《The World from Me to You》 The Wedding Today was the day. I stared at my reflection as a breeze wound through and I wished it were stronger. The layers and anxiety were the perfect combo to make me sweat. My mirror was, unfortunately, painting a very flattering picture of me in my green and gold wedding dress, playing off my dark skin well. Every part of me wanted to rip the dress or smear my makeup. I¡¯d love to even just wipe the bloodred lipstick off to make myself a little less noticeable. But it¡¯d be a cold day in hell before Mom let me look anything but perfect. I had to look beautiful to hide the ugly inside. It was what she always told me. It¡¯s what I needed to believe to make it through the day. The knock at the door startled me, and I took a breath to compose myself. ¡°Enter.¡± Dad poked his head in, looking both pitying and excited. Leave it to him to somehow manage both. I supposed after this long married to Mom, he¡¯d have to find a perfect balance somehow. He was smiling, the only good thing about today, as he approached me. ¡°Are you excited?¡± ¡°Do you want the real me to answer or the viscount¡¯s daughter to answer? Those are two very different things.¡± He chuckled, sitting next to me on the couch. ¡°I always want the real you.¡± He took my hand and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. I was sure it was meant to be soothing, but he only ever did it after the full moon, as if checking there was only human skin on my hand. Today was the only time he did it other than that and it somehow made me feel worse. His hands were just as rough as always, despite being a viscount. There was no reason for him to toil away in the gardens, his dark hands growing darker and manicured fingers growing calloused, but he enjoyed the act of working. The lines around his eyes were deep and his greying hair seemed almost white from years in the sun. Still handsome, of course. He would never admit to anything less, and he wouldn¡¯t be wrong. ¡°Well,¡± I sighed. ¡°You could skip a rock off my back with the amount of sweat pooling.¡± He laughed, snorting and squeezing my hand as he slapped his knee with his other hand. ¡°Other than that, I¡¯m okay. Just the normal amount of anxious about marrying someone I¡¯ve never met.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so bad,¡± he said, barely recovering from the laughing fit. ¡°I¡¯d never met your mother before marrying her. It¡¯s been a beautiful twenty-five years since the day.¡± I raised my eyebrow, knowing full well once he had a drop of alcohol in him, he¡¯d spill the beans on how awful Mom was to be with. There was a reason they didn¡¯t share a bedroom, and it wasn¡¯t to set a good example to me and my sisters. He shrugged, looking out the window. The sun was almost at its apex, the cool air quickly heating as it climbed higher. Dad stood and extended his hand. ¡°It¡¯s about that time. Are you ready?¡± ¡°To be out of this dress,¡± I said. ¡°So, I guess that means, yes. Let¡¯s get me married.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± He stood, holding out his arm. With a stifled sigh, I stood and lopped my arm in his. I glanced back at my room as we passed through the door, my heart clenching. I would never see it again. I wouldn¡¯t have my view of the gardens from my window seat. I wouldn¡¯t have my bed covered in paintings I was working on. I wouldn¡¯t even have the warm weather I was used to from Wisteria. My soon-to-be husband lived too far south for the perpetual warm weather I was used to. We passed through the halls of the manor, and I could see myself with my sisters, running away from our governess as she tried to wrangle the three of us into our pajamas. Liza, my oldest sister who took after Mom as she got older, was always the one leading the charge. Whether it was to sneak food we weren¡¯t supposed to have or to make up a plan to sneak out of lessons. Her scheming had gotten better as we got older, and now, as the wife of a viscount two days¡¯ ride from home, she was putting those skills to good use. Verdi never wanted to participate. She was always scared of getting caught, but with enough pestering from us, she would always relent and would always be the one to double down the hardest when we were caught. She was still unmarried, spending most of her time in the gardens with Dad. She didn¡¯t help much, but she liked to spend time with him as he was climbing in age. He would never admit it, but while I was his funniest daughter and Liza was his smartest, she was his favorite. Mom was waiting for us at the garden entrance. Her hair was done up in an elaborate braided crown with gold hair pins sticking in to hold it in place. She looked calm, serene as she gazed through the window upon the small gathering. The only people attending the wedding would be each side¡¯s immediate family, our servants, and no one else. It was Mom¡¯s request, and my in-laws were happy to oblige. Her calm expression changed to harsh disdain as she looked at me, reaching into her dress for a cloth. ¡°You look like a pig with how much you¡¯re sweating.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot and you insisted I get ready early. Of course, I¡¯m sweating.¡± She turned to Dad as she dabbed my face, trying not to mess up the makeup. