The ball was going well, as far as he was concerned. Although Gennadius was still on the stiffer side, which was only evident because he knew her better, she seemed more comfortable than he had expected. Granted, he knew she would have much preferred to curl up with a book or just have a small celebration with their friends, but this wasn’t really something they could have avoided and he was glad she was acting rather positive. It was nice to know it wasn’t all that bad for her, even if the dress had been a less-than-optimal occurrence.

Though, when the woman began to drag him, Nilo’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth for a confused protest, but the man found himself on the dance floor. He stared at her, suspicious as she positioned herself in front of him as if she actually wanted to dance. Nilo took her hand as it was offered to him, interlacing their fingers as his other found her waist, but it was evident he wasn’t convinced just yet. “You hate dancing. I’m so confused.” He hissed, though it was hard to hold back his own excitement. Both were aware dancing was one of his most favorite things.

“But I’m sure we can manage. We are adults, correct?” Nilo asked with a mischievous grin, though he did not plan on going rogue with her again. They couldn’t afford to do so at this point, for things were no longer just a game. There had been a time when they assumed she was simply a fling and was one of his many lovers, but now that they were engaged, they had some formality to present. The pair was the monarchy’s future and they were expected to act as such, even if he just wanted to play.

So the man led her through the slow and easy steps, allowing her to get a feel for the unfamiliar movements before allowing them to match the pace of the others. Though the smile he wore was rather silly and lopsided, which was the only insight to his boyish excitement over the fact that he was actually dancing with her. After seeing her in the dress, the man wasn’t even going to ask her to dance and he certainly hadn’t expected her to be the one that took him to the floor. Even so, he was rather grateful for it because it had been something he had really wanted to do.

“It seems you’ve learned to move in a dress, darling,” He made the amused comment as he gave her a gentle spin, still not trying to push her too far, “I consider that a milestone, but do I ask you have mercy on Claude, though I am unsure why he chose to torment you.” Nilo gave a quiet chuckle, still unsure of why Claude had made the executive decision to defy her, but the prince did like seeing her in the dress. “At least it isn’t ugly. It suits you quite well, as much as you may think otherwise.” He complimented, ever a positive one.

The dance was as well behaved as it could get and the two moved rather in sync. Nilo was incredibly grateful she had decided to go with him because he wouldn’t have asked himself. He thanked her as they walked off, though they were immediately thrust back into socialization with the upper-class, the two not really given much of a break except for the very few moments they were around their friends. Although, Nilo nearly had to hold back Damien as Isabella was highly sought after. She was spending her night dancing as her brother frothed at the mouth and had to be soothed by his company.

By the time it all ended, it was past midnight and the man was thoroughly exhausted. His feet hurt and he was sure Gennadius wasn’t faring much better and would be surprised if she was. His father did attend, but he did not make eye contact nor did he go to visit him. Nilo could feel his father’s eyes but said nothing, not looking to possibly cause another argument in the ballroom. It would look bad on them both, not to mention the nobility would be furious if they found out what Nilo had done, even if he did not regret it.

As they were seeing guests out, Nilo asked Theodore to have a servant sent to Gennadius’s room on his way out, highly doubting the woman could get out of the dress by herself and she probably wouldn’t want his help anyhow. So, when it was just the engaged couple, the servants, and the king left, Nilo could not get out of the ballroom faster, escorting Gennadius towards her quarters so she could change. “I hope it wasn’t all that bad,” He told her after a moment, the halls still rather busy as servants bustled past them to clean up after the event, “At least I didn’t let you eat the caviar. I think you actually would have started a fire if that happened.” The man snorted, turning them around a corner.

“But!” Nilo announced with a sudden burst of positivity, “You can now take the dress off and return to your usual clothes. How exciting!” He joked, bumping their shoulders together as the pair were freed from the stuffy, formal environment and allowed to return to their usual banter. The man yawned, a hand raising to cover his mouth. It had been quite a while since he had been to such a large event and it drained him. “That was rather exhausting, but you seem to be on your way to becoming a master snake charmer, my dear colonel. A master indeed.” The woman had navigated the night with dignity and he was rather proud. “Would you still like me to have the servants draw you a bath?” Nilo offered, glancing down at her.

The woman was highly grateful that the prince started out slow, giving her a chance to make sure she actually had the dance down. “I will have no mercy on that man you call a tailor,” came her soft chuckle, though some of her anger had seeped away in the wake of Nilo’s large boyish grin. In fact, it eased a lot of the tension she still had and she found herself rather enjoying the dance. Perhaps later she would tell him so.

