Remedy [Donova/Elysia, 11/7, At Sea, CLOSED]

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Now they were traveling to Solbra, where Elysia would be reunited with her family. Hopefully her siblings would travel from Vadra, those which weren’t warded, as a Sterlyn wedding was not something you were to miss. Especially when it involved two of them, and the King’s wedding was only a week or so afterwards. So, Elysia had started the trip highly excited. She had traveled to Solbra once before, and she knew the city to be far more exciting than Trista. The Sterlyn family, was for the most part, a very happy family. Even if the Castells liked to boast about what a united family they were, that did not mean they were happy.

Notwithstanding, two days into the voyage Elysia found herself to be very unhappy. The first of it was that she was never a big fan of sea travel, something she had forgotten when coming aboard due to her delight at getting away from Trista. The next part was that she was cramped in a small cabin with Lyneth. Though she loved Lyneth dearly, the young girl was quite a bit to handle, and the small quarters only intensified it. Elysia was already convinced she was going to go insane by the end of the trip, as she preferred to avoid leaving her room due to her dislike of being on the sea which meant spending more time with Lyneth than was healthy.

The worst, however, was that the entire day had been dark and stormy. There was a great deal of turbulence on the sea, the ocean waves frequently cresting into white caps. As it turned to night, the storm only intensified with a horrible wind that only made the rain pour diagonally as opposed to straight down. Above, thunder boomed from the dark clouds. It was all in all horrible, and Elysia had spend the entire day huddled in her bed, trying to sleep. The storm was only getting worse however, and it greatly unsettled her. Lyneth was sound asleep, as if it was just any idea. Nothing seemed to bother that girl.

Finally, creeping out of bed, Elysia decided what she was going to do. Throwing on a green overdress, she searched for a coat or cloak of sorts, but was unable to come up with nothing. She did not want to wake Lyneth up, and it probably didn’t matter either way, she was going to be soaked. Donovan was on a completely opposite side of the boat, his quarters far nicer than hers. Sneaking out, Elysia shut the door as softly as she could and headed up the stairs to the deck.

On the deck, Elysia moved as quickly as she could. The wind had died down some, enough that she didn’t think she was going to just fall overboard, but it was still scary. She hated storms that were this bad, and after being outside for only a few moments, she was already completely drenched. Making her way across in a run, Elysia went back down, and stopped once she was inside again. Catching her breath, she pushed back her soaked hair from her eyes, and closed her eyes, trying to remember which cabin was Donovan’s.

When she thought she had it, she headed down. Hopefully he wouldn’t turn her away, but Elysia didn’t have any other friends on the ship. If she could even call him a friend. Knocking, Elysia waited, praying to the gods that he wouldn’t reject her and force her back out into the storm.

[Donovan Castell]

He was not dreaming. That was one of the good things about sea travel. Donovan tended to pass out before his head hit the pillow and his sleep would be quite deep. Either he wouldn't dream, or he would not remember dreaming. He needed to sleep on ships more often. All the lanterns had been turned off as was custom when it was storming like it was. He could hear the sound of the rain pelting on the wall. The bad thing about being in the army was that he woke up to the slightest of sounds. But he was extremely tired, and so long as he laid with his eyes closed, he felt like he was getting some rest. He had the pillow hugged tight under his head and he slept on his stomach, as usual. He wore no shirt to sleep even though it was getting colder outside. He just pulled the blanket up to his shoulders. He wore black pants to sleep, lose and comfortable, and that was about it.

The sound of thunder cracked the sky and he turned his face away from the window where the lightning flash had been the brightest. At first he thought he had imagined it... There was no way somebody was knocking on his door now with the weather being like it was. But after laying there for a few seconds, his mind kicked him to get his ass out of bed and check just to be sure. He dreaded opening the door though. If the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, he'd be soaked.

Getting up, he crossed the cabin in about two long, hurried steps, and opened the door quickly. Thank the gods the wind was blowing away, but right now, that's not where his mind was. "What...?" Why was she here? Was she lost? Was visibility so bad out there that she could not find her cabin. The look on her face said a lot, and without further ado, he reached for her hand and pulled her into the cabin, closing the door behind her. He wiped his now wet palm on his pants and looked down at her, his eyes well adjusted to the dark. "What are you doing?" he whispered. "Trying to get yourself killed? You could have been washed over the side, Elysia!"

