Spirits of the Earth

Summer had come to the valley. This particular year dry, although spring rains made the harvests plentiful, the crops that grew into the summer were failing in some areas, causing strife in already impoverish sections of the country.

Some said it was an omen- bad crops meant a bad winter, which was making the poorer folk antsy. Thankfully the kingdom did not live on crops alone. Hunting animals was common place, something that- even the poor could afford if they got their hands on animal traps or hunting knives or bows. So it was with some indignation when word for out about the 'pre-celebration ' of a 'hunt' in the duchy of Ardal.

It seemed things had fallen back into some semblance of normalcy for Vaelyn. Ever seen the strange 'ball' incident with the Duke of Ardal.. things had become relatively quiet. Rumors had quieted down, and with it, work drying up for the spy network for Fueno and his crew.

So when a job came up that would lead the spy towards rhe capital ..  well, Fueno wasn't about to get 'picky' with his options. 

"We're to tail the Duke to the capital and back. Gather Intel on how he's viewed outside of the duchy and gather feedback on who ought to attend this hunting event," Fueno explained. 

He was with Vaelyn inside a barn, the girl lounging like a waiting cat in a bed of hay as he spoke, explaining the details of the mission.

"Who's all going?" She asked, eyes on the distant dry hills of cattle and wheat. 

"Since it's the capital and I'm the one with the most experience on the location, I'll take the lead. I figured you could tag along, and if we need to, use your disguise as Vayana to get you into some of these upper class events."

Vaelyn had never told Fueno all that has transpired between her and the Duke during their last mission. She hadn't lied to him.. simply.. omitted certain details. She knew she ought to have gave him the information about how the Duke was being treated by his own family being the curtains but...

She had refrained, not even tempted to divulge his secrets.. even if it would have earned her some serious coin. She still wasn't sure what to think of the Duke and what transpired between he and his father, or even he and herself. 

That moment of quiet... she found herself thinking of it often when she was alone and feeling a little lost- not unlike how the Duke had to have been feeling- but no where near as severe. She wondered if that strange woman would ever return, to attempt to kill of off as she had that night of the ball....

But from what she gathered, all was peaceful at the castle. But the idea of the Duke being away from his home duchy for this event...

"How close are we to watch him?" Vaelyn asked, finally breaking the silence. She had been idly twirling a piece of straw, still look absently at the hillside.

Fueno eyed the girl.  She looked distracted. 

"I figured as close as my little 'Vayana ' can get us. Will her rambunctious nature lead us into the bed chambers or.. possibly garner the Duke's own ear?"

This time Vaelyn looked at Fueno and the man was smiling.  She glanced away.

"I know you don't want me seducing the duke," she went on, and if she were the type, she'd be rolling her eyes. But she was more reserved than that. Blunt and simple. She was not one for dramatics.  Infact, the least amount of attention was the better. She was always uncomfortable in crowds.

Fueno smirked. 

"You seem awfully interested in the Duke. Last time I had you on the team you wrecklessly snuck off into the castle after him. Then you came back.. empty handed as I recall," he mused.

Vaelyn eyed him but said nothing.

"You're not afraid it will happen again?" She finally asked.

Fueno smiled quietly for a long momen. 
"Maybe I'm counting on it. "


The carriage rolled into the cobblestone streets of Matron's Hallow- a city outside the main city, that stretched farther than her eyes could see. A shimmering lake sat amid squat fortress style homed and buildings, a beautiful sight in the yellow light of the rising sun.

How Fueno had managed a carriage was beyond her, they were excessive, expensive things and this one, though plain and practical, surely cost a pretty penny.

She did prefer this over horses. Horses terrified her. They were beastly and huge, and being poor as she was, not something she ever had to encounter in terms of useful skills in her field. No, she preferred walking. Even the carriage made her nauseous as it lurched its way past the capital and towards Matron's Hallow. She was just grateful to have arrived.  Any more time spent in that confining box would have drove her insane.

They arrived early, thankful of no delays.This would allow the pair to scope out the city properly before proceeding with their intended duties. So she was thankful when the carriage parked and she had rhe rest of the day to herself, and she spent it stretching out her limbs as she walked along the tall reeds of the more secluded banks of Lake Athervann.

"And the weight of it hung by a damn tree, tell you what. Just swaying' in the wind, with dame from the North inside."

"Oh, fuck off. A tree off the cliff?"

"Yeah! No, that's not even the funny bit— heard she made it the whole hell way down. Said she jumped outta the cage and slid down the cliff like a, like a Hyoite hillside."

"You're full of it, mate."

Shorter, more eventful trips to and from the Duchy of Ardal— be they by nobles of the duchy or the Duke himself— were typically overseen and guarded by a contingent of the duchy's finest; handpicked guards by the council who specialize in skirmish and skirmish-adjacent combat and security. Longer trips, however, made this strategy infeasible as depriving the duchy of such consistent military manpower for extended periods of time tended to put the safety of the people— and more importantly, the council— at risk. As such, it was more common to hire trusted adventurers and mercenaries to supplement a much smaller contingent of men when traveling across the nation.

Adventurers loved their stories. And for what it was worth, from within the comfortable interior of the carriage, Valen loved to listen to their stories. Daring tales of adventure and romance. Gripping stories that could barely beget reason, yet somehow held just enough credibility to be believed possible. As he stared out of the window to the plains of Matron's Hollow, his eyes flickered between taking in the sights so unfamiliar to him, and the two men riding horseback next to him as they traveled the beaten path toward the cobblestone roads.

The adventurers and their horses. Valen also liked horses; majestic creatures, truly.

"We'll be making a stop in Matron's Hollow, as well as the capital proper." The curt, almost tense-sounding voice of another within the carriage caught Valen's attention; The 'dulcet tones' of one Valerie Anne Kethenns— one of two councilors from the duchy who'd been dispatched to accompany him to the capital. "It would be prudent to review your speech notes now, 'ere we have the chance for a proper audience while we're here."

Wordlessly, Valen simply nodded and turned his gaze back to the outside world. He'd been so entranced in the stories of the men riding with them that he'd forgotten he wasn't alone. No, not even just in his carriage— three others flanked his own, men and women of the high houses nested plumply in their (read: his) cushioned, velvet seats with their (read: his) satin silk curtains to block out the excess sunlight. The nobles could do nothing less than he extravagant— it was a part of the posh and proper lifestyle that Valen still couldn't get used to even after some months on the throne.

His father was in one of the carriages as well... he could only thank the gods that the council took up the remaining seats in his carriage. Annoying as they were, it was better to deal with whisperings in his ear than... well.

"...Have your injuries—"

"Healed, yes. Or well enough, at least."

"Very good. You... would do well to—"

"Be more cautious of stairs, yes."

"Yes. Stairs. Very good."

Valerie's attempts at 'conversation' were rather crudely veiled attempts at absolving herself, and Valen knew it— in truth, she was not the only one who had acknowledged his father's... 'poor habits', yet turned a blind eye toward it. Nor was it the first time he'd been made to go through the tip-toeing and false apologizing that was these near-painful interactions of 'sympathy' from the council. Perhaps they thought it would garner them affection in his eyes, and make it easier to control him— Valen didn't really know, nor did he care. Yet he didn't hold it agains them, all the same.

He didn't have the capacity for hate— not for the council, the assassin who'd come for him that day, nor his father— He'd never truly had anything of worth taken from him to be resentful over— nothing he deemed of worth, at least.

Just so, under an awkward peace and a pregnant silence did the Duke's convoy arrive in Matron's Hollow proper, the adventurers and nobles alike breathing an air of relief that the journey went without incident. The typical fanfare followed; the nobles avoided the adventurers like the plague as they made for the lodgings settled for their party, and the council escorted the Duke away from the stables and through the square of the town they'd stopped in— though not before he'd had a chance to personally thank the mercs that escorted him, as well as the horse that rode nearest his carriage. Her name was Edith, apparently, and she was every bit as powerful as she was affectionate to the blonde-haired lord— going so far as to lick at the side of his face. He really liked horses.

His father, upon arrival, was nowhere to be found... much to no one's surprise. He had the backing of a proper duke and the eyes of a serpent; Very few people questioned him, leaving him free to do as he pleased. He spared not even a glance for his 'son', from what the young man could gather. Typical.


As they had arrived just shy of high sun, Valen was left with time aplenty after having acquainted himself, and the council, with the town mayor. This left the young duke essentially free to his own devices whilst the council discussed the finer details of their reason for visiting. Dressed in his Ardal (second) best, a blue and gold street coat, doublet and matching pants, Valen walked the streets of the town for a time, before growing quickly aware of the effect his unrestrained presence had on the commonfolk, and making his way closer toward the lakeside. He was careful not to get so close as to tumble into the highest reeds and marsh, but he was awarded a beautiful view all the same, even from the distance.

The Lakeside was alive with sounds and colors. A full orchestra of bird songs and a chittering chorus of insects. Soft tufts floated from the stocks of cattails as a gentle breeze swayed the tall reeds and grasses all around her.

