The battlement terrace was a place for evening views. But tonight everyone was at the pavilion, making merry.
Leah wrapped his hands around her waist, then brought his lips, down to hers.
She wanted him one last time before Helena had him all to herself.
"You are hurting yourself by doing this." He whispered between the kiss; Leah's back was now resting against a pillar.
"No… I am getting what I want." She answered, wrapping her hand around his neck as the kiss deepened.
She moaned softly into his mouth as he reached her most sensitive area, his fingers her stroking her through the thin fabric between her thighs.
He teased her clits, making her gasp and squirm.
"Shh, not so loud," he reminded her with a grin. His finger delved deeper, stroking her slick folds and finding her clit. He circled the sensitive nub with a feather-light touch as she trembled and panted.
Unable to resist any longer, she reached to the rope holding her dress together, then loosened the bodice, the dress faltering just below her chest, exposing her swollen breast.
He buried his face between her breasts. She let out a sharp gasp as he mouthed at one of her breasts, his tongue flicking out to tease her erect nipples.
She began to writhe against his fingers as he picked up speed, pumping two digits into her tight channel while rubbing her clit with his thumb. The combined stimulation had her climbing towards the edge rapidly.
"Oh god, don't stop," she whimpered, feeling the pressure building inside her.
He could sense her impending release and redoubled his efforts, finger-fucking her harder and faster as he sucked her nipple…
"Vinson, ohh! Uhm!
Leah was going crazy with ecstasy; they were deep in the moment when they heard a loud gasp.
Immediately they disengaged from each other's embrace; they both snapped their heads towards the direction of the sound and saw Hahn, Jia's personal maid.
Hahn's face was pale with shock; she had come looking for Vinson to inform him it was time to consummate his marriage to Helana.
Vinson was calm, but his heart thundered in his chest. His face twisted, with wrath colliding into one cold decision. His hand flew to his belt, gripping the dagger that had always been his companion.
"Wait—" Hahn began, stepping back, her voice trembling.
But the blade was already loose. When Hahn realized what he wanted to do, she turned around to run away, but Vinson threw the dagger in her direction with practiced ease.
The dagger pierced the air, flying straight at the point he aimed.
It spun end over end before burying itself deep into Hahn's neck. The sound of steel piercing flesh echoed in the air. Leah, who was quickly getting dressed, gasped in horror.
Hahn's eyes widened in shock, her hands fluttering uselessly to her neck as her knees grew weak.
Her knees buckled. A whisper of breath escaped her lips, a final gasp, before she collapsed upon the cold stone floor. Blood seeped out beneath her, spreading on the marbled floor.
"Go, go to Helena; she must have been the reason the maid came looking for you." Leah said composing herself. Now was not the time to act feeble.
"What about the body…." Vinson's voice was sinfully calm.
"I will take care of it...leave quickly! Leah said, crouching beside the corpse, she swallowed hard before removing the dagger from where it was stuck in Hahn's neck.
Vinson nodded curtly before finally exiting the terrace. Leah watched as he left, then slowly shifted her gaze back to the dead body in front of her.
"Poor thing, paying for the sins of others. You will be received well in heaven aboard." Leah said before sinking the dagger in her hand into Hahn's stomach, stabbing her continuously to make sure there was no chance of her surviving.
Hahn's blood splattered on Leah's face as she incessantly stabbed the body until she was satisfied.
....
"Where have you been?"
Helena asked worriedly when Vinson made his way to her. He looked a bit tattered, but she didn't suspect a thing.
"Nature was calling; I had to ease myself." He lied with a straight face, and Helena smiled.
"It is time for us to consummate our wedding…" She didn't finish talking when a group of people began to clap their hands and hail.
"Take her to bed! Take her to bed!
It was a tradition to consummate the wedding after the wedding ceremony. Everyone wanted to know if Helena is a maiden, if she had kept herself.
The couples were accompanied to a chamber prepared for them and then left alone. Although Helena was shy, she had prepared herself mentally for this moment.
Guards were placed in front of the chamber, and for some hours Helena and Vinson remained in the chamber, consummating their wedding.
Vinson was immensely pleased; Helena was a maiden, and she kept herself for him. The blood-stained sheets were the evidence.
The wedding feast came to an end at midnight, and everyone returned to their respective houses. The royal family was simply exhausted, and everyone retired to bed.
...….
The break of dawn brought about nothing but mixed feelings for Selena. Today, Helena would be leaving for Yaleton to assume her new position as the future queen.
Helena was seated in her chamber as she watched the maids pack up some bottles of medicine into a silver chest box.
"The bottles of medicine would last you for a long time. When they do get finished, under the pretense of a visit to Yaleton, I will bring more." Selena said before turning to gaze at her daughter.
A guard dragged the last chest box out of the chamber, taking it outside to where a waiting carriage stood outside the palace.
The noise from the quick steps of the maids and guards getting busy echoed, and Leah stirred on her bed.
She fluttered her eyes open and realized her maid had not woken her up.
Just then, one of the maids walked through the room…
"What is going on?" Leah snapped at the maid; she could still hear hastened steps from outside her chamber.
"Princess Helena and Prince Vinson are prepared to leave the castle. The maids are getting things ready.
Leah's eyes widened.
"So soon!
Why didn't anyone tell her this?
She immediately climbed down from her bed.
"Get me ready, quickly!
