“What time is it?” Alessandra groaned as she opened her eyes. The sound of the high wind smacking against the windows had woken her up. Alessandra looked at the window and saw that it was still dark out. Judging from the sound of the wind there had to be a storm.
She closed her eyes trying to go back to sleep but found it hard to do. Alessandra sighed, having no choice but to stay awake.
Alessandra tried to move but the strong grip around her waist refrained her from doing so. If she moved around too much, Edgar would wake up. It was like something clicked in his mind to wake him up immediately whenever she tried to leave the bed. If she had to be awake, she would prefer to have a book to read until she could fall back to sleep.
“The snow will be higher tomorrow. We’ll need to shovel another path for the guards to use in the morning,” she muttered.
“Alessandra,” she heard Edgar’s husky voice behind her. Alessandra blushed, taken aback by how good his voice sounded at the moment. It was deeper than usual.
“Hi,” she shyly replied. After a moment of no response from him, she thought he probably went back to sleep. “Edgar-”
“Why are you awake right now?” Edgar asked.
“The wind is really loud. I heard it beating against the window. I can’t go back to sleep. Can you please release me? I would like to get a book to read.”
Edgar loosen his hold on her and rolled back to his side of the bed. “Do you plan to walk to the library this late?” He asked. The hallways would be dark and lonesome around this time.
…..
“Well yes. There are no books in our bedroom for me to read. I will be back shortly-”
Edgar held her hand to stop her from leaving the bed. “If you are trying to pass time until you fall asleep, stay here and talk with me. You have woken me up but I am not in the mood to read a book to go back to sleep.”
“I didn’t wake you up on purpose. It is not my fault you can hear everything even though you are in deep slumber. What do you want to talk about?” Alessandra asked, sitting up on the bed to look down at Edgar.
“I was not informed about what happened with the plates. Seeing that Alfred was cheerful during dinner I take it you did not tell him about the plates? It is odd that he would not have counted them,” said Edgar.
“At first, he thought it was you who had broken them and was angry until I said it was me. He wasn’t angry about it and advised me not to go around them anymore.” Alessandra was extremely happy to avoid seeing Alfred angry.
Edgar could not believe ears that Alfred was not angry. The last time he broke something of great value belonging to Alfred, he recalled how Alfred’s hands twitched like he was refraining from hitting him. “You’re certainly a little angel in his eyes. How wonderful,” he muttered.
“Are you jealous that Alfred treats us differently? For the many years that Alfred was by your side, I can’t blame him for always being angry with you. I wonder where he got the strength to deal with you. There is no doubt in my mind you would have taunted him by pretending to break the plates he cares for. I am surprised he has not lost his mind and tried to strangle you. You should be careful before he snaps,” said Alessandra.
“Hmm. That only makes me want to poke around at him more.”
Alessandra shook her head not knowing what would become of Edgar. “Instead of worrying about Alfred, I should be worrying about myself. I have promised to be with you forever. It has not even been that long since we started to live together and you have annoyed me many times.”
“And I have swayed your heart other times. Life with me is not so bad. Alfred would have left long ago if it was. Enough about the old fox, talk about me more. Did you dream about what I suggested?” Edgar asked, not giving up the chance to see her wrapped up like a gift.
“I was hoping for you to have memory loss. I am not waiting naked in a room for you. Ever,” she stressed the word so he knew not to ask again.
“Then what about bathing together? You were quite comfortable with me in the tub last time,” said Edgar.
“I was wearing clothes that time. You are expecting me to be naked,” Alessandra replied.
“We can fill it with enough soap to hide your body. Anything that you are thinking to get me for my birthday, I already have. I would wholeheartedly enjoy an evening alone with you in the bathroom. Will you grant my one birthday wish or will you shy away from me? I have already seen your body,” he said to urge her into doing it.
Truthfully the better gift would be for them to be tangled up in each other naked, doing what was on his mind each time he touched her. He only needed to get her clothes off and then it wouldn’t be long before they would make love to each other. His birthday seemed like the perfect day for them to finally have sex. He could make it an anniversary and have an excuse to have sex on his birthday for the following years.
Alessandra couldn’t find a flaw in Edgar’s words because he had seen her body. Being together in a tub was far better than her waiting naked on a bed for him to arrive. Plus, a couple of hours ago she said she was ready to take the next step with him. “Okay,” Alessandra answered in a low tone.
A smile appeared on Edgar’s face, evidence that he heard her.
“I have never looked forward to turning a year older until now. It will be my birthday but I will make it enjoyable for you. Had I not woken up I would have missed such a tempting deal. We should wake up in the middle of the night more often,” said Edgar.
“Intimacy is the only thing on your mind,” Alessandra shook her head.
“You can only blame yourself because you are so alluring. It didn’t take long for me to become attracted to you and the amusing part is you did absolutely nothing to make me desire you the way I do. I should prepare myself for the days you become an expert in seduction. I might become so enchanted by you that if you said you wanted the palace I would take it for you. How dare you make me become the cringy man I have always laughed at,” Edgar said and pinched her hand as a punishment.
“Oww,” Alessandra cried out and pinched his cheeks in retaliation. “I will never ask for the palace. I do need to add war into my life. I got a glimpse of the palace life the day we visited and it does not suit me. I have not even fallen into my role as Duchess yet.”
“Don’t bother about that. I don’t want you to act a certain way or attend countless parties for you to socialize. Do what makes you happy instead of what you feel is required of you. I enjoy seeing you be carefree instead of being like everyone else following rules made up by another person,” Edgar twirled a strand of her hair as he spoke.
He did not want her to lose her entertaining side which would always surprise him. What he hated most about the women in town was how they all acted like each other. They dressed the same, wore their hair the same, spoke the same, and stood around at parties just talking about pointless topics. They were all being raised to act the same way. They were all like doll sets.
Edgar found himself lucky to come across Alessandra who was not raised to act a certain way. She didn’t force smiles before him or acted like another person when she was with him, Sally, or Alfred. She was the opposite of her sister who played sweet and innocent before others but at home, she was a little devil.
“I am doing it because I want to. At the end of the day, there will be times when you must attend parties or meetings as a Duke and I will be there by your side. I am a Duchess and I will act like one. Have you received any invitations for parties you must attend?” She turned to completely face him. “I can hardly wait to attend another party like the ball. Hopefully, no one gets punched in the face,” she chuckled.
“I will make no such promises. I did receive a few invitations but I have tossed out more than half of them. There is one Tobias and I have attended each year since he was crowned king. It is quite exclusive so only those with titles will be there. It is in three days’ time. After all of this talking, are you not sleepy yet? Should I,” Edgar paused and chuckled after Alessandra laid back down onto his arm and closed her eyes.
