#vierablessed

Did he prefer she go shirtless?

It was an absolutely rhetorical question. Delita wasn’t foolish enough to answer it bluntly. It went without saying that of course, in an ideal world, he would prefer she go shirtless. Who wouldn’t want to be in the presence of someone so beautiful and not revel in their appearance?

But out of politeness and respect, Delita bit his tongue.

“I...have no qualms with you wearing my clothing,” he assured her, shaking his head. “None whatsoever. However large they are on you, they also suit you. I happen to like it.”

Delita was uncharacteristically flustered at her open and vulnerable appearance. It wasn’t just the shirt--it was how Ritz looked so very human at the moment. She wasn’t a Judge holding a heavy burden atop her shoulders out of a sworn duty.

He was sure that his appearance was much the same. He’d shed his heavy, rain soaked armor for a lighter change of clothes. His hair was still slick with water, and he knew the lengthy journey showed on his face.

But she was so pretty in this very gentle setting.

Carefully, so as not to imply any assumptions on his part, Delita settled across from her and casually sat in a pretzel-style fashion. If this was to be a rare moment of candid comfort, he was going to make the most of it. Beneath the royal garb, he was just a man much like everyone else in the world.

I think for you I would be ATLAS           I would carry the weight of the world on my shoulder. And if I fell           I would be just fine

knowing I had died for Y O U

He resolved never to treat his people with such disregard. Having been one of them, Delita knew they deserved better. The road to the throne might have been riddled with obstacles -- most of them political rivals, admittedly -- but the end justified the means. He had very few regrets about his rise to power.

It was still bizarre, to walk throughout the castle and sit on the throne that he intended to share with Ovelia. She crept up within his thoughts more often than Delita preferred.

But now, he was beginning to see how much cooperation the role of King entailed. He would have the most influence, surely. But there were tasks to delegate, officials to meet with, and messes the prior rulers had made that Delita needed to clean up. It was a burden and a half.

The fact that Delita didn’t always play well with others wouldn’t help matters.

Today he was scheduled to meet with Ritz Malheur -- a judgemaster who he would be working alongside. He’d been given few details about the woman outside of her name. Delita’s once trusting nature faded significantly over the years, leaving behind a very jaded skeptical mindset in its wake. He didn’t trust just anyone, always approaching a new acquaintances with suspicion.

Delita was in his study when he heard a guard rap his knuckles on the door, entering shorty after. He announced Judge Malheur’s arrival, to which Delita pushed his work aside to give the woman his full attention.

“Judge Malheur, a pleasure,” he greeted Ritz, nodding his head. Delita took note of her bright hair, seeing how it contrasted to her pale skin. She gave off an air of confidence, a trait he could respect right from the start. All the same, Delita’s innate reaction was to size her up.

“I hope you’ve had a warm welcome within the castle thus far,” he followed up, gesturing to his guards and then out past the office the two of them inhabited.

@viera-blessed

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