CHAPTER 70 What If She Betrays You?

Keith

When Henrietta and Keith returned home, there was a new energy to their courtship and a comfort in their conversation that hadn't been there before.

He could still taste her on his lips, and feel where she had tugged a little too passionately on his hair. If he had the option, he would be sitting with her in the garden right now, instead of locked up in the dungeon talking to a smug fluffy beastman.

"Can we get on with this?" Keith perched awkwardly on the daybed, not utilizing its comforting recline because … well, because he didn't want to. "I still have work to do."

Of coursethe first thing Henrietta had done when they returned was tell Rufus that she and Keith needed a session. As far as punishments went for nearly getting unalived by his own careless attitude, it was a bit much.

He didn't think it was that bad.

"After hearing from Henrietta this morning"—Rufus tapped his notepad with a claw—"I have to say I'm impressed."

That managed to pique his interest and he glanced at the notepad. Keith had not been privy to her session and could only guess what she had told his general. "Why?"

"Henrietta snapped at you, lied to you, almost killed you … and yet you're concerned for her?" Rufus flipped through his notes.

"Yes?" Since the beastman neglected to mention the kiss, Keith would assume that Henrietta had not disclosed that part of their trip. He was momentarily distracted by the thought of her soft brown eyes and—"And you still want to pursue her?"

"People get upset when they're afraid, Rufus," Keith countered, dragging his mind back to the present. "According to Green, there is a difference between lashing out in fear and lashing out in anger."

"And yet they still result in the same outcome." Rufus dipped his quill into fresh ink and jotted down something, smiling to himself. He continued, "I have to say I wasn't expecting you to read every book by Mola Green, but I shouldn't have been surprised. They are overdue, by the way. Scholar Violet told me you've taken out all the relationship counselling books in the library; how did you find Green's book on the childhood origin of self theory?"

"We aren't talking about me. We are talking about why I'm not upset that Henrietta lied to me about being fine in the dungeon—which is where you are wrong, because I was upset. Very upset." Keith pushed up his glasses and crossed his arms. She'd had him so desperate to save her that he'd pushed himself to the limit and almost reaped the consequences. They weren't even engaged yet! He needed to slow things down. "Which is why we confronted each other about things and talked it out. Like reasonable adults."

"You certainly are reasonable, I suppose," Rufus teased. He hesitated a breath and then he took on a serious demeanor. "Also, I'm happy you're not dead. [Void Damage]? Really?"

"Really really." Keith sighed. His arm was barely healed after a high-grade potion last night.

"How will you counter it if she betrays you?"

Keith didn't respond, the thought of Henrietta turning on him was more unbearable than he wanted to admit.

Rufus noticed his difficulty and changed tactics. "Or if she goes catatonic again?"

"If she gets locked up in a dark space, I'm going to find the culprit and rip out their still beating heart—after getting her out." He frowned. "If she doesn't kill me in the process. Bringing us back to the point."

"That your princess could easily kill you during a lovers spat?"

Keith sighed. "I'll have to reach out to other enchanters, since there won't be anything useful in Feliwyn's hoard … maybe Violet can reach out to her uncle Lorthar in Hemlock Hill? I wouldn't be surprised if the Witch of Winter's End has a spell or two, and I know Slake Drakeford, adventurer extraordinaire has a bunch of weird spell books in his loot collection …"

"Don't tell me, tell Scholar Violet. Have her reach out to anyone and everyone if you have to - Just do something, or I'm going to continue nagging you until it's done." Rufus put his notepad aside, taking off his reading glasses and placing them on top. Stretching, he said, "Let's go get lunch."

Keith eyed the beastman warily. "But we just started, and we haven't talked about my issues yet."

"Keith, I've known you since you were five." Rufus chuckled. "I know what your issues are. You know what your issues are."

He waved at Keith, sitting there in a defensive position on the edge of the daybed. "Are you ready to talk about them today? How about you get over them right now and go beg your princess to marry you because you lo—"

"Don't say it," Keith interjected. "Not yet … I need more time."

"I think you're ready." Rufus chuckled. "But why waste my time when you refuse to accept it? You've already promised to work on things with her. You have a plan: take better care of yourself and stop running away from relationships."

"When have I ever run from a relationship?" Keith protested.

The reply dripped with sarcasm. "Ah, yes. You'd have to actually allow one for you to run away from it. My bad."

"I put up with you, don't I?" Keith griped.

"As you said; you are a reasonable adult." Rufus opened the door to his dungeon office and waved out the king of the Dark Enchanted Forest. "You know when you're doing things that are dangerous. You just don't care. Start caring. If you don't, you'll hurt the people who do care."

Keith left Rufus to his own devices after lunch, when his commander general proposed going for a refreshing swim in the moat.

Rufus liked to chase sticks and wrestle monsters as a nice afternoon exercise and was insane. Henrietta was taking some time to herself. Julia and Chloe were lost in each other's company, and he wasn't sure if they even knew he was back yet. So, the Dark Lord grabbed a few cream puffs and sought out a quiet space to think.

After everything that had happened yesterday, Keith couldn't get the image of Henrietta out of his head; from her smiling up at him in that garden to her behavior in the dungeon to just … Ria.

And when he thought of their difficulties in the dungeon, that actually made him like her more.

The fact that she knew his less-than-ideal traits and still wanted to continue the courtship was reassuring. Being the king of a magical realm meant he was under a lot of pressure. He'd had his fair share of marriage offers from many prospective partners around the continent. Few had piqued his interest. Their letters went from boring dowry lists to long pages full of dreams to conquer said continent. Was it too much to imagine that he wanted more than world domination? Keith was impressed that he could sustain a single country's mixed populace without civil war—and that by sheer will of paperwork and oppressive strength.

Not his actual Strength, of course; just his level was security enough.

Henrietta enjoyed his company, and her struggles were something he wanted to support her through. Everyone got angry. Everyone lashed out in their own way. Aside from [Void Damage] utterly murdering his ass in a moment of anger, he knew that they both liked to talk things out, so that shouldn't be a routine occurrence.

As for the other stuff … Well, he'd just have to let go and let Henrietta in. Maybe.

He finished his cream puff and headed for the library. He had some books to return.