"Good." Sofia reached across to squeeze his hand. "And Tòrr? Stop thinkin' so much. Sometimes ye just have tae feel."
The chamber was quiet when Tòrr entered that night, lit only by the fire in the hearth. Liliane sat by the window, still dressed, staring out at the darkened courtyard. She didn't turn when he closed the door.
"Liliane."
"I'm nae in the mood fer another discussion," she said quietly.
"That's nae why I'm here." He moved closer slowly, giving her space to refuse him if she wanted. "I need tae talk tae ye. About this afternoon. About last night. About... everythin'."
"I'm tired, Tòrr."
"I ken. But please." He stopped a few feet away. "Just listen. And if ye still want me tae leave after, I will. I'll sleep in the chair. Hell, I'll sleep in the hall if that's what ye need. But let me say this first."
She turned finally, her face guarded in the firelight. "Fine."
"I want tae court ye."
Whatever she'd expected, it clearly wasn't that. Her eyebrows rose. "Court me? We're already married."
"Aye, but nae by choice. Nae the way either of us would have wanted." He took a careful step closer. "So I want tae dae it proper. Want tae give ye time tae get tae ken me, tae feel comfortable with me. Want tae show ye that I care about more than just the alliance."
"Tòrr," She was quiet for a long moment, her expression unreadable. "What are ye sayin'?"
"I need ye tae understand that I'll nae force intimacy on ye. That when we finally come taegether, it'll be because ye want it too. Because ye trust me enough tae let down yer walls completely." He leaned his forehead against hers. "However long that takes."
She pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his face.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I didnae mean tae make ye feel uncomfortable."
"Nay. It's... it's alright." She drew a shaky breath. "I need tae tell ye somethin'."
"Ye dinnae have tae tell me anythin' ye're nae ready fer."
"But I dae. Because if ye want tae court me, if ye want this tae work..." She moved to the bed and sat, wrapping her arms around herself. "Ye need tae understand."
He followed, sitting beside her but keeping space between them. "I'm listenin'."
"I've never been comfortable around men," she said quietly. "Never trusted them. Because all I've ever seen from men is violence. Me faither's rage, the way he'd use his fists tae solve problems. The guards at Foulis who'd leer at me when they thought nay one was watchin'."
His hands clenched into fists, rage flooding through him at the thought of anyone looking at her that way.
"And intimacy," she continued, not meeting his eyes. "I've never... I dinnae ken how it's supposed tae be. All I ken is what I heard through me parents' chamber door some nights. Me maither cryin' after. The way she'd move carefully the next day, like she was hurt. And I thought..." She stopped, swallowing hard. "I thought that's what it was. That's what happened between men and women. Pain. Hurt. Somethin' tae be endured, nae enjoyed."
"Christ, Liliane." He shifted closer without thinking. "That's nae, that isnae how it should be. How it has tae be."
"Isnae it?" She finally looked at him, and the vulnerability in her eyes nearly broke him. "How would I ken? All I've ever learned about men and women is that the man takes and the woman suffers."
"Nay." The word came out fierce. "That's nae how it is between people who care about each other. Who want each other."
"Then how is it?"
He reached for her hand carefully, relieved when she didn't pull away. "It can be good, Liliane. Nae just fer the man, but fer the woman too. There can be pleasure in it. Real pleasure, if both people are willin' and good tae each other."
He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. “I could show ye. If ye'd let me. If ye'd trust me enough."
Her breath caught. "What dae ye mean?"
"I mean..." He chose his words carefully. "I mean I could show ye pleasure. Nae the full consummation, nae until ye're ready fer that. But I could touch ye, kiss ye, show ye that it daesnae have tae be about pain or fear. That it can feel good."
