The Crown's Entrapment

When Gilas thought about their upcoming night together that day, he didn't expect it to be both of them shivering in each other's presence. Sure, it was both nice and comfortable, and it had the added benefit of both of them being huddled up close together in front of the fireplace available in their room, but he had truly expected something more… fiery and intimate.

[That's what you get for ignoring the safety signs in the lake,] Ham scoffed.

Gilas could only let out a sigh of resignation. True… It was indeed his fault that they ended up in this situation in the first place. Still, it was more than he would've ever thought would've happened weeks prior.

After all, both he and Clara were still technically close together. Granted, it was due to sickness instead of passionately making love, but it'll do.

"How are you holding up?" he asked as he moved closer beside her, almost making his head rest onto her shoulder.

"Shivering…" Clara blandly answered, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands as she replied. "This is kind of nice in its own way, at least. Sitting in front of a fireplace… Just keeping ourselves warm in the midst of winter…"

​ "I guess there is some magic to that kind of feeling," Gilas wistfully remarked as he turned to sip on his own hot drink. "At least Mother didn't have to completely scold us."

"Us? She only scolded you," Clara scoffed. "Don't lump me in with your misery."

Gilas shrugged. His mother did indeed focus most of her worries and ire on him being the supposedly responsible one. Of course, he could admit that it was solely his fault. He was the one that dragged Clara to the center of that lake, and he was the one that wanted to have her all by himself without any other tourists around them.

However, he was also the one that worked to save her. He was the one that did every single thing necessary to save his mate from an icy death, and he would've liked to at least get a thank you from the woman he saved.

Yes, Clara still hadn't thanked him for saving her, even after they'd been sitting beside each other like this for almost an hour now.

"Hey now, you were also stubborn enough to follow me against the healer's advice," Gilas cheekily pointed out.

"You just said that so Mother would also turn her worries to me," Clara pouted. "And I was right too. I was more than fine traveling earlier."

Gilas rolled his eyes in amusement. He could still remember feeling her shiver and snuggle up into his fur as he ran towards the inn through the winter night. Sure, he was also starting to struggle with the cold back then as well, but feeling Clara cuddle up to him for warmth made him giddy beyond all belief.

A beat of silence settled between them, the crackling of the fireplace echoing across the room as they both took in the warmth it brought to them. After a while, Gilas felt Clara moving herself even closer to him, rubbing her body up to his as if searching for even more warmth.

"Need some more heat in your life?" Gilas warmly smiled as he wrapped an arm around his mate's shoulder and pulled her closer.

"Y-You're just lucky you're the only source of warmth available," Clara pouted, partly hiding her face underneath the blanket they currently shared.

"I'm glad you consider me hotter than the literal fire right in front of us then," he cheekily chuckled.

Clara blushed at his words, and he could feel through the Bond that she was actually starting to sweat right beneath her clothes. And just like that, his own thoughts run rampant with him actually being able to do the things he supposedly did to her previously.

He would just love to tear off the blanket hiding her body from his view, to peel away everything standing between him and his mate before passionately making love to her. However, he then remembered the healer's advice… for both of them to at least have a day's rest before doing anything too strenuous…

'Curse my carelessness,' he inwardly cursed himself.

[Hah! And here I thought we were about to truly ascend heaven tonight!] Ham condescendingly laughed. [This is your own damn-]

[I know, alright?] Gilas grumbled. [Still, this doesn't mean that we won't get a chance at having her in the near future.]

That's right. They only need a day's rest before they could move again. He didn't know when it'll happen, but he was sure it was going to be sooner rather than later.

"You're… You're thinking about something lewd, weren't you," Clara accused.

Gilas blinked. On any other day, he would've denied her accusations. However…

"If I said yes, what would you say?"

He gave her a knowing smirk as he watched her cheeks flare up yet again from his words. She was just so cute snuggling up to him like this, and he really didn't want this moment to end just yet. Unless of course, it ended in the way he wanted it to.

[Hey, even I agree with the healer,] Ham reminded him. [No unnecessary strenuous activities. And as much as it pains to say it, making love counts.]

"I-I'd say I probably should've expected it," she sighed as she shook her head. "So you really are thinking it, huh…"

"Yes," he admitted. "You did promise that we'll be doing things to each other tonight."

"Well, we can't now," Clara smugly replied. Though he did sense a hint of regret in her tone. "We have to rest, and we can't even travel until tomorrow evening at the earliest."

Gilas shrugged as he kept quiet, simply allowing himself to draw Clara closer to him and feel her presence. Well, this wasn't exactly what he had in mind for the night, but it was still something to be happy about.

At the end of the day, this was still a win in his book.