Warning(s): Emotional and physical trauma, spontaneous abortion, anxiety, abduction
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~~~~Barren~~~
~~~~~ Losing Princess Eleanor… ~~~~~
Riley had learned that she was pregnant less than a month after returning from her honeymoon… She already felt it in her heart, but was afraid to test her theory… she didn’t want to take away from the magical memories she had shared with her loving husband…
Sex on the beach, then sex in the villa, to sex on the flight home… She could never have enough of her husband’s body, nor he hers… But she didn’t want to put him on an emotional rollercoaster with all of the scandalous press that had been published of their love escapades in the waters of the beautifully secluded private island he purchased for her as a wedding gift… one of many she would discover over time.
Liam wanted to spoil his Queen, knowing that she wouldn’t agree to his suggestions of her having property outside of his Valtoria estate that he gifted to her … He never spoke of his time there with Alina… it wouldn’t erase their history… it wouldn’t bring her back… When he found Riley, nothing from his past mattered anymore… or so he’d convinced himself. He went on to secretly purchase islands in the Maldives, along the Amalfi Coast, France, and Monterisso. His plans were to have purchased properties throughout the world for her to escape should she ever tire of her Queenly duties.
Little did he know that the Queen of Spies would be drawn to Cordonia for discussions of an alliance simply because he had purchased a lavish estate for his new bride in her country. He had also found the courage to visit property in Auvernal owned by his deceased mother. His father had hidden this from him, never wanting him to have anything to do with any parts of the country… blaming his refusal to form an alliance with them or implement Eleanor’s joint project requests as the cause for her assassination.
It had been bequeathed to him in her will, but this information had not come to light until Riley uncovered the property deeds and project folder in Eleanor’s secret study. This also drew Queen Isabella and King Bradshaw to Cordonia seeking an alliance as well, especially since their spies had told them Monterisso was approaching for an alliance.
It was shortly after their marriage that the Queen would be abducted and held for the highest ransom Liam would ever have requested of him, his life in return for that of his Queen. He would tell no one of his decision to give his life freely over to his enemy, as he knew that she would probably lose her life in their feeble attempts to prevent his choice.
He would receive a summons from none other than Anton Severus. The images sent with the request immediately caused Liam to vomit. His worst fears were realized before his eyes. Anton had severely beaten Riley, her clothes tattered … her face, filthy and swollen… Anton wasn’t without his own bruises, signifying that his Queen had put up a valiant effort to free herself from her captor. The dried blood stains throughout her torso were sending daggers through Liam’s heart. The last thing removed from the envelope was a flash drive…He opened his laptop, inserting it into the usb port…
Clicking on the folder with much apprehension, it opens to show a video file. Fearing what he may see… Liam decided not to watch, unsure if it was cowardice or fearing that he may act irrationally, endangering Riley’s life even more… He arranges an unmarked car, and exits the castle through a secret passage.
As he makes his way to the destination, Olivia enters his office, having just received word of Riley’s capture. In his haste, Liam failed to lock his desktop which worked to Olivia’s advantage. She saw the peculiar envelope on the desk, her usual curious nature taking control… she removed the contents and her heart wrenched at the sight of the photos… silently vowing to end her unwanted husband’s life.
Olivia places a quick call to the only person that has been able to keep their identity hidden while assisting her during multiple operations. She immediately recognized the former Nevrakis stronghold, amazed that Anton could be so absentminded… or did he wish to be found? Regrettably, she does something Liam didn’t have the courage to do… watch the video content … She immediately loses her footing, feeling immense empathy for Riley hearing her tormentous wailing and muttered cries for Liam… begging him to just let her die… No woman should have to endure this… friend or foe. She takes the drive and other items … not wanting anyone else to know this happened to their beloved Queen.
As she heads to assist in the rescue, the video plays on repeat in her mind… her temper reaching its maximum… calming only when she realizes that Riley sent a message… if not followed to the letter, she and Liam were sure to be dead by the time of her arrival. She immediately calls her second most trusted ally… the Queen of Monterisso. “Amalas, I need your help…” Her former anxiety turned into a sinister excitement… accelerating at higher speeds to quickly reach her destination.
She knew that Anton would have many forces awaiting the King’s arrival, and half expected them to kill him before ever reaching Riley. But she remembered that the Nevrakis' way was to kill their own target, sending clear messages to anyone who heard of their actions, knowing they’d dare not speak a word.
