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Realistic or Modern Pitter-Patter | Private

Leana had been pleased to hear him say her name, although it seemed a little awkward to start with. Like he wasn't sure if he could say it despite her permission. She smiled lightly as she drank her tea, returning to eating from her full plate without another word. She looked over at him when he seemed surprised by her having medical knowledge, feeling pride swell in her chest and blush rise in her cheeks at his jest. She shifted under his interested gaze, feeling the blush creep further into her cheeks at it. "I will see you don't die any time soon." She muttered softly, unable to meet his eye for the moment as he embarrassed her with his jest. He was putting a lot of faith into what she could do and he hadn't even seen it yet.

She nodded her head when he offered an invite to his bed chambers again, watching him quietly as he left the dining room until she could no longer hear or see him. She sighed softly, looking at the barely touched plate of his before returning to finish her own meal quickly. She wouldn't let him wait any longer to have his wound checked again, and she was eager to see if the royal physician was of any worth. Little did she knew, those stitches would need redone and his wound cleaned again.

-------

Leana took a deep breath, holding bandages and needle and string under one arm, her other hand knocking on the large oak door. "Arlo, my love, I've come as requested." She called as she poked her head into the room, eyes finding him laying on the bed once more. She slipped into the room once it was safe to do so, wishing she had access to more herbs to help alleviate his pain. She crossed the room after closing the large door, eyeing the bandages with the red stain she could see as she drew near, and the sweat the covered his skin which glistened in the sunlight. She frowned to herself, moving to help him sit before she began removing his bandages, frowning even more as she did happen to see that some of the stitches had in fact come undone and that they had been poorly done to begin with.

"Such an imbecile." She huffed as she gingerly ran a wet rag over his wound to clean the blood away, reaching for the scissors she brought to cut the rest of the stitches off before she would work on redoing them properly. "You'll be needing new stitches and I'll make sure the bandages aren't as tight. These stitches were crudely done and as a physician he should have done much better." She huffed as she settled the strings she pulled from his wound on the rag she used to clean his blood away with, gingerly taking a fresh needle in her hands with string attached to the end of it. "This will hurt. I apologize in advance." She said gently, resting him back on his back with her free hand on his chest, working as quickly and gently as she could to resow his wound.

She was trying to think of something the royal physician might have that would help with his pain that wasn't alcohol, albeit a good thing to use though it wore off quite quickly. "I will call for the royal physician here in a moment for him to bring whatever herbs he has for me to decide what to give you to help with the pain. You must be in agony. Especially after the wound had reopened. Such a man of his caliber should have done better at stitching you up." She grumbled as she worked, tying off the stitches when she was done and going to the door to have one of the nearby guards retrieve the royal physician like she asked for. "I want to call him an imbecile to his face for making you suffer through stitching twice." She huffed, moving across the room once more to eye her handiwork for a moment, pleased with the stitches that seemed to be holding better compared to what he had done before.

She cleaned away her mess and settled it on the nightstand where she could retrieve it before she left his side again, settling on sitting beside him to await the older man she was keen on speaking with. She wanted to know all the herbs they grew in the castle, had even seen some amongst the flowers in the garden, but none of what she had seen would provide any help to what she needed right now. She would have to rely on whatever the royal physician brought with him to make up something to help Arlo with his pain.
 
Arlo's eyes had been about to close, the pain being one of the only factors to prompt the boy to slip a bit deeper into exhaustion. Although it was necessary for him to rest, and he certainly shouldn't have been moving around too much as he had done already, the boy's mind was drifting to the tower of documentation that he needed to look through. Maybe he should get Victor to bring it to his room? He didn't think he could withstand making the way upward in the castle to reach the study-

His eyes flickered open upon Leana's entrance, her voice stirring some alertness within the king as he gave her brief acknowledgement in the crimson eyes that turned to her, although his body did tense at her touch, a touch that he could not get used to no matter how many times he tried. Of course, nothing could really prepare the king for Leana's words in regard to the physician, even if the boy was in pain, a laugh nearly had tore from his lips though it was halted at her fingers beginning to remove the stitches.

The boy wanted to scream. The pain that soar within his body was prompting him to express the agony as his head pressed deeper into the bed underneath him, teeth gritting and grinding together as his fingers curled into bed sheets to attempt to soothe himself. His silence however had won out, a force of habit for the boy as expressing his pain was always discouraged in his earlier years. Learn to endure, and learn to be silent unless the agony would serve to be worse. His blood ran afresh upon his skin, chest quivering in shuddering breaths as a red flush flowed across his cheeks, the strain of withholding his pain being a hercuelan effort for the king.

Yet, such agony would not end yet as Leana took to sewing together the open tear in his flesh. A small sound left the king's lips, the beginnings of a whimper that he quickly would end as his teeth bit hard into his bottom lip, chest heaving in quickened breaths as the needle punctured and pulled at his flesh, without the comforting aid of alcohol or any herbal remedy to dull his pain, the boy would merely have to be silent and endure for as long as he could... but it still was proving to be far more agonizing than it had been before. By the time Leana was done, Arlo was now laying limply on the bed, his breaths ragged. Ugh, never again.

Crimson eyes slid to Leana as she sent for a guard to grab the physician, the boy grunted as he struggled to sit upright, chest heaving from the effort to do so and the pain that wracked his body, and yet he would merely be an observer for this event. After all, Leana seemed to be quite upset on his behalf, it certainly would be interesting to view.
...​
Giles Wylmot, the man chosen since the late King Aldrich to be the royal family's physician considered himself very much well off. His pockets were practically lined with gold, and due to the generosity of both the royal family and some benefactors of his; he needn't worry about being cast out on the streets and his reputation had been bolstered to great heights. Of course the man's benefactors held sway over whatever actions he did, for the money flow was far greater there than what Arlo seemed fit to give him, a reduced amount from his more generous brothers. So, who was he to deny those who gave him gold?

Of course, Giles thought very little of the guard that had came to gather him. Considering the man thought himself above the law, what was Arlo to even do? The boy was just that, a mere child before those who sought to end that disgusting life of his. Granted, it was a bit hypocritical of him to think him above the boy when he himself was neglecting his own oath as physician to truly tend to the boy's wounds. He had been supposed to die a long time ago, and if he did die then he was in turn promised fortune beyond his own understanding.

The man had stepped before the king's bedchambers, a familiar sight to the man of forty-five as he announced his presence, "My king, I'm coming in." Nothing could prepare him however to see the young woman sitting at the king's side and the rather haggard looking boy whose red eyes pierced through him. An involuntary shudder nearly went through the man upon meeting those accursed eyes. How he hated when the king looked at him, for the eye color alone was unnatural, like that of a demon's. He certainly couldn't blame King Aldrich for attempting the throw the boy away, if anything the boy needed to be disposed of.

Eyes shifted down to the exposed flesh of the king, eyebrows furrowing in bewilderment as he realized then that someone had been tampering with his work. The needlework was proper, nothing like the requested handiwork that he would have had to perform. Infection was supposed to settle in, so who in their right mind had- of course. The witch.

Displeasure rolled within Giles' heart as he turned his attention to the woman at the king's side, the foreigner from a poor country. Barbaric in the tattoos that lined her flesh and the unnatural coloration of her pink hair and eyes, although she certainly wasn't unpleasant to look at... something about her made his skin crawl and a quicken heartbeat began to start within the man's chest as his expression forced itself to be void of guilt, "Is there a problem, Your Majesty?" Brown eyes turned to Arlo, dismissive of the woman at her side, for the king had the power here, not this stranger.

He watched the boy's lips turn up in an amused smile, a hand raising to gesture and guide his gaze back to Leana, "My fiance desires to speak with you, not I. It would be rude to be dismissive of her, wouldn't it Giles?" The physician stiffened at the cold edge that crept into the boy's voice, his lips parting in the beginnings of an apology, but quickly decided against it as he turned his head stiffly to look toward Leana, a tinge of nervousness flowing down his spine, and yet he seemed composed enough as he bowed to her, "My apologies. I don't believe we have met, Your Grace. I am Giles Wylmot, the king's physician. Do you have any questions for me?" Polite was the smile that crossed his lips as he raised his head hesitantly to gaze upon the woman.

