"We should talk about the fee you owe me."
The words dropped from his mouth, nonchalant in their tone yet sharp enough to slice through the air like a drawn blade.
And the second they did, it all but forced the surroundings into a dead silence.
"Fee?" Morgana echoed, as if the word had slipped in from some distant corner of her mind while her brow arched.
"I mean, c'mon, Morgana." Ricky's smile curled with something closer to wrath than humor as he strolled over to her with the ease of someone who didn't need permission.
Morgana didn't flinch, but she did freeze, her body stiff beneath the loose silk that clung to her like a veil of power, the amount she truly held within this room.
"You didn't think just giving me the throne next to you was enough, did you?" Ricky asked, dropping down beside her without waiting for an answer, the mattress dipping beneath his weight as if recognizing a shift within the conversation.
Morgana instinctively turned to her side, trying to show her naked body as a distraction but Ricky stopped her with a single touch.
One hand gently pressing her shoulder to keep her still, the other sliding softly down the curve of her back.
However, it was when his fingertips found the scars that laced across her skin, just beneath where the silk failed to reach, that made Morgana stiff.
She was ashamed of it.
Not because they hurt, not because they ruined her beauty, but because they told of a time when she was whole.
"Ricky-" Morgana began, her voice catching in her throat but Ricky's fingers kept moving, breaking her words.
Feeling them tracing their way up the length of her spine, over the nape of her neck, and finally resting against her cheek.
"Ricky." Morgana whispered, turning her head to face him, her fingers closing around his hand while trying to slip her way out of this tight spot she found herself in.
"You owe me, Morgana," Ricky said with a quiet chuckle, his eyes lingering on her face that was so beautiful, yet holding such a vile mind.
"Ricky, I was joking-"
"But you weren't," Ricky whispered, lowering his lips to her ear.
"You weren't joking, Morgana. You just can't help yourself, just like I can't help myself with you." Ricky chuckled, his tone warm and affectionate, but Morgana couldn't shake the warning simmering beneath his words.
"But you need to learn to stop f*cking pushing me, Morgana." Ricky whispered, lowering his head close to her ear, close enough that she couldn't pretend she didn't hear.
Then he let the space between them hang heavy, letting the silence stew for a moment.
Slowly, he lifted his face toward hers and pressed a brief, gentle kiss to her forehead before pulling back.
"JENKINS!" Ricky suddenly barked, sitting up abruptly as Morgana scrunched her brows in confusion.
The undead butler carefully entered the room, peeling open the door and slowly poking his head into the room.
He gave a strange glance around the room before finally resting his gaze on Morgana.
"Hey buddy, good to see you," Ricky laughed, strolling over to Jenkins with a relaxed grin.
"I'm gonna need an espresso, a chocolate biscotti, and some fruit, but don't tell me what since I want it to be a surprise." Ricky tapped Jenkins' skull lightly, nudging him forward like an old friend.
"And I should probably get some help with this negotiation," Ricky said, gesturing as he turned back to Morgana.
"Y'know who I should ask?" Ricky asked, his tone dripping with condescension as if he already knew the answer and expected her to agree.
"Ricky don't you dare-"
"Oh, Merlyn!"
Before Morgana could finish her reprimand, a portal slowly opened beside Ricky, and a scroll was shoved through it.
Ricky caught it mid-air with practiced ease, a smirk curling at the corner of his lips as he waved the scroll playfully in the air.
"Ricky." Morgana spoke again, trying to catch his attention, but Ricky was already too busy unrolling the scroll.
"I told you-" Alexander began from the side, but Morgana was already sitting up, urgency flashing across her face.
"Ricky, Camelot's assets-" Morgana started, her voice tense after recognizing what he held in his hands.
"Are in my hands." Ricky muttered, cutting her off as she fumbled to the side for her clothes.
Morgana scrambled to pull herself together, her mind racing since what Ricky had casually asked for was no ordinary scroll.
It was the most important item she had been desperately searching for across the city.
Camelot's ledger.
"Jesus, how many vaults does this city need?" Ricky laughed, clearly surprised at just how many vaults Merlyn had built for a single city.
"It's because the reserves are buried under the city-"
"Because Merlyn likes to micromanage, I put two and two together after seeing you guys have your own currency." Ricky turned the scroll over from a distance, pointing out the distinct symbols that showed Camelot used its own currency.
"They're called crowns, and it's Otherworld's central currency, not just some minted coin," Morgana explained, scrambling to pull on her skimpy robe.
"And backed by the gold stored in those vaults." Morgana urgently said, pointing at the scroll in an accusatory manner.
"And what are Starlight crystals-wait, this is what that stupid floating thing was named after?" Ricky muttered absentmindedly, raising an eyebrow at all the 'Starlight crystal mines' listed on the scroll while relating it to the Starlight Citadel.
"Wait, are you seriously holding Camelot's real ledger?" Morgana's eyes widened, her hysteric tone revealing the gravity of the moment since she thought it was another one of Ricky's jokes.
"Apparently." Ricky confirmed, scanning the scroll with a nonchalant attitude.
Morgana tried to rush over, but a shimmering barrier suddenly rose around Ricky, stopping her in her tracks.
"Dammit Ricky, that isn't funny, I need-"
"I bet you do," Ricky said without looking up from the scroll, Morgana's frustration boiled over as she watched her words come back to bite her in real time.
She slammed her fist against the barrier, desperate to grab that single scroll, the one thing standing between her and sinking her claws deep into the heart of this city.
Morgana already knew the truth: Merlyn had of course hidden the real ledger, and she'd been forced to rely on a fake just to keep things moving.
