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It's not rare for Laios to find himself out of the loop when it comes to things like this. However, this time, he really wonders how he could've possibly missed this one.
“Wait, come again, you think Kabru and Marcille are seeing each other?”
Falin mirrors Laios’ panic with the way her feathers lift up like a distressed cat. It is not often that Laios sees falin shaken up like this, she showed a lot more courage when she sacrificed herself for everyone. This must have really ruffled her feathers.
“Well, not think... I overheard maids in the hallway and I wanted to ask Marcille about it but I couldn't find her, and I ran into you first.
Falin scratches her head.
“It would make sense for you to know before me since I'm not always present In the castle.”
Laios sighs. The initial shock disappears and so does his panic.
“Ah, I wouldn't fret too much over it Falin. Maids have a knack of making up false stories. Kabru let me know a while ago that there was a rumour going around among the staff. Apparently I use my ‘monster fangs’-- which I wish I had– to drain the blood out of ‘naughty servants’. You should just ignore it, they'll get bored of it after a while when there's nothing to feed their fantasies”.
This doesn't seem to calm her down. She grips Laios’ shoulders and says, “But this doesn't seem like mere rumours brother. When I say ‘‘maids’ I don't mean two people conversing. I mean an assembly of individuals discussing it. There were whispers of a man down on his knee, of a promise ring and a flustered maiden. What is going on? Since when did Kabru and Marcille get this close?”
When he first heard the news from Falin, Laois was quite distraught. He thought that he had gotten worse at reading the room, that ,somehow, two of his closest advisors were courting each other without him noticing. However, this doesn't sound like them at all. Perhaps Falin is just not familiar with nosy servants it appears.
“Hm,” Laois says. “Well I wish we could ask them about it but Kabru and marcille left early this morning to run errands. Probably why you couldn't find her.”
Her eyes widen a little. Her hands slide down Laios’ arms.
“I'm surprised Marcille did not ask me to run errands with her, she always likes shopping together…”
“Falin, Kabru and Marcille are not smooching behind our backs I can assure you. Kabru is always quick to remind me that every information has to go through me first. I am the king after all. He's not really the type to hide his hypothetical relationship from me”
Falin visibly calms a little. Her feathers are no longer standing upright and she stops baring her teeth. Slowly, she takes a seat on the bench next to them.
Laios doesn't get it though, why falin is so bothered by it. He guesses that she's probably worried for her childhood friend, it is pretty natural to be invested in a friend’s love life if you've known them since they were little. But…in terms of lover, could Marcille ever aim higher?
Kabru is a pretty good catch, laios would say. If you asked any girl to describe the perfect suitor, every trait would match Kabru. He's handsome, smart and athletic. He can catch on your feelings pretty fast and is a good listener. He might be hard to understand sometimes but he's still a caring guy deep down. Laios has seen the way he devotes himself to the people of Melini, the well-being of mankind always comes first to him. Not to mention he's also very strong and can protect you, there's a lot of things that are great about him!
Even Laios would–
Wait. Huh.
Anyways, that raises the question: why would Falin not be comfortable with the fact that such a nice guy is seeing Marcille?
“Falin…do you…”
Falin looks up to him, expectant. Her eyes are wide and her cheeks are rosier than before. She's gripping her pants really tight.
“Do you disapprove of them being together?” Laois asks. “I honestly don't get it because Kabru could be really good to her, well he could be really good to anyone– but that's beside the point.” Laios tries to rack his brain. “Oh god wait, was he rude to you before?”
Falin jolts a little at that.
“What? Oh gosh no— Kabru is a wonderful person, he's always been so gentle with me…which is why it feels so wrong to be angry at him.”
Oh?
“Then why…”
Falin shakes her head and brings her hand to her left arm to caress her feathers.
“I don't know…I truly don't know. I wish I could say that it is the friend in me that is worried for her closest friend but I know deep down that it isn't true…It feels ugly, Laios. I was quick to accept this new body, but there are a lot of foreign behaviors that came with it. My dragon self makes it hard for me to navigate through new emotions. I feel pissed, I feel territorial, I feel strong. I honestly feel like…” She hesitates. A darkness clouds her face as she says, “I feel like taking Marcille and ripping Kabru apart.”
Laios’ jaw drops. The fierce look in Falin’s eyes disappears as soon as she realizes. “Wait!! Not that I want to though! No, I do want to…hold on…” She takes a pause to collect her thoughts. “I guess I could put it that way: the falin in me feels terrible about all of this, and my dragon side is very intense. It is hard for me to discern how much of my emotions are real and I’m scared, I don't want to pose a danger to anyone!”
Laios should feel bad about the fact that he finds Falin's dragon side way easier to understand, but this totally sounds like a possessive dragon mate. Doesn't help that the reptile was male too.
