Rival Rulers

@ castle.

Although, Alexandria was clearly done with conversing, her mother nor father left. While the princess was ready to head back to sleep, it was important that stay until Dominic's parents arrived. Though she was sure she would not be stuck in the crossfire, there was no doubt that his parents would be upset about what had occured.

Once Dominic started to move around the room, Alexandria opened her eyes to watch him. But the moment his parents came through the door, Alexandria forced herself up into a sitting position despite the pain it brought to herself. It raidiated down her head, shoulder and the rest of her body.

For a moment, a frown came over her lips at the sight of the guards. It was understandable but she prefer as less people as possible to how weak she was. Though she quickly moved the frown away from her face and replaced it with something more neutral.

The King and Queen on the other hand, were quickly on their feet the moment the other two came in. They walked up to the door behind Dominic as they watched their reunion. "We are glad you were able to come so quickly." The Queen said softly. "And we are so sorry that this happened. It is unforgivable."

Dominic shook his head when the guards turned to step into the room. Despite the relief that he felt now that he wasn't the only wolf here, he didn't want to crowd the humans. He didn't want to disrespect them or overwhelm them more than this current situation already did for them. Dominic motioned for them to step out of the room. "We will be find. You are just a step away, should a need for you arise," he pointed out in a soft, yet demanding voice. Only when his father nodded did the guards turn and close the door behind them.

He turned toward the King and Queen, shaking his head almost before either of his parents could even respond. He was not going to let either of them apologize when it wasn't their fought. They hadn't been the ones to attack them. They certainly weren't at fault. Dominic cleared his throat, offering a tight smile.

"You need not apologize. This could have just as easily happened in our country. It is not your fault," Dominic spoke softly, stepping back toward his chair once he'd finished speaking. He was exhausted despite the brave front that he was putting on. "My parents will certainly not blame you. They are only here to ensure that the guilty are found and punished. Once that is accomplished, they will return home," Dominic added, not even going to give either of them the chance to disagree.

Dominic was the one that they still thought was marrying a human. They need not be here... especially when the truth was discovered that the engagement was off. That Dominic would not force Alexandria's hand into a marriage that she didn't want.

@ castle.

It did not go past Alexandria that Dominic was speaking for his parents. Though she understood as she was ready to speak for her own as well. While both of the pairs of royalty had had some time with each other, it was them that understood the side better. And it was them, even with the engagement null, that had more to win or gain.

"We will be more than happy to have the both of you here." Alexandria told them. Though her voice was growing weak. She was tired now, after dealing with Dominic and her mother. And the medicine and her injuries didn't help. Especially when she strained herself to sit up. "And even though it is not our fault, we are still sorry it happened."

Alexandria's father nodeed before stepping forward. "And I assure you that we have the best men in the nation on this. They will not get away with this." The Queen nodded in agreement before speaking as well. "They will be caught and justice will hammer down on them all."

Hearing her parent's words calmed Alexandria. She knew something was being done about the attack but she was only now hearing what exactly was happening. But all she could do right now was, hopefully, calm Dominic's parents. "Please let us know if there is anything we can do."

Dominic didn't want to leave Alexandria's side for even a minute, even after they had slept in the same room. He knew that she was safe with the guards that continued to swap out, in front of her room. They wouldn't allow a single thing to happen to her, they knew just how important Alexandria was to Dominic and to their pack, for that matter. Even they were desperate to find those that had attacked the convoy; their one day alpha and his mate.

But he desperately needed to wash off the dried blood and other things that caked over his ksin. Letting out a groan, Dominic squeezed Alexandria's hand before he headed out of the room with a promise that he would be back in a few minutes at most. He would shower and return to her before she knew what was happening.

Dominic wasted no time at all, heading out of the bathroom with a pair of sweatpants hanging loosely from his hips. He headed into Alexandria's room, rubbing a towel over his head to dry his hair. He was already feeling significantly better, the pain from the poison was more of a dul ache that searing pain now.

When he looked up, Dominic froze in his spot. Alexandria's parents were glaring at him and neither looked too pleased; Alexandria looked like she was either going to cry or rip her hair out. "I.. was.. gone.. for twenty minutes. What's the worst that could have happened?" He asked with a dry laugh.

