Determination

**Natalie POV**

All of us retreated back to Aileen's chambers. Jacob had stood between Lydia and me during the entire trip, unsettled by her warning about my fate. For some reason, it didn't sound like a threat. Her words only made me anxious to check on Izzy. Sir Ellice was guarding the adjoining room. Izzy was sleeping in the Princes' bed until proper accommodations could be made.
"How are the princes?" I asked as an icebreaker.
"Excited. They are with my Father. Shion, I believe, is convincing my old man for your hand in marriage Natalie." Aileen chuckled from her desk.
The boy was very straightforward and smooth. Clearly, he was spending too much time with Trevor.
"Awww, I don't think the baby prince wants leftovers. Maybe you should keep your legs closed until the baby Prince is of age." Lydia pursed her lips and growled, "leave my future husband alone."
Completely ignoring the current conversation, Aileen changed the topic. "I've got a clearer clue of what's going on, no thanks to my idiot brother. So, Lydia, would you care to explain why Izzy is terrified of you?"
"I have nothing to say." Lydia huffed.
The scratching of Aileen's quill on parchment halted. The screech of wood on her floor hurt my eardrums. In three long strides, she stood in front of the other Princess. Her eyes were cold, much like King Ulrich's. Those two never yelled; no, the danger lay in their silence and frigid eyes. Lydia had the sense to take a step back, but Aileen gave her no room. She swung her arm around Lydia and pushed her towards the adjoining door.
I was on my feet, ready to stop them, when Jacob obstructed my path. The man was sentenced to shovel dung for years by her family; she bedded the source of his torment, yet he trusted her. I still was playing seesaw with my faith in her. I liked Aileen but couldn't shake the feeling she's involved. Was that why Trevor told me about the random people of Vernen? Damn it all, if only I could move her sleeve up and see if she still bore Shiuku's mark.
"Sir Ellice, is Izzy still asleep?" Aileen asked more like a command.
The knight peered in. "Yes, my Princess."
Lydia huffed, "I am not going in there with my fiance's trash." A rip sounded, followed by an outraged gasp. "The audacity! Is this how King Ulrich raised you! Barbaric!"
A long, very visible tear down the side ruined Lydia's dress.
"Come on, oil-coated eel."
Lydia huffed out as puffy-faced as mad Kirby, "I am not an eel!"
"Then stop acting slimy."
Now grinning much like Trevor's when he gets his 'revenge,' Aileen informed her of Jacob's sewing skills. She was to walk with her and take a long look at Izzy, then Jacob would fix up her dress so as to not be humiliated by a flaw in her clothing. Aileen added, "what would the Royal Advisor think of you walking around less than perfect." Lydia shook, and the two checked up on Izzy together.
Jacob let out a breath I hadn't realized he'd been holding. The knight followed suit, leaning on the door. I was fully bewildered at the action. Did they trust Aileen or not?
Now I was anxious. Izzy was fragile at the moment. They couldn't fight or do something to her, or she might never heal! Let me be a traitor to Lutz; I had to protect my friend. I sat up, ready to barge inside.
"Slow down there, Nat. Aileen will make Lydia see the ramifications of turning a blind eye to others' horrors. Izzy is no danger."
Sir Ellice put his foot to the wall. His lip twitched nervously while the two princesses were with my friend.
We all used the silence that followed to collect our thoughts. Izzy was safe, and soon I would have to make my case for joining the boys' trip to the brothel.
If Jacob said no, well, I still had thirteen years of training and conditioning to fall back on. I'd be their shadow creeping in the alleys until we got to the brothel.
"It's not just that. When her head first hit the pillow, whatever nightmare held her had her screaming, 'no-no! Not again. The Princess, I won't." Aileen's voice was murderous, returning with Lydia. "Is this the side you want?"
Lydia wiped at her face, putting cracks along with the fresh wet streaks in her foundation. I almost felt bad for her. That is until I heard what she had been keeping a secret. The hidden face of her precious Royal Advisor.
"Tell them eel." Aileen snarled at Lydia.
Lydia made no comment about the comparison this time. "I was instructed to degrade anyone so full of themselves they would attempt to get with the Prince. Yesterday, Ricarad threatened Izzy when a rumor came back to us stating she had a crush on Prince Trevor. He told me he would beat her into never crossing me again. I had no idea he hired someone to do...that to her."
I slipped up and let venom drip from my words, "ordered? You're a princess!"
