forum Royal Affairs (O/O Closed)

Started May 08, 2023 by @LolaBug

tune

"At once, Your Majesty." The maid dipped into a curtsy before bustling off to tell the staff and prepare to leave. It took almost an hour to pack up the house and prepare food for the journey. The carriage was readied and Ophelia was helped into it. The carriage set off but it would not reach the palace until evening. Rumors had already started at court and the whispering had begun.

With the arrival of the queen, the ladies of the court flocked to her side. The entire time the King was gone, they were by her side, asking about the honeymoon and gossiping and waiting to see signs if she was with child. They grew disappointed the later it got and she still hadn't shown any signs. Nevertheless, they stayed by her, and it began to show more and more who her true friends were at court. Genevieve and Isobel stuck by her side, offering her information and getting the other ladies to back off. Beatrice offered her a kind silence and provided her with space away from court. She wasn't as ditzy as everyone made her out to be.

By the second week of Ophelia's return, Beatrice had gone into labor. It was a rough birth and took a whole twenty-four hours before her baby boy would be delivered. Her husband was ecstatic but she was just relieved it was over. This would be the kast one, she vowed. She would figure out away to secretly keep it from him. If she became pregnant again, it might very well kill her.

It had taken Kaillas two and half days to reach the border. He had a delay in switching to his war horse and getting his things. He now wore full steel armor and his sword was strapped to his side along with a number of knives hidden among his person. He was ready for any situation he might arrive to.

He hadn't been ready.

It had been a massacre. Everyone was dead. Men, women, even the children. They were all dead. The soldiers searched the town, looking for any sign of life, any clue to who did this. It wasn't until he reached the governor's home did he find the evidence. In his personal office laying on the desk was not for him. It was signed with a signature he knew all too well. It had been the same signature that had been signed on the wall with his parents blood.

They were on a man hunt now. Sending a raven, they recieved permission from the neighboring kingdom to enter and find these assailants so long as they left their people alone. Kaillas could agree to that. He only wanted to find the person responsible for this. They had never found him, the man that killed half of his family. He had disappeared into thin air.

He had tried to write everyday to Ophelia. The first week he sent a raven every evening at the same time. The second week, it was every other day. And by the third, he wasn't sending them at all. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was that he so caught up in his hunt for revenge he had forgotten.

After the third week and no luck, it was time for him to return. It was four day journey, he was so far south. When he aporached the palace gates, the trumpets sounded and he could hear the shouts saying "The King has returned!" He rode through the gates into the small courtyard at the entrance of the palace. He was home at last.

Three weeks. Three long weeks have passed since Kaillas was called away. She had immediately returned to the palace and after a day of resting from the journey and weighing her options, she took over as head of the kingdom. It’s been stressful but she hasn’t cracked under the pressure. The advisors are listened to and she makes her decisions with care.

The problem lays with the ladies of the court. Upon her return, they descended on her. The constant questions about her honeymoon and the less than subtle gossiping about whether a child was made drove her up the wall. She has maintained her compose thus far but each day her patience wears thinner.

The second week of her return was by far the worst. The entire kingdom was dressing without their king. News from the border hadn’t been positive which caused great concerns. She was careful not to let any information get out to the general public. Everything was shared on a strict need to know basis. The last thing anyone wants is mass panic.

Then Beatrice went into labor. While she wasn’t there for obvious reasons, she heard about how poorly it went. Nearly twenty-four hours in labor and it nearly killed the poor woman. She had offered her assistance to the new mother, wanting to do something to help her get through the traumatic ordeal.

As the weeks went by, letters from Kaillas arrived less and less. The stress was eating at her. The third week went by and she didn’t receive a single letter. She spent a full day locked in her room, needing to get away from everything to decompress. Not knowing whether her husband is alive or dead was killing her.

The sound of the trumpets and the announcement that the king has arrived is what pulls her out of her room. Surprised and unprepared for his arrival, she has to throw herself together. She yanks on a nice gown, does her hair, and makes herself look as though she isn’t on the brink of a break down.

