Nilo scoffed as the woman threatened to steal his things simply for the sake of his scent. “If I go into my room one night and find my comforter gone I’m burning down the caste.” He retorted, though his humor sparkled in his light eyes, “And personally, I don’t have enough clothes, Gennadius. How many shirts have you stolen now, hmm? Seven? A whole week's worth that you’re squirreling away in your room?” The prince teased, gently bumping their shoulders together. “I’m not even so sure you didn’t go raid my wardrobe this morning while I was sleeping.” He accused, though laughed afterward.

As the shirt was tossed into his lap, Nilo instinctively reached for it, but then he paused and let it fall back into his lap. He couldn’t do that, not in front of her. It was hard enough to do it in the privacy of his own room. The man played it off, grabbing a glass of fruity beverage he was rather familiar with and sipping at it. Nilo couldn’t change in front of her. Well, he could, but he wouldn’t. It had been hard enough to let the nurses change his bandages, let alone let Gennadius see him that marred.

There were no longer any open wounds, just ugly scars. Nilo wore shirts to bed now and sometimes he would even wear the one for the following day, simply so he didn’t have to change twice. Not to mention the fact he was still bathing exclusively in the dark and only every couple of days when he forced himself to do so. Nilo hadn’t thought much of what he was doing… until now. Perhaps now the man was finally realizing the unhealthiness behind his habits when faced with a new challenge, but he didn’t exactly want to admit to her that he thought he looked disgusting beneath the fabric.

“I’ll just change later when I acquire a pair of pants. Walking around in a nice shirt and sweats is kind of odd, isn't it? At least right now I’m matching.” Any other day the man would’ve changed and not minded being mismatched, simply due to the fact he preferred to be in his own clothes rather than the infirmary whites. But he was going to pretend, for now at least. The two had nearly died the night previous and he didn’t want any additional strain. Nilo just wanted to relax and enjoy his day, maybe get some work done later, but that was it.

Nilo reached out and grabbed another pastry, gnawing at the flaky bread, though it was more to stress eat than anything, even if he didn’t realize. He didn’t like to think about his body too much because it disturbed him. The scars made him feel a variety of things he hated. He preferred to keep himself covered up and forget. “Perhaps we should just move into the infirmary, with how much time we spend here. I think Augustus would love that, wouldn’t you?” He asked jokingly, the smile having not left his face despite his inner turmoil.

“And I’d like to see the others too, even if they haven’t made any progress with the guard. I’m sure Theodore’s running around like a madman because everyone's focused on the investigation rather than their usual jobs.” Nilo chuckled, shaking his head. The man's friends were good ones, that was for sure. Although the prince hoped they had extracted the information they needed from the guard, he knew such things couldn’t be rushed, and seeing his friends would do just fine. “So, are we done here then? I can take the tray with us and we can drop it back at the little eatery here before we leave. Then we can stop by my room later for some pants and I can change.” Nilo suggested, finishing his pastry and getting to his feet.

Gennadius couldn’t help lifting a brow when he mentioned his reasoning behind not putting the shirt on. Now that did seem odd considering a few things. First off, he had spent the last two weeks not even bothering with his appearance, and before that, he had been forced to wear the hospital grade pants but had still put on his more comfortable shirts. So, she didn’t understand the sudden change in thinking he was having.

Oh, the man kept his smile and chattered on as if hadn’t said anything out of the ordinary. “Oh yes... Augustus would be so welcoming...” the words were sarcastic humor, but her eyes gave away that she wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation or even really invested in it at the moment. They were focused on the shirt, as if the fabric would reveal the answers in its folds. “And I am sure Theodore is used to it. He likes his job anyway. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Darius beat all the answers out of the man by now.”

Slowly, she rose to her feet, raising her gaze to his, the concern more than evident there. “No.” It was said rather bluntly as she reached out and picked up the shirt, handing it back to him. “No, we are not done here.” But no matter how blunt her response was, her voice held nothing but kindness, the woman stepping right up to him, hand coming up to gently dust her fingers over his jaw. “Not yet, at least. If you wander around the castle in a full set of infirmary clothes, you’re going to have everyone even more concerned. You don’t even like them.”

