forum The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

Started October 31, 2021 by Deleted user

tune

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Arquis firmly shook his head and gave their cheeks a very soft squeeze. “Please do not apologize, love. You have said it yourself before. We will both have good days and bad days, and I will be here for you through all of them.”

He let his hands fall to his sides and shifted so that he was sitting cross-legged on the bed. While he wanted to hold Rin forever, they really should eat soon. He passed their plate over to him with another soothing smile, briefly checking their expression in case he needed something. Anything.

Outside, the onslaught of hail increased. It rattled the window and pummeled into the roof above like an erratic drumbeat. Arquis hoped that nobody was caught outside in it, as they’d likely end up in a rather bad way.

Rin nodded faintly, taking the plate and glancing at the window for a moment, then over at Arquis again. "Thank you." they said in a soft voice, taking a bite of their food and closing his eyes. He had a much better handle on himself now, and seemed calmer. There had just been those few minutes of panic and pain, but he was fine.

“You are very welcome, love,” Arquis responded. He was glad to see that they seemed to be feeling better. If not fully, then at least somewhat.

Eating was a slow process. Arquis had to put gloves on to do it, as he couldn’t stand the sight of his bare hands touching food. He actually took the time to switch to a different, clean pair from his luggage and then looked down at his plate. He’d nibbled at the fruit until it was gone, then ate one or two of the tiny sandwiches. That would have to be good enough. He unwrapped the cake pop and observed it for a moment. Dark chocolate cake with a cherry ganache coating. He bit off a piece, then another, pleasantly surprised by the taste.

He ate his food quietly, sitting on the bed. He still wished there was something, anything, he could do to help Honey. But they didn't know what they could possibly do, what they could say to him to get Honey to accept help from someone. Anyone, really.

Arquis stretched once he’d finished the cake pop and picked up his plate, then hesitated. Honey hadn’t said what to do with their dishes when they’d finished. Should he leave it outside the door and hope that the maid service came across it, or would that be considered rude? The cleaning service had come and taken the plates from earlier while they were at the spa, but that didn’t mean that they should have to do so every time.

He looked over to his partner. Rin had been rather quiet during dinner, and while he didn’t think they were on the verge of an attack any longer, he was still concerned.

“Perhaps we should take the dishes to the kitchen,” he suggested in a quiet voice, so as not to startle him. “And if we see Lovey along the way, we can talk to her about her brother.”

Rin looked over at him, taking a deep breath and nodding faintly. "Yeah. That's, uhm, a good idea." he replied slowly. Once he had finished, he gathered up his plates and such, then stood up from the bed. "We could also check the front desk and see if she's there." they wanted to help Honey, if they could. Even if it was hard.

Arquis agreed and followed suit, scooping up his plate as he stood. Before they left, he put on one of the extra masks. This one was a plain red. Not very attractive or elegant, but it would do the trick, he supposed. They likely wouldn’t be out for long. He handed one to Rin as well before heading out the door.

The front desk was on the way to the kitchen. He, like Rin, was hoping to see Lovey there, but instead found another woman in the seat. She looked familiar, and he realized after a second that he’d seen her before. She’d been the one to give him instructions to the dining hall. He tried to recall her name before addressing her.

“Good evening. Divinity, correct?”

She clicked her nails on the desk and smiled. “That’s right, doll. Is there something I can help you two with?”

“I was wondering if Lovey was around. She was here earlier, I believe, but I have not seen her since. Is there any chance that we could speak with her?”

“Lovey? Oh, I don’t think so, sorry. She’s taking the night off to rest.” Pityingly, she added, “I think she’s having a migraine, the poor girl. She gets those quite a bit.”

“Is Honey here, then?”

Divinity’s expression morphed. He thought it was close to jealousy, but no, that wasn’t quite it. Whatever it was, it was hard to decipher.

“Honey’s already busy tonight. I’d tell you what room he’s in, but the person he was with didn’t want anyone interrupting.”