The first dance they had ever had had been a spark of passion, discovering the excitement of a new relationship for the first time. But this time, they were more advanced in where they were, and when he spun her, she had full confidence she’d find herself securely in his arms again. They were precious moments of being together in their own little bubble, enjoying the time they had. There was no shame in him holding her, not in her hand on his shoulder, which had moved slightly closer to his neck simply because it could.

Gennadius found herself somewhat sorry when the dance was over, but there wasn’t much time to reflect on that as they were thrust right back into the hoard of nobles. Hours they were socializing and while she stayed relatively relaxed, keeping close to Nilo, she was still highly exhausted by the time it all ended. Her feet hurt, unhappy with the new shoes, her waist was utterly killing her. Somewhere along the line, what had been her body getting used to the corset had turned into discomfort again and now a near ache. She craved relief.

She briefly caught Nilo asking for a servant to be sent to her room. Normally she would have gotten indignant, but this time, she didn’t even comment. She knew she would need the help, considering if she couldn’t even put it all on, there was no way she was going to figure out how to get it all off on her own. Besides, she did need to get back to her own room to grab the boots, which she hoped to still present to Nilo tonight if he wasn’t too tired. Despite being exhausted herself, she still wanted some of their cherished alone time.

She grinned at his playful banter, releasing a soft chuckle of her own, though she winced, the breath hurting. “I’ll only ever go for the sandwiches. Personally, I think it was a shame they were cut into those bite-sized bits. I had to actually act like I was eating like a princess.” Blue eyes sparkled some before she shook her head at the offer of the bath. “Not tonight. I’d rather wait and take one tomorrow. If you’re not too tired, I may just change and if you don’t mind, come spend at least a few minutes with you?”

They had reached her room and her hand rested on the knob as she glanced up at him with a fond look. “So I’ll meet you back at our usual rendezvous. And I must say, you looked magnificent in that suit. It may be my new favorite one on you. I guess just another coat for me to steal.” She winked at him with a playful, though tired gaze before ducking into the room where a servant woman was waiting to help her.

The process of getting her undressed was almost as painful as getting in the dress. The poor servant was fighting Gennadius almost the whole time who just was desperately trying to help get herself out and usually only getting in the way and making it worse. It really was a bit of a nightmare, but it was finally managed and the servant left to allow Gennadius to change into her own clothes, which had miraculously reappeared in her room. And of course, she chose her favorite sweatpants and one of Nilo’s shirts. Their size just made them comfortable and great for nightclothes.

Finding the pair of boots for Nilo, she claimed them before ducking out of her room and starting down the familiar halls towards his room. She could not hold back her own yawn as she slowly trudged down the way, barefoot and tired, but wanting to see the prince. She had to give him his boots after all...

Coming up to his door, she did her customary knock before turning the knob and stepping in. “I must say Nilo, you set-up a fine ball. It was full of its own surprises, I must admit. The dance... I suppose I can admit I enjoyed it. And there was meeting Miss Torris. The dress really was unnecessary though... my sides are killing me.” Her free hand moved to her waist to rub it as if to make her point before she actually moved to sit on the bed.

She was back to her talkative self with him and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her legs up to sit crisscross as she lifted up the pair of boots for him to see. “I was going to give these to you before the ball, but they came in just a tad late.” Gennadius offered a warm smile and held them out for him, the pair the spitting image of the worn ones he usually wore. “So I guess I’m giving them to you now. I had them broken in as well, so they should be comfortable.”

The man’s smile was fond and tired as she said she wanted to come to visit him, to which he nodded. “Of course,” He told her, somewhat happy for the company, “you are welcome to haunt my quarters whenever you please. I will never turn you down.” Nilo told her, his exhaustion evidently softening him, which often brought forth a quiet tenderness that was much different than his overly flamboyant personality. “You may have the coat if you want, but at least let me wear it for a while. I have learned it is best not to challenge you.” He joked, fingers lingering in hers until he finally had to let go and allow his hand to fall back to his side.

Nilo left Gennadius to change and returned to his room, where an overexcited Flower awaited him. For several minutes the man entertained her, scratching all over her cream-colored mane and rubbing her belly, cooing at her in hushed tones before he shrugged off his coat and unbuttoned his vest, giving a relieved sigh. He stretched his arms over his head and stored the garments in his closet. The man wiggled out of the ivory slacks and slipped on one of his more comfortable pants of a soft linen, tightening and tying the drawstring. He remained in his dress shirt because he was too drained to change it. Instead, he washed the excessive product out of his hair in his bathroom.

