(I don't think I like that haha XD. Normally I'm the one scheming. It feels weird to be on the other end.)
Kaillas brushed his foot up against the side of hers, trying to help soothe the worry he could sense from her. He didn't like this, knowing something was wrong but not what. It bothered the king and soldier in him, and the husband in him. He wanted to ask her what was wrong and get to the bottom of it but she wasn't speaking here, it was because of the company they were in.
His attention was quickly drawn back to Katya, eyes narrowing. "The Duke may come but not his son. Actually, I don't want any boys your age coming. No, any single boys coming. You're too young. You both are. In fact, I don't think either of you should ever marry. Stay here with me forever."
He did not like the thought of Katya marrying. Or Elora. He would happily keep then at home unwed and with him if he could. He could afford it, he was king. He wasn't going to force them into marriages, as much as his council pushed for a marriage alliance with other kingdoms. He never wanted to see then we'd if he had a say about that.
"Hey! You can't do that!" Katua exclaimed. "Ophelia, tell him he can't!"
(Get used to the feeling cause I have a bunch of schemes up my sleeve XD)
Realizing what Kaillas is doing, she offers a light reassuring smile and a silent promise that she’ll explain later. She doesn’t want to discuss it in front of his sisters. She doesn’t even want to bring it up tonight. They’re supposed to have alone time to reacquaint with each other and relax. This would ruin the night.
She can’t help but laugh at his declaration that no young single men are allowed at the ball. She knows that her husband is protective of his sisters but in her opinion the girls are old enough to start looking at suitors. Obviously nothing serious, just some silly little crushes, but she doesn’t see the harm in it. It’s not as though they’ll do anything crazy.
“Having a few boys around never hurt anyone, Kaillas. Let Katya and Elora have their fun.” She finds the whole situation to be incredibly humorous. Though, she’s mostly sure that he’s only joking about the no boys things, there’s a small chance he’s serious and she’s going to have to try some negotiating to get him to agree.
(Oh NO! Haha. It's okay, I've got a few too ;)
Kaillas turned his glare to Ophelia as she backed Katya up and not him. She was supposed to agree with him. No boys! Ever. When he saw his sisters, he still saw the scared little girls that had been left after the death of half their family. He didn't want to see then with boys. Not yet. It was too soon.
But he relented, not without a complaint, but he did relent. "Fine," he said sharply, "But only because the lords would find it an insult if we did not invite their children. But I'll be watching you both carefully. No wondering hands and no leaving the ball with anyone other than me or your guards."
Good thing he doesn't know I have a thing for my guard, Elora thought to herself. Her lips finally quirked up into a small smile. "We'll behave ourselves, when have we ever not?" She gave an innocent grin.
Kaillas wasn't as worried about Katya sneaking away as Elora was. She was becoming a young woman now and would certainly want to explore. But he didn't want some spoiled lord's son putting his hands on her. And not for a few more years.
(Oh YES! XD I’m excited to see what you’ve got in mind!)
Noticing the glare being sent in her direction, she puts a sugary sweet smile on her face. She knows that even if he’s mad at her, he won’t stay mad at her. Besides, she’s not wrong! The girls are old enough to have crushes on boys. There’s nothing wrong with it. As long as they stay responsible, she doesn’t see a problem at all. She never got the chance to let loose and have a little fun so perhaps she’s a little biased but oh well.
“Don’t stress yourself, Kaillas. Everything will be perfectly fine. Elora and Katya are proper young ladies.” She can hardly suppress her grin. It’s obvious that he expected her to be on his side but as much as she respects him, she thinks it would be ridiculous to refuse to let any single young men to the ball. It would also be quite insulting to many. She’s pleased that he agreed to let the girls invite who they want.
She finishes up her salad and takes a few sips of her wine. The playful banter and the relaxed conversation is making her feel better about everything. She’s been so stressed out these last few weeks. It’s nice to sit down and eat dinner in such a normal manner. More often than not, she was eating food in the office so she’s happy to be sitting at an actual table this time.
Kaillas was certainly biased in that these were his little sisters. They were his little girls. He wanted then to be little girls for as long as he could keep them as. Having boys around and crushes was not little girl behavior. He didn't think he was quite ready to let them go. He trusted his sisters. And trusted that any boy that put his hands on them understood that he was the king and he'd kill them if they did anything to hurt or defile them (not joking). So the problem came down to him. He just wasn't ready.
He took his wine glass and took a long sip of it, almost draining it. This talk of boys was going to give him a headache. And nausea. Just the mere thought of either of his sisters being with boys made him grimace.
