Free Web NovelChapter 30: A Respectful Distance
After dinner, Keres saw Asteria trying to clean the dining table. The sight made something tighten in her chest—not anger exactly, but something adjacent to it. She landed her death gaze toward the nearest maid, and in an instant, they moved like ants and immediately approached Asteria.
"Madam, please let us do that," one of them said gently.
Asteria blinked in confusion. "Eh?"
"Yes, Madam, just go and sit down. It’s okay. This is our job," another added, carefully guiding Asteria away from the chores. Their hands were soft but firm, pulling the plate from her grip and steering her toward Keres.
"Eh? B-But—" Asteria wasn’t able to finish her words.
Keres crossed the room and pulled her gently by the wrist. "You burnt your hand. Let’s clean it."
Asteria shook her head almost immediately. "I-It’s okay—"
"No. Let’s go." Keres didn’t leave any room for negotiation. Her grip was gentle but unyielding, and Asteria found herself being led toward the staircase before she could form another protest.
They went upstairs together to Keres’s master bedroom. The hallway was silence, lined with soft lighting that cast long shadows across the floor. Asteria’s footsteps were hesitant, her mind racing.
She had never been inside Keres’s private room before. The few times she had tried, she had been turned away by guards or maids. Now she was being pulled inside like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Keres pushed the door open and led her inside.
The main master bedroom was enormous, larger than any room Asteria had ever slept in. A king-size bed dominated the center, dressed in dark silk sheets and piled with pillows. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the view outside. The walls were painted a deep charcoal gray, and the furniture was all dark mahogany and polished metal. It was elegant, cold, and unmistakably Keres.
"Sit," Keres commanded, pointing to the edge of the bed.
Asteria sat obediently, her heart began to pound inside her chest again. She doesn’t know what would Keres do now, and she couldn’t even bring herself to raise her gaze to even watch her wife.
Keres disappeared into the bathroom and returned a moment later with a first-aid kit. She knelt in front of Asteria—actually knelt, her expensive trousers brushing against the floor—and took Asteria’s hand in hers.
The burn was small, just a red patch on Asteria’s thumb where she had touched a hot pot. But Keres examined it like it was a serious wound, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"It’s nothing, really," Asteria whispered.
Keres didn’t look up. "It’s a burn. It needs to be treated." She opened the kit, pulled out a tube of ointment, and squeezed a small amount onto her finger. Then she gently applied it to Asteria’s skin, her touch surprisingly soft.
Asteria watched in silence. The sight of this powerful woman kneeling before her, tending to a tiny injury like it mattered, made her throat tighten.
"You didn’t have to do this," Asteria said. Then Keres wrapped a small bandage around Asteria’s thumb, her movements was careful and gentle.
"I know. But I wanted to."
When she finished, she didn’t let go of Asteria’s hand immediately. Her thumb brushed across Asteria’s knuckles once, twice, almost absentmindedly. Then she released her and stood up.
"Don’t clean the everything again. That’s what the maids are for."
Asteria looked down at her bandaged thumb. "I just wanted to help."
"Then help by resting." Keres’s voice was firm but not unkind like her yelling before. "You’ve done enough today."
Asteria nodded slowly and disappeared into the bathroom to wash up. The door clicked shut behind her, and the sound of running water soon followed.
She leaned back in her chair and exhaled. The day had been long. The meeting with her parents, Ksana’s unexpected return, the memory of Asteria’s sobbing face still fresh in her mind. And now this—Asteria in her bedroom, standing under her shower in the bathroom. The thought unsettled her in ways she didn’t want to examine.
~~~•••~~~
The clock read 9:30 PM.
Keres was already in her sleepwear, a simple black silk set—pants and a button-up shirt—with her hair loose around her shoulders. She tried again to focus on the report or the business charts and graphs on her tablet, but her eyes kept drifting to the sliver of light beneath the bathroom door.
Inside the bathroom, Asteria let the water cascade over her skin.
Steam filled the small space, fogging the mirrors and beading on the tiles. She stood beneath the spray, her eyes were closed and feeling the heat soothe her aching muscles.
The hot water was a blessing. It melted the tension in her shoulders and eased the tightness in her chest. She let out a slow breath and tilted her head back, letting the water run over her face.
Her skin still bore bruises but they were fading now, the worst of the swelling finally subsiding, but the black and purple colors remained. They were scattered across her ribs and arms like a terrible painting, each one a memory she wished she could forget.
She had learned to ignore them. To dress in ways that covered them. To wince silently when something brushed against her skin.
The water was hot, almost too hot, but she welcomed the sting. It made her feel something other than the numbness that had settled into her bones over the years.
She reached for the soap and lathered it between her palms, then began to wash herself slowly. Her hands moved gently, scrubbing her arms, her shoulders, her legs. She avoided her ribs where the bruises were darkest. The pressure there still hurt.
Then she felt it.
Her throat tightened. Her chest constricted. A familiar sensation crawled up from her lungs, scratching and demanding. Asteria coughed once, twice, and immediately muffled it with her hand so Keres wouldn’t hear her outside. The sound was wet and heavy, rattling in her chest like something was loose.
