Royal Affairs (O/O Closed)

The time restriction is a little frustrating but at least after dinner they’ll have the rest of the night to do whatever they want. The pent up energy and frustrations will make dinner…..interesting. For now, she’s content with the teasing. They haven’t seen each other for three weeks so this will be a good way to get them warmed back up to each other.

She isn’t looking to embarrass him in front of his sisters but she certainly doesn’t mind the idea of getting him all excited and then leaving him stuck with it during dinner. It would be frustrating and she would be smug. Now that the thought has crossed her mind, it’s officially her goal. She grinds her hips slowly up against his.

Though she’s not used to being on top, she doesn’t mind giving it a try. It gives her a little more control and freedom of her movements. The only problem is, she’s not entirely sure how to take advantage of that.

While Kaillas didn't particularly want to have a problem in front of his sisters, the prospect of teasing and being teased by his wife was arousing. They had only had one day, one day were they had been sexual in any sense of the word. He'd been married for almost a month now and they'd barely done anything.

As she began to roll her hips against his, he knew instantly she had the same idea as he. His hands dropped down her waist, helping to guide her hips as she moved. He groaned against her lips. She felt heavenly. It had been three weeks since he had done anything. Other than fantasies of laying with his wife, he had gotten no action. He was pent up and ready to let it out. Only it woukd have to wait a few more hours.

"Tease," he mumbled against her lips. It was alright. She could tease all she wanted to. It would only be worse for her later. He rolled his hips upwards, matching her pace. He couldn't wait for later.

While getting him all worked up right before this particular dinner isn’t ideal, they’re already too far down the rabbit hole. Her future plans include getting him all worked up right before meetings. That’ll prove to be more than entertaining. She’s already looking forward to doing so when she gets the chance.

With his hands settled on her waist to guide her, she rolls her hips against his. She kisses him deeply, her moan muffled against his lips. These last few weeks have been so lonely. She’s just started to open up and explore during their honeymoon and with how short their time was cut, she’s admittedly been frustrated. In more ways than one.

“You love it,” She murmurs back, being cheeky with him. She’s well aware of how much he enjoys her teasing just as she enjoys his teasing. They compliment each other perfectly in this area of their lives.

Kaillas grinned as he heard her moan, however muffled it may have been. He had missed that sound, more than he had realized. He was realizing he missed a lot more than he had been expecting. He wasn't disappointed by any of it.

"I do love it, my cheeky girl," he replied as he thumbed her cheek. He had pulled back just far enough to gaze at her lovingly. He brushed his lips against her, pulling back before kissing her fully. He would never tire of her kisses. He could kiss her all day and never want it to end.

He didn't love her, not yet, but he was beginning to see just how hard he was falling for her. Love would come with time as they got to know one another better. But he was certainly infatuated and diving head first. There was always that fear in the back of his head that he might be falling just to hit the ground. There was always the possibility that they might not work out. But he believed they could make it as long as they tried.

He liked having her on top. He was excited to see as her confidence grew and she began to take charge of the situation, when he allowed it that was. He didn't always like to give up control, but when he did, he quite enjoyed himself.

Meeting his gaze, she smiles lightly at him. The look on his face has her melting. She’s absolutely smitten with this man. Everything about him just excites her and makes her so happy. She just knows that they’re going to have a long successful marriage filled with bliss. Hopefully the kingdom will remain safe and peaceful during their reign.

She kisses him back, cupping his face and savoring this time with him. She knows that they’ll actually have to get up and get ready soon but she wants to take advantage of the time they have together. Giving his lower lip a playful nip, she continues to tease him by rocking her hips and running her nails down his chest.

The knock on the door startles her and die pulls away from him. Luckily the door is locked so no one is just barging in and seeing them like this. She sighs softly when it’s announced that dinner will be ready in ten minutes. That means they have to stop and actually be productive about getting dressed properly.

(Hehehe "safe and peaceful" mawhaha)

Kaillas dug his fingers into her hips as they kissed again. There she went, teasing him again with that little nibble. He would get her back later. She could have her fun for now but when his istsers went to bed, she was all his. And he would return everything she had done to him and then some.

