Nilo rolled his eyes when she mentioned the rat, remembering the day he’d kicked one and sent it flying. Oh yes, she’d been so mad about that. Truth be told, he had forgotten about the rat situation. “If you keep it up, I may lock you on the balcony all day only to free you at night for you to find a rat in your pillow.” He told her, digging through his own bag to procure his clothes before changing. Which ended up with him being mismatched with his sweats and a button-up. He wasn’t going anywhere at the moment and even if Nilohe was, Nilo could change, it wasn’t a huge deal.

He grinned as he felt arms around his waist and a body against his back. Her cheek rubbed against him and he found it catlike. He loved it. Nilo ran his hands over her hands and forearms, tracing the warm skin while she talked to him. “Oh hush, we both know you’re the one that can’t behave.” He retorted, whirling around to look at her while she brushed her hair, “You look at things and they spontaneously combust. Pranks are just magically pulled when you're around and wine is “accidentally” spilled.” He pointed out with a cocked brow, propping a hand up on his hip.

Nilo accepted her kiss gratefully, but gave a surprised yelp as her hand smacked his rump, the man nearly jumping out of his skin. “Gennadius!” He called after her indignantly, but she was already gone. He huffed and shook his head, but moved on, knowing he had a few things he wanted to do before she returned. First, he threw open the curtains and opened the balcony doors, letting the cool breeze waft in with the familiar sounds and smells of his kingdom. Nilo loved his home… he adored the cities and it’s people. It wasn’t perfect, but it was perfect for him.

The prince left the room in search of a room and dust pan, which he found easily in a closet nearby. He swept up the rose petals and dumped them in a waste bin, including the slobbery ones from his mouth, and made sure the vases had enough water. Nilo hummed softly to himself and even sang occasionally, really just enjoying himself and his morning. He needed to take more days off. Maybe once a week at least, twice would be better. Even now the man knew he was still tired, but he felt so much better. Nilo felt less tense and less like there was wool in his brain.

The man moved on to draw a bath for her, knowing she had asked for one the night before. A few candles were lit and the water was sudsy with a soap that smelled sweet, but wasn’t overpowering. Of course, her robe was folded on the counter with a couple of towels. He even plucked a rose out of a vase and threw the petals to float on the water, creating one of the romantic scenes he was known for. If only he had the time, he would have come there and set it up himself for her, but unfortunately, his work schedule was more hectic than hell and a festival combined.

Nilo emerged from the bathroom whistling as she burst in, the man watching her and her feast with amusement. “So I’m assuming this breakfast, lunch, and dinner? You appear to be feeding an army! We’re going to end up returning with a horde of food!” He exclaimed, laughing and trotting over to the table she had set them on. He dug into the bag, delighted to pull out some fruit, which he eagerly munched on. He propped himself up on the table, savoring the food she brought back. The morning might have started off not so great, on his end at least, but he could already tell they were going to have a wonderful day together.

“And your little gift, darling, is waiting in the bathroom for you.” Nilo told her, gesturing towards the door that was ajar, “A bath, as requested, with all the finest soaps to bathe in and enough bubbles to last you a lifetime. If you continue to behave, I might even throw in a massage if you want, give you a little bit of pampering like a good husband.” He offered, finishing his fruit before digging back into her bags, though this time it was to lay out the spread, which was immense. Nilo had known it was a lot, but this was much more than even he had anticipated from her.

He laughed, shaking his head. “Gods, I suppose this is truly a peace offering for you horrid conduct earlier. I give in, you are forgiven.” He told her looking over the food that now covered the table. When it came to going big or going home, his wife always went big. “Once we’re done here, I can take you around the castle, we can always ride out into the forest trails or the countryside, all of it sounds great. There’s not a lot of exciting things to do around here, I will admit, but the countryside is wonderful when it comes to just relaxing and enjoying yourself. I always loved that about here.”

Dark eyes sparkled with warmth as Nilo was clearly in a pleased mood. “Nilo, enough food for the entire army wouldn’t be enough to feed you,” Gennadius laughed, delighted at how happy he seemed to be with her collection she had brought back with her. Grabbing her pastry, she leaned her backside against the table and watched him, happily munching and savoring the sweetly sour filling she had grown up and come to adore almost more than any other food. Other than Nilo’s sandwiches at least.

However, the moment a gift was mentioned and the bathroom was mentioned, she straightened and strode over, pushing it open as he began to describe what it was. Her eyes lit up even more, if possible, as she took a step further in, investigating his work. Downing her pastry, she rinsed her hands before reaching into the water, nearly melting at just how hot it was. Nilo could make her a bath at 3am in the morning and she would be thrilled to death. “You, sir, know how to speak to a woman’s heart,” she called out to him, drying the suds off her arm as she popped back into the bedroom.