In her rush to cover traces of what was occurring with the King and Queen, she’d failed to notice that Drake had been covertly hiding in the shadows, curious as to why Olivia was exiting the King’s study. He’d heard her place a call to Amalas, and upon her walking a far enough distance not to notice, he peered into the open door, noting that Liam wasn’t present. This prompted him to follow Olivia. He immediately knew that something was up that everyone was trying to keep secret, but he wasn’t going to be left out if Liam needed him.
He also placed a call to Hana to let her know where he was headed should he not happen to return. Someone must know of his whereabouts. Sharing his location with her, she decided to play a bit of a spy queen of her own… one of her many talents being hacking advanced satellite systems and much more. The one thing she had not mastered was driving, so she needed help from someone she knew would want to be involved in this rescue effort… Maxwell Beaumont.
When Amalas and Olivia finally reached a safe enough area to proceed on foot, they were stealthily moving towards an entrance known only to Nevrakis. She knew that these things wouldn’t be shared with Anton, because their golden rule was to only entrust a blood born Nevrakis with this information. She truly hated to share this information with the Spy Queen, but now was not the time to keep to family tradition.
~~~~~
Just before they were to fight off the remaining guards, exhausted but determined, Drake, Hana and Maxwell appear. It wouldn’t take long to rid themselves of their unwanted interference with rescuing the King and Queen. With Maxwell taking the final guard down, the beautiful stroke of his katana ended the last outside threat.
Once inside, they witness the unfair sword fight ensuing below. Liam outnumbered, but holding his own. Olivia spots Anton Severus, holding a short blade to Riley’s throat, enjoying what looks to be the imminent defeat of Cordonia’s King. Underestimated, Liam stalks toward Anton, sword poised to strike at the moment he reaches him.
His action was halted as he caught a glimpse of blood trickling along Riley’s neck, his only warning that her life would come to an end should he move closer. This was the first time the King faltered, refusing to allow her death at his urging. Anton motions for him to disarm.
Tears flowing, Riley insists that he allow her to die… “Cordonia needs its King… Love, let me go… Please !!!!” Crying, he pleads for his life to be taken instead, falling to his knees in surrender. Sweet victory dripping from the demonic smile spreading across his face, Anton never notices the rescuers descending from above.
Just as he draws his long sword, hoisting it high for a clean slice with the intent to decapitate, Hana sends a blow dart directly into his jugular, the poison immediately having effect… his sword falling away as he clenches his throat. His paralyzed form slumping to the ground. As Hana abhors murder, she only used enough to disarm her enemy, although the effects would take days to wear off.
Liam rushes to Riley, as Olivia frees her from the ropes, careful of any further injury. He kisses her gently, but syncope soon takes over. As he tried to wake her, Olivia noticed the pooling blood. Amalas and Hana do their best to stabilize her as they rush out after Oliva, Drake and Maxwell as Liam carries her protectively…
Once everyone is in a vehicle, Drake drives full speed until Amalas can give him an ETA on the Life-flight she requested. Once she has coordinates, they arrive minutes later with emergency crew standing at the ready. Liam has to be pulled from her side constantly as they try to assess her. With everyone aboard, they are airlifted to the nearest Lythikos facility. But the Crown Princess would make her untimely arrival prior to landing… Everyone aboard witnessing the despair overtaking the King as he held Riley close, shaking his head no at her pleading looks… preventing her from trying to reach her still born princess, not caring about the treatment they were trying to give her. Her fight would not last long, as she loses consciousness before the King’s terrified eyes.
She would spend weeks in the private wing, Liam by her side. Amalas, Olivia, Drake, Maxwell and Hana never leaving watch outside the inner room. Anton remained under heavy sedation deep within Olivia’s keep, supervised by her fiercest and loyal guards, awaiting Liam’s orders.
During their time there, the grieving monarchs were like two normal parents who’d suffered this tremendous loss. Liam held Riley as she recounted all of the things they would not get to do with their “Elly”...
Never getting to sit in the dandelion fields as she loved to do as a child, watching the seeds blow away in the wind… running with the wind flowing through her hair. Never standing over her specialty crib they’d so lovingly selected together as excited as if she would be laying soundly inside as soon as it was assembled in the nursery… Never watching her stare at the paintings Riley spent hours muraling along her wall, with special ordered paints that would shine as the lighted mobile shone upon it as it turned… revealing the hidden treasures within the design. Never watching her fall asleep as her loving father sang the beautiful lullaby his mother sang to him for all of her time with him…
When that dreaded time came, Liam and Riley would have their first moment of time before their little one’s memorial tomb… telling of their love for her still and how much they wanted to watch her grow to be as fierce a leader as they’d become… It would be soon after that Liam would suffer a second tragedy, the fall into postpartum depression he would fight continually to help his wife overcome… feeling the same emotions as his beloved wife, only in a fatherly way…
It would be an announcement like none other… Not the expectation of Cordonia’s first female heir in centuries, but the tragic loss… It would be a Kingdom mourning as one...
