Araminta awoke the next morning later than she should, still feeling off and grumbling at the sunlight through the window with a sort of reluctant to move energy that had everything to do with the state of her mind and thankfully not a problem with her body. Finding that while she still felt off, it was not with that same lung squeezing pain it was the prior day so with her usual determination she sat up to assess the damages.
Theon had not come to bed… which wasn’t a surprise as he tended to avoid doing so altogether unless she fussed him into it. She’d likely made him wary and want to avoid her too with her self-pitying moodiness, thus Araminta was going to have to do her best to put on bright smiles and fake her way through this dark cloud hanging over her until it became natural again.
That urge to lay back down and become one of the pillows was still so strong.
Inevitably she forced herself out of bed to wash up and give herself a refreshing splash of ice cold water. To change her clothes to reinforce that need to be renewed. Then to head towards the kitchen to hunt herself a meager meal. Afterwards she was going to have to run to Bo’s atelier before he started thinking the princess had decided she was bored of busy work and had abandoned him.
Adra stood there merely waiting and soon enough when the dark haired woman came into the space, she was steely focused much akin to a mother hawk. “Araminta. Morning.” Greeting in her own way with a gentle smile but the dark browns of eyes were ever so focused upon her. Playing the game of running up and down and feeling out the tendrils of life that people tended to radiate even if they didn’t realize it. The girl was notoriously sweet and bubbly with her own little bit of sassy jabs but all it took was one little twist and one could pick up on the difference.
And she had made it a point to be observant especially with children at her ankles. Knowing that when they were fumbling to find something to say in a way that was loud and clear.
“Sit. We plated you food last night as did not wish for you to be without something tasty.” A finger indicated to the chair that was open for usage, “And perhaps talk.” Motioning shortly at her, “The mound of smell of bullshit that radiates from you is strong, how’s your head.” Suspicion was obvious and Adra was probably the one person that wasn’t going to be so easily to shoo away.
“Good morning, Adra!” she had chirped as cheerily as possible, only for the woman to immediately call bullshit on her so quickly that at first Araminta looked startled, then there was a soft ache to hear such a familiar word from someone she felt an attachment to, and finally a sour scowling look that the princess didn’t even bother to try and disguise. While Araminta could’ve made an attempt to brush it all off and stick to a charming disposition, she’d grown to know Adra well enough now to understand the woman wouldn’t let her get away with it.
Araminta plopped herself in the chair as ordered, like an unruly, stubborn child.
“I gave myself a headache and I am still feeling unpleasant. It isn’t anything to be concerned about, it’ll pass.” she answered. She very well couldn’t tell Adra the entire truth about it anyway!
Hand fanned before her face as though Araminta truly did smell, though she was pleasantly pleased to watch the girl shoo away her false good mornings for something that was more suitable to showing a smidgen of truth. “Soon flies will be buzzing around you,” Added on before bringing over the plate to set down in front of her. Shortly giving her a fork but held the knife back. Just in case that look of irritable child was about to stab her table.
“I do not think you can tell others when they can or should be concerned about you. As their feelings are their own and will be felt regardless of what you say. Is human nature, no?” Stating this factually, the woman hummed ever so thoughtfully. “Do you know that you have a particular essence about yourself. Aura? It is usually cheery. Uplifted and honest. Now, boy, you radiate something else that says you are bothered. But being like a stubborn donkey stuck in a hole. So quick you are to offer help to others, but gods be damned if that has to come back to you.” Hands opened, “Pot and kettle eh? I may not know what is going on but it’s clearly strong enough to make you miserable. Radiating it that it will act like a barrier to those around you. Till they are miserable and then what?”
Though if she was expecting an answer, she wasn’t wanting to hear it yet. “I’ll be concerned if I want too. You cannot stop that. That happens when you care about someone, if I did not… you would not be in my home. And I wouldn’t be playing the game of pretend not knowing that you and the prince are in my house.” She was by far not stupid and well, Bo may have let it slip out because he didn’t like the idea of secrets.
Araminta was ready to shoot back that she very well could just stay away from everyone to prevent them having to suffer her misery – as that was the plan in some respects! Only for Adra to reveal she knew very well about Theon and herself, so that she could not attempt to wriggle her way out of speaking by dodging around unknown information.
The narrowed eyed look she gave Adra was dirty, not unkind, just a surly, argumentative stubbornness. Here in a space where she was safe enough and allowed to do so without fear of repercussion.
…and well, now she was reminded why she was so upset in the first place. These allowances for Araminta to keep existing, to give her shelter, to make their claims it was all worth it to keep her safe despite the fact she was an ill omen of much heartache to come.
That surly look was gone in an instant, released with a sigh and setting her focus to her plate. Taking a bite or two of food and pondering how long she could get away with just giving Adra the silent treatment before the woman gave her a motherly swat with a dish towel.
“I am sorry we did not tell you about Theon immediately,” she finally answered. “We are problematic guests to have.”
Adra rolled her eyes. Almost so hard that they might as well have been two bouldering rocks clacking down a cliffside for the depth of it. Particularly at Araminta’s want to apologize and the second part of being problematic. “Oh yes very problematic. How dare you help at my husband shop with sewing and work that he has been too busy to do. Helping him catch up to where he can feel more secure again and knows that he needs an assistant. How dare you learn things from me as a cobbler even though we both know you have no talent for it but you keep trying.” Hand moved to hold upon hip whilst using the other, “How utterly problematic you’ve been but being gracious, polite and a general boon to us that we consider you a friend to let into our home. Add on the massive problems of the prince being a good child minder that spoils the children by playing with them, talking with them, taking them out while me and Bo cannot due to work. How he has cleaned this and that even injured and has not made a single fuss even when asked to do something.”
Eyes rested upon her with no malice, shaking head lightly. “So absolutely problematic guests, why you both may be the worse ever known to mankind.” A moment pause so brows could raise, “Do you hear how silly that is, hmm? Because it sounds silly.”
Of course she was making a show of it, “Actions speak better than words, girl. Yes, I should have known about Ghost sooner, but he has done nothing bad and neither have you. And truly how many men do you see with red hair wandering around anyways, it was bound to happen that I would find out outside my husband telling me. Regardless, I do not care. So whatever these silly little words you use at me are really for, they can go into the rubbish. I do not want them. If this is what you consider a problem, I fear for what is a real problem.”
Adra went through her entire unnecessary mocking of the help she and Theon had provided – fairly too, Araminta wasn’t denying the goodness of any of it! It was who they were without pretenses, without having to force it, these were all things they were happy to be of service with. That wasn’t why Araminta was problematic and Adra knew that very well!
Araminta put her fork down, resting wrists against the table and curling up her hands into a ball. Finding she did not have much of an appetite in the moment. Moreover, if Adra wanted to hear her true thoughts, then Araminta would let her have them. With no fear or concern that she was going to hurt delicate feelings or give wrong impressions. Truly a blessing to have… and again twisting that knife in her heart!
“Alright then,” she murmured, giving the woman a frustrated frown. “How is any of that going to help you later should the Imperial Queen find out you’ve given us safe haven? How far do you think I will get in the trials before she discovers the best ways to strike back? I had no one when I came to the Imperial Lands, to have me killed was nothing. She sent her vicious mercenary as a response to Theon leaving her and that monster masquerading as a man killed hundreds before he made it to me. So what is to happen next when realizes I am still going!”
She flicked her hands as if she could shake off that very feeling that shrouded over her, and yet it remained. Clinging, squeezing, makin her stomach turn upside down.
“There is a wake of death to come and I lie awake thinking about it. Thinking, and planning, and scheming, knowing no matter what I do it will be coming. My choices and my actions have grim consequences and if I wish to keep moving forward I have to carry them. “
One would think that blurting it all out made the burden less, only it didn’t. A hard truth in that as well. Araminta’s squishy little heart was problematic all in itself.
“I don’t wish to take up the role of being a martyr,” she mumbled softly, finally picking the fork back up again to poke around at her plate. “I understand the gravity of what I’m doing and the need to find balance. …but as you said one’s feelings are their own and these are mine. With some days harder than others. It’s an off day, I’ll get through it…”
Good, she was thinking. Talking and shortly giving into that bubble of ugly misery that had made itself into a sinister little ball inside that had to be spoken. Even if it didn’t alleviate anything right now, putting it out of herself was a start. Even if Adra thought her foolishly naïve and wise in the same moment. To be as young as Araminta was and acting like everything she was, was so important.
Just waiting for it all to come out before Adra shrugged. “So?” Oh she heard her and understood the gravity of it all, “What use is it to a Queen if she started razing every place, or person that her son or the woman that has encouraged her ire, going to do? She won’t be the queen of anything besides a burnt land then if she was going to put that much effort into it. You might be a thorn in her fat arse, but you aren’t so god damn important that she is going to make every life, every piece of furniture in your twenty foot radius, burn for it. She’ll be clever certainly but then you have to be even more so. There are many people who dislike the queen and in turn, they have no loyalties to her.” She’d leave Araminta with that at least to think about. Before shaking her head a little.
“You can have feelings. That is true. Is good. But if you are going to be a sulking little mess because something isn’t going the way you want then…” Adra shrugged, “Might as well roll over. Stop trying. Make the prince go back to his mother and you go too to bend to knee and offer your head. Because that would be the only way it would stop this. But she’ll do what she wants. Eventually attacking someone else who also stands up. So don’t give yourself so much credit in that regard. You are just her newest fixation.”
Adra let out a sigh then, “Or my other option is, leave. We’ll keep the prince here because I do quite like having him about helping and being a good little helper. Then whatever happens it’ll be between me and that living fossil.” Hand again brushed aside, “Eventually people are going to start standing up more than one by one, and eventually she will have an uprise on her hands. Which again, she can lay waste and then sit on the empty fields that have nothing left. But you do what you think, for now,” Adra pointed to the plate, “Eat what you can. I’ve got to pull the laundry off the line that Ghost did and head into my shop. Life goes on each and every day Araminta. Regardless of what you want it to. It is a terrible wonderful thing.”
The scrunched up petulant huff Araminta gave belied just how young she truly was underneath the weight of responsibility she carried on her shoulders. Almost snapping back a quick and moody I know all of this, yet knowing Adra was only showing her care and offering a listening ear as anyone with a heart would do. Something Araminta did appreciate even if in this moment nothing seemed to be easing the discomfort of her current mental hurdle.
Finding herself missing her own mother so much during that moment that she nearly burst into tears. Having to swallow a heavy lump and follow it up with a forced bite of food, for at least if she was eating she wouldn’t be crying.
If only she could turn it all off! Morbidly wondering if heading back to Bloody Heirra and giving herself over would be a shocking enough turn the tide of events in some new direction. Just as quickly believing that if she did, it would put Theon in such a terrible position. That was the one thing she wouldn’t ever do.
“May I hide here today?” she asked softly. “My aura of moodiness will not go swiftly, I may as well stay here to do household chores and not darken the atelier or your shop.”
There was a muted amusement to know that Araminta may not have entirely appreciated the bluntness of this moment but in the long run, it would do her far better than not. Not to be coddled and hushed like some precious tot but also told outright that perhaps some of her thoughts were pretty silly. That was the power of the mind, it wasn’t always reasonable or nice. Even about the dumbest things that you just wished you could turn off. What mattered was the girl understood that she shouldn’t and couldn’t shoulder everything even in her best of moods or worse. That if all this was really that bothersome that she felt she couldn’t go on, there were options.
Ugly ones, but options no less.
She could huff and snort if she wanted. Or she could cry and pout, all of it was valid. She was allowed to feel her feels, that was never discouraged. But she had to understand that in the midst of this all, there were options for her to keep going.
“You may find chores hard to collect,” Adra tossed an eye over her shoulder at the other, “You were not the only one troubled yesterday and unable to do what he wanted to do.” Eyes rotated upwards to her ceiling, “I think he even got the cobwebs out of the mouse holes.” Suggesting that the other one that was also involved in all this had gone on a cleaning blender and did plenty of things in the house that were typically the things that maybe got done once a year. If that.
“You are welcome to stay here. Hide under the bed if you wish, it is safe. Just do not be on the roof when I come back, I have a deadly aim with a broom bottom to those of fussy bums.”
Araminta had to pause and take a glance around, as if somehow she’d be able to tell where Theon had fussed and cleaned and tidied until there wasn’t a speck of dust left. Likely, having stayed up all night doing so, just to avoid laying down and risking sleep in the evils of a fluffy bed. Scoffing again at his ridiculousness and now at the inconvenience that he’d stolen all of the chores that Araminta could’ve used to distract her mind and keep herself busy away from anywhere social.
“If I still had a staff I might swing right back,” Araminta warned, though it was pretty clear by the way she’d softened it was meant in teasing and perhaps the tinest teeniest itty bitty speck of being less morose than she had been before stepping into the kitchen.
Theon was exhausting too for that matter and even despite it, she wished he’d at least come to wake her in the morning before he scampered off with the children so she could’ve seen him.
In the meantime Araminta finished up her plate of food, suspecting there was Theon’s influence with the dish, though not having the skill enough to pinpoint exactly where or how. Once she was finished, she cleaned up after herself so that Adra wouldn’t have to. Deciding that even if Theon had managed to snatch up every chore that could’ve possibly be done, she could still find something useful to do out in the garden or perhaps washing windows. Surely he hadn’t washed all the windows yet! People were sleeping!
“Wouldn’t that be the show, eh?” Adra met that suggestion with a easy grin that didn’t find anything insulting about it. Rather to be hilarious to think the two of them swatting at each other with a broom and a stick alike. “Enough to make Bo, gasp like a fair damsel.” It was absolutely a hilarious thought alone, one she should not encourage.
Unlike potentially others, she had no reason to suggest anything further in the sort of fluffy good time, all will be fine manner that was so cliché that she found it sickening. So long as Araminta didn’t try anything wild, she would let the girl be. And she had her own chores to do in the form of work. Nodding soon enough with a merry little toodles as she ventured outside to gather the laundry but did reappear momentarily to give Araminta the chance to fold it. At least something to do that hadn’t been so ridiculous of a notion that the prince would have done it. Offering at least that if the girl wanted to be so busy, she could go out later and purchase some items for the house. Such as minor groceries that could be used for a meal but nothing more than that.
Finally expressing that if she should need anything, to come to the cobbler shop rather than sit in her feels like some wicked witch nursing a day old cauldron. Being sure affirm that Araminta shouldn’t be shouldering everything alone. Whether that went in one ear and out the other, only time would tell!
