Reunited

Lilac let him go, openly staring at his injuries. "Rose, what the hell happened to you?" he asked.
"He was in a duel," Nivelir said, exiting the carriage as well. The servants were busy helping Rosamund walk, so he offered a hand to Teodolit in their place, helping him out.
Looking at Teodolit's face, Rosamund could conclude something important had happened, but he filed it away for later.
"I am fine," he told Lilac. "I will need some proper medical assistance."
"Judging by the shape you're in, you needed it yesterday, too. At least tell me you won," Lilac said.
"Of course I did."

"And who are these people?" he asked, now that everyone had left their carriages.
"Captain Adanita Vervain," he said. "And her men, Teodolit and Ekliptik."
"Oh, you brought home the people who kidnapped you. ✧* :ﾟ･✧ Charmed ✧･ﾟ: *✧ " he said. His voice was oozing with bitterness and sarcasm. "I am Honorable Lilac Alsop en la Dale. Are we yet reaching the point where I challenge you to a duel?"
"Please don't. You would lose," Rosamund said.
"He would know," Adanita said with a friendly smile.
"Excuse me- I was under impression that he dueled your Captain, not you!" Nivelir said.

"Enough!"
This was spiraling out of control. Well-intending friends were as medicinal for his migraine as a crowbar to the head. Well, at least a crowbar would have him knocked out.

Rosamund let out a tired sigh. "Nivelir, have some servants show Captain Vervain and her people to the guest rooms. We all need some rest, I need medical attention, and we can meet for dinner and talk afterwards. Does that sit well with everybody here?"
"Aye," Adanita said.
"I should send someone for their items, too. I presume the three of you will stay here for a few days, or that you would at least like a change of clothes," Nivelir said.
"Please do," she agreed.
"Very good." Rosamund took a deep breath. "I will then leave you in the care of our servants and Nivelir, for the time being. I apologize for being a poor host, but we will see each other at dinner again. Please help me walk, Lily."

Lilac took his arm and helped him on their way inside. He was dizzy and getting very tired, and he didn't want to be held by servants anymore. His brother led him to his workshop and ordered to call for the doctor.
He sat him down on a wooden table, and honestly even that was a welcome place of rest. He frowned at the bixbite cravat pin as he helped him remove his coat and shirt, and winced when he saw the full scope of his injuries.
"Not as good as I can make it, but not as bad as I feared. I don't see any infections yet," he said. "What caused this?" he asked, pointing at his arm.
"A hook."
"I regret asking. And your finger was broken how?"
"I wouldn't know if it was during a punch to the face, or an uppercut."
"Gods, I hope you at least broke one of their teeth."
"Now, now, there is no need to be so vindictive. I am going to be quite alright," Rosamund said, deeply proud of his brother.
"Yes, once I'm done with you. Our doctor needs to sew you up properly and look at your hand, but I think I can prevent an infection and help you heal."
Rosamund quietly waited as Lilac went through his cabinets, pondering what potions he had made. He picked a bottle that to Rosamund shimmered like golden glitter. He put a glass on a scale and weighted an amount for him to have, before handing it to him. He drank it with no questions, wincing at the combination of bitter herbs and concentrated magic within it. It didn't taste bad, but it was quite intense. Sadly, Lilac didn't offer him any water, so he had to endure. Lilac put his hands on his shoulders, taking a good long look at the injury on his face. He let him go with a sigh.

Lilac put a clean sheet of fabric over Rosamund's shoulders, to keep him warm before he got to work. It seemed that he decided to freshly prepare whatever he planned to magic up for him. Rosamund didn't want to disturb him, so he silently watched him work.
Lilac was a lean young man. He mostly didn't care about the fashion of the high society, and sported very short haircut that would not disturb his work. His hair was a soft lavender color, and his eyes were the same cold gray color as Rosamund's. He was slightly shorter than Rosamund, and his build was considerably lighter - and despite that he was still more skilled with the blade than Rosamund. His expression was always serious and focused, but his outbursts revealed quite a short fuse and temperamental nature, both of which all but disappeared in the company of his parents and Rosamund. He wasn't much of a diplomat, that was for sure, but Rosamund had decided years ago that he will manage all that Lilac couldn't for him. After all, it was only right for Lilac to be the heir. He was the alchemist, and he was highly skilled at that. Rosamund loved watching him work. The threads of magic he was gently extracting out of the herbs and minerals gently glowed around him. The shimmering tiara on his head, silver and embedded with amethyst and quartz, shone in response. The jewels in the crown of Queen Sarmia could never compare to the beauty of a mage's crown in its full display. He was amazing. Whenever he saw him at work, he couldn't help but feel proud of him. He was honored to be his brother.