“I am glad you like my wares. I did quite enjoy bugging every vendor that had something that could be eaten. It truly is a lovely day!” Her arms wrapped around him for a moment as she leaned against him, one hand rubbing over his shoulder. “I say we do all of it. As boring as the castle may seem to you, there are quite a few places I would like to get to see in here. And of course, you know I could never turn you down for a ride into the country.” She offered a kiss to his cheek before returning to the bathroom, not about to let her hot bath get cold.

“And I’ll tell you what. If you come in here and eat your feast where I can see you and talk to you easier, I’ll swap the massage out for being the one to give it to you instead.” Gennadius couldn’t care less that she has already gotten dressed for the day, stripping without complaint and stepping into the water. It caused a shiver to ripple through her as the air suddenly felt cold compared to the hot bath. Slowly she sank in, loving the way the bubbles seemed to engulf her and the warm water pooled over her limbs.

A soft sigh escaped her as she leaned her head back, eyes closing as she completely melted. “I remember the first time we went out on a country ride together,” she recalled, blowing a strand of hair from her face that had come out of her loose ponytail. “I was SO mad at you. I remember riding Magistrate and letting him have his head, and I was so irritated that you were there too. I would have left you out there if I could have without getting into trouble.” Gennadius chuckled at the memory as she brought it up.

“Who knew I would fall in love with that pompous bastard,” she snorted, eyes opening. She lifted her hand partly from the water, for a moment inspecting the scar that crossed over her palm before dropping it back under. “And now, here I am offering you a massage after all this.” Her head turned in his direction and she flashed him a smile, rolling her shoulders. “Gods this feels so damn amazing and you more than deserve a good massage. I honestly have missed my baths since that last evil trick you played on me. If my hair was still purple, this might be a different conversation.”

Letting herself slide in the tub some, she pulled her knees up and dipped her chin under, releasing a pleased noise. “How is the food? I picked up a few things I’ve never tried but looked interesting. Also the sweet bread! The baker said it was a new recipe.” She emerged some and tilted her head in his direction. “Bring me a piece, I want to try it.”

Nilo grinned at her response to his offered bath, ecstatic that she seemed to love them. It wasn’t even like they were anything special, just some soap in warm water. She was just one that was easy to please. It was something that made his week in exile all the more hilarious, considering the simplicity of her wants. It was a rather positive conclusion to a week with unnecessary stress. And now Nilo was able to happily enjoy breakfast, or brunch, without being cast away because for some reason he couldn’t figure out the woman he flattered and loved every day of the week.

A hand reached up to brush over her cheek as her arms wrapped around him. “I did quite like your wares. Very tasty. I can’t wait to try the rest of them.” The man chuckled, enjoying the few quick moments of affection before she broke away to go enjoy the gift he had left. “The castle isn’t boring, it’s just not the type of thing that gets your adrenaline pumping.” The man followed her, leaning against the doorway. “A feast in the bathroom? Gods my father would be disappointed.” He gave an amused shake of his head. “The crown prince eating in the bathroom. I am the epitome of class.”

He returned to the table, though he only grabbed a couple of things to eat and wrapped it in a cloth napkin. “Y’know, I try and pamper you and give you a massage on top of your bath, but you’re just ruining that by trying to give me equal treatment.” Nilo teased, though it was evident he truly appreciated the offer, as he popped back into the bathroom with a pearly smile. He situated himself on the bath rug, taking a moment to fold her clothes and set them aside before biting into one of the pastries she had brought. He leaned against the back of the tub, listening to her talk about what had been a rough beginning.

“You think I wanted to be there?” He asked, giving her an incredulous look, “Gods you were so damn mean I would have rather hidden in my room.” He snorted, taking another bite of his food, “I’m positive you called me stupid at least five times within a day’s period. Did wonders for my self-esteem, I tell you.” Now, Nilo didn’t care at all, nor did he really back then, but it was funny to look back on, given how now she was taking a bath while he kept her company on the bathroom rug. They had most certainly come a long way since she was first assigned to him all that time ago.

The man chuckled and got to his feet to retrieve her the bread, as requested. “And who knew I would marry a heartless heathen?” Nilo called back from the room, though his blue eyes glittered with both humor and adoration. Gingerly, the man took a knife and sliced it into the small loaf, procuring a piece for her and trotting back into the bathroom, though not without taking a bite for himself. “Consider it a delivery fee.” He joked when he handed it to her, resituating on the floor before the tub, “But it is absolutely delicious. All of it. The bakers here might even beat the city’s.” He told her, grateful for the food she’d brought.

“As for my evil trick, I promise you it won’t be happening again. You didn’t marry a cruel man and I believe I prefer you not looking like a blueberry.” Nilo snorted, still finding some humor in what happened, though he wouldn’t repeat his actions. She had been far too mad at him for his liking. “Then again, I suppose I just like blonde hair, yours specifically… and you not frothing at the mouth.” He titled his head back, resting it against the rim of the tub and closing his eyes momentarily. “Fortunately, soap dilutes the dye and makes it not stick very well, so that was a saving grace.”

