"Shadow, I'm going to say this to you before you enter the Queens' room"
"Yes? Lady Penzilvana?"
"Be prepared"
"Huh?"
"You see...Maculata wants steam tonight"
"I do not understand..."
"In lay man's terms, she wants to experience, what intimacy is"
"Intimacy...?"
"You look confused, your body, basically, human touch"
Shadow was very thoughtful for a moment, but then he realized what she meant. He shook his head, his face burning, his ears were bright red, the most noticeable of all.
"I do not know-"
"That's why she picked you out of all the suitors because the two of you are basically new to this, and she wants to learn with you"
"I-I see..."
"Just do your best"
"Lady Penzilvana...I do not think that-"
"It's fine, you can refuse her as well if you aren't ready yet, she'll understand, don't be afraid of her"
"I am not afraid of her, Lady Penzilvana, I am afraid that I will disappoint her"
"It's fine, Shadow, you can do it"
"I'll try Lady Penzilvana"
"Alright, go and do your best, remember to pull out before you release as well"
"???"
Penzilvana says her goodbye, and Shadow was shaking in nervousness and anxiety, he slowly reached for the doorknob.
"She is my master and I must restrain myself, if I do not, I need to train harder"
He mutters to himself repeatedly when he gathered enough courage, he finally opens the door.
"I don't understand why this is so thin, not to mention my chest is being squeezed like this, it feels uncomfortable"
"Y-Your majesty?"
Maculata was standing in the mirror looking at the dress Penzilvana gave her.
"Oh! Shadow!"
"I- er"
Shadow looked away, Maculata wondered what was wrong, did he not like the dress, Penzilvana gave?
"Shadow, how do I look?"
"Do I have permission to look at you?"
"Y-Yes of course"
Shadow slowly turned to look at the Queen, her figure was amplified from the light of the moon, Shadow's heart pounded in his chest.
"...You look"
"You're the only one who is seeing me in this dreadful 'dress' as Penzilvana stated"
"It is...a dress?"
"Yes"
"I see"
Awkwardness filled the room, the two stood there in silence.
'I don't know how to do this...'
"Your majesty"
"Yes?! Shadow?!"
"Are you sure about this decision?"
"You mean? Intimacy?"
"...Yes"
"I want to know how this works, Shadow"
"W-Well I also do not know how this works, your majesty...I apologise"
"They say two people in love can easily do this...I guess your love is not strong enough"
"W-What?!"
"Shadow..."
"Y-Your majesty?"
"Do you love me?"
"I-I DO BUT-"
"...You do?"
"Your majesty, first I respect you as the Queen, my master and a woman, two individual must love each other to perform this act not to mention that this should happen to married people"
"Oh, is that your concern?"
"Yes!"
"Being married?"
"YES!"
"Shadow, it is okay even if I am not married, you do not have to worry about anything, you have full consent"
"..."
Shadow stepped forward, took Maculatas' hand, kneeled down, and kissed her hand, Maculata gave a questioning look at him.
"Your majesty, my appearance may...scare you"
"Scare me?"
"I...do not look pleasant nor my body, I have a lot of scars"
"I am not looking at your appearance Shadow, I already know who you are by heart"
Shadow stands up once again, towering Maculata as he leads her hands to his face.
"..."
Maculata gently lowered the mask on Shadow's face, her heart pounding in her chest. This was the first time Maculata would see Shadow's face, but then she stopped.
"Shadow...first I want to ask you"
"Yes?"
"Are you comfortable doing this?"
"If you are requesting it, then-"
"No. I am asking if you are comfortable doing this with me"
"Yes"
"That's the only thing I needed to know"
'That means that, he trusts me enough to see his face now, he is also comfortable with me'
Maculata lowers his mask, she is surprised at the scars on his face, she traces it with her fingers.
'Despite having scars on his face, he is still very handsome'
"Your majesty-"
Maculata pulled his face down to reach him, he was taken by surprise, her lips brushing onto his, that was the only action it took for the two to have a heated and passionate kiss.
Shadow always held back because he knows his boundaries, she is a Queen that she can only admire from afar, so he locked his feelings away and focused on her orders.
But because of this suitor business his feelings started to emerge once again, not just that but his heart couldn't calm down now because the Queen awakened his desire for her.
"S-Shadow wait"
"Hm?"
Maculata was out of breath, Shadow realized that he had left marks on her skin.
"Your majesty, I bruised you...! I-"
"It's fine, let me take a breath first"
Shadow hugged the Queen, Maculata was fine with anything, and she accepted him for who he is even though he had scars.
He was far from perfect.
