"Azy, breakfast was wonderful, don't you think?" Rose rambled as we winded down the stone-walled corners of the castle.
My jaw ticked at her statement, as I couldn't disagree more.
"I-I think the King is warming up to us. Maybe we could stay, Azy? M-maybe we could be a family—"
"They will never be my family. Understood?"
My tone was sharp and to the point as I paused to spin around and face the shorter girl.
Her eyes had widened, and I caught the slight quiver of her lip at my harshness.
My jaw clenched as I noticed that I had upset her, and I sighed, my hand raising to tug at my strands.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." I shook my head and stepped closer to her, but my tensed state only worsened when I took in her wary expression.
"I just don't want you to get your hopes up. My father is a very manipulative man. He's not doing this because he cares about me, he's trying to protect himself and his reputation by controlling the entire narrative."
Rose frowned, her grey eyes dulling as she processed my words. I couldn't help myself as I let my gaze wander over the rest of her face; I was glad that the servant girl had followed my instructions well—my fated looked ethereal.
Her pink lips, although in a pout, looked inviting as a clear gloss accentuated the rosy petals. The rest of her skin looked dewy and fresh, and her scent...Fuck, that scent. She was precious, and it was all the more reason why I had to play this game well. Because that's what this was to him—a game.
"Why would he do that?" The beauty inquired in confusion. The slight tilt of her head alluding to her innocence.
I looked at her for a moment, trying to decide if I should divulge such dark and twisted information to a pure soul and mind. I didn't want to do it; I didn't want to taint my sweetness with the harsh realities of the world, but she would never understand unless she knew.
"Because he killed my mother."
I continued even after her horrified gasp.
"She was his fated but he chose the crown over his own soul. His father would only allow him to rule if he wed a Royal; my mother was of low status—a peasant from the village."
I could tell this information upset her greatly as her eyes grew glossy with tears and a dainty hand rose to cover her mouth. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my middle, her tiny hands drawing comforting circles in my back.
"I-I'm so sorry Azrael. I-I didn't know. How could he even...I can't even imagine..."
Her choked up state and warm embrace had my stomach tensing at the unusualness of it all. I had never been...comforted before.
And even while I was telling her about what had happened to my own mother, she appeared more distraught than I had ever been. I swallowed as she pressed a soft kiss to my chest; my mind was urging me to push her away, to avoid processing feelings that I didn't seem to have. But my body, my soul, was welcoming everything she had to offer. It disregarded the irrational and insecure thoughts.
"Why haven't you told anyone, Azy?"
I paused, trying not to stutter at the warmth in her voice that was slightly muffled by the material of my shirt.
"Because...as the heir of a fated pair, I would be named the next ruler. I never wanted that power."
She looked up at me, her brows drawn together, and her nose slightly scrunched in confusion.
"But you just told the King that you would think about the training—"
"Things are different now." I mused. My eyes bore into her own and I knew she understood my message by the bashful expression that graced her face.
"Before, I didn't want it but now I need it. I need to take care of you. And I can't do that from where I am in my fucked-up family. I need to be in control. For you."
The fairy didn't utter a single word, but simply looked up at me with such sure and intense adoration that I could feel my own skin start to heat under her gaze.
Her eyes lit up suddenly, and I held back a groan, knowing that she had spotted the pink tint on my cheeks.
"I love it when you blush! I didn't even say anything, Azy" She squealed up at me.
In that moment, I was glad that faeries didn't possess acute hearing abilities because she would have picked up on the violent thumping coming from my chest as she uttered that word—love.
"Really." I muttered absentmindedly. I started walking away from the bubbly girl, suddenly unsure of how to act. My brain had clearly decided to malfunction and for such a stupid reason.
"Don't be grumpy, Daddy. You're too pretty to be mad."
A scowl formed on my lips as she giggled, her tiny feet pattering against the floors as she ran to catch up to me.
"I'm too pretty, yeah?" I mused as she skipped alongside me. I licked my lips as my eyes trained on her thick, caramel thighs that jiggled with every movement she made.
"Yep" She grinned up at me while popping the 'p'.
"Azrael!"
"Fucking hell..." I muttered under my breath as I heard a high-pitched voice call after me.
"Azrael, stop, I'm talking to you."
"What is it Analise?" I sighed as I reluctantly slowed my pace so that she could catch up.
She stumbled ungracefully to a stop, clearly not expecting me to halt so abruptly. But her momentary lapse in composure was short lived and was overcome by the rage that came soon after.
"Who do you think you are?! I mean really. What makes you think that you can completely destroy what your brother has been working so hard for. That throne is his, this kingdom is his! You have no right to any of it."
