Playing with Fire

Worthwhile. He would be worthwhile. Isn't that what she just said? Her helping him learn how to read and write properly would be worthwhile.

A smile, which held the promise of wanting to be bigger, brighter and broader, pulled at his lips at her words; cheeks once more regaining their rosy hue at the prospect of being granted that extra time with the adviser and spend some of his time at the castle in her company, not having to look for an excuse to seek her out. An hour with her, whenever she could spare - would that be once a day, once every two or just... once in the week he knew he would definitely be within the castle walls.

What did it matter? It was at least an extra hour with her. She had also said that their time together would allow them to get to know each other better... so surely that meant she was just as eager to learn more about him as he was about her, right?

Andrew, much like Natalia, lacked experience in the romantic and social aspect. Due to the lack of control regarding his element gifted to him by his absent father, he didn't much engage with the fancies of romantic relationships. He tended to avoid them, even if he didn't mind the odd flirtation or two, but he would never allow it to get far. He would never string a woman along. His choice to remain alone had came from the desire to keep people safe. He didn't want one out of control fight or even a single nightmare to cause flames to lick from his fingers and scorch the woman he loved.

However... it now seemed possible that he could began to look towards a future that didn't hold that potential outcome. Sven had offered to teach him control over the flames that burned within his veins, and Natalia would... hopefully not be afraid of him for the power he could wield since she had lived with the king for so long, been his friend and the like.

Not that that was the only reason he was looking to her, oh no. She was beautiful, and he could already tell there was more to her than just her looks. He already knew how hard a worker she was, simply based on the slight clues she had given about her life. She was passionate, determined, strong... and he admired her in the short time they had spent together.

"...Then I would be honoured to have you as my tutor... Miss Bauer." He murmured back, a cheeky gleam to his eye as he briefly switched to formalities, "I promise I'll be a good student-- no misbehavin', promise." He then winked, grinning as he settled his empty whiskey glass onto the table.

So many more comments could have been made, but given he was in front of his brother and Natalia was his friend, he didn't wish to cause any awkwardness or even ill-feeling. He liked Natalia, and was beginning to grow fond of her, he was in no mood to mess it up before anything could even begin.
 
Sven wasn't as oblivious to the shared interaction as his friend would have preferred him to be. Though Natalia desperately clung to the hope that the young King was too preoccupied smoking his cigar and stealing glances to the gardens beyond the parlour, Sven was, unfortunately, far too aware of the growing interest between the two. It wasn't all that subtle - between Natalia's blushes and bashfully averted gazes and Andrew's cheeky smiles and winks, it would have been miraculous if Sven had been oblivious to the obvious romantic ideas starting to bud.

On one hand, he ought to be glad that Andrew had his eye on Natalia. Given he had held concerns that his brother's interest had been directed at the Queen, observing the cheeky, playful demeanour towards the young advisor ought to serve as proof that Sven had merely been paranoid at the dinner table; that Andrew was only being polite to the Queen and his head had remained unturned by her. He also wanted Natalia to be happy, knowing how badly he had hurt her in their tumultuous past - she deserved to be with someone who wouldn't use nor manipulate her, but be at her side through thick and thin, love her passionately and genuinely for all her attributes and her flaws.

...But he couldn't be glad, at least not fully. His marriage was currently laying in tatters so how could he be glad that the only friend he really had left in his life was drifting from him even more? Natalia's interest in Andrew would take her away from his side even more - and subsequently divide Andrew's time. Though he feared it was merely his paranoia running rampant once more, Sven refused to ignore the possibility that everyone in his life, both old friends and new ones, were prepared to spend their time elsewhere rather than with him.

If he was going to end up alone, he at least wanted to mentally prepare himself for it.

"...Yes, well, I'm sure Natalia will teach you well, Andrew. You two seem to get along marvellously considering you have only now met - I'm quite sure my wife won't stand in the way of letting Natalia teach you. She wouldn't want to... disrupt a burgeoning friendship from developing even further," he remarked politely, the smile on his face presenting a casualness that he didn't quite feel - but he could fake it. If there was one thing Sven could do, it was pretend he was fine when the truth was quite the opposite.

As such, Natalia's relieved smile in response arose. Though she didn't believe her friend knew of the growing depth of her interest in Andrew, he at least seemed content in allowing a friendship to bloom between them - and when he had been so paranoid of her leaving his side earlier that day, she naively believed him to have abandoned such paranoid and unfounded thoughts. She was, however, incorrect, merely deceived by his excellent pokerface, and from its continuation, Sven evidently had no desire to burst her bubble.

"I think we ought to all get to bed, however. It has been a rather exciting day and I know I for one could do with an early night. Feel free to dine with my wife and I for breakfast tomorrow, Andrew. There will always be an open invitation at my table for my... little brother," he concluded as he pushed himself to his feet, doing so with some effort to avoid straining his side too much. "But my bed is calling, I'm afraid. I will see you tomorrow, we can decide how to spend the day then."
 
The next few days seemed to go seemingly well. For Andrew, at least. Carina, no longer needing the sleeping pills and slowly beginning to ween herself from the pain medication for her leg, found herself dipping deeper and deeper into the darkness of her thoughts without a means to stop herself. She attempted to busy herself with work, and occupy her mind with friendly conversation with Natalia. She wanted to focus on that surprising new element in her life, after all, since her marriage laid in ruins and she doubted Sven would ever wish reconcile. He had made his stance quite clear... and that didn't help with the cruel whispers in her mind that came for her when she was alone.

Lorcan was also a good distraction, but she could only be with him for so long when she knew she had work to do, he had to sleep, or Sven had to spend time with him too. For the most part, the queen had made sure to keep to what the king wanted - removing herself from any situation regarding the private time of him and Lorcan, but also acting as the dutiful, caring wife whenever Andrew joined them for meals.

As it was the first time, it was surprisingly easy to play her part, simply because each gesture and gaze lingered with the truth of how she still felt for her estranged husband. With her leg healing, so did her soul, and as she reconsidered the events of that evening, Carina found herself more and more inclined to believe he had been telling the truth... that he truly didn't mean to hurt her.

