Decreash imperial Palace
Day after day, strength crept back into his body.
William no longer woke up with aches in his bones clinging as fiercely as before.
The bitter herbs the grand maester pressed to his lips left his tongue numb and his stomach warm, and with each dose, his body answered in small but telling ways.
He could sit longer, breathe deeper, and when he finally stood, his legs held.
Whatever the herbs were, they worked their quiet miracles, invigorating life back into him.
Johanna had come to visit from time to time, but he never so much as looked at her.
Still, most of the time William found himself reminiscing over the things she had said to him about the queen dowager.
Having been long since he had wandered freely, he was bent on letting his legs carry him through the winding halls of the castle, testing their strength with each step.
He stepped out of his chamber when it was nightfall, his hands clasped behind his back, chest set forward, and chin lifted.
There was something intimidating about his bearing, yet shrouded in mystery.
He had no desire to be seen for who he truly was, only for the image he had carefully shaped.
With everyone he came into contact with, his manner shifted.
Who he was depended entirely on who he conversed with, a trait that made him difficult to truly understand.
As such, his mother came to see him as human in form but beastly at heart, always distant, overbearing, and impossible to truly speak with.
But in reality that was exactly how he wanted her to see him.
The maids in the castle, however, differed in their opinions.
Some saw him as a charming man, not particularly kind or likable, but blessed with features many women found irresistible.
Others rolled their eyes and muttered he was nothing but a crude, overbearing man who fancied himself anything dressed in a gown that crossed his path.
Behind all the whispers and judgments, he remained unknowable to anyone… except his sister.
William's mind swirled with thoughts as he walked down the hallway, his boots gliding easily across the marbled floor.
Firesticks etched into the walls cast a flickering light that danced across his face, revealing the deep scar running along his left eye.
He had no destination in mind; anywhere would do, so long as it was somewhere other than his chamber.
But, in a chamber not so far away …,
A thin wisp of smoke curled from the burning incense on the polished table, spiraling upward in slow, lazy coils.
Its scent filled the chamber, warm and slightly sweet, wrapping around the senses.
Entangled on the bed were Leah and the knight, Sir Lamech.
Her hands were wrapped around her mouth as she struggled to suppress her moans.
He was doing things to her, things that were worldly, a taboo, but she found herself ensnared by his addictive body over and over again.
Her mouth hung open, lips quivering under his touch, which sent sparks igniting on her skin.
Her bed had become their sanctuary, where they fed on each other's desires, allowing themselves to give in to lustful sins.
But she didn't care, not anymore.
"Don't…don't stop."
Her voice pierced the air. Her eyes were shut tightly, her hands were clenching the sheets, and her legs were spread wide open as he thrust into her.
The slurping sound of their skin coming in contact overshadowed her moans as she twisted and curled with burning desires.
Her breath became rapid with each wild thrust that made her over the moon. Her tangled hair clung to her sweaty skin, which glistened under the reflection of the burning candlelight.
She told herself she didn't even love him; at least, that's what she wanted to believe.
She had assumed the attraction she felt toward him was fleeting, a temporary curiosity that would fade with time.
But no… it had only grown stronger, tightening around her heart like a vice she could not escape.
She tried so hard to escape the harsh reality that her heart was still broken, still stolen by the Sea Prince, Vinson.
But in an attempt to keep at bay the thoughts that seemed to leave her mind and soul depressed, she ventured down dangerous paths.
She enticed the knight and lured him to her bed.
They were at it for hours; his touch was that good to crave. His mouth was drilling her with immense pleasure that she couldn't shake away.
Amid it all, a knock came at the door, three times.
But their ears had been shut out, drowning in the ragged breaths of their own moans.
William remained at the door, rooted to the spot, his fist raised against the door, ready to knock for the fourth time.
Then, as quickly as he had hesitated, he changed his mind. His hand shot out to the knob, twisting it open with quiet decisiveness.
He stepped inside, his hawk-blue eyes sweeping the room, only to freeze at a single point, caught off guard by what he saw.
On the bed, mounted upon his sister, was the knight who was supposed to be a figure of protection.
His face buried in her bosom, the candles lit up in the room, doing very well to expose their naked bodies, which were entangled with one another, hip locked together, faces smooched, as they kissed deeply.
His eyes darkened, shadows gathering in their depths, and his lips twisted into a look of pure disgust.
"What in the seven hells!"
He growled with a thunderous voice loud enough to reach Leah's ear, and she bolted up, sitting straight up.
Lamech, who was mounted on top of her, lost his balance as he slipped away from her body, landing on the floor with his butt colliding with the hard floor.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she scrambled to cover herself with the bedsheet clutched in her hands.
