Even ground

«Of course, I will help you!» my Duke exclaims. He's smiling at me, and his eyes are now calm and relaxed.

«I think that Patricia is the one that gave information to those people.»

«The handmaid?»

«Correct, her. She could see the bite marks and even other details of my body. She was the one dressing me most of the time. Since I'm ticklish, I once abruptly twitched when she touched me. I scolded her not to touch me so suddenly, and she paid more attention in the following days. However, her purpose was to make you think that I'm an infidel. That's why she poisoned my food, and now she told that person about the bites. It's a stupid strategy, though.»

«Why stupid?»

«Because you can easily tell that no one else has bitten me from the day we got married.»

«What about before the marriage?» he inquires. His eyes are teasing, rather than curious. It's as if he knows the answer already, but he wants to hear it from me.

«The Queen can't be bitten. It's forbidden,» I comment coldly.

«Is that so?»

«You wouldn't have permission to do as you like if I was a queen.»

The Duke nods, thinking. He fails at hiding the amused light in his eyes. He feels so self-satisfied, right now, and I can't understand why. I just told him that his charm is not enough to conquer me.

«So, you say it's your handmaid...» he murmurs, redirecting the conversation to its original track.

I can't be sure it's actually Patricia. Other maids could collect small details while helping me in the morning or before my baths. Still, Patricia certainly isn't innocent.

And she got on my nerves a few times too many.

«We can't rule out that other information has been leaked,» I point out. «Like how often we actually slept together. For sure, Patricia didn't plot the poison on her own. She was told to do it, which means she's not the only one that knows about our practices.»

The person that tried to make the Duke think I was pregnant, drugging the pie, knew that I haven't been with my husband for weeks. Patricia was the one to deliver the food, maybe even to physically pour the poison, but she's not the mastermind.

It might be possible that the chamber has some secret passages, so even a stranger could have spied on me.

I shiver, realising how close one must look to distinguish the sign of a bite, or the strength the Duke used when...

I cover my face with both hands, trying to calm down my breathing.

I don't like being watched by strangers. Even less if it's in secret.

«Everything all right?» Alexander asks, leaning on a side and observing me carefully.

«I'm having my private life exposed,» I admit. Even when I had all the eyes continuously turned in my direction, I didn't feel so frail.

«I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm the one that chose the maid...» the Duke says, noticing that my mood is more intricate than what it seemed at first glance.

«You couldn't know, Alexander. And there's no guarantee that another one would have acted differently.»

«I should have brought Katerina immediately.»

«I would have hated you for that, you know it.»

«You would have been safe, at least.»

«I don't think so. If those people didn't find a way to spy on me, they would have found one to torture me,» I mumble, troubled.

I don't know why, but my heart feels heavy at the sight of the Duke's guilt. I'll just pretend not to have been tortured by Patricia with her gazes and disloyalty. I prefer this to continue staring at Alexander's expression.

I was the one that should be sad, why is he acting like this?

Now that I think about it, he hasn't left my sight since yesterday. He's really doing his best to protect me. At least, no one will dare to tamper my food or glare at me if he's around.

Except for that man George. But it's even more evident now that he's aiming at something. His behaviour isn't rational, which means he's either crazy or a schemer.

At least, Alexander didn't take out his frustration on me. Maybe, he's just waiting for the right time to jump on me and drag me in a corner, but it's better than when he used to avoid me for days.

«Just a day,» I repeat his words. «Then, you'll be able to rest.»

«What?» the Duke voices, confused. Well, I stayed silent for a while before uttering something weird.

«You won't need to protect me so closely, in the north,» I explain, smiling brightly. Knowing my Duke, his palace must be a quiet, safe place with a lot of books he didn't read and loyal servants that do their job without sticking their noses where they shouldn't.

«You think that we'll stay far apart in the north. Seriously?» Alexander mutters. If only I could erase that grin from his face. What's so funny in my words?

«Won't it be the case?» I reply.

«No, my dear. I will be even more attentive. You won't get rid of me very soon.»

«I'm not trying to get rid of you, my Duke. I was just worried that you might feel tired of protecting me. After all, you're not used to my presence. Your stamina must be challenged, right now.»

«Are you questioning my stamina, Duchess?»

I blink surprised. All I wanted to say is that I'm burdening my Duke. I'm using his chamber and time, forcing my presence on him way more than what is necessary. Isn't he tired of always needing to protect me from something?

«Shall I show you how tired I am?» he says, grabbing my waist and dragging me to him. «How brave of my Duchess to challenge me like this...»

I shout out of surprise and grip the sheets desperately.

«It was not my intention! I wouldn't dare!» I exclaim.

«No?» he continues. His breath is hitting my neck, and my arms mechanically release the sheets.

I sigh and relax my muscles when the Duke's lips draw a path on my skin. I should probably stop him, it's broad daylight. These kinds of things are supposed to be done in the dark.

What if someone notices?

All of a sudden, I remember the stares from this morning.

That someone knows too much about me to be it by chance. I freeze for a few seconds, and I nervously straighten my back.

The Duke's hand is caressing my knee and moving up, but all I can think about is the person that might be listening, or watching, right now.

I gulp to release the lump in my throat.

Alexander stops kissing my shoulder and looks at me. I don't know what face I'm making, but he doesn't complain. He just leans back without releasing me from his grip.

«Are you hungry now?» he whispers, with a conspiratorial tone. His head is so close to me, and his eyes are somehow complicit.

I nod, even though it's not the whole truth. I'm not hungry, but a distraction sounds good.

«Then, we should find some food, right?» he continues.

I nod again, and the little smirk on the Duke's face tells me that he's not disappointed. However, he doesn't make any move to wake up, and I stay in his arms silently.

I notice that I've clenched my fists nervously, and I relax my muscles and focus on breathing.

«Don't worry,» the Duke voices.

«I'm not worrying!»

No, I directly started with panicking. For something that I didn't know scared me so much. I've always recognised that privacy was not an option in the Ethiro Palace. However, seeing how ready these people are to use what happens behind closed doors is frightening.

«You have to calm down, my dear, because I need your help to design a counter-attack.»

«I'm no good at planning,» I admit. «And you know that better than anyone else. You've uncovered my every plan.»

«Are you assuming that I'm just an average strategist? Well, I think that no one else in the world could win against you.»

«You sure think highly of yourself.»

«I'm just a realist.»

I chuckle, amused by his giant esteem. Maybe, he's not wrong. Yet, he didn't doubt himself one bit. He's so proud.

«So, you like to think that you're the only one that can beat me?» I giggle.

«No, I think that even I can't succeed on even ground.»

I lift my eyebrows, surprised by his words. The Empire indeed has more resources than Polis. But every kingdom is different in that matter, and there are pros and cons for every detail.

We already were on even grounds. In war, everything is admitted. Alexander won with his strategies, and not the brute force of an empire.

The only field where I was the one to win was the chess table, till now.