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Not everyone is fit to be a messenger.
Mozenrath quickly learned this lesson after sending Xerxes on his first attempted mission, and a rather simple one too. The premise was easy. Venture into Agrabah, and find the current whereabouts of Aladdin and his friends. But no, the eel was not spry enough, quiet enough, or quick enough to spy on them efficiently. When the miserable creature returned in failure, with the only words being "at princess palace", and scales missing from a scuffle after getting caught, the sorcerer threw his hands up in frustration and demanded a new messenger.
"But Xerxes fast!" Was the eel's only protest, before being grabbed by the tail and flung out the window. The little guy was just grateful it wasn't the wall.
"Go into Agrabah and find me a messenger, I want a capable one this time." The sorcerer seethed, leaning out the window of his palace as he gripped onto the railing. His gauntlet reflected the setting sun's rays, shining into Xerxes's eyes and nearly blinding him as he wriggled about in the air in an attempt to block out the light. He shut his mouth and nodded as perspiration dropped down from his scales, before zipping off across the Land of the Black Sand to fulfill his master's wishes.
Collapsing onto the wall in a dramatic manner, Mozenrath's inky curls swirled across his neck and face. Why must the universe work against him at every turn?
Xerxes was determined to find his replacement, despite being a little ashamed of his performance. Why master not happy? He found Aladdin! By the time he reached the land of Agrabah, the sun had set and the sky was now a dark void. His only source of light was the candles lit throughout the streets, and the moonlight mist guiding him down to find the spy.
You happened to be out late at night, quietly hunting for food. Dinner had to be served somehow, even if the only animals around were hares and rats. Stealing fruit was easy, but there were no available stands when the sun went down. So your last resort was meat. Speaking of meat, there seemed to be an eel... floating down the road. Strange, yet intriguing. It was looking around in confusion, it didn't seem to be familiar with the area. A perfect target!
You readied your knife, and slid in the shadows until the moment arrived. Your footsteps lighter than a mouse, you quickly approached from behind and jumped on top of it, or at least tried to. "Hold still!" You hollered, as it thrashed and threw you off fairly quickly. This would be a harder target than you had anticipated. Xerxes whirled his swirling body around, his fangs bared and eyeing you in alarm. He hadn't seen or even heard you!
The eel immediately took off upon seeing your knife, he wasn't ready to get beaten up for the second time today!
"I need supper, get back here!" "Xerxes not food!"
He panicked, and his tail swished back in forth in worry as he bolted down the sandy roads and out of the kingdom- Mozenrath's rage would be much safer to deal with than a crazy human's knife dug into his scales! He kept flying and flying until he could hardly breathe, before a portal opened. His master must have sensed his distress and offered him a way home! At least, one that wouldn't take hours. Grateful, he barreled into the mystic blue particles and into the palace, slamming into the stone wall.
Safety!
At least, until his mismatched eyes glanced back to see where his master was, only to see your puzzled face staring back at him. Releasing a whimper of fear, he picked himself up off the floor and floated over to Mozenrath's intrigued form to hide behind him.
"Wonderful job, Xerxes. This one looks crazy enough." He murmured to his familiar, rubbing behind the eel's fins in a praising manner.
Surprisingly, his master offered him words of approval. Before the eel could open his mouth to warn him, a realization crashed down on him. He thought this was..... intentional. This wasn't the one he had picked out, but Mozenrath didn't have to know that. Besides, how bad could this turn out?
"Crazy?" You repeated, looking up at the sorcerer in confusion. You did not receive an answer, only an interested stare.
"Where am I?" You asked. A hand was extended to you, along with a snide smile. You kindly took his hand and heaved yourself up off the floor, dusting yourself off and looking at the terrified eel.
"The Land of the Black Sand. Lovely place, is it not?" You glanced about the room, it looked to be a throne room. Though it was... not pleasant looking. More creepy, but you didn't say that. "Very pretty."