Nilo sprawled out on the rug, stretching his body out and looking generally not royal, considering on top of the mismatched clothes, his hair was in complete and utter disarray. At least he had it cut before the trip. “I still believe I should be the one giving you a massage. This is supposed to be my redemption trip, Gennadius. You’re supposed to be letting me do all the affectionate gestures.” He laughed, bending one knee and folding his hands on his stomach, drumming his fingers on his torso, “After all, you did already buy us breakfast, or lunch, I have no clue what time it is.”

He let out a soft hum, happy and satisfied. “Whatever, time is small details and that wasn’t the point. But I know better than to fight you when you have your mind set on something. You’d pin me to the bed and make me cry for mercy if you had to.” It was a true statement, knowing his wife’s stubbornness firsthand. So if she truly wanted to work through his muscles, which were probably hard from stress and with more knots than what could be healthy, he wasn’t going to stop her.

Gennadius would not deny she was a bit of a heartless heathen back then, grinning at the teasing comment Nilo made as he went to retrieve her food request. Reaching her arm out, she grabbed the hand towel nearby to dry her arm and hand off in time to take the bitten piece of bread. “I would expect no less of an aristocrat,” she playful shot at him for his delivery fee. Not that she cared any, happily munching on the beautifully sweet bread. It was perfect in every sense of the word.

“Okay, if you tasted like food, I would say you tasted like this bread,” the woman randomly commented in the middle of him talking about the dying incident. Stopping chewing, she registered that he was speaking and shifted her thoughts from the bread to his words, releasing a soft snort of her own. “Oh yes, that was very fortunate. Because my next plan was to dye Flower the most disgusting crap green I could get my hands on.” There was no maliciousness in it as she recalled her idea, but the humiliation he had put her through had crushed her thinking processes at the time. She supposed it wasn’t AS bad as she had perceived it at the time, but she still thought she should have given him a concussion for it.

“Honestly, I think it is around noon or later? I wasn’t really paying attention,” she laughed. “I am happy not to worry about schedules and time for once. We can do whatever, whenever we want.” Gennadius sank back into the warm water, arms stretching over her head as she stretched her legs out, having to prop them up on the edge of the tub. It wasn’t as big as the one at the other castle, but she was not going to complain in the slightest. It was hot water with lots of suds and smelled heavenly. Not to mention the company was divine.

“I will tell you what. You let me give you a massage once I get out, and tonight, after we finish all the things we want to do and take some showers, I’ll let you give me a massage. How does that sound? A good enough compromise? And you are right, I will force you to let me give you a massage. Something tells me you need one a whole hell of a lot more than I do.” She sank a little deeper until her knees rested on the rim, her head half-submerged with her face towards the ceiling. “See, I was given this lovely bath to relax. And I feel that you haven’t had a decent working out of your muscles in a while.”

Pulling her legs back in, she leaned over the edge, reaching out to poke at his leg, getting his sweat wet in the process. “Besides, so far I believe you are doing a fantastic job at redeeming yourself. Add in a wrestling match later and I may consider you fully paid up on your debt of evilness.” She lifted her brows with a grin, tugging at his pants leg. “And that shared shower. I like sharing showers and my cruel husband has banished me from his. Something about being a distraction and making him uncomfortable. And I call that horse crap. H o r s e c r a p.” She shook his leg before sinking back into the water.

It was no secret that Gennadius loved to toy with her husband. But she did also like to be passive sometimes, and today was one of those days she wanted to just hang around and watching him without being too much of a bother. Today at least. “I suppose I can be a tad... overbearing. But today I would just like the company and I will behave. After all, my husband did take me for a lovely romantic weekend, a picnic by the lake, an exhilarating night, and now a bath.”

Grabbing a handful of bubbly suds, she blew them towards him with a smile. “I can’t promise no mischief though. Where would the fun be in that?” For a moment, she debated lunging out of the water and tackling him while she was a soaking soapy mess but decided against it. Like she had promised... she would somewhat behave. But that didn’t stop her from flicking a little water at him anyway. “But maybe before we leave, we can also share a bath. Cramming into this tub ought to be fun,” she teased.

“Orrrrr,” she drawled out the next part, soaking up his waiting on her, “You could get the rest of these knots out of my hair that you so kindly put in there last night.”

For a bathroom, it was incredibly peaceful and relaxing, with the soft sounds of water and her voice filling the smaller bathroom. Nilo never would have expected to spend a portion of his day sprawled out on a bathroom rug looking disheveled, but then again, he had never expected half the things he did with her. Things were spontaneous and never without that spice of adventure, even when they were both taking it easy for a day. The energy they had was irreplaceable. It was one of the many reasons he was content just laying on a rug and listening to her talk to him.

