by Madison Faye
“I’ve misconstrued dated, ridiculous, sexist rules of regency?” She barked out a brittle laugh. “Guilty. But that doesn’t make it any less fact. I am Queen of Seyvette, lawfully, by your own decree.”
She man snarled at her.
“Well, we’ll just get you removed. Convene the council,” he muttered at the other two. “We’ll tell the rest what you’ve done, and I can’t imagine we won’t have a unanimous—”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Simone beamed brightly, stepping forward with a huge smile on her face. “Good luck getting a unanimous vote with me sitting on it. Checkmate, motherfuckers.”
I whirled, shaking my head at Isaac.
“Holy shit, can you believe this?”
He just grinned, nodding.
“Brian’s a she!”
“Yeah,” he nodded, his gaze firmly locked past me at the newly unveiled queen and looking, well, not nearly as surprised as I did.
My brow went up.
“You knew?”
Isaac turned to me, a small grin on his otherwise neutral face.
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
Slowly, a smile spread over my face.
“Are you… hang on. Brianne?!” My jaw dropped. “You weren’t with Simone, you were with—”
Isaac was still shaking his head like I was way off in my sleuthing when someone shouted, yanking our attention back to the scene at the altar.
“This is treason!” the first councilman screamed. “You treasonous, sneaky bitch!”
Brianne’s brows arched sharply, a storm brewing across her face.
“We’ll have you thrown in prison for this!”
The new queen’s lips curled.
“Is that a threat?”
“Damn right it is!” The second councilman barked. “We’ll have you dragged off the throne in chains if we have to—”
“Peter,” Brianne said quietly, her eyes locked on the three stewing councilmen.
“Highness?”
“That does sound a bit like a threat, doesn’t it?”
Peter smiled. “It does, your highness.”
“Oh, it’s a threat alright!” One of the councilmen hissed, jabbing a finger at her. “You’re going to get what’s coming to you, you sneaky little cun-”
“Enough!”
King Rian stormed to his feet; his eyes narrowed at the three men. “That is your Queen you’re speaking to,” he snarled.
Brianne smiled thinly at them, nodding at Peter.
“So, Peter, this would constitute a threat on my throne, wouldn’t it?”
Peter smiled widely. “Highness, I might call it a conspiracy, actually.”
Suddenly, the three men paled.
“No, hang on—”
“And conspiracy against the crown is…” Brianne frowned, tapping her chin. “Sorry, I can’t remember.” She smiled sweetly at the three councilmen, batting her eyes dramatically. “You know, since I’m just a girl and all that.”
Suddenly, her face hardened.
“Oh, that’s right. I believe they call that treason, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do,” Peter growled, smiling at the three suddenly terrified looking councilmen.
“Now, highness, wait one sec—”
“King Rian.”
Brianne turned to our king.
“Would it be possible to borrow your guards for the time being to apprehend some enemies of my kingdom?”
Rian chuckled, nodding. “I believe that would be just fine.” He turned to me. “What do you think, Captain?”
I grinned. “I think it would be my pleasure, your highness.”
I snapped my fingers, nodding my chin at a few of my men who were still stationed around the perimeter, and they instantly strode forward and grabbed the three councilmen.
“I’m on this,” Isaac growled, his eyes narrowed at the three men as he stepped forward to take charge.
“My men will escort these three under lock and key back to Seyvette, your highness,” I said stiffly to the Queen, who smiled at me.
“Thank you, Captain.”
She turned, grinning as she elbowed Alessia.
“You know, you’re not married anymore.”
She wagged her brows from Alessia to me, her grin only getting wider. Alessia’s gaze slid to mine, and when our eyes locked, it was like the final wall coming tumbling down.
And right there, in front of that small group of people, Alessia turned and ran right for me, beaming at me as she came crashing into my arms. I growled as I scooped her into me, and without a second’s hesitation, or a single care about what people may say, or do, or think, I grabbed her chin, tilted her lips up, and seared my mouth to hers.
