"I keep you grounded, yet you lift me up".
-Anonymous

🌱🌱

1800'
🔹️Realm of Kings 🔹️
City Of Eagles/Village of the Nathingale.

🌙🌙

🔸Kim Ga On🔸

-Take off your clothes-

His order came with the frostiness, resembling the winter breeze, the one that when it touched you, it only left frostbite, sore fingers, like when I worked my father's land.

He had dragged me to his quarters, shoving me inside, next to a huge four-poster bed in the mid-center of the room. That was how he had left me for a while, only to return about ten minutes later.
During that short time, I found myself admiring the room, the walls covered with great paintings and princely ornaments.
A remarkable desk with gilded corners, situated in front of the huge window overlooking the royal gardens.
Cabinets and shelves stacked with books and open letters.
I looked around while contemplating the space that was there, a double portal, located in the wall opposite the front door.
However, my excursion came to an end at the precise moment the king stomped back into the room, unsettling me, leaving me once again baffled by his bold declaration.

Strip?! What kind of asshole could he be?

I sighed, returning to stare into the king's dark eyes as if he hadn't just ordered me to get undressed.
His stance solid, erect, his arms crossed over his thick chest.

-Are you still pretending not to hear me? -
He addressed me again, but this time taking a few steps forward.
I found myself instinctively backing away, creating a little distance between us.

I didn't want to be touched by anyone, still annoyed at the way they were tossing me around like a puppet.

My neck was aching and so was my left arm.

Speaking of the neck...!

He had even attempted to choke me, a thousand reasons to stay away, a hundred thousand more to hate their kind.
He might have been dazzling, aesthetically pleasing, but he was a monster.

A devil.

And I didn't want to be stuck in his infernal world.
Kang Yo Han heaved a sigh as he looked back at me, his alluring lips, victimized by his prominent canines that occasionally lashed his soft red skin.
He then frowned, hardening his sharp jaw.

-I am not going to... - I answered resolutely, my angered expression provoked by his insidious person.

So ruthless for a man that could be honourable...

The king narrowed his eyes, looking at me with more ardour as if he wanted to imprint me in his memory and make of me an immortal picture.

-your insolence never cease to amaze me- he replied through clenched teeth, resuming his walk towards me.

-You must take off your clothes, because I asked the servants to prepare a bath for you, if you intend to remain chaste tonight... - he replied, winking a dishonest smirk.

I gritted my teeth, sure that he was undoing all the buttons that hold down my patience.

- ...I hope you can come to your senses and put your erection to rest-
He crossed his fingers behind his back, lowering his eyes to my trousers.

Dammit!

I instantly leaned forward, covering myself, as if caught in adultery, my face flushed with embarrassment and pissed off at the same time.
And heavens knew, heated again! Overcomed with lust.

-Please allow me to find relief, your highness... - I conveyed, keeping my eyes on the ground.
It didn't take a genius to figure it out, and it was clear as day that the king was the reason why I was feeling this way. If it hadn't happened with Jagger or anyone else, he had to be the reason. And he seemed to enjoy it, to be amused by it.

I urgently needed to find my way out, away from his provoking aura.

-It's almost laughable... -
Kang Yo Han closed the distance between me and him, stopping a few inches away from where I stood.
A grin on his mouth.
As detestable as it was disempowering.

The fact that my body was attracted to this devil of a king, and it reacted promptly despite my mind's refusal, was extenuating.

-What's so entertaining about this? You are nothing but a sadist who plays with other people's misery...! - I railed with struggle, intused by all that rushed over me, a whimper escaping my parted lips.

The strange fever was returning, as was the visceral heat. The pleasure I thought had left me.
Tired of waiting for his answer, I made a move towards the exit but was held back again.
He grasped me roughly by the arm, then pushed me down onto a red armchair.
-It's funny how you'd rather resist than give in... - he continued, in response to my question, his hands rooted on the arms of the chair, on either side of my body, a prisoner of his menacing figure.

I wondered how long it took to prepare a bath, hadn't he said that the servants were at work?

I freaking needed it right now...

I avoided glancing at his face, feeling horny for no reason.

I wanted to stifle this mood, drown it until it could no longer rise to the surface.

🌓🌓

🔸Kang Yo Han🔸

It certainly wasn't my intention, to tease him, but I could not help it.
The way he glared at me with those obsidian eyes, the silky black hair adorning his delicate face; entranced by the fact that he was annoyed with me, almost ecstatic that I was the reason why he was under so much tension.
Yet, I could not deny the sense of disorientation in my heart, since I was still unable to understand why he was having this influence on me.

People like him, didn't stay alive for long, the past me would have already wiped them out, and not because I was any less of a tyrant now, but I still couldn't process why with him, death wasn't my first option.

-My King! The bath is ready! -

I exhaled a last breath, shifting my eyes to the lacquered wooden doors. The gentle punches given on the outer surface. The tiny voices of servant women beyond the thickness of the material.

-Go... - I uttered, releasing him, allowing him to escape from my hold.
But contrary to what I had expected, Kim Ga On lingered on me for a moment, and instead of running away as he was accustomed to, he stood his ground.

-What is the other option...? Jagger told me to give in to pleasure and accept it, what did he mean by that? -

I returned his boldness with a slightly surprised expression.
-Are you really asking me that question? -

Kim Ga On shrugged, diverting his glance, placing it on his hands, which rested on his lap.
-I just want to know what's on the other side of the coin... -
I looked at him skeptically.

Was he really that naïve or did he just wanted me to rephrase it again?

-Wasn't Jagger's advances obvious enough... to you? Or should i break it down?-
I picked up a misplaced book, putting it back in its original position, and then sat down on my desk.

Kim Ga On remained silent, conflicted with himself, his gaze lost, busy thinking about what answer to give me.
I sighed again, shaking my head.
-Hurry up, they're waiting for you out there... I don't know what you want to hear, but it is either sex or death. That's the two sides of the coin-

He turned crimson red, refusing to look at me for too long.
-I don't believe you. It can't be that you were just created to feed on our lust, there has to be more to it...! - he protested upset, forcing me to return my attention to his impatient silhouette.
I had just remembered that I had some royal decrees to read, and that I had not been able to devote myself to my work because of him.
-I am not here to talk to you about the meaning of life and what would be more convenient... - I answered frankly, going back to unrolling the parchments on my desk.

-But...!-

-I swear if you don't leave the room now, I will give you the meaning of life between the sheets of my bed- I threatened sharply, a note of amusement accompanying the end of my words.
I could hear him curse me out in a low tone before storming out of the room, anger in his lungs and a lovely scent in the air; too sweet for his good.

I found myself smiling faintly, my eyes once again settling on the direction from which he had left.