Rowena
Alfred made his way off the dais and sauntered towards us. He walked with the same predatory ease that Henry did, but there was vileness to his movements that made me terrified.
"As is my right, I wish to inspect the marks." Alfred went behind Henry and added, "So there can be no doubts, my son."
With only a half-suppressed snarl, Henry replied, "Naturally, Father."
Alfred made a big show of smelling Henry's mark. I had avoided looking directly at Alfred and instead focussed on Henry. However, the King's exaggerated movements caught my eye, and I flicked my gaze in his direction. I found myself frozen, locked in a gaze that seemed both full of desire and revulsion. Alfred's demonic red and amber eyes danced, he was flush with Lust, drunk on the need to feed. There was no doubt that Alfred would not show the restraint Henry did, and he would be a vicious, cruel, demanding lover. As if to confirm my assessment, Alfred showed me his fangs and tongued them. His actions reminded me of the time I was flashed, and the man had stood there tugging on himself. I closed my eyes, disgusted. I wanted to close my thoughts to him, but I couldn't. I had my secret tucked away, and it was all I could manage to hide.
"Rowena!" Alfred's voice roared in my ears. My whole being trembled with fear, but I had to look, I had a role to play. I forced myself to look at the King. Alfred glared at me from behind Henry. "You are quite the Venus are you not Rowena?" His voice was seductive and harsh, his eyes tried to draw me in.
"If you say so, your Majesty," I said, tearing my eyes away from him and lowering them in what I hoped he saw as a sign of respect.
"Look at me, Rowena," Alfred's order was strong in my mind and I felt a compulsion to obey despite wanting to vomit. Was he trying to Coerce me? Coercing didn't work on Vampires, but Alfred's instruction made me feel like I had no choice but to obey.
"I think I would like to have you, Rowena. Just for one night. I can't imagine you would hold my attention for longer than that." I felt bile rise in my throat and a sneer curled on my lips before I could hide it. I was told by Felix and Angelica he would try to seduce me, force me to his bed, in fact, it was essential to the plan, but part of me had not believed it. How could a father want to hurt his son like that? Alfred's voice was amused in my head. "Or would you like me to end my son's life now? I could you know." My eyes widened as he spoke to me, I tried to alert Henry, but his mind was closed as he warned me it would have to be. There were too many secrets in Henry's mind. Henry knew much more than me, I was told only enough to get through the night, to keep the plan safe.
"Answer me!" Alfred's voice tore through my mind and I physically flinched. My head pounded with the force of his word. Lilith, he was strong, but what did I expect from a male with such power? There was a reason he was so feared, why he ruled with no opposition until Henry came of age.
Henry's voice entered my mind and tried to ask me what was wrong, his concerned voice felt like a whimper after the power of Alfred's shout. Alfred held on to Henry, his fingers gripped his son's shoulders tight, his talon-like nails dug into Henry's clothes.
"No, don't hurt him," I sent to Alfred. He smirked at me, letting go of Henry with a small shove. Grinning like a cat, Alfred moved with long strides and stood behind me.
Frozen in fear, I felt ice through my veins as Alfred ran his finger over my bare shoulder. I shuddered in disgust as I felt his hard nail scrape my skin, but Alfred took my reaction as something else. Pressing his thoughts into me he said, "I don't mind if you shiver from disgust or Lust, Little One. You are beautiful and you smell delicious. As sweet as the first rains after a long hot summer. I did not expect that. Tell me, does my son fuck you as you deserve? Does he satisfy you?"
I tried to keep him out of my mind, but he was so strong. His reprehensible thoughts battered at my mind. I would not give in, I would not let him see a weakness to exploit. "He does," I forced myself to say.
I heard Alfred chuckle, "Hmm I can see from your mind that you think he does, maybe there is something my son is good at after all." He stopped talking, something caught his eye. "Tsk tsk, my son is a messy eater." Alfred showed me an image. There was a small smear of blood on my back that Henry had left on me.
I begged Alfred, "Please don't!" I was trembling, shaking with fear and disgust. The thought of him tasting me, knowing me in that way was too terrible to imagine.
Alfred leaned in to smell my mark and said, "Make a sound and I'll kill you."
Hidden from the view of Henry I felt his tongue on my skin. I wanted to scream. I bit the inside of my mouth and my blood flowed as I tried to stop the scream that hurtled up my throat. I felt so violated, so weak, so powerless to stop him. I felt my courage leave me and tears well in my eyes. I felt Henry's alarm and heard his voice trying to reach my mind. I couldn't look at my mate, I could not risk the damage he would do if he knew what his father was doing to me.
"Fuck, Little One, you taste nearly as delightful as my mate does." He lapped again, tasting the tiniest remnant of blood. "So sweet, so new. I still taste the human in you."
Taking ragged breaths, I rebuilt my resolve, too much was at stake for me to break now. I could get through this now and fall apart later. Fall apart in Henry's arms, be healed by his touch. Now, was not the time, I would be strong now, I would cry later.
Shuddering again I said, "Savour it, asshole, it's the last time you'll ever taste me."
The deep growl I heard in my ear made me weak at the knees. I was so terrified. "I will have fun breaking you. You will come to my rooms tonight, offer yourself to me, or you will regret it."
"No, I will not."
"You are so much like his mother, she fought me so long and hard. When she lashed out at me it was the best mating I have ever had in my life. I imagine you will be as sweet to own." I couldn't stop myself from viewing the images Alfred thrust into my mind of an eerily similar looking female as myself with tears in her eyes as Alfred entered her. "I will enjoy making you orgasm despite your hatred. And believe me, you will. I can smell you now, you want me."
