In This Life And The Next

“Are you in a rush to be married?” Laura asked a few weeks later, as they strolled the gardens. Aurora’s days were filled with the children and private lessons from George. Her nights belong to Alec, wrapped in his embrace. After a few embarrassing moments, the guards and the knights outside his door had learned to tell the difference between Alec beckoning them and Alec expressing something else.

George’s lessons were sometimes excruciating and after the first few, he recruited different people from around the castle for Aurora to spar. He made them swear on the pain of torture not to breath a word of their works to anyone not present at the sparring practices and from the wide eyed look they gave George. Aurora knew they believed him.

George was surprised at the peace Aurora’s learning but quickly took advantage of it, learning when to push Aurora to the edge of her physical limits and when to let her rest. Despite his gruffness, George was a good man and a competent. Sometimes Caspian would show up to the practices and sometimes Liam would too but they both learned they would also be participating so the visits were sparse.

On this day, George had told her that he would be busy and that they would be unable to practice until a later time. Laura found her underneath the apple tree she was so fond of, a book in hand, and requested Aurora walk with her.

“I am with the Prince no matter our marital status.” Aurora replied. They both watched as Alec and his knights raced into the woods. To Aurora it looked like play but Alec assured her that it was war practice.

Aurora was not sure she believed him.

“As far as the ceremony goes, I am more at your behest.”

Laura sighed and slipped a hand through Aurora’s arm. “After dinner tonight, I need to speak to all of my children.”

Aurora patted her hand “I’ll inform Hazel.”

“You as well, Aurora.” Laura smiled, her eyes bright when she looked at Aurora. “I speak of you as well.”

“Your Majesty-” Aurora murmured, ducking her head.

“It’s no easy feat, being the object of my son’s affections. He loves so much and has so much to give. That is why he will be a good ruler. He can love his people unselfishly.” She paused. “But to be the singular object of his affection can be cloying at times.”

“I love that he dose nothing by halves.” Aurora murmured. “It is all or nothing and I feel the same about him although I lack the manners and the ideas and the words, I love him so much that I fear I will break from it.”

Laura patted her hand. “This is why it is you, Aurora. Because you do not break.”

Aurora left her at her door and headed for another lesson with George.

When she was there, she was surprised to see Sam and Victor leaning against the fence. They looked equally as surprised.

“What are you doing here?” Victor asked.

“I-” Aurora started.

“I’m teaching her a thing or two and the two of you will be keeping your traps shut about it or I’ll be spreading rumors around the village about mysterious rashes on your private arears, are we clear?” George snapped.

“We can’t-” Sam started.

“She’s betrothed to the future king. Our king.” Victor protested.

“Who will kill us if there is so much as a scratch on Aurora.”

“I would rather be scratched by the two of you than killed by one of Roman’s.” Aurora said quietly.

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Sam muttered and looked down. “Goddamn it.”

Victor looked murderous. “You put our future king’s safety against our lives and the Crown Prince’s temper.” He accused.

George shrugged. “Get then, if you two don’t have the balls. I can find someone who does.” He waved them off and jerked his head into the shack. “Come on, Aurora, there is something else I’d like to show you. New acquisition, if you’d like to call it-” Aurora made her way to George’s shack, comfortable there as she is in the castle now.

“Who?” Sam asked.

“Hm?” George asked, a though he just remember their presence. “Oh, not to worry. I can find someone. Go, then.”

“If it’s not us, none will be able to reassure Aurora’s safety. Indulge them,” Sam hissed at Victor, “And she might learn a thing or two.”

George glanced at Aurora who composed her her face into impassivity. George only looked slightly amused.

“We’ll do it.” Victor grounded out. “But only us and none other.” He took a deep breath. “And Alec must not know of it.”

George snorted. “No one knew before this.”

George took advantage of Aurora’s natural skill set, her ability to blend in, her quiet nature, and her instincts, honed to a fine edge throughout a lifetime of saving her own hide from a beating. He gestured to their makeshift ring, surrounded by a low fence. Aurora stepped over it, stood in the middle.

Sam and Victor exchanged glances, Victor unbuckled his light sparring amour and slug it over the fence. Sam did the same. Neither saw Aurora as a serious threat. They joined Aurora inside the fence. Victor and Sam a exchanged glance and unsheathed their swords. Aurora loosened her stance and kept her eyes forward, lowered to ground. She hunched her shoulders.

“Attack.” George said softly.

They both rushed in and Aurora stepped back, threw Victor into Sam, waited for the inevitable stumbled that brought Sam too close to her. When he did, he found the tip of Aurora’s blade at his neck.

