~Lilliana

"My Lord." One of Corrin's staff greeted us as we stepped outside. 

"You can speak freely." 

He glanced at me briefly before visibly relaxing in demeanour as he spoke to Corrin.

"We've signed all the papers. What do we do with the Tarkans? "

"Send them away. We have no use for them anymore."

"Is the princess okay with that?"

"The princess is right here..." I interrupted , "and she can speak for herself. Corrin's right. We should send them away."

"My apologies, your Highness." The man said to me with a short bow, amusement shining in his eyes. "I'll do that right away." 

Then he was gone before I could even blink. Like literally. The man disappeared without a trace. 

"Is everyone here magic people?"

Corrin's chuckle filled the air.

"Not exactly. There are a great number of people still in the learning phase and some who prefer to not learn magic for their own personal reasons."

"I wish I could learn magic." I blurted out without thinking. "Wait... no. What I meant was..."

"Of course you can. And I'd be happy to teach you myself."

I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I mean I'm glad Corrin would offer to teach me and all, but that would mean I'd have to forsake the Laws of Amina. While there are several aspects of the religion I didn't agree with, I don't want to abandon it all together. 

"I know what you're thinking and the answer is no. " Corrin said suddenly. 

"What?"

"You don't have to give up your religion to practice magic. Believe it or not, a lot of my people do follow the Laws and their magic works just fine."

Oh. I didn't know that. I didn't even think it was possible. 

"There are people in Aella who believe in Amina?"

"Most of Aella believes in Amina in some way or another. We're not as evil and degenerative as the rest of the kingdoms are trying to make us seem. And neither is magic. There is nothing in the Laws of Amina that forbids the use of magic or even some other Aellan practices that everyone else is so offended by. It's all a bunch of bullshit spread by the rich and powerful to have more control over everyone else."

"Oh. Wow. I never thought about it like that. I mean, I did always think it was weird how magic was so evil yet wasn't mentioned once in the Laws. And I never thought to ask Isabella whether or not there were religious people in Aella. I'd just assumed there weren't. "

"You see, this is why I like you. You're so accepting already. Even though some of your perceptions of us are still a bit off mark, you just listen to my corrections and take them in stride. You'll make a great queen. "

"O-oh. Thanks."

"Of course. And I know you're probably still undivided about practicing magic. That's okay. " he smiled at me. "You have the rest of your life to decide. For now, how about we head back inside?"

Corrin's offered me his arm again and guided me back to his castle. 

"Can't you just magic us inside like the other magic man."

"Of course I can but I'm not going to." He laughed. "And that magic man is Hugo. He's my second in command so get used to him. He'll be around a lot. "

"Great! Maybe I can get him to magic me everywhere unlike my mean fiance."

"So lazy." He murmured and we spent the whole way back just bickering as if we had been friends for years rather than a few hours.

"You know, it's almost funny." I told Corrin as we stepped inside. "I'm the eighth heir and a girl at that. I've spent my whole life knowing that I'd end up traded off or married into some other kingdom and yet... now that it's actually happening, it just doesn't feel real. Like this is all a dream and anytime now, I'll wake up back in my bed at my castle in Tarka."

"And how would you feel about that? Finding out that this was only a dream, I mean. Would you be relieved?"

"Relieved to go back to living that same boring life I've always hated but never had the courage to fight against? No, not really. I don't think relieved would be the word I'd use."

"Good thing this isn't a dream then. In two days time, you'll be queen of Aella. No one can ever tell you what to do again."

"Not even you?"

"Not even me. We're equals, remember? "

I was about to respond when I suddenly walked into a wall I could have sworn wasn't there before. 

"Sorry princess." a deep baritone called out and the wall moved away from me. "That's the one downside to teleportation. I can't see if there's something or someone wherever I'm going. I learned not to teleport to roads and bathroom stalls the hard way." 

"Eugene!"

"It's Hugo." Corrin supplied.

"Hugo! My new best friend!"

"Did I miss something?" Hugo asked, looking at us curiously. 

"Nothing to worry about. She's just a lazy ass that wants me to teleport her all over the place." Corrin answered as he rolled his eyes. 

"Hugo, see how mean he is to me? Get me away from him!"

"I see." He extended his hand with a smile and as soon as I touched it, we were suddenly standing in the library.

"Woah! That's so cool! Does it always work so quickly?"

"Yup. It's a useful skill when you're the king's right hand man."

"I can imagine. So what else can you do?"

"Pardon?"

"Your magic I mean. Can you do anything else or is it just the one skill? I haven't exactly gotten a grasp on how this whole magic thing really works."

"Ah. Well there are a few more tricks I can do but nothing quite as elaborate as my teleportation."

"That's all really cool. Maybe you could show me some time. For now, we should probably get back to Corrin. You're not going to get in trouble are you?"

"For this? No way. Believe it or not princess, but Corrin's not as strict or cruel as he seems."

"Please, call me Lilly. And I know that. Just wanted to be sure."

"Well should we get back, then?"

"Yes. "

I reached out for his hand again and just like that, we were standing in the hallway where we had left Corrin. He wasn't there though. 

"Hmm. He's probably in his bedroom by now. It's been a long day. I'd imagine he'd be tired just as I'm sure you are at the moment. "

I didn't have time to respond before we suddenly teleported again. This time to Corrin's-no, me and Corrin's - bedroom. It's mine now too. 

But at the moment, the room seemed empty except for Hugo and I, and I was left staring at the man in shock. 

I know they carry different customs here but is it really ok for him to teleport into his king's bedroom with no warning like this? What if he had caught Corrin in some state of undress?

Granted they are both men but- ... but even I have felt attraction for a woman...

I'm quite sure homosexuality is far more common in Aella. Is this really acceptable? Or maybe... maybe their relationship is closer than I imagined. 

"I guess he's not here either." He said. Then he must have noticed my staring. "Is something wrong, princess?"

Before I could answer, our attention was diverted by a shuffling noise coming from the bathroom where I hadn't noticed the door was open. 

"Lily? Hugo? Is that you? "

"Yeah. I've brought your fiancee back, safe and sound. "

A few seconds later, Corrin appeared at the doorway in nothing but a pair of trousers which hung low on his hips showing off a toned v-line and a slight trail of hair leading to -

"Eyes are up here sweetheart."

My skin set ablaze as I realized that I'd just been caught staring. 

"I'm just kidding, love. You can look as much as you'd like. I was just starting a bath if you'd care to join me?"

"I- I think I'll pass." I stuttered out.

"Pity..."

His gaze trailed towards Hugo and he seemed to want to say something but must have thought better of it.

"I don't like bathing alone."

With that, he went back into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. 

"Don't worry about it. " Hugo said. "He's just teasing. I guess I'll leave you to rest now. It was a pleasure meeting you, Lilly."

"Uh... yeah. Likewise. " I mumbled a bit distractedly.

That was proof right? It wasn't in my head? Corrin totally just hinted that he's shared the bath with Hugo before, right?

What exactly is their relationship?