Although it was the beginning of the fifth month, the night in Limris was crispier than usual, its fresh gale ruffling bushes and fluttering flags all over the capital, not sparing even the lush gardens of the Imperial Palace. Whispering in the leaves, the wind snuck inside a room through the open window, played with the thin balcony curtains, and caressed Lionel’s sweaty skin. The prince shuddered and quickly grabbed for his robe, casually thrown on the ground next to the bed of cushions. His sudden move alerted the snoozing Pricilla, who sat up and stretched with a yawn, displaying her voluptuous body without a shadow of shame or remorse. Lionel savored the ample view before a shadow disturbed his blissful indulgence. The curve of Pricilla's face, the form of her eyes, the slope of her nose, they all reminded him of Lorelei and the images that had flooded his mind but moments ago. That twisted desire he had felt towards that woman, a low-born pawn he barely knew, the burning of hatred and lust that had scorched his flesh during the height of his elation... It was all a sign of weakness. For him to lose control over his mind like that was unbecoming and laughable. Maybe it was due to the smoke of the love-herbs... Yes, it was definitely their fault! And together with his deep desire to see that wretched bastard crawl and beg in his feet, it had all muddled his head. Oh, he would someday have his way with that pesky duchess, but now there were other important things to do.

“Get dressed before you catch a cold,” he said, imitating perfectly a loving purr, stood up and poured two cups of wine from the carafe on the nearby table.

“You can keep me warm in your arms, my prince,” Pricilla yawned in response and smacked her cherry lips.

Lionel smirked and sipped from the wine, enjoying its flavor while ignoring her passionate suggestion. After a few moments of silence, an exaggerated whimper and the sound of rustling cloth came from behind, indicating a nightgown being put on with a lot of theatrics. He shook his head and turned around, only to see Pricilla leisurely resting on the pillows and pouting. At the same time, she had draped the thin cloth of her nightgown in a way that made her more alluring dressed than completely naked. This made Lionel hold his breath in appreciation, feeling his vigor return. Dear Gods, she knew how to keep a man’s attention engaged, when to act coy and when to play seductively innocent. It was unlikely due to experience, considering she had tasted a man for the first time just about three months ago. Rather, some nanny from the Orten household had trained her well.

Sitting gracefully beside her, Lionel handed Pricilla the second cup of wine and played with a lock of her hair as she eagerly drank it.

“My dear, today you seem thirstier than usual… in every sense of the word" He gave her a charming smile and a wink. "You squeezed me completely dry."

"You are the one to speak!" Pricilla puffed her cheeks. "Every night, you sap my mind away and turn me into clay under your fingers."

"Should I stop?"

"No!" Pricilla gasped and blushed. "But... Won't you grow tired of me?"

"Who put such horrible thoughts in that beautiful head of yours!?" Lionel managed to sound distraught and angry, as he pulled the young woman into his embrace. "You are my most precious flower, my love! Can you hear my heart? It beats only for you, it yearns only for your love. Every minute we stay apart is like a burning wound. Can you imagine the torment you make me go through? Only when I have you in my arms, only when we are united as one, can the fire burning me be quenched!"

He could see Pricilla’s expression changing from pouting to happy, to suddenly distraught. She nestled her head on his shoulder, while her fingers caressed his chest through the opening in his robe.

“Your Highness,” she purred seductively, “I have a secret.”

“A secret?” Lionel’s fingers ran up and down her shoulder as he took a sip from his wine. “This is something I can’t allow, my sweet flower. Keeping a secret from a prince is akin to treason. Now, if you don’t tell me, I’ll be forced to punish you.”

“I…” Pricilla bit her lip and her eyelashes fluttered in feigned hesitation. “I love Your Highness. I love you so, so much.”

“Well, I hope you do,” smirked Lionel over the rim of his wine cup and the fingers caressing her shoulder pressed firmer. “Otherwise, I might doubt your intentions of being here, my sweet Pricilla.”

“How can you doubt me, my prince?!” She lifted her head and her eyes were filled with tears. “I too think of you every waking moment, I too yearn for your touch. I wish I could spend every second of my day by your side. However…”

“However?”

“Despite all you say... Your Highness doesn’t love me.”