Ah... she was quite pretty indeed now that he could get a closer look. It was such a waste indeed to have her be wed to a mere boy. His eyes darted to Arlo at the thought, a tinge of resentment settling in his chest at those damnable red eyes seemed to be gazing at him with undisguised contempt. Why do you not die already? The venemous thought rang in his head, his eyes turning back to Leana as he kept his expression polite enough.
 
Leana had been beyond upset with the treatment her fiance had received, honestly bewildered by it. Infection was clearly trying to set in the wound, had she had not the foresight to bring some medical supplies she wouldn't have been able to expertly restitch the wound like it should have been done in the beginning. She frowned when the older man entered the room and all but ignored her with a passing glance, anger rising in her blood at his false apology when he finally turned his attention on her after Arlo had said it was her who wanted him. "You are the royal physician? More like the jester." She scoffed, shaking her head, noticing he hadn't brought anything with him like she had requested. It made her scowl as she looked at him from where she sat, all the more angry that he had disregarded her orders.

"I wish to know why you thought such a hasty stitching would be the best approach for the King." She said in an even voice, all but glaring at the man. He radiated pompous arrogance and she would rid Arlo of such a being. "You disregard my order at bringing the herbs needed to help dull his pain. You don't uphold your oath in tending to Arlo. Those stitched were unacceptable and someone of your caliber should have known that." She continued, venom laced in her voice. "You will show me to your tower where you keep the herbs and then you will leave this castle."

Her firm voice held no room for argument on either part. She wouldn't allow such a a fool to tend to Arlo any longer - the stitching she had seen only showed her the man hadn't cared, and the feeling of pride leaving the man was rubbing her the wrong way. "Your services will no longer be required. Had I not been here, the King would have definitely gotten an infection from how poorly tended he was and now he's had to suffer through being stitched again without the aid of any medicine. You  will show me to the tower and then leave this castle. I care no where you go, but you'll no longer be allowed to reside here." She growled, fingers touching Arlo's hand softly for her own comfort. "I highly doubt you could answer any questions that I have. I may be from a poor nation, but we do have very skilled healers and medicines. Don't you dare insult my knowledge by thinking you know more than me just because you're older." She huffed, resting her free hand in her lap as she squeezed Arlo's hand lightly.

"Giles, right?" She continued, eyeing him over with disgust in her pink gaze. "How long have you served as the royal physician? Since when does a physician get to decide whether or not his King is properly taken care of? How could you come here without even thinking of bringing any medicine to help with his pain, when you knew he was in massive agony?" She raised her eyebrows at him, feeling her hand in Arlo's warming unnaturally with her rising anger. "Such is a fool as you, to think you're the only one who can tend to his wounds. The King's wellbeing will be overseen by myself and nobody else. You are to collect your things after you show me to the tower or there will be dire consequences for disobeying me again." She finished, squeezing Arlo's hand gently before rising to her feet, keeping herself in place between the older man and her fiance. After seeing what she had, there was no way she'd allow this creature to see to Arlo's wellbeing anymore - it was blatantly obvious to her with how he carried himself and the gold lined pockets of his robe that he did not care much for the boy's health. She could practically feel it radiating off him, much to her disgust.
 
A quirk to the man's eyebrows upward was the initial response as shock flowed through his system at her insult, "P-Pardon?" Incredulous was the brown eyes that widened as he was attempting to process the venom that was beginning to be hurled his way from the foreigner. What in the world was she talking about?! His jaw clenched tight as he stilled his tongue, eyes shifting to focus upon the floorboards as anger raged red hot in his veins. How dare she?! Truly, how dare she! Clearing his throat, he began to speak at first, "With all due respect, any herbs to tend to his pain is very difficult to obtain at this time. The crops necessary are suffering from the recent heat waves we've received in the spring and early summer months-"

It was a good enough excuse that held merit, though even if he had the herbs necessary, he would not have brought them regardless. Nonetheless, his excuse had been cut off as she proceeded to disgrace him by insulting him further, his expression twisting with anger as Giles sucked in a sharp breath to suppress it. Who the hell did this witch think she was talking to?! She was not yet Queen, and even then the King easily override her decisions it he deemed it necessary. And it wasn't as if this fool of a woman had been brought to the captial for any other reason than to be that violent boy's whore! Why wasn't Arlo saying anything?! Giles turned his head to look toward the boy king, though instead what he received was a cruel smile that was plastered on the boy's face, and laughter in his eyes.

The world was crumbling as Giles' face paled. Don't tell me... did you... did you know? The horrified thought rang through his head as the boy king's eyes pierced through him, a dryness settling in his throat as Arlo didn't say a word Giles turned to look back at Leana who had forcibly placed herself at that point between himself and the king, causing the physician to shrink back in response. Though, his outrage further blazed out of control as he snapped, "What right do you have to dismiss me from service, foreigner?!"

"My loyalty has been to the Rose crown for two decades!" His voice cracked in the exclamation, "I have went above and beyond every time to the kings who had ruled before King Arlo! This is not-"

"Giles." The cold voice interrupted the beginnings of his protest, the boy king having stood from his position on the bed, expression now void of the humor that had previously lingered just moments before as if he was growing tired of his rambling, "This 'foreigner' that you speak to is to be my wife, the Queen no less. Do you think that your conduct is acceptable?" Giles' head whipped around to look at the boy whose ruby eyes now were frigid, expression void of anything but a twisted rage beginning to brew, "Well? Answer me. Is your conduct acceptable?" The physician's lips trembled as he began, "B-but-"

"Is it acceptable?!" Arlo's voice snapped, temper flaring which in turn made Giles immediately drop to the floor, shivering from head to toe in his cowardice as he bowed deep, his head hitting the floor as he did so, "N-n-no, o-of course not, Y-Your Majesty." His heart was beating out of his chest, feeling as if it would roll out from his mouth, anger being quick to fade into fear. "M-my apologies! F-forgive me." Spineless, he was spineless, but whatever it took to save his skin, he would do so! Maybe if he acted pitiful enough, Arlo would spare him!

The sound of feet approaching him had made Giles' eyes turned up, hopeful as he spotted Arlo standing before him, "...Pack your things and go. I believe my wife has the right way of things." The words dropped like stones from the boy's lips, making disbelief flare in the eyes or Giles. He was... he couldn't! What about his profits! If his benefactor knew he had been disgraced and let go, they would have no need for his services! He must beg for mercy! In his panic the man's hands flashed out, grabbing hold of Arlo's leg, "Please don't do this, Your Majesty! I'll-urk!"

Pain exploded across his face as his head hit the floorboards, the fierce kick and subsequent grinding of a bare heel into his cheek being his reward as the demon child's voice trembled in rage above him, "You dare... you dare to touch me?! Huh?! I should kill you!"
...​
Arlo was well aware that people did foolish things when desperate, but this fool had attempted to cling to him as he was to be his savior? After what he had just done?! Rage burned red hot in the boy's chest, the anger chasing away the pain he was ignoring from his wound, heeding nothing else but his anger. Oh how he wanted to grind this man into the dust, make sure there was nothing left of him but a bloody paste on the floor. It wasn't as if Arlo was a fool on how this man truly felt toward him, the contempt and the way he regarded Arlo as soon as he stepped in the room was enough to showcase how he truly felt.

I want to rip him apart. The thought rang with clarity in his mind as his teeth bared, sweat trickling down the sides of his face as the fool was whimpering for forgiveness underneath his foot, an itching coming back to his hands as he desired to clench tight around the man's neck and wring the life from him. It would be simple enough for him to do. And yet his body told him of another story. The pain was dragging his attention back to it, and the presence at his side reminded him that he had a witness there, as well as the reminder being of the odd heat that swelled from her hand still in its lingering touch upon his own.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Arlo removed his foot from the physician's face, only to drive the very same leg into his torso, resentment burning in his voice as the man gagged, "Heed your Queen's commands. You're lucky that I'm feeling merciful today." More that he didn't have the energy to, the king turning back to Leana as his expression seemed agitated for a few seconds only to look aside, discomfort flaring in his chest. This was an odd emotion indeed, and he didn't very much think that he liked it.
 
