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gatesofember · 6 years

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Wheat fields, Bluebonnets, and Hedges: Chapter 2

PJO Arranged Marriage/Royalty AU Part 6

Rating: T | Pairing: Solangelo

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Summary: Now that he’s fully aware of his feelings for Will, Prince Nico spends his visit to Diana trying to lure his fiancé into kissing him, only to be continuously thwarted by either his guard or his fiancé’s obliviousness. Will, however, is more concerned with other matters — namely, his family’s ceaseless endeavor to embarrass him in front of the Prince.

Nico’s first day in Diana had not been a complete failure, but it hadn’t gone the way he had hoped. To his surprise, he might have even done well when meeting Will’s family. He had been quite determined to be polite and it appeared he had succeeded. Yes, Will’s family was rather odd and lacked some refinement, but they were friendly. They quite obviously adored Will—which was to be expected, as Nico believed it was rather difficult to not adore him. Nico had enjoyed hearing about Will’s long-lasting admiration of him. He’d also enjoyed the portrait.

However, Nico had been hoping for a bit...more.

When Will stayed in Divitia in the fall, Nico had attempted to get Will alone several times but Hedge had always been in the way. All of Nico’s attempts to get Will to kiss him had been thwarted. His disappointment had led to determination and Nico had resolutely decided he would succeed in kissing Will the next time they met. Nico would never admit to it, but he had entertained fantasies about Will sweeping him into his arms and kissing him the moment he stepped foot on Dianan soil. It was a ridiculous idea, so Nico wasn’t terribly disappointed that it didn’t happen. He had been disappointed when Will didn’t kiss him at all that day. Nico had given Will plenty of opportunities to do it. He had complimented Will. He had stood close to Will. He’d touched Will. He’d even managed to escape from Hedge! And yet, Will had done nothing about it.

Despite that, Nico remained determined. He vowed that he would get Will to kiss him on his second day. Surely they would find an appropriate time for it; they would be in Delphi.

Delphi, the most important Sororal city in Jupiter, was located just outside of Phoebus. Although they were both Sororal cities, Delphi and Venadica were said to be very different. Venadica was the City of Enlightenment, a place where some of the most brilliant sorors and consors studied. On the other hand, Delphi was known as a place for the entire Populus Romanus to gather and celebrate the gods. Of course Delphi was dedicated to ’the hunt,’ as well—Will studied there in the winter—but that wasn’t the city’s purpose.

The city was most famous for its pleasure gardens. The Gardens of Delphi were open to the public and contained not only stunningly artistic landscaping, but also an opera house and menagerie. It was partially the Gardens of Delphi that made public pleasure gardens so popular throughout the Romanus Terris. Its influence was no coincidence; the city had been a gathering place since ancient times. According to legend, the city was the center of the world, located at Gaea’s navel. Nico could remember Bianca telling him that late one evening when they had sneaked out of their rooms to play. They had giggled about it all night long.

The important thing was that Will was taking them to a famously beautiful place and Nico would not let the day end before he got Will to kiss him. It had occurred to Nico that he could simply tell Will that he wanted a kiss, but he had never seriously considered doing so. That would be far too embarrassing and improper. And, of course, Nico could theoretically be the one to kiss Will, but Nico would not allow himself to commit such a scandalous act. The only viable solution was to somehow get Will to kiss him, preferably without revealing too much of his enthusiasm about the idea. Unfortunately, Will was unlikely to do it on his own; as the Prince, Nico would be the one to initiate all novel steps in their relationship. Nico had been the one to propose, their wedding would be in Nico’s home, and Nico would be the one to decide where and when they kissed. So Nico had to somehow dictate the appropriateness of the setting to Will without actually giving the kiss itself.

“The room I stayed in was massive,” Nico said as they were traveling to Delphi. “You didn’t tell me that your home was so beautiful!”

Will was watching him with a smile that was sweet, kind, and so very Will in a way that made Nico want to kiss it. “Well, it is our best guest room,” Will said.

“But it was huge! You could have fit a stable in there!”

Will chuckled. “Rooms in southern Jupiter tend to be larger than those in Pluto. The weather is warmer here. Pluto’s harsh winters are what makes smaller rooms more common there; small rooms are easier to heat. But, although your rooms are smaller, you have many more of them.”

“That is true,” Nico said thoughtfully. Regardless, the Sun Palace had provided Nico with a clearer picture of exactly how wealthy his fiancé was. Of course the Palatium de Divitae was just as opulent, but it lacked the liveliness of the Sun Palace. The Divitae was kept clean and in good condition, but something about the atmosphere had seemed cold and dead since the Scarlet Delirium. Will’s home was just the opposite; it was filled with people and activity. Every room was kept lit, as they were constantly in use; the Sun Palace was home to not only Apollo’s family, but the staff and farm workers and their families, as well. The wealth of the Dianan family allowed it to not only inhabit a beautiful palace, but to truly fill it with their presence and provide for everyone who called it home.

Even the carriage was luxurious. They were taking one of Apollo’s, an updated model with a spring system that made the ride smoother. There was enough room to comfortably seat Nico and Will as well as Reyna and Hedge, and there was still room for Asterion to lie on the floor between them. The outside of the carriage was gilded like the Hall of Gold in the Palatium de Divitae and the inside was lined with leather. Nico was in awe of how beautiful it was, but he was also insecure about what Will might think of the Pluton royal carriage he traveled in. The seats were not cushioned as well, the ride was bumpy, and the design was rather plain by comparison. Will knew about Pluto’s economic troubles, but how did that play into his opinion of Nico?

“Have you seen Rheae Fidelium?” Will suddenly asked, pulling Nico from his ruminating.

“I have not,” Nico replied, wondering if that made him seem uncultured. It was a popular opera, but the royal family’s budgeting left the arts somewhat neglected.

“The current act in Delphi is performing it. I thought we might attend, if you enjoy opera?”

“Do you enjoy opera?” Nico asked.

Still smiling, Will tilted his head to the side and said, “I asked Your Highness first.”

Without warning, Hedge suddenly exploded, “That is no way to speak to the Prince!”

Will looked shocked, then sheepish, but Reyna intervened before anything else could happen. “Hedge,” she said sternly. “Remember what we discussed this morning.”

Hedge grumbled to himself, but didn’t fight back. It was pointless to resist Reyna; Nico knew from experience. Earlier that day, when Hedge and Nico had gotten into an argument over what constituted as proper behavior of a suitor, Reyna had grown tired of their bickering and reminded Hedge that she was Nico’s chaperone, while Hedge’s main concern should be Nico’s safety. Hedge feebly argued that he was trying to keep Nico’s chastity safe, but Reyna once again reminded Hedge that Nico’s chastity was her responsibility, not his. “I find it difficult to believe that Lord William poses a threat to the Prince’s virtue,” she had added. Nico hadn’t said it outloud, but he was fairly certain that he threatened Will’s virtue more than Will threatened his.

Nico cleared his throat to cut through the sudden tension in the carriage and said, “Yes, I enjoy opera. And you?”

“I love the opera,” Will said. Nico refused to admit that his breath caught just a bit at the word ’love.’ “ Rheae Fidelium is my favorite. I admit I’ve already gone to Delphi to watch it a few times this season. I never tire of it.”

