In truth, Aveline only kissed one other person in her life so far, but she could still tell that Theo was a good kisser.
His lips were soft against hers as he tilted his head.
Aveline’s fingers carded through the blood-stained locks as she pulled Theo closer.
But…
“Why are your hands like that?”
Theo’s hands were tightly fisted in the fabric of his trousers and the muscles of his arms were straining like he was holding himself back.
Aveline pulled away to stare into his eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
Theo shook his head.
“Then why…” She looked away.
Does this mean he doesn’t like it?
Her mouth thinned.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed y-”
Suddenly, strong arms wrapped pulled her body close against the man.
Theo had one hand around her waist while the other cradled the back of her head as he kissed her again.
It was so intense that Aveline nearly lost her breath.
She felt every emotion poured into it as Theo’s hands squeezed and pressed against her skin.
When his tongue swiped timidly against the seam of her lips, she couldn’t help but moan to open up for him.
The moment their tongues met, it felt like a flame igniting deep in her stomach.
Every noise was swallowed enthusiastically as Aveline struggled to keep them in.
Theo practically hauled her to straddle his lap as their kiss grew deeper.
Whenever Theo sucked at her bottom lip, Aveline found herself whimpering weakly, earning a smug smirk against her mouth.
She would nip back, almost breaking skin, in retaliation.
He would tease by flickering his tongue against hers, but pulling away when she sought contact.
Sometimes he would be kind, and revel in just how desperate she was to suckle and twirl their tongues with each other.
The hands at her waist trailed down to cup her hips and squeezed a handful of flesh.
Theo pulled away to wetly kiss down the smooth column of her neck as she panted softly into the air.
“Theo…”
At his name, the man licked a long strip up to her ear.
“Say my name again.” His voice was deeper than ever; a low timbre that made something tingle at the base of her spine.
Aveline moaned when the same lips sucked at the shell of her ear and nipped lightly at the lobe before a wet tongue traced back to her lips again.
Her hands settled on his shoulders – and brushed against the fresh bandage.
It was like waking up from a deep dream when she pulled away –
“Theo!”
Hazel eyes widened in alarm.
He’s injured!
Theo’s eyes were still dark with desire as he tried to pull her closer, but Aveline knew better than to give in to him.
Taking a page out of his book, Aveline flicked him right in the middle of his forehead.
“Ow!” The man whined as he rubbed the affected area.
“Why?”
“You have a shoulder injury and here you are pulling me around!” Aveline made no move to leave Theo’s lap but still crossed her arms disapprovingly.
“I told you, it doesn’t hurt!” Theo risked a peck at the corner of Aveline’s lips, only to get another flick for moving.
“Doesn’t matter! If it heals wrong, you won’t be able to manhandle me anymore.”
Theo’s lips twitched up for a beat.
Aveline raised an unimpressed brow.
“Do you want that?”
Theo licked his lips as the cogs turned in his head.
The hands at her hips settled too comfortably as they twitched uncertainly.
Eventually, he nodded obediently.
However, not a moment later he raised his head again with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
“How long before it heals?”
Aveline considered the depth of the wound.
“Around two moons.”
“Two moons?” Theo’s voice was almost as high as Fourth’s when he ran away.
He pouted as he rested his head against his wife’s shoulder.
I guess he’s never taken any medical advice seriously before.
He’s lucky that it’s not that deep!
Suddenly, he lifted his head to gaze suggestively into the hazel eyes.
“Then you have two moons to prepare yourself.”
Aveline gulped.
“Before I ravage you.”
Theo winked with a cheeky smirk.
❀
When Aveline made it out of the carriage, after flicking her husband again to make him stay put, she found that the dead bodies on the ground were gone.
“What happened?”
Did they get up and left?
“No necromancy here!” Wren appeared from behind the carriage and handed her a flask.
Aveline didn’t realise just how thirsty she was when she downed the whole container.
