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Thread: [M/IC] Class That Divides (Fanatasia and Naming)

  1. #21
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    Sennu remained silent as the queen declared her plan in full, seemingly content with her explanation. To send the king and his sons away together...could it really be so easy to solve all of Aryende's problems at once? Sennu remained somewhat sceptical, but he was willing to defer to the queen, trusting her judgement on the point. She had much more experience playing at court than he, to say nothing of her authority. If anyone would be able to manage such a thing, it would be her.

    Once he had finished applying the compress to the bruises on Aryende's face, Sennu would withdraw his hand. The other bruises on her body would likely benefit from such a treatment, but they were hardly as severe as those he had already seen to, and it appeared the queen had other work for him. He would turn his full attention to her as she gave him an explanation of the steps he was to take from now, nodding in simple acceptance. The knowledge that she wished to be attended by minor servants conflicted with what Aryende had requested he do earlier, but this hardly seemed the time for an objection. He would figure out a pretence under which to take the queen's food to her personally later.

    "Deidrae, within the swamp. As you wish, your Grace" the servant would mutter softly to himself, in an attempt to commit it to memory. Once he was certain, he would rise and step away from the princess' bed, moving to seize the queen's wheelchair once more. From there, he would escort the queen back to her own rooms, retracing the same path he had taken earlier that day. Once he was content the woman was comfortable and needed nothing more from him, the servant would leave her there, heading back out into the castle. He would make good time, for the most part, until he came across Mara - his co-worker from the meeting before. Without missing a beat, she grabbed his arm, bringing him up short.

    "Sennu! Just where the hell did you go? Lirael said that you went off to restock, and just never came back. She's not happy about having to cover your position for the rest of the meeting" she would point out. Her voice was soft, but her tone was anything but. Sennu winced briefly at the mention of his co-worker's wrath, but it was unavoidable now.

    "Sorry, sorry. I got waylaid by the queen" he offered rather simply by the way of explanation, choosing not to elaborate. Mara's expression seemed to soften a little at that; she knew well the perils and pitfalls of their work.

    "Well, I'd suggest you go and apologise to Lirael when you get a chance. That, or avoid her until she cools off a little" she answered, to which he nodded.

    "Might have to be the latter. I'm on messenger duty now, so I can't delay" he started. Mara released his arm then, and the two said their farewells.

    From there it was a brief walk to the king's chambers, where the servant announced himself as bearing a message from the queen to the guards on duty. Once admitted, he would certainly greet the man formally and promptly deliver the queen's request for a meeting, driven by the need to return to the princess' side as promptly as possible.

  2. #22
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    King Artemis allowed the servant in, hardly glancing up from his paperwork as he listened. His queen was enough of a reason to stop working, after all. He stood, shutting his tome, and dismissed the man; his wife's pet servant. If he'd been insecure, he would have worried she was sleeping with the younger man, but honestly? She was too sickly for things like that. Though, recently she had gotten better.

    He made his way to his wife's chambers, entering with a gentle knock. "Hello, dear." He allowed his gaze to wander over her form, prone form her chair for once. She'd settled into bed for the night. She looked well, better than she had in a long while.

    "Artemis, sit down, please. We need to talk." She had moved herself to her bed, and patted the space next to her. Her nightdress was silken, reaching to her knees, as she settled under her blankets, against her pillows. "About our daughter. She was brutally beaten, found in a closet by a servant." Her voice lowered as she murmured, "She said it was Artemis. He's done this before, but never in this magnitude."

    Her husband's face reddened, and she could not help but study him in silence for a moment, wondering if he was going to blow his top or not. "Artemis, she did not want me to tell you who hurt her. She's afraid of her brother. He's always been so mean to her, then the rest of them. And every single betrothal you try to push for her, he finds a way to get it declined." She sat upright, and leaned into her husband's side. "I think he wants her as his own wife, and is simply waiting for you to pass away to do such a thing." It was not uncommon, but the girl was the only female princess, and as tradition stated, would be married--typically to another kingdom's king.

