“Theo?”
Silence.
There was no mistaking it.
A snake coiled around a three-point star.
The insignia of Donn Yama’s royal family.
Her mother’s homeland.
What does Theo have to do with Donn Yama?
“It’s a long story.” Theo’s voice so quiet that Aveline almost didn’t catch it over the commotion outside.
“I’ll tell you when the time comes.”
When will that be?
Her mouth tightened.
I’m getting tired of being told to wait.
She examined the scar again.
It was old; the skin solidified to be impossible to remove.
But there were also signs that the skin grew since gaining the burn.
“How old were you?”
“Thirteen.”
He looked over his shoulder to meet her eyes.
Theo waited.
Aveline was too busy following the shape of the scar with her fingertips.
“That makes sense. You’ve grown like a tree since then.”
At that, Theo turned to face her so fast that Aveline thought the arrow would lodge deeper.
“Careful!”
But the man didn’t seem to hear her.
His hands closed around her shoulders as he stared intensely into her eyes.
“What did you say?”
His grey eyes were pleading with a glimmer of hope.
Aveline blinked.
Despite the action, and what she saw earlier, Aveline strangely didn’t feel scared of him.
“Do you -” Theo stopped as he considered his next words.
Is he excited or anxious?
His grip loosened.
“I mean – how do you know I had it from my youth?”
A beat passed.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Aveline glanced at his shoulder with the arrow still embedded.
The situation was almost absurdly comical.
Does he not feel pain?
Theo was thrumming with excitement.
“Because you’ve grown.”
The man stared at her.
“The scare tissue stretched with you.” Aveline patted his hand.
“You weren’t born this size, were you?”
But the glimmer in his eyes disappeared.
Theo blinked a couple of times.
“Oh…”
Numbly, his hands fell from her shoulders.
What answer was he hoping for?
Silently, he turned back around.
Luckily for Aveline, Fourth returned at the right moment with another medical bag.
“Your Majesty!” He opened the bag and there were various instruments inside.
This must be the military kit.
“I checked the arrows. They were all standard military heads.”
He hesitated.
“All expect one.”
The couple snapped their head to the servant.
“The one that fired at Her Majesty…”
“What does that mean?” Aveline gasped.
Why was hers the outlier?
Fourth bowed his head as he turned to his king.
Theo looked deep in thought but his fists were clenched tight.
“They wanted to make sure you didn’t survive.”
Aveline felt like collapsing.
If Wren didn’t tell her to move, then – then –
“Tell Wren and Bae to spare no effort to get any clue!”
He’s mad again.
The warrior from earlier emerged again.
There was that feral fire in his eyes.
His body tight as he contained himself.
The dried blood on his face only added to the image of a predator.
He was fighting to protect me.
Fourth bowed before he left to carry out the king’s orders.
Alone with the man again, Aveline was at a crossroads.
How would he react if I touch him?
Will he fight me?
Or…?
“The angrier you are, the harder it will be for me to treat you.” Aveline stands with her hands on her hips.
“I don’t want blood gushing everywhere.”
Theo looked up at her.
Even while sat down, he was nearly up to her shoulders.
His hands slowly reached up.
Aveline willed herself to stay still.
The hands settled on her waist before pulling her close so that Theo could bury his face in her stomach.
And he stayed there.
The terrifying King of Paxmouth said nothing.
Ah.
I see.
“You’re just worried, aren’t you?”
Theo nodded against her torso.
The woman huffed a small laugh as she patted the man’s golden locks.
Some of it was matted with blood.
“And I’m worried about you. Let’s get that arrow out first.”
Theo shook his head against her.
“Don’t be stubborn. Or else I’ll ask Wren to assist me.”
At that, his head snapped up.
“You have no idea how much of a threat that is!” He was almost pouting.
“How so? She seems to know enough about herbs and medicine.” Aveline recalled to when Wren looked after her the first time they met.
She knew which pots to pick up and how to use it.
Theo shook his head.
“She lacks a gentle hand.”
Aveline thought back to this morning when Wren massaged her shoulders.
“I think her hands are just right.” She shrugged.
It definitely helped her feel more relaxed.
“It didn’t hurt when she touched me earlier.”
“She did what?” Theo stood up in alarm, but he forgot where he was and ended up hitting his head on the ceiling.
THUD!
“Ow…”
“Your Majesty!” Fourth returned to the scene.
He helped the king sit back down while Aveline rolled her eyes.
“You came at the right time. Another accident and your king will probably been out cold.”
“Where did she touch you?” Theo rubbed his head as he kept an eye on his wife.
Aveline ignored him in favour of preparing the equipment with the servant.
“Aveline!” The man almost whined at being neglected.
“Hush, I’m working.”
Taking a deep breath, Aveline lead Theo to lay on his front, despite the protests and constant questions.
“Do you know how to use this, Your Majesty?” Fourth passed the arrow extractor to the woman.
Aveline nodded as she accepted the tool.
“I’ve seen some people used it when I was on the battlefield.”
“Battlefield?” Theo piped up again.
“When?” His body tensed again as he struggled to get up.
Having enough, Aveline sighed deeply before leaning down next to the man’s ear.
“If you stay silent until I fix you up, then I can answer all the questions you have.” Her warm breath tickled his neck as blood rose to his cheeks.
Aveline was so close that her lips brushed against the shell of his ear at each syllable.
He smells of blood.
Metal.
Something sharp but warm.
She swallowed.
He smells good for someone who was fighting in a frenzy.
“Deal?”
