Denise intro

DENISE

Her Grace, as she liked to style herself. Her Grace, Denise Jeanne Nicole Aelia Lucretia, of the royal House of Aelius, one of the few deposed monarchs of any nation still living, was no stranger to intrigue, political or otherwise. She was no cypher. She hadn’t been a mere consort. She had been co-ruler over Gavinium Magnus for several months in the year 2012, ruling in tandem with her husband and brother, Aelius Lucianus Lucifer George Armand Percival, better known to history as Lucian I, just as she was called Denise I. They had been notorious tyrants during their reign and had been overthrown for it, only the second such case of a ruler being deposed like that in Gavinian history, the first one being the ouster of Prince Jacob II in the year 1900.

One of the conditions of their pardon and release after capture by the rebels been exile, another a divorce and no remarriage, the latter condition one that Lucian had stuck to when he seized power back in 2016, probably out of a dislike of the idea of sharing power again with his sister. Consequently, Denise was a free agent, as it were, as well as a millionaire, due to all of her stocks, bonds, overseas accounts, etc. She would never have to work a day in her life, not that she really ever had, aside from her brief reign as Queen of Gavinium. That wasn’t the issue, of course. She wanted power and she wanted a partner in it…...a man to be what Lucian had failed to be for her, a counterpart, an equal.

Denise harbored no illusions. Without foreign help, she couldn’t possibly regain the throne from her brother and ex-husband, King Lucian. There were several worthy men of a similar mindset, she thought, in Akai, of all places, and they had similar values from the way that she observed their incestuous tendencies. They were thankfully not Christian, either, not as a rule of thumb, and that could make them a lot more open to what she had in mind. Denise knew better than to include Sanfu on the list of prospects: he was not only married to a Roman princess, but even apparently faithful to her…..How disgustingly Christian of him!

Denise’s first pick, of course, would be the Ditu himself, Hulang Lazin, a man whose title might not sound royal on the surface, but who clearly was the monarch and sovereign of Akai. She liked the idea of bedding and perhaps even marrying the most powerful man in Akai, the ruler himself. That would be the most obvious way to become a ruler again as well. After that, there were a few prospects, but especially Yanfeng, who was a notorious prince with known ambitions who could well rule Akai someday if circumstances were right. From his reputation, his temperament and personality were closer to her own, but he lacked the full power to act on them as she had. She was especially keen on his fondness for rape, having forced and drugged more than a few partners of both sexes in the past.

There were some other possible candidates, but definitely those two were the main choices, and while Denise was willing to share, of course, she wasn’t about to be outfoxed or outmaneuvered. She had her own idea of sharing, and they didn’t include other princesses or royals at all. They included minions, playthings of low birth and low rank, of both sexes, that could be lured or coerced into bed. To her, the main principle was the notion of a “power couple,” and everyone else was just a bed toy. Naturally, she intended to be the dominant half of the power couple, even if only behind the scenes. The issue was power, not perception of power, influence, if you will. She had controlled Lucian like that, at least for the first time around, and she had every reason to believe that she could another young man….or even an older one.

Then there were the women, and Denise wasn’t about to rule them out, even if they were more inherently variable and unpredictable, being the female of the species. The main difficulty, though, with women, was that Denise eventually wished to have an heir, and it was terribly hard to do by coupling with the ladies. She was bisexual, sure, but she was also a realist and knew that none of her plans could bear fruit in the long run without an heiress. She was twenty-five years of age, still in her prime, and it was high time that she bred again…...her bastard by that poor Garzan sod who she raped didn’t count, of course, not unless she needed it to, that was.

Little did Denise know, as her private Learjet arrived on the tarmac, with her small retinue in tow (not an official party, of course, as she wasn’t a head of state these days, this simply composed of fanatically loyal Gavinians who adhered to the oldest and finest traditions of their land). The pilot was one of these, and even when instructing her to buckle up her seatbelt as she prepared to land, he used the most deferential tone with her, unlike the rest. As a former Gavinian Air Force pilot, Captain Jean-Luc Olivier Veil had sworn an oath of fealty to Denise in the past, and he now regarded her as the only rightful ruler of his native land…..plus he was in love with her.

“Merci, Jean-Luc,” Denise winked at him, knowing full well his affections, but never indicating her knowledge, even though they had joined the mile-high club together more than once, “Now, is there a party waiting for me, or am I on my own here?”

“Your Grace, I do believe that I see a party in front, led by at least one of the Princes of House Lazin. Not sure which one, but that’s the impression that I get. It appears that they wish to respect your claim to the Gavinian throne, if you will,” Veil reassured her, averting his eyes to not show the intensity of his affection and desire for her.

“It’s not a claim, Jean-Luc. I am the lawful sovereign of Gavinium, at least in tandem with my brother, in spite of his pretenses to the contrary. At any rate, and thank you very much. And Jean-Luc?” Denise turned to him for a second.

“Oui, my Queen?” Jean-Luc turned to her with shock.

