The Next Step

All celebrations end. Within two days after your wedding to Camilla, a lot of things happened. Eliza has decided to remain with you while Mathilde had volunteered to return to Toscana. Mathilde would assist Piero with administering the province. Mathilde wanted to have a go with you but she realized she wasn't ready to become a mother just yet. Instead she found a long wet kiss to be sufficient for the moment. Eliza wanted to remain because she wanted to see how well you'd perform with your ambitious goals.

Franz Jacques, Beatrice and Gunter were informed of Lady Camilla's infertility and your arrangements with Dorothye. They don't approve but seeing as how it's already done with, they resolve to keep the secret a secret. Elizabeth would go to Nornover with her fiancee Waldur, her friend Hannah and their father Dolphus. Elizabeth wasn't thrilled but she had Hannah to keep her company.

Hannah had been told in confidence of your plans and intentions. Everything Hannah had been through -- from the dire situation at home to your and Elizabeth's friendship -- had made the girl quite willing to keep your plans secret and to let you go ahead with whichever of your plans you wished to initiate just as long she and her sister don't lose their home.

All others had gone home. As did you. And after another two days of travel, you were back to your home castle with your new wife and her trusted maid.

It was pleasurable business within the privacy of your quarters again. A fully clothed Camilla knelt on her knees while sucking your cock off to full stiffness, getting you ready for Dorothye. Her skills with her lips and tongue has drastically improved since the first time she did it. "There," she wipes her wet lips on her sleeve, "now you're ready."

"Mistress, don't you want to try making love to your husband? He and I have been making love exclusively since the wedding night."

"I will have my turn but only after you've conceived, Dorothye. You must become pregnant with his heir first." Camilla says with urgency.

"Come, Sire." Dorothye takes your hand and brings you to the bed. "Let us make love."

"Have you been enjoying yourself, my King?" Eliza asks smiling as you sit across each other. "You seem to be going at it every night and every morning."

"What can I say? It's an enjoyable activity."

"Well I suppose I would know that." She pats her growing yet still small belly. "Just entered my third month. Six months to go."

"You seem to be coping well. You don't have the morning sickness."

"I do," she says, "or I did. The first month was such an inconvenience. My entire morning routine was turned over its head because of our little one." She pats her belly again. "Oh why did you have to make me so sick every morning, my darling?" She says with a smile.

"I'm kind of glad you are here, Eliza."

"Why? So you can have someone else to fuck?" She hisses.

Taken aback, you frown, "That's not it!"

Eliza bursts into laughter, "I jest, I jest, my King. You can fuck me anytime you are inclined." She offers. "So... why are you happy I'm here."

"I'm going to need you to come with me to Daynland."

"One of the cold northern kingdoms?" She inquires. "Correct and it's the only northern kingdom that the Confederation shares a border with."

"But why?" You answer, "I intend to add it to my growing kingdom."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" She doesn't look pleased. "There is a civil war happening in Daynland between the children of their late King. Offering marriage to a princess of the land won't be viable since you are already married."

"I got you to join, didn't I?"

An epiphany comes into Eliza's mind. "Oh I see. You plan on giving a princess there the same deal you gave me?"

"Correct again but I am willing to make adjustments if it helps. You can help convince the Princess Helga of my proposal regardless of what it may actually be."

"I highly doubt Princess Helga will willingly give up being a queen just to become a lady." Eliza correctly guesses.

"Well the choice is all hers. I didn't **** the decision on you. I won't **** it on her."

Eliza laughs, "No, you didn't and no, you won't. You just made it sound so appealing."

You go around and sit right beside Eliza, "It work, didn't it?" You rub her tummy where your child is growing. "So will you help?"

"What do I need to do?" Eliza asks which you take as a 'yes'. "First, we're going to need Toscana ships."

Eliza smiles wickedly as she gets what you're getting at. "I can do that. Then what?"

"If Helga accepts, we go to war against her half-siblings. I've already talked to Gunter and Dietrich about this. Schlestein and Lenmeckburg will give us permission to move our troops through their land. The army will attack from the south. The warships of Ostgrenze will fight their fleets. The Toscana warships will add to their number. With this civil war being waged brother against brother, the Daynland fleet will be divided and thus more **** and less formidable. Once their fleets are out of the way, we will land Toscana troops on the northern region of Daynland."

