Chapter 34 #2
Aza jerks awake to the sound of Zhou’s very loud voice. At this point, he’s shaking her by the arms, but all she can think about is the pounding of her head.
“Wha… what?”
“I have it! I know what we should do! I don’t know why I didn’t just think of it immediately, didn’t connect the dots!” He spews frantically.
Aza throws her pillow over her head, grunting, “Too loud. My head hurts. I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Aza lies there pushing the pillow against her face, trying to block out the light and the sounds. Aza hears retreating footsteps and then Zhou’s voice, but she can’t make out more than “Princess’ room” and “medicine.”
Aza flies up in bed. Her headache was nearly cracking her skull.
She begins panicking.
“Oh my heavens! You slept in my room! That’s so improper! What if people find out and talk!”
“Oh, calm yourself, my dear Aza. One, I am gay. I have no interest in you awake, drunk, or asleep, despite being your new best friend, of course.
Aza lets out a small chuckle, covering her eyes as he continues, “Second, no one is going to know, and even if they did, the servants won’t say anything. I’m sure plenty of them know about Li and me, and I’ve yet to be turned in. They respect me and my privacy.
“But still! Jahar must know you spent the night.”
“Yeah, about that.”
“What?!” Aza practically screams.
“It’s just Mr. Grumpy pants didn’t show up this morning, a different guard did.”
“What?!” She shrieks.
“But that’s good!”
“How is that good?” Her voice is laced with panic.
“Darling, I love you, but you have to stop screaming. I am also hungover.”
She lets out a huge sigh, “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Breathing.”
“Good job. Anyway, as I was saying, that is good. It will give him the time to rest and think about how in love he is with you.”
“We’ve been over this. It doesn’t matter if he is. We can’t, he won’t.”
“Ah, but you see, I am a genius and have come up with a master plan.”
Aza gives him an incredulous look.
“Hear me out! We get married. That way, we have a trade agreement through a marriage alliance. Your kingdom gets promised food it desperately needs, my kingdom gets the supplies it needs, and neither one of us has to marry some random wanker. We can put on a show for the people and for our fathers that we’re a happy couple, but it obviously won’t go beyond that.
Don’t get me wrong, I can totally admit that you are absolutely gorgeous, but I don’t in any way want to bed you.
We can just say we’ve tried to have children and haven’t been able to.
I’ll obviously provide you with the necessary tea to prevent any pregnancy with that fool you’re in love with.
” Aza glares, “Fine, not a fool, just foolishly in love and doesn’t know what to do about it.
Anyway, continuing. We can, in private, be with our respected lovers, and no one has to be the wiser.
We can finally be in control of our own lives and hearts, and have people in our corner to protect that! What do you think?”
Aza takes in a deep breath, “I think… that you’re crazier than I am!” She shouts.
“Oh heavens, Aza!” He yells back.
“We can’t do that! Sneaking around may have worked for you so far, but what if we get caught? Four of us sleeping with people we’re not supposed to, we’re bound to get caught!”
“It doesn’t matter! Even if we get caught, we will be the king and queen. Who is going to tell us we can't? We will make the rules.”
Aza sits on the bed, thinking it through, trying to think past her massive headache, “You’re serious?”
“Yes!”
“You really think we can do this?”
“Yes!”
“We’re really going to do this?”
“Oh my goodness! Yes!” He reaches over, putting a hand on her mouth and laying her on the bed, “Listen. I snuck out early this morning and spoke to my father. He has written up a proposal based on what you talked about yesterday. He will finalize a marriage alliance the instant you and your father agree to it.”
He releases her mouth, and Aza squeals through his hand, “This is really happening?”
He sits next to her on the bed, “Yes, my dear friend. We can both have our happily-ever-afters. It may not be ideal, but we will be able to be with the people we love.” He gives Aza a moment to process, then urges her, “Say yes.”
“Yes!” She throws her arms around him, and he hugs her back.
Aza hears the door open, and Jahar enters the room. He walks toward them slowly, seemingly shocked at seeing her in Zhou’s arms. Aza retreats quickly, standing up to walk over to him.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” he says through clenched teeth.
“You weren’t interrupting anything. I was told you weren’t on duty today.”
“I came to check on you. You were pretty intoxicated last night… But it doesn’t matter. It was just passed along to me that the King would like to see you both.”
“Will you be joining us?”
“No. I am taking the day off. I am going to rest in my room.”
“Oh, okay. I-I’ll see you later then?”
He nods once and leaves.
“Why didn’t you tell him?”
“It… it just didn’t seem like the right time. He… he doesn’t look well.” Aza says, thinking back to the redness in his eyes and the dark circles under them, “I need to go check on him, ask him what’s wrong.”
“Aza, honey. He is a grown man. He is throwing a tantrum. He is fine. After the meeting with my father, we can go directly to his room, I promise.”
“O-okay.”
“Now, why don’t you take a little time and quickly get ready. You always look stunning, so you don’t need to do a lot.”
Aza rolls her eyes at him as she goes to get ready.