He let out a muffled groan as he felt her nails down his chest. He reaching to grab for her breasts when there was a knock at the door and he broke their kiss to glare at it. He wasn't ready to get up. But then again, he didn't think he would ever be.

He groaned, dropping his head back on the pillow. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before patting her side and sitting up. "Come on, darling, let's get ready. We can't very well go like this, my sisters will know what we've been up to otherwise."

(Should I be scared? I feel like I should be scared XD Speaking of being scared, I have a fun little plan in the making)

Ophelia groans softly when she feels his fingers digging into her waist. She’s looking forward to having fun tonight when it’s just the two of them and they’re not limited on time. They have three weeks of not seeing each other to make up for. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

With a sigh of slight irritation at the knock, she carefully climbs off of him. She knew that their toke was coming to an end soon but that doesn’t mean she has to be happy about it. She kisses his cheek before getting out of bed. “We certainly don’t want to traumatize your poor sisters,” She agrees with a light laugh.

She heads over to the wardrobe and grabs an appropriate dress. It’s nothing fancy but it’s nicer than her casual gowns. She takes a minute to get dressed and pull her hair back. “It’s going to be nice to sit down and eat. All of us together.” Though displeased to be interrupted, she is looking forward to this.

(I meannnn I never do anything crazy. Only through in some plot twists and trauma and death haha XD. Should I be scared about what you have planned?!?!)

While Kaillas would have loved to stay in bed with her, he did need to eat. He hadn't eaten since that morning before he had set on the road again. He did not disclose that with her, worried she might scold him further for that. His stomach even rumbled at the thought of food and he knew he couldn't put it off any longer.

He sat in bed a moment longer, watching as she climbed out of bed before quickly following her. While he did need to get dressed, he had other things in mind first.

After she had stripped the shirt off, he grabbed her waist and spun her towards him, kissing her soundly. He had one hand on her waist and the other cupping her breast. He kissed her hard and quick, with a little fondling. Then he let go of her and continued as if nothing had happened.

He grabbed a casual shirt and tugged it over his head. It was only his stsers. He didn't need to dress nice for them. Not for family dinner anyways. "It will be. I've missed them. It's been strange without them yapping in my ears." He grinned, obviously teasing.

(Oh yeah. That's not crazy at all. No…….XD And yes, you should definitely be scared lol)

Ophelia startles when he snatches her waist and spins her around to face him. Just when she's about to ask what he's up to, his lips come down on hers. She kisses him back deeply, making a muffled noise of approval when he fondles her breast. All too soon, he pulls away again, leaving her flustered. For a moment she just has to stand there and process this.

Realizing that he's going to pretend like he just didn't do this, she mutters something about him being cocky under her breath. She'll get him back for this. She's not sure how and she's not sure when but she's going to get him back.

She gets her gown on and properly in place before looking over to him. "They're not going to leave you alone for even a second," She says with a light laugh. They've all missed him something terribly. She's had an hour or two of him all to herself so she's happy to take a step back at dinner and let his sisters do most of the talking.

Once they're both done getting ready, she grabs his hand. "Come on, let's go. We're going to be late." This dinner is going to be a lot of fun but she's looking forward to having him to herself again afterwards.

(Oh no. OH NO XD)

Kaillas was all too smug that he had left her flustered and continued on like he didn't have a current issue making his pants tighter. He only let himself smirk as he turned away from her and had to clamp his lips shut as he heard her muttering. He was very pleased with himself.

He tucked his shirt into his waistband before turning back to her with an innocent smile. As if he hadn't done what he had just done. He walked to her side and placed his hand on the small of her back. He looked at her warmly. "No, they won't." His sisters did seem to cling to him now. But he was all they had left. Their family was gone, murdered. Any distant family was that, distant. No one of interest to him or his sisters.

He likely wouldn't want to part from them for a while either. As much as he wanted to spend time with his dear wife, he needed to be with sisters. Tomorrow he'd spend time with them alone. Elora and he could go on a ride or even a hunt together. He would walk the gardens with Katya and help her if she needed it. They needed that alone time together. He needed to reassure them he was okay.

He clasped their hands to get her and followed after her. "I'm the king, I'm never late." He had an amused glint in his eyes as he followed.

