Chapter 11
The storm had eased and taken her sour mood along with it, nothing had really changed but in some ways everything had changed. There was something about this morning that felt so light and easy, perhaps it was because the day before she’d been included in the meeting in the General’s office, or the day before that when she’d been allowed to oversee a grain delivery with the General and her wish to give some to the poor as a way to curry favour was granted. She was sure the change had come from the kiss, as sure as the fresh vanilla pods that had arrived in a chest were yet another gift from the General, now he kissed her cheek most mornings and she would kiss his at night.
“She’s bathing!” Thalia half-shrieked as the door was thrown wide.
“There’s some bolts of fabric in the courtyard, go and pick some for your new dresses.” The General dismissed Thalia with a wave of his hand, even when he was being kind he had to do it in such a way that was almost rude. “Now, before I change my mind.”
“Thalia, go, I’ll finish my bath.” She huddled against the copper edge of the tub, obscuring herself from his sight. “Tom, I think you can wait outside?”
“No, we need to talk and you need to stop being so shy or you’ll spend the coronation blushing like a child.” He pulled a low stool beside the tub even resting his elbow on the edge. “Carry on, don’t let me stop you.”
She couldn’t exactly finish her bath with him right there, the soap Thalia used for her skin was behind him and she had yet to rinse out her hair mask. It was quite the conundrum, the petals, herbs and milk in the water helped to disguise her but he was right there.
“What do you want?” She stayed with her front pressed against the edge of the tub, he was unusually close with his face mere inches from her own.
“I’ve got letters from the neighbouring Kings we invited, four of the five are coming, we need to reply and make arrangements for their stay.” So four kings had accepted him and one had held back, it was a better outcome than she’d expected. But it was also rejecting her, as she was to be queen too. It was a sign from the moon goddess she was sure, the more she prayed for a sign the more talk there was of the coronation. “What do you want to look at first?”
“Well, we needn’t reply so quickly.” It simply wasn’t done, father usually sat on a letter for at least a week. “You’ll need a large courtyard for each King and his entourage, and a feast honouring each.”
“I have some misgivings about having another kings armies in my walls, especially with my own so depleted.” He confided in her slightly more each day. “You will oversee preparations for the rooms, by my side of course. Tell me what we need?”
They spoke of frivolous things, incense, linens, candles, tapestries, all pretty things that would show their hospitality, as they spoke he would glance around the room for inspiration and she’d managed to get those glances down to a time. He rolled his eyes as she mentioned the wines they’d need to restock and that was her cue, rolled eyes, head thrown back to stare at the ceiling and grumble words she’d not learnt, glance at the door with a hard-done-by sigh, finally back to her. She ducked under the water and viciously scrubbed the mask from her curls, it would take a few more dunks but this was the only way to retain what little modestly she had left.
“Lean forward.” He held the jug ready as she gasped for breath.
She actually didn’t enjoy having her hair washed that way but the other way would potentially expose her further, he’d seen her nude many times but now that she had some sort of ownership of her body again- no matter how weak it was – she needed to be in control of who saw it. Of when he saw it. There had still been no news from Kari, not a single letter or an envoy, there was nothing from father either, her whole life had boiled down to this island and making her mark on the world. It was something she’d never considered before that she too could upset the natural order of the world and leave a legacy of sorts.
“It’s done now.” She held up her hand, desperate to stop the onslaught of water. He didn’t so much as trickle the jug but launch it at her as though she was caked in weeks-worth of mud. He was odd.
“I’ll comb your hair.” He placed the bar of soap on the lip of the tub.
“Use the oil first, please.” She couldn’t refuse, he’d not worded it in a way that would allow her to refuse. “That one, the one by the comb, and not too much.”
At least he started combing from the ends, otherwise she’d be in a world of pain, he was so thoroughly dedicated to the task that she could lather the soap into her skin in peace. It wasn’t necessarily the most comfortable experience but it was slowly feeling less horrifying, there was a box deep inside her chest that harboured her resentment and she kept it tightly closed. Resentment wouldn’t help, only he could save her now.