"A woman. The Royal Advisor would have the King's faith. He could control Lydia with her Father's approval. Continue, oil eel."
Lydia scowed at the other Princess, but Aileen simply made a circle with her hand, urging the Princess to continue her story. Making an irritating 'tch' noise, she did.
"I overheard him talking with someone. They discussed getting Izzy taken care of. Money was exchanged between the two. Later, he approached me, saying not to worry about Izzy stealing my man. It was taken care of… I was then told to give Trevor and his new guard ale with Flower Happiness inside. It would make Trevor lose control and sleep with me."
"Did he?" Aileen asked, knowing full well he was here.
Lydia shook her head. "No, I lied about that and the engagement. I don't know where he wound up. I was scared, though."
"Why?"
Lydia went towards the bathroom, saying she needed to freshen up. The tremble in her legs was back.
"Why?" Aileen repeated sternly, blocking her path.
Lydia shouted loudly, losing all the composure she'd managed to hang onto. "Because he'll send me off to a whore house far away like my brother! I know you didn't kill him; hell, I knew he would have deserved it anyway! But I don't wanna be given away like him. All because you rejected him! It's bad enough I have to cover up the bruises that disgusting man leaves behind. Recarad said he'd be the first to treat me like the slut I am!"
Aileen marched straight up to the other woman. I was ready to hop up again, my instincts on high alert. That look, it was just like the one mom described to me. The same one Izzy... She wasn't acting; Lydia had no choice! She was a victim too! Rival or not, I wasn't going to stand by and let her get hurt. Trevor could decide for himself what to do about being drugged by her. Knowing him, he'd forgive her but keep a close eye on the Princess. At least now she was telling the truth.
Jacob again blocked my path. This time I shoved him out of the way, using my elemental wind to knock him further back.
With Jacob still scrambling back to his feet, I turned back in the direction of Lydia and Aileen, ready to defend. My eyes widened at the sight they were met with. Aileen had her arms around Lydia tightly. The bones in Lydia's very slim body were probably being crushed.
To my utter shock, Princess Aileen was bear hugging the other Princess.
My feet were glued to the ground. I'd misread her again.
Wiping away the stray tears from Lydia's eyes, in a soft tone only a mother can manage, Aileen explained her truth. "Your brother had sold me off to a horrible man named Shiuku. My Father was there when he betrayed our family. Father didn't kill him there but did when they met again in that dimension months later. I was still with Shiuku. Roy insulted me and made fun of my situation at the time. And that was it. My Father does not forgive easily, especially when it comes to me."
So she wasn't the one who killed Prince Roy. The Dark King did!
Lydia was fuming, but not because of her brother's death. Her lips were thin, and her eyes blazed with unadulterated hatred. It was all geared towards the Royal Advisor.
"I'll go with you to see who Recarad struck a deal with. If he holds a position of power, I should recognize him. And he will be the first to pay for Ricarad's deception!"
The fire burning in Lydia was fierce. Jacob chuckled to himself as he made his way back over to the Princess. She shot him daggers until she saw the sewing kit in his hands.
"I want to come too." I finally spoke up.
Jacob sighed, "It's going to be dangerous for both of you. Not only is he working with an assassin, but that place women are solely for sex and sale."
Aileen interjected, "so let's make some cuts in their dresses. They could be new to the market, ready for induction. I know you and Trevor have gone undercover with girls from the DSS in the past."
Lydia retorted, "you know what the nobles look like too. Why don't you come?"
I could be imagining it, but I swear I saw Aileen's legs quiver. It was gone almost as soon as it came. Full of grief and guilt, Jacob gave the Princess of Lutz a sympathetic look. There was something they were still keeping secret under their invisible veils.
"Whatever, this way, I'll get on Trevor's good side. Don't think you've won him so easily, Mistress Natalie!" Lydia pointed to me as if there were another Natalie in the room.
*Like hell!* I had to bite my lips to suppress glowering demonically.
Jacob got to work ripping our clothing and sewing it back strategically. Having his hands on my thighs while he sliced off pieces of the dress had me cringing. He purposely let his hands linger, where he touched me several times, gliding his fingers over my skin. A test to see how I'd react.
Satisfied with his whorifying work, Jacob flourished his arm and declared Lydia and me brothel ready. Aileen waved us off with a short half sheet of paper. She waited until Jacob and Lydia left before saying my name. I turned to see her with a lopsided grin. The woman's actions were like the ball in a game of pong. They kept bouncing between sides. I couldn't read her at all.