“We’ve sorted them out.”
That’s when Aveline noticed it.
Along the horizon of the afternoon sun, six bodies were hung from a tree by their necks.
Her mouth fell open.
Do they need to go this far?
“It sends a message to anyone who dares to try again.” Wren shrugged as though it were a mundane topic.
“Can you believe they sent 15 people for the nine of us?”
“15?”
“Nine swordsmen and six archers.”
Aveline looked around her.
How could they even find the archers?
The trees are so high.
Aveline counted the bodies.
“What about the ones you captured?”
Wren’s smile disappeared and her voice lowered.
“They’re coming with us.”
For more interrogation?
“Despite their numbers, we defeated them without losing anyone.” The older woman chuckled proudly.
Her blithe countenance returned.
“Well, apart from your husband getting himself shot.”
With a different type of smile on her face, Wren drew closer.
“Just don’t let him get used to being indulged, right?”
Aveline flushed red while Wren winked playfully.
Did she hear us?
Were we that loud?
“It’s better to keep him in the carriage anyways, you can keep an eye on him.”
“Are we not stopping?”
Paxmouth was a day and half’s ride from Farren, and they hadn’t even made it halfway.
“It’s actually faster to travel at night.”
Aveline felt an aorta of shock, but after everything that she witnessed today, it’s clear that the envoy had no problems defending themselves.
If anything, they would be the threat to whoever dared to cross them.
“But, I am feeling a little grimy.” Wren took in Aveline: although she fought the least, her clothes were still stained from treating the king.
“There’s a cosy creek not far from here; let’s take a stop there for a bit.”
“Sounds like a plan!”
That was how they met another predicament.
Of everyone, Theo was the one who needed to bathe the most, but he also had a healing wound that should not get wet.
“I’ve seen him get stabbed in the leg and then jumped in a river to fish – he’ll be fine!” Wren shrugged while Theo nodded in agreement.
Something tells me that you’re the same when it comes to medical advice!
“Absolutely not!” Aveline threw her hands on her hips.
“The medicine I applied must have time to sink in – water will only was it away!”
“What do you suggest we do then?”
Both women looked at Theo as if daring him to choose a side.
He remained quiet and avoided their eye contact.
“Why aren’t you talking?” The redhead crossed her arms impatiently.
Is he not saying anything because of the deal?
Aveline opened her mouth to explain, but an idea came to her head.
“Don’t worry about him, Wren.” Aveline smiled as she patted the other woman’s back to lead her towards where everyone had put their belongings.
“I’ll get Fourth do it.”
At the sound of his name, the young boy gasped in despair again.
His peers laughed at him as they pushed him away before focusing on refreshing themselves in the water.
“He needs to learn how to care for patients.”
Fourth shared another look with Theo before nodding defeatedly and making his way over.
Satisfied with the plan, Wren nodded before going to sort herself out.
Wanting to be away from the noise, Aveline lead the pair to another part behind a rock.
At the deepest, the water reached waist length for most people, but Aveline kept them near the edge with calf-deep water.
“Right, the main thing is to get all of the blood off.” She gestured to the man’s face with the drying blood.
“And here too.” She pointed to the messy hair while Fourth nodded.
Ah, I forgot the most important thing!
“Fourth, you get started – I need to grab something!”
Before the servant could protest, Aveline made her way to the bank to grab a cloth from her pouch.
She had infused it with floral oils that will mask unwanted smells after washing.
When she returned, the atmosphere between the men was…
tense.
Why does this feel familiar?
“Um – Your Majesty, is this still part of treating the patient?” Fourth glanced meekly at his king.
“I thought bandaging the injury was the last part.”
Ah.
Using Fourth to get what you want, Theo?
Aveline’s eyes flickered between the pair before a slow smile spread over her face.
“Actually Fourth, you’ve worked hard today – I’ll take over from here.”
Before she could even finish her sentence, the young man splashed away with glee.
