At World's End -- Part 11c
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:42:20 UTC
"Is there a problem?" Ivan asked in a tone that sounded warm and amused around the edges.
"Is there a problem?" Alfred repeated in a mutter his eyes narrowing as Ivan seemed to grow even more amused. "Yeah you could say there is...what's the meaning of this!" He waved his ringed hand in Ivan's face.
"This?" Ivan asked the amusement fading slightly as his eyes flicked between Alfred's hand and his face.
"The ring..." Alfred snapped.
To emphasize his point he smacked his hand against Ivan's chest. He was shocked when Ivan jerked backwards from him taking several full steps back his eyes widening in surprise as his hand moved up to rub at the spot where Alfred's hand had made contact. Alfred squeezed his hand shut he hadn't thought he'd hit that hard. His hand tingled slightly with the movement warmth spreading upwards from his palm through the arm.
"I..." he said taking a nervous step forward afraid that he had somehow managed to hurt Ivan though the mere thought of that was ludicrous. "I..."
There was a flurry of movement behind him a hand clamped tightly on his shoulder, the warmth fled as the pain shot down his arm. He winced and tried to jerk away from the hand. It only tightened. He didn't need to turn to know who it was that was behind him. Berwald must have been lingering nearby doing his job which was to protect Ivan.
"Berwald," Ivan said in a tightening voice. "Release him and leave us for a moment."
The hand did not move though it lessened it's grip enough that the pain calmed some. Alfred let out a soft breath of relief and he moved his arm a bit. He watched as Ivan's gaze darkened, focused on the man who was still holding him in place. They seemed to be having some sort of conversation without words.
"Berwald."
This time the tone was commanding. Alfred knew in an instant it was Ivan's most officious tone. Berwald dropped his hand in an instant and took a step back from Alfred. Alfred turned and glanced at the guard. Berwald was pinning him with an open glare though he jerked a formal bow in Ivan's direction and then turned and walked stiffly away. Alfred sighed and then turned to glance nervously back at Ivan. Ivan was staring at him with narrowed assessing eyes his hand still resting against his chest.
"Alfred come here," he said in a voice that still held some of it's former commanding tone though it was warmed by the slight twist of his lips upwards.
Alfred sighed and shuffled forward until he was in front of Ivan. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
Ivan waved his hand like he was unconcerned by that and reached out and took Alfred's hand he stared down at the ring in silence. Alfred felt a trail of concern spread through him at the way Ivan's eyes widened for a brief moment and then raised to glance back up at him.
"Let's go somewhere a little more private," he said after sharing a glance for a moment.
"Okay..." Alfred agreed tentatively.
Ivan didn't release his hand as he lead them back towards where the ward had been set up. They were still within site of the others but well out of range of any listening ears. Ivan glanced back down at the ring, running his finger over the metal and the words now seared in it.
"Now..." he said softly looking back up at Alfred with a slight smile on his face. "Why don't we try this again but a little more calmly. What is the problem?" "My problem is with this," Alfred said his voice growing a little exasperated as he gestured his hand around again.
"The ring?" Ivan asked and Alfred nodded. "Why?"
"Because," Alfred said pulling his hand free of Ivan's grasp he tugged at the ring. Once again it wouldn't budge from his finger. "It won't come off!"
"It won't come off?" Ivan echoed, his forehead creasing in confusion.
He reached for Alfred's hand and gently grasped the ring and pulled, it slid easily from the finger it had only moments earlier refused to leave. Alfred stared at it in shock watching as Ivan examined the ring closely. He could feel that anger and even more so frustration bubbling back up inside him.
At World's End -- Part 11d
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:48:03 UTC
"You can take it off!" he said sharply. "You made it so you could remove it and I could not? Why would you do that..."
"Alfred..." Ivan started in a calm voice.
"No, don't Alfred me," Alfred snapped with a huff. "Fine you wanted to bind the ring to me I guess I don't have any room to have a say in that I understand that but you could have at least told me you were planning to do it..."
"I was not planning to do it," Ivan said in an even tone as he slid the ring back onto Alfred's finger.
"What?" Alfred said staring at him in shock.
"It was not my intention to bind the ring to you," Ivan said thoughtfully. "In fact I did not know it was even possible under the ceremony that we used..."
"But...then...why?" Alfred said in complete confusion.
"I do not know..." Ivan admitted.
Then he turned his attention to his own ring. He used his finger to try and remove it and it quickly became clear that he too could not remove his ring. He held his hand out to Alfred and gestured with his other. Alfred's eyes widened as he realized what Ivan wanted from him. He reached over and took Ivan's hand in his own and grasped the ring and gently pulled it off. The ring was heavy in his hand and he stared down at it in shock. There was no writing on Ivan's ring. With a shaky hand he slid the ring back on and glanced up at Ivan who was staring at their joined hands thoughtfully.
"Interesting..." Ivan murmured giving Alfred's hand a slight squeeze.
Alfred opened his mouth to say something about this strange discovery that not only was his ring bound but Ivan's was apparently bound as well. But Ivan raised a hand and gestured towards the group gathered near the growing fire. A short time later Eduard joined them. Alfred was relieved it was him and not Berwald who was still glowering at them across the distance.
"Yes, Sire," Eduard asked.
"I would like you to remove Alfred's ring," Ivan said, jerked a surprise glance in his direction and tried to pull his hand away but found it quickly captured by Ivan's larger one.
"You wish me to remove his ring, Sire?" Eduard repeated tentatively, his wide eyes flickering between the two of them.
"Yes," Ivan answered with a nod. "I'd like you to attempt it...just this once..." a smile crooked up the corner of his mouth.