Ragaleon was discussing with Vinson in whispers when Helena and her mother walked in on them. The early morning dew still lingered in the air, and birds perched around, chirping merrily.
Vinson turned away from Ragaleon and fixed his gaze on Helena, a faint smile spreading across his lips.
"The carriage is fully loaded; there is a long journey ahead of both of you." Ragaleon started off, his eyes inadvertently darting to Helena's face; he was not surprised to see tears clouding her vision.
Even Selena was getting emotional; it was time to bid her daughter goodbye.
"Mother…" Helena called out in a hoarse voice before hugging her mother tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Selena blinked back the tears in her eyes while patting her daughter on the back lightly.
"A new life awaits you, Helena; gather courage and face it with everything you have." Selena advised.
After a while Helena pulled away from her mother, Selena planted a kiss on her forehead, then her cheeks.
"Take care of her." Selena said, turning to Vinson, and he nodded curtly.
Vinson and Leah turned towards the direction of the carriage; walking side by side, they started making their way towards it. They were halfwaythere when Helena halted.
She turned around and ran to where Ragaleon stood, then enveloped him in a tight hug.
Although cold and rigid in his way of handling things. Ragaleon was warm towards his sister; all this time he had been standing aside, watching his mother and sister get emotional, looking invisible.
But Helena had remembered him; how could she leave without saying goodbye to her only brother?
"Take care of yourself." Ragaleon added, patting her lightly, his voice deep and laced with warmth.
"If you need anything, do not hesitate to write letters to me, and I will see to it that you get what you want." He added as she pulled away and nodded courteously.
"Don't miss me too much, brother." Helena teased, and a small grin tugged at the corner of Ragaleon's lip. She finally turned around and made her way back to where Vinson stood, waiting for her. She held his hand, and they both walked up to the carriage and got in.
The carriage began to roll forward as Helena waved farewell to her mother and her cold, distant brother.Her heart was light, for she was now happily married, on her way to the new home that awaited her back in Yaleton.
No longer will she be called Helena Clegane; instead, she will go by the name…Helena Larriton.
Selena watched the carriage roll away through the gates until it was completely out of sight.
It was this moment, Leah was running through the open hallways. But she froze when she saw the carriage already almost out of sight through the open windows in the upper hallway.
She was heartbroken, filled with disdain. She had wanted to tell him; maybe he would have stayed if she had let him know that she was pregnant…with his child.
Her shoulders dropped as she made her way to her room filled with vengeance but mostly sadness.
Johanna had seen Leah retreating to her chamber and trailed her from behind. She was surprised to walk into the chamber and see Leah crying.
Johanna was simply filled with contempt towards her daughter's vulnerability.
"You weep for a man who now has a wife and is happily married?" Johanna said with jest. Leah was seated at the edge of her bed; she palmed her face with both her hands, sniffing uncontrollably.
"You purposely told the maid not to wake me up; you wanted him to leave before I got the chance to see him for the last time." Leah said and then slowly raised her gaze; her eyes were red from crying.
"Are you even my mother?" She asked uncertainly. How could a mother be this blind, not to see the pains of her own daughter?
"You speak out of nothing but pain, Leah." Johanna said, rising to her feet.
"I will return to you later, when you are more stable in thoughts." Johanna said nonchalantly, turning around elegantly, and started walking away.
Leah gazed at her mother from behind, eyes void of life, trembling under the weight of her own secret.
"Mother, I am pregnant!
Leah's voice echoed in the chamber; she watched as Johanna halted in an instant but didn't turn around.
Johanna scoffed, a bitter smile spreading across her lips.
"That joke is very expensive, Leah. Such words shouldn't be…" Johanna couldn't bring herself to accept what her daughter was saying.
It sounded ridiculous.
Who gets pregnant for a man who is now probably miles away? Not Leah…right?
These were Johanna's thoughts, but the weight of Leah's silence says otherwise.
Johanna's face paled; it felt as if the world had ended.
She turned around to face Leah.
"You are not joking? You're actually pregnant?
Johanna was trying to be calm, but the storm in her eyes proved contrary.
"Mother, you heard me the first time. I don't care if you believe it or not, but I am pregnant."
Leah said with apparent boldness, drying her tears, still sniffing softly.
Suddenly Johanna begins to laugh, like someone slowly losing their mind.
Yes! Her daughter Leah was bent on driving her to madness.
"Leah…" Johanna called out to her daughter in between the deranged laughter.
Leah was simply taken aback by her mother's reaction; cold shills ran through her spine as Johanna's laughter jarred at her nerves.
"You idiot." Johanna cursed, the laughter now subsiding.
"If I hadn't seen you for myself when you came out of my womb years ago, I wouldn't have believed you are my daughter." Johanna shook her head from side to side, biting her bottom lip in anguish.
"You and your brother should simply kill me already; it would be better to die than watch you both live a reckless life. Leah, what were you thinking?!
Johanna screamed in frustration.
Leah was silent for a while, eyes distant.
"I… I thought, maybe if I had told him about the child, he would leave Helena and...and..." Leah was stuttering.
"And what? Johanna shot back.
"You thought you could have Vinson for yourself? That would be over Selena's dead body!
Leah was greatly hurting.
"Mother…I…" Tears clouded her eyes; words failed her.
"You shame me, Leah." Johanna said and then turned away.
"And that would be the last thing I would let you and your brother do to me. I will never let myself be shamed!