Heirot

Vlad smirked and trotted to the tub. "Are you that eager to see me all wet?" he purred, gliding a hand teasingly through the hot water.

Tenele smiled as she turned around to face him. She leaned back against the counter, tilting her head. "I am always eager to see you, whether wet or dry. I thought I'd help you with you bath, and pamper you a little bit. Isn't that what good wives do for their husbands?"

Vlad smiled wide at her. "I will have to trust your wisdom on the matter. I haven't many wives to compare." He stepped into the tub and slid down so the water covered him, until his head dipped under. After a moment he sat up and let the water roll off his muscled torso. He made a low, comfortable noise in his throat and leaned against the wall of the tub. "I'm ready to be pampered," he teased her, putting his hands behind his neck to stretch his muscles out invitingly.

"I'm glad you fit in this thing, I was a little concerned," she sighed as she knelt down next to him. She took the wash cloth in her hand and lathered soap onto it before dragging it across Vlad's wet skin. Tenele took her time with bathing him, also paying attention to the sounds outside the room. Tenara was being good, she hadn't heard the child make a cry the entire day. In fact, she was probably starting to fall a sleep.

Tenele pressed a kiss to her husband's damp shoulder. "Sometimes I wish we could be in a place like this. The four of us. Away form politics and danger. A simple life. Where Atul wouldn't be forced to leave us one day..." She smiled as she pondered the idea, before shaking it away. "Lean forward and I'll get your back."

Vlad rose up to kneel in the tub, presenting his contoured back to her. The scars where Sinead had had him lashed stood out bright white against his wet skin. "It would be ideal," he murmured, "to just live as a family. Normally. But we each have our duties, don't we?"

Tenele frowned at the scars, nodding at his words. "Yes," she sighed. "We each have our duties." Tenele ran the rag across his skin delicately, dragging soap and water. When she was done she rinsed the rag and soaked up the water and washed the soap from his back. Tenele knelt higher, running fingers lightly over the scars and placing kisses across his skin. "Well, we can be happy with what we have. Ordinary has never been our thing, at any rate." She pressed her cheek to his damp back. "Anything else I can do for you, my love?"

Vlad turned over his shoulder and kissed her smoothly. "You are perfect," he whispered against her lips. "I should be getting back soon."

Tenele pressed her forehead to his, dropping the rag in the water with him. "Don't go," she whispered, kissing him again. "Stay. Its night time. They'll think we're resting. Stay."

Vlad touched his forehead to hers longingly, but managed to keep his voice neutral. "I'm afraid I have arrangements to fulfill first. I'm to be betrayed in the dungeons at first light."

Tenele arched an eyebrow at him. "Betrayed in the dungeons?" She frowned at him, hoping his scheme hadn't become to elaborate, and hoping even more that he had picked the right priest to interact with.

Vlad turned toward her and cupped her cheek in his large hand. "A priest would hardly accept a task from me directly. Instead, Merida has promised him a key to catching me unaware. He'll follow her into the dungeons while I'm there having my breakfast, and activate the holy rune she's prepared there. Then Hajara will be home to one fewer vampire whispering in the king's ear. I left a small mark off the rune, but he'll never notice it. Instead of forming a complete circle, it is connected to the larger one surrounding the castle. He'll activate the whole thing, I'll burst free right before he does, and everybody wins.

Tenele's eyes widened. "That doesn't sound safe," she protested. "What if something goes wrong? What if you can't 'burst free'? Why do you have to do everything so recklessly?" She wrapped her arms around him, half falling over the tub to hug him. "Be careful, Vlad." She nuzzled her face into the skin of his neck, pressing tender kisses to his damp skin.

"I'm always careful," he snorted, giving her a warm lick on the neck. "Listen... no matter what, don't let Atul go near the palace until I return.

Tenele smirked. "He isn't going anywhere, even if I have to tie him to his incredibly shabby bed," she mused to her husband. "Did you bring a change of clothing?"

"In with the things Merida packed," he confirmed. He stood gracefully from the tub and let the water drip off of him. He reached out and a towel from beside the sink flew into his hand. "Thank you for the bath," he said warmly, sliding the fabric along his wet body.