Only the year I've been here, really, but even then had only been home for five days, and we'd been married for months.

[Not that he minded, being out to sea as a newly-wed. He preferred it, actually, to being home.]

I would not normally wish this place on her, but not hearing from her, knowing nothing about how she fares. I know others assure me that no time passes while I am gone, but that does little to ease my worries.