𝔄𝔏𝔘ℭ𝔄ℜ𝔇

Of course, he picked Jasmine.

Sienna looked back to him, seeing her husband this close was a sight. The way his eyes were soft, the mess of his hair from her fingers running through it. To the litter of love bites and claw marks on his skin. And the musk, it was intoxicating.

"I love it...our way to defend each other dorm the world. Us together...no one will harm us." She whispers softly. She turns her face as she leans into him. Sienna had a second as she brushed her lips with his, their noses pressed together firmly as she deepens the kiss.

The way her hand still woven with his squeezed, tugging her husband back to his spot of curling over her. The firmness of his chest to her back and shoulder.

A gentle gasp leaves her as their tongues dance, sealing the vow of this plan they've crafted.

"It's simply...perfect. Just as you are my love... I think we'll be a force to reckon with once we rule." She whispers out between the kisses. Her eyes flutter shut, lashes firmly together as she hums.

A pant leaves her as she almost fully turned around and was prepared to pin her husband into the fur rug beneath him.

But mid turn- the door was knocked on. Her eyes shimmer as she was slowly over her Alucard. Such a position to get caught in as their meals arrive.

Slowly she looks down. Her curls had framed over him, the two of them within this halo of love and lust.

"... Should we stay like this? Cause a bit ruckus... I think they'll be flustered to see the two of us trying to go again, I think the gossip will be joyful for the staff. Right my love?" She whispers out.

"My love, you are a brilliant, terrible, wonderful woman. And I adore you."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, tangling his hand in her hair and pulling her down for a deep, dominating kiss, a declaration to whoever was on the other side of their door that they were interrupting something far more important than dinner. "Come in," he called out, his voice clear and steady. He didn't break the kiss, his other hand sliding down her back to cup her rear, pulling her flush against him in a way that was unmistakably intimate.

The door creaked open, and a young, flustered maid entered, her eyes wide with shock. She was followed by two footmen carrying a large tray, their eyes fixed on the floor, their faces flushed a deep crimson. The maid let out a small, squeaking gasp, her hand flying to her mouth.

Alucard finally broke the kiss, turning his head to look at the servants, his expression one of lazy, possessive authority. He didn't move to cover Sienna, or himself. He simply held her gaze, a silent challenge in his eyes. "Ah, excellent," he said, his voice a low, purr. "Just in time. We've worked up quite an appetite." He gently nudged Sienna, a silent command for her to play along. "Haven't we, my dear?"

He watched the maid, who looked like she might faint at any moment, and the footmen, who were trying desperately to become one with the floorboards. He couldn't help but feel a surge of pure, unadulterated mischief. He was the Duke of the Northern Marches, a war hero, and the husband of the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. If they wanted a scandal, he would give them a story they would be telling for generations.

Her hand reached for his, gently tugging him along as she pulls him forth. Her courage was coarsing through her veins as she quickly drags Alucard along.

And thus, this shift in their connection grew. A simple tug, a confident young princess and her urge to be alone with the knight she wanted in her life- something that bloomed so slowly from the beginning of the year.

As they were tucked away in the alcove, the dust of supplies reached their noses. She gently looks back, not minding her manners for a moment.

"Show me then where you got hurt.... I wish to gift my knight with the simple gesture of tending to your wound. It's the least I can do..."

He turned to face her, their proximity suddenly intimate in the confined space. "Here," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. He carefully rolled up the right sleeve of his training tunic, revealing a constellation of bruises already darkening his forearm. "And here," he added, lifting his shirt slightly to show another purpling mark on his ribs.

The air between them grew thick with unspoken words as Sienna's fingers gently traced the edge of one bruise. Her touch was feather-light, yet it sent shivers through him that had nothing to do with pain. He watched her face. He saw the mix of concern and something else—something that mirrored the longing building in his own chest.

"The wooden swords are heavy," he explained, his voice husky. "And Sir Marcus believes pain is the best teacher."

