#s; i know your soul i'll be your home / cygni & basch / tarnishedxknight

[lambofasolidor]

@tarnishedxknight (Basch) sent:

"Your highness? A word?" Basch asked, gesturing for her to join him in his office. It was actually his brother's office, of course, and what he'd found in the desk drawer had caused him to agonize for the better part of an hour on what to do with it. Once Cygni had entered and Basch closed the door for privacy's sake, he held the sealed letter out to her. "I discovered it in Noah's desk early this morn. It is addressed to Lord Larsa. Should I deliver it to him, sight unseen? Or shall I read it first, lest it contain something that might upset him? My brother's mind may not have been fully stable towards the end, due to his nethicite poisoning, and if he wrote this recently, the gods only know what it could contain. I am torn between respecting Lord Larsa's privacy, and my brother's as well, and protecting the young lord from more heartache. You know your lord brother far better than I, and so I thought it best to ask your advice."

Cygni turned her head at the sound of Gabranth's voice and nodded - a slight crease in her brow. "Of- of course, your Hon-Honor." They were always mindful of their visits, careful to prevent rumors from spreading of their affections, so for him to ask to speak to her...

Anxiety twisted in her gut as she followed him into his office, her mind running with what it was that he needed to speak to her so urgently. Had he found something that put her brother at risk? Was there suspicion that Gabranth was not who he said he was? She knew how hard it was for Basch to adjust to acting like his brother, but, gods, she wasn't sure what to do if someone found out.

But before she could even question him what was wrong, Basch had shut the door and... held out a letter. Puzzled, Cygni shot him a quizzical glance, her heart still hammering in her chest, and took the letter from him turning it in her hands as she examined for anything of importance. It was sealed, so it couldn't have been the contents that bothered him. So what...?

She stopped - eyes glued to the name it was addressed to. Larsa? In Gabranth's handwriting no less. Her gaze snapped back up to Basch as he spoke, her brow furrowing tighter, and canted her head. Unsure what to make of it, and... unsure how to handle it. A part of her wanted nothing more than to open it - to read its contents and determine if it was wise for her brother to see. She knew how much Larsa admired Gabranth, but... he was already dealing with so much at such a young age, and she wanted nothing more than to protect him from further stress--

A heavy breath fell from her lips, and Cygni crossed her arms over her chest in thought - still holding the letter as she gazed at Basch. "I... I- I know not," she admitted. "My- my heart says to pro-protect him and read it- it first, yet... I- I do not wish to- to hurt him by- by reading some-something not addressed to- to us. I- I know how much Ga-Gabranth meant to him, and..." She closed her eyes for a moment to steady herself - to try and think - and let out another breath. Gods, all she wanted was to protect her little brother, but... she failed enough at doing so as it was. Besides, what would they do if they felt the letter shouldn't be shown to him? Hide it? Destroy it and pretend it never existed?

"We- we should give it to- it to him," she said at last, and opened her eyes. "We... can tell- tell him how you- you found it, and give- give him the- the choice of rea-reading it alone or with- with us. I- I wish to spare him the- the heartache, but..." A small, sad smile briefly tugged at her lips, and she shook her head - her heart aching at the thought. "He- he is curious, and ev-ever clever. Somehow, he- he will learn of it, and I- I wish not to- to hide it from- from him. I- I know he will a-appreciate the- the honesty more. Let- let us be there for- for him in-instead."

[lambofasolidor]

@tarnishedxknight (Basch): “You shouldn’t run off like that, your highness.”

Cygni turned at the sound of his voice to look at him, and couldn't stop the small smile from gracing her lips. Couldn't stop the way her head tilted slightly as her eyes filled with warmth, or the way her heart fluttered in her chest. Perhaps it... was less than ideal for her to have such a tender affection for him, but she didn't deny herself to feel such a thing. She was careful with how she handled herself, careful to keep it close to her heart, but... oh, how Basch had captured her attention in a way no one else had. His presence was welcomed, even then, when she had ventured away from their sheltered camp to look up at the stars while the others slept. She had not intended to wake him, yet...

"I- I hardly believe me walk-walking away within eye- eye distance of camp counts as- as me running off," she teased - her voice hushed to keep it from carrying to the others. "But I- I apologize if I- I had disturbed you, Ser- Ser Ronsenburg, for that- that was not my- my intention." She gazed at him for a few moments longer, before she finally turned her head away, and once more turned her attention back up to the stars above. Unable to ignore the way her heart continued to race, although careful to keep herself as composed as ever as she kept her arms crossed loosely over her chest. As she tried to get herself to focus on the sky above, and not the man who stood by her.

She was silent as she stared heavenward, but it was not long until her attention drifted back to Basch. Her expression still soft. Her smile still present. "Do- do not feel like you- you must re-remain here with me," she said gently, "although your- your company is most- most welcome. I- I promise I- I will be returning short-shortly."

[lambofasolidor]

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