“You and I will not be coupling during my stay, but if or when I fly again, I will expect you to service me, even if you remarry. Are we clear on that? Treat it as a royal command, for that is what it is. You are not just my pilot now. You are my mile-high partner, mon coeur,” Denise told him to his shock as the door opened and she descended down the ladder toward the airport, “You are one of my playthings now and I don’t give up my playthings, even if I have to force them.”

With that, Denise descended to the tarmac in earnest, followed by her social secretary, her hairdresser, her valet, her regular secretary, her publicist, and a few others on her staff, enough to befit a woman of her station and her fame. This also included the nanny for her child, Océane Auberjonois, who posed as one of her office staff and carried her daughter, Camille, pretending that this daughter was her own. The fact that Océane and Denise were occasional lesbian lovers, well, that wasn’t relevant, was it?

As she reached the bottom of the stairwell, Denise put on a very pleasing smile to face her hosts, but she knew that few would be fooled by it. She had a reputation as a deposed despot, after all. At least if they went for her, they couldn’t claim to have their eyes closed, could they? This was the woman who once nearly imposed a “rape tax,” after all, and still regarded it as a good solution to a lot of national problems. Whatever must the Lazins be thinking of her now?

What lay before her was a truly spectacular sight, a small army of eunuchs, Riyeskonsu honour guards, elephant cavalry and palanquin awaited her. Their dress was distinctly Akai as it could be, colour coded and full with the symbolism of subservience. Awaiting Denise at the end of a long carpet made from silk and dyed fur to form vibrant patterns which could benefit the finest persian rugs. Awaiting her at the end was a red cloaked eunuch, who wore a blank expressionless mask. All other eunuchs were wearing white robes in comparison and also wore expressionless masks. This was contrasted with the black robes and patterned uniforms of the Riyeskonsu with their various ranks evident by the differentiations in the colours and the ornate aspects of the armor. The chief eunuch awaited her at the end, introducing himself when Denise approached: “Welcome to the Holy and Exalted Dituate, your Grace, Denise Jeanne Nicole Aelia Lucretia, of the royal House of Aelius. His Holy and Exalted Perfection wishes you the best in your stay here, would you like to enter the palanquin here?”

“Thank you, Your Excellency. We are pleased to enter the palanquin, as your master would offer us. We place our lives in your master’s hands, trusting in his goodwill and grace. May the Light of Justice bless you all,” Denise answered, adding a blessing that was vital for any Luminarian.

Her retinue all stared at the shockingly alien scenery, doing their best not to be obvious. They bowed their heads at their Queen’s signal, though, wishing to do their part to please her. To them, she was the Queen, regardless of the political reality of Gavinium. Their job was to serve her first. They had never seen a palanquin or eunuchs before in their lives. No matter how despotic the Gavinian monarchy had been, it wasn’t anything like this.

As Denise was guided inside of the palanquin, she was greeted with its mahogany and ebony wood interior, with fine leather seats, with various refreshments inside. Blinds were present, thin enough to see through but thick enough to obscure those trying to peer it. It was vast enough to carry at least four people. She could see the various activities of the leviathan palace equally grander than virtually anything else in the region in many aspects. It was surrounded by gardens and guards, each working in harmony as they continued their patrols and remained at their posts faceless. Eventually they arrive at one of the many entrances to the palace, but in particular a wing relevant to them. There before Denise as she was placed near the exit was a tall and wide staircase which lead to the Ditu who was surrounded by somewhat well known company. Holding his arms was his mother, the Dowager Dihei Tingzi, a particularly infamous temptress and a green robed eunuch.

Greeting the Ditu with a curtsy, Denise presented a gift that she bore for him and another for his mother, which she hoped that they would accept them. For the Ditu, she presented a ceremonial robe of the old judge-priests of the Royal Assizes, the criminal courts that existed in the old days before the judicial reforms. This came with a hat traditionally worn by the judge-priests as well. It was meant as a gesture of treating him as an instrument of Justice, the noblest virtue of all in the Luminarian faith, the traditional religion of Gavinium Magnus.

For Tingzi, Denise presented her with the statue of Aelia Sophia, the Founder and Princess Regnant of Gavinium Magnus. It was meant as a gesture of respect for her as a noble and powerful woman of excellence. She naturally hoped that the recipients would appreciate these particular gifts, which she had salvaged before her exile.

The jade robed eunuch then moved to the right of the Ditu and was presented a scroll by a youthfully childlike eunuch, himself not even noticing his presence. The Lord of the Eunuchs Li Hi came forth like he was supposed to once more to announce the foreign guests and did so in his surreal boyish and high voice: “Your Holy and Most Exalted Perfection, I present to you Her Grace, Denise Jeanne Nicole Aelia Lucretia, of the royal House of Aelius Behold His Holy and Most Exalted Perfection, Ditu Hulang Huike Lazin and Her Celestial Majesty, the Dowager Dihei, Tingzi Tiling Lazin.” It was he who ordered those who took Denise gifts, but not before Hulang analysed them intensively. Hulang did not bow as the Ditu’s of Akai did not, while the Eunuch and Tingzi did. He seemed contemplative of them, an inquisitorial nature taking control as he gripped them and touched them with his hand.

