Gigi moaned between heated breathing, her nightgown hiked up to her waist as she rocked her hips back and forth above Cal. Rolling up the hem of her thin, lacy nightgown even higher to her chest, he lowered her down to bring her breasts close to his mouth.

Last night they had agreed, per his request, that they would sleep early since he shouldn't be late to his meeting regarding Seol-il. He couldn't risk the possibility of having an Isleen-infested nightmare if they had sex the day before. He needed to be in a prime condition for the meeting.

But as he saw Gigi lying in arms that morning, with the sunlight faintly illuminating her skin and her lips soft and ripe for kissing; he just couldn't help himself. And she was almost too happy to entertain his ache.

As their kisses grew hungrier, he didn't even need to ask as she immediately climbed onto his lap, lids still heavy with sleep, placing her legs on either side of his body like she did yesterday in the bathroom. My, she was a fast learner.

"Faster," he chanted as she bounced harder, biting her lip and closing her eyes, her walls only squeezed him tighter as the thickness of his shaft slid in and out of her fast. The friction was amazing, and Cal savoured the view of his beautiful wife doing a lewd dance on his lap. "Faster!"

Unable to take any more, she arched her neck and let out a satisfied cry as her orgasm hit, her entire body convulsing around him. Cal held her in place, preventing her from toppling down out of giddiness as he drove his hips upwards, sending hard, powerful thrusts to finish himself as she kept writhing and gyrating around him in her aftermath.

For someone who claimed that she wasn't much good on horseback she could ride pretty damn well, he thought.

Releasing inside her, he filled her to the brim until a few drops began to ooze out as she slipped his softening length out of her.

Heaving contentedly, she fell on his chest, nibbling lightly at his jaw. "I don't mind if this is how it's gonna go every morning."

Grinning, he swept some unruly hair out of her face. "Me neither."

***

About an hour later, they were neatly dressed and having breakfast. Junior had yet to join them; since they started an hour early he was still off on an adventure in the dreamland, but Gigi had assured him that she would stay there to accompany him when he got down.

"What gave you an interest in Seol-il, Sire? I know that you seek to expand the Empire, but why this country in particular, aside from its lush landscapes?" Gigi asked as she took a bite of her crusty toasted bread.

"They're being ruled by a terrible government," answered Cal, stopping after eating a slice of his egg. "You see that a lot of countries began to evolve at the beginning of the century... They have not."

Gigi looked at him, brows wrinkled with curiosity. "How so?"

"They have a strictly defined social class in which the commoners and their children are forbidden by law to advance on the social ladder," explained Cal. "Their schools teach noblemen exclusively so their women cannot read or write, even though they're born noble. The government doesn't encourage commerce and trade, while also depriving the people of the incentives needed to invent new technology. Land and farming are the biggest ways to accumulate wealth, but taxes on commoners are too heavy because the rates can be determined by the local governors almost at will. The ideology of the ruling class ensured this system to stay in power."

"But what about foreign trade? If they're not sufficiently supported in their own country, they could still sell it abroad. I know some foreign traders who do, and it works well for them," suggested Gigi.

"Foreigners and anyone who carries foreign influence is banned and persecuted so mercantilism can't take root. Scholars and bureaucrats despise the merchants and label them as parasites to society. Technicians and engineers are held in low social esteem and there is no patent to protect an inventor's right. Even their education and ethical codes are formulated in a specific way to enforce loyalty to the ruling class and the King. They adhere to a closed-door policy which drives them into political isolation and economic degeneration."

Cal glanced at her warily. "...And they still have slaves, too. Dubbed 'serfs', they make up over thirty-per cent of the population."

"My gods!" Gigi's hands came up to cover her mouth in shock. "...But if they are so economically feeble, Sire, how are they able to afford these slaves? Surely, they would need to either buy, occupy or transfer them from another place?"

"These slaves," Cal explained dolefully, "are made of their own people."

"I can't imagine... What kind of leader would enslave their own people!" exclaimed Gigi.

"That's not the worst, Gi. They also have child brides. Little girls as young as six or seven years old are being given in marriage with men over thirty years their senior because their family cannot afford to keep them," added Cal, while Gigi seemed to remain frozen in a state of shock. "When I think of those children, I remember Junior."

Their butler came forward to tell him that the conference room was ready and that everyone had already assembled in the hall for the meeting. Cal thanked him and stood, straightening his suit.

"Their nobles are selfish in general, but thankfully they're bitter enough to turn on their King. Apparently, nobody in that country is exempt from being screwed over by their King. As I've told you before, Gi, it is never a good thing to rule with terror."

"I believe you're right, Sire. No sovereign should be ever allowed to rule with tyranny," Gigi replied as she stood up, having recollected herself. "May I come with you? I would like to voice a thought or two."

