The Union 152 Merchant Kingdom

Lucia sat on their bed and put the plate on Timothy's lap. She broke a chunk of the hot bread and held the food near Timothy's mouth.

"I have hands" Timothy said

"You do. I just want to feed you. Don't you want it?"

Timothy took the bread with his lips. He chewed and swallowed before talking.

"I have the impulse to grab your waist right now and cuddle with you"

Lucia leaned forward. She put a kiss on his forehead.

"You can do that after eating. For now just let me love you"

It took a while for Timothy to finish his meal. He chewed the food as if it was hard tack. All the time he had been staring at her with a smile on his face. He must be enjoying it.

Lucia put the empty plate aside. She let herself fall towards Timothy. She rested her head on his bare chest. He smells really nice.

"I have good news" she rubbed her cheeks on Timothy's chest "A letter just arrived from Anthapis"

Lucia took the letter from her pocket. She handed it to Timothy.

Timothy opened the letter and proceeded to read. He put down the letter afterwards. His expression became lighter.

"They won"

"You don't look surprised"

"I expected it. The n.o.bles were never a threat to begin with. The Spectator or Shadow if that's how he goes by now, was also with them. But now comes the hard part- cleaning up the mess. Vernice should be scratching his head right now" Timothy laughed. He wrapped both arms around Lucia.

Lucia enjoyed the way Timothy grips her body closer to his. She could feel his heartbeat.

"I need your help on something" Lucia said after a while. She looked at Timothy "The ball is coming and everything must be perfect to show the n.o.bles and merchants that Vanadis stands strong"

Timothy gave a mischievous smile. Lucia had already antic.i.p.ated that he would next give a mischievous answer. She prepared her hands to pinch both Timothy's cheeks.

"The Queen of Vanadis asking the King of Castonia for help in setting up a ball. It's like a merchant asking a miner on tips on how to haggle and diddle"

Lucia proceeded to pinch both of Timothy's cheeks. "Your jests are getting dryer by the day my King"

Timothy also pinched her cheeks. He leaned forward and put a kiss on her. "Alright. Just tell me how I can help"

"It's regarding my dress. Mylene prepared three sets of clothes for me to choose from but I can't make up my mind"

Lucia rose from Timothy's embrace. She went to the wardrobe and grabbed three dresses. She showed Timothy the first one. It was a white one-piece dress with diamonds on it's v-shaped collar. The sleeves were short and the back was opened.

"What about this?"

"I prefer not" Timothy made a cute pout "Too revealing. Other men would fantasize about you. Only I have the right to fantasize about you"

Lucia burst out into laughter. Timothy was just too cute.

"Fantasize? And what are you fantasizing about me?"

"Various things"

"And should I be afraid of these so-called various things? Should I fear being devoured by your prurience towards me?"

"Oh you should be very afraid. But fear shall not become your s.h.i.+eld"

"Funny you say that. But last night and the night before. And the other night..." Lucia grinned "I was always the one with the better endurance. You tire too fast my King. So it was me who was always devouring you"

"Ohoho devour me is it?"

Timothy curved a wide grin. He leapt from their bed and and ran towards her. Lucia ran away and a short chase ensued. Soon he caught her and imprisoned her into his embrace. He tickled her neck with his warm breaths and bites.

"Tim. I'm kidding. I'm kidding! Not there" Lucia giggled loudly at first but her giggles later turned into moans of satisfaction.

She put her palms on Timothy's cheeks and averted his lips into hers. The kiss became sensual. She started to feel her body become warm. She hooked both arms around Timothy's neck and pulled him closer.

Timothy started undressing her. Her coat fell on the floor. A few moments and her tunic was next. Timothy's hands then started exploring around and the exploration added to her pleasure. Every touch sent sparks down her spine. Every caress on her body increased her desire to be one with him.

They soon made love. Timothy was more vigorous this time but so was she. The whole thing ended with both of them panting on the floor with bodies intertwined.

"Do you still doubt my ability to give pleasure to my woman?" Timothy whispered with a laugh.

Lucia shyly shook her head. Even if it was just for the purpose of teasing him, she couldn't say yes.