@ castle.

"What is the worse that could have happened?" The King yelled out at him before stomping forward, clearly furious about whatever had occurred. The Queen looked like she could kill as well, but her anger did not come out in streams like the King's. "A foolish prince has decided to end an engagement in moments is what happened! Do you even know what you are doing, boy? You are changing the fates of nations without even a second thought!"

Alexandria looked extremely upset but her mood was rather difficult to grasp. She was both ready to cry and yell at a moment's notice. Though, for now, the young princess was rubbing her temples with her fingers as she tried to stop herself from doing either. "Father, stop." She said, her voice firm but not very loud. Nonetheless, it sounded like a warning.

"Stop!?" The man huffed out as he looked to Alexandria for a moment. "Did he even stop to think what he was doing? Do you realize what you are doing?" The King asked as he turned back to Dominic. "Your engagement is so much more than just an alliance between the two nations. It is meant to allow werewolves and humans to come together so that literally centuries of fighting can finally come to an end. And you stop it for what? Because the first few weeks didn't go so well? Because it was tough?"

The Queen stepped forward as she glanced over at Dominic. Her rages were still quite evident but instead of yelling, it came through in the Queen's eyes. An icy stare, and stiff movements. "I think it is best if you rescind your decision, Dominic. It seems to me that you haven't taken this very seriously. And I am sure that your parents are unaware of this. What do you think they would say when they hear you canceled an engagement that has taken so much time of serious planning. A few weeks is barely enough time for the two of you to get to know each other."

"The both of you need to stop." Alexandria said again, her voice now firmer than it was before.

Dominic felt the hair on the back of his neck bristle when the King turned to him and began yelling, stomping forward in his direction. His arms dropped to his sides as his gaze hardened, staring at the man as he continued to shout. His gaze only flickered to Alexandria for a moment and he noted just how upset she was. Even if she wasn't exactly saying it, Dominic was a wolf after all. He could detect her emotions easily.

Exhaling slowly, Dominic didn't say anything until the king snapped at Alexandria. He let out a low, warning growl as he shook his head slowly. "It would be of interest to you to respect Alexandria, in my presence. Marriage or no marriage, Alexandria is special and she will not be disrespected by anyone. Regardless of who they are. Am I clear?" Dominic's voice cut across the tension in the room, his shoulders squared as his head tilted just slightly.

His attention turned to the queen as she began to speak and Dominic shook his head slowly and deliberately. "No, the decision was made and it is not up to either of you to change my mind. You nor my parents will influence it," he spoke, not even directing his attention toward Alexandria. He wondered for a moment how she was react to what he said for it was the truth but there was no use in hiding it. At least not to him.

"I will not allow for my mate to be in a marriage she's not ready for. I will never," Dominic's voice took on a heavy edge, hard and angry despite the pain he felt at his words. "Allow my mate to suffer at my hands nor my presence. I gave her my word, wolves will never attack her lands for the entirely of my life. And as you will know, wolves tend to live longer than humans. I am but a phone call away, should she ever need it. For anything at all. For the rest of her life."

"Should that be a problem," Dominic only paused long enough to clear his throat. "I suggest you keep it to yourselves because while you rule here, you do not rule me. Should Alexandria's mind change, then the decision can be discussed. If and when that happens... until then, it is a final decision. It would do good for you both to remember that I am a wolf and she.. my mate. Should someone try to influence her, I will be aware."

Dominic raised a single brow. "Are we done?"

@ castle.

The King and Queen were both taken aback by Dominic's words. They did not expect him to be so forceful. Nor did they expect most of what he had admitted. That Alexandria was his mate, that he would upheld a certain standard for her even if they were not married. Even so, ending the engagement at all caused enough problems dor them to continue to push the matter.

Alexandria, on the other hand, was only growing more furious by the moment. While Dominic's words were nice, she wished he hadn't admitted that this was for her as now her parents would be relentless. Plus, hearing that it was her decision to changed his mind only upset her more. Dominic wouldn't even meet her halfway yesterday, how was she meant to completely change his mind?

