[OOM] Eiattu - Palace

[fighting_mad]

Plourr ducks out of the abandoned wing of the palace.

No, that's not entirely right; it's closed-off, not voluntarily abandoned. Boarded and locked up twelve years ago. She still hasn't been able to discover who ordered it closed, but she suspects the Grand Duke had a hand in it. No matter how shaky her relationship with him may be, she knows he loved his nephew, her father. She knows he was fond of her mother and her sisters.

Plourr goes there still, sometimes. The apartments are lifeless, barely touched over the years, but it's hard not to feel closer to her parents when she can sit on the edge of their bed. When she first went, it was to grieve. To rage that they had left her with all this shavit. Later, it was to find quiet, some momentary peace; to remember. But today, it is to express gratitude, and to tell her parents-- maybe they hadn't chosen so badly for her after all.

The palace is quiet. So is the city. Plourr saw the last of the summit attendees off earlier in the morning and now Eiattu rests and recovers from the stresses placed on her fledgling government and recently-repaired capital. The planet's princess, too, is ready for a rest, even if it's only for a few days and even if it's while fulfilling royal duties.

Of course, that doesn't mean she has to dress the part. It is a mini leave, after all. So Plourr's comfortable, casual in tight gray trousers, black pilot boots, a purple tunic with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and a black vest. The blaster strapped to her leg is authoritative, but she's relaxed as she steps out into the corridor.

Comments

[eiattu_pride]

"That sounds quite sensible."

Rial grins, and bows.

"Lead the way."

[fighting_mad]

"And I'm nothing if not sensible," she says, slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow and tugging him into the hall, picking up the shaver with her free hand.

[eiattu_pride]

"Oh, no."

Sereneface!

"That's why we have to remove all your weapons during diplomatic functions."

[fighting_mad]

She smiles, and maybe she would laugh, but she's ducking away from him, into the door to the bedroom that was once her parents'. She leaves the door half-open.

[eiattu_pride]

Rial leans on the wall next to the door, running his hand over his face and musing to himself.

You're one lucky bastard, Pernon.

[fighting_mad]

Plourr is back a moment later, shaver nowhere to be seen. "Come on." Their voices ring through the emptiness, and it feels weird to hear anything besides quiet footsteps in the deserted apartments. But maybe it's a good kind of weird.

And maybe she walks a little closer to him than is strictly necessary.

[eiattu_pride]

Rial slips an arm around her waist, presses a light kiss to her forehead.

Doesn't say anything, but maybe doesn't have to.

[fighting_mad]

Her smile is small, but there. It takes a moment, but she leans against him as they walk back through the dusty living space, the foyer, and out into the abandoned corridor. She keys in the code to lock the doors and then she turns and kisses him gratefully, gracefully.

[eiattu_pride]

And Rial kisses back, holding her tight.

"Love you."

[fighting_mad]

She stops breathing a moment, mouth pressed against his shoulder and arms wrapped around him tightly.

"You're not in love with him? Or maybe you are and you just haven't realised it yet."

"No."

"It sneaks up on you. There's a chance I'm wrong. But you should be careful all the same."

"Careful of what, that he'll smile me to death?"

"That he'll break your heart."

"Love you, too."

It's a terrifying admission and one that she never thought she would make to anyone, but-- to say otherwise would be to lie.

[eiattu_pride]

So Rial just holds her.






She knows what it means to him.

[fighting_mad]

She probably doesn't.

She turns and kisses his jaw, and says more firmly, "I do, you know."

[eiattu_pride]

"I know that."

One large, work-roughened thumb comes up to brush a strand of hair out if her eyes.

"Always."

[fighting_mad]

Always.

That's the key, isn't it? It's always. For good. For keeps.

And Plourr finds that she doesn't mind the thought of Rial being by her side forever. If she's being really honest-- she likes it.

So she smiles a smile that is meant just for him, whether she realizes it or not, and she says, "Okay, tomorrow and the next day, we catch up on datawork and hold meetings and audiences. But today," and she smiles wider, "today is not for working."

[eiattu_pride]

"I most heartily agree."

Rial nips at her collarbone.

[fighting_mad]

She makes an exceedingly undignified noise, eyes closed (because, among other reasons, he does that and there's no mustache scratching her!) and breath coming just that little bit harder. She tugs at a fistful of his tunic and says, "Let's go."

[eiattu_pride]

"Where to, my princess?"

Still cheerfully nuzzling along her neck.

[fighting_mad]

"Well, I was thinking the apartments, but if you have a better idea, by all means." Despite the words, she isn't moving.

[eiattu_pride]

"They're annoyingly far away. However..." and he scoops her up, tossing her across his shoulder, "there is a solution to that."

[fighting_mad]

Startled, she yelps.

A moment passes.

Then there is an upside-down princess saying dryly into his back, "And that solution would involve carrying me like a sack of tubers?"

[eiattu_pride]

"Yep."

Whistling, he starts off in the direction of their quarters.

[fighting_mad]

"And this is faster than me walking how?" she asks as he exits the doors that close off this wing of the palace.

[eiattu_pride]

"Oh, I don't know."

They pass a lone servant, and Rial nods at him.

[fighting_mad]

If Plourr flushes at seeing the flabbergasted servant's feet pass by, it's only because of the blood rushing to her head, clearly.

"Not much of a solution, then, is it?" she asks calmly.

[eiattu_pride]

"Well - no."

But it's a fun one.