Private The Man Behind The Mask

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

DEE'JA PEAK
Abrantes Estate | Nightfall

Interacting with: Cassian Abrantes Elian Abrantes Aurelian Veruna

Sibylla told herself she was composed.

She was lying, of course.

Hours later, the young woman stood before the tall hall mirror, giving herself yet another once over like a woman pretending her world hadn't been upended by one infuriating, devastating man. She adjusted the fall of her slate grey dress for the fifth time, smoothed the filigree collar for the sixth, and tried very hard not to think about anything that had transpired in the pianoforte room.

Which meant she thought of nothing but that.

Shiraya preserve her… the man was brazen.

Aurelian's parting quip still echoed in her mind, sinful and smug and designed precisely to detonate inside her imagination like a coxasium charge. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had left her flustered, breathless, and so thoroughly undone that he lingered in her memory exactly as intended; even her piano room was imprinted by him forever. She would never be able to sit at those keys without blushing in fond and wicked remembrance.

Truly, how did someone inspire love, desire, exasperation, and yearning all at the same time? How was one man allowed to be both a menace and a marvel, both tender and outrageous, both sincere and entirely too aware of his effect on her?

He was a paradox, wrapped in an oxymoron and smothered in contradiction.

And she loved him for every single impossible part of it.

Right. Think calmly, Sibylla told herself as she caught her breath, nerves fluttering anew as she thought of what came next.

Dinner.

The formal introduction to her family. Not as the Chancellor. Not as the King. Not even to the Patriarch of House Veruna.

But as Aurelian.

Her Aurelian.

Shiraya, no wonder she was nervous. No wonder excitement and dread and affection tangled in her chest like a nest of fire sparklers. It was to no surprise that her hands flew instinctively to her braids, checking the plaits she'd woven earlier. The soft braided waves fell down her back in elegant lines, framing her face without fuss. The dress was simple, floral, comfortable, far removed from her usual regalia. Tonight she wanted her family to see her. The real her. The woman Aurelian knew.

Her father and mother would be down any moment. Cassian and Elian, too. And Caleb --

Caleb, whom she had absolutely not seen since that incident, and whom she absolutely would not make eye contact with lest she combust on the spot. There would be no blushing. No flustering. No recalling the piano keys clang as she --

No.

Absolutely not.

Sibylla drew in a breath, giving her reflection a sharp, regal nod.

She could do this.

She would do this.

Sibylla lifted her hand to smooth the ends of her braid one last time, gazing into the mirror with painstaking focus… so focused in fact, that she didn't hear the soft approaching footsteps behind her.

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Sibylla Abrantes Aurelian Veruna ​

Cassian Abrantes stood at the tall window of the family sitting room, hands loosely clasped behind his back, gaze angled out over the estate grounds where the last of the evening light slipped between the trees. He wore none of his formal security regalia, no polished insignia, no ceremonial jacket, only a well-cut dark shirt and trousers, sleeves rolled to his forearms. Modest. Intentional. Tonight was not about making a show, it was about support and acceptance.

Behind him, Elian's voice carried on, animated and bright as ever.

".....and then the pressure differential finally stabilized, but only after I rerouted the power through the auxiliary coupling, which everyone said wouldn't work....."

Cassian hummed in acknowledgment at the right moments, the corner of his mouth lifting faintly. He was listening. He always listened. But his thoughts were elsewhere, orbiting a quieter, more complex gravity.

"Cassian, are you even listening to me?" Elian asked as he waved a hand in front of his brother.

"Yes, I am." Cassian said with a small smirk but it was only half true. His thoughts were in different places.

Dinner.

Aurelian was neither simple nor careless. That alone had always made Cassian cautious.

For Sibylla's sake, he hoped, truly hoped, this would go well.

There was a part of him, quieter and far more tender than most gave him credit for, that believed it would. He had seen the change in his sister. The steadiness beneath the fire. The way her laughter had softened, deepened. Sibylla did not give her heart lightly, and she did not lose herself when she gave it. What Aurelian was to her, he had met her as an equal.

That counted for something.

Cassian's reflection caught faintly in the glass, broad shoulders at ease, posture relaxed but ready, the habitual watchfulness never fully absent. He kept faith, as he always did. In his family. In Sibylla's judgment. In the hope that some battles did not need to be fought.

"Elian," he said at last, turning slightly, voice warm but grounding, "save the rest for dinner. I think you'll have an audience."

Cassian returned his gaze to the window, drawing a slow breath as footsteps sounded somewhere down the hall.

For Sibylla, he would trust. For tonight, that would be enough.

