The Adulteress Queen

Chapter 4

I received a raven right after the ball with news that my father had left the Starsands Kingdom and was heading here to attend my wedding. It was bittersweet; expecting my reluctant wedding to a man that barely tolerated me, while expecting the arrival of my beloved father, who I missed so much and could not wait to see. I was angry with him when I left the Starsands Kingdom; he was, after all, the one who decided I needed to proceed with this arrangement. But now I missed him, and understood his reasons. The next few days, I spent most of my time engulfed in wedding preparations and the meetings with Sebastian and Piccolo. The meetings became tolerable; it seemed that since the ball, Sebastian was willing to play along with the charade of us as a couple. Piccolo was still unconvinced and saw right through our act, but he did acknowledge that our behavior was much improved.

Nevertheless, as I prepared for my wedding to Sebastian, aside from awaiting my father's arrival, all I could think about was Faustos. I wished it was him I was marrying. I had the fleeting thought of finding a way to run off with him and escape my prison of diplomacy. But where would we go? What would we have? We both had plenty of money...for now. But his parents would likely cut him off for pulling a stunt like that. And I…I would be shunned by both royal families for evading my royal duties. Our kingdoms were too vulnerable without our union; my father felt strongly about that when he arranged my marriage. Besides, how could I assume Faustos would want that? It was one romantic encounter. He hadn't promised me anything. I wished I could confide in someone about this, but I would not dare. I was ashamed for feeling that way when I was promised to another man. The days passed quickly, and I suddenly found myself only a day away from the wedding. My father had not arrived yet, and I was nervous that he would not make it in time to walk me down the aisle. Despite my nerves, I would eat supper this night with the royal family and noble guests, and would wake the next morning to my wedding day. I had to prepare myself emotionally.

I entered the dining room a few minutes late, finding most of the guests already seated. They rose when I entered the room and I bowed my head in greeting as I hurriedly walked to my seat, a little embarrassed about my tardy entry. I took my seat next to Queen Kenya; it was the same seating arrangement as usual at the King's head of the table. However, the table was expanded tonight. There were many more guests than usual because of the wedding tomorrow. This meal was more of a grand feast than an ordinary supper. I glanced down the table to see our other guests, and my heart skipped a beat when I noticed Faustos at the table with his parents. I could not believe he was here! I wondered how I would have the chance to speak with him. I could not right now. He was too far at the other end of the table. I noticed Rebekah was here with her parents as well, and seated across from Faustos. The two of them were involved in a conversation, laughing and very familiar with one another, and I could not help but feel a pang of jealousy.

"Katarina, dear. Try the venison; it is delicious." Queen Kenya told me, drawing me from my thoughts as I turned to face her. I noticed my plate had been filled whilst I wasn't looking, and I begrudgingly obliged the queen's request. I took a bite, taking a look at Sebastian as I ate. He seemed more to himself than usual tonight, as if he was deep in thought. I could not blame him. I understood how he felt about this tonight, as I felt the same way. Keeping up appearances for guests right now was very taxing. There was only one guest I was interested in here, with whom I would not need to pretend.

"Another few hours and we'll be free of this farce for the night." I said in a low, bitter voice to the distracted prince, whose eyes widened in surprise at my statement. I smirked as he met my eyes, and he huffed in amused agreement. If Sebastian and I would ever bond, it would most likely be over our disdain for society.

A few hours into dinner, the meal was finished, but the wine was still flowing. This had been a busy night of drinking for most guests at the table. I limited myself to only two glasses, considering that I should be as beautiful and well rested as possible for my wedding day tomorrow.

"Good news travels from the north today." King Sebastian exclaimed at the head of the table as he blotted his mouth with his napkin and tossed the cloth on the table in a victorious gesture. Everyone at our end of the table immediately turned our attention to the king, ending all other conversations as we curiously awaited his announcement. King Sebastian smirked, strongly resembling his son as he met our awaiting faces with his gaze. "It seems King Cold's eldest son was killed in a jousting tournament." King Sebastian declared as he lifted an eyebrow with intrigue.

"Pathetic." Prince Sebastian remarked to the news with a hearty chuckle, while the queen gasped and lightly slapped King Sebastian on the shoulder.

"Sebastian! You cannot possibly smile as you announce news of a death!" Queen Kenya scoffed, shaking her head in an act of disgust, despite the fact that I caught a smug smile etching across her face.

