A content sigh escaped him as she leaned into him and ran her fingers through his hair, something he would never get tired of. Eyes fluttered shut for a moment, reopening to see her wide grin. The man knew she enjoyed them, hence the idea in the first place. If he had woken up first the man planned on running to get them, but clearly that hadn’t happened. Although, he should have expected it. He rarely woke up before she did whenever they shared a bed. At this point, he would've been surprised if he had.

“So you’re saying I can't lay in bed all day and just have you play with my hair… maybe kiss a little? What a letdown,” Nilo said with a frown before giving a puff of laughter, “But I suppose I can buy you a pastry with that weird filling instead. Perhaps we can convince the cooks to figure out the recipe, hmm? Or maybe I can just bribe the baker for it sometime.” He suggested half-jokingly. The man couldn’t help a small blush at her cheesy remark, the corny words suddenly captivating in the sweetest of ways. How did she just keep saying such pure, perfect things?

As she mentioned the honeymoon, the man couldn’t help but feel some excitement now that he had fully awoken. “I suppose we must get to traveling at some point. We have quite some distance to cover, unfortunately, but we have plenty of time once we get there, not to mention what wonders we’ll see along the way.” Nilo was looking forward to relaxing at the seaside town, with no set agenda or even a necessary reason to get out of bed, but he also looked forward to traveling with her. Alone. He had convinced his father she was good enough protection, not to mention they would be in disguises until the border. All of it excited him.

Though, her mention of him nearly getting stabbed and robbed by Dorian received a huff, though it was more playful than anything. “I would prefer not to be almost murdered for a coin pouch again, please. Thank you very much.” He told her, before wearing a thoughtful look, “Then again… it may be nice to see you go all strong woman on them again. It’s extremely attractive.” Nilo told her with a goofy grin, arms loosely banding around her torso when her arms found his neck. “And yes, I assume they’re your court too now, so I guess I must share my dear Theodore. The man is a God with a quill Gennadius, you may have more in common with him literature-wise than you think. Not to mention he’s secretly a genius, just acts like an airhead. So, you best not steal the brains of our operation for long.” He told her despite the fact she was simply joking, well aware that when they returned, the work situation was bound to change as well, and honestly, he was looking forward to it.

The man watched fondly as she gave an elated exclamation, her voice and laughter lighter than a feather. The man was looking forward to it all as well, especially the wing remodel when they returned. He already had a few ideas for when they picked their bedroom and he couldn’t wait, although he fully intended on enjoying his honeymoon. It would be the only one he would get, after all, on top of it being the one vacation that he had set in stone with her. He had no clue how long it would be until they got another getaway.

Nilo was glad she found humor in their awkward beginning the night previous, knowing he wouldn’t have changed any of it for the world. Granted, the fumbling and embarrassment had been difficult, but he had been as calm and soothing as he could be and their morning conversation had reassured him that everything was okay. “That wasn’t that bad when you did that,” Nilo snorted, rolling and throwing an arm over her, nose buried in the crook of her neck, “Though you scared the crap out me, I will admit. I thought I’d broken one of your bones or something.” The man laughed against her skin, stealing some of her warmth and sharing his own.

He groaned as she asked him to fetch her clothes, enjoying his newfound spot, though he knew she was ready and anticipating the day. How could he deny her that? “Fine, fine...” Nilo mumbled, though didn’t move for several seconds and when he did, it was with a grunt of protest. He was well aware he was about to be assaulted with cool air. Nilo sat up, running a hand through his destroyed hair, looking around for his slacks or underwear at the very least. Luckily, his dark pants were in a crumpled pile on the floor on his side.

