A/N: Something very different I've had on my computer for ages. It's supposed to be a multi-chaptered story, but for now it's a one-shot. If you're interested in reading more, I might write some. For now, this is it. And yes, I am still writing IWBH... well, trying to.
Disclaimer: Rated M for mild swearing and dem lemons. OOC characters, All Human. Ps: Hino still owns VK, apparently.
"My darling King, it is time I take my leave," Yuuki's low, delicate voice cut in through the chatter. Tenderly she tucked a dark lock of hair behind his ear as he sipped on his wine, watching with glistening eyes as he nodded his head.
"Very well, my Queen. Your rest and health is one of my main priorities and I am happy that you show such concern towards your own state. You are allowed to retire for the night."
Royal relatives nodded in agreement, pleased by their humble Queen's good manners. It was expected from a woman of her stature; brought up by the powerful Cross clan, all her life she'd been groomed to become a queen fit of her status. Everything – from poise, manners and eloquence – had been ingrained into her being from her very first day on this Earth. Many praised her for her good nature and pleasant behavior. Her undeniable beauty – a heart-shaped face made of unblemished porcelain skin, luscious locks of auburn reaching down to her waist, the color of her entrancing eyes akin the most delicious cinnamon – was also revered by their people. Young girls aspired to be her, and young men wanted to marry her. But her brown and blue-eyed king had seized her, as she had been destined to all her life.
He whispers, so low only she can hear the hint of dismissiveness laced in his voice. "Do not expect me back this evening to share our bed."
Putting on a pleasant smile, he snaps his fingers. The quiet shadow leaning against the wall comes forward, sinking into a respectful bow.
"Have your knight escort you to your chambers, my queen," the King says, kissing the top of her hand.
Yuuki isn't fooled by his token of affection. He wants her gone for the night, so he can engage freely in his heart's desires and bask in his sinful ways. Men ar like that; they pursue their desires and let their lust lead them before rational thought can steer them. It's instinctive, that's what they taught her. Never does she utter any word of complaint, nor does she ever question his actions. To even challenge him in any way is to mock the crown, and if there was one rule ingrained into her being from all her years of preparing to be queen, then it was that one should never forsake the holiness of the crown.
She bowed her head gracefully. "My king, my lords, my ladies."
Walking out of the room, her silk gown trailed after her delicately, beautifully. With slow movements she made it through the narrow hallways, passing paintings and intricate ornaments as she went. Her maids trailed after her, some of them having run past her departure to ready her chambers.
She was aware of the shadow that followed her wherever she went. A tingle went down her spine as she felt his eyes rake over her body, tracing her feminine curves. Indeed she was blessed with the most expensive and luxurious clothing in the country, daily shipments of wonderful garments arriving at their palace from all over the world to supply her collection. Her beauty and stature needed to be accentuated in the way she dressed; the crystals embedded around her cleavage spoke volumes of her importance in society. She was meant to be gazed at; meant to be adored and lusted after by men, but she was only to give herself to her King.
To covet a Queen when you were no more than a knight was a crime.
Her knight and personal guard walked in silence behind her, as he always did, his steps so soft and swift many would believe him a ghost. He was their most skilled warrior; fierce in battle, with a calculating mind so sharp it could both cause and end wars that could last lifetimes. It was his skills that promoted him to become the King's most trusted right hand, and thus her protector and knight. The king adored him; some said he even wanted him for his own, though those were only cruel whispers among the court. Nevertheless, the king trusted no other man more than him – a feat he'd earned through hard and earnest work.
As they neared her bedroom chamber, she stopped in front of her door.
"Is my room fully prepared for the evening?" She questioned the maids, looking at them sideways.
They bowed as they spoke, respect and reverence forcing them to look down when being questioned by the queen herself. "Yes, your majesty."
"Then I shall not require any more of your services tonight. Please leave me alone to undress and retire in private."
"Yes, your majesty," they bowed again, slowly making their retreat.
Yuuki said nothing as her knight came forward, opening the door for her. She did not even do as much as cast him a glance as she passed him by.
Yuuki's unsmiling face greeted the maid that was next to her bed, her honey brown hair tied up in a bun.
"Your highness, do you have any needs I can attend to before you retire? Perhaps a bath would soothe your senses? We have fresh lavender, just arrived from Provence."