Eduard's own mouth tilted upwards and he seemed to relax slightly as he reached out for Alfred's hand which Ivan released. Alfred hesitated for a moment and then with a sigh he held it out for Eduard to take. Eduard's fingers rested against the metal band of the ring and he began to pull. It was quickly evident that he could not get it to budge.
He glanced over at Ivan with a shake of his head. "I cannot remove it, Sire," he said.
"Thank you Eduard," Ivan said with a nod of his head. "That will be all for now. You may tell the cook he can start dinner, we will be joining you shortly."
"Yes, Sire," Eduard answered bowing slightly he turned and headed back across the clearing.
Alfred waiting until Eduard had reached the fire, and had clearly given the others Ivan's orders from the quick flurry of activity that followed, before turning back to address Ivan about the situation.
"What does this mean?" he asked quietly.
"I do not know," Ivan answered. He took Alfred's hand and again seemed to examine the ring closely.
"You don't know?" Alfred squawked in surprise. "How can you not know?"
"I have not heard of this happening before," Ivan admitted after a moment. "Or I have but not in a ceremony that had been fully completed."
"I don't understand," Alfred said with a shake of his head.
"The ceremony is to bind to people together," Ivan said finally releasing Alfred's hand after his fingers brushed against the writing on the ring again with a lingering movement. "It is designed so that no one should be able to break it up once the ceremony has been begun but if for some reason it is interrupted...perhaps by one party having a change a heart...or someone coming in to steal one of them away..."
At World's End -- Part 11e
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:51:28 UTC
"The rings act as a barrier preventing it from being undone...it can't be removed except by the other person taking part in the ceremony?" Alfred finished.
"Exactly," Ivan answered. "I have a feeling that if I had not given Eduard permission to remove it the ring might even have reacted violently to being removed?"
Alfred started down at the ring on his hand nervously. He had been pretty intent on getting it off did he have to worry about it hurting him now.
"I think you would have to be thinking about removing it to go against the ceremony for it to react to you," Ivan said reassuringly.
"You think," Alfred muttered and made a mental note not to attempt removing the ring again. He watched as Ivan swirled his own ring around his hand staring at it curiously. "You don't seem all that worried about any of this," he said eventually.
"Why should I be?" Ivan asked easily. "I have no desire to ever take the ring off...do you?"
Alfred blinked at him for a moment. The truth behind that statement weighed heavy in Ivan's tone. "No..." he said softly, shifting nervously under the intense gaze. "Not like that but...I may want or...need...to take it off for some reason at some point...like to clean it...or something..."
"It's coated in magic," Ivan said a soft layer of amusement in his voice. "I doubt there will be much need to clean it..." Alfred ducked his head in embarrassment. Ivan reached out and tucked his fingers under Alfred's chin and applied just enough pressure to get him to lift it back up, they stayed tracing lines against the skin. "But I understand you are probably feeling a little trapped in by all of this...."
"Yes..." Alfred admitted after a long moment. "I...I haven't had much choice in any of this. I feel...helpless...not even being able to take off my wedding ring even for a moment doesn't make me feel like I am trusted to do even the smallest thing."
"I am truly sorry for this, Alfred," Ivan said softly. "I never intended for this to happen you must trust me on that." Alfred sighed and nodded his head he believe Ivan was telling the truth. "I didn't not know something like this was even possible using the ceremony that we were using...with only one magic user"
"You altered the ceremony though didn't you?" Alfred asked. "You and my father...you layered in other stronger protection spells...old magic."
"How do you know it was old magic?" Ivan asked his voice sounding strange. "I have not yet had a chance to tell you what spells were added."
"It felt strange," Alfred said with a shrug. "Different...just...old..."
"You can feel magic?" Ivan said his brow arching in outright surprise.
"Yeah...I always have been able to," Alfred answered.
"That's a rare gift for someone without magic of their own," Ivan said thoughtfully. "Even for those of us with magic it is not always possible to decipher magic so specifically."
"That's what everyone tells me," Alfred said. "I've always been rather proud of it...at least it gives me some way to be useful. I always thought I'd work for my father or...someone else...in the capacity of a Sensor."
"An admirable profession," Ivan murmured with a nod. "I was not aware of this particular talent of yours but now that I am I shall have to endeavor to find some use for it."
Alfred flushed slightly both in embarrassment but also there was pleasure underneath it all he had just proven to Ivan that he could be useful to him. Perhaps that would be some help to their becoming friends in the future. Something that they could work off of. Something to make him not feel like he was just hanging on and only good for whatever the dowry was that Ivan and his father had settled on. He shook his head cutting off that train of thought it wasn't relevant to the conversation that they were having or the matter of the rings.
"Old magic can be tricky can't it?" he asked. "That's what Father always said."
At World's End -- Part 11f
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:54:29 UTC
"It can be and there wasn't enough time to test how everything would interact with each other. Making sure that it was safe and that you were safe and protected was the most important part of what we were trying to do."
"And that I couldn't run off and leave you the first chance I got," Alfred added pointedly.
"Alfred..." Ivan said with exasperation evident in his voice, Alfred shrugged his shoulders and didn't follow that line of thought he'd said enough. "It is possible that something worked differently then it was intended or that something was left unfinished."
"So...what does that mean?" Alfred asked trying to keep his frustration and nervousness from being too evident in his voice. "It means that I will figure out a way to fix it or to finish off whatever was not completed," Ivan answered easily.
"But what if it can't be fixed?" Alfred said hesitantly. It had to be said. Sometimes spells could not be reversed, could not be altered once they are completed.
"I do not believe this is such a case," Ivan said seeming to follow Alfred's train of thought. "Wedding ceremonies are not that type of magic to begin with and we only added protection spells. Old ones yes but not binding spells of that sort."