The dark haired woman moved silently through the tall reeds, some tall enough they reached well over her head. Grasshoppers hopped away as she passed, dragonflies flittering across the lake as as she studied it, small ripples lightly kissing the water's surface where fish plucked at the surface to nibble at insects.

It was strange to see this diverse lake life so close to a tamed city. If she were to turn around she would be able to see the rows of stone buildings and smokes of the city...
But out here? Atleast on this side of the lake... the lake's natural aura ruled.

She let her hands trace lightly over the tops of reeds and low rattling, molting cattails. The bobbing cattails released a light trail of delicate white wispy seeds in her wake. She closed her eyes, trying to pick up the unique sounds of the lake and realized... it was rather overwhelming.

Not unlike the bustle of a city, but it held its own loud cacophony of muses. For a moment, she felt overwhelmed and instinctively tapped into her powers, careful to keep the silencing shield close to herself as she sighed into the silence. Then she paused to observe the lake life for how it felt.. tasted.. looked.

Not many understood the comfort of silence it afforded her. And she just needed a small taste to regroupe herself. She supposed She had stayed too long here by the Lakeside, and walked along, letting her silenting magics drop away when a sudden massive flash of white shrieked over top of her, causing Vaelyn to cower back as a large ibis bird took flight clean over her head.. leaving the young dark haired woman dressed in black- stunned as white feathers drifted down around her in the aftermath of the birds sudden take off.

There was something oddly calming about the absence of an abundance of people that Valen was so used to by this point. As Duke, he not only spent much of his time in the city, but surrounded by men and women older and far more refined than himself. From the outside looking in, as a former middle-class noble who went from coddled son to shoulder of the duchy, he had never been raised to truly understand the social confinement that being a man of power truly imposed. It wasn't until he became Duke that he began to truly feel he was forced to think a certain way; to feel another.

The gentle yet jarring sounds of wildlife in the distance prevented him from going too far introspective; amphibian croaking and the soft buzz of insects a few meters ahead ahead reminded him that while there weren't humans about, there was still plenty of life.

One such 'life' came hurdling at him, which caught him a bit by surprise; a disturbed bird, it seemed. It was a bit larger than the domestic pigeons and ravens often seen near Ardal proper... with an interestingly-curved beak. Given what the world had seen and known of Valen under the gaze of the public, one would've assumed the Duke's reaction would be to panic— to run, either out of fear, or discomfort of being around something else. Surprisingly, however, as it's path led toward a sure fire collision with the young blonde, he simply raised a single arm; providing a steady branch for the bird as it stopped with a steady grip on him, just short of his face.

"Hello, friend. Did I startle you?"

The ibis, amusingly, tilted its head to the side, examining Valen from a thereforeto unexamined angle... as if questioning his question. He smiled; an innocent, kind smile that even the bird perched upon him could find no hostility in. Before long, it took off once more, as abruptly as it had landed— and Valen was left to his solitude once more. Curious little creature, that bird.

Before long, out of habit, he found himself tracing the bird's flight path that it had taken to him; his gaze slowly trailing from his arm toward the inner reeds of the lake... where his eyes came across a peculiar sight. There was... a woman? Wandering about in the high grasses. A native? From where he stood, he couldn't get a good look at her. Likely that she came to enjoy the quiet as well, he supposed.

When the bird paused to perch, she found herself simply gawking.  It took another moment for her to realize it had actually landed on a person's arm. Was the man..did he just... talk to her? No.. he was talking to the bird.

Then the bird flew away. And she realized the stranger was soon staring in her direction. Instinctively, Vaelyn ducked down to get out of view and pressed herself into the taller reeds...

When something large and green leaped onto her belly. Vaelyn cried out in alarm and 'pushed' away- the frog that was once on her belly jumping off while Vaelyn fell into knee deep waters with a gasp. 

She had landed ass first, sitting there with lilypads and floating grasses all around her.

A loud splash altered Valen to the presence of something— or someone— further into the reeds than he'd been looking earlier. A stray dog? A floundering bird? His curiosity swelled as he debated how much time he had to investigate the disturbance. Surely a quick peek wouldn't hurt... and if he got wet, the duchy maids always packed a few extra sets to compensate. Over-compensate, really...

His gentle steps further and further into the marsh didn't outmatch the reverberation of the commotion ahead; Resting flies swarmed off from the disturbance and the echoing sounds of combative croaking filled the air as he attempted to avoid the deepest portions of the marsh. His pants were wet, but that was to be expected-- he'd likely get an earful from the maids about it later, which was also to be expected.

"I'm not sure the swamp water and reeds really suit you."

His tone, by comparison to their last meeting, was much more jovial and calmed as Valen, with a smile of equal parts concern and bemusement, breached a wall of reeds that obscured Vaelyn from his vision up to that point. For a kindness, he did not immediately recognize her face-- since that night, he'd had so many more... 'experiences' that the whirlwind of troubles had begun to blur into itself.

He extended a helping hand, leaning down as he did so. "I hope you're not hurt? Do you feel any pain?" It might be for the best if she wasn't, he thought to himself; Valen was not so strong as to carry someone his size or more well and truly across any town or field without hurting himself in the process. Still, he didn't want to leave anyone wanting for aid or succor-- especially not someone right in front of him. A proper duke wouldn't do something like that... probably.

That voice.. the fair of frame...

It couldn't be.. yet as her eyes were drawn to his, despite the reeds and the frogs and the marsh grasses surrounding them like a curtain- she knew.

It was the Duke. And all she could do for one eternal minute was to stare at him. 

She then winced at her weakness, at how foolish she was acting. But how was she supposed to act? The damned Duke she was supposed to spy on was right infront of her.

"And what, my Duke, are you to suggest would.. suit me?"came her reply. It had some bite to it, and she felt ashamed after she had snapped at him. It wasn't his fault she was moody. All this travel.. and this day..

And just when she had a moment to herself...he of all people shows up. 

"Maybe I like the lake waters."

Stubborn to a fault.

Valen flinched, with all the whiplash of an unknowing child bitten by a viper. He withdrew his hand accordingly, a hurt glint flashing across his face before retracing his steps in the conversation. "I... Sorry, I meant no offense. Only that you seemed a bit... um... troubled."

He was never particularly good with his subjects. This one had a familiar face, and an equally familiar voice, and perhaps that was why he felt so keen to strike up a conversation with her. It was probably not a proper thing to do... but then, he was wading around in the marsh as things were. How much more grandstanding could he really afford to put on?

"Ahem. Right, well... If you are quite comfortable there, please don't let me stop you. Lake water has its... appeals, certainly." He explained, trying to correct his approach. He of all people knew how frustrating it could be to have the little time that one can claim for themselves intruded upon by unwelcomed parties. With a polite bow, he turned to step away, and give the familiar woman her peace.

Vaelyn blinked. She hadn't considered he'd actually do that- turn and just walk away. But she was caught off guard, and never liked being caught off guard.

"W-wait.." she moved to stand, and the frog leaped away, and...

Stuck suddenly against Valen's leg.

She couldn't help but stare at the creature. It must have thiught it was hidden, still in the reeds from where it perched. 

With a not-so-subtle, responding plop, Valen found his balance shifting unnaturally to one side— almost as if someone had tried to take his leg out from underneath him... someone with the strength of a hummingbird's toddler. He swayed all the same, stopping to regain his balance as his eyes shifted down and behind him to a... rather unusual sight.

He had a new friend, it seemed.

"I doubt you'll want to go where I'm headed, friend." He mused, reaching down at his leg to attempt gently brushing the little amphibian off of him, yet as he did so it merely leapt away from his hand, to his opposing leg.

Curious. Amusing, admittedly. A rare, genuine smile played on the young Duke's lips for a moment as he pondered the absurdity of the creature not jumping away from him, yet avoiding his touch... A smile that quickly receded into his more reticent, despondent expression as he remembered himself.  "It'll tire of me eventually. No need to rush it, I suppose."

She was quiet as she watched the pair- a Duke and his frog. It sounded like a fairy tale. She continued to watch before, with some aid of her magic, quietly rose from the soggy reeds. It was quite the spectacle- and who was she to ruin it?

"I think you've acquired a new friend. "

Then she blushed at the duel implication- but said nothing further. Thr sounds of thr winds carried the sent of the lake and wet greenery all around them. Wet earth of the bank... sun warmed cattails...

She held back a light shiver from the wind, but it still sent bumps across her flesh.

"You're far from home," She said softly, eyes on the frog- although it seemed as if she were looking through it.

It was likely very apparent that Valen was caught off-guard by her sudden words from a different altitude, as he did something of a double-take-- looking to her standing form, then the spot she'd been seated, and to her standing form once more. It didn't take long before this wore off, however-- and he was back to his somewhat reticent, sorrowful smile.

Something clicked in his mind, as he did; The reason the woman's face seemed so familiar, as well as a 'logical' explanation as to why he didn't hear her stand up. How... curious. "...Is the same not true for you?" He couldn't help but wonder, almost absentminded in how he asked the question. "It embarrasses me how long it took to put a name to a face... but that's because I never got your name before, did I?"