"No, Gi," he denied. "If I do so much as let you in the meeting room then it means I am involving Praja politically. I cannot risk anything before we reach a breaking point. Also, you've promised to keep Junior company," he tilted her chin up, kissing her temple.

"Right, I forgot about Junior," Gigi nodded and pouted sadly, kissing his fingers. "I'll see you in the afternoon, then."

He laughed gently. "Oh darling, just wait for it a little more and I'm sure you'll be able to shape our Empire just the way you see fit."

***

"His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor."

Cal entered the conference room, announced by a footman, and everybody stood to salute him. The congregation was a mixture, with mostly Angletonian nobles but a good number of Seol-il representatives as well.

"Gentlemen, please sit down," instructed Cal, before they all sat around the long table, with Philippe on his right and Kym Shion on his left. "We have gathered here today to assess the implementation of our plan and its impact on Seol-il soil. As we know, it has been a month since the execution and I'd like to know if there's anything interesting going on there so far."

"For the report, our initial plan worked perfectly, Your Majesty," Kym Shion answered. "The dam broke and there was a huge flood that caused a landslide. The main routes connecting the villages to the capital city were breached. The damage caused was huge, but since our people managed to warn civilians to evacuate, only a few lives were lost."

"Well, that dam was poorly designed anyway; we're just jumping ahead," chirped an Angletonian nobleman, followed by group laughter. Cal silenced him with a hand gesture to let Kym Shion proceed.

"The civilians aren't able to afford food since the flood drowned their crops and the supply routes from the other provinces were cut," continued Kym Shion. "Angletonia has deliberately provided them with free aids, such as nourishment, clothing and medicine. Especially those near the border."

"How are they taking it?"

"They are incredibly grateful. More things were being provided than what they could have consumed in a year. Though they are suspicious that the foreigners are going to make them pay later, with their lands or their daughters."

Cal frowned at the thought of a daughter being used as a form of payment. "Which is why your presence matters here, right, Kym Shion? You and your people are going to show them our true intentions in a way they understand. Yes, Philippe?"

Philippe nodded. "My father has also offered shelter for those who wish to reside in Archambault, for the meantime."

"Great." Leaning back in his chair, his lips curled into a mocking smile. "How has our highly exalted King been in the meantime?"

"Furious. He is trying to issue a decree that threatens to imprison every single citizen who dares to accept aid for consorting with foreigners."

Cal snorted. "Exactly as we expected he would."

"So far the civilians are still afraid of him, but fear not, Your Majesty, I doubt that it'll last. Their hunger and need for survival will trump their fear of the King and drive them to revolt. The worst that could happen for them would be dying anyway; I know the men would rather die fighting for their families."

The rest of the reports were much the same. After the meeting ended, Cal went to talk privately with Kym Shion. There were still a few things he needed to ask him but he found them too personal to be brought up in the meeting. Asking him to meet in his private office, he made a footman serve them a couple of drinks as he entered.

"How are you doing, Kym Shion? What you've always dreamed for your country is about to become reality. You must be feeling good about that."

"Honestly, I don't know what I feel, Your Majesty. I am overwhelmed, excited and nervous at the same time. I never thought that this was possible in my lifetime, or that I would be the one to make the change. Had my mother been alive, I know she would be very proud as well."

Cal smiled involuntarily as Kym mentioned his mother, as this was something he could relate to. Had Estelle been alive, she would've been proud of him too; she would've loved Gigi.

"I apologize, I shouldn't be bringing up my private life."

"Oh, please," encouraged Cal, nudging the teacup in his direction. "Be my guest."

Taking the cup between his hands, Kym Shion took a sip before he started. "My late mother was a serf, but she wasn't always one. Her father was a farmer who lived in the mountains, but one day one of the governors ordered him to pay taxes with gold. In the end, he made a lot of debts to pay for it and kept making new debts to cover up for the old one. In the end, they seized his rice field and he was thrown into prison. As if it wasn't enough, they sold my grandmother and her children as slaves to make up for his debts."

"My mother was bought to work as a serf in a noble household. The new head of the family took notice of her beauty," Cal caught a sinister tone in his voice as he referred to the person. "My father, he made her his mistress although she clearly had no choice in it."

Cal's grip on his teacup tightened, comprehending fully what he meant by that, reviving his own memories of being assaulted and forcefully married to Isleen.

"Being an illegitimate child of a noble made my life better, somehow. Even if I could never be acknowledged as heir, unable to inherit land, wealth or participate in government exams. He sought a tutor to teach me and allowed me to manage his properties, though only because he had no other son. My half-sister loved me as her real brother, although we got separated when she was sent to marry the King."

Cal's eyes lit up. As far as he could remember, Kym Shion had never mentioned a sister and the position of Queen of Seol-il was currently vacant. But his gut told him that it would be too much to talk in one sitting.

