"i’ve been in a barrel for an hour. i fell asleep in there!"
critical role sentence starters !!!
@drunk-and-dangerous
Yukio did not seem amused by the words that he heard from Shura. Was this another joke from her, or was she serious with him this time? It was hard to tell sometimes. Yukio sighed and re positioned his glasses on his face. “Were you intoxicated Shura-San? Or did you have a reason to actually be in there before you fell asleep?”
A belated gift for my good, long-time friend and shipping partner, @drunk-and-dangerous
Happy birthday my friend~ I hope this year promises to be even more enjoyable than even your previous have been.
The redheaded princess strode through the tall corridors of her home, teeth grit behind closed lips and head high. The light of the setting sun flowed in through the windows, her amethyst eyes flitted almost nervously at them. She really had to get to where she was going. No stops, no distractions
“Oh, Princess Shura. Good evening to you.” An obscenity was barely bit back as she heard that voice. This one wasn't even about distractions. This was about him being the one person in all the world that she really wanted to avoid at all times while he was here. Still, she turned to see the blond standing walking up behind her, a smile on his face.
“Good evening... Prince Arthur.” A prince from another country, here visiting for a certain amount of time. She didn't know the reason, something about issues back home, but honestly she didn't care much. She had her own issues to worry about. One of them namely avoiding him as much as she possibly could.
“Doing well, I hope?” he asked cordially. “You seem a bit... tense.” Even as they walked beside each other, his eyes examined her features carefully. She shifted her head to one side, away from him, trying to avoid his searching eyes.
“Just a long day, nothing more,” she managed. “I just finished an early supper, thing I'm going to retire a bit early tonight. Give my head a rest.”
“I see,” he smiled. “Well, I hope you are able to rest easily. Wouldn't want to see you unwell.” He sounded like he genuinely cared, which made it all the more difficult to avoid him like she wanted to. He was a genuinely nice person. She didn't have any reason to dislike him, and she didn't. But... this wasn't about that. This was about keeping things hidden that absolutely needed to be hidden, no matter what. So she bit her lip, and made herself keep walking.
“Thanks for the concern, it's appreciated.” He smiled, then nodded his head to her.
“Well, I suppose I'd best not keep you. I hope you feel better by the morning. Have a good evening.” He went down another hallway, leaving her down her path. Two maids happened to be standing a short ways up the hall, and Shura heard the two chatter softly under their breaths as she came nearer.
“Isn't that the prince who's supposed to be visiting here for a year? The one who keeps speaking so much nonsense,” one of them muttered.
“Indeed. Such an oddball that one. Just imagine, claiming that a sea maid saved his life. In our very own harbor.”
“Something not right with people from his land, I think.”
Shura stopped briefly, just for a moment, and sent a glare their way. Immediately they both jumped as if poked by red hot brands, and scurried away to do their work. She let out a soft huff, and went on her way again.
–
Sounds of metal swishing through the air, soft grunts of effort, and the soft whip of fiery colored hair flowing in the wind filled the empty courtyard. It was with quick strikes like a snake that she thrust out her sword, practicing every set and move. Swordfighting was one of the things she was best at, and she wanted to perfect it.
“Hello there! Look like you're keeping busy.” She paused in mid-swing when she heard the voice and approaching footsteps, and quickly turned about. Only to once again lay eyes on him. The blond prince Arthur approached with a smile and a hand raised in greeting.
“Oh, Prince. Hey.” She lowered her stance, and looked at him with an expression that was equal parts curiosity and caution. “What are you doing out in this courtyard in the afternoon time?”
“Well, much the same as you, I suppose,” he shrugged. He held up a sword that he had been carrying in his low hand, letting the sun gleam off of it. “I was thinking about trying a bit of shadow sparring if it wouldn't disturb anyone.”
“Ya' probably won't,” Shura replied, avoiding looking at him. “I come out here and spar with the air all the time, no one ever complains about it.”
“Well that's good,” Arthur smiled. “... Or, if you wanted, since we're both here anyway, we could maybe spar each other instead?” She looked at him a bit sharply, and he only kept up the smile. “It's always nicer to be able to practice with someone else, not just by yourself, right?”
