Royal Pain

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Underdog, #2B3856
As the game wore on, even Vale could see that Audrey was struggling, and the smugged older gentleman was having the upperhand. Audrey didn't have many pieces left, and to Vale it didn't seem like she could win, Arthur holding more pieces than she did at the moment. He began to grow worried, glancing over at the pouch resting on the table, fearing that it might very well land in Arthur's pocket. But even if he did lose it, it wouldn't have been a complete loss, and he wouldn't hold Audrey in account for it. He would be very disappointed and perhaps a little depressed for a while, but he would get over it and move on. It was just an object, and held nasty memories anyway, that it was probably best that he would lose it.

He shook his head. No. He believed in Audrey, knew that she had many tricks of her sleeves, and she wouldn't go down without a fight. She was skilled in this game and wouldn't dare let anyone take something that belonged to Vale, that much he knew, which was why he betted it. He knew it would bring out her fighting spirit and resolve her to not to lose, igniting the fire within her soul and determined to win no matter what. He had the upmost confidence that she could beat this guy, so had no worries of betting something so important, knowing he would get it back.

But that didn't stop his hear from racing and a trail of sweat running down the back of his neck as he watched the game, and he saw Audrey make a bold move of moving her rook and immediately lost it, and Vale had to keep from gasping and staring at her in horror. Why would she make such a move and lose yet another valuable piece, but also leave her king open? He thought it was over then, but he forced himself to stop, his eyes moving over the board and tried to make sense of it. There had to be some kind of clever plan she had, but what? But then he saw it, just a second before she moved her next piece, and her words were like music to his ears.

"Check."

He saw Arthur look at the board with surprise, his eyes scanning for a way out for his king, but it was pointless. Even Vale saw that. Arthur finally gave in and knocked his king over in defeat, and Vale broke out into a wide smile and fist pumped in the air, resisting the urge to cheer and dance. Perhaps chess could be pretty exciting after all.

"I'll take that." He said, swiping his pouch and placed it back around his neck where it belonged. "And that." He added as he picked up the watch.


He rested it on the palm of his hand, admiring the surface as he traced his thumb over it, feeling the rose design on top of it. He clicked it open, the face nice and polished and far fancier than anything he owned, watching the hand tick away. So it belonged to a beggar's father, eh? He gave a silent thanks to said beggar and his father, promising to take care of such a treasure, and closed the lid shot. It was then that he caught Audrey's look though, but he could only grin at her and give an innocent shrug, lifting his ale to her before taking a victory drink.

He knew she had it. He knew she had it all along.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Audrey huffed shortly out of her nose. Vale was being so confident, but she saw the sweat and fear rising up from his chest. He was really worried that she'd lost his piece once and for all, and after having just found out about it. She panicked. It had thrown off her game in some ways though she wouldn't admit it in front of Arthur without some further shame. She'd won by a hair, all because of Vale.

"Thank you for the game." Audrey bowed her head politely and stood. The wooden chair scraped audibly against the floor, and more eyes were on her again. Rain made the quiet seem like a hum, drops falling more harshly than before. One glance out the window showed that it was coming down in clear sheets. It tumbled against the wooden roof like the hoof beats of an army of horses coming down for the start of war, even after she'd only just finished her own small battle. The rain would prove to be a problem in getting back. The visibility was poor, and what's more, it would be hard to sneak through a castle in wet shoes.

"Vale?" She mumbled. "How are we getting home in that?"

That wasn't to say she wanted to go home. Not yet. Even if she didn't look it, being inside the broken down tavern was ten times more a thrill than being inside the walls of the castle. High as they were, they couldn't hope to fill her with as much joy as the common town. It was something of another world, vastly different in speech and style. Audrey and a peasant may have been from different planets from the way they walked alone, and she wanted to stay if only to experience that new place.

"It's pouring." She remarked. Then she turned on him with a bit of anger now that Arthur was out of earshot. "Vale, how could you bet that. I didn't know, that has to be so valuable to you!"

Audrey jabbed her slight finger into his chest. Her eyes betrayed her true feelings, while her face wore an angered scowl. It was her eyes that sang with worry.

"Don't you ever lose that."
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale stood up from the table, tucking the pocket watch in his-well-pocket, his eyes following the direction Audrey was looking. Through the window he could see the rain pouring down like the spray of a waterfall, almost certain that if they walked out of the tavern right now, then they would be beaten down to the ground by it. They'll be soaked through and through, and Audrey will very well get sick, perhaps even Vale. Not to mention that neither of them will be able to sneak back to the castle without bringing evidence that they had been out, and Vale might be caught for sure then, for it would seem like a very odd coincidence that a servant was soaked just like a noble. He tried to think of a way out of this, but his thoughts were interrupted when Audrey suddenly turned on him.

She was angry, but her eyes betrayed the look of worry, even as she jabbed a finger into his chest. But Vale had expected this, knowing she would catch him giving up something so valuable to him, and he gently placed a hand over her's that was currently on his chest.

"I knew you would win." He said honestly with a small smile. "I had no worry of losing it. Maybe I did there towards the end, but I know you to always pull through even in the worse situations. The guy was cocky and was earning way too many treasures for his own good, so I wanted you to beat him at his own game. I figured that would make you more determined if I placed something valuable on the table. Literally."

