[littl3chocobo]

her fear tempered his words but not his anger and pressing her into the stone he let her understand where she stood. "i have no more patience for you, wife." as he spoke he shook her just enough to make his point clear. "your next misstep will cost you a pound of that fair skin you flaunt so boldly"

[Honey]

No words wanted to step forward, and he was grateful for it. It was clear the prince wanted nothing offered to him aside from an affirmation and than he was willing to give. Giving a shaky nod of his head while his eyes avoided the boiling orbs of slate he could feel burning at his skin, he hoped it was enough to assuage the prince and leave him with nothing more than badly bruised arms

[littl3chocobo]

when he was given confirmation of her understanding he let go. "and tonight you will give up your game of coyness" offering no more and not allowing her time to argue he spun around and stormed off. god help anyone who dared bother him today

[Honey]

The thought of even remotely going through with his plans to elongate his time without facing the man left his mind as he was shaken in the church. Simply thinking of the anger instilled in the prince caused for a shiver to run down his spine, and the sight of the man in the halls had the same effect to the boy. So he kept to himself for the remainder of the day, doing his best to be illusive, even through both the second and third meals of the day. Though it was the early evening when he kept all to himself in the garden while he waited for the right time to meet the prince in his chambers

[littl3chocobo]

as the day wore on his anger softened to an unpleasant brush against his ribs and mulling over the fear in her eyes he was left remorseful though he had no reason to feel that way. he huffed a sigh and continued reading his book

[Honey]

Rapping his knuckled softly against the deep wood of his husband's room he waited for the soft instruction to enter to be given. sliding a hand over the cool metal of the handle he gave it a firm twist as he slid the door open just enough to allow him in. Eyes immediately found him and he was quick to return it, his eyes looking over the prince in a discreet and prideful way, like one did to their enemies. Allowing for the knob of the door to wall from his hand, he listened as his only means of escape closed with a firm thud before he put on his proudest look

[littl3chocobo]

he saw fear all the way up until her eyes met his before it melted behind a strong jaw and unwavering eyes as if he were an enemy on the battlefield. he met them with his own. "wife, i am not blind to your reluctance and i am not an unreasonable man, after tonight i will have you sent away with your family where you will stay until you are needed to sire me sons, this is my concession to you"

[Honey]

Even with the cards laid across the table he still felt partially hesitant to accept, but he knew the prince’s words were nothing except truth, under the circumstances that he was a woman. alas he was not, and he could only help he would be able to go home to his parents after the evening, but there was only one way to know. A hesitant foot stepped forward, pulling him a stride farther from the door and closer to the prince, but he dared not step any farther yet. “Then tonight should be handled quickly. I wish to return home and you have made it clear that you have no more patience with me. Once tonight is over you need not see me for several span.”

[littl3chocobo]

standing he left the book where it lay among the sheets and coming over to where his wife stood he dipped in for a kiss. she was not as frigid as before but she was not as soft as the night in the garden. still pressed against her he spoke lowly, "walk with me wife"

[Honey]

Silently he wished he’d grabbed a shawl for himself or for the prince to have grabbed his coat before they’d gone to the gardens. The moon brought the chill of the night along with its beauty. Everything was drenched in the light of the silver orb that took its place in the sky; Every leaf and petal glittering as though the moon itself had graced each piece itself. The seriousness of the situation began to leave him and a smile even managed to grace his features before he felt himself pulled forward and laid back against a soft bed of flowers as lips found his neck again

[littl3chocobo]

he was right to think his nixie wife would be eased in the greenery, as they passed through the garden door her posture was less of a deer poised for flight and more as a flower stiff against a breeze. as they entered into the haven she even dared smile and though it was not to him he felt it move him and tugging her down into the foliage took back up his kissing. as his hands began to roam she curved with his touch and he faltered. pulling away he started to move away but a thin hand stopped him and looking up he found her staring at him, dazed and surprised as if he had asked a particularly difficult question. sinking back sown against her he felt the fingers leave his sleeve and her face melt into a dark flush. "wife.....you tease me so, i wish to touch you"

[Honey]

He took precautions to keep himself from looking any more startled than he was, though the words given in the quiet garden left his original fear beginning to seep closer. Nervously he swallowed as he patiently waited for his rose colored cheeks to fade back to fair as he laid in the silence. He watched with careful eyes as he noticed the rigid outline of the prince as he hovered perfectly still above him, like a nervous quail, not knowing whether to stay or leave; While he felt like a cornered pheasant, wanting to flee without the ability to do so. He dared not attempt. “The words that fall from you are genuine given all that you know,” He started slowly, making no movement for fear of the other flying off at the mere mispronunciation of a word. “You know much my lord, more than I know, I am sure. However, an error has been made a substitution to follow.” Slowly and carefully he laid his hand on the joint of the prince’s arm before softly his hand against it. He could feel the other lean against him as he started to speak again. “This substitution led to deceit and the deceit led to the alterations to fix it.” He could feel the prince becoming indifferent to his touches, and ceased his touches and focused closer on the words he spoke. “The correction never came to light and time for further fixing is growing dim. Now only repercussions lay to be taken care of”

[littl3chocobo]

he did not like what she was saying and he shifted again to look at her more closely as the words spilled from her mouth and the fear from before returned. "what are you saying wife?" the hand that had before touched now pulled and pressed against her womanhood only something was not right, he heard a soft sound "i have not seen my sister since she left." he felt his blood run cold for a long moment and the silence of the night became nearly unbearable. "...lord..ainsley?" when he was offered an affirmation he grew angry though he did not raise his voice. "how long did you intend to deceive me when you found my wife would not be returning?" she...no, he spoke softly and the hand left him, "until i could no longer keep lying to you my lord." he felt sick. he understood now why the other refused him so harshly, why the other spoke in such an unwomanly way. he tried to keep his anger in check. "knowing this...what led you to think i would not have you killed and your family too when i found out?"

[Honey]

He felt so nervous, this was not the position he wished to be in when he was required to tell the truth. A deep breath was used to calm himself before he continued to talk. “The chance of no man being killed for any of this. My sister’s cowardice needn’t be the reason for men to die. I might only be a false wife, but it brings strength and security to the people...” The question of what he would receive from it all fell from the prince’s lips, and he was taken aback. Flustered for a moment the boy managed to put out his answer. “A strong country and...if by chance...you may be willing to touch a...gaul and were willing to touch me...you could still have a night with your wife.” He could have sworn the nervousness practically dripped off of him at the suggestion, but as he was met with a retort of having no lent-butter he managed a laugh

[littl3chocobo]

she-no, he laughed softly though some of the fear still lingered. his arm was growing numb from the strangeness of the pose and lightly he shifted back into his earlier pose. "the difference between the two is the direction they face when pricked, a prince may not go against the wishes of god." lightly he kissed a false breast and could feel the heart beating under the skin like a bird in a cage. "so of course i would never lie with a man"

[Honey]

“Of course,” He mused quietly, “No prince should challenge Our Lord’s wishes, that would simply be begging for trouble...” His words seemed to fade away into the silence as easily as a breeze tended to come and go, and it was almost relieving. The prince no longer seemed angry, and he knew the truth, this was the best the marquess could have hoped for, and he hadn’t even dreamt of the possibility. Taking another deep breath of the moonlit peacefulness, he allowed for himself to bask in the moment