Coolly I exhaled the vapes of breath stuffed in my lungs as the man carefully climbed the carpeted steps before my throne. Behind the stoicism front he forces; his porcelain complexion betrays him. Pink burns at his cheek and temple, clearly this is his first time ever, stepping foot in the castle walls, otherwise he would have known that all tattoos need to be strictly covered -- Instead they are poorly hidden under the line of his wrinkled dress sleeves.

Dark prints of innocent symbols that could easily be misunderstood for something detrimental towards the King and Queen. But he manages to look presentable. Chestnut hair gelled back, and his face dotted with cute freckles that speckled down to his neck.

Quivering like a leaf, his nervousness evident, yet he blankets the swarming butterflies with optimism -- temporary aid in this time of need. But he should be proud for getting through the door and busted the bubble of his comfort zone.

Steadily he makes it to the second step before me, with the closing proximity I hinted his spring green eyes shimmer under the light of my throne, and a genuine smile that wiggles unsteadily as if he beckons for help simultaneously. I felt bad, however, I could only nod in return, pursing my lips from returning the genuine smile he gave me -- My way to silently tell him it is alright and that he did not need to fear me.

I needed to keep my cool, for I had my reasons as well. Dark and sinister reasons. And it stands behind me like an obsidian fog, silent but actively observing my every twist, lift and touch.

"M-My queen." the man bows, his voice is suave, but groggy by the gravel spewing in his chest before he clears his. To ease the fear, I smiled back but quickly wiped it off my face. He comes down hard to his knees when he accidentally tripped over a step, and quickly aligns himself with one knee still planted to the ground and lifted the other. "It is an Honore."

I nodded, suppressing an assuring smile while actively observing every move on the side of me to where Nasir was standing -- rummaging the whole scene over of what happened moments before this ceremony began.

There is no way Nasir was threatening me. There is no way he meant what he said in the room. 'If any man touched me for more than three seconds he'd gun them down.'

A Bluff, and I am calling it.

The man cranes his head up to me, doing everything possible to not drift his eyes any higher than mine. Gulping bricks and trembling violently. I could see it that cry for help flickering in the corners of his spring green. What am I supposed to do next? is what they say. And how is it I will ask.

Though I had the presence of death standing behind me, it wouldn't stop me from being the queen I am raised to be. I practiced this moment; the day I see my people and they finally bow to me. Nasir's threats are word of mouth, and it can be for another time, but as for today I have the upper hand.

"Rise." I commanded. Taking a naked leg and crossing it over another. comfortably settling into the smooth layer of my throne, as a Queen rightfully should.

With a quick glance he rakes over the sheen of my naked skin and clears the phlegm in his throat. But a flick of an 'a-ha' moment soaks into his eyes, and he reached his arm forwards to meet mine in the center. Cold palms met my warmer ones, but his were slightly damped. Already we are two seconds in with physical contact and nothing from Nasir.

I knew it, if there were any threats at all than it might be when we are alone, where he will scold me on things I cannot control as a public figure and icon.

The man and I both drift our eyes to the side of us where many of the elites kiss the back of Gunters hand in respect, kneeling to him as if he were the morning star that has come to grant their prayers. I return my gaze back to my guests, just as he puckers his lips and flipped my hand back, I watch the moist of his pink lips pucker in preparations to give mine a subtle kiss of respect when a clicking sound sent a sharp chill so deep down my back it was enough to contort my bones. With haste I withdraw from his touch just in time as his lips came down, resulting him to kiss his own palm.

That is no ordinary click. An ominous warning that even had the man shiver with unease. Sounds like those don't automatically click on their own, unless they are wielded by someone unhinged and deadly.

Confusion sharpens the man's eyes, and he abstains from looking directly to the source, until the chill rolls down his spine and diminishes its cold touch from his skin and he reached forwards again. Click two. I jumped. This one was my warning. Touch him and his head will splatter.

"W-what is it I can help you with?" I forced. Shifting like I am sitting on hot leather.

"Uh- uh Yes! I would like to ask for an extension on -- He climbs up to the last step where our figures would be side to side -- "My restaurant is -"

"I'll hurt you if you don't go back to the first step." Was the threat so dark it rumbled bones. Garnering attention of even those behind the man who lunged back so far, I thought he'd tumble down.

