Chapter 012
When Sioden turned to look at me in response to those words, I realized that he was even more handsome than I remembered.
His forehead, exposed and pale, contrasted with the dark wedding attire, giving him a more mature appearance than usual. His gaze and eyes seemed deeper than I had known, and above all, seeing his calm expression reminded me of the first time I had truly seen his face under the moonlight.
Back then, Sioden had smiled brightly.
Hadn’t the freshness typical of youth deeply saturated his delicate features?
Recalling that unforgettable moment made my heart race naturally. That irrational speed quickened even more as his long fingers lifted the veil.
As his head tilted toward me, I found I could not look at him any longer.
I closed my eyes and embraced the darkness, and instead of a kiss, a soft voice brushed against my cheek.
“The fabric is thin.”
One hand that had lifted the veil brushed against my ear.
As if he were leaning in to kiss, he whispered.
“If you dress like this in the North, you’ll catch a fever.”
He said I should wear something warmer after the ceremony.
His tone was rather cold compared to before, yet strangely affectionate. Just like the first time we met, or perhaps even more so.
Perhaps there might be at least one thing between us—love or trust.
As I mulled over the thoughts from the recent marriage vows, my mouth felt dry, like a child on the verge of being scolded.
It was natural, because if there was love between him and me, it would ultimately lead to trouble.
As his hand moved away and the veil fell back, brushing against my ear, I replied.
“Thank you, but I’m fine with the outer garment. I’ll be changing clothes anyway…”
Traditionally, the bride changes into a specially tailored dress for the banquet after the ceremony.
Sioden spoke while still looking straight ahead.
“Is that so?”
His low voice felt like it was resonating in my chest, not just in my ear.
Like someone throwing a stone into a lake where not even a single flower blooms and no birds come, a tingling wave of sensation rippled through me, something I had never felt before.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
As it was time to change into my banquet dress, I began to think that perhaps it would have been better to receive the outer garment from Sioden.
The dress tailored at the same dressmaker was not much different from the wedding gown. While it didn’t reveal my shoulders, the neckline was quite deep, making it look cold.
I wondered what on earth Iswen intended to do with my outer garment. By now, I was genuinely curious.
I draped a shawl over my shoulders, but even that looked thin.
When I stepped into the banquet hall, Sioden was already seated at the designated spot prepared for the guests to present their gifts before the banquet.
Upon spotting me, he stood up and approached.
He extended his hand toward me, a gesture for escorting.
As I took his hand, Sioden spoke in that soft voice again.
“I’ll ask them to bring your outer garment.”
“…Thank you.”
He didn’t respond, but the hand I held felt quite gentle.
Feeling the appropriate strength in his grip, I solidified my earlier thought while changing into the banquet dress: today, Sioden didn’t seem angry with me.
Later, I might ask why he had said he had something to say but didn’t come to find me in the capital. It was something I had been unable to bring up because he had seemed displeased.
The first to present their gifts were the retainers of Raslet.
They appeared to be quite familiar with Sioden. To be precise, they seemed to have been close since the time of the former Duke of Raslet, as his name was mentioned along with their well-wishes.
Sioden graciously accepted their words, likely because they were around the same age or perhaps older than him.
After the retainers of Raslet passed, gifts from Rowen followed.
Everything was excessively extravagant and abundant. Whether in a good way or not, it was noticeable.
Paiden, representing those bringing the gifts, even pretended to shed tears.
“How delighted would the Duke of Rowen have been if he were here? He always thought of you as a child… and now you sit here as such a respectable young lady.”
Seeing him overly emotional made me feel as if my father had been buried beneath a gravestone.
If the guests from Raslet had imagined it like I did, they might have felt less displeased, but one cannot freely share what is in their mind.
In the end, I had to witness the retainers of Raslet exchanging glances, feeling offended by Paiden’s words.
I thought Sioden might also feel uncomfortable, so I subtly lifted my gaze to observe him.
However, Sioden’s expression remained unchanged. He looked ahead and said,
“The one bringing the clothes is late.”
Before I could even respond with a “That’s true,” the next presentation began.
“This is a wedding gift from the royal family.”
Among the gifts contained in a box adorned with the emblem of Litherin, nothing particularly stood out.
It was surprising that the long-secluded princess sent a gift in her name, but since I had received flowers last time, it wasn’t that strange.
Perhaps she was considering resuming her public activities.
With such thoughts, I awaited the end of this procedure. I felt a bit sorry for those who had worked hard to prepare the banquet, but I wanted to have a conversation with Sioden away from prying eyes.
Until that moment, I thought that if I could talk to Sioden alone, I might be able to clear up the misunderstandings that had built up over time.
Or perhaps even more than that, we might be able to get along well.
I was filled with such dreams.
That was until a royal attendant pulled something out of the large box.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
It was a large, thick fabric.
The cloth, which required four people to hold it steady, contained a single picture woven from threads of various colors. In other words, it was a tapestry.
This intricate tapestry, which could not have been completed even if woven continuously since the harvest festival, depicted a wedding scene.
It was an outdoor wedding in a southern style.
Although it was a bright spring wedding that could never take place in the perpetually snow-covered north, there was something more problematic than the scenery.
As it was a wedding, the tapestry featured a pair of men and women with their backs turned. The woman had blonde hair, and the man had black hair, but the clothing the man wore was the white wedding attire of the south.
Men in the north wore black clothing when getting married.
The outfit of the man, only seen from behind, was embroidered with gold thread, indicating noble status.
Though the northern duke also held a high status, the young nobleman dressed in southern wedding attire evoked thoughts of another.
The crown prince.
The very fact that they were turned away from each other was an unusual composition, almost as if inviting the viewer’s imagination.
Moreover, to create a tapestry of that scale, one would need to work tirelessly for six months to a year.
Anyone with even a little knowledge of the process would realize that this tapestry had been in the works since before the emperor commanded this marriage.
The man’s black hair seemed to serve as a minimal excuse.
Realizing this fact, Sioden’s expression hardened.
“Who sent that tapestry?”
It was a question that made even me shrink back, yet the royal attendant answered shamelessly.
“It was personally prepared by His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Aiden’s words came to mind.
‘I’ll send you a wedding gift that will uphold your dignity, so don’t worry too much. The Duke of Raslet should know who you belong to.’
I had thought it inappropriate then, but before I could say anything to correct it, he had left his seat.
The attendant continued speaking.
“Congratulations on your marriage, and this has been prepared for the nostalgia of the Duchess, to depict her hometown. It is hoped that it will always hang in the castle,” he said.
“I see.”
A pair of blue eyes glanced down at me.
“I will convey to His Highness that it has been received well.”
His voice dripped with coldness, yet the royal attendant did not step back.
“There is one more gift from His Highness.”
He signaled to the entourage waiting behind him. Two attendants came forward carrying a rosewood box adorned with gold leaf.
The lid of the box opened with a heavy sound.
Inside was a familiar white fur.
