The Cursed Kingdom

THIRTY-ONE

I could practically hear my aching muscles cheer and sigh in relief as the warm water welcomed my body. He was right. It was absolutely perfect.

"Thank you," I hummed and cupped some water in my hands before bringing it to my face, making sure to focus on my eyes.

The day old makeup came off a lot easier than I'd imagined and I wouldn't have been surprised if the bubbles were enchanted, having heard of such things being used regularly by noble human women who liked to keep their skin as pure as possible to avoid blemishes and aging.

If this is the kind of treatment I get every time we have sex, I'll never go a day without it, I thought as if I needed any other encouragement other than Henrik himself to jump into his bed again.

I'd never bathed for pleasure before. Had never considered it an option.

In Amaryllus, the poverty levels made it so I could only bathe once a week in a four foot long metal bucket located in a secluded section of Oriana's neighbor's barn, a kind old gentleman whose wife and kids had all died of the same illness years before I was born. I was positive it was used out in the pastures to hold water for the animals but it did its job for me alright, which I knew was the most important thing.

It was the long process that truly made it more stressful for me that pleasing. I would have to get up early in the morning, drag the water up from a nearby stream, and boil it over a fire to purify it before I could ever dump it in. I would do this about three times before I could finally submerge myself and by the time I did that, the water was too cold to be enjoyable and my legs would uncomfortably cramp up against the sides. Sometimes I would give up and settle for one bucket full of water, using a rag to wash my body with and the remaining freezing water to dump over my head so I could clean my hair.

Henrik kneeled down beside the tub, sticking a hand in the water and swirling it around once to check its temperature, and said, "You do understand that we don't have to mate for me to run a bath for you, correct?" He chuckled and my eyes snapped open, my body stiffening while my heart began moving way too fast. He leaned closer, hot breath tickling my mark. "Perhaps next time I could join you."

I barely heard his last sentence at all.

He can hear my thoughts? My stomach dropped in shock and a hint of fear.

Yes, he can, Henrik's voice sounded from deep within me, from the same place that his mental wall had been just moments ago. I nearly leapt straight out of the water, so completely astounded by how his being seemed to caress and surround me like an invisible embrace. And you can hear mine.

I leaned away from him so I could face him easier, feeling my whole body fill with anxiety. "Is that permanent?" I asked. In truth, I was fearful just how far this new bond between us went. Could he watch my memories too? The idea of him being able to see my plans and past desires to escape terrified me to the core of my existence. There were other things that an average person would've deemed meager or stupid that I didn't wish for him to see either, sentimental moments I'd spent with my friends and mom. Those, to me, were especially private and I didn't want anyone to see through my eyes or experience what I felt, whether good or bad. Not even Henrik. "What if I'm doing something private? What if—"

"Mate," Henrik said and I forced my lips together. "You can block me out if that is what you wish; however, I only ask you to do that as minimally as possible for safety purposes. If it wasn't for the slight bond between us already at the time, I wouldn't have been able to sense your fear when you began your menstrual cycle and you probably would've been in a lot of pain for a long while. I know it seems daunting at first but I will only look at what you allow me to."