Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 34: Scene XXXIV

*******

Draught of breeze, the mild air outside had taken hints of fog. Nonetheless, Cole did not step a foot back from his schemes.

Having told the Archduke to step outside for a moment, the Baron was indifferent to the Land that supported the feral ones and waited for Aslak to follow his track leading to the backwater where he could see no one else would go unless for privacy.

"It’s quite dark and desolated here, Baron... Are you making things easier for your son-in-law?"

"! Aslak Myrkzver... Finally, you have appeared."

"... You are a reckless man, Cole. Speak. I don’t want to waste time when soon I am to rest with my woman."

"Hmph... Then that works for me. It’s about that woman you are to wallow in sheets."

"... Archduchess... She’s not any simple woman, Baron. Like yours."

"kh!... Of course she’s not... After all, I did as you requested and sent her ready to you."

"... So?" — An indifferent grin Aslak gave to the Baron, taking a seat in the near log next to the wall to try raising interest to listen to the man’s babbling.

"Pay the price for my silence. I doubt you want this matter to reach your Wife, Archduke Aslak."

"Mm... That’s true. So very true..... I guess I can pay the price."

The grin of the greedy man had settled in his expression victorious at the Archduke’s apparent goodwill.

"Sigh. I had told the woman I wouldn’t, but you leave me no choice, Cole."

Standing from the wood, Aslak turned to the man with an imposing frame.

"I shall spill your blood. That has to be enough of a price to shut you, right?"

Woosh whoosh... The edge of his weapon whistled as it sliced the air in Aslak’s hand.

"Hunting is fun. Have you tried it, baron?" — Playing while throwing his axe from its peak, Aslak calmly stepped forward.

"... You don’t – You don’t mean that do you?"

"Oh, I mean it. It’s fun. More when my axe hits the target... And I feel it sink in its flesh by the hold."

"A–Archduke y–you cannot do this!"

"....."

Stopping in his steps, Aslak, commenced tapping the sharp end of his weapon. Tap... tap tap... Swiiiish... His finger caused the sound while feigning contemplation as it traced the edge.

"I am certain... that is not the case. I can cut you right here and pay the price you mentioned... Have you drunk too much, Baron? You’re starting to make no sense to me."

"Brute man! That’s not the price I was–!!?!"

The silhouette of another man behind the Archduke threw all colour left from his face away. Stopping the words from making it out of his trembling mouth.

"......"

Barbarous men. Two.

The two that led the feared Jazhara’s tail guard that nobody went against because of the enigmatic reach of their force.

Ppssss... The sound of fright took shape, in drizzled urine. And at the deafening sound of it in the treacherous hush of the air, Aslak smirked amused at the pathetic man before him causing it.

"... At least you didn’t do it inside my Castle. Baron Orteu."

".!..!!.. Stay away... ack–!!"

Falling on his own waste, Cole crawled away. Nonetheless, the sharp edge slid through his trembling palm, scorching with the warmth of blood.

"You see... I still want to do what the woman asked... Your blood doesn’t even smell nourishing for the ravens to eat..... How about... You leave?"

"Huh?"

"Leave my territory. Right now."

*******

Pacing back into the Hall, the man she had been guarding its gate for appeared.

On his own, with a clean demeanour. Unlike she had feared he would.

’... Was it a mere illusion of mine?...’

Relieved by the possibility, Ewelina retrieved her gaze from his frame to not be found by the man’s intuition that would surely sense the following weight of her eyes.

"Arc’duke! Are thou looking for thou Wife.. hic!?"

"Berd... You stink of arse..."

"Tch! Master knows shit... It stinks.. Phwaha!" — The joyful man responded.

"..."

"Hmng...Phwa ha... Thou... Thou grace’ Wife’s ove’ there, Sire~"

Thud!

Falling on his back, the thin drunkard gulped his last big sip of wine and dropped the rest of it on the ground to singsong in drunken ecstasy.

"Hwahwa... Master’ wedding~ I stink of a’se~"

"Tsk..... Who told Berd where the wine was!? Take care of him!... Sigh..." — Disgusted at the young guard’s low resistance, Aslak reproached the playing innocent men as he continued to walk in the direction the fainting Berd had shown.

Nonetheless, his strides halted briefly once he saw far ahead. For in the table she remained at, the woman could be found without the decorative crown that suited her shade and instead, was wearing one made of threads.

"What have you done to Wife’s fur?"

"Grace! Ma’am’s fur suits ringed threads!" — The young Bela told him excited once he arrived.

"... Is it done, Shuno?"

"Yes, Ma’am."

"Than–"

"Undo it."

"......."

Ewelina had remained composed at the Man’s arrival. Asking graciously to the crafty young woman so she could join the spouse she had been alert for.

However, from the calm attitude she had adopted, Ewelina had not noticed the displeasure in her Husband’s countenance. Therefore, the roar of his order made her turn to witness it with a surprised stare.

"... Does it... not suit me...?" — Controlling her surprise, the woman lowered her head and touched her compacted hair, unsure of her appearance because of his demand.

"It does suit you, Ma’am..."

"Undo it."

"....." — The young women remained silent at their lord’s pressure. Seemingly scared of displeasing him by reaffirming their impression of his wife.

"... Shuno, Bela. Leave us for a moment."

"...."

Deciding to speak with the excessively quiet man, Ewelina dismissed the women. Saddened that his comment could imply the unfit image she was showcasing.

"Does it not suit me, Husband?"

"...... Undo it. Woman."

Seeing him frown further, she paused to respond, holding in a dejected sigh. — "... So it does not suit me... I see... That is a pity..."

"......"

Stretching one of her free curls, Ewelina looked at its end and smiled in a depressed mood.

"... Can I ask Husband to undo it for me? Shuno placed effort into it... So I feel bad making her do so."

The deep of his scowl sharpened at her request, and reluctant to speak, Aslak came to touch her hair, awkwardly.

Rough, his hands did not know where to place themselves. Getting the man more annoyed at the sight of his Wife’s hair.

"kh... Your hair should be left loose... This... Even if it suits you it disrupts its nature... I dislike it."

Grumbling as he inspected the tied strands, the displeasure his expression must have portrayed was envisioned by the gentle Ewelina.

’... Haha... This man...’ — Feeling the loom of her husband on her back, waiting for him to do as she requested, the woman inwardly chuckled. Getting inclined to take a look at her Husband’s probably troubled and upset demeanour.

"... So it does suit me?" — Lightly tilting her head to meet his glare, she inquired again.

"..... I don’t see why that matters..."

Taking one of her strands he did as she had done before. Observing the free curl’s natural shape as he stretched it.

Lowering her head again, Ewelina pondered on his comment for a moment. Unsure to tell what first had come to her mind from it, eventually letting her thought slip, shyly through her edges as the sight of her luxurious attire was all her modesty allowed her to see.

"... it matters... because I am a woman..."

’Husband’s woman...’