Mikal

Kaya moaned in pleasure as she lay beneath him, arching her back and grabbing his long silver hair. She was a great temptress indeed, with her pretty face, soft golden curls, and enticing curves. Just the type he liked his girls to be. Except that he couldn't fully enjoy her tonight, his mind too clouded to focus on his own pleasure.

Or perhaps he had just tired of her. He had been bedding her for the past silver moon, almost every night. Perhaps it was time for him to find someone else.

The image of a sweet face with honey eyes and long chestnut hair flickered within his mind. Mikal blocked out the thought before it even formed in his head. No. Not Alina.

He might be able to get away with fucking Sir Maarten's daughter. But he would never get away with bedding Bernard's wife.

"What is it love?" Kaya whispered as Mikal suddenly stopped his thrusts and turned away from her.

"Can you leave please?" Mikal said curtly, and Kaya looked up at him with troubled eyes.

"Have I done something wrong?" she asked, her soft lips quivering with uncertainty.

"I am not feeling well tonight, that's all," Mikal explained as he forced an assuring smile. "But you may come again tomorrow night if you like."

"Oh of course I'd love to!" Kaya said, but Mikal only turned away from her without another word, reaching for his nightshirt.

***

Sheer curtains danced behind him, swaying with the soft midnight breeze, and glowing a pale shade of red beneath the dying moonlight. This was the second red moon of the year, and it was coming to an end, marking the peak of summer.

The room was mostly dark inside, except for the single lantern placed on the dressing table before him. Soft flames flickered, offering him enough light to see his reflection in the large gold-framed mirror, where he sat leisurely brushing his long silver hair. He looked at the reflection of his handsome perfection, and he frowned, his deep citrine eyes full of resentment.

Such a beautiful face was a great blessing, along with his great wit and captivating presence. He was quite aware of the great impact he had upon others. He could seduce any woman. He could influence any man. He could easily have the whole world at his command. But tonight, for the first time in his life, he felt uncertain.

How was he supposed to raise enough forces to face the potential danger from Vausterland, especially with the limited numbers and resources in Nordenland? Even if he managed to get support from all over the North, they still wouldn't be a match for William's forces. Because William's army depended largely on the human numbers, while in the North, it was forbidden for humans to hold weapons and fight.

Despite being an army of slaves, the Western army was one of the most powerful forces in Engeldom. It all started two hundred years ago, when Robert the Conqueror, a winged fool, was crowned King of Vausterland. He announced the start of a new dawn that was based on denouncing human oppression, believing that this would atone for his ancestors' sins and help the winged ones gain a place back in heaven after their death.

And as an example of promoting human equality, the first thing Robert did was to recruit human slaves in his army. A movement that had disturbed the peace of Engeldom, and pushed Nordenland to close all its port in the face of foreign influence, resulting in a long isolation era that had lasted two hundred years...

The sound of flapping wings brought Mikal's attention away from the mirror, and he turned around where he found Dia, his beautiful black raven, flying into his chamber. Dia cawed as Mikal reached out and took him in his arms, gently smoothing his feathers. Believed to be the reincarnated souls of Angels, ravens were sacred beings, taken by Engelmen as precious pets. Mikal found great comfort in holding Dia, and it always seemed to him that Dia could sense his emotions, for Mikal would always find him flying into his arms whenever he felt troubled.

Mikal drew Dia closer to his chest and lowered his head, his lips brushing against the soft black feathers. Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath while still petting his precious Dia, Mikal started to relax.

But the next moment he sat upright again as he heard a small knock at the door, which caused Dia to fly away. Mikal watched in the mirror as the door opened slowly, and he could see the reflection of a beautiful blonde woman quietly entering his room. She walked in and stood behind him, smiling gently as she put her arms around his shoulders.

"My beautiful boy," she whispered, before she landed a gentle kiss on his head.

"Mother," he turned to face her, forcing a smile.

"What is keeping you up at this hour?" she asked.

"You are up too."

His mother sighed in response, and he could see a troubled look in her warm green eyes.

"What is it mother?" he asked in concern, and she smiled again, gently smoothing his hair.

