After Anna came out of her seclusion, the first beast husband she met with was Kai.

She found him waiting outside her door, pacing the floors restlessly, stopping every second to glance down the hallway as if expecting her to materialize out of thin air.

The moment he spotted her, he ran up to her. At first he wanted to hug her, then he decided against it and bowed.

"Did you like the book?" He asked, his blue eyes shining and expectant.

Anna had never had someone so happy to see her. Again she was reminded of a cute puppy, wagging its tail at its owner.

"It was a romance between a bear and a chicken," she chuckled, tilting her head cutely to the side. "I’ll admit I’d never thought about that, but it was cute. Thank you."

He grinned, flashing too much sharp teeth. "I’m glad you liked it, cutie. And I want to apologize for the party. I didn’t mean to hurt you at all, I swear it. Maybe I want to hurt others but never you. I was so worried you’d never wake up again..."

"What are you sorry for?"

"Everything."

"Well, everything is a vague little word, don’t you think?" She folded her arms, watching him keenly. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

He blinked, lost in thought for two seconds before recollection lit up his eyes. He glanced at her neck, searching for the marks. But by now they were all faded and her skin was back to being smooth and flawless.

Kai had never apologized for much. Especially not his nature. He liked blood, and he liked violence. The Princess had no problems with it either, and in fact used him accordingly.

But this woman wasn’t the Princess.

And she did not like blood or violence.

A twinge of worry came into Kai’s heart. What if he didn’t end up liking her? What if he was too consumed by the real Princess? What if the chains she used on him never vanished?

It had been weeks since he was last put in chains. This woman would never put him in chains, that he knew.

But what if he wanted to be put in chains again? What if he missed it?

He faltered, his gaze dimming and turning to the floor.

She’s not my real cutie...she’s something different.

Do I want different? Do I like different?

I don’t know what different tastes like. What if I hate it?

I don’t think I can hate this woman. But what if I do?

"Kai?"

He looked up and met her eyes. They were still black. He missed when they were pink.

Something strange came over his heart. He tried to smile and failed.

"I shouldn’t have hurt you," he said, gesturing to her neck. "I’m sorry about that."

Anna nodded, her eyes narrowed slightly.

She didn’t pride herself on her expert observation skills, but a few seconds ago she noticed something different in Kai.

She knew that look on his face. Contemplation followed by a strong decision. A while ago he’d been so enthusiastic about the apology, and now he sounded flat, like it was a chore he needed to get rid of.

Her eyes moved to his bare neck where the collar sat comfortably.

Her heart sank.

"I forgive you," she said, unable to meet his eyes. Every scar on his body, his arms, his chest, she remembered all of them now.

The collar...if I take it off, then what?

She already knew the answer, and it was not one she expected.

"Forget about it." She said with a soft sigh. Then she looked up at him and slapped on a polite smile. "The kiss, I mean. It was nothing, anyway. We were both drunk and it honestly was a mistake."

That’s right. I should have pushed him away. It was far too early to go about kissing anyone here. And now he knows everything...I just handed him a murder weapon.

My potential murder weapon.

Kai’s expression remained guarded. "You’re right, it was a terrible mistake. She would never have made it."

Anna didn’t expect his words to hit her so hard.

Her fists clenched into her gown and she nodded stiffly. "You can go now."

He left without glancing back.

She watched him leave, his slender back get smaller and smaller till he turned down a corner and vanished.

He’s already comparing me to Orchid.

Fuck. Why did I tell him?

I should have kept quiet.

He’s volatile...did I forget that because of one kiss?

Her hands came up, wrapping around her body protectively. Only then did she notice how much she was shivering.

Am I that touch-starved that I folded after one kiss?

Weak.

Pathetic.

And now I’ve shot myself in the leg. What if he tells everyone? What if he doesn’t believe me and thinks it’s my fault?

Her heart raced and she stumbled into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. She wished she could go back in time and undo everything.

***

After taking a while to calm down, Anna made her way to the library. She learned that Azul had returned to the North for a quick trip and didn’t leave a note behind. Her spirits further dampened. First Kai and then Azul. She quickly reminded herself not to care, and they weren’t even hers to begin with.

In the library, she sat in the most secluded corner surrounded by tall shelves filled with aged books, some of them from 5000 years ago.

