Pix (inspiteofcages) wrote in _fracture_, @ 2014-03-18 21:46:00 |
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Entry tags: | ash, chapter 2, lavel, mai |
The Princess and the Knight
Who: Mai and Ash
Where: The banquet
When: evening
Mai had woken up to the weirdest of situations. She was in a room that wasn't Ash's room, which was alarming, but more than that was the time period. She was loving the clothes, but as she did her best to get situated she realized that she wasn't just any old guest in the castle but very, very much betrothed to the prince of this kingdom. She'd spent countless hours hearing about him but it wasn't until she was seated next to the man that she had a chance to meet him. And sure, she could have done worse as far as arrange marriages went but Mai wasn't the type to do anything anyone told her.
She'd introduced herself as Anne and the prince, who's name she'd forgotten was chatting her ear off as she scanned the banquet from her place at the head table. The worst of the fear she'd been feeling through the day as she realized it wasn't dream had subsided when she spotted others from the hotel, familiar faces here and there, but after spotting her sister and Ronin her eyes were looking for one person.
Ash had spent the day in training. He had absolutely no idea what to do where this tournament was concerned and was very thankful he found several men among the stables who were well versed enough to teach him. For a price, of course. He'd immediately given the girls meant to be his squires leave to do whatever they wished because Kai had seemed worried about her sister and because he didn't feel they should be tasked with some of the heavy lifting that was involved in what he had to do. It had been a very long day and he'd ached from the weight of the armor and the sword and shield he'd had to hold. He was glad now that he'd bothered to build the muscle that he had. When it was over he went to the bath house and soothed his muscles with a hot soak and then dressed for the banquet. He'd been given, by whoever had brought him to this strange place, a set of clothes to wear. A fitted black leather tunic with a high collar, lined with gold and emblazoned with a gold chimera across the left side of his chest. Fitted leather pants with gold buttons and a pair of the most intricately dangerous looking tall boots he'd ever seen outside of a cyber goth club. He even had a dramatic black and gold-lined cape which he knew he should wear even though he felt like a ponce. It was the fashion.
He wandered into the banquet, preparing to sit with at the table set to honor the knights, taking note of other familiar faces among the crowd. It felt strange, like playing dungeons and dragons or something like he'd heard kids doing when he was younger. It wasn't until one of the other knights made a toast to the prince's future bride that he looked in the direction of the royal table. His eyes widened slightly as he realized they were talking about Mai who sat there beside the prince. What in the world was this?
She'd spotted him right before the toast. He was gorgeous dressed like that, like something out of a dream and she couldn't help but stare. And just as she was thinking of getting up and going to him the prince took her hand and kissed it. She looked at him shocked, then back at Ash and it dawned on her. She was stuck. Stuck in a strange time, a gorgeous dress and with this man next to her instead of the one down there. Panic rose in her throat and she and was sure she was going to be sick. Thank go for that though, because it was a viable reason to leave the table for a few moments, heading out of the hall and down an abandoned corridor as quickly as she could in the pale purple velvet dress.
Ash felt something rise in his chest at the idea of Mai being betrothed to the prince. Seeing as they had no idea how long they would be here, she could very well end up marrying the guy. Oh yes, that feeling was jealousy. Something he wasn't sure he'd ever felt, at least not over a woman. It made his eyes narrow and his gloved fist clench. Then Mai was leaving the table and he saw it as his chance to talk to her. Waiting a few minutes, drinking some of the mead in the glass he was served, Ash carefully got up and made his way out into the hall and followed it in the direction he thought Mai would have gone. He spotted her shortly and couldn't help but smile some because she looked absolutely beautiful. It was no wonder the prince wanted her. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Mai wasn't sure what was wrong with her. She'd started feeling nauseated, but once she was alone that feeling had been replace with something else, a tightness in her chest that made it hard to breathe. Maybe it was the dress, ornate with long sleeves and lace and beading down her arms and along the high neckline, but it whatever it was it had her breath coming in gasps until she heard his voice. "Ash," she breathed turning shaking her head. No. Definitely not okay.
Ash could tell immediately that she was distressed but he couldn't see why yet. He rushed to her in several long strides. "What is it? Do you need me to run for a physician?" he asked, unconsciously having adopted some of the somewhat formal manner of speaking they did around here.
"What?" She asked staring at him then shook her head. "No, no. Just..." She didn't know how to say it. Not without tripping over her own words. Instead she just reached for his arm, holding on to him.
Ash didn't even think to be sure they weren't seen because he still hadn't let it sink in that it was real yet. He pulled her to him and held onto her though not tightly, feeling some fear at whatever was happening to her. "What is it?" he asked more quietly.
