The judge pounds his gavel. Bang.
It was all over—the trial and whatever little hope she had left, was gone.
Adelisa wipes the tears falling down her cheek and clutches the handkerchief tightly in her hand, as if by doing so she could cause harm to Jaerian, the rightful new Lord Leoneffel.
Jaerian rises from his seat and turns to face her as if he'd felt her murderous gaze on his back. Perhaps he had. Adelisa didn't stopped glaring at him with increasing hatred throughout the entire trial.
The evidence was hard to deal with: her own son and heir—the most beloved of all—Robeyn, had named his bastard half-brother as his rightful, sole heir, even though he had many younger, legitimate siblings to inherit.
In the end, she didn't even know her own son, and after the accident that took him... there was nothing left to do but accept his wishes. She could never ask Robeyn his reasons—it was all decided now.
A woman stands up with a pair of sealed envelopes in her hands. She hands one to Jaerian, but he passes it to his attorney, who puts it in his briefcase, not even bothering to open it. They stand up, chatting among themselves about something Adelisa cannot hear, even though she's at the next table.
She's still in shock—suddenly everything around her starts spinning, the lights get brighter, and all the noises around her become distorted. She clutches to the table to keep from falling off its side.
The same woman approaches her and hands her the other envelope. This woman's gaze is serious, and Adelisa accepts it reluctantly.
"Would you like us to open this envelope now, Lady Leoneffel?" her attorney asks.
She feels as if she's far away. She frowns and shakes her head. Her hands tighten their grip on the envelope, which is emblazoned with the Leoneffel family crest. It was as if Ned was still there.
Adelisa says, "I'll take it. Either way, it was made for only me to see."
Everything was done; nothing inside would change things.
He says, "Lord Leoneffel did stipulate that you would receive this envelope once there was a new Lord Leoneffel—that is, one who wasn't one of his sons, of course."
What?Adelisa felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on at her temples. Did you know about this? Who else knew? Why am I just now finding out?
She was so sick of being there, so sick of everything and everyone.
Jaerian and his attorney walked past her without a glance. They had won. In the end, he had won.
Adelisa would have shot herself right there if her remaining children weren't there, behind her.
Come on, it wasn't like it was the end of the world or anything. Jaerian wasn't as dishonorable as they would think. According to Robeyn's will, he had become the rightful owner of everything the Leoneffels owned, which included the manor where they lived, the surrounding lands, and all the businesses her late husband had worked so hard to make prosper.
Everything belonged to the bastard now. Even them.
Jaerian had been merciful, even. He had allowed them to stay in the manor they had always seen as their home, on the condition that he would remain there as head of the family.
In the end, he was even going to keep the room that had once belonged to Eddard. She shudders. Two master bedrooms for the heads of the family, located at the top of the manor, far from the rest, separated only by a door.
That house had belonged to her in-laws, and before that, to their in-laws. Many generations of Leoneffels, now resting in the crypt, seeing how easily all that history had fallen into the hands of a bastard who didn't even bear their name. Or well, now it did. Jaerian Leoneffel sounded terrible, like sand in her mouth.
Now, everything she had considered hers belonged to him.
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"You could change rooms," Milliscent suggests the next day, as they sit in the living room before the hearth. "You could come with us, Mother. We Leoneffel women should stay together, united, now more than ever."
Mira, who was sitting on the windowsill reading, rolls her eyes and says to her sister, "You're acting like this is the end of the world, like Jaerian is some kind of monster!"
Milliscent rolls her eyes too. "I never said that—don't put words in my mouth!"
Mira playfully sticks her tongue out at her, making Milliscent flush red with anger.
"Enough, both of you."
"Yes, Mother," they both respond in unison.
Then silence falls again in the room.
Adelisa was biting her nails as she sat waiting for Jaerian's car to arrive. According to the call they'd received that morning, he would be arriving just in time for dinner.
"No," Adelisa says.
Her daughters turn to stare at her in silence, uncomprehending.
Adelisa stands and paces the room, her footsteps making their way across the carpet. "Why would I move? It is my room. It's been mine since before you two were born—before all my children were born!"
Before Robeyn, who now lay cold, prematurely buried in the family crypt, next to his father.
They knew this to be true. Their place had once said that Robeyn had been born there—in that very room, but now they knew those were all lies. Robeyn had been born in a luxury suite in some hospital, as expected.
Said room belonged to Adelisa, true, but after the wedding, she and Ned had decided it would be best for their relationship to use only one of the rooms, his. She had agreed, having never wanted an empty bed, and ever since then, it had remained that way. They had both spent their nights in Ned's room, which had become the master bedroom and remained empty since his death.
And now, that bastard was going to occupy it. She felt sick.
And the worst part was that if Ned were still alive, he would surely be pleased to see what was going on. She always suspected he was eager to legitimize him somehow. Well, now it was done. I hope you're happy now, Ned.
She looks up at her daughters.
"I will remain in what was once my room," Adelisa says in a regal and distinguished tone. "I will pretend that this... Ragnark does not exist."
Milliscent looks at Mira, knowing that she cared deeply for Jaerian and had always thought that all this hatred her mother harboured toward him was somewhat unfair.
"That will be for the best," Milliscent agrees. "Besides, that thick door divides the two rooms. He won't be able to get through. It will be as if a thick wall were separating you."
