That night, she went to her bedroom, lay down on her bed and looked up at the ceiling. The wind gently lifted the silk curtain around her window. She felt the fresh breeze with a smile. She stretched to enjoy the cool evening air. Suddenly, she grabbed the knife from her belt and rolled across the floor to stand beside the curtain. She stabbed the curtain and dark red blood spilled onto the fabric. She frowned.
"Who's there and why?"
The person behind the curtain didn't move, almost as if the stabbing didn't hurt him. He was tall and he seemed massive. His long blond hair was over his face. She took back her knife and she was ready in a battle stance. The man stepped inside, and Zaelia dropped her weapon due to the shock. The man spoke, and his voice was unreal, echoing in the room. She listened in awe of him. She had recognized him.
"You will not consider this marriage."
She dropped her knife on the floor, she was shocked and lost in thoughts. She couldn't believe it. He was there, in front of her. Her body began to tremble, she remained silent, obedient, as he approached her.
"You will not take a harem."
He continued to walk until he could reach her. Then, with one hand, he grabbed her shoulder and with his other arm he embraced her, pulling her against his body.
"You are mine, my queen of the sun" he whispered.
Zaelia finally managed to catch her breath. Her heart was racing so much that it was painful to her. Her golden eyes were opened wide in front of him. She slowly raised one hand and touched his face with the tip of her fingers. She whispered in a trembling voice full of many emotions.
"Archanium, you came."
He smiled at her in reply. Her astonishment froze her. She didn't react at all to the shock of seeing him in front of her, and yet her heart was beating so fast that a tear rolled down her cheek. It was as if she were frozen in the night.
"Do you want to become my goddess and join my city?"
Gently, slowly, she moved her hand towards him, then her whole body. She was overwhelmed by his magnificence. Here he was, the dream of her life came true. The culmination of all her efforts to please him. He had seen her. She couldn't be happier. She stood on tiptoe and slipped into his arms. Then she pressed her lips to his. He pulled her closer, supporting her with his hands that had slid to her waist. They both smiled at this moment, and after a long, passionate kiss, she gave him her answer.
"I don't want to, my God."
His smile grew larger. He knew the answer for a long time, which was exactly why she was his favorite. He was content, he was proud. She stared at him, and he lost himself in the golden eyes he had given to her.
Archanium had broken his deal with Tridjan and for the first time in his long life, he was happy to have lost.
They remained in this position for what seemed like hours. This kiss was the consecration of Zaelia's whole life. Her whole body was held in Archanium's powerful hands, and she snuggled up to him with all the love she had for him. The god's fingers began to explore her face, her neck, her back and finally slipped into her hair. She held her breath, feeling his powerful chest rise and fall against her. Everything about him was power, and her passion for him could reduce the world to nothing. In a breath, he lifted her off the floor and onto the bed. His smile was that of a conqueror as he stood over her in a commanding manner.
"This is my place." he said, smiling arrogantly.
She laughed as she realized what it was about. She cupped his face in her hands and asked, amused.
"Is my god jealous?"
His anger was palpable. Her recent ideas made him furious, he had to admit to himself some emotions that he would prefer never to know. He brought his fist down on the bed's mattress, only a few centimeters from the queen's head. She didn't move; she wasn't afraid of him, on the contrary, she admired his brute strength. He was everything to her, and nothing else mattered.
"You are mine, only mine. Understood? My Queen."
In doing so, he had admitted his weaknesses. He'd admitted he didn't want to lose her; his possessiveness reflected his fears about her. She smiled broadly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt weaker than he'd ever felt before.
But strangely,
He liked this weakness.
She pressed down on the god's massive neck to bring him closer to her. She bit her lip in excitement, being so close to the one she'd always admired made her heart beat so fast it was almost painful.
She loved him and loved him with all her being. Every part of her called his name. He let himself be touched, and his lips found Zaelia's.
Between caresses and gentle movements, she offered herself to him completely, body and soul. This intense, passionate moment remained engraved in her mind, and she knew she would cherish him until the end of time. It was so natural that they knew they were made for each other. Beyond the fact that he was all-powerful and superior to her. He now saw her only as the Queen who had captured his attention and whom he wanted to guard like a precious treasure.
He seized her with a powerful grip, so that his fingers pierced the skin on her back. Zaelia accepted Archanium's violence, she accepted everything from him, and as their love swept them into a night that united them, she knew that her body would henceforth bear the marks of her god.
Once they'd finished, Archanium lay down beside her and observed his work. He admired the claw marks that lacerated her back completely. He chuckled slightly, then ran his hand gently over the wounds. His healing power closed his beloved's wounds simply by being close by, leaving a thin golden stripe decorating her skin and shining beautifully in the sunlight. Zaelia was slowly becoming a formidable piece of art. Her eyes and back were now symbols of Archanium's love for her, and she would display them proudly.
That night, Zaelia became the Queen of the Sun and her fate was sealed. There was no turning back.
He pressed his fingers to his cheeks to draw her attention as he spoke.
"You will refuse the peace treaty. You will kill them all."
She laughed, slowly pushing her hand away from his face, she moved closer to him and whispered words in his ear that he loved to hear. Her sensual voice transported him like never before, making him shiver with excitement.
"I will do better, wait to see."
He was excited, his heart was beating strongly in his chest. The sun raised in the sky, he caressed her cheek slowly and tenderly.
"I cannot wait."
His smile was large and deep, their union would result in something terrific for the world. She stood up with bright eyes.
Archanium returned to his city. He didn't want to spoil the surprise of his Queen. He turned his eyes away to the sky and didn't see what she was preparing for him, but he knew it would be grand. Zaelia was very busy the next few days and nobody saw her except for Alejandro.