The date went by faster than I had wanted it to, and by the time we got back to my palace, it was pitch black outside. We walked in and Joseph sighed in relief, finally out of the freezing cold. I chuckled at the look on his face as he sent me a look of exasperation that was so exaggerated it had me laughing to the point where I was snorting. Joseph stopped with the expressions and walked over to me, giving me a sweet kiss on the nose.
"I freaking love when you do that."
"What, snort like a pig?"
"We had this discussion. Pigs are freaking cute. Which means you're cute. If you still are comparing your adorable laugh to a pig."
I pursed my lips stubbornly, looking away from him dramatically, making him laugh. "I know not what you speak!"
Joseph laughed some more, wrapping his arms around my waist as he pulled me to him. "You are adorable. Accept it."
I turned my head so I could look at him, his chocolate eyes sparkling with amusement. "If I'm adorable, what does that make you?"
Joseph raised an eyebrow, a slow smirk forming over his lips. "That makes me incredibly sexy, thank you very much." He winked at me and kissed my nose again, making me wrinkle it up.
"What is up with you and my nose? Are you obsessed with my nose? Or...wait, is it a relationship thing? I'm so confused." I asked with a pout, watching as Joseph looked at me lovingly, making my heart race in my chest.
He cupped my cheek, smiling softly as he stared at me. "Maybe I love the look on your face when I do it. It's freaking adorable."
I stared at him for a couple of seconds, curious before I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his nose and watching the way his eyes crossed as he followed me. I pulled back with a giggle, making Joseph raise his eyebrows. "You're right. Your reaction was adorable."
Joseph smiled and looked up as one of my servants walked in. I immediately recognized Jox's tall form, a furrow forming on my brow as he made his way over to us, towering over both Joseph and me.
"Your Highness," he bowed, then glanced at Joseph, "Captain."
"So, what do you need to tell me?" I asked, a frown forming on my lips. "It's not nothing bad, is it?"
Jox shook his head. "Oh no. It's not. I was just asked to let you know what Delkele is here."
My brows furrowed, confusion evident in my expression. Why was he here? Did something bad happen to him? Or someone else? Was I just thinking too hard about this? Probably. Though, I couldn't help but wonder why he decided to visit when it was so late in the night. I voiced my questions aloud and Jox shrugged, giving me an apologetic look.
"I am not sure, Your Highness. I was as surprised to find him on the doorstep as you are."
I sighed, rubbing my temples as I turned to Joseph. "You can go to your room if you wish. I'll go see what Delkele was so adamant to tell me." I kissed him gently on the lips and began walking to my guest lounge, Jox beside me looking at me curiously as I walked. I glanced at him from the corners of my eyes, my eyebrows raised in question. "Something you wish to ask me?"
Jox blushed at being caught, glancing behind him before he looked back at me, scratching at the back of his shaved head. "So...you and the Captain, huh? I never thought I'd see the day where you would actually...be intimate with anyone."
I blushed and shrugged, glancing down at my bare feet as I walked. "It just happened, I guess. I thought I would be single for the rest of my days, but then Joseph comes along and changed that. Surprised me too."
Jox smiled at me warmly, his blue eyes twinkling. "I'm glad you are happy, though."
I smiled back at him as we walked through the arched doors, coming into the guest lounge, where Delkele was looking at one of the large paintings curiously, his red hair pulled over his broad shoulder. When he heard us come in, those crimson eyes of his shifted from the painting he had been studying to our forms as we walked inside.
Delkele nodded towards Jox, who bowed his head respectfully, He then turned towards me, a sad glint forming in his eyes. I glanced to the side guiltily, knowing the sad glint was there since I had turned him down when he confessed.
I cleared my throat and looked back up to him, my eyes trailing over his sharp features, his gold circlet crown just above his eyes, bringing the red out. He was handsome, sure, but he didn't make my heart race like Joseph did. And maybe I had subconsciously knew that my heart raced for only Joseph when I turned Delkele down. It was like I knew that Joseph was the one for me.
Shoving my thoughts to the side, I clasped my hands behind my back, staring at the barbarian king curiously. "So, what made you come to Glacion at such a late time?" I asked, tilting my head.
Delkele's cheeks pinkened, though it was slightly hard to see thanks to his tanned skin. "Well, I'm kind of at a standstill, at the moment. I know our friendship is still fresh and all...but you're the only one I could think to go to."
I frowned, walking forward and placing my hands on the back of one of the spare couches. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Delkele sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, glancing down at his feet. "Well, I've been offered a consort, but I know not what to tell them. I hardly know the person, but as a king, I'm supposed to marry other royals."
I blinked, not knowing what to say. If it were me, I would have told them no immediately, even before Joseph and I got together. I didn't want to marry from obligation, or duty. I wanted to marry because I found someone worthy enough. Well, I did have an aversion to love back then, but since I had Joseph, new possibilities were opening up.
I ended up sitting down, patting the space next to me for Delkele to take a seat as well. When he did, I crossed my legs and looked at him, resting one of my arms on the back of the couch. "First of all, who's the one offering a consort?"
Delkele shrugged, glancing at his blunt nails. "King Elphes offered up his daughter Emylle up for me to marry. She is beautiful and kind, but my heart does not ache for her. I need to uphold my duty as a king and marry, but I am not sure if she is what I'm looking for."
I raised my eyebrow. "It is a male you desire then? Why not tell Elphes that? He has six sons, you know. I've met them all. Though, Egnis is probably the best match for you, since his brothers are jerks."
"I agree," Jox spoke up, making me jump and turn around.
I had forgotten that he was even there, he was so quiet. "That's right, didn't they harass you one year?"
Jox nodded, crossing his arms and cocking his hip to the side. "They put purple hair dye in my shampoo the week they were visiting. I luckily got most of the dye out. Though, I had to shave my head to do it."
"I see nothing wrong with shaved heads," Delkele shrugged, gesturing to his half shaved head.
Jox blushed and shrugged, averting his crystal blue eyes. "Well, Glacic males take pride in their long hair. It's just one of the weird things we do."
"It is indeed weird, but every species has something strange about them." Delkele said, leaning back against the couch.
"Anywho, back at the situation at hand. Del, if you don't want to marry her, then don't. You don't have to marry someone you don't want to, just because you're a king. Look at me, I rejected hundreds of offers from those wishing to be my consort, and I'm still just fine."
Delkele smiled sadly, but nodded anyway and stood up. "I shall think about it. In the meantime, it is getting quite late. Do you mind if I bunker here for tonight?"
I shrugged, and glanced at Jox. "It's totally fine for you to stay tonight. Jox, show him to one of the spare bedrooms, if you will."
Jox nodded and left with Delkele, leaving me alone in the lounge. After a few moments of silence, I grudgingly got up and made my way to my room, ready to sleep the rest of the night away. However, the closer I got to my room, the weirder I felt. I couldn't quite explain it other than a tightening sensation in my gut. Frowning, I walked into my room and gasped as something hit me on the back of the head, making me fall to the floor. Groaning in pain, I turned on my back, only for my eyes to go wide as I caught sight of the last person I had expected to see.
"Issak..."
Issak smirked at me, before knocking me out cold with a punch.
A/N:Pic above is of Asurah