"I’m afraid to ask how you intend to deal with her. Lady Tabitha seems convinced that you would pick her over me. Truly, I don’t want it to ever come to you picking anyone," said Penelope.
Tyrion admired the ring on Penelope’s hand. "Haven’t I picked already? It is you over her any day."
"It doesn’t make me feel good," Penelope confessed.
"As expected, but do not feel so bad because you didn’t ask me to choose. I am the one making the decision. I love my grandmother, but I won’t tolerate her behaviour and allow her to act that way around us," Tyrion said, caressing Penelope’s hand as he spoke. "Toward you."
"I would pick the peace I have with you over her complaints any day."
Tyion cherished the time he had with Tabitha, but he was not a little boy to listen to what she wanted anymore. He had his years with Tabitha, and now he would enjoy his time with Penelope.
"I hope she can have an awakening like Melanie should as well. We are all not getting any younger as the days go by. With how it is now, I cannot not find it in my heart to be as kind as my mother," said Penelope.
Now that Penelope was somewhat in her mother’s shoes, she thought her mother was far too kind.
"Regarding what?" Tyrion inquired.
"How my mother allowed my grandmother to see us over the years, though their relationship has been strained. I am letting you know now that I will not be so kind as to have our children visit anyone who has been against us," Penelope said.
Penelope pressed her hands against Tyrion’s face to squash it. "Why are you smiling so much? Is it because I mentioned children? Do you not want any?"
"You have greatly misread my thoughts. I am delighted to hear you mention children. How many do you seek to have?" Tyrion asked, ignoring the point of their conversation.
"I am speaking about who will keep away from children who do not exist while you are focused on the number," Penelope said, shaking her head.
Penelope attempted to get up, but Tyrion had an iron grip around her. "I have been out all day. It is time that I have a bath prepared and get dressed for dinner. I am not clean."
"It doesn’t matter to me," Tyrion replied. "I am interested in our talk about children."
"It is not something worthy of a long conversation. Why is your hold of me ?" Penelope asked, struggling to get out of his arms.
Tyrion remained still as Penelope put up a futile fight to get out of his arms. "Did you think I would not want children with you? I wish to have as many as your heart desires," he said, his finger twirling around her hair.
"You’ve only just returned, but you are already trying to get away from me. It hurts since I did a wonderful deed for you today," Tyrion revealed.
Penelope stopped her fight and faced Tyrion.
Tyrion appeared genuinely hurt by her trying to leave, but Penelope knew better.
"I have been your friend all my life. I know your tricks to make me pity you," Penelope said, not falling for this one. "It is terrible of you to try to lie to me with your feelings. I should pinch you."
Tyrion smiled. "You are open to trying to hurt me."
Penelope didn’t pinch him, though she wanted to. She was curious about what deed Tyrion did for her.
"What did you do today? What deed is it?" Penelope asked, her curiosity needing to be fed.
"Your wonderful husband had the last of his uniforms sent from the palace and placed in our chamber," Tyrion revealed, anticipating her reaction.
Penelope blushed. "Oh."
This wasn’t the news she expected.
’"I only spoke of one uniform," Penelope said, but she wanted to see all of them now.
"I am being a good husband to check if my wife likes all of my uniforms. There were only four others with different designs for each. I am having more made just for you."
"For me? I don’t want to wear your uniforms," Penelope said, puzzled by his plans.
"They are not to be worn by you. They are to be worn by me, so you can rip them off me. It is a wonderful gift for you. Ha," Tyrion chuckled as Penelope rested her head on his shoulder.
Tyrion hissed when she bit at his neck.
"Is this the thanks I get for doing something nice for you?" Tyrion asked, tilting his head so she could better bite him.
It would be Penelope regretting the bite she was giving him now.
Penelope pulled away from Tyrion to see the fruit of her work. She bit him, but Tyrion was smiling like she had done something wonderful.
"I need to go to the palace tomorrow to sit with my mother," Tyrion revealed, enjoying the way her smile fell into a frown. "It seems you knew and wanted to display your love for me."
Penelope’s eyes widened. Panic quickly settled in.
Penelope wiped her hand against his neck in hopes it would remove the mark of her teeth, but it didn’t work as she knew it wouldn’t.
"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Penelope asked, continuing to wipe at the mark.
Tyrion held Penelope’s hand to stop her from rubbing his skin so roughly.
"If you weren’t trying to escape, we would have had proper time to sit and speak about our day. As well as speak of what we shall do tomorrow. Your attempts are useless. Admit that you have given me a way to display your love for me," said Tyrion.
Penelope didn’t see it that way. "Anyone who sees that mark will think I hate you. What kind of lady bites her husband? I can already hear the gossip you would be bothered with."
"Then you should kiss it and turn it into something else," Tyrion suggested.
"This isn’t a laughing matter. Tomorrow, I will arrange for you to wear a shirt to cover it," Penelope said, thinking the problem was solved.
"I am training with the knights and the men your father sent tomorrow," Tyrion said, enjoying the sheer horror on Penelope’s face.
"You are sneaky to now be planning all of this, aren’t you? You are only planning to visit the palace and to train so you can show off the bite. Am I right?" Penelope asked.
"For once, you are not right," Tyrion replied, slipping his hand under Penelope before standing. "I must visit the palace, so I have arranged for Rue and Lily to be here with you tomorrow."
"Lily cannot come. She will be with my mother to attend another ball. I cannot keep her from finding a husband. Where are you taking me?" Penelope questioned, holding onto Tyrion.
The excuse of saving water wouldn’t work this time.
"To show you my uniforms," Tyrion answered.