The frog let out an inquisitive croak. Valen stifled a smile at the sudden interjection before continuing. Animals had such amusing timing.

"The nobles of the capital convene every so often on matters of the country, even in the midsts of a cold war. If the duke of Ardal, regardless of how little worth his presence holds, doesn't do the same, the Grand Duke might have reason to believe that the duchy is conspiring in some way against him. So the puppet has to be paraded around every so often-- to keep up appearances, at the least." He explained, his tone somewhere between cynical and disappointed-- coated in a topical layer of kindness.

She stood there- not threateningly , more.. timid? Uncertain? Hesitant? 

She was never a bold one in her words nor actions, preferring to keep to the shadows. 

And no...
No he had never gotten her name.

So she remained quiet and let him explain himself. She nodded at that. She already knew.. it's why she was there in the first place

"Atleast you'll make a friend out of this trip." Her smile was small, but still there. "It probably doesn't know the consequences of sticking to your leg." She crouched down to get a better look at it, watching its throat bob as it breathed.

Valen's eyes trailed toward the distant horizon, as if looking for something he'd longed for since birth. A strange mixture of a smile and a frown played on his lips, as he felt his little frog-like companion climb a bit more, before going still once more— the brief jostling reminding him— if only for a moment— that the world around him marched regardless of his trepidations or anxieties.

It was comforting in a way— or perhaps the lack of comfort was so familiar to him that he found it gave the opposite effect.

"I would hardly call them 'consequences'. But if it's happy, that's all that matters." He kindly replied, shifting on his feet a bit as he stared off into the distance. Perhaps it was that shifting— or the woman's attention— but in either case, the frog eventually leapt away from Valen's leg, into a nearby patch of reeds. Still close enough to watch, but far enough to avoid their touches.

"And there he goes. It was a nice friendship while it lasted." The duke joked, eyeing the frog before looking out to the waters again.

She remained crouched, watching the frog with interest before she asked, "This is a strange spot for the pair of us to meet again."

The comment was soft, light as the wind. But she didn't lift her gaze from the frog.

Valen nodded, a sad smile on his lips as his eyes wandered off into the distance. Her words rang true; it had been a while. Recalling the harrowing circumstances that led to their meeting, and flinched at the painful traumas that he experienced that day.

"...Yes. It is." He wasn't sure how much more to say— his memories and emotions painted the woman in a less-than-pleasant light, though he held admiration for her courage in the face of what he presumed to be danger at the time. "Though I suppose we have an unfortunate habit of meeting under strange circumstances."

The frog let out a resounding croak. Valen, bemused, nodded. "I'd ask what brings you here... but I imagine you can't tell me— or won't. But it's good to see you're doing well, all the same."

She was quiet a moment before she lifted her gaze to look up into his eyes. He had beautiful eyes- infact his entire look was like that from a golden fairytale woven in perfection to youths.

"I'm here to keep an eye on you."

Ironic their meeting made atleast finding him easy- because..  well.. he was already found. "I'm supposed to get information about you."

For why or what, exactly, she did not know. She just knew they were being paid handsomely to do it.

She cocked her head as she studied him, then she looked towards the croaking frog.

"My first report will be about how you've tamed a wild frog at the lake shore. " A very serious reveal.

Valen turned to the woman with an almost incredulous look. It was clear from the rather blank gaze he held that he wasn't expecting that answer. Honestly, he wasn't expecting an answer at all; He had gotten used to her vague responses and, in some cases, lack of responses altogether, so such straightforwardness was almost concerning to him.

A moment's time passed, before he relaxed once more-- even letting out a short, uncharacteristic giggle of his own at her 'first report'. With the explanation having set in, truthful or not, he was able to move past it without questioning it too much. At least it made sense-- It would've been a right-proper disappointment if she'd gone through the trouble of dirtying her outfit solely to assassinate him.

"Perhaps I have some sort of talent, after all. Quite the discovery you've made." He mused, his spirits temporarily livened, if only a little.

The look he gave her. It made her squirm uncomfortably. But still, she stubbornly held his gaze.

And then he laughed. That sound.. she was taken aback, surprised the Duke found true amusement in their situation- no...
At her comment.

He found it humorous. She flushed at the realization.

"Perhaps you could tell me more?" She suggested, keeping his gaze and her no nonsense demeanor. "That way I won't have to sneak into the party."

Did she really just confess that part of their plan?

Once more, the woman's blatant honesty managed to pierced Valen's cynicism-coated heart with unexpected ease, resulting in a similar reaction— the young man nearly doubled over with light, heartfelt laughter at her request. "I have to admit, I've never before met so... honest of an agent of espionage." Perhaps it was an attempt to disarm him. If so, it was working— he couldn't remember the last time he felt so refreshed in a conversation.

Closing his eyes, he thought for a bit before responding. "I suppose it can't hurt to speak on it. I was bound to be made to give a speech on it soon enough." He eventually noted, before opening his eyes once more.

"Ardal will be hosting a grand event soon— one designed to promote the alliance and solidarity of the Duchies in the wake of the civil war. All the country's willing and able will be invited and allowed to participate— As a show of good faith, I, as Duke of the hosting Duchy, will be making my way about and around— promoting the event, and convening with the Dukes of the land accordingly." He raised his eyes to the sky, thinking back on their first meeting— He'd been working on this very proposal when she'd managed to slip into his solar. He wondered absentmindedly if he would've scrapped the idea, had that day gone differently.

"A bit risky— the weak little puppet Duke of Ardal making his way through the country, shaking hands with the most influential people of the land... And admittedly, quite scary. But it's all I am able do for the sake of the people of Ardal."

Part of her wanted to hit him. But she had to remind herself who she was talking to. She was just a lowly street urchin, a thief.. 

She she settled for just giving him a sharp look for that jab. And also for his lack of any real help.

"I know that," She huffed, still eyeing him sharply- especially since he was now all smiles.

Ansgar's name he had no right to that pretty smile. His mother must've been gorgeous. 

"Do you really think I'd put forth all this effort for information like that?"

Did he already forget she was from Ardal, too? 

Then a soft croak stole her attention as she looked down to where the frog hand jumped onto her shoe.

Tilting his head a bit, innocent eyes betraying a hint of mischief, Valen carried on-- a bit of a smile still playing at his lips even in the face of his now huffing and puffing companion. She was... surprisingly cute, when angry; Something the young duke hadn't noticed prior to that very moment, nor had felt was a thought even slightly becoming of someone of his station. Yet it was there, in the back of his mind, all the same.

"You want to know even more? Your benefactor must be a particular fan of mine," He teased-- quite the uncharacteristically haughty statement from him, given his typically-low self-esteem. It was odd; he felt... strangely free of his station, when speaking with this woman. As if the weight of the world didn't matter, if only for a little while. He felt as though he could be someone, something, he'd never been allowed to be before. Valen wasn't quite sure who or what that was... but he couldn't deny wanting to know.

"Alas. You might end up having to attend another party at this rate-- Spare me a dance this time, if you would?" It was mostly a joke. After the trauma of the last ball he'd attended, he honestly had quite his fill of social gatherings for a lifetime.

She definitely wished she could kick his shin. He was mocking her. The Duke of Ardal! Of all people!

Her cheeks flushed as she just glared at him but... she found she rather liked this type of banter.. this attention and...

She supposed she was actually enjoying this open moment with him as well.

"Maybe I'm the one who's a fan."
She felt her cheeks redden only after the words came out. Stupid insult cane bsck atvher. "Maybe I work alone.. or maybe I'm the benefactor. "

Had he considered that?

But then when he mentioned a dance, she floundered, openly taken back by the proposition.

"I'll dance with you when toads fly  "

It was a childish retort but.. she.. he..


He brought out this strange side of her and she felt.. awkward and hot just then. And just then, the frog seemed to fly (no- leap!) Back onto the Duke's boot.

It croaked lightly, clinging to the shiny leather.

He, too, was being childish. Quite childish-- he could tell, despite having never so openly spoken with anyone before. Perhaps it was the widening smile that crept on his lips no matter how much he attempted to suppress it-- going so far as to try covering his mouth in embarrassment. Perhaps it was the fluttering of his heart as the young woman before him did her absolute best to play word-for-word with him in so many teasing interactions. Whatever it was, he could tell it was something he could only show-- only share-- with the woman in front of him. Somehow, that made him happy-- in a way that little else in the world had thus far.

The gentle thump on his boot amidst the young woman's response to his jesting caused him to giggle slightly, covering his mouth as he did so. Absentmindedly, he played with one of the many golden coils of his gentle, airy locks as he replied in kind, "Close enough, I think. If only you had befriended our little friend first."

A sudden surge of boldness possessed him as he crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. "Come to think of it, I don't believe you took a hand in dance at the last ballroom... Don't tell me you've not learned to waltz? No fan of mine could ever..." He teased, his face the slightest bit red after embracing her 'benefactor' joke, and trailing off with his implications as if to egg her on a bit.