I kissed the Queen—my Queen—right there in front of all them, come what may.
CHAPTER 14
ALESSIA
I HAVE no idea how long I kissed Oren, but I do know, when I finally did pull away from him, Brianne’s councilmen were being led away in handcuffs, and the entire small crowd was buzzing around excitedly. People were looking at us, at Brianne, at the arrested councilmen, at Rian. All of them except for Oren.
And Oren?
Well, Oren was only looking at one thing: me.
“Alessia,” he purred quietly, pulling me into him. “This…” he frowned, shaking his head. “I won’t ask you to give up your crown for—”
“You’re not,” I whispered, biting my lip as I grabbed the collar of his uniform, yanking him down to kiss me again.
There was a cough beside us, and I broke away from kissing him, my face crimson as I turned to see Brianne standing there, grinning at me.
“So, I owe you—both of you—an apology.”
I laughed, looking at her curiously. “What exactly just happened?”
Brianne laughed, pushing her fingers through her hair.
“A coup, I guess? Technically, but also not really?” She smiled. “The short answer is, legally, because Seyvette still has a bunch of backwards, dated, and sexist laws on the books, this was the only way for me to actually assume my father’s throne.”
Oren frowned. “But you are your father’s first born, right?”
She nodded. “Yes, except Seyvette’s crappy laws weren’t going to recognize it, and the council was going to use that to assume power themselves and run my country like a corporation for their own interests.”
“Wait, but the whole thing with prince, or “King-apparent” Brian…” I shook my head. “There really isn’t a Brian?”
She grinned. “Nope. Seyvette is a small enough country that’s out of the limelight enough that no one really thought much about my father having an ‘estranged’ son that magically came back to take the helm. Plus, Simone really did start that rumor years ago to be funny and create am image mess our dad would have to clean up, so there was already kind of a backstory to this imaginary ‘Brian’ character.”
She shrugged.
“And as for me, I really have been gone a long time. My father was an asshole, to both me and Simone, but he was harder on me, since he’d always wanted a firstborn son to take his throne. When I was fifteen or so, I got tired of the bullshit and left to go live with some distant relives of our mom, who passed right after Simone was born. When I heard our dad’s health was going downhill, and fast, Simone and I realized what we had to do in order to save our Kingdom from the council.”
Oren whistled, shaking his head as he raked his fingers over his strong jaw.
“So, you created a fake son, and Alessia?”
Brianne smiled.
“I saw someone in the same boat as me—a woman being held back because of her gender. Plus,” she turned her eyes to Alessia. “You were single, my age, and in need of a marriage yourself, even if it was an arranged one, to get your own council off your back and let you lead.”
She reached out, taking my hands and furrowed her brow sympathetically. “I’m so sorry to have put you through all this. And you, Captain?”<
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She turned and smiled wryly at Oren.
“I was maybe a little harsh back there with the threats?”
Oren chuckled, putting an arm around me and pulling me close.
“You were…” he grinned. “You did as any leader would do when they had to do it, highness. You got it done.”
“I was kind of a bitch.”
Oren grinned, holding up a thumb and forefinger an inch apart, and Brianne cracked up as she turned to me.
“He’s one of the good ones, you know.”
I grinned, heat flushing through me as I turned to look up into Oren’s eyes.
“I know he is.”
“Well, I can’t think of a better man to take my place,” Brianne giggled as she turned to me. “Alessia, I guess it just…” she sighed overly dramatically. “I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”
“Oh,” I waved her off, grinning. “It’s not you, it’s me. I just need to find myself.”
She giggled. “I hope we can still be friends?”
The sarcasm faded from both our faces as I nodded. “I’d really like that.”
“Your highness,” Peter, Brianne’s advisor, stepped over to us. “We should really make an address to the people, and of course, start vetting the other council members for any bad apples.”