Adra left Araminta with quite the visual running wild in her imagination, of the pair of them swatting and dodging the swing of sticks. Liable to scandalize Bo and worry Theon… managing to be so absurdly silly enough it drew a reluctant grin out of her while she took fist to folding up laundry. They could make quite the show of it, Araminta bet. Adra being so naturally graceful and Araminta being quick to dodge. A complete lack of fighting skill on her own part, but what a dance it would be!
Grateful to have the time alone to somehow mollify her own thoughts, the princess studiously folded up the laundry and linens. Attempting to take her time with it at a leisurely pace so she could somehow will herself to get her own mood in order. It wasn’t doing her much good and laundry was such an easy task, she’d only managed to stretch it an hour before she was already taking it around the house to put away in bedrooms and closets.
Then she was left to debate if she wanted to crawl into bed and be a pathetic lump or go out to do some household shopping. Deciding fairly quickly she’d had enough of being silly and crying herself into fresh headaches. Araminta claimed her cloak and pulled up her cowl to have a sense of invisibility, though she doubted anyone would much care about a random girl wandering around the market square or the shops. It at least would provide her some fresh air and wouldn’t require any bit of socializing that might infect others with an unfriendly mood.
With a basket on her arm, Araminta made a slow stroll of walking past the stalls. Pausing here and there when something caught her eye. A comment Adra had made in the middle of her motherly lecture was lingering in her mind – the Imperial Queen was not likely to burn her own villages to the ground just to hunt Araminta, or she’d have nothing to rule over. Logically it was sound… but was the Blood Queen logical? Araminta had made many attempts to step inside the way of thinking of such a terrifying woman, as she knew if she could think the way her royal pain in the arse did, she could then make educated guesses on what came next. A game of chess with the twelve kingdoms as the board and the people within it the pieces.
Heirra was not the same as Gusteau – she was in a position now where she didn’t like to bloody her own hands. Yet she did like to torment and torture Theon. She allowed kingdoms to suffer and made no moves to help them and used Theon to make direct person to person contact rather than send armies. Somehow she’d claimed the Imperial Crown as well as the moniker Bloody Heirra long, long before she’d gained control of what she had now.
How did she do it? Where WAS her army? Ten skilled knights could end her and Theon easily. While Araminta had theories on why she kept Theon alive, it still would be a simple task to be rid of Araminta herself so she wouldn’t get any further on the trials.
Maybe if she could answer those questions, she might be closer to crawling into the mind of the woman.
In the square Araminta selected a nice variety of in season fruits, herbs, and veggies. Things that would keep well even if they weren’t used that evening for dinner. Feeling she had plenty enough until a wagon vendor’s table caught her eye of different bits and baubles. One in particular that had her catching the vender by the sleeves to ask questions.
A hand forged cloak pin made of a bluish grey metal bearing two horse heads that struck her so much of old pictographs of nokken from books of faeries she’d read. Clarifying with the vendor that it was made of steel rather than iron – something she knew Theon had no problem of handling as many of his weapons were steel. Only a pure cold iron ever seemed to pain faeries, how that worked Araminta didn’t understand. But it was always difficult to understand the strange alien world of the fae anyway.
In an instant she purchased it. He could shed any last remnants of his mother’s symbols and how lovely to have a subtle hint to his true nature. A piece of him that’d been denied for so long!
Now with a true treasure in hand, Araminta felt ever so slightly better. Seeing the little pin as a sign, perhaps from that very Lady of Light Sir Reeves loved to speak of.
“I wanna help!” The boy protested loudly when they had returned to the abode to find it suitably hushed. Unsurprised at this point but he had indicated that they were to have some late lunch that resulted in Philip declaring that his intent was to be the other hand that he was currently lacking. As Sophia scoffed in her elder sister mannerism, disbelieving that the middle child was going to be able to do anything outside being a potential annoyance or under feet. “Ghost, I wanna help.”
“Me too!” Chloe emulated the voice and came to sprint up nearly running through the cabinetry to stop herself from actually doing so. Springing readily foot to foot while eyes played over the gathered items they had gotten to make no more than sandwiches. Something easy that would allow them to take outside so they could eat in the sun and keep the little ones from getting too restless in their seats. Something he had picked up from the two youngest. A thing Sophia called ants in pants. Which had concerned him to the point that he actually had to make sure they weren’t being assaulted by the crawling pests!
Much to either’s annoyance.
Nodding softly, Theon made a point to the loaf of bread, “Sophia.” He spoke gingerly pulled her attention up and understood swiftly that he wanted her to be the one to cut the bread loaf. Sure it would be uneven slices but he didn’t want the other two risking losing fingers.
“Okay Ghost!” Happily to do so, she grabbed the cutting board firstly to place the loaf on and then moved it to the table. Only then would he bring over the knife to indicate she had to show him first how she would cut safely before he would allow her to continue. Temporarily earning a puff of cheeks like he was challenging her ability to do something at nine years old. Just that she seemed to think a moment before doing so. Taking a slow slicing back and forth to cut the butt off the end with a raised brow to wonder silently if that was suitable. Which he nodded and shortly began to direct the other two.
“If you can set up the blanket outside, then that would help.” Giving Philip this task, the boy’s eyes widened and before he could even offer a second idea, he was gone. Zipping out of the room only barely seeing Chloe chasing after.
“I’ll get the cushions!” He just hoped she didn’t pull said cushions off any furniture, listening to feet carry off as Sophia giggled. Never mind that he was going to give her another task but if she was up to it, then so be it.
“Okay?” He asked Sophia when she seemed to be distracted a moment, “Do you need help?”
“No!” Head shook, “I can do it. Then we can go outside and have lunch and things! Have you ever watched the clouds, Ghost?”
“No.” He replied softly watching her features dip a little when he turned to start pulling over the bits of cheese and meats and leafy greens to put together the craft of a sandwich.
“How come?”
“No reason.” He wasn’t about to explain his youth to her, “You will need to teach me.” Of course that perked her up easily. Baring a easy grin then and there. “Is that alright?”
“Yes!”
On Araminta’s return to the lovely abode she knew upon immediate entry that she was no longer alone, just by the sight of several cushions scattered about as if someone was hastily plucking up each and every one of them to inspect and then toss aside when it wasn’t what they wanted. Then it was only a short moment longer to hear Sophia chittering away in the kitchen with the volume all children seemed to use when parents weren’t nearby to listen.
The princess paused there for a second, quietly listening and wondering if her terrible foul mood would be something that might taint their day. Little ones were so softly sensitive to how adults behaved and she didn’t want to be the one taking light and joy out of them.
Taking fruits and veggies to hide in her room was equally as silly, though.
Breathing in a deep calming breath, Araminta strode into the kitchen at least with a sense of ease if not her usual cheerfulness. Curiously eyeing what looked like the makings of a picnic.
“I see Sophia is in charge today,” she commented with a small sense of amusement. Resting her basket on the table nearby to inspect exactly what lunch was turning out to be.
The sound of footsteps at first drew the line of sight of the girl only that when her gaze landed on Araminta, lips curled suitably wide into a eager grin. Likely associated with the fact that she was being labeled as the one in charge. “Hi Araminta!” Saying it a bit louder than necessary, slightly inflating her chest then, “I’m always in charge. That’s what the eldest gets to do!” Stating this as so matter of fact that any argument otherwise was liable to fall on very deaf ears.
Thankfully she put down the knife to gesture instead with widened palms at the sliced up bread. As he thought, all uneven but she had done it herself so that was accomplishment enough. Worthy of her being proud of herself. “We just got back from playing and buying things we needed for a lunch outside. Cause Philip and Chloe want to eat outside, so they went to get a picnic blanket and stuff.” Being sure to detail this, “So we are guna make sandwiches. Should be easy for the other two to eat, right?” Her gaze lifted to him for confirmation. Earning a nod certainly to agree that she was very much on the right wagon of thought.
“So we have some meats and cheese and lettuce and tomato with other things too. Though I don’t like tomato,” Sophia pointed out in case it hadn’t already been said though he didn’t seem to take this as insult. So long as she tried to eat something, that was the part that mattered. “So that’s what we are doing? I thought you were at pa’s shop again? It’s not like you to be here with us during the day?”
“This is a very impressive spread. Should make for tasty sandwiches even without tomato,” she mused, her mouth quirking just a bit at the corner wondering if Theon was going to allow the slicing of the tomatoes too. Betting they would turn as mismatched as the bread, yet knowing it was such a good way for the little one to learn and practice!
Araminta circled around the table, not about to take over Sophia’s very important job of slicing. Only pausing next to Theon to hook her pinky finger around his.
“I was not feeling well today,” she explained in simple terms without going into the sorts of specifics one so small shouldn’t hear. “Sometimes when you think too much you wear our your brain and need to take a break. I thought I might stay here today for rest.”
As for Theon, if he wanted to know more she would tell him if he asked, tilting her head back to look him over and see if she could glean if he’d worried himself into some state of nonsense about her. Or better yet, just that usual examination of squinting to see if he at least attempted to take a nap last night.
“Would it be alright if I joined you both for this picnic in the garden?”
Eyes moved over everything once more to debate whether or not Araminta was correct in her suggestion of it all tasting just fine without the horrible red fruit that was referenced as a vegetable! Practically glaring at it. Honestly it may have been saying something truly horrific for the way she lingered and slowly looked away. Following Araminta to that of his side and unaware of the woman looping pinky finger to his own. Although he didn’t really respond to that, not about to get too invested when he knew Araminta had been struggling with something and didn’t want to see clingy or invested when he was not meant to be present.
Of course due to Sophia’s statement of how she had expected the woman to be at her father’s shop, interest rose. Staring in obvious wonderment till the corner of lips turned downwards. “If you aren’t feeling well, ma says you should be in bed. Resting. Sleeping. Especially if it’s your brain! That’s like the most important piece of someone! You should be sleeping or laying down, that makes me feel better after I’ve felt not well.”
He unlinked from Araminta because he was still intending to help out with the spread so Sophia could keep helping. Of course he wouldn’t ask what had occurred, figuring out well enough that whatever it was, it was for her and her alone. Needing not to be poked at simply because he didn’t get it. Knowing that had to be truly frustrating at this point anyways. Instead reaching for the offensive fruit to trade places with collected bread slices. Setting it down, “Some. Not all.” Theon offered, “Philip would like it.”
“He has gross tastes.” She declared insulted by this very thing but sighed. Only stopping to look at Araminta when she had asked about the picnic. “Only if you feel okay. If you feel bad, you should rest.” Sophia reminded, “But sure. We’d have to tell Chloe to get more cushions.” Just that she stopped to where Theon was pointing.
“Slowly. Carefully. Avoid your fingers.”
“I’ll be safe! Slow and careful.”
Now Theon was behaving oddly and it was difficult for Araminta to tell if it were because she’d given him the wrong impression last evening that he was to leave her alone, or if there was something else to be concerned about. Trying not to let her present mood blow it all out of proportion to start having paranoid thoughts, or to start behaving even more moody to reinforce the distance!
…it was there she realized distance was the last thing she wanted. Having that internal panic that he’d avoid her and pull away managed to squash any ideas she’d previously had about trying to distance herself from the people she cared about. That didn’t quite help the way her heart ached and she wasn’t sure how she was going to survive it in the future… but walling up her heart behind a protective castle of stone so she didn’t have to feel anymore wasn’t the way.
“Your mother is very wise. I think if the food and fresh air and good company is not enough, I will promptly climb into bed. I’d prefer the company though, I don’t wish to be by myself.”
The last part she added on for Theon’s sake, just incase.
The girl hummed knowingly, smug if anything about hearing how her mother was very wise. Sure that Adra would agree and then some. “Okay, and if you feel bad we can read you a story too like how ma does with us!” She offered before looking at the fruit again with tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth for concentration. Putting the tip down to cut a slow slice before it toppled over and looked expectantly up at him.
“Good. One more alright.” Her nose scrunched letting out a slice before repeat the process for one that was a little thicker than the other. Just that she seemed pleased to be getting it out of the way, “Thank you Sophia.”
“You’re welcome Ghost!” Echoing eagerly as he lightly patted her on the head. Practically preening like a fluffed hen at the motion, Sophia hummed a moment. “Should I tell Chloe to get more cushions.”
“Yes and… clean up any she has left behind. If you would.” It was done so swiftly that had there not been a knife just dropped on the cutting board with the girl trotting out, he might have grown more concerned. Merely following Sophia with a gaze before looking to the table. Needing to sort everything now and put together the items so they could be eaten. Shifting to silence that was comfortable for himself, pulling the sliced pieces of bread over to select a few that weren’t so ridiculously wide to settle on the board and pick up the knife once more. Needing to go a lot slower as to slice away the crust that Chloe didn’t like.
Was he not even going to look at her? Araminta felt as if she was getting the Theon version of a silent treatment. Falling into a softly concerned frown when Sophia vanished from the kitchen like a swift bouncing rabbit traveling at the speed of lightning. Remaining silent herself to watch as he picked up the knife to resume the makings of lunch – pointedly noting he wasn’t asking for her assistance with this, when she had two working hands and was standing right there.
Araminta crossed her arms and leaned against the table, very obviously watching his face more than what he was actually doing. Patiently waiting to see if he was going to acknowledge her at all.
…impatiently wondering what she would do about it if he didn’t!
Of course he wasn’t going to ask her for help. She had expressed she wasn’t feeling well and he was hardly the sort to overlook such a statement. While he just didn’t make an effort to outright greet or speak, leaving her own devices seeing as far as he understood, she had wanted to be left alone. Only now just mentioning company though he hardly lumped himself into that. Assuming she wished to have time with the children for she had expressed she loved them prior. Figuring that it might be the thing that made her feel better, so any other reason to him was so far off the table that it was practically nonexistent.
Leaving himself to work on removing the baked ends around the soft bread less Chloe prove just how much she hated it. Again. It had been a very strong learning curve to see their differences in tastes. In particular to food. Often leaving him quite involved with learning these differences and starting to adhere to them as best he could. Before learning a new one.
So far Philip had proved to be less picky of the three. Seemingly happy to eat just about anything at least once. Which was a good habit to have.
A slight bit of fumbling but he managed to do so before seemingly realizing, “Would you grab plates if it is no trouble or burden?” He mumbled just clearly enough to prove he was aware of her but figured that since she was standing there looking at him, he might just be on the receiving end of a new lecture of some sort.
Araminta hummed an affirmative reply, mimicking the way he often did so himself without using actual words. Unfolding her arms to step away to the cupboards to fetch a stack of plates. Bringing them back just as silently to set down on the table within his reach.
She herself planting her body next to him as close as she could get without actually touching. Returning to her gentle lean against the table, knowing full well she might’ve been ever so slightly in the way. Seemingly possessed with this sudden interest in pestering him, since he was making an attempt of avoiding her for whatever reason he’d cooked up.