If she had a rock- she'd throw it at his head. 

"That hardly counts! That's a frog, not a toad.  And it just jumped!"

She didn't know why she was so defensive.  But the casual way he just goaded her on she...

Then he went and did it.

"Are you seriously mocking me? Over a silly dance?" Why was she so flustered. "It looks silly enough. I'm sure i could figure it out."

Or just avoid the thing all together. 

The frog jumped away again, into a pile of smashed reeds besides Valen's boots.

Valen was being somewhat unfair in his assertations, surely-- but no more (or less) than the young woman before him. To that end he felt uncharacteristically comfortable with going tit-for-tat with her, no matter how petty it might've seemed-- within reason. Leaning in, he merely beamed a bright smile, waving a single finger. "Ahh... so you CAN'T waltz, that's what it is. How unfortunate-- a dance is an art that most any Connlaothian adult knows how to participate in-- But I suppose there are always exceptions to every rule..." He was being coy-- almost gratingly so-- but he wasn't entirely wrong.

Ardal and Uthlyn placed a lot of weight on the ballroom at their upper-class levels. It wasn't uncommon to ask for, or be asked of another for a short waltz-- it was almost like an evening greeting between associates, or friends, when done at the average social gathering. All the more reason to assume this 'benefactor-less fan' of his wasn't raised for the noble life... To say nothing of her refreshingly brass attitude and personality.

As his froggy friend leapt away from him once more, Valen deflated a bit-- but he was still in quite the good mood, as evidenced by the bright smile and tint of red to his face. How long had it been since he'd had such... fun? Had he ever? "I don't mind teaching you, my biggest fan, of course," He explained, almost fishing for equal parts praise and prickliness as he finished, "...When toads fly, was it?"

She glowered at him, but a part of her was soaking up the attention like a sponge.

"You?" She pointed at him. "Teach me.." she pressed her hand to her chest. "How to dance?"

Surely he was joking- but something about his eyes..

"Wouldn't it be just a waste of your time? Besides, the festivities start tomorrow. Do you honestly expect to just find rather time for us to fool around over dancing lessons before then?"

With a kind, yet mischievous smile, Valen gestured to himself-- much in the way that the young woman had gestured to him only moments prior. More teasing, in a way-- but to an extent, he very much was being sincere.

"I," He began, before pointing to her shortly thereafter, "Teach you..." He then waved his hand in an almost mystical flourish, to overscore his next words. "...How to dance, yes. I'm quite good at it, after all-- I have to be," He explained, almost proud of himself in saying so. The duke was expected to dance. His steps were practically instilled into his mind and body-- seared into the depths of his lithe muscles.

He heard her complaints-- her detractions, her attempts at logic, and he dismissed them in the only way he knew how with her at this point-- by further egging her on. "It's only natural that I do whatever I can for my subjects-- unless, of course... You don't think you have what it takes...?" He pondered in a coy tone, purposefully looking away to incense the woman. Oh, she was getting dance lessons-- He was almost dead-set on it now, in his own way.

Vaelyn just stared at him. Joking and fun bantering aside, the sudden well of anxiety made her heart begin a marathon. She tried to recall just how she had gotten herself into this- but her mind kept puttering out as she looked at him.


So she simply scoffed.

"You'd really try to teach me to dance.." and she gestured around them. "In the reeds?"

"There's barely much space and there isn't exactly Amy music.."

The frog croaked again, then jumped back towards Valen's shoe as Vaelyn anxiously shifted her weight about during her complaints.

Valen's own heart skipped a beat as he took his antics a step further, riding the wave of excitement that was this interaction altogether. With a courteous step backward, and a traditional Ardallan bow, he replied to her concerns in kind--wagging his finger all the while.

"If you can't even dance in the reeds, you'll never dance in public. That's only natural, I'd say." His logic was... sound, and yet completely nonsensical. It would certainly be difficult for someone who's never danced to dance in either.

With his frog companion echoing his sentiments with a croak, Valen extended a hand, still bowing as he did so. "Our little friend is providing the perfect serenade right now-- No excuses!" He jokingly chided, taking away what excuses she could use as a crutch. Was he always so demanding? So high-maintenance, even? He couldn't recall-- but from the sheer enjoyment he was experiencing, perhaps these parts of him were simply being over-expressed-- a side of himself that only she would ever see.

She stiffened instinctively at the gesture, and of him egging her on. However... wouldn't it only benefit her to know this?

What if she somehow had to dance.

With some reluctance, and a huff, she eyed his hand as if it were a toad, before slipping her hand into his.

"Fine." Her eyes blazed a stubborn defiance.  "Teach me to dance, then!"

"I knew you'd come around! Very well, let's teach you a thing or two."

Valen practically bristled with joy at the very thought of his offer (read: goading) being reciprocated. He was a bit too beside himself to realize how unusually forward he was being-- and honestly, he was having far too much fun to care. With a gentle motion, he guided the young lady closer to him, closing the gap between the two of them as he prepared her for the waltz of her life.

"Let's start with the slow waltz, shall we?" So enthusiastic about the lesson was Valen that he hadn't yet considered the sudden closeness of their bodies-- or the intimacy of the art altogether. It'd probably set in eventually-- when he came down from his proverbial high. "I'll guide you with my arm-- Take one step, and wait for me to guide you again. Ready?"

He sure hoped so, because he began just moment's later-- leading her into the first, simple step of the waltz. "One step... and one step... and one step."

Try as she might to cling to her stubbornness, being so close to the Duke had her mind and heart racing.  Did they honestly need to dance this close? She couldn't look at her feet and was clumsily following in time.

She also didn't remember noble dances being so fast!

But if Vaelyn was anything, she was observant- and a fast learner- and after some awkward stumbling- she began to fully concentrate, allowing the Duke to guide and sweep with her in their waltz through the reeds.

And guide her he did-- Valen was no warrior, no great strategist or tactician, but he new his steps in a waltz like he knew his own hands. He was gentle, yet precise with his movements, avoiding over-extending, and waltzing into a repetition of slow, steady rocking steps that almost became hypnotizing in their own way.

"That's it... you're doing well!" In the back of his mind, he was a little concerned about just how uncoordinated the girl might've been, given that she'd not danced before-- but while it took her a little time to find the rhythm in his movements, she did find it-- and before long, she was keeping up pace with him considerably!

He was almost proud!

"How is your first dance, so far?" He couldn't help but teasingly ask, his heartbeat rising as he excitedly lead her through a slightly more complex set of steps.

She began to actually feel proud of herself for getting the rhythm down, her feet carrying with time. But then he spoke and her concentration broke and she found herself stumbling and barely catching herself before her face nearly smashed into his.

And somehow their faces were just inches apart- her eyes staring back into his in a moment of shock.

And then she felt the familiar hop as their little frog friend jumped onto her leg.

Valen, while not particularly strong, was strong enough at least to support one person's body weight with a little effort-- a good thing, too, as that feat was tested only moments later, with his charge stumbling forth into his arms-- a missed step putting an end to their waltz. "Are you--?" He began, before at long last, he realized it.

They were close. Really close.

A shiver ran up the young duke's spine as he came to the realization that even on that day-- when they'd desperately been running for their lives together-- they were never this close. In fact, he wasn't sure he could recall anyone other than the maids-- certainly no woman of his age-- coming this close to him. His face, as a result, suddenly lit up like a celebratory pyre. When-- when did they get this close!?

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar croak, as he recalled that despite themselves, they were not alone right now. "A-ahem. Um." He looked away, doing what he could to salvage his very confused heart at the moment. "...You did very good, for your first waltz-- I told you, n-no noble worth their salt can't do it."

Thank Ansgar's name he looked away. It gave her an excuse to release the breath she hadn't known she was holding. 

"What about non-nobles?" She found herself challenging. 

Valen chuckled a bit at her response, adjusting his posture a bit in an attempt to restore the small space between them. He could only assume she wasn't exactly pleased to be so near, given her tone and overall unwillingness to dance in the first place.

"You'll have to do your best to put on airs, of course!" He teased, having picked up a bit on her less-than-refined background. "My council would have my head if my ballroom partner didn't conduct themselves like a proper noble."

He was mostly joking— His father would be the one who had his head, not his entire council.

She gave the Duke a narrowed look.

"Anyone would be able to tell I'm not noble by how terrible my dancing is." How many times would she end up stepping on another's foot. "I should probably keep myself off the dance floor." 

Yet part of her felt.. reluctant.  Although not dancing would be wise, she was rather enjoying herself with the Duke in the reeds.

Another croak snd she looked down at the frog.

"What about frogs? Are they invited to such balls with dancing?"

At the mention of their froggy friend, Valen's eyes dotted downward to see it still hanging about, despite their waltzing about (literally) in his territory. What a curious fellow; Almost as if it was drawing amusement from the entire situation.