As she reached for a small jar of salve on a nearby shelf, Alucard found himself mesmerized by the way the light caught the pearls in her hair, by the determination in her eyes. This was more than just tending to wounds; this was a moment of connection that transcended their stations, a stolen intimacy that thrilled and terrified him.

When her fingers returned to his skin, cool with the healing ointment, he had to suppress a gasp—not from pain, but from the sheer intensity of her touch. In this dusty alcove, with the princess of the realm tending his bruises, Alucard felt more alive than he had during the entire training session.

The way their fingers wove together like one. Her left hand in his as she smiles softly, her wedding band shined. Pure gold, to fit her skin tone. His fingers, a bit longer then hers, but they fit so well. As if he was made for her, body and soul. Her curls rested around them as she was at peace.

The fur was comfortable. The fire kept the ocean breeze at bay. The hint of oak and mahogany reached her nose.

"I'm warm enough, with you by my side." She whispers like the wind.

His voice, a gentle reminder of his promise to her. To protect her always, to be by her side. As a knight, as her husband and her shield.

A smile paints her lips once again. As if today was filled with nothing but just that.

"...We can make a signal and a word. Depending on the situation I suppose? Like if at an event, I don't feel comfortable to speak. I can reach for your hand, have you ground me again..." She squeezed their hands for a moment. As if thinking this would work-

But as if, they've done this before. She'll have her knight escort her out of parties before. Reaching for his arm as he leads her out, since she was known for being clumsy.

"Mmmm what word should we use though? One that can be used easily but not to often I suppose?" She looks back, their noses brushed each other as she studied his face. The way his breath hit her skin, reminding her how alive they were in this moment.

"That's it," he murmured, his voice thick. "That's perfect. The hand. It's subtle, it's intimate. No one else will know, but we will. It will be our secret language." He pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder, his lips lingering against her warm skin. "And the word..."

He paused, his mind racing through possibilities. It needed to be something that could be said in public without raising suspicion, but that would carry the weight of a desperate plea between them. Something that was uniquely theirs.

He thought back to their stolen moments in the castle gardens, to the secret alcove surrounded by ancient rose bushes where their love first bloomed. He thought of the scent of the night-blooming jasmine that filled the air. A scent he would forever associate with her.

"Jasmine," he said softly, the word a reverent whisper. He leaned his head against hers, his eyes closing as he recalled the memory. "The night I left for the war. In the garden. Do you remember? The scent of the jasmine." He pulled back just enough to look at her, his mismatched eyes shining with a deep, abiding love. "It was the last thing I smelled before I left. The promise of what I was fighting to come home to. It's a word that's just for us. No one else will know its true meaning."

He tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer. "So, if you're at a ball, or a tedious court function, and you feel the walls closing in, you can just say something like, I do wish the gardens had more jasmine this time of year. And I will know. I will know that you need me, and I will move heaven and earth to get you out of there."

He smiled. "And if I am the one who is... struggling... with the ghosts... I will find you, and I will say, The air reminds me of jasmine tonight. And you will know that I need you to be my light, to pull me back from the darkness."

"I was merely... observing you earlier when I had the chance." She met his step with her own. That spark of mischief in his own eyes, it lure her in slowly.

Her skirt of her dress, sways with each moment as she made her way closer. Feeling the ease of this rebellion with him. It was improper, it was a sin, and yet he was so captivating.

He was polite; Alucard, when he first met her, looked right through her. Not seeing a princess, not the monarch to be. But merely someone of similar age to him, one who's world was surely different then his, but a girl who was dull to her day to day life. He brought a spark to her, one she hasn't seen nor felt before.

"You held your own well against three. I was impressed I won't lie. But even if I distract you, maybe that is something to work on. A bit better... don't you agree my knight to be?"

The tilt of her head as she smiles. That pretty smile, one of teasing. One he only saw.

"Impressed, were you?" he teased back. "Perhaps I should have Sir Marcus arrange for more frequent demonstrations then." He shifted his weight, the movement sending a dull ache through his ribs where he had taken several blows. "As for distractions..." His gaze drifted to her lips before meeting her eyes again. "That's a weakness I'm not sure any amount of training can remedy, Princess."

