marlowemuses | Fools in Love, for gentry

"Both, I think, if it isn't too much trouble." Laurent smiled, just a little self-deprecating. "I am very sure that Auguste would appreciate a word or two of correspondence, though I find myself inclined to be distracted, in all the excitement, and I shall have to figure out how to, ah, indicate that I'm utterly besotted without allowing excessive opportunity for my sibling to say that he told me so. He's insufferably smug, as I think most siblings are, whenever he's right."

Wrinkling his nose a moment in fond annoyance, Laurent was soon smiling again. "I trust you'll let me know if I can be of use to you in any capacity. I've already privately expressed my vow of loyalty to your son, and I trust that you and I will almost always be in agreement as to what constitutes his--and the kingdom's--best interests. I remain a prince of Vere, but my loyalty is foremost to my betrothed and my new kingdom."

He had few doubts about his new alliance with the queen. They understood each other, and they had two very significant shared loyalties. He expected that he could trust entirely to her judgement and that, with time, she would increasingly come to trust his in turn. She'd required very little of him so far, though he was interested to see how the details of their new alliance would develop.

"And as long as you remain loyal to us, nothing will ever touch you."

She smiled again, a more peaceful smile rather than one of her coquettish ones. It was a promise as much as it was a fact. Her tone showed no waver, no doubt that it would be so. She knew it would be. If Gansey was as smitten as he seemed to be, he would probably die before he allowed any harm to come to Laurent. Which was cause for concern, perhaps, considering that the well-being of the king was... well, king. But it was also terribly sweet.

Before she could say anything more, there was a knock on the door that was quickly followed by Gansey himself entering the room. His hair was mussed from the wind and his cheeks pink from the ride, eyes glittering and all smiles as he entered.

"I hope I didn't take too long," he said cheerfully, eyes on Laurent first before returning to his lady mother. "Went as fast as I could." Which was obvious from out of breath he was. He'd dashed in from the stables.

His mother shook her head, "Already taking him away? A shame. It's been a delight; thank you for the company." She offered her hand to Laurent as Gansey smoothed down his cloak, more than ready to steal his beloved away like his mother accused.

Laurent lit when Gansey reappeared, unmistakable and undeniable to anyone who was watching. He didn't even try to hide it--their romance made them both more likeable, and secured Laurent's place in the kingdom. Rising smoothly to his feet, Laurent met him with a kiss--as brief as he could bear to make it--and kept hold of him as they spoke to the Queen.

"The pleasure has been all mine. Thank you for taking charge of me while my betrothed was otherwise occupied." All smiles, Laurent bowed and kissed her hand, eyes lingering for a moment on her face with genuine fondness before he let go and refocused his full attention onto Gansey. "Shall we?"

Gansey grinned, happy to be the center of Laurent's attention once more. It was amazing how his heart sang just seeing the other man."Yes," he said, still breathless, but they could not leave before he gave his mother a sweeping bow. "Thank you, mother. We'll see you at dinner."

The Queen waved them off playfully, "Yes, yes. Run along, darlings." There was a sparkle in her eye as she began fanning herself again, pleased that the visit had gone so well.

Gansey offered Laurent his arm, "I do believe I promised you a tour of the castle. We can visit Butternut after, if there's time." He was eager to steal Laurent away from his mother and into the hallway where he could speak more candidly.

"I hope she didn't say anything too... motherly." He laughed, a little breathlessly, wearing the boyish grin that Laurent's presence so easily pulled from him.

"I would never reveal her confidences," Laurent teased, accepting the arm only until they reached the hallway. Safely out of the view of the gossiping ladies, Laurent slid his arm around Gansey's waist, kissing his cheek and tucking himself against Gansey's side. "I don't care if it's ridiculous of me--I missed you hopelessly every moment you were gone. And not only because your mother is very intimidating."

As they headed down the hall, Laurent pulled Gansey into the first quiet alcove he found, pressing close against him and kissing him with all the heated yearning that he'd built up from the scant half hour that the two of them had been apart. He felt utterly starved for Gansey, wanting to take in every moment, every inch of Gansey that he could.

The feelings were mutual. Gansey sighed, brushing Laurent's hair back from his face once he had the chance, "Then we are ridiculous together. I missed you, too." And Gansey knew very well how intimidating his mother could be; even he found her to be too much, at times.

Along their way, the first quiet alcove was in one of the winding hallways by the greeting rooms. A circular groove in the wall where there was a window drawn with curtains and a small bench left beneath. Not many people used the quaint little spot or the small privacy it offered from people glancing down the hall in either direction, but Gansey was instantly grateful for its existence when Laurent pushed him into it.

He uttered only a soft oh before their lips met. Gansey's arms slid around Laurent's waist and he kissed back, just as eager and longing, not caring in the slightest that he was acting as lovestruck and foolish as the heroes in Helen's favorite romantic novels.

