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“What about something in traditional blue color? An indigo perhaps? Or cobalt?” he drawled annoyingly. I could tell he wasn’t excited about my request, but that didn’t matter.
“No,” I glanced at Ryker, still dozing on the bed. Her body twitched as she dreamed, hands fisting into the sheets. “Make it gold. I’m a king now, aren’t I?”
The tailor sighed. “As you wish, my King.”
“Don’t sound so happy about it.” I lowered my arms as he stepped away.
Dragging in a gasp, Ryker woke with a start sitting straight up. She turned to look around the room, taking in her surroundings. Her eyes wandered, piecing together where she was. Her curls had dried, scrunching around her face, though the half that was pressed to the bed kinked at odd angles.
“What time is it?” She blinked, staring at the windows.
Sunlight no longer came through the curtains. The orange beams had been replaced by white twinkling stars. We would be closing the curtains soon. The tailor was the last thing on my list of shit I had to get done today, thank gods, at least when it came to my reign.
“You missed lunch and dinner.” I pointed to a covered dish on the nightstand. “I brought you back something to eat.”
“Thank you, I’m starving.” She sat up. The top button of the nightshirt had managed to work itself open. Not totally surprising because the girl moved so much in her sleep that she had flung off the blanket I put on her about fifty times. How am I supposed to sleep next tothat?
This morning was now a memory. A memory that I had permanently ingrained in my head and would think about at least twenty times a day.
She dragged the tray onto the bed, curling her feet under her. “Who is this?” she said through the food she popped into her mouth.
“This is my tailor. He needs your measurements too, once you’re done.”
“Hello, Taylor.” She waved. I didn’t feel the need to correct her.
“You drool in your sleep,” the man muttered, rolling his tape measure up in his hand with a frown.
“Just another embarrassing thing to add to the list, I guess.”
Her quick wit was enjoyable and something she would need to survive this court. I turned to the tailor nonetheless. “She is your future queen and you would do well to respect her.”
He nodded, but his frown remained. It was mildly annoying but I hadn’t the energy to reprimand him anymore. Though, maybe tomorrow I’d ask that a different tailor work in the castle. I could do that now without running it past my father, who seemed to be fond of the rather stuffy old man.
“You still want to marry me?” Ryker said, her hand hovered over her mouth covering the amount of food she chewed as she talked.
“Didn’t I confess my love for you a few times now?”
She blushed, which made a grin part my lips. Ryker seemed to need a lot of convincing.
“You don’t seem like the marriage type, and since your mom isn’t here to demand that you wed…I thought maybe you wouldn’t want to do it officially?”
“And what, keep you like a whore? That seems like a bad idea.” I yawned deeply and narrowed my gaze. “You deserve a crown. Your people deserve a crown, and I intend to give it to both of you.”
She smiled as she swallowed. Beside me, the tailor folded his arms waiting impatiently. So I continued, “If you could hop up and let this boring old bastard get what he needs then we can be well on our way for you to do what you came here for.” I winked.
The witch. I meant, talk to the witch. Surely, she knew what I was saying.
“Oh, yes! Sorry.” She jumped up. “Do you need me to, um, take anything off?”
“No,” he shook his head rapidly, tossing his bright white hair over his face.
“But if you want to, I won't stop you.” I sauntered over to the chair by my window and propped myself up in it.
Ryker was drowning in the dark blue button up and soft gray sweatpants. She was still chewing as she stopped in front of the tailor. Still sporting his pissy frown, he slipped the measuring tape around her and cinched it tight to her curves. She stood still as a board and I watched to see if her chest was even moving.
“Ryker, you can breathe, you know.” I pinched the arm of the chair and watched her.
“Oh,” she exhaled. “I’ve never actually had a dress fitted for me.”
