The Vampire Prince and His Brat | On Hold

Chapter Six | The Brat's Engagement Part II

Leviathan glanced down at the bundle of red and dark blue he carried through the grand entranceway to the palace. Her face was flushed, meaning she entered the palace for the first time looking like a tomato. He fought the urge to smile. It would probably unnerve the gate guards and make them question his identity. He rarely ever tended to smile in the first place – but as of late, he'd been having far too much fun to hide the glee he felt. His fiancée was far too much fun to tease with that flame-hot temper of hers, but she was already exhausted and they were too close to unwelcome ears, so he held back as best he could. Kaliana was fun to rile, but on the flip side it was also an irritating shortcoming of hers. If she acted like that with all the ladies and gentlemen the court entertained then his reputation would be in tatters. That was something he couldn't allow to happen.

Reputation was everything in the palace, and he had learnt that fact very swiftly upon his introduction to high society. Commoners had it easy compared to him. They could easily call people friends without worrying about whether they would turn and stab them in the back due to politics someday. If he lost reputation, then he would lose those particular friends and that meant he would lose power and the ability to easily make changes in their society.

He nodded at a few members of the court - two members of the Francis House, and three female members of the Gwentworth House, if he was remembering his faces correctly - as they left through the very entrance he was returning through. The last thing his wife-to-be probably wanted was to greet some of their future court, especially whilst she was bundled up in his arms – no doubt her least favourite place... or perhaps that was underneath him... who knew...?

A smirk pulled at his lips as eyes fell to his fiancée's neck, no doubt having spied the markings on her pale white skin. Bruises and other marks would show up far too easily on her fair skin. He, at least, had a bit of a tan from the time he spent outdoors. But that fragile skin would work in her favour. The rumours would soon be spreading - that they were a passionate couple well and truly in love. Telling everyone Kaliana had his favour, and that tangling with her would be equivalent to tangling with him - and he was far trickier to deal with than she ever would be, and almost everyone at court knew it. It was the most he could do to shield his somewhat reclusive bride without outright saying anything. Words like protection would only inflame Kaliana's temper, and not in the way he found joy in it, so he thought it best to keep his interference silent... if only to aid in helping her to eventually stand on her own two feet inside what would become their castle.

"Excuse us," he spoke smoothly, hiding his blushing fiancée as best he could from prying eyes. She wasn't ready to meet the public, nor the court. She was too unrefined – too bratty, and not to mention she didn't have the slightest clue of when to shut her mouth, around him at the very least... and that was a lesson he was already having far too much fun trying to drill into her head. "I need to get my darling fiancée settled after our long journey here. I am afraid neither of us are in any state to greet anyone just yet."

She riled up, glaring at him even as he carried her past their small audience, his three most trusted knights following behind. "And whose fault is that?" she hissed, and he smiled slyly. She still didn't know how to keep those pretty pink lips of hers sealed, though here it would only add to the rumour of their closeness.

"Yours," he murmured, well aware everyone could still hear him. "For being too cute." His grin turned cold, hurrying to get them out of earshot before his darling started throwing the insults. "Now, honey, let me carry you to your chambers."

"Bastard," she growled, and Leviathan thanked his lucky stars he had made it to the residential area of the castle. The walls were thicker there, made to keep prying ears from listening to the private business of Skordia's Royal Family.