"We are not done here." The King growled before taking another step forward. "Well that is all well and good, what exactly is your plan? There is so much riding on this engagment. I think it would be in your best interest to-"

A frustrated growl coming from Alexandria interrupted her father. She looked up at him, her eyes hard and cold. "This conversation is over."

"It's not over until I say it is!" The King bellowed.

"Fine you want to talk?" Alexandria snapped before ripping her IV out, and the other cords. She then moved onto her feet. The Queen was quick to move to her side to try and usher to her side but Alexandria pushed her help away before yelling at her to stop, which caused the women to step back in shock.

"Let's talk Father. You are currently throwing your weight around to the neighboring prince. He is not one of your subjects and you have no authority over him. What you are currently trying to do is his parent's responsibility. Additionally, he has made his decision, hasn't he? And, quite frankly, Prince Dominic is a stubborn man. I am his mate and have been unable to change his mind on anything." Alexandria glanced back ay Dominic for a moment before turning back to her father and stepping closer with shaky feet. "If anything, this is a conversation between the three of us as it doesn't involve Dominic and quite frankly, I am done with this. So make a decision, either I walk out this goddamn hospital right now or you both do."

The Queen headed to the King's side and grabbed onto his arm tightly, tugging him towards the door. He stood there for a moment before turning and heading out with his wife. She glanced back at Alexandria with worried eyes. "I'll send the nurses in on our way out." Once Alexandria gave her a nod, they went on their way.

Dominic knew that he held the true power in the room at the moment. Even as the king began to shout at him, his temper was the only thing keeping the room from being completely torn apart. If he lost his mind... if he reacted to the aggression that the king was showing, all of Dominic's promises would be off the table. If he killed the human king, there would be no peace between their countries. Not now and certainly not for a long, long time into the future.

It wasn't until the King completely yelled at Alexandria that his composure wavered. Dominic let out another growl, this time from deep inside as his hand balled into a fist. He opened his mouth to respond, to protect Alexandria because as much as he didn't want to be so attached to her, Dominic couldn't deny it. He would never stop coming to her aide.

But Alexandria was the one that spoke first, her voice coming out strong despite the entire situation. Dominic's attention spun to hers and he didn't budge an inch, not even when the Queen started to move toward her. As much as he was trying to control himself, he didn't want to end up snapping. That would do no good for any of them.

Alexandria's level of fierceness caused a swell of pride to wash over Dominic that he hadn't been prepared for. His features softened slightly, a smile nearly threatening to take over his features. Alexandria was strong and she was standing up for herself, and for him, in a way that Dominic had never witnessed before. It warmed him, just a bit, to know that she did have that ability. To rise up and protect those close to her. Even if Alexandria didn't consider Dominic close or all that important.

Dominic's thoughts were racing, shifting this way and that, but hearing those words out of Alexandria's mouth made his heart skip a beat. I am his mate. Swallowing, Dominic turned away from her just slightly so she wouldn't be able to notice the emotion on his face.

Dominic's back straightened as he moved to take a step in Alexandria's direction. While he wasn't keen on the idea of her leaving the hospital, he would help her in any way that he knew how. In any way that he could, if it meant her being even the tiniest bit happier. Dominic stood as still as a statue until the king and queen had left the room. Only when the door clicked shut did he move, setting a hand on her lower back as he tried to urge her back toward the bed.

There were so many things that Dominic wanted to say and do but he opted for silence because he was afraid of not being able to keep certain thoughts to himself. He had made a decision and he needed to stick to them, unless Alexandria decided to change her mind. "You.. should rest," he finally managed to force himself to speak once Alexandria was sitting on the bed again.

@ castle.

The princess almost completely deflated once the door to the room was closed. Her anger was only able to bring her so far in terms of strength. She was still weak, still tired and still needed some time to heal. So when Dominic came to her side and started to urge her into the bed, she accepted his help and laid her head back.

"I should rest." Alexandria agreed with him tiredly. "I just couldn't sit there as they yelled at you. It was... hard to watch. But it took me a moment to figure out what I could do to end it."

Two of the nurses then rushed in at the Queen's word. Though once they say that the princess was in okay condition, they took their time to be careful in putting the IV back in and the other cords, like her heart monitor. Once they finished, they headed out of the room and reclosed the door aa well.