Rin put the mask on, and was quiet while Arquis spoke to Divinity. At Divinity's words, they frowned very faintly. Sure, not wanting anyone interrupting could be harmless; most people didn't want others intruding during sex, but…with what they suspected was happening to Honey, it took on a more sinister undertone. "Well, ah…can you pass on a message to him for us?" they asked softly. "It's…just tell him our offer from earlier still stands." they knew Divinity would assume that it was a sexual thing, but they didn't really care. "And that I understand." again; it wouldn't make sense to Divinity, but hopefully it would to Honey.

Divinity whipped out a sparkly quill and some paper, then scrawled down their instructions. Her tongue swept over her bottom lip as she wrote. Her handwriting was small and loopy.

When she was finished, she stopped and looked back at him through her mask. She frowned slightly. “I’m really sorry if it’s an inconvenience, but Honey told me his schedule earlier, and it sounds like he’ll be pretty busy for the next few nights. He’s very popular around here; people request him all the time. You two might not get a private audience with him until next week.”

Leaden sorrow sank to the bottom of Arquis’s stomach. The following week? Each day Honey was working, he was at risk. Who knew how fast the scum that hurt him would escalate?

“I can still deliver your message, though. Is there anything else you want me to write?”

"That's fine." Rin replied softly. "We can wait. We just wanted him to get the message." he didn't know if he should tell Divinity their suspicions or not. What if they were wrong? What if Honey was fine, and everything was consensual? It didn't seem like it…but…he shook his head rapidly, taking a deep breath. "That's all."

Arquis watched his partner for a moment, then nodded at Divinity. She pinched the note to fold it and slipped it down the front of her dress. He politely averted his eyes until she tapped her nails on the desk again, all five in a sequence.

“Thank you for your assistance,” he said before placing his free hand on Rin’s back. He walked with him out of the front area, gently stroking that spot to soothe them.

Once they were out of earshot, Arquis stopped and turned to them. “That was rather unfortunate. Are you quite alright, my love?”

Rin nodded faintly. "I'm fine. Just worried." they replied softly, taking a step closer so that they could lean their head on Arquis's shoulder, seeking comfort in that physical touch. "Sorry if I stressed you out or anything." he hoped Honey understood the message; he couldn't be clear in it, since he wasn't sure what to say to Divinity, but hopefully it would make sense to Honey.

(oof sorry btw for all the Honey content)

Arquis smiled. Not because they were worried, but because he loved getting the chance to hold him. He enveloped them in a warm, safe hug. It didn’t last for long—they couldn’t stay in the hallway forever—but he continued to stick close to them as he moved onwards to the kitchen.

“You did not stress me out, my dear,” he assured them. “But I do agree with you. It seems the situation is worse than we had anticipated. The fact that Honey does not seem to have much time to himself, that he is constantly at the beck and call of others… it is very worrying, indeed.”

(nah you're good, I love good side characters)

He nodded faintly. "It's…I hope he understands the message. I didn't want to go into detail with Divinity, but…I want to help." their voice was quiet as they looked up at Arquis again. "I don't want him to think he has to deal with…with this alone. Just because we aren't going to sleep with him doesn't mean we can't help. Or at least, I'd like to try." they couldn't bear to think of Honey being used and abused by even one person, let alone more than one. Sure, the circumstances here were different: Honey was an adult and this was his job, versus Rin had been a young teen being groomed and taken advantage of, but in the end it was still abuse, it was still pain.

(yeah, I really like him haha and plus it’s nice to have another plot going on to fill some time at the inn)

“I know. The thought of leaving here with him in such a bad state makes me ill.” Arquis shuddered. Honey was odd, but he definitely didn’t deserve to be treated with cruelty. Especially not when he was in such a vulnerable position.

They reached the kitchen, where an older, slim man with salt-and-pepper hair took their plates. He thanked them for being kind enough to bring them in. Arquis was a little too distracted to engage in a full conversation with him, but he made it clear that he appreciated the chef’s skill and hard work.

