The Ivory Tower

[Astrid Brynn]

Past Thread. Astrid, age 16.
Astilon Castle.

Astrid's time with the royal family had been nothing more than a few years. She'd only been returned there - or so it felt. She had never had the feeling of fitting in either. She was not a lady - nor did she act like one. Still, she had heard the news of the Prince of Abrea visiting and apparently the two of them were the same age.

If they hinted any harder, they would have had to ship Astrid over in a wedding gown.

Stepping through the doors, the blonde hadn't bothered changing from the clothes she'd used during her combat training with Severn. Her clothes were covered in dirty and mud and there was traces of blood from the small scratches she'd earned during her training session.

She could see the chambermaids's stares; they didn't like it. Of course, she supposed she could understand why. She was a princess and was expected to dress like one.

"Prince Carter," she greeted him. At least she had some table manners.

[Carter de Chevelle]

Carter was the kind of first son royal families dreamed of. He worked hard to be the best at everything his family wanted him to best at. He was chivaly defined. And so when his mother shipped him off to a nearby kingdom, he knew exactly what they were trying to do. He had always advocated for marriage of his own choice, but he could appease them all by at least visiting.

Dressed in his best finery - blue for his eyes with gold embellishment as per his mother's orders - he stood stoic as he waited to be greeted by the person designed to meet him.

What he saw was not what he expected. Usually parents forced their daughters to look their best for instances like these. His eyes graciously gave her the once over, denoting in the little time given just what she had been up to before this.

"Princess," He greeted, a nodding her direction as his hands landed together behind his back; "Am I interrupting your day?"

[Astrid Brynn]

Astrid knew she was setting a poor example; not just for herself, but for her family. But given the circumstances, was that really so weird?

At least the boy was polite; she'd give him that much. He wasn't the one interrupting her day, her family was.

"No, not at all," she offered lightly, a polite smile forming on her lips. "Having the prince of Abrea as company, is the finest honor." The words tasted bitter in her mouth, but it was only because it wasn't her words. She didn't mind the prince. He had done nothing to cross her.

[Carter de Chevelle]

Carter did his best not to look disinterested. He wore a smile as warm as the mage could manage. Politeness in the initial meetings was always second nature; it was required, really, if he had any hope of not being hated simply for dismantling her usual day.

At least he looked impressed. Genuinely. Mainly for the fact that she had chosen to wear what she had.

A small, exhaled laugh left his lips at the routine response he was given. He would usually be forced to offer a kind of physical greeting; to take her hand gently. Never to press his lips against it, but rather, as a simple token. She was not fit for a handshake. She was still a lady.

"You are to show me the grounds, correct?" He asked genuinely. As far as these things usually went, that was the general protocol. Forced proximity and time alone was set to build something concrete, chaste as it certainly seemed.

[Astrid Brynn]

"I could," she said, saving little effort to keep her true feelings on the matter obvious. Showing him around sounded awfully boring. She would, of course, if that's what he really wanted.

"But I could also save ourselves both the trouble," she offered with a shrug. She didn't think (at least not personally) that giving or even receiving a tour sounded like having a good time. Perhaps she was biased in her notion; given the fact that she wasn't exactly that typical of a royal.

Most of her upbringing had been spent with so-called commoners.

[Carter de Chevelle]

Pursed lips carried eyes with feigning interest in the concept he had given to her first. It was a customary choice. Usually, forced. Carter had always hated walking people in power across the fields and manicured gardens his family home kept so beautiful for that very reason.

"You have a better idea?" Carter asked instinctively, tilting his head up a fraction. "Without such company, I bet."

Because really, there was nothing exciting about walking a space already known with a person who didn't care for it. And she clearly had better things to do in general than spend her time with him. Not that she had a choice, but then, she chose to walk in this room dressed as she had. There was at least some power in that mind of hers.

[Astrid Brynn]

Tilting her head, the blonde smiled. "You and I both know, young prince, that I am in no position to tell you what to do - or not to do." He could join her if he so pleased; she wouldn't stop him. Nor would she force him along.

He was a man of power and family. Sure, he too, was under the control of his family. At what extent, Astrid did not know, but he seemed at the very least capable of making up his mind about things.

"I would not dare take that away from you," she offered then with a light shrug.

[Carter de Chevelle]

As he slightly lowered his head, Carter couldn't help the amused smile he wore. How he worked to threaten to hide it, but it still existed in her sight line all the same. Because given how she looked, he could declare that those words were just as forced as the others. As he drew his head back up and held his chin slightly higher, he seemed to find the composure that was once lacking.

