Private Tales The Broken Crown

[Alre Castielle]

Alre wasn't going to open his eyes.

Until she said something.

He was who he was, and over the last few days he had learned that the thing he enjoyed the most was bucking whatever word Averey put upon him in that moment. His head turned just slightly, eyes popping open to just the barest degree.

It'd be almost impossible to notice from how far away they were from one another. His gaze shifted over her form for just a few seconds, drifting over the reflective surface of the mirror behind the privacy screen before his eyes fell shut once more. "Mm."

He returned in a grunt towards her.

The smile didn't disappear from his face though.

 

[Mariana]

If she knew about that peek, well. He'd be dead. Sacrificed to her goddess upon the altar with incense and everything.

If only she knew.

With a quick scrub and thorough dipping beneath the surface of the water, she snuck out of the tub and retreated back behind that screen. Snatching a towel, she wrapped it around herself before washing her clothes and hanging them up.

She was exhausted and her bones ached but STARS did she feel better. There was just something about feeling...clean. Coming to the side of the bed she frowned, looking down at his royal highness pain in her arse.

"Pssst. Scoot over or get up. You are not taking over this ENTIRE BED." SHe pinched her nose getting a whiff of him. "YOu should really consider the bath."

 

[Alre Castielle]

"Erh." Alre grunted, pretty half asleep already.

He was tired, exhausted, and the bed had been more comfortable than he had thought it would be. This place definitely wasn't the lap of luxury, but it was far more comfortable than any sleeping arrangement they'd had in...well fucking weeks.

As she pinched her nose at him Alre just shrugged, half rolling over as he kicked off his boots to get more comfortable. "Well you can give me a spongebath."

He said as he pulled the blanket over himself.

"But maybe tomorrow." There was enough place for her on the bed now, though just barely.

 

[Mariana]

"Yeah, sure I will. I'm sure you got a lot of those when you were a prince. She frowned as he didn't rise but instead scooched over.

BARELY.

A narrowing of her eyes. A huff from her lips. Fingers twitched at her side, ready to smack the royalty right out of him.

"Stick to your side," she growled, pinching the towel a bit tighter around herself and sliding onto the bed. There was a sheet at the bottom, she pulled it over herself, her back decidedly to him as she curled onto her side trying not to...touch him at all.

Head moved, wet hair flicking into his face.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Alre let out another grunt as he felt her hair slap into his face.

Every poke, every prod, every little snip that she threw at him just made Alre want to misbehave more. It was an impulse that he felt for most of his life, one that he couldn't quite help but indulge in whenever something or someone bothered him.

His father had always said it was immature, that it was the one quality that kept him from being a truly great man. Alre was petty, or had a tendency to be when someone was mean to him.

So of course he didn't listen to any lesson that he might have learned in this moment or the years of his life prior.

Instead he reached out his hand, and smacked Averey hard on the ass. "Your hair is in my face."

The prince said as he prepared to be thrown through the wall.

 

[Mariana]

Her nearly peacefully closed eyes snapped open and she yelped, sitting up in bed. Hand was raised before she could even think and she brought it down hard toward the side of the princeling's young face. Fury and surprise washing across her recently scrubbed face.

SMAAAAAAAAAACCCKK.

Quite a similar sound to his earlier hand hitting her rear.

"How dare you," she whispered and raised her other hand, fingers curling into a fist with a punch aimed into his arm.

 

[Alre Castielle]

The strike across the face didn't exactly land completely.

His hands managed to pull up just in time to block some of it, though her finger tips slapped onto his cheek hard enough to leave a red welt that would likely stay for a night and then some. "Ou-"

Alre didn't even have time to finish the words before he felt a fist pummel into his arm.

That strike hurt a little bit more, and he shifted over to the edge of the bed as he let out a hiss of pain. His other hand came up to clutch at the wound, a grumble escaping his throat as his cheek and arm rang with a bit of soreness.

"I was just trying to make more room." Alre grumbled, half turning towards her. "Get you to see some of the bright side."