Leana frowned all the more when she heard his excuse, scoffing as she looked at him with open disgust. "Even with the swell of heat, there is a way to grow the proper herbs." She sighed, at least there was a way she knew. Granted it relied on her elemental abilities, but that didn't need to be known by such a fool as the man before them. She growled to herself as he began to fight back against her orders, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at him, glancing away when she felt Arlo move beside her.

His words caught her off guard, especially with how well he protected her from the insults she knew were about to come from the older man. She watched with a pleased gaze as the man fell to the floor before them, grovelling in his apologizes while she rolled her eyes. "Nothing but lies come from your mouth. You should have tended to him properly the first time and you wouldn't be in this mess." She huffed, frowning still as she watched Arlo kick at the man and dig his heel into his face. Such a monster. She thought briefly, frowning at her own thought. She didn't mean to think it, but it had passed her mind before. Arlo wasn't exactly the nicest boy there was - not that she could blame him for his ways.

When he turned back to her, she offered a small smile, holding out her hand to help him back in the bed. "I'll have him take me to the tower and retrieve the necessary medicine for you, my King." She said gently as she moved to help him rest once more. "Don't get back up, your wound won't allow you to move about for some time." She continued just as softly, feeling pride at the fact he had protected her word against the older man. She glared down at the man, nudging him with her shoe covered foot. "Up. Take me to the tower then leave." She ordered, feeling no pity for the man on the ground.

--------

Stepping back into the room, Leana had her hands full of different potion bottles and herbs, having picked a handful of each to keep in their bedchambers. She crossed the way to the bed, settling the supplies down on the nightstand and peering at them quietly before deciding on a clear vial, eyeing the green liquid curiously for a moment or two before sniffing it. She settled it back down, taking some of the herb she had acquired and passing it between her lips, chewing on it into a paste before placing it over Arlo's stomach wound, knowing the plant would cause a relief to the burn he was feeling from the wound.

She eyed the other vials for a moment in silence, helping him sit so she could rebandage him carefully before pushing him back down so he was laying again. She hummed softly as she eyed the green liquid in the clear vial, looking briefly at the other two of the same color before grabbing it and holding it out to him. "This would help for the pain. I'll start working on growing the proper herbs needed for you here shortly. I'll postpone my trip into the city for now." She hummed, eyeing him gently as she waited for him take the vial.
 
The unpleasant feeling in his chest settled slightly as Leana had reached out to assist him back into his bed, though a slight bit of hesitation filled him in reply to her extended hand. He had felt the odd heat emanating from her skin earlier when she was in the midst of angrily ripping into the man for his sake. Perhaps it was a trick of his mind? It wasn't as if he was in the best shape right now, so in all likelihood it certainly was. Nonetheless, as he currently wasn't in the best mood, the king would comply with her assisting him, his body relaxing against the soft mattress underneath him, crimson eyes turning still in unrestrained rage at the cowering man still on the floor as Leana had spoken.

"Hurry." Was the simple command he had given her. In truth, Arlo didn't want to entertain the thought of Giles remaining around Leana, especially after he had shown some of the bias that seemed to be running rife within the castle at Leana's arrival. Unpleasant indeed. His jaw clenched as his eyes followed Leana and Giles, their retreat from the room leaving him alone to fester with the feeling of unpleasantness flowing deeper as he draped an arm over his face, a sigh leaving his lips. If only his body wasn't so damaged... then this unpleasantness would have been easily dispersed with the simplicity of releasing his anger. Even his fingers still itched, still longed to crush, to break, to tear...

"..Hurry.." He whispered again, a plea given to an empty room.
...​
Arlo knew not how long it took for Leana to come back, however to the boy it felt like an eon. The ugly feelings raging in his chest were suffocating, gripping him and dragging him under. It wasn't until she had stepped into the room had Arlo lifted the viel that was his arm as he looked to Leana, eyebrows furrowing as he grumbled, "I hope he didn't give you much- ah!" It was broken off in a hiss of pain as her fingers rubbed the paste over his wound, the pressure causing his eyes to sting as he took in a sharp breath to prevent himself from delving into wheezing.

The king did not fight against her as she proceeded to tend to his injury, little flinches here and there would be her reward in the gentle touches that he was certainly not used to, but it wouldn't take long until the boy soon found himself on his back again, the pain beginning to lessen ever so slightly as a sigh left his lips in relief. The vials did catch his eye though, nose wrinkling up a bit in distaste at the green liquid within as he gingerly took one from her grasp, granted the others would be placed upon the broken night stand next to his bed, "There's no need to do that. You've done enough."

Arlo looked upon the vial still in his grasp with suspicion, however the boy would tip the liquid to his lips, the taste that hit his tongue however was extremely bitter making his expression twist in disgust as he forced the rest of the liquid down his throat. It wasn't as if he was unused to taking medication due to the sleeping aid being just as bitter if not more so, however it didn't mean that he very much liked the taste, "...Disgusting." He grumbled as the now empty vial would be settled upon the night stand, expression wrinkled in distaste as now it felt uncomfortable again, his eyes darting to Leana's face and back to the sheets before him.

"...He didn't try to do anything to you, did he?" An odd question indeed, but it wasn't lost on Arlo that prior to Leana speaking, Giles did seem to give her a look over; interest in his gaze. It was a gaze that Arlo saw frequently in his soldiers during his campaign years ago when he had set out to conquer other nations. It wasn't as if the king was completely ignorant to matters of men and women, especially when a nation had been conquered and the people subjugated. Such leers led to passion, passions that were bragged about in tents when tongues became loose with drink. It wasn't as if he was jealous or anything! Certainly not, be just felt... very unpleasant.
 
Leana had been pleased when he took the vial from her, even more pleased when he drank the green liquid. It would help dull the pain for now, as she had made Giles tell her exactly what was in the vials when she grabbed them. His wanton look he had given her early had gone unnoticed by herself and to say she felt disgusted was an understatement. As if she'd ever let a weed like him bed her - she was far too good for that. And she wouldn't want rumors that she was acting out of wedlock to plague her or her husband to be.

She sat back on the bed as she watched him softly, raising an eyebrow when he said her staying was unnecessary since she had done so much already. "There will be another day I can go into the city. I want to get started on those herbs shortly, it won't take me but a few hours to get them growing strong." She didn't think he had noticed her hand heating up earlier, but if he had he didn't say anything about it and she wasn't about to offer the information yet. She didn't fully trust he'd use her properly with what powers she held, so she would keep it quiet for now.

Humming lightly, she touched his hand softly as she listened to him speak, scoffing at his words and she let out a soft laugh. "I'd have had him hanged for thinking he could touch me." She said gently, squeezing his hand softly. "I've no intention on taking another to bed. I will simply wait for the day you're comfortable to bed me yourself." While she had had a thought of seducing one of the younger guards that stood outside her chambers, she knew to herself she couldn't go through with it.

She didn't have the herbs here needed to brew a contraceptive potion to void the possibility of pregnancy, and knowing herself she wouldn't have liked to be covered in the man's seed so she would simply wait till the time was right between herself and Arlo. "Nobody but you will be able to see me naked, much less have his way with me." She promised him softly, squeezing his hand gently as she offered him a small smile, blush rising in her cheeks at her open declaration. "I'm to be yours and only yours." She nodded to herself, feeling a bit nervous that he might have thought something had happened between her and Giles. "Heads will roll if someone other than you tries to touch me. I would have burned Giles beyond recognition if he had tried touching me." She wouldn't elaborate on how she would have burned him, she knew she was capable of doing it with her bare hands, but there had been torches outside the tower door that she could have used.
 
