The Apathetic Knight

Chapter 7 - Kynareth

Chapter 7 – Kynareth

Seryn stirred at my side, still holding my hand even as the ceremony began.

The king paused for a moment, before asking him—quietly—what he thought he was doing.

"My master asked me to remain by her side for the entirety of the day," he said softly, barely above a whisper. "She told me that it would comfort her."

The king looked offended and it seemed like he was about to protest, when Prince Cinder shocked me, holding up his hand to stop his father.

"Leave him," the prince said, his voice firm. "If he is a comforting presence to her and eases her, who am I, as her groom, to deny her?"

The king hesitated, but smiled awkwardly. "So be it, then."

Seryn stepped down a step, but remained at my side and holding my right hand the entire time.

The king had us recite our vows that were, thankfully, short and concise and to the point. No frilly emotional tirade, no acting like this was a love match.

I was grateful.

Then, he was tying our left hands together with a golden rope, before he had us put rings on one another's ring fingers and proclaimed that we were married and could kiss.

The crowned prince lifted my veil out of my hair, handing it to the king, before he leaned forward, pressing a fast, half-committed peck to my lips that I hardly registered.

My feelings, despite not being in love with him, we're a bit hurt that my wedding kiss was so coarse. Even the crowd seemed a bit confused by the terse action, but cheered anyway.

Then, the king presented a beautiful, sky-blue velvet pillow that held a beautiful, stunning tiara there.

The Crowned Prince lifted it, before he situated it onto the top of my head into my hair. He turned us to face forward, holding my left hand in his, and held our hands into the air.

The room erupted into cheer, but I glanced at my brother, who-though clapping-held a bitter expression on his face. The room emptied out to the ball-room, where a large banquet, as well as a large and luxurious bed, awaited us.

My legs shook and I moved stiffly as he led me to the bed, even as people loaded up plates of food and my stomach growled.

He gestured a hand out to the bed, motioning for me to sit, before he glanced at Seryn.

Then, he glanced at me again, speaking quietly to me. "Do you wish him to stay at your side for this too, 'wife'?" He asked, a bit of a scoff to his tone.

Irritation fluttered under my surface, but also apprehension at his disrespectful tone.

This marriage would surely never work. What could I even look forward to?

As Seryn had told me earlier that day, I was just going to have to pull off the bandage and deal with the pain to get it over with...because I had no choice.

I only hoped that my heart would survive it.

I gulped, but gave a stiff nod. "If you will allow it."

He glanced up at Seryn, who was looking away, but still holding my hand.

He chuckled, looking back at me. "You know what? I will allow it, if it comforts you that much. Though, that won't get you out of this," he said, amused. He glanced around the room, before meeting my eyes again. "You and I had better get this finished, then, so we can be left in peace, hm?" He asked.

I gave a nod, and he scoffed, motioning for me to scoot back on the bed.

"Get settled, then, and I will get this finished. Aren't you lucky? You don't even have to do anything. I will do all the hard work."

I couldn't respond to his hateful words, said in that hateful tone, as I scooted back onto the bed.

Being sure that my hand never let go of Seryn's, I got to a spot where he could stand comfortably beside the bed but hold my hand at the same time. He stood just outside of the sheer curtain, facing away from us, but he made sure to keep a hold on my hand.

Everyone around us whispered and found this quite odd and particular, thinking it was a bit inappropriate, but I didn't care.

My heart began pounding when the prince had me lay beneath him, pressing a noncommittal kiss to my lips, and he met my eyes.

"You really do look beautiful today," he said softly. "I was almost impressed. Definitely surprised."

I took in his sleek, beautiful black hair, and his golden-green eyes. His rich skin. He was handsome, even if I hated him, and even if he hated me.

"You looked handsome," I whispered. "You look handsome," I corrected.

He scoffed, chuckling a bit, though he looked indifferent. "Thank you, I guess. You know well enough that the servants are the ones who dressed me, I didn't make an effort on your behalf or anything. I have to look the part."

