Chapter 31 – She Is Mine
In response to the summons of the crown prince, a man arrived. He was one of the men enjoying himself among the sea of beauties in the Concubines’ Palace. Piss drunk, he lost his footing, staggered before flopping down right next to the second highest authority in the kingdom.
Lustian simply looked at him in exasperation. “Just look at yourself.”
“Instead of praising your little brother who does your work for you, you scold him?” The man flashed a smug smile and complained.
“Wipe the drool off your mouth.” Lustian shot him a look of disgust before unceremoniously commanding: “I need you to lie.”
“Was I caught?” He chuckled.
This man, who walked in unbridled and made no show of decorum, was none other than Lustian’s little brother. He was also the one who carried out his elder brother’s duties right under the vigilant nose of their Father Emperor.
While the imperial clan of Arpen strictly adhered to fulfilling God’s wishes- indulging in a life of coital activities, Lustian had blatantly rejected this duty. So, although he had no dearth for women in general and princesses in particular, he had never once laid a finger let alone sleep with those sent into his harem.
However, the entire world believed otherwise. This was courtesy of the man currently reeking in alcohol and basking in the afterglow of an intense carnal caper.
It was a well-kept secret between the two brothers, that without an exception all the princesses had spent their first night with the second prince, Prince Ivan. While even Lustian’s shadow was miles away from his harem, this brother fulfilled all his bedroom duties in his stead. They had been enacting this play for some time now, and no one was the wiser. Besides, unlike the crown prince, this prince by far resembled the emperor the most, wantonly pursuing lust and pleasure. As such, no one suspected him to be a fill-in,
“It’s different this time. I need you to reject her instead of having the first night,” Lustian said matter-of-factly.
“I heard rumors that an unbelievably ugly woman has entered the palace. Are you rejecting her before you even see her?” Prince Ivan queried.
“Yes, I refuse her as the crown prince, but I will have her as Lune.”
“Huck! Now, did something just happen to my ears? Did you just say Lune?” The second prince made a show of cleaning his ear.
“Why are you so surprised?” Lustian wasn’t distracted by this theatrics.
“Lune … How long has it been since I heard that nickname … Ha ha ha.” Ivan propped his chin on Lustian’s knee with a half-asleep look and whispered in a languid voice. “It would be the biggest scandal in the entire kingdom, that the head of the blood army is interested in a woman.”
“Shut up, and listen to me. We keep this secret to ourselves ‘til the end.” He was getting impatient over his brother’s flippant attitude.
Ivan shrugged. “I don’t care. I don’t want to sleep with an ugly girl anyway, moreover, I am surrounded by beautiful princesses, I have no time to spare.”
As far as Lustian was concerned, the princesses were of no concern to him. As long as he didn’t have to get involved with them, it didn’t matter how Ivan or for that matter anyone else, enjoyed them. In reality, it was his little brother who shared their boudoir, so he couldn’t care less if he did them again.
But things were a tad different now. For once, the ever nonchalant crown prince, who cared naught who was sent into his harem, had chosen. The sensational changes in him, the lust that was driving him to the zenith of madness, was all because of this one person. While his inner beast hungered, a thirst raged throughout his body such that it could only be quenched through a kiss. The candidate this time was certainly special.
That said, how could he throw the one, who caught his eye, made his body lust, and calmed his body, into the harem for his clansmen to feast? However, this didn’t mean he could simply waltz in and accept her as the crown princess. Not that he didn’t want to, but because she didn’t want to. She had made her hatred for the crown prince evident, the mere mention of his name suffused her orbs with disdain. So, how could he reveal himself? Besides there was another matter that bound his hands. Her status. Merely the fact that she was an illegitimate daughter of the King of Koronis disqualified her from being lauded the second highest position of the Arpen Empire.
Right now, what he needed the most was time. In order to make it impossible for anyone to drive her away, to be able to establish her position in this empire … he had to meticulously strategize and flawlessly execute. But the irony was, time itself was against him.All his endeavors would be in vain should the emperor return from his long vacation.
Even if Father returns, I will make her mine no matter what it takes.
Lustian’s plan was to make her Lune’s wife in the absence of the emperor. She didn’t abhor Lune and would readily consent. Then, Lune would go on to become the crown prince, and she, unbeknownst to her, the crown princess.
It was a perfect plan. The corners of his lips lifted into an attractive curve. As soon as he made up his mind, the desire to be with her at the earliest surged. How he wished to vent out the slowly building heat within and pierce her inner flesh. The mere thought sent shivers down his lower half. His manhood immediately reacted, bulging and rising in anticipation of their first night together.
But before it could come to fruition, he needed a stand-in. And who better than the most believable Ivan …
“It is tonight. Don’t forget, to her, I am just the commander of the imperial knights.”