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She still felt that he might be a danger to her in some way, but it wasn’t the same as the sick dread that used to fill her whenever she heard her brothers’ voices. No, his danger felt almost exciting…which was very strange. Anyway, the food was there, and her stomach was empty, so it seemed silly to refuse.
Rising from the chair, she went over and helped herself. It was a simple meal—salad and fresh bread and roasted chicken.
Tiberius poured her a glass of wine as she pulled a chair up to the desk and began to eat.
‘There will be some making do until the palace has been fully restored,’ he said, pouring a glass for himself too. ‘As you can see.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she felt compelled to say. ‘For the condition my father left the palace in.’
‘Did you spray paint the walls and burn the tapestries?’ he asked mildly.
‘No, but—’
‘Then you have nothing to apologise for.’ His silver gaze was very direct. ‘We must present a united front as rulers, Guinevere. I have been thinking on this and I have decided that our marriage must at least look cordial, if not joyful. We will need to be seen together, as well as making official public appearances together. I want our union to look strong and steadfast—do you understand?’
A tight, hot feeling prickled over her skin. ‘Strong and steadfast? How?’
‘The King’s bedroom is part of the royal apartments, which means we will have to share them.’
The prickling feeling deepened. ‘Sh-share?’
Tiberius finally picked up his glass of wine, slowly swirling the deep red liquid inside it. ‘Not the bedrooms. We’ll keep those separate. But we should be seen to retire to the royal apartments together, at least initially, as any newly married couple would.’
Her stomach tightened for reasons she didn’t care to examine too closely.
‘You don’t have to sleep there if you don’t wish to,’ he continued. ‘No one knows about the corridors, which means no one will know if you choose to sleep in that little room.’
The warmth that had been sitting inside her ever since he’d touched her hand and then said he’d protect her deepened. She might be his prisoner, but he was granting her a space that was hers and hers alone, free of the memories that soaked through every other part of the palace. It was almost as if he was taking her feelings into account.
She could feel colour rise into her face, but she didn’t look away from him this time. ‘You really won’t mind?’
‘I don’t see why not. You shouldn’t have to deal with memories that upset you.’
‘I…appreciate that.’
He gave her a regal nod in acknowledgement. ‘And another thing… You’ll need some preparation, I think, before our first public appearance.’
‘Preparation? What kind of preparation?’
‘You say you haven’t ever left the palace. Not once. But public appearances will involve not only leaving the palace, but visiting various Kasimiran cities. There will also be international engagements we will need to attend.’
An unfamiliar excitement filled her, even as the thought of venturing outside made her nervous. There was embarrassment there, as well, at how sheltered she must seem to him—backward, even. Though why she should feel embarrassed about something she hadn’t had a choice in, she didn’t know.
‘Good,’ she said, forcing away the odd mix of feelings. ‘That won’t be a problem. It’s not as if I wanted to spent the last twenty-three years stuck in here.’
His gaze was considering. ‘I don’t want to throw you into the deep end straight away—especially not with the public looking on. Perhaps we can acclimatise you to the outside world a little before then.’
You’ll be going outside. Actually outside!
A quiver ran through her. ‘Acclimatise how?’
‘We can start somewhere within the palace grounds. The forest…or the orchards, perhaps.’
The orchards she’d seen out the windows of her little room, full of many different fruit trees. Sometimes she’d imagine herself being able to walk amongst the trees, reaching up to pick herself an orange or a peach.
‘I was only allowed in the courtyard gardens and on some of the terraces,’ she offered hesitantly. ‘I haven’t been to the orchards or the forest.’
‘In that case,’ Tiberius said, ‘we shall start there.’ Then, unexpectedly, a faint smile turned one side of his mouth. ‘Now. I was told my new queen didn’t touch her lunch today, so eat—please.’