Deception

"Oh, being King comes with a mass of responsibilities, Imogen. I'm just marvellous at coping with them all. If I were an inept King, all those struggles would be obvious. The fact my only worry is revolving around my sex life ought to show you how successful I am at coping with the actual aspects of my job. Of course, you'll be well aware of that when we're married. I fully intend on dragging you with me into boring meetings and having you engage with discussions on how to accommodate everybody's wants and needs in the village. Utterly boring stuff, of course, but what sort of boyfriend would I be if I didn't share my burden with the woman that claims to adore me?" He purred as he adjusted the pillows for her without waiting for the other to ask, having spent a great deal of his time making her ready for bed when she was often too agonised to do so herself.

"Besides, you know I only care about you. It's just sex with those people; it means something with you. It's why tonight was... amazing, Imogen. I don't say that to other people," he promised honestly as he finally allowed himself to relax under the covers, knowing not to ramble on when, clearly, his girlfriend needed as much sleep as she could get - and he was more than happy to sleep beside her and not wander down the corridors to his own bedroom. He was used to sleeping alone, but only now, as he cuddled up beside the woman and held her in his arms, did he realise just how badly he had missed her company in bed with him.

"Just get some sleep; you need to tell me to shut up if I'm babbling, Imogen."
 
"I like listening to you babble, Lysander," she reassured as she nestled up close. Much like the King, Imogen missed the simple feeling of being held. She had her handmaid but it was nothing like being held by the man she had feelings for since they were children. Parting her hair from her eyes, she crinkled her nose while taking him in, choosing to steal a quick kiss.

"This made me feel fantastic. I'm sick of feeling useless so to be able to spend time with you like this? It helps me forget that I'm sick," she admitted in a whisper, choosing to keep her voice down to help herself adjust to sleep. She was very exhausted, that was true, but she figured just straight up telling her boyfriend he needed to shut up would be rude.
 
"As long as you're sure you're okay, Imogen. I obviously want to do this again, but only if you're... going to be okay from it," he mumbled as gently as he could manage, deciding that that was probably the best thing to leave the conversation on. He didn't want to get into a debate about her health and what she felt she could cope with when they both were in need of sleep. With a final kiss to her forehead, offering a little more affection because, frankly, he couldn't quite help himself, he settled his head on the pillow in preparation of sleep.

He would happily have stayed up all night chatting with her if he could, but he knew she needed to rest and, similarly, he needed a few hours to rest given the monumental journey ahead of him to get to Harenae. He had made the promise to Neotoma, one he felt would be rude to take back now he had it in his head that he was going home to visit his mother, so, despite how groggy he felt when he did wake up, and how tired his muscles were, he gave instructions for a few staff to start packing a few necessities for the trip. As they proceeded to do that, he headed to check on the Harenaen after dressing himself, if only to make sure that he was awake and ready to head out.

He entered the bedroom without knocking, pausing briefly when seeing the other still in bed. It didn't deter him from giving the smaller man a light nudge, grinning wider to himself when he took into consideration how cute he was.

"...Rise and shine, buddy. We should get a move on, it's a long journey - I've got the staff to make us some breakfast sandwiches to eat on the way there, so-- hey, you can travel in your pyjamas if you want, I'm not going to judge."
 
Groaning in response, it took him a moment to stir from sleep. He hadn't gotten to bed very early, having stayed up most of the night stressing on what he would say to the Queen when she realized he was in Harenae instead of returning to her side. He had written a quick letter and intended to deliver it to the carriage driver and had urged Themus to hand it to him, so everything was banking on the doctor.

Neotoma was used to heat but even he couldn't sleep with the heavy duvet he was given. Instead, the halfling was curled in a ball, holding his pillow tightly. To be woken up and realize just how embarrassing it was to have the blanket halfway on the floor and his head against the mattress, he apologized. The stress hit him as he anxiously made his bed, his cheeks flushed.

"Oh, no - I cant see my mother in my pajamas," he replied with a laugh. Assuming his mother was still alive, the last thing he wanted was for her to see him in pajamas. Instead he unpacked one of the traditional outfits of Harenae, only briefly taking in the idea that Lysander should do the same. He shook off the idea, realizing it was stupid, but the thought did make him smile.

