Amira giggled a little bit. "She was amazing. Some times i'd catch her practicing, and that was the voice of a damn angel. She could hit notes that just made your heart feel all kinds of funny. Lance doesnt even like opera music, but he would go if she had a show. They were really fun to see together. It wasnt like how he is with Nixy though, he's definitely a better kind of happy with her, its really nice to see." She said and played with Westons hair. " I'd say we should go see an opera when they have their wedding, but im not sure we could." She said softly.
Lance laughed a little. "See? I didnt think to take stock of what you already have here. I'd buy so many ridiculous things if i was alone too. No one impulse shops like I do when im left alone and have to buy things im not sure about. I'd come back with like the most random things that no one actually needs." He said and shook his head.
Weston smiled as Amira talked about this opera singer that Lance had previously dated and he nodded slightly. "That's interesting. Opera singers are so talented," he said. He raised an eyebrow slightly when she said that Lance was a different kind of happy with Phoenix compared to this last girlfriend. "It's not a competition, you know, love. Being in love with Phoenix now in no way undermines what he probably felt for his last girl," he said to her. When she said how nice it would have been to see an opera in Austemoir, he nodded. "I know. I don't think we could, either, which is a shame. It's fine, though. I've already resigned myself to a lifetime without it," he chuckled.
Phoenix laughed at Lance's words and shook her head a bit, smiling over at him. "Well, it's a good thing I haven't asked you to go shopping for groceries yet," she said with a smirk. "You've got to take into account the things that we can and can't prepare. Like, if we bought a squash I'd have no clue what to do with it. I'd probably end up taking it to Weston to ask for help, because we all know he probably knows what to do with a squash. But if you bought carrots or peppers, those would be way easier to manage," she explained.
Amira blinked. "I know its not. It was just an observation that he's very different now. It couldnt be anyways." She said and then shrugged a little bit. "We'd have to disguise you super well if we did. And that would be kind of hard." She said and poked his nose with her finger as the stared to look back at her book.
Lance nodded. "Oh yeah, I would come home with so many weird fruits and vegetables. Some things I havent seen before and I just gotta buy it and see what it tastes like, but then sometimes I dont know what to do with whatever I bought and thats just a problem." He said and then nodded a little bit. "Only buy things we know how to cook, seems like a pretty decent plan."
Weston nodded when she said that it had just been an observation. He chuckled a bit when she said that they'd have to disguise him and he shook his head a bit. "I don't think that would be an easy thing to do," he agreed. "I'd certainly be recognized in damn Austemoir of all places." He lifted a hand and caught the wrist of her hand that had poked his nose, bringing her palm to his lips and kissing it softly.
Phoenix giggled a bit, shaking her head. "Weird fruits and vegetables are fine if we know what to do with them. I can handle a lychee, for example, because my mother loved those damn things, but you'd probably see it and think it was weird and exotic and buy it without knowing what to do," she said with a laugh. "Don't worry, babe. I'll take you out shopping and you'll be a pro before you know it," she said.
Amira shook her head. "No it would not." She said and then looked down at her hand and smiled a little bit. "You're too damn sweet." She said and moved her hand to gently cup his cheek.
Lance laughed a little bit. "The first time I had gone to a market was when I was with Aiden and his wife, and she had been to one before and had shopped and things, so they were fine. I dont remember why they even brought me along, but I held Rosie like the whole time so maybe that was it. I still somehow managed to buy like five different really weird fruits none of us knew how to eat or prepare correctly." He said and shook his head. "So...Make sure I dont do that.."
Weston placed his hand over top of hers when she cupped his cheek, smiling up at her. "Only for you, princess," he replied softly, and then closed his eyes. "I'm just gonna take a nap right here. You read your cookbook and wake me up when it's time for lunch. Wait. which one of us cooks lunch? We usually handle our own lunches," he said, opening his eyes and blinking in confusion.
Phoenix nodded along to his story, smiling a bit when he explained that he'd just been holding the baby and then bursting out in laughter when he told her that he'd still managed to buy like five different weird fruits. "I will make sure you don't buy any weird fruits, babe. Promise," she said, stepping forward and patting his arm. "Now, I should go shower and get dressed so we can go shopping. Try to think of anything you'd like to eat that we can buy while we're out. There should be some paper in that drawer over there - can you jot down the eggs, milk, pasta sauce, and anything else you can think of? Oh, and the bagels, and write down 'pie ingredients' too," she told him with a smile, leaning up to kiss his cheek before heading off to go shower.
Amira smiled a little bit. "Okay. I'll wake you up whenever that time comes." She said softly and then laughed. "I'll make lunch, and then we can both make dinner later tonight." SHe said and gently stroked his cheek. "Sound good?"
Lance nodded a little bit and watched her leave before he went and found the paper and a pen and then went about writing things down that she told him to write down and then wrote a list of other things too that they might need. He wasnt sure if theyd need all of it, but Nixy could cross things off if needed.
Weston nodded a bit as he heard her words, smiling up at her. "Sounds good," he replied softly, closing his eyes again. "I love you, princess," he added, snuggling in a little closer to her. He was quite comfortable like this, lazing out on the couch with his head in her lap, and wondered why he didn't nap like this more often.
Phoenix showered quickly and headed into her room to get
dressed in jeans, a tank top, and a little sweater over top. When she was done, she headed back out to the kitchen, going and giving Lance a quick kiss on the cheek. "Let me see what you wrote down," she said, sliding her arms around him and looking expectantly towards him.
Amira smiled a little. "I love you too," She said softly. She went about reading her book for the rest of the time while he was taking a nap, occassionally stopping to peek at how damn cute he was when he was sleeping. She had a hard time getting over how handsome her man was, and how lucky she was to have him too.
Lance looked over when Nixy walked in and then he handed her the list. "Im not sure we're going to need all of that, or if I missed things or not but....You can cross out anything that you might need to cross out." He said with a little bit of a shrug.
Weston had no trouble drifting off to sleep, finding that he slept quite comfortably with his head in Amira's lap. He ended up waking up on his own while she was still reading her book, blinking slightly as his mind sorted out where he was. He looked sleepily up at her. "You look so pretty... We didn't miss Halloween, did we?" he asked, lifting a hand and rubbing his eye slightly.
Phoenix took the list and read through it, grabbing the pen to cross off a few things and to add little notes. "This is actually pretty good, babe," she said. She checked the cupboard quickly and added a few last things to the list before setting the pen down and looking up at him. "Ready to go shopping?" she asked him with a grin.
Amira looked down when Weston woke up and shook her head. "We did not miss halloween, its just about lunch time." She said softly and looked at the clock. "You woke up a few minutes before I was planning on waking you up, so that worked out pretty well." She said and played with his hair gently.
Lance looked at what she crossed off and his notes and then smiled a little bit. "Oh good. I was afraid I did horribly." He said and then watched as she added a couple more things to the list and then nodded at her. "Uhhhh...Let me go get dressed." He said and looked down at his sweat pants and lack of a shirt. "Should have done that while you were in the shower..." He chuckled and went and got dressed and then came back down quickly. "Now im ready."
Weston smiled and nodded when Amira told him that it was almost lunchtime and that she'd been planning on waking him up soon anyways. "That worked well," he replied as she played with his hair. He gazed up at her, his honey-brown eyes intent on her as if studying every detail of her face. Then, he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek gently. "I'm so lucky I found you, Amira," he said softly. "It's been so long since I've really, truly known what it is to live, and you've helped me to find that again."
Phoenix giggled when he said that he had been afraid he'd done horribly. When he said he had to go get dressed, she nodded. "Sure," she said. While he was gone, she thought of a few more things to add to the list, so she jotted them down. When he got back she nodded. "Perfect, let's go," she said, grabbing his hand and the list and then heading out with him, being sure to lock up behind her.
Amira smiled down at Weston. "I'm really lucky that you found me too. I hadnt really been enjoying life as much as I could have been. I was kinda just living from day to day, just repeating the motions. My life is so much better with you in it." She said and grinned down at him. "What should I make for lunch?" She asked, motioning for him to get up so that she could too.
Lance nodded a little and walked out with her, pausing when she stopped to lock up. "Well, you will have to lead, I dont know where the market around here is...Just all the breakfast and lunch places that are between here and work so..." He said softly.
Weston grinned when she said that she felt the same way. When she asked what she should make for lunch and motioned for him to get up, he instead shifted so he was on his side, moving his arm so he could wrap both arms around her and nuzzle into her tummy somewhat. "Anything you want for lunch is fine with me, princess," he said, his voice muffled by her clothing.
Phoenix laughed a little and nodded. "I know, babe," she said, taking his hand and starting to walk in the direction of the market. "The market here is really nice. It's almost as nice as the one in Austemoir, but it doesn't have a little old man who sits on a stool and sells cheap spiced hot chocolate all year round, so Austemoir wins as far as I'm concerned," she said with a giggle. Damn, did she love that hot chocolate. She remembered being a kid when her parents would occasionally give her a little bit of spending money and she'd always head straight for the little old man with the spiced hot chocolate, since she could get a cup from him for half the price of hot chocolate anywhere else in the city.
Amira blinked and looked down at him. "Well okay then. You're getting mac and cheese and chicken nuggets then." She said with a giggle before prying him off of her tummy gently. "Theres nothing in there for you ya silly." She teased.
Lance listened to her and nodded. "Oh really? Maybe if we go back and visit we can go get some. I really like hot chocolate." He said and then shrugged a little bit. "We could also work with Amira to see if she could make it chocolate is kind of her thing." He said with a chuckle.
