Not a good evening

"You would think that with Spring already on its way, all the snow would melt in an instant" said Zuph as he sighed and he dragged his horse behind him.

"That is not how the seasons work Zuph" said Zechariah as he laughed.

"We need to ease into the seasons, or else rushing from one season to the next would cause a disturbance" said Zechariah as he smiled.

"Zechariah is right Zuph" said Luc as he dragged his horse behind him.

"Besides, the snow is melting, slowly but surely" said Luc as he laughed, they had just returned from training the troops, and saying that they were tired, would have been an understatement.

"Do you remember when we used to train like they did?" asked Elihu as he laughed and he dragged his horse behind him.

"You mean fight, we never had the comfort of training, we just right into the battlefield, it was killed or be killed" said Zuph as he laughed.

"That is the truth, it was killed or be killed" said Luc as he laughed.

"The troops have it easy, we are only preparing them down in case a war breaks out… even though I doubt that would be so" said Zechariah as he laughed.

"I wonder where Mero is, he usually always watches the troops as they train" said Elihu.

"Well he is the Kingsman, the King's most trusted man, so it would be probable that he is with Liam at this moment" said Zuph.

"I doubt that Is so, because when I went to get my horse from the stables this morning, the stable master informed me that Liam would be coming to the stables" said Zechariah.

"Oh yes, I even forgot to tell you all, I heard that Liam bought a new horse" said Zuph.

"Why would he buy a new horse, what happened to Nolan?" asked Elihu in surprise as they all knew how much Liam loved Nolan, he was the only horse that Liam rode on, at all times, he was his trusty stead.

"Nothing happened to Nolan" said Zuph.

"The why did he buy a new horse?" asked Luc as he was confused.

"He did not buy the horse for himself, he bought it for the Queen" said Zuph as that was what he had heard from the stable master.

"He did?" asked Elihu in surprise, he wondered when Liam started to change and buy gifts, just because of a woman.

"Yes he did" said Zuph as he nodded his head.

"Well then I am sure that the Queen was happy with his gift" said Zechariah as he smiled.

"I wonder since when Liam started to buy gifts for women" said Elihu.

"Correction Elihu, he did not buy a horse for just any woman, he bought it for his wife" said Luc as he looked at Elihu with a raised eyebrow, he just hoped that Elihu did not change back to being the ungrateful person he was, not after Wura had helped him.

"I heed to that correction, yes he did buy the horse for his wife, but Liam was never one to give gifts" said Elihu.

"How would you know? Are you his wife?" asked Zuph as he looked at Elihu as Luc and Zechariah laughed.

"I obviously am not, I am just surprised, that is all" said Elihu.

"Well people change Elihu, they change, and Liam has changed for the better thanks to his wife" said Zuph as he smiled, he could tell that Liam had been happier as of late, ever since he and Wura got married, he was easier to talk to, calmer than usual.

"That is the truth" said Zechariah as he smiled.

"The Queen makes him happy" said Luc as he smiled.

"Which is why I get back to you Zechariah, when will you find a wife?" asked Zuph as he turned to look at Zechariah.

"Well very soon, as soon as I find her, I will know" said Zechariah as he laughed and they all laughed.

…

Later that day.

It was dinner time, and Wura made her way to the dining room, she was happy and at peace, until she saw him… sitting there and sipping his wine without a care in the world, it irked her, the smile on her face quickly changed into a frown as she sat down at her usual spot beside him.

Liam glanced at Wura as she did not even greet him a good evening, he wondered if she could have still been upset about what happened earlier, he really hoped not, because that meant she kept grudges for too long, but one look at her and he knew that she was still upset with him.

Wura scoffed internally, she really wished that he would have been busy, so she did not have to see him here, but her wishes were far from truth, she did not get them granted at all, here he was looking as if he had done nothing wrong to her, while he was manipulating her, and all just for him to call him by his name.

"A good evening to you too Wura" said Liam as he smiled and he shook his head, of all the things, why was she still so upset about him insisting that she call him by his name, his name was not too long, it was not a mouthful, it was short and sweet, and yet she refused to call him by it.

