In a blink, the shadow singer went from a deep slumber to conscious and on the attack. Fraeya would find that in the second it took to curse, Raphael was flipping her onto her back and underneath him, wrists pinned in one hand and blade pressed to her throat.

Raphael paused, murderous expression replaced at once with sleep confusion that was almost boyish.

"Fraeya?" he asked, sliding the knife away, voice thick with sleep. "What are you doing?"

 

[Fraeya]

Oof.

Her pride. Bladder.

Blonde rivers of hair fanned wildly beneath her and across her face. Spring eyes blinked up at him, any traces of lingering sleep gone. One would think it was due to the dagger just at her throat. But no, it was because his naked form was very much pressing into her leaving little to the imagination.

The layers of clothing she had on suddenly felt very much too warm.

And his scent. Moons. Smoke and cinnamon. It made her toes curl in her woolen socks and something snapped taught deep inside her. Why hadn't she smelled it before?

Pulse quickened in her neck and her wrists twitched beneath his grip as a thousand other images of what she'd do to him if her hands were free rose in her mind.

"I'm sorry," by a miracle of the Brownies themselves, she found her voice though it sounded unlike her own. "I was just trying to..."

Moons, she was not going to admit she had to pee.

"Just trying to get around you."

Wait, that sounded not right. She winced.

 

[Raphael]

Another sleepy blink before he cast his eyes to the bed and then the door, as though he were trying to work out if her story were correct. His eyes finally rested upon the blanket that had tripped her and immediately he released his grip upon her wrists.

"Sorry," he pushed himself off her, rolling quickly to the side to let her escape. "That was..." he ran a hand through his short, choppy curls. "I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you, did I?" His eyes roamed to her throat where a moment ago he had pressed his knife with every intent of cutting if she had been a threat.

 

[Fraeya]

His closeness, stare, and hesitancy only made her heart tick more rapidly in her chest and she was sure he would be able to hear it. The tension was building in different parts of her body. And then he rolled.

It was like splash of cold water.

Before his stare found her again, moving down her neck. "I'm okay," her strained voice left her lips as she slipped free from his bed and quickly stood. Eyes dropped from his face down the planes of his chest before she forced them upward. And her bladder was absolutely screaming at her.

"I'll be right back," she ducked out of the room and scurried to the washroom.

By the moon lilies, maybe she should ask Sid how to properly flirt because she was terrible at it.