Timothy chuckled. He rose and examined the two other dresses.

He held the red dress sparkled with flakes of gold. The hem was decorated intricately. It was made of pure Abicut silk.

"What about that one?" Lucia asked. She grabbed her coat and wrapped it around both of them.

"Too eye-catching. Your beauty alone demands enough attention. Wearing this would direct the stares of everybody on you all the time. At first that would be good but later on it will become uncomfortable for most people"

Timothy put the dress down. He took the last one.

"Ah this. Perfect. The blue hue would match your complexion well. This will make you look more mature"

"But isn't it also too revealing?"

Timothy smiled towards her.

"Although other men fantasizing about you still makes me uncomfortable, the merits outweigh my displeasure. You will look stunning in this dress. I want my beloved to have the best. I want you to be viewed by everybody with utmost respect"

Lucia embraced Timothy. What he said warmed her heart. She doesn't know what she would do if not for his support and guidance.

"Thank you Tim. Thank you so much. I'll wear this one then"

"It is my pleasure my Queen" he put a kiss on her head "So have you sent all the invitations?"

"Not yet. This will be the largest ball and gathering in the history of Vanadis. Father is working night and day just to make sure that all the merchants and n.o.bles and everyone who holds power is invited"

"We still have a week. He can still finish the preparations. I also have work to do"

The work Timothy was talking about was the recruitment of regulars from the Vanadian populace. Being reliant on mercenaries for so long, it was like stretching numb muscles for Vanadis to levy an army from its populace.

"You want me to go with you?"

"I can manage. Focus on being Queen. Work has been piling up right?"

Lucia nodded. She could feel the exhausting work that awaits her already "Vanadis has been without a monarch for months. I have a lot to do. Unlike you, I don't have a 'Braun' to micromanage things for me"

"Maybe I will be your Braun" Timothy shrugged "After I'm done with the recruitment of regulars"

"Yeah but until then I must toil by myself"

Timothy held her hand "Let's go? Me to your barracks and you to the stacks of paperworks"

Lucia nodded. She looked towards the door. Inside their room was the only place the two of them could be Lucia and Timothy. Outside, both of them had reputations to uphold and responsibilities to fulfill. In the eyes of many she was the Queen of Vanadis and he was the King of Castonia.

**********

Arthur put the flowers on the feet of the bust of Aunt Anna. As he looked at the bust, he noticed that the nose and the lips were wrong. Aunt Anna's nose was a little thinner and her lips was a little higher. Nevertheless the bust really looked like Aunt Anna.

Looking at the image of the bust, Arthur couldn't help but awe in the uncanny resemblance between Aunt Anna and Lucia. They really are mother and daughter, he thought. The only difference is that Aunt Anna had been good to him while Lucia... Well whatever happened between them, whatever injuries they inflicted against each other, he could at least say that he was partly responsible for it.

"You miss her, don't you?" A voice said from behind. Arthur looked back. It was his mother. Specks of grey hair were on her head. Her face was starting to sag from age.

"She..." Arthur lowered his head "She was kind to me. Whenever I'm sad she would console me. I treated her as my second mother. Of course I miss Aunt Anna"

His mother walked towards the bust. She put her palm on the face.

"I hate to admit it but she was more beautiful than me. More intelligent, more cunning and kinder too. The only advantage I had over her is that I am your father's first wife while she was second"

"Wasn't it difficult for both of you? Sharing father's love and attention and all?"

"It was difficult, yes. We made it work nonetheless. Both of us learned how to find our places" His mother smiled towards the bust "Right Anna?"

His mother then turned to look at him. "But you know what? I now realized that I shouldn't have shared with her. I was the first wife and she was only the second. I should have taken your father for myself. But I didn't and look where it resulted now. My own son was skipped in the succession despite being the eldest. Don't you find it frustrating?"

"I do. But..."

"Then come with me Arthur. We have some things to do"

"What do you mean mother?" Arthur frowned in confusion.

His mother again looked at the bust. "I know some people who can give you back what is yours. You will become the King of Vanadis"