Krillien sighed as he tightly held onto the handles of the door. He let go and turned back to Meredith, who looked disheveled and sweaty, sitting on the bed. Her face scrunched up and eyebrows furrowed, obviously confused by his sudden act.
"I cannot leave," he said, dropping his arms down to his sides.
She tilted her head. "Just push."
"No," his hands raked through his hair in frustration. "It is unwise to leave. They will know we did not consummate our marriage. Your position is delicate enough."
She sighed and laid down on the bed. "Then let us consummate it. There was no reason to stop."
Krillien furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't want to continue."
It was a plausible reason, Meredith thought. It was a good enough reason. But she wanted to know why. Was it because she touched him? They were about to consummate their marriage. What was wrong with being touched? Or was it when she touched his back?
Meredith raised her hands to her face, looking at them. They were calloused and rough to the touch. Did he dislike it that much? No, he liked it—obviously—until she reached his upper back. She remembered feeling rough lines. Multiple rough lines on them. Was it…?
"Did you want to continue?" Krillien asked, interrupting her thoughts. She looked to him and sat up from the bed. "Did you really want to do it?"
"It is our duty, isn't it?" Krillien stood still for a moment and walked up to the bed and sat down at the edge of it, his back turned to her.
"I cannot leave." He says again, his voice smaller.
"Then lie down." Meredith said and lied back down in bed, curling into a fetal position and turning over to her left, her back now facing him.
Krillien couldn't help but frown. Did he make her angry? He didn't mean to. He didn't expect to react that way as well. He thought he would be fine. And yet, somehow he feels as though he cannot show his side to her. That side.
Following her words, he lied down next to her, nearing the edge of the bed, making sure to give her space. They hadn't talked much or be in the same room often in the past month when they were engaged. It would seem not right to be upset or scared of a person you hadn't known all that well.
"How did you know?" Meredith asked.
"What?" He turned his head towards her, looking at her back. The night gown she wore revealed her upper back as well.
"How did you know I didn't want to eat it?" She said again, her voice louder for him to hear.
"Oh," he said. "I remembered at Caspian's wedding. I saw you eat one bite and spit it out." He recalled. He remembered eating at the table and from a few tables across him, caught wind of Meredith eating the blood covered meat for the first time. Or perhaps trying it again.
Her face flushed red. She didn't think someone else had seen her do such a thing. Or the fact that someone would remember.
"I see," was all she said. There was nothing else to do but to sleep. Meredith tightly closed her eyes. Krillien waited in silence. He stood up and blew out the candles in the room, the fireplace still lit to give Meredith warmth, sleeping atop the blanket.
Morning came. And with a knock on the door, Meredith was startled awake. Her head turned to her right, where Krillien's body was nowhere to be found. Today was the first time Fiona had woken her up before she was awake. Perhaps she was that tired last night.
"Your Majesty?" Fiona's voice echoed. Normally she would have entered by now, instead she stayed outside waiting for Meredith to let her in, allowing her to be decent before showing herself.
She quickly stood up, finding a robe that hung on of the chairs, wrapping it around herself. She rushed to the door, opening it with a smile.
"Yes?"
Fiona bowed, averting her eyes from her neck and chest where red spots sat. "Good morning, Your Majesty. Breakfast has been prepared. Will you be eating now?"
"Bring the food here." The two turned their heads towards the bathroom door where Krillien had just exited, wearing new clothes.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Fiona bowed and left.
"You are still here?" Meredith asked, bewildered to see him. She had expected him to be gone and perform his duties early in the morning.
"I will be taking a rest day." He said and opened the door to the bathroom wider. "I had just gotten married. Will you be taking a bath?"
Meredith eyes him for a bit and nodded, passing by him as she entered the room. By the time she finished taking a bath, Krillien had already sat at the table in the room, the aroma from their breakfast filling the air. Fiona had brought the food earlier, she stood by Krillien's side, awaiting orders.
Meredith's hair continued to drip as she dried it with a towel. Fiona looked up, looking to help but Meredith shook her head.
"Will you be needing anything?" Krillien asked, looking up from the table.
"No, nothing." She shook her head after thinking for a moment.
With a wave of his hand, Fiona bowed before leaving the room. It seems Krillien likes the privacy without maids or servants attending to his every need.
"Eat," he said, gesturing to the empty seat across him, a plate of food ready. Meredith sat down, placing the napkin on her lap and picked up the knife and fork, slicing the meat on her plate. She would continuously glance at him, watching as he ate his food, without sparing her a glance.
"Is there a problem?" Krillien raised an eyebrow as he stopped eating.
"There is no problem." She pursed her lips and shook her head.
"You have been staring instead of eating." He pointed out the barely touched food on her plate. "Do tell what's on your mind." Krillien leaned back on his chair, ready to listen.
Many thoughts rushed through Meredith's head. She wanted to ask him many things such as: "why did we not finish what we started last night?", "do you not like being touched there?", and the biggest question on her mind… what did she touch? Is it what she thought it was?
Instead, she decided to ask something else. Steering away from the events of last night.
"May I ask what duties I would be fulfilling as the Empress?" She said, "to aid the empire."
Krillien hummed, thinking. He did not think Meredith would be eager to help in running the empire. It would be useful, yes. But to give her information and power on the empire? That would not be beneficial for him.
"That will not be possible." He answered and continued to eat. Meredith furrowed her eyebrows. Was that it? No other explanation?
"Then what shall I do here?"
"You will be in charge of the affairs of the palace. That is all."
Meredith scoffed. Of course, what else could she expect? Wife duties.