Chapter 33: Relax...I will Be Gentle.
Arianna watched silently as Selena stepped into the tent. She hadn’t seen her since the night of the attack, but the near-fatal incident wasn’t the reason she had summoned her here today.
"You sent for me. Trust me, I had absolutely no desire to come, but I wasn’t given much of a choice," Selena said the moment the flap closed behind her. Her eyes immediately darted around the space, critically comparing the luxurious surroundings to her own, just as she always did.
"You have never had a choice when it comes to me," Arianna replied coldly. She made an effort to push herself up from the bed, causing Maria to rush over anxiously to assist her. Arianna held up a hand to steady herself, keeping her eyes locked on her rival. "Do you know why, Selena? Because I always get first pick, leaving you with the remnants. That is exactly why you are so desperately envious of me."
Selena couldn’t conceal her shock. The princess was becoming bolder with every passing minute she spent in this tribe. "You shouldn’t forget that you will lose all of your precious control the second I decide to tell the King the truth."
"Then by all means, go right ahead, Selena. You would actually be doing me an immense favor."
"W-what?"
"Yes," Arianna said, sitting upright with Maria’s gentle assistance. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed, placing them firmly on the floor as she took a deep, steadying breath. "If you speak, we will all go down together. And guess who has far more to lose? You do."
"You are just trying to frighten me," Selena scoffed, desperately shrugging off the sudden panic of being caught up in the absolute mess the princess and Ethan had created.
"Really?" A dark, quiet chuckle escaped Arianna’s dry lips. "Do you honestly think that is why I called you here?"
"Then why did you send for me? It is glaringly obvious that you are still deeply in love with Ethan and you are bitter that I am the one carrying his child."
Managing to stand on her feet without staggering, Arianna pressed a hand to her aching stomach. She took a slow, deliberate step forward until she was standing directly in front of Selena. "How many times do I have to tell you that I could not care less about Ethan?"
"How do you expect me to believe that?" Selena countered, crossing her arms defensively. "You are putting on this entire dramatic performance because you want him running straight back into your arms."
"Both you and your boyfriend are so incredibly stupid. You truly are a perfect match for each other, Selena. However, you must understand that I do not want him anywhere near me," Arianna said, doing her absolute best to maintain her composure. "Stay away from me...both of you or I will make your lives a living hell."
"Wow. And yet, you were the one who called me here."
"Yes, and if you would just shut up, this conversation would have ended minutes ago," Arianna snapped, running her fingers through her long, dark hair and tossing it over her right shoulder. "I wanted to warn you, Selena. I would have delivered this message to Ethan myself, but it is far better that you communicate it to him instead."
"I cannot believe this is happening."
"Tables turn, my dear traitor of a friend. Now listen carefully: if by any chance I find out that you and Ethan were involved in the attack on me last night, I will personally make sure your brains are put on a spike."
Selena’s heart skipped a heavy beat as a cold dread crept into her chest. She wondered how on earth the princess had become so terrifyingly sharp over the last few days. The very air in this tribe was clearly changing her.
"Yes, I am certain you know something about it," Arianna continued, tracking Selena’s sudden panic. "But I am patient enough to wait for the evidence to surface. For now, enjoy whatever freedom you have left."
"You have absolutely no right to threaten me, because I know nothing about it," Selena told her, trying desperately to sound confident.
"Then just sit back and watch," Arianna said, stepping away. She walked back to the bed and laid back. "You may leave now. Or I can have the guards throw you out."
"You will pay for this, Arianna. I promise you."
"I will pay for absolutely nothing. You should consider yourself incredibly lucky that I even allow you to breathe the same air as me."
The tent flap suddenly rustled, and both women went completely silent as a familiar, imposing figure appeared in the entrance.
Kane stepped inside, looking surprised to find Selena in the room. Selena quickly bowed and offered him a stiff, icy greeting, her posture tense as if she were desperately masking severe pain.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his focus shifting toward Selena.
Arianna waited intently from her bed to hear the response, her heart hammering against her ribs despite her outward calm. Selena was inherently mischievous and entirely capable of twisting the situation to her advantage.
"I am fine, Your Highness," Selena replied smoothly, offering a low bow while casting a pointed glance back at Arianna. "I will take my leave now. My stomach hurts a little."
"Do you want me to call for the medicine woman?" Kane asked, his expression clouding with concern. He glanced back at his wife, checking to see if she had a suggestion.
"It is likely just mild contractions, I assume," Arianna quickly interjected, cutting off whatever game Selena was trying to play. "I will have the women prepare a soothing herbal draft to make her feel more comfortable."
"That would be best," Kane agreed, turning back to the pregnant woman before him. "Maria will escort you safely back to your tent."
