Malachi pointed an accusatory finger at Nuriel, the action causing all of the bracelets and bangles on his arm to clang together. "He will not allow me to take him to see a priest for healing." He may sound like a five-year-old but his eyes shone with worry for his friend. Rightly so, considering the janky ass way his legs move.
Sorry, Nuriel, but you are going to have to wait a few years before I can get away with inventing a wheelchair for you.
Alcuin simply said nothing as it was clear to both of us that he was just using her as a way to reaffirm his point. Her bangles also chimed as she repositioned me so that she was cradling me with just one arm. She used her now free hand to move some strands of her snow-like hair that had escaped the braid and had fallen into her eyes.
I am once again asking, why is everyone so fucking pretty here?
I know it's much more about personality rather than looks but that doesn't help either. Especially in Alcuins' case. Her personality perfectly matched how she presented herself. She was truly beautiful inside and out.
"It's not important." The painter dismissed the king himself with a slight wave of a hand. Who was this guy anyway? "I do believe you have much more urgent work to attend to, your majesty." His tone shifted instantly. From old friends to two acquaintances with very different places in the hierarchy.
Malachis' tensed at that as if just remembering he was wearing a crown atop his head. Without another word, he sharply turned around, the long braid of black waving behind him, and left through the door opposite from the one we had originally entered through.
Not a moment after the king had exited through that door, Alcuin followed after with me still in her arms. The door, like the other, opened without Alcuin having to interact with it.
The king was quite far down the hallway already. 'Hallway' didn't do it justice, really. This one was almost thrice the width of the previous hallways. There were a multitude of doors and other hallways leading off of it, all equal in size. The walls were painted a deep violet with a gold and white pattern of a variety of flowers ran down its centre.
Malachi turned down a right hallway and within moments, thanks to Alcuins' quickly-paced walking, we were too. So she was following him. When he would take a left, she would too and walk even faster. He would ascend a set of stairs, so would she and walk faster. Somehow, with her speed still increasing, she still looked ever calm and graceful.
(Surprisingly) Malachi wasn't a fucking idiot and knew we were tailing him. After stopping in front of a set of particularly lavish doors, he quickly turned to us. In all of his caring for his friend and patting me on the head, I had forgotten that he was a real king. A real king with real expectations and real people to rule over.
"Alcuin, what do you want?" His voice had reverted to the one that barely greeted me the day I first arrived in this world. He was back to the stern ruler of a great country with the voice of one too.
You know what, for all of my tantrum-throwing and raving that a worldly spirit had overtaken him, I think I prefer the non-snowman, please and thank you.
Alcuin did not look fazed in the least as she plainly stated, "I thought you would like to spean time with your daughter." In order to reinforce the fact that I was actually here, she changed how she was holding me once more. This time holding me with both arms so that I was facing straight ahead again.
Yes. Look at me. Don't I look so cute and nonthreatening? It would be a shame if someone were to, I don't know, kill me...
His golden eyes met mine and I instinctively looked away. "My daughter. Yes." He pulled a smile and gave me a small, awkward wave. I feel like a stranger again. "Sorry, but I seem to be much too busy today."
The white-haired woman said nothing and stared at him dryly.
"Please come tomorrow and we shall have lunch together. Do invite your niece too." The king again waited for Alcuins' response but none came. He even gave her extra time to speak but still she said nothing.
The man sighed quietly as he took a step to turn around but seeing Alcuins' mouth open caused him to stop and reposition to facing her. Her grey eyes met his gold ones and her voice was as even as ever as she spoke.
"She doesn't like you very much. My niece, I mean."
Then she turned and left.
I love this woman.