When Gennadius entered Nilo emerged, drying his hair with a rag. “Theodore planned a lot of it honestly. I was too exhausted in beginning processes to put the energy needed into it, unfortunately, but I did work on it here and there. What kind of ball would it be without the golden Van Aslan touch?” He joked, ducking back into the bathroom to put the towel away and flatten his damp hair. “Ms. Torris was a cute little thing, I look forward to getting to know her. It’s rather surprising to think of Theophilus as romantically involved.” Nilo commented, coming out once more.

“But I am sorry about the dress, even if you did look fabulous. I truly had no part in whatever Claude was plotting.” He sighed, watching as her hand came up to rub her waist. He approached to sit beside her, but his brow raised as she held out a pair of boots that looked exactly like his but… they weren’t. These were shiny and perfect, without the deep creases in the leather or pale scuff marks. Nilo blinked and his head turned, eyeing his much more worn pair of boots, though his questions were answered as the woman spoke.

A wide grin split through his tiredness and the man gently took then from her, though he didn’t take much more time to inspect them. They could have been entirely different boots and he wouldn’t have cared because they were a gift from her. He let out a low chuckle and the man sat down next to her and tugged them on despite his aching feet, lacing them. “Thank you,” The man told her as he stood and spun in place, heels softly clicking against the floor, “I could not have asked for a better gift.” He purred out, hands cupping her cheeks as he pressed a delicate kiss to her lips.

“I love them. They’re perfect, Gennadius. Absolutely perfect.” Nilo as he pulled away, sitting on the bed to take them off as his feet were protesting “I’m impressed, honestly. They appear to be an exact replica. I would hug you, but I fear I would irritate your tortured ribcage.” He snorted, leaning back on his hands and crossing his legs over each other. The shirt he wore was a little too fitted to be comfortably flexible, but changing would ruin his optimistic mood and concern her. The night had been fun and dedicated to their next chapter. He didn’t want to spoil it.

Nilo let out a content sigh and fell back on the bed, though he sat up again after several moments, aware he would fall asleep if he was down for too long. “I am glad you were able to tolerate the ball. It was my hope that you wouldn’t be miserable. I know it’s rather superficial and is just a stupid custom, but it was for you too. I wanted you to at least have some fun.” He explained, fidgeting with his hands in his lap for a moment.

The room was mainly black except for the moonlight that flooded in from his balcony, the curtains having been left open. Their forms cast shadows across the room as they spoke and Flower had retired to her own corner, painting a rather cozy, pleasant scene, despite the castle’s cold winter temperatures. “So,” The man questioned after a short period of silence, “how long do I get to keep you tonight? Any chance I can convince you to have a sleepover?” Nilo wiggled his brow, though the man really just wanted to keep her for longer, the event having left him in high spirits.

The smile on her face grew when he took the boots, no doubt by his reaction that he was truly pleased with them. It was more than she could have asked for, his response absolutely perfect, and even more perfect was his thanks, offered in the form of gentle kiss which she relished. “I hoped you would like them,” she breathed out with a gentle laugh, eyes glowing in the soft moonlight with her pleasure.

“As for the ball, deep down I did enjoy it. It was exhausting, but I truly enjoyed the dance. Perhaps next time I’ll have to coerce you into a second one,” Gennadius grinned, settling her elbows on knees and leaning forward. Gazing around the room, there was a peace that settled there, the light from outside casting the softest of glows on everything. How many nights had the two of them enjoyed times like this, calm and relaxing, but most importantly, together. That was the best part of the whole thing. It was just the two of them.

At the mention of spending the night, her face lit up even more, and her gaze turned to glance at him. “Now how could I refuse spending the night with my favorite person?” The woman shifted her entire body to face him before scooting closer, her arms reaching out to wrap around her shoulders, “So I do believe I am going to have to go with the option of sticking around here. I don’t think we’ve spent enough time together today.” She rested her chin on his shoulder, one hand reaching up to run through his hair.

Gennadius loved the feeling of his hair, though it was still a bit damp. But that gave her free access to mess with it some and her fingers simply continued to move through the russet strands, continually pushing them back as she simply enjoyed the physical contact. That, and it was not something she could do in public, and she was beginning to realize that there were a lot of things that would end up changing once it was all official. Not that she minded in the end, as long as it meant she got to be with Nilo. He was worth any and all sacrifices.

