The Arcana - Muriel Fanfics!

IV - The Emperor

*next one's gonna be a masquerade story, so here's some masq. preppingggg

She feels so small in my arms. 

Hair the colour of chocolate spills out over the silken covers, framing her serene features perfectly. Small, lopsided lips she hates so much are slightly parted; the rise and fall of her breathing is hypnotic.  Curled fingers rest against my chest as she sleeps soundly. 

Mid-morning sunlight streams through gauzy, billowing curtains, staining the shadows purple. If I really concentrate, I can just hear the servants clamouring somewhere far down the hallway. This place...if I were here alone, I know I wouldn't have slept at all. 

I'm just thinking about what Inanna must be up to, when eyelashes softer than butterfly's wings flutter open against my chest. Valeera mumbles something that loosely sounds like 'too bright,' before she props herself onto her chin. 

"Mo-ooornin'...lo'," she manages, stifling a long, unceremonious yawn. She finishes with a sleepy grin, and I can't help but snort.

"...Morning, love," I mumble. Tousled curls fall into molten brown eyes and tumble down her shoulders. I reach forward, feeling a flush spread into my cheeks. I gently tuck an immensely long lock of hair behind her ear, cupping her face tentatively. She closes her eyes, leaning her forehead against mine. 

I don't even notice Portia standing in the doorframe. 

"Ahem." 

I jolt upright, sending Valeera sprawling across the covers. 

"What...what are you doing!?" I splutter. "Knock! We...we're not..." 

I'm blushing furiously, hastily grabbing handfuls of the silky bedsheets to spare Valeera some shame. Her expression is a mix embarrassment, surprise and amusement. Portia seems to be trying very hard to keep a straight face, but there's a mischievous glint in her eyes that reminds me of Julian. 

I throw her a grumpy glare. Valeera sits up a little more, clutching the sheets to her chest.

"....Ah. Morning, Portia," she says awkwardly. Portia steps into the room, pointedly busying herself collecting empty cups and dirty fruit platters. 

"Good morning, Valeera." She glances up, with a knowing glint in her eyes. "Muriel. Milady will be starting breakfast shortly, but didn't know if you'd be awake, or..." she trails off, smiling subtly behind a precarious stack of items from our room. 

"...We're awake," I grumble, quietly wishing I never gave Portia any myrrh. The tower of various things from the room that apparantly need to be cleaned is taller than Portia now, but she manages a sly nod. "Yes, good, good. Well, if either of you need anything," she says with a wink, "anything at all, don't hesitate." With a last wicked grin, she bustles from the room. 

I exhale, releasing tension I didn't realise I'd had. I feel Valeera's arms wind around my neck, leaning her head against my shoulder. 

"Are you okay?" She whispers. 

I glance down at her in question. Valeera chuckles, untangling her arms and throwing back the sheets. The blush returns without mercy, and I divert my gaze to the floor while she dresses. 

"I'm sure she didn't mean to...well, she probably did," she says, hopping on one leg trying to pull her pants on. "We can go home today, if you like."

I carefully push the sheets aside, still looking anywhere but Valeera. "...Are all the wards up?" I ask. For the past few days, Val's been helping Nadia with security around the palace. After the mess with Lucio and the Devil last Masquerade...Valeera stills wakes up thrashing, screaming into the pillow not to drink, not to drink...

"Yep. No ghosts, goats or anything inbetween's getting in or out unless it's the front gate." She says, muffled by the shirt she's struggling to find her way out of. I fidget with a tassel on the pillow. 

"...Val?" 

She looks up, eyebrows quirked.

"...If...if you wanted, maybe...maybe we could pick out...maybe, pick out some costumes today?" I mutter, catching her eyes. "Only if you want..." I trail off, eyes finding the ground again. 

There's quiet. Stupid, stupid, she doesn't want to, she doesn't - 

I hear running footsteps before Valeera throws herself on me in a rush of hair. She's giggling and planting kisses all over my face. "Of course! Oh, you'll be so handsome, I know it, and we don't have to stay long, but there'll be food, and maybe I'll teach you to dance," she says, practically bursting with excitement. 

I smile softly, brushing hair from her eyes. "...I can learn, I guess. But...but they might not have anything that's..." I gaze down at myself, at how small Val is in comparison. "...My size."

Valeera grins, tugging me to stand. "I'm sure we can convince Nadia to have something made in time..." 

I'm not even fully dressed before I'm stumbling along out the door behind her.