Chapter 1: The Lust of Lanzo

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He had summoned her to his chamber, though the exact purpose was only something Adelaide could speculate. She was certain however that he wanted to bed her; to use her as one of his mistresses as if he didn't have enough of them already. She knew about the nun from the convent in nearby Rosenhilde, one of the wealthier villages within the kingdom of Magorn. She knew about the chambermaids in Lanzo's quarters a few weeks prior. She also knew about the dairymaid and the countless other women that he has bedded over the years since he was sixteen. These women meant absolutely nothing to Lanzo, she knew. Then there was his poor fiancé whose name completely left Adelaide. Lanzo was engaged to a lady from some far away kingdom in the outer lands. It was an arranged engagement that lasted approximately a week. Lanzo suddenly demanded that the lady leave at once as she was not pretty enough for him. The poor princess left the castle in tears that day and never returned. This transpired four years ago and Lanzo is still the same arrogant ladies' man she has always known him to be. Adelaide continued walking down the dimly lit corridor leading to Lanzo's chamber. Adelaide knew what Lanzo was likely up to but was trying hard not to think of such a thing. If it was her virtue he wanted, he wasn't going to get it without a fight. Adelaide was a woman, she knew, which meant that she often found no choice but to obey a man's wishes. Despite this Adelaide still was not willing to give up her virtue that easily, not even a wealthy prince like Lanzo was not going to charm her into bed so easily. It would be over her dead body. Lanzo may be the prince of Magorn, but a lame excuse for one as far as she was concerned. Trying to keep a stable frame of mind, Adelaide reached the of the corridor and stood in front of Lanzo's sturdy wooden double doors. She thought of never knocking and acting as if she had simply forgotten to visit, but there was no point in that. Lanzo would keep pestering her until she finally came. In front of the future king's double doors stood two silver guards, one on each side of the doors. Adorned in most elegant armor, the two hefty guards simply stood there in silence. There were no threats, no attacks, not even any question as to who Adelaide was or why she was there which Adelaide found peculiar. "I am miss Adelaide Everarde and I am here to see Prince Lanzo" Adelaide reluctantly said with noticeable fear in her voice. The two knights simply opened the double doors and stood there, presumably waiting for her to enter the chamber. Perhaps he told them I was coming, she thought. With perceivable reluctance, Adelaide finally entered the chamber doors quite certain of what to expect. Adelaide simply stood in the center of the large room, seemingly all alone after the guards closed the doors. Is Lanzo even here? She thought. Regardless, Adelaide knew he would show up any minute wherever he was. Despite what Adelaide was anticipating standing in the large bedchamber all alone, she couldn't help but notice the extravagance of the room itself. The room was quite palatial, containing many valuable items such as expensive fur rug on the floor in front of the fireplace, solid gold figurines on the mantle, a large crystal chandelier, and even a small chest on a table that contained loads of gold coins and small precious gemstones sitting wide open. Perhaps to the average lady that Lanzo commonly brings to his room, material wealth such as this would've been something to die for, or of course sacrifice their virtue for. To Adelaide however, this was not so. Adelaide is not like most women that Lanzo has grown so fond of over the years, not a woman who easily succumbs to temptations for material gain. This fact would soon become apparent to Lanzo, a trait he would find quite admirable. Adelaide still stood in the same spot attempting not to think of whatever Lanzo's plan was, not realizing that Lanzo was silently watching her from the doorway of his private bathhouse in the far corner of the room at Adelaide's side. He smiled as he watched her, admiring Adelaide for what she was, the mysterious type who is hard to figure out. Lanzo was in awe at the fact that Adelaide was in his room at all. He knew Adelaide was different from the rest. She despised him, he knew. She was the most quiet and mysterious person Lanzo knew and on top of that, never shown any kind of interest in him at all. Her dislike of him, her mysterious and almost mute nature, and the fact he had never bedded her made Adelaide's appeal to Lanzo very strong, something most other women didn't have regarding Lanzo. I am rather surprised she showed, he thought. Lanzo admired Adelaide a little longer before he finally broke the silence. "Good evening miss Adelaide" he said with a grin on his face as he walked out of the bathhouse doorway into the room. Adelaide jumped a little in surprise before locking her gaze onto him, perhaps being cautious. Adelaide clenched her fists at her side, bracing