Alexandria shifted in the bed until she was comfortable once again. "I can't wait to leave." She mumbled softly. Though, after a moment, Alexandria glanced to Dominic. She hesitated for a moment as she could feel the question stuck in her throat. But, after a moment, Alexandria spoke gently. "Did you mean what you said? That I could change your mind if I wanted to?" Alexandria lifted her eyes to meet his. Even though she wasn't sure she would want to, Alexandria wanted the option. "Or is that just something you said to my parents?"

Dominic hated the way that his stomach twisted when Alexandria told him why she had reacted to her parents yelling at him. It hadn't had the desired affect that they probably had thought it would have on him but still, Dominic couldn't begin to describe the relief it gave him that Alexandria had wanted to defend him. Even against her parents over something that was so important, Alexandria hadn't wanted to watch them attack him.

"S'ok, princess," Dominic spoke, trying to keep his voice as light as he could manage. After the argument that had just taken place, the last thing that he wanted to stress Alexandria out with was his emotions. They weren't her concern and putting that weight on her shoulders wasn't fair to her. He wouldn't do it. He never wanted to be the source of any of her pain. Just the thought alone was enough to pain him.

Dominic had just settled back into his chair once the nurses had left the room when Alexandria started to speak again. He looked up, raising an eyebrow. There was no way to hide the shock that flashed across his features at her question. Just as quick as it had been there, it was gone. He swallowed thickly, looking away from her as he mulled over his answer. Did he tell her the truth? That if she told him right this moment that she wanted to get married and she wanted to do it here in the hospital room, that he'd be okay with it? He would do just about anything that Alexandria asked of him. He wondered if she would ever know that... or accept it.

"I meant it," Dominic finally answered. His shoulders sagged as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He refused to meet her gaze, not sure he wanted to see whatever she was feeling. "But I also meant that should you tell me you want to continue with the marriage, without it being of your own doing, wholely and completely, then we won't do it. There is no use lying to me. We are connected, I can feel you just as well as I can feel myself," he added in a low voice. There was no use denying it, had she gotten far enough into one of the mating books back in his library, she would have already known it.

@ castle.

Alexandria glanced over at Dominic softly as he told her the truth. Some happiness swelled up in her as he spoke. She had been rather upset after he had taken away her option yesterday. Though now that Alexandria had it back, she felt more satisfied with the situation. No matter what, this was going to be difficult for Dominic, he couldn't change his mate. But if she chose to love him, if she actually could love him, wouldn't that make everything easier? She wasn't sure she could do it, but having that option open made this whole situation more tolerable for now. Though it also might make life more difficult if she didn't have it in her.

The princess reached over and gently pressed her hand to his head. "I understand," She said softly. It sadden her slightly that Dominic wouldn't look at her, but this was harder for him than for her and she knew it. "Dominic, I am not going to try to lie to you. There is no point in doing so, and quite honestly, I don't want to. I want to be truthful with you."

She ran her fingers through his hair gently before dropping her arm back to her side. There was nothing more for her to say as there was nothing she could promise. But Alexandria was determined to, in the least, get to know Dominic better. And she thought it would be easier to do so without the engagement over her. And knowing that Dominic would never mean to hurt her also took a lot of worry away.

"I need to sleep now and you should do the same." Alexandria told him gently before she laid back in the bed. "Tomorrow will be busy if we get to go home."

A chill ran down Dominic's spine as Alexandria's fingers moved through his hair. His eyes fluttered shut and for a moment, he let himself imagine what it would be like to fall asleep to her gentle, loving touches for the rest of his time. It would be like heaven. There were so many things that he would want to do with Alexandria as his mate but just the intimate moments together... Dominic thought he could live off of just those if he had to.

The thought of leaving her entirely pained him and he had no clue how he would manage to move past it but if Alexandria wished it, Dominic would. It wasn't something that he wanted particularly to do but there was nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for her. He wouldn't tell her that because it was the same story. Dominic didn't want to pressure Alexandria into making this decision. He wanted it to solely be hers. No one else's.

Lifting his gaze, Dominic gave her a gentle smile as he dipped his chin slightly. 'Indeed. I do hope that my quarters will be near yours. It is... safer. At night," he added lowly. He had no clue what control Alexandria had over where his room would be but he knew there was no way in hell he would be able to rest if he wasn't close to her. If he wasn't able to keep her safe, Dominic would never forgive himself if she was ever hurt again.