She goes flying through the halls of the castle, not caring about the startled looks she receives from the staff. She makes it to the courtyard in record time. Right as she arrives, there he is, riding up on his horse. She can barely contain herself. The excitement is overwhelming and she’s able to temporarily forget how furious she is with him. A week of no contact was the most stressful thing he could have done to her while in the midst of such a large conflict.

Kaillas and his entourage of twenty soldiers arrived at the palace about three in the afternoon. The sun had been hard on then during their journey, beating down on them with a blistering heat. All them still wore pieces of armor, a chest plate and arm bracers. Some, like the king, wore their helmet as well.

He was hot and sweating and tired. He had rode with very little rest and fewer stops for food and water. He had wanted to get home. To his wife, to his sisters, and to brood. He was angry, very angry that someone had dared to step into his home. He had taken a passive role all these years to maintain peace but that was over now.

But he was home now and he could see his wife coming towards him. All thoughts of war and death had escaped his mind because there was his wife. His sisters were in the background, running into the yard but he only had eyes for Ophelia.

He went to her, practically ran to her, and wrapped his arm around her. He hugged her so tight and hard he lifted her right off her feet. "Ophelia," her name was a whisper on his lips. "I'm here now."

A moment later and his two sisters were slamming into them. They were crying and babbling and he couldn't make out what they were saying. He only knew that he was home and he had all of his girls with him. He adjusted his arms so he could hold all of them.

Ophelia hardly waits for him to get off of his horse before she’s running over to him. She flings herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight. So overcome with emotions, she can’t manage to speak any actual words. Those three weeks felt like the longest of her life. Especially that last week where she didn’t hear anything from him.

She doesn’t dare to let go of him for even a second, almost afraid that he’ll disappear if she does. Though she can hear his sisters approaching and feel them joining in on the hug but she pays them no mind. Right now her only focus is her husband.

Not once in her entire life has she been so happy to see someone. From what she can tell, he’s uninjured so that only adds to her relief. After not hearing from him for over a week she had started to assume the worst. No one would tell her what was going on. That feeling of fear and helplessness was suffocating.

She tucks her face against his neck, taking a shaky breath. “Are you okay?” She finally manages to ask something without it just sounding like a bunch of mumbled confusion.

Kaillas buried his nose in her hair, breathing deeply. He had thought about this everyday he was gone, holding her, feeling her. He had missed her more than words could say. His knees were weak and the only reason he didn't sink the ground was because he locked them.

He coukd feel the stares of other courtiers. Their words were muffled in his ear as there was only one thing that mattered to him, his girls. He had his wife in his arms and sisters shortly joined them. He kept in arm locked around Ophelia and the other he threw around his sisters. He gave each one of them a kiss ok the forehead.

"I'm okay," he answered Ophelia's question. "Nothing more than a couple scrapes and bruises." And possibly a cracked rib but he didn't mention that part. He finally let everyone go, peeling his sisters hands and Ophelia's hand off of him. It wouldn't be for long, but he needed to talk to Elora and Katya.

He turned to his two sisters, placing a hand on each of there cheeks and wiping away the tears that stained them. "Hey, look at me," he said to them in a gentle voice, "I'm okay. It's okay. We're going to have dinner tonight as a family. It'll just be the four of us. And we'll spend the evening together and that's when we'll talk. But I need you to let me go right now. I've been riding for four days. I'm going to go bathe and be with my wife for a little bit. And then we'll meet for dinner. Okay?"

They both looked reluctant and he understood that. "You can walk us to our room but then I need a little bit of time alone. We'll meet for an early dinner." They were content enough with that. He looked down at his wife and cupped her cheek. "Let's go inside."

He ignored everyone else and let his girls escort him inside. He had anticipated his sisters being reluctant to leave him but he really did need a bath and a change of clothes. He had been stuck in these for four days. He didn't imagine he smelled very good. He was finally able to shut the door and then it was just him and Ophelia.

Ophelia ignores all of the stares and the whispers surrounding them. She doesn’t care what they think. It’s been weeks since they’ve seen each other, of course they’re going to be enthusiastic. She has been worried sick about him. She reluctantly peels off of him when he finally removes her and his sisters.