(Oh YES! XD)

Ophelia shakes her head a little to pull herself together. While she may be flustered at least there’s no physical proof of it. Glancing over to Kaillas, she notes that he’s not as lucky. The bulge in his pants tells her that he’s still all worked up from her teasing. Good. She’s awfully proud of herself for that.

With a soft hum, she leans into his touch. She finds it so sweet how much he and his sisters love each other. She’s admittedly quite envious. While her brother was alive, she never really got to send any time with him since they were training him to be king one day and then he died. She missed out on the opportunity to have what he and his sisters have.

Though she wants to be greedy and keep him to herself, she knows how badly the girls missed him and how much he missed them in return. She’s going to keep quiet at dinner for the most part to give them some time to catch up and then she doesn’t doubt that Kaillas will have some one on one time with them tomorrow.

“You may not be considered late but your food will get cold all the same,” She teases him as she heads down the hallway.

(Now I'm worried XD)

Kaillas made quick work of adjusting his pants so his bulge wasn't so noticeable. It would go down soon, as long as Ophelia behaved herself. HD doubted his sisters would notice at all. They had other things on their minds. Like him being gone so long and why and what happened. He was less prepared to answer that than he was about his current issue in his pants.

He didn't like talking about those kinds of things with his sitsers. Especially when he had bad news like this. He had promised transparency to then and he would uphold that promise. Even if he didn't want to. They were both old enough to understand.

He followed after her as she led his down the hall. Their private dinning room was just at the end. He quickened his stride so he could open the door for her to walk through before entering himself. His istsers were already there and the moment they saw him, they were out of their seats and hurling towards him.

He conceal his look of pain well enough as Katya slammed into his bruised side. He didn't tell her off, he only hugged her despite the pain. Elora was on his other side, clinging to him as well. "I'm okay," he whispered, "I'm okay."

(Good XD)

Amused by the adjustments he needs to make with his pants, she’s even more pleased with herself. She likely won’t bother him during dinner since it’s dinner with his sisters. She doesn’t want to be rude and make things uncomfortable. Afterwards, she can’t make the same promises. She’ll tease him half to death once they’re alone.

She smiles and thanks him when he hurried ahead to open the door for her. While it’s not necessary, she appreciates it nonetheless. She enters the dinning room and then immediately steps aside when she sees his sisters standing up. She doesn’t want to get trampled.

Seeing them fling themselves at him to hug him makes her smile even more. She stands off to the side and let’s them have their moment. She got to hoard him for a couple of hours so she’s happy to move out of the way and let them have their time together.

With a content hum, she goes over to the table and takes a seat. She’s not sure how long their hug is going to last and she doesn’t want to interrupt them or rush them.

Kaillas spent a couple more minutes reassuring his sisters and hugging them before they were finally able to release him and sit down at the table. They took the seats right on either side of him and he gave Ophelia a sympathetic look. This was time ti have with his sisters. They needed this. And tomorrow, they would have more time together. Tonight would be for him and his wife. Until then, she would have to share him with his sisters.

Katya was babbling away at what all she had been up to while he had been gone. Elora was silent, regarding him with a look he didn't quite like. She knew something and that made him uneasy. He wasn't quite ready to explain. He wanted to get through this dinner before they got into that.

Water was poured for them and wine was offered to Ophelia and Kaillas. He accepted a glass. He would have to one glass for dinner but he would likely have more afterwards. With the hard conversation to come. Their appetizers were brought out shortly after.

(I'm a lil tipsy so ignore the typos haha)

Ophelia smiles at his sisters, happy to let them occupy either side of Kaillas. She was able to have him all to herself for a few hours so she knows that she has to share him now. Besides, she knows that it’ll be just the two of them again later. She’s looking forward to it but decor now she’s happy to have everyone all together and enjoying dinner.

Turning to look at Katya, she listens to the girl talk about how these last few weeks have been for her. Despite the fact that she’s been here with them, she’s been quite busy so she’s honestly not sure what anyone else has been up to. It’s nice to hear about it now so she can be all caught up.

She thanks the server and accepts a glass of wine. She’ll have one now and maybe one more after dinner. There are always too many people around for her to feel safe drinking much more than that. She’s not quite sure what her tolerance is after all. With a quiet hum, she takes a sip of her drink and relaxes.

