Do As He Says

Even though she was alone, Louise kept up the proper manners regardless.

Again, she was having to adjust her expectations to reality. Since she wasn't much of a reader because she could barely read, she didn't know where she had gotten such grand notions of romance and marriage.

Spending the dinner of her wedding night alone didn't feel like that was the way it was supposed to be. She had always seen newly wedded couples at social events holding hands and doing everything together with smiles on their faces.

When she had eaten what she felt like was an appropriate amount considering the situation, she stood up. There was a chalice on the table and she decided to have a bit of the weak wine they had given her.

Normally, the wine she was given at her childhood home was stronger, but perhaps they had different customs there. She couldn't ask considering she was supposed to be well-educated and knowledgeable.

Since there was nothing she was better at than sitting around and soaking in information as others spoke around her, she hoped that's how she would learn the ropes of such a place as this. When they were finally in the duchy, it would be her only way to ensure she stayed there for a long time.

One thought led to another and Louise found herself touching her cheek as she wondered why the Duke didn't want to come after her first. Had she not impressed him that day? What more could she do to capture the attention she wanted from him?

It led her to wondering if he had other women he was entangled with, and if their union was an interruption to his usual life.

From what she had learned of him, he was away from the duchy often because the King treated him like a sharp tool on the front lines of battle whether it be against monsters, or the unruly nations along their northern border. Perhaps his web of ladies who were waiting for him spanned farther than she could even imagine.

Walking towards the mirror, she silently ridiculed herself.

People told her she was the most beautiful person they had ever seen. They always said she got every good trait of her mother's.

As if to verify, she slid the robe off of her shoulders until it fell to the ground. Her skin was almost as white as the nightgown and her dark red hair stood out sharply in contrast.

Her eyes drifted downward over the sheer nightgown she was put into, and her face scrunched up ever so slightly. If she stood with light behind her as she was at that moment, one could see her figure perfectly. It caused her face to heat up.

She knew what she was meant to do from that point forward, her maid had told her once of the obligations of the marital bed, but no one had ever told her how it truly went.

Once she was married, it was her duty to seal the vows on the first night. She was meant to do everything he told her to and take it all without complaint because it was her duty.

Even further, she heard the whispers of older girls at tea parties and understood there was supposed to be passion. It might start with kissing, then they would have to touch one another. Others spoke of having to remove their clothing.

Those thoughts weren't helping Louise remain composed and she scrambled to get the silk robe off of the floor which she promptly put over her shoulders and tightly belted at the waist.

The timing couldn't have been poorer. As she was plagued with such thoughts, Bella returned to the room after a sharp knock and Louise spun around as if she had been caught doing something heinous.

Her arms were crossed over her body, but she slowly released her hold on herself and straightened her posture.

"His Grace is ready for you," Bella explained. "I will show you where his bedchambers are."

The maid first retrieved a pair of slippers from an armoire and set them on the floor in front of the Duchess so she wouldn't be cold as she walked.

With no arguments, Louise was taken to the other side of the estate where her new husband was waiting for her.

As they went along, she was finally able to admire the place even though it was dark and the candles lining the hallways weren't very bright. It was even bigger than the home she grew up in despite her father being one of the wealthier of the Barons in Terravino.

Intricate paintings tastefully filled up the walls and art stood on pillars every so often. Her eyes were drawn to each piece as she walked by.

"Your Grace, do you like art?" Bella asked, noticing the new duchess was lingering.

She had stopped in front of an oil painting of a beautiful woman holding a parasol in front of a vast field of flowers. The nuances of her expression were hard to decipher in the dim light but Louise stared at it all the same. Was she someone of importance to the Duke?

Louise perked up at the maid's question but her smile faded. She couldn't even read the placard underneath the painting to say who the artist was or what it was called.

"I enjoy looking at pretty things," she responded, giving no real view into who she really was as a person. "Doesn't everyone?"

Bella was dissatisfied with that response, but she couldn't very well ask for more when she was taking the Duchess to the Duke.

At the end of the hallway there were double doors closed tightly painted in a cream color just as the rest of the hallway. On the doors themselves were intricate gold leaf patterns. Louise found them to be beautiful, like everything else in the hallway, even if it was a mere door.

"W-what am I supposed to do from here?" Louise asked, hating herself for stuttering.

"Do as His Grace says," Bella explained.

The maid knocked on the door and the Duke's deep voice was heard easily.

"Come in."

When the two had permission to enter, Louise was left just inside the door. The maid left in a rush after quickly confirming they didn't need anything else from her.

The new Duchess timidly stayed near the doors. She tried to seem neutral but her nervousness was palpable.

Only able to spare the Duke a quick glance, she saw he was also in a robe and a bit of his chest was showing. He seemed relaxed as he read something next to a candelabra. While the armchair he occupied was large, he made it look small considering he was a big muscular man.

Louise's face heated up.

"Is everything to your liking?" the Duke asked.

He placed the stack of papers on the table next to him and gave his full attention to his wife who wasn't coming any closer.

"Of course it is, Your Grace," she responded, but then she realized her mistake. "Forgive me. Marcello."

"Please continue working on being more comfortable around me, Louise," he responded, pointedly saying her name to show he was determined to treat her the way he wanted her to treat him. "Was there something you needed? I understand from Bella that you requested to see me. You were so tired earlier that I figured you may very well sleep until the morning. I tend to stay up late, but I don't expect you to take on my habits just because we will be living together."

He had said a lot, hoping that any confusion would be cleared up and to imply that her being there wasn't necessary, especially if she was uncomfortable with it. He didn't know how to tell her he had little expectations of her without sounding rude.

Louise contemplated his words for a few moments.

"It wouldn't bother you if I stayed in my room all night?" she asked.

Even though she started to walk forward, she somehow didn't move any closer. Instead, she stayed towards the edge of the room until she was next to the fireplace which, unlike hers, was devoid of a flame.

Marcello chose his words carefully.

He had already bathed that night, so his black hair which was once coiffed and perfectly set in a style befitting a duke was hanging in his face. He brushed it aside as he became uncertain about what he wanted to say.

"I wouldn't be bothered because it's necessary that you rest considering we have a long journey ahead of us," he explained. "I understand that today was tiring for you. It was for me as well."

"Then we should get this over with as quickly as possible, shouldn't we?" she asked in such a quiet voice, Marcello decided to get up and approach her.

She was going to have to get used to his presence one way or another.

"What are you referring to?" he asked, his dark eyebrows lowering in confusion.

Louise swallowed hard and her breath hitched in her throat as she tried to gain the courage to press on even though she had started to tremble because of Marcello's proximity.

Rather than responding verbally, the girl unbelted the robe and pushed it off of her shoulders, revealing to her husband the sheer nightgown she had been put into.

She lifted her eyes, expecting him to finally admire her, but her heart cracked as he stared at his young wife in horror.