Oh wait, Falin is panicking.
“Ah Falin, I never realized how troublesome this body could've been!” Laois says. “I wish I could make this easier for you, but, unfortunately, you are probably the only human-post chimera-dragoness in the whole wide world! There hasn't been a lot of cases of human emotions mixed with animal instincts”
Laios takes a seat next to her, he leans to take her in his arms. Falin welcomes the warmth as she wraps her arms around him. Laios rests his chin on her head.
“But I do know dragons, and this sounds like a jealous dragon, Falin.”
Falin leans back a little to look at him. She is surprised but not distraught. She probably already knew.
She nods slowly.
“But— ahh— Falin! Who would've thought you felt that way for Marcille! I really wish I noticed sooner, I could've helped you along the way. Anyway, your big brother totally approves! Also please do not worry about the dragon causing trouble.This body is mostly you, isn't it? Falin will win no matter what.”
He taps her shoulder and flashes her a smile, she smiles back.
“Yeah... It is pretty reassuring that you can predict this other part of me. I'm glad I have you. You're right, brother, Falin won't let herself be beaten by the beast. She will take control!” She strikes a flexing pose.
She continues, “There is also no way that Kabru and Marcille are courting each other.”
“Me and Marcille are courting each other?”
Falin and Laios quickly turn around. Kabru and Marcille are standing behind them. Falin and Laois scramble to stand up.
“You guys are already back?” Laios says.
Marcille, who was positioned behind Kabru, quickly steps forward.
“I'm so sorry! You guys looked deep in a conversation and I didn't want to interrupt, but of course Kabru couldn't stop himself from intervening.” She shoots him a glare and shakes her head. “Excuse me– I'm in love with Kabru?!”
Laios still feels a little proud of himself for figuring it out: they really aren't together.
Falin lets out a sigh. Marcille looks upset. Laios feels at peace and Kabru is… giggling.
“So…you two are not engaged or anything?” Falin asks warily.
Marcille’s mouth forms a wide “o”. She pushes Kabru out of the way and takes Falin’s hands into hers.
“What?! No no no– not the case! Not the case at all, Falin! It's, you know, just the way Kabru is. This is all his fault, his sweet and gentle words often get him roped into these kinds of rumors. Ugh, and I thought I was free from it!” She turns away from falin to face Kabru. “And you, will you take this seriously? Our reputation is at stake here!”
Kabru continues to laugh. He probably already knew about the hearsay, or maybe he just likes to tease Marcille, or maybe he doesn't feel threatened by it, or E : it's all of the above. Kabru always makes sure to assess every story floating around in the castle. He would tell Laios if they can use it to their advantage or if it is detrimental to the future of Melini. It is a lot of trouble Laios doesn't like to think about so he leaves the work to Kabru since it seems to entertain the man a lot.
“Why would it be bad for my reputation? You're a smart and respectable lady Marcille, we're of the same status. We're about the same age– if you do the math that is. I would totally marry you”.
Er, Laios doesn't like the sound of that, and so doesn’t Falin. She grips Marcille’s hands tighter.
“Kabru, for the love of god, stop! You're not helping! See, this is why you are always the object of the servants’ fantasies; you just can't help yourself. Don't say something you don't mean.”
“But I do mean it.”
Falin abruptly joins Marcille’s side so there is no longer a bench separating them.
Laios just felt a deep, painful pang in his heart.
But this isn't Marcille’s first rodeo; she remains unphased. She also seems to be oblivious to the very possessive dragoness next to her, who is currently silent, clenching her friend’s hands and probably debating with the beast inside of her.
“Heh, I know you do,” she says as she flicks her hair. “You really do need to be humbled Kabru, I hope you hear from the grapevine a very embarrassing match.”
Marcille takes a pause as she thinks of an idea, then a grin stretches her mouth.
“What if you found out people think you're involved with Laios”
Laios perks up and meets Kabru's eyes, both round with surprise.
Laios never really thought about that. Laios is sometimes part of relationship gossip but just because of his status as the King. The idea that some residents could see him and Kabru together and think of them being like that makes him feel a little giddy.
Or maybe very giddy because he almost didn't think about what Marcille implied.
“Ouch Marcille”
She seems to reel back. Waving her hands in the air she says, “Oh– haha Laios I'm just teasing you okay!”
Well…Laios is interested to hear what Kabru has to say. Honestly, it would be a big ego boost if someone like Kabru found him desirable. Laios knows that he usually isn't anyone’s first choice but he can't help but wonder if Kabru ever looked at him and thought he was attractive. Laios looks back to Kabru and as expected, he remains cool and collected.
With a lack of discomfort showing on his face, Kabru says,
“First of all, it's already happening”
All three of them gasp. Marcille lets out a huh?! Falin and Laios are both agape.
