Heirot

Vlad went back to Tenele and flopped into the bed, rolling over her and tickling her. Perhaps it was the still-contagious link between their moods, or maybe it was the act of reflecting on what he'd achieved the night before, but he felt amazing. Tired, but amazing.

Tenele was safe. He was prepared to guard her and to defeat Verin if necessary. While he'd been joined with Atul, he'd been sure of it. He'd been more powerful than he'd ever felt. And the thought of the closeness he'd achieved between himself, Atul, and Tenele was still enough to trip up his nerves with the slightest memory. He tickled his wife's bare waist, nuzzling into her neck and pinning her with his cold nose.

Tenele giggled, wiggling to try and escape him, but she really didn't have the strength to do that. Even if she wasn't slightly weakened from their venture, she still couldn't escape unless he wanted her too. "Stop!" she protested with a laugh. "I can't breathe. This is torture!"

Vlad decided to be merciful, thrilled with her submissive words despite respecting her as his wife. He tended to feel highly possessive right after a night like they'd both just experienced. Sliding over next to her, he hugged her close with an arm and a leg, securely trapping her in his embrace. "I love you, Tenele. Now, you are safe." After a few quiet minutes, he let himself truly fall asleep and relax for the first time in weeks.

They slept through most of that day. Vlad had half expected Atul to return to their chambers at the end of the night's events, but he didn't. In fact, for the next three days, despite being in the same palace, Vlad and Tenele both found it almost impossible to achieve any privacy with Atul. If he wasn't booked up in some meeting, he would arrange to have a meal or an outing with one of the other diplomats in the capitol. By the fourth day, Vlad was truly starting to wonder if the man was avoiding them.

"Damned King," he muttered as he and Tenele walked down a hallway toward Atul's meeting, only to see the man walk right past them with an escort of officials in the thick of discussion.

"Atul," Vlad called out to the man. One of the officials whispered something in the King's ear. Atul looked over at them, slowing for a moment. No sooner had he met Tenele's eyes than he was escorted off to whatever arrangement they'd made for dinner.

"He's a dream, isn't he?" One of the queen's maidens in the corridor whispered loudly to the girl next to her.

"I know. It's such a shame he has to leave tomorrow."

"Maybe we could be transferred!" They both sighed before bursting into giggles.

Tenele frowned as Atul disappeared. She placed her hand on Vlad's arm. "Its fine," she told him softly. "I'm sure he has his reasons." Though, she couldn't help but feel disheartened that Atul couldn't seem to make time for them. The further they walked together, her arm looped in his, the more uneasy she got. "Maybe he regrets it. Maybe we pressured him into it? I mean we pretty much laid out the situation for him, what man wouldn't give in despite his reservations?" Tenele felt well and truly horrible then. What if they had ruined their friendship with him?

Vlad frowned at the disappearing figure at the end of the hall. "That's not the reaction I sensed from him that night," he pondered. He's leaving tomorrow?

He wanted to confront him to get a conversation started, but Sinead had strictly commanded him not to 'interfere' with the diplomatic conference that week. Moreover, the two of them hadn't been invited to any of the roundtable discussions with the King since the ball. Of course, many of them were focused on military pacts and political treatises, but still, Vlad couldn't help sensing that they were being stonewalled.

"Vlad, Tenele," Sinead said from behind them. She was dressed in ornate winter robes, hanging in blue and white waves around her form. "Is there something that brings you to this wing of the castle?" She raised an eyebrow at them.

Tenele blinked at Sinead. "We came to see if we could speak to Atul. We heard he was leaving tomorrow..." Tenele tilted her head at her Queen. She wanted to ask why it seemed like they weren't allowed anywhere near the King. Tenele had never been denied entry to any part of the castle, or any meeting for that matter. "Is there something wrong?"

Sinead's gaze softened a bit toward her former maiden. "King Atul has been in the midst of some very important negotiations. As you know, the future and unity of our kingdoms depends on the conditions of this treatise."

Vlad narrowed his eyes. "I was under the understanding our partnership was already presumed. What could require so much discussion?" He sounded cross, because he was. He grew easily frustrated with politics, but even more annoyed when he was kept out of them.

"Atul has stipulated some requirements we had not anticipated."

"Reasonable ones?" Vlad asked, feeling like he was missing something. The queen's voice did not sound judgmental of the demands in question. She seemed more perturbed, if anything.

"It is possible that they are reasonable. That does not make them any less difficult. The resources he's requested are of great value to me. I must consider them carefully, and without your involvement. I am sorry to keep you outside of this.

"What could possibly be so important you're not willing to tell us about it?" Vlad pushed.

"I promise that I will, when I am able. For today, please keep to the other parts of the castle." Her eyes went to Vlad. "This is an order. Understood?"

Tenele took Vlad's hand. "We understand," she said softly. Tenele bowed to the Queen. "Thank you, we'll retire to another end of the castle."

As they walked away Tenele tapped her chin. "I don't like any of this," she whispered. "It seems very fishy to me. I suppose we have no choice in the matter. So, since I have been on a forced vacation for the last week, having not been invited to any of the meetings... I am not used to having all this time on my hands. So, what would my husband like to do? We could go into town and go shopping. Do you think you could handle such a mortal activity as that?"

As Vlad walked with his wife's arm looped in his, his mood grew darker and darker. It wasn't easy to spark, but he did have a temper. Then, like a storm had passed, he cast a smirk at his wife. "I believe we should go shopping. Do you need anything from the tower before we go?"

Tenele smiled at him. "My cloak and gloves, do you want to get them and I'll meet you by the main door?" Tenele asked, leaning in on the tips of her toes to give him a kiss on the lips.

"Yes," Vlad agreed, meeting her mouth for the kiss. He wasn't really good at, or perhaps not even capable of, a casual kiss like many couples shared. Instead of a peck, he gave her a warm, graceful kiss, not quite long enough to be scandalous in front of the others migrating through the palace.

Ten minutes later, he arrived at the gate with her cloak and gloves. He himself was now wearing a long black coat with a gray-furred collar. He didn't particularly need it, but it was the look in the middle of winter. He reached around her and fastened her warm cloak around her shoulders before handing her her gloves.

They'd walked within three blocks of the main square of the town when Vlad paused. He surveyed the street around him - the modest, two-story homes built close together with little porches out front. "What do you think of these?" he asked Tenele curiously.

Tenele chuckled, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Are we house shopping?" she asked him with a smile. She leaned her head against his shoulder and observed the houses. "I like something like that one." She pointed near the center of the row. "Are you tired of living in the tower? I don't mind it if you want to stay."

Vlad turned an affectionate gaze toward his wife. "It's enough to have Queeny as my sovereign, owner, and creator. At this point, I think I can do without her being my landlord." He touched the side of her face. "Rather than be defined by what I am to Sinead, I would rather define myself by what I am with you. I think it's time to live outside the castle."

Tenele grinned. "Okay," she whispered eagerly. "So... we'll find a house." She felt suddenly giddy. She jumped up and down twice before flinging her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. When she managed to reign in her excitement she took him by the hands. "So when should we buy a house?"

"Preferably after we find one," Vlad smiled at her enthusiasm. "There are plenty of different neighborhoods in the capital. Let's walk for a bit. You can tell me what catches your eye, to start."