"I need to talk to you, about Bernard's suggestion to wed Lord Frederik's daughter."

"Not again mother," Mikal said impatiently. "How could any of you possibly think I would agree to marry such an ugly woman?"

Ever since the news of her husband's mysterious death two months ago, followed by Frederik's unusual and immediate offer to wed her to Mikal, both Bernard and his mother had not stopped urging him to accept before she went to someone else. And now, after Frederik's call for help, it appeared that they were not going to stop nagging him anytime soon.

"Hilda is not ugly."

"Mother, I can tell if a woman is ugly or not," Mikal frowned. Not only was she ugly, but it was also rumored that her late husband's mysterious death was caused by none other than herself.

"Her father is the wealthiest lord in Engeldom. It would be a waste to let her slip from our hands," his mother argued.

It was true. Frederik of Grytia, owner of the Grytian gold mines, was indeed the wealthiest man in Engeldom, yet his daughter was the most unpleasant woman Mikal had ever met.

"Well, if Bernard wants her in the family that much, he can have his brother marry her."

"Lucian? But he is only sixteen."

"I had my first woman when I was fourteen. I'm sure Lucian will do just fine."

"Mikal, listen to me. You are getting old," his mother said in a serious expression. "I will not stand here and watch you as you waste your life away."

"I am not wasting my life away. And I am not that old," Mikal said, wondering how his mother could be worried about him getting old. He had just turned twenty one. "There are hundreds of women just dreaming of marrying me, why should I leave them all and choose Hilda?"

"If you just use half the wit you have, you will know why. And you will know that she is the perfect bride for you," his mother said, and he only continued to frown at her. "You are not even giving yourself the chance to consider her. Think about it. She is Frederick's only daughter. She is the only heiress to Grytia's gold mines. Think of all the benefits and wealth that you would gain by marrying her."

"That Bernard would gain..."

"No. You are not doing this for Bernard anymore, you are doing it for yourself. If you really want to become something, you will need the Grytians' gold and support."

"What would I want to become mother? I am Bernard's prime advisor and his army commander. Everyone dreams of having my position."

"You are Bernard's pet, you mean."

"I do not like to be called that!" Mikal said, his voice hard.

"Well the truth is, that is what you are being called behind your back. Look at yourself. You are just like your father, burying yourself, living in Bernard's shadows, gaining nothing, while you can do great things, far greater things than Bernard could ever achieve. As a matter of fact, all of Bernard's greatness is your own doing, and your father's doing before you. You know that already," she sighed. "If only Bernard were the one killed during the Kassarathi attacks and not your father!" she spoke with resentment. "This is not fair."

"Please mother. You know this kind of talk will take us nowhere. It will not bring back the dead," he said curtly. Of all the people in the world, his father was the last one he wanted to remember now. Just the mention of his father would easily bring him to tears. He felt the soreness rising in his throat already.

"Yes, it will not bring back the dead. But it could push forth the living," his mother continued. "Don't make your father's mistake, Mikal. He wasted his life following Bernard and his own brother before him. And what did he gain?"

"Mother, please stop it," Mikal said, suddenly rising off his seat and turning his face away from his mother. He did not want to talk about his father.

"Alright, I will stop. Just don't forget what your father died for."

"I know mother, I know," Mikal said as calmly as he could, struggling to keep all the pain and bitterness in his heart from showing in his voice. How could he ever forget...

"Promise me you will seriously think about Hilda. You might not love her, but you will definitely love her gold. By the way, I hear she is a very smart woman. And I believe what she lacks in beauty is highly compensated for in her brains. She will help you rise Mikal, of that I am sure."

After his mother retired to her chamber, Mikal was left alone with disturbing thoughts. Hilda... he frowned. He quickly headed to the small wooden table next to his canopied bed and poured himself a full cup of wine. He quickly drained it all in one shot, hoping to drain away Hilda's image and his mother's unsettling words.

But all he could see now was Hilda's stern face, with her determined long chin, and her dark and low eyebrows, which made her look like she was scowling all the time. Why did he, of all people, have to be forced into marrying this unpleasant excuse for a woman?

************************************