"Well, I cannot divorce her, and nor can I marry someone that everyone else will believe I have only just met." he replied, looking at Will for a moment. "Let's see how long we are both alive and together, and I may be able to marry you. As a second spouse."
"A second spouse as in you'll eventually divorce her or as an I'll be an awkward addition to an established relationship?" Will can't help the small smirk that tugs at his lips as he flicks his eyes over to Kaz. He forgot how easy this could be. Just existing with another, one who understands and loves- The ghost of a smile vanishes. Remember who you're with, William, he scolds internally. This won't end well. This will end with pain and suffering and another cycle restarting.
"I can't divorce her." he replied with a shrug. "So you shall have to live with the knowledge that someone else occupied my bed first, in this lifetime." he smirked back at Will for a moment, eyes flicking back to the hall ahead of them to keep an eye on where they were going.
"How scandalous," Will deadpans. His fingers momentarily tighten around Kazimir's sleeve as he steps awkwardly and sends a jolt of pain up his leg. Will sighs, eyes taking in all the detail to the grand palace. However, no matter how ornate, the halls are beginning to look the same. Have they been going in circles? "Are we nearly there?" He asks. His ankle is aching once more.
Kaz hummed faintly, reaching to help steady Will. "We should be, yes." he replied, glancing at Will and giving him another quick little smile, then looking back at their path ahead. It took just a little bit longer to reach a door, which Kaz knocked on rather than simply pushing his way inside.
Luckily, the journey to the Snake's wife's bedroom was only a short while longer. Will looks at their conjoined arms, then at the door. How would she take to this? Will prays the woman won't be hostile. Who knows what sort of powers she holds. The knocks echo through the primarily empty hallway. It feels nearly too quiet.
The door was opened after a moment by a Fae woman with dark hair and dark eyes. She was dressed in a white dressing gown over a long nightgown. She saw their interlocked arms, and arched her eyebrows. "Who is this, Kazimir?" she asked, eyes moving to her husband.
Kaz took a breath. "This is my, ah, new concubine." he said, keeping his arm locked with Will's.
William tucks his lips together and offers a polite and awkward half-smile. He feels uneasy against Kazimir's arm and the subject of the woman's harsh glare. "I uh, I'm William Silvius." Does he extend his hand for a shake? Does he bow? How is he supposed to act in this situation? His collar feels tight. "I don't believe I caught your name, uh, miss." Also, how is he supposed to address Fae Royalty?
The woman stared at him for a long, silent moment. "A human, Kazimir? Is your taste so low?" she looked to Kaz again.
Kaz cleared his throat. "Please do not insult William, Marie." he replied. He looked at Will. "You may call her your majesty, or Queen Marie." he told Will, keeping their arms together.
Marie scoffed softly. "If you insist, Kazimir."
(askd;lfj we need to make this playlist - listen to This Is Love by Air Traffic Controller-)
Will's nose slightly scrunches upon the Queen's insult to humans. Not that Will thinks that humans are all that great, it's more like she had the audacity to say it right in front of his face. His eyes search the woman's face. He reaches for something to say deep in his vocabulary, but nothing kind comes to mind and Will doesn't wish to lie. He offers another polite nod. He and Kazimir's conjoined arms feel warm and awkward beneath the Queen's stare. "Well, uh, it was nice to meet you, your majesty." He slightly stumbles on the honorific.
(ooh i love that song!)
She stared at him silently for another long moment. "I cannot say the same." she replied, then went back into her room without another word to either one of them.
Kaz looked over at Will, giving him a quick, almost apologetic smile. "And that," he said, "Was my wife."
Will blinks at the closed door, a sigh drawing from his lips. "Charming," he mutters. He runs his fingers methodically through his hair, careful not to mess up the delicate hold the green ribbon has on his hair. "I can see why you married her. Her looks are stunning and personality is simply revolting." His voice barely leaves its deadpan monotone. "Where to next?"
Kaz snorted faintly. "She does not like humans. Nor concubines. So you fall within two categories that she very much dislikes." he replied, mouth quirking faintly. "And now, we need to get you some suitable clothing. You haven't any, and you need some."
William hums quietly. "Good to know I've already made enemies with the Queen." And then he hums again when Kazimir announces their next destination. He can't go about wearing the Snake's clothes every day. "Alright," he sighs, voice resigned. "Take me to the tailor… or whoever."
"The tailor." Kazimir confirmed. "We'll get you suited with better clothes." he led Will through the halls, smiling just a little bit to himself as they walked through the grand, large halls of the Fae palace.
