Arranged

Nine: Conundrum

Everyone stood around in the room of requirement before Dimitri sat down on one of the couches.

The others followed his lead and sat down around the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Sylvain asked

"She fought a war almost all by herself at sixteen. A real and very bloody war. She watched friends die and killed many people who wanted her dead." Dimitri shook his head. "It could be any number of things."

"Whatever it was had to have been traumatic." Annette pulled on her sleeve.

"Someone so powerful crippled so easily." Felix snorted. "Whatever. Now that we know she's safe I'm going back to bed."

The others stayed in the bizarre place, they poked around some more and the monsters she kept as pets in some of these magical glass things... she truly was bizarre. They would have to ask her about them all later.

Eventually Dedue entered the main room with Kiera passed out in his arms.

"Is she alright?" Dimitri asked.

"I do not know." Dedue sighed and shook his head.

"What is this place? What are those creatures? Why is it all here?" Ingrid asked.

"We can discuss this all later. We do not want to wake Kiera. Fortunately tomorrow is our free day." Dimitri cut everyone off "I believe it is best if we all return to bed and let Dedue handle this situation as he already has it under control."

The prince ushered the others out of the room.

Dedue sighed and looked down at his wife. He did not believe he could get her to let go without hurting her and he did not want that. The guilt continued to eat at him and he made a decision.

He took Kiera to the bedroom he had come across earlier and slid under the sheets with her safely snuggled in his arms. Her face still held signs of crying but it had seemed to relax once they were in the bed together with the covers pulled over them.

The large man stared at the ceiling of the unfamiliar room for a long time, listening to Kiera breathe. This was the first time since their wedding night that they had shared a bed. She still smelled like flowers, but he noticed now that she smelled more like the ones from his homeland.

Eventually, the comfort of the bed and the warmth generated by their bodies and the sound of her breathing lulled Dedue to sleep.

In the morning, Dedue woke up before Kiera, finding his location slightly jarring at first before he remembered the events of the previous night. He looked down at Kiera's head on his chest, her hand still wound into his shirt.

While it was true that Dimitri needed him, Dedue was beginning to realize how much she needed him too.

A soft knock came at the bedroom door, waking Kiera up and she yawned and blinked. Her own processing time took a lot longer than Dedue's had and she looked at him surprised that he had stayed with her.

"I'm sorry. I-" she began to apologize.

Dedue cupped her face in one of his large hands and wiping away the fresh tears. "Don't be."

"I'm sorry for pulling you into this. I'm sorry for being the reason you were pressured into getting married by Dimitri. I understand if you can't love me and want to divorce me" the tears continued to fall as she cried.

The guilt quickly returned and took on a sharper edge, it felt like a knife twisted in his chest. The large man did the only thing he could think of and kissed her.

Kiera kissed him back, it was full of desperation so potent he could taste her pain.

"I should be the one to apologize for not paying more attention to you. please don't cry."