He moved his gaze from her before she could answer. "Now about the rain... We can't go back with it pouring like that. We'll be caught for sure. We might have to wait till it dies down. Hopefully it will before nightfall. If not..." He looked over at her, smirk playing at his lips. "I hope spending the night in a tavern doesn't sound too dreadful to you."

Before she could argue about being caught, he continued. "Only the maids will be tending to you and actually be near the 'dummy' we left back in your room, and all they do is make sure everything is nice and clean around you. Your father or Benjamin will only glance in your room to see that you are still sleeping peacefully before scurrying away, afraid to catch whatever it is you have. Trust me, no one will go near enough to see that the 'you' in the bed is fake. Remember when you were ill that last time and all you did was slept? No one even bothered to check to see if you were breathing. I was the only one actually physically touching you and making sure you're ok. You can be gone all day and no one will know a thing, I promise you."
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
"But Vale..." Audrey whined.

He was truly the only one to lay a hand on her, yes. She remembered when she'd been ill before and it was Vale who came close to change the towel on her brow when it heated too much. Nobles feared illness like the poor, and her own father could hardly sit at her bedside. The entire time he'd had a kerchief close to his face. The only tenderness had come from her loyal slave friend, who only worried she would be lost to death.

"You can be gone all day and no one will know a thing, I promise you." Her spirits weren't lifted by his reassurances.

"Vale, if you're not there then something is wrong, you're always at my side. Won't that look odd?" She asked. "I'm not bothered by staying at the tavern, an inn, I don't care where, but Vale be serious, if you're not tending to me then the maids will know something is wrong. What about that?"

All the gimmicks left in her room would be for naught if Vale wasn't at her side, watching with his tender gaze. Audrey was too feverish to remember some of the times he'd been there, but it was always with grace. All of it would mean little if Vale was with her at the tavern, but at the same time she wouldn't risk his going back. The men would advance on her like cats on a wounded mouse, the child left alone would be nothing against their looming frames and thick hands. Suddenly, Audrey realized she'd needed Vale to really come down with her.

"Let's just, let's just get a room then." She stammered, taking a step closer. "You aren't leaving me here alone, and we won't go back that's fine, but...if there's a proper inn I can pay. The tavern is a bit, well-"

Two raucous men advanced after a long night of drinking, each upon the other's throat. They came tumbling to the floor in a whirl of beer and empty threats, hands going in for the final kill with hidden daggers at their belts. If only to prove Audrey's point, the men who had gone at each other advanced up towards the rooms. They crashed into one, and Audrey heard the scream of a woman inside as she dashed out with a sheet covering her bare chest. If two men came clambering into her own room at night, Audrey would have a fit.

"I can pay, and I'll pay the proper amount this time. No silver."
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale's smile fell when she mentioned him about being by her side, and she had a very good point. "Well...."

He was a little uncertain now, worried that she could be right and the maids would have a fit if they didn't see him beside 'Audrey' while she was ill, tending to her like he always did. Would they report this to her father? Would they come and check on her and find that she was a fake, and go into a wide panic and have search parties go out and look for her? It all seemed possible, and Vale was glancing out through the window, trying to determine if they could make it through. However he moved his gaze back to Audrey when she had suddenly changed her mind and moved closer to him, and even looked a bit nervous. Vale grew confused at this sudden notion, wondering what images and thoughts crossed her mind to make her suddenly change it, though he had a faint idea after she spoke.

Suddenly he heard a loud thud and glanced up as two men went at it, deffinitely proving Audrey's point as they behaved like wild animals, trying to kill the other. They vanished upstairs only to have another loud sound fill the tavern, and in an instant a woman came running down with a blanket over her bare chest, and he watched as the men came tumbling back down the steps. However another gentleman had followed in pursuit, waving an arm in anger at them, though this fella was in nothing but his underwear. Obviously from the same room as the woman. Vale probably should've been just as horrified as Audrey, but he couldn't help feeling just pure amusement at the whole scene, watching it unfold before him as he bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing. When the fighting duo came near he grabbed Audrey and lifted her, turning her away from the brutes and set her behind him, using his body to protect her as they passed by.

Ok, he could see her point clearly, and didn't want these goons crashing into their room in the middle of the night. "Alright, I know there's a nicer one in this town somewhere. We just have to know where to look." He promised her, taking her hand and leaving the tavern immediately. As soon as Audrey's wellfare was at risk, he didn't hesitate to do whatever it took to make sure she was safe.

They were once again out in the pouring rain, but Vale kept close to the buildings and walked across their porches where they had sun rooves, protecting them from the rain as much as possible as they traveled through the town and moved from building to building. He was moving towards the other side of town, where the streets were nicer and the people a bit more wealthy. They weren't rich, but they weren't poor either, being about average. They would at least acknowledge the poor and still worked hard, but they tended to mind their own most of the time, though weren't afraid to offer a coin to a beggar now and then. It was that part of town with more mannered people and nicer place to stay, to say the least. Vale didn't stop till the muddy streets turned to wet coblestones, and they now passed by stone buildings that didn't have large cracks around them or had shadowed figures hiding around their corners, peeking out at Vale and Audrey.