Katya was grinning again. She was making a list of all the boys she wanted to invite. She wasn't going to overshadow Ophelia's birthday, but well, there was no harm in a little match making. "Since we're all on the same page, I'll make a list." That earned a groan from her brother and caused her to laugh.
Elora was picking at her salad again, her focus on the greens before her. Over these past few weeks, she was growing morenthan just an infatuation with one of her guards. He was young, barely twenty. His father was well respected guard at the palace which was how he had gotten the position. And assigned the princess. But he had done a well job and they got a long quite. Too well. She worried what her brother would think.
Hearing Katya say that she’s going to make a list, Ophelia laughs and shakes her head. She’s more than happy to let the girls invite anyone they want. She really doesn’t mind. Other than them and Catalina, she doesn’t have any friends or anything so most of the attendees will be strangers anyways. It’s alright, though, she just wants the ball to be a distraction. It doesn’t really need to cater to her likes and dislikes.
When the main course arrives, she thanks the server and takes a look. It appears to be leg of lamb with some sort of sauce. It smells absolutely divine. She waits for everyone to be served and settled before she cuts into her meal. She hadnt realized how hungry she’s been until now. Not wanting to rush, she takes her time and enjoys her meal.
She polishes off her glass of wine and sets it off to the side. Until they’re done with dinner, all she’ll be drinking for now is water. She doesn’t like to have more than a glass or two of alcohol at a time.
Noticing the look on Elora’s face, she frowns a little. “Is everything okay?” She asks lightly, wondering what’s going on inside of her head. The girl looks stressed about something. She doesn’t want to push but she’s here if she ever wants to talk about anything.
Kaillas truly had no idea what he was getting himself into at sixteen when he was brought home to look after his two baby sisters. He still didn't. He was taking it day by day. He was still learning things, learning how to be a mother, father, and brother to them. But there was only so much he could possibly do.
The salad was gone and the next course was served. This was what he had been looking forward most to. The griks around him may be eating their food with a policy hand but he was digging in. He ate like a man starving. He had been living on rations and barely eating enough. He survived on maybe two meals a day on his journey home.
Katya watched as her bother ate. And while she was the younger and more naive one of the three of them, even she understood why he was eating in such a way. It made her look at her own plate and second guess things. She ahd never went without food. She had never wanted. Kaillas had always taken care of them. And yet he was out there on secret missions and short on food and she was stuck here, where she had everything. It didn't sit right in her stomach. She dropped her fork to the plate, clasping her hands in her lap.
Elora blinked, looking up from her plate. She was surprised to be called on. "Oh, yes I'm fine. I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well last night." She hadn't been sleeping very well at all lately, between her distress of her brother and growing emotions.
Ophelia pauses for a moment and just watched as Kaillas devours his food like a hungry wolf. She feels bad, knowing that he likely hasn’t been eating well recently. Not wanting to stare at him, she averts her gaze and just lets him eat. She isn’t going to judge him, especially since she knows this is probably the first proper meal that he’s had in weeks.
Studying Elora’s face for a moment, she gives a nod. “I’m here if you ever want to talk.” She knows that it can be hard going through life and keeping everything bottled up. She doesn’t want that for Elora. She may be married to the young woman’s brother but she’s perfectly happy to keep any information confidential, unless it’s life threatening of course. She isn’t looking to put anyone in danger.
She soon notices Katya’s lack of desire to eat her food. “I know you’re feeling but letting yourself go hungry now won’t make you feel any better,” She says lightly, careful to not let Kaillas here. She doubts that Katya wants her to make a spectacle of her not eating. There’s certainly an underlying problem here and she’s got a pretty good guess of what it is. She won’t call her out on it or anything. If Katya wants to talk then she will.
It seems like the toll of not having Kaillas around is weighing heavily on everyone. She feels terrible that everyone is stressing out so much. She wishes that she could help but she knows that her options are limited.
Kaillas was too hungry to really notice any of their stares. The plate was cleaned all too quickly and he almost requested a second plate. But he doubted the chef had extra prepared and he still needed to leave room for some cake. So he let his plate be taken away as he cleaned his hands and mouth with a napkin. He drank his water slowly as he watched his girls all interact.
Elora looked up at Ophelia, watching her. While she liked his brother's wife, and it certainly was nice to have someone around her age, she didn't think she could quite indulge some of her thoughts. Not with Opehia being a proper princess. She almost felt shame that she wasn't. She wasn't raised as Ophelua had been, to be proper and posh. She was just Elora.