Leaning back, she pulled her hand away and tilted her head some, admiring him in the moonlight. It was then that she noticed his shirt was made to be fitting, and chances were it was uncomfortable to shift in. But that unfortunately also brought up a subject they had both been dancing around. Gennadius had addressed it once or twice briefly, though it was abandoned each time seeing that he never was ready. And she didn’t want to push him too far. But perhaps tonight?

It was a risky play considering he seemed to be in such a good mood. And yet, that was what could help. The woman really was torn, unsure whether to address the idea of his scars or not. On one hand, they could simply avoid the topic tonight and enjoy the company and get some rest... but that would require the man to be stuck in the shirt all night and that was bound to be uncomfortable. On the other, it could destroy the mood of the peace they were enjoying.

She was going to risk it.

“You’re not going to want to be in that shirt all night,” Gennadius started, voice softer than it had been. Uncrossing her legs, she moved her feet to the cool floor and stood, stepping to stand in front of him. Reaching out, her hands cupped his cheeks, thumb moving across the smooth skin as she smiled gently. Her hands stayed away from his shirt, knowing this was something that would have to be at his pace. “You used to enjoy going shirtless at night. Perhaps tonight would be a goodnight to go back to that. So you can relax.” But she knew it wasn’t that simple.

Her fingers moved across his and down to his neck, though no farther as she leaned, resting her forehead against his, her shadow cast across him, throwing his torso into darkness. “Maybe it’s time to let me in... our lives are about to change forever. Please, you don’t have to fight this alone. Trust me.” One hand moved behind his neck and back up into his hair, dark eyes closing as she kept her forehead to his, waiting for a response, hoping for the best.

Nilo grinned as she decided to stay, leaning into her as her arms found his shoulders. He enjoyed the feeling of her fingers in his hair as they ran through the damp strands, which was one of his favorite things. The time they could spend alone was precious. They spent their lives in the eyes of people, even if it was just their friends, but what the pair lacked was privacy. They were never truly alone in the castle, ever in the company of staff or his father, but his room was about as good as it got.

Nilo met her eyes as she pulled away, gaze fond as he looked at her as hers was to him. For a few moments, she seemed to analyze him and he watched her expectantly, eyes asking a silent question of her thoughts. Though, he soon regretted his curiosity as she spoke again, her quiet words making his face fall. Why tonight? Why couldn’t they have just enjoyed each other's company instead of trying to fight his demons? Nilo was well aware the issue was rather worrisome to her, but he was fatigued. He had just wanted to relax, yet it seemed something had come up to haunt him.

So, in his sudden vulnerability, Nilo leaned into the palms that came up to his cheeks, finding comfort in the familiar touch that both held and moved across his skin. She was correct in that the shirt was comfortable enough to wear around, but was rather stiff when it came to sleeping. He did usually sleep in a soft shirt when winter came, but here, that information was useless. It wasn’t the point. Her wanting to see his scars also was not the point. Nilo understood the message she was trying to get across, even before she spoke it.

The prince sighed as her forehead pressed against his, eyes closing as he was faced with a choice. It was a difficult one. Nilo could nearly feel the bile rise in his throat at the thought of not only him seeing his scars, but her. He had always had some sort of damage, but that had been internal. It had been easier to hide. There was nothing subtle about the scars, nor was he able to hide them from her forever. He was scared and disgusted. Nilo didn’t want her to see the gruesome flaws that now covered his torso. There was nothing pretty about the scars that defaced him and he hated them. He hated them and he didn’t want her to see them too.

But she was right. It had only been a couple of weeks since she had first attempted to unbutton his shirt, but there was truth to her words. They were getting married. They were about to pledge to spend their lives together. It may not be in the immediate future, but it was approaching. How could he ask her to spend her life with him, yet not let her in? How could a husband take his vows, yet hide himself from his wife? His brow furrowed in a newfound distress, his exhaustion fading as it was replaced with anxiety.

A deep, shuddering breath helped calm him enough to bring back some sense. She was just there to help. He reminded himself of that as icy eyes opened, searching hers for reassurance. She would never hurt him. She had always fought to protect him and Nilo had never felt safer than in her arms. She was his intended and they had just spent the night celebrating their engagement and future that was to come. “You are my everything.” The man broke the silence with his weak declaration, trying to scrap some composure together, but failing to do so.

