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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 14, 2023 19:43:45 GMT -5
Jasper didn't want to bring more guards. Not because he thought they weren't needed but because more armed soldiers wasn't the impression he was trying to give off. If this was meant to be any kind of peace talk a small army riding in behind him would only seem like an active threat if not an all out call for war. They might not even make it to the Lutrian camps before their raiders decide to take that sight off as a threat. Which wasn't what the Prince wanted. So he let out a sigh and dragged his fingers through his hair.
Only to look up and notice Hunt getting undressed. For a moment he let his eyes wander across this body. The way the light of the flames played on his skin. His taught muscles and soft scars that made him want to reach out and....no. Jasper quickly averted his eyes again as his cheeks painted a soft pink color. Honestly what was wrong with him? Plenty of other men, other handsome soldiers, he'd had no problem with. He could see them get undressed and not bat an eye. Now he had to control himself. Like some horny teenager who couldn't keep his hands to himself.
"I'll let you get some rest then." He said as he stood and grabbed their things to hand to a servant. "I would like to see you tomorrow morning." He added with a small smile. Though he still didn't pull his eyes to Hunt. "Sleep well." He said softly before he moved and headed out of the door.
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Exile
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 14, 2023 20:08:27 GMT -5
Hunt didn't notice the man's blush or hesitation. He didn't mind being seen, just touched. With a stretch, he scratched a hand through his hair half turned around, watching the Prince not meet his eyes. He wasn't sure why, but considering this conversation hadn't gone how the other man wanted, Hunt wasn't surprised.
He nodded. The captain expected he would be up early, if he got to sleep at all like this. Looking at the bed, he actually considered he might get too much sleep. It had been months since he slept on any kind of mattress, let alone a full bed. It wasn't as if the Prince didn't know where to find him.
"Good night, Highness." He said softly, considering him for a moment and the way he avoided looking at him. He didn't move until the man had left, letting out a long breath.
He moved to the door, checking it for a lock or anything he could throw because he had no desire for anymore guests until the morning. He limped back to the bed, moving his cloak and other gear aside. He moved to the small window, watching the dark sky for the moment. He would have loled to meditate and stretch but it was far too late for the former and he was certain the later did not count as resting. So instead, he did his best to settle on the bed and relax. Kaz would make fun of him if he didn't enjoy the comforts of the palace while he was here.
Hunt struggled to sleep with the ache and burning in his leg and side, but once he got there, he was out, exhausted from a long day and many long nights before. He woke at dawn, late for his normal, pulling himself up and biting back a wince of pain from his wounds.
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 14, 2023 23:29:45 GMT -5
Jasper gave the plates to a servant before making it across the palace back to his own chambers. Where he stripped down and flopped face first into the warmth and comfort of his familiar bed. Doing his best not to think about the scout. Or how good it would have felt just to reach out and touch him. He felt like a starving man banished from eating at a feast. This was torment. Torment he was causing himself. If he really wanted he could have some cute, sweet, serving boy or some closeted noble. But he didn't want just some one nightstand.
Eventually he managed to fall asleep, later than usual. He awoke just an hour or two before dawn. He had his own bath, dressed, pulled his hair back, and went to start his day. While he would have liked to eat breakfast he kind of wanted to do that with Hunt. Just as a chance to have another meal and talk with him before he left again. When he hadn't seen the Captain yet he grabbed the plates of sausage, eggs, and some buttered toast and moved down to the room he'd been staying in with a servant and two guards behind him.
The servant knocked on the doors lightly. "Captain Valier, are you awake?"
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 14, 2023 23:52:53 GMT -5
It was a bit jarring, sleeping in a bed. He misjudged the distance to the floor, slamming his weight down and nearly rolling an ankle. Least he hadn't rolled out of bed in the middle of the night or had any nightmares. Not that he recalled, anyway.
More jarring was that he couldn't immediately feel the sun on his skin. He shuffled to the window, undoing the latch and pushing it open. He paused, closing his eyes and soaking in the sun for a moment while he woke up. He supposed he could walk to the nearest courtyard. But that risked any number of nobles and servants and slaves and guards accosting him for something or other. More likely they would assume he shouldn't be there, as he was clearly out of place in his northern region uniform and lack of noble rank. So instead, he leaned out the window, took in the view of the yard beyond, and then looked up toward the roof. There was enough of a sill and lip above that he would wager he could haul himself up onto the eaves. Just to spend a few moments stretching out and warming up. Never mind that it was chilly and windy out.