"Forgive me for disagreeing, your Grace." Piccolo stated diplomatically, leaning past Sebastian to meet the queen's eyes. "Though death is usually something not to be celebrated, this news is fortunate for the kingdom, as it may mean the prevention of many deaths here." Piccolo pointedly shifted his gaze to meet all our eyes, his stern expression burning into our faces. "The Gods must be smiling upon this royal union tomorrow, to offer such a promising gift at this time." Piccolo looked at me, smirking at my frown upon his remark. He then shifted his gaze to Sebastian, doing the same. Despite Piccolo's presumption about our union, perhaps this was better news than he realized. If the Ice kingdom was no longer a threat, maybe there was hope that Sebastian and I could call off this arrangement.

"That is true, Lord Piccolo." Kenya agreed, folding her hands in her lap in an act of somber agreement. "Now all King Cold has is Frieza. That boy is too impetuous to lead his men through our lands."

"And Cold is just as close to the grave as I am." King Sebastian remarked lightly, despite the deep frowns of his family upon his admittance. "I cannot imagine what will become of the Ice Kingdom once Frieza becomes their king. For now, we are certain to have many years here of peace." King Sebastian added confidently as he raised his wine, nodding with a smile before sipping the drink.

"Perhaps we'll have to make something of their kingdom." Sebastian said arrogantly, smirking at his own thoughts. "After all, they've threatened to take ours for so long. It would only be fitting that we return the favor now that they are at a disadvantage." Sebastian's smirk deepened as his gaze turned on his unamused father.

"You will do no such thing, Sebastian." King Sebastian said harshly with a scowl. "You must first secure your own kingdom with an heir to continue the reign of our family. Then you can worry about expansion and conquering for your own personal glory. Besides, you first must study your enemy before you attack." King Sebastian lectured his son sternly, to which Sebastian only glared defiantly in return.

"I know better than to attack without first knowing my enemy, Father. Who says I don't already?" He added his last statement in a low voice as he turned to his own goblet, drinking and glancing suspiciously towards his parents, who seemed to have missed his last remark. I raised my brow curiously at him, but of course he ignored me. Oh well, that mattered not to me. I was too disappointed by King Sebastian's declaration about an heir. I supposed now I was bound to this marriage solely to produce a son. It was too much to hope for anyways. I could not send word to my father while he traveled, and he was overdue to arrive here already. It was too late to cancel the wedding. Besides, a small part of me still wanted to go through with this marriage. Without it, I would not be queen. I could not see sacrificing that power and all the ideas I had formed for improving the kingdom. I was drawn from my thoughts when I noticed Rebekah and Lord and Lady Towngrin approaching me. I swiftly stood to receive them.

"Princess Katarina, good luck on your wedding tomorrow." Rebekah said wholeheartedly as she gave me a hug. I was a bit surprised at the sign of affection, but I hugged her back, appreciating the comforting gesture. She had been drinking and I could tell that this affection was most likely coming from the drink. "We must go now, but we will see you tomorrow, my Princess." Rebekah stepped back as her parents bid me farewell, and I noticed as I glanced over Lady Towngrin' shoulder that Rebekah and Sebastian exchanged a look. A very meaningful look that made me question whether Rebekah was really leaving. I watched as she and her parents departed the dining room. Her parents separated from her with a few words at the dining room doorway. She went one way, they went another. I studied Sebastian suspiciously for a moment as we sat together, his mind obviously distracted as he paid no mind to my attentiveness.

"I am retiring for the night." Sebastian announced, only a few minutes after Rebekah's departure. He grabbed my hand and kissed it farewell, a gesture he had been practicing since we started playing nice in front of others. I played my part and gave him the warmest smile I could muster in response. "Goodnight, Katarina." He said, painfully I might add. Others might not have noticed it, but it was obvious to me. He hated to use my name or take the effort to speak to me. Watching his suffering as he departed the dining room caused a genuine smile to grace my face. I glanced around the table and saw many more couples standing in preparations of leaving. I felt the need to follow Sebastian for some reason. I didn't know why. If I found he was actually going to bed, I had no interest in speaking with him. If I found he was off to follow Rebekah or even meet with some other woman, what then? It was not that I would be jealous of them. Maybe I would be jealous of him for getting what he wanted while I was bound by loyalty to him. Maybe I only wanted to know so he did not take me for a fool. I stood to leave the table, as everyone else had done by now.

"Please excuse me; I'll be retiring as well. Goodnight, everyone." I said with a slight curtsy as I hurriedly followed after Sebastian. He was gone from sight already, having a few minutes' head start. I headed in the direction of his chambers, knowing this was where he must have been headed. However, I stopped when I heard pursuant footsteps behind me and an approaching, familiar voice calling my name. I turned with a smile to face the man behind the voice I longed for, all thoughts of following Sebastian abandoned. How could I let Sebastian distract me from him? This was what I really wanted since the beginning of the evening. I gestured for Faustos to follow me with a wave of my hand to an empty room.