“So the love I give you... is still not enough!” sighed Lionel while twirling a lock of Pricilla’s hair around his finger. “Even though I overturned heaven and earth to bring you to the capital and elevate you to lady-in-waiting of the Crown Princess? Even though I made sure your brother safely receives the title of Count Orten and your father has a cozy new position with the Ministry of Taxes?”

“But I always have to hide my love for you!” Pricilla grumbled in a childlike manner. “Whenever I see you around the castle, I have to bow, to pretend to be strangers, when all I want is to embrace and kiss you, my prince! At night, I have to come through a hidden door like some thieve.”

“I’ve told you many times, my sweet Pricilla, it is not the right moment to make our relationship public. Especially considering the recent political developments…”

“So the rumors are true!?” The young woman jerked his hand off and stared at him accusingly. “You are to get engaged to that bitch from Pandad!”

“It was the Emperor’s decision.” Lionel put his hands on her shoulders and said in a calming voice. “The moment the words left my esteemed father’s mouth, my heart shattered. My one and only Pricilla, believe me, I would rather die a thousand deaths than have to share my life with someone other than you. But the Emperor’s will is absolute.”

“No!” She raised her voice and tried to free herself from his grip.” You can’t do this to me! Not after I gave you my everything! Not now that I’m carrying your child under my heart!”

“What did you say?!” Lionel’s eyes widened as his fingers dug into her shoulders.

“I am with child.” Pricilla bit her lip as a tear trickled down her cheek. “Your child is growing in me! How can you throw me… throw us away?”

Lionel looked at her for a long time, making sure his face was the right combination of incredulous confusion and happiness. It was the expected result. He had persistently showered her with love every night while he was in Sefis and even though they were forced to separate for a month, he made sure to make up for the lost time bring her to his bed chamber regularly after his return to Limris and feeding her secretly the strongest fertility potions Master Argente had in his repertoire. Three weeks ago Nanny Morna had informed him about Pricilla's behavior changing, her eating habits becoming strange, and, most importantly, the delay of her flowering days. Still, he had insisted on continuing to entertain her every night, making sure that his seed was securely taking root in her womb. Although he had chosen her on a whim that night almost four months ago, she was going to be a perfect addition to his plan. One sister had become the knife to separate Norden from Pandad, and the other one was going to become the most useful of pawns to topple the black king and bring Norden into his grasp. After all, she was no different than his other flowers. They opened up to him, allowed him to feast on their nectar, and after they were faced with the fruit ripening in their bellies, they became the most dolce and devoted helpers he could wish for. Oh, they all thought he would make them queens. That he will elevate them and their offspring to the heights of Limerian society. And even after he hid his little cuckoo birds into foreign nests, they still continued to serve him well. For he held their secret and the key to their rise and fall. Now, another fruit was successfully ripening and another little bird would soon take flight.

He looked at Pricilla and blinked several times, his blue eyes becoming moist. With the proficiency of a trained actor, his lower lip twitched and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

“Blessed Saints,” he gasped. “A-are you sure? Are we… Am I really going to be… a father?”

“Yes, my prince!” Pricilla beamed brightly at his flustered hesitation, brushing the moisture from her eyelashes. “It was your parting gift, the last night we spent together before you left Sefis. My flowering days didn’t come after that… I am carrying your son, my love.”

“That’s wonderful!” Lionel embraced her tightly as his voice rang with happiness. “My one and only Pricilla, my beautiful flower, you’ve made me the luckiest man ever!”

“As your embrace has made me the happiest woman, my prince! Sharing such precious gift is a dream come true!”

They hugged for a while as Lionel counted the seconds. After he decided that an appropriate amount of time had passed, he gently pushed Pricilla away, plastering a distraught expression all over his face. As expected, she took the bait.

“What is it, my prince? Why are you suddenly so gloomy? Aren’t you happy?”

“I am, my lovely, I am,” Lionel exhaled and shook his head. “But we still have the matter of Pandad pending.”

“No!” She grabbed the rim of his robe. “Don’t tell me you are still going to marry that bitch!”

“What other choice do I have?” Lionel made sure to look desperate and even squeezed out a tear at the corner of his eye. “The Emperor wants Pandad for its strategic position. But no matter what happens, you and our child will remain close to me and to my heart. Nothing between us will change even after I’m married.”

“A concubine?!” hissed Pricilla and her fingers pulled at his robe with desperation. “You want me to stay a concubine?! To share you with some dirty southern savage?! To watch her misshapen offspring become imperial princes while your first-born is dubbed a bastard?!”