But she could still indulge a little. Maybe not her concerns with her guard, but her feelings with her brother. They weren't just going to go away. Not after tonight. Whatever Kaillas had to say was likely only going to make things worse. "Thank you," she finally said, offering a small smile.
Katya looked at Ophelia, eyes wide of being caught. She hadn't realized she was so easy read. Her cheeks flushed a little as she nodded her head. She picked up her utensils and started to again, more grazing than anything really. She wasn't going to finish it but she could eat a few more bites.
Thanking the sever, she hands her plate over. She's finished her food so she has no qualms about moving onto whatever is being served next. She carefully wipes off her hands with the cloth napkin. She places the napkin back onto the table when done and sighs softly. It's not long before dessert is being brought out. She perks up a bit when she sees that they're having cheesecake with a cherry glaze on top.
Though she does hope that some day Elora and Katya will trust her enough to talk, she understands that they may not want to right now. She smiles a bit at Elora in response before turning back to Katya. At least she's eating again. She shifts a little in her seat before looking down at the plate. Despite that she was excited for her dessert just moments ago, she's lost her appetite.
Not wanting to be contradictive to what she just told Katya, she picks up her fork and plays around with the slice of cheesecake for a minute, wanting to at least make it look like she's eating something. She's just ready for dinner to be over so they can all have a proper chat about what happened and what the next steps are. The conversation won't be a fun one but it's necessary. Hopefully it will help everyone get a perspective on things.
(Finally home. My coworker's car broke down on the highway so I had to go get her)
(Oof that's not fun. Hope the car is okay.)
While Kaillas would have preferred chocolate cake, he was perfectly content with Cheesecake. He enjoyed sweets. He didn't get to have any on the three weeks he had been gone. The dessert was gone a lot quicker than he would like and the plate taken from him.
Elora had eaten perhaps half her plate before she was finished and it had been taken away. She picked at her dessert, not really in the mood for such a sweet dessert. If her guard was here and they were alone, which they rarely were, he would tease her endlessly about her about the uneaten cake. She coukd practically hear his voice ringing in her head. It almost made her smile.
Katya wasn't farring much better than the other two women. She picking at her plate, taking a bite or two before declaring she was done. They had their fun and their food. It was time for answers now.
Kaillas sighed, leaning back in his seat as he looked at his girls. He knew it was time, even if he wasn't ready. He pushed back from his chair and stood. "Come, let's retire to my suite and we will talk."
(It'll be fine once she takes it into the shop. Might have to pick her up and take her home tho depending on how long repair take)
Ophelia pushes her plate away after a few minutes of just poking it around with her fork. She took a bite of two but that's it. The rest remains uneaten and abandoned on her plate. She feels bad about not actually eating it but she can't get herself to take another bite. There's too much weighing on her mind.
For a few minutes, she just lets her mind wander. It's been a long three weeks and there's a lot going through her head. Being in charge was difficult, especially since so many people didn't trust her. Then there's the whole thing about her birthday……She rubs her forehead as she tries to think.
Glancing over to Kaillas, she frowns a little before nodding. She knows that she's been wanting to get this conversation over with but now that it's actually time to do it, she's a little hesitant. She knows that it's not going to be fun but it's necessary.
She stands up as well, taking a moment to smooth out the fabric of her dress. She follows him out of the dinning room and to his suite. She hopes that this conversation will go well. It'll be nice to be in the loop and know what's going on so they can prepare for the future.
(Oof)
Kaillas held his hands out to his sisters to help then stand before moving to Ophelua and helping her out of her seat. He dropped a kiss to the top of her head, unable to help himself. He needed to touch her. It had been too long since he had been away from her.
He took the lead as they went back to his suite. He gestured for his sisters to sit on the couch in his sitting room. He moved to his wine cabinet and pulled out a bottle and grabbed four glasses. They were all going to need it with this conversation.
He opened the bottle and popped the cork, pouring them each a generous glass. He hand them to his sisters first before his wife next. Then he took a seat between his sisters, glass in hand. He placed the bottle on the coffee table in front of them.
He took a long drink before finally speaking. "The same group that killed our parents brother attacked a village along the border. No one survived." He took another grip as he felt his two sisters stare at him in horror. He didn't look at them. "I've been tracking their movements, following them, but nothing."
What he couldn't figure out was why? Why had they attacked the village on the birder? He couldn't find the motivation behind it. There was a sliver of doubt in his mind that the signature had been forged but…it had looked to real. He would never forget the symbol drawn in blood on the wall.
