With a heavy and troubled heart Neriah curled up upon the chair and waited for Barak. "Maybe he will not be so angry now." She said to herself. She repeated those words over and over again as a source of hope.
But then hours went by and Barak did not return. The tears in her eyes threatened to fall but she held them back.
Her plan had been simple. It was to go into the dungeon and come out after seeing the orcs, then she would plaster it in his face that she had defied his orders.
How things had changed. Things changed when she realized her life was in danger in the dungeon, things changed when she saw knights getting wounded because of her. Things changed when Regina had dived into the fight for her sake. Things changed when for a split second, her eyes met his when he landed in the dungeon just before she passed out from the shock and fear of the anger in his burning gaze.
Things changed even more when she found out she was carrying his baby. Now all she wanted was to have him forgive her for her irrational act.
But he was clearly not going to see her more or less listen to her.
The fire in the hearth had turned to hot coal without flames, the room had gotten darker and colder. She curled even more on the chair, and just when her tears were about to drop, the door to the room pushed open and only her eyes moved at first, but when he walked into the room, her body uncurled and her feet touched the ground.
"Ba—" The words were not allowed to leave her lips, he just walked past her like she was non-existent. As though she had somehow become invisible. And the feeling she got was not one she liked. It hurt... It hurt so bad. Like he had stabbed her chest as he walked past her. It was immensely painful. So painful that a teardrop fell as she turned and her hand caught the hem of his sleeve.
She swallowed and sniffled, trying to control her trembling insides before she opened her mouth. "Plea—"
"Neriah, please," He sighed deeply. So deeply that she felt it in her chest. "Let me be. I am tired. I would like to rest." He said and his words, they were cold. So, so cold. At that moment a crazy thought ran through her head. Neriah thought she would prefer it if he treated her the way he treated her that night when she had gone to meet with Lyle. At least there was warmth in his breath then. She would prefer it if he screamed at her with heated possessiveness and madness. At least there was passion in him then. Albeit twisted, but it was there.
Now she felt nothing from him. Nothing but his desire to be free of her presence and it hurt her in ways she did not know she could be hurt by him. And she realized... She didn’t hate him. That was no longer what she felt.
"I—" She opened her mouth again, but he pulled his sleeve from her hold and walked but she was not going to stop. She ran in front of him.
"Neriah, get out of my way." He ordered. There was no hint of playfulness in his tone. He was serious. He wasn’t willing to talk to her at all.
But she was determined! "No!" She retorted. "I will not move unless you listen to me! I know what I did was wrong. I know that now, so—"
"You know that now!!" She flinched as his voice echoed throughout the room, the candles in the room also flicked on at the rise of his voice. "Can you hear yourself?! You know that now!" He hissed and turned his head to the side as though he was trying to get his anger under control. "I do not have the strength to banter with you, so move!" He ordered.
Beriah was scared, but she was also still determined, "I should never have done that. I really regret it. People got hurt because of me. I know I should have listened to you. So stop being angry. I really—" Her words were halted by a sharp scornful laugh that was in no way funny.
"You? Neriah? Regret from you? The same woman I am married to? The proud and stubborn princess of Avelah who thinks all Tragonians are beneath her feet. You would feel regret for the distress of some mere barbarians?" He scoffed as though she had made the lousiest joke of the century.
"I know you. You do not know remorse or regret, Neriah. Those words do not go well with you, I have heard enough lies to believe this. Get out of my way." He ordered again as though he would move her himself if she made him say the words again.
"I am sincerely apologetic! I know those knights got hurt because of me and even Lady Regina. Everyone got hurt because of me so I—"
"You are damn right!" He suddenly yanked her by the arm with so much strength that Neriah wanted to cry out, but she bit on her bottom lip instead. "Damn you woman, you are lucky no one died, your name would have been sullied for all eternity as the spoiled princess who caused the death of noble knights just to satisfy her damned curiosity!"
"I—"
"How is it that you never listen to a word I say! Do you know you could have died there! If I had not arrived in time, you could have become food for them you little fool!" Barak hissed yelled the words into her face.
"Do not call me a fool! I have accepted my mistake. So stop being angry." She yelled back. He was not listening to her! She didn’t mean to fight him tonight, but he was not listening.