The Nechi's Wife

✣ chapter nine ✣

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From my window, I could see the fading Aranian sun peeking from the horizon, its muted rays shimmering across the landscape. Stormy clouds obscured its light, dulling its intensity.

My ladies-in-waiting had arrived some time ago, but I'd dismissed them. I wasn't in the mood to see Ailis' cheery face or Blanyr's rosy cheeks. I was deeply unhappy and didn't plan on leaving my room today, not until the banquet.

In fact, I had thought of skipping the banquet, but I quickly tossed the idea out. I knew my presence was mandatory. The entire dinner was being held to celebrate my marriage to Flynd. How would King Renyld appear if his new daughter-in-law didn't show up to the banquet he was hosting to celebrate her entrance to the family?

And because the guest list was brimming with high-profile members of society, I had to come to keep up appearances. To show that Flynd and I's marriage was a success. That we were a well-matched couple who planned on birthing an heir to forever bind our kingdoms. To show that King Renyld had done an excellent job.

Blanyr and Ailis would return at night to prepare me, thus, I had several hours to sulk in my room. But not about the ball—it was the least of my worries. I was far more concerned with Flynd. I had been trying to tell myself that everything he had done in the past didn't matter, but the thought of him...kissing, touching, holding—whatever it had been—with another woman was chipping away at my sanity.

Why had I let myself become like this? Flynd was arrogant, rude, infuriating. Why did any of this matter?

I sank onto my bed, groaning in discontentment. I knew why I was so bothered. Why this troubled me so much. It was because a fragment of me was scared. Scared that Flynd's past wasn't so far into the past.

...

I hid amongst the crowd, pretending to brush dust off my wide, golden gown. I hadn't seen Flynd yet, but I knew we would encounter one another soon. And when we did meet, he would probably be angry that I'd been avoiding him, skipping our Nechi culture lessons, practicing dance without him, hiding in my room during dinner.

As I peered at the bustling crowd, hoping I was well hidden, I felt someone brush my shoulder with cool fingertips. I jumped at the sudden touch, identifying my accoster as none other than a certain dark-haired man with pale skin and inquisitive eyes. "Flynd?"

He seemed startled himself. "Ayan, are you alright? You'd think we'd never met before by the way your reacted."

"I'm f-fine."

His confused expression quickly turned into one of irritation, as I'd expected. "In that case, where have you been?" He hissed. "I haven't seen you in weeks!"

He seemed so upset that I'd disappeared. So much so, that it made me feel a deep, sagging guilt. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head dismissively, snatching a glass of wine from a passing servant's tray. "Fine. But we ought to socialize now, how long have you been here by yourself?"

I was about to protest, insist we not leave, but he ignored my pleas, swinging his arm through mine and interlinking them in a grip I couldn't escape. "I don't know what's wrong with you, but you need to smile for our guests."

A burst of aggravation simmered in my chest, but I took a deep breath, pushing it back to the depths from which it came. Now wasn't the time to argue, no matter how forceful and inconsiderate the prince was. Seeing Flynd in person for the first time in several weeks, I almost laughed at the memory of me in my room, moping over him. I'd clearly forgotten why he annoyed me to begin with.