Warnings: Talk of character death, anxiety, possible explicit song lyrics
Olivia had been receiving odd texts from Riley lately, and decided to reach out to her friend. She knew that Liam was out of the country, and believed that her friend was attempting to contact her secretly, possibly even being in trouble.
Olivia has been a very perceptive person since her childhood, and after the fiasco with her ex-husband surrounding Liam and Riley’s wedding, she had learned to look for code in every text message that she received from her newly trained friend. It would be a secret language only between the two of them, not even the King would be privileged to this information.
This way, it would serve as protection, should he have become a target yet again, and also be a means for Riley to freely communicate her concerns. Two things that jumped out at her was sword and crown... she had yet to make the connection, because the text messages ceased to come. The last message being that she was leaving her visit with her sister, and would be returning to the palace post haste.
Olivia decides to contact the driver via private channels to find out their estimated time of arrival at the palace, then she sees that she has missed several of his attempts to reach her. When he responds, she is shocked to learn that Riley never exited the location after turning to reenter the facility; and that when he went to inquire when the Queen would be ready, Savannah informed him that she had left approximately two hours prior.
Riley had informed her driver that under no circumstances was he to contact her husband, only to reach out to Olivia should things seem out of the normal. He explains that he had originally seen her approach the SUV, but then suddenly turn as if she had forgotten something, or had been phoned to come back in, as she had her phone to her face in conversation when she turned to go back inside. She never made eye contact with her driver, and seemed to be distracted.
She immediately searched her prior conversation for the hidden code, assuming that she may have missed something in her original reading. To her disappointment, only the two words remained. She decided to contact Liam to see if he had spoken to his wife, and if this was something that he had orchestrated, although she would have been the second person informed of his plans. He trusted her most with Riley’s safety over her own personal guard, Mara.
Realizing that she failed to ask her whereabouts, she contacted the driver again. He informed her that on today, Riley had chosen to leave Mara behind, as she was only visiting her sister and didn’t feel there was a need to have her along. Olivia rubs her face in anguish, knowing that her friend is still naive even after all of the advanced training and discussions over how she should never be without backup... no matter how skilled she was.
Liam answers, immediately alarmed, “What’s happened? Do I need to return immediately? This instantly puts Olivia on alert, but she remains calm and hides her own growing panic. “Is that the only reason that I should contact my dearest friend?” His voice relaxes as he explains to her that he, Drake and Bastien had a quick trip for business, but that he would return within the week. This gave Olivia at least a few hours to locate his wife before setting him on high alert.
She logs into her private VPN, pinging Riley’s location, as she didn’t respond to any of her messages, but it returned untraceable. She immediately contacted Queen Amalas for a rendezvous to recover the missing Queen before she had to inform Liam of his wife’s misconduct. Hopefully, this would just prove to be Riley’s way of gathering her mind’s focus... a trip away from watchful eyes... But it still sat uneasy with her that she had not informed her of at least the bare essentials of her plan.
Olivia also contacts Mara to find out what she knows about the Queen’s agenda. Mara immediately scolds herself for having allowed the Queen to leave her behind. She knows that should this turn out to be much more than her “wanting space to rejuvenate”, she would be in serious trouble with the King. Although he seemed distracted, and had not left specific instructions prior to his departure, she knows him well enough to gauge his reaction to this current situation.
The three women converge, going over every suspicious thing or behaviors Riley had displayed or conveyed to each of them. Realizing that something is definitely awry, they start their search for the Queen, starting at the point she was last seen.
~~~~~ Somewhere hidden in Cordonia ~~~~~
Checking the time, she begins to wonder if she has been missed. “Is there something that you feel is more important for you than what we have going here, Queen Riley?,” Edison asks. She turns abruptly, not realizing that she had become lost in her thoughts while facing the clock. “I have been away for too long ... and I may be missed. Surely you can understand.”
He beckons for the driver to come escort her back, reminding her that she will be available at his every request, no matter the request… or the fate planned for her King will not be his alone. He absentmindedly returns his focus to the remaining group feeling that it may be best if Queen Riley isn’t privy to every detail of their plans.