'Don't forget her vaults as well.' The Ebony Blade chimed in, reminding Ricky, whose smile only widened to Morgana's horror.
"No-"
"I almost forgot about your vaults." Ricky cackled, delighting in Morgana's discomfort as she squirmed and slammed her fist against the barrier again and again.
"I'm serious, Ricky!" Morgana yelled, her eyes locked on the scroll that detailed millions upon billions of material wealth.
"I'm serious too. I mean, did you know Camelot has griffons?" Ricky asked, flipping the scroll to reveal the section listing the city's animal assets.
"Y'know what? This city's kinda growing on me, not gonna lie," Ricky muttered as he walked to the side, gathering not only Alexander and the ebony artifacts but also his Veil Method papers.
"Ricky!" Morgana yelled, hitting her hand against the dome repeatedly as Ricky waved his hand out the door.
"Get dressed, I'll see you downstairs."
15 minutes later,
Soon after, Morgana slowly walked out of her chambers, clad in regal royal garments, a pristine crown resting atop her head.
Her heels clicked softly against the floor with every step, hidden beneath the sweeping folds of her dress.
Jenkins appeared quietly from the side, approaching as she reached the spiraling staircase.
Without a word, Morgana held out her hand, and Jenkins took it gently, steadying her as she began her descent.
"Shall I move the contents of the vaults within Castle le fe-"
"No, let him proceed."
Although it was rash, in Morgana's mind she was testing the waters.
Feeling out the limits of what Ricky would allow, what he would tolerate, and where his patience might finally crack.
Every glance, every word, every subtle challenge was measured, like moves on a chessboard.
She knew this dance was as much about power as it was about understanding the man who had claimed a throne beside her.
And as she steadied herself with Jenkins' help, she cast a brief glance toward the dining hall.
The double doors stood slightly ajar, revealing Ricky seated at the far end of a long table, already halfway through the breakfast that had been prepared.
"Mr. Luciano?" Dexter approached cautiously, clutching his cap in both hands as he made his way toward Ricky's table like a nervous child expecting a scolding from a stern parent.
Though the coven members had no problem crowding around him when drunk, their hangovers brought back their respect.
Even now, they kept their distance, giving Ricky his space as he sipped his espresso and nibbled on a chocolate biscotti, completely at ease.
"The only 'Mr. Luciano' is my father. Just call me Slick or Ricky." Ricky said, waving Dexter off with a casual flick of his hand as he set his espresso cup down.
Beside him, Alexander sat quietly, chewing on his biscotti, eyebrows slightly scrunched as he faintly recalled the young man suddenly appearing before them not long ago.
"So, what can I do for you, David?" Ricky asked, casually misremembering the warlock's name as the young man gave a respectful nod.
However, even though it was wrong, Dexter didn't dare correct Ricky and swallowed the fact his name was now David.
That is, until Alexander suddenly spoke up.
"His name is Dexter, and he is a courageous warrior." Alexander said from the side, unexpectedly clarifying on Dexter's behalf.
Ricky raised an eyebrow at this, surprised by both the correction and the fact that Alexander actually remembered this grunts name.
"A compliment from Alexander the Great? Don't see that every day." Ricky laughed, nudging Dexter lightly to celebrate the moment for him.
The young man immediately froze, stunned at the mere notion of Alexander actually remembering who he was.
"Take a seat." Ricky said, gesturing casually as he wiped his mouth.
As he did, Dexter's eyes briefly flicked toward the side of the table, where four ebony objects lay arranged around a crackling radio.
"So, what can I do for you, Dexter?" Ricky asked, taking another bite of his biscotti as he looked toward the young coven member.
"I-I wanted to thank you for helping me finally put my little brother to rest," Dexter said genuinely, from the very depths of his heart, bowing his head slightly.
"Sorry for your loss." Ricky's smile faltered at the words as he wiped his thumb across the white ceramic of his espresso cup.
"I lost someone close to me recently, my godfather actually." Ricky spoke quietly, aware it was probably just a fraction of what Dexter was feeling.
"Thank you." Dexter replied softly, a faint smile spreading across his lips at someone as high as Ricky actually paying his respects to him of all people.
Ricky nodded, thinking the conversation was over, and reached for another biscotti, only to realize Dexter was still sitting there, seemingly waiting for something.
"You need something or?" Ricky asked, glancing around as the coven members suddenly averted their eyes when he made contact with theirs.
"Y-Yes, I actually wanted to ask something else." Dexter said, fidgeting in his seat as he glanced nervously at the urging looks of the coven members watching from a distance.
"Are the rumors true? Are you really dissolving the coven?" Dexter finally asked the very question weighing on the minds of every coven member, looking directly at Ricky, who held the fate of their entire culture in his hands.
"Kind of?" Ricky replied, shrugging at the loaded question and leaving it open ended.
"Listen, if you think you're gonna be displaced, don't worry cause I ain't gonna throw you out on the street." Ricky's words quickly dissuaded any lingering doubts.
And it wasn't just Dexter's sigh that reached him; from the distance came soft murmurs and sighs of relief echoed from nearby coven membrs as their faith in him was justified, and it showed.
"So here's the deal: anyone who doesn't join the Luciano family will either be allowed to work at Lucky Incorporated, live on Staten Island, or leave," Ricky explained, knowing that while he was speaking to Dexter, his words were really for the entire coven.
"Why? Are you here to tell me you're staying in Camelot?" Ricky asked, raising an eyebrow as Dexter's face paled.
"N-No sir, that's not why I'm here." Dexter stammered out, quickly denying the fact as Ricky let out a small laugh.
"Well, just spit it out already." Ricky said, rolling his eyes as impatience crept into his voice.
Dexter sat frozen for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck nervously before finally meeting Ricky's gaze.
