lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

Summer’s gaze immediately snapped to him, the melancholy instantly erased by a smile. When he kissed her on the forehead, the little girl jumped up and tugged on his arm, pulling him down to whisper in his ear, “She doesn’t like that. Don’t do that.”

Then she gave him an urchin’s grin and shot off like a bolt. Summer watched her go with a softer, fond smile. “Sarai is the head cook’s middle daughter. They’ve all been very concerned about my health of late.”

Isaac blinked and turned away from Summer to drop into a crouch so that he was level with the little girl, a crooked smile tugging at his lips at her whisper. “Well, I wasn’t going to kiss her on the lips in front of you, was I?” He chuckled faintly, rolling his eyes fondly as he watched her leave, before focusing his attention back on Summer.

“Really? Haven’t you been eating?” Concern flooded his features and his eyes and hands roamed her face and torso, a soft sound escaping him. “What happened while you were here, Summer?”

She ducked her head, faint colour rising in her face. “I — missed you so much. I was so lonely … at least when you t-took me away with you to Hale Castle you were still there. You watched over me all the time. Here, there was no one. After my twin left, there was no one.”

Very quietly, she confessed, hiding her face, “I fell into despair.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

A muffled noise that might have been shocked laughter emanated from the room behind him. The guard — the same guard, in fact — guided him not to the tower Summer had immured herself in before, but to a fantastic, glass room built out into the castle courtyard. Despite the season, it was pleasantly warm, and filled with flourishing greenery.

Summer was ensconced near the centre of the room, red dress flowing about her. A little girl knelt near her feet, chattering happily and sharing a plateful of finger foods with her. Her face was still marked with the melancholy of the past months, but even as Isaac entered the room, sunlight poured through the glass and lit up her face.

Sir Isaac bid the guard a kind farewell, too otherwise captivated by the journey to the new room, and then the even more beautiful sight of his wife-to-be, gazing in adoration at her. She was wonderful with children, and he was eager to give her some of her own to care for and raise as a family together, but they had to be married first.

Allowing her a moment longer with the child, he finally announced his presence by stepping in through the doorway and striding across the room, leaning down to kiss her on the forehead.

Summer’s gaze immediately snapped to him, the melancholy instantly erased by a smile. When he kissed her on the forehead, the little girl jumped up and tugged on his arm, pulling him down to whisper in his ear, “She doesn’t like that. Don’t do that.”

Then she gave him an urchin’s grin and shot off like a bolt. Summer watched her go with a softer, fond smile. “Sarai is the head cook’s middle daughter. They’ve all been very concerned about my health of late.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

Only a brief twitch of the mouth betrayed Edward’s response to Isaac’s description of Summer. Much more gently, he said, “There’s nothing more to be done at the moment. The wedding won’t take place for a month, and the dispersal of the knights participating in the tournament will do enough to protect the lands.

“Go back to her. Make her smile again, and again, and again. I will send for you when I need you.”

“I might not come straightaway, Sir. After all, my duty is to my wife-to-be, not you, I’m afraid. As long as you give me plenty of warning, I should be along as quick as I can,” Sir Isaac stated with the merest of twitches to his lips, straightening up as he nodded his goodbyes, then stepping out of the room to return to the side of his beloved Summer once again.

A muffled noise that might have been shocked laughter emanated from the room behind him. The guard — the same guard, in fact — guided him not to the tower Summer had immured herself in before, but to a fantastic, glass room built out into the castle courtyard. Despite the season, it was pleasantly warm, and filled with flourishing greenery.

Summer was ensconced near the centre of the room, red dress flowing about her. A little girl knelt near her feet, chattering happily and sharing a plateful of finger foods with her. Her face was still marked with the melancholy of the past months, but even as Isaac entered the room, sunlight poured through the glass and lit up her face.

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

Edward straightened up from the table, meeting Isaac’s gaze. “I am attempting to do just that, with this marriage, to you. My lands are under threat, do you understand that? Or are you so caught up in her pretty smile that you don’t see the danger all around? By wedding my daughter to you, I create a link to the Hales. With Derek’s power behind me, I can put a stop to the petty harassment along my borders, and perhaps these lands — not just mine — can find something like peace again!”

“She is much more than a pretty smile, Sir. She’s the love of my life, and hopefully one day, the mother to my children. I fell in love with her the first moment I saw her — not because of her looks, but because she was protecting children, willing to sacrifice herself for them. That’s the daughter you missed out on,” he murmured lowly and shook his head, taking a step back from him. “But by all means, I’ll help where I can, and organise a meeting with my brother, if that is of interest to you.”

Only a brief twitch of the mouth betrayed Edward’s response to Isaac’s description of Summer. Much more gently, he said, “There’s nothing more to be done at the moment. The wedding won’t take place for a month, and the dispersal of the knights participating in the tournament will do enough to protect the lands.

Go back to her. Make her smile again, and again, and again. I will send for you when I need you.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

“You weren’t listening, boy. I need this alliance. Your concern for your family is very touching, but it is a secondary concern. Derek will be here when you wed, rest assured, since that seems to be /your/ sole concern.” He flipped his hand again, clearly indicating ‘run along’.