Theo nodded obediently.
Happy that her patient was no longer fussing, Aveline nodded to Fourth and they made quick work to extract the arrow.
“Do you need something to bite on?”
Theo shook his head.
“If you say so… Hold his shoulder.”
Aveline guided the tool carefully along the shaft of the arrow.
Theo barely had a reaction when they inserted it into his skin.
He might have winced when they pulled out the arrow, but it was hard to tell.
What’s the point of being so tough?
Just say if it hurts.
“Nearly there.”
With a steady hand, Aveline managed to extract the arrow.
Theo released a sharp breath but remained still.
He kept his end of the deal so far.
“Done.”
Aveline made sure to grind the best herbs and roots into a powder to apply to the wound.
“You’re amazing, Your Majesty!” Fourth gasped as he watched the queen.
“You’re so knowledgeable and calm!”
“You flatter me.” Aveline blushed as she looked away.
Theo remained silent but he furrowed his brow when he tried to look back.
“The next part is going to be hard.” They’ve patched up Theo , but he still needed a wrap to keep pressure on the wound.
“I don’t want to cut this…”
Aveline rubbed the fabric between her fingers.
It was the good stuff.
Fourth helped Theo sit up for the next step.
She was so engrossed in what to do that she didn’t notice the silent conversation happening right in front of her.
Theo’s eyes kept flickering to the carriage door.
Fourth frowned.
The king did it again, this time nodding his head to the side.
Out!
Theo mouthed.
Ahh!
Fourth smiled knowingly.
“I know!” The men jumped at her declaration.
“Fourth, strip your king!” Aveline commanded as she dug through the medical bag for a wrap.
Fourth remained fixed awkwardly by the carriage door.
“Um, well… won’t it make more sense if Your Majesty did that?”
Aveline tilted her head as her hands continued searching.
“Why? You’re both men.” She shrugged.
Fourth shot an alarmed look at his silent king.
“B-because you’re the one treating him!”
“How will you learn if you don’t practice?”
The servant’s eyes flickered between the couple.
Out!
Theo mouthed again.
“I’m trying!” Fourth squeaked back.
“What’s wrong with you? Do I need to treat you as well?” Aveline reached over to check the boy’s forehead, but Theo caught her wrist.
Theo’s stare could have killed someone.
“I mean – you’re married! It makes sense!” Fourth looked like he was going to cry.
Does it?
“I’m sorry, My King!” He screeched as he fled.
Aveline stared after the young boy.
Is he allowed to do that?
Slowly, she turned to her husband.
He looked remarkably pleased with himself.
Why is he so happy?
She narrowed her eyes.
“Seems like you’re the reason I lost my assistant.”
Theo had the audacity to shrug innocently.
He definitely did!
With the wrap in her hands, Aveline positioned herself in front of the other before starting the process of removing his clothes.
It was late afternoon and the dusk was starting to set in.
That’s why Aveline was so close as she unbuttoned Theo’s jacket.
She tried to be gentle as her hands ran along the plane of his shoulders, but Theo was the one who shrugged it off with too much movement than Aveline would permit.
She shot him another look but that disappeared when he tugged at the ties of his shirt to loosen it.
This is the harder part.
But Theo must have experienced this before since he took out one arm, and then slid the rest of the garment off by his injured shoulder.
Now he was shirtless.
So many scars.
Every breath was obvious as Theo anticipated her next moves.
Aveline flickered to his eyes.
A mistake!
Don’t look at me like that!
She held the wrap up.
“Let me know if it hurts.”
Theo nodded.
Aveline licked her lips as she came closer.
Technically, it was easier to wrap from the back, but no one had to know.
It took her whole arm span to wrap around the man.
“Is this good?”
Aveline looked up and their noses were nearly touching.
His eyes are almost black.
Theo licked his lips as he nodded.
Their chests were almost touching and she swore that he could feel her heartbeat.
There’s that scent again.
Aveline resisted the urge to bury her face in the other’s neck.
Don’t forget your task!
This isn’t an excuse to hug him!
Blinking a couple of times, Aveline tried to focus.
But who can focus with all that staring?
She held the fabric up before pulling it around his chest and shoulder.
It didn’t take long for her to tie the ends and tuck it in on itself.
She patted the wrapped chest a couple of times to test it’s security.
Despite finishing her task, Aveline didn’t pull away.
There was no reason to remain this close.
Her hands remained firmly planted on the man’s well-muscled chest as they stared at each other.
Beneath her palms, his heart was beating just as fast as hers.
Oh.
I’m not the only one…
Theo tilted his head as if to ask if she was finished.
Aveline almost smiled.
He’s actually keeping the deal.
It would be easy to release him from it.
But she enjoyed the silence too.
Slowly, her hands trailed up to cup his blood-stained face.
There were streaks of crimson across his nose, his eyes and the corner of his lips.
“I watched you kill a man with your bare hands.”
Her heart was beating faster than ever.
“I know what you’re capable of.”
Theo nodded.
“I should be frightened.”
All warmth disappeared from his eyes.
He looked away as if ashamed.
Don’t be like that.
Her hands guided his face back towards hers.
“But I’m not.”
Theo’s eyes flickered to her lips as Aveline leaned so close that their noses were brushing.
“You were protecting me.”
Aveline closed the distance and pressed her lips against Theo’s.
It was quick.
Instinctive.
Theo froze in place.
His lips are soft.
He tastes of blood.
Yet, she couldn’t help but go back for more.
This time, Theo kissed her back