"I would like to join the family-the, uh, the Luciano family." Dexter said, adjusting nervously, unsure how to properly ask if he could become a mobster.
"Oh yeah?" Ricky asked, a slow smile spreading across his face as he set down his biscotti.
"Yes and I-I, I would like to follow you." Dexter continued, his meek attitude cracking another chuckle out of Ricky as he watched the anxious Dexter stumble forward.
"I think you're going to do big things, stuff that history will talk about for years to come-" Dexter started, his anxiety causing his words to tumble out in a rush.
"C'mon, Dexter, speak from your chest and tell me what you want." Ricky said with amusement, curious to see what the young man would say as the young warlock clenched his fists tightly.
"I want to see what you're going to do with my own eyes!" Dexter blurted out, his voice rising high enough so that Ricky couldn't interrupt him.
However, instead of brushing him off again, Ricky finally leaned back and crossed his arms, clearly giving him the floor.
"M-My whole life, I've just sat in the crowd, watching people rise within the coven while I stayed silent." Dexter said, fiddling with his fingers while ducking his head back down.
"It's not that I didn't have ambition, but I never believed in anything enough to push me forward," Dexter explained, speaking more to himself than to Ricky as he reflected on why he never made any moves within the coven.
"But when you walked into the coven and said you were going after Merlyn, I-I wanted to believe in you." Dexter recounted, recalling the confidence Ricky wore like a smile and how he just wanted to believe in everything Ricky said.
"I-I did something I never do, I went out of my way because I believed you would help me put my brother at ease." Dexter said, rubbing the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"And this feeling, this pursuit, I-..........I don't want it to stop."
What originally made Ricky so compelling was the theatrics.
Watching him was like watching a jester command the stage with such effortless and chaotic grace that it was utterly captivating.
He ran around, causing trouble, provoking reactions, and people chased after him, not out of fear, but because he was genuinely amusing.
But that was no longer the whole story.
Profaci had described Ricky as an entertainer, someone who drew people in because he amused himself, not because he inspired others.
He was a figurehead of spectacle, a distraction.
Yet, when Dexter looked at Ricky, he saw something different.
He saw ambition burning fiercely beneath the showmanship.
He saw history walking in human form.
He saw a man who had already etched his name into the annals of the world, a legend in the making.
Ricky was no longer just a figurehead; he had become a force to be reckoned with.
Because what Profaci and others hadn't understood was how Ricky would lead.
Not through quiet strategy or cautious planning, but in a way that forced everyone's hand.
His actions always left no room for hesitation; whether allies or rivals, they were compelled to react, to adapt, to fall in line or be swept aside.
That's what made it so dangerous to look away from Ricky.
Among those who watched him, there was a shared, unspoken fear of blinking and missing the moment when Ricky would tilt the scales again, shifting the power balance just a little further in his favor.
Now, no matter where he went, you didn't want to miss the instant he finally arrived, wherever that was.
Even if you didn't like him, even if you distrusted him, you couldn't tear your eyes away because you knew he was capable of something drastic, something unforgettable.
And Dexter was utterly captivated by the performance.
Dexter believed in Ricky's charisma like it was currency, every syllable minted with undeniable value that made them so precious to hear.
There was something magnetic about the way Ricky spoke as if the world was already his and he was just being polite by letting everyone else catch up.
But it wasn't just what he said, it was the way he said it, like no matter what happened, everything would work out in the end.
And Dexter listened though not just with his ears, but with his whole being.
Because Ricky's words didn't just carry weight, they carried direction.
And Dexter, like so many others, was tired of drifting, he wanted to follow something that felt real.
He wanted to see it.
He wanted to see how far Ricky would go and how much power he could truly seize, how high he could climb before the world tried to pull him back down.
And when that moment came, Dexter wanted to be right there.
Not off to the side, not in the crowd.
But in the room.
At the table.
And maybe, if he was lucky enough, by Ricky's side.
"You wanna be a wise guy?" Ricky asked, taking a sip of his espresso as he studied Dexter.
"Y-Yes," Dexter nodded, his voice nervous but steady as Ricky gave a slight nod to himself, silently attributing this to Eldric's influence.
Even the stares from the other coven members could be attributed to Eldric's influence, but not Dexter.
Dexter was the first domino, the one that actually mattered.
Because even before Eldric started whispering to the others, Dexter had already begun to think this way.
The desire to follow Ricky, to believe in him, started with Dexter, not with any speech or persuasion.
Like any domino, when one finally tipped over, the rest followed.
"I-I would also like to join the Luciano family." A coven member suddenly spoke up, raising his hand meekly from the side.
"Could I also join?"
"Wait, if she gets to join then I should totally be allowed to join."
"I DON'T WANT TO BE IRRELEVANT!"
The coven members swarmed around Ricky, surrounding him with their sporadic pleas and outbursts.
"Alright, alright, settle down." Ricky laughed, holding up his hands to calm the roaring crowd in front of him.
His voice immediately lowered the volume of the crowd forming around him, each of them hanging on his next words as Ricky shook his head with a smirk.
"Listen, Eldric's gonna be in charge of a mix of made men and other coven members, but you've all gotta prove yourselves to the family first." Ricky revealed, pointing his fingers to all the potential made men and women before him.
"I mean, I trust you all, but the family, the culture, needs time to acclimate to having all of you around." Ricky said, carefully easing the thought into their minds while offering a convenient excuse that masked the harsher truth of how racist the family truly was to outsiders.
"It's gonna be hard, since it'll take some time for you to adjust, especially with the way you dress." Ricky said, glancing around before realizing that everyone here was wearing some form of witch or warlock robes.
