Next morning, after the celebration knights commenced their journey towards their destination to Montane Church.
Max didn't ride his horse and chose to travel in the carriage for a while.Merry was a little confused about Max deciding to stay in the carriage but she was happy to have him by her side ,atleast she could talk to him during these long journeys.
'I feel happy to have his company but...I don't know why I am feeling really diffident in front of him..' Merry thought as she felt little sheepish near him.
Whenever their eyes met, Merry tried to distract her eyes as soon as possible so that he didn't think she was staring at him.
"Do you need anything dear?" Max asked just like a husbandly husband material with a coaxing voice.
"N-No! I'm fine." Merry replied with waving hands to emphasize her answer.
"Did you enjoy the festival?" Max asked.
"Ofcourse! Everything was re-really really a-amazing especially the food and dance!" Merry exclaimed cheerfully like a kid.
"I see!" Max chuckled on her response.
"....." Merry was confused why Max laughed but then when she looked at his smile which made his eyes filled with sparkle her heart felt cosy.
"W-Will there be too many people? Merry asked hesitantly.
"Hmm..There will be lot of people for sure as many monarchies and aristocrats are invited for this." Max stated.
Merry didn't say anything as she always has this social anxiety which was way worse than her imagination around those high society's people.
She felt comfortable around the people of Hazel but she feared to be around those who always seek a chance to embarrass someone
"I guess you don't like attending social gatherings." Max said as he noticed Merry's nervousness in her eyes.
"It's not that...I just..." Merry tried to explain about her experience but find it inappropriate to put her issues all the time.
"Shall we return then?" Max asked softly.
"What? Y-You don't h-have to take such decisions Max.... It's im-important for you to attend it." Merry said as she couldn't process why he would go way back after coming so far for her.
"Not more than you my princess." Max said with a wink and a look of flirt in his navy blue eyes made Merry flattered.
"How c-can you always speak so!" Merry blushed hard.Max giggled.
"It's your fault Merry. You made me flirty guy by that look of yours." Max said while fixing his whole attention on Merry.
Merry went speechless with such compliments coming from her husband's charming mouth.
"Don't worry, I will be by your side.No one will dare to make you feel awkward.Okay?" Max told her in assurance.Merry nodded.
"I hate being around people too..but I have to attend this due to some significant issues."
Max affirmed while looking a little serious.
"W-Why?"Merry asked because she knew why she didn't like social gatherings but she wanted to know what made Max hate it.
"I can only sense hatred coming from them..which make me sick of them." Max said with unpleasant look .It looked as he reminded of something which made him feel angry.
"D-Don't worry, I w-will also be by your side , if you don't mind." Merry said as she moved a little closer to touch his hair to coax his anger.
Max snapped out his destructive thoughts and felt her touch which felt as someone gave him a hand when he was drowning in misery.
Max's lips curled into a pleasant smile and tilted his head to feel her even more.
...
It was almost midnight, they stopped near the clear area around the forest to take a rest after traveling whole day.
Max and Merry were sleeping on their respective seats inside the carriage while other knights slept in the arranged tents and those few servents too were sleeping peacefully in their tents.Everyone was deeply sleeping due to the exhaustion.
Max eyes opened up from his deep sleep as he sensed something.
He swiftly looked towards Merry who was trembling in her sleep.
Max suddenly got up from his seat and sat his one knee on the floor to match Merry's body position.
"Merry!" Max called out concernedly while petting her head.
"Hmmm..." Merry opened eyes while whimpering in pain.She grabbed her stomach tightly as the pain was uncontrollable.
"Does your stomach hurts?" Max asked and held her hand to coax.
Merry tried to get up while putting her all weight on one hand and holding her stomach with another.
"Should I call for help?" Max asked and immediately stood up to leave.
"I a-am fine Max...it's j-just..." Merry held his hand before leaving.
"What? You're not fine.." Max was about to say but then his eyes fall on the blood stain on Merry's dress's lower side.