Arlo's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly at her reassurance that she could always go into the city later, prompting a frown to cross his face. He wasn't used to the idea of someone putting off plans for his sake, so of course he felt very much uncomfortable with her reassurances. It wasn't his idea of normal, for normal was him being ignored or placed aside for later. So why? Why was she doing this? Was it out of her merely considering her position? Or was she trying not to displease him out of fear for her own life?

Ah, he didn't know anymore.

However, that did little to prepare him for her following words in regards to Giles. The king's expression froze in place as the unpleasant feeling had rose then dropped deep down until it dispersed into something strange... relief? Color surged in the king's face as embarrassment was quick to follow. Why was she so blunt with such things?! And it wasn't as if he was jealous or concerned or- no! Certainly not him! Not for the likes of her!

The crimson that had overtaken his face deepened in color at her promises, the king flinching at her touch on his hand, "Y-y-you- you don't have to-" The words stumbled over each other as his mind was struggling to comprehend the meaning of her words, his free hand coming to shield his burning face from view as he struggled to come up with any other excuse, to deny that he was worried that such a thing would occur. After all, she was betrothed to him! It would make sense that she would wait for him; at least concerning rumors. Right! Thinking logically about this, it wasn't as if she truly desired such a thing with him. It was just expected of them, nothing else!

Crimson eyes turned to her face, spotting the blush upon her own face which only served to make his intensify. Why didn't she make any sense!? It was driving his mind mad! "...I really don't understand you at all." The sentence was spoken shakily, Arlo's head stubbornly turning away from her own, not willing to look her in the eyes, "Y-you're really... really strange." At the very least, the boy had not ripped his hand away, he didn't have the energy for that at the moment even if it seemed like his face was sooner to match the red of a tomato than anything else.
 
Leana giggled at the stumbling of his words, smiling to herself as she watched him softly. Such a cute boy. So flustered and innocent. She thought to herself as she smiled, shaking her head at his attempt at an excuse. She was rather bold in her words, harboring no intention of being shy with what she said. She was a young woman, of course, he knew already she had had relations with other men in the past - she would not hide that she was keen on a relationship with him. An intimate one at that. But she was speaking the truth in waiting - she cared not how long the wait would be. She could pleasure herself in moments of privacy if she felt the need, which she did often, not that she would tell him that for she didn't want to fluster him anymore than she already did.

His blush only made her smile more, feeling pride that she put it there. It was an easy feat for her to fluster the boy, something that amused her greatly. "I never said I wasn't strange." She teased, eyes amused when he hid his face behind his free hand, her fingers squeezing his hand gently in response. "You look cute with blush in your cheeks." She continued, humming to herself as she nodded.

"We've our whole lived to understand one another. I think you secretly like my bold ways and teasings." She chuckled, smirking to herself as she eyed him over slowly, very much taking in the sight of him half naked before her. He was already a sight to see, but she could only imagine what his matured body would look like naked. It made her blush even more as her gaze drifted further down his body, wondering what he looked like completely naked for a brief moment before she forced herself to look at his face again, her cheeks a deep red at her naughty thoughts she dare not voice aloud. "You'd tell me if I'm making you uncomfortable, wouldn't you? I wouldn't want to do such a thing." She asked softly, hopeful that he would as she didn't want to make him uncomfortable with her words or flirting attempts.
 
The sound of her giggling served to only make the desire to hide intensify in the young king as his expression twisted in unease. Laughter was foreign to him, but he found just as quickly that he did not hate the sound of her giggling. In fact, it was a nice change, soft against his ears and not grating, certainly not replicating the forced boisterous laughter of foreign ministers or ambassadors who came on rare occasion to weasel more deals out of him. No, it was... genuine. When was the last time he'd heard such genuine laughter?

The thought made his heart temporarily sink like a stone in his chest, his lips pressing together as he forced his eyes to turn to Leana, attempting to dispel the thoughts before he could remember too much. Her words made him roll his eyes, the teasing compliment making him respond in turn, "I'm not cute." At least, no one had told him such a thing, not since... ah, again, he didn't want to remember that. Never that. Besides, he was nearly a man grown, though he had the experiences of a battle hardened man far older than he; so he shouldn't be happy at being called 'cute'! Yet, oddly enough the compliment had made a warm feeling settle in his chest.

A huff left his lips as he struggled to regain his composure, expression becoming indignant. She liked teasing him far too much it seemed, evident in the way she chuckled and smirked at his expense. Why was she so bold with him? Was it because she perceived him as nothing more than a child? Annoyance buzzed in his chest as the warmth had yet to leave his reddened face, responding with, "Oh, wouldn't you be so very happy if that was a reality!" Sarcasm was in his tone, an annoyed edge to his voice in return. Then her stare would follow.

Arlo was used to stares, but normally stares of fear or hatred was what he was used to. But, the look she was giving him, it was... new. How it slid over the exposed musculature of his torso, sliding over his skin, the pressure making a shiver ignite up his spine and a stiffening in his body as he tensed up. Such a sinful gaze slipped lower, as if it could burn away the sheets or even the expense fabric that made up his pants to expose his body for her in full. Oh.. this sensation was new, foreign. He couldn't place the emotion that now was flaring in his chest, but it made his skin feel as if it were buzzing with little bits of electricity upon his skin where her hand still held his own.

The blush that deepened upon her own face seemed to replicate on his own, the soft question she had uttered making him hesitate only for despite the odd sensation flowing through his body, snickers left him before laughter overtook the king. It was absurd, the fact that she seemed to be so concerned whether or not she was making him uncomfortable! Why did she continue to be the one odd person he had come across so far? Surely anyone else wouldn't truly care, for the boy was a monster and a monster needn't receive any concern.

Really... how odd his wife to be was. How so very, very odd.

"Me? You're worried about making- hahaha!" Tears sprung to life on the edges of his vision as he struggled to drag the unusual mirth under control. "Hah... please. This is the furthest thing from 'uncomfortable' that you can possibly do." His free hand came up to brush the tears of merriment from his eyes, his laughter beginning to finally settle as he shook his head at the woman at his side, "You're so... so unbelievable, Leana." The laughter that had taken him had left him had made him forget the unpleasantness surging through his body as a hum left him, the king leaning closer to her as his hand reached out and curiously came underneath her chin as his eyes scanned over her face. "Too strange.." The words were spoken in a quieter tone, not quite harsh as crimson eyes truly seemed to be looking over her face for the first time, like acknowledging that she truly was a person at his side and not merely one of many faces that he dismissed without a second thought.

Truly the boy hadn't looked closely upon her face before, casting her immediately aside in the back of his mind as inconsequential, yet another person he would be forced to interact with if only for the sake of keeping up appearances. This still held to be true, of course, but at least now the woman was proving to be slightly more interesting... even if her intentions as she had expressed were less than innocent toward himself. It was bizarre, if only he could pry open that mind of hers to truly begin to understand where her boldness was coming from, if only he could begin to fathom what possessed her to feel comfortable enough to say such impossible things.

If only he could understand what drove her to persist in a farce that he was struggling to allow himself to believe was actually truth. Ah.. her skin now he was noticing was soft underneath his fingers, how vulnerable and warm it was to gently cradle human skin against his own, how strange it was to lightly cup her chin in his palm, to keep his grip gentle as if she were glass. The very same palm marveled at the strange sensation of human touch, something that he had denied himself of at least in such a gentle manner for so very long. Calloused fingers soon cupped her cheek in his palm, the heat from her skin causing him much interest indeed as his thumb brush over the skin as if to allow himself to memorize or familiarize himself with this foriegn touch of human warmth.
 
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Leana grinned to herself at his remark, laughing softly as she looked at him. "You are a handsome boy, you'll grow to be even more handsome and I'm the lucky woman that gets to marry you." She said gently, meaning every word. She may have hated him when they first met, but that was before she learned a little about him and why he acted the way he had. He knew no love growing up, except maybe for his mother whom she could only assume met her untimely end when he was such a young boy. She liked that she was able to speak freely with him, that he hadn't scolded her for her bold words or attempts at flirting.

