“Your Majesty, you were in the company of my daughter… perhaps Rihannan has caused you some distress,” the lady, Countess Alessin, hastily greeted Igor. The girl, overcome with embarrassment as she realized his true identity, hid behind her mother.
“It has been quite some time, Countess Alessin,” Igor replied.
“Igor, Rihannan, I had plans for the two of you to meet someday, but this will do. What were you two up to?”
“It’s nothing, just a conversation with this child,” Igor replied. “I was simply free and bored. I found myself unknowingly rolling on the floor by myself. It’s of no consequence. Please, don’t worry about it, Mother.”
Igor felt a pang of shame upon hearing his mother’s pleased voice. He realized he had been caught and ensnared in her wicked scheme. He had no desire to partake in her games, so he hastily retreated, hoping to never encounter the girl again.
However, his mother had other plans. She had marked the girl as her target, the next queen of Arundell, and summoned her to the royal palace from time to time. Each time Igor saw her, she remained the same pure and innocent girl he had met in the garden. Oblivious to the queen’s ulterior motives, she looked upon her with envy and respect. Every sighting of her stirred perverse thoughts in Igor’s mind. He yearned to reveal the truth to her, to expose the queen’s manipulations and urge her to flee as fast as she could.
But in the end, he remained silent. She was too young to comprehend, and he lacked the power to make a difference. Besides, he suspected she would not care much even if she knew she was a pawn in the queen’s hands. After all, power drives people to commit unspeakable acts.
As time passed, Igor matured into an adult. Before he knew it, his voice had deepened, and his physique had grown stronger. And one day, he encountered her again within the royal palace. She had blossomed into a woman, a goddess. Her body remained petite, yet it could no longer conceal the swell of her bosom and the graceful curve of her figure.
Above all, when he beheld her sweet and bashful smile, Igor found himself blushing uncontrollably, his heart pounding erratically. It was impossible to gaze upon her without feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions. He instinctively placed his hand over his heart, perplexed by this strange sensation coursing through him for the first time in his life.
That night, Igor experienced a dream. In that dream, he lay in bed with the woman who possessed long, silver tresses. They made passionate love, leaving not a single inch of her porcelain skin untouched. He explored every part of her, delving even into the depths of her soul. And when they reached the pinnacle of pleasure, he buried himself within her most intimate recesses, surrendering themselves to the purest form of ecstasy.
Then, he awoke. His lower regions were damp, and he realized the act he had just committed.
Igor laughed bitterly. To his profound disappointment, he found himself genuinely attracted to her.
And then, Igor pondered that perhaps it was acceptable to marry her, just as his mother wished, despite it being a coerced union. He did not despise her, nor did he hold any animosity towards her. In fact, he found solace in her innocence. She was not the kind of person to feign innocence merely to stab him in the back. Igor came to the realization that he might be able to coexist with her, even if his mother desired a child from their union for the sake of her schemes.
Perhaps, this arrangement was acceptable.
Perhaps…
From that point onward, Igor did everything within his power. Since he could not halt his mother’s plan, he postponed the wedding as much as he could until he had gained some influence. If he had not resisted the political marriage so vehemently, she would have arrived at the palace much earlier.
Time flew by swiftly.
Within a month, Igor’s marriage to her was scheduled to take place. She began residing in the palace, familiarizing herself with social and royal etiquette. From the seclusion of his hiding spot, Igor occasionally observed her. He understood the difficulty she faced, trying to adjust to a foreign place all alone. His mother had demanded that she perform her duties flawlessly, and whenever she made the slightest mistake, she would bow her head in shame, growing increasingly intimidated and withdrawn.
Originally, her mother should have been the one to guide and console her, but that was an impossibility. Her mother had passed away far too early. Furthermore, his mother had dispatched a maid of honor to ensure she conducted herself appropriately. This maid reported every error to his mother.
As for Igor, he could not display any significant affection towards her. Doing so would reveal his vulnerability to his mother. Besides, he had always struggled to express his emotions.
The perceptive queen quickly discerned Igor’s fondness for her. Thus, prior to their wedding day, she led Igor to a secluded room and voiced her thoughts.
“Aren’t you glad to marry Rihannan? I know you have affection for her. I am striving so diligently for your sake. Do not be like this, Igor.”
Igor furrowed his brow and scoffed. He wished his mother would unveil her true intentions. Perhaps he would not despise her to such an extent. He loathed it, loathed the false image she projected—a mother who rejected evil and relinquished her throne for her son’s sake. This was the persona she portrayed. Yet, it was all a facade. It was her ambition. The world was her stage, and she, the leading actress.
Igor and the woman he was bound to wed were naught but prey within the palms of her hands.
“What do you mean? Rihannan is a good girl. She is the perfect match for you, Igor. I cannot fathom why you persist in distorting my words,” his mother replied.