He was either lying about my scent or he was picking up the lingering Lust from the ceremony, but either way, I was not going to allow him to think I wanted him. I threw images of Henry into his mind. Memories of Henry pleasuring me, fucking me, taking pleasure from me, owning me in his way. I said, "You cannot compare to him. You use fear, he uses authority. You use debasement, he uses praise. You want your pleasure, he wants mine. You are half the man he is."
"Tut, tut, Little One. Let me show you my power, perhaps you will change your mind."
His hand slid down my spine and over the curve of my bottom. He kept going until his hand was between my legs. "One way or another, I will have this and taste your blood again."
Abruptly he left me and returned to the dais. "I am satisfied they have exchanged blood," he reported to the crowd.
Felix asked, "Then we are finished here?"
Alfred shook his head, "No." Pointedly looking at me, he said, "Has my son's bed chambers been prepared for the viewing?"
Ripples of shocked whispers ran through the court. Henry looked aghast and shouted, "No!" He took steps towards his father. His father raised an eyebrow and Lawrence, David and Felix had to hold him back.
Alfred smirked lazily, "You dare tell me no? In my court?"
"That custom is no longer practised," Felix spoke up.
"Further," Lawrence added. "There is no need for it. As we have shared the dwelling of these two for a week and can attest to their fornication."
If the blood hadn't drained from my face already, I would have blushed.
"I have decided to reinstate it," Alfred said with all the passion of someone who was ordering a pizza. "To prove the legitimacy of my son's future as monarch, he must prove capable of the act."
I heard both in my head and aloud, the ripples of horror coming from the few females present in the gallery. I knew it was my time to act. I called Min over, and asked her in my softest voice, "Where do the females go when the males are in court?"
"Some stay in their rooms but there is a parlour where many congregate." Min looked puzzled. Her thoughts told me that she didn't think now was the time for such a question.
"Is it far from here? Do you think you could get them to follow you here?"
"No to the first, yes to the second." She said with a smirk. She was catching on. No wonder Henry trusted her, her mind was sharp and very focussed.
"Then go," I said, uncomfortable with ordering someone like Min around. However, she did what I asked without delay.
As the males argued I held my tongue until a commotion was at the door and at least 50 females poured into the room. I gave further instructions to Min and her eyes grew wide.
"Your Majesty," I spoke in the clearest, strongest voice I could manage. All eyes turned on me and the arguments between the men stopped. Alfred sat up and beckoned me to him.
"Yes, daughter," he said sweetly, but his eyes were raging with blood and fire. "We are to be family after all. Come, tell me, what do you have to say?"
I curtseyed deeply, "I humbly beseech you on behalf of myself and Henry, that you reconsider your desire."
Alfred didn't talk aloud, but he said in my mind, "Are you reconsidering my proposal to you? Will you come to my chambers?"
Females at the back began whispering, some moved through the crowd to find their mates. I replied out loud, "I would consider such a viewing as barbaric and out of place for the times. From what I have been led to believe, the practice was suspended by your wise Majesty over 500 years ago. I believe you yourself never did it."
In my mind, the King said, "My prerogative, Little One. And Barbaric you say? Keep this up and I will show you true barbarism at the point of a whip."
Females and males now gasped. Alfred did not seem aware that through a series of mind connections starting with Alfred and me, then myself to Min, then all the females in the court could hear our private exchange. Several females were urging their mates to do something.
One brave Vampire stepped forward. He was very tall and stood out in the crowd. "Your majesty, we have the words of these others, there is no need for the viewing." Many males in the court nodded indicating their agreement.
A well-dressed man, with the air of a scholar, stepped to the dais from the edge of the room. He leaned in and whispered some advice to the King. Alfred scowled briefly before smoothing his features in a horrific imitation of a kind, benevolent ruler.
Alfred, being astute politically must have realised he couldn't argue for my debasement further, in public anyway. The King said. "Rise, daughter. Your gentle words have moved me. Perhaps in this case we shall take the words of these fine males before me that fornication has been successful."
In my head, he said, "You will come to me or I will take you by force. Then I will kill you, do you hear me? Nod if you understand me."
I inclined my head. "Thank you, your majesty, for your kind words and considered judgement. Will your majesty excuse me? I am feeling overwhelmed and should retire. With your permission of course."
Alfred waved his hand and stood up himself. "I think we have had enough for tonight, Dismissed." Not knowing what had happened, he had made the worst possible move; he was allowing everyone to go their separate ways and start discussing what had happened.
Our group made our way out first and using our speed ran to our rooms. Before we could debrief from the night's events there was a knock on the door. It was the very tall man who spoke in our defence earlier. His large, elongated eyes were murderous as he entered. He gave the smallest of bows to Henry and without preamble, he said, "Highness, the reign of terror from your Father must be stopped. We humbly beseech you to instigate the law of Ascension."
"Who is we, Qiang?" Henry asked.
"Come." The man said and took Henry to the hall.
The hall was filled with over a hundred Vampires. Henry smirked and I was filled with both relief and dread. "Thank you, Qiang." Henry paused and recognising the crowd said, "I do believe we have a case for Ascension. We will petition the King in one hour."
Qiang bowed, deeply this time, and the doors closed. Henry immediately came to my side, hugged me tightly and kissed me firmly. "My Inamorata, Fawn you were perfect. Do you see what you have accomplished?"
Safe in Henry's arms, all my pent-up fear and anxiety fell into the embrace and shaking uncontrollably I lost it, sobbing into Henry. I felt his arms wrap around me and he carried me into his room. I heard him tell Lawrence to take care of the details and to call Alex to tell him what had happened. To me, he whispered, "Oh my brave Little Lioness, let me take care of you."