Pain speared me.

There were no concessions made. No kindness. Nothing but hatefulness.

Tears stung my eyes for an instant, thinking of my future.

Sure, I would have everything I needed, financially and monetarily. I would have all the possessions I could ever dream of, and I would rule this nation.

My father was right; I would have respect—the respect of the nation, if nothing else.

Likely not even that, with the truth behind my origins, though, knowing my luck.

No, my father had things completely wrong. I wouldn't be respected. I would be looked down upon, unwanted, isolated, and unloved.

Just like at home.

The only difference was, that Astaroth would no longer be there to buffer the hatred and soothe my pains.

He would no longer be there to give me the affection and love I desperately needed to survive my shameful existence.

I brought my attention back to the prince as he glanced at my hand, still held by Seryn, and then glanced at my gown. "How about we forego completely undressing you?" He asked. "I don't think he intends to release your hand, and I don't want to rip up your pretty dress. And, to be honest, I am not worried about seeing you bare."

My cheeks burned. Even Astaroth had undressed his bride, and given much affection and tenderness to her body.

Even though he hadn't wanted to marry her...

Would I not have that same consideration?

I must not be worthy of it...So, I nodded. "We can lift it if we need to, your highness."

He gave a tight nod, lifting the gown to bunch up at my hips, and I flinched as I felt the cool air of the ballroom hit my lower regions.

Without any preamble, without any touching or foreplay, without any kindness on his part at all, he quickly undid my underwear. He glanced at me, taking me in, before he glanced up at my face.

"This might hurt," He warned me.

I was about to ask, but he had already freed himself of his pants, and he put himself up to my entrance, shoving into me without having even touching me anywhere else.

I gasped, shrieking out in pain as he forced his way into me, and I clenched my entire body, sobbing into something that I had bitten into.

I hadn't seen him, hadn't gotten to know how big he was or what his shape looked like, but it felt like he had ripped me in two.

I also felt a throbbing, stabbing pain in the side of my hand, and I gasped, looking down...only to see that I had bitten into the side of Seryn's hand.

As our bloodied-sheet was removed from beneath the prince and I, I desperately whispered out apologies to my knight even as tears ran down my face. Seryn simply shook his head, refusing to look back at us.

The prince didn't take any time to let me adjust, and as soon as he was able to get back to what he was doing, he began moving within my body even as I continued crying.

I threw my head back, looking up at Seryn's back, desperately trying to imagine that I was anywhere else.

"Please..." I whispered, and I saw Seryn glance over his shoulder at me. He looked away again, but he lifted our joined hands to my face, wiping my tears away with the back of his hand.

As I could feel the pace pick up and the cheering increase, sensing the end was near, I gripped Seryn's hand for dear life, whispering pleas for Cinder to hurry, before I felt him grow a little bit more inside of my body, and I startled as I felt him twitching even as a strange warmth began to push into me.

I gasped, looking down at our joined bodies, and the bloody mess there, looking away just as quickly. I met Cinder's eyes, and he looked a bit guilty when he glanced down at our lower halves.

Our bodies had finally stopped moving, and I felt him growing softer inside my body.

He sighed, whispering an empty apology into my ear before he stood. A servant brought him a wet cloth, and he wiped himself off before he wiped a good portion of the blood off of my thighs. Then, he put his pants back on, and as people came up to congratulate him and cheer him on, Seryn helped me sit up wordlessly as a group of maids rushed over to me.

"Take the princess to her chambers," he told the maids. "And bring her a good meal. She needs to get some rest."

Seryn pulled my dress back down to cover the c*****e there, before he lifted me into his arms.

I glanced around the room as he followed the maids, carrying me away, before I caught sight of my family.

My father looked horrified, my brother looked as if he would be physically ill, his wife looked shaken...even mother looked on in horror.

I was right...that had been a horror show.

