Chapter Text
“One…more…match.” Andrew huffed meekly, his breaths coming in short and rushed rasps while he barely managed to push the words past his lips. The harsh texture of the tree bark dug into his back as he leaned heavily on it, clutching the small twigs like it was his only lifeline as he struggled to catch his breath. “I can…take…it.”
He looked down across the clearing, dark brown curls crowding his vision as he squinted across to peer at Vivian, who looked nothing more than winded.
Of course she did. No matter how long they trained for or how intense the sparring was, she was always standing with that infuriatingly strong stamina and endurance of hers. It was the main reason - and frankly, the only reason - that Andrew trained with her exclusively. And maybe because he’d already trained with the other recruits repeatedly to the point where they started refusing out of self-preservation. It wasn’t his fault that his sister had a knack for unintentionally lighting a fire of competition within him and almost always gave him a reason to become better. He had nothing to do with that, obviously.
“Right, so I trust that you can get up without that poor tree’s assistance?” Vivian retorted, her wit still sharp as ever - maybe even more so - after sparring so vigorously. She stretched out her wings behind her, the pristine white feathers catching the late afternoon sun and forcing Andrew to squint whenever looking her way.
“I can get up just fine…!” Andrew insisted, pushing off the tree out of spite before immediately stumbling back and clutching the branches once more. He could already see her sister eyerolling in response, accompanied by a small smirk that embodied the saying of “I told you so.” He tried standing up again, his legs holding up for a couple more moments before his entire body gave out, a deep ache resonating in every single limb and muscle as he leaned back on the tree again.
Okay, maybe his sister had a point.
He could already picture an oh-so-dreaded eyeroll accompanied by Viv’s trademark smirk that when put together with the eyeroll embodied the term “I told you so.”
Viv simply hummed in response, rocking back on her heels with an almost amused expression as she watched her brother come onto the brink of collapse, again. “I tried to warn you beforehan-”
“Shut it…” Andrew groaned, running his hand through his hair for the umpteenth time - a habit of both Valdez siblings. When the bouncy chocolate curls bounced back, he groaned again, letting them flop into his peripherals instead of trying to wrestle the unruly fluff of hair that was his bangs.
Vivian raised her hands in surrender, her smirk growing slightly as she watched the ongoing struggle of taming the mess of hair. “Have you thought about getting it trimmed, hm?”
“I have…” He murmured, sliding down to sit on the ground as he splayed his legs out in front of him. Everything was sore, achy, exhausted or all three and at this point, Andrew was starting to actually question the extremities of his training regimen. “But father’s hairstylists always get it wrong and I’m too polite and awkward about it to correct them.”
“I never said you had to get it done professionally.” Vivian sat down next to her brother, resting her arm on one bent knee as white wings folded against her back behind her. Exhaustion and weariness creeped at the edge of her senses, weighing her body down with a sense of both that wasn’t too hindering but rather uncomfortable and slightly annoying.
Even she could admit that Andrew’s tolerance - or more accurately, his persistence - of ridiculous amounts of training was concerning and she rarely expressed concern over such matters. But that could be saved for another time. No need to ruin a rare moment of fluff for something that could easily be resolved at some other time, preferably at dinner tonight.
“I could trim it for you?” Vivian suggested, carding her fingers through her own hair as she tilted her head towards Andrew. She witnessed the several haircuts her brother got over the years, each time always straying from what the young prince wanted while the prince in question would smile and nod like it was exactly what he wanted. “It probably wouldn’t turn out as high quality as father’s stylists but it’ll end fairly similar to how you want it, if that’s alright?”
Andrew peered at his sister through dark brown curls, watching that familiar look of love and affection slowly creep through her expression, something reserved often only for him. It was a side of her he wished she’d let out more often, yet something he always enjoyed when it did. “Yeah, that’s alright. Maybe then mother would stop fussing over my hair.”
“Maybe. Depends on the outcome, no?”
“Don’t ruin it for me.”
The two fell into a comfortable silence, sitting back as the sounds of nature were let loose to roam, no longer overpowered by their small talk. The soft rustles of leaves in the wind mingled with the songs of the neighboring birds, various other animal sounds mixing in to create a soft song filled with the complex melodies of nature that never failed to lighten a long day.
“Hey, Viv?”
“Hmm?”
“Do you think you could trim my hair tonight? After your meetings?”
A beat passed as Vivian thought for a moment before she nodded. “I actually don’t have anything tonight, so I don’t see why not.” She shrugged, her voice carrying a soft lilt as she threw her head back against the tree.
“Oh, okay… So maybe after dinner?”
“Yeah, that should be fine.”
A beat passed.
“....Speaking of dinner, we should head back and get cleaned up.”
Vivian stood up, spreading her wings out behind her as she stretched them out. They were starting to feel quite stiff after spending almost the entire day tucked in and pressed against her back. Andrew had also enforced a “no wings rule” after the fifth session of being thrown around by the feathery limbs. As a result, Vivian hadn’t really had a chance to stretch them during the day, not after shuffling between several meetings, training sessions she had to oversee and everything smooshed in between.
She offered a hand to Andrew as he got up, pulling him upright before making sure he wouldn’t collapse from sudden exhaustion. That had happened at one point, so no harm in being cautious. “Come on, we can fly. I need to stretch anyway.”
“Don’t drop me this time.” Andrew joked, a small chuckle leaving his lips in an easy manner.
“Andy, that was one time.”
“One time more than it should’ve been.”
Vivian sighed, the soft exhale hiding the small huff of laughter that had threatened to escape. “Alright, walk then.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait..!” Andrew hopped closer while Vivian picked him up with ease, a knowing smirk on her face. The bluff worked almost every time, no matter how old it got and it was something that always amused Vivian without fail.
