Chapter 149 - Joaquin

Traditionally, the crown prince's and the crown princess's first night would be witnessed by selected people. Not entirely watch them, but stay inside the same room or outside just to make sure the newlyweds would consummate their marriage.

But because of cultural differences between the Maganti empire and the Haimirich empire, both empires agreed that their shared nights would stay private between the crown princess and the crown prince. There was no way those men in the Haimirich Empire would let Aries consummate a marriage for everyone to hear.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Aries slowly opened her weary eyes, hands holding the edge of the lowboy while Gertrude was brushing her hair.

She raised her gaze up at Gertrude's reflection. "I want to rest early before the crown prince arrives." She waved and exhaled deeply, unable to conceal her exhaustion.

"Yes, your Royal Highness." Gertrude held her hand on her abdomen, bowing politely. Before she left, she lit up a few more scented candles until the smell permeated the entire room.

She held her breath only to inhale shortly. "I'll stay outside if you need me, Your Highness."

Aries simply nodded, watching Gertrude hurriedly yet modestly leave the chambers. The crown prince wouldn't arrive anytime soon. She was certain he was held up by the people doubting her identity, and he would surely want to make her wait.

"Silence..." she drew a breath, eyes closed. "Smells like lavender."

When she slowly opened her eyes, she dragged her feet towards the enormous bed. She slipped under the sheet without waiting for her husband. Her long yawn was proof of her exhaustion.

Although the two-month journey felt fleeting with Abel as her company, she wouldn't deny it was still tiring. All the fatigue slowly seeped deep into her bones now that she was alone in these silent chambers and on this warm bed.

Not to mention, she had to get married the second she stepped foot in the imperial palace. She also had to accept the felicitations from their guest before Gertrude helped her take off all the weight of her wedding dress and remove every accessory from head to toe.

Despite all that, when Aries laid down to nap, she couldn't. Sleep required peace and she wouldn't get that in this place. Hence, she kept her eyes shut for a moment before sitting upright.

"It's just the first night, Aries," she muttered, running her fingers through her golden straight hair. Her eyes veered towards the coffee table inside the chambers.

Her brow arched. On top of the table were a bottle of wine and two empty glasses for the newlyweds to enjoy.

"Right... at least, there's something good left in this place." Aries flung her legs out of the bed to grab a glass of wine. As she poured herself a glass, the side of her lips curled up.

Holding the lower stem of the wineglass in between her thumb and forefinger, Aries swirled the red liquid until it coated the transparent glass. She then guided it to her nose and breathed normally.

Even though the scented candles overwhelmed her sense of smell, Aries could still smell something from the wine, aside from its initial fresh fruity aroma. She had a vague idea of what it was, though.

"Congratulations on getting hitched, Daniella," came out in an alluring voice, guiding the rim of the wineglass to her lips, sipping from it elegantly. "Not bad."

Aries smacked her lips as she dragged her feet on the settee to enjoy a drink to unwind. Leaning her side against the armrest, she propped her jaw against her knuckles, resting her leg over the other, eyes on the wineglass in her hand.

"What a potent aphrodisiac," she whispered, fluttering her eyelashes ever so tenderly. "Even though this level will not completely influence me, my body is burning."

She had expected this much on her wedding night. Actually, she expected more, but after the brief fiasco during the wedding ceremony, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

'That look in his eyes...' her expression remained naturally sharp and detached, raising the wineglass to her lips once again. '... disgust me.'

creak...

Aries didn't even flinch when the faint creak from the door tickled her ears. She continued drinking, watching the figure approach through her peripheral. The crown prince stopped several steps from the shut door, eyes falling on her figure.

Clad in his night robe, Aries, on the other hand, wore a thin and short silk dress, showing what she hid beneath her reserved wedding dress. Because it almost covered her earlier today, he didn't know that she had these cursive lines drawn across her body.

It showed from the side of her neck, running down to her attractive collarbones, then down across the middle part of her chest. His eyes shifted on her fair and tender thighs, seeing the marking peek under the hem of her short nightdress.

"Like what you're seeing?" he snapped his eyes when Aries broke the silence."Or were the inks on my body bothers you?"

"I think they're artistic," came out flowery words uttered in a deep voice. He marched towards her, standing near the settee, and asked, "May I?"

"Be my guest," she tipped her head in the empty space on the settee she was sitting on. She watched him sit down, adjusting his position until he was slightly facing her.

"Shall I pour you a glass?" she inquired, almost sounding teasingly with her cheeks pinkish.

"Will you?"

"Well, if you ask... nicely." Aries shrugged, making him chuckle as he leaned back, eyes fastening with fascination.

"No need." He waved mildly, scanning the natural blush on her face that contradicted those pair of smart eyes. "Just the sight of you is enough to excite a man."

"Then am I risking my marriage for needing a glass or two tonight?" she probed with a smirk, fluttering her eyes coquettishly.

"Not at all, crown princess. I think you will need it to ease your worries." 

"Circe," she crooned, sipping from the wineglass again, eyes still at him. When she gulped and licked her lips, she flashed a short smile. 

"We're now husband and wife. Therefore, I think being called by my name by my husband is... not much of a favor." Her brows rose, guiding their relationship at the pace she wanted to. "Quite fast, but not as fast as the wedding. The irony, isn't it? Your Royal Highness?" 

The crown prince just stared at her for several seconds, keeping his mouth tight shut. It was amazing how her roundabout way of talking still give her the result she wanted.

He sported a charming smile and raised his relaxed shoulders a bit.. "Joaquin."