    The king stared at his wife, nodding slowly. "Okay. I'll take the boys with me to the front lines." He squeezed her hand gently. "We'll leave tomorrow." He pressed a kiss to his wife's forehead, murmuring, "Artemis will learn to act like a king, and a soldier. If he lays another hand on her, darling, we'll have to disown him." The king may resent his daughter, because he thought she was weak, and had wanted more son's, but he never beat her hard enough to even bruise. His choice in attack was words--and words did not break bones. "I believe I'll stay the night with you, though, if you're up for it." He grinned wryly, for the moment assuming his daughter was being tended to by physicians, not a simple servant. The queen had not suggested otherwise.

    Back in Aryende's bedroom, Sennu would find her asleep again. Her fingers were curled into her hair, her injured hand pressed to her chest. She slept deeply, and would do so until the next morning--whereupon she would awake in pain, whimpering and sobbing as she adjusted herself on the bed. She had forgotten about her injuries during her sleep.

    It took her a moment to calm down, her breathing hitched and filled with pain. Sennu would have been summoned to take the queen to see her family off, the king had done as promised, and was taking all of the princes with him to the front lines, so that they could learn to serve the people.

    Aryende pushed herself to sit up, ignoring the pain. She could hear cheering and clapping, the people were excited about... something. Slowly, every step causing her to flinch, she made her way to the window to watch down below. All those horses--they were leaving... she counted quietly, counting the brother's, counting their father.

    It was just her and mother left behind. She clutched the windowsill for dear life, as her vision blurred and she almost blacked out. She shouldn't be up and about just yet, but she had to watch them go. Her mother had gotten what she'd said she wanted. She wondered how long they would be gone.

    As the procession left, Aryende tried to make it back to her bed, only to trip over the carpet. She hit the ground and curled inwards on herself, gasping around the pain that reverberated through her body.

  3. #23
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    Sennu’s audience with the king turned out to be both quick and painless. Logically he knew that the man would treat him no differently than any other servant sent to carry a message, but he couldn’t help but feel some sort of trepidation as he approached the door. The meeting passed without incident, however, and Sennu quickly found himself dismissed, with his task completed. He would slip out of the room quickly and quietly, before exhaling a breath he hadn’t even realised he was holding.

    He would make his way towards the princess' room almost immediately, driven by both the queen's personal instruction and his own concern for her physical state. Letting himself into the room as soon as he arrived, Sennu was greeted by the sight of Aryende fast asleep. A small smile flickered across his features as he gazed over her for a moment, but that would be that. She would need the rest, and he didn't want to risk disturbing her.

    ~~~~

    The next morning, Sennu would find himself in assembly with all the other servants. The castle's entire staff had been called upon to attend the king's farewell, with the exclusion of a small skeleton crew that would keep the building running in the meantime. Rather predictably, his position as the queen's personal attendant had led to him being positioned rather close to her, and together they would watch the royal family's procession as they left the capital.

    Honestly, he was amazed - true to her word, the queen had gotten her husband and sons to leave in one fell swoop, with no immediate consequences for Aryende. Sennu had known that she was a woman of means, but the suddenness of their departure shocked him. One night to prepare an entire trip? It almost seemed absurd. Of course, he held his tongue over the matter in the queen's presence, not wanting to risk offending her with his doubts. She had managed to secure a brief respite for her daughter, and for now that was enough.

    As the procession slipped from sight the crowd would slowly begin to thin. All the servants, guards, and townspeople began to depart, moving off to resume their normal duties. Sennu would move to attend the queen, but she quickly rebuffed him. True to form, she insisted that some of the other servants would be sufficient. Whilst she didn't state it outright, Sennu understood the hidden message; his duty was to see to Aryende, as she had stated the previous night.

    Sennu would separate from the rest of the crowd and head back towards the castle, fully intending to do as the queen had suggested. During the walk he would mull over what the queen had said last night about getting tea leaves, planning ahead for the day to come. He would knock on the princess' door promptly once he had arrived, before once again letting himself in.

    "Good morning, princ-" he would start, before cutting himself short as he caught sight of the fallen princess. Other thoughts pushed from his mind, Sennu would immediately rush to her side, kneeling down alongside her. He didn't bother wasting time trying to ask what had happened; Sennu could guess, and Aryende's wellbeing was undoubtedly more important. When he spoke, there was no hint of anger or reproach in his voice; the princess was undoubtedly in enough pain as it was, and she didn't need his scolding adding to her suffering.

    "It's alright, my lady. Help is here. The pain should pass momentarily" he cooed softly, trying to calm the wounded princess. He would reach out and rest a hand on her nearest shoulder gently in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture, before glancing over her figure quickly in search of any new injuries. He stood out as immediately obvious, but that was hardly conclusive.