Vale's eyes scanned the signs till he spotted an Inn, and quickly pulled Audrey towards there. He grabbed the door handle and pulled it open, walking right in, pulling Audrey inside with him before closing the door. Instantly warmth flooded over him, a nice large fire place being in the center of the room, surrounded by a circular stone pit to keep the flames from spreadng. The floor and walls were made of stone, but the furniture inside was all polished wood. It wasn't fancy, but it held a very nice homey feel to it, a few late nighters still sitting around the bar and taking their drinks of ale. But their's was a more controlled manner and there was only cheerful laughter and the clash of mugs in toast.

Vale was shivering, his clothes soaked through as water dripped from them, so he was grateful for the fire. His main concern turned to Audrey immediately. "Are you ok?" He asked, feeling bad for having to drag her through the rain like that and hoped desperately that she wouldn't actually get sick.

He lead her straight to the fire, letting the flames warm her skin and try to dry her clothes. They could stand here for a moment before getting a room. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn't catch a cold or the flu, so it was important that she warmed up and dried off first. The room could wait.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Audrey leaned hard against Vale, her nose buried into the crook of his arm, forcing his to wrap around her as subtle as she could manage. The fire was nice, warm, but she craved for her friend to be a little more carefree. He worried for her, and while there was valid point to his stress, Audrey simply wanted to continue their night of fun.

"I'm fine." She sighed happily into his cloak. "Warm, fine."

Audrey began to negotiate with the innkeeper some length away. He wanted three silver for the night. In her pocket was a whole gold piece and two silver left, among some scattered copper pieces of rounded shape. She didn't want to flash the gold for any reason, peasants went hungry enough over the silver flash of metal in her hands. Two, she bartered, and he gave in at that. She left Vale's side for an instant to ask for some logs. He begrudgingly gave them up with the bribe of another small payment of copper. That left little in her purse, but a lot to set her heart at ease knowing they'd be warm.

She led Vale by the hand up to their single room, arguing for any more than one would put out the gold and bring in the filth she tried to hard to keep at bay. No, not filth. She internally scolded herself for allowing such a disgusting thought. They were human beings.

"I'll start a fire." She nodded. "It's, c-cold."

They were in a better part of town, stone replaced rotted wood in places where cracks showed through. The majority of their room was void of any water or wind, and that was enough for Audrey's refined tastes. She set the logs she'd acquired from the innkeeper down by the fire and fumbled with the flint set by the hearth. Surely, but slowly, a small warmth grew from the stone enclave, just enough for her to see the rich red embers.

"There. Much better." She declared. Even if her fire was little more than a flash of ember, she was satisfied she'd managed to start one at all. It was her first attempt at a menial task, something deemed unimportant by the likes of her peers. "Good."
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale sat on the edge of the bed and watched her work by the fire, curious to see if she actually knew how, and raised his eyebrows when he saw the flames come to life, impressed. "What do you know, so you do know how to do some manual labor." He teased, grinning over at his friend.

He slid off the bed and pulled the blanket off, walking over to her and carefully wrapped it around her, letting it hang over her shoulders. He wanted her to be as warm as possible, while he himself sat down beside her by the fire, so that he could dry off and get warm. He was more used to the cold than she was, so he could probably handle it more, though he was positive that it will get warm in here in a matter of seconds with these stone walls absorbing the heat of the fire.

"Wow, to think that we would end up spending a whole day and night out in town." He grinned at Audrey, clearly finding this whole experience thrilling. "You think that finding out that a servant stole away their princess was bad enough, but what do you think they'll do if they found out said servant shared the same room with the lady?" He chuckled lightly, obviously joking about the manner.

Indeed, it didn't matter how much Audrey would explain to the other nobles on what really happened, her words would simply be pushed away. Everyone would see it as it sounded, not wanting a word of excuse or other explanations, and would assume the very worse. That the princess had been soiled by the filth of a slave, and that the punishment would be dire indeed, perhaps even worse than death. But Vale wasn't worried about this, fully confident that he wouldn't be caught. Even if the maids began to wonder why Vale wasn't around, no one would care enough to do anything about it, for he was just a slave. He held no importance and wasn't worth the trouble, so they would continue to stay away from Audrey for fear of being infected of whatever it was she had. When they returned, Vale could give some excuse as to why he wasn't there, and they would simply take it. Not caring enough to actually look into it.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Audrey pulled the blanket around her shoulders. Between the fire and the added warmth of Vale's kindness, she was plenty heated. The only thing keeping her cold were her clothes, but she was too modest to strip in front of him without something to change into after. To at least aid the drying process, she kicked off her shoes and set them neatly in front of the hearth.

She hiked up her skirts to her knees so her legs could bask in the warmth, sending shy glances towards Vale behind her without meaning to look so obvious about it. He'd seen her less than decent, to be embarrassed was pointless.

"Vale?" She peeped. "Thank you, for taking me out today."

Audrey returned her gaze to the growing fire. Something about the flicker of fire eased her tired mind and set her whole body to rest. It urged her at the call of its flames to sink into the warmth and let herself be enveloped by all that was fiery. Oh how she wanted to. Her own palace room was just as warm, but not nearly as cozy as the small room at the inn. There were only the necessities. A bed, a fire, and a trunk to store clothes set just beside a small table where a pitcher of water set. What more did she really need in life? She could go without hot towels for her tired feet and coals to heat her bed. Being simple didn't seem hard, if only she just tried to live it.