(Yeah it's not great)
Ophelia smiles a bit when she feels the kiss being pressed on top of her head. She takes his hand and gives it a light squeeze. This is going to be an unpleasant conversation so she's ready to get it over with so they can have a little alone time afterwards. She's really missed being around him.
Entering the suite, she takes a seat on the chair near the couch. She's fine to let him and his sisters claim the couch. She accepts the glass of wine and thanks him. Such a simple gesture tells her that this is going to be even worse than she thought. She takes a few sips of the wine before leaning back and getting ready to listen to what Kaillas has to say.
She sits up straight and looks at him with shock and horror. Obviously she wasn't there when his parents and brother died but everyone knows what happened and how horrific it was. And to have the same group come back and slaughter a whole village…..there just are no words for it.
She looks to Elora and Katya worriedly, not sure how they're going to process this information. This is going to drag back a lot of trauma for them, there's no doubt about that. She knows that now isn't the time for her to speak so she stays silent and just lets the family try to wrap their heads around this.
Elora took a long drink of her glass. It was much too sour for her tastes but with the conversation at had, she didn't care. She would have drank straight brandy if he had offered it to her. Her chest was tight and she felt like she could hardly breathe. They were back. What woukd they do this time? Woukd they come her now? Her sister? Her brother and wife?
She reaches for the bottle and refilled her glass only to take another heavy gulp. She was suddenly looking forward to drinking the bottle, if only it would help her sleep. It was why she didn't drink often, not that it was offered much. It made her sleepy.
Katya had silent tears running down her cheeks as she looked at her brother. He encouraged her to drink and she did, coughing as she swallowed. It was disgusting. He pulled her into his side and she curled up instantly into his embrace. "Why are they back," she asked in a voice barely louder than a whisper.
Kaillas kissed his sister's head. "I don't know," he murmured. "But I'm going to find out." He swore that to them. He would figure out this mystery and personally kill the ones responsible for this.
Ophelia's stomach churns as she listens to the panic and fear in everyone's voices. There's so much uncertainty right now. She tightly holds onto her wine glass, not saying a word. She can't do anything. Even if she tells them that everything will be okay, that could be a lie. She has no idea what's going to happen and it's concerning. The people who killed their family….she knows that them returning is very bad.
Her knuckles are nearly white as she grasps onto her glass as though she's hanging on for dear life. It's then that she decides to take everyone else's lead and drink. At first she tries to just sip at the wine but she quickly realizes that that just won't do and she downs the glass.
Hearing Katya's question, her heart nearly breaks. She feels terrible that the past is returning to haunt them. For years they've been free and now the people who ruined their lives are back. And for what? Slaughtering a village on the border doesn't tell them much about what their motives could be.
She takes a shaky breath before pouring herself another glass of wine. She desperately hopes that whoever did this will be found and quickly be dealt with.
Kaillas looked at each of the women in the room with him. Katya, curled up by his side. Elora, downing another glass of wine. And Ophelia, gripping the glass so hard it turned white. He would never let anything happen to them. He would die before anyone could hurt them.
"No one will hurt you," he swore, "No one will even touch you." He already had plans to double the guards on each of them. Increased guard duty, longer hours, more on patrol. He wouldn't risk anything. He had already sent the orders out to his army to fortify their borders. Everything was shut down and nothing woukd pass through without inspection. His kingdom was going into lock down.
He placed his now empty glass on the coffee table before pulling Elore to his side. She hesitated a moment before cukring into his side as well. He hugged both if his sisters tight to him. "They won't touch you. I won't let them."
"But what if they hurt you?" The sweet voice of Katya was muffled in his chest. "You're not invincible. They could get to you."
"They won't." He looked down at her. "They won't touch me. They won't get the chance to." He was going to kill them before that could happen. He would kill anyone who was a threat to his family.
Ophelia isn’t worried about herself. She’s worried about him. While she and the girls get to stay in the safety of the palace, she just knows that he’ll be putting himself on the front line, right in the line of fire. The thought terrifies her. If anything happens to him she doesn’t know what she’ll do.
Finishing off another glass of wine and then one more after that, she finally cuts herself off and sets the glass down. The wine does little to soothe her shot nerves. She lightly rubs the temple of her forehead, trying to think of something, anything, to say but she’s coming up blank.
What even is there to say? The situation is dreadful. This is this family’s worst nightmare made into reality. It’s terrifying. She wishes for nothing more than the ability to snap her fingers and make this all go away and safe like some horrible memory. Alas, that’s not a possibility. They’ll need to put strict security measures in place and actually face their adversaries.
