For Country and Peace (Watase Yu x Eternalsinger13

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[[ OOC: I don't mind at all! ^.^ Feel free to time skip whenever you feel the need. ]]

Evelynne would smile as a soft giggle escaped her lips. "When it is just us, I have no trouble. It is when we are around your family that I am still working on it. I catch small glimpses, where I can read beyond the mask. You seemed to be able to read me even when I have the mask on around your family." She mused thoughtfully. As he provided alternate possibilities as to what his blush really was, she would laugh. "What ever you say, Arikizo." She murmured through the laughter. As he spoke about Marsy, she would nod her head gently. "True. They have a little more freedom when it comes to that than we do. And we will make sure to make the arrangements. Besides, I am sure my parents will want a visit to introduce you to the kingdom once we are officially married anyway." She would muse thoughtfully.

Glancing to Arikizo, Evelynne would chuckle. "Apparently so ..." She would say as the mare began being impatient. Evelynne would chuckle more as the mare's ears perked up a the sight of the treat. "That is my last one, Idhrenel. My apologies ..." Evelynne would say with a laugh as the mare prodded to check for more. "I will make sure to bring extra next time, promise ..." She mused as she ran her hand gently over her neck. "So it seems. She won't be for much longer with me here." Evelynne would say lightly.


. . . .


It had been one of the more fun afternoons here for Evelynne. The sun dipping into the trees and the wind picking up were the only things that had brought the pair back inside. Though, Evelynne could have easily stayed out there until nearly nightfall. But, it wouldn't be proper for them to miss dinner. "As am I. And that would have been lovely if we were able too." Evelynne would muse genuinely with a nod of her head. As he spoke about his hair, Evelynne would giggle softly with a nod. "Probably. Your mother wouldn't be to happy to see your hair in such a state. I honestly don't mind, you do look rather handsome like that." She would say softly with a chuckle. "I should change anyway. My dress smells like horses and looks in a similar state, which I doubt your parents would appreciate." Evelynne would say lightly as she looked herself over as they walked up the stairs.

As he asked whether she enjoyed her day, she would nod. "Very much so. I am glad you enjoyed yourself, Arikizo. We will have to have similar days more often, if we can." She would muse as she tilted her head to the side. She would hold his gaze, watching his features for several moments before she spoke again. "I ... should go freshen up for supper. I will meet you back here shortly?" She found herself asking, taking a step back so she could head the short distances to her quarters.

Assuming he agreed, Evelynne would give him a smile and nod as she turned and headed the short distances to her quarters just passed the library. Once she was inside, Evelynne would lean against the closed doors. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest, that butterfly like feeling back in her stomach. She was really beginning to fall for him, wasn't she? The thought flustered her, a gentle frown tugging at her lips as she pushed off the doors. She was needed to freshen up. A short span of time later, Evelynne would emerge her hair freshly combed and pulled back in an elegant braid. Her dress was similar in style to the one she had arrived in, only a deep shade of purple rather than the blue she had arrived in. "Calm yourself, Eve. It isn't the end of the world. Just, don't let him catch on. It isn't what he wants, remember?" She would think to herself as she headed the short distance to meet back up with Arikizo.
 
Arikizo nodded. "The same goes for me. Sometimes I can tell what you're thinking, but just barely." He smiled as Evelynne spoke about making arrangements for a trip to her country. From what she had told him about the marketplace, he was definitely looking forward to it. "Perhaps they may be a bit more welcoming compared to my parents?" He murmured. His family tried to appear, but the males were still riled up from the war and embittered by customs toward humans, and his mother tended to keep to herself when visitors were around. He chuckled at the mare and her attempts to find another apple. "I'm sure she will be fine now that she has a companion. The stable-hands probably don't have much time to spend with each horse individually, so I'm sure she's been craving some attention."

. . . .

"I'll do what I can to see if a short ride in the forest may be a possibility." Ari responded. On the topic of his hair, he grinned at her compliment, but knew his mother would not approve. He nodded at her comment about changing. "I should probably clean up a bit as well." He held her gaze as she spoke fondly of the time they had been able to spend away from the castle. "Yes, we will have to. Otherwise we'll probably become stir crazy, cooped up in this stony prison." Evelynne looked up at him, and he looked back at her, smiling happily. If only they could have stayed out in the pasture all night, and tomorrow as well. And every day onward. Not having to worry about all this fuss and bustle in the castle. "I ... should go freshen up for supper. I will meet you back here shortly?"

The dragon prince broke from his reverie and nodded. "Of course. I will do the same, and meet you back here." He responded, giving her a gleeful smile. He stood for a moment as she turned and started to head off before he did the same. Perhaps he should have walked to her room with her? It wouldn't take him that long to clean up, after all. 'I really am attached to her.' He thought, shocked at how strong their bond had grown. 'I shouldn't be surprised. After all, she's one of the only people who have really gotten to know me. One of my only friends. My closest friend.' As he entered his room and shut the door behind him, Ari thought of earlier. How easily she made him blush. How protective he was when Rovan intercepted them that morning. Was he beginning to fall in love again? 'How much slower does that gift make her age?' He found himself wondering. After all, the reason he'd been so against bonding with the princes in the first place was the fact that she was human, and would therefore have a short life. Maybe, just maybe, she was like him, and would be able to live for hundreds of years.