“Not my ‘sole’ concern, but one of them. My main one is your daughter — ensuring her happiness and safety. We don’t need to get along with one another for that, do we?” Sir Isaac pointed out with an arch to his eyebrow, slowly shaking his head. 

Edward straightened up from the table, meeting Isaac’s gaze. “I am attempting to do just that, with this marriage, to you. My lands are under threat, do you understand that? Or are you so caught up in her pretty smile that you don’t see the danger all around? By wedding my daughter to you, I create a link to the Hales. With Derek’s power behind me, I can put a stop to the petty harassment along my borders, and perhaps these lands — not just mine — can find something like peace again!”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

Edward straightened up and looked at Isaac consideringly. “So you do have a spine off the battlefield.” He placed a finger on the location of Hale Castle. “I am by no means going to insult Derek the Hale by neglecting to invite him to the wedding of his foster brother, considering how badly I need his alliance.”

Isaac opened and closed his mouth a few times, then settling on a frown as he shook his head. “I need them there, Sir. Aside from Summer, I have no other family and Derek’s been like a brother to me, Cora a sister. And she and Summer have gotten close too.”

“You weren’t listening, boy. I need this alliance. Your concern for your family is very touching, but it is a secondary concern. Derek will be here when you wed, rest assured, since that seems to be /your/ sole concern.” He flipped his hand again, clearly indicating ‘run along’.

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

“My boy, this is a royal wedding. /Everyone/ will be invited.” The Prince paced over to a wide table, spread with a map, and gazed down at it. “I dare not slight anyone,” he muttered. “We are in too precarious a position as it is.” After a moment, he seemed to remember Isaac’s presence and flicked a hand. “If you have folk you wish to include, you may of course submit them for approval.”

“…Approval?” His eyes narrowed just a little and he straightened up, offense flashing across my face. “With all due respect, Sir, I have no biological family — the Hales took me in as one of their own and they’re coming to this wedding without question,” he stated, leaving no room for an argument as he leaned down, scanning the map to see if he could help in any way.

Edward straightened up and looked at Isaac consideringly. “So you do have a spine off the battlefield.” He placed a finger on the location of Hale Castle. “I am by no means going to insult Derek the Hale by neglecting to invite him to the wedding of his foster brother, considering how badly I need his alliance.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

Edward whipped around to stare at him, at a loss for words. “You … would /refuse/?” After a long, long silence, he said, “I am unlikely to die within the year. You will be wed here, and I will expect your answer by the next Yuletide.”

“No, Sir. I just want to talk it over with Su- with your daughter first. I’ll go wherever makes her the happiest — it’s about time that her and I had a large family.” Isaac was quick to placate him, before nodding. “I should like to contact the Hales and some others to invite them?”

“My boy, this is a royal wedding. /Everyone/ will be invited.” The Prince paced over to a wide table, spread with a map, and gazed down at it. “I dare not slight anyone,” he muttered. “We are in too precarious a position as it is.” After a moment, he seemed to remember Isaac’s presence and flicked a hand. “If you have folk you wish to include, you may of course submit them for approval.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

“I have two daughters,” the Prince said. “Where before I had only one. I have no other children, no heirs. I’m not likely to. I must choose one of my daughters’ husbands as my heir.” He turned back to the tapestry, hands still clasped behind his back. “My son-in-law has his own lands already. You, I hear, have nothing save what Derek gives you — and you have refused lands of your own.”

“What about a future grandson?” Isaac offered up before he fell silent, wondering if this would be a good idea, to inherit these lands and live here, should Summer agree. But then he wouldn’t see the Hales every day, like he’d grown accustomed to. “Would you be needing my answer immediately, Sir? It’s too kind, but I am tempted.”

Edward whipped around to stare at him, at a loss for words. “You … would /refuse/?” After a long, long silence, he said, “I am unlikely to die within the year. You will be wed here, and I will expect your answer by the next Yuletide.”

lycanthropelahey:

iamthefirechild:

“I did not require that my daughter be married off to another Prince. You are both strong and charming, that is all I require.” Edward shrugged. “You place the greater focus on your name, where I see alliances and connections.” He paused again, contemplating Isaac. “I am surprised you are more concerned for her, and not for your new inheritance. You do not wish to remain here and learn the lands you will rule when I die?”

“Thank you, Sir — I appreciate that.” Sir Isaac nodded politely, yet he continued to watch the Prince, ever suspicious of another’s intentions, particularly when it came to the fate of his beloved Summer. “My … my new inheritance, Sir? I had thought to take Summer back to where I grew up, and leave this Kingdom for your remaining family?”

“I have two daughters,” the Prince said. “Where before I had only one. I have no other children, no heirs. I’m not likely to. I must choose one of my daughters’ husbands as my heir.” He turned back to the tapestry, hands still clasped behind his back. “My son-in-law has his own lands already. You, I hear, have nothing save what Derek gives you — and you have refused lands of your own.”