Chapter 25 Rorin
Rorin
The sound of her voice consumed my mind for the entirety of the night.
Her breathy moans, her soft whimpers. At one point, I pitied the squires outside the doors, but it was overpowered by the smug bit of satisfaction that rolled through me every time my name fell off her lips.
She’s been asleep for hours, the dreams no longer plaguing her mind, thank the gods.
I’d never seen her mind in the state it was in last night, before. Unknowingly, the magic tether between us sucked me in, forcing me to live it alongside her. She was terrified. Terrified of being back there, of enduring it all again.
It enrages me to think that a man of such little substance has given her a reason to be that frightened. And as fatigued as I may be… I couldn’t bring myself to take my eyes off of her, wanting to be there in case the memories came back to haunt her a second time.
Outside the doors, I can hear the young soldiers fidgeting. It's morning, and they're trying to find some way to knock and wake us. Not yet. I pool a small amount of my Wield in my palm and command it under the doors.
Thu-thud.
A smile works its way across my lips while I sink further into the mattress. I palm her hip, kneading my fingers into the soft skin and drag her backwards, fitting the curve of her ass against my hips.
She hums approvingly and rolls her hips right against… "Damn woman…" I growl.
My teeth graze across the exposed skin of her shoulder, and she shudders.
The serpents adorning her body wind around her bicep, responding to my subtle touches.
She lets out a quiet gasp and rolls herself over until she’s on her back, my arm draping lazily across her stomach.
I move my palm over her belly button and trace the pattern of the serpent coiled there, waiting for her to look my way.
"You're terrible at letting a girl sleep in." Her groggy voice fills my mind, and my smirk becomes a wide grin. I tilt my head and eye her from my peripheral vision.
"You're horribly distracting. It didn't seem fair for me to let you sleep when I got no sleep at all."
Her brows scrunch together, "what? The strenuous witching hour activities weren't tiring enough?
" She quips, and I pull my lip between my teeth, sawing it back and forth as I try to find a retort.
"Hmph," she hums, flipping herself over again, "well, I can't say it was all that eventful for me either. "
My eyes widen at the insinuation, and I scoff, flopping onto my back, "you were asleep in minutes after the last round… a deep sleep." I emphasize.
Her shoulders shrug against the sheets, resting her hand dramatically across her forehead. “Maybe it was boredom that lulled me to sleep so quickly—" She sighs.
“Youuuu.” I groan, pulling her harshly on top of me.
My hands tighten around her, dragging her body harshly on top of mine.
Eveera squeals as I settle her on my lap, her wild hair spilling over her shoulders.
I press the heel of my palms into the dip above her hips, anchoring her, "your problem, Nightmare…
" I coo, "is that your body betrays every word coming out of that pretty little mouth. "
Her cheeks heat, and she squirms, my smile growing wider with each huff of frustration.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"For fucks sake." I snarl, grabbing and throwing the covers around her shoulders, before I move her off of my lap. Three more loud raps on the wood ring out before I notice the doorknob twisting.
In barges Felix and both of my men. All of whom duck their heads down when they notice me lying shirtless in bed with a questionable lump under the covers next to me.
Her Our head of council, sighs, "next time the two of you want privacy, let's not incapacitate the squires outside your doors. They're there for your protection, Eveera." He calls.
She barks out a laugh, the sound muffled by the fabric. "Ah, yes, tweens. My noble protectors. Maybe once they hit puberty, I'll take them seriously." The words are jumbled, and based on Felix's expression, he is uninterested in hearing any of her rebuttals.
"Remember that you were only fifteen when you took over the Crown — and even then you wanted everyone to take you seriously." Her body stills, and I bite down on my lip, silencing my snort. "Get up. Get dressed and be the Queen this kingdom needs. Now."
Eveera waits a moment to pop her head out from underneath the covers, and the disappointment on her face shows she was hoping he’d be gone by the time she resurfaced. He levels a disapproving stare at both of us and turns on his heel.
"YOU SAID YOU WANTED US TO GET ALONG!" She shouts, her face blooming bright red with both embarrassment and anger.