Hunt didn't at all miss Kaz tempering his riskier ideas. So he collected his shirt and boots first and then hoisted himself up with a grunt, turning once he was on the sill to grab the lip of stone above. He threw one elbow onto the roof tiles above that and then got his left knee up, easing his tender right side up after. Hunt surveyed the small section of roof, looking up and over at the other layer towers and walkways and grand halls. The tree of the throne room loomed across the way and smaller treetops indicated a few open areas on the palace grounds.
The scout settled back on the roof with a sigh, stretching out and tucking his arms under his head. It was relaxing. At least until he heard what he suspected was knocking on the door below him. The locked door below him. He sat up and debated climbing back down, but for the moment, he didn't move.
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 15, 2023 0:20:34 GMT -5
When there was no answer the servant stopped. "Perhaps he left early, sir?" No that didn't seem right. Jasper had said he'd wanted to see the man in the morning before he left. And he'd even been the one to ask in the first place. So he didn't think that Hunt would just leave early to avoid him. Or perhaps he would. Either way he might as well check. Worst case scenario he was just gone after all. "Well, how about we check first?" After the servant tried to open the door to find it locked the Prince snickered softly.
The servant produced a ring of keys and grabbed one to unlock the door. Once unlocked they opened it and allowed Jasper to step in. Sure enough the Captain was nowhere to be found. But his sword was. Given how he'd seen him use a blade that didn't seem like something he'd just casually forget to grab before he left. "That'll be all thank you." He said as he set the plates on a small table and motioned for the servant to close the door.
"I don't suppose you'd like some food before hitting the road." He called out as he moved to sit on the end of the bed. Jasper wasn't sure if Hunt was actually in the room but it was worth a shot. "It's still hot, and this time it's fresh."
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 15, 2023 0:38:40 GMT -5
Hunt hadn't been sure when to expect the Prince to call for him. Morning was a rather vague time. But he supposed he wasn't surprised it was just after dawn. Though upon hearing the Prince's voice, he was surprised the man arrived in person. The man seemed quite taken with him, one way or another. The notion wasn't all that comforting.
He could just make out the words. A peace offering of some sort of hot breakfast, the thought of which made his stomach rumble. The smell of seasoned sausage and eggs made his mouth water. As much has he would have preferred to stay here a bit longer, he supposed even he wasn't convinced he could climb up here with a plate of food. He moved to the edge of the roof, legs dangling over the ledge for a moment. Down was a bit more awkward with his injury, but he managed to swing himself feet first into the open window, only stumbling on the landing a little.
The room was chilly, the fire having gone out long ago in the night and any residual heat dissipated through the open window. He considering the man sitting on the end of the bed. "Highness, good morning." he glanced over at the food and back to him. Hunt felt very underdressed. Last night after a bath and wanting to sleep was one thing, but now... "I thought you would simply send for me," he said, not saying a word about why he had come through the window.
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 15, 2023 15:11:01 GMT -5
First came the sound of shuffling on a roof somewhere. Then Jasper looked over to find two legs dangling down in front of the open window. When Hunt came swinging through the Prince almost stood up to help catch him. Only to decide that would probably be unwelcomed so he stayed where he was sitting. "Getting a tour of the grounds are we?" He asked teasingly with a small grin. "Good morning, Captain." Yes he could have easily just sent a servant to fetch the man for him. But he wanted to get him himself.
He stood from the bed and motioned to where the plates of food her sitting. Cooking rather quickly in the cool room. "Should eat quick, so I can keep my promise about it being hot." He said with a chuckle as he picked up his own plate. There was something he'd been thinking about last night and he wanted to talk to Hunt about it. One more effort to get the man to join him to Lutra. "Did you sleep well?" He asked first as he picked up one of the sausage to take a bite.
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 15, 2023 15:40:02 GMT -5
As much as the landing hurt, he was much happier to have done it under his own power. He shrugged. "In a manner of speaking," Hunt said, turning to close and relock the window. Especially with his own body temperature raised, he didn't notice the cold outside or inside the room.
He looked over the plates again, finding the Prince's casual demeanor more and more odd. He would have thought they would eat somewhere...with a real table. More public, more seconds. Still, he wouldn't complain about warm breakfast. He ate standing up half the time anyway. The captain stepped over to pick up one of the plates, moving back to lean again the fireplace while he used his fingers instead of a fork, setting the egg on top of the toast and eating it like an open faced sandwich. He moaned softly in enjoyment. He loved eggs and never had them enough.