"You're bleeding! I should call for a doctor!" Max said while getting more anxious.Merry looked at her dress and realised that she got her period.
Merry felt embarrassed to tell Max about this.She got her period four days before the actual date of her menstrual cycle.
Max immediately opened the door to ask for aid.
"Max! D-Don't p-please.. there's n-no need." Merry asked him to not go outside as she was already embarrassed and thought what would they think about her being so careless about her body.
Max stopped and again bend to look into Merry's eyes.He could notice that she was feeling uncomfortable.
"Why? What's the matter?" Max asked tenderly while keeping his one hand on her cheek to make her feel comfortable.
"I...I g-got my period." Merry told embarrassedly and tried to cover her dress's stain.Max realised that's why she stopped him and felt embarrassed.
"Why are you embarrassed dear? You need not hide anything from me." Max told.
"S-Sorry, I d-didn't kn-know it would come earlier." Merry said hesitatingly.
"Why are you sorry?" Max asked with pity in his eyes.Merry bit her lips to suppress her emotions.
"Where does your stomach hurts?Max asked worriedly as he could she her sweating due to pain.
"I-In the lo-lower part" Merry told.She was
Max stood up and opened the laggage and got some medicine out from it.
"I have some painkillers, here." Max gave painkillers and water to take.Merry took the tablets.
"I ne-need to c-change my clothes." Merry told hesitatingly.
"Right! I'll wait outside,you can change." Max realised and brought out Merry's laggage so she could change her clothes.
"Call out if you need anything" Max told before closing the doors.
"Okay."
"Do you need me to help you dressing up?" Max asked again in urgence.
"N-No!" Merry exclaimed red facedly
Merry dressed and kept fresh cotton cloth under her underwear.
'Max must be thinking how careless I am, I should have been more careful.. thank God that Elle had kept some clothes for such days...' Merry thought while struggling to wear her dress.She cleaned the blood stain on the seat where she was sitting.
"Merry! Are you done?" Max asked with low voice.
"Yes!" Max opened the door and entered.Merry saw him carrying a small bucket with water which appeared to be hot.
"Wh-What's is this for?" Merry asked confusingly.
"It's for you..lay down dear." Max said and held her to make her sit down.Merry widened her eyes in confusion
"It will soothe the cramps." Max told while wetting the cloth in the warm water and squeezed the extra water.
"I w-will d-do it!" Merry exclaimed when she realised that Max was going to foment.
"Let me do it." Max replied with a serious look.
"B-But Max.." Before Merry could say anything she could feel the intensive worries when he looked in her eyes.
"Fold your dress up a little." Max asked to fold her dress up to thigh.Merry hesitantly grabbed her dress and gradually folded her skirt up to knees shyly.
Max started to stupe gently.Merry flinched when Max stuped near her thighs.
Max did it carefully while trying not to make her feel uncomfortable.
"Let me massage your muscles a little , it would feel better." Max asked her permission.
"N-No need Max!" Merry denied.
"Stay still." Max told which appeared as he was about to scold her on always denying from getting hand for help.
Merry didn't realised that she was already crying because of her period cramps.Max could feel her pain.
Max started massaging her thigh with full concentration but on the other hand Merry forgot her pain and could only feel embarrassment.Max was careful enough to keep her thigh covered while massaging them.
When Merry looked at Max his face was all red.Max was too feeling shy and flustered when he touched her.
After sharing such care ,Max sat on the seat support his back with the carriage's side and pulled Merry from behind towards his chest and covered her with blanket.
"M-Max?!" Merry startled.
"It's cold...." Max replied and put a kiss on her head while holding her with affection.
Merry couldn't tell how embarrassed she was but at the same moment all she could feel was warmth and comfort.
"Th-Thank you." Merry softly thanked while whipping her tears.Max tighten his grip around her to assure his presence and pecked a kiss near her cheek from behind.
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