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do anything about this?¡± ¡°I was going to and then I forgot.¡± He looked properly admonished, but as Mom scoffed and turned back to patting down my face, he winked. He had no intension of telling me to wipe off the sweat. There would be no point as I was just as hot as I had been before. She grumbled and sighed, holding out the cloth for one of the servants to take. ¡°I¡¯m going to go out there and in one minute, you better walk down that aisle with all the beauty and grace I taught you.¡± ¡°Hard to forget it.¡± She pulled one of the gold pins from her hair and put it in mine. She softened for just a moment before schooling her face and walking out the door. I took a breath and looked out the window. On the left side were my sisters, grandparents, and Liza¡¯s husband. On the left side were the Dukes Dain and Ia, my soon-to-be husband¡¯s parents, and his siblings whose names escaped me. Dad pushed the doors open, and I stepped out into the light, trying to keep myself together. Dad stood next to me, matching pace as we walked. As we approached the altar, Dad tied a golden ribbon around my wrists and kissed my hands before taking his seat as I stood to face my groom. I had been so focused on making sure I wasn¡¯t squinting that I didn¡¯t see him until we were face to face. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Muin was handsome. Long, soft looking black hair pulled into a top knot with a silver hair pin. His jaw was square and sharp, making his features look harsher than they were. He was covered in freckles that sprayed his wide nose and round cheeks with dark dots. His eyes were brown and as he turned them to me, the sunlight hit his tanned face making them glow gold for a moment before a cloud passed in front of the sun. The face of my husband. Hopefully a face I could learn to like. Maybe even love. He looked at me, taking my dark brown eyes, full mouth, and wide shoulders. His eyes dipped to my bosom for a moment before looking back up. I couldn¡¯t blame him since it was hard to miss, and it was what everyone did once I¡¯d hit twelve. He cocked his head, and said, ¡°You¡¯re tall.¡± ¡°So are you.¡± His smile was small as he looked at the priestess and nodded. She cleared her throat. ¡°We are gathered here today under the light and heat of Solas to witness the union of Hyran Notti and Muin Nin. Today these two people become one under Their gaze and live as one under one roof. If there are any objections to this union, speak now.¡± I glanced at the people gathered. None of them looked even remotely interested. ¡°Then now, by grace of Solas, I pronounce you Hyran and Muin Nin, Marquis¡¯ of Datura.¡± She grabbed my ribbon and tied an intricate knot with his blue ribbon. She held up our hands, the knot falling between us as we turned to face our families. There was a polite clap before our hands were dropped. We walked down the aisle together, shortening my strides to keep his pace. Years of walking with Dad made my stride far longer than it needed to be, but Dad was a huge man and slowed down for no one but Mom. Despite Muin¡¯s long legs, he seemed determined to mosey. I kept my eyes forward, focusing on the door in front of us. All I had to do was walk to it and then my new life would begin. I wouldn¡¯t see my family for some time and that was only if they wanted to visit me at my new home. They probably wouldn¡¯t. Mom wouldn¡¯t go through the hassle after negotiating this marriage just to see me again, and Dad wouldn¡¯t want to listen to Mom complain about either having to come visit me or being left alone for over a month. Liza had her own family to think about and Verdi could barely stand the two-hour ride to our cousins. She wouldn¡¯t last the two weeks it took to get to Datura. Besides, I thought, looking at the door as it got closer, they finally got rid of the curse. There would be no reason to even think of me again. The doors were pulled open by two servants and we wound our way through the manor. My mind wandered as we walked, reminiscing. We passed the hall the led to Mom and Dad¡¯s rooms and I couldn¡¯t have been older than four when I ran there crying, a nightmare waking me up in the middle of the night. The double doors to one of the gardens was propped open, letting the air flow. That was where I changed for the first time. Wind ripping past me as I shrunk and changed. It was also where Putra would come to sneak me snacks when I couldn¡¯t leave the house. The front door was closer, and I remembered the first time I met our governess, Everlee. She was silhouetted against the sun and larger than life. I clung to Mom¡¯s skirt, hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to be around sun a fearsome woman. I held my breath as we crossed the threshold, the sun blinding me before my eyes adjusted. The carriage was packed with my luggage and the Datura guards stood at the ready. No time wasted in kicking me out. Once we were out of the door, Muin untied the ribbon from his wrist, and he gave me his end. ¡°I¡¯m going ahead.