"And you are my new messenger! Or spy, but semantics aren't a very big deal here. Just take your pick." He inched closer, his hands pressed together while he looked down at you with a sense of bewitchment. His intense gaze never left your face, searching you for any twinge of disloyalty. If his suspicions were raised, you would be thrown out promptly. "Cool, cool. Who are you?" You would come back to the whole "messenger" thing later. Best not to annoy him right off the bat, you thought.
The sorcerer took a deep bow, his arms spread wide as he introduced himself.
"I am Mozenrath, ruler of this land." Before you could speak, he was already up in your face, eyeing you with interest. New allies always intrigued him, or perhaps he had no sense of personal space. "And you are?"
"Your new messenger, apparently." You huffed, but told him your name with a step forward. His robes swayed with him as he cocked his head to the side, his feminine lips pressing together as he processed the information. "Would you mind if I decline your offer? Of working for you?" His dark eyes were very pretty, but you couldn't help but notice how narrowed they were when he didn't appreciate somebody's words. In this case, yours.
Instead of confronting you directly, he swayed his head back to look at his eel who hovered above his shoulder.
"They think it's an offer. Isn't that cute?" Xerxes cackled, and Mozenrath looked back at you with a glint in his eyes that said you weren't getting out of this. You sighed, your plans of eating dinner had just gone out the window. Oh well, you didn't mind. If this is a job, then you'll get paid.
"Do you pay your employees?" You questioned, crossing your arms across your chest. If you don't get paid, then you're not staying.
"Oh, handsomely." He answered, pulling a pouch out from his robes and gently gripping onto your wrist as he pushed it into your hands. You nearly gasped, the pouch was just filled to the brim with gold coins! This would get you by for a year, at least! Forget leaving, you would be clinging to this man's estate for as long as possible!
Without warning, the sorcerer plucked the knife from your free hand and threw it into a portal behind him, disappearing forever. How on earth did he do that?
"Can't have you rebelling against me with a weapon."
He noticed your awestruck expression and smiled condescendingly. "What, you've never seen magic before?" It sounded like a taunt, but genuine curiosity resided underneath his tone. Was Agrabah really so magic-less that his new spy had never even seen a portal before?
"No?" You replied sheepishly. "New spy not know magic." Xerxes mocked, only to be swatted at by his master. "Oh, hush you."
Mozenrath slid up to your side and placed a gloved hand on your back, causing a warmth to blossom in your face. He certainly was... touchy.
"Even non-magical people can be useful to me. Do your job well, and no hard feelings." He leaned in uncomfortably close, possibly as an intimidation tactic. "I'll do my best." You promised, though you didn't know much about the job. You hunted animals, not people.
"That's the spirit." He lightly pushed into your back before removing his hand all together, a grin on his face as he turned to the eel. "Good boy, Xerxes. This one will do." Ecstatic to be recognized, the eel wagged his tail in delight and slithered around his master's neck comfortably as his tail was gently stroked by the sorcerer.
"Sorry to be a bother, but could I get a snack or something? I'm starving." You ventured, to which his eyes darted back over to you. The eel was silently pleading for his master to say yes, he didn't want to become the meal. He barely escaped last time you tried to eat him!
"Of course. What kind of master would I be if I didn't allow my spy to eat?" He snapped his fingers and a fresh meal resting on a plate appeared in your hands, before he wrapped a threatening arm around your shoulders, as if you weren't allowed out of his sight.
"Why don't you get some rest, I'll even show you your chambers." He acted as if he were a gentleman, despite doing the bare minimum of showing you where you were sleeping. Xerxes slithered away from Mozenrath and hovered next to you, quizzically looking back and forth at you and his master. What was his problem? "Thank you." You mumbled to him. Upon opening the door and showing you the room, you nearly reeled back from astonishment. How rich was this guy? You knew he was a ruler and dressed nicely, but this was better than Agrabah's palace, for sure!
"Wow." You breathed, only for the moment to be ruined by Xerxes cackling. "Spy poor." His master rolled his eyes, but shared in the amusement. Your bewilderment at his riches was wonderful to watch. "Enjoy your stay, messenger." Mozenrath bowed once more, before disappearing into the cloud of mist that seemed to envelop his body.
