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via zerochan
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She woke to find herself naked in his
arms. This was something she could never have fathomed before coming here. She
felt a little dizzy.
It is before the marriage. It is before
the marriage. It is before the marriage.
Those words went round and round in
her head.
Although Matilda was in a minor state
of shock, she raised her head to look at Leandroth sleeping. A ghost of a smile
was on his sleeping face, he looked like a little boy. She gave a wry smile; his
sleeping face was not that of an adult but one of a mischievous child.
Someone who said she was right for
him.
His favourite thing.
Matilda closed her eyes. The sensation
of someone else’s breathing, their warmth; it made her feel comforted to be
close like this. But would she be able to bear it if she lost this warmth
someday?
Even if she was now being told she was
cute or beautiful, those will fade someday.
When she became a wrinkled old lady,
would he still say such things?
Her thoughts were a jumble. Why was
this not a normal political marriage?
She paused, what was a “normal
political marriage”?
From the start of an arranged political marriage, the couple neither
like nor dislike each other. A union between Houses was based on making progeny
to carry on the family lines. If this was that kind of relationship, she would
not be so troubled.
He told her he desired her.
While that sentiment made her happy,
she logically felt that such feelings will not last forever. Deep in thought,
she moved,
‘Hmmm…Mattie? Is it already morning?’ Leandroth awoke and
asked with a sleep roughened voice. As expected of a person who was raised on a
battlefield. He raised his head and looked out the window; he saw the sky was
still dark.
‘No, it’s still night, please go back
to sleep.’ She said softly.
‘Yes. Goodnight, Mattie.’ He replied
sleepily, he yawned pulled her closer and went back to sleep.
‘Goodnight,’ she said softly. His
breathing had fallen deep and regular.
She could not dismiss the possibility
that he would be bored of her before their marriage ceremony.
It was so warm in his arms, she
thought.
Truly, she was not cute.
She was not a cute person.
Matilda swallowed a sigh and closed
her eyes. She didn't think she would be able to sleep. But it was more
constructive than keeping her eyes wide open. So she closed them tightly. The
warmth wrapped around her was real.
She tried to hold back tears that
burned at the back of her throat, tightening her fists.
Like…
She may like this person.
She was dazed by the realisation.
Matilda closed her eyes tightly.
⚔
‘Good morning, Mattie,’
He hadn't left.
She was shaken lightly, opened her
eyes as she stretched and looked up at him. He was in his robe, smiling happily
at her.
‘Morning,’ she replied sleepily. He
gave her a bright smile. He seemed to smile a lot when he looked at her. He
looked happy, like a big dog wagging his tail from being patted. She
subconsciously reached up to stroke his cheek. He closed his eyes and rubbed
his cheek into her palm, almost purring.
A large friendly cat? But she still
felt he was more dog-like.
And that huge dog licked her palm and
laughed. She laughed too, it was ticklish.
She was lightly kissed on her
forehead, nose, cheeks and lips, ‘You can go back to sleep.’ He said softly.
‘Thank you.’
‘I didn't want to wake you up, but I
was lonely getting out of bed without you awake.’ He said smiling at her.
Her heart was being misled, but Matilda
smiled in spite of herself.
‘I also feel lonely when I wake up and
I am alone, so please wake me up.’ She said as she rose out of bed. She held a bedsheet
up to her chest to shield her naked body. Leandroth watched her intently as she
came up to him.
Affection filled his gaze, when she
kissed him on his cheek,
‘Please work hard, please do your
best, if there is anything I can help you with, send for me right away.’ She
said softly because she felt self conscious.
His smile looked a bit soppy. It was
kind of funny.
‘Mattie,’ he called as he pulled her
into a hug. She stood in his arms stiffly.
‘Leann?’ Was something wrong, she wondered?
Leandroth buried his face in the crook of her neck, replied,
‘I'm recharging.’
‘Recharging?’
Leandroth slowly pulled away from her
and smiled, ‘See you later,’ he said
‘Go ahead.’ She said returning his
smile. Leandroth kissed her.
‘Let’s have lunch together.’ He said
as he kissed her fingers. It was kind of ticklish. Matilda smiled and shrugged.
‘Is this lunch or not?’
Matilda asked as her gaze ran over the
food laden table. It was more like a picnic; fruits, fruit infused water, fruit
juice, cakes and bread. Things you can eat with one hand.
‘Maybe…’
‘Maybe perhaps…’ She shut her lips,
perhaps Leandroth ordered this. But…she tilted her head.
They sat near each other at a round
table in her room. They were not dining formally. She reached for the fruit
infused water and said
‘There is so much, it is all a bit
wasteful. Let’s improve tomorrow.’
She sent a prayer to the spirits of
the forest. She wondered if Leandroth had a god he believed in. She picked up a
muffin.
‘Let's eat for now and talk about any
concerns you have later.’ He said and they quietly ate their fruit and sweets.
Leandroth showed Matilda fruits he liked, but to be honest, with the
overwhelming sweets she missed the flavour of savoury food.
She said so to Leandroth, who laughed
out loud, ‘So do I,’
‘Well, why don't you tell this to the
Head of the kitchen staff?’ she asked.
He sighed and said, ‘Depending on how
I say it, someone's neck would fly!’ (Zuben: What a weird bunch of people)
Matilda frowned, that was horrible.
‘It’s hot. It’s cold. I don’t like the
taste. I feel pain…Whenever I say something contrary, someone’s head will be
parted from their body. I didn't notice until it was too late and I am at a
loss at how to get things back in order.’
Leandroth’s expression became bitter
and distant. Matilda’s heart hurt looking at the dark expression on his face.
‘Did you hear anything in your country
about me being a puppet king?’ he asked strangely casually.
Matilda was about
to use a fork to pick a piece of cut apple, but the fruit slipped from her
prongs.
Zuben: Quick edit based on the continuing conversation in the next chapter.
The pic lookslike Nagisa and Karma
ReplyDeleteSo there are rumors about who really has the power in this kingdom.
ReplyDeleteEither that picture is Nagisa and Karma or Akashi and Kuroko
ReplyDeleteSo I thought about this but they aren’t married so this easily can not happen. Especially since he seems so .... wish washy. And still bother by the women he met in the garden. Like why where she can see.
ReplyDelete