Weston laughed when Amira said that he was getting mac and cheese and chicken nuggets, letting her pry him off of her before he sat up and stretched out his muscular arms somewhat. "Mac and cheese and chicken nuggets it is, then, and I'll love every bite," he told her with a smile. He chuckled a bit at her comment that there was nothing in there for him and he leaned in. "Maybe not now, but one day I'm going to put something very special in there for you," he murmured, his lips near her ear as he spoke.
Phoenix grinned when he suggested going to see the hot chocolate man the next time they were in Austemoir. "I don't know if he's even still alive. I'd have to ask Sophia," she replied. She smiled a bit when he suggested seeing whether Amira could make it. "That's a good idea. It was some ancient recipe though and he said he imported the spices from some far-off place and shit, so I dunno if she'd be able to get it quite right."
Amira gave Weston a look when he said one day he was going to put something special in there before she gasped. "Cheese cake?" She asked, implying that he was gonna put cheesecake in her tummy. "If we can get there, maybe one day." She said softly and stood up to go ahead and get started on lunch.
Lance sighed. "Yeah....Well maybe he passed it down to someone who knows the recipe?" He said and then nodded a little bit. "Well, maybe she can get close to it and it will still be super duper good. Maybe he uses that spiced chocolate stuff...Amira used that once while she lived with us to make hot chocolate, it tasted real weird on its own and all unmelted....But in that hot chocolate with the heavy cream and milk she used. Ugh I was dying. It was heaven....Made her make it like every night for a month until I just couldnt drink it anymore." He chuckled.
Weston smirked a bit when she asked if the something special was cheesecake. When she said maybe one day, he nodded. "I sure hope so," he replied. "But in the meantime, I can definitely put some cheesecake in there for you. We just...need a cheesecake first," he chuckled, standing up to follow her.
Phoenix nodded a bit when he said that maybe the old man had passed the recipe down to someone. "I hope so. Maybe I'll go hunting in the market next time I'm in town and we'll see what we can find," she said with a shrug. She smiled when he told her about the hot chocolate that Amira had made when she'd lived with him. "That sounds amazing. Even if it's not the same thing, we should definitely get her to make us some of that. Or she can show us how to make it. We've got to be able to figure out this whole kitchen thing," she said with a laugh.
Amira giggled. "If not we'll just adopt like we said we would." She said and then nodded. "Mmm cheesecake...I'd let you put that in me any day..." She said and sighed a little while she was setting up a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
Lance nodded. "Well, once we have it down pat we can try to re-create it by ourselves maybe. That seems like a project we could do together." He said with a little bit of a smile as they walked along. "Definitely need to get her to teach us how though, I know I would manage to mess it up if i tried now though...."
Weston smiled and nodded when she said they could just adopt like they said they would. "Yes, that's always an option if you decide you don't want to do it the old-fashioned way," he teased with a smile. "And if we adopt kids of our own, we have to be honest with them about it. They can't turn seventeen, go out to slay a gutclaw, and then have their oldest sister reveal to them that they were forcefully adopted," he said, laughing a bit. Forcefully adopted was definitely one way of putting it.
Phoenix grinned at him and nodded. "Definitely a project we could do together. We'll get good at this eventually, I'm sure of it," she said with a giggle. "Having Weston and Amira is gonna be helpful because they're both so good with, you know...kitchens. I have no idea how the prince ended up better at kitchens than the girl raised by abusive and neglectful parents..."
Amira nodded a little. "Well of course we would tell them." She said and shook her head at him as she started making lunch. She made a white cheddar mac-and cheese and then some crispy chicken strips instead of nuggets cuz those would be a pain in the butt to actually make at the moment, and when it was done she plated it up and handed Weston his plate before going to sit down.
Lance nodded a little bit. "I dont know. How did a tribal woman who lived most of her life cooking over a camp fire end up better at cooking than a man with a five star quality kitchen at his disposal?" He said and then shook his head. "I could have been taught by a five star chef if I wanted to. But I still cant cook even basic things." He said. "But its those two, if they wanna do something, i doubt theres really any way of stopping them from figuring it out."
Weston nodded when she said that they'd tell their child it was adopted. That much was nice, though he hoped that they'd have at least one or two children of their own. If she didn't think they were going to, that meant he may not ever get to sleep with her. He loved her enough that it wouldn't be a problem, but he'd hate to think that he wasn't able to give her that by the time they were old and grey. He smiled, taking his plate and thanking her before going to sit with her.
Phoenix laughed a little and shook her head. "That doesn't count. Weston definitely had a five star kitchen at his disposal, too," she said with a giggle. "Weston totally could have done all that if he'd wanted to. But he didn't learn to cook until he was on his own. And here we are, on our own and cooking toast and eggs and bagels," she said with a laugh.
Amira nodded a little at him thanking her and went and munched her food. She didnt really know what to say right now. Her mind wandered to thinking about if she thought she could actually sleep with Weston. She didnt want to not be able to share herself with him in that way, but the thought of having sex still made her stomach upset, dispite them having gotten as far as they did, it still scared her. And something about doing it at home didnt feel right since this place felt different to her now.
Lance shrugged. "Maybe that just means that we're on the same level as they were when they started off...I dont know how long it took either of them to really learn how to cook, so maybe we're doing okay..?" He said and chuckled a little bit.
Weston ate quietly. He noticed how quiet Amira was and he wondered what was running through her mind. Maybe it was something to do with his comment about putting a baby in her. After a bit, he reached across the table and took her hand gently in his. "Amira, I'm sorry if what I said before made you uncomfortable," he told her in a soft voice.
Phoenix laughed softly at Lance's suggestion and she nodded. "That would sound fair if I hadn't been on my own since I was like eighteen," she said with a smirk. "You'd think I should have this all figured out by now, but nope." They reached the market and she smiled, looking over at him. "If I give you a few things to find, do you think you can go find them on your own? I know you know how to buy things, it's just finding them that you need to do first," she said with a giggle.
Amira blinked when he took her hand in his and looked over at him, thoroughly snapped out of her thoughts. She shook her head. "It didnt make me uncomfortable.." She said softly. "I was just thinking about the house and stuff, and vacation. Lance and Serena said theyd take turns dealing with the rabbits while we're away, by the way." She said.
Lance shrugged a tiny bit. "Well for a while you were a noble lady, and they dont really cook. Aidens wife doesnt. My grandmother never did, nor did my mother, they all had people around to do it for them so they never had to learn." He said and then blinked. "Oh I'm definitely good at buying things...But yeah, I have my glasses on so that shouldnt be a problem."
Weston nodded when she said that his comment hadn't made her uncomfortable. That much was a relief, at least. "Oh, okay," he replied, and he nodded when she said that Lance and Serena were going to take turns helping with the rabbits. "That's good. I'd been wondering who we would ask to deal with that. I'd figured we'd see about having Nixy do it, but Lance and Serena are both good choices as well," he said.
Phoenix smiled a bit, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm a noble lady, but I never hired a cook or anything like that. I just...bought lots of easy food. And I ate out a lot. Lots of takeout, too," she said with a laugh. She giggled when he said that he was good at buying things and she nodded. "Perfect. Then you can find the eggs, milk, and bagels, and then meet me at that produce stand over there so I can make sure you don't buy any weird fruits and vegetables that we don't need. Make sure you get two percent milk," she added, leaning up to kiss his cheek quickly before dropping his hand and going to find the pasta sauce she liked.
Amira nodded a little bit. "Lance needs a little practice with some kind of animal before he gets a dog, so I asked him to do it, and Serena looks for any excuse to love on the bunnies." She said softly.
Lance nodded a little bit and went about getting everything she had told him to. He didnt have any problem finding anything and bought them before he walked back towards the produce stand, getting there slightly before she did and having to remind himself not to pick up any weird fruits.
Weston chuckled slightly when she said that Lance needed practice with animals before getting a dog. "I thought he had horses and birds. Horses are much more work than dogs are, princess," he said with a smirk. "I saw how much those stablehands went through each day. I definitely didn't envy them those jobs," he said, shaking his head a bit. It didn't surprise him at all that Serena would want to help take care of the bunnies.
Phoenix grabbed the pasta sauce and then a few more things off the list that just happened to be at the same place, crossing them off as she went and then paying. She headed over to the produce stand and smiled when she saw Lance already there. "Great timing," she told him with a smile. "Now, we're gonna pick some fruits and vegetables. Before you pick anything up, you have to tell me what the name of it is and what we're gonna do with it, because if you don't know those things, we're not buying it," she told him with a smirk, grabbing a mango and handing it to the merchant, who weighed it out and put it in a little basket for them.
Amira nodded. "He did, but do you really think he was the one taking care of them? He breeds horses, all he ad to do there really was decide which horses got bred with what other horses. He loved on them too of course, but he didnt really actually take care of them. He had people who did that for him."She said softly.
Lance saw Nixy come over and smiled a little bit before nodding. He only picked up things that were very obviously things that he knew about and what they could be used for, like potatoes, carrots, onion, and other things like berries and thingd.
Weston nodded when she pointed out that Lance hadn't actually taken care of the horses. "Ahh. I suppose that does make sense. Lance seemed like a hands-on type to me, so I'd thought maybe he'd want to be more involved than that," he said with a bit of a shrug. "But, then, you know just how hands-on I can be," he smirked, "and I sure didn't take care of the horses back home."
Phoenix let Lance figure out what to choose and what not to choose, figuring that as long as he could name them and say what to make with them, he'd do fine. She was pretty satisfied when he finished, and she smiled. "See? You didn't buy any weird fruits or vegetables that we wouldn't know what to do with. I knew you could do it," she told him with a grin before counting out the money and handing it over to the vendor, who handed them the basket of produce they had selected. Then, she turned back to Lance. "Time to head home?" she asked.
Amira nodded a little bit. "I guess he did with the foals and stuff and he was there for their veterinary stuff but that was about it other than him riding them...Well the ones he could anyways. It takes a huge horse for him to be able to ride one.."