Then there was the possibility of giving her some of his blood to keep her by his side. He'd heard in legends about warriors who had been imbued with dragon blood to preserve their youth and strength. But what those stories never mentioned were any side effects; and there were some, undoubtedly. He shook the thoughts away, almost laughing. "Am I really that desperate?" He mumbled. "Would I do something like that for her?" She was worth it. That wasn't in question at all. But the possibilities that something such as that could create were vast, from improving her life to destroying it, to making her stronger to crippling her. "I mustn't be so rash. Naivete will only bring trouble." And so, he proceeded to freshen up, driving all thoughts of that alternative from his mind.

A little while later, Arikizo was standing, leaned against the wall near his bedchamber. It was natural for a woman to take longer to clean up than a man, so he wasn't impatient. His mind was troubled still with thoughts about Evelynne's opinion of him. He knew he was fond of her, and vice versa. Sure, she prone to blushing in his presence. Was her blushing a result of shyness and embarrassment? Did he merely fluster her, as a boy would fluster his childhood friend with playful, meaningless teasing? Was she harboring feelings as well, or did she just see this as a political set-up, like he'd originally made it out to be? It pained him to think back on what he'd initially told her, that he had no intention or desire for a romantic relationship with her. 'She's probably decided that we'll be nothing but friends and has accepted that.' He thought. 'I shouldn't pressure her. I might push her away by accident if I start acting affectionate. She may think I'm playing with her emotions. That would seem cruel.'

The sound of footsteps cut him away from his thoughts, and he glanced toward the source of the sound. A smile returned again to his face when he saw it was Evelynne and he straightened up off the wall. "Better now?" He said, looking at her dress. The style was the same as the one she'd arrived in, and it suited her very well. "I haven't seen any servants coming to fetch me, so dinner may not be done just yet." Her hair had been loose that morning, but it was now pulled back into a braid. With the dark brown strands away from her face, it really brought out the gentle, feminine shape of her face. 'Stop thinking like that. This is not the time nor place to be acting like some love struck puppy.' "Shall we return downstairs?" He offered, stepping close to her to walk beside her as they always did.
 
As Evelynne spotted Arikizo awaiting her return, she would smile gently. He always cleaned up rather nicely. The look in his eyes as he smiled at her made her heart flutter. 'Enough of this, Evelynne. He will catch on if you aren't careful.' "A bit. Though, I would have preferred staying out in the pasture. I could have stayed out there all night, to be completely honest." She mused thoughtfully with a chuckle. As he inquired if they should return downstairs, Evelynne would reluctantly nod. "I suppose we should. It should be anytime now anyway." She would murmur with a sigh.

"The first meal I am actually dreading since I arrived. I am not looking forward to Rovan and his questions. I did tell him he could get to know me after all." She would say with a soft frown. Moving a bit closer to Arikizo, she would continue. "I won't be anywhere as close as to how much I have let you get to know the real me, that I promise." She would say softly enough so only Arikizo could hear. Biting the inside of her cheek, Evelynne would smile anyway. "It is too soon to let it bother me just yet. I still a few moments peace with you yet. Let's enjoy them, hmm?" She would say, her hands clasping together as they headed towards the stairs.
 
"If we hadn't needed to eat, I would have rather stayed out there too." Arikizo agreed. "It would have been nice. But my parents might have sent servants out looking for me, and I wouldn't want you caught up in the middle of that." He took note of he reluctance that Evelynne showed about dinner. For a moment, the dragon prince wondered why she seemed to nervous about this meal in particular. Then she reminded him of what she'd told Rovan earlier that morning. The unfortunate and situation had been wiped from his mind by the pleasantness of the rest of the day, he'd completely forgotten about that. "I won't be anywhere as close as to how much I have let you get to know the real me, that I promise." Ari willed himself not to blush at this softly whispered promise. Instead, he smirked playfully. "He wouldn't see the real you even if you let him." He murmured equally as softly. "He's too blinded by his own prejudices."

He gently placed his hand on her back as he usually did, walking quietly at her side. At her next comment, he returned his gaze to her, returning her smile. "Don't let my family bother you. Even if none of them are welcoming to you, you still have me." He said softly. "If nothing else, I will be here for you. Don't let Rovan get under your skin with his condescending comments. Disregard my father's strict demeanor. None of that matters." He blushed a bit at his unbridled speech and chuckled. "I've done it again. I just can't keep my mouth shut, can I?" He playfully scolded himself. "But you said earlier that you didn't mind, correct?" He knew she wouldn't complain, even if his ramblings did annoy her sometimes. She was thoughtful like that. She was understanding. They continued down the stairs, the prince remaining silent for a little bit while he tried to get his thoughts back in order. They were intercepted by a servant, who almost ran into them. The young man stumbled back, bowing and apologizing for getting in their way. "The king and queen sent me to inform you that dinner is ready to be served." Arikizo nodded, giving the boy a small smile and thanking him.