"First of all, we don't wear robes or those weird pointy hats," Ricky said, raising an eyebrow and flicking his hand toward the coven members, who promptly took off their hats.
"Suits. Everyone here's gonna have to get a good suit, even the witches are gonna have to follow." Ricky said, gesturing to them all as grimoires immediately began to hover in the air.
"And find a good tailor, don't just conjure one up." Ricky pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head at the coven members who ducked their heads, about to do exactly that.
Morgana arrived at the dining hall, watching the soon-to-be Luciano family members huddle around their future boss.
But even as she stepped inside, she wasn't met with witches and warlocks parting at her presence.
Instead, their attention remained fixed on Ricky, who was instructing them on what they would need.
Morgana's eyes narrowed, a subtle frown forming as she noticed no one had even acknowledged her arrival and if they did, they ignored her.
"Her Majesty, first Queen of Camelot, Lady Morgana Le Fey!" Jenkins announced loudly, projecting his voice to capture the attention of the entire room.
"Ricky, I think it's time for us to have a conversation," Morgana said, watching as the witches and warlocks finally parted before her while she slowly made her way toward his table.
"If it's about-"
"Privately, please." Morgana interrupted softly, showing a warm gentle smile as if to disarm Ricky's clear guards.
"Without Alexander or your ebony artifacts." Morgana added as the witches and warlocks slowly cleared the area.
"Fine." Ricky smirked, standing up and adjusting his clothes, automatically assuming he was in a suit, only to realize he was in his boxers and a white shirt.
"You're making a mistake," Alexander whispered to Morgana, the queen just about to follow Ricky as he walked past her, only to stop abruptly.
"Excuse me?" Morgana shot a sharp glance back at Alexander, whom she dismissed with a flick of her eyes, while Ricky strode toward the nearby stairwell.
"Don't think I don't see what you're doing, I've seen it too many times before." Alexander sighed, reaching for more crumbs of Ricky's chocolate biscotti.
"And what am I doing?"
"You're trying to push Ricky's boundaries and test him." Alexander said, munching on the pastry as he shook his head at her poor efforts.
"Concede now, give up half your wealth, and adhere to his first demands." Alexander gestured, watching Morgana scrunch her brows and let out a hollow laugh.
"Are you serious, why would I ever do that-"
"Because he's my disciple and if I were him, I'd have stripped your kingdom bare to prepare for my next campaign." Alexander said, chewing with his mouth full as he reached for another biscotti.
"The bones of this kingdom are worth more than anything you've ever built." Morgana scoffed, speaking with a full confidence that the gerbil didn't even believe for a second.
"This city is ruined, it is what everyone would call deadweight." Alexander simply said, licking his paws before reaching for yet another crumb.
"It's but a name, a title with no real significance except for the nostalgia, which is the real reason you're holding this place together."
"This is my jungle." Morgana said suddenly, pressing a hand over her heart and hissing at the gerbil.
"Maybe." Alexander shrugged, his gaze fixed on Morgana with nothing but pity.
"But I would advise you to be content with the meat you have. Don't throw it away chasing prey you could never hope to catch." Alexander gave a final warning, waving her off gently since for all her ambition and power, he pitied her.
Being a ruler wasn't easy, and Alexander had always made it a point to offer advice to any new monarch stepping into the impossible role.
However, before she could turn around, Alexander's eyes suddenly sharpened with such intensity that goosebumps rose all over her skin.
"You're not a tiger."
"You're a vulture."
Alexander gave Morgana one final warning, then casually resumed munching because whatever she did next would determine whether she went to bed hungry or with a full stomach.
"Thank you." Morgana forced out, fully aware she was in the danger zone and needed to retreat.
But it was her pride that made her so unwilling to let it go.
Click
Click
Ricky, waiting in the stairwell, heard the heels clicking closer until the door opened to reveal a clearly unamused Morgana.
"So, now that you've isolated me, let's hear it," Ricky said with a shrug, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.
"Ricky, I will admit, I went two far but these matters-"
"Are the same." Ricky interrupted, stepping closer as Morgana stood her ground, eyes fixed on the man who lowered his face.
"The Ebony Blade is a sword that cuts through anything, Morgana." Ricky said, shaking his head with a light sigh.
"Yes-"
"Anything." Ricky whispered, his voice a low hiss that drowned out her words, frustration thickening the charged silence between them.
"I am sorry, is that what you wanted to hear?" Morgana apologized, though her tone lacked conviction, drawing a laugh from Ricky.
"No, Morgana, that's obviously not what I want." Ricky said through gritted teeth, his annoyance growing which she clearly understood as she pinched her nose.
SIGH
"I apologize, Ricky, I went too far." Morgana sighed, looking Ricky dead in the eyes while crossing her arms.
"But you don't have to go through with it-"
"I gave the Ebony Blade my word. I might be a f*cking sleazy bastard, but I keep my word." Ricky said, shaking his head as he knew that the moment he betrayed the Ebony Blade, it would never trust him again.
"Ricky, please." Morgana said as if she were suffering, her body visibly trembling at actually having to subject herself in this way.
"This was going to happen regardless, Morgana. I need more funds for my future ambitions," Ricky said, waving the veil method papers in her face as her expression slowly turned serious.
"¼ of our gold supplies-"
"Nah, let's not start with gold just yet," Ricky chuckled, leaning back on the wall and unrolling the scroll.
"Let's start with the jewel vaults."
Beneath the official royal treasury lay Camelot's true mines.
The official treasury was little more than a showpiece, the kind of wealth Merlyn allowed others to see, and its contents recorded in the fake ledger Morgana had been forced to rely on for now.
