Rom closed his eyes, trying to reason and quickly realised that he was in Edýia's room, not Haren's.
Rom slowly sat on the edge of the bed, pondering what to do, stay or go and find Haren's room.
He felt Edýia's hand touching his back, as she stood up on the bed in a flash " Who is it?" she asked in a panicked voice while touching him all over.
Rom took a sharp breath in " Rom! I thought that this was Haren's room!! I'm sorry, I will leave!" he apologised while slowly pushing himself off the bed, only to feel a tug on his tunic.
" Stay!" Edýia shyly muttered.
Rom gulped, knowing now he was in real trouble; if before he didn't have a problem leaving, now that she said he could stay, he couldn't find the strength anymore to leave the room, knowing that she was in there.
Rom lay back on the bed next to Edýia, keeping his hands on his chest, trying his best not to touch her since, for him, that was a deadly move, and he would be the victim.
" Rom, can you do that again?" Edya softly asked while lying, on her side, facing Rom.
" Do what?" he curiously asked while turning on his side to face her.
" Put your lips on mine!" she replied while shuffling closer to him, making Rom hold his breath at the feel of her body next to his.
" Kiss you!" he affirmed while letting out a shaky sigh; if until now he wasn't sure how this night would end for him, he now knew, and it wasn't a good one.
Edýia hummed and closed her eyes while waiting for Rom to kiss her, but after a few moments, she opened her eyes, wondering if he had fallen asleep.
She slowly moved her hand and touched his chest and slowly moved up to his neck, stopping when she felt his cheek while Rom just sat there trying his best to control himself.
Feeling her fingers brush his lips, he now knew that there was no turning back for him since all he wanted to do was feel her soft lips on his and relish the feeling of being able to touch a lovely being such as her.
Rom sighed " You'll be the death of me!" he muttered under his breath, making Edýia giggle and take her hand off his face.
"Why?" she softly asked while getting up from the bed to light up a candle; the soft glow of the candle fell on her face and the rest of her body, allowing Rom to look at her.
He cursed under his breath, raking his hair with his fingers when his eyes fell on her appealling figure; he could feel his heart racing in his chest, and his already muddled thoughts turned into a puddle of nothing.
Rom closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself; in his daze, he failed to notice that Edýia sat next to him on the edge of the bed and just stared at him, herself pondering on what was happening to him.
Determined to get what she asked for, Edýia leaned in and gently pressed her lips on his, bringing Rom out of his muddled state.
Feeling her lips on his, he let go of his restraint placing his hand on her back and his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him and softly tasted her lips in a feather-like touch.
Edýia tried to pull back from the kiss, but she felt Rom tighten his grip on her and deepen the tender kiss.
Rom reluctantly pulled away from the kiss and whispered her name against her lips, making Edýia open her eyes to look into his blue eyes that burned with untamed fire.
Rom, for the first time, felt his soul come to life and only looking at her made him feel like he had gone mad; he couldn't understand his own emotions; the fire that Edýia had lit up in him was now burning, and he couldn't get enough of that feeling.
Rom captured her lips in another tender kiss and felt Edýia surrender control, slumping on top of him, gripping tightly on his tunic.
Even though Edýia was sheltered by her brothers, now she finally understood what the women in the village talked about when they said that being touched by a handsome man was something worth dying for.
She felt so many things happening to her body that by the time Rom broke the kiss, she was panting, and she thought she wanted more of what he had to give, but she didn't know what that was.
Edýia gulped and opened her eyes to see Rom staring at her breathlessly.
"Rom, I want more!" her soft voice broke through Rom's daze, making him blink owlishly at her, not understanding what she wanted more of.
" More?" he echoed curiously while pulling her onto the bed to lay next to him.
Edýia nodded, and Rom leaned in, capturing her lips once more, pulling her closer to him.
Her breath hitched when she felt something poke on her belly and pulled away from the kiss and put her hand on the thing that poked her, making Rom groan as if in pain, making Edýia retreat her hand swiftly and holding it in the air, like the something she had touched was scolding hot.
" What is that?" she curiously asked while her eyes darted between his face and groin.