Almost reflexively he prepared for another blow.

 

[Mariana]

Her other hand raised one more time but paused as he put his hands up.

"The bright side?" She burst and sat back on her heels. Arms crossed beneath her chest.

"Don't touch my ass again without my permission." A sharp poke into his chest as she hovered over him. "Are we clear?"

He'd get more than a slap next time.

 

[Alre Castielle]

He felt the prod against his chest. "No promises."

Now he was just pushing the issue.

Alre was well aware that if she wanted Averey could probably disintegrate him in an instant. Her magic was strong, and although he had his families amulet, she could probably do away with him at the wave of her hand.

Not that it would stop him at all.

What did he have left to lose? A life of wandering around? A chance to murder his uncle?

Besides, she was at her heart...good, unlike him. She would not kill the innocent, make his head suddenly pop. The worst she would do was give him a few good bruises. "I move around a lot in my sleep."

He shrugged, moving to turn away from her.

 

[Mariana]

"You know, as a priestess we pride ourselves in being reasonable and less prone toward violence. But ever since I met you it's been the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Pulling away from him, she curled the sheet back around herself and this time, faced his back. No way was she turning her backside to this prince anytime soon.

"I punch in my sleep," she muttered in retort to his back as she finally closed her eyes.

If he got handsy he might very well lose a tooth and get a fat lip. Maybe bruise something far worse and lower, too.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Alre chuckled.

His blanket was pulled a bit tighter over himself, drawn onto his form as he glanced back at her one last time, then turned away.

Truth was he really couldn't be bothered to argue anymore. A few more insults and quips rattled around in his brain, but he was tired, exhausted beyond all belief. The bed was comfortable and although his shoulder hurt nothing much else bothered him.

His eyes fell shut, and he drifted to sleep.

 

[Mariana]

Averey slept through the rest of the day and deep into the night. Until the middle of it. She stirred, eyes sliding open with the light of the moons. At some point, Alre's arm had slung across her torso.

With a light huff, she gently moved the limb and stood.

Yes, that's right. She didn't fling him off and shove him. She wanted to let him sleep. She thought that was the better option to pick rather than mister grumpy later. Padding lightly over to her hanging clothes, she felt them.

Good, they were dry.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Alre continued to sleep, having been woken up three times in the middle of the night with Averey practically drooling on him.

He had moved her gently back to her side of the bed each time, deciding it was better not to cause any more trouble and just get what rest he could. When she left the bed, the sleeping Alre stretched out a bit, letting out a yawn and drawing himself up into a tight ball.

They would have to leave the hotel room eventually, and the sooner the better.

Yet a few moments of rest, some comfortable sleep would not begrudge him at all.

 

[Mariana]

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he was asleep, she dipped behind the screen and dropped the towel. She tugged on the clean clothes. Smoothing out her hair in the semi-darkness, she tiptoed across the room.

He’d said to stick close but...

She was hungry.

And she still felt it was better to let him sleep.

Hand went to slowly turn the lock and door knob.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Alre opened one eye as he heard the door rattle, hand going for the sword that had been leaning against the side of the bed.

The paranoia that was instilled in him was more than clear. He looked over towards Averey, his muscles already tense as he prepared to hop out of bed. "Agh."

The once King grumbled.

"Just you." He had expected a cut throat, or maybe the Innkeeper sneaking in to pilfer from them. A yawn escaped his throat as he let the sword fall back to it's resting place. "Good."

 

[Mariana]

"Just me?"

A slight roll of her eyes. A small shake of her head.

This...human.

"I'm going to the kitchen to see if they have any food. Bath is all yours while i'm gone." A forced smile as she pushed through the door and closed it with a thump behind her.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Bleh. "Bring me something!"

Alre called after her indignantly.

There wasn't really much else to say about it. He wanted breakfast, but it seemed that she wanted him to take a bath. Reaching down he took a whiff of his shirt, frowning slightly as he found that he had to admit she was probably right.