(Sounds like you’re having fun lol)

Kaillas tried to listen to Katya babbling away but it seemed to blend together and he honestly had no idea what she was saying. Other than complicating about her lessons and gardening, he had no idea. But it wasn't she that he was worried about. It was Elora. She hadn't said a word since ge had come to dinner.

He picked up his fork tk start on his appetizer when Katya spoke again. He had to smother his irritation. He really wanted to eat but his sisters had missed him. He wouldn't be mad at them for that. "Did you bring us back anything from your travels?"

His eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Of course I brought you home something. I got something for all my girls." He winked at Ophelia and smiled at his two sisters. While Katya was bouncing Elora barely mustered a smile. Tomorrow morning he'd wake her up right at dawn and take her out. They would need that time together.

Ophelia glances over to Elora with a slight frown. She was expecting her to be super excited like Katya but instead the young woman just seems disturbed. She can’t blame her. Three weeks of her brother being in danger is stressful. Especially since they don’t know the details of the situation at all.

Not wanting to be rude or make her feel uncomfortable, she looks away. Perhaps she’ll try to speak to her after Kaillas has been able to spend some time with her. Hopefully that will help to improve her mood. She sighs softly and starts to eat her appetizer.

She looks over to Kaillas and smiles when she sees the wink. Speaking on gifts, they still need to give everyone the gifts they got for them on their honeymoon. She hadn’t wanted to give them out without him. She’ll have to remember to speak to him about it later so they can figure out when the best time to do it is.

Elora was quiet. She seemed to have taken after her brother in the sense that when she was upset, she pushed her emotions down and buried then deep. She shut herself down and clamped down on everything. And that was what she was doing now. She had missed her brother, of course she had. But she was also angry with him for leaving her. She angry that the letters had stopped. She was angry that he hadn't even detailed what he was doing. He had been elusive until it had all stopped.

The only thing that was keeping her from blowing up at him was clamping her mouth shut and burying her emotions. She picked up her fork and played with her food more than she ate it. Her appetite had faded these passed few weeks and she still hadn't gotten it back.

Katya seemed happy enough though she knew her little sister was babbling because of her anxiety. She talked a lot when she was nervous or upset. And that was what was happening.

Kaillas seemed to pick up on it as well. He reached a hand over to grip her shoulder, squeezing it softly. "Hey," he murmured, interrupting her babbling. "You can tell me all about it after dinner. But you need to eat, we all do." As if on que, his stomach growled.

Ophelia isn’t quite sure what to do. She feels like she doesn’t know Elora well enough to try and pry. She wants to be there to help but she’s worried that she’s going to cross the line and make things worse. It’s obvious that everyone has been stressing about Kaillas’ disappearance but it seems as though Elora has taken to being silent and angry about it. She can’t really blame her for that.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, she looks over to Katya and tries harder to listen more actively to what she’s saying. She doesn’t want to seem like she’s ignoring her after all. Thankfully, Katya’s bubbly talking puts her to ease. At least one of the sisters seems to be doing alright. She’s glad for that much.

Nibbling at her appetizer, she resists the urge to laugh when Kaillas puts an end to the cheerful rambling. She’s happy to listen to her stories but she thinks everyone needs a moment to process the king’s return and then the unknown of what happened while he was gone. They haven’t been updated yet so she has a feeling that it’s some pretty bad news.

(Its been a min since I've rped multiple people. Trying to remember how XD)

He'd had too much influence on Elora, Laillas thought. She was too much like him for her own good. He almost always buried his emotions and never let anything show. At least not when he was upset or worried or sad. He saved that for when he was alone. He was unafraid to show happiness around others, or at least certian people. But the rest, he kept hidden.

He turned to Elora, trying to give her a smile. "Come on, eat your plate. I know you need it." He understood a loss appetite more than anyone but it wasn't healthy. He would pressure her to eat at least half of each plate. As far as he knew, it was a four course meal. Appetizers, salad, main course, and dessert. More than enough food for one person. Though he might finish every bite with how famished he was.

He nudged his foot under the table across from him, making contact with Ophelia's foot. He gave her a small smile as he beant to take another bite of his food. While he couldn't wait for later, he was certainly happy to be here with his family.