Stepping back again, she eased herself to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her legs up crisscross and tilting her head. “Besides, it won’t hurt to be a little mismatched. You’ve been mismatched for a month,” she chuckled offering a soft shrug and trying to lighten the mood. “And like I said, there is no point in worrying everyone anymore then they are. Your poor father would probably like to see you in something other than a full set of infirmary clothes. I would have brought you pants but I don’t have any clean pairs at the moment.”

She barely finished saying that when she got to her feet again and moved over to him. Flipping her hair back so she could see him better, Gennadius rested her palms on his chest, the concern coming back to her dark orbs again. But there was no judgement or trying to make assumptions this time. No, she would assume nothing and let Nilo do as he would. “What can I do?” It was a very open-ended question for a reason. She didn’t want to ask how could she help in case he felt pressured to come up with something. No, she was simply asking was there anyway she could make him comfortable or if he needed her to get something. “I can go run and get you the pants now if you’d like.”

The woman couldn’t resist reaching up again, fingers gently moving over the side of the jaw where he had been hit before she moved back some to see what he would prefer. “I just thought it would be nice for people to see that you were alright is all. But if you want to just go like this, that is fine too.” She also wanted to clarify, in the end, she was willing to go with whatever he decided, but she also wanted him to know she noticed and was paying attention.

Nilo blinked as the woman bluntly told him no, taken aback by her sudden forwardness. Had he done something wrong? His brow furrowed as she explained, the woman not wanting him to leave in infirmary clothes, somewhat stunned that she cared about what he walked around the castle in. “The clothes are fine,” Nilo tried to defend, looking down at the white fabric. It was thin and certainly not as comfortable as his usual attire, which was tailored to him and made with a soft cloth, but it worked. “They’re made for royalty and other high-class patients so the fabric is okay.” He pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

The woman was clearly trying to put the shirt on, though he wasn’t sure why. What was her point? It was just infirmary clothes, even if they were a bit drab looking. “My father came and saw me last night, he knows I’m fine. It was when the nurses drew you a bath and I had some extra time alone.” It was clear he was trying to get out of changing because although having her there was a huge part of it, Nilo didn’t want to either. It was stressful and she was sure to note his change of mood afterward. So really, even if he had his privacy, it would probably take a suspiciously long time on top of him being rather upset after he had changed.

“Besides, Damien and Theophilus already know I only have some bruising on my face and torso and I’m sure they told the rest of the group. I don’t know why you’re making a fuss out of this. It’s not that big of a deal, Gennadius.” Nilo sighed, somewhat frustrated as she pushed him, not understanding that her concern was a valid one and that she had honestly noticed more than he had. It was weird, but true that she noticed more of a deterioration than Nilo and it was him. Although he hadn’t gotten any worse, his new lack of self-care and hate was concerning and he was trying to continue and be oblivious to it.

But then she seemed to soften and the man's defenses dropped, relaxing under her touch as her hands rested on his chest. She wanted to help him and the man nearly tore off the stupid infirmary shirt to try and force himself to get over it, but all his fingers did was fiddle with the bottom of the fabric and his eyes avoided hers. He couldn’t. He really couldn’t and that saddened him for some reason. He used to not care whether she saw him shirtless because there was never any judgment. In fact, she seemed to like the moments when she was able to touch his skin but now the man was horrified at the thought of her seeing him.

Why though? Why did he feel so strongly about this subject? Nilo knew she would be nothing but supportive as she’d always been, but why couldn’t he just take the damn shirt off? The man was silent for many moments, hands on the edge of his shirt, though he never moved to lift it above his head. He was embarrassed by his body and hesitance, as well as extremely self-conscious. Nilo certainly wasn’t as confident in himself as he used to be and he knew it. But he loved Gennadius, more than anything and she would not hesitate to reassure him, so why was this so difficult.

Nilo didn’t know and that saddened him. His face fell and he let out a defeated sigh, frustrated he couldn’t come up with an ample explanation. “I’m not sure.” The man admitted, finally answering her question. It was rather genuine, for he truly didn’t understand what he was going through himself. He was confused and rather than try and figure it out, he had shoved everything to the back of his mind. He leaned into the hand that came up to his face and nearly protested when she pulled away, the man wanting the comfort she had to offer.

“I think I should just go like this,” Nilo told her, though it was rather sad the way he said it, his eyes sweeping back up to hers, “I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I assure you I’m alright. I’m still happy, I’ve just hit a bump in the road.” He explained, not really wanting to talk about it. He just wanted to relax. Last night's events had been incredibly difficult and he didn’t want to discuss his disgusting scars and marred torso in the first place. Pushing it further away wasn’t healthy either, but he hoped she would drop it.