¡± He said nothing else as he got onto his horse and started off. It was then I remembered why I knew nothing about him. Muin was a known recluse, moving out to Nin-Datura Manor as soon as he could and not interacting with anyone unless it was necessary. The things I did hear about him weren¡¯t exactly positive either. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t very husbandly.¡± I turned to see Putra and relaxed for the first time today. Despite being my personal guard, he was slender and short, his round face lighting up in a smile as he bowed in greeting. His soft appearance hid years of training and conditioning that even Dad, who trained him, forgot about sometimes. ¡°Our wedding was all of ten minutes and we said maybe less than ten words to each other. I think it was fine all things considered.¡± At least he didn¡¯t seem pissed off. ¡°I wish you were coming with me. It would make this whole ordeal a little easier.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± He moved to the side, revealing two bags that I recognized as his. ¡°I thought they told you. I¡¯m moving there with you.¡± ¡°What? I thought Mom said no.¡± He grinned, and he looked as mischievous as he had since we were kids. ¡°I just kindly reminded her of what was to be lost if they knew about you. She was very agreeable after.¡± I laughed. ¡°You menace, Ra. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re coming with me. Especially since all I have are his guards.¡± They seemed nice enough, strong, and dependable, but if I were seen, especially so soon after the wedding¡­ ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± He bowed again, this time deeper with a flourish of his hands. ¡°I made a promise to be by your side as long as I lived. I intend to keep that promise.¡± I smiled. If there was anyone I could count on, it was Putra. My best friend and best guard. The only guard who stayed when my curse first started to manifest. I clapped my hands, excited that I¡¯d be able to strip out of my dress once I was in the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s get a move on. Maybe if I¡¯m lucky I¡¯ll get a glimpse of my husband when we get there.¡± The Journey The ride was slow and rough. I¡¯d never been further than Kudzu, where my aunt and cousins lived, and certainly never anywhere far enough south to face cold weather. In the winter Wisteria was chilly. It was cold enough to warrant a heavier blanket than fall or spring, but it was never anything to be concerned about. No one worried about succumbing to the cold weather or getting sick. Datura was far enough south to get snow in droves, something I had rarely seen. It was one of the things I was looking forward to, along with his country estate. Notti Manor, while relatively secluded, was still in the city. It was only a twenty-minute walk to get to the bustling heart of everything. Nin-Datura Manor was all but hidden in the forest that surrounded the town. I couldn¡¯t imagine a marquis of such a small area had much in the way of duties, but I could be wrong. I hoped I was wrong; I desperately needed something to do. ¡°Hyran.¡± I looked away from the window, tearing my eyes away from the slowly dying branches. Putra was holding out a bun. ¡°Are you hungry yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± I lifted my leg up, stretching, grateful for the heavy pants I¡¯d packed. ¡°I can wait until we stop at an inn tonight.¡± He frowned, taking a bite for himself. ¡°You haven¡¯t been eating much since we got moving. Are you still nervous about having a husband?¡± ¡°Yes, but not for the reasons you think.¡± Mom and Everlee had trained all of us well on the ins and outs of married life. Language, arts, math, politics¡ªwe knew everything for being a good viscount, now marquis, and wife. I could do it and do it well, so that wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡°Then what is it? Or are you not ready to talk yet?¡± ¡°You¡¯d say what I¡¯m thinking is stupid.¡± ¡°I think a lot of what you say is stupid.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll think I¡¯m insane.¡± I picked at my fingernails, looking back out the window. ¡°I was thinking of showing them. My curse.¡± If silence could speak, this one would be screaming. Putra didn¡¯t have to say anything for me to know his thoughts on the matter. It was stupid, it was deadly, it was dangerous. It wasn¡¯t safe. It was enough of a scandal when the guards found out when I was a kid. Telling a house of new people that I transform every full moon into the last animal I saw was pushing it. A year ago, I would have never suggested it. I would have continued on, scoping out a room to transform in and hiding myself away. But over the last few months, I¡¯d been inching toward a tentative neutrality with it. I let myself be afraid instead of trying to convince myself I was fine. I let myself feel every part of the transformation¡ªthe pain, the exhaustion, the clumsiness. I couldn¡¯t deny that it was dangerous, but now that I¡¯d been exploring myself and my curse it felt different. I felt like I could do it and live with everyone knowing. I would have thought he would be a bit more understanding, having been the one to help me control my transformations all these years. Putra sat up, his bun forgotten. ¡°You remember what happened when we were kids,¡± he said. ¡°Do you want that to happen again?