Back in the privacy of Vaelorian's chambers, the adrenaline of the Imperial strategy session was beginning to ebb, replaced by a tense, electric quiet. Vaelorian was pacing slowly, running a hand over the back of his neck.
Riven, having shed his tense calm in the Emperor's presence, was now sitting on the edge of the large, comfortable bed, his shoulders slumped in exhaustion.
"'Dating'?" Vaelorian finally repeated Riven's earlier words, stopping to stare at Riven, a mix of awe and terror on his face. "My love, you told my parents, the Emperor and the Empress that we are 'dating.' I swear, I thought my father was going to have an aneurysm."
Riven offered a weary, small smile. "It seemed appropriate. Better than 'partners,' which sounds so boring and scandalous, or 'Politically Necessary Subordinates,' which is just plain wrong. We are the only ones allowed to give names what we mean to each other. So, yeah. We're dating, Your Highness"
"You're absolutely right, my love. What you did back there was incredibly brave," Vaelorian admitted, moving to sit beside him and pulling Riven's hand into his own. "But it was also terrifying. Your directness is going to give my mother grey hair. For months, we've played a careful game of misdirection and dropped subtle hints about us. And then you just... decided you are going to tell your father the truth."
Riven squeezed his hand. "I'm tired of the games, Vaelorian. Especially with him. Duke Ashbourne only respects blunt force and visible power. He will leave here either satisfied that I have attained the highest status possible, or he will never speak to me again. Either way, I'm done with his judgements and silent treatment."
"I'm incredibly proud of you, my love." Vaelorian murmured, leaning in to kiss Riven's temple. "It took real courage to draw that line. But it also means there's no turning back. We are about to face another large obstacle to our future."
Riven turned to face him fully, his eyes earnest. "And we're going to do it together. I won't let him diminish what we have by treating me like a low-ranking officer who needs reassignment. He needs to know he's dealing with the new me now. I am my own person before I'm your boyfriend, you know that right? Even if we get married, I'm still going to be my own person."
Vaelorian's face softened into profound devotion. "I know, my love. And I promise you, nothing will change between us even after we get married." Vaelorian took a sharp breath and looked into Riven's eyes before speaking again. "I know you're not exactly crazy about the title of consort, but it's the most powerful title I could ever give you. Thank you for fighting for us, Riven. I'll do better, okay? This shouldn't be your battle alone."
"It's our future, Vaelorian. Not a competition, not your duty, not my assignment, but our lives. We're both fighting for our happiness the best way we know how. We'll be fine as long as we have each other." Riven corrected softly.
Vaelorian nodded, his decision instantly made. "I agree. Let's never lose sight of what exactly we're fighting for. Let's take a break. We'll leave the Imperial duties to Eryndor and the staff. We're going to spend some alone time with no interruptions."
And take a break from the outside world they did as Vaelorian gently pushed Riven back onto the pillows, leaning over him with a gentle smile before kissing him.
They spent the remaining days before the Duke's arrival locked away in Vaelorian's chambers—a deliberate act of defiance and devotion. They didn't review timber contracts or discuss royal politics. They spent time reminding each other of the love they share, the joy of each other's company, the fact that they're safe even in the heart of the imperial Palace.