It would’ve been easier to say something outright, but she could see that look on his face that he was expecting to be in trouble… and Araminta didn’t like that. It meant all she’d done at him lately was fuss and complain, so naturally he’d assume it was something wrong on his end instead of it being Araminta’s own childish foul mood.
This was ridiculous. This nonsense needed to stop!
Araminta was not about to let poor moods get in between herself and Theon, finally deciding to give in to her own impulses and be more direct. To reach up and tug gently on his arm until she could get him to tilt and bend low enough to her level, where she could rise up on her toes and gently plant kiss to cheek.
“I missed waking up with you,” she told him softly, honestly. Because it was the most important thing he needed to know above anything else.
Thinking that issuing that sort of ask might be enough of that floor to open for her to speak or tell him what had been done wrong for the more recent moment so he could behave like a chipmunk and store away such information for later. Although he wasn’t thrilled to have a new potential lecture on his hands, he also knew it was likely for a good reason. When he had gone to the library with Sophia the day prior, he had actually looked around for minor books that could have aided in learning more of the things that was generalized to being normal as one might have believed. Finding it wasn’t exactly helpful seeing as well, the library didn’t really cater to that. Suppose that just only expressed the abnormalities all the more.
Moving the plates to be separated into own placement, he went about the means of setting a slice of bread on each. Preparing them all individually with a spread of the first condiment with recollection of what kid thus far had proven to like; aware that Araminta had stolen closer without pointing out the folly of behaviours this time. Not sure if he was curious or leery about it now. Suspecting that whatever had happened and needed correction was probably better away from any proxy that young ears could hear. Well it would also give him time to reflect further.
It was halfway between the creations when she had tugged on him. Bidding him to stop and consider her from the corner of eye. Needing no further instruction that she was expecting him to lower down, doing so to find that she was pecking him on the cheek. Actually adding confusion to his thoughts seeing as he had no idea what to really expect at this point. Looking to her quietly with a slight tilt to express he didn’t know what she was doing or for why. “Oh.” Hearing her express that she had expected him to be in the room, “You were not feeling well. I did not want impose any further.” Theon stated simply as a factual truth. He had come knowing a little that something was off but when she stated that she was unwell, he knew better than to try and poke or prod or whatever have you.
Nodding in his usual way of showing acceptance easily, Theon glanced back to the task he was doing. Considering and returning to it. “Thank you for getting the plates.”
“I didn’t tell you what I needed, that was my fault,” she admitted. “I didn’t really know either in the moment.”
With that breaking the strange silence, Araminta melted back to a much more comfortable and natural state. Turning to the table herself to slice another piece of tomato extra thin and promptly stuff it in her mouth. Licking the juice from her fingers quickly before giving him a gentle bump with her shoulder to his arm.
“…for the record, I always want you near me, even when I don’t feel well, as you are my safe place. If I need to be alone I will always tell you, okay?” That being the second most important thing he needed to know. As Araminta knew even when she was at her worst, Theon being close made it better somehow. Softly realizing she might’ve woken up in a better mood had she just said something last evening and had him sit in the bed with her for awhile.
Araminta didn’t want to be a burden, yet she needed to actually follow her own advice sometimes.
“I was reminded of grim things and the weight we carry,” she slimed it down to a vagueness, just in case the children came bounding in too sudden. “It makes my heart hurt and I’m afraid and every feeling inbetween. It caught up to me.”
Quietly he gave her a look at the statement that she hadn’t told him what she needed but how was she when she followed it up with she had no idea in that particular moment. Seemed useless to be upset at that when she couldn’t have given him an answer anyways. Almost impossible really but he figured she was just trying to say something because her mind was probably being noisy. “Hmm.” Humming in his attempt to express he understood but held her to no grudge or irritation. Busying hand at least till she was munching on the devil’s fruit by Sophia’s terms and bumping him.
Correcting his stance no sooner so he could keep the means of putting three sandwiches together, but put two other slices before her to make her own if she wanted. Hearing the statement that she suggested his presence was apparently wanted, it certainly hadn’t felt so the night prior. Though he wasn’t about to say that, accepting a slow nod to express he understood. Granted, he also was realizing he really didn’t know what Araminta wanted half the time anyways.
There were things that had happened and ended swiftly. A lot of wonderments with no clear answer and he knew the best thing he could do was merely accept and go with the flow. This being one of those moments that while he was unlikely to put the pieces together, he also knew that after a while, he might figure it out. It would just take due care on his part.
With Chloe’s meal being settled as basically as plain as possible, he cut it in half to settle on the plate. Moving onto Sophia’s next whilst it seemed Araminta was just telling him that her mind had just had a moment of the night prior of the way things were. “Okay.” Theon offered with a gentle look but he really didn’t know what to say to her. It seemed she had at least figured it out to some degree so it was probably not necessary to bring up or have a one sided conversation about. He knew that he couldn’t have done a lot the night prior outside of what he had. To leave her be to her own discretion and not to be that needy worrying pest that hung around, even suggested otherwise. It seemed more of a nuisance after he seen how she looked when he even knocked.
With the last two sandwiches being finalized; he looked to her. Not sure what to say but bowed head somewhat, before turning to look through the archway of the door. “The children will need help with the blanket.” Indicating he figured she might want to help with that.
“I’m still learning too.” she whispered soft to him, hoping he understood. Trying to force away her need to push it, prod it, fix it now as Theon wasn’t someone that needed to be fixed and her be so anxious and worried that he was upset with her wasn’t needed. Trying not to worry or fret and just trust that Theon would talk to her.
Araminta went about making her own little sandwich, with all of the fixings – even the evil tomato – and used the knife to slice it into four triangles. Polishing off one of them during the long silence, her head whirling with too many things, unsure of everything and the world, but at least to stand there with him. Finally following his gesture to looked at the archway and comment about the children needing assisstance.
It like being shooed away but Aramina nodded. Sliding the rest of her sandwich onto it’s own plate before dusting off her hands and going to see how the garden nesting was going.
Perhaps he was shooing her away. To help out the little ones while he was lacking a secondary hand and also trying not to be too present for his mind was unfortunately that of a spiked trap. While understanding plenty that Araminta was obviously mortal with her own emotions and feelings and whatever have you, there was his own. Most being blanketed down on purpose to do no more than allow her time, space and whatever she wanted to do just the same. Whatever she wanted.
Though in turn, he was more accustomed to her being busy and doing things in the past while, so it seemed wasteful that she might just stand here in the kitchen watching him. Knowing the children would probably enjoy the chance to spend with her while he continued the task of minding. Keeping whatever turmoil thoughts at bay and buried away as not to be that lingering issue.
Thankfully there was joy with the children. Even if Araminta’s appearance had startled them somewhat.
It was like three gopher heads popping up once Araminta had appeared in the doorway. Eyes wide, ears perked and there various jobs of trying to wrangle the blanket down with a variety of cushions upon it, in a state of obvious disarray. Sharing the same moment to blink-blink at her appearance. “Hi.” Chloe giggled shyly whilst Philip seemed to promptly abandon that of the cushion that he may or may not have been readying to smother Chloe with. Liable to be a pair of wild children if there wasn’t an adult present. Instead tossing it to the ground to attempt his chance of looking purely innocent.
“Araminta, can you help us? We can’t get the blanket to stay straight!” Sophia complained, “It keeps pulling this way and that!”
“It’s cause you keep pulling it.” Philip announced, but sighed in the same breath. “Araminta is staying here with us today? How come?”
“She said she didn’t feel well!”
“Ooo then you should be laying down.” Chloe repeated the same statement as Sophia, “Mummy says you gotta rest to feels better, Araminta!”
“But that’s no fun.” The boy huffed, “Staying in bed is so boring!” Which was true to a young mind, even as he scratched at his lower lip. “Still weird though, you’re always with pa or ma… is today a special day that you wanna be with us too?”
Sophia shooed her hands through the air, “It doesn’t have to be special. Ma says Araminta is family, so she’s allowed to be at home too. Why you gotta say it like that, Phil?” Naturally he shrugged, “Don’t pay attention to him, Araminta. He’s just a dumb boy.”
Araminta too paused suddenly looking wide-eyed and as wild as they did, like some animal caught trying to sneak up! They were quick to start up their chatter though, her verdant eyes darting to each as they piped in. Giving her the lecture for not being in bed, getting lectured themselves by Sophia, and then watching them all fuss. Like looking years into the past of what she and her own siblings must’ve sounded like.
Then Sophia had to reveal that Adra had called her family. Family and her heart melted and shattered all at once. They’d not realized something so very precious had been gifted to her with just a few simple words.
“Well! I did feel a little under the weather so I asked for a rest day. One I am purely delighted to spend with you and Ghost if you will have me,” she answered, holding back a lump of tears, but now feeling a lot less of the morose ones and more of the happy ones. Stepping over to claim the blanket and doing what tall adults with arms did best – flicking the blanket with a couple good heavy shakes before laying it out over the grass. Gesturing to three of the corners and a child each to help her straighten it out.
“Sophia mentioned telling stories and I love stories. Have you told any good ones to Ghost that I have missed out on?”
Softly someone was tutting that of Araminta’s suggestion that she would be delighted to spend her time with them while still taking a rest day. Though if someone in their little grouping thought to continue, it was quashed. Likely because they were scattering to grab the cushions out of the way so the adult of the moment could take the blanket and flick it out. Promptly replying to each grabbing a corner to straighten out properly.
“Stories?” Chloe asked in confusion, tapping chin. “We haven’t told any stories, have we?”
Sophia giggled, “I have but you two weren’t with me and Ghost.”
“That’s because you were allowed to stay with him that day,” Philip looked annoyed then, before turning his sight upon Araminta. “But Ghost has told us stories. When we behave that is. Which,”
“We have!” the youngest proclaimed eagerly, “What was the one he told recently.”
There was a second of thought before Philip seemed to recall with great delight. “The fox one.” Although this eldest sister huffed noisily at his attempt, “What?”
“It was called the Te… tue… teu mess something fox.” She blushed a little realizing she couldn’t even repeat the name properly, but shooed it away. “Doesn’t matter.” Just refocusing her gaze on Araminta, “Ghost will talk and tell us things when we are quiet or ready to rest. As long as we ask him, as he said. He won’t say much otherwise.”
This back and forth between them was so quick, really even if Theon did speak he wouldn’t be able to get in a word. Araminta opened into a gentle smile, picking up one of the cushion to plump nicely before dropping it on the blanket.
“He is a quiet man. How special that he’s told you stories!” she chimed breezily. “Usually I am the one blabbering away telling him stories. Maybe I should learn from little ones how to behave listen?”
Araminta had traveled with Theon being able to exist in long silences without issue while also chattering up whatever was on her mind. It didn’t seem to bother him. Though, she’d never actually asked him to tell her stories, either. Unsure of why, since she had no issues asking strangers such things. Perhaps because she was afraid to step through his boundaries and be invasive when he seemed so private?
An interesting thing for her to ponder later. Content in the present moment of pretending to take so long with a second pillow for plumping, she had to gesture for littles to finish the rest. Once it was plumped and dropped to the blanket she shifted to tug off her boots to set aside and then plopped herself down in her chosen spot.
The three of them shared a laugh at Araminta’s statement that she could learn from them about being behave and listen. Seemingly to tickle their funny bone right proper considering she was an adult and surely she was well practiced in such things already. To think that she would need to practice like they did seems so fantastical that it was practically crazy. “Well if you know stories, then maybe you should tell us Araminta.” Offered Sophia when it was apparent that their unified amusement had settled to a suitable level. Only for eyes to linger upon her fluffing one pillow and another only to take an excessively long time with it.
For them to be influenced to help save for Sophia, “I’ll go help Ghost bring out the food. He’s only got the one arm so I don’t think it will be easy!” With so many meals and so little hands, it made sense that it would be a bit of a difficult venture. Unless he brought them out one by one, which might not have been so crazy to think about.
Save that Sophia was prompt about leaving the other two with Araminta to go after her selected task that Chloe and Philip almost looked disappointed.
Almost.
Just that they seemed more interested to help fluff those cushions to when Araminta came to flop down, Chloe stole her chance. Feet were kicking off shoes to nearly catapult across the yard as she went running forward to fling herself into Araminta’s grasp. Giggling all the while till she could neatly tuck herself into lap, “Can you do braids?” She asked the girl leaving Philip to look after where shoes had been flung, before he took his own off to come crawling across the space. Leaving Chloe to tap her own head, “Can you braid my hair? Mummy was busy this morning and Daddy does a bad job at it.”
Even despite Araminta being able to see Chloe’s running start, that tackle almost managed to take her down to the ground! Easily settling her arms around the child before the question of braiding hair came up. Prompting that smile again and a soft nod. Already coming through the locks and tendrils to smooth out the girl’s hair.
“I used to braid my little sister’s hair so that when we went out to play with our brothers she wouldn’t get twigs and leaves in it. Although, sometimes if you’re rolling around in the grass you really can’t help it anyway. Twigs stick to everything,” she explained, thinking fondly of it.
She watched with amusement while Philip made his crawl over and plopping into his own seat. Giving him a quick cheeky grin.
“There was a big pond where we would play nearby and catch frogs. I was always giving frogs little kisses because my eldest brother told me that they’d turn into princes. I thought if I could collect enough princes they could help me with hide and seek, as I could never seem to win!”
“Frogs!” Philip exclaimed, “You kissed frogs!” Of course the idea was so crazy that to hear it was probably the most mind blowing thing that this youth could have ever experienced. Whilst Chloe happily giggled without squirming too much –less she wanted her hair to be pulled accidentally- “Araminta, that’s gross. Why would you think kissing a frog would make them into a prince.” For show, his tongue was stuck out. Adding a disgusted sound to portray that he truly did think her idea of going around brandishing kissing lips to whatever wart covered green amphibian there was!
Lips shortly turning into a visual representation of a squiggly line, “What would you have done if one did turn into a prince?”
“Marry it, duh?” Chloe supplied so readily like this was the most obvious answer in the world. “Becauuuuse whatever person that was turned into an ugly frog would be the most beautiful of prince’s.”
For all intents and purposes, Philip naturally looked unconvinced. Not about to be swayed either seemingly, but giving Araminta as much of a judgmental look as possible. As if now she had become someone entirely new that he couldn’t wrap his little brain around. Just that thought was rolling around till innocence took over, “Then what about Ghost? Isn’t he like… your… uh? Well I don’t know what its called but isn’t he the person you are supposed to be with. If there was a frog prince then Ghost wouldn’t be here. And actually neither would Araminta! She’d be living in like some big castle with big towers and big poofy dresses.”
There, the boy was eyeing her again. “You don’t look like a princess anyways, you’re too busy working all the time.” If the boy only knew!