The driver looks at Queen Riley, taking in her perfect frame, not failing to appreciate her strength and courage along with her beauty. With his focus diverted to visions of making love to her, he fails to cover her face to avoid any recognition of her surroundings. She even has managed to turn on her cell device without him noticing, sending a coded message to Olivia to ensure that she does not organize a countrywide search. She knows all too well that if Olivia has any doubts, her first response would be to kill first, then question afterwards.
As she relays the messages to Queen Amalas and Mara that she has received, she notices a photo that brings immediate visions to her mind, but she holds her composure, not wanting to alert the others of her dismay. As she and the others decide to separate to avoid angering the Queen, Olivia makes her way to a hidden safe house to confirm her suspicions.
Visions of a recurring nightmare the Scarlet Duchess had for many years following their death, she is filled with nervous trembling. An anxiety builds within her that she had not felt since King Constantine had come to collect her at the pleading of young Prince Liam. Constantine’s original intent was to kill the young girl along with her Aunt Lucretia. When he learned that she had indeed been left alone with just her family’s staff, he decided to give her a chance at a better life. But his intention was not pure… Constantine would never be able to show her kindness, only ever seeing the treachery of her parents and expecting that she had been trained to follow in their footsteps.
Once she arrives, she immediately descends to the cellar, careful to locate the appropriate sconce on the wall to bend for entry into a hidden sanctum. She quickly makes her way over to the bookshelf, pulling down an old tome, and removing a picture from it. As suspected, it confirmed that the two words that she deciphered from Riley’s coded messages translated to the Via Emperii.
The Nevrakis pair had left five year old Olivia alone with her aunt Lucretia as they attempted takeover of the Crown. It was this coup that had cost them their lives. Olivia’s mother had been mutilated, her heart and lungs removed from her chest… her mouth sewn shut… She had never taken eyes off of her killer. Her expression grim, almost a look of total surprise mixed with confusion. Her death and dismemberment had been taken by the very sword and daggers she had hidden throughout her body. This same ring had been on her father’s hand, who’s headless body lay next to that of his wife.. Beside her mother’s body lay the crown in which the sword was placed through.
“Crown and sword… OMG, Riley!!!!!”
~~~~~
Memories of her past flash uncontrollably through her mind, even those unintentionally locked away in pain. One particular memory flashes vividly, leaving her as winded as she was in that moment…
“Again, Olivia… You must focus, let nothing distract you!”
“But I am tired, daddy. Please! May we stop now?” Tears flow threatening to turn to ice just before she swipes them away quickly, knowing that this has earned her more time training in the subzero temperatures. Tightening her grip of her sword and steadying her stance, she repeats their mantra in unison with her father… "If you can breathe, you can stand, and if you can stand, you can fight..."
“Louder, Olivia. Use your anger to knock my sword away and free from my hand!” Focused, and shouting in a warrior’s cry, she lunges forward. Blades crash together sending sparks flying, just before she lands with such force that pain courses through her.
Folding into the fetal position, unable to hold in her tears, her body trembles from sudden fear and anger that her determination continually fails her. Uncaring in his tone, he yells at her still, “Olivia, you must never lift your foot off the ground for a second, or you’re dead… you continually give your challenger the advantage over you! Do you want to die?”
“Enough!” Her mother appears from the shadows, having watched each display unnoticed by either. She crouches to her daughter’s side, gently sweeping the scarlet locks from her face. “Olivia my dear, why are you afraid to unleash your rage? It doesn’t make you an evil person. Your rage will ensure your survival… We won’t always be with you, and your father and I need to be sure that you can handle yourself… even at your young age… Have courage my child. You will not fail if you have faith that you will succeed.”
She takes her small hand, pulling her up from the thick snow. “I will go through the steps one more time… slowly… and then you will fight me… and Olivia, you will fight!” Knowing that her mother’s words meant fight or die, Olivia takes her stance. Her battle cry echoing in the darkness, She makes no move, allowing her target to advance upon her, keeping a fixed eye on the sword’s edge. As it’s point nears her, she spins, slamming the but of her sword against her mother’s grip, knocking the sword away.
Excited and thrilled to have bested her mother, she turned, meeting the back of her mother’s hand, knocked a few feet away from where she stood. Shocked and bleeding from her lips, she instantly cowers at her mother’s approach. “Olivia, my dear. You have no time for celebration of any achievement unless your challenger lies before you lifeless. Do you understand?” Terrified at the words, her eyes widen, but she makes swift head movements to let her mother know that she understands.
“Again!”