While she may have some experience with politics, she knows nothing of war. Her kingdom’s problems were always dealt with in sneaky, underhanded way. There have only been a handful notable wars in the kingdom’s history. The last one ended perhaps six months after she was born so she hardly even lived through one.
“Just come back to us safely, Kaillas,” She says quietly, trying to stop the worry from overtaking her tone. She knows better than to try and convince him to stay at the palace with them. It won’t happen. She knows that he wants justice and to deliver that justice himself.
Kaillas couldn't promise that. There were too many possibilities on a battlefield. He wouldn't promise something that he couldn't keep. But he would do everything in his power to come back to her, to them. The darkened look in his eyes conveyed such a thing to Ophelia. He only hoped that she understood.
Elora reached for another glass of wine and he didn't stop her. Not today. Not after this. Tomorrow, they coukd deal with things the right way. Right now, a few drinks were necessary. If it kept her calm and fought off the nightmares, who was he to keep her from it?
He knew his own nightmares woukd return. He had been too exhausted on the road to dream of anything. They rode from the beginnings of dawn until the creatures prowler at night and it was no linger safe to continue. He had gotten very little sleep. But now that he was able to, he knew they would return.
Katya eventually fell asleep at his side and he knew it was time to tuck the girls into bed. Careful not ti wake her, he picked up his sleeping sister and silently moved to the door to place her in her own bed. Once she was tucked in and the door closed, he turned to Elora.
"My brave girl," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "Get some sleep." He knew she needed it by the way she was stumbling over her feet. He looked at the guard posted at her door. Young but qualified. He knew his father. Worked with his father. He would trust this young man to guard his daughter well. Though he wasn't alone. There were more guards than usual posted down the hall.
When his sisters were both safe in bed, he returned to his suite and finished off the bottle of wine. There wasn't much left and he had a high tolerance. "Come here, darling," he motioned for her to come to sit by his side.
If only he could promise his safety. She knows that no one’s life is guaranteed and there’s never a promise that anyone sees another day but if there could be an exception, she would want it to be this. Meeting his gaze, she gives a small nod to show that she understands what he’s conveying to her. She doesn’t like the unknown and how it’s invading every corner of her life. The fear it brings with it is proving to be overwhelming.
She doesn’t judge anyone for how much they drink today. If there is ever a time to overindulge it is now. They’ve been given horrible news and they have no real plan on how to fix it. The upped security is a good start but the real issue will be actually tracking down those responsible. They have evaded capture for years. She worries that the results will be the same this time around.
Slowly, the worry and the exhaustion starts to overtake the girls. She watches quietly as Kaillas herds then both to bed. As for her, she stays where she is. She uses the silence and the emptiness of the room to allow herself to dive into her thoughts. What she finds is disturbing. She wants this to end peacefully but after all that has happened, peace is no longer an option. Blood will be shed.
She closes her eyes and tries to recall all she knows on the topic. While discussing what happened to the royal family isn’t forbidden, it certainly is frowned upon. No one wants to bring up what is likely the biggest tragedy this kingdom has ever had. She can’t blame them. Speaking of it must be painful.
Before she can get too far in her thoughts, Kaillas returns to the room. She needs no coaxing to get up and join him on the couch. “Are you alright?” She knows the answer but she feels as though she needs to ask anyways. It’s really all she can do at the moment.
As soon as she was near enough, Kaillas grabbed her hips and tugged him down into his lap. He just needed to feel her. He needed a reminder of warmth and passion and love. After those grueling weeks and shitstorm of a conversation, he just needed to feel.
He was far from alright. He wouldn't be alright until the ones responsible for this were come dead in the ground. And even then, it wouldn't fix the damage that had been done. He would never truly be alright. Nor would his sisters. He sighed through his nose, barely shaking his head. No, he was not alright.
His fingers twitched. He felt the need to do something. For far too long had he sat on that throne and tried to broker peace. He was tired of trying and failing. He was ready to just be done with it all. Even if it meant murdering every person that ever dare go against him. He just wanted to keep his family safe. He always had
Changing the subject, he said, "Whats going on? What happening around your birthday that's upset you?" He might very well kill whoever was responsible for dampening her mood.
Needing this connection just as badly as he does, she doesn’t protest when he pulls her onto his lap. Rather, she gets herself settled and snuggles up against him. She just needs to be near him right now, almost needing constant reassurance that he’s here and he’s okay.
