Skylar followed the servant through unfamiliar halls. Marshwards' estate was not as big and fancy as most nobles' mansions. But it certainly had a warmth and homely feeling to it. Even though the Marshwards were just a minor family, their support of Lamyria's unification was necessary. That's why the King went out of his way to make sure they felt appreciated, so he suggested she and Gawyn attend their small celebratory banquet.

She turned her head slightly to look at her husband. It's been over a month since they've been married, and after a very rough beginning, they settled on a reasonably friendly partnership. It was still colossal progress, considering they were strangers brought to a union for the sake of the political alliance.

Skylar adjusted her hand on Gawyn's elbow. Despite the initial outrage and resentment towards the man, after meeting more nobles, she considered herself lucky that Gawyn was the one she was forced to marry. From the start, he made it clear that he didn't expect her to share his bed and was in no rush to get children. He provided her with her own room and even a little freedom if she was on top of her obligations as a noble lady. They lived together, each busy working on schedules, and met for dinner and a small conversation in the evening.

All things considered, it was not an awful life to have. She still missed her time as a soldier and would give anything to join her people guarding the eastern border, but she could have ended up so much worse. At least her husband shared her passion for military tactics and aversion to pointless pastimes nobles seemed to adore. Not that he would ever allow her to pick up a sword again openly, but one couldn't always have it all.

The only instance when they had to play the part of a happily married couple was in public. Nobles could develop the wildest rumours based on ridiculous assumptions, so it was better not to give them an opportunity for speculation.

The servant stopped in front of an elegant door made of cherry wood and opened it wide, inviting them inside with an expansive gesture. The room was surprisingly small. A sleek wooden double bed was taking up most of the space, but it was still smaller than the one Skylar had in her room. A compact desk with one chair and a mirror were placed under the window, and a wardrobe completed the picture.

"Your things have been brought in, and the bath is ready for you," the servant said, gesturing to the narrow passage where the brocade curtain hung instead of doors. "Do you need the assistance of a maidservant, my lady?"

"Oh no, I'm fine, thank you," Skylar replied instantly. She didn't like the thought of another person crowding already small quarters.

"Then have a good night, my lord. My lady." The servant bowed his head and left the room, closing the door quietly. The small room suddenly felt suffocating for Skylar, and the silence felt awkward and unnatural.

Gawyn grunted. "You can go and bathe first. I need to make some notes about what we discussed with Marshwards today.

"Sure." She took a nightdress laid on the bed for her, glad to have an excuse to leave the small room, even if only to the separate bathing chamber.

Skylar shoved the curtain back and entered a tiny room with a big wooden washtub in the centre. A lonely chair stood next to narrow steps left there for easy access, and a little wooden table was laden with several glass and metal bottles of ointments, soaps, and perfumes. A steamy air smelling of lavender hit her face, and she sighed deeply. A bath was an excellent idea after such a long and tiring day.

Skylar dropped her nightgown on the chair and removed all the jewellery adorning her hair, ears, and neck. She reached her hands to her back and started pulling on the laces of her corset. But to her annoyance, the straps did not get loose. She pulled some of them off, but the upper part of her garment still clung too tightly to her body to be removed.

She growled with annoyance as she forgot that elaborate dresses like this made dressing and undressing a two-person job. She had no idea such a simple thing as taking your clothes off could suddenly get so challenging. Kayla, her handmaid, was always there to help her take those bloody garments off at home.

Her face flushed at the thought that she might have to ask Gawyn for help. There was no way she would ever do that. She'd rather sleep in the damned thing. She stretched her arms, trying to reach the upper lacings. It would be easier if she had a mirror, but there was none here, and she was surely not going out to do this awkward dance in front of Gawyn.

Skylar huffed, annoyed when yet another attempt failed. She shook her hands and rolled her shoulders. It also didn't help that it was so cramped in here. She took a deep breath and tried again. This time, she managed to grab something that seemed like the right ribbon to pull, but her fingers slipped, and her elbow shot back, hitting right into the middle of bottles standing on the table. The vials rolled in all directions, and Skylar managed to grab a few glass ones and save them from falling. But a couple of others fell on the floor with a loud clatter.

"Skylar? Are you all right there?" Gawyn's voice came from behind the curtain.

"Yes! I'm perfectly fine!" she shouted back, her panicked voice high-pitched, while she hastily put the bottles back on the table.

"Do you... need help? With a dress?" Gawyn asked with evident hesitation.

