When she was wondering what he might do, his strong arms lifted her. It was so easy for him to lift her.
"Whaaa," she squealed as she scrambled to hold on to something. In the end, her hand clung to the collar of his shirt.
He paused and looked at her.
"Walk..." she gulped. She thought she might have scratched his precious body with her unruly nails.
"I can walk..." she said.
He didn't seem angry and so she said gathering herself.
"I know," he said and leaned towards her. She blinked.
His lips pressed on her forehead. His lips were soft and warm, and his minty scent enclosed her, making her feel weird in her chest.
And then, he kept on staring at her.
[What does he expect me to do? Should I do the same?]
She knew she won't be able to reach his forehead in this position. And she feared if the repeat of what happened in the grove might happen again. He was petrified when she kissed him back then.
[Maybe I should not kiss him again.]
"Do you know what happens tonight?" he asked and Felixa looked into his eyes. "Between us..." he added with a smile.
Felixa bit her lips.
"...The bedding ceremony..?" Felixa said with a little doubt.
That is what Flavia told her. But she never taught her anything else about this ceremony. She did imply that it was not about making a bed though.
"Hmm..." he hummed and Felixa wondered for a second if it was the rumble of thunder or a grunt of a panther.
But she felt the vibration in his chest. It was his voice. And it was nice to hear.
"Do you know what we do here?" he said pointing at the bed.
"On the bed..?" she asked just to be sure.
"Pfft..." he ended up chortling.
Felixa gripped his collar tightly fearing that he might drop her. His entire body shook as he laughed. And when he laughed, he looked innocent and very young; like a boy.
"Oh...my..." he took in a deep breath to stop himself from laughing. "Yes, on the bed," he smiled.
Felixa didn't understand what made him laugh that much. But he looked happy and she wanted him happy. Happy people won't kill, she knew.
"I think we should switch off the lights...and..." she looked at his face.
His face has now turned serious and the golden eyes were flickering with expectation. He was expecting her next words and that put some pressure on her.
"And?" he asked as if he couldn't bear her silence.
"And... sleep..?" her voice turned low as a whisper.
He started laughing once more and she buried her chin in her chest. She didn't know if he's laughing because she is wrong.
[But what else would one do on the bed, if not sleeping?]
"Sleep, we shall..." he chuckled and carefully placed her on the bed.
He then walked to the table and picked the silver jar and poured it on a silver chalice that had a lot of markings. She assumed those were spells.
Felixa watched his long fingers skilfully pouring the dark, blood-red liquid in the chalice.
She learned an odd thing today. Handsome people with good features can make even mundane acts look like art.
"Felixa..." he looked at her licking the drop of wine that spilled on his finger.
"Yes," She sat straight.
[As I thought... everything he does becomes artsy. Can anyone look this good licking their finger? No!]
"Do you know where babies come from?" he asked and there was a slight smile hanging by the corner of his lips.
"Babies..?" she was surprised he asked that. She doesn't remember ever wondering about babies.
Or did she?
"I am not sure..." she bit the corner of her lips.
He laughed again.
[Why is he laughing at me like that? I might be ignorant but should he laugh like that? I don't like it. Ah... babies... I know!]
"I remembered," she said and he pressed his lips and looked at her.
She noticed his countenance getting somber. And she felt like he is expecting something from her but she couldn't figure out what it was.
"When a married woman swallows a pumpkin seed, it grows into a pumpkin in her belly..." She looked at him and he wasn't laughing anymore.
[Ha! So I am right! See... I am not dumb! I figured it out!]
With her nose held up high to the sky as she marveled at her wisdom, she continued not minding the man turning to show his back to her,
"There is a lake called the Osher Lake in a different realm inaccessible to us. In that lake, there will be many babies peacefully dreaming in big lotus leaves. The Dragon King Draig, who supervises everything in all the realms, will send his pet stork to get a suitable baby from Osher Lake for the woman growing the pumpkin in her belly. And in exchange for the pumpkin, the stork will deliver the baby by their doorstep!"
Felixa didn't know where she learned that, but everything made sense. Except that how a pumpkin seed can differentiate a married woman from an unmarried woman. And sometimes unmarried women have babies too.
[Well... maybe those are abnormalities...But horses have babies differently... The stallion would ride on the mare and almost a year after baby horse comes out from... Well, maybe humans have it different because we walk on two legs..?]
In the end, Felixa shrugged it off. She didn't care about those things. She needs to learn more about herself and find an infallible way to survive.
[ I should keep away from pumpkin seeds though. I cannot have a baby now.]
Maximus' hold on the silver chalice tightened. Lifting the chalice, he closed his eyes.
The image of the blonde-haired girl who always smiled brightly at him came to his mind.
«She still thinks that storks deliver babies…Just like back then...»
«But I failed her then!»
Ripples formed on the surface of the blood-red wine in the chalice as a drop of his tear that escaped his eye sought refuge. Like his chaotic mind, the surface of the wine became turbulent only to settle in a moment.
«I won't fail her this time!»
Maximus opened his eyes as his heart got strengthened with his decision. He walked to her with the chalice and knelt in front of her.
"Felixa, I may have other wives, but this is the first time I am sharing the ceremonial wine with anyone. It is said that drinking wine from the same cup on the wedding night will strengthen the relationship between the couple. So…"
He held her hand and passed the chalice to her.
He was told to take the first sip because he is the man. Apparently, the one who takes the first sip will be the dominant partner in the marriage.
But he wanted her to be the dominant one.
"Take the first sip, wife. For I will honor you and cherish you. I will put you above me for as long as I live. And I will let no harm come to you until the day you decide to protect yourself. Have a sip, wife," he kept the chalice near her lips. "And leave the rest to me."
Felixa didn't quite understand the depth of his words. She knew his words aren't superficial but means a lot more.
She thought she understood them, but her heart clenched as she thought about the meaning behind it.
[Why is a warlord; a powerful Emperor of the realm, kneeling in front of me and saying these words to me? What makes him do this?]