Chapter
One
King
Jakov
of
Braluse
sat
at
his
throne
and
waited
as
his
head
advisor,
Andrija,
led
the
females
into
the
great
hall
one
by
one.
The
act
of
selecting
a
queen
wasn't
one
he
relished.
His
harem
would
continue
to
see
to
his
needs,
as
they
always
had.
He
had
no
use
for
a
woman
to
sit
by
his
side
and
rule
the
Kingdom
of
Braluse
with
him.
He'd
done
so
on
his
own
for
centuries.
However,
the
prophecy
called
for
the
choosing
of a
queen
by
the
night
of
the
sixth
red
moon
of
his
reign.
Disobeying
and
angering
the
gods
was
not
something
Jakov
wanted
to
do.
Red
moons
occurred
once
every
one
hundred
years
and
if
he
didn't
select
a
queen
by
the
rise
of
this
one,
he
would
never
have
an
heir.
That
was
not
acceptable.
His
people,
the
Avistaurus'
of
Braluse—part
human,
part
shifter,
were
immortal.
The
entire
planet
of
Hafoca
was
inhabited
with
various
forms
of
bird-like
shifters.
All
the
tribes
were
able
to
shift
into
a
bird
of
prey.
In
addition
to
shifting
into
a
bird
of
prey,
they
could
also
shift
into
some
other
animal.
That,
of
course,
was
dependent
upon
the
tribe.
The
Avistaurus'
shifter
forms
were
that
of
an
eagle
and
a
bull.
His
child
would
share
in
these
traits
if
it
was
male,
as
all
males
did.
The
females
on
Hafoca
were
only
immortal
once
they
began
to
take
a
male's
semen
internally
on a
regular
basis.
It
was
not
a
kind
way
of
life,
but
necessary
to
the
survival
of
their
breed
and
tribe.
Each
virgin
made
her
way
past
Jakov.
Their
faces
were
veiled
with
only
their
eyes
showing,
giving
them
an
air
of
mystery.
Gold
chains
adorned
their
near-naked
bodies.
Each
was
beautiful,
toned,
free
from
signs
of
aging
but
none
made
his
cock
stir
and
his
chest
burn.
It
was
too
much
to
hope
that
the
woman
he
was
forced
to
select
would
actually
appeal
to
his
carnal
sexual
nature.
No.
He
would
be
lucky
to
find
one
he
even
wanted
to
bother
sinking
his
cock
into
long
enough
to
impregnate
her
with
his
child.
Thankfully,
he
would
be
able
to
roll
off
the
wench
and
allow
his
harem
to
see
to
giving
him
adequate
relief.
Andrija
cast
him
a
wary
look
and
motioned
for
the
virgin
nearest
him
to
leave
the
room.
The
girls’
eyes
were
wide
with
fear
as
they
hurried
from
the
room.
He
wasn't
sure
why
he
was
so
feared.
He
thought
himself
a
fair
ruler.
Merciful.
Strong.
Fearless.
The
people
seemed
to
have
a
different
opinion
of
him.
"King
Jakov,
many
women
have
passed
by
you
on
this
day,
yet
you
have
seen
none,”
Andrija
said.
Rolling
his
eyes,
Jakov
shrugged.
"I
have
seen
them
all,
Andrija."
"Then
why
have
you
not
selected
one?"
Jakov
rose
slowly.
"None
have
called
to
me,
brother.
None
have
made
me
cease
to
think
about
all
but
them.
We
live
long
lives
and
I do
not
wish
to
be
tethered
to a
woman
I am
indifferent
too.
If
at
all
possible,
I
would
rather
not
have
to
tolerate
my
wife."
Andrija
arched
a
dark
brow.
"Do
my
ears
deceive
me
or
could
it
be
that
the
great,
powerful
King
Jakov
wishes
to
be
in
love
with
his
wife?"
Not
wanting
to
subject
himself
to
his
brother's
obvious
amusement,
Jakov
laughed
off
the
idea.
"Brother,
I
merely
wish
to
be
able
to
sink
my
cock
into
the
woman
that
will
lie
next
to
me
for
eternity
and
it
remain
hard
long
enough
to
give
my
seed
to
her."
