Ash-colored Despair (6)
At the indifferent answer, Thalia only narrowed her eyes.
Either he was simply too lazy to argue, so he brushed off her words, or he really didn’t care about his appearance.
Staring intently at his impassive face as if trying to take it apart, Thalia soon made a disappointed expression.
“Sometimes when I'm around you, I feel like I'm going to explode,” she muttered.
Even to this sudden attack he did not react in any way.
The silence dragged on, and Thalia began to get angry with growing anxiety. She pulled the blanket up to her chin and turned to the wall.
- All. Leave already.
“I’ll leave when I see that you’ve taken your medicine.”
- I'm not going to drink it. So get out of here.
- I will leave only after you drink and you feel better.
“I told you I won’t drink!”
She turned around sharply with irritation, at the same moment her gaze was riveted by pale eyes in which gold shimmered unsteadily.
He slowly pulled a chair towards the bed and sat down.
“If you continue to be stubborn, we’ll have to force you to drink.”
Thalia stared at him in confusion.
Suddenly, a memory of the first wedding night surfaced in my head - blurry, disorderly, where it was impossible to make out where the dream began and where reality began.
And him? Doesn't he also remember that evening?
Perspiration appeared above my upper lip.
Feeling a strange, heavy tension hanging in the room, Talia awkwardly tried to change the subject.
- You haven't been drinking, by any chance?
“A little,” he answered indifferently, leaning back in his chair.
Thalia stared at Longboat with suspicion and said sarcastically, harsher than usual:
“If you’re drunk, then wash yourself and go to bed, why did you come into someone else’s room to brawl?”
- I'm not that drunk. I just had to play along a little at the reception.
He answered casually and, as if something was bothering him, removed the trinket from his hand, placing it on the shelf.
Thalia looked at him closely and asked carefully:
- So, no one fought because I didn’t show up?
-Who dares to tell you something? — There was a slight frown in his voice. “You are the highest-ranking person in this castle.” There is no one here to whom you have to justify yourself.
- Who is making excuses here? “I just asked, out of curiosity,” she muttered, looking sideways at him.
It was strange for her to hear this from someone who had never treated her like a real princess. She was about to sarcastically retort “look at yourself,” but then there was a knock on the door.
- Sir, I brought medicine.
- Come in.
The door opened and a petite maid entered the room. Longboat took the bottle from her hands and immediately released the girl.
Thalia stared at the vessel in his palm with a tense expression. For some reason, everything inside me shrank. She swallowed hard; her throat was sore. At this time, Longboat, being very close, slightly shook the glass bottle in front of her eyes.
- Drink.
Thalia slowly looked from the tiny blue bubble to his face.
If he doesn't drink... will he kiss her like he did that night?
A sudden thought sank into my heart.
Not knowing what to do, she lowered her eyes. And then he slowly leaned closer and quietly asked:
-Are you refusing?
His face burned as if on fire.
If she starts being stubborn now, he will read everything that is going on in her head.
Thalia almost snatched the bottle from his fingers with a trembling hand.
“Whatever, I’ll drink it,” Talia muttered and, deliberately looking him in the face, tore the cap off the bottle.
The bitter infusion of strong herbs burned my mouth and slowly crawled down my throat, as if burning it from the inside. Talia closed her eyes, fighting back tears, and coughed. Of all the drugs she had ever been given, this was the worst tasting.
- What kind of rubbish is this anyway?
“A potion prepared by a doctor of the Siekan family,” he answered calmly, pouring cider from the shelf into a glass and handing it to her. “From today on, your health will be monitored by the local healer.”
Thalia, who hastily grabbed the sweetish liquid in order to somehow overcome the terrible taste, stared at him incredulously.
- Why on earth? I already have a personal healer - the Archmage from the Talen clan. Until now he...
“Until now, all he did was put you to sleep with incense and read primitive healing spells,” Barkas cut her off harshly. “You will never get better with this approach.”
Sparks of anger flashed in Thalia's eyes.
Her healing magician was personally chosen and assigned to her by Senevier herself - he was a master of the highest level. And this barbarian from the Kan tribe, who knows only primitive rituals, dares to place himself above the Talen magicians? Or is there another intent hidden here?
Thalia narrowed her eyes, looking at him from under her brows, and said sharply:
- No. I will be treated by a magician from the Talen clan. How can I trust the people here? Everyone in this castle probably hates me...
His face suddenly became serious.
- Why do you think so?
- Do you think I'm completely stupid? The Siekang clan supports the crown prince. They will never forgive me for taking Ayla’s place,” Thalia’s voice sounded coldly mocking. “Who knows... maybe someone will try to poison you.”
— Talia Roem Siekan.
His voice, soft and insinuating, filled my ears with an unpleasant chill.
Talia twitched involuntarily. Not so much from the unusual surname, but from the icy warning in his tone.
Longboat continued firmly:
- I am ready to endure many of your whims. But don't cross the line.
Something burned in his cold tone, anger flared. She threw the glass at him with all her might.
- I didn’t ask you to endure it!
Sticky cider flooded his chest.
A heavy silence reigned.
Longboat took a deep breath and slowly rose to his feet.
Thalia backed away in fear, huddling in the corner of the bed.
He looked at her with an incomprehensible expression and shook his head.
- Why do something if you are afraid later?
Thalia's face flushed with shame.
He shook the wet stains off his chest as if nothing had happened and said indifferently:
- It's useless. This time, none of your whims will help. Tomorrow your new healer will begin observation.
- I said no!
He didn't even turn around, calmly heading towards the door.
- Liar! - she shouted at his back. “You said it yourself that I’m the most important one here!” Then why is everything your way?!
The longboat stopped at the threshold, turned around and said, as if persuading an obstinate child:
- You can ignore the rest. But you should listen to your husband.
Then he deliberately slowly took off his spacious cloak, casually threw it over his arm and added with a slight, almost imperceptible grin:
- I’m listening to you too.
Thalia opened her mouth in shock.
He was already reaching for the doorknob when he calmly added:
- Rest. To recover from the road, you need to get a good night's sleep.
Talia caught herself and threw a pillow at him, but by that time Longboat had managed to get out.
The pillow fell to the floor with a thud.
Thalia stared at her longingly, and then collapsed heavily on the bed.
Why did it happen that in this marriage it was she who was the suffering party, and not he? This thought was bitter and offensive.
* * *
The next morning Thalia woke up surprisingly cheerful.
A long sleep was beneficial - even my legs hurt less than usual.
Rubbing her swollen eyes, she sat up in bed and, looking at the clear blue sky outside the window, rang the bell.
Soon two women entered the room: a stern-looking elderly lady and a young maid with a confused look.
- Greetings, Your Highness. Sorry for not introducing ourselves earlier,” the eldest spoke first. - I am Aretha, the main maid of the castle. And this is Brisa, from now on - your personal assistant.
The woman pulled the girl by the hand, and she hastily lowered her head and bowed awkwardly.