When she pulled her hand away and looked at her palm, a tinge of sticky blood was present.
She wasn’t even surprised.
Asteria simply washed it away under the water, letting the pinkish swirl disappear down the drain. The look in her eyes said everything—she already knew this existed. She had known for a while now. There was no shock, no fear, or tears.
Just the same acceptance that had carried her through years of bruises and silence.
She stared at her palm for a long moment, watching the water run over it until the last trace of pink vanished. Then she closed her eyes again and let out a shaky breath. freewebnøvel.com
How long did she have? She didn’t know. Their words wrapped in medical jargon that she had stopped trying to understand. There was a problem and it was serious.
She had stopped seeking medical attention back when she was twelve, afraid of others finding out, afraid of others touching her and hurting her.
What was the point? The Auclairs didn’t care if she lived or die. They had made that clear every time her father’s fist connected with her ribs, every time her sisters sneered at her from across the dinner table, every time she was sent to her room without food.
She was a burden to them, inconvenience, and a reminder of the mother who had bring her into this life and just hurt her too.
And now she was married to Keres Eisenthurn, a woman who hated her—or no? She also doesn’t know because Keres’ moods keep fluctuating like market sales.
Asteria laughed softly at the absurdity of it all. It was a bitter, swallowed by the steam and the water. She was dying, and she had been sold to a woman who couldn’t stand the sight of her. What a joke.
She stood under the water for a few more minutes, letting it wash away the evidence. Then she turned off the shower, the sudden silence was deafening. She dried herself slowly, her movements sluggish, and slipped into her satin nightgown. The fabric was cool against her heated skin, clinging to her body.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. The steam had cleared slightly, revealing a face that looked too pale, too thin. Her cheeks were hollow and barely recognized herself anymore.
She pressed her palm against the mirror, smearing the condensation. Then she turned away and reached for the door.
A few more minutes passed before the bathroom door clicked open.
Keres’s gaze lifted from her laptop, and she saw Asteria standing there in her satin nightgown. Her petite figure and beautiful curves were emphasized by the way the light caught the fabric. Her hair was still damp, falling in soft waves around her shoulders.
Looking at her made something stir inside Keres—something low and unfamiliar that made her look away immediately.
Keres’s jaw tightened, and she snapped her laptop shut. "What took you so long in there? I thought I was going to break the door down to check if you’d hit your head."
Asteria’s cheeks flushed. "I’m sorry. I just had a hard time scrubbing my back."
Keres exhaled through her nose. "Next time, call me. I don’t mind scrubbing your back for you." frёewebnoѵēl.com
Asteria shook her head and offered a small smile. "No need. It’s okay. Thank you, Keres."
She continued to dry her hair with her towel, the movements were slow and absent. Then she turned toward the door, ready to leave.
Suddenly, Keres moved. She rushed across the room and grabbed the door handle, blocking Asteria’s exit.
Asteria froze. "Where are you going?" Keres asked.
Asteria’s eyes widened, her breath hitching at Keres’s sudden closeness. She could smell Keres’s perfume—something expensive and subtle, like sandalwood and vanilla.
"To my room?" Asteria said, her voice tilting up like a question. Keres shook her head slowly and said, "No."
"Huh?"
Keres stepped forward. Asteria stepped back, again and again until Asteria’s back hit the black mahogany drawer. She had nowhere else to go.
Keres pulled her by the waist and didn’t break eye contact. Her hands were firm but not rough, settling on Asteria’s hips like they belonged there. She leaned down to Asteria’s left ear and whispered, "You’re my wife. Don’t sleep in the other room like you’re a stranger."
Asteria’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. She didn’t know how to react. Her hands trembled at her sides. Her breathing came in short, shallow gasps.
Keres was so close—too close. She could feel the warmth radiating from her body and see the slight rise and fall of her chest.
"But I thought you hated me," Asteria managed.
Keres pulled back just enough to look at her face. "I do. But that doesn’t mean you have to sleep in the other room."
Asteria frowned, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Is this your way of asking me to serve you in bed?"
Keres’s eyes flew wide open. "No!" She faltered, her composure cracking as she stuttered. A flush of pink crept up her neck. "That’s not—I wasn’t—No."
"Then why do you want me to stay here?"
Keres averted her gaze, her face turning a deep shade of pink. "Because you’re my wife. And an Eisenthurn never lets their wife sleep in the other rooms."
Asteria stared at her as she gasp, almost above a whisper. The mighty Keres Eisenthurn, the woman who made grown men tremble, commanded armies of lawyers and enforcers and who never backed down from anyone or anything—was blushing like a schoolgirl.
Asteria looked down, keeping both hands pressed against her chest. Her heart was still racing, but now for a different reason.
"Let’s just sleep," Keres said, her voice softer now. "If Mother asks, at least I can tell her the truth—that we’re sleeping in the same bed and not separate rooms. She’ll kill me otherwise."