“If we stop by my room, I can fully change, if that’s what you’d like. I wouldn’t mind…” Nilo did mind and very much so, but the man would do it for her, even if him struggling so much ridiculous for a shirt change. It was his reality though and at the moment, that wasn’t changing. Another soft sigh escaped him and the man sat back on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair. Nilo fidgeted with the shirt she had handed him, the dark fabric familiar beneath his fingertips, yet he had never wanted to cast it aside more.

Pain. Oh, nothing physical, but Gennadius was deeply hurting for him. Something was wrong and it was frustrating that she couldn’t quite out her finger on it. He was fighting the idea tooth and nail, and that was something he had never done with something so trivial as putting on a shirt. The woman knew at one time, he would have leapt to do so just because she asked. But this time there was nothing but excuse after excuse.

Her eyes carried nothing but a soft sorrow now, knowing until he opened up more or she figured out, there was nothing she could do. He claimed she was the one making a big deal… perhaps she was but it seemed a big enough problem. She did not miss the way his fingers fiddled with the end of his shirt, but it was the way he answered her that struck her the most. Even he wasn’t sure what could be done… “That’s alright,” she offered lightly, giving him a small smile.

His plea, to her it sounded as such, was not argued but she only nodded. If he was determined to go as he was, she would not stop him. Not right now, at any rate. But her focus shifted to his next words, seeing if the could shed any light on what was going, which they offered some, though not much. Something was wrong in relation to his appearance, though he wasn’t placing a finger on it, nor did it seem he really wanted to. But all she could see was his distress and Gennadius realized there was no point in pursuing it. Not at this moment. Later. Not now.

“This isn’t about me,” she explained, moving to scoot onto the bed, shifting behind him and crossing her legs. Leaning forward, her arms wrapped around his torso, her cheek pressing to his back. “If you don’t want to change, then I won’t make you. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out.” She tightened her grip him, and it was then that she thought she might understand. Her arms pressed against his torso, the thin fabric allowing her to feel the very slight rise of the still rather new scarring. Could it be as simple as that? She wasn’t sure and didn’t want to make a wrong assumption like she had before.

Lifting her head, she rested her chin on his shoulder, golden locks spilling over to his front. “I love you Nilo Van Aslan. Every part of you… every flaw and perfect feature,” she hummed gently, but did not bring up the shirt again or address her suspicion. In good time things would fall into place. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t at least send some reassurance his way. A little reassurance could go a long way, and she had a feeling what he needed was her support and patience, not for her to bully answers out of him.

The woman could feel he was somewhat tense and knew it had to do with her inquiry about the shirt before. Calmly, she leaned away and pulled her arms free of him, moving her hands to his shoulders. She wasn’t sure if it would help or he would even want this, but she would try, hoping her years of rubbing out her own sore muscles would serve her well. So it was ever so gently that she began massaging his shoulders , staying quiet as she worked her fingers along the muscles and down his back again before back to the shoulders.

It didn’t take long for her arms to start protesting, clearly displeased with the workout she was giving them. But her sole concern and priority was the man in front of her. After a couple minutes, she had to stop, her head moving over his shoulder again so she could place a kiss carefully on his cheek. At the same time, she reached down and snagged the shirt he had been fiddling with a pulled it away. “Ah hell Nilo, no one cares what shirt you wear. As long as you’re the one wearing it.”

And with that, she left it on the bed behind him and scooted around to stand to her feet, flexing her hands before reaching out and claiming one of his, tugging him to his feet. “Now if you will carry the tray, good sir, I will lead the charge to the kitchens before I hand the reins to you, and you can decide what we do next.” Gennadius released him and made her way to the door, swinging it open wide with a playful grin. Personally, she still wanted to see how the integration proceedings were going but Nilo was her priority. If he wanted to do something else in the end, then she was more than happy to do that instead.

Nilo let out a relieved exhale as she softened, wrapping her arms around him and leaning against his back. His hands lifted to rest on her arms, the man beginning to relax from the tense state he had been in, her words ever-soothing. The man just liked hearing her voice and thought of it as a comfort. He stared at the floor, thumbs lightly running across her skin. A soft smile crossed his face as she leaned up to his shoulder, his fingers lifting to toy with the hair that fell over his shoulder. A small laugh, a happy one, escaped him as she spoke again, the woman certainly beginning to lift his mood.

