Elvin Vale

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Faelwen thought for a moment...a simpler hairstyle would easily dress the gown down. Perhaps that would be best with her situation. She didn't want to look as if she were dressing up just because Manwe were here. Dinners would require a bit more flair on her part, but she did usually keep her hair simply, if only because it was such a pain to put up. "I don't think a simple braid would look terrible..." she chuckled to herself as she pictured her fathers disapproving glance, or her sisters giggles. "However, since we have a guest...It would be considered rude of me to dress in something like this, and not have a finer hair style. Nothing too fancy though. Just enough to pass as 'I-did-more-than-usual'." That would get her father off her back, and wouldn't be considered an insult to the prince.

With that decided, Fae left Kris to sort through any ideas he had already. Thankfully she wouldn't need a corset for this one. The dress had a small amount of boning in it to give enough form to her so it could pass as an evening gown. Her under slip was pulled over her head. She wouldn't be able to wear it with this dress without showing half of it. With any luck, Manwe wouldn't notice, and she could have a fun evening chatting with her family. Hopefully....hopefully, she could sit across from the prince, rather than next to him. A small smile graced her lips as she stepped into the dress and lifted it over her shoulders. "I will need some help tying up the back, if you could, Kris." The lacing in the back was a little lower than the usual placement, though it still held the dress in place well enough. The neckline was wide, and slightly revealing, though nothing compared to her last evening gown. The back was probably the largest concern. It was a wide 'v' that would show most of her shoulders and end just above the small of her back. The black lacing would cross over this opening to keep the dress in place, while still revealing most of her back side.
 
Kris nodded to himself, a small smile on his lips. Something not too fancy, but enough to look like it had taken effort... "I've got just the thing, then," he said. If he could keep his work to braids and not have to worry about buns or twists, he would have the easiest time making her hair look as good as possible.

He wasn't startled by her losing the slip anymore, but it did still bring a surprised and pleased flush to his cheeks. But she was quickly covered again, and he determined why she'd removed the slip: this dress went very low in the back. "Oh, of course," he said when she asked him to help, but as he stepped forward, he realized his senses felt a little hazy. Her bare back and shoulders were right there in front of him, inches from his face. He took a breath to calm himself before he started work on the lacing. He was getting better at it, he could tell, and it was finished quickly because there wasn't as much of it as usual, but that just left him poised motionless behind her all the sooner. His breath fanned the base of her neck. It was unbearably tempting to touch or kiss her exposed back, but for whatever reason, he felt as if he shouldn't right now. He shook himself from the trance after a few seconds. "Right, does that feel secure? Let's go ahead and sit you down whenever you're ready so I can start with your hair."
 
Faelwen pulled her hair to the side as he stepped closer, allowing the back to be tied without the chance of getting her hair caught as well. His fingers just barely brushed her skin as he quickly laced up the back. Mmm, usually the only time he had access to her back like this was...ah, she could surely enjoy something of that nature now. Hmm, they wouldn't be able to have an excuse to be in the same room during the nights anymore. Ah, they had yet to test that theory. Shouldn't the wards keep her in unless Kris was there? She wondered if Kris had thought about testing them. Warm breath fanned across her skin causing a small blush to rise to her cheeks. He usually pressed a kiss to her neck when he finished lacing her up, but this time...he didn't. Fae was almost disappointed. Of course, she understood though. Instead he stepped back, and asked if it felt alright. Well, she certainly felt cold....lord, how he spoiled her. She was so used to his kisses that it almost felt necessary.

"It's fine...you know how tight to tie these now, so I don't think I'll need to worry too much about it. Turning around, she smiled at him, even if it was a little forced. "Lets see what you have planned for my hair..." The lack of a kiss seemed to be the most silly thing to be upset about, but it seemed that's exactly what was bothering her. She walked past him to sit down, trying her best to forget about it. He hadn't promised her anything, she was just being selfish at the moment. She had to get over it, or there wouldn't be a way to survive the coming weeks. "So...what have you plotted for my look tonight?" This time her smile was better, though still just a little off.
 
