Lewis smirked, “It’s not an attitude. It’s pride.” He thought for a moment, and then corrected himself. “Okay…it’s pride, and a bit of an attitude.” That got a smile from Vela as she agreed.

Saoirse was not at all pleased with the turn of events. She looked at Lewis with a shocked expression, trying her damndest to make sense of what had just occurred. “Did you see the audacity of her? Lord Lewis, certainly this isn’t the behavior of a princess, let alone someone who associates with you.”

Rhenakos was cheering from the back of the knights, “I dunno lady…the knights certainly enjoyed it!”

The King rolled his eyes, “Shut up, Rhenakos. Don’t you have a wife and child to tend to?” There was an ‘oh shit’ from his direction as he ran off. “Idiot…” He glanced at Saoirse. “I expect you to behave yourself at the party.”

—

The party was just starting when Lewis walked down to meet Simone in the entryway. It was customary for the King and his partner to enter at the same time. At least, that was what he was told. Whether or not it was true didn’t matter much to him. The King had dressed up in a brilliant navy blue vest, adorned with gold floral inlays, and black dress pants. All in all, Lewis cleaned up quite nicely when he wanted to.

Before he could meet Simone, though, he spotted Vela. Quickly, he pulled her aside. “I want you to keep an eye on Saoirse. Things aren’t adding up…and-”

“Can’t you just have her killed already?” the angel asked. “She’s a pain…I know it was her.”

“We don’t have definitive proof. Not yet,” Lewis replied. “I can’t endanger the treaties that I have. The Kingdom of Requia is far more powerful than you realize…”

It was a big deal with two people of nobility wore matching outfits. So when Simone met up with Lewis the house help was in utter awe. Simone was good at what she did, and what she was doing was forcing Saoirse into a corner. “Simone! You match Lewis!” Vela’s voice rose and she got excited.

It was a black cold shoulder dress with thin shoulder straps. It matched Lewis’s with gold inlay and the dark blue colors accenting black. It was a high-low dress where the black fabric parted at a gold ring at her bust revealing the dark blue short fabric under it that flowed to the ground in the back layering with the black nicely.

Her hair was in light curls and half pulled back as she took Lewis’s arm with hers. “Try not to worry too much tonight. Just stay with me and everything should be fine.” She hadn’t heard the conversation but she put two and two together. “Just do your best Vela.”

“Yes Ma’am!” She saluted as she wandered off to find Drake.

“Introducing King Lewis and Princess Simone,” the announcer yelled as the crowd turned to them.

“Oh, they look so good together,” one of the harem girls said. Saoirse was seeing red. Matching outfits? What was the princess up to? There was no way that Lewis knew about this but she would. She gritted her teeth and now had a new mission.

Bringing over drinks Saoirse offered them to Lewis and Simone. “To celebrate your safe return and the conquering of Croix.”

Simone looked at Lewis’s drink with skepticism. Saoirse turned her back and Simone switched the drinks. She shook her head at Lewis not to worry about her. As long as Lewis was with her… That’s all that mattered.

Lewis was about to tell Simone off for merely switching the drinks instead of getting a new one, but the Princess was far too crafty for that. She had already taken a sip before Lewis could do anything, and she gave him a smile.

“Please,” Simone said as she took another sip. “Whatever it is…it won’t kill me.”

He had to be okay with that for the time being, and sighed. Tonight was going to be an…interesting night for sure.

—

The first hour of the party went about as expected. Things were quiet and going nicely until the knights showed up. That was when the party got hectic and crazy. Despite this, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Simone had already downed two drinks, and Lewis was nursing his second.

“L-Lewis?” Simone asked, looking at him with wide eyes. “I feel funny. Like a good funny…” She leaned into him heavily where they were sitting. “Like a really good…like…remember when we were on the bed and you…you did that thi-”

Alarmed, Lewis put his hand over her mouth, “I don’t think everyone needs to know that…”

Simone merely started giggling madly, pulling his hand off. “But Lewlew…it was fun…and it felt goooodd” She swayed a little, giggling again. “Another drink!” She said as a servant passed her.

“I think you’ve had quite en-”

“More!” Simone demanded, pouting.

How could Lewis say no?

—

Three hours later, Lewis was stumbling across the dance floor. “S-Simone?” he hiccuped. “Where’d you go Simone?”

Simone giggled madly. “I’m right here…on your arm, you… you silly…” She giggled again. “Right here…”

“Oh…” Lewis smiled. “I missed you. I thought you left me…”

“Why would I leave you?” she said, a little more seriously. Her face was still flushed. “You…you were the one who…who signed me away…”

“That was fake…” Lewis replied. “Besides…I got you back…”

“Got me…oh…OH RIGHT!” She yelled suddenly, pointing at him. She had a drink in her hand, which sloshed about. “PUNISHMENT! I-I GET TO PUNISH YOU!”

