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Maria sat up and stretched her arms and neck. The night in the chair hadn’t done anything good for her. She couldn’t help but yawn. She felt the ladies in the room watching her whenever she was looking in the opposite direction or at her needlework. They had a way of glancing at her without Maria being able to catch them staring.
She had woken up when grey morning light was streaming through the window. King Jonathan was gone. She still wondered about the blanket that had been tucked around her. Had he done that? Or had a servant looked in on her? She had climbed out of the chairs and straight into bed, where she had slept for a couple more hours.
She couldn’t tell what the ladies were thinking. Did they think that she had been up all night because of King Jonathan? It was an absurd idea. Everyone had to know how he had treated her last night. To think that they would spend the entire night making love afterwards...
A blush crept over Maria’s cheeks at the thought of making passionate love all night. She looked down at her needlework, hoping that none of the other women in the room would notice. She had entertained thoughts of that sort when she had met him in the stables...
But the King Jonathan that had been at the wedding seemed to be a completely different person than the one who was interested in horses and talked freely with her.
The ladies were talking quietly, working with different kinds of handicrafts. She was half-listening to the women talking, but not participating or paying attention.
Gustaf would leave later today, and she was both glad and felt empty that he would leave her here all alone. Maria thought of the task that he had given her. The faster she could get the information that he needed the better. Although neither he nor she knew exactly when the amount of information would be enough.
A servant entered the room and asked Maria to follow him. The king wanted to speak to her. Maria could see some of the women exchanging looks, but quickly turned her head and followed the servant.
King Jonathan's rooms were on the same hallway as her own. He hadn’t given her the chambers that the queen usually occupied, and Maria could only see it as an insult to Gustaf and herself. She was led to a common room with chairs and a desk. Through an open door she could see another room with a large bed in it.
She turned her gaze to King Jonathan’s rigid figure. He was standing at the window with his back to her. He turned halfway and gestured to the servant to leave the room. The man bowed and closed the door behind him. King Jonathan turned towards the window again.
Maria remained standing, unsure if she should sit down.
***
“I wanted to talk about last night,” Jonathan began and turned towards her again. She was wearing a scarlet dress that went well with the color of her eyes and hair. The latter hadn’t been covered traditionally with a scarf as most married women, but was tucked beneath a net of pearls that made it possible to see the hair as well.
For a moment Jonathan completely lost his train of thought. There was something intriguing about the white pearls and her dark hair. Or was it her brown eyes filled mostly with concern, but also a hint of curiosity? He cleared his throat and remembered why he had summoned her.
He didn’t all feel proud of what had happened the night before. Sure, he hadn’t wanted to sleep with her, but still he didn’t want it known that he had just fallen asleep drunk. It had seemed the best option last night: to drink so much that he was sure that he would be unable to perform, even if he tried to.
He had to make sure that it wasn’t common knowledge, though.
Maria didn’t say anything. The silence between them grew. Jonathan knew that he had to say something; he just didn’t know how to start.
“Since you have been married before...” he began again.
“We don’t have to talk any more about it,” Maria said quickly. “No one has to know what happened or didn't happen last night.”
Jonathan turned towards the window again to hide his relieved smile. At least it was possible to reason with her, but it was probably due to the fact that she didn’t have a wish to consummate the marriage either.
“I am glad that we both have fond memories of our wedding night then,” he said and smiled at her. “I hope that you will make sure to let your brother know as well?”
Maria nodded.
“Of course,” she said.
Jonathan nodded again.
“Good, we are done then,” he looked at her again briefly.
She looked visibly relieved and even smiled a little. Her shoulders seemed to lower a bit and he remembered how cramped up and shivering she had been, when he had awoken and found her sitting in the two chairs. He hadn’t wished to wake her, when he snuck out of her room, but couldn’t help covering her with a blanket before he left.
Maria nodded again and turned towards the door.
Jonathan stared at the closed door for a moment. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so difficult. She seemed reasonable enough, and as long as he didn’t see her, he should be able to keep his desire in check.
***
Gustaf seemed to be hung over from the day before. Maria noticed he had one hand leaned against the carriage that was waiting for him, that would take him away and leave her all alone among strangers.
“Sorry I was so... that I wasn’t paying attention to you yesterday; it’s just this place, these people,” he said and ran a hand over his face. “I... I can’t take it.”
Maria nodded. She had seen how many of the noblemen and women looked at him. How Jonathan looked at him. She had never seen anyone look so hateful. The sooner she could help Gustaf resolve this, the sooner he would be able to go back to his old self.
“Give my regards to Margaret and the children,” she said with a lump in her throat, thinking of her sister-in-law and the five children. She would especially miss Jacob. He was both smart and fun and she had spent as much time with him and his sisters as Margaret had, and even more so than Gustaf.
“I’ll make sure to greet them,” Gustaf said and reached for her hand. It was uncommon for them to touch, and Maria was surprised by this physical way of showing affection. He looked at her hand as he said: “I’m really truly grateful that you are doing this for me, Maria. Helping me this way.”
“Of course,” she said and tried to make eye contact with him, but he kept looking at her hand. “You are my brother.”
She felt a pang of guilt that she didn’t tell him what had happened—or rather, not happened on the wedding night. She didn’t want him to interfere though. Not right now at least. She knew that it would be important for him that the marriage was consummated and thus legally binding, but it was important for her that she didn’t have to sleep with a man that she didn’t like.
Suddenly Gustaf reached for her and hugged her tightly. Maria was so surprised by the hug that she didn’t return it at first.
“Oh, Maria, I’m so sorry that I have to leave you here in this awful place,” he said. Then he let go of her as fast as he had hugged her.
Maria said nothing but just looked at him, surprised.
“Well, goodbye then,” he said, clearing his throat. Without looking at her, he entered the carriage and closed the door.
Maria stepped away from it as it set into motion. She looked at the carriage leaving the courtyard and driving across the drawbridge. She felt an emptiness inside. Now she was truly alone in this castle, married to a man that she didn’t know and didn’t like.