¡± ¡°Of course, I remember, and no, I don¡¯t. I just think that maybe something could be different. Maybe they¡¯d be different.¡± ¡°No one is that different,¡± he muttered. ¡°You¡¯re that different.¡± He looked back to me, relaxing his hands. ¡°You protected me when everyone else tried to hurt me. Maybe there will be someone like that here.¡± If Muin was like that, maybe the staff would follow suit. At the very least, they might just keep their mouths shut and leave me be. It¡¯d be lonely, but I¡¯d be free. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I¡¯m not the one to be looking at as an example. What I saw was someone in pain and scared, something I knew a lot about. Everyone else just saw something different to fear. Think about it.¡± He held up his hand as I went to reply. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s worth the gamble?¡± I crossed my arms and leaned back, looking at the roof, and closing my eyes. I hated when he was right. It would be better for everyone if I didn¡¯t say anything. Well, better for them if I didn¡¯t. I would still be the same, sitting alone in a room, praying to Solas I wouldn¡¯t be found. <><><><><> We bounced from inn to inn, never staying longer than the night. Checking in hours after the sun fell and Putra shaking me away before the sun fully rose to make sure I got back to the carriage in time. After the fourth night of this, I desperately wished we had a true travel carriage. One with a bed as well as a seat. After the ninth night, I refused to wake up. ¡°Putra, I¡¯m in no rush to make it to Nin-Datura Manor. I know we want to make good time, which we have, but if you wake me up before the sun has even had an hour in the sky, I will maul you the next full moon.¡± He rolled his eyes, huffing. ¡°You¡¯re so dramatic.¡± ¡°And I need at least another hour of sleep to not be. Shoo.¡± I rolled over, pulling the blanket further over my head. I wouldn¡¯t actually maul him. Probably. Wouldn¡¯t even be the first time if I did. A little under an hour later, I got up without needing a wakeup call. I stared out the window, wishing I was back home. No one would miss me, but I missed them already. I missed everything about it, even if I wasn¡¯t happy. It was familiar and known and as I got up to get dressed, I was moving closer to the unknown. I tried to convince myself this was a good opportunity. That I could start over without all of the stigma and throw myself into my role as a marquess. I pulled the curtains shut, looking around the room I could have mistaken for any of the inns we¡¯d stayed in the last week. There were small differences for each one. Like the first one that had a beautiful flower garden in the front or the fourth one that served an enormous breakfast of pancakes, biscuits, and toast having their own farmland to harvest from. This one, as we moved closer to Datura, had thick, heavy blankets in each room for when the winters months came. The walls were thicker than the ones I was used to, sturdier and coated with some kind of lacquer that made them shiny. Putra had a hand raised to knock as I opened the door. He looked surprised as he said, ¡°Good morning, my lady. I didn¡¯t expect you to be up.¡± ¡°Morning, Putra. And I can¡¯t imagine why.¡± I closed the door behind me as we walked to the dining hall. ¡°I told you I just needed an hour.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said, side eyeing me. ¡°But you like to hang out in bed when you can. Can¡¯t blame me for being suspicious.¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, sure. But right now, we have somewhere to be. While I know we can spare some time before getting in the road, especially since our horses need to rest, I also know that I can¡¯t drag my feet as much as I would like to.¡± He was quiet, nodding. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think a wizard was mimicking you right now.¡± ¡°Eat shit.¡± ¡°Ah, there she is.¡± He sighed in relief, laying a hand over his heart. ¡°Welcome back, my lady.¡± I shoved him and he stumbled, laughing. The rest of the trip went smoothly, Putra deciding it was better to let me have the extra hour of rest rather than deal with me being grumpy during the day. As we got closer to my new home, the more I thought about telling everyone when I arrived. It would be better to ease them into it, talk about shapeshifting and get an idea of what they thought about it. Figure out a plan and follow through. I hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Putra yet, knowing that he would follow my lead no matter what, even if he thought it was a terrible idea. I was still teetering on the edge of decision when the last night of the trip came, and Putra held me in his hands. I was a small sparrow, my heart fluttering hard against my ribcage. I stared out the carriage window at the full moon I bound myself to. My clothes were on the floor, though Putra spread them out as best he could so they wouldn¡¯t be crumpled when I changed into them in the morning. He said nothing as he leaned back against his seat. He wouldn¡¯t sleep tonight. He would stay awake, making sure no one saw me as I was and keeping me safe in my fragile state. If I could have sighed, I would have. I didn¡¯t