With Edýia out of harm's way. He now had to patch the rift he had put between him and Edýia. Rom sighed. A difficult task since Edýia was with his child, and angrier than ever before.
His gaze drifted towards his moggie, who was fast asleep curled up in his arms. She looked so peaceful, so innocent. Edýia stretched next to him and purred, squirming in his arms. Once she'd rolled over to face him, she curled up her arms around his waist and purred again. But the peaceful moment ended when she jumped up and glared at him. Well, the peace was short-lived. Back to battle and riffle.
" Just because I let you share a bed with me, don't you even think that you're forgiven, " Edýia frowned and pushed herself off the bed.
Rom hummed " I gathered as much," He grumbled trying to gather all of his patience to withstand the storm heading his way.
" Good," Edýia added with brevity as she walked to the washing bowl, to clean herself.
Long gone were those days when he could lay with her before they even could step out of the chamber. Rom sighed. Exasperated with himself and his idiocy.
" Tell me what I can do to make it right?" Rom asked as he pushed himself off the bed and followed Edyia to the dressing table.
Her perpetual battle with her unruly ringlets was his opportunity to warm up to her.
" May I help?" Rom asked as he halted his steps behind her as Edyia tugged on her kinks, trying to tame them.
Edýia sighed " Fine" She returned being brief and angry. Rom puffed his cheeks, pulling at her kinks to untangle them.
" I love you Edýia. You have every right to be upset with me" Rom glanced at her in the mirror " Sit" he pulled the chair for her to sit " I didn't mean to hurt. I thought that's what" Rom stopped speaking when Edýia's frown deepened and the viciousness in her eyes threatened to turn him into a pile of dust. Ay, he was in deep trouble.
Rom cleared his throat and reprised taming her ringlets, ashamed.
" Why does matter so much to you? " Edýia asked a little more docile this time, exasperated. Her gaze on him softened, pitying him. He'd let the dark thoughts take over and thought the worst. Slavery was widely spread in other kingdoms, but Hessia and Arrington had never stooped so low. Or at least he thought.
" I want to know. Is important for me to know which of the s-" Rom clamped his mouth shut, and inhaled " practices Haren had instilled in you. I want to know everything about you, Edýia. Not just that. I know, you've been through much" Rom pursed his lips and took his eyes off the braid to look at her.
Edýia closed her eyes " It is not what you think. Haren had tried to break my spirit because I was disobedient, wild, and hard to control. So he used the fact that I couldn't leave the room and tried to teach me some of the things that some women practice. The one that had caught a root and you are so afraid of. " Edýia paused and turned in her seat to face him " Has nothing to do with pleasures of the flesh. Because he couldn't break me. He thought that I need other skills to please whoever would become my husband. So, he taught me how to use to my advantage other qualities, to keep my future husband's wrath at bay." Edýia frowned, sighed and turned back in her seat. She'd fallen deep in thought, most likely reminiscing.
Manipulation, was a useful skill when living among the elites. Was something often encountered, among those with abundant riches.
Rom squeezed her shoulders " I see. So, you have used it on me." He said with a grin looking at her through the mirror " I know you have" He leaned in to kiss her cheek.
When he pulled away, there was a gleam in her eyes, guilt. There was no need for her to say the words, he already that it was true.
" I have, but only when you were upset. It wasn't with bad intentions " She justified herself " I was just trying to help you" Edýia gaze went downcast and deflated.
Rom chuckled " You make me feel better, Edýia. There is no need to play with my mind" Rom sighed, and it quickly dawned on him. Since that night they shared a bed, Edýia had done nothing else other than that.
Rom stepped in front of her, and leaned against the dressing table " That day when you agreed to wed me" Rom paused and grinned " Why?" Rom asked folding his arms over his chest.
" Be honest" Rom added with his eyebrows quirked up, in question.
" I liked you." Edýia said with a cockeyed smile " I was curious about a lot of things." Her gaze drifted to his groin " I've spent most of my life in this room. I wanted to know more. But with time I grew to love you. And then everything else became more" Her voice turned quiet at the end, despondent.
Rom hummed, and clicked his tongue trying to stifle his amusement " Now? I need to know how you feel about me Edýia. I love you. I truly do. And I want nothing more than to spend my life with you. But I need to know where you stand." Rom lowered himself on his heels so he could look at her.
Edýia sorely smiled " I love you. But you hurt me and I'm still angry about that. And not just me." Her smile quickly faded and turned into a frown at the thought that their unborn child got caught in the middle of their squabble. It was one of the reasons, he wanted to clear the air.
" It's good to hear. I understand and I'll do my best to earn your forgiveness. But in the meantime" Rom sighed and pushed himself up " We should be honest with each other" Rom lent back against the table.
" I'm no saint either, so, not my place to judge you. I have done many awful things" Rom paused and scrunched his eyes" While I was trying to rid us of the witch. All in the name of freeing my people. Unforgivable but I can't change the past and neither can you. So," Rom clapped his hands, " I think we should have breakfast," He said, with a chuckle and stretched his hand for her to take.
Edýia raised her eyes and nodded " I need to get dressed first." She smiled and took his hand. Looks like pudding was right after all.
Rom nodded " So do I. I need to speak with Maya. She needs to make some clothes for us. " Rom said as he opened the chest of drawers.
" No. I don't think Dakran will allow her to do such menial tasks anymore. She is the Lady of Ironstone." Edýia frowned and sighed as she pulled a yellow dress out of the drawer.