herself. "Everard" she said. "Pardon?" questioned Lanzo. "I would prefer it if you called me by my last name Everard, your highness" Adelaide said still clenching her fists. "Not that my opinion matters to you very much." Lanzo paused and looked to the left as if he was considering that Adelaide had just said. "I'll have to remember that name" said Lanzo. "You may forget it after I leave your chamber tonight" Adelaide said. Lanzo made a face as if he was surprised at Adelaide's choice of words, which he was. A woman such as Adeliade rarely displayed such boldness toward a man, especially to a prince. Such fire in her, he thought. Rather than get angry and do something he may regret later like he very well could of, Lanzo did not let Adelaide's words bother him. "Alright miss Everard" Lanzo said calmly as he began walking toward Adelaide. He noticed that she took a few steps backward as he approached her and then stopped. Lanzo decided to get straight to the point. "Do you think me wicked?" questioned Lanzo to Adelaide. "I beg your pardon?" Adelaide said, a look of confusion on her face. "Do you think I am someone undesirable or evil perhaps?" Lanzo inquired. Adeliade thought for a moment. "I do not think of you as evil, but you are quite undesirable for a prince" Adelaide concluded. She noticed that Lanzo looked a little taken aback by her words, perhaps ashamed of himself. He looked down at the floor for a few moments and then looked back up at Adelaide. "Please" said Lanzo, "tell me why you think of me as such" Lanzo said as he walked past Adelaide and sat on the couch in front of the empty fireplace. He looked back at Adelaide and patted the empty spot on the couch next to him with his hand. "Sit" he said. Adelaide reluctantly walked over to the couch and sat down near Lanzo trying not to touch him. "You act as if I'm some sort of hideous creature" Lanzo said. Adelaide said nothing as she crossed her arms and began rubbing them as if she were cold. "It is a little cold in here" said Lanzo looking at Adelaide. "I will light a fire for you" Adelaide said as she bends down to pick up a piece of firewood near the fireplace. "No, don't" exclaimed Lanzo as he stopped her with his hand. "Allow me" he said as he took the piece of wood from Adelaide's hand and began to start a fire. I suppose this all part of his grand plan to seduce me, Adelaide thought. Within a few minutes the fire was roaring, and Adelaide was no longer cold, but also not at all comfortable. Lanzo walked over to a large chest in a corner of the room and pulled out a fine aged bottle of wine and two expensive golden goblets, each noticeably encrusted with pearls and jewels. He came and sat back down on the couch next to Adelaide and sat the bottle of wine and two goblets onto the small table in front of them. "I must ask" Lanzo said as filled up one of the goblets with wine, "why do you despise me so?" A few moments went by as Lanzo filled up the second goblet of wine for Adelaide. "Your ego is as big as your lust for women" Adelaide said bluntly, a look of disgust on her face. Lanzo looked as if he was surprised someone had said that to him, especially a woman like Adelaide. "I never expected someone like you to be this way" Lanzo said. "Because I'm a laundress?" Adelaide asked as she reached for her goblet. Adelaide thought she may as well take a drink in case of what was to come, though she still wasn't going down without a fight. "I mean since you've been here you've been the most mysterious servant I have ever met, and perhaps the bluntest too" said Lanzo watching Adeliade gulp from her goblet. "This is the most I have ever heard you speak" noted Lanzo. "I prefer to keep to myself,; it is just my nature I suppose" explained Adelaide. "It just intrigues me that no one knows much about you" Lanzo said. "May I ask why you care in the first place?" Adelaide said in her most polite tone of voice. "What on earth do you mean?" questioned Lanzo. "Why do you care that a little servant girl like me is quiet and mysterious?" said Adelaide. "Well," Lanzo said with a smile. "There's just something about you miss Everarde" Lanzo said. "I just can't put my finger on it" Lanzo emphasized as he put his hand on Adelaide's thigh. He noticed that Adelaide flinched when he touched her and quickly pulled his hand away. "I guess your mysterious nature just makes you so enticing" Lanzo stated. "Everyone else here is just easy to figure out I suppose" said Lanzo. "and to bed" Adelaide continued. Lanzo simply looked at her. After a few moments Adelaide decided she wanted to get to the real point of the visit. "Prince Lanzo" she said. "I know the real reason you invited me here was to take me to your bed, correct?" Adelaide asked. Lanzo paused for a moment in thought. "I admit that would be quite a delight" Lanzo said. Adeliade found herself grimacing once again. Perhaps picking up on Adelaide's obvious reluctance, Lanzo continued, "but I suppose it would only be a one-sided delight". "What does it matter to you?" said Adelaide. "You're the prince of Magorn" noted Adelaide. "and?" Lanzo