Brianne nodded. “Your right. Thanks, Peter.”
She turned back to us, brows raised and a smile on her face.
“Duty calls, I guess?”
She smiled, taking both my and Oren’s hands in hers.
“I really am sorry for putting you both through that. If there’s anything you need, consider it done.”
“Thank you, highness,” Oren growled, smiling widely
“And seriously, Alessia?” Brianne winked. “Scoop this one up and put a ring on him.”
Oren laughed deeply, but a small frown crossed my face.
Brianne’s brow furrowed.
“What?”
I sighed. “No, it’s just that Danesland doesn’t allow regents to marry non-royal—”
“And Seyvette doesn’t allow women to sit on the throne, and yet,” she grinned, shrugging and spreading her arms. “Here we are.” She took my hands, smiling at me.
“You’re a badass, Alessia. Find a way to make it happen.”
She pulled me in for a hug, giving me a big squeeze before she pulled back and then did the same to Oren.
“Okay, I have to go rule a country now.”
“Good luck,” I grinned.
“Same to you. And really…” Brianne winked at me and nodded up at Oren.
“Make it happen, girl.”
We watched her and Peter and Simone walk away before I turned and melted into Oren’s arms. He growled, pulling me close and tilting my chin up as he leaned down.
“So, what do you think,” he murmured. “Am I going to be your royal concubine?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Royal booty call maybe?”
I shook my head, my eyes locked on his as something hot began to blaze through me.
“How about my royal husband.”
Oren’s eyes flashed, his lips pulling back in a grin as his hands slid around my waist.
“Did you just ask me to marry you?”
I bit my lip, blushing, my eyes glinting as I slowly nodded.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Sounds scandalous.”
“Oh, I can promise you it will be,” I giggled.
“Sounds like I’d be a fucking idiot to say no.”
I swallowed, my pulse racing as he pulled me close, gently and slowly leaning down until his lips brushed mine.
“Yes.”
My heart jumped into my throat, the ground dropping out around me as I blinked.
“Yes?” I whispered out.
Oren grinned, his lips brushing mine.
“Yes, my Queen.”
Our lips came crashing together, our moans rumbling through each other as he wrapped me in his big arms and held me like he’d never let me go. And you know what?
…I held on just as tight, for the very same reason.
EPILOGUE
ALESSIA
I GASPED as we crashed into the bedroom, Oren barely shutting the door behind him as he carried me boldly across the floor until we both collapsed onto the bed. I moaned, crushing my lips to his, my white dress sliding up my thighs to bunch at my waist as he slid between my legs. I could feel his muscles, his pulse, and the way his thick cock hardened against my lace-covered pussy, and I whimpered as I wrapped my legs around him, trapping him there against me.
“You sure you don’t want to wait?”
Oren grinned wickedly at me. Teasing me, like he loved to do.
“There’s no rush, beautiful,” he said, a wicked glint in his eye. “We can just take our—”
“I need you to fuck me,” I moaned, shoving his suit jacket down his arms and half ripping his dress-shirt off. My skin tingled as I pushed the shirt open, my fingers sliding over his muscles and clawing at him to drag him tighter to me.
“Eager little bad girl, aren’t you?” he purred into my lips, making me gasp as he pushed his hips against me, letting me feel just how fucking hard he was.
“Damn right I am,” I moaned, kissing him eagerly as I felt his hands slide up my bare legs to grab my ass possessively.
After two weeks of teasing, and toying with each other, and achingly denying ourselves the pleasure of his cock sliding into my pussy… yeah, you could call me eager. Because right now, roughly eleven minutes after we’d come running out of our own wedding to the cheers of friends and family, we were both about to get everything we’d been dying to get.
People will tell you that there are things you can’t do. That you have to fit a certain mold or be who they want you to be. They’ll tell you that you can’t act a certain way, or look a certain way, or love who you want.
Those people can go to hell.