need Putra to tell me what I needed to do. It would be easier, better, and safer for me to remain quiet. To find a room for Putra to guard while I entertained myself and hid away from everyone. I would always be vulnerable in this state. I ruffled my feathers, pushing further into his warm hands. The Manor Nin-Datura Manor was small. As we came up the long, winding path to the front, I could see the sloping roof thick with fallen leaves and dirt, though that same lacquer as the inns was freshly painted on. It was long and flat, the ceilings high and all the square footage spaced out over a lot of land, unlike Notti Manor which was built up three stories to save on space. Here, it was sprawling over the large, overgrown lawn. On the left, peeking up behind the house, was what looked like a greenhouse. It had clearly seen better days, but I didn¡¯t care. I would make this manor nice with my own hands if I had to. This was going to be my fresh start even if part of me still desperately wanted everyone to know. The staff were waiting outside when we came to a stop. Five butlers swarmed the carriage behind us, grabbing my luggage to take inside to deposit in my room. Four more people were standing at attention looked tense, waiting for me to get out. Two of them looked like cooks, their hair pulled back into neat caps, clean aprons hanging over their arms. The other two looked like maids, the uniforms pressed and creased, their hands clasped neatly in front of them. The taller one looked young, close to my age or a little younger. Laugh lines framed the shorter one¡¯s mouth even as she looked straight ahead. A small staff, but I guess this was everyone who lived here. Everyone else would come and go. I fussed with my dress, praying I looked presentable. They all knew I had been in a carriage for at least six hours, but I didn¡¯t want to look like it. Putra got out first, holding up a hand to help me out. Normally I would have batted it away and rolled my eyes, but I needed it now. With no break for that last leg of the trip, I didn¡¯t have proper space to stretch. I barely managed to not stumble, keeping my footing. Everyone bowed as I approached. The two maids stepped forward. The shorter one said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, my lady.¡± I frowned. It sounded just as horrible as I thought it would. ¡°Hyran is fine. Not really used to the ¡®My Lady¡¯ stuff.¡± She smiled and it felt like the tension broke. Everyone seemed to take a breath, relaxing. ¡°Unfortunately, Lord Muin had informed us that we¡¯re not allowed to anymore since we embarrassed him in front of his parents.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to hear that story,¡± I said. It would be something to know about him. Datura guards were reluctant to say anything about him, good or bad. She laughed and said, ¡°When we have a moment, I¡¯ll tell you everything. I¡¯m Jurek Pasternak, head of house staff.¡± The other one stepped forward, her small smile breaking through her tense features. ¡°I¡¯m Anhelina Kuzmenko, your lady in waiting. Lord Muin asked us to help you get settled in and answer all of your questions.¡± The cooks spoke up, the gruff, older man speaking up. ¡°My name is Fedir Nin. I¡¯m the head cook for the manor and Lord Muin¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°If you see him negging the marquis, it¡¯s all in good fun, even if it does look like he¡¯s being an ass,¡± Jurek said. ¡°Though sometimes he is just an ass.¡± ¡°Watch it or you¡¯ll get laxatives in your dinner,¡± he said. The other cook elbowed him, an elderly woman who stood tall even as she relaxed. A soldier, probably, retired here to keep an eye on Lord Muin. She smiled, her face crinkling into laugh lines. ¡°Be nice, Fedir. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Hyran. I¡¯m Kasi Zaman, assistant cook.¡± I looked over everyone trying to take in their features and names. I was determined to memorize their names now so I wouldn¡¯t blunder it and make a fool of myself later. Though I wanted to meet the butlers, I was a little glad they¡¯d scurried off so quickly. I wasn¡¯t sure I could remember another five names. I cleared my throat. ¡°It¡¯s great to meet all of you. You all already know me, but let me introduce Putra Misra, my personal guard.¡± He nodded to everyone. ¡°I understand that there is a guard here already, but I take the protection of Lady Hyran personally. If there is ever anything wrong, please inform me as soon as possible.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Of course,¡± Jurek said. ¡°Introductions are done, for now. Everyone is dismissed, back to your chores. My lady, Putra, if you wouldn¡¯t mind following Anhelina, she¡¯ll show you to your rooms. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to check on other matters.¡± ¡°Of course, thank you, Jurek.¡± She bowed and left, leaving us to follow Anhelina inside. It was better taken care of than the outside, gleaming walls and shining floors. It was surprisingly easy to navigate, and I didn¡¯t have to try to remember paintings and sculptures as markers. Which was good because the walls were empty as if Lord Muin had just moved in. No decorations, paintings, busts. The walls were still white and there weren¡¯t even any curtains on the windows. The room Anhelina led us to was more of the same. It was nice, large, and airy, but painfully boring. Just a bed in an empty room with my luggage piled neatly in the corner. There were two doors, one of which I assumed led to a closet and the other, a bathroom. ¡°Is there a reason it¡¯s so bland in here or does Lord Muin just like it like this?