57. Nicholas
57
Nicholas
A fter her recovery, Nora’s sleep schedule reverted to what she’d been used to while working evenings and nights. Truthfully, it was for the best, since any moment she was awake I struggled to tear myself from her. This way, I could resume the morning meetings to discuss the affairs of the kingdom.
Ricks used his time allotment to go over events and details for the wedding. His bubbly demeanor didn’t diminish once, especially now that I held an interest in it. To make it easier on Nora when Ricks would pester her in the afternoons regarding event details, I made sure to run through everything with him first, making decisions that she was free to change in any way she saw fit. If she didn’t want to be bothered, she could defer to my choices and not worry about it.
So far, the only things she’d cared about were the bridal party dresses and the food. A small voice told me to prepare for a dinner made purely of pastries. Ricks already had been warned that if she chose it, it would be done.
To my surprise, those two hadn’t clashed like I initially expected. Marco bantered with Nora over our private dinners, and Commander Druller didn’t shy from speaking plainly regarding guard shifts and strategies after I’d informed him she’d be equally involved.
He’d been actively pursuing leads regarding those who poisoned the food at the luncheon. Several persons had already been detained in the dungeons, the lead conspirator woman included. It finally felt like progress was being made, like the pieces were falling into place. I had more information than ever when it came to the disappearances, and had been implementing strategies to gain more intel. Radhak monitored the Splits, ready to intervene any crew passing under shielded magic, but no new reports had come through. Even still, there was hope.
A shift had occurred within these walls, a balm to an unrecognized sore. Nora had been working her way through the staff, introducing herself and catching their names. She had to be in the two-hundreds by now, failing to remember everyone’s name but trying her damndest. It was the cutest thing.
My regular staff weren’t around as often, an instruction from Nora that they needn’t fuss over us that much, insisting they had more time with their families or doing things they enjoyed, even throughout the day.
Magda carried a new level of repressed stress upon her shoulders, possibly the only one in the castle to struggle with Nora’s influence. But, sensing that, Nora started probing what Magda liked, and since receiving a new section of garden to work with, Magda accepted the changes, albeit begrudgingly.
Something else Nora took note of was the families of staff, asking if anyone had any needs. She’d recorded five individuals, all located in South Harbor, that had health struggles. Nora had a trip planned today to stop and visit each one. Not even crowned yet, and already at work. My heart swelled.
That, among other parts, when I trapped her in an alcove before her departure and ravished her with my tongue as her legs wrapped around my neck. Her biting down on her screams nearly had me undone. But she had things to accomplish today, my busy queen, and I wouldn’t keep her from them. A kiss to my lips promised we’d get back to those activities upon her return, and I slapped her ass on her way out, counting down the minutes.