**********************

Lord Alistair Abrantes fastened the final cuff at his wrist with practiced ease, the soft gleam of silver catching the lamplight as he lowered his hands. His attire was formal without excess, deep burgundy fabric cut clean and traditional, silver threading worked subtly along the seams, and pin bearing the sigil of House Abrantes set at his collar. It was not the armor of politics nor the splendor of court.

It was family.

He turned as Callista stepped into view, and for a moment the weight of life, duty, and expectation eased from his shoulders. His expression softened in a way few outside their household ever witnessed.

"You look lovely," he said simply, with quiet certainty, as though the statement required no embellishment to be true. "It's time," he added, voice calm but resolute.

Together, they moved toward the door and out into the hall, their steps measured as they descended the grand staircase side by side. The bannister curved beneath Alistair's palm, the stone beneath their feet worn smooth by generations of Abrantes who had walked this same path, into duty, into uncertainty, into moments that shaped the course of their house.

Tonight was no different.

As they reached the lower floor, Alistair lifted his chin slightly, already composing himself for the evening ahead. As they would come to meet the man that Sibylla had so admirably supported, and loved.

And that, he knew, was a meeting that mattered.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Show time
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | Cassian Abrantes | Elian Abrantes

Aurelian found her alone in the quiet of the hallway, framed in the tall mirror like a portrait she had stepped out of by accident. Sibylla was focused enough on her reflection that she didn't hear him arrive. Good. He preferred it that way. It let him take in the small details she never realized she wore so openly; tension in her shoulders, the flicker of nerves she tried to bury, the breath she held without meaning to.

He crossed the hall without a sound and slipped his arms around her waist, drawing her back against him. Her breath hitched. He felt it, warm and real, and smiled into the curve of her neck.

"You look beautiful," he murmured, voice low from sleep and something softer. "More than beautiful, actually." He pressed a light kiss against her temple, catching her eyes in the mirror. "I'm sorry I'm late. After that shower, I meant to sit down for only a moment. Apparently I sat down with my eyes closed."

His smile tugged helplessly upward, a little sheepish, a little pleased with himself anyway. "Cold water or not, it knocked me out. I woke up to the sun already dipping and realized I was about to earn your mother's eternal disappointment."

He eased his hands along her waist, thumbs stroking the fabric of her dress. "But I'm here. And very awake now." A small pause. "Also starving. Desperately. I'm hoping I can get at least three bites in before Elian starts his yapping. Four if he shows mercy, which he won't."

He lowered his head until their foreheads touched. The nerves she tried to hide pulsed under his palms, and he let his voice settle into something steady for her alone.

"It's going to be fine," he said quietly.

His fingers lifted to brush the end of her braid. "Ready?" he asked, though he'd follow her timing without question.

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

DEE'JA PEAK
Abrantes Estate | Nightfall
Interacting with: Cassian Abrantes Elian Abrantes Aurelian Veruna
Items: x x x x x

Only the slightest hitch of her breath betrayed how startled Sibylla was, right up until she caught Aurelian's reflection in the mirror behind her with that adorable, sleepy-eyed expression that made him look younger and utterly handsome at the same time.

Warmth bloomed through her at the sight, and her smile brightened at his reflection before she even turned to face him, as though his presence alone coaxed it into being. Every word he offered washed over her with reassurance, encouragement, and affection she could feel as surely as touch.

"I am just glad you got some rest," she said honestly, even if his teasing comment about the shower tugged a soft, breathy chuckle from her. But his mention of Elian earned a real laugh.

"Bet on only getting away with two bites if Elian is feeling merciful. Which entirely depends on how much of a verbal thrashing he received after Mother discovered his antics."

Sibylla's delicate brows gave a knowing quirk at the antics of her brother.

"Which, knowing Elian… is none at all."

She shook her head fondly. Truly, her youngest brother could charm the stars from the sky and still wriggle out of consequences.

But when Aurelian leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers, the rest fell away. Sibylla closed her eyes for a few precious seconds, letting herself breathe him in, and the low tenor of his voice steadied her heartbeat. Feeling him become the anchor to the chaos of nerves she felt earlier.

"I know," she murmured, lifting her lashes to shine hazel eyes upon him once more. She leaned back just enough to trace the strong, angular lines of his face. With a soft, affectionate smile, she brought one hand to cup his jaw, her thumb brushing tenderly along his cheek.

"It will be fine. Madness… but fine." Her lips curved. "Although I apologize in advance for any embarrassing questions my family might ask, and I implore you to ignore any mortifying childhood stories."

