Spending more time around his daughter as Erin started interacting and living with Faiya, Mandar realized there was much more to her than just the blind little girl he thought her to be. Klaria realized that having someone constantly near their daughter to whom she could fully trust resulted in her having more time for herself. Spending more time with her husband as well, which started to remedy their own relationship.

In the beginning, Mandar was skeptical and didn’t spend too much time with his wife or daughter, but when she brought the servant into the house, he decided to entertain her. Thinking when she saw herself, that there was no way for Erin to live a full and happy life she would reconsider.

To his chagrin, since she brought Faiya in, Klaria becomes obsessed with finding the best way to raise their child, and eventually didn’t have time for anything else.

His own stubborn nature could hold only so long, before he found himself irritated, often for no real reason other than his wife not paying him any attention.

Staring at the other women around him, for the first time since marrying his wife, Mandar was forced into celibacy. Getting angry, many times in the confines of his chambers he entertained thoughts of bringing serving girls in, having his way to release the stress accumulating in his mind.

It was not like anyone would think anything about it. Other men did it often enough, going so far as having mistresses and leaving their wives in the background.

Never quite forcing the situation so far as ignoring his morals he staid alone in his room. Hating the thoughts of infidelity dominating his judgment he had servants secretly watching his wife from the distance and getting reports back to him.

Mandar soon realized his own folly and become even angrier at himself for what he was even contemplating. His wife spends weeks after weeks near their daughter in relentless attempts to find a way how to teach her the basic, mundane things like walking and talking without what most normal parents and children relied on, the eyes.

Her nights were spend studying some more, looking for books which could be at least somehow helpful. While inviting numerous midwives to ask for their experience and advice, which proved useless most of the time. The everyday tasks were taxing on her and Klaria seldom slept, the only reprieve she had was when Faiya took over, leaving her mistress alone, exhausted in the room to sleep.

Taking their daughter on the tour around the mansion, Faiya became familiar with most of the other servants and integrated herself into their everyday life.

Something gnawed on his conscience, realizing Klaria held and carried a weight she never should have to, and he was the one forcing her into that position.

Yet lost on how to help her, he did the only thing he thought he could do. Walking into his wife's chambers he ignored the serving girls looking at him with a confused face and with a fear clear in their eyes. He knew what they thought of him and he knew, he couldn’t really blame them.

What kind of men lets his wife go through hell like this and offers no support?

As he walked into the room where Klaria was rocking the crib she froze, staring at him, with anger building in her tired eyes.

“What!”

Unable to finish as he put a hand over her mouth, he knelt in front of her and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder his eyes looked at Faiya.

“Look after our daughter tonight.”

Not waiting for the response he carried Klaria through the halls of the castle as the sack of potatoes to his chambers. She was angry, screaming and thrashing around demanding he let go of her. Ignoring her protests even as she started hitting him he just squeezed her legs more strongly, afraid he might drop her and carried on.

When he walked into his chamber he told everyone to leave finally putting his wife on the bed.

“For Sanrae what do you think you are doing?!”

Screaming Klaria rose to hit him again, trembling with traces of fear in her eyes.

“When I don’t lay with you, you think it alright to bring me here and what, force yourself on me?!”

Heaving with extension she clung to her dresses staring at him, as Mandar took his shirt off and turned to her.

Opening his mouth he hesitated, closing it again, he realized he had no idea what to say. He took her around the waist and forced her into the bed, she shrieked with surprise and fear. But he just lay down next to her, putting his bear arms around her waist keeping her down even as she struggled to sit up.

After a while, she exhausted all her strength and just laid down staring at the ceiling. Closing her eyes as few tears streamed down her cheeks she put her small hands on his.

“I’m sorry Klaria.”

Starting with a surprise Klaria slowly turned her head to him, she glared but her stare broke as she saw the pain in his eyes. His voice was strained, weak, searching for words he hardly knew how to use.

“I wasn’t a good husband to you in the past months, and I was a terrible father to our daughter. I will promise you to do my best from now on.”

Feeling her belly, his hand stopped on her ribs, frowning.

“You grow thin and weak with each day. I can’t stand it anymore. I won’t take our daughter away so you need to take better care of yourself.”

As Klaria wanted to say something he released her waist, his fingers tracing up to her neck as his palm enveloped her now red cheek.

“I will be here for you, and you will stay your nights in here from now on like you used to. Just have Faiya take care of Erin through nights, hell if I must I will spend the nights near her.”

Staring into her eyes he continued in a softer voice.

“But you will rest, and eat, and I won’t take no as an answer to what I said tonight, understood?”

Tracing his thumb under her eye to get rid of the tears, she slightly nodded wrapping her hands around his.

“Good, so tonight you sleep here, and you eat with me tomorrow and then we go to our daughter together.”

Tears flowed freely from her eyes as Klaria clung onto the sheets, rubbing her face into his chest as his hands enveloped her in hug forcing her even closer. Feeling his own chest heave on the verge of tears he just held her until she fell asleep. Pulling the covers over them he wormed one hand under her head, cleaning her face as he could and wrapped his other hand and legs around her. Finally feeling her warmth again, Mandar contemplated what tomorrow would bring, but soon fell asleep himself.

When he opened eyes again, Mandar could feel the body of his women against him for the first time in a very long time. Klaria had her back to him pushing into his chest, holding onto his hand around her waist. Feeling himself hard, he decided to ignore it.

Slowly tracing circles with his thumb on her belly, smelling her hair he decided to stay in the bed until Klaria woke up on her own.

She must have been more tired then he though because it took a long time for her to stir. Pang of guilt stung in his gut at the knowledge that he was part of her suffering.

Freezing for a moment she relaxed again, turning in his arms she looked at him with half closed eyes. Klaria had her clothes from the other day still on, making it hard to move around in the bed as they were tangled in the fabrics. Putting her hands on his chest she pushed herself higher forcing him on back. Mandar didn’t protest and let her hover over him as they stared each other in the eyes.

Holding her waist close to his, he opened his mouth only to be stopped as she lightly kissed him.

“I hope you meant what you said yesterday.”

Looking down at him, Klaria couldn’t hold the smirk. But wanting to make sure she understood he was serious about this Mandar continued.

“Yes, I meant everything I said, including you sleeping here with me, every single day, from today on. I don’t care if we have sex or not, but you are going to be in my bed as we used to before. We can move Erin here, or we can have Faiya take care of her in the nights, she can just move to your chambers permanently. She lives there more or less anyway, from what I can tell.”

Klaria was conflicted, not knowing what to say as she lowered her gaze. Mandar knew he wasn’t at his best and he hated it more than he thought possible, seeing her like this did nothing for his mood either. Grabbing her chin between his fingers he raised her head up.

“I know, Klaria, I wasn’t good to you. I said it before, didn't I? You can’t be there for her all the time, and if you get sick it will be even worse.”

Something passed over her face and he felt her tense.

“I’m not going to keep you away from her, but I want you to be happy and you need to relax sometime. Why don’t you let me spend some time with my daughter and you can just relax today?”

“You really mean that, don’t you?”

He could feel her hands shake, and her whole body was quivering from emotions surging out.

Grabbing her hair he brought her down for a kiss, she laid her head on his chest as he started running fingers in her hair.

“You are perfectly capable of making me choose if I want both of you or none. And I just spend too much time with you to be able to be without you.”