Throwing his legs off the side of the bed, the man shivered, shimmying into the black garment and pulling them up to his hips, where he let them hang loosely as he wandered over to the bag with a yawn. Pulling his change of clothes out, the man threw the bag onto the bed for her. “There,” He gestured to it, “There’s some nightclothes for both of us in there if you want to steal a pair of my sweats or a shirt since we clearly didn’t need them.” The man gave a suggestive wink before his eyes wandered around the room where the rest of their clothes were strewn. It was honestly a miracle his pants hadn’t ended up thrown atop the four-poster.

“I’ll take the bathroom, so feel free to do your Gennadius thing,” Nilo offered with an amused wave of his hand, heading into the bathroom. He shrugged the new shirt over his shoulders and changed his pants, folding the old ones on the counter before. The man laughed aloud at his hair in the mirror, looking like it had been tugged on in several different directions, no doubt the work of his wife. He used the faucet to help him tame his hair, which flattened it and gave him bangs for the time being. “There should be a comb and a tie in the bag!” He called out through the door, knowing her hair wouldn’t be as easy to work with. “Are you decent?” The man called out, grinning a hole through the door before re-emerging.

Nilo snorted as a bag was thrown at him, catching it in his hands before it could hit him in the face. “You would have said something if you weren’t, my goodness!” His snort was accompanied by a loud laugh, the man rather unfazed by her small attack. She tended to throw things at him rather often, whether it was a shoe, a book, or in this case, a bag of their clothes. The man set it back on the chest and picked up his boots, slipping them on his feet while nimble fingers tied the laces.

She received an eye roll as she commented on his hair, something he couldn’t stand now that he had retrieved the sliver of vanity he had possessed. “It only does that when it’s wet and I don’t even use that much product because it makes my hair feel disgusting,” Nilo sighed as he shared the virtually useless information, leaning his head over and shaking it out. He used his old shirt as a towel and that ended up being enough to ruffle it back into shape. His fingers did the rest of the work, though, in the end, it was still messier than usual.

Nilo got to his feet and shoved the shirt in the bag, seeing as they were now tasked with cleaning up their mess. The man paused as familiar arms wrapped around his waist and he drew her closer, one hand raising to lightly toy with her hair as it often did. It was one of the reasons he loved it when she wore it down. It was easy to access and he could touch it whenever he felt like. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” His voice came out like a gentle purr and it was evident he felt the same way, “Yesterday was amazing and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. Then again, as long as you are with me, ever experience is perfect.” The wedding had gone flawlessly as had its reception and on top of it all, they had spent the night wrapped up in each other and taking the next step.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before releasing her and helping continue to put their clothes away. “We can walk to town, I don’t mind,” The man had assumed they would take the horses, but did he really care? Not one bit. They could do whatever they wanted with the extra time and if she wanted to spend some time in town, who was he to stop her? “An all-inclusive tour by you sounds nice anyways. You probably know the place better than anybody and I believe last time our little adventure was cut short in a few ways.” Nilo chuckled.

“Of course we can stop by to retrieve your stabby thing,” He grabbed the bag and threw it over his shoulder. Using his free hand to interlace their fingers, the man led her from the room, closing the door softly behind them. His smile was a little sad, knowing they were leaving behind the room that held so many memories, new and old, but he instantly brightened again because the person he shared everything with was with him. “We should probably feed the horses too, since the stablehands probably didn’t know they were in there. I believe we only have pasture horses here now so our ponies are unexpected guests. They can eat while we have our adventure.”

And so through the halls, he led her, sunlight illuminating the expansive halls. Everything was quiet, the click of his boot heels one of the only sounds it offered. It was nice in a way because for once, they had no spectators nor were their lives the gossip of the maids. It was quiet and that was one of the things he was looking forward to the most. They would have privacy. The man loved his city home and all the people in it, but it was nice to know that anything they said or did wouldn’t be the talk of the halls or the fire-starters for rumors.