Tilting his head while he kissed, Gansey made it his business to explore as much as Laurent's mouth as possible. Rolling his tongue and pairing it with gentle, teasing nips, clearly he wanted just as much as Laurent as he could get. He had to remind himself not to get carried away; he was attracted to Laurent like a heart attack, and the last thing he needed was to get hard in the middle of the hallway.

"I won't be leaving you alone again."

"What, ever?" Laurent teased, watching Gansey's face from close up. He radiated happiness and affection, hopelessly infatuated with his beloved Gansey. "I can't say I object, though I'm not certain it's feasible."

Glad to have him back, Laurent hugged tight to him. He thought, for a moment, that it probably wasn't good that he was so emotionally dependent upon Gansey, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Gansey was the center of his world, and Laurent was in love.

Untangling carefully, Laurent took his arm again, even though he felt cold all over from the few inches of distance. "The tour. Before I become irresistibly tempted to drag you back to bed. I fear we'd never leave."

Probably not feasible, but a man could dream. That was what fantasies were for, no? He knew well enough that they hardly even belonged to themselves, having been born into royalty, but every once in a while he might be tempted to succumb to the notion that they were just people. With desires. Like dominating his fiance's time.

The hug was delightful and left him aching for more. Ah, it would be a magical thing, to return to the morning where they were tangled in blankets and each other.

But there were other pressing matters. "You say that like it's a bad thing." His lips quirked into a smile, "The tour it is, then. You're already familiar with the banquet hall and the stables... hm. Shall we work our way up from the basement, or work our way down from the top floor?"

He pressed another kiss against Laurent's forehead before he stepped back into the hallway, where people might see them.

"Your choice."

"Concentric circles," Laurent said, with a smile of playful challenge in his eyes. "Starting from this point and moving outward." He gave Gansey's hand a squeeze, grinning as he waited. He wasn't sure whether or not Gansey would take him seriously and try to meet his challenge, but it was too amusing an opportunity to miss. "Probably best if we end in the stables, otherwise we'll be there forever."

At that answer, Gansey laughed.

"Oh? Well, if that's what my beloved wants, I shall make it happen somehow." The castle didn't entirely lends itself to concentric circles but Gansey would not back down from the challenge without some sort of attempt. "And yes, that's probably best. So seeing as we'll be at the stables last..."

He turned, gently resting his hand on the small of Laurent's back as he lead him, "Then we'll need to begin this way. To the right, here, is the glass plate room. My mother's favorite glass plates all in one space." Gansey pushed a door open to show Laurent the expanse of glass plates on shelves but made no moves to go inside. They could pass that one quickly.

"And on the left here is the way to the chapel. I don't know if that interests you."

"Not unless it's of particular architectural, historic, or tactical value," Laurent said, with a wry smile, grateful that no one had yet attempted to persuade him into any religions.

He relaxed into the touch, enjoying being so close to Gansey as they made their way through the castle. It was a pleasure to see Gansey's world through Gansey's eyes, and Laurent loved the romance of being toured around. The simple intimacy of Gansey's hand on his back made Laurent feel safe and protected, willing to trust to Gansey's guidance.

His gaze frequently wandered to Gansey, looking at him more often than at the marvels of the castle that he was supposed to be touring.

Edited (new icons yaaaas) 2016-08-29 02:29 (UTC)

"Mmm.. well, it was built with the castle, but I don't think I'd say it has incredible architectural or tactical value," he admitted with a small shrug. "It's merely... peaceful. If you're ever in need of a truly quiet place, that would be it." Gansey didn't consider himself particularly religious but sometimes it was a place that would quiet his thoughts if they were being too loud.

They moved along promptly. Moving in circles meant that they turned away from where Helen's old rooms were and toward the door to the basement.

"There's not too much to see down there," he said as he pointed to the door leading to the downward winding stairs. "Scrolls, some archived things, and all of that creepy clutter I think I've mentioned before. Ah, and the holding cells. Those are a bit fascinating."

Gansey hardly noticed that Laurent was looking at him more than the marvels of the castle. He greatly enjoyed talking about the little historical facts and pointing out the way the castle was constructed; his eyes glittered bright green and his grin was never-faulting. Clearly, not much delighted him more than history, adventure, and puzzles. At this point, the only thing that might top his list would be Laurent himself.

"Show me the basement," Laurent insisted, curious about the holding cells. It was his opinion that you could tell a lot about a kingdom--and a ruling family--by their dungeons and their policies on executions and punishment. He wanted to know what kind of skeletons the Raven Kingdom kept in its basement, and hoped that at least something in their basement would be more weighty than a room full of creepy dolls. "I want to know what's so fascinating about the holding cells."