“Your grace, it is rare to see those from Gavinium in Akai despite our many similarities, we hope your trip was pleasant as it not?” Hulang inquired, hopefully trying to provoke some kind of conservation it seemed.


“It was, I assure Your Most Exalted Perfection. Thank you for that, my lord. Despite my unjust exile, I retain many loyal subjects, which surprise some people. These people with me are among those most true and faithful to my rightful sovereignty over Gavinium. I trust that their accommodations will be comfortable to an extent suitable to their rank and station as well. And how is it, being such an eligible young bachelor, with presumably many ladies eager to claim your hand in marriage?” Denise flirted as subtly as she could, “I am also pleased to meet Her Celestial Majesty. I, too, know what it is like to lose a beloved spouse, though in my case, he betrayed me toward the end.”

Hulang seemed to remain stoic but was somewhat bemused by the whole affair, before him keeping himself together as perhaps his reputation and the various rumours about him might tell. His eyes were analysing her, watching her movements with great caution as he began to respond. “If you have those that are still loyal it might be prudent to use them then, regardless their accommodation will be appropriate for them and their status.” He spoke, pondering on something. “There are a variety of propositions but mostly domestic in character, few abroad. Regardless it seems my wives are to be my sisters, at least the primary ones. It is a fate most pleasant, I imagine you’d agree?”

Tingzi then turned to Denise, waiting patiently for Hulang to finish and added: “Thank you for your kind words, losing my husband and father, Xionghe or Jieke as he may be known to you was quite unpleasant,” she said with what to those keenly astute within the matters of court that she was not especially empathetic for her late husband. She then added, leaning in to whisper: “I do apologise for doing this but it is Your Holy and Exalted Perfection, not Most Exalted Perfection.”

“My condolences, Your Holy and Exalted Perfection, and to Your Celestial Majesty,” Denise replied, “As to such arrangements, they reflect the wisdom of your house. My own dynasty was foolish enough, after I was deposed, to abandon our traditions of keeping the blood pure, a mistake that I believe contributed to their downfall. We have similar customs, it would seem. My husband was my brother, of course, so I fully concur,” Denise then leaned in to whisper back to Tingzi, “Thank you for correcting quietly rather than openly,” and then she resumed, “And thank you for treating my staff so hospitably as well as myself.”

“Anyways please do enter here for now, although we should not be long. Let these eunuchs guide you to the rest of the guests,” Hulang explained as he wished to handle the variety of guests he had coming. After this Denise was guided into the room where the other guests were waiting, although fortunately she had little to wait for as Hulang introduced himself.

With this Hulang led the party inside, with the rows of eunuchs and Riyeskonsu flanking him following behind. Inside he was greeted with the vast room dominated by a base level of dark crimson granite which gave the vast corridor this curious feel to it. Golden ornaments were arranged perfectly to give the whole thing an uncannily symmetrical feel, with intensely detailed patterns and banners scattered around. Each of these depicted some kind of scene, the first set during the unification of Akai so, for example, the last stand of Prince Tiao-Li the golden in Oato lands or the forging of the Kneeling Colossi. There was a sense of mythology to each, a grand vision and reflection upon the past. Five statues stood behind them, each a figure involved in the unification of Akai depicted with a sense of glory to them and at the end was the Jieke’s foreboding sigil. Hulang’s arrival spurred the eunuchs into action who were monitoring the rest of the guests, bowing before the Ditu. Hulang himself stroked his Rietumish blade’s hilt as he turned to Jocasta and mentioned to herself: “I do have another gift for yourself but I shall leave you to speculate what it is.” With this, they explained to them in Latin to follow the Ditu as he began: “These four statues here are depicting the men who were the architects of Akai unification,” he said as his hand pointed to the statute furthermost on the left. It was a figure draped in a mixture of military armour clearly antiquated by then and gloriously ornate robes who possessed a wild and unrefined beard which went down to his chin. His eyes contained two burning fires, which only enhanced his mad stare. Every feature about him was distorted in detail to almost mimic the emotions depicted in their masks and sigils. “This is Emperor Zhou Zhao-Li Lazin, the sacker of Belisarium, the sinker of fleets and the man who set us on the path for unification. He himself was madly brilliant and brilliantly mad, something his enemies often learned whenever they faced him. He prepared Lazinato for the wars to come however died a year into.” His mask was similar to Hulang’s in some ways yet possessed an overwhelmingly demonic character to it, the devilish rage and the patterns was what distinguished it.

His gaze shifted to the next statue that of the Regent for most Sunzhi’s reign: “This is Lord-Regent Jieke Shang, the namesake of my father. He himself helped organise the operations and served as my great-grandfather’s regent from 1985 until he came of age. He himself was a neolegalist of the sort that inspire my own father, seeking to unite Akai through whatever means he had available. His governmental reforms are what inspired my father’s.” Hulang while speaking with some formal passion seemed to give no verbal indication on the thoughts of these characters, instead leaving little traces in his manner here and there. He stood weaker than the others around him yet he seemed to carry a sense of tranquil refinement.

