Josey stared up into the canopy above their large bed, her heart was heavy. She felt like she had spent the day at a funeral and not at a wedding ceremony. She wondered what Valin was doing. How his first night with his wife was going.
“f**k that bitch.” Sueli whispered.
While she lingered in her thoughts, Cofer was thinking about what Sueli said while they were at the table. He was trying to decide if he should make his move or let his drunk wife wallow in her despair. He chose the former. He leaned over and kissed Josey on the cheek. She let out an unexpectedly loud moan.
“You were thinking about him, weren’t you?" His words startled them. Instead of answering, they stared into his inflamed eyes.
Cofer continued, "You want me to…” his voice trailed off as he laid kisses beneath her chin to the curve of her breasts. Then he took a deep breath and continued “to f**k you so hard you forget about him. If only for one night?” He growled while pressing himself between her legs. Her back arched as her body writhed in response to his touch.
“Please, Cofer. Make it stop.” Sueli's voice said, echoing behind Josey's voice.
He pulled her panties off while watching her slit throb in anticipation.Then he pushed her legs wide and inserted his face into her slit. She pulled at him, scraping at his shoulders. She wanted his kisses, his body to smother her, take her breath away. She wanted him to take her to the brink of death and then save her from herself. He set back, watching her intensely. Then he quickly pulled his c**k out of his pajamas and pressed himself into her. She reached out to him. He leaned forward to accept her embrace. She pushed her fingers into the back of his hair, then pulled his face to hers. His lips were warm. She deeply inhaled his sweet smell. Then she licked and kneaded his lips as he pushed his arm under her shoulders.
“Fuck..I love you so much.” she moaned. Then continued to kiss him. He pulled his length out of her slowly then pushed himself back in, hard and fast. Her neck flew back and she screamed, “YES!” He wasn’t sure how thin the castle walls were but somebody was about to get an earful.
The bed screeched as it shifted back and forth on the hardwood flooring. Every now and then, the bed slammed into the wall, shaking the entire bedroom. Josey screamed out his name until she was hoarse. By the time they were physically satisfied, the sun was coming up over Wilshana. Josey and Cofer’s hair and bodies were soaked in sweat. They lay on their sides looking into each other's eyes, breathing heavily. “Cofer. I have decided that if he never falls in love with me, I will accept that.” Josey said. “NO! Yes…{sobbing}I want to talk to him though. I want to at least be near him.” Sueli said frantically.
She hated to agree with Josey, but she knew it wouldn’t be the same if she forced him to love her. Josey closed her eyes while trying to keep her composure in lieu of Sueli screaming. Cofer cupped her cheek and watched her lean her head into the palm of his hand. “I understand. So, are you going to assist him with their security problem?” Josey nodded.
“Well, I will have Liv and Adiv stay by your side when you are not in his sight. Okay?” Josey nodded again but this time tears started to flow.
She loved that he was letting her grieve even though it was hurting him. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into his arms. Josey wept on the curve of his neck until she fell asleep. He followed her soon after.
_______________
Later that afternoon, the palace was buzzing about the activities of the previous evening and they weren’t about the king and his new queen. Valin sat at his desk. He could hear the women of the castle giggling and cackling like hens in the hall near his office. He needed to know what was going on. He picked up the bell on his desk and rang it. After a few minutes, William entered the room. “What is going on?” Valin quickly asked.
“Uhm…” William looked down and chuckled.
“Uhm...There is a lot of talk about the noises that were coming from the guest hall last night.” William was blushing and trying to keep his composure.
“Noises. Please explain.” Valin put his pen down and gave William his full attention.
“Can I have one of the maids discuss this with you?” He said, cowering from embarrassment.
“Have one of the many maids standing around come in.” Valin commanded. William left the office and invited three maids that were taking their break nearby to come into Valin’s office. The three entered the office and curtsied while keeping their eyes down. “Ladies, what has gotten you all in a teezy?” Valin asked.
The ladies started to giggle uncontrollably like high school teens.
“Speak.” Valin said, getting impatient.
The taller of the women spoke up. “King Cofer and his queen were really loud throughout the night.”
“I heard it just stopped early this morning.” The younger of the three chimed in.
“Loud? How? Were they fighting?” Valin said.
“No your majesty.” The quiet one whispered.
“They were partaking in each other’s bodies.” The taller one said, then cleared her throat.
Valin sat with his mouth agape, “Wait..what now? ‘Til early this morning.”
“People say the walls were shaking and no one could sleep because of the loud moaning and screaming.” The youngest said, then started giggling again.
“Okay. You are dismissed.” The women bowed again and made their way out of the office. William’s face was bright red.