"Oh that would be a joyous thing if it were the reality." She grinned again, quite liking the idea of him enjoying her bold ways and flirting. It at least seemed to fluster the boy far more than she thought it would - something she enjoyed seeing. She liked the way he blushed completely and how it seemed like he wanted to hide away from her like it would protect him from her teasing. It amused her greatly because, as far as she knew, nobody else would get to see him act in such a way. She felt lucky she was able to.

When he reached out to touch her cheek, she didn't shy away, but leaned her face into his gentle touch. Her gaze watched his as he looked over her face for the first time, feeling herself blush more at the closeness between them. Such a handsome face. She thought to herself as she looked over his face before returning her pink gaze to his crimson, feeling a buzz of energy from his gentle touch. She hadn't thought he would want to touch her with how he acted, but yet again he was shocking her by doing so. Even if laughter previously had shocked her, though she had been pleased when he did tell her she wasn't making him uncomfortable. "Such a beautiful eyes." She muttered as she gazed into the crimson red orbs, her own pink mirroring the softness in her face. She would do him no harm and see no harm came to him if she could help it. She wanted him to live a long and full life with her at his side - she would do whatever she could to ensure his safety. One step was to get rid of that pompous arrogant ass that was Giles - a man she was glad to be rid of after seeing his handiwork on Arlo's wound.
 
Lucky? She was lucky? How funny, for her to say such strange things, to his face no less! If anything one would assume for her to be unfortunate to be wed to someone like him, someone who knew not truly how to be normal, how to be human. Indeed, all he acted like was a monster, not a single time did he ever permit himself to act weak in another's presence, nor allow himself to relax. There was no time and no place for such vulnerabilities.

But, now for some odd reason, the boy who had made himself into a monster was very much intrigued by the woman who did not flinch from his touch, and followed up by lighting up underneath the curious prodding of his fingers. Strange... the color was striking against her skin, what was the cause for such a thing? Why did she feel so warm against his skin? Were people usually this soft, this warm? He never really took much thought to it, all he handled in the past were the dead or dying, a sword at his hip being the only thing to tether himself to another body, another soul. Flesh and sinew would break under his grasp, blood red hot if only for a mere moment in time before it would cool.

Too distant to be rendered anything but intriguing, and instead quenched his bloodlust in his rush to forget everything that hurt him, to prevent himself from being dragged down into fear. But, this moment held none of the negativity, the unpleasant feeling and urges of desiring to break anything and anyone in his grasp, instead his fingers chased after the red blossoming across her cheek, eyebrows furrowing in confusion about the color as the king leaned closer.

The closest he'd been to another soul, far too close than he was usually comfortable with. Too close, close enough that the mere thought of a kiss could have been achieved... but Leana had spoken and brought attention to the king's eyes, eyes which widened at first in surprise, only to darken and narrow as his presence slipped away from her and his free hand had left her cheek, "...Only you would say such things." The rubies within his skull were a reminder of a father he knew not. A father that very well did not exist, and a father who had left his mother to her grisly fate.

He did not love these eyes. For they belonged to a man who was absent and did not come to save either his mother or himself from this hell. He would have much preferred his mother's eye color, a soft green that rivaled the most vibrant of flowers in spring, "..I care not for these eyes." The quiet admission was heavy with hatred, whether it was self loathing or not, he would not elaborate further. He had expressed some sort of dislike for his eye coloration before when Leana had brought up the prospect of children in the garden, and the king already seemed to not be too fond of seeing such red eyes replicated. For who would want the eyes of a monster? Would such children resent him? Or would they ignore him?

It was a pointless thought regardless, he decided. For he would not heel to the commands of advisors whom should have kept their months shut.
 
Leana couldn't stop the blush in her cheeks as he drew himself closer, her gaze flickering to his lips briefly as the thought of closing the gap for a kiss had crossed her mind. She didn't act on it, for she didn't want to push him too fast, but it had been a pleasant idea to kiss him nonetheless. She licked her lips as he spoke, returning her gaze to his own.

She had been pleased by the change she could feel between them, like they had crossed another boundary. She reached for him when he pulled away, touching his cheek with soft fingers. "You may not like them, but I hope knowing I do brings you some comfort." She said gently, offering a gentle smile. Her fingers brushed against his cheek softly, enjoying the warmth that flooded her from his previous touches before she pulled her hand back, settling it in her lap.

She looked away from him briefly, licking her lips again as the passing thought of kissing him ran through her mind again. Would he even allow her to do such a thing? Would he even enjoy it if she did? She did not know and figured she wouldn't be finding out any time soon. She inhaled deeply as she looked back at him, eyeing his bandaged torso for a moment or two before sighing softly. "You should get some rest, my love. It'll help you regain your strength while you're healing." She said gently, deciding it would be better for him to try and rest than if they continued in any conversation, especially considering the somewhat naughty thoughts that had ran through her head more than once during their time together. She knew he had to be exhausted after enduring another stitching without anything to help with the pain and didn't want to keep him awake any longer than he needed to be.
 
Arlo was beginning to observe something that was certainly true in the woman that would be his wife. Her eyes were honest, and her subtle body language betrayed her intent whether she voiced them before or not. It certainly did help that she had spoken her mind on matters concerning both himself and her, even if he had been stubbornly trying to think of her words as lies and not the truth... he would be a fool if it denied it much further than this.

He could feel her gaze upon his lips, the darting of her tongue against her own before she had followed it up by reaching to his own cheek and speaking on the matter of his eyes. Hah, more pretty words that... certainly meant what she said. She was weird, strange. Why did she continue to do things that no one else would? Handling him gently despite the insults and pain he had inflicted on her earlier? Arlo didn't understand her, couldn't wrap his mind around the kindness she exhibited, but as her hand fell away from his cheek and she had looked away; he came to his next conclusion that she was very intriguing and he would certainly like to unravel the strangeness that was Leana.

Arlo's eyes dropped back down to her lips again, the second time she had repeated the action, and the subsequent pressure of her gaze upon his bandaged torso. Now this, this it seemed he was now able to pick up on, something that Leana seemed all too honest in doing. Pervert. The thought made an amused smile touch the king's face as he looked away from the woman. Ah, what a shame indeed to be trapped to such perversions! Such a shame indeed... The king's crimson eyes shifted back to her face again as she seemed to be trying her best to take the more responsible route, claiming that he should get some rest, "Hmm? Right, I probably should. But, before I do that, shouldn't you be rewarded for helping me?"

It was only fair, she had went out of her way earlier to assist him. It wasn't as if he was an unreasonable king, was he not? Well.. at least at this moment he was not going to be unreasonable. Arlo shifted close to her, his hand settling underneath her chin as he drew her face close to his own, lips pressing against hers. The pressure was light, curious almost as the king tentatively basked in the sensation of her lips upon his own... hm. It was strange, warm and soft. Not once had the king allowed himself to be engaged in such a manner, but the sensation tingled across his lips and prompted quiet breaths to leave his own as his lips pressed more demandingly then, parting and pressing again, "Mm... hah.."

Was this the sensation he had heard about before from gossiping maids? This... alien feeling that was making his lips tingle and electricity spark through his body? Although his kiss was kept somewhat light, the boy's teeth came to lightly nip at her bottom lip, finding displeasure soon with the little taste he was getting from her, his tongue soon prodding at her lips in attempts to deepen it... only for the king to stop, interrupting the connection between them before it could progress, a light flush touching his face as his lips were tingling pleasantly. How.. odd indeed.

Crimson eyes were half lidded for a mere moment, soft breaths leaving past his lips only for a knowing smile to cross his face, "You'll have to be satisfied with this much, don't think that I haven't noticed your eyes wandering, pervert." Cheeky, and a rare moment of playfulness from the king as he leaned away from her, settling within the bed as he closed his eyes, "...Go now, you don't need to feel obligated to watch over me."
 
