(It's ok. I've done that before too.)
She was still smirking as she imagined the blush on Ace’s face from her words but left it alone as they both drifted off to sleep.
Emmeline let out a brief, surprised shriek as she was rudely pushed so that she fell off the bed. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?” she demanded, rubbing her now sore shoulder as she sat up and glared at Arlo. Of all the outcomes she had expected this morning to take, this was not one of them. “In case you forgot, there was only one room left at this inn. One room, one bed.” she pointed out as she stood up. Though she raised a brow at the sight of him checking himself. “Oh, calme-toi. I need to be awake to use my magic… and nothing of that sort happened last night either. Ace is a gentleman.” she added with a roll of her eyes at the insinuation.
(Slight TW for Cade's past trauma, Nothing is specifically mentioned but it is a bit indicative of t**ture or excessive bodily harm)
"I–WHAT–UGH!" he groaned and stomped to the chair and sat down, crossing his arms as he glared and tried to remember some aspects of the previous night. With growing anxiety and restlessness, he pulled and fidgeted with his sleeves. Though the memories of last night were taking their time, his past experiences of sharing a sleeping space with others flooded through his mind like a memory spell, poking and prodding.
Cade remembered far more than he wanted and felt overstimulated by the scratching of the fabric on his skin and he pulled his shirt of and ran his hands over his arms to calm his anxiety. As he felt the various bumps, his mind calmed and he counted how many times his fingers hit each one. Cade used his shirt as a way to block Emmeline's view.
"Apologies. I know despite his limited interactions with people, Ace is quite the individual. As foe my reaction, I…I haven't had the best experiences with people sleeping in the same space as me. Ace is unaware of this." Cade said quietly. He stood up slowly and turned around to put his shirt back on. He knew that despite his hesitations, he could trust Emmeline to an extent. He hoped she didn't look at all the scars littering his back or at least, didn't ask about it. knowing how many were on his back, made him glad he didn't face her and change, there were twice as many along the front side.
Emmeline raised a brow, her frustration giving way to confusion at the way he was reacting now. This was different from simple revulsion at waking up next to someone unexpected. She had expected shock and surprise, even confusion… but not this.
When he hurried to take his shirt off, she turned away to give him some privacy… Though she was confused by the action, now didn't feel like the right time to ask about it.
“I am sorry as well.” she nodded. “I knew that you wouldn't remember falling asleep but… Ace just seemed so happy for the opportunity to actually sleep. I don't know if this will happen again but if it does, I promise that I will not do anything to you, or Ace.” she added sincerely, not wanting to damage the small amount of amicability they had reached yesterday.
(I feel bad for Cade but I'm very excited for the lil twist I have for him!)
"I understand, he rarely does sleep." Cade chuckled and grabbed the rest of his clothes from the chair. "I'll head into the washroom to get dressed and freshen up. Shall we meet downstairs to discuss our plans for the day?" He left it as more of a statement than a question before heading into the next room. Cade splashed water on his face to calm his still-present anxiety and quickly got dressed. He had to get some new clothes or at least wash what he had. There wasn't a bad smell to his clothes but the scent of the soap used to wash them had faded.
Cade came out of the room and grabbed the rest of his things. "I'll see you down there." He stated and shut the door behind him as he walked out and down the stairs. The mornings events didn't leave much of an appetite so he just asked for some hot tea and a small loaf of bread as he sat at the table nearest to the door.
(I feel bad for him too after that… but I'm nervously looking forward to your twist)
Emmeline smirked briefly when Arlo laughed, still picking up on his remaining nervous energy. It puzzled her. But she didn't move as he practically raced into the bathroom, instead focusing on her magic to freshen up as well. She even had time to cast some simple cleaning spells on her clothes before Arlo started repacking.
“Fine by me.” she nodded as the door opened for him to leave. A part of her wondered if there was something she could do to help… but she was unsure how to broach the subject. She changed from her nightgown into the now-clean clothes and took a moment to fix her hair again before grabbing her bag and joining Arlo downstairs.
(I know that I'm going to have the twist happen after the business with Rapunzel's parents happens but I'm unsure of exactly what the plan is when he finally meets Rapunzel's parents 😬)
"Welcome, would you like breakfast?" he asked and gestured for someone to come and take her order. Cade pulled out a map, pencil, and sheet of paper. He opened the map and circled a few locations. "So my aim is to head inside the main palace building. Corona is going to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the return of the lost princess today. The palace will be open for the public to come to a sort of meet-and-greet and also tour the main floor, looking at the artwork and admiring some old jewelry and the trinkets of the royals."
Cade pointed to the second circled location. "We have 2 options to enter. The first is that we can pose as Lord Arlo and Lady Emmeline from Opariell who've come to celebrate the Princess's return. The other option is that we sneak in from the back where the palace gardens turn into the forest."Ace had done some great recon work and left a lot of great notes for Cade who was just happy to have a distraction from this morning.
