A religious zealot has been traveling through all the cities of Elyria and spreading fear and a warning. A great storm is coming, one even worse than then the one that destroyed much of their land. This one will kill the rest of the land, leading to their ultimate destruction. Warning them that if nothing is done they will all perish.
Is he right? Is there anything they can do to stop the storm? Or is he spreading fear in order to create chaos or even in an attempt to bring the people together as one as they work to survive?
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Post by Lucia Valentina on Sept 9, 2018 15:05:52 GMT -5
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The Royal Gardens were a thing of true, unrivalled beauty and for Lucia Valentina they were a sanctuary, especially at night when most people were busy with their families, their lovers or whatever it was that non-shy people did. The stars had looked so bright from the villa that she’d been unable to resist going for a walk to the gardens, as a member of the nobility she was free to walk the gardens whenever she pleased, which was most nights really, but still she never took for granted that she might have them all to herself.
Tonight she was lucky it seemed, the gardens were deserted. Moving through the gardens, the pale grey dress she wore trailing behind her with every step she took. It really was a beautiful night, the flowers smelt sweet and there was a pleasant breeze that toyed with her long dark hair. With her mother gone and her father ill Lucia needed this time walk, needed the fresh air to clear her mind. There was suddenly so much pressure on her that there hadn’t been before. Her father needed her to marry, he needed her to ensure that there would be an heir but she also knew he just wanted to see her protected.
If he died and she wasn’t married then she would be alone. Lucia knew he was worried about her future though he’d not told her so, he didn’t have to. She knew him too well for him to hide things like that from her. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn’t notice the dip in the path, losing her footing as she went over on her ankle. Letting out a startled scream she fell into a heap on the ground, immediately reaching for her ankle. She winced at her own touch, something wasn’t right and she knew it instantly. “Oh no…” she whispered, slowly trying to get up but the moment she put weight on it she was on the ground again.
Great…just great…She was no where near the villa and she’d not brought a servant with her. My dress is going to be ruined by the time I crawl back to the villa…
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Sept 9, 2018 20:32:14 GMT -5
Aurelius made his way into the Royal Gardens, taking a glance around before letting out a breath that had felt like he had been holding in since the sun rose this morning. He rubbed at his eyes slightly and let his posture wilt some as he stood, letting his body relax. He loved his job, he loved to work, he loved the people whom he worked for, and all the rewards that came along with it. But today, today it seemed like whatever higher power that was out there was throwing everything they had at him. Every time he turned around the King had something else for him to do, from the simplest of errands of running into the town to fetch odd things for him, to helping him with much more important matters.
And it wasn't just the King throwing things at him, everyone in the market place had to stop and tell him something. Had to ask him something. Had to complain about something. It was outrageous the amount of people who he had talked to today, and it completely wore him out. He had been so busy today that he didn't get the chance to visit his mother who was fighting a horrible illness. He tried to make it a point to visit her everyday and he had been stuck in such a loop that his normal routine fell short.
So a walk around the gardens before bed seemed like a perfect way to unscramble his very fried brain. The Hand of the King had always appreciated the Gardens, he himself couldn't keep the simplest plants alive let alone a whole garden. His parents were good with plants, always growing some type of flowers or produce. The flowers that were orange and blue were one of his favorites and he took a minute to admire them. He let out another breath, a relaxed one, taking in all the fragrances the Garden had to offer.
It was a scream off in the distance that snapped him out of his relaxed pondering, perking up and lifting his head quickly. He had thought he was alone in the Gardens but perhaps not? None the less, he went to inspect it. His hand gently rested on the sword he kept at his hip, on most nights he would have taken it to his room before going about his walk but he hadn't stopped there yet. With a hurried pace Aurelius walked the pathways and scanned over the beds of flowers before spotting whom he assumed the scream came from. Squinting in the dark, he was finally able to make out who was the owner of such a frightened scream and he hurried his pace. "Ms. Valentina," He spoke softly yet hurriedly as he knelt to her side so not to spook the woman, "Is everything okay? Are you harmed?"