The princess bit her lower lip, eyes narrowed a bit. She really wanted to focus on keeping some distance between them. But then again, it had been a long while since she'd had a decent sparring partner. No one else in the palace could really match her in skill, but she'd heard good things about him and his skills...
“Alright, I'll take ya' up on that,” she grinned. “Let's see if yer as good as the rumors say you are.” He returned the look, a sort of light glistening in his eyes.
“Well, I shall do my best to not disappoint.”
The two young royals positioned themselves a short distance away from one another, swords raised and stances at the ready. The sun glinted off the metal weapons in their hands as a light breeze picked at each of their hair. It was quiet in the courtyard, both opponents standing at the ready to go at a moment's notice.
Then, as if by some silent signal, they both rushed forward, and the silence was shattered by the sounds of steel on steel. Each of them let out soft grunts as they tried to make their moves on each other, but neither seemed able to gain the upper hand. Shura was quick and agile, able to make each strike swift and strong as the last. However, Arthur, while a bit more steady in his style, had his own speed to him. One moment he seemed like a rock, holding his ground firm and steady, then the next it seemed he was leaping forward just close enough to throw one off-guard if they weren't careful about it. Thankfully for Shura, she was.
The match seemed to go on in a way that time passed with little meaning around them, matching each other blow for blow, neither willing to let up on their opponent in the slightest.
At last, though, they seemed to land in sort of a mutual stalemate, standing there with swords locked, staring each other straight in the eye. Their faces were so close over the steel of their swords that they could feel each other's warm breath against their faces as they tried to regain themselves.
“Have to say... you've lasted... bit longer... than I could have expected,” Arthur panted lowly. Shura grinned tiredly back at him, still feeling that lingering sense of exhilaration from such a fight.
“Back at ya'... probably given me... best I've had in a long time.” They stood there for perhaps a good half a minute as they caught their breaths, neither ready to back up, just staring each other right in the eye.
However, as the princess stared intently into the glistening blue of the prince's eyes, and she came to regain herself, her breath suddenly caught. Seeing him up close like this, so much like the last time they'd been this near, made her remember all too well why she had been trying to avoid him before. She stood back so quickly that he was nearly thrown off-balance, and quickly strode away from him.
“H-hey, wait a moment!” he managed, having caught himself before he fell. “Where are you going?”
“Remembered something I've gotta' do, can't stay any longer... thanks for the spar.” And then the princess strode away until she was gone, leaving the confused prince behind her.
–
She really shouldn't have been here; leaning up against this particular wall in the early morning when the sun had barely risen. Listening intently with ears strained on the voices just around the corner. She just couldn't help herself, though. Even as her hair was still dripping, she stood there and she listened to the prince speaking to the servant boy accompanying him as they prepared to go out to the town.
“So, is it really true, your highness?” the boy asked as he helped the blond pack a saddle bag for the outing. “That you were rescued by a mermaid when you came here?”
“Yes, you're indeed right,” she could hear him. She could almost picture that smile on his face, a fact that she wasn't certain if it ought to more concern her, or piss her off that he would be smiling while talking about it. “I was.”
“Woah... how'd that come about, sir?”
“Well...” she could hear a contemplative pause in his voice. “I suppose it all happened because of that storm.
“My parents and I were en route to this country at the time, so close we could see the lights from our ship. Before we could get there, though, a storm suddenly struck us, and because of it no one was able to come from the shore to aid us in coming in. It was dangerous since we were still in deeper waters, so everyone had to pitch in to help. Even my family. But while I was helping to keep the boat steady... I think I got my feet tangled in some rope somehow. Then while I was trying to get myself free, the boat suddenly pitched one direction, and I found myself being flung overboard. And since I was still caught up in the ropes in that storm, it became difficult for me to stay afloat, and the waves pulled me too far from the boat for anyone to help. I think I might have surely drowned, if not for...”
She could hear that definite pause in his voice, his tone almost reverent as she believed he was thinking about that night.
“If not for her. The mermaid.” A short sigh from him before he went on. “I can't remember much, given the situation, and it being so dark and all; but I do know what happened that night... Her arms were so slender, but so strong. She managed to pull me all the way to shore from where the brine had dragged me. I remember she brought me onto the shore, put me all the way up on the sand.” Another pause, longer this time. “I can still remember how her eyes looked, though, even in that darkness. They were so brilliant and violet, sharp yet cool at the same time... I think I could have stared at them for hours had I she not left so soon after.”
