Ignis paced up and down the hallway in front of the King's chamber.
"My Lady, what are you so nervous about? The King has already accepted to help you" Domi whispered to her. "You should quickly go inside, before he changes his mind".
"Although, he is willing to help me, he also wants a real marriage Domi. I am not sure what he is planning to add in the contract" Ignis whispered nervously.
"To find that out, you first need to enter the chamber. Why are you behaving like a new bride entering her husband's chamber for the first time?" Domi lightly pushed her towards the door. "Do not worry. If there's anything you don't feel comfortable about, we can re-negotiate the contract"
"Aren't you coming in? I do not have the entire night" both the women flinched as Adrian called from the inside.
"Go on My Lady, get in quickly. Also, you can take your time to, you know, get acquainted with each other. I don't mind waiting outside till morning" Domi winked. Ignis was shocked at her jest.
'How can she take this situation so lightly?'
Ignis opened the door and walked inside.
Adrian was sitting cross-armed looking out of the wide window behind his small desk. He turned towards her, when she entered. The desk was empty except for a few blank parchments, a small ink bottle and a few quills. She took one of the two chairs facing him.
"What took you so long?" he asked stretching his hand over his head in the dimly lit room.
Adrian stood up, freshly showered, his face glowing with a clean radiance. His damp shaggy hair, fell in casual disarray around his forehead and ears, giving him a carefree, rugged charm. He walked across the desk and sat at the chair beside her. Ignis stiffened and sat straight like a rod. She saw him placing a parchment each in front of both of them. He placed his elbow on the desk and held his cheek in his bandaged palm.
"Princess, I will allow you to stare at me all you want once we finish drafting our contract" Ignis realized what she was doing and quickly looked down at the parchment. She dipped the quill in the ink bottle and asked.
"S-So what do you want to add to the contract?" she was getting more nervous by every minute.
"You start first, what do you want to add?" Adrian asked lazily. He poured tea in two cups placed on the side tea trolley.
Ignis cleared her throat and took one cup.
"I don't wish to interfere in external affairs of the Kingdom, but when it comes to my plan, I would like to take the role of a strategist and accompany you in the battle. Is that fine with you?"
Adrian leaned back on the chair "Do you wish to fight on the front line?"
"No. I am physically not that strong" she remembered her mother's portrait. Riding a horse in the midst of a battle, one hand piercing the body of two enemy soldiers with a spear.
"Then I am fine" both of them wrote down the point on the parchment.
After gaining some confidence, Ignis went ahead and mentioned many points that would support her plans for the future, also providing logical reasons behind every point. Adrian didn't find anything to question, and kept nodding in agreement. He refilled their cups, when Ignis started to discuss her responsibilities as the Queen on the Aqua Land.
"I will take care of all the internal affairs as the Lady of the house. This will include the Palace management, maintaining relationships with the fiefs of the Kingdom, charity and what else you want to add?" she looked up at Adrian, who had his eyes closed. She moved her hand towards him to check if he was awake, when he suddenly added.
"Internal affairs cannot be summed up in a few sentences. Many of our duties would be overlapping with each other. Let's try to fulfill those together, I will help you as much as I can" she quickly pulled her hand, before he opened his eyes and nodded. Both proceeded to add 'internal affairs' in the contract.
"You will need a Lady-in-waiting" Adrian added, suddenly looking energetic.
"Oh no... I am fine. I will just ask Albert if I want to know anything about nobles" she shook her head.
"That would take a lot of time. I have a perfect candidate who knows every household inside out. Trust me, you will love her" he looked excited. Who would this person be to make him so excited.
"So who is this Lady you are talking about?" Ignis asked him finally. she couldn't bear the suspense.
"Her name is Roana. She is considered to be the epitome of beauty in the aristocratic world. Her fashion quickly becomes a trend in the Aqua Land. She is quite smart and also kind to others. She has never listened to any of my requests in the past. But, now that I am the King, she won't dare to refuse. I think you will like her." he said, a childish grin on his face.
A sudden wave of disappointment washed over Ignis. "You both must be really close"
"Of course! She is my only cousin in the family. We both do not have siblings so we grew up together" instantly she felt relieved.
'Did I just feel jealous?' she shook her head.
"I can't wait for her to realize that she is no longer the 'most beautiful' in this Land'" he muttered. Ignis felt her face turn red.
"Let's present your offer as dowry when we register our marriage. Do you want to mention it in the contract?" Adrian asked. Ignis shrugged, it didn't matter to her.
A funny thought crossed her mind, and unintentionally, she let out a small laugh. She saw Adrian's confused face and shook her head.
"How would it sound to someone when they hear that I am giving you an Empire in dowry?"
"Everyone will probably think you have gone insane" he smiled.
"Then let's not mention the first offer" she quickly said. "I don't want people to think that their Queen is crazy". Adrian nodded in reply.
Ignis cleared her throat and faced him.
"What about our duties towards each other? Our marital duties as husband and wife. Shall we add those in the contract as well?"