Post by Lucia Valentina on Sept 12, 2018 17:14:35 GMT -5
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Taking a deep breath she rubbed her tender ankle, she could tell already that it had to be sprained. If there was bruising in the morning she would not have been even a little bit surprised, it already felt as though it was starting to bruise. It was blatantly apparent that she couldn’t put weight on it, just the pressure of her fingers moving over her ankle was enough to make her wince so there was no way that it would be able to handle her full weight. The sound of footsteps on grass, the familiar thud made her heart rate picked up and her entire body tense. Someone else was there. Suddenly she was nervous, very nervous. This was not good. There was a good chance that she was going to end up a stutter, shy mess with a sprained ankle and there was no way that was going to go well when she couldn’t run away.
As soon as she heard his voice, a voice she was used to hearing around the court though it was rare to find it aimed at her thanks to her tendency to hide from attractive men, her cheeks flushed with colour. “L-Lord Tulius…” she whispered, her tone a mixture of shy and respectful. It was impossible for her not to be shy around him. He was in a position of respect, second only to the King, he was a man (and men always made her nervous) and he was very, very handsome. Perhaps one of the most handsome in the court. While that wasn’t the sort of thing that Lucia would say she’d heard plenty of women in the court say it, and she was secretly inclined to agree.
“I…I tripped and lost my footing…” she said as she cast her eyes towards her ankle, “I’ve sprained my ankle, I think…” Lucia couldn’t bring herself to look up at him, she could still feel the flush on her cheeks and didn’t want to make them any worse by looking at him. “I’m sure I will be fine if I rest it for a minute.” That was a lie and she hated herself so much in that moment for lying to him but she just didn’t want him to worry…Or fuss. If he fussed her cheeks would never be their normal colour again.
Lucia took a deep breath as she stole a shy sidelong glance at him, the night sky above them did nothing to detract from how handsome he was. If anything it made him look even more handsome. She instantly wished she hadn’t looked at him, she might have been able to ignore than he was a handsome man if she hadn’t looked. Might was the key word in that sentence. She knew his voice too well, just hearing his voice brought the image of his face to her mind, there was no-way that she would be able to ignore that.
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Sept 15, 2018 12:31:31 GMT -5
Aurelius was thankful to see that he hadn't frightened her and that she recognized his voice. He was sure she had thought the same as he, that she was alone in the gardens. Having some strange man come running through the shadows could have been a terrifying sight indeed. As she began it explain he knelt on his knees, scanning over her form and taking notice that the Noble Woman was doing very well as to not looking at him. With wide eyes trying to see in the dim light, he brought his attention to her ankle, leaning forward some. Aurelius let out a puff of breath as she said she would wait outside on the ground and wait it out. "Nonsense," He huffed, gently shifting his weight. "I'll bring you inside, you can rest in there. No reason to wait it out in the grass when there are plenty of seats and spare rooms inside." He gave her a small grin, a flash of pearly whites peeking through. Although he wasn't quite sure she caught it.
He moved to one knee, placing a hand gently on her own. Giving Lucia's significantly smaller hand a squeeze, he took her hand and slung her arms across his broad shoulders. "I'm going to help you stand, I'll go slow, if I start to hurt you please don't hesitate to tell me." Aurelius started to stand, gently shifting his weight and gradually moving. He placed his outside hand gently on the small of Lucia's back for support, watching her face for any signs of pain and watching her hurt foot to make sure there wasn't to much weight being put on it.