However, all her emotion - from the overwhelmingly negative and frightening to the warm and fuzzy - remained unspoken about, with the queen continuing to bottle it all up, even from Natalia who, as the days went on, Carina distracted with talks of Andrew and questioning how the relationship was going with the young man. She could at least be happy for the other woman, despite missing the warmth and comfort of her own love.

Andrew, meanwhile, despite the nervous and rocky start within the palace stables, had done well for himself over the last few days. Once settled in to the schedule and ways in which things were done at the castle, Andrew even seemed to flourish in such familiar surroundings. He had breakfast and dinner with the king and queen, choosing to have lunch with those he worked with in the afternoon, and spent some of the evenings with Sven (and sometimes Carina or Natalia) in the sun parlour. He had met Lorcan, whom he had cradled so carefully and tenderly when he was allowed to hold his nephew, awe intertwined with anxiety as he feared making the babe cry.

But it was the one hour sessions with Natalia that he looked forward to the most. The young man having overcome his embarrassment the moment he realised that what Natalia had said was true and she truly had taught herself how to read and write. He still got red cheeked and flustered when his shaky letters were on show, but the woman was a fabulous teacher; patient beyond belief.

It only served to flame the crush Andrew found himself developing. With the two of them alone, together, in the depths of the library, he felt more confident to flirt more openly with the adviser. He enjoyed making her laugh, relished seeing her cheeks turn pink and began to love how his teasing would make her avert her gaze for the slightest moment before she looked back up at him. He could reach out and tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear and linger there for a breath with no one watching to make it awkward; he could purposefully graze his fingers over the back of her hand when reaching for some more paper or a new ink pot.

One afternoon, Andrew sat in the library with the adviser, some paper in front of him of things he had been practising just to show her. He often did, once he had gone to bed. Staying up with a candle next to his table to go over the words that she had helped him with earlier that day.

"I... got some news today." He began, wanting her to be the first to know - at least from him, he wouldn't be surprised if the king had already been told of the decision and in turn, she told by Sven, "I've... ah, I've been asked to stay on. In the stables, I mean. I've been offered a-- a position." Andrew was pleased, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Things seemed to be going so well, with both his relationship with Sven and (so he hoped) with Natalia, and he had slowly started to get nervous that he wouldn't get the job as Sven may have wished.

"I... I think I'm goin' to take it," Andrew watched Natalia curiously, hoping to gauge her reaction to his news, "That way I can... I can stay... here. An'... an' I was hopin' that, maybe, we can... see... more of one another." Clearing his throat softly, he straightened himself up and set his shoulders back, taking in a quiet breath to steel himself, "I'd like to... take you out. Like-- like on a date. A-a real date. Now I-I don't know where, but I... would you? Like to go on a... a date, with me, Natalia?"
 
As the days progressed, Sven had plenty of circumstances to enjoy; plenty of moments that would form fond memories to reflect upon in the future. From spending time getting to know his brother (and finding that he genuinely liked the company the man provided) to enjoying fatherhood more and more, there wasn't much, on the surface, that seemed to hold the potential to disrupt his mood much that week - especially when, following the doctor's orders, his injury had begun to heal and the pain of it starting to ebb.

Everything seemed to have gone swimmingly for him but the truth was more than what merely lingered on the surface. Below the depths, the King was struggling more and more with his paranoia, the taunting thoughts eating away at him and poisoning the happier moments with discomforting doubts.

His time with his son was tainted by the lack of Carina in the picture, completing the family moment - and he had nobody to blame for that but himself, his demand that she keep away having evidently been heeded. That didn't mean he didn't regret such venomous words when they had been spouted in a fit of anger, but retracting them now the damage had been done seemed redundant. He had no choice but to assume that his wife no longer wished to have anything to do with him, so why bother her with further apologies? Why risk intimidating her with his presence when he believed she was... fearful of him and, specifically, what he might accidentally do to harm her?

Even time with his brother had the overcast of unsettlement set upon it. He enjoyed their brotherly time together, connecting more than he thought they ever could, but it was ultimately diminished by having to also observe Andrew share friendly moments with Carina, his jealousy at seeing a man who had only been in her company a few days share such genuine interactions with her unarguably present. His growing friendliness with Natalia that had undoubtedly taken on that fond, romantic-interest aspect also irked the paranoid King, the fear he had of losing his friend only becoming more present within him the more time she spent with Andrew over him.

Though Natalia knew of Sven's discomfort, she couldn't deny herself a chance to be happy; not for him. Besides, when teaching and nurturing Andrew's penmanship had been the King's idea, she refused to feel guilty for taking his advice. It wasn't ideal that his marriage currently lay in ruins while her own potential for romance seemed to spark into life... but she wasn't prepared to put herself at a disadvantage and waive aside Andrew's interest in her just for Sven's benefit.

For once, she was prepared to follow what she desired and be a little selfish (even if Carina had undoubtedly helped her reach such a conclusion).

And what she had come to realise she desired was spending that time with Andrew - not only because she took great pride in teaching him, but because that time alone in his company, in such close proximity with him, was enjoyable. The gentle, fleeting brush of fingers, the stolen glances, the flirtatiously-charged words... all of it combined was something Natalia had grown to look forward to each day and she couldn't imagine giving it up just because Sven had deluded himself into thinking she was drifting away.

But there was a fear of Andrew doing so; of leaving by the end of the week to return to his home hours upon hours away down south, where letters sent to one another could hardly compete with the joy she felt at being in his presence. It concerned her that the bond she had allowed herself to encourage between them was close to being severed completely. Though she put on a smile and acting as though such a matter didn't bother her, of course it did - Andrew was one of the only people she had allowed a romantic interest in to blossom. She didn't want that budding connection to be cut and left to dwindle; for her to regret just what might have been.