Lance smiled when they were done with things and then nodded. "Mhm!" He said and took any bags from her, since a lady should never have to carry heavy things when an able bodied man was at her side, and walked along home with her.
Weston laughed when Amira said that it took a huge horse for Lance to be able to ride and he nodded understandingly. "I can see that. Lance is somewhat freakishly tall," he chuckled. He finished up his lunch and then stood up to take his dishes out to clean them.
Phoenix grinned when Lance took the bags from her. She normally liked her independence, but Lance was so charming about it that she couldn't well complain. She walked along with him, back in the direction of home. "See how easy that was?" she said with a grin. "You'll be a pro before you know it."
Amira shook her head. "Only a little freakishly tall. Its fun to point out. He hates it." She said with a giggle before finishing up her food and taking her plate to wash when Weston was done with his.
Lance shook his head. "It was only not hard because I had such a lovely helper to make sure that I didnt buy anything really weird. And I didnt wander into the other sections of the market. Ive come home with some really strange things from trinket vendors too. Sometimes I think I have impulse shopping problems...But I get so distracted and it just happens." He said and shrugged.
Weston laughed when Amira told him how fun it was to point out Lance's height and he shook his head a bit, washing up his dishes and then stepping aside so she could do the same. "Is it costume time, princess?" he asked with a grin. "Because I'm really looking forward to a nice hot shower, and to seeing you in your costume. You'd better be the most beautiful princess I've ever seen," he said with a smirk.
Phoenix laughed when he told her that he had an impulse shopping problem and she shook her head a bit. "I guess there's a plus side to being nobility...we have enough money to throw around that we can entertain impulsive shopping habits," she said with a giggle. "There are some neat trinket vendors out there. There was this antique shop in Austemoir that I used to visit at least once a month and I almost always left there with something."
Amira shook her head at him. "Well, it could be. Im good to lounge around the rest of the day in my costume...Gonna have to join you for that nice hot shower though, that sounds nice." She said with a smirk of her own.
Lance nodded a little bit. "Its certainly an upside to the whole noble thing." He said and then laughed a little. "Well maybe we can learn to control our shopping habits. My study back at the Villa is just filled with all sorts of really weird little nick-knacks from me going out and then coming home with things." He said.
Weston smirked when she said she'd have to join him for the nice hot shower and he nodded slightly. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, my darling," he said. He stepped forward and then grabbed her waist with one hand and her hand with his other, beginning to dance her around the kitchen a bit. "It's been too long since we shared a dance. Perhaps when we're in our costumes we can have a dance or two," he said with a smile.
Phoenix giggled when he said that they'd have to learn to control their shopping habits, smirking a bit when he told her that his study was filled with weird knick-knacks. "You love knick-knacks and I love antiques...if we ever find a store selling antique knick-knacks, I think it'll be the end for both of us," she told him with a laugh as they walked towards home.
Amira giggled a little bit when he pulled her in to dance with him. "We definitely should. I'd really feel like an actual princess if we did." She said and gazed up at him lovingly. "I'll really take any excuse to dance with you though." She said softly.
Lance shook his head. "Are antique knick-knacks a thing? Cuz the things I buy are often older. Like not super old, but theyve obviously been owned before. I dont even end up liking them much I just see things I kind of like and I buy them without thinking about it and then occasionally i'll look at them and wonder what I was thinking buying that thing when I had no actual use for it..."
Weston smiled down at her as he danced her around the kitchen. "Well, if that's the case, we'll have to dance. How could I hold you back from feeling like an actual princess?" he asked her with a chuckle. Of course, if she married him she would be an actual princess - technically, since he was legally a prince despite not being one by blood - but it was a technicality they'd never get to exploit.
Phoenix laughed softly and nodded. "Of course antique knick-knacks are a thing. What else do you think people kept on their desks and shelves three hundred years ago?" she asked him with a giggle, squeezing his arm. She had to admit, she was rather intrigued by this impulsive shopping side of his. She would have to take him out shopping for knick-knacks just to see what kind of weird shit he would buy. Maybe once they got their newer, bigger house with room for babies they'd go shopping for decorations.
Amira smiled up at him. "Exactly, that would be soooo mean." She said and shook her ehad a little bit while she danced with him. Dancing with him was always really nice, she always felt so safe and happy when they did dance together.
Lance shrugged. "I wasnt sure it was a market that people were interested in! I just like the older things because theyre cool. I could have all the new things easily, but the old things have more character and intrigue to them. So I end up wanting those the most. My grandma thinks i've lost it. I came home one day with something she had seen her grandmother have around the house when she visited when she was younger. Pretty sure she went and conveniently "misplaced" that Item and its sitting in her room some where by now." He said with a chuckle.
Weston laughed a little at her comment, shaking his head and continuing to dance her about. He dipped her down low and then seized her lips in a soft kiss. When he lifted her back up, he kissed her hands and then took a step back. "Should we go see about that nice hot shower?" he asked her with a smirk.
Phoenix smiled as she listened to him, laughing softly at his comment about his grandmother snatching one of his trinkets. "Anything antique has much more character to it," she told him. "That's why I love antique stores so much. Everything probably has a story. You may not know what it is, but it's in there somewhere," she told him. They were almost home, and the timing was great since she was starting to feel a bit peckish. They'd probably start lunch once they'd put all the groceries away.
Amira smiled and held onto him gently when he diped her, kissing him back when he kissed her and then smiling again when he kissed her hands. "We should definitely see about that nice got shower." She said with a little bit of a giggle before reaching over and slapping his ass. "Last one in is a rotten tomato!" She said and then rand upstairs really fast and into the bathroom where she quickly turned the water on and got undressed before jumping in.
Lance nodded a little bit. "I get that. I tend to just buy old things because I like the way they look more than newer things. People like three generations really had a different kind of style that I kind of like." He said as they neared the house.
Weston smiled down at her when she said that they should definitely see about that hot shower. He blinked in surprise when she slapped his ass and ran off, staring after her for a second before hurrying upstairs after her. He made it into the washroom just as she was getting in the shower and he got undressed quickly, climbing in after her and putting his hands on her hips to gently push her up against the wall. "Looks like you're about to get kissed by a rotten tomato. I hope you're happy with yourself," he told her teasingly, leaning down and seizing her lips in a forceful kiss.
Phoenix nodded slightly when he pointed out how different antiques were compared to newer things. "That's definitely true. But they also had some really fucking ugly things back then, too," she said with a giggle. They reached her house and she quickly unlocked the door, opening it up and holding it for him since his hands were full.
Amira couldnt help but giggle when Weston came in and pushed her against the wall. She smirked at what he said and then happily kissed him back, winding her arms round him as she did. When they broke the kiss she smiled up at him. "Oooh I am very happy with myself right about now." She said softly.
Lance nodded. "Thats definitely true too. " He said and then walked in, ducking to make sure he didnt smack his damn head. Maybe theyd buy a house and install tall doorways so he didnt have to duck. He set the groceries down on the table and looked over at Nixy. "So...Teach me where you like all of these things to go." He said.
Weston held her against the wall as he kissed her. When she drew back and said that she was happy with herself, he laughed a little and nodded. "Good," he replied, and then he moved his hands from holding her hips to wrapping around her waist. He pulled her against him and went beneath the water with her, the hot water cascading over the both of them.
Phoenix headed inside with him, smiling when he set the groceries down on the table and asked her where she wanted them to go. "Well, anything that's cold needs to go in the fridge. Milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables - all in the fridge," she said, grabbing the milk and opening the fridge to put it in. "And everything else goes in the cupboard. I haven't organized it very well but as long as it all fits, that's all that I care."
Amira smiled and then closed her eyed when they went underneath the water. The hot water on her body felt really nice and relaxing. And there was such a nice Weston to cuddle on while they were in the shower too. She was starting to wonder why they hadnt done this before.
Lance nodded a little bit. He had figured that all the cold things stayed in the fridge, but he was more concerned about if she had specific places she liked things to be. When she said just to put things in there he nodded and put the fridge items away first and then organised her pantry as he went along putting things away. He kind of hated putting his glasses on when he was tired since he was more likely to run into things and drop them or something, so this was just so he could make quick breakfast while half blind.
Weston held her there a little longer before letting go, lifting his arms and running his fingers through his wet hair, the loose golden locks clinging to the edges of his face while the water ran down over his strong, defined muscles. He closed his brown eyes for a moment and tilted his head back somewhat, letting the water run over his face before looking back down at her with a smile.
Phoenix unpacked some of the cupboard things while Lance put away the fridge stuff. When he started to organize the pantry along the way, though, she blinked in surprise. She stepped back for a moment, folding her arms over her chest to watch him. She rather liked what he was doing. She'd never really been able to bother organizing it since she ended up going through the food too fast, and then restocking it again too.
Amira could help but stare up in awe of her man. Weston really could have any woman in the world with his looks and his charisma, and just the way he was in general. He could have anyone...But he wanted her and that made her feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside.
Lance finished up organizing the pantry and stepped back to look at where everything was. "There...Now I know where everything is and I can make bagels half blind." He said. Being organized was one of the ways Lance learned how to function even if he lost his glasses or didnt want to wear them. If he knew where everything was, he didnt very well have to bother with trying to read things.
Weston raised an eyebrow at the expression on Amira's face, a little confused. "What's that look for?" he asked, lifting a hand to cup her cheek, his thumb rubbing against her lower lip gently. She looked so beautiful. He still couldn't believe that she was really his. He kept waiting for there to be a catch, or for her to change her mind, or for someone else to come along and charm her away from him.
