Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 69: Scene LXIX — Why is it?

Crumbling the parchment in his hand he stood, proceeding to empty his pipe of used leaves before walking to their mattress to lock her into place between his hands that supported him as he lowered to nuzzle the woman as he asked.

"You finally woke?"

"... I believe I did..." — Feeling drowsy to his bestial affection, Ewelina sighed at the feel of the man, entranced by how unexpected it was from a savage like him.

"... What does that mean?" — His frown was as usual present, but a grin of amusement joined it as it was a peculiar confusion she brought.

"... I don’t know..."

Returning his grin she also chuckled, aware that her words were more confusing.

"Grrmmnn... I don’t understand you, woman." — Purring with a wild sound only he could accomplish, Aslak rubbed his nose once more as it followed the track of the shy turn of her head leading him down her neck.

Trembling from strain, her hand had come to rest on his bumped arm. Naturally, to his unique show of comfortable affection. It was enjoyable for the dazed Ewelina. Nonetheless, as comfortable as it felt, her thoughts came out at a sudden contemplation.

"I cannot..." — She sighed, lamenting her low resistance to their married activities.

"....."

Listening to her whisper, Aslak raised from her skin to look into her eyes, composed at the sight of her tired visage.

"I know. I just wanted to sniff you."

"!? Don’t. I am–"

"I don’t care, woman... Just let me since I can’t enter you."

"! That is so... mmnh unfair..."

"Get used to it." — Raising as he smirked, Aslak pecked her lips to finish. — "It comes with the lands."

The man stood from their nest and giving his back to Ewelina, he continued to speak as he walked back to the place he had left his pipe, only to serve himself the mead to change the taste in his mouth from the smoke.

"You’ll have to get up. The meal will grow colder if you don’t."

It was a simple matter and as relaxed as she felt, Ewelina blankly stared for a moment to let her eyes fall on the fur covering her nude body. Immediately feeling burdened by the thought of him seeing her skin when no intercourse was to happen.

Weakly, she sat with the fur close to her chest again. Ready to rush to her private stances for a gown to wear in his company.

Nonetheless, she did not need to.

For a new gown of honey yellow was laying before her on a near footstool. And her spouse who had been watching her trouble, pondering on how to vacate without bothering him, spoke once her eyes fell on the silk.

"... I asked the servants to bring it. The hiding matter, I don’t want to discuss it now."

"... Thank you..." — She whispered.

Gingerly, she left behind the fur to cover with the gown, unaware that he peeked from the corner of his eye.

The wedded ate together, silently this time as both avoided looking at each other as a regretful thought was invading the man and woman...

One lamented her restriction while the other lamented his agreement to it.

As if it was an obvious thing, the time came when they separated. Awkward for it was a conflicting awareness.

The man had gone back to his privacy just as the woman had after a brief farewell.

Repeating the doubt she had developed once while dismissing him, Ewelina pondered through the night about her clumsiness when interacting with her husband at such times... as her nap after their bonding had scared away any need for rest.

’... It bothers me...’ — She contemplated. — ’With the excitement of his touch I become so different... that I do not know how to behave once I realise it.’

"Sigh..... It is... So odd..." — Lastly, she whispered. Closing her eyes to lament further her one wish that was restrained from being told.

"If I had told him we could sleep together without us intertwining... I wonder... Would he....."

’Husband... would you have accepted?’

A restless night that had an end with a forced shut of her lids was experienced by Ewelina. It was probably the instinct of her wise soul that was lifting anxiety within her, aware that time would pass.

And the regret would only grow with the days... For she wouldn’t meet her spouse again after many moons.

*******

She had been informed of the baron’s departure the next morning. Ewelina heeds no attention to it as her stepfather was an odious man whose ways were doubtful to the wise woman.

’He must have been disgusted by the different treatment he received from what he expected...’ — She had thought.

During her days, she would play with the energetic mainglousse child that would visit her chambers and survey the Castle grounds as she used to.

Her strolls to the stables had remained every afternoon. Yet during her walk to those nooks, the guards and servants would converse with her further. Respectful yet also playful, as well as harsh, nonetheless proper, for such was their nature.

Surprisingly, it was a pair of days later that she found the sight of a familiar man. And to one of the women, Bela, who had kindly approached her during her wedding celebration, Ewelina inquired about him, ignorant as to why he remained in their lands.

"Bela... Do you see that man? Was he not one who followed the baron here?"

"Ah... Yes, Gilead. He decided to stay. Most don’t like him. Since he was stupid enough to tell Kir he would take his head."

"To Sire Kir?"

"Gasp!? Ma’am, don’t tell him I called him by name, he gets mad if I do it!" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"?? Hm? Why is that?"

"... Right... Ma’am might not know... But that beast is my brother."

"!? My, I didn’t know that."

"... He says I should be ashamed for not taking the axe and so he makes me call him ’Sire’..."

"I see..."

New knowledge was gained, and the awareness of the guard remaining in her Husband’s domains commenced to sow doubts about his true motives.

From what she knew and had seen, the man was not one to trust. Much less if he once served her stepfather whose greediness had led her to these far corners.

However, it was not because of this outcome that Ewelina continued to hate him. After all, the place she had arrived at... even though at this time she felt anxious from her Spouse’s absence... This territory was one where her hope had raised above any she held through her long past.