Celeste looked over at him, blinking slowly. "That is the color of my eyes. They've always done that." She said, scrunching up her nose slightly in thought. "I got it from…my mother. Her eyes did the same, though they tended to lean towards darker shades. My father's eyes-" She faltered, on the word father. "-were grey. Steel grey."
Soren nodded, giving a soft hum. "Well, in that case…either the eyes pass from female to female, or they're dominant. It may also be some sort of witch thing." He shrugged slightly. "I don't know if being a witch would effect that." He said. He looked up at the sky for a moment, then back at her.
"My status as a witch is an accumulation of my parent's natural magic." Celeste said, shrugging a shoulder as she lifted her hands, returning to twisting little braids into her oddly colored hair. "So it's more likely from my mother's side, someway. I…don't really have any way of knowing, though, without children of my own."
Soren nodded. "I see." He said. "Magic passes on in a weird way, sometimes." He thought of the line of Aevin's magic, how it would seemingly randomly appear in one person, but then not appear again for generations. He gave a soft chuckle at her words about not knowing. "Yeah…and I'd assume you're in no hurry to have children."
"The idea of having children is slightly terrifying." Celeste admitted, her gaze slightly unfocused and in the general direction of Soren. "But I guess the likely hood of me even falling mutually in love is low, so it's not really something to worry about." She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to, between the demons that followed her around, her reputation, and the general way she preferred to live. So she ignored that the best she could, relying on animals and plants to keep away her too-often need for conversation. And yet, you're still lonely.
Soren chuckled. "Yeah…me too." He admitted, then started slightly, surprised he had admitted that. "No matter what I want, most likely I'll have to make a marriage alliance at some point. It's just politics." He shook his head. He couldn't imagine marrying, and sharing a bed with a woman he didn't love. Could definitely not imagine having…intercourse with someone he didn't love. Because if he married, he would have to, to have children so there were heirs for the throne.
"The shackles of circumstance." Celeste said knowingly, shaking her head as her eyes refocused on Soren. Almost all of her hair was in the small braids now, and without even really thinking about it, she twisted all of the braids into one braid. She shot him a small and wearily empathetic smile, something about the expression giving off the impression that she carried an incredible weight on her shoulders. "You think there's any chance you'll be able to find you..love? Or at least someone you could fall in love with?"
"Yeah…" He trailed off, considering her question. "I'm not sure. Most women I meet, they only want me for my money and the throne." He shrugged. "The others are…" He thought of Hithia, a princess of a nearby land, who had been his friend since childhood. "The others are too much of a friend for me to ever see in another way." He sighed. "And then there's the ones who would just love to get me in bed with them, but would never love me." He snorted. "So no, I don't think I'll ever find love."
(ack sorry should be Hiathea, not Hithia XD)
She nodded as she listened, sort of wrapping her arms around her waist. Though they both had different reasons and situations, it seemed they had more in common than either of them had originally thought. There was one major difference though. While Soren was prisoner to his situation, and had his future laid out for him, she had forcefully taken the reigns to her own. She was trying to make her own future, to shape it the way she wanted. "Well…I hope you find someone you at least get along with."
He nodded. "Yeah. Same to you." He said, glancing at her for a moment. A servant came up to them, and he looked up. "What is it?" He asked.
"The rooms are cleaned and ready for the guests." The servant said.
Soren nodded. "Shall we go, then?" He said to Celeste, offering her his arm.
The servant was silent, watching. Though it was obvious he was wondering what, exactly, the king was doing, alone in a garden with a strange woman.
Celeste blinked and nodded, smiling warmly as she accepted the offered arm. Pluto reappeared from wherever he had disappeared to, eyeing the servant for a moment, before slipping off ahead of them out of the clearing and down the path. "We shall." She said, raising an eyebrow playfully at Soren.
The servant started walking.
Soren followed. His dark hair was no longer tamed and held back under his crown, but falling forward onto his forehead, small strands slipping through the holes of the crown to stick out.
The servant led them through the palace, to the West wing of the palace. He went down a hallway on the left, and went to a closed doors. "This one was selected for the lady." He said.
Soren stiffened, the muscles in his arm noticeably tightening. "That room?" He said slowly. "You should know very well that that one is off limits."
"Sir? It is unoccupied, like all the rooms in this wing other than your own." The servant said slowly, as if confused. His eyes were slightly narrowed, watching them carefully.
"Who told you this room would be okay?" Soren slipped his arm out from Celeste's, stepping closer to the servant.
"Duke Jacos Kaer, my lord." The servant answered, looking at Soren.
Celeste's brows drew together as Soren tensed, keeping her eyes on him even as he stepped closer to the servant. Anger was bad. Anger was something to be avoided. But it was something she knew how to deal with, too, even if this was obviously a bit more than anger. And despite the habitual fear crawling up her throat and threatening to keep her from speaking, her voice was steady when she spoke. "It's perfectly fine, your Majesty. I really can find a place in the city to stay."
Soren sucked in a breath. "No. There are other rooms for you to stay in. Just not…not this one." Not Alana's rooms. Any but hers. He looked at the servant. His jaw was clenched. "Find a different room. I shall deal with the Duke."
The servant bowed. "Of-of course, sir." He stammered. "But…there aren't any others on this level…"
"Then put her on the next." Soren said easily.