I remembered how my brother had been with his bride, how careful and sweet he had been to her, how much he had prepared her...

This hadn't been anything like that.

Fresh tears stung my eyes, and I turned my face into Seryn's chest plate as he carried me through the palace to our new chambers.

When we got to my chambers, the maids already had a meal and a bath prepared for me, but were surprised when Seryn stepped between them and me.

"My lady is...feeling particularly vulnerable and upset at the moment. I would appreciate it, on her behalf, if you would allow me to attend her needs tonight. She has, as you saw in there, every right to be devastated."

The maids glanced at one another with timid, distressed expressions.

"Of course," one said, bowing. "That was...that was rough," she whispered. "I am sorry, your highness," she said to me, bowing, before they all scurried out of the room.

When they were gone, Seryn—still holding my hand, even through all this—turned to me. "May I touch you?" I flinched, thinking of the pain between my legs. "Of course, I don't mean that way," he assured me. "I mean...may I change, bathe and feed you...?"

I nodded my permission, and he carefully undid the ties of my gown and corset, letting it slide to the floor, before he unpinned my sweaty hair, undoing the braiding and setting the tiara to the side.

He pulled me over to the tub and lifted me gently before he sat me into the warm water, and he took his time soaping up a sponge and wiping down my body, trying to only skitter over the breast area and my rear end. He allowed me to clean my privates myself, and I flinched and groaned at the pain there.

"I never thought about that," he whispered softly. "When you made me your knight...I hadn't imagined that I would be able to feel it when you..." he clenched his eyes shut, flinching. "That...it hurt so badly," he said. "I can't imagine how it felt first hand."

I smiled. "You are kind," I whispered.

He helped me wash my hair, before he got me finished and dried, dressed in a fresh nightgown, and he toweled off my hair and brushed it out for me.

Then, he led me to my bed, and I looked around, noting that all of my books and my other items had been set up very much the same that they had been at home.

Also, like at home, there was a room adjoined to mine, where my personal knight would be staying with me.

Seryn had me lean back against a mountain of pillows, before he took a bite of each of my food items, checking it for me. After a few moments of waiting, and feeling assured that it was safe, Seryn lifted a bite up for me.

I sighed, not really in the mood to eat, but I knew that he had been a saint to me that day by holding my hand the entire time despite how much he must not have wanted to. I decided to reward his dedication by eating at least a little bit of a meal.

He fed me about half of the meal, before I couldn't stand to eat anymore.

"Please, summon someone to bring you a meal and eat something," I asked him. "You haven't eaten today, either."

He chuckled. "I will shortly," he told me. "I will wait until you are asleep."

I nodded, satisfied with that. "Do you promise?"

"I promise." He helped me drink a sip of water, before he helped me lie down. He brought me a heated pouch of water, my brother's letter, and the scarf he had made for me, and I clutched those to me as I felt the heated pouch placed between my legs, against my privates.

I relaxed, feeling the heat take away the tension from the muscles, and I sighed as I slipped into a deep, well-earned sleep.

I awoke, sometime during the night, to hear voices whispered beside of me.

I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but after a few minutes, I heard a door click closed.

I felt the bed shift beneath me as Seryn sighed, leaning back against the headboard beside of me.

I turned over to face him, still in pain, clutching his tunic in my hands as I drew closer to his warmth. I let out a pained, shuttering breath, trying to get back into the blissful relief of sleep.

I heard a soft movement, and felt him stroking my hair. "That is right, my lady, I am here."

I didn't respond...I simply basked in the comfort that his presence and vigilance over me brought.

*

Morning came soon enough, and Seryn woke me sometime around nine in the morning, and helped me get dressed in a relatively simple gown, and put my hair up into a loose, messy bun.

"I apologize that I am not skilled with hair, my liege."

I giggled. "It is alright. I am dressed for comfort, anyhow, I have no one I am trying to impress."

He smiled. "Alice will be arriving later today," he informed me. "I asked the prince to have her move to the palace on your behalf."

