76: The war I can't win (2)

~Zephirin~

I walked into my bathing house to have a word with Ywain. I found him in a bloodied pool full of dead bodies. Feeding fresh grievance oozing off the bodies as he relaxed in the pool. 

The ice-cold bath is exactly the way that Xerek prefers it. No doubt he prepared the water and Ywain took advantage of his absence to take a dip. 

"Can I have a word?" 

"I am your groom-to-be, you can have me however you wish," he leaped in. 

I winced at the way he referred to himself. Ywain left no stone unturned to remind me that I had given him my word to marry him. He constantly reminds me of every word he utters and every action he takes. 

"A simple yes would suffice," I scolded. 

"Yes, darling. You can have a word with me," he rephrased. He opened his eyes and emerged from the pool. The bloody water trickled down his bare chest. 

"Why do you do this? You know I hat..."