(Man I get it. It can be such a pain XD)

Ophelia stays quiet for the most part, just listening to everyone talk and ear. There’s an unmentioned tension in the air. She has more than a few concerns. However, she’s positive that everything will be better once everyone gets a chance to have a serious talk and Kaillas tells them what happened. She knows that it’s weighing heavy on everyone’s minds but poor Elora seems to be the most affected by it.

Feeling something nudge against her foot, she looks over to Kaillas and smiles, appreciating the playful gesture. She gives his foot a nudge in return. She doesn’t want anyone to worry more than they already are so she puts a light smile on her face, clearing her mind of any negative thoughts she has.

It’s difficult to keep a neutral expression after what happened yesterday. She received a letter than really turned her mood sour. Realizing that she’s letting her thoughts creep back into her brain, she shakes her head a little. She really doesn’t want to ruin dinner. There’s plenty of time for her to sulk later. For now, she wants to spend some time with her husband and sister-in-laws.

(It really is. At least without getting carried away and writing like pages XD)

Kaillas knew they needed to talk. Talking would soothe the tension in the room and hopefully calm the worries. But he wasn't quite ready for that talk. He wanted to wait until after dinner when they were lounging in his suite in his living room. When his sisters were curled into his sides and his wife nearby, then he would explain everything. But it wasn't something to do over dinner.

The next course was brought out shortly. While he wasn't the biggest fan of salads, he was too hungry to care. And he had been taught to eat what was put in front of him. Katya dug right in. She had helped grow some of the vegetables and was more than happy to eat what she had grown. And Elora seemed to be eating this a little bit more.

He cleared his throat. "So, Ophelia, you're birthday is coming up soon. What plans do you all have?" He knew what he had planned. But that wasn't anything to discuss while his sisters were there.

(It’s either a struggle or writing a novel. No in between XD)

Ophelia thanks the servers when the next course is dropped off. The salad looks lovely and is piled with all sorts of fresh vegetables that she knows came straight from Katya’s garden. She hums quietly and takes a bite. “Everything tastes wonderful, Katya. Your garden is doing so well,” She compliments her with a light smile.

She’s not sure what all is on the menu for this evening but the chefs never fail to amaze her. Everything she’s eaten since getting here has been fantastic. She’s been able to try so many new things.

The corners of her lips tug into the faintest of frowns and one that she instantly wipes off her face. “I don’t have any plans this year.” She really needs to talk to him later about her birthday. It will be an unpleasant conversation but it’s a necessary one to have. For now, she’s just going to ignore the problem and pretend like it doesn’t exist.

(I feel like I should start getting worried now…)

Katya beamed at the compliment. "Thank you, Ophelia." She was just happy to be able to garden and help out. If she spent the rest of her life gardening, she would have a happy life. Whether for work or for play, it did not matter.

Kaillas noticed the slight shift in Ophelia as he mentioned her birthday. The tugging of her lips, the shift in her body and voice. Something was wrong and he was going to get to the bottom of it. But not here. Somewhere else in private.

His istsers didn't seem to pick up on the mood shift. At least not Katya. She was grinning. "Oh, let us throw you a ball. Please, please let us. I love balls. And it's your birthday so you need a birthday ball. And we can invite Duke Perrignton and his son." The Duke's son was a year and a half older than Katya and she had a crush on the boy. A long with a few others but this one she liked the most.

(Your intuition is correct. Be very worried lol)

Ophelia initial excitement for her birthday is dead. When she and Kaillas first got married she was so excited and now every day that they draw closer to the big day, she’s filled with more and more dread. She knows that she’ll have to speak with Kaillas about it soon but seeing as he’s just now gotten back, she doesn’t want to burden him with her worries.

The mention of a ball forces her to smile a little bigger. She doesn’t want to deny everyone a chance to party and relax. “You can plan a ball if you’d like and of course the Duke and his son are invited.” She has a feeling that Katya interest in the Duke’s son is one of the main reasons she’s wanting a ball. She wont tell her no. And perhaps a distraction will be nice.

“I’ll let you do all of the planning. I trust that you’ll be able to put together something wonderful.” She truly does trust the girl’s judgement but she also just doesn’t want a big part in any planning. She’ll be more than happy with whatever Katya puts together.

(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.