Her concern about his injuries touched something deep within him. He glanced down at his arms, where purple bruises were already forming beneath his sleeves. The wooden swords were heavy, and when wielded with force, they left their marks despite being blunted. "They're just bruises," he said, though his tone softened at her offer to help. "Nothing that won't fade in a few days."

But the thought of her tending to his wounds—of her gentle hands on his skin, even for a moment—was too tempting to dismiss entirely. He looked around the courtyard again, confirming their privacy before stepping closer, lowering his voice. "Though if you were to insist... there's a small alcove just beyond that archway where the healing supplies are kept. We could..." He hesitated, the weight of what he was suggesting settling in. "We could be quick. No one would need to know."

Being stuffed into a tight dress, one that showed off her growing figure. And it all felt so much. Especially the long sleeves in this weather. But she had to seem so modest.

The hair accessories- she almost yanked them out. The pearl nets over her hair. Keeping it tight and kept. It was a weight she detest.

Slowly she snuck out her room. Leaving her maidens as she wander off alone, her eyes full of exhaustion as she trail done the halls alone.

But she remembered- Alucard was done training. Her steps quicken as she made her way to find the knight in the making.

Eyes scanning as the trainees left, the steps echoed out as she slowly creeps behind the pillars that frame she courtyard.

Her eyes shimmer with glee as she found him. But her breath stills as he glanced to her balcony. Unaware, she was behind him not even a foot away.

"... Alucard..." She whispers out. Waving a hand for him to notice her. Surely they can't be caught alone. But she was developing this stupid crush- she had to see how it goes.

"Princess," he breathed, his voice rough from exertion. He quickly scanned the courtyard, ensuring no one else remained to witness their forbidden encounter. The last trainees had disappeared through the archway, leaving them momentarily alone in the dappled sunlight.

His eyes took in her appearance—the elaborate dress that must have been stifling in the heat, the pearl netting that contained her wild curls, the way her fingers nervously toyed with one of the embroidered cuffs. She looked every bit the royal princess she was, yet her eyes held the same mischievous spark he'd seen earlier from the balcony.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, though his tone held no reprimand. "If someone sees us..."

Alucard took a step closer, drawn to her despite the danger. The ache in his muscles faded in her presence, replaced by a different kind of awareness—the way her scent of lavender and royalty mingled with the dust and sweat of the training yard. He could see the faint blush still coloring her cheeks, and he wondered if she was thinking of the same moment he was—when their eyes had met across the distance, when he had been at his most vulnerable and she had been watching.

She gently ran her hands over his shoulders. Tracing circles on his skin as she hums.

But the stiffle laugh halts as he made his dramatic, very scandalous declaration of their need for food.

Her eyes met his, her fingers to her lips to still the giggles. But she was losing, her eyes squeezed shut as she laughs. The door shutting behind them as she throws her arms around his neck.

"I say...that was rather fun. I don't know how much fun they'll be having. Going about the misses and misters excitement, how deeply in love they are to even...when a child is due at this rate...." She tilts her head as she smiles. Knowing he was scared, but she was just as much. But this was their life now, and it was together.

"I say.... We sit by the fire pit? Maybe I can keep you sitting for a moment..." She tugs him by the loose trousers. Pulling him closer, her lips met his as they shared a kiss.

"I have no doubt they are already composing ballads about our legendary prowess," he rumbled, a low, amused chuckle vibrating in his chest. He scooped her into his arms, her laughter turning into a surprised squeal as he carried her effortlessly toward the crackling fire. "And as for the child... let them speculate. It will make the eventual announcement all the more satisfying."

He knelt before the hearth, the warmth of the fire a welcome heat on his skin. He settled her on the soft, thick rug in front of the flames, arranging her so she was leaning back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her, his chin resting on her shoulder. He pulled a heavy, fur throw over their laps, creating a cozy, intimate nest.

"Is this warm enough for you?" he murmured against her ear. He nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin just below her ear. "Because I have every intention of keeping you warm for the rest of our lives."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, watching the flames dance, the only sounds the crackle of the fire and the steady crash of the waves outside. It was a moment of pure peace, a stolen slice of normalcy in a life that had been anything but.

