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Healer Rhea's POV

It wasn't difficult to rejoin the group, and it seemed like they were under their own agenda with the food in hand. Considering Rhea had returned with her own fried stick, it was easy to claim that she waited for it to cook—Leaving them to speculate, though had there been a wolf among them, they would've smelled the scent of burned herbs instead of the cured meats in hand.

At the first instance of her claiming she was tired, they began the long trek back to the castle—Though it wasn't a total lie, Rhea truly wanted to send word to Romulus that they would speak in the morning.
Even if that meant she would have to out on her own secret adventure.

The thought of speaking with him had ignited a flare in her heart, one that was brutally divided by attraction and the failure of her own people.

Failure was a difficult word to place here, as Romulus was focusing his attention on other issues, rather than the ones already spreading around.

It didn't make sense to inform Clive and Ray this evening about her inquiries with both the Priest and Markus. Given that they were going to attend the service in the coming days, they were going to find out regardless.

As she bid her goodnights to the males, Irene helped her get undressed and prepared for a bath. One that she had enjoyed, as it allowed her to relish in the peaceful time by herself, but it was easy to accept the loneliness.

Romulus trying to find her meant something more, it had to have been. He admitted that a female wasn't on his mind, until her, until the need for commitment—But hadn't he said that he would reject his mate for her?

However that passed her in that moment was now striking across her mind. How was that fair to the divine fate for his future?

There hadn't been any sign of dinner within her room, or a note for that matter. So perhaps her willfulness of worrying about Romulus was one-sided to their dispute.

Upon dragging herself out from the heated tub, she sighed at the mere luxury of running water—What a brilliant service.

With that, she had taken her time getting ready for bed...But also made sure that the chair wasn't blocking the secret entrance that Romulus used. If he decided to join tonight, just in case.

He's King after all, he had no reason to come by and keep her nightmares away—Hell, Rhea had thought her courtship with Stephan was short, hers with Romulus hardly begun before things turned sour.

And for what?
A few minutes of pleasure that instantly turned out to be the worst mistake of her life?

It had been pointless to stare at a wall and wait for the male, so it allowed Rhea to have a few moments of peace. To what had been a rather damning first, to say the least.

With candlelight being able to fuel her, with a small bit of leftover tea, she managed to prepare well for the next council meeting. And she most certainly will take up the offer to visit Kieran and his family.

A bit of standing wouldn't prove wrong in any sort of light.

Even then, Rhea was wondering why Romulus' councilmen decided that Mariah was the perfect fit to be Queen Luna. Even the mere whisper of the luxury market was only funded by close friends, and exploited the smaller business. Ones she had seen and spoken with just in the last few hours.

She had finally docked her quill when her eyes had started to cross, but she had not wanted to burn out the candle—She wanted to speak with Romulus, but perhaps it was a dangerous feat regardless.

Upon moving her pages to dry on the desk instead, she hurried to take her cloak off and rush underneath the covers. After blowing out the candle, she was engulfed in the darkness—And even in her chilling moments, there was always the moonlight to bless her with some sort of light.

And Rhea felt at ease seeing the streaks coming in through the grand windows. It sort of calmed her, as it had the many lonely and hopelessly painful nights she had endured before.

Just as she had taken to falling into a familiar pit of weightlessness, a pang of fear had taken into her heart that she gasped—Instantly rushing forward to sit up, as though something was in the room.

A groan had followed out of her mouth as she clutched her side in agony, but in looking around the room she had caught a shadow. One that was coming towards her.

The first reaction in her was to scream, but a hand locked instantly around her mouth—And a line of bells had blared in her head at the possibilities that might come with a stranger in her room.

It was pure instinct to try and fight, and goddess did she put up a stink—But the voice had hissed back, though becoming inaudible with the way her heart was beating out of her chest.

Hurrying forward, goddess, she desperately tried to make a grab for her pillow. Or what was under her pillow to be more precise.

"Amory! Goddess sake, it's me!" The voice hurried out, choking on the fear he had created in the room. But there was a one-track mind fueling Rhea, and once he had caught sight of the knife—The very one he returned to her, he knew she was in a state of pure shock.

Upon letting go of her mouth, he latched his other hand on her wrist. Protecting both himself and her.