"No," she commanded. "I would only like my privacy tonight. Do not disturb me under any circumstances. I shall undress myself. You may leave."
The maid bowed and exited the room, passing the shadow that leaned against the wall adjacent to the queen's doors. The doors closed behind her, leaving the queen to her privacy.
Languidly she tugged at the hairpin on top of her hair. Eventually it gave in, slipping out softly through her hair. Long waves of auburn cascaded down her back, the red hues in her hair shining from the glow of the candlelight. She deposited the hair-pin carefully at the bedside table, a faint smile on her lips as the thought of the one that had given her the shiny object.
Numbly she heard the door open and shut. His ghost steps followed shortly. A small smile made its way onto her expressionless face, as she remained rooted in place, with her back to him.
"It seems I'll require some help undressing after all," she remarked as his hands wound themselves around her body, pulling her against his chest, his lips making their way to her exposed left shoulder. A shudder went through her as he nipped on her sensitive flesh, craning her head to grant him better access.
He wasn't a man of many words. His hands, however, expressed his devotion and admiration as they explored her body, like they'd done so many times before. Yuuki released a moan as his hands massaged her breasts slowly and seductively, his tongue mimicking his hands' actions on her neck.
Oh, his hands, his lethal hands. Hands that could kill a man in an instant, hands that could draw a sword with the same raptness of a snake attacking; hands that loved and worshipped her, made her feel wanted and needed.
Oh yes, she loved his hands so much.
"Let me see you," she whispered, her voice raspy. She turned in his embrace, reaching her hands up to his face, cupping his strong jaw. What she saw in his eyes made her want him even more; within his wine-colored depths lay his passion and excitement, his lust and, most importantly, the love he held for her, stored so deeply within him only she knew about it.
To love a queen when you were no more than a knight yourself was a crime as well.
But she basked in his love; she bloomed like a flower in spring whenever he touched her so softly and gently like only he could. In all her life, she'd never been loved; her parents had seen her as no more than an opportunity for their family to seize the crown, and her husband and king certainly didn't love her. She was a loveless child, and a lovesick woman, smitten by the taste she'd acquired from him.
That's why she raised herself up on her toes, her lips seeking his, kissing him so desperately and so wonderfully. He received her kiss with delight, reciprocating immediately, holding onto her slim waist.
She wanted to cry. She want to bawl and sob her eyes out over the love she felt for this man; this man that under no circumstances should hold her heart the way he did; the man who had been tasked with the duty of watching over and protecting her and her husband – the man who was lower than her in status. She wanted to hit the walls of her room so hard that they would crack and bleed with her frustration; she wanted to turn her room upside down and trash every last remnant of her title.
She wanted to be free – so she could be with him.
"My queen," Kaname whispered, stroking her chin as they parted their lips. "My beautiful, wonderful queen." It was like he was admiring a work of art, the way he spoke of her, like he'd been allowed a glimpse of the gates to heaven. He rarely spoke, but when he did, the most beautiful words tumbled out of his lips, like a stream of diamonds only intended for her ears. His voice, his gentle and tender voice that he rarely used, how she loved it. How she loved the way it caressed her ears.
She grabbed his hand gently, kissing the top of it. "No…" She whispered. "Please do not address me so formally. I can't take the distance it creates between us. Call me by my name – as the woman you love, not the queen you serve."
His adoring eyes swept over her face, the crook of his mouth tugging up into a half-smile. "You are the woman I love indeed… Yuuki." He bent down, scooping her up into his arms, carrying her to the bed like she was his bride.
With great concern he placed her on the bed, carefully handling her delicate frame. Taking a step and standing back, he let his eyes rake over her elegant body, so seductive and sinful as she laid there, ready for him to take her. He studied her silk dress, how it dragged across her curves, exposing her perk nipples through the thin material, before dipping down across her stomach, smoothly gathering between her thighs.
She was his every fantasy and dream, incarnated into one perfect woman.
"If only you were mine," he whispered wistfully, the lust in his eyes being replaced with his overwhelming sadness that always threatened to claim him.
"I am yours, Kaname," Yuuki sat up worriedly. "Haven't I proven that to you already?"
