Chapter Text
Marcille checked the reading nook in the corner Laios frequented. King in question wasn’t there either and she racked her brain to think of another spot he might be hiding in.
Mr. Tansu had just finished berating her on letting Laios out of her sight, but seriously, when he wanted to vanish he was almost as good at it as Izutsumi. She was usually the one that found him…or he would turn up at mealtimes. He almost never skipped those, even if it meant getting pounced on with things needing royal address. The advisor hadn’t mentioned what it was that he wanted to discuss with their charge, but Laios must’ve really not wanted to discuss whatever the heck it was to disappear as thoroughly as this.
Marcille excited the library and drifted downstairs towards the kitchen. The rich smell of Mama Scioti’s cooking made her mouth water and she couldn’t help sticking her head in to see what it was. The large kitchen with its elegant windows and high ceilings could probably pass as a fancy dining room…if it wasn’t equipped with its cupboards and counters and cooking essentials.
Mama was kneading bread on the center island. Short and round with dark salt and pepper hair, she looked up as Marcille entered and waved a floured hand in greeting.
“Hello hello milady, is there something you need?”
“Someone, Laios is hiding again.” Marcille glanced around, eyeing the large cupboards and pantry entrance, “Have you seen him?”
The chef went back to her doughwork humming thoughtfully, “I have a seen him, but he’s not in here. What do you be a wanting him for?”
“Mr. Tansu wanted to go over some court requests for him.”
Mama Scioti froze and spared her a glance. “Ahhh, that’s why he’s a hiding.”
Marcille blinked in confusion, “We hold court court councils every other day, there’s lots of issues to address as we rebuild Melini, why are today’s any different?”
“ah, Yarn told me there were courtship requests to be discussed this a morning…that’s why your young king is avoiding them.”
Marcille felt her heart sink to the floor.
“Courtshi…Marriage proposals?! Laios is already receiving marriage proposals, he’s only been king for 6 months?!”
Mama paused her kneading, her warm brown eyes meeting Marcilles, “Well, he’s young and handsome on top of being quite the hero. Most any lass would consider him a fine catch.”
Marcille couldn’t stop the thoughts of Laios’s form from her mind. His strong arms that had carried her on multiple occasions, the broad warm chest he tucked her into, and the rich golden eyes that smiled at her…
Mama Scioti looked at her with pity. “You should tell him how you feel dear one. Before its too late.”
“He knows…I mean…He’s my best friend…” Marcille could feel the rising blush as the head cook gazed at her knowingly.
“And dearie, can you picture him with someone else in his arms?”
She could and she didn’t like it much, “my…my feelings on that don’t really matter. Melini has to come first and Laios and I both know that.” Marcille couldn’t stop her ears from twitching and turning pink if she tried.
Mama sighed and rolled her finished dough into its proofing basket, covering it with a towel to rise. She washed her hands in the sink and grabbed a basket off the counter.
Holding it out to Marcille she pointed to the far window.
“Take this and peek out thee upper corner of yon window.”
Marcille took the food laden basket and dashed to the window. There, barely visible, was one of Laios’ boots jutting out of the railing.
Pleased and relieved she turned back to their cook, “Thank you! I’ll go speak with him about…about the proposals.”
“I wish you’d speak with him about other things first, tis not a subject he likes.”
“Thank you Mama Scioti.” Marcille darted out the door with basket in hand.
The empty guest room was mercifully unlocked and Marcille slunk into its darkened interior unnoticed. Basket in hand she made her way to the slightly open window.
The golden crown of Laios’ hair was just peeking over the base of it. Marcille put the basket down and pulled the window open. It gave a slightly jerky rattle and Laios jumped as she poked her head out.
“What on earth are you…”
She got no farther, for Laios reached up and pulled her abruptly down into his lap, covering her yelp with his hand. Marcille could only squirm and hiss until he shushed her. The panic in his golden eyes stilled her movements. Following his gaze she could see Mr. Tansu pacing aggressively across the inner courtyard below them.
Understanding stilled her, but the position they were in was compromising to say the least. She hadn’t sat in anyone’s lap since she was little. Laios had her pulled sideways across his, arm supporting her head with his warm hand across her mouth, his head was ducked low, face close to hers.
He wasn’t looking at her, intense as his focus was on their irate counselor pacing across the way, but just looking up at his face was enough to stain her cheeks and set her heart racing. Mr. Tansu finally disappeared from sight and she felt Laios relax, but his hand was still covering her mouth.
Too long.
So she licked it. His palm tasted like salt and sweat and blegh maybe a little dirt, but the gratifying redness that covered his cheeks as he whipped his hand off her mouth and promptly lifted her off his lap made up for her removal.
“Marcille!!” his voice went high, “you licked me!?”
He was a blushing stuttering mess…and she wondered why that lick riled him up so much.
“Well”
“Why?”
“You weren’t letting me go.”
“oh, I thought… maybe Falin told you…nonevermind.”
So there was a reason he was reacting this way. Marcille instinctively pressed him for details.
