To Love, Once Again

"Hello, Wife." The smile on Lady Amelia's face fades at the hoarse voice that is clearly different from the King's low, melodious tone.

".......wife?" Her pale lips shook as she murmured under her breath.

With a shuffling footsteps, Dorne grins widely, his teeth glinting in the lamplight. A scar cuts across his lips, one of the many gifts given by Lucien during the challenge.

Clink-Clank. The keys spinning about on the ring in Dorne's fingers make Lady Amelia shrink backwards. Dorne doesn't notice, too busy opening the cell door with all the excitement of a child unwrapping a present.

They both ignore Dame Gertrude in the back of the cell, going through bouts of hysterical laughter and anguished cries.

Lady Amelia turns up her nose at the intruder's rudeness. "Wife!? I am not your wife!! I am Lady Amelia of House Cromwell, and you shall address me as such!"

Her pale hand bounces off his face while he stood there like a statue. He continues to smile, putting a hand on his cheek. The slap was nothing more than a caress to him.

"Don't touch me!"

Beating her delicate fists against an expanse of muscle, Lady Amelia seethes in anger. "Don't touch me, you ingrate!!" His large hands were grasping her waist, rubbing over her corset and-

"A little delicate for my taste"

Rough fingers catch on the fabric of her skirt, gripping lower, over her buttocks. "I said UNHAND me, you foul ruffian!" For the first time in her life, Lady Amelia raises her voice.

"But you'll do."

How dare this man barge in here and declare she was his wife. She'd been groomed to be a Queen!! Gasping, she aims her carefully manicured fingernails at Dorne's face. He doesn't even seem to notice, laughing as her nails rake open the wound on Dorne's eyes. Uncaring, his gaze roves over her bared skin.

He runs his hands up her thighs and squeezes her hips, hard.

"Good, your hips seem wide enough."

"How dare you!!" Screaming, Lady Amelia spits in Dorne's face, her blonde hair flying as she fights to break away from his hold.

"You're nothing but a bastard child!"

His calm demeanor snaps as his face morphs into a mask of vicious anger. Lady Amelia gasps when wide fingers grasp her by the throat. She stops breathing when a cool touch traces over the arch of her brows, over the curve of her cheeks.

Quietly, Dorne whispers in her ear, with his hand still on her neck. "Don't you ever call me that again." Lady Amelia shivers when something warm trickles down her neck. Growling, Dorne licks the drop of blood on her cheek, dripping from the small knick he'd marked her with. Right on the mole at the bottom corner of Lady Amelia's right eye. "I've killed women and children for less." He whispers.

Closing her eyes, Lady Amelia's lips shiver as she whispers back. "Why don't you just kill me then.."

When she reopened her eyes, a callous anger reflected back to Dorne, making him smile that wide, infuriating grin. Soft skin digs into rough fingers as she steps forward, baring her neck more under Dorne's hold.

"Here, snap my neck!"

"My child!! No!" Dame Gertrude seems to have finally noticed what was going on, crying while sitting splayed on the floor.

Rrri--p.

Lady Amelia refused to cry. She would not let this criminal see how much he was upsetting her. If he took her body, so be it. Somehow, she would still find a way to make the King hers. That was her purpose, what she'd been born to do.

Shutting her eyes, she relaxed her body, waiting for the inevitable pain.

"It's a good thing you're mine." he giggles, making Lady Amelia open her eyes again.

The soft velvet fabric that he'd ripped from her dress wasn't very absorbent. Wiping the spit off his cheek, he folds it over and rubs the blood off Lady Amelia as well. The whole time, he keeps a firm grasp over her throat.

"I take care of what's mine."

--------------

Many of the women's faces turned beet red at Sera's unyielding demeanor. The situation was growing further and further away from the desired result.

Where was the foreign woman that would work so hard to dutifully follow tradition? Where was the young girl that naively listened to their suggestions?

The first events held by Sera as Queen had revolved around their opinions. Of course, it was never admitted as opinion, but in the form of suggestions, or 'the usual traditions'. When the nobles together said it wasn't right for a Queen to sit next to the King at the table, then the seating arrangements would be changed. King Lucien sitting at the head of the table while Queen Sera entertained guests at the other end. When Queen Sera tried to encourage to wear trousers, as men did, the silly notion was quickly shot down with the ladies outright refusals.

Unlike expectations, the former Queen wasn't agreeing with them at all. She was even cooly airing their dirty laundry, reading off the scroll given to her by the Captain of the Knights.

Before them was a strong woman. Strong in the conviction of her own identity, strong in the trust she had for the King.

"You do understand, Lady Sera, that we came to you for help?"

On the far side of the table, an elderly noblewoman in dark purple robes gestures out towards the entire group.

"We put our lives, our futures in your hands, and this is what we get?"

Twisting the rings on her wrinkled fingers, the woman harrumphs at Sera's silence.

"Well, it's been made clear that you are unwilling to help us. We should have expected as much from a outsider."

The mousy woman that had first begged Sera for help, Lady Damar, speaks up. "That's not..." Her words trail off as she bites her lip.

