Naveen

Her words cut deep. It didn't help that she walked away after it. Gritting my teeth and staring at the place she'd just vacated I let her walk away. She wasn't wrong. She was entirely right. And I paid the price of watching her die. But she paid the worse price for my mistakes. I needed to blow off steam, calm down. I knew if I approached her now things would just get worse. I was in no position to listen, to hold in my temper. It was the last thing I needed, it was the last thing she needed.

Rina:

I went to the corner of the library which had books that I could read. It wasn’t an extensive section, but it would likely be more than I could read in the time that I was here. I didn’t have long to linger, however. I was only there for ten minutes before one of my handlers came to collect me. I gave her a scathing look which she ignored. I hated it here. It had been better at the castle. At least there, Talon had been on my side.

Talon:

I went to the nursery, informing Ash to retrieve Rina. I ignored her withering glare, or the choice words she laid upon me while sending some of her staff after Rina. Instead after she was done and before she dismissed me I laid out Rina's grievances, explaining I understood but that I required an effort be made.

"She's miserable, lonely, bored. None of which is good for her and by extension probably isn't good for the child." I could see a pause in Ash's demeanor and a small nod. It wasn't an agreement for things to change, but I knew it was something she'd take into consideration and to work on slowly.

Rina:

I was even more irritated that before for the rest of the day. After I was brought back to the nursery, one of the women came over and gave me a stack of books, but she didn’t linger. I was left alone for the most part except when I was required to exercise, or eat, or meditate with them. I sat alone in a corner and read a history book of Naveen which was thirty year out of date.

Talon:

I trained with Calan, venting my frustrations in the arena where I didn't have to worry about holding back or appearing as anything but calm and disciplined. I could tell Calan was worried and after I explained to him what was going on only for him to laugh at me.

"She's pregnant Talon. I imagine it's worse for human's but our own people get moody during such times. Plus this isn't a familiar place for her. Safe she may be. But comfortable? I doubt it."

We talked for a while and with his help I calmed down and made plans to make it up to her the next day. In the morning I spent time in the kitchens, having them make up a batch of pastries that I carried with me to go see Rina for breakfast.

Rina:

I was tired in the morning after another night of sleeplessness. It surprised me that Talon came so early. I was half tempted to refuse to see him. But even after our argument, I wanted to see him. I went up to him and hugged him when they told me he had come. We sat at a table in the nursery garden. The food did help to improve my mood slightly.

I didn't quite apologize but I did admit to having explained things to Ash, with the hope that things might improve for her. I was glad to see her though, and the hug had been an enjoyable surprise. I talked with her about anything but the situation at hand, hoping to bring out little smiles from her and bring her mood up.

Rina:

I talked with him, but I wasn’t very animated. It was clear that he was trying to avoid the topic from yesterday. At least he wasn’t upset with me for what I had said. When we finished eating my yawned and settled back into my char. Another day here. One day closer to being able to leave.

Talon:

Even though I tried, it was to no avail it seemed. With a silent sigh I looked from her face to the table a few times. "What you said yesterday hurt. It wasn't wrong however. I did cause all of this. to befall you." I meant more than just her curse. Her curse, her coming here, her pregnancy. All of it seemed like my own fault.

Rina:

“Then do something about it, Talon.” I looked him in the face for a moment then down at the table. “I don’t regret that I’m going to have your child,” I said more quietly, “but I’m being made to follow elven rules, yet I’m not being treated like an elf. I came here to be with you, not to be separated from everyone I know and treated like I’m some stupid, lesser creature.”

My fingers curled slightly on my chair's arm rest, knuckles briefly going white. "I will see what I can do Rina...I'll talk to them. It is unacceptable." I was torn. I agreed with everything she'd said. And yet I also knew she wasn't fully in the right. But this wasn't a fight I was willing to go for. Better to let this one go.

Rina:

I studied his face for a long moment before looking away again. I didn’t say anything, just watched the youngest elfling play in the nursery courtyard. I didn’t know if he meant what he said. I didn’t feel like he was on myside on this, he merely wanted to pacify me for the time being.

It wasn't hard to see that the conversation was done with. And that she wasn't entirely interested in continuing. After a few attempts at drawing her in, I simply gave up. Finishing the last of my food in silence I didn't look at her, keeping my gaze on my food.

