Pharaoh's First Love

48

"So long as you plan to stay then yes." He answered, phrasing it vaguely so Jin wouldn't understand the arrangement. Basically, Calion would allow her to keep her family's land under the agreement that she would be his. After all women weren't permitted to own land of their own this would be the only way she'd maintain it. Time would tell if she'd be permitted to visit it though. As Jin clung to her and buried his face against her chest Calion turned and kissed her forehead tenderly before moving away.
"Jin, I'm sure you would like to be taught some more, but Shelyn is having a bit of a rough day. Try and cut her a little bit of slack if she's not up for teaching." He said, not wanting to tell Jin the grisly facts about what the girl is going through, or why Yun has been locked away in his room and won't be seen in quite a while. For now, the pharaoh just let the two be, moving one room over into the living room as he requested tea be prepared.
Shelyn nodded. But she was quick to reach for him when he decided to leave. Though she was seconds late on actually stopping him.
Jin nodded. "It is ok Shelyn. When you marry me, I will make sure you have lots of hugs from me." Jin, as innocent as it was, probably didn’t understand that him saying it only made her feel more like crying. But she held her further tears for the sake of the moment.
She was allowed to keep up the garden of her parents. she'd do her best to provide flowers and herbs for the palace. She'd study. hard. She would stay. She would do it all if she just got to keep it. She would sleep in this bed every night and bathe with him. She would eat with him and Jin and the others. She didn’t want to be a concubine. But he was truly the only one that keeps coming to her aid. She wouldn’t just sit pretty at his feet. She had to be far more useful. Fill her parents’ shoes.
For at least two hours Shelyn lay there holding Jin who had fallen asleep.
The nurse, in that time, had come and informed Calion that Helm was clean and laying to wait. She offered him several lovely fabrics to have Helm dressed in. and that his armor and weapons were being collected to return to his sister. Seeing as the blade was a family heirloom.

Shelyn was struggling to lay anymore. And eventually pulled free of Jin with her bunny. And made her way towards Calion. Still in the slip that should be under her dress. She arrived at his side just as the nurse left. But she was silent. She didn’t hesitate to sit cross his lap and resting head on his shoulder. she was just desperate to be held. Her bunny in her arms as she sat there
He hoped the time he granted her alone was appreciated. He felt on some level he may have been suffocating her, that or perhaps his presence reminded her of how shitty her life had become, but when she finally came in to sit in his lap and rested her head against his shoulder he protectively and warmly placed an arm around her back and pulled her in to rest more firmly against him.
Her scent and warmth were taken in and despite how inappropriate it was in the moment he very much so just wanted to kiss her. His other arm reached around her, combing his fingers through her hair and repeating the motion slowly. "The nurse just came in to inform me that Helm has been cleaned. They're in the process of fixing him for his funeral, I have a few different fabric choices to choose from, but I think it might be best you decide what color you think would suit him best. I'm partial to blue and white, what do you think? If it's still too soon for you to deal with this, you can just sit here you know." Calion offered, cupping her cheek to glance into her reddened eyes while his other palm slipped to rest warmly upon her thigh.