ADONIA | #Historical | RomePi™

Huit ɬ 8 (BWWM)

ÉTIENNE

The night's frivolities ended long before he slipped out of the bed chamber. Glad to find two guards posted at attention on the side of the door leading into his suites, Étienne requested that a light meal and wine be prepared for himself and his bride.

Adonia had been left in bed exhausted from a long night filled with customs and expectations for which she was woefully unprepared to meet.

Though it required that he exercise great patience, the Duke gave the princess time to ask her questions of him regarding his expectations of her. For him, the marriage was much like any such union of kingdoms. To fortify the Argentén and Curianese bonds for diplomacy and trade, bloodlines were joined in holy matrimony.

An alliance would forever be forged between the families that could never be broken.

The couple discussed their families and they breezed over the descriptions of their lands and customs. With no prior knowledge of one another before their meeting at the docks, the duke and the princess did their best to become well acquainted.

The conversation supplied him with valuable information about Adonia's position as the youngest of ten children. He gleaned that most of her siblings were far older than she and that for most of the princess's life, her father allowed her to live untethered to the social constraints of the crown. Considering he was the second eldest of six children, Étienne was no stranger to the importance of birth and the positioning it yielded.

When he learned that his new bride had lived free from the conformity expected of royals, he identified with a kindred wild spirit in the young woman.

It was clear to him that Princess Adonia was indeed her father's favorite and since the king most likely overindulged the young woman, it was his belief that he had been saddled with the responsibility of babysitting the princess.

Ideas of a spoiled rude young woman crept up in his mind leaving Étienne to shudder in disgust at the thought of dealing with a spoiled brat. He recalled that his bride had only just turned eighteen a mere two months before the day when she graced the Argentén shores for the very first time.

Based on the range of inquiries she had embarked upon, he concluded that she might present him with an onslaught of challenges should he neglect to educate her on his personal requirements.

After such a tremendous effort had been expended convincing her to share his bed with him, Étienne found that he had yet to meet a feminine form quite like Adonia. With a reputation for supplying great pleasure, many would gladly welcome him in between their sheets. The Duke was fortunate enough to find that not one of those women matched the radiance of his new bride.

In time, he aimed to teach the young woman much about his needs, and in turn, he would also help her come to love all of Argenté that she could bear.

For the moment, he would focus on seeking refreshments since they missed the opportunity to join in the festivities of the previous night before the party came to an end.

"So, I see you have finally resurfaced." The familiar voice caught him off guard as he relinquished the visions of the angel still yet wildly strewn across his bed.

"That I have my friend. That I have."

"Why are you standing here looking lost and all alone?"

"My dear sweet wife is asleep and I decided to bring her a light snack to replenish her strength." The stated as a devious little grin lifted the corners of his lips.

Both men chuckled at the thought of what was sure to have taken place in that room. They exchanged bits of gossip about the conversations that were making the rounds concerning the marriage.