Till Death Do Us Part

Just This Once - Valentine's Day Special

Skylar followed the servant through unfamiliar halls. Marshwards' estate was not as big and fancy as most nobles' mansions. But it certainly had a warmth and homely feeling to it. Even though the Marshwards were just a minor family, their support of Lamyria's unification was necessary. That's why the King went out of his way to make sure they felt appreciated, so he suggested she and Gawyn attend their small celebratory banquet.

She turned her head slightly to look at her husband. It's been over a month since they've been married, and after a very rough beginning, they settled on a reasonably friendly partnership. It was still colossal progress, considering they were strangers brought to a union for the sake of the political alliance.

Skylar adjusted her hand on Gawyn's elbow. Despite the initial outrage and resentment towards the man, after meeting more nobles, she considered herself lucky that Gawyn was the one she was forced to marry. From the start, he made it clear that he didn't expect her to share his bed and was in no rush to get children. He provided her with her own room and even a little freedom if she was on top of her obligations as a noble lady. They lived together, each busy working on schedules, and met for dinner and a small conversation in the evening.

All things considered, it was not an awful life to have. She still missed her time as a soldier and would give anything to join her people guarding the eastern border, but she could have ended up so much worse. At least her husband shared her passion for military tactics and aversion to pointless pastimes nobles seemed to adore. Not that he would ever allow her to pick up a sword again openly, but one couldn't always have it all.

The only instance when they had to play the part of a happily married couple was in public. Nobles could develop the wildest rumours based on ridiculous assumptions, so it was better not to give them an opportunity for speculation.

The servant stopped in front of an elegant door made of cherry wood and opened it wide, inviting them inside with an expansive gesture. The room was surprisingly small. A sleek wooden double bed was taking up most of the space, but it was still smaller than the one Skylar had in her room. A compact desk with one chair and a mirror were placed under the window, and a wardrobe completed the picture.

"Your things have been brought in, and the bath is ready for you," the servant said, gesturing to the narrow passage where the brocade curtain hung instead of doors. "Do you need the assistance of a maidservant, my lady?"

"Oh no, I'm fine, thank you," Skylar replied instantly. She didn't like the thought of another person crowding already small quarters.

"Then have a good night, my lord. My lady." The servant bowed his head and left the room, closing the door quietly. The small room suddenly felt suffocating for Skylar, and the silence felt awkward and unnatural.

Gawyn grunted. "You can go and bathe first. I need to make some notes about what we discussed with Marshwards today.

"Sure." She took a nightdress laid on the bed for her, glad to have an excuse to leave the small room, even if only to the separate bathing chamber.

Skylar shoved the curtain back and entered a tiny room with a big wooden washtub in the centre. A lonely chair stood next to narrow steps left there for easy access, and a little wooden table was laden with several glass and metal bottles of ointments, soaps, and perfumes. A steamy air smelling of lavender hit her face, and she sighed deeply. A bath was an excellent idea after such a long and tiring day.

Skylar dropped her nightgown on the chair and removed all the jewellery adorning her hair, ears, and neck. She reached her hands to her back and started pulling on the laces of her corset. But to her annoyance, the straps did not get loose. She pulled some of them off, but the upper part of her garment still clung too tightly to her body to be removed.