But, of course, Merlyn had hidden Camelot's real fortune deep beneath that façade.
Sprawling far beyond imagination, the hidden vaults held enough riches to fund operations across worlds.
Among them were the jewel vaults, massive chambers dedicated to the kingdom's rarest treasures.
There were four main vaults: rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and black diamonds, each a natural gem unique to Otherworld.
The fifth vault, the largest of all, stored every other kind of jewel that didn't fit those categories.
And Ricky intended to swallow it all whole.
"I'm taking half." Ricky laughed, watching Morgana's expression become deadpan.
"You can't, Ricky. You just can't!" Morgana swore, her face pale at the very thought as she stepped closer to him.
"Jewels mined in Otherworld hold special properties-"
"And I will come to know them all."
The jewel vaults were divided so specifically because the gems mined from Otherworld possessed unique, powerful qualities.
Rubies stored immense heat, which could only be unleashed through magical force.
Emeralds held potent healing properties, capable of mending wounds and restoring vitality.
Sapphires, when magically attuned, revealed distant places, acting as far-seeing stones.
Black diamonds resisted and dispelled curses, absorbing dark magic into themselves.
"The lifeblood of Otherworld's economy flows through the supply of jewels, all controlled by Merlyn." Morgana revealed, her voice carrying the weight of someone intimately familiar with the system.
However, it was Merlyn's massive monopolies that kept Otherworld's economy under tight control and to maintain that grip, Morgana needed to hold onto those monopolies herself.
Although Camelot was the center of power, one of the main reasons the other forces in Otherworld obeyed was because of the economic control the city represented.
But for that to continue, she had to stay in control, she had to assume that grip.
"Speaking of the economy, the Luciano family is about to start staking some ground here, soon probably." Ricky said, his fingers lightly tracing the edge of her regal attire.
"What?"
"We're going to do some trading, and I'm going to flood the world with my products and services." Ricky revealed a proposition soaked in blood and profit that would scare most, but not this one.
Instead of recoiling at the thought of Ricky flooding Otherworld with the obvious brutality and drugs, Morgana simply raised an eyebrow.
"And who would run this?" Morgan curiously asked, pondering carefully at Ricky's words since she was intrigued.
Morgana knew she wasn't as capable as Merlyn in many ways when it came to controlling Otherworld.
That's why she planned to bridge the gap by tearing the others down.
"I'm thinking Eldric would be my guy, coming and going, handling the little things." Ricky explained, eyes locked on Morgana's face as she gradually grew more comfortable with the idea.
"I'm not completely sure yet, but it's definitely happening." Ricky said, his tone leaving no room for doubt since this was final.
"Ricky, I am fully on board but-"
"You'll get your cut after I get what's mine." Ricky said with a confident gesture, dismissing her doubts about getting her share of the pie.
"A fourth of everything, including my own vaults." Morgana tried to bargain, delivering her final ultimatum.
"HA!" Ricky let out an exaggerated laugh, mocking her proposal with all the theatrical flair he was known for.
"When I said I'm taking half, Morgana, I meant I'm taking f*cking half." Ricky's voice flattened into something cold and firm as he stared at her, no longer amused.
"Half as in you get all the dud gems while I get the Otherworld gems?" Morgana asked, trying to twist his words into something more favorable.
But Ricky just smiled.
Because when gems lost their magical properties in Otherworld, they reverted into ordinary jewels and although still valuable, they were mundane.
But that mundane value was the foundation of Camelot's gem trade: selling the magic-drained stones across realms for gold, influence, and power.
"Morgana, I'm letting you retain half of everything." Ricky said slowly, enunciating each syllable with deliberate clarity as if speaking to someone who'd pretend not to understand unless the words were carved in stone.
"Half of the magical gems, the regular gems, half of all the gems." Ricky repeated, ticking them off with deliberate slowness.
"I'm letting you keep half." Ricky said once again, his voice all but telling her that whatever she said would result in him repeating this same sentence again.
But Morgana's lips tightened, her patience thinning with every one of Ricky's dismissive gestures.
It was impossible to feel grateful for what she retained when all she could see were the pieces slipping through her fingers since the things she was losing, the control she once held, was now cut clean in half.
And it made her fingers twitch at her sides, the corners of her mouth pulling into a tight frown.
Until finally, she snapped.
"Do not patronize me Ricky, this kingdom is yours too!" Morgana snapped, her anger flaring as she jabbed a finger into his chest.
"And if we are to have children, they will inherit-"
"I'm not doing this to f*ck over my future children, Morgana," Ricky said firmly, grabbing her finger and lowering it with surprising gentleness.
"Regardless of who they are in the future, they're gonna be in the Luciano family, and we take care of our own." Ricky said without a hint of joking, his serious expression softening Morgana's defenses as he stepped closer.
"All our family." Ricky whispered, closing the distance until he stood over her, his hand gently tracing the curve of her face.
"And you're taken care of since no matter how much you piss me off, the family's got your back." Ricky assured her, reading the tension in Morgana's posture, the weight of betrayals etched deep into her scars as his hands slowly wrapped around them.
"But even backs need scratching." Ricky added, slicing his hand in half with a sharp gesture that cut through any chance of argument.
Though Morgana wanted to push back, she knew deep down she needed his support now more than ever.
"Fine, I'll-"
"And now let's get to your gold supply, I want half of that."
"RICKY!"
"Half."
The currency of Camelot was called 'Crowns', the national currency of Otherworld, backed by its vast reserves of gold.
And Ricky had just asked for half of it.
"I don't want your metals right now, so you can keep those." Ricky said, eyes scanning the list as he stepped back from Morgana and unfurled more of the scroll's contents.
