forum The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Arquis shook his head, missing the glance that Ari and Rin had shared. "Absolutely not. The High Court would not be interested in my poisoning. That would be a local issue only."

"What if it wasn't for that?" The nobleman raised a brow at Honey, inviting him to continue. "I mean, what if your mother just, like, lied about something? One of those things you said, maybe. Burning down a bunch of houses or whatever. If she said that, then they'd be interested, yeah?"

"She would not do such a thing. She is not reckless. Her decisions are cold. Calculated. She never makes a move unless she is certain that it will lead to success." He sat down on the edge of the bed again. His back was to the rest of them. "She does not have any witnesses or solid, noncircumstantial evidence for any of the crimes I listed. Therefore, she would lose, and she would not foolishly put her life on the line like that.”

Rin took a deep breath. "Arquis…what happened to your father?" he said slowly. "I don't…I don't need ot know, but is there any way she could pin that on you?" they knew the topic was such a difficult one for their partner, but it was one that could bring the high court in. They knew that much. If the High Court was told Arquis had killed his father– whether or not that was the truth –then Arquis would be put on trial for it.

Arquis went deathly still. Honey leaned forward, worried he was about to pass out. What he saw wasn't exactly reassuring. The blood had drained from the nobleman's face, and his pupils were dilated. His breathing was shallow, almost as if he wasn't breathing at all.

"What happened to my father," he whispered, "is not of importance. It is simply more family drama. The High Court would not get involved in such a matter. It does not pose a threat to the nation as a whole."

"Are you absolutely certain that you couldn't be put on trial for it?" Honey asked. He really wished he hadn't. Arquis looked like he'd been struck; he even flinched away, though the blond hadn't raised a finger against him. In what he hoped was a soothing tone, he murmured, "Listen, why don't you just talk us through what happened? Clear things up? We can help you.”

“Please, I- I-" Arquis had started trembling. He curled miserably into himself. “You do not understand, you- I cannot- please, I cannot discuss this any further.”

Rin slowly put his hand on Arquis's back, touch light enough that he would pull away immediately if Arquis wanted him to. "Arquis, I…" he took a deep breath, glancing over at Honey and Ari, then over to their partner. "We will not discuss this any more right now. I know that this is a hard topic for you. But…I need you to think about that possibility. I don't know much about what happened, but…if there is any possibility it could be brought to the High Court, then I need to know." he needed to know so that they could make a plan for what they could do about it.

Arquis stiffened when Rin placed their hand on him, like he was preparing himself for it to hurt. When it didn't, his muscles slowly began to relax. He took a series of shuddering, deep breaths before he was able to process what his partner had said. Part of him wished he'd simply collapsed. Maybe then he wouldn't be expected to respond.

"And what would you do if I told you it could?" His tone wasn't rude, just tired. "I love you dearly, but you are just one person, and we cannot run forever. Not from the High Court. They have sources in every corner of Anvillea. Perhaps we could gain a bit more time, but let us not delude ourselves. If Muria successfully managed to summon and present my case to the Court, then my persistent absence from the trial would be considered an admission of guilt. I would be considered a danger to society, and they would have cause to kill me on sight."

"Listen, you're probably right. I don't think it'll come to that," Honey said, trying to backtrack to help calm him down. Even he wasn't convinced by what he’d said.

(sorry for the wait! Been struggling with some writer's block and I didn't want to give you a shitty reply)

"I…" he trailed off, shaking his head faintly. "I don't know." he replied quietly. "And…let's hope it does not come to that, darling." he kissed Arquis's cheek softly, trying to soothe their partner. "I am sorry for pressing you on this, but it is important." they exhaled quietly, eyes remaining on their partner as they continued trying to soothe him. They knew that this was a difficult topic for Arquis, and they wanted to try and steer the conversation away from it now.

Ari was quiet, his fingers laced through Honey's. He didn't speak, not wanting to interrupt the conversation when it had nothing to do with him.

(you’re perfectly fine! would it help at all to make some changes in the story, or is this more of a temporary thing do you think?)

Arquis didn't look relieved, even when they kissed his cheek. Normally, such a gesture would make him melt, but he instead seemed to tense even further. He stood abruptly once more. Honey watched in concern as the nobleman squeezed his partner on the shoulder, mumbled something about needing a moment, and quickly made his way to the bathroom. He shut and locked the door behind him. There came the sound of water running in the bath, but no noises of him actually getting in. Curls of steam began to drift from out under the door.