Once they were standing, the Hand of the King made sure to crouch so the Noble Woman's arm was comfortable stretched across him. "Would you rather I carry you? It's no problem for me, I wouldn't want you to strain yourself any more than you have," Aurelius said softly, glancing over at her.
last edited Sept 15, 2018 12:32:27 GMT -5 by Aurelius Tulius
Post by Lucia Valentina on Sept 15, 2018 17:51:28 GMT -5
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On the inside Lucia was hyperventilating at the thought of him taking her anywhere, that meant spending more time with him. She swore in that moment that her cheeks could not possibly get any hotter than they were in that moment. “I-I don’t want to be any trouble to you…honestly…I will be fine…” Her heart was suddenly beating so fast that it felt as though it were going to jump from her chest. Lucia couldn’t remember a time when it had ever beaten so quickly. She wanted to steal a glance at him, she almost beg him just to leave so that the warmth could fade from her cheeks and her heart could stop beating like a war drum beckoning a warrior to battle. “Please, I’m sure there are other, more important, things you could be doing with your time….”
It might seem odd to many, a noblewoman of such high standing, saying that she was unimportant but in Lucia’s mind she was unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Her family was important, their money and lands were important but Lucia often questioned her own importance nearly every day. It drove her father mad but she could not see herself the way that he saw her. Perhaps someday she would, but that day was not today.
Her earlier thoughts about whether she could blush more than she already was were suddenly put to the test. The simple touch of his hand upon her own threatened to make her crumble and pray that the floor would open and devour her so that the blush might end, along with the odd sensation she’d felt when his hand had first touched hers. Her heart had felt as if it had stopped and yet leapt all at once. It was a strange sensation like none she’d ever experienced. She couldn’t stop her eyes from moving to his face as he drew her closer to him through the action of laying her arm across his shoulders. She’d never been so close to a man that wasn’t her father and now she was so close to him that she could smell his scent. It had her stomach twisting into knots. She could only nod in response to his words, fearing what might come out of her mouth should she speak.
As soon as she began to stand and put weight upon it, pain shot through her ankle, making her wince slightly though she tried her best to hide it. She knew instantly that if he weren’t supporting her the pain would be even worse than it was now and while she was thankful she was still worried that her heart was going to jump from her chest.
“No!” She said quickly to his offer to carry her. Just the thought of being held in his arms made her feel dizzy, something she knew would not help with convincing him that she did not need to be carried. “I feel as if I’m troubling you too much already, the last thing I wish is burden you further…” Looking up at his handsome features she took a silent breath, relieved to discover that her heartbeat seemed to be slowly returning to a normal pace. Lucia went to move, perhaps to put some distance between or perhaps to simply shift the weight on her good ankle, it was only a small movement but it was enough to draw a wince from her. Hanging her head slightly she sighed, she couldn’t believe what she was about to say but there was no other option. “If…If it would not…be too much trouble could you…please carry me?” she whispered shyly, slowly raising her flushed face to look upon his. Why oh why did it have to be him that had come to her aid? Could it not have been anyone but him with his handsome features and smooth and undeniably charming voice that reminded her of a siren song.
He was the only man she’d ever thought such things of and it had taken this happening to make her notice, she couldn’t have picked a worse time to discover these things…
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Sept 19, 2018 17:59:33 GMT -5
Aurelius graciously ignored her protests with a playful huff. "No need to feel such a way, I was walking the Gardens in spare time. Helping you is not a problem to me, Lady Valentina. It might even be considered a part of my job." He stated matter-of-factly. He took his time helping her to stand properly and watched closely to make sure he wasn't putting her through any other pain.
While the two of them weren't close by any means, Aurelius knew her presence well. She was a familiar face amongst the kingdom, during formal events, and even sometimes meetings and he would be lying if he said that she had never caught his eye. But he was sure she was busy with things, sure there were a line of men just waiting to speak to her if she didn't have one of her own already. Plus she always seemed to disappear when he ever had time to talk with her, anytime he made the mental note to go up and say hello and just have a simple chat with her, she seemed to evaporate. He thought it would be nice to get to know someone who was such a constant face amongst them. But he had found it to be more difficult than originally thought, by then he had also reasoned that he needed to focus more on his work. Abraxas was the lady chaser, Aurelius not so much.