“Then of course I would like to see it,” Nico said. He wondered if they would have a box to themselves. Last time they’d gone to the opera together, the box had been crowded. Perhaps this time, they would be alone, sitting side by side in the dark. Perhaps then Nico would get Will to kiss him. They would kiss while listening to the music of Will’s favorite opera and it would make Will so happy that he would think of Nico every time he heard it in the future.

When they arrived in Delphi, Will showed him the city through the carriage window. Nico’s heart raced when Will leaned closer to look over Nico’s shoulder at the passing scenery. Hedge had looked like he wanted to interject, but Reyna’s scolding hadn’t worn off quite yet and he remained silent. Nico was glad. He liked the tingling feeling on his back as he imagined Will leaning closer, close enough to touch him. To his surprise, he even liked the height Will had on him when his soft voice came from above his shoulder. Will had grown taller since the last time they’d met in person. Nico had grown taller, as well, and he’d hoped that he would have caught back up to Will’s height, but those hopes turned out to be in vain. It was annoying, but also notably attractive. Nico could admit that it was a nice angle to look at Will from. Nico had also noticed that Will looked rather like his father and his oldest brother, Lee. Both Apollo and Lee were quite handsome, which led Nico to believe that Will could only grow more attractive as he aged. It was an appealing idea.

Will paid the entrance fee for the Gardens of Delphi—technically a voluntary donation, Will explained, but it was frowned upon not to pay—and Nico’s hopes about being alone in the dark were confirmed when Will sent notice to the staff that he would make use of the Duke’s box later that afternoon. “Would you like to watch the nightly fireworks ceremony?” Will asked as they were exiting the carriage. “I must warn you that it begins after sundown, so it will be late by the time we return to Phoebus.”

“Of course I want to watch,” Nico said. “When will I have the chance to view the Gardens of Delphi’s famous fireworks ceremony?”

Will chuckled. “Then we’ll be sure to make the most of your visit. We have a few hours before the start of the opera if you would like to see the menagerie.”

When Nico agreed, Will offered his arm and started down the path that led to the menagerie. Asterion trotted beside them while Reyna and Hedge followed farther back. Will talked about the menagerie’s history as they walked, explaining that it had began as a collection of animals bought by an old Dianan duke who loved to flaunt his wealth. “The menagerie is much better than it used to be,” Will said as he paid a second donation to enter. “Long ago, they used to stage fights between the animals for amusement—bears and elephants, tigers and leopards. Their care improved after the animals were moved to Delphi, but the menagerie was still rather ill-equipped to house them. It puts quite the stain on Delphi’s history, to say the least. Thankfully, the Sorority has learned quite a bit about animals since then. Once, menageries were for spectators to gawk at exotic animals in cages. Now they are becoming more educational in nature.”

Nico slowed their pace as they walked in front of the tiger exhibit. “It seems to me that we are spectators gawking at exotic animals,” he commented as he admired the tiger’s coat.

“Well...yes. But we made a donation when we entered and that will fund research and improvements for the facilities. The animals aren’t in cages, as you can see. The enclosures are much better equipped than they once were. The foliage mimics the natural environment of the tiger and offers coverage, should she wish to escape from the view of visitors. The menagerie receives complaints about the animals not always being visible, but zoologists believe that it gives the animals a sense of safety and a degree of control over their environment. There are still many problems to be addressed, but this is progress.”

“I suspect the Sorority has had a hand in these improvements?” Nico asked.

“Of course. Menageries are improving all across the Romanus Terris. Delphi’s menagerie is by no means the largest, but it is one of the best. The animals are quite active.” Will gestured to the lion exhibit, where a cub was playfully nudging and pushing his sleeping brother. Ultimately, he gave up and lay down next to him to nap. “Delphi’s lioness had cubs not long ago. It attracted a nice crowd of visitors who donated to finance the cubs’ care. They are doing very well. Of course, the lions tend to sleep until dusk—many of the animals are most active at dawn and dusk, so we don’t always get to see it.”

“You seem to know a lot about the menagerie,” Nico said.

“I spent the last two winters studying the animals’ health,” Will explained. “I was here when the lioness had her cubs.”

“You delivered the cubs?”

“No, no, the lioness did the work,” he said. “I was only there to ensure it went well. Most animals don’t need help delivering. But anyway, would you like to see the apes? Delphi is particularly proud of its ape exhibit.”

They passed by the elephants and camels on their way and Nico listened as Will talked about them. He was quite impressed by how much Will knew, but mostly he liked listening to Will. He was serious but passionate and excited, and he didn’t seem to be anywhere close to exhausting the topic. Nico suspected he could spend days talking about it. Nico also suspected he could spend days listening to Will talk; he enjoyed the sound of Will’s voice. His Dianan accent was stronger than usual, which Nico found endearing. Asterion seemed very interested in the apes and Will babbled about the exhibit for such a long time that he only stopped when he realized that they had to hurry through the remainder of the menagerie to get to the opera house on time.

“Many sorors and consors favor the term ’zoological gardens’ over menagerie,” Will commented as they were walking. “They say it more accurately reflects the educational purpose.”

“Then why do you call them ’menageries’?” Nico asked. It seemed like a movement he would support.

Will looked sheepish. “I like the way it sounds,” he admitted.

Nico laughed, but he liked the way Will said the word, too. “Your accent is different here. It sounds much more southern Juvian.”

“Does it?” Will asked with a curious expression.

“You usually have a much more Venadican way of speaking,” Nico explained. “At least, on the occasions I’ve seen you.”

“I suppose my accent changes depending on who I have been around,” Will said thoughtfully. “I had not noticed that. It’s a pity that neither Venadican nor southern Juvian are particularly attractive accents.”

“I don’t think so,” Nico protested. “I think your accent is charming.”

Will’s face turned pink. Nico liked it. Nico wanted to reach out and touch Will’s flushed cheeks. Were they hot? Were they soft? They were probably soft. Nico wanted to touch them. Then pull Will’s face closer. Then kiss him. A lot.

Nico forced himself to stop his thoughts there.

“But like I was saying,” Will continued, still blushing. “Learning about the animals has helped us find out how to improve their lives. Tigers prefer to be alone, but elephants like to be in groups, for example. We do the same with our livestock.”

“Then we will need to make a proper ranch in Divitia,” Nico said thoughtfully.

“Yes,” Will agreed. “Divitia must be prepared for the cattle before our wedding. There are few options of suitable breeds that we are considering.”

“They won’t be the same breed as your herd?” Nico asked in surprise.

“No, they would not do well in Pluto’s climate.”

“I had not thought of that,” Nico said. “Your family has considered everything.”

“My family has quite the passion for ranching,” Will said. “My aunt cares deeply for animals, as well; zoology is one of her concentrations, along with gynecology and ecology. She has sped up the Sorority’s progress on zoological studies. She told me that her mother’s ranch inspired her love for animals.”

Nico sighed, remembering how sad Will had looked the day before when he told Nico he would miss being in Phoebus for calving season. “I wish that you didn’t have to be so far from it,” he mumbled. “When we marry, I mean.”

Will only smiled. “I will be happy in Divitia,” he said, just as he had the day before.

“Have you ever even been through a Pluton winter?” Nico asked.

“Once, about nine years ago. I’ll admit it wasn’t pleasant, but I will learn to survive it.”