As soon as Kris stepped back and Faelwen turned to face him, something felt wrong. He had trouble telling what it was. She was smiling at him, but it seemed strange, perhaps not as full a smile as he expected, but he wasn't even sure what that meant. He could only tell that something wasn't quite right, that Fae seemed colder now than she had just been. She beckoned him to start with the hair, so he hurried to respond, stepping up behind her by the vanity, but his face was troubled. "Well, uh." He ran his fingers idly through her locks. "I was thinking something like braids within braids. As in, I scatter a few long, thin braids through your hair randomly, and then I bundle it all into one large braid as usual. I thought that might look nice." He hesitated. "Is...anything wrong? Did I say something bad?" He wasn't sure what thought had run through Faelwen's head to cause her mood to dull, but he feared he had caused it somehow. He just didn't know how, and it made him feel all the more baffled and guilty.
 
Fae's smile grew rather embarrassed as Kris asked what was bothering her. A hot blush rose to her cheeks as she thought about how to word it. He hadn't done anything wrong....She had just been expecting something she didn't get. "I think the braids would look really nice..." She answered quickly. Ah, now all that was left was his second question. She looked into the mirror, using its reflection as a way to look I to her eyes. She managed a sheepish look before answering quietly. "I was just hoping for a kiss...that's all. You always kiss my neck when you lace me up...and you didn't this time..." Oh, dear that sounded even worse when she said it out loud. When did she become so spoiled? Her hands came up to cover her red face, unable to keep eye contact.
 
Faelwen dodged the question at first, but after a moment she answered freely, and it wasn't the answer he expected. Warmth swelled in his chest. She'd wanted him to kiss her. It was such a small, almost childlike thing to ask for that he couldn't help but find it more adorable than anything else. He wasn't even entirely sure why he hadn't kissed her this time... He supposed it had felt inappropriate, what with dinner coming up, and maybe the fact that he'd been in the vicinity of all that warm, smooth skin of her back and shoulders had caused him to overthink the matter and worry it would cast him in a bad light if he indulged in kissing it, as if he were some pervert unable to control himself. But if she wanted that kiss, he would be more than happy to oblige. "Aww, sweetie," he cooed, "was that all? You should've just said something." He gave a sultry chuckle as he swept her hair aside once more, revealing those smooth shapes of her flesh, and after carefully sinking into a crouch, he kissed.

His fingertips brushed her lower on the exposed area as he kissed her neck. He wasn't sure why he had moved his hands there, but it had somehow felt appropriate. When he eased out of the kiss, he realized he didn't want to leave yet, not if the heat stirring in his core meant anything. He kissed again. And again. They were slow and soft, but each one seemed to grow a little wetter and sneak an inch lower, now trailing down her spine as his fingers trailed along the sides of the area. His mind was slipping into a fog. Faelwen's smooth, warm skin was here, right in front of him, and he longed to kiss it, love it, devour it. His breath came out heavy as he worked, and some part of him was aware of the straining heat in his groin. It wasn't until he drew his tongue back up the center of her back that he really realized what he was doing. He stiffened and straightened up, eyes wide. "Ah, sorry! Bad Kris!" He slapped himself squarely on one side of his face, hard enough to surprise himself and cause himself to grimace in pain. "Ow...sorry. See, that's why I didn't want to do that. I got carried away. Forgive me."

How puzzling that he could lose control like that...or perhaps it would be better to say that he allowed himself not to exercise control. But why? Was he that desperate? They hadn't had a chance to be intimate since last night, true, but before meeting Faelwen, he hadn't felt that needy, so needy that he couldn't take a full day alone. He pulled her hair back and began to work on it without another word, eager to distract himself.
 
