"You look enchanting today, Miss," I said politely.
"Aren't you a charming one." At her request I passed the jar of sugar and we continued on with our pleasantries as we made our teas to our liking.
"What was Asher like as a teen?"
"Quiet but naughty," Francesca replied. "Always had his nose in a book or hands dirtied in the garden every chance he had. When he wasn't doing that, he had snuck off to one of the near by villages to do heaven's knows what. Sometimes he would pretend to be a peasant boy, and others he would be Phoenix. When he went down as Phoenix I knew he would leave a fire in his wake. He liked to stir up trouble amongst the more uppity children his age. Spreading rumors or indirectly causing fights between the alphas. If we had an address, I'm certain our mail would be filled with complaints from other mother's."
I laughed at that. I had expected him to be bookish and reserved, but that wilder side was certainly something.
"Oh, and if he wasn't doing that, I would find him asleep in the woods. Ash loved to just sit and watch woodland creatures go through this one clearing, or try to find constellations. I have this hunch that he was a dryad in a past life."
The image of my brunet mate, donned in earthy tones, hair in a constant wind sweep as he paraded around some marsh was laughable. I could picture his tree surrounded by a woodland creatures at all times, him at a perch atop it gazing up in at the night. Perhaps it wasn't so much laughable, rather sweet. Maybe it could be some painters muse, if I could commission it.
Then a rather realistic image game to mind. Him sitting by my feet as we retired from a walk in the forest surrounding my home, watching creatures scamper across the meadow. Perhaps he would try to call a few of them to him, I have no doubt some attempt would be successful. That is, if I could even get close enough to him the coming weeks to dare ask he stray away from Natan court to keep me company.
"Wallein would be like dream come true for him then," I remarked.
"I presume it would," she said with a laugh.
Perhaps it was a bit unorthodox to invite one's future mother-in-bond to lunch to simply get info about her son. Yet, here I was and I couldn't quite bring myself to feel remorseful. It had been rather helpful and dare I say, she seemed to enjoy my company well enough.
We both chatted politics, her practically gushing about my mother and her moves as queen. I clutched my tea cup, smiling and nodding at her praise, trying to remain pleasant. Every few sentences I would interject with a "Ah, yes" or "She would appreciate your lauds" and once I found an opening, I shifted the conversation to truly enjoyable topics, such as what Asher thought of the world. Did he adhere more to caster or shifter traditions? What were his allergies (as to not have a repeat of the previous fiasco)? What literature did he enjoy? She seemed amused by my line of questioning.
We parted ways and I decided to go for some much needed exercise. I had to keep appearance, my mother would be furious if I came back home much pudgier than I had left. I remember when my parents had gotten into an argument after she found out my dad kept sneaking me sweets after supper. She didn't want me to grow spoiled or gain more weight than necessary, as to avoid the scrutiny of the court.
I remember sitting on the stairs picking at my fingers, trying to rub off the chocolate stains there. I hardly touched other sweets for years after that, even on political visits. The only place I'd broken the streak was in fae court, as not to offend anyone.
A frown spread on my face. While I missed my dear Wallein, there were aspects I certainly wished to change. There I had to be on my guard much more than here. There my father is seen as something to be handled, while in Natus and to progressives he was a champion. He lead the underground Men's Movement in Wallein, fighting for the right of men to run for office.
Unlike many societies, my home country and its neighbors for the most part subscribed to a rigid matriarchal structure. My mother was raised traditionalist, and my father lost his mother at an early age, leaving his father to take charge of their household. Despite my grandfather's best efforts at molding his son for the world, my father decided the world would have to make room for him.
As one could imagine, my parents met in the most unorthodox of ways. After being captured at a rally, my father was dragged to the castle and forced to bow before my mother, newly crowned. They knew they were mates the second he walked in the room, and as the story goes, my father refused to acknowledge it. Mother had him locked in her tower and eventually the two got to talking and fell in love with one another despite their differences. At least that's how they tell it to my siblings and I.
The press at the time showed the in between that my mother doesn't like to talk about, and my father is forbidden from whispering. When he was imprisoned, he had a fiancé, another lord and his right hand in the entire movement. When it came out that he was mates to the new queen, their was a frenzy. Every paper had the triangle printed as it's front page story, and obviously it was my mother who won out in the end.
