Heir of Deception

Chapter 36

The rather large group rode at a comfortable pace.  Most of the inner members of court had chosen to accompany Evangeline on her "epic ride into battle". Practically everyone in the castle had a soft spot for the young girl, her optimism was infectious. Della also was prone to spoiling the girl, she even occasionally helped Evangeline with her studies, however since the attempted kidnapping she had stopped. Guiltily, Della thought that she should perhaps offer again, overworking herself did not mean the young girl should bear the brunt of it.

Della, lost in thought failed to notice Fenrys ride up along side her.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when she did in fact notice him. Then it took every ounce of self control not to shift and fly away.

"Sorry for scaring you," he said, then hesitated, "I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable last night."  Della's eye flitted nervously side to side to see if anyone was in range of their conversation, thankfully no one was and Fenrys spoke at a near whisper when he continued. " I shouldn't have made you stay, that was selfish of me."

"No, no you're fine. And you were right anyways, it felt..." Della searched for the right word, she didn't want to make things more awkward than they already were. "Safer." She nodded to accentuate her point.

"Still I am sorry. Also I hope you don't mind but I just spoke to Aelin about..." he paused, "Anyways, she won't tease you about it. I'm not sure how much you know, and I certainly don't want to share on her behalf but she has a lot of empathy for... things like that."

Della nodded slowly, assuming how private how he was being on Aelin's behalf she was confident that Fenrys had done the same for her. However, she still felt nervous about what her father might think, and even more than that she didn't trust herself to not fall for Fenrys even harder than she was already fighting now.

"Thank you for helping clear that up. I probably would have died from the teasing. Plus I'm not sure how my father would react."

"You know," Fenrys said a touch lighter, "Rowan and Aelin shared a bed long before they became romantic or even realized they were mates. Besides you are an adult so even if we're sleeping together he has no right to interfere."

Della leveled Fenrys with a disbelieving stare. "I get you've known him longer but I find it hard to imagine he would be comfortable with me sleeping around."

"Sleeping around, of course not. Sleeping with me he would be fine." Fenrys said, reverting back to his usual arrogance, swagger and teasing.

She snorted, "Really, I'm not so sure about that. I think you irritate him."

"That is true, I think the only person who frustrates him more than me is Aelin."

"That doesn't mean he'd be fine with us having a relationship." Privately she was thrilled at her ability to get that sentence out with stammering or blushing.

"I think he would be." Fenrys countered. While, Della was still doubtful she was exhilarated by this conversation. Surely, him talking about this meant he had thought of this before, that he had considered her in a romantic way. Right? This conversation, combined with his scent change last meant he liked her right? Della found it hard not to be hopeful, found it hard not to let her mind wander.

"Why?" She taunted.

Fenrys looked her straight in the eye, and with reverence said, "Because he knows that I would never do anything to hurt you."

——

Della was struck mute for a good 20 minutes. How could he such things so casually, so freely. She knew that Fenrys was sincere in his statement, but was it an offer?

She hoped it was, she desperately wanted it to be, she'd been in the castle 6 months which was enough time to start a romance right?

Yet still! Who, just who exactly says things like that whether serious or teasingly.

After delivering the stunning and stupefying one liner Fenrys had been summoned by Evangeline to "report" and Della was still stewing. Really she was daydreaming of Fenrys, if last night was any testament she would certainly sleep better if they at least shared a room. She was confident that her father would in fact be fine with her rooming with Fenrys she did have the greater population to think of. Della was currently first in line to the throne and couldn't just welcome anyone into her bed, regardless of how intimate or non intimate that bed sharing was.

Della paused mid thought. Fenrys was a nobleman in Doranelle, his parents were famous warriors. If there was anyone here in Terrasen that was a suitable marriage it would be Fenrys.

Della stopped mid thought again. She was getting ahead of herself, they had non-romantically shared a bed one time and had a hypothetical conversation and already she was considering marriage?! Della needed to get a grip, and perhaps sleep with someone, at this point anyone would do, just so long as they stopped her from being this sniveling and desperate so as to fantasize a marriage from one night.

Della, made up her mind, she would find someone to distract her whether short term or long term and then she would be able to stop daydreaming of Fenrys all the time. This had gone on for too long. However, her earlier conversation drifted back to her. Who was an eligible candidate? One she was anxious and two there was her father to consider. This brought her back to square one of Fenrys being such an appealing option.

She scanned her eyes across the people riding nearby. It was pretty slim pickings for the princess of one of the most powerful nations in the realm. There were the guards plenty of guards. Age was a weird thing between humans and fae while she was centuries older than them among the fae themselves she was regarded as someone in her twenties. Yet still a human at that age seemed soooooooo very young. She'd rather stick with fae even if it was a short tryst. However the bachelor fae in court was a small population. It consisted of Fenrys, Vaughn and a couple of males and demi-fae males who were ambassadors of the wolf tribe.

Much of Terrasen's fae population had been violently murdered by the King of Ardalan those who had survived had either fled to the forest or to the northern wolf tribe. Many still remained there.

Perhaps she could try her luck with one of the tribal men? Vaughn did not seem interested in the slightest. Better yet Remelle did say she should work on her diplomacy and it would be a believable cover. Right?

This was still stressful though. She despised talking to new people and this was more than just talking this was flirting she cringed at the memory when she was trying to get information about Aedion and Lysandra's wedding.

Della suppressed a groan. Why did this have to be so difficult. Everything already felt so difficult for her. She decided to just refocus on her studies. Clearly she wasn't focusing enough working hard enough if she had time to day dream about Fenrys.

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