“That is precisely what I anticipated my mother would say,” Igor sneered, clicking his tongue as he swiveled on his heel and walked towards the door. And then, he caught sight of her… Rihannan stood by the entrance, her face drained of color. He surmised that she had overheard their conversation, and he felt a pang of shame. However, he quickly reconsidered. This was something she would have discovered soon enough. Now that she resided here, she needed to comprehend that this world was no fairy tale with a happy ending.
“This is something you ought to know, regardless. It is for the best. Now, there is nothing left to conceal. You will soon have to choose. Will you give yourself entirely to me, or will you remain as queen by her side?”
Her countenance turned ashen and pallid. He had pushed her too far before the wedding… This revelation had been too abrupt for her, he knew, but it was better this way. With time, she would understand why he had spoken those words and why she should never place her trust in the queen.
***
The wedding ceremony concluded, and night descended. The newlyweds, now king and queen, were expected to consummate their marriage. Igor found this custom distasteful. Such archaic and traditional practices had long vanished from the realm of Arundell. Their neighboring kingdom, Crichton, had forsaken these customs. In Arundell, however, the nobility intruded upon the consummation of the royals’ union.
Igor gritted his teeth. “When I possess the strength, I shall abolish this antiquated custom.”
He seethed at his helplessness. Knowing his mother’s true nature, he regarded those nobles as nothing more than beasts, deriving pleasure from witnessing intimate acts of love and passion. He intended to expedite their first night of marital union and dismiss the prying eyes. Yet, this did not signify that he lacked his own sensual desires. He understood that a woman’s first time could be painful, and Basil, in particular, advised him to approach their initial encounter with utmost care.
And he would do just that.
However, whenever he closed his eyes in the darkness, he dreamed of her. Lost in his own desires, his suppressed yearning gradually simmered as he shed his garments. He gazed at her, caressing her velvety skin tenderly and cupping her cheek. She was breathtakingly beautiful, softer than he had imagined. The sensation of her smooth skin against his fingertips enchanted him. He knew he would become a prisoner to her allure. She took his breath away. Her undressed form possessed an alluring charm. He leaned in, pressing his lips fervently against her supple skin. Her scent was sweet, not artificial perfume, but her natural aroma.
“Is this how women smell?”
His mind grew hazy, his body aflame with heat.
The moment he kissed her ample bosom, he succumbed to the intoxicating pleasure of desire.
“Your Majesty, you were in the company of my daughter… perhaps Rihannan has caused you some distress,” the lady, Countess Alessin, hastily greeted Igor. The girl, overcome with embarrassment as she realized his true identity, hid behind her mother.
“It has been quite some time, Countess Alessin,” Igor replied.
“Igor, Rihannan, I had plans for the two of you to meet someday, but this will do. What were you two up to?”
“It’s nothing, just a conversation with this child,” Igor replied. “I was simply free and bored. I found myself unknowingly rolling on the floor by myself. It’s of no consequence. Please, don’t worry about it, Mother.”
Igor felt a pang of shame upon hearing his mother’s pleased voice. He realized he had been caught and ensnared in her wicked scheme. He had no desire to partake in her games, so he hastily retreated, hoping to never encounter the girl again.
However, his mother had other plans. She had marked the girl as her target, the next queen of Arundell, and summoned her to the royal palace from time to time. Each time Igor saw her, she remained the same pure and innocent girl he had met in the garden. Oblivious to the queen’s ulterior motives, she looked upon her with envy and respect. Every sighting of her stirred perverse thoughts in Igor’s mind. He yearned to reveal the truth to her, to expose the queen’s manipulations and urge her to flee as fast as she could.
But in the end, he remained silent. She was too young to comprehend, and he lacked the power to make a difference. Besides, he suspected she would not care much even if she knew she was a pawn in the queen’s hands. After all, power drives people to commit unspeakable acts.
As time passed, Igor matured into an adult. Before he knew it, his voice had deepened, and his physique had grown stronger. And one day, he encountered her again within the royal palace. She had blossomed into a woman, a goddess. Her body remained petite, yet it could no longer conceal the swell of her bosom and the graceful curve of her figure.
Above all, when he beheld her sweet and bashful smile, Igor found himself blushing uncontrollably, his heart pounding erratically. It was impossible to gaze upon her without feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions. He instinctively placed his hand over his heart, perplexed by this strange sensation coursing through him for the first time in his life.
That night, Igor experienced a dream. In that dream, he lay in bed with the woman who possessed long, silver tresses. They made passionate love, leaving not a single inch of her porcelain skin untouched. He explored every part of her, delving even into the depths of her soul. And when they reached the pinnacle of pleasure, he buried himself within her most intimate recesses, surrendering themselves to the purest form of ecstasy.