"We're at war. Do it on someone else's time." He calls out, and she huffs at his dismissal, slapping a pillow over her face to muffle her frustrated screams.
Ben rocks back and forth on his heels, whistling quietly as he takes in the sight of us. "Well… this is awkward," I stretch my arms behind my head, ignoring the twinge from the still-healing stab wound, and raise my brows at my gawking guards. “I'm guessing you're too beat to spar this morning?"
“Mmm.” I hum.
He clicks his tongue, muttering in agreement while Will stands there, frozen in mild horror as he looks between Eveera and me.
She sits up, holding the sheet precariously over her chest, as she looks him up and down. "Mousy, I'm surprised you've caught no flies in that mouth that always seems to be open."
Her voice breaks his trance, and he glares, clamping his lips shut. Satisfied with her getting underneath his skin, she rolls over top of me, dragging the sheets with her as she climbs off the bed.
I clamp my hands down over myself, the chilly air accosting me, but it’s too late, my men–
"Holyyy—", "Bleeding gods, Ror! Cover up!"
"Eveera." I snarl, heat flaming my face, as I try to push down my… "damn woman." I hiss.
She snickers, "it was either you or me. They're your men — I thought you'd be much more angry if they saw me naked."
From the corner of my eye, I see Ben’s face light with intrigue at the words “saw me naked”. Irritated, I slide off the bed, keeping both hands pressed tightly down.
"Out." I bark, glaring at Ben, whose eyes are still lingering on the entrance to the bathroom. "Bennett!" His head snaps back to me, and he makes a barely apologetic look.
I shoo them out, and when the door clicks shut again, her head peeks out around the door frame. There’s a feral look in her eyes as they dart down to my hands and then back up to my face, "well? Are you coming or not?"
My head drops back until I get an eyeful of the ceiling, slapping my forehead with my open palm.
This woman is going to fucking kill me.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Ti–
“A-hem.”
"But it was soooo peacefully quiet…" Eveera mutters.
Felix tilts his head at her, “we need to talk about this.”
“What is there to talk about? I have decided already; I was merely informing the rest of you.” She snarks, sinking back into her chair.
“It’s not that simple–” Armond interrupts, and Eveera’s stare hardens.
She drums the fingers of her left hand along the arm of her chair and takes a large bite out of the apple she holds in her right. “It is that simple, actually, Monty, dear. See – Felix here, told me to be a Queen. In fact, everyone here has been asking me to behave like a queen, and now that I do?”
“Eveera–”
“Which is it, Felix? One moment, you’re claiming that you can only advise me, that if I deem a matter unfit for discussion, then it’s none of your business.
" He flattens his lips against each other, listening, “then when I make a decision or an action plan that you disagree with, you say ‘we need to talk about this’.” Her voice is tight, anger brimming underneath it, “so which is it? Is it your business, or is it mine?”
Felix sighs, his head falling into his hands, shaking back and forth before he looks back up at Eveera. “I think that everyone is just surprised… at your choice.”
“I don’t know why they would be.”
“Because it’s a terrible idea!” Will interjects.
Bennett and Millie groan from over in their seats at his interruption, and I do my best not to join them. “I want a meeting with Baelor and Eiser. I don’t see what is so terrible about that? Pruella here,” she jabs a thumb at the willowy princess, “will act as both our bait and our leverage.”
“THAT’S WHAT’S SO TERRIBLE!” He shouts, pushing up from his seat, “she is a person. Not a toy.”
“You’re right,” Eveera admits, and the redness in Will’s face starts to wane, “she’s not a toy. She’s a prisoner whom I’ve allowed to wear better clothes. Very different.”
I look over at the princess, her face a mixture of horror and disbelief as Eveera repeats the plan over again.
It’s a game of bait and switch, lure them in with the promise of giving Pruella back, and then swap them out.
It allows Pruella to live her life however she pleases, while Baelor and Eiser end up in our hold.
“You’re just going along with this?” He sneers, looking over at me.