¡± Anhelina shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ve asked him several times how he wants it decorated, but he never really answers. Though when he¡¯s here, he always complains about how boring it is.¡± ¡°I suppose that can be one of the first things I do.¡± I did a slow turn around the room, noting there was only one bedside table. ¡°Will Lord Muin be sleeping in a different room?¡± She looked nervous as she said, ¡°I know it goes against tradition, but it¡¯s what he asked us to do. If you would like, I can ask him about it for you.¡± ¡°No, no. That¡¯s fine.¡± It was a bit of a relief to know that his reclusive habits extended this far. Though I was confident in my skills, after so long in the carriage, I didn¡¯t even fully remember what he looked like. ¡°He¡¯ll come to me when he¡¯s ready. Whenever that is.¡± ¡°It may take him a while, my lady, he¡¯s never been good at interacting with new people. It took a month of steady interaction for him to even talk to Jurek and even longer before he talked to me. He¡¯s just not good with people.¡± ¡°Must be one hell of a marquis, then.¡± She laughed. ¡°He¡¯s not good with people, but he handles the background work of being a marquis very well. Paperwork is are taken care of in a timely manner and if something needs to be handled in person, he¡¯ll saddle up and deal with it. With some coaxing from Fedir and Jurek, of course. Oh! I almost forgot.¡± She dug into her apron and produced a letter. My name was written in small, nice lettering. ¡°From Lord Muin. I¡¯ll give you a moment to read it. Putra, I¡¯ll show you to your room. It¡¯s only a few doors down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Anhelina.¡± He nodded to me before leaving, shutting the door softly behind him. I sat on the bed, turning it over in my hands for a moment before opening it.
September 28 Lady Hyran, Welcome to Nin-Datura Manor. My apologies for leaving so quickly, I had matters to attend to in town. I believe that we both are aware that this marriage was simply to make sure that we are no longer a burden to our parents. Due to that fact, I don¡¯t want to lead with any expectations of a normal marriage. I don¡¯t expect to have sex or to force you to do so. I¡¯m not a brute and I don¡¯t intend to become one. Excuse the small number of staff we have. As it¡¯s our honeymoon, most of the staff will work shortened hours until it¡¯s over. We employ forty people, and you will see them when the month is over. Those who met you at the door and the guards who accompanied you are the few who live here. Everything in the manor is now yours as well as the town. Do with it as you please; I don¡¯t spend a lot of my time anywhere but my office when I happen to be there. My father tells me you paint. The walls are white. They could use some color if you¡¯re interested in doing so. I hope that someday this manor feels like a home to you. Lord Muin
I looked it over again before sighing and falling back onto the bed. At least we both knew why we were actually married. For the most part, at least. Neither of our parents were especially thrilled during the ceremony and I could have sworn his mother yawned while the priestess was talking. So much of my life had been decided for me. What to wear, what to eat, what to learn. At least Muin was giving me a choice in how our marriage would go. I was going to change the manor anyway, but at least now I knew he wouldn¡¯t be upset. And more than that, I could paint. I sat up, walking over to my bags. There was so much I needed to learn and be familiar with in order to be a good marquess, but for now, in this first month that was meant for my honeymoon, I would simply exist and get used to my new home. I opened my bags and dug around for a bit before I found them. All of my painting supplies had made the journey, and I was itching to make something. To throw myself into creating so I could empty my mind of all the little worries cropping up. How would I know I was a good marquess? What if the people didn¡¯t want me? What if, somehow, I managed to make Muin hate me? I shook my head. There was no point in worrying about that now and there was at least one way to try to make sure he didn¡¯t hate me. I opened the door, spotting Anhelina on her way back. ¡°Hey, do you have any paper?¡± September 30 September 30 Lord Muin, Thank you so much for the letter, I understand you a very busy man. I appreciate you respecting my boundaries. I do understand that our marriage arrangement will not be a normal one, but I am willing to make compromises if you are interested. Stolen novel; please report. As for the manor, it truly is splendid, if a little bare. I will be doing my best to make this manor a home and that will start with painting the walls. Your office and room will, of course, be skipped. I will not go into your space without express permission. I also hope that this manor feels like home to me soon. Lady Hyran The Honeymoon ¡°Anhelina! Perfect timing.