"Chas, there's no point in you doing any of that now."
"Yeah, I know, Dad," Chas sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment as he inhaled, trying to calm himself. Now he could see Rheannon more calmly as Hadrian started introducing her to Desmond.
Chas rarely went to wedding invitations in his own family, but he knew that weddings shouldn't be like this. Instead of happiness, the atmosphere of this marriage is filled with suspicion and tension from each party. For God's sake, even Desmond's expression was now extremely tense.
"Is it okay for Rhea to stand like that for too long?" Chas whispered to his father.
"We can't talk about bad things here now. You heard how her voice trembled earlier," replied Duke Colton. "But I've already sent a doctor to check on Rheannon this afternoon."
"Why wait until the afternoon? There's no reception, right?"
Duke Colton glanced at his son, then watched the King who approached Hadrian separately. "Because tonight—you know what I mean," he answered.
Wedding night, Chas thought. With Rheannon's current state, she couldn't possibly do that with her husband. Should not. Never.
"The thing is, the King wants them to have children soon," continued Duke Colton.
"They're not cattle!" Chas blurted out in annoyance. Duke Colton glared, warning him. "After all it's supposed to be a family matter. No one has the right to interfere. Ah, I can't. While that damn old bastard is here–"
"Chas, this is the House of the Gods. Don't smear your words and blood," rebuked Duke Colton. "We'd better say congratulation to them now."
They approached the newlyweds. Chas and Duke Colton only exchanged faint, meaningful smiles with the King before he finally walked away and approached High Priest Meical.
You bastard, Chas thought.
Chas turned to Rheannon.
She is looked beautiful, looking like a noble's daughter instead of a prisoner ready to move into a new detention cell.
"Rhea, you look tired. Why don't you sit down?" Chas asked, trying to save Rheannon. He asked for her hand, which was greeted with joy.
Hadrian looked at him alternately, then called out to someone. "Can I have a drink? Thank you," he said. "My apologies, I didn't notice that Lady–I mean–Rheannon was exhausted."
"Then, from now on please pay more attention to it," said Chas irritably.
Duke Colton immediately reprimanded his son with a foot kick. "My nephew is very weak, Your Grace. I will send a doctor to your townhouse later," he said.
"Thanks for your concern, Duke Colton. But I have my own family doctor who can examine Rheannon," Hadrian said. "If Your Grace is concerned, I can send you the results of the examination."
"No, Marquess Hadrian," Duke Colton insisted. "Rhea is as good as being examined by a doctor I will send. He is, let's say, more understanding than any doctor. I insist."
Although looking surprised, in the end Hadrian nodded.
"You'll be fine," Chas whispered.
"Yes," Rheannon replied.
***
Rheannon didn't stop coughing after coming home from Beulah Temple. When Hadrian asks Rheannon says she just wants warm water. And since he couldn't call a doctor himself, there wasn't much he could do other than wait for Duke Colton's doctor.
Hadrian was worried.
Also suspicious.
The rest of the day, while waiting for the doctor, Rheannon spent in the room they were going to share. Desmond, who is trying to get closer to familiarize himself, becomes difficult because of Rheannon's condition.
"This afternoon I had time to accompany Her Ladyship to eat," Desmond said to Hadrian. "Her Ladyship only eats a spoon."
Exactly the same as what the maid had said.
Is it that bad? thought Hadrian. During his visit to the prison, he paid little attention to it.
Evening come. The long-awaited doctor finally arrived, escorted by Duke Colton's knights. The doctor unceremoniously asked where Rheannon was as if he had known her before.
"She's been coughing ever since," said Hadrian as the Doctor began to examine her. "I just gave her warm water to clear her throat."
"That's the right move," said the doctor. After checking Rheannon's condition, he turned to Hadrian waiting in the corner of the room. "Well, Your Grace," the doctor approached him, "if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to you alone."
"All right," said Hadrian. He called the maid to escort the doctor to his study first.
Meanwhile Hadrian took the time to approach Rheannon. The two of them stared at each other without saying a word. Hadrian's hand moved to rub Rheannon's head, a small gesture he had begun to make to Desmond as a form of reinforcement and trust. Unexpectedly, his wife replied with a small smile.
"Marquess Hadrian," The Doctor immediately spoke as soon as Hadrian reached his room and sat down. "I hope you realize that what I am about to tell you is a secret. You may have guessed that I have met Lady Rheannon before."
"In Prince Axelle's castle?" guess Hadrian.
The doctor nodded. "I am the doctor who was called by Prince Axelle after he managed to free Lady Rheannon. You could say, I am the one who understands the most about Lady Rheannon's situation now. Duke Colton knows all this," he explained.
"Is that why Duke Colton sent you to me?"
"Yes. So," the Doctor looked at Hadrian seriously, "Your Grace won't be able to have children with Lady Rheannon."
"Pardon me?"
"Both of you can't do the wedding night either."
Okay. Okay. Actually Hadrian himself had no intention of doing it tonight or in the near future. It's just… "May ask why?"
"Lady Rheannon hasn't had her period yet." answered the doctor straightforwardly. "Besides, her body condition is very weak. Lady Rheannon won't be able to do it."
"She is almost 20 years old. How can there be a woman who hasn't experienced..." Hadrian hung his sentence.
"Your Grace has seen for himself how things are going." The doctor took a deep breath. "Lady Rheannon's growth and development are very badly stunted. When I first met she even couldn't stand nor speak."
Hadrian brushed his hair back with his fingers. He closed his eyes, trying to remember how Rheannon had really been when they first met.
You idiot, Hadrian cursed himself. Of course there was something wrong with Rheannon's body. Rheannon was too small and skinny, and she was too pale. The way she spoke was always only a word or two and was always vibrating. During the wedding ceremony, even though she had only just stood up and walked a little, Rheannon was already tired. For God's sake, even in their first meeting, Rheannon had said that her throat hurt.
"What actually happened to her?" asked Hadrian in disbelief.
"Neither Prince Axelle nor Lady Rheannon ever made it clear to me. Duke Colton didn't even want to tell me openly," replied the Doctor. "But… I suspect that Lady Rheannon was confined in a very inappropriate place."
Her skin was as pale as that and her voice was hard to come out. Hadrian suspects that if the Place is locked up it must be very closed and without anyone to talk to. Like… the cell that Axelle had been in for a while yesterday.
It was King Rexton V who did that to a woman who was originally just an ordinary girl.
Can Hadrian believe it?
"Your Grace!" The doctor swiftly approached Hadrian who was holding his head due to an attack of excruciating pain. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," Hadrian replied. "Please continue. I can still hear."
The doctor looked doubtful, but he continued anyway. "I've said this before to Prince Axelle; otherwise Lady Rheannon won't recover quickly. It will take months to get her strength, muscle flexibility, and voice back. Caring for someone with Lady Rheannon's condition requires patience and care."
Hadrian was getting dizzy hearing this. "Sounds that bad."
"Worse than it sounds, Your Grace," corrected the Doctor. "But I'm sure when the time comes, she will definitely be back as before."
After that, the doctor wrote down a prescription for medicine and what Hadrian had to do to make Rheannon recover.
The doctor's parting words hurt Hadrian enough, "If Your Grace can't take care of Her Ladyship, just return Lady Rheannon to Duke Colton. Her Ladyship doesn't need any more suffering."
It was as if Rheannon was the only one sick here.