9Zebian marched to his chamber in all his glory and excellence. His confident gait spoke it all. He was enjoying the undoing of Azura. Call him a barbarous devil or downright sadist, he was satisfied to see the obsessive fear in Arlet’s eyes. She didn’t see her downfall coming, but wasn’t that the whole plan?Despite having some serious temper issues and twisted comportment, he was a charming king in the eyes of people. He seemed to inherit the beams to impress people from his father; who left no stone unturned in pleasing his people through his mercy and just ruling. Whereas Zebian pleased them through his strict law, undisputed defeat and steely personality. The greatest trick behind his success was his cunning nature veiling all his evil wrongdoings and making them believe he was a kind-hearted man like his ancestors. Right now walking back shirtless, nobody could resist sparing him a glance and drooling over the sight but being the king, every servant kept their eyes low, not da

10Zebian woke up in his bed all alone. Despite her presence having an imperative effect on him, he couldn’t submit himself to let bygones be bygones, in fact, such theories weren't a part of his beliefs. His eyes shot open as his mind evoked images of her body and face. He drew a sigh as his heart confessed she grew up more beautiful, her long tresses were longer in contrast to years back. His stomach did a somersault.He further went on assessing that if Rose had stayed with him, she would have been enthroned beside him. They would have been married by now with at least four children. Two boys and two girls. He would have been a sane emperor like his father with a woman of his life. But damn for notions only resting in his mind. She ran away and that was enough to sabotage all of his aspirations. The thought chafed his mood. The next he grunted in displaced aggression, tossed the duvet and hurled out of the bed. His body reacted sorely due to the whippings of that day. He strod

11- the calm before the storm -The mask of deception veiled all the venom from Zebian’s face as he strode toward the royal chamber with his concubine. He was holding her cold hand, Arlet walked beside him like a lifeless toy. The terror of his words still skirted on her face till they reached outside the dining hall. Zebian halted a step before the doorpost and turned to her. His cold expressions sucked all the courage that was knitting up within her. “A word about last night and your region is gone, keep that in mind before you feel courageous to speak.” He lazily laid his finger on her chin and drag her face to meet his cold eyes."Understood?" He said, impassive. Arlet gulped and nodded halfheartedly. “Good. Now, put on a big blushing bride smile and let everyone know my concubine had a wonderful night,” Zebian teased with an evil smirk. Despite feeling a whirlwind of hatred for him, she failed to be the defender of her self-respect. Zebian put a hand behind her back and enter

12He grabbed her wrists with one of his hands and pinned them above her head. The V-neckline that graced an eye-cooling view of the valley of her breasts scooted aside, making her right boob to peek out. A paper-fabric in the name of a dress wasn’t hiding her curves much. A man like him could see right through the thousand layers of fabric, yet it was a see-through fabric. Zebian’s eyes followed those two lumps that were puffing out, secretly begging to be held. The beads of her nipple sneaking out teased the massive monster in his pants. Enough fuelled by her repelling words and her fascinating beauty, he leaned closer toward her collarbone only to be stopped a few centimetres away, his breath that fell on her skin as he exhaled deeply caused goosebumps to erect in its wake. Renai let out a heavy breath as his mere action prompted her carnal senses to arouse. Zebian glanced up and found her chin wobbling. A smirk crossed his lips. Without waiting, He bent and gently attached his

13The slap had stunned both of them. Renai breathed heavily as she processed what her hand had done in a fit of haste and exasperation. She couldn’t keep it to herself. Her eyes welled up as she begged him for something she wasn’t quite sure of by shaking her head.“I..am..just leave me alone, I don’t want this,” She tried to push him off her but he was too fixated in his position. For the moment, she had forgotten this man was a king, not her friend anymore. Renai snivelled. She was never supposed to be under him again. She wasn’t a whore like his father’s sword of honour said. But what made a tear drop from her eyes was the fact he had also called her ‘whore’ during the pleasures of the flesh.Zebian stared at her without betraying any ounce of emotion. Instead of hurting her for slapping him, he was stunned to his spot. His gaze was set on her. As if his world had ceased and only she was left before him. As if she would disappear in the air if he even dare to bat an eyelash. The t