Chapter 54 - Question

"What is it, Sylvia?"

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, I knew Danette would have the answer, she had been married longer than I.

I nervously peek at the others, Mother engage in talks with the ambassadors, Lawrence and James were the ones who talked most, Dalton just joined in a bit, Cedric was the usual calm and quiet self, was he really the same person who touched me in the flower house, maybe he ready had different personalities then because he was odd.

"Sylvia" Danette urged awaiting my question.

"Oh sorry... I wanted to make sure no one would hear"

"Is it something serious?" she asked with worried looks.

"No... no, it's not... it's just" I took a deep breath.

"...Personal"

She nods urging me to go on.

"It's very personal Danette"

"Spill it out Sylvia," she said with a giggle.

"Is there... something between couples other than lovemaking?"

Her looks grew puzzled.

"Like an intimate act... that", I gulped.

"Involves the man using his... his fingers to um"

The more I tried to form the word the harder it got.

"To um... to..."

"Sylvia" she took my hand, I shyly met her gaze. She smiled warmly at me.

"Don't say much I understand"

I took a breath of relief.

"When a man touches you there and all sorts of naughty things other than lovemaking... its called foreplay"

"F-Foreplay?"

"Yes, it's like-" she paused.

"Hang on... You should know this Sylvia, you have been with Cedric haven't you?"

Oh no! I forgot about that, it was stupid of me to ask.

And then her eyes widen in realization, she caught on!

She gasped covering her mouth, she peek at the others talking before facing me.

"Cedric hasn't touched you has he?"

I gulped.

"You mean both of you haven't consummated your marriage?" she said in a silent whisper.

I just gave a nod, the cat was out of the bag.

"That's against the rules Sylvia... is why we are married in the first place"

I took her hand.

"Please Danette I-"

"Relax I'm not gonna tell anybody" she assured me placing her hand on mine.

Seeing her eyes I saw how sincere she was, Danette has always been nice to me, I could trust her.

"But you should know that is a serious mistake"

"It was his idea"

"What? You mean he agreed not to touch you?"

I nod.

"Odd... that night is specially prepared its odd for a man to ignore being alone with a woman in a room... Lord Dalton wasted no time" she said as if reminiscing, a smile on lips and then I saw it within her eyes.

"Forget that back to you... does this mean the rumors are true? That Lord Cedric has no desires when it comes to a woman?"

"No that's not true... surely he does, but I don't know... the reason why he hasn't made love to me yet," I said.

Not that I was ready or anything, but it was like Danette said, it was very important, surely it would have happened that night if Cedric had his way, but he didn't

She sighed.

"He..." I began, gulping.

"H-He touched me in the flower house... the foreplay you talked about"

Her eyes went wide.

"Well that's is somewhat surprising... out of the blue?"

I nod.

"But not entirely... there was this heat between us... I don't know... but which is why I want to understand it... please Danette tell me" I said with pleading eyes, If I don't understand this, then I can't understand Cedric or his actions.

"Well foreplay is also an intimate aspect, it's like desire or pleasure but it happens with longing or when they find you desirable" she shrugs.

Does that mean Cedric finds me desirable? I blushed.

"It's close to lovemaking but it's not... it's a bit of..."

"Shameless," I said.

We both giggled.

"Yes it is true, its wild and not what you call coordinated... its the way of suiting one's needs in place of lovemaking"

I nod taking it all in.

"I assure you it's nothing you should worry about... As you said what Lord Cedric did could only mean that he's attracted to you and sees you as a woman"

"He's attracted to me," I said faintly with a smile.

"And you should know what he did is not entirely the foreplay"

My eyes went wide.

"What? There's more?"

"Whatever are you ladies talking about?"

We turned instantly to the voice, it was Lawrence.

"Nothing!" we both replied. Maybe that wasn't a bad idea.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Just ladies talk," Danette said with a smile.

Lawrence just made a hmm sound nodding.

"Well sorry to interrupt your chitchat, we men are about to go riding, you guys can too if you feel like it," he said.

We just nod.

"Okay then," he said with a look before leaving.

"Phew that was close," I said with a breath of relief.

Danette took my hand.

"I know you may not love Cedric but consummating your marriage is very important to the Empire especially you Sylvia... I'm sure you have heard talks"

I gulped knowing what she meant.

"If Cedric becomes Emperor, you become Empress, your bloodline shall be the next royal bloodline".

"B-But that haven't been decided yet"

"There are many talks Sylvia and almost all are measuring up about Lord Cedric and also the Emperor requesting a general audience soon, we don't know why or when, but it's most likely because of the throne... everything has to do with it," she said it with a fact.

I turned to the men having their talks as they grabbed their horse, my eyes trembled.

Was Cedric really going to be Emperor? I don't think I was ready for that.

☆☆☆

Luna neighed as I rode her.

"There there Luna," I said with a smile against my lips as I patted her.

"I understand all you have said Danette" I began.

"Don't think about the talks too much, just focus on your marriage"

"Are we discussing the talks now?" Camille said, she rode with us.

"It's all politics, the main stuff we don't hear, Let's leave that to our husbands shall we?" she added.

"I suppose," Danette said with a sigh.

"Tell me Sylvia how does it feel to one day become Empress".

"I thought we're not discussing the talks" I faced her.

She smirks.

"It's just a question Sylvia"

I looked away.

"I do not know, I have my duties as a wife to worry about"

She scoffs.

"Duties? You grew outside the walls you know nothing about duties"

"Do you have something against me Camille because I will like to hear it" I snapped, her words towards me had malice, was it because of Cedric being the candidate to seat on the throne, or was it about me supposedly taking her place... I haven't still forgotten that she was promised to Cedric before.

"Stop you two, must you always throw words at each other when you're close by, we're fellow Silver-haired's, this is not necessary," Danette said.

"Tell me, Danette, do you think an outsider like her would be fit to become Empress?"

"Cami stop it!"

I scoffed at her words, facing ahead.

"Maybe I'm not... because I don't want to be," I said urging Luna to ride ahead.

"Sylvia!", I heard Danette call for me but I didn't slow down, I was eager to get away.

I felt my cheeks wet, I sobbed drying my tears, ever since word got out Cedric would one day be Emperor, I felt like I was suffocating... the only reason I came to this country was because of my papa and no one else, I didn't ask for this... I didn't ask to be a candidate for such a high position, I already had my hands full with being a wife and not even understanding the true meaning yet and now this... after a month of marriage, it was so unfair.

I sighed slowing down, I was now left alone to wander beside the trees, of course, a guard was behind me, a familiar one, but still, it was solitude, away from all crowd, away from society, away from talks.

I could hear the birds chirping at the area I was, I must have ridden too far into the woods, but still, I needed this, I needed the silence.

"My lady... you're too far ahead, perhaps we should head back," My guard said riding beside me.

"I just need some time," I said turning to him... his face was covered by the knight helmet along with a cloak, the curiosity hit me.

"What kind of knight are you?"

He was silent... like he didn't expect me to ask none talk to him, must be a thing here... well too bad because like Camille said I'm an outsider.

"Will you not speak?"

"Forgive my lady... I'm a dark Knight" he said bowing his head.

"A dark knight? not just a knight"

"It is what I'm my lady"

I just nod seeing he won't speak more of that.

"What's your name?"

"My lady you're no-"

"I should at least know your name... I mean at the other outing you were part of the guards weren't you? and also the same person who escorted me to the church for my wedding"

"How do you...."