The Empress is rather too interested in Marcus

"Oh, and who's this?" The Empress sat up on her chair, that filmy dress pulling even tighter across her big boobs. "A boy? Remove that silly cloak, Kihara. Let me see him." She waved her hand imperiously.

"Sorry for this, little one." Kihara murmured under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear. Marcus yelped out as she firmly grabbed the cloak by the neck and untied it, yanking it off him in one smooth tug. The young prince found himself wearing just the white shirt and small shorts she'd bought for him. It had been fun when he was just with her, but now with this strange woman staring at him he couldn't stop thinking about how much of his bare legs were on display or how tightly the shorts were clinging to the cheeks of his soft butt.

Then the Empress rose suddenly off her chair, her filmy dress flowing around the curves of her body. It hadn't been obvious before, but she was just as tall as Kihara, towering over the young prince. She stepped forward on bare feet, gazing down at him with a smile like a hungry lion. Marcus fought the urge to run away screaming or dive behind Kihara. This was a fellow royal and Kihara's relative as well, he couldn't insult her that way! He had to be polite, like a good boy, even if she was staring at him like she wanted to eat him right up. Remembering how lesser lords had greeted his father, he mustered his courage and hurriedly lowered his body into a neat little bow.

"Oh, how darling!" The Empress clapped, bouncing eagerly on her bare feet. "He is just adorable and look at that gorgeous silver hair too! How sweet of you to bring me such a delightful gift from the barbarian North, my dear. I will have him taken to my harem right away, then bathed and perfumed for my bed tonight!" She raised her hand, waving one of the guards behind her chair forward. Marcus shrank back, his heart pounding. Her harem? What did that even mean? It sounded scary!

"No, auntie, he is mine." Kihara stepped between them, stopping the guard in her tracks and making the young prince gasp in shuddering relief. He peeked out from behind her, shivering anxiously. He didn't know what was going on, but she was protecting him, just like she'd promised! The Empress paused, her full lips curling into a slight frown. She halted the guard with a gesture, and gazed across at her niece, her dark eyes unreadable. "He is royalty, the prince of the Kingdom you sent me to through the pass." Kihara continued quickly. "His Castle was under attack, and about to fall to invaders who wished him dead. I saved him, and it was my hope that you would be willing to give him sanctuary, as my own bound concubine." Marcus blushed furiously at that last word despite his growing nervousness. A concubine, him? He'd only ever seen that word in some of his naughtier books!

"A prince is he?" The Empress raised a curved eyebrow. Her eyes flickered back to Marcus, who hurriedly ducked behind Kihara. He really didn't like how she looked at him. "Not just one of the cutest boys I've ever seen, but barbarian royalty too? If you're trying to make me want him less, you're not succeeding very well."

"Auntie." Kihara raised her hands. "He's mine."

"Kihara, my dear." The Empress purred, and there was something cold and almost mocking in her voice that hadn't been there before. "You are my favorite niece and my loyal, trusted Marzban, but surely you know you cannot dangle such a prize in front of me and not expect me to take it for myself?"

"I saved him." Kihara repeated, with a hint of steel. Marcus bit his lip nervously. Even he knew you weren't supposed to talk to angry royalty that way! "A woman of the Blood saving the life of a boy. You know what that means, by our law."

"Of course I do." The Empress smiled thinly, but there was little of her earlier good mood in that cold grin. She'd shed it, like taking off a mask. Instead, as she stood there at her full, towering height, she looked every inch the poised monarch about to deliver judgement on her subjects. Marcus had never seen a more intimidating woman, and only Kihara's body between them stopped him from cowering on the floor at her feet. "We are both very familiar with that particular facet of the Old Law are we not, my dear?" Kihara stiffened under her armor, a sharp breath escaping her lips. "I begin to understand why you are so eager to have him for yourself." The Empress tutted, shaking her head. "This weepy sentiment and clinging to the past doesn't suit you, my fearsome Marzban. Did I not teach you to set aside such things already? Perhaps I should take him merely to ensure that lesson sticks."

"This has nothing to do with what happened before." Kihara snapped, but there was a wavering in her voice that made Marcus want to hug her, only he was too scared to move! She breathed a moment, trembling under her armor, then straightened back to her full height, facing the Empress across the marble floor. "You yourself have told me many times how it lowers my prestige in the eyes of the court that I have not chosen any concubines." She continued, and her words were surer now. "Well, now I have, auntie. I want him, and only him. No other." The young prince blushed again, his hands flying to his glowing cheeks. Oh...she'd defended him, and now claimed him as hers right in front of this scary Empress who wanted to take him away. He knew he should still be terrified, but somehow just hearing that left him full of glowing warmth instead.

"Yes, of course, Kihara, you are right." The Empress nodded. With a little sigh, she turned and stepped back to her chair, sitting down on the end. Then she smiled again, a full, happy grin like nothing had changed at all. There was something even scarier about that. "I am very pleased my favorite niece has finally taken my advice and chosen her first concubine." She continued eagerly. "And such a pretty one too. You'll have the envy of the entire court when he is displayed as yours. Do not fear, as delightful as the boy may be, I can see you are already quite attached to him. We all get that way with a shiny new toy, don't we? I don't want to upset you anymore, so I'll not take him from you."

"Thank you, auntie." Kihara breathed, relief trembling in her voice. She lowered her body into another low bow. After a moment's anxious thought, Marcus decided to do the same, slipping out beside her and bowing too. It was strange, he hadn't spoken even a word while these two women fought over him, but he wasn't about to now when things looked to be working out okay.

"Such a sweetheart." The Empress cooed. "You can keep him, my dear, take him to your quarters and lock him away before he makes me change my mind. However, tomorrow afternoon I want you to bring him to my harem. He'll need to be properly clothed and made up if he is to belong to my favorite niece, and my own boys will just adore him, I'm sure."

"Yes auntie, I will." Kihara straightened up from her bow and the young prince hurriedly followed her. AS much as he wanted to hide behind her again, he stood beside her instead, his gaze on the marble floor. His heart was still pounding from everything that had happened.

"And we can discuss certain other matters at the same time." The Empress continued, her dark eyes flickering back to her niece. "You have much to tell me, do you not?"

"Yes, auntie." Kihara nodded stiffly.

"Very well then, you are dismissed." The Empress waved her hand. Kihara ducked into one last hurried bow, then turned on her heel, her eyes flickering to Marcus. Understanding, the young prince turned as well, quite eager himself to be away from this place. As beautiful as the garden was, he wouldn't be able to shake his fear that the Empress was about to just try and take him again until he was out of her hungry gaze. It was only when Kihara waved him ahead of her and he ducked back through the purple curtain that he was able to breathe a sigh of shuddering relief and feel safe again. All the more so when the woman he adored stepped out too and he could follow her footsteps back down the marble corridors, staying nice and close to her back. Of course he was confused about what had just happened. It seemed this land was far stranger than he'd ever guessed, but at least Kihara was here to keep protecting him. He trusted her, and he knew she'd tell him what he needed to know as soon as it was the right time. For now, all he had to do was stick close and follow her and he was sure everything would work out.