39 The Queen's Crimson Desire

'The effeminate hero, the talk of the town playboy, the girl who loves lashes, and two fair maidens slowly weathering through battles…' With a smile on her face, the queen moved closer and closer to the Hero's party. Every step of her heels echoes through the halls, and despite being dressed in a dignified robe made of silver threads, there was just something about her that betrayed that illusion.

Was it the teasing smirk? Or perhaps it was her pale breasts with visible veins nearly pouring out of her corset? Or maybe, just maybe, it was that aching gaze that oozed the true desires trapped within her heart? After all, being married to an old man at a young age, there was much that she'd missed out on.

"Finally, we mee–" Her silver hair fluttered in the air as her daughter Tia rushed by her. Running past her mother, the young girl's frilly white skirt fluttered through the air as she moved closer to the hero.

"Tia, wait!" Milo, her brother exclaimed, his hand outstretched in her direction. Following her the next moment, he managed to catch up to her, however, by that time, she was already inches from the hero's face.

"You're the hero, right?!" She asked, taking hold of the hero's hands.

A bit thrown off by the sudden question, it took a moment of awkward staring for Amedith to even respond with a reluctant nod. He'd already been faced with fanatics before and the girl before him appeared to be the same.

'This doesn't feel like it would end well somehow…' Thankfully, however, pulling his sister away from him by the shoulder, Milo managed to get her to back away, even if just a little.

"Don't bother him," he scolded, staring at the back of her head with his emerald green eyes.

Rolling her eyes upwards, Tia heaved a tired sigh and even let her shoulder fall to the sides.

"I'm just asking!" She pleaded, squinting as she turned her head to look up at Milo.

Watching the two siblings bicker, just moments after almost having to assault the royal guards, the entire Hero's party wasn't sure if they were seeing right. A girl the same height as Amedith, but with the more feminine frame of a budding woman–was a powerhouse of excitement and extremely childish at that. In contrast, the brother–even taller than Raven, had the most dignified of looks. And though he lacked the muscles of a warrior, he was slim but healthy; and even carried himself like a scholar. 

"Soon to be wedded, yet not a sprinkle of grace!" The brother complained, pinching the bridge of his nose at how his sister acted.

"Enough bickering, you two!" Rolling her eyes as well, the queen reached forward with her hand and gestured for them to brush over. Tia tried to resist, but grabbing his sister by the shoulders, Milo moved her away from the group of adventurers.

"Maria, what are you doing?!" The king finally spoke since the trio's arrival, so far he'd been lenient but knowing the queen's flirtatious nature, he had to speak up as she began moving towards Amedith and Raven.

'Did I hear that right?' The queen's thoughts flooded into Raven's mind again. Her eyes shifting to the king, darted at him a gaze sharp enough to tear through his shriveling flesh. Leaning back into his throne in response, the king nervously gulped before going completely hush. 'That's what I thought, you pathetic dog. Stay obedient like that or the next time we're alone, who knows maybe I'll suck what little life's left inside you.'

With a devious smile riding on her lips, the queen turned her gaze back to the group. Striding ever closer, her hips gyrating side to side, she kept on smiling with her hand graciously resting over her near-exposed breasts.

"The hero, oh the hero…" Chuckling lightly, she reached for Amedith's face and ran her finger down to his chin. "I expected you to be more like Nightsilver, a man of such weight and character, he could shake the brothels while downing barrels of wines."

"Mother!" Complained Milo, bothered by her mother's foul words.

"Ease up, Milo…" Drawing her hand away from the hero, Maria turned her head. "I'm not trying to steal him from you or anything, you can still have him if you want."

Her words stung Milo deeply. They were not just insulting but also fed false narratives to the heads of all the attendants and the king. Even still, knowing his mother well, he knew trying to defend himself would only bring him more insults.

"Whatever…" He whispered, his pale lips quivering with anger.

"Anyways," shifting her attention to Raven, Maria brought her smile back on. "The infamous dark mage, who not only defeated the minotaur but enslaved their queen as well. How very…"

Moving as close to Raven as she could, Maria bit her lower lips and whispered.

"Exciting…"

'Just enough of a tease, and I'll have what I want.' At a glance her thoughts aligned well with her words, but what she thought next raised Raven's alarm. 'I wonder what his blood tastes like, I'm growing tired of those girls from the lower city after all.'

Shocked by her words, Raven's eyes widened. But the moment he realized that he was giving away his caution, he quickly forced a smile, and simply watched as the queen stepped away.

"I overheard that my husband is making you stay in the barracks?" Glancing at the king again, she glared at him for the briefest of moments. Then swiftly turning back to look at everyone from Raven's party, she forced a smile as well. "Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't amend his mistake. Besides, the workers just recently finished two guestrooms on the same floor as our family, you're more than welcome to stay there for as long as my husband needs to get you whatever it is you need."

And with a flutter of her dress, as she turned around, the queen made her way back to the entrance to leave the castle halls. However, even though she'd left her presence was still warm inside the hall, not in any physical form, but through her words that made everyone's heart heavy.

'Blood? Girls from the lower city? What the fuck was she talking about?' Thought Raven, all the while the rest of the companions were busy figuring out what the hell just happened as well.

[Short Note: Sorry for nothing lewd for a few chapters, the lewds starts from the next chapter again! XD]