Royals of Ruemri Book I: Betrothal

Chapter 18 - Part 2

"SO HIS Highness Raffelar has finally let you out of his sight, eh?" Isara teased when she joined Soren in the White Garden, her white healer's robe a beautiful contrast to the pretty colors of spring.

Raif might be a man of very few chosen words, but his sister Isara was as vibrant as the colorful dahlias around them. Brown hair that had the barest hints of black to it, dark green eyes the color of the leaves of Fornalia—a rare medicinal plant found only in Harken—and a mischievous smile always shaped her rose-colored lips.

The moment Soren met Isara, he knew they would be great friends. They'd talked nonstop about almost anything the second they realized they had similar tastes at almost everything, alongside being court healers and the ability to talk about their lives down a minute. Raffe would always shake his head with that teasing grin of his and comment that Soren had undoubtedly found the female version of himself.

"Can I?" Isara gestured to the vacant chair.

"Please do." Soren smiled and pushed the plate full of his favorite pastries towards her and poured her a cup of tea.

"So what trick did you use?"

"I didn't use any trick." Soren chuckled, remembering how insufferable Raffe had been the past few days when Soren was recovering.

"I told you not to get up from the bed. You're still weak."

"Raffe, you have to understand that I really need to pee right now."

"Let me help you then."

Soren rolled his eyes. He was bedridden for two days, two fucking days, and he was getting tired of the same view from their chamber. His muscles were already sore from too much idleness and every cell of his body screamed at him to move. "I assure you that I can perfectly use my hand to hold my cock while I pee. Stop being a fusspot."

Raffe opened his mouth, and closed it again. He looked torn between amusement and being affronted when he finally said, "Did you just call me a fusspot?"

Soren grinned despite himself. "Yes, I did. Now get out of the way, boob." He tapped the soft mattress and resorted to threats. "Or I'll pee right here and we both have to suffer."

Soren shook his head slowly while rubbing his nose. The warmth brought by the butterflies had continuously spread out inside his belly from the day he finally admitted that he loved Raffe, and Soren wished it would stay right there forever.

"Apparently, his presence is required at the council meeting today, so he's there right now." He raised one shoulder in a careless shrug. "And the High King ordered me to rest."

"So you escaped."

"So I escaped," Soren admitted, chuckling.

"I've come to tell you they're re-building the ward, by the way. Raffe made sure the construction would start sooner than what's originally planned."

"That's a good thing."

"Perhaps a really good thing," Isara pointed out. "He never attempted to do that kind of thing before. Our other cousins presume that it's because of you."

"I didn't do anything."

"No, you didn't. That's why it's really a good thing."

Soren found he could not give a retort to that. After several minutes, Isara broke the silence. "Do you think..." she muttered before sipping her tea.

"Hm? Think what?"

"Do you think the rebels really breached the palace?"

The teacup froze halfway to Soren's mouth. "Who said that?"