A rueful smile claimed his lips. "You misunderstand, Yuuki…" He grabbed her hand gently, stroking the top of her hand as he lowered himself onto his knees in front of her. "Sometimes I dream… Of you and me, walking down the street in the town square. Our hands are linked together, like this–" he filtered his fingers through hers, grasping onto her hand tightly, "and there is not a single stranger that finds it abnormal. No one is wondering why filth like me is holding hands with the queen. Our love is open and free; celebrated by the people we serve instead of shunned. I wish that could be our reality."
A tear slipped down Yuuki's cheek. "Let's do that one day, Kaname…" She reached forward, cradling his cheek. He closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch. Gently, Yuuki rested her forehead against his. "Let's be free one day."
He opened his eyes, staring into hers. He lost himself in her reddish depths, wondering how she could look at him so tenderly when he was nothing more than scum. The people he killed; the plans he participated in with the king; the endless strings of assassinations and torture sessions. He was pure filth, and yet she still looked at him like he put the stars in the sky.
"Come here," the queen whispered tenderly, tugging at the lapels of his shirt.
When her voice was so soft, and the promise of the warmth of her body was just within his reach, how could he ever deny her?
He climbed on top of her, his breathing picking up as she succumbed under his weight. She stared bravely up at him as he stroked her cheek, trailing his finger down to her cleavage. She lay there beneath him, willing and submissive, so different form her usual regal poise and demeanour. Right now, she was the woman he loved and adored beyond reasoning; his lover who would do anything to please him should he ask something from her.
She was no longer the cold and cruel queen that looked down upon others and rarely smiled.
She was Yuuki; sweet like summer rain and luminous like sunshine. Strawberries, cherries; flowers and a spoonful of sugar; all this and more was essentially her. But only he was privileged enough to see her true self and touch her. And for that reason alone, he loved her more fiercely than before.
Softly he began undressing her, kissing the skin he could find as layer by layer he removed her royal robes.
His queen moaned beneath him, quivering from his touch. It elated and intrigued him; made him want to explore every crevice of her body, to see if there was more to be conquered. His hand slipped down to her undergarments, massaging her wet folds. Garnet eyes watched her skin flush as her back arched off the bed, her chest bumping against his.
Her glistening eyes met his as she mewled. "Kaname…"
She was so beautiful in this moment; stripped of her duties, raw and vulnerable, free of her demons and the expectations pushed upon her. She was simply Yuuki – the woman who wore the crown – innocent and wishful, warm and so soft to his touch.
In the public eye she was cool and collected at all times, happily married to her wonderful king. She was the picture of grace and beauty; the mother of their country – the ideal woman that many young girls strived to emulate. Her mask was solid and not easily removed; it took a trained eye to see the deeply rooted sadness that she harbored within.
But right now, she was free – in his arms, and no one else's. He was the only one who knew her deepest depths; the only one who could make her moan and scream in pleasure as she clung to him – it was he, and not her beloved king, that made her world erupt and shatter as she came from his touch.
"Let me feel you," she whispered harshly against his mouth after she got down from her high.
Kaname did nothing to stop her frantic hands from removing his robes and concealed weapons. He was all too transfixed by her alluring beauty and doting stare to even move. Her scent overwhelmed him; he inhaled deeply as he plunged a hand through her hair, marvelling at its lustering softness.
To behold such beauty in front of me… how did I ever deserve her?
When they were both freed of their clothing, he buried himself deeply in her, swallowing her cry with his lips as he kissed her. He stilled for a few seconds, basking in the feeling of finally being home. Their shadows danced against the sheer fabric of the bed canopies, cancelled out by the soft luminescence of the various candles placed around the room. The canopies made it seem like they for once were in their own world; no one could disturb the peace and tranquility they found in each other during the late hours of the night.
Yuuki moaned and trembled, and as he picked up his pace, he felt himself lose his own composure. Their eyes locked as feral groans spilled from his mouth, clashing with her pleasured moans. She clung to him like second skin, and he was all too happy to feel her breasts rub against his chest as he pumped into her.
Yuuki arched her back, unable to withstand the overwhelming sensations that began at her core and spread through her veins. He was ruthless, lost in his desire for her as he pushed her to her breaking point. And she was helplessly following him along, letting him do whatever he wanted to her.
She was at his mercy; her heart had already been placed in his hands. He could cherish it or crush it in an instant if he wanted to, and she wouldn't even care.
She'd given him her heart. And it was an irreversible transaction.