The Hand of the King stiffened slightly as Lucia made it very clear she did not want to be carried. For a moment he wondered if he was overstepping his boundaries? Although he quickly reasoned with himself that if he hadn't helped her she may have been sitting outside for a long while, maybe even having to crawl home. He chewed his lip uneasily at the thought of Lucia being stuck out in the cool night dragging herself back home. He was thankful he decided to relax before heading off to bed, thankful it was him who found her rather than someone who might have harmed her, who might have taken advantage of her. A uneasy shiver ran down his spine at the thought, telling himself to stop overthinking. Aurelius gave her a gentle nod, not wanting to press the topic further and make her any more uncomfortable, even though he figured they would get inside a lot faster if he could just carry her.
It was only a couple moments more before Lucia stopped with an almost defeated, almost embarrassed... Maybe even a bit of a surprised sigh? Aurelius gave her his full attention as she carefully requested to be carried, causing the man to force his mouth into a serious line, so not to give her a teasing grin. He was glad she decided to give in, it looked awfully painful to walk on it. "It's no trouble at all," He said in a hushed tone, bending at the knee some, placing one arm around her rib cage, and taking his other arms and hooking it around her knees, graciously lifting her into his arms bridal style, with only a small grunt of effort.
Starting on his way into the castle he looked about the gardens, wondering if maybe this was the chance he got to perhaps get to know the familiar face he saw all about the kingdom. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing out here all alone?"
last edited Sept 19, 2018 18:01:24 GMT -5 by Aurelius Tulius
Post by Lucia Valentina on Oct 8, 2018 12:27:56 GMT -5
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He was truly a ‘proper Acadian noble’. That he saw helping a noblewomen from a well respected and distinguished family with something as minor as a sprained ankle as part of his duty only proved that in her mind. She was quickly discovering that the rumours about him were actually quite accurate. And she was just thinking about the rumours the women spread about the court either. The men often said that he was married to his duty when they whispered about him, plotting how to gain his favour.
If you didn’t have the favour of the king then the hand was the next best thing after all. Even her father, who usually avoided the gossip of the courts, said that Aurelius was a dutiful man..usually before saying such traits should be admired and looked for in a husband. Lucia was fairly sure he just said things like that to torment her for being so shy and not picking a husband yet.
None of this however made her feel better about the fact that he was having to waste his time helping her.
She felt him stiffen and her cheeks instantly flushed a deeper shade of red, if it wasn’t so dark then he might have mistaken her blushing for a fever, her cheeks certainly felt warm enough to be fever flushed. Lucia couldn't help but worry she might have offended him with her hasty refusal to be carried but just the thought of being that close to him...Her heart was beating rapidly just thinking about it. The tension in his body seemed to fade and for a few moments she allowed herself to be relieved that she hadn’t offended him too much. She might be from a highly influential family but she still didn’t want to offend one of the most influential men in the kingdom, that would be foolish. Granted, she was being foolish by also refusing to be carried but in her mind it was the lesser of the two foolishness. At least this way she wouldn't end up as a blushing, stuttering fool... Wishful thinking was a wonderful thing and in this case it was also very short lived.
He might have been trying to keep a straight face but Lucia could tell, she just knew, that he found this amusing. She could almost imagine him saying ‘I told you so’ in his head. His smooth, velvety voice made her heart skip a beat but that hushed tone made an involuntary shiver run down her spine. Lucia hadn’t experienced anything like that before and that only made her more nervous about being close to him. This was a bad idea, she knew that before he even moved, this was a truly terrible idea. Her eyes remained on his face as he swept her so effortlessly off her feet, that he was able to do so was actually rather impressive in her mind though she was starting to think she might just be easily impressed when it came to him. “Are you sure I’m not too heavy for you to carry like this?” she whispered as her fingers subconsciously wrapped around his tunic. She trusted him not to drop her but at the same time she was a little nervous about her feet not touching the ground. ”If I am...you can just put me down...I really don’t want to be a burden...”
