[POV: Solenne]
Ruvan had been asleep for a while.
His breathing was deeper now, steadier. But he still twitched in his sleep, occasional flashes of memory or voices clawing at him even in rest. He hadn't made a sound since he fell asleep again, but she could feel the exhaustion clinging to him like fog.
Solenne brushed her fingers through the ends of his hair again. It was filthy, coated in old dirt, dried blood, and stone dust. She tried not to gag when she found a small pebble still lodged in one of the knots.
She glanced down at herself.
Mud-caked feet. Ash-stained elbows. Wolfsbane still lingering faintly in her scent.
'We're disgusting,' she told Serai.
'That's generous,' Serai replied dryly. 'You smell like death and unrequited tension.'
Solenne rolled her eyes, but she looked down at him thoughtfully.
She needed to clean up. He needed to clean up. And judging by how he'd claimed the bed without hesitation, she had a feeling she wouldn't be getting it back without negotiation. It would be better to share a bed with someone who didn't cover the sheets in grime.
So, she rose from the mattress, careful not to wake him. She padded to the far side of the chamber and began digging through a cabinet she hadn't yet dared to explore. Dust and cobwebs clung to the handles, but inside—miraculously—were old linens, a chipped basin, and several sealed vials of fragrant oil.
She touched the neck of one of the vials and sniffed. Sandalwood. Myrrh. A hint of sage.
She'd found the royal bath supplies.
⸻
[POV: Ruvan]
He woke to the sounds of crackling fire. Not voices or screams, not the feeling of being watched by thousands of eyes…
Fire.
Ruvan cracked an eye open and blinked blearily. His body was sore and stiff, but his head wasn't pounding.
Not yet, he reminded himself. He didn't want to get used to peace when there was no guarantee it would last.
He pushed up on one elbow and paused as he took in the sight before him. Solenne knelt by the hearth, sleeves rolled, scrubbing the dirt out of a small basin with a cloth. She was barefoot. Quiet. Focused.
She… hadn't left.
His throat was dry, and his voice was gravelly from rest. "What are you doing?"
Solenne jumped slightly and turned. Her cheeks flushed when she saw him watching. He observed her tentatively as she met his gaze.
Solenne's face contorted into a grimace. She held up the basin, pointed at herself, and then at him.
He didn't need a translation for that. Ruvan glanced down at himself and noted his sorry state, then at hers.
"We're disgusting," he said.
⸻
[POV: Solenne]
She nodded in agreement, pleased that her message came across.
"I guess it wouldn't do to wander around looking like death, would it?" Ruvan chuckled softly. "Alright. A bath, it is."
The room wasn't built with a bathing area, but the hearth gave just enough warmth. There was plenty to work with…
Except water.
Solenne looked at Ruvan and back to the basin, and he seemed to catch on.
"Water would help, huh? Good thing there's a functioning watersource in this hellhole fortress," he said as he sat in bed. Then, he glanced at a low-hanging string from the ceiling."Now is as good a time as any to see if the servant bell still works."
He tugged on it a few times, and within a couple of minutes, the maids were at the door.
"Your Majesty?" They called.
"Warm water. We're going to bathe," he demanded. "And clothes."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
It only took them five minutes. Solenne watched with wide eyes as a handful of maids came through the door, amazed by their efficiency. One poured hot water into the basin with a bucket, and the others prepared their fresh clothes by folding them neatly on the table.
Just as quickly as they arrived, they left again.
One lingered, though—it was the omega that Solenne had met earlier in the dining hall! She asked, "Does Lady Solenne need anything else?"
Solenne wasn't used to being addressed so respectfully and felt a little embarrassed, but she shook her head with a grateful smile.
"We're happy to help you anytime, Lady Solenne. Enjoy your bath together," the woman replied happily. She bowed her head once to Ruvan before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
…Then came the awkward part. Of course, she'd only think of it after the maids left.
There was nothing to address the issue of privacy.
Sure, one could leave the room while the other washed up… but was that really necessary? Weren't they mates? She wasn't sure how this 'relationship' business was supposed to work. After all, she never had the opportunity to see or hear about them.
Her father had… passed away when she was four, so it was only she and her mother after that. And, when you're considered a cursed demon that's ostracized everywhere, there isn't much opportunity to gossip or learn that kind of thing alone.
…Other than what she read in naughty novels, of course—she was sure that wasn't what real life was like.
Right?…
Solenne brought a hand to her chin and glanced at Ruvan with a contemplative expression.
The King rose from bed, approached the basin, and then dipped his fingers in. "This shouldn't burn your skin. You should get in before it gets cold, though."