At her hiding place, Shura held a hand over her heart, gritting her teeth. She couldn't hear any more of this.
The princess resolutely stormed away, her bare feet slapping against the cold stone, though she payed that no mind at all. Only hurrying away so that when the prince looked around the corner at last to see whoever it was that was making the noise, she was already well out of sight.
–
She spotted the blond as she entered the library with the intent of finding a book to read as she sat by the fire. Rather than sitting near the flame as any normal person would as they attempted to keep warm, he had himself seated right at the window, gazing out as the snow came down in drifting, puffy white flakes outside.
It had been several months since he had come to the castle, and though she kept asking when he might depart again, she never did get a straight answer out of anyone. Not even the king would tell the redheaded princess the duration of the visiting prince's stay. She still tried to avoid him as best as she could, though her efforts seemed to be to no avail. Somehow or other, they always seemed to end up meeting each other in some room or hallway. Just like now.
“... You'll probably want to stay away from the window if you don't want to get a chill. Could catch your death of cold.” She turned away when she was certain he would turn to look at her, avoiding his eyes.
“I'll be fine,” he tried to assure her, glancing at her only briefly before turning back to the window. “It's sort of nice, seeing it snow like this. I didn't realize that happened by the sea... Reminds me of home.” She looked back to him, eyes narrowed. Maybe it wasn't her place to pry, but she really wanted to know.
“Well, why don't ya go home, then? Ya've been here for a long time, haven't you? I think yer diplomatic duties are pretty well done.” A sigh came from his chair, soft and sad.
“It's... not quite that easy, I'm afraid. I'd like to go home, but... I can't quite yet. At least not until the next springtime comes.” Next spring?! She thought he might go home soon, but to wait all the way until then?! How could she keep avoiding him like this for that long?! “There's a bit of... a situation back home, and my parents thought it best to send me here, hope it will pass over if I can avoid it as much as possible.” She couldn't help the derisive snort that escaped her.
“What? Got in trouble back home, so the king and queen sent ya' here to keep ya' out of their hair so they can deal with the mess?”
“No. I wish it could be something so simple. To be honest, I wish our troubles were that simple.” What in the world was he talking about now? “Well... to put things bluntly... I suppose you could say I'm under a curse.”
“A... curse?” Her mouth suddenly felt dry, just the mention of a curse from someone else, including him, sent a tingle of discomfort over her skin. “... What sorta' curse?” Even if she wanted to make fun of him for it, which she didn't, she knew all too well how serious curses could be. Yet she had to know of just what sort he was under.
“Honestly, I'm not entirely sure myself,” he smiled wryly. “All my family knows is that one of our ancestors made a deal with a creature to gain power and wealth for our kingdom many many long years ago. He promised her the soul of his tenth descendant when they came of age in payment for what it was he received... Well, I suppose, given the circumstances, you could likely guess just who the tenth is.” He sighed, brushing back a length of his light hair. “Mother and father thought that perhaps the curse could be avoided if I was not within the boundaries of our lands and kingdom at the time I came of age this winter. As to whether it will work or not... well, I suppose if we're still speaking with each other once the flowers start blooming again, I'll know for certain.”
He tried to make his tone light, but a heaviness hung in the air once his explanation was given. Shura looked at him, while his gaze only rested on the snowflakes outside.
“It's somewhat odd, I think,” he murmured, breaking the silence again. “I never used to pay much attention to the snowfall. I always thought it was pretty, but hardly paid it any mind. Yet now, I find myself looking at it so intently... Perhaps this is what it feels like, seeing the world around you when you know you don't have much longer to look at it...”
“Well who says ya' do?” He looked at Shura, surprised at the sudden forcefulness in her tone. “It's a curse, but ya' don't know if it'll come true or not, right? There's still a chance it won't come to pass if yer here when the deadline happens on yer birthday, right?”
