Aveline was right to avoid her husband’s eyes, because when she glanced back, there was an icy glare to them.
“Where?”
“Where? Some place north.” She shrugged.
“It was near some fishing village.” Her hands worked on washing his hair.
“You know what I meant.” Theo’s voice left no room for ambiguity.
Aveline sighed.
“On my leg.”
Resting her leg against a rock, she rolled her skirt up to show the spot.
It was her right thigh, above her knee.
There was barely a scar but an almost star-shaped mark of discolouration to indicate the wound.
“That was the first time I used my powder – the same as yours – so it should barely scar.”
Aveline was proud to find the perfect ratio for her remedial powder.
She smiled but it dropped when she saw the solemn look on the man’s face.
Wordlessly, he leaned over to press a delicate kiss on the mark.
What a romantic.
“Promise me you won’t get hurt again.” Theo’s eyes were pleading as a calloused thumb stroked the blemish on her leg.
Aveline gulped as the sensation became distracting.
Focus!
“You’re hardly in a position to request such a thing.” Her eyes stared pointedly at the bandage around his torso.
Theo opened his mouth and closed it again.
That’s what I thought.
They settled into a comfortable silence until Aveline was satisfied with the state of her husband.
The blood was gone and his hair was clear of the colour red.
Some of the servants caught some fish, so everyone temporality gathered for a quick meal around the campfire.
Aveline still couldn’t believe that a servants got to break bread with prominent members of the royal court, much less a royal.
But after what she’s witnessed today, the servants must also have some military background.
Looks are deceiving because someone like Fourth, a zany, green youngster, could fight off an assassination attempt like it was second nature.
Even Bae, the smallest in the group, was chosen by Wren to help with interrogating the attackers.
Just who are these people?
But Aveline liked that.
It was sunset by the time they got moving again.
The seats in the carriage was turned into a bed and Aveline wasted no time throwing Theo in when he tried to mount his stallion.
“You’re playing a dangerous game right now.” Theo still had the energy to make such comment, even as Aveline handed him a calming tonic.
Theo drank it all in one shot while keeping eye contact.
He must be hurting more than he let on…
“Don’t take advantage of me when I’m knocked out.” He got into position to lay on his front.
When Aveline seated herself next to him, he caterpillar shuffled over to place his head on her lap.
“Or do – I won’t complain.” He winked as he looked up to her.
Aveline rolled her eyes before flicking his forehead.
“You won’t, but I will!”
Theo didn’t flinch this time as he took the punishment.
He threw his good arm over the other’s leg as he settled in to use his wife’s thighs as a pillow for the night.
Aveline couldn’t find it in herself to throw him off.
Her hands ended up stroking through his shoulder-length locks as they made their way towards Paxmouth.
❀
The rest of the journey was so uneventful, that Aveline slept most of the way.
It was like her body finally had time to rest after the anxiety of the wedding and peace treaty.
The thing that woke her up was none other than Lark’s booming laugh.
Groggily, she blinked her eyes open to find her head resting on Theo’s chest.
His good arm was around her waist while the other rested comfortably against a pillow.
When he noticed her stirring, he sighed lowly.
“Keep it down! Your Queen is sleeping.”
Lark stuck his head through the window with a dubious brow.
“I think your shouting woke the queen more than I did.” He smiled politely when he saw that Aveline was awake.
Theo looked down and pouted.
“That’s not true, right Aveline?”
The rumbles in your chest practically shook through my bones!
I better be diplomatic.
“You’re both as bad as each other?” She smiled shyly as she sat up.
Theo and Lark threw eye daggers at each other as she rubbed her eyes.
“Are we here already?”
Lark had a toothy smile as he nodded to the door of the carriage.
“Why don’t you see for yourself?”
So, Aveline left the comfort of the carriage to behold the sight before her.
They were at a cliff overlooking Paxmouth.
It seemed to be an observation station with a tower to keep a lookout for threats from the land and sea.
Per the name, the River Pax ran through the whole kingdom before widening into a broad mouth where it met the sea.
The port was bustling with life as ships were sailing in and out of the busy harbour.
Compared to Farren, the skyline was much lower with the castle being at the highest point on the hill opposite the observation station.
Stone buildings clustered along the lower slopes leading into a multiple plazas that were bustling with life.
Further out, there were obvious estates owned by the privileged, but they were nothing compared the ones at Farren with ostentatious gardens and high balconies.