Adelisa is looking at the family photograph hanging above the hearth: the Leoneffel family complete and happy. Everyone alive, and best of all, no trace of Jaerian.
"Yeah," Adelisa nods. "The less we have to see of him, the better."
"He's here!" Mira announces, closing the book without taking her eyes off the window. Her voice suggested she could barely hide how happy she was to see her brother again after so many years away.
Adelisa's eyes widen as she looks at her disapprovingly.
Mira shrugs. "I just want to handle this peacefully, Mother. Father would have wanted it that way." She stands and takes her book with her. She walks to the door and before opening it, turns to her mother. "And, just because I'm glad he's here, it doesn't mean I don't grieve for the loss of Father or Robeyn, much less that I'm happy to see you in this state."
Adelisa lowers her gaze, suddenly remembering those who were so unjustly taken from her.
"Go ahead, Mira; go receive him," Milliscent tells her as she walks toward her mother. "I shall wait with Mother until—"
"Of course not," Adelisa replies, looking at her daughters. Her voice was tired but determined. "I am still Lady Leoneffel, and I am the one who will receive him, however much I dislike the thought of him being here, to take your father's place."
The Leoneffel sisters glance at each other but do not object. Their mother was not in the best of circumstances, and even for them it would be much easier not to contradict her. The three leave the room and walk toward the front door, where a black car had been parked.
Adelisa leaves her daughters behind and walks down the steps that lead to the cobblestones. When she appears, the car door opens, and out steps a young man dressed head to toe in black—a luxurious suit and matching sunglasses. He looks just like he's just returned from the funeral he was refused to attend. Upon seeing Lady Leoneffel, he removes his sunglasses and greets, "Lady Leoneffel."
He never had the fortune or the right to call her by her name, much less to call her 'Mother.' It was always 'Lady Leoneffel.'
Time had passed, and it seemed the situation would remain the same.
Adelisa raises her head haughtily and answers, "Ragnark."
A small smile appears on Jaerian's face. His eyes never leave his old rival. "In fact, I am now legally a Leoneffel."
Adelisa frowns and looks him up and down in revulsion.
Why? she wonders. What on earth were Ned and Robeyn thinking, naming this bastard as their rightful heir when her womb had already produced four more offspring, all of whom were still breathing?
She does her best to stifle a sob, for the last thing she wanted was to see Jaerian's triumph written on his face—or worse, for his smile to continue to grow.
Adelisa nods. "Certainly, you are now a Leoneffel."
Jaerian says nothing.
"It would be appropriate for us to have a talk in my late husband's office."
He bows his head slightly. "I am pleased to see that Lady Leoneffel has prepared a fitting reception for me."
"No one has prepared anything for you," Adelisa spits. "If this situation has come to this, it's because both my husband and my son made plans behind my back."
"Mother," Milliscent calls from behind her, but Adelisa doesn't take her eyes off Jaerian.
"We'll talk about this later—in private," Adelisa says before turning and entering the house.
Jaerian lets out a sigh, and when Adelisa has entered the house, he turns to his half-sisters with a warm smile. "Come on, it's not as if things have to be different."
"Father's not here," Milliscent says, her voice serious. "Nor is Robeyn."
Jaerian nods and, with regret, sends his eyes to the enormous mansion that now belonged to him.
"Please, understand her," Mira asks, thinking of her mother. "None of this is easy for her."
Jaerian looks down at his little sister and smiles. "I know."
Inside the envelope given to Jaerian the day before, was one last clause that needed to be fulfilled so that this whole matter could be settled once and for all. He might be the lord of the house in the eyes of the jury, but Eddard Leoneffel had stipulated something different for whoever was to replace him.
He certainly didn't imagine it would be Jaerian, for he suspected his father wouldn't be so vile as to do such a thing. No—he had written that last clause as a way to ensure that his wife would never be left alone, even when he was no longer there.
He had followed the orders of his father and father-in-law, of course, but if Ned had dared to write that clause, he had done so only to ensure the happiness of his beloved Cat.
And he obviously didn't write it expecting this obligation to fall into Robeyn's hands either. It was as if Ned himself had sensed that his son's rule would be short-lived.
He certainly never imagined his son would inherit such an obligation to his half-brother.
Damn—he was in a real bind.
Jaerian clears his throat and says, "I'd better get my bags upstairs in the meantime."
The girls nod and look at each other.
"She has been very restless, more than usual," Milliscent says. "Tell me, Jaerian, do you happen to know what is that she wants to talk to you about?"
Oh, he suspected what Lady Leoneffel wanted to talk to him about. He, too, was upset and worried about that last clause. If he refused to comply, and if Lady Leoneffel refused to cooperate... then, what would they do? If anyone else were to find out about that clause, they would think the worst of the former Leoneffel lords.
"I'm afraid I don't know, Milliscent," Jaerian says, averting his gaze. "I am tired; it was a long trip. I'll go rest first, and then... I'll go talk to her."
The girls share another look but add nothing more. He's the new lord and master there; if he wanted to keep Lady Leoneffel waiting, there was no one who could do anything about it.
His word was law there now.
────────────
Adelisa suspects Jaerian will take his time before confronting her.
She couldn't blame him at all; she herself refused to continue this charade too.
