“Will he expect the sex?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Yes, he will expect it,” Elías said.
“I see. And-”
“You won’t trick me into telling you what the sensations are like,” he added.
“Sensations?More than one? How mysterious.”
“Svana.”
“Oh, Eli. Calm down. You’ll be happy to know I was only going to askhow-”I paused to consider my question. “How, um, how does it come about? Is this something that I must initiate?”
“Sometimes.Onyour wedding night,”he stressed, “You will go to his bedchamber, and it just… It comes naturally. He will undress you, and you him, and…if he is a...” He struggled to find what he could be happy with, “...a gentleman, he will kiss you, make you feel safe, and hold you after.”
My toes curled at his explanation, though I wasn’t convinced. “I see. And, what if he does notlikewhat I…what I look like undressed?”
It amused him. “That will not be a problem you will have. You will be a prize no man has ever seen or touched. His Highness will be in awe of that beauty. Of that gift.”
“You sound awful certain.”
“There’s an entire lore regarding your braidbecauseI am certain. But if he is not satisfied, then you find me. And I will speakto him on your behalf.”
“You can’tinjurethe Prince for not thinking I’m pretty, you know that, right?” I asked.
He said, “I would only speak to him,” but he smirked.
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
“What else?” he asked
“I get another question?” He frowned. Quickly, I asked, “A-Am I required to stay in his bed. Like all night?”
“I suppose not, but he might ask you to. Or you might want to. If you get along.”
“Ha!” I shook my head. “No. There is no chance of that. I could think of a hundred things I’d rather do than lie next to someone else, especially naked. Heavens, even to sleep, that sounds rancid. What if the Prince snores?”
“Traditionally, Chalke wives have a separate room. One of her own. One she may retire to, as she desires.”
“Not just Chalke wives. My mother had one,” I said.
“Yes,” he said.
I leaned back, happy for the fact, but formed a scowl. “What if Idon’t like whathelooks like naked?”
He crossed his arms. “Then I will pray for his future. A life with an unhappy wife, let alone an unhappyEissonwife? Ah. Very grim indeed.”
“I hope he’s handsome,”I whispered.
He hummed. “Well. I do think we’ve covered everything pertinent then. Unless you’d like to hear Ser Willoughby’s point?”
“No thanks,” Willoughby said.
“I do have just one last question,” I said, sitting up.
“Alright?”
