Se connecterElara's POV
"Elara, what can I get for you tonight?" The club’s manager asked after I took my seat in his office. "Book the club for the night," I said to him. "An empty hall, just me and the drinks. I want it empty." His eyes grew wide. "The whole club? I think you're asking too much." I lifted a fat stack of cash from my purse. "That should take care of it. Make it happen." Taking another look at me, he quickly nodded. "Ten minutes. I'm on it." Soon enough, the main area was empty. No people, no noise apart from the one music I picked. I ordered whiskey after whiskey, sitting by the bar. One, then two, then more glasses. I loved the fiery feeling going down my throat. I continued drinking until I felt tipsy and my face was lit up with a crazy smile. Why not look around?, I thought. Check out what more was here - or who was here. Staggering out of my section was the sound of the heels I wore trampling beneath me. The club has private rooms; hence, I opened the first door. To the soft music laid the dim lights, there he sat at one corner of a small table with a drink. And so was mine. He must also be paying to clear his place. He lifted his eyes up down scanning my body across in a fitted dress; my hair was messed from the night. He snickered then slid a huge stack of cash across the table. “That's all yours if you stay the night. Have a fuck with me. No strings attached.” I froze. “What? Do you think I'm a fucking whore? Who do you think I am He quickly pulled his stack back. “Oh shit. Very sorry. I thought...you look like you work around here. The way you walked in. My mistake. Really. I’m sorry.” I found myself angrier than I should have been and crossed my arms-but there was something in his eyes. He looked as weary as I felt. Nobody just throws money around like this. “You…seem…off.” I slurred. “I know, I know,” he said, rubbing his neck. “Just...today's my last night. Tomorrow, I lose my freedom. A boring life awaits. I just wanted to live one last time, an actual night, without worries.” His words resonated with me. My heart could feel it. Last night of freedom. Just like me. The call with Celene came back to me. The royal duties. No More Lifetime Freedom. I sat down in front of him, grabbed his drink, and drank from it. “I understand to an extent. Much more than you know. My life is changing as well. Tomorrow, it's all rules and cages for me. Tonight, I want to forget.” With a tilt of his head, he focused on me. “Yeah? What's changing?” “Doesn't matter,” I said. “No names, okay? Just tonight. We'll help each other out. Make sure it is good. No thinking about tomorrow.” He was grinning bigger now, slowly nodding. “Definitely. No names.” “Definitely.” I stood up, slightly shaking due to the alcohol and the high. A hand reached for the zipper of my dress, and I placed it slowly over my shoulder, the fabric gliding slowly until it fell on the floor. My black lace bra and panties the only thing on my body. His hungry eyes were on me. “Damn,” he muttered. “You're a beauty.” Your turn,” I said, in a low voice. I moved forward, my fingers grabbing his shirt buttons. One by one, I undid them and pushed the shirt off his shoulders. I ran my palms down his broad, tattooed chest, muscles tight beneath my hands, soaking in the warmth from his skin. My hands went to his waist and unbuckled the belt in quick time. Pulled down zipper and took off his pants and boxers along with that. His cock sprang up, hard and thick, right in front of my face. I looked up at him, biting my lip. “You want this?” “Hell yeah,” he groaned, his hand in my hair. I stroked it at the beginning very slowly. It throbbed in my grip, hot and heavy. Lifting my head, I licked the tip to taste the salt. He hissed, his hips bucking slightly. “That feels so good. Keep going.” Wider, I'd opened my mouth, taking him in further. My lips went down the length of his cock, sucking softly at first, then applying more pressure as I started to suck harder. With every slight pull back, I'd run my tongue across the tip of his head. His hand gripped my hair tighter as he guided me with his words. “Yes, just like that. Suck my cock deeper.” I did, nearly choking, as I pushed him deeper into my throat, but I never stopped. “Stop.”Pulling me up, he said. He lifted me onto his table, and all of the cash is scattered in the air. He didn't even bother. He took off my bra and panties, gently tossing them aside. I opened my thighs wide; my pussy was already wet and aching. He grabbed my hips, cock lined against my entrance. In one thrust, and he was in me. I moaned and wrapped my legs around his waist. “So tight,” he grunted as he pulled back and rammed into me once more. The table creaked beneath us. His cock went deep within me every time. “Harder,” I begged. “Pound my pussy.” He did, thrusting fast with his hips. Sweat coated his skin as time went by. I mean, I clawed at his back, nails buried inside. “You feel so good. Keep fucking me like that.” “Want my cum?” he asked, rough voice. “Inside me. Fill me up.” I moaned, not giving a damn about anything in that moment. His pace picked up, and I felt him release, shooting his hot cum deep inside me. That set me off too, my pussy contracted tight as a I squirted all over the table, half on his body. Breathing hard. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Just this. Just us. Helping each other forget. But tomorrow...tomorrow would come. I woke with light snoring, and almost immediately afterward, my head started throbbing to the point that I really regretted it. “Where am I?” I mumbled as I closed my eyes, going the headache would go away. I shot up and quickly realized that I was on a couch in the club, fully naked while the guy from the previous night slept yet on his bed in his boxers with his tattooed back turned towards me. I pressed my palm into my forehead, trying desperately to maintain composure. “What have I done?” I murmured. Very soon, I’ll be announced to the world as Princess Elara of Averelle. What if he sees me at some point? What if he says something? What if he tries to blackmail me with this? I swallowed hard to calm myself and forced my body to obey. Picking up my clothes from the floor, I tried to tiptoe around him. My heart was pounding so hard I feared it would wake him. My hands shook as I buttoned my shirt without daring to look at him. Having dressed up, I stood silently by the door and whispered, “I am very sorry.” Then I turned the knob and fled before I could think twice.Elara’s POV The knock at my door came just after dawn. It wasn’t a soft rapping like a maid might provide, nor was it the kind of polite knock that allows someone to prepare themselves. No, it was a strong, confident bang that resonated through my room like a judgment. Sitting upright in bed, my heart pounded in my chest. “Come in,” I managed to say. The door swung open, and Lady Morgana entered, but she wasn’t alone. Beside her stood a man tall and slender, adorned in deep blue robes that signified his rank within the royal medical order. The silver insignia on his collar proclaimed him a healer appointed by the court, not the sort of independent doctor I might have favored. Morgana smiled at me. “I took the liberty of bringing someone to assist you,” she said in a sweet tone. “You seemed rather unwell yesterday.” A chill ran down my spine. “I didn’t ask for a healer,” I stated cautiously. “True,” she replied, stepping uninvited into my space. “But the palace did.
