The third house built at King's Cove was not immediately apparent. Indeed, you'd have to know it was there to be able to find it at all, and that was exactly as planned. Tucked away from the houses belonging to Tommy and Lena, and Jack and Jasmin, behind a large spur of rock to the south, in a tiny cove all of its own, was a large, sturdily built house that had been in the works for more than a year now. But finally, it was ready to be occupied, every inch of it furnished and fitted with simple, pleasing colors and shapes. The perfect retreat for a royal couple.
There was no need for security quarters, because there would be no security on the premises with them. A little judicious use of magic allowed Xoren and his team to teleport straight into the house from Maple Grove, if it became necessary, but to all intents and purposes, Dru and Josh had complete privacy. It was absolutely luxurious.
As they walked into their home, the house they had chosen and adjusted and watched built over the last year, Dru breathed in and out slowly, coming to a halt in the middle of the main room. "Isn't this just ....marvelous?"
Josh looked as amazed as Dru as they explored their home away from home together. "Marvelous is as good a word as any," Josh replied, pleased with the way the house had turned out. Not only was the house cozy and comfortable and most importantly, private, but it had been made right to the specifications. It was large enough to accommodate guests or a growing family, yet small enough to be cozy and intimate. It was much different from the palace where they lived back in Itana and more secluded even than the house they'd been sharing at Maple Grove from time to time. "Do you want to try out the bed?" he asked, waggling his brows at her and wearing a teasing grin.
She laughed at his suggestion, shrugging out of her jacket as she looked around. "Such a shame the water isn't a little warmer yet, we could have gone straight swimming," she teased him in return, dropping her jacket over the back of the nearest armchair to turn and hug her arms around his waist. "Just think, Josh ....only this time last year, there was nothing here but forgotten scrub."
"This time last year, we were planning a wedding." Josh smiled as she slid her arms around him and he returned the favor. He had proposed a little over a year ago after a whirlwind courtship. A lot had happened in the last year and a half or so, since his father had sent him to Rhy'Din.
"Well, we were planning on how to tell my uncle and make him plan the wedding," she corrected with a low giggle, rising up onto her toes to brush the tip of her nose against his. Lowering back down, she sighed softly, hugging into him. "Isn't it wonderful to have somewhere no one's watching us or listening to us?"
"We could christen every room in the house and no one would care," he pointed out with a grin. He would never have been so bold before they'd gotten married, but things were different now, and as they had settled into married life, they had become pretty comfortable with each other. His hands even traveled a little lower to settle on her rear, without anyone there to remind him to behave himself. "We can do whatever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want," he told her, touching his nose to hers.
And no chance of James bursting in to disturb them, either, since he was in the throes of last minute wedding details back in Tirisano. Dru's smile softened as she felt her husband's hands move, sliding her own hands into the back pockets of his pants to squeeze teasingly. "That does sound very tempting," she admitted, unable to wipe the smile off her face.
"So, what would you like to do, Princess?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face. Marriage hadn't stopped him from teasing her by addressing her by her formal title. "Walk on the beach' Bite to eat' Bath, shower" Test the bed" Take a nap?" The list went on. This was exactly what they needed - not only getting away from all the responsibilities they shouldered back in Tirisano, but just having the freedom to do whatever they wanted for a while.
The playful title still made her roll her eyes, though now she took it with good grace and a low laugh, smacking his rear end in retaliation. "I want to learn how to cook something," she told him cheerfully. He'd been teaching her how to cook before everything had taken off in August last year, but since then, hadn't really had a chance. Now they had their own space, their own kitchen, the first thing she wanted to do was something so utterly ordinary, no one would have imagined it of the heir apparent to the throne of Tirisano. "So ....chop, chop, think of something, your highness."
Josh laughed at her retaliation as well as her suggestion, not really surprised that the first thing she'd want to do in their new house was christen the kitchen, though not exactly in the same way he'd been suggesting. "What would you like to try?" he asked, assuming the kitchen was as well-stocked as the rest of the house. It seemed whoever had made the arrangements had forgotten nothing. Even the closets had an assortment of clothing so they didn't have to worry about packing every time they came for a visit.
"Something easy?" she suggested, sliding her hands from his back pockets to wander in the direction of the kitchen. "I still can't quite believe that this is all ours. And that no one else is here!" She laughed delightedly, actually clapping her hands for a moment as she twirled on the spot, truly pleased with how everything had fallen out. "How hungry are you?"
"If you keep asking me questions that I can answer with sexual innuendos, we're not going to get any cooking done," he warned with a grin, laughing as she twirled in place. He hadn't seen her so happy since their wedding day, and he was enjoying it. "We could go for a ride later," he suggested further, though even that could be twisted and taken the wrong way. "My bike's in back," he said, jerking his thumb toward the back of the house. He'd arranged to have his motorcycle brought here where he could actually use it without a line of security cars trailing behind them.
Her mouth fell open, eyes wide with disbelief. "Goodness, can we really' With no objections or complaints" That's wonderful!" This time, she expressed her delight by throwing her arms around his neck, laughing happily. "I love you so much," she murmured into his ear, stroking her fingers through his hair lovingly. "But you still have to feed me."
"Are you sure you can handle not having any servants to wait on you hand and foot?" he teased, his arms going around her waist, a playful sparkle in his eyes. He already knew the answer to that question. After all, she had managed to survive here in Rhy'Din before he'd come to her rescue. "And you still have to decide what you want to eat," he told her, tapping a finger against her nose.
"Well, I might just faint dead away when it comes to fastening my own bra and brushing my own hair," she deadpanned in answer, raising a brow above her own sparkling eyes. "And just how will you explain my death to the Parliament if I'm forced to wash my own back in the shower?"