Two steps forward… two steps forward… That was all he needed to do. How could this hurt more than the pain he experienced changing every morning or forcing himself to bathe? How could this hurt more than the self-hatred? “For better or for worse, right? Isn’t that what they say?” He questioned, a broken chuckle escaping him. It was a failed attempt at humor as the man had sought the positivity that had disappeared. His hands lifted from where they had unknowingly held the comforter in a steely grip, fingers shaky as they reached up to cup her cheeks.

The man pressed a soft kiss to her lips and it was meant to be a form of reassurance to them both. He broke away after a moment and grabbed her wrists, though this time it wasn’t to prevent her from going too far. No, he lowered them to his chest where his heart nervously drummed below, but he did not falter. He needed to do this. The prince’s gaze found hers and gave a silent consent before he spoke. “Okay,” He told her with a faint and anxious smile, “I trust you, Gennadius.” His voice was quiet, yet held a weak determination.

“I trust you.”

At first it was just a sigh, but that quickly turned into a shuddering breath. Dark eyes fluttered open to gaze at him as her smile softened to one, dancing with her own pain at seeing him this way. He was struggling, and it was near tangible as the anxiety seemed to fill the room. “As are you,” she whispered with reassurance, thumb moving against his neck in an attempt to soothe. But other than that, she stayed silent, allowing him to scrap up the composure he needed.

She gave a soft nod at his broken chuckle, lips lifting up a little more, her dark eyes starting to swim. Perhaps part of it was her own exhaustion mixing in, but it was tearing through her to see him like this. Oh gods, his hands were so shaky, Gennadius able to feel it against her cheeks. She had known it was bad since the night she first attempted, but he had kept it together then. At least better than this. Her poor Nilo... oh her poor poor Nilo.

She leaned softly into the kiss, eyes closing for a moment before the snapped open again as he found her wrists. Her gaze was only questioning for a moment before he moved her hands to his chest and she understood. He was going to let her in. He was going to let her see. “Alright.” Her voice was steady, but it held a gentle emotion to it, her own smile staying there for him to see, dark eyes glowing with a gentle reassurance. “And I know you do... I know you do,” she promised, for a moment not moving.

And then she ever so gingerly found the first button, slowly undoing and moving down to the next one. Gennadius kept her gaze on his face at first, the silent encouragement dancing there. She continued this way to the last button, as if partly expecting him to stop her before she looked. Personally, she had seen plenty of scars, having a few of her own. No, scars did not bother her in the least, but they bothered him and she could not forget that. How could she shake away the memory of his shaky fingers against her cheeks or the broken voice?

Suddenly, she leaned in, pressing her lips to his again, moving her hands to push the shirt open. Slowly she pulled away, “It’s going to be okay.” Her knuckles came up to brush against his cheek, making sure to continue the reassurance and that he really was ready to let her in. “And we are going to say for better or worse. But we don’t need to say it to know it. It’s always been that way, and it’s always going to be that way.”

Finally, sure he was going to let her, dark blue eyes to his torso as she moved to the side some to allow the moonlight to reach his scarred torso. But her smile never fell away, her hand reaching out, fingers softly reaching for the raised skin, running along the fresh scars. There were quite a few, and she started by tracing the largest one that stretched diagonally between his pectorals, moving to the one on the lower ribcage, finally going along the two that crossed in the middle of his torso. There was one peeking out from his pants, but she left that one alone.

Oceans of blue lifted up and her head tilted, “They are handsome.” Her smile widened and grew stronger, fingers fanning out across the warm bare skin. Familiar. Just the same as it had ever been for her. “And you are as handsome as ever.” A soft chuckle escaped her as she moved onto the bed, shifting to sit cross-legged behind him, arms wrapping under his for her hands to come back to his exposed torso. Her fingers moved over them again, back and forth, as if she was memorizing what they felt like and where they were, which perhaps she was.

“For every scar you have, it just means you were strong enough to make it through. They are just storytellers Nilo. Reminders of what you have miraculously pulled through...” Her fingers topped their tracing, her arms instead tightening around him as she pressed her cheek to his back, knowing there were more scars there. “And if you didn’t have your scars... then it would mean I wouldn’t be holding you right now. It would mean I would be all alone, cold and broken because you weren’t here anymore. So I am damn glad you have your scars... because they mean you are still alive. For better or worse.... to take those two steps forward, and sometime those four steps back.”

