The following day, the betrothal of Gravis Adolphe Fanoren and Leorino Viola Maian Cassieux, the fourth son of the Margrave of Brungwurt, was publicly announced.
Being the first same-sex royal marriage since the founding of Fanoren, the announcement surprised the nobility, let alone the commoners. Bloodline purists welcomed the news.
The nobles who had already seen Leorino’s extraordinary beauty were quick to accept that not even a member of the royal family could resist his exceptional appearance.
On the other hand, the city streets were astir with rumors that the union was a political ploy, given their age difference and the fact that they were of the same sex.
After everything that had happened at the Duke of Leben’s residence, Leorino was not allowed to return to his family estate and remained in Gravis’s palace. The Margrave of Brungwurt requested to return Leorino home once, but Gravis rejected the plea.
The Cassieuxs knew about what had happened at the soiree through Josef and wanted to see for themselves that Leorino was unharmed, but did not press the matter any further. Their engagement had already been publicly announced, and Gravis now had both the right and duty to keep Leorino safe.
The Cassieux family sent Hundert, his full-time attendant, as caretaker and liaison, and Josef, as guard, to the detached palace.
Meanwhile, Leorino was confined to Gravis’s palace with nothing to do.
The day after he was drugged and subsequently taken like a storm, he fell ill with a fever. Fortunately, his indisposition did not last, and he was able to leave his bed the day after that.
When Leorino finally left his bed, he told Gravis the secret concerning the Marquis of Lagarea’s birth, which he had heard from his grandmother, Eleonora. He hoped against hope that by conveying this knowledge to Gravis, he could regain some of his trust.
He had been naive. Gravis merely nodded and said, “I see.” That was it.
After that, he simply spoiled Leorino, consistently pouring pleasure into his body every morning and evening.
Except for their sweet nothings, they hardly ever spoke to each other anymore. Day and night, Gravis made love to every last part of Leorino’s body, bringing him a truly overwhelming amount of pleasure.
Gravis did not try to break Leorino.
Leorino was not physically fit enough to match his pace in bed the way Ionia had. Their daily bedchamber adventures were already taxing for Leorino, and that was with Gravis holding back.
“Ah… There, yes…”
Leorino was on the settee with nothing but his shirt on, being fellated by the man. His entrance was occupied by fingers slick with lubricant.
Ever since the night when he helped free him from the curse of the aphrodisiac, Leorino had remained in his room, being pleasured by Gravis every morning and night.
They barely had a chance to exchange greetings before Gravis was upon his lips. Today was no different. Savoring Leorino’s mouth, Gravis slipped his hand down into his underclothes and wasted no time in reaching for his entrance. He had thoroughly fingered him just that morning.
Leorino trembled at the thought that the still-tender spot would be penetrated again with so little foreplay.
Guided by the intense pace of the man’s caress, Leorino soon lost control of his body. Easily lifting Leorino’s slender body, Gravis laid him on the settee. In no time at all, he disheveled his clothes and put his tongue and hands to task, surprising Leorino by his own body’s immediate reaction.
His unwittingly lewd body was quick to respond. But Leorino’s mind could not keep up with the speed with which his body was yielding to the man. His mind was left to wander.
For the first round, the man’s tongue brought him over the edge, and for the second, he worked him from inside while holding him at the base, and Leorino climaxed without producing anything.
Gravis took great care in showing him his love with his lips and his fingers, teaching Leorino’s sensitive body all about sexual intimacy.
“God… I can’t…”
When Leorino complained through sobs of pleasure, Gravis gently stroked his cheek. Still, he said nothing.
Gravis hooked Leorino’s legs around his muscular shoulders. Grabbing a slender ankle, he traced the scar on his left leg with his tongue. Even that had become arousing by now.
When Leorino broke into tears from the daze of it all, Gravis stroked his nipples soothingly, focusing Leorino’s attention elsewhere, reminding him how much he wanted Gravis’s hard length inside him.
His hot flesh throbbed fiercely in demand of the man.
“Relax.”
“…Mmm, hng, ah, ah…”
The man brought his tip to Leorino’s entrance, which remained soft now that the act had become daily. Then he buried himself inside all at once.
Leorino’s fair body stiffened before falling limp. He exposed his pale, slim neck to the man without reserve.
“Ah… Ahh… That’s so…so deep…”
“You like that? You’re so soft. Look.”
“Mnn…!”
Gravis’s tongue crawled along the ridgeline of his larynx as he rocked Leorino’s sensitive body in a slow rhythm.
“Ah, ah, ah!”
The man’s deep breaths and Leorino’s labored gasps filled the room.
Over these past few days, Leorino’s body had mastered the art of accepting the man’s impressive length when carefully loosened in advance, and had learned to climax with no additional stimulation.
But his mind remained at a loss.
Along with his body, Gravis had occupied Leorino’s thoughts, leaving him no room to think of anything but Gravis.
“Now come.”
“Ah, ah, yes… Ah, mnn, hng…”
The man rocked his hips harder now. The pleasure of his deep thrusts made Leorino’s mind go blank. Feeling the man slowly strike his depths, he climaxed without ever touching his length.
Leorino’s mind began to dissociate from his body.
He felt as if he was worthless, a nobody, a doll who would obey Gravis’s every last command.
He had many things he wanted to tell Gravis.
He wanted to sincerely apologize for his foolish behavior and find a way to regain the man’s trust.
Tears spilling down his cheeks, Leorino closed his eyes.
It was Leorino’s guard, Josef, who finally took a stand against such a state of affairs.
Josef knew that Leorino was being ravaged by his fiancé day after day. He advised Leorino to have a proper conversation with the general, but Leorino only weakly shook his head in reply. Josef was heartbroken to see his master slowly drained of energy, hardly ever lifting his head anymore.
And today, too, he must have given Gravis free reign over his body first thing in the morning.
The act had been so intense, Leorino was unable to leave his bed.
Seeing Leorino refuse the breakfast that was brought to him, apologizing with a sheet-white complexion, Josef made up his mind.
Josef paced through the large detached palace in search of the man. When he found him with his valet Theodor, Josef summoned his courage and approached them.
“General…I need to speak with you!”
Gravis turned at the sound of his trembling voice. Acknowledging Leorino’s guard, he asked calmly: “Josef. What is it?”
“It’s about Master Leorino.”
At that moment, Gravis’s cool expression turned ice-cold.
“I will not discuss Leorino with you.”
His legs trembled at the quiet intensity of the man’s presence, but Josef endured the intimidation for the sake of his beloved master. It was the least he could do for him.