"But you'll owe me half when I decide I want them." Ricky added casually, leaving the door open just in case he ever needed to call that favor in.
"I'm taking all the artifacts, you can keep the antiquities and sh*t like that." Ricky muttered, waving his hand at the stupid vases that graced his eyes when reading the ledger.
"Half of the silk, spices, and exotic goods," Ricky listed off, noting how Morgana's breath hitched with each item he named.
"And now, here's where I'm not sure, 'cause like, what am I gonna do with a griffin?" Ricky added with a smirk, the corner of his mouth twitching as he glanced at her.
"Ricky-"
"Y'know what, just send me the corpses when they kick the bucket since I can make them into my undead." Ricky interrupted with a smirk, fully aware it would get under her skin.
"Are you finished?" Morgana asked cautiously, closing her eyes and taking a deep, steadying breath.
"For now, until I get to some of these properties." Ricky laughed, waving the ledger with a cocky grin as Morgana crossed her arms.
"Then, I want half of your profits-"
SNORT
"HA!" Ricky cackled, clutching his stomach, amused by the sheer audacity of the woman standing before him.
"You'll get ten percent." Ricky said with a sly grin, watching Morgana scoff in response.
"That's unacceptable." Morgana's sharp eyes narrowed, knowing she needed at least twenty-five to rebuild Camelot in a reasonable time.
"Well, then you better learn to accept it because this isn't a negotiation." Ricky laughed, shrugging off her words like they barely registered.
But the truth was, anything could become a negotiation, if you held the right card.
And despite Morgana pushing him to the edge, there was still one thing that always made Ricky fold, even when he had a winning hand.
"Fifteen, and I'll make it worth your while~" Morgana purred, sliding her hand boldly over his crotch.
Ricky's wrathful smile faltered, his eyes darkening as he felt her fingers trace the outline of his cock beneath his boxers.
The sudden, intimate touch broke through his usual armor of confidence with the slow tightening of his pants.
Cough
Ricky cleared his throat, setting his cards down as he glanced cautiously around the stairwell to make sure no one was watching and then, with a reluctant mutter, he took a step forward.
"N-No, I can't." Ricky said abruptly, raising his hand to halt himself mid-motion but there was some slight deceit as he turned his eyes away from her.
But before he could fully retreat, Morgana stepped forward, closing the small gap between them with a quiet determination.
"You can't? But your friend here says otherwise~" Morgana teased, her voice sultry as she felt the unmistakable hardness pressing against her hand, now slowly curling her fingers around him.
"Ugly grandmas, ugly grandmas-" Ricky muttered to himself, forcing the image of sagging skin and wrinkled faces into his mind.
"Ricky~"
The single word slipped from Morgana's lips like a whispered curse, a desperate plea that made her own sore body flinch.
That name, Ricky, still burned fresh in her mind, a cruel reminder of how those two syllables had single handedly stripped her down and turned her into nothing more than a f*ck toy for one wild night.
Yet desperation clawed at her, overriding every instinct to hold back.
"Twelve and a half~" Morgana purred, her fingers slipping into his boxers and freeing his cock.
Dragging slow, sloppy strokes down his shaft while catching every twitch beneath her touch.
"Deal, turn around." Ricky said instantly, like he had completely lost control of his own urges.
Without a second thought, he lunged at Morgana, lips crashing onto her already hickey-covered neck while his hands greedily groped her juicy, plump ass, fingers digging in like he wasn't gonna let go anytime soon.
Then, without breaking the rhythm, he spun her around and pulled her backside into his embrace.
"Ha~" Morgana purred, eyes fluttering closed as his rough fingers slid down her supple body.
Beginning to slide under her dress inch by delicious inch, slowly peeling her regal dress upwards until her bare ass was exposed.
The only cover being a thin, soaked-through thong was wedged deep between her cheeks.
The only barrier keeping Ricky's rock-hard cock at bay against the aching need to bury itself into her juicy curves.
Everything was proceeding exactly how it should be in Morgana's mind with Ricky yanking down her soaked thong, his cock already pressing against her wet folds.
Her hands slammed against the wall, holding her steady as she braced herself to take every brutal, relentless, mind-shattering thrust from Ricky.
Until, suddenly, Morgana's eyes snapped open with a wild thought flashing behind them.
"Did you bait me?" Morgana asked, her voice dripping with a mix of heat and accusation.
"What?" Ricky asked in a hot breath, pressing his cock against her slick folds while dragging the swollen tip slowly through her dripping juices, coating himself before he slid inside.
"That's why you brought me here, you knew I would try to seduce-"
CLAP
"Ahhhhhhhh~" Morgana's words melted into a long, ragged moan, her eyes fluttering and rolling back as her body tensed.
Her ass clapped like thunder under the relentless pounding of his hips, each savage thrust driving his cock deep into her soaked, stretched folds, filling her utterly with every greedy, demanding inch.
"This is the only way you're gonna fuck me from now on, Morgana." Ricky hissed, tugging her hair just enough to pull her head back and whisper the warning right into her ear.
CLAP
"AH~" Morgana moaned louder, breath becoming more ragged as Ricky yanked his thick, veiny cock free.
Then, without a second's mercy, he slammed it all back into her aching, dripping cunt, making her arch her back like a desperate slut begging for more.
"You want to ruin things? Fine, go ahead." Ricky whispered, one hand digging hard into her waist while the other tightened its grip on her hair, pulling her closer like he owned every inch of her.
CLAP
"AHHHHHHHH~" Morgana screamed, her moan thick as Ricky's fist tangled in her hair, yanking her head back and using it to drive himself deeper.
"But this is the last time you fck with my sht." Ricky snarled, teeth clenched tight as he felt her wet, warm walls clench fiercely around his cock.