By the time they walked out, he had an idea. “Divinity said that Lovey had a migraine, but she did not say that she was actually sick. It is possible that we could talk to her in the morning, if she is restored to health. Perhaps she will know her brother’s location and help us talk to him.”

(haha yeah!)

Rin was quiet as they brought their plates to the kitchen, but nodded a little at Arquis's words. "Yes, that…that might work." he said softly. "I know that, uhm, Honey didn't want to tell anyone, but…someone has to find out and help him." they shook their head a little bit, brows gathering together again.

“There are many reasons for why Honey might not wish to speak up, but none are more important than his safety,” Arquis agreed. When he saw the tension growing in their forehead, he gently ran his thumb across his brow, smoothing out the creases. The look he gave them was full of soft sympathy.

“One way or another, we are going to help him. I promise, love. If Lovey is not around in the morning, then we will find another way. I am not above going and knocking on every door until we find him.”

They leaned into Arquis's hand, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Thank you. I'm, uhm, sorry if I have stressed you out with my anxiety about this." He said, giving the nobleman a faint, tiny smile. "I did not mean to…be like this." They cleared their throat softly, shaking his head for a moment.

“You have done no such thing, my dear, and even if you had, you would not have to apologize for it. This is a sensitive topic. It has made me quite anxious as well.”

Arquis began to walk forward again. He offered his arm to Rin. They could take it if they felt like it, but there was no pressure. He very much wanted to give them comfort still, though if the two of them stayed in the hall for too much longer, someone would inevitably come by.

“What would you like to do when we return to the room?” he asked, wanting to distract from Honey. There was nothing they could do about that situation until morning; dwelling on it might just make them more upset.

He took Arquis's arm, taking a deep breath. "Right. Uhm. When we get back, I need to finish my letter to Ari." he said slowly, considering it for a moment. "And…we can do whatever else that you would like to do." they gave Arquis a faint, slightly weak smile.

Arquis was thrilled at their proximity, but he was saddened by the weakness of his smile. “Would you like some privacy so that you can write? I might take another bath. They tend to help, especially since it is still very cold outside.”

The truth was that he had no idea what to do with all of this free time. He’d never had so much of it before. He felt like a marionette doll that’d been dumped into a cabinet, abandoned to collect dust. For years he’d been yanked around, forced to put on a performance for the wealthy and powerful. There were always letters to write and gifts to send, events to arrange and parties to attend. Quirisa never did her part and Marsiquia was too young to be involved in most of the Palace’s big decisions, so he’d had to carry most of the work load. And that was outside of his already rigorous education schedule. It was a miracle he’d ever found any time for himself.

He shrugged a little bit. "I don't need privacy, but, uhm, yes. You can take a bath if you like." he replied, walking with Arquis as the two headed back to their room. "Thank you, darling." they also wanted to play some music, if they could; their lute probably needed to be retuned after being in the cold and sitting on the floor in its case.

Arquis nodded, but he was too deep in thought to say anything more on the matter. They eventually passed by Divinity, who gave them a wave and a smile, before reaching their room. Everything was exactly as they’d left it.

He took a pair of clean clothes from his luggage and folded it into a neat stack. It smelled of lavender. He breathed in the familiar aroma with closed eyes, as if savoring a particularly flavorful meal. For some reason, he was almost homesick. He didn’t really miss the Palace, but he missed the familiarity of it and the potential of what it could have been. When he was a really young child, he’d imagined that he’d travel the world, meet a beautiful bride, and return to take care of his parents in their old age. He’d also imagined selling his art and becoming a distinguished painter. For just a moment, he basked in that childish fantasy, then let it go.

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything, love,” he murmured.

He took a deep breath, picking up the note supplies and giving Arquis a faint smile. "I will. Go take your bath, darling." they replied softly, sitting down on the bed and leaning back against the headboard. "And…thank you, love. For everything." he picked up his pen, uncapping it and getting to work on his letter.

Arquis turned his head to look at them for a moment, then smiled. “Of course.”