@ castle.

"I do not know how close you'll be but I can assure you that you'll be in the same hallway. You'll probably be only a couple of doors down at most." Alexandria told him with a warm smile. As far as she was concerned, that was quite close and should make Dominic rarher happy. "And there will be guards at the palace as well. Plenty to keep us safe so you don't have to completely hold my safety on your shoulder."

After a moment, she let out a pleasant hum before laying down completely in the bed. Her eyes closed as she turned over and rested her head against the pillow. Alexandria was facing Dominic. Although it was a little odd knowing that someone would be sitting next to her as she slept, Alexandria felt comfort in knowing it was Dominic and he was just there to protect her. Plus, she figured he would feel better being able to see her breath and this was the only way to not put pressure on her shoulder.

"Sleep well, Dominic." Alexandria said softly before drifting off rather quickly.

The next morning rolled around and Dominic couldn't have possibly been more on edge. The doctor came to Alexandria's room with a warm smile, his clipboard held at his side as he looked between the young wolf and the princess. "You are being discharged today, princess. The nurse will be by shortly and once she is, you'll be free to leave whenever you please," the doctor explained. "You are healing well and of course, I have written a prescription for pain killers to help ease your healing process. I want to see you in my office in two weeks' time to ensure you continue to heal properly. Okay?"

Dominic's leg started to bounce, his anxiety over the whole move growing. God forbid they were attacked again, he knew other wolves would be around. They would be defended easily but still, the thought was enough to turn his stomach. Dominic didn't want anything at all happening to Alexandria. If even a single hair was harmed on her head... Dominic huffed at the thought, rolling his neck in an effort to relax a bit.

Dominic turned toward Alexandria, giving her as good of a smile as he could. He didn't want her stressing more because of his stress. "So, you excited?" He teased as he pushed to his feet, moving toward her. "You'll finally get a chance to shower properly and rest in a comfortable bed," he pointed out. Dominic suddenly looked a bit uneasy, tilting his head to the side. "Do you.. need help getting changed out of your gown? I can ask.. the nurse to help you?"

@ castle.

Alexandria was more than pleased at the news that she would finally be getting of the hospital. She was grateful that they were able to take care of her and heal her up rather nicely but the princess was excited to finally be able to head home. Even with the lectures that would come from her parents when she arrived. But at home, she had her own bed, her own bathroom, and their food was so good. Plus, Alexandria would feel better once Dominic was off of the chair and in sleeping in a bed as well. Though, she had been surprised that he managed to heal at all during this time. "Thank you, Dr. Hillens,"

Once the doctor headed out of the room, Alexandria turned her attention back to Dominic with a smile. "I am very excited to head home. It'll be so nice, for all of those reasons." She agreed with his teasing. "And, even more than that, I am so ready to get off of the pain medicine that they have been giving me. I know it's been working really well but it's also been making me so tired so the lighter medicine will be nice."

A little laugh came from the princess as she watched Dominic tilt her head slightly to the side. It reminded her of a puppy. A cute thought but one she probably shouldn't share. "I will need some help," Alexandria told him honestly. "It's still too difficult for me to move my shoulder but hopefully, I'll be able to move it much more when I come back. So, yes, can you please get a nurse."

Soon, a nurse was in the room helping Alexandria change out of the gown and into her own clothes. While some leggings and a tank top was definitely not what she normally wore, it seemed appropriate to leave the hospital in. Once the nurse told Dominic he could come back in, Alexandria looked to him. "We can leave now if you are ready. The car is outside."

Dominic was reluctant to leave Alexandria's hospital room, even just long enough so that she could change into her clothes. It wasn't anything fancy by her standards but he didn't think any different about the way she was dressed. His heart still swelled and he wanted to move to his knees in front of her, confess his love for her and prove to her just how much he would provide for her. But he couldn't bring himself to because he didn't want to place any pressure on her. Dominic leaned against the wall outside of her room, pushing off of the wall when the door to Alexandria's room opened.

