Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

After a busy day, and with the weather warming up, a bath was a necessity.

Rafael lifted Carissa effortlessly, his lips brushing her ear as he spoke in a husky, magnetic voice, "Perfect timing. Let's bathe together." Carissa wrapped her arms around his neck, her curiosity piqued. "We've been intimate every night, yet we haven't conceived. Why is that?" "Are you eager to be pregnant soon?" Rafael carried her into the bathing chamber, and started to help her out of her dress.

"Not really. I'm just curious. I remember my mother saying that she found out she was pregnant just over a month after marrying my father."

"I don't think we need to rush into having children," Rafael said, carefully peeling off her clothes until her fair shoulders were exposed. "I had Sebastian prescribe me some medicine. Let's wait until your health fully recovers first-you were injured on the battlefield, after all."

Her eyes widened. "You took contraceptive medicine? I've heard it can be quite harmful."

Rafael chuckled. "If women can take it, why can't men? Your health was already fragile. I couldn't have you taking contraceptive medicine just to prevent pregnancy. Sebastian told me that it's hard enough for women to build their strength back up. If you took it, it would undo all that progress and make things worse."

Carissa was touched. She had never heard of a man willing to take such medicine himself.

For the primary wife of a man, it wasn't even an option. If word got out that a primary wife was using contraceptive medicine, people would think she wasn't virtuous. They would think that her husband must despise her and leave her with no choice.

A proper wife was expected to bear children.

People used to say how lucky Melanie was-not only to have so many children, but for all of them to survive infancy.

the thought, pushing it from her mind. She didn't want

thing led to another as they indulged in their love for each

and his family be returning to the capital soon?" Carissa asked,

a satisfied, warm smile. "They'll return soon. Even if we do nothing, they'll find an excuse to come back to the capital for a while. If

Carissa nodded in agreement.

was a significant step for them,

Rafael found the whole thing disgusting. Among the many things he detested in the capital, the Warren family was

try to approach him? It was a reckless

fell asleep in his arms, her thoughts lingering on the fact that Margaret would be visiting

for quite a while tonight, lamenting how that girl from the Warren family had been so

urging her

grand appearance today and receiving envious glances from many, Helen was too happy to fall

Carissa, being a woman who was once divorced,

Carissa was pure. Even if she wasn't, as long as