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Chapter 7: the wedding feast (3)

Sirius was still sitting quietly, he was watching the crowd of guests without saying a word and Maegara had now left the hall. The question of what had just happened burned in my chest and I just had to ask him.

"Umm," my voice squeaked as he turned to me.

"Umm.. she- who is she?"

He didn't say anything. I swallowed my breath. I had probably overstepped my boundaries, after all, we just met and I was a captive, why would I need to concern myself with his personal matters?

"She was my lover when we were younger" he answered calmly and the suffocating silence between us resumed.

Well, that was awkward...

The banquet was seeming to come to an end as the hall was left with people dancing and drunk men laughing, the atmosphere had lifted.

My back was hurting from wearing a corset all day and my feet felt like they would come off any second. I cleared my throat as I uncomfortably adjusted the strap of my corset before rubbing my feet. I had been doing this for a while to ease the pain.

"Let's go" Sirius' voice called all of a sudden.

"Go?"

"To the bed chamber, we have to finish today's ceremony and it seems the banquet is over, the guests can enjoy themselves now without me making them uncomfortable, plus, you seem tired, come with me" he extended his hand to me and we began to make our way out of the hall while everyone in our way bowed to us.

We got to his palace at the south end of the castle grounds where there was a group of maids waiting for me. At their front was an older-looking woman who I assumed was either my lady-in-waiting or the head maid.

"Good evening my lady, my name is Jade and I will be your lady-in-waiting from now on, let us escort you to your room to prepare you for your night"

Jade was a petite woman who looked like she was in her thirties, she had brown hair in a bun and brown eyes, a stark contrast to the sharp features of the people of Maelstrom.

"I picked a human to be your lady-in-waiting so you'd be more comfortable around her," Sirius said as he turned and began to walk away in the opposite direction.

I nodded my head as they took me away to my room, for the first time since I arrived in Maelstrom, I was separated from Sirius. I watched him from behind as he and his butler walked to his room where he'd wait for me.

In my room, I was sitting in a warm bath as one of the maids massaged my back and waist gently while another massaged my feet. Jade had ordered them to help me as she saw how much pain I was in while taking off my clothes.

After they had finished bathing me, I was covered in fragrant oil and floral perfume after which Jade laid out a few night dresses for me to wear to his room. A normal bride would be happy at this but the sight of the dresses made me feel even more like an object, it was a reminder that I had to do whatever I could to appeal to this bloodthirsty prince.

"Which one would you like to wear my lady?" Jade asked.

I looked closely at the dresses and finally chose the one that I felt would make me the least self-conscious. It was a sheer white dress lined with lace embroidery, it left little to the imagination but to be fair, neither did the other dresses laid in front of me.

After I put on the dress, they gently brushed my hair commenting on its unique colour and softness, after this, they applied some makeup to my face and I put on a robe to cover myself before I'd get to Sirius' room.

They all led me to his room and bowed to me as they left me to go and meet him.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come in" Sirius' voice called from inside, it sounded firm and clear.

I gently opened the door to the sight of Sirius standing in front of the window as he watched the landscape of the castle. The moon cast a bright light on his face as he stood there shirtless revealing the tattoo of a red dragon which covered the whole of his back. He slowly turned around to face me and motioned for me to come and sit on the bed which I gently did.

"I haven't asked you what your name is," he said.

"My name is Astra, Sir" I replied meekly.

Immediately he walked towards me and pushed me down on the bed, before I knew it, we were in a compromising position.

He was there, knelt on top of me on the bed. My head in between his hands, his knee against mine and his musk was all in my nose.

"Look at me, Astra," he said, his voice growing darker as he looked at me intensely.

I couldn't bear to look him in the eye, I was sold a lie, told that I was marrying someone who supposedly cared about me and here I was ... lying under my captor who would soon discard me after finding out I was not what he was looking for.

I felt his hand gently hold my chin and turn my face to his, now I was locked in a gaze with him.

"Are you scared?" He asked.

I shook my head but anyone could see that it was a huge lie.

He sat up and walked to the edge of the bed as he put on his robe.

"I'm sorry for scaring you Astra, I can be a bit forward sometimes"

I sat up on the bed as I continued to avoid his gaze.

"It's fine"

Once again, there was silence between us, I didn't know what to say again, I didn't know whether I was to say it first or him. Would I matter either way? We'd have to do it eventually.

And just as if he had been reading my thoughts, he walked up to me and held my hand.

"Well, shall we consummate our marriage?"

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