Emir/Ivan Part 80
Dec. 12th, 2023 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emirandivanFirst posted here
Olya walked purposefully through the darkness. Emir, entirely unfamiliar with this part of the Palace gardens, only hoped they were not entering a trap. Olya still had not spoken more than a handful of words to him, and the last time he had seen her before that, she had had a knife to his throat. He held Ivan’s hand tightly. It was achingly cold, and the moon had not yet risen high enough to light their path.
“Not much further,” Ivan murmured. “We’re going to the stables.”
Were they to escape on horseback? Emir could not imagine it. He was shivering hard now, his clothing wholly inadequate for the Eresenian winter night. Ivan pulled him closer.
Olya did not take them to the main stable building, but instead to a dark side building which was unlit and seemingly unused. It felt even colder inside it, and dark as pitch. Olya reached back and grabbed Emir’s upper arm, dragging him further inside. They pushed through a stable door and Olya struck a light. There were two stalls here, clean but empty. Somehow it was even colder in her, and damp.
“Please,” Emir said through his chattering teeth. “Can you tell me what…what we are doing? Olya, I…”
He watched as her hand strayed to her belt. A knife? Was this an elaborate…
She drew out a tinderbox and Emir breathed out shakily.
“You are wondering what has changed my mind?” she said, crouching to light a lantern. She stood. “Thank Anna,” she said. “She saw what I would not, and she explained all to me. Very strongly.”
“Where…”
“She has gone to your sister,” Olya said. “And so must you. Sire, you have been trapped most thoroughly in this traitor's lies - you cannot be safe here until you clear your name.”
Emir felt a sense of relief flood through him. Of course that is what he must do. To go home seemed the most wonderful thing. But…he squeezed Ivan’s hand.
“And I too,” Ivan said. “If - if you will let me.”
Emir could barely see him, even in the lamplight. “Of course I will let you,” he said, trying to kiss him and getting his icy nose by mistake. “But, sweet-heart, it is surely selfish of me to take you there.”
“No! I am better with you, than here.” Ivan managed to kiss him back, on the mouth. “Sweet-heart,” he said against Emir’s lips, as though trying the word out.
“Come, change your clothes,” Olya said. “I will keep watch.” She left them with the lantern.
Ivan beckoned Emir to a pile of clothing in the corner. “We have disguises,” he said, and Emir could not miss the glee in his voice. “Now…”
He shook out a dress.
“You made me promise not to run away from Eresenia dressed as a washerwoman,” Emir said, feeling slightly hysterical. “That’s one of the first things you ever said to me.”
“You won't. This is for me,” Ivan said. “This is for you.” He handed him the uniform of one of the royal stablehands and grinned.
“Oh, you remembered,” Emir said and began to laugh.
“I know. Very romantic of me,” Ivan said, climbing into the washerwoman’s frock. “Now listen.”
He began to tell Emir the plan.
Part 81
Olya walked purposefully through the darkness. Emir, entirely unfamiliar with this part of the Palace gardens, only hoped they were not entering a trap. Olya still had not spoken more than a handful of words to him, and the last time he had seen her before that, she had had a knife to his throat. He held Ivan’s hand tightly. It was achingly cold, and the moon had not yet risen high enough to light their path.
“Not much further,” Ivan murmured. “We’re going to the stables.”
Were they to escape on horseback? Emir could not imagine it. He was shivering hard now, his clothing wholly inadequate for the Eresenian winter night. Ivan pulled him closer.
Olya did not take them to the main stable building, but instead to a dark side building which was unlit and seemingly unused. It felt even colder inside it, and dark as pitch. Olya reached back and grabbed Emir’s upper arm, dragging him further inside. They pushed through a stable door and Olya struck a light. There were two stalls here, clean but empty. Somehow it was even colder in her, and damp.
“Please,” Emir said through his chattering teeth. “Can you tell me what…what we are doing? Olya, I…”
He watched as her hand strayed to her belt. A knife? Was this an elaborate…
She drew out a tinderbox and Emir breathed out shakily.
“You are wondering what has changed my mind?” she said, crouching to light a lantern. She stood. “Thank Anna,” she said. “She saw what I would not, and she explained all to me. Very strongly.”
“Where…”
“She has gone to your sister,” Olya said. “And so must you. Sire, you have been trapped most thoroughly in this traitor's lies - you cannot be safe here until you clear your name.”
Emir felt a sense of relief flood through him. Of course that is what he must do. To go home seemed the most wonderful thing. But…he squeezed Ivan’s hand.
“And I too,” Ivan said. “If - if you will let me.”
Emir could barely see him, even in the lamplight. “Of course I will let you,” he said, trying to kiss him and getting his icy nose by mistake. “But, sweet-heart, it is surely selfish of me to take you there.”
“No! I am better with you, than here.” Ivan managed to kiss him back, on the mouth. “Sweet-heart,” he said against Emir’s lips, as though trying the word out.
“Come, change your clothes,” Olya said. “I will keep watch.” She left them with the lantern.
Ivan beckoned Emir to a pile of clothing in the corner. “We have disguises,” he said, and Emir could not miss the glee in his voice. “Now…”
He shook out a dress.
“You made me promise not to run away from Eresenia dressed as a washerwoman,” Emir said, feeling slightly hysterical. “That’s one of the first things you ever said to me.”
“You won't. This is for me,” Ivan said. “This is for you.” He handed him the uniform of one of the royal stablehands and grinned.
“Oh, you remembered,” Emir said and began to laugh.
“I know. Very romantic of me,” Ivan said, climbing into the washerwoman’s frock. “Now listen.”
He began to tell Emir the plan.
Part 81