She closes her chamber door and turns the key on the inside, so she can be alone. Over her shoulder, she looks at the door that separates the two rooms and frowns. On the other side, she can hear Jaerian giving orders and shuffling furniture around as he pleases.
Adelisa squeezes her eyes shut. Damn him. It was his first day there, and he was already changing everything his... father had done in that room. Their room.
Enough. It would be best to stop thinking about it and focus on the more immediate problems at hand.
She walks to her bed and sits on the edge. Fearfully, she slides her hand under her pillow and takes the letter inside the envelope.
Before opening it, she looks over her shoulder again, as if the door would open and Jaerian Leoneffel would suddenly walk through.
She feels a dizzy feeling in her stomach.
She opens the letter again, as if expecting its contents to suddenly change.
"My beloved Cat."
She feels as if she's been struck in the chest, just above her heart. She was sure Ned had written that letter so she could be protected, but this was still ridiculous.
"If you're reading this letter, then it means neither I nor Robeyn are by your side anymore."
She pauses to bring her hand to her mouth, to stifle a sob.
He had always been one step ahead; he had always been right.
"I wrote this letter the very day after our child was born, at your father's request. Mine also had a lot to do with it, by the way. These clauses are theirs; I am merely following orders. I wish our future children to enjoy full lives, so I am willing to go through with this.
I don't know how much time has passed, but I know that you will be lonely and sad, and I do not wish that for you."
He then proceeded to tell her for the next two pages how much he loved her and how worried he was that she would be alone in the future.
She had no desire to cry again at that moment, so Adelisa skipped to the last part of the letter, where the crux of the matter lay.
"I know your character and know this will be difficult for you to accept, but I ask you to trust me, for I know that our son will not choose an unsuitable heir to care for you. In fact, as I stipulated in another letter, this new Lord Leoneffel is currently writing his own letter to leave to his immediate heir, which will be delivered should this new Lord Leoneffel die."
She can't help but shudder at that thought. Jaerian Ragnark, lying in the Ragnark, surrounded by his own blood. Dead.
Adelisa looked down and continued reading.
"It must be this way until your last day.
I know you must think I have lost my mind, but I know you, and I know you would stubbornly remain alone for the rest of your life, and you don't deserve that, Cat. You deserve to be loved properly, just as I love you now.
The judge is aware of everything and knows that this last clause must be fulfilled quickly. Otherwise, your sister will take your share of the inheritance, and a new Lord Leoneffel will have to be chosen.
I ignore what our parents thought about all this, but from what I have learned, it has always been this way.
You can refuse, of course, but I know you won't, for you love our family above all else.
I have stipulated that none of our children shall comply with this."
Our children, she thinks with disdain, as she listens to Jaerian speaking in the next room.
But if it was yours alone, it would be possible, right, Ned?
"You must invite the new Lord Leoneffel to your bed and lie with him at least once. After that, contact the judge and everything will be settled. You can leave him or stay—you can do anything, because our family will be safe. After that night, you won't have to fear for your safety again, Cat.
And I don't want your bed to be cold. Give the new Lord Leoneffel a chance. Maybe he'll help you warm up a little."
She drops the letter, unable to continue reading. She tucks it back under her pillow and lies back in bed, drawing the canopy curtains to prevent the setting sun's rays from hurting her any further.
She could understand that Ned had done it because he didn't want her to be alone forever, but... Jaerian Ragnark? Really? Wasn't there another clause stipulating that his bastards couldn't inherit?
She felt confused and dejected.
Why couldn't it be anyone else?
True, Ned passed two years ago, and since then she had lain alone and sad in her cold bed. She certainly needed a little warmth. She was still young; a little passion wouldn't hurt. But the fact that she had to lay with Jaerian made it all sick and strange.
She frowns and closes her eyes. Her chest heaves.
On the other side of the door, Jaerian is commanding about changing the tapestry or something.
Adelisa's hand moves down her heaving belly and slips beneath her dress. It's so warm in there. Two fingers slide in all the way to the root. Ah. It's been so long since someone's been in there.
She wasn't going to deny that Jaerian had grown into a handsome man.
He was tall, and his hair already fell below his shoulders, as it once had with his father.
She gasps. She was so wet and needy. Suddenly, her fingers aren't enough.
"Yes, that will be all, thank you," Jaerian says on the other side of the door, in his own room.
Then she hears Jaerian's door close, leaving him alone.
Adelisa stops her fingers from moving to hear what he's doing in the other room. She can hear his footsteps and imagines him walking to sit on his new bed.
She imagines that in his silence, he had opened his letter again. Forcing him to crawl into his archenemy's bed. She imagines him re-reading it with a frown.
But Adelisa's imagination doesn't stop there—she imagines the young man rising, determined to keep his word, and opening the door. She imagines him entering and, without a word, approaching her bed, lifting the canopy curtain and finding her with her fingers still buried in her cunt.
She also imagines him smirking, stripping off his clothes and getting into bed with her. She imagines him strong and virile beside her; his cock large and hard, eager to bury itself inside her.
Adelisa continues moving her fingers as she imagines being fucked by this young man she hates. She shudders at how much this fantasy turns her on; how much she longs to be filled again; how much she wants to be fucked again.
────────────
Neither Adelisa nor Jaerian had any desire to hold a private meeting, so they both remain in their respective chambers until dinnertime arrives.
