Boring. That's all this is. I thought a marriage would give me the kick but it's not doing it for me.

I know the reason too. She won't spend any time with me. She avoids me. She's in the garden most of the time. I find her in her personal study other days. She keeps to herself. I see her at mealtimes but she's quick to eat and flee. When we sleep she is late coming to bed and sleeps through me getting up.

I sigh heavily laying on my side to watch her. She's pretty. No... that's not the right word. Enchanting. She's absolutely enchanting. Magic is still so crazy to me. Though I guess it's also what allowed me to blend in with the people here having my wings.

Today I've decided. I want a new thing to do. That is I am going to seduce her. My charisma is good, I hope to make her fall for my good looks.

This will prove a good challenge since her previous hostilit-

"You're being a fucking creep" she mumbled peeking an eye open

Point proven, "Can I not admire my beautiful wife?"

"You mean stare me down like a vulture while I'm trying to sleep? No thank you" she hummed turning towards me

"What other time do I get to see you?"

"Well I'd prefer when I'm conscious" she huffed

"Then please, schedule a time I may admire you without being glared at"

"What new sick game are you playing" she sighed sitting up obviously done with my shit

"No games"

"You fucking liar"

"You're beautiful and-"

"And one of the few women you've met here" she filled in

Well... she's not wrong? But she is breathtaking, "If I saw a rose first would it's beauty be trumped by the first blade of grass?"

She scoffed, "Enough games"

"Is love a game?"

"Is love what you'd call this?"

I stall at that, "I guess not"

"This is a marriage of convenience"

Now is my time to strike, "It doesn't need to be" I look into her eyes trying to will the most romantic look I could muster

A pillow to the face is my reward for that. Not exactly unexpected I guess.

"Go back to sleep, and stop staring at me" she layed back down facing away from me

"Wait, no come on. What is your problem with me?"

She bolted up at that with a glare that hit me like a slap, "My problem? My problem is you are an uneducated, narcissistic brute who I was forced to marry and now you play these trivial games at a whim while I have abandoned my peaceful life in the forest to live your too much lifestyle"

Oh fuck, I don't think imma be sleeping here tonight anymore. Proven when a pillow smacked me once again and she commanded I go sleep in 'one of the other stupidly lavish rooms that could easily fund a district'

Breakfast I decided not to poke the bear. She was already pissed so my antics would only cause me harm. By the evening I decided to finally seek her out.

I found her in her study working hard on something, "Knock knock?"

She sighed heavily when she saw it was me, "What now?"

"What are you up to?"

"If you must know, this is another educational reform. I am pushing literacy to earlier school children"

She is always on top of this stuff isn't she? "Do you ever take a break?"

"Do you even not take one" she bit back

She has been particularly testy lately. The hell is her deal? I stop, deciding I need to actually think.

After marrying her, admittedly I have gotten quite lazy. I feel like I've succeeded being evil. Killing people has no stakes or thrill. My bloodlust has been dead for years.

My mission being over I kind of have been on a vacation for about 3 months now.

I straighten myself and decide to take a look around only to really take it all in. Holy shit I'm an idiot.

She has piles of paperwork. She looks completely drained. This room is a complete mess of files and paperwork she looks like...

She looks like me when Koji never tells me to stop overworking myself. I've been slacking while she has been doing everything.

This isn't even being evil this is just being a straight up douche.

I take a breath and send out feathers cleaning the room while I approach her desk, "You're right-"

"What?" She looked around confused

"-I have been a total dick, and that changes now" I help her out of her seat as I get the last file away

"Keigo I have-"

"Don't worry about it. I will get this done. Go take a hot bath, now" I push her out the study doors

"Wait but-"

"Did i stutter?" I raise a brow

"No" she mumbled

Readers POV

I don't get it. Is this his new game? Acting supportive? This man is so confusing. I relax in the hot water.

I decided to sit in the large bath apparently too long when I awoke I found myself to be moving.

"How could you not know how long?? Do you know how dangerous that is?? She could have drowned" a voice whispered angrily

"Im so sorry, I just-" a woman spoke

"Just what?? Thought it would be better to goof off then protect your empress?" Is that keigo? He sounds so pissed. I don't think I've ever heard him so angry, "You know what, we'll discuss this later. For now get her fresh night clothes"

I finally work my eyes open to see a maid scurrying down the hall. I soon realised my movement was keigo carrying me. The first thought that came to mind my state of dress to be relieved by the robe I am wrapped in.

"You're awake, thank God. Are you ok?" Keigo met my eyes filled with worry.

"What happened?"

"I finished your paperwork but it had been 2 hours and I didn't find you in bed. Found you had passed out in the bath. I had a couple maids assure you were decent. You should be more careful" he packed me into our shared room not setting me down until he reached the bed.

"I don't remember falling asleep"

A few maids came in with fresh night attire.