He gently took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He looked down at their joined hands, the contrast between his calloused, warrior's skin and her soft, delicate touch a stark, beautiful reminder of their union. "Sienna," he said softly, his voice serious but gentle. "When we are on this tour... promise me something."

He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Promise me that if it ever becomes too much. If the political games, the scrutiny, the constant pressure... promise me you will tell me. We can create a signal. A word. Anything. Just... promise you won't try to face it alone. That you will let me be your shield, even if it's just from your own thoughts for a little while."

He held her gaze, his mismatched eyes filled with a raw, unwavering sincerity. "I know I've been distant. Afraid. But I'm learning. I want to be the husband you deserve and the partner you need. Let me in, Sienna. All the way in. Let me carry this with you."

Her thin nightgown moved and eased as she slips out of her bed. Bright eyes looked around as she hops over to the balcony. Not caring about her modesty for a brief moment.

She had time before her handmaidens came, the way they would gasp at her indecent appearance.

Her doors burst open, looking out from the stone balcony as she peers down. The sounds of wooden swords hitting and the grunts and groans reached their ears as Sienna peers down.

A simple smile graced her lips, watching the newly assigned knight was practicing. And he was a sight to see, he was young of course. Just about her age and the drastic way their lives had changed in just the few month they've been together.

Especially as she was developing, this crush on the young knight.

The way she witnessed him getting bound and held. The way he let the air escape, then his sudden eyes meeting her's. A gentle blush crept to her cheeks. The way the sweat was beading down his forehead.

A squeak leaves her as she heard the door open. She tugs her gown around her as she looks back, leaning on the balcony as she heard the maidens tug her closer out the way.

Fussing over her about the immodest way she was dressed. And being scandalous watching the knights. Her laugh echos out into the courtyard below.

Soon she'll sneak off. Soon she'll watch him down below and see how he is in his training.

The sound of her laughter—light and carefree—drifted down to the training yard, cutting through the grunts of exertion and the rhythmic clack of wood against wood. Alucard's head snapped up at the sound, his breath catching in his throat despite the dull ache spreading through his ribs.

He caught a glimpse of her there, resplendent even in a simple nightgown, before she was pulled back from the balcony by her attendants. The brief vision of her unguarded beauty—curls tumbling freely around her shoulders, eyes bright with mischief—sent a warmth through his chest that momentarily eclipsed the physical discomfort of his training.

Sir Marcus noticed his distraction immediately. "Your focus belongs here, trainee," he barked, delivering a sharp tap to Alucard's shoulder with the wooden training sword. "Not with the princess in her chambers."

Alucard bit back a response, forcing his attention back to the drill. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks, knowing she had seen him in such a vulnerable position—held by two other trainees while their master demonstrated disabling techniques. Part of him felt shame at being witnessed in his moment of weakness; another part thrilled at the secret knowledge that she had been watching him, that she had risked propriety to do so.

As the training continued, his movements became more determined. Each block, each strike, each defensive maneuver was executed with renewed purpose. He wasn't just training to become a knight anymore; he was training to become someone worthy of the princess's attention, someone who could protect her from any threat.

When the session finally concluded and the other trainees dispersed, Alucard remained alone in the courtyard, stretching his sore muscles. He glanced once more toward the princess's balcony, wondering if she might return, if he might catch another glimpse of her before his duties called him elsewhere.

Walking back over, she stops at the edge of the bed as she gently tugs him closer. Her body stood between his legs as she knelt down slightly to kiss his forehead. Her arms wrapped over his shoulders as she pressed her loving husband closer. Her scent was still floral like and their mingled sweat etched over her skin.

"I do like that idea a bit more....just us in bed. Maybe we get to eat together, be one together again...and we can have a bath after our meal. I just wanna enjoy the remainder of this day with you Alucard."

Her body leans into his as she sighs. Slowly she lowers herself into his lap as she hums. Sitting on one of his legs as she folds her legs and propped them onto his other. Curling into him, her curls swayed around as it coats her back.