“W-well, it's a possibility,” Arthur responded, a bit of an offput expression on his face. “Honestly, though, none of us were very certain whether it would actually work or not. We tried to think of many solutions, this was the only one that sounded plausible, but then even so-”
“Even so, nothing!” In her sudden burst of energy over this topic, even she herself had forgotten that she'd wanted to avoid him at all costs. What could potentially be known if he got too close to her. But in the heat of this moment, she didn't care. “You can't just give up on yer life like that! If there's a chance you can live, then you gotta'! You can't just sit there all pretty and pretend like you'd be happy to just smile and wait for the end to come. You wanna' die?!”
“N-no!” the prince exclaimed, looking shocked at the very suggestion. “I don't want to die at all! Far from it! I just- My family has tried everything, and even now we're not certain this will work. Coming here was the last resort, and we don't even know for sure it will-” He stopped mid-sentence, when a hand landed on his shoulder, and he was forced to look into the pair of bright violet eyes that stared right into his own.
“Then if you got a chance, don't just sit there like you don't. This curse or whatever the hell that's coming for you isn't set in stone, right? Then you have a chance to fight it. And you should.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze, then let him go, standing up again. “... I've heard that you're pretty good at making crafts with plants. Flower crowns and things like that?”
The prince looked at her in confusion, a bit taken aback by the sudden off topic question.
“Y-yes...” the princess gave him a smirk, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Good. Then you and me are gonna' make a promise, right now.” His brow furrowed in confusion, though she just kept a bit of a smile on her face. “Come next spring, you're gonna make me one of those flower crowns. The nicest, most colorful one you can.” He stared at her, stunned and unsure of what he might be able to say about this. “And in exchange...” she pulled close a chair, sitting down beside him as she turned to face the window. “I'll keep you company this winter. Whenever you wanna' sit and stare at the snow, then I'll come and sit right next to you. And we'll watch it together. Sound good?”
“I...” He was still at a loss. He had never expected anything like this to happen. Not in a million years. It was all so bizarre. And yet... The prince's gaze met hers again, and at last, he managed to return that smile. “I... I think I would like that.”
The two young royals smiled at each other a moment longer, gazes that met slowly softening as they looked away from each other, at last gazing out the window to where the snow continued to fall.
This should have never happened. She should have never made such a deal with him. Her whole goal was to keep away from him, to keep him from finding out anything about her. What happened to him shouldn't have mattered as much as it did. At least, not as much as keeping her secret should be.
And yet... there was a sort of kinsmanship she felt with him. Hearing about his curse, and how it made him look at his own life in such a way... it wasn't a concept entirely unfamiliar to her. It might bring trouble to her later on, if he did find out. But, she supposed she would simply cross that bridge when she came to it.
For now, though, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just sit here a while and watch the snow fall. With him.
–
The princess grimaced as she made her way down the hall quickly, if not somewhat uncomfortably. The late afternoon sunshine came in through the windows as she passed, glittering atop the snow that rested in mounds just outside. However, that was the furthest thing from her mind. What she really focused on now, was where she had just found herself moments ago wen she had awoken.
How could she have been so stupid?! After doing all she could to keep away from him, try to keep her secret protected, this had to go and happen! Just one normal morning, like any other day. They just had to be talking, and she had to be feeling so comfortable, and he had to be so sweet and his smile so attractive. Next she knew, she was waking up in the afternoon, body naked and pleasantly sore, and pressed right up to his equally naked chest.
It was amazing she had managed to get out of there without waking him up, but she did. Even with that touch of regret at leaving, she kept herself walking.
She couldn't afford to let him know her secret, it just couldn't happen. He already talked so much about that night he was saved. If she ever told him the truth, then would he still feel the same way? Would he accept her?
She wanted to trust him, to be reassured with him and to be able to just like him. But, if there were any chance that he could know her secret, there was the chance he could reject her. And she just couldn't take that. The idea hurt, but she had to keep away from him, no matter what. Even if she had to go right back to sneaking and avoiding him in the castle when possible like before they had started to grow closer.
No matter what, her secret being kept was the most important thing.
–
“Will you just go away and leave me the alone already?!” Shura shouted at him, teeth gritted like some defensive beast. Arthur stood there, just a few steps above her, where he should never have been. “You're not supposed to be here! You don't need to know why, you just need to go!”