It was why his admission, being everything she had longed to hear when it quashed each and every one of her worries, was responded to with such unsubtle delight. She had made her interest in him known, but hadn't allowed herself to grow carried away in expression it; subtleties and hints had been her preferred method - it was what she felt most comfortable with until she got to know him a little better, and served as a defence mechanism (not letting him fully in meant lessening the chance of an upset she might feel if he was to leave once the week concluded).

But she couldn't maintain that neutrality when hearing the words she had quietly prayed for, her smile breaking the quiet contemplativeness that had resided there before it. She bit her lip to try and at least pull back the extent of her enthusiasm, but it was more or less impossible to do so when there was nothing to stop them from possibly taking things to the next step - he wasn't going to leave and disrupt the progress they were making together, after all.

As his offer of a date proved. The quiet, almost shy stammering, words falling over one another in what appeared to also be nervousness, didn't embarrass her. She found it remarkably sweet, to see that he clearly cared a great deal about taking her out and confirming his interest in her.

She would be remiss not to do the same.

"...Of course, I would very much like that, Andrew. In fact, there is nothing I... I would like more than to go on a date with you," she finally admitted as she smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, aware that her cheeks had inevitably grown rosy at the indication that she felt romantically inclined towards him too - but she also failed to care too much about it this time.

"I don't think I have ever been asked on a date before," she confessed with a quiet laugh, her eyes averting to the table. "So I'm no expert, but... whatever it is you plan for us, I'm sure I'll enjoy every second of it. I... well, I find that I find your company enjoyable, so it wouldn't matter where we go. As long as you're there with me, Andrew."
 
Natalia's confirmation came as a massive relief to the young man, who had been a wreck over attempting to figure out how best to vocalise his interest to the woman. Of course, his actions spoke louder than his unspoken words, since while he was like his brother in many ways, Andrew also didn't want to overwhelm Natalia and only driver her away if he had, in fact, misread the situation himself. Like a typical Ignisian, he wore his emotions freely and openly (sometimes to his own annoyance), and knew he would have to try his best to keep his disappointment from showing if she declined.

However, that wasn't the case.

A broad smile soon occupied his expression, lighting up his face from that nervous, timid demeanour he sported only a few breaths ago. If her words weren't enough, her faint blush and bashful aversion of her eyes also spoke volumes to him, leaving his heart to thunder wildly in his chest. Of course he had hoped she would feel some way towards him in the short time they had had together, but there had always been some level of doubt in the back of his mind.

She was the adviser to the king, after all, and in the eyes of many, he was just some lowly stablehand that - for some unknown reason - was receiving special attention from the royals. He wasn't worthy of her time or her attention... yet she had just agreed to go out on a date with him, and confessed to enjoying his company.

"...Well... well that's a relief." He laughed softly, the noise rather disbelieving in sound as he continued to accept that she was as interested in him as he was in her.

When her eyes continued to remain on the table, Andrew hesitated before shifting his seat to a more open position towards her, facing her better. He then reached out to gently place his forefinger under her chin, thumb resting just to the side underneath too, to tilt her head up so he could see her eyes. As soon as their gazes met, his smile turned softer, even fonder, as he simply held them both there for a moment. There was an overwhelming urge to kiss the adviser in that moment; the fire was crackling in the distance, the proximity was suffocating, and he could just catch the faint scent of her perfume. Yet, Andrew controlled himself, not wishing to move things too quickly but knowing he owed Natalia more than a stolen kiss over his scribbled letters.

"I... if you'd be happy to too... after our date," he began instead, a little more confidently than before, "I'd be honoured to escort you to the masquerade on Wednesday. You don't have to accept now-- wait until... wait until after our date to give me your answer. I wouldn't want you to accept an' then regret it after a date with me." He chuckled, lowering his hand from her chin and, after a momentary contemplation, dared to rest it over her own, "But... but just know I'd... consider myself the luckiest man in the room if you... if you allowed me the honour of accompanyin' you to the ball."
 
The advisor almost wanted to pinch herself because none of it -from the tender words spoken in such an intimate moment to the compassionate tilt of her chin- made any sense to her. It couldn't; not when she had never experienced someone harbour such a genuine interest in her. It was romantic, the way his eyes shone as he looked at her and the gentleness of his hand over hers, and she had never been fortunate enough to have someone ever express themselves in such a way with her.

She had been on the other end of flirtation, but it had always been coarse and unwelcoming, slurred by drunkards at the local tavern she liked to attend now and then - though she might have reached a high status within the castle's walls, she would never forget or ignore her roots; she was a village girl and she refused to separate herself entirely from that background, however incongruous it might be to her occupation.

Even when she had fallen head-over-heels in love with Sven in their younger days, that was hardly romantic. On her part, it was - but he had displayed none of the love she had devoted to him. His interest in her had been purely sexual; a means of entertaining himself for a few hours. She could recognise it now (and had forgiven him for his behaviour), however saddened it had made her to realise that the love she had deceived herself into believing had existed had, in fact, been purely one-sided.

While it was far too early to declare that she loved Andrew (and thus hardly expected the confession from him any time soon either), there were signs of that romance she had always longed to feel and be showered with.

How could she not be excited at the prospect that, at long last, she had found a gentleman who would treat her the way she ought to be treated?

"I would love to attend the masquerade with you, I have no need to wait until after our date to accept. I reassure you, even if we have the most disastrous date possible, I would like to go to the dance with you. Though I ought to warn you that I really do have two left feet when it comes to dancing; perhaps you'd like to spare yourself the pain of me stepping on your toes all night and take someone else. Probably best for your health, Andrew," the woman eventually responded as she did her best to ignore the fluttering of her heart within her chest, the sensation only growing more powerful at their close proximity. The urge to kiss him had, similarly, grown strong within her though she too decided not to make that move - however romantically intimate the setting was, she didn't want to rush things too much and overwhelm the other.

What they were starting to develop together held so much promise; she didn't wish to jeopardise it in any way.

Her playful teasing wasn't uncharacteristic of her, however stern she might appear to be to most people. Beneath that professionalism adopted during working hours, she was perfectly capable of letting loose and having fun - it just took her time; to develop trust with someone before she let them in past her walls.