“Why would something like that make you blush Laios…you lick all sorts of stuff.”
“That’s not…”
“You tasted that weird fish thing Izutsumi brought in yesterday. After you swore off raw seafood from dungeons due to that parasite!”
“But that was…”
“And last week you tried that fruit that smelled like old socks!”
“But I..”
“So why on earth would you be bothered by a li..”
“Because it was you!”
Marcille was stopped mid-sentence by his embarrassed yelp and both of them dropped their eyes to the courtyard for movement. All was quiet, honestly shocking considering how loud they both were.
Laios had regained some composure by the time they locked eyes again.
“I…last time I got licked was by something…something that was borrowing your looks.”
Her looks. Oh, the succubi…wait a second…
“Laios, Did your succubus look like me?”
He swallowed hard, red seeping up his neck.
“At first, but the smile was wrong and it tried tokissme…so I knew it wasn’t you…”
He’s not meeting her eyes, but she can’t help pressing him just a little more. “and the licking?”
“It changed tactics when your face didn’t work…it turned into a Scylla and licked me.”
“Why on earth did you let it do that?”
He coughed, “It was very convincing…and cute. I had…you I know, but the Scylla really…it was so cool. It offered to turn me into a monster by biting me…but it licked me instead.”
His hands flit to his reddened cheek as if rubbing the memorable itchy spot the succubi left behind.
“I didn’t tell anyone except Falin. I was afraid of…what you might think.”
Huh.
Are you mad at me?”
She laughed softly and tucked her legs under her in a more comfortable position.
“No, not mad. Maybe embarrassed a bit, but we can’t control what the succubi see when they look at our desires.”
He’s relaxing a bit and she finds that comforting, not that his panic wasn’t fun to witness. Marcille peeked out into the yard. After scanning it for passersby she crawled over to the open window and retrieved the basket from inside.
Laios perked up stomach rumbling. He was always hungry it seemed, though he controlled it far better than the winged lion had.
“Mama sent me along with this basket…did you vent to her while you were waiting for it?”
He made a disgusted face. “Yeah…she’s easy to talk to. Mr. Tansu had proposals to go over with me and I’m not in the mood to entertain them. Had to duck out fast before she had finished.”
He opened the basket energetically, pulling out parcels of food and unwrapping them. Honestly, she knew he wasn’t looking for a queen yet. They spent all their days together for the most part and something like that was sure to come up. It made her feel…relieved.
Laios held out one of the parcels to her, “Here she packed extras, it’s a fried fish cutlet on homemade bread…got some sort of sauce on it. Really good”
Marcille accepted it and gladly took a bite. The fish was deliciously breaded and fried crisp, the sauce was a creamy tangy thing that balanced out the greasiness of it. The fresh bread encasing everything was chewy and honestly it was a perfect sandwich.
“Mhmm..it’s delicious.” Marcille closed her eyes and chewed, enjoying every morsel of hers. Laios watched her finish and grinned.
“It was good raw too.”
Realization hit her too late. Dungeon fish…he was feeding her that dungeon fish!
“Laios!” She smacked him fiercely, “Why are you feeding me dungeon food! We don’t have to eat it anymore.”
“Ahnnn…but you said it was delicious.”
She groaned, holding his shirt collar, burying her face in it despondently. “it was…wasn’t it. Still…”
She sat up on her knees in front of him. “That deserves some payback.”
“wha…”
Marcille took his chin in her fingers and held his head in place as she leaned in to lick his cheek. His unshaven stubble burned her tongue a little, but it was worth it to pull back and see him absolutely flustered.
He looked a little like a fish gaping at her like that, but he recovered enough to shut his mouth and lift his hand to slide over her ear and down to her neck. His golden eyes fixated on her lips as he pulled her close.
He’s going to kiss me. And she was going to let him.
Until an acorn sailed in from the courtyard and bopped him on the head.
“You two quit fraternizing up there!”
The two in question turned their heads to peer over the railing. Mr. Tansu tossed another acorn up threateningly and caught it while glaring at them both.
“Your Majesty, we have some requests to go over. Kabru will escort you to the study. I’ve already sent him to the door.”
Laios sighed as he stood up, “Alright, I’m coming.”
He offered his hand to Marcille who took it gratefully, her heart fluttering. He was always chivalrous to a fault for her.
“Guess the gig is up huh.”
“hmm.” He sounded disappointed and if Marcille was honest with herself so was she.
He helped her through the window into the darkened room, legging it over the sill, gathering the basket, and shutting the window behind them.
In the darkened room his hand found hers and led her toward the door. She pulled him to a stop before they got there.
“Laios…did you want to?”
He stilled.
“Yeah. But its probably for the best I didn’t.”
He’s letting go of her hand and reaching for the door and somehow it feels like a goodbye. He hands her the basket with a sad smile and heads off to the study, Kabru trailing diligently.
Marcille could only hold the basket and mull over the fact that somehow somewhere she slipped past the realm of like into something more.
yep, this ones late, but real life gets real quick sometimes.