With a soft sigh, he gave Evelynne a reassuring look. "Just relax. It'll be alright."
 
Evelynne would smile lightly as he agreed with her. She would soon nod her head lightly. "Yes, I know. I am not here to cause trouble." She would say softly. She had nearly forgotten the deal herself until she realized she was getting ready for dinner. At his playful smirk and comment, Evelynne would giggle. "It seems as such." She would mere softly in response. As Arikizo reassured her that she would have him, she would force herself to not blush, however a bit of one still peeked through. "I will do my best not too." She would say as he blushed. "And yes, I don't mind in the slightest, Arikizo. I promise." She would murmur in response as she gazed up at him.

Before she could say or do much else, a servant appeared as they were drifting down the stairs. Dinner was announced. She felt herself instinctively tense for a moment. As she looked back up at Arikizo and so the reassurance in his eyes, she would nod as he spoke. Taking a deep breath, she would call her thumping heart, forcing herself to relax. "Okay. Thank you for the reassurance." She murmured as the pair entered the large dining room. Instinctively, Evelynne would look to the King and Queen, her usual smile gracing her lips as she bowed her head to each in turn. "Good evening, your majesties. I hope your day was pleasant." She would say softly as she let Arikizo help her to her chair.
 
Arikizo chuckled at her comment. "You're no trouble at all, Evelynne." He replied thoughtfully. He grinned at her giggling, glad he could make her laugh when she was feeling nervous about the upcoming meal. His reassuring words brought color to her cheeks, as he expected; but the little ways she tried to avoid doing so, by glancing away for even the slightest moment, made him think she was hiding something. Trying to put up a front to keep him from noticing. Typically she wouldn't care if she blushed in front of him. But now she seemed self-conscious. His train of thought was broken when she reassured him that his rambling didn't bother her. 'I'm reading too far into things.' He thought, dismissing his concerns. 'I'm being paranoid and obsessive. It's unbecoming of me.'

As the servant heading off, and Evelynne's nerves began to calm from his reassurance, he nodded at her quiet thanks and smiled. As they entered the dining hall, he gave his parents a small nod as the princess spoke. The queen returned the smile, and the king gave a small nod in response. "Our day has been busy." The queen responded. "But all's well that ends well, I believe the saying goes. The preparations for the wedding have been quite a handful." "Please, can we discuss something else over dinner." Ari asked, pulling out a seat for Evelynne to sit before sitting down in the spot next to her. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet." Rovan teased, walking through the doorway behind the couple. He took a seat across from the pair, beside his mother. The king sat at the head of the table. "What a pity that would be." "Yes, especially because he wouldn't be able to get out of this wedding whether he had cold feet or not." 'Not that I'd want to.' The prince thought, glancing to Evelynne.

"I'm not getting cold feet. It's just that the wedding is all we ever talk about. Can't we focus on another topic. Such as... Umm..." He struggled to come up with an alternative, but Rovan jumped in. "Well, Evelynne must have a lot of stories about her home country." He suggested. "Surely you've told her everything to know about our country, haven't you, Arikizo?" Ari narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, but tried to push aside the annoyance. "Well, who can ever tell someone everything?" He answered with a slight tint of sarcasm. "But I would be interested to hear more about your kingdom, Evelynne." He gently placed his hand over hers under the table, trying to comfort her a little, knowing that everyone's focus being on her might be stressful.
 
Evelynne could have sworn he had noticed how she had tried to hide her blush. The look was gone as quickly as it had appeared though, so she couldn't be certain. Tossing the thoughts aside as she focused on the King and Queen, Evelynne would manage a smile and a nod. "I can imagine. Please feel free to call on me if you would like some assistance, your majesty. I wouldn't mind helping in the slightest." She would say politely with a smile. As she suspected, Arikizo was asking for a change in topic. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from chuckling.

As Rovan's voice filled her ears, Evelynne had to hold back a shiver. Her gaze would dance to him for a moment as he sank next to his mother. She could only imagine what thought had come to mind in Arikizo's gaze, but she knew she had nothing to worry about as he met his quick glance. As Arikizo struggled for a topic, Rovan was quick to jump to one. Her home. "He has told me quite a bit so far. It is difficult to take in everything at once thous, as you can imagine, so he as been kind enough to do so in small bits here and there." Subtly coming to Arikizo's defense, not that he needed it.

Everyone's focus was on her as they waited for her to describe her home country. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, though her grip soon relaxed as Arikizo slipped his hand over hers beneath the table. Managing a smile, she would spare a glance at Arikizo before looking back to Rovan. "I certainly have stories. What would you like to know?" She would ask softly before diving into depth about her home. "Thiandra has a diverse landscape. To the North is a huge forest, to the South a mountain range. To East is the sea, and to the West are the plains. Scented wildflowers decorate our landscapes. We also have several natural hot springs. And diverse wildlife as well. Cooking, farming, fine jewelry and weapons, and alchemy are what we are most known for ..." She mused lightly, glancing between the four dragons as she squeezed Arikizo's hand.
 