I stepped into the dark room, assuming he would follow, and as I began rummaging blindly for a candle to light the room, was shocked when he pulled me against him, capturing my lips in a fierce kiss. My eyes had not adjusted to the darkness since he closed the door behind him, shutting out the light of the hall. Still, the feel of his powerful chest against mine and the contact of his gentle roaming hands on my body were better than seeing him. I was blown away by his fierceness. I was expecting to talk about what happened between us at the ball, hoping for the chance of another kiss. This was above and beyond my expectations, but I could not complain. I found myself indulging in him just as much, running my hands through the softness of his unruly black hair, feeling his incredible body through the fabrics of his clothing, and never letting my lips leave his. We carried on like that for a while as I wondered how I was still breathing. I realized I was supposed to do this with Sebastian after the wedding the following night. I was not ready for that. He had hardly touched me, hardly looked at me, let alone anything this intimate. But Faustos was playing with fire. I had to warn him, against my own desires.

"Faustos…" I panted breathily, releasing him from our kiss as I gently pushed my hands against his chest to put some distance between us. "Sebastian might lock you in the dungeons, or worse if he ever found out about this!" Faustos paused for a moment, then laughed as he pulled me in for a chaste kiss.

"I'm not worried about Sebastian." Faustos said confidently before kissing me again, just as passionately as he had been. I kissed him back hesitantly, my mind full of doubt as I initiated another kiss and processed what Faustos had said. Apparently Faustos and Sebastian were more familiar with one another than I realized, judging by the informality in his tone when speaking about Sebastian. Of course, if Faustos's brother was Sebastian's closest friend, I supposed they would know each other well. Faustos's tongue met mine again, and the thoughts going through my mind immediately halted upon feeling that amazing sensation. I didn't care right now what Sebastian and Faustos's history involved.

"You sound like a fool. You should be scared of your king." I said sternly as I moved my lips to his ear, nibbling lightly as a playful warning. It was obvious that Faustos was not the least scared, and in spite of how senseless that was, I found it an appealing quality of his. I could feel Faustos's cheek rise in a smile against mine, and he grabbed my chin, leading me to meet his lips again. I sighed at the contact. I could never tire of this. Of him.

"Katarina…" Faustos breathed my name slowly after he released my lips, leaning his forehead against mine. He let my name linger for a few minutes as he and I just rested our foreheads together for a while, panting for air. I recognized his unspoken question. He was asking my permission and waiting patiently. I hesitated, feeling unsure of myself. I knew what he wanted. Whether I was ready or not, it would happen by tomorrow night. The choice was not whether I wanted to do this so soon, but rather, with whom.

In that light, there was no question. I wanted to give myself to Faustos in this passionate moment. Despite the dangers of being discovered, I knew it would be so much better than letting Sebastian take my virginity out of obligation. My heart nervously raced in my chest as I kissed him deeply in answer, unbuttoning his shirt so I could feel more of his skin. He responded by gyrating his hips against mine, the motion pushing my back against the wall as I barely felt his warmth through the many layers of fabric of my skirts. My legs quivered in anticipation as my palms caressed his now exposed chest. His body felt amazing. I never knew a man could be so chiseled and muscular, yet have the softest skin. He hiked up my skirts as his tongue roamed my mouth, and I knew how hungry he was for this, for me, which aroused me more and increased my confidence with him.

Faustos reached a hand between my legs and began stroking me through my undergarments. He moaned with pleasure at the contact, and I was surprised by the wetness I felt down there. I had never been wet there before, and I couldn't help feeling embarrassed. He moved his hand away as it slid up to the top of my undergarments, which he pulled down. I gasped at the feeling of exposure. Even with all the material of my skirts loosely surrounding me, just the feel of cool air touching me and knowing that Faustos could touch my naked skin in my most private area had me shivering in fear and anticipation. He kissed me again and his hand returned between my legs, the touch of his skin against mine feeling more amazing than before.

I pulled away from the kiss and bit my lip as he stroked me. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness now and I caught him smirking as I moaned at his touch. His finger suddenly penetrated me and I gasped in surprise. Faustos kissed me again deeply as his finger moved inside me, building up a pleasurable feeling. He removed his finger and I groaned in disappointment at the loss of the amazing feeling he was giving me. He chuckled lightly at my disappointment as he fumbled with his pants. He kissed me again before I saw what he was doing down there, and he wrapped his hands tightly around my rear, lifting me and pushing himself against me. I felt something warm, solid and big moving against my inner thigh. I stiffened as I realized what that was and that it was supposed to fit inside me. I knew this was supposed to hurt the first time; Launch warned me about this.

