She welcomes him home with a kiss.

The gesture produced a very bashful reaction from the women sitting on the throne. She struggled to hide it as she looked down at the kneeling knight who presented himself with the very stoicism the novel had described. But in person he was a challenge to get a read on, any emotion he hid well and the mystery only drew her in more.

Her dangerous want was intoxicating; she was all but numb to the danger he posed to herself. Either a by-product to her nostalgia of the character or something far more simple she couldn’t lie. She definitely found him attractive.

Her thoughts went to Alexandra and questioned if she had felt the same or would laugh at their childishness.

It was hard to picture a time where the princess wasn’t infatuated by her favourite concubine, the story’s canon aside she did see Alexandra, despite her flaws, was truly in love with this man, yet like her sanity she’d lost his love along the way, down her path of tyranny.

“I have missed you.” She couldn't control her tongue.

She shook after the words left her lips, it was hard to descript her foolishness, she didn't know why she had said them. Forgetting for a moment that she was living the role of Alexandra and not reading about it from the safety of her phone.

She felt as if she was playing the role of god by forcing something from Alexandra’s mouth onto their lover that by this point in the story they would have never said.

“Quite amusing that’d you miss a servant only doing his duty to you princess.” Richard's answers surprised the women, he didn’t display the outward hate that Dimtri had displayed or the whimpering need that Vizima had graced her with. His neutrality was refreshing yet still frightful as she noticed the threatening glare he posed onto her when he thought she wasn’t looking.

As he stood to his feet and removed their hand from hers the women playing the princess had decided not to let go. “Is missing you such a joke?”

“No.”

“You fool.” He was good but she caught his lie and answered suitably to anyone who lied to the princess of the empire.

“Perhaps I am.”

“No you’re definitely a fool no doubt about it.” The court around them started to whisper and bicker, one of the younger lords who returned with Richard had intentions to speak up in defence of his friend but luckily was stopped by a courtier who was far more familiar with the princess’ temper.

“You know it’s weird your face.” She didn't question where her confidence came from as she reached to grab the man by the shirt collar and pulled him close.

“Excuse me?” His deadpan expression annoyed her to a small extent.

“It’s far too pretty for a man back from war, did you even do any fighting or did you leave it all to your men?” Her question at least provoked a twitch from the man. He was beyond furious at just being called both pretty and cowardly in one sentence. “I don’t know whether to slap it or …”

She was cut off by the man’s lips which flushed her mind empty from the shock. ‘Huh?!’

The court awkwardly watched the two lovers exchange saliva. Knowing perfectly well what scene she was cursing she didn’t care, he was too hard to resist. Her fingers left his shirt before they cupped the man’s cheek and eagerly enjoyed the blissful taste of his lips.

‘Fuck it! He is hot, I'm hot … Alexandra! I mean Alexandra is hot! Think girl, don't confuse the two!’ Soon her aggression died down into passion and she refrained from devouring him.

As his pride hadn't been wounded enough he held the princess back by the shoulders. “Damnit women do you ever change!”

“You said you wanted to get back to your duties, or has your long time away made you forget that you are my concubine?”