Chapter 25: Leaving for Torton VI

"So… what happened that caused you to come home early today?" Serena finally asked after recovering from their two rounds of intense lovemaking.

"Can't the reason be just because I missed you?" Geoffrey, pretending to be annoyed, replied. Then, he pulled his hand from underneath her head and turned away to face the other side of the bed to hide the expression on his face.

Serena knew that Geoffrey was just fooling around. Wanting to indulge him, she hugged him from behind, then whispered coaxingly, "I'm sorry for doubting you. Please, forgive me?"

Geoffrey was already smiling but wanting to tease Serena more, he only grunted in response.

Serena bit her lower lip to stop herself from laughing. Geoffrey acting the way he was doing now reminded her of the time when she simply thought of him as a gloomy stone-faced main lead with a sob story from a novel. Anyhow, wanting to get more of a reaction, she started tracing his areola with her index finger. She knew he was ticklish there.

Geoffrey, having his weakness caressed could no longer continue pretending. "Serena, stop! Haha! No, no. Haha! Please, stop, no!" Geoffrey said in between laughter. Then, he grasped Serena's hand to stop her completely before placing a kiss on her palm.

Serena also had a smile plastered on her face, "Now will you tell me?"

Geoffrey turned over to face her again, pulled her to his embrace so she won't be able to move, then planted a kiss on her forehead.

"You evil woman, you. Remind me again, why do I love you so?"

Serena giggled. "Because I'm the fairest of them all." She answered overbearingly.

Geoffrey just shook his head as he smiled.

"What!? You disagree?" Serena feigned anger as she softly hit his chest.

Geoffrey chuckled. Finding his wife cute, he leaned closer to her face then started fervently kissing her.

Serena at first tried to push him away, not so satisfied with him not answering. However, Geoffrey really knew how to kiss her senseless, so in the end, she felt powerless and let him continue.

Only when they were almost out of breath did Geoffrey pull back. Then, he whispered to her ear, "while it is true that you, my princess, will always be the fairest, you should know by now that my love for you goes beyond the superficial."

Serena who was still panting finally got some of her sense back. A bit annoyed for Geoffrey obviously teasing her, she hit his chest once then pulled away from him a little so they can see each other's faces.

Geoffrey had his two eyebrows raised. As if asking, 'wrong answer?'

She gave him an eyeroll, but at the same time, she couldn't stop her lips from tilting upwards. "You smooth talker."

"I've learned from the best." Geoffrey replied as he gave her a self satisfied smirk.

Serena snorted knowing that he was pertaining to her. Anyhow, wanting to go back to the topic on hand, she prodded again, "so, what's really going on? Care to share?"

Geoffrey was still enjoying their playful banter, but he knew that he should tell her now. He sighed. "I'm leaving for Torton tomorrow."

Serena furrowed her brows. Torton? It would take at least 5 days to travel there one way, another 5 coming back. She can't miss the Charlotte's ball because since last year, she's the one making the arrangements in lieu of Geoffrey's mother and or queen consort Floresca. Then again, she's still not the main host so… "Should I also get packing?"

Geoffrey wanted to agree but knew that that would be unwise. Besides, the trip was not a walk in the park, and he knew that Serena has always been afraid of blood and dead bodies. So, he shook his head. "I'm heading there because of the disaster caused by the underwater tunnel railway project. I'm afraid that it would not be a short nor easy mission."

Serena recalled the said disaster and immediately understood the implications of Geoffrey's words. Indeed, a trip to Torton was only 5 days, and if Ferpen was included, then one would need to take half a day trip by boat, or if by land another 5 days. Since the workers employed in the project were not only from Torton and Ferpen but also the nearby surrounding areas, it would mean that Geoffrey would be travelling by land. So that's 20 days just for the trip itself.

Now, Geoffrey's mission would require him to visit the caved areas, do the investigation, provide relief, appease the people affected, so on and so forth. Thus, if she's approximating it correctly, then the time needed for Geoffrey to accomplish his mission would be, give or take, three to six months.

She can miss the Charlotte's ball, but definitely not the whole season. In addition, she's scared of anything that has to do with gore. She can already imagine that that must be the situation in those areas now. If she insists on going with Geoffrey, then she would only be a burden because, most probably, she would only be either vomiting or fainting the whole duration of the trip and mission.

Knowing that it was unlikely for Geoffrey to return even for their wedding anniversary, she asked, "I see… Then… could you at least make it in time for the Kensington ball?"

The Kensington ball which Serena hosted in her first year of marriage to Geoffrey became an annual event because of its popularity. Given the timing, which was towards the end of the Season, it became a convenient avenue for proposals, especially those of love matches.

There was also a funny myth that grew around it. They say that if the man proposes and the lady accepts during that ball, then it would definitely become a happy marriage later on. She doesn't know where that came from, but maybe it was because they based it on her and Geoffrey's loving marriage since they were the ones hosting it.

Geoffrey breathed in deeply as he stroked Serena's hair. The Kensington ball hosted under his and Serena's name was about 4 months away. Though he surmised that his mission should be over by then, unforeseen events causing delays can happen. Thus, not wanting to give false promises, he replied with, "I will try."

Serena sighed. The longest she has been apart from Geoffrey since they got married was a month. Even then, they would talk to each other using the telephone almost every night. Torton, Ferpen, and the surrounding areas were more rural, so she doubts if there were telephones installed there already. "Oh… so… do you think it would be possible for you to give me a call every now and then while you're there?"

"I'm not sure about the other areas, but Torton should at least have a telephone line in their provincial office. Serena, I will call you whenever I can." Geoffrey said honestly.

'Well, at least there's that.' Serena thought with a heavy heart. "I will miss you." She confessed.

"Not as much as I will miss you." Geoffrey replied as he held her tighter.

Serena also tightened her hold on Geoffrey, as if trying to save as much of him before he leaves.

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TBC