The queen smiled and laughed softly at. "But you are the bride to be." She responded. "I wouldn't ask you to help. You have your role to play already." Arikizo was glad that his mother didn't ask much of Evelynne, so she wouldn't be put under more stress as the wedding drew nearer. He gave the princess a glance as Rovan walked in, noticing the way she stiffened up at the sound of his brother's voice. He gave her a small look of reassurance. The monarchs agreed with the change of topic. "Yes, do tell us. I'm sure it must be wonderful." "Though with the war, no doubt it has been injured, just as our country has been." When she subtly came to his aid against his sibling, a bit of a grin quirked the corners of his lips. "Of course." Rovan replied, leaning his chin on his hand. "I was merely teasing. What is a family without a bit of sibling rivalry?" The family all looked to Evelynne, awaiting for her response. Ari gave her a small nod of support when she looked to him before focusing back on Rovan.

All four of the dragons listened closely to her description of her homeland. It made Arikizo look forward to a trip to Thiandra even more. He could just imagine the vast landscapes, the peaceful forests, the freedom that would accompany the travel. Surely the princess's parents wouldn't insist on keeping him cooped up in the castle during his visit. He might want to keep his identity a secret; the people of the kingdom may not take kindly to having a dragon in their midst after such a long war. "I regret to say that I've never gotten the chance to travel to Thiandra. Even before the war." The king said. "I hope that we can avoid any further conflict. I'm sure your kingdom would be a valuable trading partner." "Business, business." The queen murmured. "Everything is politics and business to you." She playfully nudged her husband, giving him a soft laugh. "Lighten up. Not everything has to be about trading relations."

"Is it true that the royalty of Thiandra often travel out of the castle to interact with the citizens?" Rovan asked; his voice was without a hint of condescending. He was honestly curious. Though he would never tell his parents, he disagreed with the idea that shutting the royal family away from the rest of the kingdom made them more influential. If anything, he thought it made them weaker. Besides, even if he was going to be smart toward the princess, he knew better than to do so in front of his parents. Who cared if Arikizo saw. He couldn't do anything to him. The king and queen, on the other hand, both had a hefty influence over his behavior. A little while after his question the servants began to come out with the meal and set the food out.
 
Evelynne would smile lightly and nod to the Queen. Though her features didn't show any massive difference that they would catch, Evelynne was genuinely pleased that the Queen didn't want her help. "But of course." She would say before looking to the King. "Indeed. We have had to rebuild quite a few of our villages, ships, and mines. The areas of the forests and plains that were damaged are finally beginning to grow back." She would explain politely. The constant reminder of the after war damage to her kingdom by the king made her blood boil, but of course she was careful not to show an ounce of it.

Looking back to Rovan, Evelynne would arch a curious eyebrow. "I wouldn't know. There is no rivalry between my brother and I, we get along fairly well for the most part." She would say with a small smile. As she finished, Evelynne would look to the King and Queen first, who were talking about avoid more conflict and trade. "It would be an honor, if you were to visit some day. I am sure my father would be more than open to discussing opening a line of trade. We wish to avoid any further conflict as well, your highness." She would say gently with smile and nod.

Looking to Rovan next, Evelynne would look at him quietly for a moment. She would soon nod her head as she spoke. "Yes, that is correct. I did more often than my family. Though, my mother more than my father and brother. They are generally kept busy at the castle. I used to go almost regularly, particularly to market. Accompanied, of course, mind you, but I spent much of my time with our citizens. Getting to know them, checking in on their needs, and helping when and where possible." She would explain, her gaze drifting to the servants as the began to bring the food. "We also have numerous fine musicians and artists as well, many of which play or paint right there in the main square of the market or in the courtyard of the castle, if the weather permits." She would say with a small smile, sparing a glance at Arikizo for reassurance.
 
The king gave nod of understanding as Evelynne spoke of the parts of Thiandra that were being rebuilt. "It's good to hear that your kingdom is recovering well." The queen said with a small smile before glancing to her husband. "But let's not discuss war affairs at the table, yes?" Rovan smirked a bit at the princess's curious look and comment about the lack of sibling rivalry in her family. "Well, isn't that fortunate for you then." The crown prince responded with a tone that earned him a glare from his younger brother. "A bit of friendly competition is welcome among our kind. Wouldn't you agree, brother?" Ari gave him a displeased look, refusing to give him a response. "I'll keep that in mind." The king responded as she turned her attention back to the monarchs and spoke of traveling to the human kingdom to discuss trading.

The family fell quiet again as Evelynne answered Rovan's question. The king looked a bit surprised that the monarchs would make an appearance so often in front of their subjects. Then again, they were of a different kind and a different state of mind from the dragons. It only made sense that their way of running their kingdom would differ. "That sounds wonderful." He responded, giving her a gentle smile and lightly squeezing her hand before pulling his own back to his lap. "It must make it easier to keep track of the kingdom's needs." "However, you know very well why we can't afford to act so casually with our citizens." The king responded coolly. "But let's not argue over such things. Let us eat." And so the dinner commenced. The food contained a great variety, from fruits and vegetables to various types of meat to a few soups and breads. "What would you like?" Arikizo asked Evelynne, wanting to fix her a plate of food before he dealt with his own meal.
 