"Okay, what should I bring? I'm used to traveling by foot so I don't know how fast it will be by carriage," he admitted, a mix of anxiety and excitement in his voice as he undressed. "Oh, I'm sure my mother will make her famous tyr'ah, that would be lovely! It's this sweet bread, you put honey over it and it just tastes amazing," he continued, a toothy smile making an appearance, his large fangs on display.
 
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"Honey on bread? That sounds... like a novel idea. We only use honey for our remedies, really. It's not something we eat on a regular basis, so a little... ah, tyr'ah will be nice. I'm probably not pronouncing it right, huh? Which brings me onto something else - I'd like you to teach me how to speak your language, Neotoma. It'll be beneficial to me in the long run, to expand my knowledge. Maybe you could even teach me a few phrases on the way? I'd like to impress your mother, after all," he smiled easily, taking in the other's excitement and holding back the urge he had to bring it into the conversation. He hadn't given up the efforts of perhaps growing intimate with Neotoma, which first meant he had to flirt and see if it was reciprocated or appreciated in any way, but he didn't think embarrassing him any further would help the cause much. It might - but it might also set him back further, and he wasn't prepared to risk that.

"Well, I have some snacks and a few bottles of water with me for the journey. If you intend to stay the night, you should bring some extra clothes. I certainly wouldn't be against staying the night if your mother suggested it. I'd like to explore the kingdom you're from, so... yeah, that should be all you need, really. It's a really long journey, but we'll have fun." He confirmed as he moved to offer a hand in making the bed, trying to hide a smirk at how amusing he had found the sight to be when catching him asleep. The beds were built for demons, and so having Neotoma tucked up in one, as small as he was in comparison to the demons of the land, was rather amusing - but he decided against drawing attention to it, again in fear that he would border on offence, even if that wasn't the intention.

"So, your mother's the only family you have? No siblings or bothersome cousins I need to worry about impressing?"
 
"Not that I'm aware of, no. My mother might have had another child while I've been gone but I don't think it's likely," he admitted as he happily slipped into his Harenaen clothes, having always enjoyed the deep purples and blues that decorated their garb more often than not. It made him feel cute, especially in contrast to the dark colors that demons seemed to wear.

Not only that but it also just generally helped in the dry heat of his home kingdom, as compared to the humidity of Ignis. It was hot but the wind blew through the clothes enough to make the weather enjoyable in a way, and he did desperately crave that after living in frigid weather for the last few months.

"Oh - extra clothes, you're right," he nodded, shoving his things in his bag quickly. "You're smart, Lysander. As for my language, it's... it's very different from yours, that's why it's so difficult for me to articulate. I've learned everyone else's but as I said, there's so little of your literature outside of Ignis. I can certainly try my best - I imagine my mother will faint seeing a demon. I don't think the knowledge of your open borders has really spread to the more common and lower class," he admitted, huffing as he lifted the heavy bag to his shoulders. "It might be a bit of a trek to my mother's home from the gates to Harenae, so I suggest not packing anything too heavy, not to mention you're not very used to walking on sand, huh?"
 
"...You really think she'd be that... what, frightened? Bewildered? I don't suppose she's been used to seeing my kind but I have absolutely no intention of hurting her. I know what reputation my kind has gathered outside of Ignis, but... well, I'm not heartless, put it that way. I won't want to inflict harm on your mother, I promise you that. Hopefully she'll realise that, hm? After she gets over the shock of having me there. Maybe we shouldn't tell her I'm... you know, the King. Might be best to just tell her I'm your friend, which is true too, so it's not like you're lying. Just... concealing some details," he smiled, leaning back against the wall as he took in the sight of the bedroom. It was decorated to the same standard the entire castle was in, but he didn't find it suited the other all that well.

If Neotoma was going to be sticking around for awhile, as he hoped he would do, the impersonal feel to the room wouldn't do.

"You should decorate this room up a bit, make it to your tastes. I can't imagine you're a fan of the decor - at least, I'm sure you have your own taste. You can do what you want to the place. I'll fund it for you if you wanted new curtains or wallpaper, hm? It might be fun, I'll ever help you. Imogen's better at this stuff than I am, maybe she can lend you a hand? I want you both to get on, obviously. She's my girlfriend, and you're-- special; you mean a lot to me."
 
