As Seth approached the study, he could see the dim light of a candle shining from through the crack in the door. No doubt Roman was probably asleep at his desk as he'd found him several times before. Moving closer his ears perked up, hearing the distinct sound of sweaty skin colliding grunts and groans of pleasure.

"Fuck, please"

Rolling his eyes at the sound of Dean's telltale gravelly voice.

"One of the guards probably got desperate enough to sleep with the little whore. "

Seth mumbled to himself laughing at the thought of someone being THAT desperate as to sleep with Dean of all people.

"Roman."

Seth's laugh turned to choking as the spit in his mouth entered his windpipe fighting to hold his composure. Moving closer he peered through the crack in the half-closed door praying that HIS Roman was not the one with his cock inside of that filthy slave. He watched unable to tear his eyes away. Dean was face down on Roman's large wooden desk getting fucked incredibly thoroughly. The large build and long black hair was common in Mahavia. That was until he used his uniquely Tattooed arm to move the curtain of hair from his face. Seth's felt his heart physically shatter when he saw the amount of pleasure on Roman's face. Stumbling backwards he couldn't believe what he was witnessing

"nononononononononononNO"

Seth shook his head and whispered harshly. Roman may not be his biggest fan, but he always put his family first. Seth then noticed the now spilled tray on the table. That filth must have spiked his drink and seduced him. Narrowing his eyes Seth could feel his heartrate pick up as he backed up from the door and stormed back to their quarters. If that little whore thought, he could fuck his way out of being a slave he had another thing coming. Seth knew EXACTLY how to hit Dean where it hurt and, make him regret looking in Roman's direction.

The next morning Roman woke to find Bayley standing at his bedside. Turning over Roman felt for Seth on the other side of the bed finding it empty. Looking back towards Bayley, silently asking where Seth had gone. Roman was always up and halfway through with his day before Seth had even risen.

"He was leaving when I arrived your highness. To where I do not know."

Roman nodded and moved from the bed allowing Bayley to straighten it as he went into the bathroom to make use of the bath, he knew she'd prepared as she always had. Once he'd dressed, Roman headed off to the stables so he could get in his morning ride, no doubt Seth was somewhere, making someone's life miserable. He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't see the person until he'd already knocked them over and dumped the breakfast tray on himself in the process

"I'm so sorry let ...Brie, what are you doing in the side of the castle?"

"He-"

"THERE you are you, incompetent little fool."

Before Brie could explain she was cut off by Seth who was storming down the hallway towards them.

"I ran into her Seth, relax it's not the end of the world.

Seth opened his mouth to argue but Roman held up his hands to silence the rant he knew was coming.

"Calm down, go back to Nicole's quarters. I'll escort her back to the kitchen and see to it you get a fresh breakfast."

"She's a-" Roman fixed Seth with a cold glare that not even he wasn't afraid of. That look left no room for argument and Seth knew full well that Roman's mean streak was MUCH wider than his own "FINE!"

Seth stormed down the hallway back where he came from Roman picked up the tray and headed down the hall motioning for Brie to follow. Once they made it back to the kitchen Roman asked Tara to prepare another breakfast for King Seth and Princess Nicole. While they were waiting for her to finish, he ushered Brie into the little nook Tara usually slept in just in case he wanted a late-night snack so they could talk while he cleaned her up.

"So, what happened?

"He came into the stables and made me go with him Rebecca tried to stop him, but he threatened to have her executed. He said that because I was related to the filthy little whore, I needed to be taught a lesson. Then he made me thoroughly clean the princess's bed chambers then I had to prepare her bath five times because the water wasn't right. I-"

Brianna broke down in tears before she could finish. Roman pulled her close trying to south her cries.

"Brie, this is all my fault I let this get too out of hand and now you're being punished for it."

Roman mumbled rocking Brianna, his heart was breaking. He needed to think of a way to undo what Seth did without rousing suspicion from the younger man.