Honey tilted his head, confused. "Huh. Does he do that often? Y'know what, never mind. That's not important." He leaned back on the nearest pillow and studied Rin. "Pretty strong reaction to asking about his dad. Think he really was involved somehow?"

(Oh we don't have to make any changes! I've just been feeling pretty low energy recently, but it's unrelated to the RP :)

Rin watched him go, hoping that his partner wasn't throwing up in there. "He…" he glanced over at Honey, trying to think of how to respond to that question. "I don't know. His family has never been kind to him." they finally said, not going into any more detail than that. "I would prefer not to speculate on his involvement." he didn't know if Arquis had been involved or not, but either way, they did not wish to debate it with Honey. It was not a judgement against Honey, but simply something he did not wish to engage in.

(aw I'm sorry to hear that! writer's block is the worst)

Honey nodded and bit back his next response. For now, at least, he was willing to drop the subject. He stroked his thumb along the side of Ari's hand and then let his head drop against his shoulder. The room was quiet for a bit, only filled with distant splashing from the running water. After about five minutes passed, the blond frowned. Taking a short breather was fine, but the nobleman had been gone a while.

"You think he's okay in there?" He resisted the temptation to nervously bite his nails. Guilt rose within him. "I didn't mean to freak him out or anything. I knew he had family issues, I just, well, wanted to cover all our bases. Try and talk to him about it. Should we check in? Make sure he's alright?"

(Yeah, it definitely is)

"Yeah, I'll go check on him." he said, getting off the bed and knocking on the bathroom. "Arquis? Love, are you alright in there?" his voice was just loud enough to carry, without being too horribly loud. "I am sorry if our questions were…too much, I did not mean to upset you."

Ari gently squeezed Honey's hand, leaning his own head against the blond's. He still didn't say anything, a touch concerned for Arquis but still not wanting to push in where his words were not necessary.

Instead of answering, Arquis unlocked the bathroom door. He stumbled back to the bath's faucet, turned it off, and sat on the cold marble floor. He hid his face in his knees as he bunched them to his chest.

"I am sorry," he rambled in a soft, shaky croak. "I did not mean to. You were supposed to have a nice day. I did not mean to, love. I did not mean any of this. I wish I was not like this. I just get so upset, and I do not know what else to do. Rin, I am so sorry. You should not have to deal with this. You deserve better. I am so, so sorry."

Most of what he was saying wasn't making sense. He'd been spiraling since he left the room, and it was all he could do to apologize.

"I worry about the two of them," Honey whispered to Ari. He gently ran his hand through the other man's hair. "It seems like life won't give them a break. All this stress can't be good for either of them. I wish there was something we could do, y'know? There’s not, really. But I just hate sitting around and watching it happen.”

Rin crouched beside him, closing the door so that they could have some privacy. "It's alright, darling." he said in a soft tone. "This was important. I had a nice time with Ari to relax, and I don't mind helping you when you need me." he gave Arquis a gentle smile, kissing the side of his head. "I love you, Arquis, and that is not going to change."

Ari leaned into the hand in his hair, exhaling faintly. "Yeah. But there isn't really much taht either of us can do. They'll be okay, though, I think. Rinlos is smart; they'll figure something out. Arquis is going to be okay, too."

Arquis shifted, reached out, and embraced him. He pulled them against himself so that he could bury his face in the crook of their neck. His hands shook badly as they came to rest on their sides. He didn't say much for a while. All of his energy was reserved on staying conscious; he couldn't really control his fainting spells, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

"Alright," he mumbled once the tremors began to fade. Slowly, he was recovering. The adrenaline rush had crested and was finally dissipating. He brushed his lips against their jaw before gathering the courage to speak more. There'd been a reason he'd spiraled so hard and fast, and it hadn't been from the questions alone.

"Rinlos." That was too formal. He pulled away just so that he could take their hands in his own. He squeezed them gently. "My love. This morning, I promised that I would tell you what happened to my family. What made us the way that we are, and what happened to my father."

In the other room, Honey slid his hand so that it cupped his cheek. He swept his thumb over Ari's lips almost absently, as if it was a habit. Then, he let out a sigh.

