The king smiled proudly as he watched her shift upright, the feathered grey fur rustling a soft whisper as she assumed her bipedal stance. She always was small, wasn't she? He was glad his Ruri never got too tall, because it meant he could always carry her around if he needed to. His nose crinkled at the sight of the little cat, but he made an effort not to say anything derogatory. He didn't know what it was with women and their need to nurture things.
Jacquez neatly draped the blanket across her slim shoulders before embracing her, his one arm hugging her tightly against his warm chest. It had been some time since they had really spent time together; since they stopped sharing the same living quarters, really, which coincided with the foundation of the kingdom. Considering what Firefly had revealed to him, though, it was probably for the best that he had given her some space to grow. And yet, how happy could they have been if they really were together forever? All of this alternative thinking made his head hurt. His damaged mind really couldn't process what was good for Ruri anymore - somewhere along the way, all the old rules had changed.
"I have been all right, petite," he rumbled, although he wasn't sure what he should begin with. That he and Firefly were friends with benefits now? That he had two more illegitimate children that he refused to visit or even acknowledge? That he hadn't seen his spoiled horse since the first snowfall, and had no way of reaching the stables because he hated ice that much? "Euh, I must say, this snow is repulsive," he grumbled, going with the simplest topic first.
He pulled a sour face as he released his embrace, steering her gently towards their dwindling fireplace. They had a small blaze crackling, enough to warm the immediate room. It was chilly in the bedroom, though, by oneself at least. "Even at sea, the ice was only on the railings and the rigging. Nothing like this... this... freezing sludge, it gets on everything, and the frost bites my paws and ears. You really should not travel in this season, you will catch consumption." He ruffled her ears as he sighed, unable to keep himself from worrying over her. He could pretend he was fine on his own, but she really completed him. She couldn't change, she just couldn't...