"I know that I'm betrothed, and I'm supposed to be this girl, this royal, child bearing-" Audrey wrung her hands in the empty air. "-I'm not that. You know that, and, I'm glad I had at least the one day to get away from that life."

She let the blanket fall from around her and turned to embrace Vale full on. On her knees, Audrey wrapped both her arms tight around him until her hands gripped near the back of his shoulders. Her face pressed hard to his chest and she inhaled deeply before holding her breath. It was enough to stay content on the hard floor.

"Vale, we've been together since when I can remember." She let out that bated breath. "I need you by my side in order to get through it all, I need you Vale."

It sounded more like a romantic confession than a friendly one, but, Audrey didn't feel like clarifying. So what if she spent the night with her servant at an inn? It was raining and if she tried to get home she'd only get sick. That wouldn't be any good. He was taking care of her. Yes, that's what she told herself. This wasn't some run of the mill kidnapping, this was being cared for, and Vale did care for her.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale smiled warmly at her, glad to see that she did in fact enjoy today, despite the close call they had at the tavern. "I'm just glad that you had fun. It was nice seeing the real you for the day."

He turned his gaze to the fire and listened as she spoke, his smile slowly vanishing till it became just a shadow, his eyes growing distant and sad. Betrothed... It was so unfair. Why did the nobles have to marry someone they didn't love, simply because of lineage and rank? To unite the families and increase their bloodlines, spreading it out to wider and wider nations. It made no sense to Vale, a mere servant, but it seemed to make plenty of sense to the nobles. None of them even cared what Audrey think, they were all just making plans for her, not getting her opinion on it at all. And Benjamin... He scawled at the thought of him. He knew that the guy only wanted Audrey for her title and body, he cared nothing for her heart and happiness. The guy didn't deserve her. He di-

His thoughts were caught short when Audrey's arms suddenly found themselves around him, and he became stunned as he sat there in front of the fire, arms on either side of him and hovered in the air, unsure of what to do. He confessions flooded over him, his ears ringing at her words, and his heart beated loudly in his chest. Her wet clothes were nothing against him, already soaked by his own, so didn't care in the faintest that she was soaking wet. But he was very aware of her face pressed to his chest, and the warmth her wet body provided, his own warmth beginning to spread through him. He could feel his throat tighten, the emotions he struggled with daily threatening to come forth, but he forced them back. He wrapped his arms around her at last, holding her tight as he buried his face into her wet hair, letting their warmth spread through the other.

"Don't you understand?" He spoke, his voice sounding almost small and broken. "I am always by your side, even if you don't see me, and there is no where else I would rather be. I will not go anywhere else, because beside you is where I belong. It's where I've always belonged, and no nobles or Benjamin or laws or stupid ranks is going to keep me away from you."

His voice held his own confessions, but instead of stopping there, he continued. Not able to control himself. He pulled his face away and cupped her cheek so that she was forced to look up at him. "I will always be there, no matter what happens, and I will never stop being there. Not if I have to fight through armies or climb the tallest mountains or walk through fire itself. I won't ever lose you Audrey, not even to Benjamin. He can never keep you away from me, and not even a stupid arranged marriage can stop me. You do not belong to him, Audrey.... You belong to me."

He held his breath, the words slipping from his mouth before he could stop them, but it was already out. They had been heard, and there was no taking them back, and suddenly it was like the whole room had gotten quiet. Not even the weather outside could be heard within these stone walls, the fireplace becoming mute to the ears as Vale lost his voice, his only focus being on Audrey. How will she take it? Will she shun him now? Had he gone too far? Will she laugh at him? Will she be frightened? He didn't know... But he didn't dare try to take the words back. Because he meant them, and trying to deny them would be like denying everything he ever felt in life, and denying their deep friendship that they always had. So he could only wait, time seeming to slow to a near stopping point, his hear hammering within his chest which sounded to him like it beated through the whole room.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
"You belong to me."

All at once her emotions were a jumble. She was betrothed to Benjamin, but she loved someone else. Loving Benjamin wasn't required, didn't make the marriage function, it simple would be, and therefor the love would come. The logic in her reasoning didn't make a lick of sense, not when she had feelings for another. Feelings she'd long tucked away due to the shame and punishment that would befall both parties. Audrey would be an outcast, shamed for her lesser love of a poor man.

Vale would have been hanged.

"Vale...I..." Audrey choked on the words she wanted to say. Out of fear for his reaction she only knew one thing to do.

She slid her arms back away from her embrace and paused. In one moment they would be either hanged or infinite. Audrey cupped his scar again with only the comfort he was familiar with as her hand slid across the ruined tissues of his skin. There was no going back from that moment in time as she pressed her lips cautiously against his. By all rights, a noble could do what she wanted, but this wasn't about control. It was about love and pain and so much more. Audrey didn't want to spend the rest of her life holed up inside some castle far away with Benjamin, having children who had a less than caring father, in some court where the faces were all but unfamiliar to her.

No, it wasn't about the life she was going to live with him. This was about a different life, away from the courts and down in the common rabble of the mud and dirt. She climbed down from her marble pillar much to the dismay of the gem colored eyes of her peers. Audoire from above, a hint of suspicion but no real care now that they had their son. The Taylors from below cursed and screamed as their claws were wrenched away from the only thing standing between themselves and the throne. Audrey. There'd be no pillars or walls with Audrey, and she could easily separate through the ash and mud if she wanted.

