The grand feast celebrating their union had been nothing short of spectacular. Laughter and music filled the air, as nobles and dignitaries feasted, toasted, and danced in celebration of the marriage between Queen Elowen and Prince Consort Mikhailis. But for Mikhailis, the real celebration was only just beginning.

As the night wore on, Mikhailis found himself catching Elowen's eye across the room.

Of course, it's not surprising for him to do so.

There was a sparkle in her golden gaze that sent a thrill down his spine. She had been the picture of regal poise throughout the evening, but now, as the night deepened, he sensed something shifting between them. The gap that made his heart flutters.

A tension, a promise, lingered in the air.

The sounds of the revelry began to fade as Mikhailis and Elowen slipped away from the Great Hall, leaving behind the cheers and congratulations.

The flickering light of torches illuminated the path as they walked through the long, winding corridors of the castle. The weight of the day, of the ceremony, began to lift, replaced by a quieter, more intimate anticipation.

This is it right? This is it right!? We're going to the 'intimate' and 'lovely' chapter, the ascension to adulthood, isn't it right!?

Mikhailis stole a glance at Elowen. She was as composed as ever, but there was something softer about her now, something more personal.

Her demeanor has completely transformed from one that was so regal and majestic that made people wonder how could she has such a manly majesty, to someone soft with a hint of vulnerability. 

Her dark skin seemed to glow in the warm torchlight, her silver-white hair flowing down her back like a waterfall of moonlight. The regal robes she wore earlier had been replaced with something simpler but no less elegant—her beauty was effortless.

Compared to her, perhaps I would be similar to a hairless monkey. That's just how beautiful she is.

Elowen caught him looking and raised an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Something on your mind, Prince Consort?" she teased, her voice as smooth as silk.

Mikhailis chuckled as he the back of his neck.

"I was just admiring my Queen," he replied.

Nice one, my tongue! I guess I do have a knack for wooing women, after all.

"But well,"

"I still can't quite believe this is real."

She gave a soft laugh, a beautiful voice of laughter that made his heart skip a beat.

"You've been saying that all day. I'm starting to wonder if you think you're still dreaming."

"Who knows? Maybe I'll wake up any moment now and find myself back in Ruslania, tinkering in my lab."

Elowen stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, her beautiful golden eyes locking onto his, as if trying to absorb him.

"If this is a dream, Mikhailis, then I hope you never wake up."

What...

For a moment, neither of them moved, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Then, with a soft smile, Elowen took his hand and led him through the final corridor. The massive wooden doors of the royal chambers loomed before them. Two guards stood on either side, bowing low as they approached.

Seriously... If you said that much, I wouldn't be able to hold myself back well, you know...?

Mikhailis felt his pulse quicken as soon as they stepped inside.

The royal chamber, the one that has been filled with his items, finally appeared on his sight.

It was spacious, yet warm and intimate, with the same wooden architecture as the rest of Silvarion Thalor, but here the veins of glowing metal pulsed with a faint, soothing light. A large, canopied bed sat in the center of the room, draped in silks and soft fabrics. The open windows let in the cool night breeze, and from beyond, the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind created a peaceful ambiance.

Elowen closed the door softly behind them, and for the first time since the ceremony, they were truly alone.

Mikhailis felt the weight of the moment settle over him, but rather than feeling nervous, he felt a strange sense of calm. The day had been overwhelming, filled with ceremony and formality, but now it was just the two of them, and that was something he had been looking forward to all day.

Elowen moved across the room with the same grace she always carried, but this time, there was something different in her movements—an anticipation, a vulnerability that Mikhailis hadn't seen before.

Mikhailis thought that they would be able to have an idle talk before the 'act', but it seems that she didn't even realize his items that are now all over the place.

She then turned to him as her golden eyes softening.

"Mikhailis," she suddenly called him.

"Hm?"

What is this? She won't suddenly say that she has important matters to handle and that we can't have our first night, isn't she?

"I know this... union is more than just a political move. I want it to be more than that. I hope you do too,"

Seriously, this girl.

She really knows how to drives me mad, isn't she?

Mikhailis crossed the room in a few quick strides, taking her hands in his with a movement that so graceful yet manly that not only Elowen, but it surprised himself as well.

"Elowen,"

"I didn't come here just to play politics. I'm here because I believe in what we can build together. I'm here for you. You, are the one who called me,"

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she leaned in closer.

W-w-w-whoa there. Calm down girl, no, calm down me.

"Good. Because that's what I want too."

For a moment, they simply stood there, holding each other's gaze, the gravity of the day washing away in the quiet intimacy of the night.

Mikhailis could feel the energy between them, a subtle pulse that had been growing stronger ever since the ceremony. The bond they had forged in front of the kingdom was now a tangible presence between them.

Elowen then became the first one who broke the silence with a soft laugh, stepping back slightly.

