Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

We kept with that setting. He kept feeding me portions of his meal. From the fruits to the meats, he kept feeding them to me himself. The second up to the fourth time he spoon-fed it to me, it was embarrassing, but the shame kind of disappeared after a while. It’d be impossible not to get over it because he was actively trying to stop me from thinking about it too much.

Like this one, right after feeding me a piece, he would nod, “How is it?” he asked,

I raised a thumbs up as I chewed, gulping it down before I spoke, “Yes, thank you,” I replied and he hummed as he ate. His spoonfuls were considerably bigger than mine. I should’ve known it would be like this. He’s a big guy, on top of that he has a lot of muscles. Of course, he’ll be piling up on food.

But it’s somewhat surprising, in a good way, that he’s considerate of the cooks back at the castle. They’d really be piling on workload if they tried to cook and prepare this much in one portion for just one meal, three

times a day.

We continued to eat like that; I felt more full than how I’m supposed to be because he kept feeding me his food, and as he was halfway done, the server came back with a clear glass mug filled to the brim with what I would assume as beer.

‘Oh, my gosh—THEY SERVE ALCOHOL!’

Needless to say, I gulped at the sight. I’m no alcoholic, but beer is kind of a staple whenever I and my friends go out. I don’t even drink that much, but I guess it’s just part of the meal back then. I watched how just a few gulps had had that huge glass almost more than half-empty,

He sighed with a smile and wiped the foam on his mouth with the napkin he tucked over his collar and smiled with a satisfied expression, he then looked at me and blinked twice as his gaze shifted between me and the beer, immediately shaking his head,

“No,”

“Just a sip—”

“No, theirs is no way I’d allow that to happen, I doubt you’ll like the taste of it regardless, wife,” he said, setting the mug down,

“My lord, please~ I just want to taste, I’m not going to gulp the whole thing down,” I reasoned. I’m also being wary because beer could be really bad for my health, and I just wanted to try medieval beer, is it as good as the modern ones or is it actually better, I wouldn’t know unless he lets me take a sip.

He huffed with a frown as he hesitantly reached the mug over to me. I took it with both hands. It’s bigger than I initially thought on my hands, I took a small sip. Hm, close enough, there’s definitely something strong in there, kind of like a saturated taste, but it’s bearable. I took another sip until it turned into a full gulp and I felt it being jerked away from my hand,

“A sip, you say?” He asked with a disappointed look as he reached his thumb out to wipe the gathered foam on the top of my lip,

“It… tasted good,” I replied,

He shook his head, “The answer remains, we don’t know how your body will react with this,” he began, slicing another piece of meat for me and I leaned in to bite it as he did, “Especially since we’re far from the castle and therefore, far from your doctors,” he followed and I hummed as I chewed and gulp the piece down,

“Then… could I drink more if we were in the castle?” I asked, and he internally groaned, shutting his eyes as his chest rose and fell from breathing deeply.

“Why are you so intent on drinking, wife?” he asked with a skeptical look.

I just shrugged with a small grin, “Not so much as intent… I just want to drink with you,” I replied. It’s half true.

He huffed as he continued eating. It might be his way of saying the conversation is over. I also realized that I could be overstepping my limits. He’s right anyway. I’m not in the right place to even suggest drinking. I just breathed out as I continued to finish the soup.

“… perhaps,” I heard him mumble,

I furrowed my brows at him, but he kept his gaze down on the food he was eating. “What was that, my lord?” I asked, and he cleared his throat, tapping the table with his fingers,

“Perhaps, once we’re back in the castle, under close surveillance and in modest amounts, I’ll allow it,” he said, and I tried to hide the smile like broke out on my face, biting my lips from the inside and I nodded at him,

“Yes, thank you, my lord,”

“I'm not allowing it yet, wife,” he followed,

“yes, my lord,” I answered.

We continued eating until we finished everything; I had some participation, but it was nothing compared to Lykus, and once we stood up, the server bowed to us and nodded at Lykus with a knowing look. I suppose they already know how all this paying stuff is going to happen, anyway.

The guy who took our horse earlier, waiting by the front and bowed as he handed the reins to Lykus. He mounted me on the horse easily. I really must’ve felt like a mere paperweight for him since he has no struggle whatsoever to lift me up and over the horse, which was actually pretty big, but with how I see it, all the horses I’ve seen were on the bigger side.

“Where are we going to find the carriage, my lord?” I asked, and he shook his head as he mounted the horse without another word.

“I told the carriage to go back, I figured you’d want to ride back like this…or am I wrong?” he asked, which was cheating if he says that with that face,

I shook my head, “You were right,” I replied, and he smirked as he flicked the reins lightly and we started somewhat trotting back to the castle. By now, it’s become darker than the lanterns glowed more vividly, and while the uptown is filled with bright lights and lively people, once we trudged further back to the castle we reached the outskirts again where the farmlands and livestock were.

It was peaceful once again, and colder at that.

There was a light post after a few meters and I could see it paving the side of the path as it stretched in the distance, but it was not so bright as to overshadow the bright stars that were filling up the sky.

I could feel Lykus pull me a little closer, but since he didn’t say anything about it I just ignored it…

‘LIKE HELL I COULD!’ My heart almost jumped when I felt his arm reach over my abdomen and pull me closer. This is crazy. I wish we’d get back sooner so I don’t have to be trapped in this position for long,

“Wife?” he called out, and my voice cracked as I hummed. Which is another achievement to know just how much more I could bury myself in the pits of shame. “Are you uncomfortable?” he asked, and I shook my head,

“Then why is your heart beating so hard?” he asked, holding the reins with the arm that he used to hug me as he placed the other hand on the small of my back, “I could feel it even from here,” he added, which did not help as I tried to calm my heart down.

I gulped and shook my head, “I-I’m fine, my lord, I’m just nervous… a-and excited for us to go back to the castle,” I replied, fumbling on my word because it’s significantly harder to think of words on the fly especially when you’re being emotionally overwhelmed by your own desir—I WOULDN’T SAY DESIRE—crushes. That’s the word I’m looking for, the overflowing feeling of having butterflies in your stomach.

I still have mixed feelings about Lykus being the object of my affection, too. It’s not an easy thing to process. If anything, it gave me vertigo.

“Do you forward that about alcohol, I must say I didn’t expect that from you,” he said in a doubtful tone.

“Ah… I have no reply to that, it’s not so much as ‘look forward’ I’m merely…curious,” I replied, making him hum,

“I see, then I suppose we should hurry and quench that curiosity of yours,” he said, and I frowned at him but before I could ask what he mean, he flicked the reins of the horse making it run farther than before that I could feel the cold wind blow against my face and my hair flew as it did.

A feeling of both fear and enjoyment welling up in my chest and I felt my lips curve up to a smile, we passed light post after light post; the castle seemed closer at a faster pace but it was easy to indulge in a moment like that. It was rather liberating, actually. Once we arrived at the familiar gates and walls of the castle, did I only notice I was actually laughing.

Pulling the horse into a gradual stop, Lykus got off first, a smile on his face as he carried me down, “Well then, shall we?” he asked, offering his hand to me, I nodded, taking his hand as we walked inside.