Mai had always been aware that her husband was a beautiful man. She was fortunate to regularly see him dressed in a suit. He wore them often enough for work. He drew attention for his looks. He used this. He used it to gain attention before impressing people with his brains.
Mai was proud of her husband for all that, but that was not how she loved him best.
No. She loved him best for moments like these.
He was not dressed in a suit today. Instead, he wore walking trousers and a plain t-shirt. He still looked like a model, of course. Only, a model from a hiking catalogue instead of a runway or a perfume advertisement.
He was sat at the base of a treehouse with a book, reading. Mai smiled and stepped out into the garden with a tray of food.
"I come in peace," Mai said as she neared the base of the treehouse. "And I am offering my wares for trade."
Oliver looked up and frowned at his wife.
"I'm sorry," he began, in a deadly serious tone, "but only those granted safe passage by the Treehouse Princess may come any closer."
"And how might I be granted safe passage?"
"I will ask."
He put down his book and climbed three steps up the ladder to stick his head through the door. Mai could just about hear the conversation.
"Princess, there is a merchant here wanting to sell you her wares, what would you have me do?"
"What sort of wares?" a high pitched voice replied.
"Come and see."
A moment later, a head stuck out of the door and appraised the tray that Mai held. The head retreated back inside the treehouse.
"Kidnap the merchant and give me the food, then you must guard her. Oh and have some of the food too. You can have the tuna sandwiches. I don't like those."
"As you wish."
Oliver climbed back down the steps and turned to face Mai.
"It seems I must take you prisoner."
"Oh, well, that might put a dampener on my day," Mai said, still smiling. "But I'll come quietly."
"Good."
Oliver took the tray and removed the sandwiches that his daughter would not eat. He passed the tray up into the treehouse. Mai sat down with her husband and tucked into one of the remaining sandwiches.
"I hope you're not fraternising with the prisoner," the Princess called down.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Oliver replied.
"Fraternising?" Mai whispered. "Where did she learn a word like that?"
"Martin has been reading to her again," Oliver replied.
"I'll demote you if you are!" Another high pitched call from the treehouse.
"I taught her that one," Oliver admitted in a soft voice. "After the last time she demoted me."
"You? Got demoted? By an eight-year-old?"
"Yes," Oliver grimaced. "I suggested, as her most trusted royal advisor, that we could try and be friends with the Unicorn Kingdom. But she told me that they were our sworn enemies and that I was too silly to be in the Royal Court. So I was demoted to a guard."
"Sounds like you've had a rough day."
Oliver smiled.
"It's not so bad, she's not the worst employer I've had. I get all the sandwiches that she doesn't like." He held up the tuna sandwich to make his point. "And I bet she'll offer me the bits of tomato out of her sandwiches too."
Mai laughed.
"What must I do to escape then?" she asked, when the sandwiches were all gone.
"I accept bribes."
"Cup of tea?" Mai offered.
"That'll do nicely."
Mai leant over, kissed her husband on the cheek and headed back to the house. Behind her, she heard their daughter.
"Dad, did you let the prisoner go?"
"Yes, she bribed me."
"Eugh, you're rubbish. I'm demoting you again."
"What to this time, Princess?"
"Stable builder."
"Stable builder?" Oliver questioned.
"Yes, for the unicorns, they're our friends now."
"Yes, Princess," he deadpanned.
Mai laughed.
Yes, this is how she loved them best.
Author's note: So I wrote this in Rome, sat on a bench opposite the Mouth of Truth. Enjoy :)