(wish I could help)
“Oui. Merci.” Emmeline nodded with a soft smile at the offer before ordering something simple, figuring that Arlo was still in a hurry.
She leaned in slightly to look at the map as he marked it and explained his plans. “Sounds easy enough… and very interesting.” she mused, thinking about why the anniversary was such a public event when anyone could make an attempt. Perhaps not to different than what Arlo was planning. “I suppose it depends on what angle works best. I have no objections to either but Lord Arlo and Lady Emmeline will be very public. Everyone will see us and be watching.” she pointed out. “But if we get caught using the back, we’ll have to move fast to finish… whatever it is you plan to do, or make a quick escape.”
(I think maybe having an attempt on their lives isn't good because then Cade will be a wanted man. Maybe he meets them and speaks to them but is confused about what he wwants so Hades offers him a curse which he uses on either the king or Rapunzel.)
"Blending in with nobility seemed easier rhan blending in with the commoners because I'm unsure of how to behave in such a manner. I believe that we may be able to blend in well." Cade hoped that his last visit to the kingdom 3 years ago had been forgotten. If not, then his plans would be ruined. He looked over the rest of the map and clicked his tongue before pulling out a map of the Palace.
He pointed to a section near the back of the building. "This used to be a servants corridor but it was supposedly patched up years ago when the Princess was stolen. It was believed that the kidnapper had gone in from there." Cade marked it with an 'X' then drew an arrow to its left. "I believe it still exists but if not then there is a window on this floor hete that is broken. It doesn't lock. We can go in from here if the initial plan fails."
(that sounds like a good option)
“Well, I can certainly blend in with that crowd… even if I do not prefer their company.” Emmeline admitted casually. “Most royalty or nobility are nothing but self-important snobs.” she huffed with a roll of her eyes, before refocusing on the map.
She nodded thoughtfully at the escape plans, just in case they became necessary. “C'est bon. Even if that corridor is just sealed off, I should be able to open it back up for us.” she offered, turning a raised brow in his direction. “But how do you know about it?”
Cade mimicked her eye-roll and began folding the maps and plans to place back in his bag. "Well," He began, putting everything away and taking a sip of his tea. "I've been to this kingdom far more than I would have liked. My mother was from here. It was in her books that I learned of the passage. When I visited as a child, it was still there but I didn't know of it. I found her books when I was much older so when I visited a few years ago, I went looking for it. That is when I saw it was blocked off." He hoped that his explanation made sense.
Although it seemed like a reasonable explanation, it wasn't exactly true. His mother did leave behind books where she spoke about the passage, but he had learnt about it from his nanny. She talked about her own daughter a lot and how she had found the servants' passage while looking for a toy. He knew that she was the one who had stolen the princess and used that passage. Her daughter had told him this when he met her during his last trip to Corona.
Emmeline gave a simple hum of acknowledgment at his answer, accepting it for now. It made sense… and yet it also opened up the question of how his mother knew about the passage. But she supposed that it wasn't really any of her business. The question had just been a curiosity.
“And what is the actual plan once we get in?” she asked as her meal arrived. “I can take care of clothing so that we look appropriate for the occasion.”
Cade stopped mid-sip and put the cup down, frowning. "To be completely honest, I'm unsure. I need to speak with the king but I hesitate. There is far too much I have to say to him and he must listen." Cade knocked back the rest of his tea like a strong drink. "But we must hurry, there's much to be done before then. We have to prepare gifts and such for the beloved princess." He said sarcastically.
Emmeline raised a brow at the honest answer but nodded at the change of tone when he mentioned the princess. She hadn't forgotten the brief times that Ace had nearly slipped up with another name. The thought alone as well as the recent confession made her wonder how much he was keeping to himself.
“Well… hopefully we can get close enough for you to talk to him. Royalty doesn't usually talk to anyone but other royals and nobility.” her brow furrowed with distaste as she shook her head. “Now, what sort of gift did you have in mind for her royal highness?”
"Oh he will talk to me," Cade muttered quietly. "He has to." He turned to his side and pulled out another book from his bag and flipped to a page with quite an intricate drawing. "I had a…someone sketched this for me so that I would remember. There is a merchant that visits only on the princess's anniversary. He brings paints and other such materials from his travels but sells them at a high price. He also brings books and art from these travels." Cade flipped through a few pages to show other intricate drawings of art supplies.
"I know the princess adores art and reading, she painted something special last year and has done so this year too, it will be revealed. She has wanted these materials for a while but on a day as special as this, she is unable to go out and purchase it. I have the funds to provide these to her. I believe such a special gift should allow a short conversation with the royals." Cade peered out the window and noticed the streets getting busier. He allowed Emmeline to look through the pages for another moment then stored his book back. "If you have finished, shall we get going?"