Slowly, she showed me a glimpse of her paper, careful not to let Sir Ellice see. On it, I could clearly read, family tree, written out in cursive. Underneath the header was 'Demon Lord Darren Kitz.' Several lines connected random names to his. But my eyes went straight to my mom's name. Near where Aileen's thumb was pressed was a downwards drawn line between their names. There rested mine.
Aileen folded the paper back up before I could read anything else. "You, my husband, and I will need to have a discussion soon."

**Trevor POV**

"Do you agree with this arrangement, Trevor?"
Much like Aileen, King Ulrich hated being misled. Princess Lydia straight out lied to him. Apparently, my dear sister already informed her old man where I really spent last night. It was taking all his self-control to keep up the charade.
Beside me, the Royal Advisor had a wide cheek hurting grin. The man really believed he had won. He had balls; I'd give him that. Lying in front of the King about me sleeping with his Princess. I doubted I would have gotten a boner last night if not for my ghostly Casperette.
Shion tugged on his Grandfather's hand. "He agrees. You promised we'd talk about MY girlfriend, not Uncle's."
Chuckling at my annoyed nephew, I confirmed, "I agree. The woman I spent my night with should be my bride. If she'll have me, of course."
Kalum said something to his brother that made Shion upset. His little fist clenched around the King's. "No! I'm not marrying Mommy! Grandfather, I don't have to, right? She chose to sleep in our room. Natalie will be heartbroken missing out on me."
*Sorry short stuff, she's mine.*
Steering the conversation back, the idiot advisor promised, "I'll have a dowry prepared in the King's stead!"
I bowed. "Then it's settled; I'll have proposed within a week's time." My face was going to break in half, staring at Recarad. King Ulrich gripped the arm of his chair to hold back a laughing fit.
"Recarad, we will speak privately on the morrow about your loyalty and honesty to the crown. Trevor, back to your mission." King Ulrich ordered. To the Dark King's left, Shion stuck his tongue out at me while Kalum had fallen asleep on his chest.
I bowed deeply. "Thank you, Dad!"
And the man of culture I am, I darn near sprinted out the doors before my adoptive Father could respond. Aileen didn't even call him dad! One upped her yet again!
Well, now to finish this bar nonsense and pretend to be interested in the atmosphere so I can get back and make Natalie mine. Oh yes, I've waited fiv- no ten! I've waited ten years to take her. Just thinking about her cute face flushing red as I position myself to take her innocence has me second-guessing the job at hand. Did I have time for a quickie?
No, as fun as that would be to fuck her brains out, I was going to tease her until she saw hell and heaven. She'll curse and worship me for my skills in bed.
Alright, put all those pictures of her sexy body out of my head. The last thing I wanted was for one of those girls to think I would sleep with them. To calm myself, I imagined my sister with Devon. Worked better than a witch's charm.
I stepped outside and spotted Jacob right away. For some reason, he and a random scantily clad girl were whispering to each other. Was the stableboy getting a girl at last? As I was absorbed in figuring out the lucky woman, I almost missed the scent of strawberries sneaking up behind me. I let the warm hand graze my fingertips and then pulled her forward.
Spinning my love around, I saw a sight I almost didn't believe. Natalie was touching me in a tight, barely covering her butt dress. Her breasts were pressed up in an inviting bodice of lace and cleavage. Glitter was sprinkled over her, spilling out the top boobs and making it clear to anyone's hungry, lustful eyes where she wanted them to stare. Those were mine to fondle and adore!
I didn't question anything. It was apparent what she was planning, and judging by the slight curl of Jacob's lips, he'd aided in this. So I did the only sensible thing my mind could conjure up.
Natalie gasped as I pulled her flush up against me. Giving her no time to react, my lips latched onto her neck. I sucked hard, getting excited by her light moan. When I felt her hands shaking on my arms, I let go with a small pop.
"Wha…what." She couldn't form words because she wanted me so bad! *Damn, am I good, no fair maiden can resist.*
She became a puffy tomato and punched my arm.
I winked. "Just a little reminder for you, no matter who sees how sexy you are…Anyway, I can convince you not to come? They're all going to fantasize and drool over what's mine. What's worse, I'll have to act like I want them to." I whined. *What's worst of all, I'll have to act evilly towards you. You'll fear me again*...The only way to play this was to treat her like my sex slave.