" That is 'more!" he plainly explained, making Edýia frown and blink at him, taken aback at his wording.
" Oh!" she said the only word she could muster, still confused about what 'more' was.
" What does 'more' do!" she curiously asked, confident that she had used the right word to define the thing that had poked her.
Rom chucked " Makes you happy!" he plainly explained while fiddling with her hair.
" I want to be happy!" she innocently exclaimed while looking at his groin, wondering how 'more' could make her happy.
Rom chuckled even harder " Careful, what you wish for!" he warned in an amused tone while caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.
" Huh?" she absently questioned while frowning at him, not understanding what he meant.
Rom sighed " You can't have ' more', not until we're married!" he firmly stated while tracing her jaw with his fingers.
" Oh! I don't understand how can" more" make me happy!" she shyly asked while leaning back and poking his member, making Rom groan again.
" You don't look happy!" she firmly stated while she looked at his pained expression and confidently concluded that " more" wasn't making him happy; how could it make her happy?
Rom chucked and couldn't help but be amused but, at the same time, completely taken by her innocence, that for some reason, made things even more enjoyable.
" Will have to get married, and I will show you how 'more' can make us both happy!" he bargained, hoping that she would agree and he could finally get the only woman he had ever desired.
" I'm not ready for that!" she replied in a shy tone while pulling away from him.
Rom heaved a heavy sigh, he knew she would say that, and he wasn't willing to give up yet. He wanted her, but not like this; he knew he could have his way with her, but he didn't want her just for one night; it wasn't enough!
" I can wait!" Rom stated while turning on his back, taking the candle off the bedside table and blowing it off.
Silence and darkness quickly filled the room while Edýia pondered on his words, trying to understand the meaning 'more' since she had never heard of that name before.
Maybe it was something only the people in the south had or something that she had heard of before, but it had a different name, she reasoned to herself while staring at the darkness in the room.
Edýia lightly gasped when she finally realised what more was and stood up on the bed, making Rom stand up with her, not knowing what had happened.
" What is it?" he curiously asked while Edýia jumped off the bed and lit the candle again.
Rom frowned and curiously looked at Edýia, waiting for her to answer his question, but Edýia sat on the edge of the bed staring at the bulge in his pants with a confused expression.
" Can I see it?" she asked while looking at his groin, making Rom frown and lightly glare at her.
" No !" he curtly replied while turning on his side and facing the wall.
" Please!" she pleaded while patting him on the shoulder.
" No, Edýia!" he blankly replied, standing his ground, bewildered at her request and, for a second, feeling a little shocked; how a sweet girl like her was so daring.
Edýia pouted and fell silent for a moment " Can I touch it then?" she curiously asked again, making Rom rise on the bed to look at her, confused at her request but at the same time, he knew she didn't understand what she was asking.
Rom chuckled " No, Edýia! Now, go to sleep!" he stated, exasperated by her determination to get what she wanted.
Silence filled the room once again; while Edýia fell deep in thought, Rom lay back on the bed, trying to go to sleep.
Edýia let out a shaky sigh, feeling a little disappointed that she couldn't satisfy her curiosity; she wanted to know what it looked like, women spoke about it, but she had never seen one. She also couldn't understand why they had to be wed for her to see his manhood.
Edýia blew out the candle and crawled into bed next to Rom, closing her eyes since there was nothing else for her to do now since Rom refused to show her his thing.
Edýia eventually fell asleep, feeling down about the fact that she couldn't satisfy her curiosity, and tried to devise a plan to trick Rom into showing it to her.
Rom was the first to wake up as the sun spread its first rays over Beledren village; he slowly opened his eyes, trying to chase away the sleep that still lingered in his body, shifting in bed to lay flat on his stomach.
Rom quickly lifted his head to look around the room, remembering that he was in Edýia's room, turning his head to the side, he realised that she was already awake, and her brothers would be too.
Rom cursed under his breath when he realised that he would have to deal with the two brothers and he would have to explain himself.
The door opened with a thud " Good morning, Princess!" Dak mocked while closing the door behind him, making Rom bury his head in the pillow and curse again.