Her face felt as if it were on fire. His responce didn't help ease that either, she could tell he found her reaction at least amusing. Her face remained hidden beneath her hands as she gave a muffled reply. "I did just say something..." Even her embarrassment couldn't stop the pleasant shiver that coursed through her when he swept aside her hair. His warm breath again fanned her skin causing her own breathing to begin to match his. A soft sigh escaped her as his lips were gently pressed against the usual spot of skin just at the base of her neck. His gentle touches coaxed her into lowering her hands and allowing her head to drop forward in contentment. That would be their tradition, and she had been ready to accept him working with her hair as he pulled away. Her eyes sought his form in the mirror, but found that again he bent closer, his breath fanning her skin just a bit lower than before. This one seemed to be a tad more sensual as well, and the following kisses merely built on that theme. She moaned softly with the feel of his mouth getting lower and his hands branching out to explore more. They didn't have time for this...but...Fae wasn't one to reject such eager tendings. She rounded her back slightly as he pressed still lower. Ah! She wanted to simply have him take her now. Finally something warm and wet...and very familiar trailed back up her spine. "Tristim..." left her lips as a soft purr as the heat that had been steadily growing suddenly exploded in her core.

She blinked up at his reflection as he straightened and took a step back. Her eyes were the slightest bit foggy from the beginnings of pleasure. Why had he stopped? His reactions baffled her. She tried to grasp why exactly he had not wanted to kiss her like that, why he had stopped so suddenly. The dinner! She had nearly forgotten it as well. Aw...Why did that have to come up now? Couldn't they put that off so she could enjoy his kisses? It wasn't fair. A small pout formed on her lips as he went back to combing though her hair. "No. I won't forgive you...Especially when I asked for it." She smiled warmly at him through the glass mirror. "I wanted it to continue as well...I wish I didn't have the responsibility of princess on my shoulders. We wouldn't have had to stop then..." She sat quiet, and waited to see what her hair would end up looking like.
 
Try as Kris might to end that topic by going to work on Faelwen's hair, his ears were still perfectly functional, and she wasn't about to let the matter go. He was at least pleased by how much she liked the attention. The problem was that now wasn't the time. "Yeah," he sighed in agreement. "Maybe later... An illicit midnight visit just might be in order..." A grin played across his face as he said it. Perhaps he and Faelwen could use their mirrors to coordinate a late-night rendezvous, signaling to each other that they were awake, secure, and ready. Mmm, that thought made him smile wide.

In any case, he was working on adding several thin braids to Faelwen's hair in scattered locations, and it was taking a while. "You have a lot of hair," he muttered to himself. Sure it was a statement of the obvious, but this was the first time her hair length made his styling job go quite so slowly. For a brief moment he lamented not picking something else, but he reminded himself that he hadn't been able to think of anything else, and he thought this would look quite pretty when it was complete besides. It might also give a bit of an excuse for taking so long to get to dinner, or at least he hoped that might be the implication.
 
Faelwen couldn't stop the seductive smirk that came out to play at her lips. A midnight rendezvous certainly sounded wonderful. "But the wards...I thought it made you sick to pass through them..." That did concern her still. While she wanted to continue their pattern of spending nights with each other, if it was going to cause Kris pain...She didn't want to put him through that. She allowed her eyelids to sink closed as Kris kept working with her hair. Mmm, she loved this feeling. A time when they could both be quiet and enjoy each others presence.

A soft giggle bubbled out of her mouth as he commented on her hair. "That's why you are doing it and not me." She cracked en eyelid open to give him a sleepy look. "It looks good so far..." Her eye closed again as she allowed her mind to focus on the movement of Kris's hands as they worked with her hair.
 
Faelwen looked soothed by the motions of Kris' fingers in her hair, and Kris didn't want to do anything that might spoil that mood. He was hesitant to push the topic of her room wards and their affects on him, but he also wanted to reassure her about the matter. He kept his voice low and soft as he thought of an answer. "If you want, I'll meet you at the greenhouse door," he said with an alluring smile. He was less likely to be seen if he appeared there than if he waited in the hallway. Granted, Idhrenion had told him that the mages would keep a closer eye on "the outside of her highness' room," and he wasn't sure if that just meant the main door or the greenhouse door as well. The safest thing to do would be teleport right inside and just deal with the wards, and as much as the memory of that sensation was unpleasant, he would do it if necessary. He didn't need to tell Faelwen that right now, though. He wanted her to relax and lose her worries for a precious few moments longer as he worked through her hair.