They were in the stairwell that led to an area beneath the castle, close to the sea. It was a secret area where salty waters from the ocean rose and descended with the flow and ebb of the tides. Where she always came when it was this time. The nights when the moon began to once again grow from little more than a sliver in the sky. Just a few steps below her now the sea water in the underground chamber splashed delicately at some of the lower steps. It was at its' lowest right now, so it ebbed just about where the steps dropped off into a deep pool of sea water.
“I'm not leaving, Shura!” He shouted in return. “Not until you'll actually answer me! What is it that's made you so angry at me?! What did I do?! You keep avoiding me and running every time you see me, now! Why do you hate me so much now?” His hands trembled at his sides in shaky fists, uncertain and loose.
“It's nothing that's any of your concern!” she returned. “Just- I don't have time for you! You just need to go!”
“No! Not until you tell me what all this is about!” Arthur snapped. His blue eyes stared at her intensely, and she returned the stare right that.
However, she faltered, and placed a hand against her chest. Damn it. She could feel it happening already, and he still refused to leave. She grunted, and turned her glare back up to him, still clutching at her chest.
“... You really wanna' know so badly? Then fine.” She took a step backwards down the stairs, closer to the water. “You'll just have to see it for yourself.” With that, she tipped herself backwards, letting gravity take her down. Before he realized what she was doing, she had toppled backwards into the water, disappearing into the dark depths with a splash.
“Wha- princess!” He tried to go down into the water, see if she was hurt, but he didn't realize that the steps led to a drop-off, and only just managed to keep himself from toppling in completely (though he did get his pants fairly soaked before he could get his backside seated on the last dry step. “Shura! Shura where are you?!” He looked into the depths, heart pounding with fear for her... when something emerged.
From out of the dark waters of this underground place, she rose again. Red hair brighter and fiercer than any fire, sun-touched skin now speckled with violet scales, a bright purple tail to match. But, what caused his breath to catch in his throat most of all, was the sight of those violet eyes staring back at him. So familiar now, with how many times he had seen them this winter. Now that they were reflecting the gentle reflections of the water, though, the full recognition finally came to him.
“... So it was you,” he murmured. “You were the one who saved me when I fell out of our boat.” She snorted, leaning against the wall near the stairs.
“You guessed it was me already?” she asked derisively.
“Sort of... I mean... your hair and eyes sort of stand out... I had my suspicions, but I didn't know... I didn't think there were any such people with magic to make them into a mermaid.”
“... That's cause it's not magic,” she muttered, eyes downcast. “In a sense, I guess we've got one more thing in common, at least... We're both cursed.”
“It's... a curse?” he asked. “But, how... who would have cast a curse like this on you?” He couldn't think of any reason for someone to have cursed a woman like her. And by how she was, it seemed like this had been a secret she'd kept for a long, long while.
“The man who put it on me... was the king of the kingdom I came from before I was brought here.” She crossed her arms, leaning more towards the steps. She really didn't like this recollection, but she supposed if she were to reveal this much to him, might as well tell the whole thing.
“I wasn't born here in this country. I was born in a kingdom far to the northern sea border, in a place ruled by a wizard with a lot of magical power. The king of this country, the old man, went up there to settle some trade business with the wizard. I always hated it there, it was so cold and I hated the wizard, so when the King was gonna' leave, I stowed away on his ship and hid until it was too far away for them to turn back. They did find me, 'course. But when I told him why I'd run away, he said he wouldn't make me go back. He's a nice guy like that 'n all...
“But then... the wizard found out, and he got so angry. He cast this curse on me, that turns me into a mermaid. Just like the one he put on some of the other women in his castle. Every night that the moon is waxing and the tide rises, I get turned into a mermaid, and have to stay in the sea, or else I dry up and die. I'm only human in the day, and the nights that the moon is waning.”
He listened attentively to her story, watching every flicker of her eyes and little uneasy motions of her hands.
“So, is there know way you know of that can break it?” he asked. She sighed, bringing her arm up out of the water to push her bangs from her face.
“He told me there was a way he would break it, but it has a condition. He'll only break the curse on me when I have a child, and I bring the baby to him myself to give it to him. Then he'll break the curse and I'll be free.” She snorted. “I wonder if he thinks I was stupid enough to not see the loophole he left for himself. He would lift the curse alright, but then he could easily just kill me right after I handed over my kid and he took it off.”