"Roman you better get a handle on that asshole, because if I get my hands on him. He's a dead man."

Roman hadn't realized Dean was behind him until he spoke. The second she heard his voice Brianna pulled out of Roman's arms and ran to him holding him tight as if she was afraid, he might be taken away from her.

"Dean, I know and I'm"

"SORRY!? Ro, sorry don't cut it, you need to figure out WHO'S more important to you."

"shhhhh, Tara may not be the only one in the kitchen. Most of the servants may hate Seth but there are still some whose loyalty is sworn to him. We don't want them finding out anything."

Roman tried desperately to calm Dean down. There wasn't muck that got him pissed off but fucking with Brie was by far the quickest way to do so. The fact that Dean already hated Seth with nearly every fiber of his being didn't help matters either.

"She's not."

Roman's spine straightened to the point where it was almost painful. Turning around he looked into Nicole's soft brown eyes.

"Where's Seth?"

Nicole's eyebrow arched she'd never heard her father sound so nervous. He'd always been so emotionless towards her. She couldn't help but be a little angered at the fact that he seemed to have a soft spot for the strange girl being held by the man with dirty blonde hair.

"In my quarters waiting for breakfast, I thought it would be nice to eat as a family, so I volunteered to come and get you. Had I known THIS would be what I was greeted with I wouldn't have bothered."

"How much did you hear?

Nicole rolled her eyes he didn't even care about spending time with her. He never listened, everything she said was always dismissed as 'trivial matters' to him.

"I heard this FILTH"

"DON'T speak of my father that way."

Brie had forgotten all about the many warnings she'd gotten about not letting Nicole or Seth see her face. Dean had always thought she had Roman's docile temper, but he quickly found out his baby girl had a bit more of him than he'd originally thought.

Nicole stared in disbelief, it was like looking into a mirror. Every muscle every inch of Brie's face was so much like her own. But what really shocked her was the silver eyes that were now dark with rage. All her life she'd only known one person to have those eyes so how was this possible. She was so shocked she didn't even notice Roman pull her out of the kitchen and out to the stables where he knew they would be alone.

"Wha what? How is this even-"

Roman turned Nicole to face him, looking into her eyes.

"Nicole. Just calm down"

"CALM DOWN! how can I calm down, that slave has my face."

Nicole's voice lowered almost to a whisper.

"and….and your eyes."

She looked at roman waiting for him to address the obvious. Nicole knew what happened she just needed him to say it.

"Dean and I had been seeing each other long before I even knew of Seth's existence. I found out I was going to be married three weeks before the wedding. Our union was nothing more than a political ploy for power"

"That's where you always went when you left isn't it? To see THEM. For sixteen years I wondered why you always left me."

Nicole thought back on all the years watching Roman leave at the crack of dawn and how she'd wait for him to return three days later. She'd always ask Seth, but he could never answer the question, before she thought it was just adult business that she needn't not worry about. Now she understood it was because he himself didn't know. His husband was hiding an entire family.

"Nicole never doubt how much I love you. I didn't think you'd really care you were always so keen on hanging with Seth."

"You were a stranger, you still are sometimes."

*You never listen to me. You're so busy being king that you don't even care about your own son. *

Roman mentally shook himself Nicole's words cut deep. Memories of identical conversations he'd had with Sika flooded his mind. It seemed that Roman spent so much time trying to be a better ruler than Sika that he'd become the same father he'd grown to resent.

"Do you love her more than me?"

Roman pulled Nicole into his arms pressing his lips to her temple. He could feel Nicole practically melt into his embrace. Her arms instantly wrapping around him.

"NO. I love you both with all my heart and I'm going to start acting like it."

Nicole sighed in relief, she could feel the truth in his words.

"I love you too."

"Come on, let's get papa fed before he goes on another tirade."

That earned a giggle from Nicole, she gave Roman one last squeeze before she let go.