But the Queen wasn't afraid.
Maybe that's what attracted him to her, her fierce and strong will.
"I want you to be mine alone"
"What did you say?"
He muttered under his breath, Shadow knows that he isn't the only one that is able to touch her like this, he knows that the Queen does not love him and his heart aches knowing this.
He knows that a lot of things are forbidden between the two of them, and yet he wants her all for himself right now.
"My Queen..."
"Shadow...?"
"I know that you will think of me as a fool but, I want you to know that..."
He stops.
'Is this a good idea? To confess to her right now?'
Maculata was waiting for him to continue, he just shakes his head and kisses her forehead.
"What is it? Shadow?"
"It is nothing"
"It is unlike you, to stop mid-sentence"
"...I do not want you to have confusion"
"Say it"
"I...I apologise, maybe some other time"
Maculata frowned at him, she huffed and looked away.
"Are you angry?"
"No..."
"Your majesty, I might cause confusion, and our relationship might be strained because of the words that I will tell you"
"Tell me"
"I love you"
"..."
Maculata was very stunned at what the man said, she couldn't believe that he just said that to her.
"You are jesting"
"No. I am not"
"Shadow"
"I am well aware, your majesty, that my love for you will not be reciprocated, and this moment is just fleeting"
"..."
"But that will never change, you are a beauty in my eyes even though everyone was scared of you, I knew how beautiful you are, even if you were stressed or angry, I was never afraid of you"
Maculata hugged him, she hid tears that rolled down from her eyes.
"You thought that there wasn't a man that is capable of loving you...but I was ready to catch you anytime"
"But..."
"Yes, I know there are buts and ifs, your majesty, you are the Queen after all, those words can never be taken away from you. I understand, My Queen"
Maculata hugged him tighter, she then proceeded to kiss him once again, this time from her with passion.
Maculatas' heart shook at Shadow's words, she has never felt love from another person before besides, familial love from Peachy, Penzilvana, Reymond and the other servants who weren't afraid of her.
But Shadow's love was different, it was a romantic love for her.
"...Shadow I want to take the lead"
"Alright"
Shadow lied down and Maculata went on top of him, Maculata trailed kisses onto his face, neck and down to his chest.
She then licks the nipples of the man, he grabs her thigh in reaction, which surprised Maculata.
"You surprised me"
"I apologise"
"You're very sensitive here, huh?"
"Your majesty"
"Yes?"
"Um...are you sure you do not know how to do this?"
"No"
"But your actions says otherwise"
"Well...you also said that you have not done this before, and yet when you kissed me and touched me, you gave me pleasure, you also left marks on my skin"
"I do not know what came over me...I'll admit"
"I also do not know what is coming over me, but it is helping both of us how to do this, correct?"
"Yes. You do have a point"
Maculata sat up, Shadow loosened his grip on her thigh, she traced her hand down from his chest, then she circles her finger on his abdomen.
"...My Queen"
"Your breathing is getting heavier"
"Er..."
Shadow was heavily blushing as well, he was very embarrassed.
'She holds so much confidence that she isn't embarrassed about this'
Shadow thought, carefully watching her movements.
He then moved onto his thighs and touched his bulge. He sat up and grabbed her hand, which surprised her.
"I...think that is enough, teasing your majesty"
"...Oh...Are you alright?"
"No...I mean yes"
"Should we continue?"
"I should be asking that to you"
"I still want to continue, I still feel
something is missing"
"Alright, let's continue"
"But what do we do next"
"May I lead this time around?"
"You may"
Shadow took off his pants, Maculatas' eyes widened at his long and large rod, she even covered her mouth to suppress a gasp.
Now that Maculata is looking at the ninja in his full glory, he had a lot of scars on his body, specifically on his back, she couldn't help but admire his scars and physique at the same time.
'Shadow works and trains very hard to achieve such body'
"Shadow...what happened to you?"
"...Yes?"
"Your scars?"
"...I do not remember how I got them, your majesty, the memories I only have, is the time when I met your Father, his majesty Silvril and then following him around before he assigned me to be your protector"
Maculata beckoned him on the bed and then made him turn around, he was confused on why her majesty was asking for him to face her with his back.
The Queen then wraps her arms around the ninja and hugs him from the back, she then kisses his back lightly.
"I hope whatever memory this scars hold, do not haunt you Shadow"
"I am fine, your majesty"
They stayed like that for a moment before Maculata lied down and Shadow went on top of her.
"...Do you know what you are doing?"
"I think so?"
"...I'm getting a little scared"
"Tell me if you feel discomfort, I will immediately stop"
"I trust you"