Chapter XI Bath
XI Bath
The sun is setting when we arrive at another castle. Raduna explains there are many small castles left over from the times when Eleven Kingdoms were an empire with only one ruler.
“He traveled a lot, visiting his provinces, and so, the castles were built within the distance of a day’s travel from each other.
The goal was to give the emperor a place to stay every night so he didn’t have to camp outside.
Some of those castles are gone now, but Magnar had the crucial ones restored.
This one is a good example. It was a ruin after the war, but Magnar gave it to Vardi, one of late king Hrognar’s advisors, and he had the core buildings finished within a year. Vardi is a skilled architect.”
I can tell the castle is partly new. The lower parts of the walls are built of dark gray rock, the stones larger, but the upper floors and towers are made of lighter, smaller stones.
It’s brightly lit with torches, and Agnidari men patrol the walls.
When we approach, a sturdy bridge lowers to let us cross over the moat.
“Thank you for the privilege of being your rider today. I hope to see you at dinner, my queen,” Raduna says with a respectful bow after he helps me dismount.
I smile with difficulty, my thighs hurting more than they did last night. We covered a lot of ground today.
When Khay comes over, offering me his hand, I take it without protest and follow him up wide, well-lit stairs covered with a dark blue carpet. I manage to bite back groans of pain, but after five steps or so, Khay stops and gives me a penetrating look.
“Of course,” he sighs. “Why didn’t you say so?”
I want to ask with annoyance what it is that he wants me to say, but Khay sweeps me up in his arms, and I swallow my angry words, holding on to his neck. Stairs sound absolutely exhausting right now.
“Oh, my lady,” he berates me gently. “Are you so spoiled, then? Did your servants know you so well, you never had to ask for anything? I suppose I can do that, too, but not before I learn all about your needs.”
I sigh and close my eyes. Was I spoiled? I suppose I never went hungry, because meals were regularly served, and I had beautiful dresses and luxuries aplenty. My bed was soft and warm, my horse taken care of. I had everything.
On the other hand, whenever Avinia locked me up in the punishment cellar and I pounded on the door for hours, begging to be let out, no one came. I learned fast that some requests were allowed, but not others.
“I’m not used to asking for help,” I settle on saying.
“Hm. We can both learn, then. I’ll be more attentive to your needs without you having to tell me, and you can try to ask me for things sometimes. For example, what do you crave the most right now?”
“A hot bath,” I say with a sigh. “And to wash my hair.”
Khay hums in approval, hoisting me a bit higher in his arms. “That was perfect, little diamond. I’m very pleased.”
A shiver runs down my spine, warmth spreading in my belly, and I open my eyes to see Khay gazing at my face with a self-satisfied smirk.
“You liked that, didn’t you? I’ll praise you every time you ask for something. That should do nicely as an incentive.”
I huff, a bit outraged, but also amused. “It sounds like you’re trying to train me to do tricks.”
“I’ll be the one doing tricks once you let me,” he says with a mischievous grin. “Did you know Vardi has plumbing in this castle? Only on one floor, and it’s sometimes capricious, but the bathtubs are amazing and you get hot water on demand. I’ll draw you the best bath you’ve ever had.”
I swallow, taking a deep, apprehensive breath. Khay snorts at my lukewarm reaction but says nothing, and I wonder what to do. Should I allow him to help with my bath? I hesitate, and not just because it’s so indecent.
Khay makes me feel safe, and I trust him as much as one can trust a person newly met, but at the same time, I do feel a certain unease around him. Just like Magnar, he sends my body into a strange, chaotic state.
All that talk of bets, too. I don’t really have a reason to suspect it had anything to do with me, yet there’s an itch under my skin, a sort of premonition. I can’t help thinking it’s something dirty, and the secretive vagueness makes it even worse.
“And here we are.”
Khay lets me to my feet, and I sigh with pleasure, taking in the large bedroom richly furnished with dark, ornate wood. The carpet is green like my dress, the walls pale yellow. Overall, it’s a cheerful, luxurious space, and I can’t wait to stretch my limbs among the many pillows in the large bed.
“After you, my lady.”
Khay opens the door to the bathroom, and I walk in, gasping when I see the bathtub. It’s huge, probably because it was designed with the Agnidari in mind. It’s not quite big enough for me to swim in, but I think at least three of me could lie in it without being cramped.
“I will, of course, watch over you in case you decide to drown again.”