CLAP
"AH-"
"Do."
CLAP
"AH-"
"You."
CLAP
"AHH-"
"Understand?"
CLAP
"AHHH-"
"Huh?"
CLAP
"I-I-"
"HUH!"
CLAP
A rare but potent form of sex was slowly bubbling within the dusty stairwell.
A filthy and ruthless exchange taking place as Ricky began hatef*cking Morgana like he was trying to finally break in every inch of her body that he hadn't already ruined.
Her ass clapped back against him in a savage rhythm, a ramping applause of flesh-on-flesh that echoed through the stairwell like a vulgar symphony.
Every brutal thrust sent her body jolting forward, her palms scraping the wall for balance, her moans high and wrecked.
"AHHHHHHHHHH~" Morgana cried out, her moan torn straight from her throat as her sense of self frayed with every brutal slam of Ricky's hips against her waist.
His thick tip pounding so deep it felt like he was tapping the edge of her sanity.
Her once-regal attire now hung around her like a mockery, bunched around her waist and clinging to her sweat-slicked skin, no longer a symbol of grace just a costume draped over a body being f*cked senseless.
All while Ricky rambled on.
"We're on the same team, baby, my team." Ricky said, eyes locked on the hypnotic twitch of her asshole, puckering with every slap of flesh and every jolt of her body under his.
CLAP
"Ohhhhhhhhhh~" Morgana moaned absentmindedly, her voice trailing off into a broken whimper as she squirted all over Ricky's cock.
Cumming under the brutal pounding of his thrusts as juices sprayed from her folds, dripping down her thighs and pooling around her heels in hot, sticky puddles.
"I need loyalty, Morgana." Ricky muttered, almost to himself as his sanity slipped away with every thrust.
His eyes glazed, locked on the way her ass twitched at his every movement, and without hesitation, his thumb unconsciously pressed into that trembling, puckering hole.
Morgana's nails raked down the wall, carving out trails in the stone as her breath hitched while caught between a gasp and a choked, trembling sob of pleasure.
And then she lost it all at his next action.
"A-AH~" Morgana whined, voice cracking as Ricky's thumb slithered into her tight, twitching asshole, stretching her open inch by filthy inch while her body convulsed around him.
"What do I have to do to get you to trust me, Morgana? Huh? What do I have to do?" Ricky asked, frustration thick in his voice.
But when she didn't answer, he once again yanked her head back by the hair, forcing their eyes to lock in a fierce, demanding stare.
"I-" Morgana tried, her pleasure-glazed eyes blinking up at him before she bit her lip.
She wanted to answer, she really did, but all she could do was tremble, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes as her lips parted with the real truth.
"I-I don't know~" Morgana whimpered, her voice cracking apart, barely holding the sentence together as her body trembled violently around him.
However, it wasn't just the pleasure shaking her, but the sudden realization that she had long forgotten how to truly trust anyone, even herself.
Sniff
"I don't know~" Morgana cried again, the words spilling out in a broken sob as her walls finally collapsed, years of icy control melting into the hot, vulnerable mess that Ricky had f*cked out of her.
Tears streaked down her flushed cheeks as she turned her head slightly, not to pull away but to bare herself more, letting him see it all: the fear, the need, and the ache she'd hidden behind that desire for the crown.
"I-I don't know what's wrong with me, why I'm like this, I-...........I'm just a f*cking mess." Morgana confessed, her voice trembling as tears mixed with the wet heat pooling between her legs.
"Go on, laugh~" Morgana sneered through her tears, hating how Ricky had her right where he wanted.
Her tears kept falling, each one a silent confession of how utterly exposed and broken she was after being stripped bare and completely undone.
"Morgana-"
"Just go on and laugh, then finally leave me for your whores in New York!" Morgana spat, as Ricky slowly peeled away the layers of her deception, exposing the raw insecurity she'd been hiding, the very one he had caused.
"Is that why you're doing this, because you think I'll forget about you?" Ricky asked, slowly halting his thrusts until he simply held Morgana in his embrace, burying his cock deep inside her and keeping it there.
Morgana turned her head forward, her shame unraveling like a fragile veil, since these petty antics were the only way she knew to keep Ricky close.
As weird as it sounded, she didn't know how to be loved anymore; she'd never learned what it meant to be in a real relationship, having spent her entire life chasing power, and putting her desire for Camelot before herself.
And now, the one time she finally found someone she actually wanted, he drifted away.
Tangled up with other women, leaving her feeling completely alone.
"I won't ever leave you alone~" Ricky whispered, speaking a truth that made his greed simmer beneath every word.
"You piss me off, like, a lot," Ricky joked, smirking as she scoffed hard, trying to hide the chuckle bubbling up.
"But that's exactly what I love about you, how damn crazy you make me." Ricky grinned, burying his face into the crease of her neck as she trembled beneath within his embrace.
"I'm in it for the long haul. I want this, I want you." Ricky's voice was resolute, his words pressed right against her ear so there was no room for doubt.
"But stop pushing me away. I don't want to always fight just to get a little closer to you." Ricky whispered, watching as Morgana closed her eyes, then slowly turned back to face him.
"Is this why they call you Slick?" Morgana teased, a playful spark in her eyes as Ricky's lips brushed softly against hers.
"Aye baby, a king should do this much." Ricky said, letting her know he wasn't going anywhere as she leaned back into his arms.
"Thank you-"
CLAP
"HA~" Morgana moaned, her appreciation interrupted by his cock impaling her guts.
"Oh baby, you're welcome~" Ricky chuckled, biting his lip while watching Morgana's eyes roll back in real time.