You know how it came to be that a Queen of royal blood married the man she loved, regardless of “station” or his “lineage” or his titles or any of that crap? Easy. I opened my eyes and really saw the people—my royal council—who were always telling me “no,” and that I couldn’t do something or that it “wasn’t proper” for who they really were.
And then I fired them.
Most of them at least and replaced them with forward-minded new advisors and counselors who actually wanted to see Danesland grow and thrive and not just enrich themselves by keeping things at the status quo.
The ones I fired and all their ilk through a fit, of course, claiming that I was power-hungry, or a tyrant, which was laughable. And quite honestly, no one, not even the tabloids, even paid much attention to them. Not when my new council and my new ideas for our kingdom suddenly took Danesland out of its sleepy state into a thriving and modern country.
My opponents and the fired council screamed foul and went right back to their favorite line: that I “couldn’t do this!”. Except, I can, and I did. You know why?
…Because I’m a fucking Queen, that’s why.
Maybe I was inspired by Queen Brianne and her giant balls of steel. We actually became fast friends after everything that happened, and ever since, she’d never gotten tired of referring to herself as my “first husband.” So yeah, it might have been watching her courage and her take-no-shit attitude that inspired me to finally stand up for myself. But really, and truthfully, I think it’s because of the man I fell in love with, and his ability to bring out the very best in me.
When I fired half my council and announced I was marrying a man not of royal blood, I half expected a riot or an uprising. But as it turns out, I was way, way wrong. The people of Danesland welcomed my changes and my decisions with cheers. It was like we’d been in this lull for years with the council hampering my ability to get anything done, and with me shaking things up, it was like the people finally woke up.
Oren was torn at first. He was dead set on marrying me, of course, but dut
y and “the mission” meant and still mean a lot to him, and our marriage was going to mean leaving Rian and Emilia as their captain of the guard. Rian, kindly, made it easy on him, and informed him that they’d be letting him go.
“Wait, are you firing me, your highness?”
Rian had grinned, sliding an arm around his pregnant wife and nodding at me, standing there next to Oren.
“I think we can both agree that I’m giving you a promotion, Oren.”
As it happens, we found a something that worked out just fine that settled both Oren’s love for me, his protectiveness of me, and his need for duty and honor.
…He became my Captain of the Royal Guard. It turned out, my acting cabinet and some of the other officers were in league with the councilmen who’d conspired to keep me naturalized and incapable of challenging them. So I fired him, and my soon-to-be-husband took his place, and the guardsmen took to him instantly. There was some uproar about a queen’s husband not being crowned king, as it would be expected. But that was all Oren’s request. He had no interest in being a regent, if he was married to one.
“It’s your Kingdom, beautiful,” he’d purred into my lips.
“And yours too.”
“Yeah, but you’re a badass, and you definitely don’t need some guy sharing the crown with you.”
He’d kissed me slowly, pulling away to hold my eye with a strong gaze.
“You’re my Queen, baby girl. Now be their Queen too.”
And besides, Oren left Rian and Emilia in very good hands, when Isaac, his top lieutenant, took his place as captain.
…Well, for a short period of time. Until that whole thing with—well, it’s whole thing. You know how it is. It’s probably best for him to tell it anyways.
My Uncle Nolan couldn’t have been prouder of me, either. He later told me that me taking the reins like that was everything my father would have wanted for me and to see me achieve, and he welcomed Oren with open arms. They became pretty good friends, too, what with both having a soldier background. And Oren was a lot of help with Nolan’s own scandalous story when he and—
My, is it a dramatic and juicy world we live in, isn’t it? Again, maybe Nolan’s is a story for another time as well.
I moaned as Oren’s hand slid up to my panties, yanking them down and pulling away just enough to rip them off my feet and toss them aside. He growled as he moved back between my thighs, his huge bulge throbbing against my bare, eager pussy as he claimed my mouth again with his.
