Shuriki x Esteban Requests

The Surprise: Part 7

Disclaimer: Ruairc Murchada, Grisha Averchenko, Lazar Averchenko, and Ilya Averchenko all belong to me. If you use them in fanart or fanfiction, please remember to give me proper credit as their creator. Thank you.
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Not all princes were charming. Ruairc Murchada was proof of that. The prince of Conchobair prattled on for so long Shuriki would've gladly leapt from the palace bridge if it meant she'd never have to hear the grating sound of his voice again.

Thank goodness for Isabel. The child pretended to stumble and bump into an ambassador who spilled red wine down the front of Ruairc's expensive white silk shit. Isabel turned on the charm, apologizing sweetly to both men, then offered Shuriki a conspiratorial wink when they were looking elsewhere.

Shuriki mouthed a "thank you" before sneaking off to find Esteban. She had not seen or spoken to her husband since his hasty departure after their earlier conversation.

She hated how they'd left things and worried his feelings for her would change. Perhaps they already had. She felt terrible.

In the entire forty-three years that they'd known each other, Esteban had never once asked Shuriki for anything. Not even when she'd forced him to wed her just to strengthen her hold over Avalor. He could've made demands, turned on her, made himself king. He hadn't though. Despite having every right and reason to want her imprisoned or even executed, Esteban had remained loyal to his wife.

Shuriki didn't blame him for throwing her wand to Elena. She would've done the same thing if she had learned her parents were alive after decades of separation, but they weren't, and she'd been an only child, so there was simply no chance of such a thing ever happening to her.

Shuriki searched the crowd until she found Esteban speaking with Doña Hortensia Paloma. Though, knowing both of them, bickering would've been a better word for it. Shuriki bristled instantly when Paloma called him a prancing peacock.

Even if it was true, Doña Paloma was a greedy old hussy, so who was she to pass judgement? Shuriki stomped up behind them and cleared her throat to make her presence known.

Doña Paloma narrowed her eyes at Shuriki and took on an supercilious tone. "Dutchess."

Shuriki did the same in return. "Magister."

It was the closest thing to a civilized greeting as the two women would likely ever get. They'd always disliked each other.

Esteban tried to remain austere. Doña Paloma's jabs no longer bothered him the way they had in the past. He had nothing to prove to her or anyone else. Shuriki on the other hand...her words and her actions had the power to wound him. They always had and probably always would. The worst part of all was that the sorceress had little to no trouble at all using that knowledge to her advantage.

The chancellor was still nursing his bruised ego and wounded pride. He felt as though he'd been jilted. Needless to say he was in no mood to argue or play games.

Esteban had always been prone to feeling dejected, especially if things didn't go the way he'd hoped. It was no secret-at least not to Shuriki-that he thrived on praise and was driven by the need to be needed.

"Esteban, darling, I need to speak to you."

Esteban frowned. "Oh?"

Shuriki nodded. "It's about what we were discussing earlier."

Esteban shook his head. "There is nothing more to discuss. You have made it clear where you stand on the subject. I'd prefer not to speak of it any further if that's alright with you."

Shuriki tried to protest, but Esteban waved her off refusing to hear it.

"Trouble in paradise?" Doña Paloma gloated.