Lindsay approached the lone figure in the garden, a smirk twisting her lips when she realized it was Michael. They had never liked each other, and even though she knew she felt that way because of Michael's snarky and disrespectful attitude toward her, she had never determined why he disliked her so much. It didn't matter to her, though. What she did enjoy was knowing something that could hurt Michael, and essentially cause problems between him and Brian. She couldn't think of any better time to burst Michael's sanctimonious bubble, whether it be a wise course of action or not. Refraining from doing so would be difficult.

"All alone, Michael?" Lindsay virtually sneered, stopping to sit next to Michael on the ornate bench, the arched lighting causing the flowers to have an almost luminous glow. "It must be tedious being second on your lover's list of things to do, morning, noon, and night..."

Michael scowled, his peace disturbed by the last person he ever wanted to see. "At least I have a lover."

"Who says that I don't?" she snapped, angrier at immediately rising to Michael's baiting than at the words he spoke. "I travel extensively, and typically for long periods of time. How do you know I don't have someone outside of this harsh land?"

Glaring at his unwanted visitor, his intention simply being to enjoy the warm, night air, Michael discarded any attempt at the standard protocol, when he snapped, "Why don't you stay away if you hate this land so much? I'm sure the king wouldn't mind..."

"In case you have forgotten, I am the king's wife! In other words, I am YOUR queen. You will speak to me with respect, whether in private or not!" Lindsay spat the words out, barely refraining from destroying his faith in his lover by revealing what she had discovered earlier.

Michael snorted, not the least bit intimidated by ‘her royal highness.' "I think that title is a temporary state of affairs, and since I am not a native of this country, I don't view you as my queen. So, if that is all you have to discuss, I'd suggest you move on..."

Lindsay stood to her feet, hands placed angrily on her hips. "Who do you think you are, Michael? You have no position here. The only entitlement you have is being the lover of the king's head of security. What if Brian's trust in Benjamin waned? Where would you be then?" She moved her hands, essentially flailing them about wildly. "And I know you respect the king. I am due the same treatment!"

Michael snorted again, realizing that would be an ongoing response in this pointless discussion. "Hardly!" He shook his head ruefully, uncertain of how candid he should be, knowing she would probably rush straight to the king with an exaggerated tale of his impropriety. "I am not trying to be rude, Lindsay, but you force me to speak my mind. The king is a man of honor. No matter how I might feel about how he handles his personal relationships, he is a great ruler and deserves respect. You take advantage of your position as Gus' mother. And before I say too much, I will leave it at that. Regarding Ben though, you couldn't be more wrong. Ben is loyal to both the king and his homeland. He will NEVER lose favor with him..."

A cruel smile twisted Lindsay's mouth. "You are such a besotted fool. No one is perfect, least of all Benjamin. In time, you just might make that discovery. When you do, where will you be then?" Lindsay laughed in cold mockery. "I hope I am here to see it; I will certainly enjoy the fallout."

Michael stood to his feet, his eyes accusing the queen, like everyone else in the palace, wishing she had stayed gone. "It seems you have something to tell me. Why don't you come out and just say it!?"

Cunningly, Lindsay told him, "I don't know what you mean, Michael. It's just an observation. For you to question it, means you have your doubts as well." Her voice softened, almost as if telling a deeply hidden secret. "The king is a generous man. If you play your cards right, he may possibly take you on as a house servant. Better than being tossed out on your ass. Isn't it?"

"Pardon my disrespect, and report me all you like, but... you are a bitch!" Michael didn't pause when Lindsay's face filled with angry color, uncaring now of how his brashness could affect him. "You don't deserve the life you have here, and you certainly don't deserve to be called the mother of the king's wonderful child. I detest you, and I always have. Your actions here today only reaffirm my original opinion of you."

"And what is that?" she snapped, her anger provoking her to entertain even more risks. Despite how much it could cast her in a bad light, she had made up her mind. She would be revealing what she had heard to Brian. Then, the tables would be turned. And for once, Brian's wrath would be pointed away from herself... something she desperately needed to do.

"You are nothing but common trash. Goodnight, Lindsay. I'd say it's been a pleasure... but it never is." Michael walked away without a backward glance, moving directly toward the palace, as Ben was the person he most needed to see. No matter how disapproving Ben would be regarding his flare-up with Lindsay, he had to acknowledge his actions. There was no way that Lindsay would accept his words with humility. With that conniving bitch, there were always consequences. Michael knew he had to be ready to face them.