    "What were you trying to do, getting up on your own like that? You're hardly fit enough to be up and about on your own" he would continue softly, even as he continued checking her over. Truth be told, the servant felt a little silly, speaking to a member of the nobility in such a manner. He had no idea if what he was saying was technically true, or if his words would even help. Regardless, he would continue in his attempts to soothe her until she had visibly calmed somewhat.

    "Come, lets get you somewhere more comfortable. Can you stand?" he would ask rather simply, lending Aryende his arm for support. If so, then he'd willingly let her lean on him to make sure that she avoided another fall. If not, then he'd just have to resort to carrying her, like the previous day.

  4. #24
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    Aryende couldn't help but cry as her legs threatened once more to buckle beneath her. She couldn't help but to cry, even as he lifted her into his arms, and she felt the familiar elation at being near him. "Wanted to... watch... them leave." She whispered, drawing a pained breath between each word. But it was overshadowed by the pain falling had caused, and now moving her was causing it. Eventually, he settled with her, to lay her back into her bed and the fingers of her uninjured hand grasped his shirt, mumbling, "N-- No." No order, no request. Just 'no'.

    Should he continue to hold her, she would curl into him, and eventually her breathing evened out and she was fast asleep, her face buried against his chest. If he tried to lay her down, she would cry out--and her grasp would tighten in his shirt. She slept for hours, and at some point it had to be assumed he got her to settle into her bed rather than his arms, so when she awoke and was laying in bed, panic immediately flooded her gaze. She rolled onto her side, reaching across the bed for something, she wasn't even sure what she wanted, and her fingers curled into the blankets, as her eyes adjusted.

    She wanted to find Sennu; where was he? Her good hand curled into the blanket, she rolled and pushed herself upright--there he was. He was sitting by a cart with food; when had he put her into bed? She remembered telling him to hold her... Well, she had actually said no. She hadn't given him any proper orders. Perhaps she should have, though.

    Carefully pushing herself upright, she would accept a tray across her lap, and glance to her uninjured hand, quite glad that it was her dominant hand. Otherwise he would have to help her eat. She wasn't sure she'd like that kind of help... Nevertheless, she began to eat her meal slowly, speaking up: "Did mother say how long they're gone?" She only wanted to know because it would tell her how much freedom she had--and how long she had it.

    As she finished her meal, she murmured, "Sennu? Will you take me to the baths? Please?" She wanted to bathe, it'd been a few days after all, and she was certain she smelled terrible. The royals baths were private, closed off, and nobody ever entered without permission--and the only two royals were the princess and her mother, currently, so nobody would dare cross foot into the baths.

  5. #25
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    Quickly relenting in the face of Aryende's pleas, Sennu would relax and forget about trying to disturb her any further. The servant would simply continue to hold her gently, content to try and comfort the princess in what little way he could. Sennu had no idea how much time passed whilst the two of them were sitting there - even once she had fallen asleep he dared not move, out of fear of waking Aryende prematurely. Stuck there as he was, Sennu did his best to enjoy the opportunity. The princess looked oddly peaceful whilst she was sleeping, even with her fingers curled into his shirt and her head resting against his chest. He was struck with the urge to reach out and stroke her hair gently, but caught himself - such a thing was hardly appropriate, considering.

    The passage of time quickly lost all meaning. The light streaming in through the window was the only means by which he could judge, but the early morning light made it somewhat difficult to distinguish. All he could be certain of was that it had been a few hours, at least. Eventually, once she seemed well and truly settled, Sennu would finally try and extradite himself from the princess' grip. He moved slowly and carefully, and thankfully managed to slip away without disturbing Aryende too much. After settling her into bed good and proper, he would finally make his exit.

    Sennu would take advantage of these few brief moments of freedom to attend to the princess' other request. He would travel to the kitchen and collect the meals that the chefs had prepared for mother and daughter both, before promptly delivering the first to the queen. After that he would return to the princess' rooms with her own meal, only to find her still sleeping. It wasn't to last, though; she quickly stirred even while he was getting things ready. Had the noise disturbed her, or had she woken of her own volition? He wasn't sure. Either way, the princess didn't seem too irate.

