Brennus and Victoria Ch. 02

Day 2

I awake and am unsure of my surroundings, then realize I am at my new home and, to my horror my new husband is lying next to me, encircling my body with his. His arm is over my upper body and holding my hand by my head. It's chilly out, and I realize his warmth feels good, but I hate him, and my face still aches from his slap the night before.

I remember after he left when I was still in the tub I went to bed before he came back. I wonder, did he do that to give me my space and time as promised, or did he just want to party more after the wedding. I gently ease myself out of the bed and manage to not wake him. I find my trunk has been hauled into the room and is near the wardrobe, so I go and find something to wear, all that was left for me in the room yesterday was a thin robe. It was nearly see through.

I find my favorite green dress that matches my emerald eyes. And, the ribbons to put back my waist length curly red hair. Then I realize, until he wakes up I've nothing to do, the guard outside the door yesterday was instructed not to let me out without Brennus. I chose a book from the shelf and sit by the window and read.

"You're up."

"Yes, I think I went to bed much earlier than you."

"Are you hungry?" He asks while rising from the bed; he is very muscled, and naked. I turn my head and raise my book, I don't want to look at him, and it is improper. Then I realize, perhaps it isn't improper, after what occurred last night.

"Are you hungry? Or are you just ignoring me? I said I would give you some time, but I won't tolerate your being rude or disrespectful, to me or anyone else."

"Oh, I'm sorry, um, yes, I'm famished."

He begins to dress quickly and says, "We will go down for breakfast, after that I have work to do, I will assign you a maid and a guard and you may have the run of the castle and yard, but be back for dinner."

"Thank you, the view from this window is lovely, the gardens below, they are gorgeous."

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Once Brennus and I have finished our dinners he extends his hand to me. "Come with me, we shall retire to our room, I can have them draw another bath if you wish."

"No, I don't think that will be necessary." I say as I take his hand and am led up the same stairs he carried me up the night before. This time there is no guard at the door. He notices my face, that I have noticed. "I don't think he needs to be there, you wouldn't be able to leave the castle, so I'm not very concerned, besides my report for the day was that you behaved and were nice to everyone."

"Yes, I am nice, I don't go around hitting people and forcing them into things." I clap my hand over my mouth as I realize what I've said. We reach the top of the stairs, enter our room, and he shuts the door.

"Are you implying that I am not nice? I think you need to learn a thing or two about how some things work. First, last night, you swore to love, honor, and obey me. I have told you to be respectful, last night when you weren't I did hit you, but it fixed the problem, didn't it?"

"It didn't fix the problem, it made me afraid of you. Is that what you want? For me to be respectful of you out of fear, and not because I think you are someone worthy of my respect?"

"What are you talking about, you are afraid of me?"

"Yes, somewhat less now than last night, but still yes."

"I don't want to rule our relationship with fear, how do I fix this?"

"I don't know, it will take time, I need to know you aren't going to hit me, and it is more than just a promise, I'm afraid of you, afraid that even if you promised, you would lose your temper and hit me."

"Well, we will work on this, you can work on learning to love me, and I will work on making you trust me."

I think about this and decide it may work after all. Then I realize I want to go to bed, but with him in the room, I would have to change in front of him.

"Would you step out of the room so I can change into my night shirt?"

"I've already seen you naked, and made love to you, I think you can change with me in the room. I'll start a fire though, and you can change while I've got my back turned, if that makes you feel better."

While he starts the fire I quickly change into my night shirt and then take a seat in the chair near the fire where I left my book from this morning.

"You want to read? I thought maybe we could talk and get to know each other. I think you would be more comfortable here if you knew me."

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Several hours and many stories and questions later I announce I'm ready for bed.

"I think that is not a bad idea," Brennus agrees as he moves over to the wardrobe and begins to undress, un-bothered by my watching him.

"Why is it that you are so comfortable with being naked in front of me, and I'm a stranger?"

"You're my wife, and I'm not ashamed of my body."

"Well I'm not ashamed of my body, but that doesn't mean I want to go prancing around in the nude."

He comes over to me, naked, picks me up, and as I begin to fear that we will have a repeat of last night, he lays me in the blankets of the bed, and then crawls in beside me, without touching me, wishes me goodnight and asks if I might give him a good night kiss. I oblige, as he is being extremely nice about it. As we start to kiss he holds my face in his hands, and moves down to my neck and shoulders. He leans up and next to me on one of his arms, kissing me, stroking my shoulder and upper arm with his other hand.

It feels so good, it's warm, and soft, and I reach my hands up to hold his face and caress his neck and shoulders. Then I feel something poking my thigh.

"I'm sorry, we should stop now, unless, you wanted to make love, which I doubt you would consent to after last night."

"It wasn't that bad, well the act itself wasn't, but I don't like how it occurred, and I don't think I'm ready yet."

"I understand, roll over, I'll hold you, it gets kind of drafty in here, I don't want you getting cold."

I do and we go to sleep as we woke up, except, I wonder, will this last?