Page 16 of Boundless
"Do you think you might faint?"
He shrugged, avoiding her eyes.
"I'll take that as a yes," she deadpanned, combing his hair with her claws. "What do you need to feel better?"
"I-I'm fine. Really."
"It's just us here, Len," Vrinn said gently, surprising everyone in the room. "We want you to be well."
"Aye, we're not such big of cunts as all that," Tesse chimed in. "What is it you need?"
Sercha and Kevothaen joined them, then. "Who's being a cunt?" her father boomed, leveling a glare at his youngest daughter. "I told you lasses to behave and treat your brother kindly."
"I-i-it's n-nothing, really—"
"He's not feeling well and we're all just expressing our concern," Daega explained, tapping the side of Len's glass in a silent command to finish it.
Her father closed the distance in half a dozen strides, his huge gray hand feeling Len's forehead for a fever. "What's wrong, son? Is it your condition?"
Len froze, his eyes darting between Daega and her father. She pulled her father's hand away with a sigh, patting the back of it before letting go. "Easy, Da. You're coming on too strong."
The huge Istarii Drakan warlord flushed, smiling sheepishly. "Aye, my apologies. Shall we stay in the rooms for our noonmeal, then? Since the lad isn't feeling well?"
"Whoisn't feeling well?" Gayeh cried as she finally made her appearance, draped in layers of silk and stone-beaded ropes. "Is it Len? That poor, sweet lad..."
Daega grinned at the elf in question, taking his empty glass and setting it on the nearest side table. She leaned in close, whispering in his pointed ear, bright pink with his discomfort. "It'll be best to just let them dote. I'm sorry, I know you don't like it."
He looked around the room at the six of them, his expression gradually softening. "It's a-alright. I ap-p-preciate the concern. I'm just...not used to it." He looked around at her family, smiling at them more brightly now. "I'm fine, I promise you. Shall we have that p-picnic, now?"
Len led them out of the castle and through the back gardens to a spot he said was one of his favorites. It was in one of the less-frequented parts of the grounds, tucked away where they’d have a little privacy. Daega and Len would still have to keep their distance from each other, just in case staff happened to drift close, but they didn’t have to be as vigilant as they normally were. It was a short and pleasant walk, the sun high and hot— summer at its finest. They set down blankets and spiked two large sun umbrellas into the ground for those who wanted the shade, then set out the food they’d gotten from the kitchens. It really was a lovely little spot, a dirth of trees and tall shrubs offering privacy, while vibrant sprays of flowers perfumed the air and provided a stunning backdrop. A fountain or a stream burbled nearby, competing with birdsong in their little oasis. Daega was touched that he’d share such a special place with not just her, but her whole family. It felt like a show of great trust.
It had been difficult to pretend coldness towards Len on the long walk down, his color failing to improve and his movements weak and slow, but she hoped the castle staff had believed their ruse anyway.
It had certainly convinced her parents.
"Daega, what has happened? Is he ashamed of his new bride that he keeps his distance now?" her father asked in Draka, looking murderous.
"No, Da; it's an act. We think his father is up to something and we're acting like this to throw him off," she responded in kind.
Her mother frowned. "I donotlike that man," she growled, taking a bite of her meat pie. "He is cruel and lacks honor. Should we also participate in this ruse, and pretend we don't like our new son?"
"Yes...be good," Len interjected, surprising them all. His Draka was halting and clumsy, but she hadn't even been aware he was taking the time to learn the language.
Bloody gods, what a good man.
"Please...to be slow talking?" he added, the tips of his ears red.
"Of course, son," Kevothaen said, a frown belying the gentle tone of his words. "Is this good? Do I look displeased enough?"
Daega chuckled. "Aye, Da. You look furious."
They chatted for a little more about their great big game of pretend, in slow Draka to try and keep Len in the loop, eating their picnic lunch as they did. It was far harder than Daega had thought it would be to keep her hands off of Len, everything in her protesting the fact that he wasn’t curled in her lap like a contented cat. She made due with sitting close and drinking in his smiles, but it wasn’t enough and left her antsy and full of nervous energy. So when Tesse suggested a sparring match she agreed eagerly.
"You want to use weapons this time, Dae?" her sister asked as they stepped away from the rest of the group and staked out a plot of open grass.
"No, best not. Don't want to spill blood in their pretty garden."
Tesse smirked, stripping off her outer skirt and flowing blouse, leaving her in her breast band and a short underskirt. "You're awful cocky, thinking just because we have no blades that I won't make you bleed."
