Nilo nodded along as she talked about her work, nibbling on the inside of his lip, a nervous fidgeter as always. It was a struggle to keep his hands still and he was beginning to taste a hint of blood within his mouth, but the man couldn’t think of much else to do with himself. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to marry her. No, he did, with everything he had, and in the few conversations they’d had regarding a future, the woman had seemed all for it. Except talking about it was far different than actually following through with it.

“I’m not sure Theophilus will have much to do once you take your job back from him completely,” Nilo commented, giving a weak chuckle, “Then again, there are always things to do around here. I’m definitely not sending him back to wherever he used to be, I think I’m too attached.” This time the laugh that followed was stronger, the man finding some more of himself buried beneath his anxiety. There were moments when the man felt perfectly fine, but there were others when he felt like he was quite literally going to explode from nervousness.

Nilo smiled as she claimed they should celebrate, springing up into a standing position. That did sound nice… Perhaps it would get his mind off of the little trinket in his pocket and his father’s rather stern orders. He didn’t have to do it then, it could wait until the right moment. Granted, his father would be rather frustrated if Nilo didn’t follow through, given as it was the prince’s idea in the first place. Two months ago he had been ready. Now? He felt like he was thrust onto a battlefield armed with nothing but a stick.

Not that she scared him, that wasn’t what the man meant. No, Nilo loved and trusted her, but this was something entirely new and he was happy with the way things were now. He was afraid it was too much and it would cause a rift. That was the last thing he wanted, was to make her uncomfortable. So the question was, was this a risk the crown prince was willing to take?

Nilo blinked as she spoke again, dragging the man back down to reality. He stared blankly at her for a few moments before he caught himself. It seemed like a rather nice plan, they could bundle up on the balcony and watch the snowfall. Actually, the man was rather intrigued and Nilo began to brighten until she mentioned going to find his father and his mind figuratively shattered. If they went and found his father and he hadn’t proposed… the king wouldn’t be happy. Not that the king was completely to blame, no, Nilo had revealed his plan and he knew his father was only trying to get him to follow through with it.

Not to mention if they left at all there was the risk of him being exposed… he wasn’t sure if any of the nurses had heard he and his father’s conversation. If there had been any additional listeners, the news would spread like wildfire. For a few seconds, his eyes searched hers, as if the deep sea of blue could possibly give him an answer, tell him how she felt about it all. As if it could possibly give him her yes or no ahead of time to save him the strain. But she couldn’t… because she was unaware.

Nilo took a breath. “I don’t think going to see my father is that good of an idea,” He got to his feet, straightening, “He actually sent me away on a task as soon as he found out he was okay, can you believe him?” Charismatic. He needed to be charismatic. He could do that right? The man had always been good at social cues and taking control of a conversation, so he hoped he could do that now.

“I had this plan a couple of months ago that fell through because Da had a health scare and I kind of pushed it to the side because I was far too worried about him…” Nilo trailed, running a hand through his hair as he searched for the words to continue while he grasped onto his current string of confidence. “And when we finally received the word that he was going to make it, I decided to tell him about this plan because it is very, very important, mind you. I mean, it is life-changing!” The man flashed a charming grin, propping a hand upon his hip.

He clicked his tongue. “You see, there is this woman I fancy very much. Tougher than nails, but one hell of a kisser. Ring a bell?” Nilo asked and his smile softened and his gaze warmed, “If not, let me tell you, she has me wrapped around her finger and I love her so much I fear I may be obsessed. Prettiest blonde hair and blue eyes I could drown in, you can’t miss her.” Nilo winked, the man clearly into the soiree he was putting on, ever an entertainer.

“So, this woman, I’ve been in love with her for about three years. She kissed me and left on a war effort and I have been head over heels since. For two years I waited patiently, played the part of a pretty little prince, and one day, lo and behold, the love of my life returned and actually wanted me back! It was by far my greatest surprise to date and we have been together ever since. Although, the kiss was only a part of the equation. Before our lips ever touched, she saved me from doing the unspeakable.” A hand reached out and grabbed hers, opening her fingers to reveal the scar she’d had ever since that night. He traced it with gentle fingers before allowing it to fall back to her side. “And for that, I have forever been grateful.”

Nilo fell into a thoughtful silence for a few seconds but decided to speak again before she began to ask questions. “She also showed me kindness and generosity,” His face softened as he spoke words filled with adoration, “but my most favorite thing… that was when she taught me how to love.” Nilo admitted, knowing that without her, he would still be a stranger to the concept of loving another, but now? Love was something he could look at and recognize in a room full of people.

Nilo took in a shaky breath, his nerves threatening to return. “So this plan of mine,” He returned back to the original point of conversation, “I wanted to marry her,” He admitted softly, “but I wanted to wait until my father was better because it would be unfair if she had to become queen so early.” His entire idea was laid out before her and he couldn’t quite tell what she thought of it, not yet.