The king approached the doors to his rooms, his eyes steely with purpose, his body filled with want and need. Finally, he would claim his most perfect prize. A man that was his by right, and one that he would possess many times, in a variety of ways before this night was through. Then, tomorrow, he would finalize his plans that would lead to Sapperstein's brutal demise. Life would return to a semblance of normalcy.

"I am not to be disturbed tonight unless it is the height of urgency." Narrowing his gaze on his guard, the king emphasized, "I wouldn't want to be the man that did so without cause."

Bowing to the waist, the anxious guard hastened to reply, "On my life, Your Highness... you will not be disturbed."

Nodding curtly, the tension of the day, and of what would come tomorrow, immediately was banished once he opened the doors to his bedchamber and viewed the hot, and at long last, accessible blond stretched out on his circular sofa, staring at him, not in his typical display of hostility, but more of ambivalence... along with unmasked desire shining from his beautiful blue eyes. The king kicked the door shut behind him, turning around only long enough to secure the unnecessary lock. Tonight of all nights, he wasn't leaving anything to the hands of fate.

Remaining unmoving, unable to do anything else under the king's hot gaze, Justin simply grumbled, "This preparation is ridiculous. I look like some slave offering straight out of medieval times... except that I'm not a girl."

A deep chuckle emitted. "It's a good thing that you're not..." Brian told him, his hands making quick work of unknotting his robe, deftly tossing it aside to reveal his riding clothes beneath. "And the preparation is perfect. You are unbelievably hot. A gift meant for a king," the monarch rasped, eyes roving over the oiled skin, he slightly sniffed the air, groaning when he recognized the musky scent mingling in with Justin's natural aura. To him, the combination was pure ambrosia. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would spend tonight, and so many more hereafter, learning everything about the young man's body. He hadn't even touched him yet, and he was already an addiction. What would happen when he finally possessed him? Moving closer, the king watched as Justin slowly stood to his feet, his eyes only briefly noting that Justin had laid out on the sofa with caution, his oiled body resting on a protective sheet.

As the king came closer, Justin swallowed nervously, unable to believe the moment that he'd always been curious about had finally arrived. Not only was he about to have sex for the first time, but it would be with this primitive ruler, a proud and merciless man, one that he innately sensed would pace himself to ensure they both enjoyed the maximum of pleasure. Part of him feared what was to come, as well as resented the circumstances that had brought him here... but one reality had become the overriding factor. Plain and simple, he wanted this man. "Bear with me, My King, and remember I am a novice at this."

Feeling his dick twitch at the revelation he had already known to be true, but his more primitive side soaring to life hearing Justin speaking the words, Brian kept advancing toward his vulnerable prey, uncertain how he was going to pace himself tonight. The savage in him wanted to lift him into his arms, barreling him into the nearest place of comfort, before relentlessly pounding into him, placing his mark of ownership on him so thoroughly that the other man would never feel free of his possession. His hand slightly shook as he lifted it to caress the side of Justin's cheek. "Trust me, my own. The pleasure will be what you remember from this night."

A bit jerkily, Justin nodded his head. "No matter how I feel about you in regard to some things, I do trust you, Your Highness. I know you would never deliberately hurt me, and without a doubt, I know you would kill to protect me."

"I would... and I will do so again." Continuing to stroke Justin's smooth and pale skin, the king surprised himself when he spoke in a more gentle, almost requesting manner. "Justin, as much as I love everything about controlling you, I don't want to be seen as your king tonight."

Shaking his head, completely confused by the king's words, Justin asked, "What do you want?"

"Very simple. First off, I don't want to be referred to by any title. My American name is Brian; I'd like for you to call me that within these rooms. I want to be seen as a man, but not just any man. I want you to see me as the man that wants you more than any man has ever wanted another. Do you think you can do that?"

Justin sighed. He liked this side of the king. In fact, this slightly more tender side of the ruler almost melted his heart. As he had waited for Brian to arrive, he had started to acclimate himself to what fate had decreed for him. Brian's actions since his arrival only strengthened that decision. "Yeah, I think I can handle that... Brian."

"Excellent." Brian trailed his hand down Justin's cheek, his fingers moving in a downward path, not stopping until he covered the bulge in the front of the tight golden briefs he had been adorned in. "Let's go to bed. I have been hungering to show you my desire from the very first moment we met. Finally, you will learn what being mine truly means. It is a lesson that I intend to teach you - over and over again."

TBC