The Royalty gets a Bodyguard.

Taryn rolled their eyes. "How about breathtaking?" they asked, one hand moving to Alice's chin, tilting it up (if she lets them), to kiss her. They could not have described a happier moment, even though in the back of their mind the nightmare was still there. However, Alice being here had pushed it out of their consciousness.

"I will accept breathtaking." Alice said, laughing quietly. She let them tip her face up, mouth slightly parted, lips soft and pliant when they kissed her. Although she hadn't expected it when they asked her to lie down with them, she couldn't deny that she very much enjoyed kissing them.

Taryn kissed her deeply for a moment before pulling away. "I'm glad we've agreed on an adjective," they said. Taryn hadn't really planned on that happening, but it felt right, and amazing. Everything felt really amazing, and soft, and wonderful. They had no idea lying with someone was so nice.

Alice rolled her eyes, one corner of her lips upturned in a smile. "If an adjective is truly necessary, yes, I will accept one so long as it is not cute." Because I am not cute. I am violent and cruel and immoral. But not cute.

Taryn giggled a little, "Fine fine, you're not cute," they said, resting their head back on a pillows, eyes growing heavy again. They however were still determined to stay awake.

Alice nodded. "I'm most certainly not." She took note of their drooping eyes, shifted a little to give them so more space. "Should I leave you to your sleep?" Alice asked, realizing that they were probably still tired, night terror or not.

Taryn made a pouting face. "I don't want you to go, I'm so happy with you here," they said softly, although they were incredibly tired. Taryn really could not describe how happy and safe they felt wrapped up with Alice.

Alice tried to keep the stunned expression off her face. "Oh..." She said, blinking at them. "I- oh. Okay." Hesitantly, after a long pause, she offered, "...I enjoy your company as well."

Taryn didn't know what to say to that, that wasn't exactly the response they were hoping for, but didn't say anything about it. "I'm glad," they said, slightly disappointed. They honestly weren't sure why they expected for Alice to say the same, it was a strange thing to expect. They yawned again.

Alice nodded, although she had the creeping feeling she'd said something wrong. Still, she settled back into the bed, mouth twitching when they yawned. "Perhaps you should sleep." She advised. "You rose particularly early this morning and your courts are tedium personified."

Taryn nodded. "Will you stay with me?" they asked her, unsure of their answer. A small smile did light their face at the mention of court, it was so very true. They shifted to a slightly more comfortable position for sleep.

Alice nodded, shifting away so that they could get comfortable. "As you wish, Taryn." She said softly.

Taryn smiled at the sound of their name. They reached out for Alice slightly before drifting to sleep.

Alice shuffled a little closer when they reached out for her, waiting for them to fall asleep before getting back up to stand guard. At least, that was what she intended to do. But the long hours of her job had taken their toll and she drifted to sleep next to them.

Taryn fell asleep fairly quickly with a small smile on their face. They tended to sleep very long, and was doing so that morning. Their nightterror had taken a lot out of them, and being wrapped in Alice's arms made them sleep even better.

Alice woke late- well. Late for her. The sun had to have been in the sky for at least an hour by the time she stirred, having migrated very much so into Taryn's personal space while they both were sleeping, cuddled up to them and clinging like a particularly needy koala. She subtly shifted back and maneuvered herself out of their space.

Taryn continued to sleep for a while, until the slight chill from the lack of extra body heat woke them. They didn't open their eyes right away, wishing to drift back asleep, and to be nice and warm with Alice against them again. They reached out with their hand, eyes still closed, feeling for Alice.

Alice noticed them reaching out for her as she started to roll off the bed and caught their hand, squeezing gently. "Go back to sleep, Your Majesty. It's early yet. You have plenty of time before the court needs you today." She said, keeping her voice low so as not to wake them up anymore than they were already.

Taryn groaned slightly at the idea of Alice not being there but whispered "Fineeeeee." They squeezed her hand back a little, pulling the blankets tighter around themselves. They cracked one eye open, smiling at her.

Alice giggled and smiled faintly back at them, then stepped away from the bed entirely. She unwrapped the leather band from around her wrist and pulled her hair up into a tight, perfectly executed ponytail.  "I'll still be in the room, Majesty, only doing the job I'm paid for."

Taryn nodded, not awake enough to protest. They closed their eyes and fell back to sleep rather quickly, curled up in a bunch of blankets until late in the morning.

Alice stood guard, stationing herself against the edge of the doorway. Her hands were clasped behind her back and she kept continuously assessing the room to make sure nobody had slipped inside while she- quite literally- slept on the job.

Taryn finally awoke late into the morning surprised to find Alice still in the room. "Good morning," they said sleepily, blushing slightly since they were completely still curled up in heaps of blankets.

Alice inclined her head, the blank, neutral expression of her face softening a bit into something warmer, fonder, when she looked at them. "Good morning, Your Majesty. Was your sleep satisfactory?"

Taryn smiled. "It was wonderful," they said, getting up and stretching. Taryn took the silk dressing gown from the chair they had tossed it on the night before and draped it around themselves. "How was your watch?"