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Dinner was, well, quiet. The first time she had dinner with anyone and it turned out like this, a bitter family who hates each other. And the first time she got to see Alister's father wasn't the best impression either; it was just like how Alister told her he was. She ate her food slowly, trying hard to swallow. She really wasn't hungry by then and had to force down most of her food. It was difficult and she was beginning to feel sick.
After about the thrid course did Alister's mother finally pop in, looking at Alister contemptlatingly. "It really is such a shame you lost the tournament, Alister," she went on to saying. Her earings jingled as she shook her head. "I mean, you have to support your brother in his rise to the thrown. You've already participated in the war, for heaven sakes. How could you have lost?" She looked at him with not but concern but with again, the same dissapointment. "Besides the point..." She glanced at Asriel with a distant look, surely not the same false comfort she had when they first met before looking back at her son. "Are you going to give me grandchildren soon? I expect to have a handful out of you before your brother. Marcus is busy with preparations for his crowning of king so he doesn't have time to be a husband and father just yet." Her voice was stern, as if scolding him.

Asriel let her silverware clank, setting her fork down as she stood, slammig her hands on the table. "This person, though imperfect, is still my husband. I won't have you speaking to him in such an ill manner. At least, when I'm around," she exclaimed, obviously fed up. It was easier to do this, for one she wasn't hungry, and for two, she didn't want Alister to suffer despair. She scooted out of her chair before hurrying out, pushing the doors open, letting them swing as she stomped down the hall. They were so irritable. Asriel seemed to be forming a small headache.

If it hadn't been for the fact that the king was a strategaic sort of man, he would've quickly ordered Asriel's death. But seeing her more as a useful tool in his later plans, he decided that she was more entertaining than a nuisance. Alister's mother, however, looked shocked. "My! How dare- She didn't even pardon herself! What an ill mannered girl to speak like that in front of Your Grace!" She covered her mouth as she gasped, watching the door swing open before slamming shut.

Asriel was at her trunk, closing it shut just as Alister entered. She held a pout, a dissaproving look before straigtening, looking at Alister from over her shoulder. "Not to be insulting or anything but your parents are god awful," she commented before going to a chair and sat in it. She lifted her skirts enough so that she could see her ankles and take off her shoes. She gave a sigh. "Are they always like that? Constantly bombarding you with scolding and expectations?" She stood, the floor cold on her feet. "I feel sorry for you," she murmured before hopping on the bed with a brush in hand, brushing out her hair so that the curls came out.

Asriel paused in mid brush, lowering her eyes. She surely wasn't taking it all too seriously but how Alister said it, well, it made the mood rather solemn. She quieted then, unsure of how to proceed. She couldn't offer him any advice, she didn't have much of a family to know. Ah, familly. When she first met Alister, she thought of him as crazy for disliking being around his family so much. To be able to have something as tangible as a family, the unity of blood and love, was rather a blessing from the seraphim. However, much to her displeasure, family was't always what she deemed it to be. It disheartened her a little, making her quite hesitant and unsure of how her future lie ahead of her.
She had always thought that she'd run away with her prince charming, escaping her prison that was the tower and they'd live near the coasts to raise a happy family full of happy and cheerful times. Well, the treaty was no prince charming, her in laws weren't much of a family, and Demetria wasn't much of a beach. Where did that leave Alister? He was...the trusty steed, who surely take her away from her former life but n** at her from time to time to tell her it's not a dream. Right. Alister was the horse. The prospect made her laugh a little, even though her small giggle was some what chilling to the silence.