They both sit at the head of the table, separated by a long row of chairs, where the remaining surviving Leoneffel children are sat. Above, on the walls, as if in a dark joke, are portraits of both Ned and Robeyn, watching the entire dining room and its guests.
It felt like standing in the middle of a battlefield, waiting for one of them to dare to launch the first attack.
The rest of the Leoneffel children looked at each other and then at the couple, who exchanged furtive glances filled with... what was that? Anger? That was what they thought, but those two... Adelisa and Jaerian...
It was lust and ill-disguised desire.
They were both the same. They hated this agreement, and at the same time, they couldn't wait for the dinner to be over and comply with that last clause.
Her and Ned's parents had planned this, anticipating fate, knowing that any improbability could happen. And there they were... a table separating them, two bodies desperately longing to unite.
Adelisa brought the wineglass to her lips, looking away. She could feel Milliscent's worried gaze on her, so she responds with a reassuring smile.
Milliscent forces a smile too, as if she didn't buy hers.
Good heavens, Adelisa thinks as she brings the wineglass back to her lips. I must calm down. What if Milliscent notices a change in me? Wouldn't she think I've lost my mind?
Whatever she had planned to do that night was certainly lacking in judgment.
Mira had always been closer to her half-brother, and now they were talking about mundane things like getting a new video game console or some other method to prevent Bran from continuing to seek amusement by climbing trees or the house.
Adelisa feels too restless to scold her daughter for joining the enemy, or even to argue with Jaerian. She feels too nervous, too uneasy.
She longed for the time when she could disappear into her room, but at the same time she dreaded doing so.
In the eyes of her family and legal guardians, the whole matter was settled, but there were too many people in that world who knew about that last clause, and they could jeopardize her and her children's future. And that was something Adelisa wasn't willing to accept.
"Are you feeling ill, Mother?" Milliscent asked, genuinely concerned. "You've barely touched your dinner."
She had certainly lost her appetite.
Adelisa forces a smile, seeing that all her children—including Mira—had turned to look at her. Even Jaerian was looking in her direction.
She held his gaze for a few moments before turning to Milliscent and saying in a very confident voice, "I feel well, but I'm not hungry tonight."
Milliscent nods and lowers her gaze, incredulous.
But then again, she and all her siblings knew how their mother felt about Jaerian Ragnark now being the new lord of those lands, so it was understandable that her body was protesting.
The most sensible thing to do would be to let her rest.
Adelisa stands and throws her handkerchief onto the table. Etiquette dictated that she should ask the new lord's permission to leave the table, but she wouldn't do that even if her life depended on it. It had never been necessary with Ned or Robeyn, nor with her father, and she didn't plan to do it with this bastard.
"Mother, would you like to talk or—" Milliscent suggests, looking at her with concern. "I could come up to your room for a chat if you'd like."
Adelisa shakes her head. "Tomorrow, my love. Now..." she said, looking up at Jaerian. "I feel ill tonight."
All her children nod and wait in silence.
Without further farewells, she walks towards the door, and just as Adelisa passes Jaerian, he says, "Sweet dreams, Lady Leoneffel."
Her eyes widen as she reaches for the doorknob. Damn you,she thinks with disdain. Damn. You.Adelisa opens the door and leaves without answering.
────────────
He was making fun of her, in front of her children!
"Sweet dreams, Lady Leoneffel?" She mimics furiously as she climbs the stairs. That bastard. Had he lost his mind?
Damn him. Damn him a thousand times over!
She locks herself in her room with a loud slam of the door, as if wanting Jaerian to hear while he enjoyed his dinner. The next thing she did was drag a chair to the door separating their two rooms, and places it under the doorknob to prevent it from being opened from the other side.
Clause or not, this would be done her way! She wouldn't allow that insolent boy to revel in her misfortune! She was still Lady Leoneffel, despite everything!
She noticed that the fireplace, which hadn't been used for years, was lit for her now. Adelisa raised an eyebrow, but ignored it, sensing that her housekeeper must have taken care of this.
She undressed and stepped into the shower, turning on the cold water, to see if that would calm the heat in her body. This was even dangerous—she felt her entire body trembling. Damn him. She was fed up. Hadn't she suffered enough already?
The cold shower did little to calm her wandering thoughts. When she's done, she wraps in her nightgown and walks to the window. In the distance, she could see the lightning coming toward them. It was going to rain all night; a thunderstorm had even been forecast that morning. She opened a crack in the window, and the cold wind seeped into the room, making her shiver and filling everything with the smell of rain.
A nearby door closed. She looks over her shoulder at the door that divided their rooms, and waited silently, hoping to hear Jaerian's movements on the other side.
A crash of thunder is heard at that instant. Adelisa decides to close the window completely, using the curtains to keep out the storm.
Footsteps are heard in the next room. All this time, Adelisa has been holding her breath, her heart beating frantically.
She flinches when she notices the doorknob moving.
"Lady Leoneffel," a man says quietly on the other side. " Adelisa."
She gasps and walks quickly to the door. There, she says in a fierce voice, "I forbid your filthy mouth to speak my name!"
How dare he call her by her name? Did he not have manners?
Jaerian chuckles and says, "All right, Lady Leoneffel.I suspect you read the final clause that was handed to us yesterday."
It takes her a few seconds to respond. "I did, so what?"