"...But if you think you can manage the inevitable pain I'll cause you, then nothing would please me more than attending the ball at your side. I... think that sounds wonderful, in fact."
 
"Well, perhaps we will be in competition with one another, Miss Bauer, because I'm bloody hopeless at dancin' myself," he grinned, perking up at the prospect of both a date and the chance to escort Natalia to the ball the following week. He had hoped and hoped that she would say yes, but never did he actually expect her to.

With the lessons he had been receiving from Sven about controlling his flames, Andrew was certain that he would now be able to strike up a romantic relationship without the fear of hurting the one he had chosen to get close with. That one being Natalia. Of course it would also help that the woman knew he could control the element, but that was no excuse for any accidental mishaps. The idea of inflicting that sort of damage on anyone, accidental or not, made him cringe with guilt and mortification.

The flames that burned within his veins had been the whole reason why he had taken a step back from having, and maintaining, a love life. It wasn't as though he hadn't had interest, or been interested in others, himself. There had been plenty of occasions where the young man could have seen where things went, taken women out on dates. But he had always declined and shielded his interest purely for the sake of protection.

Not to mention, if someone else outside of him and his Ma knew about his flames, how quick would it be for people to start asking questions of who his real father was?

"Besides, any amount of pain would be worth goin' through just for a single night with you." He added, raising her hand to his lips to press them softly against her knuckles. Soon after though, he lowered her hand back to the table and reluctantly released it. Not that he wanted to, but he also knew that he had to steady himself, and continue being the gentleman he knew she deserved to have.

With the grin melting into a smile, Andrew shifted around in his seat to become comfortable once more, "I'll, uh, I'll organise our date-- is there... is there anywhere you'd rather not... go? I-- I don't know the area well, but I can find things out. But if there's places you'd rather not go or see then... then I'd like to know. I don't wanna be makin' you uncomfortable. Even if you said you'll go with me to the ball despite a bad first date, I'd rather not push my luck." He teased.
 
"You really do possess the old Ignisi charm, don't you? Regardless of the many flaws the former King and his ancestors had, they were always capable of putting on the charm - it's certainly more appealing coming from someone who, unlike them, is a genuinely sweet person beneath it. I-- ah-- right, the date. Yes. No, you're free to take me wherever you'd like," she quickly clarified once becoming aware of how she had inadvertently run off on a tangent complimenting the man in front of her - though admittedly (and inevitably), the kiss to her knuckles had rendered her momentarily speechless too. She wanted to bask in the intimacy of it, allow the moment to run through her mind time and time again.

It was, after all, a memory she would call back upon with great fondness. No matter how things transpired with Andrew, whether they moved on to greater things together or not, the moment of affection was something she would regard dearly for the rest of her days. The gentleness of it was something she had never experienced before, nor the romantic overtones which had been considerably lacking in every flirtatious interaction she receive from a man.

It was hard not to lean in, to fully capitalise on the moment - but a first kiss at their first date, or at the masquerade, would perhaps be far more special.

"I mean, the tavern can be awfully lively and I can't profess to always enjoy my time there, but I wouldn't say even that is off-limits. It might be nice to head for a drink to finish our date off. I... don't drink often because I'm always at work, but I'm no stranger to enjoying a pint or two. I suppose my profession and my formal demeanour here... overshadows the fact I'm just a normal girl from the village, doesn't it?" She continued with an amused smile, not needing to point out how juxtaposed her life in the castle was to her life outside it. When she had that free time on her hands (when she really couldn't find anything else to do to busy herself in the castle), then she was no stranger to venturing down to the markets in the village and falling back into that lifestyle - she might have moved on to bigger and better things, but she hadn't left it in her past.

If anything, keeping those ties to the village, maintaining those interactions with the folks she had grown up around, kept her grounded; prevented her getting ideas above her station and acting superiorly.

She wasn't going to turn her nose up at the idea of the tavern or any other establishment in the kingdom when these were places she cherished; places that gave her a slither of normalcy outside of the castle and the immense privilege of the royals occupying it.

"All that to say, I'm happy wherever you wish to whisk me off to, Andrew. We can enjoy a peaceful day walking around the kingdom, or something more lively, sharing a few drinks and a spot of dinner in the tavern. Either way, I have no qualms in what you decide to treat me to; I'm just... astounded you... seem fond of my company. Not many men do."
 
With no definitive place of choice from Natalia, but also no list of places she wished to avoid, Andrew found himself immediately at a loss on where to take the woman for their date. He had had no cause in the past to visit the capital, and therefore did not know much about the town and village that awaited them outside the castle. However, instead of showing his worry, Andrew kept his smile bright on his face. Perhaps he could ask Sven, or Carina, or both when he had dinner with them later that evening.

He didn't expect either of them to really visit the local taverns or markets, but surely they would have knowledge about the local area that he did not.

His concerns about finding the best place to take his date kept him from not really acknowledging or responding to her compliment of being a charmer. Not that he really considered himself to be one, instead just knowing that he was really just trying to win over a woman that he wanted to see more of, hoping she wanted the same in return.

While Natalia had provided a few ideas of what they could do, he wasn't entirely certain just what he believed would be a good idea. A peaceful walk could be nice, but he also didn't want there to be so much peace that Natalia found it - or him! - boring. Then there was the potential of dinner and a few drinks at the tavern. He frequently avoided too much time in such places because of the lack of control on his flames. However, he knew there was not much left for them to do.

Was this what it was like trying to figure out date activities?!

"I'll think of somethin' worthy, don't you worry." He answered, trying to maintain, and hide, how pleased he was that the other had accepted his invitation of a date. He then chuckled, shaking his head in amusement at her words, "Now I don't believe that for a second," he teased in response, "I reckon all them lot are just intimidated by your strength... instead it just draws me to ya like an annoyin' moth to a flame."
 