Elara’s POV I didn’t step outside my chambers for the entire morning. Celene ensured that was the case. Two guards were positioned discreetly outside my door not too close to be noticeable, but just near enough that I felt their presence pressing against my skin. Although the windows were open and the air was filled with the fragrance of roses from the eastern gardens, my room felt stifling. I felt watched. Confined. A maid brought me some broth and dry bread, but I just stared at the meal until it grew cold. “Please eat,” she urged gently, lingering a little too long. “I will,” I replied, though I didn’t touch it. She didn’t leave. This time, my stomach twisted not from hunger, but from the weight of her expectations. I finally lifted the spoon, forcing myself to take a few careful bites while she observed me with far too much interest. When she finally left, I pushed the tray away and sank back against the pillows, my heart racing. This is where it begin
Elara's POV I woke up before the sun had fully risen, my stomach churning violently. For a moment, I stayed still, staring at the bed’s canopy, wishing for it to pass,hoping it was just another result of sleepless nights and constant tension. The palace had a knack for wearing you down while denying you any chance to recuperate. But then, the nausea hit me again, sharp and sudden. I barely made it to the washbasin before I was retching. At first, there was nothing but a dry heave that left my throat burning and my hands trembling against the cool porcelain. My reflection in the mirror was a ghost: pale skin, bright eyes, lips devoid of color. This is just stress, I reminded myself fiercely. It has to be. Lately, the court felt suffocating. Celene’s watchful gaze, Morgana’s penetrating stares, and Damon’s calculated distance, more painful than any closeness—made anyone feel unwell under such pressure. I rinsed my mouth, splashed some water on my face, and stood up a little
Elara’s POV Celene was keenly observing me as I ate. Not in a blatant manner, nor was it rude. But I could feel it, her unwavering focus on my hands as I lifted the spoon to my mouth and the way her gaze lingered on my face while I swallowed. The breakfast hall was filled with a quiet calm, sunlight streaming through the tall windows and enveloping everything in a golden glow that seemed almost to mock me. I forced myself to take my time with each mouthful. As I usually would. With care. Every bite felt like I was putting on a show. “You barely ate yesterday,” Celene finally remarked, meticulously folding her napkin like a surgeon. “And today, you look unwell.” “I didn’t sleep well,” I responded, keeping my tone steady. She tilted her head, studying me. “You’ve never been one to be frail.” That word again. I held her gaze firmly. “Stress impacts people differently.” “Yes,” she replied gently. “That’s true.” Across the room, Damon stood in conversation with
Elara’s POV The wave of nausea hit me out of nowhere. One second, I was in the western corridor, listening to two women argue quietly about fabric deliveries, and the next, my stomach clenched violently, as if something inside me had tightened into a fist. I froze. Not now. Not here. Heat surged in my throat. I pressed my hand against my mouth and pivoted sharply, trying to move quickly without attracting attention. The corridor felt interminable, the walls seemed too close, and the air was suffocating. Somehow, I just managed to reach the alcove before it overwhelmed me. Bending forward, I clutched the stone ledge as bile surged up. My body convulsed, painfully unyielding. I gagged, fighting to keep quiet as my eyes filled with tears. This had been happening more frequently. Mornings. Late afternoons. Sometimes, it was even triggered by the smell of food. I had told myself it was all the stress. The palace life. Celene. Damon. The unending feeling of being scrut
Elara’s POV The palace had recognized me. That was the first thing I sensed upon waking that morning. It was neither a shout nor an announcement—just an unspoken acknowledgment. Servants halted briefly as I walked by. Conversations dropped to hushed tones. Eyes lingered a half-second too long before darting away. Even the walls seemed to shift, as if the very hallways had started to lean in, eavesdropping on my presence. Once, not so long ago, I had called this place home before the lessons of freedom showed me that silence can be a choice rather than a burden. Back then, the palace had overlooked my existence entirely. Now, it was watching me. I dressed with care, opting for a pale blue gown with long sleeves and a high collar modest, unremarkable, and hard to fault. My reflection met me in the mirror, poised but weary. Dark circles under my eyes persisted, a testament to sleep that seemed forever elusive. As I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I murmured,







