Chapter 305: Helping hand (5)
Tyrion sat in the warm water, and behind him, Penelope sat on a chair she took from beside the bed.
Penelope’s hands were gentle as she washed Tyrion’s hair. It was the least she could do after Tyrion not only shielded her earlier, but he had to endure hearing of how he turned his back on the kingdom.
"I don’t regret our marriage for one second, but it pains me that the cost of my not wanting to become queen is now you having to bear others labelling you a deserter," said Penelope.
"It does not hurt my feelings," Tyrion said, the emotions he felt long passed.
"It might not hurt you, but it will bother you over time. As you face moments like this, I think of how I must do better to make leaving the palace worthwhile. It doesn’t matter to me that you would have left regardless," Penelope shared her feelings.
"Should we leave sooner than we planned?" Penelope wondered. "Perhaps you wouldn’t be recognised elsewhere, and no one can bother us."
"You are not ready to be away from your family, Penelope. I know you wish to see the season end with your siblings and be present for Lily. You still yearn to be at your parents’ side, and I will not take you away from them," Tyrion said, his mind not yet changed.
Tyrion reached behind his head to hold Penelope’s hand. "I am fine. I am not in the palace frequently to hear of this."
"But you walk the town. You might hear of it then," Penelope said, still worried.
"This will all rest when Teo takes the throne, and he proves he was meant to be king. There is always something for the townspeople to speak of with each new day. They will move on, but if you wish to make me feel better, I have plenty of ideas," Tyrion said, seizing the moment.
If Penelope wished to go out of her way to make him happy, then he would be a fool not to enjoy himself. Tyrion enjoyed these moments as they came to him.
"You are cruel, Tyrion. You should say that there is nothing I need to do to make you happy, but you are in luck that I wish to do it. I have unfortunate news to share. There will be ladies in the palace in the morning, and I have been invited to join them," said Penelope.
Hazel was making the most of Penelope’s time in the palace and wanted to give her a proper introduction as a princess.
"It will only be in the morning, and then we can return home. Your mother is having the royal dressmaker prepare a dress for me overnight. It is exciting," Penelope said, but Tyrion wouldn’t share that excitement.
It was always their plan to leave as soon as the sun rose in the morning.
Penelope slipped her hands from Tyrion’s hair to rest on his shoulders. She massaged them, partially to bring Tyrion comfort and to enjoy touching his muscles.
Tyrion noticed what she was doing and asked, "Are you trying to seduce me?"
"Is it working? I cannot join you in the water, but I can still please you. You have earned it for being my hero today," Penelope said, leaving a kiss on Tyrion’s cheek. "Now I understand why Eleanor wrote of a lady falling in love with her guard."
"It felt wonderful to be in your arms as you shielded me from danger. To go for a ride in the carriage doesn’t seem so bad right now. So tell me, what new was found on the case?" Penelope whispered in Tyrion’s ear. "I believe I have lost."
Tyrion shifted his body so he could see Penelope. "What has gotten into you for you to willingly lose? You don’t need to pity me this much."
"I do not think of it as a loss when the punishment will be more of a reward for me."
Tyrion grabbed Penelope’s hand like he caught a thief. "I should have the guards arrest you and go in search of my real wife."
"If you have me placed in the palace dungeon, then you will have hell to pay. Do you think it is Lily who sits before you? Should I tell you something that I would only know?" Penelope asked, already thinking of their many memories.
Tyrion nodded.
"You once handed me a rose from your mother’s garden as a way to propose to me and ran off when you saw Elijah coming toward us. Lily wouldn’t know since I have never told her, but now I am interested in testing how well you can tell us apart," Penelope said, knowing Lily would join her.
"I can always tell," Tyrion said with confidence.
"You always say I am the one who avoids your gaze, and Lily smiles because she likes to see us act like fools in love. I can act like Lily," Penelope said, certain she could. "We have tried to change places to fool our family. Only our mother and father didn’t fall for it."
"How have we come to this?" Tyrion muttered.
He wanted to go back to Penelope losing and speak of when she would face her punishment.
"You are in luck. Should we be so lucky as to have twins, then you will know how to tell them apart from each other. You have been doing it with Lily and me for a long time," said Penelope.
Penelope stood up and moved her chair so she could help wash Tyrion’s lower body.
Tyrion exuded confidence. He sat with his body displayed for Penelope to stare at as much as she wanted.
Penelope wished to see his confidence waver, so she held his erect manhood in her hands, with the excuse that she was going to wash every inch of him.
Tyrion didn’t care to speak of Lily or the people who called him a deserter any longer. His mind was on Penelope and how she could be a little evil at times.
All Tyrion wanted to do was pull her into the water, but now wasn’t the best time for Penelope.
"I will not forget this," said Tyrion.
"I am most certain that you won’t. You wanted me to wash you, and I am doing it. Should I stop?" Penelope asked, her tone taunting Tyrion.
Tyrion leaned forward, causing water to splash on the floor.
Penelope laughed and inched closer so she would be in reach for Tyrion to kiss her. "Haven’t you noticed by now how much I enjoy teasing you? Remember, Tyrion, we mustn’t be late to meet with your family."
"Royals are forgiven for arriving late."