“There are lots of young men in the city.” Honey and cinnamon filled the air as bubbles popped against her skin.
“Correct.” The comb pressed a little too hard against her neck and she jumped, but judging by his quiet tut it was an accident.
“You are a General.” Perhaps she could coax the idea into his mind.
“Why are you stating the obvious?”
“They could be soldiers, then we’d have an army.” Really, he was quite dull at times.
“And how exactly will we pay them?” He sighed, combing a touch roughly. “Most of our gold is spent on grain, the rest on this coronation and rebuilding what was destroyed in the war. It’s not as simple as it seems.”
“But here there are great mines, all manner of metals-“
“Workers need to be paid, tunnels rebuilt. As before, things are not that simple.”
“Prisoners can work for free.” She sank back against the edge of the tub, pulling her knees to her chest whilst he continued to comb her hair.
“Prisoners need to be watched by an army, the remnants of my army is being wasted watching the prisons.” He huffed an empty laugh, it was a dire situation. “If you have any ideas, I’m all ears.”
“You have slaves here, maybe offer them freedom in exchange for a year’s service in the army or send them to the mines.” It went against her every belief to enlist slaves the way they did here. “Is that a good idea?”
“It’s an idea.” He seemed thoughtful, but suspicious. “Is it your own?”
“I have lots of ideas.” She was a genius, to fix a country from the comfort of a bath was truly exceptional.
“It’s not Kari’s idea?” He prodded.
“Kari would borrow money or pay in grain.” She scoffed, it was her idea and she deserved recognition. Borrowing money was silly because you had to pay it back, whenever she borrowed allowance money from her cousin she’d always ended up short the next week. And paying in grain, well who wanted that? “My idea is much better.”
“Alina, my little peach-“
“I’m not a peach.” She was a person, not a fruit.
“My little plum, princess,” he only ever wanted to wind her up. “Get out of the bath, then come into the bedroom. We are going to get more comfortable with each other, we should know each other.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.” He flashed a cool smile, standing to leave.
Despite his orders to hurry she took her time oiling her skin, braiding her hair in two tight braids, filing her nails, and finally pulling a light cotton dress over her head. It seemed silly to get to know each other after months of marriage, she knew all she needed to about him. She knew never to speak when he was reading a letter, not to ever interrupt him, that he enjoyed meat with all his meals, that he drank wine with spices, he liked to ride horses and race, he didn’t like to see her things in their room, and mostly that he was strangely devout. What he knew of her could easily fit in a thimble, he never even remembered that she was there half the time – let alone her likes or dislikes.
He was waiting for her in the bedroom, sitting on the bed staring at one of his many scrolls, against her better judgement she sat beside him and waited. She knew not to interrupt, it made his jaw twitch and when that happened they were never far from a violent outburst. Funny that people could find him so charming, he was rarely charming to the people in the palace. In here he raged and ranted, threatened and beat, this was his dominion and all she could do was watch the chaos unfold.
“Right, take your dress off and stand before me.” He didn’t even look up from his papers.
“Please, oh please don’t.” She was going to be sick, violently sick. “Tom-“
“Don’t make a fuss, we won’t be doing that today.” He shuffled the papers. “If I ask again, I’ll be annoyed.”
Sometimes she despised him, she reviled him, hated him in ways that words could not encompass, but she had to obey him. So she did. First his fingers prodded her stomach, her ribs, squeezed her thigh and upped arms, all while making quiet hums that did not seem entirely positive. Her hands were fists at her sides as he trailed the backs of his fingers along her breast, even when his palm swept along the curve of her bum she said nothing until his exploration finally ceased.
“You seem thin, gain some weight.” He shook his head, somehow that felt worse than his groping. “Now come give me a kiss.”
