Kai woke to the warm glow of late afternoon spilling through the tent flap, his muscles heavy with the kind of pleasant ache that came after hours tangled up with Delilah. His stomach growled, loud enough to startle a nearby bird, and he realized just how drained and ravenous he felt.
He pushed himself up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, only to spot an oddly domestic scene outside: Sir Cuddlebottom, his ever-proper butler, lounging on a camp chair while a slender, strikingly beautiful woman sat beside him.
She was feeding him chicken with the kind of doting tenderness one might reserve for a lover. Her smile was patient, her movements graceful, and there was something about the gentle curve of her neck and the way her hair caught the firelight that made Kai pause.
He couldn't help the smirk tugging at his lips. For a moment, he simply just leaned back and watched the unlikely scene, as if afraid that moving would break the spell. The sight of his prim and proper butler, cheeks faintly flushed, opening his mouth obediently for each morsel, it was almost too much.
The woman caught sight of him first, her dark eyes widening in mild surprise before she gracefully rose to her feet. "You must be hungry, Your Highness. Let me fetch you something proper," she said, voice like silk. Without waiting for an answer, she disappeared toward the supplies.
The moment she was gone, Kai sauntered over, arms crossed, and tilted his head at Cuddlebottom.
"So… in the short time I was otherwise occupied with Delilah, you've managed to charm yourself a lady?"
Cuddlebottom, still chewing, gave a faintly smug smile. He didn't even pretend to deny it. His moustache twitched with restrained delight."You know, sire, I'm starting to think perhaps this journey isn't as dreadful as I first assumed. This girl… she is precisely my taste."
Kai let out a low laugh, shaking his head. "I leave you alone for a few hours and you're halfway to eloping."
"Halfway? No, it's been done already."
Their banter was cut short as the woman returned, balancing a large bowl piled high with golden, crispy fried chicken. She set it in front of Kai with a warm smile before sliding back into her seat beside Cuddlebottom, her hand naturally finding its way to another piece of chicken feet for him.
By nightfall, the camp was aglow with the orange flicker of a well-fed fire. Delilah still lay in her tent, undisturbed and curled beneath the blankets, sleeping deeply. The girl attending to cuddlebuttom had left to do some other things, while Kai sat cross-legged by the flames.
He tore through his fourth bowl of chicken, savoring the crunch of the skin and the soft, juicy meat beneath. Cuddlebottom, ever the picture of refined service, poured steaming tea into Kai's cup.
The prince accepted it, sipping slowly before gnawing on a chicken foot, his gaze lazily drifting upward toward the pale silver moon.
"Sire," Cuddlebottom said at last, breaking the comfortable quiet, "you managed to complete your first mission."
Kai glanced up at the silvered moon overhead. His voice was quiet, but there was a faint spark in his eyes. "Yeah… one aunt down. Twenty-nine more to go."
Cuddlebottom lit his pipe, the smoke curling upward into the night. "You didn't tell her about your… main plan, did you?"
Kai gave a small, wry smile, still not looking away from the moon. "If I did, she wouldn't have agreed. Tell me, would any woman willingly accept if I told her I intended to marry all thirty of my aunts? No… right now she believes she's the only one. And I'd like it to stay that way, at least until I've finished the rest of my mission."
…
The next morning, Kai rolled over in bed, reaching for the warm, soft presence that should have been there… only to grab a pillow instead. His eyes popped open. Empty bed. No Delilah. No trace of her perfume except for the faintest whiff that might've just been him sniffing his own hair.
From outside, a sharp clang-clang! rang out, followed by a whoosh and a loud grunt. Kai peeked through the doorway, eyebrow raised. Sounded like a swordfight… or possibly an overly aggressive breakfast preparation.
Stepping out, the morning sun nearly blinded him, only for the sight ahead to finish the job. Delilah was in the courtyard, crossing blades with one of her subordinates. Her movements were quick, fierce, and way too dramatic for before-breakfast activity.
She swung her sword in a vicious arc, forcing her opponent off-balance, then placed her blade neatly against the poor woman's neck. It wasn't sparring anymore; it was humiliation with style.
She turned toward Kai, spotting him standing in the doorway like some stunned tourist. "You're awake, hubby!" she called, grinning wide enough to make yesterday's frosty attitude seem like a bad dream. Honestly, it was like watching an entirely different woman. Yesterday she looked ready to stab him, today she looked ready to knit him a scarf.
From the side, Cuddlebuttom appeared with Kai's white horse, leading it over like some chivalrous stable hero. "Your highness," he said, holding the reins with the solemnity of a royal decree.
Kai ignored the horse for the moment, strolling straight over to Delilah just as she slid her sword back into its sheath with a satisfying shink. He kept walking until he was right in front of her, then, without warning, leaned in and kissed her.
Two whole minutes later… yes, he counted, he then finally pulled away.
"You brat!" Delilah blurted, cheeks flushed red enough to fry an egg on. She glanced at her subordinates, who were now pretending to admire the clouds. "Do you think you can just do whatever you want because you're my husband now?"
Kai smirked. "Now that's my aunt from yesterday. Thanks for accepting my proposal."
"Whatever!" she huffed, her blush deepening like she was competing in a 'who can turn into a tomato first' contest. She was looking at everywhere but him.
Kai turned on his heel, heading back toward his horse with a smile on his face. Cuddlebuttom mounted his own, looking like he'd just witnessed a scandal worth gossiping about for the next decade.
Climbing on, Kai's gaze landed back on Delilah whose face was still burning red with embarrassment. "Till we meet again, my fair lady. Goodbye for now."
Cuddlebuttom, not to be outdone, leaned over from his saddle and repeated the same words in the exact same tone. Though his message was meant for the young pretty woman lingering shyly at the back, watching everything like it was the best play in town.
"Till we meet again my fair la-dy…" Cuddlebuttom said, accidentally kicking his horse into a trot too soon, nearly falling off. "G-goodbye!"