¡± I leaned back from the wall, looking at the sketches I¡¯d done. The first thing I wanted to do was the entryway, but I couldn¡¯t settle on what to do. I wanted to do something that reflected both of us, but I had no info on Muin. I knew he was a recluse, he understood our arrangement, and he was a workaholic. Occasionally I caught snippets of his personality from how everyone talked about him, but not much else. Instead, I focused on the dining room. Aside from my room, it was where I would spend the most time. ¡°What do you think?¡± Anhelina stopped short, setting down the plates that filled her arms and let out a small huff as she looked at the wall. There was almost nothing here that reminded me of home, so I decided to add some. Wisteria was named for the bountiful trees and vines that grew wild all over the city. I was hoping to recreate the trellis we¡¯d had outside our home that the vines clung to. ¡°I think it looks wonderful. I¡¯ve never seen those flowers before. What are they?¡± ¡°Wisteria.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the city you¡¯re from. I always thought it was named for the founding family. Was it the flowers instead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of both,¡± I said, stretching. My back was stiff from staying so still, but everything looked great. For the most part. There were a few things I needed to fix. ¡°The founding family didn¡¯t have a name. As refugees from the north, they simply fled south with anyone who chose to follow them. When they reached warmer weather and saw how much everything flourished, they chose to stay, naming themselves after the plant that saved them.¡± ¡°Saved them? Is wisteria edible?¡± ¡°Oh, Solas, no. Every part of it is poisonous. When the people chasing them caught up, they pretended to surrender and, thinking they¡¯re secured victory, ate and drank their food, not knowing they¡¯d put wisteria in everything.¡± She grimaced, helping me to my feet. ¡°I had no idea the founding was so bloody.¡± ¡°Most founding¡¯s are. The bloodiness of them just depends which side you¡¯re on.¡± My stomach growled as I finished my sentence, and I suddenly remembered that I hadn¡¯t eaten at all. When breakfast was served, I waved them away because I was focusing on my sketching. Sometime around noon I¡¯d stopped for a bathroom break, scarfed down maybe half of what was served without tasting it, and went right back to it. Anhelina laughed. ¡°Dinner is nearly ready, and I¡¯ve already drawn your bath.¡± ¡°Right, thank you. Will Lord Muin be joining?¡± ¡°No, not tonight. He already had his dinner earlier and he¡¯s usually away in the evenings and nights. Sometimes he¡¯ll join us for breakfast.¡± I nodded already knowing the answer. It had been two weeks since I¡¯d arrived at Nin-Datura Manor, and I hadn¡¯t caught even a glimpse of him. No trace that he¡¯d walked the halls since I was last roaming around or even that he¡¯d eaten. The only reason I knew he was here was because occasionally I¡¯d see movement in his office during the early mornings. Without my father toiling away in the garden in the mornings, I had no reason to get up and move around outside. Anhelina, after quickly realizing I would be content just staying inside making the walls into colorful art pieces, insisted I take walks in the morning. She started to wake me up a little after sunrise a week in and walked with me around the property. It was a good way to get more familiar with everything, though I hated the chill that seemed to bite through everything. I sat on the small stool outside of the tub as I dipped my cloth into a bucket of warm water and washed the charcoal off. It was never just my hands, of course. Always my arms, face, neck, and legs as well. The first time I took a bath Anhelina insisted on being in there with me, but I kicked her out the first time she tried to help me bathe. ¡°If my husband hasn¡¯t seen me naked yet, no one can. Be gone, Anhelina.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. She put up a fight but laughed herself out of the room when I dead legged her and rolled her out. I¡¯d never had a little sister, being the youngest, but it sort of felt like that with her, which is why I wouldn¡¯t have minded. If Muin had already come to visit me. After the majority of the dirt was washed away, I splashed into the bath, grateful for the hot water. It felt like I would never get used to the cold. Even though I¡¯d since grown used to Nin-Datura and could navigate my way around easily, I still missed home. In Wisteria, it would still be warm outside. I would still have it in me to wander the manor grounds and help Dad with gardening. I would set up my easel under the huge tree in the garden and paint whatever caught my eye. I sank lower into the water until only my eyes were above it. If I dawdled for too long, Anhelina would come knocking. I¡¯d never ignored her, Jurek would come by to gently, but firmly, pull me out of the tub. It didn¡¯t matter to her I¡¯d never had steady access to one, we had a schedule to adhere to. I spent a few minutes longer soaking, before hauling myself up and out. In my room, my clothes neatly folded on my bed with a letter sitting on top. The same handwriting on it as the last one, and I smiled, realizing he replied. I set it aside, trying to get my clothes on as quick as possible. If there was one thing I truly loved, it was the thick, heavy clothing I was given. Everyone seemed to be used to the cold weather, but gave me thick socks, wool underwear, and a heavy jumpsuit to keep the cold at bay. I opened the letter and the door at the same time, Anhelina poised to knock on the other side. ¡°My lady, I was just coming to get you. Dinner is ready.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I read as I walked, determined to glean a little more about my husband from his letter.