“I really, really want to be with you forever. You’re the only one for me,” He told her, eyes hopeful, “This year, it has been the best one of my life because I’ve had the honor of spending it getting to know you. And every color I’ve discovered, every shade, I’ve fallen in love with and I want to spend my life finding the rest.” Nilo smiled, words laced with the utmost love and appreciation. It was then the man kneeled, removing the little pouch from inside his pocket and procuring the ring from inside it, holding it out to her.

“So, Gennadius Des Arluin, will you marry me?"

To say she was surprised by what Nilo had to say about his father. At first, it seemed as if it was said because he actually didn’t want to see the man, but then he mentioned his father wanting him to do something. That made sense, considering there were probably things that needed to get done in order for the king to take the throne back, right? So maybe all this was because Nilo was stressed about that?

But then the man jumped into mentioning a plan. Now that certainly piqued her interest and she took a slight step forward, head tilting. Dark eyes began to sparkle as his tone picked up with excitement, the more he started to say, the more comfortable he seemed. Life changing? What on earth did he have planned? Had he come up with some new policy for the kingdom? Or was he thinking of making a change to the general workings of the court? Why hadn’t he mentioned it before? Her mind was racing with questions as he had her complete and full attention.

But then, somehow, in a way she did not understand, the speech shifted to herself. Of course, Gennadius couldn’t help a smile at the way he began talking about her, referring to her in the third person, as they often did. A soft chuckle escaped her as she ran her fingers through her hair to push the blonde strands back, gaze falling to the ground. Oh, they took turns complimenting each other in the past but he spoke with such conviction, it did catch her off-guard and she wasn’t quite sure how to take the sudden showering of compliments.

Her palm instinctively opened when he reached for it at the mention of the night she cut it saving him. Now that was unusual... they rarely talked about that night except when he was feeling bad and she tried to reassure him, reminding him of her love by way of the scar. And even as his finger traced over the area, it sent a shiver down her spine as dark eyes lifted again to try and search his, asking what he was doing. It seemed all so sudden. Perhaps it came from nerves after she mentioned crossing blades with Theophilus?

And then just as quickly, she found him talking about the plan again! And that’s when he mentioned the marriage aspect and Gennadius began piecing together what it all meant. Or somewhat... for a second, with the way the wording was, she had been worried that maybe this was all a gentle way to try and tell her that the plan wasn’t good anymore... or that for some reason, he was trying to put some distance between them. But that lasted no more than a moment as he went on, catching the hope in his eyes as he continued.

It was as if the world was in slow motion when the man lowered himself. Everything around her fell out of focus as the true realization hit her of what exactly he was doing, pulling out the ring as he finally asked the question. And in those moments in which time seemed to freeze, the woman was standing dumbfounded, at a loss for words and even thoughts. They had talked about marriage... gods, they had even talked about kids... but when Damien had mentioned her one day marrying Nilo, it hadn’t been something she saw happening within the next few months, or even years really.

It wasn’t because she didn’t want it or love Nilo. But it was rather that the prince seemed so happy in the relationship they were in and she had just assumed he would keep it that way. And a small part of her, the piece that still ached from the hardships of life, had told her that the marriage would never happen in the end, and that she would spend her days as no more than courting him, if even that. Because surely at some point, he would have to marry someone.

But now it was all sinking in and of all the things, she found herself not sure what to do with her hands. Her natural reaction to any new or uncertain situation was to rest a hand on her hilt, but that didn’t seem appropriate. Nor did crossing her hands over her chest... or was she supposed to hold a hand out for him? Which hand? Oh gods... was he supposed to put the ring on her? Damn it! She needed to say something first! But when she tried, nothing came out, her arms hanging limply at her side as she eyed the beautiful ring.

Oh, hell with the ring! Gennadius dropped to her knees, arms reaching out to wrap around his shoulders, ignoring the jewelry in favor for doing something that didn’t leave her trying to decided what to do about it. Her face pressed against the side of his neck for just a moment before she pulled it away, moving her hands from his shoulders to his face. Deep orbs of blue searched lighter ones as her thumb moved across his cheek, a smile dancing over her features. “That’s a hard question you know,” she chuckled gently, though her own voice was swimming with emotion.

“Would I like to marry you? The man who knows my darkest secrets... the man who has the strength to rule a kingdom yet the kindest heart, enough to love and cherish a thief from the streets... the man who filled my dark life with hope and wonder, who carried me through my darkest nights and held me in my most vulnerable moments. The one that is so charming and sweet, yet powerful and willing to protect at whatever cost. Yes Nilo... it would be my greatest honor to be yours.”

Oh, there was still the very real concern about what this meant for her in aspect of title. She would no longer be a colonel when she took his name, but a princess with Van Aslan for her calling. In a million ways, she was not ready for that, but she knew she never would be. But more than that, knew Nilo would teach her, walk her patiently through every step. “You’re going to have a lot to teach me...” she whispered, pressing her forehead to his, knowing how much he liked the gesture.

