Belhild sat in her rightful place. Beside her, she patted Choffin's curly locks, bringing him close to her breast, giving rise to a blush from the young doctor.

Before her knelt her husband's concubine. The very one who she learned recently wanted her dead. The same one who wanted to take her place.

It was she who checked in regularly while Belhild received treatment. The others were occupied with celebrating her progress.

The morn she brought a bowl of stew, if it were not for Choffin by her side who figured out right away that it was laced with poison, she would have been long dead.

To her left, sat her husband who kept her previous chair warm. In his, she sat with the aura of a king.

The sides of her head were freshly shaved to commemorate her youth and strength. Her pink hair once dull held the vibrancy and fullness of a rose. Her colours were a deep violet. Her garment swept the floor. Garments she never thought she would live to wear again. Her weight was back, but not entirely. Her pale skin had regained some shade thanks to brief walks in the sun.

She all but relished in the power and authority of being alive.

It was very much as if she never left her position as the country's co-ruler. Had it not been for her sex, she would have been Earl but those times were behind them. Women nowadays gained and received respect just as much as the men. So today her husband had no say in what was to be done with his whore. No say none whatsoever.

"I could have you beheaded or hunted down. Killed. You would like that, wouldn't you?"

Alvida remained silent but the trembling in her skin never left since the moment she had been found out.

"Do you love my husband? A coward is he not? A fool for women."

Belhild sent a snide smile Genzic's way and smirked as long beads of sweat hustled down his face.

"I could never bring myself to love him more than a friend. Even today, I do not love him like a wife should love a husband. However, despite being a coward, he is a loyal coward. That deserves merit."

Belhild looked to Alvida, a frown present on her face. The concubine's silence spoke volumes.

"You don't love him, do you? So your plan was to rid of me not for my husband's heart but for power.

"To think these garments could have been yours, these rings and bracelets of gold."

Belhild held her hand out and the rattling of gold bracelets echoed in the room.

She had no interest in petty riches but she did not mind showing them off. The envy in Alvida's eyes was worth far more.

"If the gods would have it, I would be dead but here I sit alive and well. I have conquered yet another day... And you..." Belhild looked to the concubine with distaste, "Your days are numbered."

With that, she rose her arm and men came to take Alvida away to be jailed till her day of judgement. She would have to wait for days or months or maybe even years. Belhild cared not. There were other pressing matters more important than entertaining her husband's lovers.

She turned to Genzic and rose both brows. Choffin had at length fallen asleep against her side.

"Dear husband, why the sour face? You're free to join her but if you do, your place will no longer be at my side. You will no longer be made to eat at my table. Is that clear?"

"Yes. But-"

"But?"

Earl Genzic swallowed hard. He knew better than to argue with someone who cheated death. Much less his wife.

"Yes, Belhild."

A smile curled on her lips and when Belhild leaned over to glide a hand down her husband's face and impressive beard, scarlet shrouded his skin. She laughed.

A fool for women indeed.

Belhild was young and dangerously pretty when given her hand in marriage so he was pleased to have and call her his wife but it was her father's dying wish for an heir and as his trusted friend, he agreed on marrying her.

It turned out well since they ruled the people well but in their brief and little moments of passion, she rarely cared for his touch. Once it was clear she would never produce children, all rites he had to her bed ceased.

The woman who sat at his side today was a woman aged beautifully and ready to rule once more. It was her instruction and advice he sought from her bedside. She was Cocoyash's rightful heir and ruler. The people were more than pleased.

Genzic pitied Namitha. She would be the last to know of her mother's miraculous and quick recovery. His eyes cast at the healer resting comfortably at his wife's side. His coming was indeed a gift. A gift from the gods.

The week was over and though food was hard to find after the storm, they managed.

When it was time for Zollo to take the lead to get them all back home, he proved to be hopeless. In other words, he had no idea where they were.

They were lost.

When it was clear he had them walking in circles, Namitha took over and made use of her bearings and memory and the band rejoiced when their homeland appeared behind the horizon.

All Zoro's distrust of her being the ship's navigator was killed on the spot. He gave her praise then and the way she handled herself without complaint these past seven days made him believe she was ready. They all did.

They arrived at nightfall.

Jimbjörn was allowed to stay with Sangard. It was no debate, the cook insisted. The old man, he claimed, needed nourishing for he was a weak mess. He was healing well from his injuries but it would take time to be completely well again. Sangard was going to make sure of that.

"We'll meet again in the morning at the ship. Franki could use the help," declared Lufner.

"Now please excuse me. My wife here needs to be checked for many reasons you all have seen for yourselves.