"You truly think of my wishes first," I praised. "What a capable knight you are, thank you for your amazing consideration."

He gave a nod. "Think nothing of it, your highness."

I flinched, but he didn't correct himself. "I...I am not fond of the title."

"I should address you properly, though, your highness. You are no longer the daughter of a duke, but rather the wife of the Crowned Prince. It is my duty to call you by the correct terminology."

I sighed. "I know that you're right..." I said.

That didn't mean that I wanted to be here, I thought in my mind.

"Speaking of, your highness..." He sighed. "The crowned prince has informed me that he will be attending meal times with you from now onwards. He wished for you to be informed beforehand, so that you could be at least forewarned. It is the king's order, and he seemed just as unenthusiastic as I imagine you to be at the news."

I gave a nod. "I see." I glanced out the double-doors that led out to my own personal terrace. "What time will breakfast be served?"

"Whenever you are prepared, your highness. The prince is already waiting."

I startled. "What?" I gaped at him, standing. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? He'll be further angered by me if I make him wait! Please, please make sure I'm prepared before he has to wait next time?" I asked, rushing to the bed and tugging on the rope to summon someone.

"His highness was the one who actually insisted that you have plenty of time to rest and relax without his presence so that you would be more at ease. He said that you could summon him at your leisure, as long as you summoned him before the meal time had passed completely...which would be ten."

"It is nine now, isn't it?" I asked, and he nodded. "I thought so. Well, I need to go ahead and get this under way, then. I am sure he wishes to dine with me about as much as I wish to dine with him..."

A group of maids came in, carrying trays of food and milk, and they scurried out of the way as the crowned prince strode into the room, hardly sparing me a glance as he sat down at my personal sitting table, large enough for several people to sit and eat comfortably.

Seryn pulled my chair out for me, scooting it under me as I sat and getting me situated into place, before he stood behind me and to my right.

Even as the prince's personal guard taste-tested his food before slipping back out of the room, Seryn did the same for my own food. After making sure that there was no poison, he returned to his post.

Finally, Prince Cinder looked at me, observing me. "Why are you waiting? Eat," he said, and I took a shaky breath as I took a small bite of bacon.

Though bacon wasn't a food I cared for, of course the kitchen was not yet aware of my food preferences, so I would need to be sure to make someone aware.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Cinder asked.

I startled, glancing down at my plate. I hesitated.

"Would you have me speak freely, husband?" I asked, and he gave a firm nod. "I am... quite sore..." I said softly.

"I see..." He said, contemplating this. He glanced over to a servant nearby. "Prepare a strong, non-drowsy painkiller for her highness," he instructed. "And be sure to send for the royal physician. I wish to have her inspected before I leave."

The maid bowed and rushed out of the room, and I glanced down at my plate again, picking at it and taking a bite of eggs.

"Is the food not to your liking?" Cinder asked, and I glanced up at him. "Inform the staff of any preferences you have, and I will ensure that you are taken care of."

I glanced over my shoulder at Seryn, and he bowed at the waist. "My lady is not fond of bacon, your highness. It nauseates her."

The prince startled a bit. "I see," he said. He met my eyes. "Is there anything you prefer to have for breakfast?" He asked.

I clenched my eyes closed. "I..." My throat was sore.

"Her throat hurts, your highness," Seryn spoke. "I apologize for interrupting."

The prince sighed. "I suppose she did cry quite a lot," he said, soft. "I... understand."

"I...like sausage," I said, my voice cracking a little as my throat throbbed. "I enjoy potato dishes and eggs as well...but my favorite breakfast food is sweets. I am allergic to nuts," I said, my throat strained.

He snapped his fingers to the butler, who jotted down this information, before he looked to me again. "Thank you for informing me," he said. "Contrary to what you may believe, I do not hate you, wife. I do not wish for you to have an unpleasant life here. I may not like you, but I am not so cruel."

