Chapter 12: Preference
King's snooze room…office
Captain Erza Knightwalker gazed at her King with concern. There were times when his company was somewhat pleasant, and other times, where she had to control herself from suffocating him. There were also on certain occasions where discerning the monarch's strange quirks were just too time consuming and not to mention dangerous for the limited patience she has. Unfortunately for her, today was one those certain occasions.
She reclined back against the seat and crossed her legs. "King. I know the outcome of my inquiry might not bode so well for me but I must know why you are doing that." He made a low 'hmmm,' sound and nodded in approval. His eyes lingered on a small, rounded hand mirror that he held up to his face. "Ah." With his free hand, he made a motioning gesture around his chin, as if he was petting a…beard. "Hello?" When her voice elicited no reaction from him, she scoured around through the various items on his mahogany desk for anything to throw at him. Settling for a black pen, she chucked it towards his head. He blinked in wonder, before setting the mirror down. "Captain Knightwalker. When did you come in?" She explained that she was here to hand over some documents needed to be reviewed by his lordship. "More paperwork. I see." He sounded distracted.
"Yes, paperwork…" She drawled out. The man's attention was elsewhere once again. "King?"
"Captain, I am man right?" He spoke in a hushed tone. You will be a dead man soon if this keeps up. "Yes, your Majesty. There is a possibility that you are a human male." The monarch's face sank in disappointment. Is he sad because he's a man? Hold on…what? "Do you see anything missing from my face? Go ahead, Captain. Take your time."Missing? She examined him. His usual dimpled smile was replaced by a frown, and his brightly lit eyes were a dull gray. Hmmm…no. Nothing out of the ordinary. "I yield." He slammed both hands on the desk and stood up, startling her. "Captain! How am old am I?" The desperation in his voice troubled her. "Is his Majesty inebriated?" He pleaded, "Answer the question!"
He is about my age…I think. 24…25…Do I not know how old I am? Considering the definite answer wasn't forthcoming, she decided with, "Mid- twenties?" He nodded. "That's right! I'm in my twenties" His voice cracked. "…And you know what I don't have!" Knightwalker waited for the King to finish his outburst. "Your mind?" I swear if something ridiculous, one of us is not leaving this room. "No! A beard, Captain! A beard! I don't even have a moustache! Not even goatee!" A Beard?… Her lips twitched. The Captain's inner thoughts now would make even the toughest sailor blush. "The old geezers from the meetings are always playing with their beards, pretending like they're listening to each other. I want the ability to mime that out, without the listening part, of course." He was doing it again, the beard petting gesture. He rubbed an area below his chin, and it was smooth.
"Isn't rather impolite to call the ambassadors, geezers, your Majesty." The King turned his head like a petulant child. "Well, maybe they shouldn't call me King Tot, then!" He spat venomously. Now she understood. That's actually funny. She jailed in her guffaws. In between her hysterics, while still maintain her sense of decorum, she managed to ask, "Did they truly dubbed you as, King Tot?" He growled. "Yes, indeed they do! The old farts, with the exception of Lady Ul and Ambassador Bob, all call me King Tot, suckling duckling. I could go on. I have you to know that I have past the age of puberty."
Don't laugh, Knightwalker. It is obvious that this is causing him great distress. You are not helping if you...just laugh at his face. "I'm sure…they meant it in jest." The dam was breaking until finally she erupted into a gale of laughter. "Erza, it isn't funny." Her hysterics grew louder. "Stop laughing. It is not funny. Stop. Please." I can't. "Stop." His foul mood eased gradually because for starters, this is the first time he had ever seen her let loose and just laugh in his company, even if it was at the cost of his Kingly pride. Jellal smiled. Her laughing fit was quite infectious. "Okay, Captain. You can stop now." She regulated her breathing until her fits eventually died down. "I apologize. That was disrespectful of me." He pouted his lips. "Try saying that without giggling."
"I am apologetic, aren't I?" Her jovial outburst resulted into one those rare smiles she hardly displayed around people. He sighed in defeat. "I suppose I cannot object if it's you."
"How come this is the first I've heard of this." The monarch's temper soured to a certain extent. "Because their teasing would never occur when you accompany me. I swear, there are times when they treat me like a child." Knightwalker smirked. "You shouldn't take it to heart, King." She listened to him mumble out, "I don't" but it wasn't convincing.
"If it's any consolation, I heard that some women prefer their men clean-shaven." He sat up straight. This certainly piqued his interest. "Care to elaborate on that, Captain?"
"That is what I have heard. It is just a preference for some. I am not insinuating anything." He lightly chuckled. "Of course, you aren't." Perhaps, he shouldn't be too eager to grow a full set of beard, lest he lose the attention of a certain female Captain.