October 13 Lady Hyran, I¡¯ve seen some of your artwork around the manor, and I must say that you¡¯re even more talented than I was led to believe. The paintings lining the hall to your room are some of the best I¡¯ve seen. If you were ever interested in doing more with your paintings, I¡¯m sure the people of Datura would be more than happy to purchase or commission from you. They are truly beautiful. As for my space, I would like it if you would paint something for it. No time frame or prompt, just something you enjoyed painting. Since I¡¯m so busy, there¡¯s little time to get to know you and even writing letters like this can be time consuming for me. I do apologize for this, but it¡¯s part of my duties as a marquis which you will soon share as our honeymoon comes to a close at the end of the month. Thank you for taking the time to write back to me and I look forward to the painting. Lord Muin
As I finished reading, we reached the dining room, the table was set with a steaming plate of food. The first night I¡¯d arrived there¡¯s been a feast sitting on the table that I could have never finished by myself. After much pestering and pushing, I got Anhelina and Jurek to sit and eat with me. After that, they made sure the portions were fit for one person, not twenty. ¡°Jurek?¡± I looked over the letter and I ate, slowly going over his words. ¡°You know a bit about Lord Muin, right?¡± She chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s one way of putting it, yes.¡± ¡°He wants me to paint him something. What do you think he¡¯d like the most?¡± ¡°A painting?¡± She looked surprised, then confused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s never had much interest in art. He didn¡¯t ask for anything specific, did he?¡± ¡°No just ¡®something I enjoyed painting¡¯ which could be a lot of things.¡± I like nature most of all. Animals, trees, flowers, insects. I had yet to venture into portraits, knowing how difficult it could be to get everything just right. The fun part about nature was that it was ever changing. Nothing was ever the same, even for a day. ¡°I guess I could figure it out, I just wanted to see if there was something I should be leaning towards.¡± ¡°He likes to eat,¡± Anhelina said. ¡°I know everyone eats, but he loves food. You seem to eat to keep going. He eats for the pleasure of it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Jurek said. ¡°Especially when he was younger, he would do his best to eat a little bit of everything when faced with something new. If not for his position as the marquis, I¡¯m sure he would have a grand time touring just to try new food.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been good at capturing how good food is,¡± I said, tapping my fork against my plate. ¡°Like you said, food is just energy for me. I can appreciate how good something is, but it would be all the same to me if it was just porridge.¡± The only exception, of course, being bread. Any kind of bread I¡¯d be happy to devour. Maybe that¡¯s what I would do. It would be a good excuse to go to town for the first time and another excuse to buy lots of bread I could eat after painting. ¡°Anhelina, are you familiar with the town?¡± ¡°Of course, was there something you wanted? I can get it for you if you would like since you¡¯re still on your honeymoon.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± I could have rolled my eyes. Technically it was my honeymoon, but who cared? This was essentially a small vacation for me. ¡°I want to come with you. I know what I want to paint, and I need to go to town for it.¡± She glanced at Jurek who just sighed and shrugged, then grinned as she said, ¡°As you say, Lady Hyran.¡± October 14 October 14 Lord Muin, I appreciate your praise of my art, given how you aren¡¯t a connoisseur of it yourself. Art has always been the biggest way I have been able to express myself. I¡¯ve never been very good with words, but painting has always been the best way for me to get my intentions across. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. As what I¡¯m painting will be a gift, I won¡¯t spoil the surprise, but I do hope you like it. Tell me, my lord, do you have any hobbies you enjoy like I enjoy painting? I know it¡¯s frivolous, but I¡¯d like to learn more about you as we write to each other. If you¡¯re too busy to enjoy hobbies, then let me help lighten the load. I know there will be a learning curve as politics differ from region to region, but I believe in my ability to learn. Lady Hyran