And then the next statue was that of Crown Prince Tiao-Li or the Golden Prince as he was once known. His statue while built from a black base like the rest was yet there was a visible prominence of gold in his construction. “This here is my great-grandfather Crown Prince Tiao-Li Zhao-Li Lazin the golden, someone who refused to engage in his father’s cruelty and crusaded for an Akai which he thought to be a superior version of his father’s. He mended relations with the Romans after the revolt and even returned some of the slaves taken by his father.”

After him his gaze shifted to the first Ditu Sunzhi and a man who was shadowed by a huge white double-headed eagle - “These two men shaped the original conception of Akai, Ditu Sunzhi and Prince Laurence of Ghant. Now you may wonder why a Gentry is here,” in father’s halls “and the answer would be is that he and Ditu Sunzhi led Akai to unity in the closing days of unification and helped keep the peace inside of it. Were it not for these men, it is likely that Akai could have been another pathetic communard realm.” Hulang did not mention he also laid the foundations for the Akai society that Sunzhi wanted, one with qualified franchise. Whether his guests were those acquainted enough with Akai history to know was matter which intrigued him for sure. Let’s see how much Chella knows/

“Regardless of that little piece of general history, we shall make our way forth,” he said with a sense of eagerness in his voice. With this the party organised into a procession with Hulang at the centre and front, with Jocasta and the Edomite’s on his left and Marie-Sophie on his right and with Tingzi standing next to Samuel and Zoe. They could have talked privately then and there if they did desire to do so. Behind them, Liqin stood next to Durkheim and his company and Li Hi filled in the lack of a royal to accompany the Shrailleen which the Ditu did feel rather sorry about. Chella was placed closest to Hulang, just behind the Ditu as they moved around the vast complex. As they walked down the corridor its length became apparent as more and more artefacts were arranged across it. Swords mostly from Akai but also from various places elsewhere with various Cornellian, and Acheronian weapons being placed alongside them. Some seemed ancient, older than some nations present. Others was as small venerable arsenal of masks, statues from Belisarium and trinkets from across the region.

And as they went through the vast steel door, as it glided apart like an elaborate paper door seen in the older and quieter parts, they bore witness to huge planes of painted glass, allowing the near dead sun to enter and to illuminate the rest of the palace. From here you could it went on for hundreds of acres with several pyramids towering over it all far away from the party. They then entered another room which was full of Akai patiently waiting, each and every one of whom were nobles. The first 63 greater clans stood forwards on the left side and the lesser clans on the right of the room. Each were accompanied by at least three servants, all from the palace as Hulang requested. Hulang in the meantime had ascended before the front of the room for which all the Akai present began to prostrate themselves and kowtowed before himself. They cried out “Wantiai Hulang!” may he live ten thousand years.

Next to him was his half-sister Lilisi who was radiant in her beauty as always. She wore a black silk dress which hugged her petite slender form, tugging at her fortunate hind and bosom. It was patterned with golden leaves, each dancing around one another as dragons flowed around them alongside. This was all finished with a cape, continuing the design onto it and revealing a deep maroon inside. She herself wore her half-mask like most the women present, it looking like a more feminine version of Jieke’s sharp piece. She bowed and kissed his hand, Elsewhere you could spot the rest of the Lazin’s such as Sanfu with the now pregnant Aelia Quadrata, Yanfeng and his bastard Zhenwangzi and Prince Qiang his numerous spawn. He then began to orate in the palace dialect of Akai to his assembled guests, his voice grand as it was fast and precise: “My dearest subjects, may I tell you all that you are gathered here to further the cause of righteousness, to help lead those who may be led astray back to a position where their talents may contribute to our world. For too long we have prioritised those unworthy of their status, weak men of the sorts who should never hold the power they do. The debauched, the degenerate and the debased. Here today we conceive the heroes of the next age, those to help us into the darker times to come!” Hulang then paused: “Your donations here, have contributed to that cause and it would be wrong to not reward such kindness. So let us feast today and let us start with the smallest of pleasures first,” and as he finished the last word the Akai guests a small banquet buffet appeared from above, lowered down carefully by careful hands high above. A great variety of fruits, refined vegetables, confectionery were available, with some from the region's native to the guests to more alien realms from Hostillia and Akai. “Arise, my dear friends, the night has fallen, and let us remove our masks.”

The Ditu then removed his mask and a eunuch swiftly came to retrieve it. Underneath was the sort of angelic beauty seemed full of pulchritude. He had unblemished and perfect pale skin, ethereal in its soft texture, as if he was like a spirit. This was on top of a well proportioned small nose, and high sharp cheekbones and a razor sharp jawline. His lips were just as precise, possessing a well-bred elegance to them. His hair was at a medium length, flowing like a river of silver and white hold. He had a mysterious enigmatic aura to himself, one not helped by the contrast in colour between his uniform and his body. Tingzi had similar features herself, with Hulang looking almost like a gender swapped version of herself albeit her lips were fuller than the Ditu’s.