Asteria nodded slowly. "Okay. But are you sure you don’t want to fuck me—"
"Stop!" Keres cut her off, her face now completely crimson. "Don’t say that word." She didn’t expect Asteria’s bluntness and for the first time, Asteria saw this new side of Keres.
It was completely human, nothing like the confident and powerful Izzah Keres Maude Eisenthurn she had always known. This Keres was flustered, embarrassed and almost shy.
A small smile tugged at Asteria’s lips. "Okay. I won’t say it."
Keres released her and stepped back, running a hand through her hair. "Good. Now get in bed."
They settled into bed, each on opposite sides of the king-size mattress. They maintained a respectful distance, a gap of cool sheets and uncertainty between them. Keres picked up the remote and dimmed the lights until the room was bathed in a soft, cold glow.
The silence stretched between them. Asteria stared at the ceiling and her mind still racing. Keres lay rigid on her side, her back partially turned.
After a moment, Asteria spoke. "Keres?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I turn on the bedside lamp?"
Keres turned her head slightly. "Why?"
Asteria’s voice was small, almost childlike. "I have a hard time sleeping in dark rooms."
Keres heard the quiver in her voice and felt something twist in her chest. Sympathy? understanding? She didn’t examine it too closely, just sigh and agreed.
"Okay."
Asteria smiled and reached for the lampshade beside her, clicking it on to cast a soft golden light to her side of the bed, pushing back the shadows. The warmth of it seemed to relax her shoulders, and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Don’t thank me. It’s your personal space. A lamp isn’t going to hurt me."
Asteria smiled again and lay down, pulling the silk sheet up to her chin. She closed her eyes, but sleep didn’t come immediately. Instead, she listened to the sound of Keres breathing beside her—slow and steady.
"You’re not sleeping," Keres said after a while, and Asteria opened her eyes when she heard her. "Neither are you."
Another stretch of silence before Asteria sigh softly. All the tension in her body was finally leaving as fatigued settled down.
"Thank you," Asteria said again.
Keres turned her head to look at her. "For what?"
"For giving me space. For not... For not being what I expected."
Keres was quiet for a long moment before she asked: "What did you expect?" Her voice softened, almost a little quiet. Very different from the Keres everyone feared everyday.
Asteria hesitated because the truth sat on the tip of her tongue, and it was heavy and bitter. She expected cruelty, expected coldness or expected being treated like property, like a servant, like something less than human. That was what she had been trained to expect. That was what the Auclairs had prepared her for.
But she couldn’t say that. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
"I don’t know," she lied. "Something else."
Keres studied her face in the dim light. Her eyes were sharp and seems like searching for something in Asteria’s voice, but she didn’t push. Instead, she turned back to the ceiling and closed her eyes.
"Go to sleep, Asteria."
Asteria watched her for a moment longer. The sharp line of her jaw., the way her dark hair fanned across the pillow, and the slight furrow in her brow, even in rest.
Then she closed her own eyes.
"Thanking me for giving her personal space?" The thought ran through Keres’s head as she lay in the darkness. She didn’t understand why Asteria acted like this, but she suspected it had everything to do with how the Auclairs had treated her.
The way Asteria flinched, the way she expected to be hit and thanked Keres for basic kindness. It all pointed to something darker, something that made Keres’s blood simmer with rage.
She had seen that look before. In the eyes of children who had been hurt too many times. In the posture of people who had learned that kindness always came with a price.
"What had they done to her?"
Keres pushed the thought away. It wasn’t her problem and Asteria was just her wife on paper, nothing more. A transaction, an agreement arrangement. She didn’t need to care about her past or her fears or her strange, fragile gratitude.
And yet.
Keres turned onto her side and faced Asteria. Asteria lay on her back, facing the ceiling, her eyes closed, her breathing was slow but Keres could tell she wasn’t asleep. The way her fingers twitched against the sheet, her lips pressed together every few seconds.
The golden light from the lamp caught her features, softening them. Long lashes, cute nose, lips that looked impossibly soft. Her skin was pale but flawless, and her damp hair had dried into gentle waves around her shoulders.
Even with the respectful distance between them, Keres could smell a faint scent of jasmine coming from Asteria’s skin. It mixed with the velvet powder she must have applied after her shower, but the jasmine was stronger—natural, soft and inviting.
The scent helped soothe Keres, so she watched her for a moment longer, then closed her own eyes. The room was quiet except for the distant hum of the wind outside. Somewhere in the dim and soft glow of the lampshade, Asteria’s breathing evened out, slow and peaceful now.
And for the first time in a long time, Keres felt something close to calm. She didn’t know what the morning would bring or how to navigate this strange, fragile thing growing between them.
She didn’t know if she even wanted it.
But for now, in the silence of the night that settled between them, with the soft golden light pushing back the shadows and the faint scent of jasmine in the air, she let herself rest.
Tomorrow, there would be meetings to attend, more problems to come and a city to rule.
But tonight, she was just Keres. And Asteria was just Asteria. Just normal married couple sleeping together in their marital bed.