"That means a lot to me, Lysander," he admitted with a smile, his face blushing just a tad. "I've never been one to make friends so for you to say that we're close is... a bit startling, but in a good way! Sorry - maybe startling isn't the best word," he babbled, only having his blush grow when he thought he was making a fool of himself.

"Decorating? Oh, no, no," he quickly replied, thankful to focus on that rather than the compliment. "I'm not one to decorate, really - when you're constantly moving, you can't settle down enough to decorate," he reminded, his black eyes taking in the dim room curiously. It was true that there wasn't really anything wrong with the room, though if Lysander insisted he tried to give the room some personality, he'd be willing to make an effort, even if it meant just adding some things to his wall. It would feel homier, sure, and if he intended to stay in Ingis for a bit longer, it was something he needed to do.

"... I would offer you some of my clothes but you wouldn't fit them, obviously," he commented, peering up at the demon. It was something he tried not to think about often but it was true that the size difference was a bit startling. Hell, Themus was nearly two feet taller than him - he wasn't the tallest person in Harenae to begin with so that didn't help much.
 
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"I could probably squeeze into them if I tried. Probably look ridiculous at the end of it and I can't promise the fabric won't be pulled out of shape and ruined, but I could manage it. Probably best we don't bother trying though. As much as I admire your native clothing, I think it's best to stick to my own until you find something my size-- god, am I going to wander into your kingdom and be a giant there? I forget how tiny everyone else is compared to us. Even the orcs aren't as tall, hm?" He smirked, evidently taking pride in his species' natural build and the advantage they felt they received as a result. He had seen how wary even Aloria had been at the first meeting when he headed into the room and towered over the other royals - even if it was a slight advantage, instilling a little fear in the people that would soon be his opponents was one he was happy to take.

Any advantage helped, however minimal it appeared to be on the surface.

"Would you actually believe that I'm not considered that tall for my kind? I'm about an inch or two above the national average, which isn't all that much. Themus, on the other hand, is probably among the tallest of our kind. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that, nor, I imagine, does it surprise you. But he's harmless. A little cold, but otherwise a good guy-- as am I. I can't really change how tall I am, Neo. If it's intimidating, I'll just-- always sit down when we're talking. Hell, if you're still unnerved by it, I'm not sure your mother's going to like me too much."
 
"It's not intimidating, no! I mean, in the beginning, it was but that's beside the point. I've adjusted to your height pretty well, really," he encouraged as he adjusted his weight, making sure he wasn't going to collapse from the weight in his bag. It wasn't as full as when he arrived in Ignis but that didn't mean it was a leisurely bag either. As a nomad, you needed to keep everything close - where else would you put it when you had no home? Of course, that seemed to be changing a bit for the halfling, but he chose not to say anything.

"Are we ready for the trip? Is anyone else coming?" He questioned after peering out the carved window curiously. "It's quite the trip, so I just want to make sure you're ready too. I don't mean to brag but I'm always prepared," he noted. Neotoma was very confident in what he did; spells, potions, book-keeping, but he rarely expressed his confidence. Hell, he wasn't really used to holding conversations in general after years of keeping primarily to himself. He was making a genuine effort for the King as he offered a smile, and while his effort couldn't be seen with the naked eye, he could feel the effort being made.

"It might be a two-day expedition, Lysander. It's quite a while to Harenae - well, by foot at the very least. If I were to guess, it was about a three-day trek. It took me years to get here but I sort of was preoccupied with different motives. You can't write down the entirety of a Kingdom's wildlife by just strolling by the main road," he continued to subtly brag as he headed towards the door, waiting patiently once outside of his little room.
 
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"Nobody else is coming, no. It'll just be us, but I think we need that. I feel like we haven't spent much time together alone as of late, and I hate that. I want to get to know you more, so this journey will be beneficial, hm? Obviously I'd love for Imogen to join us, but I think even she would admit that a journey like this is too taxing on her. And if she stays here, Themus will need to remain too. So yeah, just us. Hopefully you're not annoyed by that?" He grinned as he helpfully reached to take the other's bags for him, deciding that it was only polite to do so. Even if he was King, he wasn't averse to doing things himself - he didn't need to drag a servant away from his or her duties just to carry a few bags he was quite capable of carrying.