This time, Olivia’s father advances, taking his wife by the arm. “We have already been at this for hours, and she did well to withstand that hit from you just now… can’t we-”
“No! She must be ready!!! We leave on the morrow, and this must not wait… Who knows how this will turn out? And Project Snowspear must be enacted immediately, the Via Emperii insists upon it, there will be no more delay!!” Turning to Olivia, even more aggressive in her tone, “AGAIN, Olivia! This time, stick to your governors… Time… Distance… Perception… Technique… This time, you attack me...”
Olivia can’t always escape the nightmares, or day terrors. On some days, even the rigorous training regimen does not provide an escape for her mind… Sometimes the enemy’s arms are more comforting than being alone…
She remembers the times that they worked together for a common goal. Hearing him ask, “When will you stop hiding? I see when others don’t… You think that you are tough… but I am better at this than you…” The anger she used to feel over his words, but also the drive, caused her to try to best him at everything.
He complimented her when searching for Godfrey Amaranth. He actually made her… better. Then he appeared again in Auvernal… out of the shadows as she attempted to learn all that she could about Queen Isabella and King Bradshaw Achilles after their attempts at a forced alliance when they were at what others saw as Liam and Riley’s weakest points… He’d also appeared in Lythikos… engaging the Scarlet Duchess during Maxwell’s book reading and signing. He’d commented, and she’d missed his intent behind his words… “I see you!”
She reaches out to him… “Jin…”
“I am almost there…”
“Really, but how? Wait, why?”
“I just get a feeling when it comes to you. No need to leave the door open, I have my own ways in.”
Olivia disconnects the call, giving in to her moment of feeling like the lonely five year old that cried out for her deceased parents… that awaited the return of her Aunt Lucretia… that wanted… needed… anyone … someone to care… to be there…
She would attempt on many occasions to enter their wing of her estate … never able to do more than lean against the door frame that led to the parlor just before the stairway to their study and sleeping quarters.
On this night, she’d make another attempt… but as she approached… stood frozen in place just a few feet from the door… her view… the little scarlet haired child, holding onto her mother’s red dress from a photo they once stood together in as a full family… There was only the one photo… but it meant the world to her…
She could never push herself to enter that door… to look upon the faces she longed to feel against her rosy cheeks… hearing their voices… cherishing even the lies they told her when they left on secret missions… or so they thought… never realizing their little expert spy in training had found the secret passages that led from her bedroom to their own. Even further still, she’d found passages they'd not yet discovered. One in particular led to their study.
Locked deep away in her mind were the full and intricate details of the multiple assassination plans discussed by her parents, and sometimes voices that she had never heard before. One in particular was Operation Snowspear. The plan would not eliminate the King or Queen, but instead eliminate the Crown’s Heir to the throne… Crown Prince Leo Rhys. The “spare”, Prince Liam would be taken and raised as the son of King Isaac of Auvernal. Once married to someone of extreme power and riches, he would be used in an attempt to take his “rightful” place as King of Cordonia.
What had been erased from Cordonian history books was the fact that it was the original country of Stormholt. This small, but wealthy country held a magical past that the countrymen told their families of as a fairytale, which became a legend… No one would know that this was not a fictitious tale… except those eldest members of the Via Emperii.
The olden days labeled those belonging to the Via Emperii as witches, warlords, and Satanists. Modern day would call its members Elementalists, but they remain hidden in plain sight for their own safety. But now, they work with and against each other… some felt that because they held “special power” they should order rulership of the five realms that united under Queen Kenna’s rule. All others were under descendant rule, therefore it was run according to tradition. Over time the realm’s center point lost rule, as the King took on a wife not “of the realm” or its descendants from distant lands.
You guessed it, Queen Eleanor had been allowed as an heir of his country by King Hector Nevrakis. This had been done by a secret decree in his last stages of life. King Hector never felt it would benefit his rule to take on a family… feeling that it would just provide unnecessary access to stumbling his rule…
Although he had many lovers, he’d never allowed anyone to become with child to keep life. They were imprisoned as his slave until such time as they were due to give birth, remaining his lover until such day the lives of both mother and unborn child were taken.
It was rumored that King Hector also had the occasional male lover to ensure no heir could be created. When his attraction ended, so did the lives of his male partners. His tyrant rule was never challenged for this reason.
So when she came of age, she was in line to rule. She would be more powerful than King Constantine Rhys himself. Although he’d become enamored by her beauty and character, his intent was to marry her, create their heirs, and then discard her from his life through whatever means required.