After a beat, Ruvan seemed to come to a realization. "Oh. Are you nervous?"
She looked down and nodded her head shyly.
He hummed in understanding. "Don't worry."
Ruvan walked to a drawer, pulled out a long kerchief, and then came to sit with his back resting against the basin. He handed her the fabric, "Tie this around my eyes."
Solenne's heart skipped a beat.
'He… he's really so considerate?' she wondered.
"I won't look, I promise," he added.
She nodded and carefully wrapped the kerchief over his eyes, tying it in a secure, but not tight, knot. When she was certain he couldn't peek, she stepped away and started to undress.
Ruvan didn't speak; he only sat quietly as Solenne sat on a stool beside the small basin and scrubbed her arms and neck. The water turned dark almost immediately. Her skin stung from dried blood and scrapes, but it felt good to be clean. Human.
She had just finished washing her hair when Ruvan said quietly, "You can take my mask off once you're comfortable."
Solenne wanted to ensure the water was at least a little warm for him by the time he used it, so she quickly wrapped up her bath. She stepped away, using one of the towels she found to dry herself, then slipped on the slightly oversized nightgown the maids brought.
She approached him and untied the cloth. He looked up at her from where he sat on the floor and nodded approvingly. "Yes, much cleaner. Do you feel better?"
Solenne nodded sheepishly.
"I'm… glad," he muttered. "My turn."
Ruvan started taking off his torn clothes. He hadn't changed since his awakening, so they were utterly disgusting. Solenne turned away politely as he undressed.
"You don't have to look away, I don't mind," he said as he tossed the dirtied, old clothes into the fire, making the flames roar to life.
Solenne's curiosity got the best of her, and she couldn't help but turn back to look at him. He was… strong, with pale skin marred by countless scars. She silently admired each mark on his body, wondering what he had done to earn each one.
He dragged the basin closer and sat on the stool she'd used, dunking one clawed hand into the water. His nose wrinkled."Gods, what did you wash off?"
Solenne gave him a withering look and, with a strange burst of confidence, approached him. She teasingly stuck her tongue out, gently grabbed his hair, and pulled out another pebble, as if to say, 'And you're any better?'
He grunted, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Then, without hesitation, he dunked his head forward, soaking his white hair in the darkened water. His breath hissed through his teeth. The warmth, the sting of soap, and the contact with something clean hit him harder than expected.
Solenne watched quietly as he pulled the damp strands back from his face. She thought he was beautiful before, but without all the dirt he was on another level.
He looked younger like this. Still dangerous, but less cursed.
Like… a man.
He opened one eye at her, "You're staring."
Solenne's eyes widened, and she shook her head, turning away.
"I could feel it. You were staring so hard, one would think it's your job," he teased. "Do I pass inspection?"
A small, amused breath escaped her lips—a laugh. She crossed her arms and looked down at him disapprovingly. Solenne shook her head, as if to say, 'Nope. You didn't pass.'
He chuckled, then winced as he scrubbed at the dirt on his arms. "If I'm going to pass your high standards, I'll need you to do it for me."
Solenne blinked, surprised by his forwardness.
He paused. "…That was a joke, don't worry," he added.
She hesitated—then reached for a clean cloth.
And before she could change her mind, she knelt beside him and began wiping the blood from his neck and shoulders.
⸻
[POV: Ruvan]
He didn't move.
Her hands were gentle. Steady.
Every pass of the cloth across his skin was like undoing another knot of tension, relieving himself of weight he hadn't even realized he carried.
"You know…" he said quietly, "I don't remember the last time anyone touched me without fear."
Solenne's hand stilled.
"You have every reason to be afraid." He turned toward her slightly, golden eyes softer than she'd ever seen them. Vulnerability belied each word as he continued, barely above a whisper, "I'm crazy… I can't help it, I try… I really do… but I can't stop them…"
Suddenly, she wordlessly asked for his hand. He gave it to her willingly, though unsure what she was planning. Then, she looked at him, reached up, and tucked a damp strand of hair behind his ear.
She shook her head and served a gentle smile as she pointed at her own neck with her free hand… at the mark those bastards had branded her with.
Solenne turned Ruvan's palm facing up and started to trace letters into his skin. It was a slow means of communicating, but Ruvan didn't mind. Each touch of her finger against his hand felt intimate and warm.
[I won't run.] She wrote. [I am tired of running.]
And just like that, he said nothing. He didn't know what he could possibly say.
He just let her wash the rest of the blood from his skin in silence.