"What is the meaning of your actions My lord?" those deep seductive pools of saffron did not bent instead displaying the contrast of unrelenting and never bending will and sheer power making Azarios believe that the woman infront of him was even though in his palms, her soft body wrapped up in his masculine arms as he possessed her lips that had swelled like red lotus but her aspirations were faraway from him, the exact opposite of his own.

Who would have thought that the golden Queen he was embellishing to stand beside him in the chess game would suddenly escape by his side and now with her power will be against him.

"The meaning?" As if someone had sprinkled chilies on his wound he was reminded again of her betrayal making him laugh indifferently.

"You dare take liberties with me, you have promised me-" Azarios kissed her hard again to stop the words escaping her lips, her small fists tried to move him away yet he did not complied to her wishes. The Empress of Gaerin, he was informed in the secret letter from his sources, she was proposed by countless dukes in her empire, even the King of Daxtros, Rial was very affectionate towards her.

Since when has he become so kind that others were courting his beloved......

"I promised you? When did I promised you that I will ever let you go Lilith? When has this general said that I would not kiss you, touch you and make you mine? Do you detest this one that much.."

"I......we are two opposite banks of a river, Mylord, our ways have always been different." She tried to keep emotion out of her tone which unconsciously leaked as the tremors climbed her frail body.

"Then tell me am I only a pawn in your great game....one that you can bend according to your pleasures and needs?

I suppose It was my own wishful thinking, my assumptions and desires for you have been nothing but nuisance, you have always been cold and unfeeling but this one had assumed otherwise. My apologies." Lilith opened her mouth to say something but the hurt that flashed in his irises for a moment before being completely engulfed by cold ice and a smile, it was as if it never existed.

Azarios took a few steps back before going out of the chamber leaving the gazelle eyed beauty immersed in her own sadness.

__________________________________________________________________

That one night was especially dark with no stars dwindling from the blanket of heaven to disperse the black night and brighten the skies, a woman sat infront of the mirror, tears of pain trailing down her face looking remorseful.

For all the years she has fought and killed, never once has been affection attached to the other person but unknowingly this time she had developed deep sentiments for her enemy.

Her dreams were so vast and the biggest hurdle in it was her own husband, It was like a sea of despair and schemes, everywhere was war and catastrophe. People were so ready to kill her, it was possible that Azarios was playing with her emotions to capture her heart and once he had the control he will discard her brutally......she would be an abandoned woman in no time.

And she was not willing to take the risk, their relationship lacked trust and for someone who had seen brothers killing their own kins, parents slaughtering their children for throne this was not something new.

But the possibility that he was honest with her pierced her heart, it was not about intimacy but the very core of their feud was apprehension and insecurities. Azarios could see Lilith's cautiousness and that wounded him, she knew that he had done every single possible thing that he could to spoil her, never once commanding her when he truly could at the given position yet she ignored all his efforts.

When the woman could not freely express her emotions, she cried in solitude to let out the pain, she was so tired of looking back to see her back that has been stabbed again and again bleeding with poisonous blood......exhausted of never finding happiness, not even once laughing without burden and the irony was that when she got someone she liked at the end, it turned out to become so complex like this that now she pushed him away.

It has been long since she had slept, maybe it was the drowsiness that was taking over her form or perhaps the fact that she could not fathom him angry on her but at last the demoness decided to go and apologize.

If her subordinates, Dutchess Artelia and Princess Nevix would see her expressing sorry to someone it would not be far fetched that there would be a tsunami of emotions, them probably thinking that Lilith was sick or have lost her memories because the Empress of Gaerin never apologized.

Gentle steady footsteps with yellow inner robes fluttering in wind approached the grandiose of the Lotus mansion, the pond of serenity. It was a extravagant bath with red rose-stone tables having scented flower petals and perfumes exclusively made for the General's manor and a gigantic jadeite bathtub enough for ten people to take a dip simultaneously.

The door of the bath was made of sandalwood to keep the inner chambers cool with mint and chrysanthemums planted in abundance to keep away the insects.

"Such an arrogance you have Lilith, harm and injure other's heart and then bleed yourself." When Lilith stood outside contemplating for a long time for what to say, a voice sounded from outside making her leave all pretenses and enter the lion's den.