It was the door opening to Sophia backing up with her hands full of two plates, that seemed to at least cause Philip a singular moment of thought and blurting, “Sophia, Araminta kisses frogs!”
“What?” She looked confused too only spurring Chloe into cackling giggles.
Araminta winkled up her nose and took on the appearance of some hoity toity young woman completely offended by Philips disgust with her frog kissing.
“Frogs deserve love and kisses too,” she said in her own defense, but after a moment did tilt her head to give Philip’s comments about Theon some consideration. “…I guess you are right, though! We’re lucky I never married a Frog Prince or I never would have met a Ghost at all.”
As for her not possibly being a princess and how she should be married to Theon… well. That was enough to have Araminta out right laughing with amused delight. Completely forgetting that she was meant to be brooding, as she giggled further still while he explained things further to a very confused Sophia. Having started a beautiful side plait on Chloe’s tiny little noggin’.
“I’d marry Ghost if he asked me. I’m certainly not going to kiss any more frogs!”
“No.” it was so matter of fact that his decision that frogs deserved love and kisses was clearly Philip may not advocate for the creatures. Bringing amusement to the younger sister so easily. Cupping her hands over mouth in vain attempt to muffle her snorts. “You can get warts I hear from them!” Well it was toads but that was a semantic that was unlikely to be registering in the youth’s mind any time soon. Barely managing to look slightly more interested about the mention of the Ghost but of course promptly distracted with this needy reveal of information for Sophia.
Which the latter just sort of dumbly blinked as she held the plates, looking at them each with obvious suspicion. “Ooooh kay. Man ya’ll have some weird talks.”
Of course she wasn’t the only one present, seeing as said Ghost was catching the tail end of such a commentary. Which surprisingly had him looking at Araminta two in such a way. “Frogs?”
“You can’t marry Ghost, Araminta!” Chloe seemed to focus on that one, “Sophia said she wants too!” Of course making the sisters face go bright red. “You did!”
“Be quiet Chloe!” Shoving the plate at her sister as if that was going to distract from the whole mortifying moment.
Theon shook his head, but offered the single plate he carried to Araminta, “You left this behind. Sophia, I will grab yours.”
“No!” She shoved the other plate at Philip and ran inside screaking that she was getting it herself.
“Ha!” The boy cackled, “Doesn’t she know that girls have cooties anyways, bleh!”
Oh no! This was a familiar scene too! All out of her hands with sentences in every which direction, ending with a sibling mortified and dashing off! One sibling or another was always liable to blurt out your deepest darkest secrets right in front of the last person you wanted to hear them.
Araminta set her plate down on the blanket to squeeze the wee Chloe and murmur in her ear.
“Oh, little love, your sister told you her secret and now you have spilled the beans to everyone before she was ready to talk about it,” the gentle chiding was so soft and came with a need to use all of her willpower not to give another giggle. Araminta had watched her elder brothers go through many of their crushes, with herself reacting much the way Philip did about cooties and laughter!
Araminta finally looked up to the very Ghost himself, gesturing with her chin towards the back door.
“If she does not come back,” she hinted for him to go chat with her. Suspecting that Sophia might not appreciate Araminta the one to do so, and well… perhaps they needed to have a conversation before Theon ended up becoming Matilda’s grandson in law.
If this was how siblings typically acted, it felt very unusual. Outside the behaviours of each of them scheming ways to remove another in the act of permanency. Plotting out diabolical actions that would either see their own hands bloodied in a crazed effort or to at least be present to observe the death of another for confirmation of their success. To think that siblings were typically just ribbing on another, playing and giggling usually. Well, it commonly left him bewildered to the point that watching the trio had become more of broader interest than simply keeping them fed, safe and happy. However, it seemed in turn there was still a chance of being hurt, just in verbal senses of not so inconspicuous secrets being slipped out by younger mouths, that were currently looking at Araminta after her gentle chiding.
“How was I supposed to know, she didn’t say keep it a secret.” Chloe pointed out as to her, the very important part of being told that had been missing. It likely wasn’t just Chloe hadn’t paid attention or Sophia had merely assumed such things stayed between sisters. In all fairness, Chloe was the youngest of them all and still prone to blabbing about anything and everything she could think of. The modesty of keeping one’s tongue patient was not quite developed entirely.
Philip hadn’t seemed too fussed outside reminding that girls seriously had the invisible germ of cooties, tucking in that of his sandwich to let his gaze play the part of observing body.
In turn, he was shortly finding his gaze upon Araminta tipping her chin inwards. Silently telling him the means of conversation to the girl that had bolted like her rump had caught aflame; and gave her a bit of a look that almost seemed irritated-ly amused. For the fact that she was insisting him to talk to the girl but they were both being terrible in their own right about talking, knowing he was just as terrible. Still, he wasn’t about to simply wait, turning to wander back indoors so he could speak with Sophia at all.
Chloe hummed some as she gave her own sandwich a bit of a check over to see what was all put on to her preference. Shortly following suit of her brother to begin eating, allowing a lull of silence to form.
“Remember for next time, I bet she remembers to remind you too,” Araminta answered Chloe’s insulted protest with a laugh. Even if Chloe didn’t remember, Sophia certainly would… or rather more likely Sophia was going to tease her sister when stumbled upon her own first crush one day. There would be chaos and bickering and if they got really zesty someone’s hair might get pulled. Then they’d forget all about it and be back to giggling siblings. These were such good memories to look back on.
Meeting Theon’s responsive look with a cheeky giggling grin of her own, free of her earlier melancholy without even realizing so. Returning to braiding the other side of Chloe’s hair while the little one ate her sandwich.
Happily falling into the comforting silence of monching and cronching, reaching over to eat one of her own little triangles here and there. using that calm and quiet opportunity to tell them just how her brother convinced her to kiss frogs, by putting one in little doll’s clothes with a tiny ring as a crown. How was she not supposed to believe him?
The afternoon or rather their late lunch after he spoke to Sophia – much to her continued embarrassment. Honestly surprising him considering he didn’t really know what a crush was. Having never felt it himself that he was aware of or someone feeling it towards him. To see her so bothered, it actually settled heavily on his chest. Trying his best to express that he wasn’t insulted and the likes but did need to have a bit of a conversation that while she was okay to have those feelings, they wouldn’t ever be acted upon! Of course Sophia was red as tomato about it –how mad she would be to know that- before they seemed to agree that she was still growing up. That her emotions weren’t wrong though her sister might have ratted her out without thinking about it, there was nothing about to change. He wouldn’t think or treat her any differently.
It took a little bit to finally to convince her to come outside with that of her sandwich. To settle down beside Araminta seeing as the other two had seemingly been enthralled by stories of Araminta’s past, before they finished and were running around like terrors in the back garden. Free to do so as long as they didn’t trample any of their mother’s hibernating greenery or flora.
When it was apparent that the afternoon was growing too cold, they were scuttled inside. Ushered into the great room by the mantle to start warming up properly as they were more accustomed to having an hour of at least quiet time after it all. To keep everyone from getting mentally worn out, and allowing him the means of properly cleaning up the kitchen once more.
Not about to leave a mess for Adra or Bo, preferring that they came back to their home clean and orderly. Though he would work to start thinking of something that would be good to put together for the parents to eat when they returned from their occupations. Not even aware that this means of domestication on his part was more nanny than he knew! Liable to be fought over by Adra seeing as the kids were happy and the means of coming home to clean home, and a meal prepped was hard to pass by. Even from the notorious blood mongering Imperial Prince.
None of this was anything that Araminta thought she had needed to soothe her aching soul and yet how perfect it ended up being. Thinking that her day of rest needed to be hiding in bed away from the world because her connection to people was such a heavy weight on her shoulders, only to discover that these sweet moments were so precious and vital to remind her why she kept going in the first place.
The only true difficult part was trying to stay out of Theon’s way to let him do his job. Not to start helping him tidy or steal his tasks, unless he asked her to. It might be her day of rest, but while Theon still had his broken hand she knew these chores were keeping him from getting stir crazy and twitchy.
What she did do was keep the children distracted and out from under his feet while he plotted up the means of a family dinner. Braiding Sophia’s hair next when she was ready to be social again, giving her a complicated plait that was a little more grown up than her sister’s. She doodled monsters with Philip, quite proud of her bog hag! She read a book with Chloe, including using all sorts of silly little animal voices.
Eventually she’d gotten her lyre out of her pack and settled down on the floor rug to show them the very basic starting chords and to teach them how to strum a simple little song that’d be sure to impress any adult.
The selection of something grain related to support that of something hearty without it being too heavy had been chosen. With a balance of some white protein that could be arranged with of long strings of pasta. As Adra had put together the dried out substance a few days ago, he knew to keep it much longer would be a waste. Choosing to find a pot of water to boil them up into cooked items with the chicken being seasoned and put into the clay hearth. Knowing that it would be good to use the water after the pasta had boiled to make a light sauce so the noodles weren’t simply plain. It wouldn’t be amazing but with the tomato from earlier being mashed into a pulp with other seasonings, it would make do.
Leaving him do plenty in the means to where he wasn’t even sure what time it was till there was a light sound of footsteps that pulled his gaze over shoulder to that of Adra. Looking perfectly pleased as she brushed that of hands down her arms. Sweeping away non-existent dust from the spot.
Bo would shortly be home as well, causing him to sidestep and point to that of the clay oven. “Should be ready momentarily.”
Adra grinned all the brighter, “Perhaps you should give up this business of traveling and stay here to cook and clean, eh?” Theon blinked at her but shook his head naturally. Needing not to repeat that he was set to follow Araminta until otherwise stated. Though this didn’t seem to sway Adra as she grabbed that of cushiony looking mitts to pull open the clay doors to peek inside at the sizzling bits of chicken inside.
“Is it alright if you take over?” He asked causing Adra to look up at him curiously. “Just would like to leave the abode for a little bit.”
Her brows lifted at first but she then hummed, “Will you eat?” his head shook even though he had been the one to cook, he hadn’t bothered to make more than what was necessary for the family and Araminta. “Well, I don’t see why not. If you need a break, I understand.” He nodded and turned to venture back to the main entry so he could slide that of cloak over shoulders. “The lot, time to clean. Wash hands and face, then ready the table!” Adra called indicating the children were now to do their limited chores without a fuss. “Come come, no dawdling!” Giving him plenty of time to slip out from the house so he could at least decompress and wander freely, though he would likely stop somewhere to grab something for the family to enjoy as an after dinner item.
With Adra returning home and making the General’s Order for all to get washed up for dinner, Araminta too joined the children in washings hands and face, even though she wasn’t the one covered in splotches of dirt. Putting her lyre away before she made her way back the kitchen where little beans were busy placing table settings.
…discovering that Theon was nowhere to be seen. A little disappoint in that, with a slight twinge of being afriad that she’d thrown off his entire day with her unpleasant aura as Adra had called it. At least grateful that she’d shaken it off by now, even with her fresh concern about how it affected Theon.
“He’s doing so well here,” she declared to Adra, with nothing but affection, although unknowingly with that wistful lit to it again. “I’m fairly certain he’s enjoying himself, at any rate.”
The clatter of plates and the sound of eager feet wanting to put everything together was truly a musical sound. After they had properly washed up, no dirt to be added to chairs or plates as long as she was present! Grateful that her younglings were in a good mood as she suspected they had been plenty busy and entertained throughout the day rather than clinging to parent’s legs in utter boredom at either shop. Knowing that it would only result in over excited children because they hadn’t had a chance to expend their minds or their bodies on activities that were formulated for their benefit.
Of course, she knew in turn that it could get exhausting too for that of the parent aspect. A little bothered that Ghost had decided not to stay in and eat with the rest of them, she knew he likely wanted some fresh air. Needing to decouple from being the child minder and becoming back to the adult that was typically rather functional in most means.
Although her eye had landed upon Araminta striding in with less of that dour cloud hanging over her head, talking about that of Ghost. “Aye, he is. Though it gets tiring to be labeled into a niche after a while. Needing breaks and time to decompress. Otherwise one get’s loopy. Bitter about things. Even the smallest thing,” The woman’s dark eyes were lingering on Araminta, “When is the last time you two spent time together as two people and not expected to work?” In her blunt effort, Adra asked. “Or is this odd relationship you two have, follower and worker?” Indicating them each.
The kitchen smelled of warm savory heaven, being no surprise to Araminta as Theon seemed to have a natural knack for all sorts of interesting dishes with only a few simple ingredients. Ears perking at Adra’s mention of breaks and decompressing, to realize in that moment perhaps she hadn’t been allowing herself those simple things. Work to take care of Theon, work so she wouldn’t think about other things, trials and then more work.
“We had a trip to the seaside,” she answered… only to just as quickly pause and look surprised. “That was quite awhile ago, I suppose! Many things have changed since then.”
Essurn felt like yesterday, yet it had been months ago, surely. Through the trial, the paladins, and Gusteau… so much time, and so many subtle changes. Even the time here and despite his injuries, they hadn’t exactly spent the time together. Not that it hadn’t been good for Theon to feel what a normal domestic life could be, she wouldn’t take that back for the world. They’d just not spent any of the time alone together beyond just crawling in bed for sleeping. Having lived as two separate individuals instead of… well.
What did Araminta think they were anyway, she wondered with a faint flush. She’d been doing a real good job of thinking about everything and anything but that. Being so afraid of what the answers might be, both good and bad, that she’d been subconsciously avoiding it altogether.
“Follower and worker seems to distant,” she admitted with a sigh.
Adra made a point to the counter to suggest that she would need one of the cutting boards pulled so she could take out the chicken from the clay oven as not to put her countertops. Silently asking Araminta for that extra pair of hands rather than having her standing there thinking about whatever it was. Which apparently had been the last time the two of them had done something that wasn’t restricted to work, travel or fighting for their lives. “Sounds lovely as a memory.” Adra expressed in her own way, listening to the children chatter excitedly amongst themselves. Already prepping themselves to sit at their designated spots.
Shortly finding that she was very curious to the arrangement of a meal that had been prepped and once more likely was going to need the prince to write down what he had done in total. So she could replicate it later.
Leaving time for Araminta to think and ultimately come to, “Perhaps, though I am not sure what to call either of you. Which it seems by the look on your face, you have no idea either. Which if you don’t, then surely he doesn’t.” One could tell that Araminta was far more worldly in the sense of knowing this and that more so than the male version, who seemed just curious about the basic things as even family. It had not gone unnoticed. “Well, whatever you need to think on, perhaps good to do so. Whilst you help here then, prepare some plates for the children. Bo will be shortly inside, eh.”