“I didn’t even need to lie about stepping on a fish!”
He never looked back.
Alone again, Aveline turned her husband.
At least he’s better at hiding his plan this time.
Dipping the cloth in water, she began to lightly swipe it over the blood.
Theo watched her quietly; he seemed engrossed that he barely responded when Aveline said something.
“I guess your treatment has ended.” The cloth in her hands quickly became stained with red.
She dipped it in the water to wash it off.
“Consider this my… wifely duties.”
Never thought that I’d call it that…
When Theo didn’t reply, she shook him lightly.
“Did you hear? You can talk now.”
The grey eyes fixed onto hers.
Aveline watched as whatever clouded his eyes faded and became focused on her again.
Theo smiled like he recognised something.
“I thought you enjoyed the silence.”
Of course, that’s the first thing he says.
“If I recall correctly -” Aveline rolled her eyes as she changed the topic.
“I promised to answer your questions.”
“You remembered?”
“Yes, I am a woman of my word.”
Did he think I’d forget?
It wasn’t long ago.
Or…
he forgot and I reminded him!
“I mean – if you forgot then -”
“When did Wren touch you?”
Here we go.
Aveline made quick work of cleaning half of Theo’s face and quickly became busy in cleaning the other side as she answered.
“When she bathed me.”
“She bathed you? Why?”
Her hands freeze against a sharp cheekbone.
She could feel a faint scar even through the fabric.
“Because that’s one of her jobs.” Aveline narrowed her eyes as she tried to comprehend the scandalised look on her husband’s face.
She could tell that Theo was mad, but it was not the same rage as before.
It was more like frustration – or jealousy?
“When she nominated to be your lady-in-waiting, I didn’t expect her to – bathe you!”
She nominated herself?
“Why?” Her hands stopped at the man’s jaw as she her world shifted.
“Why what?” Theo frowned.
“Why would she do that?” No one has never nominated themselves to be anything for her.
“Aveline…” His hand reached up and brushed a stray tear from his wife’s eyes.
Aveline’s vision was suddenly blurry, but there was no ugly pit at the bottom of her stomach.
“Because she wanted to.” With one hand, Theo pulled her closer to lean against his good shoulder.
“She knew that you’ll be in unfamiliar territory with no one from Farren. She wanted someone who would be on your side.”
“Aren’t you on my side?”
Theo smiled.
“Of course.” With the same arm, he began to gently stroke her hair.
“But… I’m a man and – well, sometimes Wren is more masculine than me -” The pair shared small laugh.
“But she wants to help with the things that I can’t.”
No one has ever cared this much about me before…
Aveline looked up at her husband.
“I think your taste in clothing is adequate.”
Theo laughed bashfully as the woman pulled away.
“I’m glad you like my taste.”
“I’ve never been so fashionable.” Aveline looked down at her gown.
The exquisite fabric and intricate details made it obvious that it was custom-made for her.
The matching jewellery was also a thoughtful touch.
“But I’m sad about cutting your shirt; we’re not matching anymore…”
Instead of the rich purple tunic, Theo was wearing a modest beige wrap shirt.
“On that note, can you tell me why you were at a battlefield?”
I forgot about the second question.
Aveline laughed awkwardly as she avoided the other’s eyes.
You won’t like the answer.
“It was a few years ago.” She began to try and wash the blood off the blonde locks.
“I was on my way back to Farren when I met a young boy seeking help for his brother.”
Theo goes silent as he listened but his face didn’t look thrilled.
Solo travel and talking to strangers isn’t even the worse part.
“I went with him and discovered that they were soldiers.”
Theo’s brow drew together.
Here we go…
Aveline thought back to that time.
She should have been more careful, but she was so engrossed in foraging that she didn’t even hear the sounds of the battle.
“I started helping the brother and -” Aveline glanced at her husband and braced herself.
“I was shot.”
Theo went still.