The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 429: The Wedding Night Of A Contractual Marriage (II))

Chapter 429: The Wedding Night Of A Contractual Marriage (II))

"What problem?" Sylvia asked, surprised.

"Your uncles are outside, and I’m pretty sure they’re trying to figure out what we’re doing right now. If my instincts are correct, they want to ensure that this marriage is legitimate and that we are truly consummating our bond," Drystan explained.

"What??" Sylvia’s eyes widened in shock. "That’s just so shameless of them! How could they do this? I’ll go out and shoo them away!"

She was already about to rise from the bed when Drystan hastily stopped her. He gripped her hand and pulled her back down.

"Don’t do that! That would only embarrass them! Besides, they’re trained knights. By the time you reach the door, they will have escaped. Someone must have ordered this, and I can guess who it is."

Sylvia thought for a moment, then sighed as a realisation struck her.

"Oh, grandfather!"

"Now, don’t be mad. Let’s just give them what they want so they’ll be satisfied," Drystan suggested.

"What do you mean?" Sylvia looked back at him, perplexed.

The knight smiled, but she couldn’t understand his expression, and what happened next never crossed her mind...

"Arghh! Drystan! Stop!"

***

"Are you sure they’re doing it?" Chris whispered to Daniel.

"What else could have happened? They’ve been in there for a while!" his brother replied.

"But I don’t hear anything!" Chris grumbled.

"Urgh! We shouldn’t be doing this! Eavesdropping to ensure our niece ’did the deal’ with her husband on her wedding night? This is so thoughtless!" Aaron complained in displeased.

"Hey, father specifically told us to. He didn’t want Denise or his son-in-law doing it because it would be embarrassing, but he needed to make sure our niece and her new husband were sincere in their relationship. Plus, a baby won’t be conceived if they don’t become intimate," Daniel explained.

"Father is just obsessed with having a great-granddaughter. This child-bearing matter will take time. It’s not going to happen immediately," Aaron said in frustration.

"I know, brother. But they should at least start trying. They’re both young and healthy. It wouldn’t take long for them to have a baby," Chris argued.

"What if it turns out to be a boy instead of a girl? Father won’t be satisfied, will he?" Aaron, the eldest of them all, asked.

"He’ll still be happy if the firstborn is a boy. Sylvia and Drystan can always try for another after the first one," Daniel replied.

"God, I just wish they wouldn’t notice us snooping like this! This is so embarrassing!" Aaron lamented.

"It’s father’s wish, and you know we can’t go against him. He had the whole family and guests talking about children just to coerce Sylvia and Drystan discreetly. I feel sorry for them, too, but what else can we do? You know how it would be if we tried to stop him," Chris said. "Just bear with it for now and get this done. We still need to report back to him."

Aaron sighed but knew they were out of options. Just then, they heard a shout from the bridal chamber.

"Arghh! Drystan! Stop!"

Sylvia’s voice rang out, sounding both pleading and coquettish. The three brothers exchanged glances in surprise.

"Drystan! It hurts! Let go!" she shouted again.

"Sorry, dear! You know I can’t. Just hold on a bit longer, will you? It won’t hurt much after this!" Drystan’s voice was loud and urgent.

Then came the creaking sound of the bed, accompanied by Sylvia’s moans and cries. The three brothers’ faces immediately turned red.

"Oh, my goodness! I didn’t know Drystan had such a voracious passion for intimacy! He always seems so calm and composed!" Daniel exclaimed.

"Of course he wouldn’t display that side of himself to you or anyone else but his wife! We should be happy that they’re engaging in it already," Chris responded.

"I think that confirms it. Let’s report back to father that everything went well according to his wishes," Aaron suggested impatiently.

Being here like a peeping Tom made him anxious more than ever.

"Don’t you think we should listen a bit longer? Just to make sure Sylvia is all right? Drystan sounded a bit rough," Daniel asked.

"Come on! Have some conscience, will you?! It isn’t very pleasant for an uncle to do this! What more for the three of us? We’re knights, not perverts!" Aaron protested.

"All right! All right! They’ve surely sealed the deal. Let’s go now! I can’t face them in the morning if I listen any longer!" Chris said.

Agreeing, the three men emerged from their hiding place and walked away from the bridal chamber.

Meanwhile, Drystan continued his ’deed’ for a bit longer. When he was sure the three brothers had left, he finally stopped.

"You cruel!" Sylvia exclaimed, pushing his hands away as she pulled up the collar of her exposed nightgown, covering her body.

Red marks had marred her neck and chest from the knight’s earlier actions. To convince her uncles, Drystan had resorted to pinching her skin.

"I’m sorry. Does it hurt that much?" he asked in concern. "Let me see."

Sylvia slapped his hand away in anger.

"How could you do this to me? You didn’t even discuss it with me first!"

"I said I’m sorry. It was the most convincing way, and I needed to do it quickly. If you knew beforehand, it wouldn’t feel real," Drystan explained. "Please, let me have a look."

Sylvia hesitated, fearing the knight might pinch her again. She was on high alert when he suddenly pulled open the collar of her nightgown, saying he was going to pinch her.

At first, she thought he was going to pounce on her, but thankfully, Drystan had never overstepped.

"Sylvie... don’t you say you trust me?" he persuaded her.

She fell silent momentarily. Finally, she nodded slowly, allowing him to examine her. This wasn’t the first time he had seen her body, and he had always been faithful to his words; gentle and caring.