As they descended the steps, Laurent stayed close against Gansey's side, careful about his own footing and Gansey's. He'd become extremely careful on stairs ever since a flight near his rooms had been buttered. The incident had cost him nothing more than some bruising, but it had instilled in him a habit of graceful wariness whenever he descended a flight of steps. "Are there any secret passageways in the castle? Escape routes or hidden rooms?"

"There are," Gansey said cheerfully, delighted by the question. "In the castle, that I know of, there are five. One of the hidden passages is caved in—not sure what happened, but it would take a lot of time and energy to dig it out, so it's been left alone. That one is near the kitchens. There's a hidden room down here in order to hide anything valuable. There other passages are near the banquet hall and, as it happens, by your rooms. The passage out of the castle to the hills down here I used often when I was younger."

He lead his fiance to the end of the basement toward the cells. The things they passed were, as Gansey said, mostly storage. Scrolls, some carefully wrapped books, other sentimental things that had no real place in the castle. There was a green tinted hallway that went downward, made of stone and stone alone, that lead to the holding cells.

Clearly, they were old. Iron bars and benches, kept clean, no windows and the faint sound of water dripping on stone. At current, they were all empty. No squalor but no luxury, either.

"What's interesting," Gansey explained, "is the stone. It's different from everything that the castle was built out of. The journal I gave you tells us that this was here before the castle was even built. They found it while digging and decided to connect the two. Imagine, finding a big empty stone room already made underground?"

"So it must be involved with the ruins somehow, don't you think? Is there similar stone to this at the other ruins?" Laurent ran his fingers across it, intrigued. "So your ancestors decided to turn the big, empty stone room into a dungeon?"

It was necessary, of course. Laurent understood that. Any castle needed rooms where people could be kept if they were dangerous or if they were being held for trial. The rooms were most likely to be in the least desirable areas of the castle. Here, it seemed. "You don't have any idea of its original purpose?"

Gansey smiled.

"That's what I thought. From the stone I found in the ruins, they don't quite match up... but I haven't been very deep. For all I know, it could change. I'd like to try going down there one day—obviously, it would be risky." He ran his hand along the wall, touching the stone with some curiosity.

"I imagine they must have thought it made sense. What else could a room like this be used for? Wine, perhaps. Storage... it's a little too damp. Whatever it was intended to be? No, I don't know. I would very much like to find out one day."

Dropping his hand, he turned toward Laurent. "Maybe one day we'll find some answers."

"Could be a tomb," Laurent said, teasing gently. He smiled at Gansey, reaching out to pull him close for a hug again. "What do you mean you haven't been very deep? Deep where? You said you weren't digging at the ruins. Is there a way to go deeper here?"

His fingertips slid up Gansey's shirt, tickling lightly because he couldn't resist. He just loved seeing Gansey squirm.

"There's—ah..."

He was decidedly distracted when Laurent slid his fingers up his shirt. It was slightly ticklish, but he was more reminded of how they had been naked together that morning. Biting his lower lip, he glanced away and cleared his throat, chiding himself for having dirty thoughts.

"Yes. There's a cave, actually. It connects to the ruins, but to go deeper into them you'll have to dig." Returning his gaze to Laurent's face, he offered a genial smile. "I always wondered if this was a tomb. If it was meant to be one, however, they didn't use it. I wonder why."

For a moment he rested his own hand on Laurent's wrist. So warm—and, gently, he raised that hand to his lips so that he might kiss it. "Shall we continue the tour? Or do you have a particular liking for cells?"

Laurent laughed, kissing his lover's cheek and leaning back the way they'd come to tug him along. "I confess I don't have that particular kink, though I don't think I'd mind being tied up in your bedroom from time to time." Grinning flirtatiously, Laurent slipped his hold and darted off up the stairs, stopping and turning suddenly at the top to meet him for a kiss.

He felt exuberant with affection, happily tucking himself against Gansey's side again so they could continue. "What are you going to show me next? Your collection of juggling balls, perhaps? Or your harem. That seems like a priority."

Gansey's cheeks reddened at the suggestion—and the image—and then reddened even more when he really considered it. Well. That sounded... quite interesting. But he quickly shook himself up and followed after his foxish fiance, skipping up the stairs two at a time so as not to fall behind. He halted suddenly when Laurent turned, grinning at the playfulness and meeting that kiss with relish.

The questions got another laugh. "Well, you've already been acquainted with the former. As for the latter, well, that doesn't exist. I'm sure that's shocking." He lead Laurent back out into the hallway, considering where next to take him. Not the chambers of the King and Queen; those were private, and boring besides.

"Would you like to see the wine cellar? An afternoon drink might be nice. Maybe even grab a snack?" Leaning in, he planted a kiss to Laurent's temple.

