Pledge

A quiet moment stretched far longer than it should have or than either of them wanted. Iris gently pulled away, her gaze searching for answers on Corvin's face.

" I made an oath," Iris quietly said," A promise to return Hessia to its former glory. Bring peace and submit myself to the will of its people," Penitence. To heal wounds and stitch seams that unravelled when she pulled on the loose thread.

Corvin nodded and leaned back against the tub, closed his eyes, and remained so. Still, as a rock. The only sign that he was still alive was the rising and the falling of his chest.

" Now, you will be the one to fulfil that oath," At her words, Corvin opened an eye, and the corner of his lip pulled up, " I did not make an oath to anyone. My allegiance lies elsewhere," Corvin muttered and reprised his monging in the soothing warm waters of the tub.

" The North," Iris licked her lips," Dakran," Corvin nodded, in agreement but remained silent. Iris turned her back to him, gently caressing the surface of the bath water. Absently watching the little ripples, move outwards with each stroke of her fingers.

Nothing more was said, each occupied a portion of the tub as if they repelled each other.

Iris raised her head when Corvin stood up

Water trickled off him as if he was made of marble. Glistening in the afternoon sun, each of his muscles twitched and convulsed under his skin with each of his movements. Iris released the breath that she was holding when he disappeared behind a towel.

Which quickly hit the floor as Corvin began dressing himself, and shoved his feet into his boots.

" I need to check on some things," He said as he draped a cloak over his shoulders.

" Aren't you afraid that I'll run," Iris raised her eyes to meet his gaze as he stood by the tub.

" You can run if you like but," Corvin leaned in, smiling, rather unnervingly," I will kill each and every one of them if you do," He nonchalantly replied as he pulled himself up, turned on his heels and trotted towards the door.

" Is that a threat?" Iris stood up, dripping with water, half naked, half-dressed.

" No. It is a promise," He slipped out of the room before his words even took form in her head.

Iris closed her eyes. From queen to slave. That was a new turn of events. Weak in the knees, Iris lowered herself into the bath, grabbing both edges of the tub with trembling hands, to steady her spirit.

" I have survived much worse," She said to no one in particular, as she splashed water on herself. She only hoped that Corvin wouldn't make good on his promise to bed her.

Time passed and after her skin pruned she finally decided to step out of the bath.

The sun had sunk behind the hill, tainting the sky with its reddish-orange colours. Exhaustion slowly made its presence known as yawn fought its way out.

" I've sent word to Dakran, that you are alive and well," Corvin said as he slipped inside the room, as Iris was preparing to slip into her night clothes.

" Don't bother with those," Corvin said as he began slipping out of the clothes that he'd donned before he left the room.

" I won't share a bed with you," Iris snapped and began tugging on the night dress.

Two lunges were more than enough and Corvin was standing next to her butt naked, clutching the nightdress.

" You seem to forget..., " Corvin wickedly smiled," You belong to me, now," He snatched the dress out of her hand with one swift tug. Iris gaped, speechless with her hands fisted, frozen as if she was still holding the garment.

" I'm tired. I need rest," Corvin tugged on the covers, tipping his chin for Iris to get under them.

Reluctantly, Iris slipped under the covers, while Corvin walked around the bed and took the remainder of the bed. Without as much as a word, Iris rolled onto her side, tightly hugging the covers, glaring at one spot on the wall.

Under the heavy covers, the long days and even longer nights began claiming their right. And slowly, they both slipped out of consciousness.

At the feel of something sharp pinching his skin, Corvin opened his eyes only to find Iris looming over him with a fork pointed at his throat. Rather disgruntled.

" We both know, you won't kill me. So you either go to sleep right now or spread your legs," He casually quipped, puckishly smiling. Iris frowned, pushing the fork deeper into his skin, fiercely glaring at him.

" Legs it is," Corvin rolled over her before Iris even had a chance to blink.

Wrapping his fingers around her wrist, Corvin gently pulled her hand away from his throat, watching her moonlit expression.

Her inviting features, the feel of her warm silky-smooth skin, and the voluptuous curves pressed against his chest brought back a fragment of how it felt that night when he held her in his arms.

A low growl of approval, followed by an excesevely salacious grin plastered on Corvin's face was alarming. Iris gulped and closed her eyes. Struggling wouldn't do her any good. Corvin's strength exceeded hers, and he could do whatever he pleased with her.

At the brush of his lips over hers, Iris opened her eyes. Tentatively teasing her lips with his eyes on her.

" Admit it, " Corvin teased the seam of her lips with his tongue.

" Admit what?" Iris breathlessly asked, locking eyes with him. The corner of his lips tugged in a playful smile.

" That night," Another brush over her lips, even gentler than the previous one," You knew it was me. Admit it that you wanted me, "He loosened his grip on her hand, pulled the fork out, and lobbed it on the floor.

" I didn't...," Iris pursed her lips," I don't remember," She closed her eyes, in an attempt to dredge the memory from wherever was buried.

" And now?" Corvin pinned her hand next to her head, intently watching her expression.

" Now," Iris closed her eyes," I don't know what to feel," She candidly admitted and opened her eyes to meet his gaze.

Corvin nodded, and rolled over on his side, " Sleep," He tugged on the covers and punched the pillow. To let go of some of his frustration.

The rustling of covers slowly faded and once more silence blanketed the room, the castle and the entirety of Hessia.

With one last glance over her shoulder at Corvin to ascertain that he had gone back to sleep, Iris pushed herself up from the bed as quietly as possible, and silently made her way to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight Hessia was quiet and peaceful. Perhaps she'd achieved her goal when she rid the land of the witch. When she lost Ian to the darkness. When she'd given up her only son in the hope of carving a better future for herself and those around her. Iris glanced over her shoulder once more at the man spread on the bed. An enticing offer. The North had its issues. It wasn't a carefree land. Nor was the South. A burden she must carry until a suitable contender to the throne would come forth.

A lot of possibilities, none of which included a life she'd once dreamed of having.

A house filled with laughter and joy. A loving husband and enough to not worry about tomorrow.

"You'll get a cold," Iris jolted awake from her reverie at his words.

" For someone who claims to be a conquerer you're doing a very poor job at treating me as your slave," Iris quipped as she sauntered towards the bed, and sat on the edge.

"It's my first day. Give me a few days and I'll get better," Corvin quipped as he rolled on his back to look at her.

Exquisite beauty, haloed in the silver moonlight, and two green eyes sparked in the darkness of the room. Each time he laid his eyes on her, he found her more breathtaking than the last.

Patting the bed Corvin lifted the corvers for her to slip back under. Shuddering, Iris buried herself under, rubbing her arms to get the blood flowing.

" Come closer if you're cold," Corvin beckoned as he shuffled a fraction closer.

" If you'd let me wear my nightdress. I wouldn't be cold at all," Iris bristled, as she inched further from him.

" And miss seeing you naked," Corvin chuckled, " It has been my lifetime dream," He amusedly added, rolling onto his side, and facing her back.