The chatter of the servants down the hall was heard as she smiles. "Should we toy with them...? I think me in a ill fitted gown asking for our meal will be fun..." She giggles at the idea.

When she knelt between his legs, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, he felt a wave of gratitude. He leaned into her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. "You see too much," he murmured, his voice low and husky. "You always have."

He chuckled as she settled into his lap. Her suggestion about pranking the servants brought a genuine grin to his face. The image of her disheveled and glowing in one of his shirts was a delightful one. "My love, you are a wicked, wicked woman," he rumbled, his hands sliding up her back, pulling her closer. "I adore it." He nipped playfully at her earlobe. "But I have a better idea. One that will truly give them something to talk about."

He moved, gently lifting her from his lap and setting her on the edge of the bed. He stood, grabbing the nearest piece of clothing—his own discarded tunic—and pulled it over her head. The soft, worn fabric swam on her, the hem falling to her mid-thigh, the neckline wide enough to slip off one shoulder, revealing the marks he had left on her skin. She looked ravishing, a vision of post-coital, royal decadence.

He then pulled on his own breeches, leaving them unlaced and hanging low on his hips, his chest and feet still bare. He looked down at himself, then at her, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. "There," he said, his voice a low, appreciative purr. "Now that's a story." He went to the door, pulling it open just enough to stick his head out into the corridor. The two young guards, who had been trying to look nonchalant, immediately snapped to attention.

"You," Alucard said, pointing to one of them, his voice a low, ducal command. "Inform the kitchen staff that the Duke and Duchess require a meal. A substantial one. To be served in our chambers. Immediately." He paused a moment, letting the command sink in, then added, "And you might want to tell them to make it quick. The Duchess is... famished. And I find a hungry Sienna is a force to be reckoned with."

"Oh I suppose being up and alone for a while is a bit of a bore..." She taunted as she leans up, letting their bodies press further as she kissed his nose.

"But I would like a proper meal my love..." She eyes him over for a second. Slowly she sat up, curls flowing behind her and covering her bare breasts.

"Maybe we should attempt a meal together?" She rubs her hands over her knees. Slowly seeing the curtains hide the beautiful setting sun. A small urge to open it as she yawns and stretched. Feeling a faint pop in her lower back.

She gave him a second to think on her question. Getting to her feet as she walks over, taking the curtains as she slowly pulls them back. Allowing the low sun rays to scatter into the room and lightly hitting the bed.

The low, golden rays that streamed into the room, however, were a physical assault. The light, which had been a soft, gentle presence, now felt sharp and aggressive, piercing his eyes with a painful intensity. He flinched, turning his head slightly away, his hand coming up to shield his face. The sudden, blinding glare was an unwelcome reminder of the curse that lived in his blood. A constant, nagging sensitivity that was part of his new reality.

He saw her look back at him, her expression tender and full of love, and a wave of guilt crashed over him. He was ruining this perfect moment with his weakness.

He forced a smile, pushing himself up to a sitting position, the furs pooling around his waist. He kept his gaze slightly averted, focusing on her face and not the blinding light that framed her. "It is beautiful," he agreed, his voice tighter than he intended. "Almost as beautiful as the view from right here."

He patted the furs beside him, a silent invitation for her to return to the safety of the shadows with him. "A proper meal sounds perfect," he said, his tone softening. "But perhaps... we could have them bring it to us? Here? I'm not quite ready to share you with the world just yet. I want to keep my wife all to myself for a little while longer."

It was a welcoming sound to the princess waking up. Well, Duchess.

Bright eyes slowly flutter to life. The mumbling of the servants about in the manor reached her ears. Slowly she glanced around as she kept her cheek firmly pressed into his bare chest.

Her leg gently pulls over his waist, tugging the large knight closer as she smiles. The way he smelt; just of her and him. All the intercourse to the sweat coating them both.

"...You're awake before me..." She whispers out. Her hand ran down his tone chest, softly loving the feel of soft skin around his waist. Her nail drag and created a red line as she hums softly.

