A/N: Please note, this is very self-indulgent but I hope you enjoy it anyway!


Giovanna hated business trips. Her boss would tell her to travel to the ends of the earth to deal with weirdos who weren't even their problem, all on her own bank account. At least she could write off travel expenses on her taxes, she surmised.

This trip turned out to be a little different.

For starters, it was a simple bodyguard mission. She had been chosen to be the President's "knight" for the second shot at the G4 Summit after the previous disaster. Looking after the President meant traveling with him, which also meant plane tickets were paid for. She didn't have to track down any circus freaks either. Best of all, they were going to Illyria.

In other words, she would get to see the Second King.

Giovanna always kept an eye out for a good man. While she's had plenty of fleeting crushes, her standards were too high to pursue them. Leo Whitefang was a different story.

Sure, he's a king and all, but that wasn't the most impressive thing about him. Looking past the superficial (a Herculean task), Leo was a man of boundless confidence. He was strong, smart, and handsome and he knew it. Some called him arrogant, but it's only arrogance if you can't back it up.

Unfortunately for Giovanna, she only saw him in person once while doing security detail for an international gala. They exchanged words during the Happy Chaos incident, but it was strictly business. During G4 Summits, Illyria always sent the silver-tongued Third King so those were a no-go. On top of that, she wasn't the bodyguard of choice to send overseas. She tossed aside all fantasies of meeting that huge meat-slab of a king a while ago.

But then Giovanna was chosen to accompany the President to G4 in Illyria. Sure, King Daryl would be the one in the conference room, but there were no doubts in her mind that Leo Whitefang would at some point appear in Illyria Castle. She wasn't going to waste this opportunity.

When Air Force One landed, Giovanna and President Vernon were led by an entourage of Illyrian knights to a black car with tinted windows. An entire procession of vehicles then brought them to Illyria Castle.

They stopped at a stone bridge from which they had to travel on foot. Past the bridge's iron gate was the courtyard where the massive, winged clock tower stood. The Three Kings of Illyria waited at its base.

The first to approach was the Third King, Daryl, "President Vernon! It's a pleasure to see you again, and under far more pleasant circumstances."

"Daryl! How have you been?" Vernon greeted Daryl with a handshake. He turned to shake the hand of Leo then Ky.

"I'd be doing better if a certain High King wasn't trying to steal my job." Daryl shook his head, though he had a slight grin on his face.

Ky chuckled, "Shouldn't you be thanking me for taking G4 off your hands?"

"Wait a minute," Vernon raised an eyebrow, "are you saying that you're attending the summit and not Daryl?"

"That's right. I originally intended to appear at the previous summit, but I was stuck in Illyria dealing with the I-No situation." Ky smiled, which set everyone present on edge. "There are some important matters I'd like to address personally."

Leo, Daryl, and Vernon all looked disturbed by this. "It's always something with you, Ky." Vernon sighed.

"I won't deny that his actions had given me heartburn and insomnia," Leo smiled and patted Ky on the shoulder, "but he's done immeasurable good for Illyria and the world. I have faith that in the end, he won't let us down."

Ky was touched by Leo's words, but his smile slowly turned to a frown, "Wait, 'in the end'?"

Daryl didn't give Ky the chance to continue, "So Mr. President, shall we show you to your room?"

"Yes, that sounds amazing. I could use some rest. Travel always takes it out of me."

"And how about you, Miss Giovanna?" Daryl turned to Giovanna and asked.

Her time has come. "Actually, I need to do a check of the castle. Make sure it's secure and stuff. Think I could borrow your second king?" With one hand on her hip, she gestured at Leo. In reality, she already memorized the floor plans for the entire castle and could show herself around, but that wasn't the point.

"Giovanna!" Vernon said, exasperated, "I'm sorry Leo, you don't need to go out of your way-"

Leo held one hand up, "No, no, it's alright. Your knight has a good eye; There's no one better to conduct security detail than myself. Now then, let me show you to your room."

Leo led Vernon out of the courtyard. After pumping one victorious fist in the air, Giovanna followed suit.

Daryl and Ky shared a look and shrugged. Whatever happened, it probably wouldn't be their problem.


Once the President was settled, Leo met Giovanna in the hall.

"So," Leo folded his arms, smiling in a way that made him look smug, "What would you like to inspect first?"

Giovanna feigned thought by bringing a hand to her chin. Then, she pointed her finger up in realization, "Your bedroom."

"Of course—huh?"

Leo gawked at her. His eyes searched her face for intent, but she kept her expression neutral. Suddenly, he let out a single bark of laughter.

"It's natural to wonder what grandeur a king enjoys, but I live on an estate in Germany. How about we start with the conference room?"

Without waiting for a reply, Leo strode down the hall. Giovanna watched him walk past, dumbfounded. He wasn't completely ignorant to the not-so-subtle subtext, right? Surely, Illyria wouldn't select a dense idiot as their Second King, right? No, she saw his deductive abilities firsthand during the Happy Chaos incident.