Phoenix giggled a bit when he said that he could make bagels half blind and she walked over, sliding her arms around his waist from behind and kissing his back gently. "I love it. You're in charge of the cupboards from now on," she told him with a giggle. "I don't know why you'd romp around without your glasses on, though. That just seems impractical," she added.
Amira smirked a little. "I was thinking about how if I wasnt a virgin i'd ask you to take me right now." She said and huffed. "I was thinking about how lucky I am that you decided that you wanted me instead of anyone else." He said softly and tucked some of his wet hair back behind his ear.
Lance gently put his hands over Phoenix's arms. "A lot of the time I dont like wearing them until im fully awake. I tend to run into things and drop my glasses when im half asleep, so just so im less likely to break them, some days i'll wait till im fully awake to put them on." He said with a little bit of a shrug.
Weston blinked in surprise when she said that if she wasn't a virgin, she'd ask him to take her now. He paused, looking around, and then down at her. "You know you don't have to be a non-virgin to ask for that, right?" he asked. "If virgins didn't have sex then everyone would be virgins and we'd all have died out long ago," he said with a chuckle. He smiled, though, when she said that she was lucky that he'd wanted her instead of anyone else. "Funny, I was just thinking the same thing," he said softly, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her against his chest slightly. "I've never wanted someone the way I want to be with you, Amira, and I can't see myself ever being happy with anyone else. Not now that I've had a taste of being yours."
Phoenix giggled when he explained to her about not wearing his glasses and she nodded. "So you're just a giant klutz. I see how it is," she said with a giggle. "It's okay. I'm coordinated. I wouldn't call myself graceful, but definitely coordinated. That means our kids won't be as clumsy as you,"s he told him with a laugh, nuzzling his back slightly and snuggling into it.
Amira blinked and then shook her head. "I know, but im not trying to have sex for the first time in the shower mister. And it was a joke ya goof." She said and then happily snuggled into Weston. "Mmm...I feel the exact same way. No ones ever made me this happy, and i dont ever want to stop being with you." She said softly.
Lance nodded. "Mhm, especially in the morning. I run into walls and door frames and all sorts of things because my brain wakes up a little while after the rest of me does." He said and then chuckled. "Well lets hope they arent, and that they arent freakishly tall either. If hate for them to have to remember to duck when entering any kind of doorway." He said.
Weston laughed when she said that she wasn't going to try sex for the first time in a shower and he shook his head. "No, I don't blame you," he said. He chuckled a bit when he heard her words, snuggling her against him. "Well, I don't want to stop being with you, either, so I think you're stuck with me," he told her with a laugh before pulling back, grabbing the soap, and beginning to lather some up so he could clean himself off. He'd been having too much fun with her to really focus on getting cleaned up.
Phoenix giggled a bit and shook her head when he said that he hoped their kids wouldn't be freakishly tall. She was finding that she enjoyed talking about children, and she was actually somewhat relieved that Amira had given her a heads up that Lance would be quick to propose. It meant that she wouldn't have to put any pressure on him herself - she was beginning to really want it, to want to marry him and have his children, and it was nice to know that she wouldn't have to wait too long. Half the time when he took her to bed she had half a mind to ask him to put a baby in her right away. "That'd especially suck when they hit their growth spurts, wouldn't it?" she said with a giggle. "Going from a normal height to being freakishly tall - ugh, that'd be awful. Poor you."
Amira giggled. "Good. I rather enjoy being stuck with you." She said and grabbed her body was too and got all lathered up and clean and rinched off before going ahead and starting on her long white hair, that would take her a moment anyways since she had so damn much hair. She often thought about cutting it short, but then she might miss it.
Lance laughed a little bit. "Believe it or not, I didnt get this way until I was over twenty three. I was only six foot and three inches back then and then somehow before i was even close to my twenty fifth birthday I had gotten to six foot ten randomly. It puzzled every doctor I had seen at the time. " He said and shook his head.
Weston enjoyed watching the way Amira lathered herself up. It was giving him ideas about things to do - or to have her do - the next time they were having fun. He rinsed himself off and cleaned his hair quickly, again closing his eyes and tilting his head back so he could rinse it when he was done washing it. He finished before Amira did, but lingered behind in the shower to enjoy the hot water and the hot view.
Phoeni's eyes widened when Lance told her that he'd grown tall as an adult, rather than during his growing years, and her mouth fell open. "What the fuck?" she asked, shaking her head. "Babe, that's so weird. Six foot three is tall enough for me, why'd your body have to go and get freakishly tall?" she asked. She moved around in front of him from behind him, keeping her arms around him and gazing up at him. "Not that it's a problem. I find your freakish height to be endearing," she told him with a smirk.
Amira finished up washing and conditioning her hair and rinsing it and then she stepped out of the waters stream to start ringing it out. Her hair could be a pain in the ass some times but she wasnt really going to complain since at least it was really pretty, and the longer hair suited her. When she was done with that she stepped out and got a towel on really quick before holding one out to Weston. "It would be such a shame if you went and got a pruney in their before putting on your prince attire." She teased.
Lance couldnt help but laugh at Phoenix's reaction. "Thats what every one else said. We dont really know why it happened, just that it did, and I dont appear to have grown any taller since then so we stopped worrying about it." He said and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, im glad its not a problem, that would be such a bummer." He said with a smirk of his own.
Weston watched her wring out her hair with a chuckle, beginning to turn off the water while she got them towels. He smirked when she said that it would be a shame if he got pruney before putting on his costume. "It would, wouldn't it?" he agreed with a laugh, taking the towel and drying himself off, starting first with his hair since it was quick and easy. Just towelling it off got it mostly dry.
Phoenix shook her head a bit when he said that everyone else had pretty much reacted the same way. "I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to get any more growth spurts in your twenties," she said t him. When he wrapped his arms around her and said how glad he was that it wasn't a problem, she giggled. "Tall is sexy. And besides, the important thing is that you're...proportionate," she said with a wicked little smirk. "Should we figure out lunch now that we're done with the groceries?" she asked.
Amira smirtked a little. "Yes, it would." She said and then got to work drying her hair out with the towel the best that she could. She sighed a little when it was still damp and then dried the rest of her off. "My hair is such a damn pain some days." She huffed. "You lucky boys and your short hair." She teased.
Lance nodded. "Yeah, thats what I was told anyways. Theyre not sure why that happened, but i'm still perfectly healthy despite it so.." He said and then smirked a little bit. " Oh yes, thats very important isnt it?" He said and then nodded about lunch. "Yeah, We really should get to figuring that nonsense out.." He said and tried to think about something to do for lunch.
Weston had long since finished drying himself off by the time she started in on the rest of herself, and he was combing his hair in the mirror. He laughed a little at her comment. "Your choice, not ours. Besides, some men have long hair. Lance's hair is much longer than mine," he told her with a shrug before leaning over to kiss her cheek. "Gotta go get stuff from my own washroom now, princess. Let's both finish up and get our costumes on and then we'll meet downstairs?" he suggested, relieved that they'd showered in her washroom and not his. If they'd been in his he wouldn't have had much choice but to get his hair product out with her watching, and while he was fairly certain she'd guessed on her own that he put stuff in his hair to keep it under control, he didn't want her to actually see him do it. Not yet.
Phoenix shook her head a bit when he said that he was still perfectly healthy despite being obscenely tall. "Well, that's weird. No wonder you're so clumsy," she teased him with a giggle. When he agreed that they should think about lunch, she went and checked the cupboards, putting her hands on her hips. "Did we say early or late dinner?" she asked, glancing over at him. "And did we decide on takeout or something quick and easy here?"
Amira huffed. "Its not nearly as a long as a womans hair. And its fabulous excuseee you." She said and huffed. "Seeing him with longer hair was kind of weird, he had it decently shorter the last time I had seen him." She said and then nodded. "Mhm. I will meet you downstairs." She said and finished up drying her hair before going to her room and sneaking on her surprise under her dress before she went and did her hair and put her tiara on and did a few last touched before she wandered downstairs.
Lance laughed. "Makes sense." He said and then blinked. "I think we decided on early take out if I remember correctly." He said. He was pretty sure thats what they decided anyways. "So we might want to keep lunch on the lighter side then if we're doing early dinner. "
Weston laughed at her comments about Lance's hair, shaking his head a bit. "Sounds good," he told her, heading to his own washroom. The fact that this was Halloween and he had to look his best would only make the need for hair product more intense. He quickly tidied up his hair in his washroom and then headed into his own room, retrieving the
costume from his closet and the
crown from his safe. He got dressed carefully, wanting to be sure that everything looked neat and tidy, and then placed the crown atop his head. It felt so strange to be dressed like this and wearing the crown again, but it was what Amira had wanted. He headed downstairs when he was ready, excited to see what Amira had put together.
Phoenix nodded when he said that they'd decided on early takeout. "Sounds about right," she agreed. "A light lunch it is. I can throw together a nice salad, since we've got lettuce and carrots now, and there's some dressing in the fridge," she said with a grin. "Honestly we could probably each have a bagel with our salad and that'd be good to tide us over until dinner."
Amira was already downstairs to wait on Weston. She wasnt sure how she managed to beat him down there in the first place, but knowing him he was being super fancy with finishing touches. When she heard him come down the stairs she turned and about melted into a puddle that very second. "Well are you just the most handsome thing ive seen." She said with a smile.
Lance nodded a little bit with a grin. "That sounds pretty good." He said and then blinked. "I'll help if you know a way I could do that too since you made breakfast by yourself this morning." He said and poked her cheeks.
Weston saw Amira as he reached the bottom of the stairs and when she turned around, he was momentarily certain that his heart stopped. His mouth fell open slightly and he started at her, utterly speechless. He took a tentative step towards her, clearing his throat slightly as he fumbled for words. "I - you - Amira...wow," he breathed, shaking his head a bit. "You...look absolutely ethereal."
