🌹🌹🌹
ALICIA hurried down the hallway, clutching a scroll tied with red string.
It was a letter from Riddhe Sutherland. Alicia had been busy with lessons all morning. When Nigel delivered the news to her during her dance lesson, it took all her willpower not to rush to the king’s office to retrieve the letter. The moment her lesson concluded, she’d dashed to her father’s office for it.
“Is Clovis here?!”
The advisers seated at their desks looked up in surprise as the door to their office banged open. Then, their eyes grew even wider at the sight of the princess.
However, the princess’s adviser wasn’t there. Embarrassed at her loud entrance into the advisory office, Alicia turned to the adviser sitting nearest to the door.
“Sorry, but I’m looking for Clovis,” she murmured timidly.
“My apologies, Your Highness,” the young adviser replied with a frown. “Clovis has been ordered to take the day off by Lord Nigel.”
“Huh?”
Just then, one of the veteran advisers, Ryan, spoke up.
“Lord Nigel found out that Clovis had been working day and night without sleep, so he was sent back to his room to rest, lest he collapse from exhaustion during the festivities.”
“Oh… I wasn’t aware.”
Alicia recalled her adviser’s calm face as he handled his tasks skillfully. Even though they saw each other daily, she hadn’t noticed that he’d been pushing himself so hard.
But it was to be expected. The advisory office was always busiest in the days leading up to the founding day. Upon their return from Erdal, Clovis took on tasks to relieve his colleagues on top of supporting Alicia in her government duties. But no matter how composed he looked on the surface, the fatigue must have been building up.
Ryan gave the guilty Alicia a comforting look.
“This isn’t your fault, Your Highness. Clovis may be skilled, but he wasn’t right to try to take everything on by himself. He has never spoken a word of complaint to you, has he?”
“No…”
“I’m sure we can arrange something if Your Highness really needs to see him. Please wait in your rooms; I’ll send word for Clovis to report to you there.”
“Oh, there’s no need! I don’t really need to see him.”
Alicia shook her head in a panic. She’d been so glad to learn Riddhe was safe that she’d dashed all the way here. The letter didn’t contain anything that needed immediate attention.
Besides, she had a dress fitting session to try on a new gown the chief lady-in-waiting had chosen for her. It was a rare day that didn’t require Clovis to report to her. Summoning him now would add to his burden and stress.
“It’s nothing urgent,” she insisted again. “Thank you for your help, Ryan.”
“No worries, Your Highness. I’m sorry you wasted a trip here.”
Then, seeing Alicia’s worried look, Ryan promised to send an errand boy to check up on Clovis and make sure he was all right.
✦ ✦ ✦
🌹🌹🌹
AFTER leaving the advisory office, Alicia trudged sadly down the hallway.
She thought back to her meeting with Clovis yesterday. They’d had a fruitful discussion with Jude about the partnership between Mercurius and Ist, and her capable adviser hadn’t seemed any different from his usual self.
“He has never spoken a word of complaint to you, has he?”
Ryan’s words made her heart clench in pain.
Clovis had always been so kind and thoughtful towards her, going the extra mile and staying one step ahead, paying attention to even the smallest change in her.
But what about her? He was her precious subject, now a lover, but he still hid his weaknesses, and she’d never even noticed.
Was this how lovers should be? Aside from that intimate exchange in the carriage, they hadn’t even had the chance to speak to each other in private.
To treat each other as lovers, not as a mistress and subject.
As two equal humans, not a teen and an adult.
The differences between them became all the more stark, as if betraying the depth of her emotions. Alicia shook her head vehemently.
Oh, curses! I have to stop thinking like this!
Maybe she should go back to the dance hall. The chief lady-in-waiting had been kind enough to wrap up the lesson quickly upon seeing how agitated Alicia became after receiving Nigel’s news. It was only right to return and pick up where she left off.
But her feet were carrying her in a different direction. Turning down a series of hallways, she was soon outside the castle and walking across the green lawn, passing by the knights on patrol. Finally, she reached the dorm for civil officials.
It was still daytime, so the dorms were silent. Alicia slipped inside and hurried down a corridor.
When she reached the right door, she stood before it, her face full of apprehension.
If she remembered right, this was Clovis’s room. After spending a childhood running around and exploring the main castle, Alicia knew it like the back of her hand, but this was her first time coming all the way out here.
And now, here I am…
Ryan had promised to send someone to check on Clovis, but Alicia still felt worried.
Maybe he was catching up on sleep, and she was intruding on his private time. But she pushed those niggling thoughts aside, wishing to, at least, be the one who took the effort to come to see him herself.
She took a small breath, then exhaled. Timidly, she raised her right hand to knock.