Maybe she needed to be more forward.

She jogged a few steps to catch up, coming into step just a bit behind him. She leaned in to observe his side profile. Though his beard obscured his jaw, it was clear his whole face was sharply outlined, from the slight curve of his cheekbones to the pointed tip of his nose. His piercing blue eyes, fixed on the path ahead, were accentuated by his significant brow. When she squinted, she could see the faintest hint of eyebrows. Were it not for the lighter color of his coat's fur trim, his hair would blend in to create a great, fluffy mane. The more Giovanna stared, the more appropriate the name "Leo" became.

Leo cast a glance down at her, one brow raised. "Is something the matter?"

"Don't mind me, I'm just admiring the view." Giovanna smirked. This time for sure-

Leo threw his head back and laughed. "I am quite the view, aren't I?" He stroked his beard, a broad smile on his face. "But perhaps you ought to focus on the castle. Granted, Illyria Castle has been inspected ten times over by yours truly, but I digress."

Instead of feeling disappointed, Giovanna struggled to stifle her laughter. This guy couldn't be real, no way.

New plan: Test the limits of this hunk's density.

They turned into another much taller and wider hallway lined on one side with metal-reinforced windows. It was so long, Giovanna couldn't even see the end of it. The nearest passageway seemed pretty far down, meaning she had plenty of time to act.

Before she could make a move, Leo spoke, "Excuse me if I'm speaking out of turn, but you seem a little laid back for a Secret Service agent."

The sudden personal question caught Giovanna off guard. She tucked her hands behind her head and said, "Nah, you're fine. My boss tells me the same thing all the time. I just figure if I bring the best results, then I don't have to be so uptight."

"That's one way of looking at it." Leo sounded curious rather than condescending, "Don't you think your lackadaisical attitude will put others ill at ease?"

Giovanna shrugged. "That's why I'll prove my worth by doing my job. President Vernon already knows it. If anyone wants to underestimate me, that's their loss."

Leo hummed in thought then said, "I see… Forgive the interrogation, it's just unusual to meet a knight such as yourself."

"And it's unusual to meet a king such as yourself." Giovanna smirked.

The compliment made Leo smile. "You are absolutely correct."

Their conversation faded back into silence. The end of the hall was still out of sight as they walked side-by-side.

Giovanna raised her head, closed her eyes, and gave the air a sniff. "Hey, do you smell that?"

"Hmm?" Now it was Leo's turn. When he sniffed a few times, he looked around in confusion. "I don't smell anything?"

She sniffed again. "It smells really good."

"The kitchens are on the other side of the castle, but the gardens aren't too far from here. I must say, it's amazing you can smell them at all." Leo said in awe.

"No, it's not the gardens." The scent was a little musky but not overwhelming with a hint of pine. Giovanna kept on sniffing the air, following the scent with her face. She turned towards Leo, leaning closer and closer to him as the smell grew stronger. She sucked in one long, deep whiff of it. When she opened her eyes, Leo was staring right at her, perplexed. She grinned. "Oh, it's you."

Leo blinked a few times. Then, he chuckled, looking very satisfied with himself. "You are quite a keen observer to notice. Riot Forêt de Pins Eau de Parfum, not so intense it distracts others but strong enough to reinforce my manliness."

Giovanna clamped a hand over her mouth and hid her face so Leo couldn't see her barely suppressed laugh.

They took a right out of the infinite hallway into yet another hall. This one was smaller, and Giovanna could see the end of it. An Illyrian guard stood at attention at every doorway. As they passed, the guards stood firm, saluting as they exclaimed, "King Leo, sir!" At the final door, the guard greeted them before opening it. Once they entered, the guard closed the door, leaving Giovanna and Leo alone inside. Perfect.

"This," Leo gestured around him, "is the conference room where G4 will be taking place. It is completely soundproof with a signal dampening field blocking the transmission of audio or video. There's only one entrance where guards are stationed 24/7. Security cameras are installed throughout the hallway without a single blind spot. No one gets in or out without it being reported directly to me. You are welcome to inspect this room as much as you'd like, though I have personally ensured its security so there is no real need."

Truth be told, Giovanna caught the faint scent of that ninja president guy, so the room wasn't as secure as Leo thought. But he didn't need to know that.

"Yeah, with you on the job, I don't really need to bother." She set her hands on her hips while surveying the room. "But, protocol is protocol."

The room was similar in setup to the one in the White House: A large table in the center surrounded by luxurious velvet chairs with a TV screen hanging on the far wall. The major difference was in the decor. The emblem of Illyria, labelled "Illyricum," hung on banners on the wall. Elegant patterns were carved into the wood trim along the ceiling. What captured Giovanna's attention was a repeated lion motif on the wood paneling. Was it a coincidence? If not, who ordered the design she wondered.

"Ah, Giovanna."

"Hm? What's up?" She turned around and saw Leo scrutinizing her with an intense gaze.

