Chapter 330: The Distance of Two Men
Primrose stretched her arms with a groan after enduring what felt like Sevrin’s endless "torture." Perhaps she was exaggerating with that word, but that was exactly how it felt. At least now she finally understood the flow of work she would have to handle later, and she felt confident she wouldn’t be lost.
"Your Majesty, a soldier informed me that His Majesty and Sir Leofric are waiting for you outside the palace," Solene said as soon as Primrose stepped out of Edmund’s office.
"Alright, let’s go." Primrose gave Sevrin a polite smile as he busied himself putting away his papers. "Sir Dorne, I’ll take my leave now. Thank you for today."
Sevrin bowed his head slightly. "See you tomorrow, Your Majesty."
Primrose’s lips curved, but inside she hoped she wouldn’t have to face Sevrin too often. Still, what could she say? She was the one who begged Edmund to let her study under him. She hadn’t realized how much she would end up suffering from his strict lessons.
"Do you want to go outside with them?" Solene asked gently.
"Mhm." Primrose nodded as she walked down the hallway. "We have important business today, and I think you don’t need to follow us, Lady Solene. My husband and Sir Leofric are more than enough to protect me."
And indeed, they were. If anything bad were to happen to the queen under their watch, whoever dared to do it would be signing their own death sentence.
"I understand, Your Majesty," Solene replied quickly with a nod.
She accompanied Primrose all the way to the stables, where Edmund and Leofric were waiting. Both men stood facing opposite directions, stiff and cold, as if their silent war was still raging.
Edmund’s face was unusually cold, a clear sign that he truly hated being forced to stand beside Leofric. But the moment his eyes found Primrose, his expression lit up instantly.
He didn’t give a wide smile, but even the small curve of his lips was enough for anyone nearby to know just how deeply he loved his wife.
Edmund immediately strode toward her, gently taking her from Solene’s care. He guided Primrose toward Dante, fussing over her as he asked, "Wife, how was your day?" and "Was my office comfortable enough for your lessons?"
He asked about every little thing, his words tumbling out one after another, just like an eager dog that couldn’t stop wagging its tail after seeing its beloved human.
Now that Primrose knew more about his past, she couldn’t help but feel comfort in moments like this. Seeing Edmund happy, even over the smallest things, was enough to ease her heart.
"Everything is fine, husband," she replied warmly. "How about you?"
"My day is fine as well," Edmund said.
[It wasn’t. I’m sick of seeing the soldiers’ faces.] His hidden thoughts slipped through. [All I want is to spend the day with my wife. Why is that so difficult?]
"I’ll be with you all night, husband," Primrose chuckled softly. "You can look at me for as long as you want."
Edmund stiffened, startled that she had replied to the words in his head.
Primrose found it rather adorable how he always seemed to forget she could read his mind, or maybe he didn’t forget, but simply thought too quickly to stop himself.
"Your Majesty," Leofric greeted her politely when their eyes met.
Primrose smiled back, though not as brightly as when she looked at Edmund. "Sir Leofric." Lowering her voice, she asked, "Does she live in the capital?"
Primrose chose not to mention his sister, Lorelle, outright because she didn’t want anyone nearby overhearing and learning something they shouldn’t.
Leofric mounted his horse before replying. "She doesn’t live exactly in the capital, but not far from there."
Primrose tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Close enough?" she asked softly.
Leofric gave a short nod, adjusting the reins in his hands. "It won’t take us long to reach her place." His tone was calm, but his eyes avoided Edmund’s. "Your husband knows the way."
Primrose let out a soft sigh, noticing how Leofric didn’t even want to say Edmund’s name. Had they argued again before she arrived?
She still didn’t know much about Leofric, and she couldn’t bring herself to fully trust him yet. But since Edmund had never spoken badly of him before, she knew she shouldn’t judge too quickly.
Even so, the memory of how he had once forced her to face an assassin still burned in her chest. That was something she could never forget ... or forgive so easily.
"Let me help you, wife," Edmund said gently, lifting her onto Dante as if she weighed nothing at all.
Thankfully, she had chosen a simple dress that day and not a heavy petticoat, which made riding much more comfortable.
Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder, why were women never given clothes as practical and comfortable as men’s?
Once seated on Dante, Primrose adjusted her skirt and smoothed the fabric over her knees. Edmund wrapped one arm securely around her waist while holding the reins with the other.
For some reason, Dante seemed calmer than usual today, perhaps because he had eaten plenty, leaving the horse in an unusually good mood.
"Let’s go," Leofric said as he nudged his horse forward, taking the lead.
Edmund rode close behind, keeping Dante steady while his arm stayed wrapped firmly around Primrose’s waist, as if he had no intention of letting her slip away even for a second.
Once they passed through the palace gates, Primrose finally gave in to her curiosity. "Did you argue with him before this?" she asked softly.
It truly didn’t feel like their current coldness came from what had happened to her a few days ago.
"It was just a simple argument," Edmund answered, his tone sharper than usual. He almost sounded annoyed, which was rare when he spoke to her. "He’s such a jerk."
Primrose pressed her lips into a thin line, wondering what sort of argument could make her husband act this way. He wasn’t even thinking about it now, likely because his wolf was shielding his mind from her.
"What happened?" she asked gently, careful not to sound as though she was demanding an explanation.