Her grip loosened as she shifted to the side some, looking to find the light icy eyes that she loved so much. Gennadius’s smile had almost turned sorrowful, as if in those moments she had really considered what it would have been like for Nilo not to have made it. And she had. And it hurt to even think about, remembering seeing his bloodied body and frantic gaze, feeling the fear and terror she had felt that day. “I want those scars there... do you understand? I need them to be there. I do... because some things a person could never recover from.”

Her eyes did not fall away from his as she undid the buttons and it was probably the only reason he did not take back his consent. For him, it felt painstakingly slow, but he knew it was only due to his nervousness about it all, and honestly, the man was grateful for her careful movements. It helped calm him. He had time to process and it helped him keep himself calm, though it also gave way for some nasty second-guessing, but her steady gaze distracted him from the intrusive thoughts.

Truth be told, he had not ever expected to have such a violent reaction to the scars. Nilo had never really thought much of the one on his back, but he was a little self-conscious of it. Although, it had never been as horrible as this, probably due to the fact he couldn’t actually see the thing. Her kiss startled him, as did the sudden feeling of her fingers brushing his skin as she pushed the fabric of his shirt apart. He shuddered, but her hands had been warm and reassuring. He nodded numbly as she spoke, hands having returned to gripping the sheets, and his body tensing as it anticipated her gaze wandering.

What surprised him was that for several moments, her gaze didn’t and that was perhaps what solidified his shaky confidence the most. It was the few seconds where she took the time to continue her reassurance, despite having him being completely exposed, and her eyes didn’t stray from his that comforted him the most. It was rather discrete, but it showed the hurting prince that perhaps, just perhaps, he was more than the scars that marred him.

Nilo was still anxious when she stepped back and felt vulnerable beneath the moonlight, but he used the fragments of his self-control to keep himself from using the shirt to cover himself up. No, he allowed her to examine, just how he had promised. It was quiet as she reached out and pressed her fingers against his skin. The man gave a shiver as she traced the jagged markings. It felt like forever since her hands had explored his torso and honestly… Nilo had to admit he had missed it.

He returned her chuckle as she called him handsome, but did not look at the scars himself. They were still a rather dangerous territory. For now, the man could have her touch, but that was as far as he could go, even if it seemed rather out of order. As she shifted behind him Nilo did lean back some into her, allowing her to paint warmth and pleasure across his skin. It was incredibly soothing and the tension in his shoulders dissipated, eyes fluttering shut. It was okay. He was going to be okay. Nilo was safe with the woman he loved and he had faith she would never hurt him. She loved him, scars and all, and that was all that mattered in those moments.

Light eyes were greeted again with the darkness of the room as she began to speak, some of her own worries seeping into her reassurance. She was correct… though he did not share her appreciation of the disfigured skin, he was aware she was right. If they were not there it would have meant the man hadn’t survived the attack. Nilo was beyond grateful he had pulled through because truthfully, he hadn’t wanted to die. The entire time he was at the mercy of his assailant all he could think about was escaping and his moments in and out of consciousness he remembered wanting her.

As she shifted again the man twisted so their eyes could meet, seeing her sadness. A hand reached up again and his thumb ran back and forth across her cheek. “There is no need for you to worry about what could have been when we are lucky enough to be together. Grin for me darling, for we have just celebrated our engagement and have a bright future ahead.” Nilo told her, a soft smile returning to his face as his turmoil faded back into the depths of his mind and he felt significantly better. “I may never see myself the way you always seem to or ever be as confident in my appearance again, but that doesn’t matter much to me as long as I have you for some gentle reminders here and there.” He leaned forward so their foreheads could touch, one of his odd, but favorite choices of contact.

“I may not ever care for the scars, but they will always be there for you to touch and trace,” He reassured, hands coming to rest on the arms that wrapped around him, “and I will be there to tell you that no matter what happens, I will always come home to you.” Nilo promised, eyes glittering in the moonlight, “Wherever I am or whatever happens, I will find my way back into your arms.” The man gave her arms a gentle squeeze and there was nothing but adoration and honesty in the way he looked at her. “You’re not going to lose me and I will promise you that as many times as you need.”

Nilo shrugged his shoulders, letting the shirt fall to his elbows before he moved enough to remove it, allowing the white garment to flutter to the floor. The man would probably still spend the majority of his night’s wearing a shirt, but tonight could be the exception. He felt safe and secure. No one could probably understand the amount of peace she brought him, but it was incomparable to anything else. He may have been scarred on all sides with some horrible memories to go with them, but he was alive and had the luxury of spending time with her. “Thank you,” Nilo’s smile widened, “for both the boots and your saint-like patience. I am very lucky you said yes.”

