Vow Of Silence

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

1st PERSON: Pelomina Lorenzo-Capiz

He started warming up quickly after that. I could sense that he was tense initially, and I also noticed that he grew to have an unjust and wrongful intolerance of Polly’s presence. It made me think of how I should warn her about it before I leave. I don’t want her to get the brunt of it.

That aside, for now, Lykus brought me over to his room. Why the dress was in his room is a mystery I’m not so eager to learn about. I just want to get this over with. He opened the doors for me and motioned for me to sit on the bed stool.

“I was going to tell the servants to bring it to your room, but I didn’t want to bother you,” he trailed off, looking away from me as he fetched the dress from a separate wardrobe apart from his, “I had a doubt that you might not be willing to see me, but I really wanted to see you…” he added, clearing his throat and sparing me a glance, “So I decided to just keep it here, hoping that I could woo you to come and meet me for the sake of the dress at least,” he finished,

To be quite honest, Lykus does have some of the best properties needed in your average strong/provider husband. He seems well versed with the things going around in our parameters. He has great skills for the things that would prove a man useful or worthy. He’s a literal lord of the land. Of course, he’s a really great catch.

But, since no one is perfect, even he has some flaws that couldn’t be overlooked. His tolerance and obliviousness to his surrounding peers is one problem. In his arms, he brought over the dress that we so meticulously decided on from the other day.

He lifted it up and handed it to me, “I’ll leave the room, call for me when you’re done dressing,” he said, and without not so much as looking back, and closed the door behind him. Well, maybe he’s just excited to see me try it on. He’s really supportive when it comes to my confidence, isn’t he? Back when I said that even if I’m the most awkward puppet on sesame street, he still found my presence bearable.

Even if I was being more of myself than being Lady Pelomina.

‘I’ll miss that affirmative part of him when I leave.’

I took off my dress and put on the one we bought, and might I say, this is the best fitting dress out of all the past dresses I wore. It’s simply like a glove. It has a rather small built-in corset, and after a few tugs it clung on pretty nicely. Lady Illescent must’ve been paid a fortune for these.

I neat the dress out and smoothen it on before nodding at it, “Lykus, I’m done,” I called out, and not sparing a second after that, he emerged from the doors and stood frozen on his spot. His lips parted slightly, like someone who was rendered speechless and for a solid minute, I thought he was just overreacting.

Then I realized that it’s not me he was looking at, he was looking at Pelomina. He is looking at his wife whose body I occupied without explanation. I was overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time.

I smiled with a small chuckle, “So? Is it up to standard?” I asked,

“You look… divine, wife,” he breathed out.

‘... ugh, that makes me so darn happy—I don’t want to feel this way, darn it!’

I was also rendered speechless, stunned rather. How could he just say that like he’s trying to purposely make my anger and worries wither away? What is wrong with this man? Who raised him to be this loose-lipped with compliments for his wife?!

He chuckled as a warm expression took over his face, walking over and gently tracing his fingertips on my cheeks, a look of amazement and disbelief still lingering on his face, “What sort of benevolence did you practice your past life for God to bless you with angelic beauty?” he followed and I—

‘THIS MAN.’

I breathed heavily through my nose and shut my eyes briefly as I let the words he just said soak into my head. I need to pull myself together. Just because he’s generous with flattery doesn't mean I could be easily drifted and swayed away. I’m done with that phase in this relationship of ours.

He sighed lowly as he kept his eyes glued on me. Clicking his tongue and furrowing his brows, “I’m afraid that the other guests would stare at you too much,” he said, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.

“Would that be a problem for you, my lord?” I asked, and he nodded,

“Of course, I’m not as kind as to share the beauty my wife possesses with the rest of the world,” he replied, and I have to physically pinch myself to remind myself that we are over this. This is the challenge to my resolve. He really is a force to be reckoned with in every aspect. It’s easy to hate him when he does something annoying and upsetting, but to hate him when he’s doing all he can to woo me is…

I’m getting the hang of pulling myself back and restraint, but it’s better if we get this whole thing over soon or I’ll break sooner or later.

“Well, I could wear something different, but it would be a shame. Both of us chose this after all,” I said and he sighed, shaking his head with a huff,

“It's a shame, it’s my fault for falling in love with such a beautiful woman,” he said, in a somewhat conclusive tone, nodding to me, reaching his hands out to me. Puzzled, I placed my hand on his and he gently spun me in place, smiling as he did, “You’ll be the most beautiful woman in that palace,” he said.

‘.... darn it,’

I bit the inside of my cheeks and nodded, clenching my hand into a fist. I can’t. I can’t be carried away.

He left a light kiss on my knuckles before letting go of my hand, “You should get ready for the night, we’ll be leaving early tomorrow, on top of the preparations,” he instructed, gesturing to the dress I was originally wearing and left the room.

He’s right, in that part at least, I could agree with him on that.

I changed into my other dress and folded the new dress neatly. I gathered it up in my arms and opened the door when I immediately got greeted by Lykus’ back, “Oh, wife, let me carry that,” he said and I pulled it away a little, shaking my head at him.

“What? No, I can carry my own dress, my lord,” I reasoned, and he nodded,

“Yes, I’m well aware, but I would be escorting you back to your bedroom anyway and you could just preserve your strength for tomorrow,” He countered, and I sighed with a smile, surrendering the dress to him as he offered his arms for me to hold on to as we walked back to my bedroom,

None of us said a word, which was as I said before, preferable. Lonely, perhaps, but I would only be in trouble if he charmed me up again. I’m just excited, in mere hours will be the coronation, and soon after that my plan will come to execution and once that happens, I’m entering a whole different life and world.

I just hope nothing goes wrong in the middle of all that.