Nilo smiled as they stepped out into the sunlight, savoring the sight of the blue sky and fresh air. Everything was absolutely perfect. And so the man walked them to the stables with a soft hum, depositing the bag near his horse's stall after procuring his money. “I wonder when they figured out we left last night,” Nilo thought aloud, knowing they were bound to have caused some confusion, “I bet we were painted as scandalous, star-crossed lovers who couldn’t wait until the reception ended to keep their hands off each other. Little do they know, many of them are just unpleasant company.” The prince snorted, bending over to scoop grain from a barrel into something for the steed to eat out of.

It only took him about ten minutes, procuring them food and water before turning back to Gennadius, taking her hand in his once more. “And to think we did everything right,” Nilo shook his head, the humor never leaving his face, “I wonder why they would even begin to believe we would be scandalous. I am the epitome of royal perfection. I am a perfect child, and prince, if you will. I would never do such… sinful things.” He spoke with mock disgust, swinging their hands gently between them as they approached the gates, "Now my darling, lead me into your former lair.” Nilo declared, allowing her to take him into the town that was once her home, even though he knew it well.

Bending down, Gennadius grabbed up her boots and pulled them on quickly, straightening up and accepting the hand offered her. The woman allowed him to start leading her out, noting the smile that turned a little sad. She gave him a slight squeeze, grinning happily, “We’ll come back sometime. Maybe even sooner than you expect.” She bumped gently against him, knowing he missed the home he grew up in. And she was most certainly happy wherever he decided to be so she noted to make sure to remind him that sometime soon.

“I guess it’s a good thing I want my stabby thing,” she chuckled, happily following him through familiar halls that she had once guarded him through, out into the sunlight. There was a moment where she paused, sucking in a breath of fresh spring air that you could only get in the castle. There was the softest of breezes and everything about it felt completely wonderful. She hadn’t even known she had missed it.

A soft laugh escaped her once they were inside and he mentioned when the other noticed their absence. “I’m sure it didn’t take long. But I can almost guarantee you it was expected. Almost.” Gennadius found her saddle, shaking her head in amusement as she started to untie the sheath from it. “Besides, they might die if we didn’t give them something to talk about.” She smiled and tied the sword to her waist, checking that she like its position as she meandered over to Nilo, leaning against the stall door as Nilo finished up with the horses.

Interlacing their fingers as he started them out, she chuckled, “Oh yes, the prince who has no idea what scandal is. And the Colonel who has been the very pinnacle of patience and princess-ness.” None of which was true, seeing as Nilo could have very well defined scandal and she was the exact opposite of being a princess. They really were an unlikely pairing with even more unlikely titles. But perhaps that was part of the magic of their relationship, and at the end of the day, the two of them could care less what the others thought.

The moment they were out of the gates, the woman took point, gladly starting to lead him towards the town she knew like the back of her hand. There WAS one place she did want to take him. One place she hadn’t been in over a decade and she thought he may find it a little interesting. That was if the place was even there anymore, or wasn’t inhabited. Why she thought of showing him now, she wasn’t sure but perhaps because it was the first time in her life she felt okay with the idea. Because now she had him and it didn’t really matter anymore, though at one time she had avoided it like a plague. The one place she had always avoided.

“So much to show, I’m afraid there will never be enough time,” she chirped, clearly unphased by the idea and just pleased to be going out with him. “But first, I say let’s get ourselves something to eat from the baker. And maybe try to avoid some trouble,” she grinned, releasing his hand to loop their arms together instead as she leaned against her husband. The market was already starting to bustle with life, the streets filling up as it was getting closer to noon and the shopping rush.

“This was prime time to pickpocket,” she spoke nonchalantly, pointing out a boy of perhaps seventeen or eighteen was weaving through the crowds. “Keep your eye on that one. See how he is sliding through the crowd like nothing? Watch him... there it is. He bumped into the older man over there and went right back to expertly weaving between everyone. I’ll wager you the man lost some money or something he may have just bought.” There was the option of going after the thief but she knew that chances were it would not end without some kind of fight.