"On some occasions she refused to listen to me, taking matters into her own hands. That sort of behaviour demands discipline."

"She's just like you," said Usoff but Lufner brushed him off. "Give Nami a break. You would have probably done the same."

The woman in mention was silent. Surprised by her husband's declaration but what say had she? If she was to be disciplined so be it. She could handle it.

"Luffy," snarled Sangard. He grabbed Lufner by the collar and gave him a violent shake.

"If you dare lay a finger on her, I swear-"

"Don't worry, Sangi. Whatever Lufner has in store for me, I will not yield. I'll admit that I've behaved like a child when in fact I should have behaved like a dutiful wife. The fault is mine so come what may."

Lufner was released and Sangard had no more to say on the matter. Again he was reminded that Namitha was not his.

"So you've accepted your fate?" said Lufner. He stood close to his wife and peered into her glaring eyes. A smirk broke out on his lips. She was like a wild animal that needed taming.

He loved that. He loved that very much.

"Do your worst," she said.

Upon entering their home, Namitha reminded herself not to yield but she did. She yielded many, many times.

How she begged for his lips with tears in her eyes and he granted her all she wanted. His name she cried in eternal bliss.

He was good to her and it was the cruellest punishment a man could do to a woman. Loving her more than she loved herself. She knew there and then never to go against his word ever again.

Because a man who made love to a woman and knew exactly how was frightening. And Namitha certainly got her fill to the point she thought she was in a realm of dreams.

After they made love, Namitha put a hand over her mouth to silence her wails and she shook and quivered under him as reels of uncontrolled pleasure filled her entire being.

Her weakness was disgusting to her. How her body did everything he wanted and responded to every touch, sickened her. She hated that he had so much power over her and still she wanted more. It maddened her. Made her enraged for she thought she could never love someone this much and here she was going through the impossible.

Namitha closed her eyes and protested when he moved away, robbing her of his warmth and touch. She did not want to let him go. He may go off and never return to her again. He may never love her again as he did now. She did not want their moment together to end, not yet. Not ever.

So she clung to his waist and wrapped legs around him with all the strength she had left, though little. Her shaking and flow of tears refused to cease and she hated it. She hated it so much.

"My lord," she sobbed, "what have you done to me?"

He kissed her then and carefully wiped away her streams of tears.

"What are you talking about?"

"You do not understand. How can I live without you now? How can I go on knowing how much you care for me? You have ruined me. How can I love another when all you have made me think about and love is you?"

Her words pleased Lufner greatly.

"This was not punishment. That talk about checking you was all a farce. I have only missed you and could not wait to get you home."

Namitha did not care. She would never oppose him again. His word was her guide. Risking his good opinion was a risk she did not want to take. To be loved and taken so thoroughly made her feel like she could scale the highest mountains and conquer the roughest seas.

What good had she done to deserve all this?

But the goodness marriage brought her was not a gift of who she was now or in the past, it was who she was to become in the future.

All was well in the world. Her mother was well again. Usoff's baby was born and the ship's completion was imminent. All was going well. Too well.

It had been four days since their return and Namitha was out when the sun was high in the sky, hanging out laundry. A hum of merriment escaped her lips. Though unaccustomed to housework, she observed the servants in her mother's house and had a hang of things. When the husband was away, it was her duty to be a good wife or at least learn how. Learning required practice.

Now while the sheets and tunics flapped in the cool breeze, Namitha looked down and saw a foot ahead of her basket which she followed upwards and found herself face to face with a stranger.

"Namitha, is it?"

"Yes?"

Their words were like venom. Their eyes filled with hate but Namitha did not know why.

"How can I-?

"You have taken something of mine and I am here today to ask you to give it back."

On the path home, Lufner stood still and looked ahead in the distance. There was a strange chill in the air and he took off in haste to check on his wife. Something was wrong. He could feel it.

His suspicions were right. For when he entered the home he was met by silence and a thick uncomfortable tense sharpness in the air. Some of the laundry outside was still in their basket. The sheets and clothing blew crookedly in the air. They had long dried.

"Na-"

A soft whistling cut through the air and Lufner suddenly ducked and fell on his arse. Sweat ran down his neck and he gulped hard looking at the sharp blade lodged in the boards. Had he not dodged it, he would have been killed or severely hurt.

His eyes went wide upon recognizing the engravements on the slender weapon. It was his. Notably, the one he entrusted to his wife.

The moment he saw the woman he loved, he made sure to keep still. Her expression was unreadable but it was evident at this point.

She wanted him dead.

To be continued...