Eleanor would become pregnant with Prince Liam’s sibling, which she went to many extremes to keep hidden. But on one drunken evening, King’s Guard and close friend, Jackson Walker, disclosed to an also drunken King Constantine that his wife had seen her way to the Royal Obstetrician.
The next few days went by as normal, until Eleanor’s behavior raised suspicion. Constantine had her followed by the two most trusted friends who’d remain loyal and constant in his life, Godfrey Amaranth and Barthelemy Beaumont. When the two learned that she was indeed with child, they naturally assumed that Jackson Walker had fathered the child, and took his life.They then approached Constantine with the events as they unfolded. He was angered, and in his rage made the comment of Eleanor meeting the same fate as Jackson. He was not to be made a fool of! Her death would entitle him to Auvernal as her husband. As her King, he could claim the lands rightfully.
Wanting privacy to really decide how to handle Eleanor best, he dismissed the two friends. Feeling belittled, they became furious at the fact that he’d exclude them at such a crucial time. Godfrey left for his own property in England, advising Barthelemy to return to Duchy Ramsford until such time as Constantine requested their presence.
But Godfrey was not a man who took lightly to being dismissed as if a common servant. He also didn’t appreciate second to a woman bred from outside of Cordonia, no matter her resources. He viewed every foreigner as an enemy, and this enemy was making his best friend lose his barbaric ways, with each new heir, Constantine seemed to weaken, showing a softer side than was warranted in the eyes of Godfrey and Barthelemy.
When he returned to Cordonia, he met with Barthelemy at Duchy Ramsford to formulate their plan to rid himself of Eleanor as the King had formerly mentioned. While away, Godfrey had mentioned to Barthelemy that he had found an ancestral chalice that he knew the King would appreciate having back in the Royal collection. He would provide this as a gift of apology for Constantine. Chalice in hand, Barthelemy mentioned to Godfrey his ideas of poisoning the Queen. But before they could detail the plan, Bertrand entered the office unexpectedly.
He’d promised Maxwell that he would talk to his father about how he treated him, as he was leaving home soon for studies. Having lost their mother, the only person who was gentle to him, Maxwell had entered a state of panic over being left alone with his father. “Little Hippo”, as his mother called him, only had a closeness to Bertrand now that their mother was gone, and to Prince Liam when allowed to visit at the palace.
“House Beaumont has always been a faithful supporter of the Crown. Loyalty is a bond that can be broken only by betrayal. It's the greatest promise you can make. House Beaumont pledged itself to the Crown generations ago, and I will uphold that pledge tonight.”
Bartelemy was plotting to take the Queen’s life and Godfrey didn’t agree. Bertrand only heard the words, “If Constantine were to find out we are plotting treason against the Crown…” Barthelemy immediately began to chastise Bertrand on sight, at this Bertrand immediately apologized and took his exit, never having laid eyes on the person whose voice sounded familiar, but was unclear.
Barthelemy resumed conversations, explaining that he would still have his beloved Annabelle had she not interfered with the last attempt on the Queen’s life. This plan would serve its revenge and purpose together. I still see her each night, taking the bullet meant for the Queen and falling limp in her arms. “Eleanor will DIE, Godfrey!”
Godfrey felt that it was best that he take his exit after the near exposure earlier. Hastily exiting, he forgot to take the chalice he’d purchased with him. Upon contacting Barthelemy in regards to this, he informed Godfrey that he would like to find a matching chalice for the Queen. This would keep them devoid of suspicion if there was a dual gift. He would bring them both to him once he’d located one to match or compliment the ancestral chalice purchased by Godfrey.
When the eve came for the Royal Ball, Barthelemy met Godfrey in private quarters within the Royal Palace, explaining that his part of Operation Snowspear involved a ruse of sudden illness leaving him in a coma. He would have to attend this event alone and explain Barthelemy’s absence to the King.
He’d also informed Godfrey that the higher powers wanted Constantine dead, and that the act needed to be completed on this very night. All he had to do was give the chalice to Constantine, and the plan would be set into motion. Handing him only the single chalice that Godfrey had purchased to his confusion, Barthelemy left without further explanation and to avoid discovery.
Godfrey entered the ballroom and immediately saw Constantine speaking with young Liam. He was explaining that his mother was returning home, and would indeed be in attendance at the Ball. He just needed the young lad to have a bit more patience. Interrupting his reassuring speech, Godfrey requested the King’s attention. Finding relief in the disturbance, he quickly took notice of the gift in Godfrey’s hand.
“What’s this you hold here, Godfrey?”