I turn sharply to look at Khay, who leans insouciantly against the doorjamb. His eyes crinkle, his laughing lines prominent as he smiles with a hint of teeth. For the first time, I notice how his black shirt molds to his body, tight over his muscles.
His sleeves are rolled up, revealing shapely forearms. I stare, fascinated, when I notice a thick, bulging vein crawling up one of them. My hands itch, and just like with Magnar’s hair before, I have an urge to touch Khay.
“Are you already asleep, little diamond? You haven’t moved for a minute,” he says with a chuckle.
I shake myself off and look at his face, helpless and indecisive. I really want to wash my hair and I’m afraid of falling asleep in the bath, but the way he turns my insides into a fluttering mess makes me wary.
Khay’s expression grows serious as he steps into the bathroom.
“I already saw you, Caliane,” he says softly, and I flinch at the sound of my given name. “Let me take care of you. Please.”
I think it’s the first time I see him like this. His dark eyes are wide open, mouth soft, and he looks so earnest.
I nod.
It’s like he said. I’ll have to get used to it sooner or later.
Khay takes a deep breath and lowers his head, his eyes closed. I expect him to make a smart comment about my acquiescence, maybe poke fun at me a little, but all I sense are relief and gratitude.
“Good,” he says after a moment, his voice lower, husky. “I’ll start on the bath, and you can put your feet up in the meantime. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
I go to the bedroom and sit down by the window, looking out at the small inner courtyard.
Dusk is falling, but I still make out Magnar as he speaks to a slim Agnidari man with a mane of curly black hair shot with silver.
He supports himself on a long, white cane.
The men embrace, then exchange kisses, two on each cheek.
My restless mind can’t help but try to seek meaning in the scene I just saw, finally adding it to the pile of “Magnar is Good” evidence.
Taking care of one’s elders is a sign of excellent upbringing.
“Come in,” Khay calls, water splashing.
I stand up with a wince of pain and take a grounding breath. It’s fine, I remind myself. He won’t hurt me.
Khay waits by the bath, his hair, previously loose, gathered in a bun on top of his head. I smile at the sight. It’s the messiest of hairdos, but I see how it might come in handy.
“All right,” he says, coming over when I stop nervously in the middle of the room, the fragrant steam rising over the bath already loosening my muscles. “Correct me if I get something wrong.”
When I look down, his graceful fingers already race down the front of my dress, undoing the hooks with nimble ease. His black claws, which I expect to get in the way, don’t slow him down at all. I take a shaky breath, grudgingly impressed. He’s faster than me.
“Everything all right?” Khay murmurs, sliding the garment off my shoulders until the undone bodice hangs off my hips by the threads connecting it to the skirt. My torso is covered by a white shirt tied under my throat with a ribbon, and he pulls it free as soon as I give him a shaky nod.
I don’t trust myself to speak right now. Something’s happening, hot and cold shivers pouring down my spine, and it’s a bit scary but shockingly exciting. I don’t want it to stop.
“Good.” His voice grows lower as he hooks his fingers under the hem of my shirt. “Raise your arms.”
I do. He takes his time pushing the soft fabric up, his fingers trailing my sides and the sensitive skin of my forearms until it’s off, and only the chemise is left. When I look down, I see my nipples, dark and obvious under the thin fabric. They’ve hardened into strange little points.
“So beautiful,” he whispers, looking down, too. “Let me, now.”
I raise my arms again, but it’s harder to keep them up. I’m shaking, but Khay doesn’t comment, his fingers trembling, too, as they skim down my stomach.
When he pulls the chemise off with a hard exhale, I cover my breasts with my arms, my face hot, my knees liquid. I can’t bear to look at him. Khay’s breathing is audible, hungry as he drops to his knees in front of me.
“I-it’s in the back,” I say, my voice cracking. “The ribbons t-tying the skirts. They are… in the back.”
He looks at my face that’s on the exact level as his now, and our eyes meet.
Khay’s lips are parted, cheeks darkened with a purplish shadow, but he doesn’t get up despite my words.
Instead, he circles my waist with his arms, fumbling with the ribbons at my lower back until the skirt pools around my feet, revealing the shorn petticoats.
He relieves me of these with a few tugs, and I’m left almost bare, only my stockings, Khay’s underthings and my own covering my nakedness.
“I’ll wear these tomorrow,” he mumbles as if to himself, pulling his red underwear down my thighs. “Oh, and this… This is divine.”