A few absurd thoughts about methods of keeping Will warm crossed through Nico’s mind. He flushed. “What animal is that?” Nico asked to distract himself, pointing to a sandy enclosure with a pond and a large reptile.

“A crocodile, Your Highness. They are native to Aegyptia—wouldn’t do well in Pluto’s climate either, I’m afraid. Austin loves crocodiles; they are his favorite animal.”

“Austin didn’t talk much yesterday,” Nico commented. “You did say that he tends to be shy.”

“Only at first,” Will answered with a chuckle. He stopped and said a few words to a soror at the exit of the menagerie as they left, but continued when they passed through the gates. “Once Austin feels comfortable, he is just as loud as the rest of them. Loud er, sometimes. Austin is....” Will paused like he was searching for words. “He feels very strong emotions.”

“Strong emotions?” Nico asked curiously.

“He’s very passionate,” Will said. “It’s a good thing most of the time. It’s why he is such a talented musician; he gets lost in the music. When he’s happy, he’s a joy to be around. He has a wonderful sense of humor—and a cleaner sense of humor than my older siblings. Being a part of his family is...I don’t know how to explain it. When Austin loves, he loves with his entire being. Everything Austin does is loud and filled with emotion. Unfortunately, that extends to his negative emotions, as well.”

“Such as...anger?” Nico asked.

Will shook his head. “Oh, no,” he said quickly. “Austin rarely gets angry. No, I mean sadness. Anxiety. Stress. He takes everything that happens to him to heart and he feels things so deeply that sometimes it overwhelms him. He knows that he can sometimes experience things a bit differently than others do and he’s sensitive about it. Last night Lee made a comment about Austin crying around the rabbit, if you recall. That’s the sort of thing that might upset Austin, which is why Lee quickly assured him that he wasn’t teasing. Austin tries to control it, but he can’t help the way he reacts to things. I think he’s so quiet around strangers because afraid that his emotions burden people. It’s not a burden, of course; I only wish he didn’t feel so much hurt.” Will sighed as they ascended the stairs to the opera house. “Anyway, I’m sure you noticed that my family members tend to tease quite often. It’s always for fun, never malicious, but we know it hurts Austin if we take it too far; we’ve all seen Austin break down at some point. We take care of him—not so much that he feels singled out, but enough to let him know that we think the world of him. Oh, the box is this way, Your Highness. We ought to wait for Lady Reyna and Hedge so they can follow.”

Nico had nearly forgotten that Reyna and Hedge were with them; Reyna seemed to have been effective in reigning Hedge’s behavior. She constantly reminded Hedge that chaperones and guards should be present, but not intrusive, and it appeared the lecture she had given him the day before had been effective—at least for the time being.

“Now Kayla, on the other hand,” Will said when Reyna and Hedge got close enough for them to continue walking. “Kayla is a bit of trouble.”

Nico laughed. Early that morning, Kayla had found Nico to excitedly flaunt her destroyed Paris doll. She’d informed him that Menelaus had grown tired of Paris and murdered him in exchange for an apple. The wooden doll had barely been recognizable, as she had smashed it to splinters using a hammer. Nico had complimented Kayla on her thoroughness.

“A bit?” Nico teased, then mentally scolded himself. He shouldn’t tease Will’s family, especially not so soon after meeting them. He’d meant it as a joke, but if Will didn’t take it that way—

But Will chuckled. “Alright, she’s a lot of trouble. But so charming.”

“Yes, she is. Rather like a certain charming young boy I’ve been hearing about recently.”

Will went scarlet. “That...that wasn’t...it was all very exaggerated.”

“Was it really? The portrait implied differently.”

“I...that...uh...Kayla,” Will stuttered as they reached their box. “I was talking about Kayla.”

“Yes, tell me about Kayla,” Nico agreed. The lights in the theater hadn’t been dimmed yet, to Nico’s disappointment. He hadn’t forgotten his plan to get Will to kiss him in the dark. However, he was pleased to see that Reyna and Hedge remained at the entrance of the box rather than coming in closer, and he didn’t mind when Asterion decided to lie next to him.

“Kayla is a bit of a terror,” Will said, letting Nico take a seat before joining him. “It’s probably our fault for spoiling her so much, but we can’t help but favor her. She never seems to run out of energy—thank the gods that Chiron is so patient. When she’s not playing with her dolls or her blocks, she’s running around some place, usually causing trouble. She loves to be outside and making a mess of her clothes—which, by the way, she loves. She has quite the obsession with pretty dresses. Unfortunately, she also has a tendency to ruin them after only a few wears, so she goes through dresses fairly quickly. It doesn’t help that she keeps getting taller.”

“Hazel loves her dresses, as well,” Nico said with a chuckle. “Not to the point of an obsession, but she is revolted by the idea of ever wearing breeches. I have been trying to convince her that they are much more practical for fencing, but she will not listen.”

“That’s right, you were helping her learn to fence,” Will said, lowering his voice as the lights dimmed. “Lee and Michael both enjoy archery and they have been pleading for Chiron to let them teach Kayla, but he hasn’t allowed it. Kayla has shown a great deal of interest in the sport, but...well. We are hesitant to give her sharp objects.”

“Understandable,” Nico replied in a whisper. The crowd was growing quieter, but the orchestra was still playing the overture. “Sometimes I worry Hazel is a little bit too happy to strike the training dummy—or me, when we spar. I keep telling her she isn’t meant to stab, but she hasn’t listened.”

“I admit I know little about the sport, but I thought you were supposed to stab?” Will said, cocking his head to the side in a rather adorable display of confusion. Nico wanted to kiss the subtle pout off his face.

“Well, yes, in the Juvian school of fencing,” Nico said, ignoring the voices in his head screaming for him to just grab Will and kiss him. “The Plutonian school is different. Hazel would probably prefer the Juvian school.”

“And which would you prefer, Your Highness?”

Nico thought for a moment. Ordinarily, he would have immediately declared that the Juvian school was barbaric, but when Will asked, he was forced to admit that he had a great deal of respect for the style. “I cannot say,” Nico eventually replied. “I am comfortable with the Pluton school, but I don’t deny that the Juvian school intrigues me, as well. But I think the show is about to start; we will talk more at intermission.”

Will agreed and turned to the stage, which offered Nico an opportunity to admire Will’s profile. He stopped as soon as he realized he was doing it and turned to watch the performance. Rheae Fidelium—which was old Pluton for “Rhea the Faithful”—was a well-known opera about Rhea’s role in the war between the Titans and the Protogenoi. It was not an uncommon topic; the war was a frequent subject in art and music, particularly Rhea’s role in it. When the Protogenoi’s mutinous children rose up against them, Rhea was the only Titan who remained loyal. The first act of the opera followed Rhea’s struggle with her conflicting allegiances to her parents and her husband. It ended with the downfall of Ouranos solidifying her resolution to return to Gaea’s side.

Nico felt disappointed when the entr’acte began at intermission. He had been too focused on the opera to get Will to kiss him. The lights were raised between the acts, which made the atmosphere much less suitable for kissing.

Will, however, seemed delighted. He asked Nico what he thought of the opera, then babbled about how much he loved it before leaning back in his seat, smiling, and saying something that shocked Nico. “This opera house is where my father met my mother.”