As he started walking she laid her head against his shoulder, not even realising that she was doing so, she found that being close to his body made her feel safer and less self conscious about her feet not being on the ground. That he smelled pleasant had nothing to do with her enjoying the sudden closeness. Or that she could hear the steady, rhythmic beating of his heart. She found the sound soothing and it gave her something to focus on. “I often come here to walk and clear my head...My father is...unwell and is not expected to recover...” Lucia looked up at his face, the moonlight was very flattering on his features. ”Coming here gives me...space...I'm not usually such a klutz though...”
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Oct 23, 2018 20:27:33 GMT -5
The King's hand made a mental note to pick up the pace as he felt Lucia shiver in his arms. She must be cold. He would have to find her some place warm and perhaps get her something to drink, he would hate to have her catch a cold after the fall she had. When Lucia continued her string of reassurances, he cracked a bright smile at her. He hadn't realized how careful she was about others. Carrying her was like holding a tiny kitten, it was easy and took little to no effort, yet she still seemed greatly concerned for him. Though he supposed it made sense that he didn't know this side of her, whenever they were around one another she didn't talk a whole lot, even then she was very soft spoken. Lucia seemed very genuine, as if she truly didn't want to burden the man, when it really was no trouble at all. Aurelius found it endearing. He shook his head, slight smile still playing on his lips. "You're no burden at all, nor are you heavy. I'd even say I've held puppies heavier than you." He chuckled, low in his chest, trying to lighten her spirits and stop her worry.
When Aurelius felt her lim fingers cling to his tunic, he himself held her closer to himself. He wanted her to feel safe, holding her securely in his arms. A light head resting against him had a gentle blush creep to his cheeks. Being close like this with anyone - especially a woman - was unusual and foreign. It had his heart beating a bit quicker in his chest and forcing out a calming breath.
As Lucia answered though, he felt his lips turn down in a sad frown, broad shoulders drooping, and eyebrows pulling together. Yet he was astounded with how similar their situations were. How strange they could be so alike. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lady Lucia," Aurelius said, voice somber and empathetic. "I hate to say that I find myself in a similar scenario... My mother is very ill as well, It's not looking good." He cleared his throat, it was getting a bit scratchy. "I didn't get to visit her today, I figured I might be able to sleep better if I took a walk." Aurelius gave her a hesitant smile when their eyes met, blue eyes gleaming. "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it works."
Only a moment or two more and they had made it to the doors. Aurelius gracefully - actually very clumsily - managed to open the door with Lucia still in his arms. He was quick to find her a spot to sit on a rich colored arm chair, setting her down gently. Leaving for only a moment, he returned with a blanket and draped it around the noble woman's shoulders. He knelt down in front of her, searching her face for any signs of sickness. "How's the ankle? Should I prepare a room for you?" He asked in a quick yet hushed tone, gently tracing his fingers over the ankle in question. "Anything I can get for you?"
Post by Lucia Valentina on Oct 25, 2018 19:01:46 GMT -5
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A bright blush covered her cheeks at being compared to a puppy, she was sure it should have been flattering that there were puppies heavier than her (especially since she’d seen dogs that grew to be as large as bears) though she was sure it would have been even more flattering if he’d been calling her as cute as a puppy. Granted him saying that would have killed her, she would have been a blushing puddle so perhaps it was best that he hadn’t said anything like that. “You will have to introduce me to these heavy puppies, I imagine they must be adorable.” Lucia loved puppies, they were fluffy and adorable, what was there not to love about them? “Though I must admit…I am glad to know I’m not being too much of a burden upon you.” Very glad, in fact. The last thing she wanted to do was burden him when he was being so kind to her.
