The first thing I registered was warmth.
Soft, enveloping warmth that seemed to cocoon my entire body like the finest silk blankets I'd ever known.
My face was pressed against something incredibly plush yet firm, and for a blissful moment between sleep and waking, I thought I was back in my old chambers with the expensive furs I'd once taken for granted.
I shifted slightly, rubbing my cheek against the surface beneath me, and smiled unconsciously. So soft... so warm...
But then my nose caught something that made me frown even before my eyes opened.
'What is that smell?'
It was... pungent. Like rotten onions mixed with wet dog and something else I couldn't quite identify.
The morning rays filtering through my eyelids suddenly felt too bright, and I squinted as I slowly opened my eyes.
Black fur. Lots of it.
I blinked, my vision focusing as I realized I was lying sprawled across the back of an enormous black wolf.
My head had been resting between his shoulder blades, my arms draped over his sides like he was some kind of living blanket.
The wolf's massive head turned toward me, and familiar silver eyes met mine.
"Did you have a good night, wife?" Javrian's voice rumbled from the wolf's throat, somehow managing to sound both amused and genuinely concerned.
I blinked slowly, processing the situation with the same calm I'd apply to any other morning routine.
The smell was definitely coming from him.
"Just tell me, Javrian," I said, my voice still slightly hoarse from sleep, "how many days has it been since you last bathed?"
His silver eyes narrowed as he seemed to consider the question seriously. "Maybe ten. Why? What happened?"
I sighed, slowly pushing myself up to a sitting position on his broad back.
Looking down at him with what I knew was a disappointed but measured expression, I averted my gaze and delivered my verdict.
"You smell... so bad that I think it's best for me to sleep on Sally starting tomorrow." I told him, as given how women prefer more hygiene—maybe Vera too—were good choices rather than him, who was smelling very bad naturally.
'!'
I caught the flinch in his silver eyes immediately—a quick flash of something that looked almost like panic before he composed himself.
Interesting. I hadn't expected such a strong reaction to what was essentially a practical complaint.
"Hey—!" I said, grabbing a handful of his thick fur to balance myself as he suddenly stood.
The movement was so swift I nearly tumbled off his back.
He looked toward the horizon where the sun was slowly rising, painting the sky in soft pastels.
"I can sense a river nearby," he announced before suddenly sprinting forward.
"Stop if you don't want to!" I called out, clinging to his fur as trees blurred past us.
"No," his voice was firm, almost urgent. "I should have been more considerate."
The rush of wind through my hair was actually refreshing as the soft morning wind did its job to wake one up, and within minutes we arrived at a crystal-clear river that sparkled in the early morning light.
The sound of flowing water was peaceful, a stark contrast to our dramatic arrival.
Javrian slowly shifted back to his human form, the transformation happening beneath me until I found myself being held in his arms in that familiar princess carry.
I was wearing the quality commoner dress Lila had procured—thick fabric, well-tailored, with sturdy boots that had served me well.
It was practical clothing, but it had not kept me warm through the night—though I definitely gave complete credit to Javrian's fur. Even if he did keep me warm all night, it was a matter of fact that he needed a bath.
Looking at him from this close distance, I could observe him clearly.
His chest area was bare and muscular, marked with countless scars that told stories of battles I'd never know.
His silver eyes were intense even in the soft morning light, framed by that distinctive scar on his face and contrasted by his raven-black hair.
Objectively speaking, he was quite handsome. The kind of rugged attractiveness that probably made other women swoon.
'...Hm, what is this strangeness?' And while observing his face, sharp jawline, and remnants of his muscles, I felt a strange tug in my heart as if it was responding to my mind's observation, confusing as it had never happened before since I was with him.
Was it due to some unknown defense I lost against him?
I just blinked and stated the obvious.
"Fine, you can go take a bath. But you need to find something with a good smell to rub on yourself," I said, looking at the vast river, feeling that maybe something changed in me subtly that I don't quite understand yet but his presence was strangely calming.
I added, "I must say, that stench will not go away with just water."
He looked around the riverbank, then turned that intense silver gaze directly on me.
"Something that smells good..." The way he said it, like he was contemplating a complex tactical problem, made me wonder what exactly was going through his mind.
But before I could offer any suggestions about soap or herbs, he started moving toward the water's edge with me still cradled in his arms.
"Hey, what are you doing?" I said, flinching as I felt his intention. "Put me down first!"
He looked down at me, those silver eyes holding that same intense focus that always made my stomach do strange things.
"No," he said simply, his voice carrying that familiar note of absolute certainty. "I want you to take a bath with me."
My mouth fell open.
For a moment, I could only stare at him in complete shock as his words registered. My face twitched involuntarily as the implications crashed over me.
"Y-you beast!" I finally managed to sputter, my composure cracking completely. "Leave me now!"
I started protesting in earnest, moving rapidly in his arms, trying to squirm out of his grip. "Put me down this instant! I am not—I don't—this is completely inappropriate—"
My frantic movements threw off his balance, and before either of us could react properly, we both tumbled toward the river.
SPLASH!
The shock of cold water hit me like a slap, instantly soaking through my carefully chosen clothes and stealing my breath. I surfaced quickly, sputtering and pushing my now-soaked hair out of my eyes.
I stood there in the shallow water, my hair hanging in wet strands down my back, water dripping from my clothes, and my eyes absolutely flaring with indignation as I looked at him.
Javrian had landed nearby, water droplets rolling off his scarred chest and his black hair now slicked back from his face. But what caught my attention most was his expression—his mouth slightly parted, silver eyes wide with what looked suspiciously like amusement.
"You got your clothes wet," he observed, and I could hear the barely contained laughter in his voice. "Who told you to jump inside?"
I shut my eyes tightly, clenching my fists at my sides as I tried to control the surge of frustration coursing through me.
"You beast," I muttered under my breath, water still dripping from my hair.
"If only I wasn't so weak..."