The Imperial Kings Book 3: Imprisoned By The King

LORELLE

I reached the village well past the respected hour, but I was glad that I was able to reach home with my virtue and dignity intact. Those men in the woods could’ve had their way with me, and I would not have been able to do anything.

Making sure to stay in the confines of the shadows, I made my way home, being cautious of anyone lurking around at this hour. Usually, the men would be at the tavern right now, drinking their sorrows away or celebrating a victory, but one still needed to be cautious.

As soon as I reached my cottage, I quickly slipped inside and shut the door. Only then was I able to breathe freely.

I was home, and no one saw me wandering outside at this hour. My heart beat profusely as I willed it to calm down so I could perform my nightly ritual before retiring for the night.

While I washed my face, my mind kept going back to what had transpired in the forest. Who were those men? Was the leader really the king?

But that was not possible since the king would not allow a lowly maiden such as myself to run from him. I disobeyed his command, and he should’ve ordered his men to execute me.

And since he allowed me to escape, I did not believe he was the king. However, the only one I knew with the name Eldon was the king himself.

I was sure I heard his name correctly, because even now it echoed in my mind, sending chills of fear down my entire being. No, it had to be somebody else.

The king would’ve had me executed even before asking me what I was doing in the forest. The king was fearsome and cruel, and I’d heard a lot of tales in regard to how he punished and killed anyone who dared to cross his path.

“You are pondering too much over this, Lorelle; you need to retire before you start inviting all sorts of ridiculous notions regarding the king. It was just some nobleman out there and not the king. Do not fret.

“You will not be out at this hour ever again, and you did not show your face to any man for you to lose your respect and honor. Do not fret,” I said to myself as I removed my cloak and crawled into my bed.

Sleep came quickly, but my dreams of being captured and tortured by the nobleman I met in the woods kept me tossing and turning until the sun rose, and I had no choice but to get up and start my day.

I did not welcome dawn as I normally did, because my dreams made me restless. However, there was much to do, and I was the only one who could do it.

People would be coming in any time now for bread, and I had to make sure I had enough prepared so that people could buy it for breakfast and lunch.

When I entered the kitchen, I began kneading the dough, glad to have the wood for the fire available to me. I was late today, considering I barely got any sleep, but I needed to prepare bread for the people or else I would not have money for food.

Soon enough, people started coming as the sun forced itself to shine through the thick clouds and layers of fog surrounding us. Winters were harsh in Erizia, but we managed to survive.

I just hoped there was no outbreak of disease, or we would be in trouble. A few years ago, there was an outbreak of some mysterious illness, and a lot of elderly and children died. It was heartbreaking to see so many lives lost to nature.

“One loaf of bread, please,” a young boy said.

He was clad in winter attire, and his rosy cheeks gave enough evidence as to how cold it was.

I smiled at the boy and handed him the warmest loaf of bread I had.

He handed me the coins before taking his leave, and this was followed by more people coming in and buying bread to feed their families, and I was glad to know that I would be able to buy food for myself.

The day passed without any incident, and everything that happened yesterday was soon forgotten because no one gave any indication of having seen me out at such a late hour of the night.

Everybody spoke to me like they normally did, and there were no whispers and covert glances of disapproval that I needed to be wary of.

“You are going to be busy all day, am I right?”

I couldn’t help but grin as Golda came over, sighing in disapproval.

“Why? Do you wish to do something?” I inquired as I handed two loaves of bread to a man whose wife was with child.

“All the young maidens were thinking to go by the lake and spend the afternoon there. The harsh winter makes it difficult for the sun to come out. I actually wish for some light,” she replied.

“I still have plenty of bread to sell. And considering the harsh winter, we need as much bread as we can have. After closing down, I have to go and buy flour and eggs in order to prepare bread for the morrow,” I told her.

“You never have time to spend with me, Lorelle, it makes me feel neglected,” Golda complained.

I felt bad that I was not able to enjoy any leisure time with the other maidens because I was too busy doing what my family left me to do.

“Forgive me, Golda, but you know I have to continue the family work. I cannot let this die along with their spirit, it’s the only thing I have left of them.”

She was used to hearing this from me, but it was the truth. My family was no longer alive, and this small place was all I had of them.

My parents had worked hard to provide bread to the village. This shop was their pride, and I’d be damned if I let anything tarnish it.

“I understand, but it would be nice to have you with me as we sit by the lake and talk. You know I have been meaning to talk to you about my beau. It is so difficult to keep all this in my heart and not tell someone about it,” she said, looking forlorn.

“I know, Golda. But I am here, and you can come and talk to me whenever you wish,” I said, knowing she was not comfortable sharing her secrets and worries with me when I was working.

Before she could respond, the crowd around us parted as men who could only be described as the royal guards came forward.

“His Majesty, King Eldon approaches!” came the announcement, and all at once, whoever was present fell to the ground, kneeling before the king.

“Oh no, the king is here. Good lord, whose life is about to come to an end?” Golda exclaimed before kneeling down.

My heart began racing as I wondered why the king was here. Was it because of me and what happened last night?