She wasn't afraid to get her boots dirty if that's what it meant to love a slave.

"Vale." Audrey pressed her forehead against his. Their wet hair mingled together and stuck slick against whatever skin it could find. She breathed softly against his face, whispering into his cheek, "I told you, I don't love him, I have feelings...for, for someone else."

It was plain who that person was, if Vale wasn't wise enough to figure it out she'd have laughed. Audrey closed her eyes and nuzzled her face against his, hoping her advances wouldn't go unwanted. If this wasn't what she could have, the life of a poor man, then she'd be forced back into royalty, a strange happy place she wanted no part of if it didn't include Vale Foyer.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
For a moment, Vale grew fearful that she was going to pull away, that she was going to find some excuse to go away. That she was about to tell him that this was wrong and they had to stop, that she will now and forever more, be pushed away from him. Did he ruin it? Did he ruin it all? Well she no longer see him the same way again and only push him away so that she didn't encourage these feelings he had for her?

But his fears instantly melted away as she gently touched his cheek, that all too familiar tingle running through his scar at her touch, and his body relaxed. He looked deeply into her eyes, waiting for her answer, but he got something better. He felt her lips pressed against his in a light kiss, his breath caught in his throat as his heart hammered loudly in his chest, beating so hard that he was positive it was about to burst right through his ribcage like a caged lion that had been dying for freedom, finally free to let out it's roar. His body practically melted, his heart soaring to new hights while his emotions sang in joy. He kiss lasted only for a moment, but it felt like an enternity for him.

Their foreheads pressed against each other, feeling faint drops of water run down his face from her hair, her lips close to his cheek. "I told you, I don't love him, I have feelings...for, for someone else."

"Who?" He whispered back as she nuzzled her face into her cheek, the action making his body shudder, and he watched her face for her reaction. He quickly smirked at her though before she could answer, his eyes lit up with humor at his own joke. "Only kidding. Even a fool like me can see that." He once again silenced her by cupping her cheeks into his hands, moving her lips back over his own, and closed the distance between them.

The cold was lost in an instant as flames seemed to roar through his body, losing himself into the kiss he had longed for for many years, maybe nearly all his life. The lips that were forbidden to him, lips that were so close but unreachable, blocked by the barrier of the higher class. Right now he had crossed a line that should never be crossed, cracking the balance between the two worlds of nobility and the poor, creating the greatest blasphemy that could ever be created. This was taboo, a great crime that will have him killed on the spot, but it didn't stop him. He only went further, the fires igniting in his belly growing hotter and hotter, the kiss growing firmer and firmer.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Audrey pressed her delicate frame against Vale, her clothes stuck tight to her body and she found warmth even through his own dampness. Her lips were captured by his in a long exchange, her whole self was tingling with a giddy sensation now that she knew she'd not been denied.

"Vale, it's you, you fool." She replied even after he spoke. "Of course it's you, it's got to be you."

Still, she wanted to cry. It would never be Vale, not be the laws of society which bound them to separate levels of wealth. He would always be a poor slave, and she a rich niece of the King. That's the way they were born and it was the way they would die. Vale would live out his days scrubbing floors until they sparkled, and Audrey would be there to admire them. Nothing more would pass so long as Benjamin was in the way. He ruined the perfect life she craved.

"I want you." She said with heated need.

Audrey pushed herself a step too far and ending up toppling to the ground with Vale in tow. She clambered up quickly so she rested on her elbows above Vale. He was grinning like a wet idiot beneath her, and she laughed. They were both soaked to the bone and frozen from the rain. They'd be warmer if they were in dry clothes, but they were lacking at the moment.

Of course, there were other ways, if Vale didn't mind letting her hide beneath the sheets so Audrey could hang her clothes to dry.

The thought brought a blush to her face and she hid it by quickly reconnecting their lips.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale was still grinning like an idiot against her lips, closing his eyes to savor the taste of her, curling his fingers through her hair to keep her in place. He didn't want her going anywhere, didn't want her thinking of anything else, to not worry about a thing. Vale refused to allow himself to think of the laws they were breaking, or how different their two worlds were, that he a lowly slave and she a high revered princess. Right now, in this very room, they were only people. People with the same rights and laws, people that were equals and no different in each others' eyes. That's the way it should be, the way it should always be. He didn't want anything seperating him from her. Not class, not Benjamin, not laws, not anything.

He ran his hand up her back, clutching the back of her damp shirt desperately, his need for her growing. He wanted her, every bit of her, to at last have her fully and all to him. To him she would be soiled if Benjamin dared to try to have his heirs with her, the very thought making Vale sick to his stomach and enraged with jealously. There was no place he would rather be right now. Right now, this was where he belonged, his body pressed to her's in heated passion as he kept their lips pressed together. Only parting them for a moment so that they may breath, only to resume the kiss.

At one point he broke free, his breathing heavy and eyes a bit dilated as he looked up at her, moving his hand that was entangled in her hair down her back. "I love you Audrey." His eyes shone with the heat and love he held for her, his hands moving of their own accord across her body. "Don't move away from me."