The sound echoed lightly down the hall as Alicia waited with bated breath, but no response came. Maybe he’d gone for a walk in town? So thinking, she grasped the doorknob and was surprised to find that it turned easily.
It would be rude to enter without permission, but she’d come all this way. Tiptoeing in as silently as possible, she shut the door behind her.
The apartment was plain. Clovis wasn’t one for extravagance, and the furnishings were standard without decorations or adornments. A door led off to another room, which was probably the bedroom since she couldn’t see a bed anywhere.
The most eye-catching decor was a bookcase lined with a staggering number of books, with even more piled up on the carpeted floor. They formed mountains around a couch in the center of the room, indicating that their owner often sat there as he read.
Then, from where Alicia stood by the door, she noticed what looked like a leg sticking out from the side of the couch.
Approaching slowly on tiptoe, she rounded the couch to find a sleeping Clovis. He was without his usual robe, jacket, and tie, which were draped over the back of the other couch opposite his. He was clad in a white shirt, the usually fastened buttons undone and open to reveal his chest.
A hand rested lightly on his stomach, which rose and fell with each breath taken through his slightly parted lips. His sleeping face was unguarded and made him look much younger, and his lashes were surprisingly long and beautiful.
Alicia’s face heated up.
She should leave now that she’d seen him, but she couldn’t turn away. She moved closer to Clovis instead, crouching to gaze upon her lover’s face. He was so beautiful. Her heart thundered.
She wanted to touch him.
Overwhelmed by desire, she slowly reached out.
The next moment, a hand closed around hers, pulling her forward until she fell on top of the man.
“Isn’t it reckless to enter a man’s room like that?”
“Clovis?! You’re awake?!” She gasped in shock as sleepy violet eyes stared at her.
“Only just.”
Belatedly, she realized that she was lying on top of Clovis, her hands resting on his chest, and her brain short-circuited with embarrassment. Hurriedly, she tried to push herself away, but Clovis held her in place.
“L-Let me go!”
“No. Weren’t you the one who wanted to touch me?”
“Y-Yes, but! I mean, no!”
“Stop.”
The word cut through Alicia’s panicked protests, and Clovis took the chance to wrap his arms around her, pulling her even closer.
“C-Clo…”
“When we came back from the empire… No, even before that, I’ve always held back from touching you. Now, I finally have my chance. Don’t you think you’ve kept me waiting long enough?”
Alicia stilled in his arms, then hesitantly looked up to find Clovis gazing at her seriously. Embarrassed, she quickly looked away. Was he speaking the truth? If this wasn’t a joke and he was speaking from his heart…
Clovis must have felt so lonely, too.
Her fingers tightened in his white shirt, happiness and embarrassment battling for dominance in her heart. His large hand gently combed through her long hair.
“…Close your eyes. Let me feel you here with me.”
His words were like magic, washing over her body and draining away all resistance as she obeyed and closed her eyes. His warm hand rested on the nape of her neck, and she leaned closer, wanting more.
At that moment, three sharp knocks sounded on the wooden door.
Before Clovis could stop her, Alicia bolted upright and jumped off the couch like a spooked rabbit.
Th-Th-That was close!!
Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. Meanwhile, Clovis remained on the couch, his body half-raised as he looked to the door, then again at Alicia.
Then he let out a small sigh.
“Come in.”
The door opened with a soft creak, and the young adviser Alicia had spoken to earlier at the office poked his head into the room before stepping in with a silver plate covered by a cloche and a pitcher.
“Sorry to bother you, Clovis. How are you feel— Huh? Your Highness?!”
The adviser stopped short, staring at Alicia with wide eyes. She didn’t blame him. Who would have thought he’d run into the princess in his colleague’s room?
His eyes darted between Alicia and Clovis, not knowing what to do, but just as she was about to open her mouth to spew some excuse, her adviser stood up and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Who told Her Highness that I was taking a day off? It made her so worried that she dashed here searching for me,” Clovis said accusingly.
“Oh, erm, oh! I see. My apologies; I was taken by surprise,” the young adviser said before turning to Alicia with an apologetic bow.
“My sincere apologies, Your Highness. I would have escorted you here if I’d known you wanted to see Clovis.”
“It’s okay. I only decided to drop by after I left your office… Erm, what’s that?”
“Oh. Lord Nigel requested the head chef make some lunch for Clovis since he was asleep and missed it just now.”
“I wasn’t sleeping… But I guess I did miss lunch.”
Clovis took the tray from his colleague and lifted the cloche, his eyes widening in hunger at the sight of sandwiches filled with vegetables and cheese.
After exchanging a few more words, the young adviser took his leave, along with the message that Clovis would be returning to the office after his meal since he didn’t wish to spend the entire day resting.
Then, they were alone again.