Skylar covered her face in her hands and made an inarticulate sound of anger. But she had to admit that there was no way she could take off that bloody dress by herself. When the silence stretched for too long, she finally said, "Maybe? I... I can't undo all the lacings on my corset."

"I can do that. Can... can I come in?"

"Yes, please."

Skylar turned her back to the entrance, her face burning warmer than the steam-filled room. It was so utterly humiliating. She was glad there was no mirror here, so Gawyn couldn't see her face now.

The whisper of brocade curtain announced his arrival, as well as a draft of cold air from outside. There was not much space here, so Skylar could feel him standing right behind her.

"That's a lot of laces," he said. "I don't think it's possible to unravel them all by yourself."

"I might have noticed that." She scoffed.

His fingers started working in the upper part of her corset, and a shiver ran down her body. She pressed the front of her dress tighter to her chest, her heart fluttering like a wild bird in a cage.

Gawyn's fingers stopped for a moment. "I'm sorry, my hands are cold," he said quietly.

"It's fine, don't worry about it."

"You know, you can ask me for help, right?" he asked while his fingers worked on the lacing, and her corset was finally loosening up. There was something in his voice that she couldn't quite get. He was usually calm and collected, but now he sounded... a bit more human. Gentle.

"It's embarrassing not to be able to undress by myself," she said bitterly, looking stubbornly at one point on the wall.

"It's just a dress. That's why nobles have so many maids around all the time. There's no reason for you to be embarrassed. Here, I think it's done." He took a step back, and she immediately felt cold.

"Thank you."

"I'll leave you to it." The curtain whispered again as he left the room.

Skylar sighed with relief and looked over her shoulder to ensure she was alone. Then, she finally took off the rest of her clothes and dipped herself into the water. But even though the water was warm, her face still felt hotter. She slid under the surface in the hope of evening out the temperature of her body. But her heart was still hammering in her chest, not wanting to slow down.

She started to wash her body vigorously. Why was she suddenly so anxious? It was just one night sharing a bed with the man who, after all, was her husband. He was a gentleman, and despite all his cold and reserved front, he was kind, as she learnt already. She knew he wouldn't do anything to make her uncomfortable, nor did he suddenly expect... special attention from her.

Then why did the thought of sharing a bed with him make her so nervous?

Her mind got back to the night of her wedding when she was so anxious she could hardly breathe. She was ready to fulfil her family's part of the alliance and play the role of a good wife, so she just took off her clothes and hoped they could be done with it quickly. When Gawyn turned to look at her, it was the longest and the most terrifying few seconds in her life. But then he just tossed her clothes at her and asked her to put them back on.

She was relieved, of course, but at the same time, an annoying little voice at the back of her head said that maybe it was because she was not attractive enough. This wouldn't be far from the truth – with her short hair and body with clearly defined muscles from years of sword training - she wasn't the icon of court beauty.

Skylar scrubbed her hair harder than it was necessary. Maybe that was the problem? A wave of shame flooded her. She had no right to feel insecure. Yes, her husband wasn't giving compliments easily, and she couldn't even imagine him courting anyone and saying all those embarrassing mushy things. And yet...

The thought of sharing her life with someone who despised her for how she looked was mortifying. Especially when she was starting to like that someone. Skylar groaned and dipped her head under the water again.

Not wanting to drown herself in useless negative thoughts, she quickly finished bathing and returned to the bedroom to brave the danger head-on, as she always did.

"I'm done," she said while towelling her wet hair.

"Good. Can you look at the notes while I bathe? See if I missed anything," Gawyn said, walking towards the other room.

"Sure." She nodded and sat at the desk.

A little book was covered with many small and beautifully written lines. Skylar smiled. Of course, his handwriting had to be perfect, as everything in his well-organised surroundings. She was always in awe when she visited his office at how impeccably everything was sorted, with not a scroll or quill out of place.

She went through the notes as the candles were slowly diminishing. As expected, Gawyn hasn't failed to write down all possible details about Marshwards, their economic and military circumstances, aspirations, and plans. But with all this astounding attention to getting every little detail right, he still missed some obvious things unrelated to the cold logic but the sentimentality of human nature.

"What do you think?"

Skylar jumped, so absorbed by reading that she hadn't heard him returning to the room. She turned around, and her breath caught in her chest momentarily.

Gawyn looked completely different from how she used to see him – always implacably dressed. His dark hair was still damp, the droplets of water sliding down his neck disappearing under a simple, loose white shirt, revealing a naked chest underneath. Skylar's mouth suddenly went dry, and her face burned, so she quickly turned back to the desk.

