“I fear I must break our pact, my Ha-Lah, even though we have not had it for long,” he said in a voice as gentle as his face. “Thus, I must ask, how much is your ‘not much?’”

“Very much not much, my husband,” I whispered.

And at that, his face grew downright tender.

“Come here, my queen.”

On slow feet, I walked to him.

When I came near, with careful arms, like he was gathering a wounded kitten close, he pulled me to him and held me there.

“I very much wish to end what has felt like years of wanting you and not having you, and do it swiftly,” he said softly. “But instead, first, and I will warn you, it might take all night, I will endeavor to enumerate the many, many ways you please me, my queen.”

“Aramus,” I breathed, his words causing me to melt into his big, strong, solid, warm frame.

And thus, he began.

“Your beauty. I could gaze on you for hours, days, years, millennia, until this planet falls from the sky, and I would not tire of it.”

By Medusa.

“Husband.”

“Your wit. The way you tease me. It makes me smile and entices me, all at once.”

I slid my arms around his waist and whispered, “Darling.”

“You have the voice of a siren.”

He thought that?

“I could lose my sight, and just be able to listen to you and be a very happy man.”

He thought that.

But he was wrong.

This would not take all night.

For already, I could not take more.

“Please, you must—” I tried.

“Your power,” he continued “Knowing you, I should have known it would be naught but the magnificence it is. And it is, my queen. It’s magnificent.”

I felt tears welling in my eyes. “My king, you really must—”

“And you found it in your heart to forgive me. I spoke cruel words, lashing out in a way that was worse than feeling the tip of a whip. Unforgiveable. But you did not make me go to the ends of the earth to prove my remorse. You did not make me shower you with jewels and gold. You did not force me to my knees and make me beg and kiss your feet. You took yourself away, as I deserved, and gave yourself back, because your heart is just that kind.”

Now I’d definitely could take no more.

“Please be quiet, my husband, and—”

“I will hunt no more whale, for they are your friends and you please me so much, my queen, I would never harm a creature who is friend to you.”

I stood frozen in his arms, staring up at his beautiful face.

He took one hand from about me in order to cup my jaw and he dipped his head close to mine.

“Would you like more?” he queried.

I could not imagine he had more.

I did not mention that.