Sera watches the exchange between the women with interest. Lady Damar had been desperate enough to lead these women here to her, but was clearly not the true leader of the group.

"Ladies, let us return to our homes. Staying here wouldn't do us any good." Another older woman, hair piled high atop her head and dressed in a more revealing sort of nightgown quips. All at once, the woman stand, making the maids run to stand at their sides and prepare to escort them out.

Except for the few who remained seated.

"Lady Damar?"

Dark brunette locks fall out of Lady Damar's hair styled in a simple bun. She shakes her head, eyes squeezed tightly shut. Lady Damar was not the only one that chose to remain.

"Lady Damar!"

Sucking a deep breath, Lady Damar shakes her head again towards the other women who were preparing to leave.

"I must stay." Her voice quavers, but the words she spoke were firm. Even as the ladies sitting next to her at the table get up to go, Lady Damar stays seated, unyielding to the pressure of the other woman.

But her face looked absolutely terrified as she stares down at the tablecloth, gripping her fists tightly under the table.

"My..My mother is waiting for me at home. W-waiting for me to bring back news of my father."

"Hmph!"

"Have it your way!"

The rest of the women don't greet Sera as they make their way out, though they made sure to curtsey to Icaros as they passed him. When Icaros opens his mouth, Sera pokes him and mouths 'no' to him. It wasn't worth it.

When all the upset noblewomen finally leaves, the room turns silent as the remaining women and Sera stare at each other.

Lady Damar finally breaks the stare-off, looking down at the tablecloth again.

"I know my House is included on that list. But I beg you, some of us were only involved in the lighter schemes. We only turned a blind eye to it all! We never took part in the schemes."

As she spoke, she was unable to keep her gaze on Sera, voice wavering.

Sera gently replies: "What about slavery?"

The remaining women gasp at the revelation.

"Slavery!??"

"There was slavery here?!!"

With Lady Damar taking a shaking sip of the tea before her, she turns to Sera.

"That can't be right, all our servants receive their pay. The Houses that I know of don't use.." her voice grows smaller, remembering that all eyes were now focused on her. "slavery.."

Sera looks at each woman in the room as she speaks. "I hadn't seen any slaves with my own eyes, but the experience I'd gone through recently makes it very, very real."

"I'm sure Lu- Ahem. His Majesty is investigating. Investigating right now, even."

Sera didn't know much about what was going on in that regard. Lucien refused to tell her. He'd said to protect her it was better if she didn't know. Sera let that go for now because Leo needed her, but she knew she would get to the bottom of it, with or without Lucien's help.

She glances to her side. After all, there was someone in Lucien's close aides that owed her. Somehow, Icaros notices her glance, shifting in his boots.

Sharing another look with a nearby young debutante, Lady Damar works up the courage to address Sera. "Your Majest-yy,"

Eyes glisten as she begins to hiccup as she speaks

"To be blunt, we've come to you because...."

"Without your help, our families will be destroyed...the Houses crushed...My father is not an evil man..but..t..the environment here..d..did not allow..h..him to be a good man....e..either."

Lady Damar's thin shoulders slump as she speaks. It reminded Sera that this woman before her was yet a girl that had just debuted into the noble circles.

"In the 5 years of your absence, King Lucien was absolutely silent as House Cromwell rose in power. My family runs a merchant company but we are of a low rank. There was no choice in the matter for us to not follow Lord Cromwell's leading in the dealings."

Sera turns a sharp eye on Lady Damar as she continued to speak. This woman knew a lot more than she'd first let on, seemingly hinting at the secret Azark imports that Lucien had told her about.

Lady Damar gestures to the other ladies, young and old, the few of them that had stayed behind in the Blue Room.

"I'm sure all of us here would agree. Especially under the leadership of House Cromwell, there was no other choice. The King was not here to protect us.."

She muddles her words here.

"It was necessary we find ways to protect ourselves. You can confirm by counting our coffers. Most of the profits went to the higher ranked families."

Furrowing her brows, Sera searches Lady Damar's face for any flash of anger or disgust. If she was acting, she deserved an award. The sadness and regret in Lady Damar's features looked so real, making Sera's heart clench at their plight.

But still, a lot of people had suffered because of the schemes. Sera herself had almost been killed. She needed to be impartial and look at the facts.

"......I understand. But it says here your House Heads were involved in shady business practices as well."

Lady Damar gets off her seat at the table and kneels again, putting her head on Sera's skirts.

"Please, Your Majesty. All we ask for is another chance. We will pay the necessary penance, but please, let us keep our Houses. In return-"

Letting out another deep breath, Lady Damar blinks, looking around at the other women who remain. They nod back at her, and all at once, they reach for something hidden in their bosoms.

"Stay back!!"

Sera jerks at the sudden shout.

Kiiiiek!!!

Crash!! Clack!

"Your Majesty!!"

Fine white painted plates, cups, and small cutlery crash to the floor as the table gets overturned.

Icaros drags Sera's chair back, pushing her behind him and setting a hand on his sword's hilt.