Praesidium (WMMAP Fanfic)

Chapter 13

"How can you say something like that?! If someone heard you, they'd think I was a pervert" Rabia slapped her hands over Claude's mouth as she frantically looked around to see if someone heard his outrageous suggestion and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one

"Your brother said you hit your head and was unconscious, that's why you didn't come when I sent a letter about Ambrose" Claude said as he ignored her frantic reaction

"I hit my head? Did I?" Rabia tilted her head and thought about what happened after she received the letter about Ambrose. She remembered running down the stairs and then after that, nothing...

"Did your bastard brother do something to you?" Claude asked sharply

"Claude! Don't call my brother that" Rabia glared as she pinched Claude's cheeks "... and no, Azrael didn't do anything. He must be worried since I disappeared with a magician without leaving him a letter after I woke up"

"That reminds me, the magician you brought is still unconscious. What were you thinking? If he failed to concentrate for just one second while teleporting between countries, you would've lost a limb or worse your life" Claude sharply said as he grabbed Rabia's upper arms and shook her slightly as if to make her come back to her senses and stop being reckless

"I- I wasn't thinking about myself, I don't care about anybody else... all I care about is be where my son is, to comfort him in my arms and tell him I'll keep him safe no matter what, that's all I can think about Claude" Rabia's eyes filled with tears that is slowly running down her cheeks

"He's safe now and with us, we'll protect our son together" Claude comforted Rabia as he cupped her face and wiped away her tears with his thumbs "Now stop crying, it looks ugly on you"

"Can't you word that a little differently to sound sweet?" Rabia jokingly said as she also wiped away her tears with her finger

"You're the only one who dares to order the Emperor" Claude said in amusement

"Well I knew you before you became Emperor, so I think I get a special privilege" Rabia cheekily grinned at him

"I hate it when you cry, so stop crying. Please." Claude whispered against Rabia's lips before kissing her sweetly

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"Are you sick?" Claude said as he put down the tea cup he was holding onto the table, to give Rabia his full attention. She has been staring at him since they came into his room to have tea

"I'm not sick" Rabia denied as she kept staring at Claude suspiciously

"Then why have you been staring at me and not eating?"

"You said please"

"Yes and?"

"I'm happy. In the years that I've known you, I've never heard you say please. You just order things... it's new" Rabia said with a smile that made her eyes light up making her seem more beautiful in Claude's eyes

"Don't expect a repeat" Claude said as he looked away. Rabia found his shyness adorable but chose not to comment on it for the sake of his manly pride

"Oh right... about the dragons with Ambrose. Is it safe?" Rabia asked worriedly, she must admit the baby dragons she saw looked very adorable but a dragon is still a dragon no matter how adorable they may look

"They're great bodyguards for Ambrose, they got rid of 10 assassins in the mere days they arrived here... Ambrose doesn't like it when a knight follows him around, the dragons' arrival solved the problem in his safety"

"Will the headmaster allow him to have dragons with him? It will be a danger to the other students and parents would surely protest"

"After what happened, they would be fools to refuse our demands" Claude said darkly. There is no doubt that if the opportunity presents itself every staff in the school would lose their heads

"I agree" Rabia said wholeheartedly. If she wasn't in a hurry to find her son, she would've gotten them all killed when she dropped by Arlanta earlier "Have you talked to Ambrose why he went along with a punishment to mine dragon glass?"

"According to the headmaster it was his punishment for breaking the school rules"

"And you believed Ambrose would just accept that with no ulterior motive?"

Claude's hand that was lifting the tea cup from the saucer stopped and he looked at Rabia who was staring at him with a frown

"You think it's about the dragons?"

"What else could it be?" Rabia said in a matter of fact tone but sighed right after "I want to ask him what made him do something that risky but I also don't want to push him so soon"

"Ambrose is still young, it's natural he's curious about a something like a dragon" Claude said in explanation, she wasn't still convinced

"How's Gaudin's court? Are they still talking about wanting Ambrose as the heir?"

"Don't remind me about heirs... they keep pestering me about birthing another for Gaudin. I refused because Azrael is completely capable of inheriting the throne, they should get over their prejudice about his mother" Rabia said with a frustrated sigh before angrily chewing a cookie

"They should just settle for your brother because all our children will stay here in Obelia" Claude said with finality

Rabia choked on the cookie she was eating and Claude immediately got beside her to help her with mana if need be

"Stop saying surprising things!" Rabia said after she calmed down

"Why? It's natural that we'll have more than one child, we are to be married right after you agree"

Rabia smiled at the confidence in Claude's tone. She knows that it will not be happening, but it still makes her heart flutter that he wants to marry her

"When I return from Gaudin and stay here for good, I'll marry you" Rabia said softly as she cupped Claude's face to look directly into his eyes. She clearly saw the surprise in them, which is completely understandable since this is the first time she acknowledged and accepted his suit in marriage

"I'll be here waiting"