The Dragon Duke's Wife - Chapter 20
She wrote hundreds of letters there. The lucky ones would ask her to write two or three long farewell letters, while the unlucky ones couldn’t even manage to finish writing “I love you” to their wives.
“It rained a lot. When the sound of raindrops hitting the tent could be heard… it was hard to tell if the person was dead or alive. If someone was still groaning, it was a little easier to tell. But mostly, I just kept walking around, checking to see if people were breathing or not.”
“I see.”
“Maybe it was the material of the tent… but most of the groans and cries were drowned out by the sound of the rain. I came to hate the sound of rain back then.”
Even after the war ended and she returned to the capital, things were the same. She found a job at a large hospital and rented a small room nearby. The space she had to herself was better than living at a relative’s house.
But it felt like the door and windows were too directly connected to the outside. The walls and windows, as thin as the tent, would rattle with the sound of rain, making her feel like she was left alone in a place where no one had died.
She let out a quiet sigh and focused once more on the sound of Khalid’s heartbeat. The steady sound of life erased the rain, and soon the tapping of raindrops against the window seemed distant.
Khalid stroked her head and smiled.
“How about a song?”
“A song?”
“You said you hated the rain. Sing for me.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Ancia blushed as she spoke. Khalid looked down at her affectionately.
“I want to hear it.”
“No, I can’t sing well.”
“That’s the best way to erase the sound of the rain. I don’t like the rain either. In Welpen, it was really… awful.”
“Did you serve in Welpen?”
Ancia sat up, looking at him with wide eyes. Khalid lazily smiled while touching her cheek.
“I’m the son of Velados.”
“I see. Then, have we met somewhere before?”
“Maybe.”
“No, we haven’t.”
Ancia smiled. There was no way she wouldn’t have remembered meeting a man like Khalid. But she was happy that they now seemed to share some kind of past.
She gently placed her ear back on Khalid’s chest.
“It was such a fierce battle, but I’m glad you’re here, alive, without a scratch.”
Khalid petted her shoulder, speaking almost childishly.
“As a compliment, sing for me. A lullaby would be nice. Or a hymn, I’d be fine with that.”
“I really can’t sing well.”
“Then recite a poem for me.”
Ancia laughed.
“I’m not good at reciting. I used to memorize a lot, but I’ve forgotten it all after living such a busy life. But I’ll read you a sonnet collection later.”
“Sounds good. How about we go to the sunroom?”
He said it with a joyful tone. Ancia hesitated for a moment. Since the sunroom had a glass ceiling, the sound of the rain would be even louder there. But being with Khalid made it feel like it would be okay.
When she nodded, Khalid quickly stood up. Ancia couldn’t help but blush as she watched him move, his upper body revealing solid muscles. She noticed the faint nail marks from last night’s pleasure on his back.
She acted more impulsively than usual. She wrapped the sheet around her and stood, hugging his back. His recovery was different from that of an ordinary person. Even if the scratches were deep, by this afternoon, they would be completely gone.
“Ann?”
Khalid called her in a voice that sounded pleased by her unexpected actions. Ancia carefully traced the marks with her fingers and kissed them. She wished these traces would never fade.
Khalid tried to turn around, but Ancia, with her cheek against his back, pulled him into an embrace, stopping him from moving. Being in his arms felt so fantastical, it sometimes felt like a dream. She wanted to stay like this for a while longer.
Through his back, she could feel the strong pulse of life. The rain sounded distant outside, but Ancia forgot about it. She felt warm.
* * *
On days when it wasn’t raining, Khalid was an early riser. Since their marriage, his schedule had been packed from early morning, so that he could spend long hours with her in the late afternoon and evening.
Now that she knew this, Ancia no longer felt disappointed when she woke up alone in bed. Buried in the sheets with a full heart, she pressed her nose into Khalid’s spot.
Khalid didn’t have much of a scent. Instead of a man’s usual body odor, his scent was clean, like fire or burnt air. At first, it had felt unfamiliar, but now, even the faint trace of that fire scent brought Ancia a sense of happiness.
She rolled over to his side of the bed and stretched a bit. The lingering feeling from last night still clung to her body, leaving her with a languid and tender sensation. She embraced it for a moment before getting up.
As the foolish Duchess, there was much to do and many things to learn.
Ancia stood up and tugged at the bell pull. The soft chime rang, and within moments, the maids entered.
“Did you sleep well, Madam? This morning, we’ve prepared a bath with camellia flower essence.”
