Shield hero: Shield of the queen

Dawn was fast approaching as Melty stepped down the halls. She had awoken early to begin her duties before she was free to spend time with Filo, thus making her stop at the chamber where her mother was to reside.

She checked on her infant brother, holding him gently in her arms, looking into his green eyes. Melty adored Hal, something about him reminded her of Naofumi in an innocent manner but lacking the harshness of his expression or the perpetual scowl to adorn his visage. Though she often attributed this seeing of similarity to be all her imagination. Given her father's accusation, it was difficult for the second princess to take the idea seriously…at least she could not take it with complete seriousness.

Hal was quiet, taking great pains (or as much as an infant could) to not garner much attention. It was a likable quality—he was so likable that Melty hoped he would not be anything resembling her older sister, Bitch, when he grows older.

Resting her brother in his crib, Melty then makes her way back into the hallway to approach her mother's chamber door.

"Mother?" she whispered, hoping she was not disturbing her mother's rest. Since the birthing, her strength had been slow to recover and Melty wished to do anything which helped her mother to do so in any means.

The room was empty. Melty was prepared to leave when suddenly "Yes…" she heard a moan from the adjacent room for bathing.

There was a crack in the door. Melty crept toward it to peek in.

"Ahh!"

She saw her mother, the Queen of Melromarc, standing on her knees in the bath, leaning back against Naofumi's chiseled chest, reveling in the pleasure of the Shield Hero's manhood invading her from behind. Caressing his hand which was fondling her breast as he thrust into her.

"Yes! Harder, my love!"

Aroused elation was clear in both their expressions as they fornicated in the bath with neither aware they had been discovered.

She watched her mother smile, moaning incessantly "Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhhhh!" as Naofumi continued to push into her.

So…it's true…

She knew at last her mother's lover was Naofumi. Melty had her suspicions of Hal's paternity, with Naofumi certainly being on the list but her father's accusations had made her lose some certainty.

She did not watch them further, finding it more than she could tolerate. She did not intrude onto the scene to berate and castigate her mother as well as her lover, Melty merely retreated quietly to return to her room. It was not traumatizing for her to see, she knew full well what they were doing, having been informed on such things before the summoning of the heroes.

"HAH! OHH! OHH! OHHH! AAAAAHH! AHAHH! AHH! AH! AHH!"

Naofumi ravaged Mirellia swiftly with the passion of a young man as the water splashed, needing to depart hastily but also to leave them both satisfied until they could steal another moment to share alone. Once they had concluded, both brought to complete satisfaction, he shared one last kiss before returning to his room.

As he swiftly departed from the room he swore he saw a miniature figure in the corner of his eye giving him a death glare but when he turned to look he found no one standing there, only empty halls with a patrolling soldier turning down the hall.

Shrugging it off as his imagination he made his way back to his room.

Melty was silent but mentally fuming at the revelation in her mind.

She had noticed a shift in the dynamic between her mother and the shield hero but she never could be convinced it indicated much, and her father's accusations of Hal's paternity made her feel like a fool for thinking anything of it. But to have it confirmed in such a way made her stomach churn. She was fond of the shield hero so that added another level of disgust in the young princess' mind.

Her mother had told Melty once that if she could not secure a child with Naofumi then she would. In simple terms: either Mirellia would have a grandchild, or Melty would have a new sibling. Given that she now had an adorable little brother it was obvious ti state which had happened.

She wanted to confront her mother, but opted to wait for the moment.

Time passed after the revelation and the day progressed. It would not be until she was alone with her mother, separated from the Shield Hero and the guards were just far enough away that Melty felt confident enough to confront her mother.

"Mother." she said abruptly in the midst of drinking tea, "I need to discuss something with you."

Mirellia was concerned, unaware of what was about to be layed at her feet, so naturally she wanted to know the issue right away. "What is bothering you, Melty?"

"Mother…I saw you with Sir Naofumi."

"Heh…?" Mirellia was taken aback. "How do…you mean?"

"I found the two of you in the bath together." Melty explained vaguely. "I did not intend to, but I found the two of you in the throws of passion."

"..." Mirellia was at a loss for words as a result. She knew that her daughter had a crush on the Shield Hero but she stilll ended up bedding him. It was not an aspect she was proud of. She did not regret what she and Naofumi had done—she did not feel shame for the passionate embraces they exchanged, the carnal bliss they engaged in, nor the words they traded—however she did not much enjoy how it came at the expense of her daughter's feelings.

There was an awkward silence between mother and daughter. Silence which gradually developed an air of misery to it.

Working through the aforementioned awkwardness, Melty forced herself to finally ask "Mother…what are your intentions regarding sir Naofumi?"

"Hmm…?"

"Do you intend to make him the new King of Melromarc?"

"I…" Mirellia did not know how to respond to that.

Melty was far from shy in speaking her mind. "Because I would not be fond of calling the Shield Hero father."

"Melty, I…I did not mean to upset you."

"Do you love him, Mother?"

"Wha…?"

"Do you love Sir Naofumi?"

Again, Mirellia did not know how to respond, only able to think to herself I am a terrible mother.

Melty sighed in disappointment.