48 Winter is Coming (1/2)
TILLY was lying on her stomach when she felt Kiho collapse on top of her. She knew that he just had a warm bath so it was amusing to feel that his body was already cool.
[He's been going home late for the past five days.]
Anyway, she was already in bed when Kiho came home. When he thought she was already sleeping, he just kissed her on the forehead before he went to take a bath. He probably noticed that she was wide awake now and so, he just collapsed on top of her as if he was light.
[Well, I can feel that he's trying not to crush me under his welcomed weight.]
”Is my father being too harsh on your training?” Tilly asked him. ”My father can really be strict sometimes so please be more patient with him, hon.”
”Of course,” Kiho said. Then, he kissed her shoulder. ”But I was too stupid for going easy on Duke Prescott at first, Tilly. I was being careful because of his age. At the end of our first training session, His Grace beat me to a pulp.”
She giggled at that confession. ”Well, my father is old but he's still a duke. House Prescott might be known for our wealth. But I heard that during Father's peak, he used to fight alongside the previous emperor in wars.”
The previous emperor was Emperor Aku and Princess Nia's father, of course. Unfortunately, the previous emperor and empress died before she was even born.
[Right. Emperor Aku and Princess Nia lost their parents when they were only ten.]
She remembered that in her past life, Kiho once told her that Emperor Aku acted immature most of the time to cope-up from his harsh upbringing. The emperor didn't have freedom while growing up with the empire on his little shoulders. So when he became an adult and officially ascended the throne when he was eighteen, His Majesty broke free from his shackles– aka the nosy advisors and ministers that ”raised” him and ”took care” of the throne for a while.
Thus, when the emperor tasted freedom, he acted the way he wanted to without reservation.
”I believe that,” Kiho said later. ”Even though I was already fighting the duke seriously, he still kicked my ass.”
Tilly laughed at his vulgar choice of words. It rarely happened but it was fun to hear him talk that way. In fact, he even sounded sexy. ”I'm glad to know that you're getting along with my father.”
”You think so?” he asked in a suspicious tone. ”By the way His Grace hit me, I'm thinking that he secretly hates me.”
She giggled while shaking her head. ”If my father hates you, he wouldn't have given you the time of day. He's one of the busiest people in the empire, Kiho. But still, he invited you for training again and again.”
”Oh, I see,” he said, relieved. ”That's good to know.”
”What is Father teaching you, hon?”
”Just the art of hunting,” he answered before he changed the topic. ”How was your day, honey?”
”I kept the empire's economy afloat by spending your money on shopping.”
”How noble,” he teased her. ”Did you visit the orphanages and charities that you've been supporting?”
House Prescott had several orphanages and charities that they had been supporting just to lessen their taxes. But this time, she had a genuine heart to help the less fortunate. Especially the children. She wanted to give back to the community.
”Yes,” she admitted. ”I brought thick clothes and blankets for them. Winter is approaching and I don't want them to freeze.”
”That's nice of you, Tilly.”
”It's a rich person's job to help the less fortunate,” she said. ”Being nice is easy when you have money, Kiho.”
”I know that,” he admitted. ”But not everyone can be as genuine as you.”
”I'm just trying to be a decent person every day.”
”And that's inspiring,” he told her. Then, he moved to kiss her on the cheek. ”I like winter.”
She knew the captain was talking about the season but she couldn't help but smile hearing that from him. ”That's so random, hon. Random but adorable fact.”
”I just remembered it when you mention that winter is coming soon,” he explained. ”I know that for most people, winter is a season that makes their livelihood suffer. But personally, I enjoy it since ice is my attribute. I hope I don't sound selfish.”
”You don't,” she assured him. She liked that he was aware of his privilege. ”I don't have a favorite season but if you like winter, then it's also my favorite season from now on.”
Kiho let out a soft laugh. Oh, he was laughing more recently than he did in her past life. It looked like they were really growing closer this time. ”Wouldn't it be adorable if we named our future son 'Winter?'”
Tilly instantly got emotional.
In the past, she only named her son 'Winter' because she gave birth to him the first day it snowed during that season. Had the prophecy been wrong and her child turned out to be a girl, she was determined to call her daughter 'Snow.' That was how thoughtless she was in choosing the name of her child with Kiho.
But this time, she was really glad that they were having that conversation.
”I like it,” she said, trying to hold back her tears. ”We should name our son 'Winter.'”
”Are you sure?”
She laughed softly as his surprised reaction. ”You suggested it, my silly husband.”
”Oh, I didn't know that you'd accept it easily,” he admitted. ”I heard that most of the nobles go to the temple and ask the High Priest to name their children.”
”You're the father of my future child and not the High Priest,” she said in between giggles. ”Why would I ask a random man to name my son?”
He gasped at that. ”Honey, you just called the High Priest a ”random man.””
She just laughed it off. ”You're the only man that matters to me, Captain.”