A/N: sighs I hate doing this, it means the word count but check out my patron for more chapters, epug files, side books and characters design and background story. (Patron @Jorgensen or Jo).
"ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME you start wearing the king colors' brother?" Edric asked with a smile as he rolled him closer to the large library metal door.
Ivo was more concerned with how tall Edric was, he was probably 6'3 or more, but he wasn't going to show how much he was jealous of his height now.
"Ed, isn't it time you went back to your kingly duties, if that is a word, besides I don't like how the ladies are flocking after you either".
"Ivo,my dear brother, when I heard that you were having trouble remembering things I didn't take it to heart but now I know how serious it can be, I will do everything in my power to make sure you are back to normal and besides the ladies aren't here for me but for you pretty boy" he added as he stepped back to let Melisa push him toward the library.
"What he said how true is it?" Ivo asked as he could see Edric had made a right turn from the straight corridor.
"What part?" Melisa asked.
Ivo signaled her to stop as he turned the chair to face her.
"Do you have something on your mind?"
"Me?"
"Is there another person here?"
"No my lord"
"It lord now? No longer master?" Ivo asked as he gave his brow a little raise.
Melisa fell to her knees and bowed her head, "forgive me my lord… master… lord please, I pledged my life on the desert gods—Gaiakratos, i will never betray you".
Ivo had known Melisa to be a little dramatic, talking about her, his mind went back to her origin, from her red hair, blood soaked pupils, and rough skin; she was probably from the west Ashenvale that was a desert city sharing borders with the west end of the empire—Ironmarch or even further than that across the red lands.
She was likely captured when she was young, taught the language of men by the soldiers of the empires, and sold as a slave in the capital.
"Do you miss your lands?" Ivo asked with a smile as he lifted her head and wiped her tears, she never replied, but the sadness in her eyes told him everything, Ivo added it to his list to help her and others that have been a victim of the slave act return home if he ever became king—a farfetched dream, but it was possible.
"Now, if you will please Melisa I need you to do something for me" Ivo called out as she rose and wiped her dress of the dirt from kneeling.
"What is that my lord?"
"Call me Ivo if you may" Ivo instructed, but she was already on her knee again resuming her weeping, wailing, and pleading—not in any particular order.
"Okay fine call me lord or whatever suits your sweet taste buds—
"Taste buds?" she asked fond of the new word, but Ivo ignored her and continued his instruction.
"I need you to find the largest mirror you can find in the market and have servants bring it to my room and also procure the services of the royal trimmer, I have a lot of fitting to do".
She bowed and ran off only to run back as she took the piece of gold that Ivo passed to her before she then ran off taking a turn at the corridor disappearing down the hall, ivo watched her with a smile, if he was still in his older life she would have been an older sister to him, but now he wasn't in his older life anymore, was he? He thought as he rolled his chair and rolled it toward the metal door.
Catelyn climbed the stairs as fast as her heels could carry her, she constantly looked over her shoulders again to see if anyone was following her, luckily she deemed she was alone as she stopped in a door made from Vinewood, she stole one last look before pushing the door and shutting it behind her.
"Were you followed?" a soft voice asked as he stepped into the light.
"No I made sure I wasn't, besides it wasn't going to matter soon when the beast is dead, and you can finally claim me as yours" Catelyn replied as she wrapped her hand around Edric and kissed him, but he pushed her back.
"I gave you a simple task, and you failed, do you know what I do to people that disappoint me?" Edric asked as he wrap his long rough fingers around her neck and tighten his grip, Catelyn gasped for air, but she didn't dare pull his hand away, she has first-hand experience of what he could do.
He smiled, pulled his hand away and kissed her, "you know how much I care for you my love, and you don't want your beauty to be wasted on that fool do you?" Edric asked.
"No, no" Catelyn replied, but she was soon silenced by Edric's kiss as he pulled her black gown off her shoulders to reveal her soft round breast, he grabbed one of them and lifted her on the table as she grabbed his belt and pulled it off in one swing letting his pants drop, he lifted his jacket and with one motion, he was already inside her warmth as she moaned, but his hand over her lips silenced her.
They laid on a small bed, naked. Catherine was wrapped around Edric arm and she kissed him. "What is the next step my love, every day I see that twig face I lost my sanity, if it wasn't your caution I would have killed him in his sleep a long time ago" Catelyn complained.
"I understand your worries my love but sadly since the blue-eyed bastard had decided to return to the living I have found use for him, I would need his vote during the king game, and then we can discard him".
"I can't wait my love, I can't wait to wear your colors and carry your children" Catelyn said as she kissed him again.
The bell tolled as Edric rolled away and stood up picking his pants, I have council meeting in an hour and I better visit my mother as she had summoned my presence.
He didn't wait for Catelyn's reply as he was already out the door without looking back.