When he spoke of rewarding her, Leana opened her mouth to object. To say she didn't need a reward for tending to him. But the words were caught in her throat when he cupped her chin again, bringing her face closer to his, pink eyes widening when he suddenly pressed his lips to hers. She seemed to hesitate before she returned the kiss, a soft moan leaving her when he nipped at her bottom lip, her fingers curling in her lap as her mind was spinning. She couldn't believe he actually kissed her. And it left her wanting more, especially when he started to try and deepen the kiss, something she was all too happy to oblige in until he pulled away.

She breathed deeply through her nose, feeling herself blushing all over again after their shared moment. She hadn't thought he would have been interested in kissing her, and yet he surprised her again. The young king was definitely full of surprises. At his light tone, she smiled brightly at him, amused he insisted on calling her a pervert. "I just so happen to know what I want, but I will wait for it." She chuckled, watching as he leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes.

She seemed to hesitate before she leaned over, placing a tender kiss to his forehead before she fixed his sheet and blanket, gathering the mess she had made on the nightstand aside from the herbs and vials that would remain there for easier access. She glanced at him one last time, eyes gentle and smile soft, before she nodded her head. "I'll come check on you here in a bit. Try and rest, my love." Her lips tingled with electricity from their shared kiss, and it left her wanting more, but she wouldn't press when she knew it was probably a big step for him to kiss her to begin with. She smiled to herself as she quietly left the room, deciding to spend her free time in the room that had been given to her so she could get started on growing the proper herbs needed to help him in his pain away from the eyes of the guards and maids. There would already be some pots of soil in the room waiting for her, as she requested the maids to bring them in for her when she was on her way back from the tower where Giles had resided.

She touched her lips softly as she shut the door behind her to the room, eyeing the pots thoughtfully as she looked down at the seeds in her hand. "I never thought he'd kiss me on his own. And seem to like it as much as he did." She muttered to herself as she tossed away the useless strings she had pulled from his wound earlier and placed her small amount of medical supplies back in their proper bag. Crossing the room, she opened a small hole in the soil, placing the seeds inside and covering them again. A small gray cloud formed above the pot, followed by small rainfall and she hovered a hand over the plant. It took a moment, but a light green ray of light seemed to flow from her palm, the plant sprouting in a small bud beneath the water and light. Leana may be an elemental by birth, but had a genetic trait that came from her mother that helped her in terms of growing plants. It was like she could bring them forth sooner than they normally would.

Pleased by the effort, she went and crossed the room to sit at her table, pouring herself a glass of wine as she looked at the book before her with mild interest. Wine would be good to try and dull the ache between her legs, or force her into pleasuring herself. She didn't care which, honestly, for the thought of Arlo having kissed her stirred something in her. Made her want more than just the light kisses he had given her, though she was pleased by it to say the least. Her fingers touched her lips for another brief moment, as if she could still feel his lips on hers, before she sipped from her wine, enjoying the sweet taste that flooded her tongue. Take things slow with him. He's never known a kind touch or word before. She thought to herself as she sat back in her seat, debating on a nap after she finished her drink. It would take a couple of days for the herbs to grow to be useful, she would be keeping a close eye on them when she wasn't with Arlo.
 
Arlo had expected for her to leave his side, perhaps express some shock or perhaps be taken aback by his bold reaction. However, in his mind he reasoned enough that this was only something that he had the right to so, after all she was to be his wife soon enough. Her response did come which made him open an eye at her, a wolfish grin crossing the boy's face in response, "And wait you shall. How unfortunate for you indeed." Acting coy was fun for him it seemed, judging alone from the mirth twinkling in his ruby eyes, a new side for certain to see. However, to Arlo it seemed as if he too was treating this like an entertaining new game to preoccupy himself with.

However, he wouldn't lie that the kiss wasn't still leaving its effects on his own body, lips still tingling pleasantly as he stiffened up a bit in surprise at the light kiss to his forehead. A light flush once more consumed his face as both eyes had opened to roll at her, "Yes, yes. Go on, no need to linger." A bold front he was putting up to mimic apathy, as if he wasn't affected by the kiss or her gentleness, it was only until she would leave would the king go still as he stared at the ceiling above his head, dragging in a slow breath into his lungs and slowly exhaling as his body thrummed with the tingling pit that had opened up in his stomach.

What... what was this feeling? His hand came to lightly press against his rosy lips, feeling the pressure still of Leana's upon his own, teeth coming to bite upon his thumb as if to mimic the nip he'd given her bottom lip. Hah.. he wanted more. The sensation of a first kiss was one that perhaps should have flustered him, but he had been the one to initiate it as a sort of "reward". A reward indeed, but like a double-edged sword it left his curiosity sated, but a hunger to satiate as well. The sensation within his body was not subsiding, curiouser and curiouser it seemed that these newfound sensations were buzzing about within his body, feverish heat settling in his core as s grunt left his lips, discomfort settling upon his face.

A curse it seemed had been cast upon him, though one that could only be solved temporarily by his own hand.
...​
Arlo would be one to be impulsive, at least in regards to satisfying urges, though this tended go be violent in nature rather than sexual for the boy never had permitted himself to indulge in the world of lust or sensuality before, his mind too preoccupied by war games of his own making to pay heed to anything else but anger and grief. So, it was much to the king's stunned dismay that the urge had overtaken him, reducing him to adolescent impulse to a boy of what his age would have done.

He had given in and submitted to pleasure, and evidence of which now stained his hand and by extention his stomach. Harsh breaths left the king's lips as his expression pinched in dismay, embarrassment as clear as day to chase the temporary high he'd felt. Just.. just what in the world had taken over him so suddenly?! Had he been possessed? A spell? Or was he as much as a pervert as that fool he had kissed- wait, had she cast a spell on him without his knowledge?! The thought was ridiculous, but Arlo had no other answers to the uncharacteristic emotion that had reduced him to the sweating, panting mess entangled within his own sheets.

A headache blossomed to life within his head as he groaned in dismay. Truly, was he some sort of beast? Well, it didn't matter anyways.
 
Leana took to pleasuring herself on the bed, images of Arlo's naked form above her flashed through her mind as she did. And because of it, it didn't take her long to reach her high. A soft moan left her as she twitched there in the bed, her inner thighs slick with her own juices, soft pants leaving her lips as her chest rose and fell unevenly. It wasn't the first time she pleasure herself at the thought of her betrothed, but it was the first time after fhey shared a kiss. Which all just left her body wanting him even more, but she was steadfast in not wanting to press the matter. She would have to make due with her own hands and fingers until he was ready for such a step in their relationship.

She tettered in and out of sleep after that high, tossing and turning on the soft bed as she tried to sleep. But sleep alluded her, for her imagination was a naughty one and it left her unsatisfied when she woke to stare at an empty spot in the bed beside her. She longed in that moment to be beside Arlo, to feel his warmth, but she would give him his privacy to rest despite jow she wanted to be at his side. She figured he thought her odd, which she knew he did to some extent, about how she had been acting towards him.

Sighing to herself, she rolled off the bed and smoothed her dress down, looking herself over in the mirror as she smoothed her hair out of the braid it had been in, deciding to check on the plant for a moment to see it had grown in the past few hours. It would be ready to pluck and use in the next day's time with the magic she embedded in it. She licked her lips as she sat at the table, sighing to herself, hoping Arlo was resting.
 
Minutes would slip by, and eventually with it Arlo's breathing would slow and his heart rate would too replicate the the clarity and calmness that had settled upon him in the privacy of his own room. First thing, he needed to make sure there was no evidence of his misdeed. Granted, this was his own fault, and he certainly was kicking himself for it as a grunt left his lips as he straightened up from laying upon his back, the wound giving a little twinge of dull pain in protest at the motion as he inspected with displeasure at the evidence that lay behind. New bandages... clean hand. Great. A snort left him then, grumbling curses under his breath as the boy who should have been resting had forced himself upon wobbly legs to set about his task of ridding himself of filth.
...​
It took far longer than it should have been, Arlo having to resort to sneaking through old passageways that he had frequently taken when he had been far younger to escape from King Aldrich's wrath. Such passageways were proving to be a bit too old, too dirty from lack of use as cobwebs were quick to stick to his form and the way itself seemed far more cramped than he had remembered... perhaps he had grown since all those years ago? Regardless, the king would soon find himself again in his chambers after spending quite the amount of time sneaking spare bandages from where he knew the old passageways would lead to the outside in the soldier's barracks. Tending to himself without inflicting much pain would be... difficult.