"I
see."
The
look
on
Andrija's
face
told
him
that
his
attempt
at
justifying
the
innate
need
to
be
drawn
to
the
one
he
must
choose
was
not
going
over
with
him.
It
wasn't
as
though
Jakov
wanted
to
have
these
feelings.
No.
He
wanted
to
be
like
so
many
other
kings
before
him.
He
wanted
to
pick
a
wife
that
was
prime
stock
to
assure
his
sons
would
be
both
handsome
and
healthy.
"Would
sampling
the
women
help?"
Andrija
asked,
his
dark
brown
gaze
locked
firmly
on
Jakov.
The
thought
of
bedding
several
virgins
in
one
sitting
did
sound
interesting.
Shifting
his
robe
slightly,
Jakov
felt
the
stirrings
of
arousal
deep
within.
He
wasn't
worked
up
enough
for
his
cock
to
harden
but
it
at
least
seemed
to
be
interested
in
the
prospect
of
taking
the
virginity
of
many.
That
was
one
of
his
favorite
things
to
do.
"Perhaps.
Send
the
next
one
in.
I
shall
have
her
wait
here
for
the
others
then
I
shall
allow
her
the
pleasure
of
servicing
me."
"Very
well,
my
king."
* *
* *
Dijana
pulled
at
the
chains
around
her
waist.
The
priests
had
informed
her
that
they
were
for
adornment
only,
but
she
suspected
it
was
more
for
a
show
of
submission.
It
was
appalling,
the
way
the
virgins
of
nobility
were
gathered
to
come
before
the
king.
As
Sacerdos
of
the
Sabian
Antistitas
she
was
in
danger
by
simply
existing.
Standing
in
close
proximity
to
the
king
or
his
people
was
ludicrous.
If
she
dared
to
use
her
powers
as
high
priestess,
they
would
know.
Her
people,
the
other
priestesses
from
Sabian,
needed
her
to
continue
to
guide
them.
How
the
beast
of a
king
could
pluck
a
woman
for
the
taking
from
a
gathering
of
strangers
was
beyond
her.
Unless
the
fates
were
aligned
with
him,
he
would
never
find
a
woman
true
to
his
heart.
If
he
even
had
one.
Dijana
had
tried
desperately
to
escape
capture
but
failed.
Her
own
mother
had
been
the
one
to
inform
the
high
guards
where
she
was
hiding.
The
woman
lived
and
breathed
loyalty
to
the
king
and
all
that
he
stood
for.
Dijana
found
the
man
to
be
an
intolerable
monster
and
she
had
yet
to
even
lay
eyes
on
him.
Thankfully,
her
sister
had
managed
to
escape
capture.
It
was
hard
enough
being
here.
The
idea
of
her
sister
being
subjected
to
this
sickened
Dijana.
She'd
spent
the
last
week
surrounded
by
women
who
wanted
nothing
more
than
to
have
the
"great
king"
choose
them.
It
was
disgusting
the
lack
of
self-respect
these
woman
had.
The
way
they
went
on
and
on
about
pleasing
the
king
and
giving
him
a
child
had
left
her
on
the
edge
of
madness.
She
was
no
man's
whore.
Her
body
was
her
own,
not
a
tool
to
provide
a
man
she
could
not
stand
with
a
child.
Hoping
to
be
able
to
one
day
forget
this
fiasco,
Dijana
had
done
her
best
to
follow
the
lead
of
the
others
in
respect
to
obeying
the
priests.
Not
one
who
normally
obeyed
anyone
or
anything,
it
had
not
gone
over
so
well.
By
the
time
the
priests
were
done
scraping
the
hair
from
her
legs,
sex
and
underarms,
she'd
wanted
nothing
more
than
to
geld
this
"great
king"
of
theirs.
As
if
that
weren't
enough,
the
priests
had
taken
to
twisting
her
long
hair
into
tight
ringlets
and
painting
her
face
to
the
point
she
looked
like
a
whore
for
the
taking.
When
they'd
pierced
both
her
nipples,
she'd
sworn
to
exact
revenge
upon
them.