“I’m not kissing you, what you said was mean.” That and she didn’t want to kiss him, mean words or not.
“Not mean, merely factual, now give me a kiss or I’ll take one. We’ll be doing this daily so don’t make this any more difficult than it needs to be.” Perhaps it wasn’t supposed to be a threat, it was said rather calmly. But the threat was there all the same. “I’ll count to five, one, tw-“
She plonked a kiss somewhere between his upper lip and cheek, but he caught her face as she made to retreat and redirected her kiss until their lips met. Despite some poking and prodding from his tongue she kept her lips firmly closed and free of his invasion, like everything this kiss would be over soon and all she needed to do was ride it out.
“Now do it again and kiss me back.” He caught her braids, pulling them taut. “I’m being kind here sweetheart, don’t test me.”
“What am I supposed to do?” She was allowing him to kiss her, surely that was enough.
“Copy what I do.” He huffed a laugh, using his free hand to drag her onto his lap.
At least he was clothed, although it only reminded her of her own nudeness, to perch on someone’s lap wasn’t entirely comfortable but when they had you by the hair you had little choice. The kiss started again, this time his free hand was settled at her waist as he traced her bottom lip with his tongue. After a short pause she quickly did the same, then he pulled her bottom lip between his so she just pushed her face forward a bit in a hopes that would suffice, they carried this on for a short while until he pulled away with an annoyed sigh.
“What exactly is the problem, cause it’s not me.” His jaw twitched, things were going awry. “You can’t say you aren’t attracted to me, I know how I look.”
“But I was kissing you?” To argue would sign her death warrant, really she’d done nothing wrong. “I think you are very handsome.”
“I feel like I’m kissing a dead body, perhaps it was better as before.” No, no. No.
“I did exactly as you asked, please General, believe me I did.” She grabbed his shoulders, pleading with him. “Give me another chance, tell me how to be better and I will.”
“We will resume tonight, I’m busy.” His fingers released her hair, instead catching her waist, but he didn’t shove her to the ground. Instead, he pressed a short kiss to her cheek and moved her to the bed. “You may rest in here until dinner, get dressed.”
It was a pretty room with happy scenes painted on the walls, bright white marble tiles and ornately carved furnishings. In some ways it wasn’t so different from her own home, although it still felt foreign, but is she could she’d have picked bright silks to decorate this place and maybe some vases with flowers. Anything to make this more homely, or at least like she wasn’t just squatting in this room. It was a fine room, but it was simply fine, there were no personal touches, nothing interesting to look at, just the minimum of what one needed.
“What happened?” Thalia returned but a guard locked the door behind her, in her arms were bundles of cottons and even a silk. “He’s a man possessed, demanding all his Generals attend him. He’s stopped petitions for the day.”
“Maybe he liked my idea, I don’t know. All I know is we are locked back in this room and things are looking dire, he wanted to kiss but I didn’t do it right and now he’s angry.” She leafed through Thalia’s fabric, at least he could sometimes be generous.
“You need to know what’s happening around you, we can continue like this.” Thalia crossed the room, at least the door to her room wasn’t locked. Although it wasn’t like they could go anywhere further. “This is unsustainable.”
“I’m trying.” But no one seemed to notice.
***
It should be his greatest moment of triumph, through her nonsensical whittering he’d manage to shape the plan they truly needed to iron out this mess. It wasn’t simple, it was rather risky, but he’d taken higher risks and the gods were always on his side. He’d doubted them and they’d punished him, now he’d turned back to them he was being rewarded. But none of that mattered when a stupid slave had interrupted his toast to ask if he was allowed to give the princess water, it seemed he’d not actually lifted the order for her to roam freely so they’d locked her in the room as he’d left. It wouldn’t be the end of the world, but with whispers of Kari’s movements on the eastern peninsula of Khator all eyes were on him and his bride.
