There I stood in Lak’Ashara’s chambers, waiting for her return. She took her time in changing, and thus gave me enough time to explore her room. The had many small figurines of Ys’Tar located in various parts of the room. A shine in the far corner had a mural dedicated in Ys’Tar’s honor. I stared at it for a moment and the mural told the story. A woman being whipped by skull masked men and she shed tears into a river. Then the woman ascends up a flight of stairs leading to a throne. This followed the woman sitting upon her throne and ruling all that she saw before her. As I inspected the piece, it became abundantly clear that this was the life of Lak’Ashara. But there was one thing in the mural that was not depicting the past, but rather something that I at first thought was purely artistic. The image of Lak’Ashara and Ys’Tar joining in hands and morphing into one.

I had no idea what exactly this entailed. Spiritual enlightenment perhaps? I couldn’t know for sure exactly. Of course that was not the only opulent thing in her bed chambers. A fine patterned carpet littered the floor depicting abstract shapes in multiple colors. There was a balcony area where you could look out at the entirety of the city. While it was beautiful to look at in the evening with all of the lights and sounds, I had my fill of the city’s sights after witnessing the public displays of degeneration.

The bed in the chamber was quite large. It was very obvious that the primary use for this extremely large bed was not for sleep. I continued to be kept waiting for several minutes until finally I was graced with the curtains to a private area opening and revealing Lak’Ashara. She had changed out of her queenly attire and dressed in something more seductive. The cloth that covered her front and rear was replaced with something shorter, yet similar save for a white color with golden borders. Much of the jewelry on her arms had been removed. Golden chains were placed on her torso that were linked in a pattern that resembled a ribcage. Her breasts were covered by a thin stretch of silk that left little to the imagination. She had also left her mask behind so I could see her face full for the first time.

Her face was absolutely beautiful. The word “perfection” could barely scratch the surface of how immaculate she was. She had the face that would make men go weak at the sight of it: beautiful, flawless, full of splendor. Her skin was fair, and she had a mane of wavy and curly hair that adorned her head that was as white as snow. Her eyes were bright blue that radiated with power, even without her queenly garb.

While I hate to tell you this, I felt a tingle in my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on their ends. She came to me with two wine glasses in her hands. Her lips were colored with a darkened orchard brown with black eyeshadow that made the crisp color of her eyes pop more. A few strands of her hair barely covered one of her eyes as she smirked wickedly. She placed one of the glasses down on the table next to me and poured the two of us some wine. She placed the bottle down and raised her cup, gesturing for me to raise mine. She took a sip first and as a courtesy I took a sip of mine.

We exchanged a glance at each other as we took in the wine. Like everything the wine tasted like perfection. The longer I tasted the wine, I felt that I had tasted it someplace before. When realization finally hit me, my eyes widened and I pulled the glass away.

“This is Roharim Red.”

With a sly smile she nodded wordlessly and took another sip. Roharim Red was a wine that was considered elegant. I could tell by the taste of it that it had been aged for several years. The taste was exquisite.

Lak’Ashara set her drink aside to comment on it.

“It has been aging for several years. I figured a taste from home would be something to please you.”

It was no surprise that she correctly guessed my nationality. Hadrian Damoclesian was obviously a Roharim name, and the way that I carried myself as a legionnaire also proved this. Despite her ability to do so, she wouldn’t have needed to read my mind with whatever magic she had.

“Very considerate of you.” I spoke, rubbing my mouth to hide a wry smile on my face. These were merely formalities before the business proposition after all.

“You don’t like the city of desire. I can see that clearly in you. You find it repulsive. Why?”

I did not hesitate in giving her my answer. I let her know exactly why.

“Why? Because this city is a degenerates haven. You call this a city of desire? I call it a city of debauchery and disgust. The people here care only about one thing and one thing alone; themselves. Their desires. They seek ever more debased sins and wants. They degrade themselves in the streets for all to see. Their bodies are subject to others desires. They take what they want and do the most vile things I’ve ever had the misfortune of seeing. The horrors that I’ve seen: what you do to the men, the women, children, animals, It is all rancid!”

She simply looked at me with a smug look, like a mother listening to her child rant and getting everything out of his system.

“Oh my dear Hadrian, I didn’t take you for a prude.”

“Prude?!” I snapped back at her. I couldn’t believe the arrogance she possessed.

“Yes, a prude~. You would deny people’s desires? You would shame them for how they think and feel because they are different from you?”

“I should shame them because they are doing shameful things.”

Lak’Ashara scoffed. She crossed her arms and smirked at me and cocked her brow as if she couldn’t believe what I was saying.

“The teachings of Ys’Tar explain that passion is a natural thing. We must indulge ourselves in our desires to become closer to Ys’Tar. Only through experiencing all of life’s gifts can you truly be free.”

“So you call selling your body to the highest bidder and degrading yourselves freedom?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“To not take part in the wonders that Life offers you would be a waste of life.”

She looked at me with a vicious smile, as if that alone could convince me. Alas, that failed. I remained unmotivated towards her cause.

“And you would force others to experience these so-called ‘pleasures’ regardless of their choice?”

“I give others the choice to do what they will. That's the point. But I see that you are a man of simpler tastes. Carnal desire is not your end goal…”

She slowly walked around me to examine my features. Her fingers traced along my broad shoulders as she bit her lower lip.