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Oh thank god he answered! Elysia thought as she was suddenly yanked into the room. Too wet and cold and miserable to even notice that Donovan had just grabbed her hand, Elysia shoved her arms under her chest. She knew it was stupid to have crossed the ship to come to his room, but she did not care. As long as he didn’t kick her out in a few seconds.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry! Just...” Elysia paused, looking up at him with sad blue eyes. “I hate storms, okay? I barely like sea travel, and I couldn’t sleep. I won’t bother you, I promise, Donovan.” The fact was, she would have gone crazy in that room, and Lyneth was not the type of person to offer any comfort whatsoever. Of course, that would imply that she had wanted comfort from Donovan. Oh, she wasn’t going to get into her feelings... Not when she was so cold and wet.

[Donovan Castell]

He sighed and turned around to go to his trunk, pulling out a long, white shirt for her to wear. "Change out of those before you get sick," he said. "Would hate for you to have survived not getting thrown out to sea only to have you die from the sniffles." Her reasons were stupid. At least in terms of if it was worth risking her life over. It wasn't. But at the same time, he smiled. She'd crossed all the way over the deck just to seek him out? "Okay, okay," he said, waving his hand and returning to the bed. "Let me know when you've changed," he said, laying down and throwing the blanket over his head so that she knew he wouldn't look. He was very surprised to find he was tempted to... Or at least was imagining what she might look like without those clothes on... The way they were plastered to her body was... NO!

When she finished, he threw the blanket off of his head and looked straight up before looking at her. The right thing to do in this instance would be to send her back to her cabin... Though no. Nobody would blame him for not doing that. Not in this weather. It was near suicide. So... Then he should offer her the bed and he could sleep on the floor. It wouldn't be the first time he slept on a ship floor... It wasn't comfortable, but it could be done.

"What now?" he asked. He'd leave it up to her, but what he did know was that he was extremely tired and just wanted to close his eyes again.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

“Thank you,” was all Elysia replied with as she took the shirt from him. It was probably the skimpiest thing she had ever worn, it being just one layer, but she wouldn’t complain. It was better than the alternative. After he had hidden with the blanket, Elysia began to strip out of her clothing as quickly as she could, she then neatly laid them on a ledge to dry out. She shook out her hair as best she could with her hands before sliding the shirt on over her head.

Once she was done, Elysia cautiously approached the bed. She felt exposed with what she was wearing, and was unusually shy. Slowly, she bent one leg underneath her and sat down on the edge of the bed, the other leg hanging off. “Maybe you are right, and I am just a silly little girl. I know it was stupid, coming here,” Elysia gently placed her hand by his head, though she did not move to touch it, yet. “Thank you.” There was another thunderous boom, and Elysia flinched at the noise. The sooner the storm was over, the better.

[Donovan Castell]

Gods, but she looked good in his shirt. He tried his best to look disinterested, and in the dark, it was easy to pull off. He didn't move as she approached the bed, and if her words hadn't convinced him that she was truly bothered by the storm, her reaction to the thunder sealed it. Rolling onto his side, he lifted the blanket and said, "Get under." It took about thirty seconds of adjustment for him to get comfortable beside him, and his hand slid around her waist, resting on her back in a lethargic attempt at comforting her. "Good gods," he said, moving his shin away from where her foot had just grazed. "Could your feet be any colder?"

He closed his eyes again but continued to talk. "Here's the deal. As soon as the storm stops, you must return to your cabin. I wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea here," he said, her reputation honestly on the forefront of his mind. "Now... Do be quiet. I need to sleep." Then, with a deep breath, he settled his head onto the pillow and tried his hardest to do just that and not think of the woman in his arms that wore nothing but his shirt...

[Elysia Shadowmere]

There was no protest from her at his commands, and Elysia eagerly complied, sliding under the blanket beside him. At first, she tried not to get too close to him, but once his arm was around her waist it was all over and she nestled against him. It was for warm, of course, that was all. And he was deliciously warm, she thought, as he ignored her comment about her feet and slid them against his legs for heat. Ahhh, it felt fantastic.

Elysia closed her eyes, smiling to herself, but they fluttered open as he began to speak. “Of course, I understand, you wouldn’t want to be seen with an Ashpool. But thank you... I will be quiet.” Elysia responded from where she was. She needed to sleep too, having hardly gotten any, but being that close to Donovan was just exciting her. She wasn’t supposed to like him! This wasn’t how it was supposed to work... She was just supposed to fix him, and be his friend as best she could be. Opening her eyes to stare into darkness, Elysia sighed and shifted slightly in his arms.

