Harri POV
It was over the next few days that Princess Luna made everything a competition with Nike. Though it was funny to watch, it got so bad that Nike started to hide out in my room. She was furious and ready to break out crying in frustration... Well, I had wanted her to learn to the ways of Royalty and the political world. This may be the way to get her to truly listen and do her lessons.
"What on EARTH did I do?!" cried Nike.
Livius was sitting with me for tea at the table in the bedroom. "Oh my. Women's Battles are scary." He mocked. I chuckled softly.
Nike glared at Livius. "Hey, whose fault do you think this is..."
"If you had done your lessons this wouldn't have been an issue, Nike." I told her. "Everything she is using to make a competition is in your lessons." Her face twitched into regret and frustration.
"It also should be you going through this, not me," she muttered.
"Maybe, but I have completed my lessons. I would win or tie in the competition Princess Luna has created." I stated, but Nike still grumbled. Eventually it became late and Nike left for her own room to sleep. As soon as Nike left, Livius was stripping and getting into bed. I rolled my eyes and changed into my sleep wear before slipping into bed.
After we both settled into the bed, I asked Livius about Luna. "Luna's your childhood friend, right...?"
He hummed. "Something like that. When we were kids, she annoyingly followed me around. Even when I was in isolation in this castle because of my mother's social status, she had the nerve to come to me without hesitation."
"She was you friend... the only one that would look for you no matter what..." I said softly.
"I guess..." Livius muttered. "How about you sleep in my arms tonight? Think of it as a service." I blushed but smiled.
"What do you mean service?!" Yelled a voice from under the covers. I blinked as a spoiled, blond princess was revealed. "What kind of service?"
"...What the hell are you doing in our bed?!" I yelled.
The girl glared at me, which quickly turned to confusion. "Wait... where's Princess Nike?"
Livius had quickly slipped out of bad and dressed while Luna was distracted. "In her room, asleep!" I yelled. "Get the hell out of our bed!"
The girl ignored me and turned to a fully dressed Livius. "Livi? Who is this?"
He sighed. "My fiancé, Harri."
"Wait... I thought Nike was your fiancé..." the girl said confused.
"The little idiot assumed I was still standing next to him when you first came. So he accidentally pulled Nike to his side with that statement of having a fiancé." I stated with anger. I would ready to drown, burn, crush, or blow away this little girl. She needed to get the HELL OF OF OUR BED!
"But your a boy..."
"I'm a male-carrier." I got a confused look. "It means that I am able to have children like a girl."
"That's impossible!" The spoiled blond yelled. Livius rolled his eyes, and walked around the bed. My anger was still bubbling and was about to tell the girl off and force her out, until Livius tapped my shoulder. I turned to him with every ounce of anger and annoyance showing.
Livius smirked and grabbed the back of my neck to pull me towards him. He kissed me, and didn't stop until the anger and annoyance melted out of my system, until all I could focus on was the kiss and Livius. Eventually, Livius released me and slowly pulled away. A trail of saliva connecting our parted lips. My husband-to-be was radiating a smug, gleeful aura.
Princess Luna fainted from shock.
The next day Luna acted like nothing had happened, and that Nike was Livius fiancé. Nike had been practicing her dancing, but the little brat saw the rough dancing. She quickly tried turning it into a competition, and have Livius dance with her. I put a stop to her plan of humiliating Nike. I would not allow this fantasy of hers continue anymore.
"Princess Amaluna, you will stop this charade now." I stated with a cold voice. "As you learned last night, Nike is not the one to marry Livius, I am. This idea you think Livius is marrying my sister will stop now. She did nothing wrong, and you have only humiliated her for ignorance. You want a competition with Livius's future spouse? Where would you like to start? Cause unlike my sister, I have studied and I will crush your idea of being a better spouse then I." Luna blinked at me in shock, but I continued. "After all, the King's spouse is to be someone who has his side and supportive. I have supported Livius in multiple meetings these weeks. You invited yourself and harassed the people within the castle. You have also not supported Livius's choices. That you have made the decision to marry Livius with out his consent tells me you don't care for who Livius is as a you only care for the fantasy your parents have created for you."
