When the door of the room is closed, I start to undo the buttons of the outer layers of the clothes.
«I'm exhausted,» I complain while leaving the mantle on a chair. «On a horse, it is worse than in a carriage!»
«Really?» Ignis says, crossing his arms and not moving from the door.
«Yes, of course.» What I said is rather obvious, I know. But what is he waiting for?
He's frowning and waiting for something.
«What's the matter?»
«What were we talking about, my dear wife?» he says, raising his chin in a sign of a challenge.
«Eating?»
«No.»
«Ah, the duties of a husband.» I sigh and roll my eyes. «You don't need to prove anything to me, Ignis. We don't need a signed contract to agree on our relationship. We can just talk. I don't care about the oath and that certificate.»
«You don't care?»
«No. You are more important. Since this is the case, please, let's agree on a single thing.»
«What thing?»
«We will talk. If you need something from me, or if I fail at fulfilling any of my duties, you will tell me. Won't you?»
He observes me for a moment before nodding.
«Sure. And you will do the same, right?»
«Yes, of course.»
«If you ever need something, you will tell me,» he repeats.
«Yes, Ignis. I am a grown woman, not a little girl.»
«I will believe you,» he decides.
He takes a couple of steps and lands a peck on my forehead. Then, all happy, he proceeds to my lips. Before we can kiss, though, a knock on the door makes us startle.
«Dinner,» Ignis sighs while walking to accept the food and send the waiter away.
I sit on the table while my stomach grumbles at the aroma of the food. There is some meat on a plate, and all the vegetables were boiled until blended in the soup. It's thick and tasty even without much spices.
«Is there bread?» I inquire.
«This is bread,» Ignis points out. «It's wholemeal bread, made with black flour.»
«Oh,» I moan. Is this what commoners eat?
I knew already that most people don't have money to eat much aside from the bread, but I wasn't aware it was this different. It's not as soft as that on our house's table. And it has a weird taste.
«People eat this because it's easier to obtain. And, also, it gives you more energy. Apparently, one can work for a day with some bread made with wholemeal flour. It couldn't happen with white bread unless you eat it with something else.»
«So, this is why people still live without meat or many types of vegetables.»
«Correct.»
«You know a lot about how people live,» I point out. «I didn't until today. I'm learning a lot during this journey.»
«It's normal, Veronica. You're the daughter of a Duke. Where could you see impoverished families?»
«You too are noble, yet you know so much.»
«We've had different experiences. I'm sure you know something I have no clue of.»
«Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of it. I don't think anything I know would be of any use to you.»
«It would be enough to hear you talk about it,» he says, leaning the elbow on the table and smiling tenderly.
«I'm not sure I'm allowed to talk about magic. And about the rest, it's just about boring and usual things. Nothing any other lady doesn't know.»
«It sounds interesting when you're speaking.»
I chuckle, covering my mouth with a hand to hide the wily smile. My heart is flying among the clouds after a couple of words. What is happening to me?
Am I turning into one of those dumb girls blushing all the time and giggling like idiots when someone compliments them?
«Do you like travelling?» he asks me all of a sudden.
«It's amusing, except for the bandits attacking all the time. Oh, and the assassins.»
«So, if there were no bandits, you would like to travel the world.»
«Yes, of course. It's the first time I explore these places. When the King sent the guards to take me, I couldn't see a thing.»
«How so?»
«I wasn't allowed much freedom, you know that. I could get out of the carriage only when they said so. I felt like a prisoner being carried to the prison where they'll serve for life.»
«It was... I think it was because of security. And, also, since the decree was rather... ambiguous... Well, they didn't want anyone to see your face along the way. You were the future Queen, after all.»
«The decree was ambiguous now?»
«It didn't say you were forced to marry the King if I'm not wrong. It just was an offer to your father.»
«The soldiers who ehm... escorted me didn't think it that way.»
He shrugs, looking at his plate with too much focus.
It's better to explain what I mean, so he's not as confused.
«That is no way to propose to a girl. The King should have informed us beforehand. Like this, we were surprised like everyone else. No one was given a choice, nor even a warning.»
Again, Ignis wants to say something. And, again, he changes his idea at the last moment.
I understand his instinct of defending his King. After all, he served him up to a few days ago.
However, it's time he opens his eyes and sees the tyrant for who he is. He sent assassins after us, for goodness! How can I be less ruthless with my sentences?
After all, words are all I have to hearten myself.