I fixed the Queen with a stare. “Was this some sort of test?”

  “Partly.” Laira said, her voice calm but her fingers tightening around her sleeve. “I only knew the copper was missing, not who stole it, and needed proof to confirm my suspicion.”

  She dipped her head. “I thank you for providing it.”

  “And that maid?”

  “I sent her,” she bowed low. “I apologize for that, but I needed to know whether you were easily moved by such tactics.”

  I didn’t soften my glare. “You have your proof and the results of your test. Is my work done here?”

  “Yes, thank you,” she said softly. “That was an ingenious accounting method you used. Could you teach it to some of my scribes?”

  “I’m not feeling very generous at the moment. I would be willing to help out ‘my’ people. Others would need to pay for it.”

  “I understand,” she said meekly, as I left the chamber.

  ---

  While the sun approached the horizon, my soldiers’ suite was full of laughter. The game of dice was a nice distraction from all the cloak-and-dagger shenanigans of the castle.

  A loud knock at the door cut through the merriment, drawing a dozen eyes to it. One of my men peeked his head inside.

  “A page for you, Sire.”

  I reluctantly left the game and went outside.

  The barely adult boy spoke in a hushed tone. “Lady Reshma requests the honor of your company for dinner, Your Excellency.”

  I was not in the most receptive mood, but refusing the invitation would be childish. Laira hardly knew me, so it made sense she would test me before making the life-changing decision of marrying me. If she was trying to apologize through Reshma, I would be an idiot to decline.

  I nodded in response. “Tell her I will be there shortly.”

  He ran off, while I went to prepare myself.

  A few minutes later, I entered a candle lit room, where Reshma already sat at a table.

  The filigree of her violet dress twinkled like stars under the golden light of candles and the evening sun. The last time we met, she was staring daggers at me after my reveal of the document incriminating Ox. This time, she had a genuine smile on her face.

  “Your Excellency,” she said, rising. “Thank you for accepting my invitation.”

  “One does not lightly refuse the invitation of a lady.”

  She smiled mischievously as I sat down opposite her.

  “Your demonstration made quite an impression on Her Majesty. May I ask why you didn’t use that wondrous weapon when we were ambushed?”

  “It was kept dismantled so our enemies couldn’t replicate it. It would have taken some time to assemble; time that we didn’t have.”

  She smirked in response. “I hear Her Majesty has accepted your marriage proposal.”

  “So it seems. Doesn’t mean much without an official announcement, though.”

  Two servants brought out the dishes. Pies, roasted lamb and wine that smelled of fruit.

  “It’s a fruit pie. No fish this time,” Reshma teased.

  I smiled in return, and dug into the food.

  As the dinner went on, I sensed something in the air. She was not only back to her mischievous self, but a bit embarrassed, self conscious?

  Once we were done with the dinner, she fluttered her long eyelashes at me.

  “Her Highness has left a gift for you as apology for what happened today.”

  She didn’t let me protest, as she rose and dragged me by the hand to another room.

  Thin blades of the evening gold cut through the dimness of the room, making it glow. At its center lay a large plush bed.

  She slowly turned her head to look back at me. I was transfixed by her eyes, glowing with hunger.

  She began to disrobe, putting on a show for me.

  Her dress slid from one shoulder with a sigh, then another, then pooled silently at her feet.

  Her skin, revealed inch by inch, shone in the light, as her pert breasts freed themselves.

  It would definitely be fun to run my hands on her lithe body, to grope her and ride her into the bed. Less than two weeks of celibacy and I was going nuts. Aprilia had spoiled me.

  The primal part of my mind urged me to quickly follow her, but I gathered my willpower and with great reluctance, put on the brakes.

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  “Who put you up to this?” I asked sternly.

  She froze, lustrous black hair spilling down her back.

  “I'm not proceeding any further without more information.”

  She slowly walked toward me, barefoot and empty handed.

  “I'm very close to the Queen,” she whispered in my ear. “She asked me to assess you.”

  “Why?” I shook my head. “No, not important. Words without proof mean nothing.”

  She groaned in frustration.

  “Why can't you just enjoy a good thing when offered?” she said, pouting.

  “How do I know this isn't just another of her loyalty tests?”

  She huffed. “It’s not a test of loyalty.”

  She turned toward the latticed panel carved into one of the walls and called out. “Liru, he needs confirmation you're all right with this.”

  Looking close, I caught a glimpse of an alarmed hazel eye and a shock of deep crimson hair in the dark behind the lattice. I only knew of one person who had hair that vivid.

  “That's her, isn't it?” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.

  “Do you really want me to proceed with this, Laira?” I said out loud.

  “Yes!” came a high pitched reply. Apparently the Queen was also a cuckquean.

  “Wow. That’s quite an apology,” I said, as I began to disrobe. I did need a stress relief.