Clutching at your plate, you tentatively stepped into your room and closed the door.
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As you slept peacefully, Mozenrath was deep in his studies like usual. His books were stacked to the ceiling, and his experiments were laid across the dimly lit room that stored the necromancer's tools that he used to catch the gnats that tried to interfere with his plans. Only, his thoughts were scattered this time. Even Xerxes knew something was wrong, swirling above the master in worried circles. Eventually the eel broke his silence. "Master alright?"
"I'm doing just fine." Mozenrath grunted, boring his eyes into the text in his book. He had read this specific one several times now, it should be second nature to him at this point. What was preventing him from focusing?
"Not focused. Not alright." The eel pointed out, slithering over and lying on his desk.
"Not focused because of your nosy questions." The necromancer retorted, waving him off as though he were a pest.
Xerxes floated out of Mozenrath's reach, and hovered above the lamp.
"Is spy problem?"
Just hearing the mention of his newly acquired messenger sent a flush throughout his body, his hands tightening into a fist.
"You're becoming a problem." The ominous threat was entirely disregarded as the eel darted back and forth above Mozenrath's head in excitement.
"Xerxes was right!"
Clenching his teeth and glancing back at the eel, he leaned back in his chair with an irritated expression.
"My messenger interests me." He struggled to respond, his nose scrunching up in disgust as he looked at the eel's face. "Interest?" Xerxes laughed, rocking in the air as if he had just told the funniest joke in the world.
"Out!"
With the eel gone, he could finally focus on his work. Except, that still wasn't happening. He would finally get two or three sentences in and all of a sudden the image of you on the floor in front of him would shatter his focus. The moment you had met his eyes, albeit you seemed more confused than enamored, had captivated him. He had the sudden urge to understand you. To know you inside and out, how you worked, why you did the things you did, and most importantly, what you thought of him.
Mozenrath was growing frustrated with his inability to think properly, and his sweaty palms were beginning to stain his gauntlet, as well as the pages of his book. He slammed it shut and gave in to the thoughts, thinking only of you as he slowly let his eyelids flutter into a deep sleep.
TIME SKIP: NEXT MORNING
Visions of wealth and living comfortably danced in your mind as you woke up and got ready for the day, surprised at the accommodations already offered for you. Clothes, hygiene products, and even your breakfast was waiting for you on the table in the corner of your room, fresh and ready. Oh, how envious you were of people who got to live like this every day.
You stepped out of your room and leisurely strolled down the grand halls, stopping occasionally to marvel at the palace's structure. It was creepy, sure, but it had some beautiful designs adorning the walls. The only downside were the mamluks, they horrified you. Did Mozenrath make them? Why did he pick them to be guards, anyway? They looked like they were one strong gust of wind away from falling apart.
"Fascinating, aren't they?" A smug voice reached your ears. Mozenrath. You turned around, only to see him inches away from you. This guy had zero concept of space bubbles. "That's one word for them." You managed, trying not to choke from the fumes of rotting flesh. He paused, his smile dropping and replaced with a pout.
"You don't like my creations?"
You raised an eyebrow, was he serious? "I like them. They're just a bit spooky." You answered, and he felt a smile creep back up on his face. "Spooky? Does the mere concept of necromancy freak you out?" He teased, his tone patronizing. Talk about rude!
"It's unsettling, the idea of a corpse reanimated yet still not living is objectively worrying, at the very least. Though it is impressive you have that power." You articulated your thoughts carefully, trying to convey your thoughts without being disrespectful. Necromancy was clearly a craft he put work into, and it wasn't your place to dunk on it.
The sorcerer froze upon the hearing the word "impressive" while describing his work, hearing those words straight from your lips wrung his heart as he realized his feelings for you went far beyond a curiosity with your character. He swallowed before speaking, his pupils dilating as he struggled to answer right away.
"Of course it's impressive. I've been immersed in sorcery and necromancy studies my entire life." He tried to keep up the facade of his haughty personality, but failed miserably as his voice was audibly weak and nervous. You nodded, a smile present on your face as you hesitantly began to walk towards the throne room.
