I sat on the bed, not really doing anything. Then, I heard a knock on the door, and Ellena walked in. I wondered what she wanted this time.
"Hi, princess." I'd rather she called me nothing than always saying 'Princess.'
I stood up and walked over to her. "Is there something you want from me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow with disdain.
"No..." She shook her head and looked at her hands. I followed her gaze, realizing that she was holding something. I had been so consumed with anger that I hadn't even noticed.
"These are your husband's clothes," she said sarcastically, handing them to me. At first, I didn't want to take them from her, but I didn't want to be disrespectful either.
"I hope you weren't worried about him because he was with me all last night," she said, her lips curling into a wicked smile, as if she was trying to provoke me. But strangely, I wasn't annoyed.
"I don't know... but I think I'll be having his child sooner or later," she chuckled, looking down at her stomach. She was really crazy.
Not wanting to hear any more of her words, I walked into the bathroom with the clothes, leaving her standing there, feeling embarrassed.
I unfolded the clothes. I had thought she was lying and just teasing me, but I was wrong. They were indeed Regan's clothes. They smelled like him and looked like him. But how could it be?
****
There were armed horsemen riding towards the city gate, and his father wanted him to stop them before they invaded the city. The words of his father echoed in his head, and he chuckled darkly.
It had been a long time since he had spilled blood, and now he wondered whose blood it would be. Should he spill the emperor's blood for sending him on such a mission, or should he spill the blood of the horsemen heading towards his territory? Ah...maybe he should go for the horsemen. That would satisfy his beast's thirst for blood.
And when he returned from his hunt, he would try to make things right with Nora. No, maybe he should do it now, or else she wouldn't forgive him for being late. He didn't understand why he kept causing her to hate him more by staying silent and letting her believe whatever she wanted. He used to think everyone was like him, without feelings. But he had come to realize that someone could be hurt, and that was exactly what he was doing to his wife.
He still couldn't believe that the woman he had encountered in the hallway, the one he had tried to force himself on, was Ellena. Did she also put something in his drink? How could she be so heartless even after he had told her he couldn't marry her? He already knew that Nora had found out about what happened last night, and now it would be even more complicated to explain. How could he tell her that he was drunk and had tried to get in bed with Ellena? She would be furious with him for not being careful enough.
He let out a deep, troubled sigh and made his way to their chamber. His hand clenched the doorknob for a few seconds before he mustered the courage to open it and walk inside. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Nora sitting on the bed, looking out the window. She didn't seem to care if he was there or not.
He quietly closed the door and stared at her, feeling like an eternity passed. He had never experienced fear before, but now he felt his heart pounding with fear, and his body tensed up just by the mere sight of this particular woman looking out the window.
"Nora," he swallowed his fear and called out her name. But she didn't answer and didn't even turn to him.
His eyes darted down, and he nervously clicked his tongue. What was he supposed to do now? Maybe he should try to talk to her.
Summoning his courage, he moved towards the bed and sat down, trying to brush the hair away from her face.
"Don't touch me," she snapped, her voice almost cracking as if she was fighting back tears. His hand froze in the air before he slowly brought it down. He had never seen her like this before. Even if she hated him, she had never told him not to touch her. And now he realized just how deeply he had hurt her. He didn't know if he could bear the pain of her not forgiving him. He never imagined that having a wife would change him into someone so different from who he used to be. God only knew how he would talk to her and make her listen.
"Nora..."
"I'm not your Nora," she cut him off and got out of bed, walking toward the bathroom.
He just sat there and watched her leave. He couldn't even stop her because he knew he deserved whatever was happening to him right now. But why did he feel so powerless against her?
****
I walked into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, expecting him to come after me and say something, but he didn't.
I lay in the bathtub, feeling a whirlwind of emotions in my head. Why was I acting like this? I didn't know... I just couldn't help it. I was feeling so emotional. I even shed some tears a moment ago, which I hated to admit. But I shouldn't have cried. After all, she was also engaged to him. What hurt me the most was that we couldn't even have a peaceful kiss without him acting strange. Yet he spent the whole night with her and didn't act strange, while I was here, worrying about him and unable to sleep.
But what made me think Ellena was telling the truth? Well, it didn't matter whether she was telling the truth or not. I shouldn't hate Regan for doing something I knew was normal for any other man. Instead of pushing my husband away when he's interested in other women, that's when I should keep him closer. I should just go back and stop being so childish and weak.
I stepped out of the bathroom, and when I reached the room, Regan was already gone.
****
"Prepare the horse. I'll be leaving tonight," Regan commanded.
Darius watched him for a while. "Your highness, you seem to be in a bad mood. Did something happen?"
"Nothing happened. Just do as I say," Regan's sharp tone cut through the air.
"It's not safe for you to leave tonight, Your Highness. There might be traps along the way. But if you insist, I'll have to accompany you."
Of course he knew there were traps, and he needed some blood for his beast. His beast was angry and hungry as ever, and he didn't know what it wanted. Was it blood or Nora? Perhaps some human heads would do. Nora wasn't listening to him, and now he felt even angrier than his beast.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Darius," Regan warned and left the room.
Darius chuckled as he watched him go. "Some blood?" he questioned.