Survive As The Brute’s Wife - Chapter 119

Maximus walked inside the bath area. His eyes ended up at the tub. Alexandra was leaning on the edge with her eyes closed. Her face looked serene and happy even.

Flavia saw Maximus very much willing to get naked right then and there. She was about to open her mouth when he swiftly pressed his index finger to his lips, gesturing Flavia to stay silent. He then jerked his head pointing at Alexandra.

Flavia realized that he didn’t want to disturb Alexandra. After an ardent journey and staying in various places, she has finally come to an extravagant place where rest should be more easily attained, but even here, she is meeting hostility.

She pitied Alexandra. Even though she saw the might of Alexandra when she saved her from the boiling water, for some reason, she couldn’t forget Alexandra as that meek girl he met who had scars all over her and the one who got frightened by the littlest of noises.

She figured it is Maximus’ duty to cajole her.

After setting Alexandra’s hair to a bun since Alexandra didn’t want her hair to get wet, Flavia left the room with her feet making noises like that of a cat’s paws after turning off the unnecessary lights. She knew it sets a loving mood when there is the perfect amount of lighting.

She then offered Maximus a tray of fruits. Just in case they were hungry, they can fill themselves with the fruits before getting dinner. They would have to talk a lot if they are solving their misunderstandings.

Maximus smiled. With just a few swift motions, he rid off the articles of clothing that are keeping him from connecting to his wife. Alexandra was still in a trance-like state seemingly not affected by the happenings around her.

«Oh-ho! Is my dear wife pretending to not see me here…»

His lips curved to a smirk and he decided to watch her until she gets bored and opened her eyes.

—–

“Mother!” Alexandra ran to the woman standing beside the clear pond. Beside her was her beguiling sister Cathlyn.

“Mother!” her voice trembled as she crashed on her mother and hugged her tightly. “Mother!” she had nothing more to say and holding her tightly, she took in the serene scent of her mother.

It’s been ages since she has seen her mother.

“Arimelda…” her mother patted her back. Her voice was shaking too and her hold tightened around Alexandra. “My child…” she kissed her cheek. “I missed you!”

“Mother, we don’t have time,” Cathlyn walked closer to them and placed her hand on Alexandra’s back.

Alexandra could hear someone walking through the hallway and the sound of the gait was recognizable.

[Father…]

She started to tremble. All the happiness she had after meeting her mother vanished in an instant as she heard her father approaching them.

Cathlyn grabbed her back and pushed her at the pond before Alexandra could figure out what was happening.

[Did my family betray me? Are they sending me back into the darkness? Are they ding my father’s bidding?]

A thousand thoughts of betrayal flowed in her mind in just a small fraction of time. But then she heard her mother’s strong and assertive voice that had the serenity of the moonbeam.

“Do not be afraid of your father, dear child. As always, he will never do you harm. Do what you please and be happy. Congratulations on finding your mate…”

The smooth and caring voice of her mother washed away the fear in her heart and Cathlyn pushed her inside the pond. With a splash, she sank inside the water and this time, she felt no fear.

When she woke up, she was in the tub and the lights have been dimmed down. And in the dark corner, she saw the familiar figure.

“Ugh! What are you doing here?” she asked and turned around showing her back to him.

She started to ruminate about the words her mother said.

[So my father is not mad at me for trying to get close to Maximus? Is that what mother meant? She says father won’t hurt me, but he did send me to the darkness before… But if my mother asked me to be happy, then… Is mother saying that I can consummate my marriage with Tubby?]

Her head felt heavy and she touched it to see all her hair getting gathered to the top. Flavia must have done it.

“Flavia, help me scrub!” she called for Flavia, to think more of the issue that bothered her. But she heard the careful gait of her husband getting close to her and Flavia was not heard.

[Did he send Flavia away? He is being too much! Don’t I have the right to be alone without his nasty presence for some time?]

“Stay away from me, Max!”

Without looking back, she held out her hand behind her in an attempt to push him away. She was angry. But rather than the thickness of the muscles of his abdomen that she expected her hands to come in contact with, her palm nestled on something soft and a bit limp and squishy.

[What is that unholy thing I touched? A frog?]

As she turned, not able to control her reflex, she heard her dear husband whimper.

“Lo, dear!” his tone was deep and filled with pride. “I know you want me, but can you be careful with my spindle? It’s so delicate and it gets hurt very easily.”

Alexandra’s eyes ended up at the marvel of the little limp twig hanging between two scrunched-up leather bags connected by… Or is that a single bag?

[Why can I see it when the lights are dim?]

She thought. She wanted to avert her eyes. She told her eyes to move away. But her eyes were not listening to her. And she observed that weird hanging fruit on his crotch.

“Bleh!” she said after observing it to her heart’s content. “That is one vile thing I’ve ever set my eyes on!”

She then dipped her head inside the water in an attempt to wash her eyes. That thing… was truly ugly. Ugly as the wart in the troll’s butt.

[But…]

Maximus was too stunned to say anything. He was shocked would be an understatement for the state of mind he is in. His pride, his life, his entire manhood has been laughed at by none other than his dear wife.

«Should I kill myself? Is there a problem with my spindle? Is that why my wife is saying this? What is wrong with my beautiful fiddlestick? Why don’t I know anything about it?»

His confidence got drained slowly just like her head that disappeared inside the water. He looked at the surface of the water that had no movement. But he saw the bundle of fair hair above the water level.

He stared. He stared at her. He waited for her to say that she was wrong and she didn’t mean what she said. But she wasn’t saying any of that. She wasn’t coming out. She wasn’t willing to correct her mistake.

The fragrant candles kept around the bathtub flickered. Although there are magic lights, Flavia opted to light candles in the bath. And the scent of the candles… they are soothing and made him relax. It comforted his restless heart.

«That’s right! How can there be any problem with my spindle? It is she who is wrong! Why isn’t she apologizing yet? Why is she…. Wait!»

“Alexandra!” he screamed and reached for her shoulder.

She’s been inside the water for long. A little too long. No one could stay inside the water for this long.

“Lexa!” he shouted and got her out of the water.

She slapped his hand and sat straight. Her face was red and she averted her eyes from him.

“Are you unhurt, Lexa?” he asked. His big hand covered her slender shoulders and his voice trembled as he worried for her.

“I am fine,” she turned to look at him. Her eyes met his only for a moment before she averted them once more. And in that flickering candlelight, he didn’t fail to notice that her cheeks were turning to a brighter shade of red.

«Ah… so… that’s what happened…»

His characteristic smirk returned to his face and his heart calmed down immediately. He picked up the washcloth by the side and without any reluctance got inside the tub. He didn’t know how long she was sitting in here, but the water was still warm.

“You should have asked for flower petals,” he said, not minding her glaring. Even when glaring she couldn’t maintain her eye contact. It amused him.

At the corner of her eyes, he saw it. He saw lust.

“What are you doing?” Alexandra asked.

Her hand where she touched the squishy thing was burning. Rather than the squishy feeling, what she remembered was the solid rock feeling she felt sometime before.

[That squishy thing turned into that hard thing. So if I… If I try, I can make it hard, and then we can… No one will stop us… Ahhhh!]

She screamed internally.

“Didn’t you want help in scrubbing?” Maximus’ voice turned her thoughts to him again.

His hand with the folded washcloth reached for her shoulder.. Even before it reached her, she felt herself feeling riled up.