Page 10 of Love Me Forever

“I’m just wiping you up a little.”

“Still…” The small action meant a lot. He was used to being treated like a discarded toy that needed to clean itself up and deal with the shame in private.

Remus didn’t make him feel ashamed. He stretched out on his stomach while he listened to watery noises from the privy room. Remus returned to lay on his stomach by him.

“You know, we should get up or we’ll be up half of the night if we nap too much.”

“I know.” Sébastien made no move to get up.

Remus didn’t immediately move either. Sébastien had a sudden thought, so he finally shifted to straddle Remus’s waist.

“What are you doing?”

“Rubbing your back. You’ve done it to me.”

“You’re going to knock me out again, and there’s something I wanted to do. I figured we’d do it after dinner.”

“What?”

“I know I just got here, but I think we should start working on writing out the announcement. Since we’re going to get married, we’ll be the co-rulers with our Kingdoms merged. I think some citizens get that because I stayed for so long with you last year.”

“I’m sure the servants gossiped that you slept in my bed too.”

“Yeah. Most Kings who just got the throne would be in a hurry to return home and to get things in order.”

“True.”

“We can formally announce our marriage and have a statement from both of us concerning the state of the Kingdoms. Maybe it’ll put the citizen’s minds at ease, and you won’t have any idiots from farther away who will think the Rowland man coerced their Prince into marriage to get his hands on more territory. An official statement might be better before anyone starts bitching.”

“All right. I haven’t heard anything against us. Some might not like it, but if we’re marrying that means we’ll have peace.”

“I told people in Rowland that I’m marrying you, and a few lords weren’t pleased.”

Sébastien rolled his eyes at the last part as he worked the middle of Remus’s back. It was sweet that Remus had been telling others he planned to marry the Soleilian King. Sébastien simply hadn’t said anything in case Remus changed his mind. Also, he’d mostly stayed to himself unless speaking to someone about other matters that weren’t related to his personal life.

“I’m still the villain to them?”

“A couple said you might try to bring back slavery.”

“For fuck’s sake. Ending it was the first big thing I did here.”

“Yeah, but you might change your mind, or you’ll convince me to fuck with the werewolves and make their lives miserable.”

“Who helped us? Werewolves. I don’t want to start more shit.”

“I said that. A couple thought you might convince me to start making other laws that they may not agree with, and Midland will be kept in poverty like the Regent was doing. According to one, I’m not very smart for chasing after a pretty face. As if you have no other redeeming qualities. I almost punched him and rearranged his face.”

Sébastien had a feeling the lord might have said a little more than that if Remus had felt like altering his face. He didn’t want to know. He’d heard enough nasty comments either about his demeanor or his body.

“It’ll get better,” said Remus. “I think the issue with them is that they see Soleil as the ultimate aggressor overall during the war. Maybe that’s why some are doubtful, and Soleil isn’t quite the same.”

“True. They can’t do anything, and in a few years, they’ll see their fears are baseless. I’m not the villain who snagged you with my pretty face so I can start more shit.”

“I’m kinda hungry now.”

“It’s past lunch, and the cook’s probably wondering what happened to us. I’ll get dressed and tell her to make something.”

“Or…you could rub my back for a few extra minutes.”

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