“I love you too.” The man murmured back, but his brow somewhat furrowed as her hands moved to his shoulders, confused. But as her hands began to work over his shoulders, the man's eyes closed, definitely not minding. They didn’t speak, but there was something nice about the silence and the contact, whether it had been the massage or just them holding hands. It was clear the subject of him changing had been dropped for now which allowed him de-stress and enjoy the extra attention. The silence was a comfortable one and the way her hands worked over him was certainly pleasing.

Nilo grinned as the woman placed a kiss on his cheek, evidently dropping the subject for now, though he was sure it would come up again later and that was okay. He knew he couldn’t avoid it forever and he was okay with that because he did want to feel better, but today, he just wanted to focus on the one he almost lost rather than his issues from the first assassination attempt. His eyes glittered as his positivity returned and he was easily pulled to his feet. “Thank you.” Nilo purred, grateful for her patience. The woman was truly a saint in the way that she never seemed to get frustrated and was always understanding with him. For that, he was more than thankful.

His smile was soft and adoring compared to her playful one, for she could never understand how much her patience truly meant to him. The man had been used to hiding everything behind a well-crafted, charming facade, but with her, he felt like he could share whatever he needed to and for that he was thankful. Even if the man didn’t have enough of a grasp on his issues to properly relay them, he knew she would be there when he needed her and that was all the reassurance he needed. Nilo knew she would probably bring it up later, but he was aware it came from a place of concern.

The shirt was left on the bed and would probably find its way back to his room later and the tray would have been disposed of too, but the man felt like some courtesy after the nurses had been up in the middle of the night to tend to him and Gennadius. Nilo grabbed the tray and walked out the door, the pair heading towards the small eatery, where he was sure at least one of the nurses would be, simply because that was not only where the staff lunch was made, but they technically had two patients. “I think we should go see if they’ve made any progress, don’t you think? I don’t like remembering what happened to me, nor what happened last night, but I want to know the why behind it all.” He explained, glancing over at her.

“Obviously someone hired the original assassin and this man killed him to tie up loose ends. I would really like to see the bigger picture of it all, even if it will sicken me.” Nilo sighed as the approached the kitchens, but his grin returned as he recognized one of the nurses from the night previous from behind the counter. He waved at her, setting the tray on the counter for her to take. “Thank you for your help last night, even if we didn’t require much attention. I’m sorry for the fuss, please make sure your fellow nurses know they are appreciated.” The thanked her, to which she took the tray and gave him a thanks of his own, leaving him and Gennadius to head off on their next adventure.

Nilo began to lead her back out of the infirmary and to their next destination, which was probably the war room unless they were still down in the castles private “dungeon”, which was also probable, though he hoped they had at least gotten some sleep, even if they had occupied the guest rooms. The last thing he wanted was for his friends to be in discomfort over this, although he knew there was a reason for haste. Last time their informant died. They weren’t looking for a repeat. “I just hope it all goes smoothly and this man gives us the information we need. I’m sure he’ll be executed, but that’s my father's call.”

Falling in step beside Nilo, her arms automatically fell behind her, hands interlacing. Normally she would have tucked under Nilo’s arm or at least held his hand, but seeing that he was carrying the tray, she resorted to her natural soldier pose. “I agree that we should go as well. I want answers as much as you, considering it nearly cost your life twice, and almost cost me mine,” she nodded, hoping he would be willing to go, and pleased that he was willing to at least face that much of what happened.

Her attention turned to the nurse as Nilo handed the tray over, offering a warm smile of her own to the woman. It had been thoughtful of the prince to do this, especially considering what a waste it would be otherwise. Not that the two hadn’t eaten, they certainly had. Just, the kitchen staff had been a little overzealous in the appreciation for the colonel and royal still being alive. But, it all worked out and that was all that mattered on that subject.

As they made their way towards the war room, she tilted her head and gazed over at the man. “I would like to see the bigger picture as well, in all honesty. But I’ll be there with you,” Gennadius grinned and moved to wrap an arm around the man’s waist. “And with any luck, they’ll have gotten the information out of him and we won’t have to encounter the man at all.” Well, in her opinion, with luck they would have the information but deep down, she still wanted to look the bastard in the eyes and ask for answers herself. Where was his loyalty? Why did her try and frame her? And what kind of monster killed a man in his own bed?