Eventually he made five little braids scattered through her hair, and figuring that would be enough for the look he had in mind, he then separated her hair into three thick bundles and began to braid it all together. This process went much more quickly, and after a couple of minutes, he'd reached the end of her hair. He stepped toward the drawer he remembered her obtaining a ribbon from this morning, rifled through it until he found a thin black one, and returned to his position behind her, where he tied the long braid off. "There you go, sweetie." He scooped up the braid and displayed it in front of her. The thin ribbony braids were laced through the one large braid. "You like?"
 
Faelwen thought about that possibility. If he stopped outside the door, it would be easier for him, but...it also carried the risk of being discovered. "We can decide that after dinner...I just don't like the idea of you putting yourself in pain." She quietly enjoyed the last few minutes of Kris styling her hair. Her silver strands were soon braided and tied off. A bright smile lit her face as she looked at the final effect. Still simple, but something she could wear as a proper princess. "You get better ever time. I'm still surprised you do this for me...not that I mind." The braid was brushed back over her shoulder, where it hid a large amount of the exposed skin of her back. Finally she stood and turned to her guard. First she embraced him, really glad she had the man with her to help her with her silly problems. And of course she couldn't leave without another of his kisses. She pulled back from the hug, and gave him enough of a look that he would be prepared for her lips. Mmm, she never would get used to how electricity seemed to charge her lips when they were molded against his.

She never wanted this to end, but she needed to arrive at dinner before they questioned where she was. A final peck on his lips, and she reached for her diadem. "I believe we both agree that we'll spend the night together, so...until then, Tris..." With her crown in place, she opened her door. She let out a small breath and stepped into the hallway, leaving Kris to catch up on his own.
 
Kris was all right with postponing the ward discussion. The important thing was that she was happy with her hair. "It's because it's fun to make you even prettier," he crooned, and it was an honest answer. She rose from her seat and gave him a hug, something he did not expect, but he returned it eagerly. After a moment she pulled back and gave him a pointed look. Ah, he had a feeling he knew what that look meant, and he was right: a kiss. Mmmm... Such warmth, such energy, such a thrill he could get nowhere else.

He didn't like thinking about their love ending. But when and if it did...he'd miss her kisses the most.

He felt a little sad when they pulled away, both because the kiss had to end and his thoughts had gone somewhere negative. But Faelwen's next words cheered him up. Princess and guard or not, they still wanted to make time together tonight, and if they could think of a good way to manage it safely, they'd have no reason not to indulge in each other on later nights as well. And every time she addressed him by some form of his real name, of course, a little tingle of joy and love stirred inside him. "Until later, love," he echoed.

It was time to resume character. He caught up to her and then strode beside her down the hall with a neutral expression oh is face. He was just her dinner escort for now. There wasn't much to be said.
 
Faelwen soon had been able to pull a disinterested look over her face, as if dinner with a handsome suitor bored her. And it almost did. She would have rathered a small meal brought to her room, and a few extra hours to spend with Kris...without his armor, preferably. That desire needed to be suppressed for the time being though. They could sate each others desires at a later time. As usual her walk there was brisk and didn't take long.

Two guards stationed at the doors bowed as she walked through the doorway and was met with the curious glances of Eccaia and Alasse. Ayla seemed to be the one missing this time. Utiradien was already seated and simply tilted his head slightly as he heard his sisters approach. Manwe and her father were also missing. This was odd, and mildly concerning. Manwe and Ayla had hit it off well at lunch, they weren't actually going further than that were they? She cast a worried glance at Kris before taking a seat between Utiradien and Alasse. Hah, hopefully her father would let her stay here. Of course...putting Ayla and Manwe next to each other may not be a good idea...but with this dress on, Fae didn't want Manwe discovering how little she actually wore.

Utiradien was the first to speak as his sister entered. "Good evening, Fae..." The girls greeted their sister as well before also greeting Kris.
"Where is Ayla?" Fae questioned as the greetings ended.
"I haven't seen her since a little after lunch..." Alasse admitted.
 
They reached the dining room fairly quickly. A few of Faelwen's kin were present already, it seemed, but Kris was not yet familiar enough with her family to realize there was something suspicious about exactly who was missing from the table. It wasn't until Faelwen voiced Alya's absence that Kris' thoughts made an unpleasant connection. His expression darkened in worry. He scolded himself internally for jumping to conclusions, of course. All he had was a slight suspicion. But it was still a suspicion that worried him.