Phoenix giggled when Lance poked her cheeks, playfully swatting his hands away. "You could peel and cut up the carrots if you wanted. I'm assuming you know how to do that, right?" she asked, pulling a couple carrots from the fridge and putting them on the counter before rummaging around in the drawer for a knife. "Or you could make the bagels. Up to you."
Amira giggled a little bit when he fumbled over his words. "Well, im glad that you like it at least. I was worried that you'd seen so many princesses that you'd just think i mimicked one decently and that would be it." She said and shrugged a little bit.
Lance nodded a little bit. "Well yeah, sure. I can do that." He said and then went about peeling and shopping the carrots up. Knife work was at least something he'd picked up on easily enough. Actual cooking though was still pretty damn lost on him.
Weston shook his head when she spoke, moving closer. "No...no, I've seen many princesses...I was raised alongside twelve of them...but I've never seen a princess as beautiful as you are right now," he said softly. He gently outstretched his hand to her, his awestruck expression slowly shifting into an affectionate smile. "May I have this dance...?"
Phoenix giggled and nodded, pulling out the lettuce and a bowl and beginning to tear off scraps of lettuce, tossing them into the bowl. "I'm glad that Lord weapons-manufacturer knows more ways to use a knife than just stabbing people," she said to him teasingly, glancing over to watch him as he cut the carrots up.
Amira watched as he walked over and outstretched his hand. His comment made her blush but she gently took his hand and let him lead the dancing. She smiled softly while they danced, the dress and Tiara, and the way that Weston was dressed made her feel like a real princess even in her own home.
Lance blinked and then laughed a little bit. "Well, we manufacture high end cutlery too. But through another company name. If its sharp or a weapon, its safe to assume that my family has it covered." He said softly and finished chopping the carrots and then added them to the bowl. "I never had much interest in all of that, but I still had to have basic knowledge about it."
Weston held on to her hand and gripped her waist with his other hand, smiling as he gently began to dance her around the room. Her dress was perfect for twirling, and she just looked so beautiful looking up at him with that pretty tiara on her head. He suddenly found himself wishing he could be a real prince, wishing his precious Amira could walk about in a tiara all day and live in a castle and have everything she deserved in life and more.
Phoenix blinked in surprise when Lance said that they manufactured cutlery as well and she shook her head. "Why am I not surprised?" she asked, wrapping up the last of the lettuce and putting it in the fridge, instead grabbing the salad dressing and coming over to pour it into the bowl. "You're a man of many talents. Weapons, cutlery, horses, languages...you know you amaze me, right?" she asked, gazing up at him.
Amira smiled up at him while they dance. She loved that crown on his head and the way the costume looked on him, and how happy he looked to be dancing with her right now. Part of her wished they could do this all the time, he seemed to miss getting to be a prince and she liked seeing how happy he was when he talked about his life before he left. But she knew that couldnt be a thing.
Lance laughed a little bit. "No one realizes we own the company really. Since its under my mothers maiden name instead of the Mercado family name. " He said and then shrugged a little bit. "You need to learn a lot when you stand to inherit a company like that. The horses and languages are really the only things you could call talents. The rest are just knowledge im required to know." He said and shook his head. "You are a treasure trove of talents though. Spying, using weapons, kicking ass. You're great at adapting to situations, and you're funny as can be. You're like the cutest little bundle of bad-assery."
Weston continued to gracefully dance around with her, occasionally dipping or twirling her. He didn't want this dance to end any time soon. Everything about it felt so right. For a moment, he almost thought he might have to let go of her, to run upstairs and retrieve the ring from his safe and ask her to be his forever, but he managed to hold back. Now wasn't the time, no matter how right this felt.
Phoenix nodded understandingly when he explained that the company was under his mother's maiden name. "Makes sense," she said. She smirked a bit when he said that this knowledge was just stuff he was required to know. "Sure, it may be required, but that doesn't make it any less awesome. Wasn't it the weapons that got me to tell you I loved you in the first place?" she asked with a smirk, reaching over and poking a spot where she knew he had a hidden dagger concealed. Her face went a bit red when he called her the cutest little bundle of bad-assery and she giggled. "Well, that's the best compliment I think I've ever had," she said.
Amira loved dancing with Weston. She loved just being close to him and doing something they both loved together.The outfits definitely added to it, she felt like a princess and he looked like the prince he was and dear lord was he gorgeous. She couldnt believe that this man was actually hers.
Lance laughed a little bit. "Yeah, thats true. All because I have a short sword under my bed too. Theres one behind my head board too at the villa." He said with a little bit of a chuckle. "Oh well good, its the most true compliment ever."(edited)
Weston tightened his grip on her waist somewhat, pulling her a little closer as they danced about. He loved being close to her. He loved holding her and twirling her and just knowing that she was his. "You know, if I was still the prince, I'd want you at my side as my queen," he told her softly after a long time of just dancing with no talking. "You're everything I'd want in a queen and more. You're caring and passionate and supportive and loving...you're clever and brave and creative... I know it doesn't mean much since I can never make you my queen, but if I could...well, I'd want you by my side to rule," he told her with a smile.
Phoenix giggled a bit when he said that there was a sword behind his headboard at the villa. "My bed back in Austemoir is a four-poster bed with a canopy. I'm sure you can guess how many weapons I was able to hide in that thing," she said with a laugh. She kept blushing when he told her that it was the most true compliment ever, divvying out the salad on to two plates and handing one to him. "Well, I appreciate it. You're pretty damn amazing yourself but I'm gonna need some time to think of something as clever as 'cutest little bundle of bad-assery'."
Amira smiled up at Weston as he talked she shook her head a little bit. "I dont need to be a queen. I'm your princess and thats all I could possibly want out of life. Besides, you treat me like a queen already." She said softly and leaned up to kiss him. "And it does mean a lot to me that you would still choose to have me at your side as your queen. You dont know how happy just hearing that makes me." She said once she had pulled away.
Lance chuckled. "Yeah, a good damn lot of weapons." He said and then shook his head. "Ohhh no I think it cant be matched. No no no. " He teased and leaned over and kissed her cheek while he took the plate from her.
Weston smiled down at Amira when she said that being his princess was all she could possibly want out of life, and that he treated her like a queen already. He kissed her back gently when she leaned up to kiss him, the dance slowing so he could focus on kissing her gently. He smiled down at her when she pulled away and said that it meant a lot that he'd still have chosen to have her at his side as his queen. "I know that Prince Weston Bradley would likely never have met you in the first place, but I'm grateful that I'm Weston Page the writer instead so that I can have you in my life," he said.
Phoenix giggled when Lance said how many weapons she could hide in her bed and she nodded. "A good damn lot of weapons," she agreed with a nod. She giggled when he said that his compliment couldn't be matched and she shook her head a bit. "I'll figure something out. Just you wait," she teased with a laugh, taking her plate to the table and sitting down with it.
Amira giggled and shook her head. "He most certainly would not have. Well unless he ran around with the Mercado boys in his later teen years." He said and poked his nose gently with hers. "Im glad that Weston page, the writer showed up on my doorstep though. I probably wouldnt have paid you any mind even if I had met you back then. I didnt have the best time with Noble or Royal boys when I lived at the Villa. They were all snobby and thought they ran everything and I have a tendency to sass people." She said with a soft laugh. "Well, with the exception of Lance and Aiden, but they were both really quiet people when I moved there." She said softly.
Lance nodded and went to the table and sat down, munching at his salad for a minute before blinking. "Wait so what were the plans for before take out, and then after take out, since we're doing that early? Were we just going to sit around here or?" He asked.
Weston chuckled a bit when she said that he wouldn't have met her unless he'd been running around with the Mercado boys and he shook his head. "Nope. I was definitely not running around with Lance and Aiden in my late teen years. I was studying and training with Sophia and being groomed to eventually become the king," he said, smirking a bit. "I'd like to think that even teenaged Weston would have had the sense to recognize your beauty back then, though. I can't assure you that he wouldn't have been snobby, though," he said with a chuckle. "I'm glad things worked out the way they did. It was hell getting here, but now I'm with you and everything I've been through feels like it was worth it."
Phoenix ate quietly for the first bit, looking up when Lance questioned what their plans were between lunch and dinner. She laughed a little. "I think we should put our costumes on and go pay Weston and Amira a visit, see how their costume worked out," she said with a shrug. "I bet they both look great. And I'm sure they'd like to see you carry me around like I'm a cat stuck up a tree," she said with a smirk.
Amira nodded. "I figured you didnt. I mean, they barely interacted with other men their ages when I lived there. " She said and then shrugged a little bit. "I used to have absolutely no time for men. Lance and Aiden often made the "this is why you wont marry" Joke with me. Because I'd end up sassing any man that so much as hinted that he had any interest in me." She said with a soft giggle before looking up at him. "I am glad that you got here too."
Lance nodded a little bit. "Oh yes, Amira will love the chance to tell me im finally using my long arms for somehting useful." He said with a chuckle. "Knowing them im sure that their costumes are completely on point. Amira was so determined to be the prettiest princess Weston had ever seen.." He said and munched his salad a little more.
Weston laughed when Amira told him how she'd had no time for men when she'd lived with Lance and his family and he shook his head slightly. "Well, you sassed me quite a bit over the last...god, it's almost been a year now. There's been a lot of sass, but I stuck it out," he said with a laugh, and then he twirled her before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. He was so lucky.
Phoenix burst out laughing when Lance said how excited Amira would be to tell him that he was using his arms for something useful. "I hope she uses those exact words," she said with a giggle. She nodded when he said that their costumes were probably on point. "It's going to be weird to see Weston as a prince. I dunno if I'm gonna be able to stop myself from bowing to him or whatever," she said with a giggle.