The touch of his thumb to her cheek brought comfort of her own, and she leaned into it. Then again, she always did. She loved it when he did that, and when he asked, her lips lifted into a warming smile. What he said was true... tonight had meant that they were heading forward and they had a beautiful future waiting for them. And maybe it was a future that would affect an entire kingdom, but at the end of the day, it would be them that would share a bed at night, who would make their memories together and hold each other.

Her lips lifted even more when he leaned forward and she listened to his words, seeing the way his eyes shone. There was nothing but the adoration she knew so well, and still it filled every part of her soul, filling her with warmth. “I will hold you to that promise... every day, every moment. I want to hear it every night and every morning.” A soft chuckled escaped her and she leaned her face to the side so slightly and forward for another light kiss.

As he shrugged the shirt off, she released him to allow him the space to do so, though she swelled with pride to see that at least for tonight he was willing to face what he seemed to hate most. One hand reached out to gently pressing against his back, dark eyes gentle as her gaze met his, “And I am very lucky you asked. How could anyone say no to a charming, handsome prince who could sweep me off my feet and turn my entire world around in the best of ways.”

Shifting to the edge of the bed, she stretched her arms up and released a yawn before looking at him with a hint of mischief. Reaching out, she playfully pushed against his chest to knock him back to lay against the bed. A soft laugh echoed in the room as she flopped on top of him from the side, both hands running through his hair as her face loomed over his. “And we both know I have no patience. And I have a pride issue, with a streak of recklessness... I’m homicidal, though that’s more of a battlefield thing. My frustrations come out violently, and I pretty much still know nothing about a monarchy. And I’m stubborn. Stubborn as hell. So I’m going to say I am definitely the lucky one out of all this.”

Gennadius couldn’t help pressing her lips to his with a light chuckle before pulling back again. “See, somehow, beside all that, I’ve managed to snag myself a prince. But more importantly, the kindest, gentlest man any woman could every want. Someone who cares more that could be asked for, who is patient and wise. Someone who knows what he is doing and thinks about everyone in his kingdom, and still somehow, someway, manages to find time for me too. A man who trusts and is willing to let me in and give me a chance. Who is perfect in every way.”

One hand moved so her knuckles could brush against his cheek before her fingers straightened and cupped around his face. “When I was younger, I accepted the idea that I would never be anything more than a guard lost among the rest. I believed I would just survive that way as long as I could before suddenly I wasn’t needed. Then I hoped I’d have enough saved up enough to find a small place and maybe throw my lot in with the blacksmiths until it was all over. I had no future, nothing to look forward to.”

Gennadius eased to rest with an arm wrapped around his torso, head falling next to his, though the fingers from her other hand continued through his hair in almost a soothing way. “And then you were shoved into my life and I thought the future I didn’t have had gotten even worse. But you turned my entire life around and taught me that there still was love in the world. You tore my walls down, tried utterly destroying my reputation, scarred me, frightened me beyond anything, and totally enamored me in every single way. And I could not be happier or more in love.”

A soft contented sigh escaped her as she curled up some, dark eyes closing, tightening the arm around his scarred torso. Pressing her face against his neck, the familiar feeling of his warm skin bringing comfort and spiraling her into her exhaustion, eyes heavy and her thoughts growing weighted with the dredges of sleep.

The prince’s eyes widened as she pushed him back against the bed and his head thumped back on a pillow, though he chuckled as her fingers again found his hair when her body fell atop his. There was no longer any tension in his body nor was there any distress in his eyes. Nilo listened as she began to weave her tale, something she often did, though it never bored him. It was intriguing and something he had always enjoyed. He melted as her lips touched his as if she couldn’t possibly resist the soft kisses she gave him. She was quiet, gentle, and everything he had ever needed to soothe his worries.

“I think we will always see each other better than we see ourselves,” Nilo cast her a tired smile before a laugh escaped him, “because you certainly craft a pretty picture of me, but always short yourself.” He explained, a hand lifting to rest over the one that cupped his face, “so it seems I must also spend the rest of my life reminding you of the flawlessness in your flaws and just how beautiful you are, inside and out.” It was another promise, but it was one the man planned on keeping. If she couldn’t love herself as much as he loved her, then he would just have to love her enough for the both of them.

