Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137958 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 690(@200wpm)___ 552(@250wpm)___ 460(@300wpm)
“And read in the garden.”
Also, there was that, and this was also something he did on occasion, just not in the garden.
“And I find it refreshing to take a long walk over the moors and by the creeks and streams, so I do this often,” she carried on.
Mars grinned.
“And if there are games, I never miss them,” she declared. “Even if they’re villages away.”
Mars chuckled.
She turned her head his way. “What’s funny?”
“It might take less time, wee monkey, to tell me what you don’t like to do out of doors.”
Her chin lifted a bit and she returned, “I don’t like to fish.”
“Neither do I.”
She faced forward, mumbling, “Well, I suppose that’s good.”
And her hand went back to fidget with her gown.
He clicked his teeth, tensed a thigh, and Hephaestus moved sideways, closer to her horse.
Her head twisted to him again.
“It is fine,” he said softly. “So fine, Silence, in a week, half the women of Fire City will be wearing that same gown.”
Her lips parted, and Mars was looking forward to having that all to himself and soon.
“I’m very bare,” she whispered.
She was not.
Though she was much more bare than she was usually.
“As you’ve noted, Firenz do not mind bare.”
“Yes, I’ve noticed this,” she mumbled.
“Whose idea was that gown?” he asked with curiosity, thinking it was probably her father pressing her to do something she was uncomfortable doing in order to catch the eye of her king.
“Mine,” she surprised him with this, saying it turning to face the road ahead. “I saw the fashions of your people, the colors of your standards, and I thought I should try to…fit in. So we went out and purchased some material today and Tril and some of your servants made up this gown from a design I sketched so I could…do that.”
She wouldn’t fit in.
She’d set the new standard.
“Silence,” he called, and she turned her head.
It was then, he noticed the look on her face.
And it was then, she again spoke. “They’ll all be looking upon me, Mars.”
So, on hearing that, he leaned, reaching out with both arms, and she stifled another surprised cry as he plucked her off her horse and planted her side-saddle on Hephaestus before him, her legs draped over his right thigh, the skirts of her gown trailing down the side of his steed.
And having her so close, he found she also smelled very good.
Freesia.
Guard moved immediately to take the reins of Silence’s horse.
“Faith,” she for some reason whispered, staring with wide eyes to the road and sitting stiff against him as he tightened his arm around her middle.
He also bowed his back to put his lips to her ear.
“You are protected,” he said there. “The Trusted you can see, but there are hundreds of my warriors at the arena, and there will be dozens around the podium, there to see to our safety.”
“I’m sure, however—”
“And you are beautiful, in that gown, in the acres of material you normally wear, it is simply what you are.”
Her frame tensed even further at that, as did her jaw.
But she had no reply.
However, he’d just paid her a compliment.
And a woman should acknowledge a man’s compliment.
Especially if it came from a king.
So he squeezed her middle and prompted, “Silence.”
“I do have nice hair,” she said to the road. “And I have interesting eyes. And lovely skin, though it’s much paler than your people. In other words, I know what I have, Mars. So do not lie. It is, I suppose, kind. But I know it’s false, so it won’t aid me in facing what I’m about to face.”
Mars had to take a moment to calm his mind after his bride called him a liar.
He took that moment.
Then he asked, “And how do I lie?”
She twisted her neck and looked up at him. “I know I’m not beautiful, so saying such doesn’t help.”
He stared down into her silver eyes and took more time to calm his mind before he informed her, “Women who seek compliments are not favored by me, Silence.”
“Women who…” Those eyes widened again before she carried on, but still didn’t finish. “You think I…?”
With that, she faced forward and said no more.
Mars gave her another squeeze and called, “Silence.”
“If you think that,” she whispered. “Then you meant what you said.”
“I always mean what I say.”
Her chin lifted again, this time in a jerk.
But he also noted it wobbled.
“Silence,” he growled.
“Thank you, my king, for your lovely words.” She spoke in a trembling voice. “I think I now will feel much more robust about facing the crowds at the arena.”
It was then, Mars understood their annoying exchange.
So it was then he straightened in the saddle, but pulled her closer and said over her head, “Once this is all done, you will need to talk clever and very long, my little monkey, if you wish your father to come back to my realm and sit at my table.”