CHAPTER 887: CHAPTER 887: GUILTY

"Let’s eat these snacks together," Arabella offered her favorite snacks.

She picked up one with a fork and offered it to Ferdinand.

[Oh, she’s feeding me? I’d love it.]

Ferdinand eyed her for a second before eating it.

[It’s sweet. She’s always liked these things.]

"Is it not to your taste?" Arabella inquired.

"No, I’ve grown to like them," Ferdinand assured her.

[She smells and tastes like these sweet things she loves to eat.]

"Hey, what was that?!" Arabella blushed at his thoughts.

"It’s simply the truth," Ferdinand said nonchalantly. He smiled when he eyed her and noticed her blush.

"Maybe, I’m eating too many sweets for me to smell and taste like them. Do I?" Arabella inquired.

"No, it’s alright. And your scent is different from it. Though also sweet. So you need not worry and keep eating them as much as you please. I’d rather you eat more of everything. I think you’ve lost some weight again lately," Ferdinand said as he held her wrist and gently gave it a press.

’Did I?’

Arabella did not even notice though.

Ferdinand was rather the one more concerned about her weight than she does and was the one always notices things.

He seems to somewhat equate her satisfaction of her life here with her weight. The more she loses some, the more he worries.

"I’ll try to eat more. But you’re not fattening me to eat me up later, right?"

"Oh, I’ll eat you. I’ll you lots like I did this dawn," Ferdinand said with a straight face.

"Hey! How many times have I told you not to mention such things when there’s food on the table?! If I had food in my mouth, I could have choked," Arabella scolded with a flushed face.

"Right, I’m sorry. It just came out," Ferdinand scratched the back of his head.

[But she did enjoy last night, right? I forgot to ask when she just woke up since we discussed something else. Or did I over do it? What if she disliked the other positions we tried?]

’Don’t tell he came here because of this?’

Arabella gazed at her husband and he seemed seriously worried about it.

"I enjoyed all of it. You need not fret about it," Arabella said and Ferdinand perked up.

"Really?!!"

"Yes."

Ferdinand’s eyes brightened at her response and hugged her.

"I’m glad you liked it. I was worried I was the only one who loved it," Ferdinand gave her a peck on the cheek, and sighed in relief.

Arabella smiled and rubbed his back, a fluffy warmth welling up inside her.

She was grateful Ferdinand was this concerned about what she liked or did not.

"What’s that paper beside you?" Ferdinand noticed the list she had settled on the vacant space on her side of the couch.

"We can talk about it later when you’re done with your work. You came here to take a break, so you should."

Arabella didn’t want to make him work while they were supposed to be on a break.

"It’s alright. We can talk about it now. What is it?" Ferdinand stared at the paper.

[She’s not trying to hide something from me again, right?]

"I’m not!" Arabella said defensively and blushed guiltily.

She’s still hiding a lot of things from him but she will tell him in the future.

"Haha," Ferdinand chuckled, and settled his back on the couch. He even ruffled his hair.

[Why is she so cute even when blushing guiltily about something?]

Instead of being alarmed by her reaction, Ferdinand stayed relaxed and found her cute instead.

’Is he getting used to me keeping some secrets from him? I’m not trying to hide this one from him though.’

Arabella pouted and picked up the list.

"These are suggestions from my assistants."

[Oh, she’s going to tell me!] Ferdinand perked up.

"About?"

Ferdinand did not say much to make her keep talking.

"I’m not the only one holding back things, Ferdinand. You also did not tell me about the real extent of the situation in Sibruh and other locked-down territories," Arabella said and her husband froze.

"I just didn’t want to give you more worries," Ferdinand quickly said.

He had clearly prepared himself to explain in case someone reported to her.

[Who told her about it?]

"Ivan did in his letter. Zion delivered it to me a few hours ago. I also asked Zion about it after reading Ivan’s letter."

Arabella was grateful for it since it made her further understand why Ferdinand was more exhausted than usual. And she learned about things she could help with.

"I see. It’s not as bad as it looks though. This usually happens every time something like this occurs. They will calm down on their own once the disease is over and days go by," Ferdinand sighed.

Arabella noticed the weary look in his eyes though.

Ferdinand had seen this happen several times in the past already but it didn’t mean he would not tire of it.

’Wait, was he so intense when we made love because he was stressed?’

Arabella eyed her husband and he said, "What is it?"

[What’s with that look in her eyes?]

"I’m not hiding something else. Unless their report to you was incomplete," Ferdinand raised both hands, as if in surrender.

"I know. I’m just thinking, we can’t just let it pass as is. Just like you, your knights will be more exhausted than usual. They’ll be under more mental stress with the people hating on them. And unlike you, they cannot go home to their wives or lovers to let out their stress or get some comfort," Arabella pointed out.

[WHAT?! Is she thinking that I...]

"W-Wait!

I didn’t sleep with you just to let out some stress!

I missed you! Terribly so.

It was why I was more intense than usual.

It’s not because I was stressed or anything.

I just wanted to do it more than usual. And..."

[Wait... Did I?]

Ferdinand gasped when he realized what she said was also true.

He simply did not know he was doing it and only realized it now.