"Oh, I think I can manage to help with that," he replied, smiling, despite her deadpanning. "Now, are you going to tell me what you want to eat, or do I have to tickle it out of you?" he teased, his hands creeping slowly toward her sides to make good on his threat.
There was no need for security quarters, because there would be no security on the premises with them. A little judicious use of magic allowed Xoren and his team to teleport straight into the house from Maple Grove, if it became necessary, but to all intents and purposes, Dru and Josh had complete privacy. It was absolutely luxurious.
As they walked into their home, the house they had chosen and adjusted and watched built over the last year, Dru breathed in and out slowly, coming to a halt in the middle of the main room. "Isn't this just ....marvelous?"
Josh looked as amazed as Dru as they explored their home away from home together. "Marvelous is as good a word as any," Josh replied, pleased with the way the house had turned out. Not only was the house cozy and comfortable and most importantly, private, but it had been made right to the specifications. It was large enough to accommodate guests or a growing family, yet small enough to be cozy and intimate. It was much different from the palace where they lived back in Itana and more secluded even than the house they'd been sharing at Maple Grove from time to time. "Do you want to try out the bed?" he asked, waggling his brows at her and wearing a teasing grin.
She laughed at his suggestion, shrugging out of her jacket as she looked around. "Such a shame the water isn't a little warmer yet, we could have gone straight swimming," she teased him in return, dropping her jacket over the back of the nearest armchair to turn and hug her arms around his waist. "Just think, Josh ....only this time last year, there was nothing here but forgotten scrub."
"This time last year, we were planning a wedding." Josh smiled as she slid her arms around him and he returned the favor. He had proposed a little over a year ago after a whirlwind courtship. A lot had happened in the last year and a half or so, since his father had sent him to Rhy'Din.
"Well, we were planning on how to tell my uncle and make him plan the wedding," she corrected with a low giggle, rising up onto her toes to brush the tip of her nose against his. Lowering back down, she sighed softly, hugging into him. "Isn't it wonderful to have somewhere no one's watching us or listening to us?"
"We could christen every room in the house and no one would care," he pointed out with a grin. He would never have been so bold before they'd gotten married, but things were different now, and as they had settled into married life, they had become pretty comfortable with each other. His hands even traveled a little lower to settle on her rear, without anyone there to remind him to behave himself. "We can do whatever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want," he told her, touching his nose to hers.
And no chance of James bursting in to disturb them, either, since he was in the throes of last minute wedding details back in Tirisano. Dru's smile softened as she felt her husband's hands move, sliding her own hands into the back pockets of his pants to squeeze teasingly. "That does sound very tempting," she admitted, unable to wipe the smile off her face.
"So, what would you like to do, Princess?" he asked, a playful smirk on his face. Marriage hadn't stopped him from teasing her by addressing her by her formal title. "Walk on the beach' Bite to eat' Bath, shower" Test the bed" Take a nap?" The list went on. This was exactly what they needed - not only getting away from all the responsibilities they shouldered back in Tirisano, but just having the freedom to do whatever they wanted for a while.
The playful title still made her roll her eyes, though now she took it with good grace and a low laugh, smacking his rear end in retaliation. "I want to learn how to cook something," she told him cheerfully. He'd been teaching her how to cook before everything had taken off in August last year, but since then, hadn't really had a chance. Now they had their own space, their own kitchen, the first thing she wanted to do was something so utterly ordinary, no one would have imagined it of the heir apparent to the throne of Tirisano. "So ....chop, chop, think of something, your highness."
Josh laughed at her retaliation as well as her suggestion, not really surprised that the first thing she'd want to do in their new house was christen the kitchen, though not exactly in the same way he'd been suggesting. "What would you like to try?" he asked, assuming the kitchen was as well-stocked as the rest of the house. It seemed whoever had made the arrangements had forgotten nothing. Even the closets had an assortment of clothing so they didn't have to worry about packing every time they came for a visit.
"Something easy?" she suggested, sliding her hands from his back pockets to wander in the direction of the kitchen. "I still can't quite believe that this is all ours. And that no one else is here!" She laughed delightedly, actually clapping her hands for a moment as she twirled on the spot, truly pleased with how everything had fallen out. "How hungry are you?"
"If you keep asking me questions that I can answer with sexual innuendos, we're not going to get any cooking done," he warned with a grin, laughing as she twirled in place. He hadn't seen her so happy since their wedding day, and he was enjoying it. "We could go for a ride later," he suggested further, though even that could be twisted and taken the wrong way. "My bike's in back," he said, jerking his thumb toward the back of the house. He'd arranged to have his motorcycle brought here where he could actually use it without a line of security cars trailing behind them.
Her mouth fell open, eyes wide with disbelief. "Goodness, can we really' With no objections or complaints" That's wonderful!" This time, she expressed her delight by throwing her arms around his neck, laughing happily. "I love you so much," she murmured into his ear, stroking her fingers through his hair lovingly. "But you still have to feed me."
"Are you sure you can handle not having any servants to wait on you hand and foot?" he teased, his arms going around her waist, a playful sparkle in his eyes. He already knew the answer to that question. After all, she had managed to survive here in Rhy'Din before he'd come to her rescue. "And you still have to decide what you want to eat," he told her, tapping a finger against her nose.
"Well, I might just faint dead away when it comes to fastening my own bra and brushing my own hair," she deadpanned in answer, raising a brow above her own sparkling eyes. "And just how will you explain my death to the Parliament if I'm forced to wash my own back in the shower?"
"Oh, I think I can manage to help with that," he replied, smiling, despite her deadpanning. "Now, are you going to tell me what you want to eat, or do I have to tickle it out of you?" he teased, his hands creeping slowly toward her sides to make good on his threat.