He swallowed and cleared his throat. "I did. You look like you could have slept better," he noted before returning his attention to his food. Clearly he wasn't hanging on the man's every word.
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 16, 2023 23:31:59 GMT -5
They could have very easily eaten somewhere more public. He could have had a servant go to fetch him, taken him to the dinning hall. They could have had breakfast surrounded by guards and servants and Red Guards and likely his family or other visiting nobles and diplomats. But that wasn't what Jasper wanted. And even that had little to do with how he'd latched himself onto the Captain. Most of it had to do with the manner of conversation he wanted to have with the man.
He found it odd the man decided to stand while he ate. Not that he hadn't done it himself before. Especially while he'd been serving. But it wasn't as if he had to. If that's what the man wanted though then he wouldn't tell him otherwise. "Admittedly I found it difficult to fall asleep last night." He said as he cut into the yolk of an egg. "I was up thinking about what we'd talked about." He dipped some of his toast into the runny yolk and took a bite.
"The reason I don't want to just bring more guards is because that kind of force could be misconstrued and taken as a threat." He explained as he took another bite of his food. Hungrier than he thought he was. "I don't want to risk there being a problem before I'm even able to get to talk to anyone." Quantity was not inherently better over quality. Though bringing more guards could solve one problem it could also very easily start another. "But I am still worried about the people traveling with me that are not fighters."
Jasper turned his eyes up to the man. "So I wanted to ask, would you join me on my trip to Lutra as my guard?" If he knew his other guards would take care of his friends then he wouldn't have to worry about them. Plus, he was only one man and he wasn't entirely helpless in a fight. "If my guards are taking care of the people I care about, I don't have to worry about them and can focus on my own safety. And I'm one man, I hardly need seven guards if I have one who's good at his job."
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 17, 2023 0:14:05 GMT -5
The Prince's insistence that they be alone over and over again had him more and more uncomfortable. Not with the Prince exactly, but Hunt still wasn't certain he wanted so much of the man's attention. Standing was more about trying to preserve that distance again, as well as simply feeling more normal. He could move a lot more quickly from a standing position, if necessary.
He once again finished his meal long before the Prince did, setting the plate on the side table and licking his fingers clean, not in the slightest concerned with his poor manners in present company. He'd shown some capacity for etiquette the night before, at least proving he knew more than he let on. Hunt grunted softly in understanding, but didn't interrupt. Whatever had kept this man up last night was likely not a good thing for an exiled captain. He had a bad feeling about where this was going.
Hearing his simple, small change of asking Hunt to be his guard, while not what he had feared the man was about to say, was worse. "I'd rather he threaten to deport me," he grumbled in indecipherable Taknieri. The young man sighed. He shifted back to Imperial. "Is this not a job for a Warden?" He asked guardedly, though his question was more accurately asking if the Prince hadn't found one yet. Officially, it didn't matter until whenever his coronation took place. But that seemed an inopportune time to find a fast friend and ally. "Is this what you are asking of me, Highness?" |
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 17, 2023 0:34:50 GMT -5
There hadn't been many times Jasper felt the need to cut the gap between him and Hunt. All of those times had included the man being injured and the Prince wanting to check on him. That wasn't to say he didn't want to close the space between them. But that was different. And inappropriate. So he didn't bother asking the man to sit down with him or even ask why he was standing.
The Taknieri he didn't recognize but he knew a gripe when he heard one. It was enough to make him smile a bit. Not sure if he was being insulted or if the man was just complaining about the predicament. Because, if Jasper really wanted, he could just order to have Hunt in his party. But that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to force anything on anyone. Not if he could help it. Though the question on if this would be better suited for a Warden made him scoff. "I completely agree it would be better, if I had a Warden." Which was to say he didn't even have a candidate at the moment.
Jasper set his plate down and stood up with a sigh. "Finding a Warden has been....a challenge." That was putting it lightly. "I am not expecting you to want to suddenly become a candidate." He wasn't sure how keen the Taknieri man was at taking such a political stance with the future King of another country his home had strained relations with. "I'm saying I trust you and if things fall apart I'd like knowing I don't have to worry about the man next to me." He took a step closer, still keeping that space between them but he wanted to show he was both serious and sincere.
"Join me as my guard, please."
