Ileus: The Dark Prince

Finn wasn't sure of what Kaizan just told him. Meeting Murtagh was not the right thing as of now because that man was just as vicious as he was several years back. In his greed for power, he had driven his people blindly into a battle in the name of freedom. But on the inside, Finn knew that he was one of the vilest men around. When the queen had offered her daughter's hand to him, he had reduced his efforts to fight against the crown. However, years later, when Iona was kidnapped and when Ileus brought his mate from Vilinski, Murtagh resumed his dirty politics by provoking his people to fight against the queen for not fulfilling her promises. 

It was all very complicated and they were all aware how Murtagh had twisted every detail in front of his people so that even after his house arrest, they continued with the revolution in the name of freedom. 

"It isn't a good idea, m'lord," said Finn. "Your wife is what the peace treaty is all about. Meeting the man who is a dissenter, would seem unwise." 

Kaizan gave the shears back to the servant and then started to walk towards the mansion. "Olivia wants to meet Murtagh and in my opinion, now that she is here, she should meet him. It's not like he would persuade her to start fighting against us." 

Finn pursed his lips. Even though he wasn't agreeable to this proposition, he couldn't stop them from meeting. "Okay," he replied. "I will take her to meet Murtagh after lunch?" 

"That would be fine," Kaizan said and then walked inside the mansion. He sniffed her all the way to the kitchen where she found him standing with the chef and directing him to make something out of the fish. 

"Marinate it with mustard sauce and salt," she said as she poured tea for herself from the pot. Her gaze went to him and a smile curved her lips up. "Kaizan!" she said excitedly and leaned against the counter.

Kaizan stared at his wife as he crossed the kitchen to be with her. He braced his arms on both her side, holding her captive in his embrace and wedged his thighs between hers. The way he pressed it, his erection was now against her sex and her belly. Gods, he was huge. And she felt so embarrassed. The man always seemed to have a boner. She blushed like the morning sun. She held his biceps and dug her fingers in as she craned her head to look at him. 

"I missed you," he said in a low feral voice that made her muscles clench all the way down. 

She bit her lip highly aware of the giggling servants who were too keen to see them rather than cook food. 

When she didn't answer, he scooped her up in his arms and she stifled a shriek. He carried her all the way to the main hall where he sat on the sofa and made her sit in his lap. He pressed his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent to reduce his anxiety. She wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers in his hair. After a moment when he settled, he said, "Finn will take you to visit Murtagh." 

She froze for a bit, but then she became comfortable again. "You will be with me?" 

He shook his head. "No, I have to attend a council meeting."

She savored the feel of his hair between her fingers. "Okay…" she said. They gazed into each other's eyes for a long time and then Kaizan pulled her closer to kiss her lips, to swipe his tongue inside her mouth and explore her all over again. Olivia opened for him like a flower. 

An hour later as Olivia was traversing through the streets of Draoidh in a carriage with Finn and a few soldiers who were escorting her, she couldn't help but admire the beautiful wizard kingdom about which she had heard only in stories and from others. The queen had put Murtagh under house arrest in Draoidh and it was said that a highly specialized protective spell was cast all around the house so that the Alpha didn't escape. 

The streets of the wizard kingdom meandered their way to the house where he was. Finn had told her that he was put up in the second level. A portal was created for all of them to step in by a wizard soldier at the entrance of the kingdom. 

There was light snow that dusted the trees, but as soon as the snow accumulated on them, some of the trees would simply shirk it off as if waking up from a long sleep. The birds nestled in the trees would fly out chirping loudly, scolding their landlord and then go back to their nests with equal anger. Olivia laughed quietly in her carriage where she was sitting alone. She heard the clops of the hooves, two in front and two at the back, as they made their way to the house. The second level was quieter than the third level, which was bristling with energy and fervor. Here there were stately mansions surrounded by lush green gardens and beautiful flowerbeds. She wasn't surprised to see such lush green gardens considering that magic practically was part of the air. All the properties belonged to the wizards and witches. 

She heard the creaking of the carriage wheel as they climbed up a steeper slope. They came to a stop in front of a small circular house. There were four sentry posts that rose from the ground each of which was manned by a guard. The house was surrounded by a neat patch of grass all around it. The carriage man opened the door for her and helped her climb out. 

Finn had dismounted his horse and his soldiers took the reins. He escorted her to the gates of the house. The guards knew of their arrival.. They stared at Olivia with suspicion, but allowed her entry by removing the spells but Finn wasn't allowed to go in.