"What sort were they?" Alfred asked now that he was given an excuse to.
"Just spells to allow my magic to protect you if it was necessary for it to do so," Ivan said and then he gave a slightly quirk of his lips. "And yes some of the spells allow me to know where you are if I need to know or to know if you are in trouble...or are not doing something that you should be doing..."
Alfred glared openly at him. If Ivan wasn't going to shy away from the nature of the spells that he had cast on him then he wouldn't shy away from his feelings about them.
"But they are not the sort of spells that would make it impossible for you to live and move about on your own. Unless you are in grave danger I must tap into them and I would only do that if I was given a reason. I would hope it will never come to that and that if you wish to do something...or go somewhere...you would come to me first."
Alfred blinked at him surprised by the openness of Ivan's statement. He wondered if it was really the truth or if it was just pretty words to make him feel better, to keep him happy, to keep him from running. Again it was something to tuck away for later not something he wanted to think about now when there were so many other things to think about.
"The contract though," Alfred said. "That's a much stronger binding spell."
"Da," Ivan agreed with a nod of his head. "But we did nothing to alter the spells of the marriage contract. It is just standard issue if you intentionally try to harm me you will be prevented from doing so or if you deliberately try to break the agreement again you will be prevented from doing so. But that would not do anything to bind the rings to us and keep us from taking them off. That is something else..."
Alfred frowned at that but he knew that it was the truth that was standard contract magic. He knew that the same rules did not apply to Ivan because he had the rank advantage and the wording of the contract would have made him the focal of the contract and Alfred was for all intents and purpose property he was obtaining. It rankled but that was the way that royal wedding contracts had always been written and that was probably the way that they would always be written. But the contract was only a base and would only work if he deliberately set out to break the vows that he had made or tried to hurt Ivan anything beyond that would be settled between them and would be as lenient as Ivan chose to make it.
At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:56:22 UTC
"I do not think this is something that we have to worry about, Alfred," Ivan gently interrupted the tangent that Alfred's thoughts. "I will talk to my own Ceremony Master when we arrive in Moscow. We will go over each spell that was cast on you and we will figure out where the missing link is and we will strive to finish what was interrupted. If it cannot be finished then we will figure out a way to counter it if it is possible."
"What if it's not possible?" Alfred asked again. The way things had been going for him he was expecting the worst.
"Then I will physically remove the ring for you when we are alone and in private if you wish to be free of it for a given amount of time. I will ask the same of you. I don't have all the answers for you, Alfred, you will have to be patient."
"That has never been a strong suit of mine," Alfred admitted with a slight grin.
"You're father warned me of it," Ivan admitted with a grin of his own. "But you will have to be in this case. If it can be fixed, and I strongly suspect that it can be, then it will have to be corrected during the Solstice Ceremony."
"When is that," Alfred asked counting the months until winter off in his head. "You never did say the exact date. Sometime in December?"
"Yes it will be in December..." he trailed off and shifted slightly before speaking again. "But not this coming December...next year."
"Next year!" Alfred said sharply. "But...the solstice happens every year?"
"It does," Ivan agreed carefully. "But in the northern reaches of the Winter Lands winter can sometimes stretch longer then just one season it lingerers on for a full year before breaking. The Ceremony is there to celebrate the end of the darkness and to do everything possible to ensure that their short growing season will be a good one."
Alfred couldn't help but shudder at the thought of the cold, darkness of winter lasting for a full year though he had heard that it was the case in the northern most stretches of the Northern Kingdom. It was not like that in Moscow though, Moscow was on the ocean. He hoped he would see the rest of Ivan's kingdom he just hoped that it would not be during those dark months unless absolutely necessary.
"Why didn't you say this when you told me about the Ceremony?" he asked in mild irritation.
"You did not ask," Ivan answered back evenly.
"I did not ask?" Alfred echoed with a huff.
"You did not ask," Ivan repeated simply.
"How was I supposed to know that I was supposed to ask it?" Alfred snapped indigently. "That it was even okay for me to ask?"
"You can ask any questions of me that you like," Ivan answered.
Alfred's eyes narrowed. He didn't believe that for a second. And if it was true Ivan would only be as open and honest with his answers as he felt he had to be to get Alfred off of his back about them. He did not voice that suspicion out loud.
"So either way we will have to wait over a year to find out if it's possible to fix it..."
"We should know well before that," Ivan interrupted him.
"But we will still have to wait until the ceremony to alter it?" Alfred asked.
"Da," Ivan said.
"Why can't we do it earlier," Alfred said in a rush. "I know it's tradition but...can't we just do this one thing earlier and the rest then?"
"It does not work that way, Alfred," Ivan said. "It must be done at the original ceremony or the Solstice or it will not be accepted as being real and true by my people."
"Maybe they don't have to know about it?" Alfred said hopefully knowing that there was really no chance for him to change Ivan's mind about this. Tradition was tradition and not for the first time he realized just how strongly his new husband believed in following tradition. "We could do it in private just the correction and then do the rest of the Ceremony like normal..."
At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
October 31 2010, 22:59:19 UTC
"Alfred," Ivan said with a sigh, running his hand through his pale hair. "You will have to be patient and you will have to trust me that everything will be okay. I know that might be hard for you, we've only known each other for a day and met under less then desirable circumstances for you but you will have to trust me. Trust that I do not wish to hurt you and that I want to make this marriage as easy on both of us as I can make it. Do you think you could do that? Trust me even a little bit to take care of you?"