Besides, he wanted to make Neotoma like him more, and this would, he hoped, go a little further into cementing their friendship and perhaps create a few romantic feelings. Anything he could do that helped that, he wouldn't hesitate to do.

"Gonna be a long journey though - but I'm sure it'll all be good when we get there. I'm excited, really. To go somewhere where people don't know who I am; it's thrilling, actually. Being King is... exhausting sometimes. Getting away from this all and masquerading as a civilian will be refreshing."
 
"Oh, I'm not annoyed. In fact, I'm honored. I'll be the tour guide of Harenae for the King of Ignis," he reminded with a laugh of disbelief, followed by a groan and a snap of his back when the bag was lifted off his shoulders. He didn't really like to bring attention to it but he was 95% certain that his back was messed up because of the years of carrying around the various bags and sacks he kept close to him. To have Lysander take the bag with ease made him blush, but he chose to head out of the doorframe to avoid being brought to the King's Attention.

"Well, better head out then. I don't want to end up there too late and have the first thing you experience be the heat. It gets very hot around 3 in the evening, though I suppose that will work fine for you. My people are cold-blooded - as am I, I think - so we thrive in the heat. It was so hard to physically get out of bed when I was forced into that cold, I don't know how I even managed to trek to work."
 
"I don't think the heat is going to bother me, don't worry about it Now, if your mother was from Pruina and I had to deal with a blizzard, then I'd be concerned. Some hot, sticky weather really is the least of my concerns - I can bathe in lava if I wished to, hm? So I think I'll be okay, Neotoma - but your consideration is appreciated," he replied easily, hitching the bags over his shoulder without straining or groaning under the weight; the weight of the luggage, after all, barely registered to him. He thought briefly about showing off about it, bragging a little like the other had done, but he chose against doing so.

Bragging about how strong he was when it was already obvious felt like a waste of time - he would much prefer to brag about his intelligence or tactical abilities, which weren't always as obvious as his strength clearly was.

As he walked towards the carriage waiting outside the grounds for them, he did have a moment of hesitation, panic hitting him before he had even left the castle. The idea of leaving Imogen for a few days had always made him wary after the last time he had left her side, and while he knew she would be in good hands with Themus remaining behind, he still couldn't help but think the worst could happen in his absence. He assumed he was panicking about nothing and, eventually, headed out to the carriage with a smile, brushing over the fact he had almost backed out of the trip.

"You have a book with you, right? I assume you don't want to talk to me the whole way there."
 
"Of course I have a book, but that doesn't mean I don't want to talk to you. I mean, I want to at least get to know you a bit more. I don't really know much about you, do I?" He confirmed, his eyes keeping forward to take in more of the castle. The only time he's left was for two very uncomfortable situations, and he'd prefer to enjoy the sights with a sense of excitement for once.

The sight of the carriage also cheered him up quite a bit, especially when it meant he would be returning home for a bit. He didn't want to stay permanently but after years of traveling to the other side of the kingdoms, he was thankful for at least returning with stories of his journey to his mother to at least ease her and reassure her that the travel wasn't useless and that he was alive and well. He didn't hesitate to slip in the carriage, his face covered in the hood that kept his face blocked from the sand he fully expected. I

"I stole one of your books," he admitted once inside, a wary smile on his lips. "Perhaps you could show me how to read your language better? I know very little- I'm better at speaking your language than reading and even then I stumble a bit, aha... I can only imagine how it'll be to speak Harenaen on your end. I'm a man who loves to learn and what better way to learn than from the direct source?
 
"You're always doing yourself a disservice; you speak the language perfectly. You have an accent, but that's cute - and it's hardly stopping you speaking fluently, hm? You speak my language better than some people I've met. You have a larger vocabulary than them, at least, so... I can help you read better if you want, but I imagine you'd pick it up easily if you spent some time studying it over a few more days. You seem to pick stuff up quickly," he noted as he climbed into the carriage and sighed heavily once settled inside, his feet thrust up on the seat opposite to get comfortable for the long journey. He adjusted the curtains slightly to avoid any light shining through before giving the ceiling a slight knock to alert the rider that they were ready, finding his nerves easing a tad once the carriage was on the move.