He gave her a soft smile, tilting his head to the side as she spoke. "Of course. So long as you're ready," Dominic agreed. He moved to her side, seemingly to deliberate with himself if he should try to physically help her or not. Everything that he did, Dominic struggled with whether it was the right thing to do or not. He never wanted to be the source of discomfort in her life. Dominic ultimately decided that it was alright, that he wasn't trying to pull anything smooth with her so she wouldn't mind.

His arm slid around Alexandria's waist and he moved at her pace, trying to be as gentle with her as he could. "This is.. okay?" Dominic dipped his chin slightly so that he could talk to her without being too loud. He didn't need to broadcast to the world what they were talking about, even if it was something so simple.

Dominic made sure that the wolves in the hospital gave them a wide birth, enough that he hoped Alexandria felt comfortable. As he led her out of the hospital, Dominic was sure to help her into the car as gently as he could. Even with the marriage no longer looming over them, Dominic insisted on being in the same car as her. God forbid they were attacked again, Dominic would hold himself responsible to keep her safe.

{I feel like this is awful. I am so sorry}

@ castle.

As Dominic slid an arm around her waist, Alexandria stepped into him lightly, accepting Dominic's help without a second thought. With the strong drugs still in her system, the princess still felt a little shaky on her feet. Though from the outside, it seemed she was walking just fine, the medicine caused her to get a bit dizzy from time to time. Even without that concern, Alexandria would have accepted Dominic's help. While she was much better than before, she knew he was still quite worried about her wellbeing.

"Yes, this is okay," Alexandria whispered back to him, offering a light smile as she did so. "You don't need to worry so much, Dominic. I trust you and I want your help." As far as Alexandria was concerned at that point, it seemed impossible for Dominic to ever hurt her. And, even beyond that, it seemed likely that the man would anything he could to help her if she needed it. She knew that being his mate should have taken away any doubt but after Dominic saved her life, she felt sure in that knowledge. For a moment, she reached up and patted the hand that was on her waist gently.

Once they were in the car and both of them were secure, they headed on their way to the palace. This time, they made it there without any problems. When they arrived to Alexandria's Home, the servants were quick to head out and attend to them. Alexandria's door was open for her and they bowed as the both of them walked out. The young princess waited until Dominic was at her side again, this time she quietly asked for his help before they headed into the castle.

The butler opened the door for both of them and bowed before turning to Alexandria. "Princess, it is so good to see you safely back at home. Everything has been unpacked in your room." He then turned to the prince with a warm smile as well. "Prince Dominic, your room is ready for you as well. Shall I escort you there?" Alexandria was quick to assure the man that she could escort Dominic to his room before heading off in that direction with him. Soon the both of them were on one of the top floors and heading down the hallway. "So you will actually be four doors down from me. Normally, visitors aren't allowed down here but I pulled some strings." She joked lightly. "But the closeness will make you feel better, correct?"

(Aww I didn't think it was awful at all!)

Dominic certainly hadn't been expecting for Alexandria to say that she trusted him so explicitly. When she did, his wolf all but preened at the sound of her words. He wasn't sure she understood what she had just given him but it was a bit of relief. While he still didn't trust himself to completely keep her safe after the assault, it warmed his heart to know that Alexandria did. His parents had enforced the wolves who accompanied them the entire way to Alexandria's home. Much to Dominic's dismay, the wolves shifted and spread out, forming a barrier around the convoy. It displayed how they worked so well together but Dominic was concerned it would scare the humans; to see the wolves up close and person without being attacked.

Dominic had left them with clear instructions, not to harm a human for any reason unless they were attacked first. Even the leers from onlookers hadn't brought a reaction because the wolves had never seen their prince as serious as he had been during the meeting that morning. Before Alexandria had woken.

Not even paying any attention to the servants as he followed Alexandria out of the car. It wasn't until he realized they had all bowed that Dominic was reminded they weren't in his country. Bowing and showing so much respect was just... it wasn't done in his home. Clearing his throat, Dominic turned his attention back to Alexandria as she requested his help. He was quick to slide his arm around her waist, carefully leading her into the castle.