"So what?" he mimics. "Well, it's something that must be done."
Adelisa grimaces. "And if I refuse?"
She already knew what would happen if she refused, but she was trying to see how much that boy knew.
"I suspect you already know what would happen if you refuse. We would both lose, and while I know my misfortune would please you greatly, I know you wouldn't enjoy seeing your children suffer because of us."
There it is; he'd hit the nail on the head.
She sighs, tired.
"I'm not exactly keen on doing this either, you know?" he says from the other side of the door. "But I know how to keep my word; I was taught to do so from a young age."
Ned, she thinks, and knows he has thought the same thing.
"This doesn't have to be awkward," Jaerian says. "We can enjoy it. I know how to please a woman."
Adelisa shudders in response. Damned brat, what the hell are you talking about?
"If you open this door, I—"
"It's early; my children are still awake."
Jaerian waits silently.
"Try this door again later, kid. Maybe you'll get lucky then."
A chuckle comes from the other side, but Jaerian doesn't add anything else. He simply turns away, and his steps move away from the door.
Adelisa sighs again and puts a hand to her chest, where her heart was beating rapidly.
Later. She had bought herself time. But would it be enough?
A few hours later, as the storm descended upon Kreevaria, Adelisa sat on the windowsill, to watch the rain fall. On this night, this vision didn't have the relaxing effect it had previously had on her body. She was so tense that nothing could soothe that feeling. She felt as if time were running out. It felt like her wedding night again.
No, how could she compare that wonderful night with...this?
It was almost eleven at night, so her children must all be asleep by then. If Milliscent was still chatting on the phone with her friends, Adelisa doubted she would be visiting her later that night.
No one would interrupt them.
There was no escape.
Letting out another sigh, and ready to take matters into her own hands, she stands up and walks to the door that separates the two rooms. She pushes back her chair, careful not to make a sound, and then returned to her bed.
She sits on the edge of the bed and runs her fingers through her hair, like a brush, while staring abstinently at the fire. Thunder crackled nearby, and she pressed her lips into a firm line, sweat dripping down her neck.
Her stomach dropped when she heard the doorknob turning behind her.
Jaerian.
The door opened and closed with a soft click. He was inside.
She swallows and waits for Jaerian to start walking into the room. A wolf treading softly in the Ragnark, stalking its prey.
His footsteps are drowned out by the sound of thunder or the rain that insistently falls around them.
"This needn't be terrible," Jaerian says.
Again, with that. Adelisa tears her gaze from the fire and turns to the intruder. He was dressed only in his robe; his dark, long hair tied back in a lose ponytail. He reminded her of Mira in a way that sickened and hurt her. It was impossible to deny the presence of Leoneffel blood in this boy.
Twenty years old, he was. Just as old as Robeyn would have been that year, if that car accident hadn't taken him.
Twenty years old, barely a child. And she was almost in her late thirties—everything about this felt so terribly unfair. Why did she have to go along with this twisted plan? Why should this boy have to become Lord Leoneffel in this way?
"It's something that must be done," she replies, after another crash of thunder has struck. "It matters not if it's terrible or not."
Jaerian walks over to her and sits beside her.
She startles as if his closeness burns her. They weren't even touching, but his presence was such that it seemed so.
She shudders.
"I won't force you; I am not that kind of monster. My father didn't—"
"Shut up!" she snarls, turning her teary eyes to him. "Don't—Do not dare speak of him!"
Jaerian raises his hands in surrender and looks away. "My words were foolish; I am sorry." His eyes scan the room. When he lived there as a child, he was never allowed near those rooms. His movements in the house were limited, as if he were someone of lesser rank than the stable boy, and not the lord's bastard son. "But as you well know, this can happen very quickly. If you close your eyes, you might imagine I'm someone else."
Enough, she thinks. Stupid boy. How come this seemed so easy for him? Ned would be incapable of doing something like this—he would have preferred to die again before fulfilling this terrible clause.
"You could cover your eyes while I do the rest."
It felt so wrong, so sinful to even imagine it. She couldn't help but find traces of Ned in this boy's mannerisms, and she hadn't slept with anyone other than her husband.
Would it feel the same? Would it feel like when Ned made love to her?
Gods, please make me stop thinking about Ned.
Ned himself was the one who wrote and signed that letter, yes, but he was only following orders, and besides, he thought that in the future, the new Lord Leoneffel would be someone different, someone estranged from his family.
If poor Ned had found out that his letter had fallen into the hands of his bastard son, then he would die of grief again.
Even doing this with Littlefinger would be less nauseating.
Jaerian stands and walks to the dressing table. It was still empty from disuse, but above it were some strips of cloth that had been used as a decoration on the dress Adelisa wore that night at dinner. He had noticed it. Jaerian paid attention to everything.
"You could cover your eyes with this," he says, taking the piece of cloth in one hand and showing it to her.
Adelisa looks away and turns her back on him, walking toward the window instead. She opens the curtains a crack to look out, but the steel curtain falling from the sky was so thick and intense that she couldn't see anything beyond a couple of meters. The storm had intensified, and she had no escape.
She hears footsteps approaching behind her.
Jaerian shows her the fabric again, and she looks down. Her eyes widen at the Leoneffel contrast between the pale skin of his hand and the deep wine-red colour of the piece of cloth.
