Without love no man is a king

25.

The prince supervised the winter solstice feast being laid out in the grand hall, trying to make it perfect to raise his wife's spirits and keep her father happy and impressed. He had even ordered the royal musicians to attend to raise his own fathers spirits, thinking of his mother, as he did every year around this time.

The prince welcomed the guests politely. They had not found Netta despite throwing all they had at the efforts. He had not seen his wife, but knew from her anguished pained cries when her father informed her of the news, that she had not taken it well. He stood outside the door patiently hoping she would ask for him, eventually Cedmond left the room, the queen waiting until he was out of sight before speaking to the prince.
"Please, I can hear that she is upset. Please let me...."
"Inara no want see prince." The queen said shortly, shutting the door in his face, locking it.

"Here they come son." The king nodded "he seems in good spirits."
"She does not"
"Very good. Cedmond like" Cedmond gestured to the decorated room "feast! Eat! Dance! Sing! Big fire! Cedmond men build." He patted the prince's back with force, making himself at home.
"Inara?" The prince hushed, holding out his hand for her "are you alright?" He asked warily "I will go look for her personally. On my honour I will find Netta for you."
"Prince no honour" she whispered out, shaking her head, her mother scolding her, she plastered a fake smile, holding the prince's hand.

"I love you" he ushered into her ear "please. Forgive me. I....I love you, not her."
"Woman no witch" she shook her head sadly "no my Roland. Woman Roland."
"no. I have never been hers. I am yours. I am your Roland. "
"For peace" she sighed taking a seat
"For peace and for love" Roland sat next to her, taking her hand again "my Inara please look at me!" He said firmly "no no no. Please, no tears." He wiped her face with his thumb.
"Daughter." Cedmond approached, the king stiffening, clutching his hand on his dagger, watching closely incase he needed to aid his son "daughter dance. My queen dance!" He declared merrily "eat then dance....eat." He demanded his sad daughter "fill belly. Make good son. Prince make good son. Winter solstice. Make men....good night. Swive many times." He patted the prince's face firmly "understand?" He pointed firmly at his face
"Yes" the prince said annoyed "I know exactly what you mean. I swive my wife when I want to swive my wife. Not when you demand it!" He growled "take your finger out of my face."

"Son! Rein in your anger."
"My wife is distressed over the loss of her beloved Netta! I will not...."
"Swive" Inara nodded at her father "make many good sons. Make father proud. Make father happy. Inara behave.....Swive prince." She screwed her face up unable to hide her sadness at the thought of it
"good girl" he grabbed her face placing his forehead on hers "home soon" he whispered at her "open legs, make prince happy. Father bring home soon."
"I heard that!" The prince complained

"Keep your voice down son!"
"you heard him also! He did not even say it Drecontonian! I will not let him take you or our son or my wife for that matter. Inara? You understand? No allow it. Stay here with me. Your home is here."
she shook her head sadly, her tears falling again "Inara go home" she whispered out "no stay. Want go home"
"No! You....."
"No my Roland. Prince make....fool Inara. No love. Only want son. No better father." She looked him directly in the eyes "only for peace. Inara no....no....Inara nothing."
"You are everything" the prince held her face. "Please. Do not do this"

The queen appeared crouching at her daughters side, she turned her palm over, holding her fingers firmly to the wound her father had made earlier, causing the princess to wince and hiss.
"Stop!" The prince demanded, grabbing the Queens wrist
"Inara behave. Make Father angry. Do what must." She warned, grabbing her daughters face in her hand "swive prince or make troubles, swive daughter, make prince" she looked up at Roland "Inara behave."
"She does not need to behave!" The prince hissed }take your hands off my wife! Now!"
"Open legs, close eyes, do what must." Inara nodding. The queen pulled her tearful daughter into an embrace, whispering comforting words in her ear. "Dreconton women strong" she told the prince and king firmly "Inara strong. Inara will do what must. For people. For peace." She got up walking away.

The prince muttered his annoyance, ripping at the table cloth.
"Give me your hand" he demanded "now!" He said firmly "keep it clean, I will dress it properly in our champers later. She has opened the wound and drawn blood again." He gently wrapped her hand. "Inara I....Roland swive lady Stephanie" he whispered, holding her arms firmly to stop her stomping off "it is true. But you. My Inara. My Inara is my wife, the only one I have loved. Only you. No love her. Love you. She no make me happy. My Inara make me very happy. So you understand my words?" He tried to get her to look him in the eyes "Inara? Do not throw away what we have over a mistake. Your mother is right you are strong. Your strength shines my Inara. It makes me so proud."

"Eat. Dance.....swive. Child. For peace. For people. For....Quimby." She pulled her hands away turning to her food
"No. I will not swive you tonight. We will not copulate while my Inara is sad and heartbroken."
"Swive women no swive Inara?" Her lip wobbled "Roland no like Inara. Like woman. Inara fool. Inara nothing. Inara no good. No good Quimby. No good people. No good Roland. No good father. No good Netta...."
"Netta would never leave your side, that is not what has happened! You are good enough for me. Quimby was not your fault. I want to copulate with you! I mean swive. I do." He nodded keenly "I....waiting....understand? Waiting for my Inara to be ready. Not like before. I wanted you to ask me. I wanted you to want to. To want me. Desire me. Lust after me. Understand? You are very young, you are only just discovering this side to yourself. So I was waiting. Inara? Please. Do not think I have rejected you in our bed because I have not, I was being respectful, caring, putting your needs before my own, because I love you. Inara?" He asked again trying to turn her face towards him.

Suddenly Digory burst into the hall, skidding on his shoes "stop stop stop" he ran over to the king "I know where Netta is" he whispered, leaning into whisper to the king "you are eating her your majesty. The cook was given horse meat. I have seen the horses head, it is Netta that Cedmond is currently devouring as we speak not beef!"
"No" the king stoped the meat going into his new daughters mouth as she went to take her first bite. "The princess is feeling poorly" he announced "she will go lay down. Son take her. Now."
"Why? What has happened? Are we being attacked? Is Cedmond distracting us to launch an assault?"
"Netta" the king nodded his eyes to their plates "take her now."
"Daughter?" Cedmond got up coming over
"Take her now. If she does not know she does not have to lie about a Drecontonian sacred law being broken within these walls" the king whispered "we will not tell them. Understood. It would be all out war and they would take her from you. They are not permitted to eat horse meat under any circumstances."

"Come, Inara." The prince firmly rose her to her feet, not giving her the chance to protest or resist.
"where go? Feast. Solstice." Cedmond asked
"I ummm" the prince thought "you are right Cedmond. Winter solstice has me fired up." He nodded playfully "I want privacy with my wife. With my Inara."
"No understnad."
"I urrr I want....." he lunged kissing her passionately, grabbing her rear in his hands groping her in an obvious manner, pulling hips towards his forcefully before lifting her up to carry her out "understand?"
"Good boy" Cedmond laughed patting his cheek firmly "behave" he pointed at his confused daughter "swive strong" Cedmond gestured with his clenched fist, his men laughing along with him
"No swive eat...." Inara went to protest, the prince kissing her again to stop her, carrying her swiftly out of the room.