I couldn't imagine that the maiden bathing in my room was a whole other person. The woman from my dreams was a winning Queen; the one in my reach was only a girl that thought of herself as a war prisoner.

And the worst part of all: it was my fault. I had killed my Queen when I decided to conquer Polis and bring her to the capital.

I didn't know that yet; I needed time to understand it. I wasn't ready to face my mistakes, not when Thea was so close to me.

So, I just read that book... Or I pretended to read for as long as it took my wife to finish her bath.

She got out of the tub and started drying herself. I couldn't turn yet, as I had to continue reading. I had to keep my thoughts wandering. If I tried to focus on anything, it would have been my wife.

And my wife was standing naked a few steps from me.

«Open the wardrobe, the right panel,» I informed her when she stopped moving and supposedly started gazing around in search of clothes.

She gasped in surprise when she saw the gowns, and she chose one, fast and precise. I didn't need to check to know it was the darkest in colour. Not too different from the one on the floor not far from the door.

Thea wore clean clothes in less than a minute, while I wondered if the fact that I had prepared everything for her arrival would scare more than reassure her.

She didn't seem to think much into it, thankfully. She just wore the dress and looked at her reflection in the mirror on the wardrobe's door.

«You can wear what you want if you don't get out of this part of the Palace. When you get to the court, though, you'll have to wear Ethirians clothes,» I added.

It was better to avoid attracting too much attention.

She could become a fashion icon the following year. The first priority was settling down and adapting to her new life. For the moment being, it was better to keep a low profile.

She didn't even need to walk out of that wing of the Palace, but it didn't seem right to forbid it. She was my wife, not a servant or a prisoner. I didn't have any right to order her around.

Also, I couldn't stay with her for the following days, I had to travel out of the capital. If I had known about the marriage before asking his majesty for some task to absolve for the following week...

«From tomorrow, the maids will help you with clothes and hairstyle. Is it all right?»

I couldn't leave her alone, yet she didn't have any friends in Ethiro yet.

I needed to introduce her to Martia sooner so that they could pass some time together. My sister wouldn't let anyone attack Thea without reacting.

«I don't think my opinion has any value,» my wife replied while starting to get dressed.

I didn't know how to answer that, and I couldn't turn yet because she was dressing.

When the next knock was heard, at eight sharp, I glanced just to check that my wife was ready. She had worn a black gown and was rubbing her hair with the towel.

I could open the door to the servants bringing dinner.

She reached a corner and sat there, pretending to be focused on her wet hair. She passed her eyes on me only once and immediately returned her focus on her locks.

Drying her hair was going to take forever. There wasn't any warm breeze like in Polis, so she had to rub the towel for quite some time.

Also, she was unhappy. She didn't want to reach the table on her own decision, and it was my job to convince her.

Too bad that I didn't know how to start. I hadn't ever needed to lure someone to a set table, not even Martia. Which words should be used in such a case?

«Are you hungry?» I inquired, and she didn't answer.

She was hungry, indeed.

There was no way she wasn't. They didn't deliver her any food for a whole day.

But she was also proud and stubborn. She couldn't refuse food, yet she couldn't accept it. So, she just kept silent, considering how to move.

There was a possibility that she wouldn't decide to eat. And it was something I didn't want to allow.

«Well, I'm starving.» I shrugged.

Thank goodness I had thought about that possibility even when I didn't know what the Emperor's plans were. A starving Thea was going to be taken care of even without the marriage in place.

Even her obstinacy couldn't win against her weak point.

I filled my plate with some food and revealed the main course. Chicken.

There was no way my wife would have been able to resist the scent of one of her favourite plates.

In fact, she stared at the table, biting her lower lip and gulping. Yet, she didn't get up from her place.

Oh, my stubborn Thea. Not even chicken could convince you to accept my care?

After pondering for a second or two, I reached out for the drumstick. I started eating, pretending not to be observing my wife's reaction.

Thea stared at me for a whole minute while a tough battle went on in her brain. Her eyes almost glared at me, for I dared to touch her part of the meat. Oh, I didn't need to turn to see her expression.

Her tenacity was telling her to stay where she was. Her stomach was asking her to walk towards the table. Her throat wanted to taste the chicken, but her heart was still accepting her new situation.

If she decided not to eat, I would have tried convincing her. I would have thrown away my aloof mask.

But I was lucky. Thea decided on her own and sat in front of me.

She glanced at me and then looked at her plate as if sharing a meal with me was admitting defeat.