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Though she was unaware of the difficult situation she may have inadvertently placed him in by remaining carefree regarding a date, there was also the fact she wouldn't have given the man much of an answer even if she was aware. She didn't want to bring her professional, work-mindset into the scenario of a date; take over the planning entirely and leave no room for Andrew. There was a reason she was so good at what she did in the castle - she dedicated herself to her work with unsubtle intensity, working hours upon hours every day without fail until her aims had been accomplished.

For once, she had no desire to bring that intensity to the forefront of her being. As much as it was who she was, she wanted to set that side of her aside for once; to focus instead on enjoying a date where her more playful and relaxed characteristics had time in the spotlight; time to be acknowledged and appreciated.

Taking over the planning of the date now would inevitably ruin the actual experience for her - she would be concerned with ensuring every detail she had planned went as smoothly as possible, overanalysing each specific moment to make sure Andrew was enjoying the fruits of her labour.

It might cause Andrew a little anxiety now, but going into the date oblivious to what he had planned was personally better for her - she could enjoy the day, each experience a surprise rather than something she had planned and inevitably ended up scrutinising.

"Oh, stop - men are not intimidated by my strength. I would find it quite flattering but I wouldn't say I'm all that strong. We all have our vulnerabilities, don't we? I suppose I'm just good at... putting on a brave face, prioritising my work," she laughed, resting her hands on her knees to avoid the urge to reach across and let one rest tenderly on his cheek - that embrace would inevitably lead towards a kiss and she had already determined that such an open expression of her feelings might not be appropriate so soon on.

At their date, or at the masquerade; definitely. But not now.

"No matter what the reason is, I think everything happens for a reason, doesn't it? There was a reason that other men, ones I may have held an interest in, have not... become anything more to me. If they had, you and I wouldn't be preparing for this date together. I wouldn't have the chance to attend my first masquerade ball at your side. I think... everything's worked out favourably for me, overall."
 
"I think you're bein' hard on yourself. I've known you all but a few days an' I'd say, apart from my Ma, you're the strongest woman I know. From what I've heard you say about yourself an' whatnot-- you got yourself to where you are now. That takes guts, strong-will and hard work. I... I admire that. I admire that a lot."

Andrew smiled at the adviser, hoping that his words were still the right ones to say. Not that he was attempting to win Natalia over, everything he said was sincere and genuine, but he was still anxious about inadvertently offending the woman. It wasn't as if he had a lot of time or experience chatting women up, since he tended to avoid getting into romantic relationships.

"An' if you've been puttin' on a brave face... I think that makes you even stronger than you realise. It... it takes a lot of strength to feel pain an' mask it to pretend all is well an' carry on as before with a smile." He then added softly, reaching out for his quill in order to give his hands something to do. If he didn't have that, he was certain he would have reached out for her hand again. Or perhaps to cradle her cheek. Or maybe to place a hand on the back of her neck and draw her in closer...

No. No, Andrew, none of that.

Behave. He had to behave.

He couldn't help it at her last comment, however, his eyes moving from his quill to her features to study them as she spoke. The smile lingered on his lips, continuing to draw up the corners of his mouth to provide that gentle, warm expression. "An' ain't I lucky just how well s'all worked out for me too, then?" He murmured, allowing his gaze to draw over her face again, eager to drink in every detail on offer in the library light and in the privacy at being able to look at the adviser for such a length of time.

Reluctantly, Andrew cleared his throat and adverted his gaze back onto his paper, tapping at it with the feathered end of his quill, "Right, then. Uh... I guess... I guess we ought to get back to this. Before I... Before I go makin'a bigger fool of myself than I probably 'ave an' cause you to realise what a fool you are for agreein' to go on a date with me." He chuckled, freeing a hand to rub the back of his neck.
 
Natalia wasn't immune to appreciating a compliment or two. They were very rarely offered to her so her responses to Andrew's tendency to bestow her with such kind words had always inevitably been rather awkward and bashful, but never unappreciative or dismissive. The few compliments she had received in recent years, however, didn't hold a candle to the ones that this man was able to provide her with, and nothing would possibly mean more to her than being called 'strong'. Comments on her beauty naturally warmed her cheeks but comments regarding her character, who she was at her core beyond her looks, was what warmed her heart.

She had always striven to be a strong person; to take on all that had been thrown to her in her life with grace and determination, never allowing any of it to slow down the progress she had always been certain of making. It took a strong person to rise from the start to life she had had; to make it into the Ignisian castle and rise through the ranks to the position she now held.

Of course, she had started to doubt her rise to power and influence within the castle, worrying that it might have had less to do with her determination to succeed and more to do with Sven's desire for sex from her, her reward of an advisor simply a way of him having constant access to her company. On reflection, she knew it had probably played a part - but she also knew that she had made the job her own regardless; that she had the determination and strength of mind to run things behind the scenes diligently.

To have that strength recognised by someone she was growing more and more fond of by the passing day was the greatest compliment she could ever think of receiving, and it took a display of that inner strength not to simply pull the man into a passionate kiss. She was happy to set aside her ladylike professionalism for him in that moment, that being evidence to really emphasise just how genuine she saw their connection to be... but she fought back the urge, instead retaining her polished appearance and nodding quietly to him in answer.

"Yes, I... suppose we ought to focus and not get quite so distracted. I fear my work in this castle may suffer if you continue distracting me, Andrew. I... am a strong woman, but I am also human; infallible. And you are so very distracting to me, I have to admit," she teased lightly as her blue eyes, pooled with that amusement, locked on his. The spark of attraction hit her harder than she thought it would, reigniting those desires she had to press her lips against his, but she once again fought it back and set her eyes on the page in front of him.

"Let's get back to it. Write out a line or two from that book for me; we'll see what needs to be worked on the most that way."
 
He couldn't help but grin at her words about distracting her, immediately buzzing at such banter and teasing from the woman that had intrigued him the moment he had that time alone in the hall with her. And when her eyes locked onto his... it felt like there was something electric there, crackling between them and making it very difficult to ignore. The young man held onto those blue orbs for as long as he was able, allowing himself to become lost in them until she inevitably looked away again.

