A pleasant night and a pleasant morning.

Your dreams were a caressing ocean of warm colours and gentle murmurs, shapeless and without defining form. There was only the sensation of utter contentment and peace.

Sleep let you go reluctantly. The early morning rays of daylight came through the window of your bedroom and pierced through your closed eyelids. You felt a pleasant warm pressure on your chest and when you opened your eyes you were met with the sleeping form of Agatha, her dark skin contrasting wonderfully with your own pale form.

Memories of last night’s act of love came to you, and you couldn’t help but give a tired smile. There was perhaps a touch of regret about having put your seed inside of her, but it wasn’t something you were going to dwell on. You wouldn’t be the first king to have sired royal bastards.

There was movement, a soft moan and suddenly Agatha was looking up at you sleepily. Her dark eyes searched your blue with a hint of concern.

“Y-your majesty…”

“Alex,” you replied, stifling a yawn. “After last night we’re a bit beyond formalities,” you shot her a reassuring smile, “it was a delight, by the way.”

She seemed to relax a bit upon hearing that. And let her head lay against your chest again, her arm draped across your body.

“People will talk,” she mumbled. “Especially if I get with child…”

“Let them, they’re going to talk about me anyway.” You ran a hand through her dark hair, “As long as I’m not ruining the lives of my subjects, they can’t really do much. Any child born of my blood will be looked after.”

There was perhaps a hint of worry still lingering in the back of her mind, but between your words and your gentle ministrations she seemed pacified for now.

Much as you might have liked to lay in bed all day exploring the body of your new mate, you both had duties to see to. You dressed, washed and went about your seperate ways.

You were on your way down the sprawling hallways of the castle when you stopped a servant passing by and asked her to have a plate of bacon and hot tea brought to the council chambers.

As it happened the servants beat you there, setting down the meal right as you entered the room. Inwardly you delighted at how well your household was being run.

The rest of your council were all standing patiently behind their seats, nodding and bowing, waiting for you to sit before they did the same.

“So,” you said, chewing on a piece of bacon, “who have we decided to be part of the survey team?”

“Naturally I’ll be sending my best sailors, and an entourage of soldiers,” The Lord Admiral rumbled, sitting ramrod straight in his chair. “If the Elves try anything I’ll ensure that we bleed them good at the very least.”

You doubted the Elves would be that foolish, but you nodded anyway.

“I’ve spoken with Brother Osric,” Einon chimed in from his place at your right, “he’s nothing spectacular but he’s a reliable mage that’ll see to the navigation and whatever defences need to be made upon reaching the island.”

Amadis informed you that he had lined up several clerics and scholars to take notes of the island itself, while Countess Myerling mentioned something about having someone in mind to verify the gold that supposedly littered the place.

You all agreed that the survey team could leave as early as the next morning and that you could inform the Elves later in the day. With that out of the way you dismissed the council and prepared to attend court.

You were out the door when you heard a soft voice call out to you. Spinning around you found Countess Myerling gathering her skirts and hurrying to catch up to you, her rounded face flushed with the sudden exertion.

“Something wrong, Countess?” You asked mildly as you slowed your pace for her to match. “A matter you forgot to mention in the meeting?”

“Something I thought to ask you privately,” she said, regaining her composure. “About the survey team. I have a specific request to ask of you.”

You arched a brow. “What would that be?”

“I wish to go personally.”

That took you aback. You looked at the Countess closely. She was perhaps five or six years your elder, having mostly grown up as her father’s shadow she alway struck you as slightly odd compared to the other women of court. Her clothes were of good standard but rarely kept up with the fashions and trends of her fellows, her auburn hair almost always kept in a bun, nothing eccentric or showy. She was a lady of noble bearing and knew courtesy, but she was never particularly outgoing. Often shunning tourneys and balls in favour of her books and her work with the Royal accounts. You weren’t even sure you could remember the last time she had left the castle to visit her family’s seat.

“Why?” The word was instinctual. “You’ve never been one for travel, and this is a particularly risky situation my lady.”

She pressed her mouth into a thin line. “You and I both know that the risks involved are minimal. The Elves want this deal to go through, and killing twenty or thirty Crimson Islanders won’t gain them anything,” she straightened up some, “besides, no one knows more about gold mining than my family. If I can see things with my own eyes I can get a better idea of the work.”

“You’re a member of my council,” you insisted, “you’re a lot more valuable to the throne than the other experts we’re sending.”

“If I am to be killed or captured, I have a cousin who can inherit my title and I have assistants who can take up the work here while I’m gone.”

You made to argue further when she reached out and took hold of your hand.

“Your majesty, I am quite **** to go on this trip and I have heard that you have an appetite for womanly flesh” she guided your hand over to the swell of her right breast. She was a plump girl, but not unattractive. Her breasts were some of the largest you had ever held. “ I’m willing to do anything to get this chance.”