"You've been very flattering towards me today. I can't help but wonder…"

Giovanna kept her cool, but the excitement within her rose. This is it-

"...Are you perhaps interested in joining the Illyrian Knights?"

Her mouth fell open. He noticed her flirting and that was the conclusion he came to? This whole tour had been fun, but it was probably time to pull back the curtains. With a sigh, she walked over to him.

"Look- ah?!"

Giovanna's foot caught on a lump. She lurched forward, straight into Leo. Her face landed square on his chest.

Leo placed his hands on her shoulders. In a worried voice, he asked, "Are you alright?"

After the initial shock, Giovanna felt more than alright. Her body was pressed right against his. Both her hands laid on his abdomen. Though he wore a couple layers of thick clothing, she could feel the firmness of the muscles beneath. Especially his pecs, which hugged her face.

Time to sink or swim.

Giovanna trailed her hands up Leo's abs. When both palms rested snug on his chest, she splayed out her fingers and squeezed. There was only a slight give before she felt the tight muscles beneath.

"Uh-?!" The sound Leo made was between a gasp and a choke.

"Wow, your body is amazing." She stated in an as-a-matter-of-fact way. She squeezed again, this time a little harder.

"Gi-Giovanna!"

She looked up into Leo's eyes. His blushing face was a mix of shock and bewilderment. His mouth kept moving like he had something to say but the words wouldn't come out.

She stood on her tiptoes, closing the distance between their noses, and smiled.

"Y'know, I thought you were hot, but I guess you can be pretty cute too."

Leo's eyes widened. He blushed a shade darker. Snatching her by the shoulders, he tore her off, keeping her at arm's length.

"A-ahem!" He cleared his throat louder than he intended. His eyes darted around the room. "I just remembered, uh, something that I have to do! If you need help getting back, ask the guards! If you'll please excuse me!"

With that, he retreated from the conference room, avoiding her stunned stare on the way.

Giovanna stood there quietly for a moment. Then, she summoned her wolf spirit Rei. "That was you, wasn't it?" She knelt and scratched her face. "You sneaky little girl! Landing me right in his arms!"

The absurdity of the whole situation made her laugh. At least he understood her now, right? Man, she hoped so.


Ky and Daryl sat in the castle gardens, taking a break from work to sip tea from a couple of Ky's antique cups. The two were alerted to Leo's presence by the man's heavy footsteps.

"How was your tour with Miss Giovanna? You finished much quicker than I expected." Ky asked. When Leo hesitated, averting his eyes and stroking his beard, Ky grew concerned. "Did something happen?"

Leo ran a hand through his hair. "It was fine. Just a little… strange."

"Strange how?" Asked Daryl.

"It's- she-" Leo let out a sigh then tried again, "She kept complimenting me. Then she tripped into my arms and started…" His face lit up bright red.

Though Daryl casually sipped his tea, Ky looked very worried. "Started what?"

For a while, Leo agonized over whether to tell or not. He bounced his leg up and down, pulled at his hair, and looked about without ever making eye contact with Ky. His pride couldn't take the hit, but he needed a second opinion.

"She started…" Leo ran a hand down his beet-red face.

"...groping my chest."

Daryl spat out his tea all over the table. Ky's teacup slipped from his hands and shattered on the cobblestone.

Somehow, Leo's blush deepened further. "Could this mean that Giovanna is… interested in me? Uh, romantically, I mean..."

Daryl burst out into laughter. He laughed so hard, he couldn't breathe. Wheezing, he slammed his fist onto the table over and over again while a speechless Ky sat motionless, gaping at Leo.

"Daryl! Quit laughing! This is a serious matter!" Leo regretted his decision to speak. The shame he felt in that moment surpassed any shame he ever felt in his life.

Ky brought a hand to his mouth in horror, "Even my wife has never fondled my chest before."

Daryl fell out of his chair. Tears ran down his face.

Now it was Ky's turn to feel embarrassed. "Um, anyway, I think it's safe to say Miss Giovanna is indeed interested in you. Do you reciprocate?"

Leo scratched the back of his head. "I… don't know. We hardly know each other."

"Then perhaps this is the perfect time to get to know her better," Ky smiled, "Now that you understand how she feels, you can communicate with her properly."

Leo's brow furrowed. "I suppose…"

Daryl, who calmed enough to stand and brush the dirt from his clothes, said, "No matter how you feel, I think I'm going to invite her to Illyria again. I haven't laughed this hard in some time." He adjusted his jacket, looking like he hadn't been completely incapacitated by laughter mere moments ago. "This has been a wonderfully refreshing break, but I think I'll return to work."

"Ah, me too!" Ky jumped up, nearly knocking over his chair. The two hurried out of the garden, a little too eager to leave for Leo's tastes.

When the Second King was left alone, he pulled out his pen and dictionary, then opened it to a random page. His eyes landed on "endear," but he flipped away. He soon found a word that suited his feelings:

Co-num'drum n. a puzzle; Giovanna

Leo quickly shut the book and tucked it back into his coat.