There is a lot that Laios wants to ask him, but before he can demand for more explanation, Kabru continues.
“Second, embarrassing for me? Quite the contrary, embarrassing for him”
Three whats can be heard. Marcille opens her mouth but Laios is faster to ask.
“Wait, what do you mean for me?!”
What does he mean by “for him”? If Laios had Kabru as a husband he would not shut up about it. There is no way someone could be with Kabru and not feel immensely proud of it, Laios is not blind to the vast amount of people who desire him. Kabru supports him, Kabru makes him feel appreciated, Kabru makes him feel like he is suited for the job. It's not often that someone repeatedly dies for you. Laios would gladly take him.
Just what the hell.
“Laios, we've talked about this already. If you were to wed, it would be with a high class Lady. A queen or a princess preferably so we can build alliances.” Kabru takes a deep breath. “ A noble woman works too, we can make do with it. You need to aim high Laios. You can't be involved with someone like me.”
Well that is just ridiculous. Even his love life has to be carefully planned? Laios understands his duty as a king but he wished that something as personal as choosing a lover wasn't meticulously engineered. Laios already escaped this kind of control back at his village, he doesn't want to feel trapped again.
Laios won't let Kabru dictate this one thing.
“Huh, but how could I possibly aim higher than you Kabru”
Laios can hear Marcille’s neck snapping towards him, he can also imagine her jaw hitting the floor. His gaze stays on Kabru but he can feel Falin smiling at him. Even Kabru looks taken aback.
“Wha–”
“It's just…when I think of what I'd want in a relationship; you already check all the boxes. I know that you worry a lot about reputation and the hierarchy but I believe you're already perfect.” Laios slowly approaches Kabru, he keeps eye contact. “Hypothetically speaking, I would not be adverse to the idea of being with you!”
Laios can hear a squeal and a small “oh my!” escaping from Marcille’s mouth. Both Falin and her turn to look at each other.
The distressed look on Kabru’s face is not unfamiliar; the man is stressed on a regular basis. However, the blush is definitely new. Laios likes it a lot.
Laios is probably letting out too much right now. This feeling is new, he's not sure he understands it but he just wants Kabru to know that he matters more than princesses and queens to him.
“Alright stop, there's no way you mean that”
Laios can see the red on Kabru's cheeks deepening, he is also starting to sweat bullets.
Laios continues, “I totally do, in fact I think it would be really good if we–”
Kabru quickly cuts him by raising his hands, one blocking Laios from his view
“Okay stop! Stop right there! Now we're all getting ahead of ourselves. Nobody is romancing anybody. I'm not in love with marcille, marcille is not in love with laios. Falin is not in love with me.” Kabru holds his breath. “Laios you and I are not together! End of the story. Now uh, let's get back to regular everyday business, right everyone?”
Kabru turns around to head back towards the castle and Laios cannot resist another declaration.
“A crown would look really good on you”
Kabru trips.
—
“Wait–wait Falin this is awesome. I want to stay and see”
“I think it's best we leave them alone Marcille”
“No but look! Laios is helping him get up and Kabru is too nervous to meet his eyes. Wow who would've thought Laios could be so bold. I enabled this, didn't I? If they get married It will be because I orchestrated this. Oh this is perfect, this is how I get my revenge Falin.”
When Falin first heard the rumour this morning, she felt a pain in her heart like she's never felt before. This sadness got quickly replaced with a strong feeling of wanting to protect and take what's hers. Falin felt scared and confused but now that her emotions have settled down, she has her eyes on her prize. Falin is quite glad that Kabru is not in her way anymore (not like he ever was), he is too nice to be subjected to the dragon’s wrath. She would also prefer to keep their friendship intact, since a new kind of bond will form between them now that her brother seems to have realized something.
She also finds it funny that this is the second time Laios helps her today, in some kind of way.
However right now she really needs Marcille all to herself after this whole ordeal.
“--With the way he's blushing and giving Laios a smirk he's probably saying ‘if I hadn't known better, I would think you're wooing me your majesty’ and then laios answers–”
“Marcille”
“--something very uncharismatic but still so sweetly sincere like–”
“Marcille…”
“‘I wasn't aware I was but it does sound right, because truth is Kabru, I have come to realize that I lo–’”
In a swift manner, Falin spins Marcille around and holds her by her waist. She cups Marcille's cheeks with one hand and brings her face closer to her own.
“I believe I can think of another possible romance Marcille”
Marcille’s eyes move from left to right; following the movement of Falin’s tongue wetting her lips.
“W-woa…”
At a distance, the sound of Laios laughing and Kabru screeching can be heard, but Marcille doesn't turn around.
Falin closes the gap between them.
Revenge can wait a little.