EDWINA (Sample)

Prologue

"Such generous compliments." Rohesia forced a smile.

"My sons!" Aragon gestured behind him at Hector and Cedric who were royally dressed with their round crowns on their heads and their royal cloaks strapped to their shoulders, just to welcome King Tiberius.

Tiberius turned to them. "How time flies! They have grown to be men! The last time I saw them was at the burial ceremony of their mother several years ago." He was particularly interested in Hector. "When I last saw him, he was just a lad." He glanced at Cedric. "You are indeed blessed with fine sons, Aragon, I must say that I envy you."

King Aragon gave a subtle nod. Edwina appeared with a tray of goblets filled with rich wine and offered to King Aragon first with a bow, then to the queen and finally to king Tiberius who hesitated before he took the goblet as he ran his eyes over her with his eyes still following her as she walked away. "You never cease to amaze me, Aragon, you surround yourself with both noble and slave beauties." Rohesia stared at him with disgust. "What's she called?"

"Edwina." Rohesia answered stiffly.

"Hmmm..." Tiberius muttered thoughtfully. "She sure looks familiar, I believe we might have met somewhere before."

"No, I don't think so." Rohesia quickly said. "Edwina has always been in Avalon, it's impossible that she would suddenly appear in Theebes."

"Apparently." Tiberius smiled, raising his goblet as a toast to Rohesia who reluctantly did the same."

"We should retire to the dinning hall immediately." King Aragon stated, sensing his wife's uneasiness. "I believe you must have had a weary journey, Tiberius... Your reception holds tomorrow night." Aragon stated and led the Tiberius into the hall with the others closely following behind.

           ***
Hector left, grateful to be rid of all the royal attire. He had only put them on because his father had insisted on it. He had a big task to focus on which was just in two day's time and he would need a clear head for it instead of wining and dining away his time. His father had asked him to retrieve the stolen golden chest of Avalon which contained several expensive gems in the world and was hijacked by unknown hoodlums close to the outskirt of the city of thugs.

The chest meant a lot to Avalon and the royal goldsmith and the guards of Avalon had been robbed and Hector knew that they couldn't afford to just let such a treasure go that way. Hector didn't quite like king Tiberius, he had heard rumours about the king's lecherous and egocentric ways and how he sexually treated maids and noble women without any iota of respect. He hadn't failed to notice how his step mum, Queen Rohesia, who was just a couple of years older than him, felt so uneasy around the king which meant that she was not comfortable with the King's visit to Avalon.

THE NEXT DAY
The king's reception which was hosted by king Aragon commenced from early evening of the day and the banquet hall was already filled with noble subjects of Avalon and other important guests. There was enough food and wine to go round and even go to waste. Female beautiful dancers in beautiful colourful costumes danced skillfully to entertain the watching audience despite the jugglers and the acrobats who earned the applauds of the people.

Both soldiers and knights from the two different kingdoms tried to woo for themselves the women they were interested in who also flirted with them in return and whose union would however inevitably lead to having sex in any available room or secret corner.

The two kings sat at the high table, goblets in hands, catching up on old times and laughing away while the queen was caught up with gossiping with a few noble women sitting next to her who discussed nothing but their marital sexual lives and the various men they admired in the hall and whom they would love to go to bed with. Although most of them had their eyes for Hector. The banquet hall reeked of laughter, happiness, flirting and impending sexual escapades.

Hector strolled into the hall at that moment and some of the noble daughters fluttered their lashes at him and approached. He kissed their hands as curtsy demanded and quickly escaped into the hall before anymore could intercept him. He had not finished acknowledging his knights who bowed to him with a nod when he noticed most of the young noble maidens coming his way again and he escaped into the crowd and luckily for him the maidens turned their attention to the o interested knights.

Hector sighted most of the couples who had met each other for the first time in the hall, smooching in the dark corners of the hall, one knight of Theebes even had a maiden's nipple in his mouth whom he had pushed against the wall. Hector scanned the crowd but saw no sign of Cedric, his younger brother and he guessed he must have snuck Helena to his chambers to while away time.

Hector smiled as usual at the married noble women who stood aloof in pairs or sets and turned to smile at him as he passed by. The women never seemed to be bothered with the fact that they were married. He knew most of them mostly came to feasts or banquets to find themselves a handsome man they could lure to their beds, he couldn't really blame them though, their husbands were no difference, they were always after the maids too.

The women and their daughters were mostly the reason he never liked any form of celebrations. Hector knew if given the chance, most of the women will scurry into his bed at the snap of his fingers but unfortunately, none of them appealed to him, they were just wolves in women form who were so insatiable in their sexual needs. He maneuvered his way through the crowd and as he got closer to the sounds of the musical instruments which got louder in the middle of the banquet hall, he suddenly found himself in the midst of the dancing flexible women who were entertaining the guests.

Hoping to get out of their midst and cross to the other side of the hall, the dancers intentionally circled him and he groaned softly in despair as each maiden who danced with their scarfs in the air fixed their eyes on him, each taking turns to caress him as they dance in a tighter circle around him, throwing their scarfs over him and twisting their waist and grinding their buttocks in their long-free flimsy skirts against his groin causing the people to roar in excitement and attracting more interested audience.

The most beautiful maiden who seemed to be the leader of the group, threw her blue scarf around his neck and yanked him close. She tried to press her lips to his but he was quick to turn his head to the side and luckily for him, the kiss landed right on his cheek. He ducked out of her scarf before the other dancers could circle him again and he slipped into the crowd again.

He glanced his father's way and realized that he was seated on his throne and King Tiberius was seated on a similar throne next to his on the podium and they seemed carried away with whatever they were discussing. Hector accepted a goblet of wine handed to him by a male servant as he scanned the crowd, not certain of who actually he was expecting to see. Perhaps, the Queen's personal maid, Edwina, but she was nowhere in sight.

Since he had entered the banquet hall, a part of him realized that she was the reason he had come here in the first place and even though the hall was filled with laughter and merry making and guests who were determined to make the best out of it tonight, he was beginning to get bored...and alone.

Looking down, he noticed that the servant who had offered him a goblet of wine was back by his side  again and had been trying to get his attention. "What?" Hector raised his voice a notch above the  noise of the banquet so the servant could hear him.

The servant's spoke but his words were swallowed by the noise in the hall but Hector immediately understood what the servant was trying to tell him when he jabbed a finger at a particular direction and Hector followed the servant's pointed finger with his gaze until his eyes landed on someone.