Nico tried not to show his surprise. “Your mother?”

“My birth mother,” Will clarified. “Not my stepmother. Daphne met my father at an arranged meeting, of course.”

“I see,” Nico said as he tried to organize his thoughts. He was not sure how to respond; he did not mind that Will was natural-born, but usually such things were not mentioned in polite conversation.

“How did they meet?” Nico asked, pushing aside his astonishment. Will was sharing a private story with him and Nico was honored to hear it.

“She was a singer,” Will said. “My father always told me that he fell for her the instant he heard her voice. After the performance, he asked to see her and they spent the rest of the day together around the park. He went back to listen to her sing every day.”

“Was Daphne there?” Nico asked before he could restrain himself.

Will gave Nico a bashful smile. “I was too nervous to ask,” he admitted. “I’m not sure that either of them are willing to offer that information.”

“I did not mean to intrude—” Nico started.

“Not at all,” Will replied. “I have no secrets from you, Your Highness. Anything you wish to know, ask.”

Nico chewed the inside of his lip in thought for a brief moment, and then, before he could change his mind, he asked, “How did your stepmother react to your birth?”

“I don’t know what my father and stepmother’s relationship was like at the time,” Will admitted. “I was my father’s first illegitimate child; I don’t know if she reacted differently to my birth than she did to Austin’s, but she accepted Austin into the family without question.”

“And what is her relationship with your father like now?” Nico asked, because he had been a bit confused the day before when Apollo was seated next to both his wife and his lover at dinner. “I mean—you don’t have to answer that.”

“I don’t mind,” Will said. “I am what I am, Your Highness, and there’s no point in being ashamed of that.”

“Of course, I didn’t mean to imply...I...I don’t mind. That you’re natural-born. It doesn’t matter to me—if you were worried, that is.”

Will’s smile was calm even though Nico’s hands were shaking. “I didn’t think you would mind, but thank you for saying that. As for my parents—my father and stepmother, that is—they don’t hate each other, but they don’t particularly get along, either. My father married her because he fell in love, my stepmother accepted because of his wealth and influence. I think....” Will stopped and cleared his throat. “I’ve never told anyone this, but I think my father is still a bit in love with my stepmother. I’ve always thought that he seems a bit sad after they fight. I think my stepmother cares for him, too, in a way. If you pay attention, you’ll start to see that she always seems to be looking out for him. They are good parents. Even if things between them aren’t quite right, they will work together for the family.”

“And what about Hyacinthus?” Nico asked.

“My father has a history of lovers,” Will said with a chuckle. “He falls in love easily, but he has been quite monogamous to Hyacinth lately—apart from a few brief affairs, but he and Hyacinth don’t mind that. Although, Hyacinth’s relationship with the Earl of Favonius has been going on for a few years now. My father is a bit insecure about it; I think he’s afraid of losing Hyacinth. Hyacinth is special to him.”

“Hyacinthus has another lover?”

“It’s confusing, I know,” Will said. “Such is my father’s life.”

“But what about your birth mother? What happened to her?”

Will sighed and folded his hands over his lap, looking less at ease and more artificially composed. “She left,” Will answered. “After she gave birth to me, she stayed as my wet nurse for a short time, and then she left.”

Nico nodded solemnly. His own birth mother had also been his wet nurse, then she was a governess for both Nico and Bianca. He remembered her fondly, despite being ignorant of their relationship as kin. Will had not been given even that much.

“My father always told me that he was absolutely in love with her, but she had dreams that were too big for her to stay in one place for long,” Will continued. “He said that she saw I would be cared for and left to continue singing.”

“And do you know where she is now?” Nico asked.

“No,” Will answered. “I am not even sure that she is alive. My father said that she was in a traveling act for a time, then he lost track of her. She has never contacted since.”

“Have you tried to find her?”

Will shook his head. “No. I’ve never felt a need to. She gave birth to me, she fed me, and those were the only roles we were meant to play in each other’s lives. Daphne is my mother. There are plenty of other women in my life who play that role, as well. Perhaps it is cold or ungrateful of me to say this, but I don’t think I need her. I am quite happy with the family I have.”

Nico wished he felt so at peace. He considered Persephone to be his mother as much as Lady Maria, of course, but he felt dirtied whenever he thought about his illegitimacy.

I will tell him after we are married, Nico thought. The King and Queen Consort had asked him to swear not to tell anyone, even Hazel, at least until she was older. “It is a family secret,” they’d told him. Nico had broken that promise twice: with Hestia and with Reyna, and only after asking for permission. Truthfully, Nico hadn’t needed to be sworn to secrecy; he was too terrified of rejection to tell anyone. He’d only told Hestia and Reyna because he trusted them to not judge him or leave him.

Nico knew he could trust Will with that secret, yet he still felt afraid. Will was natural-born; it wouldn’t matter to him, would it? Nico decided that he would wait until after the wedding. When Nico married, Will would become part of the Pluton royal family. Then Nico could tell him.

And if it did disgust Will, by then it would be too late for him to leave Nico.

“My brother Austin receives letters from his mother,” Will suddenly said. “It was almost the same story: our father heard her compositions and went to meet her, then instantly fell in love. Like my birth mother, she had dreams that were too big to be contained by one city, so she left after ensuring Austin would be cared for. But for some reason, she stayed in contact even though my mother did not.”

When Nico turned to look at him, Will’s head was tilted to the side and he was frowning like he was trying to solve a difficult problem. Impulsively, Nico reached out and put his hand on top of Will’s. Will glanced at their hands in surprise, but he didn’t make any move to pull away.

“I don’t mean to complain,” Will said, offering Nico a smile. “But I do admit, as a child, it was...confusing when Austin received letters but I did not. But perhaps my mother was unable to. Perhaps she is not even alive. Perhaps we were simply not meant to have a relationship. Whatever the case, I’m happy with my family. I feel very blessed to have them.”

“I imagine that you must have questions,” Nico said slowly, struggling to find the right words. “You were not left with many answers.”

“One thing that I have learned as a student in Venadica is that some questions will not be answered in my lifetime, others will never be answered, and still more should remain unanswered, at least until we are ready for the consequences that come along with that knowledge. This is something I must simply accept.”

Nico looked down and saw that his hand was still on top of Will’s. He had no desire to move it.

“Well, I...I think that she’s certainly made a poor choice, if she is alive. She should know what a fine young man you’ve grown into. I’d imagine everyone’s life could be a bit better with you in it.”

Will didn’t say anything, but when Nico looked up, Will was staring at him with a gaze so intense that it held him captive. He looked handsome. With the freckles splashed across his cheeks, his untamable curls of blond, and the soft, subtle part of his lips, just glancing at him made Nico nervous and excited. Then there was the tender look in Will’s eyes: a soft but passionate depth that made Nico feel like his heart was going to burst.

Will had no idea what effect he had on Nico; that much was obvious. Nico had once assumed that Will knew exactly how charming he was, but as he had gotten to know Will by watching his behavior and carefully reading over his letters, he had begun to realize that Will was not only sincere, but also was tragically unaware of how hard he’d made Nico fall for him. It was so frustrating to know that even when Will looked at him like that, it meant absolutely nothing. Will wasn’t trying to send Nico a secret message and he wasn’t trying to entice Nico. Will really was just looking at him. And yet, the things that simple look did to Nico....

