Lust for the King’s Wife

Chapter 20: Two Women (4)

The scent of damp roses.

That was the only way to describe the smell that always lingered around the princess. Like a young rose freshly blossomed, drenched in the dew of dawn. It carried a sweetness that numbed the senses, mingled with the dangerous threat of hidden thorns.

Because of that, I always kept a bit of distance whenever she approached. But this time, she refused to allow such trivial evasions, firmly gripping my neck and pressing her lips against mine.

“Hmph…”

“…Mm.”

“Haa… mmph… mm…”

Even though I wasn’t resisting, the princess continued to press her lips to mine. Despite her breath growing ragged and her movements growing clumsy, she didn’t stop advancing.

Her inexperience showed—she could do little more than press her lips against my skin. 

Yet, summoning her courage, she tentatively pushed her tongue into my mouth. Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, she withdrew momentarily.

“Hahk…! Hah…”

“…”

“Haa… haah… haa…”

But she quickly returned, gripping my hair tightly. The pleasure she tasted for the first time was like a drug, burrowing into her brain and driving her into a state of deep excitement.

It took quite some time to calm her down. When she finally pulled away, my lips ached faintly from the intensity of her touch.

“Haa… haa… haa…”

“Princess.”

“Haa… Alf… Alf…”

“Shall we stop now?”

I spoke gently but firmly, aiming to avoid hurting her while still making my stance clear. Of course, the princess was not one to accept such words easily.

“No.”

“This is improper.”

“Why? Because we’re not engaged yet?”

“There are dozens of other reasons as well.”

“Then tell me all of them. While you’re explaining, I’ll enjoy this moment.”

For just a moment, I caught a faint whiff of Mirian’s scent in her. The thorns of the rose were beginning to grow within this young girl’s heart, threatening to creep in if I let my guard down.

But she was not Mirian. And she could never become her. Her thorns lacked the depth to pierce my heart.

“If this continues, I might have to call someone.”

“Who? A maid? A guard? Whoever comes, it won’t work in your favor.”

“They’ll likely arrest me, lock me in a cell, and prepare to take my head.”

“If that happens, I’ll join you in the cell.”

“That would be a great tragedy for the kingdom.”

“Is that the only way I can have you? By going to such extremes?”

A hint of bitter self-mockery escaped her lips, but the princess quickly brushed it aside, forcing a thin smile.

“I was joking. I ended up saying something heavier than I meant to. And this isn’t what you think, Alf.”

“Then what is it?”

“I want you to teach me. How to do things like this. You’ve taught me everything else I’ve learned for the first time.”

“But…”

“Yes, it’s improper. But it’s okay. Because we love each other.”

“…”

“And even if that’s not true… show me how to make you mine.”

Her whisper was laced with desperation, followed by a sincere kiss pressed to my forehead. The sound of it echoed in my skull, leaving me momentarily dazed.

While I was still reeling, she deftly removed her top without giving me a chance to stop her. She laughed nervously, offering a feeble excuse.

“I guess the heater’s too high. It’s a little warm.”

“Shall I open the window?”

“It’d be too cold. And I’m too lazy to walk over there.”

“I’ll do it for you.”

“Okay, then let’s do this instead. See? Problem solved.”

Perhaps embarrassed by her own boldness, she stopped me from getting up and pulled a blanket over herself instead. The teeth of this young wolf were still too immature to truly sink into my neck.

Yet, even so, the feeling of her bare skin against mine was unavoidable. Touching me once or twice seemed to embolden her, and she wrapped her whole body around me tightly.

“This feels much warmer.”

“It’s probably just your imagination. Clothes provide better insulation.”

“Stop saying boring things. And you’re rougher than I expected.”

“It’s probably from spending so much time outdoors.”

“Do other men feel like this? Not that it matters—I only care about you.”

The weight of her emotions felt too heavy to bear with just bare skin. If I let this go on, her vulnerability might pull me under, burying me forever in her embrace.

Not long ago, I thought of her as just a child. The girl who trembled in fear within the dragon’s labyrinth had grown into someone bold enough to kiss the back of my neck.

Time is never on my side. As I wrestled with this thought, I felt something coil around my ankle—a glance revealed it was her thigh brushing up my leg.

“This feels strange. My heart’s racing even more. We’ve shared beds countless times, but just taking off one layer changes everything. Isn’t that curious?”

“Is it?”

“Touching skin to skin must be like this—just feeling your warmth makes my heart pound. Do you think I’m overreacting?”

“…”

“Or are you just particularly indifferent?”

