Ashok's idea of a proper honeymoon involved not having to interact with people at all. He did need to get to know his new wife. As much as he was not pleased with his new situation, it was not her fault for it. Not that he would say such things out loud. Ashok felt a little sorry that she was stuck with him. He also had no idea how to broach the subject of sex, it was not like he had ever been with anyone and honestly, he did not feel the same extensive need for it that most might. It was part of tradition, of course, of a honeymoon, but he was not about to speak on the subject.
The Thakur family did not have such promises made to the Cirque, but his parents seemed to know just what it was about when they began discussing Ashok and Nali's marriage. All he had been told was that he was to marry her because Guardians had to be sent in a pair and that their services were already promised to the Cirque. All Ashok cared to hear from that was that his job as a Guardian was to be stationed with a heavily populated place that he'd be unable to escape from other Fae, other creatures, and pathetic humans.
"It's more than a couple weeks with stripes." He retorted, but caught his tone. "I apologize. I think the gods have made a mistake in picking me, as much as my sister was saved from the expectation. I am not a pleasant person. I am not some calm creature who only wants to protect others. I was pretty much the happiest at never being expected to make much of myself beside tending to my siblings."