The throne room was as suffocating as ever, thick with incense, luxury, and unspoken expectations. Nobles lounged on plush cushions, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, eager to witness yet another verbal skirmish between their unpredictable rulers and the stubborn governor.
It was an informal evening court session, where indulgence reigned supreme. Aegerian nobility had long since turned these gatherings into extravagant affairs of excess, with wine flowing freely and courtiers dissolving into drunken laughter, their senses dulled by opulence.
Politics was secondary; pleasure was the true agenda of the night. And yet, here was Marina, fully sober, caught in a game far more treacherous than intoxication.
Ruyi, sprawled across his throne like a lazy predator, eyes twinkling with mischief as Marina approached. "Our dear Governor is making quite the mess."
Marina didn't flinch. "A necessary mess."
Ruyel, watched silently, his expression unreadable, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness in his gaze.
Ruyi chuckled, stretching lazily before throwing a casual comment into the air. "It seems the palace has been abuzz with rumors, Governor. My entertainers and courtesans seem to think you and I have grown quite fond of each other."
Marina raised a brow. "And?"
He leaned forward, smirking. "Ruyel's favorite consort is terribly jealous of the amount of time you've spent with him in the past forty-eight hours. And the consort in question is one of the most beautiful men to ever exist."
Marina blinked, then smirked. "Funny. Even my office staff believes we have outstanding chemistry, Your Highness. Unfortunately, I have no particular advice to offer His Highness the White Tiger regarding his predicament."
Ruyel finally spoke, his voice smooth, yet edged with amusement. "A shame. I was looking forward to the wisdom you've been generously spreading around Aeger."
"Ah, but my expertise lies in finances, discipline, and sanitation, not relationships." Marina folded her arms, keeping her tone light. "That is an area beyond my capabilities."
Ruyi sighed dramatically, tapping a finger against his chin. "A stunning woman like you, yet no suitor in sight? Could it be your fiery personality that keeps them away?"
Ruyel exhaled through his nose. "Or perhaps she is simply dedicated to Aeger."
Marina's lips twitched. "Exactly. Aeger is a demanding lover."
Ruyi grinned, golden eyes gleaming with something deeper. "That it is. But perhaps you should indulge in a different kind of company for once, Governor."
Without warning, he gestured toward a seat among the courtiers.
Marina hesitated, sensing a trap, but before she could decline, Ruyi strode forward and gently—yet firmly—pushed her down into it. A table with wine, fruits and refreshments sat in front of the luxurious furniture long enough for two people to sit comfortably.
Laughter rippled through the court. The nobles had seen her seated on his throne before, but now, the King had chosen to settle in her space, perching himself on her armrest with all the casual dominance of a lion marking his territory.
"Since you dislike my throne, I thought I'd enjoy yours instead," Ruyi mused. His fingers trailed lazily over the carved wood, brushing against her shoulder in a way that made her stomach tighten.
The faint metallic scent of his body filled her senses—strangely alluring yet unsettling.
Her Aegerian escort, standing by her side as protocol dictated, was frozen. The court itself was stunned into silence.
Marina, refusing to be rattled, merely exhaled. "Your Highness certainly enjoys pushing boundaries."
Ruyi grinned. "And you enjoy resisting. That's what makes it so much fun."
Ruyel, watching the exchange, finally cut in. "Enough distractions, back to the topic at hand. You could have come to us first, Governor."
Marina met his gaze head-on. "Would you have agreed?"
A pause. Then, Ruyi laughed. "No. But I would have enjoyed saying no."
She rolled her eyes. "Then you understand why I didn't waste my time."
The court murmured, scandalized. No one spoke to the Twin Kings like this. No one.
Ruyel tilted his head slightly, his icy gaze unreadable. "And yet, you're still here."
Marina smirked. "Because you know I'm right."
Ruyi sighed, easing into her seat by her side, making himself comfortable. At the moment, he was seated like a peer, an arm lazily draped around her shoulders, sitting side by side. "Fine. We'll allow it."
Marina narrowed her eyes. "That easy?"
Ruyel's lips curled slightly. "On one condition."
She stiffened as Ruyi suddenly leaned closer, at the same time pulling her body toward him, her body almost pressed to his chest. His voice was a whisper against her ear. "You will join us at the palace banquet next month."
Marina frowned. "Why?"
Ruyi's grin widened. "Because if you're going to play in our kingdom, you should know the rules."
He then glanced at Ruyel, then back at her, smirking. "And please, don't keep that beautiful body hidden under that terrible uniform my dear brother assigned you."
Ruyel, unbothered, responded flatly. "I'll make the next governor wear a bedlah, for you, my brother."
A noble, Lord Ferrin, quipped from the sidelines. "And what if the next governor is a man?"
Ruyi waved a hand. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Ferrin. Let's see if this one survives first."
Marina frowned, loosening from Ruyi's hold, and leaned towards the Aegerian guard by her side. "What is a bedlah?"
The Aegerian soldier beside her stiffened, clearing his throat awkwardly. "It's...uh... a type of dance costume, Governor."
Marina blinked. "And what's wrong with it?"
The soldier awkwardly mumbled, "It exposes the dancer's belly and highlights... feminine assets."
Understanding dawned, and she subconsciously crossed her arms over her chest. Ruyi, of course, noticed.
"Ah, there it is!" Ruyi teased. "The Governor does have modesty after all."
Marina was flustered, she decided to pay him no further attention. The informal evening court session was a place where decorum was drowned in wine, and revelry reigned supreme.
But little did Marina know that the worst part of the evening was just about to begin.Ruyi had laid the perfect trap—a carefully orchestrated game of power and dominance, designed solely to test the limits of her defiance and bend her will to his own.