“Your father will do what is just, I truly believe that,” she responded calmly to the suggestion that the guard may be executed. Gennadius personally believed a simple execution was too good for the man, but she kept her opinion to herself. She knew it was the opinion of a hardened soldier who had nearly lost someone she loved dearly... twice now. That and she did not want to upset Nilo in anyway or incriminate herself after having been framed once.

As soon as the room came within sight, the woman paused, stopping Nilo as well. Easing herself in front of him, she lifted her hands to gently cup his cheeks, going to her toes to offer him a light kiss. She said nothing in explanation, simply did it and started them to the room. It was a simple gesture of love and reassurance, knowing everything revolving around the assassination attempt, and violence in general made him uneasy. Perhaps also the reason she had moved one step in front of him as if to guide him in and shield him from the room itself. Though that move was subconscious, protective in her nature.

Theophilus was the only one in the room, leaning over the main table and scribbling rather rapidly on a piece of paper. “Good afternoon highness, colonel,” he said calmly, laying the pen down and straightening to face the two of the as they entered. He had been expecting them eventually, and was sure he knew what they came for, but waited for the question anyway.

“Afternoon Theophilus,” Gennadius greeted with a dip of her head, striding over and casting a glance towards Nilo before continuing, “we came to see what you have found out. Is Darius around?” She did a second take of them room, but already knew the captain of the guard was not there.

“I expected as much,” he confirmed with an understanding smile, turning back to look at the paper he had been working on. “We did get the main information from the guard. Darius is still down in the dungeons interrogating for any extra information. But I have enough to write the written report before bringing it to the king. But I will tell you all we know.” He gestured for them to come closer if they wished. “It seems this has all been a desperate attempt of the Carmiden’s to take a step up in power. It seems the nobles have fallen upon disgrace and financial troubles. From what we were able to understand, the idea was to get to the king through your death, highness.”

Gennadius let out a huff, arms crossing in disgust that this was all a plot for power. The whole damn family deserved to be executed. Traitorous wretches.... bastards... every terrible name she could think of crossed her mind. Instinctively she stepped closer to Nilo, the protective part of her rising up again. They had nearly died for no more than money and title...

“I will be finishing this report and giving it to your father for examination,” the captain addressed Nilo, “Darius has doubled the guard on the prisoner to ensure another incident does not happen nor does he escape. I can confidently say that you are well safe now.” He nodded his head before looking back at the paper before suddenly seemed to think of something else. “Do forgive my forwardness and change of subject highness, but while you are here, I would like to inquire if I may bring someone with me to the ball.”

Gennadius raised a brow, glancing between Theophilus and Nilo. So the Captain wanted to bring someone? Though having been submitted to the man’s techniques, she knew it had been purposeful that he brought it up now. It was just in the man’s nature to shift the mood around to lighten things. “What do you think Nilo? Can we manage to allow the dear Captain to bring a special someone?”

It wasn’t that Nilo didn’t believe his father wouldn’t be just, it was simply because the man had always had an issue regarding executions. He never liked the idea of someone else's blood on his conscience, much less their life, but this time around the prince was feeling incredibly conflicted. Nilo wasn’t a killer. Granted, the man had taken his brother’s life in a tragic accident, but was murder in the prince’s nature? No, the man had spent years in a deadly combination of a drunken stupor and horrific nightmares. He still hadn’t forgiven himself for it, nor would he ever.

But that was where his conflict came in. Nilo didn’t like the thought of an execution, but he wasn’t in that position of power anymore. Although, at the same time, he did like the thought of that man paying for his crimes. If Gennadius hadn’t been able to hold him back, they both would have died and that thought was enough to bring him indescribable amounts of fury. Nilo had never cared enough about himself to feel that vexed, but when things came to her, the man felt a protectiveness that was almost carnal in its nature.

The man’s arm had come up and around her shoulders as hers found his waist, drawing her closer. At this point, it was absent-minded and was simply the way they walked together. “My father will handle it. I don’t have to anymore.” Nilo finally agreed after several moments of silence, the man having clearly been off in his own train of thought. As the war room drew closer, the man was still extremely torn on it all, but his curiosity was certainly real.

