Sagan
He came back like five minutes later and it was obvious he’d been running so he didn’t leave me very long. That actually made me melt.
“This will be much comfier,” he said as he showed me he had a hoodie and pair of running shorts.
And there was something in his eyes that was… Primal.
“Yours?” I checked as I took it.
He chuffed and nodded, eyeing me over like he wanted to give me more than clothes of his.
“He’s too possessive,” Iris drawled, filling me in.
I stood and took them from him, realizing there was something he might want to know. I cleared my throat and fidgeted with my hair. “I’ve never worn a man’s clothes before.”
His nostrils flared and then he was carrying me to my room. “I was praying to the gods you would say that. Fuck, wear just a bra with it if you need, baby girl, but be naked in my clothes.” He nuzzled my neck and then it sounded like he growled, “Mine.”
Did he think this new crazy would make me end things?
“Didn’t you consider it?” Iris pushed.
When I could think straight I probably would, but right then… I was just all over the place. I really was.
I did need a bra even when relaxing because I’d still be moving around and whatnot.
“You want me without panties in your shorts?” I checked.
“I want them to smell like you.” Then he gave me a sly smile. “I always want you without panties, baby girl.”
Fair enough.
I let him undress me, but then slid the hoodie over my head and pulled off my panties from underneath. I snorted as I glanced down. “Do I need the shorts in this dress?”
“No, but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. Yes, wear only that for me while we have a bum day,” he practically begged.
I nodded and swallowed a giggle when he carried me back to the living area. “I can walk.”
“I like having you in my arms.”
Which made me snuggle up to him. “I do want to relax, but I can’t tune this out. I’d rather we just face it.”
He swallowed loudly and looked worried as he put me down. He nodded and went for the remote, handing it to me and letting me do what I wanted.
I patted the spot next to me. I didn’t blame him for any of this and he was very understanding how weird it was. I had just turned the TV on when there was a knock at the door.
“Your Majesty, Joris is here and he said to make sure I told you that he has snacks,” the guard at my suite said.
“He can come in, thank you,” I called back with a smile.
Except Onyx frowned.
“He’s got to be worried about me too,” I hedged.
“No, of course, whatever makes you feel better,” he accepted.
Joris made me feel better so… Yeah.
I smiled when he came in loaded to the gills saying that Raquel had asked him to bring this up and I was supposed to tell him what I liked so he could report it to her. Apparently, she was upset that the kitchenette in my suite hadn’t been stocked.
I realized they were both curious, so I cleared my throat as I reached for a bag of light popcorn. “Benson was right that I didn’t want people in my space like that. I can give her a list of what I’d liked stocked, but—someone was going to say how I wasted the food or ate the food and I just…”
“You need this to be your—what’s the superhero place?” Joris wondered. “The ice fortress of hermiting or whatever.”
“Yeah, that,” I chuckled and had a few handfuls before looking at the bag. “This awesome. I didn’t know this was a thing.”
“Avocado lime Skinny Pop, got it,” he said as he typed in his phone. “The brand is very popular in Thovudin, but that flavor is a limited run. I’ll tell Raquel to stock up. I’m a huge fan of the garlic butter.”
“I like garlic and butter,” I muttered, glancing all around, glad when they chuckled.
Joris checked that I really wanted to watch the news and then agreed it was better than trying to hide my head in the sand.
“Call Toni,” I said after watching not ten minutes. “We need to get some statements going. Also, maybe—we need to start having an ‘inside source’ that comes from us.”
“Yeah, that’s standard and hysterical that people never consider that,” Joris muttered.
Toni came in at the same time as Lydia with the main food, and I asked Lydia to stay, wanting her input… And more.
“You want me to be this inside source,” Lydia figured out fast, nodding when I did. “As long as you explain it to Benson.”
Deal.
I focused on Toni. “First thing, someone is going to leak the texts.” I held up my hand to hold her off when everyone seemed horrified. “I’m not saying Fraser or Benson. They would never.”
“Phone company,” she sighed, nodding when I did.
“So you want it clear that you gave the order that the texts your security saw—of course they saw them—were not to be leaked or shared. That you’re happy Vex has finally handled the situation and you do not want to escalate things.
You left it to your uncle and you’re very happy he protected you. ”
“Perfect,” I agreed. “Also, something personal since I’m so cold still. Lydia leaking that I said something about wanting Khirriln wine and miss having access to it like when I studied there.”