    "She did not. They'll likely be gone until matters on the border are settled, however long that may be. Regardless, we'll undoubtedly hear of their return a few days in advance, so that appropriate preparations can be made" the man would answer simply, even as he busied himself with other small tasks around the princess' rooms. Of course, he stayed close enough to stay within earshot...and close enough to keep an eye on her, lest she try and walk off on her own again. He would return to her bedside when she finished her meal, quickly gathering up both plate and cutlery, before pausing briefly as she requested a bath. After a brief hesitation, the servant would nod.

    "Certainly, princess. Whatever you wish" he would respond, recalling the queen's instructions. As soon as she proved ready, Sennu would pick her up once more. Just as he had the previous day, the servant settled for getting one arm behind her knees, and the other around the back of her torso. With her head resting against his shoulder and the rest of her body curled up against his chest, it proved extremely similar to the way a husband might carry his wife across the threshold. Sennu quickly pushed such thoughts from his mind as the two of them began the journey, though.

    Getting out the door proved the trickiest part, but before long the two of them were on their way. Whilst traversing the halls, he silently wondered what they might look like to any of the castle's other residents. As if in response to his thoughts, the two of them had the misfortune to pass two of the other servants, who were currently engrossed in conversation. His old friend Mara, and Lirael - the servant he had managed to offend with his vanishing act yesterday. She wouldn't confront him here, with royalty in attendance, but that was the least of his concerns. They feigned ignorance and continued their conversation as Aryende and Sennu passed, but he met their eyes briefly at one point, and that was enough.

    He could only imagine what sort of gossip was going to pop up amongst the servants when this got out.

    When the two of them arrived at the baths, Sennu would quickly slip inside, Aryende still in his arms. Once the door was shut behind them, though, he would pause briefly. This was the first time he had seen the royal baths in person, and their extravagance was enough to draw his attention. A master-class in masonry and tiling, they seemed to rival the throne room itself with their majesty - at least to his untrained eye. Ornate carvings and water features were the least of the luxuries, with carved women holding stone jugs pouring streams of hot water into the pools below.

    Remembering himself, Sennu would direct his gaze back down to the princess in his arms, relying on her for guidance. He had no clue just how she wanted to proceed, and just what sort of assistance she might require. Better to avoid being presumptuous and let her guide him on such matters, openly requesting whatever it was she actually deemed necessary.

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    Aryende closed her eyes as he carried her. She didn't notice that he was staring around the baths. She should have known, or expected, but she was still enjoying having his arms around her. It was comforting, not to be in arms that would hurt her. What's more, it was giving the princess ideas. She enjoyed when he tended to her, carried her around... She buried her face against his chest, and took another moment to enjoy his proximity, before she murmured, "Will you help me?"

    Carefully, she'd set herself onto her feet, her uninjured hand gripping his wrist to hold herself steady. "I... I need you to help me bathe," her voice broke a bit at that request, as she averted her gaze. "Please." She wasn't thinking about the fact he would see her naked, that did not bother her--what bothered her was that she couldn't do the simplest of tasks, just yet. It hurt to lift her arms, it hurt to move. She was hoping that soaking in the heated waters would help her.

    "You've never been in here before, have you?" She murmured, studying him thoughtfully for a moment. His brilliant green eyes were so nice to look into, and his dark, well-kept hair... She flushed as she averted her gaze. "If you can help me get into the baths, you can look around a bit... I just want to soak for a while," there was no sense in actually washing when she'd just sweat from the heat of the bath. So she'd wash towards the end of her time. "And if you would like, you can bathe as well." It was posed as a suggestion, with a hint of begging. She did not, under any circumstances, want the man to leave her alone.

    Aryende would not admit that she wanted him to stay because he was kind, and the object of everything she desired. No, oh no. She would not admit that she wanted to gaze at him, have him look at her. She was almost certain he saw it as his duty to help her, and that was the only reason he had stayed--well, that and her mother ordered him too.

    Once Sennu helped her undress, a feat which Aryende took far too much pleasure in, despite the pain that his soft touches caused, and then helped her into the baths, she closed her eyes and settled into the heat. It was welcomed, new... and it felt good against her abused form. "Feel free... to join me." She murmured, lazily.

    The heat relaxed her muscles, and she almost wanted to go to sleep.