He will never allow anything bad happen to him.

The door opened, and Nivelir walked in with the manor's doctor. She deeply frowned when she saw the state he was in, and immediately got to work. She and Lilac worked fast, both skilled at their craft, but gently enough he didn't feel like passing out again.

"So, do you mind telling us what happened?" Nivelir asked.

A welcome distraction, really. "Vice Admiral Khamil led us into a storm while we were chasing Captain Vervain," he said. "My safety rope snapped. Captain Vervain saved me from drowning."
"What, she jumped into the ocean after you?" Lilac asked.
"Yes."
Lilac paused with his work for a moment, before shaking his head and continuing.
"When she got us to safety, we had a duel to determine which of us would be the prisoner. I am afraid I lost to her miserably, but after having a nice diplomatic conversation with me, she decided against the idea of having me as a hostage."
"So what exactly were you?" Nivelir asked.
"Something similar to a foreign diplomat, I suppose." He winced from pain. "I will tell you more details later. I spent the time recovering and planning what to do with Vice Admiral Khamil. I had also learned of the possibility that Lily is in danger, so I sent that letter to warn you to immediately come here."
"What sort of danger would I be in at our parents' house?"
"Dorja," he said.

Lilac set down his tools and stared him down with a wary frown. "What."

"I will explain it, I promise. Captain Vervain needs to be present, though. It is only fair," he said.
"Did she injure you during your duel?" Lilac asked.
"Just some bruises, nothing was broken. She is highly skilled and was clearly restraining herself. You need not to worry, truly," he said. The fact she previously killed him could wait until after dinner. For now, he had to calm them down enough to get to that point. "These injuries came from a duel I had yesterday. I had been kidnapped by another pirate captain who opposed my stay in Hannau Cove."
"I thought you were only there temporary, why would they object so much?" Nivelir asked.
"I will explain after dinner," he tiredly said. "I dueled both her and her second, hence the state I am in. Most of these injuries came from her, though I suppose that two consecutive fights led to quite a loss of blood."
"Why wouldn't your second fight instead you?" Lilac asked.
"My second was Ekliptik. That little spymaster. They are perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old. I didn't want them to fight my battles in my place, after Captain Lotus refused to surrender."
"So you were just an idiot, then," Nivelir said.
"He always is, but let this one slide," Lilac ordered. He knew where Rosamund came from, after all.
"Thank you for the vote of confidence. In either case, Captain Vervain saw to my treatment, and here we are now."
"Then that is twice that she had saved your life. When was the third time?" Nivelir asked.
"This was the third time. I'd count her coming to my rescue after my kidnapping as one, would you not?"
"Not really. Is it not her job to keep her people under control? If she was any good at it, you wouldn't have been in this situation at all," he replied.
"I am inclined to take Rose's side here. We are talking about pirates, there is no chain of command," Lilac said. "Why did she jump into the sea? Surely she couldn't have known who she was saving."
"Because I was drowning. She would have done it for anyone. This is just the kind of a woman she is," Rosamund said.
"Is that so?"

"Yes," he confidently said.

With no further comments, Lilac began to treat his face. Perhaps this was enough for the two of them, Rosamund thought. They knew him all their lives, surely him vouching for someone's character will at least ensure they act civil and hear them out. He could feel magic seeping into his wounds now. Lilac and Teodolit were both highly skilled and powerful, but their areas of expertise were completely different. Lilac's magic was slow and took preparation and patience, but the end result was miraculous. His head was becoming clearer, and the pain of his wounds was receding. It will still take him many days to fully heal, but in Lilac's care, he had nothing to worry about anymore.

"So how do you plan to write with that hand of yours?" Nivelir asked.
"I toyed with the idea of having you write for me," he replied.
"Absolutely not. I have my own work to do. I can get you a scribe."
"As long as they are trustworthy," he agreed.
"Would you like to rest here once we're done?" Lilac asked.
"No. I would like a bath."
"We can arrange that, too. I am not sure you will be well enough to have that chat after dinner, though."
"I feel better already. It is highly important we talk as soon as possible."
"Then why not just tell us?"
"Adanita needs to be there too."

Lilac and Nivelir exchanged concerned glances. Lilac continued to treat him in silence, clearly out of questions. Nivelir tried to think of something to say for a few minutes, before giving up and leaving.