In my short time in the Pavenia Empire, I have already learned so much from Bell. While I am older than her by three years, she has been ruling her empire for ten, already a decade. I can’t help but question what I was idling around doing while she toiled for her Empire. Suddenly, everything I did seems inconsequential. I knew that I was a bit pampered for a crown prince but I never really realized how much until I got here.

I study the man in front of me. Anthony Bastian “Tia” Lamone, the man Bell trusts with her life and the first Duke of Arnsay. The scars across his right eye and hands are only a few of those that show from the numerous wars he fought side by side with Bell. If I am to gain her favour, I have to gain his.

“Bell is warmer than I expected, I guess the rumor about her being a cruel tyrant is untrue,” I say, opening the conversation in hopes of learning more about her and the two of them.

“Please follow me your royal highness,” he says, guiding me towards a locked door at the end of the hallway. He unlocks the room and ushers me in.

The room was dark but there was a steady chill in the air that is reminiscent of a warning. I don’t see it until he opens the curtains. We were in what looks like a conference room and on the wall behind the seat of the empress are a number of taxidermies of human heads. I look around, only to see that a number of them are mounted on the walls too. I focus on my quickening breath.

“These people were once a part of the empire’s government. They were responsible for the two rebel attacks in the palace. No one questioned how the rebels were able to breach the palace’s security undetected until the empress questioned it. The empress beheaded all of them herself, she was only nineteen and had just come from battle,” he explains.

“What do you even use this room for and why did you find the need to show it to me?” I ask, still in shock.

“This is where meetings are held when the empress needs to remind the government of the consequences they face if they cross her and her people. The empress is a ‘cruel tyrant’ when she needs to be but pick any commoner on the streets of the Empire and they will endlessly sing her praises. It would be in your best interest to remember that, your royal highness,” he says, a veiled warning in his voice.

The journey to my quarters was spent in silence then I was left alone with my thoughts. I lay on the bed. I had heard stories of her tyranny and madness. I won’t deny that a part of what drew me to Olivia was her gentleness and warmth, traits I never thought I would find in Bell but if I learned anything in my short time in the palace, it is that she protects her own, whatever the cost and she doesn’t care how everyone else paints her.

Meeting her has ignited a fire within me. It is true that I have enjoyed the privileges bestowed upon me by birth. However, in all my years in the Ocelon kingdom I never had yearned to break out of my bubble. I was busy tuning everything out for as long as I could that I failed to realize how it would affect not only me but the future of the people in my Kingdom.

Our conversation made me comprehend the intricacies of our roles. From my lessons I learned that the power of the royal family came from nobles and at time I unquestioningly accepted it. I never really gave much thought about how these relationships alter the course of a nation.

The ease with which she manipulated the deal with me scared and thrilled me at the same time. She had shown me the might of the Pavenia Empire’s intelligence web and she seemed quite comfortable with the way she wielded the knowledge.

A whole day hasn’t even passed and she has already given me something to aspire to. Her words have given me a much needed awakening and it scares me. She is the standard I have set for myself and it looks daunting, I haven’t any idea where to start. I sigh.    

In my exchanges with the staff it was evident that they all respect and are in awe of her. Not one of them exhibited fear or unhappiness. Her knights, especially Tia seem to think of her as not only, their comrade-in-arms but also their friend. While everyone greeted me warmly, her knights seem to follow every move I make, as if they were assessing if I was good enough for their beloved empress.

I know I fall short of their expectations. I have heard the murmurs of the staff, they had expected Sir Anthony to rise as the empress’ emperor consort and I am not naïve enough to think that it had never crossed their minds. There is no doubt in my mind that a couple of people have seen the both of them grow and have watched their relationship flourish.

In their eyes, I am the villain that has come to rope their treasured empress into a political marriage. I extend my hand before me, looking at my calloused fingers that never saw and felt the horrors of battle. Compared to her, I am nothing but a sheltered prince whose every whim has been accommodated, ignorantly oblivious to the world outside the palace.

In the brief time that I held her hand, I could feel the hardened skin of her hand. A testament to how much time she spent training and slicing down foes to protect her empire. Her skin much like Sir Anthony’s held scars from battles I have only ever heard of.

Unlike her, Olivia doesn’t know what it’s like to have the fate of a whole nation on her shoulders and it attracted me to her. She was my escape from my inevitable fate. My parents weren’t happy with what I was doing, even though they knew that Bell had bedded many men they held her to a different standard than they did me.

They told me that it was her way of releasing stress from ruling alone at such a young age and that she would stop once we were wedded but now that I’ve met her, I know that she wasn’t doing it to release her stress. It was her way of grabbing the little freedom she had left and I was one of the physical representations of those limits.

 Once she weds me, I know she would stop seeing lovers at least until after we’d had at least three children but after, I do not know. Can I be like her? Be with someone I have no romantic feelings towards? If I think of it the way she does, we could be seen as companions – good friends sharing a bit of intimacy but never really devoted to each other – what a lonely way to live. My reverie was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Your royal highness, I have brought you garments to choose from for the upcoming celebration by request of her majesty,” Leo, the servant boy assigned to me says.

“Come in,” I answer.

When the door opens, he wheels in more than an armful of different garments.

“What kind of celebration will it be?” I ask him.

“Since her majesty ascended, the celebrations she has held were more of informal gatherings. Everyone could join and anyone could be what they wanted to. Food is also brought in by the townsfolk and is tested for poison before being approved for the feast,” he joyfully explains.

“and will you also be attending?” I ask, curious.

