I sit on the bed while my Duke changes clothes on his own. He didn’t need me for help, but I’ve already figured that out.

When he’s ready, he turns to me and waits for me to reach him.

He offers me his arm, and I accept it even though I’m somewhat annoyed by his behaviour. He just wanted me, and he dragged me in here like an object! And he decided to let me go only after a shameless promise like the one I was forced to pronounce.

«Wait,» he mutters while remembering something.

«What?» I ask coldly.

He bows over and pecks my lips in an innocent kiss.

I stare at him, trying to figure out if he’s at it again, but he straightens his back immediately and returns to look at the door.

«Let’s go,» he states, and we get out again.

This time, the waiting room is almost empty. The only person in here is the nanny, still knitting who knows what.

She smiles at us, and I can tell she knows. I look down in embarrassment, while Alexander asks her what she thinks of his wife.

The nanny just nods, and my husband holds my hand content.

«I bet the Countess didn’t have time to wait for us,» he comments while we reach the other side of the room. «It isn’t so late, though. Lunch must be ready and warm…»

I follow him in silence, wondering where we are headed.

«We will usually have breakfast and dinner in our chambers,» Alexander starts. «However, lunch is a public event here in Kyre. We’ll have to dine in the main hall.»

«Nice,» I reply while noticing the tall windows for the first time.

The glass is thick and dark, so I can’t see anything out of there, not even the sky. The little light that passes through isn’t enough to make the place look less gloomy.

«There won’t be too many people. The Countess is Martia’s grandmother. She took care of us when my father was incriminated,» he explains.

So, it’s the Princess’s grandmother. However, Alexander seems to get along with her.

«She came here to look after the Princess?»

«And after me,» he sighs. «The Countess wanted to bring us to a safer place, far from here, fearing we would be hurt because of the chaos.»

«But?»

«But she made a wise choice,» he answers, looking to a casual spot on the floor. «And she stayed here afterwards. To protect us.»

«The Countess is brave,» I note. I’m not sure she didn’t have second thoughts, however.

«Her husband died when her children were still little, and she managed to administer the fief all on her own. She stepped down only when her first son was competent enough to take her place.»

«How?» I whisper. «How did she get the imperial approval for managing her husband’s territories?»

«Are you planning to kill me, perhaps?» Alexander points out.

«No, I’m not,» I shake my head. «I was just wondering… It’s such a difficult task: for a woman to get appointed as a lord in the Empire.»

«Well, in case you want my power, just ask me, all right? There’s no need to kill me.»

«I can’t kill you!»

«You can’t bear to?»

«No, I would get discovered if I tried,» I explain. «You always know what I think, it would be a huge risk to try anything, wouldn’t it?»

«Why?»

«Why what?»

«Why would it be a risk?»

I blink as if I was looking at a weird show.

«Because you would discover me.»

«And what do you think I would do?»

«I don’t know,» I shrug. «And I don’t really care. I’m not going to kill you.»

«I wouldn’t let you kill me, but I wouldn’t hurt you either,» he reveals.

Oh, so I don’t have to be afraid he hurts me? Seriously?

«Alexander, you can’t let a person that tries killing you go unscathed,» I explain, keeping my voice firm and stern. What is he thinking about?

«I never said unscathed,» he replies.

«You said you wouldn’t hurt me for revenge!»

«I said that,» he nods. «Don’t get too curious about it, though. I don’t want to be in danger just because my naughty wife is curious!»

«You’re so shameless,» I whisper. «And I’m not naughty. I was worried for you, but you’re just messing with me…»

«I’ll show you some secret passages, later,» he starts, ignoring my protest like a blow of wind. «I think I know a place you’ll love.»

«What place?»

 «It’s a surprise…»

«You always talk about surprises,» I complain.

«This way,» he mutters while opening a door on the side. «We don’t use the big doors unless for an event…»

Oh, makes sense.

I follow my Duke in the hall. It indeed is grandiose.

Paintings with different sceneries are all over the walls, and the glasses of the windows have been accurately polished to let the natural sunlight enter the room.

There is a central table with ten chairs and even fewer plates; just four from what I can see.

The Countess is already sitting at the left side of the place intended for the Lord. I guess the one on the right is for me.

Alexander moves the chair from me and then takes his place. Soon after, Pericle sits next to the Countess.

«I see you’ve forgotten how to dress on your own,» the woman comments while glancing at my Duke. «From when does the Lord of Kyre need his wife to help him change clothes?»

«From this very day,» my husband replies with half a grin.

«You do realise that she’s your wife, the Lady, and not just an ordinary war slave?»

«I see,» he sighs. «You already like my wife, don’t you?»

«At least, she’s not lazy!»

I blink, surprised by hearing a compliment, once in a while.

«How can you tell?» Alexander inquires.

«She got up hours before you. Was it just a coincidence?»

«No, it’s actually a normal occurrence. My wife usually gets up at dawn.»

«See? She’s not lazy. That’s good. You can’t continue doing two jobs forever, so it was time you found yourself a wife. I guess that there aren’t more qualified ladies out there, for this kind of position…»

Alexander rolls his eyes and reaches out for my hand.

«Don’t get scared by the Countess’s words. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to.»

«Are we talking about ordinary administration?» I ask, just to be sure. I’m dying to find something to do, literally! I’ve been jobless for a month, and it was awful.

«The Lady helps the Lord administer the territories. She’s the leader when he’s out. It’s not just a name, Duchess,» the Countess explains while sipping some flower-scented tea. «There aren’t many ladies in the entire Empire that can take such a role…»

«In fact, I’m not from the Empire,» I sigh. «And I know how to administer a territory.»

«That’s why I said that there aren’t better candidates for the position, right now.»

The Countess sure has character.

Alexander is surrounded by women. His sister, her grandmother, the nanny… He has grown up with them, which explains how come he’s so tolerant with me. He’s used to staying among ladies. So much that his authority is smoothed when he talks to a member of his family or to me.

In the beginning, I couldn’t understand all those rumours about a cruel, aloof Duke. Only after witnessing the way he dealt with George, I understood that the face he shows to me is different from the one he offers to the world.

I turn the palm he grabbed and entwine our fingers. I smile when he turns to me.

«I look forward to helping manage my dear’s territories,» I voice.

«Glad to hear that,» Alexander mutters while cutting the beef for me. It became a habit of his, so much that I don’t even notice his little attentions anymore. He always takes care of me in so many ways that I’ve started to rely on him for these little details.

Maybe, it’s time I thank him back for this.

«And also to take care of my husband more properly,» I add, and I almost choke from embarrassment. Yet, I look at my Duke in the eyes and don’t waver.

«You were rather distracted, lately,» he replies.

What? But I’ve thought about him for most of the time! And I’ve also talked almost exclusively with him!

«I’ll recuperate soon all the time I owe to my Duke,» I answer shamelessly.

The Countess scoffs noisily, while Pericle looks at us with confusion. Last time he assisted at an honest exchange between Alexander and me, I was rather cold and untreatable.

It was a different situation, a different environment.

Also, the court was full of enemies ready to jump on me every time I got distracted. Here, there is only one.

The only person that I need to fear here in the north is Alexander. No one else has the power to hurt me in the whole Kyre territories.