cling to innocence

Indigo wrapped one massive arm around her shoulders as Duchess scooted closer to him. Much more at ease than a moment ago as she reached up to kiss him. He almost told her to get her herbs back out as he leaned into her affection and started getting away with himself before she pulled away. He’d already decided doing anything like this was a bad idea in the castle, unless he wanted everyone and their mother to know his business. She rested her bread on his chest and Indigo held her there in the dim light.

He tried to feel at ease while she joked with him about marriage. He smiled and managed a half chuckle. Indy had no plans to ever get married, not that he thought about the future anymore than he had to. When he imagined his bride she had galactic violet eyes and sandy fur. An image that was never meant to be. With his cheeks still red from the previous conversation Duchess continued the conversation about future children.

The young Fatalis was taking her too seriously, but he’d answer anyway. He thought the hardest conversation was over now, he could handle anything. ”Oh, I don’t know.” The thought had literally never crossed his mind, he just knew puppies were not something he could handle right now. ”How many are in a litter? Two, three?” Aslatiel’s words echoed in his mind. Get her duty done and over with. One litter to do his duty to the bloodline. ”Four?” He had seen the size difference in his mother and father and hadn’t thought about it until now. Surely Zee must have been huge when she was pregnant with them.

Did Duchess want to be the mother of his eventual children? How much did he have to worry about the size difference between them. Could she handle a litter sired by someone like him? ”How many do you want?” He asked her back, finding himself genuinely curious.