Nilo cocked a brow as Gennadius stopped him and softly smiled as her lips found his. It was a lovely little gesture and the man relieved an amused huff as she stood in front of him before they entered, though it was all endearing. He hadn’t mentioned his displeasure about violence and how uneasy he was in general, although his nighttime paranoia was an indicator. Even so, the man certainly appreciated it and allowed her to lead the way inside, where they were met by Theophilus.

“Hello captain,” Nilo greeted, hopping up and plopping his hindquarters on the edge of the war table. It was a very unprincely thing to do and his father would probably faint if he saw him, but since when had the prince ever been status quo? “It’s good to see you again.” He commented but fell silent again as the advisor began to relay information, which resulted in the prince taking a step back with wide eyes, beyond stunned. It was awful. All of it was awful. How… how could someone do something like that? Nilo didn’t understand and he got back to his feet.

He knew that family. The prince had been on good terms with their children. Two sons, one daughter. They had wanted to kill him… then go through his father? They intended to sever his bloodline and steal the throne. How could someone be so cruel? Arms wrapped protectively around his waist and the scars that now coated his torso. They had tried to kill him and his betrothed for money and power. The prince couldn’t fathom it and perhaps in a way, he was naive. Nilo always liked to believe there was goodness in people yet here someone was who had hired someone to kill him. All he could do was blink dumbly at Theophilus. His mouth was dry and he didn’t know what to say.

Thankfully, the blessed man changed the subject before Nilo could properly break down in the war room. He didn’t know what to do with the information and it would probably keep him up at night later, but for now, Theophilus’s subject change was certainly a welcome one. Nilo cleared his throat. “Thank you for the information, Captain. It’s certainly nice to be aware of the situation” He told him, before moving on. Theo wanted to… bring someone? Now that was enough to make the prince forget about the assassination for now. Theophilus had never struck him as the lover type, but then again, neither had Damien and both him and Gennadius remembered when they had walked in on the amorous exchange.

Nilo smiled at Gennadius’s words, clicking his tongue as if he were truly debating that fact. “Hmm, I dunno Gennadius, this is certainly a big request.” He played, letting his humor return and replace his turmoil. He seemed to think for several seconds before his face softened, for his mind had been made up from the start. “Of course you can bring someone, Theophilus, you are a guest after all,” Nilo laughed, running a hand through his hair, “If you or your companion need anything to wear, have Claude help you. I’ll cover any expenses. It is my ball after all.” He offered, clearly curious about who the man intended to bring, though he did not push.

“I look forward to meeting this mystery date,” Nilo chuckled, looking forward to the ball in general. His splint was due to be off in a couple of weeks, though he had already regained full mobility and his arm didn’t hurt to move. “I guess we’ll be meeting them at the ball then hmm? I’d say Theodore might bring someone himself, but it seems he’s more interested in sneaking out with members of the Colonel’s battalion. As for Damien, the man could go either way with his current behavior, but he is bringing Isa.” Nilo explained, but it was more of him working through it all in his mind.

“Hmmm, a very big request,” she agreed, face straightening as she tilted her head, gazing at Theophilus as if she was sizing him up. But Gennadius could not hold back her own soft chuckle, moving to lean against the table and cross her arms. They all knew from the very beginning that Nilo would agree to it, but now the entire room was in a good and more relaxed mood despite the circumstances that had brought them there. Especially considering they all also knew Theophilus didn’t really have to ask.

As Nilo agreed, the woman couldn’t help a scoff, though it wasn’t towards the fact that the prince had agreed. Rather, her arm shot out to whack him across the shoulder. “Your ball? Your ball?” But it was clear she was teasing, knowing in the end his point had been he would pay, not that the ball was solely for him. Not that in the end she really cared since she wasn’t one for balls, but she couldn’t help teasing him anyway.

Theophilus offered one of his calm and relaxed smiles, standing straight as the two engaged in their banter, which had been the entire point. “I appreciate the offer highness, but I believe I already have something in mind. I thank you very much.” He never even said gender or affiliation to said person, but it was the warmth in his green eyes that gave away that this someone was special indeed. But that was the only indicator, the man keeping his general air. “I believe it is a night most everyone is looking forward to, the colonel excepted.”

Gennadius rolled her eyes in response, waving a hand at Theophilus. “I will never understand the fun in getting all dressed and then mingling with who knows how many people all while being the one on display.” She had already decided that she was not wearing a dress, and had been going to wear what she had worn at the one function with the nobles. But the morning before when Claude had made it his duty to dress her up, he had also made it clear he would be making something new for her. Of which they got into an argument and ended with the man saying her would make something similar in nature to the other... whatever that meant.