He leaned up to meet her lips once more, his hands moving over her sides and back but moved no further, though it was obvious that he was in great need. He wanted her permission, to take her as his own than have a false man do so that she did not love, to damn the society that refused them to be together. He didn't care what anyone would think of this. His heart beat only for her, and no other man could ever love her the way he did, and he wanted to show her that. He needed to show her, to show her the love and care he always held for her for all those years.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Two sets of damp clothes lay forgotten near the hearth, not so far away were the forms of the lovers. Audrey had draped them both in a light throw taken from the bed nearby. They hadn't even made it to the sheets, no, Vale had taken her in the light of the flame without so much as two steps towards the natural place for lovers to find each other.

Her hair was in a mess around her face, but she didn't care. Audrey lay on her side, hot and sweating from the new dance of theirs. She traced slow circles against his bare chest and somewhere outside she could still hear the sound of rain against the rooftops. It lulled her senses into a security she'd find in no other man. She'd never forget the night with Vale and the rain, at the worn down inn where they would both share one bed.

"I love you." She murmured sweetly before planting a kiss on the side of his face. "Vale, I wish I could spend every night here with you. I never want to go back."

The fire roared at her back, having finally caught to each log placed in it's belly. Swallowed whole until the cautious embers turned to roaring flames, Audrey and Vale could both bask in that heat on the floor of their room. The night was strong now, the morning sun hadn't yet risen, but it's call was coming closer the longer they waited there. There was no excuse in the world she could think up if they were caught, but truly, what were the odds? So minuscule and insignificant. The experience of a night alone with Vale was worth the risk.

"I want you to stay in my chambers every night, to calm my frantic nerves over my wedding." She teased "When I'm not with Benjamin, curse the name, I'd better have you at my side."

Audrey leaned up to meet his face again, her kiss was slower than before, looking for a taste of his lips one last time.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Never had Vale ever experienced such an amazing night, now dubbed the most wonderful night of his life, and the most rememberable. There on the floor he lay, Audrey right beside him with her bare body pressed close against his while he rested on his side, propping himself up on his elbow as his fingers of his other hand traced light patterns along her hip. Her touches on his chest kept the warmth burning in his heart, his eyes looking into her's but would sometimes drift down the length of her body before it was hidden by the thin blanket over them, watching the way the light of the fire played over her skin. He smiled as she spoke, and he couldn't agree more, his heart growing lighter at the idea. He would take her again and again, every night within her chambers, to come to her side at her call. Whenever she had need of him, he would be there, away from the eyes of the nobles and Benjamin.

He could laugh in his face right now. He, a lowly slave, had captured the great Benjamin Taylor's fiancee. But if it weren't for the laws, then Vale would be Audrey's, instead of her being forcibly married to the snob. It was so unfair... They loved each other, but their love could only be held and revealed in this room, and it would be hidden once more when they went back. Oh how he didn't want to go back... He dreaded the idea, and every hour that passed that threatened to bring the sun and force them to move away from the warmth of the fire and each others' hearts, back to the life that separated them. No, it wasn't fair at all.

He closed his eyes in bliss when her lips once again touched his, tasting her as much as she was tasting him. He will never forget her taste, never forget the touch of her lushful lips, and he savored every moment he had them. Once they were back, they wouldn't be able to freely kiss like this, for just the tiniest glance of it and that was it. But still, he knew that he would crave them, and would take every chance he had to touch them with his own whenever he could. He let the kiss linger since it was slower this time without the urgent need, and he allowed his hand to travel freely over her body, feeling her one last time. He didn't know when he would ever get to have her again, if at all, once they went back. He wanted to know every dip, every curve of her so that it was implanted into his mind.

At last he allowed his lips to pull away, his eyes opening to gaze at her. "I don't believe I can be anywhere else than by your side every night." He said with a light grin, his eyes glowing from the firelight. "I love you, so there's no other place I would rather be."
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
Audrey rested her head of golden curls against his chest, bare and strong. It, too, had the elongated scar which stretched down from his face. She brushed her hand over the spot endlessly, embarrassed she'd never thought that the torment could continue past his face alone. There were other scars, from labor, a sure beating from time to time. She felt them with equal curiosity in the light of the fire.

"We still have the night." Audrey whispered against his chest. "Nothing will happen, so long as I am with you, and so long as you stay."

One of her legs curled up, and wrapped itself gently around both of Vale's. Despite their previously soaked state and the chill of the room, they were now adequately heated in the other's embrace. Audrey planted careful pecks of affection against whatever skin was within reach, legs curled and arms grasping for the man she found her desires inside. He'd shown her love with the tender affection of a cautious man, and all the fervor of a floodgate let loose after the simplest of confessions spilled out. One by one, the trickle of looks and nudges of the hands turned into the torrents of passion they'd found in the night.

"I'll not marry Benjamin." She yawned heavily as sleep threatened to overtake her senses.

One by one, each fleck of his face grew black and dizzy as Audrey's eyes closed shut. The leg which wrapped around Vale lost it's earlier strength, and lightly fell against its held position. Her arms loosened, her breathing slowed, and Audrey felt herself about to be taken by a pleasant dream. One filled with a whispering grove and emerald green leaves...

