The Inured Villainess

Chapter 20

"I know, I have seen her before." He replies with little interest. "If it isn't too much, I will be taking the Queen now. The knights will escort you out."

Dilana places a hand on her mouth, holding back her amusement. "I see, don't let me stop you." She lets out a small laugh as Kyrell takes my hand leading me away.

I just stay quiet. He's seen her before and hasn't said anything. He should be head-over-heels in love with her, but he barely spared her a glance.

What's wrong?

Did I mess something up?

"Kyrell, why did we leave Dilana like that?" I ask as he continues to drag me along into the palace.

"I promised that I would buy you a new wardrobe, did I not?" He doesn't look back at me as he talks.

"Wardrobe? You interrupted by time with Dilana for clothes?"

"You spent enough time with her, now it is my turn." He says in a matter of fact way.

His lover stood in his way to spend time with me? How does that make any sense?

He sat me on the couch in the dressing room of the palace. Rows and rows of dresses were out for display.

"We'll start with these and make our way through them." He tells the tailor. He's good at ordering people around. Very leader-like material.

I tried on a pink dress with ruffles that ascended down.

"You look gorgeous." His eyes didn't stop wandering over my body. He was leaned back on the couch, arms crossed along his wide chest.

He turns to the tailor. "We'd like this one. Make sure it is tailored to her size, it looks too loose on her."

He was serious with every word.

I didn't say anything, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop him. Once he is like this, no one can.

I tried on another, a red one this time.

I twirl in its large skirt. "This one matches your eyes," I say as I spin.

"This one too."

I stop, putting my hands on my hips. "Are you going to order all of them?"

"If I want to, yes, I will." He doesn't budge.

I sigh, sitting next to him. "You know that you don't have to do this. I can go buy my own dresses."

"I know, but I want to see you wear dresses that I chose. Besides, is it so wrong to want to spend time with you?" His red eyes bore into mine.

If I could, I would make him mine right now. How can he say those words so casually? I could feel my heart fluttering.

"I just find it odd that you don't have anything better to do than watch me change clothes." I stand back up. "Now, which dress is your next victim."

"That one." He pointed to a black strapless dress that was on the risqué side.

I sighed and got back to work.

*****

I probably tried on a thousand dresses. Kyrell never seemed to relent, making me try on every dress that dared be in his sight.

After a comforting bath I was getting ready to sleep in our bed— it's odd to call it that but I don't know what else to say.
It's not his room anymore so I guess it is ours.

"I saw that you were knitting this earlier. What is it?" Kyrell asks, sitting next to me on the bed.

"I started a scarf for Alastair. It may still be spring, but winter comes quickly." I watch as he inspects it.

"For Alastair?" His name sounded weird when he said it.

"Yes. That poor prince has been through so much. I'm just trying to be a good mother when he wasn't able to have one." I play with the hem of my gown. "How was the previous queen?"

I don't know much about her. So she makes me curious. Was she some that Kyrell liked? He had a child with her, so surely he liked her.

His hands tightened around the knitted fabric.

"She wasn't someone I liked. I was forced to marry her without a say in it. All the nobles agreed and I was young so I had to follow. She was nice at first. I thought that I wouldn't mind being married to her. But she—" He pauses dramatically, his face holding anger.

"She used me for an heir, drugged me when I didn't let her. I was angry at what she did but I couldn't do anything, I had no power as a cursed king. Soon after I discovered she was pregnant, passing away in childbirth because Alastair bore the curse as well."

A tear fell down my left cheek, it seems to be happening a lot lately. "I'm sorry. And I tried to do so many horrible things to you. I didn't know that this happened."

"Of course, you didn't know. I don't blame you for any of it. Don't cry, it's in the past." He brushes away my tears, cupping my face.

I place my hands on his that rests on my face. "I hope the Goddess Lucia blesses you with a love that doesn't compare to all the torture you have been through. If anyone deserves a happy ending it is you, Kyrell."

I don't want him to die, to suffer seeing his lover being killed before his eyes. He has already been through enough, why does this world keep torturing him like this.

"You too, Estella. May she bless you also because I know that she has already blessed me." His head falls forward, resting on my right shoulder.

I didn't understand his words. But I didn't say anything, just enjoying each other's comfort.