Sleep tight, wife

After two tiring days of travel, Selah and Aeneas finally arrived at Lièvremont, a place surrounded by beautiful hills and territory administered by Count Xavia.

"I don't know why… I just realized it when I met Count Xavia earlier," Selah muttered in disbelief. She felt stupid herself.

"I think you should repeat geography," said Aeneas amused.

"I feel stupid…"

"You've repeated it dozens of times. One more time you do that, you're going to be a real fool." Aeneas looks out the window and asks Selah to look out as well. "Look, that's the villa where we'll stay for a few days. It's good, isn't it? So, get excited."

The villa that Aeneas refers to is at the top of the evidence. FrTheuilding looks small from afar, just as Aeneas had told before. Around the villa, flower gardens seem to be deliberately managed for resale. A small forest is not far from the villa, then the people's houses are under the hill.

The wind that was blowing was already cold, but the atmosphere around the small village was warm.

It looks like Selah will like it here.

"There is a small verandah at the back of the building. If we sit there, we can see the flowers blooming–well, even at the end, you can see the forest," Aeneas said while helping Selah get down from the carriage. "If you want, we can have tea there now."

"I don't mind doing it," Selah said.

Aeneas smiled. "Very well," he said, then asked the maid to prepare their tea in the backyard.

So after changing into something more comfortable, Selah went to the back porch. There Aeneas was waiting with a cup of tea. His hand supported his head as he turned toward the colorful expanse of chrysanthemums.

"Oh." Aeneas is somewhat surprised to see Selah coming. "You don't normally drop your hair like that."

"This?" Selah's hand touched her hair, which was tied up in a makeshift manner. "Because there is no Janette, so I unraveled it."

"Are you sorry you didn't bring Janette?" teased Aeneas.

"I can take care of myself," Selah chuckled irritably.

Aeneas demands that Selah sit down, but he goes inside. At first, Selah is confused about what he means, but soon Aeneas appears with a comb and another ribbon.

"Trust me," said Aeneas confidently.

"Just be careful if my hair gets tangled," Selah threatens, to which Aeneas only responds with laughter.

Unexpectedly, Aeneas's strokes are very gentle and full of care. He seemed to have gotten used to it before.

"Back when I had long hair, I took care of it myself because I don't like being touched by other people," Aeneas tells him. "That's why I know what to do."

After silence, she does not know what to say. That one just now… must be a story from when Aeneas became King Tristan's puppet.

"Then, when I grew up and wanted to get closer to my mother, I tried to style her hair," continued Aeneas. "It turned out to be fun too."

"I personally don't find anything enjoyable out of styling or taking care of my hair," admits Selah. "It is bothersome."

"It seems you are not very skilled with your fingers, huh? Your flower arrangement at that time also showed it."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness."

"Ha ha ha."

It didn't take long for Aeneas to finish his work. Hairdo with a half-up braided crown model is also finished. Aeneas looks satisfied with his handiwork.

"I purposely use a half-up model to keep your hair loose. It's a shame, isn't it, having come all the way here but can't feel a gust of wind?" said Aeneas, smiling at Selah.

Selah touches Aeneas' handiwork with care. "I couldn't see it because there was no mirror," she said.

"Take it easy, beautiful, really."

"You like to praise yourself, don't you?"

"Not the hairdo, but you."

It would take Selah seconds if Aeneas had just teased her. She immediately glanced the other way out of embarrassment.

"Nothing funny," Selah muttered when she heard Aeneas trying to hide his laughter.

"Yes, yes," said Aeneas with a broad smile. "I'll be doing your hair often. It is okay, right?"

"Instead of wasting time like that, you can ask the maid for help."

"Why not? I want to make my wife beautiful."

This man, Selah thought, annoyed and ashamed of herself. She would have hit him long ago if this man in front of her weren't her husband.

Then suddenly, Aeneas took Selah's hand and intertwined his fingers. There had been many times their hands had intertwined like this since their marriage; at the blessing, when helping her get down and into the carriage, while walking side by side, while in their room…

But until now, Selah was still not used to it either. Not on Aeneas's hand link, which turns out to be not far from Selah's own hand. It's more to the warmth that Aeneas gives through his hands.

This was an unusual feeling Selah had.

"Get used to it, Selah. I won't tire of telling you until you forget about your engagement to Blair."

***

Even though it had just arrived that day, Aeneas and Selah's schedule was quite tight. Arriving in Lièvremont, they immediately visited Xavia's family residence to greet them, then had lunch with them. Arriving at the villa, they only had time to relax for a while, then did a small inspection and greeted local residents. They took a walk in the flower garden in the evening, followed by dinner.

So Aeneas wouldn't protest, seeing Selah had fallen asleep first with a book in her lap.

Aeneas slowly took the book and put it on the table. Then he adjusted Selah's sleeping position so her neck wouldn't hurt the following day. Maybe she was so tired. His wife didn't feel it when Aeneas justified her position.

"Even though I thought you would be waiting for me," muttered Aeneas while tucking Selah's hair.

Aeneas smiled as Selah gave a slight frown. His forefinger pressed lightly between Selah's eyebrows, instantly calming her expression. He doesn't know what his wife is dreaming.

"No one here will be chasing you with territory or other work, so relax," whispered Aeneas. He took Selah in his arms and started patting her back gently. "Sleep tight, wife."

[Lullaby and goodnight. Those eyes close tight. The angle will come. So sleep without fear. Even I hate to see you go; Lullaby and goodnight, Sweetheart.]