Chapter 10: A Suitable Gift

When she was Laura, she had only been to the Emerald Twilight Pack’s village and the Imperial City. Traveling with the army’s procession led her through most of the border cities where the schools and hospitals she’s ordered to be built were doing a great amount of good. It warmed her heart, but the whispers among the knights concerned her.
“Who knew Adolph the Invincible could be like this?”
A knight laughed, “He is only a man.”
“Then he should understand why I want to go home as soon as possible!” The man huffed. “A full day’s delay will end up being a near week before I see my wife again.”
“Better a week’s delay than never knowing if we would come back…”
Laurel frowned. Why had they been delayed? They had lost more and more troops as they went through the towns. The sights of soldiers greeting their loved ones had warmed her heart and she grieved as Adolph delivered parcels of the fallen warriors to each family personally.
She gasped as Adolph gave a young wife her husband’s parcel and gave her money. The soldier had said a day’s delay. Had Adolph delayed the procession of the army for her?
She shook her head. That would be ridiculous. Perhaps there had just been more fallen warriors from Silver Blade and Sapphire Lake.
“What is it, my mate?” Adolph asked, approaching her.
“I heard that there was a delay in the return…” Laurel worried about her lip. “They have been away from their families for several years. What was the reason for the delay?”
“I could not leave you.”
Laurel gasped, “But that’s ridiculous! The army--”
“Knows well what finding you means to me, and those who do not could at least empathize… What are a few weeks in the face of having to wait a lifetime?” Laurel was breathless as he caressed her cheek. “If you had not agreed, we would have stayed in Sapphire Lake until you did.”
Laurel sputtered, “But what about--”
“Were you not the one who said I had the power to do as I pleased?
His tone was wry and teasing but she threw up her hands, unable to counter.
Adolph chuckled, “Come, we are stopping for the night. My royal beta, Chasel, is in charge of making your arrangements.”
“My arrangements?”
Chasel came and greeted her kindly before escorting her to a nice tent large enough for at least two people, yet she hadn’t seen a single woman in the army’s procession.
“Will I get to meet my tent mate soon?”
“You are the only person who will be staying in this tent,” Chasel said.
“Are there no other women in the army?”
Chasel’s eyes turned sad, “There was a female doctor, but she died during the war. This was her tent. As I remember it was very comfortable. Please let me know if you need anything else. His Majesty ordered me to ensure your comfort.”
He bowed politely and left her alone. Laurel set her bag down and explored the camp. Some of the late doctor’s effects were still inside including a washing basin and a chest of elixirs and bandages. She left the tent to explore the camp. Soldiers set up tents in neat rows, and no tent looked much different than the others save for the large tent in the center where it seemed the food was being prepared.
She was impressed by how diligent they seemed. Men sharpened their swords beside small fires and polished their armor. She nodded at a few patrolmen as she walked towards the edge of the camp.
There was a road sign saying that the next village was very close and she smiled, appreciating the army’s respect for the daily lives of the packs. She doubted Basil would have cared about intruding upon a pack’s territory with so many men to feed and house.
Adolph’s care for his people was striking and warming, yet her heart was troubled. He was, after all, the Goddess-Blessed King. Even though the goddess said she was her cherished child and had a great fate to meet, she didn’t know what to do. She had not been good enough to stand beside Basil. How could she hope to stand beside Adolph?
With a sigh, she turned back to head towards her tent.
“Laurel,” she turned as Adolph and another soldier approached her. “Are your arrangements comfortable?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you for your consideration.”
He nodded, and took the scroll from the soldier. The man didn’t lift his head.
“The border patrol will need to keep an eye on the westernmost region, I think.”
The man took note without lifting his gaze. He looked nervous. Laurel couldn’t imagine why he'd been on campaign with Adolph for years. It was a strange reaction, but many of the soldiers nearby seemed to try to give Adolph as wide of a berth as possible.
“The border?” Laurel asked as Adolph read the scroll into his pocket.
“Yes, though we have won. It will mean nothing if we don’t remain vigilant. The vampires are too cunning to underestimate.”
She looked at the knights nearby who smiled and nodded politely at her before hurrying away, avoiding looking at Adolph.
“Why… are you so afraid of him?” Laurel asked the soldier. “Haven’t you been on campaign with him for years?”
Adolph’s eyes widened and he looked at the soldier. The man cleared his throat.
"Yes, my lady, I have, but…” he cast a glance at Adolph before lifting his chin. “His Majesty is… the most fearsome wolf I’ve ever seen on a battlefield. He’s torn vampires to shreds like paper.”
“But… he has never turned his sword against you or any of the knights.”
“Of course, not, my lady!”
“Then… why?”
“My lady,” he looked nervous and confused. “Can you… not smell the blood in his aura?”
She looked at Adolph who seemed to be watching her for her reaction.
“Yes, I can.”
Never mind that it only added to the pure allure of his scent. Perhaps something was wrong with her. Adolph’s eyes softened, seemingly relieved.
“Thank you for your hard work. Be sure to rest before heading back to the border.”
The soldier nodded and hurried away and Adolph escorted her to her tent before going to the tent beside it and entering. She was shocked. Why would the king sleep in such a plain tent?
Laurel entered her tent quickly to wash up for dinner. She heard Adolph leave a while later and did not see him again until after dinner. He approached with a warm smile. His scent was muddled with the scents of the forest as if he had gone hunting, and there was a group of soldiers nearby trying to appear inconspicuous.
“Your Majesty?” Laurel asked.
“A present, Laurel,” Adolph opened the hunting bag in his hand and pulled out the body of a snow-white fox.
She gasped, shocked at the gesture and how public it was. Werewolf customs dictated that a man was to hunt an animal for the woman he wished to propose to and the difficulty of the prey was a sign of how earnest the proposal was.
There was no animal more elusive than the snow-white fox. To accept it would have basically been agreeing to marry him, and he knew it!
“Y-Your Majesty, I...”
“Will you accept it?” He smiled, “Don’t worry. I will skin it for you.”
“W-Wait,” Laurel tried to stop him, but he sat between their tents and pulled out a hunting knife. She expected it to be messy, but it seemed he’d already drained the blood from the body and used the knife with a hunter’s skill.
She was surprised and impressed.
Adolph must have seen it on her face. He chuckled, “There isn’t anything I do not excel at.”
He winked at her, “You’ll know first hand when we get married.”
Her face burned with embarrassment, “W-Who said we would--”
“The moon goddess, of course,” he turned back to his kill. “I’ll make the fur into a wrap for you, and the body will be an offering of gratitude.”
His smile turned soft and tender, “Though it could never fully convey my gratitude for such a beautiful mate.”
Her face probably made Adolph’s cloak seem faded from how embarrassed she was. Her heart was fluttering and she was near breathless and charmed. Who knew the great warrior king could be like any ardent man presenting his lover with gifts of devotion and sweet words?
Laurel could barely speak, unable to deny him, but wary of outright accepting it.
“W-Well, the Imperial City’s winter is quite cold, isn’t it? I don’t have anything suitable, so…”
I only accepted the skin of the white fox, so this did not count as accepting Adolph's proposal of marriage... She said to herself.
*Oh, quibble*! Alice murmured.
Adolph met her gaze, “You will have the finest clothes for every season, but it would warm my heart if you would wear it.”
She shuffled her feet, but nodded shyly, watching him prepare the skin to be dried. He may be Adolf the Invincible, the Vampire Destroyer, and the Goddess-Blessed King, but Adolf, her mate, seemed to be just a man of his word and nowhere near as terrible as the soldiers feared.