Witch's Daughter And The Devil's Son

"Did she enjoy herself?" Drayce asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Slayer replied.

"Did she buy a lot of things?"

"Yes. They had already been sent to the ship."

"Hmm, seems like she loves buying new things. I'm glad she found herself a hobby, but I wonder if she'll ever get to use them all in her lifetime," Drayce idly commented, remembering she also bought a lot not only in Port Hope but also in Turtle Island. "What did she buy this time?"

"I merely acted as the Queen's escort guard, Your Majesty," Slayer replied, dodging the question. However, Drayce knew him well enough to understand something was up.

"Oh, so our Commander Calhoun Sanders is too busy protecting my wife from people, he didn't have enough energy to spare to pay attention to what she bought. You should pay attention so when you try to court a lady--unless you are interested in men--you will know what a lady likes."

​ Slayer sighed heavily and replied flatly, "Understood, Your Majesty."

His reply was a bit off and Drayce stared at him, hard. "What's the matter? You are not arguing with me when I raised the topic of you courting a woman. You didn't say your standard answer of 'it won't happen' and didn't get angry when I teased you for being interested in men...Suspicious."

"I refrain from arguing with my lord," Slayer smoothly said as he continued walking behind Drayce.

"Well, that sounds boring to me."

"I swore fealty to the King to serve you as your sword, and entertaining you is not part of my oath, Your Majesty."

Just then, they reached the guest room provided for the King and Queen of Megaris, and it happened that they met the Queen's lady-in-waiting in the hallway outside, as she was bringing in tea for Seren. Upon seeing Slayer, her entire body turned tense due to the earlier incident in the bookshop. Fortunately, she was quick to regain her composure. She quietly bowed to the King to greet him and didn't look at Slayer.

Since Drayce entered the chamber, Xena remained outside as she didn't want to enter without either royal's permission. For a brief moment, an awkward atmosphere settled between the King's knight and the Queen's lady-in-waiting. Unable to bear it, the woman hurried away back towards the kitchen, bringing the untouched tea with her.

Slayer removed his gaze from the retreating woman's back and stayed outside the door to stand guard.

When Drayce entered the chamber, he saw Seren sitting on the bed, seemingly lost in thought. She was visibly startled by his arrival, and even with her veil covering her face, he could see that she seemed unlike her usual self.

"My Queen, did you enjoy visiting Selve's market?"

"I did," Seren replied and then wondered, 'Did Slayer tell Dray about the book we bought?'

The man walked towards her, sensing the anxiety in her pretty eyes. He sat at the edge of the bed. "Is something bothering you, my Queen?"

She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Umm..."

"You can tell me."

"Dray, if...if I fail to please you, will you go to another woman as well?" she asked, her eyes looking into his questioningly.

Drayce was taken aback for a moment as he didn't expect her to ask this but then let out a smile. "Why do you ask this, my Queen?"

"Just answer me first," she insisted.

"If I go to another woman, will it bother you?" he asked.

Seeing him not directly answering with a 'no', even asking her such a question, made her upset. "I guess it's a useless question to ask a king..."

Her eyes dimmed as she turned her head away.

"You don't want me to?"

She shook her head and her eyes looked like they would start leaking tears soon. For some reason, this made Drayce amused, and the urge to tease her emerged.

"But after we married, do you remember? I asked you about having a child, and you said, I quote, 'Can't other women do that for you?'"

Seren remembered how silly she had been at that time, ignorant of the weight of her words. She felt embarrassed, wishing she could go back to that time and reprimand her past self.

"I don't want you to go to another woman."

Despite the sincerity in her voice, Drayce didn't soften yet as he needed to get answers to his questions. "Why? Why don't you want me to go to another woman?"

"I will be sad if you go to another woman."

"Why?"

"I...It's just that...I do not want to imagine you caring for any other woman but me. I don't want you to be close to anyone like you are with me. You can only share your bed with me. I won't like it if you..." At that, she stopped speaking as she felt a sudden pain in her chest. Before she realized what's happening, imagining Drayce in the arms of another woman caused tears to escape her eyes..

"If I what?"

Seeing him acting like this made her more upset. Was he having fun seeing her cry?

"I...I don't know how to explain."

"How can you persuade me if you won't tell me your thoughts?" he remarked. "Isn't communication between husband and wife important?"

Seren had no counter to that. "I just don't want you to be with someone else, it's as simple as that. I shall be your only woman. If you get another wife or a mistress...I feel hurt if I think about you caring for another woman...and...I don't know...it feels painful.  I don't want you to. Is that reason not enough?"

She didn't know how to properly word her emotions, but she tried her best to express what she meant. She then moved to wrap her arms around her husband as tears continued to roll down her eyes.

"You won't go to another woman, right?"

Drayce smiled lightly and embraced her back, drying the tears from her eyes. "I do not know why or how this issue cropped up, but be assured that I won't find another woman, be it as a mistress or wife, for as long as I live. For me, you are the only woman, my Queen. My past, my present and my future, there is no one else but you."

She moved her head back and looked at him. "You mean it?"

"Hmm, so do not ruin your eyes." Drayce tenderly wiped the leftover tears from her eyes with his thumb. "I mean every word I said to you."

"Truly?"

"Why do you doubt me, my Queen?"

The couple shared a couple more sweet words to each other until Seren totally calmed down. Only then did Drayce say, "Shall we go? We have to leave for Abetha."

She nodded, saying "I am ready," as he helped her get out of bed.

Afterwards, the King and Queen of Megaris were once again surrounded by Prince Arlan, Duke Selve and the other local nobles, who had to give them well wishes as per custom, escorting them to the pier area to formally see the royal guests off.