Crazy Duke and Fallen Queen

It takes Alexander several nights to tell me the whole story.

The first night, he just blabbers random events from what he calls his first life. I can't understand a thing, but I let him talk it out.

His head is bowed, and his shoulders dropped. He feels scrutinised under my careful watch, but I can't move my eyes away from him.

All I can think of is that he indeed is crazy.

Not in a bad way, though. He doesn't want to kill anyone. He doesn't need anything special to soothe his temper.

He's just convinced that he already lived once.

Nothing that could make him do something crazy. Unless he becomes so convinced that something will happen that he doesn't think of the consequences.

However, my Duke has been unreasonable so few times that I don't feel in danger.

At least, now I can understand his actions if anything odd happens.

The second night, it becomes a bit clearer.

He describes Polis to me. He wants to prove to me that we indeed were husband and wife there and then.

I don't see any reason to invent something like that.

I mean, we already are married. And I've behaved the whole time.

He doesn't gain anything from this story.

The third night, we move to the bed and talk there. It's more comfortable and warm. And I fall asleep at a crucial point.

So crucial that Alexander pouts for a couple of hours in the morning.

I need to wait for the fourth night to understand why he's so displeased.

«What's the last thing I told you before you fell asleep?» my husband inquires.

«You wrote a letter?» I mutter. «A letter to me. I mean, to the Queen.»

Wait a moment.

«What use is there for that? You could talk with her.»

«I used the secret code she showed me.»

«I showed you,» I repeat, arching my brows. Oh, that's my secret code. «You can continue dreaming. You decoded it on your own and wanted to show off. There is no means I could have shown you.»

«But you did,» he smiled. «You explained to me how it works.»

«And then, what happens?» I shrug.

He did read my notes about the escape route and emergency plans. Well, he didn't decode it. He just read it and pretended to be smarter than what he actually is.

But his cunning smile is so alluring.

«What did you write in the letter?» I ask, curious.

«My dear wife,» he whispers to my ear.

Is he going to recite it word per word? How precise are his memories, damn it?

«Today, I found myself thinking about you and wondering what you were doing. Your absence transformed the garden into a cold palace, and my fingers started itching in search of your skin.»

«Wait!» I stop him. «You really wrote that to a Queen?»

Is he irresponsible or just shameless? He's so damn sure of his charms.

Ah, well, he has a couple of reasons to be.

«Yes, I did. You didn't complain last time.»

«I must have been a poor, innocent Queen.»

Thank goodness I'm growing resistant to his wily techniques.

«What else was in that letter?»

«I decided to write this letter to ease my fingers. My heart started beating faster just at the thought of your eyes reading my words, of your hands unfolding this paper. Just being able to envision your focused expression while considering my feelings makes me so happy.»

«What feelings?» I whisper, cuddling closer to him.

«My love for you helps me in these kinds of moments when your work keeps you far from my reach,» he ends. «Your, always loyal, Royal Consort. Alexander.»

«You certainly know how to write letters,» I stutter.

My cheeks are burning, my stomach tingling. And my heart is pounding as Alexander's must have done while he wrote the letter.

I stretch my neck to reach his cheek and leave a light peck. I don't even know why I feel this need to do so.

«And how did I react?»

«Ah, well...» he whispers.

Oh, I hope Queen Theodora didn't scold him too harshly. Being shameless is just his nature: he can't do anything about it. She should have understood him more.

«Was it that bad?» I mutter, feeling a bit guilty for his troubled expression. He looks to the side like an abandoned puppy, and I decide to make up for something I haven't even done.

It wasn't me that treated my Duke harshly. It was another Theodora, a Queen from the south.

Well, I'll make sense of it later.

«This Duchess isn't that merciless,» I remind him. «I won't complain about your shamelessness. I can accept your letter if your Queen didn't.»

That heartless ruler. He was right to tie her to the bed,  in the end.

I surround his neck with my arms and kiss him.

«I don't understand how your words couldn't move her icy heart,» I murmur before moving on his neck.

«I don't understand either.»

«But you put all your efforts in that letter!»

«Indeed.»

I unbutton his nightshirt and nibble his shoulder.

Are bed activities forbidden while with child?

I've considered this matter in depth.

One doesn't immediately notice when it happens, so husband and wife usually share the bed during the first weeks of pregnancy.

Hence, it can't be dangerous. Also, we can be careful.

It has been so much from the last time, though.

The tingling in my stomach didn't decrease even a few minutes after his letter, which means it will be annoying if I don't listen to my body.

I sit on his lap, straddling him.

«You're so lucky to have this Duchess,» I remind him before forcing the shirt off.

His breath is short, and his eyes are wide. As if he wasn't expecting this.

«Thea... Theodora,» he says.

«You can call me Thea since you can't control your brain,» I decide. I don't have time to correct him right now.

I might as well accept his intimate whispers.

«Now, before you have time to complain... It won't be dangerous. We just need to be careful. It means: no ropes, no bites, especially in the southern region. No jumping on me like your usual, and no over-controlling requests.»

I can add a couple of things as well, right?

«No stubborn intentions, like making your wife beg. And don't press on my stomach.»

But will it work if we're this tender? My Duke's tastes are rather extreme, after all.

«Only until the baby starts growing,» he decides.

«Of course.»

I can't do acrobatics with a round stomach, now, can I?

«And I want a reply to my letter,» he adds.

Why is he making requests? I'm the wife here.

«It's non-negotiable.»

Oh, have I been this annoying when stating conditions in the past?

«All right,» I surrender. «Anything else?»

«Yes! Call me hubby.»

«That's too much!»

I cross my arms and frown, but my mood returns to normal pretty quick.

«Husband?» I try.

«I can accept this compromise. For now. Now, who am I?» my Duke asks, encircling me with his immovable yet comforting embrace.

«My husband,» I breathe.

Did that icy Queen really avoid that word so much? Did she at least know about his desire to be called that?

«My dear husband,» I repeat.

His happy grin should calm down my instincts. He's so at ease, all of a sudden. In peace, as if his life has finally found a meaning.

Unfortunately, I'm over-excited. I've been like this for too long, and I want some relief.

«Now, kiss your wife.»

«Do not cross the line,» he warns me, but his lips land on mine.

I feel like I haven't done this in so long, even though it was just a week or so. I feel as if I've been far from Alexander for years.

How lonely has his life been all this time?

How can he stand to wait any longer to embrace me? Why is he still holding back?

When I sense his erection pressing on my stomach, I toss aside all the clothes in between and accept him inside.

«Careful,» he reminds me before returning to kiss.

Keeping my hips' movements slow is so damn hard. Yet, I can't rush. A pair of strong arms are holding me.

I find his left hand, enveloped in a tiny bandage, and move it on my bottom. I guide the right one on my breast, and I exhale when he starts massaging.

It's so ecstatic. I'd do this until the end of time.

It's not as burning as when we go wild, and I'm not shouting like a savage.

Yet, it's sweet and warm. It makes me feel loved, for real, and cherished.

When making love and kissing at the same time becomes difficult, our mouths split. His arms surround me once more, and his nose brushes my neck.

His breath tickles my skin while his caresses from daring become light.

«I love you so much, Thea.»

Just those words; nothing more.

My world turns upside-down for a second, but I realise that his confession is not for me.

There is another Thea in his heart. Will there ever be space for me?