Moans bubbled from her parted lips as her lover brought her to new heights. Just as she thought she couldn't handle it anymore, he laced his fingers with hers and pushed her hands down onto the mattress on each side of her face. In a haze, she looked gazed up at him, unable to tear her eyes away from his magnetizing stare.
Her heart swelled in her chest as time seemed to slow, even for just a second as she stared at him. The love she felt for him made her feel giddy and anxious; she wanted to smile like fool and run around in circles, but as she looked at him, all she could do was gaze softly upon his perspiring visage.
She loved him.
Loved him, loved him, loved him.
They both erupted at the same time, Yuuki's cries echoing in her empty quarters. His grunts and moans blended with hers as he jerked inside of her one last time, the spasms of his orgasm fading away slowly.
He remained inside of her as he stroked away the hair that stuck to her sweaty forehead. Her glistening eyes looked up at him, watching him and memorizing every pore on his face. Unable to resist him, she craned her neck, yearning for his lips on hers.
He obliged, burying a hand in her hair as he kissed her slowly and tenderly, conveying the unspoken emotions between them. He nuzzled her nose, pulling out of her and laying down on his back, knowing that she'd immediately cling to his side.
His queen was desperate for his affection and his attention, like a lovesick puppy clinging onto his leg. And he was no better, doting on her endlessly in the privacy of her chambers.
She laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and marvelling at the softness of his skin. "I missed you."
Kaname's fingers filtered through her long locks, bringing the ends to his mouth and kissing them.
"These past three days…" She trailed off. "I felt like I was going to die."
He hugged her tighter against his side, stroking the soft skin of her back, feeling the ridges of her spine.
"I waited for you, day and night. Wondering if you were all right, worrying that something would happen to you… No matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking about you," she confessed.
"I came back for you, Yuuki," he whispered softly. "I'll always return to you, no matter what."
She kissed her favorite spot on his body, right on top of his beating heart that confirmed that he was alive and well. "I'm glad…" Looking up from his chest, her hair fell softly over her shoulders and spilled onto his chest and the silken sheets.
His breath caught in his throat. Her beauty was beyond compare; he knew that she was renown in the kingdom for her striking beauty, but seeing her like this, flushed but sated from their previous lovemaking and staring at him so tenderly – that was when she was the most beautiful to him.
"Stay with me tonight," she pleaded, knowing it was hard for him to resist. Her voice dropped an octave as she crawled on top of him. "The king won't be back before dawn – perhaps even later than that. I'm sure the past three days have made him famished, and his appetite is not quickly sated…" She whispered against his lips, her hot breath mixing with his. "Stay here, with me. Keep me warm."
Unable to resist the softness of her lips, he leaned up, trying to capture hers with his. She held back on purpose, not giving in until he'd given her his answer.
"When you look at me like that, how can I resist?" He whispered, cradling her face in his hands. "Of course I'll stay, Yuuki…"
Pleased with his answer, the queen nodded and smiled softly, giving in and kissing him back. Her kisses tasted of strawberries and all things sweet in the world; his hunger for her grew as he pulled her closer, needing and wanting to feel her as close as possible.
Perhaps it was a curse, or perhaps it was a blessing – Kaname was not able decide which. To want someone with the intensity that he wanted her, surely it was a sign of madness. And though he'd wondered if it was the fact that their illicit affair was against law by nature, thus making her the sweetest forbidden fruit in the garden of desire, he realized that there was more to it than that. Under the weight of desire, he crumbled easily and fell in love with her the same way rocks spilled from faltering mountains and water poured from waterfalls; because it was surely within the laws of nature that he should fall madly in love with her the same way she fell madly in love with him.
He could feel himself harden beneath her touch, her scent and proximity invading his senses and driving him mad with desire. He brought his hand up to her right breast and squeezed, feeling the nipple harden as she moaned against his mouth.
Kaname sat up as she straddled him and sank down on his member, the two of them moaning in ecstasy at finally being joined again. They repeated their same old dance, except for them it felt like the first time all over again as they kissed and explored, nipped and lovingly caressed what could be found. Their moans echoed in the quiet room, bouncing off the walls and echoing into the darkness of the night. Whispered "I love you's" drowned in the sound of the bed creaking and stuttering against their shifting bodies.
All night long, bathed in the soft glow cast by the candles, the queen felt safe and warm in her forbidden lover's arms.