The boy grunted as he unwound the soiled bandages and began to apply the new ones, binding them firmly around the stitched injury and securing it as best as he could. It wasn't as neat as it had been before, evident from the shaking hands of the king as he was trying to suppress the pain he did feel from the pressure, but at least it was passable and thus his misadventure, as brief as it was would be left with Arlo collapsing upon his back, his body sinking into the blanket as he grumbled a promise to himself, "Never again."

It was too much trouble than it was worth, he quickly decided as eyelids drooped and lowered as if to be tempted to sleep... only for his chamber door to echo with a knock and burst open, causing Arlo to jolt upward, head spinning from the quick movement as Victor's familiar shape and voice greeted him, "Your Majesty!" The huffs of breath from the older man had made Arlo raise an eyebrow in response, a letter clenched tightly in the advisor's hand as he wheezed, "F-forgive me for s-suddenly..." The sentence broke off in another puff of breath as the poor man bent over, hands resting upon his knees as Arlo's eyes narrowed down at the man. This panic was... normal, but intensified from the usual nervous man that he knew too well. "Catch your breath first, I don't need a corpse in my bedchambers."

The reddened face of Victor in his exertion had paled as he nodded his head rapidly, swallowing deep breaths to the best of his ability until he could begin anew, "A-Ahem... Your Majesty, one of the Holy Church's popes, Pope Markianos is... well, he's being.." The struggling of Victor before Arlo's eyes had made the boy's eyes narrow, "He refused to give the necessary approval to proceed, didn't he?" The iciness of Arlo's voice made Victor visibly flinch as he winced, "..Yes, he also denied acknowledgement of any requests Princess Leana had in regards to the wedding. I know naught of Pope Caelina's opinion on the matter- ah! Here, Your Majesty."

Victor would approach then, his hand extending the gold lined parchment etched with the sun, Raha's symbol upon the letter, and by extention the sect of the sun. Arlo's eyes skimmed over the letter in silence as his advisor stood mute, though eventually Arlo's hands came to crush the paper in his grasp, fingers trembling as his lips pulled up in an icy grin, "They caused all this ruckus, all this fucking noise about me needing to be wed, and only when I finally choose my fiance, now they tell me she's not suitable?!" The letter flew from his hand then, his voice raising in his rage, "Not only that, they refuse to allow the wedding to proceed?! Who the hell do they think I am?! Victor!"

The advisor's expression paled as he shrunk back before Arlo, the boy standing before his advisor as he asked in a question as cold as a steel blade's edge, "Would it be sacrilegious of me to slit Markianos' throat and offer his blood to the precious sun god? If I remember they have a nice gold alter that will look quite fetching with his head laying in it!" The boy took a step which resulted in Victor immediately blocking his path, his hands flying to the lean shoulders of the enraged king, "No! You mustn't! Your Majesty, listen to me! They are holy bodies, you mustn't-" A sharp elbow slammed into the man's stomach, driving the breath from his lungs as he staggered backward to land on the floor, a floor which Giles had previously been cowered upon.

Arlo's expression held icy rage, the boy's eyes empty, void of anything but anger, "..What do you propose I do then, Victor? Should I let his defiance slide? Hmm? Should I let that bastard feel like he owns my castle, my life?!" A chuckle left the boy's lips as he crouched down before Victor, "I own this world and everything in it. Raha's chosen little puppet will not get away with defying me, for I deem it so." The boy then framed the advisor's sweating face in his hands as he cooed, "And if you stand in my way, step one toe out of line... then I will have no choice but to treat you like my enemy. And you know what happens to my enemies... do you?" The boy's finger came his his own neck, making a slicing motion as the sadistic, demented light that the man had came to associate with Arlo had returned in full, "D-E-A-D." He mouthed each syllable, causing Victor to tremble from head to toe as Arlo slowly rose to his feet, turning back to his bed as he laid back in it.

"Tell that pompous son of a bitch that if he has a problem, he should say it to my face personally instead of hiding in that gaudy waste of space that he calls a temple! As a matter of fact, since he feels like he can do whatever the hell he wants, I want him to come here! No need for me to make the effort to demand to greet him!" Words dripped with venomous hatred as Victor had shuffled to his feet, his eyes fixated upon the floorboards, "I-It shall be done, Your Majesty."
 
Leana had read the book front to back before she decided to try and see if Arlo was awake, unaware of his anger and rage against one of the churches popes. She licked her lips as she walked through the halls, glancing at the guards and maids as she passed them by, amused at how they shied away from her after what Marjorie had done. She found herself in front of the large oak door once more, knocking before she stepped inside. "I came to check on you and see if you've gotten any sleep." She said, eyes on the floor as she shut the door behind her.

She raised an eyebrow as she crossed the room to sit on the edge of the bed, eyeing him carefully. She could practically feel his anger radiating off him like the sun. It made her shift a little uncomfortably, as she didn't know what caused this bout of rage. "Did something happen?" She asked curiously, wanting to know why he was so angry. "Or should I come back?" She added in turn, worried she might not be allowed to know what upset him this time.

It didn't surprise her that he was angry, but she didn't know what caused it. And it made her wonder if her presence would only add to his anger, as he wasn't shy in punishing her as he had when they first met. It made her shutter to think how far they had come since their first meeting. A horrid meeting at that. She licked her lips as she eyed him carefully, noticing that the bandages on his torso were fresh and haphazardly wrapped around him and wondering why they had been changed. She knew her stitches were properly done so he wasn't bleeding again, so she didn't know why he had changed them again. It didn't even cross her mind that he might have leaked his seed on himself, as she didn't think he was one to indulge in his pleasures, so she was in for a shock if he told her why he'd changed his bandages, but she also wasn't about to ask about them. She merely looked at her hands briefly as she waited for his response, ready to leave his presence if he deemed it necessary.
 
The sound of the knocking upon Arlo's chamber door had caused both the souls already in the room to turn to look, however Victor had stood to his feet swiftly as Leana had opened the door, a tinge of surprise filtering in his eyes as he rapidly looked back and forth between Arlo and Leana a few times. Did... did something happen to warrent her actually going to Arlo's bedchambers personally now? And why did the king not utter a command for her to leave? Did he dare hope that they were actually getting along now? A pit seemed to open in his stomach at the thought, breathing in as to calm himself as he offered a wavering smile to Leana as she passed as well as a bow of his head, "Your Grace." With that, he left, though it seemed as if there was an agitation still left within the room.

Just when it seemed as if they were to get along, that their union wouldn't be as chaotic as initially expected... this was to occur. What were the odds?

The door clicked shut and with it, Arlo's eyes slid to Leana, the anger boiling within him slowly simmering down at the sight of her, instead it was replaced with a strong sense of embarrassment as he looked immediately away, feeling her gaze upon his bandages that he had done quite hastily. Of course, the current topic of his anger would have to do in order to prevent him from desiring to hide from her eyes, as it wasn't as if he was dressed improperly right now either. Grunting, the king shifted so that he could sit upright, eyes turning toward the crumpled letter that he had flung in his anger toward the nearest wall.

"The pope who revers Raha, Pope Markianos seems to think that now would be the appropriate time to deny his approval of you as my wife, and by extention refuses to approve of the wedding, plus has the audacity to reject any requests you had made as well. He deems you 'unsuitable'." Even the words alone that left the boy's lips seemed to piss him off judging by the tension beginning to settle in the king's body as he was struggling to keep the violent rage under control. "..I think he's a bit insulted still after I rejected all of the candidates that he put forward through my advisors." A snort of amusement left him, but it was clear it was half-hearted, not even enough to soothe him in the slightest as he leaned closer to Leana then.

