An Arranged Marriage

Trust?

You smiled at the feeling of the warm grass under your hand. Hopefully, Kazue wouldn't see you here and worry about you staining your dress. You chuckled under your breath at the thought of him scolding you for stains on your dress. 

"You know you'll stain yourself sitting there."

You glanced up to see Kouen standing there. You stood up and brush stray weeds off your skirt. "So I've been told," you said as small memories of your siblings and parents scolding you. You shook your head at them, it was always so silly. 

"What've you been doing here?" He asked. 

You took another look at the small garden you were sitting at. "Just admiring plants that aren't frozen," you joked. "I almost forget I'm not there after being stuck there for six months," you added solemnly. You felt yourself shudder as a breeze came by and clench the skirt of your dress. You closed your eyes for a small moment and took in a shaky breath. Then, you felt a hand grab onto yours and you opened your eyes to look at Kouen. 

"You're fine," he said simply, stroking your knuckles. "I understand it was hard to be alone, but it's all over now and you're okay." 

You brought his hand to your chest and held it there, "thank you," you whispered, pressing a small kiss to the back of his hand. 

Kouen brought a hand to the top of your head and pressed a kiss to your forehead. "No problem," he responded. 

*~*~*

"Oh, look who made it back alive."

You turned to the source of the snickering and, as you suspected, it was Judar with the normal teasing smirk on his face. "Something you need?" You asked, setting down your teacup softly on its saucer. You had wanted to sit outside with a nice cup of tea given that you had finally gotten some time to relax, but, of course, there was never going to be a moment where you got peace here.

Judar didn't answer and decided to take a seat in the unoccupied chair across from you. You rose a brow and stared, wondering what he was here for. For the most part, he only ever interacts with you to annoy you. In your opinion, it was his only real skill, but you never told anyone that. 

"Well?" You pestered, crossing your arms. 

"The old hag is making me watch you to make sure you don't go crazy again," he sighed, sounding annoyed at the prospect of essentially being a babysitter. 

Your eye twitched, "I don't need a babysitter." You rolled your eyes.

Judar scoffed, "after that stunt you pulled with one of goatman's old concubine's? I beg to differ," he said, laughing under his breath. 

You had to take a moment after hearing what Judar said. "Wait, what?" You asked, "but I thought she was the Emporer's." 

At that, Judar decided to start laughing at you. "Are you really that clueless?!" He guffawed, "Or did you not hear a single word that woman said?" He asked in between laughs. 

It was then that her words came back to you. 

"You really know nothing about Kou," she had scoffed, "he could've easily kept me as his consort after marrying you, but no... The day after the wedding he lets me go to stay loyal to you."

Then, your lip twitched in disgust for a slight moment. When you had been taken to the Empress regarding your verdict you remembered them saying you had attacked the Emporer's concubine, not Kouen's. Did the Emporer take Kouen's as his instead when you came along? You didn't know whether to think it was weirdly kind or just plain weird.