She looked at him like he was lying.
He smiled and said. "It's true."
Then he took the hand he was still holding onto and started walking towards the dining hall. It was their first night of living together. He had to make everything official. They would eat in the designated area for the King and Queen. Normally if they hadn't married yet, she would have to sit in another space.
Poor Olivia had no clue about the significance of where they were eating.
Olivia sat in the chair next to Adarian and was a little embarrassed. He still had not let go of her hand. She was not going to be able to eat if he didn't let go.
"Your Ma-" Her words were stopped by his look. "Adarian," she called softly.
He pretended he didn't hear her.
"Dammit, he's doing this on purpose!'
"Adarian," she called louder.
"Hmm," he turned to her.
"I need my hand so I can eat," she explained, embarrassed.
He smiled at her and pulled her hand above the table,"This hand?" he questioned.
"Yes."
"Okay," he said all too easily. "But once you finish eating it belongs to me again."
She facepalmed. How was she going to live this learning period? Was he going to be stuck by her side the entire time?
They ate fairly peacefully, but he noticed she mostly ate bland food, and did not eat anything with a strong smell or flavor.
He would ask her about it in private. He didn't know if his hunch was right, something told him this girl had been poisoned before.
...
...
After she finished her dinner, he held his hand out to her, palm up.
She blushed and asked, "Right now?"
He nodded and waited for her to put her hand in his. 'Is this really how friends act in this world?' She blushed, but put her hand in his anyway. 'This is just a little skin ship. I can handle this much.'
That was... until he had led her back to his quarters.
"Adarian?" She questioned as she walked inside.
"Hmm?" He looked at her to see what she would say next, but he did not release her hand. They were married now. She had to get used to him. He would start it off slowly. Holding her hand, and sleeping in the same bed. Then he would move in from there. Hopefully she would fall in love with him.
"You said we were retiring to our rooms for the night. "
"Yes," he said. "We are."
"But these are Your rooms," she told him matter-of-factly. "Where am I staying?"
"These are Our rooms," he said, emphasizing our. "You're staying here."
"But I can't stay here. I need to sleep in my own room," Olivia countered.
"What would people think if you used your own room at this point? The whole kingdom knows we've slept together. If word gets out that you have your own room now wouldn't they think I can't hold onto my own wife." Adarian was not budging.
"We aren't officially married yet! We can sleep together when we're married!" She didn't notice she just indirectly agreed to marry him.
"Our names are side by side in the god of love's book. You can't get a more official marriage than that," He told her, pulling her closer to him for a moment. "You sleep here. There's more than enough room and if you feel the need we can put pillows between us."
Olivia stood there stunned as he called the servants. They came and prepared the royal chamber for the couple for the night. While Olivia bathed, Adarian worked on some paperwork that he had ignored, and the maids prepared their night clothes. The night clothes prepared for the two of them were thin and flowy.
Olivia hadn't realized that she hadn't brought her clothes into the bathing room with her. She was too distracted by the strange sensation of her hand being freed. How was having her hand to herself now a foreign feeling? But now she was done with the bath, and she had nothing to change into. She sat deeper into the bath wondering what to do when at that moment, there was a knock on the door.
"Your highness?" came a feminine voice from the other side of the door. This startled Olivia, She subconsciously looked around the room making sure he wasn't in there with her. "I'm coming in with your clothes."
Olivia was grateful she hadn't gotten out of the bath yet because she had been worried about not having clothes. Now there was a strange maid in the room with her bringing her clothes. The maid, politely bowed and asked, "will there be anything else, your highness?"
Olivia blushed, "Nnnot at the moment, thank you." The maid addressed her as your highness!?
When she saw the night clothes that the maid had brought, she hadn't thought anything of it at first. To her this was an ordinary nightgown. It was really pretty, even if it was a little low cut. She put the robe on not tying it and walked out of the bathing room with ease. When she walked out she suddenly remembered the era she was living in.
...
...
Adarian had gotten his clothes in hand and was waiting for Olivia to come out so he could bathe. She was taking forever. Did women all take this long? He never shared a room with his past two marriages. But then she exited the bathing room. He stood up straight, his eyes drank her in. He didn't expect her to come out the bathing room with her robe open. Her night dress was thin, and low cut revealing much of her cleavage. Her skin looked soft, and had a light glow after coming out of the bath. She was too seductive!
...
...
Olivia suddenly blushed feeling like she had stepped out naked. She quickly covered herself, closing the robe. 'Crap! What was I thinking!?" She smiled awkwardly at him as she tied it tightly.
Adarian cleared his throat trying to pull himself together. He rushed past her into the bathing room and closed the door.
Olivia threw herself into her side of the bed. It was the side of the bed that she had woken up in the morning after the night of the ball. She hid her face into the pillow and groaned in frustration. She couldn't believe herself! How did she forget this world's fashion right now was so conservative! This nightgown was her world's version of lingerie. It was like she walked out in revealing see thru lingerie. Why had she suddenly forgotten where she was!? Adarian had made her feel too comfortable. He was dangerous! This was way too dangerous! She needed to put her guard back up! She couldn't forget where she was again!
...
...
After he came out of the bath Olivia was sitting on the bed, her legs under the covers hugging a pillow as she leaned against the headboard. She had hid the diary under the bed earlier when he was in the bath. There were pillows lining the middle of the bed. He smiled as he went over to the empty side and got under the covers.
He turned to look at her and propped his head up with his elbow.
"Hey," She greeted.
She had been so proper when she had sent the servants out. She had been proper all through dinner, and used all the correct manners. Yet here she sat, and spoke in a very improper manner. He studied her for a moment.
"Using Proper etiquette the way you do, is something you learn when you are young. But you jump in and out of it so easily, Olivia Carter, were you a noble in your old world?"
Olivia looked at him and laughingly answered, "No definitely not. There was no such thing where I'm from." Then she thought of it, "Well, we do have nobility in other countries. Rich people were like the closest thing to nobility here. So... I guess you could say my dad was a noble."
Only her father? "And you mom?" he asked.
Olivia looked down. "My mom," Olivia's voice cracked, she hadn't explained yet how her mother poisoned her as a child to get her fathers attention. "She was his mistress. He was married and had a family when he met her. He didn't tell her about them."
"Mmmm," he said. "You don't like them." When he saw her eyes as she spoke he saw the hurt and defensive posture when she spoke about them.
"I don't know," She said as she looked at him. I know I'm supposed to love my family... But I just don't think I can." her voice broke again and she held back her tears.
"They hurt you?" he asked, concern laced his voice.
She didn't answer him, and just smiled. She had gathered her strength inside her again. "If we go into all my childhood trauma's we'll probably not stop talking the entire night," she laughed sarcastically.
"Can we just sleep instead?" she asked him. She didn't want this conversation. Not right now. She was so tired now. It had been a long day.
He sat up. "Lay down." he told her. She did. He pulled the lever that was above their head. The light stones were covered and put the room into darkness.