Barbaric Spouse, Descry the Night's Lure-Chapter 212: Scene CCXII

“......” — Aslak’s own silence felt tremorous throughout himself and in the echoing solitude of his head, the sad confusion won shape in an anguished wonder. — ‘... why... why’s she over there...’

The mattress then was observed, tracing its state that seemed unchanged and in his bewilderment, the man could still come up with the realisation about the sight.

‘D-did she... sleep there...? Without any cover...?’

While looking at the woman from the place he stood frozen, the head of the woman lightly lifted, meeting his concerned amber to induce a little jolt in his heart, for he had believed his presence was not noticed... when the woman had only stayed listening to the man disturbing her solitude.

“.....”

“I didn’t want to lay there where you have.”

Her rough and weary sound immediately struck him badly. The wish to cry as he’s never done until meeting this grief surfaced quickly within the Archduke once more, and yet... Aslak’s inner lip was bitten to force the tears to stay concealed while his gaze had to avoid hers who looked at him with the despise and emptiness that hurt both.

“... Did you sleep where you are? — Aslak’s spirit once slightly settled then asked, unable to meet her eye in fear of breaking his composure. Yet the woman had no care in her being to offer the man she loved, letting him know the bitterness of her soul.

“... the moon was too bright for that.” — Dull, Ewelina mumbled. — “... You keep looking at the window... were you concerned when you couldn’t find me, Archduke?”

“...”

“Did the idea cross your mind too?” — Too calm and broken, leaning on the knees she refused to release, Ewelina smiled with sarcastic sadness at the man whose hues wavered and could no longer hide the chaotic trouble suffocating him. — “... it’s as easy as jumping... yet rest assured... I don’t have the energy to even try right now.”

There was intense hurt invading his tremorous chest while looking at him. The ignorance the man possessed could not allow him to comprehend completely the indifference she showcased at this time. Nevertheless, unlike before, an impulsive response did not come out from the spouse even if ignorant.

His conflict was swallowed while noticing with the aid of a loving instinct how insistence would not aid their troubles, and instead, the energy he would place in anguished requests was absorbed by the desperate clench of his fists and heart. Fighting himself to not lose calmness as it was what the woman needed as well as himself who wanted peace between them.

“... I... hadn’t thought about that...”

“You did not?”

“...”

“Then... What did you come here for, Archduke?”

“...”

“Was it not to make sure I am still alive again?”

“... I know you don’t want to see me, yet I need... I only wanted to make sure you are alright...”

To his seemingly honest hues, the wife blankly stared at the spouse conveying his concern, listening void of wish to appreciate the words coming out of unconfident edges.

“You... you haven’t eaten since yesterday... and... sleeping there-”

“I’m not hungry. And I could not sleep from this life’s bitterness.” — Ewelina harshly told him, with a roughness implying his concern was unwelcomed. — “Unlike yourself, I had numbing thoughts keeping me awake.”

“... numbing thoughts?”

“..... the window. Since the gift you gave was taken away.”

“!! Ewelina please...! Don’t... please don’t talk like that...” — Hurt by the coldness in her sound, Aslak’s sound menaced to break... coming out as a harmed growl she indifferently observed before looking away.

“..... alright... although, as I said... rest assured, I am not doing it again... not now at least.”

“Kh...! Ewelina...”

The lethargy from the woman only hurt the man deeply. His spirit felt mad by despair at the thought a time would come when a new attempt for death would be made by the wife... however, the grit of his teeth reigned the urge to discuss this horrible matter she was letting out so nonchalantly... so carelessly. For in the brown eyes he met... there was nothing... only a broken soul.

From that moment on, no word came out from her lips in response to anything he told.

“... I... I have matters to attend to today. Food will be brought and... this place’s physician will come see you...”

“.....”

“... I’ll also come to visit you...”

“......”

“... um... if anything happens y-you can also call me...”

“.....”

“Ewelina...?” — To the lack of response and reaction, Aslak called for her attention softly, gaining at least the lift of her eyes to meet his. — “Are you listening?”

The woman solely watched him for a moment, void of intention to answer as his nervousness commenced to fidget with his own hands.

Ewelina’s turn of her head to look at the bright outside was only accompanied by a silent nod of her head, to which the man, although unsettled by the lack of words, decided to leave her presence... repeating his intention to visit the wife again later that day.

“... I’ll come see you at noon... be sure to eat something.”

“...”

The unresponsive woman listened to how the steps led her spouse out of the chamber for even as Aslak waited a moment for the response she would not give, time requested for him to leave the chamber. And she remained immutable for a while... blinking slowly in wishes to let her eyes rest from the harmful light... until her decision was let out with whispering emptiness.

“Somehow... this is better...” — She muttered. — “Talking to him... is useless for my soul... for us... it is just..... it is all over...”

*******

On the following visits he made... never again a word was replied to him by the drifting wife.

“Ewelina... I was told you still haven’t eaten...”

... Neither, was a glance granted despite his persistence.

“... I heard from the physician of the palace that if you treat the cuts well no trace will be left on your writs...”

“.....”

“Although he said it would take time...”

“...”

“That... besides that your health should be fine.”

“......”

“F- Fatædi...?” — The eyes that would not look at him would always look outside the window in his very brief visits. And the man could not get himself to ask what he feared, for at the very least, in the silence of his wife, his presence that once would have quickly become dismissed was permitted... Enough for his amber to see she was there, unharmed... seemingly tranquil.