Kyren's blue eyes stared at the woman lying helplessly on the bed. Her eyes were closed tightly, and her breath was calm as her body nestled comfortably in his arms. Her long locks fell against his shoulder, allowing him to smell the ripe apple scent wafting from them.
Anna's delicate hands lay on his chest, unmoved. In the intimate closeness, the commander could see her face clearly. She had a small oval face with a smooth, clear forehead and pointed chin.
"Cute," Kyren smirked as he uttered the word.
He gazed down further.
The two beautiful mounds were partly revealed from the blanket covering Anna. Various marks were vividly visible from her slender neck to her tiny shoulders and chest. Those on her br*asts had started to turn blue.
The commander sighed as he saw the new bruises on her body. He was sure that all of that happened because of him. His large hand reached for her head and gently stroked it.
Anna looked like a doll sleeping like this, so pure and innocent. Although she was not flawless due to the fading scars of the wounds that slit her body, he could not deny that she was captivating.
The intimacy that they had last night was beyond words. The caressing, the embrace and the ecstasy he felt dissolved all other worries and troubles in his mind.
He was like a lost man in the desert, desperately seeking water with his parched throat and cracked lips, and she was like a calm oasis that appeared in the middle of his search and quenched him.
'Why am I feeling like this to her?'
The question popped into his head as he continued to caress her. The solid emotional heartfelt grew even more when they were close. He could see the same in her eyes.
It was as if a bond had tied the two souls together. They barely knew each other, but his feelings for her soared with unrelenting musing that had filled his mind since they met.
Kyren constantly thought about her while he was away and longed to see her wife. At night, he saw images of Anna's small face with dewy eyes and her little hands touching him; he could not explain this intense yearning for her.
Her body finally moved, and after a few moments, Anna opened her eyes, only to find his charming husband's eyes staring at her with a smile etched on his lips.
"Good morning," greeted the commander gently.
The princess opened her mouth to reply, but her cheeks blushed when she noticed their position. She lifted her upper body and quickly pulled the blanket to cover herself from his view, though it was in vain. Still, she was embarrassed and uncomfortable to show her nude body, much less it had various marks.
Kyren rose too. When he felt the body of his wife attempting to distance herself from him, he quickly clutched his arm around her, pulling the princess to his bare chest.
"Where are you going?" he asked, looking her in the eyes.
"Nowhere... I'm just getting up. It's morning already," she replied hesitantly. She could feel his hard body wrapping her in his embrace.
"It's almost noon, actually," Kyren smirked.
"Oh, dear..."
Anna swallowed her saliva. She recalled their vigorous activities from last night that had made her oversleep. He was right. It was a night that she would remember for a lifetime.
Despite his attempts to be gentle and careful when handling her body, Kyren couldn't resist his burning arousal, causing him to enter her countless times.
Initially, the princess struggled to accept him as she felt slight discomfort, but her husband was wise to find and caress her sensitive spots, making the pain dissipate with the onset of pleasure.
The prince not only skilfully tamed her body and made her surrender to him, but he also quenched the fiery lust and repeatedly sowed his seeds inside her. The intense s*x they had last night left her exhausted, and she did not remember when she closed her eyes.
She was indeed 'punished' by him harshly.
"How are you feeling?"
Kyren gently rubbed his knuckles against her cheek.
"I'm fine."
"Did I satisfy you?"
The question made Anna embarrassed. She could not believe he would ask her that. She wished she could vanish from his sight immediately. At this moment, she was sure her face was as red as an apple.
Anna could not find a suitable answer to the question. Even her nanny, Nessy, did not teach her about that. She only told her that a wife should obey her husband and accept whatever he did to her as he had complete ownership of her body. It never occurred to her that Kyren would care how she felt from their intimacy.
The princess could not deny that the s*x was intense, but it was not bad. In fact, it was good... really good. Though he was rough, it was acceptable.
Anna could not blame him for that, as he had been away for nearly three weeks. She understood that a man like him had needs, and it was her duty as his wife to pleasure him. This was a marriage path that she had to go through.
"It's fine," she finally answered.
"Fine? Just fine?"
The brows of the commander curved. Anna paused as she was not sure what to say.
"If you don't like it, then we could —"
"No! No! It was good! It was great, actually!" The princess quickly cut him off, thinking he would pounce on her again.
She could not accept him again for now, as that part of her was still throbbing, and her body ached from the exhaustion.
"Really?" asked Kyren again.
"Yes! It's true!"
"Then, why are you hesitating?"
"I... I'm a bit sore," she replied embarrassedly.
"I'm sorry for being rough. Did I hurt you elsewhere?" Kyren asked worriedly.
His hand pulled down the blanket, revealing the soft body. He held her shoulders and sat her before him as he trailed down his eyes on her skin, examining it meticulously.
"It doesn't hurt." She tried to convince him when she saw his forehead crease, looking at the bruises and marks.
"I'll summon Rafe and Ayden to look at you," he said.
"That's not necessary! I'm fine. My body bruised easily," she declined. Kyren exhaled at her refusal.