The silence after her question tells her all she needs to know. Despite the tough act he puts on, she’s deeply worried about him and the toll this must have on him. She reaches up and gently brushed his cheek with her hand. She wants to assure him that everything will be okay but she can’t bring herself to open her mouth and deliver what very well could be an empty promise.
She’s disappointed by the change in subject. Though she wishes to discuss what’s going on in depth, she knows that he needs some time before she brings it up. Telling his sisters the news took a lot out of him. She’s reluctant to try and push him. Not now. She doesn’t want to talk about her birthday in the slightest bit she’s willing to since thats what he wants to discuss in order to keep his mind off of the madness at the border.
“My parents are coming.” Are they coming to celebrate her birthday? No. It’s been nearly a month since their honeymoon and her parents heard rumors about her being with child. They’ve come to badger her about a baby that doesn’t exist. “For a week,” She adds, not even trying to keep the stress out of her voice. She doesn’t tell him why they’re coming. It will only upset him further.
(Before you get disappointed thinking that this is my grand scheme, I want to assure you that this is merely a piece of the puzzle lol)
(I trust you haha. I'm not disappointed.)
Kaillas did not want to talk about it anymore. He didn't want to talk about it for a long while. But he knew the day after tomorrow he woukd be dragged into countless meetings and figure out a plan to deal with this. He had given himself tomorrow to spend with friends and family and then it was back to work.
He gripped the wrist of that hand that landed on her cheek and turned his head to kiss her palm. He was grateful for the gentle touch. For too long had he been around the harshness of the wild and army. Hunting someone was not easy nor intimate. He craved these touches. He desired them. He never wanted to go another day without them.
He tensed as he heard those few words slip from her lips. He had onions about her parents, not good ones, and he hadn't even officially met them yet. He couldn't imagine what they were doing coming there. He knew it wouldn't be for her birthday. They hadn't even come to their wedding. Something else was a amiss.
He ran his hand up and down her back and pulled her closer into his embrace. "We will deal with them when they come. Don't let this ruin the excitement of your birthday. You're turning twenty, my darling. It's something to celebrate." and hopefully he wouldn't feel so guilty with being someone so young. They were only about three and half years apart but it was still alot. Especially when her age had ended in a teen.
"I won't let them hurt you." He tilted her chin up to look at him. "I've got your back." Then he lowered his head to kiss her gently.
(That’s good lol)
Ophelia will drop the subject for now. She wants to give him time to settle back in and relax before she pesters him. There’s no doubt that he’ll be dragged away in a day or two into a million meetings about what’s going on. For now, she can offer him a break from such conversations even though the worry and need to know is eating away at her.
The tensing nearly makes her laugh. Despite having never met them, she can tell that Kaillas already harbors quite a few negative feelings about her parents. Good. This way he won’t be disappointed when he has to meet them. She thinks it’s best that he knows what he’s going to have to deal with. Going in blind wouldn’t be a good strategy.
“My darling, having my parents around is enough to ruin even the most joyous of occasions.” It may seem harsh but she means it. Deep down she does love them but they are difficult people and she’s been glad to be away from them. Having them come and invade her new home isn’t something she’s looking forward to. Their presence isn’t going to be welcome but she knows better than to try and tell them no. That simply won’t work.
“I know you do and I appreciate that.” She leans forward and kisses him back lightly, leaning into his embrace. She’s glad to have him by her side.
Kaillas didn't accept that. It was her birthday. They were going to celebrate it and be happy together. Be a family together. He wasn't going to let her parents ruin such a thing. He cupped her cheek, thumb stroking the soft, unmarred skin. "I won't let them ruin a thing. Even if I have to order the guards to lock them in their rooms, I will. It's your birthday. I want you to enjoy rather than focusing on them."
He had no qualms about telling then no and sensing then right back to their own kingdom. He was a king and this was his kingdom and he would not be disrespected. He would send them away in a heartbeat if they upset his wife or anyone else. He had no ties to them, despite marrying their daughter. But it sounded like she belonged more to her tutors and nannies than to them.
He kissed her short and sweetly before breaking the kiss. He tucked her head under his chin, just needing the moment to hold her. After everything that's happened and the unknowing of the future ahead of them, he just needed to hold her.
His fingers trailed idly on her arm, his calloused fingertips drawing circles and patterns in her skin. "I don't want children until this is resolved," he murmured. He was talking about the assassins and his family. He wouldn't risk putting her in a vulnerable position when someone was putting a hit out in his family again.
