Jade sitting upon it, her real form exposed. Glistening scales, gorgeous finned ears that were curved, and her long thick green hair waving down past her shoulders and down her back. Her knees were drawn up to her chin, her body turned towards a moonlit window. But as her chin rested on her scaly knees, her catlike eyes were peering at them. With a small nervous smile. But her eyes were clear with trust.
Not a chapter update. But a snippet from a small short story about the first Queen of Merlia.
Author's note: Happy International Cat’s Day! Here’s an extra fluffy story for the eighth day of the Choices August Challenge. [All characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios]
Book: The Royal Romance / The Royal Heir
Pairing: King Liam x MC (Jade)
Rating: T
Word count: 2000
Summary: Jade adopts a cat, but not everyone is pleased with the feline’s presence.
Based on the prompt: Choices August Challenge Day Eight - Kittens
After a long videoconference with the German chancellor, Liam looked out the window to his office and smiled. In the garden, Maxwell, Bartie, Hana, and Penelope played with the corgis on the grass. It was lovely to have those two little bundles of fluff around, trotting around the halls of the palace. He always loved dogs and was happy to raise two adorable creatures with his wife. Loosening up his tie, he stood up to pick up a glass of water when he heard a knock the door.
"The door is open, my love," he said with a smile.
When the door opened, he turned to see Jade standing on the doorway looking puzzled. "How did you know it was me?"
"Only four people come in here unannounced and you happened to be the one with the firmest knock." Liam took a sip of his water, placed the glass on a tray nearby and sauntered over to her, greeting his wife with a long kiss. "Hi there," he murmured against her lips.
"Hi," she replied wrapping her hands around his neck. "Loose tie, huh? Do you have a few seconds to spare?"
"I can spare an hour if you want," he smiled slyly.
"Great, because I need to ask you something."
"Oh," he cleared his throat to compose himself. "Let's sit down for a moment then." He led Jade into his office, taking a seat beside her on the elegant antique couch.
"I know we have Bowie and Shirley, they're really cute and they're probably going to have a bunch of puppies pretty soon..."
"Are they?"
"Have you seen them together? It's unsettling sometimes."
He chuckled. "Continue."
"I want to know if you have anything against having cats."
"Well, no — "
"Yay!" She beamed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
Liam eyed his wife confused. "I'm not quite sure what you are thanking me for. Do you mind explaining to me what just happened here?"
"I'm getting a cat!"
Liam narrowed his eyes.
"You're not against having cats and I'm going to adopt one. Maxwell is going to help me pick one."
"Okay, I do not recall agreeing on this."
"Liam!"
"My queen, we already have dogs. They might not get along."
"I'm hiring a trainer to help me with that."
"We might have puppies in the future and we agreed we will have a corgi lineage. We've discussed this."
"And we'll put most of them for adoption and keep one to maintain the lineage just like we discussed. Next excuse?"
"They leave fur everywhere."
"And that's why pet hair removers were invented."
"Why do you want a cat? You said you were a dog person."
"Because they're cute, smart, funny and great companies to have. And I said I love both but if I had to choose, I'd choose a dog."
"Precisely. You chose to have a dog."
"Yes, and now I want a cat."
"Jade..."
"Now that you mentioned the cat/dog person conversation during our first date, can you refresh my memory about what you said that night when I told you I also would like to have a cat?"
He gave her a sideways glance. "I said I like most pets, and for you, I'd adopt and love a cat. Or as many cats as you want," he replied in a dull tone.
"Exactly. And you also promised to do anything to make me happy. Do you know what would make really happy today?" She grinned.
Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Adopt a cat. Buy everything you need to get it settled."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she squealed pulling her husband into a tight hug.
After Jade kissed his cheek more times than usual, he broke out into a shy smile. "It's okay. At least you came to me and asked."
"You thought I was asking your permission?" She smiled. "Oh, honey, I already made the adoption. I just have to go to the animal shelter to pick one and bring home. I asked if you have anything against cats in case you said you had allergies or something."
"So I don't get a saying on this."
"Nope," Jade grinned. "Now excuse me. I'm off to pick up my cat." She gave him a kiss, stood up and opened the door to leave.
"What if I had allergies?"
"I'd make the west wing the cat wing and live there," Jade beamed. "You wouldn't be allowed there, but I'd still make time for you."
"I'm glad to know you'd still have time for me," he retorted.
"Of course I would. Cats are lovely, but none of them have your arms or your abs," she winked and walked away.
...
By the time Liam left his study, the area near to the Royal Apartment had become a pets sanctuary. The servants moved the corgis' objects and toys to a room nearby and in another room were added cat toys, miniature water fountains, and cat scratching towers. On most walls of their private apartment and the halls, cat shelves were installed. Liam shook head. He considered saying no to adopting a cat, but Jade has been quite anxious lately with the pressure to produce an heir and all their unsuccessful attempts, he thought she could use a new distraction.
Leaning on the doorway, he watched Jade lying on the floor laughing while a gray, black and white short furred kitten played with the corgis. "I see Bowie and Shirley are acquainted with our new family addition."
Jade turned over and beamed. "Li, come meet her!"
Liam took a seat on the floor next to her and the corgis immediately trotted over to greet him while the tiny cat warily hid behind the couch.
