They did it every night.
Danetta let him tie her up in the same position, blindfold her, and do whatever he pleased, which would always please her.
She was starting to wonder if she'd become pregnant soon.
That thought, and quite a few more, were chiseling at her psyche as she rode with her husband in a carriage one evening. They were on their way to Lillitu's dinner party.
While there were daily visits with lessons from Lillitu on the days leading up to the party, they'd also sometimes see public pleasure gardens, which often had hedge mazes, small and informal concerts, zoos, acrobatic performers, and even athletic competitions. Danetta had heard that one recently constructed pleasure garden had amusement rides, peculiar machines that moved people about for the simple joy of it.
The couple also visited more formal theaters. There were many plays, grand concerts, ballets, and other fun things to sit back and watch. They also took regular walks together, usually in shopping districts. Restaurant and coffee shops were also on the list of favorite places to visit.
Danetta was slightly nervous every time she went out to the public, even though she felt proud to have Erdgar as a husband, even if he did smell funny sometimes and acted a little bit too placid. While people in general were polite, nobody had any hint of warmth in them.
When Erdgar's appearance was noticed, and it often was, there would always be staring, which her husband ignored. The lower class people were more timid when they were seen reacting negatively to Erdgar's mask. They knew their reputations could be impaired for disrespecting an aristocrat. The upper classes were less afraid to be caught giggling or gossiping about him, but they never said anything obviously cruel to the couple's faces, except for something nasty carefully hidden in a statement that seemed polite on the surface.
Danetta thought that if she became pregnant, perhaps they'd be considered a bit more normal. As her heavily ringed fingers pressed together in her lap, the jewelry lightly tinkling against themselves as the carriage jostled on the street, she imagined herself heavily pregnant.
Once the little creature in her belly would become something Danetta would call a child, her waist wouldn't be as pinched in as it normally was. It would be large and rounded. She'd have to wear a special set of stays that didn't constrict her body as much and had more laces for a growing waistline. She'd also have to keep herself in her home during the later months, because she was a high class woman. Pregnancy was considered to be a mostly private topic, anyway.
She could speak about it with her husband, though, without fear.
"Erdgar, I imagine you'd want children soon."
She heard him say, "It would be best to have someone to inherit my title and estate."
"I'd be honored to bear your children, Dear Master." Danetta nodded and looked up at his covered, shadowy head.
"Ah, Dear Mistress," Erdgar said with a mild laugh, "a child of mine would be a child of yours. It would be our child. You would bear our children."
Danetta smiled at him. "I hope our children will know their father's face."
His tan colored leather gloves constricted around the handle of his cane. It was a different cane than the one he normally carried around. It had a wider handle, which was covered in beautiful dark blue lacquer with white and red flower designs. Each flower's outline was drawn in silver.
"Ah ... Sweet Danetta, that's also my hope, but you must remember that you've married a coward."
"So you say, Erdgar." She admired his body for a moment, remembering how he had oh so delicately kissed her lips the night before. His tongue had lightly grazed her lips, as if he'd wanted to plunge the organ into her mouth. However, he never did so. He might have been afraid to press his mouth too closely to her. Perhaps he had some scars near his mouth he didn't want her to feel.
His coat and breeches were of a matching fabric. They were a very pale blue with embroidery in gold and coral colors. His waistcoat was the most coral thing on him, a pale orange color base with white buttons. Even his mask of wrapped fabric was brighter. He had chosen fabric of a white color, wrapped several times about his head, with the typical little holes at the eyes and nose. He must have his own method for crafting each piece of fabric, so that once it was properly fitted on his head, the holes were in their correct places.
Danetta loved to see him in a merry outfit, a pretty outfit for both spring and summer. She had never been to the sea, but his color scheme reminded her of a faint concept of a seashore. "Erdgar, despite your condition, you're a stunning picture."
"I can't possibly be so lovely to you, especially under the obscurity of night." He tapped the carriage's floor with his expensive cane. This seemed to be a habit of his. "Certainly, all these lavish colors are ruined by the lack of sunlight."
"Oil lamps and candlelight are quite ample for my purposes, Erdgar."
"That's sensible, I suppose." He tapped the carriage floor again. Then he drummed his fingertips on his cane's handle and cleared his throat. "You seem beautiful to me, no matter what light you're under. Perhaps I should reconsider my logic."
Her ears, cheeks, nose, throat, and bosom all turned pink at his statement, but she was very happy and proud.
Danetta clapped her hands together when the carriage stopped at Lillitu's townhouse. She gripped her closed, pink hand fan with excited fingers as she watched her husband exit the carriage. The fan's attached cord was looped about her wrist, keeping it from falling, which was wise, because as she was helped out of the carriage she had to keep her skirts in check. Then she took her husband's arm with proud fingers. Her shoulders were straight. Her head was high.
A butler let them into the house and led them to a drawing room full of guests. Danetta didn't know the anyone's names, but she knew the ones with crests on their clothing were nobles. Danetta had her own crest, a silver pin with white pearls bordering the edges, on the center of her neckline. She forced a smile as she noticed the speculative, judgmental looks of the other guests, and then she went with Erdgar to a corner of the room.
Nobody tried to speak to them. Danetta leaned in closer to her husband. When she felt the weight of his hand on top of her coiffure of braids, she sighed.