“My flower-”

“Better kill us both right now!” she screamed, suddenly letting loose of his garments. With a brisk move, she grabbed the fruit knife from the nearby table and pressed it against her throat. “Me being a mistress, your son being denied his birthright and called a bastard... If this is to be our future, then better kill us right here. If you love me, if you love this little life growing inside of me, then kill us! Spare us the humiliation!”

“What are you doing my love?!” Lionel leaned in and grabbed her wrist, twisting it so that the knife fell out from her weak fingers.

With a wail, Pricilla broke down in his arms, flailing and hitting his chest with her free fist.

“Kill us! Just kill us!”

“Dear Gods! Don’t say such horrible things!” Lionel managed to catch her other arm and pull her into an embrace. “How could I live if I were to lose you and our child?! Don’t break my heart! Don't take away my precious firstborn!”

“I won’t give birth to a bastard!” mumbled Pricilla between hiccups. “And you have no intention to refuse Pandad’s marriage.”

“I wish I could, my lovely. I wish I could. But the only way my imperial father would forget about the marriage is if my future wife were of even higher standing than the Marzbane of Pandad. Unfortunately… Count Orten can’t compare in power.”

“But can’t you promote papa?” Pricilla sniffled, some hope rekindling in her voice. “If you help him get a higher position in the ministry…”

“That won’t be enough.” Lionel shook his head and sighed. “Even if your esteemed father were to become the head treasurer, this won’t be comparable to the trade benefits the Emperor would achieve by tying Pandad to us.”

“Then all is lost!”

“There… still might be a chance.” Lionel paused for a bit before continuing. “No, forget it. It is too dangerous.”

“What?” The young woman lifted her head. “What can we do?”

“Forget it. It is an insane idea. There are too many uncertainties. And besides, the sacrifice it would require… I would never demand something like this from you.”

“Please, my prince, tell me!” The eyes staring at him burned with desperation. “If it means being able to openly stay by your side, I will do anything!”

“Even becoming the Duchess of Norden?”

Pricilla inhaled sharply as her pupils shrank.

“B-but how? How would tieing me to that monster help? And besides, he is already married to that dirty mutt. Are you playing tricks on me?”

“No, my lovely, I am serious. I will explain everything but first, calm down.”

He grabbed her cup and filled it with some more wine. Never letting him out of her sight, Pricilla downed it in a few large gulps, almost choking in her fury. As she coughed, the prince patted her back and his quiet words melted into the night.

“Norden is the richest of the imperial domains – rare furs, precious gems and metals, exotic slaves, you name it. Father has been regretting for a long time giving those lands away to my… brother. That greedy bastard has been pocketing part of the taxes for years and sending the palace false reports. Unfortunately, the slithery weasel has always managed to cover his tracks and gives father no excuse to strip him of his post.”

“But how does this help us?” Pricilla wrinkled her forehead trying to comprehend the bigger picture. “The Beast of the North is sitting on his throne with my bitch of a sister as his legal wife.”

“Indeed. My Pricilla is as smart as she is beautiful.” Lionel leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “And your beauty, my sweet lady, will give us the throne of Norden.”

“W-what do you…? No, you don’t mean…”

“No matter how much he tries to pretend to be a noble, that bastard is still a man of flesh and blood. All you need to do is seduce him and make him spend one night with you. Then, when our child is born, you can claim it as his.”

“Wha-… No! Impossible! How could you want me to be intimate with that disfigured monster?!” Tears started rolling down Pricilla’s cheeks again. “His very look makes me want to vomit!”

“I know, my lovely, I know. But you said that you would do anything so that we can be together.”

“How will pushing me into another’s bed help us be together? Be honest, you are just driving me away! You are throwing my life and your son’s life away! Sending us to be killed in Norden, away from the palace so that you can marry the bitch from Pandad in peace!”

“No, no, you’ve misunderstood! That stupid bastard tries to act like a noble. He follows a twisted code of honor and has sworn years ago before the Gods and our Emperor that he would never father an illegitimate child. As long as you claim our child as his, I would plead with father to dissolve his current marriage and wed you to him.”

