Beloved

Chp. 21

Lilith

I held my hands close to my chest as I remembered Khael's words. He said it would be beautiful to see me engraved below the center of my chest.

But I wanted this mark to be shown. After all, I would become a Dravick and as Khael's wife I would show it. I decided to have it on the left side of my shoulder, the traditional way.

Naibi was rolling out the small, flat bronze needles on the wooden table. I wondered if those were what she would use to mark me. It was fascinating. Nothing like this was in Roem or on our bodies.

The men and women there believed pure, untainted skin were the definition of beauty. Men had their hair swept back, away from their faces. They were to wear clothes of fine needlework, handmade from head to toe. It was the same for the women. They were to show their beauty through extravagant clothes, jewelry, and perfumes.

But that differed here. Both the men and women showed most parts of their bodies. They were confident and appeared to be free from such views.

The girl had me remove the top of my clothes. I was hesitant to do this in front of people I've just met. She noticed and told me it was fine to just have the left sleeve off.

I untied the strings and opened them just enough for it slip down my shoulder. But the girl's attention was elsewhere. Instead of observing my shoulder her hands moved to take a hold of my wrist. Her fingers gently pushed down the center, feeling the pulse of my veins. I wondered what she was doing.

It was odd.

"I-Is there something w-wrong?"

She looked at me intently before Naibi interrupted.

"I'll take it from here."

The girl hesitated but eventually nodded before she left. Naibi covered us with the curtains. We were now the only ones in the room. My heart started to pound irregularly. I wasn't sure if it was her presence or the process that made me nervous. I lied back against the soft chair and turned away.

"Don't be so tense. It won't be anything unbearable."

My attention shifted to her chuckles. She sat beside me and her fingers lightly brushed against my skin. It had me shivering from her cold touch. My eyes followed as she grabbed a thin brush to make faint outlines of the patterns on my skin. She was so focused and I was able to tell she wanted it to be perfection. But the woman before me was all that had my attention.

What fair skin...

She held such full, red lips and the pieces of her hair framing her face complimented her well. Even as a women myself I was amazed by her beauty.

Her clothes revealed a large part of her chest and I was able to see she had multiple patterns on her body. The flower was just one of them.

"Ah.."

I winced at the little prick I felt on my skin. I was distracted from my thoughts that I didn't even notice she moved on to using the bronze needles to ink me. She didn't seem to care as much. It must've been something she was used to.

"You're quite younger than I expected."

She looked up at me briefly and returned back to her work on me.

"I imagined you to be similar to the others that Khael's been with."

My chest squeezed tightly.

"S-similar?"

Her eyes reverted back to me from my questions.

"Has no one told you about Khael's women before you? I guess it isn't anything surprising that they've kept it a secret from you now that you are his wife."

I was clenching on the sides of my dress. So hard to the point my fingernails dug into my palms.

"As you already know, we Dravicks have never been welcomed by the people of Roem. It was only after this victory when things started to change. Khael hated the people of Roem which was why it was quite a surprise to hear that you would be his wife."

I lowered my head at her words. I was well aware of it. Of course I was. I had seen how my father and the people treated the Dravicks. They thought of them as lower people.

"Forgive me if I crossed the line. But I assume you know it yourself."

Her eyes never wavered as she spoke unlike mine.

"I-I apologize on the behalf of my people. It was n-not my intent to make you feel uncomfortable w-when I came here."

I never thought our differences would have been such a problem. The others seemed so fascinated and welcomed me warmly I had forgotten about it.

"There's no need for you to apologize. That is not my point. We welcome you here as a Dravick nonetheless."

Even when she said this, my chest felt heavy. I managed to give a small smile to show I appreciate her words.

"Um..Khael's past. I-I would like to wait until h-he is ready to t-tell me himself. If he does not w-wish to tell me..that is fine."

Her eyes widened a bit and she let out a small laugh.

"How naive. I guess that is what you think is best for him but I don't think you're at a place to be worrying about him. How well do you know Khael? Perhaps that's what you should think about."

I couldn't answer her question because there was nothing we knew about each other. In her eyes it was evident. To her I was a young girl, a mere daughter of Duke Pensington that knew nothing of Khael.

As much as it was an embarrassment what had me worried was the possibility that this women might know much more about Khael.

Maybe they were words of concern for me or words to warn me what a wife of a leader had to face. But for the next few hours, all that flooded my mind was her words about my relationship with Khael.

The needles that continued to prick my skin felt as a clear reminder to remember her words.

Naibi

She was indeed a rare beauty. Strange yet attractive to our eyes.

But a rich girl of her status did not belong here. She was not a suitable wife for Khael. It was the duty as a woman and as a wife to bear a healthy son for her husband. A frail girl like her would never be able to achieve that for him. A young, clueless girl like her would never be able to understand. It would only be a short moment for Khael to be under this young girl's spell.

I waited for that maid to tell me what she saw after feeling her pulse. From her eyes I anticipated the horrid words she was about to deliver.

"She's pregnant with Khael's child."

My eyes furrowed at the news. It can't be. No it mustn't be.

I didn't bother facing her and looked out towards the fields, watching the people returning home with their baskets.

"It'll be a boy."

Clank!

I threw the bag of coins on the wooden table but she hesitated to reach for it.

"Well go on, take it. Although it wasn't what I wanted to hear, you did what I asked for."

She finally reached for the reward I promised.

"Please call me again if there's anything else you need me to do."

"Yes, I believe that won't be long."

Numerous thoughts roamed my head. Would the heavens punish me for what I was about to do? No. I was merely taking back what belonged to me in the first place. She was a young girl that had everything within hands reach. I would never allow her to steal from me.

After all, both Khael and that child should've been mine.

*

Thank you

P.S.
Some of you were wondering about Lilith's age but for this story I'd like to keep it vague. Khael and Lilith have quite an age difference.