Surrounding that, there was acres of farmland with irrigation streams breaching from the river spread out all the way into the forest.
It was something that Aveline had never seen before.
The River Pax spread into a web of narrow waterways that also divided the fields into neat geometric field for farming.
This is not what I was expecting!
Simply put, Paxmouth was hues of greens and blues – giving a peaceful and calm feeling to the viewpoint.
Everyone made it seem like some barren wasteland by the sea…
“Welcome home.” Theo slid up behind Aveline to place a kiss on the top of her head.
Aveline pointed to the castle in the distance.
“Is that where you live?”
“That’s where King Magnus lives.” He points to another area near the oceanfront and just outside where the heavily populated area.
It was almost directly under the castle.
“That’s where we live.”
From the viewpoint, Aveline could see that it was not too big, nor small – enough to need servants without feeling overcrowded.
Aveline looked up to Theo and his eyes were shining with excitement and something else…
A king lives at the castle but who are you then?
“Let’s go home.” Theo held out his hand.
Aveline looked down at his waiting hand.
Home.
The word felt strange.
I spent most of my life travelling to avoid it.
Theo’s smile was so genuine that it made something flutter in the pit of her stomach.
Whether it was excitement or nerves, Aveline couldn’t tell.
But she took his hand anyways.
❀
Another thing that Aveline found strange, was the Paxmouth tradition of welcoming the king back.
Granted it was no quiet matter that their king was getting married (for the fourth time) and the citizens seemed accustomed to royal spectacle.
Aveline was on horseback – Theo’s majestic inky stallion called Tiny – with him seated behind her and holding the reins.
The ride through the forest was serene and calm, great for Aveline’s nerves.
She thought they were taking a shortcut or a hidden route to Theo’s estate, but she was wrong.
“Welcome back Your Majesty!” A woman cried from her window as she threw roses at the couple.
She was uneasy but still took it to not be rude.
“What a lovely pair! Many wishes for your marriage!” Chuckled an elderly couple as they watched from their porch.
Giggling children ran alongside Tiny as they sang a rhyme.
‘Tales from the wishing well,
Tales to tell.
The king’s bride went to hell,
He searched and searched under a spell.
Lovers lie and painful farewells,
The truth they must tell!’
Aveline tried not to let it show on her face that she was intrigued by the song.
Ever since she grew closer to Theo, her fears of being dead wife number four had dissipated.
How ominous…
She made a mental note to ask Wren about the riddle and confront Theo about the marriages once and for all.
Another bouquet dropping into her lap reminded Aveline where she was.
Practically parading through the town and getting showered with rose petals.
I should smile, right?
These people are here for us.
They’re so welcoming.
But the song fostered a sense of unease inside of her.
What does it mean?
How long have they been singing that?
Aveline was so deep in her thoughts that she failed to realise that they stopped moving.
Tiny huffed and stomped his hooves to a stop in front of a grand stone door.
A stable boy took hold of the horse for Theo to dismount.
The action almost made Aveline flinch in fear that he would strained his shoulder more – but he was fine.
With her hands full, it was a struggle to get down, so her husband swooped her in one arm to bring Aveline beside him.
He can pick me up with one arm?
How strong is he?
“T-thanks.” Aveline bowed her head and pretended to smell the roses.
She felt jittery for some reason.
The children’s rhyme looped in her mind.
The king’s bride went to hell…
Something about that line made her uneasy.
The moment the doors opened, Aveline understood why.
The doors led to a courtyard with a decorative pool in the middle.
In front of it stood a woman dressed in finery that rivalled Astra’s wardrobe.
Her hair was slicked under a white silk veil and that matched the monotone robes.
Her vibrant emerald eyes scrutinised Aveline.
Her complexion was a deep honey-brown, uncommon in Farren but not unfamiliar to Aveline.
The woman looked like a blooming lily.
“Greetings Wife Number Four.” Her voice was sonorous as she took in the newcomer.
Who is this woman?
“I am wife number three.”
Aveline’s heart dropped.
The roses fell from her hands.
You’re supposed to be dead…
Her legs shook as she struggled to stand.
Theo’s familiar arms wrapped around her waist to hold her up.
Aveline looked at him.
You were supposed to be my husband.
Ah what’s happened here?
Will Aveline ever get to the bottom of the wife mystery?