"Amory!" He whispered, frantic that she was in a dream state and couldn't comprehend what was wrong. But the name had caused her to freeze, though upon trying to search into the darkness—His face had become nothing more than a shadow. Leaving her to curl her hands around his wrists and push forward, not as rushed or eager as before—But coming to feel his face.

A breathless sigh of utter relief filled the room, just as her hands dropped. "Rom...I'm sorry." She croaked, the fear taking over her that Romulus hadn't taken her words for what they were—She was sorry, for everything.

The King had leaned further into the bed, lifting the dagger back onto her nightstand and shushing her anxiety away.
Good gods, he needed to get her to calm down.

"I'm sorry, my Queen. I didn't mean to startle you." His voice had been thick, his wolf huffing at the fact that he had pushed her so badly.
He shouldn't have come.

Just as he was thinking of a way to escape, to bid his time until tomorrow, Rhea had wrapped her arms around him. Taking in his embrace as she pressed tightly into him, trying to wrack the fear in her heart.

"I left the door open—I tried to wait for you." She whispered, and Romulus hummed in delight but tried his hand in coaxing her to breathe properly.

All he could hear was the repetitive beating of her heart, and it shouldn't sound like that. Not because of him.

Yet when the smell of tears had filled his nostrils, he couldn't help but growl down at the female—His eyes turning to a pitch black. His body becoming the ultimate protective predator towards himself.

How was it that Amory had turned him so quickly to be defensive?

"I'm sorry—"

"There's nothing to be sorry about, I should knock or make myself known...I didn't know if you wanted me here tonight."

"I didn't know if you were going to come." She sniffled, and each time had managed to crack his heart even further. Romulus hadn't realized he had pushed her hair behind her ear, not until his action had caused Amory to shiver.

And not because she was cold.

"I made a promise." He deemed, and a breathless laugh started to come out—Allowing Romulus the chance to come closer. "I keep my promises, Amory." Her eyes had moved between his, searching for something, but closing her eyes in admission.

"Where did you go?... I wanted to make sure you received dinner and I was told you were out."

"I went to the fair with my males and Irene."

"The fair? Goddess, 'mory—I would've sent Lyall with you." He offered, and Rhea shook her head. "Three humans and a wolf? The Royal Delta? That doesn't seem too suspicious, besides, it was mostly human anyhow."

"That's worse. Please, tell me when you leave the castle...I truly don't want to hunt you down through the streets." She perked her lips and pondered the question before taking the moment to remain silent.

"I will, but I will not take an escort. Haven't I told you how trapping this castle is?... You never believed me."

"I don't need to believe you, I'm living it. I never understood why you couldn't go to the garden when you pleased. Or have so many maids to do the little things. I guess I was still a barbarian prince then, but now..."

"Now you've lived with running water for longer than I have." She laughs, but Romulus could not fathom the idea. When he was living in the inn, he tolerated it as he knew it was temporary.

"Your cabin—"

"Watch what you say next, Rom. I loved that cabin to bits."

"I—Well, I suppose I shouldn't say what I was planning then. But it—It was you."

"It most certainly was. But things have turned bigger and better." She smiled, but her eyes closed as she curled further into her pillow. Though his arms were still wrapped around her.

"Whatever level of courtship you've managed with Stephan, I—I handled it wrong. I wanted to apologize at dinner but I believed that you needed time by yourself."

"I did. And thank you, but my innocence in that sort of thing—I don't know what it's called." Romulus had pulled away, and a small whine had escaped her lips as she wanted him to return back to her.

His warmth was addicting, as was his scent.

"Before my beast had started to create a tantrum in my head, you said he touched you."

"Yes, it—It was nice."

"Would you like me to touch you?" She croaked without a proper word to leave her lips. How could she possibly think this was a good idea?

Why was her body craving his touch?

"That's the issue..." She whispered, her voice laced with sorrow and contemplation. 

"You said you don't find looks attractive, is it because of my—"

"Romulus, you are very handsome. Did you not hear my bragging about getting to take care of the most beautiful boy in the world?"
"I did, but that has been years ago. Terrible things have happened and left me with scars." It had been easy to move aside her nightgown and expose the better half of her side. The one that hadn't escaped the grueling torture.

