After the wedding ceremony ended and the crowd's warm blessings faded into the background, a sense of relief washed over me—at least for a brief moment. The ceremony had gone smoothly, without any major issues, but now a more personal concern lingered in my mind.
The "wedding night."
I had been teased by Lys so often about how naive I was when it came to such things. But that didn't change the fact that I truly had no idea what to expect or what to do. The thought of asking Eliana for advice made me even more embarrassed, so I decided to keep quiet.
I could feel the tension in my shoulders building. What was I supposed to do later?
That night, I once again put on some light make-up, and I put on a silky backless lace nightgown.
'Why should I wear this? Do they want me to freeze to death?'
The maid who was in charge of my make-up, saw my appearance and left the room satisfied.
"You must be nervous, but His Majesty is a gentlemen, so please relax." Eliana smiled at me and was about to leave when I called her back.
"Eliana, wait," I called, my voice quieter than I'd intended. She turned back, her gentle smile still in place, but I could tell she noticed the unease in my expression.
"Yes, Your Majesty? Is there something else you need?" she asked, her tone patient and understanding.
I hesitated, unsure how to phrase the jumble of emotions I was feeling. "I… I don't really know what to expect. I mean, for tonight." My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I needed to ask someone, and Eliana was the only person I could trust right now.
Eliana thought that Nerina must be asking advice for her first night so her expression softened as she walked closer, her tone becoming more reassuring. "Your Majesty, it's natural to feel nervous on a night like this. But as I mentioned earlier, His Majesty is a gentleman. He'll guide you through this, and he won't do anything to make you uncomfortable."
That wasn't the answer I wanted. My mind still swirling with questions—what were they supposed to do for the night? Play games? Sit and have tea? Just sleep? She had no clue. I was about to call Eliana back again but the door quietly opened, and in walked Augustus.
Augustus entered the room, now dressed in a loose, lace-up long-sleeved shirt and casual pants. Despite the relaxed clothing, it still suited him perfectly, I swear whatever he wears looks too good on him.
"Your Majesty," I said then bowed infront of him.
She didn't realize the delicate gown had slipped slightly, revealing her milky white breasts and waved hello to him.
Augustus cleared his throat, his eyes momentarily widening before he quickly composed himself. Nerina didn't notice his expression as without a word, he approached the bed in long strides and grabbed the bed sheet, gently but firmly wrapping it around her shoulders, covering her up completely.
Nerina blinked in confusion. "Is something wrong?" she asked innocently, not understanding what had just happened.
Augustus only shook his head, he's now wearing his usual cold expression. "No, nothing at all," he said, though a faint blush tinted his cheeks. "I just thought you might be a little cold."
Nerina, still unaware of the situation, nodded gratefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. You're very thoughtful." She thought for a moment before finally speaking, "So what do married couples usually do at wedding night?"
Augustus stared at her dumbfounded, 'I didn't know that the princess of Aethorador is naive'. A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips, though he kept it restrained.
"You can simply call me August, Nerina," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "We're husband and wife now, after all." His voice was soft but firm as his eyes softened.
"Then call me Rina then, it's not fair if I'm the only one who calls you by your pet name," I showed him a smile, feeling a bit more at ease.
August nodded in agreement. "Alright, Rina," he took a seat infront of her. "Since it's our first night together, what do you want us to do? We can talk, share stories, or even just sit quietly if that's what you'd prefer."
I thought for a while before running in one of the cabinets and pulled out a wooden box then excitedly placed it on the table, "This is a board game that I used to play with my parents."
I set up the board as he curiously picked one of the pieces, "Board game? I've played some when I was a child but what game is this?"
"It's called chess. People in Aethorador play it." I was starting to get nervous.
"Chess? I've never heard of it."
"Ah, well my parents created it for fun." In truth, she was the one who introduced Chess to her brothers. When she was having her rest day, she would get bored so she told Lys to create a board game and chess pieces and that's when we would usually do to pass time. Who knows that it would get famous and citizens of Aethorador loved it.
Augustus looked intrigued. "It sounds like a unique game. If your family created it, then it must have a special significance to you."
My eyes finally lit up when he decided to stop asking, "Here, let me explain how to play it."
As I explained the rules and strategies of chess, August listened attentively, occasionally nodding in understanding. He was genuinely intrigued, finding the game a pleasant diversion from the usual formalities and protocols of his position.
"Alright, let's give it a try," he said with a smile. "I'm ready to play."
We set up the board and began our game, with Augustus carefully following Nerina's guidance. As they played, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and their conversation flowed easily.