Or...could it be a boon? If out of whatever mad chance, Manwe had stepped over that boundary, wouldn't that be ground to have him exiled, just as Nathaniel had been exiled? He hated the thought of him soiling poor Alya, of course, but if nothing else, he could try to look on the bright side of such a crime...

He stepped a little closer to Fae, once again deciding that he would not leave the dining room until all were present. "Should I be concerned?" he asked quietly, ostensibly directing that question towards Fae but potentially letting anyone hear and answer it. He felt he shouldn't say or do anything else unless (or until...) they had more cause to worry. If the king arrived before the other two, for instance, perhaps then he could ask Arandur to investigate. But to do anything like that too soon would be an overreaction.
 
Utiradien was actually the one to answer Kris. He hadn't been aware of any connection between his Manwe and his kin, aside from a suitor of Faelwen. "I heard my father ask to speak with Manwe on a certain matter...I do not think you need to worry for him to be the reason for her absence." But if it were to ever happen, Utiradien wished to be the one to avenge his sisters innocence this time.
Faelwen relaxed considerably at that knowledge. She cast a smile over her shoulder at Kris. At least that worry was no longer valid. Ayla was probably just taking some extra time to get dressed. " You can have your own meal, Kris. Thank you for worrying about these things." It really was nice of him to offer his services to that extent. Perhaps she was being a little too sweet, but she thought it would be proper to at least thank the man.
Utiradien wouldn't have said much before, but he had notice the quick meal Kris hat taken earlier. That combined with his knowledge of Faelwen's patterns of escape made him assume the guard would probably do the same to be sure she didn't have some excuse to leave while he was away. The young man twisted in his seat to fix his clouded gaze on the dark haired guard. "If it makes you feel more at ease, I will keep my sister in the room until you return from a proper meal. Dinners are usually the longest meal here, so feel free to take your time."
Eccaia giggled a little bit at her elder brothers offer. "You make it sound like he wouldn't eat if someone else wasn't watching Fae."
"He wouldn't." Came the quick reply from the lad. From everything he'd sensed about this man, he was very dedicated to his job. He turned back to face the table, once more ignoring the presence of everyone in the room.

It was only a few minutes before Arbellason and Manwe entered, neither giving any hints about what they may have been discussing. The king's eyebrow rose when he noticed Faelwen sitting in Ayla's usual seat. "Where is your sister?" He asked calmly.
This question was met with various shrugs or shaking the head or a combination of the two. The king just sighed and took a seat. Manwe may have stood a moment longer than he should have. He was a little confused and put off by the princess suddenly switching seats. He was her suitor, it was his right to sit beside her. Especially when she wore a dress that looked as if the back may be a little lower than her usual garb. Mmm, perhaps he would take dessert tonight. He could escort her to her room before her guard returned. That sounded like a delicious plan.
 
Kris relaxed at the assertion that Manwe was otherwise occupied, though he hid his surprise at the prince being waylaid by the king himself. His curiosity was piqued. What are they discussing? Did the prince get in trouble for something? It wouldn't do much good to chase that train of thought, though. Faelwen had just urged him to have a full meal, which Kris met with a chuckle, though he did dip his head in acknowledgement when she thanked him for caring about her sister. He was just about to make a quip of some kind about her trying to weasel out of dinner early, but Utiradien spoke up first, of all people, and assured him that Kris could eat in safety. This time surprise did show on his face. Who knew the kid could be so considerate? I like this guy. Eccaia questioned her brother next, but the boy countered quickly, causing Kris to laugh. "This guy gets it!" he said with a grin, pointing to the prince. Hopefully his delivery of the comment would be seen as humorous and good-natured as opposed to inappropriate for someone as high-ranking as a prince. He dropped his hand after a second and settled his expression back to something neutral as best he could. "But thank you, Your Highness," he addressed to Utiradien. "I'm most appreciative of the gesture." He folded his arms behind his back and waited.