"You almost got it all," she said.

"Almost?" he said in a mocking tone.

"Yes. You didn't note anything about the daughter."

"What about her? She's a kid."

Skylar sighed and turned back to him, giving him the 'I can't believe you are so smart and yet so dumb' kind of glance. "Yes, the only kid they have and daddy's most precious treasure." Gawyn still just looked at her with raised brows, so she continued. "The little princess has her birthday soon, and the parents are still looking for the perfect present since dresses and jewellery are no longer appealing to her."

"And that helps us how...?" he asked, perching at the edge of the bed.

"I just happen to know that this young lady is currently fascinated with mythical creatures, like unicorns, dragons... gryphons."

Gawyn narrowed his eyes. Skylar ignored how the flickering light of candles made his handsome features sharper and even more entrancing and held his gaze. "You don't mean to use this as our bargaining chip to sway them?"

"And why not? You always overlook people's sentiments, Gawyn. Look at your notes. There's not much we can offer them. Their business is booming. They live well with the neighbouring nobles, and their lands are far from possible dangers. Do you have any bright ideas?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure─" he started, but she didn't let him finish.

"Just hear me out. We can just off-headedly say that we'd love to have them visit us sometime and that Zephyr would love to meet their little princess and play with her for a bit."

"Zephyr is a huge and dangerous creature, not some pet for kids." Gawyn huffed, offended on behalf of his big friend.

"Oh, please!" Skylar scoffed. "He's like a big puppy. Provide him with someone to give him scratches and all their attention for an hour, and he'll be the most content gryphon in the world."

"Well... I can't argue with that."

"See? And if we do that, Marshawrds will be grateful because we take a genuine interest in their needs and make their precious child happy. You can't give them better motivation to support us than that."

Gawyn was silent for a moment, considering her words, but a small smile played on his lips already, and his grey eyes glistened in the candlelight. "I think this idea is not half-bad. When did you learn all this?"

Skylar shrugged and looked away from him. "I talked with the wife while you discussed business with Marshward. You'd be surprised how much you can learn about a person by letting them talk. No offence, but your people skills need some serious polishing."

He laughed, and the sound differed from the usual polite amusement he showed others. It made his shoulders shake from honest mirth. Skylar looked back at him, and her heart melted a little. He seemed so relaxed and almost friendly right now. Before she realised what she was doing, she was already smiling back.

"I'm not going to argue with that. I was never great at patiently listening to people droning about their lives. I guess I'm lucky now I have a wife who can help me."

Skylar's heart fluttered, and her face flushed once again. That was the closest to the compliment she'd ever received from him. She wasn't even sure how she should react. Fortunately for her, the candle on the desk burned out, flooding her corner of the room in the darkness.

"I guess that's the sign that we should rest now," she said, got up and strolled to the other side of the bed. She sat down reluctantly as Gawyn's piercing grey eyes followed her.

"I can sleep on the floor if you'd prefer," he said quietly.

"No!" she protested quickly, her voice higher than usual. She grunted. "There's no need. The bed is big enough for us both."

"All right," he agreed, and when she lay down, he snuffed out the last candle, leaving them in the darkness. He reclined next to her, leaving their bodies close yet not quite touching.

They both stayed motionless, afraid to move, not to startle the other. Skylar wondered if Gawyn could hear her pounding heart in the darkness. Her mind was racing. What if she snored? What if she rolled over and clung to him? That would be awkward, and she probably wouldn't be able to look him in the face in the morning.

She groaned internally and rolled to her side, turning her back to Gawyn. Just to be safe.

"Good night," she said quietly, closing her eyes.

"Good night," he replied. His voice sounded softer than usual.

It was weird sharing a bed with someone, but at the same time, it was not as bad as Skylar expected. His presence was so close that his smell and body warmth were strangely reassuring. Despite all her worries, the exhaustion after a long day took over, and she fell asleep.

***

A whimper awakened Gawyn. He opened his eyes, and it took his mind a moment to comprehend why the ceiling looked different than usual.

"No, no no...."

He propped on his elbow and turned to look at Skylar. His wife – the thought still felt bizarre. But here they were, sharing a bed for the first time since they married. And it was clear Skylar did not sleep well.

She was thrashing and turning, mumbling under her breath some inarticulate words he couldn't understand even if he strained to hear. The moonlight seeping through the window revealed her tense face streaked with tears.