"Do you have any missions for me?"
He nearly tripped over himself as he hurriedly started to follow you, his breath tumbling out from his lips as he sputtered out an answer.
"Yes, actually. I came to discuss this matter in particular." He cleared his throat as he regained his composure, trying to tower over you by straightening himself up. But he wasn't that tall, so that failed as well.
You arrived in the throne room, with the ruler at your side. It took only a few minutes for him to detail the mission and what information he wanted out of you upon your return. You got the gist of it fairly quickly, locate this guy named Aladdin, take back one of Mozenrath's inventions, and find out if they were planning to thwart his plans once more. Unlike most evil sorcerers, Mozenrath knew when to end his villainous monologue.
Your eyes settled on his lips as he spoke, finishing up his plans. They really were glossy, and you tried not to stare as you thought about how soft they would feel against skin. What scandalous thoughts! You attempted to clear your head, that was such an inappropriate way to think of your boss. Finally, he ceased to speak and sent you on your way with a warning. "Don't fail me."
You didn't like the sound of that, but regardless, it was reasonable. According to him, this Aladdin guy stole his stuff and beat up his poor eel! (You disregarded the fact you had tried to eat him only the night before). You would be pissed too. And off you went through the portal Mozenrath opened for you, prepared to successfully pull off your first "spy" mission.
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Mozenrath's footsteps reverberated off the grand walls of his palace as he paced back and forth, eagerly awaiting your return. Xerxes swam in the air beside him, patiently listening to his master's rants about his new messenger. "They called my mamluks impressive, and I'm ninety percent sure they were looking at my lips while I was giving orders." He thought aloud, though he did appreciate the comments his pet offered.
"New messenger likes master." He argued, swimming around Mozenrath in circles. The sorcerer flushed with embarrassment and bit his lip, refusing to believe it. No, there must be a logical explanation. This was not logical. Your admiration for him stopped at the point of it being romantic, surely.
"New messenger loves master." Xerxes cackled and flew out of the way before Mozenrath could grab his neck and squeeze like a ragdoll.
"Meddling serpent." He spat, before hearing the sound of the portal's energy crackling, signaling your return. Straightening up and shooting a "don't say a word" glare to Xerxes, he clasped his hands behind his back and gazed at your cautious form as you stepped out of the entryway.
"I'm never getting used to that." Upon seeing his magically fueled invention held tightly in your hands, his darkened facial expression twisted into a pleased one, and he motioned you forward with his gloved hand. "I trust you were successful?"
You nodded with a smile and handed over his belongings, as you told him the information he wished to know. "Aladdin and his friends are still in Agrabah, but they plan to come down and attempt to steal your gauntlet in a few days." You watched in amazement as his handsome features contorted into a seething gloomy state, just how did he switch moods so fast? "But I think you'll like to know that they didn't even notice I got your stuff back." You added, hurriedly.
And just like that, he was satisfied again. "I'm most pleased with your performance." He commented in a sultry tone, tossing the invention in the air and you watched in alarm as his eel struggled to catch it. "I'm glad I could help." You offered, kindly. He only inched closer, but failed to come up with anything charming to say. God, why was he only witty when Aladdin and his stupid friends were around? The only time he needed such lines were when they were gone from him!
You watched him as your kindness faded into puzzlement, was he trying to say something? His lips were twitching, as his breathing seemed irregular. The necromancer laughed anxiously, but it didn't sound as intimidating as he had hoped. "Shall I show you the power of my sorcery?" He blurted out, desperate to impress you. You were a little taken aback at the random thought, but why not? It sounds fun.
"I would love to." You smiled sweetly. Mozenrath's heart nearly melted at the sight, and his black curls tried to hide the heat rising in his face, but to no avail. You noticed it, and was a little surprised. Maybe he was just embarrassed, you took it he didn't get many visitors. But he felt like the sociable type, and his confidence suggested that he was familiar with people and bossing them around, more specifically. So why was he so happy to show you his powers?
