Bridal Lessons - Chapter 41
“You can sleep more, Rosie.”
His voice, freshly awakened from sleep, was deeper than usual. Rosen’s face flushed with embarrassment, still not used to waking up in the same bed every morning, even more so than falling into an unconscious sleep after rough intercourse or sleeping with Iscarion’s member inside her all night.
Of course, when she was younger, she would bring her pillow to him every night, but the situation was completely different now. The man who used to hold her until she fell asleep, gently patting her and reading fairy tales, was now undressing her every night and engaging in such obscenity.
While Rosen hid her body under the feather blanket, Iscarion stood up, draping a gown over his sturdy upper body. Unintentionally, she glanced at his firm chest muscles visible through the open front.
Even though they were engaged, their relationship had always been more platonic and distant, and he had always appeared elegant and perfect to her. Seeing him freshly awake, with tousled hair right after a bath, was surprisingly refreshing since she had never imagined such a disheveled look on him.
Another thing she had newly discovered was the fierce and sensual expressions she had never seen before. The habit of furrowing one eyebrow when suppressing passion, the tensed jawline so strained that the veins stood out, and the moments when his solid body froze while releasing an unrefined sigh. Thinking about these intimate moments suddenly made Rosen feel hotter, prompting her to shake her head quickly to clear her mind.
Iscarion seemed intent on washing her, lifting her by placing his hands under her waist and behind her knees and carrying her to the bathroom. As they moved, the natural brush of his lips felt strangely pleasant.
Had she unknowingly succumbed to the intense pleasure and limited comfort he provided? Gradually, the guilt about staying in the bedroom, which was actually prepared for his honeymoon with another woman, faded. To be honest, outside of their intimate moments, he treated her more kindly than before, making it harder for her to leave the side of the man she had loved for so long.
Since he would naturally let her go when the time came for him to marry, she thought it might be okay to live like this until then…
The incident happened when Rosen had somewhat resigned herself to this thought.
***
About two weeks after being confined to the annex by Iscarion, Rosen started her monthly cycle. She had sensed it coming from her unusually lethargic body and the heavy tugging sensation in her lower abdomen a few days earlier. Her brxxsts had also swollen, and her nxxples were more sensitive than usual.
Since nothing was prepared in the room where she was confined, she had no choice but to embarrassingly inform Iscarion of her situation. She had expected him to have a maid handle it, but to her astonishment, Iscarion appeared shortly after with handmade linen menstrual pads. Rosen could hardly believe her eyes.
Menstruation was generally considered unclean. Maids responsible for such tasks would cover the menstrual pads with black cloth to avoid being seen by other servants in the corridors, and they would dress the women in thicker clothes to prevent any outward signs.
Given his high status akin to royalty, it would have been reasonable for him to avoid this task, but Iscarion, with a nonchalant expression, dressed Rosen in a new chemise and collected her blood-stained undergarments.
However, he did not leave the room, and Rosen, her face burning red, had to take the cloth pad from his hand and put it on, almost in tears. She had never imagined handling such a private matter in front of someone, and the embarrassment made her flush from head to toe. Despite being familiar with the task, she fumbled repeatedly, rushing to finish quickly.
Iscarion, who had been watching with interest as Rosen managed her most feminine duty, finally stood up after wiping the bloodstains on her fair thighs with a handkerchief from his pocket.
Among the items he brought were sweet chocolate with nuts, a box of caramels, and a large, sturdy leather pouch filled with warm water to hold against her. How did he know all her little habits without her ever mentioning them?
Iscarion, who had returned to the bedroom, was now sitting beside the lying Rosen, unwrapping chocolates and feeding them to her one by one. It had been days since she wasn’t physically tormented by him in bed, and Rosen began to feel drowsy.
Although it was ironic to feel comfort in her situation of confinement, the gentle hand rubbing her aching lower abdomen made her gradually fall asleep.
