CH 47

“Alan… slow… ahhh”

Siana couldn’t take it anymore. She felt pleasure bubble up between her legs. Her body was drenched in sweat. The bedsheet and her hair clung to her back.

She heard Alan groaning and panting in pleasure as sweat poured off his body and dripped down.

“Alan… wait… Ahhhh,” she moaned.

“Sia, ahh…,” moaned Alan.

It was so overwhelming that she tried grabbing his hand, but her hands were so sweaty that her grip kept slipping and she had nothing to hold on to. Alan locked his fingers with her and pinned her hand above her.

She gripped his hand tightly. The pleasure was overwhelming that she felt like she would drift away. Her fingernails dug into his hand, but Alan didn’t pay it any attention. His thrusts did not stop until they both came.

Chapter 9: This Is Happening to Us.

Alan finished faster than yesterday. Technically he seemed to have kept his promise. After he was finished, he finally let go of her. Siana pulled the blanket over her but soon realized that the blanket had been soaked from the water which spilled earlier. So, it provided no warmth.

She shivered in the cold. Alan persuaded her to take a bath in hot water to warm herself. She nodded and headed to the bathroom. She wanted to be away from him for a while anyway.

After a warm bath, she changed into clean pajamas. She was exhausted. She had no more energy left to do anything. When she made her way out of the bathroom, she found the bed neatly made, as though a maid had come while she was away and cleaned everything. She walked to the bed, then had second thoughts so she slumped down on the sofa instead.

“What are you doing, Sia?” asked Alan. “Are you going to read a book or something?”

“No.”

“Then why are you on the sofa?” he said, “Oh… are you afraid I might touch you again?”

He hit the nerve with her. Siana didn’t respond. Alan looked embarrassed and guilty. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He walked towards the sofa.

“Don’t come any closer,” said Siana angrily, “You are a liar and nothing else. You can’t even keep a promise.”

“Sia…,” he said gently, “I am not going to do anything.”

“I don’t believe you,” Siana shot back, “I will sleep here tonight. I don’t care what you say.”

“But won’t you be cold without a blanket?” he asked.

“I don’t care.”

Alan grimaced at her retort. But Siana had resolved that she won’t be going anywhere near the bed for today. Alan let out a sigh watching her fidget with the sofa cushions.

“Sia, if I was going to do it again,” he said, “It wouldn’t matter whether you were on the bed or the sofa.”

“What?!”

“You know it, too. Because it just happened.”

His words were very problematic and brutal. Siana’s face turned red in anger. “So what?” she said briskly, “Are you going to force me to do it again?”

“I told you I wouldn’t,” he said.

“You said that last time as well,” she said, “You liar.”

“Sia, I am sorry,” he said, “I won’t do it anymore. So, come to bed and sleep.”

Siana got up from the sofa and walked to the bed. She hadn’t really intended to sleep on the sofa. It was mighty cold. But she had wanted to say it anyway. She, tentatively, got into the bed and pulled the cover over her. Outside the window, the sun was still setting. The sky was aglow with reds, oranges and yellows.

It’s still bright outside, thought Siana. Well, all we did today was play a little in the snow and come back home to….

She blushed recalling what they had done in the middle of the day. She had told him she was too tired, but she couldn’t help it when she was turned on. She fanned her face.

“Are you alright?” asked Alan, who was looking at her. “Is it too hot inside? Should I tell Primo to take some wood out of the fireplace?”

“Yeah,” she muttered, “No… it’s okay. I am fine.”

“Your face had become so red,” said Alan, peering at her. “Do you have a fever?” He put his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

She didn’t realize that she had been holding her breath. His face was so close that she could see him furrowing his eyebrows in worry. His blue eyes made her heart race.

“You don’t seem to have a fever,” he said after a while.

Siana belatedly came back to her senses at his voice. She didn’t want to tell him that she felt herself heat up just thinking about what had happened between them a while ago? She would rather die with the non-existent fever.

Pushing his hand away, she said, “Maybe I was in the hot water for too long. Maybe that’s why I feel too hot, and my face is red.”

“Maybe,” said Alan. Thankfully, it seemed like he believed her. “But still, if you feel a fever coming or a cold, tell me. I will call the doctor for you.”

Siana felt a pang of guilt from hiding the truth from him while he was being so kind. But if she told him, he would insist on doing what they had done earlier. And she had no energy for that. She felt tired and drowsy even thinking about it. She lay her head down on the pillow.