It seemed Kari had sent a cousin there to wait, or watch, but news was passing to him somehow and he’d yet to send word of his envoy’s arrival. To send a letter by pigeon, especially from a ship, should take a week at best yet he’d heard nothing. So they all studied him; Nik, Ambrose, Abraxas, he’d convinced them he was the best option but he was falling at the smallest hurdle. Even his hurried explanation that it was for safety and not cruelty wasn’t believed, but they dared not say anything to him and he couldn’t stand the doubt filled glances they were exchanging. So he closed the meeting, there would be no celebration today. Not after that.
In the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that dreadful, they’d of all forgotten about it by tomorrow, yet an uncharacteristic thread of worry flitted through his mind. He knew what he’d seen, he’d committed to heart every word the gods had said as he lay dying, he’d gone to the very brink of death, seen the ferryman, seen the next life, he’d done all that and turned away. He’d heeded the warnings, he knew his destiny, all that was left was figuring out just where his little wife slotted in.
After speaking briefly with Abraxas, before the damning announcement obviously, it seemed he’d need to soften his approach once more to get even a slither of affection from the girl. Apparently it had been similar with Narin, although that woman was only slightly hesitant to accept her new place in the world and not deathly afraid like his own. It wasn’t like it was his fault, someone should have prepared her for marriage. Nevertheless he had a gift in hand as he approached their rather silent rooms, she hadn’t even lit a candle as she knelt by the low table in the early evening light and he took in the starkness of this room. He preferred things clean and tidy which meant none of her clutter was left around, but it also meant he’d locked her in a room with nothing to occupy her time.
“Alina, princess, it seems there was a misunderstanding, and someone locked the door. I’ll see them punished.” He nodded for the slave girl to leave. “Come see what I have for you.”
“Should I kiss you?” She was back to staring at him in that fearful way he’d almost banished, weeks of work eradicated by one small misstep. “This time it will be much better, I promise.”
“We’ll have an early dinner on the balcony, you might want a shawl.” It would be best to move past that incident, as though it had never happened. “Now, come get your gift.”
It was a simple set of bangles with an etching of the moon, anything more could be construed as an actual apology thereby putting him in the wrong. It was laughable really, that he could be given the greatest task known to any man alive, a task that would see him a god, and his final challenge was disguised as a frightened princess. But it could go either way, the prophecy wasn’t clear if it were she or her brother that would take him to glory or destroy him, nothing about it was clear actually, but it was better to keep her sweet just in case.
“Thank you.” She didn’t sound that thankful, but it was probably due to her impromptu imprisonment. “I shall kiss you now.”
There was no preamble, no dithering, she simply set her jaw and marched to the bed, it was probably at this point that he should tell her they didn’t need to kiss as he’d made them this morning. If he was a gentleman, he would have. But instead he took his spot on the bed and watched as she carefully disrobed, she was a bit slim for her rather diminished height but when he’d mentioned it this morning she’d gotten strangely upset. It was probably for the best not to mention it again.
The kiss wasn’t really any better, he had a beautiful woman stood before him unclothed and he felt nothing. Well, not nothing as he was starting to worry that she might be cold. Her improved kissing was nervously simply pressing kisses to his lips in rapid succession as she tried to cover her chest with her arms, this wouldn’t do.
“You seem cold.” He swept her into his lap, trailing his fingertip along her knee. “Are you cold my love?”
“You don’t love me, don’t say that.” She shivered slightly as his fingers ghosted along her thigh.
“Of course I do, I married you.” It was the right thing to say judging by the way she leant against him. “Married men love their wives, you know that.”
“I don’t-“
“Let me kiss you, it’s my turn.” He could make her believe, he could make himself believe it, only then could he be free from any repercussions. “Face me, kneel over me.”