Amira laughed. "Thats true. But you needed to be sassed." She said and then looked up at him. "I cant believe its nearly been a whole year. By the time we go on our trip it will have been a year already and thats pretty crazy." She said and then kissed him back just as passionately.
Lance nodded. "We will see if she decides to tease me about my long arms or not." He said and then nodded at what she said next. "It probably will be pretty damn weird. Theyll be adorable though. We'd kind of get to see what it would look like if he could take her back to Autemior and claim his place as king, and thats interesting."
Weston chuckled a bit when she said that he'd needed to be sassed, and he nodded when she said that their trip would mark living together for a year. He still couldn't believe it. He held her close to him, kissing her with all the love in the world.
Phoenix giggled a bit and nodded when he said that seeing Weston and Amira today would almost be like seeing them as they'd be if they ruled Austemoir. "Except his crown's way smaller than if he was king," she said with a laugh. "As much as I fucking hate Henry and the way he treats Meghan and the way he uses little Wesley for his own gain, I will never not love seeing little Wesley with the crown and how they try to put it on his tiny head and have to hold it up because it's all lopsided...ugh," she said, shaking her head as she gushed over the mental image of the six-year-old who ruled her home.
Amira kissed him back for a little while until she realized she should probably start getting the little goodie bags for the kids done. She pulled away from him slowly and then kissed his nose. "As much as I would love to kiss you all day long. The trick or treaters arent going to be happy if I havent gotten the candy ready for them." She said sofly.
Lance shrugged a little bit. "Yeah, that seems like a thing. But it will be close." He said and then shook his head at the image of a crown falling off the little kings head. "Thats got to be hilarious to see." He said and finished up his salad.
Weston kissed her lovingly for a little while before she pulled back. He chuckled a bit, nodding his agreement when she said she had to prepare the candy. "You're probably right," he said. "Was there anything I could do to help with the candy? You know...so I can get back to kissing you sooner?" he teased with a smirk, taking both her hands in his and lifting them to his lips, planting a couple of soft kisses on her knuckles.
Phoenix giggled when Lance agreed that it must be hilarious and she nodded. "Oh, it is," she said. "They only put it on him briefly at the beginning of official business, but it's too much hassle to keep on the whole time," she continued. She finished up her salad as well and then looked towards him with a smile. "We should hurry up and get our costumes on. I'm super excited to see Weston and Amira now," she giggled.
Amira blinked and then shook her head. "So hooked on the kisses." She said and went and got the little baggies out and all of the candy that she had and started filling bags. "You can help me fill bags if you want to." She said softly.
Lance shook his head. "I would imagine that it would be a pain in the ass." He said and then nodded. "We should." He said and then went ahead and finished up his salad and washed up the plate before putting on his costume, everything but the hat at least and then came back downstairs.
Weston laughed a little when Amira said that he was hooked on the kisses and he nodded. He watched how she filled the bags and then he nodded, sitting down with her and starting to do the same. "Sure. I can do this. More hands means it gets done faster, which means more time for kissing before the kids start coming around," he teased with a smirk.
Phoenix finished up her salad as well, washing up the dishes and then heading to her room to put on her own
costume. She giggled a bit when she saw Lance not wearing the hat and she folded her arms over her chest. "How's anyone gonna know what you are if you don't wear the hat?" she teased him before putting on the collar and the ears and heading into the bathroom to draw a nose and whiskers on her face, not bothering to close the door behind her since it was only Lance and she was only doing makeup.
Amira laughed a little bit. "Well, now I know if I want more kisses I can just throw this get up on and you'll give me all the kisses I could ever need." She teased and kept working at getting the little bags finished up.
Lance huffed. "Im not gonna wear it in the house. I'll put it on when we go out side." He said and then shook his head at her. He watched as she left the bathroom door open and raised an eyebrow. "Whatcha dooooin?" He asked from where he was.
Weston laughed a little at her words and he shook his head. "You don't have to do that just for kisses, princess. All you have to do is ask. I'm always more than happy to give you all the kisses you could possibly need," he told her with a smile, continuing to work on filling the bags exactly as she was.
Phoenix giggled a bit when Lance said he would put on the hat outside and she nodded. "Fair enough," she replied. She carefully drew the whiskers on her cheeks, glancing his way when she heard him ask what she was doing. "My sexy kitty cat makeup, of course," she replied with a smirk.
Amira gave Weston a look. "Oh I know. Its just fun to dress up like this, and you have an excuse to kiss me lots more." She said and winked at him before going ahead and starting to finish up the candy bags. When they were done she grabbed a big decorative bowl and placed them it it and then set it by the door. "There, we're all ready for trick or treaters now." She said with a smile.
Lance got a little bit curious and walked into the bathroom. He'd never actually seen a woman put any kind of make up on, so he was wondering just what the heck was even going on. He saw her drawing whiskers on and got an evil smirk on his face, waited for the perfect moment and then gently bumped her arm while she was drawing, obviously just messing around with her since he tried his best not to crack up afterwards.
Weston laughed a little and nodded. "It is kind of fun to be dressed up. I'd forgotten how much this damn thing slides down, though," he said, taking the crown off and setting it aside; every time he lowered his face to look at the bags of candy, the crown would slide forward slightly and he'd have to push it back up. When she put the bags in the bowl and put it by the door, he grinned and nodded. "Perfect," he said. "It's been a long time since I got to hand out candy. I did it with Cassandra, and there was one year I had a roommate who asked me to do it for him, but the rest of the time I've either been staying in inn rooms and hotels or been hiding out in my space while the roommates handled it," he said excitedly.
Phoenix was carefully drawing on the whiskers when Lance bumped her, causing the end of the whisker in question to go way off-course. She gasped in surprise, turning around and smacking his arm. "Lance!" she scolded him, opening up the medicine cabinet and pulling out some makeup remover. "You'd better hope this comes off nicely. I used the waterproof makeup because I didn't want to have to touch it up over the evening," she said, beginning to carefully wipe her cheek clean of the makeup.
Amira gigled a little bit. "Well, mined got a little piece that keeps it on my head pretty well. Maybe crowns need those little things too." She said and then listened about what hed been doing on halloween. "Well, from now on you'll be at the door handing out candy with me." She said with a little bit of a laugh.
Lance chuckled. "Sorry, sorry. I had to. You just looked so concentrated that I had to go and ruin things." He said and stood behind her with his hands on her hips. "I'll be good now I promise." He said and kissed the top of her head.
Weston smirked a bit when she explained how the tiara stayed on her head. "Real tiaras don't even have those little things, princess," he said with a chuckle. He grinned a bit at her next words and nodded. "Good. There's no place else I'd rather be," he said, and then went over to her and slid both arms around her gently. "And then maybe one day you'll be here handing out candy alone while I take our children out trick-or-treating...and then I'll bring them home when we've finished the east half of our neighbourhood, and I'll take over the candy duty while you take them to trick-or-treat all over the west half of our neighbourhood," he said softly, gazing down at her.
Phoenix sighed when he told her he'd had to, gazing up at him after he said he'd be good and kissed the top of her head. "Fine. How can I stay mad at that squishy face, anyways?" she teased, finishing up cleaning off her cheek. She drew new whiskers on and then started to do her eyeliner and mascara; if she was gonna be a sexy cat, she was gonna go all out. She usually wore makeup anyways, but since she was wearing a black cat costume, she used all-black makeup this time around and went a little heavier with it than usual.
Amira shook her head. "Real Tiaras are not worth it them. I dont want to worry about something that valuable falling off my head. Nooo." She said and then grinned and nodded. "Mhm! That way we both get to go with the kids." She said and swayed a little bit as she thought about that happy thought. It certainly sounded like a damn dream.
Lance huffed a little bit and then chuckled. "Well I'm glad you cant stay mad at it." He said and loved on her while he lazily watched her do her makeup. The things women were willing to put near or in their eyes for the sake of beauty or face art was amazing to him. When she was done the looked down at her. "You are going to be the best sexy cat out there." He said softly.
Weston laughed a little when she said that real tiaras weren't worth it and he shook his head a bit. "Well, then, I'll make sure not to ever get you a tiara," he said with a smirk. "You know the stereotype of princesses walking around with books on their heads so their balance and posture are perfect? It's also so their tiaras don''t fall off their heads," he said with a smirk. He grinned at her reaction to his comment about taking the kids trick-or-treating and he nodded. "Exactly. That way we both get to enjoy seeing them running from house to house in their little costumes and enjoying the holiday," he said, hugging her against him gently.
Phoenix giggled a bit and then focused on her makeup. She finished off the look with a nice dark red lipstick, and she looked up at him with a smirk when he said she'd be the best sexy cat out there. "I sure hope so," she said with a laugh. "Now, let's go see Wes and Amira?" she asked. She'd already made sure they were covered as far as candy went, and she had a few bags of candy sitting near the door. She didn't have a decorative bowl or anything like that; she was just going to hand them out straight from the bag.
Amira huffed. "Yeah, I would drop that thing so damn fast. Lets not get me things that I will probably break or scratch up." She said and then snuggled into him with a happy sigh at what he said about the kids. She couldnt wait to have that with him. Well, she could, right now wasnt a great time for them to be popping out kids exactly. Would they manage just fine and dandy? Yeah they would, but she wanted to have things really settled first.
Lance nodded. "Mhm. Lets go do that." He said and grabbed her hand and led her to the living room and then put on his hat. He was pretty sure he looked completely ridiculous, but if this made Nixy happy, he was all for it. He led her out and then picked her up in the way theyd discussed where she would look like a cat stuck in a tree and then walked over to Amira and Westons with her.
