#and ves is just *unfurls the very long list of things she loves about him* YES YES I DO

[queen-scribbles]

Folly

Another fic brought to you by the timing of when I triggered certain main quest events :D

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The sun had at least half sunk behind the treeline, the purple and gold sky framing the ever present orange glow of the volcano. It was a view that went underappreciated as the lot of them entered New Sérène, steps dragging with exhaustion of all-day travel. Vesper was just as tired as her friends, even if she was hiding it--or ignoring it.

But Kurt had spent far too much time with her to miss the tells; the smile in response to something Aphra said ever so slightly dim, the small shake of her head to clear her thoughts. And he couldn't blame her, or any of them, they'd been pushing it in hopes of reaching the city to sleep in real beds.

Still, despite the dark circles, despite swallowing no fewer than three yawns, Vesper hesitated when they reached Orsay square. Kurt halted next to her as the others trailed toward the house--and the siren call of sleep--at varying speeds.

"Something on your mind, Green Blood?" he asked, even if he could hazard a guess.

"I should update Constantin before I turn in," she said around a yawn, shifting her weight to lean against him ever so slightly. "Not like it'll take long."

Kurt thought about pointing out it would keep til morning; it wasn't anymore urgent news than it was lengthy. But he knew that look in her eye. And everything about this was urgent if she thought it would help her cousin. He could hardly fault her for that. So instead he nodded. "I'll come along."

"You don't have to," Vesper protested, turning to rest a hand on his arm. "I know you're almost as tired as the rest of us, even if-"

"And what kind of bodyguard would I be if that was enough t' let my charge go traipsing off out of my sight?" he countered, trying not to stare at her hand on his arm. He was still getting used to that.

"While I think I'd be safe enough in the governor's palace," she said with a wink, "I'll take whatever time I can get with you."

That was really an adjustment, and Kurt's thoughts stumbled over each other for a moment before he nodded. "Well, then, after you. Sweet Excellency." He whispered the last in her ear, and she smiled fully bright as she headed for the palace steps.

"So, after you talk to your cousin," Kurt began as they walked the entry hall, "you will get some sleep?" The inflection left it hovering somewhere between a question or request and an order. (One he knew he had no right to give, but dearly wanted to.) She needed the rest, desperately, but he also knew how hard her worry for Constantin drove her. How hard she drove herself.

Vesper stopped on the landing and turned to cup his jaw with one hand before he'd finished mounting the steps. "Straight to bed," she promised softly with one of those warm, grateful smiles that made Kurt's chest ache because he still felt undeserving. A mote of mischief entered her gaze as she leaned closer to whisper, "So long as you come with me."

The breathless laugh escaped him before he could stop it. It was as he went to ask if she wanted to be so forward with an audience--despite knowing the answer--that he noticed there wasn't really one. The lack of petitioners and staff could be explained by the hour, but the guards were also absent from their posts. "Green Blood-"

The muffled sound of a raised voice came from the direction of the throne room and both their gazes snapped that direction in tandem.

"Come on," Vesper murmured, hand brushing his arm as she let it slide from his face.

"Right behind you."

They hurried the last flight of steps, Vesper's shoulders tense in anticipation before they reached the double doors. A small cluster of nobles stood in the middle of the large room, loosely arrayed as if facing off with the line of guards between them and the governor's chair.

The empty governor's chair.

Even as the thought formed in Kurt's mind--and undoubtedly in Vesper's--Lady Morange's voice rose above the clamor to ask it.

"We simply wish to know what happened to--" She broke off when she marked their approach. "Ah, your Excellency! Perhaps you will manage to get something out of this craven soul who calls himself a guardsman!" She pressed one hand to the soldier's leather cuirass in a light derisive shove as she stepped aside.

"What is going on, soldier?" Vesper asked softly, steadily, no trace of her exhaustion, though the worry was too strong to hide.

The lieutenant dipped his head respectfully and gestured to the man who had raised Lady Morange's ire so. "My lady, this man has just reported in... asking for reinforcements. He believes Lord D'Orsay has been attacked."

"Believes?" Vesper echoed, stiffening with fire in her eyes.

Shared concern for Constantin warred in his thoughts with the certainty there'd be no convincing her to rest now, no matter how badly she needed it. Even as he internally cursed the latter, Kurt listened to the details surrounding the former circumstances. The high points were simple enough; Catasach taking Constantin somewhere to attempt curing the malichor, them coming under attack, the guard currently wilting under Vesper's intensity on patrol and judging from what he heard that go get help was the best course of action. (From his description, it was hard to fault him.)

Interrogation done, Vesper whirled from the man and stalked for the door.

Kurt was right behind her, though he didn't speak til they were down the stairs. "I know what you're thinking, Vesper."

"And I suppose you also know talking me out of it is doomed to failure," she said, still striding rapidly for the main palace door.

He caught her elbow, tugged her off to the side. "Just consider, Magasvár is a day and a half's trek--"

"Which means it'll have been at least three days since they were attacked!" Vesper gripped his arms, desperation plain on her face. "You know how sick he is, Kurt, if something happens to him..." She took a breath, shook her head.

"You're not going to get there tonight, Vesper," he said quietly.

"But I can get closer," she insisted.

"We can get closer," Kurt corrected. Fourteen hours with no sleep and she wants to make it more.

Her brow furrowed. "No, Kurt--"

"If it's folly to talk you out of going, it's folly to talk me out of coming along." He tipped her chin up. "All other considerations aside, I'm your bodyguard, Excellency. Like hell I'm letting you camp out there alone. Your cousin would take my head and be right to do so." He arched a brow when she still looked ready to protest. "D'you want to argue this with me, or do you want to get underway?"

He was far more more accustomed to running on little sleep than her, after all.

Vesper only hesitated half a breath longer before a tired, grateful smile broke across her face. She pushed on her toes to brush a light kiss to his lips. "I love you."

Kurt answered the kiss with an equally light one to her forehead as his heart skipped a beat at everything tied in the words. "And I you."

She stepped back, hands sliding from his arms. "We should inform the others, they can get some sleep and follow in the morning."

As Kurt expected would happen, Síora insisted on coming with them, even as the others were persuaded to stay and rest up. Her argument--familiarity with the terrain, ability to find the fastest route--was one Vesper couldn't've refuted even at her best.

As it was, she caved without much protest, and after grabbing a few more supplies, the three of them departed. The now star-carpeted sky went just as unappreciated as the sunset on the way in, if for a very different reason.

They made a few hours' progress before stopping. It was a true testament to Vesper's exhaustion that she didn't insist on first watch as she usually did, but let him take it. Kurt answered Síora's quiet request to be second watch with a nod, grateful they were on the same page in that regard, and settled in to watch the surroundings.

And pray they weren't too late.

#queens fic #vesper de sardet #kurt #kurt greedfall #greedfall #ves/kurt #freshly minted! he's still adjusting!! #i love it #this popped into my head during the most recent run completely kurt pov and i couldn't say no #his pov is so fun this early #when he's still ''wym you love me and value me and want me around as more than Just a Mercenary???'' #and ves is just *unfurls the very long list of things she loves about him* YES YES I DO