"If I'm distractin' to you, then I have no idea just how to describe what you are to me, Miss Bauer." Andrew murmured, unable to help himself as he continued to look upon the adviser long after she had turned her attention back to the papers.

Clearing his throat, Andrew tore his gaze away and focused back onto his work himself. Although it was harder to concentrate on this occasion, knowing he had a date to plan and a ball to attend with a woman he could only hope he would continue to court after the two events were over.


After their lesson, and Andrew had returned to his work in the stables, Carina walked the halls in search of the adviser. Responses to their invitations for the masquerade were coming in thick and fast already, and in her attempt to help take work from Sven and lessen his stress, Carina had volunteered to plan the festivities. Of course she understood that Natalia would run the plans under the nose of her estranged husband before anything was signed off, but at least it was one less thing for him to concern himself with.

Her ankle no longer made her limp and needed less bandaging, but it was still a reminder of just how low things had gotten between her and Sven. It served to be a constant memory not of what Sven had done, but of what she had done, to the both of them.

That extra guilt, layered upon bricks of shame and self-accusation and self-condemnation, only festered away within Carina. Not that she ever allowed it to show, keeping such dark thoughts harboured away. In her mind, Natalia already had Sven to worry about... the poor adviser didn't need another royal to worry about. Especially when things were turning out so positive with Andrew.

Carina's momentary relief came in the form of punishing herself, as her mind whispered she deserved to be. The small, shallow cuts were made in places that wouldn't be visible, even to her maid who helped her dress and who now, since Carina's habit took hold, no longer helped her bathe. Even when her ankle was still bad and incapable of much weight.

The habit, of course, added further guilt as she knew it wasn't something she ought to do. The brief respite it brought from the nasty voices only lasted a few moments, until she imagined the disappointment that would only come to cross Sven and Natalia's faces if they ever found out.

Exhaling heavily, Carina forced herself to focus on the papers in her hand: the most recent plans for the masquerade - who would be staying the night, and in which rooms. They would need to come to Sven's attention, and while she felt bad for making the adviser the middle man, Carina wasn't certain just how the man felt to her in the recent days and believed avoidance was the best policy, since she didn't want another recap of his stitches bursting.
 
Though her work was undoubtedly one of the greatest passions in Natalia's life, she was, for once, rather reluctant to throw herself back into the duties that required her attention that afternoon - not when she much preferred to just sit back in the library, dwelling on the flirtatiously complimentary nature of her and Andrew's interactions.

And that wasn't even taking into account the instances of subtle affection that had occurred, nor the sparks that ignited whenever their eyes met.

It was easily the most intense, desirous moment she had experienced thus far in her life, so how could she recover so quickly from such a wonderful exchange to focus entirely on her work?

It didn't matter what she preferred, nor her inability to rid her mind of Andrew's smile in spite of the crimson blush that continuously flooded her cheeks afterwards - the importance of her work had never been so apparent when the King was taking it easy. Now Sven had taken the doctor's advice seriously, he had opted to reside in his bed more often in order to recuperate and rest - as he undoubtedly had a right to do. That left more work to be taken on by Natalia who had to ferry around documents from the office up to wherever Sven was resting in order to get his final stamp of approval.

It was an unfortunate set of circumstances she took to reluctantly, but she also understood the necessity of it - just because Sven was currently taking a break from his workload, he still needed to be involved; still had that desire to now what was happening in his kingdom even if he trusted his wife and Natalia to undergo the work without his presence.

And so, knowing of the work that awaited her, Natalia did her best to compose herself as she made her way through to the office and patiently took to her usual seat in waiting for Carina to arrive.

"Carina," she greeted with a quick nod, her smile widening a little in the familiarity that she had now built up with a woman she could call a friend (after all they had been through, establishing a friendship so soon on wasn't surprising). The expression didn't falter even as she determined that the other wasn't quite as cheerful as Natalia herself was... but feeling that she was perhaps overthinking it, the advisor opted not to draw attention to the indeterminable emotion she witnessed in the Queen's eyes.

"...I assume we have quite a lot to get through today then?" She continued with another nod towards the papers in the other's arms. "Let's get on with it then, no point in delaying a second further, no?"
 
"Natalia." Carina acknowledge the other, instantly brightening her expression with a smile. It was a typical cycle that she went through, with the horrid whispers becoming quieter when in the presence of her new friend, or Andrew - whom she was becoming friendlier with too - and in turn the pressure that seemed to be constantly sat on her chest easing. However, such moments were fleeting with the adviser being stretched in all manner of different ways. With helping Sven, teaching Andrew, seeing to the daily running of the palace and then also seeing Carina.

The young queen felt awful for Natalia at times, with the amount of work she had to be doing and the way she ran around for all of them, to a point where she was trying to figure out ways in which she could repay the woman. But with Natalia really being the only one in which she felt she could discuss such ideas with, it wasn't possible to figure out just what she could do.

"No, no point delaying. I'm sure you're as busy as ever so I don't want to occupy too much of your time today." Carina answered, but instead of moving to the desk, she choose this time to sit at the sofa, "Come join me here, we can both see the documents this way and I can make notes as we go along." She requested, beckoning the adviser over.

After laying out the sheets of paper with a plan of the castle and the lists of sleeping arrangements below it, Carina paused to look up at the other woman. A pinkness continued to tinge Natalia's cheeks, and while Carina could assume she was just warm... the woman was Ignisian, and she was also aware that Natalia had just spent time with Andrew.

A flicker of amusement danced within her eyes as she studied the adviser, leaning back in her seat for a brief moment as she contemplated saying anything at all. In the end, the chance to focus on something happy and positive was too great to ignore and Carina, wanting to escape from her struggles for even the briefest of moments, couldn't help herself in saying something.

"So... good lesson with Andrew?"
 
The informality of doing important work for the kingdom on the couch would have horrified Natalia as recent as a few weeks ago. Though the office itself provided privacy away from the servants of the castle that had proven themselves to be proficient in the art of gossiping, there still ran the risk of them knocking and entering too quickly for the advisor to spare herself the rumours her casualness with the royals would provoke.