“But here is the bakery,” she grinned, releasing him long enough to move forward and search for her favorite pastry, pointing it out to the kind baker. Dark eyes turned to look at Nilo as she grinned. “And after you get what you’d like, I have somewhere I want you to see. It’s been forever since I’ve been there but I think you may find it somewhat interesting. It’s on the other side of town.” The poorer side of the town...

“As you said, we can always return. I’m sure we can afford to take a weekend off here and there, especially since we now have an extra body on the team. If Damien gets a day or two off a week, surely the royal couple can sometimes.” Nilo offered with a smile, “So don’t worry about showing all of it to me today if we’ll be back before we know it.” He winked and continued to be led by her, the pair weaving through the crowd that was beginning to form. The thought of running off with her again in the future excited him as well, though it seemed he was simply excited in general.

And who wouldn’t be, if you were in his shoes? Everything was perfect and on top of it all, they had their honeymoon waiting for them whenever they decided to take off. The man had dreamed of showing her the ocean one day as it was one of his favorite places, but he was also looking forward to just traveling. Together they would see new sights and share different experiences in new towns. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this elated or at ease. He had always been a happy person, but for once there were no worries at the back of his mind or things to be done. All he needed to do was enjoy himself and spend time with his wife.

Nilo looked around the town, remembering how often he used to come there when he was younger. Briefly, he wondered if his friends were still around, though he doubted they would remember much of him, given the fact he would always come to them in disguise. Whether they did or not the memories were still fond ones, especially when he would tell stories to the younger children. The girls were the ones who always tried to point out his disguise and reveal his identity, the clever little things. Now, although those times of carefree fun were gone, he wasn’t sad. No, the man had found himself a new adventure.

His head swiveled in her direction as she spoke, intrigued. Neither of them spoke very much of their lives before each other beyond the surface level, so whenever she shared something linked to her he listened. Eyes followed a boy who wasn’t a lot younger than they were while he listened to her speak, somewhat shocked at the skilled sleight of hand, though he knew it wasn’t impossible. He had grown up with Adaira and married a former thief. “As much as I should probably be upset about that,” Nilo responded,” I must admit that is impressive. I’d be much too clumsy for that.” He ran a hand through his ruffled hair, watching the boy disappear among the people.

Nilo knew that people didn’t just become thieves because they had to and hoped that one day he could help with the issue of poverty, though he knew for now it was a problem bigger than he could solve. So all the prince did was hope the boy found himself fed and someplace decent to sleep. It was all he could do. Again his head turned as she brought him to the bakery, bringing him from his thoughts. The baker did cast him an odd look, though all the royal offered in return was a charming smile, knowing it would be hard to believe the man with rumpled clothes and messy hair was a prince and the woman at his side a princess, even if their features fit the bill.

“Thank you, sir,” Nilo called out with a wave as they walked away, their food in a little bag, “Seems he couldn’t quite decide who I was,” He told her with a chuckle, allowing her to lead again, “Perhaps just adding a few wrinkles to my shirt and having you mess up my hair is a disguise in itself,” Nilo joked, bumping their shoulders together in the process, “Who knows, maybe I can get out of wearing a hat while we travel across the kingdom. That would be nice.” The chances of him getting away with that were slim to none, but all the prince could do was hope he wouldn’t have to wear a hat until they crossed the borders.

After a few more minutes of walking, Nilo realized he wasn’t sure where they were going. “So, would you like to inform me of our destination or must I just sit here and pester you like a small child? I can be rather annoying if I put my mind to it.” He laughed, although the man wouldn’t have done that anyway. After all, he had dragged her hours away last night without telling her anything. “Are you going to reveal to me some secret thieves' hideout and inform me that being a colonel was just a front for you being the queen of the underground?” Nilo offered dramatically, cocking a playful brow.