“Oh, be quiet…”
Vivian’s smirk only grew as she jumped into the air, her wings beating down toward the ground and propelling her up into the air before she could hit the ground again. After a couple more wing beats, they were above the trees, white wings forming a steady rhythm as they set off for the castle.
Vivian carded her fingers through her hair, strands of almost golden brown hair weaving through her slender fingers as she leaned back against the wall. Her wings were folded behind her, white feathers neatly combed through and aligned thanks to a quick preening session not too long ago.
She had changed out of her damp training uniform and swapped it out for her usual outfit - a white button-up shirt with sleek, clean black pants and matching black shoes. The outfit was neat and simple but still formal enough that it could pass in the royal dress code. The breathable and deceptively elastic fabric allowed for a full range of motion without sacrificing the clothing in the process.
A small crown pin glittered in the light, catching the rays from outside as reflecting toward the ground, the small gems burrowed in the metal shimmering with every shift. Vivian never liked showing off her rank, especially for a casual occasion like today.
She felt that she never truly deserved it and had always tried persuading her newfound parents to see why. They never listened, however, they did grant her a choice on how she could wear her rank, knowing that a crown and a dress seemed like a stretch for someone like her. In the end, she had a pin custom made for her that resembled the princess’s crown and chose to wear that around.
Vivian gently threw her head back against the wall, arms now crossed over her chest while the heel of her foot pressed against the smooth wood of the wall. Andrew was still inside his room, the sound of frantic footsteps and the occasional thud only serving to prove Vivian’s suspicions true. Andrew had always been on the slower end of the scale for a majority of things when they were growing up together, taking his time to take careful decisions or make something he thought to be special. However, this logic only went so far before he flipped to the other end of the scale, bouncing off the walls finishing tasks in no time whatsoever and in a productive rush the entire day. Today was not one of those days and whether that was a good thing or not, Vivian couldn’t tell.
A faint slam drew Vivian from her thoughts as the door practically threw itself open to reveal a very frazzled but presentable Andrew. Vivian raised an eyebrow at most but said nothing about it. “Took you long enough. Ready now?”
Andrew smiled sheepishly, his hand raking through semi-damp hair as he nodded. He hesitated for a moment as if pondering something before he asked. “I don't take that long, do I?”
“Andy, you take longer than most boys your age. I think that says enough.” Vivian responded. She stepped away from the wall, idly stretching her wings as she looked over her brother.
A simple off-white button-up shirt was tucked underneath a neat deep blue vest, the shade a rich shade of a neutral navy, gold embroidery swirling on the sides and collar of the vest. A pair of pants in a similar shade were fashioned similarly, gold thread winding its way around the belt while leaving the rest untouched. It was a relatively simple outfit, especially compared to the “casual” outfits of most nobles but still radiated royalty in a subtle manner.
“Most boys my age are in the training fields 24/7 and bragging about the size of their muscles. I don’t think it’s fair to compare me to them.”
Vivian started walking down the hall, her footsteps almost falling silent while Andrew trailed behind her. Sharp, articulated clicks echoed down the hallways while he walked, a small frown forming on face. “No, but seriously. I don’t take that long, do I?”
“Maybe a minute or two longer than average.” Vivian answered, her wings folding back behind her once more as she continued walking. “I know that most of the time, it’s trying to find out what to do after getting ready or you’re overthinking how you look-”
“Hey! You can’t just call me out that easily!” Andrew interjected, his objection only half-hearted as he jogged up to walk side-by-side with Vivian.
“I’m your older sister,” Vivian said, an almost playful tone to her words as she reached a hand up to ruffle Andrew’s hair - much to his chagrin. “I can do what I see fit.”
“You say that every time…” Andrew whined softly, swatting his sister’s hand away while raking his own finger through damp curls in an attempt to push them back once more.
“That’s because it applies every time.”
Soon, the usual modest hallway decorations were swapped out for something more elegant, the small array of flowing fabrics and flowers traded for swirling patterned fabrics that twirled around the supporting pillars with artificial petals sewed in. Thin metal sheets were bent in such a manner that it twisted with the fabric in an inanimate ballroom dance, painting the halls in the kingdom colors of traditional royal blue and a shining gold.
Huge looming windows showcased a setting sun, not quite hitting the horizon but still painting the sky in deep and soft hues of orange and reds with the sun centered in the middle of the warm painting in the sky. Palace workers moved to and fro, helping see nobles out the front gates or fulfilling their evening errands for the day.
They gave a small nod of acknowledgement as Vivian and Andrew passed by, partly out of genuine respect and admiration and partly because of royal protocol, as many called it. Vivian would nod back while Andrew smiled, both showing their own appreciation in their own ways as they approached the doors to the dining room.
The doors loomed before them, intricate and elegant designs carved into the thick and deep-colored wood while small golden accents were hidden deep inside the design. Just before Vivian pushed open the door, she reached toward her belt where a familiar ring of gold sat next to her dagger. She hooked it off her belt, spinning her brother’s crown on her finger as she watched her brother’s face twist in embarrassment.
“Forget something?” She taunted, a small grin on her face as Andrew snatched the crown away from her. He let the circle of golden metal sit on the crown of his head, a variety of blue gems sparkling in their places as Andrew adjusted it slightly, bouncy curls slipping through the gaps.
“When did you even-...?”
“You left it in my room this morning.”
Andrew had been stuck in early morning meetings for nearly 3 hours at the request of their father and had later headed to Vivian’s room to chat before training started. The crown had been lightly tossed on a soft armed chair in the corner of Vivian’s room as Andrew had stumbled through and fell on top of Vivian.
“...Right.”
Vivian glanced back one more time before pushing open the doors to one of the palace’s many dining rooms. “After you.”