“I wanted to give you a token of apology for my absence, Constantine. When you asked for space to think on the Jackson-Eleanor situa-”
“Nonsense, we need not go to discussions of that time, it has been settled. A gift was most unnecessary old friend, but deeply appreciated nonetheless.” Receiving the gift and opening it, finding it most impressive.”
“An ancestral chalice of royal descent, I felt that you-”
“Ah, thank you Godfrey!” Admiring it, he immediately thought of his Queen. “Do you think she’ll like this? Eleanor?”
Internally erupting like an angered volcano, he devises that instead of arguing with his once dear friend, the idea of Eleanor having the chalice proved an even better idea than his own intended plan.
“Yes, let’s fill it with her favorite wine, surely one drink of red wine wouldn’t cause harm. She wouldn’t refuse her King this one celebratory toast.”
Constantine had forgiven his Queen for holding her pregnancy in confidence. Unlike his two friends, he had come to the logic that she was attempting to prevent assassination ploys involving a pregnant queen as leverage.
Excitedly making his way to their private cellar for her favorite vintage, Constantine unknowingly altered plans put into action by the Via Emperii, and would become their personal target, not just his kingdom. But once Constantine took in Olivia Nevrakis, assassination attempts by the Via Emperii ended, until such time as Constantine met his demise.
This was Olivia’s greatest motivator for always being at Liam’s beck and call, and protecting what meant most to him… Cordonia’s Queen. She’d discovered this revelation when she unearthed the secret safehouse. She would serve Liam and Riley until her demise due to this.
~~~~~ Release ~~~~~
Jin appears behind her, wrapping her in his firm embrace, only having time enough to plant one delicate kiss upon her neck before their assassins’ foreplay begins. Although one or the other was guaranteed to have blood loss, their way was a thrill neither could resist.
Her elbow to his rib cage brought about the most sinister yet lustful smile on his thin lips. And so the dominance match began.
As she tried to flee, he caught her ponytail, snatching her to the cement floor, straddling her frame as he kissed her arm’s length, her hands temporarily pinned. Grinding beneath him, he was pleasantly surprised that she’d surrender so easily.
His miscalculation sent him flying over head with the powerful thrust of her hips, momentum provided by her deadly stiletto heels, which had cleanly sliced away the buttons of his shirt as she performed a sweeping move before coming to a full stand.
With no sign of blood, the aggression increased. Tearing his shirt away, he wraps it around one wrist as his ninja move lands him chest to chest with his prey, choking her as the shirt circles around her throat with a swift tightness.
Olivia’s hands grope his growing erection as she french kisses him through the continued choking. Feeling one hand move enticingly across his hardness, his reflex would catch her hand as the short blade grazes his abdomen.
“Going for the spleen, are we???,” he whispers, preparing for his next move.
“Too many words!,” is her reply as she rips his pants away after administering several slashes of the blade extended from her sleeve.
He peers down just before pinning her against his bare chest, laughing as he disarms her. “Stilettos off, NOW !” As she kicks the second shoe away, he sweeps her ankle, causing him to land atop of her backside, knocking the wind from her momentarily. He rips her dress clear up the center, and strokes her ass.
“My, my… and here I thought I loved your facial cheeks most… I’ve found a new love, Livy.”
Hating this pet name, she quickly spins underneath him, but he has her arms twisted above her head in a taut hold. “Now, now Livy… since when did you start resorting to cheating?”
She huffs angrily, and then feels blood run from her lips. In their play, she’d failed to realize that she’d split her lip on the floor upon impact from the fall.
“Doesn’t count… the floor drew blood, not you, Jin.”
“Say less!” With those words, he knicked her hip as he tore away her lace thong. The slightest drop of blood raised above her skin. “Satisfied?”
She lifts her head, seeing the small speck and grunts in frustration. “Fine!... You win! Help me up?”
He backs off of her, not seeing the trap she’d set. She locks one wrist in the wall cuff, and then the other as he looks down in surprise.
“Silly, Jin!!! You are in MY castle. You should know... this Nevrakis NE-ver surrenders.”
As he shakes his head in jest, she removes her blade earring, running it along his exposed pectorals, down his side, and then center towards his umbilicus, pressing the tip enough to expose a droplet of blood.
Hissing, he looks at her in pure desire. She tosses the earring, then removes what’s left of her torn dress in a most teasing display. As she tweaks her nipples, forming supple peaks, she turns her bare frame moving to her stilettos…
She bends to retrieve the heels, spreading to expose her vault of pleasure to this cunning prisoner she has trapped. Now in her most favored shoes, she seductively strides toward him, one hand tracing its way to her center as the other embraces her bust. She stands before him, torturing him with moaning gasps of her self pleasure.