" I hope you had some rest! Although, I seriously doubt that since you and my sister shared a bed!" he stated in an amused tone while leaning against the door, looking at Rom, his head still buried in the pillow.
" Haren doesn't know, and it's best if it stays that way!" he firmly stated while pushing himself off the door and making his way to the bed.
" He will wake soon, and it is best if you get out of her room before he wakes up!" Dak warned while ruffling Rom's hair.
Rom pushed himself off the bed and stood on the edge of it with his head down " Nothing happened!" he stated in a serious tone while lifting his head to look at Dak.
" You see, Edýia tells me everything since I can understand her more than anyone, and I know you're lying!" Dak retorted, a little annoyed at Rom for having the nerve to lie to him.
Rom sighed " Hmm, she asked me to stay!" he countered while getting off the bed to stand in front of Dak, ready to make his case.
" You should have left!" Dak hissed, feeling rattled by Rom's reckless behaviour.
Rom cleared his throat, knowing that Dak was right; he should have left, but he couldn't find the strength to do so; he saw it as an opportunity to get to know her better and win her heart, even if that meant that he would end up to feel the ire of her brothers.
" I don't have much time to do things the right way, and you know it! Think about everything happening around us; you think I don't want to take the time and win her heart the way she deserves?!" Rom reasoned while walking past Dak and out of the room, leaving Dak alone, speechless.
Rom walked into the kitchen, only to be greeted by Edýia and Dahlia, who appeared to be awake and herself since Edýia was talking to her and laughed.
Rom made his way to the counter and poured himself a glass of water, looking out the window, sulking over his conversation with Dakran.
Seeing that Rom was rather broody, Edýia and Dahlia fell quiet while they gave each other knowing looks and shrugged at the silent conversation between them.
Dakran's heavy footsteps turned their attention to the door, and by the looks of it, he was in the same mood as Rom, as they didn't utter a single word to each other.
The heavy awkwardness in the air was broken when Haren appeared in the room, looking rather chirpy and gleeful, a stark contrast to the usual surly and brooding demeanour.
Morning!" he beamed whilst looking around the room and nodding at everyone.
Dak raised an eyebrow " What tickled
you?" Dak curiously probed while getting his bag ready.
Haren grinned " Nothing! It's a new day, and soon we will go back home!" he excitedly exclaimed, letting out a sigh of contentment.
Dak chuckled " Yes, we will be going home soon!" he affirmed while taking his bag and walking out of the house, while Rom puffed his cheeks and looked at Edýia from the corner of his eye.
Edýia sighed, and she lowered her head, feeling sad that her time in the southern territories had ended, even though she found it a bit strange.
Rom finally moved from where he was and started packing his bag while his mood soured even further.
Edýia finally lifted her head to look at Rom retreating, trying to decide whether to take his proposal seriously or just go back home with her brothers, as they had planned from the very beginning.
Hearing Dak's heavy footsteps, Edýia looked at him with pleading eyes knowing that once again she would be left behind while they went and met the Mytrhrian Queen.
Dak frowned when he saw the look on his sister's face " No, Edýia!" he firmly stated while turning away from her to look at Rom.
" Everything is ready; we need to go!" he barked at Rom, making Rom frown and glare at his biting attitude.
Dak picked Dahlia up and walked out of the house while Rom lingered, staring at Edýia, who stayed silent and stared back at him, not knowing what to say.
Rom gave her a curt bow and made his way to the door, and followed Dak.
"Rom!" her soft voice made him halt his steps and look over his shoulder, waiting for her to say more, but her eyes darted between him and Haren, unsure whether she should say something in Haren's presence.
Haren chuckled " Speak your mind, Edýia!" he encouraged her, seeing her fearful of him.
Edýia got up from her seat and closed the distance between them, stopping a few steps behind him.
" I accept!" she shyly muttered under her breath while looking at the back of his head.
Rom froze, unsure how to react and unsure what she was accepting.
Rom took a deep breath and turned around to face her " What are you accepting?" he curiously questioned while looking into her steel-grey eyes, which shined with curiosity and worry.
Edýia smiled " I accept to marry you!" she shyly muttered while Haren choked on the water he was drinking, hearing his sister.
