Page 22 of Ties of Starlight

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Idonea said, shoving the covers aside and crawling out of bed. Her fingers were still lingering over her chest, her nightgown covering all the skin. Now that he thought about it, he'd never seen her in anything with a neckline that dipped below her collarbone. Her necklace was always on the outside of the fabric, never against her skin.

With that, he hurried out of the tent.

She'd claimed he would be torturing himself being married to her, but she had no idea just how much.

The second he stepped out of the tent, he winced at the sunlight, but blinked quickly to see a flurry of movement happening as the servants cleaned up and packed up everything their large party would need as they set out. The Constella was checking the saddlebags on his horse and Nyrunn immediately received a glare from him.

He tried to push down the guilt rolling in his stomach, mostly out of fear Idonea would still be able to sense it. He’d… pushed the truth a little when he’d claimed there had been no time to tell her. There’d been enough time to send a note to the Constella, who was now looking at Nyrunn like it was his fault Olaug had run off.

Nyrunn ignored the Constella as Frode abandoned his conversation with the captain of the guard and hurried over to Nyrunn.

“Good morning, Your Majesty, from the looks of it—”

“Say one more word and you lose your tongue. There will be no commentary on my appearance or any remarks that can in any way insinuate anything about last night to me, but especially to Lady Idonea. Anyone who says anything, especially to her, will not like the consequences.”

Frode nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty. I would expect nothing less from you. Only married one night and you're already incredibly protective of her.”

“Just tell me that you're taking care of everything so I don't have to concern myself with anything but getting on a horse and figuring out what's required of me next as part of the Cometa Couple.”

“I am taking care of everything, Your Majesty.”

Good. Because with all the looks he was getting from the court members who were trickling out of the castle in order to depart, he needed to dart back inside the tent and fix his disheveled appearance.

Lady Asa stood by her horse and was taking in his wrinkled clothes with a raised eyebrow. A group of guards stood nearby as well, and one made a comment Nyrunn couldn't hear but the snickering and the whistle were enough to know the general, inappropriate and disrespectful nature of it. Nyrunn shot them a glare, drawing Frode's attention to them as Nyrunn nodded at them. “Fire them. Immediately. Make an example. I may not be my father, but I will not tolerate any disrespect to myself and especially not to my wife.”

“It will be done, Your Majesty. Now, regarding other matters—”

“What other matters are there?”

Frode lowered his voice. “Agnarr's former chosen?”

Nyrunn's heart dropped, but he kept his expression cool as he said, “What about him? Was he located?”

Even if he was, it didn't matter. The wedding had already happened, and after reading his letter, Nyrunn wouldn't let the piece of scum so much as breathe in Idonea's presence. But whatshewould do if he was, on the other hand...

“No, Your Majesty. Just updating you that he has not been found, and we suspect he made it out of the city during the wedding.”

If Olaug knew what was best for him, he'd stay away.

“Hmm. So be it. Keep looking, just in case you find anything. He has committed treason, after all, and I can’t let the court think I’m letting him get away with it. Now make sure we're ready to move out once Idonea and I are ready.”

“Quick question, shall we refer to her as Lady Idonea or should we go ahead and start calling her Queen Idonea? When will she be crowned?”

Excellent questions… Nyrunn hadn’t thought that far ahead.

“Lady Idonea is fine for now. I will... decide upon the coronation later, and when she is crowned as queen then you can refer to her as such.” Mostly because Nyrunn knew thrusting her into the title and role now after so much turmoil and change was only going to end poorly for him. Better to give her time to warm up to the change in circumstances. She wouldn’t even have anything to do with the role until then, so that bridge could be crossed later.

Whether or not it was possible, he'd rather not do anything to make her hate him even more.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Now, regarding—”

“You can pester me when we ride!” Nyrunn threw over his shoulder and ducked into the tent.

There was a little yelp, and he looked up to see Idoneaflushing bright red as she turned her back to him and started hurrying with her ties.

She knotted them, and Nyrunn's instinct was to look away, but she was covered. He glanced at the mirror she was now facing and through it he could see her front. The dress had a perfectly normal neckline for a noblewoman's day dress, but it was off the shoulder and dipped lower than he'd ever seen her wear.

She grabbed the shawl off the vanity and scrambled to wrap it around herself, and he saw what he suspected was the reason why. She had a birthmark, a jagged line stretching up from under the neckline and across her chest diagonally, near her heart. It was quickly hidden beneath her shawl.

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