Stealing a glance up at his face she allowed a little smile to come to her lips. She’d never thought it would happen but she actually felt somewhat relaxed in his embrace, her body lost the tension it had been holding and she almost began to like the rather weightless feeling that came from being carried.
Her heart leapt suddenly as she felt him draw her closer to his strong chest. If there was one thing she felt right now it was safe. She left like the world around her couldn’t affect her right now. It was a pleasant feeling that she’d never expected to feel around a man, especially one that she felt shouldn’t even who she was given her tendency to hide. And yet, she did. She blamed the pain of her ankle for that though, if it weren’t for that pain she would have likely still been walking beside him. From where her head was resting upon his chest she could hear his heart start to beat faster, a little smile crossed her lips. Maybe she wasn’t the only one that was a little shy…It was a comforting thought.
“Please…just call me Lucia…” The words slipped from her lips before she even had time to process them. Why it was so important to her that he dropped the ‘lady’ part was beyond her but for some reason it was. Her heart felt as though it were breaking for him as she listened to him speak about his mother being ill. They understood each other’s pain. Her hand slowly flattened against his chest, looking up at him with her gentle and sincere eyes. “I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now…” She’d lost her own mother a few years back, the loss of her mother seemed to hasten her father’s decline and while it had distracted her from the grief she could still remember how much it had pained her to lose her. “I know we don’t know each other very well but…if you ever need someone to talk to…you are more than welcome to talk to me.” And she meant it. If he wanted to talk to someone she would happily be that person.
She gave him a little smile, “Well, I’m glad I could provide a distraction, next time I’ll try giving you flowers though rather than injuring myself.” Wait…did she just next time? That implied she wanted to see him again, expected to see him again…Could she disappear into thin air now before she said anything else that could be awkward? No? Shame.
Lucia would have opened the door for him if he’d asked, or he could have simply put her down. Either would have surely been easier for him, a few extra steps wouldn’t have made any difference to her. He set her down upon the chair as if she were made of something fragile, he was so gentle with her, almost like he was handling a flower. Her fingers nervously moved to her hair when he left without a word though a blush would soon cover her cheeks when he returned with the blanket and wrapped it around her. It was a very sweet gesture that only made him seem more wonderful to her.
“It’s still a little sore but it should be fine…” Lucia knew she wouldn’t be able to make it back to the villa while her ankle was like this and yet she didn’t want to inconvenience him further by having him prepare a room. But surely that would be less inconvenient than attempting to carry her back to the villa. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble for you a room would be much appreciated…” A tingle ran through her ankle as he touched it, it wasn’t a place that she was used to being touched so it was a little sensitive even without being injured. “You have done more than enough, my Lord…you’ve been so kind to me already.”
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Oct 30, 2018 20:00:05 GMT -5
Aurelius smiled brightly at her at the mention of the puppies, nodding. "I most certainly must. There are some about the palace, guard dogs in training if you will. Though the most harmful thing they can do as of now is knock you down with their clumsy tails." He grinned, though he wondered how true this promise was going to be. Did she actually want to go look at clumsy dogs who were more hair than anything else with him or was she simply humoring him? He decided to tell himself that sadly, she was just holding conversation. The King's Hand chewed on the inside of his cheek, a habit of his he took on when he wasn't sure what to say or think. He didn't want to get to ahead of himself. You help a girl from a fall once doesn't mean anything, Aurelius, calm down. He told himself, continuing on his way.