“As much as I dislike the idea of summoning my father, we need to get close to them.”
He drops back down in his chair, mumbling “unbelievable” over and over.
“I won’t do it.” Our heads all turn towards the squeaky, weak voice.
Pruella’s staring hollowly ahead of her, while Eveera’s irises light with the challenge, “oh, ha.
That's so sweet… You think you have a choice.
" She purrs, her mouth parting to mimic Pruella’s pout, "did you think that your sob story last night would save you?
That it meant you would be able to live your life out," her finger drops harshly onto the table, "here? In refuge?"
Her voice rises with each stab of her fingertip onto the stone slab, "your father cost me half of my personal guards. Max's brother and mine," the pitch dipping at the mention of Orem and Axel. "He cost me hundreds of loyal soldiers—"
The princess stands abruptly from her seat, arms flailing out to her sides as she screams, “so did your husband's! What is the difference here?! Or is it just that he fucks you so well that you forge—"
My Wield snaps out, cutting off her words, the willowy princess's face beginning to turn blue as she gasps for air.
"Rorin," Will calls out, Bennett and Millie's voices following suit. The sounds of my name mingle with the laughter coming from Max's corner, but none of them can break through my focus.
Pruella’s skin starts to twist into an ugly shade of purple when I feel the softness of a familiar hand grab hold of mine.
"Rorin…"
My Wield falters at her voice, spearing through the darkness that consumes me/ Pruella collapses against the stone table — Will rushing over to her side.
Ever the fucking nobleman. I think bitterly, but when our eyes meet, regret fills my stomach at having thought it at all. He stares at me hopelessly, his head shaking slightly as he helps the girl back into her chair. She's clutching her chest and throat while taking in deep gulps of air.
"Well—" Eveera sighs, "this meeting has taken an interesting turn."
I can't help the bitter scoff that escapes me at the same time one of our councilmen clears his throat, "a-hem…" He starts tentatively, "how exactly can we guarantee that kings will arrive peacefully?"
She shrugs, "I can't." A few gasps circle the room, "but, if he wants his pet of a daughter back in his greasy grip while still in one piece — he'll cooperate.
" Her stare weighs onto the still purple-tinged royal, "Pruella is aware of how…
possessive her father is about his trinkets.
I'd be willing to bet he'll do just about anything to get back his prized item. "
There's a twinge of guilt that pangs through me when I see her shudder at the thought. So, different from how she was around him in Vellar… I muse, while wondering — which side of her story is true? Doting daughter trying to play us, or tormented daughter trying to be saved by us?
Eveera's voice brings my attention back as she finishes her address to the council. “I forgot to mention – they’re not the only royals I’ll be meeting with.
” Even I’m surprised to hear it, my chin angling to watch her stand, “requests to join me here in Obsidian’s court have already been sent to Suram’s Consul and Sorrel’s king.
The men and women surrounding us murmur, their tones a blend of confusion and panic.
“Can I ask, why?” Felix cuts in.
“Well, I had to come up with a backup plan in case my first one doesn’t work, didn’t I?” His brows lift, but no one challenges her, the group of them filing out of the room quickly.
Millie reaches for the princess, and Will slaps her hand away, quietly insisting that he will get her back to whatever room she is now being kept in.
Through the seal, I feel Eveera’s anxiousness pick up, and from my peripheral vision, I catch her hand drifting towards her wrist to scratch. My arm flies out, grabbing hold of her fingers before they have a chance to irritate the scars already left behind.
She holds her breath and my fingers until she watches the last member disappear through the doors. Her chest caves as she lets out the air, keeping her eyes squeezed shut, and her head dropping back to face the ceiling.
I give her the few moments of quiet to sort through the turmoil that I know she needs — and rise from my seat to stand shoulder to shoulder. Her chest rattles with a soft sob, and I give her that moment too, my fingers lacing with hers.
When she finally lifts her head, her emotions are wiped aggressively off her face, honing her attention in on where Pruella had been standing. "You almost killed her."
"She would have deserved it."