“I... don't know what to say,” Arthur murmured, watching her sadly. Perhaps this was why she had been so urging for him to not give up the possibility that his being away from home could prevent his curse. A sort of kinsmanship perhaps.
“Didn't expect you to say anything,” she sighed in return. “I don't need your pity. 's just how it is. I've kinda given up on ever being able to be turned back to fully human again. Not gonna trust that wizard as far as I could throw the bastard. And not like any man would be willing to marry a woman who's gonna be a mermaid half the nights. They'd be put off knowing they'd be sleeping in a cold bed all alone and not get what they want half the time. And that they might have a wife who'd die if I tried to break the curse anyway. Probably better to just stay this way forever. Beats any of the other options.” She rested herself against the steps near his legs, her tail and hair flowing out into the water behind her.
“Well, no one says it has to be the only way it could be resolved, right?” he asked. She looked up, and found him smiling gently down to her. “What if you found a husband who was willing to work with you and your curse? Who would love you no matter how it affected their relationship... Someone who knows what it feels like to need someone who understands what they're going through.” All she could do was stare at him in amazement, even as he picked up her hand from the water and held it in his own.
“... You're not serious?” she breathed.
“Completely.” He gripped her hand more firmly, looking her in the eye. Just as she had when she'd saved his life all that time ago when he'd fallen from the ship into those stormy waters. The violet eyes he'd seen then, and the ones he'd come to fall in love with, were one and the same. “Shura... would you consider marrying me someday? And becoming the Queen I rule beside?”
Silence reigned in the grotto under the castle, broken only by the silent shushes of the water moving against the stones.
“...Yes.” The smile on his face warmed her heart like no other, and soon both their hands were grasping each others'.
“Shura, there's still no guarantee I'll even live to see the next spring by the curse. But if you're willing to keep hoping that it won't come to pass, then so will I. Because now, I know I have something I want to live to have a future for.” He pressed his lips to her fingers, a light blush dusting his cheeks. “And that's the thought of standing alongside you, and us having our own family together. Whatever comes our way, curses or anything else... I know that if we're together, we could weather it all.”
They simply gazed into one anothers' eyes, smiling with the same warmness in each of their hearts, until at last they leaned in closer and closer, and they shared a kiss. Not their first by far, but as they were certain, most definitely it wouldn't be their last.
Arthur shifted his shoulders a bit as he did a bit of a stretch once out of the limo that had driven him to school as usual. He was still a bit tired from the night before, being out so late with Ladybug after three hours of a photoshoot, but it had been worth it to save Paris yet again. Especially by her side.
With a short yawn, he started walking towards the school building, occasionally waving at people who greeted him along his way. However, once he got to the foot of the steps to the building, he paused a moment, spotting a familiar mane of red and blonde hair.
“Oh, um, hello, Shura,” he greeted a bit more quietly than he had the rest. “You look well today.”
Arthur looked left and right over the grass that covered the grounds of True Cross, blue eyes scanning between the paths and the trees for any sign of the person he was looking for. After looking and biting his lip for what seemed the longest time, he finally came upon her from behind.
Shura sat down in the grass, knees pulled up to her chest and muttering to herself under her breath. He became immediately worried. In all the time he had known her, he’d never seen her acting anything like this before. Even without her avoiding him lately, it would be worrying. This only made it even moreso. He walked down over the grass until he was just a few feet behind her, and spoke softly.
“Shura? Is everything alright? You haven’t been acting like yourself lately.”
The blond smiled and hummed to himself as he worked the garden in front of his family's shop. As usual, a pleasantly mixed aroma of flowers and chocolates wafted through the air. It may have seemed strange, tending to a garden plot that contained mostly wildflowers and dandelions in front of a shop that sold actual flowers, but they all felt it gave the place character. It was pleasant looking so long as they kept it tended nicely, which was his job. He sat back with a sigh, rubbing the back of his hand against his forehead to wipe away the sweat. It was pleasant work, especially on a day like this. However, when he looked up, he made a small sound of curiosity. A man in a long black robe and a red haired girl were walking up the road. That was odd, he didn't recognize them. Maybe they were from out of town?
