"I... I think I will sleep in your chambers after all."

Ferdinand changed his mind thinking he should appease her first. He did not want her to stay angry at him.

"I’m really fine on my own, Ferdinand. I was not trying to scold you when I said that. I simply meant that I could sleep alone," Arabella clarified.

Ferdinand gazed at her for a few seconds without saying anything.

[Should I feel happy with that or not?

I’m relieved she’s not angry anymore.

But somehow, I wish she would be a bit more sullen that I won’t be with her tonight.

Didn’t she say she missed me so much?

Was just two days together in Estrella enough?

If it was me who had been waiting that long, I wouldn’t be satisfied with just two days together at all.]

Ferdinand looked at her like she was a puzzle he had to solve.

’Why does he have to think about it so much and interpret it like that?’

"Ferdinand, you don’t have to sleep in my chambers tonight. You have a lot of work to do. I -"

"I’m going to sleep in your chambers," Ferdinand cut her and insisted with a pout on his face.

[I want her to love me more to the point she would not like even a single night without me. I cannot have her getting used to me, not with her.]

Ferdinand eyed her stubbornly.

’Huh? It’s not like we can always be together. We both have to work and we would have to travel separately now and then.’

Arabella could still recall her previous life and there were so many instances when they were apart.

It was indeed getting difficult to be apart now that she had feelings for him again and she understood he did not like them being apart because of this too. But they both had responsibilities.

If they were normal people, if they were not the Emperor and Empress of Valeria, then, they could probably spend all their time together.

But since they were the Emperor and Empress, they cannot sacrifice their job because it would have a great impact on so many people.

Just a single project left unsigned could mean so many people’s families starving or dying.

Thus, as long as they could still see each other even if not as often as they wanted, and they could feel each other’s presence and know that they were safe, Arabella could bear being apart when necessary.

Arabella squeezed Ferdinand’s hand and said, "Ferdinand, it’s difficult not to be with you. But as long as I can see you every day or at least several times a week, I’ll be fine. Because I can feel your presence now and I know you are safe. That’s all that matters to me."

[That was what she was thinking about?!!]

Arabella was wide-eyed when Ferdinand kissed her all of a sudden. They were in the hallway too but the way he kissed her was filled with something that made her unable to resist.

Rendell looked away and pretended like he did not see them.

"What was that for?" Arabella asked when her husband finally stopped.

"Shall we go to bed first? You are so adorable," Ferdinand licked his lips.

"Humph. No, were you even listening to me talking?" Arabella pouted.

She liked the kiss, of course. Her heart was racing too. But she could not have him just doing as he pleased wherever and whenever he wanted.

Did he even listen to what she said?

"I was. And you were so-" Ferdinand was about to say something more.

But Arabella freed her hand from his and walked without him.

Her heart was still beating fast because he suddenly kissed her. But she could not allow him to just do that when they were still talking. And now he was even saying they go to bed.

[Is she angry?! But I was listening to her.]

Ferdinand caught up to her in just a few strides and caught her hand.

"Arabella, I’m sorry. I swear, I was listening. Please, don’t be angry. I couldn’t help it."

"I know. I’m angry not. Let’s go and eat, Your Majesty," Arabella had to end this now before they ended up in bed and all the work that needed to be done would be postponed for tomorrow.

[!!!]

"Please don’t address me like that. It hurts when you are the one calling me so formally," Ferdinand said in a sullen voice.

[I was just so delighted with her words earlier so I couldn’t stop myself from kissing her. I didn’t mean to be rude.]

’Oh, that was it?’

Arabella glanced at him and her heartbeat raced even more. He was pouting like simply addressing him as "Your Majesty" instead of "Ferdinand," stabbing him in the heart and he was in pain so she had to soothe him.

’This is cheating! How can he act all cute and look so sullen at the same time?’

"Alright, I won’t," Arabella cupped his face and gave him a peck.

Ferdinand brightened up when she softened up. He kissed the back of her hand and interlocked their fingers once more.

"Let’s go and have dinner first. Once you are done with your work, then you can come to my room," Arabella added.

"A-alright. I will definitely finish all my work today as soon as possible," Ferdinand promised.

They then had dinner together.

After dinner, Arabella finished all the work she needed to do and went to sleep early as Ferdinand had asked. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

.

.

.

Several hours later...

Arabella did not know until the next morning that Ferdinand worked like a madman that night just so he would still have time to go to her room.

When Arabella woke up at dawn, it was warm because Ferdinand was sleeping beside her; and he had wrapped his arms tight around her.

She thought of just going back to sleep since she did not want to wake him up. But he already did when she moved a little when she woke up.

"Good morning," Ferdinand said in a low voice and pulled her even closer when there was already barely any space between them.