Author's Notes: Written WAY TOO LONG AGO. I need to reread the manga. Not Edited.

TINY BITS OF AFFECTION

A Word of the Day Ficlet

By Kysra

Euti truly, absolutely, completely hates The Black Wolf(?) even before they first meet. He is responsible for her beloved _'s death and deserves whatever negative feelings she holds for him. Just because her Imperial Father is doing his utmost to form a treaty with the murdering Adarushans means nothing. She is comfortable with the despise she harbors, even when it is announced that she will be pawned off as his betrothed.

Of course, loathing doesn't help her actually identify him when they finally meet face to face; and when she realizes her new friend (such a gentleman!) is the person she has wished and prayed death upon for the last few months, her knife flashes out before she realizes attacking a guest of the court is the epitome of rudeness.

But her new betrothed accepts her anyway and continues to be gentle and kind and even . . . accomodating. He is older. She's no fool, even through she is young and untried; and she can see into his character even as her anger at him seethes just under the surface. He protects her when the welcoming banquet is poisoned; retrieves her when she is kidnapped; allows her the warmth of his presence when she's feeling alone in this new palace with these new people; and plays with her when she knows he probably has more important matters to attend to as a prince of the realm.

And through all of this, in his own stupid way, Alec chips at her guard until the hatred is nothing more than healing grief surrounded by tiny bits of affection.

By the time of their wedding, she decides that, all things considered, she cannot say she is disappointed. She understands now that her husband and _ were soldiers on opposite sides of a battlefield and death is generally the outcome of such conflict; and she would rather begin her married life in peace than perpetuating a war that had ended nearly a year ago.

And though she is only ten years old, she can appreciate how lucky she has been, to marry a man she can actually like . . . someone who is good to her and seems to generally care. One day she will love him, and the idea doesn't fill her with disgust. She can only hope that when the day comes, he will love her as well - as his wife and not a child.

Word: Declension