“We will leave you to your work though,” she concluded, ducking herself back under Nilo’s arm so the two of them could leave the man in piece to finish his report. The sooner that got to Leonel, the better. She wrapped her own arm around the prince’s waist, glancing up towards his face with a grin. No, she did not look forward to a lot that had to do with the ball... but the more everyone talked about it and seeing them all so excited... well, it was becoming a little contagious, though she would rather not admit it.

Which also reminded her that later in the week she would have to make another secret trip to the city to see how the shoemaker was doing with his progress. And suddenly, Gennadius became faintly worried that the prince would not appreciate a new pair. It hadn’t dawned on her before. The old ones were getting scuffed and were worn, and she had thought he would like an identical pair that were brand new, though she had also taken the liberties of paying extra for the shoe maker to work them and break them in so they would be comfortable. But what if he wouldn’t want them after all?

“Are you ever going to get those old boots of yours fixed?” She asked, a bit random but not exactly an odd conversation for the two to have. It was a tester question, to see how he would react or if he was forever attached to the old things. If so, she would call her loses on the money front, and simply save the boots for the future. But better to know now then steal his boots and replace them the day of to find out the hard way... or make the poor man suffer so as not to hurt her feelings.

Nilo liked balls for several reasons, though many of which he couldn’t tell Gennadius about for fear of being maimed, but then again, those times were far behind him. Now, the prince was looking to celebrate their engagement and socialize with his friends among the nobility. His friends in the castle were no doubt his closest ones, but it was still nice to see the people he had known before. He knew the Carmiden’s were no good and couldn’t help but wonder who else shared their views, but he didn’t let that stifle his excitement. Although, most of all, the man was excited to be going with her, even though she hated the events.

“You will survive Gennadius, I assure you. You survived the first one, no? And Darius even made you wear a dress for that event, this is nothing.” Nilo snorted, well aware of her hatred for the garment. It was the reason he didn’t push for her to wear one to the ball. He wanted her to be comfortable because it was a celebration for her too, even if she could have gone without it any day. Although, Nilo had been made aware that Claude was hilariously in protest of the idea, which he understood from the tailor's end, but even so the prince was firm in his decision that if she did not have to wear one. Besides, where was the fun if she was glowering at him all night?

Nilo chuckled as she wiggled her way beneath his arm again, something she seemed to always do when they went anywhere together. “Well, it seems this is it Theophilus. A good day to you and I look forward to meeting this companion of yours.” He smiled and waved at the man as the two exited, the man returning the grin the Gennadius offered him as they made their way back into the castle, on their road to nowhere, which often seemed to be a theme. The man couldn’t count how many times they had gone off wandering if he tried and it was certainly one of his favorite things to do with her, although snuggling in bed was still better.

At the mention of his boots, Nilo cocked a brow, confused with the odd question, but nonetheless answered. “Thanks for reminding me they look bad,” Nilo scoffed, but then laughed, no harm clearly done, “but yes, I am well aware they are old. They were rather new when we first met because I despise the replacement process. They never come out the same.” He explained, glancing down at the footwear, which the sides were covered in marks and overall, looked old. He probably should have replaced them after a year, but as he said, the man didn’t like replacing them.

“But,” Nilo added after a moment, “I should probably head down and have a new pair crafted soon, even if I just shove them in my wardrobe for a few months. I’m sure the cordwainer will already know what I want, considering I’ve been buying these since I was a teenager.” He chuckled, shaking his head. Who would’ve thought, that out of anything the prince possibly owned, or could possibly own, that the boots would be it. In all honesty, they were just shoes, but he loved them anyway. “So no, I will not have them repaired, but I just have a new pair made.”

Nilo sighed, mind drifting back towards the exchange in the war room, which had unsettled him greatly. “At least we know what happened now, even if we both nearly had to die for that information,” The man shuddered as he remembered the night previous, which was enough to leave anyone frazzled. How were you not supposed to feel anxious after you nearly saw you intended die? It was rather haunting, really, even though everything was okay now. “I’ll be surprised if my father doesn’t have him hung. His crimes are far worse than the first assassin and he’s not even the one who left me in the infirmary for weeks.” Nilo shook his head, eyes briefly falling to his torso that was concealed by the thin fabric.