"Humour me," He replied then, shrugging his shoulders as his hands still clasped behind his back, "I am not so opposed to your desire to take the lead. This is, after all, your home."

[Astrid Brynn]

Surprise colored the blonde's features. She hadn't expected him to say that, let alone agree to her childish offer. It took her a moment to regain her composure, her sun licked cheeks flushing a gentle tone of pink.

Then there was the decision; what would she make of this situation? She suddenly felt the urge to impress him, but not for the sake of his opinion of her, but of her own. It was a stubborn and rather selfish urge, but an urge nonetheless.

"Alright," she said with a nod. "Follow me." She then moved to the back of the room, opening the window and peering through. "This is the only way we won't be noticed."

[Carter de Chevelle]

Power handed off was so rare in the life they led. Surely she had the opposite training to the first born son of the de Chevelle family. Life was all about his wishes. His desires. And while they were to be crafted and moulded to suit the title he already wore, they were still paramount. But he gave her the choice like it didn't matter.

They were still kids, in some way. It shouldn't have mattered.

Carter followed with equal steps, picking up the haste provided with good reason as she spoke. Through a window? He raised his eyebrows, but not because of that.

"How does someone like you go unnoticed?"

[Astrid Brynn]

Astrid turned her head, brows furrowed and green eyes colored with confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked. Then, she supposed he meant because she was a princess. Given her situation, that was a tidbit of information easily forgotten.

She hoisted her legs over the window sill and shrugged. "Where there's a will, there's a way. And when you have both, it's easy to learn a few tricks," she continued with a grin as she dropped down from the window. She landed on the ground below with a soft tud.

She looked around before waving her hand in front of the window - well, what little she could reach, anyways. "Come on!"

[Carter de Chevelle]

Carted let his eyes wander with every intention of watching how natural she moved through a window. Like it wasn't the first time she had done this. Like there were more than just a handful of adventures that started out this way. Tricks, as she called them, had the first born son of a great family threatening a grin. It was all about diplomacy, he recalled his mother telling him, and he supposed this was all just part of it.

He hooked his fingers around the lining of the formal jacket he had been forced to wear. Once pulled from his form, he threw it to the floor for the fact that it didn't matter to him in the slightest. He swung up onto the ledge, and without care as to a comfortable landing, he dropped down beside her.

[Astrid Brynn]

Once he'd landed, Astrid put a finger to her lips, indicating for the boy to remain quiet. Any suspicious sound could quickly grow into them being found and although Astrid had learned that charm got her a long way, she highly doubted that it would get her praised for running away with the prince of Abrea.

She moved then, her back slightly hunched as she used the shelter of the various trees and bushes in the garden the best she could. She didn't bother looking over her shoulder. In truth, it wasn't really her problem if the boy followed or not - or if he could even keep up.

She lifted her head to look over one of the bushes and waited for the guard patrolling to round the corner before she started running towards the other end of the garden, then quickly ducked up behind another set of bushes on the opposite side.

[Carter de Chevelle]

Instinct had Carter standing upright the second he got his footing. His hands reached to idly dust his shirt, like that was what he was supposed to do. Like it was second nature for his muscles. He only stopped himself from doing so when he realised she was telling him to be quiet. Being in the moment was never easy.

What Carter learned as he followed was that clearly, this wasn't the first time she had slipped past guards. This was a path already known; it was almost miraculous how she ducked and dodged her way through every natural obstacle a garden could have for her.

When he followed her straight across the path he nearly tripped on his own feet, scuffing the ground uncontrollably before he managed to slip behind a set of bushes beside her. Idle scratches already took their toll on the pristine uniform he wore, and when he had that spare second, he used it to catch his breath. As much as he wanted to speak, he knew words were disallowed from this portion of a proposed escape.

[Astrid Brynn]

As she paused, her head turned to look at the boy behind her. She watched him carefully, but also curiously. It was obvious this wasn't something he did often. Then, she supposed that perhaps he had all the freedom he could possibly want. Or rather, maybe he didn't mind the restrictive nature of their titles.

Offering him a sheepish smile, she chuckled softly. "You look a little out of your element there, Prince." Still, she supposed it was only fair to offer him a moment to collect his thoughts. After all, this had been her idea and they were playing on her home field.