“I suppose I can accept that compromise.” Nilo gave a playful huff, shaking his head. She was always terribly stubborn when it came to giving him attention, which was flattering but an issue when he wanted to have a day where he was trying to have her in the spotlight. “My muscles are fine, Gennadius. You seem to give them more attention than I do, Gods.” Not that she wasn’t right, considering they both knew how badly he carried his stress in his muscles, most prominently his shoulders. Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to play like he was ignorant, though.

Nilo turned his head towards the tub to look at her, though all his eyes met was the white porcelain. An eyebrow raised at the prospect of a wrestling match, something he certainly did not want to do. Not because it was an odd request, but because the prince knew he would lose. Unless he could suddenly ambush her and use his weight to his advantage, he was always screwed. So very screwed. “I’m afraid I don’t like competing with you, as you are lovely but feral, so we must find another alternative to complete my redemption.” He snorted, knocking on the tub.

The man was glad she had enjoyed their time thus far and the compliment was welcomed, as was the small raid of suds, which earned her a chuckle. There was an amused eye roll at her thinly veiled want for the man to brush her hair and the other option of a bath. Of course, the man got to his feet, doting as ever, and went to fetch her comb, considering his was not fit for her mane. “How about I brush through your hair, get all those nasty tangles out, and tomorrow we share a bath before we head out later in the afternoon. I’m sure we’ll both fit just fine. I’ll just have to do a little leg bending.”

But as for the shared shower she had mentioned earlier… “Although Gennadius, we have been over the shower thing,” Nilo grunted, propping a hip up against the vanity, “and the fact that you are to wait outside and be patient for the mere minutes it takes me in there. It’s less than half an hour. You’ll survive.” He pointed the comb at her in a playful menacing manner, “You get to have me for all the other hours of the day, I can have my one shower. You are well aware it’s not the fact that I don’t want you in there either, it’s quite the opposite. I just want to wash my body and not become a drooling neanderthal because that’s what will happen.”

Yes, the reason he had banished his wife from showering with him was due to her being a wonderful distraction. If he wanted to shower, which meant bathe himself, Gennadius could not be there. It boiled down to him being a stupid caveman who was obsessed with his wife, but he didn’t care. “So I will give you a massage after my shower alone while you wait in the room.” He corrected, standing his ground. For the moment, at least. The jury was still out on whether or not his wife would end up winning. When she wanted something, it was hard for her not to get that thing.

Back to the subject of combing her hair, the man shimmied out of his sweats so he could sit behind her on the rim, leaving him in the underwear that cut off right above his knees that managed to be perfect for the occasion. Granted, there were most certainly far easier ways to comb her hair out, such as waiting until after she had finished her bath, but this was Nilo. He had one idea that was rather blasphemous so he decided to go with it. Which meant he clambered over her so that a leg could be on either side of her, his rump balanced on the edge while he used the wall behind to support himself. It was precarious and over the top, but would anyone expect anything less from Nilo?

He wiggled his toes in the warm water experimentally and reached for her ponytail, undoing the tie and getting to work. Of course, he was gentle, as always. “I don’t think this had anything to do with your hair being a jungle, because frankly, it doesn’t seem too bad,” There was some light teasing in his voice, “I just think you wanted your hair messed with while you soaked like a princess.” He bent over to press a kiss to the top of her head before returning to his work, methodically combing through the strands. “I see right through you.” Those words came out as a purr, his voice affectionate and light-hearted.

“But don’t worry darling, your secret is safe with me.” He grinned and took the opportunity to roll up his sleeves, the man looking as if he was accomplishing a great task. “Nobody has to know that deep down you’re just a big softie who likes hugs and her hair combed.” He knew his wife was tougher than steel, but he also knew she was softer than down. He adored that and knew there was a side of her reserved for only him. “I’d share something with you to make it even, but I’m afraid you already know everything there is to know about me.”

Gennadius listened to all his reasons NOT to do most of what she listed with a slight grin. Oh, she was well aware he would not be into a full-blown wrestle or sharing a shower, but she couldn’t resist asking anyway. After all, she did love beating his ass into the ground, or the rare occasion that he got the upper hand and pinned her down. Would that stop her from trying on both accounts? Absolutely not, and the woman relaxed, unphased by his determined no. Perhaps with a little begging and well-placed kisses, she could convince him the right way. Her mind rolled over her options as he changed, for a moment unaware of what he was doing.

At least she was until he stepped in and she craned her head around, the woman’s grin growing if that was even possible. She shifted so her hair was more accessible, shoulders settled between his knees, her head leaning lightly against his thigh. “I mean, I did brush it out some before I went out. No point in going out looking totally feral,” she admitted, loving the moment he started working through her hair. There was something truly enjoyable about her hair being worked through, and while she loved it the time Damien had done it to calm her on a bad night during travel, there was something a thousand times better when it was Nilo.