"Mylord" The doors opened to display the general who had his back towards the black jadeite while his body was immersed in warm soothing water to loosen and relax the tightened muscles. He looked so ravishingly exquisite making Lilith remember the first time they have met, it has already been along time.

"I-I" She fiddled with her fingers trying to form words that refused to escape her lips and eyes that did not had enough courage to look at him, what if she found disappointment swirling in them....

"Come and help me bath" The beast had his head tilted observing her fragile visage that seemed to blow with the breeze and his knuckles tightened as if he could not wait to possess her.

"Come forward little girl, this one needs your assistance." Lilith bit her plump bottom lip before she rounded off to his backside, picking up the bottle of scented oil she dropped it on his masculine back to massage into his skin.

There was peace and calm, neither of the two speaking to convey their emotions instead Azarios enjoyed the soft touch of Lilith's hands on himself.

"Seems like my wife has never done such meagre tasks."

"I am willing to learn." her tone was soft and the meaning clear, that she was willing to try for him making the General pleased. A moment she was serving him and the very other he made her tumble inside the tub with water sloshing around.

Her body landed on his chest as he embraced her.

"I am really sorry." When the empress regained her heartbeat which was eccentrically beating fast and her mind which was completely hazy with his presence only then she whispered those words, a whimper leaving past her lips as she closed her mouth to not to cry.

"Why do you cry sweet little tulip?" Two warm palms held her blossoming face, cupping her cheeks as he made her look up at him, meeting his eyes to see those red rimmed honey pools.

"You feel guilty?" His thumb caressed her cheek before confirming to which she nodded. Beneath all that cold exterior and the weight of heavy crown and empire he could see a small girl of merely eighteen seasons who was utterly confused with what was going on and how to control it.

She could master war and battlefield yet when it came down to relationships she was still young and like a baby bird, wanting to be under the wings of the stronger more protective bird that would guide her out of the nest to build her own.

" Its my fault to put so much pressure on you my tulip, let me wash you before we go to sleep alright?"

"W-What will you gain from all this, why are you not revealing what you want, you make me feel and then you accuse me...."

"The game you are fighting......do you think you are the sole player? Each one of us desire power Lilith, don't let the indifferent attitude make you feel otherwise. In the battles there is bound to be victories and losses.

What I wished in a woman is what you are, I want you. The one to neither swayed by fame or touched by gold, to not greed yet to not leave the ambition behind. You are made for me Lilith and it will always be me by your side and none other. I don't accuse you little wife, I tell you the consequences."

Dark onyx clashed with honey browns that were now clearer than before, staring right into his soul as if to read his very mind and heart.

"Do whatever you want to me Azarios but don't let me down, the ones letting this one astray don't live long to tell the tale."

He smiled at her threat and the ribbons of her dress were opened making the straps tumble down the shoulder displaying a white smooth neck ready to be marked with love bites. The way his eyes drunk her presence heavily made the demoness press her palm to his chest trying to grasp some part of him to remain sane.

With that it was as if a deal was settled and the General opened her long waist length hair that flowed down like silk waterfall, his fingers threading through them as he inhaled her aroma getting intoxicated.

Wet clothes were opened one by one excruciatingly slow till nothing was remained and left for the imagination and she was just naked sitting on his lap as his callused palm rubbed her neck with the herb oil them proceeding to the chest.

A mewl was what escaped her lips when he abruptly took her partially out of the water by the gentle strength of his arms, enough to see the beautiful swells of her breast with the pinkest peaks to take one in his mouth and suck. As soon as he had licked it hard enough a series of whimpers fell out from her lips as she held his shoulders trying to support herself, a small tear escaping her eyes when his hands exploring her body made way to settle in between her legs to cup her pussy.

Two rough fingers rubbing her clit while a mouth devouring her skin to burn it with his marks, it was enough to make him feel her arousal and moan in her ear while for her it was not difficult to cum hard as she shamelessly shuddered, her nectar spilling to dirty his thigh.

"You dare come to your husband with your inviting self tulip when you did not even had the concoction, do you fucking want to carry my child in your womb right now little girl." He gritted into her ear waking her up from the arousing state she was in to realize he was painfully hard settled against her stomach.

His two fingers entered into her weeping pussy making her cry in alarm.

"This husband would fuck you till you pass out little tulip, you wanted to tempt me demoness.....congratulations you have succeeded."