When those she worked amongst seemed to seek out any reason to try and tear her down, it was best not to provide them with anything to use against her. She understood her behaviour might not have won her friends in the past; that her closeness with Sven and their romance (if it could even be called that) had caused animosity to grow amongst her peers, but they also seemed to refuse to accept the fact she had mellowed since abandoning those actions with the King.

That she had grown into herself more once that particular connection had severed, and that whilst she was still severe and strict with her prioritisation of her work and duties, she had changed a great deal.

But when they preferred not to recognise such changes, she knew it was best to just put up with the gossiping nature and give them as little to work with as possible.

However, after a moment of consideration, she decided it was worth risking in this instance. Her time with Carina had been cut ever shorter as a result of her responsibilities around the castle and she had found herself rather missing their time together, where work was intertwined with moments of casual chat that Natalia had rather grown to cherish - having someone to confide in, who actively listened to her, was more valuable than she ever thought it to be.

Maintaining her friendship, one she had come to care for a great deal, was important to her, and though servants may gossip about her 'sucking up' to the royals (or whatever else they had decided to be true), it was worth it.

She had only just settled onto the couch when she noticed that faint glint in Carina's eyes, her brow furrowing in confusion over its existence... until the reason made itself known.

"Oh, Andrew? He's... a quick learner and I enjoy teaching him so... yes, they're going swimmingly, really. I'm rather liking them. He's making good progress too, which is, of course, the main thing," she answered with apparent suddenness, as though the remark had been planned in advance... which it had. As deeply as she cherished these moments of casual chatter, it wasn't in Natalia's nature to openly reveal her private business to the world - or even to someone she considered one of her only friends.

And when what she had with Andrew was so special to her, she had even more of a reason to keep it close to her chest.

But she trusted Carina and knew part of being friends meant being open with one another; giving an insight into one another's lives.

"...Well, he... he did also ask me out on a date and inquired whether I would like to join him at the masquerade, which... I agreed to. He, ah... really is quite a remarkable man," she finally divulged, though kept her eyes focused down on the several papers set out on the coffee table in front of her. "There seems to be... chemistry between us which I'm-- glad he recognises too or I'd be mortified that I held feelings he didn't, but... ah, yes, it's... it's new and I haven't really... had feelings like before, but... I think I really like him, Carina."
 
"He... Natalia, that's great!" Carina turned to better face her friend, watching her closely as she didn't want to make the adviser uncomfortable. Carina knew that the woman enjoyed a more private life, and really was rather surprised that such information had been divulged. She had teased Natalia about the closeness she could see developing between the two, but never took anything too far, not wanting to annoy or upset her. It was often like trying to draw blood from a stone when it came to trying to find out how the woman felt towards the king's brother and Carina also knew not to push. So to be told about the date and the request to join Natalia at the ball... Carina was mildly surprised.

However, it then allowed her to realise what she could do to show her gratitude towards Natalia and what she could potentially do for the other woman as a thank you for all her hard work.

"Well, that settles it then." She smiled warmly to the other, "After work today, find him and tell him that you have the whole day free for that date-- now, don't argue. I insist. You've been working hard and I've been meaning to find a way to thank you for all your help. Honestly, take the full day off. Have a fun time, relax and unwind. I'm sure we'll be able to survive a day without you running around. I'm sure... Sven and I can be mature enough without you being our middle man."

Carina was aware that it would probably take some convincing to have Natalia take the full day off like she wanted the other woman to do, however she was fully prepared to keep battling until the adviser conceded. With her own marriage in tatters and Sven, seemingly, uninterested in ever having anything to do with her again, the best Carina could do now was focus on making sure other people had the happiness she ruined for herself.

She was miserable, but she would fight to make sure others were happy.

"And we'll both get our dresses for the ball sorted together-- perhaps your mother would be willing? We'll both be needing new gowns of the latest fashion for this event."
 
Admittedly, revealing how she truly felt about Andrew and the progress they seemed to be making regarding their shared interest in one another was a weight off the advisor's chest. She didn't necessarily want to start gushing to all who could hear, not when what she had with Andrew was so new and special to her, but she also knew keeping it to herself wasn't ideal either. She wanted to tell someone; to be able to bask in the happiness that she had welcomed into her life and discuss her developing feelings openly and honestly, rather than keep it all to herself and end up overthinking or overanalysing matters.

Never having really had a friend to talk to in such a way, it was another new experience that Natalia was having to get her head around... but she wasn't inclined to retreat and simply withdraw from the progress she was making; not when she actively enjoyed Carina's presence and having their friendship grow from strength to strength.

Just because it was new territory for her didn't mean she was going to avoid engaging in it. She knew she had to learn to be a little more transparent, but that came with the benefit of strengthening a friendship that had come to mean quite a great deal to her - and when it also helped to clear her mind of thoughts she would have only dwelt on for an unfathomably (and unhelpfully) long time, there were obvious benefits to her state of mind to come from just... opening up and trusting in someone to listen to hear.

Though the depth of her friendship with Carina didn't mean she was inclined to agree with everything the Queen proposed, her expression marring with horror and immediate disagreement once the comments sunk in.

"Oh, I couldn't-- I can't take the day off, Carina, there's so much work to do and... and I've already stepped away from the kingdom's business to help Andrew. I can't possibly spread my time thinner by... going on a date and wasting the entire day when I could be helping you get through all of this," she hurriedly stated with a brandished hand gesturing towards the papers for emphasis, her brows furrowing further in her distress. She didn't want to have to abandon the work that Carina evidently desired to get done that day, not when she already felt guilty about not being present to help her as much as she ordinarily would have been... so the day being sacrificed in favour of something s selfish as a date out with the man she had feelings for just didn't feel appropriate.

Especially when she felt it just emphasised her budding romance, in contrast to Carina whose marriage was hovering unsettlingly in some vague, undetermined space, neither back on track nor lying completely in ruins.

