Chapter 496: The Morning

While Irene hated the value the Kingdom of Peroda placed on women’s bodies and purity, she couldn’t help feeling that she truly had changed fundamentally. She woke up the following morning after their first night together in total disbelief about where she was and who she was beside.

Henry now knew her from the inside out. That much was evident by the small marks on her body as he obsessively tasted her skin and unleashed a side of himself that he had clearly been holding back. She had thought that he was quite passionate before, but it turned out there was plenty more left.

After hardly any sleep, she felt surprisingly invigorated. Although when she tried to sit up, she could feel her body sore in places she would have never expected after using muscles she was unaware she had activated at all.

She groaned quietly and decided she would lie for a bit longer instead. The rays of early morning sun were enough to tell her that it would be alright to stay for a bit longer. No one would be expecting her for at least a couple of hours.

As soon as Irene settled down, she felt an arm slide under her head and another over her waist to pull her closer. She was suddenly hyperaware that neither one of them had gotten into clothing since the night before. After last night, they had no more secrets, but she still felt a bit shy at waking up to his naked form touching hers.

"Are you alright?" Henry whispered, his voice tired. "You should rest more."

Her arm settled over his, and she nestled into this comfortable feeling. It wasn’t hard to get used to something she had daydreamed for months before that.

"Sore," she uttered her admittance.

That caused Henry to sit up, and he looked down at her.

"I really didn’t mean to," he responded. "You said you would tell me if anything hurt. I thought I got you ready enough by—"

"It isn’t like that," Irene cut him off, and she rolled over so that she could bury her face in his bare chest. "I promise."

His arm settled around her, and he opted to gently run his fingertips against her back, hoping that if she was hurting there, it was soothing her.

The red-haired knight blinked slowly as she began to relax more.

"I can’t believe you’re mine," he uttered as he gently kissed the top of her head, enjoying her hair tickling his face as he did.

It wasn’t the first time he had said that either. Every moment the night before when there was a pause, he would voice his gratitude. It never got old for Irene to hear. In fact, it helped her build more confidence as the night went on.

"I feel a sense of peace I haven’t in a long time," she admitted as she nuzzled into him.

"Then let’s sleep for longer," he decided.

Otherwise, he was going to get carried away because of the naked body in his grasp, and he could tell just how tired she actually was. His insatiability shouldn’t be a reason for her pain.

There wasn’t much more shuteye to be had because they soon heard a knock on their door.

Irene felt exposed and she pulled the blankets over her head.

"Please, answer it," she urged Henry.

At that moment, she couldn’t face anyone. She knew her disheveled appearance would reveal a lot.

"Of course," Henry immediately responded.

It was easier for him to get into his sleeping pants and a tunic quickly so that whoever was there wouldn’t have to witness him in his full, naked glory. He picked his clothing off the floor as he went before he answered the door only a few inches.

"Yes?" he asked, surprised to see a maid there.

"Honey for the couple from the lady of the house," she explained.

"Ah..." Henry didn’t know how to respond.

However, a voice over his shoulder quelled his confusion as Irene uttered, "Take it, and I’ll explain."

Henry simply took the tray and thanked the maid before he was able to shut the door and face his wife.

"Something Sunstoian?" he asked, feeling it was obvious.

"Another fertility ritual," she admitted. "For thirty days we’re meant to drink it..."

Henry brought her the tiny cup that the golden viscous liquid was in as he settled into the bed with his own. It seemed to have been warmed because it was more liquidy than usual."

"Then bottoms up, my lady," he teased.

She watched him first as he got down the sweet liquid. A small smile was present on her face, relieved at how accepting he was of the strangest things. Even she wasn’t sure if all the ritual and paranoias would change the course of their life together; she was grateful that he was up to the challenge regardless.

Shortly after their honey was gone, Henry’s stomach growled.

"You should get some breakfast," Irene suggested. "I’m not quite ready to face anyone yet today."

"I should wait with you," he insisted. "I was the one who made you so tired." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Your stomach is growling," she persisted. "I would like to sleep some more."

He finally agreed and got into real clothing.

Surprisingly, when Henry made it out of the room and down the stairs, the sun was brighter than he thought. It was late in the morning for a knight, but still early for the average person.

As he made it through the back door of the Litharion’s home, he heard that there were plenty of others already in the dining hall where breakfast had been served.

Unsurprisingly, his arrival was noticed by all and commented on.

"Ready for breakfast, Your Grace—" But then she realized that this man was her son-in-law as she corrected herself. "Henry, rather."

She seemed insistent on changing the subject.

"Where’s Irene?" Celia asked, concern evident.

"She’s a bit tired," Henry admitted.

To that, Commander Lothian could only let out a deep chuckle, which elicited a smack from Celia. Arne, meanwhile, looked rather disgusted.

"Eat something quickly," Rochelle insisted. "Then bring some porridge for Irene. We have some of the berries she likes. Even if she’s yours, she’s still my baby..."

The last part was said as more of a disgruntled mutter. Henry could only smile proudly.