Jaerian's lips were close to her ear. He had grown to be very tall; he would surely have towered over his father.
"May I?" he asks.
His breath also bore the faint ghost of the wine from dinner, and he had a hoarseness she hadn't noticed until that moment.
She swallows again and looks out the window, refusing to answer him.
If I don't do something about it, she thinks . I'll eventually give in.
And that terrified her.
She had no way out of this problem, but she could buy herself some time.
"At least try," Jaerian insists. "If you don't like it, you can just take it off. And if you want me to stop, I will."
They weren't just talking about blindfolds anymore, were they?
"You talk as if I had a choice," she says finally. "We could lie. We could simply call the judge tomorrow and assure him that we've fulfilled this clause, but I don't see you very interested in that."
"My father wouldn't have lied."
She feels anger rising again in her stomach. "You are not your father. You will never be."
"I know."
His reluctance to lie was driving her mad. What was going on? Did he really want to do this?!
"I want to do this," he says aloud, as if he's heard her thoughts. "Besides, I don't like lying."
Her eyes widen.
"I don't know why, but ever since I read that letter, I haven't been able to stop imagining myself in your bed." She shudders. "Between your legs, inside you."
"Shut up."
He chuckles in her ear, making her red hair flutter. "I admit I was shocked at first. I didn't expect to have to do something like this either... at least not so soon."
Adelisa frowns and looks over her shoulder at him. He was so close, their faces almost collide.
She rises an eyebrow. "Elaborate."
Jaerian shrugs. "I knew my father's old chamber was next to one that was empty, as he used to sleep with his wife. When I learned I would be the new Lord Leoneffel, I thought it would be fun to kick you out of your room and that you'd end up occupying the one next door."
She bares her teeth at him like an angry kitten.
His eyes were so dark that night.
"I knew it would be difficult, but because of your loneliness and our closeness, I thought that... perhaps one day you would still end up in my bed."
"You, bloody bastard," she whispers, anger in her eyes.
Jaerian neither laughs nor smiles. His eyes are fixed on hers, dark in the night as well.
"As it turns out, my wish will be granted on my first night as lord of this house, Lady Leoneffel."
"I do not—"
"As the letter states, I am the new Lord Leoneffel, and it is my duty to care for my Lady Leoneffel, to ensure that she lacks nothing, that she is well, in every way."
Adelisa frowns and looks away.
Jaerian's lips press against her ear. "You have been lying in an empty bed for two years, Lady Leoneffel. Allow me to end this tonight. Allow me to please you."
She shudders in response. Lightning strikes nearby and suddenly, all the lights go out.
The thunder that follows is terrifying.
In that room, the only thing keeping it lit is the glow of the flames in the fireplace.
"My father used to see signs of the gods in everything he did," Jaerian whispers in her ear.
Adelisa squeezes her eyes shut. She was aware of that.
"I'm not much of a believer myself, I admit; but it seems they've accepted me as the new lord of this house."
She hisses in the darkness. "Enough!"
Still, Jaerian continues, "I like to think they cast this bolt to plunge us into darkness, to make it easier for you."
She swallows.
"They seem to bless this... union, Lady Leoneffel. Now, may I blindfold you? It will be easy; just lie down on your bed and spread your legs—"
"Why would I need advice from a boy like you?" she snarls, turning to look at him. She was married for almost two decades. "Do it now and let's get this over with! The sooner this is over, the sooner you'll be back in your room, away from me!"
He pulls away slightly and nods. He looks at the piece of cloth in his hands and asks again, "Then, may I?"
Was there any other option? She had no choice!
Adelisa inhales, then exhales. She closes her eyes and turns her back on him. "Do it now."
Bossy, he thinks.
Jaerian folds the cloth so that it covers only Adelisa's eyes, as if by some miracle she'll pull it down whenever she wants. He purposefully brushes his fingertips against her soft skin, as he ties the blindfold.
Adelisa spends a few seconds getting used to having one of her senses muted. She opens her ears to the distant thunder and the man's breathing behind her.
"May I begin?" Jaerian asks in her ear.
"Do not kiss me," she warns him.
Jaerian raises an eyebrow.
Adelisa insists, "Only he could kiss me, and he is gone. Do what you want with my body tonight, but do not kiss me. I'll throw you out of my bed if you do, regardless of whether this could break that damn clause."
No kissing? Good; it sounded fair.
"All right," he says.
She's about to turn when she feels his hands on her hips. She flinches and he stops. Her breathing becomes ragged, and he says in her ear, "Relax. I won't hurt you."
She places her hands on the windowsill and nods. She trusted his damn word, but it still felt weird in the end.
She had been a terrible person to him since he was a child; he had every right to use this night as an opportunity to get even with her.
Jaerian's hands move up, running over her clothes, to her breasts. She gasps as he cups them in his hands. Then he squeezes them lightly, tracing the hardness of her nipples through the fabric.
"You're not wearing anything under your nightgown, Lady Leoneffel?" he asks in her ear, his voice husky. Adelisa cannot see him, but he licks his lips. "Do you sleep like this every night, or is it just because of me?"
Because of you? Yes...
She shakes her head and blurts out, "Don't be silly—you stupid bastard."
A chuckle. Jaerian finds all this forced violence amusing. How far would she go to avoid admitting that she was aroused as well?
