We returned a few days before Franz Joseph would become my king. Of course, there would be a celebration for that as well, and my desires involved simple rest. We had been having sleepless nights for the past week, and my body was worn. My honey moon didn't deserve one complaint, but that didn't return any of my hostage dreams.

The first thing I did when getting back was lie upon our massive bed and shut my eyes. This place didn't seem like my home, but it would simply have to do. It occurred to me that I would never set foot in my old cottage again. This was my sanctuary now, and there wasn't an escape. It was as if I would never truly go home…

My body was joined by my husband's, who so affectionately adopted me into his arms.

"…Hello…"

"Hello."

"Are you tired too?"

"Yes."

I donated my lips. Within that week, my shyness was erased, and I truly had no problems with sharing a kiss. I was far from being in love, and my feelings for Gilbert still held strong, but when you give your body to a man so often, it becomes easier to touch without blood rushing furiously to your face…

I was beginning to enjoy sex. The pain was faded and was replaced easily by pleasure. The last few nights were loud with moans of both parties and were the most sleep ridden of them all. I wondered if we would be awake every night until I became pregnant, but doubt was heavy. No human had such energy.

"There's a letter for you…" Roderich said.

"…Really? From who?"

"…I'm not sure…There wasn't a return address…I can go get it for you."

"No…It's alright..." The space between our bodies lessened. "…I'm sure it can wait…"

Despite my passion for that Prussian man, I liked my husband. I was once told there were many different kinds of love; making it possible to have affections two people at the same time…I was certain that was what would happen in this situation, although it would be horridly difficult...

We surrendered our bodies to sleep and I was awakened when the clock sung hours later. The hands pointed exactly to the eight and twelve. We had been subdued nearly three hours, and my stomach sobbed of neglect.

I glanced to the window to observe the sky, the moon showing itself with little shame and the clouds bathed comfortably in the heavenly darkened fire. The sun was fleeting and slipped away behind high lush hills. Austria was a lovely place to be...

I then focused on my husband, still at rest. My fingers slid past the frame of his face, graced so softly by deeply colored locks. His creamy skin was free of imperfections, and a smooth feeling lingered so softly at my finger tips after I took them away…

My heart fluttered, feeling as if a whelp like me shouldn't even be in his presence…I felt compelled to check his back for feathery white wings…

But yet again, my mind darted to Gilbert…He was marred by scars and tiny mistakes…But each cut he had was beautiful…I adored how incredibly rough he was…Yes…Quite the odd quality to find amiable, but when you truly have a passion for someone, you accept their whole being and love it as if it was your own…And he was…Gilbert was mine…and all I could take with me were memories…

I found steaming tears ruining my face. I couldn't wake my husband and create a another lie, so I remained quiet in my sorrow, my lips holding themselves in and my shoulders keeping still as stone.

"…What's wrong?" Of course, those sapphires were opened, and my emotions spilled from the broken vase that was slowly becoming my control. My arms took him even closer, and my face found refuge within the frills flowing from his neck.

A gentle hand sifted through my tresses, giving me comfort while his lips touched my crown loyally. When my fountain ran dry, I looked up and saw soft eyes bleeding into mine. A smile shaped my lips.

No. He wasn't Gilbert…But he was good.

"…I'm sorry…" My sleeve brushed away the last droplets of my melancholy, and I gave my lips up to his. "…I was just feeling a little sad, I guess…My life has changed so rapidly…I'm not really used to it yet…"

"That's alright…I can understand…The first time I was married, I wasn't sure how anything was supposed to go…It's difficult…But I'll be kind to you…If you need something, you can ask for it...Is it…because you're married to me?"

"No." A difficult swallow came. It wasn't because I belonged to Roderich, but because I didn't belong to Gilbert. So, perhaps being wed to this gorgeous Austrian was the cause of my sorrows, but if I hadn't been in a previous relationship there wouldn't be such a blunder. The fault wasn't his, but mine. "You're a very good man…There's just a lot to adjust to…"

"Well…Maybe eating something will make you feel better…" Our backs were removed from the comfort of the sheets, and I received yet another kiss. "…I won't be able to take you out tomorrow…But maybe after this Franz Joseph business is over with we can do something together…"

"Alright…That would be wonderful…"

He nodded and our faces came into union a final time before we moved into the dining room.

Through dinner, both of our lips remained shut. What do you say to a woman who has just broken down? Yet, there were smiles and it was pleasant despite my raging sea of emotion.

"Oh…Yes. I still have to give you that letter. It's sitting on my desk…"

"Thank you…"

I knew why there was no return address. There wasn't a need for one. I was well aware of where it was sent from, and who wrote the letter inside it…

When the food was cleaned from our plates, I was given my letter. It had Gilbert Weillschmidt written all over in flashing red letters. My name was sloppily composed and required quite a bit of room. Instead of using my new last name, my maiden was utilized as its substitute. A stain from a finger sullied with potato fluid marred the bottom right corner, and I tried not to smile imagining him gulping down his most favored food.

My fingers hesitated to undress his words, knowing my husband might want to read its contents.

"Do you have any idea who it could be from?"

"No…" I answered, examining he envelope as if I had yet to lay my fingers upon folded parchment. "Do you think I have an admirer?"

"Maybe…" Roderich's lips curled. "Why don't you open it?"

"Alright…" I kept my composure, but the walls of my stomach were being lashed at violently by nervous waves. My heart was giving me little mercy as well, and it seemed as though it could have been a firework waiting to ignite. My thumb forced itself under the seal.

I pulled away a single card, with the words 'Congratulations' written in golden ink upon the front. I turned it over to find a blank face staring right back at mine.

"…That's all?" I asked, feeling as if my panic was for absolutely nothing.

"…Well…It's certainly nice." My husband took up the discarded envelope and pulled a delicate but lusty chain from it.

"What is it?"

"A necklace…" It held gently to his longest fingers, a ruby residing near the bottom of the lovely noose. The stone glowed in crimson glory and illuminated the white of my husband's gloves. "It seems you do have an admirer…"

"…Would you be upset if I wore it? It seems like a shame to waste it…"

"…It's your first piece of jewelry here, isn't it?"

"…Well, yes, if you don't count my ring."

"…Allow me to get you a necklace first…Then you can put it to use."

"Thank you…"

I was surprised I would be allowed to display a fine ruby from another man…Especially something so classy and deep. There was a lot of feeling put into this gift. Even someone who had never seen the giver could identify that...

Again, the thought entered my mind that I might never see him again…

I would wear this necklace as loyally as I wore clothing.