"I..." Alfred said hesitantly. He stared up into those wide, strange purple eyes and once again saw the truth in them. He felt hope flare up again that maybe they could make this work, maybe they could make it a real marriage at least on some level. But in order to make that happen he had to give a little. Ivan had taken the first step and now he had to take his own to meet him. He nodded his head. "Yes...I can do that."
"Good," Ivan said.
Then his face split into an unexpectedly bright smile that changed almost his entire appearance made him look younger and seem lighter. Alfred was so distracted by this sudden revelation that he didn't notice that Ivan was moving closer to him until he was standing right there in front of him, looking down at him like he wanted to do something. Alfred's eyes widened as he realized that Ivan wanted to kiss him. A hand wrapped around his back pulling him closer until they could stare eye to eye. He waited and shiver trailed down in spine. He was only a little surprised to realize it was in expectation.
But then just when Alfred thought Ivan was going to lean down and kiss him the other man instead pulled away. A slight knowing smile flickering across his lips. Alfred wanted to glare but held himself back knowing that was the reaction that Ivan was looking for. Instead he settled for a quite huff as Ivan reached out and pulled him closer again, running a hand across his back and then linking their arms together so that they were standing side by side and nodding over towards where the fire had been set up.
"We can discuss this more later," he said. "It has been a long day on the road and I am sore and hungry. Let's join the others by the fire."
Alfred was rather horrified when his stomach let out a loud growl. Apparently his appetite was back and with a vengeance. Ivan chuckled softly, tugging him closer so that their shoulders were resting flush against each other.
"It appears that you are hungry too," he teased gently.
This time Alfred allowed himself a glare and to be led towards the fire. He was shocked to realize he was leaning towards being happy something he never would have thought possible just the night before. His stomach was happy too at the thought of getting some of the food he could already scent wafting across the clearing.
"Then after we eat it will be time for bed," Ivan said in a soft, silky voice.
And just like that Alfred's good mood skittered to a screeching halt.
* * * TBC
Author's Note: Yes I am a tease especially since...well...I hope nobody hates me too much after the next part. Also pardon me doing a bit of ret-conning in this part re the whole Solstice Ceremony. I only realized after laying out the map how long it would take them to travel every where via horse and carriage and that put the time table in my head for events that I had planned just not work so rather then alter the time table and stress myself out I've decided to play around with the world a little bit and actually I think it adds a lot to later elements so I'm glad for the change. Don't worry most of those events won't take the two years to happen but they do need more then 6 months or so, thus the change.
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 1 2010, 01:14:10 UTC
lol I guess that answers that: Ivan thinks that angry!Alfred is cute. Aw Berwald you're seeing like the worst possible points of their interaction. But I hope that Alfred befriends Edouard. Was that some superstrength I saw there helped by the ring? Ivan you're such a tease. You too author. I can't wait for the next update!
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 1 2010, 04:10:33 UTC
Oh anon, you have no idea how excited I get when I see this has updated! Seriously, I was swinging my legs like a little kid on her first day of kindergarten~
Hmmm, curiouser and curiouser~ I hope Alfred and Eduard become friends, that would be be adorable... I love how understanding Ivan is being of this whole thing; we're seeing it piece by piece and at a distance so it's harder to empathize, but Alfred must be so emotionally overwhelmed right now. No worries about the Solstice change or being a tease; I'm happy with whatever you come up with! I lol'd at that last line; oh Ivan, making Al nervous for nothing. XD I trust him not to try anything.
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 1 2010, 05:51:37 UTC
Aurgh, Author Anon you tease! Why did you have to go and end it there? And now I have to wait 'til next month. D: Hmmm. This ring thing keeps getting more interesting. (I must say, I am slightly disappointed that Al won't be able to take his ring off and throw it at Ivan. XD) Methinks Alfred has some abilities unknown to him... *twitches in seat anxiously waiting for next chapter* And I'm glad Eduard is there to be nice to Alfred, my patience for Berwald the d-bag wanes.
Anyway, lovely chapter as always, can't wait for the next part. And maybe I'll get around to drawing you some fanart since this story engages me so much~ &hearts
Author!Anon
anonymous
November 1 2010, 20:50:36 UTC
Thank you I'm glad you're still enjoying it! I have great hopes that it won't be so long before the next chapter is out. But I make no promises of course... ;-)
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 1 2010, 06:55:05 UTC
This is going to be so epic! So glad to see you updated! Interesting to know about Ivan and Alfred's rings... so the ceremony being disrupted probably have something to do with that warm energy right? And Alfred's ability is certainly interesting! Now I am worried about the next part lol
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 2 2010, 03:15:50 UTC
LAKJSLKJDASLKJDSLAKASJKJS
LSJADLKSADKWKLS,AAKA
THAT IS A CRUEL CLIFFHANGER, YOU. But I love it madly. XD
God, nothing made me happier than to see this update when I came home this weekend. Seriously, I crave this fic like nothing else and then when it does update, I'm sure it will sate my thirst... but instead I just end up craving even more of it. >.>;; Still, that's the mark of a masterpiece, huh?
Seriously, you have nothing to worry about with this fic. It's enthralling. It takes the time to fully put us into the world, to make us care about each character - even the small ones, like omg, Eduard, my love skyrockets - and to invest in their future. I am so invested. I am invested. And that, for me, is what makes the best possible story. I have a deep, terrible need to see it play out because you've taken the time to get the setting, the people, the atmosphere just right.
And oh. Oh Alfred, sweetheart. His upset and then Russia telling Berwald to let him go... EEEEEEE. X3 I ADMIT. I SQUEALED. (Nothing makes me happier than a protective!Russia.) And then the tests with the ring and the realization that it's beyond both of them, some new part of the mystery, is just awesome. Awesome. I somehow wasn't expecting that.
