court of lies | robert's rebellion

the prophecy

"you are here because this is where you need to be, your whole life has been a long road leading directly to this moment"

281 AC, Oldtown

The doors knocked and they entered. "My lord.", Alea's voice was as thin as air. "Lady Atera had sent you a gift."

Leyton's back was turned to the door, he was watching the sea from his window but he was not expecting to see a woman when Alea said 'gift'. "No.", he shook his head and the woman's face fell -though he had to give it to her, Atera's choice was almost impeccable. "I do not feel well.", he offered an explanation to the woman. "But my brother would enjoy our sister's kindness.", she only sent him a smile and left the room. "What was that?", he turned to Alea's stone-cold face, the blonde woman was more beautiful but it was Alea who made his blood boil.

"She wanted to make you happy.", she said without looking at him. "Thought she would help you to forget about Lady Rhea."

Leyton slowly raised an eyebrow. It seemed Alea was the only one who still mentioned her name. "Where is your courage come from?", he asked. "Atera?"

"I simply do what I want to do, my lord.", she said, raising her head even more. "I listen to my heart and act according to my feelings. It is what has brought me here and makes me stand in front of you.", she looked at him and he felt electrified. "It is your turn to make a move, now."

A smile appeared on his lips -an amused one. "It is what I like about you, I believe.", he offered her but it was obvious that she wanted more than a backhanded compliment. "Though the things we like usually consume us in the end."

"Sad,", she turned her head away. "I hoped that I could be your antidote."

"Come, Alea, enter.", he made a gesture. "You look beautiful.", he eyed her up and down. She was wearing a dark navy gown that made her eyes pop and her hair look even more beautiful.

"It is rather new.", she answered, she was not averting his eyes. "I am glad that you liked it, my lord. I thought that you would."

"Hmm.", he murmured and approached her. "Do you think a lot about what I like and not?"

"I never stop thinking about you.", there was something in her that pulled Leyton towards. He was not sure if it was the burning desire of forgetting Rhea or if it was all about Alea. "I must admit my lord,", he felt an invisible force pushing him towards her even more. "I do desire you as a man.", his breath hitched and he felt the wrong parts of him getting too excited.

This was an ill-omened thing. Alea was a lot younger than him -young enough to be his daughter because he was a child himself when he had Baelor and Alerie. She was not only in Atera's service but was also her best friend. Rhea had just died, he just woke up and started this -even something that it purely physical, when he was not healed from the scars Rhea and Jacen opened would not be fair for Alea nor for him.

Yet he silenced the rational side of his and raised a hand to cup Alea's face, leaned down and started to kiss her. It started slow and hesitant almost. Leyton was not sure about the woman's experiences though he had plenty of his in the almost four decades he lived in. Her lips were soft, almost silken, he could feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath his nose, her long fingers carding through his hair as they breathed each other in. And with the slow pull on his hair made things turned a more passionate pace.

In no time her entire body was pressed to the wall with the moan escaped from her lips. Their bodies were pressed together heatedly, he could feel the thud of their combined heartbeat as Alea fumbled to take off his shirt to trace along his chest with her ring-filled fingers and Leyton let her. Within seconds, his shirt was long gone and she was pressing her palms against his lips and a satisfied smile appeared on her as she bit Leyton's bottom lip while pulling herself away.