"Hmm, it is not a good evening" said Wura as she scoffed and she did not look at him at all, she was going to show him that she was upset with him, and she would not stop being upset until he put his childish behaviour behind, and she could call him whatever she wanted to call him.

"And how so?" asked Liam as he smiled and Wura turned and shot him a dirty glare that read "You know why", and it made Liam chuckle.

"I cannot know why the evening is bad for you if you do not tell me Wura" said Liam as he laughed, he felt like poking her cute little nose when she frowned like this.

"Well if you must know, I am upset with you" said Wura.

"How so much so?" asked Liam.

"What did I do, to make my wife upset with me this time?" asked Liam as he smiled and Wura frowned even more at him.

"You do many things to make me upset, but today was the last straw" said Wura.

"If you want to vent, then I allow you to do so, after all I am here to listen to you, I am all ears" said Liam as he smiled and it irritated Wura even more that he was so calm.

"Well you are childish, you are selfish, you are immature, you are a conniving, sly man, who will do anything to get his way" said Wura as all Liam did was to smile at her.

"What else?" asked Liam as he smiled.

"You always want things done your way, you have no regard for anybody other than yourself, and worst of all, you force women to call you by your name" said Wura as she felt better now after pouring out all her thoughts on him.

"Correction, I do not force women to call me by my name" said Liam as he smiled.

"I only force you" said Liam as he smiled and Wura felt her heart skip a beat, but she quickly composed herself, because if he thought his explanation was right, he was wrong, it was only making her even more enraged.

"Well I do not want to be forced" said Wura.

"Well think of it like this, if you were not forced to learn, would you know anything you know now?" asked Liam as he smiled.

"Well no your Majesty, but that is besides the point" said Wura.

"No, just conclude Wura, there are some instances when forcing is required" said Liam as he smiled.

"You impudent man, you annoying, thorn in the flesh, man" said Wura as she could not believe that he had the courage to say such to her, saying hat forcing her to learn, well then if that was the case she did not want to learn then.

Liam chuckled, Wura was becoming bolder and bolder around him, to the extent that she would resort to raining insults on him which could have been considered offensive if anyone else but her said such words to him.

She did not realize just how rude she was being, and not just to anyone, but to the King himself, Liam just found this funny, she was the only one that could frown at him, and insult him, and he would not even get angry at her.

"Is that what you really think of me?" asked Liam as he smiled.

"That and more" said Wura as she could not utter the other words she had in her head, or else, she would have been regarded as an untaught woman.

"Well then, at least you think about me" said Liam as he smiled and Wura did not know whether to laugh or punch him, or do both, because he was just being so annoying, he had changed, what happened to him?

What happened to the cold Liam, the one who would just leave her be and not reply to her? The none difficult Liam, the not cheeky Liam?? Just who was this man sitting beside her?

"I detest you Liam, you are so immature" said Wura as if he wanted her to call him by his name, then so be it, but he would never hear his name, and good words come out in the same sentence from her.

"You see, that was not so hard now was it Wura?" asked Liam as he smiled, he felt like poking her cheek, but he knew that he had enraged her enough this evening or else, she would lock herself up in her room and refuse to see him, and he did not want that at all.

"Ha" said Wura as she scoffed at Liam, he was unbelievable at this point, she was concerned for if he was actually feeling alright.

"Stop frowning Wura, it does not suite your beautiful face" said Liam as he smiled, he wanted to see if that would work and at least put a smile on her face.

"I cannot stop frowning if the source of my unhappiness is still here" replied Wura curtly.

"So if I was to leave right now, would it make you smile?" asked Liam as he smiled.

"You would??" asked Wura in surprise as she turned to look at Liam.

"No I would not, I was just asking" said Liam as he laughed, the way the expression on her face changed from annoyance, to surprise, to hope, and now to anger all in one moment was so funny.

"Of course, I should have known that you would never sacrifice yourself for others" said Wura as she sneered and she turned back to face the other way, she was just tired at this point, Liam was just too much for her.

