She closed her eyes and then, in a broken voice, said, "It's the order of the new lady, I mean your wife, her grace."
Evail, who had served in the palace for so long, had not even learned his wife's name yet. She was still an unknown to him.
"She is called Princess Taya."
Orig's words left Evail stunned. He had hardly spoken to the servants for years, but his tone now was entirely different. For a moment, he seemed to forget about his stepmother and, instead, turned his attention to his wife.
"My stepmother dared to change everything in the palace years ago," Orig thought as he rushed to his wing, only to be shocked by the changes. "But I hardly got my room's furniture back. Everything in it belonged to my mother," he reflected bitterly.
As he made his way through the halls, all the servants who saw him froze in place. They had all made silent vows that they would never sleep another night in the palace under his rule.
"Taya Orig Dessmann!" Orig shouted, his voice booming through the corridor, his eyes burning with frustration. The servants in the room stopped what they were doing when they heard his voice echoing through the halls.
"Your Majesty, did you call me?" Taya whispered softly, her voice tender, as she knelt on the ground. Her head was held high, her eyes meeting his fiery gaze.
Orig bent down to her level and leaned in close, his breath hot against her skin. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered, his lips dangerously close to hers. Taya watched him in astonishment, studying every detail of his face.
"Nothing but being your wife," she replied softly, her eyes unwavering, though her heart raced.
Her tender gaze didn't soften the sharpness in his eyes. She is truly deranged, he thought, though his mind couldn't figure out how to get rid of her.
"My wife, for your sake!" Orig smirked, pulling her closer. His breath quickened, and she could feel the heat of his desire. "You don't know what you're asking for," he murmured, and for a moment, she could feel the tension building between them.
"Oh, hold on, my dear," Taya said with a soft gasp, breaking the moment. "We can't do this here with all the servants watching. Be patient, Your Majesty."
Her words, laced with a surprising mix of humor and restraint, made the servants uneasy. They couldn't help but feel embarrassed as they witnessed the scene unfold before them. Taya, however, remained calm, knowing she had to navigate this carefully.
"I thought their marriage was just political. It seems like it's born from love... God," one of the maids whispered under her breath.
At a sign from Orig, all the servants in the room quickly exited, their minds reeling from the tension and confusion of what they had just witnessed. Orig had never refused Taya's touch; in fact, it seemed he wanted her badly, something they would have only dreamed about.
"Don't worry," Taya said, sensing his growing tension. "If I don't get rid of your mother's things, they are still in the room. I'm not heartless, Orig." She could feel his glare, sharp as a dagger, but she wasn't afraid. She had learned how to handle him.
"How did she know about my mother's things in my room?" Orig thought, the question gnawing at him. He got closer to her, and she could feel her heartbeat accelerating. She knew she had to change the subject quickly before things escalated beyond her control.
"You have to assassinate the great ruler, or else you'll be charged with it," Taya whispered, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she pulled his long tufts of hair.
Orig's eyes widened at her words, shocked by her audacity. "What did you just say?" he asked, disbelief evident in his tone.
Taya smirked. "You say that to evade my punishment, but think for a moment—why would I have to kill the person I work for? He has the key, and I can't harm him."
Orig, his anger flaring, pushed her down onto the ground. Taya remained unfazed, staring at him. She could see that he was still under the ruler's control, manipulated by him like a puppet.
"Come on, Orig, don't act dumb," Taya challenged. "He's the one who hit your back. Think for a second—where did the crown prince suddenly find that brilliant alchemist? How did he survive the stab from your dagger? If there were no arrangements made for his survival, he would have died. The ruler's help kept him alive."
Her words hit their mark, but Orig remained silent, refusing to acknowledge the truth. He simply stared at her, his thoughts clearly torn.
"Your words have no origin," Orig muttered, though doubt flickered in his eyes. He slowly raised her dress until it reached the middle of her thigh, his breath trailing down her neck.
Taya turned her face away, unwilling to be affected by his advances. "You can ask the alchemist," she continued. "He's seen everything. Getting to him isn't difficult for your men. The ruler doesn't suspect that you've discovered his plans, so he won't take precautions with the alchemist. He needs him."
Taya avoided his touch, turning her head to the side to keep her distance. She knew that getting too close to him was dangerous, but she couldn't help but press her advantage.
"I don't think you have time to get angry at me," she muttered, her teeth clenched as she watched him stop his actions. His mind seemed to be spinning as he struggled to process everything she had said.
Orig stood up abruptly, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. Without a word, he left the room, his mind still buzzing with conflicting thoughts.
Taya, left alone on the floor, whispered to herself, "Well, Taya, you've made him angry. Now what? He'll probably go to that damned maid, Meral."
She sat there, trying to figure out a plan to make her marriage work. The power she sought, the control over Rose's lands, could only be achieved by controlling this crude, dangerous beast she was married to.
"Dear husband," she muttered, a sly smile crossing her lips. "You will have to build new memories, with me in the frame."
She saw Orig outside, talking to Mr. Osef, the kingdom's advisor. It was clear they would be engaged in conversation well into the morning. Taya knew this was her chance to act.
She instructed the servants to complete the preparations for the room before the next day. She chose every piece of furniture carefully, ensuring that it was exactly what she envisioned. The room was transformed late into the night, each detail chosen to reflect her growing influence.
The preparations were finally completed, and Taya sat back, satisfied with the progress she had made. It was just the beginning, and she would need to keep playing her cards carefully if she wanted to succeed in her dangerous game.
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