I looked up, meeting his eyes, hesitating. "Thank you, your highness."

"Do you have any other allergies? Do you have preferences on soups?"

"I am allergic to venison," I said. "I prefer fish and poultry to red meats. And I enjoy tomato soup the best."

He nodded as the butler wrote down the information. "Ensure that a gentle tomato soup is prepared to help soothe her throat," he said, glancing at the butler. "And make sure that the chef does not put nuts into the soup as he normally would. The recipe with the nuts must be changed to accommodate this."

"Of course, your highness."

The prince glanced at me again. "Is there anything else?"

"I do not like shrimp," I said. "I enjoy crab meat, but I dislike oysters, mussels, scallops, snails, and cephalopods."

The butler wrote down the information. "Thank you, your highness. We will take proper care for your meals."

"Thank you very much," I said, smiling at him. The butler seemed very diligent.

There was a knock on the door as I was finishing my eggs and toast, the remainder of my bacon untouched, and I drank down my milk as the maids opened the door.

A physician walked in, giving a bow. "I am here to examine you, your highness," he said to me. "My nurse will take notes."

We walked over to the bed, and the doctor inspected my body thoroughly, before he had my lower half covered, and the prince stood by his side as he examined my private areas.

"Oh, goodness," the doctor said, sounding concerned. "I will need to prescribe some antiseptics and medication to help fight infection...she is torn."

"Torn...?" The prince whispered, horrified.

The doctor gave him a quick, nervous glance. "It seems you were a bit too thorough in the deflowering, highness. She is injured. She will need to wait until the tear and the bruising is completely healed before you are active with her again."

"A-again?" I choked, clutching my chest.

"Well, yes, princess," the nurse said, looking at me. "It is a wife's duty to provide heirs for her husband...especially the royal family. You will need to have intercourse often until you are with child."

I began to tremble, the room spinning. "I...I can't..." I gasped, and Seryn bowed beside of my head, resting his forehead against my own, comforting me as he stroked my hair. Tears rushed down my face, and he brought his handkerchief up to wipe them away as I sniffled, thinking about how much it had hurt the first time.

"It won't hurt so much the more you do it!" The nurse giggled. "It only hurt so much because it was the first time."

There seemed to be no room for me to respond, to tell her that I didn't want to be intimate with the Crown Prince even if it wasn't painful in the future, but they fixed my gown back into place and left the room.

A different nurse came in with a little slip of folded paper, holding white powder mixed with crushed herbs in one hand, and in the other hand, she held a tub of ointment.

She had me take the medication, and set to putting ointment on my battered private areas. The doctor returned a few minutes later, carrying another medicine slip.

"This will help fight infection. The ointment the maid applied has antiseptic properties as well as healing agents. You will feel better in no time, your highness," he grinned at me, giving a bow. "It is an honor to be of help. Please seek me out should you need assistance." Then, he left.

I relaxed a bit, curling up in bed, hugging a pillow. "Please excuse me, my prince...I would like to rest." I sniffled, feeling sobs coming up from my chest as the nurse's words rung through my mind yet again.

I'd have to be intimate with him again...even if I didn't want to.

He gave a nod. "Of course." He turned, leaving the room without another word, and I released the pent-up breath I'd been holding in.

"Do you need anything, my liege?" Seryn asked.

"Not at the moment," I whispered. "I...do feel a bit better. The medicine is taking affect. Since I am not in pain, I would like to get a nap in before the next meal time."

"That is a good idea," he said.

"I would like to nap in the sun," I said, and he smiled at me. I had often napped on a blanket in the sun back at home, basking in the heat of the sunlight. He gave a nod, and took a blanket out to the terrace.

He returned, helping me outside, and had me lay on a luxurious lounge chaise, laying on the blanket he had laid on top of it, and gave me a pat on the back before he took a seat in a chair nearby, looking out over the massive estate grounds as I slipped into a light sleep, enjoying the birds singing and the sun shining.