She looked like she would die of shame as she straddled him, it was that pretty pink tinge to her cheeks that had him reaching for a blanket to cover her, gods she was pretty, she was practically perfect, she was either his reward or his foil. But for now he’d take her as is. This time he would take his time, if Kari hadn’t decided to leave the night after the wedding he’d probably have taken his time, probably but likely not. He trailed the backs of his fingers from her ear to chin as his other arm wrapped around her waist to anchor her in place, her lips were like an archers bow, lusciously curved, the images they drew in his mind were enough to drive him mad. Technically he could have her now, it was his legal right. Fuck it.
Her arms were crossed between them as he drew her into another kiss and it was just as disappointing as the others, she just stayed perfectly still as he tried to get literally any reaction. It didn’t seem to be intentional, it was like a fear response or something. As if she hoped if she could stay still enough he’d simply forget about her.
“Keep your hands on my shoulders.” He flipped them, focusing his attentions on her neck instead.
She couldn’t be made of stone, even someone as tight-laced as she had to feel some semblance of pleasure. Her body was made for pleasure, it had never known a days work in its life, he pressed a kiss under her jaw and trailed his lips along her neck, there was a slight intake of breath but nothing more. Instead of hovering around her neck and hoping the noise returned he kissed a gentle line to her shoulder whilst dusting his hand along her side, if he could get her to relax even an inch then he’d consider this task complete.
“You are the colour of honey.” His hand drifted higher as he made his way back to her neck. “Or amber, beautiful, sacred, amber, like a droplet of gold in a marble temple.”
“Yes.” She answered with a demure nod, but still she made no movement.
Sweet spices filled his nose as he kissed his way to the centre of her chest, his hand was now cupping her breast and she was deathly still, only the thin linen blanket stood between them, his thumb brushed over her nipple and there was another sharp intake of breath.
“Tom-“ Her fingers tightened at his shoulders as his mouth closed around her other nipple, teasing it through the fabric. “I think we can stop.”
“Massage my shoulders.” He’d found a spot she enjoyed, he wasn’t giving it up now.
He continued his slow assault for a few more minutes until he’d finally illicit a shaky breath, it was taking every morsel of restraint to bind his needs, he could take her now and he’d enjoy every moment of it, but they’d be back to square one. This time when he caught her lips there was some life in her kiss, or at least an acceptance of what he was doing, she did exactly as asked but very little more. For a moment he thought she was just allowing him to explore, but then the gentlest pressure prodded his shoulder, gentle enough to be accidental but the slightly arched back broke the ruse, in the mildest way possible she was reminding him that he while he was kissing her he was also ignoring one of her breasts.
“So pretty.” He murmured against her cheek.
She was pretty, achingly pretty, and he was achingly hard, but he was doing so well and she was rather dear to him. That was the truth of it, she was so perfectly harmless that he couldn’t find it in himself to upset her any further. It achieved nothing, helped nothing, it soothed nothing, all it did was make his life even more depressing.
“Touch your breasts as I was.” He moved her hands from his shoulders to her breasts as he sat back and removed his tunic.
Her cheeks were flushed as she gently touched herself over the linen but she couldn’t look at him, only when he pushed the sheet along her legs did her eyes snap to his. He took her ankle, tracing the anklet before pressing a kiss just above the charms, even her ankles tasted of sweet scented oil, her hands stilled as he began kissing his way along her calf but he didn’t chide her.
By the time he’d made his way to her inner thigh she was propped on her elbows to watch, he pressed a kiss to her core and her stomach tensed in response, his tongue dipped inside of her and she froze completely. It was bliss, dragging his tongue up to circle her, holding her soft thigh firm against his shoulder, only when he felt her shift beneath him did he dare take it further. He pressed a single finger into her and she tensed around him, his tongue moved quicker and her hips almost rocked slightly in response, he wanted to savour the moment but she was falling apart beneath him. Her back arched from the bed as she came with a startled cry, clenching around his finger as she twitched beneath him.
“I-I’m sorry, I forgot myself-“ She was filled with panic as he crawled over her.