"Really, Carina, I-- I couldn't," she attempted once again, her hands coming to settle on her knees with back straightening as if to mentally strengthen herself from caving in and going on the date which, admittedly, she was rather eager to do. "...You need me, and we've barely been able to interact as of late. I would feel far too guilty traipsing off on a date and leaving you here with all this work. I... have a duty to you and to the kingdom; Andrew understands that. He's... rather good like that, he knows how important my work -and my friendship and loyalty to you- is."
 
Knowing that there was a possibility that the adviser would argue back about taking a day off, Carina was already prepared for the push back. She knew that Natalia was loyal to the crown, and her work, and that the woman would always put her duty first. But it was for that exact reason why Carina wanted her new friend to take the day off. She knew what it was like to tirelessly put duty above all else, and she wanted Natalia to have a break from that feeling from time to time. At least, for the adviser, it was a job, a career. For Carina it was a lifestyle, and one she saw no way out of.

Admittedly she had been looking, recently. The damaging thoughts, and damaging acts upon herself, causing her to question whether her hanging around was really the best for everyone. Sven had said she could leave if she wished... sometimes she wondered how true that was.

"Natalia... I'm not saying have it off today," she reassured the woman, taking a moment to settle back into the seat, still partially turned to her friend, "We can get all this done today, there are still a few hours before dinner and even then I can stay on... the boys have each other for company," she pointed out, propping her head up by her fist, elbow resting on the back of the sofa, "Andrew has the Sunday off - his new boss told me. I caught him on his way out of the kitchens, I heard Andrew has the role, by the way. You must be pleased."

Carina continued to maintain her smile, genuinely pleased for her friend and for the other young man. She would be lying if she said she saw the match coming, but she was immensely happy that such a connection had been made. She was glad that Natalia was making the effort to open herself up to more people, and wanted the best for the woman. Their differences and fraught past had been long put behind them. It was time for them both to be content with their lives.

Even if Carina was only pretending with hers.

"We can spare you a day, Natalia. Honestly, I would like you to take some time out for yourself for once. It's important, otherwise you'll end up stir crazy in here and wishing you were rid of us," she chuckled, "I can... fetch Sven things he needs if he requests them, some walking will do me good. Everything will be fine, I promise you. And... and if not... then you can say 'I told you so'." She teased.

However, she watched the adviser carefully, knowing that the convincing part would be difficult, "I promise you, I can handle organising some of the details of this ball just fine on my own. We still have a few days left until then, plus we have the rest of today and tomorrow to work together. I know we've... not spent as much time together as we'd like to, but once this is all done, we shall. I'll even put it into both of our schedules - afternoon tea in the sun parlour, how does that sound? Perhaps after the ball, and then you can tell me all about the date and the ball in one catch up afternoon."

Carina finally reached out to rest a hand on Natalia's, the mischievous grin melting into a softer, more sincere smile, "You deserve some time to focus on you. We're running you ragged and a day out will do you good. Just... take the day and enjoy yourself, yes?"
 
Natalia's countenance remained troubled in spite of the reassurance being offered to her. It didn't particularly matter whether she had the current day off or another in the future - she would continue to feel guilty for it if it ate into a day she was required to work. Being granted a day off to indulge in a date with Andrew just didn't make much sense to her, not when she could simply wait around for her holidays to roll around; days where she could enjoy a day out with Andrew without her mind becoming overrun with realisations that she ought to be at the office, helping Carina and Sven in the work that came with the running of the kingdom.

And with Andrew remaining in Ignis, there was no rush to head off on the first date together. He knew how important her job was to her, so she imagined he wouldn't be too perturbed if that date had to be postponed for a little while (or she hoped he wouldn't be, at least). Of course she wanted that date as soon as possible, to capitalise on their burgeoning romance and allow it to grow naturally without periods of work disruptions interrupting their flow... but it didn't feel feasible when she really wasn't too keen on taking a day out of her work schedule for it.

She dedicated herself to her responsibilities and was quite happy to do so when work had brought so much enjoyment and meaning into her life... but that had been when she had nothing else to bring her happiness; when work was the only constant keeping her going, motivating her. Now she had friendships and a possible relationship to occupy her time, she new clinging so intensely to her work might not be as necessary as it once was.

"I would never wish to be rid of you all, that's... no, that would never happen," she smiled reassuringly, feeling it necessary to make that clear despite knowing the words were playful and far from serious. Yet, if she was going to be open and transparent with Carina, it didn't hurt to emphasise just how fond of the woman she had become in their time fully interacting with one another.

It still stunned her to look back on the animosity and hatred she had once regarded the woman with when now, in the present, she looked to Carina and could honestly claim that she was a friend; someone she wholeheartedly trusted to have her back and... look out for her best interests.

And if she perceived her best interest to be taking time off to enjoy Andrew's company, there really was no point in continuing to stubbornly reject her.

"Fine, fine, I... can organise the date for tomorrow, to give Andrew some time to figure out what we'll be doing. And it'll give me time to help you with this mountain of work today. I still don't feel content in leaving you to this work alone, not when Sven is still not fully recovered and kept lend a hand, but I know better than to bicker with you. You have the trump card of being my Queen to pull out, don't you? I can't really say no in that instance," she teased quietly, her other hand moving on top of Carina's to offer it a light, gentle squeeze in gratitude for her consideration; Natalia couldn't really think of a time where someone (her family not included) had cared this much about her pursuing something that made her happy.

"...A little catch-up in the parlour after all of this sounds divine, though I can't promise to divulge any juicy details to you. Andrew and I seem to be taking things... slow. I... honestly thought he would kiss me in the library but we both seemed to have silently agreed not to rush things, which I... I think is wonderful," she continued as she returned her gaze to the paper now in her hand, even if the words blurred in her inability to focus. "...Saying that, I do wish he had kissed me. The moment was perfect, our eyes locked and there was such a spark between us-- ah, I-I don't want to, uh... bore you, Carina. I'm afraid this romance I may have going on won't be at all interesting."
 
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