Chapter 104

LADY Caroline Hurst, who was the daughter of the merchant's Lord Hurst, was closing the new book that was being produced by her favorite author of all time, Miss J. Caroline did not know that her author will be marrying and settle down.
Unlike me, she mused as she was looking out the window of the mansion that was located in the south of Niapachad Island.
It was ruled by the Count of Vyckos and it has been forever since she can get out of this mansion. Her parents were out in the sea to go on their voyage as well as their vacation to sell their goods and come back with new items for trading.
Caroline sighed before her maid, Lexi, was coming to stoke the fire. Caroline was looking at her before an idea was striking her brain.
Eureka!
Lexi bowed to her before Caroline was gesturing to her to come to her side. Lexi obeyed before Caroline was looking at her, a smile was plastered to her face.
“Lexi, have you gone out to buy some groceries yet?” Caroline asked before Lexi blinking her eyes at her.
“No, mum. I thought I would go after this,” she said as Caroline’s smile widened.
“Is that so? Do you mind if I come with you?” she asked before Lexi was blinking her eyes at her.
“But, I could not do that. What would Lord Hurst think?” she said before Caroline was patting her friend’s hand.
“Lexi, you’re my friend. Of course, I would not let you go alone. And besides, I have an idea that would work in our favor…” she said with a smile that Lexi knows it would be nothing but trouble for her later.

LORD Danial Cutler, Count of Vyckos was sitting across the young queen of Niapachad Island with her prince consort next to her, Arabella Dragomir and Aiden Dragomir. Danial was known as Dan by his friends and right now, he was feeling anxious when the young queen wanted to meet him.
“You called, my queen?” Dan asked as he sipped on the tea that was being brought by the butler to the young queen’s private study room. Arabella put down her cup before she was smiling at the young count.
“As you can see, Dan, I would like to be direct with you and I hope that you will take this in a good way?” Arabella said as Dan was nodding at her.
“Anything you say will be looked in the right way, my queen,” the young count said before Arabella smirked at him. Aiden has been sitting quietly before the young queen was clearing her throat.
Not a good sign, always not a good sign with that, Dan mused before she was looking into his eyes. The blue orbs were the same color as her cousin, duke of Belikov, Niklaus Dragomir. No one would not believe it if they were not related. Looked at their eyes!
“As you might now, the duke and the marchioness have been married for quite some time now. The earl was also a happy man now that he has found his bride,” the young queen said as Dan gulped
I knew it will be coming to this, he thought as Dan was smiling at the young queen. Arabella smiled before Dan sipped on the tea and then, straightened up in his seat.
“Are you asking me to…” Dan could not finish the sentence that he had in mind even if he wanted to. It has been 3 months since Tom, the Earl of Raine got married to his bride and Dan knew that the young queen would ask one of the remaining bachelors to married.
She thought that her trusted court, the Higher Court, will be ruined if they did not marry by the end of the year. Dan sighed before an idea stuck to his head.
“What about my cousin, my queen?” Dan asked, hoping that Marsh would forgive him later if he was trying to drag him down first before Dan tied the knot. The young queen arched her eyebrow at Dan.
“What about him?”
“Would you think it would be a better idea if my cousin, the Baron of Fell, be married first? He would likely be killed in the field and considering that he was the only heir of Fell, it would be such an honor for him to get married first,” Dan said with a voice that deprived of happiness if the young queen was considering his suggestion.
“No,” the young queen stated that made Dan blinked his eyes twice.
“I’m sorry, what?” Dan asked, not wanting to think if he was hearing it right or not. But he knows that no one can deny the queen, even his words.
“You heard me, Cutler. Your cousin will be in my service for as long as he stands and I wanted you for the next one to be married. Is that clear enough?” The young queen said that made Dan gripped his hands into fists. He cannot deny what his queen wanted and so, with a sigh, he nodded and smiled at the young queen of Niapachad Island.
“As you wish, my queen,”

“DON'T you think you’re being a little bit harsh?” Aiden asked his wife before she sighed as she was looking at the carriage that carried the young count to Vyckos. It will be 3 days journey for him to be there.
Aiden arched his eyebrow before Arabella was turning to look at her husband. She smiled before she was taking the blood-laced wine in his hand before she sipped some.
“It will be good for him to know that he cannot defy me, my love. I know that you wish he would be okay with the marriage prospect but trust me, everything is in place. All you have to do is sit back and watch everything unfold in front of you,” Arabella said before she turned to look at her husband. Aiden chuckled lowly before he took the wine and sipped some for himself.
“You’re a formidable foe if you wanted to be,” her husband said before Arabella smirked as she was staring into the night sky that was approaching dawn.
“Well, shall we retire to bed now? I think this conversation can be picked on another time, another day,” she said as Aiden chuckled lowly at her.
“And what do you have in mind right now, my love?” Aiden asked before Arabella was putting the wine glass down on the table, pushing Aiden by his chest toward the bed in their bedchamber.
“You and me, sweating profusely as you show me how to please each other,” Arabella whispered before Aiden’s eyes were darkening with desire.
“As you wish, my love,” Aiden said before they were tumbling in bed and fulfilled each other’s carnal desires.