The Nechi's Wife

✣ chapter thirty ✣

Here I am! Back again with an absurdly late update 😊. Expect this to happen again, I've been dealing with a lot lately and this is like the first time I'm looking at the drafts in forever. The good news is that there are only 10 or so more chapters left of this story before y'all will finally get closure :)

another poll, what do you think of The Nechi's Wife so far?

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It was time to go home.

We'd been living in our secret cottage in the woods for months. Flynd said it had been three, he was constantly counting the days. He missed Witylt, the castle. But I loved it here, it was a blissful getaway. This was the place where Flynd and I had truly become husband and wife. And not because we'd consummated our marriage, but because we'd realized how much we cared for one another, how hard everything would have been without him.

I still struggled daily with memories of him, and I found myself staring into nothingness, whisked back into that dark moment. But Flynd was always there to bring me back, to ground me.

Well, until King Renyld showed up and outed that I'd sent a letter to my parents. He was still a bit cold. Even when we hugged, kissed...or more, he seemed a bit restrained. Like he was holding back. It hurt terribly, and I didn't understand why he was so upset. I knew lying was wrong, I knew I had likely hurt his feelings, but I couldn't figure out why he had been so deeply affected by it. I had repeated how safe I was in the letter. And I had apologized many times, tried to speak to him about it, but he wasn't willing to entertain any more conversation about it.

But now it as time to go home. The King had sent word that the castle was safe, the Federation had been taken down. Sir Lorcan and Lord Eavan had successfully spied and destroyed them from the inside. Despite my conflicted feelings about Lorcan, I was happy to hear he'd done such a good job.

I hoped that when we returned, perhaps Flynd's homesickness would be cured and he'd be more open to talking about the letter with me. Perhaps, he'd warm up again.

On our final day in hiding, I had come down from our room, making sure we hadn't left anything behind. As I descended the stairs, I watched Flynd sitting quietly in the parlor. He hadn't said much to me today, much to my distress.

The guards and coachmen were outside, awaiting us for departure. But Flynd had decided instead to plant himself in the parlor. I inched closer, I couldn't tell if he'd noticed me yet or not.

"Flynd?" I whispered, touching his shoulder.

He sighed. "Yes?"

"Are you ready to go? They're waiting for us outside."

He nodded. But still didn't move.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sitting beside him on the bench he refused to leave. I intertwined my fingers with his, hoping he'd reciprocate even a bit of affection.

My heart warmed when he gripped my hand more tightly, accepting it. "I feel like everything has changed, Ayan."

"Why?"

"I care so much about you. About everything you do, everything you say. I'd do anything for you."

I leaned into him, feeling my eyes water. "I would do the same."

"I know," he murmured. "I know."

"I love you," I blurted before I could think about it.

He paused, gathering words. I waited for his response with bated breath, my heart frozen in my chest. "I love you too," he finally said, my heart burst. "and...and that's why I was so hurt when I'd found out you lied."