He didn't want to leave Imogen behind, not now their relationship seemed to be getting better, but he also wanted to do this for Neotoma - and for his own curiosity.

"Tell me about your mother," he murmured as he tugged his own hood up over his green hair, looking less like a King than ever - though when his wardrobe consisted of casual clothing and a plethora of hooded sweatshirts, the likelihood of him ever looking like a traditional royal was slim. "I want to know what she's like. I'd tell you about mine but you'd only end up feeling sorry for me and I can do without the sympathy, so let's focus on yours, who I'm assuming is as lovely as her son~"
 
"Well, I don't really want you feeling bad for me, either," he replied, once again blushing bashfully at the praise. He knew he was a fast learner, it was a skill he felt immense pride in, but that didn't mean he didn't like hearing it from other people. Nestling neatly beside the other, he peeked out of the curtain to make sure there were no creeps from Pruina sneaking around. They were leaving much earlier than he assumed the Pruina guards would be arriving so everything else was left to Themus to either give the note he wrote or come up with a clever plan to lie to the guards and the Queen. He figured that the demon could say they killed him when he told Themus the truth but he didn't really have much control over the situation anymore.

"My mother is very hardworking," he began once easing back and closing the curtain. "As I said, our kingdom is known for a lot of tourism and vacationing for the other citizens of kingdoms, and my village in specific was always popular since I live nearby a large mine filled with gems. My mother would work multiple jobs, whether it be a part of mining or the creating of jewelry to sell - it's what all of the little necklaces wrapped around my bag are, they're from when I was little," he explained, his eyes drifting in memory. He began to nervously tap his claws against the seat and his fangs nibbled on his lip, but he continued on.

"Our species is very strict on mating. More often than not, lamias mate for life with one another, very rarely are they with men because our population is so proportionately women. Much like you, it's why we can live so long compared to, say, Orcs whose lifespan seems to be pretty short. My mother must not have mates with another lamia, obviously. She was made fun of for having a halfling son like me, and made fun of even more for not having a permanent mate. Nonetheless, she took care of me the best I could, you know? Taught me how to take care of myself when she could, so... yeah. I wish i could have seen her more but she was spending most of her time working to afford to take care of me."
 
There were a few reasons the demon wanted to hear about Neotoma's mother and his experience growing up, but the main reason was to simply get an insight into a life that couldn't be more different from his own. Neotoma was a complete different species, from a part of the world furthest from his own, being brought up in a social class far from Lysander's, with a mother who presumably loved him. All of that was a juxtaposition to Lysander's own upbringing so, clearly from how invested he was, it interested him.

He had no real desire to explore the other kingdoms, his only plan being to take them over under his control, but Harenae was perhaps a mild exception purely because of Neotoma. Hell, Lysander didn't like his own mother and failed to care about anyone else's, yet he was actively investing days of his time just to see Neotoma's and ensure she was protected when the takeover eventually occurred.

If that wasn't evidence for how much he liked the halfling, then nothing was.

"...She sounds sweet; like she loves you a lot. Which is nice. It's how mothers should be, isn't it? I can't wait to meet her, she sounds great, Neo. I don't have any family you could meet in return. Imogen's the closest thing I have, and you've met her - she's warming to you, by the way, which is... good. I fancy you and she's my girlfriend, so it's sort of important to me that you get on. And you like her, right? You don't think she's a bitch? Some people do, because she's tough, but they're just idiots."
 