For Denise, the pageantry was most impressive, not unlike the sort of thing that she would see back home, if perhaps a bit more grandiose in scale and style. She was also impressed with the beauty of the Ditu himself, not to mention of Lilisi…...and she was impressed with his grasp of history, his pride in his country, and his ability to use rhetoric to present his intended image of himself to others. She was also well aware of the presence of the other guests, from Jocasta, whom she viewed as a rival, to her very distant, Roman cousin Aelia Quadrata, whom she despised simply for being an agent of the Emperor’s will, to Chella from Shrailleen to the Lyncanestrians and others. She had little use for most of them, but she didn’t wish to make that too plain just yet.

There was one man however who stood alone and distant in the hall aside from what seemed to be a collection of his concubines, - clearly composed of several young women and one eunuch it seemed. The man in question seemed physically imposing standing at six foot and seven inches tall. He had a beard, one well maintained and deeply stylish by Akai standards at that. He was pale, very pale, his flesh being barely translucent and his hair was a shade of fresh sliver. He seemed to carry a sense of age to him and a variety of experiences, something easily deduced from his eyes. They were vicious things, utterly uncompromising but ultimately hungry. They were wolvish, worse than the great beasts with roamed Ghant, it seemed they could single handedly stop even dragons with them. They seemed be similar to Hulang’s but his were restrained while this man… this prince’s eyes demonstrated a feral freedom. This was Prince Yanfeng and his inviting glare, lay upon Denise as he remained at his table.

As for Yanfeng, Denise could not help but feel the intensity of his glare on herself, like the blinding light and hot rays of the Sun, the supreme symbol of Light in her religion. Like all royals of her generation, in fact, the Sun disc had been tattooed on her flesh, despite her ancestral origins in Rome, a place that despised tattoo art. In Denise’s case, the Sun was inked upon her bosom, and some of its rays were visible on the exposed cleavage thereof. Her swarthy flesh made it stand out even more, and it was abundantly clear to anyone who met Denise that she was still a great beauty, something that Yanfeng would have to know. Like certain of her sisters from that particular branch of the family, she was olive-skinned rather than pale as were others in the royal dynasty, and she had piercing hazel eyes with chestnut hair. Her ample bust didn’t hurt, either, as unlike some of her sisters, Denise was very buxom in her chest. She didn’t hesitate to stare back at him once she considered the possible meanings of his stare…..she could use this, just perhaps.

Yanfeng then shifted his gaze elsewhere, giving a system of almost military like hand gestures. It was not long afterwards that a lady of some kind, of what seemed to be of lesser aristocratic background if you analysided her dress which was comparably simpler than the others present. She whispered in her ear with a hint of fear in her voice - but for whom? “The Prince wishes to speak with you your grace.”

“Does he? It would be an honor to meet him, having heard so much about him,” the former monarch smiled at the lady, approaching Yanfeng with a curtsy.

He waited for her to come and when she did he greeted her pleasantly: “Your grace, I am Prince of the Blood Yanfeng, you certainly are an interesting presence… but who may you be?”

“And I am Denise, by the grace of the Light, rightful Queen of Gavinium Magnus. It is a pleasure to meet you at last, having heard so much of you,” Denise spoke as charmingly as she could, given her rather ruthless nature.

“Indeed the pleasure is all mine, your beautiful grace. I have certainly heard many things about yourself, and your country. It is a shame what happened to it you know, sounded like a country I’d like to visit one day,” Yanfeng explained with an underlying sense of joy. “So why are you here of all places? You clearly have some intent for yourself… don’t you?” He studied her observantly like an eagle looking from above at its prey.

“Allow me to be frank, if you do not mind. My brother has seized the throne, but he has also betrayed me. We were supposed to regain it together, and rule together, as before. Instead, he dismisses me in a public declaration that he is not taking me back! Not taking me back! We are twins! We should rule together, as brother and sister, husband and wife. That is the Gavinian way! Instead, he casts me aside, me, all because he thinks me insane! That is why he has implied about me! He thinks me a lunatic and a liability, his elder sister! He defied Father to put me on the throne with himself when Father died, but he won’t restore me with himself because he doesn’t trust me! It’s insulting and infuriating, and I will have my revenge! I will have justice!” Denise ranted before calming down a bit.

Yanfeng watched with a detached amusement, one which seemed disconcertingly apathetic to the rage. He let out a sly laugh, one quiet and out of breath, wheezing rapidly to produce a disheartening sound. “It sounds like you have quite the legitimate reason to be frustrated dear lady,” he said adding some flattering near the end. “However I am not the only bachelor here am ?” He turned his head to the Ditu, sitting at the table with Jocasta. “He is the more obvious candidate surely? He has more wealth, more forces, and is an easier mind the mold than a veteran of several wars like myself? A man whose conquests are as great on the battlefield and off? Unless you are also...”