Tears started to flow down the girl's face. The staff was shocked. Livius looked surprised, but proud. Livius walked over to me, and took my hand. "My beautiful emerald..." I was now shocked by Livius's words. Livius turned towards Luna. "Luna, I have always seen you as a friend. I have never agreed or gave the inclination that I accept your parents wish for our marriage. In this regard, my fiancée is correct. You have to stop this charade, that we will be married, that I will marry a woman. That I am to marry Nike." Livius turned back to me. "Harri will be my consort, my husband, my Consort Queen." Livius started to walk away from the ballroom, dragging me by the hand he still held. "We have paperwork to continue. Have a nice day."
We left the room and walked to the office, which had no papers to fill out. Livius had finished them before lunch. He dragged me towards the couch. I tripped over my feet and landed on top of the raven-haired King. We landed on the couch, laying down the whole couch, with me on top of the Little King. My face rested on his chest as he propped himself up. And bent his leg on the couch, which firmly placed me between his legs. My face was a tomato.
Livius chuckled. "Your cute when your embarrassed."
I glared up at Livius. "I am not cute!"
"Yes you are, your like a kitten." My eyebrow twitched at the comparison. Livius chuckled again at my obvious disagreement. After a few minutes we sat in peaceful silence. After awhile, Livius did speak, "Thank you. For what you said."
"Why did you never try to tell her? Your opinion on the matter at least?"
"I tried, but she would talk over me or ignore it. It was her fantasy and she refused to listen or even think of the idea that it would not happen."
I hummed at the explanation. "She is young, and has not matured enough to understand that while she is Royalty, the world does not resolve her. That to rule people is to care by listening to what is said, not by only doing what you want. The world is cruel, most people are, but it's also beautiful because of the people."
Livius's hand removed the ribbon from my hair. The blond strands now lose and covering my back. Livius ran his hands through the silky strands. "I truly love your hair, but your eyes... I believe that feature is my favorite... those bright, expressive, emerald-green, eyes." Livius was now staring into my eyes and... His eyes were so full of emotion, so open and vulnerable... so happy and caring... that I didn't realize him leaning in for a kiss. When his lips touched me, my eyes widened in surprise, but I leaned into the kiss. I closed my eyes and put myself into the kiss. The kiss was brilliant, and I wanted to never stop. Though when we did pull away, Livius placed his forehead on mine. "You are mine, and only mine."
I hummed quietly. "Always. I will always be yours, but only if you are always mine."
Livius chuckled. "Of course, there is not other way I would want it." I smiled softly and curled under Livius's chin.
The next day, Luna was quiet. Livius was doing paperwork, and I was talking to the staff. Nike for once was actually going to her lessons willingly. It would seem the embarrassment of not being able to do anything of this society when compared to a child forced her to actually learn the material. At least I wouldn't have to hear her complain that Neil had chained her up to study once more.
It was after lunch when Princess Brat approached me. "I don't understand... Why did Livius pick you?"
I tilted my head at the girl. She was genuinely confused and hurt. "Because I understand his view but also have him see my own view. I can fight and stand by his side and he doesn't need to worry that much about me. I can bare children and protect myself while playing the games in politics or a physical altercation." I paused. "He cares for me, but he doesn't yet love me."
"I... understand what your saying,... but..." Luna seemed to be struggling.
I sighed and pointed to one of the chairs in a lounge. "Let's sit." We sat down. Luna hands were fisted in her dress, and she looked to her lap. "It is true Livius planned to marry Nike when we arrived. But when he discovered I was a male-carrier, someone able to bare children, he changed his mind. Though I'm also that I was different than my family."
The blond looked at me with confusion. "Different? How are you different?"
"My family are Rain Summoners, and while they are seen as dangerous, I am more dangerous as I am known as an Elemental. I control fire, earth, water, and air. I am so powerful that I at times struggle to control my powers. I have yet to figure out a way to fully control the elements. When I was young I had caused a storm and a forest fire without meaning to. My family loves me, but they fear me also. They fear my lack of control."
"Then why did you leave if you have lack of control?" The girl asked in concern.