He wanted to kiss Will. Will was so close, just inches away. Nico wanted to lift their joined hands and kiss Will’s fingers. He could easily lean over and press his lips against Will’s cheek. No one would be looking at their box. It would be so easy, and it would feel so nice.

Nico suddenly recalled a thought he’d had when he’d first been introduced to Will in Divitia, before their betrothal had even been decided. He’d thought that Will’s appearance was adequate, but nothing special, and had decided that was good; a terribly attractive suitor would have made him feel nervous and caused him to make a fool of himself.

How had he thought Will’s appearance was merely adequate at the time? Had Nico not looked hard enough? Had Will changed as he’d grown over the last year? Perhaps Nico had simply been blind to it until Will had woven into his heart and opened his eyes.

And yes: as Nico had predicted, having a terribly attractive suitor did indeed cause him to make a complete fool of himself. He thought about Will every day, sometimes sitting alone and making up fantasies in his head for hours on end. He’d embarrassed himself on more than one occasion by revealing his enthusiasm for one of Will’s newly arrived letters in front of an audience. He blushed and stuttered when he was supposed to be calm and poised. His mind was muddled by rosy clouds whenever he spoke to Will. And then there was Nico’s obscene desire to touch—no, his need to touch. There was a persistent voice in Nico’s mind demanding constant physical contact, and even when there was physical contact, it demanded more. Now touch him with both hands, it would say. Hold him more tightly. Step closer. Touch his face. Touch his neck. Kiss him.

Nico tried not to listen to that voice, but it was too compelling to resist at times. He couldn’t take his hand away from where it rested upon Will’s. Even when the next act of the opera began, Nico hadn’t bothered to move it. His hands felt like they were sweating and shaking and he wanted to adjust his hold, but he was afraid that even the smallest movement would mean the end of that static touch.

He found himself unable to follow the opera over the commands in his head for more Will. He could move a bit closer. He could entangle his fingers with Will’s. He could lean over and use Will’s shoulder as a pillow. He could kiss Will. Gods, he wanted to kiss Will—but Nico couldn’t do that, no. That would be far too brazen for a prince.

Nico gave in to one of the least scandalous impulses and shifted his hand to link his fingers with Will’s. It felt better that way. Nico liked how their hands fit together.

He caught Will glancing at him and immediately looked away, not wanting Will to know exactly how much he’d been staring. He embarrassed himself enough around Will as it was. It would be nice to preserve at least some of his dignity. If he suddenly kissed Will, he would seem horribly unrefined; he had to somehow manage to get Will to do it instead. Will always behaved perfectly; why couldn’t Nico be more like that?

But there had been a few times that Will had breached the rules of etiquette. The first had been at the beginning of their initial arranged marriage meeting, when Will had nudged Nico’s foot with his own. Why hadn’t Will done anything like that again? Why was it that the only touch Will ever initiated was when he offered his arm to escort Nico? Had Will tired of him?

Nico squeezed Will’s hand without meaning to. Will’s eyes, which had drifted to the performance again, snapped back to look at him. Nico smiled before quickly looking away, too nervous to use it as an opportunity to get Will to kiss him.

Nico knew that his fears were groundless. Will wouldn’t initiate touch because Nico was a prince, simple as that. Any rare moments when Will had breached that social norm had been exceptions to Will’s usual gentlemanly behavior. However, knowing that Will occasionally acted on impulse gave Nico hope. Perhaps if Nico managed to catch Will off guard, Will would be so overcome with his desire to kiss Nico that he would just do it.

That was what Nico had been counting on the day before. He’d said such nice things to Will, he’d complimented Will’s appearance, he’d even touched Will’s hand and arm far more than etiquette required. He had even touched Will’s ankle at dinner, futilely hoping that it would remind Will of the way he’d touched Nico’s at their first marriage consultation and then ignite such a passion in Will that he had to kiss Nico.

All Nico’s hard work had been in vain; Will had not seemed to understand Nico’s intentions at all. Perhaps if Nico pushed him a bit more, he would finally figure out what Nico wanted. Of course, Nico would have to find a way to keep Reyna and Hedge distracted.

However, this was all based on the assumption that Will wanted to kiss him. It was entirely possible that Will simply had no desire to do so, but Nico thought that was unlikely. After all, Will’s family had quite clearly alluded to Will’s long-lasting admiration of Nico the evening before. Nico simply hadn’t pushed Will hard enough yet. If Nico kept trying, Will was bound to understand at some point, wasn’t he?

The opera ended before Nico managed to find the courage to do anything more than hold Will’s hand. Perhaps it was a good thing; if Will liked the opera so much, Nico didn’t want to distract him from it. Unfortunately, Nico had been quite distracted as a result of Will’s mere presence and had missed much of the second act.

“Would you like to rent a supper box?” Will asked once they managed to get back outside. He’d enthused about the opera until they’d managed to get through the crowd and leave the opera house.

Nico hadn’t realized how hungry he was until Will asked, so he agreed. There was a dining area a short distance away with a row of individual supper boxes available to rent as well as tables across the green. Will made their orders and they were directed to a box where they sat to wait for their food. The supper box wasn’t much different from a box in an opera house, except it was outside; it was large enough to serve a group and opened to look out at the gardens, but still private. Nico spotted Reyna and Hedge standing an acceptable distance away, and noted with satisfaction that Reyna was still keeping Hedge under control.

“Tell me more about your two eldest siblings,” Nico said. “You haven’t spoken about them yet.”

“Three eldest, if you’ll pardon me saying so,” Will corrected. “I consider Lou Ellen my sibling as much as the rest of them.”

“Three eldest, then. Tell me about them.”

“They are practically inseparable,” Will began. “Lee and Lou Ellen first got to know each other through letters while the arrangements were discussed. Closer to the wedding, Lou Ellen traveled here for a visit so they could meet in person for the first time. They had become friends through their letters and quickly connected in person, as well. Michael, though—he was less than welcoming to Lou Ellen.”

“Is that so? But I thought they got along well?”

“They do now, but I think Michael was afraid of losing Lee. They have always been so close. Michael, I think, was a bit jealous that someone else was stealing our brother away from him.”

“How did they ever become friends?”

“Oh, it didn’t take long. Lou Ellen has quite the sense of humor; Michael wasn’t able to hold out against her. Now they’re quite the trio. Lee and Lou Ellen are deliriously in love, Lee and Michael are as close as brothers can be, and Michael and Lou Ellen are practically a pair of criminals, given the trouble they cause together.” Will paused as a waiter arrived with their food. Nico was surprised at how fast it had been, but Will explained that they only served foods that were made in advance and quickly prepared, such as bread and cold cuts.

Will continued to talk about his family while they ate and Nico listened, occasionally tossing a cold cut in Asterion’s direction and ignoring Reyna’s disappointed glares. Will looked happy when Nico asked questions and took interest in what he was saying. “You must love your family very much,” Nico commented.

Smiling broadly, Will said, “Yes, Your Highness. I’m very fortunate to have them.”

Nico took a deep breath before saying, “I hope that you’ll find something like that in my family, as well.” Really, he hoped that alluding to their marriage would spur Will into declaring his boundless affections before sweeping Nico into a kiss.

“As do I. I’m quite excited to be a part of your family, Your Highness.”

