“Because she’s your fiancée,” she answered, and I looked up at her.
“She’s not,”
She approached me, wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned on my back.
“Looks like my husband is lying to me,” she said, pressing her cheek against mine and making me smile involuntarily.
“Husband? That’s quite a title to give me,” I joked as the fire blazed.
“You’re doing all the hard work; I thought I should reward you for it,” she said, and I pulled her onto my lap. She giggled, looking at me.
“That’s not the only hard work I’m managing,” I replied, and she playfully tightened her grip around my neck.
“I can’t see any other efforts; maybe my eyes need to be tested!” she teased, and I smiled back at her.
“Perhaps you deserve a little punishment,” I suggested, making her giggle and hug me tightly.
I inhaled her enchanting scent, feeling momentarily lost.
“Will you be heading to a battle?” She asked softly.
I struggled to find my words, shaking my head subtly.
She continued,“Don’t lie to me, at least.”
I held her closer, trying to explain,“Not a full-blown war, just a battle.”
She released my hug and searched my eyes.“Just a battle?”
“Just a minor battle. Need to kill a few people,” I said, and she chuckled, leaning closer to my cheek.
“Why are you so hard to deal with?” she murmured before gently kissing my cheek.
“Maybe you should try harder,” I replied.
She smiled, looking into my eyes. Slowly, she said,“I apologise for everything I said to you.”
I pressed my forehead against hers in response.“Don’t apologise. I enjoyed our arguments.”
She laughed, hearing me, though my heart felt heavy. I wished for time to stand still at that moment.
“Suman,” I called softly, and she met my gaze.
“Ji,”
“What do you expect from me?” I asked deliberately, admiring the warm glow from the nearby fire on her face.
“What do you mean?” she asked, nestling in my lap, leaning against my chest.
“I mean, I want to know what kind of husband you envision marrying,” I clarified, noticing her discomfort with her turban.
I removed it, and she glanced over her shoulder.
“Um… I never thought of it.”
“Well, you have all night to think it over,” I replied, loosening her hair bun.
She smiled, pulling her hair to the front, and murmured,“I want my husband to be understanding.”