"Im going to go finish handling the staff. You go ahead and change" he hurried out

Handle the staff? What the hell was there to handle? I soon realise he is allowing me to change in peace.

Once done keigo eventually returned joining me in bed.

"Did you finish everything?" I murmer

"Yes, but I moved the new building to the baseal district. This will provide for not just poor but middle and upper class families to mingle. I want to look into Closing the social gap"

He even took the paperwork seriously, "What's your deal?" I stare accusingly.

I've known this man for probably 4 or 5 months total. Yet I can confidently say he completely eludes me.

"You're doing too much. Let me lighten your load"

"I wouldn't have so much if you did your basic duties in the first place" I spit

"I know, ill be taking those back too. I'm sorry"

Did he just apologize? What's his deal, "Are you sick?"

"Sick with worry" he mumbled grabbing my hand before placing a kiss on my knuckles

I rip my hand away, "I refuse to fall for your tricks"

"No tricks. I give my word"

"Whatever that's worth" I murmer remembering how this is the man who killed the resistance that helped his rise to this position to assure they wouldn't rise against him. 

He slid into bed falling asleep as if he didn't have a worry in the world.

By the following week, I can tell he was serious too. My workload decreased. We spent more time talking about the kingdom and he took more of an interest in my schooling program.

Being honest this feels like a dream, or a nightmare yet to mature. The other shoe is bound to drop and I refuse to be crushed under it.

Yet here I am getting all dressed up for some fancy ball he decided to throw. Only reason I agreed is its a charity auction as well for my program.

"You can't be serious" I huff at the heavy gown they expect me to wear

"This is the latest in-" the maid argued

"I don't care about fashion. I don't think I could even attempt a stroll in the garden with that"

A knock at the door disrupts our little argument before my husband enters, "Why aren't you ready?"

"I don't wish to wear that" I huff

He looked at the offending gown in question and sighed, "I know it's a lot. Heavy beadwork is very popular right now"

"I don't need to wear what's fashionable I need-"

"Lets not argue" keigo sighed rubbing his forehead, "I'll help you pick something else but if you can at least pick something floor length then I won't force you to wear any form of big shoe. Heel or otherwise. Hell if you really wish you can go barefoot"

It didn't take much to find something we could agree on. A dress I didn't feel suffocated in and could move freely.

When it came to the actual ball we started the dancing and after the first dance split ways.

I sipped my wine slowly while sitting on the throne watching him move through the crowd talking to everyone. I nearly didn't notice the woman who came up to me.

"Your majesty,"

"Yes?" I raise a brow

"You are a witch are you not?"

"Depends who's asking" I scoff

"I just have a question. Did you charm the kin- emperor?"

I sigh heavily already tired of this question, "No. I have much better uses for my time"

"He is talking about you an awful lot"

"He talks an awful lot in general" I look out at the crowd until I once again see him chatting it up with someone. It's never hard to spot him in the crowd with those wings.

"So do you love eachother?"

I raise a brow and give the girl a once over. Of course. She is the young daughter of a count. Probably here while her father looks for who he should marry her off to, "Does it matter?"

"Well it should...right?"

"Child, I was dragged from my home and sentenced to death because of his decree"

"But...he saved you"

"But he did" I sigh

"Do you know why?" She mumbled

"How I long to know myself"

"Maybe it was love at first sight" she smiled

I about laugh but manage to bite it off as just a smile, "What makes you say that?"

"The emperor chose you despite how the court felt. He must love you to do that"

"You give the man too much credit, if they spoke against him their head would be on a pike by morning"

The girl puffed her cheeks at me stubbornly. I don't understand her interest in our relationship. Then again she is the only one to approach me at this event. Most others are far too scared to even meet my eyes scared ill curse them.

She turned getting us a couple fluts of champagne which I accepted, "Tell me, why do you concern yourself with such a thing as our marriage?"

"Well...I think you look good together. When I heard the story it felt like a fairytale. My father was so angry practically yelling and fuming telling us about what happened at the center that day. Did he really propose to you on the spot??" She was so bubbly

"If you must know we had met previously. It wasn't our first encounter"

She gasped, "A secret lover??"

I stopped my laugh with a hearty swig of my drink before taking a deep breath, "No. I helped him when he was at his lowest is all. Though I regret that decision most with each day"

She frowned swirling her drink, "Well that's no fun"

I eye her pout and decide to give in. I can't just crush her like this, "To this day I can't deny his charm though. He may get on my nerves but he is by far the most beautiful man in the kingdom"

She looked so stoked, excusing herself as she went back to the dance floor. I couldn't help but chuckle now. The innocence of those who think love is real.

I took a sip of my drink. As the bubbly substance washed over my tongue I could taste the familiar swirl of magic. I quickly spat the drink back into the half drank glass...