Caught completely off guard by the warm hearted answer, Nico blushed and stuttered a vague reply instead of thinking of a way to steer Will towards kissing him. At the rate he was going, it might be less detrimental to Nico’s pride to actually kiss Will rather than continue his blatant attempts to lure Will into doing it instead. But Nico had committed himself to this particular course of action, and once he set his mind on something, he didn’t let go. No, Will had to be the one to do the kissing. Nico just had to figure out the right places to push to get Will to do it.

By the time they finished eating, the day was approaching dusk. They were chatting and looking out at the gardens from their box when Nico noticed a hedge maze and started plotting again.

“The maze appears to be popular with couples,” Nico noted casually, having seen several pairs enter and exit. He looked at Will out of the corner of his eye to gauge Will’s reaction.

Will flushed. “It...um...yes. It is.”

Nico waited a second longer, but when Will said nothing more, he tried to push harder. “We are a couple,” he said. “Shall we go there?”

Will looked embarrassed. “I...um...” he began hesitantly. “Well, I...I don’t think that Hedge and Lady Reyna would approve of Your Highness going there alone with me.”

Nico hummed and looked at the maze in thought. It seemed likely that they wouldn’t be the first pair to hide from chaperones in the maze. If he and Will could manage to to escape from Reyna and Hedge, they could go in there, all alone, in the dark, where no one would see them. And then, Nico would finally get Will to kiss him.

His decision made, Nico said, “I don’t see why they should be notified. Let’s go there a bit later, after we find a moment to slip away.”

Will looked alarmed. “Slip away?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to go in the maze with me?” Nico asked, knowing fully well that the answer was yes. Of course Will wanted to spend time with him; Will told him that often enough, didn’t he?

When Will nodded, Nico bent his head closer and lowered his voice. “Good. Then we’ll make an escape and run for the maze.”

“Now I only wonder who will have my head first,” Will sighed. “Hedge or Lady Reyna?”

Nico clucked his tongue. “There will be no decapitation,” he said with finality. Strict as they were, Hedge and Reyna still obeyed Nico’s orders, and Nico would allow no maiming to Will’s body. Nico preferred for Will’s rather attractive neck to be intact. “You mentioned that there would be fireworks. That will be a good time to lose them. We’ll slip into the crowd and they won’t be able to find us in the dark.”

“I get the sense that this is a very bad idea,” Will said.

“Nonsense, it’s a brilliant idea. I want to go to the maze with you. It’ll be exciting, won’t it?”

“Well...exciting is one word for it.”

“Please, Will? It would make me so happy.”

Will sighed and rubbed his temple. “Alright, yes. When everyone starts to gather for the fireworks.”

Nico was shocked when his plan worked. He had been expecting for it to go wrong—most of his attempts to get close to Will ended in failure—but when the sun set, they managed to escape. A crowd shuffled around as visitors tried to find a spot with a good view, but Nico grabbed Will’s arm and hurried to the maze. Thankfully, Reyna’s maintenance of an acceptable distance away had allowed them to get separated in the crowd. They didn’t lose Asterion, of course. It was probably good that Asterion hadn’t ended up with Reyna and Hedge; they could have used Asterion to track Nico. Although he hadn’t been trained to hunt, Nico had trained him to do some basic tracking. Unfortunately, Reyna had used that against him a few times in the past when Nico made the mistake of not bringing Asterion with him when he was hiding from his communication lessons. Besides, Nico liked having Asterion around.

Although Nico was delighted, Will still seemed nervous when they entered the maze. Nico even began to wonder if it had been a good idea after all; if Will was uncomfortable, he would never kiss Nico. “Have you gone through this maze before?” Nico asked, hoping to lighten Will’s mood.

“A few times, Your Highness. Austin and I got lost in here once when we were younger. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but I’ve gone through since then.”

Nico thought that it wouldn’t be so bad to get lost in the maze with Will. He almost said that out loud, but he lost the courage. “You will enjoy it this time,” he said instead.

“Of course I will; I always enjoy being with you.”

Nico almost tripped over a root in his surprise. How did Will find the courage to talk like that? Were Nico’s nerves just strange?

“Yes, also, for me, as well,” Nico said in an attempt to give some affectionate reply. The sky was quickly getting dark, which only added to Nico’s excitement and put him more on edge. “In fact, I think it wouldn’t be so bad to get lost,” he added, and then he suddenly didn’t know how to stop talking and kept rambling. “In the maze. With you. And Asterion, of course, because Asterion is here and...but I mean, I would like to be with you here even if Asterion were not here. That’s not to say that that I’m hoping to get lost, of course. Just that it wouldn’t be such a bad stroke of luck, as a result of...uh...being with you.”

Nico finally managed to bite his tongue and stop himself from going further. It was difficult to judge Will’s expression in the dark. There was a beat of silence, and then Will said, “I...I agree. It wouldn’t be so bad.”

They were saved from the awkward pause that followed by the sudden bang of fireworks, and then Asterion panicked and took off running. “Asterion!” Nico called in surprise, cursing himself for forgetting that his dog didn’t like fireworks. He ran in the direction Asterion had disappeared with Will following close behind. They reached a divide in the path and Nico said, “I’ll go left.” Will voiced his agreement and they separated.

It didn’t take long for Nico to realize his mistake. Getting lost in a maze with his fiancé? Good. Getting lost in a maze alone? Bad.

He called out for Asterion loudly, feeling much better when he heard Will call for him, as well. But it had been foolish of him to forget about Asterion’s sensitivity. No dogs enjoyed fireworks and Asterion startled particularly easily. Nico had been too focused on finding ways to get Will to kiss him to think about Asterion.

Nico tried to calm himself with assurances that Asterion would be alright. He was smart enough to find his way back to Nico; Nico had trained him. But the anxiety of being alone in the dark maze with no idea how to get out added to the stress of losing his dog was overwhelming. He nearly crumpled helplessly on the ground, but his panic outweighed his hopelessness and kept him moving. He had lost Asterion before. He couldn’t lose Asterion again.

It wasn’t long before he heard Will’s voice again, this time calling for him instead of Asterion. “Will?” Nico shouted back, and he had to repeat himself when his voice was drowned out by the fireworks.

Will’s voice replied, and Nico was able to pick out the words “I have him” over the noise. He sighed in relief, reminding himself that his panic was pointless and that Asterion was safe. He still sometimes had to reassure himself of that.

“I’m coming,” Nico called as he started walking in the direction of Will’s voice. He struggled to remember exactly where he had turned in his hurry, but Will’s voice, always so gentle and calming, kept calling to him to remind him what direction to go. He reached the divide they had parted at quickly and it appeared that Will hadn’t had to run far to catch Asterion. Nico found Will sitting in the light of the fireworks with Asterion half on his lap, holding Asterion’s head against his chest and covering his ears.

“Praise the gods,” Nico said, deflating on the ground next to Will. He reached out to pet Asterion, smiling when the dog’s droopy eyes turned to look at him. “I forgot how much he hates fireworks.”

“We’ve got him now,” Will said comfortingly. “He’ll be alright once he calms down.”

Sighing, Nico leaned back on his hands to watch the fireworks in the night sky. Asterion would be safe in Will’s arms. He could trust Will with Asterion. He could probably trust Will with anything.

