The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

17 | Dressed

All that, she meant to say and more, but instead, she asked, "Should I get a sword?"

He considered her words and said, "No. This way I don't have to go close."

That answer satisfied her, and she boasted, "And I'll dress whatever you bring back."

He slowed then asked, "Yeah? You know how?"

Vadde scoffed. "If I know how... Of course I do."

Initially, she'd asked Shaza for help but now decided to do it by herself.

All wives kissed their husbands on the mouth as a goodbye so Vadde closed her eyes and pursed her lips. She received a hand patting her forehead for her trouble.

It was better than nothing at all.

Bonn was the first to turn and meet the others and that was when Vadde saw the strangest thing, a thin sheet of metal hung from is shoulders down his back. And not just him. His entire upper body was bare save for that nearly black metal. And everyone had it on their back but not the front.

Wyrn was the only one who wore a light coat, hiding himself.

"What is that?" she asked, nodding at Bonn.

"What?" Wyrn looked up from the quiver of arrows he looped over his shoulder. It fit awkward but held true. "What? The seal?"

"Seal?" Vadde met his gaze, pleading with him to not let her reveal her ignorance with so many people around.

"Iron is the only thing that works against magic. It keeps things from sneaking up on us. Everyone has it. We hardly ever take it off. You just never see it below the shirt. Don't worry, it's not too heavy."

She longed to ask about it—maybe inquire if he had something similar. But how could she? So instead, she stepped aside and allowed him to join the other men. Some came from the village, bringing the numbers to a good fifty.

Soon they were gone. For the entire day, Vadde couldn't think straight until the horns sounded, signaling the men's return. Fear ripped through her with each body that emerged from the woods. She expected to find Wyrn injured, or...or worse due to what she understood from the horns.

But it was Bonn, however, not Wyrn who was carried out. The moment Wyrn emerged, unharmed, Vadde was the only one and she didn't care how it looked, she gathered up her skirt and raced toward him.

He held an animal carcass with his left but caught her around the waist with the right. As was her habit, instead of holding his neck, she pressed her arms against his chest and buried her face in his throat.

The fact that he held her was why she noticed she was shivering.

"You don't have to be scared. I'm with family."

"I wasn't," she lied. Once she caught sight of the dead rabbit, she took it from him and hurried away.

She'd prove herself. No matter what. This was the last thing she needed to learn—dressing the animal carcass.

But she worked hard, and by dinner time, she was more than ready.

Wyrn was taking his hair out when she found him heading to his front door. She grabbed his hands to still his action.

"What?" he asked.

"Leave it in." She stood bold and confident when she said, "I think I'd rather like it if you wore it like that for our first time."

His brows narrowed. He said nothing for so long that she cleared her throat instead.

"So, you've finished with the rabbit?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. And now that I've done all the wifely things expected...." Her face warmed, her entire body warmed, but she was ready, more than ready now. "Then I'd like to consummate...tonight."

He opened his mouth as he twisted free, but she was ready for that and leapt before him.

"Why are you so reluctant? I've checked. And now everyone thinks me strange because when the women bathed together, I stared at literally everyone. They're all uneven!" she shouted, "even your mother's."

Jaw dropped, Wyrn scowled. "Please, stop."

Vadde put her hands on her hips and challenged, "Will you consider my request in earnest?"

During the hunt, a lot of the war paint had fallen off. It still fit him well. A part of her didn't want to wait or give him the chance to change his mind. Maybe she was an inadequate wife in all sense. And she certainly was a cursed princess. But she was also determined.

His pained expression broke her resolve.

"Do you really hate the thought of me so much?"

"No." It came out in a whisper, one he hadn't intended. Finally, he stared at her chest and said, "You're required to stay with me for one year. But you can leave if we don't consummate. You need only set one foot before the other and walk down this hill."

Each word past his lips came with a sense of panic welling up inside her. He was serious. He was more than serious.

Doubt crept into her mind, but she forced it back.

"Very well, if I've failed, then I'll leave tomorrow. And never look back."

The fact that sorrow shaped his expression next did little to take her worry away. At least he was showing some regret for dismissing her.

"You won't need to leave, Princess. I'll deliver you right to your prince's doorstep by the afternoon." His words cut her in two but at least he sounded gentler when he said, "Fine. You clean up and I'll clean up. And I'll redo my hair and after you've shown me your brilliant efforts, I'll...I'll do my best."

She didn't meet his gaze. It was an awful way to say it and it wasn't all that romantic, but she nearly forgave him when he held her face and kissed her on the forehead.

When he went to wash, she let out a held breath and hurried back into the house to double check her dressed rabbit. She couldn't fail in this.

It was set on the table, and she brushed its fur one last time. The ribbons she'd used to tie both ears came courtesy of her favorite dress but it was worth it. The animal still bled but she'd managed to hide the kill wound very well with some flowers, too.

All in all, it was a beautifully 'dressed' thing.

And at least it wasn't cut up. With it being still intact, the prettying of it was rather simple.

She moved from right to left, making sure none of the blood still spilled out. And it smelled but so long as he saw it quickly, she supposed that'd be enough.

"Why in the world would they dress their animal up like this after killing it though?"

No matter, she patted the fur one last time, then pulled her hand back and made a mental reminder to wash extra thoroughly before coming to see the pleased look on Wyrn's face when he saw how pretty she'd made his catch.

For a moment, she debated making a few more bows, or maybe shoes, and perhaps a few flowers by the mouth but that would be too extreme, she decided. No. She needed nothing else.

It was perfect.