Warning - R18 content
"Now, relax..." The Queen knew they wouldn't have much time, but she was determined to treat her princess in the best possible way. A little friction, a few kisses, the contact between their bodies, and their lustful gazes would have to be enough for now.
The fabric was already wet, and Grimilde pushed it aside to touch the princess's intimacy, who panted against her skin. Snow White kissed and licked the skin of her neck, ran her fingers through her blonde locks, and rolled her hips to meet her hand: she was delicious, as always. Grimilde couldn't wait to explore that side of them, to learn new things and make her beloved happy. For some, what they were doing would have been scandalous, even if it had been between a man and a woman, but it didn't matter to them. Only their happiness, their thoughts, and their mutual trust mattered.
"You are wonderful... so sweet, darling," the Queen whispered against her ear, brushing aside a black strand of hair that covered her face. The princess moaned, feeling that tension she now knew so well. The Queen's fingers rubbed her clitoris harder and faster, then suddenly slipped further down her core, paralyzing Bianca. It felt even better: she felt an overwhelming desire to be penetrated by her Queen, but at the same time, she feared the sensations she would experience.
"Ilde... Ilde..." she panted, begging for something the Queen could easily sense from her needy tone of voice. Grimilde knew exactly what she desired, because she was thinking the exact same thing. The Queen rested her forehead against her shoulder and held back her impulses: "Not here, darling. But soon..." She didn't finish the sentence; there was no need to. At that point, the princess gasped and mumbled her name against the skin of her neck, biting down to hold back a scream.
"I love you."
"M-me too... Ilde."
And while the two women had been busy, taking advantage of their solitude to throw wood onto the flames of passion, someone else had decided to continue their investigations beyond the kingdom's borders. The Queen's spies had been ordered to gather information on the movements of travelers coming from the Empire of Atenarte. Derek and Iza had been working for Grimilde for years now and were loyal to her—not just because she was the regent of Arran. After all, the Queen had saved them from an orphanage that would have let them starve to death and then dumped them in some slimy alley. The two siblings were deeply grateful to Grimilde and had dedicated their lives to her, training in the shadows to be able to protect and serve her.
"The Kingdom of Umgard has managed to overcome its famine in recent years... I wonder why." Derek tore off a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth, passing the rest to his sister Iza. The woman refused it with a wave of her hand and continued staring at the map she was holding. With the tip of her knife, she was tracing the kingdom's roads, trying to figure out the best route.
"The Empire is implementing a different expansion policy now... giving kingdoms what they need, but demanding submission and complete loyalty in return. Apparently, Umgard is their next stop."
"How long will they keep this up? Do they want to start another Continental War?"
"The last one decimated us." Iza thought back to what she had read in history books and the past centuries when the Continental War took place—so named because it had brought all the populations of the continent to arms.
"I say we push on to the capital, maybe we'll find some useful information there." Derek's proposal made Iza scoff. "If they want to keep a low profile, they certainly won't go through the capital to reach the Empire."
"We just need to hide in the shadows and not provoke anyone to stay away from unwanted attention, sister." Derek stood up and shook his legs out a bit, then stretched his arms over his head, cracking a few joints. "I'm tired of waiting around here, let's go." His brown eyes landed on Iza, and he waited for her to get up too so they could continue their journey.
"Alright... I don't want to stay away from Arran for too long."
"Neither do I, so let's hurry. These shady characters can't be too far away."
The two siblings took care to cover their tracks, then followed the main road, pretending to be travelers heading to the capital. It was definitely more dangerous, but that way they would have a chance to gather more information about the people they were tracking. Their search would keep them away from the kingdom for weeks, but fortunately, the royal family was safe for the time being. Of course, this didn't mean there weren't mysteries left to unravel and, above all, new dangers to consider...
"We've been working in the underground of Arran for years, but nothing like this has ever happened to us. We were several meters underground, right in the middle of the tunnels, and suddenly we heard strange noises."
"What kind of noises?"
"I couldn't really describe them to you, but they were disturbing..." Doc furrowed his brow; he wished he could find the right words to explain what he had heard, but as he had stated, it was something unknown. "We decided to dig further, thinking we might find something, but in the end, it was useless. It's something hidden very deep down."
Grumpy clenched his jaw and looked around, then he too began to speak. "Maybe it makes no sense, but I remember reading somewhere about mines with rocks of unknown origin, capable of emitting light and sound."
Grimilde continued to listen to the conversation taking place among the seven miners, remaining silent so she could reflect. Her first instinct would have been to have them lead her directly to the excavation site where they worked, but she would have had to leave the royal palace to do so, and many dangers could be lurking outside the capital. Her position was still vulnerable, and as difficult as it was for her, she decided to assign this investigation to another trusted person.
"Snow White, would you like to handle this matter personally?" The princess was so surprised her eyes went wide and she fell completely silent. Was Grimilde really proposing to hand her the reins and let her investigate despite the possible risks? She knew it was a difficult decision for the Nordic woman, and she appreciated it all the more for that reason. The seven miners exchanged a few hushed words, just as astounded as Snow White.
"Obviously, you will need to be adequately protected." The Queen sighed and rubbed her forehead before rising from her desk and stepping over to the office's large window. The weather was starting to turn, and clouds were hiding the sunlight: it would rain soon. What Grimilde was seeing mirrored exactly what she felt inside. A period full of darkness and adversity was coming, and the only thing she could do was prepare for its arrival.
"There are things I cannot reveal to you, but you must know that nothing dwelling in the underground is safe. By venturing into those mines, digging deeper... you risk awakening what lives in the dark. That being said, it is our duty to understand what is happening in Arran... before it is too late."
Snow White understood the gravity of the situation perfectly and wanted to help Grimilde uncover what awaited them in their future and in the future of Arran. The seven companions stepped forward toward the Queen and, with a small bow, promised they would protect Princess Snow White with their lives and serve the crown without regrets. Grimilde turned to them and nodded with a solemn expression. The time had come for the princess to break completely free from her chains and prove to everyone what she was worth. The Queen wouldn't stop worrying in her absence, but upon her return, she would be immensely proud of her beloved.
"Snow White... be careful."
"I will."