"You've been staring at me all night," she teased.

"Are you planning to just keep doing that?"

Mikhailis grinned.

Finally. A green flag.

"Maybe. But I had something else in mind."

With a swift movement, he pulled her closer, his hands resting gently on her waist. Elowen let out a small gasp of surprise but didn't resist.

Instead, she tilted her head up, meeting his gaze with those piercing golden eyes.

What a beautiful pair of eyes...

For a moment, the world seemed to slow down.

Mikhailis could feel the warmth of her body against his, the faint hum of magic that seemed to surround them both. The air was charged with anticipation, but there was no rush—just the quiet, steady rhythm of their breathing and the undeniable connection between them.

Then, slowly, deliberately, Mikhailis lowered his lips to hers.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if testing the waters.

But the touch felt like an eternity.

Then it didn't take long for the tension between them to build, and soon the kiss deepened, growing more passionate. Mikhailis's hands slid up her back, pulling her closer, while Elowen's fingers found their way into his hair, tangling in the messy strands.

The energy between them flared, and Mikhailis could feel the magic in the air responding to their emotions. It was as if the room itself was alive, the gentle pulse of the kingdom's magic matching the rhythm of their movements.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting together as they caught their breath. Elowen's cheeks were flushed, and her golden eyes were brighter than ever.

"I suppose you've had that planned all day, haven't you?" she whispered, a teasing smile on her lips.

Mikhailis chuckled, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Maybe. You've been hard to resist, My Queen,"

Elowen laughed softly, leaning her head against his chest. For a few moments, they stood there in silence, simply holding each other, the weight of the day finally fading away.

But there was still a nervousness in the air—an excitement that neither of them could deny. They had been through the formalities, the ceremonies, and the political speeches, but now it was just the two of them. This was the moment where the title of "prince consort" faded into the background, and it was just Mikhailis and Elowen, two people starting something new together.

Elowen pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his.

"Mikhailis," she began, her voice a little softer, a little more uncertain.

"There's something you should know."

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, curious but patient.

"What is it?"

She took a deep breath, her golden eyes flickering with a mix of emotions—vulnerability, strength, and something else he couldn't quite place.

"I've never done this before," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mikhailis blinked, taken aback for a moment. Elowen, the queen of Silvarion Thalor, always so composed and in control, was admitting a vulnerability he hadn't expected. But he didn't let the surprise linger.

Well, it would be bad if a queen is not a virgin before she's married, I guess? But wow. Now I need to answer how a stud would.

He smiled gently, cupping her face in his hands.

"Neither have I," he admitted softly.

"But that's okay. We'll figure this out together," His voice was tender, with a warmth that felt almost new to him, something he'd never had to express before. "I'veresearchedlotsenoughpornformetothinkthatI'mactuallyanexperiencedmanthatcouldplaywithtwelvewomenforthreedaysstraightwithoutfoodanddrinkbutthatdoesn'tmatterlet'sjusttryhelicopter-"

<Mikhailis.>

"Ah!" Mikhailis regained his composure as he heard Rodion's voice from his glasses.

"I mean, it would be better if we improve our 'nightly skills' well through practice and get better in each night, rather than finishing it in one-go in one night, right? It would be bad if a couple got bored of it too quickly, after all," Mikhailis continued as if he didn't slipped his tongue and said things he shouldn't be saying in the first place.

Elowen's golden eyes softened at his words, and for the first time since the grand ceremony, she allowed herself to truly relax.

Her shoulders, usually held high with the weight of responsibility, loosened as she leaned into Mikhailis's touch.

"I'm glad you're here, Mikhailis," she whispered, her gaze searching his.

"Not just for the kingdom or the throne, but... for me."

Mikhailis's heart skipped a beat at her words.

There was something raw and honest in her tone, a vulnerability he hadn't seen before.

Mikhailis had thought about it.

That he would act accordingly to Elowen's act, if she's going to use a mask on their relationship, so will he, but he made a resolution that he will break her mask and made her love him completely.

But I guess it's not going to the direction that I expected it to be.

Looking at Elowen's eyes, he knew it immediately.

She's not wearing a single mask on her right at this moment. 

His grin softened into something more genuine, more sincere.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," he replied, brushing his thumb gently against her cheek. He leaned closer, feeling the warmth of her breath against his skin as their foreheads touched, the weight of the day falling away as it became just the two of them.

The silence between them was comfortable, the kind that didn't need words. Outside the window, the gentle sway of the trees and the hum of Silvarion's magic filled the air, but all Mikhailis could focus on was Elowen—the way her skin felt beneath his fingertips, the way her breath quickened ever so slightly, matching his own.

He leaned in slowly, his eyes locked on hers, giving her every chance to pull away. But she didn't. Instead, she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his in a soft, tentative kiss.