Once he had a fire going, he ventured out into the rain one last time to fetch his poor berries and fill a bucket of water.He had a simple pipe system at the top of the tower, connected to rain barrels on the roof, another laborious project that had taken him a couple of days, but as he was right here by the creek and they wouldn't need much, this was easier.
With all those chores attended, he finally hauled all the way up the stairs, taking the stranger's wet clothes with him.Stripping off his own sodden clothes, he hung everything up to dry, changed into a set of spare clothes he kept in the tower for precisely this reason, and dealt with his hair.Once it was mostly dry, he pulled it loosely back and returned to the bottom floor.
He froze as he reached the final few steps.The stranger was awake, dressed, and sitting by the fire.
Aurélien looked him over, finally taking in all he hadn't really noticed before because saving a life and getting everyone to safety tended to be pretty all-consuming.
The man was handsome, beautiful even, with warm brown skin and long, thick, dark brown hair that he'd woven into a single thick braid.He was in need of a shave or trim, but the scruffy look suited him.He looked up at the sound of Aurélien's movements, revealing eyes that were the same blue-green as a summer ocean.Aurélien had only visited the ocean twice, the last when he was seventeen, but he would remember that bright, vivid color for as long as he lived.He hadn't known a person's eyes could be the very same color.
Looking at him set something in Aurélien's chest to fluttering, made his stomach twist itself into knots.He never wanted to look away, just drink in the man's beauty, his compelling presence, for as long as he was permitted.
Of course he had to meet such a fascinating, beautiful man in the middle of the forest, in the midst of a storm, while he looked like a bedraggled rat and the man was recovering from serious injury.Of coursethey couldn't meet while Aurélien was looking his best, could ask him to dance, sit next to him at a fine dinner…
Shoving away his idiotic thoughts, Aurélien said, "Hello, how are you feeling?"
Pushing hastily to his feet, the man said in a deep, faintly rough voice, "Thank you for helping me, stranger.I am greatly in your debt.However did you chance upon me all the way out here?"
"I was picking berries by the creek.I heard you scream.Are you feeling all right?"
"Very well, thanks to you.Sit, please.I've got water on for tea and food aplenty to share in my pack if you're hungry.I'm Keone."
"Aurélien.I'm glad you're all right.What happened?"
The man grimaced as they sat down."I was surprised by a bristled ogre.Bastard nearly got me too."
That made Aurélien wince, because bristled ogres were particularly nasty and territorial.They didn't normally venture anywhere near this part of the forest, though, as far too many people used it, and ogres in general preferred to stay far away from the only real threat facing them.
Would explain the destruction, though it would have needed to be a particularly large bristled ogre, and why only Keone had been around.The ogre had probably decided the matter settled and wandered off back to its territory."I'm so sorry that happened.Can I ask, um, why you…weren't dressed?"
Laughing, Keone said sheepishly, "I was in the middle of changing.I fell in some pretty foul mushrooms a little while ago and finally couldn't bear it anymore.I was changing, planning to wash the clothes, and then…"
"Oh, well, I guess the rain took care of that, because I didn't notice a smell at all."Which was impressive, because if they were the mushrooms he was thinking of, they normally left clothes reeking for days and often stained the clothes, ruining them anyway.Keone had gotten damned lucky, all things considered."They're upstairs drying.I'll fetch them down when the storm stops, though at this point, it's getting dark, so we might be stuck here till morning."
"I've had worse evenings than this," Keone replied with an easy smile as he poured them tea."So what are your plans for the berries?Preserving?Baking?"
"Dyeing, actually.I've some silk thread I want to dye pink and purple to turn into flowers on my tapestry."
"That sounds lovely," Keone replied."Is that your trade?"
"No, just a hobby, I'm afraid.My day-to-day duties are not so interesting."
Keone regarded him pensively for a brief moment, but thankfully did not pursue the topic.Though Aurélien had no reason to be afraid of him, especially with the thorns to protect him, still Aurélien was reluctant to confess he was royalty.
"So what do you do?"Aurélien asked."Thank you for the tea."
"I travel," Keone said."Pick up work as I need to, but mostly just travel, writing about and drawing all that I see.I spent most of my early life at sea, so now I'm exploring the land."
"That sounds interesting.Does it get lonely?"
"Yes and no.There are always people to meet and pass the time with, but no one to travel with me.A few have tried, but it never works out."His mouth twisted sourly for a moment, but then he smiled."All for the best, really.Eventually I'll have to return home, to my duties and everything else awaiting me.Better off not dragging some poor, unsuspecting soul into that mess."
"Mess?"
"My family life is…complicated.Lots of politics, lots of favoritism to track, that sort of thing.Gives me a damn headache.I wanted some freedom, unique experiences, before I settled into it.Even if I'd stayed, I'd never be as good at it as my eldest sisterd.Takes a special knack to get stubborn dumbasses to cooperate or prideful men to set aside their egos and do the right thing."He shrugged."Not really my skillset."
Aurélien's heart started racing again, foolishly and hopelessly.Hecould do all that, and he enjoyed it.That was what he did for his mother all day, every day.He had no ambitions for all the power and money and more that the court vied for every day, so it made him a good mediator.
He squashed the urge to offer himself up for the job.They hardly knew each other; that would be ridiculous.Keone would think him a fool or the worst sort of schemer.Who could blame him for being tempted, though?Keone was interesting, compelling, friendly, and his eyes were so lovely, his smile so warm."Do you miss your home?Other than the duties that burden you, I mean."