Asriel looked up, Alister mid-changing. She blushed and looked away quickly, ripping through her hair as if she didn't see anything. The creak of the bed spooked her. She scrambled to her side of the bed, hugging her knees as she stared at her wiggling toes. She glanced up. Never in her life was she ever close to a person, a man no matter. Quickly she dismissed such thoughts though, when she sighted his already ruined bandages. The wound looked horried. From when she thought he only suffered a slight gash turned out to be riddled with stitches and soaking with blood. The blood dripped on the sheets. The maids would have to clean the bed anyways from when Alister was napping. She was glad to have been able to sneak away the pocket knife into her trunk before the maids or Alister caught sight of it.
Quietly, she crawled over to the man, spying his wound. The blood made her sick, seeing it oozing out of his body so close. Even if the amount was little, she suddenly felt sick. She darted off the bed to the wash room.
She came out patting her face dry with a small towel, wiping her mouth. "Do you..." She glanced to Alister's mid section before negating her eyes. "Need to see a nurse or something?...I could..Call for one," she murmured, looking to the wall. Looking at her husband would make her sick.

Asriel brimmed red, as if caught in the act. She crossed her own arms, avoiding eye contact. What could she tell him? He obviously wanted to know the truth, even though he was so half-hearted, so playful about the topic. It made her uneasy. She went to her trunk, it being unlocked, and flipped open the lid, digging inside so that she heald the faded handle, the shiny blade gleeming from inside until she would flip it open. She didn't, however, and remained looking at it for some time before answering.

"You act as if it were nothing when you chuckle about it. What if my answer was yes?" She gave a pout, now looking at him with stubborn seriousness, a red glaze about her cheeks still. "It was given to me on the day before I left the tower to come here. Given by the guard who has his regular shifts there. He didn't say much as to why he had given it to me and he didn't give me his name but...It is the first time anyone has shown me kindness, or that I could remember..." She fiddled with the handle, a tad embarrassed. Asriel looked upon it, holding it to her chest as if to treasure it. She cleared her throat, remembering when they were in the meadow a few days before. Oh how Alister had gotten mad at her when she didn't give him a straight, honest answer. Funny how she could feel so open then, or rather, felt that she should at least please Alister by speaking the truth.

"He told me to use it for protection. And that if you should ever make an unwanted move on me, I should kill you with it." She blushed even redder, holding the knife at her side now as she looked away. Quietly, she came to sit on the bed, twisted so that her back was facing Alister but her face looking upon Alister. "Does that answer your question?"

Asriel felt a tad pleased with herself, being able to force out something so personal in front of this man. Quite the accomplishment, she thought. She played with the pocket knife mindlessly for a little before deciding to stuff it back under her pillow; there was no need to hide it but she felt a bit better it being near her. She glanced at Alister then. For him to feel glad that she told the truth this time, well, she sucked up the praise, liking the feeling very much indeed. She laid down, putting her head on the pillow as she looked to the ceiling, her hands on her stomach as she listened to him speak. She put her hands into her lap. "Of course. I'm not as stupid enough so as to come at you when you're awake. You are a-" she stopped herself, about to call him man. She chose better words since for some reason, she couldn't bring it upon herself to finish her sentence. "You are bigger than me after all." She looked down, playing with her fingers.

So he had a reputation with the ladies, huh? She figured that much...She actually smiled a bit. "I wasn't worried about that anyways," she murmured, almost laughing. Of course, what she said could mean one of two things. One: that he was a very noble and chivalrous man who kept to his word and respects ladies. That he wouldn't do something that may be of displeasure. Or two: she was actually making fun of him, as if saying he didn't have the guts to touch her. Or rather, couldn't because he was rather too feminine anyways. She smirked, looking at him in a teasing way. It was very liable the latter was the meaning.

Asriel shrank a little under him, her eyes widened a little bit suprised as he knelt close to her. Despite how big she talked, when it came to physical stuff, Alister easily won the battle. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling his breath on her face. It scared her, his face being so close. It was much different than the kiss scene she read in a book back home. The woman was supposed to feel allured, have this certain feeling when she was close to a man...Yeah, Asriel felt nothing but mortification and fright. Her face was getting awfully hot and she personally did not want to crack open her eyes to take a look at Alister. He was challenging, taunting her. Asriel cringed, feeling her skin shiver. He was getting closed, she could feel him lowering himself near her face, even more closer than they already were. That was, until he opened the distance, lying back down. She had never been embarrassed like that in her life and blushed in embarrassment.
Lifting her hands, Asriel felt her forehead, having felt his lips upon her skin there. Her hands pressed over the spot, covering her face, and she stayed like that for awhile until she blinked past the blurryness back to the ceiling. She wiped her forhead with her sleeve and looked at him then, with a rather formidable expression, staring at him intensely with a burning glare full of hate. She rolled off the bed, striding to the wash room. She opened the door nd turned, looking at him over her shoulder before sticking out her tongue. "Stupid," she called him and slammed the door behind her.