“Yes sire, I will be attending with my lady. It has been a while since her majesty has held a celebration and everyone is excited to join,” he answers, eyes twinkling.

After I dress, I leave the room and see an unfamiliar man outside my door. He introduces himself as my escort and guides me to the festivities. I was amazed by the sight before me.

The whole garden was lit up with lights and music filled the air. There was dancing of different kinds in different parts of the garden and everyone mingled with each other. After a while I realized that the music was also of varying genre, the food was laid to the sides and were of varying cuisines.

There were mats and pillows laid down in one part of the garden and there were cushions with curtains for more privacy. There were people singing along with the music and some guests were expressing affection right in the middle of dancing. A whole new world opened up to me and it was a sight to behold.

Moments later, Sir Anthony approaches me dressed in desert clothing which showed more of his scars. He looked like a warrior prince and I can’t help but wonder if Bell chose it for him or if he chose it for Bell.

“Your royal highness, her majesty requests your presence,” he says and I nod, following him to one of the curtained cushions.

There I see her lounging in an ethereal cream colored dress with a slit high enough to see the holster of what I assume is a dagger, a pure white corset was tightly laced over the dress accentuating all of her bodily features. Her fair skin glinted under the moonlight and tendrils of her golden hair framed her stormy gray eyes.  

“Like what you see?” she says, alerting me of how long I’ve stared at her.

“Y-yes, you’re enchanting Bell,” I answer and she laughs.

“I was asking about the celebration but thank you,” she says, mischief in her eyes. “Would you like to dance?” she asks, standing.

“It would be my pleasure,” I tell her.

We dance the night away, barely having time to talk with each other. We share drinks with strangers, an experience I never thought possible for royalty, and for the first time in a long while I felt liberated - not bogged down by my title or my duties. As the celebration piped down, she leads me to a rooftop in one of the spires and there she laid down a mat for us to lie on.

“I’ve always enjoyed looking up at the sky. It connects me to the universe,” she suddenly says.

“What about when the sun is high up in the sky?” I ask.

“That’s one of the best times to look up at the sky. The endless blue with white puffs of clouds slowly making their journey to god knows where or you could also lie under a tree and watch as the sun tries it best to peek through the leaves,” she answers.

“Have you ever climbed a tree in a dress before?” I ask, imaging Bell as a child struggling to climb the tallest tree in the garden.

“I have. My mother taught me,” she answers and I could hear the smile in her voice. “What about you? Any treasured memories with your parents?” she asks.

“My father and I used to grow vegetables in the greenhouse. He would teach me how to effectively fertilize plants and he would even give me tips on how to make flowers more fragrant,” I answer smiling.

“My mother would often scold my father for teaching me ‘lowly servant’s work’ as she called but she was the one who taught me how to shoot with an arrow, and the both of them taught me how to ride a horse,” I tell her, vaguely remembering the times I fell off a pony.

“We could ride and shoot together then. I have archery grounds on the other side of the palace and the stables are also close by,” she says.

“Do you miss her?” I ask and I feel her tense. From her story earlier I would have thought that they had a close relationship.

“I miss how she used to be. When my father died, she changed,” she says and I just nod, not knowing how to comfort someone who has experienced such a deep loss.

“It’s getting late. I’ll walk you to your quarters,” she says, standing up and walking away.

“I never took you for a corset type of woman,” I say, while we walk towards my quarters.

“I’m not,” she simply answers and I look at her confused.

“For me, it’s not the act of wearing a corset as much as it is the removing of it that gives me immense pleasure,” she whispers in my ear and I feel my face heat.

“Oh, and why is that?” I ask, genuinely curious. When I was with Olivia, she never told me anything about how removing a corset felt, it seemed inconsequential.

“Well, it’s the feeling of being slowly unlaced while I feel lips traveling down my neck and to my shoulders, the feel of my lungs slowly being given more room to breathe, it intensifies pleasure,” she answers candidly and I clear my throat.

We arrive in front of my room and just as she turns away to leave I find myself stopping her.

“Would you like to come in for a moment?” I find myself asking and she nods, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

She sits herself on one of the chairs and I slowly slip into more comfortable clothing. I feel her eyes on my skin, observing me.

“So Elio, why have you invited me in?” she asks, an eyebrow raised.

“I was curious about our discussion on pleasure and satisfaction,” I answer honestly.

“And what part are you curious about?” she asks, her eyes never once straying from mine.

“Well, I was curious as to how one maximizes pleasure for one’s partner,” I say, swallowing.

“My my, is the crown prince of the Ocelon Kingdom asking me for a lesson on pleasure and satisfaction?” she says teasingly, and I feel heat return to my face.

“N-no. Nothing as uncouth as that,” I stammer, thinking of any excuse I could give to explain my interest in the subject.

“Well that’s a shame, I would have taught you a few things,” she says and I can’t stop my eyes from snapping up to meet hers. “Are you still interested?” she asks and I nod silently.

She stalks toward me and bends to whisper in my ear.

“What you have to remember is that everyone has a different preference and knowing yours is a great place to start but most people like the chase. The lingering looks in public, the near touches, the sweet whispers of what is yet to come,” she whispers, her lips were so close to my neck that the hairs on my nape stood on its end.

I could see the rising and falling of her shoulders along with the sound of her breath and I could smell her intoxicating fragrance making me heady with desire. My heart beat quickens and I start to wonder if she can hear it.

“What you need to remember is that anticipation can make everything immensely better,” she continues, pulling back and lightly kissing my cheek. “Good night Elio, dream of me tonight,” she says then she walks out of the room, leaving me speechless and out of breath.