Emmeline wasn't sure if Arlo was trying to convince her or himself with his hushed words, but she knew she would only believe that this king would speak with Arlo when she saw it happen. Or if she figured out the mystery he seemed to be trying to keep. There had to be something… there were just too many things pointing toward a secret, other than the identity of his employer, for there not to be one. If there really wasn't one, then she would just be disappointed.
"Well, I can't criticize her for her hobbies." she admitted as she looked through the book he had brought out. "At least not these." she quickly added, not wanting to get any more involved with royals than she had to. Which included getting to know what they liked. "It sounds like a good plan. Let's just hope it works in practice, otherwise we'll have to improvise a backup." At his question, she nodded and handed the book back. "I am prepared. But I have to ask, how do you want to look when we arrive? It helps to have an image in mind when I cast this kind of spell."
With a finger tapping his chin as his head rested in his palm, Cade thought back to some of the fashion his assistant presented him with as a child. "Well, I prefer darker colours but I believe it wouldn't be appropriate to wear such at a celebration. Perhaps a simple suit in colours that match with a cape? It will make for a way to bring in concealed weapons." Cade flipped through his book mindlessly and found a rough sketch of an outfit.
It looked to have been drawn by a child but there was enough discernable to differentiate between the different layers. He sheepishly turned the book around. "I have this. I believe one of the children I grew up with may have used my book. She had quite the eye for fashion." He said, eyes shining as he remembered the child. "Would this work?"
(Visual Aid [https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9b/67/90/9b67908772a1c40c0e0aa11fba727449.jpg])
(going with the first one!)
Emmeline nodded at his preferences, finding them agreeable, before glancing at the sketch. She couldn't help the giggle at how the picture was drawn but had to admit there was a certain style to it. “Oui, I believe this would work nicely.” she smiled, already coming up with a complimentary outfit for herself. “Shall we change now or wait until we get closer?”
"I believe we should purchase rhe materials then get dressed, it will look as though we had forgotten to purchase the princess a gift otherwise. Unless you would rather get dressed now?" Cade had packed everything up and didn't bring much with him. All he needed was to pay the stablehand once again as Lord would not be joining him.
“Tres bien.” Emmeline agreed, not really caring one way or the other. But she could see his point of a couple of well-dressed nobles buying a gift at the last minute… it would seem discourteous to the hosts of this celebration, at the least. “If you are ready then? If this man is so exclusive, we should hurry so we don't have a long wait.” she pointed out as she stood up.
"After you madame." Cade stood up and walked to the door, held it open, then walked out after Emmeline. The streets were getting noisier but the music hadn't started so that was a good sign. He heard a small group of young girls say something about an art show and he perked up. "I suspect that he will be this way." He pointed after the girls and began walking that way.
As they reached the vendor, a few people gathered to marvel at his merchandise. Some ambitious artists were sitting along the nearby wall, sketching the artwork on display. Cade looked at the materials and felt his heart soaring. It had been some time since he had seen these materials. The ones back home were almost finished and he had used alternatives, to no avail. He browsed the different tables, taking note of anything he liked and picking out some things he didn't like all that much for his cousin.
Emmeline shook her head as he held the door open for her but didn't say anything. She knew she was going to have to at least pretend to be used to it when they were all dressed up.
“Diriger la voie.” she chuckled, noticing his apparent interest in the art show. If he had an alternative reason for visiting this particular vendor besides the gift for the princess, she would not be surprised. Nor would she blame him.
“Are you as passionate about art as the young princess?” she asked, watching him hesitate over the higher-quality items for a time. “Do you plan to come back for yourself?”
Cade hesitated to answer. He silently paid for the items he chose for the princess and waited for the man to wrap them. "My mother was an artist. Her artwork decorated my room and a select few spots of our home. She taught me some when I was younger." He reached for the products and put them in his bag. He faced Emmeline and shrugged. "I have an appreciation for it I guess."
Fanfare followed by an announcement alerted them that palace doors had been opened and the royal family was accepting visitors. As soon as the announcement finished, the crowds got thicker and the music swelled. Cade gestured to a nearby forgotten building. "Shall we get dressed and go with the crowds?"
Emmeline nodded with a brief hum. “I think I would like to meet your Maman. She sounds like an interesting and talented woman.” she admitted.
She rolled her eyes at the trumpets but smirked when Arlo pointed out the building. “Mais oui. The spell won't take long to cast or take effect.” she informed as they started towards the abandoned structure, assuming he simply wanted either some privacy or to avoid detection and potentially blowing their cover. Though what they really needed to hide from, she didn't know or really care.
Cade averted his gaze and clenched his teeth. He took a breath then relaxed his jaw and leaned against the wall. With a quick glance around, He made sure that people were distracted enough then looked at Emmeline to begin her spell.
Although such secrecy was unnecessary, Cade wanted his best chance at speaking to the King. He knew what his reputation was like here, he knew exactly what the guards would do if they recognized who he was.