"I really hope so. All this stuff, talking about the High Court—that's scary shit. Really. Terrifies me. They tear into you, dig up all your secrets. Ruin your reputation, no matter what side you're on, no matter if you're guilty or not. I don't know if Arquis could handle it, and I'm worried what watching him break would do to Rin."

Rin studied Arquis worriedly, raising his eyebrows. "Arquis, love, you…you do not have to tell me right now if the idea is too much." he reassured his partner softly, running his thumb over Arquis's knuckles. "I…" he trailed off, swallowing faintly and trying to think of what he could do, what he could say. "Please, love, I do not want you to get so stressed again." they didn't know what to do. They really didn't. This was important, what Arquis wanted to tell them, and they knew that, but at the same time, they had seen how negatively Arquis always reacted to any mention of it. They did not want to do that to him again if they could help it.

Ari closed his eyes, listening to Honey's words, before his eyes flickered open again. "Yeah. It's…it would be frightening." he agreed softly. "Rin would…I don't know, honestly. There's…" he was worried what digging around in the past would discover about his friend, to be honest. If the High Court investigated Arquis, and then Rinlos as a result of digging about Arquis…Kevra as a whole would be thrown into chaos. Kevra knew Rinlos as the king's nephew. The news that he was the king's bastard son would rock the nation, and not in a good way at all.

(I wasn't sure when I first brought it up if an actual trial was a good idea or not but now I think it'd be kinda interesting??)

Arquis bent to kiss his lover's wrist. He then turned his face and pressed his cheek against their forearm. His movements were sluggish. It was as if his episode, albeit brief, had leeched all the energy he'd gained from resting. He wondered faintly how he used to keep himself together at the Palace. For so many years, he'd pushed himself to the brink and beyond, and his body had kept pace. But now, it was as if the past was catching up to him. Every bone in him felt like it was made of lead, and his muscles were terribly weak.

"I must tell you at some point," he replied. "You need to know the truth, Rin. I fear that I have tricked you into falling for me."

Honey hesitated. There was a lot he didn't know about Rin and Ari. He wondered how a trial would affect them. Ari probably wouldn't be called to speak; he and Arquis barely knew each other. But Ari was very close friends with Rin, and he had the feeling it could be extremely taxing for the both of them. He made a mental note to be there for them as much as Arquis if there was a trial, even if it was just at a lower court.

"Yeah. Maybe tomorrow we can try to find out more about that reward. Rin and Arquis could stay here and lie low for a bit."

(hm yeah it could be!)

Rin studied Arquis for a long moment, taking a deep breath. "Then…then tell me, darling. I will listen." his voice was soft and gentle and sweet, and he gently smoothed his thumb over Arquis's cheekbone. "I'm right here, and I will listen to you." they were a bit apprehensive for what Arquis was about to tell him, and he didn't know what to do about it but listen. They owed that to their partner.

Ari nodded faintly. "Yeah. We'll just need to help them. And do our best to make sure everything is alright with them." he leaned his head on Honey's shoulder, exhaling faintly.

(I think it'd be kinda cool to have Rin and Muria interact more face-to-face cause they haven't really talked if that makes sense? and a trial could put them in the same space and force them to interact, though I'm curious to see what you think of it cause it'd be a pretty big plot thing to have a trial)

Arquis looked scared. Terrified, even, as if one loud noise would do him in for good. Icy sweat dripped down his spine, and he shivered. He had to do this. There was no avoiding it anymore.

"I- I-" He bunched his hands into fists and then wrapped his arms about himself, like he was trying to squeeze the confession from his lungs. "I went- it was night, and- and- I was just- I went over to- and- I did not know what would happen, I just- I was there, and then I was not there, and it was like it was not even me. It was not really me, but it was. Do you understand? I was not there anymore, it was just- he was there, and then- and then-"

In the bedroom, Honey hummed and ran his hand down Ari's neck until he was stroking his back. "Yeah. That's enough talk of that for tonight, though. It's getting late, and we won't be able to do much until tomorrow."

He wondered what was taking Arquis and Rin so long in the bathroom. Had the nobleman been ill? He sure hoped not. It'd taken a while to get him to eat those scones, and he really didn't look like he could afford to lose more energy.

"You have any plans for tonight? I was thinking that maybe if you're not too tired, we could do something together."