  7. #27
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    As always, Sennu remained steadfast when it came to doing his duty. At the princess' request he would slowly lower her to the ground, feet first. Taking extra care to make sure that she was stable, he would gladly support as much of Aryende's weight as she required, until she was standing upright and more or less stable. Even once she was standing, he would maintain his grip, wary after her first fall earlier that day. Sennu didn't want to take any further risks when it came to her wellbeing, especially avoidable ones like this.

    His composure would crack a little at Aryende's next request, when she announced that she would need help bathing. He immediately felt his cheeks begin to heat, coalescing in a tangible blush that would've been immediately obvious had the princess actually been looking his way. He had to firmly remind himself of how the nobility saw servants - they were just a part of the background, like a piece of furniture that existed to be used. Did she just think the same, paying no respect to their genders? She seemed shy about something, but perhaps that was more related to their injuries.

    "Whatever you require, princess." His answer was much the same as always, though a hint of nervousness had crept into his voice unbidden.

    Regardless, when the time came, he would set about the task of undressing the wounded Aryende. Sennu moved slowly then, taking great care to avoid causing her any undue discomfort. His touch was soft and gentle, every little movement deliberate and considered. When her clothes had fallen away and she was submerged in the water, he would take it upon himself to turn away. He busied himself gathering up her clothing from where they had been unceremoniously dropped, trying to buy himself a few precious moments to recover his composure.

    The offer to join her, when it came, caught Sennu totally off-guard. The idea was extremely tempting - so much so that he couldn't deny that, even to himself. Perhaps for the first time, he genuinely considered breaking protocol to take her up on that offer.

    "A-are you sure that would be proper, my lady?" he would question in an equally soft tone, nervousness showing through clearly in his voice this time.

    Once Aryende had responded in the affirmative, Sennu would slowly move to join her. He felt somewhat shy and sheepish as he undressed, but the princess seemed otherwise preoccupied. Relaxing in the bath as she was, Aryende didn't seem to be watching, which was some small reassurance. Once his clothes were neatly folded and stowed safely out of splashing range, he would move towards the bath, feeling naked in more ways than just the absence of clothes could explain.

    Picking a spot that seemed a respectful enough distance away from the princess, but still close enough for them to converse or for him to assist her quickly, Sennu would slowly ease himself into the water. A content sigh escaped his lips unbidden, and his eyes flickered closed briefly. He tilted his head back as he lowered himself into the steaming hot water up to his chest - where he came from, baths were a luxury, especially ones with hot water. He was used to bathing being a cold and unpleasant affair, usually involving big tubs of standing water, and smaller buckets that were dumped over oneself. This was an altogether different experience, and a much more enjoyable one.

    Doing his best to relax, Sennu would sink a fraction deeper into the water. After a few moments spent in blissful silence, however, the man found he was still a little tense. Unable to help himself, he threw a cautious glance at the door - what would happen if someone came in and caught them like this? It was unlikely, given that this was the royal baths, but who knew? Perhaps the queen would decide to use them today, or a staff member charged with their cleaning and maintenance would walk in at an untimely moment.

    The soft sloshing of water could be heard briefly as he adjusted his position a little, before settling back again. Subtly, the man would throw a glance at Aryende. Should he say something, or just let her relax in silence for the time being? She certainly looked at peace, laying there as she was, and he was loathe to disturb her. That said, having her fall asleep here wasn't exactly advisable either, even with his presence.

    Even as he thought to himself, Sennu once again found himself staring. He would start a little at the realisation, hastily turning his eyes away. Unlike the last time, today his focus had not been on her bruises or injuries. Rather, her figure had caught his attention. Not the parts of her body that were obscured by the water, but more simple things. The curve of her jaw, and the lines of her collarbones.

    She really is beautiful, beneath all those bruises

    The thought popped into his head almost unbidden, and only served to fluster the servant further, despite the fact he had just been trying to relax. Almost immediately, he would speak up, having unconsciously made his decision. An attempt at distracting himself, if not both of them, and quickly shifting his thoughts into safer territory.

    "Just let me know when you would like me to begin" he would offer softly, not wanting to interrupt any more than necessary. Even something as simple as a nod or hum would satisfy him by the way of a response, at which point he would again sit back and try to calm himself. The princess had requested this, after all.