By the end of her little rant, I had heard enough.
"Are you done? Why don't you talk to your husband about this Analise? He's the one you should be convincing."
I turned to walk away from her, but she grabbed my forearm to stop me from leaving.
"Where are you going—"
"Don't touch him."
I looked down to see my faerie with a displeased frown on her face as she pried the Queen's fingers from my arm. She did it as gently and politely as she could muster, but still, the act itself had me wanting to laugh out loud.
Analise looked shocked, evidently taken aback from Rose's uncharacteristically bold action. But we had bonded, and so it wasn't unusual for her to be more possessive than usual.
"E-excuse me?" Was all she could stammer out as she looked at the slightly shorter girl.
"I said, don't touch him. You have no right."
Her red eyes flickered up to me as if she expected me to say something, and then to my neck where my own intricate mark was placed.
"I see..." She mulled as she took a step back. Her gaze was fixated on Rose now, actively scanning her appearance as if trying to find something that would help solve the mystery that I myself was still figuring out.
"I will talk with your father then." She concluded after a brief moment. I knew this conversation wasn't the only thing that would be brought up.
~
"I was mean, wasn't I? M-maybe I should go apologize, I didn't mean to be so harsh."
A light chuckled slipped from my lips as I held the worrisome creature by her hips and pulled her against my front.
The delicate thing was still distraught over the "bad behavior" she displayed hours ago and nothing I did seemed to ease her mind—neither food nor a trip to the gardens. I almost got close to seeing her usually elated state when I showed her the quiet pools that are kept a few levels below the castle.
I knew she would appreciate the secluded spot and its serenity. Even I had to admit that the caves called for certain appreciation just from their age alone. But my little girl was a crystal lover, and appreciated pretty, shiny things; the pools were filled with them. But even so, showing her this secret location brightened her eyes for a short moment before she was back to overthinking once again. I don't even know how I convinced her to get into the warm waters in the first place.
"I've told you many times my flower that you don't have a mean bone in your body. You were protecting me, hmm? My little soldier."
My words were nothing but sweet caresses, melting into her skin as my lips trailed along the side of her neck. She was distracted by her thoughts, but I was distracted by her body.
She stood in nothing but the tiny undergarments that she wore under her short dress, while I had stripped down to my boxers as we stood in the warm pool.
"A-Azy, you're not helping." She whined as I tongued the tip of her ear and lightly nibbled on the cute point.
"I'm not? How would you like me to help then, precious? Do you want me to put you over my lap and spank you? Huh? Is that what you want?"
My baby whimpered at my words and tried to swim away from me, and I laughed as her dainty hands splashed against the water as she attempted to paddle forward. I spun her around to face me and rested my hands under her thick thighs, propping her up so that she was equal height to me.
"Is that what you want?" I repeated lowly
A pleasure-filled sound passed her lips as I let my teeth graze along her mark and I pressed her front against mine, helping her along as she unknowingly sought out friction in her needy state.
Lucky for her and me, we were in the shallower part of the pools. So, I was able to hoist her higher up on my frame and land a light smack against her ass, the sound reverberating against the bare cavern walls.
"Answer me"
Rose was breathing heavily against my shoulder with her tiny hands gripping my arm as I gently massaged her backside.
"...Y-yes daddy."
I chuckled into her hair, before planting a kiss on the mess of pink curls.
"Good girls don't get punished, baby. They get rewards."
"R-rewards?" She questioned me with those big, grey eyes of hers.
I hummed and slid my hand upwards to cup her now very, wet heat, but didn't move an inch; my lips twitched upwards as she became fidgety under my touch.
"Yes, rewards little one. Let me give you yours...show my appreciation."
Only after I spoke did I let my fingers wander past the flimsy thong she was wearing and gently rub against her clit. Sinful gasps filled my ears, and it was more melodious than any musical piece I had ever played or written.
But my melody was made farce when the faerie suddenly whined in disagreement.
"B-but I was bad today—"
"Stop it. You were not. And if you say it one more time, I will bend you over and really give you something to whine about."
My jaw ticked as the image ran through my head; overwhelmed whimpers spilling over her Persephone lips while I filled her up with all of me. By the time I'm done with her, she won't even remember her own name.
But I stopped myself from going that far. That was not showing restraint, in fact, it was quite the opposite. And I knew that much because Bael was singing words of encouragement in my ears, prompting me to take the bait and make the prowl.
Although to my daemon's dismay, it didn't seem like I would need to with the beauty's quiet whisper of compliance.
"I-I won't say it anymore. I promise."