“It’s alright, you were perfect.” He shushed her as he pushed against her.
Her panicked apologies died as he pushed his way inside, even now she was apprehensive, but he fucking needed this. Months, it had been months without the slightest touch. But this wasn’t about him, this was for her, for them. Already heat was coiling in his stomach as he slammed into her, his hand snaked between them and circled her gently, fingernails dug into his skin as she clutched at his shoulders. He was close, she was in some kind of shock, fuck it, he moved faster as her hurried gasps dusted his cheek, another breathy moan left her lips as she clenched around him. Fire thundered through his veins as he came, ears ringing with the sheer force of his release.
“Fuck.” He rolled onto his back, dragging her with him.
“What?” Of course she didn’t know any common words, but for once she wasn’t trying to move away from him.
“It’s an expression, it means you are surprised by something.” He pulled her closer, honestly he could have a nap right now.
They lay in silence for a while, a far shot better than the usual tears that followed their coupling, even if he’d not been the kindest about it, even if he’d simply done what was expected of him each time prior, it was a lie to say he didn’t feel ashamed when he had to lie beside her and listen to her sobs. He wasn’t a bad man, surely the fact he was chosen by the gods was proof enough, he had a purpose, a divine labour gifted upon him, he was more than just a man, he was almost a god, yet sometimes it was a little hard to remember that. Perhaps the first few times had been in anger, an innate need to prove something, but now it was hard to understand what he had been hoping to prove, what he’d wanted to achieve, it played at his conscience in a very odd way. He thought about it sometimes, at prayer, in the temples, when he looked up at night and saw the endless canopy of stars above him, he didn’t think of it often but when he did it was an odd feeling to shake. She’d not moved, not uttered a sound, a deer frozen in a hunters track.
“Did I hurt you?” There was no reply, he’d obviously hurt her, his hand moved to hers that was lying on his chest but when he squeezed it there was no response.
“Alina?” He shifted to look at her, but she was dead to the world.
Who was he to disturb her?
The sounds of dinner plates being placed on the table woke him, it must have been a deep sleep for him to sleep through the slave girl fastening the curtains around the bed and stoking the fire. But his princess hadn’t stirred, she was still sleeping with her head on his chest as he quietly called for water. This is what Abraxas had advised, a forced proximity of sorts, with these types of women you couldn’t allow them to run off to their little areas or they’d never truly leave. Nik had a different approach, but Aura wasn’t from the same kind of upbringing that Alina had. Aura was the daughter of a Visor, important but not so much so.
If left to it she’d probably sleep into the next day but he wanted to take her somewhere, so he woke her with a kiss and was rewarded with a shy smile. He wanted to take her again, just watching her stretch lazily against him was torture, but he had to play nice just a little more.
“Come, I want to eat dinner. I’m still hungry.” His hands travelled along her side as she flushed at the memory.
“I didn’t have any food today.” She did look a little pale. “The door was locked.”
“A small mishap, no need to worry.” No need to call attention to it. “After dinner I will take you somewhere, as a treat.”
“Yes, Tom.” What she thought of that was unclear, but they would go whatever her thoughts were. “Do you love me?”
“Of course I do, we’re married.” The more she asked, the more uncomfortable he felt. “Now get dressed before I do that again.”
“Can I have hot water?” If he followed Abraxas’ logic he should demand they bathe together, but he was happy enough with the conclusion of their afternoon to allow her some privacy once more. “I will be quick, so you don’t wait.”
A bowl of steaming water was also bought for his own use as the two women haunting his rooms whispered hurriedly behind the bathing room door, it was a nice set of rooms, it was the kind of place he’d dreamed of as a child, he truly believed that if he’d defeated enough opponents, fought in enough battles, followed the right orders, that he too could be released from his shackles and have a home. But he had been a stupid child. He only started to see the truth at fifteen, he’d been a tall boy so they’d thrown him into the ring at the tender age of nine but after six years of battle he’d started to see the truth. People weren’t given power, they took it.
