kawa~ inspiration #10
Dec. 23rd, 2004 04:16 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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yrae
Title~ Moonlit Revelations
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ Nol and Random Bloke #76 (or whatever I'm up to) are mine~
Notes~ kawa~ inspiration #10. What would~ have been Nol's wedding night. But it isn't. Sucks to be him, eh?
~ ~ ~
Nol stared into his half-empty glass, debating whether or not he would finish it. For some reason, he just wasn’t in the mood tonight. It wasn’t as though Alyn’s Tavern didn’t brew good beer. Certainly, it was no Golden Thrai, but then, nowhere was. He wondered why he’d come in the first place, then glanced out the window. Ni-Yana was bathed in the cool, silver light of the full moon.
Goddesses knew how many men had married today, while the prince remained a bachelor. That’s why he was here. If he stayed at the palace or went to the ‘Thrai, there was no doubt he’d be consoled by everyone who saw him. The palace staff would go out of their way to wish him luck, tell him Nimay didn’t deserve him. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of the fact.
“Would I be troubling you at all if I took this seat?”
Nolryn glanced up at the man’s voice. His impressive height, darker skin and, most noticeably, thick accent marked him as a man of desert origin.
The prince motioned to the seat opposite him, then stared back down into his beer.
The tall desert man sat down with his own tankard, and Nol could feel his dark eyes scrutinising him. Nolryn glanced up in irritation, the accusation silent in his eyes.
“Your spirits don’t seem to be all that high tonight,” the desert man pointed out, accent rolling strangely over the syllables. It was the kind of accent that made the prince think it took more effort to force the words out than the accent of the river folk.
“Well spotted,” he replied blandly, tracing the rim of his glass with a finger.
“Sometimes, the best cure for such problems is merely to talk about them, especially with one you are unfamiliar with, and who is unfamiliar with you.”
Nolryn stopped running his finger around the glass and frowned up at the man’s innocent face. Of course. Desert people cared nothing for the affairs of Raykinian royalty, and given that Nol had chosen a shirt not bearing the royal insignia, this man would have no idea who he was.
He looked out at the full moon again and sighed. What harm could it do? “My hrai-dani was eleven days ago,” he said bitterly.
The man followed Nolryn’s glance. “Ah,” he said simply, then took a swig of his drink. “You had someone in mind, but she refused?”
The prince nodded mutely.
“Well.” Nolryn could hear the grin in his voice. “If nothing else, you can rest easily in the knowledge that you are not the only man in such a position tonight.”
Nol looked up from his glass. “How so?”
The desert man grinned broadly, and Nol couldn’t help shivering at the gesture. “Surely you have heard that his Highness, too, is alone the full moon after his hrai-dani.”
Nol blinked slowly. “I’m the prince.” He knew from past experience that once people started discussing him without knowing he was present, that invariably nasty words would be said about him.
His companion raised his eyebrows in surprise, then bowed his head respectfully. “Forgive me, Highness.”
Nol shrugged. “Saves the trouble of explaining the situation, I guess, seeing as apparently everyone knows now.”
“I must admit, your being here does confirm the rumours I’ve heard.” The man paused for a moment, and Nolryn could see the silent debate that waged behind his eyes.
“What?” he prompted.
“If your Highness would permit, I have my own theories regarding Nimay's rejection.”
The prince drummed his fingers on the side of his glass, finally committing to a gulp of the amber liquid. “Indulge me.”
Author~ Annarti
Disclaimer~ Nol and Random Bloke #76 (or whatever I'm up to) are mine~
Notes~ kawa~ inspiration #10. What would~ have been Nol's wedding night. But it isn't. Sucks to be him, eh?
Nol stared into his half-empty glass, debating whether or not he would finish it. For some reason, he just wasn’t in the mood tonight. It wasn’t as though Alyn’s Tavern didn’t brew good beer. Certainly, it was no Golden Thrai, but then, nowhere was. He wondered why he’d come in the first place, then glanced out the window. Ni-Yana was bathed in the cool, silver light of the full moon.
Goddesses knew how many men had married today, while the prince remained a bachelor. That’s why he was here. If he stayed at the palace or went to the ‘Thrai, there was no doubt he’d be consoled by everyone who saw him. The palace staff would go out of their way to wish him luck, tell him Nimay didn’t deserve him. The last thing he needed was to be reminded of the fact.
“Would I be troubling you at all if I took this seat?”
Nolryn glanced up at the man’s voice. His impressive height, darker skin and, most noticeably, thick accent marked him as a man of desert origin.
The prince motioned to the seat opposite him, then stared back down into his beer.
The tall desert man sat down with his own tankard, and Nol could feel his dark eyes scrutinising him. Nolryn glanced up in irritation, the accusation silent in his eyes.
“Your spirits don’t seem to be all that high tonight,” the desert man pointed out, accent rolling strangely over the syllables. It was the kind of accent that made the prince think it took more effort to force the words out than the accent of the river folk.
“Well spotted,” he replied blandly, tracing the rim of his glass with a finger.
“Sometimes, the best cure for such problems is merely to talk about them, especially with one you are unfamiliar with, and who is unfamiliar with you.”
Nolryn stopped running his finger around the glass and frowned up at the man’s innocent face. Of course. Desert people cared nothing for the affairs of Raykinian royalty, and given that Nol had chosen a shirt not bearing the royal insignia, this man would have no idea who he was.
He looked out at the full moon again and sighed. What harm could it do? “My hrai-dani was eleven days ago,” he said bitterly.
The man followed Nolryn’s glance. “Ah,” he said simply, then took a swig of his drink. “You had someone in mind, but she refused?”
The prince nodded mutely.
“Well.” Nolryn could hear the grin in his voice. “If nothing else, you can rest easily in the knowledge that you are not the only man in such a position tonight.”
Nol looked up from his glass. “How so?”
The desert man grinned broadly, and Nol couldn’t help shivering at the gesture. “Surely you have heard that his Highness, too, is alone the full moon after his hrai-dani.”
Nol blinked slowly. “I’m the prince.” He knew from past experience that once people started discussing him without knowing he was present, that invariably nasty words would be said about him.
His companion raised his eyebrows in surprise, then bowed his head respectfully. “Forgive me, Highness.”
Nol shrugged. “Saves the trouble of explaining the situation, I guess, seeing as apparently everyone knows now.”
“I must admit, your being here does confirm the rumours I’ve heard.” The man paused for a moment, and Nolryn could see the silent debate that waged behind his eyes.
“What?” he prompted.
“If your Highness would permit, I have my own theories regarding Nimay's rejection.”
The prince drummed his fingers on the side of his glass, finally committing to a gulp of the amber liquid. “Indulge me.”