A sitting duck I was, buried in a pit of embarrassment and shame, all while faint hints of lust was prodding holes in the surface of it all. Leaving me a heaving flustered mess. The way his voice demanded attention with the grip of his deep tone. I mentally facepalmed myself. We were doing so well in the room, we finally looked eye to eye and came to terms together and how we fight for the same things and how in the end we will take down our enemies together. That was what we agreed on.

Any logical man would have said, 'OK' and proceed to do his part of his job and let me do mine.

Not Nasir. Not his logic.

*Hours earlier. *

I slip myself from his broadened frame, fixing the bun atop my head, that took proper care to assort. My cheeks are on fire, and so was my heart.

"Joining me in this game means you cannot back out my Queen." He instructs behind me. The sound of his voice is so musical and resonant, as if he knows the weakness of a women is the chord of a masculine tone. Knowing it affects me in more ways than one, starting with the pesky leak in between my legs.

"I know that Nasir, and I am not afraid. I want to be in this with you." I turned to face him, and a lump swells my throat, choking me of necessary oxygen.

Hands buried into his dark slacks, and navy dress sleeves rolled to the elbow, the glimmering gold around his neck contrasted to his deep olive skin. He observes me intently, looking solely into my eyes for any sign of hesitation while simultaneously stalking up to me, enclosing the distance between all over again. As if he is incapable of leaving just a slight distance between us.

"You want to be with me?" he teases, a smug grin pulling on his face. I nodded.

"I -I want to help Nasir." My voice decreasing in volume, "You have been there -"

"Will always be there." he corrected.

"You have always been there for me and I - I want to return the favor." God, my voice sounds so needy and whiney.

"You want to return the favor?" he reiterates, cocking his face slightly to the right, as if to properly clarify how the words sounded.

"Yes. I want to return the favor."

His dark pupils expanded dangerously, and I quickly clarified. "With the cults and stuff Nasir!"

A smirk steadily curls his lips, and he nodded, reestablishing my safety. "Very well than. We will be needing your help, tomorrow you can meet us in the shed again, after we find out what it is Gunter needs from us tonight. We will fill you in on what we have my Queen, so listen to me."

For that moment I slightly nodded my head -- foolishly thinking that that was an end to a conversation. But when I was still overwhelmed by the strong heavenly scent of wood, and the heat of his broadened frame standing in front of me, I peered back up to his face and gulped. He doesn't bother hiding the darkness around his pupils, or the malicious intent that surround him as a whole.

"W-what's wrong?" I croaked, feeling my blood spike up dangerously high.

"In order to pull this off." he says. "You would need to play nice with Gunter. And keep him from suspicions."

I drew in my shoulders, "Alright." I say nonchalantly. "You saw us in the halls. I know you were watching"

"Exactly. Meaning I will have to be seeing more of it, to keep him off our trail." his lips pursing tightly.

In didn't occur in the moment why his words are so gloom and minacious, until realization hit the spot like a dart. "Oh! ... Nasir, are you ...are you jealous?"

I took the calculating silence as an answer, the grin he has slowly descending.

"You ... ARE jealous." I blushed, my blood burning hot in my veins. "Of me and Gunter? Nasir, come on, he is my husband."

"And that means very little to me. Especially since I know it is me your pussy weeps for."

And suddenly the clothes around my skin tightens. That elevated really quickly. "We'd better go." I say, pivoting towards the open door of my bedroom, when my arm is roughly ceased by a calloused hand, and with a gust of breath I was twisted back to his burly frame.

"Let go." I Mutter, hoping he doesn't feel the electricity raging havoc in my body by his mere touch.

"Try." He shrugs.

Pointlessly I struggle in his grasp, he stands there relaxedly but the hold on me unbreakable.

"Why is your grip so strong?" I huffed.

"To keep women in place." He grinned darkly.

I could only furrow my brows. Not having the slightest clue as to what that even meant.

"Now that your here, let us make a couple of things clear between us." He proceeds to guide me backwards, keeping a steady hold on me. "Now, that we have gotten past the friendly aspects between us, we can now see there is more tension that is beginning to thicken. I won't act to hastily, on my urges, instead I will give you time to come to me."

My naked shoulders press against the cold texture of the walls. And he pushes into me from the front.