It is too early to sleep, she thought as she wrapped herself in the blankets. As early as it was, her eyes started to droop, and she started drifting off to sleep. She was almost asleep whem someone knocked on their bedroom door. She was startled and woke up.

“Who is it?” asked Alan.

“Lord Legarde. Madam,” said Primo, “I am so sorry to disturb you both but there is something I need to inform you about.”

Siana was surprised and curious. Primo had never approached them when they were in their bedroom before. It must be something serious. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to wake herself while Alan got up and walked to the door.

“What is it?” asked Alan.

“I apologize once again for disturbing you,” said Primo, “But two letters just arrived from the guards, sir. They are addressed to you and madam. I came to deliver them as they seemed to be very serious.”

Letters from the guards…. Siana was nervous. But why? She had never committed a crime. It was even more strange that one of them was for Alan. Perhaps Primo had felt the same so he had resolved to deliver the letters at once, rather than waiting until morning.

Alan accepted the letters and Primo took his leave. “Sia, this one is for you,” he said, handing her an envelope.

She studied the envelope, running a finger through her name which was neatly written in ink on the cover. “It really is addressed to me,” she said, “Why did they send two separate letters?”

“I guess we will find out after we open it,” said Alan, opening his, “Seeing that it is addressed to each of us separately, it might be out marriage certificates.”

“oh…,” said Siana, feeling relaxed at his words. She tried to pull the flap trying to rip the sealing wax off. But it was glue so tightly that it tore a little. Afraid that she might tear the letter, she carefully tore open the letter from one side and pulled out the letter.

Siana’s hands trembled as she read the contents. She had not been prepared. She had been reassured thinking it was their marriage certificates like Alan had said.

“Alan…,” she said in a troubled voice, “Have you read your letter?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Is yours the same?” she asked.

“Probably,” he said, holding out his letter to Siana. His face was stiff. She took it from him and read it. The contents were the same. They were indictments sent by Viscount North with an absurd claim. It was a marriage nullity suit claiming the marriage was purchased…

The more they read it, the more ridiculous it got. It was enraging that it was Viscount North of all people accusing Alan of purchasing the marriage. She still remembered how her skin had crawled with disgust with the way Viscount North had looked at her. She remembered her despair when he had asked her to marry him if she wanted the debt to be forgiven.

That bastard, Siana seethed, he accuses us of ‘purchased marriage’. Vile cockroach! He has no shame at all!  Her anger boiled. If only she could see him right now, she would spit on his face and break his jaw.

Thinking of his vile face, twice her age, a snort of derision escaped her. She flung the crumpled papers on the wall. She looked at Alan. The letter asked for any evidence, whatsoever, proving that their marriage wasn’t a purchased one!

“Alan, this is ridiculous!” she said, “It says out marriage should be nullified because it was a purchase! How dare her?!”

“I know,” said Alan, “For now, we need to send a response. As ridiculous as it is, it still is an official indictment.”

His tone of voice was so low. It was so different from his usual speech that Siana realized that he was as angry as her, or even more than her. It comforted her to know that Alan felt the same as her. It calmed her a little.

Seeing him being furious but still thinking rationally helped Siana find some calmness. She pondered on their present situation and how they could overcome it. Alan is right, she thought, law is the law. As absurd as it sound, it is still an indictment. We just need one evidence to prove it false.

If we don’t send a response, it will be disadvantageous for us, thought Siana. But it was so perplexing. How did people even prove their marriage against some absurd accusation like this? She had never considered her marriage to be a ‘purchase’ or a deal. She had been willing to leave, and she had never agreed to the marriage just for the sake of the debt.

She couldn’t help worrying, though. What if we lose the case? Siana considered. She felt so confused. Everything seemed unclear. Just like the time I didn’t know if I was willing to be with Alan after my father’s death.

Everything always had to go wrong for her. Thinking about losing the case made her feel like her chest was constricted. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. Alan pulled her into an embrace.

“Don’t worry yourself too much, Sia,” he said, gently, “I will figure something out. It will be alright.”

“But how can I not worry?!” she said, “This is happening to us.”

“True,” said Alan, “But like you said, this indictment by Viscount North is ridiculous, so we will win this. And that will be good. We can assure every one of our marriage and no one will be able to accuse us further.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Yeah,” said Alan, “So, let’s go to sleep. It is getting late. We won’t be able to call a lawyer today.”

They climbed onto the bed. Alan pulled the covers over them. She snuggled into his arms, but she was so anxious that it took her a very long time to fall asleep.