And then Alfred's willingness to get closer, coupled with his reluctance to be trapped... God. You portray it so well. He and all of his emotions are entirely believable.
And the end bit.
THE END BIT.
LSDJSLKS. I have no idea what's going to happen, but I trust your judgment. I would follow this fic to the end no matter where it takes us (and the mystery is half the fun!). ♥
Author!Anon
anonymous
November 3 2010, 00:42:11 UTC
*blinks*
I uh...have no idea how to even respond to such a lovely comment. Thank you sooo much from the very bottom of my heart.
I'm glad that you're enjoying it so much and that you're getting so much out of it and that it's something you crave when it's not being posted. You have no idea how thrilled all of that makes me. It makes me want to write, write, write more.
Hopefully I can continue to live up to your expectation.
Again, thanks so much for the lovely comment. <3 <3 <3
Re: At World's End -- Part 11g
anonymous
November 2 2010, 21:20:29 UTC
Awww I hope Alfred and Eduard indeed become friends. ♥
Author!anon, you're doing an amazing job with this. Okay, a beta might be good because you have quite a lot of spelling errors here and there, but seriously, this story is epic~
I find it a bit weird how Berwald is so protective of Ivan of all people. xD;; I mean, Sweden and Russia have been enemies for centuries... Almost as long as they even existed. But oh well, it's an AU...
"Is there a problem?" Alfred repeated in a mutter his eyes narrowing as Ivan seemed to grow even more amused. "Yeah you could say there is...what's the meaning of this!" He waved his ringed hand in Ivan's face.
"This?" Ivan asked the amusement fading slightly as his eyes flicked between Alfred's hand and his face.
"The ring..." Alfred snapped.
To emphasize his point he smacked his hand against Ivan's chest. He was shocked when Ivan jerked backwards from him taking several full steps back his eyes widening in surprise as his hand moved up to rub at the spot where Alfred's hand had made contact. Alfred squeezed his hand shut he hadn't thought he'd hit that hard. His hand tingled slightly with the movement warmth spreading upwards from his palm through the arm.
"I..." he said taking a nervous step forward afraid that he had somehow managed to hurt Ivan though the mere thought of that was ludicrous. "I..."
There was a flurry of movement behind him a hand clamped tightly on his shoulder, the warmth fled as the pain shot down his arm. He winced and tried to jerk away from the hand. It only tightened. He didn't need to turn to know who it was that was behind him. Berwald must have been lingering nearby doing his job which was to protect Ivan.
"Berwald," Ivan said in a tightening voice. "Release him and leave us for a moment."
The hand did not move though it lessened it's grip enough that the pain calmed some. Alfred let out a soft breath of relief and he moved his arm a bit. He watched as Ivan's gaze darkened, focused on the man who was still holding him in place. They seemed to be having some sort of conversation without words.
"Berwald."
This time the tone was commanding. Alfred knew in an instant it was Ivan's most officious tone. Berwald dropped his hand in an instant and took a step back from Alfred. Alfred turned and glanced at the guard. Berwald was pinning him with an open glare though he jerked a formal bow in Ivan's direction and then turned and walked stiffly away. Alfred sighed and then turned to glance nervously back at Ivan. Ivan was staring at him with narrowed assessing eyes his hand still resting against his chest.
"Alfred come here," he said in a voice that still held some of it's former commanding tone though it was warmed by the slight twist of his lips upwards.
Alfred sighed and shuffled forward until he was in front of Ivan. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
Ivan waved his hand like he was unconcerned by that and reached out and took Alfred's hand he stared down at the ring in silence. Alfred felt a trail of concern spread through him at the way Ivan's eyes widened for a brief moment and then raised to glance back up at him.
"Let's go somewhere a little more private," he said after sharing a glance for a moment.
"Okay..." Alfred agreed tentatively.
Ivan didn't release his hand as he lead them back towards where the ward had been set up. They were still within site of the others but well out of range of any listening ears. Ivan glanced back down at the ring, running his finger over the metal and the words now seared in it.
"Now..." he said softly looking back up at Alfred with a slight smile on his face. "Why don't we try this again but a little more calmly. What is the problem?"
"My problem is with this," Alfred said his voice growing a little exasperated as he gestured his hand around again.
"The ring?" Ivan asked and Alfred nodded. "Why?"
"Because," Alfred said pulling his hand free of Ivan's grasp he tugged at the ring. Once again it wouldn't budge from his finger. "It won't come off!"
"It won't come off?" Ivan echoed, his forehead creasing in confusion.
He reached for Alfred's hand and gently grasped the ring and pulled, it slid easily from the finger it had only moments earlier refused to leave. Alfred stared at it in shock watching as Ivan examined the ring closely. He could feel that anger and even more so frustration bubbling back up inside him.
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"Alfred..." Ivan started in a calm voice.
"No, don't Alfred me," Alfred snapped with a huff. "Fine you wanted to bind the ring to me I guess I don't have any room to have a say in that I understand that but you could have at least told me you were planning to do it..."
"I was not planning to do it," Ivan said in an even tone as he slid the ring back onto Alfred's finger.
"What?" Alfred said staring at him in shock.
"It was not my intention to bind the ring to you," Ivan said thoughtfully. "In fact I did not know it was even possible under the ceremony that we used..."
"But...then...why?" Alfred said in complete confusion.
"I do not know..." Ivan admitted.
Then he turned his attention to his own ring. He used his finger to try and remove it and it quickly became clear that he too could not remove his ring. He held his hand out to Alfred and gestured with his other. Alfred's eyes widened as he realized what Ivan wanted from him. He reached over and took Ivan's hand in his own and grasped the ring and gently pulled it off. The ring was heavy in his hand and he stared down at it in shock. There was no writing on Ivan's ring. With a shaky hand he slid the ring back on and glanced up at Ivan who was staring at their joined hands thoughtfully.
