"I would tell you…" He began, his voice was of a deeper tone than usual and the warm feeling continued, "But I feel as though you've not yet recovered." He finished, his eyes still smirking.
She shook her head, her eyes still holding his, "Tell me."
He sighed and sat himself on the edge of the bed. This action caused her to realize that she was wearing nothing but a thin nightgown, the sheer fabric nearly revealing her skin. She pulled up the heavy, warm blanket but it didn't give and was stuck under the Sovereign's weight.
She saw him grin a little, but he turned his head and stood, allowing her the quilt.
She hurriedly snatched it up to her neck and then folded her arms over it, feeling protected from his perceptive gaze.
He cleared his throat and sat down again, "I'm afraid that Viskogorny will not be giving us aid."
Her eyes opened wide and her jaw fell open, "Wha-what do you mean? They cannot just refuse to help us."
He raised his eyebrows and thinned his lips, "Actually they can. So…"
"So…?" She followed his wandering gaze.
"So, we've devised a plan. I will journey to Selva, and ask the Tlatoani for his aid."
She blinked and raised her brows, "What? And what do you mean by, 'I will journey'? I'm going with you…" Her voice dwindled when his eyes looked down almost in apology.
She gaped at him, "Bastian-"
Her hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes stared at him, wide as saucers. 'Oh, good gracious.'
He looked just as surprised as her, his mouth slightly parted as he watched her with a mixture of shock and something akin to joy.
"I-I… I…" Her foggy mind couldn't invent a reason, 'It had just come out.' She thought distressed.
He laughed lightly, "I do not mind, Hydrangea."
The way he said her name made that warm, tingling feeling arise again. She swallowed.
"I know you don't." She said crossly, frowning and looking away. Her eyes landed on the line of curtains that was blocking out the morning light.
She'd been sick for ten days.
She gulped, in that time the Sovereign had decided that he would travel, by himself, to a jungle country no doubt swarming with beasts. Not to mention that the Selvans were the most bloodthirsty people ever to exist.
"Then why do you look like you've just done something abhorrent?" His voice roused her from her thoughts and she looked at him, her hands clenching the blanket.
'Because I hadn't meant to say your name.' She thought, wishing she could say it verbally, but she didn't want that light in his eyes to darken.
"It-it was an accident." She finally answered, not meeting his eyes.
He was silent. "I see…" He said, his voice quiet, "So, you meant to call me 'Sovereign', as always."
She met his eyes nervously, she didn't like how upset he looked, "It's just…" She started and he watched her with anticipation, "I… can't call you by your name."
"And why not, Hydrangea?" He stood, "We've known each other for a short lifetime. Why would calling me by my name change anything?"
Her heart beat fast, "Because." She snapped. He suddenly moved forward, his arms on either side of her, effectively pinning her to the bed. His legs were still on the ground, his body half pressed on the mattress.
"Because why?" He asked, his eyes holding hers.
She swallowed back her fear at his sudden action and replaced it by vexation at what he was doing, "Get off me."
"Not until you answer my question." He answered casually, but his eyes were still firm.
Her chest rose with frustrated breaths, her hands were still clutching the quilt.
Holding his gaze, she answered, "Because it would mean we're closer than we are."
"Oh?" He asked, his face lowering closer to hers, she stiffened when she felt his breath on her lips, "Hydrangea, you do remember that we are husband and wife?"
His eyes were still open, observing her. She was tempted to close her eyes, but she refused to. She blinked then rapidly, also trying to recall what he'd asked.
"I-I do." She hated this stutter that she'd so suddenly contrived, "And I also remember you saying to me that we would never have to share a bed." She swallowed, "And that our Union was only to be ceremonial, not romantic in any way." She said, forcing her eyes to harden.
A playful glint came into his orbs, "Hm… I don't recall saying that at all." His voice rumbled, his chest was very close to hers; the bathrobe had parted open and revealed some of the toned muscle that his beneath it.
She tore her gaze from his skin and to his eyes which were watching her with a smug smirk. She frowned, "You did say that, the day you called me to your room and told me that you wanted me to be queen. You said that it would not be anything but a superficial relationship."
"Oh…" He sighed nostalgically and rested his body across her legs, his torso resting comfortably on them. He was keeping most of his weight on his elbows. "That day was so long ago, I hardly remember it." He looked at her with eyes full of mischief.
"Well, I do." She muttered, crossing her arms. She bit her tongue when she felt the urge to ask him to get off of her. All that came to mind was his name, she felt a surge of panic.
"Hm." He was quiet for a long time more, still staying in the same place over her body.
Finally he sighed and raised himself to stand, "Hydrangea…" He said, and he said nothing more and instead walked on and out of the room.
She released her crossed arms and stared at the floor with tormented eyes. To be entirely honest, she would rather enjoy calling him by his name. Her heart even fluttered at the thought. But, she knew he would take it to mean something deeper. She would as well.
After sitting there, pondering her situation, she slid back down and rested her head on the pillow.
Her features were marred by a frown when she remembered that he'd said that he would be going through Selva alone.
'That was impossible. There were so many visions that had not come true.' Her thoughts drifted to the one she'd seen many times, the one where the Sovereign drowned and she kissed him.
Her body once again heated and she felt the chill across her skin. Kissing him…