"Hey, wouldn't it be fun for me to get rid of him?" The icy sentence slipped so easily from the boy's lips as his voice was trembling with his anger, "If he refuses to approve of the wedding then, there's no need for him to hold to that position anyways! He's useless to me." The rage was building, clouding the king's better judgement. Even if it would be very easy for him to brute force the issue, the people in Yore certainly wouldn't approve of their king storming into the temple and butchering one of the church leaders.
 
"Sir Victor, sorry I had not seen you." Leana hummed in acknowledgement of the older man, nodding her head at him in greeting as she smoothed her dress from where she sat on the edge of Arlo's bed, a brief look of amusement on her face at his surprise that she had just entered the room. Oh yes, he didn't know of the change in their relationship - how Arlo permitted her to be in his bed chambers just the day before. She smiled at Victor as he took his leave, turning her full attention back on her betrothed.

She listened quietly as he spoke, frowning at the words. "They make a fuss then decide I'm not suitable?" She hummed, shaking her head with a look of exasperation on her features. "It would cause trouble with your subjects if you up and got rid of the man." She sighed, knowing this to be true. From what she understood, churches tended to have a strong backbone with the general populace. "But he shouldn't be allowed to think he can just deny you anything. You're his King, your word is law." She continued thoughtfully as she looked at him with a slight anger in her pink eyes. She hadn't thought the church - that this pope - had had so much sway in the world.

"I agree he is useless to you, but couldn't we just marry without the church? I know of a small way we could have a ceremony, albeit it's more of a thing done in my homeland." She ran a hand through her long locks as she looked at him, curious if they could marry without the church being involved. It would be more of an eloping situation, not that she minded, but she figured he wouldn't want it to be that way. But she thought to ask anyways. It gave him an option at least, on what to do. "What of the other church?" She asked thoughtfully. "The one regarding the moon. Could they oversee the wedding instead of this... Markianos?" She wondered aloud, frowning at the fact her requests had been denied. They were merely flowers - what harm could having some more flowers be. Alas this was becoming more of a headache she didn't foresee coming, and she rubbed at her temples as she closed her eyes for a brief moment. Surely there must be a way they could still wed - even if it caused trouble. Then again, their marriage was troublesome to begin with - she was from a lesser known poor nation after all.
 
Arlo's eyes rolled in exasperation as he fell back away from her, her logic being voice out loud had made the boy grumble, "Damnit.." He really wanted to strangle the man too... well, perhaps that would make it a bigger issue than he was imagining. How troublesome indeed that this whole situation was turning out to be. Though, he did heave a frustrated sigh at her pointing out that Arlo was indeed Markianos' king, that he should have been ready to fall in line, "Well, he didn't like me very much since the beginning. This isn't behavior that I didn't expect.. I just would thought he would do it underhanded, not as bold as he is now."

The man hated Arlo, and the feeling was mutual as Markianos was only appointed after Arlo's eldest half-brother, King Emeric had taken the throne. The man didn't even begin starting raising hell until due to desperation from the royal advisors, had Arlo been dragged from his prison of a tower and dumped the role of king on his shoulders. His appointment was met with fierce resistance from Markianos, the argument being that he must have King Aldrich's blood in his veins to even so much as be counted as an inheritor for the throne, that his claim was weak and illegitimate since the only person who did give him even a fraction of a claim had been the late Queen Blythe who was a foreign woman to begin with and not born in Yore, and considering the woman disgraced herself by birthing a child out of wedlock, the very same bastard son should not be appointed as king.

But, Yore needed a king, and Markianos' objections were silenced. But the animosity between the two had never waned.

As she mentioned the church that paid homage to the moon, this caused a frown on his face as he shrugged, "Normally the royal wedding needs to be approved by both, not just one of the popes. Something about the blessings of the divines or whatever." The king grunted as he sat up, "Pope Caelina has remained silent through this whole ordeal, so I don't even know if we even have her approval or not." Caelina never had been vocal, too wrapped up in her worship of Mehila to give him any sort of grief for anything really. But, all the same her silence was suspicious and he didn't trust her, not knowing what was going through her head.

"It'll be unconventional, but if you want we can visit the temple ourselves. But, what of your people's ceremony that you mentioned?" Regardless, it seemed for now that the church would be spitting and raging at marriage between Arlo and Leana, so the options that they had would be certainly in defiance of what the people see as messengers of both Raha and Mehila.
 
"Well, we can't have his personal opinion outweigh his loyalty to the Throne." Leana hummed, frowning to herself as she listened to him continue. Both churches needed to be involved? Now that made this even harder to go the route normally taken for Yore's royal wedding. She sighed as she rested her hands in her lap, mulling over what to do.

When he suggested they go to the temple themselves, she hummed, nodding her head. "It could be an idea, us going to the temple." She mused thoughtfully, reaching to scratch her jaw. Not knowing what Pope Caelina's stand in the matter was a bit of an issue as well, especially if they needed both of them involved. At his question about what her people did, she smiled a little. "It's a small ceremony, just you and me with one person as a witness. We'd take a dagger and cut the palm of our right hands, share a glass of wine, and cut each other's bottom lip before our first kiss. Mixing the blood is like saying we belong to each other." She hummed, quite liking the idea of a small ceremony with just the two of them.

"We could do that or go to the temple ourselves. They can't stop us from performing a wedding, even if they tried." She continued, eyeing him carefully, curious as to what he'd want to do. It would ultimately be his decision, but she also didn't want to do it while he was still healing from his stomach wound. "I suggest we wait until you've healed more though. Either trek would be agonizing as is right now." She said gently, twiddling her fingers in her lap a little nervously. She feared the longer they waited the less he'd want to marry her - then she'd be stuck in a kingdom that didn't even want her.
 
Arlo huffed as she pointed the obvious, "Indeed, but that never seemed to stop him before." The man only tried to get repeatedly underneath Arlo's skin, trying to make him snap to justify his refusal of even acknowledging his claim to the throne. As far as he was concerned, Arlo was illegitimate and his rule so far was a farce. The boy wouldn't be surprised if Markianos thought of himself as some last bastion against Arlo's tyranny... what a joke.

As she described the ceremony, Arlo raised an eyebrow as he snorted, "How... bloody for a wedding." A chuckle left his lips as he added with a tilt of his head, "Amusing though at the very least. Is that what is seen as romantic to your people?" It wasn't barbed as an insult, in fact Arlo was a bit curious. He knew not of the small island nation that had remained out of Yore's reach for so very long. In fact most had overlooked the small nation for so very long that to some it very well must not have existed entirely. So, in truth in some twisted way, Arlo was looking upon Leana as a living possession of his, something new and interesting that he could pry knowledge from. A relic of a nation that very well did not exist to the masses.

"Well, either way we'll be defying the church's rule. I wouldn't put it past them to get more hostile but it's best to leave it to them to make a mess of things." He paused to stretch, the anger that had possessed him was slowly beginning to cool as he now shifted his body toward Leana, spotting the nervousness she was beginning to display. The sight made a smirk cross his face, "What's wrong? What are you thinking?" He wasn't a mind-reader after all.
 
"Then something needs to be done to remind him his place in the world." Leana huffed, moving to cross her arms over her chest to avoid fiddling with her fingers anymore. She sighed to herself. This was definitely more of a headache than it should be. Why couldn't this arranged marriage have been an easy feat to accomplish?

She chuckled at his words, nodding her head. "It is romantic to us, yes." She didn't deny it was a bit bloody for a wedding, but it was something her people did. "My parents did such a ceremony when they wed all those years ago. Remarried when I was about six to show me what it is. Beautiful thing. They set up candles around them. We could do the same." She smiled at the idea, though she didn't think he would want to go that route.

When he scooted closer and asked her what was wrong, what she was thinking, she eyed him carefully for a moment before sighing softly. "I fear the longer it takes for us to wed, the less you'll want to marry me." She said in a soft voice, pink eyes wide with her nervousness. She truly did fear he'd toss her aside if they weren't wed. She would be of no purpose to him if they couldn't marry. "We.. we could go to the church ourselves if my idea isn't appealing." She added after a moment of silence, thinking he wouldn't want to do the ceremony she had spoken of.
 
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