"No more games, Tiana. And no more backtalk. You're going to play nice with your husband and play nice with me. Otherwise, I'll bend you over the nearest counter, or over my knee and my palm will mark your naked ass until you can grasp it."

Could he hear the loud drums in my chest? can he feel the tremble of my bones? or how about the burn of my skin. What can he feel as he silently gapes down at me, watching it all soak into my brain.

"What vile words to say to someone, let alone your queen."

"You'll finally learn how little that crown means to me and will soon find out what I will have you doing just to prove it."

"Soon find out?"

He chuckled crisply and breathily, so crisp it spikes up my pulse. Raising a single finger to trace it at the center of my temple, "You have always been inquisitive little swan." He trails his finger symmetrically down the middle of my face, lazily running down from the forehead to the bridge of my nose, until we get to the tip. "You will find ways to probe my patience very soon or piss me off enough." I could feel his finger grazing my lips, awakening seas of goosebumps and boiling desire into my gut. "And then, and only then, I will give you what you have secretly wanted."

I swallowed, "A-and what is that?"

"An excuse to be my little slut."

My breaths turn dicey, crystalizing in my lungs, breathing became painful, but it was my life source. The cold pad of his finger grazing the skin of my neck, down to my sternum, he hones a possession over me, so penetrating I can't move ... or did I even want to?

"You're not going to knock my hand?" He questioned? Dipping his finger into the line of my ample breasts. "Go on." he beckons, "Move my hand."

I don't move. Didn't want to challenge him any further, he tests my obedience, for sure I would have found out his 'consequences' if I had done what he expected of me. And soon he retracted his hand.

"Good girl. Now let us get going, there is a ceremony that awaits our presence, and we can't have people wondering why you're in the room with your bodyguard."

I couldn't fathom how quickly he shifted. He was a switch. One minute he is rainbow and sunshine, easily approachable, then the next he stares at you with an ominous darkness so obsidian you can see all things nightmare and hell. But I knew it held me by the throat, I was weak to his dominance and loved every part of it, and all his threats.

"Oh, and one more thing ..."

My smile steadily dissipating in the process. Intrigued to hear my new orders.

"Any man touches you for more than three seconds, or kisses you in any way, or even stands close to you, will be considered a threat and I will gladly resort to brutality." he smiles.

"W-what?"

He studies my fear and confusion and huffs, patting my head as If I am a groomed puppy.

"There, there little swan. Of course there will be warnings."

In a flash he pulls a gun from his strap, taking major precaution to the barrel keep it from my frozen body.

Like a professional he is, he wields the weapon as if it were a mere toy, gazing at it proudly, as if it were his found treasure. My face adopted a sullen look at the object bitter he looked at that more happily than he looked at me, caressing it with more gentle ease. The weapon suddenly clicks, and I jumped

"That is the sound of the safety off." he says. The weapon clicks again, and I didn't need clarification on that one. "You get the Idea. You will have two clicks of my gun, meaning two warnings, break both and both their legs will be dismembered."

He isn't serious. No, he isn't, he can't be, threats? "I know you can sink low Nasir. But pulling the gun out in front of me, knowing the history of why I went into depression in the first place? and now your threatening death all over again? I know you know better than that." I smirk slyly.

Not a word simmers into his head, any light in Nasir's eyes dimmish until I stare at the blank amber hues. Lifeless, plastic, as if I looked at a sinister doll, and with his words it sparked panic in my body. "Try me."

***

"Forgive me, my queen."

I startled back into reality, clashing my eyes in all my surroundings until it found the gentleman standing before me, him and a multitude of people in a single file behind him, all with their own business proposal and ideas. I had zoned out for -- I don't even know.

"Uh-um, yes?" I say softly.

"Is that good idea?" he says.

Goddammit. "Uh - what is, I'm sorry."

I can't even smile apologetically. Nasir was speaking the truth.

"No worries," the gentleman ensures, pulling out a crinkled paper in his pockets while simultaneously fidgeting under Nasir's glare, a beast hidden the behind the face of a beautiful man. Malicious intent lurking into every nerve in his body, and this time it is up to me to keep them safe.

My goodness why does that idea excite me so much? knowing he wants to punish me. But is it worth a life? my crossed leg tightening over the other for relief.

"I am new to this" the man says. "And was merely asking for an extension on my taxes, considering my restaurant has been slow for over a month now." In a cornered frantic, the man ushers his statement in one breath.