Then, he awoke. His lower regions were damp, and he realized the act he had just committed.
Igor laughed bitterly. To his profound disappointment, he found himself genuinely attracted to her.
And then, Igor pondered that perhaps it was acceptable to marry her, just as his mother wished, despite it being a coerced union. He did not despise her, nor did he hold any animosity towards her. In fact, he found solace in her innocence. She was not the kind of person to feign innocence merely to stab him in the back. Igor came to the realization that he might be able to coexist with her, even if his mother desired a child from their union for the sake of her schemes.
Perhaps, this arrangement was acceptable.
Perhaps…
From that point onward, Igor did everything within his power. Since he could not halt his mother’s plan, he postponed the wedding as much as he could until he had gained some influence. If he had not resisted the political marriage so vehemently, she would have arrived at the palace much earlier.
Time flew by swiftly.
Within a month, Igor’s marriage to her was scheduled to take place. She began residing in the palace, familiarizing herself with social and royal etiquette. From the seclusion of his hiding spot, Igor occasionally observed her. He understood the difficulty she faced, trying to adjust to a foreign place all alone. His mother had demanded that she perform her duties flawlessly, and whenever she made the slightest mistake, she would bow her head in shame, growing increasingly intimidated and withdrawn.
Originally, her mother should have been the one to guide and console her, but that was an impossibility. Her mother had passed away far too early. Furthermore, his mother had dispatched a maid of honor to ensure she conducted herself appropriately. This maid reported every error to his mother.
As for Igor, he could not display any significant affection towards her. Doing so would reveal his vulnerability to his mother. Besides, he had always struggled to express his emotions.
The perceptive queen quickly discerned Igor’s fondness for her. Thus, prior to their wedding day, she led Igor to a secluded room and voiced her thoughts.
“Aren’t you glad to marry Rihannan? I know you have affection for her. I am striving so diligently for your sake. Do not be like this, Igor.”
Igor furrowed his brow and scoffed. He wished his mother would unveil her true intentions. Perhaps he would not despise her to such an extent. He loathed it, loathed the false image she projected—a mother who rejected evil and relinquished her throne for her son’s sake. This was the persona she portrayed. Yet, it was all a facade. It was her ambition. The world was her stage, and she, the leading actress.
Igor and the woman he was bound to wed were naught but prey within the palms of her hands.
“What do you mean? Rihannan is a good girl. She is the perfect match for you, Igor. I cannot fathom why you persist in distorting my words,” his mother replied.
“That is precisely what I anticipated my mother would say,” Igor sneered, clicking his tongue as he swiveled on his heel and walked towards the door. And then, he caught sight of her… Rihannan stood by the entrance, her face drained of color. He surmised that she had overheard their conversation, and he felt a pang of shame. However, he quickly reconsidered. This was something she would have discovered soon enough. Now that she resided here, she needed to comprehend that this world was no fairy tale with a happy ending.
“This is something you ought to know, regardless. It is for the best. Now, there is nothing left to conceal. You will soon have to choose. Will you give yourself entirely to me, or will you remain as queen by her side?”
Her countenance turned ashen and pallid. He had pushed her too far before the wedding… This revelation had been too abrupt for her, he knew, but it was better this way. With time, she would understand why he had spoken those words and why she should never place her trust in the queen.
***
The wedding ceremony concluded, and night descended. The newlyweds, now king and queen, were expected to consummate their marriage. Igor found this custom distasteful. Such archaic and traditional practices had long vanished from the realm of Arundell. Their neighboring kingdom, Crichton, had forsaken these customs. In Arundell, however, the nobility intruded upon the consummation of the royals’ union.
Igor gritted his teeth. “When I possess the strength, I shall abolish this antiquated custom.”
He seethed at his helplessness. Knowing his mother’s true nature, he regarded those nobles as nothing more than beasts, deriving pleasure from witnessing intimate acts of love and passion. He intended to expedite their first night of marital union and dismiss the prying eyes. Yet, this did not signify that he lacked his own sensual desires. He understood that a woman’s first time could be painful, and Basil, in particular, advised him to approach their initial encounter with utmost care.
And he would do just that.
However, whenever he closed his eyes in the darkness, he dreamed of her. Lost in his own desires, his suppressed yearning gradually simmered as he shed his garments. He gazed at her, caressing her velvety skin tenderly and cupping her cheek. She was breathtakingly beautiful, softer than he had imagined. The sensation of her smooth skin against his fingertips enchanted him. He knew he would become a prisoner to her allure. She took his breath away. Her undressed form possessed an alluring charm. He leaned in, pressing his lips fervently against her supple skin. Her scent was sweet, not artificial perfume, but her natural aroma.
“Is this how women smell?”
His mind grew hazy, his body aflame with heat.
The moment he kissed her ample bosom, he succumbed to the intoxicating pleasure of desire.