“I... I don’t know the first thing about bearing any title of royalty... I’m not even sure how to make my way through the nobles.. And I don’t want to be in your way or be someone to mess up your honor by doing the wrong thing...” At this point, she had just started to ramble, not sure what to do now that she had said yes. Or was she supposed to be quiet? Gennadius wasn’t sure so she went with what she knew, which happened to be talking, though it was coming out a bit jumbled and breathless.

In those moments of silence, Nilo could hear his heart pounding in his ears and his smile slowly became a nervous one. He suddenly became very aware of the possibility of rejection and what little confidence he had scrounged up tore in half. Light eyes widened as she seemed unsure of what to do and at the lack of verbal response, his anxiety more than evident. He had messed up. Nilo had messed up and he didn’t know what to do or how to take it back, but now he was on the floor with this ring out and he had surely just created a rift…

Then she hugged him. The man instinctively tensed as his train of thought was cut off, what would usually be a comforting gesture didn’t affect him. It wasn’t until the woman looked into his eyes and began to speak that Nilo relaxed, a soft smile returning to his features. Her voice brought him waves of relief and he knew then, even when an official answer hadn’t been given, that everything was going to be okay. When she finally did tell him “yes”, his grin only warmed, stretching across his cheeks in the boyish, crooked manner that had always been true to him.

When she began to ramble on, the man chuckled, pressing his lips softly to hers as she trailed off. It was a gesture that was meant to be short, sweet, and comforting. After a moment the man pulled away, taking her hand and sliding the ring on its designated finger before it was lost in the library. “If it doesn’t fit properly I can always have it resized, just let me know.” The man spoke quietly, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “And my honor will be perfectly fine, I promise you. I have done much more damage to it myself than you ever can.” He laughed, finally allowing himself to fall back on his rump.

“Now, I told you this once and I will again. We have time darling, so please do not stress right now,” Nilo implored her, a hand reaching out to interlace their fingers and give a comforting squeeze. “The engagement can last however long we need it to last, okay?” It felt funny, to refer to them as engaged, but they were now and the man could not have been more glad for it. He was not looking to rush it either, given as they would both need time to adjust to the concept of matrimony.

Happy. Nilo was happy. Ecstatic was a better word for it, as the man's loony grin was very contradictory to his calm tones. It was proving to be quite difficult not to tackle her and smother her with affection like an overexcited dog. The prince knew she had worries and that was realistic, so he sought to quell them the best he could before they could fester. The last thing he wanted was for her to be stressed when she should simply be able to share in his joy, for they had taken another big step as a couple.

His thumb ran back and forth over the back of her hand, something it often did. “As a prince who squandered his prime years of royal education away and still managed to run a kingdom in his father's stead, I believe there is more than enough hope for you.” He reassured with his own touch of humor, “Not to mention your mind is sharper than the blade you carry.” Nilo pointed out, nodding toward the sword where it sat in its ebony hilt. He wasn’t just saying such things to make her feel better. No, he had faith in her and his words were genuine.

“I will not lie and say being a royal is not complex because it is, but I promise you that it will be okay. I will walk with you until you no longer need my hand to hold and don’t forget, I’m still learning too. We’re in this together.” Nilo was still a student himself and there was no way he would ever know everything in his lifetime, but he would share with her the knowledge he had and would do his best to give her a solid foundation. He would make sure she was not left behind to deal with her new world on her own.

Nilo scooted a little closer, situating himself in front of her before leaning to press their foreheads together again, light eyes looking into hers with an insurmountable adoration. “We have time,” He repeated, voice firm and confident. “We have time for me to teach you how to mingle with the vipers and what all my boring paperwork means. Granted, I do not think there will ever be enough time to learn everything there is to know about royalty, for both me and you, but we can learn what we can and give it our one-hundred percent. We can try our best and take everything in stride. You will have me and I will have you. And together…” Nilo purred, leaning forward and placing another delicate kiss on her lips, “we can take the world by storm.”

The soft kiss did, indeed, silence her, and the woman melted into it before allowing him to slide the ring on. “It fits perfectly,” she reassured, glancing back down at it, let it sink in exactly what it now meant. It was beautiful, its meaning, and thrilling to realize just how big a step this really was for them. This ring... this moment, it made it official, that Nilo was claiming her to be his bride, to be the future of his kingdom.

Her hand held to his as she smiled with his encouragement and promises that he would help her through. How could she not believe him, when his tone was so genuine? His face was radiating with his happiness, and truth be told, so was hers. The worries were real, but the most fearful parts of them were quenched for the moment by his words, and right now, there was so much more to focus on as well. Because she was stepping into a new world in her position, title, name, life style, and relationship.