"I'd rather..." She murmured. "It were you...at the altar...instead-"

After one final yawn it was clear Audrey was lost to sleep. When she found consciousness it was back by the tree. Vale had been missing, but she'd found him again just around the thick trunk of the old song tree. He waited there for her with hands outstretched and she gladly took them up in her own. No one could find them there, a safe haven not even Benjamin could intrude on, not her father, her maids, no one knew but the pair of them where to find the tree and the meadow of the song of their childhood.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
He ran his fingers through her golden curls, letting them slide from his fingers as he combed them through her thick hair, still wet from their earlier adventure outside in the rain. He wrapped his free arm around her waist to hold her close when she moved herself closer to him, never wanting this embrace to break apart, keeping her body against his. Every touch she gave him sent shivers of delight through him, feeling no shame in the scars he carried, seeing them as symbols of all the hard work he went through in order to stay near her. He could handle it all: The beatings, the countless hours, the nasty looks given to him, all of it for her. He kissed the top of her head when she began laying light pecks along his skin, enjoying the small sign of affection that she showed him and still clinging to him from the earlier heated passion they had shown each other just moments before.

"I'll not marry Benjamin. "I'd rather... It were you...at the altar...instead-"

Her words were just a faint whisper now as sleep overcame her, her body becoming limp in his hold as she drifted off into the sanctuary of dreams, but they were forever implanted in his heart. He opened his eyes to gaze down at her, cradling her against him as his fingers continued to brush through her hair, her face that of a beautiful angel now in deep slumber. How he wished that it were that simple, but it would never be him. Not so long as they were bound by these laws and trapped in their class. He will always be below her, out of reach and looking up, while she could never reach down and pull him up. No one will ever agree to their love, only see it as a mutany and have him hanged, for they could never understand. Marriage was about strengthening the bloodline, it had nothing to do with love.

But they had the night to themselves, and anything could go. She will not marry Benjamin... He believed her. She would talk to her father and he'll care enough for his daughter's happiness and cancel the wedding. Vale might not be able to marry her, but she would secretly be his, and perhaps they could sneak away in the night and have many more moments alone like this. Where they could be themselves and have fun out in town, ending it all in heated passion of the night. It was such a wonderful thought, a wonderful dream that seemed possible, so long as they were careful.

He planted a light kiss to her forehead, and drawing her close he rested his head and her's on his arm, then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. In his dreams there was a tall hill that seemed to loom over all else like a mountain, and on top of that hill was an all too familiar tree. He had circled that tree for what seemed like forever, searching, till he found what he was looking for. There was Audrey, looking surprised to see him, but then broke out into a wide and beautiful smile. He returned her smile and stretched out his arms to her, where she jumped right into and he held her tight, both of them laughing as the tree's leaves blew gently in the wind. It almost sounded like it was singing, mingling in with their laughter. On top of the hill the lovers were out of reach of anyone who might want to pull them apart, and they were free....

---
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Vale stirred from deep within his slumber, his eyes slowly cracking open, the silver orbs peering through the darkness. They landed on the fireplace not too far away, which now only held faint embers and ash, the warmth slowly fading away. They traveled along the stone walls and up to the ceiling, and confusion set over Vale as to where he could be, looking nothing like the small damp room he was used to. He heard soft breathing beside him so turned his head towards the sound, and instantly the memories came flooding back, and he smiled. There Audrey lay beside him, looking comfortable and peaceful despite them sleeping on the hard cold floor, yet Vale didn't feel cold at all. With Audrey's warmth he didn't feel a single chill, and was grateful for it.

He recalled their night of passion and couldn't believe that it actually happened, some part of him thinking that it had all been a wonderful dream, but it hadn't been. It was real. He and Audrey were now connected in ways that a slave and princess never should be, but it happened, and he didn't regret a thing. He turned his gaze to the window, seeing that it was still dark but the sky was slowly lighting up, a sign that the sun will be up in just a few hours. He sighed sadly, wanting to remain here with Audrey, forever. But he knew that they would have to return, they already pushed their luck this far, for her father would eventually make one of the maids check on his daughter after she hadn't moved for a whole day and night.

He turned his gaze back to Audrey, looking over her peaceful face on last time before he slowly leaned in, his lips to her ear as he whispered softly and gave her a light shake. "Awaken Sleeping Beauty." He teased, a light grin to his lips.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
A pleasant aroma filled the room just beside the smell of burnt ash. It was sickly sweet, the smell of sweat and salted rain. When Audrey opened her eyes she could scarcely believe Vale was still at her side with his arms wrapped lovingly around her. She hadn't even remembered falling asleep.

"Am I really so beautiful in the morning?" Audrey giggled. "Here I thought I was a tangled mess of gold and, well, you flatter me."

She leaned up to nuzzle her nose against his before waking up fully to the taste of her lips on his again. Every time she kissed him she feared it'd be the last. The last of the tingling sensations in her body or the last longing embrace. Soon, very soon they'd go back to their normal lives and what romance was found at the inn would fizzle. Like fire to ash, and rain to nothing more than empty air. She feared that the most. Audrey wanted Vale to stay at her side, to love her until they were old and gray. What did Benjamin know of such love?

Nothing.

"We need to go." Audrey sighed against his lips. "I don't want to, but someone will notice."

