Jude entered the royal chambers and went directly to the bathing room. After she emerged back from it, a couple of moments later, she sat on the chair in front of her dressing table and started to take down her hair under Cardan's gaze. He adored it when she did that. Cardan loved the waves of her hair and the way it fell around her face and behind her back and he made sure to watch her every time, as if he was appreciating art. He was doing so, he thought.

His Queen then proceeded to strip off her dress, leaving her wearing only that mortal underwear she favored. Cardan had learned that the piece covering her breast was called a "bra" and the one covering her most sensitive part was a "pantie". Jude took her bra off and turned around to grab her light pink nightgown. From Cardan's position, he could see Jude's side and he admired her body. His gaze went from her strong legs to her swollen belly, followed by her magnificent breasts, to end on her face.

It was still a shock for him to see her pregnant belly. She was just entering the fifth month and yet her stomach was bigger than the average, but he knew that it was related to the fact that she was carrying twins. He smiled happily every time he remembered it, every time she looked at her.

A sight escaped from Jude's lips after her nightgown was placed on her body and she hurried to lie on their bed. Immediately, he brought her to him, her front facing his and his arms around her. She rested her head on his chest and, this time, it was a sight of relaxation that came out of her mouth. Cardan smiled content with it and reposed his chin on the top of her head.

Some minutes later, neither of them were asleep but they were also too tired to even start a conversation about their day, as they usually did. Instead, Cardan decided to kiss his wife's cheek, then her jaw followed by her neck. He felt Jude smile's on his chest and he smiled in return. Ten years ago, when he was just a mere boy, he couldn't even imagine moments like this. His mind and dreams had always belonged to Jude but everything in their kingdom was so complicated and, therefore, their relationship, that he hadn't even dared to imagine a moment like the one they were having right now: a moment of pure happiness and comfort just by being in each other's arms.

"Ten years of this" he kissed her check once again "Of being like this with you, of having you" another kissed, this time on her lips "And yet I still crave for your attention, for every kiss you give me, for just a touch from you. You truly have undone me forever"
He looked at her, both of them still entangled with each other. His arms holding her firmly to his body.

She was also looking at him, in complete disbelief. After ten years of marriage, she still struggled to believe his unconditional words of love for her. Sometimes, this knowledge would drive Cardan a little mad since he had tried, every day since she had cut his head while he was trapped in a serpent's body, to show her how much she meant to him. How much she would do for her, because a life without his Jude was like a warrior with no sword, a competition with no adrenaline, a rose with no thorns, a bird with no voice and a man without his darling God.

Despite all this, he had learned to accept it because that was the way Jude was. and he loved every part of her. When he had come to terms with his feelings, it had been like taking out a needle from every single inch of his skin. He had thrown himself completely to that feeling, held himself to that feeling. Jude, on the other hand, had been more precautious. She still was. He believed it had something to do with the way humans loved but he also knew that it was also because that was just the way Jude had always been. A scheming, precautious, smart and passionate woman. And he loved her for it. But that didn't mean he sometimes wished she would open herself to him, just a little bit more. Just enough to hear his true words and feel no doubt about them.

"I didn't do anything." she said, and Cardan had already opened his mouth to deny it, the tips of his lips curved upward. Just like every time he knew he was right and his wife wasn't. But he was stopped by Jude who kept talking, obviously unfinished. "It was you who took my heart and taught me that love requires bravery and it is something far from being a weakness." He closed his mouth immediately, taken by surprise and she looked at him with so much love and awe that Cardan would have fallen to his knees if he wasn't lying on their giant bed "You were the one who taught me it is okay to want something that may hurt, to love, my cruel prince." A small and shy small appeared on her mouth and he couldn't help but return it. Still surprised but filled with eternal fondness "And I will be forever grateful for it."

Cardan thought, for a moment, that his ears had mercilessly betrayed him. Jude and him had shared deep and emotional conversations before. Their feelings towards each other, towards life, their life together. But this, such an intimate confession. Words and sentences he had secretly hoped to hear from his wife's lips, words he had foolishly convinced himself he would never hear from her. He knew her feelings for him were just as strong as his but, even though they had long ago removed each other's armor, a small part of Jude was still reluctant to speak about such yawning emotions. He knew her and did not expect her to say or do things he knew were not natural for her. But a part of his heart had always hoped she would, and tonight, one of his most secret and precious dreams, had become true.

Pure joy filled every part of his body, his chest. He felt a little overwhelmed by such powerful feelings. It was in moments like this when he remembered how profound, intense and extensive his affection for his Queen was. But he was not afraid, no. He had stopped being afraid of his yearning for Jude the moment he realized that he feared for her and not of her. When he would rather drown himself in the Undersea than her. The moment he accepted he would spend the rest of his immortal life longing for her alone in Elfhame and she in the mortal realm if that meant she was safe...The moment he realized he would become an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty killer if anyone dared to hurt the woman he loved.

His smile only grew wider and so did hers and he couldn't help himself, couldn't contain the emotion overtaking every part of his soul. He kissed her tenderly. He will forever be amused by how their lips seemed to fit perfectly with each other, just life every part of their bodies. His grip around her turned even more tight, urging to have her close to him, even if there was no more space between them.

Only when their need for oxygen became almost lethal did they separate their mouths, but they did not dare to break apart from their embrace. He joined their foreheads, both of them breathing fast, still gasping for air. A smile of delight, and something much more deeper than that, on their faces.

"My sweet nemesis, how glad I am of our initial bargain. And how glad I am you stood by my side" Cardan pressed a gentle kiss on her lips "And how glad I am that we have the rest of our lives to spend with each other".