Gennadius happily pressed her forehead to his when he moved forward, free hand coming up to brush softly against his cheek. Time... it sounded amazing, the idea having time. There was no running every moment, wondering if she would be able to get a chance to see him, as it had been before the borders. Nor was it her sitting, staring at wall, feeling that time was crushing her and with her injury, she couldn’t keep up as the world spun on. No, for once, time was on their side... for once, it was all on their side, the fates, life in general.

They would take the world by storm, together. “I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she whispered softly, leaning back in to press her lips to his again, though drew it out longer than his had been. Her fingers slid up into his hair as she pulled her head back, blue eyes dancing with excitement and love for the man in front of her. Yes, she was boiling over with it all, and now she could barely contain it as she took both his hands in hers, grin wide and inviting.

She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her as she shook her head, “I have so many questions... so many things I want to know and understand. Some I suppose are silly and some are just because I do not know the first thing about being married to a crown prince.” It was true, she had an arsenal of things that needed answering, just waiting to be shot at him so Gennadius could learn. “But, I think they can wait since you’ve promised to teach me in time. So I suppose, perhaps lunch is still in order and we have two things to celebrate now.”

Gennadius rocked onto her feet, his hands still firmly in her grasp as she pulled him up into a standing position with her. The woman may be a knighted colonel, but at this time, she looked like as excited woman, one who was deeply in love and wanted the world to know her good fortune. It had nothing to do with him being prince. She would have been just as happy and thrilled if he had been a carpenter or a farmer, as long as he was still himself.

Keeping hold of one hand, she started him towards the library doors, dark eyes dancing. “Would it be alright with you if I wore it as a necklace?” she inquired suddenly, having looked down at the ring and realized it was bound to accidently slip off or get scratched if left on her hand while training. And she didn’t really want to take it off her being, which was when she remembered how Beatrice had worn Damien's ring. “Just for when I am working with the men. I’d hate to lose it.”

Gennadius looked back at him, still pulling him down the hall towards the kitchen in her excitement. “Gods Nilo! I don’t even know the first thing about being married. You know about my parents so I never really got to see what it is like. And I’ve never been to a wedding either so I don’t know the first thing about how that will work either.” She was laughing, unbridled joy at everything, her fears still present but waning in light of all the wonderful things that came with this new turn of events. This new step forward for her and Nilo.

“Do you have to announce the engagement, since you are prince?” The woman had nonstop questions, and these weren’t even the ones she originally had, just ones that happened to be popping up as she was moving along. “When would you do it? How do you do it?” There was a little bit of not understanding how the monarchy worked in those questions, which was one of the reasons she was asking. But she wanted to be part of it all, more than before. There was a time when he first told her he wanted to court her that she had inquired how she could be of assistance, and at the time, there really wasn’t much for her. But now, her life was soon to be his life as well and she was determined to start some understanding.

“Do you think Theophilus will mind continuing taking most of my duties? I mean, now I need to start learning how everything works and of course, this does include me trailing you more often to see what you do.” Now she was starting to just speak her thoughts out loud, finally glancing at him and giving a sheepish smile when she realized she hadn’t given him a chance to even get a word in edgewise.

Nilo grinned against her lips as she leaned back in, fingers snaking into his hair in the way he loved. What was there not to love when it came to her? She was his everything and more. Sure, there were flaws, neither of them were perfect people, but that was okay. It was okay because as long as they chose to make their relationship work and keep it alive, they would be fine and Nilo had faith in that.

Nilo didn’t think he could stop smiling if he tried. He was far too excited and exuberant because the possibility of a future was so much more real now, even if it was a while away. The man looked forward to many more adventures and milestones. “I will gladly answer any question you throw my way, even if it is the silliest inquiry I’ve ever heard.” He joked, giving the hands that now held his a squeeze, “And yes, I do believe a celebratory lunch is in order. I am a rather hungry royal.”

When the woman pulled him to his feet he rose in an ungraceful manner, stumbling with a series of clicks from his obnoxious footwear. Nilo laughed as she tugged him towards the door, the two weaving through the maze of shelves to reach their desired exit. He tilted his head at her inquiry, quickly realizing the reasoning behind it. “Of course,” The man told her, “you could even take it off then if you wanted, I promise you I won’t throw a tantrum.” Her consideration for the piece of jewelry was rather cute, something he hadn’t even thought of.

As they left the library, it became more of her dragging him along than them walking side by side, which would be a rather funny sight to any onlookers, the man bent over to keep their hands connected as she tugged him along. To be honest, the man didn’t know much about marriage either, even if his parents had been happy together. It was one thing to see the couple, but one never knew what happened behind the scenes, the quiet talks and important conversations. It was something one had to figure out with their partner and who would be a better partner than the woman in front of him?