Evelynne would look to the Queen with a soft smile. "Thank you." She would say simply, biting the inside of her cheek so she wouldn't grin as the Queen shut down his talk of the war repairs. Evelynne would do her best to ignore Rovan's tone, however her hand would tighten ever so slightly in Arikizo's. "My parents have always felt that a united royal family is stronger for our people than one divided by sibling rivalry and competition. They taught us from a very young age to set aside our differences and get along. It is another change that I am trying to get use too." She would muse politely, a small smile tugging at her lips. To the King, she would simply smile and nod.

Evelynne noticed the surprise on the King's face, though she wasn't all that surprised by it with how closed off he kept the royal family here. Glancing to Arikizo, she would smile lightly as she nodded her head. Though she wouldn't verbally respond to the question since the King was currently shutting down the topic completely. Carefully keeping her features neutral, she would look to Arikizo as he asked what she would like on her plate. "A small piece of the lamb, and the rest vegetables, please. I will have some fruit in a little bit." She would respond. He would do so every evening for dinner, so she didn't worry about saying how much of each she wanted. He quickly learned that her appetite was generally not very big. "Thank you, Prince Arikizo." She would would murmur. She was always careful to use his title in front of his parents. She didn't want them to realize how truly comfortable she had gotten to be with their son.
 
The queen smiled back and nodded wordlessly. The princess had earned quite a bit of respect for putting up with the king's tactless comments since she'd arrived. She, for one, did not desire to make her new life here an unpleasant one. Rovan narrowed his eyes a little, but his eyebrows raised with curiosity. "An interesting concept. I suppose it's true. Perhaps it's being a dragon that spurs the competitive nature of our kind." 'Are you sure it's not your desire to be a serious pain in the ass?' If this conversation had been held elsewhere, out of the oversight of their parents, Arikizo would have spoken those words aloud. But he held his tongue for the sake of avoiding his parent's wrath. As the food was set up, and all conversation fell into a lull, the rest of the family began to gather their plates. Ari nodded as Evelynne told him what she wanted, and he fetched the items she desired. She wasn't the type that required much food to sustain her appetite, so he made sure not to pack too much onto her plate.

"Here you go." He said, placing the platter in front of her. "Thank you, Prince Arikizo." Ari wasn't used to being addressed as 'prince' by Evelynne, but he quickly figured it was for propriety's sake in front of the king and queen. A simple nod and a smile was his immediate response as he placed some fish on his plate, focused on not dropping the food and making a mess. "You are welcome, princess." He got himself a bit of vegetables, a roll, and a hunk of boar meat to accompany the fish and apple that was already in front of him. Unlike, he tended to have quite an appetite, though he didn't exactly need as much food as he typically ate. It was more of a hunger from convenience than anything else; the food was in his reach, so if he felt like he wasn't quite full, why keep from snagging another bite?

The dinner went by without much discussion, and while the servants were putting away the food and cleaning up the plates from dinner, Arikizo was called aside by the queen. "Go up to your room." He murmured quickly to Evelynne, casting a cautious glance in his brother's direction. He was currently speaking with the king, but it was better safe than sorry. "I shouldn't be long, hopefully." His mother called for him again, and he regretfully left the princess's side, hoping she could get away to safety before she could be pulled into any trouble.
 
Evelynne had grown to respect the Queen. She, like Arikizo, seemed to want to make her life here as smooth as possible. Which was highly appreciated. If the King, Rovan, and the Queen had all been against her, Evelynne would have found her time here much more difficult to adjust to, even with Arikizo's help. At Rovan's comment, she would say nothing, but smile lightly. It was perfect time for dinner, if she did say so herself. As usual, all conversation lulled to a stop once dinner officially began.

She could tell by the look in Arikizo's eyes that she had caught him off guard when she had called him prince. Holding back a smile, she noticed the look once soon gone. He must have put the pieces to together. Once her plate was in front of her, she would eat in silence, careful to keep her gaze on her plate before her. As the servants began cleaning up, Evelynne was about to see if she and Arikizo could be excused when his mother called for him to stay. Sparing a quick glance to Arikizo, she would manage a slight nod.

She would then follow his gaze to his brother, who appeared to immersed in a conversation with their father. Good. Smiling gently to the Queen as she stood. "I think I will turn in, if you will excuse me." She would say respectfully before she left the dining room. She did her best to not appear in a hurry while she was still in front of his family. However, as soon as the door to the dining room was closed, Evelynne would lift the hem of her dress just enough so that she could hurry down the hall to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, Evelynne climbed them quickly. She was almost passed the library, close to the doors of her quarters. She appeared to be in the clear as she neared her door.
 
The peaceful lull of mealtime was always a pleasant change from the normal bout of endless conversation that often happened beforehand. Especially when the aforementioned conversations was focused on things that would rather be left unspoken of. That wasn't exactly the case that afternoon, luckily, but it was more often than not other days. It was also one of the only times when it seemed like Evelynne fit in with this family of dragons, eating alongside them, acting as they did because customs while eating didn't differ much between species. Arikizo was glad that Rovan kept his focus on his food, and not staring at the princess sitting across from him. Things were finally peaceful at times like this.

