The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

I'm getting engaged tomorrow...

Valentina looked up at Alek hovering above her on his large hotel suite bed and smiled. “My Lord, this is quite improper! What would my betrothed think of us in such a position?” laughed Valentina. The minute that they entered the hotel suite and locked the doors, Alek pinned her to the door and kissed her long and hard. Somehow along the way to the bed, he removed her jacket and she lost her shoes.

“I. Don’t. Care.” responded Alek as he resumed back to kissing her neck. She felt a sharpness move along her neck but knew Alek will not turn her yet. If he did…oh well, on to planning plan B. As Alek moved from one side of the neck to the next, he hand responded on their own account. Valentina loved the way his left clinged onto her shoulder as if he was afraid of losing her while the other stroked her side, grasping onto her hips. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him closer and took off his shirt. The realisation of what will be happening tomorrow made her brave, and she pulled at his jeans.

Alek pulled back and gave her a questioning look, “I’m getting engaged tomorrow night”, she said sadly, “but no sex. He will smell it and I don’t want him hiring assassins”.

“He would have to find a really good assassin to kill this assassin, though”, joked Alek. “But as you wish…” Excited, Alek kissed her hard, helped Valentina remove his jeans and took off her singlet and skirt. Together, they kiss as long and as hard as they wanted, knowing that this might be the last time they would be alone together in a long time. Half way through the night, Alek ordered for Moet Champaign and dessert to refuel themselves. While Alek drank from his flask, he watched Valentina eat her vanilla panna cotta and admired her full lips and bright emerald eyes like he always did since they met in King Louis’ stables. “I love you”, he said and then felt Valentina jumped in his arms and they resumed your kissing.

Valentina laid comfortably and exhausted in Alek’s arms as he adjusted the blanket, making sure she was warm. “I’m not exactly freezing honey”, she laughed at him being pedantic. “Well, you are in your underwear and bra”, said Alek. “I don’t want you sick for the royal hunt tomorrow. Aren’t you aiming to kill the elusive stag king? I’ve heard that he is pretty cunning”. Giving up on the blanket, he circled his arms around Valentina.

Arrogantly, Valentina said, “From one assassin to another, neither flu nor cold can stop me”. Settling back down in Alek’s arms, she traced the roaring lion’s head tattooed on his chest, the Romanov emblem, and played with his signet ring with a blue stone surface. “I can’t wait for you to get your own red one”, Alek motioned to the ring. The ring symbolizes to people that the wearer is the current ruler of his or her nation. It has the ruler’s respective emblem and is used to stamp official documents to notify the ruler’s approval. Alek has a lion wearing a crown on his and Lucius has a black one, which should have a crowned three headed dragon. Valentina’s signet ring is just a plain gold one with a dragon in flight, not crowned and no red stone surface to indicate that she was queen.

 “Eight months, Alek”, sighed Valentina. “You know the plan”.

“I know”, replied Alek, now circling her stomach, “I know that the Vladonov is not marrying you now because he will not have the complete loyalty of the Dragomir kingdom”. They laid quiet for a while before Alek looked at her solemnly. “I know right now you are preoccupied with the elders but what I want you to also do, and this came from mother, is to be vigil of the women too. Particularly, Madam Marion and her students, watch them and use them to your advantage”. Valentina nodded.

Yawning and snuggling next to her, Alek said, “Spend Christmas with me… your room is being renovated as we speak”. “Of course…” she replied and dozed in his arms.

 It was 10 pm and Lucius’ men and Dante has not seen Valentina return to her palace. She better not be running away or eloping with the Russian, he thought. After pacing in his room annoyed at hearing no progress, he ordered men to do his bidding and ran down to his bar. He needed a drink before he went crazy with worry and decide to go down to Bucharest and into every hotel to find Romanov.

His face drained of its colour as he wondered what if they were in Romanov’s suite. What would they be doing from 11am since she departed from her palace to now? He hoped that in her fit of anger that Valentina did not decide to lose her innocent just to spite him at their engagement night tomorrow. Entering the bar, he decided that he will need whisky, rum and vodka tonight to calm his thoughts. As he closed the door, a pair of delicate tanned hands circled his waist and he knew that they did not belong to Valentina; Anna.

“Anna, what are you doing here?” asked Lucius, exhausted once more at her relentless flirting and unsavoury courting. “Please, I have told you that I want to marry Valentina and your presence will offend her”. No doubt Vera has told Valentina of Lucius’ history with Anna. Unfortunately, they went to school together and Anna made every attempt to get close to him.

When he was a child under Madam Marion’s guidance, he hated her and did not like her constant presences. He would command Ramus, Cezar and Lancel to entertain Anna and her friends while he and Dante made a trip to town or escaped into the Carpathian woods. Unfortunately, they went to the Royal Romanian College together, where Lucius became head boy and she became a talentless cheerleader, who spent most of the time staring at Lucius at soccer practise. After their one night when he was sixteen, he thought that she would stop but that one night only added fuel to the fire.

Turning around to glare at her, he noticed that her usually brown hair is now black…like Valentina’s. “You were sad”, said Anna, “I want to see you happy”. She slowly undid her coat and when Lucius suddenly realised that it was all she had on; he stopped her and retied the coat.

“I said no”, Lucius firmly said and then glaring at her, he warned deadly, “If you offend me and my fiancée again, Anna…So help me God”.

“The princess sees nothing in you”, Anna shouted. “She would rather fuck the Russian than you”. Calming her hazel eyes, she said desperately, “But I love you, I will keep your bed warm at night and never cold”.

“Valentina will grow to love me”, said Lucius. “She’s just rebellious now”.

“Well, when she refuses to bed you … know that I am always here”, Anna remained adamant that she still has a chance. It was at this gorgeous moment that Lucius’ guards entered and told him that his request is in his study. With that, Lucius left the room with his alcohol and instructed the guards to make sure Anna left the castle, and that its doors were locked for the night.

“Valentina will love me…eventually”, muttered Lucius to himself.