"Sounds like a plan if not a bit optimistic."

"Well the finer details will be worked out later." You say confidently.

"Well there is still the potential problem of the Kingdoms of Wayron and Sweedland joining in. There are some nobles who have distant family in Daynland."

"Yes, that could very well be a problem but King Rorik of Daynland has blessed us by souring relations with those two other northern kingdoms. Territorial claims, raids and skirmishes and whatnot. All minor and easily resolved but it has left a sour taste in the mouths of the noble and royal families of the two kingdoms. That's precisely the reason why none of the northern kingdoms have gotten involved... yet. One of King Rorik's children was born from his Schlestein concubine. If Schlestein helps, they will be a problem but a minor one. They have adequate numbers but their military is untrained, undisciplined and ill-equipped."

"My, my, someone's sure has given this a lot of thought but is quite arrogant about it." Eliza warns.

"It's a risk I am willing to take." You say with resolve.

"Toscana men are not built to fight in the cold snow. It may snow in Toscana but my forces have little experience fighting in the cold and have a limited supply of suitable clothing for winter warfare.

"I have had plenty of winter wear for your men to use. My greatgreatgrandfather Friedrich the First became a king partly for his impressive military victories against the northern kingdoms. Ostgrenze at the time was smaller, just one Duchy. But against all odds, he succeeded and added Westgrenze into his realm. Since then, Winter wear for soldiers have never been in short supply."

"Ah yes, Friedrich the First of Ostgrenze. Though the rest of us know him as Friedrich the Brilliant. Very well then," Eliza nods contently, "have those clothes sent to my men."

"I will see it is done."

"So when do we leave?"

"In about a week. Don't worry, we won't rush. I don't want to stress out you or the baby." You lay your hand on her growing belly. "You better not." Eliza says before kissing you.

You have a quick meeting with Spymaster Benjamin. He reports that the situation in Nornover is not improving. Duke Elbert of Rheinland has gotten sick and is weakening. Franz Jacques' counter espionage operations have done well and have received some interesting information from the tortured spies. Personally, you find the idea of spies dishonorable and **** even more so. But this was a harsh world and such methods had to be used. You thank Benjamin for his hard work.

You then casually inspect the castle. Before coming up on a familiar face. She has her back turned to you but you recognize her anyway. "Angelika, hello." This is actually the first you've seen of her since you got back to the castle.

Angelika turns around and shows you her four months pregnant belly. "Sire, welcome home. I did not have the honor of seeing in the past couple of days." She bows. She notices that your eyes are aimed at her belly. "It is your child inside my womb, you know." She says neutrally.

"Have you been well?" You ask. She says sounding tired and dejected, "As well as I can be."

"What's wrong?" You ask concerned. Her reply, "My father throw a fit when I told them I am with child and almost tossed me out of my home. My mother was more understanding. I'm estranged from my family now."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She says sadly. "I was their main source of income. Now that they've distance themselves from me, I can keep all my earnings. So that's a positive outcome of this I guess."

You rub her belly tenderly. "My child..."

"Our child," Angelika quietly corrects you. She puts her hand over yours, "we made it together." She pauses before she blurts out, "I... I don't regret it. I'm ashamed to say it but I hated it at first but overtime, I've grown to love it. I'm keeping this child, my King. You can ignore it if you want. Your wife will soon give you a proper heir anyway. So there's no need to trouble yourself with a bastard." She makes to leave but you stop her.

"I did not give you permission to go, Angelika. Whether you look at me favorably or not, matters little to me. But this child is my child. It will have its father as he or she grows up."

"If you want to be a father to our child, I won't hinder you, my King. But," she looks pleading, "will you hold my hand when the time comes? I don't want to be alone when our child is to be born." She hold back a sob and tries to keep her tears in check. "I'm scared." You take her in your arms to console her.

"There, there, Angelika. I'll try to be there for the birth." She whispers to your ear, "Thank you, my King."