Araminta fetched the wooden cutting board for the older woman, humming a pleasant agreeing yes about lovely memories. The time she spent with Theon was always lovely though, regardless of what they were doing. Today had been the first time in a bit since they’d done anything together, and it had still been more separated than not.
“I am… not sure how to go about things as a leading lady,” she gave her bewildering answer, pausing there for a moment from the absurdity of it. Araminta knew how it was meant to go, step by step, through the lens of a young man making the first move. It was, after all, proper etiquette to first ask permission to court a lady, then go about making your declarations.
That was for a noble, though. With some courts being more pretentious and showy about it all than others. Not that village life seemed much different in those respects, just a little more casual and loosey goosey. Araminta had also been given the opportunity to see many different ways people went about it now, including Bo and Adra’s amusing story.
This would have been so much easier if Araminta had adore someone else the past. Lucky Sophia to have had a crush so young, perhaps she’d not flounder in the future the way Araminta was now!
At Adra’s instruction Araminta got busy with portioning out this interesting dish for each of the children. A soft affectionate pat on the noggin for each, then she moved on to plating for the adults.
Adra smirked at the comment of not knowing how things went as a leading lady, “Did not know there was a book to go by? If you find it, show me. I would like to laugh at the silliness of it because whatever is written in it is foolish folly that some stuffed shirt nob put in.” Easily the woman laughed at her own wit, “Do you think he knows any better. Probably not, but that’s the boon. Learning together and sometimes, taking scary leaps that end up being so thrilling.” It was really all she could say. Of course she had been bold with Bo. Telling him the what and how till he gathered his wits to come with her.
And they were now settled here raising three little sprouts into clever and disastrous adults. There was no instructional book for these things. It was felt out by each person individually and to think that there was some guide, was only setting a person up for failure.
Because no one was exactly the same.
Regardless, it also went into the same vein that the two of them would have to discover it together. No amount of telling or suggestion on her part would aid. Not until one or both of them were ready to talk about it. So for not, she decided to give the girl a task of doling out the means of meals to those of eager bellies as the sound of door opening indicated her guessing of Bo’s arrival was pretty on point.
Araminta gave the older woman a bit of a wry look when she erupted into her laughter at Araminta’s expense, though it was just as quick being replaced with a grinning smile as it probably did seem silly to an adult who had already been through through the drama of courting and was now living comfortably. One could say Araminta was a late bloomer.
With plates dished out and the sound of the front door to herald the return of busy father, Araminta quickly settled into her own seat. Missing Theon’s absence but well, if she tried to avoid dinner again she was liable to get a lecture from every direction! Children repeating their mother’s words about rest, Adra’s shaking of a spoon, and no doubt that soft frown Theon always gave her when she chased after him for inevitably no good reason. She’d have to eat and then go fret about him.
Greeting Bo’s return with the same cheer as the children (although without the “papa” attached!), happy to sit back with minimal interjections or peeps out of herself while the little ones excitedly talked about their day, their parents exchanging their own greetings. Softly brushing a beautiful painting of this moment in her mind to reflect on later.
And perhaps a little mental practicing her approach to Theon… finding most of her ideas being far too bold!
The general means of family time starting at the divvying of dinner was something that was evidently enjoyed. Parents each sparking conversation with that of their collective gaggle of wee ones that only caused the excitement and recollection of the day to come forth. How they had gone here and there and finally came back to have a chilly outdoor picnic with Araminta and Ghost. Recalling lunch and then finding that Chloe in particular had been rather in mesmerizing awe to the playing of such an instrument.
Of course after she pointed out them as daughters nice braids being done by Araminta whilst Philip was busy stealing this chance to stuff his face when apparently no one was looking. Spurring father who was in fact watching, to give him a look that ought to have said plenty.
Before parents would exchange tidbits about their own day with Bo expressing eventually towards Araminta that he had a few drafts of ideas now with potential colour choices of her regal travel wear. Apparently having taken that to heart with a determination that ought to be curious to see come to fruition. Seemingly being a new project that had alighted a desire to create with vague boundaries whilst experimenting with ideas that could be useful additions whilst being effectively glamorous. Spurring Adra to be curious to the point that naturally footwear came up in conversation.
It wasn’t till the meal was properly finished that Bo indicated that the children would need to clean the table but that mother and father would take care of washing and cleaning the rest of the space. That after, a means of boiling water for a scrubbing would result in indication that it was time for the children to start winding down. Encouraging them to then look upon Araminta as their newest addition to request that she play more for them, seeing as they had been properly enamoured. With Chloe really heading the attempt to sway the woman into entertaining them into awe once more.
“I did not know I was in a house full of fae children!” she exclaimed, trying not to cackle with laughter, but inevitably caving like a house made of cards to every bidding please, please, please. To go fetch her lyre again to take up residence back by the hearth while their mother and father tidied up the dinner table.
“I will play until you mother calls you to wash, then you must set me free,” she told them. Suspecting that like the tricky fae, Araminta might find her fingers plucked to the bone if they say an opportunity to avoid hot baths and going to bed before the moon rose. She’d quickly pinned her hair up off her shoulders and out of her face. Arranging hands on the string to start a simple bass line with one, and to pluck the melody with the other.
This time her means of playing wasn’t meant for teaching, rather to be a gentle lull into an evening calm. Thus the natural choice was the very aria she’d written for the fae themselves, to draw them in with a bouncy magical tempo that gradually shift into a sweet little melody. Adjusting the song in real time if she thought she needed to catch one’s attention, and took them on a harmonious ride. Here and there whispering what certain parts of the music were meant to mean – or at least what she was imagining when she wrote it! All sights and smells and feelings she’d had in the ethereal faerie forest, somehow set to music.
They clamoured and scrambled to their selected spots after they had tidied the table and brought the dishware to the side of the wash basin for parents to tend too. Promptly leaving the area before anyone could ask them as second thing to become the enrapt audience for someone who had charmed them rather effectively with musical skill. Growing wide eyed and enthralled by the gliding touch of fingers crossing over strings. Forming little o’s with their lips when Araminta whispered about what things meant to what they were supposed to!
Being gently encouraged and taught in subtle ways before they were swaying to the melodies of bouncing thrill and lullaby calms. Becoming fascinated by every strung and unaware that they were being lulled much like the fae beings that Araminta had charmed so long ago.
At least till the sound of mother beckoned and then there was a new terror of the fact they were being prepped to be cleaned. The horror!
Only for Bo to clap hands and shoo them along till there was plenty of complaining grumbles of how such true villainous acts could be done! Them, to be cleaned! The anarchy!
Still Bo, chuckled before he laid his vision upon the girl, “Now if only you can make a song that would charm them into doing all their chores and listening to their parents at every given moment without a singular fuss, then you’d be floating in coin, Araminta.” Bo grinned brightly, “I don’t think I’ve seem them that enthused for a while of something that wasn’t playing in the dirt or chasing each other around with something the other hates.” A father’s woes truly, “Though now I can see why Edgar may not have liked you. You’re far too good for his stuffy attitude.”
“Goodness knows I would be using such a skill at every chance I could… actually, I think I already do!” she laughed herself. Although she didn’t really have a magical charm over anyone, Araminta certainly found opportunities to try. Monsters and men and fae and children. What an easier world it would be if she could play a little song and soothe even the most vicious of things.
Araminta could play a woeful ballad for the Imperial Queen and maybe she would grow a heart!
Oh, but she’d been sitting cross-legged on the floor for far too long, finding herself a little stiff to get up but eventually finding her way back to her feet.
“I’ll never understand a man like that – how can you love music and not be able to appreciate it from whatever direction it came from. Even the harpies songs were beautiful through stuffed ears, well… before I went tumbling cliff-side in any case.”
Now begged the question of whether or not she should prepare for bed and hope that Theon came to it, or if she should seek him out and run the risk of him being properly sick of seeing her. Finding she was going to be anxious either way, simply because she worried about him getting into trouble when he was gone, and worried about annoying him when he was near!
Easily the sound of a joining laugh came in at her suggestion that she might actually have such a talent. “You best be writing it down, though I have no musical talent, I would find someone to play it every day as needed.” Bo waited for her to get up before he made a motion to the kitchen, indicating he was likely going to make a tea for him and Adra after she was done sorting their gremlins. Inviting Araminta to join for now till she was ready to drift away into that of provided room to recuperate from a long day.
“I couldn’t tell you. Some people are just very much stuck in their own worlds and only think about what they do. What is best for them and how they can get others to do what they want.” Bo shrugged, “I’ve only met Edgar a few times when he came in looking for the best.” Accenting the word with heavily sarcasm. “I think he’s just insufferable in all avenues of life, and only is successful because Jasa likes money and has a way with putting people into their place when she sees fit.” The blondish brows fluttered with this thought.
“One of my far sweet clients came by with her last jar of honey for the year. Thought it might be nice to try with some tea. This year it was an orange blossom honey, apparently supposed to be very good. If you aren’t too worn out now, perhaps I could interest you to be one of the samplers with myself and Adra for it.” Bo pressed a hand to his lips, “Granted Adra doesn’t really care so long as it isn’t bitter.”
“One could learn a thing or two about managing so many, that is for certain,” Araminta agreed easily. For it took both a delicate touch and a firm voice when it came to so many varying personalities, to keep them from driving each other crazy and prevent any individual from taking advantage. With such a delicate sort of business too, Araminta admired the woman for what she’d built!
“I would love to try some orange blossom honey,” Araminta chirped with genuine interest. Exploring different blends of tea was already an interest for her, but she’d been so delighted to learn that honey flavors could be affected depending on where bees were housed! Clover meadows, to rows of sunflowers. Orange blossom sounded like a promising batch.
Having the choice made for her in the means on whether or not she should seek out Theon, Araminta trailed after Bogart to at least have that cup of tea and chatter about the day’s activities that might not be appropriate for little one’s ears.
“The last song I wrote down is now a bird, which sounds positively bizare and yet that is exactly what happened,” she confessed, enthused to even talk about it at all. “Sometimes I think I can even hear it out in the forests, and it makes me wonder if it’s made a little songbird family to sing as a choir.”
With the agreement that they would try the last batch of honey for the next while, of course he had aligned his stride with her. To enter the kitchen once more before once more finding that some of the things Araminta said were so peculiar, that it warranted a double take.
Blinking for effect to show he had not a clue what she had just said. Digesting it slowly while hands went about the task of gathering water and kettle to be the boiling centre for the tea to be selected. “Dear, you’ll have to start at the beginning to even make that make sense.” Smirking in that moment, the woman might as well have been akin to his children. Starting a tale in the middle where no one was going to be understand it unless they were present.
Sure that telling someone that a song they had written became a bird would have likely been a hard thing for anyone outside of those who had experienced it, to fathom. Although at this point, he might not be too surprised by some of the tales Araminta started. She was still rather young from his knowledge and while she was certainly doing many things that foretold she was ambitious, she still hadn’t experience plenty things. Things she would eventually but currently had not. “So,” With kettle filled and put into the heated coals to warm up, he gathered cups and the little jar of honey to bring to the table. “Start at the beginning because I’m not sure I follow you.”
While Bogart managed the kettle and the blends of tea themselves, Araminta set about getting them cups and little spoons. Flushing a bit of an embarrassed pink when she realized just how absurd and confusing her statement had been. There was once a time where she herself would’ve been completely stunned by all of these fantastical things, having never once encountered them before she’d left the mountains!
“Oh… well! It was one of the moments we went into an enchanted forest full of fae. The third time, I think, when Theon thought the winged white wolf wanted to see me, but really she was just checking up on him. I wrote them a song because they’d liked my music so much the first time I met them–“
Araminta paused there suddenly to blink and reorganize her thoughts.
“…I suppose it helps to know that the first time I met the fae, a will-o-wisp led me to a glade full of rocks that I might have accidentally woken up. So I started playing my lyre, as I knew faeries were very fond of musical entertainment. Only, well, they liked it too much and every time I stopped playing they’d get a bit snarly and feral. So I was trapped there for hours until Theon came to fetch me.”
Even as she told it in slightly more detail it seemed like such a fanciful, impossible, ridiculous tale one might tell the little ones before they’d go to bed. Wolves with wings, and living stones! Will-o-wisps!
“In any case, it was the third time in the faerie forest and when I gave the white wolf my song she turned it into a bird! With nothing but a breath of magic! I didn’t even know faeries could do such a thing, it was the most magnificent thing I had ever seen.”
She did have a child-like wonder, didn’t she. Still so innocent and impressionable that even after she started from the beginning beginning, he was smirking quietly to himself. Of course he knew of the Enchanted forest but it was so surrounded by heinous tales about the dangerous creatures that would happily steal your soul for a cracker. Yet, she had entered it three times. First led along by a spritely creature that drew her into playing a one-woman show for beasts that were so fantastical, that he couldn’t even imagine.
Gathering up that of the kettle once it was ready, with the selected black tea to bring over to the table. Carefully dropping the silk pouches in each cup so the pouring of hot water could start the steeping process.
Giving Araminta more of a chance to detail the means of how there was apparently some great lupine creature that had taken a song written to make it a lark. Almost finding that so humorous but managing to keep his wits about him. Settling into chair with eyes watching this young woman retell her story with the same sense of awe he would have suspected from any innocent eyed individual. “I can’t say I know any good stories of the fae doing such things. Though I do know that to earn such trust is pretty fantastical in itself.” To have a fae creature behaving rather than attempting to eat one’s bones, well… that was worth mentioning now wasn’t it.
“Though don’t tell that tale to Edgar, he might pop knowing you’ve bewitched the fae into listening to your music.” Bo chuckled as he picked up the honey to crack open. Having made sure to bring over the honey wand to make scooping a lot easier. “It seems to me you’ve got quite the career on your hands to become a traveling minstrel. One who charms fae and children alike. All you need to do is perfect your story telling and you’d be a hit certainly. Knowing far and wide!”
“Edgar is lucky is lucky my ego was knocked back a few pegs, as I was very much wanting to make a grand show of what I can do,” Araminta admitted with a soft huff. “I would’ve enjoyed seeing the look on his face, though.”
Araminta had enough sense – at least in most cases – not to brag, preen, and use her talents to make others feel less. Including Edgar and all his ill behaviors. Still, like anyone else she had her moments where she was so tired of doing the responsible and kind thing, wishing to shake things up just a little and give someone a well deserved kick in the rear.
“I surely would’ve been a minstrel in another life,” she responded, laughing along with it. “There’s many alternative lives I might’ve led had certain things gone in different directions. It is interesting to think about, sometimes.”
A dozen different potential lives and her favorite ones all involved Theon. Abandoning any and all that meant leaving him behind. There would be no Araminta marrying some noble somewhere to be the Lady of a village. No betrothals to a mountain clan for alliances. Even if she needed to go back to her homeland and be Queen Araminta, she very much hoped Theon would be with her.
