But to my surprise he slept on the sofa near the bed, I wanted to get up and tell him to not sleep there, but since I was pretending to be asleep, I didn't dare to get up or I'll get caught.
So I thought I would get up after a while pretending I had woken up just now, and tell him to sleep on the bed, and I would take the sofa instead.
But to do that I need to be awake, right? Instead, I fell asleep in a blink.
The next day when sun rays entered the room through the window and fell on my face I finally woke up.
I immediately looked for Shahr, he was nowhere to be found. I rang the bell placed on the table beside the bed. Some maids entered the room.
"Where is the duke?"
They stood there blankly. Struggling to understand what I had gestured.
Moments like these, made me realise how different I'm from everyone else. I simplified the gestures and asked again, this time they understood what I was trying to ask.
"The Duke is Waiting for you on the training grounds." One maid muttered.
I jumped out of the bed, and quickly got ready with the help of the maids. I rushed to the training grounds, where I found Shahr doing his sword practice. He looked ethereal.
When he saw me approaching he stopped and waited for me. We exchanged greetings, and he began teaching me how to handle a sword.
"There you go."
He handed me the sword, I almost fell from the heavy weight. Balancing myself I looked at him, almost embarrassed.
He had no expressions on his face. That made me relieved, at least he wasn't laughing at me.
He pointed at a dummy and said, "hit it hundred times."
My jaw dropped, a hundred times? That was crazy.
"You have to do it. Average knight's from our duchy do ten thousand hits daily. That is the minimum needed to become a good knight." Muttered Shahr.
Tucking the sword under my arms, I gestured to him, "Then, how many do you do daily Duke?"
"Fifty thousand." He answered.
I gasped, fifty thousand? I would lose count after a hundred. Seeing my worried expression, Shahr's lips pressed together went up, he patted my head and said.
"Don't worry, that intensive training is only for me."
My heart almost stopped at the feeling of his rough hand ruffling my hair.
"You start practicing, I'm going to observe the other knights." He Turned and left. I also picked up the sword and began striking the dummy.
After just fifty hits, my hands started shaking. I could feel strength leaving my hands, I still kept going and finished my task.
I plopped to the ground, Shahr came to check on me, "Here, have some water. Don't chug it though, drink slowly."
Despite his warning, I chugged too much water at once, and almost lost my breathing when the water got stuck in my throat.
"Cough... Cough, cough."
"Are you okay?" Patting my back asked Shahr, "I told you to drink slowly."
My coughing increased.
Shahr got really worried, he patted my head and back and kept glancing at me to see if I had gotten better.
His caring eyes, seemed to put me at ease. I felt happy, mother's picture flashed in front of my eyes, she used to care for me the same way.
"I'm okay." With a gentle smile I gestured. Shahr left a long sigh of relief.
His hand ruffled my hair again, "You had me worried there. From next time drink carefully, don't chug too much water a time."
Giggles echoed, I nodded.
After the training session was done I came back to my room.
"Sniff... Sniff." Sniffing myself I found out that I was stinking heavily, did Shahr get this smell? I hope not.
"Duchess, would you like to take a bath, we will prepare the water for you." A maid said.
I had recognised some maids' names. The girl with black hair is Simly. The girl with short brown hair is Nadia and the girl who is short but has really long black hair is Seir.
I have a lot of names to remember as there are many maids and servants in the duchy, but for now, I think this is enough.
I nodded my head aggressively. The maid bowed and left to prepare bath water for me.
...
After I had taken a bath, I laid on the bed. I wondered when Shahr would arrive, will we sleep on the same bed today? For the first time?
Nervousness and excitement took over me. I rolled on the bed aggressively.
Knock...
My rolling stopped as I heard someone knock on the door. My cheeks puffed up, I didn't understand why everyone comes after I lay on the bed.
Stomping my feet, I got down from the bed and opened the door. In front, stood Seir.
"Duchess, the Duke wishes to share a meal with you." She said.
My breathing became heavier, this would be our first time eating together.
"Let me help you to get ready." She politely said.
I nodded.
Before marriage, I bathed by myself, I clothed myself, I cooked myself, and fed myself.
I would have never imagined that some day someone would be getting me readied or preparing my bathe.
After I was done wearing the gown, she sat me in front of a mirror and did my makeup.
In just few seconds I was unrecognisable. The baby pink gown, half braid half open hair, baby pink hair ribbons, crown, bracelet, light makeup with glossy pink lips... Everything came together and made me look like a goddess.
Not going to lie, I almost fell in love with myself. I could understand Seir had put a lot of efforts into this look.
My eyes looked at Seir's reflection through the mirror, she was smiling non-stop, her lips wouldn't come down at all.
"You are looking so pretty Duchess. The Duke would fall for you all over again." She uttered.
The same thing? How did they come to this concludes that Shahr loves me? But before I ask that I had to thank her.
I gestured her an okay sign to show my appreciation for the look. She became even happier with this, "Let's go... The Duke must be waiting."
As we entered the dining room, my eyes fell on the Duke who was waiting for me, his eyes fixated on the table, fist clenched together, jaw tightened, I realised immediately that I had taken too long to come.
My eyes dropped, I bit my lips nervously, smearing the lipstick on my lips.
Sitting beside the Duke, I was deciding what to say to mitigate his anger, but before I would say anything, Shahr's deep yet cold voice cut sharp through my thoughts.
"Don't bite your lips."
I looked into his eyes, no traces of anger, I wondered if I had seen wrong earlier.
"I was losing my mind earlier, because you were taking so long to come, but after seeing you my anger has all vanished." He muttered.
His thumb gently brushing my cheeks, "You are looking so pretty. No pretty would be underrated, ethereal, you are looking ethereal. I guess this is how every husbands feel after seeing their wife all dolled up, I would not lie, the wait was worthwhile."
His heavy praising words made me numb in my tongue.
"I don't feel like eating anymore, rather-" Shahr stopped mid-sentence, with a gentle smile he said, "the food is getting cold, please dig in."
I wondered what he was going to say, what was in his mind, I want to know.
Shahr started eating, with no noice I had to divert my mind too. I sighed and picked up the knife.
Reality hit me, what if Shahr seems my etiquettes and realise that I know nothing. I froze.
"What happened? Why are you not eating?" With mouthful of food Shahr asked. His puffy cheeks almost made me laugh.
He looks like a squirrel while eating, with his both cheeks stuffed with food.
But still my tension wasn't gone, I hands trembled, I didn't have an answer.
With trembling hands I picked up the fork and fed myself. Sweat dripped, I turned my eyes to look at Shahr, and unexpectedly, he was just enjoying his food.
No attention to me, that made me a bit relaxed. I fed myself again, and turned my eyes to Shahr again, he was still eating his food.
I had gained confidence, I slowly started to enjoy the food.
"Shia..." Called the Duke, "The Marquis has invited us to their tea party."
Tea party? Other than meeting the emperor I have never attended another party. There would be people, they would want to talk to me, or they would talk behind my back.
They would see my unpolished dancing skills, eating etiquettes, my posture. I would become a laughing stock.