Back in her chamber, Anisha stared out the window absentmindedly, pondering her current status quo. She would avoid going out as much as possible. She couldn't face the gossip.
She turned at Nhel's return.
"Where'd you go?" Anisha asked as he approached her.
"I went back to see your father."
"It was good that we left. Edmond was too impatient to wait for the decision on the King's heir, he's already staged a coup," he said, and Anisha listened on.
"Oh?"
"I'm leaving to gather my army. Will you be okay here? I'm sorry you have to go through this."
Nhel took her hand in his. Anisha looked down at it, then back up. To be honest, she hadn't expected everything to turn out this way. To be back home, but she could feel the genuineness of Nhel's words, so she wouldn't make things harder for him.
Anisha smiled reassuringly. "I understand."
Nhel, who had been weighed down by worry, suddenly felt lighter at her response.
He pulled her into a hug. Her body felt smaller compared to his.
She didn't know how worried he had been that she might regret marrying him. He swore to protect her and deal with anyone who crossed her.
Why was he only noticing it now? She smelled like cinnamon. Nhel instinctively inhaled, taking it in.
Anisha's eyes widened, not expecting the hug. Her hands slowly lifted, then wrapped around him.
She closed her eyes, resting her chin against his shoulder. It felt good to be on the same page with him. This was the most they had understood each other so far.
They pulled apart and stared at each other for a moment. The thought returned to Anisha, and she felt there was no better time to ask.
"Tell me," Nhel urged, noticing she seemed to have something to say.
Anisha looked at him for a moment. "It's nothing important. There's no need to bother," she said, waving it off.
Nhel's gaze darkened. "I thought we had passed this stage, Anisha."
Anisha frowned, confused. What stage?
She kept looking at him, hoping he would clarify.
Instead, Nhel stepped away and moved to put on the last piece of armor resting on the table.
"When will you be back?" Anisha called after him.
"In three days," he replied.
"But we just arrived. Won't you stay the night?" she suggested.
Nhel paused, considering it. It seemed Anisha no longer had issues with his presence.
"Okay."
"Let me," Anisha said, stepping forward to help him remove his armor, but Nhel caught her wrist.
She paused. "Is there a problem?"
"You should be resting so you can recover," Nhel said, his voice laced with hoarseness.
He saw the flicker of hurt in her eyes, but her scent was doing something to him.
Something he didn't understand.
"You… you're right." came Anisha's reply.
Nhel's knuckles tightened. He was being a bad husband again.
"Do you see me as weak?" Anisha asked suddenly.
Nhel froze, unsure of what to say.
Tears welled in Anisha's eyes, but she quickly turned away, dabbing them with her kerchief.
His breath caught, he hadn't expected that.
"Why do you feel that way?" Nhel asked.
Anisha turned to him immediately. "If you don't, then why do you still treat me like I'm ill?" she snapped, her voice cracking.
"I'm tired of proving to everyone that I'm no longer that sick child from years ago! If my family didn't let me do things myself because they thought I was fragile, I don't need you to do the same."
Nhel stood silent as she spoke, her chest rising and falling.
"You may leave for your army like you said," Anisha added, folding her arms.
"I'll leave… to give you time to cool off," Nhel said quietly.
"I'm sorry, Anisha."
He paused, surprised at himself. He had apologized twice in one day. Anisha was bringing out a side of him he hadn't known existed.
When Nhel left, Anisha reflected on what she had done. She knew he had only been worried about her. If she wanted their marriage to work, she couldn't keep instigating misunderstandings.
She hurried out to look for him, just like the other night when she had gone searching for him near midnight.
But she couldn't find him.
She wondered how he even knew his way around, this wasn't his home, yet he had vanished as though he belonged.
The archery field lay across the pavilion. Though night had fallen, torches lit the area well.
Archery equipment was arranged neatly in the center, and Anisha suddenly felt the urge to shoot.
She could practice for a while. Maybe Nhel would return to the chamber by then.
She approached the target and picked up a bow, studying it as memories surfaced.
Her mother rushing in at the sight of her vomiting… the physician trying to steady her, the gentle taps her mother gave to calm her breathing.
Her sisters complaining, scolding her for being too sickly, for exhausting their mother.
Yet her mother never complained. But Anisha always saw the fatigue in her eyes.
When she learned her mother had once practiced archery, Anisha saw it as something she could do, something to prove she was getting stronger.
"What are you doing out here, Anisha?"
She turned to see her mother approaching.
"Mother." Anisha curtsied.
Her mother's gaze shifted to the bow. "Practicing would go against your father's wishes. Why do you have that?"
"I wasn't practicing. I was just looking at it," Anisha replied.
"Alright."
"I heard what happened with Millicent. Don't take it to heart, okay?"
Anisha paused, then nodded slowly. A lump formed in her throat at the softness in her mother's voice. What had changed?
"If anything happens, you'll be under our protection," the Queen assured her.
"Yes, Mother."
The Queen picked up a bow and arrow from the stand. Anisha followed her movements closely.
She took her stance and released a shot. It missed the bullseye by a small margin.
A smile curved her lips. "Your turn."
Anisha blinked in surprise but stepped forward.
She positioned the arrow, closed one eye, and aimed. The target wavered in her vision as she tried to steady herself.
She felt the weight of the bow and her mother's gaze.
Swoosh.
The arrow missed widely.
She lowered her hands, disappointed.
"It's alright, Anisha. You're not an archer, yet look at what you managed to do."
Warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you, Mother."
The Queen set the bow down.
"May I try again?" Anisha asked.
"If you like."
Anisha smiled and reached for another arrow.
She steadied herself again, but her hands trembled.
Then suddenly,
Warm hands covered hers.
She froze.
She felt his presence, his build, and a glimpse of his silver hair.
Nhel.
She turned slightly, but his hands guided hers back toward the target.
"Relax your shoulders… you're doing well," Nhel murmured.
Anisha forced her focus forward, doing as he said.
"Now, draw slowly," he guided, his hands steady over hers.
She obeyed, though her thoughts blurred under his closeness.
"If you grip it any tighter, it might start crying," he added with a soft chuckle. "Relax. The bow isn't your enemy."
"L-like this?" she stammered, his warm breath brushing her ear.
"Hmm. Now let the string slip from your fingers."
Anisha released.
Swoosh.
The arrow struck the bullseye.