"Wonderful," Will says in his tired, dead tone. His eyes droop. He must've not slept well last night. Odd. He doesn't recall any nightmares, nor any pain keeping him up. He shoots Kazimir a quick side-eye. Did the Snake drug him? It must have been the tea. So lost in his internal questioning, Will hardly even notices when they arrive at the door to the Palace Tailor.
Kaz opened the door to the tailor's rooms, who looked up when the doors opened. "Oh! Ah, good morning, your majesty." the man said, standing and bowing quickly. "How may I serve you today?" his gaze moved from Kaz to Will and back again, quick and nervous. He was of average height, and slim, with long, thin fingers and a rather anxious demeanor.
(sorry I've been kind of spotty! It's finals week a;kdsjf)
"It's for me." Will gestures to himself with the hand not trapped in Kaz's grip. He barely gives the tailor a once-over. He's by no means memorable. Rather plain for somebody living in such a grand castle. "Somebody kidnapped me and wasn't kind enough to let me go back home to retrieve my things," he continues in a deadpan, punctuated by a yawn. Really, how much did he sleep the night before? He can't recall any sort of disturbances. No, he slept well through the night. Didn't he? "I prefer green." His eyes fleet over some of the fabric stocked in the shelves.
(it's fine!! good luck with your finals ajbkgjdbhf)
The tailor nodded a little bit. "I see. Ah, come stand here, would you?" he gestured to a small, raised area. "So I can get your measurements." Kaz let go of Will so that the human could do as the tailor asked. The tailor had dark hair that flopped into his eyes, and his eyes were a warm golden tone. He wasn't ugly, but he was not stunningly handsome, either. A face that was attractive, but unremarkable. "And, what sort of style are you looking to have?" he asked as he got his tape measure.
(aksdl thanks! i finished my last ones up today! got 100%s on all of them except algebra 2 (106%) and biology (86%))
Will does as he's told, joining the tailor in the center of the room. He feels oddly exposed with Kazimir's gaze on his back. "I don't really care all too much," Will says softly. "Just something simple. Nothing with jewels or gold or… whatever." His green eyes watch the tailor as he fetches the tape measure.
(nice!!)
The tailor hummed faintly, carefully taking Will's measurements. He shifted the young man's body about just a little bit, lifting his arms or tapping his legs apart a bit, though none of his touches were in any way inappropriate. "I see, I see. Any colors in specific?" he asked, writing down each measurement as he took it.
"Green," William answers without skipping a beat. "But dark green. Not…" He gestures to the heaping pile of neon green fabric. "Subtle colors. Simple designs." He hopes the request isn't too odd considering the Fae's complex and colorful architecture.
The tailor considered that for a moment. "Less saturated colors, perhaps?" he suggested. "More like emeralds than grass?" he pulled out a small booklet of medium to dark green color swatches, holding it out to William. "These are all labeled, could you give a few suggestions of ones that you like better? That way I can color match so that your wardrobe is made up of similar tones." he finished taking Will's measurements, and pulled out a few more color booklets. "You can look through some of these, as well, and tell me which tones you like best."
(I'm probably going to be spotty over the next couple days bc I am on vacation (currently typing this in line for a roller coaster right now akdjks) so please forgive me 😫🙏 I'll be back to normalish on the 8th but I have online classes starting the 12th and then a couple different camps sprinkled through June and July and August. I got a busy summer my guy. I'll try my hardest to stay up to date and active but I can only do so much I'm sorry man)
Will stares at the color swatches with a hint of boredom on his face. Back home, his mother would make him clothes from what fabric she recycled or bought from a bargain bin. He never asked for much, he never complained with what he had. Being treated like near royalty here (excluding being dragged a mile through the forest) is nothing short of a shock. "These ones," Will eventually decides on, showing the tailor a dull grass green, a very dark shade of forest green and a subtle green that could be mistaken for beige. As he goes to hand back the booklets, one last color catches his eye. It's emerald, bold and saturated. "Maybe that one." He adds quietly.
(it's fine!! I don't mind the wait :) have fun on your vacation!)
The tailor took in the four colors, nodding a little bit. "Is it safe for me to assume you are alright with a few accent tones as well? Blacks, whites, creams, that sort of thing? Or would you prefer I stay to only monochrome green for every piece and stitch that I create?" he wrote down the colors that William had chosen, and then moved over to another area of the room, where he had some mannequins with clothing, along with some other clothes. "And, if you would like, would you mind coming over here to point out the styles that you prefer?"