Post by kevna on Jan 8, 2022 20:04:32 GMT -5
After Win My Vote
Asirikai - Lord Holder Candidate; Vanisha - CandidateHe considered her over a bite, listening to her soft voice. He had set it up so that some of his afternoons were free for meals with her and had enjoyed the past month and a half with her. This week he had set up more afternoons with her then normal for him. He needed to cleanse himself from his past actions with the pirate woman, and Vanisha was a breath of fresh air. They never interfered with business, and she never seemed concerned about whether he cancelled on her or not. She was so quiet and modest, sweet and uncertain. The way she looked down so demurely, with her amber lashes fluttering against her cheeks, was so tempting. The way she masterfully had him laughing or deeply involved in a conversation was captivating. Vanisha needed a strong hand, and the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to be that strong hand.
She would make the perfect Lady Holder. The picture of elegance, soft hearted, intelligent, kind. It boggled his mind that she had chosen the life of a rider when being a lady was so well suited for her. It stirred him half crazy thinking that her parents had allowed this at all. It was highly inappropriate… Besides, what kind of living circumstances was she in now? He had seen the candidate barracks, and they were far worse then anywhere else. The idea of her sleeping there… He shook his head, annoyed.
Suddenly he realized she had stopped talking. “I’m sorry, Vanisha, my thoughts got away from me. What did you say?” Her responding smile was sympathetic, and she neatly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, which led him to studying her freckled face again, her delicate features, her piercing blue eyes. “No need, my lord. I may have gotten lost talking about the simple routines of my day. What has you distracted?”
He felt a thrill when she called him ‘my lord,’ it felt cleaner coming from her then from… Nalyra. His experience with her had made him feel dirty and low, but powerful and strong all at once. Vanisha was far more comforting company, so pure. He cleared his throat, realizing his thoughts had tried to get away again. “Ah, I was simply considering how candidacy has been treating you.” He leaned forward, intense in his appraisal. “Surely, you cannot be happy here. You deserve to be surrounded by comfort, and warmth. This… cannot be the life you desire.” He gestured around them, though he knew she would understand he meant the life of dragonriding.
Asirikai watched her drop her gaze again, and he clenched his hands to keep from reaching across the table, grabbing her chin, and telling her to stop tempting him with her submissiveness. It was killing him. “Your concern is gracious, Asirikai. It has not been easy adapting, but I truly am getting on well enough. Seeing No'va has been a balm to me.” He clenched his jaw at her words, feeling a twinge when she spoke of her younger brother. He recognized that the twinge was possibly jealousy. With how she spoke of the boy, her generous and tender smiles whenever he was brought up… He wanted to be her balm.
“But surely you see that this lifestyle isn’t appropriate for you. You deserve more. You deserve better.” She deserved him. He had been weak with Nalyra, but he would renew himself. He would make a good Lord Holder and husband. He did not think he loved her yet, but he did admire her, and everything about her attested to the kind of mother and wife she would make. Candidacy was ruined on her, and dragonriding would surely tear her apart.
“Your honor me with your esteem, I truly appreciate your high regard of me. I admit… I have had to be more careful to honor the traditions of my family, but I have not been met with degradation or discourtesy. I have been treated very well, my Lord, and my intention is not to dishonor my family in any way.” He noted her sincerity in her words, though it did not surprise him any. He could not imagine her stooping to dishonor willingly, no, he suspected she would be the victim to it. Dragonriders had little honor when it came to women and tradition. He clearly remembered the brownrider that had attempted to sweep a drunk little Siorreya off to his room and clenched his hands under the table before stretching them out, trying to soothe himself. That wouldn’t happen to Vanisha, he would make sure of it. Once he became Lord Holder, he would have more power to do something, if anything, to protect the amber haired woman.
“I am sure.” He said, nodding slowly-trying to be soothing, though in the eyes of the lady before him, he was hardly that. “My regard for you is hardly selfless, I cannot help myself, truth be told. You have greatly honored me these last few seven-days with your time. I’ve been enjoying my time with you immensely.” He watched with appreciation as her cheeks darkened at his words, and her eyes once again fluttered down before coming back up to meet his again, surely to offer some appreciation over his words. He cut her off as smoothly as he could, continuing, “and I was hoping you would do me the honor of spending some of the Turns end gather with me. I could use a… friend with me when they announce the Lord Holder winner.”
Her lovely blue eyes widened in surprise at the offer, though her surprise was short lived as her composure was regained. He tried to imagine what went through her mind at the invitation, and was sure she was honored and gratified, especially at the smile she bestowed on him. “You are beyond kind Asirikai, I would enjoy standing with you in support.”
“Perfect. Well, I must be off, I have some business to attend to. But I will see you in a few days for our next lunch appointment.” He stood, and she did the same, with an elegance he couldn’t help but appreciated. She curtsied, her skirts pooling around her, and he allowed himself to look her over, his eyes finishing on her face as she lifted herself back up. He grabbed the hand she offered and bent over it, placing a kiss over the back of her hand. Her hands were so soft, but he noticed a certain if slight roughness on her palm. He turned her hand over in his as he straightened, noting a certain redness of overworked hands. His eyebrows rose and he looked at Vanisha questioning, only to cause her fair, freckled cheeks to blossom in red again.
She looked at her hands, or their hands, he was unsure, and he got the feeling she wanted to shrug. “I have been oiling the riding leathers and-it seems my hands are not quite used to it.” She sounded embarrassed, and he couldn’t help but run his thumb over the reddened, pained spots, letting out an unhappy sound. “Go to the infirmary, I’m sure they can help relieve some of the pain.” His voice brooked no room for argument. Then realizing he still held her hand, he brushed his thumb over the palm of her hand once more, before releasing it reluctantly.
“Of course, my lord.” Vanisha’s reply was demure, and she offered one more curtsy to him. He left her then, before she could fully stand, and he get caught in those blue eyes. He had business to attend to. The fact that he looked forward to seeing her again didn’t bother him, she never seemed to get in his way, and his time with her was rejuvenating, but not distracting. Yes, he would see her again, and mayhap try to increase the amount of time he spent with her, if his work allowed. Asirikai doubted it would be a problem. Not for more time with her. Yes, she was quite the soothing balm he needed beside him. His balm.
