Aria fell into a deep slumber, exhausted by the whole day. She had a dreamless night, a peaceful one, surrounded by the right warmth and soft scents of verbena. Several pots of that plant had been put in their room to help her sleep better.

Darren, too, made sure to position his arms in the most comfortable position for her before getting to sleep himself. He was even more cautious than usual, as his Concubine recently struggled to get a good night's sleep, and often woke up to ...