Jade sat up, picked up the kitten and gave her a little scratch under her chin. "Liam, this is Lady Bianca."
"Bianca?"
"Yeah, like Bianca Del Rio."
"Did you get tired of naming pets with rock singers names?"
"No, I'm saving the rockstar names for corgis. Cats will get drag queens names."
"Why?"
"You'll see," Jade smirked.
"Okay..." Liam furrowed his eyebrows. "Hello there—" he reached out to scratched the kitten, but she aggressively attacked his hand. "Ow!"
The corgis growled as the kitten hissed, hiding away defensively. Jade put the tiny cat into her cat cave bed and servants walked in to help the King with the dogs.
"See?" She grinned, reaching for the cat bed on the couch to pet the kitty. "In one minute she's fine, then out of the blue, she attacks. She's sweet, she has her elegant catwalk and she's feisty. Like Bianca."
"You could've called her Jade," Liam grumbled eyeing the tiny scratches on his left hand.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing. I'll go take a shower," he leaned in to kiss Jade, but they were startled by the cat hissing again. "Cats can be trained, right?"
She giggled. "She'll warm up to you soon. I'll see you later, honey."
...
As the days passed by, little cat Bianca easily adjusted to courtly life, running through the halls and outdoor areas of the Cornodian Royal Palace, always in the company of the corgis and her owner. Everyone, including the citizens of the kingdom, seemed to enjoy the Royal Family's newest addition.
But Liam wasn't exactly everyone. The King always had someone walking behind him with pet fur removers, his study and the Royal Chambers were constantly vacuum cleaned and he had several scratches in his hands and arms because the cat enjoyed hiding under the covers of his bed, in the closet, on his bookshelves, on his throne and never let him touch his wife.
"Ow! Goddamnit!" Liam yelled pulling his hand from under the table while a servant promptly approached to clean up the newest scratches on his hand. "Remind me again why we need to have breakfast with the cat."
"Liam, Bianca is part of the family. We always have breakfast with Bowie and Shirley," Jade explained.
"Bowie and Shirley are well behaved. They don't try to bite me every time I walk into my own home, or into my study or when I try to touch my wife."
"She's trying to play with you."
"No, she's not."
"So what if she's a little overprotective? Maybe if you were more friendly with her and tried to just have breakfast," Jade arched an eyebrow at him. "Bianca wouldn't bite you so much."
"This cat hates me. She's constantly defying me."
"She's just a little territorial."
"She doesn't get to be territorial on my throne!"
"Are you still mad at her because of that?"
Liam glared at the cat blissfully stretching herself on the top her tower while sunbathing.
"Don't be a baby. At least she doesn't allow anyone to come near your throne."
He scowled at his queen, who simply laughed at him. After they had their somewhat peaceful breakfast, Liam leaning closer to kiss his wife and go to his office, but pulled away and sneezed.
"Are you okay? You've been sneezing several times since last night."
"My throat is a bit sore, but I'm okay."
"Are you sure?"
"I don't know, maybe it's allergy to cats," he stared at her deadpan.
Jade pursed her lips.
"I'll be fine, don't worry about it," he kissed her forehead. "I'll see you in two hours for the meeting with Francesco and his wife."
"Okay. Love you."
"I love you too, my queen," he lifted her hand to lips and kissed it before leaving the room.
The King, however, wasn't fine. Two hours later, he was sweating and shivering, he felt exhausted and his whole body ached. His schedule was cleared for the following days and Jade took charge of all his meetings and appointments, only discussing a few things with him when necessary. But since Royal protocols didn't allow them to spend too much time together to avoid spreading any infectious diseases to both monarchs, Liam stayed most of the time alone in his chambers.
With her schedule busier than ever, Jade rarely had seen her pets. She stretched her arms up and left her study to pay a visit to her pets and see her husband. But as she opened the door to the pets area, no one was there and most of their favorite toys were missing. She looked out the window to see if Maxwell or Hana could be in the garden with them, but she only saw the bodyguards.
On her way to the Royal Chambers, she wondered where her pets would be when a servant passed by her and bowed carrying the pet food to the apartment.
"Are the dogs here?" Jade asked as she stopped at the door to her room.
"Yes, ma'am," Bastien replied.
"They've been here all this time?"
"Yes, since the King was advised to rest. They stay most of the time with His Royal Majesty and leave only for a few minutes."
"Huh..."
"The cat is the worst. She never leaves the room. She bit the nurse who tried to wake him up to give King Liam his meds earlier."
"Yeah. She's a little overprotective when it comes to family.” Jade smiled. “Is he awake?"
"No, ma'am."
"Can I come in? Please... Five minutes tops."
Bastien looked at his watch then to the Queen. "Five minutes."
"Thanks, Bas," Jade clapped the guard's shoulder and opened the door to find her pets' toys scattered across the room and her husband fast asleep. Bianca lied next to the King’s back while Shirley stayed next to Liam's feet and Bowie played with his dragon toy by himself on the floor. “Aww...” She placed both hands on her chest and sighed.
She minced into the room, fished her phone out her jeans pocket and snapped a picture, admiring the photo before sending it to her friends. After stopping by to pet each dog and the cat, she sat on the bed, checked Liam's temperature, kissed his forehead and left.