  Reshma and I kept looking at each other as we got naked. She stood still as I approached her, grabbed her by the waist and pressed her lithe body into mine.

  She was almost as tall as me, only a few inches shorter, but so very thin.

  “Do you really want this?”

  “Yes,” she said, barely above a whisper.

  Explicit. Some plot relevant stuff:

  I gave her a peck, as my hands slid down her slim back, onto the firm swell of her compact butt. I squeezed it and pulled it close, grinding our loins together. She gasped as my hardness pressed against her taut belly.

  “The Queen wants a show. Let's give her one, shall we?” I said, and attacked her lips.

  She eagerly received me, and for a time, our world shrank to our lips and tongues; sucking, biting and pulling breaths from each other.

  “I haven't been with anyone for days, so the first time might be short.” I warned her between breaths.

  She smirked, gracefully lowered herself to her knees, looked up at me with doe eyes and kissed my other head, making me shudder.

  She began licking my length as if it was ice cream, in slow sweeps and teasing spirals. I was surprised how long her tongue was and how skillful she was with it, like a calligrapher writing on skin.

  She took me fully into her mouth, and began moving with a confident rhythm. Her eyes begged me for release as she bobbed up and down my length. Pushed to the edge by her technique and the dry spell, I couldn't wait any longer.

  I grasped her by the hair, pushed myself deeper into her throat and shuddered with release after a few thrusts.

  She swallowed smoothly and slooowly let me out of her mouth, lips glistening.

  “Not bad,” she said, voice cool, but her eyes sparkled.

  I took that cocksure attitude as a challenge, picked her up as if she weighed nothing and plopped her on the bed. My mouth made its way from her ankles to her inner thighs, planting kisses along the way and shook like a dog with the meat of her thigh in my mouth, eliciting a laugh.

  I kissed her lower lips, swirling my tongue around, until her pearl came out of hiding. I let my tongue play with it as I squeezed her nipples. She began whimpering and gasping, hands dug into my hair, as I gently put two fingers inside. I sucked on her breasts as my fingers explored her insides. Soon they found a region which was extra sensitive and made the magic motions that made her whole body twitch with every curl.

  Some more effort and she was arching her back, climaxing with a shiver that rolled over her like a wave.

  By the time her paroxysm ended, I was ready to go again.

  I kissed her, turned her around on all fours and entered her from behind. I thrust slowly at first, savoring the way she adjusted around me, then harder as she pushed back, matching me.

  The room was filled with the noise of flesh slapping against flesh as I pounded her, the voyeur watching us forgotten.

  I pulled her upright and pressed her into myself by cupping her handful breasts. Her squeals egged me on, making me pump furiously into her.

  “Stop!” she said out of the blue.

  I reluctantly put on the brakes.

  “Would you leave if I asked?” she whispered.

  “I’m not a rapist, so yes, but do I have to?” I almost begged.

  My dick twitched inside her, similarly begging for more.

  She turned around and kissed me. A smile played on her face as she pushed me down on my back, got on top and guided me back into her. I put my hands on her waist, and watched the hypnotic, rhythmic movements of her body as she rode me.

  Soon, she was a mess of strangled sobs and kissing me, as she came for the second time. Egged on by her sensual noises of pleasure, I almost came inside her, but managed to pull myself out just in time.

  “It’s not my time of the month,” she crooned against my cheek. “It would have been fine.”

  “Still better to not risk it.”

  She smiled at that and settled on top of me; warm and relaxed, breath evening out.

  My mind clear and free of all the stress from the last few days, her words came back to me. “You said, ‘It’s not a test of loyalty.’ What was this a test of?”

  “Civility. Laira is scared of pregnancy. She didn’t want to be with someone who would force it upon her.”

  “Right,” I said with a bit of heat in my voice. I understood her reasoning. Still, every test stung a little.

  “Don’t pout. You get quite a reward in exchange.”

  My smile didn’t reach my eyes. Nobody wants to feel like a dog being thrown a bone.

  “I didn’t mean this one time. I meant… me.”

  I looked at her in confusion.

  “You see, Laira and I are lovers. We don’t plan on separating, ever, but we were worried what would happen when she marries. You wouldn’t part us, would you, Jack?”

  I thought about it. “Not unless it comes between our marriage.”

  “Excellent. Well,” her skin darkened. “I- I also like you, and I want to be with you. Will you have me, Jack?” She looked at me nervously.

  “We won’t be married.”

  “I don’t care,” she whispered. “Just being with you two is enough.”

  I studied her face, her sincerity, and the hopeful tension.

  “Fine. I’ll have you, but, is Laira really fine with this?”

  A wide grin spread on her face. “More than fine.”

  My face broke into a similar expression. “She really is into this?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m a lucky, lucky man.”

  “Very,” she said, giggling.

  Behind the lattice, unseen but no longer silent, the Queen shifted. Her breath catching faintly, a quiet confession of her own satisfaction.

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