"She's a bit icy but otherwise she's... she's a very commanding presence," Neotoma replied, choosing to avoid admitting that she could be a bit cruel. "She would fit well in Harenaen society, actually; the kingdom is 85% women, maybe even more, so a strong female presence is the majority. The concept of masculinity is laughed at more often than not. That isn't to say that my kind is weak - I've seen some lamias carrying piles of stone with their bare arms in the mines. It was why it was such whiplash when I encountered orcish society head on. Some men in Harenae are guards and whatnot, sure, but most of them take on roles that would be seen as more 'feminine'. I remember the first time I stepped into an orcish tavern, I was mocked by the attendees because I'm not really the strongest person in the world. One of them licked my up by the arm and it popped right out of the socket, in fact! I didn't know as many spells or potions as I do now so I had to stay longer, wait while it healed. I forgot how long I spent doing nothing but it probably didn't help with me running out of supplies so quickly."

As he spoke of his travels, it was clear that his anxiety had instead turned to excitement at the mention of the things he saw. He felt special telling the details of his journeys when Lysander only ever stepped into the very edge of Pruina. It made him blush, in fact, and he couldn't hold back his wide smile.

"I would compare Harenae a lot to Pruina, actually; it doesn't look like much until you dig a little deeper. The kingdom is spread out a bit so the villages are pretty far away from each other. Maybe I could show you the hot springs? It's a nice break away from the sand and there are always these cute birds that enjoy taking baths there. It's hard to explain but they're beautiful," he gushed before holding his own cheeks, as if to tell himself to calm down his excitement.
 
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As the demon listened, he couldn't help but feel struck with a faint sense of jealousy. He wasn't necessarily jealous of the fact the other had travelled so extensively, though he did feel a slight sense of regret that he wouldn't be able to travel like Neotoma did when he was a) royalty, and b) a species that all other kingdoms had never seen before. Both were aspects that would only attract too much attention, and thus leaving him unable to travel freely like Neotoma had.

He was more jealous of the fact that Neotoma felt so passionately about his experiences and what travelling had brought for him. Lysander couldn't recall a time when he felt as passionate about anything that it brought him almost to tears and had his cheeks growing that red in excitement, and the very fact he came up with nothing was a little saddening. Sure, he knew that as King he wasn't able to experience what most people were able to, that he had responsibilities that disallowed him to travel and perhaps engage in hobbies he might enjoy, but it was still pathetic in his eyes that he had nothing that brought him that much excitement.

If anything, seeing Neotoma this excitement seemed to ignite his own desire to travel, if only to try and gain a glimmer of excitement in his own life.

"...I'll have to show you around Ignis," he decided absently, smiling to himself at the idea now he had formed. "I know my way around, I've been made t study maps, but I haven't actually... explored my kingdom as much as I ought to. We could trek the volcano paths together. That's where the rarest of our fruit grows, actually. It might be worthwhile to venture up there together. And there are rumours of a monster that lives there - a little folk tale mothers tell misbehaving children, no doubt, but wouldn't it be fun to explore it to find out? I think... well, you like exploring and I certainly need to see more of my own kingdom, so... yeah, I think it'd be neat, mate. If you want to, anyway."
 
"Of course I want to," he quickly replied, almost a bit startled by the other even doubting his desire to explore. Having spent months unable to really move let alone climb and truly adventure due to the cold meant his craving to get down and dirty with nature only grew in intensity. He was always a curious person so to share that love for exploring felt nice. Sure, he may not have known how to properly socialize with people - a trait he figured he had in common with Themus - but that didn't mean he couldn't accept the idea of friends. Rummaging through his bag, he pulled out three books with a wide grin.

"I have a few more back in my room but this one - the one in the red leather - is dedicated to all of my studies on other languages. The last section I've written in is for your language, of course. This one is for just Pruina's agriculture and wildlife - it's blue because it's cold, I figured color coding would help me memorize it. This one - the black one - is for everything in Ignius, naturally. I would love to teach you Harenaen, since that's what everything is written in - am I babbling? I'm sorry, I'm just so excited to be doing this with you," he admitted quickly, once again growing flustered bashfully as a laugh escaped his lips.

"I promise I'll calm down, most likely when we pass through the epicenter of Pruina - that's where it's the coldest, what with the large mountains and all of that," he reassured with a small smile, his eyes avoiding the demon when he figured he had somehow ruined the mood with his excitement. While Lysander clearly didn't ooze the vibe of King, he still was royalty and while he didn't get a lot of social cues, he was taught to always respect royalty. He had messed that up with the Queen of Pruina and it only led him to trouble.
 
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