Chapter 16: Xenia

Xenia p.o.v.

Some faint sound of rushed footsteps made me woke up from my slumber, Had Father Nicholas come back? I blinked, stretching my arms, the warmth of the fireplace suddenly made me remind where I was and what I was doing before sleeping, and immediately my eyes snapped open. Shit, shit...shit, I hurriedly searched for my chemise; a thin almost transparent cloth women wore underneath their gowns. And yes, I was sleeping NACKED, inside Father Nicholas' fucking office.

I couldn't be more foolish, can I? Of course I can. I wasn't standing naked inside the office we worked in, it was the other one, next to the kitchen. The place inside this tower where Father Nicholas pray... where his bibles, holy water, cross and all his sacred thing were. And in a holy place like this, I fucked my fingers and then slept with my hand between my thighs. I swear, I just came here to sleep because of this fireplace as the hearth of my room wasn't working. But then, the sweet, seductive fragrance of this room reminded me of Father...and the next thing I remember was my clothes on the ground and my fingers inside my cunt.

I am going to hell, there was no doubt about it.

As the footsteps came closer, my legs moved faster and I picked up my smock. I couldn't even run from this office, what if Father saw me running nacked in this tower and there was still dark outside, I could fall from the stairs; nacked and Father will definitely think I got insane. I didn't even want to think about, him finding out about my little escapade today...pleasuring myself in a sacred place, what the hell were you thinking Xenia!

Somehow with shaky hands, I wore my chemise and glanced at my gown and thongs, still on the floor near the desk. Hurriedly, I looked for a place to hide my remaining clothes. The office was so small, just some wooden shelf beside the door, filled with holy water and oils, a fireplace in front of that soft settee and a small desk and chair just behind me, where I kicked my gown and thongs just before the door opened and I crouched back on the settee, rubbing eyes as If I just woke up...ha! I should be a thespian, but again, women didn't act in plays... I could just pray, father Nicholas didn't notice my clothes under his desk, however, there is so dark here, only light coming from the fireplace and one single candle above the desk, so I don't think Father could notice anything unprecedented.

" Did I wake you up, princess?"

The soft gentle voice of Father Nicholas made me look up at his gleaming blue eyes, I was about to say something but then I couldn't stop giggling, " What are you wearing...", I exclaimed. He was wearing a red and golden coat, leather breeches and boots...looking like some prince but seeing him like this...fuck, he looked so weird, black cloth definitely suited him more.

" Ugh, Lady Katerina was just being unnecessarily demanding.", Father just huffed coming near the desk and removed his velvet coat, revealing his thin white shirt, its sleeves puffy and cuffed making him look even weirder. He fake glared at me when I keep giggling, okay...I shouldn't make fun of him when I am sitting here wearing nothing but my underclothes. And that reminded me, I should probably go before Father noticed my almost unclad state.

I was about to stand up when I noticed a letter slipped from father's clothes, the broken royal seal didn't go unnoticed by me, " What's this...", I asked standing up and was about to bend when he immediately picked that up and tugged it on his slacks, " None of your concern."

None of my concerns? But that was a royal seal, wasn't it? That letter should be none of his concern by the way...what was he hiding from me?

I looked at Father Nicholas, he was finding something on the desk, " So, what Lady Katerina said?", I asked.

" My father was there too, King George died after making him his heir and now he wanted me to take the throne...wanted to defrock me, can you believe their audacity...", he stopped and looked up at me when I couldn't stop my snicker, " Yes, you can laugh if you want to."

And, I laughed. I know, I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself, I hated that man, so much that could literally dance at his funeral.

" Forgive me Father, but your uncle was a king too...and he slaughtered my people...he killed my brother.", I gave my reason, and he sighed, " Your father would have done the same.", Father rasped, coming closer to me, his eyes flicked down at my attire before he again stared back at my face, " But my brother won't, he was a good person.", I countered.

" And that's why he is not here anymore, he let himself get killed.", Father growled.

What the hell was wrong with Father Nicholas today?

" People there...on the throne, that place is not just for good people Xenia, you need to be cruel sometimes...you need to show your enemies what you are capable of.", Father said, " And my uncle had to do what he needed to survive. "

I just blinked at him, was he serious? Didn't he always tell me to always be kind to my subjects...no matter good or evil, god forgives everyone and I should never be vicious. And no matter what, never be like his half-uncle? What now, what changed? Wasn't his uncle the most brutal king of all? Wasn't he executing women on baseless executions like witchcraft? And on top of that, he killed my brother, who was unarmed and just twelve, it was his first battle!

Why was Father Nicholas suddenly speaking like that, first hiding that royal sealed letter, and now this? I didn't even have to think much as I already understood where this all was coming from.

My eyes were still on his face, orange light glinting over his skin, but my hand was behind me, slowly unwrapping the dagger from my thigh, " What did you answer them?", I implored, my voice dangerously calm as he took another bold step towards me, " What do you mean?", Father Nicholas asked, looming over my body.

And just when he was barely an inch away from my body, I nudged my sharp dagger into his abdomen, "na tig nas fhaisge! ", I growled and then realised I'd spoken in Scottish Gaelic in anger, which his English ears couldn't understand.

" Don't come any closer...", I repeated.

Father hadn't said anything just glanced down at my sharp dagger, pressed against his skin, not so harshly, yet...but if he try to move even a bit, I won't hesitate.

I glared at him when our eyes met, " Tell me, will you become king of those southrons...", I snarled, " Why am I even asking, you yourself are a sassenach..."

I bit my tongue, fuck I shouldn't have used that word. Sassenach, a word used by Scottish and Irish people for English men, It's derogatory, an insult and could offensive. And judging by the look of Father Nicholas, I think it did offend him too.

My eyes moved down at my dagger when Father came closer, its sharp tip shoved against his skin as blood dripped from his white shirt. Immediately, I removed the dagger...and it didn't even take him a second to clench my neck. My lips parted as he tightly squeezed my throat, pulling my body towards him. A gasp escaped my lips feeling his body touched my skin, every harsh touch, every warm breath making my inner thighs wet and it was a shock, even for me.

I tilted my head up, finally looking at his eyes...those gleaming blue eyes, darkened...almost black, a shade of deep blue, jaw clenched tightly as he just stared at me with a painful expression...I couldn't understand that, my comment made him angry...or sad?

I tried to back away, feeling my entire body tremble just by watching his intense gaze but then he squeezed my throat again, this time even more harshly, " Did you really need to ask this, hmm?", Father groaned, still staring with that same dangerous expression.

Definitely angry.

My lips parted as I tried to speak but no word came out of my mouth, the only thing I could feel now was my throbbing clit, and right now, I don't give a damn that Father might become my enemy or my reign could end even before it's beginning...all I wanted was to feel him, feel his skin touching me...feel his lips stocking me and feel him, deep inside me.

Father Nicholas looked between my eyes, his hold loosened around my throat, but his hand was still there, now slowly stroking up and down on my bare skin, " I told them, I serve only one queen...you.", he husked, his voice filled with rage, " And if they even breath such a word of killing my queen", father said, " So help me god, I will end them."

I'd never seen him like this, his tone was always so gentle, and there was always a kind smile on his face. But even this anger...this dark intense tone, fuck this made me want to get ravished by him...wanted to see how more he could take before giving it in and take me right here.

I licked my lips, my eyes still on his face, " You don't sound like yourself.", I mumbled, making him snicker humourlessly.

" Because I'm not myself, not anymore."