“Also what? Right now, my lord, I am quite open to more than one possible candidate. I do not wish to hear why not to entertain you…..I wish to hear why I should. You are a famous prince, are you not? I will not pretend that the Ditu holds no interest for me, but I am also quite intrigued by Your Highness as well. What are the benefits of a possible union with you?” Denise smiled seductively at him.

“You are afraid you have it the wrong way round, you are supposed to be advertising yourself to me and nor the other way around. I can quite easily send a dear eunuch of mine to the Ditu and advise him to ignore you, and you will have wasted your time here,” Yanfeng gleefully explained taking a sip from his Baijiu: “I myself admittedly do have quite a few reasons to be a good partner; being the warlord billionaire prince that I am but I enjoy my life.” He grabbed one of his concubines, far smaller than him both in terms of age and size, he groped her breast and then forcibly kissed her which she willingly received. “I have access to plenty of fine women although this is not degrading yourself.” He leaned towards, her his eyes gleefully critical: “You have no throne, no power which I can see beyond wealth… so what is in it for me?”

“I have a legitimate claim to the throne of Gavinium, and it wouldn’t take that much for you to rule by my side. It would be an investment, but think of the pay-off. You could be a ruler of a separate land entirely from the Ditu, one where you are a King yourself. You would not have to convert, and you could benefit from my laws. One of which would be a tax that one would have to pay not to get raped. Imagine how women you could take if they fail or their brothers or husbands fail to pay up? Imagine having Gavinian soldiers follow your commands, too, and having people bow and call you ‘Your Majesty.’ You could be King Yanfeng I of Gavinium, the first foreign-born king in our history, ruling Gavinium together with me, as co-sovereigns, not merely Prince Consort. I would never do to you what Mara did to Michael of Dakmoor. You would be my equal in all things, just as Lucian could have been,” Denise made her case, hoping that Yanfeng would be tempted by her bait, “And there is my body….it’s not too old, I trust. I am but 25.”

“That is most certainly an invitation…” Yanfeng said pausing, to contemplate the offer proposed to him. “Of course we have to take the country first, which is easier said than done. And how are you going to manage things being a pariah? I imagine a rape tax while certainly fun… is unproductive for foreign relations. How would you manage to ensure we stay?”

“Well, for starters, we would have, I hope, forces from Akai, but also a sizable mercenary force, and any factions in Gavinium that support us. We can perhaps get Rietumimark to support us as well, and while they don’t accept us now, if Lucian behaves like a mad dog, even the Romans and Edomites might consider us the lesser evil in time. If I know my brother, and I do, the man is going to anger plenty of folk himself. Of course, we might have to be ruthless in eliminating some rival claimants, especially ones likely to win favor abroad, but in such a way that Lucian can be blamed for it. Compared to a kinslayer and brutal persecutor of Christians, even a rape tax might seem more benign. Did you know that he outlawed any faith but Luminarianism, on pain of death? That alone should turn people against him, and if we’re the only alternative, that gives us our shot,” Denise explained her reasoning a bit further.

Yanfeng seemed to wait and contemplated what he was saying: “So in other words I gamble on you and become king. Let me make a few demands then of my own to ensure my security, firstly your taxes will go to towards reimbursing any losses of mine. Secondly I want to be appointed commander in chief of your forces so long as you rule. Thirdly, I want an assurance that our marriage is preserved regardless - why else would I want to lose something like that, sound right?” He then also took another gulp of his drink as he fondled the eunuch of his nearby, asserting a level of control over him. “I would also wish to inquire, what’d you propose for my dear nephew? Should he more desirable than I?”

“The same for him, if things work out there more than with you. However, that does risk a personal union, which some might balk at. Another point in your favor. As for revenue, the King has an equal right to the revenue of the Exchequer to the Queen. Help yourself to your half of it. We can always can find more revenue. Gavinium is small, but rich. We have secret, numbered bank accounts and other sources of revenue. We’re a banking state. And a mining one, too. Those mountains aren’t just there for scenery.

“As for the armies, what do I know of war? Yes, by all means take command of the loyalist forces. As for the marriage, why not? Think that I’m going to go running back to my brother after I’ve broken, after we have broken him? Oh, no, sir. One betrayal is enough. I propose to make him suffer, and then put him down like the mad dog that he is. I love him, but now I hate him, too. I hate him for what he did to me, this betrayal of his. I am loyal to those who are loyal to me. Fiercely loyal. I don’t care that you committed atrocities in the past. I know of them. I do not mind. I have committed atrocities, too.

“You doubt that, read the record of my reign, which was sadly too brief. I also had my cousin Nicolette summarily executed, as she deserved. She conspired and murdered my sister Serena, who had been my lover…...and Lucian’s, as we were each other’s. Shocked? Yes, the three of us, but now it’s the two of us, if you are open to it…..if you wish to gamble on me,” Denise smiled deviously, making it clear that she would be open to sharing Yanfeng’s bed.