"Quite shocking," Laurent confirmed, laughing as they returned to the hallway. He leaned against Gansey as they considered their next destination.

"The wine cellar?" Laurent repeated, blinking a few times. "I'm not particularly inclined, unless there's something more significant about it than it being where you keep your wine. Besides, it seems like the sort of place where I'd be unusually tempted to lure you into a quiet corner and ravish you, and neither of us need that sort of temptation if we're ever going to get anything done. I'd rather get the lay of the land and then head out to tour the gardens. I would quite like to see the barracks and training grounds, as well, if that's acceptable."

"It's quite significant, if you ask my father. I'm fairly certain that he only has two interests: fine wine and aged cheese. If you ever chat with him, talking about one or the other is certain to endear him toward you." Frankly, it was almost embarrassing how fond his father was of fancy imported cheese and wine. He could at least pick up an actual hobby, like painting.

"While I'm very tempted by the promise of being ravished in a dark, private place, there will be time for that later. Same for the gardens—you'll have to wait for your tour of those, I'm afraid. That will be for tonight." Gansey winked, heading in the direction of the training grounds.

"Honestly, I can't say I've spent too many hours on the training grounds myself, but they're top notch. I know basic swordsmanship and not much else. I tried archery a few times, but always managed to smack myself in the face with the bow. How about you?"

Laurent hesitated a moment before replying, fingertips stroking at the fabric of Gansey's sleeve. He didn't mind letting Gansey notice that he was considering what information to offer in response to that and what to hold back--or at least to hold back until they were alone.

"I'm an expert swordsman," Laurent said, quietly. "At one point I had an idea of challenging a... friend of my brother's. Even once I'd abandoned the idea, I appreciated the physical discipline and it was... one of the few passions that my brother and I shared. We trained together. And, once I had men of my own, I enjoyed spending time in the barracks among them. I don't know if it's traditional here, for the consort to maintain a personal guard contingent. It was difficult for me to leave the soldiers I had then. My soldiers."

Laurent had seen few guards, compare to Vere, and didn't expect to be allowed a contingent. But he could, at least, spend some time on the training grounds. He traditionally, strictly, preferred to train alone or with his brother. Making an exception to that might make him some friends. After that, Laurent intended to take an interest in the defense of the kingdom. From what he'd seen, the Raven Kingdom was peaceful and expected to remain so, with very few defenses compared to the more paranoid kingdom of Vere. But Laurent was very aware that an invasion could happen suddenly.

Though he intended to prioritize diplomatic protections for his new country, Laurent planned to have the kingdom and himself ready--if war threatened, Laurent wanted to be confident that they could rebuff any approach.

Of course Gansey noticed the hesitation. From the moment Laurent had descended from his carriage Gansey had made it his business to learn what his tells might be, what certain actions might mean. So it was not lost on him, and he would not press for more information while they were out and about the castle.

Not that he wasn't curious. Challenging a friend of his brother's? From the slight hesitation, it didn't sound like friend was the word Laurent really wanted to use, but he couldn't be sure. For what reason? Maybe he'd ask about that later.

"You may maintain your own cohort, if you want. It always depended upon the consort." Gansey glanced from Laurent to the halls ahead, "Our guards work on a rotation around this time of year. There are a lot of festivals and holidays in the main town and they like to be with their families, so we keep smaller groups that rotate tours. They're on call in case of an emergency, of course, and my parents have their own undercover protection. At least five ladies in my mother's parlor with you were hiding swords under their skirts."

He pushed open the large wooden door that lead toward the training grounds. They were past the stables but away from the woods, the flourish of the gardens in sight. As he said, the guards were light. Enough to cover all areas of the castle but clearly not of normal numbers. They seemed to be having a good time, even, sparring while one of the commanders barked out criticisms.

"I asked, because I was wondering if you'd like to have a spar. We don't have to today. Whenever. I should get back to sharpening my skills. You would probably not appreciate it if I got out of shape and fat, hm?" He nudged Laurent's side gently with his elbow as he lightly teased. "If you're as well-trained as you say, I think you'll have me on my back quite a bit."

"It's a good idea, having undercover guards. I like it because it encourages a variety of disciplines for the staff, and supplies them with better opportunity. I have always opposed the idea of having helpless servants who know only a single skill. It penalizes everyone." Laurent smiled as they spoke, brows lifting with interest as they entered the training grounds. His sharp eyes took in everything, noting the condition of the guards and their apparent discipline.

"You're absolutely not allowed to get out of shape and fat," Laurent confirmed, though he didn't believe for a minute that there was any danger of it. Not at the rate that the two of them loved to explore and run. "A demonstration, then? I expect your men will enjoy seeing you get a lesson in swordplay." He tapped Gansey's elbow lightly, to draw his attention so he could speak more quietly. "Introduce me to anyone here whom you know by name, please."

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