[Donovan Castell]

He cursed under his breath, feeling the cold of her feet through his pants. On one leg, the pant leg had rolled up enough to expose his skin to hers. It made him shiver for a moment, and he gave her a look that showed how much he enjoyed that... But then he sighed, rolling his eyes and saying, "It has nothing to do with that, and you know it," he chided, his hand absently moving up to brush some of her hair out of her face and hook it behind her ear. He continued to run his fingers through it, not really realizing what he was doing, sleep starting to win the battle.

"In addition to being quiet..." he began, his voice soft and his words heavy and slow, "Do you think you could stop moving, too?" Just in case she didn't, he held her closer and put one of his legs over hers in an effort to hold her still.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

“Yes... I know,” she replied in a defeated whisper. Sometimes Elysia could be just as stubborn as he could be, and the annoyance that people weren’t fond of her family was a huge grudge she held for the time being. Elysia was shocked by the tenderness, but she didn’t flinch or move away even though her body felt like it was buzzing as he stroked her hair. Donovan was being surprisingly touching, and she knew there was no way she wouldn’t develop feelings for him if he continued to act like it.

“Okay,” Elysia answered, though she adjusted one final time before his leg trapped her. Placing her hand over his, Elysia closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on sleep. The storm was now a distant concern.

[Donovan Castell]

He chuckled and then tried to ignore everything else going on. The storm, the wind, the fact that there was a beautiful woman essentially between his legs. All of that was secondary to the fact that he really needed to sleep. Another deep breath and he was nodding off. Unlike the last time, however, his mind was going everywhere about a mile a minute. Fortunately, none were unpleasant thoughts, and he looked rather peaceful. He figured she would peg him for sleeping, and really, in a few minutes, he probably would be.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia wanted to fall into an easy sleep, now that she was much more relaxed with the storm, but she just couldn’t. Donovan was far too cute, and Elysia had never been this close to a man before. She was a bundle of mixed emotions, but they were mostly delightful. There was a slight terror, but Elysia found it to be a good terror, if that was possible.

Waiting, Elysia stayed still until it seemed as if he was asleep. Sliding over, Elysia was now turned to face him. Her eyes having adjusted to the dark, she found herself watching him. He looked serene, something she has had never seen displayed on his face before. Smiling, Elysia reached up, and began to stroke his hair gently, not wanting to wake him up. When she figured he wouldn’t wake from it, Elysia didn’t just stroke his hair, but actually ran her fingers through. She noted the softness of it. It was much softer than any other male’s hair she had touched, not that she had a lot of experience.

[Donovan Castell]

His muscles tensed when he felt her fingers in his hair, and at first he thought perhaps she was adjusting it as he'd done to hers before. But as she continued to do it, and he enjoyed the feeling too much to stop her. Was that wrong? Probably... His efforts to remain still as he felt her fingertips against his scalp were quickly crumbling around him, just like those walls around his heart. Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking directly into hers. His hand moved up, back to her hair where he stroked his fingers between her damp strands. His thumb carressed her cheek, cold from having been wet before.

It was in how she looked at him, those bright eyes of hers. They drew him near, and he did not resist the pull. His hand went beneath her chin, his fingers grazing her skin softly, cupping her cheek as he titled her face towards him. He moved in slowly giving her plenty of time to resist. He was glad she didn't, and the moment his lips brushed against hers, he closed his eyes and pressed them more confidently against them. He never had any intention of it being a chaste kiss, and after kissing her two or three times, his tongue ran along her bottom lip, seeking entrance between her lips and once given, his hand went behind her head, threading through her hair as he deepened the kiss.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia somehow did not react when he opened his eyes besides to give him an easy smile. So he hadn’t really been sleeping, but that was a positive thing as he hadn’t rejected her outright. When she thought he was going to, he instead began to stroke her cheek, and she liked it. It did set her on edge, but she found it was an edge she didn’t mind sitting on, even if Donovan’s expression seemed to be unreadable for her besides that he wasn’t angry.

Giving in, Elysia did not resist his motions in the slightest, letting him draw her near. The kiss surprised her, and she felt herself blushing. Soon enough her knees were weak as he kissed her again. She was timid, shy, and more than willing to let him take the lead. Oh, she had been kissed before, but never like this. Sensations ran rapid for her, and her body responded, pressing herself closer to him. She slid her hand that wasn’t cupping the back of his head to his arm, running down it lightly. At the invasion of his tongue, Elysia went with it, though she had never exactly kissed like it before even though she was twenty.