It was amusing to see the baker look a little confused. And why wouldn’t he? The likeness of the prince stood before him not looking so... princely. And she did not look the same as she had when she used to buy pastries from the man, now more matured and with a scar that could leave anyone second guessing. Part of her felt bad for his confusion but the rest of her was beyond amused and sark eyes sparkled as such. “Indeed, thank you,” she offered and left with her husband.

“I don’t think he could figure out who either of us were,” Gennadius chuckled, playfully bumping him back. “Personally, I think I am partial to this look you have. But, it would only be complete with a hat.” She knew how much he hated them and perhaps that was what endeared her to them just a little more when he wore them. “If I recall, you look rather nice in a hat. Add in a bit of dirt and I think you are the most charming figure a person could imagine.” The woman knew her words probably killed his soul, considering he didn’t like either of those things, but that was also why she had said it. It was such fun to tease him to no end and he always took it so well.

She continued to lead him down different streets with ease, knowing every step by heart. “I will not inform you, even if you became the most obnoxious person I will ever know,” came her laugh, pulling him down an alley that was a quicker way to her chosen place. She took a bigger one and kept her eyes to the shadows, though they exited without any complications, which was always a relief.

“And I’ll have you know, if I did decide to become queen of the underground, I most certainly would not have chosen here. I’d take the city and for the fun of it, get a hideout under Conner’s smithery just to irritate him to no end.” Gennadius flashed her husband a grin before slowing to look around. They had reached a much poorer section of the town, farthest from the castle and much less active. A few dirt covered children shot past, only pausing for a moment to look at the two visitors before darting away, no doubt to watch for a little bit from the shadows.

Looping her arm around his, she guided him between a couple breaking down buildings, gaze searching everywhere around them. The fact that she knew where she was going here did somewhat amaze her. When was the last time she had been to this area? And yet she remembered the exact path to take with crystal clarity, pulling him down a few more streets, the places getting more broken down the farther they got. “I didn’t remember things being this bad...” her words came out more to herself than him.

It wasn’t that things hadn’t been like this before, but just over time, she had forgotten how poor they really were. It had been her normal as a child, and after being on the streets so long, she supposed any memory of a home would become more gilded than it was. And yet, as they came to a stop outside a small building attached to a larger apartment complex, it was exactly as she recalled. The small home was abandoned, wooden door barely closed, clearly never used. And who would want to house in a place where someone had killed themselves?

“Well, here we are. Not much to look at, but it never was.” Gennadius offered Nilo a small smile before releasing him and opening the creaky door. She took a cautious step inside, coughing slightly at the amount of dust that had accumulated over time. But the old stove was still there, the table and chairs long since stolen, probably by a family who needed them. There was a small open doorway that led into the only other room, a small bedroom of sorts, also devoid of furniture. But one thing remained, and that was in the main area, on the wall opposite of the stove where her mat used to lay.

“This was my home,” she finally spoke softly, squatting down as her fingers touched the old stone. “I never came back after I left, but I thought you might like to see it. To see where I came from.” A soft chuckled escaped her as her fingertips brushed over some old etchings on the wall... little drawn figures done when she was a young girl, when she was bored. “I got in so much trouble for this... I used to love to sketch so at night, when I was laying here, I’d take some ink or anything I had found or stolen, and just doodle. They never could get it off.”

Her head turned, dark eyes looking for his. “I never thought I’d come back here... not after I found my father dead,” she admitted. But she found that she was nowhere near as upset as she thought she would be if she ever came back. Rather, she was at peace. Because her beginning had brought her to this moment, and this moment was what mattered.

Nilo snorted as she denied him the information to soothe his curiosities and for a moment was tempted to be the obnoxious person she spoke of, but decided against it. “If you were smart, you would take here then the city,” He recommended, though he probably shouldn’t have given his own status, “You could use your gang of ruffians to overpower what groups already reside there. I doubt you would be able to take it from scratch, but I do know better than to underestimate you.” Nilo concluded with a laugh, quieting so he could get a look at where they were.