He cleared his throat and blinked nervously as he demonstrated the abilities the gauntlet possessed, though he made it clear he was still chock full of magic without it. The sorcerer conjured up all sorts of spells and tricks, observing your reactions to gage whether or not you were interested. Which you were, by the looks of it. You especially liked when he carefully gripped your hands and caused you to levitate off the polished marble floor, watching as you laughed in excitement. The feeling of his ungloved hand on yours felt warm, though his palms were quite sweaty. You didn't mind.
"Master held messenger's hand." Xerxes snickered in Mozenrath's ear, which you immediately wondered about. What did that mean? "Quiet, Xerxes."
Once he was finished showing himself off and gaining confidence in conversation with you, he bravely attempted to flirt with you by ordering you on another mission. "You will be rewarded handsomely." He added, his half-lidded eyes gazing down at you with a sense of superiority. "Sounds good! Can I at least get some rest first?" You requested, to which he nodded. "I suppose you can relax for now. But don't get too comfortable." He mused, fidgeting with his hands as he examined his fingernails.
"I guess you want me to help you prepare for Aladdin? Since he's coming here soon?" You prompted, idly. You wanted to get to know this sassy sorcerer, especially since every time he looked at you your heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened and he spun to face you fully, hurrying to accept the offer. "Yes, yes. Of course." He stuttered, stumbling over to where you stood at a proximity so close you could hear his heavy breathing and see his chest rising and falling.
"But surely you know I can wipe all five of them out with a mere snap of my fingers." He straightened up, his flushed face now arrogantly smirking at you as he slid an arm around you, this time more casually as opposed to trying to intimidate you. But it didn't feel casual to him, it was his best attempt at flirting, which he had never tried before (in a serious manner). "Yes, you're very strong." You teased, slipping out of his grasp and strolling towards the doors. "I'm going to relax for a little while, I'm tired."
He parted his lips as if he were going to speak, but closed them again and cast his eyes back over to Xerxes.
"Leaving already? They must not know to get my permission first."
He hummed in an amused manner, and enjoyed Xerxes's echoing of his words. "Get permission first, get permission first!"
You looked at him in disbelief, was he so egotistical that you had to ask permission to leave his presence? "Well, little messenger?" He tilted his head and smiled gleefully, knowing he had the upper hand. You kinda liked it, but he didn't have to know that. "Oh my lord, please grace me with the gift of leaving your throne room?" You mocked, bowing down and fixing him with a spiteful smile.
He looked rather flustered at your response, but played along. "Permission not granted." He grinned, whispering something else to the eel hovering next to him. The two burst into laughter, and you couldn't help but stalk off and slam the door just to annoy him.
Bitch.
Unfortunately, you didn't get the chance to leave as the nagging sorcerer stepped through a portal in front of you and prevented any chance of returning to your room. He still had that idiotic smile plastered on his face, and he seemed to be returning to his touchy mood. His hands reached out in a flash and yanked you towards him, holding you up off the floor by an inch or two.
"Silly messenger, don't you know not to go against my word? Disobeying comes with a price." He hummed in a sadistic tone, grazing the bridge of his nose against your own. You felt the heat rising in your face as you tried to avert your eyes from his, but to no avail. The sorcerer laughed at your shocked silence and set you down, but gently pushed your body up against the wall in one quick motion. His shyness now completely gone, he teased you with his hands on your shoulders.
"Is this normal practice for your employees? Or do just the non-magic workers get this treatment?" You scoffed, but reciprocated the behavior and smiled up at him.
Mozenrath's eyebrows raised in mock pity, and leaned over to whisper his response in your ear. "Some get special treatment." His lips nearly touched your skin multiple times, but he would pull back slightly before it happened. "And others get turned into zombie servants." You glanced to the right of you where the mamluks patrolled the halls. "Exactly. You don't want that to happen, do you?" He sneered.
"If it means I don't have to put with your senseless drivel, then maybe I do." You giggled, and your laughs only intensified as you felt a hand crawl up your neck and tilt up your chin. "Careful now. That sounds like an insult towards your superior." He returned, his insolent words making you roll your eyes. "Superior?" You snorted, only for him to inch closer. Your heart pounded in your chest despite your confident words, the fact his lips were hovering only an inch away from yours made it a little difficult to think.