Her hand slipped under my clothes, trailing across my chest, my abdomen, and finally my waist, where it lingered as though it had lost its way.

Even she seemed unable to cross certain boundaries. This brief thought brought me some relief. 

But suddenly, she grabbed my wrist and guided my hand to her chest, placing it over the soft curve barely concealed by her undergarment.

The sensation startled me, and I immediately pulled back.

“Princess…!”

“Hah… hahaha…”

“This isn’t right, Princess.”

“Your tone got stiff again. Even you must’ve felt something.”

“I…”

“Is your heart beating faster now?”

She pressed her fingers against my wrist as though measuring my pulse, then smiled faintly and playfully bumped her forehead against mine.

“My heartbeat’s so loud it’s hard to tell. It’s embarrassing, really.”

“Please, let’s stop now.”

“But I feel so happy. For the first time, I feel like my feelings have truly reached you. Touching you like this makes it even clearer.”

“Princess.”

“Alf.”

As I tried once more to stop her, she locked eyes with me. For the first time, her voice lowered, taking on a serious tone.

“Don’t let the Queen deceive you.”

“…”

“She’s a witch. She’s playing with you. To her, you’re nothing more than a fleeting distraction—a game for a summer night.”

“…”

“The one you love is me, Alf.”

For the first time, her words carried a depth of sincerity I couldn’t ignore. She was no seductress bent on manipulation, nor a witch scheming to ensnare me.

And because of that, she could never be Mirian.

I gently pulled away and stroked her hair, speaking softly.

“It’s still raining outside.”

“Yeah, I think it’s going to rain all day.”

“The sun will set quickly. You should get some rest early tonight.”

“I will, if you stay by my side.”

“As long as you put your clothes back on.”

She smiled at my words, a lighthearted expression that seemed to shed the tension from before.

But she didn’t put her clothes back on. Instead, she lay down, using my arm as a pillow, and slowly closed her eyes.

“For some reason, I can’t sleep well when it rains. Even during our travels, I stayed up countless nights, wide awake in the rain.”

“In the labyrinth, there was always groundwater flowing. Maybe it’s because of those memories.”

“Still, when I’m by your side, I sleep well. So stay with me during the rainy days.”

“And if I say no?”

“I already had your things moved here.”

Quick. That was how desperately she wanted to hold onto me. Even as her eyes were closed, the princess’ grip on my arm was firm, like a shackle.

I left her like that, turning my gaze toward the ceiling. Come to think of it, her room was on the fourth floor—just one level down from where we’d been earlier.

In other words, she was right above. Perhaps even directly above. If I let my imagination wander, I could almost see her lying there, just beyond the wall.

“…Ah.”

Even while someone else was lying beside me, I was thinking of her, my heart burning with the thought. 

It was a stark reminder of the depth of my feelings. They were too heavy and too intense for me to take a single step away.

I began to wonder if the princess’ words were right—that I was being toyed with.

“…”

At some point, the princess fell asleep, her breathing soft and even. But I couldn’t bring myself to close my eyes, continuing to stare at the ceiling.

My mind was restless. The bed beneath me felt unbearably hot, weighed down by the guilt and betrayal I couldn’t shake.

***

A Cold Bed

As always, the witch lay on her cold bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. The act held no particular meaning. It was simply a way to pass the time.

Passing time—this was what the witch did most since coming to the palace. Dreams required time, and so she devoted much of hers to waiting.

What she didn’t need much of were people. For that reason, she had always been alone during her short years here.

“…”

In an empty space, coldness inevitably seeps in. It spreads slowly, soaking the emptiness and filling it.

Leave it unattended for too long, and even the heart turns cold. Fortunately, pain dulls over time, and eventually, the witch stopped feeling loneliness altogether.

But tonight, for some reason, being alone bothered her. As she stared at the ceiling, she would occasionally glance around the room or reach out to touch the empty sheets beside her.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand why. Yet, she feared that if she left herself idle, old pains she had forgotten might resurface. So, the witch busied herself with constant thought.

At some point, she raised her thumb to her lips—the same thumb that had grazed the Hero’s lips earlier.

“…”

She didn’t press it against her lips for long. It wasn’t out of longing. Nor was it an attempt to savor some remnant of him.

Yet, strangely, her heart felt unsteady. She lingered in that strange sensation before unconsciously pressing her thumb to her lips again.

The peculiar weight in her chest grew heavier. She felt as though something might burst if she held it in. Finally, she opened her mouth and murmured softly to the silence.

“Warm.”