An hour went by before Asriel left the tiny room to the bedroom, having taken a bath and changed out of her heavy clothes into something much more lighter. Her cheeks were flushed with color on her pale face; being that she only got as much sun light that her single window could emit. She looked away, still drying her plush hair with a towel, avoiding to look at the bed as she threw the towel onto the floor and went to its side, crawling in but staying as far as possible from the person enxt to her. She laid on her side, her back facing Alister, as she gave a small 'hmph'.

Asriel lay awake, having grown curious if the wall would move if she stared at it long enough. If it hadn't been for the rustling behind her, she would've probably still be staring at the wall, not finding any feeling to sleep. She tucked in her legs so that she was curled, trying to find what little comfort she could in the alien bed. She had slept soundly before hand...Why was it that she couldn't sleep now of all times? She gave a soft sigh, her fingers rubbing her forehead where Alister had pecked her. That feelings, that moment of contact, it was fresh to her, a new feeling. Not love, she knew that was for sure, but something else. She had yet to put a name on it. But the action was utterly embarrassing, it was like he was mocking her as a woman. She felt slightly inferior and hated the feeling of being looked down upon. Pshaw! Thinking he was sooo~ intimidation because he got close to her and embarrassed her, threatening her as if he knew everything.

Asriel's temper grew if only more so when she felt the presence of warm hair at her back and suddenyl a weight on her side. She cringed at the feeling, making her spine shiver. WHY WASN'T HE ON HIS SIDE??!!! WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING???!!! Asriel exploded mutely, not knowing what to do with his arm over her like that. Like he was...snuggling. Asriel felt the sudden urge to throw up. "Sneeky b*****d," she whispered lowly, obviously irritated. She bit her pillow case. He was probably right behind her, cuddling with her unknowingly in his sleep. Like he wasn't that kind of man and wouldn't try anything her a**! Fuming silently, her hand ran under her pillow, where the pocket knife was safely located and felt the handle. It soothed her, comforted her at the time's moment when she needed it then. She was supposed to hate it, right? This feeling of being close. Well, she didn't not like it. It was...nice. Just...nice...But would she ever admit that to Alister, probably NEVER.

She rolled over, able to do that under his arm. It was the first time she lay in front of him. He looked so soundlessly, so harmless. Surely that wasn't the case when he was awake. Breathtaking. He was as beautiful as his brother. It irritated her to know that her new family were a bunch of beautiful, gorgeous people. His face, so serene, looked relieved to be asleep after having quite the hard day. Asriel scooted closer, now able to smell Alister's manly scent. It was rather drastically different than a lady's perfume. His hair laid about, covering his eyes and his mouth was slightly open, like most people do when they are really tired. She leaned over, her breathing slowing, as she bore upon his face, looking at him gently. Again, leaning over ever so closely, she could his uneven sleeping breath. Asriel could've almost kissed him if it hadn't been for the mischevious, if not scary, face she held. She pulled his cheek hard as he slept, using one of her knees to start pushing him away from her side.
"You sneeky little b*****d~ Who the hell do you think you are?!~ Never challenge a man in such a way, my a**! Not one to make a move on me, my a**! Who the hell do you think you are??!! Get... back ...to your...side!!!!!!" She was pleading by then and began to push, or rather roll, Alister away from her. She was having a hard time too.

[ I could totally picture her pulling out the knife and stabbing the pillow crazy right then... ]