Chapter 424: Would It Be So Bad?

Chapter 424: Chapter 424: Would It Be So Bad?

He imagined it, didn’t he? He must’ve , because he hasn’t seen it again. And he’s been looking. Hard . Too hard, maybe. Too earnestly. More earnestly than he probably should.

​(Like maybe on some level he’s been hoping to find it there.)

​But that’s ridiculous. Because why would he –

​" – Stupid Loac ," Xena grumbles under her breath, abruptly pulling Khobi from his thoughts and drawing his attention back over to the pile of papers she’d abandoned earlier. "...Asks for my help and then leaves me to do all the work..."

​"...That sounds like him," Khobi snorts, helping himself to a piece of cake now that he’s no longer at the tailor’s mercy.

It’s a good distraction from those strange thoughts he’s been having. "...What’s he got you doing?"

​The princess sighs. Heavily. "Oh, just some paperwork that Drogger assigned him."

​"Wait, like Captain stuff?" Khobi clarifies incredulously, jaw dropping open, "Loac’s doing... actual Captain stuff?"

​"Well, at the moment I’m doing it," she sniffs, and whilst she sounds cross, Khobi gets the impression she’s not really all that angry about it.

"But yes . I can hardly believe it myself.

Then again, Loac’s really turned over a new leaf lately."

You wouldn’t think so, given the papers sitting in front of her, but he’ll take her word for it.

​"...Did he ask you about dinner?" she inquires after a beat, "With Father and I?"

​"Ah yeah, he did, actually."

That seems to surprise her for some reason, and there’s something hopeful about the way she asks if he’ll come.

​"Sure." He’s already told Loac he would. It’s just dinner, and Montrel’s gonna be there, too. And maybe if he plays nice, Gurdet will answer some of his questions about Khojin.

​"...I’m glad," she tells him, eyes and smile soft. "And don’t worry about this, Khobi," she adds, waving at the general direction of where the tailor is still packing up his obscene collection and muttering to himself, "...I’ll arrange for something. Something nice."

​Khobi wasn’t worried. In fact, the moment he was out of those stupid clothes he’d put it completely from his mind.

​And now it’s back.

​Resigned, he sighs.

​"It’s really happening, huh?" he says quietly. Xena must know what he means by that because her expression changes, and her tone dips to something low and soothing.

​"...It is."

​...

​As someone who has spent her whole love dreaming of marrying for love and staunchly refusing to entertain the notion of her father arranging her a match, Xena knows it’s hypocritical of her to ask the question that’s been playing on her mind in days of late.

​Knowing this, she asks anyway.

​"...Would it really be so bad, Khobi?

Marrying Loac?"

...

Had someone asked Khobi this very question but a few months ago, his answer would have been an automatic and resounding yes , but today something stays his tongue.

Today, the vehement response dies before it can take shape, and he instead finds himself speechless as he considers not just the question, but his answer.

​Because how does he feel about marrying Loac?

​It’s something he hasn’t let himself dwell on overly hard or overly long, because thinking about it meant accepting that it was happening.

Accepting these walls, and that Khojin Frost wasn’t going to come storming out of the wilderness and steal him away from here.

​But if he thinks about it –really thinks about it...

​Would it really be so bad ?

​Mouth suddenly bone dry, Khobi finds his gaze drawn to the pillow on the floor, still lying right where it had landed after it had connected with the back of his head.

It’s one of Loac’s favourites –one he’s flung at Loac a dozen times over and had flung another dozen times back.

It’s even made it out the window a few times –dutifully retrieved and returned each night to the bed they share by some dedicated servant.

At first it had been something he’d done out of anger, then annoyance. Then because it was kinda funny.

​And then...just because. Stuff like that just...kinda comes naturally these days; an easy familiarity to the way Loac’s come to treat him that’s oddly effortless to return.

​Who would’ve thought ?

​Once upon a time Khobi would have sworn himself red and blue in the face that Loac Trent was one of the last men on earth he’d ever tolerate, let alone marry.

Now look at him; letting the guy get up in his space and steal his food, and laughing at his goofy, scrunched up face as he tries to follow along with whatever it is Khobi’s trying to teach him how to cook.

He thinks of blades and sweat by day, and a different type of sweat by night. Sneaking beyond the castle together.

Following him out into the wilderness, and a swordfight in the wild. Going to bed with him, and waking up next to him.

​Loac with snow in his hair and a sparks in his eyes. Kissing him just because .

​If being married to him is anything like what it’s like with him now ...

​(What was it that Montrel had said at dinner the other day?

​Y’know, if I didn’t know any better I’d say the two of you were already married.)

​Khobi’s lips twitch up into a smile, but he makes sure to quickly scrub it away when he realises that that Xena’s still looking at him; expectantly waiting to hear his answer.

​...If it weren’t for being locked within these walls, would it really be so bad? Marrying him?

​He swallows. It does nothing to help the dryness of his throat.

​"... I don’t know ."

...

The dream starts off as many of his dreams do; in Scargga.

It’s summer for sure this time –Khobi knows because he can hear the cicadas whirring and they’re only this loud in summer.

So loud that by day it can be hard to think and at night it can be hard to sleep.

It drives his aunt spare, but his uncle loves it because it sounds like the very mountains themselves are alive.

Khobii likes it for the same reason, and today it truly feels as if they are, because the cicadas aren’t the only ones out singing.