"U-uh." Fuck, now the judgement is up to me, what would Patrick have done? For heaven's sake Tiana, stop it with Patrick, you are the Queen. "What is the name of the business? " I ushered.

"Riptide. Handcrafted skateboards."

"How do you determine the safety of you customers?" I questioned.

"Each person has to fill out questionnaires, and have a doctor's clearances, my queen. Also, we make sure to take precautions and test the wheels daily overnight, any rusted wood is thrown out immediately."

All answers readied. Very well. "Then yes you may."

And with that approval, I demonstrated my power as a ruler, rightfully manipulating emotions from my people of the land. It felt good holding that grip and control; to know my crown stands for something and I am finally on the right path of the many before me, as the first woman.

Time elapsed in the nick of time, and we have reached the hour before midnight. Thankfully I kept my composure, not only to establish my power and authority as queen, but to save the lives of many.

My line has soon begun to diminish, and I had one final guest, grey tired eyes and a sickly physique, the only thing healthy is her chestnut hair. The last one, my last one in line she weakly smiles at me, when a man suddenly spoke.

"Forgive me King Gunter for speaking out of term." his raspy voice says aloud, capturing attention of all who mingled and awaited in the castle. He was an elite, Crisped grey dressed suit, and coiffed white hair. But not someone I have met before, "This young lady may go ahead and cut me." he says, pointing to the woman before me.

Gunter diverts his eyes blankly, "She is already seeing the queen."

"Yes, my King, however, I thought the Queen was denounced."

All sounds and murmurs suspend with a gust of air, so silent I heard the crickets from the outside.

"Yes, I was here when you denounced the queen. Thus, making her not part of this ceremony."

A few add in from behind.

"Yes, King Gunter, I questioned why she was here." Came the voice of a man.

"A queen denounced, is an ordinary royal. No status and no command. Which means all of her rulings today were in vague against the oath." Another said in the distance, speaking as if to gather a riot.

Panic set its course in me, all eyes hardening to my direction, piercing me through sharp gazes. I'm invaded by the intrusions, hairs erecting all over my skin, leaving me to the bone numbing cold. When it suddenly goes warm on my left side, A presence walking forwards until he drapes me with his broadened frame, at the scent of his cologne I was steadying under such crucifixion, each large step of his feet hitting the ground like silent threats. Say one more thing. And no one dared, in fact kept silent by his presence until Gunter finally spoke.

Rising up before his throne. "She is here as Queen Tiana, and my wife. Her denouncement was of her mental awareness, but now it is clear she has chosen to better herself for her people. I will spare my wife another chance, she clearly cares for her people, and I say that as her King."

With no choice to comply, my crown is regained yet again, all heads bow, including the shield standing before me. Out of all the faces that accepted me, I couldn't have been happier to have him beside me in the moment.

***

We gathered just at the end of the ballroom; all guests have finished their drinks for the night and maids and butlers tending to the mess. Gunter calls in the meeting aligning Nasir, Char, and Ray up front with dozens of men behind them. All faces stoic and stances unmoving. Soldiers facing their captain.

The hour is now thirty minutes past one in the morning, my tired lids fighting to stay open. To listen to every word. But for the moment, Gunter only walks around, inspecting the clothing and stances as his free hand swirls a whiskey.

"We have settled into our new castle a while back ago and have since made news of ourselves." He speaks. The power of his voice fully awakened me. "Many died, many couldn't make it, and many will son undergo challenges that will be detrimental."

I hinted the way he kept close to Nasir.

"There is a ceremony soon to come. A ball of memorial where I stand aside the President and his first lady, we will be needing everyman on deck for precautions. Six men guarding me and six guarding my wife." He walks closely to Nasir, standing face to face as he muttered something inaudible.

The two darkly stare down at each other, each holding back a storm, before Gunter walks away. A cloud draped over Nasir's shoulder, and he clashed his eyes with me before hungrily smirking. For safety I blinked away hastily, not before my heart hammers away in my chest.

"This meeting is not only in regard to the ceremony. There are two things. One I will be detouring pretty soon, making sure to visit places that require my old presence."

Chills race up my neck. Does he mean -

"I say this because -" he pauses, rounding to the center, with suspense following closely behind. "My father is returning."