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It takes a while for Kalasin to recover from her fall, and she takes the opportunity to rest and relax. No work, just play. Well, not exactly play, but lounging around in bed reading romance novels is close enough.
Kaddar comes in to visit her in the evening, sending the maids scurrying as they hurry to give the Emperor and Empress privacy. She plays up her illness beautifully, and gives him a weak wave and flutter of her eyelashes. "Hello. Are those flowers for me?"
He looks a little out of place in her room, but she appreciates the effort. He carries a bouquet of roses in red, white, and yellow, which he sets down near her. "Yes—um, feeling better?"
"Mm-hmm." She motions for him to sit down next to her, and he does so.
"What are you reading?" he asks, after a few moments of absentmindedly stroking her hair.
"Oh—Romeo and Juliet." Kalasin blushes a little, before turning slightly to look up at him.
He gives her a wry smile. "How wonderfully ironic."
"Oh, stop it. Don't be so pessimistic. Haven't you read this before? It's only the greatest Gallan classic of all time."
"I read it, but I hated the ending. After all they had been through together, it seemed like a bit of a letdown."
Kalasin shrugs. "A happy ending would have been nice, but things don't always work out that way." She sets her book down and closes her eyes, and Kaddar would have thought that would be his dismissal, until she moves a little, settling her head in his lap.
More than a little nonplussed, he leans against the pillows carefully. After a few minutes of being used as a pillow, he reaches out to find her discarded book. The binding is creased from multiple readings. A few pages of romantic sap have been marked with red ribbons. Kaddar toys with the pages for a while. Kalasin turns a little, making herself comfortable.
Kaddar touches her cheek gently, and she doesn't stir. Deciding that he's probably going to be here for a very long time, he opens the book to one of the ribbon-marked pages and begins to read.
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