Dominic tensed as the butler suggested leading him to his room and he was relieved when Alexandria turned down the offer so that he didn't have to. He bit back a smile as he followed, dutifully helping her move through the halls. Dominic nearly growled at her mention of how far she was from his room. He didn't like the idea of being so far from her - he wanted to be next door or across the hall. Not four rooms down. But he had to respect her customs, right? Chewing on the inside of his lip, Dominic gave a stiff nod as he forced a smile to his face.

"Yes. I do not know for certain but I suspect my soldiers are going to roam the grounds. Father has taken up that front and ensured we will be safe so I don't suspect anyone will attack us. Not here, at least," Dominic commented as he tilted his head to the side. He shifted his weight from one side to the other before nodding toward the door to her room. "Do you.. want to rest? Or what would you like to do?" He asked softly, deciding Alexandria should make the decision. "Perhaps once you have healed a bit more, you will be able to show me around the castle a bit more."

@ castle.

As she mentioned the rooms to Dominic, Alexandria could sense that something was not quite right. She quietly glanced over Dominic's face as she tried to figure out what was wrong. It was hard for her to tell. He had a smile on his face, though it seemed fake? Perhaps she was wrong but his stiff nod, and the fact that he didn't say anything out loud about the arrangement made Alexandria think that perhaps he wasn't as pleased about it as she thought that he might be. It was difficult for her to tell what Dominic was thinking or feeling, especially since she didn't have whatever skill he did. Dominic always seemed to know what she truly thought or if she was lying.

"Do you... Do you not like the arrangement?" Alexandria asked him. She had thought about saying nothing, but if there was something she could do improve it for Dominic, she would. But Alexandria was also rather sure she wouldn't be able to give Dominic what he really wanted. After all, the last few days, he had been sleeping in a chair to stay close to her, Dominic couldn't do that here.

The princess gave him a small nod as Dominic mentioned that soldiers would be roaming the ground. It was something she had been expecting after the attack, and now that the whole royal werewolf family was here especially. They needed to be protected. Though, while she had a fine time with the wolves in his country, she was still a little anxious about transformed wolves being around, especially at the castle, near her own people. Alexandria might be willing to give them a chance, but not everyone is. "We will all be safer with them here." She believed no one would be able to attack the castle, but in fighting would be a concern for Alexandria.

"Maybe I can show you around the castle tomorrow?" Alexandria asked softly. She knew she wasn't supposed to exhaust herself, but surely a tour of the castle wouldn't be all that bad. "And I would like to rest for now, at least for a little bit. Though, perhaps we can play a game before dinner? If you would like."

Dominic wanted to laugh at Alexandria's question. He wanted so badly to tell her the truth. That he wasn't comfortable being so far away from her because if something did happen, a few seconds could be crucial. If he was just a few seconds late, Alexandria could end up getting seriously hurt again. The thought was enough to turn his stomach. His jaw clenched at the thought but he knew that he couldn't argue over this. He was not the one in charge here, he did not have any sway in the traditions that took place. Dominic's mind was racing as he tried to come up with any sort of solution and he was sure that the only thing he considered an option, that Alexandria probably wouldn't be too keen on.

Instead of answering Alexandria's question, Dominic decided to address her other comment. He forced a smile to his face, wanting to appear as genuine as he knew how to. "The wolves have been given strict orders not to be seen by humans, not in their wolf form anyway. We don't want to scare your people. That is the very last reason they are here," he said, holding his arms behind his back. "They will mostly keep to the woods since it's easier for them to travel through. Your soldiers will keep to the streets and easier to walk through areas," he explain. It wasn't as if he was telling Alexandria information that needed to be kept a secret.

Dominic gave her a brilliant smile as he nodded, his eyes taking in her form for a moment before he looked back up to her. "A tour sounds lovely," he agreed. Dominic wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, before he had to leave. Dominic had no way of knowing when the next time he would see her would end up being. Dominic was still convinced that Alexandria wouldn't change her mind about him. If he accepted that early on, it would be easier to move on... or as much as he could.

Shifting his weight from one side to the other, Dominic shoved his hands into his pockets. "If you want to play a game, of course. Or if you would prefer to rest, that's fine too. After everything, I think you've earned that right," he teased quietly. His fingers arched to reach out and cup her cheek. Brush a bit of the stray hair behind her hair but he didn't budge, instead leaving the respectful distance between them.