GOLDEN POISON - BOOK 1 DOMINA - {MXM}

Wonder

Lost, annoyed, and exhausted are the three words that define Aleksander's psychological state. At first, he does not understand his interactions with Mahery. He has been staying in the heir's palace for two weeks now, and his exchanges with the prince seem somewhat incoherent. On the evening of their meeting, the heir tested his defense skills by employing actresses skilled in combat, and immediately afterward, tried to make amends by kissing him. The marquis did not appreciate this approach at all and found him at that moment to be immature and thoughtless. Although the blond apologized for speaking to him harshly, he will not forgive him for having trapped him in that way. To him, this event is significant.

Next is their daily game of footsie under the table. The former commander feels somewhat ashamed thinking about it. He spent over ten years in the army, only to find himself engaging in teenage flirtation games with a prince from a foreign kingdom. His ego takes a hit as he recalls these moments, and he fervently hopes that they have remained discreet enough in the presence of the other concubines who dine beside them every evening. Alex has unwittingly been caught up in this diversion; he no longer remembers how it all began but thinks it must stop as soon as possible.

The marquis understands that the prince spends his time charming his concubines, which he is quite successful at. However, his attempts to win over the blond are becoming increasingly clumsy, if not sordid. Although a certain closeness between them is now inevitable, especially after what they said to each other last night, the heir's "challenge" sounds hollow to Aleksander. The original meaning of this battle has been lost. Mahery is fighting for "both of them," but not for the same reasons. Two weeks ago, it was to reaffirm his authority as the future king in front of his people and to seek justice for Alex, who had been ensnared by Princess Arisoa's aphrodisiac. Now, the heir sees it as a gamble. Both alphas knew from the start that whether the prince won or lost this duel, it would inevitably impact how the Erathian people would view him. However, the addition of the challenge has shifted Aleksander's position from a simple new concubine to a potential consort. This worries him; he should have probably refused the prince's proposal. But having a light-hearted conversation with Mahery seemed comfortable, an aspect he has found very little of since leaving Dusirene. Despite his frequent interactions with the other concubines, there is always a hint of apprehension. They are kind and very welcoming, but this constant competition is slowly killing them, and the marquis has little interest in it.

Aleksander has indeed found himself in a tricky situation; if Mahery wins this fight, he will become consort. He fears the reaction of his other colleagues; they barely know each other, and he sees the efforts they are making to include him. Would not making one of them a queen or consort be an affront to them? After all, they have been close to the prince for many years, have dedicated their time to please him, and are ready for the greatest sacrifice for him. The marquis feels like an impostor and does not wish to disrespect the other concubines. He is seriously considering retracting this discussion and dissuading the prince from making him the consort. The prospect of power does not appeal to him; there are too many responsibilities and risks involved.

At least there is a positive aspect to this gamble; it will allow the former commander to train the prince for the event that will take place in three weeks. Since leaving Dusirene, he has only trained once and had to stop, following his servants' advice. A concubine is not meant to fight; they must serve their lover otherwise. He does not like it, but if it can ease tensions towards him for a while, he is willing to make this sacrifice. Alex is aware that as the son of the head of the royal army of a foreign kingdom, he is "feared." According to Médard, he is the only foreigner likely to participate in a war in Erath, as other kingdoms are not participating, believing that Princess Arisoa will defeat her elder. Training the prince is thus a perfect excuse for him to continue preparing for a possible attack.