She woke up, her body numb and mind fuzzy from sleeping through the better part of a day, hunger gnawing at the pit of her stomach instead of earlier dread and nausea. Logan was sitting in the corner, staring at his claws. Something about his rigid posture made her feel uneasy. Something about in the way his gaze slid slowly over the bone appendages, crept over the floor and locked on to her made her draw the blanket tighter around her.
“I spoke with your father.” Words were casual, but the tone made her cringe.
“Yes?”
“They both, him and Robert, are worried over your virtue. I made a deal with your father.”
“Logan…”
“No. I made a deal with your father. He will send the droid back to Robert, but in return you have to go and pick a new one from the blacksmith before the unification ceremony.”
“Logan, I…”
“Stop calling me that. My name is Wolverine. You’re going to get up and get dressed, something modest, but regal. We’re going to go to dining hall and you’re going to eat. Then we’re going to go to the blacksmith, and I’ll help you choose the best droid there is.”
He had never used that professional, commanding tone to her. Oh, he had been bossing around maids, castle guards, kitchen staff, people at the stables, but never her. And Wolverine? He had been Logan for her for her whole remembered life. Just as she had been Marie for him. Just two ordinary people without the need or the hassle of formalities or court gestures.
She dressed up quickly, expecting him to call a maid to her aid, but he simply turned her around and laced her corset and dress by himself, pulling the strings maybe a tad bit too tight, but she wasn’t going to complain. He was obviously agitated and in a hurry. And he was never like that with her. Something was going on.
“Hey! Aren’t you forgetting something?” Logan called her when she reached for the doorknob. When she turned he pressed the tiara on her head, making sure it sat straight and wasn’t obscured by her hair.
“Now we are ready.”
When they walked out Logan resumed a position from her right, leaving few steps between them instead of walking beside her like he usually did. Like a good little doggy, ready to bounce from any sign of threat, yet showing his lower position on the hierarchy compared to her.
She shrugged it off. If he wanted to play, she’d let him. She’d let him go through the mockery, carry it on until the night fell. She had already decided that she wouldn’t be approving any of the offered droids. The whole thought, this whole charade was just ridiculous. She’d talk with Robert as soon as he arrived for the unification ceremony. She’d make him see that Logan was the best there was, and how little sense there was to try and cut him loose.
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