"Thank you for your immense kindness, Your Highness," Selena said. She waited for Maria, who rushed over to her side to offer her arm for support.
Kane quietly watched them exit the room before reaching up to remove the heavy crown from his head, placing it carefully on the wooden table. "She looks incredibly stressed."
"I appreciate the fact that you care, but trust me, she is more than happy to be here in the territory with Ethan," Arianna told him, her voice steady. "She told me so herself."
"Hmm... I certainly hope that is the case." Kane sighed. He unclasped the thick, heavy fur draped over his shoulders, leaving his broad chest bare.
Even in her weakened state, Arianna’s body instinctively responded to the striking sight of him. The air in the tent suddenly felt heavy and intimate as he walked over to the bedside.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked softly, gently cradling her face in his palm.
Arianna simply nodded, suddenly feeling far too warm to find her voice under his intense gaze.
"I am so sorry," Kane murmured, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "The investigation is still actively underway, but rest assured: whoever did this to you will be caught before the sun sets tonight."
"Thank you," Arianna muttered, her eyes locked onto him. She hadn’t expected him to worry so intensely over her safety, but he had completely exceeded her expectations. He was a genuinely good man; she was entirely certain of that now. "Will you join me?"
Kane’s eyes narrowed slightly, caught off guard by the unexpected invitation.
However, a flash of genuine excitement crossed his features, and he wasted no time climbing onto the mattress to lie down closely beside his wife.
Arianna turned away for a brief second to hide a sudden smile before rolling back to face him.
He sat with his muscular back propped comfortably against the wooden headboard, and she instinctively leaned against his broad chest, resting her hands flat against his skin.
He wrapped his powerful arms securely around her warm body, drawing her close as if he were absorbing her warmth into his own cold skin.
"Did you eat and take your medicine?" he asked softly.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good girl... that’s it," he murmured, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. "The healer will be back by noon to check on you. Is that alright?"
"Yes, Kane," Arianna nodded, her fingers trailing lightly over the contours of his chest.
She was deeply curious about the faint network of scars marking his skin and wanted to know what had caused them, but she feared the question might shatter this remarkably sweet atmosphere mosphere.
She decided to save the inquiry for another time.
"Why don’t you just call me Kane all the time?" he asked quietly. "We are married after all, and in this bond, we have become equals."
Her brows furrowed in genuine confusion. A barbarian alpha understood the concept of marital equality far better than her own father, who lived in the sophisticated modern world.
Even after twenty-six years of marriage, her mother still formally addressed her father by his official royal title.
"Kane..." she tested the name on her tongue.
"Yes, my Queen," he whispered, kissing her forehead before burying his nose in her dark hair. "I love the scent of your hair, your skin... your entire body, really."
Arianna felt a surge of intense heat and thought she might evaporate into thin air right then and there.
His deep voice and heavy words were doing wicked, unfamiliar things to her senses.
She knew it would take next to no effort for her to pull him down and lose herself in a long kiss.
Suddenly, his lips drifted down to her neck, nibbling softly and sending a rush of delicious shivers straight down her spine.
She dug her fingers slightly into his chest, but he didn’t stop. His kisses trailed lower to the exposed slope of her breasts, where her dress cut low across her cleavage. He kissed each side with agonizing slowness.
When his lips finally moved back up to her face, Arianna instinctively closed her eyes, tilting her head up to claim his lips for a proper kiss.
But instead of kissing her, his breath fanned against her mouth as he spoke a single, shattering question.
"Have you had your bath yet?"
Her brows knitted together in utter bewilderment as she snapped her eyes open, only to find him already pulling away from her.
She felt like a complete idiot as she watched him casually slide off the mattress.
Why on earth did he have to bring up hygiene at a time like this?
"N-no, I haven’t yet," Arianna stammered, nervously smoothing her hair down with her hands. "I thought you just said you liked my scent."
"Of course I do," Kane replied, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he unclasped his heavy rings and necklaces, placing them carefully on the wooden table. "But if you take a warm bath, you will feel much better and more relaxed after everything you went through last night."
"I will call for Maria, then," she said, shifting to get up. Because of the lingering exhaustion and trauma from the attack, she wasn’t nearly strong enough to manage certain things on her own.
"Why call for Maria when I am right here?" He turned back to face her, flashing a playful wink. "I can do it."
"Wait, what?" Arianna’s jaw dropped. She was completely stunned that he was offering to bathe her himself. A King performing such a servant’s task?
She didn’t believe he was actually serious until he walked back to the edge of the bed and effortlessly swept her up into his powerful arms.
"Relax... I will be gentle," he murmured, his eyes alight with excitement as he locked his gaze onto hers and carried her toward the inner bathing chamber.
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