“Olivia… please!!!,” he begs.
She halts her movement, walking to him, offering him her fingers that had deliciously searched her core. He teases her fingers with his tongue’s tip before sucking them, dragging his teeth sensually to their tips, before sucking again… fondling her fingers with his tongue play before she snatches them away. She backs away, deciding that she wants to feel him within her… How is the question that she ponders…
She presses a hidden button that pulls the cuffs apart and upward, his ankles captured in a spring mechanism and separated as well… She grabs hold of the chains and balances against the wall as she mounts his waist.
“I’ll claim my prize now,” she headily breathes into his ear.
She takes his erection, easing him inside of her, closing her eyes at the feel of him. She presses her forehead to his chin as she adjusts to him, reaching to take hold of the chain again for support.
Her core spasms around him, causing his reaction to her movements, and sends a heat through her forcing her to grind against him. Finding her rhythm that places his girth in her erogenous zone, she thrusts hard against him… He moves as she moves, allowing her more control, but unable to remain still.
She kisses him through her first release, now holding him around his neck with both arms, needing to be one… not finding the closeness she desires still… glued to his frame in the upright stalemate as he cums within her.
“Let me, Olivia… Let me do what I came here to do.”
She looks at him in his dark brown eyes… contemplating if she should allow this to go further… her mind now completely taken from her earlier despair. She presses another hidden button as she climbs down from his frame. As he lowers, she removes the cuff from each wrist… the ankle restraints already having fallen away.
He picks her up, carrying her over to the closest surface he can take her against that isn’t the wall or the floor. In one sweep, he shoves the boxes from the desktop, lowering her to her feet. “Lean across it, I want you from behind.”
Before she can fully lean, he presses her down, forcefully entering her, eliciting a growl of pleasure to escape her gritted lips. His strokes are slow, but aggressive, causing her pelvis to hit the desk’s edge… a torment she thoroughly enjoys.
“Harder, Jin!”
He leans in taking hold of her hips and drives into her, his nails digging into her skin, but his tempo is still not where she desires it.
“Faster Jin, please… and harder!”
Pushing her further onto the desk, he squats above her and enters painfully and breathtakingly slowly, until she has taken every inch of him in, then rams her hard and fast. She belts out in pleasure… “Yes, Jin!… Yes!!!”
“I’m not cumming until you ask me to,” he groans.
She loves the way he gives in to her… the way he takes her… the way he … CARES… She allows his stroke to continue until she can’t hold out any longer, then begs for him to cum for her… to cum in her… At her command, he sends his heated flow streaming through her, bringing her forceful ejaculation as well… drowning him in her essence.
After laying together for a bit, still joined together, Jin speaks. “Come, let’s have us a soak in an ice bath.” Once again, he has reset her to her usual self.
@pixie88, I have been dangling this for too long... our girl @shewillreadyou will finally receive the gift I have been trying to give to her since Valentine’s (gag, double gag) Day!!!!
@shewillreadyou ... it’s hella late, but this is for you... My inspiration for this EYE BURNER... This thing wouldn’t stop writing itself.... Fuck!!!! Wait til you see the word count, and I went back and chopped this thing down...
This is for you my well hidden PEARL... your fic set my heart aflame, and the words immediately ignited ...
The delay you ask?...
Well, it had to be perfect to compliment the beauty that you inspired in my mind... I pray that I have done you justice my dear friend.
As this was my stability throughout writing...
So glad I could gather all of that back into one space to complete this for you...
Enjoy, thank you sooooooooooo much for being the inspiration of my madness!!!!
My new single “Back to Me” is out now: https://LindsayLohan.lnk.to/BackToMeIDStream Now: https://LindsayLohan.lnk.to/ALMPIDDon’t forget to subscribe! https:/...
Writing inspiration for Broken Vows...
I also have to say @jerzwriter that your Casey & Ethan woes sparked this in me as I was reading over my Cordonian Blue Grotto fic. This coupled with the songs featured in the fic sparked life to my random thought.
I think I had just finished reading your fic about Casey & Ethan awaiting paternity results for Daniel, and it mentioned something about her looking at her ring... Truthfully just all of the emotions your fics have made me feel lately ...
This got a bit crazy, and that is not your doing, that comes from my own madness, lol. I just wanted to say that you are a very inspirational person! Thank you for bringing emotion to my world !!!!
