A Dance of Deception

"You must be out of your mind, my Lord, to entertain such thoughts," he muttered, standing frozen in place. The veil draped over his face concealed the sly grin that played on his lips.

However, nothing could escape Zephyris's keen perception; he savored the moment.

"Fascinating, my dear bride, you accuse me of madness. But what if I were to confess that it is your influence that drives me to such insanity? Would you believe your humble husband in this confession?" he inquired, taking a deliberate step closer to Owen, causing him to retreat against the wall.

"Here we are in this position again, it must be fate, don't you think?" Zephyris inquired, running his fingers through Owen's long white hair and taking in its scent.

"You smell like lilies, why is that?" he whispered into Owen's ear, causing a blush to spread across Owen's neck and cheeks.

"So, your weak spots are your ears, huh?" Zephyris remarked, planting kisses on Owen's cheeks and teasing his lips with his tongue.

Owen let out a soft moan as Zephyris slid his hand under Owen's robes, caressing his chest and gently pinching his nipples.

"Your Highness, you should stop now," Owen hissed, trying to avert his gaze from the king in front of him.

"Playing hard to get, are you? Fortunately for you, if I were to continue, I might end up tearing your clothes off. For now, I'll restrain myself," the king muttered as he playfully pinched Owen's earlobes with his lips.

Owen swallowed his anger before glaring at Zephyris, who was grinning smugly.

********

As the music filled the grand ballroom with its enchanting melodies, it suddenly came to a halt as King Zephyris made a grand entrance, this time accompanied by a mysterious companion.

The king led the tall figure, their left hands bound by red ropes, to his majestic throne where he took a seat, the figure perched on his lap, captivating the attention of all present.

To the astonishment of the onlookers, the figure was none other than Prince Owen Rykhard, a revelation that left them speechless.

"Truly a match made in heaven," remarked one guest.

"Indeed, despite his demonic nature, fortune has smiled upon him. What a fairy-tale ending, unlike our own mundane lives," another chimed in.

"But do you not find it curious where Lady Lyra could be as her brother is marrying the King?" speculated a third guest.

The room buzzed with murmurs as people were surprised and curious to discover Owen as the person behind the veil, sitting on the king's lap.

'I can't believe I let this guy trick me,' Owen sighed inwardly. 'How strong is he to hold me up like this? What kind of immense strength does he possess?' Owen wondered, feeling envious.

He pouted as he observed people dancing and enjoying themselves. While he was perched on the king's lap, he imagined many girls must be envious of his position.

Jealousy lingered in the air as Owen sighed, feeling weary of sitting on the man's lap. It made him feel small and insignificant, with all eyes on him.

"You know I could sit on a chair. Why on your lap, in front of everyone?" Owen sighed, dropping his head down.

"Do not do that," Zephyris ordered firmly, his left hands gently lifting Owen's chin to raise his head.

"What do you mean?" Owen asked casually, showing little interest in Zephyris' words.

"Never lower your head in my presence or otherwise," Zephyris stated with a hint of menace, causing Owen to feel a twinge of fear. He complied with the command.

"I appreciate this side of you, obedient. That is how you should always be when you are with me. But I doubt that will be easy for you," Zephyris said with a smirk.

"You know me too well, Your Highness," Owen said with a smile, his eyes twinkling with familiarity, causing Zephyris to blush. He quickly averted his gaze and focused on the ongoing festival.

Then, Helard stepped forward once more, a joyful smile on his face. "It is my pleasure to announce that there will be no engagement ceremony tonight."

The announcement sent shockwaves through the ballroom, with murmurs spreading among the guests. Owen glanced at the king, wondering if he was halting the engagement. His gaze then shifted to Zephyris fully.

'I suppose you're not so bad after all,' Owen thought to himself as he observed Zephyris with a smile. However, his moment of relief was short-lived as Helard continued speaking.

"Instead of an engagement ceremony, the King will be getting married to his bride right this instant."

Everyone froze in surprise at the announcement. The King getting married? His sudden decision raised questions in everyone's minds.

"I take back what I said, this man is not good at all. He must have planned this from the start. What does he hope to gain by marrying me?" Owen sighed.

As thoughts raced through their minds, they could only watch in silence.

"Silence, everyone. The sharing of vows is about to begin," the Herald's voice rang out before he stepped down.

A tall man with long blue hair materialized two golden rings on his hand and gently asked the King and his bride to sit in the Lotus position. They both compiled.

"Before I begin this ritual, I must ask you a question," the blue-haired priest said.

Both men nodded, urging him to continue. "Prince Owen Rykhard, are you marrying King Zephyris of your own free will? If not, this ritual will be halted."

Owen glanced at Zephyris, who wore a cold expression. Owen sighed, realizing there was no turning back. He thought to himself, 'No going back after this,' as he forced a smile.

____________

"Master," a shadow whispered, bowing respectfully to the figure reclining on the ornate bed. "The bet has been won."

The figure, a sly smile playing on his lips, responded, "As I had anticipated, Zephyris could this potentially be your Achilles' heel?" His emerald eyes gleamed with mischief as he chuckled softly.

"It appears that I must pay you a personal visit. It will be quite entertaining if his lily discovers the reality of the situation. Let us observe how this plaything of yours will endure, Zephyris!"