Finally, Elysia broke off the kiss, taking a breath. She looked at him, not sure of what to say. “Donovan,” she finally breathed, wondering where this was going.

[Donovan Castell]

Donovan did not open his eyes, not even at the sound of his name on her lips. He laid very still, his lips tingling and his entire body reacting to the feelings the kiss had stirred in him. His heart was loud and a bit quick, he found that he wanted to be closer to her, to hold her tight against him and keep kissing her. But he restrained himself, at least as far as keeping his lips away from hers. His fingers still threaded through her hair, his other hand still held to her sliding from her back to rest on the top of her hip. He knew she was wearing nothing beneath his shirt and he had to kick himself to fight back the desire to slide his hand beneath the fabric to feel the skin beneath. But oh, he wanted to.

"Elysia?" he said, his blue eyes finally opening to look straight into hers. He could see the question and surprise in her expression, but he still said nothing. Though, for the first time there was no edge in his eyes: his gaze was soft, his usually severe frowns and furrowed brows were relaxed. He was almost smiling and perhaps would be if he wasn't so damned baffled.

"I don't know... It seemed like a good idea at the time," he answered to the question she never asked.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia did not move, frozen in place as his hand slid to her hip. She had never let a man touch her this intimately before, and if the whole thing was even better than this, she knew why women gave it away before they were married off. She waited, saying nothing, until his eyes were open. Even then she was not ready to speak, wondering if he would say anything. His softened facial expression did not go unnoticed by Elysia, and it made her heart melt more than the kiss even had. It was marvelous to see something other than a frown grazing his face, and it was far more appealing. She wanted to continue, and unlike with Andre, she actually felt comfortable with him. Elysia knew now that she had never been truly comfortable with Andre, which was probably why she had barely even kissed him the entire time they were courting. Still, she knew it was best not to go too far with Donovan, even if her body wanted to.

“I liked it,” she said, a light blush gracing her cheeks as she said.“It’s just, this isn’t just what this is about for me. I don’t want to move too fast, and as you said... I am a lady.” Elysia would never give it up to anyone that she wasn’t married to, it was just not her personality. “Thank you for my first real kiss.” Tilting her head, Elysia brushed her lips against his forehead, lingering before she moved back.

[Donovan Castell]

"Did you now?" he whispered unable to quell the smile. "I rather enjoyed it myself," he admitted. While she spoke, he played with her hair, nodding to show he'd heard her. Every single word. "I'm not sure where this is moving let alone the speed of it," he said. "Everything that I have done with you has taken me by surprise over and over again. I should not have kissed you. You should not even be in the same bed as me, Elysia. I only recently watched my wife die in my arms, executed by my own hand. What we are doing is... well... it's confounding me." He knew he was saying too much about it, but there was something about just lying in bed next to her with his arms wrapped around her tight that made it easy to bare his soul.

Her first real kiss? Oh gods, there was that possessiveness coming through. His arms tightened around her and he smiled again. "Thank you," he said softly. "For helping me to feel something other than hate... It's been... It's been too long." He closed his eyes when her lips grazed his forehead and his hand moved to take hers, moving it up to rest over his heart while his laid on top of it.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Oh good, Donovan had enjoyed it. Maybe she wasn’t a terrible kisser, then. It had been a concern, albeit a minor one, and Elysia was ecstatic by his answer. Donovan was seven years older than her, and had even been married. She had one courtship that had ended in disaster, and since then she had not even flirted with a man. This was strange territory she found herself in, but Elysia was eager to go along.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I just wanted to help. I wasn’t trying for this... I have not been anywhere near a courtship in two years, and it wasn’t even really a courtship before then.” Elysia would not go any further into the details, not wanting to bring up such a dark memory in a peaceful moment.

Elysia laid her hand against his heart like he wanted, her own fluttering due to the romantic gesture. She had known that Donovan was a good man deep down, or at least she had sensed it, but she did not expect him to be like this. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she stayed silent for a moment, taking comfort in his heartbeat. “Please do not thank me, it is what I wanted for you. You deserve to feel something other than hate, Donovan, even if you fight against it,” she finally responded.

