Sovereignty and Servitude

IOU Commission 2 - The Triplets

To hide his blush, Rex looked away towards the kids, yelling, "KIDS! YOU JUST KNOCKED THIS POOR WOMAN OVER! COME SAY YOU'RE SORRY!"

"It's alright, thank you," the young maid smiled up at him softly, "they're just kids."

"No, it's not alright, they need to learn not to treat people like that," Rex assured her, giving the kids running toward him a hard look.

Isaac was the first to reach the two adults, and he knelt down next to Rex, upset, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize we knocked you over. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you, Prince Isaac," the young wo

man smiled gently at the heir to the Evertalian throne as Rosemary threw herself at her with a hug.

"Careful, Rose," Rex scolded lightly, knowing she only meant well.

Phillip quietly picked up the basket and gripped the handle, saying softly, "Sorry. I'll get this for you."

"Oh, your highness, you don't have to-" the woman started, but Phillip shook his head,

"We knocked you over, this is something nice I can do to try and make up for it," Phillip replied with all the grace and gentleness of his late father, and the command and power of his step father.

"We're sorry," Amy apologized earnestly, "we didn't mean to, honest."

"It's alright, it was an accident," the maid smiled, and the sky opened up, pouring down on the eight of them.

"Go on and get inside guys," Rex instructed the kids, and they quickly did as they were told, even though Isaac lingered a little, making sure the young maid was alright one last time.

"Again, sorry about them," Rex helped the woman up, "what's your name?"

"Maeve, but you can call me Mae," she wiped her hair out of her face, smiling, "and you're Sir Rex, Prince Dex's younger brother, cousin of the queen."

"Yes," he nodded, smiling a little, hoping he wasn't being too awkward or weird, "but you can just call me Rex. Now, how about we get out of the rain?"

"Right," she nodded, and Rex held his shield over her head as they ran inside, thunder booming above them.

When they reached the door, Rex opened it for her, and waited for her to step inside before saying, "This is where I leave you. I must get back to my post."

"Even though it's storming?"

"Afraid so."

"Won't you catch a cold?" she asked delicately, water droplets clinging to her eyelashes, flashing from the lightning illuminating her face, which was more beautiful than when Rex had first seen her.

"I'll be alright," he promised, "now go dry off, you're soaking."

"It was nice meeting you," she smiled brightly, and Rex was so flustered he could only watch her go. He cursed himself, thinking he'd blown his chance, but later that evening when he returned to his room from his post, he found a fluffy towel and fresh cup of tea waiting on his desk with a note reading: "Now go dry off, you're soaking." And that's when Rex knew that this was only the beginning of their story.

Lex

Lex combed his fingers through his hair with a sigh, staring out the window as he twirled his paintbrush in his other hand, wondering when inspiration would strike him. After painting his fellow triplets' portraits with their significant others, he seemed to have hit a wall. Nothing inspired him - people, nature, the whim of his imagination, nothing. It was as if the well of creativity had run dry, leaving him in this drought. This was not good by any means, as he was the court painter, his livelihood was made by painting. It was his job to paint the portraits of the royal family and the nobility when commissioned, and if he was in a rut such as this when asked, the portrait would always somehow be lackluster.

Just his luck, right as he was about to go take a walk when a fine young woman with vitiligo walked in, and every little movement other than her in the room seemed to stop. Lex dropped his paintbrush and stood up, bowing instantly, "How may I be of service, my lady? Pray, what is your name? I am certain this is our first time meeting."

"My name is Emeline Werden, and my family has requested you paint a portrait of me," she said shyly, self consciously tugging her earlobe as she showed him her family crest, which was a raven midflight, an arrow in its claws. The Werdens were not a high ranking noble family, rather low in fact, due to a history of gambling, however, that did not change their rank as a noble family.

"I have painted your parents before, but I never knew they had a daughter," he offered her his hand in which she delicately placed her own, and he brushed a soft kiss on the back of it, feeling his well of inspiration filling again at the sight of this uniquely beautiful woman.

"I was kept a secret until recently, because of my... condition."

Lex frowned, "I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand why."

Emeline drew in her breath and didn't meet his eyes, "Well it if very abnormal and odd to have two starkly contrasting skin tones."

"Oh yes, of course it is," he quickly agreed, "but that's part of what makes it so beautiful. You are like a night sky dotted with stars, a dark canvas with white ink. Do you know how rare white ink is?" She shook her head. "Incredibly. There are so few chances to use it, so hardly anyone bothers to produce any, but that means that it is only perfect for certain pieces of art, and that those pieces it is used in are unique to all others. The rarity of your 'condition' is part of what makes you and your skin so beautiful." After realizing how far he'd gone in complimenting her, he added, "Apologies, I suppose that was crossing a line," as he rubbed his arm awkwardly, hoping she didn't think him ridiculous.

Emeline blushed deeply, "No, no, it is very kind. Thank you."

After a moment of silence, he then continued with business, "So, a portrait you say?"

"Yes," she nodded, "to hang next to the portrait of my parents. We need it done before my coming out ball next week. It is a short deadline, I know, but could you do it? I am able to come in whenever you need-"

"Of course," Lex said a little too quickly, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck as he recalibrated his reaction, "come in every day until it's finished, to be safe. I could even start now, if you like."

"Oh, I didn't bring the dress my parents wanted me to wear, but I could go get it-"

"Nonsense, I'll just get the bases today, I won't get halfway through your face," he assured her and grabbed a chair, pulling it in front of his easel, patting the seat. "Come now, why don't we get started?"

Emeline sat down, and inspiration flowed back into Lex's body as he carefully began to plan out her portrait, knowing that somehow, he would get this young woman to agree to be his muse.