After dinner was the real issue. That awkward time where Ari never knew if he'd be pulled away by one of his parents to discuss something, leaving Evelynne without an escort. As she excused herself politely from the table while he began to address the queen, he gave her a gentle smile before glancing to Rovan. The older prince had noticed her exit, and seemed to be trying to pull himself away from the conversation with the king. Ari gave him a warning glare, but his brother only grinned as he managed to excuse himself from the room. "You'd be wise to leave her alone." Arikizo warned, grabbing his sibling's arm as he passed by close enough. Rovan grinned and bowed his head a little, for the sake of their mother as she watched over the conversation. "I intend to go to my own room. I wasn't planning to speak with Evelynne-" "It's princess Evelynne to you." "I hadn't intended to speak with princess Evelynne. I have some business to attend to in regard to my part in the wedding."

Rovan pried his brother's hand from his arm before excusing himself and saying his good-nights to the queen and the younger prince. "He acts very familiar with the princess, does he not?" The queen asked, returning Arikizo's attention to her. "He hasn't been troubling you two, has he?" He hesitated, not wanting to call his sibling out. Their mother would scold him, and the older prince would only come back at the couple with a vengeance. Ari had to be careful. "Not troubling. He's just oddly interested in my fiance." "I guess it would make sense. After all, she was originally meant to become his wife." Ari could only nod his head, glancing back toward the door. "Now then, might we discuss what I had initially desired to speak to you about." He turned his focus back again quickly, not wanting to be apart from Evelynne too long, and smiled. "Of course."

Rovan had hurried on his way, hoping to intercept the princess on her way to her bedchamber. Unlike Arikizo, he used a different staircase that led up to the middle of the main hall of the second floor instead of the end. How close that put him in relation to Evelynne's room, he didn't know. He could only figure she would be close to Arikizo's chamber. He walked along the hallway, trying not to seem in a hurry; if she heard him approaching, she would hide, and he didn't want that. He caught sight of her as she was just getting to her room, opening the door. "Princess!" He called, hurrying a bit so he could catch the door before it closed in case she decided to duck inside to avoid him.
 
Evelynne had neared her door, her hand literally on the knob about to open it. Her chamber maid was just inside, getting her bed ready for the night and getting ready to draw Evelynne a warm bath so she could relax before bed. Cracking the door so that her chamber maid could hear the full conversation, just in case, Evelynne turn half way. This way she her hand was still on the knob of her door so she could easily slip in if things began to get out of hand.

Managing a small smile, Evelynne would bite the inside of her cheek gently to get herself to relax. "Prince Rovan, how unexpected ..." She murmured lightly. "My chamber maid is inside getting my bed ready for me. It has been a very tiring day." She would say as she stifled a yawn, making it clear that she wasn't alone, even if his brother wasn't at her side. As if to drive this point home, Martha peeked her head out to check on the princess. "Everything is all right, Martha. I should be in shortly." She would say as she looked to her chamber maid. The look the princess gave her made it clear to Martha to stay close, yet out of sight. "Sorry about that ... So, if I may get straight to the point. What do you want, Prince Rovan?" Evelynne would say, careful to keep her tone level, forcing a small smile.
 
This princess was quite tricky, Rovan thought. She put on a friendly face, but even he could tell it was forced. He left her door slightly open, and he could sense that her maid didn't go far from the entrance to the bedchamber. Clever. Even without Arikizo, she was far from helpless. And her eyes; those calculating, cautious eyes of hers, watching his every move as if she expected some kind of attack. This was going to be fun. "So, if I may get straight to the point. What do you want, Prince Rovan?" The dragon prince chuckled softly, knowing how on edge he put her. She was looking for a way out as soon as possible. "You told me earlier that I would be allowed to get to know you better." He replied smoothly, advancing slightly toward her. He made sure not to get too close, not wanting to scare her off. "Is it that hard to believe I just want to chat?" He reached out a hand to touch her braided hair, leaning in a bit. "Your hair looks lovely like this. You should put it back more often."

It was then that he noticed something strange. Her scent was human, for the most part, but there was something else about it that didn't quite fit. And it wasn't some kind of perfume or such. It was an ever so faint hint, unable to be sensed earlier when his brother's scent had overpowered hers. But without him here, it . And if he hadn't been so close, it would have overlooked. 'If she isn't human, what is she?' He thought, instantly curious. This just got even more interesting. He had to be discrete about it, though, otherwise she may become suspicious. He pulled back again, focusing his thoughts on something else. "I was wondering if you'd be willing to join me for a picnic tomorrow. Of course, Arikizo can come as well. He can be quite jealous and possessive." He smiled lightly. "I would love to hear more about your kingdom, and your family. And you, of course, but that was obvious." He figured if he offered a harmless, they may be willing to meet him half way.