"Faustos..." I breathed out warningly, fearful of the pain now.

"Just relax, Katarina. I'll be gentle, I promise." He whispered back to me huskily. The tone of his voice sent a shiver through my body. I wanted to feel him inside me. I knew the pain would wear off, and the feeling that followed should be immensely pleasurable. With a shaky breath, I nodded my consent as he shifted our hips in alignment and I felt his erection pushing against my entrance. I leaned my head forward and bit down lightly on his shoulder to stifle the scream that threatened to arise from the pain I was feeling. It was as if I was being ripped open down there. Faustos kissed my neck, stopping his progress as he tried to calm me, and I knew he was not all the way in yet. I pulled my head back and searched for his lips, and as we kissed again, he pushed in all the way, groaning into my lips as he stilled and waited for me to adjust. I felt my eyes tearing from the pain, but after a moment, it became more bearable. I moved tentatively, which Faustos accepted as permission to continue. He pulled out and thrust back in slowly but forcefully, going incredibly deep inside me. I gasped at the feeling and kissed him again, needing the other sensation to distract me from the pain I still felt.

He continued thrusting, being gentle as promised, and as he moaned into my mouth, I felt more pleasure than pain finally. I gyrated my hips to meet his thrusts, which he quickened as I realized he had still been painstakingly holding back. He hit a spot inside me that felt incredible and the sensation that had been building just exploded in me. Waves of pleasure racked through my body as Faustos continued thrusting, increasing his speed, and with a jerky movement he cried out into my neck, and I knew he had finished as well. We panted heavily as he pulled out of me, and I felt more warm moisture between my legs than I felt before. Launch told me I would bleed the first time, and I worried how much blood was there.

"I can't believe we just did that." I said in a mixture of shock and euphoria. "I hardly know you." I admitted. I still wondered why Faustos would take the risk of doing this with his prince's bride. If he was attempting to play me amongst other women, I would make sure he was punished. He must have known better than that, though. He tucked himself back into his pants and straightened them before fixing his buttons I had undone. I was presentable on my upper half, but wished I had something with me to wipe up the moisture dripping down my thighs. This would be an uncomfortable walk to my room. I grimaced as I pulled my undergarments back on and straightened my skirt.

"It's a little late for regrets." Faustos answered me, sounding miffed. I guessed he was offended. Maybe I should have told him how amazing that was first.

"I don't regret anything, not at all." I clarified, quickly lightening his mood. I leaned into his ear, smiling coyly. "Actually, I hope we can do this again sometime." I said in what I hoped was a sultry voice. I kissed him and, realizing that Launch would be expecting me in my room and Faustos had to leave, regretfully said goodbye for the night.

"I'll see you at your wedding tomorrow." Faustos said resignedly with a half-hearted smile. It actually made me feel good, seeing his downcast smile. If he didn't have feelings for me, mentioning my wedding would not affect him so. He and I both knew there was nothing to say on the matter. It was arranged between two kingdoms, and it was happening tomorrow, whether we wanted it or not. I hugged him and he kissed me one last time before leaving with a last glance over his shoulder, smiling at me reassuringly. I waited a few minutes after he left to be sure no one saw us both emerging from the same room.

After an incredibly long, uncomfortable and paranoid walk to my room, I immediately undressed and prepared myself a bath. I was relieved to find Launch already asleep in my room. I could avoid explaining my mess and indiscretions for tonight. Actually...I looked at the blood-stained undergarments I had just shed in preparation of my bath thoughtfully. I would not trust Launch or anyone else with my secret. I closed the washroom door, tore my dirtied undergarments to shreds, and threw them in the metal trash bin. I found an unlit candle on the shelf and lit it against the burning candle in the room, tossing it into the can to burn away the evidence. I opened my window, hoping no one questioned the amount of smoke coming from my room at this late hour. I allowed the fabric to burn and char in the small fire just long enough until I was certain no one would recognize it for what it was any longer. As I watched the flames dancing and bouncing off the tin of the trash pail, my mind wandered through a replay of everything that had happened that evening. I didn't regret what I'd done with Faustos. Even once I was married to Sebastian, I was certain he would never love me. When the flames died, I bathed quickly with thoughts and anticipations of my wedding day. I lay to sleep for the night, reveling in the way my body was both aching and extremely relaxed at the same time while I caught my beauty sleep to face my wedding to Sebastian in the morning.