Fingers reached over and played along his leg, poking at the well-formed calf that carried her husband through his days. “My secret best stay secret.” Her chest lifted as she took a large relaxed breath, eyes closing. “If anyone else finds out, I’ll have to assume that you were the one who told them, and then you don’t want to know what horrible evils I will have to unleash on you. Just to prove that I’m not a big softie behind closed doors.” It was almost ironic for her to say that when her voice was quiet and affectionate, drowsy almost. How could it not be? Warmth filled her as gentle hands worked through her hair, her body sunk into water that was starting to slowly cool to room temperature, and everything utterly perfect.

“I am sure there are things I don’t know yet. I haven’t lived in the same room with you long enough to discover the little quirks that are bound to annoy me.” Gennadius teased, running her hand down his leg, eyes fluttering open. “And you are honestly too fascinating for there not to be something new to discover about you every now and again. And if there isn’t, I’ll just make something up.” She chuckled warmly before falling silent, simply enjoying the experience for a while longer before deciding it was time to get out and move on with their day. Perhaps they could do whatever they wanted, but the fact still remained that they did have to return home eventually.

Sitting up straighter, she twisted her head back to look at Nilo, reaching out to poke at his shirt, leaving a wet spot. “Well, then. Perhaps we should see about your massage, hmmm?” Reaching over the side, she grabbed the towel that was waiting for her, pulling it towards herself as she stood, wrapping it around her body as she did so in a fluid motion. Gennadius stepped out, legs moving over the edge and stretching out as she rubbed the soft cloth over herself, drying herself off to an almost soft state of dampness, but she was no longer dripping.

“You, sir, can make your way to the bed and take your shirt off.” Gennadius shooed the man towards the room, snatching up her robe and changing into it. Damn, it was amazing the way it was so soft, the fabric feeling heavenly on the skin as she flipped her hair over her shoulders. It was damp from having gotten wet, but looking gorgeous after the pampering Nilo had given her. “And lay on your stomach because I want full access to your shoulders and back.”

“You’re disgusting!”

Theodore was bloody and hurting, with blurry vision and throbbing limbs. He was in pain… in his body and heart. Crimson stains followed behind him, droplets of blood that fell from his nose and onto the tile. But he wasn’t sure what hurt worse, the broken bones or his shattered heart. It felt like there was a pit in his chest where it had once been, a gaping hole where there had been all of his trust and love, his happiness as a man. He was kind… he was a good person… Why had this happened to him? Why didn’t he have a right to be happy? None of it was fair.

“Dirt like you should die!”

Theodore was running. Running from the people who had done this to him. They were the people that left him clutching his side and running without direction through the castle in haphazard steps. He had just wanted to see his lover. They were supposed to be going out for lunch, just taking a day to be together. He had been so excited, but when the man went to find the soldier who had stolen his affections, he was greeted by a group of furious men with clenched fists and violence in their eyes. His lover was no more than a shadow that left him to the wolves.

Alan.

My Alan…

What have you done?

Alan was the man he’d given half a year to. He had been the longest-lasting relationship the scribe had thus far. So why had he betrayed him like this? What had Theodore done to deserve this? He didn’t understand. He wasn’t sure he would ever want to understand. He just knew he had managed to escape the fists that had punched and the feet that had kicked. Now he fled with no direction, with clothes that were torn apart and stained red and with a body that was bruised and battered. He didn’t know where he was running, only that he couldn’t stop. He didn’t know if they had followed him inside…

His first love. The pain in his body and the hole in his heart had been caused by his first love. He had fallen in love with him and his heart, the one he gave freely and with kindness, had been thrown into the mud. Had he planned this all along? Had his intentions always been to leave him with people who seemed to hate him just for being him? He just wanted to love like everyone else. He had been so close to telling him that night… that one night…

They had told Theodore he’d touched Alan with his filth. That he’d forced himself onto the soldier whom he had spent many a month with. The scribe gasped for breath, his inhales coming out as strained wheezes. Had they tried to kill him? He didn’t know… he didn’t want to know. There were so many things he wished he could forget. Theodore should have stayed home. Gods he should have stayed home in his bed, buried in the sheets he longed for now. But what if they were waiting for him now? Alan knew where he lived, what if he was going to send them there?

He didn’t know what to do and suddenly he was sobbing, choking on his blood and spit. He was scared and his lover, the man whom he had trusted and given himself to, had hurt him. He had been beaten in his own kingdom, his own home, and he had nowhere to go. Theodore rounded a corner, eyes catching a silhouette that was blurred by tears, one he couldn’t recognize. He stumbled to a stop, barely catching himself on a wall. “Please…” He begged softly, voice raspy as he hiccuped, “I beg… I beg of you… I-I’ve had enough. I didn’t do anything, please.” He seemed to shrink, taking a stumbling step back and swaying dangerously, “Have mercy…”

“Theodore!”