The
other
women
around
her
had
looked
at
her
in
complete
dismay.
They
couldn't
fathom
why
someone
would
not
want
to
be
the
next
queen
of
Braluse.
Dijana
couldn't
understand
why
any
women
would
want
the
job
or
the
man
that
came
with
it.
Dijana
certainly
wanted
to
meet
the
king
but
not
for
a
chance
to
be
his
queen.
No,
she
wanted
to
gouge
his
very
eyes
from
his
overinflated
head
for
turning
her
into
some
sort
of
sex
object.
She'd
grown
up
with
a
brothel
in
her
village.
It
wasn't
as
though
she
hadn't
seen
the
types
of
women
that
frequented
those
places.
They
wore
similar
amounts
of
heavy
black
eye
makeup
and
tiny
outfits.
In
truth,
they
actually
wore
more
material
than
she
currently
had
on.
Now,
wearing
gold
chains
and
only
a
thin
scrap
of
white
material
to
cover
her
sex,
she
stood
with
her
arms
crossed,
daring
anyone
to
tell
her
to
move.
If
need
be,
she
would
fight
to
the
death
before
allowing
the
beast
to
touch
her.
She
was
no
man's
whore.
Not
even
the
king's.
The
door
to
the
waiting
chamber
opened
and
the
remaining
women
flocked
to
greet
the
king's
advisor.
Dijana's
lips
curled
into
a
sneer
at
the
sight
of
it
all.
They
were
pathetic,
each
vying
for
a
better
position
in
hopes
they
would
be
presented
next.
Rumors
circulated
the
villages
that
the
king
was
an
extremely
handsome
man.
How
this
was
possible
was
a
mystery
to
her.
In
her
opinion
he
was
a
tyrant
and
no
doubt
an
ugly
one
at
that.
The
advisor
was
a
handsome
man
though—tall,
tan,
and
muscular.
All
that
a
woman
would
want
in a
mate.
It
was
a
good
thing
she
wasn't
looking
for
one.
Dijana
had
decided
long
ago
she
would
live
her
life
for
herself
and
no
one
else.
Andrija,
as
she'd
heard
the
others
refer
to
him,
pushed
through
the
group
of
women
and
came
to a
stop
before
her.
Grabbing
hold
of
her
chin,
he
shook
his
head.
"Why
did
you
remove
your
veil?"
Dijana
batted
his
hand
away
from
her
and
stared
defiantly
into
his
face.
"Because
I
wish
to
have
no
part
in
this
exercise
of
barbarism.
And
I
have
no
reason
to
be
ashamed
of
the
way
I
look.
I
care
not
what
the
man
thinks
of
me.
This
is
all
a
farce.
Take
one
of
the
mindless
ones
who
seem
so
content
on
dedicating
their
lives
to a
man
they've
never
met."
The
advisor's
chest
puffed
out
and
he
pulled
her
to
him.
"You
think
our
king
to
be a
barbarian?"
Rolling
her
eyes,
Dijana
gave
him
a
droll
look.
"I'm
not
a
woman
to
mince
words.
I
said
what
I
meant
and
will
shout
it
from
the
hills
of
Braluse
if
need
be."
If
she
didn't
know
better,
she
could
have
sworn
that
Andrija's
dark
eyes
lit
with
amusement.
"Come,
it
is
your
turn."
She
dug
her
heels
into
the
floor,
but
it
provided
little
in
the
way
of
traction.
He
pulled
her
with
no
effort
at
all.
"No,
stop,"
she
said,
trying
to
take
her
arm
back
from
his
firm
grasp.
"Take
one
of
the
others.
They'll
go
willingly."
Andrija
yanked
her
through
the
door
to
the
king's
chamber.
Kicking
out
she
managed
to
catch
him
in
the
back
of
his
knee.
Wanting
to
celebrate
her
small
victory,
she
smiled
wide.
He
stumbled
forward,
taking
her
with
him,
cutting
her
solo
celebration
short.
They
slammed
into
the
ground
hard.