(yeah good point! But I thought we were planning on having Rin and Arquis get taken back to the Palace? Which would have Rin and Muria interact more there? but idk, either one could be interesting)

Rin blinked, not understanding a word that Arquis was babbling. "Arquis, darling, slow down." he said softly, settling his hands on Arquis's shoulders. "Slow down, and take a deep breath, and then start over. I don't…I don't understand what you're trying to tell me." he hated that Arquis was going to have to repeat himself, but they had no idea what the nobleman was trying to tell them. It was all too jumbled up for them to understand.

Ari exhaled faintly, gaze flickering to the closed bathroom door, then back over to Honey. "I don't have any plans, no. And I would be up for doing something, if you like." he smiled softly, running a hand through his hair. "What did you have in mind?"

(oh hm you're right—maybe they could have the trial actually at the Palace, since it's a pretty big building? and then Arquis could be brought back there by the authorities or something. it could also potentially stir up a lot of like publicity and stuff that would be interesting for Rin and Arquis to go through)

Arquis had been trying his best to communicate what had happened, but his best apparently wasn't good enough. The thought of saying it all over again was daunting. He drew a shuddering, deep breath in. It didn't really help. What launched from his lips was an equally incoherent string of rambling.

"I did not- I went at night, and I went- I did not mean to run into anyone. I was just going for a walk. It was just meant to be a walk. And then, when I was- I almost made it outside, but I stopped- I thought- I just meant to stop for a second. Just a moment. I did not know what would happen if I followed. How could I have known? It all happened so fast, I- I-"

Honey pondered the question, then turned and gave Ari an almost devilish smile. "Well, stranger. That kinda depends. You scared of heights? 'Cause if not, I could show you something."

That was vague enough that it almost sounded threatening. He fluttered his lashes at the other man innocently, though the effect didn't really come through clearly. He was still grinning.

"It's not dangerous. Not really, anyways. Unless you've got two left feet, in which case you could always lean on me."

(oh yeah that could be interesting for sure! Though how would we work in Rinlos's father and Lysander visiting, then?)

Rin squeezed Arquis's shoulders gently, still not understanding anything that Arquis was trying to say. "Arquis. Darling. Stop." he said. "Take a few deep breaths for me, okay?" this wasn't helpful. Nothing Arquis was saying made any sense, and while Rin hated that Arquis would have to repeat it at some point, the nobleman would have to if he wanted them to be able to know and understand what had happened. "I don't understand what you're triyng to say, and I need you to just stop and breathe for me please."

Ari tipped his head faintly, considering the question. "I am not really scared of heights, no." he replied slowly, looking at Honey. "Where are you planning to take me to, hm?" he wondered where and what it could possibly be. It sounded intriguing, no matter what it was. Where would Honey be taking him that was high up?

(oh, good point. hmm, maybe that could happen at some point after the trial finishes? if Arquis has to stay at the Palace after to clear some stuff up for a while, then maybe they could visit for the sake of appearances? kinda like how celebrities will involve themselves in drama that's not theirs to gain public favor, that sort of thing?)

Arquis wailed softly and tossed his head back until it hit the rim of the tub. His face screwed up in agony. This was all too much. He knew it would be, but he'd been hoping that if he spoke quickly, then he could get it out before he was overwhelmed. Of course that wouldn't have worked. He could barely think of it without feeling faint; why did he think he'd be able to calmly tell the whole story?

"I cannot- I- you need to know. You need," he emphasized it, the word coming out sharp and desperate, "to know everything, but- but I cannot tell you, and I have made a mess of things. I always make such a mess. It was so messy that night. There was so much of it. I tried to clean it, but- but I could not- it stayed on my hands. It stained them, and they- they are- I-"

It was only getting worse. He couldn't stop reliving the memory, over and over and over again. This was his own personal hell: a loop from which he could never escape.

"There's a way to get on the roof," Honey responded, his grin finally softening. "It'll be a bit slippery if it's still wet, so we'd have to be careful. But I'll bet that it's real pretty out tonight. Usually is after a storm. We could sit up there for a bit, maybe bring a blanket. Get cozy. Y'know. Or, if that sounds a bit too risky, maybe we could just cut out the middle man. Go to your room. Spend some quality time together. What do you think?"

(ooh yeah that could work!!)

