The soft splash of water echoed gently through the grand marble bathroom. Warm steam curled in the air, clinging to the ornate mirror and golden fixtures. Princess Emeney, bare and thoughtful, moved through her evening routine with practiced grace. It had been a long day, filled with decisions, reunions, and whispers of war, and now she sought comfort in solitude.
After draining the tub and drying off, she wrapped herself in a white towel, tucking the edge tightly above her chest. Her hair, still damp, hung down her neck in waves as she stepped into her now arranged bedroom which didn't have any sign that a battle was held there.
She froze.
Xander sat on the edge of her bed, his hands clasped between his knees, his back straight but tense. The lightbulb flickered across his features, casting sharp shadows beneath his eyes. He looked…off. Distant.
"Xander?" She asked softly, startled but not alarmed. "What are you doing here?"
He didn't answer. His gaze lifted to her slowly, dark and unreadable. He stood without a word and began to close the distance between them.
"Is something wrong?" She pressed, reaching for a towel to pat her hair dry. "You look like…."
But her words were cut short when he reached her.
With little warning, he cupped her face, pulled her close, and kissed her deeply, hungrily. There was an urgency in the way his lips moved against hers, as if he were trying to claim something, to prove something.
Caught off guard, Emeney hesitated, but only for a moment. The warmth of his body, the way his fingers brushed the back of her neck, it drew a familiar ache from within her chest. She gave in. Xander's hands moved with purpose, undoing the towel around her as it slipped to the floor in silence. His own clothes were gone in a blur, dropped carelessly to the floor like the thoughts cluttering his mind.
They collapsed onto the bed, and he kissed her with an intensity that startled her. His touch, though once filled with affection, now felt possessive…desperate.
"Xander…" She whispered between breaths, her voice trembling with both pleasure and uncertainty. His finger traced a line from her neck down to her belly button before sliding it down some more. She gasped as his finger willed open her entrance and began shooting pleasure into her. His finger pumping in and out, until he added one more and caused her to gasp again with widened eyes. Her moans quickly filled the room, and Xander increased his pace, pumping his fingers fast and hard into her.
He rolled her nipple between his free fingers, causing another form of pleasure in her. His mouth then found her nipples, replacing his fingers. Her breath hitched and her moans got louder as she felt waves of pleasure running through her. Biting gently whilst his fingers were still pumping inside her without any faltering momentum, Xander found himself as turned on as he could be. Her moans turned him on, and now his member was rock hard, pressing against her thigh.
Too turned on to keep delaying his pleasure, he immediately sat up, withdrawing his fingers and lips from her body. He then immediately positioned himself between her thighs, staring directly into her eyes as his dick found her entrance. Without warning he thrust into her fully, burying the full length of his member inside her. She gasped loudly with widened eyes before wrapping her arms around his neck.
Xander wasted no time or gave her any chance to get used to him being in her. He withdrew until his dick was almost out and then rammed the full length into her again, causing her breath to hitch and her moans to get louder. In seconds he was pumping in and out of her, fast and hard. The sound of their bodies colliding quickly filled the room. And their scents were all over also.
With how hard and fast he was thrusting into, Emeney barely had any time to adjust to his length again, naturally. She moaned his name out loud, panting and then biting her lip to stifle her cries. It's been almost three weeks since they had sex last. The pleasure was just what she needed after everything that's happened lately. But this, this was different, he was different. He had never taken her that hard before. They had always made love, but this wasn't love making, it was fucking straight up.
"Xander, slow down….
He didn't stop. His movements were hungry, relentless, as though he feared that if he paused, she'd slip away. Still, she clung to him, trying to understand. Something wasn't right. This wasn't like him. His grip, his breath, the sharp edge in his silence, it wasn't the Xander she knew.
***
The room became quiet as Xander collapsed beside her on the bed, tired and spent. The heavy breathing of Princess Emeney and Xander was the only sound in the lavish chamber, both lying on their backs, side by side, staring up at the intricately carved ceiling above them. The light causing a glow across their bare skin and tangled sheets.
Neither of them spoke.
The silence between them wasn't peace, it was weight. Emeney's chest rose and fell slowly, her thoughts tangled like the sheets wrapped around her legs. She kept replaying the last fifteen minutes, trying to understand what had just happened, why it felt like more than just passion.
Beside her, Xander lay still, his arm resting across his chest, his jaw clenched. His expression was unreadable, even to her. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Emeney broke the silence.
"Xander…" Her voice was low. Careful. "What was that?"
He didn't answer right away. She turned her head, watching his profile in the dim light. He looked troubled, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "That wasn't like you" She continued, more softly. "Not during…not like that"
He let out a slow breath, almost like a sigh, and finally responded.
"It was a reminder" He said simply.
Her brows furrowed. "A reminder?"
He turned toward her, eyes steady but sharp, carrying the weight of words he'd held in too long. "A reminder that you're mine" He said. "That I'm the one who knows your body. The one who loves you. The one who can give you everything you need…everything you want….the only one you can rely on"
"Xander…"
"No" He cut in gently, but firmly. "I see how you've been around him. Around Rayne. You don't even realize how different you are when you talk about him. Look at him. Even fight with him"
The mention of Rayne's name settled between them like a shadow.