She began to ask him a flurry of questions and the man did his best to remember them, given as she wasn’t giving him a chance to answer them before moving on. After several moments she caught herself, the man giving a laugh at the somewhat embarrassed smile that was cast his way. He took that as his cue to speak. “The engagement will have to be officially announced, yes. I’m sure there will be some kind of ball as a celebration. Much to your dismay, I know.” Nilo chuckled and shook his head, “I don’t have to do so immediately either,” He quickly added, not looking to scare her, “we can wait a while to make an announcement, it doesn’t make it any less legitimate. I’m sure you’d rather get to know some things rather than be thrust straight into a ball.” Nilo remembered how the last social had gone and there had been smaller gatherings since, except she hadn’t attended any of those. That meant the ball would most likely be her next event.

“We will talk about that too, trust me, I won’t catch you off-guard with an official announcement. As for how it will be done, it’ll probably be in the city square. My father will know more about it than me than this point, he’s the only one who’s actually been married.” Nilo mused with a puff of laughter. His father would definitely be of assistance during this period, given as both were unaware of how marriage proceedings worked. Nilo had attended Adaira’s wedding as well as a few others, so he knew what a wedding was like, but as for announcements and other proceedings? Nilo was just as uninformed as she was, although he was not fretting.

Now it was his turn to lead her towards the kitchens, the man resuming their journey in that direction. “I’m sure Theophilus won’t mind,” Nilo assured her, knowing the man had always been nothing but kind and gracious. “You can still be involved in the military side of things. I’m sure you're better at it than I am anyway.” He offered with a touch of humor, hoping she could find a little bit of comfort knowing there would be something she was familiar within the life of royalty. “And I will do my best to teach you everything you want to know.” The man bumped his shoulder playfully to hers, hoping to keep her in high spirits rather than intimidate.

Nilo knew such a path would seem stressful, especially to a person with common routes. Then again, his advisor had been about as common as it got. “Look at Damien,” He pointed out, voicing his thoughts, “he was a commoner too, but look at him now. The man could nearly run this place on his own and he holds himself at socials, even though he is horrible with people. You have much more charm than that grump.” The prince certainly had faith in her and not just because he was biased. Nilo had faith in her because the man had seen all she had done and how hard she had worked.

“Speaking of Mr. Fahey, I was going to talk to him about my little plan, but he chose today of all days to run off,” Nilo huffed, “Man had a visitor at my gates this morning and nearly caused all my papers to go flying with how fast he ran out of there.” And with that the door to the kitchens appeared in front of them, the prince reaching the door and opening it for her to step through.

“Anyways darling, what do we want to con the chefs into making us today?” Nilo questioned as they stood near the kitchen's entrance, “And which plan are we going with? Are we visiting my father for an infirmary celebration or shall we snatch the blankets from my bed to sit on the balcony and watch the snow? Both are very valid options.” He inquired with a smile, which still was yet to leave his face.

A ball?! The very thought made her slow down some, though she did not lose her excitement or her smile. It was expected, but not an overly welcome idea. But then again, what it meant was so wonderful, that perhaps it would be worth it after all. Because this time, she wasn’t going in as a colonel trying to prove her worth, but as Nilo’s intended, and that meant she had every right to stay right by his side the entire time, to actually learn from him instead of trying to hold her own with him all the way across the room.

Though, the idea of an official announcement in the city square was a bit more frightening. Now there, there every single person could see her, size her up. Which wouldn’t normally bother her except this wasn’t something she could just ignore. Because their fates would one day rest in her hands as well, and they knew and she knew it. What if they didn’t like her? Gods... what could that mean for Nilo? She did not doubt he would face every one of them down, but she didn’t want to put him through that either.

The worries were starting to come up with more force, but the puff of laughter from the prince helped ease her nerves, allowing him to take the lead and start pulling her towards the kitchens. Gennadius was relieved at the mention of being able to do something familiar, military things being something she knew well. As a colonel, she had learned a lot about how everything ran and had confidence in her abilities there, though she was beginning to see that Theophilus was going to be indispensible.

At the mention of Damien, even she had to admit, he normally would seem an unlikely candidate for his job, and yet he excelled with flying colors. But her thoughts did not last on his abilities long, getting distracted by what the prince had said he had done. A visitor? Running out of the room? Now who on earth would cause Damien to.... could it be? Her smile turned knowing and she let out a chuckle, “It must have been someone important then. Maybe he will introduce us to this friend sometime.”

Walking into the kitchen, she glanced around, knowing exactly what she wanted for lunch. “I do believe I am going to go for one of those killer sandwiches they have with the cheese and such on it. Oh! And perhaps one of those warm cider drinks they have with some warm pastries.” One of the chefs had heard her decision and moved off to start making her food, the man always and ever kind, despite basically having two children make it one of their hobbies to come in and demand sustenance. Though one could hardly deem the children now.