Silence hung between the two of you as he moved slowly to close the gap, his eyes darting back and forth between your eyes and lips as if checking for confirmation that he was doing everything right. Before it could happen, that wretched eel floated out of the throne room and into the hall where you two resided, wondering what was taking his master so long to return.
Mozenrath's breathing hitched and he yanked himself away in an instant, creating as much distance between the two of you as possible before Xerxes could see. If the little freak saw him like this, he would never hear the end of it. "Xerxes! Perfect timing, I need you to fetch me something." He sputtered, stumbling away from you and approaching the eel. Thankfully, the eel hadn't seen you two.
"What Mozenrath need?"
"Retrieve my glass." He pointed down at the throne room, to which the eel hesitated but went on his way. "Where was I?" He murmured, returning to his close proximity until another interruption occurred. Not one that you could see, or even hear. But Mozenrath felt it. He tensed himself, and lifted his chin in the air to glance back towards the grand doorway of his palace. "You must be kidding me." "What's the matter?"
He didn't answer, only glaring in the general direction of the door. "Aladdin." He seethed, and glanced back towards you briefly before he grumbled, "I don't want my messenger getting involved with these ruffians. Xerxes, return them to their chambers." He ordered the eel who had returned with his tail wrapped around the glass, only for it to be smacked to the ground by a furious sorcerer, sending the pieces shattering across the floor.
First, Aladdin has the audacity to thwart his plans and attempt to steal the gauntlet, and now he's ruining his love life! Absolutely absurd.
You didn't have the chance to give your input before Xerxes bit down on the back of your clothing on your neck and heaved you in the air, swimming down the halls all the way to your room. "Why can't I help?" You complained, but the eel dropped you down on your floor and closed the door behind him with a smack of his tail. "Master said no." He hissed, circling around you in a slightly threatening manner.
"I'm sorry I tried to eat you, by the way." You offered, as it had made you feel a bit guilty. He hadn't done anything. The eel gave a magnificent eye roll but seemed to accept your apology. "Not problem. Master like you, I like you." He grinned, slithering around your shoulder to float in front of you.
"But does your master really like me? Or is he just putting on a show?" You persisted, really hopeful to find if his feelings are genuine, or if he just wants to keep you around. You took it messengers were hard for him to come by if he had just picked you off the street. Plus, you wouldn't put it past him to be manipulative if it benefited him. You liked him, but he gave you an eerie feeling.
"Master loves you." Xerxes snickered, his eyes scanning you to watch your reaction. "Surely not." You blushed, only for him to nod vigorously.
"He does! He does! He talk about you lots!" He floats above you in the air, darting back and forth in encouragement. "Master whispered you are adorable when angry to me." Xerxes argued with a cackle, which made you laugh. Not because it was funny, but because you thought the exact same thing about him. He reminded you of a bratty little child throwing a fit when he doesn't get what he wants, and he had the gall to infantilize you when you're mad? Talk about hypocrisy!
Eventually the little eel left to go assist his master against Aladdin and his friends as you remained in your chambers. It was always dark in the Land of the Black Sand, but you knew when it was nighttime. It felt as though a blanket of cold and drowsiness had encapsulated you, and you felt yourself begin to nod off on your desk as you journaled the day's events on the paper Mozenrath's servants had provided you. It was a slow process, but soon your eyes had closed and you slipped into unconsciousness.
────୨ৎ────
"I was in an active battlefield and you didn't think to check up on me? I'm hurt." Mozenrath whispered to you as he slowly approached your sleeping form, tapping at your shoulder and hiding a flower behind his back. "Hmh?" Your eyelids twitched as you woke up, gazing up at the sorcerer looking down at you fondly.
"Oh, you're back. How'd it go? Still got the gauntlet?" You smiled tiredly, as it was still seemingly night. The moon hung outside in the beautiful night sky, its moonlight gleaming in through the windows and illuminating the two of you looking at each other silently. "Of course. Those blubbering fools couldn't even get within six feet of me." He admired the gauntlet on his hand, it seemed he cared about it more than he did his own life.
