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Corrin had to be quite honest, but this particular book on war tactics was interesting.
She loved her brother Leo, honestly she did. But she was always a little hesitant when he had tactical books to recommend. Once he lent them to her, they would end up having a sentence or a chapter read, only to be abandoned by her bedside table, or have Leo sigh and roll his eyes with a ‘You didn’t read them, did you?’.
For once however, he found the perfect book. Especially if she was already halfway through it.
What Corrin especially enjoyed was the interrelation between strategy and history. Usually Leo’s tactical books would have too much strategy and little history. Or, if they did have history, it was recounted in a chronological manner in the most dreary voice possible (admittedly similar to Gunter’s lectures). But as she read into why this particular armour was used on the battlefield, and what it was used for, she was already finding herself thinking of her own friends, and using this knowledge for her own strategies.
She reminded herself to thank Leo, along with ask him if he had any more of these kinds of books—
Corrin jumped a little as the door opened.
As she heard the slow, tired sounding footsteps, she instantly knew who it was.
‘Hey,’ she murmured, too entranced to look up from the book.
A long, exaggerated, borderline suggestive groan from Niles was her reply, as he made his way towards their bed. She knew he was tired, he usually was when he came home after her.
When her husband’s snowy white hair, and rim of his eye-patch reached her peripheral vision, she lowered the book and peeked over it.
‘Are you sleepy?’ she asked, smiling as her crimson eyes met with his blue. As the side of his mouth twitched into a small smile, Corrin went back to reading her book. Just a few more paragraphs until the chapter was over, and then they could sleep.
Not even half a minute later, Niles let out another loud and long groan.
‘You’re very talkative tonight’, she smiled, only to stumble a little as she felt the bed suddenly shift. Niles’ tall archer’s frame loomed over her, a cat like grin on his face and he subtly blocked her light. Oh, he would be finding this way too promising.
Determined, Corrin kept her eyes trained on the page…just a page and a half was left.
‘Wait-’
She couldn’t even finish her sentence as Niles peered over her book, so much so that his hair was blocking the text.
‘Hmm?’ he smiled, his blue eye twinkling in amusement. Corrin moved the book closer to her face.
‘Wait- wait I’m almost done–’
She nipped her lip as she felt his fingers draw circles along the side of her waist. Gods, if her husband was threatening to tickle her—Locking her eyes on his, she challenged him.
‘Don’t you dare’ she murmured, poorly fighting the smile on her face. With Niles’ head still in the way of her book, Corrin ungracefully put her hand over his face, pushing him away. The thief merely chuckled biting the finger closest to his mouth, breaking into a laugh when his wife yelped and pulled away. Before she could stare back at the book, Niles’ fingers at her side began to trace lightly along her waist and along her ribcage. Goosebumps lit up around her skin and she tried to quell her laughter.
‘S-stop! I have a page and a half left, I’ll be done in a moment! Let me focus!’
Niles suddenly paused his actions, throwing Corrin off guard as he quirked an eyebrow.
‘Wait is that Lord Leo’s book?’
Corrin grinned.
‘Ah, so my husband speaks! He gave it to me this morning’
Niles made another attempt to peer over the top at her page. The princess raised her arms and moved the book away from him, and above her face.
‘Perfect’ he purred, as he let his fingers linger under her arm, just a second away from tickling her.
‘Wait what–'
Corrin’s squeal made him smile, as it grew into a grin when she let go of her book.
‘Niles!’ she cried, trying to simultaneously reach for her book and push him away.
‘You’re cute when you struggle, kitten,’ he murmured, relishing the blush that rose on her face.
‘Gods Niles I swear—’
The door suddenly slammed open, as a sharp voice rang across the room.
‘Corrin, how are you finding the book? I think I might need to take it back just for tomorrow’s meeting—Ah.’
Leo’s eyes met the scene of his retainer gracefully pinning down his sister. Corrin produced her most polite and incredibly flustered smile, as Niles winked and waved with a murmur of 'Milord'. Leo blinked, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed.
Sitting up and straddling Corrin, Niles reached for the book and flipped through it.
‘What is so magical about this book anyway?’
‘Niles, I would really appreciate it if you could momentarily get off my sister while I’m here.’ Leo sighed curtly.
As both retainer and prince looked at each other, Niles smirked, getting off his wife and leaving the bed, with the book in hand. Corrin sat up, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing.
Niles sauntered over to Leo, smirk plastered to his face as he handed him the book. Seeing Leo take the book with a mumbled thank you, Corrin decided to push him a little further.
‘Brother, your cheeks are red’ she grinned.
Leo rolled his eyes.
‘This,’ The prince sighed, his cheeks turning redder as he averted their gaze and turned back towards the door ‘Is a sight I did not need to see.’
As the door closed behind him, both the thief and the princess snorted with laughter.