“Out.” Aurora murmured and stepped back.

“What-” Sam mumbled.

“You heard her. Get your skinny ass out of the ring.” George snapped.

Victor was more a wary fighter and chose his moves more carefully. He knew of Aurora’s blade now and stayed further then Aurora’s reach.

But Aurora was more patient, could be more patient than any man, and Victor was a soldier first, used to action, preferring to be on the offense. He made the mistake eventually and ended up on his back for his trouble, Aurora’s other blade pressed to his neck.

George nodded. “Good.” He paused. “What could you have done better?”

“Taken them both down in three fewer moves.” Aurora said and spun the blade in her hand, picked up the other and slid them into the holsters that are strapped to her forearms and were easily hidden by her sleeves.

George nodded. “You two can go.” He said to Sam and Victor. They picked up their armor as they left and George called after them, “And next time, do better.”

They grumbled a reply.

George laughed.

“I cannot stay for a longer lesson today.” Aurora said.

“Why’s that.” George asked and offered a piece of dried meat from a packet he kept close by. Aurora took it and the flask of water on the fence.

“The Queen requests my presence along with the royal family. I have to be presentable.”

“The royal family.” George said.

“And me, yes.”

“No, she requested the presence of the royal family. Period.” George looked at Aurora fondly. “idiot.”

Aurora ducked her head. “I plan to go to the city tomorrow for more supplies. Do you need anything.”

George thought. “Dried fruit would be pleasant. Only if you have time.”

Aurora nodded and left, raising her hand in goodbye. She was in the bath when she heard Alec stomp in.

“Ro?” He called. There was a tension in his voice that Aurora could hear a mile away.

“Here!” She called out. She stood and reached for her robe, and went into the room where Alec was attempting to pry off the lighter leather armor he wore to spar. “Are you well?” Aurora asked and ran a hand through Alec’s sweat drenched hair.

“Roman’s armies push farther into our lands.” Alec muttered and Aurora began to unbuckle his armor. He didn’t want Aurora’s words or advice on how to deal with Roman. He wanted someone to listen. “He torched a border village, took our people for slaves.”

Aurora winced at the news. Her fingers worked the sweat soaked tunic free and over Alec’s shoulders. She threw it into the basket where the servants picked up their soiled lines.

“They say that soldiers live for war,” Alec murmured and stood so that Aurora could work his belt off him and laid his sword aside on a nearby table. “But I dread nothing more.”

“You fear war?” Aurora asked. She didn’t understand. Alec was renowned for his superior fighting skills, his strategy, his leadership. His men lived and breathed by his command, they were so loyal to him. They loved him like a father, a brother, a son. Even his presence was made for war; his broad shoulders, the obvious scars and calluses on his hands, the way he moved easily on his warhorse, with armor on, as though he feared nothing, as though he had already won the battle and the war and had merely to inform the opponent at the other end of his sword. The thick muscle of his legs and shoulders and arms were hard won from his hours with his knights and soldiers, from running drills. Aurora had long been under the impression that war was something Alec looked forward to.

“It’s a new fear.” Alec murmured as Aurora knelt at his feet and worked the laces free. “I fear dying on a battlefield and not old and warm near you. A death away from you tears at me.”

“It will not come to that.” Aurora vowed, running her hand up the tender side of Alec’s arch. “Your fears are for naught.”

“I was born under the sun of war.” Alec murmured, “It is all I know, It is all my brothers know. We see it coming. Liam has worked himself into near exhaustion trying to negotiate a way out of it but there is nothing left for him to do.”

Aurora stood, working her fingers into Alec’s shoulders, looking to loosen the muscles there. Alec’s eyes remained distant but his shoulders lost some of their tension underneath Aurora’s fingers.

“Your mother asks that we join her in her room after dinner.” Aurora said softly.

Alec bowed his head.

“Liam asked Lady Jessica to marry him.” Alec murmured and it sounded like his heart was breaking.

“That’s wonderful news.” Aurora gushed, she had wondered when Liam was going to ask for Jessica’s hand.

“Were it not for the invading army, I would be inclined to agree.” Alec whispered. “I have only just found you.”

“And I’m still here.”

“Where you will remain, while I go fight another war.” Alec pointed out.

“A wise man once told me that a king’s life was not his own.” Aurora stated, softly. “A king must lead, must show his people the way. He lives to serve the people.”

“I desire peace more than ever.”

“Then fight for it.” Aurora whispered fiercely. “Fight to come back to me because they are what keeps you from me.”

Alec pulled away and turned round to face Aurora. “Will you wait for me?”

“Through a hundred life times.” Aurora vowed.