Page 57 of The Red Woman and the White Bear

Tadhg laughed off her protests. “Nonsense; you’ll do perfectly. We’ll drink tea and eat cakes and have a fine time.”

Her hand rose self-consciously to the messy bun high on the back of her head, then to the sweater she’d tied around her waist. There was dust on her jeans from the ride. “I should at least bathe. I could change into the gown I wore to dinner if that would be better.”

“Absolutely not,” Tadhg said firmly. “I can do your hair down if you’d like, but I’ve no interest in painting the Red Woman dressed as Seelie gentry. I want you just as you are.”

Tadhg waited in the palace foyer while Aisling, resigned, hurried to her chamber to retrieve Briar. He’d tugged her towel from where it was draped over the side of the tub to sleep on. His tail thudded heavily against the tile when she cracked open the door andcalled his name.

“Beautiful.” Tadhg beamed and held out his hand for Briar to smell once they’d returned. He did so, apprehensive, at first, then relaxed. “Come, my studio is upstairs. I’ve already called for tea.”

Tadhg’s studio was set up in a corner room, with windows spanning across two walls to capture both the morning and afternoon sunlight. He poured three cups of tea, preparing his own with cream. Aisling took hers plain.

Rodney circled the space as Tadhg got Aisling settled on a simple wooden chair beneath one of the windows. She directed Briar to sit at her side. He sat tall with his ears perked, as though he knew he should be posing, too.

“Why have you covered your art?” Rodney was peeking under the corner of a drop cloth at the canvas beneath. Indeed, all of the work around the studio was shrouded in white sheets.

Tadhg smiled mischievously at Aisling. “You are the first clothed subject I’ve painted in a while. I didn’t want you to see my other work and think that was expected of you.”

“I appreciate that,” she said with a breathy laugh.

“I could use the practice with fabrics anyway. It is tricky, getting the movement and shading just right.” He adjusted his easel and began mixing colors on a palette. “Please, drink and eat as much as you like. You needn’t be a statue.”

The tea—the same she’d had on the lawn the day before—soothed Aisling’s aching muscles and troubled thoughts. She sipped it gratefully as Tadhg began to paint with quick, rough strokes. Rodney continued his exploration of the covered art,pulling back each sheet for just long enough to examine the hidden subject before moving on to the next.

“They’re all of Laure,” he observed.

“She is my muse, after all.” Tadhg’s smile was wistful. Secretive.

“Are you and Laure…” Though Rodney trailed off, the implication of his unfinished question was as loud as if he’d said the words. Aisling made to scold him, but Tadhg intervened without missing a beat.

“Laure had a great love once, a very long time ago. Since he passed on, she’s rather enjoyed…sampling her wares.” Tadhg winked and Aisling flushed crimson. “She likes to collect beautiful things. We all do. I, through my art.” He flourished his brush, sending droplets of paint to splatter on the covered canvas near his feet.

“Have you known her long?” Rodney asked.

There was that secretive smile again. “Long is relative, I suppose. Niamh has known her for longer than I; she brought me here after she was made captain. Laure saw a painting of mine in her room.”

“What was that painting of?” Aisling finished her cup of tea and poured another before settling back into position.

“Our home. Chin down, please.” He gestured with his brush. “Taliesin, to the south. Where we make our berry wine.”

“I passed through there once, I believe. It was hot if I remember correctly.” Rodney finished his examination of each covered canvas and perched on a windowsill nearby.

Tadhg chuckled. “More than likely. Have you lived in the human realm for avery long time?”

“Long is relative.” He parroted back Tadhg’s words, and Tadhg snorted.

“Where did you live before?”

“Here and there.” Rodney hopped off the sill to circle the room again.

Tadhg paused mid-stroke to look over his shoulder at Rodney, eyebrows raised. “A Veilwalker? There are less and less of those.”

Rodney hummed. “There’s less and less space in the human world for the Fae.”

“I’ve never quite understood the Solitary, to be honest.” He returned to his work, gaining more precision with each stroke. “To live untethered like that. No allegiances, no protection.”

“No rules,” Rodney added.

“I think even that lawlessness has begun to lose its allure. Laure has extended her aid to a handful of Solitary factions for a number of years now, and even more still of late. They’ve all seemed eager to accept.” As Tadhg turned his attention down to his palette, focused intently on mixing several bright colors into a more muted shade, Rodney’s eyes flickered to Aisling’s. She nodded subtly for him to continue.

---