Maybe it was; Valen for certain was having the most fun he'd had in any recent memory he could recall. "Normally not, but I can make an exception for our new friend. If nothing else, he might be able to give you a couple pointers while we waltz." He mused, mostly joking, though his fascination with animals was genuine.

"That said, to your point, your dancing lessons aren't over just yet! We'll make a proper ballroom lady out of you yet. Now then-- Line those toes back up, shoulders back, match my rhythm-- One, and then, one..." He began again, preparing her as he began to lead them through another set of waltzing steps.

Before she could protest, Valen was guiding her into another waltz. She was rigid at first, because the man had commanded she stand with better posture (as she was used to slouching and remaining uninteresting) but as they moved about it became harder for her to hide her blush and the smile that threatened her lips.

She wasn't much for smiles.. but.. well...

How could she not? It was a ridiculous scene- a Duke and an urchin, waltzing among the reeds.

"So what is the point of dancing anyway?" She found herself asking as they swept delicately over the water bogged lands. "It's seems too formal to be just for fun.."

Although maybe it was? She was never much for dancing herself- not that anyone would have ever asked her.

"Well, for... courtship, among other things, of course..." Valen explained, happily leading the duet through a careful, slow twirl amidst the reeds. He didn't address it-- perhaps didn't even realize it-- but his face had openly tinged with a bit of redness at the question, the embarrassing sense of absurdity in having to answer such a thing weighing on the back of his mind. Unlike her, however, he made no move to hide it-- almost as though he hadn't even noticed it. Which, honestly, was true.

It wasn't just because he was having fun. Valen so infrequently interacted with others outside of his role as a noble that he didn't truly comprehend such feelings as lighthearted embarrassment or the ever-so-infamous butterflies in one's stomach. He didn't know what they meant-- though he didn't dislike them in the slightest.

"A noble who can't dance is a noble who can't show grace, or dignity-- to ask for someone's hand in courtship without that much would be a bit of a slight, don't you think?" His words were moreso beaten into him than his own heartfelt beliefs, but he'd never given pause or thought to consider them as anything less than the truth before. Why would he?

No, how he truly felt was... "...But more importantly, it IS fun, isn't it?"

Noted his blush only made her blush further. She tried to stuff the sensation away but found she just.. couldn't do it.

All this talk about courtship and propriety...

But no...

No...

She found herself staring at him at the question.

It wasn't about courtship and propriety..

Not here...
Not beside the lake.

She looked into his eyes, really looked into them before letting him know..

"You know you should be more careful. You're not even out here with any guards."

Valen let out a lighthearted giggle— not nearly the reaction to a potential verbal threat on his life that one might come to expect from a Duke. His eyes twinkled with a mixture of mirth and innocence, a look he'd not held prior... or perhaps the culmination of the ever-building stream of newfound emotions he was experiencing.

"I think it's okay. I feel safe around you, for some reason."

It was such an innocuous statement that he couldn't possibly have understood the ramifications of. How could he, when his entire life thus far had been spent under a watchful eye, or within a painful grasp, or under undue pressures— he barely understood what he was saying anymore, such freedom he was experiencing for the first time.

"Dare I say, I don't think I would mind if it was you. As long as you don't force our frog friend to watch— he's seen too much already, I fear." He was teasing, partly. In truth, at least in that moment, he didn't care— some part of his rational, Duke's mind knew that the joy he was experiencing for the first time was a fleeting thing. Perhaps that was why he was so keen to let his guard down. If it ended right now, he'd at least die happy.

At that remark, her entire person flushed.  She had not expected that level of confidence, nor trust coming from the Duke- especially towards a woman such as herself. But despite the fact she could quite honestly be a danger to him.. he smiled anyway.

"Maybe you shouldn't.." she said softly, then she felt the need to tear her eyes away.

"Trust me I mean." She returned her eyes to him, questioning, and before she could think better of it- she added ,"But thank you.. for that. "

She trusted those she worked with well enough but....

Whatever the pair shared here now...
It was vastly different. 

Then she turned her gaze to the little frog. Shr wondered why it hadn't been spooked away. 

With a cheerful, joyous smile, a slight blush to his cheeks-- partly due to how winded this dancing practice was beginning to get him, but mostly due to the happiness he felt at the moment, and the wind in his golden tresses-- partially obscuring his eyes, Valen responded in kind. "You're most certainly welcome."

Trust was a fickle, strange thing. It was something people deigned to give out to those who, usually, they didn't expect to betray them. That was normal; You put faith in someone who you believe in, expecting in return that those beliefs won't be used against you. But for a Duke, Valen found that the world worked quite the opposite, at the higher end of the political scene. Trust was a weapon-- a weakness to be used against one's self, if it was freely given.

How many times had he given it away before, at the behest of either his father, his council, or others who dictated his life-- only for it to be used against him in return? He relished the idea of, at least this time, giving his trust freely-- regardless of how it would be used against him later.

He adjusted his arm around the small of her waist as he furthermore proclaimed, "Now, for something a bit more complex-- Just let your feet follow mine for a bit, until you get the hang of this one, okay?" He was not kidding when he said 'a bit more complex'; Shortly after he did, he began to lead her through a series of almost dizzying, circular movements-- with a twirl at the core of the movement. The frog could only watch on with astonishment as Valen displayed a heretofore unforeseen level of dexterity on his feet.

Whatever Valen was feeling was openly projected onto her. The bright feeling.. the wonder...
She couldn't help but feel the same as they were openly at play, dancing once again in the reeds. 

This time her heart raced because the steps were quick and she moved in time, trying her best to keep up with him. It wasn't until at the end when she was twirled in a triumphant motion that the thrill all but consuming her. 

But a misstep had her falling into his arms, falling against him as their faces nearly collided. And the entire world went silent as she realized their lips were barely a breath away. And with the rush of momentum and in that intimate place guarded by her stifling powers of sound...


She leaned forward and kissed the Duke.
Because for one simple moment, she allowed herself just to be and ignored thoughts and the entire world. Even if he hated it, didn't want her- it had felt right to take the kiss and lean into it - and braced herself for what might come next.

Time stopped-- at least, for Valen.

He should've known to be a bit more careful with his steps as he walked her through the waltz, since just a bit earlier she lost her balance as well, and tumbled a bit. It was dangerous-- especially considering that they were in the marsh, and their steps were stifled by the reeds and water alike. He should've been more cautious of his own positioning as well-- holding her too close was only going to embarrass or earn unneeded ire if something like this happened again, where they ended up mere breaths apart.

He knew all of that, and berated himself accordingly when it happened anyway. He'd gone and gotten too carried away again... to his dancing partner's dismay. He really wanted to apologize-- And yet, in that fleeting moment, when their lips touched, his mind went blank.

A... kiss. It... it was a kiss, right? Surely he should've recognized the embrace the moment it happened... but he didn't. He didn't pull away-- he was far too enthralled by the sensation of oneness-- of being so close to anyone else in such an intimate way. And yet, he... didn't know what to make of it. At all. Pain surged in his heart-- a wound he'd felt had long since scarred over, as he came to the sudden and despair-filled realization that he... couldn't reciprocate. He was too afraid... afraid of death. Afraid of pain. Afraid of being treated like a pawn, like everyone else in his life had done to him. He genuinely didn't know how to reciprocate these feelings that she'd presented him with.

And so, when at last they pulled apart, Valen stared blankly, breathlessly at the woman before him... before a tear fell from his eye. He was... crying? Why was he crying? "I... Sorry... I'm not sure why I..." He tried to explain himself, wiping the heated tear from his face. "That... I... forgive me, I-- That was... very unbecoming of a duke, to... well."

And just like that- the silence stopped the moment the loss had ended. Even still, sound thundered inside her ears and panic gripped her heart over what she had done.

What had she done!?

That was probably the single most stupid thing she could have done. She'd never really kissed anyone before and now she went and just let herself kiss the Duke of Ardal of all people!

She saw his reaction and took a step back, giving him some space- as well as herself.  She needed a moment to breath.. to think more clearly because...

Ansgar's name, what was she doing!?

"I'm sorry, that was foolish of me," came her reply, eyes lowered as a fierce blush consumed her face. "I just got carried away."

That was even putting it lightly...
She was tense and alert again, hyper aware of their surroundings as the rasping of bugs and birds alike were a symphony of sound that all but engulfed them- yet somehow the pounding of her heart and sense of dred over what she had just done trumped it all.

"This... was nice," she went on, awkwardly. Ansgar's name! She was a fool! Who just up and kissed a duke!? How could she just do it?

She knew emotions were bubbling up as the two had been interacting...
But why had she actually acted upon it.? Not only was it foolish, it jeopardized whatever it was they had been sharing.

"I enjoy my time with you. You're.. different and don't judge me. " she kept her eyes lowered, ashamed. "But I know my place."

The last bit felt forced out. She had apparently forgotten her place when she dared act upon her irrational emotional- 

And now she made the Duke cry.

"Just take it as a thank you," she added softly, not sure that helped the awkward emotions now brewing between the pair. Then she lifted her gaze. "No one has ever treated me as nice as you."

