Violet Zerotta's Hasty Marriage - Chapter 13
But she had never known what he truly felt inside. She’d never had the chance to find out. It felt like she had just glimpsed it for the first time.
So we really are a married couple now. I’m truly Aldrick’s wife, and Aldrick is truly my husband… Married. It was a word that sounded far too intimate.
Just as Violet’s heart was about to overflow with contentment…
A sudden, chilling thought flashed through her mind. It was triggered by a memory that surfaced out of nowhere.
Honeymoon… married… that means… the consummation, doesn’t it?
She had no idea why the thought suddenly came to her. It was like a light had flicked on in her brain. And once it was there, it refused to leave. Violet’s face went pale.
Yes, that’s right. They weren’t truly a married couple yet. There was still something left undone between them.
In Illo, even if a wedding was held, the marriage wasn’t considered legally valid unless it was consummated.
In Aldrick’s case, he likely received approval from his knight commander with nothing more than a document because there was no real way to verify it. But now, with this sudden realization, Violet felt uneasy.
She didn’t want to consummate the marriage. She still remembered all the horrifying stories.
That it hurt terribly, that it was painful and miserable, that there was nothing good for a woman in it.
But it wasn’t something she could avoid forever. They were only now beginning to live as a proper married couple. If they didn’t consummate the marriage, everything they’d built could be rendered invalid.
Her pale face slowly darkened.
She would have to go through with it, one way or another.
As always, Violet tried to think positively, almost by habit.
If it was something everyone did, maybe it wasn’t as terrible as she imagined. After all, every married couple in the world managed it somehow…
Violet didn’t know exactly what it was or how it was done. But you couldn’t fear something you didn’t understand. She forced herself to summon courage.
And besides… if it was Aldrick, maybe it would be alright. If it was him, it wouldn’t be terrible.
You’ve imagined much worse husbands, haven’t you? If it’s Aldrick… yes, it’ll be fine.
Violet reassured herself.
But then, why hadn’t Aldrick said anything to her?
According to what little she’d heard, the consummation was a ritual led by the husband.
Yet Aldrick hadn’t made a single request of her, not on their wedding night, and not even after returning from war yesterday.
That thought lingered in her mind like a small, persistent question.
***
For the next week, Violet and Aldrick were busy preparing to leave.
And during that time, nothing happened that gave Violet any real cause for concern.
Aldrick, like the fine knight he was, possessed a strong sense of chivalry.
He was always respectful toward Violet, and despite his large frame, he was surprisingly gentle and quiet.
Given the overwhelming physical power he clearly had, his overly mild nature was something Violet was grateful for. She knew well—albeit indirectly—just how terrifying a man like Aldrick could become if he chose to act cruelly.
Preparing for the trip didn’t take long. They didn’t have many belongings or luggage to begin with. After some discussion, they agreed to leave the house within a day or two.
Still, Violet felt a deep sense of attachment at the thought of leaving this house behind. It had been her home for three years. There wasn’t a corner of it that hadn’t felt her touch. She had cared for it with diligence and care, learning through trial and error along the way.
“To just suddenly leave like this… it’s really a shame. I worked so hard cleaning and fixing everything…”
Violet murmured as she showed Aldrick the garden one last time before their journey.
“What about the hens in the yard? If I let them go in the mountains, they’ll get eaten by foxes in a day. Ah… I won’t get to see Mrs. Margaret at the fabric shop anymore either. Should I at least say goodbye? She gave me so much work even though I had no connections. I’m really grateful to her.”
Before Aldrick came, Violet hadn’t realized she was someone who could talk this much.
Maybe it was because someone was finally listening. Violet chatted away effortlessly. And Aldrick listened to her without a hint of weariness.
From time to time, he would say things like, “The house looks completely different. I can tell you worked hard.”
or “You don’t need to do things like that anymore. Thinking of how hard it must’ve been for you makes me feel bad.”
And those simple responses satisfied Violet’s heart.