“We have an embargo with them,” she hedged.
I met her gaze. “Yes, because of the elders. One’s family owns a huge vineyard. Another a massive dairy farm that makes a lot of the fancy cheese in Thovudin. And lastly, a company that makes luxury cotton items. Want to guess the main three exports for Khirriln?”
“Holy shit,” Lydia whispered but then apologized. “I never—people really aren’t wrong that there are conspiracies, but they seem to always get wrong which are conspiracies.”
“They do,” I confirmed.
Toni went to handle that and Treena joined us, not hiding how worried she was about me.
“Good, I could use a bum day and calories,” Maple announced as she entered next. She took one look at me and frowned. “Why are you wearing a hoodie as a dress? There has to be something more comfortable for you to wear.”
Onyx cleared his throat. “I asked her to wear mine, Princess.”
Maple huffed and headed for my bedroom.
“Fuck,” I grumbled and held up my hand. I started lowering fingers to count down and I had the timing perfect.
“Why do you have no clothes?” Maple exclaimed from probably my closet. “There’s two nightgowns in the hamper and—where are all of your clothes, Sagan?”
I reached over and stuffed a donut in my mouth and pointed to it like I couldn’t talk when she came storming back out. The others found me amusing, but it was clear that Maple saw through it and grabbed the donut.
And took a bite while waving me to answer her.
I sighed and told her—and the others there—what had happened while I snuggled up closer to Onyx.
“I’m sure the clothes of the queen are now on the black market for…” Maple grumbled and then shook her head. “I’ve had some of mine go missing as well. Unfortunately, it’s part of our lives. The gross part, but part of it.”
I looked at her in horror. “I thought it was just someone messing with me like putting me in my place. Are you saying—”
“I’m not saying perverts, but probably people who just want to be as cool as the queen and resort to theft or black market purchases,” she quickly said, clearly understanding I wasn’t going to be okay with anything else.
Especially not right then.
She found my tablet and asked my size, frowning when I just reached for more food. “I’m not being mean, my adorable niece, but I need to know why you don’t know your size?”
“I would guess the queen bought everything for her and she never had a choice or shopped,” Treena muttered, sighing when I nodded. “Okay, you are totes adorbs nodding with a donut in your mouth and being all cuddly, but no more going until this exhaustion level. And you need more fun.”
I gave a half shrug. Good luck with that.
“Doesn’t someone have her sizes now that she’s worked with Andra?” Joris checked as he rubbed my leg. I was curled up into Onyx, but he was sitting on the other side of me. “And she needs like a throw blanket in here or something. You can’t snuggle without those.”
“She needs all of everything and to decide them for herself instead of the staff bringing whatever to fill in the room,” Onyx snitched to Maple.
“Then that’s what we handle today, starting with getting you some damn loungewear for your relaxing and safe space,” Maple declared.
I sighed when she thrust my tablet in my face.
“Do it or I will—it’s all logged in as my account. It’s fine,” she said firmly… And gave me a knowing look.
So Maple had figured out something was going on as well. I wasn’t surprised; she was smarter than most gave her credit for.
I was going to object, but I caught one of the items listed and snatched the tablet. “I want that.” I remembered others there and went to hand it back. “I’ll figure out—”
Maple knelt in front of me and pushed the tablet back to me. “Sagan, you’re allowed to be a person—a woman—not just queen or Rhys’s heir anymore, okay? Please? It breaks my heart how much we missed. I knew he was hard on you, but I thought you had something to ever be a kid and—please?”
“Okay, but the Queen of Thovudin can’t have cartoon pajama sets,” I argued, clearing my throat.
“Why not?” several people said together, Maple nodding when my mouth fell open.
“I have several,” Treena said easily. “I didn’t bring them here because—they’re not for foreign visits. Besides my penguin ones. Sometimes I just need the cuteness.”
“I prefer sweet bears, but penguins are good,” Maple agreed.
“You would look adorable in that,” Onyx muttered in my ear, clearly understanding which I wanted.
“Do they have those in my size?” Joris asked. “They look comfy.”
“Thanks,” I whispered, knowing what they were all doing. I took in a deep breath and then put the pajama set with dancing avocados on them in the cart.
“You got this,” Maple promised, kissing my hair as she stood. “Okay, let’s see how bad the media shitstorm will be. Maybe a betting pool?”
I chuckled but then saw the others were serious.