In the morning, my Duke is all right.

At least, while sleeping. I don't know if he'll feel sick when he wakes up.

I know he's all right because his hand moved in his sleep and landed on my breast. It's not squeezing, just leaned there. But he's cupping it as if I was his personal toy.

His nose is in my hair, tickling me with his breath, and one of his legs is folded and slid in between mine.

I understand that there isn't much space. And my Duke is indeed tall.

But how am I supposed to get out of here now? I lay on this side so that I could get up swiftly. And here I am: trapped.

«Good morning, wife,» he whispers in my ear after a few minutes.

Oh, I don't need to snuggle away.

«Good morning. Can you release me?»

«Why?» he mutters, moving his knee up.

His leg brushes against my thighs, and the more I press them to stop him, the more the friction sends thrills to my spine.

His hand leaves my breast, and his fingers draw paths on my hip and waist.

«Are you in a hurry to leave?» he adds before pecking my temple.

He's so sly early in the morning.

«You've touched me for the whole night. You can let me rest now.»

«I was sleeping: it doesn't count.»

«It does count,» I reply. «Your pervert mind doesn't rest while you sleep, my dear. I can't keep up with you. I need some time for myself.»

«You're leaving me!» he exclaims, crooking his lips. «You don't love me anymore.»

«I've never said I love you in the first place,» I mutter, annoyed. Is this even ethical? He's blackmailing me so that I stay.

As soon as these words leave my mouth, Alexander retreats. I can get up, but he stays back. He leans his head on one arm and observes me with longing and infinite sadness.

«Not even one bit?» he tries, his eyes almost wet.

Oh, gosh! Does he have to act like this?

«One yota? Just enough to make my presence tolerable? Or at least, not to make you cringe every time you see me?»

That is rather a low level of love he desires. That's a bit unsettling.

«If I tell you, you'll use my words to your advantage.»

«So you do lo...»

«I haven't said that,» I spit out. He's so damn insistent!

«Oh,» he moans and lies back. He looks at me with puppy eyes while I start preparing for the day.

When I'm ready to go, he opens his mouth to add something to his shameless words.

«But I do love you, Thea. I love you so much.»

I drop my shoulders and sit on the chair next to the table. It's so hard to be his wife, sometimes. Why does he have to say embarrassing things out of the blue?

«Are you sure you love me?» I inquire.

«Yes, I am.»

«Then you shouldn't be this pushy. If you really loved me, you would patiently wait for me to be ready to tell you.»

«But you won't tell me if I don't insist.»

«That's not true, Alexander.» I've already confessed my feelings... how many times?

«You're so tipsy with words.»

«But I do show you my heart, don't I?» I mean, I'm such a caring wife. What else would he like? A wife that tells her mind every second?

Also, he's told me his own feelings so few times. Only when in a corner, to be precise.

Yet he requires continuous confessions from me! He likes flattering his ego every second, so much that he sulks when he doesn't get what he wants.

I sit back on the bed and peck his lips. His eyes return to shine with happiness, but his mouth is still crooked. He's now just pretending, to get more from my surrender.

«Get up, husband. You should take some fresh air while it's still morning.»

«I'd prefer to sleep more,» he moans, but he still wears his clothes.

«You can stay here.»

«No, I don't want to leave you alone.»

«What are you afraid of? I can't run away from a sailing ship, can I?»

«That's not what I'm worried about,» he mutters and follows me out with uncertain steps.

We reach the deck, and I close my eyes while bathing in the morning sun. It's warm and comforting, just what I needed to recharge my energy.

It's not the same for Alexander, but I have no clue how to help him. Other than distracting him from the thought, I don't know what to do to make him feel better.

«Look, there's a ship there,» I say, pointing at the horizon. «It's so far, but it looks like a vessel...»

«It's moving too fast to be a merchant's vessel,» Alexander mutters, grabbing the railing to feel steadier. «And it's directed towards us.»

«Oh, we'll be able to see the flag in a while then.»

«There's no need to look at the flag as it's fake.»

«Fake?»

«Thea, that's a pirate ship...»

Pirates? Ah, what bad luck. Our first time sailing, and here we meet pirates.

«It will be fine as long as we give them some gold, won't it?»

«You should hide in the cabin, Thea. Do not open the door no matter what you hear. And don't answer if you hear anyone calling.»

«And you?»

«I'll protect you,» he mutters with a grin.

«You can barely stand. Who are you going to protect like this?»

«It hurts when you say it like this.»

«It's the truth. I don't want to hide!»

«It's dangerous. They might want more than just gold and goods. Pirates are known to be ruthless and have links with slave markets...»

«Oh,» I realise. «But still, I would worry so much if I knew you're here and in peril...»

«Please, Thea. Just do what I tell you this once.»

«All right. But you have to promise you'll be careful.»

«I will. I have enough reasons to live, don't I?»

«Yes,» I nod. «And you have to come back to me. After all, you can't leave me alone now. I wouldn't survive alone...»

«You would,» he chuckles.

«And I love you,» I point out. «It would be too much pain to lose you.»

«Do you?» he asks, hoping that I repeat the words he so much wanted to hear. «Really?»

«Yes, I do. But I will repeat it only after we survive the pirates.»

After all, he needs motivation and not fulfilment.

«Why does your life have to be at stake for you to tell me?» he complains. Ah, he's just so childish.