"I have control, but not the kind of control my sisters have over their rain. While I am more powerful, I have the worst control. Though I get the excuse that I'm the youngest... Though being Nike's twin makes that excuses somewhat useless..." I muttered.
"Twin?!"
"Yes, I am the younger twin of Nike and the youngest of five. Also the only male... Living with four older sisters can be kinda irritating..."
Luna seemed to be thinking. "You didn't really explain why Livi choose you over Nike."
"Nike is naive. She only sees the good in the world. While she knows of evil in the world, she doesn't truly understand. Livius sees the evil in the world, and struggles to see the good in the world, though he tries to make the world a better place. I on the other hand, I see both. I see good and evil, or bad, equally. I see balance, for I see and understand both sides. Also I understand the political battlefield better than Nike. Nike is clueless at how to participate. She is blunt and truthful. Politics is not for people who give honestly, its for people who manipulate and try to get the better deal. It's about furthering one's self." I explain. The Princess nodded, and seeming to finally understand why Livius chose me as his fiancée.
"While I can understand those points, I'm still struggling with Livius choosing a boy... even one that is able to birth children." the Princess muttered.
I hummed. "I don't think gender matters to Livius. What matters is that he needs heirs and a partner he can rely on. Someone on his side, someone he knows will have his back. Someone he doesn't have to protect and make a fool out of him. Just someone that accepts him for being himself."
"For the longest time... I've loved Livi... His uncivil manner, his silky black hair, his short lived smile... When he became King, I was frightened of how he had changed." Luna whispered.
I smiled softly. "You distanced yourself from him. Then you heard he was getting married, and you needed to come here to show your love to him. To prove that you loved him, and wanted to marry him. To show that you weren't afraid of him, of the person he had become due to his mother's death and his ascension to the throne."
"...Yes... I was ... selfish. It was a selfish love." She continued to whispered. I hummed, but didn't answer or correct her. She stood. "Thank you for talking with me." I nodded, and then she left the lounge.
Livius POV
The papers seemed to had grown in the hour I went to lunch. I would never understand how paperwork grew so quickly in one day. I thought with finishing the work yesterday, I may have had time to spend with Harri. Though it seemed to be one of those days that paperwork would only grow.
I was working on the water flow issues, when Luna walked. She seemed to be calm and somewhat sad.
"Luna?" I asked.
"I just talked with Harri. I asked him why him and not me. And I truly understand his point. While he didn't say it, his eyes and happiness gave him away. He loves you, all of you." She paused, and I didn't interrupt her, just waited. "When you became King I was afraid. Afraid of how you had changed. I ran due to that fear. Harri... he knew of your darker side, but he immediately accepted you as you were."
"As I accept him for who he is," I say. "He is a kind person, like his sister, but he has a mean streak in him also. He just uses his sharp tongue more often. When an assassin was sent, Nike had push me out of the way, but Harri was the one who stopped the arrow and caught the assassin. He was blinded by rage for a few minutes. He wished to kill the man and almost had. Not that it mattered. The assassin had a poison on him and killed himself before I could question him."
Luna was looking at the floor. "He thinks you care for him, and have yet to love him. But... I see how you look at him when he's not watching. You love him. The expression I saw was confusing at first, for I had never seen that expression on your face." Tears fell down her face, but she quickly wiped them away. "He said he was an Elemental... Being able to control the elements... is it important?"
"..." I really had to think on this answer. It was one of the perks, but not the original reasons why I chose Harri. "Harri is powerful, true. Though I chose him because I don't have to worry about him. He can fight and stand up for himself. Nike needs rescued from the political side at times, but Harri has never struggled. I would say he has fun at times. Harri complements me the best for who I am as a person, a king, a husband, a friend. It's the best I can describe it." I paused. "In front of him, it doesn't matter if you're a commoner or a servant. Even a 'King' becomes just 'Livius.'" I look at my childhood friend. "The elements surround all, and used by all. For they are balance showing everyone and everything is alike. For we are all human. We are all living beings."
A few hours after talking to King Livius and Future Consort Queen Harri, the First Princess of the Sea Kingdom left the Sun Kingdom and returned home.