“So what?” Pricilla sniffled loudly. “I will be a duchess for a short while before the baby is born too early and they discover everything. I'm already over two months in. If I don’t sleep with that monster within the next month…”

“Don’t worry, my little Pricilla,” chuckled Lionel and kissed her forehead while stroking her hair. “At the middle of the sixth month, an envoy from the Ministry of Taxes always visits Norden to collect the levy. Around that time, the Crown Prince’s palace also sends a delegation to inspect and prepare for brother’s yearly visit to that bastard's territory. You have a double excuse to be there as a member of the Crown Prince’s palace on an official errand and as the daughter to Norden’s designated tax collector on a family visit.”

For a moment, Pricilla’s eyes brightened but the light quickly faded away. She hung her head and started chewing her lip.

“By that time I will be about three months pregnant, my prince. Even if everything succeeds… who would believe me if I give birth so prematurely?”

“My dear, don’t worry. The moment you announce your pregnancy, you will be under my protection and I’ll make sure father wed you two as soon as possible. Then, as the time for the birth draws near, you will simply say that you are missing your home and don’t want to give birth during the horrible northern winters. You will return to Count Orten’s mansion in Sefis and give birth there. Until the news travel back to Norden, some months might be added to the announcement. And I’m sure that the Orten servants are able to keep their mouths shut.”

“I… I suppose…” Pricilla perked up a bit. “But… when the child looks nothing like that dark beast, what then? He will surely have your golden hair, not that dirty black mane.”

“Fear not, my dear, this is the easiest part. There are potions that can dye one’s hair black.”

Obviously relieved, Pricilla grabbed over him and poured herself some more wine. This time, she did not drink it all at once but slowly sipped from the cup. Soon after, she knitted her brows again.

“But even if everything goes as planned and I do become the Duchess of Norden, we still can’t be together. You will still marry that southern bitch and have her children. And then you will forget about me.”

“How can you say that?”

Lionel pretended to be hurt but internally wanted to scream. How stupid was she, needing to have everything spelled to her? Lucia Tremain and his Queen would have grasped the situation halfway through already. Somehow managing not to roll his eyes, he called on his patience and gave his pawn a sad smile.

“I will indeed marry Marzbane Ilmaz and be forced to share a bed with her. But... I’ve heard that there is an ancient curse that can prevent one from having male offspring.”

“W-witchcraft?!” Pricilla’s eyes became huge and she gaped at him before making a protection sign with her hand. “May the Fathers of Light and Darkness shield us all from all evil! You would dare use witchcraft in the Imperial Palace? Under the protection of the Holy Artifacts? Is that even possible?”

“You see how far I’m willing to go for us?” Lionel combed her hair with his fingers enjoying her flustered expression. “After that, if Marzbane Ilmaz dies during childbirth or out of sickness, Pandad would not be able to find any fault with us. And sometime later, if the Duke of Norden also happens to suddenly pass away, leaving a young distraught widow and an infant child behind… Well, as a Prince of the Realm I am obliged to help my subjects. And who can condemn two innocent widowers for finding love and consolation in each other’s company? Marrying the poor Duchess of Norden and bringing the land’s assets directly under the crown’s control will be welcomed by my father.”

As he finished talking, Lionel looked at the silent Pricilla. He could almost see her feeble mind trying to grasp the whole situation and needing to pause several times midway. Luckily for her, she had other weapons besides her smarts at her disposal. After a few minutes, he could see some hesitation resurfacing on her face and, sure enough, she found another hurdle in his plan.

“But… how can I make that monster sleep with me?”

Lionel stared at her and had to struggle not to laugh.

“My dear, you underestimate your abilities to ensnare men. But if you still doubt your success, I will make sure to find you a potion that would make him an obedient sheep in your embrace. All you need to do is feed it secretly to him and it will be the end of the unyielding, cold Beast of Norden.”

He could feel Pricilla’s body shudder at the memory as she seductively licked her lips. Then she returned to reality and slowly nodded.

Sighing with relief, Lionel was about to pat her head when he caught a little flicker with the corner of his eye. Without much hesitation, he grabbed the fruit knife lying next to him and threw it at lightning speed in the glimmer’s direction. There was a short scream, the rustling of leaves, and something heavy fell on the ground. Quick as a snake, Lionel jumped towards the balcony only to see a limping dark figure running away in the night.

“GUARDS!” he bellowed at the top of his lungs. “Assassin in the Prince’s Palace!”