"Then how did you know Jeanine? Sorry, I mean, Dr. Jaeyr?"

"Her father knew my grandfather," Kym answered. "They were on the run together. The tax-collectors would sometimes chase the farmers out of their houses into hiding in the mountains. One day they got separated, and due to lack of sustenance my family finally gave up their freedom to surrender themselves to the mercy of the government. Nobody knew that his dear friend had escaped to Angletonia. Had they knew, they could've had a better chance at life."

"I'm sorry, that might not be my story to tell," he added nervously.

"Why wouldn't they try?" asked Cal, gazing up from his cup. If his calculations were correct, this event would take place in the late years of Raedan II's reign. As the Angletonian Empire had only recently been built, they had been trying to expand, and the immigration laws were somewhat flexible.

"They told us that you were sadistic barbarians who would shoot us dead with zero warning if we dared so much to step our toe over the border."

Returning his teacup back on the tabletop, Cal placed his hand on Kym Shion's shoulder. Even though the man was five or six years older than him, it really felt like he was a child seeking comfort that nobody had ever offered him.

"You're not to worry, Kym Shion. Once the royal family makes their move, we'll be free to take charge. Nobody can stand in our way." Cal looked him in the eyes firmly. "We're going to avenge your family."

***

Cal breathed heavily, pulling a blanket over himself as he rolled off Gigi's body, content and spent.

After they put Junior to bed, they went on to do so much lovemaking that they had totally forgotten about everything else.

"I'd almost forgotten how this feels..." he remarked between pants, smiling up at the roof of their canopy. Frankly, he'd never thought that he would be able to revel in the bliss of intimacy like he used to.

Shifting towards him, Gigi stretched her hand to push the sweaty bangs off his temple. "That was heavenly, Sire... You are heavenly," she gushed, nuzzling his shoulder and kissing his arm.

"You make me heavenly," he flipped their bodies, hovering above her again and pressing a kiss on her succulent lips. Every second spent having her body tightly enveloped in his embrace, shuddering and languishing in pleasure, made him feel electrified.

"How am I supposed to leave you at home and go on my mission, hmm?" Leaving her breathless, he trailed his kisses down to her chin and neck as he sucked on her pulse.

"You're... leaving again?" Gigi looked down at him, pouting, still catching her breath as she entangled her fingers in his hair. "...So soon?"

"I likely have to go back to Seol-il any day now; I must present myself to the people so they could see and get to know me. Then if it goes as planned, there is a good chance I might have to leave for weeks. Before any of that happens, I was wondering if we could go on a short getaway for a few days, like a honeymoon."

Gigi stared at him wide-eyed, dumbfounded. She looked almost cute. There was a short pause as she processed the idea, only to reply with, "...Would it be alright for me to leave my post?"

"Why not? The season is ending soon, so you won't have to worry about the ladies bothering you anymore. Just the two of us." He ducked his head down to lick the underside of her breast.

"I don't think it's wise to leave Junior alone while we go to Praja," Gigi muttered, shrugging.

"Praja?" Cal repeated, looking up from in between her breasts. "As much as I want to, Gi, we can't visit Praja in such a limited amount of time."

"But you said you wanted to spend your honeymoon in Praja!" she rose up suddenly, slamming her rounded bosom hard into Cal's face, making him yelp as they suffocated him. "Oh gosh, Sire, are you alright?"

Cal groaned, holding his nose in his palm. "...I think you broke my nose," he answered in a nasal voice, pretending to be in pain.

"Oh no! I'm sorry, Sire, let me see..." Cupping his face, Gigi leaned close only to be greeted with laughter as she had successfully pried his hand away. Voicing out her annoyance, she threw a pillow at him and went back to hiding under the blanket. Cal continued to laugh to his heart's content.

"So, do you wish to know where I'm taking us?" he laid down by her side, and she peeked her eyes out of the blanket in interest. "To Vasilione; it's a province in southwest Angletonia, and our ancestral home."

"The birthplace of Queen Emilian?" Gigi lowered the blanket to her nose this time. "Sure, I'd love to go. As long you won't try to trick me anymore, or else you're gonna find out what happens if I'm really angry."

"Terrified." Cal cackled as she entwined herself back into his arms, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear to give him a better look at her beauty. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and her smile so lively, and the shape of her...

Heat crept back onto Gigi's cheeks as she found herself being pinned under her husband once more, an evident arousal probing against her thigh. "Oh... Again, Sire?"

"You made me like this," he growled as he went on to suck and nibble at her skin. "Isn't this what you want? Isn't this what you're asking for?"

"Oh, Sire," her lips twisted into a sultry smile as she readied herself for the next round. "You talk too much."

·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.