“And I do believe that first it would be lovely enjoy a lovely lunch together. I still have plenty to ask and I am sure there are things you want to talk about,” she laughed. The idea of snuggling into some blankets with their food and watching the snow sounded beyond amazing and comfortable. It always would have but now that... this was all so official, it seemed like it would mean so much more, which it would for her at least. Nilo was her betrothed, the promise of his love and affections on her finger for the world to see that he was certain he wanted to be with her forever.

“After that, we can go see your father but I really would enjoy that time with you,” Gennadius explained, moving over to him with her smile and tucking herself under his arm as she was slowly starting to do more often, though the times she actually did were still few and far between. It was around the same time, the chef finishing up her meal and placing it on the tray that he noticed the ring on her finger and began beaming, congratulating the two.

“About time you did it!” came the hardy laugh, resulting in a brightening Gennadius who seemed to lift her chin a little higher proudly.

The woman gratefully took the tray, having to pull away some to take it, though she still hovered close to Nilo while they waited for his food. She returned her attention back to the prince, dark eyes still sparkling. “I just can’t believe it’s been an entire year since I returned.” Her voice lowered some and she shook her head gently, “I can’t believe you waited for me... for two years. I honestly expected to return to you married. I was so horrified when the General told me he was having me knighted because I was afraid to see. But I couldn’t be more grateful now, because otherwise this... this never would have happened.”

Her heart was bursting with her happiness and she knew every day was going to have a new meaning now. Every hour, every moment was going to be spent trying to learn everything she could about her upcoming role in the kingdom and discovering even more about Nilo. Gennadius wanted to know what it was like to spend as much time as she could learning from him, and taking even more time to actually spend with him, even if it was while he was working or listening to him explain what he was doing with all the paperwork. “I love you so much Nilo...and this was the best thing you could have ever done.”

Nilo ordered the same as her for simplicity, not wanting to bug the chef more than they already were. The man could always just ask a servant to have the food brought to his quarters, but he always enjoyed visiting the kitchens, even when he was a kid. Granted, back then he had been ushered out immediately, but now there was something fun about being able to come in a rummage through the pantry with Gennadius like a child. The kitchen staff always seemed to humor the pair and their visits were definitely something he was fond of.

The man had been fine with either option, but he was glad he would be able to spend more time with her one-on-one. Their relationship was changing and growing deeper with the proposal as they began to walk towards their official forever. Nilo may have never planned on spending his life with anyone else, but now things felt so much more official because now there was no denying what path they intended to take. They truly wanted to marry each other and the ring she now wore was evidence of that.

His arm lifted as she nudged him, the woman finding her usual spot in his side and his arm draped over her shoulders, pulling her into him. “And I would enjoy some time with you too as it seems the world wants to keep us busy. Besides, my father’s much too occupied with Flower these days. His “granddog” he calls her.” Nilo laughed, giving Gennadius a squeeze. It was then the chef glanced their way again and congratulated them. “I had to make sure she really wanted me, sir,” He responded jokingly, “it’s hard to believe I’m the chosen one.” Now those words were genuine because the man honestly could not believe that she wanted him for him. Not his title or monetary worth, but just him as a man.

Nilo’s smile softened as she mentioned that it had been a year, something he also could not believe. It didn’t seem like very long, the two having fallen into a routine and too absorbed in their lives to really count it all. But it was true that somewhere in the last few weeks they had hit their one-year mark since the two had reconnected at the beginning of winter. It was incredible to think about, that the man had the privilege of being with her for an entire year.

It was then she started to talk about how he waited and her own fears of returning. “Oh my father tried to marry me off,” Nilo laughed softly, “but I was too difficult.” Truth be told, his father and him had locked horns on multiple occasions on the subject of a wife, given the fact Nilo probably visited nearly a hundred women over the course of those two years and none of which even attracted him. He had wanted someone else.

“I don’t think I knew I was waiting for you. Told myself I had moved on, visited all these women just to appease my father and focused on my duties. My mind said it was over and that I was over it. Clearly, that was not the case.” Nilo purred, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, “You stole my heart and ran away with it for two years and I was stuck in a monotonous limbo.” That much was true, the man had been a statue for two years, the perfect prince who had a gaping hole in his chest, “Then you came back and it was like I was seeing color for the first time in years. I am beyond grateful you returned and even more so that you ran away with my heart in the first place,” The man told her, eyes glittering in his lovesick mood, “because you can keep it forever. I don’t want it back.”

This woman, with her eyes that were dark as the ocean yet brighter than stars, had his heart and soul in the palm of her hand and he didn’t care. Nilo didn’t care because she was gentle, kind, and would fight wars on his behalf to secure his safety. He trusted her with his entire being and knew she would never hurt him. The woman had saved him from a life of self-hatred and alcoholism, not to mention she had saved him from taking his own life. Such was the relationship they had forged and it was his life’s most incredible journey. “I love you too, my darling,” Nilo finally responded, “you are my everything.”