“I must confess that you intrigue me. Any man in the Blasted lands would have leapt at the chance to join me when I offered them all the pleasure they could want. You however are a different breed. You do not so easily bend like a reed in the wind. I quite like that. You would make a good ally.”

“Like Ankarama is a good ally?”

She must have known that I didn’t hold Ankarama in the highest regard. The lady of Blood River would sell out her own people to save her own skin.

“Oh no~. Not like her at all~” She gave me a seductive little smile and ran her fingers along my chest, massaging the contours of my body and tracing along the definitions of my muscles.

“You would hold more power than her. She is air headed. She’s a useful idiot who’s value hangs by a thread. You however would be a far preferable ally. You are strong and intelligent. I need someone of your high quality by my side.”

“Only the best for you, is that it?” I furrowed my brow at her as she spoke. She gave my chest a tight squeeze as she bit her lower lip.

“Exactly. I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams. I can give you a kingdom worthy of you. You could rule beside me, and together we would have strong and healthy heirs. You could even stand beside me as I ascend~.”

“Ascend?” My eyebrow perked up. What did she mean by that? Was this just the riddles of a sorceress as those who’s magics addled their brains are wont to do? Who could say?

“All in good time, my Hadrian. All in good time. For now, focus on what I can truly do for you.”

She stood in front of me and then brushed her fingers through her hair to fluff it up before reaching behind her, untying the knot behind her back and letting her top fall off, revealing her generous breasts. Then with a simple flick of her fingers, she untied a string from her side and let the cloth fall to the ground, revealing herself fully to me. She was wearing nothing but a seductive smile on her face, naked as the day she was born. She stepped closer to me and pulled my face into hers and she kissed me.

She twisted her tongue along with mine and sucked, holding my cheeks as she indulged herself with her base desires while also attempting to seduce me. At that moment I felt powerless to her charms. She offered everything I could have ever wanted; to rule a kingdom of my own, to have power beyond my station, and to take the most beautiful woman as mine. I would be lying if I were not tempted. If you had been in my place, could you have resisted? Could you have looked her in the eye and pushed her away from you? For a moment, I almost gave in.

…

Yet even still, I couldn’t bend like that. I stepped away from her, pulling her off of me. The look on her face was that of pure shock. No one had ever said no to her before. No man had ever resisted her, yet I stood before her. My base desire was known, but I couldn’t let myself fall to that level. To become as degenerate and corrupted as Lak’Ashara and her people. I rubbed the back of my forearm across my lips to get rid of the taste of her lips against mine. I raised my head up high and let my intentions be known with a simple look.

In that instant she knew that I would not falter. I could see the disappointment in her eyes, yet I could also see a hint of something else. She was impressed that I did not back down so easily. She pouted and raised her fingers up in the air and snapped. Her clothes levitated off of the floor and wrapped around her, dressing herself completely once more.

“A pity. But I am resolute and patient. You will see things my way in time. You and your companions will stay here for the evening. You’ve had a long journey, and you are tired. I owe you this for delivering Ankarama and my tribute to me. After that, you are free to leave. You will leave the city of desire and find your own way in the wilderness.”

I crossed my arms, happy with the situation. Just one night and I wouldn’t have to come here again. Though the prospect of living in the wilderness was not a good comfort, it was better —in my opinion at least— than staying in these degenerate halls.

“Am I free to join my companions then?”

I tilted my head and crossed my arms and watched her carefully.

“You are. Though you disappoint me, Hadrian. I had hoped that you would at least join me in my bed tonight…It gets so cold at night, and nothing warms me better than a strong man’s arms wrapped around me~”

She made one last attempt to seduce me. I clenched my fist tightly and sighed through my nose.

“You hope was misplaced then.”

I would have taunted her and told her that it was a fool's hope, but I was not in the position to make idle taunts. Lak’Ashara bowed her head and looked away from me as I walked out the door. I could feel a tinge of anger stabbing at my back through her eyes as I shut the door and walked down the hall, not even willing to allow a guard to show me to my companions. I needed to be away from her. To cool myself off and not lower myself. As I turned down the hall to my right, I noticed Cora. She seemed surprised to see me. She was wearing a type of night gown made of silk that hid her body, yet was suggestive.

We stared at each other for a few moments.

“You…you are not with Lak’Ashara?”

“No. I’m not.” I said coldly in an affirmative tone. Cora was shocked. It was clear that no man had ever rebuffed Lak’Ashara before. She stared at me as if I were something strange like a pink elephant with two trunks and wings on my back.

She was at a complete loss for words. For a moment we looked at each other in silence before she pointed me to the direction of my fellows.

“They’re waiting for you down the hall here. Fifth door on the left.”

I bowed my head to Cora and began to walk away. Before I could leave, Cora stopped me.

“Hadrian. Wait.”

I turned around. She peered her eyes at me and examined me. She didn’t look at me with lustful desire like Lak’Ashara did, but with some other look. A type of curiosity I suppose?

“No one has ever turned down an offer from Lak’Ashara…”

I held my head high and smiled.

“Then it honors me to be the first.”

I turned around and walked away to my destination. Cora might have wanted to ask me more questions, but she withheld them at the time. In the morning I would leave. If Octavian was correct, then there were other freed slaves that had fled after our sabotage in Akari. Perhaps It was time to meet with them. Still… as I walked through the empty halls of the palace, I felt Lak’Ashara’s eyes on me. It was as if I was being stalked by a panther in the dark jungle. Time would tell if I made the right choice.