It at least made some of her wonderings and ponderings crystal clear on that front.
Easily he gave out a breathy laugh at her humble statement that she had been so well behaved for Edgar’s part. “You may not realize it, but he is likely jealous of you. He has made it known in this town that he is a musician.” Emphasizing the word to sound utterly pompous and prim. Just missing the outlandish flourish of hands to add to the motif. “You coming up and for all intents and purposes not being known as princess Araminta, well… you are a nobody to him. Just that when you got up there and could what… keep tempo?” Bo shrugged and showed how little he knew. Not that it was important overall. “Whatever, that you weren’t just some ragamuffin off the street that had earned Jasa’s sympathy but rather were skilled and loved what you did, well… some people just can’t have other’s succeed.”
Eyes fell downwards to consider the steeping teas and the colours that were seeping to a gentle orange. Shortly taking the spool of honey to dip into his own with a careful swirl. Able to hear the children in the distance with Adra giving them musical out of tune efforts of songs that only spurred his littles into bemused giggles.
“You say that as though it still cannot be a future in this life. I am not sure what you may go back too if you succeed in these efforts to well… a politer way of flipping the Queen a middle finger, but to close the door on something you evidently are impassioned about, seems fruitless. Who is to say the future won’t just lead you to that path, seeing as its fickle and does whatever it wants with us as pawn pieces on its game board.”
Now with a few taps and a cautionary testing of a sip, he seemed pleased after a few gentle lip smacks. Approving the tea, the honey and the company alike. “You could be the first princess minstrel.”
Keep temp was the least of what she did, but she gave a giggle about it anyway. Araminta understood what he meant, though, and the means of what he was trying to tell her. Edgar was the sort who just wasn’t happy if he wasn’t the most brilliant star in the room, or at least treated as he was.
Before Araminta claimed the jar of honey herself, she first took a testing sip of the tea to know what flavors it brought on it’s own measure. Finding it a nice soothing blend for the evening. Plucking up the honeycomb spoon that was such a darling little item she had to fiddle with it and streaming lines of honey before it was twirling into her own cup.
“A traveling princess minstrel?” she repeated, laughing delighted at the very idea with all the joyful enthusiasm any of his children might. “You know, perhaps I might pursue that even now. It sounds very much like the makings of an old folk legend! Defeating trials and playing music everywhere I go. To charm princes and faeries and beasties alike.”
“What’s one better legend than the ones we have already?” Bo asked purely in rhetoric. Leaning back into that of chair to appreciate the cup of tea after the day of work and such, while he formulated thoughts. “Actually, it would be a fun way to spread rumours and songs if you were to do so. After all, rumour mills are often cultivated by postal workers or those of the traveling musician types. Ones that do great plays and troupe through the lands. Without you know, relying on the means of letter.” Another sip had him looking over the rim at her.
If she wanted to really annoy the queen, she could build a reputation this way. And make it vague to where she was seeing as rumours ran faster than legs could. She could be seen in numerous places at once. If this was an avenue of thought she wanted to encourage.
It was a delightful thought, “Start with the fae birdsong one, I think that would be a good attention grabber.” He offered in the means of interest, though ears figuratively perked at the sound of the front door opening. As if the princess’ commentary about charming princes was true. For the redheaded fellow appeared but didn’t prove to be any more interested in conversation than he typically was. “Tea? Ghost?” Bo offered, pulling a gaze of silver but a shake of head not about to involve himself too readily. Clearly able to watch people but not so willing to be involved out of likely many social uncomfortable reasons. With a mother like his and rumours abound, he was hardly about to expect the last prince to be a social butterfly.
Just that Theon moved promptly after hanging cloak and went in the direction that was intending to help Adra. Encouraging Bo a moment. And, “Have you thought of leaving the prince here while you go out and do what it is you wish to do, Araminta? Be it trials, or making new songs with that of your faeish folk, perhaps orcs if you feel emboldened? It doesn’t seem like well… how do I say this… it doesn’t seem as though either of you are compatible. You are outgoing, adventurous, sociable whilst seemingly getting your hands in every opportunity you can with a eagerness that is young, bright-eyed and bushy tailed. While he… is not.” This had been a thought that himself and Adra had thought about recently. Whilst his wife knew of the prince now, it was apparent that the prince enjoyed his time learning and spending it with the children. Doing little things and worked well on a sense of tasks with gentle motions of appreciation. He’d been helpful certainly to the point that Adra was pleased to have her home steady to come home too and he knew Araminta still had the trials to do while the two of them spent more and more time apart. Evidently avoiding another. Or at least that was how it was looking from his point of view and could see it was mostly the prince avoiding her.
There was an interesting idea that Araminta never considered before. To use her music as not just a means of connecting with people, but as a clever way to spread information, true or sneakily false. With Theon’s speedy stead, it truly could look like she was in multiple places at once! The best traveling bards sang, though, and while Araminta was certain she could write a lively tune and play instruments with skill, she wasn’t so confident about actually singing. Singing was… nerve wracking.
Before she could make comment on that, Theon reappeared, giving her that small measure of relief for him to be home safely. Only once again he was breezing through and Araminta didn’t know what to make of it. She didn’t think he was upset with her, but there was just this anxious feeling that he was now placing her at an arm’s length. As if he’d someone read her mind to know all of her doubts and fears and was trying to adhere to them, even though she’d already realized it wasn’t what she actually wanted.
He was gone in an instant and now Bo too was reading her mind and putting words to life! Holding back from blurting out how much she hated the very thought… despite the fact she herself came back to it often.
“We’ve separated once before,” Aramina did admit. Wrapping her hands around her hot teacup so she wouldn’t anxious tappy tap her fingers on the table. “The life I’ve chosen isn’t going to be peaceful at all and he doesn’t need to suffer for my choices, so I let him go. It was the most terrible, awful, heartbreaking thing I have ever done and I was miserable, but I did let him go.”
“…then there was Gusteau.” There was no need to explain what happened there, the long string of murders were hint enough. Araminta had no wish to speak about the experience, falling silent for a few moments to pick up her tea and take a heavy swallow. Glad for the warming of her insides as even just thinking the mad mercenaries name gave her chills.
“We’re so very different, Theon and I,” she finally said with a heavy sigh. “I like that about us? I don’t know how to explain it. We’ve come from such different experiences, a few shared maybe… yet for all of how we’re different, we breathe the same. When I met him I was ready to die and here was this man, learned he was the Queen’s very son and all that he’d been through still had a heart so gentle and kind… If he can exist then the whole world is worth living for. It’s worth everything to make things better for him.”
“If he does wish to stay here, he can. He can have everything he wishes, I’ll just hold back my crying until I have left so he doesn’t fret and worry about me.”
The man was prompt. Zipping on through because he had been given this task of being the dutiful nanny to three children that weren’t his in any way. But he went because he heard Adra and in a manner of seconds there was enough commotion that Bo smirked knowing that the younger two were pleased at least that Theon had returned. Sophia was older and didn’t need the help as the others did, so there was no need to infringe upon her maturing privacy.
Allowing him that time to reflect on the fact that Adra had been very pleased with the help she had been receiving more so in the home than at work. Work was her bread and butter. Her knowledge, her skills, her fourth child that she knew inside and out. But coming home after a particularly hard day to know their little ones were tended too, healthy and receiving a chance to be out and about with a watchful eye, was relieving. Of course, he knew Adra hadn’t been thrilled to know Theon was the bloody prince, but his attitude had shown that regardless of what hearsay was, he was gentle. And the woman that came with him had been the steadfast accomplice that showed she may be just as good with sweet talking someone to buying their own grandmother as she was sewing.
Honestly, to watch the two of them, he’d think they were more akin to unusual travel companions. Not because they had wanted too but because of circumstance. And since they had come to the house, they proved not to be that intermingled. Practically polite strangers that bid each other morning and went on with their separate lives.
The thought of Araminta’s original commentary when they first met, he wondered if it had been about someone else.
Now he broached the subject because it seemed like there was obvious a lack of conversation on either of their parts. Where the prince was putting a sea of distance between while duty what he had been signed up for without one single complaint. And Araminta was busy trying to work eight different things that it may have seemed she also was trying to keep things separate.
To hear her then as she looked temporarily a lot more mollified, Bo hummed quietly. Unbeknownst to her that these little conversations would prep him for when his children were older. Just hopefully no murderous mad dogs sent by a deranged fucking bat of a Queen! Being patient and respectful as she sipped and spoke once more to where he sort of raised his brows at her. Waiting an additional moment and, “It doesn’t sound as though you are together outside of just because things pushed you together. And that you are only present with him because of circumstance rather than want. As if you need to hold the pieces together but there isn’t anything more there.” Bo motioned, “As an observation. Typically people who want to be close, want to outside of just because of circumstances or trying to make sure the other is tended too like a pet or a doll.”
“While this isn’t the best way of describing it, it’s the only one coming to mind. That the two of your are both a host and a parasite to another. Not really in it because you care but because its just suitable.” And pointed, “Him I can understand. If any of the things I’ve heard about the kingdom and the children of Bloody Heirra are true, that was a mess of a upbringing. Knowing no different but that’s not excuse either. You? It seems like you might be death gripping on what is familiar right now but you might grow to resent it all if you are just throwing yourself in just trying to keep everything afloat and the two of you just barely talking to another. While I don’t know what your relationship really is outside of travel companions, I can tell that neither of you are exactly honest with each other. Which could turn into resentment as well.”
Bo leaned forward as he set his cup down, “You’re still young Araminta. So much of your life is still uncharted, don’t spend it just existing at the bare minimal. Have you really sat down and thought about what you truly want, or are you just coasting on accepting whatever because it is the most convenient and doesn’t make waves?”
“I am growing so weary of everyone’s opinions and advice about things they only see from the surface,” she snapped back before Araminta could filter the words. Clamming up immediately with that instant regret, flushing in the cheeks before she decided she was so tired of being nice about everyone else’s feelings!
“As if I could even explain to you all of the reasons why I love him and wish I could spend every second with him! I simply don’t because what an insane thing to be physically attached to him like a barnacle! He wouldn’t be able to breathe! Maybe we have been separate for several days, but that is only because he’s been bruised and broken from head to toe and I can’t hold him, so I work to be sure we have what we need so he can actually rest! And maybe we’re not talking because he is just quiet and thoughtful and lately all I have done is lecture him and be a moody miss because sometimes even I have bad days and can’t be so charming!”
Likely, she was being as ill-behaved and rotten as could be in the moment, missing some key peace of information that kept drawing all of this advice and suggestions from all directions. Not failing to see the irony that she had been treating Theon this same way, with her bossy know-it-all nonsense and lofty ambitions. Whatever it was, she’d hit her limit. Rising quickly from her chair to gulp down that tea and clonk the cup on the table with a very directly controlled setting down. Seemingly too polite to even be able to set a cup down rudely.
“I only wish for all of everyone to leave me alone, yet the one person I DON’T want to leave me alone doesn’t believe me when I say it! SO if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go be bitter and mad elsewhere and curse some other poor souls with my foul aura and bad omens for a while before Adra has to wrestle me in the backyard!”
Araminta stormed her way out. Abandoning lyre to kitchen table, cloak to goodness knows where she’d left it. Stalking out the front door as if she had somewhere important to be, yet still drawing the door closed gently behind her. …and finding herself mad about that simple action too, because she couldn’t even have a temper tantrum and slam doors because she didn’t want to upset anyone! Huffing her way down the street, plotting to find the tree to climb up, cause no one was going to look for a princess in a tree!
If he was about to be offended, it wasn’t showing. Actually this was also a good learning experience for him even as he listened with a dutiful and mindful expression on his face. Sure that Araminta needed to be poked and prodded in ways that maybe she’d realize that everything she had to say was probably necessary to say to the one person that was as clueless as a stump in the middle of an empty woods.
Ah to be young and wild and emotional and charged in ways that felt so monumental when in actuality they were little things. Little did she know that there was likely a whole other conversation happening to the prince from a source that was a lot more blunt than he was.
Still he nodded when Araminta decided she wanted to storm off, “Be safe,” Bo stated after her as he could hear the lack of children now but conversation somewhere else that was a bit too zealous to say conversation. Likely being talked at, as he sought to clean up the tea pot and things while leaving hopefully enough tea for that of Adra when she was finished.
At least now Araminta had reached the stage of being angry instead of wanting to curl up in a hole somewhere and cry! …nope she still wanted to cry. But it was angry crying so she figured that was a step up, even if she was stomping down the street with her arms straight at her sides searching for a blasted tree that actually had enough heft to it to support a small dexterous princess! Being angry at herself again, as searching for trees was a thing she did as a child too, so Araminta hadn’t really grown much at all. Not that she’d ever cared or been concerned about how she appeared to anyone before.
Araminta had always been so confident in who and what she was… now so many people had something to say about it, and it was muddling up all in her head as a messy cocktail of confusion. Making her doubt even the things she knew in her heart to be true.
Finally when she’d found the park and tree with sturdy enough branches, up the princess scrambled with a few jumps to get the lower branch. Pulling and shimmying, then prowling up as high as she could get safely. Settling down to sit in the crook against the truck, mad enough to think she might even sleep out there, as Theon wouldn’t go to bed anyway unless she fussed at him. So she could get away without going back until the morning.
…truly it was only punishing herself. All the more reason to be angry! As she continued to be a stupid girl, instead of being the sort of person everyone needed. Araminta had simply had enough. She belonged to the trees tonight!
It hadn’t taken too long though Adra had certainly felt inclined to talk towards him, offering lessons in life that were admittedly so broad and large and more than he had ever thought about before that even when he noticed her lips had stopped moving, there was little to say. Offering a few blinks at her till she was chuckling at his dumbfounded expression. Pointing out that as much as he tended to be a Ghost he had better work on his part of moaning and groaning one. A silent Ghost wasn’t really a thing and that if he had a voice, it ought to be put to use. An oddity in his mind considering that being silent had been a very good tool for the majority of his life. Which he wasn’t sure if Adra could read minds, but she pointed out that his life prior and life now were two distinctly different things.
So vastly different that they couldn’t even be considered related. What the hell that meant, he wasn’t sure.
Just that rather than keeping hushed all the time in hopes of keeping peace, it might have been more damaging instead. Broadening her statement to expose that his desire and want and need to be a good compliant little pet was problematic. That to anyone else outside his mother –causing him a bit of surprise- and a few others who were just as villainous as her; his ability to be a pliable force for whatever reason was liable to cause others pain. That speaking up even about things that made him uncomfortable wasn’t a sign of being weak but the opposite. Especially to those that mattered which Adra decidedly quizzed him on. Prodding in the verbal sense till he vocalized that he valued and held a high regard for one person in particular. And that alone caused the woman’s face to bright just a little.