“As for the Carmiden family, their fate could be the same, although I’ll talk to my father about that later,” Nilo didn’t believe the children should be executed for the crimes of their parents, unless they were involved, which he had a very hard time believing. He knew them. They may not have been close friends but they had never been fake to him, not once, “I wonder what he’ll think of the report, he’ll no doubt summon them to the throne room as soon as he receives it. Fathers always had a short temper, I just hope he isn't too brash.”

She gave a return chuckle for his scoff and laugh. “Well, if you like these ones so much, why not give them a few more months of use,” Gennadius shrugged, taking in all the information and trying to stall him in case he got ideas and attempted to get a new pair for the ball. She was satisfied that he would end up being fine with the surprise pair, but also a tad concerned. The man she had chosen to make his boots had not seemed familiar with the order, though she had looked at a few places to try a gage which one she thought would do the best work.

Her mind was running at a mile a minute as she tried to mentally sort through her plans again. She had put a lot of effort into finding the right shoemaker. That wasn’t mentioning the secret measurements she took of his old boots, the in-depth description, pointing out the proper leather, and the occasional check-ins. And all that was left was making sure the man worked the boots properly so they would be comfortable and done in time for the ball. Which meant the night before she was going to have to sneak in and swap out the pairs too... but that part she was actually excited for.

For the briefest moment when Nilo started talking again, the woman was confused. Until she realized he had jumped back to the information from the war room. “I’m simply glad we know the source of all this. Hopefully once that is dealt with, the castle can breathe in peace again.” Once more, she did not state her opinion on how she thought it should be handled, leaving such decisions to the king. Perhaps one day she would actually be in a position that she was expected to be part, but she had a feeling she would always leave such things to Nilo unless she felt it absolutely necessary to be part of it.

At the mention of the Carmiden’s, she merely nodded for a moment. She knew nothing of the family and truly couldn’t give an opinion on that if she wanted. But she listened, gently leaning into him a bit more. “If you are worried or want to be a part of it, why don’t you be there when he calls them?” She turned them down a hall letting the question hang for a moment. “It might be good for them to see you there and for you to face them. If you want me, I can come to.”

It was a genuine offer to join him, though that was all it was. Just an offer. Gennadius wasn’t sure if he would rather not go at all, be there with his father alone, or have her there for support. So, she let all the offers sit there for him to take what he would. Though part of her did want to be there, curious to see the proceedings and how it was done, though she doubted there would be much formality. How could there be when Leonel was to face the people responsible for trying to kill his only and deeply loved son? Her own brush with death was basically swept under the table of her mind at this point.

Seeing Nilo’s room ahead, she glanced at him before stepping up and opening the door to enter, glancing around. It was spotless, the maids having clearly put a lot of effort to get it looking perfect again. She couldn’t even imagine how much work they had to do, considering there had been a LOT of blood everywhere and a lot things had been pushed to the side and knocked over. But had she not been there, it would be hard to believe that anything happened the night before, no less something so gruesome.

“But if you do want to go join your father, you might actually want to change into something a bit more suitable.” She made her way to his wardrobe and threw the doors open, not giving him a chance to choose his own clothes but doing it for him. Gennadius pulled out one of his nice white shirts and chose a pair of ebony pants. Reaching for a coat, she chose the crimson one and collected her choice, laying them out on the bed. “You’re putting these on.” She raised a brow as if to challenge him to say otherwise. She saw no harm in helping him get back into the groove of looking nice.

“And! If you plan on being part of this...” The woman disappeared into the bathroom before bringing out his comb and glancing around. What else? She wasn’t one to really be into putting much thought into her own looks, but she wanted the old Nilo back, which meant if she planned on helping, she would have to figure it out. “Do whatever you do with your hair... and for full impact, let’s see if we can find this hidden crown of yours...” That part was just her wanting to find it and see it on him, though on reflection, it truly would put a big impact on who the family had tried to kill if he attended.

So that was what Gennadius found herself doing, trying to figure out where on earth he would keep the thing, considering she doubted he was going to offer him the information. “We really need to get you a sword too... just for looks,” she commented off-hand, deciding to start with searching the wardrobe, though that was clearly not the place after a quick search. Which is when she turned to his nightstand, which she thought would be a rather obvious place to keep it but still... so she strode over and pulled the drawers open.