To say it was poor was an understatement. Everything seemed gray and barren, the buildings scarcely habitable. It saddened him and his smile deflated as the residents looked thin and miserable. Just like her, Nilo swore it hadn’t been this bad since he had last visited. Granted, it had been a few years since he’d spent a lot of time in the smaller city, but still. “I agree…” He trailed softly, head-turning to take in the rather dismal sights, “I don’t remember it looking like this…” It was rather depressing, to say the least.

The man drew her closer, not because he felt threatened or suddenly protective, but simply because the atmosphere was so desolate. Perhaps things had gotten worse since Nilo had frequented the town. That had to be it, right? Nilo eyed the little dwelling, which had certainly seen better days, no doubt a decent home in the beginning. Now it was falling apart, just like many of the buildings that surrounded them. It always hurt to be reminded that many of his people lived in such squalor. Why had she brought him here? The man didn't understand. Unless…

Nilo followed her in wordlessly, hovering towards the center of the room as she meandered with a familiarity that answered all he needed to know. When she spoke, it only clarified his thoughts. This house, whose structure was beginning to crumble, was the place she called home, though it wasn’t for very long. No, because her father had died here, leaving her homeless. He listened as she spoke to him quietly, his face devoid of any judgment whatsoever. It was difficult to think of a small child being so devoid of everything they simply learned not to want for fear of rejection. But it was reality and although she was safe and successful now, his heart still ached for what used to be.

How could it not? There were hundreds of children who were orphaned or abandoned, forced to live as she had. Except unlike her, most didn’t survive. When she finished speaking, the man approached her, kneeling down beside her to look at the small figures. “It seems you were quite the artist. I’m lucky they couldn’t remove them or else I wouldn’t be able to see such masterpieces.” Nilo commented with a soft smile, light eyes tracing over the little drawings, “Perhaps I should have you paint a portrait of me someday. Rediscover some old talents.” The man laughed, though it was barely more than a breath.

“I’m glad you showed me, I like hearing about your past, even though you don’t think it’s pretty,” Nilo spoke, falling back onto his rump for a moment, hands falling into his lap as he thought over his words, “Because you are my wife and I want to know everything about you,” He paused again, a hand reaching out to cup her chin as he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, “Whether you think it is good, bad, or ugly. I’ll always want to know what makes you… well you,” Nilo leaned back onto his palms with a soft chuckle, clearly unaffected by the rundown home.

"This place may not define you, but I still enjoy hearing about who you used to be. After all, we still haven't known each other for very long even if you are the person I am the closest to," He explained, casting a smile her way, "And it does sadden me some, I will admit, to know that your life wasn't easy," Nilo admitted, eyes turning back to the wall drawings, "but then I remember that you made it out and it all seems okay again."

Dark eyes brightened as Nilo moved closer, his words making her smile widen. “I was no artist, just a very bored kid,” she chuckled softly, “and I haven’t tried drawing since this. I fear Flower could probably make a portrait more to your likeness than I ever could.” She couldn’t help reaching out to brush her fingers against the fading sketches and cool stone again, marveling at how the memories didn’t hurt like they used to.

Gennadius glanced over at Nilo as he spoke, enjoying the soft kiss when it came. A soft sigh escaped her and she eased back herself, though shifted so she ended up sitting in his lap. Arms wrapped around his neck as she took in his words, appreciating every single one of them. It pleased her that he showed no pity nor any kind of real horror at what had once been the place she called home. That was not what she wanted... she had just wanted to share and felt as though it were only right that he get to see the place.

“It is more than okay now,” she said gently, reaching for the bag to claim her breakfast. “I’m just happy that I can share this with you. Damien knows the general of my past, but no one else does and you are the only one I can tell. And I’ve never had the guts to come back here after it all happened and I was on my own. It scared me for the longest time,” came the calm explanation as she paused to take a bite from her food, savoring the flavor.