It took a while for Valen to regain his bearings, mentally. His emotions were in a state of turmoil; It was all that he could do to prevent himself from tearing up for a few moments after their embrace. His mind raced to rationalize what he was feeling-- to attack it with logic and prior experience from every angle that he could, in an attempt to push those bubbling-over feelings back down into whatever deep, dark cage he'd locked them away in. It wasn't a battle he was making any traction in, however, until she began to speak.

His eyes had been averted, but the moment she began to explain herself, Valen felt a sense of normalcy-- even if only slightly-- return to his heart. Everything she said-- about how she'd gotten carried away, how she felt about him, about how he treated her... it was odd, but he could feel a strange sense of resonance from her words. As if he himself wanted to say them. More the fool was Valen, of course, who couldn't quite put his finger on why he felt this way, until she at last hit the nail on the head.

No one had ever treated her as nice as him.

In that moment, everything clicked. Well, not everything-- but more than enough for Valen to take pause, before smiling once more, a bit of a blush to his own cheeks that near-rivaled her own. Now he understood what he felt-- kinship. On some level, despite how little he really knew about the woman before him, he could tell... they were the same. "I... I'm flattered. I'm truly flattered." Was all he was able to voice, the strangest sense of butterflies in his stomach.

Did normal, non-noble people feel like this? Like they could just float, when looking at a person they found endearing?

"I'm sorry-- I'm... not very good with these sorts of things. But... I... thank you. For... for sharing that moment, with me." He was more than out of his depth now-- the blush on his face deepening further as he realized how silly he probably sounded. All that talk about the art of the dance being a part of courtship, and here he was... fumbling about. He could just imagine what his uncle would say right about now, were he here.

Honestly, the thought didn't console him in the slightest.

What he said... although he didn't outright mock her.. wasn't consoling. But she wasn't surprised. She had been too bold.. too swept up on the moment.

She finally shook her head.

"Just... think of it as a thank you for being so kind. "

It was nothing more.

It couldn't  be anything more. She shifted uncomfortably.

"I should head back." She bowed her head in respect. "Thank you... for dancing with me."

A strange thing.. that he was helping her to spy on.. well.. him.

"I--"

Whoa, there, Duke of Ardal. Valen's lips, his voice, leapt forth before he had even realized it-- likely a very immediate and direct reaction to the sudden loss of the sensation of butterflies that he felt moments earlier. There was a gap-- a blink-and-miss-it moment wherein that feeling of floating left him stranded, and his body felt as though it were in a free fall. That moment was so brief, though-- and before he knew it, he was once again on the ground.

Things were normal, again.

"...No, thank... thank you. For..." He didn't have the words readily available to express himself. He knew them, but he also knew where they were-- locked away, somewhere deep within the wooden and cloth chest compartment of the Puppet Duke persona he'd crafted for the sake of Ardal. Guarded by emotional manipulation, under threat of physical abuse. That's where those words were. Perhaps, one day, he'd be brave enough to venture deep, deep down into that forbidden territory, and make an attempt at bypassing those gates-- picking that lock-- and retrieving those words. It wasn't even something he'd considered before now... but perhaps one day.

"...For everything." He eventually managed, giving a proper bow befitting a duke. He also needed to get back soon-- the council would likely be looking for him by this point.

The Ardal Rhond Expedition, or the hunt (and its associated festival)- were all the rave in town. Many were gossiping about the arrival of the Duke and how he was yet to be married. Clearly he was an eligible man, though silly as the women were at the dress shop as they were fitting and measuring Vaelyn's curves (or- she felt- the lack there of..) they eventually tutted over her and were working on the sleeves of her garb when one noted how boyishly short her hair was. That clearly the rage was hair down to one's waist atleast.

It took every once of her being not to roll her eyes. Thankfully, her taking on the role of a lesser noble from the countryside made her lack of fashion sense more forgiven- but Vaelyn was already exhausted when they were through. And she still had to attend the event.

Her hair had been clipped back with a series of gemstone encrusted clips and her attire was of rhe current fashion trend- with long sleeves and skirts of a modest variety.

Her chosen dress was a soft lilac and deep purple sleeves and ornamentation. It made her blue eyes seem bluer somehow and she frowned as she looked at herself in a hallway mirror as they were preparing to leave. Who was this women staring back at her? She didn't recognize her own face, especially with all the painted make up over her eyes.

She frowned and continued to linger in the hallway of the event. She wasn't much up for mingling, and it wouldn't due for a lady to move about unescorted.

Of course, once she and Fueno arrived he had all but disappeared. He was truly in his element here. Where as she? She had noted a little side library and slipped inside, staring around the room at all the ornate details and books she couldn't read..

And things she contemplated stealing. Just one candelabra was worth more than her life. 

Just another reminder she didn't belong in this world.

The proceedings of the festival announcement went accordingly. Valen, after a bit of rest, a change of clothes, and a re-review of his speech notes, did as he was often expected to do; Stood before a crowd of nameless, faceless people and gave a delightful, heartening speech declaring the event and it's associated fanfare with all the vim and enthusiasm that a young, engaged, bright-eyed duke should be expected to-- all to the great enthusiasm and enjoyment of his audience. He looked the part as much as he sounded it-- Having been fitted and changed into an impressive, silver-embroidered, navy blue doublet, on the shoulders of which sat quite the dignified nobleman's cloak; Lined with tiger's fur that had been chemically dyed white, and embroidered with the noble stallion upon which the Duchy stood for.

His smile, as brilliant as his golden tresses. His voice, a proud, yet gentle beacon of unity and innocence. A better puppet Duke he could not be. It was no wonder that the lower-- and even middle-class women often paid him such awed gazes. People see what they want to see, after all.

Before long, he stepped down from the stage, and as was often the case with these public orations, he was practically swarmed by his adoring public... practically, being the key word. There were more than enough members of his personal council and assigned guard to prevent that from happening as he took the opportunity to slip out of the main hall, his smaller stature allowing him easy-enough egress. There was a small, quiet library chamber that he could use while he waited for the post-speech fanfare to die down.

Why was his entourage so protective of him? After the events that occurred on the afternoon of his appearance at the noble's gathering in Ardal's main estate were investigated and found out proper, public events with the duke had become much of a risk-factor. Ardal was, despite the high morale of it's people, not in a position where it would survive an assassination of it's duke in public, and the council knew that. Even his father, despite... well. Even he knew he couldn't afford to let his son be killed off in public.

As he entered the room, and the silence of solitude fell on his shoulders, his mind drifted back to that day. He'd nearly died... had it not been for a certain spy's timely intervention. It almost seemed as though fate had conspired to see them cross paths, he felt-- for her to save his life, and then... well. He'd pushed the events in the marsh to the back of his mind, not having given himself a lot of time to truly process any of it. Perhaps that was for the best-- perhaps he could do that now, while he waited in silence.

...Or perhaps not, he thought to himself, as his ears-- then his eyes-- caught wind of a very familiar pair of footsteps, belonging to a very familiar figure. Conspiring of fate, indeed...


"Ah, so you were here. I was just thinking about you." Valen near-tactlessly blurted out, revealing his presence. His father had always taught him one thing, and one thing above all else-- complications didn't disappear. Better to simply address them head-on where possible, else they become worse.

Vaelyn started, so surprised anyone was able to walk up on her that she nearly knocking over a nearby candelabra. She managed to grab a hold of it, out of instinct rather than anything else, and grimaced as the wax began to dribble forward. 

She hastily righted the damn thing before turning, red faced, to address the Duke.

She narrowed her eyes.

"You startled me." Then she swiftly added. "Why are you in here?" Didn't he have.. well.. an entire city to entertain?

Where was his entourage? His servants? She hadn't seen him left alone even once...but here he was..

And the pair had found themselves alone.

Valen, having witnessed the entirety of her reaction, raised his left hand to cover his mouth— an ineffective attempt at hiding the smile quickly blooming across his lips— before falling prey to a gentle fit of chuckles at her behavior.

Well well well. Catching her unawares twice in one setting was an auspicious thing, indeed. And more importantly, funnier with each time.

"Forgive me; I suppose I didn't expect to... well, spy on a spy, per se..." He attempted to explain, as his laughter died down. "A few fortnights past, you'd be right, and I'd be working my way through as many handshakes as I could... but the council has recently seen fit to limit my time in public, to prevent... well."

His gaze cast down a bit, he pondered the right way to broach the topic without opening any old wounds. "...Well. To prevent any unfortunate mishaps. They'd done a little scouting ahead of time, and this library was noted as a fine waiting spot while the crowd died down. Though... not scouted well enough, I suppose."

Vaelyn frowned at that.  Had it really been so serendipitous their meeting again would align in such a fashion? And then here he was.. laughing at her!

She folded her arms and glared at him.

"Should a Duke really laugh at his subjects?" She asked, her mood a counter to his giddy demeanor. Honestly.. shouldn't he be too exhausted? When she had to deal with situations with people.. well.



She avoided those if she could- probably one reason that aided her ability as a spy.. her natural aversion of socializing... but when she did have to interact with.. others.. 

