Assistance

[Lovely]

December 21, 2009
Evening
Devhano Palace


"Might I be of assistance to your majesty?" He whispered from behind, at her ear, moving her hair to kiss her neck. "Looking over your father's lands or somewhere I can't see?" He'd found her at the window gazing outward, lost in thoughts.

Her eyes closed and she tried to lean back into him, letting the sigh ease out of her though she'd been standing there so tense. "Your majesty?.. a little formal term of endearment for your wife." She whispered back, turning part way to show him a small smile.

"You have your view of grandeur beyond your grasp, perhaps I have mine," he grinned, teasing her and stepping around a little to see the light in her eyes, finding it dim. His grin faded. "You're troubled."

"Not when your near me.." She whispered, smiling softly for him, she reached to touch his cheek. She was troubled, but his mere pressense helped to ease her.

"Azure...," he sighed, careful with his words not to upset her as he took her fingers in his and drew her from the window. "There is not a blanket thick enough to hide such things from these eyes. I do not scold you. I am explaining. Your hurt and worry are something I feel - your blood is my blood, your pain is also mine. Tell me what worries you."

She looked back to the veiw, as he pulled her gently away from the window. "Markas.. I meant it.. when you are close to me.. my troubles are less." Her fingers curled around his and she stepped in closer. "I feel you inside me, a part of me and myself given to you willingly in anyway you desire by heart or by flesh. That you know and can feel what I feel, even if it is pain, is a comfort and treasure to me. I could not have asked for or dreamed of a more perfect companion, partner for myself.. I am far luckier than I believed I could be when I set out on my journey to your kingdom. Fates and stars smiled upon me when I met you in the forest. Any other of your house would have run me through, taken my head and perhaps questioned what I was doing there after." She smiled again, thinking how she'd boldly faced him as if she could truly best him in battle. Her thumbs brushed over his fingers and she looked down to their joined hands. "There are dangers here, forces that would try to pull apart that which we have joined together. I fear an even greater danger if we were to return to your kingdom, I am fairly certain your father would have them taking my head before you finished introducing me. It leaves us in a dilemia of which danger is greater.. where do we belong? My father wanted this, or something like this, the clerics approved and my family has accepted you, but there are still those who would work against us. These thoughts trouble me.. I wonder if I have been selfish to marry you, you stay here with me, but is it what you wish to do?"

[Lovely]

Markus' head shook. "There are things just as dark at work in these walls," he smiled to reassure but it was dark, warning her just the same. "I am grateful to be part of this bonding in the name of peace, but we both are still warriors for our houses with strong brothers behind us and a mighty foe on either side. The peace we buy in this bonding... it's not a farce, but not many beyond us believe in it. We need to make them believe in it, build on it. Unless you have the strength in you to build it within yourself, they never will. Is it doubt? Fear? You're not selfish, Azure. You have selflessly sacrificed much for your sisters. Are you ready to do more?"

"I don't know the next step to take and what I do or where I go is no longer a question or a decision I make alone.. it is no longer I.. it is we."

"You make no decision without me here. Nor can any action I take be without your guidance." He sat and seemed dismayed, lost in thoughts himself. "Azure, your father has accepted me only due to the fact he could not reach my brothers and has not the strength left to try. He's dying. Alos will fight him to that death trying to outlast him, but he too is nearly gone if not already dead while I've been here unable to serve him. If my brothers believe me to be dead, they won't let Alos' throne grow cold a second in his absence, or mine. There are members here who will toss your father's limp and warm corpse to the dogs before his last breath is exhaled completely. You and I are alone in our fight unless we start now and make our stance convincing. What future do -you- choose for Luskavia, princess? One divided or one united?"

She frowned and shook her head, lifting her searching gaze to his. "Don't you know which I choose? I am still a young one.. I ask you, tell you my worries because I seek your counsel, your knowledge and direction. I do not know how to reach both sides or which direction to take."

"Then ask which you would want for your own children - to know two houses or one. These kingdoms fall on our shoulders, princess. Their walls.. and their doors. Do you wish your door to be open to my brothers and their continued fighting? Perhaps they only fight as my father wishes it though they bleed and rust away beneath the moons with a desire for nothing more than a warm bed and a warmer bride and family of their own. I don't know their minds. I know yours. I know my own. Your family? They fear your father's idea is whimsy and it will falter with his own steps. They breathe and wish for peace but fear it? You.. and I... must ... we must open that door, give them ground to walk on that is strong for their steps, Azure. That... is what I feel is in our hearts, isn't it?"

She nodded, no less lost than she was before. She agreed with all he said but did not know how to get from where they were to where they wished to be.. she did not know how to reach or how to open any door to any of his kingdom. "I know what I want.. I know what we want. I do not know how.." She told him again, trying to understand -what- to do to open the doors he spoke of. "Do you wish to return to Onmadia? Do you wish to remain here? Do you wish to find a middle ground.. one of the provinces between this castle and your fathers? I don't know what to do.. how to get from where we are to what we want."

[Lovely]

"I wish for the moonlight to sail through the windows and fill the corners of Onmadia where only shadows have lived too long, Azure. My father's ideals died years ago. There is no middle ground between death and dying, only a single breath. That is not where I want to be. ALthough breathing is not necessarily an option I can enjoy regardless." He paused to wink and offer what humor he could to lighten their talk. "What I want is for Alos to see an awakened land, one that thrives. I can assure you my sister will join our fight, but my brothers will be difficult to sway. That is together only three, though with some reassurance, perhaps Taisian and even that gruff bear that follows her would side with us."

"There are many in Devhano who would side with us.. perhaps not a great number in comparasion to how many dwell between our kingdoms.. It only takes one to make a stand.." Her gaze washed over him and she found a small smile touching her lips in a show of hope. "Taisian I believe would stand with us.. and where she stands so does Gregor. Where and how .. do we go to Onmadia.. how do we.. begin?"

"We begin with strength in our hearts," he smiled, reaching to bring her close. "Love begins many things. Healing being the first."

"Markas." She sighed and stepped to him, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder, her hands slipping from his to slide around his waist. As strange at it might seem to some who knew they'd not known each other long, Azure was sure of him and of their love. "Would you be willing to go to the palace of Jokei in Durgra? It is one of Devhano's keeps, there we might find a freedom and safety which certain occupants of this palace keep us from.. and perhaps on a more neutral ground we may find those who believe as we do and who are not acting or answering out of fear or duty?"

"We bring those who will ally with us or we do not go. It will be a prison if we go alone," he assessed, realizing such isolation would take them further from finding support of their campaign to bring peace to their two houses.

She nodded tightening her embrace around him and lifting her head to kiss his cheek. "Then this is what we shall do.. " She remained close with her cheek lightly against his.