Her stories of the life she used to live often saddened him because although his life had seen some difficulties, there was something sorrowful about the way her hope had been lost. But now, there was something wonderful about the way she would dream again and always wonder about the life they would share. Although Nilo hated knowing she had suffered and endured a life of hardship, he also loved to see her happy. He knew her life wasn’t free from strife, but as long as he could still bring her joy at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

He held her close as she shifted to lay beside him, arms tightening around her smaller form as his tiredness returned, though there was a huge weight that had been lifted off his shoulders. Nilo may still not be comfortable with others seeing what had become of his torso, but around Gennadius he felt at ease and secure. He felt home. “All I ever wanted was to be kind to you and maybe make a friend,” He murmured, fingers delicately brushing some stray strands of hair from her forehead, “I am very glad I got to have all of that and more.”

The conversation was beginning to ebb as the two were beginning to lose the fight against exhaustion. They were far too cozy in his bed and far too drained to win the battle against their imminent slumber. “I look forward to sharing a room with you,” Nilo mumbled, body giving the smallest of shifts to be comfortable, “I like it when we talk at night.” His comment was probably slurred together and much too garbled by sleep, but it was true that it was one of the things he looked forward to when they married. Even if they didn’t see each other during the day, they would always be able to spend some time together at night.

Nilo might have said a few more things that night, but the man didn’t remember nor were any words beyond that point probably coherent. At some point though, he did cover them in the comforter. The two had a little cocoon of warmth within the cold room, sheltered from anyone and anything. There were no battles to fight, assassins to fear, and nobody to judge them within the walls of the round room. For that night, all he had to do was hold her and that would be all that would ever matter.

A soft light was filtering across the room and Gennadius’s eyes slowly opened, blinking against the rather intrusive early rays of sun. Lifting her head some, she gazed out towards the balcony doors, the night coming back as she realized they had never closed the curtains, though the view was quite stunning. A smile flitted across her lips and she started to sit up, the comforter falling from her shoulders, revealing how chilly the room really was. It felt good, dark blue eyes looking down at Nilo’s sleeping form.

The woman felt refreshed as she scooted to lean her back against the headboard, reaching down to stroke her fingers through his hair, pushing the russet strands back. The air felt so fresh in the room and her eyes closed for a moment. The world just felt right. When was the last time she had woken up this relaxed? Not for a while, and well before the assassination attempt. Not that she hadn’t had good nights of sleep, but this time... there was no worry, no fears, no concerns.

Eyelids slowly opening again, her head tilted to the side, eyes sparkling gently. Carefully, strands were moved from his forehead, her gaze full of adoration as he slept deeply beside her. Soon enough this would be every morning. Every morning waking up nestled against him, safe, refreshed, and happy. A time dedicated to them. What would it be like for this to be their life? To never have to wake up alone in her own cool room, just slowly getting ready for the day, hoping to get a chance to claim a bit of his time.

Looking back towards the balcony, Gennadius knew it was still early in the morning and quietly wiggled from under the comforter and got to her feet. Moving across the freezing floor, she reached for the curtains and drew them shut for Nilo’s sake before moving back over to him. Reaching out, she readjusted the comforter around him, bringing it up around his neck to keep him warm until she got back. Not that she planned on being gone long by any means. But she remembered she had turned down the bath the night before and she wanted to at least get a bit more cleaned up. At the time she had not been planning on spending the night.

Ducking from the room, she made her way to her own room to collect another fresh pair of clothes. Gennadius didn’t take long, half an hour at most, simply wanting to clean up and get all the gel and other stuff out of her hair. Because it was so hasty, the water was also cool, not being given time to heat, which meant by the time she was dried off and changed, she was shivering. Her hair was wrapped up in a hand towel and she was wearing her last pair of sweat she had stolen from Nilo, which offered some warmth, not to mention one of his shirts.

Her return to his room was more like a quick dash, because at this point, the cold wasn’t refreshing and the castle hadn’t yet fully warmed up. Sliding into the room, she stopped short as she was hit with even colder air. A small huff escaped her as she wrapped her arms around her waist and made it to the bed. She wasted no time in getting on and burrowing under the comforter. Her entire body curled up as she pressed to his chest which was blessedly warm, even pulling her head beneath as a cold arm wrapped in a vicelike grip around his waist.

It didn’t help that the hand towel for her hair was also soaked through now so as she tucked her head up against him, the cool wet was also pressed to bare skin, the woman still shivering slightly but starting to relax.