Chapter 97: In Charge Of The Night
Aideen positioned herself carefully on the edge of Tillian’s wide and comfortable bed, wrapped in several fluffy, soft white towels that smelled so fresh, it felt as if they were just brought in from the outside.
Her glowing eyes fixated upon Bella, who was in the midst of a fidgety task, surrounded by an overwhelming array of perfumed powders and lotions carefully arranged on the small wooden table before her.
The one-hour-long bath that Aideen had just endured, which included a thorough body scrub and a nearly artful hair-washing, had proven to be more exhausting than expected and her body was already resolved to surrender to the strong clutches of fatigue, especially since she practically had to repeat the same intricate bathroom routine she had in the afternoon before she started her wedding preparations.
And now her already anxious state was completed with a heavy blend of tension and weariness.
As she watched the maid’s meticulous preparations, the princess could not help but experience a surge of nervousness once more.
’This is not the first time for me, yet I am but a raw knot of nerves. My very first night with Count Crueder was painful and humiliating, I have never enjoyed spending such time with him afterwards as well... I cannot help but wonder –– does it feel better when you share the bed with the man you like? Or do they all act the same and this is just something I simply must endure again?’
"My Lady? My Lady?"
Bella’s soft and cheerful voice broke through the thick veil of Aideen’s contemplation, forcing the lady to redirect her focus towards the woman standing before her with a face beaming with a somewhat sly smile.
"Everything is ready, Your Highness. Now, we are only left with your nightgown. I believe there was something..."