“Good… good…” he said as he listened intensively to Denise and her response. While he tried to hide it, he deeply enjoyed her and she fascinated him in a way few could do nowadays. “Good to see there are those with similar tastes as mine. I do enjoy a bit of holy and pure depravity some time. But I am not shocked - the things I have done pale in comparison to what you have done from the sounds of it and never have regretted any moment of it. But rather intrigued both by your righteousness and your own character… and other things one might suggest. I do wonder however, if you had to chose who would you? He or him?” he said gesturing to his nephew.

“Honestly, I do not yet know for sure, but I’m leaning toward you. He has more power, but you have more ruthlessness, more of a kindred severity to you, which I like. And frankly, you don’t pose a risk of personal union, which he does. I’m not sure how the proud Gavinian people will take a personal union. What Gavinium needs is a pair of rulers who can make the nobility and financial barons tremble in their boots. Both are important to the realm, but both need to have a boot kept on their necks, to make sure that the Crown retains the whip hand, not the magnates,” Denise smiled at him, “Does that surprise you…...I like you because you are cruel, not in spite of it.”

“You seem most certainly to be a charmer, your grace,” Yanfeng teasingly jested with a smile across his face. “I shall wait and see who you chose but I am not cruel. I serve my own interests and lust or my own pleasures. If I can provide them… then I most certainly will. Cruelty is a myth made by the weak to spin ill words upon the mighty and strong.””

“Does Hulang agree with your definition of cruelty and strength? I tended to be on the severe side of my family, but which of you is honestly the most severe in yours?” Denise inquired, truly curious.

“My nephew is much like his father, he quite simply does not care. He regards strength as power which belongs you I think, he disregards those who cannot match it. Cruelty he would probably paint as unnecessary violence but what he thinks as being necessary is well… lovely by my standards. He seeks what he wants with the desire of a God, and has the power of one too.” He then paused to contemplate some more. “I find that the most severe was my elder brother Jieke. Never a man so detached, so utterly removed. Imagine that in the hells he is given his own… one that has frozen over due to how cold he is. He was like a machine, he did what he saw fit regardless of the morality of the faction. Oh I lament his demise, so much fun gone.” Yanfeng spoke of this in tones which seemed unusual for a man like him, ones lamenting and filled with disappointment.

“He sounds like a formidable man. Didn’t he just…..vanish, with no real clear ending to his life?” Denise mused.

“You have good ears, dangerously good ones.,” Yanfeng acknowledged. “But you’d be right but we have not disclosed how he died per say. But what can you do. His son however is proving rather interesting, don’t you agree?”

“Promising, I would say. And I fear that Lucian will try to court him in his own way, will try to bring him around to his own plans for Gavinium, toward an alliance of such. Lucian might come across as overzealous and fanatical, and in some ways, he is, but he is also capable of great charm and guile when he wishes, and he is not to be taken lightly. After all, he convinced Father to disinherit me for him,” Denise related, thinking aloud, “Do not take him lightly at all. He is a very ambitious sort.”

“You do not know us, we would be powerless and devoid of any value. We are a cautious family, and it has served us well,” Yanfeng added, “The Ditu is a smart… boy I’d say. Do not underestimate him or he will get the upper hand… somehow.”

“This gives me hope that he will not be gulled by Lucian, then. If he is more than a match to him, so much the better for our cause, assuming that we come to share a cause, that is. If we can bring the Ditu around, that would be very good indeed. Though again, I suspect that Lucian will try to enlist his support for himself,” Denise smiled at him, “Ultimately, though, are you willing to commit to supporting me, or is there something that I can offer to guarantee that support and maybe that of the Ditu soon as well?”

“Well… I’d think it’d be only fair if you were to go talk to Hulang yourself I imagine,” Yanfeng mused. “Then you can pose a more attractive deal. The best part about me is that unlike Hulang, I am… free of many constraints that he has. While he may have the resources… I on the other hand have freedom.” He began to lay a hand upon her shoulder, standing at her side at he did with his hungry gaze. “I’d be willing to support you yes… so long as my conditions are met. But I imagine they might be more favorable than his.”

“What would your conditions be, then? So that I might know them?” Denise inquired, her curiosity truly piqued.

The prince drew his hand, its fingers looking more suited to a Gothic pianist, they looked well used and hinted at the true age of the prince. “One, I must be wed to you after the conflict and wield the powers of king equal to you, two that I have the right to acquire revenue from the realm to ensure the economic viability of my investment in you, and three I want you to be loyal to me as I will be to you in this field. I refuse to waste three decades worth of efforts on the folly of an incompetent backstabber you understand?” His eyes turned suddenly cutting and his glare all the more domineering as he uttered that last sentence. “Hopefully you may not be such a person…”

“Very well. I will hear the Ditu’s terms, compare them to yours, and see which ones are more favorable. If I decide to accept your terms afterward, will they remain the same? And I am a far more honorable person than my brother, who betrayed me,” Denise assured him, even as she pushed down to show just a bit more of her bosom to Yanfeng…...just an additional view, “By the way, I still have many years of good breeding left to do.”