Taking a step back, she gets a proper look at him. Other than a few surface cuts and bruises, it seems like he isn’t hurt. That’s good. She sighs softly, feeling relieving when he confirms that he only has a few small injuries. Knowing that he needs some time with his sisters, she gets out of the way so they can all properly see each other.

She stands off to the side and gives them a few minutes. She knows that Elora and Katya have been beside themselves with worry. They were all so stressed when they letters stopped and no one received any news about what was going on. It was easy to start thinking the worst had happened.

Though she’s ecstatic to spend some one on one time with Kaillas, she does feel a bit bad for dragging him away from his sisters so soon after his return. At least they’ll all be able to spend dinner together. She’s looking forward to that already. It’ll be nice to have everyone in the same room again.

She smiles and leans her cheek against his hand, cherishing his touch. Feeling better now that she’s seen him, she can finally relax. She follows him inside and to their room. All that has changed is that she’s moved her clothes in. Everything else has remained exactly the same. She didn’t want to change anything and make things stressful for him upon his return.

Once the door to the room shuts and they’re left alone, she breathes out a sigh. She turns and looks up at him. “Hi.” It feels surreal to actually be next to him right now. Three weeks isn’t too terrible long and yet it felt an eternity.

Kaillas pushed the door shut and went as far as locking the door. He rarely locked it in case of an emergency. But he didn't want any interruptions or distractions. It was his time with his wife. He had missed her so much.

He smiled at her. "Hi," he said as he walked to her. He put his arms around her, holding her to his chest. She was blocked by his armor and he really needed to get out if it. But that meant he would have to let Ophelia go. "Will you come help me take a bath?"

He wanted then both in the bath. He just needed to be with her and hold her like that. It would be intimate and it was exactly what he needed. Close and personal. He took her hand and started leading her towards the bathroom.

His bath was one that had been built into the floor. He had to step into it. It was big and comfortable and would be able to fit them both easily. He turned the nozzles to start the water and let the bath fill up. By the time he was out of his armor the bath should be full. He kept his eyes on Ophelia as he started to unbuckle the straps on his shoulders.

Ophelia is surprised that he’s locking the door but she’s not complaining. She’s glad to have some alone time with him. Locking the door will ensure that they don’t get interrupted. She knows that she would bite someone’s head off right now if they do much as considered knocking on the door.

Leaning into his embrace, she holds him close. “Yes, of course,” She agrees. She’s so happy to see him that she’d do anything for him right now. Unfortunately, that means having to pull away from him once again. She’s not happy about that but she knows that it’s a necessary evil.

Giving his hand a squeeze, she follows him into the bathroom. As the water starts to fill up with warm water, she grabs two small bottles off of the shelf. “Do you want bubbles and some lavender?” She asks lightly, wanting him to be able to relax we much as possible.

Turning to look at him, she watches as he works on getting all of the armor off. She can’t even imagine how heavy it all must be. She studies him, wanting to see for herself that he really is okay.

Kaillas couldn't two shits about bubbles and lavender in his bath. But he did care about Ophelia and if it helped her to feel better by adding bubbles and lavender to the bath, he wasn't going to stop her. He nodded his head once in confirmation. Then he continued unscrewing his armor.

He finished with the shoulders and moved on to the straps on both his sides. Then he carefully pulled it over his head, trying not to wince as he stretched his torso. His arm bracers were next and they were easier and faster to take off. He sat down on the toilet lid to unlace his shoes and pull them off.

The next difficulty was getting his shirt off. His side was already throbbing from pulling off his armor, it was only going to irritate more taking off his shirt. But he didn't have a choice. He grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled it off his head in one swift movement. Looking in the mirror, his right side was covered in shades of purple and blue and yellow. He grimaced.

He started on his pants next, taking them and his socks off fairly quickly. His undergarments followed next and then he was standing their naked. And his wife was wearing far too many clothes.

Ophelia frowns a bit, worried for him. She turns and adds a little from each bottle into the tub before returning the bottles to their proper places. The add-ins may be a little silly but she’s hoping that it’ll help to soothe Kaillas’ nerves. She imagines that he must be white stressed after having to deal with so much for three weeks.

