Chapter 300: Wife, I Need A Hug
Primrose blinked several times, sitting still on her bed as she tried to process the words Edmund had just spoken.
"You what?" Her voice trembled in disbelief. "You ... you threw Sir Leofric into the dungeon?"
Primrose had guessed that Edmund wouldn’t forgive Leofric easily, but she hadn’t expected him to lock him up in the dungeon.
She had never been there herself, but Callen once told her that the place was freezing cold and filled with the stench of blood that had dried over the years.
It wasn’t Edmund’s fault the place carried such horror. The moment he became king, he had separated the torture chamber from the dungeon. But the kings before him had used it as a playground for cruelty. That was why, anyone thrown down there suffered more than chains.
No wonder Edmund had never wanted her anywhere near it, even though she had once told him she wanted to take a look out of curiosity.
"Yes," Edmund admitted, closing the balcony door with a slow push before walking toward her. His voice was calm but firm. "I know he meant no harm, but I didn’t like the way he treated you. You’re my wife, not some soldier he needs to break and rebuild."
[What the hell was he thinking?] Edmund’s thoughts boiled, and once again he seemed to forget she could hear them.
[How dare he make my wife face something so terrifying.] His jaw clenched, his gaze sharp as steel. [She must have been terrified, thinking someone wanted to kill her again.]
[That bastard ... I’ll make sure he rots down there for a week! After that, I—] He stopped mid-thought, realizing she could hear every word. [NO, I’M NOT THINKING ANYTHING BAD, MY WIFE!]
Primrose let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "It’s fine. I know you only want to protect me." She sighed gently. "Besides, Sir Leofric really did cross the line today, even if he thought he was doing it for my sake."
"But don’t worry, husband. I’m fine now." She curved her lips into a bright smile at him. "I think ... you don’t need to punish Sir Leofric too harshly. After being locked in the dungeon for a few days, he’ll definitely think twice before using violence to train me again."
Primrose had certainly been angry at Leofric earlier that afternoon, but she didn’t hold a grudge for long. Once she had calmed down, she didn’t even dwell on his mistake anymore.
Although she could still vividly remember the mysterious man she had killed with her magic, she no longer felt as nauseous whenever the memory surfaced.
[My wife is too kind! She can even forgive someone so quickly!]
"I’m not that kind," Primrose said softly, catching his thoughts again.
Edmund froze again and clicked his tongue in annoyance, realizing he had once more forgotten that his wife could hear every single thought in his head.
"You’re kind," he murmured stubbornly, "at least in my eyes."
Edmund kept moving closer to Primrose, clearly wanting his nightly hug. But as he climbed onto the bed, Primrose suddenly slid off, putting distance between them with a few quick steps.
Her sudden action made Edmund freeze in place. He stared at her in horror, as if he had just witnessed his wife committing a crime.
"M-my wife ... did I do something wrong?" Edmund asked nervously. "I ... I just wanted to hug you."
"You didn’t do anything wrong." Pressing her back against the wall, Primrose smiled sweetly at him. In a gentle tone, she said, "But ... you’ve been running around all day under the sun, and maybe ... you should take a bath first."
She had hugged him before, even when he was covered in blood and sweat, but those moments had always been different. They usually happened in the middle of an emergency, or when she desperately needed comfort after something terrible shook her.
But when there was no urgency—no life-or-death reason to cling to him—Primrose preferred her husband clean and fresh before he held her close and slept by her side.
His natural scent wasn’t unpleasant at all, but when it mixed with sun and sweat, it became a little too much for her to handle.
"Oh ... I’m sorry." Edmund instantly pulled his legs back from the bed, bowing his head like a guilty puppy that had just tracked mud across the floor. "I’ll go wash up and ... come back later."
Primrose suddenly felt guilty for making her husband sad. Before he could step out of her room, she reached for his hand.
"Husband, I ... I didn’t ask you to bathe because I thought you were disgusting. It’s just ... because I want to hold you while we sleep."
Her lips softened into a smile. "Wouldn’t it be better if you went to bed in clean clothes?"
Edmund blinked at her, caught off guard. "You ... want me to sleep with you tonight?"
"Of course." Primrose raised an eyebrow. "We’ve been sleeping together these past few days, why would you think I’d want to sleep alone tonight?"
Edmund turned his gaze aside and whispered, "Because ... I thought you needed silence after going through something so terrible."
[I’m afraid my thoughts will be too noisy tonight, my wife,] Edmund spoke to her through his mind. [I ... I tend to overthink whenever something bad happens to you.]
"I know that," Primrose said gently. "But ... how about this time, we actually talk about it instead of just keeping it all in? Doesn’t that sound better?"
All this time, whenever something bad happened, Edmund and Primrose would drown in their own thoughts separately. But maybe it would be better if they spilled those thoughts out and had a proper conversation tonight.
Sometimes, Primrose felt that she and Edmund didn’t have enough deep conversations, even though they had spent so much time together.
Maybe it was because they had often hidden many things from each other before, deciding not to talk too much.
But now, they had laid all their secrets bare, and it seemed there was nothing left that Primrose was keeping from her husband.
"That ... sounds nice," Edmund admitted awkwardly, as if he too realized how clumsy they still were with honest communication. "Do you need anything before I come back?"
Primrose shook her head. "No, I just need you."
Those words made Edmund pause. He only gave a quiet nod before leaving the room.
Primrose thought he would need at least an hour to clean himself, but it turned out he came back to her chamber within fifteen minutes.
The door opened with a push that was a little too strong, though not enough to rattle the walls. He looked slightly out of breath, his hair still damp, droplets trailing down his neck.
He even left his buttons undone, giving her a glimpse of the firm muscles beneath.
"Wife, I’m clean now," Edmund said, his voice deep and husky with longing. "And I really ... really need your hug right now."
Even though his hair was still damp and his appearance a little messy, Primrose decided to let it go. She opened her arms wide, as if giving her husband permission to hold her now.
Without waiting another second, Edmund swept her into his embrace. His arms locked tightly around her waist, lifting her slightly off the ground as if he was afraid she might slip away.
Primrose let out a soft laugh, her voice muffled against his chest. "You’re hugging me too tightly."
"I can’t help it," Edmund murmured, burying his face in her hair. His voice was filled with emotion. "I’ve been waiting for this all day."
[I’ve been chasing Leofric all day and even killed so many rogue werewolves. All of it was sickening,] Edmund thought. [The only thing that makes me feel alive again is my wife’s face.]
Primrose blinked, her heart squeezing as his thoughts echoed in her mind. She leaned back just enough to see him clearly, her fingers brushing lightly against his damp cheek.
"Why don’t we dry your hair first before going to bed?" Primrose suggested. She gently slipped out of Edmund’s arms and patted the mattress. "Sit here."
Obediently, Edmund sat where she pointed. Primrose walked to the wardrobe, took out a small towel, and began drying his hair with slow, careful movements. Her touch was gentle, almost like a lullaby, as if she wanted to wipe away not only the water but also the exhaustion clinging to him.
For a while, Edmund simply closed his eyes, letting her tend to him in silence. But soon, he reached out, his strong hands sliding around her waist. In one swift motion, he pulled her closer until she was standing right between his knees.
Primrose gasped softly, the towel pausing mid-motion. "Edmund ..." she couldn’t help but chuckle. "You hug me a bit too tight."
Edmund only hummed in response, then rested his head—still wrapped in the towel—against Primrose’s chest.
"I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner, my wife," Edmund whispered. "I can’t help but ask myself ... what if something like that happens to you and you’re alone?"