[Donovan Castell]

"I know," he said soothingly, rolling onto his back and thus releasing her from his hold. He set bent his arm and laid it to rest on his forehead, looking up at the celing of the cabin as lightning flashed. "I am curious... But I will not ask," he told her, taking a deep breath. "We all have our own little secrets... Before Ramira... It had been nearly ten years since my last courtship... I was supposed to marry her, but it fell through a month before it came to pass. I cannot say I was not glad for it. I had no love for the woman. It was a marriage of convenience, one my father arranged before I was old enough to hold a sword. But, for the family I had told myself I would do it... And just like my wife, she proved to be less than faithful. So, for my part... I have no room to judge anybody's courtships as I've had troubles with my own in the past... And... Elysia... I would appreciate if you did not repeat a word of that to anybody."

He turned his head to look at her again and smiled. "I do not know how to move passed it," he admitted. "Sometimes I'm not even sure that's what I want. Maybe some people were made to be miserable."

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia adjusted herself after he rolled onto his back, settled down onto her side. She rested her head on his chest, and laid her arm on it as well as she snuggled into him. It was very naughty, laying with him like this, but she knew the secret would be safe. Listening, Elysia ran her fingers down his side, gently taking in the feel of his soft skin. It was twice that he was wronged by a woman, and in the same manner. That had to have been horrible, and it made sense why he had reacted as such with Ramira at the wedding upon finding out. “You do not need to ask me to keep it to myself. Of course I will. I’m sorry that they did that to you, how could they?” Elysia would have never done that to anyone, it was just cruel. Not to mention stupid, as Ramira had found out.

“I will tell you sometime, about the past, but I am not ready to now.” Elysia could barely speak of it at all, and had only spoken of it once or twice with even her family. Noticing the wind pick up, she pressed herself even closer to him if that was possible. “It’s what you want. Or do you really not want moments like this?”

[Donovan Castell]

He watched as she moved, settling his arm beneath her so that he could hold her as she laid against him. Oh gods, he could get used to this. Too used to it... So small she was and yet she felt so perfect against him. She was an Ashpool... Cousin to a Province Lord, as he'd pointed out once before, at least out loud. Was it beyond hope to think that maybe, one day...? No, it wasn't. But it was not his decision. At best, he could speak to Victor, perhaps tell him the political benefits of the match... After all, with Evelyn's having fallen through, did they still not need an Ashpool connection? Fallen they might be, but they still were a Province House and that required at least some attention. Yes, he made up his mind. He would talk to Victor about it... But for now, he'd keep it to himself.

"The first... Well, I imagine she was just as unhappy with the match as I was. I never quite forgave my father for it. She was... less than worthy. I was surprised that it had even been made and I couldn't for the life of me understand where the motive was to push for it. But I would have married her. I would have done what I was told and I would have hated my father for it my entire life. I guess she was already in love though. I... I hate what she did. How it humiliated me and insulted our family, but at the same time, I'm in some ways glad. I never wanted a marriage to a woman I did not know... To one I could not at least get along with. As for Ramira... I cannot say. I thought it would be different... I thought I could come to love her, and for a time, I felt I had... But the gods did not see fit to bless our union and she sought comfort in another man's arms..."

He sighed and turned his face towards hers to kiss her forehead. "It is okay, Elysia. You don't have to tell me." His other arm came down off of his head and covered the hand on his chest. "I... don't know," he said. "I don't know what I want anymore... But... This is a rather nice moment. I'll give you that."

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia concentrated on his words and the sound of his voice. Donovan had a deeply sexy voice when it wasn’t laced with venom. Marriages in their society was depressing business, and even though his first engagement had ended horribly, it seemed that Donovan had been better off not marrying the woman. It wouldn’t have been a pleasant marriage. The same seemed to apply to Ramira, and the more she heard about the situation, the better she thought it was that it had ended. Of course, she didn’t understand why an innocent seventeen year old girl who had seemed perfectly happy with her betrothed would go and sleep with another man, but Elysia often didn’t understand people’s motivations.

“I’m sorry you had to go through those... I hope that your next pairing is better.” They both knew that a remarriage for him would probably be inevitable, what with his family and his standing in it. Donovan was too valuable of an asset to go unwed. Elysia herself would probably be wed off at some point due to Matthias. Matthias did not seem to be as kind as Jarvis, and even he had pushed marriages upon his sisters. She just hoped that it was a nice man who would not hurt her. Elysia didn’t need to have love if it meant that she was safe.

“Just enjoy the moment then, don’t think about it too much,” Elysia replied, her voice a murmur now. Her eyes were shut as she was beginning to finally grow tired, her lack of sleep catching up with her. It would be only be a few more moments before she was sound asleep.

[Donovan Castell]

“I’m sorry you had to go through those... I hope that your next pairing is better.”