Her expression softened with amusement as she slipped her arm through his.

"Odds are no topic is off the table tonight...though with Elian looking up at you, perhaps you may very well be spared the worst of it."

She flashed him a bright smile.

"Alright… to dinner."

Sibylla guided Aurelian down the long corridor with her arm looped through his. The quiet between them was companionable, soft in a way it had never been years ago, warmed by shared glances and small brushes of fingers, warmed even more by the comfort of his proximity.

It felt right.

They rounded the corner just as two familiar silhouettes emerged from the far end of the hall, walking side by side with the easy, purposeful rhythm Sibylla knew as intimately as her own breath.

Her parents.

Lord Alistair Abrantes carried himself with that calm, dignified bearing he had learned long before she was born, shoulders set, expression composed yet softened by something unmistakably private when he turned toward his wife. Lady Calista rested a hand gently on his arm, her presence radiant in a way Sibylla always admired. Mother was dressed in soft cream and gold, her dark curls pinned back with an understated elegance that only emphasized her natural warmth.

They were speaking quietly together when they noticed her and Aurelian approaching.

Her father's step slowed as her mother's lips lifted in a smile even as Sibylla felt her stomach give the smallest, traitorous flutter.

She inhaled once, lifted her chin, and offered a bright, warm smile, stepping forward to greet them.

"Father. Mother."

Lady Calista's face lit with delight as she drew close.

"Sibylla, you look lovely." She beamed, her hands reaching out to find Sibylla's hand, giving her a gentle squeeze before taking in the sight of Aurelian at her side with an appraising warmth that Sibylla recognized all too well.

Lord Alistair's gaze moved to Aurelian next, but it wasn't in a sharp or hard observation. It was measured, full of intent, and respectful. The gaze of a man who had weighed court and systems in his hands and knew the cost of power, leadership, and love.

Sibylla exhaled slowly and stepped slightly forward, keeping her arm linked with Aurelian's, the subtle gesture both grounding and deliberate.

"Father, Mother… may I introduce Chancellor Aurelian Veruna." As it was proper, she used Aurelian's official title, but she was leaving it up to him how he would want to be addressed after.

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Sibylla Abrantes Aurelian Veruna ​

Alistair inclined his head as Sibylla spoke, the motion unhurried and deliberate. His gaze rested on Aurelian with a depth born not of scrutiny, but of understanding, the look of a man who had sat across negotiation tables, signed orders that altered lives, and learned long ago that power revealed more in how it was carried than how loudly it was announced.

Chancellor Aurelian Veruna.

The title landed, acknowledged, respected. But Alistair's attention lingered not on the words themselves, but on the man standing beside his daughter, and on the way Sibylla remained linked with him, steady and certain. That alone told him much.

"Chancellor Veruna," Alistair said, his voice calm, even warm, as he stepped forward just enough to meet the moment without crowding it, extending his hand towards Aurelian. "It's a pleasure to meet you, you are more than welcome."

He let the silence breathe for a heartbeat, long enough to convey that this was not a formality, but an invitation weighed and given with care.

"I am Alistair Abrantes, this is my wife Calista." he continued, "Please," he said, gesturing inward toward the dining table in the next room, "Join us, we look forward to knowing the man my daughter speaks so highly about."


******

Cassian heard the cadence of it before he heard the words.

The shift in the room. The subtle hush that followed Sibylla's voice as she made the introduction, formal and careful and hers. He didn't turn right away. He stayed where he was near the sideboard, one hand resting around a cooling glass he'd long since forgotten to drink from, posture easy in the way of a man who had learned how to look relaxed even when every sense was quietly alert.

"Elian" he felt before he heard, shoulder bumping lightly into his side, familiar and unapologetic. His younger brother glanced out of the room, eyes bright with that particular brand of mischief that came from watching history unfold at close range.

"Showtime," Elian murmured, smirk firmly in place.

Cassian chuckled under his breath despite himself, the sound brief but genuine. Before he could reply, Elian slung an arm around his shoulders in a quick, one-armed hug, warm, grounding, unmistakably brotherly.

"Oh, my brooding brother," Elian said quietly, grin widening. "It won't be so bad."

Cassian shook his head, the corner of his mouth lifting as he gently disentangled himself. He looked back toward the introductions, toward Sibylla standing steady at Aurelian's side, toward their father's composed acceptance.

"I'm not worried," he said, voice low and even.

He paused, searching for the right word, not for Elian's sake, but for his own.

"I'm just…present."

And he was, watching, listening. Ready if needed, content if not. For tonight, that was enough.