Lyne could feel someone press a kiss on her forehead gently. She frowned at first but she was so tired she didn't want to break her sleep.

A warm hand put some strands of hair off her face and a finger ran down her cheek. She turned, now sleeping face up but she felt something wet and delicious on her lips.

"Mmh." She moaned and smiled.

A warm and powerful hand ran through her stomach beneath the sheets. Then down under her dress up to her breast. Her senses came alive as she shot her eyes open only to see a handsome Zeidan looking down at her with an interesting smile on his face.

He's so good-looking. She thought. She made to touch his face but she remembered what had happened the previous night and jumped up. Running to the washroom, she slipped over some clothes and as she picked them up, she realized they were clothes she wore last night.

Had Zeidan changed her clothes? She hugged herself, her eyes wide and she could see him looking at her as if enjoying her reaction.

"Don't look at me!" She ordered but Zeidan simply sat at the edge of the bed.

"You look like you do want me to. I mean, your body is so interesting to look at and I had a good look last night." He bit back a smile and shrugged sarcastically as if seeing her red face satisfied him.

"You son of a..." She gritted her teeth as she packed the clothes to herself as if it would conceal whatever Zeidan had seen.

"I must say I was lucky in choosing you..."

Those words were like stone and remembering what he had done the previous night, she stood up.

"Yes, you're right. You chose me since I was pretty and irrelevant and all I can do is sit around, look pretty and stop gossip around the palace."

Zeidan had a shocked look on his face and it kind of excited her. 

"What do you mean?"

"Ooh! You want to deny it now?" She laughed painfully and tears began to trail her face.

"Hey!" Zeidan rose immediately not wanting to see her cry.

"Please don't." He made to touch her but her red eyes stopped him.

Lyne's lips trembled as she stared up at Zeidan who stood very close to her, his brows furrowed as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

"You thought of me as a pawn, right? I was just an irrelevant Princess that could be picked up and dumped whenever. I agree. You were right."

"Stop saying that, Lyne." Zeidan's eyes were red as well and he looked pained but she was enjoying it.

"I am of no use to you. I just need to sit here and do your bidding. You said it yourself, Zeidan. You married me for a reason and no matter what my opinion is, I'll always be..."

"I said stop it!" He yelled at her, his lips trembled as he lifted his hand. Lyne shut her eyes in fear.

By the time she would open her eyes and look up at him, he looked down and she couldn't control her tears.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she let them drop. Now, she is convinced that she never really meant anything to this man. She was just here for his use. 

"All the care," her voice was shaky now. "All the attention, all the smiles, they were all fake?"

"No. Lyne, please listen to me." Zeidan began to say but she raised her index finger to stop him.

"This is to tell you that I won't back out. Yes, I agree that I'm of no use to you, but I know those who value me. We'll both meet in the courthouse and I'll see to it that I prove Wikh's innocence to the council." With this, she walked to the washroom door but stopped and turned around.

"Lest I forget, don't ever try to strip me naked without my knowledge or..." She stopped talking as she remembered that Zeidan is the King and she had no chance of going against him.

"You can go and keep kissing your Queen!" She yelled and ran into the washroom, locking the door behind her.

-----

Zeidan looked at the door that Lyne had just disappeared through and he wondered how she knew about his discussion with Luana. He was certain they were both alone in the drawing room where they discussed what he found out at the location Samantha had written on the sheet of paper that he found at the crime scene. 

Some moments later, he was kissing Luana and he felt something within him. He rejected her kiss and he noticed nothing clicked inside him like it always did with Lyne. When he finally relaxed, he felt numb.

Later, he pushed Luana slightly so he could face her.

"I don't know why you are doing this but, I would want to be frank with you."

Luana's face turned sour and she sat up, expectant of what he was about to say.

"I don't think, we should rush this. I just got married to Lyne and she is all I need right now...I mean, she needs me. She has feelings too and she deserves to be cared for. She didn't ask to be here."

"What are you talking about, Zeidan?" She ran her hands over his chest hoping he would give in but he caught her wrist between his hand.

"What I am saying is, until I make you the Queen, you have to give me some space. I just want to be with Lyne."

Luana's face held pain and disappointment despite her confident personality. She shook her head and stood up to walk around the room.

"No, no, no, this isn't happening." She grabbed her hair and faced the window.

"This wasn't what you promised me."

"Need I remind you that I never promised you anything. You suggested yourself that I give in to marry their Princess. I could have married Korba and you know how you can't stand that..."

Luana scoffed and came back to the chair opposite Zeidan where she sat, her face red with anger.

"I don't fucking care!" She gritted her teeth. "You didn't marry Lyne because you have feelings for her."

Zeidan had looked up at her with an expression that gave him away. He cared for Lyne and he could boldly say that he might be in love with her.

"Or are you?" Luana asked, her face showing that she already knew the answer. She swallowed and nodded her head, trying hard to hold back the tears that he knew were going to fall down her cheeks. And they did.

"I should have known."

"Luana, it's not..."

She stood up to run to the entrance and he grabbed her hand but she yanked it off and faced him.

"You're a bloody liar, Zeidan!" She yelled.

"You kept me here, hopeful and happy that I had found someone I love. Those promises to make me the Queen. Are they even authentic?" 

"I will make you the Queen!" Zeidan moved closer to her and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"You'll be the Queen. That's all you've ever wanted, isn't it?" 

Luana's face changed and as the lightning crossed the sky, he embraced her warmly. She let an evil smile tug the corner of her lips as she hugged him back.