"You've been pulling away from me, Emeney" He continued, voice quieter now. "And I don't know if it's on purpose or if you don't even see it. But I do. I see it every time your eyes go to him before they come to me"
The guilt hit her like a slow, sinking weight.
She sat up slightly, clutching the sheet to her chest as she looked at him with wet eyes. "I didn't mean to…Xander, I didn't mean to make you feel like that"
Her voice cracked.
"You've been with me through everything. I know that. You've protected me, supported me. And I've been so…distracted lately. Selfish. I'm sorry"
Xander's expression softened a little as she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "I promise I'll do better" She whispered. "I'll try harder to be present…to rely on you more. I'll put you first. You're going to be my husband after all"
Those words, soft and genuine, made Xander smile faintly. He turned his head and kissed her forehead, then her cheek, and finally pressed a gentle peck to her lips. "That's all I needed" He murmured, satisfied. "You back…with me fully. That's enough"
But even as Emeney nestled against his chest, her guilt like a silent companion…Something in the back of her mind still lingered. A part of her that Xander couldn't touch.
***
The room was quiet, sunlight filtered through sheer curtains, casting a soft golden hue across the floor. The subtle scent of herbs and healing oils lingered in the air.
Rayne's eyes finally opened slowly, adjusting to the warm light above him. His body ached faintly, but the fire that had nearly consumed him was gone. The pain was a memory now, one dulled by magic and rest.
He tilted his head slightly, and the first thing he saw was Anya, sitting in a nearby chair, dabbing his wound with a cool cloth glowing faintly with healing magic. The moment she noticed his eyes on her, a relieved smile spread across her face. "Well, well. Sleeping Beauty lives" She said, her voice light, teasing, but undeniably filled with warmth.
Rayne smirked, his voice gravelly. "You say that like I didn't almost die for dramatic effect"
Anya chuckled, dipping the cloth into the bowl again. "Please. If you were going for drama, you should've at least stayed unconscious until the third day. Second-day revivals are so basic"
"Noted. I'll try to die better next time"
She laughed again, then leaned in a bit as she placed a hand over his wounded arm. Her magic pulsed through him gently, finishing the last of the spell. The open wound in his arm slowly closed beneath her hand, the skin sealing as though nothing had ever torn it apart.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed his recovery."You heal fast…even for someone under an advanced spell. Your body absorbed the magic like it was built for it"
Rayne shrugged. "Maybe I'm just special"
"You are. That's what I'm trying to figure out" She smirked, not bothering to hide her curiosity anymore. "So tell me, Rayne, where are you really from?"
He grinned, playing coy. "Small town. Bad coffee. Grew up chasing lightning bugs and trouble"
"Uh-huh. And what about before that?"
"Before chasing bugs or before trouble?"
"You're infuriating" She muttered, clearly amused.
"So I've been told. Usually by women who like me anyway"
She raised an eyebrow, eyeing him like a puzzle she was determined to solve. 'There's something about him' She thought. Something too familiar. But before she could push further, the door creaked open.
Princess Emeney stepped into the room, her eyes immediately locking onto Rayne's. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw him sitting up, very much alive. "Rayne" She gasped, relief flooding her face. Without hesitation, she crossed the room in the blink of an eye and dropped to the opposite side of the bed, directly across from Anya. Her hands reached for his instinctively, fingers curling around his.
"You're awake. Thank the stars...Are you okay? Does anything still hurt? Do you feel weak?"
Rayne's brows lifted slightly in surprise, but his expression softened. "I'm good, Princess. Better now, apparently"
As he spoke, Anya cleared her throat loudly.
Emeney blinked, then looked down and noticed her hand was still clasped tightly around his. Her eyes widened as she quickly pulled back, awkwardly brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Right…sorry. I didn't mean to…uh…"
Rayne didn't say a word. He simply smiled, calmly, knowingly. Emeney cleared her throat again, composing herself. "My father, the King…he asked to see you. Said the moment you woke up, you should be brought to him immediately"
That made the air still.
Anya furrowed her brows. "The King? Why would he want to see you?"
Rayne's smile faded. "Good question. I didn't think I was on his radar"
"Neither did I" Emeney added softly, genuinely puzzled. "He didn't tell me why. Just gave the order"
Rayne sat up straighter, his body still sore but responsive. "Then I shouldn't keep him waiting"
"You should rest more" Anya protested. "Even with the healing spell, you've only just…"
But Rayne was already swinging his legs over the bed, stretching his arms before standing to his full height. His bare torso still bore faint traces of the spell's golden residue.
"I'm fine" He said with quiet confidence. "Let's not keep royalty waiting"
Emeney looked at him, unsure whether to be annoyed or impressed. Eventually, she gave in, standing as well. "Alright. Follow me. I'll take you to him"
She led the way, casting one last glance over her shoulder, at Rayne who was busy buttoning up his shirt, then at Anya, who watched them leave with narrowed, curious eyes.Something was unfolding. Something neither of them were prepared for. And the King's summons might just be the beginning.