At last, the chef arrived with his food, the prince taking the tray and thanking the kind chef with a smile. It was then the pair made their exit to go for the rest of their afternoon plans. “Come Gennadius, I have a bed and chest of blankets waiting for us, not to mention I have a wardrobe full of coats that are perfect for winter if it gets too chilly.” Nilo winked, the two truly encased in their own bubble of warmth and promise of a future. The man’s heart was full and he did not think there was anything that could dampen his mood.

The woman couldn’t help her soft chuckle as he mentioned her keeping his heart. “I wouldn’t give it back for anything in the world anyway. It’s mine now.” Her grin widened more, if that was even possible as they started for his room. “I have to keep it anyway since I gave you mine. I don’t think you’d like it if I returned yours and was left with no heart at all to live by.”

At the mention of the coats, Gennadius got that mischievous light in her eyes. “So, now that we are engaged, does that mean I technically have a right to your clothing now and can take them without worrying about stealing from you?” she questioned playfully, carefully bumping into him to avoid spilling their food and drinks. “I do still have two of your shirts and a pair of sweatpants which I refuse to give back. I think it is time I expand my wardrobe with some of your coats and maybe snatch another blanket, what do you think?”

Her laughter echoed through the halls. Strangely enough, there was something more freeing about being engaged than simply courting, though one would assume it would be the other way around. But not for her, the woman feeling alive and freer than she ever had before. “I would offer you one of my shirts but last time I did that, you told me to stop giving you my clothes. But you’re welcome to borrow my daggers,” she offered, remembering their first meeting when he had been so cold and she was more annoyed with him than actually caring.

As they came to his familiar room, they moved inside and Gennadius placed her tray down on the night table. While she let him collect the blankets, the woman moved towards the balcony, pleased to see the snow was indeed starting to fall again and looked absolutely stunning in the light of the day, everything so white and pure. Seemed symbolic and even more beautiful in a way for that. “Oh, it is stunning outside!” And with that, she threw open the balcony doors, being struck with the icy chill that seemed to blast into the room, though it felt amazing. Yes, she loved the cold, though she liked the idea of being snuggly outside better.

Luckily the balcony wasn’t covered yet, making it easier to retrieve a few blankets herself and placed them down for them to have something warm to sit on. Though, she still made a point of coming back inside and delve into his wardrobe to find a coat she liked, which happened to be the black one he had given her when she arrived from the borders the first time, so long ago. “I remember this one,” she mentioned, sliding it on, “You had me wear it instead of the crimson one because the other had upset me so much.”

Gennadius moved over to her tray and grasped it as she started back outside into the chilling air, though she knew comfortable warmth awaited her. Easing herself down, she went crisscross, placing the tray on her lap and allowing Nilo to do what he would with the blankets. Reaching for her cup, she took a sip of the warm liquid as she leaned her shoulder into his, releasing a contented sigh. Her face was already starting to go red from the cold, but she could honestly care less at the moment.

And that’s when she remembered the question that had been rolling through her head for basically the entire year, though she had never asked since their marriage hadn’t been official. But now that it was definitely happening, she did want to know. “Nilo... I know this is an odd question and maybe I’m jumping ahead a bit, but I have been curious.” She paused long enough to take a bite of her sandwich and swallow before continuing. “But when we do get married, am I going to be put in a separate wing or room? Or are we sharing? I’ve just heard that royalty tends... to do thing differently,” she admitted.

Nilo scoffed as she laid claim to his clothing. “No! We are not married yet, so stay away from my wardrobe. We do not steal our intended’s clothing, Gennadius. I had to buy another pair of pants.” He huffed, but then his face softened again, “Although, I suppose there are some exceptions I can make, but if you come for anything scarlet related, I may have to leave you in the snow.” The man joked but knew full well that if she took some of his clothing he really wouldn’t care. He did, after all, not have much of a budget when it came to clothes.

Nilo laughed as she mentioned trying to give him one of her shirts. The man had the faintest memory of that. Much to his dismay, he often had trouble remembering the night they met for he had not been in the right headspace. “I don’t remember that much about that night. I was unwell,” Nilo reminded her, though his mood still remained chipper, “but I think I do remember something about you offering me a shirt. I really just remember you being annoyed.” He shook his head in humor, briefly noting how far they had come from that night.

As they entered, Nilo was tasked with retrieving the blankets, the man setting his food down while he snatched his comforter and some blankets from the chest at the edge of his bed, which held his warmer, fuzzier ones. The man grinned at her voice from the outside as he folded them in his arms, but let out a dramatic cry of protest as she went to his wardrobe, though he instantly softened as she mentioned the one he had given her when she returned from the borders. Now that, Nilo remembered clearly. The man had slipped the dark tailcoat in when he had given back some of the clothes he had saved when they went to clear out her things.