The Princess Orchid had somehow gotten her hands on books from the Old World and stored them in the library. But not before she made copies for her own private use in her lab.

Anna didn’t feel like going to the lab again.

She picked an old romance novel and settled down to read, hoping it’ll quieten her mind enough till it was time to head for her royal duties.

She’d barely immersed herself into the first page when a familiar set of footsteps walked up to her.

An object appeared in front of her, placed on the table by a large, war roughened hand. "You dropped this."

A crown. The one Anna wore at the party that somehow vanished and she never thought about it. The crown looked like it’d been squashed and poorly put back into shape.

Slowly, she looked up till her eyes met Leon’s amber ones. "And?"

He scoffed. "And? You were careless, your highness, unaware and oblivious to your surroundings. What if someone had seen you? Anything could have happened and you’d never know of it. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Ashamed of myself for kissing my husband?"

Leon grit his jaw the point of shattering teeth. She had to go there. Throw it in his face like it meant nothing.

"What shame is to be found in that, General?" She asked, her brows furrowed in annoyance. "The fact that you brought this up, interrupted my reading, and tried to sound all self righteous? That’s pathetic. A new low, even for you."

Heat surged in Leon’s chest.

He hadn’t expected this reaction from her. He didn’t even expect he’d return the crown to begin with. But every time he looked at it, he’d remember that night over and over again.

"You—"

"Instead of worrying what I do with my husbands, why don’t you focus on yourself? How’s your corruption levels? Have you checked in with the doctor since I started soothing you? No? Of course. You’d rather waste your time following me around."

Leon’s mouth opened and shut like a mime.

She did not just...what has gotten over her?

She talks to me this way?

Meanwhile, Anna bit her inner cheek to prevent her from grinning at the dumbfounded look on his face. "Is there anything else you’d like to say? Or should I return to my book?"

A shuffle to the side drew her attention away from Leon’s meme worthy face. Ray walked in, his eyes darting between the two of them as he noticed the tension brewing in the air.

"Did I interrupt?"

"Yes." Leon said.

"No." Anna said. She turned to Leon and flashed him a fake smile dripping with honey. "You should leave now, General."

Leon clenched his fist, a growl rising in his chest. Without another word, he turned and marched out of the library.

"He’s going crazy," Anna sighed, leaning her elbows on the table as she rubbed her temples. The open book in front of her no longer called out to her, and she closed it with a heavier groan.

"He is," Ray agreed quietly.

Anna looked up. "Have you heard anything?"

Ray wanted to tell her everything that happened the night of the party, and the strange emotions he’d heard from Leon’s mind.

But he also wanted to ask about her kiss with Kai.

The latter made him pout slightly, traces of jealousy wrapping around his heart.

Instead of saying either of those things, he shook his head. "I’m here for something different . It’s about your Private Council. They sent a message to you," he held out a deep red envelope with ornate gold markings and elegant handwriting.

Anna opened it and read the contents of the letter.

"Oh,"

The message was clearly from Thalia, offering an apology on behalf of the secret council and begging for mercy. They wanted her to take back the order to fetch Uranium themselves. They begged her to let them use servants or soldiers.

Anna tore up the letter. She met Ray’s eyes and offered him a calm smile. "I’ve always wanted to ask you about the west, and why your name is Noctis."

His back straightened as he heard that name. "I no longer go by that name, your highness."

"Because I gave you a new one?" Anna asked. Of course it was Princess Orchid that changed his name. "I want to call you by your real name, Noctis."

"I...pardon me but...I don’t want that, your highness. I’m sorry. I’ll accept any punishment you decide to give me."

Anna frowned.

Punishment? Because he had a choice?

An idea came to her mind.

She rose to her feet. "Fine. Your punishment will be having tea with me and telling me everything about the West."

Ray blinked up at her with huge confused eyes. "That’s quite the hefty punishment..."

Anna gasped. "My, how rude. I’m kind to you and you don’t like it?"

He rose to his feet. "I didn’t say I don’t like it." What he wanted to say was ’I’m not sure how to control myself around you, now that I know who you really are.’ The fact that he was unable to say that filled him with so much pain.

Anna, oblivious to his internal struggles, couldn’t help herself from smiling. "Come on then. Time for your punishment."