Yes. He hoped so, too. Though, after Ramira's death, he'd vowed to himself that he would never again let himself become so attached. He would do his duty as Victor instructed, would perform the rights granted to a husband, and nothing more. Before, he had sought to be more of a husband than his father had ever been to his mother. In his wife, he didn't just want a woman who would bear him his children but would also serve as a friend, a partner, somebody he could turn to and confide in. He'd had every reason to hope that Ramira could have been that person for him. For a time, she played the part well, made him believe that she'd fallen in love with him. And perhaps she had. But it had not been enough for her, and part of that was because of Rex Letalis. He truly believed that love could not have conquered the demons that existed between her and her lord cousin... In the end, the need for liberation outweighed her need for affection.

"I'm sure my next will be chosen with more discrimination," he said confidently. Hopefully not some island scum. He knew that right now he could claim he would never touch another woman from Strom, but the fact of the matter was, if Victor asked him to do it for the good of the family, he would have no choice. He'd just be bitter about it for the rest of his life.

"I don't know how to not think too much," he confessed. His analytical mind was always spinning, managing so many different trains of thought at once. And everything he felt he had to pick apart. The tone of her voice made it clear that she was near sleep, and with a slight smile, he said, "I guess the storm's not bothering you now?" he chuckled, but he didn't say another word. He just laid there, letting her sleep while his fingers continued to absently play with her hair.

He did not get much sleep. Even as the storm abated and even as the sun began to filter through the curtains, he laid awake. Not tired, not angry, just... there. Morning was upon them and though he had a mind to wake her up to send her off to her own cabin. Instead, he got up on his own, careful not to wake her. Quickly, he dressed himself and then made his way across the deck, grateful that it seemed few people were yet up. The sun had only barely peeked over the horizon, but it would not be long before people began to be up and about. He came upon the cabin that Elysia shared with Lyneth and luckily, a servant happened to be passing by. After a brief exchange where he explained that he had run into Lady Elysia the previous night and had been hesitant to let her cross the deck out of fear she might wash over (coupled with an explanation that he had himself bunked with his brother out of respect for the lady), the servant fetched some of her clothes for him.

He returned to his cabin, setting the clothes in plain sight for her so that she could dress appropriately when she awakened and then took time to pen a letter with the story he'd given so that she would be sure to say the same. That done, he left her to sleep and went to go find his brother (most likely still sleeping) so that the situation could be explained to him as well. Donovan was nothing if not thorough.

[Elysia Shadowmere]

Elysia had had probably the first peaceful slumber since departing on the voyage, and as such she woke up feeling refreshed. Sitting up, Elysia yawned, and absentmindedly ran a hand through her hair. Blinking, she glanced around the cabin. Donovan was not there, and it disappointed her much more than she liked. Why was she upset? They were not a couple. He had just shared his bed for the evening due to the storm, that was all. There was nothing special there, she convinced herself, even as her thoughts went to the kiss they had exchanged.

Getting out of the bed, Elysia spotted the clothing that he had set out. Well, at least he was that considerate, though it was probably about his reputation more than anything else. After taking off his shirt, she followed it, and set it aside where he would find it. She then got dressed, the dress the servant had fetched was the classic Ashpool green, and one of her favorites. She wondered if Donovan had picked it, but after reading the letter she knew the situation. It was a good story, one she couldn’t have disagreed with.

Before leaving, Elysia went to his bed, carefully remaking it. Though she knew they had servants for this sort of things, Elysia wasn’t sure if Donovan had called them away for the day. She wanted his room to be prepared for when he did return. Once finished, she slid out of the room, completely have forgotten her clothing from the night before.

[Tempest Castell]

Tempest rarely sought after Donovan’s company, but today she needed it. She had never been particularly close to her cousin, or that branch at all, but they were still family. Donovan respected his family, though that also set her on edge as Tempest had never been very respectful of their name, and she wondered if he disliked her because of it.

It was only a minor concern as she made her way to Donovan’s cabin, surely not enough to stop her from going. Her hair was done up in a tight bun, and she wore small leather boots under her purple dress due to being on the ship. At his door, she knocked, and waited. It was so early, how could he not be there? Impatient, Tempest knocked against. Finally after a few more tries, her impatience got the best of her, and she entered unannounced...

Only to find that Donovan wasn’t even there. A sigh of frustration came out of her as she looked at the made bed. He had been gone for awhile. Who got up that early? Tempest wasn’t sure she had ever been up as early as Donovan had been in her life. Contemplating waiting for him, she looked around the room, turning her body in place she did so.