“Wha?” Lewis thought. “Oh right…”

Simone giggled. “Howww about…whips…”

“No.”

“Oh boo…” She frowned. “Chains? OH! SPANKINGS! The King should be spanked!”

“I think you’re too drunk to be making…making decisions,” Lewis slurred. :Maybe you sho-”

“Fine. Then…marry me now. Right now.” Simone grabbed his arm. “Right. Now.”

Lewis stared at her for a good moment, which was really hard to do when the room kept spinning. “…mm….kay…” He smiled. “I think we got…there’s a guy here…right here…”

Xeik was putting his hands up as he came to the royal couple. They were the evening spectacle. Surely Saoirse had no way of knowing THIS was how this night was going to end. She was busy getting all prepped for the night with Lewis in her room. “You two have to think about this. You don’t want to do this ri–”

“I AM THE PHEONIX TYRANT,” Lewis yelled as his hand lit on fire. “I want to get married RIGHT now!” Simone was squealing as she used Lewis as a crutch. “I will burn this whole place to the ground!”

“FINE! FINE!” Xeik motioned to the pastor. “Alright, Lewis… Simone… I’ll let you two get married.”

“Yay!” Simone tried to clap and almost fell down as Lewis caught her. The wedding was quick in front of the knights and others who were cheering them on just as the wedding concluded.

“May I announce the Pheonix tyrant and his queen!” Xeik said before facepalming. Simone squealed and jumped into Lewis as he hoisted her kissing her again. “Okay! NO! You two are not doing that right here!” He escorted them back to Simone’s room and closed the door. “Whatever you do… Don’t let them out… AND WATCH THE WINDOW TOO!” Though from the noises in the room… They wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.

Saoirse was left to wait in Lewis’s bedroom all night… and she was pissed in the morning when he never showed up. So when the bells rang and people came down for breakfast everyone had big eyes as they looked at the two empty chairs at the front of the table.

“My head hurts~” Simone snuggled her naked form against Lewis. Her eyes snapped open and she felt Lewis’s chest and then his neck and finally his face as she peeked up at him. “Oh~ You ended up in my bed? I can’t remember what happened.”

Lewis groaned as he heard Simone speaking. “Oh…I remember….” He thought for a moment. “Some of it.” He winced as he rolled to his side, but smiled when his eyes laid upon Simone’s form next to him. “I..” His eyes widened. “Oh. You…made me marry you. I mean…I wanted to, but it was…” He thought again. “You said it was my punishment.”

The King smirked. “But we’re married now…apparently?” He sat up, and chuckled. “And…from the looks of your back…” He winced, feeling scratch marks across his back as well. “And mine…I’d say it’s consummated and everything…” Not that it wouldn’t have stopped him.

Of course, before anything else could happen, the door was busted in, and a very angry looking Saoirse marched in, with an equally pissed off Vela.

“You slut,” Saoirse yelled, pointing. “How DARE you-”

“Lewis, I tried,” Vela sai, practically growling. “I wanted to leave you alone, but she DEMANDED-”

At the door was Xeik and apparently the whole harem, all of which started talking the moment the door opened.

“Everyone just SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE,” Lewis yelled, holding his head.

Everyone quieted down, shocked at Lewis’ outburst. “Xeik. Did it really happen like I remember it?”

Saorise looked confused. “Did…did what happen?

“Yes,” Xeik replied. “You two actually got married last night. It was official…”

“And…why didn’t you stop me?” Lewis asked. “Normally you’re pretty good about not letting me make drunk decisions.”

“You threatened to burn the whole castle down,” Xeik replied. “I figured the marriage was going to happen sooner or later, so there was no real harm in it.”

“But…but…IT CAN BE ANNULLED, RIGHT?” Saoirse yelled. “Sex! That’s right! Sex needs to-” Her eyes laid on the numerous bite marks, scratches, and other signs that were across both Lewis and Simone’s body. “…you…conniving…BITCH.” Even the harem started to gossip among themselves.

“Okay, OKAY!” Lewis yelled, making sure everyone quieted back down. “Can…can we have some privacy please?”

“Oh, right,’ Xeik replied. “Everyone out…”

“I was always creative with my punishments.” There was a smirk on her face and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him back into a kiss. Lewis was over her when Saoirse burst in and Lewis bolted upright. He was clearly pissed off at being interrupted.

Simone hid behind Lewis once the door broke in. She took a deep breath and pursed her lips. The night had apparently been… passionate.

“Saoirse,” Simone said as Vela gave her the thumbs up. “This would have never happened had you not spiked Lewis’s drink last night.”

“What? What are you talking about,” Saoirse’s anger was slowly melting.