"If you call me Liam once more, I might consider leaving" said Liam as he smiled and he looked at her, he did not know why hearing his name from her lips made him smile so much, it made him happy, even though she called his name with anger and annoyance, but it was pleasing to his ears to hear her call him.

"At this point, I believe that you actually wanted Ayo to be frightened and take off with me so I would call you your name" said Wura as she scoffed.

"Believe me when I say that, that is untrue, but what happened allowed for you to call me Liam, and I am happy about that" said Liam as he smiled, he knew that he sounded crazy, but Wura made him like that, she was just so difficult that it was frustrating.

She guarded herself so much, she had not even slipped once, she was so adamant that she would keep things the way they are between them, so when she made the mistake of calling him like that In her time of distress, calling him, calling his name with so much fear and hope that he would save her, it opened his eyes that maybe after all, she was not so difficult, she actually saw him as someone who she could call when she was in danger.

"Well Liam…" Wura said as she said his name with so much dislike.

"I do not believe you" said Wura as Liam smiled at her.

"Then I will wait for you until you do" said Liam as he smiled and Wura rolled her eyes at him.

"Ahh Liam, Wura, sorry for keeping you waiting" said Nigel as he smiled and he walked into the dining room.

A chuckle escaped his lips once he saw the way Wura looked so annoyed, while Liam was just laughing, a quarrel between lovers eh.

"Good Evening Uncle" said Liam as he smiled happily at Nigel.

"Good Evening Uncle" said Wura as she did not smile at all, she was still upset.

"Good Evening dear, you look rather upset?" asked Nigel as he smiled and Liam just looked at him as he laughed and he shook his head.

"That is because I am Uncle" said Wura as she looked at Nigel.

"How so my dear? What or who makes you so upset?" asked Nigel as he laughed and he looked at Liam in particular.

"Well Uncle, your nephew over here, has mad me upset" said Wura as she pointed to Liam, she looked like a child who was reporting someone who hurt her to her father.

"Oh nephew of mine, what did you do to upset your beautiful wife so?" asked Nigel as he turned to look at Liam.

"Uncle, I am not sure of what I did, bit I asked her to forgive me" said Liam as he smiled.

"Liar, you never did such, you never asked me to forgive you, and you also know what It is that you did" said Wura as she looked at Liam in annoyance.

"Liam, why did you upset your wife so?" asked Nigel as he laughed and he looked at Liam.

"Uncle, it was not my intention to upset her, but since I have, I will ask for her forgiveness here, right in your presence" said Liam as he smiled and he turned to look at Wura as he took her hand in his which caught her by surprise as she wondered just what he was trying to do.

She wanted to pull her hand out of his, but she could not do so while Nigel was here, because it would make him wonder.

"My dear Wife, Wura, darling…" said Liam as he smiled.

"Darling??" asked Wura to herself in surprise, since when did he call her darling? He never called her darling, alright he did, but that was only once, she wondered what sort of game he was playing here.

"I am sorry that I upset you, it was not my intention to, please forgive me, forgive me" said Liam as he smiled and he kissed the back of her hand which suddenly made her flinch as she did not expect that at all, he was doing weird things… very weird things.

Liam stifled a laugh at her reaction, if she wanted to report him to his Uncle, he would also create a play as well, because they both knew what was going on between them.

Wura looked confused as she looked at Nigel who was smiling happily at the scene before him.

"What do you say darling, do you forgive me?" asked Liam as he smiled and he was about to kiss her hand the second time as she did not allow him to and she quickly pulled out her hand from his.

"I forgive you, there" said Wura as she cleared her throat and she gave a quick smile as Nigel smiled.

"Thank you Wura" said Liam as he smiled at Wura as she did not smile at him at all, why did he have to kiss her hand?? Why??

"Well shall we eat now, since everything is settled?" asked Liam as he smiled and he turned to look at Nigel.

"I agree Liam, let us eat" said Nigel as he smiled and he looked at Wura as she gave him a quick smile while she was still wondering why Liam had to go so far as to kissing the back of her hand, and the way he looked while doing it… it just confused Wura, just what was going on in his head?