Crown of Thorns

ii. house of the cerberus

RIDGEMOUNT,

NORTHERN CASTILLAR

                    BRIGHT BEAMS shone through the glass window, blanketing the two naked bodies that laid tangled up on the bed placed in the center of the room. A red satin sheet wrapped around the woman's body, hiding her skin from the older gentleman laying by her side as she awoke for the new morning.

A wide grin crossed over her pale pink lips as her eyes met with the man's astonishing blue pair, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"You shouldn't have stayed," he hugged, sitting up, letting the sheet fall around his waist.

A sheepish smile twisted upon the girl's face, and she sat up behind him, letting the sheet drape around her waist as well. Placing her palms to his bare back, the girl then gently pressed her lips to his skin, tracing the line of his spine. "You said that last night," she pointed out. "And the night before. And the night before that."

He glanced over his shoulder, peering at the girl as she continued to kiss him, "You make me a dishonorable man, Lady Emalee."

"I just simply don't understand why you haven't titled me as your mistress yet," Lady Emalee tilted her head to the side, furrowing her thinned dark eyebrows. "We make each other quite happy."

He scoffed, shaking his head, "You know why."

"Or you could even," she paused her sentence for a short moment to sit up onto her knees, pressing her bare breasts against his back, lightly sucking on the skin of his inner neck, listening to his soft breaths, "make me your new wife."

The man reached back, taking ahold of her chocolate waves to pull her head away from him. He furrowed his overgrown brows, "What did you just say?"

A smirk appeared upon her lips as she stated, "I can give you a son - one whom you can be proud of."

"I am proud of my son."

Emalee shook her head, correcting, "I'm not referring to your bastard. I can give you a legitimate son whom will make you happy."

He c****d a single eyebrow, questioning, "You would do that to your queen?"

She reached out, running her fingers through his dark graying hair, confirming, "I would do anything for my king."

Grabbing the girl by her wrist, King Tobin suggested, "Perhaps you should go."

Lady Emalee scoffed at his sudden urges to get rid of her, shaking her head at him as she acknowledged what she had witnessed day by day, living in Castle White, "You don't even love the queen. I see the way you look at her with hatred and disgust in your eyes. A much bigger difference than the way you look at me."

Tobin lowered his thick eyebrows, wondering, "And how do I look at you, exactly?"

A cocky grin appeared upon the lady's thin lips as she brushed her long, milk chocolate waves behind her shoulder, revealing her bare breast to the man. Slowly, she slid her fingers down her collarbone and chest, tracing the skin on her breast, "With lust."

His lips parted, and he could feel the blood flow between his thighs as he stared at the pair of mesmerizing breasts in front of him. Tearing his eyes away to look the lady in her eyes, he questioned, "You suppose I don't look at my wife the same way?"

Emalee shook her head, quickly responding, "When was the last time the two of you laid together? When Dyana was conceived? Not since I've been her lady, that is." The man remained silent, thinking back to the last time he had slept with his wife; it had been a while, years even, but he didn't mind it, knowing that he could, and has, be with any woman he desired for the night. Emalee licked her lips, as she placed her hand between her legs, tilting her head to the side and c*****g her brow, "Now, are you going to come over here with me, or am I going to have to do it myself?"

Tobin took no time in pushing the sheets to the side to get to the woman. She laid back as he immediately pushed himself into her, using the headboard to keep himself steady as he thrusted into her, listening to her moans. A knock on the closed door didn't silence the woman, nor stop the king from his constant movement. "Just a minute!" he groaned aloud, before moving at a faster pace, only causing himself to huff harshly. He leaned his head back, squeezing his eyes shut, and Emalee knew exactly what was happening, therefore, biting down on her bottom lip as she grinned, she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in closer.

With a sigh of relief, Tobin let go of the headboard and tossed himself back onto the mattress beside the lady, his chest rising and dropping as he attempted to catch his breath. Emalee turned on her side to face the man, placing a palm to his bearded cheek as a smile spread across her face, "That was amazing, My King." She pecked his lips, only for him to push her away after.

"Get dressed." Emalee frowned, her almond eyes growing as wide as a saddened pup. Tobin's voice deepened as he lowered his brows, "That is an order from your king."

Emalee let out a huff of frustration as she rolled her eyes, climbing off of the bed. She pulled on her under wear, watching as the king did the same once he rose from his exhausted state. With one hand, Tobin waved towards the door, letting the lady know that she needed to exit. Crossing her arms over her chest, the lady spun around and pulled the king's bed chamber door open to step out.

A boy of twenty and three years with shaggy red locks hanging just above his thick eyebrows stood on the opposite side of the door, leaning against the stone wall. His iced blue eyes laid upon Emalee as she exited, and he immediately let out a huff of annoyance, rolling his eyes. Emalee simply sheepishly grinned, striding past him, her thin gown flowing behind her each step, "What a good morning it is, Niclas."

