Chapter Sixty-Four: Your thoughts are too loud

She buried her face in his neck and closed her eyes, screaming internally.

"Don't worry, I dismissed the servants. This is a separate home from where we ate dinner."

"Oh…" She then opened her eyes, realizing it was definitely a different place, but the entrance was so similar to the other she hadn't noticed.

He walked her up a set of stairs and then opened a white door that led to a simplistic room. Way too plain for her taste, actually.

He placed her down on the bed gently and knelt before her.

"Pardon me." He mumbled and removed her heels.

"Ahem* You're acting like in the movies, it's freaking me out since you're an actual prince."

"You're right I am a prince. One that was raised to treasure, respect, protect, and care for his wife. So please tell me if you're uncomfortable with anything."

'Who knew his household is so bound to morals.' Clair thought.

Maybe the royal family really isn't the selfish destructive family she imagined...oh forgive her but the family tree behind them was so damn sexist and misogynistic.

But the present Queen and family of powerful queens behind her had a made a big change to that. Especially since they were such a brave and wonderful woman, who actually had brains, unlike the previous kings that only thought of war and war and more war.

'Oh, I love women.' She thought, with a mischievous glint in her eyes she looked down at James and smirked.

"So if I weren't your wife, would another woman receive the same treatment?" She asked, challenging his ability to answer such tricky questions.

Placing down her last heel, he slowly lifted his hand from her feet to her thigh until he was standing in front of her.

She leaned back and used her hand to support her body.

He then used his other hand to open her coat and reach for the zipper of her dress. Speaking to her from her ear, he answered, "Technically that would be true, but I wouldn't choose any woman to be my wife."

"You're the only person I have ever connected this much to in my life, and no matter how many ways I would have met you, the result would be the same. I would make sure you always end up by my side."

"Oh…." Was her only reaction, once again left speechless.

'Dry and unromantic? I take it all back, he just doesn't know how to use his skills properly!'

"Was my answer not what you wanted to hear?" He asked, zipping down her dress.

"No, it's not that. It was unexpected, but I don't hate it." She replied, not realizing he was already slowly removing the spaghetti strap of her black dress down her shoulder.

It was only until she heard him chuckle with amusement that she caught his wrist.

"Are you usually this careless?" He asked.

"I was distracted." She sent him a glare.

"Don't get yourself undressed by another man so easily, okay?" He lifted her chin with a hum.

"They would be corpses before they even get to lay a finger on me."

He smiled and whispered, "Good."

Looking back at the black bag on the ground, he picked it up and picked out a cozy outfit.

"I thought you might need these, so I ordered them in advance."

"It's perfect, thank you." She stood up, looking down at the sweater, and warm pants on her hands.

She then looked at the socks and before she could ask, he placed the white sneakers on the ground.

"Hmm, do you want to stay and help?" She joked.

"Can I?"

"..."

Whelp! There goes her heart...

God, it was too adorable, okay? The way he had innocently asked that and yet how hot it sounded. It was going to drive her crazy.

Swallowing, she rejected him by shaking her head.

"As you wish. I'll be outside waiting for you."

When he left after placing a kiss on her forehead he closed the door.

She fell on the bed and internally screamed.

'I'm going to die at this rate.' Clair facepalmed.

….

Unlike Clair, James was prepared, and he had worn a long sleeve black shirt, a light coat on top, and then another, just in case he had to give it to her.

She had picked out a black knee-length dress with spaghetti straps and just a jacket that barely helped her in the cold.

He looked at the time on his phone, still waiting for her to open the door.

"At least you brought her more comfortable clothes son."

He heard his mother's voice from below.

He walked towards the stairs and looked down at her from his height. "She dresses up a lot. 'fashion has a price to pay' she said. So I had to be prepared beforehand."

His mother nodded her head. "You care about her, don't you?"

"I do."

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing. I really hope you two don't end up hurting each other. Care and likeness towards each other won't be enough to keep a marriage alive." She advised him.

"We can make it work."

His mother laughed. "Why are you always so stubborn, I'm trying to do think of what's best for you. Trust me you don't want this. If only you stopped blaming yourself for what happened-"

"Mother!"

She frowned and turned around to leave. "Fine, do as you wish James. I'm just going to tell you beforehand, I know that look in her eyes. I recognize my past self every time I look at her. She's a heartless woman and you can't blame her if you get hurt in the process."

She shook her head and left.

"..."

Heartless? The only heartless thing he saw about her was the way she took the blanket off him multiple times, the last time they shared a bed. She had the nerve to admit it and still not regret it.

James sighed and when he heard the door open, he turned around.

"Ready?"

"Yup!"

That innocent face is supposed to be heartless? All in he saw was a strong woman who had fought through life in the best way she could. All he could recognize was a warrior. She might regard herself as a killer, but he could tell it wasn't something fun for her.

He might be wrong but if the connection he felt with her is really real, he would have to admit that this woman only did what she was taught to do her whole life as a way to survive the cruel world around her—kill.

He was convinced that his mother was wrong.

He smiled, and from behind he pulled out a white hat. He placed it on her head without warning and chuckled.

"It looks cute on you. I picked it out myself."

"Gosh, you look like you're waiting for praise." She teased.

When she saw his expression to one where he was waiting to receive something, she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I love it. You did well."

When he placed his hand on her waist and tried to scoop her up again, she shook her head and pinched his skin.

"I can walk."

"But-"

She raised an eyebrow at him, and he gave up. With a sigh, he intertwined their fingers together and walked with her down the stairs.

Hearing the distant noise of the helicopter from outside.

"I can't believe you seriously asked for a helicopter here." She mumbled as they reached outside and a sudden wave of breeze hit them.

"We'll get there faster." He replied.

They walked hand in hand into the helicopter.

"Is it okay if I take a nap? I don't do good with helicopters." She whispered in his air.

He nodded his head and then she added, "Wake me up when we get to the good part."

"Good part?"

"Yeah, the view!"

She then put on her set of headphones and laid her head on his shoulder after making sure she was secure in her seat.

A surprise would be an understatement to describe how quickly Clair fell asleep. It had been less than 20 minutes into their flight and she was in a deep sleep.

James looked down at her relaxed expression, and he smiled.

His expression softened, and he sneakily stole a kiss from her lips.

The captain of his guards coughed.

He sent him a grunt in response since he was interrupted from kissing her further.

"You seem very pleased with your wife."

"Yes, and?"

"I was wondering, you think she's a suitable wife for you, but what about a queen?"

"She's perfect, anything else?"

"No, your highness." Seeing how James refused to talk about it with him, Dagon rolled his eyes.

'Our friend group is going to freak out.'

He watched James stare at Clair's lips again, and he snorted.

Was the crown prince of this country really contemplating on whether he should continue to steal kisses from his wife? Just how hard did Dagon hit his head today?

Oh, he hoped this unrealistic dream would end soon because it was giving him goosebumps.

'Is this really a loveless marriage?' He wondered.

With his thumb tracing her lips, James said coldly, "Quiet."

'I didn't even say anything-'

"Your thoughts are too loud, you might wake her up."

"Bro?" Dagon laughed nervously to cover up his utter disbelief.

James turned his head to him and sent him a glare.

Dagon: "..."

'I hate it here….I should quit.'

"Shhh." James once again 'heard' his loud thoughts.

Yes, James couldn't actually hear his friend's thoughts, but he knew what might go around his head at the moment.

It was kind of fun tormenting him this way. He would look forward to doing it again.

If Clair knew what he was thinking, she would be so proud of him and try the same strategy on her friends and family.

Dagon: "..."