He looked up at the voice. That familiar voice. It was Damien. His Damien. The man who was like an older brother and one of his best friends. Someone who would protect him from the monsters that had lurked at the barracks and beaten him broken. He bawled harder with the flood of relief and he lurched forward, the advisor meeting him in the middle as the chestnut-haired man collapsed on him, bloodied face buried in his shoulder as he hugged him, trembling in every bone and weeping a river of tears. “Help me, Damien,” He begged, fingers digging into the back of his shirt, “Please- Gods they’re going to hurt me, Damien. They…”

And the rest of Theodore’s words were lost in another bout of sobs, the man broken beyond what any medicine could repair.

Damien

“Help me, Damien.”

He almost had to carry Theodore to the infirmary. He was covered in his own blood and his face was scarcely recognizable, his chestnut curls even coated in crimson and matted on his head. He could scarcely even talk to him, his sentences broken and words shaky. But what Damien understood was that soldiers had done this to him. His lover and other soldiers. “I have you, Theodore, it’s just Damien.” The man had told him, guiding him towards the place where help awaited, “I’m taking you to the infirmary hon, it’s going to be fine. Don’t pass out on me or I’ll never let you forget it, alright?”

Damien was surprisingly gentle during the transport and as soon as he arrived, the younger man was taken from him. It was the most harrowing half an hour of his life. When he finally got to see Theodore the boy was covered in bandages and despondent, curled in the infirmary bed staring at the wall. “Send for Isabella.” He had rasped, not meeting the green eyes of his friend.

“Theodore, tell me what happened. Tell me who did this to you.”

He never got the full story as the man just wanted Damien’s sister, but he had enough. Enough to track down Alan and the men who had hurt him and mount an interrogation that would bring the shattered boy to justice. He sent a servant to track down Isabella and sought the prince, the man who was handling the castle affairs, and his wife, who was to stand alongside him while the king was gone. Those bastards that dared call themselves men were lucky Damien no longer carried his sword.

Because he had no doubt he would have committed a murder.

The man with hair the color of ink and eyes reminiscent of dull emeralds slammed open the door to the prince's office, furious and with a new chip weighing down on his shoulders. “Theodore’s been assaulted.” He snarled, with no regard for the fact the pair had been draped over each other in their usual fashion and he had no doubt ruined a gentle moment, “A small gang of soldiers beat him half to death. The physician claims one more blow to the head could have killed him, the goddamn swine. There could be internal bleeding.” Damien was a stoic man, but when anyone dared touch his family, he was unhinged.

“His lover, Alan, was involved. Alan Glenn. We need to find him and the others, now.” He demanded, clenching his fists. Theodore didn’t deserve this. “He wouldn’t give the full story, but the boy begged me for mercy when he first caught sight of me ‘cause he couldn’t even recognize me.” Gods just remembering his face… it was awful. All of it. Especially for someone like Theodore. “I sent for Isabella, he wanted her, but I hope he’ll be willing to talk once Isa gets to him. This needs to be figured out... He didn’t deserve this!” He exclaimed, tearing his fingers through his hair, accidentally pulling out the tie from the force.

Gennadius’s arms were wrapped around Nilo’s neck as she was sprawled over his lap, consequently making his ability to work on paperwork near impossible. It was one of her breaks in her schedule and the woman had determined it was time to bother her husband while he worked on running the kingdom while his father was out on business. Which brought her to now grinning at him after pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek, “I’m thinking later tonight, when you’re all finished, you and I should take a walk through the garden. Moon should be out tonight and you keep telling me your garden is in bloom.” Her fingers moved over his jaw as she smiled warmly, head tilting. His body was warm and his touch gentle, the woman pleased with the way the trip to the country castle had helped bring them even closer. Precious moments, perfect in every way….

Her body lurched into a sitting-up position, hand instinctively reaching for her sword that rested against Nilo's desk. What the hell was going on?? Dark eyes darted over the advisor and her friend, the sense of urgency and something terrible radiating off him before a word left his mouth. But the moment he did speak, Gennadius paled, fear flashing through her eyes. Theodore was tall, and in that sense a bigger man, but he was lanky and no brawn… he was not a fighter, and if he had gotten assaulted… Oh, gods how bad was it? Was he alright?

Soldiers… Gennadius was off Nilo's lap, hands against his deck as she leaned forward, thoughts going a mile a minute as she tried to keep up with what Damien was saying and her own head. One more hit… one more hit and her best friend would be dead at the hands of people she trusted. Why? There had to be a reason, this wasn’t like the men she knew… but GODS they could have killed him and she knew it. She knew if they had attacked… if her soldiers had done this… what? Why? Her heart was racing with fear of just how bad Theodore was, what damage could have been inflicted.