said. "Despite what I may seem like to you" Lanzo stated, "I do indeed have morals" he finished. "Is that what you tell everyone before you take them to your bed every night?" asked Adelaide. "I will be honest with you miss Everard,; I have had my fair share of women as a prince" admitted Lanzo ignoring Adelaide's previous question. He continued, "but I am not devoid of emotion or empathy, nor have I ever forced myself on anyone or forced them to do anything they didn't want". "I very well could but I have not" Lanzo uttered. "Everyone that has came to my bed has always done so willingly" said Lanzo. Adelaide, skeptical of Lanzo's supposed morals continued with the point of the visit. "I will not get into your bed prince Lanzo, not tonight or any other night" Adelaide continued, "if you try to force me, I will fight with every fiber of my being" Adelaide finished. "Alright" Lanzo said calmly. Adelaide was a bit surprised that Lanzo was so calm regarding her threat to fight but said nothing. "Miss Everard the main reason I invited you here tonight was simply to get to know you better" Lanzo admitted. "You do not have to lie with me if you do not desire so" Lanzo continued, "I just wanted to know why you abhor me do much as I find you quite delightful, even still" Lanzo said with a smile. "I do not care much for your attitude" admitted Adelaide. "you think you are better than everyone else and you sleep with any woman you can" Adelaide said. "I have always loved adventure and excitement" admitted Lanzo. "I suppose women are one of those things for me" he said. "why settle for just one when you can have as many as you want?" Lanzo asked. Adelaide simply gazed into the fire believing Lanzo was hardly worth her time or her words. "However," Lanzo continued, "I might could settle for one lady someday" he said as he leaned closer to Adelaide and stroked her hair much to her disgust. "I just might make you a queen" Lanzo stated. Lanzo's last uttered words were enough to send Adelaide off the couch and back onto her feet. She had enough of his nonsense. "Pardon me prince Lanzo but it is getting late, and I must return to my quarters" Adelaide said. "Are you quite sure you cannot stay a little longer?" Lanzo inquired. "I am positive" Adelaide concluded. "Well, if you must go" Lanzo began, "allow me to give you a gift" he said. "What on earth for?" said Adelaide. "A prince can show a little kindness once in a while" Lanzo said. "Even to servants like yourself" he finished. With that comment, Adelaide just rolled her eyes as Lanzo began rummaging through the small chest on the table in front of the couch, seemingly looking for something. After several moments of sorting though various coins, jewels, and other miscellaneous treasures in the chest, he finally found something. Lanzo grabbed a hold of something and out it in his hand and clenched it in his fist. He finally rose from the couch and walked over to Adelaide who was already beside the door awaiting her exit. He rose his hand up to Adelaide and opened his fist. Within his fist was a marvelous golden brooch with small sapphire and emerald accents all over it with a few pearls as finishing touches. Adelaide looked at the brooch for a few moments and said "I am sorry, but I cannot accept it" she concluded. Lanzo suddenly had a look of surprise on his face as if no one had rejected his gift before. "Don't you find it beautiful?" Lanzo questioned. "A commoner such as yourself would typically find this remarkable" he said. "I do not value such things" Adelaide said. "It is beautiful indeed" admitted Adelaide. "but I have everything I need already" she concluded. Lanzo admired Adelaide's hesitance in taking his gift. It is a trait that he rarely saw in people, especially from a commoner like Adelaide. Adelaide may not have known it but valuing what little she had already said a lot about her. It also made her even more enticing to Lanzo. "Well, I want you to take it anyway, just as a token of kindness" Lanzo said. Rather than argue with the price, Adelaide took the brooch and put it in her dress pocket and thanked him. "May I leave now?" Adelaide asked. "I suppose you may" Lanzo stated. Adelaide bowed to Lanzo right before he opened the doors for her. They both said goodbye as they parted ways with each other. "Finally," Adelaide exclaimed as she made her way to her servant quarters. "I can put this visit behind me" she said to herself. A few minutes later she had made it outside to the servant quarter house where she lived with several other servant ladies, most of whom have known Lanzo on a much more personal level than Adelaide ever desired to. She quietly walked into the door knowing full well that everyone was asleep by this time and did not want to wake anyone. She quickly dressed herself for bed and placed the brooch in a small wooden box she had for miscellaneous items under her bed. I do not need any reminders of him she thought as she fell asleep.

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⏰ Last updated: Nov 01, 2023 ⏰

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