Not without pointing out that if he was confused about something, he had to talk about it. Rather than scurrying away like his lack of presence was going to fix everything.
It took a bit of thought and a desire to ask a few questions. Spurring Adra into a new sense of amusement, telling him the strict difference of voicing his displeasure for the sake of sanity and safety, and how it differed greatly from, as she said, being a whiny tart that thought everyone was about them. And needed people to wait hand and foot.
That he needed to start thinking about his own future –something he heard plenty of times- before she was giving his arm a pat-pat, and expressing that it was time he go to bed because she was apparently going to grab a frying pan to clunk him over the head if he started cleaning her house again. How was she supposed to keep up with such dedication.
Actually the way she looked at him, he was mildly afraid that she was serious. Nodding and agreeing to think more so over the impromptu education he had not asked for but though there was pearls of knowledge in there that he hadn’t considered before. Things he suspected came from parental figures that weren’t invested solely in themselves.
Just that when they came out into the living space for Bo to greet his wife with a gentle pecking to brow, he told that Araminta had left to go for a walk. Much like he had, so it was best to let her take her time. Smiling about it in such a way that he personally couldn’t figure till Adra was telling him to shoo because her and Bo were going to spend a bit of time together just with another in the grand room. Knowing then that this was his hint to take a very obvious hike, it seemed that he was due for some deeper thoughts. Pausing to only ask if they had ink and paper, seeing as he thought it was an idea for him to write out thoughts instead of harbouring them like some greedy gold driven dragon. Spurring them each to grins and shortly leaving them be with the acquired items.
If he could jot down thoughts or even questions, then they could leave his mind in a sense. And well… maybe he’d be able to talk to Araminta properly without feeling that sense that anything that left his mouth was liable to be unpleasant, frustrating or worth being tut-tutted at.
Araminta brooded, and sulked, and huffed, and even cried again some more still. None of which actually made he feel any better, but it needed to come out and not stay stuffed down in her chest and stomach, where it made her feel ready to throw up. Brooding and crying never really solved anything, and she surely didn’t like being this dramatic when it felt like such a waste of time. What else was she to do, though! There were pieces of her that she knew were just Araminta not things she could change – if she should even change them at all! Araminta was always going to be a girl that cried about everything.
And it wasn’t the ONLY thing she was either! Araminta was a great many things, and tonight if she was being a donkey’s arse, well, at least she was doing so in a tree and not making it anyone else’s problem.
When the moon climbed up high and the night grew chill, she’d finally simmered down enough to at least consider climbing down out of the tree. Debating. Second guessing when she remembered it took most the day to get herself feeling back to what she thought was okay, only to immediately be upset again.
Liable to go back home and bite the first person who dared to say a word to her.
Better to stay in the tree, she huffed. Roosting back again to cross her arms around herself and bring up her knees too. Becoming her own songbird in a sense, that she almost laughed wickedly out loud at the thought. If she were up to mischief she could whistle the very song out there in the park and scared the ever loving daylights out of midnight lovers.
It was actually a little surprising that when he finally was able to jot down thoughts, they kept coming out. Granted, many of them weren’t very sensical. Nor where complete thoughts to really hinge anything on. Some merely just a singular word that felt weighty from himself with a purpose that may not have needed to be address but written down.
The very effort was proving to be cathartic. Till he was discovering that after a page front and back with various words and phrases, it was a little more than he had originally believed would have come out. Earning some quizzical looks and deciphering thoughts. Guessing that his original intent of just detailing things out on a physical source was broader and more vital than thought. Leeching far beyond what he could have assumed was simply things he felt were necessary to speak or bring up to Araminta when and if she was wanting too.
Going down a rabbit hole that needed to be clarified far better and on a new sheet of paper.
Save, the night had grown long and it was clear that both Bo and Adra had long since left the grand room for their private quarters. But he had not heard anyone return. Spurring him to step out of the room to inspect the immediate area –slightly afraid that Adra was waiting for him to cluck and hen him into apologizing for potentially working even into the night.
Rather than looking to see if Araminta had returned and was sitting in the kitchen at the table or in the grand room. Neither clearly.
Pulling him to a hum as he wondered if she just finally decided that everything wasn’t worth it a second long. Knowing that he would hardly blame her for it, though knew that Bo had stated she had gone for a walk. And well, he didn’t know where that walk would have gone. If she hadn’t returned either, it was a loud indication that she wasn’t planning on it or didn’t want too. To go looking would likely be a breach of trust for when she needed privacy once more and he wouldn’t even know where to look anyways.
Leaving him with the understanding that as much as he might have went to search for her, without a starting point, he wouldn’t be able to even begin. Having to just sit on the knowledge that if she wanted to learn, she’d still have to return for the items that where hers here at the house.
Meaning that he’d have to wait at least for her. Unlike with Gusteau and knowing where his terrible hell hole was, this was a guessing waiting game.
Araminta’s stubbornness carried her well past midnight into the twilight hours, before her sense of guilt grew stronger than her annoyance. Not to mention how she was growing quite tired and the last thing she wanted to do was fall asleep in a tree, fall and break her neck, having left the house like one of those honking demented geese as everyone’s last memory of her.
With cold frosted fingers and stiff knees, Araminta slowly made her way down the tree, scaring the daylights out of some prowling night cat that was skulking about the park hunting rats. A little startled herself to find the darkest of twilight hours in this busy town was an eerie sort of sight! So spookily quiet while still having just enough bodies wandering home drunk like shambling zombies!
Araminta didn’t hesitate to run all the way back to the house.
Creeping her way through the front door just as quiet as she could, not wanting to disturb the little ones with their rooms downstairs. Looking like some windblown faerie, trying to keep her huffing and puffing silent too, so no one thought she was one of those moaning undead trying to get in from outside!
Anxiety itself was nothing new, but knowing it was associated with the absence of the princess and the lateness of the evening; it was enough to override any exhaustion that came from playing and being with the spritely three. Having forgone the means of penning wild variety of thoughts or concerns to paper. Now spending the effort of what would come morning.
How he might best support the woman in whatever avenue she chose next, whilst assuring she had everything she needed for her next excursion. Hoping that at least she had gone back to the Sable Fawn to seek a bed in a safe environment.
Guessing Adra’s talk about him being a silent entity had worked well to muss up whatever comfort had been there for the princess.
Knowing that he’d do well with leaving town after he was sure Araminta had continued on and making a first critical thought that he’d like to go to Essurn once more and leave the twelve kingdoms properly. To decide that if this was that conclusion to their travel and friendship thar he’d like to wander lands unknown entirely and vastly too far outside that of the queen’s grasp.
Truthfully it was these thoughts that lulled him away from stressing to sickness about the woman. Knowing very well that she was persuasive and smart enough to find herself safe shelter rather than risk herself unwisely. Investing in that belief that for a time, he had begun to wane in chair.
At least till he heard the sound of door cracking at the entrance. Unsure if it was one of the children getting up seeking a drink or one of the parents rustling about, bit he got up. Grabbing the blanket he’d pulled from bed to shoulders, so open the bedroom door to peek out. Fully expecting a rogue child but finding a winded Araminta. Leaving him momentarily blank faced at her.
Blinking a few times but ultimately pushed tye door fully open without it hitting the inside wall and seemed to just stand there waiting for her to either dart in for warmth or her gear.
Araminta jumped when she saw him, letting out a startled breath… and thankfully not a squeak or scream that’d wake and scare the whole household! Silly too, as she’d known he’d likely be awake, she just didn’t expect him to be waiting at the bedroom threshold. Fretting.
Softening in an instant, the princess skittered inside the bedroom so he could close the door behind.
“I’m sorry, I thought I would be back before you noticed me gone,” she apologized. Already moving to the edge of the bed so she could pull off her boots and set them aside. Eyeing him carefully to confirm her assumptions that he hadn’t been sleeping, even if he’d taken up residence in the room instead of cleaning up Adra’s home like a house pixie.
“We can get a couple hours of sleep at least, until the littles are up and bouncing?” she offered as a question, unsure if Theon was still insisting on being distant or if it would be a battle of marshmallow beds again.
With her scurrying inside to the safety of the room whilst he made sure to seal the door up as quietly as possible, relief rested in his chest. Alongside somewhat of a mild annoyance that she was suggesting that she thought she’d be back before he had a chance to notice her absence. “What makes you think I wouldn’t notice?” Theon asked though he was looking at her with a mild case of disbelief. “Do you assume that I do not care or wish to see you absent?” the question was certainly made with a intention for her to think about it but he was stepping up and grabbing the blanket from his own shoulders to bring down.
Swinging it as best he could to that of her own, “Just because you wanted space the day prior, does not mean you are no longer one of my first thoughts to have.” Head shook and he stepped aside some to go and attend to lowering the wick in the lantern.
Glancing at her then at her query of rest and how the little ones ought to be bouncing about sooner than later. “Only if we speak about what is going on come the morning. If either of us attempts to ignore it further then we must be held accountable. I am not… thrilled about this current arrangement.” But he would comply for now seeing as sleep was needed to stay caught up to the little ones come morning. Allowing himself to pad back over and surprisingly, he wasn’t looking the part about to argue or fuss about the bed.
Araminta could’ve said he certainly seemed like he wasn’t paying her any mind, but she wouldn’t have claimed he didn’t care. Even with all of her worries, she didn’t doubt that he cared. Looking the part of a guilty miss, regardless, as she would’ve assured him she was coming home had she not stormed out in her huff.
She was already pulling that blanket he draped around her tight about her shoulders, shifting around to slide up under the covers, to stop suddenly when Theon declared their need to talk so seriously that the simple statement that he was not thrilled with their current arrangement sounded so incredibly ominous! How was she supposed to sleep with that milling about in her head!
“Why? Do you wish to stay here with Adra and Bogart?” she asked, twisting towards him instead of layering down proper. Trying to leave it just at the simple question instead of immediately launching into her usual lectures that he can do anything he wished, she wasn’t going to stop him!
The length of what Adra had said and the numerous, bountiful, plethora of things that Araminta had told him repeatedly over and over and over; seemed to be a strong concoction that had finally formed a solid desire within his being not to be so hush-hush. To speak up even if it was somewhat on the verge of being critical, his voice would not grow to silence for now.
Which for a moment it seemed Araminta wasn’t too pressed by what had to be uttered till her green eyes were posed upon him settling down on the bed himself. To where he was resting the means of gray upon those of widening verdant.
Asking him a question of staying here with the two adults and children. Temporarily disabling him from continuing in a sort of bewildered means. Just that his tongue felt as though to ask if she wanted him too only… only that his gaze went to the side. To where he had spent most of the evening writing out thoughts and words and everything in-between. Knowing that if he was going to make this turnover of leaf, then he had to keep going. “No. I enjoy their company and the children are pleasant to be around but that is not what I wish to do.” Attention came back to her, “I’d still wish to be with you but this means of beating around the bush, as it were… its unhealthy. I know this and am more than aware that my contentment of silence is hindering and harming both of us.” Not just her, not stating it as such. “Adra had much to say about the topic this evening and… I believe it needs to be taken to heart. Alongside your many lessons and conversations and lectures.”
Just his gaze somewhat tensed, “But I do not know what you wish from me either. Outside the obviousness, there is a glaring discomfort that comes from not having anything identified in a strong sense. I am not sure if you wish me present or not. While you’ve certainly chided me for doing things outside what I ought to or going extra, you do the same. So it’s hard to find value in your statements when similarities are abound and added on the fact that there is a lot of confusion of just what you want to happen in totality. It’s… been frustrating trying to be helpful and not step on boundaries that feel they’ve been drawn.”
To hear that he did in fact want to stay with her took most of that heavy weight of fear away, though it seemed it wasn’t without his own concerns. And apparently had not escaped the clutches of everyone’s offered advice as well, to which Araminta was finding herself greatly annoyed with as she was quite done with people’s advice.
…but if it had urged Theon into actually speaking, then well… she couldn’t be too mad about that. Settling to listen, finding that mot of it she was aware of – her being a mash of mixed signals, which wasn’t entirely her fault as he tended to assume the worst rather than asking her the questions. But true problem lay in her inability to tell him exactly what they were. That one was indeed entirely her fault. Having kissed him out of nowhere and then conveniently being too busy to ever actually talk about it! Even if she didn’t know entirely, they could have at least talked.
“I suppose when there are unanswered questions, every shift in mood can so easily be mistaken for being about that very thing,” she admitted. Frowning as there was such a mix of things that’d happened and she wasn’t sure what was important for the answers needed to give.
“I do not know where to start first? I think about us in the terms of always and forever and that feels like something you can’t just blurt out to a man, especially when he has had difficult life already. I am a difficult life to have.”
Of course he knew he was at fault for much of this. His habitual behaviour of just accepting everything regardless of inner thoughts or not, or the fear of just disturbing the peace just enough that something happened in an explosive display. That him or her might come to blows in a verbal sense. However, being silent was proving to offer no explanation or clarity either. It was adding stress to it and his own beliefs of just doing what he felt was best by leaving things plenty alone, was making things plenty worse.
It was a hard pill to swallow and a learning curve that needed to be smoothed out by his own hands. Not by anyone else’s because what would that do. It was the one that needed to make those changes otherwise he’d have continued no control on what was his or not.
Right now, he needed definition between them. Was he her pet, her ward, her employee, her friend or something else? To know what their clarity was would help define the next steps. And he found his gaze steadfast upon her even as he expressed more than normal. Nodding to when she said that the shift in a mood could certainly be mistaken for being about something when it wasn’t. He could only guess so much, just like she could. Didn’t mean their leaping exercises would be correct every time. They were more likely to be grand failures.
Just that Araminta began and was defining something so broad as always and forever and he was left giving her a look that probably read loud and clear, that it was too wide of a term to define anything! “I don’t think you get to make that choice for me.” Theon stated rather bluntly, “What I’ve had is just that. What I’ve had. Yes it still is a part of me, but it is up to me to make the choices about it even now. Which has proven to be very problematic. I’m accustomed to serving.” Boldly declaring that. “Even you, because I do not know anything beyond that but I am trying and will continue to try to mend that. But if I do not know what you want, I will default to what I feel can work.” The man looked to that of his slung arm.
“You were angry at the circumstance because I did not clarify it. In turn, I assumed you wanted comfort and went out to do everything I could to obtain it. Regardless of the outcome.” The gray rose to consider her then, “If this keeps repeating, then I may as well return to that of the Imperial Queen. As I lack of communication there is familiar, orders are given. I comply.”
