Passionately

You pull Alexia into your arms and hold her as she sobs softly. This is a side of Alexia that you have not seen in years, but you hold her firmly comforting her with your presence like you did when she was still a young girl. Somehow you are kissing her temple and then the shell of her ear and the corner of her eye. You feel the exact moment you both become aware that this is different from your childhood experiences, and before she can twist away, you pull her into a passion-filled kiss taking her by surprise. After what feels like forever but is perhaps only a minute you break for a breath.

"I'm sorry, Alexia." You tell her as you pull away reluctantly, both of you panting like you'd been sparing for ten minutes. The raw memory of waking with her naked body in your arms and her thighs wrapped around your cock is making it difficult to want anything other than to strip Alexia down and kiss her again - this time without any clothes to get between you and her. Instead, you **** yourself to go slowly with your long-time friend and advisor. "Not sorry about kissing you, never that. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you earlier." Her eyes are swimming with a combination of tears, desire and anger and you try to put your feelings into words. "I will not put our friends in harm's way again. I certainly didn't intend to make you mad. I did it too try to show those fools who have mocked and belittled me and our city for years that I am a threat if they push us."

"OK." She finally sighs and rests her hand on your chest. "I'm still pissed at you, but if you give me your word you won't pull shit like that again, I'll forgive you." At this point you'd say anything at all to be able to take Alexia back into your arms and so without hesitation you swear the most powerful oath you can think of.

"I swear by my mother and father, I will not ever shoot apples off of anyone's head again." You smile in relief when she nods, but before you lower your mouth once again to hers, another thought strikes you. "I am surprised that you're jealous of the twins." Alexia takes a deep breath, and studies you for a long moment without saying a word. In an attempt to reassure her you try again.

"I barely know them, so it's not like I'm going to fall in love." How could you ever love naïve young debutants like that? You are much more interested in the passionate red-head in your arms. "Are you going to get jealous every time there are women around me?" Her face assumes its customary neutral expression and she shakes her head silently.

"I'm not jealous, Sire. In fact, I'm wondering, are you going to bed them?" You jerk in surprise at her words, but she continues rapidly. "Those girls expect you to, Bruce. In fact, they can barely keep their pretty legs closed whenever you get near them." You start to protest, but she interrupts you before you can even get out one word. "I'm not exactly sure what they were told by the pit-rat that dragged them here, but if you don't summon at least one of them to your bed tonight, they are going to believe you find them ugly." She takes a deep breath, "or that you prefer men to women." She pauses long enough to make sure you are listening to her. "If I may, Sire, your relationship with the two princes isn't helping keep that juicy bit of gossip from resurfacing." You've heard the rumor yourself, but never given it much credence. You are more concerned by what she told you about Mara and Sara.

"Can you talk to them Alexia?" You ask once again felling like you are on very unsteady ground. The idea of having one or even both of the two young noblewoman sent to your tent had real appeal to the baser part of your psyche but with an angry scowl, you dismiss the tempting image of them standing stark-naked by your bed. "The twins might be fascinated by me but they seem to want to be your friends too," You tell Alexia, praying that she did not sense your momentary lapse, "you can explain that I really do think they're beautiful but that I don't take women for … well not for pleasure ... not to use." This is by far the most awkward conversation you've ever had with Alexia, even worse than this morning's. "Just explain that I don't summon girls to my bed and that I've never -" stop abruptly. "Just talk to them, OK?"

"I can talk to them, Bruce, but I really think you should seriously consider taking them as concubines." Alexia refuses to let this drop. "It wouldn't even be so bad if one or both of them started showing a rounded belly before they were married off to one of your loyal junior officers."

"What are you talking about?" She wants you to impregnate those innocent girls? You know this is common practice for many other rulers, but you have higher standards than that. Alexia lifts her arms around your neck and shrugs her shoulders sweetly disarming your anger with her closeness.

"People are starting to wonder about you." Her slender body rubs against yours, but instead of kissing you like you thought she might, she explains her reasoning. "Several of the tentative inquiries I've made concerning eligible matches from other noble families have been rebuffed because of your perceived impotence. It would help if word got out that your seed was fertile, and that you were a robust lover." You didn't even know she was trying to find you a bride, and now this! Alexia is speaking again this time about your men. "- they don't understand why you don't take advantage of all the lovely women you could have. Not just these two tasty tidbits," Alexia's other hand now cups your cheek keeping you from looking away; she seems determined to make you listen to her. "I've personally seen over a dozen women and girls offer themselves to you pretty much with no strings attached. For that matter, you could have taken me this morning - any other man would have." Alexia takes your stunned silence as an opportunity to continue.

"Have you ever had sex, with anyone?" You stare at her, angry and confused by how this encounter in her tent has changed. How did you get from passionate kissing to this? Alexia fills the silence in the tent with a professional accounting of your very personal life. The two of you separate slowly and Alexia resumes her role as your advisor.

"There have been a dozen or so credible claims made by women over the years." Alexia steps back again giving you a chance to think clearly for the first time since you took her in your arms. "These claims came from women of all stations, princesses to scullery maids, and all sorts of characters - some from randy widows who claimed to have propositioned you and others from chaste maidens whom you allegedly seduced." Alexia waves away your spluttered protests before they even start. "For the most part your lovers reported that you were magnificent in bed, but when I, and my father before me, pressed these women for details none of the stories matched."

"Wait!" You finally break in "You did investigations into my sex life?"

"Yes Sire, it's my job." Her green eyes meet your unapologetically. Then with another shrug of her pretty shoulders, she takes your arm in hers and turns you to the door of her tent. "I'll talk to the twins; they are nice. Now let's go back to the games before rumors are spread about you sneaking away from your duties as a host to accost a defenseless young woman in her tent." You start laughing.

"That would solve my problem, right Alexia." You joke relieved that she is finally dropping topic. "Although I doubt they'd be believed. You're young, beautiful and sexy, but defenseless?" You grin, "I think I counted five different blades while we were kissing. I do have to warn you though, in the interest of fair play, if our relationship continues this way you might become my queen."