“I switched our drinks to be on the safe side last night. If I’m conniving what the fuck does that make you.” Her face was grim as her eyes darkened and drilled into her. “Oh… And Saoirse? You’ll address me as queen now or it’s treason.”

The door slammed and that gave time to get dressed. “I knew it was a good idea to switch drinks last night. This is no normal hang-over I have.” She sighed a bit and slipped on a simple dress before helping Lewis with his own clothes. “Ready to face the world?”

Lewis groaned as the door slammed, wincing at the hangover he had. “Well…that could have gone worse at least.” He smiled. “So you’re fine with what happened then?”

“Of course,” Simone responded. “I’m very happy…” she blushed as she rolled out of bed to get dressed.

The two finished getting ready, and when Simone asked if he was adequately prepared to face the world, he groaned. “Not really, but we’ll have to do it eventually, so might as well.”

She smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the room and down the hall. “There’s nothing that you…my husband, can’t face…” The way she said ‘her husband’ was very timid, almost as if she could barely believe it to be true. But, she was smiling as she said it. It was impossible to see it any other way; Simone was the happiest she had ever been.

As the entered the dining hall, there were stares and whispers. They made their way to their seats, and as they sat down, silence permeated the air.

Vela, of course, felt the need to break the silence. “So…King Lewlew, how does it feel to be married?”

“…What’s a Lewlew?” Simone tilted her head as Lewis facepalmed.

“You really don’t remember do you?” Vela slammed her hands on the table. “Boy, do I got a story for all of you. It was a beautiful night in all of Auclair. Saoirse was planning on getting Lewis’s dick but our new queen swooped in with her drunken intimidation which only spurred our king LEWLEW into action. Simone yelled IT’S TIME FOR YOUR PUNISHMENT. And what was his punishment? MARRIAGE TO HER! Our dear king Lewlew has never been interested in having a queen but he almost jumped at the chance to have her! Just like he jumped at the chance to go save her and the look on his face as he worried for her!” Vela was being dramatic as draped herself over Drake. “It was so romantic!”

Simone was blushing. “So… I called him Lewlew?”

“Oh yes,” Vela got up and bounced around the room. “The love in your two’s eyes! I had no idea you felt that way! And then when we were guarding your room last night to make sure you didn’t leave… I heard Lewlew moaning ‘I love you, Simone’. To my shock and surprise,” Vela draped herself over Xeik dramatically now. “Our king has a heart and it is his queen’s.”

Simone was bright red. “And… did I respond?”

Vela opened one of her eyes from her dramatic pose, “Oh I heard you yell you loved him back.” Simone was now fully bright red. She couldn’t remember anything and it wasn’t how she wanted to tell Lewis her feelings.

“So I repeat… How does it feel to be married Lewlew?”

Lewis was glaring at Xeik, “You let her guard the bedroom?”

Xeik shrugged, “What else was I going to do? She was the only sober one. Shocking, I know…”

Lewis sighed. “I guess…it feels good,” he finally answered.

Saoirse slammed her hands on the table, but didn’t say anything. She seemed almost on the verge of tears. In the end, she stood up, and bolted out of the room.

Vela blinked, “Oh wow…we finally figured out how to shut her up. All it took was marrying off the King…”

Lewis closed his eyes. “Gods forgive me for this…Simone, maybe you should go talk to her. Take Vela with you for safety.”

It wasn’t the best idea, but it was all he could think of. Maybe it would work out where Simone could force Saoirse to back down. Or…maybe it would end with Saoirse finally leaving. What was the worst that could happen?

“Come on Vela…” Simone beckoned her and the angel was right at her side as they ventured the halls. Simone saw Saoirse going up the stairs and went after her. “Saoirse wait,” Simone’s voice was humble as the queen caught up to her at the top of the stairs. “Vela, can you give us some space?” Vela nodded and went around the corner where she could keep her eyes on the two of them.

“What the fuck do you want?” Saoirse was crying.

“You don’t actually want Lewis,” Simone’s words were gentle. “You have an expectation set on you to make you want him… but you never even took the time to learn how he really was. You tried to force it based on how you thought he was. The rumors. The slander… But you never knew the real Lewis.”

“Don’t fucking try to understand me,” Saoirse cleared her tears and glared at her.

“Saoirse… Let Lewis go. I’ll have an official word put in that part of our marriage was to dissolve the harem and that you had no choice but to go home.” Simone put her hands on Saoirse’s shoulders. “Your father can’t be mad at you if I’m the one who does it. You have no control over wha–” Saoirse got angry and shoved Simone as hard as she could.

There was a scream and then silence as Simone lay at the bottom of the stairs.

“Saoirse! You fucking moron!” Vela yelled and ran down the stairs. “HELP! We need help!”

Knights ran into the banquet room. “Master Xeik! The queen fell down the stairs there’s blood everywhere!”