Alan Glenn? She tried to put a face to the name but there were just too many soldiers to know them all personally. The name had a small familiar ring but that meant nothing right now. Gennadius's snatched up her sword, tying it around her waist quickly as a fist clenched and her body gave a shudder. A hand ran through her own hair as she took a moment to compose herself, though a moment was all she had. “We will send some guards to bring Alan in immediately but where is Theodore?” Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced at Nilo for a moment before moving closer to Damien, the way he had described Theodore making her uneasy.

There was a certain amount of guilt she felt already over the whole situation. She was the one who was supposed to be in charge of military affairs and advisory, the one who knew the soldiers and was associated with them. And it made no sense! The guards were the ones who were prone to outbursts and random violent behavior... when soldiers did it... when they did it it was for a reason. But why? Why Theodore? Theodore was kind and gentle, fun and loving... he had no defense, no way to protect himself, especially from a group. Gods what had he been thinking? The soldiers... they were so dangerous, even she would admit to that.

“Bring us to him, please Damien.” Her own steps were hurried, though she stayed close to Nilo, hand instinctively finding a place to gently touch him in her own form of reassurance in the moment. Theodore was his friend too, and she knew they were closer. But her own fear mounted from the fights she had seen between soldiers, the days they had protected each other when out on the field... the fear that Theodore could still die if they had beaten him up with that intention. And no matter how much she tried to mentally prepare herself, there is no way to prepare to see someone you are close to covered in bandages, blood, and looking terrified.

Nilo

It took awhile for Nilo to give in to the woman sprawled across his lap, considering he did have lots of work to do. Sometimes, she would sit so that he could still continue his work and let her have her way, but this time she wanted his attention. So after trying and failing to focus, his writing utensil was tossed onto the surface of his desk and an arm looped around her torso while the other rubbed over her thigh, occasionally lightly massaging into the skin through the fabric that covered it. It was hard to work when he was chosen as her favorite spot to lounge, considering she usually came bearing small affections that he was more than weak to.

Nilo hummed, pleased and relaxed, “We should…” He agreed, leaning into the touch that skittered across his jaw, “Your hyacinths are in bloom, I made sure that they were planted before we were swamped with wedding plans.” His voice was a soft purr, filled with a fondness that was only reserved for her. “I haven’t worked on it this year, unfortunately, maybe I will for our fall blossoms.” Gardening was one of the things the prince missed greatly and it was one of the only times he genuinely enjoyed getting dirty. “I’ll have some of our servants have the lights along the path lit for us.”

But the moment was shattered as the door slammed open, the prince reaching to pull his wife closer as if to shield her while her hand darted for her sword at the sudden intrusion. They were lucky it was Damien, but the news he carried was most certainly not so. Theodore… Theodore had been hurt? Why would the soldiers ever lay a hand on him? It didn’t make sense to Nilo. The scribe was so friendly, never a man who had anything black in his heart. So why would soldiers hurt someone who no doubt worked to befriend them and was their superior on top of that?

Though in a moment the mood had shifted from warmth to being terrified with the knowledge that Theodore could have died. Hell, Nilo knew he could probably still die. The man had spent enough time in the infirmary to recognize that. What had happened to his friend? There was fear that glittered in the depths of his blue eyes at the thought of one of his best friends and officials being injured. None of it made sense. And the fact his lover was involved? Everything was just too much and the man rubbed at his temples, already feeling a headache coming on. He was beginning to feel sick.

Gods, he had promised the Valencia’s that he would care for Theodore, their only son and heir. And now he was in the infirmary after being beaten by the soldiers who were meant to protect him, not bring him so much pain. Nilo stood up, swallowing as he stared at the floor, not knowing what to do. Fingers reached up to tug at his hair, knowing he needed to do something but he was afraid and worried for his friend. He was the crown prince who was currently the man taking his father’s place, he would need to figure this out, but was it wrong of him to just want to stay out of it? He just wanted to be there for his friend…

“Yes… Damien please.” He finally spoke when Gennadius asked for them to be taken to Theodore, the man following his advisor in the direction of the infirmary. He wanted to run, but he needed to keep his composure. This was his friend, but this was also his job. Already, Nilo was caught between a rock and a hard place, but he was holding steadfast. He had too. When he felt the reassuring touch of his wife, his hand found hers, interlacing their fingers. He lifted her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles as a small gesture of his own, knowing both could use any form of reassurance.

The sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls, the only noise that accompanied them to the infirmary. The silence was deafening and Nilo despised it, but there was only so much he could do. Damien was the one that knocked initially and they entered, but the man they were faced with was covered in bandages and looked almost nothing like Theodore. The skin beneath his eyes were bruised purple and there was thick bandaging over his nose and head, hiding most of his face, not to mention the sling that held an arm that appeared to be broken. “Theodore…” Nilo trailed, eyes searching for the man who looked off despondently, “I’m so sorry, Theodore.” It was all Nilo could say.