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 17, 2023 0:58:08 GMT -5
Hunt noted that the man sidestepped around the implication. Not that he had really expected him to ask him then and there to fulfill such a heavy and important role. They were still largely strangers to each other, after all. Even as he explained his current lack of one, he didn't directly ask. It was rather noble of him. Or perhaps the right word was 'romantic.' To hope for someone perfectly suited for the role and who meshed well with the Prince to simply appear. Hunt couldn't imagine the pressure of finding such a person. It was a strange custom of Manthirans. But, at the same time...if the Prince did find the right person, he imagined it could be quite fulfilling, to have a true friend. And potentially painful. Not that any of it mattered, considering Hunt wasn't Manthiran. A foreign Warden was unheard of.
He grimaced, meeting the man's gaze as he confessed to trusting him. After merely two meetings? Clearly the Prince wanted more from him than just to be a guard for this one trip. He held his ground, still leaning on the stone of the fireplace. He crossed his arms subconsciously, considering the blonde for a long moment. He might not be willing to risk his life for strangers and an unsound diplomatic mission. But for Jasper...that was different.
Not for the first time, but certainly the most recently, Hunt regretted not buying passage on a ship headed south or west.
"Fine, I accept," he said, pausing for a moment. "On the condition that I am your guard. There will be no ordering me away or stepping in front of me." Not like he had seen the man do with his guards when they visited the tavern. And if the Prince wanted to step in and be a sword and shield to his friends, that was understandable, but Hunt would be a sword and shield to him beyond that. "And that you compensate me," he added. |
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 17, 2023 1:11:55 GMT -5
It was in fact a tall order to ask. To expect to find someone who could fit with him emotionally and mentally. Who could be a trusted friend as well as an exceptional guard. Someone who knew and understood Manthrian law, social cues, history, policies. But this was more than just another soldier. More than another Red Guard. This was one person who would have more access to him as a King than anyone would. A foreign Warden was unheard of but a female Warden had already caused one stir. Shouldn't Jasper always be looking to go above and beyond his father?
But he wasn't going to ask that of Hunt. Mostly because he wasn't close with the man. They'd spent little time together and while Jasper trusted him enough to be his guard being a Warden was an entirely different hurdle. When he accepted the Prince smiled until he started making conditions. A more playful grin crossed his lips. If only because most people wouldn't dare go making such demands of the Prince.
"Deal." He said easily. Not worried about what compensation the man wanted. "Name your price and I'll pay you half before we leave and half once we return."
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Post by Hunt Valier on Apr 17, 2023 1:30:56 GMT -5
Were he someone else, this would have been a good trial run. That the Prince was asking him rather than some loyal nobles' son, likely meant he was having a poor time finding that companion. Hunt didn't blame him for that. However, he did blame him for asking him.
He wanted the opposite of access to the future king. Wanted to be far away from him and not on such speaking terms. But since he was here and they were speaking, Hunt would say whatever he wanted. Partly in the hopes the man would recind his offer. Partly because he was proving a point. Though seeing that frustratingly handsome smile cross his lips made that point rather moot. Hunt's grimace became a full on frown.
Well, his easy agreement was a small relief. The captain was a fan of doing a job right. He imagined the Prince would say anything to have his way and that promise given now might not hold in the moment. But it was enough. He shook his head. "Pay me when we get back. I'll decide how much you owe me then." He didn't have any use for money, much as Kaz would disagree. And he was confident that he could return the man in one piece. He trusted the Prince to be a man of his word on coin, at least.
"I still think this mission is folly," he added, moving away from the fireplace and the Prince. His first step with his right leg left him staggering but then he pulled his balance back in with a sharp intake of air. Hunt collected his uniform and began pulling it on. "When do you leave?" He wanted sure if he had time to return to Wolvestadt or if he should end a letter to Kaz so the man didn't panic when he was gone for longer than he said.
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Post by Jasper Rost on Apr 17, 2023 1:44:49 GMT -5
The comment of not wanting any sort of payment right away made him quirk his brow curiously. "Very well." He said easily enough. If there was one thing about the Prince it was that he was a man of his word. Especially when coin was involved. He watched him pull his armor back on and let his eyes wander up and down his frame. "Is that the only armor you have?" He asked curiously
The comment on his plan made him chuckle a bit. He didn't blame him for thinking this a fools errand. But he had to try something. "I need to speak with my father first and we should be heading out within the next fortnight." After his father got the people together that he wanted to send as well. "I can send for you when everything is ready."
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