Well, it was draining. 

"You might need to hire new guards, because I didn't see any before I came down this hall to the library."

Valen did his best to keep his lips covered, and regain his composure; But it was still very clear that he was smiling, if not from amusement then simply from being happy to see his most recent dance partner. With a measured, practiced bow, he replied to her frustrations. "You're right, of course. Please forgive my teasings-- I couldn't help myself."

Internally, he somehow just... felt? No... knew, she wasn't truly upset with him. In spite of that, years of teachings and discipline from his family and-- more recently-- the council dictated that he respond to her with sincerity, as any noble would.

It was still funny.

"On that note, we are indeed alone-- This room is secure enough, for the time being. You know, this would be the perfect opportunity for you, wouldn't it? You could take my life, or hold me hostage for ransom-- no one would suspect a thing, for a time." He didn't make such jokes lightly-- at least, not with everyone. The truth of the matter was that even suggesting such a thing conjured the memory of his most recent brush with death, wherein he was practically helpless. And yet, the person he was joking with did save his life, to be fair.

A bit of self-defeatism, then? Or perhaps he was simply so conditioned to believe anyone and everyone would take advantage of him if given the chance...

She stared at him, wary, as he went over a list of things she could do to him. But they both knew none of that would happen. Last time they were alone...

They had danced.

"I'm being serious," she finally said. She was never good at teasing. "I wasn't planning on getting you alone. I only came here to get away from the crowd."

Did he not value his own life? Surely...

Surely he held value in himself. He was a Duke, of all things!

"Besides," she finally looked away, eyes combing the room. "I'm only here to gather information. "

She was a spy, after all.

"What better way to gather information than directly from the Duke, in a... somewhat, controlled environment?"

Valen sauntered to a nearby table, upon which a tray of soft, sweet, biscuits sprinkled with cinnamon and a decanter of dark, hot liquid-- likely tea of a sort-- sat in waiting. It was likely prepared ahead of time for him while he waited, with instructions given to the maids by the council to ensure he was accommodated while they handled the fanfare and post-speech statements of the event. They did love to keep their Duke occupied, after all.

He made himself relatively 'at home'; Pouring a cup of the tea, and seating himself near the tray of confections. Legs crossed, back comfortably straight, eyes trained on his cup-- and not the spy in the room-- as he took a lovely first sip of the drink. The warmth of honey, ginger, and sweet herbs soothed his throat, which was still somewhat stinging from the speech. A single lock of brilliant gold fell over his face as he shivered from the warmth as it spread down into his body; A lock that he quickly fixed back into place.

"You know, a thought occurs to me-- you might consider working with me, instead. It would certainly be more comfortable than trying to sneak about in the midst of such an event. I can't imagine you wouldn't benefit from it financially, either." It was a bold statement, but from Valen's perspective, what harm was there in asking? Especially considering... well.

Vaelyn looked at him as if he had three heads. But then, distractedly she looked at his snacks and tea. But she wasn't really looking at the food.. not really. Her eyes were distant in thought.

Then she looked up into his eyes.

"How could you possibly benefit from someone like me?"

It was a strange proposal- then again, she supposed Valen was a strange man. He wasn't like most she knew.. then again, he did live in a whole other world..

Yet some things weren't too terribly far apart.

She shifted closer on her dress, leaning against a nearby wall- maintaining some distance yet keeping an open view of both the Duke and the entire study. 

"Do you honestly need a spy?"

Valen caught the fullness of his cautious companion's reaction from the corner of his eye and the echo of his ear-- and in spite of it, or perhaps because of it, he smiled a bit. Placing the cup in his hands down onto a small, white-and-blue-trimmed saucer near to the platter, his eyes slowly rolled away from the confections to a small, thin booklet on the table-- likely something the maids were reading, or a leftover book from prior to the library being cleared out.

"Is the idea really that surprising? Perhaps I spoke a little too candidly, then-- My apologies. No, I don't honestly need a spy." What, exactly, was he apologizing for? And with the amused smile on his face, was it even a genuine apology, or was he simply teasing her a bit more for how sharply she responded?

Who could say; The far-off, yet contemplative look in his crystalline, azure eyes as he lifted the booklet to read it proper left much to interpretation. Perhaps even to himself.

"I would like a friend, though. Or, whatever the closest thing in The Game could be called. Wishful thinking, I suppose."

A... friend? Was he being serious?

Vaelyn's otherwise guarded expression faltered, the obvious surprise showing through. She'd have taken a step back, where she not already up against a wall.

"You're... asking for .. friendship?" She repeated, baffled still at what was his aim.

Did he honestly mean to string her along? Toy with her after.. she tried to shake away the silly kiss she had given to him at the lake side. Even she didn't know why she had been so foolish...

But this?

She wasn't sure how she wanted to reply, and cast her eyes downward while she hadn't realized she allowed the area around her to envelope in silence so she could just think... and simply just breathe.

Valen leaned back in his chair, his legs crossed, having set the booklet he's been looking into aside for a moment. For the briefest of instances his eyes seemed to glimmer— as if overtaken by a mischievous bolt of inspiration— and he turned that gaze on the "cornered" spy as raised an eyebrow in response to her question. Truly, he seemed to feel unprecedentedly confident in the moment. "Would you prefer your Duke asked for your hand as a lover, instead?"

...Oh, boy.

Almost immediately after those words left his mouth, he seemed to remember where he was— heck, WHO he was. With a bright blush to his face, the young noble covered his mouth, averted his gaze, and gave a curt, conversation-interrupting "ahem", before shifting in his chair uncomfortably. Well, that happened. Thank goodness that none of the staff or council were there to see it. "Wh-what I mean to say is that I have grown to trust and enjoy these interactions we've had, of late. In my position, trust is a rare thing— easily given, easily betrayed. And yet you, who I have less reason to trust than my own council, have yet to use that against me. I... would like to cherish and nurture that, if possible. And I'd like you to cherish that as well."

Goodness, was his doublet always this tight? Valen wasn't a good liar— he never had been. He spoke from the heart, always— even when it made him uncomfortable or sound unpleasant. To distract himself, he took another small, near-silent sip of the warm tea, before setting it back down on its saucer. "Of course, I have no intentions of forcing anything. I just... well. I suppose I had hoped you felt at least somewhat similarly."

 "Would you prefer your Duke asked for your hand as a lover, instead?"

His rambling that soon followed was all but ignored- for how wide and surprised her eyes had become, froze the woman in place. Not only was she already outside of her element- dolled up in a fancy dress and almost not looking like herself in all the make up and pampering...

But one couldn't hide who Vaelyn was with mascara, or cakey foundation powder, or glittering earrings and a fancy dress-

No, Vaelyn, the frail looking , ratty haired young woman was still in there- 

But this? Asking all of that, during such a curiously subtle moment where the two ended up alone? Vaelyn narrowed herceyes at him sharply. The way he sat, the way he sipped his tea- this had not been the whimpering man she had initially stumbled into at the castle. When had he dared tease her so openly and .. and.. flirt? If that's what one could call this.


Then again... who made the moves first?


Her cheeks burned as she remembered the kiss and her embarrassment afterwards.  Was he.. here to mock her? Or did he actually want.. want.. well.. some kind of relationship?

To distract herself, she had moved to pick up the discarded book the Duke had glanced at early and pretended to be using it, thoughtfully- as if 'reading' but that was silly.. Vaelyn couldn't read. It made it more evident since the book was upside down - but the book couldn't hide how flustered she was- especially considering how close she had gotten beside Valen. 


He'd be able to all but feel her blush at how much it consumed her face-

Then she paused, and let the book drop ontop his lap where it might hurt the most.

"...?"

In truth, Valen was equally out of his element. It was incredibly unnatural for him, of all people, to just so openly 'chat' with anyone, let alone a stranger to his court, a spy, a variable capable of killing him in that very moment, or-- as was the case-- all three at once. The truth was simple enough, spoken plain enough-- He didn't feel in danger, despite the obvious risks he was taking at the moment. He hadn't felt in danger when they'd met in the swamps before, and he didn't feel in danger when she'd made her way into his room following his attempted assassination. If anything, with every encounter he'd had with the spy, he felt more and more safe... more free, perhaps, than he'd ever felt before.

It was an odd thing, truly; In his heart, he'd always felt as though he were locked away. Caged, perhaps, despite holding more political power, in theory, than anyone else. Worse still was the fact that he felt he needed to be there, locked away, for the sake of his people and his dukedom. But in these fleeting moments, he felt as though he could forget that, if only for a few minutes... and while he didn't have the courage to try unlocking that cage, he felt as though he could reach out of it a little.

As she came to rest near him, Valen observed with curious and bemused eyes as she, in response to his proposition, did anything and everything in his power to not display her own... hmm, shock? Surprise? Embarrassment? It was hard to tell just what was going through her mind as she took the book he'd been looking over and held it up to her face... upside down, but it was just as fun to watch all the same. 'Squirming' wasn't something he was particularly used to seeing someone do in response to anything that he said or did, in truth. He almost felt bad for asking, now.