Andrija
took
the
brunt
of
the
impact
leaving
her
lying
on
top
of
his
muscular
body.
He
growled
as
he
rolled
her
over
quickly.
Dijana's
eyes
widened
as
the
large
man
pinned
her
to
the
floor.
He
glared
down
at
her
with
deep
brown
eyes
and
pressed
his
powerful
body
against
her.
"You
will
respect
your
king."
The
look
on
his
face
was
not
kind
and
the
tone
of
his
voice
was
harsh.
Still,
she
didn't
fear
him.
"He
is
not
my
king,"
Dijana
spat
back
at
him.
Andrija
tightened
his
grip
on
her
and
she
cried
out
beneath
him.
"Take
your
hands
off
me
you...
you...
servant
to
the
bastard
that
claims
to
care
for
his
people."
"How
dare
you
speak
of
the
king
in
that
manner?
He
cares
greatly
for
Braluse
and
its
people."
Dijana
snorted.
"Do
they
put
something
in
the
food
here?
That
must
be
it
because
no
one
in
their
right
state
of
mind
would
claim
that
beast
cares
a
thing
for
anyone
but
himself."
In
an
instant,
Andrija
had
her
pressed
even
tighter
to
the
ground.
"You
will
not—"
Dijana
thrust
her
head
up,
catching
his
face
with
her
forehead.
Clearly
taking
him
by
surprise,
she
couldn't
help
but
smile
as
he
rolled
a
bit
to
the
side.
She
rammed
her
knee
up
fast.
It
made
contact
with
his
most
valued
parts.
He
hissed.
She
went
to
do
it
again
but
only
managed
to
catch
his
upper
thigh.
The
muscular
trunk
sent
pain
radiating
through
her
knee.
"Get
off
me,
you
oaf!"
"You."
He
tried
to
gain
control
of
her.
"Will
be
still
or I
will—"
Narrowing
her
eyes,
Dijana
stared
up
at
him.
"Or
you
will
what?
Punish
me?
See
to
it
that
I'm
locked
in a
cell
for
life?
Or
have
me
executed?
Hmm,
I'll
take
any
of
those
options
rather
than
be
forced
to
be
here."
That
stopped
him
in
his
tracks.
"You
would
prefer
death
to
the
opportunity
being
presented
to
you?"
"Well,
it's
not
every
day
I go
around
besting
head
advisors."
The
need
to
taunt
him
was
great.
"Besting
advisors?"
he
asked,
shock
lacing
his
voice.
"You
are
hardly
in a
position
to
claim
victory,
woman."
"Hmm,
yet
I'm
not
the
one
flinching
every
time
I
move
slightly
now.
Am
I?"
Dijana
jerked
her
leg
fast
as
though
she
was
about
to
strike
out
again
and
Andrija
flinched,
making
her
grin
from
ear
to
ear.
"I'll
consider
that
ample
proof
you
were
indeed
bested.
I
certainly
hope
you're
not
the
king's
last
line
of
protection.
Wait,
I
take
that
back.
Who
do I
need
to
see
to
assure
you're
the
one
protecting
his
overly
pampered
backside?"
"Woman,
you
are
dangerously
close
to
being
taught
a
lesson
you
will
not
like."
He
raked
his
gaze
over
her.
A
tiny
grin
began
on
his
handsome
face.
"Hmm,
perhaps
you
would
enjoy
it.
I
know
I
would."
"Pfftt,
you
won't
be
participating
in
any
sort
of
punishment
involving
anything
lower
than
your
navel
for
some
time.
And
if
you
should
try,
I'll
tear
it
from
your
body."
His
eyes
widened.
"You
dare
to
threaten
me?
Men
twice
your
size
have
died
for
less
than
that."
Dijana
wasn't
about
to
give
an
inch.
"That
doesn't
surprise
me.
Most
men
I
know
are
pigs
and
cowards.
Try
taking
on
more
women
and
you'll
drop
the
act."
"Act?
What
act?"
he
questioned.
"The
one
that
tries
to
convince
people
you're
not
only
powerful
but
dangerous
as
well."
Andrija's
mouth
dropped
open.
She
smiled
wide.