When Nico glanced over, he caught Will looking at him and offered a smile. When Will smiled back, the fireworks illuminated the pretty lines of his face. Nico found himself more interested in the way the light looked on Will than in the fireworks themselves and was so mesmerized that he just watched Will during the finale. Will watched him, too.

“Will?” Nico whispered when the finale was over and the sky became dark and silent again.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“I think we’re lost.”

Will’s laugh made Nico feel warm. He couldn’t stop himself from laughing with him.

“Lady Reyna and Hedge are going to string me up by my ears and drag me behind the carriage on the way back,” Will sighed, but he sounded amused rather than panicked.

“No, Hedge will string you up by your ears,” Nico corrected. “Reyna will be too busy stringing me up by mine.”

“She’s really that strict?”

“Oh, undoubtedly,” Nico replied. “But she likes me. Sometimes I manage to win her over after I’ve been particularly troublesome. This time, though...she is not going to be pleased.”

Will laughed. “Well, at least we are lost together.”

Nico saw Will’s silhouette releasing Asterion in the dark. “Thank you for finding him,” Nico said.

“I simply happened to run in the right direction,” Will said. He got to his feet and offered Nico his hand to help him up. Nico considered kissing Will in thanks, but his pride demanded that the first kiss must be from Will. “Shall we try to find our way out?”

Nico sighed, but agreed and took Will’s arm. “Asterion likes you,” he said. “You care for him very well.”

“I do my best, Your Highness.”

“You are going to be a very good husband,” Nico said automatically. He could barely see Will in the dark, but Will was definitely looking at him and he appeared not to know what to say. It occurred to Nico that although he said that quite often, he didn’t say it in front of Will. “I think that I’m very fortunate,” he continued.

Will was quiet for a few seconds, long enough for Nico to worry he’d said something wrong. But then he said, “I admire you, Your Highness. I always have. I suspect I always will.”

Nico could have melted on the spot. He wanted to tell Will that he admired him, too, but he couldn’t form the right words to express it. The feelings he had for Will overwhelmed him and he wasn’t quite sure what to do with them or how to convey them. A part of Nico just wanted to hold Will tightly and never let go.

“I’m flattered,” Nico stammered. He wanted to stop talking, but he couldn’t keep himself from rambling on. “I...um...I like when you say things like that. I’m glad you feel that way. I mean, uh, I also think highly of you, and I’m very flattered and...uh...I feel glad that you’re...um...with me. Engaged.”

Nico wanted to sink into the hedges and hide until his mortification passed. He hated the way he couldn’t shut himself up when he got too excited or angry or nervous. He always ended up embarrassing himself.

“I’m also glad,” Will said. Nothing in his voice suggested that he thought Nico had said anything strange at all. “When my aunt first approached me with the idea of courting you, I...well, I hadn’t bothered to hope for even a friendship with someone like you.” Will faltered for a second before saying, “I never forgot you. When we were introduced as children, it was a special moment for me—of course, my brothers already told you that much. So when I learned that I would meet you again...well, I was terrified when I met you again in Divitia last year.”

His embarrassment receding, Nico mentally celebrated. He hadn’t gotten Will to kiss him yet, but he had gotten Will to ramble about how much he liked him.

“I didn’t know,” Nico said once he was confident that he wouldn’t trip over his own tongue. “You seemed so composed that I almost didn’t know what to think of you. You were all politeness and kindness and proper etiquette.”

“I wanted to impress you,” Will replied.

“You did.”

“And do I still impress, Your Highness?”

Nico was surprised by how easily he smiled at Will and said, “Yes. You do.”

Nico reaffirmed his grip on Will’s arm, fighting his desire to stand closer. It was brazen enough that they were alone in the dark, far away and hidden from sight. He should not behave so shamelessly.

Yet Nico’s hand slipped down Will’s arm and he laced his fingers with Will’s. It was more intimate that way; not quite scandalous, but deviant enough that Reyna would have raised her eyebrow and given him a warning glance.

In the dark, Nico was just barely able to see Will looking at their joined hands in surprise. The reaction made Nico second guess himself, so he asked, “Would you like to walk like this for a while?”

“I...yes, I would,” Will said. Nico suspected he was blushing; it was regrettable that he wasn’t able to see it. The maze was dark. Only the moon and stars and the far away glow of gas lamps lit the path before them. Nico and Will were alone, without a chaperone, late at night, and Nico had just initiated a rather intimate gesture.

So maybe it was a bit scandalous.

Nico wet his lips. He did not find anything wrong with what he was doing; deviant, yes, and perhaps inappropriate, but not wrong. In fact, he liked it. He enjoyed being so alone with Will, touching Will’s hand, and being hidden by the tall hedges and the cover of darkness. It was scandalous, true, but that only gave Nico a small rush of excitement. Reyna and Hedge would lecture him for running off without them, but it was well worth the chance to be alone with Will, away from prying eyes, the way married couples were allowed to be. Nico could act however he wanted with Will, so long as Will did not mind. He could kiss Will, if he wanted.

He did want.

It was a good time to do it; after all, no one would be there to witness it. The kiss would be a secret between Will and Nico. And it had to be soon; Asterion would be able to lead them out of the maze with his sense of smell and then Nico would lose the opportunity. But how? Even though Nico had been so obvious in his attempts to get Will to kiss him so far, he had been unsuccessful. Will had just professed his long-lived admiration for Nico, and he still hadn’t done it.

Perhaps Will required a more direct approach. Nico could just tell Will to kiss him. It was embarrassing, but it could work as a desperate last resort. That way, he could transfer the authority of the kissing to his fiancé without subjecting himself to committing such a scandalous act.

“You may kiss me,” Nico said before he could become too nervous to do so. He tried very hard to keep his hands from shaking and to exude a sense of confidence.

There was a beat of silence, and then: “Your Highness?”

Nico’s confidence started to crumble immediately, but he attempted to maintain his composure. He stopped walking and turned to look at Will. He couldn’t see much more than the outline of his face. “Uh—I mean, if you would like to. Kiss me, that is. You may do so.”

“Oh,” Will said. “I. Um, yes. I would like to. If you would like it, as well.”

Nico almost sighed in relief, but he did his best to keep his demeanor suitably indifferent. “Well, you are permitted.”

He heard Will clear his throat. “But...would you like me to...?”

Nico did his best to keep his frustration under control, but said, “I—Lord William, I would not have given you permission if I found the idea less than appealing.”

“So...you want me to?”

“Oh, for the love of Rhea! I order you to kiss me.”

“Right, of course. Then, if you don’t mind, um....”

Will’s face came closer. Nico tilted his chin up expectantly, then closed his eyes when he felt Will’s breath against his lips. Finally! screamed a voice in his head. He had been waiting for months with absolutely no progress, and now—at last—he was about to succeed. But for a moment, Will merely stood there and Nico began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Then the moment passed and Will closed the gap between them.

The kiss was quick. Will pecked Nico’s lips and then drew back immediately, fixing his gaze on his shoes. It felt nice, though. Annoying, as well, because although Nico’s knowledge about kissing was lacking, he felt sure that Will hadn’t done it properly. Even still, it was nice. Will had kissed him shyly and bashfully and Nico thought that it was very like Will to kiss like that. Even if it had been mildly annoying, Nico wouldn’t have liked it any other way.