Weston chuckled a bit when she said that they shouldn't get her anything she'd break. "Then are we sure that getting you babies is a good thing? Babies are pretty damn fragile, princess," he told her with a slight smirk. "When I was seven and Sophia had her second daughter, I had to be so careful holding her. And little Weston wasn't used to having to hold such a little person, and they were so scared I'd drop the baby, so I could only hold her when I was sitting down and could have her in my lap, and someone had to be right there all the time... I don't remember what it was like when she had her first kid, but it was probably the same way. I was only four, though, so I don't remember it," he said with a shrug.
Phoenix giggled a bit when she saw him in his hat. "Look at my sexy tree. Damn," she said with a smirk, heading out with him and locking up. She blinked in surprise when he picked her up and she giggled. "Babe, you know you don't have to carry me around everywhere, right?" she asked, looping her arms around him gently. She didn't mind it, of course. She looked around briefly and then looked back at him. "The view is crazy from up here. Wow. I can see my house from here," she joked.
Amira gave Weston such a look. "I'd be fine with babies. It was my job, well part of it, to help out new mothers with their children for the first few weeks of their lives. So id watch them so they could sleep, or help them get them bathed, or trim their nails or calm them down if they were at their wits end." She said and shrugged. "So babies I wont break, I promise."
Lance laughed a little bit. "I know, but its fun." He said and then laughed at what she said. "Now you know how I feel, I can never lose anyone in a crowd, and they certainly arent going to lose me either." He said and shook his head. After a minute they got to Amira's house and Lance knocked and then waited. Amira came to the door, saw Lance holding Phoenix and smirked. "Glad to see you finally decided to use your long ass arms for something useful." She said. Lance put Nixy down as Amira moved to let them in, shaking his head as he did and gave Nixy a 'told you shed say that' kind of look.(edited)
Weston smiled a bit when she told him that she was good with babies and he nodded. "I see. See, I didn't know that. I guess you learn something new every day," he said with a bit of a shrug. He glanced over at the door when he heard the knock, having been just about to scoop Amira up and carry her to the couch, and he blinked in surprise. "Trick-or-treaters already?" he asked, following her to the door. He burst out laughing when he saw Lance carrying Phoenix, though.
Phoenix giggled a bit when he said that carrying her was fun. "Fair enough, fair enough," she said, patting his head gently. She blinked in surprise when Amira answered the door and spoke the exact words that Lance had predicted, looking up at him as he set her down. "My brain knows we didn't bet anything on that, but my heart feels like I owe you money," she said with a sigh and a shake of her head, going inside with them. She stopped somewhat when she saw Weston and she blinked in surprise. It didn't even look like a costume on him. Between the crown and his looks and his posture, he looked...well, like a prince. She hesitated a moment, and then gave him a quick curtsy, being careful to make sure her dress wouldn't ride up. "Your highness...sorry, I just...had to," she said, her face going a bit red.
Amira blinked at Nixy. "Why would you owe him money?" She asked and Lance shrugged. "I might have predicted that you'd say exactly what you did about my arms." He said and Amira sighed. "Oooooh" She said and then watched Phoenix's face go red and couldnt help but giggle. "You two are such a cute couple contest. Lance really looks like a damn tree." She said and shook her head.
Weston smiled a bit when Phoenix curtsy and he shook his head. "It's fine," he said, reaching over and patting her shoulder gently. Phoenix giggled a bit when Amira questioned the prediction and she nodded. "Yeah, he used those exact words," she explained. She giggled when Amira said how cute they looked. "I don't think there's any contest when you two are here. I mean, look at the two of you!" she said, grabbing Amira's shoulders and moving her so she was standing beside Weston. Weston smirked a bit, gently holding up his elbow and grabbing Amira's hand, looping it through his arm. Phoenix just about melted. "See? Adorable," she said, shaking her head.
Amira blinked when she got moved and then looked up at Weston and smiled a little bit. "He is pretty adorable." She said with a smirk as she happily held on to Weston arm. "They certainly do look realistic enough." Lance commented and Amira huffed. " Well one of us is the genuine thing." She teased and stuck out her tongue out at him to which he gasped. "No way." He said and she laughed a little bit.
Weston laughed when Amira said he was adorable, smirking a bit as he looked down at her when she said he was the real thing. He couldn't help but to laugh at Lance's comment. Phoenix, meanwhile, smirked a bit. "He may be the genuine thing, but that doesn't explain the fact that you look so damn believable. Ugh. Don't tell Weston this, but you look prettier right now than I've ever seen any of his sisters or nieces look, and that's saying a lot because your man comes from a hella gorgeous family," she said with a laugh, putting her hands on her hips.
Amra giggled at what Phoenix said. "Oh dont worry, I wont tell him any of it." She said and then looked at Weston. "Oh I am sure that he does." She said about the portion she said about his family. Amira knew the truth, so she knew Weston would catch the irony in Nixys statement too. "So what are you two up to for the night?" She asked. "Uhh take out and then handing out candy." He said and Amira smiled and nodded. "That sounds nice."
Weston laughed a little when Amira said she wouldn't tell him, smirking a bit at the way she looked up at him when she agreed. "It's true. I mean, you saw Princess Rebecca. She grew up so lovely," he said, smiling a bit. Phoenix giggled, nodding. "Rebecca is really pretty," she agreed. "I think Alice is the prettiest, though. She's just stunning. She was what, six when you left?" she asked, and Weston nodded. "Yeah, six," he said. He was quiet while Amira asked Lance about his and Phoenix's plans for the evening and he smiled. "Did you two want a drink or something while you're here? I'm sure you didn't just come over to see our costumes and show yours off," he said, and Phoenix smirked. "Actually, we did," she said with a giggle. "But I'm sure we have time to stay for a drink before we go grab our food."
Amira nodded. "She is absolutely gorgeous. Ugh her hair is so pretty. She should visit again...I like spoiling her with chocolate." She said and huffed a little bit. "Oooh I can make hot cider or whip up hot chocolate really quick. Lance perked up a little when she said hot chocolate. "Well, hot chocolate it is. " Amira giggled. "Well, we meant to talk to you about teaching us how to make hot chocolate so we can try to make some Nixy tried back home....Oh and pie. We need to know that too." He said with a little bit of a smirk. Amira eyed him. "Well okay then...Come over some time and i'll teach you both." She said and walked into the kitchen.
Weston burst out laughing at what Amira said about spoiling Rebecca and he nodded. "She sure did like the chocolate," he said with a smile. "Next time I write to my sister I'll ask her when Rebecca's going to be down this way again. Maybe I'll send along some chocolates for her, although I can't guarantee that Sophia won't eat them herself," he said jokingly, chuckling a bit. He knew Sophia wouldn't do that. Phoenix glanced briefly at Lance when Weston mentioned writing to Sophia, still a bit concerned about the former Queen's impending visit to the island. When Lance told Amira about the hot chocolate, she nodded her agreement. "Yeah, I was telling him about this vendor in the market in Austemoir who used to sell this spiced hot chocolate that was just to die for," she said, and Weston grinned as he followed the three of them to the kitchen. "I know who you mean! When I was a kid, whenever we went into town, Sophia or my parents or whoever I was with would always take me to get some of the hot chocolate," he said. "It was kind of a big deal because we technically weren't supposed to stop for any of the vendors, but his hot chocolate was just too good not to."
Amira listened to what they were talking about while she got out everything she needed for hot chocolate, nodding about it being spiced. "We had a drink kind of like that back at the tribe, when we did have chocolate anyways. Theyd always trade for enough for the whole tribe, and they made it in this big copper pot over a fire, with all these different spices and things in it. We only drank it for celebrations in the fall and winter though." She said and shrugged a little as she started on the hot chocolate. Lance returned Phoenix's look and then turned to watch what Amira was doing with the hot chocolate.
Phoenix grinned a bit as Amira explained how her tribe had made the spiced hot chocolate and she nodded. "That sounds like it'd be a lot of fun," she said. She stood with Lance, watching Amira make the hot chocolate. Weston, meanwhile, leaned back against the counter and folded his arms over his chest watching them. Phoenix couldn't stop sneaking peeks over at him every now and then. He noticed, and finally caught her eye when she looked his way. Her face went red as he smirked at her. "It's the crown, asshole," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "I've only ever seen it in paintings and portraits and stuff. It's just so weird to actually be looking at the thing."
Amira nodded. "It was, it was suuuper tasty too." She said and went about making hot chocolate, glancing back at Nixy and Weston with a horrifed look on her face. "Nixy...You staring at my mans crown? Goshhhh." She joked and then shook her head. "If your man had a crown I would get revenge." She said, still joking. Lance blinked. "I'd look so damn weird wearing one of those things....And id be so annoyed by it. My glasses are annoying enough, thank you very much. Always trying to slip down my face." He said and huffed.
Weston laughed a little at Amira's reaction, shaking his head. When Lance commented on how weird he'd look wearing a crown, Weston smirked a bit, stepping closer and taking the crown off his head, reaching to put it instead on Lance's head. Phoenix giggled a bit at this, shaking her head. "I feel like that's probably, like...massively disrespectful, putting it on a non-royal," she said, but Weston shrugged a bit. "I doubt it," he said dismissively. "Besides, it's not like it really means anything any more. It won't ever be making its way back to the castle - not unless you want to be a hero twice over and pretend you found it in the mountains, but it's in good condition and they likely won't believe that it's been up there for fourteen years," he joked, and Phoenix laughed, shaking her head. "I don't want to be a hero again. No thank you. Being a hero once is good enough for me."
