"I am actually quite surprised it took the king so long to act on it," Alex thoughtfully commented as he, Ciara and Elias walked towards said king's office, where she'd been summoned.

It was just two days ago that Madia had been at the castle to see Ciara and explain what'd happened. Of course, she'd had to hurry home again, as the Water emissary was awaiting a reply from them. Luckily, it'd take far under a day for them to return on Aporo, and without the Water noticing their absence at all.

"I imagine he has been sending people out to see how far these rumors have spread into the kingdom," Elias calmly replied, rational as always.

"If that is true, then it is no wonder it has taken him a few days," she agreed with a nod.

Alex shrugged. "Well, we will probably find out now."

They turned the corner onto their destination hall, the only other presences being the guards at the door. She couldn't help but shudder the closer they came. What if he declared this was her fault? Still, she tentatively reached out and knocked on the door, noting the quiet muttering inside.

"Who is it?" came a gruff, familiar voice from the inside.

"It is Ciara, your majesty. You summoned me."

"Enter."

So, she did, sending her bodyguards a last glance before opening the door. She quickly stepped inside and softly closed the door behind her. She knew that was how he preferred it by now.

The king looked at her, then nodded towards the chair on her side of the desk. "If you would."

She did as she was asked, trying to calm herself in anticipation of whatever he was going to tell her.

He leaned back in his chair even as Narza crossed his arms.

"As I am sure your sister told you, some problematic rumors have risen among the peasants of my and the Western Kingdom," the king started out. "Just yesterday, we found out it originated from within our own walls." His jaw clenched so harshly she could see it from where she sat.

She almost dropped her own jaw at this information. "They started here? In the castle?" Surely, no one here actually thought she was being mistreated by the king?

"Indeed," Narza replied instead of the king. "It started out with some of the maids commenting on how the two of you had never been witnessed alone ever since your arrival here," he said. "It only went awry once this reached the commoners' ears - as you know, word likes to travel fast among them. Every time it got told, however, the more dramatic and grotesque the story became," he told her. "This was the kind of story which reached the West."

Now it made sense even to her how such an idea could reach the Water Kingdom. It was impressive how big a difference such a harmless conversation could make.

The king nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving her. "Which is why it is our belief this rumor best be dealt with before it gets any further."

She turned her gaze to him as well, unwavering as it was. "I agree." If it had reached the Water Kingdom, it had already gone too far.

"Good to hear." The king gave her the faintest of smiles. "In fact, we do have a suggestion that would quickly put everything to rest, should you agree to it."

Somehow, she wasn't surprised. He always seemed to be a step ahead in everything he did.

"Of course," she said before really thinking about it. "I would love to help any way I can."

A faint grin rested even on Narza's lips at her quick agreement. "If you would not mind, princess, we would like for you to move to the king's chambers rather than staying apart as you have been."

Her mind was brought to a halt in an instant.

"Move to-" She didn't even get to finish that sentence before she understood what they actually meant. "W-wha-?!" she spluttered, heat rising to her entire head, making her skin burn.

The king leaned back with a glint in his eye. "Yes, to come and sleep with me. Every. Night," he said, pronouncing every word clearly, so that they couldn't be misheard.

Meanwhile, Ciara was beyond a doubt her face was closer to the color of red wine than it ever had been before.

Narza sighed. "I am afraid that she might implode if you keep teasing her like this, your majesty." He turned to her, though she sat as still as a statue. "Please understand you are not expected to do anything apart from being present in that room, princess. The maids will create new rumors to have going around either way before a week has passed."

"I- I am not?" She knew those were things she'd somewhat prepared for upon coming here, but by now those mental preparations were all but gone. That is, if they'd even existed in the first place.

"Of course not," Narza said as though she'd said something utterly moronic. Even so, she couldn't begin to explain the wave of relief that washed over her at his words.

"We would not force you to do something you do not want to, princess," the king said, suddenly very serious. "Rest assured in that."

She nodded slowly as a question popped into her head. "Say, why is it we do not simply get married?" she asked the two of them. "Surely, that would convince everyone of our relationship."

"I sincerely doubt that is the effect it would actually have."

Narza nodded when he saw her confusion. "As a matter of fact, it would likely do the reverse and seem a rushed and desperate move, especially considering this kingdom's customs around marriage. Not to mention, we need every hand we can get if anything were to happen," he explained so quickly she could barely keep up. "So no, a marriage between the two of you would not be in our favor at the moment."

She blinked a pair of times as she swallowed all this information that was thrown at her all at once. "Which customs are these?"

The king sighed, his fingers gliding up to his temple. "You really have not learnt a lot about this kingdom, have you?" he simply asked, not aiming for a reply but rather to shoot down any confidence she may have.

While she struggled to find a reply to that, Narza helpfully stepped in with an explanation.

"It is a fairly well-known fact that we do not rush marriages here," he told her. "We like for couples to be at least a little compatible before joining in something as binding as a marriage. And that also applies for royalty."

She was pretty sure that wasn't quite the same as she'd heard at home. She was probably just mixing things together, though.

"Not that many marriages were dropped because of it, though," she faintly heard the advisor mutter to himself.

The king groaned, his gaze appearing steely after having been hidden behind his lids. "Now you understand, what is your reply?"

"Oh!" He was surely too busy for something like this. "Yes, I agree to it."