“I gave it to you because you didn’t have much and it was cold that day. You were shivering when I found you and you didn’t have anything warm that I had saved from the maids.” Nilo recalled, joining in on the memory, “I figured black was a safe color.” He took the blankets out and dumped them into a pile before retreating inside and pulling a gray coat over his own form. The man then grabbed his tray and settled, figuring they could take advantage of the blankets after they ate. He relaxed as she leaned against him, biting into his sandwich, and watching the snow with a content expression, the man always having a love for the winter.

His head turned her way as she began to ask another question, but this one was about their future living arrangements, something he hadn’t even thought of. The man paused for a moment, chewing thoughtfully. “You are correct in the fact royals typically have separate quarters and are only together… some nights,” Nilo agreed, blushing somewhat, though his face had already begun to grow red from the cold, “but we do not have to do things that way if it isn’t what you want.” He offered, glancing in her direction and taking a sip of his drink.
“I would love to share a bed with you nightly so you are the first thing I see when I wake up, but I also know you like your space, so a separate room is okay with me too. I don’t mind being conventional or unconventional.” Nilo took another bite of his food, though it was probably more a chomp. For several moments he chewed silently before swallowing and speaking again, “If it is any consolation, I believe my parents spent most of their nights together. They didn’t in the beginning though because they were strangers.” He explained, knowing he would probably be thinking about his own parent’s relationship rather often, given as he clearly didn’t know about marriage himself.

Nilo shifted somewhat closer to her and shook some flakes out of his hair. It was really a gorgeous scene and he was sure the city and grounds would be beautiful by morning. Perhaps they could take Flower out in it later to see it all. “Why do you ask anyway?” Nilo questioned, curious for her thinking, “It seems this has been a repetitive thought in your brain. Worried I'll make you sleep in the dungeon?” He chuckled, bumping her shoulder.

While he spoke, she continued to eat her food, listening carefully. What he said was what she had heard before and for some reason, hearing him say it struck her a little harder than she realized it would. Part of her had hoped that it really wasn’t. But it was a relief when he said things didn’t have to be done that way. Though she wondered what he wanted for this. And she did understand that was ahead some ways, but she did want to know and understand now.

Nilo quickly addressed her unspoken concern about what he wanted and it made her smile. It was true that she had always wanted her space but that was before. That was when she was just a colonel and they had been simply courting. There had never been a time, however, that she had not enjoyed joining Nilo in his bed to simply cuddle. How many nights had she done so during her nightmares? There were a few times where it had been the only way for her to get through the night.

She finished her sandwich up in the time he had been talking, Gennadius having always been a fast eater. When he moved closer, she met him by moving closer herself, able to feel the heat coming off him. At his joke, she couldn’t help her own soft chuckle, placing her tray on the ground to the side, taking a drink quickly before placing it back down. She reached for one of the blankets to drag it over herself, though left some of it to the side for Nilo to grab if he wanted.

“I don’t think you could take it if you left me in the dungeon,” she teased gently, curling into the blanket before pressing against the man’s side and under his arm. She couldn’t get over how different simple things were now, despite being the same motions. Just now they seemed laced with so much more emotion and love than before, and that was fine with her as she released a content sigh, eyes closing as she prepared to answer his question about why she asked the question that kept coming up at the oddest of times and did really concern her.

“Honestly, I guess part of me wondered exactly how welcome I would be as your wife. As of now, you’ve always let me come in, no matter the time. I’ve thought about it now and again, I do admit, but it never seemed an appropriate thing to ask.” A soft sigh escaped her, eyes fluttering open again to look at the scenery around them. “It would mean everything to me to be welcomed to be so completely part of your life for you to want to spend every night with me.” She meant it in the simplest ways, though she did understand such relations weren’t always as such but she sure as hell wasn’t going to ask Nilo about that.

Her hand reached up to brush her fingers over his jaw, slowly tracing the line of the bone and the contours she could trace on paper perfectly by this point. “I want you to want me... because I feel safest at night when you are there. And I just enjoy being with you.” Her lips were twitched up in a smile as she tilted her head back to look into his face. “You are my everything Nilo. If something were to happen to you, I would lose myself. You are the reason I am who I am.”

Her words were genuine as she tucked herself into him, burying her face into his coat. “I cannot wait to see what lies ahead. For once, I look forward to the future,” she spoke, voice muffled before she pulled her head back out. “You know, sometimes, I like just being a woman... being a badass gets tiresome on occasion,” she chuckled, “And I enjoy just being me with you.” Dark blue eyes looked into his light ones and she shifted to totally burst his personal space bubble, moving onto his lap and curling into him.

It was there that it hit her the strongest. This man... Nilo... was to be her husband. He had asked her to be his for the rest of their lives. Her fingers moved across his coat and she let out a soft joyful laugh. “For eternity sounds amazing.”