"What do you think I am doing, my dear beast?" whispered Zenos as he gently kissed the girl's horn.
The sensation of his proximity made her pulse quicken, and with that single kiss upon her sensitive horn, Mavislin felt her head starting to get hazy. His voice, soft and intimate, sent shivers down her spine, making her heart race with a mix of surprise and something deeper.
"Zenos…" begged Mavislin as she tried squirming away from his grasp.
"What's the matter? Not wanting this? Your blush says otherwise..."
However, the Viceroy had other plans; he decided to rest his head beside Mavislin's cheek, fully placing his upper weight on the poor girl. It was at that point that Mavislin thanked the stars that she was part dragon, Zenos definitely weighed more than Matt.
The moment seemed to stretch, the world narrowing to the space between them, as she struggled to maintain her composure while her emotions swirled in a confusing blend of excitement and vulnerability.
It was only after a few, teasing seconds before she realised that the two were not alone. Mavislin's gaze flicked urgently toward the door as she focused intently, summoning the power of her Gorgon's eyes to peer beyond the room.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief when she discerned that the souls lurking on the other side were merely the guards assigned to protect the Viceroy. The tension eased from her shoulders, knowing that no additional threats or unexpected intrusions awaited her.
"So you've figured it out huh? Took you a bit…" muttered the Prince Of Darkness, gently rubbing on the poor dragoness' wrist.
"Shush… I may strive for the dance of the warzone but I am still a female… Anyways, you still haven't answered my question."
"I defied my father because I sought a greater advantage on the battlefield. After all, it levels the playing field for us both, does it not? I devoted an entire year to mastering the art of Magecraft to ensure my pact with my Guardian would succeed…"
"Only a year?! That's not fair! Took me years… Well, I guess your Guardian wouldn't have the same rank as mine… Since you did say that yours was a monster that you helped to slay…"
"See that you keep silent regarding my command of the arcane arts. Though I shall refrain from wielding such power before prying eyes, rest assured it will come into play in our clash tomorrow."
"Should rumors spread, I may be forced to purge the entire Legion—a distasteful task, yet necessary. Now, let us concern ourselves with the matter at hand, shall we not?" smirked Zenos as he gave another small kiss to the blushing mess that was Mavislin.
But this time, instead of her horn, it was her rosy cheeks, causing the poor girl to nearly explode. It was at that point that Mavislin wanted to give Zenos a Gorgon punch towards the cookout in the clouds but couldn't as he held down her wrists.
The Viceroy simply chuckled as he sat up, allowing the dragoness to have some fresh air. With lungs filling up with God's gift of air, Mavislin could finally sit up. A few knocks on the door kept both of them alert, with Mavislin quickly jumping away from Zenos.
"There was nothing of consequence in our actions, nothing warranting such baseless suspicion. Cease your needless posturing and conduct yourself properly," said the Viceroy as he answered the door.
"I beg to differ! Geesh... Are all nobles as strict as you?" pouted Mavislin as she looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
A few clipped words were exchanged between Zenos and the figure at the door before he gave a curt nod, permitting them to wheel in the evening meal.
The dragoness, ravenous and weary, could scarcely believe her eyes as she beheld the lavish spread laid out before her. It was the first time she had ever been served food on such a curious contraption—a cart with polished wheels.
But it wasn't just the presentation that stunned her; it was the sheer abundance of dishes teetering on its surface. Mavislin had lived a life of frugality, accustomed to solitary portions and plain, unadorned meals.
Her eyes grew distant, their focus softening as the ghosts of her past began to echo in her mind, each memory a haunting whisper in the recesses of her thoughts...
"You should have never been born..."
"Hah! You are such a burden that your progenitress had to pay us to get rid of you!"
"You should be thankful that we hadn't fed you to the pound yet!"
The dragoness flinched as she recalled how painful it was to be at the receiving end of whiplashing when she merely stumbled upon food tossed on the old floorboards.