The Royal Contract

He walked into the apartment, noticing a noise coming from the living room. "Dani, I am home." He called to her, notifying her of his presence.

But, she did not respond as the sound remained consistent with the buzz coming from the tv screen. He walked towards her, discovering that she was sound asleep. She looked so peaceful, seeming to have no worries.

He remembered the last time he caught her talking in her sleep. He learned that she had dreamt of living with him in her ideal house. She could not wait to be married to him and create their home.

He knelt beside her, staring at her closed eyes. He could still remember the first time they were in this position. It was a memory in his mind that he would never forget.

He pushed the hair that slightly covered her eyes and then ran his hands through her slightly curly hair. He always loved the way it felt when it slid along his fingers, feeling its silky softness.

Then, his eyes shifted back to her luscious, red lips. Her face was bare of any makeup, showing her innocent and natural look. She was already perfect at the moment.

"I love you." He whispered near her face. It was as if she could hear his words. Her lips stretched into a smile. He wondered if it was due to what he said, or she might be dreaming again.

She stirred a little, straightening her body a bit until she found a more comfortable position again. She was still unaware that she was not alone anymore as she returned to blissful sleep.

He smiled at the scene, simply enjoying watching her. He kept his gaze on her face, looking forward to waking up with her every morning for the rest of their lives.

This time, he moved from his position, turning the movie off. Then, he turned, ready to carry Dani back to their room. But before he could lift her in his arms, she opened her eyes. 

"Hey, what time is it?" She asked when she felt his touch on her skin. She was instantly awake, slightly startled to discover his presence.

She did not even notice that he had already arrived. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light in the room as she shifted in her position. "When did you get home?"

The last thing she remembered was watching a movie in the living room while waiting for him to come home. She must be tired, not realizing it, eventually dozing off on the fluffy cushion.

"Just a few minutes ago. Sorry, I am a bit late. The guys would not let me leave early." He planned to have a couple of drinks with his buddies and then come home early.

But, Evan would not have it. He insisted that he joined them a bit longer this time since he was getting married anyway soon. Who knew when they would be able to do this again or if he would ever join them again.

"That is ok. I am happy that you were able to have fun with your friends. You deserve a little break from all the work you had been doing." She assured him that he had nothing to worry about the situation.

She understood his situation. She encouraged him to relax and spend time with his friends, even once in a while. She did not want him to think that just because he was getting married to her. He had to change his ways.

"I did have fun with them. It would have been nice if you could have joined us." He told her as he sat down beside her, cradling her in his arms. Then, he kissed her at the top of her head.

Since they had been together, he never enjoyed doing anything without her by his side. When he was away from her, all he could think about was to get back to her.

"That is so sweet. But it is ok if we enjoy some time apart." She assured him that she did not mind if he had fun without her.

In truth, it was her idea that he should go out and enjoy a boy's night out. She convinced David to invite their group for a drink. She noticed the burden that Alex had carried on his shoulders. Ever since her father handed him the company, he barely had time for himself. She barely remembered the last time Alex did see his friends. 

He almost dedicated his time to his job or devoted it to her. She felt guilty that she had monopolized his every waking hour. She believed it was time for her to do something for him in return.

"Anyway, what about we talk about our wedding?" He suggested, feeling he should at least show interest in it since he barely contributed to the preparation.

"What about it?" She asked, excited to talk about anything that involved their wedding. 

She could not wait for their wedding day. She could almost see herself in her beautiful white gown. Then, spending the rest of her days with the man she loved.

"Well, it is actually about the afterward." He realized that with all the things happening in their lives. They had never discussed anything else, especially what she would like for their future.

He did not want to plan by himself. As his wife, he wanted her to have an equal share in the decision-making. He would like to get her opinion on everything that might affect her life.

"Yes, I think we should talk about it." She agreed with him, thinking it was an urgent discussion they should prioritize.

They had focused on the wedding that the other issues surrounding their marriage were left unattended. 

She realized that they did not even think of their living arrangement after the wedding. The only thing that they agreed upon was the number of kids they planned to have.

She also believed that there was more to marriage than a beautiful wedding.. It needed a lot of planning and compromise to make it work.