"We are one and the same, then. But I knew Stephan for a long time. I've only just rekindled with you...Besides, it was a mistake. My wound burned for nearly two days following that night. I'm—I'm not sure what it would mean if we'd—" Within the instance, Romulus had been carefully placed above her. Using his arms a knee to carry his weight and not daring to burden her with it.

"If I must take a vow of celibacy, Amory. I will."

"And an heir?"

"Hardly think that's a concern at the moment." Rhea laughed, reaching her hand forward to pull him back down to their previous embrace. But it wasn't easy, not when his narrowed eyes were evaluating her reaction. "You're laughing..."

"For as long as I could remember, my father's courts were worried about an heir for this Kingdom. And here you are, not thinking even giving it a thought. Gods, Rom...Won't your courts say something?" They most certainly will, there was no doubt about that, but he could lie, couldn't he?

"Then I'll say you're my mate, a lie wouldn't—"

"You can't lie about something like that, Rom!" When will she realize that he was willing to risk it all?

"No harm, no foul. That would get Mariah off my back." Hopefully, he would have added, but he didn't want to add any unnecessary stress. But if the courts wanted him to mate that female, Mariah, they should prepare a severed head in the morning—As his beast was already begging to commit to the task.

"Would it be better if I attempted to flirt with you in public?" He couldn't help but be the one to laugh now, wondering how that would play out, but it was no use.

He wouldn't be able to keep himself together if that were the case.

"No, it leaves too much for them to learn. Besides, your perfume is the only reason they don't smell me on you in the mornings."

"Such a beast...Perhaps I should have you smell like me instead." Now that had him grinning widely, a grin that pressed against her further with his breath hot on her skin.

Making her hum in delight.

"I will gladly partake in that." He said with a sly smirk, leaving Rhea to wonder what it meant to truly leave that sort of mark. "I didn't mean it like that—"

"I'm sure you didn't, but my beast won't take it any other way...But you're right, we hardly know one another anymore." His sigh sounded rather defeated, as though he was trying to pry himself away. But it only ended with him back down beside her, and Rhea turned to face him properly as he looked upon the ceiling.

"I got you something from the fair." She claimed, and that instantly caught his attention. 

"Is this a courting gift?"

"Well, not really. But I think you'll like it." Was all she said as she took a few moments to settle herself with her cane and walk towards the desk. "I may not know much about humans, but has your eyesight gotten any better in the dark."

"Is your nose sensitive to a smack like when you were a pup?" She bit back, and Romulus withheld a howl of laughter. That had been the firm hand he needed when he was a pup—And goddess, he couldn't remember how many of her toss pillows he had ripped up when his beast was in the mood to tear apart something in frustration.

"Very." He teased back, his tongue twitching to say more. And instead, she had come back to bed and kissed his nose. And as she pulled away, she had finished putting on the necklace she had purchased for him. "What is it that you've got me?"

"Something befitting a King." He snorted and turned to the side to see a thin necklace, and upon the charm's engraving there was her signature Yeldas flower sketched into it. "Befitting indeed, and I have a gift for you as well, my Queen."

"Ah, my warm clothes?"

"That is in the works, but I promised that prior—I have a study in preparation for you...Since you are living in the castle, this is the best way. Otherwise, you would be taking meetings in your own dwellings."

"And your beast doesn't want males in here, hm?" He growls in agreement but it is nearly drowned by Rhea's laughter. "I hear you loud and clear, but none of my males will be in competition. Besides, we have far too much work to do." And so soon after, the night claimed the two in a deep slumber.

But the following morning, Romulus couldn't stop fiddling with the necklace hidden behind his tunic.

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Date: 06/29/23 (How is it almost July???)

Time: 3:12

Words: 2744

Author's Note:

Alrighty, two chapters down and plenty of more chapters to edit!

I'm so excited for you all to see what I have in store for Rhea and Romulus--And I'm not going to lie, even I need a little break from Sage and Remus.

Wouldn't it be funny if this was a bedtime story in Lacking Humanity?
I had that thought but I'm not sure if I want to do that yet. But I think Rue would love this sort of story ✨

Saturday's update will most likely come on Sunday, I'll be off to the Rein Fair again!
Should I post a photo👀

Hope you all have a fantastic rest of your week, Friday is almost here!!