"Sir, that's your level. And the only women's rooms up there are…" The servant trailed off.
"Did I ask for your advice? No. I told you where to room her, now do it." Soren said angrily.
The servant ducked his head. "Of course. My apologies, your highness." He scurried away quickly.
"I don't want to cause any problems." Celeste's voice was quiet and soft, and though steady, maybe a bit too quiet. Like she was trying to keep from upsetting him further. And she was. "This room situation is complicated, and I don't want to cause you to make any decisions that would garner scorn." The colors of her eyes now were swapping between darker colors, browns and almost blacks. If one thought about it, about her mention of her mother's eyes doing the same, they might come upon a connection better left buried.
Soren sighed, and his shoulders slumped slightly. "It's not your fault. It's just…the politics here are complicated, and some of the nobles are seeing your and Lin's arrival as a way to throw me off balance." He replied, not looking at her for a long moment. He was staring at the door, and he touched the handle almost sadly, before turning away, back to her. "It's not your fault." He repeated. He gave a slightly bitter smile. "You won't cause scorn. At least, no more than usual. Gossip, maybe. But what court is complete without a little gossip?" He shook his head.
"Are you sure?" Celeste tilted her head just slightly in question, her voice till soft, but gaining back some solidity. "It really wouldn't be a problem for me to find somewhere else." She sounded like a broken record, and she knew it, but she couldn't bring herself to stop offering. Besides, with a bit more thought, it might be a better option for everyone involved. There would be no questions or worries, on the chance one of her nightmares had her waking up screaming, and possibly waking others up.
Soren shook his head. "I can't." He replied. "I can't accept your offer." He shook his head. "Because if I did, the Duke would see it as a weakness on my part, and if I am seen as weak…well. There are others of the Aevin house, with a lesser claim to the throne, that would be very happy indeed to see me dethroned and disgraced." He said. Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to be telling this girl of the instability of his court, but…she had already seen much of the fighting, and any bright person would have been able to gather as much as what he'd told her. "So just…if you really want to help, room where I ask you to, and don't kick up a fuss. At least in public." He gave a weak smile.
Celeste opened her mouth, maybe to apologize, maybe to continue her insistence, but paused, before closing it. She hadn't been lying, she really didn't want to disrupt anything further for him, or make things worse. And if Soren said the best way to do that was to let it be, she would. For his sake, at least. "Then…I appreciate the lengths you're going to, to allow us places to stay in your palace. Thank you." Leaving it at that was good. She hoped.
He smiled slightly. "Well, I kind of have to." He replied, slightly teasingly, with a slight shrug.
The servant came back, slightly pale. "S-sir, the rooms are ready."
Soren nodded, and offered Celeste his arm again. He had been raised a gentleman, which meant offering his arm to a lady that he was going to be walking with. She, of course, could refuse it if she wished. "Now, I do have to warn you…" He said slowly. "The rooms they're placing you in are technically for, well…they're designed for my fiance. Er, not mine specifically, but for the fiance of the king. So there is a door between the rooms." He bit his lower lip very slightly. "However, that door is in possession of three locks, two of which are on your side. Not I, nor anyone else could get in from my rooms unless you let us. However, if even the presence of said door between the chambers unnerves you, you can be moved to the third floor, though I must warn you that those rooms haven't been in use for years, and are thick with dust and age." He cleared his throat. "I also give my solemn word that even if I could get through to your rooms, I would not lay a hand on you."
Celeste didn't hesitate at all this time as she slipped her arm through his, though his next words gave her pause. The fear shone in her eyes at first, slowly easing as he continued to explain that she had full control over the situation. That was a first. She had never had full control over any situation like this before, practically none at all, in fact. Slowly, she gave a nod, indicating that she understood, and was fine with it. She didn't quite trust her voice not to shake or give out completely if she spoke.
Soren gave a small smile. "Alright." He looked at the servant. "Lead on." He said.
The servant bowed, and started walking.
They went upstairs. There was a hallway with windows on the left, and a door on the right. The servant opened the door, revealing a set of gorgeous rooms, decorated in shades of crimson, accented with a few touches of deep blue, and gold. The bed was large, with canopies that were drawn back. To one side there was a door with two locks, both of which were locked. There were two large windows, which were both slightly open to allow for fresh air. There was also a fire in the hearth. There was a bowl of water near the fire for Pluto, along with a second, empty bowl for food.
Soren smiled slightly. "What do you think?" He asked her.
"Holy-" Celeste caught herself last minute, her eyes wide as she took in the rooms she could see. Just the main room they had walked into was about the size of the kitchen and living room of her cottage combined. "They're gorgeous." That was a good alternative to swearing in front of the King and one of his servants, right? Pluto wasted no time in squeezing between them, heading straight for the fire place and the bowl of water. He turned his head towards Soren, letting out a small boof. "He says thank you. And so do I."
Soren smiled. "You're quite welcome." He answered. He looked at the servant. "Is there a maid who can serve as her lady's maid for while she is here?"
The servant nodded. "Of course there is, sir. I shall go fetch her." He left the room.
Soren turned back to Celeste. "If you ever need to take your wolf outside, simply go out into the hallway, go to the opposite end of the one we came in, and there is a door. Through the door and down the stairs, and then you shall be out in the garden. There will be guards posted in the hallway, but they won't bother you. One might follow you, to protect you, but they won't bother you."