"I caused all these. I should take responsibility for it. You're my woman, remember?" he touched her cheek and caressed them lightly again.
"But, it has always been that way. Even if I sleep alone, I could get bruises sometimes," she explained.
The dazzling blue eyes stared at her as she replied.
"Be careful, and don't get hurt. Take good care of your body. Do it for me, at least," he added.
His voice was gentle and soothing to the ears. The princess nodded to his request.
"Since you were hurt this time because of me, let's have your body treated, all right?" Kyren persuaded as he rubbed her chin.
Not wanting to argue anymore, Anna agreed.
"Let's wash up and eat first, shall we? You must be hungry."
A kiss suddenly landed on her forehead, surprising her. The intimidating commander had now become a caring person again.
***
As Rafe and Ayden entered the tent, they saw Anna reclining on the bed, accompanied by Kyren, who sat beside her.
"Is my lady sick again?" asked the healer curiously, looking at the sight.
"I'm not sick. I can get up —" The princess tried to lift her body, but the commander quickly pushed her back.
"Lie down. You're hurt," he insisted.
"Not anymore..." she protested.
"You agreed that you'll receive treatment, didn't you? So, listen to me and don't move. Until Rafe and Ayden say you can, don't come down from the bed," Kyren ordered.
Anna had to give in to her husband's firm demand.
"What happened?" asked Ayden.
"Please check on her. I'll wait outside." Without being told, the commander willingly walked out of the tent.
"What's wrong? You were fine the other day before," continued the assistant healer with a clouded face.
"I'm fine. Kyren was only exaggerating," she replied.
"The commander won't simply order us to come if nothing happened. Tell us what exactly happened so we can tend to you properly," urged Rafe.
Looking at the healer and his assistant's serious faces, Anna slowly lowered the shawl covering her neck.
"It's just a little bit of marks. It doesn't hurt," she replied embarrassedly.
The two men were shocked to see the bruises and red marks all over her neck and collarbones. It was not just one or two, but many. At a glance, the princess looked like she had been beaten.
"My god! What the h*ll happened?" Ayden choked out, raising his voice.
"Did he beat you?" asked Rafe with round eyes.
"No! Of course not!" Anna quickly defended Kyren.
"Then..." He sighed as he realised what caused them when he saw her blushing. His assistant healer quickly understood.
"Are there more bruises and injuries?" Ayden's voice came out in a rush.
"Just a bit... at other parts..." the princess's voice dwindled. She could not even look at the two men.
"Did you bleed?" Rafe asked her again in concern. Anna closed her eyes embarrassedly.
"My lady, I know you're uncomfortable with the question, but please answer," the healer persuaded her.
"Just a little. It already stopped and didn't hurt at all," she finally answered.
"That does it! I'm going to smack his head! That selfish brat!" Ayden yelled in anger as he turned to walk out of the tent. The healer quickly stopped him by seizing his shoulder.
"You won't be able to lay a finger on him. I'll talk to him instead. Stay here and attend to the lady," the healer instructed.
Rafe came out of the tent, approaching Kyren, who was waiting.
"How's she?" he asked.
The healer looked at the commander with an angry expression. His eyes darted sharply at him.
"She could've been better. How could you be so rough to her? Did you know that she bled?" A furious tone slipped out of the healer's mouth.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," replied Kyren regretfully.
"What's going on with you? You did it before, which wasn't as bad as this!" Rafe scolded him.
"That was different. I couldn't control myself last night," said the commander.
"What do you mean you couldn't control yourself?" Rafe raised an eyebrow.
The commander paused for a moment before opening his mouth.
"I've never felt lustful over anyone. She's the first. I tried to hold it back, but when she reciprocated, I lost it."
The healer was taken aback by his answer.
"You've never felt lustful before?" he asked in surprise. Kyren shook his head.
"Not even once. It started the night we met," the commander admitted.
"It was quite awkward to harbour such feelings for an unknown woman, especially in her state at that moment! You even refused to marry her."
"I know, it's weird. I was confused and tried to deny it. I thought it would disappear, but it didn't," Kyred added.
"Well, at least you could've treated her gentler! She's your wife, for God's sake!"
"I know it's my fault. I'm sorry." The healer calmed down at his words. It was not typical for the commander to apologise and admit his mistake.
"Since you're having difficulty controlling yourself, I'll move her to the infirmary," Rafe decided.
"What? No! I won't allow it!" Kyren shouted in disagreement.
"She's my patient. If I leave her here, God knows what will happen to her next. I won't take the risk. She'll stay there until she gets better," countered the healer.
When Rafe exercised his right as the healer, even the daunting commander could not go against his decision.
"Oh, come on! Don't do this. I promise I won't touch her!"
Rafe stared at the desperate-looking commander. The change in attitude shown by the commander caught his attention.
The grand duke had never pleaded with anyone like this. Ever since the princess arrived, he had been acting strangely. He was seemingly less aggressive than how he used to be.
"Fine! But if I see any new injury, I'll move her straightaway," the healer considered. Kyren sighed in relief.
A smirk flexed on the grand duke's lips, knowing Anna would still sleep in his arm tonight.