"You don't need to pretend," he tells her, gently pressing the bulge in his crotch against her buttocks. He had also decided to go naked under his nightgown to make this all that much easier. This way, despite the two layers of fabric separating them, she could easily tell how hard he was for her. "I won't deny that I want you."
She frowns. She could tell.
"I can't wait to fuck you."
She whispers, "Just do it."
He lets go of her breasts, and his hands roam freely her body again; one of then shamelessly sliding under her nightgown.
"What?!" she gasps as she feels his fingertips caressing her wet folds, eagerly searching for her clit. "Ah."
"Easy, baby," he whispers in his ear. "I'll be good."
Baby?!
Adelisa licks her lips. This felt so, so good. It had been so long since someone had touched her like this. Even during their last years together—when Ned's work had become more intense—there was a time when he spent long periods away from home, away from his bed, away from her.
Adelisa could hardly remember the last time she felt such pleasure.
"You're so wet," Jaerian says, as he slides a couple of fingers inside. "I see you want me as much as I want you."
She refuses to respond with words, but from the way her breathing had changed, it was clear how much she liked this.
"Ah."
This was wrong. She shouldn't feel this way... she shouldn't like this so much.
Gods, help me, she thinks, and drops her head back onto Jaerian's shoulder.
"Ah, oh my—"
Fuck it all. More, Jaerian.
Adelisa parts her legs slightly to give his hand better access.
Fuck. She was so wet that Jaerian's entire hand was soaked as well.
It would be too easy to take his hard cock like this. More. She couldn't wait. Please.
Adelisa lets out a moan that is drowned by a crash of thunder.
Jaerian sees this as an indication that it's time to change strategy.
Her legs are very weak, and he lifts her easily. She doesn't even protest or resist. What she wants most is to be carried to this new bed.
She needed him inside her so bad—she was going mad. She needed him now, hard and thick, buried inside her.
Adelisa lands softly on her bed and bites her lips to keep from protesting the absence of his hands on her body.
He was unmaking the bed to make things easier for them. Why did her body act as if these few seconds without his touch were the end of the world?
Suddenly all those clothes were uncomfortable; the blindfold was a nuisance too; she wanted to see that man when he buried himself inside her; she wanted to see the expression on his young face when he came.
But pride was stronger than desire, at least for now. So she waited silently, the blindfold in place.
She hears the rustle of fabric and senses that Jaerian has undressed.
She gently bites her lip again, imagining what his naked body would look like. The rest of it should be just as thick and muscular as his arms, because oh, she'd observed the shape and strength of those biceps well and—
"Do you want to take off your nightgown too?" he asks.
Too?Oh, so he was naked now.
Adelisa shakes her head. "I'll do it." She wouldn't give him that pleasure. She raises her hands and deftly undoes the ties holding the fabric in place. She tosses it to the floor, along with the rest.
She leans back on her pillow, placing both hands above her head and slightly parting her legs, offering him her wet entrance.
Now—just come in already.
Unbeknownst to her, Jaerian raises his eyebrows at the wonderful sight before him. His mouth was watering. She looked like a delight.
And he was going to take his time.
It would be too boring to go straight to the point, wouldn't it? The night was young, and she, appetizing.
Jaerian takes advantage of the wide bed and climbs into it, strategically placing his face between her legs. The scent was intense and mouthwatering. She was so aroused, and the smell of her passion already filled the entire room. It was incredible.
He wasn't going to say he'd always desired her, because he hadn't.
"What the hell are you doing? Jaerian!"
Jaerian.
He inhaled a little more of her scent before giving her his first lick.
Adelisa shuddered all over.
She was so, so wet. Jaerian placed a kiss on her wetness before beginning to lick her intensely. She had asked him not to kiss her, but that only applied to her mouth, right?
Jaerian sucked on her clit, making her moan in response.
"This doesn't count as a kiss, does it, Lady Leoneffel?"
Adelisa opened her mouth in an inarticulate moan. "You... fool," she blurted. Damn you!
She buried a hand in Jaerian's hair. Did he let his hair down too?
Jaerian parted her folds with a couple of fingers and entered her with his tongue. She was exquisite; he couldn't have enough of her until he devoured her whole. "Is it okay if I eat your cunt first?"
"Ah, you idiot! Ah!"
A chuckle, and then, more.
" Yes."
She uses her free hand to lift her blindfold up, to catch a glimpse of Jaerian's mouth buried in her: his eyes fixed on his task; his tongue and fingers still moving.
Fuck. This wasn't enough—she needed his cock.
"Ah!" Her body begins to shudder uncontrollably. It's been so long since she's felt such an intense orgasm. She readjusts the blindfold just before he rises his gaze. He's done.
Agitated, Adelisa collapses onto her pillow, her thRobeyning entrance begging for his attention.
Her legs were tired. She wasn't an old woman, but this had made her feel like she was in the prime of her life again. She hadn't felt this alive in years.
And this was just the beginning.
According to the clause, intercourse was required for the deal to be settled.
But nothing Jaerian had done to her had been necessary. He could have simply entered her and end this quickly, but instead, he was behaving like the best lover she could have asked for.
She was in cloud nine. She could barely wait for him to continue.
His breathing had also become as laboured as hers.
"Give me one of your hands," Jaerian asks.
She obeys before her judgment tells her not to.
