"Duke Leon has... deteriorated completely, Your Majesties." The spy's voice echoed in the empty council chamber. "He drinks from dawn till dusk and has grown unstable. He's also..." the man hesitated, "collected numerous handmaidens from across the kingdom, each one bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Queen."

Frelis's hand froze mid-air, teacup suspended as her brows knitted in revulsion.


Ludwig moved to her side, taking her chilled fingers in his warm grasp. "You shouldn't have to hear such sordid details," he said, his voice a protective rumble.

"I pity them all," Frelis murmured. "Those poor girls... and even Leon himself."

"He chose his path." Ludwig's eyes hardened to flint. "The kingdom has no use for an unstable duke. I'll banish him to the northernmost estate where he can waste away far from court." His judgment fell swift and final, carrying the unmistakable weight of royal authority.


With the unpleasant business concluded, they retired to the royal chambers where warm candlelight banished both the evening chill and lingering shadows of their discussion. As Ludwig shed his ornate robes, revealing his powerful frame, a playful idea took root in Frelis's mind.

She crept behind him on silent feet, slipping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against the warm expanse of his back.


"Ludwig," she cooed, voice honeyed with mischief, "promise me something—no matter what I say next, you won't be angry."

Ludwig chuckled, turning to gather her in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple. "What scheme are you hatching now, my queen?"

"Promise first." Frelis gazed up at him, eyes dancing with barely contained laughter.

"Very well, I promise." He smiled indulgently.

Frelis inhaled deeply and cleared her throat with exaggerated formality. She stepped back, composing her features into a mask of solemn detachment.

"I once deeply loved a woman," she began, enunciating each word with painful precision. "While I respect our marriage and will honor my duties, my heart... is no longer mine to give. I hope we can build a life on mutual respect, if nothing else."

The atmosphere in the chamber crystallized.

Ludwig's smile vanished like smoke.

Frelis bit the inside of her cheek, maintaining her solemn charade.

Ludwig studied her eyes—which despite her best efforts sparkled with suppressed laughter—and immediately recognized her game.

Relief and indignation warred within him. In one swift motion, he snatched the impish queen back into his arms and swept her off her feet, carrying her toward their massive bed.

"You grow more daring by the day, Frelis," he growled, depositing her unceremoniously onto the down comforter before towering over her.

"I yield! I yield, Your Majesty!" Frelis dissolved into peals of laughter, her halfhearted attempts to escape easily thwarted by his firm grip.

That night, Frelis paid thoroughly for her little jest.

Her laughter soon transformed into breathless pleas as he exacted his sweet revenge, until she finally surrendered completely to his touch.

In the hushed stillness that followed, their breathing synchronized. Frelis draped herself across Ludwig's chest, lazily tracing the sharp line of his jaw.

"Ludwig," she murmured, her voice deliciously husky, "Today—no, every single day since becoming your wife—I've known true happiness."

Ludwig tightened his embrace, his warm breath stirring her hair as he pressed his lips to her crown. "As have I. My Queen, you are the brightest light in my life—the most precious treasure in all my kingdom."

Their heartbeats synchronized in perfect harmony, creating the sweetest melody in the quiet night. Cradled against her husband's chest, Frelis drifted into dreams bathed in silver moonlight. She dreamed of spring sunshine, of cheering crowds, and of the glorious new age they would build together.