No, no, that was not possible. He could not know it was me.

And just as Lord Eldon approached, I dared to look in his cold eyes only once before my knees gave out, and just like everybody else around me…

I knelt.

Looking at the king standing before me, I willed myself to calm. I knew he would torture me until he was satisfied that I would not be able to get away from him.

For as long as I had been with him, I knew that King Eldon did not wish for me to escape him.

I did not even want to imagine what he would do to me if I dared to do such a thing. He stepped forward, and I lowered my gaze, submitting to him and all that he was about to do to me.

Fighting and resisting him was not an option as that would only enrage him.

My body was well versed in the art of pain to know what would happen should I dare to resist him. A hand came to cup the side of my face, and it took everything in me not to cry out in fear.

Was he going to mark my face this time?

No, I could not let him mark my face. The world could not know how the king left his mark on me.

I deserved that much dignity and respect that I would not be shamed in front of the people of Erizia.

“I have missed you dearly, my love,” he said before placing a tender kiss upon my forehead.

Then he took my lips captive with his as he kissed me like he was claiming me for the last time. He tended to do that, kiss me like it was the last time he was doing it, which left my lips bruised and bleeding.

When he stopped kissing me, he gave me a warm smile, which I knew better than to fall for. I knew what was coming, and this smile would not fool me into believing otherwise.

Eldon was going to do things to me which would result in me not being able to get up from the bed, and I had to prepare myself for it.

“Come. I no longer have the will or the strength to not touch you,” he said before he removed the crown resting on my head.

Eldon then led me to the bed and pushed me to sit down as he began removing my jewels one at a time.

I did not understand why he did that every time he returned. As far as I knew, it was the queen’s duty to remove the king’s jewels and clothes.

Once my jewels were removed, Lord Eldon proceeded to remove my dress until I was left in my chemise. He pushed me down until I was lying on the bed before he removed his clothes and jewels and lay down on top of me.

Don’t fight. You’ll face the consequences if you resist.

I knew what would happen if I tried to resist him, and so I lay there and allowed him to touch me and have his way with me. The way his hands roamed my body, pushing all barriers aside; the way his hardened length pushed inside me as his lips touched me everywhere, eliciting gasps and moans from me, I knew I would not be able to get up because my legs would not support me.

King Eldon continued his ministrations well into the night. He would stop, but then after a few minutes of respite would start again.

He took his pleasure from my body but was not selfish enough to not give me mine.

He gave me pleasure until my body was limp, and I barely had the strength to keep my eyes open. I was afraid to fall asleep because Lord Eldon tended to do things to me, which I only became aware of when I woke up the next day.

How and why he did that was something I never received the answer to because he did not wish to tell me.

“My beautiful queen. It brings me great pleasure to unite with you once again. My trip has been dull without you.

But alas, I no longer have to endure being without you as I have returned,” he said to me, the light being cast by the candles the only way I could see him.

He was lying beside me with his head resting above mine as his fingers moved over my bare body. I knew the slightest movement from me would alert him, so I stayed quiet and allowed him to speak.

“Aboloft, Bancroft, and Mavon wish to make a short trip to Erizia with their queens, but I am not sure they should be making the trip just yet.”

He paused and looked down at me.

“Will you not ask me for my reason, my love?”

Asking you for reason is equivalent to inviting my own death.

“Why not, my lord?” I finally said, knowing he wanted me to ask him. I did not ask Eldon anything unless he gave me an indication that he wanted me to speak.

“Because I wish to spend more time with you before we have to entertain guests.” He smiled and kissed my lips.

“It has been seven years and yet I am insatiable when it comes to you. I wish I could devour you so that no one could see you but me.”

He bit my neck, causing me to gasp out loud.

“M-my l-lord…” I wanted to let him know that he was hurting me, but I did not dare say the words out loud.

Lord Eldon chuckled but had mercy on me. His hand continued to move over my body until it came to rest on top of my belly.

“At times I wish for an heir, but then I become selfish because I want you all to myself. I do not wish for anybody else to have your time and attention.

You will give me an heir when I wish to have one, but for now I wish to have you,” he said before rolling on top of me and sliding his length deep inside me once again.

I could not move from under him even if I wanted to, not because he was too strong for me, but my body did not have any strength to move. Lord Eldon had sucked every drop of it and now I could do nothing but let him do however he pleased.

However, it seemed he knew my body better than I did because he managed to extract every drop of pleasure from my body, until I could do nothing but allow darkness to embrace me as pleasure had me trembling under him.

When he was finished, he rolled off me but pulled me in his arms so that I was lying on his chest, my front pressed to his.

“The markings on your body are beautiful. I am pleased to know that I was right when I decided to give them to you. You wear my mark beautifully, my queen.

Soon I will give more of them to you until you wear all the markings of the queen of Erizia and the woman who belongs to me forever,” he stated, pressing a kiss to my neck.

I was too exhausted to respond; I simply did not have the strength to reply. I knew Lord Eldon would do with me as he pleased and there was nothing I could do about it.

But I feared for my life because I knew how painful those markings were, and I just wondered…

Where would he mark me next?