he was hardly deterred by the cold act and pressed his lips to the side of the knee closest to him, "no but if it were a daughter it would be more than perfect for any unseelie court. it would have been a fortunate babe no matter what...though you are better without it, i am without my wife should she be with child"

"Yes, and your wife is the one who has roped you along with her to an eternity in hell, being without it is better for you," he cooed sarcastically as he worked to re-thread his needle. "The benefit for you is no child shall be bared by my name, I am essentially barren."

"you forget wife," he said as he nimbly snatched the needle and circle from the other, "you are a woman, mortal or not you have no name"

He took on a look of surprise when he lost his needle and circle, and it took him a second before his attention returned. "I remember, but this is what everyone else thinks, we know the truth of me and where I am to go after I die."

setting the edge of the hoop on the lad's knee he pushed the needle through and swapping hands back again. "this is not so difficult wife as you make it seem"

He reached forward to gently take the hoop and needle away, and at a mere glance he could see hoe poor the stitch was. subtly he tried to take it back out as he felt the face lean forward to rest itself on his thigh, and leaving his sewing for a brief moment he ran his fingers through the red hair. "I am beginning to get the hang of it, I will be as good as the others soon, husband."

the hand felt pleasantly warm and held the softness he had learned was uniquely his wife's though that it was used on him was unexpected. he sighed softly, "i would rather you did not if the outcome is that i may sit with you in my time to myself"

A soft hum played into the air as he let his fingers trickle away to free them from tangling locks to allow him to begin his stitching again, "I could always pretend to be bad so that the women don't know any better, but in truth I can just be spending my time with you instead of my needle"

"or," he grinned against the fabric, "you can say the prince wishes to learn woman's work and you will be spending your time teaching him needlework"

He managed a grin of his own, "You want to learn how to work a woman and study the hem of the dress to see how quickly you can get it off, not needle work and the job of a woman."

the grin turned lecherous and shifting closer he moved up to kiss the soft curve of the lad's inner thigh, "you have me dear wife. i am less interested in the subject than the tutor that would teach it"

He fought the blush that threatened to emerge at the gentle kiss, and striking his linen with another stitch he focused his attention closer to it than the one at his thighs. "I could come to your chambers tonight if you wish for me to."

softly he pressed his lips down again before resting his head once more, "i would be pleased if you did though i would not mind either to stay here like this"

He gave his leg a little shift beneath the warm head before settling again. "I have naught to do but sew and the day is still early, we do not have to go anywhere just yet"

nodding into the fabric he sighed again, "that sounds good then. you will sew and i will rest. i approve of this new thing"

It did not take long for the silence and his rhythmical stitch work to put the prince to sleep, as he could feel the steady breathing and warm breaths as he laid against his thigh. It was not until he got most of his stitch-work finished that a timid looking made came into the room without hardly noticing the two until the boy looked up at her and she decided to leave the two of them alone, and to no doubt gossip with the rest of the help. Giving a quiet sound he reached down to wake his sleeping husband.