POV Gastoh
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The crackle of the fire in the study was the only sound accompanying Gastoh as he flipped through a stack of documents. The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of lanterns reflecting off the polished wood of his desk. His attention remained on the reports before him; military updates, trade agreements, and proposals from various advisors.
The door creaked open, and Gastoh didn't look up. He didn't need to. Only one person in the castle would dare walk in uninvited with such carefree confidence.
"Your highness" Matthew said , a playful lilt in his voice as he strolled in with his characteristic goofy smile. "Back from the battlefield, and now you've got a wife waiting for you. How's that feel?"
Gastoh didn't respond, his pen gliding across the page as he sighed of on a document.
Matthew pulled a chair across from him, slumping into it like a carefree boy despite his title.
"Come on, don't be so stiff. It's not everyday a war hero comes home to find himself married." He smirked leaning forward with a glint of mischief in his eyes . Still , Gastoh said nothing, his focus unbroken.
"Fine", Matthew said , sitting back dramatically. "If you're not going to talk about her, I will. Did you know your wife was lonely when you were away? The poor thing knew nothing about this Palace or kingdom ".
Gastoh's hand paused briefly , but he didn't lift his gaze.
"She's smart, though. Picked everything up fast, her royal task, her duties. Even got herself a schedule. Spends a lot of time in the library too. Seems like the reading type".
Matthew's words hung in the air , but Gastoh remained silent, turning a page in his book as though the conversation didn't concern him.
With a slight shake of his head , Matthew pressed on. "You know,she hasn't left the castle grounds since she arrived. Never been out in the kingdom. maybe you could take her . You're her husband, aren't you? Isn't that part of the job?"
Gastoh's eyes finally lifted, and the look he gave Matthew was cold , sharp , a warning.
Matthew raised his hands in mock surrender."Alright, alright. Forget I said anything."
But before he could push further, Gastoh spoke, his tone clipped and dismissive. " Has father been taking care of his health?"
Matthew blinked, his playful smile fading. "What?"
"His health", Gastoh repeated , his piercing gaze locking onto Matthew. " Is he being tended to properly?"
Gastoh didn't respond, his attention already returning to the book in front of him.
Matthew sighed , shaking his head.
"You're impossible, you know that?" He muttered . But as much as he wanted to press further , the mention of their father shifted the conversation.
" Yes, father's doing fine. The healer visits him regularly, and I've made sure he's not over working himself."
Gastoh nodded once , satisfied ,and returned to his work as if the topic of his wife had never been brought up.
Matthew leaned back, watching his brother with a mixture of amusement and frustration. Does he even care? Or he is just hiding it like he hides everything else?
With a sigh, Matthew stood and stretched. " Well, if you ever decide to act like a husband, let me know. It'll be entertaining to watch".
Gastoh didn't react , and Matthew left the study , shaking his head but still smiling to himself.
As the doors clicked shut behind Matthew, the study was quiet once more. Gastoh's pen hovered over the parchment, but the words before him blurred into nothingness. He paused, setting the pen down with a deliberate slowness , and leaned back in his chair.
For the first time in a long while , he stopped . Truly stopped. The armor of his composure cracked, if only for a moment , as he exhaled deeply.
She's probably scared, isn't she? The thought struck him harder than he expected , unwelcome but persistent.
He rubbed his temper , staring blankly at the flickering flames in the fire place. Everytime he looked at her , Marv wide, wary eyes stared back at him , filled with something he recognized all too well, fear. Not just uncertainty , but genuine fear.
Like I'm going to turn her into a slave or .....or kill her.
Hes jaw tightened. He didn't blame her for feeling that way . People had whispered about him for years. The stories of his ruthlessness spreading far and wide. He didn't cared then, why should he ? The fear worked on his favor, solidified his authority.
But now, in the confines of their shared quarters, it was different . She wasn't a subject or a soldier. She was his wife . His wife. The thought tasted foreign , unfamiliar ,and bitter.
He clasped his hands together , his knuckles pale.
How am I supposed to talk to her when she looks at me like that?
The memory of her flustered movement that morning , when she bolted into the bathroom, replaced in his mind. He hadn't said a word , yet her panic had filled the air like static.
What is there to even say? He wondered , his frustrated mounting.
How do you make someoneless afraid of you when they've already decided you're a monster?
He wasn't sure he even knew how to soften the edges of himself, even if he wanted to. Years of battles , of politics , of building walls so high even he couldn't climb them , how did you undo all that for one person?
Gastoh sighed heavily, leaning forward, elbows resting on the desk. Maybe she should be scared . Maybe that's safer , for both of us.
But the thought didn't settle right. For once ,he didn't want someone to fear him.
The fire crackled again, filling the quiet room ,and he let his thoughts spiral far a moment longer before shaking his head , forcing the vulnerability back into the locked box where he kept all such things.
He reached for his pen again, pretending the fleeting doubts hadn't happened.