“Tell me what you heard, William. You are obviously hiding something.”
“Well, I heard it sounded like they were moving furniture….your majesty,” he said without looking up.
“But isn't all of the furniture heavy in those rooms?”
“Yes. Very heavy…”William said, then cleared his throat again.
“Wow.. That’s all William. You may leave.” Valin said, then sat back in his chair. He thought about the things they could have possibly been doing to move the furniture. All the things he didn’t get to do with his wife last night. He was fairly envious. While he contemplated how to improve his s*x life with his emotionless queen, a knock came from the door. “You may enter,” Valin said without looking at the doorway. His father’s hired assassins walked in. Valin jumped up.
“What are you doing here?” He asked in a panic.
He was ready to ring for his soldiers to save him. These men were not allowed to enter the king’s palace without permission.
“Your majesty. Please forgive the intrusion, we are here with our Queen.” Liv stated.
“Your Queen? Insolence!” Valin yelled.
There was no way Zelah was with the Sambofahn exiles. He looked down at Liv and Adiv's wrists. It looked like they were carrying hair. They parted and a petite brown-skinned woman stood behind them. When she floated forward, the twins knelt and held their arms out in an attempt to keep her hair from touching the floor.
“I apologize for not requesting an audience. I am looking for Jade. My hair has grown about twelve inches for some reason and my lady in waiting had to go back to Nethersigh.” Josey paused to let Valin take in the weight of the situation. He couldn’t speak. He heard her words but his mind wouldn’t stop thinking about how exotic she looked, how smooth her beautiful skin was. He wished he had held her tighter during their dance. Her body was voluptuous. She looked soft like the incarnation of the perfect pillow.
“King Valin?”
“Yes. Sorry..yes.” He picked up his bell and rang it. William opened the door and unconsciously ran to his king's defense.
“William calm down. The twins are here with Queen Josey. Please fetch Lady Jade.” William left the room, with haste.
“Please call me Queen Sueli {Soo-Li} in the presence of my people.” Josey said while making eye contact with Valin. [Her eyes are mesmerizing.]
“Ahh yes… Please have a seat until she arrives, Queen Sueli,” Valin said, then motioned toward the sofa.
Josey slightly moved her hand and Liv and Adiv walked behind the sofa with her hair in tow and kneeled behind the sofa. Josey sat down with her hands in her lap.
Valin squinted at Josey, then asked, “How do you know Lady Jade?” Josey figured he would ask, so she spent the distance to his office thinking of an answer that she knew was at least partially the truth.
“I knew your previous wife. I stayed in the palace for a short period of time while she was here.”
“Oh really. Are you the reason Cofer killed her?” Josey gasped.
She knew Cofer told him that he had killed Crema and King Vadin, but it still struck a chord with her.
“I am.” Josey said, locking eye contact again with Valin.
She was getting irritated with his line of questioning. He didn’t know what Crema put her through and therefore didn’t have the right to take the tone he was taking with her. From the look in her eyes, Valin felt sure Queen Sueli would rip his throat out if his next words were not the right ones.
“Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to upset you. I don’t remember her time in the castle.”
“I understand. On a more professional note, once this matter is settled, I would like to talk to you about your proposal last night.” Josey swiftly changed the subject.
William opened the door, “Lady Jade, your majesty.”
She quickly walked into the room and bowed deeply to Josey. “My Queen, I have prepared the dressing room next door. May I touch your hair?”
“Yes you may.” Jade gathered Josey’s hair from the arms of the twins and waited for Josey’s signal.
“Even Lady Jade calls you her Queen.” Valin raised his brows at Jade. Jade put her head down, avoiding eye contact. The question she had asked him played in his head again.
“Please forgive her. She is loyal to Wilshana. Allow me to correct her disrespectful actions,” Josey said.
“You are a bold woman.” As soon as the words left his lips, Liv and Adiv were in front of their Queen, weapons drawn. Their hazel eyes gleamed brightly in the heat of the moment.
“Fix your tone.” Adiv growled.
Valin stood fast, he was not going to cower because they had drawn their weapons.
“He meant no disrespect. Withdraw.” Josey said, signaling Jade she was ready to move. Once Jade was around the sofa, Josey stepped forward. She licked her lips then spoke, “Watch how you address me.” She smirked then turned from Valin. Valin nodded. He wasn’t one to back down, but something in his heart told him it was okay this time.
“I will be back soon. I will try not to keep you too long,” Josey said, while exiting the room. When the four left the room, William entered. “What was that about? Are you okay?” William asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me she stayed here before?” Valin said while glaring at William.
“Your majesty. Some things transpired that I think you should consider not bringing to light. For your country's sake,” William said out of concern for his King.