CLAP
CLAP
CLAP
In a punishing rhythm, Morgana's ass had become nothing more than a drum, beaten to the beat of Ricky's cock and the ruthless cadence of flesh colliding over and over again.
Her asscheeks were now completely red, swollen from the onslaught of constantly clapping together with every savage thrust.
Each brutal slam sent his cock crashing into her depths and his hips crashing into her ass with bone-jarring force.
Her soft flesh rippled from the impact, jiggling violently, quaking with each hit as shockwaves tore through her body.
It wasn't just sex anymore but destruction, pleasure dragged into the realm of punishment, and she took it all, broken and yet, dripping for more.
His cock was continuously buried deep inside her guts, pounding mercilessly, stretching her wide, making her wet folds scream and gush in sloppy protest.
Juices spilled down her thighs and pooled onto the cold stone floor as her body bounced against his.
Her ass clenched and released in time with his ruthless rhythm, every slap driving the pain deeper, turning her into a trembling mess of desperate moans and breathless cries.
And through all the wreckage of their bodies desperately colliding together, Ricky felt it: the twitch in his cock, the deep churn in his balls, warning him he was close.
But then he looked down.
Looked at Morgana's bent, ruined form, her back arched, ass red and trembling, her mouth spilling those sweet, broken moans, and he knew, it wasn't enough.
SLAP
"AH~" Morgana's moan hitched, the sharp sting of Ricky's bare palm lighting up her ass in a bright flash of pain.
Only for it to twist, melt, and explode into an electrifying jolt of pleasure that made her thighs tremble.
"What am I going to do with you, Morgana?" Ricky mused almost to himself, his breath hot as he stared, mesmerized, at the way her ass visibly quivered from one slap.
CLAP
Ricky slammed his cock back into her in the next brutal iteration, hips crashing forward with vicious intent.
One hand kept a tight grip on her bunched-up hair, yanking her head back so she couldn't look away or hide her moans.
All while the other was free to torment the hell out of that perky, abused ass.
His palm came down hard, again and again, making her already swollen cheeks bounce, jiggle, and burn under the repeated punishment.
SLAP
"Huh?" Ricky asked again, and without waiting for an answer, brought his hand crashing down on her plump ass cheek.
So hard it rippled like waves across her skin, the sting blooming instantly, but not pain
No, Morgana's body betrayed her, the shock of it sending a jolt of white-hot pleasure rocketing through her nerves, straight to her core, making her gasp and clench around his cock.
"I'm sorry~" Morgana slobbered, drool slipping from the corner of her mouth as her body struggled to stay upright.
The cataclysmic force of Ricky's pounding was more than just physical as it was crashing through her mind, splintering thoughts and turning speech into stammered fragments.
"I'm sorry-" Morgana tried again, but her brain was stuck like a broken record, looping the same shattered apology over and over until Ricky slapped it into focus.
SLAP
"I'm sure you are~" Ricky grunted, feeling his cock throb violently inside her, causing him to hasten his movements.
"F*ck~" Ricky muttered to himself, turning his head into the air after feeling his balls churning out a fat, creamy load just for her.
But then he paused as a crooked grin curled at the edge of his lips.
"Where do you want it, huh?" Rickyu asked, biting his lip as he leaned over her ruined form for a response but Morgana could barely respond.
SLAP
"AH~" Morgana's head jerked upwards, her tongue sprawling out of her sultry mouth as the pain jolted her mind awake.
"Where do you want me to finish?" Ricky asked, almost craving to hear the proud queen admit exactly where she wanted his cum.
"Inside-"
SLAP
"Louder!"
"Inside, I want your babies~" Morgana whimpered, her voice dripping with an almost desperate need.
But her words hit him like a shot of pure adrenaline, pushing him right over the edge.
It was why he pulled his hips back in a slow manner, his cock completely slathered in her juices as he only stopped when his swollen tip hovered barely inside her folds.
CLAP
Then, with a brutal, all-consuming thrust, Ricky drove every inch of himself deep inside her one last time.
His tip immediately erupted like a volcano, shooting out a scorching spray of thick, molten cum that flooded her insides, melting away every shred of hesitation as her body convulsed violently around him.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The mind-numbing pleasure tore through her like a brutal tidal wave, crashing over every inch of her body and culminating in a soul-ripping scream.
Morgana's dripping folds clenched fiercely around Ricky's thick cock, greedily milking him for every last drop.
With every shudder and twitch of his throbbing shaft, sticky ropes of cum spewed deep inside her.
But it was that thick, burning heat pooling deep in her womb that finally melted her mind.
Her flushed face pressing hard against the cold stone wall as every ounce of strength drained from her trembling body, overwhelmed by the pulsing, relentless sensation swirling in her belly.
Wave after filthy wave slammed deep into her core, flooding every inch with scorching fire.
Pulsating a pleasure that echoed through every one of her trembling muscles as she slid helplessly down the cold stone wall.
Ricky's grip finally slipped free, his cock sliding loose from her ravaged folds with a wet pop as she collapsed onto the cold stone floor, sinking deep into the sticky pool of her own juices that pooled beneath her exhausted body.
HUFF
HUFF
HUFF
Morgana's ragged breaths tore from deep within her as she held herself up by her knees.
Her ass pressed out, swollen and sore, while Ricky's thick cum leaked slow and hot from her overstretched folds.
"You need fifteen to pull yourself together?" Ricky asked, watching Morgana suck in breath after breath, slumped against the only support she had.
"F-Fifteen sounds great~" Morgana whispered absentmindedly, her gaze fixed on Ricky as he gave a nod and leaned against the wall, waiting until she was ready.
15 minutes later,
BAM
"Alright, who's ready for some sightseeing?"