The Tyrant's Queen

"I am bored, my Queen. So, entertain me."
~ * ~
Young Prince Lucien of Aesna is more suited for the countryside than the royal palace of fatal mind games and seasonal assassinations. Despite being shunned for being born to a palace maid, Lucien practices utmost loyalty as a soldier, leading battles for his country.

That's until one day, he's captured and tortured as hostage, then used as a bargaining chip for Aesna's enemies to get back a valuable piece of land. But there is no bargain- Lucien, almost promptly, is given up by his own country.

Years later a bloody coup breaks out between the two princes of Aesna, leaving all men of royal blood dead or crippled. With two neighboring countries waiting to pounce on the destabilized nation, the royal officials get back Prince Lucien in exchange for the land he was given up for.

They welcome the prince as king, remembering the soft-hearted and naïve boy and ready to easily control him as puppet king with bribes, flattery and threats. But the man they put on the throne, is more madman than king, more beast than human, heralding another bloodbath in Aesna.

~ * ~

To avoid being forced to work as a bar girl, May lives as boy "Toma" in a small town of Aesna.
But one day a man offers to pay off all her debts- in exchange for marrying him. Little does she know he's the mad, new king of Aesna.

~ * ~
His callused hand cupped the back of her head and lifted her face. He wasn't harsh, but he wasn't gentle, either.

The smell of the wine on his breath was hot on her face. "...You yourself know the answer, sire."
Lucien's eyes slipped from her eyes, to her lips. "Oh, do I?" he growled.

His mouth swooped in without any tenderness, and his hand seized and tightened around the back of her neck, yanking her close to him.

**
"Are you done, sire? Or do you order me to love you?"

**
Started uploads: 5 Aug 2022
-1K: 12 chapters uploaded, 3 Nov 2022