Drystan took a moment to inspect her skin, noting the obvious red marks around her neck and chest.

"Um... I want to put some medicine on these, but we need them to look vivid and bruised by tomorrow. Can you hold on for a bit longer? Does it still hurt that much?" he asked.

"Not really. I’m all right now," Sylvia replied.

Drystan gently helped her cover up again.

"I’m truly sorry. The midwife might want to physically examine you tomorrow, so we need some solid evidence. You understand where I’m coming from, don’t you?" he asked.

Sylvia nodded, aware of it. Drystan wouldn’t resort to this if it weren’t necessary.

"I’ll make sure she won’t proceed with a much detailed checking, and we’ll just pretend we already had our first night, all right?" he reassured her.

"All right," she agreed.

"Good. Now, it’s my turn."

Drystan began to remove his nightgown, revealing his toned torso. Now, he was only in his braies.

"What are you doing?" Sylvia asked, panic rising in her voice.

"You need to make marks on me too. It would be weird if your body had all the spots, but mine was clean," Drystan urged. "For all I know, a couple engaging in s*xual activity will leave marks on each other when they’re really into it. So, go on."

"Are you sure?" Sylvia asked hesitantly.

"Yes. We need to make this believable, or we’ll be questioned about not consummating. It’s a big deal for nobles, and you know it too. Let’s get this over with," he said.

"All right," Sylvia agreed.

She began pinching him, but his skin was thick, and he barely felt it.

After a few attempts, she examined the marks and noted, "I did my best, but you have a hard body, and the effects don’t show much."

"Yeah, I can tell. I hardly feel anything. Are you sure you did your best?" he asked.

"Of course I did! Look at my fingers! They’re all red from pinching you!" she exclaimed, showing her hands.

Drystan chuckled. She had indeed put in the effort, but Sylvia wasn’t someone used to hurting anyone, despite her sometimes harsh words.

"I guess there’s no other choice then. Bite my shoulder," he instructed.

"What?? Are you kidding me?" Sylvia asked, her eyes wide.

"No, I’m not. Just bite it. Don’t worry. I can handle it," he said.

"I’ve never bitten anyone! How can you suddenly tell me to do that?"

"Look, it’s either this or the uproar of our families for not consummating. Which one do you prefer?" Drystan asked.

"H*ll no! I’m not going to be in an embarrassing spot again!" Sylvia exclaimed as she recalled the awkward moment they had during the banquet.

She quickly propped herself up and held Drystan’s shoulders.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Go for it," he replied.

Taking a deep breath, Sylvia bared her teeth and dug into Drystan’s flesh.

"Harder, Sylvie! I don’t feel anything," he urged when he felt nearly nothing from the act.

Sylvia lifted her head, panting. This was her first time ever biting a man; the farthest she’d gone before was biting into a steak!

Not wanting to give up, she aimed closer to his neck, which was more vulnerable. This time, she bit him harder, and to make the mark more visible, she sucked his skin deeply.

Drystan’s eyes widened as he felt a spark from Sylvia’s suckling. The stinging sensation spread across his skin, but instead of just pain, a new wave of desire surged within him, intensifying his feelings for her.

The instinct of a man, being treated to such a passionate act, fueled his lust to have her completely. He realised that if he didn’t hold himself in check, things could escalate further.

"Sylvie... urgh... stop!" he barely managed to request after what felt like an eternity.

His hands had already circled her waist, and his face was flushed.

Sylvia raised her head and let go, noticing the deep red mark on Drystan’s neck.

"Oh, no! I overdid it! Are you all right?" she asked, looking concerned.

Drystan stared at her intensely. Likewise, Sylvia was unaware that she was now in his embrace due to her focus on him, making the knight struggle to contain the urge to ravage her. This could end in disaster!

He swallowed hard and nodded his head. How had she managed to entice him with just a bite?

"I... I’m all right," he replied, slowly releasing her as his chest heaved from self-control.

Sylvia’s cheeks felt warm with guilt. Not knowing the truth, she thought she had caused him great pain by overdoing it.

"Perhaps we should stop now and get some sleep," she suggested. "That mark is deep enough already and should serve the purpose."

"Yes, you’re right. It’s getting late," he agreed.

Drystan slipped on his nightgown before turning off the lights. The bridal chamber fell silent as they lay on the bed, only his heavy breathing breaking the stillness.

"Are you all right, Drystan?" Sylvia asked, hearing him sigh several times.

The knight turned to her. The contours of her body were still visible, though she was covered in a thick blanket, as light from the outside softly illuminated the chamber from the window pane.

At that moment, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Even if she were to curse him, he wanted to do this at least once on their first night as husband and wife.

Suddenly, Drystan pulled Sylvia into his arms, embracing her. She was surprised by the sudden gesture but managed to suppress a scream. He bent down and gently kissed her forehead.

"You did amazing today, Sylvie. Thank you for everything," he said softly.

Sylvia couldn’t grasp why her husband was behaving this way, but somehow, deep down, she felt happy being held by him. She was convinced he would protect and honour her, so she didn’t worry about being in his arms.

Drystan waited, wondering if Sylvia would reject his advances, but to his surprise, she didn’t. Instead, she rested her head on his chest, and before he knew it, she had already drifted off to sleep.

A smile crept onto his lips amidst the dim surroundings.

"Good night, Sylvie!"