What else could she tell him? She believed she had told him most of it, except specific stories here and there. But anything else about the house for him to learn? “There used to be a table and chairs in the middle of the room. My mother would make whatever she could and I do remember she was a good cook. She never wanted me to help because I was usually covered in dirt from my escapades,” Gennadius brought up with a shrug, “and on the rarest of occasions my father would come home with something special for her to bake us something sweet. Most was saved for my father but I usually managed to sneak a little.”

The woman’s face was bright as she glanced around the dismal place again, an amused huff escaping her. “And yet, I wound up in the castle and marrying you.” Her lips pressed to his, and suddenly the old house with memories became the most beautiful place in the world. Because her husband was there with her, and his presence had turned into something good. A memory that held nothing but warmth and case. The old rundown place was a symbol of how much he cared for her, no matter where she came from. His acceptance and now her willingness to let go of it all.

Pulling away, she wiggled off his lap and straightened to her feet, pushing her hair back out of her face. “I think I will save some of my old haunts for another time,” she grinned, brushing dust off the black leather sheath. “Unless you want me to take you through some dark alley ways and into a few more abandoned buildings. Those were the best honestly. As long as you stayed off of someone else’s territory. Then you were in trouble.” The female spoke of the memories as if they were good ones, and some of them really were for her. But she would no longer go back to them, like she may have a few years back.

“That being said, I think I prefer things with you a thousand times more. Especially now that I technically can’t steal anything from you because it is mine now too.” She gave a playful tug at the shirt he wore as she started to head for the door, “For example this shirt of yours. Maybe I’ll even go as far as taking Wicke now and again.” No, she couldn’t resist teasing him, though was trying to keep out of arm reach as she said it.

Arms wrapped loosely around her torso as she shifted, falling to rest at her hips. Nilo listened rather intently as she spoke, holding out the bag as she reached for it. “You covered in dirt? Escapades? I would have never guessed.” Nilo laughed, fingers reaching up to toy with a lock of her hair, “And sneaking food? What a naughty child you were.” The man joked, giving her torso a playful squeeze. It was nice to see her finding amusement and happier memories in a place that had once been a house of horrors to her younger self.

Nilo chuckled against her lips as she kissed him, happy to share yet another experience with her. It meant a lot to him that she was willing to share with him a place that had been filled with so much sadness and it made him happy that she had let it go. The man would have never asked her to put it behind her, that wasn’t his place nor would he have expected it of her, but he knew that it would make things easier. He would have never thought to see her smiling, let alone laughing in a place of pain, but there they were, cuddling on the floor of a place long-abandoned.

The prince got to his feet after she did, reaching back to dust of his hindquarters, which were covered in dust. Lucky for her, she had used his lap as a cushion. Unlucky for him, his dark pants had been a mistake, given as his rump and the backs of his thighs were now covered in dust. Nilo stretched his arms above his head, glancing at her as she spoke. “Yes, I agree that perhaps we should save some secret spots for next time. Can’t give up all the adventure at once, can you?” He questioned as a grin danced on his lips.

Nilo scoffed as she claimed she now had access to all of his things, feigning the utmost offense. “I’ll have to put locks on my wardrobe…” He grumbled as he followed her out, but it was all in dramatics. Glacial eyes narrowed as she threatened to commandeer his mare, which earned a cry of protest. “Stay away from my mare,” He huffed, “You already had her for a year, keep your hands on your filly.” Would the man have truly cared if she took Wicke out once the mare was rideable again? Probably not, but he couldn’t help his childish display.

“But…” He trailed dangerously, mischief dancing in his pale eyes, “If it simply can’t be helped that we must share things, perhaps I’ll start taking your sword with me here and there… maybe turn your hand-crafted daggers into decorative pieces…” Nilo offered as if he had all these ideas for her small collection of weapons, “And since we’re sharing horses now, perhaps I’ll have to steal Dynasty for myself here and there, though I must admit, I’m more interested in using your daggers to cut my dinner here and there, knives are so out of fashion.” He commented, casting her a devilish grin.

