TER𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

XLVll

.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ᰔᩚ.ᰔᩚ ⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑
Not What They Seem (1)

Late at night, Lune returned to the Royal Villa. He stood at the entrance of Viola’s room as he saw her with her black cat, Ming. The cat trembled in Viola’s hands, sensing his presence. Viola looked at him, startled.

“Why are you here again?” she asked, surprised.

“Am I not allowed to come here?” he asked.

“I… You said you would come here only once a day,” she said hesitantly.

“Did I?” said Lune, looking at her small, trembling frame, “I guess I changed my mind.”

As he walked towards her, Ming’s quivering intensified. And Viola trembled along with it. Was she terrified of him? He sighed and walked past her to the bed. He lay down. Viola relaxed a little when she realised that he had come over just to sleep. She went to the closet and fetched a night attire of his and handed it to him.

“Change before you go to sleep,” she said.

“You sleep as well,” he suggested.

She stiffened. “I will go sleep in Rosha’s room.”

“I won’t touch you,” he mumbled, “So just sleep here.”

His voice was sad; he looked tired. She remembered how he had pushed her down and taken her so vigorously this morning. But at this moment he seemed almost defeated. Viola sat down on the edge of the bed while absent-mindedly fiddling with her necklace. She wanted to wait till he fell asleep, just to be sure. After a while, it really seemed like he had fallen asleep.

Viola observed him. Did he get scolded by the Crown Prince? She thought. Prince Lustian had quite a reputation. The tales of cruelty of the blood armies that he commanded traversed through the entire Slovenian continent. It was said that the Crown Prince was as evil and brutal as his father. But Lune isn’t a soldier, she thought, he is a knight guarding the Crown Prince and the palace.

Viola was sure he wasn’t a mere soldier. If he was, she wouldn’t have married him even under a contract. She had married him because he held a prominent position in the Imperial family, through which she could glean secret information for her vengeance. It bothered her that she hadn’t had the time to investigate more about him. She had been too focused on escaping the clutches of the Crown Prince when she had agreed to marry Lune.

However, she found it strange. The way other servants reacted around him. They bowed and greeted him with utmost respect. The guards and the knights too. It was clear that Lune held a very respectable position, as it seemed that only the Crown Prince was higher in authority than him. I need to find out more about him, she thought as he looked at him sleeping peacefully.

Paul has infiltrated the kingdom disguised as a horseman. It was time to meet him once again to ask about Lune. Perhaps it was time for her to use the money she brought with her to buy some information.

Viola stood up, intending to head to Rosha’s room. But she was grabbed by her wrist and pulled down. She didn’t even have the time to be surprised as Lune pulled her to his chest. Her heart fluttered and her eyes widened.

“I told you,” he said, “Sleep here, next to me. I am not going to let you go, you know.”

“I demand you let me go,” she retaliated, “It’s uncomfortable to sleep like this.”

“It’s alright, Viola,” he assured her, “Just close your eyes and sleep. Nothing will happen here tonight.”

Even if he said that, she couldn’t help but remember how he had taken her this morning. She squirmed to get away, and he held her tighter. Eventually, Viola grew tired and went limp. Her heart raced.

“You’re my wife now, Viola,” he said, “No matter how much you hate me….”

“You think I hate you?” asked Viola, surprised.

“I know you do,” he said, “I am the enemy knight, aren’t I?”

“Good,” she said, “Don’t ever forget it.”

“I won’t ask for much,” he said sadly, “Just act like you love me for a while, even if it is a lie.”

His broad arms were wrapped around her back. They were so close that she could hear his heartbeat. Seeing him like this confused her. She stayed still as she slowly felt herself falling asleep. She could hear Lune’s voice distantly saying, “Don’t believe what you see, Viola….”