Elysia’s clothing was located exactly where it had been the night before, off drying. Tempest was shocked, and immediately marched over to the dress and accompaniments. Donovan was already sleeping with another woman?! He was such a pig. They all were, and she sneered as she lifted up the girl’s undergarments to inspect. All the clothing was damp, which only reinforced the idea for Tempest that it had been a late night visitor. Examining the clothing, she noted that it wasn’t a servants, the material being far too fine. The only guests they had were Ashpools.... Ugh, she was disgusted.

[Donovan Castell]

He wasn't sure how long he'd been talking with his brother, but once finished, he made his way back to his cabin, not sure if she would still be in there when he got back. He hoped she wouldn't be. The later it got, the more people would notice. Reaching for the doorknob, he knocked just in case she was indecent and then slowly opened the door. Only, the person he saw inside was not who he expected, and after a brief moment of shock, he closed the door behind him and gave her an expectant look.

"Hello, cousin," he said, "Is there something you need?"

There was something in the way she was looking at him that was peculiar. He looked down at himself, wondering what was amiss, and then he looked around. His eyes homed in on her clothes, but they did not linger. He glanced back up at her and then walked around her to remove his light coat so that he could lie it on the bed. "It's not what you think," he told her, knowing the conclusion she was most likely to jump to. Hells, he'd jump to it too if he'd walked in on somebody else's cabin and was faced with the same thing.

[Tempest Castell]

Tempest was standing with her arms crossed, clearly agitated with him. Yes, there was something she needed! To slap him in the face. Even if Ramira Letalis had been island scum, she did not deserve to die that way, and the fact that he was already off gallivanting with women was deplorable. She knew that Victor was the type, but she hadn’t expected Donovan would be.

“Yes, there’s something I need...” She did want to be married off to Michael Miridian, but that didn’t matter for the movement. Tempest could complain to him later. She wasn’t even sure truly wanted to talk to him about it anyway.

Moving back over to the clothing, Tempest lifted up a garment, using only one finger as if she was disgusted to touch it. “Whose is this?” She inquired, her voice trying to sound sweetly innocent. Then she dropped the cloth, flicking it away as she did so. Tempest cared not that it was no longer straightened out. “What do you think you’re doing?” She ignored what he said as it was what everyone went to when they got caught.

[Donovan Castell]

Was she always this vague? He sat down next to his coat and looked over at her, his brow going up. He had been afraid she'd ask more about the clothes... And it would seem that's what she wanted to talk about first. "They are Lady Elysia Ashpool's," he said honestly. "She was caught out last night in the storm. What she was doing over on this side of the ship is beyond me, and I figured it was none of my business to ask, but I could not very well let her attempt to venture to the opposite side of the ship. She could have been washed overboard or seriously hurt. So, I offered her my cabin." He would leave it at that for now. No use in lying to Tempest unless he really had to. There were few things he hated more than lying to family, and if it was just his reputation to think about, he would tell her the full truth. "Tempest... Nothing happened. I have not taken liberties with the woman, if that's what you're accusing me of. I have more respect for her position and for mine than that."

But he would not blame her for thinking so. Between his cousins, Victor, Lex, and Larson, it stood to reason that Donovan would at least share in some of their more... amorous of traits. The truth was, it was never really something that interested Donovan... Well, at least not since his early twenties. The thought of fathering bastard children had always been a turn off, or the thought of sleeping with a woman that carried not-so-pleasant diseases really just turned him to abstinence for the greater portion of his twenties. Not that he didn't appreciate a beautiful woman and not to say he was incapable of rising to the occasion -- But Donovan was not the sexually driven person that his cousins seemed to be. If he never got any again and lived a long life without touching another woman, he would be just fine so long as he got to carry out his duty to his family. That's what he was born to do, after all. Personal pleasure was secondary.

"I thought I was being a gentleman. I guess I could have let her attempt to get to her own cabin. I guess I just had more faith in my ability not to perform indecent acts with her than you obviously have. But since I'm in such a good mood, I'll try to prevent myself from feeling offended. After all, you came here because you needed something, yes? What can I do for you?"

