As the remaining hour of light faded away and night began, the three of them – that is, Delilah and her parents, accompanied by a few others walking quietly behind them, made their way to Delilah’s room.

Emeria’s heart ached in the best way upon seeing Owen tuck in their daughter for the night, gently kissing her forehead and wishing her the best dreams. Despite it being a new room in an unfamiliar place, as she was exhausted from the day, Delilah fell asleep almost instantly.

Quietly, Owen made his way to the doorway, where Emeria was standing. He glanced back at Delilah warmly before holding up a hand to ask for hers. She placed her hand in his as he led her out of the room. It was when the door clicked shut behind them, that he spoke.

“If the two of you want to go see the city a bit tomorrow,” Owen started to say, glancing over at Captain Sharde before continuing. “I can send the Vice-Captain and a few trustworthy knights with you. I need to work on a few things with the Captain, but, well, I just thought you both might…”

Owen trailed off, belated wondering if it was presumptuous of himself to assume she might want to go explore a place that could potentially remind her of him and their time together all those years ago. They hadn’t exactly talked about what their relationship was set to be from this point forward. He’d picked up enough from her actions and gazes to know that she didn’t dislike him, but how far exactly did that ‘like’ go?

He stared down at their joined hands, wondering silently where an unseen boundary between them might be, when she squeezed his hand gently and drew his eyes back up to her face.

She nodded pleasantly with a bright smile.

“I think Delilah would enjoy going out.”

Owen started to nod and smile before he realized she’d only mentioned their daughter. He searched her face.

“And you…?”

She chuckled a bit, easing his worries. Emeria could practically see the uncertain thoughts rolling through his mind. Even though she didn’t want to see him wary about his actions, there was a certain relief it brought to her. It was telling her that Owen worried about making mistakes with her too, that he was still the man he was that day.

“I’d enjoy it too. A lot.”

His smile bloomed wider and brighter on his face and he nodded more definitively this time.

“I’ll send them your way in the morning, then?”

Emeria nodded again as she expressed her gratitude. “Thank you.”

Truthfully, she did want to see the city again. She wanted to see that shabby old inn to see if time had changed it. She wanted to walk the streets and see the people. She was lost in her thoughts of tomorrow for long enough that the silence and Owen’s stare registered in her mind. Upon feeling a bit self-conscious as she met his gaze, she wondered how much she might’ve changed in those years, growing older and such. Her sight drifted off to the side.

I’m sure I look older now. But, I still want to be pretty in his…

Cutting off her thoughts of wanting to still be within Owen’s likes and preferences, she asked him belatedly why he was staring at her with such a serious face. “What is it?”

“Maybe… Can I kiss your cheek?”

Her gaze snapped back to his face, to his questioning and longing eyes, and felt her face warm. Here was the only man she’d ever been with, the only one, and it had been a long time since she had done anything romantically intimate. Kissing hands was something that happened quite often to those of higher rank, but to kiss the cheek?

“Yes?” she whispered.

Owen’s lips quirked up upon hearing the way her voice rose at the end of the word.

“Is that a question or a reply?”

Mentally, she smacked her cheeks to bring some sense back into herself.

“It’s a yes. Yes, you can.”

“Okay.”

Slowly, Owen leaned forward, pressing his lips gently to Emeria’s rosy cheek before straightening up again and bid her goodnight. She fumbled with her doorknob as he walked back down the hallway.

Once she was in her room, she heaved out a breath, overwhelmed by her own body and emotions. Little did she know, Owen was riding a similar rollercoaster of feelings, ever since he managed the courage to ask for that kiss.

And it wasn’t even on the lips!

At the same time, in different places, they both held a hand shyly up to their faces, even as their smiles didn’t fade.

As Owen had said the night before, he sent over several strong knights and the Vice-Captain. Before they could leave however, a document arrived along with Captain Sharde and a few unfamiliar faces.

“It arrived quicker than expected.”

He explained that it was for confirmation that Delilah was his biological child. As they might believe it, even the King himself, it was necessary to secure Delilah’s place as Princess of Felshare with tangible evidence.

Emeria had no qualms with them doing a paternity test to prove Delilah’s origins. When she saw Owen’s personal seal on the letter which was accompanied by Captain Sharde, she buried the remainder of a small worry that something might get swapped out and a false proof of the opposite might be used instead.

The medically uniformed few that had come with the Captain took a few samples of Delilah’s hair and saliva, saving a tiny prick of blood from her finger for last before all of them were bagged and placed in the Captain’s hands, effectively removing any possibility of them getting changed or damaged on the way to the location of testing. There was already a separate bag with Owen’s samples in his arms.

They left quietly while their personal maids, Camile and Jenny, set about finishing the preparations for their outing into the city.

It was a pleasant day, the sun shining with a gentle breeze which made the air just right. They all wandered around, garnering a few stares and whispers here and there as they made their way along the streets. Just like her mother, Delilah paid them no mind and kept walking with excitement.

“I wish Father could’ve come with and shown us all the best places…”

Their clasped hands swung between them. Emeria smiled.

“Maybe next time,” she said, secretly hoping for the same thing. She wondered what it might be like for the two of them to reminisce out on the same streets they shared jokes and food, walk down the same paths and talk about the past with openness and a light feeling in their chests. She crouched down next to Delilah and stage-whispered next to her, loud enough to entertain their happy guards with their conversation. “We’ll capture him and bring him with. Tickle him until he confesses all the coolest spots.”

As she mentioned tickling, she did just that, to Delilah’s ribs. The giggles that erupted from her filled the street with jovial warmth. When Emeria stopped and the laughter slowly came to a stop, Delilah’s eyes were alight with hope.

“Really? Do you think we can?”

Emeria grinned. “We should try it.”

Delilah cheered as her mother stood back up and exchanged smiles with the guards. Little did she know, they were fully prepared to help the two of them achieve that goal.

The youngest guard knelt down next to Delilah with a serious face.

“His bottom rib is ticklish, just like yours, Your Highness. And,” he added, “it would be easiest to capture him while he’s in his study or his room.”

Delilah beamed.

“Sir Knight Rozen!” Delilah exclaimed.

The knight in question, Rozen himself, was stunned and elated that she recalled his name though it had only been said once. He nodded, bowing his head to her. To him, this girl was already the future of the kingdom, without a doubt.

“Your devotion to the cause will fill history books with your name,” she declared. She rested a hand on his shoulder, mimicking what she’d read in a book about their knighting ceremonies, and pulling it off perfectly, as she stood straight and proud.

After a few seconds, she leaned closer and asked him if it was only the bottom rib, maintaining a serious face. Rozen, just as solemn, nodded. Like that, they exchanged quiet whispers, planning and plotting, conspiring to tickle the King, all the while the shoulders of the rest of their party shook violently as they tried to contain their laughter and joy.

Delilah, having found a new friend in Rozen, proceeded to drag him around the entire city, all to Rozen’s pure delight at being chosen by the Princess herself. He promised himself he would forever serve Princess Delilah with loyalty, even as she put a headband with bunny ears atop his head. To him, it was an honor. He would proudly wear those pink fluffy ears for the rest of his life if she asked it of him.