"Just food for thought, so to speak. You don't need to give me an answer-- I feel better just from voicing my feelings." He explained with a kind smile, before continuing. "Though it would be nice to have an answer before--" He wanted to say 'before the council came looking for him', but he was interrupted by the book that unceremoniously fell into his lap.

Which was followed by the half-cup of tea he'd grabbed falling shortly behind it.

"H-haaaaa!" He wasn't sure whether to yelp from the heat or the pain-- the sharp exhale would have to do for both, as he instinctively tumbled out of the chair, and to the floor. Welp, there went any sort of control he had over that situation.

Vaelyn winced. What had gotten into her? She hadn't meant to actually harm him, as was evident by the sudden splash of tea to his form. She just.. just...
She just wanted to make him as flustered as he made her just now! Why did he think it fair to bring it up now, when she was out of her element?

But, without much thought to her reaction, she hedted up her layers of skirts and began to help him dab away at the spilled tea.

She was still gritting her teeth as she tried to assist him. Great- would this alert the guards? Would he just throw her into jail? She had just accosted a Duke of all people! What was happening to her? Why was she being so reckless!?

She avoided his eyes, blushing more furiously at their close proximity as she ground her teeth. She almost looked.. ashamed.

"You shouldn't say those things to me," she finally spoke, moving to slip away from him since it seemed she had gotten most of the tea cleaned up and well- now it seemed both had tea stains on their fancy clothes.

"H-hold a moment, please... goodness."

Flustered wasn't necessarily the correct word for Valen, who yet struggled to regain his bearings after the veritable heart attack delivered onto him by his fickle companion via tea cup. Even as she moved to attempt correcting her 'mistake' by staining her own dress, the young duke merely did what he could to stop her— no sense, in his mind, of her dirtying such a nice dress on a whim.

Granted, that was another difference between the two of them— one he struggled to keep in mind. Values. What he'd been raised to believe mattered, and what she'd been forced to learn mattered (likely for her own sake) were two entirely different things. As the tea cooled and settled into his waist, his pained expression was slowly replaced by a smile— either attempting to hide his discomfort, or genuinely amused by the situation so deeply that it overrode said discomfort.

"Point taken," He eventually conceded, a deep breath following afterwards as his somewhat sheepish eyes looked up at her own, "That was a step of teasing too far. Forgive me— I was having a bit of fun at your expense, I think."

The explanation was very... Valen. Equal parts sincere, naive, and oblivious of the intentions that lead to it. Slowly, as if testing the weight limit his legs could take, he began to rise once more; fanning himself a little. The hot tea had given a slight rise to his body temperature. "I'll have to have the council prepare another set of clothes before we depart— though I wouldn't be surprised if they had already thought to do so."

At his words, she glanced at him, then lowered her gaze as she stepped away to give him space to rise. She hated that her face felt like the flames of a fire. And that she felt so.. akward- like each limb and action she took were wood.

What had she gotten herself into by agreeing to this? Fueno... no... she couldn't blame him. She agreed. This was her job. But why had it lead to something like this?

No.. no this had all been on her own. Each time she encountered the Duke, something drew them together. It didn't make sense. They lived in completely different worlds- lead completely different lives...

And she was here to spy on him.
And he knew it.

The words he spoke rolled about inside her brain, making her heart race and keeping the pink color staining her cheeks. He cherished their time together? Was he actually considering..

No that would be foolish. And if he were... he out ranked her by... about as much as anyone could out rank her. 

"I shouldn't have kissed you," she said softly, eyes ashamed- almost angry, as she looked at the ground. "Back at the lake..."

That's what she needed to say.. needed to do..
But why did a spike of panic.. of fear grip her that she'd lose this? Whatever this may be.

Valen blinked.

Wait... Surely she wasn't still dwelling on that situation, was she? Certainly, it had been a surprising revelation for Valen, her sudden and seemingly (from his perspective) unprovoked expression of her feelings... but he'd already accepted them. He'd had more than enough time between then and now to really ponder what that kiss meant— and while he didn't, and couldn't, know the depths of her emotions, he could understand that there were... some. Of a sort, anyway.

His mother had once told him a story about a woman she attended lessons with— about how that woman had met a dashing young man of an opposing noble house, and how that woman's unbridled disdain, venomous disposition and passionate beliefs against that man were so great that, in spite of himself, he fell in love with her. And she, in spite of herself, found that those strong feelings became so muddled and confusing in her heart that they blurred into the realm of attraction. A messy story of love amid politics— the sort that his mother loved to read about.

He was no Casanova, nor Ardal Rhond— he had neither the life experience to really understand another person's heart, nor the charisma to command said feelings. But what he lacked in both fields, he made up for in earnestness... or so he liked to think. "Hm... I should apologize then. I fear I've made your personal circumstances rather complicated by willfully involving myself with you."

He thought for a moment, before taking a step or so away from the spy, and toward the table— coming to lean against it for support as he considered what he could do to make right the whirlwind of emotions he'd unknowingly kicked up. "...Admittedly, I regret little of what happened at that time— perhaps just that I didn't ask your name when I had the chance, but... Hm."

And then a thought came to mind. A rather foolish one, and a disappointing one in his mind, but one born of the Duke's instilled sense of needing to pacify and yield to everyone around him.

"...Would you prefer that I pretend that never happened? That we've no relation in that regard? It would allow you to pursue your aims undeterred I presume. If it please you, I could take my leave of this room— pretend that we'd never spoken, never met. You're the resourceful sort— I imagine if you didn't want me to see or notice you again, you'd have no trouble making it so."

She couldn't help but feel a surge of anger spike within her belly.  She tried to calm her emotions, but it seemed around him, they were hardly her own- or atleast not in her control.

And she wasn't sure why she was upset. Wasn't that basically what she was asking for? And still...


"Ah.. forgive me! I didn't realize the library was already occupied!"

Vaelyn nearly jumped clean out of her skin. Spinning around, she was ashamed not to sense the presence of someone else entering the library. A hand bad instinctively went to her waist, where a hidden blade rest. But she froze when she noted it was an elderly gentleman with a far too friendly of a smile and a long white beard.

"Oh goodness, Duke Valen! I hadn't realized it was you here. Please, pardon my interruption. I only meant to step away from the crowd."

For a fleeting moment, Valen's brow raised and his eyes widened— if only slightly. He felt his heart skip a beat as a flash of emotion sprung across the woman's face before him. He had no expectations— only hopes that his words would be enough for her to honestly express whatever it was that she wanted. And for a moment, it seemed so— at least, until said moment was interrupted.

The onset of another voice was like a bucket of water on Valen's soul. Just like that, the moment passed— and whatever fleeting wish he had seemed to vanish with it. He stepped away from the table, adoring a more suitable posture for a Duke, and raised a pardoning hand as the new face apologized for their interruption.

"Ah, worry not, good sir. We were just finishing a conversation." Valen trained his eyes on the older man with equal parts kindness and reserve, followed by the chair beside him as he courteously returned it to it's tucked-away place, and the cup to its saucer— all the while sparing not a glance toward the woman he'd been speaking with.

Perhaps he was wrong, or perhaps she was simply unwilling to make a choice on her own behalf— he could not know, but the older man's entrance reminded him that while he waited, the world— and more importantly, his duchy— waited longer still for him. Regardless of what he wanted, he could not simply set aside his title, nor his burden, forever— so he decided to make the best choice he could figure for both of them. He felt himself deflate a little— his ego, his 'self', retreating into a safe place within his heart at the thought.

He had fun— more fun than he'd had in recent memory. But he still had to be a Duke. It was time to return to the world of political exhaustion and manipulation, of being used and looked down upon from the shadows. "I've some other matters to attend to— not the least of which being a change of clothes. If you'll excuse me," He curtly stated, before heading out of the library.

Vaelyn, he might have noticed, had used the appearance of the old man to slip out of the room.  She didn't go too far, lingering - if only for the reason to ensure the Duke was safe. 

But why should she care? This was ridiculous. She was here to get information, and well- she supposed she was getting something. Once she heard the Duke was excusing himself, she began to make her way towards the ball room, but paused- uncertain. 

What if she ran into someone that wanted to dance? And shouldn't she be sticking close to Valen? He  was her primary target, after all. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be here.. 


A strange thought occurred to her. She should have taken whatever he was offering. The friendship, the.. whatever...
It would keep her close. And the closer she got- the more secure her pockets could be lined with coin. Not everyone could work as a seamstress or milk maid or even a Duke...

No, Vaelyn's job was to get information and make money doing it. She was lucky Fuena kept her around. But.. well...

Fueno seemed to have a better eye and was always a step ahead of Vaelyn- no matter what she thought...
And she had a sneaking suspicion he left her alone here on purpose- so that something like this might happen.

She wouldn't mind... infact she shouldn't mind what she was doing.  It was her job...

And yet....
Something happened to the way she perceived the Duke, and it made her second guess each step she took.