Married Life.

 Lan sat quietly at the dining table watching the maids serve supper . He was impressed at how quickly they had changed the food menus to suit his taste preferences . More meat delicacies were added to his servings roster as well as freshly picked fruits , specifically the apples . Red wine was served in plenty and just to be on the safe side , one maid would wait on him standing next to the door with a jar of wine in her hand. If any of the bottles on the table were emptied she would immediately rush to it and fill it up again with wine.

" You don't have to keep doing this Mei , I've told you time and time again that if all the bottles run out , which will never happen , I can simply walk over to the cellars and get more, " he laughed as she came over to fill up one of the four bottles.

" Maybe she is trying to snatch my husband away , " Hazel quietly entered the room and took up the seat next to Lan. Her fresh perfume and undone hair told Lan that she had just been from taking a bath.

" Shouldn't you be taking that up with your other five co-wives ," Lan joked and watched with a little amusement as Mei tried to hold back a giggle.

" Why should I , you never summon them . It's like they married a different person who definitely isn't you . But I guess they are the lucky ones , they didn't get their fathers and nannies summoned or arrested by the prince, " Hazel retaliated , gesturing with her hands for the servants to leave. In obedience , Mei and the rest quietly left the room leaving the two together.

" But there is something that I need to take up with someone . Lan Montreal , when do you plan on carrying out your role as my husband ?" she went serious . Her ability to just broach any subject with him regardless of how delicate or controversial never ceased to amaze Lan.

"Hazel slow down , let me finish eating this roasted mutton before it gets cold. We talked about this some days ago and I asked you to give me a while to think about some matters," Lan answered her , trying hard to swallow his food after what she had just told him.

" If it was up to me I'd give you a year if you asked. But in the agreement you had with my family the crown promised that my child would be your firstborn . And before you start saying that you are never around the other five wives remember that that is an excuse you can only use with me. We can't have people knowing of how you are avoiding the other five , it would shame them and their families and you would only have more enemies to contend with," Hazel pressed on as she took a table knife and started slicing down a bit of cake . Once she had finished cutting it , she took a small fork and hooked the cake .

Lan momentarily gazed at a torch light mounted against the wall , absently observing how the flame flickered against the weak winds blowing inside of the room. Even in his past life , dealing with marriage issues had always been a delicate conundrum he always preferred avoiding .

" So they are pressuring you and you are running out of things to tell them ," he sighed , seeing he could no longer pretend not to understand the situation.

" I know that it is none of their business and I should start demanding that they back off , but the Marjories are no ordinary household . Our elders take great pride in ensuring that our bloodline remains secured in power at all times . Anyone who marries in our family is expected to consummate that marriage on the first night to ensure that the union cannot be renegaded after . It's been two weeks and I know that the next time they come asking , I better have some good news for them ," she swallowed the piece of cake and poured herself a glass of mango juice .

 " Growing up I came to learn that there are somethings you only get to do with someone you love . But I hear you and know that if I divorce the other five , your family will stop pestering you . All I need is a good reason why and you will get busy finding me one.

 Look at it this way , now you hold the power to decide when your family will stop coming after you ," Lan turned around and looked at her , a beautiful girl on a level at par with the goddesses.

 " You just turned this whole thing on me , it's such an underhanded tactic. But anyway , knowing you that's the best deal I'm gonna get ," she finished eating her cake , wiped the brown cake crumbs off her lips and then reached into her dress pocket for a letter she had intended to give Lan.

 " This has the king's seal on it , why are you the one having it?" Lan asked as he received the piece of paper .

 " I'm the last thing you should be thinking about right now. It turns out that the little playtime you had at the Southern province rubbed some kingdoms the wrong way. A delegation has been sent by the Supreme Alliance to meet with our king a week from now ," she explained.

 " The Supreme Alliance is one of the Great Five . These are the guys running the world , if they are personally coming to pay us a visit , then there is more than just smugglers and refugees involved ," Lan quickly read through the letter .

 " His majesty will definitely need you by his side . These guys scare all of us Lan , the king himself included ," Hazel finished .