Only according to the timeline my sisters and I had managed to scrounge up in our teen years, my mother had forced our father into a mating ceremony just a mere three weeks after having met him. This was not received well by the public, as half the population was upset that she had forced someone into a life long commitment, and the other half was of the stance that he deserved death not a crown. My father's engagement was called off in a statement sent by the castle and even to this day, he has never given one public word on the matter.
Perhaps since no one could ever get inside his mind, the people soon forgot about it. His ex-fiancé continued on without him, marrying his best friend instead, and the movement is still alive and well today. My father assimilated himself into court and even at the few meetings I've been able to attend, he remains silent and attentive, just like the rest of the husbands at the table.
That's not to say that he hasn't done anything. With some legislation that has been passed since their mating, it is clear that he has his hand in what my mother passes, just in the shadows. This is perhaps the most discouraging aspect of my rule. I would be the first king to be ruling without a queen to stand behind. My every move, every action will fall under scrutiny, and if I mess this up, there will likely never be another king on the throne again.
I shook such unpleasantries from my mind. I had to focus on the present. The past and future would do nothing but run me into a fit. I opted to go for a spar, try and release some distress before returning to court.
"You look so appealing after a spar," Asher commented, handing me water from the well. I hadn't seen him or sensed him approach the field, but when I delivered my final blow, he was there, appearing to have made himself comfortable.
"How long were you there for," I asked, taking it gladly from him. "Long enough. I was going for a run when I spotted you."
I took in his appearance and noted the more loose fabrics he donned. Probably for easy of moving in and out of them, but they didn't make him look anywhere near as dashing as his tailored attire.
"Well, I must admit I am a bit tired for a run, but a would you like to go for a walk?"
"How gentlemanly. I'll take your offer."
We walked side by side through the gardens, discussing our days and commenting on a few court matters. Somethings I would speak about with an acquaintance, not really my mate. I found this frustrating. How was it I found it easier to get to know Asher with everyone but he himself?
"You make terrible company," I said.
He stopped, looking taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"
"It's just your conversation is dull. I mean no offense, but I expected more substance from a man with as colorful a background as yourself." My spirit, Alto, growled at me from the depths of our mind. Why was I insulting my mate?
"Well, I would expect more class from a Prince, but we are both full of surprises," he huffed.
"I apologize. I've forgotten myself."
"Clearly."
We continued walking.
"I am not boring," he said some moments after.
"I haven't said anything."
"You're thinking it."
"So you're an oracle now? I wasn't aware that mind reading was a power you gained in the mountains."
I felt his glare on my side, and held back a laugh. I turned to apologize, but he was gone. Well this is just great isn't it. I was only teasing, I hadn't meant to actually wound the man's pride.
"Asher," I called. "You know I was only jesting." I scanned around me catching a flash of his cloak in the woods and raced after him. Perhaps that's exactly what he wanted, because as soon as I went after him he was off.
"Where are you, wallflower? You can't hide forever," I sing songed through the woods, knowing he was well within range to hear me. Now if only I could see him.
I heard the rustling of leaves and next thing I knew I was getting tackled to the ground by my mate. I landed on my back with a slight thump, near knocking all the air from my lungs as Asher loomed over me laughing. It was one of the most pleasant sounds I had the joy of hearing.
"Gotcha," he said. I flipped us over then looked down at him with a smirk. "The joke is on you, I quite enjoy the view from here."
I laughed, rising and offering him my hand. He took it and hauled himself up, dusting off.
"We should head back. Robin's probably wondering where the two of us have run off to," I said.
"Okay... Which way do we take back?" I stopped, looking around, realizing I hadn't recognized this area at all. We'd gone deeper into the woods than I thought.
"Can't you spell us back or something?"
"Uhm..." Asher closes his eyes in concentration and when they fluttered back open he looked confused. He seemed to try again but we stayed in place. He huffed out in frustration and I watched as the leaves around us began to levitate.
I grabbed his hands on mine. "It's fine. We can just wait for a bit and someone will come and fetch us."
"No, that spell should've worked. My magic is being blocked, I can't get to the castle."
I was perplexed by this until I remembered. "The wards."
"What wards?"
"When you ran from the ball the second time, Robin put a ward up meant to keep you in. I suppose that whoever he tasked it with went for the easier route, and simply blocked your warping because–"
"If I couldn't warp out I would have to make it past the guard to leave," he groaned.