With her eyes wide awake, Lady Emilia battled to gather her thoughts and her chest heaving from the horror. She snapped out of her slumber and saw Duke Matheo staring back at her with a worried expression.
His voice was quiet with concern as he inquired, "Are you alright, my dear?"
Even with her heart still pounding from the nightmare, Lady Emilia contrived a comforting smile. "It was just a bad dream, nothing serious," she whispered as she straightened up and ran her hand through her unkempt hair.
With a gentle and soothing hand, Duke Matheo reached out to gently brush a wayward lock of hair off her forehead. "You seemed so troubled," he continued, looking for any evidence of persistent sadness in her eyes.
"It was nothing," Lady Emilia argued, but she was unable to get rid of the dread that was still hanging over her like a shadow. "Just a trick of the mind."
Duke Matheo's brows furrowed in anxiety at her statements, which only seemed to confirm her worries. He stated, "If you ever need to talk about it, I'm here for you," in a kind and sincere voice.
Lady Emilia smiled at him, appreciative of his constant assistance. She murmured, "Thank you, Matheo," her heart exploding with appreciation for the man who had stood by her side during her worst nightmares.
Lady Emilia felt a ray of hope flicker as Duke Matheo hovered by her side, his presence a ray of light among the shadows. With his love to lead her, maybe she would have the courage to confront her nightmares and defeat the monsters that threatened to devour her soul.
After giving her some comfort, Duke Matheo was about to head back to his room to get some rest, but Lady Emilia grabbed his hand and requested him to stay by her side until she fell back asleep.
Duke Matheo stopped for a while, feeling the weight of Lady Emilia's hand in his and conflicted about wanting to console her and take some time to himself. He knew he couldn't leave her alone, though, as he stared into her eyes, which were full of a vulnerability he had never seen before.
He reaffirmed, "Of course, my dear," as he gave her a little squeeze on the hand. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."
Graciously, Lady Emilia moved in the bed so that Duke Matheo could take a seat next to her. She nestled into his warmth as he took a seat next to her, comforted by the steady cadence of his breathing.
They sat in pleasant stillness for a while, with the only sound being the gentle rustle of cloth as they moved around on the pillows. And slowly, as the minutes turned into hours, Lady Emilia became aware of the residual effects of sleep pulling at her awareness.
Duke Matheo stared over her with unshakable devotion as her breathing slowed and her eyelids got heavy. He was filled with a fierce protectiveness for the lady he loved. And when at last she gave in to the embrace of sleep, he kissed her gently on the forehead and silently vowed to be there for her always, protecting her from danger and driving away her nightmares.
Duke whispered something that only he could hear, "How can I resist you, Mich"
The Next Morning
With a slow, gentle wakefulness brought on by the soft light coming through the curtains, Lady Emilia felt the warmth of Duke Matheo's grip around her. She opened her eyes and saw herself curled up against him, their bodies in a loving embrace as she blinked away the last of her sleep.
Lady Emilia smiled softly, watching Duke Matheo drift off to sleep, his features softened by the warm light of dawn. Grateful for the love and comfort he brought into her life, she couldn't help but be amazed at the intensity of her feelings for him.
Lady Emilia's heart filled with delight as Duke Matheo started to wake up, realizing that they had many more mornings like this one ahead of them. She whispered, "Good morning, my love," her voice full of love and warmth as she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. And Lady Emilia couldn't help but feel incredibly grateful for the lovely voyage they were starting together as they welcomed the new day.