Not even five minutes passed, and three more people emerged. Danetta gasped. Erdgar's fingers stiffened on her shoulder.
Duke Kristof Bransted and his sister, Lady Bethaline Bransted were together, dressed impeccably and looking a little bit unimpressed at their surroundings. The third person arrived a moment after them. It was Batren Saivio, Danetta's father. He had on a remarkably nice coat. Danetta assumed it was new because she had never seen it before. It was a shiny red color with pretty buttons.
Why ... in the world ... did Lillitu invite these people? Her father, Danetta could somewhat understand. The Bransteds, though? Why the Bransteds? Why did they even come? Danetta didn't even think that Lillitu cared for them. She knew what the Lady Bransted had done to her dear friend!
Danetta made a little mournful noise, but she calmed down when Erdgar bent down to whisper in her ear, "Don't speak to them unless they speak to you. The same for your father."
As if he knew he was being spoken about, Danetta's father tried to approach them, but he was interrupted when Lillitu, the cheerful little hostess, pranced into the drawing room and announced that it was time for dinner. Still clinging to her husband for emotional and physical support, Danetta walked with him and the other guests to the formal dining room. Hired musicians were playing stringed instruments for the guests' pleasure.
She ended up sitting between Erdgar and her father. Lillitu was gracious enough to see to it that Erdgar didn't receive any plates or beverages. What bothered Danetta was that Lady Bransted was sitting across from her husband, and Duke Bransted was sitting across from her. The Duke Bransted gave her casually licentious looks every once in a while, but he didn't speak to her. He spoke with his sister and the other person beside him. His sister spoke to him, obviously, and to the other person next to her.
Danetta tried to be very polite to her father, who kept asking her about her financial situation, and tried to hint that he needed more money. She wanted to help him. She honestly did, but she was afraid of doing anything that would upset Erdgar. Danetta understood that since she was married, her loyalty was meant to be for her husband.
She wasn't required to be absolutely loyal to her father anymore. Danetta hadn't made any attempt to reconnect with him since she'd arrived in Henrisk, partially because she'd been so busy, but also because she knew Erdgar didn't want her to see him. "Don't go over to that man," he had told her one evening. "Don't concern yourself with a brute even more cowardly than your husband."
Then Danetta had to insist to Erdgar that he wasn't a coward, which led to cuddling, which lead to her being tied up and blindfolded again.
Hmmm ... still ... she pitied her father. Even with his debt payed off, he apparently had a few problems keeping up his shipping company.
The only people Erdgar showed any attempt to have a conversation with were Danetta and Lillitu. It should be noted, however, that Lillitu was the hostess, and she sat at the head of the table. She had several guests to cater to.
And at one point, that perky little hostess called out, "My Dear Lady Bransted, I do believe congratulations are in order!" Her voice was polite. It wasn't as imprudent as it normally was.
The lady's dark eyes flashed out gratification. She barely turned her elegant head to Lillitu. "Of course, My Lady. I'm engaged to marry the Lord of Elistra, Marquess Danthen." She sounded so boastful, as if she had a real catch of a man. Danetta tried not to judge her harshly, though. For all she knew, this Marquess could have been the handsomest, wealthiest, most sexually skilled male in all of the land. Besides, there wasn't anything wrong with having pride in one's partner. Danetta herself was quite taken with her match.
Still, there was something smug about Lady Bransted's tone and facial expression.
Danetta's opinion of the lady changed a bit when she said to Lillitu, "I hope you'll forgive me, My Lady, for finding a mate before you."
"Oh, there's nothing to forgive," Lillitu merrily responded. Her geometric necklace seemed to glow under the light of the scones and candelabras. Her blue eyes reflected the little flames around her. "I'm not concerned with time running away from me. I'm confident that even ten years from now, I'll have my youth." She really didn't look like she was thirty, but the way she spoke certainly told her age. She wasn't a careless, wild teenager. In fact, under the candlelight, Danetta could almost see something under her eyes that might have hinted at time catching up with her. She didn't think it was very noticeable, though.
Danetta noted the slight wince in Lady Bransted's face. Lillitu was implying that Lady Bransted would age faster than Lillitu. Lillitu was also implying that she had a better constitution.
"Oh, is that so, Dear Marchioness? I suppose it can be quite difficult to find a man of quality, since men of quality aren't attracted to prepubescents."
Silence stretched out all around the table. Not even the clinking of glasses, plates, and silverware reached anyone's ears.
Then the silence was broken by Lillitu's earnest laugh. "Quite a few wonderful, perfectly normal men admire a delicate woman. Anyone well acquainted with the decent people of society would understand this fact."
Oh my ... Lillitu just insulted the Lady's ability to interact with good people! She implied that Lady Bransted familiarizes herself with the worst sorts of people! Danetta turned to her husband with a lowered jaw. Erdgar was ignoring the conversation. His hands were in his lap. Danetta had no idea what he was thinking of. She couldn't even figure out what his emotional state was. He was as blank as a fresh and unused journal.
This exchange went on for some time, even into the second course of the dinner. Danetta didn't know what to think of it. Eventually, though, the two women seemed to agree to disagree, and they tittered to each other.
After dinner was finished, and after Danetta had politely thanked Lillitu for the meal, she overheard a few words between Lillitu and the Lady Bransted.