It seemed though that Lady Lucia was quite full of surprises. His thick eyebrows nearly got lost in his hairline with how high they raised, eyes wide as she instructed him to call her by her first name. Aure only responded with a hesitant nod, unsure if this was some kind of joke. Yet she didn't seem to be letting it up. And he only continued to be surprised by the noble woman as she looked up to him, offering him a person to confide in. His eyes and features softened and his heart warmed at her offer. She was so pure, so kind, and thoughtful of others. Aurelius did have people to confide in, he didn't do it often because he felt like most people had better things to put their mind on than his inner turmoil. But there were times when everything would build up, he would start to take it out on his work. He would snap more, any little thing like a crease in his papers would make steam come from his ears. It was then that Brax would have to stop him and let him vent, and he was very thankful that he was able to talk to his friend and let out everything he had been keeping in. Although he was sure he wouldn't be ranting to this kind hearted woman anytime soon, he was incredibly thankful she even offered. He felt like they knew each other's pain and heartache, they could relate to one another. He nodded once more, a gentle smile reflecting her sincere gaze. "I greatly appreciate that, I hope you understand that I'm always available to listen."
So it seemed he had the answer to his previous thoughts, so she was planning on meeting him once more? Aurelius could only ask so much of her. With a chuckle he shook his head playfully. "I thought I was the one that was supposed to bring flowers?" He found the words passing his lips before he even thought about them though he figured it was the right thing to say anyways.
Once he had Lucia settled on the chair, examining her ankle, knelt down on a knee, he couldn't stop himself from sending her a teasing look. "Now if I get to call you Lucia, it's only fair you call me Aurelius." Yet he took notice in the deep color on her cheeks as he looked up at her. With a serious face he straightened himself, gently cupping a hand to her cheek. He ran the pad of his thumb across the high points of her cheek bones. "Your face is quite red," He mumbled, almost to himself. "Do you have a fever? Are you sure you didn't stay out in the cold to long?" He asked, his other hand coming to scratch on his chin. "I'll make you something warm to drink and prepare your room then, you should probably get some rest soon then if you're feeling unwell." Aurelius said in a self assured tone, as if he took care of people like this all the time. Which somewhat he did since he took careful care of his mother. "Would you like to come a sit with me in the kitchen while I make it or would you rather rest here?"
Post by Lucia Valentina on Nov 1, 2018 16:53:53 GMT -5
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Lucia rather liked the idea of seeing these puppies with him, the thought of him being knocked over by puppies left a cute image in her head. It felt so strange for her to be thinking like this but it also felt kind of nice. She didn’t feel like the ground should be opening up to swallow her like she usually did when she was around people, instead she felt strangely comfortable around him. “Do you promise to help me up if they knock me down?” Did Lucia just try to flirt? Was that what that was? Yes, yes it was. Yes was as close to flirting as Lucia was going to get any time soon. It was just a shame she couldn’t promise that she would help him up if he was the one knocked down, especially if they all piled on top of him. She would be too busy laughing to help him up. It would be too cute to want to save him from the cuteness. And knowing her luck she’d end up being pulled down and end up being licked to death.
There was something about the gentleness of his gaze that gave her butterflies. His eyes had such warmth in them that it was as if they were casting a spell upon her, it was as if she couldn’t look away from them. He really was handsome and he wasn’t anywhere near as intimidating as she’d originally thought him to be. Instead, he was sweet and kind enough to carry a woman he barely knew just because she had a minor injury. Lucia was quickly becoming rather smitten with him and she knew it. “That is very sweet of you,” she said softly, resting her head upon his chest again. She felt so safe in his arms, in his rather warm embrace. Perhaps she would take him up on that, the next time she felt alone with no-one to turn to she would turn to him. Even if it was just to be in his company rather than talking. Just being around him was comforting enough and if she opened her mouth too much she would only get herself flustered, tongue tied or get herself into some horribly awkward situation. “I’m really glad it was you that found me…” She whispered quietly, so quietly that she wasn’t even entirely sure that he would hear it but it still made her blush. She was glad she’d met him here tonight, it allowed her to see him in a different light. A very flattering light that made her want to see more.