“They… they said I forced myself onto him, made him uncomfortable.” At last the scribe spoke when in the presence of his friends, his good arm wrapping protectively around his waist, “I would never… I didn’t... “ There was a sad sigh, “There was a night I met him at the barracks so we could go out, those men, his friends, saw us. Our relationship was rather secret, since a blow like that to my status was one I couldn’t take… but Alan…” He seemed to choke at the name, “something was different. I should’ve known something was wrong, that he was more afraid of discovery than I thought…”

Theodore paused for several moments, squeezing his eyes shut, “He sent me a letter and we agreed to meet today. It was the first time I’d seen him since then and… and it was a trap. Clearly. He didn’t lay a hand on me but, this was so much worse.” He finished softly, seeming to deflate even further from where he sat against the headboard. The man took a deep breath, but flinched as if it hurt and the prince’s eyes clouded with sympathy. He could not imagine what that felt like. “He must have lied to them… I don’t see how else they could have thought such a thing.”

Nilo took the opportunity to sit on the edge of the bed, though he did not dare reach out to the rattled man, as much as he wanted to offer him a hug. “We will conduct an investigation and we will do everything in our power to fix this, Theodore.” He tried to assure, doing his best to be calm, to not pelt the younger man with more questions. That could be done later. “You are a court official, my ally, and a friend. I will personally make sure that you are done justice, that is a promise. I cannot even begin to take away your pain nor can I comprehend your suffering, but I will do right by you. These men will pay what they owe.”

Her fingers held tightly to Nilo’s as they rushed through the halls behind Damien, every sound seeming to echo as no one said a word. What was there to say? The tension in the air was thick with uncertainty and fear, neither her or Nilo knowing what to really expect, and no doubt Damien wondering if his friend was even still alive. It was nearly suffocating, so much alarm and worry for a friend that they all held near and dear to their hearts. Dark eyes bounced between the two men before straight ahead again, Gennadius trying to cope with the fear that sat sickeningly in the pit of her stomach.

The moment the door opened and blue eyes fell on Theodore, her heart skipped a beat, staring at a friend that had been ruthlessly beaten. There is no description for what she felt standing there, facing the one fear that she could not face well. She had been at the edge of the blade, under the merciless hands of a beating. She had faced death herself on the borders and had to run from her demons at night. But nothing, absolutely nothing, could compare to the deep-rooted fear of losing someone she loved and feeling completely helpless to do anything. She didn’t know how to handle that fear, she never had, because it was the one that haunted her through the years.

No words left her mouth at first, staring at her friend as she stood the farthest from him then the rest. Her soldiers had done this. Her soldiers... the guilt crept in again that somehow, someway, this laid heavily on her shoulders. Gennadius was conflicted with the emotions, trying to logically tamper them down, but it was to no avail as Theodore spoke, doing his best to tell what had happened. Oh gods... even his voice wasn’t his....

Of course, of course he was afraid of discovery! The soldiers... oh gods help her make sense of it all. The soldiers, this time... this world. Her men. Her head fell for a moment before lifting up, a hand running through her hair, something almost jittery coming over her as her hands shook. Gods he should have known better... he should have known the soldiers were not understanding. And now this. Now Theodore was half-dead in the infirmary, wrapped in more bandages than a man gone to war. They could have killed him... they didn’t, she knew they would have if they wanted to... but they could have. Oh gods if Theodore had been killed...

“What were you thinking?” The words came out before she knew what she was saying as her gaze landed on Theodore, dark depths swirling with so many emotions it was hard to tell what they were. Her tone was almost desperate as she stepped forward, her shoulders shaking ever so softly. “What were you thinking going out there?! Stay the HELL away from the soldiers Theodore!” she yelled, hand sweeping out towards the door as if to indicate what was beyond. She had never intended to yell at him, never intended to even raise her voice in the slightest, but it didn’t change that she had, didn’t change that she was so scared she didn’t know what else to do.

She took a step back, fingers tugging at her hair. “Gods Theodore...” Gennadius knew she had screwed up. She could feel it as she stood there, a heavy breath heaving at her chest. There were so many things she wanted to say but damn it, she couldn’t, didn’t know how to react or say in this situation. So Gennadius did what she knew best, and that was when fight wasn’t an option, flight was. Which left her spinning on the heels of her boots and leaving, not wanting to make things worse. Because she knew she had messed up, knew she wasn’t handling this right. But what more could she do?

“DAMN IT.” Her voice echoed as she paced the hallway floor, trying to reel in her emotions. They needed to find Alan Glenn first and foremost. That’s what she needed to focus on, hailing a guard. “Go find Alan Glenn and bring him to the war room immediately. Make sure he’s guarded, do you understand?” Fingers tangled with her hair again, her pacing continuing once more. It made sense, and yet it didn’t. Her friend… Theodore… poor Theodore. She wanted vengeance for him, but she also knew the soldiers as a whole… she wanted justice for everyone and gods, this was already so complicated her head was throbbing.