Audrey began to pull herself away from Vale and pick at her wrinkled clothes. Her skirt lay off near the logs, her corset in a tangle of ribbon nearby. Her shoes were almost burnt from having sat in front of the heart all night. She slipped each piece of clothing on slowly, a lingering seductive smile on her face all the while. Vale had seen her, and she was far from ashamed. He'd admired her naked body and he'd admire her clothed one as well, any true man could. Audrey pulled herself together in the slow manner and glanced only for seconds to see if Vale was looking her way.

"I will speak to my father." She said again. "As soon as we get back. I promise."

She knelt near his face to kiss him one last time, every kiss was the last. That's just how it felt. Audrey lingered, one more kiss, one more, before the tears came.

Returning would be harder than ever.
 
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Underdog, #2B3856
Vale sighed sadly when she pulled away from him, knowing she was right, but that didn't make things any easier. He pushed himself up off the floor as well, following her to the hearth to retrieve his own clothing, which rested over the stones carelessly. He had simply thrown them aside, not much caring for he had only been after one thing, everthing else and every sense lost to him once he had Audrey. He leaned over and collected his pieces of clothing, walking over to the bed that had never been used, setting his clothes upon it. He had pulled on his pants first before glancing purposely over in Audrey's direction when she began to dress. He was all too aware how slowly she put each piece of clothing on, and knew she was doing it on purpose, seeing her seductive smile that streagnthened his urges once more. But he was grateful for it, not sure when he will ever see her exposed again, or when they'll ever have this kind of intimacy.

He admired her body, soaking in every sight of bare skin before it was hidden from him, watching her like a predator to it's prey. Images of lastnight's passion would flash in his mind, and he shivered in delight, one corner of his lip curling up in a lustful smirk. First it was her lady wear, her breasts disappearing from view before she pulled up her skirt, then her shirt and at last, her shoes. She still looked so amazing, and he looked at her as if he were seeing passed her clothing and at her naked body once again.

"I'll be expected it." He said with that same lustful smirk as he slid on his shirt over his head, only to see her walking towards him.

He once again tasted her sweet lips on his, his eyes closing as he tasted her, feeling her linger longer. Another kiss. Another. He'll never have enough, but knew this would be their last before returning, which he didn't look forward to at all. It was risky enough with the two of them just holding hands, but lips? Anyone seeing them would have a fit, yet that only made it all the more tempting, but he knew better. Soon her sweet taste was replaced with a salty one, and he opened his eyes to see tears slipping from her eyes. He pulled away from the kiss to take her face gently in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears even as his lips brushed over her cheeks, kissing them away.

"Hey," he whispered softly, pressing his forehead to her's, "We'll find a way. I promise. I've said it many times before, and I'll never stop saying it. I'll always stay by your side, and I'll find a way to be with you. I don't care if I have to whisk you away to town every night in order for us to be together like this. I'll do whatever it takes. There are so many tunnels, so many secret rooms in that castle, that I'm sure we'll find ways to be alone together. This won't be our last night. I refuse to believe that. We made it happen tonight, we can make it happen again and again and again, just so long as we're careful. I promise you."

He sealed that promise with another kiss, slower and deeper as he caressed her cheeks, transferring all his love through her without the heated desires he held for her like the other night, but pure and genuine love.
 
Prim and Proper, #6cb031
They returned through the same hidden tunnel, every step filled Audrey with trepidation. She hardly wanted to return now that confessions had been made, but her life beckoned to her once more. Leaving court wasn't easy, and her presence was noticed not because of her engagement. Skipping out one day after a proposal was a surefire way of turning a happy occasion into long lasting gossip.4

She held Vale's hand the whole time they walked in the dark, few words exchanged between the pair. It was better that way, she thought, nothing to linger on to before throwing themselves back into the normalcy of their everyday lives. Her lips were still heated with the passion of their last kiss, and she touched them gently with her free hand.

Those kinds of moments would be lost.

They snuck through the halls again, Audrey felt less like a thief than before and ten times more guilty on the return. It wasn't an adventure any longer. The shadows didn't dance and the flames were hardly comforting, they lit up every room with a welcome reminder of her wealth. They all warmed her the same as the hearth at the inn, but it felt different. Something was less welcoming as before, and instead of flickering little lights they felt like mocking gestures to her future. She'd always have a fire to warm her. Vale would continue to sleep on a cold and dirty cot.

Audrey sent Vale in first to check on the dummy, hiding behind the door of her own room in plain sight. Once the coast was clear, she slipped inside after him and was quick to change back into her nightclothes behind the wooden screen. She threw her corset over the top, hanging miserably in the air, and donned the same pale green gown she'd been wearing while pretending to be sick. Her hair was slick with sweat and damp from the previous night's rain, and it painted a pretty picture for her feigned illness. All the more to make her look as if she hadn't spent one wonderful night away from home.

She pushed the pillow dummy off of her bed and took its place. The mountain behind her head was just as tall as before they'd gone off, and she sighed as she once more melted into the familiar plush background of her home.

"Vale?" Audrey bit her lip, wanting to say more than just his name. It was too dangerous though, and her heart sank as she realized someone could always be lurking behind her shut door. She held out her hand, the simple action couldn't be seen by anyone but the pair, and her eyes gazed as lovingly as they could. Her words were sweet, but it was still a request from noble to servant.

"Draw me a bath, would you?"

I love him. Society will not will it, my father may not will it, but I love him. If only I'd been born a peasant.
 
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