Straightening some, he looked about the room. Momentarily pressing lips together, “I don’t want to follow you. I don’t want to tarry after your heels and take continual notes of things I know you like and try hard to accommodate them. If you want me as a pawn, then I don’t want it. You stated that I can live as I want too and that is a hurdle I am crossing at my own pace. However, I would wish to be with you as something more than a tool or a confused pet that can be handed out at your leisure when it seems I’m either in the way or too burdensome. I’d rather be alone then.”
A moment was given pause before he shifted and looked around the space again. “I want you as you. A person, a friend, a comfort. Not my handler, not my leader, not my teacher, no authoritative figure.” Then he was surprisingly visual with features moving in ways they hadn’t really before. Animated, “I know you are learning as well, but, by the damn god’s grace… you want always and forever but that has to have a definition. Not a blanket term because you cannot get upset with me if you do not tell me want you want. If this is the learning movement you want me to take Araminta, eventually… I want to live as a person. With a home, with stability. With someone. And not as their convenient person but as a spouse. I may not get a lot of things, but I am not as stupid as people would assume. Being quiet and thoughtful does not equate to stupidity.”
It seemed Araminta was going to be frustrated and angry with Theon now too. Crossing her arms as he spoke to lean against the headboard, letting him finish what he needed to explain, as she’d likely not ever heard him speak this much all at once. Even during all of their quiet conversations. Understanding where he was coming from and her own role in making things more complicated than they needed to be. Yet there were still parts that irked her.
“I have not ever treated you as a pet or a pawn, and I have told you many, many, many times that you are my friend and partner, my equal. Not someone less than me meant to follow me, but a person. You never believe it, you’re still thinking it now!”
In all earnest desperation across her face she twist towards him reaching out a hand to grip tightly over his forearm, as if thinking making she could squeeze it into his body somehow!
“How am I supposed to tell you that I want more than friendship, if you still think I believe you to be my pet? Wouldn’t you just think I am graduating you to concubine, instead of a true relationship? Wouldn’t you think that me asking you to marry me is just for the convenience? That seems to be what you’ve spent the week thinking. I needed time to understand my own feelings… but I needed to know too that you were even ready to accept them. Are you? Because what I’ve wanted has never been vague, Theon! You’ve just refused to listen to me when I say it’s you!”
Something fiery sparked at that moment. Going from certainly talkative to expressively irritated. Just that he waited rather than launching into a snapping bark about any thoughts that would be given only because he was feeling feisty all the sudden. “Saying it’s me in your jovial tone or as a side passing comment is not the same as having a full on, serious conversation, Araminta!” Theon blurted then, “Half your comments you’ve stated when it’s either a life threatening situation or between sly smirks and joking efforts. It’s not easy to take what you’ve stated as serious when you aren’t saying it to me beyond some platonic effort that turns to, I can do what I want but god damn forbid it if I stray even a bit.”
Sighing out heavily at her, “How could I take things seriously when you’d say something like marriage and then in the next breath talk about how things are difficult. Even now, you just said that because I’ve had a difficult life and paired it that you were one as well. God damn it Araminta, you don’t get to flop back and forth at your own discretion and get pissed off with me when I’m trying to hurdle myself over every damn fucking thing I’m aware of is broken with me!”
His feet moved and he stood up. Crossing over to start the means of pacing. Ebbing frustration not just at this moment but it was at himself. Turning sights at the table and the scribbled upon paper. Snatching it up after a second to look over it between the steady back and forth.
Hinging and waiting and, “It’s hard to be your equal when I don’t feel valid to it.” It wasn’t her, it was his own thoughts. Expressing that it was his own doubts, his own weight, his own pressures that tried to nullify her efforts. “But if you and I cannot be honest either… then none of this works. Maybe it doesn’t work.”
“…well you certainly never asked me to clarify it either, Theon! You never ask me anything or tell me anything until something disastrous happens and I am feeling like I’ve forced you into a corner and you are just saying whatever you think I need to hear to leave you alone.”
Araminta pulled the blanket from around her shoulders up over her head to make a soft huffing snarling sound. Muffled frustration so she wouldn’t raise her volume and wake the whole house. Trying not to give in to having her feelings hurt, or to get so angry she needed to stomp out. Theon was the only person she actually wanted to talk to about any of this… it was their life. Even if it was frustrating in the moment!
“…I’m sorry that I have been confusing. I’m- It is always a challenge to know if I should tell you right away or wait for a better moment. Sometimes I just don’t know what I am feeling until something happens to point it out, and then I am always unsure if I am making choices for you because I am so… I am so much.”
Pulling down her blanket with a sigh, seeming positively miserable, Araminta frowned and twisted up the blanket edges in her hands.
“I’ve felt upside down since we arrived here. Every moment I figured something out or made a decision something else would happen to make me question it. Olive’s interactions with you made me realize I wish to be more than friends. You being hurt made me realize I cannot live without you. I was content in seeing what we might grow into next at our own pace, inspired by this domestic life we’ve sampled… and then Madam Jasa reminded me that I am a harbinger of death waiting to happen to everyone around me. Suddenly it felt like a cruelty to you in asking for more when it called be snatched away. And everyone has been so full of advice about everything I am doing wrong and not fast enough! With completely opposite opinions themselves, mind you, which hasn’t helped it be any less confusing at all! The only one I have actually wanted to talk to is you. When I finally decided I shouldn’t be afraid and was ready to speak about it, you were already avoiding me.”
There was a quick twist of his head when she pointed out that he didn’t clarify either. “Which I’ve stated already that I know my faults in this.” Highly disliking the reminder that he was very aware that his means of trying to keep the peace wasn’t at all. Being hushed up and accepting everything was only a new form of backwards actions. Just if they wanted to make headway, they both needed not to keep hounding on the what was, but the what will be. Which meant stop looking at the past entirely. It could be a reference but it shouldn’t be the key point either.
With her raising the blanket over her head, he had half a mind to just throw his hands up. Not sure what that would do besides aggravating his one arm stupidly. Instead forcing himself to not get so riled up because they were voicing out opinions that may not be what the other one wanted to hear. Taking a second or three to temper and exhale it out in a hopeful attempt. Waiting and well, watching this blanket beast now apologizing for being confusing. And explaining her attempts. Her side and funnily enough he wanted to crumple the paper in hand into a ball and throw it at her for even talking poorly about herself.
To see if it could bounce off her head.
He didn’t do that, just still allowing that chance for her to vent out everything whether or not he would agree with it. Just that as she started that process of talking, he realized that she was being far too akin like himself. Taking everything like precious little orbs to hold in arms overloaded. Trying so hard to keep everything in check when it was becoming far too much till one figuratively tumbled over because the weight had caused them to topple.
Watching as she peeled back the blanket, fretting at the edges in a need to keep hands busy. A thing he knew and could pick up on. Disliking it from an outside source.
She was overwhelmed. And she was being just as stupid has he could be about holding it so close to one’s chest that even as it became too much, they kept trying to manage it alone. How could they be so distinctly different and still have some blunt similarities. Still he set the paper down once more to stop his pacing but rather to approach the bedside yet again. Finding a desire to make excuses for what was happening and yet, it was so wasteful that he wasn’t going to even entertain it.
Roosting an knee up onto the edge of mattress to outstretch the pliable hand to tie itself quickly outwards to the slender column of neck. Bracing it upon palm to lean close enough to lightly bonk his brow to her own. Momentarily but stooping further to steal a harder press over that rambling mouth in his effort to get it to stop talking for just a moment. It wasn’t the same sort of sweet or shy or gentle as it had been previously. Heated was probably a better way of explaining it. Impassioned.
Pulling barely back to look eye to eye, “Tell me what you want, Ara. Not what everyone else said or what you think I need to hear.” Theon bumped noses together, “I want you.” Adding no conditions or fanciful buts to it. Simple, concise and hopefully enough to say that he didn’t want to keep this circular rotation of them dancing two different beats.
Araminta had a lot more to ramble on as well, likely not even being close to finished being such a lady of over dramatic words, only finding herself trailing off as he circled back to the bed itself. Relieved to have him coming closer, because if he did, it meant they hadn’t wandered off course just yet. A stumbling in the road and an argument, at worst. As long as they were talking to each other everything would eventually be okay.
So that silly bunt of affection he’d started to do as a late was so welcomed, Araminta taking in the breath ready to tell him all ten thousand things going on in her head! Only to be shushed so quick she might’ve missed it, had the kiss not been so much more than a simple lingering peck. If there were any lingering doubts in her head of where they might next go, that was a kiss to obliterate them all. Finally letting out a gasp of breath when he pulled that fraction away, having for some senseless reason been holding her breath!
The man dared to ask her what she wanted now, seeming to have no idea at all that a kiss was all it took to empty her head out completely! Blinking at him with a momentary wide-eyed stare of amazement followed by that slow melt into wistful affection.
“I want you. Just you,” she finally managed to whisper the words. There were a good thousand or more that went with it, flowery declarations and daydreams and affirmations. Wish and wants and desires. All of which came back to the one simple thing – wanting Theon. Reaching her hands and having to force herself to pause cause he still wasn’t anywhere near healed enough for her to throw her arms around him like she wished. Settling for only a soft combing of gentle fingers through red beard.
Allowing the means of leaning into the motion of combing touch, he could accept this. To hear it and to make it stick out so he wouldn’t keep trying to dance around it like some drunken igit. Knowing that if he wanted to do better, strive harder and assure that these former difficulties could be hindered and cooled; then it meant actually putting trust into statements uttered. That while he could be naturally cautious, Araminta had proven over and over again like a steady wagon wheel that she was trustworthy. Even if something broke, she wasn’t finished.
“Okay.” It was going to be a very interesting day if he ever figure out that he was able to draw her to a blank state of mind. “Just… stop calling yourself difficult. Or too much or anything else negative. You aren’t.” Feeling it needed to be said, “If you were, this would all have panned out differently.”
Seemingly not too bothered about the means of drawing close enough once more to flirt a passing press over once more. Settling to keep brows close together another till he was lowering properly to that of the bed yet again. “You wanted rest right?” Looking at the bed still with that bit of disgust, “The young ones will be up soon enough.”
Araminta herself was going to have to trust the words said; she wasn’t a menace in his life or a problem he reluctantly allowed. going to have to fight her hardest against those niggling doubts and fears that always crept in when she was least expecting. Perhaps now to be braver about blurting all the thoughts in her head and not be so scared that she was too much for him to deal with.
She followed him down and stuck close, even with the wiggling and shimmy back under covers to lay down properly. Mesmerized by soft voice and free kiss, certain he had a fae charm about himself that could peek out in these little moments to disarm her completely. At least until he gave the mattress itself a dirty look and she cough out a soft giggle.
We rest, tomorrow will be better.” Araminta pulled up her hands to make a wee heart with her fingers. “We’re a bonded pair, like lovebirds. Is that an acceptable definition?”
It had to be a forward noted motion. For him to recall, remind and repeat every better action in his thoughts to keep from falling backwards into old habits. He’d fumble, this he knew. But so long as he didn’t sit there and wallow in the fact that he had toppled but instead got up, that was the part that would be important. Of course he knew he didn’t need to rewrite his entire personality, he was who he was. Someone that found most social interactions suspicious, uncomfortable and worth every penny of caution. But he could be astute and watchful to learn.
With the motion and the carefulness to shuffle down as not to harm himself or cause Araminta any potential of being forced to move strangely, he gave her a bit of a look when she was giggling.
Just that he adjusted neck to that of pillow with a slow hum to the motion of fingers she made. “Besides not knowing what a lovebird is.” Theon pointed out as he had not been that good at paying attention o different species of animals outside hunting. “Yes, I think so. But if what you say is fact then it means you nor I can perish in these trails. Or succumb to the madness of that of the Imperial Queen.” Theon raised a brow somewhat, “Is that going to be alright for you to remove from your mental space?”
He did not know what a lovebird was, and like a candle being lit that bright excitement was there, heralding that sometime in the future she was going to be more than delighted to tell him all about birds! Curling up comfortably except for the hand was taking advantage of the closeness, having been deprived for too long of these simple means of simple touch all due to their own silliness. Coming fingers through beard to tidy it up even though it’d only get mussed during sleep.
Stealing one last brief kiss simple because she could.
“I’ve been living for you since I climbed up that harpy cliff, Theon,” she revealed softly with a smile. “We will live, no dying allowed. We’ll take care of each other and we will live well.”
“Hmm, don’t forget for yourself as well.” Something about the idea of being that set into loving someone that you forgot to love yourself seemed dangerous, though he couldn’t deny there was a slight increase of heart rate. Unclear if it was because she was being bold enough to steal close rather than him the last few times in such a affectionate turn. Or if it was because of her wording.
Likely a bit of both, in which after a moment he decided to tell her something interesting. “Sunroom.” He stated with no clarity, “On the hut. You asked… how I would change or add… to it.” Theon shifted much to the annoyance that he was starting to like the comfort of a bed. How terrible was that! “A sunroom so the means of plants can be grown all year round. Inside.” Gaze settled upon her with strong contemplation, “For herbs too to make cooking… easier.” She’d asked him a long time ago about if there were things he liked.
At the time, he said he hadn’t known. Which was true, he hadn’t.
But he was learning and well the time with Adra had certainly showed he enjoyed it to the point that he found it thrilling to try new things. “I like cooking.” Giving her that little tidbit to have.
“I like to eat your cooking,” she chirped back with amusement. This was a bit of information she’d already discovered about him, yet welcomed the sharing of it all the same. As this meant he was discovering the things that made him Theon. Things that would be blended into their life so it wasn’t just the Wildling Adventures of Princess Araminta.
“When you add an instrument to a garden sunroom it becomes a conservatory,” she informed him proudly. “I’ll put a harp in there with a small table and chairs, so we can have tea in the morning and I’ll play music for you while you weed and water.”
Araminta wanted this moment to linger on forever. As frustrating as it started, now they were somewhere even better. …she would have to apologize to Bo in the morning, but well! That would be fine. Content to curl up at the crook of his arm again where she belonged, only regretting she couldn’t throw her arm around him and squeeze him the way she wished.
“Goodnight Theon.”
It would seem the mention of having an instrument in the sunroom would change its title to something entirely else, the wheels may have moved in curious ways. Of how one could set down foundation for such places where the hut stood. Knowing that the soil composition could pose problems if set incorrect however! It was hardly the time to let his mind delve into such a topic. Less he wanted to be wide awake trying to decipher and determine how this would all work.
They still had a lot to go through but knowing that things were liable to be straightened out with even just this little bit of correction as enough.
Pulling the blanket as best he could up and over her shoulders, he hummed in reply to her bidding of rest. Just hoping that this was in fact the correct stepping stone.