The King's Guard (BL)

Food

The next morning, I ate breakfast with Creed and Presley but I only picked at the food.

"What's wrong with you?" Creed asked.
"Nothing." I lied as I held my head up with my hand.
"Something." Presley stated.
"I fear that Nathan is upset with me." I finally told.
"Why's that?" Creed wondered.
"I told him that he technically was not supposed to eat with us at this table and that the others don't get this treatment."
"Why is he upset by that?" Creed asked.
"Well, I can only assume it is because Sir Nathan is empathetic. He does not like special treatment, he wants to be treated like everyone else. The king told me this before Nathan moved in. Nathan was owed a ceremony of honor but turned it down because he did not want to be seen as better than anyone."
"So he hates being treated differently? What a weirdo. I would have taken that ceremony happily." Creed intruded.
"I still wish to know what he did to deserve such honors." I spoke up.
"Perhaps that is a question you might have to ask him." Presley stated.
"I do not think he wishes to speak to me." I replied.
"I'm sure he's not that upset. He probably took it the wrong way. He might just not agree with favoritism." Creed argued.
"Yes, but...that's not how I meant for it to come across." I pouted. "It's just that for the work that you all do I thought you deserved it. Presley is on his feet all day, you're the reason I can partially protect myself and you train the knights, and Nathan is a guard. But he does so many other jobs around the castle that he too barely ever sits down. The least I could do besides housing you is feeding you accordingly especially for the work that you do..."
"We are forever grateful, your highness. But I do not think Nathan understands it the same way. You two should discuss it." Presley stated.
I nodded and stood from my seat to go find him.

...

I found him at the stables and he, Max, and Snow sat on the ground as he fed them carrots and apples.

"Hi..." I greeted nervously.
He did not look at me. "Hello."
I sat down across from him.

"Are you still mad at me?"
"I was never mad at you." he said and fed the rest of the carrot to Snow.
"You seemed to be."
"I do not wish to be treated differently."
"But Nathan you do so much around the castle, more than majority of the other workers, and all I do is house you, I figured I could also at least feed you accordingly. With the work you do you deserve a decent meal to work off of. You're a large man, you should work off more than two pancakes and a handful of fruit. Those who do the most work get the most food."
He just stared at me.

"I do not think you are better than anyone or that anyone of them is less than you. I just compensate for the amount of work. I promise. Please do not be upset with me." I sat closer to him and on my knees.
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes, okay. I understand."

"So...will you eat with us again?" I asked.
"Will you feed the rest better?"
"I don't know, it depends on what the chefs have to work with and how much time they're given or when they begin cooking-..."
He looked away from me and pet Snow.
"Okay! Okay, I will talk to the chefs about making their meals bigger. But! You will be in charge of gathering more supplies to make that happen." I dealt.
"That is fine."
"That means you go into town for fruit and vegetable seeds or visit farms for meat and dairy."
"Okay."
"Okay, good." I held my hand out for him to shake to confirm the deal.

He took it then kissed over it. I snatched it back.

"That's not what you were supposed to do!" I said in nervousness.

I was not certain if we were alone.

"It's what I wanted to do." he argued.

"What if someone saw it?"
"Maybe they'll see this too..." he grabbed my face and pulled me to him before blessing me with a gentle and deep kiss.
He let me go and I just sat there with my face warm.

He snickered at my embarrassment.

"No one is here, they went across town for horse feed, they won't be back for another half an hour. Sometimes I would like to kiss you outside of your bedroom, you know."
"You've kissed me in your bedroom."
He laughed. "Okay, maybe I want to kiss you outside of the castle. Maybe I want to kiss you under a tree, or in a bed of flowers, or under the gazebo."
"Maybe once I tell my father..."
"Why do we need to wait that long?"
"Because if we did so beforehand, others may see. And when he returns, they'll tell him before I get the chance to. And I want him to hear it from me. Not them."
"Understandable."

I gently pet Max as I tried to come up with my next question.

"Umm..."
"Yes?"
"I know I said not to, but..."
He chuckled. "Do you want another one?"
"No...but if...you do...then...then you can have another one, but I, myself, do not want one." I stuttered.
"Well I wouldn't want to do anything you don't want."

I know he's teasing me.

I sat there on my knees with my hands in my lap, staring down at them.

Both of his hands grabbed my face and lifted it up before he kissed me slow and passionately. I felt his smile as he did so.