Just the thought of him bringing her flowers made her blush. “We could both bring flowers, I’m sure I could find some that bring out your eyes.” Lucia loved flowers, she would take great pride in gathering flowers for him. Great pride and great pleasure. Glancing up at him she couldn’t help but think about what they could do with said flowers. Her mind immediately went to romantic images of him putting flowers in her hair that made her blush. She needed to stop reading…
Seeing him kneeling before like that gave her butterflies, she didn’t know why it made her react like that but it did. Pursing her lips together she looked down at him, “If that is what you want then I will happily call you Aurelius.” Lucia rather liked the way that her name sounded when he said it. Shyly brushing her hair back behind her ear she tried to push all those thoughts from her mind. She couldn’t let herself continue to think like that. Such thoughts would only get her flustered. Her heart began to pound within her chest as he touched her cheek, it felt as if it were about to break out of her chest. I can’t tell him that I’m blushing because of how close he is to me…
“I…I’m sure I’ll fine once I’ve rested,” she did her best not to stutter and sound nervous but she suspected she was failing miserably. ”I would like to stay with you…Come with you to the kitchen I mean…” Lucia, shut up. Now. That was the thought running through her head as soon as she finished speaking. Looking at him with her big blue eyes she tried to calm her racing heart.
Post by Aurelius Tulius on Nov 7, 2018 22:37:08 GMT -5
Aurelius would like to believe that he was a smooth kinda guy. That he knew what to say at any time. And for the most part he did, yet when it came to women, it wasn't exactly the same. He knew he was attractive, not that he'd ever really brag about it or bring it up, but he knew how women thought of him, their quiet giggles amongst their friends and quick glances as he walked past. Knowing that, it didn't make it any easier talking to them. So when Lucia said something as cute as asking him for help if a mob of fuzzy pups attacked her, it took him a minute to regain his calm. He managed a charming grin. "I suppose I could assist you," He faked thinking about it, looking up in thought. "As long as you help me too." He teased back.
Lucia had said something right after telling him he was sweet though he didn't catch it. Which wasn't all that true. Aurelius supposed it was a nice gesture but it wasn't anything she hadn't already told him. He genuinely meant it, if she ever needed anyone he would do his best to give her what she needed. That was just the person he was. He cared so deeply about people, sometimes it got him in trouble, making it difficult to make decisions with the King. There was usually always someone who was going to get the worse part of the deal and he hated making those choices. Being a shoulder for Lucia to cry on or to rest on was something he thought he could easily manage.
Yet once again she had him pausing to regain his composure. It seemed she was quickly warming up to him, he didn't mind. It seemed like two seconds ago she was nothing but concerned about bugging him and here she was offering to get him flowers and be trampled by a pack of dogs. One thing he hadn't assumed of Lucia all those times he had seen her around is that she isn't all that bold. Yet here right now under the stars in a royal garden she was pretty daring. And Aurelius would be lying if he said that he minded. Though he wished he was more prepared for it. Again he presented her with the calmest of smiles he could manage although he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. "My eyes hm? You've raised the bar quite high, Lucia. I hope you're not disappointed with what I manage to find for you." He said with a quiet hum and nod.
Aurelius rose from his spot on his knees, chewing on the inside of his cheek once more. He much enjoyed the way his name sounded without the honorific before it. It wasn't as formal... wasn't so uptight and stuffy. He liked that alot. "I'll carry you then," He said in a hushed tone, hand moving from her cheek to take her hand, managing to scoop her up. The walk to the kitchen was a short one and when they arrived he gently sat Lucia atop the counter top. He gave her a playful grin, turning away slightly to grab a kettle and start to heat it. "The cooks don't like when Brax and I sit on the counters but, I won't tell." He shot her a quick wink, fishing out some tea leaves and a big mug. He hated those dainty little tea cups, they never held enough and you were filling it more that actually drinking out of it. He didn't want Lucia wasting her time with a small cup. She was to drink this and then off to bed. He turned to her as the water started to heat up, blue eyes searching her face for any more signs of illness. "There is a spare room a couple doors from me if you'd like to stay there. During any time of the night if you need something feel more than happy to come get me. There are also some very close to the kitchen if you'd rather those."