The giggling and quiet whispers continued throughout dinner. When he plated her dinner she’d blush, when the slave girl whispered something Alina would giggle, when she poured his wine they’d both giggle, every movement, every sentence he spoke, it was all met with giggles and blushing. It was getting to the point to where he wanted to demand silence, but the gleam in her eyes when she looked at him melted all rebukes.
“You like spiced wine, what do I like?” Her rings glinted as she cupped her chin, she had many gold rings but no wedding band.
“You like getting ready quickly and not making me wait.” Rain was coming, he could feel it.
“Sweet wine.” She murmured as she hurried to fetch her cloak.
The quarries were magnificent, stretching as far as the eye could see, just below the ground was enough copper, tin, and iron to fund everything he could ever want. Even the stacks in the heavily guarded vaults were enough to see him through the next ten years, if only someone would buy it. There was another three months to go until he received the next lot of Kari’s gold and that was a long time, but he couldn’t sell all the metals as it was all they had, he could sell some and borrow some gold to keep them afloat. It was a dreadful situation, but until he had a buyer he couldn’t dare open the mines.
“Follow me.” He took a torch from a guard, leading them into the dark tunnel.
They’d only made it a few feet in before she began to protest, gently pulling on his hand in an attempt to stop their journey. A sharp glance stopped that nonsense, whether she wanted to or not he would finally put to rest the rumours surrounding the westernmost tunnel.
“I don’t like it.” Her sniffs echoed around the cavern. “Please let me go back.”
“You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.” They’d said no man would open it, but she was no man.
There was water everywhere, drippling from the ceiling, trickling along the walls, seeping up from the floor, it only added a bit to the chill. Slightly behind him Alina was crying softly and he prayed to the gods that this was not in vain, she was made of soft stuff at the best of times and to crumple her trust now would take months to fix.
“You know when I was a boy I was afraid of the dark, just like you are.” The dank air was suffocating, but the least he could do was distract her. “I thought there were things in the dark, spirits or creatures, but raise the torch and you’ll see there’s nothing there. See?” He raised the torch, the light echoed in the darkness showing the were alone. “All you need to fear is in the light, hidden among us and waiting to strike. But you needn’t fear anything, not really, not while you remain by my side.”
“What if someone is here?” A stone skittered along the floor, knocked by his foot, and she clutched his hand tighter. “What if-“
“When I was ten I was thrown into a ring and made to fight four men for my survival, it was entertainment.” Perhaps he would take her to the games, show her what he was made of. “Do you think a coward hiding in the dark would best me?”
“But me-“
“You are my wife, they shan’t get you either.”
“They came into my room, they did try to take me.” Her nails were digging into his hand, that itself cleansed her of any guilt. “And the market, they come there too.”
“We’re here.” If it was true, if she managed to open the seam, he would worship her, protect her. That was his promise before the gods, he’d dedicate himself to her happiness if she could do this. “Move the rock.”
“You move it.” She snapped, pulling her hand away.
“Move the rock.” He drew his sword, watching her eyes widen.
The expected waterworks never came, instead she practically threw herself at the rock to try and dislodge it. A sword was a very convincing instrument, dozens of men saw reason when faced with its tip and it seemed his wife had that intelligence at least. She was muttering something, curses probably, but the stone didn’t shift.
“Try harder.” He would give her whatever she asked for, he would listen to the gods, he would pray for her at the temple of the sun god, he would do all that if she was the one who could open the seam. “Push it.”
“A promise is a promise.” A quiet breath dusted his ear, but when he turned there was nothing. Fuck.
The rock shifted as he stared into the darkness, there was a thud, a scream, another thud, a cry. Great. Actually it was great, as he raised the torch into the cavern hundreds of dull, green stones were embedded into the rock. It was very great.