Rovan gave her a small bow of the head after awaiting her response. "That is all I wished to discuss." He said politely. "Have a nice night, Evelynne." With that, he headed past her to get to his room, which was further down the hall past Arikizo's room. His thoughts returned to the strange scent he'd caught onto. Had his senses been playing tricks on him? No, he was sure that something was off. Combine that with her feisty nature and fearless attitude, and it was that there was something that wasn't quite human about her. But what could that be? Maybe this human princess wouldn't have made such a bad wife after all. It was a pity he'd let her be passed down to Arikizo. 'Who knows. Perhaps the king and queen can make an exception.'

Arikizo headed upstairs immediately after the queen had finished her discussion. Of course, it had to relate about the wedding. No surprise with her. He headed up the stairs, and was glad to hear that it was quiet. His brother's voice had a tendency to carry, so he'd know if the man was causing trouble. He headed down the hall, reaching Evelynne's bedchamber and finding that everything was still quiet. He gently knocked on the door, peeking his head in when he got a response. "Good, you made it up here safely." He murmured, smiling. "Rovan didn't catch up to you, did he?" The thought of his brother made his blood boil. He couldn't be trusted around the princess, no matter how he acted.
 
Evelynne fought the urge to scowl. She carefully kept her features neutral as Rovan spoke of her agreeing to let him get to know her. "Yes, I did. If you recall I also said you could do so at Dinner. This isn't dinner." She mused gently, careful to keep her tone light. As he moved towards her, she would carefully take a step back, moving her braided hair of his hand. "Thank you for the compliment. However, I would appreciate if you wouldn't get so close. It is improper for anyone other than my betrothed to be so friendly." She would say with a small smile. She made a mental note to leave her hair down from now on.

Evelynne watched him quietly, her mind racing. He had gone quiet. To quiet. Why? She had to be careful to keep the worry from her features. She could only imagine what was going through this dragon's head. At his request for a picnic, she would shrug her shoulders. She wanted to say instantly no, but she knew she couldn't say it so bluntly. Who knows what he would do. "Protective, not possessive or jealous. And we will have to see. There is still much to do for the wedding. I have a few things that need to be finished on my dress still. Plus I must get ready for my family's arrival. They should be arriving any day now, since the wedding is only two days away. I will talk to him, see if he is available. If not, then I will unfortunately have to decline." She mused, wondering as to why he really made the request. There was something more to it than just a simple picnic to get to know her. He was searching for something.

"Princess Evelynne ..." She corrected, before she could stop herself. The fact that he was being so familiar with her made her skin crawl. "Good night Prince Rovan." She would manage politely before she hurried in. Leaning against the door, she would shiver in disgust. Rovan was not someone she enjoyed being alone with. Looking to Martha, Evelynne would nod her head gently as she looked to Evelynne with concern. "I'm alright, Martha. Please, see to my bath, then you may go rest." Martha would give her a nod as she hurried off.

Evelynne had just finished drying off from her bath. Slipping into her night dress, she would just be grabbing her robe when she heard the knock on the door. Slipping it on quickly, she would tie it securely closed, tugging her loose, damp hair from underneath the collar. "Come in." She called once she was proper. "Safely might not be the word for it. Rovan caught up to me just as I reached my room ..." She would say softly with a scowl. "He invited me to join him for a picnic tomorrow, saying you were welcome to come along of course. I told him it was a no if you weren't available too." She would explain with a shiver as she moved closer. "He is up to something, Arikizo. I can feel it. It frightens me. He went quiet for a long moment, as if he was on to something that I couldn't pick up on ... I'm scared, Ari ..." She whispered, not realizing she had called him by a more affectionate nickname.

She was standing not far from him, shivering lightly. "He touched my hair, called me Evelynne. I corrected him, moved away from him. It made me sick to my stomach. If you don't believe me, the door was cracked and Martha was just inside, out of sight. She is in the other room, getting ready for bed if you want to ask her." She would offer, her eyes watering as she hugged her arms around herself. "Can it be the day of the wedding already? I just want to marry you already, make it official so I don't have to sleep alone ... I don't want to marry anyone else, only you." She whispered as she looked to the floor. A blush would color her cheeks as she realized what she was saying. "I'm sorry, being so forward and bold is improper of me. I shouldn't say such things."
 
Rovan chuckled at Evelynne's willful response. "Touche. But we barely got the chance to speak." He responded. She avoided his touch, claiming that him being so close was improper. He didn't move back, but she did. She was intimidated by him. The thought made his lips quirk even more. She was so, but without Arikizo to back her up, she was weak with her snappy comebacks. Overly polite to hide her emotions. He may not be able to read through her mask, but the fact that everything about her was so forced at the moment indicated that he was getting to her. The way she responded, rambling as if she was trying to change the subject entirely and escape from his picnic proposal, made him laugh softly. As she corrected him, he gave her a grin and bowed his head again. "Forgive me, princess." He replied before heading off. The fact that he could have such an effect on the feisty young woman was endearing in its own way. He really did desire to get to know her better now that he'd begun to see her true colors; even if it had been distorted by her false smiles and glassed-over expression. She was a challenge, and a dragon never backs down from a challenge.