“Was that alright?” Will asked.

“Yes,” Nico answered quickly, his voice coming out more squeaky than he expected. “It was very nice.”

“I, um, also enjoyed it.”

Nico cleared his throat. “Would you like to do it again?”

“Oh, uh, now?”

“If you would like.”

“And...would you like...?”

“Yes.”

“Right. Then I’ll....” Will pressed his lips against Nico’s a second time. It was still brief, lasting less than a second, but it made Nico happy, anyway.

“Another?” Nico asked impulsively.

“Now?”

“Now. If you’d like.”

“Yes.”

And Will kissed him again. That time, Nico stopped him from drawing back.

“Keep going,” Nico said, pulling Will closer. “Don’t stop until you want to.”

Will cleared his throat. “But...what if I want to never stop?”

“Well...perhaps I want you to never stop.”

“We have to stop at some point.”

“Yes. At some point.”

And Will kissed him a fourth time, and then a fifth time, and then Nico kissed Will, and then he stopped counting. To his relief, kissing wasn’t very difficult. They were learning quickly. It felt nice; not as dramatic as he had been hoping for, but not disappointing by any means. The kisses were soft and gentle, just like Will, and Nico concluded that kisses were good that way, too.

Nico would have gladly spent the next several hours practicing with Will, but he knew that Reyna would find particularly brutal ways of punishing him if he made her wait that long. He could have survived it, but he would not survive the mortification Hedge would put him through if he started lecturing Will again. Reyna might not be forgiving enough to stop him.

“Perhaps another time when we are alone this way, we can do this again,” Nico suggested, leaning his forehead against Will’s.

“I would like that.”

Nico grinned when he heard the smile in Will’s voice. “As would I.”

Reyna and Hedge were not pleased. Nico didn’t particularly care.

It had taken them a while after that to find their way out, even with Asterion’s nose helping them. Reyna and Hedge had apparently figured out where they had gone at some point, because they were waiting furiously at the exit. Reyna, who would have usually saved Nico’s lecture for when they were without company, wasted no time scolding him in front of Will. Nico ignored her. Hedge tried to scold Will, but Reyna, apparently too angry to tolerate it, shut him up with the reminder that she was the chaperone. Hedge apparently found her very convincing.

Reyna didn’t stop lecturing him in the carriage, but Nico occupied himself with gazing at Will’s profile instead of listening to her, then he pretended to fall asleep on Will’s shoulder when she started to annoy him. Eventually, he really did fall asleep on Will’s shoulder. By the time they got back to Phoebus and Will gently woke him up, Reyna had finally stopped.

The Sun Palace was wide awake despite the late hour. When the door was opened for them, they were greeted by complete chaos. The floor of the entrance hall was coated with mud. An entire herd of pigs—one of them ridden by Kayla—stampeded across the hall and down the corridor. Apollo and Hyacinthus were arguing about something in a room close by and horrible screeches of a violin came from down the corridor. Nico heard Chiron yelling at someone not to run indoors, and he found out whom when Michael and Lou Ellen raced through the hall after Kayla and the pigs. “Don’t tell Lee!” they shouted in unison when they saw Will and Nico at the door. Meanwhile, Daphne was leaning against the bannister of the staircase, sipping a glass of wine and watching the scene in amusement. She offered them a wave, which Nico weakly returned.

“Don’t worry; this is normal,” Will sighed in resignation, then he navigated around the mud to escort Nico to his room.

The scene distracted Reyna’s rage for a little while, but as soon as they reached Nico’s room and were left alone inside, she and Hedge wasted no time resuming their lecture.

“Do you expect me to let this pass, Your Highness?” Reyna demanded when Nico suggested they leave to let him sleep. “I have been lenient as of late, but this was too far.”

“Your Highness, you can’t sneak off like that,” Hedge said. “I say this for your safety.”

Nico sighed. “We were in Delphi, Hedge. What harm could possibly be done in Delphi?”

“Anything could go wrong anywhere, with anyone,” Hedge growled.

“Will wouldn’t hurt me—”

“I’m not talking about Lord Solace hurting you. I’m saying that you were far away from us in some dark maze where anyone could have been hiding.”

“We didn’t even know where you were,” Reyna added.

“Don’t forget the reason I was assigned to you in the first place, Your Highness,” Hedge said.

Nico looked at his feet. No, he hadn’t forgotten the attempt on his life that had caused Hades to give Nico his own personal guard unit. He still had the occasional nightmare about it.

“I...I had Asterion with me,” Nico tried to reason.

“Asterion isn’t a fighter,” Reyna said. “I don’t doubt that he’d do his best to protect you, but I fear that there’s not much more he’d be able to do than alert us. The same goes for Lord William.”

“And we would’ve been too far away to help,” Hedge said. “Pluto can’t lose you, Your Highness. Please don’t be so reckless.”

Nico sighed. “I understand,” he relented. “I’ll do better in the future.”

“And you can’t sneak off alone with that boy!” Hedge added aggressively.

“That was extremely inappropriate behavior,” Reyna said. “I agree with Hedge this time.”

“Now you’re just being overbearing,” Nico sniffed. “And anyway, Will and I had a wonderful time together.”

“That is precisely what we are afraid of, Your Highness,” Reyna said.

Nico lifted his chin smugly and grinned. Reyna’s eyes narrowed. “What did you do?” she asked.

“I kissed him,” Nico said proudly.

Reyna stared at him. “You what?”

“I kissed Lord William,” Nico repeated. “Or, more accurately, he kissed me—”

“He what?” Hedge demanded.

“Because I gave him permission, of course—”

“You what?” they both said in unison.

“Oh, calm yourselves. You were engaged once, Lady Reyna; didn’t you ever sneak off with your fiancé? Actually, I’m better off not knowing.”

Reyna didn’t even react to Nico’s goading. “Your Highness, be sensible. You, an unwed young man of considerable standing, snuck away from us late at night, in an unfamiliar location, to spend time alone with another unwed man, and now you tell me that he kissed you during this time?”

Hedge punched his palm aggressively, like he was imagining beating Will to a pulp. “I must speak with Lord Solace about this; that was grossly inappropriate behavior and—”

“I asked him to kiss me,” Nico said with a roll of his eyes. “He was the perfect gentleman.”

“You asked him to kiss you?” Reyna demanded.

“I really don’t see the problem, Lady Reyna,” Nico said with a frown.

“The problem, Your Highness, is that I have utterly failed as your chaperone! There’s no telling what depths of trouble I’ll be in when we return to the Palatium de Divitae!”

“Well, why should anyone have to know?” Nico asked.

“Do you suggest we lie, Your Highness?” asked Hedge.

“I’m only suggesting you omit certain elements of the account. No one saw.” Nico paused and fiddled nervously with the trim on his coat. “And I’m happy, very happy,” he admitted. “Please don’t tell.”

Reyna and Hedge exchanged a glance. After a moment, they both sighed, apparently having come to an agreement. “If it makes you so happy, then we will allow it to pass this time,” Reyna said. “Do not expect me to continue to be so generous. Please use more discretion in the future and take care not to let your courting schemes get in the way of your safety.”

“Of course,” Nico said, but he had no intention of doing so. In fact, he was already plotting the next time he’d sneak Will away for a kiss or two.

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