He guides her to his hard, swollen cock. It's his lucky day; Adelisa closes her hand around it, revelling in how hard and hot it was.
"Does this please you?" he asks in a shaky voice. "Do you like it?"
She swallows and nods.
He smiles shyly, but Adelisa doesn't see him. She only hears him say, "I want you to suck me off."
She lets go of his cock as if it had burned her.
"Listen, you don't have to take it all in your mouth, but you could at least lick and suck the tip."
It had been many years since she had attempted to give someone a blowjob.
At first, when she was younger, the mere thought of doing it had repulsed her—but as time passed, she fell in love with Ned and realized how much she loved to please her husband this way. He was very attentive to her, so she liked to return the favour when necessary.
But Jaerian wasn't her husband; she didn't want him to be.
However, with this cock before her— gods—she could overlook that small detail and take a taste.
She shifts on the bed, so that in the darkness she could be even to his cock. He was kneeling on the bed, and when she found him, he tenderly cradled her head in his hand, guiding her mouth where he needed her.
Adelisa takes his cock in one hand and inserts the tip into her mouth.
"Ah," he blurts out.
The salty taste of his precum awakens her senses. She wanted more, so she began to suck on the tip and lick the rest of his length.
Damn it—how had she given in so easily? Now she couldn't continue feigning indifference to this brat, not when this was so good.
It was incredible. She wished she could take it all the way in; her lips kissing the firm surface where the dark hair grew. If only.
"Ah, babe, stop it," he says suddenly. "I'll cum if you keep going."
She collapses back onto her pillow in silence. Wow. She licks her lips and waits for him to come back to her.
Which happens fairly quickly; it seemed as if he couldn't wait any longer either.
She needed him inside her—she was about to beg him to fuck her.
The mattress sagged with the increase in his weight on top of her. Adelisa parts her legs in response.
Jaerian places his face in her neck and asks in her ear, "Is your no-kissing policy limited to your mouth, or… can I kiss your neck?"
"Oh?"
Jaerian shrugs. "I understand that you don't want my lips touching yours, but... I'd really like to kiss your body and suck on your skin a little."
Adelisa swallows and says, "Just... don't touch my lips."
A twinkle appears in Jaerian's eyes. "Okay," he says, leaning down to kiss the skin of her neck, leaving hickeys where clothing would hide them.
Adelisa shudders. It has been so long since anyone has loved her like this. She felt so young and aroused.
When she feels she can't take any more, Adelisa tugs at his hair and says, "Enough."
Jaerian chuckles, and he agrees. "I think it's time for us to... consummate this."
She frowns. "Fool; don't use that word. I am not your wife."
True, he thinks, revelling in the state he has left Adelisa's body in. But it seems that way.
"Still, I'm going to fuck you like you were."
Gods, she thinks, licking her lips. She couldn't wait.
"J-just do it!"
A very intense thunderclap is heard. Jaerian parts her legs and sinks inside with a clean thrust.
She moans as she feels his hardness inside her. Maybe it was lack of habit, or dilation, but she was so tight.
Or maybe his cock was huge.
She was so wet that it had helped, but still, what the fuck?!
Adelisa places her hands above her head, to avoid clutching to his shoulders as he thrusted inside her.
Hard and thick. Perfect.
She begins to moan without delay. Fuck.
"Ah, ah!"
If only she could have this man in her bed every night...
"Ah, J-Jaerian."
She frowns at this thought. What the hell was she thinking?
It is what Ned would have wanted, her conscience reminds her. To have a man to fuck her as she deserved in his absence. That's why he wrote this clause.
That's why you have this man inside you right now.
"Ah, yes," she blurts and closes her eyes. "Oh, my—Jaerian!"
With the movement of each of his thrusts, he's caused the knot of her blindfold to come loose and finally fall off.
She throws it high in the air to the floor. "I need to see you."
She clings to Jaerian's arms without hesitation, and he half smiles as he continues to thrust into her.
His entire face is bathed in sweat, and his unruly hair darkened his gaze. His brow furrows, and a curse escapes his lips.
He was so close. He couldn't hold on any longer.
Despite her grip on his shoulders, Jaerian frees himself from her grasp and pulls out, spilling into her heaving belly.
Adelisa's eyes widen, as if she couldn't believe it.
Jaerian lets out a long gasp and slumps to the side.
He... oh, why the hell was she so upset that he had come outside?
Did she want him inside? Had she lost her mind?!
Adelisa can't say anything. They sink into a shared silence.
They both lie there until they catch their breath minutes later. The storm is still raging outside, as lively as it had been an hour ago, and the logs in the fireplace are slowly turning to glowing embers.
All is peaceful. She feels satisfied and even a little content.
Gods. What have I become? Why do I want more?
She feels Jaerian's warm, white seed slide down her belly, burying itself between her legs, where it belonged.
Then he stands up, intending to search for his clothes in the darkness.
"Hey, Ragnark," she says.
Jaerian looks at her as he puts on his robes, one eyebrow raised.
Adelisa flips her red hair over her shoulder, and the faint glow of the dying fire helps him see the marks his mouth left on her breasts a moment ago. She looks at his semi-rigid cock. "Who said you can leave?"
Jaerian's eyebrow continues to rise. He smirks.
Ragnark. Apparently, he will have to earn his title the hard way.