How To Tame An Empress (BOOK I)

Chapter 9 - Those Eyes of Steel

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I am aware that the emotions I feel towards my wife are not normal, perhaps a little dangerous. But I could not care less, so long as she is left unharmed, and stays by my side then that is all that should, and will ever, matter.

As I stood in the threshold of our chambers, standing still as the servant dressed me in my wine-red robes, my eyes were focused on my wife. She wore a simple white tunic with golden embroidery, her favourite armilla wrapped around her arm, and her hair, as usual, was left open as it tumbled around her in waves.

My eyes remained unmoving from her figure, gazing at her as the sunlight filtered in through the arched windows, casting her in gold, and I could only think to myself that she looked divine.

Curled against the velvet cushions, she sat perched upon the bay window seat as her eyes read over the scroll in her hand, a small smile playing at her lips while her fingers traced over the words on the parchment.

"Darling, if you continue to stare at me like that, I fear you will grow tired of the sight of me." She hummed, the smile dancing on her lips as her eyes remained on the scroll. If only she knew of all the painting and sculptures I had of her which I spent so long simply gazing at.

"Such a thing will never happen, I assure you that, my love." I scoffed at the ridiculous notion.

Finished with getting dressed for the day, I waved the servant away before moving to approach my distracted wife, wondering who the sender of that scroll was to have taken her attention away from me and unto them.

"Now, will my darling wife tell me what has gotten her so distracted that she cannot even spare her beloved husband a glance?" Going to sit beside her, I leaned forward as my lips went to kiss her forehead, her eyes finally reaching up to meet mine.

"I told you about my bosom friend before, did I not? Her name is Balbina." Right, I do remember her mentioning this friend and how it had disappointed her that she was unable to come to our wedding, not that it mattered to me. All I needed to know now was why this so-called friend of hers had her attention instead of me.

"Well, her birthday is next week, and she is having a small gathering. She was telling me all about it in this letter." She explained, eyes saddening as she spoke. As much as I hate to admit it, it could not have been more obvious that Ria cared for this friend, and not just that, but she seemed to be missing her as well.

I did not like it. How she was smiling, and yearning for this friend in a way that she should have been doing to me instead. I wished to be the only one to put an expression like that on her face, but right now, I am forced to see that that is not the sweet reality which I wished it was.

Later that day, I was sat in my study looking through a number of documents, signing some, and setting others aside, hoping to be done with this pile of work sooner rather than later so that I could hurry and return to my wife's side where I belonged.

But as if hearing my thoughts, the creak of the heavy door being pushed open paused me in my actions of signing a document as I picked my head up to see who it was, my sharp gaze instantaneously softening when I noticed who it was.

"It is not like you to seek me out during these hours." I smiled, setting the papers to the side to lean my chin on my joined hands while my eyes followed her every mood as she entered the room, coming to stand on the opposite side of my desk, her hands politely linked before her.

"Well, I had something to ask." She shrugged, itching the back of her neck.

"Go on." I gently pushed, feeling the smile on my lips wavering. I had a bad feeling about what it was that she wanted to ask, and a worse feeling that I would not be able to give her the answer which she wished to hear.