Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Seventy-Six: Blinding

"Hard to imagine that she was seen as the towns devil at times like this," I muttered. Nasuada got a grim expression on her face while Tolme looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Tolme asked.

"Fen was named for her eyes," I explained. "she was born with two different colored eyes, and the townspeople thought she was the demon Grifen, reincarnated. So they named her Grifen and treated her like dirt underneath their boots."

"It's a wonder she turned out to be so happy." Nasuada murmured. "but I wonder if there is any lasting damage that might come back to haunt her."

"I can only hope that she forgets," I replied. "I can only hope that she forgets."

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That night, I tucked Fen into bed in a room that was across from Murtagh's and I's, before checking on Selene.

"She's out like a light," Murtagh muttered quietly as I ran my fingers along her warm cheek. "today has been an exciting day for her."

"It's been exciting for me too," I replied as I scratched the back of my neck. "I'm exhausted, but I still need to bathe from our ride here."

"Well if you're that tired, can I be of service?" I stopped short on my way to the bathroom. I twisted around with a smirk.

"Considering we are technically going to be married in a few short weeks, I think you can go without seeing me a little longer." I teased. Murtagh groaned lightly as I entered the bathroom and shut the door with a soft giggle.

It had been months since we had been naked in each others company, and during those months, I had been working hard to get rid of the sagging parts of my body leftover from my pregnancy. It hadn't taken much effort on my part since we grew a lot of our food. Working in the field wasn't easy.

Pulling off my shirt, trousers, and corset, and stood in front of the mirror with my hands on my hips. I had accomplished what I wanted, the sagging skin had tightened back up, but the curves I had gained from getting pregnant still clung to my hips like frost in late fall.

Growling in slight annoyance, I focused on the stretch marks that marred my stomach. No amount of exercise would get rid of those. Well, there was no use in moaning over things I couldn't change.

I muttered the water spell and filled the tub up before bringing it to a temperature that was hot enough to be comfortable but not hot enough to burn my skin.

Stepping into the water, I let out a sigh and rested my head on the rim of the tub. We came to make sure everything was alright, and now we were getting married. I covered my face and let out a soft groan.

Officially married. I had been promised to Murtagh for almost two years, yet the idea that I would end up a married woman never entirely occurred to me. We lived together, had a daughter together, shared a bed, yet my mind had not acknowledged that I would eventually become a wife.

Dragging my fingers down my face, I took in a deep breath and found my resolve. We had already been living like man and wife, what difference would it make when all marriage was, was a binding agreement.

"It is not like anything will change, Mal," I told myself before grabbing the bar of floral soap. "Nothing will change between us, nothing."

I scrubbed my skin free of any sweat and dirt, and baby slobber that had accumulated before rinsing my body and wrapping a plush towel around my chest. Tying the towel off, I grabbed a comb and worked on my hair until it was fully untangled and lay flat against my back.

I changed into the white nightgown and tied the strings up to my collarbones, smirking at myself in the mirror. Murtagh certainly would not like how covering this nightgown was. The poor man... I snickered to myself.

"He'll get over it," I told myself before leaving the bathroom. The first thing I did was check on Selene. She was curled up in her bassinet, dead to the world. Leaving Selene to her dream world, I walked around the corner to see Murtagh propped up in bed, book in hand.

"Any peep from Fen?" I asked as I walked over to the other side of the bed and pulled back the covers.

"No, she, like Selene, is exhausted," Murtagh replied as I climbed into the bed. Murtagh raised his left elbow so I could wiggle under it and snuggled up to his chest. He lowered his elbow back down, so it rested against my side.

"You know, no one has asked for your input," I mumbled, Murtagh, laughed lightly as he started to run his fingers through my damp hair.

"As long as your happy, I'm happy."

"I'd have been happy marrying you in a pair of trousers," I replied as drowsiness set in.

"I have no doubt, my love," Murtagh said softly. Closing my eyes, I fell asleep to the soft beats on the beat of his heart and the light touch of his fingers running through my hair.