The king and Manwe arrived soon after that, together as promised, but it was impossible to tell what they'd been discussing. Now that the two of them were here, Kris felt a compulsion to see himself out of the room, as if the king's arrival were the opportune moment to do such a thing, but the fact remained that Alya was still missing, and from the looks of things, dinner wouldn't start until she arrived. Though he was unsure what to do, he decided to err on the side of staying put and keeping silent unless addressed until her arrival.
 
The two younger girls did laugh along, while Utiradien merely smirked. He waved off Kris's thanks before answering. "No need to thank me. I have a few topics to discuss with my sister, and she wouldn't be one to ignore my request for her. If we are not here when you get back, it's likely we'll be in her greenhouse." Yes, he planned to discuss a few personal matters with his sister. The king and Manwe came in then, and after brief greetings the men sat down as well to wait for the missing Ayla. From his view, Utiradien noted the hint of black swirling around Manwe, with a bit of vibrant pink after the man had stared at his sister. The prince kept silent though, preferring to keep his his aura reading ability as something for himself to use only. No one enjoyed being read like an open book, and the prince knew that very few would be very accepting of his ability. He already had troubles with those who would teach him, they tried to manipulate their auras, or at least hide them. It was nice to be able to have an honest view of the emotions around him, the king's aura was also tinted in a black and deep red. Whatever the two had been discussing, it made both Arbellason and Manwe upset. The king was bordering on rage, while Manwe, as Utiradien found usual, was thinking erotically. Hmm, a small smile passed across the young prince's face as he kept silent and waited for his sister.

Ayla came in several minutes later, looking as if she didn't care one bit that she was late. Her face seemed too calm for her nature though. She looked from her taken seat, and the empty one beside Manwe before quietly walking in and sitting next to the visiting prince. "Sorry for being so late, father. My maid had wanted to try something new with my wardrobe today." The comment was met with a raised eyebrow, but no questions were asked. Ayla seemed to be dressed for a little more than a simple dinner, or perhaps a little less. The dress she wore was entirely sleeveless, and rather low cut in both the front and back. Though most of her skin up top was covered in a gossamer shawl. The skirt was also a little high, coming to her knees before continuing down with a sheer fabric. Most certainly not something a princess would wear in any way. However, one wouldn't be able to deny that she did look rather alluring in such a dress.

The meal began then, starting, of course, with a small appetizer while the finishing touches were put on the soup. Light conversation was made, most of which was meaningless matters of state, or discussions of activities.
 
Soon enough, Alya arrived. Kris' jaw very nearly dropped at the second princess' entrance. She looked nothing like how she'd looked at lunch. She looked sexy, and the moment he decided that was the most fitting adjective, he felt guilty for thinking it of a girl her age. He didn't know Alya very well at all, so he tried not to worry too much about this drastic change of outfit--Maybe this is fairly standard evening wear for her, flirt that she is. But as she sat down, she revealed that this was an unusual outfit even for her. He wasn't the only person to raise an eyebrow at her claim that this was her maid's fault. What would a maid be thinking to get her charge, a princess, to dress in such a way? It was either a flimsy excuse for Alya's own desire to dress up (which was concerning enough...) or very telling of the kinds of maids Alya preferred. Snatches of their conversation before lunch came to mind briefly. Heh, that was right, it had sounded like Alya liked to spend time with at least one maid who was apt to either be open about sexuality, swear frequently, or both. It put Kris on edge that she sat next to Manwe at this meal while wearing something like that, but Kris couldn't do much about it.

He bowed to the group of diners and took his leave. He still wished to eat fairly quickly, but this time he didn't have as much reason to worry about returning to his post as soon as possible. Besides, that light lunch had left him rather hungry. He made his way to the kitchen at a moderate pace and obtained his usual beef stew and bread. The thought of shaking it up had crossed his mind, but the main alternative to the stew was apparently a quarter chicken with grilled potatoes and vegetables, and as delicious as that sounded, he didn't want to waste precious time mauling a mess of meat and bones. The stew would go down faster. Lora walked him to the storeroom as usual, and he looked around when he arrived, wondering if they'd intercepted Arandur this time.
 
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