Lady In Red

48

"Where did he slap you?"

He knew...the King knew.

She gulped not answering, he brushed his finger over her red cheek, "Here??"

Silence greets him, but Xerxes had no patience, fisting her hair in his hand and pulling her head back. She wince digging her fingers in his sleeve.

"Did he slap you here? Yes or No baby?"

"Yes," she breathes out as he lets go and kisses her cheek softly.

"Get the salt water" He commands and she knows exactly what that means.

"I want to leave, Your Majesty" She whispered as he guided her face in the crook of his neck.

~*~

"I want you to watch him suffer"

"No-"She whimpered as he held her jaw tight, forcing her to look at him.

"I swear if you close your eyes I will bend you over my knee right here Ruby"

She sniffed as the guards poured salt water over his back, earning a loud cry from his mouth. He yields to his King, moaning and crying, begging for forgiveness as he is whipped incessantly. It never stopped, even as he lay unconscious. They never stopped, all while Ruby held her hand over her mouth turning away and closing her eyes as he let go of her neck.

"Tied up by the stake on the common grounds" He commands his eyes shifting to her, "I shall make an example of those who defy their Queen"

The King watched in contentment as his guards took him away, he stood up, Ruby still in his arms. He softly lets her down, holding her chin lightly and kissing her teary eyes before asking them to open. He smiled as she obeyed without a fight before speaking.

"Apologises my love. But this will show you how nothing, ever, gets past me. The harder you keep away the worse their punishments"

Ruby nodded not wanting his anger to worsen.

"There was one more, though I wish I could just kill her. Perhaps you would want some answers?"

She frowned looking back to see Andrew holding Maya and pushing her at her Queen's feet.

Ruby gasped about to run to her maid but Xerxes pulled her back.

"It was Maya your Majesty who went against your wishes and told the Queen about your personal affairs. You may do with her as you wish"

Ruby shook her head she cried begging for mercy.

"I was forced You Majesties. I have a family back home. I was threatened to do as they said for my siblings would receive my punishments"

Ruby stood before her in fear before looking back at her King.

"I am to answer for her actions Sir. I couldn't protect my own staff. She is innocent"

Xerxes felt nothing but disappointment at his wife's words, was she never stabbed in her back before? Did she never understand how people lied to be spared only to gain their trust only to deceive?

"Please you majesty spare my maid. She did nothing. I know I am sure of it"

"She could've told you" Xerxes mutters staring down at her. At this point, he was merely enjoying that cunt on the ground begging and lying for her life.

He enjoyed seeing traitors lie for their lives. And he enjoyed how innocent his queen was, asking him to spare a life.

But she needed to know better, this court was nothing like theirs, this was a court of cold wars.

He smirked as Ruby frowned at her.

"My King, I truly deserve the punishment you give me, but I beg of you to spare my family. I only did so for their future"

Ruby felt sorrow fill her heart, how could the general make her do such a thing>

"Well then, it is up to your Queen" Xerxes states letting go of Ruby's hand and she looks at him.

"I want her to be spared"

How innocent his queen was, not knowing a thing about that girl and trying to save her. She would regret it, soon enough when her maid deceives her once more. But Xerxes figured it was a lesson. A lesson she had to learn by herself.

"Very well. If that's what you wish"

Ruby nodded asking Andrew to tend to her wounds and take her back to her quarters.

"Thankyou your Majesty" She whispered not wanting to look at the bloody ground.

"Now that they are punished, it is time for yours"

She sucked in a deep breath as he took her arm, walking her over the blood-covered floor and towards their quarters.

Ruby bites her lips, failing to keep up with his large strides but he didn't give it any mind. Walking straight to his chambers. She could hear her heart, cold sweat build up in her palms. She felt her ribs suffocating her as he enters his chambers.

As he turned to her, he softly cupped her cheeks. Her eyes did everything to stay on the ground.

As he kissed her, she held back, waiting for his warth to wash upon her, waiting for him to say something but he only pushed her closer and kissed her deeply. His hand held her jaw, biting her lip ever so slightly and pushing his tongue inside. She couldn't keep up, whimpering before pushing him away short of breath.

She noticed his eyes glancing at the bed before he turned to her.

"No-you my lady, deserve a remarkable punishment," he whispered before pulling her out his chambers. She frowned, utter confused as they walked out the halls and towards the castle ground.

"Get our carriage"

She winced at his anger voice. He pushed her inside before talking having a word with the man and shrugging off the guards.

"Your Majesty-" Ruby paused, his eyes were enough to send chills down her spine. She sat quite next to him as he smirked keeping his hand over her shoulder and leaning in.

"Scared?"

She gulps shaking her head causing him to laugh at her pitty lie.

His anger hadn't subsided, but he wanted her, in a new way. He didn't want to take her in that same old bed of his. He wanted to showed her how fun it could be. Something she'd wish for every time he was next to her.

Ruby looked out, taking his hand and getting down. His hands wrapping around her waist protective of her.

They were at the base of the vast forest mountains. Covered in snow from some height above. She shivered in the cold winded as he took her hand and walked them up the path.

Such a sight, she had not seen in ages. The last she remember seeing such pretty trees were when she first came to this land.

She smiled looking at some blooming trees. Forgetting all about her thoughts and fears as it now simply seemed like a walk with her husband.

He stopped, far away from the carriage at a small clearing.

"Scenic isn't it?" He asked and she nodded unable to take her eyes off the pretty trees, the partially snow-covered ground, soon too be covered in fresh snow as the clouds began hovering over them.

"I do this for you Ruby."

She snapped her eyes to him. His hooded eyes, were darker than ever, his face holding no emotion. Fear shot up her spin again as she stepped back suddenly feeling anxious.

"I-I am sorry" She struggled to talk as he backed her up at a tree. Trapping her a small body between his arms. His chest closing the distance between them.

"And you will do anything to accept your punishment"

The sudden change in his emotions triggered her legs to shut close. Tingles start against her body as she bites her lip nodding slowly. His hand suddenly pushed inside her gown, she gasped at the flutters and pleasure she got, he traveled up to her inner, stopping over her hip. She loved the warmth he gave her, as her nerves excited he suddenly pulled away making her feel void and empty.

"Take those off"