Sienna looks up finally. Curls swirling and weaves around as she curls closer to her husband.

"I've been awake for a while," he mumbled. He tilted his head down, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. "Just watching you and listening to the world around us." He paused, a small, wry smile touching his lips. "And, it seems, listening to the staff place wagers on our endurance."

He turned slightly so they were facing each other, their legs still tangled together. He propped his head up on his hand, his other hand gently tracing the curve of her hip. "As for what's in my head," he said softly, his mismatched eyes holding a newfound, gentle light. "It's surprisingly quiet. For the first time in a long time." He looked at her, his gaze open and unguarded. "It's usually a cacophony of memories, whispers, and a constant, restless energy. But right now... there's only you. It's the only peace I've known in five years."

He leaned in, lips brushing against hers, a soft, tender kiss that was full of a quiet reverence. "You silence the ghosts, Sienna. Just by being here." He pulled back just enough to look at her. "I feel like I'm finally waking up for the first time since I left for that war."

He grinned, a flicker of the charming rogue returning to his eyes. "But now that you're awake..." He leaned in again to nip playfully at her earlobe. "What do you say, Your Grace? Shall we scandalize the staff with an early dinner? Or should we attempt to find the energy to make it to the dining hall like civilized people?"

"Alucard....." She whispers his name as she studied the way his tongue flicked out. Getting a taste of the sweet cream but the tone of the salty sweat greeted him.

Her breathing grew heavier as she couldn't wait. It felt like torture from the way her body was being denied the pure bliss to come.

Her hands trailed down, tangling into his hair as she gently cries out. The way his hands squeezed her hips as she was tugged closer. Her head rolling back as she gently shakes her head. Her folds still glistening with their mixed fluids as she was so, so sensitive. "please.... I need you again...you can't toy with me much longer my love.."

He looked up at her, his mismatched eyes dark with a hunger that was no longer playful. He saw the tears glistening in her eyes, the frantic need on her face, and the teasing was over. The time for worship had begun. Alucard didn't respond with words. He responded with action.

He positioned himself at her entrance once again, and with a single, powerful thrust, buried himself to the hilt. He began to move, his strokes long, deep, and punishing, a relentless rhythm that was a testament to his all-consuming love for the woman who was his everything.

The afternoon sun had begun its descent, casting long, golden rays through the cracks in the heavy curtains. The master suite was a wreck of tangled furs, discarded clothing, and the silver platter, now bearing only a few sad, lonely smears of whipped cream. The air was thick with the scent of their lovemaking, a musky, intimate aroma that clung to their skin and the very fabric of the room.

Alucard lay on his back, Sienna a warm, sated weight draped across his chest. Her breathing was soft and even, a gentle rhythm against his side. He gently traced the line of her spine, his touch feather-light. He felt a peace he hadn't known in five years, a quiet, bone-deep contentment that was a stark contrast to the usual restless energy that hummed beneath his skin. The monster was quiet, sated and dozing in the light of her love.

From the corridor outside, the low murmur of voices once again drifted in, clearer this time as the manor settled into the quiet of the late afternoon.

"Third watch," a gruff, older voice said. "Anything to report?"

"Nary a peep from the master suite, Captain," a younger, more nervous voice replied. "Been quiet as a tomb for the last hour or so."

The older guard chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "A tomb, you say? More like a battlefield that's seen a thorough routing. I've been on duty for thirty years, lad. I know the sounds of a campaign well won."

"Think they've... finished then, sir?" the younger guard asked, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

1) classic only one bed, then oh no we’re cuddling in our sleep that then evolves into sex

2) hate fucking

3) friends with benefits 

4) first time

5) phone sex

6) public sex

7) possessive sex

8) sex outdoors

9) gangbang

10) casual threesome between pals

11) cockwarming after a long day in order to calm down together

12) sex pollen

13) high on adrenaline kind of sex

14) make up sex

15) break up sex

16) inexperienced person gets a little “lesson”

17) reunion sex

18) complicated sex with an ex

19) angry sex in the middle of a fight