Chapter 31: Chapter 31- Friction
Food was delivered and left at the door following a knock. Asmodeus retrieved the tray bringing it to the bedside before waking me.
"Fanariel, love, it's time to wake up to eat." he coaxed.
I stirred slightly unwilling to wake yet. A moment passed before I felt something slide beneath the blankets. A warm hand pressed between my legs making my eyes shoot open.
"Asmodeus!" I yelled. "What do you think you're doing?" I asked in a calmer voice now that he moved his hand out from beneath the covers. He smirked turning to the tray of food before selecting something to feed me.
"Nothing I suppose, I will just have to feed you now that you are awake," he said slyly.
I sat up with my back against the headboard. I flattened the blanket and patted my lap. "You can place the tray here. I can feed myself, thank you." I said.
"I have no doubt that you can feed yourself Fanariel but this is something I want to do for you. So could you please allow me to do so?" he pleaded with a pouty face. Who knew that even a man as intimidating as he, could play so cutely.
I rolled my eyes before opening my mouth wide for him to feed me like a child. He smiled once again feeding me happily. I finished half of the dish before encouraging him to finish off the rest. I stretched my arms above my head yawning to shake the tiredness off.
"What time is it?" I asked sluggishly still feeling exhausted.
"Mid-day," Asmodeus responded coolly.
"Mid-day?" I nearly shouted. "I must get dressed at once, there is still much to do." I said moving the food tray to the side.
Asmodeus took my hand in his pulling me back into bed. "But I want to spend more time with you," he complained softly. "This is the first time I have gotten to spend time with you since our wedding day. Not to mention you left to go into battle without telling me. By the time I did find out I was nearly too late to rescue you. Something that would never have been needed if I was there with you in the first place, might I add." He grumbled on. I turned into his chest to face him looking up innocently to meet his gaze.
"Asmodeus, I promise you from now on I will inform you before I leave again for any battle or other reason. But for now, I truly do need to get up." I finished squirming up to meet his lips. I deepened our kiss making him forget that I was trying to leave. A few seconds in I quickly pushed against his chest and rolled to the side to stand.
His shocked face made me laugh out loud, "I'm sorry, I really must get going now," I said grabbing my robe to put around me. I quickly tied it tightly before making my exit from his room. Shutting the door behind me I exhaled allowing myself to calm from the adrenaline of my hasty departure. After my heart rate calmed back down, I felt a pain rush over me. I stumbled leaning my back against the door bracing myself for a moment. My vision blurred going black for a moment making my head feel heavy. I should have taken my time to get up, but circumstances called differently. I felt a strong hand grab my arm before I could see who it was.
"Fanariel," a concerned voice called out, "are you okay? What happened?" Fraren's familiar voice was drenched in worry and something else I hadn't heard from him before.
"Nothing, nothing." I tried to say to calm him. "I just stood to quickly. Could you help me get to my room please? I need Sylvia to help me dress for the day. I still have much to do and it seems like a little time left to do it."
I went to take a step forward but before I could walk on my own Fraren swooped me up into his arms. He carried me silently to my room walking past Sylvia and placing me on my bed. Before I could speak, he dismissed Sylvia closing the door behind her before returning to my side.
"I will help you dress," he said in a way that I couldn't refuse. I decided to go along with his wishes feeling guilty for dismissing him to spend the night with Asmodeus. The emotions we were all going through were strange and unfamiliar.
Fraren picked out an outfit for me from my wardrobe. He laid it out on top of the bed beside me. I stood untying my robe so that he could help me put my clothes on for the day. My robe landed gently at my feet, and I could instantly feel Fraren's eyes looking me over. He scanned my bare body from head to toe only letting out an air of worry he was holding in after not finding any marks. I knew he thought Asmodeus must have hurt me in some way, so I didn't stop him from checking me over to ease his worry. I didn't want bad blood between Fraren and Asmodeus, nor between any of my husbands. Wanted or not we were all connected now, family in a sort of way.
Fraren picked up my dress to help me in it. I raised my arms to allow him to put it over me. His unskilled hands bunched up the dress getting it stuck halfway down. I giggled saying, "You're just as bad as me when I try to get dressed without Sylvia."
He said, "With time and practice I promise to get better, until then stand still." He let out a low chuckle spinning me around to untuck the back to pull down. Something caught his eye making him freeze in his actions.
"Fraren, hurry up already, what's taking so long?" I asked still laughing at my predicament.
I didn't hear a response which got me worried. "Fraren, what's going on?" I asked squirming to take the dress off. I managed to get it back over my head turning to see what he was doing. He was staring downwards with a look of fury mixed with confusion.
"Fraren,"I asked again taking his hand in mine. My touch seemed to bring him back out of his wondering thoughts. I decided to ask again, "what's the matter?"
"What is that on your back?" he asked slowly.
I froze for a second having forgotten all about it. I walked over to the bathroom in search of a mirror. It took a moment for my eyes to take in the image that replaced my once fair skin. A striking blue color, fluid like lightning, radiated from the center piece. A dark creature, resembling Asmodeus precisely, could be seen as if it were his reflection in a mirror. I let out a gasp now understanding Asmodeus's hesitation. A "small personal design on their back" he said. Personal it was indeed!
I stood there frozen staring at the very permanent looking image on my body. I was unaware of Fraren approaching me until he blocked my view covering me. He dressed me quickly before pulling me back into the bedroom to sit down. His brow was furrowed in deep thought making me forget about my own concern.
"Fraren, are you okay?" I asked nervously.
"Hmm." he hummed in response.
I waited another moment in silence before speaking up again.
"Well, I need to get going..." I tried to say as I went to stand. Fraren quickly grabbed my hand pulling me back down into his embrace.
"Let's stay here a moment longer," he said, his voice full of emotion. I leaned into him allowing him another moment with just the two of us. I knew this was hard on him, it was hard on me too. But for Fraren it must have hit him harder. Knowing that if he had only spoken up sooner about his true feelings then the outcome would have been just the two of us. Fraren held me in silence, the two of us both thinking of what could have been.
I shook my mind from my wondering thoughts urging Fraren to release his hold before taking my leave. I left him alone in my chambers to have a moment to himself. I could tell the mark on me that Asmodeus had left really took a toll on him. I only hoped he could shake himself from his current mental state so that he could quickly return to being the Fraren I know and love.
I distracted myself in my office from my personal matters. My love life may be a wreck right now, but I mustn't allow that to interfere with how I maintain my Empire. With Father stepping down sooner than he needed to, I mustn't let his message to the people get misinterpreted. Even if I feel that I am not completely ready at times to rule, I must never question father's decision. If he believed I was ready, then I am ready. I must face every challenge with my head held high.
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