As they re-emerged into the town, the man fetched his pastry, which looked divine as always. “So now that we’ve decided we are to share everything, we should probably head back to the castle,” Nilo suggested before biting into the flaky bread with a moan. The man loved his castle chefs, but the small establishment bakeries always seemed to produce the best pastries there were. It was one of the reasons the prince snuck out multiple times a week to head into the city for breakfast. “I’m afraid we do have a long journey ahead of us. I did pick a rather distant place for our midnight escapade.” He laughed softly, though he had no regrets.

“That and I’m afraid our friends will probably bombard us upon arrival,” Oh yes, Theodore was bound to have revealed the two snuck out to the rest of their friends that morning unless of course, he was too hungover to attend work. Whatever the case, he was sure their secret rendezvous had raised some questions amongst the nosy court, “Which will probably delay us another two days,” Nilo joked, bumping their shoulders together, “But who knows, maybe they all had too much to drink and we’ll luck out on this one.”

But... Gennadius immediately stiffened, eyes narrowing as she slowed down her steps. Head turning to look over her shoulder, she was met with mischievous light eyes. “You wouldn’t dare...” she growled, one hand instinctively falling to the hilt of her sword, though there was no malice in gesture or tone. “Touch any of my blades, and you will lose your hands... touch my filly and you’ll lose your manhood.” She raised a brow as if testing him, now fully aware of the weight of that threat.

The banter settled and Gennadius fell into step with Nilo, lips tipping upward as he enjoyed his breakfast. “That you did, but I believe it was worth the ride and will be worth the ride back,” she agreed. The woman wouldn’t have changed any of it for the world, loving every part and memory the night before offered her and her new husband. And she expected the return to be just as enjoyable. How could it not be? Everything so far had been beyond amazing, even the visit to her old home, a place she had avoided purposefully because of the memories held. It just wasn’t so dark this time.

“Oh, I highly doubt we can get away with sneaking in and back out again,” the female laughed, shaking her head. “There is probably one of them posted at each entrance waiting for us to arrive. Maybe it’s a good thing I brought my sword after all... I can try and fend them off while you make a dash for our stuff. It’s risky, but It might work.” Blue eyes sparkled with her silly situation, though one thing was most definitely happening, and that was the two of them being bombarded by their friends for answers and details.

The two made their way back to the stables as they chatted. Once there, the horses were saddled and bridled, Gennadius pausing before mounting her horse to look around one last time. Gazing at the courtyard, she couldn’t help the growing smile, remembering how many times she had stood on the wall or crossed through to head to the guardhouse. And the whole time, she was despising the prince she had never personally met and pretty much every other person except Darius, who she still disliked now and again, though she truly did care for the older man.

Mounting, they started back for the City of Lions. It was a beautiful spring day and the woman was loving the ride, getting more excited by the minute for the much longer journey they would be taking to reach the ocean for their honeymoon. It was one of the few places she had never been and Nilo had only shared wonderful things about it. However, she was just at thrilled at the idea of riding through various towns and spending nights at inns, just the two of them relaxing and for once not having to worry about anything.

“Are we heading out today to get a head start or waiting until morning,” Gennadius asked as the neared the castle, head tilting slightly. “If we end up staying, I doubt we’ll be getting any privacy,” she chuckled with amusement, “considering that the entire court is going to be pressed up against our door.” There was a sudden pause as she grinned. Their door. It seemed so natural to say, instead of his door. “Personally, I think we should tell them that we got so irritated with each other, that we went to different inns to spend the night.”

The woman guided her horse towards the gates and turned to look at her husband, bringing the horse close enough to bump into him playfully. “Unless of course, you have a better idea. Though I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Theodore already knows we are here. He probably has been sitting on one of the spires to get the first glimpse of us he can.”