Mai didn't think of it at first either. What she thought of was how badly she needed that, him holding on to her, but just as she went to answer she realized it and took a step back as out of his arms, one hand covering her mouth. She couldn't... Her breath left her again and she struggled with words. "I'm...the prince..."
Ash was confused until it sank in. He'd be seen as treasonous if he was caught holding her. He'd be put to death. Kind of the last thing he wanted. He nodded but he looked both pained and afraid. "What is going on, Mai?" he asked in a quietly frantic whisper. She was scaring him and his thought was that perhaps someone had poisoned her. They did that in the medieval era, didn't they?
Mai slumped back against the wall, fighting tears. "I'm stuck here. With him. I didn't realize it until you walked in. I belong to someone else and I can't...what if we are stuck here? Where are we? I woke up alone!" Her voice rose as she started to panic.
She was having a panic attack. That was some relief but it made him angry she'd even have to feel that. Ash's fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to hold her, calm her. He shook his head. "I don't know where we are but you don't have to marry him. We can get away from here. Disappear. Your sister and her boyfriend would help, wouldn't they? We just have to plan."
"He's not her boyfriend," Mai said, not able to concentrate on anything. "I can't...we don't even know where we are. How can we run away if we don't know...I...oh god." Mai tried to breathe but wasn't doing a good job at that either.
Ash frowned slightly. "Okay, not her boyfriend," he deadpanned to gloss over it. He watched her helplessly continue through the attack and the anger continued to build inside him until it snapped. "Then I'll fight him for you. I'll challenge him and I will win. He doesn't look as though he's done a day's hard work in his life."
Mai's eyes snapped up to Ash then. "What?" She blinked twice and shook her head. "No. No, you'll get hurt." Though selfishly she did sort of love that he'd offer. He'd fight for her. How ridiculously sexy would that be? That was something out of a bad romance novel and a big part of Mai wanted it. But she also realized it was dangerous and knew well enough to tell him not do it.
"Yes, I could get hurt, but it's better than this," he said, waving a hand toward her to indicate her distress. "And it's better than you marrying that man against your will." Unless she somehow discovered in the interim that she could love the guy. What could Ash say about it then?
He really needed to stop acting like the hero in some movie or she was going to let him act like it and then they'd both be in trouble. "Stop. No. Maybe we won't be here long," she said softly. They hadn't been in the hotel long. Maybe it would work out the same way here.
"Mai, I can't stand the thought of you having to go back in there and play dutiful fiancee. Not after seeing you like this. I can't sit idly by and hope we don't stay long. I have to do something about this and I will." He reached a hand to her and put it innocently on her arm.
"And if you don't stop saying these things I'm going to let you go headlong into getting hurt," she murmured softly. "Please Ash. Stay safe for me as amazing as it would be to literally see someone have a duel over me."
He shook his head at her protest. "I won't disrupt the banquet. When is the wedding supposed to take place? I will challenge him before then in a place where I will have my sword and people gathered to back me up."
"After the tournament," Darcy answered softly, feeling flush at the idea alone. Her sensibility was done, giving in to the childish side of her that wanted it. "Are you going to meet me for secret rendezvous as well? The knight trying to take the prince's future wife?"
Ash felt a chink in his anger when she she suggested a secret rendezvous and he gave her a ghost of a smile. "If thou wilt tempt me with thy lips, thou must ply me with thy kisses later," he said. "I'm serious though. I will not stand back and watch it happen. Not when I want you for myself."
She was going to die. It was legitimately something out of a movie. "Name the place good knight. And I'll come to you." Mai grinned, biting her lip to keep it under control. "You want me for yourself?"
Had Ash been aware he was fulfilling some sort of fantasy he might have been more amused than he already was. Though he was glad to see she was grinning now instead of panicking. "I heard there won't be a moon tonight so you could come to my tent without being seen." He touched her cheek lightly then withdrew it before they were seen. "Selfish, I know."
Mai was grinning again before she nodded. "I'll come." It was too damn romantic not to. "I'm okay with selfish." He wanted her for himself. Even in this sort of pretend but not really world.
He was far too addicted already not to want her for himself. And even if it meant fighting to have her, he'd do it. Especially if they were stuck her for any length of time. He wanted to kiss her and his eyes lowered to her mouth briefly before he said, "I've had enough of this party. I won't go back in because I know I won't be able to hold my tongue. I'll wait for you in my tent instead. Take care, Mai," he said gently.
Mai stayed where she was even if she wanted to touch him. "Okay," she agreed softly. "I'll come as soon as I'm able."