"Interesting..." Ivan murmured giving Alfred's hand a slight squeeze.
Alfred opened his mouth to say something about this strange discovery that not only was his ring bound but Ivan's was apparently bound as well. But Ivan raised a hand and gestured towards the group gathered near the growing fire. A short time later Eduard joined them. Alfred was relieved it was him and not Berwald who was still glowering at them across the distance.
"Yes, Sire," Eduard asked.
"I would like you to remove Alfred's ring," Ivan said, jerked a surprise glance in his direction and tried to pull his hand away but found it quickly captured by Ivan's larger one.
"You wish me to remove his ring, Sire?" Eduard repeated tentatively, his wide eyes flickering between the two of them.
"Yes," Ivan answered with a nod. "I'd like you to attempt it...just this once..." a smile crooked up the corner of his mouth.
Eduard's own mouth tilted upwards and he seemed to relax slightly as he reached out for Alfred's hand which Ivan released. Alfred hesitated for a moment and then with a sigh he held it out for Eduard to take. Eduard's fingers rested against the metal band of the ring and he began to pull. It was quickly evident that he could not get it to budge.
He glanced over at Ivan with a shake of his head. "I cannot remove it, Sire," he said.
"Thank you Eduard," Ivan said with a nod of his head. "That will be all for now. You may tell the cook he can start dinner, we will be joining you shortly."
"Yes, Sire," Eduard answered bowing slightly he turned and headed back across the clearing.
Alfred waiting until Eduard had reached the fire, and had clearly given the others Ivan's orders from the quick flurry of activity that followed, before turning back to address Ivan about the situation.
"What does this mean?" he asked quietly.
"I do not know," Ivan answered. He took Alfred's hand and again seemed to examine the ring closely.
"You don't know?" Alfred squawked in surprise. "How can you not know?"
"I have not heard of this happening before," Ivan admitted after a moment. "Or I have but not in a ceremony that had been fully completed."
"I don't understand," Alfred said with a shake of his head.
"The ceremony is to bind to people together," Ivan said finally releasing Alfred's hand after his fingers brushed against the writing on the ring again with a lingering movement. "It is designed so that no one should be able to break it up once the ceremony has been begun but if for some reason it is interrupted...perhaps by one party having a change a heart...or someone coming in to steal one of them away..."
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"Exactly," Ivan answered. "I have a feeling that if I had not given Eduard permission to remove it the ring might even have reacted violently to being removed?"
Alfred started down at the ring on his hand nervously. He had been pretty intent on getting it off did he have to worry about it hurting him now.
"I think you would have to be thinking about removing it to go against the ceremony for it to react to you," Ivan said reassuringly.
"You think," Alfred muttered and made a mental note not to attempt removing the ring again. He watched as Ivan swirled his own ring around his hand staring at it curiously. "You don't seem all that worried about any of this," he said eventually.
"Why should I be?" Ivan asked easily. "I have no desire to ever take the ring off...do you?"
Alfred blinked at him for a moment. The truth behind that statement weighed heavy in Ivan's tone. "No..." he said softly, shifting nervously under the intense gaze. "Not like that but...I may want or...need...to take it off for some reason at some point...like to clean it...or something..."
"It's coated in magic," Ivan said a soft layer of amusement in his voice. "I doubt there will be much need to clean it..." Alfred ducked his head in embarrassment. Ivan reached out and tucked his fingers under Alfred's chin and applied just enough pressure to get him to lift it back up, they stayed tracing lines against the skin. "But I understand you are probably feeling a little trapped in by all of this...."
"Yes..." Alfred admitted after a long moment. "I...I haven't had much choice in any of this. I feel...helpless...not even being able to take off my wedding ring even for a moment doesn't make me feel like I am trusted to do even the smallest thing."
"I am truly sorry for this, Alfred," Ivan said softly. "I never intended for this to happen you must trust me on that." Alfred sighed and nodded his head he believe Ivan was telling the truth. "I didn't not know something like this was even possible using the ceremony that we were using...with only one magic user"
"You altered the ceremony though didn't you?" Alfred asked. "You and my father...you layered in other stronger protection spells...old magic."
"How do you know it was old magic?" Ivan asked his voice sounding strange. "I have not yet had a chance to tell you what spells were added."
"It felt strange," Alfred said with a shrug. "Different...just...old..."
"You can feel magic?" Ivan said his brow arching in outright surprise.
"Yeah...I always have been able to," Alfred answered.
"That's a rare gift for someone without magic of their own," Ivan said thoughtfully. "Even for those of us with magic it is not always possible to decipher magic so specifically."
"That's what everyone tells me," Alfred said. "I've always been rather proud of it...at least it gives me some way to be useful. I always thought I'd work for my father or...someone else...in the capacity of a Sensor."
"An admirable profession," Ivan murmured with a nod. "I was not aware of this particular talent of yours but now that I am I shall have to endeavor to find some use for it."
Alfred flushed slightly both in embarrassment but also there was pleasure underneath it all he had just proven to Ivan that he could be useful to him. Perhaps that would be some help to their becoming friends in the future. Something that they could work off of. Something to make him not feel like he was just hanging on and only good for whatever the dowry was that Ivan and his father had settled on. He shook his head cutting off that train of thought it wasn't relevant to the conversation that they were having or the matter of the rings.
"Old magic can be tricky can't it?" he asked. "That's what Father always said."
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"And that I couldn't run off and leave you the first chance I got," Alfred added pointedly.