Rin's gaze searched Arquis's face, trying to understand but struggling to do so. "Darling, darling, please stop." he whispered, kissing Arquis's cheek. "You are not making any sense and you are just stressing yourself out, please stop." he gently cupped Arquis's cheeks between his hands, biting his lip faintly as they looked at Arquis.

Ari hummed faintly, considering Honey's words. "That does sound like fun, actually." he replied in a quiet tone. "Going out on the roof, looking at the stars. As for going to my room…as long as quality time is not an innuendo for anything sexual, then that would also be fun. We could do that afterwards, perhaps? When we get tired and want to head inside."

(yay!! if we do wanna do that sort of plot line, when do you think would be a good time to set it into motion?)

Arquis let out a sob, the kind that sounded as if it'd scraped his throat raw coming out. He didn't want Rin to look at him like that. He didn't want their kind words, his gentle touch. That wasn't quite the truth. He needed them like a drowning man needed air. He just didn't deserve them, not after all that he'd done.

"I did not want it to happen," he gasped, fighting for his every breath. "You must understand, I did not want for any of it to happen."

That was all he could get out. He lurched over suddenly and wrapped his arms about his midsection, as if he was about to be sick. Instead, he waited out the vertigo with his eyes closed. His body was cold with sweat.

"I cannot," he whispered. "I cannot tonight. I cannot. I am sorry, love. I thought I could, but I cannot speak of it any more."

——

Honey beamed when Ari accepted his offer, then laughed at the latter half of what he'd said. "Nah, handsome, I wasn't propositioning you. I know you're not into all that. I really just meant, like, y'know." As if he was sharing a secret, he leaned in and lowered his voice. "Hand-holding. Cuddling. Raunchy stuff, I know. But yeah, we could totally do that after the roof.”

He spared another quick glance at the bathroom door. While he wanted to go straight up to the roof, maybe grab a blanket on the way, they should probably check in on Arquis and Rin. They'd been in there for a while now.

"Wanna knock real fast before we go? See how they're doing?"

(tbh I'm not sure)

Rin kept their eyes on him, watching with soft concern. "Alright. You do not have to, my love." he said softly, gently, cupping Arquis's cheeks in his hands. "Perhaps later you can…you can try writing it down for me? That way you do not have to say it. But it is alright if you cannot tell me, darling. I understand how difficult it is for you." he didn't, not completely, but Arquis needed that reassurance that everything was alright. Their partner needed that, and he would provide it.

Ari nodded slightly at Honey's response, smiling a little. "In that case, it sounds wonderful." he replied, stretching and twisting in order to pop his back. "Mm, sure. I can check on them, unless you want to?" he got off the bed, still stretching a bit. He was tired, but it was alright. If he fell asleep on the roof, so be it. Honey would wake him.

(part of me thinks it'd be really funny if honey/ari were on the roof and saw the like guards or whatever coming to the inn, but that might be a bit soon lol)

Arquis lifted his hands and placed them on top of his partner's. Absently, he began to stroke his thumbs along their knuckles. His eyes closed, and his head tipped forward slightly. The stroking motions slowed but didn't stop. He wasn't asleep, though he was pretty damn close.

"Perhaps," he mumbled. "Perhaps that would work. Explaining it in writing. But that would be rather permanent."

Spoken words faded quickly. Once they were out, unless they were somehow recorded like music on gramophones, they were gone. People could spread and twist them in the form of rumors, but the original speaker could deny them. They had a wonderful impermanence to them, making them the perfect choice for sharing secrets.

Written words, on the other hand, were much more difficult to hide or change. Sure, people shared secrets in writing all the time. Kids passed notes and paramours wrote letters. But there were stories every day of such things being discovered by nosy parents, friends, lovers, or historians. Once words were written, one had to be really careful of how they were disposed of. They could not simply be thrown away; any butler or maid prone to gossip could find them in the trash. They could not be tossed out the window; they would blow along the streets, likely ending up under someone's heel. That left two valid options: tossing them into the sea or burning them.

——

Honey stood as well and did his own series of stretches. He yawned and scrubbed at his jaw as he considered Ari's question. Last time he'd interrupted the two of them by himself, he could tell he'd kind of frustrated Rin. He didn't want to do that again, but he did want to know that they were both okay.

"Nah," he decided, "you can go ahead. Meet me at my room when you're done—I'm gonna grab a scarf and a coat. It's gonna be kinda chilly out."