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    Aryende was used to servants viewing her naked, but even still, she felt his eyes on her and her cheeks flushed. It was a light enough flush that it could be blamed on the heat. She shifted in the water, staring at the ceiling. She glanced towards Sennu in time to see the man glance hesitantly towards the door, and she spoke up: "Nobody comes in if they're in use. Besides, the only person who does enter here is my mother." She hitched one shoulder, watching the ripples her movement caused in the water. Her eyes flitted back to Sennu, in time to see him, taking notice that he seemed to be struggling to relax.

    "I'm ready, when you are." She replied, quietly, adjusting herself on the bench she was seated on. "There should be oils and soaps..." Scattered, around the side of the baths. "You should really try some of the oils, they might help you relax. It is not healthy to be tense." She murmured, averting her gaze for a moment. For him to truly feel the affects of the oil, she would need to massage it onto points that he could not reach, and while some part of her relished the idea, another part of her did not.

    She moved to stand, weight shifting in the water as she moved towards another bench. She was slowly and effectively making her way to Sennu, taking careful precaution to grasp the side of the baths. Once she had reached him, she would settle beside of him, hardly thinking about the impropriety of being so close. "Get me the purple oil," she murmured. Once he had, she would squirt it onto her palm, and gesture for him to kneel in front of her, back to her. "Have you ever had this done?" She inquired, as she worked the oil over every surface of her uninjured hand.

    Petite fingers found his left shoulder. She would have to work slower, due to lacking a hand, but her ministrations would be just as firm and even. She worked his left shoulder for a bit until she felt the tension there release, and then her hand went lower, running along his shoulder blade, his spine, before she rested her palm against the back of his neck. "Why are you so tense, Sennu? Do you carry this much tension with you all the time?" She might be hurting, but she was genuinely worried about her servant--perhaps for more selfish reasons than just 'can he perform to the best of his ability with this much tension?'

    It amused her, a bit, that she was the one working over Sennu's back to ease his tension when he was supposed to be helping her wash. Nevertheless, she kept her amusement to herself--most likely able to sense that he was a bit... uneasy, to have her hands on him, even in such an innocent way. "You should get a proper massage from someone with both their hands free, one day. It's glorious," she murmured. For a moment she was overcome with the urge to press her lips to the back of his neck, to nip at the skin there as it glistened with the lavender oil she was applying. She shook her head to clear it of her thoughts, and a little sigh parted her lips.

    She could probably order Sennu to make her feel loved. Honestly, he probably would feel obligated to do as she ordered. But only because she was his superior. She didn't enjoy that, though. She wanted... love, not something out of necessity, need, requirement. And the fact it was forbidden was all the better. But it was also a death sentence for him, and heartbreak for her. At least...

    ...If anyone found out. Her heart beat quicker as she closed her eyes, envisioning a life with him; something she had done ever since that first time he had been stupid enough to help her. And now, now he was here to help her. The man was a knight in not-so-shining armor.

    "Sennu?" Her hand had moved to his other shoulder, now. "Do you..." She had to pause here, and prepare herself in case he answered 'yes', "...have somebody that you care for?" Probably another servant. The thought almost broke her heart, shattered it. In whatever reality Aryende escaped too, Sennu and she had a happy life together, away from the politics, the sheer illogicality of it all...

    Yet, here she was, asking for him to destroy her sense of reality. Or perhaps he would only confirm it.

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    Sennu nodded in simple acceptance when the princess announced that it was finally time, straightening up and opening his eyes as he accepted that his brief period of relaxation was coming to an end. He quickly retrieved the bottle of purple oils, just as Aryende had requested, and handed it over to her promptly. The servant would freeze when the princess suddenly gestured for him to kneel, however - that was a far cry from what he had been expecting, and somewhat improper besides. Of course, he could hardly deny Aryende when the princess was specifically requesting he do so, and ended up kneeling before her just as she had intended.

    Sennu would instinctively shy away a little when Aryende's fingers first brushed against his left shoulder, before silently reprimanding himself. He would take a deep breath, trying to calm himself, before settling back as the princess had already intended. The servant would close his eyes and lean his head back, exhaling softly. Even once he had forced himself to relax and endure the princess' ministrations, the muscles in his shoulders were still incredibly tense. Her gentle touch and oil-covered fingers quickly worked to change that, however, coaxing any extra tension from them. Her efforts were surprisingly effective, despite her maimed and injured hand, and a soft groan slipped from his lips involuntarily.