Lance blinked and pretty much immediately put it back on Westons head, much to Amiras amusement. She finished up making hot chocolate and poured them into mugs before adding whipped cream and then chocolate shaving and handed them out. "Being a hero sounds pretty damn exhausting." She said and shrugged a little before sipping her hot chocolate. "You people have exhausting lives, god damn." She said. Having experienced noble life she kind of knew what Lance and Phoenix's lives had been like, and Westons had to be just as draining, if not more when he was a prince.
Weston chuckled a bit when Lance put the crown back on his head, taking the cup from Amira when she handed them out. Phoenix did the same, nodding when Amira said how exhausting it sounded to be a hero. "Oh, it was. They kept wanting to parade me around and make a big fuss of me," she said with a shake of her head. "Like...I get that what I did was a big deal, but they didn't really seem to realize the kind of impact it had on me. I, you know...lost my parents and stuff. And for a family who'd lost their son, they didn't really seem to get it," she said with a shrug. Weston nodded understandingly, glancing down at Amira when she commented on how exhausting their lives were. "I don't. Not any more, at least. Now all I have to do is cook, write, and give good head," he said with a smirk, and Phoenix burst out laughing, clapping her hands together.
Amira shook her head. That sounded like a lot of nonsense she wouldnt have wanted to bother with either. She blinked at Weston, stood there with her mouth dropped open slightly, turned nine shades of red and then hid in the nearest closet. Lance couldnt stop laughing. "Oh man, she actually went and hid. Ugh thats so great." He said and then shook his head. "Amira come out, theres hot chocolate." He said and Amira kicked the door lightly in protest of that idea. "Well, shes lost forever." Lance said.
Weston and Phoenix both just about died laughing at Amira's reaction to Weston's comment. They watched while Lance tried to coax her out, and when he said she was lost forever, Weston smirked a bit. "I never did get to try seven minutes in heaven when I was a teenager. Time to go see if I'm any good," he said with a smirk, pleased that closets didn't lock from the inside. He headed over while Phoenix snickered and he opened the closet door just enough that he could step inside, closing it behind him. "Well, it's cramped in here," he said. It was also pitch black and he couldn't see Amira. He could just barely make out the outline of her shimmery hair. Phoenix, meanwhile, smirked a bit and turned to Lance. "You were right. This is really good hot chocolate," she said.
Amira about died hearing Westons words about not getting to try seven minutes in heaven and crept farther back into the closet. She huffed when he walked in and said it was cramped. "Well no shit, its a closet." She said, a lot of sass in her voice though it was only because she was embarrassed as could be right now. Lance nodded. "Mhm. I hadnt had hot chocolate before I met Amira, because my grandmother doesnt believe in delicious things APPARENTLY....But anyways we had it and it was like the best thing ever. My grandmother even got curious enough to try it, and then approved it being served." He said and shrugged before taking another sip.
Weston smirked a little at Amira's comment and he shook his head. "Come give me a kiss, princess, and then we'll go back out to join our guests," he told her. Would she be able to find him to give him a kiss? He hoped so. She had been in the closet longer than he, so maybe her eyes had adjusted somewhat by now.
Phoenix laughed as Lance told her about his grandmother not approving of hot chocolate until Amira had made it and she shook her head a bit. "Your grandmother sure sounds like a stick in the mud sometimes," she teased with a shake of her head before glancing at the door of the closet and then back up at Lance. "I sure hope that crown's not making him cocky. He's had a funny look on his face almost the whole time we've been here," she said with a shake of her head. There was a part of her that was somewhat curious about the truth behind his comment about giving good head, but she wasn't about to admit it.
Amira shook her head. "Mmm nope. You get no kisses. Mister all I have to do is cook, write, and give good head." She said and crossed her arms, though she was sure that he couldnt see her doing that.
Lance nodded. "Shes uh....Very...Cautious about the things we grew up with. She didnt want to over indulge us and have us end up spoiled, entitled brats." He said and shrugged. "He might be just a tad cocky....Just a little. Amira will put him back in place though...She doesnt fuck with all of that." He sighed.
Weston smirked, moving closer and reaching out slightly. His hands quickly found her hips and he gently pinned her to the wall of the closet. "Is it not true? I cook you all these meals that make you melt, and I write these books that...oh, I don't know, do whatever it is they do to you...and then I take you up to the bedroom and make sure my princess feels good and knows just how loved she is," he murmured, his face coming close to hers. "Besides, it's just Lance and Nixy. They don't care. Hell, those two slept together before they even went on a date," he said with a chuckle. "Just one kiss, love? For me?"
Phoenix smirked a bit as she listened to Lance's words, reaching up and playfully booping his nose. "And here I am, making sure you're more than sufficiently spoiled. Damn. Maybe she won't approve of me after all. Maybe I'll have to exit the Weston club of giving good head before you're a spoiled brat," she said with a smirk. "I mean, I'm assuming I'm in the Weston club. You sure don't complain," she added with a smirk. She chuckled a bit when he said Amira would put Weston in his place and she nodded. "She sure will. Cocky Weston is a total look, though. She should bring him out to play more often," she added jokingly.
Amira sighed. "It might be true, but im still not giving you a kiss. Now let me go so that I can return to the guests that we have in the kitchen." She said and tried to pry him away from her.
Lance laughed a little bit. "Oh I will never complain about that, not ever." He said and shook his head a little bit. "Im not entirely sure she really enjoys a cocky Weston." He said and sipped his hot chocolate
Weston chuckled a bit and stepped back, nodding. "Fine, fine. No kisses, then. But you can't go forever without wanting some kisses, and as soon as you want a kiss, I win," he said with a smirk. She had said no and had started trying to get him off, so that was more than enough for him to know he'd pushed it too far and needed to lay off.
Phoenix smirked a bit and nodded. "Good," she replied. When he said he didn't think Amira enjoyed cocky Weston, she shook her head. "Probably not. She doesn't strike me as the type to enjoy a cocky anyone, though," she laughed. "This hot chocolate is amazing," she said before taking another sip.
Amira smirked. "When you get your surprise, you'll be the one wanting to kiss me." She said and patted his shoulder before she opened the door and stepped out, returning to her hot chocolate and taking a sip. Lance watched her walk out. "That was not seven minutes, I dont think you two get the point of that activity." He joked and Amira just stared at him completely blank faced. "I didnt need the whole seven."
Weston raised an eyebrow when Amira said he'd be wanting to kiss her tonight. "I always want to kiss you," he said with a shake of his head, stepping out of the closet just after her. He smirked a bit when he heard Lance's comment, glancing at Amira when she spoke and then looking towards Lance. "Turned out I need more than seven minutes, so we rescheduled," he said with a chuckle. Phoenix giggled, rolling her eyes a bit before looking towards Amira. "This is some really good hot chocolate," she said.
Amira shook her head at Weston and his nonsense before looking over at Phoenix. "Thanks. Please dont make me make it every night for a month like someone in this room." She said and glared at Lance who looked around like he had no clue what she was talking about. "Hey look, Aiden pestered you too, I just showed up for a cup ok." He said and Amira sighed. "The only time you two acted like a damn team."
Phoenix burst out laughing when Amira requested that they not make her make it every night like Lance had and she shook her head. "I wouldn't dream of it. I'm not as mean as some people in this room," she said with a smirk, and Weston chuckled, grabbing his cup and taking a sip. He nodded slightly. "It is really good," he agreed. "It's actually very similar to the one in Austemoir, although there are differences," he added, and Phoenix nodded. "I was just thinking that," she said. "Not better or worse, just different, you know?"
Amira couldnt help but laugh a little at what Phoenix said and then shook her head. "Nope, not even close." She sid and then smiled a little bit. "Well thats good. If I knew what that one tasted like I might have been able to make something really close, but I never went there, and the boys lived in the mountains, so I never actually went anywhere near there." She said before looking at Lance. "Why do you live so far from there anyways?" She asked. "Oh we have a weapons vault with enough stuff in it to arm an actual army, well and other things I cant tell you about, so its safer up there than anywhere near a big city like that. Besides no one looks at you funny for having armed guards everywhere when you live in the middle of nowhere." Lance shrugged.
Phoenix listened curiously when Amira questioned why Lance's family lived so far from Austemoir, something she'd been wondering herself. Her eyes lit up slightly at the mention of a huge weapons vault, as did Weston's. Weston chuckled a bit and nodded. "And besides, it's good to have noble families that live further from the city because it gives my family easier access to towns and settlements that are further out but still under our rule," he added. "If there's a problem in Caershire, it's easier for the people there to go to Lance's family than to come all the way to Austemoir to seek help from mine. Lance's family has the money and the means to help with many things so problems are resolved sooner, and my family would just reimburse them or get involved if the Mercados can't deal with it," he explained.
Lance nodded along to what Weston was saying. "Mhm, there have been a few times we've had to do that, especially since our Villa is on the edge of the land that they rule, directly between the border and a town over there thats pretty susceptible to raids from the bordering country and Bandits traveling through the two places. So we've had to send armed guards to patrol the area before." He said and shrugged a little bit. Amira blinked. "Ooh yeah like that one time your dad made you handle it." She said and Lance nodded. "Yeah, that was a joy and a half." He said.
Weston nodded as Lance spoke. "Caershire is right on the border of Ingradora, which means we pretty much
need Lance's family to be there. They're the ones with all the weapons, which means they're basically our first line of defense against Ingradora, aside from Norwich. Everything along there is heavily fortified," he said, and Phoenix nodded. "Yeah. Ingradora. The asshole kingdom," she said with a smirk. Weston raised an eyebrow. "They're not
that bad. The conflict between Austemoir and Ingradora wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't have such a storied history. The people in Ingradora, though...they're basically the same as any of us. I had friends there, even," he said with a bit of a shrug. He paused, glancing towards Amira. It was very close to the Mercado villa that he'd killed Gavin - he'd been doing a patrol near the border when he'd run into his brother-in-law traveling with his steward.