The bathroom was much colder than he’d expected. The tiles were icy, and he had to resist the urge to hop from foot to foot as he went to turn on the tub. Even the counter, which he tentatively leaned against, was freezing. He was glad to find that the water grew hot rather quickly; he wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time waiting for it to get warm.

Once the tub was ready, he began to get out of his clothes. He hesitated when it came to his shirt and undergarments. Rin was in the other room, so they technically wouldn’t see him undress. But what if he had an issue and needed Arquis for something? Or what if he decided he wanted to join, as he had the other night? Surely they would knock, and he would have enough time to make himself decent before letting him inside. He dumped in enough bubble soap to obscure anything below just in case they didn’t—emergencies did happen, after all—and finished getting prepared. Then, he lowered himself into the water.

Rin worked on his letter, pouring out some of his frustrations in the letter to his best friend. Ari might be able to give them some advice, but at least he would be there. The two had been friends for years, and Ari had been there for them since they were both very young. So Ari was used to hearing Rin talk about things, though not usually or always about abuse, whether or himself or of others. Rin just wanted to talk with someone else about what was going on with Honey; get an outsider's advice.

Arquis sank into the hot water with a long, appreciative sigh. His body wasn’t particularly sore, but his lungs were still struggling with the cold air. It had been better that day because he hadn’t gone outside much, though it wasn’t just the weather that had been troubling him. The nightmare lingered in the back of his mind like a sour smell, popping in when he least wanted. Sometimes, he swore he could still feel scratchy pillow stuffing clogging up his throat.

And then there was the matter of Honey. Mentally, he recalled the way the man had acted around them. He wondered who had put it in his head that his primary use was to serve others—or that he should have a use at all. Arquis understood what it was like to feel in debt to another, to feel that one was only good for completing tasks. But this situation was somewhat different. It was closer to what Rin had gone through than himself, and he felt horrible that Honey felt trapped in it. He didn’t simply just not have help; he’d made himself believe that he didn’t want it, either.

The swirling thoughts began to feel heavy in Arquis’s mind, and he tipped his head back onto the edge of the tub. A few seconds passed. His eyelids began to drift shut. Somewhere deep down, he knew that it was a bad idea to fall asleep around water. He also knew that he’d gotten plenty of sleep already and that he should be productive in some way. But the exhaustion that seeped into him didn’t care about these facts. Before long, he was asleep.

(timeskip?)

Rin kept writing, letting out a soft sigh as he kept writing his letter to Ari, spilling about all the different things that had happened to him in the past few weeks. It was…a lot, and the letter got longer than it normally was. He took a deep breath, then folded it up and picked up a battered, beaten envelope that looked like it had been to hell and back. It was one of two identical envelopes; Ari had the other envelope, and somehow the other man's magic connected the two. A letter put into one envelope appeared in the other. So Rin put his folded letter into the envelope and closed it up, then set it aside again.

(wait Arquis might drown if there’s a big time skip lol but I’ll do a mini one and then we can maybe do a bigger one in a bit if that sounds good!)

An unknown amount of time passed before Arquis woke up again, and he only did so because his head hit the water. He jolted awake, grabbing the sides of the tub with both hands and letting out a sharp, terrified gasp. His vision took some time to clear due to the water dripping into his eyes from his soaking hair. Because he couldn’t see clearly, he was certain that he was in the scene from his earlier nightmare. Drowning. Alone. Unable to speak, barely able to think.

The last of the soap cleared out of his gaze. He remembered where he’d been and what he’d been doing before he fell asleep. Still trembling from fear, he cupped his hands over his face and took a few deep, steadying breaths. The echo of it sounded loud in his ears, but not louder than his pounding heartbeat. Which didn’t make sense. He was fine. Everything was fine. He wasn’t dying. He was fine.

(lol oof)

Rin was reading again, curled across the bed with his book in his hands. Every now and again he would glance up, look around, then return to reading as he waited for Arquis to be done in the bathroom. He knew Ari would see the letter sooner or later, and so he could expect a response in a few days from now. Ari liked to take his time in writing responses sometimes, and Rin didn't mind that.