Winterfell's Trap Heir [Sallin_Kari]

[Firehead]

Your sister is taken aback having apparently not expected your cold fury as she is left speechless while you get your words out before returning to your room. Laying down in your bed, there's a minute or two before you hear the door open, and your sister enters. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, your sister sighs before speaking. "I didn't realize how hard you were taking all of this. I'm sorry, Raalis. I should have remembered how much you dislike the usual political wrangling, but I lost sight of everything but the competition." She pauses a moment in silence as if struggling for words. "I want to make it up to you Raalis, but I'm not sure if I even could at this point.

[Sallin_Kari]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Just a reminder, due to his special circumstances he had to be distant to others 'lest his secrets is reveals on top of the whole presenting as a perfect princess and literally chosen of god. His mother, sister and maid are the three people he can be himself with, and his childhood friend, who he still has to be worried about his secret but at least can show a bit of his real personality... And then his sister chooses some rando over him... so yeah, he took it hard... without even fully realizing why.

As soon as I leave the bath, I nearly cry, but with my sister's maid in my living room, I hide it behind a vicious glare. I was cuddling a pillow, a few silent tears soaked in when my sister arrived. As she spoke, my anger screams out to deny her, but my loneliness wins out. "Why? We use to always be together... Even when you went training, I would be there watching... But... but... you became so distant... why?"

[Firehead]

The maid shrinks back a bit at your glare excusing herself from the room. At your questions, your sister pauses a moment in thought. "The competition got to me. Until mother announced it, I hadn't really given much thought about the throne coming between us. It just became more real to me that you weren't just my darling little sister anymore but my political rival as well, and I didn't know how to balance that new dynamic."

[Sallin_Kari]

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Mother at dinner: I'm so glad you haven't let the competition get between.
Sister: *Nervously sweating*

"So you chose to get married for political expedience..." I repeat, the loneliness still hanging heavy in my voice, before I explain clearly the limitation, "I have had to spend my entire life hiding my gender, and to put on a mask to fulfill the expectations placed on me as the chosen of Selyssah. There were only three people I didn't have to hide my gender in front of, and four people I could at the very least loosen the mask around... and you are getting married, meaning some random noble I can not trust will be placed into that area, so I have to constantly watch over my shoulder should he be watching... Especially since you expressly using him as a political opponent to me. Why would he not be looking for dirt to give you the advantage?"

[Firehead]

She tenses as you air out your fears. "I hadn't thought about that. Even if I wouldn't use that against him, he might start a rumor without telling me about it." The silence drags on for a bit. "There won't be any reason to do that once the competition is over with. I can announce the betrothal and delay the wedding until after this is all sorted out. If I house him elsewhere in the castle, you won't have to fear him any more than you'd fear anyone else in the castle staff."

[Sallin_Kari]

I laugh bitterly at the whole 'there won't be a reason after the competition' bit, "I understand you have distanced yourself from court intrigue out of disdain for it, but they will always look for potential leverage over perceived rivals, even just for future blackmail... At the very least... delaying it will... give us some time to sort things out before having to... figure out the proverbial wrench in the gears."

[Firehead]

"Well, there is one other option I could think of. Though it's hardly ideal circumstances for building trust, but if you can't trust him, it may be the only way." She sighs putting a hand on your back giving it a gentle rub. "If you had some equally devastating secret of his, and he knew about your knowledge, you could put him in a situation where going public means damaging himself."

[Sallin_Kari]

"If there was such a thing that was so damaging... would you still want to marry such a man?" I question, finally having an in to talk about what has really been bugging me but I haven't had the confidence to ask. That is why she is marrying this man.

[Firehead]

"Such a damaging secret doesn't mean he should be shunned. You have just such a secret yourself." Her hand continues to run up and down your back. "Whether or not the secret would repulse me would depend on what it was. Besides, if I backed out now, he'd probably be more of an obstacle than if I'd never agreed to the betrothal to begin with. Spite can be very motivational."

[Sallin_Kari]

"Why did you accept the betrothal anyways? True the Snowcap are not insignificant, but they are hardly the premier noble house... Not to mention you have shown little interest in men before. I thought any marriage would have been with a young noble lady?" My curiosity pours out... perhaps a little too pointed, but I can't help myself."

[Firehead]

She shrugs, "The family works well enough, and a higher profile house would have higher expectations of what should happen if I did ascend. No, I think the Snowcaps will provide enough of a boon without expecting too much favoritism for the prince consort being their own." She sighs as you mention men. "I must confess to not being completely clear about my preferences with you. I've always felt you didn't care for men, and you have so few you can really talk to, so I just never really mentioned what men had caught my interest."

[Sallin_Kari]

"True, I do not have an interest in men... and I do admit to having more wariness 'lest I accidentally let something slip that they would be more familiar with and thus tip them off, but I don't hate them or anything," I point out. I am worn down by this conversation and while my sister's slights wasn't intentional the pain was still there. I snuggle a bit further into the covers.

[Firehead]

"It wasn't as such that I thought you had something against them, and more that I didn't think you wanted to hear me speak about my interests in men considering your circumstances." She stops giving a sigh. "I'm sorry again about how I'm acting. If you want me to leave, I understand."

[Sallin_Kari]

"Well I'd prefer a 'I think I probably should consider getting married' then it sneaking up on me," I point out, before replying with my own sigh, "I... am fine... but this talk is tiring... If you wish to leave, I won't object. I will see you tomorrow then."

[Firehead]

She shakes her head, "I'll stay if you'll still have me, and it sounds like you will, but you're right. It is late, and we should both get our rest." Standing back up, she removes her towel to begin changing into her nightgown.

[Sallin_Kari]

With things coming to an end, I snuggle with the covers, trying to get in a position where I can drift off to sleep.

[Firehead]

Burrowing into the covers, you find yourself quickly drifting off after a rather emotional ending to the night. You awake as the light reaches your eyes. The soft sound of snoring informs you that your sister is still asleep.

[Sallin_Kari]

Waking up, I notice my sister still sleeping. Slipping out slowly I look for my maid for a morning tea, and perhaps something to nibble on before breakfast.

[Firehead]

Leaving your room, you quickly find Narissa waiting for you with a fresh pot of tea and a few scones. She quickly jots down a note. 'How was your evening, Mistress?'

[Sallin_Kari]

I let out a sigh at her comment, "Complicated. Stressful. Things to deal with in the future."