After Bardulf explained the events of the wedding night, Seth looked confused, Varg looked wounded, and Flik was pissed. Philippa didn't move and since Bardulf was behind her, he couldn't tell what she was feeling, which worried him. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head, willing her to move or use her hands to say something.
"Why did the thing not let any of the other men remember? Or Lynn?" Flik asked with fury.
"I don't know, but I don't think it will be back for a while. I scared the shit out of it."
"Damn right!" Seth growled. "I felt the chill grow freezing before it shot out of the ballroom as fast as it could. It did not like the sudden power surge you took on."
Varg glanced at Philippa and cleared his throat. "Why don't we discuss this later? As for more political news, the people want to see their Queen and King. They have been coming up to the castle doors everyday asking about you two. They need to know you're alive."
"Tell them we'll make an appearance in the morning. I need a few more hours of peace before questions are bombarded upon me and my wife," Bardulf ordered and he felt Philippa lean against him, her body relaxing a bit.
"What about the castle staff?" Flik asked.
"Not yet. The only people I want in the castle are you and the other men, Chef Roberts, Lynn and Dezra. No one else. I don't care if the castle becomes dirty. I will only allow people in when I and Philippa are away for a few hours, in which I will let them know ahead of time."
"And why not let that be on the morrow?" Seth asked. He looked at Philippa. "Both of you need to get out of here and let someone clean up your mess. You both need fresh air."
Philippa scrunched her nose and huffed, crossing her arms. Flik chuckled. "No offence my Luna, but it would do you some good."
She clapped twice, angrily.
Varg raised an amused brow at her while Bardulf chuckled and leaned into her ear. "I know you like the warmth of the castle, but think, if we got outside, I could show you around and you could meet some people. Do you remember Ysmay?"
Philippa thought for a moment before nodding.
"I know she would like to have a friend and I know you would like someone to hang out with that isn't male."
Philippa huffed and didn't do anything else, and Bardulf took that as a yes. He kissed her head and turned to his awaiting men. "We shall go see the village after showing our faces to the people. Be sure to be ready when we leave. All thirteen of you are coming with."
"All?" Flik asked, surprised.
"All," Bardulf confirmed, and was beginning to plan of his own for the trip ahead. "And Seth, can you warn the village women we are coming? I will have a note for you shortly to give to the one taking care of Ysmay."
"Of course."
He got out from behind Philippa who glared at him for his leaving her alone, but he only held up a finger and went to the desk, grabbing a quill and paper, then began writing. He heard the men talking to Philippa and added a request before folding the paper and sealing it with his crest.
When he turned to the others, Varg was doing clapping game with Philippa while the other two watched and commented. Bardulf smiled at how Philippa could make Varg, who was so serene and immovable, play a game with her.
Walking over, he handed the letter to Seth. He took it and put it in his pocket, then gestured for a private talk.
Philippa glanced over at her husband and Seth, seeing them whispering to each other. She was worried about her husband, worried about what his memories would do to him. Unlike the others, he had managed to hurt her in his time of being possessed. She knew that was a blow to his nature and she didn't know how to help him. She hated hearing his replay of the wedding night, and she wanted to do something about it.
Varg glanced to where she was looking and said softly, "He'll get past it, you know?"
She softly clapped her hands twice.
"Bardulf is strong. All he needs from you is to heal. He will never forget, but the guilt will eat him alive less if he knows you're okay and are living by his side."
Philippa smiled and nodded, then they went back to their game.
Bardulf finished talking to Seth and went back to sit behind his wife and wrap his arms around, feeling her turn liquid in his arms as she leaned back into him. The three men stood together and bowed to them. Philippa smiled and although blushed, accepted her role as Queen and Luna.
Bardulf nodded. "Thank you for the report. We will speak more later. Let me have one more night with my wife alone and we will join life beyond these four walls."
"We don't mind," Flik said with a grin. "We only came up here to make sure everything was alright."
Varg punched him in the arm and shrugged. "We will return in the morning to help you welcome our new Queen to our people."
"Thank you," Bardulf said again and they left. Philippa waved goodbye as they shut the door behind them, and then she was alone with her husband. She sighed and closed her eyes, content. A kiss on her head made her smile. "You feel okay?"
She nodded.
"Tired?" Philippa thought for a moment but shook her head. With her hands, she told her husband she was simply happy to be in his arms, without interruptions. He nodded. "Me too."
They talked for a while before Bardulf went downstairs to get some food. He also brought the tiny cake Roberts made for them to eat on their wedding night, not wanting it to go to waste. He carefully put a lid over it and carried the tray back up.
Philippa popped her head up at the sound of the door opening and smiled at her husband. She was trying to put some salve on her back to ease the pain, but she couldn't reach the spot she needed. She looked away from his imploring gaze and focused on her task.
Bardulf chuckled at her attempts to put salve on her back without help. He set the tray on the bed before her and grabbed her hand from reaching over her shoulder. She stared up at him with a glare. He shook his head and grabbed some salve, then proceeded to spread it on her skin, satisfied when he heard a sigh.
When he was finished, he grabbed a wet cloth and washed both their hands, then sat on the bed beside her and took the covered plate and set it aside. She gave him a questioning look. "Later."
Shrugging, she dug into her food greedily. He ate bits here and there, not at all hungry, but enjoyed watching her eat so emphatically. He chuckled when she realized the little cakes were the same, they had on their way here: salmon cakes.
When she was finished, she drank water and looked at him for the first time, then pointed to the covered plate. He removed the dirty dishes off the tray and put the covered plate on it along with two forks, then he looked at her with a serious expression.
"I don't want you to get upset, okay?" he said, and she nodded. "I know you know many things went wrong the night of our wedding, and it did not go as planned. I also know you worked hard on the cake with Chef Roberts. That morning, when I left you to get dressed, he came to me upset."
Philippa asked why.
"Because somehow the cake wasn't made with chocolate, but with worms." Philippa put a hand over her mouth and looked ready to bolt, but Bardulf put a hand on her shoulder. "But Roberts was able to do something special for us. He didn't want you to go without your cake. And there was not enough time to make another big one for everyone, so he made this."
Bardulf took the lid off the small cake and Philippa had to keep the tears from splashing onto it. It was the exact replica of the one they had made, in a much smaller size of course. On top, were her and Bardulf. It was three layers of tiny cakes with white and purple frosting and flowers. She was thankful towards Roberts for doing this for her.
Bardulf smiled. "He showed it to me right before the ceremony, said it was what you had wanted." Philippa nodded. "I know it's a bit late, but would you like to eat it now?"
Smiling, she nodded. Bardulf took up a fork and cut into the bottom cake, then put it to her lips. She took the bite and it melted in her mouth like she had dreamed it would. Philippa was going to have to thank Chef Roberts for his thoughtfulness. Bardulf took a bite then gave another to her.
Minutes later, they finished off the cake and the only thing left were the little figurines of them. Bardulf washed them off and put them on his desk where they would remind him of his happiest moment. He went back to the bed and leaned down to kiss his wife. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed back. He wished she could stand so he could spin her around the room one last time before the night ended, but he didn't want to open her wounds, so settled for laying down beside her and curling up for sleep.