This love is like a curse (68)
Longboat, having climbed onto the step, squinted and leisurely looked her over from head to toe.
There was a barely noticeable wrinkle on his neat forehead.
Before she could understand what was happening, he stepped into the carriage, picked up the fallen cloak from the floor and threw it over her shoulders. And then, as if nothing had happened, he tried to take her in his arms.
Thalia flinched and pushed him sharply on the shoulder.
- I can go myself!
The painkiller wore off and her knee began to ache again, but she was able to walk a little.
She threw off her cloak and stepped carefully onto the ground, trying not to expose her scars.
But then a strong hand fell on her shoulder.
“Are you going to go out looking like this?”
His gaze pierced her like a wedge.
Thalia instinctively drew her shoulders and lowered her eyes. The dress is askew. While she was sleeping, the straps were untied, and now her bare shoulders and arms were in full view.
But that was not all. The deep neckline slipped down, exposing the bust line.
Blushing, Thalia hastily pulled on the top of her dress.
Longboat watched the scene silently and only sighed quietly before throwing his cloak back over her. This time Thalia didn't resist.
He carefully buttoned it up to the throat, easily picked her up in his arms and went outside.
Thalia felt like a carefully packaged doll.
No... not like a doll. Everything was much worse. He simply felt pity for the pathetic creature who couldn’t even really stand.
Thalia deliberately pierced her heart with cruel words.
It was better to punch a hole in him herself than to let him tear out another piece of her soul. This way, there will probably be less pain later.
- Sir, what do you want to do with the messenger from the East?
When they had almost reached the threshold, one of the men standing at the entrance spoke.
Talia lifted the hem of her cloak and looked at him furtively: a big man with a bear-like figure and a predatory, eagle-like gaze also glanced at her.
- Do I need to chew this too?
Longboat said coldly and pulled her hood up to her eyes.
- Set him up somewhere and find someone to look after him. Tomorrow at dawn I will receive him.
Without waiting for an answer, he stepped inside the building.
As he crossed the spacious hall and climbed the stairs, Thalia mentally collected scraps of what she had heard lately.
It seems that many were afraid that this wedding would ruin the relationship between the Crown Prince and the Siekang House. Probably, while preparations were underway, Barkas was busy cleaning up the consequences. He calmed the enraged Gareth, explained to conservative nobles, including the Marquis Oristane, that he had not switched sides.
But despite their best efforts, people seemed unable to accept the sudden change of bride. In general, this is not surprising. Even Talia herself still couldn’t get rid of the feeling that everything that was happening was someone’s cruel joke.
- I'll call the maid.
Once in the room, Barkas lowered her into a deep velvet chair.
Thalia looked around the comfortably furnished room and turned her gaze back to him.
He unbuttoned the buttons on his dress uniform while pulling the cord next to the bed to call the servants.
Everything inside her sank.
“I don’t need any maid!” - she exclaimed in a shrill voice.
Longboat looked over his shoulder, frowning.
Thalia quickly looked away.
- Call the nanny.
- It's too late now. In the morning, as soon as it dawns, I will bring her. You can manage without it for one night.
Thalia flushed and looked into his eyes angrily.
“Except for the nanny, I won’t let anyone touch me.” You brought me here yourself, so answer me. Приведи её.
Longboat's blue eyes darkened, as if filled with icy cold.
Thalia clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.
He was a man who measured out his daily reserve of patience in advance. It seemed to her that now he would turn around in disgust and leave.
But it seems that today's limit has not yet been exhausted. He went to the door, called one of the servants and ordered:
“Send someone to the small palace immediately.” Let them bring one quarter-dwarf.
- Sorry? Now, my lord?
— Да. Let the fastest one go.
Closing the door right in the face of the confused servant, Barkas cast a sharp glance in her direction, as if asking: “Are you satisfied now?”
Thalia looked away.
He took a deep breath, took a robe from the shelf and handed it to her.
- Until the maid comes, at least put on this.
She immediately took the robe and threw it over her dress, after which she demanded in a broken voice:
- Now go away. I want to be left alone until the nanny arrives.
- This is my room too.
For a second, everything swam before my eyes, and my palms became covered in cold sweat.
Clenching the hem of her robe in her fists, she moistened her dry lips.
- T-then I'll leave. Show me another room.
- Your Highness.
He put his hand on her shoulder.
When she raised her head with difficulty, she was met by eyes in which a deep shadow lay.
- You agreed to this marriage.
She looked at his impassive face in amazement.
So...he's really going to stay here? With me?
My stomach clenched painfully with fear.
She looked down at her aching knees.
Senevier's eyes appeared before her mind's eye as she looked at her scar. Like something disgusting.
The mother’s dark, disgusted eyes were replaced by the cold steel of Longkas’s eyes.
Before she could stop herself, her tongue began to tangle and the words came out in complete disarray:
“T-then let’s just cancel everything.” How can we share a room? I... I just wanted to torment you, so I got married. You also got married by order of the emperor. You don't want to be with me. So... let's just pretend like nothing happened...
- Thalia.
He knelt down in front of her, cupped her face in his hands and approached.
She looked straight into his eyes, as if caught in a net.
These pupils, strewn with silver shards, reflected her pale face, covered with cold sweat. His voice, as if caught on something sharp, came out with difficulty:
- I won't do anything to you.
-...
- Only this night. I bribed the priest, but I can’t silence all the servants. At least the first night we should be in the same bedroom.
His calmness gradually returned the lost rhythm of her heart.
Pursing her lips, Thalia nodded slowly.
When he was sure that she had come to her senses a little, he slowly stood up.
Thalia continued to watch his every move warily.
Having taken off his outer clothing, soaked from the rain, he, remaining in a thin shirt, sat down on a chair by the window. His always collected body now seemed limp from fatigue.
Тяжёлый вздох повис в воздухе.
After some time, servants entered the room with trays containing food and wine.
Thalia mechanically swallowed a piece of bread and drank a glass of wine instead of a sleeping pill.
The alcohol flowed throughout the body, relaxing tense muscles and calming the pain.
She poured herself more wine into the golden goblet.
It’s impossible to count how much she’s already drunk. All this time, Barkas did not interfere in any way, he simply watched. But at some point he took the bottle from her.
- Enough.
Thalia jumped up from her chair to take the wine back.
But her weakened legs gave out and she staggered like a rag doll. Longboat picked her up and laid her on the bed.
Even in a semi-conscious state, the first thing she did was check to see if the dress had opened.
Longboat, watching this from the shadows, pulled a blanket over her shoulders and headed to the window.
Pulling back the curtains, he found himself bathed in a crimson-purple sunset.
His shoulders with clear lines were covered with copper light, as if sprinkled with blood.
Thalia blinked slowly.
Even in the light that burned like a flame, he seemed frighteningly cold.