aidan-redfort:
With her arms cascading down his neck and the tips of her fingers brushing against the back of his neck, Aidan moved forward into the space between them. The corners of his lips twitched with the anticipation of her words, chuckling when Jana teased him. “Perhaps. Though I am sure I must battle Lydia for your attention now, seeing as she has grown even fonder of your company here. You see, I believe she wishes to overpower Jorvan and I with the amount of women in our lives, perhaps she will succeed in doing so.” The commander countered with his brow raised and a slight shift in his hands so they rested upon the blonde’s waist. He did adore her probably more than anyone else within the Seven Kingdom’s ever could, but it would be Lydia who wished to steal his love’s attention if not merely to spite him.
“Oh I am well aware that you are capable of handling things all on your own. But you are not alone anymore. You do have me now, Jana.” Aidan said softly, leaning into the healer’s touch as the palm of her hand rested upon his cheek. It was an easy and quick shift to turn so his lips met her skin, kissing the inside of her hand gently as if she may pull it away. This was new to her, such affections like this, and he did not wish to scare her off so easily. “I know.” He smiled down at Jana, giving her torso a light squeeze. “I know.” Everything Aidan did came with the upmost care as he attempted to make this all rather easy on Jana because he knew it would not be. Staying with him meant staying for their growing love and being happy with on another, but it also meant facing their demons. The people of Redfort would talk, surely the townsfolk would not sit idly as the brother of their Lord had a relationship with a bastard. Jorvan had already made it very clear what he thought of Jana, who knows what others may think.
The commander pondered her question for mere seconds before he had his answer. Truthfully, yes, this had been his plan all along but that plan had only come to fruition mere minutes before he’d blurting out the word ‘bedchamber.’ If she did say yes to his offer, then yes, he had planned to move Jana into his room, but that was entirely up to her whether she wished to go through with it or not. Aidan would not force anything on her. “I would, yes. I do get a much better night’s rest with you around, though if you wish to occupy the chamber in which you stayed previously, I would not deny you the right. I suppose I would just have to sneak in at night, make a little fun out of it.” Aidan chuckled, leaning down to press a kiss just below her jawline in a playful manner.
It made the healer glad to know Lydia thought of her with such appreciation, for she had truly began to think of the Redfort lady as a dear friend. “I cannot say I would not support her claim” she replied with an equally teasing tone, letting out a brief chuckle. They were playful remarks but frankly, she would support most likely anyone who wished to overthrow Jorvan. That was how little she cared for the man. The new ruling lord of the Redfort had been rather open with his dislike for her and Jana could say the feeling towards him was mutual. “Do not tell your brother that or he might call me worse things than he already has” she added with a slight smirk, letting a finger brush his lips as if to make him keep this secret between them.
The young woman nodded along his words, grateful to hear him say it. Her fingers brushed against his face even with more tenderness, if such a thing was even possible. “Old habits die hard” she responded, self-aware of the way she was used to think and hoping Aidan would be understanding of it. It would take time to adjust herself to this, a new way of life with him in which she no longer existed isolated, battling her hardships alone. They held each other close again and Jana let herself breathe in his scent, she let herself feel him, as warm and reassuring and steady as he was. It was not something too good to be true, not an illusion, not a dream. She was truly finding happiness with this man, together they were finding it. The obstacles that surely awaited them had a way of not seeming so terrifying as she knew they would face them together.
It was a tempting offer, to say the least. She already knew what it was like to fall asleep in his arms and she would be lying if she said she did not wish for that every night to come. If they were to share a bedchamber she knew they would surely surrender to love and lust as well. It would be much too bold, to let it be known she would remain by his side at the Redfort and would also share his bed every night. His mother might not take the second part of such news too kindly. Gods, she did not wish to provoke Lady Thea by acting so rash. “I believe it would be wiser for me to stay in my current room for now. I am not that eager to provoke a scandal right away”. It was wise not to kick every single hornet’s nest around them, after all. “But I certainly do not oppose to the sneaking around” she added with a smile as he leaned down to place a kiss along her jawline. Her eyes closed for a moment as she enjoyed the sensation of his lips against her skin and her hands descended along the length of his arms to rest just above his elbows.
