Something Close to... Dad (1)

When Darius walked into the waiting room where the Shadow King was meeting him, he didn't realize that even Aldous would be there. Perhaps the old man chose to hold up Nicholai all night, enough for him not to return until it was already morning.

"Your Majesty, the Shadow King… Your Majesty, the Cosmic King…"

Darius made a light bow, not knowing if he should go lower. After all, none of these Kings have jurisdiction over his Gillard Peninsula. Moreover, he was the Rogue King's mate. If anything, the only status-related thing they had higher than him were their ages. The Cosmic King was believed to have lived for a thousand years; the Shadow King, even more so…

His bow wasn't long, either. He was trying hard not to make the impression that he was there to please them. He was the one invited, anyway.