I hesitated to touch him, but after giving it a thought, I decided it would be better to comfort him. I gently stroked his chest with my hand.
Closing his eyes he took a deep breath, lowering his head he looked at me and said with deep regret, "I'm sorry. He murmured, "I know at this point it is getting annoying, I'm just apologising and not doing anything. I'm really ashamed of myself, I didn't know I was this incompetent."
I couldn't understand why he was having so much regret when he hasn't even done anything wrong, "Things happen, you can't always be there with me." I gestured.
And added, "Besides, this is nothing compared to what my family used to do to me." I gasped, I mistakenly told him about my family.
What will I answer when he will ask me what I meant by that? I immediately started thinking of excuses to make but to my surprise Shahr didn't ask me anything about the thing I mentioned.
"You think that's going to make me feel better?" He asked. Tears rolled down his cheeks and landed on mine, leaving me too stunned to speak.
My body froze as I witnessed more tears dropping from his eyes. I'm so bad at consoling, I just let him waste his precious pearl like tears.
Honestly I never thought I would see a man like Shahr cry, I'm not saying man can't cry, but Shahr, the man with the strength of a hundred elephants, the magic power of a thousand mages, and sword skills like no one else, so seeing him cry wasn't something I thought I would ever witness.
"If you don't mind, may I make a request?" He said softly.
I nodded my head.
"May I hug you?"
He asked making me flabbergasted.
"If that's going to make you feel better, you may do it." I replied.
He shook his head left and right aggressively, "No, if you are saying yes, because I will feel better then you don't have to force yourself. I would only hug you if you want it."
My cheeks burned, saying yes to this would mean that I also wanted to hug him. I did want to hug him, but I was too shy to admit that.
Getting no answers from me, Shahr's face dimmed and he said, "its okay, please don't feel any burden about it. I would be okay, if I rest a bit."
I shook my head aggressively, "I also want to hug you, Duke."
His eyes glittered with excitement, his lips curled up and cheeks puffed up. Quickly running towards the carriage, he placed me inside and hugged me tightly leaving zero space between us.
My eyes widened and soul almost left by his actions. My breathing became heavier as I felt our bodies brushing against each other, specially... Our chests.
Feeling confused of what to do with my hands, I also ended up hugging him. As my hands wrapped around his neck something in him happened and his hug became tighter.
Burying his head in my neck, he whispered, "you smell so good."
THUMPPPPPPP... THUMPPPPP... THUMPPPP... THUMPPP... THUMPP... THUMP... Thump...
My heart hammered so violently, I thought I would die from heartattack. Why would he say something like that? I stayed still.
I expected him to hug me for a short while until he calmed down, but on the contrary he hugged me all the way, from the marquisate to the Duchy. Not only that he wasn't ready to let go when we arrived at the duchy.
All the servants and maids were waiting outside, I tapped on his shoulders he showed no movement. I tapped again, he still showed no movement, when I tapped vigorously he moved and grumbled.
"What? Why take my peace away?"
Pointing outside, opening the door, I jumped down and vanished from there. I didn't have the courage to look at Shahr. If I looked at him for one more second I felt like my heart would blast.
On my way to my room I was stopped by a maid, who asked, "Duchess... Gasp, what are these bruises on your neck and why are so red? Are you having a fever? Please go rest in your room, I would call the doctor for you."
I waved her off, and rushed to my room. Closing the door, jumping on the bed, burying my head in the pillow I kept replaying the moment inside the carriage in my head.
...
I had dinner in my room, because I didnt want to face Shahr, that would be too embarrassing for me.
Then it was time to sleep, I turned off the lights but didn't go to sleep, I was waiting for Shahr. Midnight passed, dawn crept closer, why wasn't he coming?
Thinking he might not be showing up today because of work, I decided to sleep. Just as I was about to lay on the bed, the door opened and Shahr walked inside.
He got startled seeing me awake, "Why are awake? Were you Waiting for me?" He asked.
I nodded yes.
He seemed disappointed, letting a sigh out he uttered, "why would you do that? It's so late, what if this takes a toll on your body, today was a rough day too, what if I hadn't shown up?"
Since I didn't understand what to answer I stayed silent, he left a sigh again and sat beside me.
"Did the maids apply ointment on your bruises?" Asked Shahr.
I bit my tongue, because I had told the maids not to worry about this since the bruises aren't deep, but if I tell this to Shahr he would definitely get angry.
My silence answered everything to him, "Let me guess." Her said sternly, "You told the maids, the bruises aren't deep so don't bother, and you didn't apply any ointment yourself either. Am I right?"
His furious yet caring voice made me gulp in fear.
"Please don't be upset, Duke." I gestured.
"I'm not angry, I'm worried." He shook his head, "I do not have any right to get angry at you when I'm the reason you got hurt."
"Please stop saying that. You didn't do anything. You have always protected me, cared about me, so please stop blaming yourself. If you don't then I will stop talking to you." I gestured expressing my concerns with him.
"Okay fine. I will stop, okay? So don't become a puffer fish." He got up and brought a ointment with him.
I wondered what's a puffer fish? Tilting my head, I asked, "What's a puffer fish?"
His face lit up with a smile, "You'll know once you see one." He then gently applied the ointment on my cheeks and as his cold hand brushed on my neck I flinched, closing my eyes.
My stomach twisted with excitement, I tried my best to suppress those rising feelings in me, not letting them show on my face.
After the ointment was applied, Shahr put the box it its place and uttered, "Okay, sleep now."
"You aren't going to sleep?" I asked.
"Yes, I will, on the sofa." He answered.
I turned bright red as I thought the sentence I was going to say next, "Please sleep on the bed."
Shutting my eyes in embarrassment I waited for his reply but getting no answers I opened my eyes, only to find him blushing like a tomato from head to toe.
Seeing his expression my heart also skipped a bit, without saying anything else, I hid myself with the quilt.
After a while I felt rustling behind my back, I understood Shahr had come to sleep on the bed. My heart thumped with excitement as this would be the first time we would be sleeping together on the bed.
It made me restless, I didn't sleep till dawn.
...
The next morning, I couldn't move. something very heavy pinned me down.
I opened my eyes, only to find Shahr peacefully asleep, his arms and legs wrapped tightly around me.
Panicking I tried to push him away, but no use at all. His grip, his weight, his power, I was nothing in front of them. At last, I decided to stop struggling and stay in his arms till he wakes up.
It took an hour. This one hour was the longest one hour of my life. Honestly it felt like a decade. I can't explain how hard it was to stay in the same position for whole sixty minutes.
When Shahr woke up, noticed my face inches away from his, and then noticed his hands and legs wrapped around me, he jumped off the bed in panic.
"I... I... How... I... Didn't-" He stuttered trying to explain.
"It's okay, I understand." I gestured with a soft smile.
He let out a long sigh of relief.
Knock... Knock...
The door was knocked. Shahr opened the door, before him stood his secretary Malvin.
"Duke, it's 12 already pm, how long do you plan to sleep?"