    "Not professionally, no" he mumbled softly in response to her first question, before pausing as he considered the second. Was it really appropriate to complain about the amount of work he did to one of the very nobles that he worked under? That said, this whole situation was unthinkable to begin with, and she had asked, so he would continue. "Working beneath the king can be worrying at times, considering the consequences of failure. My mother relies on me to support her, so.." he would start, before he would trail off, puzzled. Why had he suddenly felt the need to speak of her? Apparently the princess was coaxing more out of him than just the tension in his shoulders.

    "Certainly. There are a great many people I care for" he answered her next question almost immediately, without a hint of hesitation. Despite his intentions to the contrary, Sennu was beginning to relax around the princess, forgetting the formalities of his role in favour of simple honesty and openness. "My mother, the queen, a few of the other servants...even you yourself, my lady"

    A simple admission, and one that would likely impact the princess more than he seemed to realise. Sennu would continue to recline peacefully even as his words faded. He found himself wondering just how thorough the princess would expect him to be when she wanted the two of them to swap places; what it would be like to run his hands down her sides, or feel out the curve of her thigh. Dangerous thoughts, and a rare moment of indulgence for the normally stalwart servant. After a few moments longer, though, he conceded that it was probably time to move on.

    "We should probably swap over. I don't want you to overexert yourself on my behalf" he would add after a few moments. Pending the princess' acceptance, Sennu would reluctantly move away from her questing fingers. The servant would rise to his full height, before taking a moment to stretch. He would extend both of his arms up above his head, revelling in the feeling of his loosened muscles stretching out. When he was done the servant would half-turn back towards the princess, a genuine -if not slightly bashful - smile turned up the edges of his mouth.

    "I thank you for the assistance, my lady. I don't think I realised just how much I needed that. Now, please, allow me to return the favour" he offered, quickly moving to retrieve a washcloth from the available bathroom supplies. Collecting it from the same place he had gotten the oil just a few moments earlier, he would move back towards the princess, wetting the cloth on the way. After pouring a generous amount of oil onto it, he would settle in alongside the princess, before finally beginning his work. Working slowly, he would start with her arms, running the cloth over them slowly whilst remaining mindful of her injuries. Even as he worked, another question popped into his mind unbidden. After a brief hesitation, he would speak up again.

    "If you don't mind me asking, princess...why the sudden interest in my personal life?"

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    Aryende listened quietly, appreciating his honesty. When he brought up his mother, she tipped her head, and inquired softly: "Does your mother not work?" The question was not asked in a condescending manner, though it would no doubt sound condescending coming from a princess of all people.

    She listened as he answered her question, biting her lip gently. Why wasn't she first of that list? She shook her head gently and smiled, "It is dear that you care so for my mother, Sennu. It pleases me to know she is in such capable hands." She squeezed his shoulder, and then he was asking to tend to her.

    Aryende allowed him to move, to gather the things he needed, and she watched him. As he stretched, her gaze wandered--the planes of his back, his arms... and lower, where the water obscured her visage. Her lips parted, as she took in his bashful smile, gaze skirting across his chest. Oh, she wished she could stare, unabashedly at him for centuries to come. It took her a moment to realize he had spoken to her; thanked her, nonetheless.

    "You are most welcome, Sennu." It made the jealousy in her heart, at not being the first name he uttered as to who he cared for, fade just a bit.When he began to work the cloth and oil along the skin of her arms, she closed her eyes and leaned into her seat. She had allowed her mind to wander; wondering after what his touch, without the cloth, along her curves would feel like. What his fingers dipping into the skin of her inner thigh would feel like. She sighed, softly, when he spoke again and brought her from her stupor.

    "Please, Aryende is fine." She had opened her eyes to look at him, now, chewing her lip. "I take interest in your personal life, because I take interest in you... You are the kindest person I have ever met." She leaned forward, studying his face, and with her uninjured hand she reached to trail her fingertips against his jaw, murmuring, "I wish I could know all of my servants as well as I know you. I've not got the briefest idea of most of their names."

    That, of course, was not what made him so special. What made him so special was how quickly her heart fluttered, he may even notice as his hands moved across her chest. How he could make her smile, or soothe any hurt just by taking her into his arms. She moved to stand, her uninjured hand resting on his shoulder to ensure she would not fall. "Thank you for helping me," she whispered, allowing her gaze to wander across his form absently.

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