AN: I will be going back to chapter one soon and rewriting it for better coherence. I'm still not sure if I'll continue this, but my muse insisted on another chapter.
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Plop. Plop. Plop.
A Cyprus wood pole dipped smoothly into still water, propelling the gondola beneath the trailing willow branches of the grove that lined the bank. A warm breeze drifted past, bringing the scent of lilacs floating across the water. The lazy atmosphere was broken by a loud sneeze, quickly followed by a gentle laugh. The sounds originated from a single shaded boat gliding down the canal. Two silhouettes could be seen beneath the parasol-induced darkness.
" 'top laughing! It's not bunny! Those bowers are menaces on my seenuses!" the shorter of the two figures seemed quite agitated while the other tried to stop the sniggers escaping beneath the hand covering their mouth- 'trying' being the key word.
"Sorry, dear. But you must admit, it is quite funny how you react to the lilacs you planted in that misguided attempt to impress my parents. Father still chortles about it- in private of course- when I visit them for the Midwinter festival." The taller of the sitting figures lowered its hand to direct a wide smile toward its companion. "You were so nervous back then," the smaller person huffed in exasperation, "it was ridiculous the lengths you went to just for their approval. And after all that…" the speaker cut off.
"Yes, I know," the shorter person huffed, "after all that, I learn that your parents were so completely terrified your independent streak would ruin any chance for you to marry that they would have taken any offered suitor. There's no need to bring it up every time I sneeze from those blasted flowers. I should have ordered them dug up years ago." The amused annoyance in that last statement was almost tangible.
"Should have, could have, and would have, dearest. It's all in the past now. And it's an important part of how we met. So you won't be touching those flowers, will you?" A tone of playful warning was slowly creeping into the figure's words.
"Of course not, Anzu dear; wouldn't dream of it…at least not while you're here." The last half of the statement was teasingly mumbled under the smaller silhouette's breath and caused both of them to laugh softly at their old argument. "Who would have thought? His Majesty Yugi Moto of Wu-Quan, greatest kingdom this side of the sea, contently cowed by his Bautanian wife. Ah well, at least it makes things interesting- much better than a consort that folds at any sign of resistance." The couple continued their leisurely passage, easily ignoring the alert guards standing along the bank … and the archers perched in the surrounding trees.
After all, when you were royalty, you got used to the constant guards and the almost complete lack of privacy.