Rom's face lit up, and before Edýia could have a chance to react to her brother choking, she was pulled into his arms, hugging her tight.
" You made me a very happy man!" he murmured in her ear.
Edýia giggled " I thought only 'more' could make someone happy!" she shyly retorted while returning his embrace, making Rom chuckle.
" That's a different kind of happy!" he explained while letting go of her and placing a tender kiss on her forehead.
While Haren just gaped at the scene, not understanding how it happened on his watch and how he missed the signs of such a thing occurring right under his nose.
" I will see you soon!" he whispered against her lips, giving her a quick peck before turning around and leaving, not wanting to deal with Haren's wrath.
Rom made his way to where Dak was waiting, and without wasting too much time, he mounted and spurred the galloping through Beledren, leaving Dak in the dust, looking somewhat confused.
Rom grinned from ear to ear; he couldn't believe that Edýia accepted his proposal; he didn't know what made her change her mind but was grateful to what or whoever weighed on his behalf.
Dak caught up with Rom " Slow down!" he shouted from behind Rom while struggling to control the horse and hold on to Dahlia because of the speed.
Rom looked over his shoulder and pulled on the horse's reigns to slow down, allowing Dak to do the same and ride next to each other.
" What happened?" Dak probed, glaring at Rom for leaving like that.
" She said yes!" he replied, barely containing his happiness.
" To what?" Dak asked further, a little confused, and realised that his sister had failed to give him all the details.
" I kind of asked her to marry me!" he shed some light, making Dak scowl at him, ready to sever his head.
" Kind of? You didn't even bother to ask her properly?" Dak raged while pulling on the reigns to stop and got off his horse with Dahlia in tow.
Rom pulled on the reigns, knowing well what was about to follow and got off the horse and stood in front of Dak and Dahlia.
" I will ask her properly once we return!" he clarified, attempting to calm Dak's fuming spirit.
Dak growled " I should have let Haren kill you!" he thundered, utterly displeased with his behaviour.
Rom's lips set in a thin line; even though Dak was more reasonable than Haren, the fact that he had managed to step on his toes did not sound good to him.
" I understand how you feel, but it just came up while we talked; I didn't think that she would be so quick to make the mind up!" he explained in a calm voice while looking at Dak, that was panting.
" You, the nerve you've got! She will return to the northern territories when this is all done!" Dak thundered again in disbelief " What are you going to do? Come with us ?" he barked at Rom feeling his anger simmer, and he could bearly hold himself back from punching him in the face.
" If we marry, she will stay here!" he confidently stated while looking Dak straight in the eyes, holding his ground.
Dak grunted; he let go of Dahlia, and in one quick stride, he closed the distance between him and Rom, punching him in the face; Rom to lose his footing, falling on the ground on his back.
Rom winced and hissed at the sudden pain in his jaw, slowly pushed himself off the ground; he looked at Dak, that was panting and scowled at him; turning on the heels, he picked up Dahlia in his arms and mounted the horse without uttering another word.
Rom wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand and stood up; he mounted his horse and followed Dak's trail keeping a safe distance between them, waiting for his anger to simmer down.
He knew that what he did wouldn't go down well, but at the same time, he wasn't expecting Edýia to agree so quickly. He still had trouble understanding where that even came from or what she hoped to achieve.
He understood that she didn't know much about the world and wondered if there was something else behind it or if it was just her unadulterated curiosity that pushed her to agree.
Rom sighed heavily and closed the distance between them, attempting to appease Dak" I apologise! It wasn't my intention to offend you or Haren!" he stated while looking at Dak's sullen expression.
" You know, I knew you were a tricky one to handle but what you did, in my eyes, is unacceptable!" he sullenly explained while looking at the path in front of him.
" I will ask her again once we return, and I will accept whatever answer she will give me!" Rom said, trying to calm Dak while keeping a keen eye on him, expecting to be punched again.
" What if she rejects you? Will you stop chasing after her?" he questioned while turning to look at him.
Rom puffed his cheeks; he knew that if he agreed, he would have to let go of Edýia and move on.
" She will have to decide, not me!" he firmly stated while taking his eyes off Dak and looking ahead of him.