And you wonder why I asked for some permanence in marriage?” Yanfeng teased with a voracious appetite to him, taking a not entirely subtle observation of the cleavage. “Just make sure you do not pop out any more bastards will you? I don’t mind you engaging in great enjoyments with others, in fact I’d love to be invited… however there also exists a great need I do have for my children to be my own. I would have loved to wed my sister, but she was first Jieke’s and then that fucking noble spiv she later enveloped with. So I have been denied the richness of a good heii... beyond my own bastards. Just be… more cautious you understand#?”

“Of course. Should you and I…...marry, should we form an alliance of our own, I would close my womb to all other men. Other…..diversions, well, whatever you will permit, of course. But no other fathers to my sons and daughters. And I tend to like women a lot, anyway,” Denise made her meaning there rather blatant.

Yanfeng seemed content, as content as a man like him could be. He seemed to capture a sense of eternal hunger for more. He was especially avaricious and driven by what seemed to be a greed for all. He seemed to notice the tattoo on her bosom but did not comment on it.

It was then when this occurred eunuchs arrived, the servants of the Ditu. They each took guests by their arm and guided them to their tables.

As this occurred, great fires were lit in the corners of the room in great gold cauldrons, their flames flickering red, blue and green at times. The ambient beat of drums began to haunt the air, their player drummers Great samples of food, began to be revealed hugely ornate in character. The old food was replaced as rapidly as it came, while new ones such as crocodile steak .Hulang began to ascend to his table, his close family ascending to lesser seats at his side. He had the highest seat in all room and could see all beneath him. Tingzi at this point had arisen with him along with Jiexiu and Lilisi taking seats at his side while seats for the guests were arranged around it elsewhere. Tingzi leant over and something whispered to Hulang, and Yanfeng wondered what as Hulang in turn responded.

Denise whispered to Yanfeng, “What is the nature of this…..is it normal for your feasts, or is something different going on? They seem to be very close, those two.”

With this, the she-dragon of Xungong arose from her chair and bowed before the Ditu before standing before them all on a platform. The room filled with an ambient joy quickly went silent, their attention forcing on her. She began her proclamation in palace Akai, heavily formal and polite: “May His Holy and Exalted Perfection’s good will be granted to thou all. The Lord of Ten Thousand Years, the Dragon’s face’s charity is what brings us all here today his sincerest appreciation for thine tribute and efforts towards dealing with the issue of education. The Holy and Exalted One’s gift towards this cause shall be 500 million standard dollars, a great contribution to his noble gifts to the world.” Tingzi then paused before continuing, something which Hulang did not expect: “There are also further proclamations needed to be made, however. The dragon’s face and the imperial household has come to the consensus that the Ditu’s betrothal should be announced now.” With this while the aristocrats remained stoic and formal, one could notice their eyes, their curiosity seemed palpable. “For now, the Yinmi Ditu, Hulang shall be betrothed to Princess of the Blood, Jiexiu Lazin who shall become Dibai! Wantiai Hulang!” Yanfeng seemed to studied her and then turned to his nieces. Lilisi gave Tingzi and then Jiexiu a glare of particular menace, one full of distaste of her action. The crowd met with an enthusiastic repeat of his mother’s praises and Hulang noticed their excitement at the announcement. Then another official called out: “The feast may begin!” as Tingzi returned to her seat with a smug particularly self-satisfied grin on her face.

“Tingzi does not seem to approve of the betrothal. Any particular reason? What do you think of the betrothal yourself?” Denise whispered now, curious as to what Yanfeng might say, given the chance.

“Well she’d prefer not betrothal at all I imagine but she has a reason for betrothing him to Jiexiu and not also to Lilisi and I imagine it is a rather devious one,” Yanfeng mused deviously, wondering what the purpose of it was. He seemed to have a familiarity with the affairs of the court and its characters even moreso. Yet there were a dripping contempt and sense of opportunity to how he spoke of them, his tone dripping with a sense of boastful superiority.

“I look forward to learning all about it, my lord. So, when would be a good time to approach the Ditu about this matter and learn his terms, if he has any?” Denise asked Yanfeng now.

“After the feast for sure,” Yanfeng noted, as the foods came before him, dishes hugely opulent in a variety of extravagances, which provided exhilarating experiences to the eye, nose an ear. There was a series of Octahedrons and pyramids arranged before him, each containing different flavours of meats and rice — the intoxicating aroma of the various spices, herbs and other such ailments for unspoiled taste buds filled the air, providing a delicious ecstasy for all. “Do enjoy yourself, for here is a taste of paradise.”

“Well, I am rather partial to exotic kinds of meat,” Denise let the double entendre hang in the air, “So, I do thank you for your excellent counsel. I will certainly partake,” she continued, also taking in some herbal tea as she was prone to do, being fond of herbal and mint tea and swearing by its health benefits…..whatever else happened, she would enjoy the feast, including the deliciously seasoned meat and vegetables.