Turning around, she realizes that he’s nearly undressed already. She watches as he pulls off of his pants, now standing naked in front of her. Unable to help herself, her eyes flicker across his body. It only takes her a split second to realize that there’s something very wrong with this picture.

“What is that?” She gasps, spotting the giant and rather angry looking bruise that’s covering most of his side. She steps over and examines him, clearly displeased. “Have you seen a doctor?” The bruise is nasty and she worried that it might mean that there are underlying issues.

Naturally, she starts to fuss over him, checking to see if there are any other major injuries. “Just a few scraps and bruises?” She’s surprised that he would be so quick to wave such a thing off. “Kaillas, this is more than just a minor bruise.”

Kaillas looked at her eyes wide, startled by her outburst. Other than being a little dirty and his bruise, he didn't see anything on him. It wasn't until she stepped towards him and mentioned the bruise did he catch on. He stood quietly while she fussed and looked over the rest of his body.

"I'm alright darling," he finally said with an amused voice. His lip was curled up in a small smile. "I got knocked off my horse and landed wrong. That's all. It's a bruised rib. There's nothing to do but wait until it heals." It night possibly be a little more than bruised but that was true. The only thing he coukd do was rest and take medicine to help with the pain.

He reached for her, tugging her against his chest. He had his hands firm on her waist. "I'm alright," he promised. "Npw take your clothes off. It's been far too long since I've seen my wife naked. Let me look at you."

He had no intentions of doing anything sexual with her, even if his body would likely say otherwise. It had been three weeks since he had done anything with her, three weeks since his needs were last fulfilled. He couldn't control his body. He just wanted the intimate act of seeing and holding her naked body. That was all he needed.

Ophelia is half tempted to scold him when she hears his amused tone. She has every right to be concerned. The bruise is huge! She huffs a little at him before deciding to let it go. She knows that he must be tired from the long trip so she'll give him a break. Once he's had a chance to recover, she's going to revisit this whole bruised rib situation. It looks much worse than just a bruised rib but she doesn't have any medical training so she can't back that thought up.

With his hands on her waist, she lets him tug her forward. Now it's her turn to be amused. "Alright," She agrees with a slight shake of her head, finding it entertaining that he's so ready for her to take her clothes off. She's not going to deny him. She presses a kiss to his cheek before pulling away.

She steps back and works on pulling her dress off, setting it off to the side. She's glad that she took a second to put on some nicer undergarments. While she hadn't been expecting to undress, she had wanted to put on something nice since they haven't seen each other in so long. Off comes her corset, undergarments, any everything else she's wearing. Now naked, she stands in front of him.

She's missed this. Three weeks is way too long to go without seeing her husband. She's missed him. The way he looks at her, that smile, just everything about him.

She finally smiled at him and Kaillas grinned. He had no doubt in her mind she would scold him for it later and drag over the royal physician to inspect him. But for now, she was willing to relax with him and help him bathe. And she was finally taking her clothes off.

He watched with greedy eyes as she peeled off her clothes. His body, of course, did not understand the memo and instantly thought it was getting some action. His desire was evident but he made no moves to do anything about it. He just only stared at her.

"You're beautiful," he murmured. "I thought about you everyday. I thought about your hair, your body, your voice. What you sound like, what you feel like. It's what kept me going. It's why I fought so hard to come back. So I could come to you."

He reached for her then, folding her against his body and kissing her soundly. He had been wanting to do that ever since he laid eyes on her. He hadn't wanted to do it in front of all the others. But now that they were alone, he was going to kiss her as much as he wanted to.

If they have time before dinner, she'll be dragging him straight to the physician. She doesn't want to wait any longer than need be to get him checked out. For now, she's willing to stay calm and help him bathe. Once she feels like he's had some time to decompress, she'll go right back to fussing over him.

She stands in place and gives him a minute to just look at her. While he may be happy to just stand there and observe, it's pretty obvious that his body has other ideas. She's content to stay still and let him look for as long as he needs to. She would be lying if she said she wasn't doing her own share of staring.