"I'm glad." You mumbled, setting your head back down and closing your eyes.
The sorcerer gazed down at you, his hands reaching out to you before quickly withdrawing. He didn't wish to startle you. Breathing your name as gently as possible, Mozenrath pulled his ungloved hand that clutched the flower and presented it to you with a shaky demeanor. Flirting with you was one thing, confessing his love for you was another. He repeated your name and lightly shook you to rouse you from your sleep again.
Grumbling, you opened an eye and glared at the man, until your gaze fell on the flower he held. "Is that for me?"
"Yes." Trembling, he handed it over to you and felt a violent shiver down his spine as he felt your hand brush against his to take the flower. "Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you." You hummed, examining the daisy and smiling up at the terrified sorcerer. He didn't answer, but seemed a little more confident with your positive reaction.
"I have something to tell you."
You tilted your head, but a puzzled smile grew on your face. Were you getting promoted? Or were you about to get fired?
"I love you."
Your eyes widened in surprise, and you snapped awake at those words. "You've bewitched me. My soul is yours." Mozenrath delivered a deep bow, his face a deep red. God, what was he doing? What if you find his affections disgusting? He was a necromancer, not a romancer.
"Oh, Mozenrath. I love you too." You took his face in your hands, and watched as his nervous expression transformed into a relieved one. Completely lovestruck, he leaned his face into the palms of your hands and gazed lovingly at your face, reaching up to your wrists and gently stroking your skin with his thumb. "As expected." He hummed, his confidence and pride coursing through his veins once more.
It didn't take long for his pride to bring a smirk to his lips and slowly ease forward even further. "What if Xerxes comes in?" You whispered, but the sorcerer's intentions remained unchanged. "If that slithering serpent interrupts me for a second time, he'll have a tail to grow back." He hissed, leaning down and going in for your lips before you grabbed his face and giggled. "Don't be mean to him."
His face soured, that eel was ruining his moment despite not even being in the room! "That eel is going to pay." Mozenrath hunched his shoulders in irritation, still leaned over and repeatedly bonking the side of his face against yours in an effort to sneak his way to your mouth. "He's very sweet to you, I think you take him for granted." You sighed.
"I love Xerxes. But he can be irritating when he fails to complete even the most simplest tasks." He groaned, bringing his face away from yours. You thought carefully, and answered him kindly. "And has yelling or hitting been your way of discipline forever?"
"Yes...? Your point is?"
"Has it worked at all?"
"No! He's a moron."
"Then maybe it's time to try something new."
You offered in a soothing tone, reaching out and patting him gently on the shoulder. He stared at you, as if taking your words into consideration. But he didn't reply, or even mumble a couple of words agreeing. His eyes shifted down to your hand, and remained completely still. "Or don't listen to me. I can never tell what you're thinking." You huffed, bringing your hand back down to your side.
Was now the time?
Mozenrath didn't wait for fear or losing the opportunity forever, and leaned back down and pressed his lips against the corner of your mouth before softly grazing your lips fully. You leaned into it, wrapping your hands around his neck and twirling his curls around your finger as he kissed you gently. Oh, finally. He had been denied too many times. Even when an agitated Xerxes demanding dinner burst into the room and darted about, he didn't pull away.
If anything he only intensified his motions as Xerxes bothered him, grabbing your waist and getting a little rougher, despite the eel complaining for food.
"Stop kiss! Get me food!" He kept begging until you physically pulled yourself away and grabbed Mozenrath's face. "Oh for heavens sakes, go get the poor little guy food." You pushed him away despite him clinging to you, trying to reinitiate the kiss.
"Just a little longer?" He pleaded.
"Go!" You laughed, and the sorcerer finally gave in. He stormed out of the room with Xerxes trailing behind him, and you could hear him scolding the eel as they made their way down the halls.
"I was finally making progress and you just had to ruin it!"
"Xerxes thought gross."
"Foolish eel."
You smiled to yourself as their voices faded out, and you relaxed in your chair as you peacefully drifted back to sleep.