Aaron

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot had weird feelings about being back in Fillory. It wasn’t trivial to go back and forth, and Margo wasn’t even sure how to make it happen again. Eliot has considered, briefly, insisting that Q go back in his place. But no, he couldn’t do that to Aaron. And this was his responsibility. Fen was so relieved to see him, too. They’d had sex the next night; she was ovulating.

He missed Aaron immediately though, and a few days later he went to King’s to spend time with him. Also like… apparently the king had been murdered? Things seemed remarkably peaceful under those circumstances.

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[eliot_thespectacular]

"Tell me about it," Eliot muttered. "There was another attempt on my life last week." Which he hadn't mentioned to Aaron. Actually he rarely mentioned any of them. It was just sort of par for the course at this point.

"Does that happen often?" Alcuin asked him.

Eliot shrugged.

[quitollis]

"It happens often?" Aaron said, shocked and a bit surprised - annoyed even - that Eliot had never mentioned it.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"It's picked up a bit," Eliot said, not quite looking at him. "Apparently my brief absence spurred some conversation among Fillorians if they ought to try to wrest the throne from the children of earth."

[quitollis]

Aaron up until now stil saw Fillory as a harmless place. That seemed to be a misconception. "It's picked up? What- how do they do it? Is it threats or actual attempts? Magic or swords, poison?"

[eliot_thespectacular]

"All of the above," said Eliot. Then managed a small smile and said, "You didn't think I wanted to learn to use a sword for fun did you?"

Alcuin could sense Aaron's discomfort, his worry. "I would imagine you have good people looking out for you," he said to Eliot.

"Well, I'm alive, so that's a good sign as to their competence," Eliot said.

[quitollis]

Aaron was a Kingsguard still at heart and he wanted to do something, but he wasn't about to interfere with Eliot's guards. They were competent enough, it seemed, and it really wasn't Aaron's place.

But he didn't like it.

"Alright. That's good, I suppose."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Well I confess I don't envy you," Alcuin said. "Being king."

"Yeah me neither," said Eliot with a snort. "Though I will say, the clothes are amazing."

[quitollis]

"You do good work, though," Aaron insisted.

[eliot_thespectacular]

Eliot arched an eyebrow. “What good work is that?”

Honestly, he tried, but he didn’t really know what he was doing when it came to day to day governing after he’d saved the world.

[quitollis]

Aaron honestly didn't understand. "You're running a Realm, surely you're doing something."

[eliot_thespectacular]

"Sure, but whether I'm doing it well is an entirely different story," Eliot said.

"I can imagine it would feel like you're not doing well enough regardless," Alcuin said gently. "After all, there's no way to make everyone happy."

Eliot snorted. "You're telling me. On the bright side, it's not always the same people who are trying to kill me."

[quitollis]

"I'm sure that wouldn't happen if you had a competent army on your side," Aaron remarked. At heart he was a man of war and this seemed entirely plausible.

[eliot_thespectacular]

"I don't think I want to raise an army against my own people," Eliot said.

[quitollis]

"It's just protection, which is clearly something that could be improved," Aaron replied. He just wanted to help in the only way he knew. By driving a sword into anyone who threatened Eliot's life.