Big Book of Rythna One Shots

Utterance (N)

TW: Royalty AU, Glove Kink, Name Kink, Non-penetrative Sex

"The villages have been quiet. No reports to the guards, not even a case of petty theft! This season has been well to everyone is seems!" The man's slim gold embroidery bounced with his chest as he let out an easing laugh. The rest around the table shared in the emotion as they engaged with quick words to their seated neighbors, smiling at each other's pleased thoughts.

"The builders have recommended that upkeep for the south walls be permitted as they have begun to display small chipping at the tops..." The speaker's words drifted across the finely furnished room, the echoes that tried to return after meeting the structured stone walls were swallowed whole by the abundant draped fabrics.

Rythian's attention had long ago left the man after the listed topics of discussion fell from his mouth. The excessive prattling on about items that were covered in previous advisory meetings or pats on the back for jobs they had no hand in, it all went on for longer than needed. He could feel the table under his hands shake with the enthusiasm from the others who sat back in the plush chairs but even that could not erase his flat expression or lift his dropped brow.

Linking his fingers as he gripped into the slack chain that held his cape to his shoulders Rythian tried to keep at the bare minimum his eyes attentive. The speaker's mouth gummed at the air as his sound was distorted in Rythian's ears; everything came out as pure tones as diction was muddled in his thoughts. He had heard the same concerns of his council on repeat in the week's earlier assemblies but allowed them to drone as a courtesy.

The dripping wax from the candelabras that were evenly spaced down the length of the extended table were the only things to help Rythian keep time. With the sun long since set he knew the gathering had gone on longer than needed but with each time Rythian prepared to close off the discussions his eyes would look around to the men at the table. Their manner of dressings was regal from head to toe and soft hands told all about their lacking of labouring days. As he would try to sum up his entire council in a single word he would be struck with the one anomaly that sat in a hand carved chair.

One person always broke the trend with hair brighter than his councilmen but always marked with spots of soot or oils on his face. The man worked hard, he had ideas brimming at his lips, yet he was the only one who stayed even more silent than Rythian himself at the meetings. As king he would greet the gathering and take his seat but the man in his sights would always beat the competition of fewer words with utter silence, like he could communicate better based purely on expression.

The man's cool eyes stayed vigilant, keeping track of the speaker and the input from the surrounding others. Rythian never thought about his elbows resting on the table as his eyes finally hovered in one direction, but as his back curved to meet his change in posture he didn't pay any attention to his stretch. Rythian's shoulders rose as he felt his muscles tighten, the relief and his locked on target mixed to spark a low shiver that danced at his tailbone. He savoured the feeling; closing his eyes and inhaling the cool night air as he couldn't help himself from pushing his chest forward to arch even more.

Another extended breath and he willed his eyes back open, finding a minor change in the scene he remembered. The alchemist, dotted with ash, grease and other unknown specks, had found him. His lips tucked in a curled smile and his cheeks that aided in the small detail rounded his face even more than before while his pale skin gained colour. Rythian could feel his gloved fingers drift to his face to dig into his own cheeks, testing to see if the behaved smile he sent back softened his features as well. His sharply define features did not change, still pointing up tightly from under his skin. As if wanting to buffer down the strong bone his fingers circled around the single point, keeping locked on the alchemist.