Chapter Text
Humphrey reaches out towards Thomas, but stops when Thomas flinches. The young man had curled in on himself, eyes squinted shut as though to block him out as much as he possibly could given their circumstances. Humphrey feels his heart break a little.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Thomas,” he says softly. “Or make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
Thomas’ shoulders relax minutely. He keeps his arms wrapped around himself, but he opens his eyes and looks warily in Humphrey’s direction. It was a start.
“But it’s our wedding night,” Thomas says in a small voice.
“It is. But I don’t believe in doing anything by force, especially when it comes to sexual congress.”
“So we won’t be…?”
“Not unless that is something you want and will freely give.”
Thomas sighs and his hands release their grip on his own arms. He clasps them in his lap instead. The poor thing. He can only imagine what sort of emotional agony he must be feeling right now.
“My mother told me that I must yield to you or our marriage will be annulled. I would bring disgrace to my family.”
Thomas came from a family of lesser nobles who had known Humphrey’s parents. They must have seen Humphrey as quite a catch for their son, as they had wasted no time arranging their wedding. They surely must have filled Thomas’ head with words of warning about what would happen if he did not submit and produce a child.
“No one need know what happens here—or doesn’t happen here—tonight or ever. I will not sully your good name or your reputation.”
Thomas lets out a breath and the color returns to his cheeks. Humphrey wishes there was something he could do to put his spouse at ease.
“If you would prefer, I can make myself a bedroll on the floor, and you can have the bed to yourself.”
“You would do that for me?”
Humphrey nods.
“I would.”
Thomas doesn’t respond for a moment, and Humphrey worries that he’s retreated into himself once more.
“I couldn’t make my spouse sleep on the floor on his wedding night. Since you are clearly a man of honor, I think it best to allow you to sleep beside me.”
Humphrey smiles at him in relief.
“That’s very kind of you, Thomas. I hope, if nothing else, that we might become friends over the course of our relationship.”
Thomas gives him a small smile—but a smile nonetheless—and it warms his heart.
“I would like that very much, Humphrey.”