Arikizo could tell from Evelynne's expression that something wasn't right. When she began to speak, his eyes widened a little and his mouth turned down at the corners. But for the moment, he was more concerned for the princess than he was about his anger toward his sibling. He pushed the door closed, not wanting any unwanted ears listening in on the conversation. The more she spoke, the more concerned he became. Her expression faded from the initial scowl to a fearful look, and he couldn't help but want to wrap his arms around the terrified young woman. As she spoke of her fears, he dared to walk toward her a bit. "I'm scared, Ari ..." At the nickname, he paused a bit, blushing slightly, but pushing the thought aside. Now was not the time to be flustered. There was a bigger issue at hand.

The prince took another step as she stopped, within reach of her but still too self-conscious to touch her. "Shh, shh, Evelynne." He hushed gently as tears began to form in her eyes. "Of course I believe you." "Can it be the day of the wedding already? I just want to marry you already, make it official so I don't have to sleep alone ... I don't want to marry anyone else, only you." Arikizo's eyes widened a bit from her statement, but knew how desperate she was. If the roles had been swapped, he would be no different. She was terrified and upset, not knowing what could happen next. He didn't blame her at all. He was about to respond in agreement when she apologize, her gaze falling on the ground and blush coloring her cheeks. He pushed aside his then, and pulled her into a hug, gently wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "You have nothing to apologize for, Evelynne." He murmured softly. "I should be the one apologizing. I was unable to protect you. If I had kept him in the for even a minute longer, you would have been fine. But I didn't. So, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He leaned his head lightly on her own, disregarding the cold of her damp hair. "Besides, your boldness is one of the things I enjoy most about you. You aren't afraid to speak your mind. And I feel the same way."
 
Evelynne could see that Arikizo was genuinely worried about her. She feared he would be angry. That he was storm after Rovan. She didn't want anything to happen that could affect the next couple days. They just needed to survive until the wedding, then everything would be fine. Right? She tried to calm herself down, but she couldn't. She hadn't realized how much of an effect Rovan had on her until she was retelling what had happened. As he said he believed her, she relaxed. She had not doubt that he would, but having Martha as a witness was a necessary precaution. If this was to come out to the King and Queen perhaps, she wanted a witness as proof that she wasn't lying or blowing things out of proportion.

Evelynne saw his eyes widen at her statement, making her frown and blush. It wasn't something she had said out of desperation, but out of unhindered truth. She was terrified and upset, certainly, but she hadn't said what she said because of it. She said them because she meant them. As he hugged her, she blinked in surprise for a moment. She was soon wrapping her arms around him, hugging him back as she let her head rest against his chest. As she listened, she was soon shaking her head gently. "There was nothing you could have done under the circumstances, you need not apologize." As he leaned his head against hers, she closed her eyes, relaxing in his arms.

She breathed in his scent, letting his warmth begin to calm her. She would soon blush softly as she shook her head gently. "You don't get it, do you? Arikizo, I think I am falling in love with you ..." She finally whispered, taking in a shaky breath. "I know it is not what you want, so I am sorry. I have tried to keep it to myself, not wanting to upset you. I know you don't want this to be romantic, and I have tried to accept that. The feelings formed anyway ..." She whispered as she pulled back some, so that she was looking at him. "When I say I want to marry only you, I mean it." She murmured, her cheeks flushed as the tears that had welled up in her eyes escaped, rolling slowly down her cheeks. "I am afraid of what Rovan may try between now and the day of the wedding." She whispered, shivering again. "What are we going to do?"
 
Arikizo was beyond angry at Rovan for putting Evelynne in this state of distress. But now was not the time for that battle. What she needed right now was reassurance that things would be alright, and the he wasn't going to let something like that happen again. Her response to his hug was what he expected; then a bit more. Perhaps he had assumed that she would be too upset, and because of that she wouldn't hug him back. But she did, and he was glad for it. The hug felt good, and it comforted him as much as it seemed to be comforting her. As she shook her head and spoke out again his apology, he smiled lightly. "I still feel responsible." For a moment they stayed like that, just holding each other, wordlessly falling into a lull after the fear began to fade from the air.

Evelynne shook her head, and Ari raised his own, looking down at her as she began to speak. Her admission of love made his heart skip a beat and his breath catch in his throat. She was falling in love with him. She'd actually admitted it. He was shocked silent for a moment. The princess pulled back as she continued, apologizing for going against his initial wishes. He kept her gaze, shaking his head in response. "You misunderstand-" He began, but she continued anyhow. "I want to marry you too." He murmured sincerely. One of his hands left her back, and he gently wiped the tears away as they began to fall from her eyes. "I promise I will not let Rovan do anything to us. I will protect you." He whispered, trying to distract her from her fears about Rovan. Once she had fallen silent, he found the courage to speak up again. "Evelynne... I'm falling in love with you too."

The dragon prince gently took hold of one of Evelynne's hands, stepping back ever so slightly. Bring it to his lips, he lightly kissed the back of it. "Please, no more crying. And no more apologizing." He whispered. "I was selfish when I said I didn't want a relationship with you. I was a child, too afraid to lose someone else that I hold dear. But now that I've begun to fall for you, I know that I would gladly suffer through anything to be by your side, no matter how long or short that time may be."
 
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