"Alfred..." Ivan said with exasperation evident in his voice, Alfred shrugged his shoulders and didn't follow that line of thought he'd said enough. "It is possible that something worked differently then it was intended or that something was left unfinished."
"So...what does that mean?" Alfred asked trying to keep his frustration and nervousness from being too evident in his voice.
"It means that I will figure out a way to fix it or to finish off whatever was not completed," Ivan answered easily.
"But what if it can't be fixed?" Alfred said hesitantly. It had to be said. Sometimes spells could not be reversed, could not be altered once they are completed.
"I do not believe this is such a case," Ivan said seeming to follow Alfred's train of thought. "Wedding ceremonies are not that type of magic to begin with and we only added protection spells. Old ones yes but not binding spells of that sort."
"What sort were they?" Alfred asked now that he was given an excuse to.
"Just spells to allow my magic to protect you if it was necessary for it to do so," Ivan said and then he gave a slightly quirk of his lips. "And yes some of the spells allow me to know where you are if I need to know or to know if you are in trouble...or are not doing something that you should be doing..."
Alfred glared openly at him. If Ivan wasn't going to shy away from the nature of the spells that he had cast on him then he wouldn't shy away from his feelings about them.
"But they are not the sort of spells that would make it impossible for you to live and move about on your own. Unless you are in grave danger I must tap into them and I would only do that if I was given a reason. I would hope it will never come to that and that if you wish to do something...or go somewhere...you would come to me first."
Alfred blinked at him surprised by the openness of Ivan's statement. He wondered if it was really the truth or if it was just pretty words to make him feel better, to keep him happy, to keep him from running. Again it was something to tuck away for later not something he wanted to think about now when there were so many other things to think about.
"The contract though," Alfred said. "That's a much stronger binding spell."
"Da," Ivan agreed with a nod of his head. "But we did nothing to alter the spells of the marriage contract. It is just standard issue if you intentionally try to harm me you will be prevented from doing so or if you deliberately try to break the agreement again you will be prevented from doing so. But that would not do anything to bind the rings to us and keep us from taking them off. That is something else..."
Alfred frowned at that but he knew that it was the truth that was standard contract magic. He knew that the same rules did not apply to Ivan because he had the rank advantage and the wording of the contract would have made him the focal of the contract and Alfred was for all intents and purpose property he was obtaining. It rankled but that was the way that royal wedding contracts had always been written and that was probably the way that they would always be written. But the contract was only a base and would only work if he deliberately set out to break the vows that he had made or tried to hurt Ivan anything beyond that would be settled between them and would be as lenient as Ivan chose to make it.
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"What if it's not possible?" Alfred asked again. The way things had been going for him he was expecting the worst.
"Then I will physically remove the ring for you when we are alone and in private if you wish to be free of it for a given amount of time. I will ask the same of you. I don't have all the answers for you, Alfred, you will have to be patient."
"That has never been a strong suit of mine," Alfred admitted with a slight grin.
"You're father warned me of it," Ivan admitted with a grin of his own. "But you will have to be in this case. If it can be fixed, and I strongly suspect that it can be, then it will have to be corrected during the Solstice Ceremony."
"When is that," Alfred asked counting the months until winter off in his head. "You never did say the exact date. Sometime in December?"
"Yes it will be in December..." he trailed off and shifted slightly before speaking again. "But not this coming December...next year."
"Next year!" Alfred said sharply. "But...the solstice happens every year?"
"It does," Ivan agreed carefully. "But in the northern reaches of the Winter Lands winter can sometimes stretch longer then just one season it lingerers on for a full year before breaking. The Ceremony is there to celebrate the end of the darkness and to do everything possible to ensure that their short growing season will be a good one."
Alfred couldn't help but shudder at the thought of the cold, darkness of winter lasting for a full year though he had heard that it was the case in the northern most stretches of the Northern Kingdom. It was not like that in Moscow though, Moscow was on the ocean. He hoped he would see the rest of Ivan's kingdom he just hoped that it would not be during those dark months unless absolutely necessary.
"Why didn't you say this when you told me about the Ceremony?" he asked in mild irritation.
"You did not ask," Ivan answered back evenly.
"I did not ask?" Alfred echoed with a huff.
"You did not ask," Ivan repeated simply.
"How was I supposed to know that I was supposed to ask it?" Alfred snapped indigently. "That it was even okay for me to ask?"
"You can ask any questions of me that you like," Ivan answered.
Alfred's eyes narrowed. He didn't believe that for a second. And if it was true Ivan would only be as open and honest with his answers as he felt he had to be to get Alfred off of his back about them. He did not voice that suspicion out loud.
"So either way we will have to wait over a year to find out if it's possible to fix it..."
"We should know well before that," Ivan interrupted him.
"But we will still have to wait until the ceremony to alter it?" Alfred asked.
"Da," Ivan said.
"Why can't we do it earlier," Alfred said in a rush. "I know it's tradition but...can't we just do this one thing earlier and the rest then?"
"It does not work that way, Alfred," Ivan said. "It must be done at the original ceremony or the Solstice or it will not be accepted as being real and true by my people."
"Maybe they don't have to know about it?" Alfred said hopefully knowing that there was really no chance for him to change Ivan's mind about this. Tradition was tradition and not for the first time he realized just how strongly his new husband believed in following tradition. "We could do it in private just the correction and then do the rest of the Ceremony like normal..."
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"I..." Alfred said hesitantly. He stared up into those wide, strange purple eyes and once again saw the truth in them. He felt hope flare up again that maybe they could make this work, maybe they could make it a real marriage at least on some level. But in order to make that happen he had to give a little. Ivan had taken the first step and now he had to take his own to meet him. He nodded his head. "Yes...I can do that."
"Good," Ivan said.