Standing I bid her a gentle farewell, letting my tone convey my disappointment. I nearly tried to offer to visit her again later, but instead told her softly, "If you want to spend time with me, ask the Nursery staff. They have no reason to hold you here, and it isn't hard to find me." I didn't give her a goodbye kiss, or a hug. Instead I simply turned and walked away.

Rina:

I was tired all day and didn’t sleep again that night or the night after. My anger kept me up in a state where I was exhausted but not fully asleep. The next day I hardly did anything, I almost fell asleep over breakfast. Ash must have realized that it was doing more harm than good to keep me in the nursery under constant supervision because she finally conceded to let me go with Talon at night. One of my handlers would spend the night outside his door incase something were to go wrong.

I had been giving Rina some space, visiting for a meal or to take her to see something. But on the third day Ash approached me in my council room where I gazed tiredly at a map of the citadel and the surrounding lands. Little markers of various shapes and sizes decorated the map, clustered in some places, and scattered in others.

I glanced at her and greeted her but only gave her my full attention when she gave me the news. At first worry crossed my face for Rina, followed after by happiness. "Thank you. Give me a moment and I'll take what ever instructions you have."

Rina:

Despite my exhaustion I was happy when Talon came to get me that evening to go back with him. I would sleep better with him and without women looming over me watching to see if I somehow endangered my baby while sleeping. I held onto his arm as he lead me back to his room. And Elven woman tailed behind us, but she wouldn’t be going into the room with us. I smiled.

It was only courtesy that had me bid one of the Nursery staff goodnight before I led Rina inside. Ash had given me a long list of rules, made me promise and swear up and down to abide by them. I had promised as Talon to abide by her rules. But in private with Rina I had long since given up that mantle. In the privacy of my room I was Savien.

Rina:

I put my arms around him and hugged him close once we were alone and there was no threat of someone coming in on us. “Thank you,” I said softly. I didn’t know how much influence he had on the situation and how much of it was me being unable to sleep, but I was grateful nonetheless.

I held her tightly, glad to have her back in my arms. "Ash made me promise to half a dozen rules while you are here. I promised as Talon to abide by them. But when I'm here, alone with you, I'm not Talon." I cupped her face in my hands, pulling out of the hug only so I could press my lips to hers for a brief moment.

Rina:

I smiled at his words and kissed him back.  It was a mark of my exhaustion that I wasn’t tempted to go further.  When he pulled back I touched my forehead to his for a moment.  “Let’s go to bed, Savien,” I murmured.  

In the nursery, they had given me a long nightgown to sleep in, but I didn’t need that here.  I shed my dress and crawled into bed naked, curling against Talon and laying my head on his shoulder.

I sighed softly when I laid down beside her. I had missed this, I had missed her. We still had things we needed to talk about, but I would work on that later. For now I just to feel her against me. To hear her say my name again. To run my hands over her soft skin while she dozed on my shoulder. IT took me a while to finally drift off, I was too enamored with just holding her again.

I stirred with the morning, gently untangling myself with her and moving to a jug of water set on a small table within my room. Drinking straight from the jug I let out a long breath. I wasn't looking forward to the various events of the day and as I eyed her half covered on the bed I felt the temptation to just crawl back in and make her stay there with me for the entire day.

Rina:

I awoke when I unconsciously reached for him and found only a warm spot left behind. I opened my eyes, expecting to be alone in the room. My half-lidded eyes fell on him and my lips curved into a smile. I reached my hand out toward him.

Seeing her stir brought out my own little smile. I moved over and crawled onto the bed, taking up her hand in mine until I could bring the back of it to my lips for a soft kiss. "Good morning Rina." I murmured to her, "I missed you."

Rina:

I moved my hand to his face after he kissed it then sat up on my elbow so I could be closer to him. “I missed you too, Savien,” I said and kissed him for a long moment. I wished we could have stayed in his room all day curled up together in his bed. This was what I imagined when I agreed to come here with him.

Talon:

I enjoyed the kiss, though even though it lingered it still felt it stopped all too quickly. "I'm glad I get you here again. Shall we enjoy breakfast before I need to go take care of some things?"