A blush spreads across her cheeks as she listens to him, soaking up his sweet words. "I missed you so much, Kaillas," She murmurs. "I was so worried about you and then the letters stopped…." It killed her to think that he wouldn't come home to her. Her brain kept coming up with all sorts of awful reasons to why he stopped writing.

She presses against him, kissing him back deeply. So many people had been around when he first arrived and she knows how much he dislikes public affection. It had been hard to hold back but now she doesn't have to. They're finally alone.

Kaillas' smile dropped as she mentioned letters. He hadn't meant to to stop. Time had gotten away from him. If he wasn't working, he was sleeping and vice versa. It wasn't an excuse. He shouldn't have stopped writing them. He should have known she would have been worried and thought the worse. That was on him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't haven't stopped writing them." He could only imagine how worried she and his sisters had been. He would do better next time. Because he knew there woukd be a next time. He only hoped that he woukd have time to spend with his wife before he had to leave alone. More time than last.

He wrapped his arms tight around her. He didn't let his wound on his side prevent him from holding her tight. Three weeks. Three long weeks he had been away from her. Three weeks he had gone to bed alone. Three weeks he had gone without her kisses and hugs.

He bent down and picked her up, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist. He didn't stop their kiss at any point. Not even as he started to walk towards their bath and slowly lower both of them in it.

Ophelia doesn't want to shame him for not writing. She knows that things have been crazy. She just wishes that he would have taken the time to write back. Even just once. She just wanted to know that he was okay. Each day she and his sisters waited to receive a letter and one never came. They never heard from anyone at the border for that week. It was the longest week of her life.

She doesn't want to think about next time. She doesn't want there to even be a next time. Deep down she knows that at some point he will have to leave again. Right now, she's happy to live in denial since it means having some peace of mind.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she holds onto him, not breaking the kiss. For a brief moment she worries about his injury but she pushes that worry aside. She hopes that he wouldn't be doing this if it causes him any pain. Right now she just wants to focus on him.

She runs her fingers through his hair, needing the sense of normlacy after being away from him for so long. It's crazy how much she's missed being by their side. Even though their marriage is still so new, she feels like she would die without him.

Kaillas' side was killing him. Carrying her had increased the throbbing but he wasn't stopping fir anything. Not as her soft lips kissed his chapped ones. Not as her hands were in his hair. This was where he wanted to be. In her arms, nothing between them. There was no barrier and he could feel everything.

The water was warm and still filling. He reached in front of him blindly to shut off the water as it had filled. He settled into the tub, resting his back along the edge and holding her in his lap. He should have been careful where he set her because she was now sitting on something that desperately wanted her attention. Well, it needed to learn that it was Kaillas' time for attention right now.

He was running his hands all over her. Down her back and the curve of her ass. Around her side, touching her stomach, her thighs, her chest. He needed to touch everything. He had been denied this fir far too long and he was catching up right now.

He nibbled at her lips, asking for permission, then swept his tongue into her mouth when she parted her lips. He needed to be everywhere. His hands gripped her ass a little too tightly and he pulled her closer, if that was even possible.

Getting into the tub while being wrapped up in his arms proves to be a rather interesting experience. She trusts that he won't drop her but it's a little nerve wrecking regardless. She settles herself on his lap, incredibly aware of what she's sitting on. She ignores it for now and just cups his face, burshing her fingers across his cheek and taking the moment to just be in his presence.

She moves her hands, running them down his chest and stomach, all too careful to not touch his bruise. Every inch of him needs to be touched. She's desperately missed the feeling of being in his arms, their hands just roaming each other's body, no expectations.

Feeling the nibbling at her lips, she gladly parts them for her. She makes a quiet noise against his lips when she feels his hands digging into her ass. She knows that there will be marks in the shape of his fingers imprinted on her skin after this.

She presses herself into his chest, needing to be as close to him as physically possible. Even then, it's just not enough. If she could somehow get closer, she would. She craves being near him, like an addict. Never before has she felt such a strong urge.