Head shook slightly, and slowly he pushed himself up from the bed.

Following direction had never been easy for Alre, but he knew that it would help here...at least long enough for him to get something out of it. The would be King dragged some of the warmer buckets of water over to the bath, casting it into the tub and stripping himself bare.

Soaking within the water was a pleasant thrum through his body, eyes closing as he allowed himself to relax.

At least for however long it could last.

 

[Mariana]

If he was lucky, she would.

Luckily for him, the priestess was feeling in a benevolent and generous mood this morning. She felt clean. Relatively safe. And well rested.

What a lovely change since they'd started on this journey.

A frown tugged on her lips as she looked at the marking all across her skin. Fingers brushed over them, wishing she could wipe them off. They'd kill her soon. She could already feel the power leeching away at her life force. But she knew the marks would also disappear as soon as she made the final sacrifice.

To protect this continent and the others?

She'd be willing to give her own life. Again and again. Still. Death that seemed so close was still sobering. Even if she'd trained for it since becoming a priestess and already accepted her fate. A small part of her didn't think she'd ever be ready to accept it.

Swallowing, she didn't think to knock as she returned to their room. A plate piled with some foods balanced in her hands.

"I'm back," she called loudly.

 

[Alre Castielle]

Alre was still sitting in the bath.

The bubbles had gone, and the water was utterly clear. There was no missing Alre in all of his glory, and he didn't take a single move to cover up.

"Hello there." The Once King said, waving to her.

He didn't seem upset in the slightest.

 

[Mariana]

An exasperated sigh left her nose as she took in the sight of him.

"Really?" The elf mused. "Putting on a show? How long do you humans need to bathe?" With a huff, she deliberately turned and went to sit on the edge of the bed since there was no where else to sit. She put one plate next to her and took the other up, going for the bacon first.

Munching quietly, she faced the window, trying to enjoy the way the morning sun was hitting the panes.

As if she wouldn't be able to enjoy the small things much longer.

 

[Alre Castielle]

"Showing off?" Alre said with a shrug. "I think you just enjoy the view!"

There wasn't really much else to say.

She had been the one to tell him to take a bath, and it had taken time to get hot water and fill the damned thing. The Innkeeper hadn't exactly been forthcoming and he wasn't about to freeze his ass off in cold water for an hour.

A splash of water hit the floor as he pulled himself from the tub. "Got a towel?"

He asked Averey.

 

[Mariana]

The elf priestess turned to face him.

Yes, taking in the view.

With a piece of crunchy bacon in her mouth as she bit down and savored the crunch-crunch bite. Then swallowed. Bacon still in her raised hand and half in her mouth.

"Do I look like I have a towel?"

 

[Alre Castielle]

He shrugged in answer.

"Seems like you had one last night." Alre countered simply.

Though in truth he doubted that this establishment provided fresh linen of any sort at all. The Inn seemed like it was ready to be burnt down, practically begging for someone to come along and just see it all done away with.

No towel insight, Alre did not cover up. Instead he walked over towards the window and unlatched the covers, drawing the heavy wood free to let sun and heat pour into the room.

That would dry him fast enough.

 

[Mariana]

She swallowed and finished the rest of the bacon. Then started on the eggs. While he seemed to enjoy his own nudeness.

Cobalt-blue eyes flickered to her discarded towel in the corner.

"You can always use my old one," she smirked as she offered the suggestion. Then sipped some tea.

 

[Alre Castielle]

He glanced down at the towel, his nose crinkling. "After a night of sitting in this ragged pissed soaked corner?"

Alre shook his head.

"No thanks." Perhaps if it had been the night before, or after she had used it, but sitting in this Inn? Gods no. He would be infected with some sort of disease. Even walking in this place made him feel sick. "We need to leave here today."

He said as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Preferably before nightfall."

Alre glanced around the inside of the Inn, as if in the light of day he was seeing it for the first time. He couldn't believe how filthy he was, much less that he'd slept here.