. Owain Danan. - Tumblr Posts
It took everything in her not to laugh or smile, but to keep a stern demeanor. It reminded her so much of being a teenager and sneaking around the palace after dark with Kit or even Airk. Hands clasp behind her back, Jade approached the boy, stepping out of the shadows. “I’m on duty tonight. And I think your lack of sleep has less to do with capability and more to do with a lack of desire… Why are you out of bed, Owain?” Even if he wasn’t tired, Jade knew how large the chambers of royalty are. There was no need to leave them. “And where might you be going at this time of night? Answer truthfully and perhaps we can avoid involving your parents.”
@dutyxbound
"Aunt Jade", his voice was a mere whisper as he turned towards her. This was not supposed to happen. Owain had memorized the guard's schedules, scouted out the quickest and least busy ways in and out of the castle, bribed a stable boy into giving him his clothes, and now it was his aunt - of all people - who caught him sneaking out of Tir Asleen at night? Owain cleared his throat and adjusted his stance to seem as if he felt he had the right to be here, in the middle of the night. Nothing suspicious to see. "What a coincidence to meet you out here, couldn't sleep either?" Please don't tell my parents.
Jade couldn’t resist a smile now. Yeah, she remembered nights like this well. She’d spent plenty of adolescent nights, sneaking around the dark palace to get to Kit’s chambers. Or the nights where she was specifically summoned to Kit to help with her nightmares. Or the nights when Kit would sneak into her room above the stables. And these were mostly before she and Kit were even together. She knew what Owain was feeling extremely well. But it didn’t mean she could just pretend she didn’t see him.
“Fine. Don’t tell me who. I get it. But I need to know where. And I’ll need to send someone to trail you,” Jade told him. “You’re a prince of the realm. I can’t let you wander about alone. Even the knights knew when I was visiting your aunt at your age.”
Keeping a stern expression was a challenge but Owain had watched his father do it a thousand times before, had even practiced it himself. He called it the royal look, but he was almost sure that his aunt would never fall for something like this. Jade Claymore had dealt with offsprings of the house of Tanthalos before he had been born, there was no use fooling her. "I am not sure I can tell you that", he sighed, "There is someone I... someone I need to see." His words trailed off and his gaze fell to the ground. He prayed to the stars that she would fill in the blanks, believe him sneaking out of the castle to meet with a girl or boy. "Yes, I do not desire the comfort of my own bed tonight, Aunt Jade. But I beg you, do not tell my parents. There is no need to worry them, I promise you that. And mother worries way too much these days anyway."