The boy ignored her and simply glared at his king, entering the bed chamber, slamming the door shut behind him, "You laid with Mother's Lady?"

Tobin shook his head, chuckling, "And you surprised? Have you not taken a peak at her breasts when she bows down?"

Through gritted teeth, the boy groaned, "No, Father. I don't stare at women as if they are a piece of meat."

The king scoffed, rolling his eyes as he shrugged on a magnificent coat of red velvet, reaching the back of his knees, "I do not stare at women as if they are meat." Then, with raised eyebrows, he chuckled at himself, "Just the attractive ones."

Niclas then huffed, shaking his head as he had decided to divert the conversation to one that made him feel much more comfortable, "The family has been awaiting your arrival for breakfast."

His father sat down on the edge of the bed, sliding his leather boots onto his feet, "Clearly I was occupied."

"Just hurry along. Mother and Grayce are beginning to argue."

Tobin rose to his feet, marching towards his vanity, "Is there much else for women to do, rather than f**k and argue?" Setting on top of the vanity was a large, round golden crown, embroided with jewels of red, blue and yellow. Staring into the looking glass hanging upon the wall, the king placed the crown onto the top of his head, it fitting just perfectly around it. His shoulders fell back as his chest broadened, knowing that he was the most powerful person in his Northern kingdom.

He turned around, immediately exiting the room, not even giving his son a glance. Niclas shut the door behind himself, following behind his father down the castle's corridors. Each and every person the pair walked past instantly stopped what they were doing to bow down to their King.

Tobin and Niclas came to a pair of large wooden doors, and on each side of them stood a man wearing armor with a sword on their sides. Each of them first bowed to the men, then told hold of the doors' handles to pull each one open, allowing for the royals to step through.

Setting in the center of the large room was a long, rectangular table with three women and one man seated around it. Tobin sat down at the head of the table, while an older red haired woman sat on the opposite end. Niclas sat beside the other boy, just one year older than himself, across from the red haired girl, one year younger than he.

The elder woman glared at the king, clasping her hands in front of her, "Finally."

"My dearest apologies, My Queen," Tobin mumbled, picking up the white cloth that laid in front of him, draping into his shirt collar to cover the front of his clothing. "I had other matters to attend to before eating." Niclas only glared down the table at his father, but kept his mouth shut for the time being.

The Queen clapped her hands together, announcing to the staff surrounding the family, "We are ready to eat now."

The girl sitting to the left of her father, with dark waves just past her shoulders and blue eyes, looking just like her father, looked to him, pointing out, "Father, I would like to go riding tomorrow with Alec, but Mother says that I must stay here."

"You and Dyana have your lessons," the Queen urged. "I have already told you."

"But Mother, I don't wish to -"

"You will attend them," her mother confirmed, sipping her morning herbal tea.

"Marybel!" Tobin groaned, his blue eyes beaming at his wedded, "Grayce will go riding with her brother tomorrow if she wishes to do so. She can attend her lessons the next day."

Marybel clenched her jaw tight, wanting to argue with her husband, but as she took a deep breath and her daughter, Dyana whom sat to her right, placed her palm to her hand, she knew that she should let the conflict go this once. However, just as one of the servants sat her breakfast bowl down in front of her, she let out one snarky comment, "'Brother' is not what the bastard should be referred as."

"My son, my daughter," Tobin argued, "her brother, his sister."

"Barely siblings," Marybel added.

Dyana, the daughter whom resembles her mother years ago, sat up straight in her chair, grinning from ear to ear, as she glanced between each one of her family members, suggesting, "Perhaps we just enjoy our morning meal, instead of waking with anger and arguments."

Grayce was the first to nod her head, picking up her spoon to taste her bowl of porridge. Tobin peered up from his own bowl at his eldest son, Alecsander, the younger resemblance of himself back before the graying in his hair began, "So where will you be riding to today?"

Alec picked up his cloth, tapping any drops of food from his face before answering, "We were thinking of following the Mainland Road through Ravven Wood."

The King nodded his head, "Just watch for the Blackbirds there - they're dreadful this time of year."

Suddenly, the doors opened and the king's messanger rushed inside. He paused just as he reached the King, bowing down to him before apologizing, "My apologies for barging in so unexpected during your breakfast, sir." He then held out a paper scroll, explaining, "This urgent letter just came in from the Central Kingdom."

Tobin took the scroll from the man, seeing that, instead of the usual seal from the Central King holding it closed, it was that of the greatest wheat and barley growing noble house of Harrington.

The family watched in curiousity as King Tobin broke the seal and read over the letter, his eyes widening at the words.

"Father, what does it say?" Niclas asked, however, the King did not reply.

"Tobin?" Marybel questioned, "What has happened?"

Tobin sat the letter down, taking a sip of his red wine before responding, "The Central King is dead, without an heir."

Dyana lowered her thin orange brows, "So what does that mean for us?"

Taking another swig, the King clarified, "Great things."