William quickly realized he was looking at her in an inappropriate state and, with a sharp intake of breath, turned away.
"What… what are you doing here?" She stammered, clutching the bedsheet to her chest.
A loud groan cut through the room, and her eyes darted to where Lamech lay sprawled on the floor.
He tried to grip the edge of the bed, trying to pull himself upright, his face twisted with effort.
Fully aware he had already given his sister precious seconds to recover, William turned around and then surged forward, his strides long and swift, every muscle taut.
The space between him and Lamech closed in a heartbeat.
By now Lamech had barely pulled a white linen from the floor, hastily wrapping its rough length along his waist.
Before he knew what was happening, a forceful hand clamped around his neck, yanking him upright. There was no time to react; a clenched fist collided with his face in a shrewd punch.
A yelp tore from his throat as he staggered back genetically, his fingers reaching out to feel his nostrils, only to be smeared with blood.
Leah's hands flew to her mouth in a loud gasp, her eyes widening at her brother's sudden action.
"No… no! What are you doing?!" she cried, still holding the bedsheet to her chest as she scrambled down from the bed.
But he wasn't listening; his gaze bore into Lamech's, who was yet to recover when another blow landed in his stomach.
The intensity of the punch made him stumble back, caught between fear and awe. He coughed out blood before wiping it off with the back of his hand.
"Let him go… let him go, I beg of you!"
Leah's desperate cries echoed in the chamber as she fumbled with her clothes behind.
"Fight me back! Fight me back, you fool!"
William raved in anger.
But Lamech only shook his head from side to side while trying to wipe his nose clean of the blood that continued to trickle out.
"No…" he said, raising his gaze, sweat beading his forehead.
"You are the prince. I shall not dishonor my station," he says, refusing to respond with aggression.
Barely had he finished speaking when another punch settled in his ribs.
Leah screamed in fright as she rushed at her brother from behind.
"Let him go, please!"
She clutched at him desperately, fingers digging into his skin, tears already streaking down her cheeks.
"You will kill him," she sobbed, her voice breaking.
"Look at him, can't you see his condition? Please… don't hit him. This is my fault. Do you hear me?"
Her grip tightened as she cried out again, the words tearing free from her lips.
"It's my fault!"
He didn't look at her; he shrugged her hand off, too immersed in his hatred for the man standing in front of him, and he didn't pay any attention to her plea.
He was now raving like some kind of untamed beast. Pulse beating fast, green veins snaking down his hands, stretched on the surface of his neck.
"You had a responsibility toward her!"
William screamed, leaning close to Lamech, his face masked with fury.
Lamech's eyes, however, remained fixed on Leah, who wept helplessly, tears streaming down her cheeks for his sake.
"You have defiled her! Do you even know that?!"
William continued, then abruptly turned away, fighting the urge to strike him once more.
He raked his fingers through his perfect, silky hair as he sank into a chair, legs tapping the floor restlessly.
Once he was finally out of the way, Leah rushed to Lamech and squatted beside him, her hand gently tracing his face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, urgency lacing her voice, eyes scanning his features as she sniffed, struggling to hold back her own tears.
Lamech didn't respond. His mind was elsewhere, tangled in conflict and regret.
Everything he had worked for would crumble before his very eyes, just because he couldn't keep his hand away from the princess.
Shooting up from the chair he had been seated in, William lunged toward Lamech.
This time, Leah saw him coming.
Instinctively, she spun around, arms spread wide as if to shield Lameach, who sat idly, totally unprepared.
"You must get through me before you can get to him," she said, eyes red, voice firm but filled with tremor, as she locked her gaze with William, who had come to a halt right in front of them.
William held their gaze for a long moment, and what he saw in his sister's eyes was a woman who had been hurt too many times to understand the difference between wrong and right.
Each wound left her more fragile, more wary, her spirit teetering on the edge of despair.
A woman taken advantage of, taken in by her own naivety.
Lamech was seated, back leaning against the wall, shoulders tense and rigid, each breath a reminder of how powerless he felt.
It was to him William turned his attention to when he looked away from Leah.
"You will marry her."
Came his voice with finality. Words that left Leah speechless.
Lamech's gaze rose lazily to meet William's, who stared at him with daring ferocity.
"As of today, you are betrothed to Leah. You have a responsibility toward her, and she will be given to you as a wife…"
"No! Have you lost your mind?"
Leah interrupted, shaking her head violently, panic flashing in her eyes. But William continued, voice cold and unwavering.
"She is yours now, yours to take as a wife!"