(I meannnnn she could get closer inserts stupid teenage boy seduction look)

Kaillas pushed his chest out into her palms. He sighed against her lips at the feeling of her touch. He had missed it. He had missed feeling her hands on him. The feeling of he rhand griping his, the small size of her palm resting against his chest. He was so much bigger than her in all ways. Just holding up their hands together was amusing how much bigger his own were.

She was responding just as needily to him and he could have weeded. He didn't know what he woukd have done had she insited they just bathe or had left him alone to wash by himself. He needed this. Needed her. He realized now that he couldn't live without her. He didn't know how to function if he was not breathing the same air as she.

He broked away from her lips and kissed down her jaw and neck. He noticed that all of his love marks had long faded on her chest. He woukd remedy that later. For now, he just wanted to kiss every inch of her skin.

His kisses trailed back the other side of her neck until he found her lips again. He kissed her hard and deep. He had missed her so much. Words coukd not describe but actions could. And he was kissing her like a man dying and she was his salvation.

(Oh my god XD You aren't wrong though….just a little shift of her hips is all it would take lol)

Ophelia loves their size difference. It means that she's swallowed by his hugs and can wear his shirts as dresses. There are just so many wonderful little things that she enjoys about it. She fits against him perfectly. She can reach up to grab his shirt, pulling him down to her level for a kiss. Just the thought makes her heart flutter wildly.

Three weeks apart drove her crazy. She felt as though she was slowly suffocating without him. By the end of the first week she realized just how much she needs him. All of the distractions and the stress of running the kingdom should have put her feelings at bay but no matter how busy she was, all she could think about was his return.

She couldn't have said no to him even if she had wanted to. She needs to be with him right now. Eventually an actual bath will be necessary but right now she just wants him. Her hands explore his body, touching and caressing the little spots she knows he enjoys.

Tipping her head back for him is an immediate reaction now. His touch is all she needs to live, of that she's convinced. She closes her eyes, relishing the feeling of his lips on her skin. She never wants him to stop. She kisses him back passionately, her fingers once again tangling themselves in his hair.

(Haha I meannnm XD)

Kaillas had no idea how much she had been struggling ruling his kingdom or going so long without him. With their no contact on that last week, he hadn't been able to hear from her at all. He would talk to her later, after they actually bathed and before they went to dinner. He would want to hear all of it, how it went, what happened. He woukd tell her how proud he was of her and that she had done a wonderful job. Because he knew she did.

But right now, Kaillas had other things on his mind. He wanted to kiss her and then he wanted to be clean. And once he was clean, well, he woukd see where it went from there. But he didn't want to touch her in a more intimate act than this when mud was still caked under his fingernails.

It felt like they had kissed for hours and yet it wasn't enough. But he really did need to bathe so he finally broke their kiss. He raised one hand to cup her cheek, trying ignore the sharp contrast of his dirty fingernails and cracked knuckles to her smooth, perfect skin.

"Will you help me wash? My rib prevents me from doing to much." He night have said that just so she woukd wash his body. It did hurt to move his body a lot but he coukd bathe just fine. But feeling her hands on his skin, cleaning him, now that was worth milking his injury.

(Something tells me that they’re not going to wait as long as they thought XD)

Taking his place, even for just three weeks was difficult. There were many people who weren’t happy to see her in charge. Between all of the responsibilities and the badgering from the ladies of the court, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. She didn’t enjoy her time in charge and now that Kaillas is back, she’ll have a minute to just breath before she loses it.

Having him back is perfect and all fo the kisses and affection is a wonderful distraction from her thoughts. She worries about what will happen when he has to leave again for now, she pushes that thought from her head and melts into his touch.

She pulls back when he ends the kiss, taking a breath. It feels like they’ve been in the tub for hours but the still warm water proves otherwise. She strokes his cheek lovingly with her thumb, just studying his face for a moment.

“I’d be happy to,” She agrees, already reaching for the soap and a cloth. Even if he weren’t injured, she would readily agree. She lathers the soap up on the cloth before starting to gently rub it across his skin, removing the dirt and grime.