Arya

The People of Avallon

Oliver's pov

"Where's Arya?" Miriam asked.

"Oh, you might want to keep the halls of her chamber quiet."

"Quiet? Is something wrong? She wasn't at dinner yesterday. Will she skip breakfast as well?"

"The Queen is very tired." I smiled knowing she'd wake up hungry and happy due to yesterday and this morning.

"Oh, okay."

"I dont want to wake her, but I'll let you know if she'll be attending breakfast."

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Arya's pov

"Aladar, look." I pointed at the birds splashing around in the fountain.

"Can I scare them?" He asked.

"Al, where's Bruno?" I looked up to see Oliver walking towards us.

"He's with the farmers."

"You're not playing with him today?"

"They're giving him a bath." His attention was on the birds.

"You need a bath as well. You've been running around the dirt all afternoon."

"Aw, little Aladar needs to have a bath?" Oliver picked him up and he laughed. "Come on, Al, you know never to play in the dirt."

"That's right. Listen to him." I walked with him.

"Always play in the dirt after you've bathed!" Oliver tickled him and I smacked the back of hid head.

"Don't listen to him!" I pinched his arm and he pinched my arm but without looking he pinched the side of my breast.

"Ow!" I held onto the place he pinched and he laughed.

"You absolute rock!" I smacked him again and he ran away with Aladar.

"Run, Aladar!" They ran away and as I was behind them Oliver ran to Aladar's chamber.

"Come on, Dopey. Get in the tub." Oliver turned to find me watching him get him ready for his bath until Emma came in to bathe him.

"I didn't mean to pinch you there. I was trying to get your arm but my attention was on someone else."

"It's fine. A bruise will form but that's it. Have you spoken to the troops?"

"Yes. I've taken care of everything to the point where we have the entire day to ourselves."

I gasped. "We do not."

"We do." He smiled. "In fact, I have a boat ready."

"No." I couldn't believe it.

"Oui." He smiled and ai gave him a kiss on the cheek.

We got on horses and rode to the docks. He had the boat organized as a romantic dinner.

"I know we've said that we'd be willing to give up our hope of finding love but after getting to know you, and you completely, I stand here before you, to say that I love you." He helped me onto the boat.

"Egh, you're kind of growing on me." I shrugged it off.

"Arya." He had his hands on my waist.

"I'm kidding. I feel the same." I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "This is romantic." I smiled.

"Good because this was hard to get."

"You're the King. It shouldn't be hard to get your hands on a boat."

"I'm talking about being on the boat with no interruptions. My parents have all the time they want because they have other people doing things for them."

"As much as I'd like to do that, i cannot. It feels wrong to make them do more of what's already asked of them."

"I like the people of Avallon. They would get along with my people although neither one would have a decent conversation." We both laughed.

He took over the paddles and after a while, he divided to stop and grab a basket that was behind him. "You even brought a basket?" My eyes teared up.

"It's our dinner." He fixed his glasses.

"You're too good for me." I watched him serve the food onto the plates. It was chile marinated pork with Vietnamese Brussels sprouts and an almond salad.

"Once we were done with other food he pulled out toasted baguette slices with a container that holds boysenberry and another with orange marmalade.

"Boysenberry, because I know it's your favorite." He smiled.

"You have no idea how much this means to me."

"As the weeks go by, I see how much you get done, how exhausted you are and with me by your side only to take on a few other tasks that a King would do." He put the plates into the basket. "You did all of this on your own. So I made sure that yesterday after dinner half of the tasks of today would be complete and the rest of today's tasks would be taken care of, this morning."

"You didn't have to do all that." I appreciated this moment.

The sun slowly set and he pulled out a bottle of wine from the basket. "Oliver." I looked at him and he couldn't help but smile. He opened the bottle and served a glass of wine. I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. He smiled as I gave him another peck on the lips and wrapped the arm that held the bottle around my waist to hug me and continue kissing me. I pulled away giving another quick peck and he handed me the glass.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"Have more troops than the other women and Kings." He smiled and I laughed.

"And why do you think that is, Oliver?"

"Oh, I know why." He set the bottle in the basket.

"Tell me why." I knew why and wanted him to say it.

"Because Avallon welcomes Sorcerers and sorceress. You also have many people who looked up to your parents. They know how much you have to offer them."

"To the people of Avallon." I raised my glass and he linked it with mine.

"To the people of Avallon." We kept eye contact and drank the wine.