"Skylar," he called her name quietly and gently touched her shoulder, trying to wake her. But she was still caught in her nightmare, fighting foes he could not see.

He leaned closer over her and shook her shoulder more firmly. "Skylar, wake up."

She gasped, and her eyes snapped open. Before Gawyn could utter a word, her hand struck forward. Only an instinct saved his nose from being squashed. He rapidly pulled back so her palm's base only grazed his jaw. But it was still enough to make his teeth clattered painfully.

"Ouch!" He groaned and fell back on his pillow.

"Gawyn?" Skylar's voice was high and fearful. "Oh, gods! Did I hurt you?"

The next thing he knew, it was her leaning over him. She cupped his face and turned it to her so she could assess the damage she caused.

His breath caught in his chest. It was the first time Skylar touched him this way. It was not the casual touch they shared now and then for the past month, he got accustomed to already. It was far more intimate. Her face was just inches from his, beautiful dark eyes full of worry and care. It would be so easy to lean in and kiss her now, to wipe away the tears from her cheeks...

And yet he just stayed there, frozen and unable to utter a word. Skylar blinked a few times rapidly as if she had just realised their very cosy position and quickly withdrew her hand and backed off to her side of the bed.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'll live," he muttered and sat on the bed, rubbing his jaw, where her touch still lingered. "Are you all right? You were crying, so I tried to wake you up."

"I'm fine," she replied too quickly, wiping her face with her nightdress sleeve. "Sorry, I woke you. And, you know... for hitting you."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Skylar opened her mouth, and for a moment, Gawyn was sure she would share whatever bothered her. He saw her so vulnerable and so... helpless for the first time. It was not the sight she often let people see. But the moment was gone, and she turned away, putting all the barriers around her up once again.

"It's nothing. Just a dream," Skylar said curtly and lay back on her pillow.

"Fine, if you say so...."

Gawyn also lay back down, and a heavy silence fell over them. He knew all too well why she didn't want to confide in him. The nightmares must have been connected to whatever was crawling out from the Blighted Lands. But as he was reluctant to acknowledge the existence of all those creatures of legends, she claimed were real, and it was not a conversation that would lead anywhere.

They were so close, yet an invisible wall seemed to separate them. Gawyn felt a burning need to do something, anything, to make her feel better. Even a little bit.

"Skylar?"

"Yes?"

Gawyn reluctantly reached his hand and brushed her fingers. She turned to look at him but didn't withdraw her hand. Encouraged by it, he gently wrapped his fingers around hers.

"If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here. I know I often shut you down when you speak of the Blighted Lands and dark magic. But I'll at least try to hear you out. I promise."

"Thank you," she whispered and squeezed his hand back.

And just like that, the silence was no longer oppressive. It became welcomed while they took comfort in the warmth of their entwined fingers.

***

Gawyn woke up as usual, just before dawn. But this morning was undoubtedly far from casual. He was lying on his side facing Skylar, who mirrored his position. Between them, their hands were still linked.

Gawyn stayed motionless, almost holding his breath not to ruin this perfect moment. He rarely had an opportunity to stare shamelessly at his wife. She was always in motion, never sitting still for more than a few moments, her emotions constantly flaring. But now, in the first shy rays of the morning sun, she looked so peaceful. Her breath was slow and steady, and her lips formed a small smile as if she was dreaming of something good for a change.

Gawyn couldn't help but smile, feeling oddly warm and fuzzy inside. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She mumbled something inaudible and stirred but did not wake. He noticed a little scar on her right temple for the first time, no doubt the result of many sword fights. Surprisingly, it looked good on her – it gave her more character.

He brushed his thumb on her hand. It was so different from what one could expect from a court lady. It was a strong hand. The skin on her palm, just under her fingers, was hardened and rough from countless hours of wielding a sword. But surprisingly, he didn't mind. It fitted perfectly in his rough hand.

As if their hands were always meant to be linked together.

It was high time to get up and start the day. There was always so much to do, and he hated wasting time. But somehow, he wished he could stay in bed a little longer for the first time. Gawyn sighed and reluctantly released her hand.

He forced himself to get out of bed and dress up for the day. When he was about to wake Skylar, he hesitated again. She looked so peaceful now and could use extra sleep after a hard night.

Gawyn sighed again and strolled for the door. Maybe he'll go and arrange some breakfast for them and let her sleep a bit longer.

Just this once.