Then his face split into an unexpectedly bright smile that changed almost his entire appearance made him look younger and seem lighter. Alfred was so distracted by this sudden revelation that he didn't notice that Ivan was moving closer to him until he was standing right there in front of him, looking down at him like he wanted to do something. Alfred's eyes widened as he realized that Ivan wanted to kiss him. A hand wrapped around his back pulling him closer until they could stare eye to eye. He waited and shiver trailed down in spine. He was only a little surprised to realize it was in expectation.
But then just when Alfred thought Ivan was going to lean down and kiss him the other man instead pulled away. A slight knowing smile flickering across his lips. Alfred wanted to glare but held himself back knowing that was the reaction that Ivan was looking for. Instead he settled for a quite huff as Ivan reached out and pulled him closer again, running a hand across his back and then linking their arms together so that they were standing side by side and nodding over towards where the fire had been set up.
"We can discuss this more later," he said. "It has been a long day on the road and I am sore and hungry. Let's join the others by the fire."
Alfred was rather horrified when his stomach let out a loud growl. Apparently his appetite was back and with a vengeance. Ivan chuckled softly, tugging him closer so that their shoulders were resting flush against each other.
"It appears that you are hungry too," he teased gently.
This time Alfred allowed himself a glare and to be led towards the fire. He was shocked to realize he was leaning towards being happy something he never would have thought possible just the night before. His stomach was happy too at the thought of getting some of the food he could already scent wafting across the clearing.
"Then after we eat it will be time for bed," Ivan said in a soft, silky voice.
And just like that Alfred's good mood skittered to a screeching halt.
* * *
TBC
Author's Note: Yes I am a tease especially since...well...I hope nobody hates me too much after the next part. Also pardon me doing a bit of ret-conning in this part re the whole Solstice Ceremony. I only realized after laying out the map how long it would take them to travel every where via horse and carriage and that put the time table in my head for events that I had planned just not work so rather then alter the time table and stress myself out I've decided to play around with the world a little bit and actually I think it adds a lot to later elements so I'm glad for the change. Don't worry most of those events won't take the two years to happen but they do need more then 6 months or so, thus the change.
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Aw Berwald you're seeing like the worst possible points of their interaction. But I hope that Alfred befriends Edouard.
Was that some superstrength I saw there helped by the ring?
Ivan you're such a tease. You too author. I can't wait for the next update!
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Hmmm, curiouser and curiouser~ I hope Alfred and Eduard become friends, that would be be adorable... I love how understanding Ivan is being of this whole thing; we're seeing it piece by piece and at a distance so it's harder to empathize, but Alfred must be so emotionally overwhelmed right now. No worries about the Solstice change or being a tease; I'm happy with whatever you come up with! I lol'd at that last line; oh Ivan, making Al nervous for nothing. XD I trust him not to try anything.
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Hmmm. This ring thing keeps getting more interesting. (I must say, I am slightly disappointed that Al won't be able to take his ring off and throw it at Ivan. XD) Methinks Alfred has some abilities unknown to him... *twitches in seat anxiously waiting for next chapter* And I'm glad Eduard is there to be nice to Alfred, my patience for Berwald the d-bag wanes.
Anyway, lovely chapter as always, can't wait for the next part. And maybe I'll get around to drawing you some fanart since this story engages me so much~ &hearts
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Interesting to know about Ivan and Alfred's rings... so the ceremony being disrupted probably have something to do with that warm energy right? And Alfred's ability is certainly interesting!
Now I am worried about the next part lol
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LSJADLKSADKWKLS,AAKA
THAT IS A CRUEL CLIFFHANGER, YOU. But I love it madly. XD
God, nothing made me happier than to see this update when I came home this weekend. Seriously, I crave this fic like nothing else and then when it does update, I'm sure it will sate my thirst... but instead I just end up craving even more of it. >.>;; Still, that's the mark of a masterpiece, huh?
Seriously, you have nothing to worry about with this fic. It's enthralling. It takes the time to fully put us into the world, to make us care about each character - even the small ones, like omg, Eduard, my love skyrockets - and to invest in their future. I am so invested. I am invested. And that, for me, is what makes the best possible story. I have a deep, terrible need to see it play out because you've taken the time to get the setting, the people, the atmosphere just right.
And oh. Oh Alfred, sweetheart. His upset and then Russia telling Berwald to let him go... EEEEEEE. X3 I ADMIT. I SQUEALED. (Nothing makes me happier than a protective!Russia.) And then the tests with the ring and the realization that it's beyond both of them, some new part of the mystery, is just awesome. Awesome. I somehow wasn't expecting that.
And then Alfred's willingness to get closer, coupled with his reluctance to be trapped... God. You portray it so well. He and all of his emotions are entirely believable.
And the end bit.
THE END BIT.
LSDJSLKS. I have no idea what's going to happen, but I trust your judgment. I would follow this fic to the end no matter where it takes us (and the mystery is half the fun!). ♥
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I uh...have no idea how to even respond to such a lovely comment. Thank you sooo much from the very bottom of my heart.
I'm glad that you're enjoying it so much and that you're getting so much out of it and that it's something you crave when it's not being posted. You have no idea how thrilled all of that makes me. It makes me want to write, write, write more.
Hopefully I can continue to live up to your expectation.
Again, thanks so much for the lovely comment. <3 <3 <3
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Author!anon, you're doing an amazing job with this. Okay, a beta might be good because you have quite a lot of spelling errors here and there, but seriously, this story is epic~
I find it a bit weird how Berwald is so protective of Ivan of all people. xD;; I mean, Sweden and Russia have been enemies for centuries... Almost as long as they even existed. But oh well, it's an AU...
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