Ch#145
Barkas rubbed his temples with his fingertips as if a headache were coming on, letting out another heavy sigh.
“Regardless, sleeping in separate rooms is out of the question.”
With that, he wrapped her tightly in the duvet and rose from the bed.
Talia pushed against his shoulders in a brief show of defiance, but soon let her body go limp. As much as she didn’t want to show Barkas her unsightly side, her desire to be with him was just as great, and she didn’t want to engage in a physical struggle.
“Move my belongings back to my room.”
After giving instructions to the maids waiting at the door, Barkas immediately stepped out of the room.
Talia peeked through a gap in the duvet at the lamp-lit hallway. The servants all bowed their heads with practiced composure, as if they had grown accustomed to the sight of Barkas parading through the castle while carrying her.
Passing them with brisk strides, Barkas headed down the stairs.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed from beyond the railing.
“Brother!”
Barkas came to a dead stop and looked down the staircase.
Following his gaze, Talia narrowed her eyes as she saw two slender men clad in black robes crossing the wide hall.
The identity of one of them was not hard to guess. It was Barkas’s arrogant half-brother.
The boy, who had grown significantly taller in just a few months, bounded up the stairs with long strides.
Talia pulled the duvet up to the bridge of her nose, eyeing him warily.
After the funeral rites for the late Grand Duke had concluded, Lucas Raedgo Sheikan had officially joined the Wolfram Cavalry to begin his training. Consequently, she hadn’t crossed paths with him even by chance over the last few months. Due to the barbarians who had begun to grow rampant since late autumn, the majority of the Wolfram Cavalry had been stationed outside the castle.
Life there must have been grueling, as the boy’s physique had become noticeably more rugged as he approached them in an instant.
“I apologize for the late hour. I rushed here from the camp because there is news that needs to be reported urgently. It seems the Imperial Family has…”
The boy, who had been speaking hastily, caught sight of her in Barkas’s arms and let his voice trail off ambiguously.
Talia clutched her lower abdomen as a wave of anxiety washed over her. It felt as if the chilling dread she had experienced every time she breathed the cold air of the Imperial Palace was seeping into her very bones.
As if sensing her trembling, Barkas pulled the duvet tighter and spoke in a frigid voice.
“Wait in my study.”
“I don’t mind, but it might be best to provide a room for our guest. He must be quite exhausted after the long journey.”
“It is fine. I shall wait with the young master.”
The man standing behind the boy suddenly interjected, pulling back his hood.
Talia’s eyes widened as she recognized his face.
Edric Ruben.
Of the countless imperial knights who had crossed her path, the man who had been particularly bothersome stood there with a weary face.
Her trembling stopped abruptly.
She couldn’t tell if she was shocked to encounter someone she thought she’d never see again, or if she was surprised by the fact that she remembered his name so clearly.
As she blinked at him blankly, the man caught her gaze and bowed his head awkwardly.
“It has been a long time, Her Highness the Princess. I trust you have been well…”
“Speak to the butler and he will give you a guest room. I will call for you in an hour, so catch your breath until then.”
Cutting him off, Barkas turned toward his own bedchamber. The man scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish.
Talia watched them intently before glancing up at Barkas. He didn’t seem particularly surprised by the sudden visit from his former subordinate.
Had this been a scheduled visit?
Whether he noticed her questioning gaze or not, Barkas quickly moved through the hallway and entered the bedroom, saying, “I heard you haven’t eaten yet. Is there anything you’d like to have?”
“…I don’t really have an appetite.”
“You must eat well, if only for the baby’s sake.”
Barkas spoke coaxingly as he seated her at the dining table set before the fireplace.
Talia nodded reluctantly. Her appetite, which had been hearty for a while, had vanished due to the pain in her pelvis and back that had started a few weeks ago, but a sense of duty washed over her at the thought that the baby in her womb might be hungry if she fasted.
“Then I’ll just have a bowl of chicken soup.”
“You heard her. Go prepare it at once.”
Barkas gave the instruction in a blunt tone to the servant waiting at the door, then walked over to the fireplace to light the fire himself.
Since the hearth was filled with fire mana stones and charcoal instead of dry wood that would produce smoke, it took less than a minute for the air in the room to turn warm.
“How is your throat? I heard you were coughing earlier today…”
“It’s just because the air gets dry in the winter. More importantly, shouldn’t you go see them? They said it was urgent.”
“Don’t worry about it. A one-hour delay in the conversation won’t cause any problems.”
Barkas replied nonchalantly as he poked at the flames with a poker.
Talia scrutinized his face with searching eyes.
Edric Ruben was a knight belonging to the Imperial Guard. If he had returned to his original post without issue, he should be serving Gares or Aila by now. Perhaps one of those two had sent him.
“You will surely come to regret today, Talia Roem Guirta.”
Suddenly, the curse of her half-sister, which she had pushed to the back of her mind, echoed in her ears. Talia unconsciously clutched her lower abdomen.
The memory of those thick green eyes filled with hostility made her body tremble uncontrollably.
As if sensing her anxiety, the baby began to writhe violently. Startled by the intense movement, she let out a sharp intake of breath, causing Barkas, who was hanging his doublet on the wall, to whip around.
“What is it?”
“The baby just kicked.”
Though she felt fetal movements often, this was the first time she had felt such a strong motion, and it left her feeling somewhat worried.
As she looked down at her belly with a concerned gaze, Barkas, now clad only in a thin shirt, strode over and knelt before her, asking in a serious tone, “Does it hurt much?”
Talia looked at him as if he were being ridiculous.
How much could a kick from something the size of a fist actually hurt? She was about to say that, but she fell silent when she met his gaze, which was filled with genuine worry.
She wanted to make Barkas worry more. She wanted to make it so he couldn’t think of anything else but her and the baby.
“Yes. It hurts a lot. Judging by the sheer brute strength, I think this one takes after you.”
At her exaggerated words, his expression grew even more solemn.
Barkas knelt on the floor and reached out his arm. Then, remembering how she hadn’t let him touch her before, he flinched and started to withdraw his hand.
After a moment’s hesitation, Talia grabbed his wrist and pulled it onto her lower abdomen. She didn’t want to expose her swollen belly, but she wanted Barkas to feel the baby’s presence more vividly.
“I’ll let you touch just this once, as a special exception.”
Barkas stared at her face for a moment before dropping his gaze to where his hand rested. Just then, the baby moved significantly. For a moment, a flash of surprise crossed his face.
Talia spoke triumphantly.
“Very strong, right? It’s definitely a boy. And I think he’ll look just like you.”
She then placed her palm over the back of his hand and pressed down slightly, guiding him to feel the baby better.
She wanted to make Barkas realize it clearly.
Inside here is your child, who takes after you. So no matter what Gares or Aila say, you mustn’t be swayed. You must stand by our side no matter what happens.
Swallowing the words that were swirling only inside her throat, she caressed the bulging veins and prominent knuckles on the back of his hand.
Ever since she saw this hand wrap around Aila’s back protectively eleven years ago, she had desperately hoped that one day, this man would stand on her side.