[Tempest Castell]

Tempest pushed his coat out of the way, and took a seat beside her cousin. His story was believable enough, it was clear that Elysia had been out in the storm, at least. She was not sure she fully believed he had not taken the woman’s maidenhead, as they seemed to be the thing with men, but Tempest had no reason to doubt Donovan. Donovan had never acted like Larson or Victor, at least not with women. “Good. We don’t need anymore drama with other families....” Tempest wanted to stay far away from the Ashpools. She did not trust them after what happened even though she had once been close with Horatia and Aurelia. “What about my cabin? I am not too far. How did you sleep? I hope you slept on the floor.” He should have gone to Jonathon’s cabin and gave Elysia the room, but it was clear that he hadn’t from the way he answered.

She rolled her eyes at his comment about her faith in him. Tempest did not have faith in any man, why didn’t he know that by now. She barely trusted people to begin with, only extending any sort of immediate trust out to women simply because they weren’t men. “Well, as long as you don’t involve me in any mess, I suppose I don’t care whether or not you enjoyed her nice legs and luscious locks.”

Tempest abruptly stopped, deciding to put the subject to rest before she continued on. “Yes. Why do I have to marry Michael Miridian?” Tempest didn’t want to blame Donovan, but part of her was annoyed at the Ramira situation, as it was why she was forced into the awful arrangement to begin with. “He knocked me into the ocean back in Vadra. It was horrible! Also, he is not the lord of House Miridian. He is the brother, and if I am to be sold off like cattle, I should at least get a better pairing than that. I am a woman, but I am still a Castell.” Tempest knew she should be bringing this to Victor, but she just felt more comfortable approach his right hand man.

[Donovan Castell]

Donovan would have laughed if it had not been so true. The Castells had so far been prone to too much drama lately. What with the disaster his wedding turned out to be, the blunder with Larson and Amelie Mallory, the shit storm that was Evelyn's wedding to Matthias, and then the murder of Cassandra Rivers' nanny, it was a banner year for their family. "It was late... I had not thought to do that, but I should have. You are right." He sighed. Shit... After going through the trouble of securing the lie, making sure it would stick... "I did not sleep," he said truthfully. "And I did remain in the cabin. She slept beside me, but I did nothing, Tempest. I swear to the gods I... Well... I kissed her, but other than that, I did nothing." After that, he went into detail about how she'd risked her life out in the storm to come to his cabin to seek comfort from him, and how at the time he'd been too tired to really handle the situation like he should have. However, he did confess to enjoying her company, to a friendship that had developed between them (of sorts), and how she'd been trying to drag him through the pain he'd been feeling.

"Tempest... Please tell no one of this. I am earnest when I say I did not have sex with her. I couldn't... Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't have. I have more respect for the lady than to do harm to her reputation. Which is why I asked Jon to lie for me... To tell people that I stayed the night with him should anybody else know she was not in her own room last night. I may be a lot of things... I hurt a lot of people, especially as of late. But she should not have to suffer because of my bad judgement, and I do not wish for her to pay for something she did not do. It is for her that I will lie... I will not drag her down with me. I won't drag anybody else down."

He felt sorry for her now that she'd told him what her problem was. "We all must do what Victor tells us to do," he said, a little proudly but a little sorrowfully as well. "I initially was not at all happy about having to marry a Letalis, but I had to do it, and I had decided instead of railing against him to make the best of the situation." A lot of good that turned out to be. "It may very well happen again... I fully expect Victor to wed me off to somebody else in due time... And no matter who he chooses, I must accept it. He may not be worthy of you. In fact, I know he's not. So few men are worthy of the Castell women. But if this is Victor's will, then it must be done. I wish it could be different for you.

[Tempest Castell]

Each time Donovan went over the story, he added more to it, mentioning details he had initially left out. He was like a little boy who got caught, and Tempest found it amusing coming from Donovan. His story satisfied her, and she believed that they had not kissed, though she was disappointed that he had kissed Elysia and slept in the same bed. To same families, that was enough to disown her or break off a marriage. Still, to have an attractive woman in his bed and not sleep with her spokes volumes for Donovan’s character.

“I will not repeat it.” Tempest liked gossip, yes, but she was one who obtained and then only passed it on if she saw some benefit from it. With this, she could not find a use, and Donovan had asked her so sincerely that she wouldn’t. Beside, it wasn’t in her to destroy a stranger’s reputation without cause.

Tempest listened to his answer, but it didn’t please her. There had to be something that Donovan could do for her. Yet all of his words pointed to nothing. There was nothing he could do. She felt defeated, and her shoulders sagged. “I love someone else,” was all she said. There was nothing to say. She couldn’t marry Michael Miridian when her heart belonged to someone else.