While the ladies were having their tea party. Quinus, Johan, and the others went to a sacred location. Johan took them to his father's study. The place where Johnathan Dule would do his research and store his paperwork.

Quinus was fascinated by the study and all of the books and artifacts that were stored there.

"You can grab anything you want, My Lord," Johan said.

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't want to take your father's things for my personal gain. It wouldn't sit well with me," Quinus replied.

That's what Johan liked about Quinus. He was honorable and had a code that he didn't stray from. He was the complete opposite of his cousin, Marcus.

'He's going to make a fine king.' Johan thought.

"Well, you can still look around, my Lord," Johan offered.

"Well, I'll make sure to ask you. If I see something that interests me," Quinus smiled.

"Didn't you say that you wanted to speak in private, your Highness?" General Douglas asked while getting a little impatient.

"Douglas, you need to enjoy the little things in life, before you have to deal with the bigger issues," Quinus said.

"Your Highness, I will when this kingdom is safe. We have no time for such things," Douglas replied.

"You are a very boring old man, Sir Douglas," Sir George commented.

"Enough... Your Highness, you said there were details that you needed to discuss in private. And if it is a sensitive issue then you should hurry," Douglas said.

"Ah, fine. Lester. Please bring us some tea, and your staff can go about your business," Johan ordered.

"Yes, my Lord. We will prepare your drinks," Lester replied and bowed.

He and his staff left the study. While Lester prepared the tea and snacks, he and the rest of the staff did their daily chores and duties. Once everything was to his Lordship's satisfaction, he returned with the tea and served it.

"Thank you, Lester. You and the rest of the staff can leave us now," Johan ordered.

"Yes, My Lord," Lester replied.

He bowed and left the study. He locked the door and stood there on the other side. Just in case, his lordship needed anything.

"Good. Now we can speak freely. So, what happened in the labyrinth, your Highness," Johan asked.

Quinus turned and looked at Johan.

"I believe by the time we made it to the sixth floor. Marcus and I lost almost every one of our troops... The only members of my party that were still alive were Percy and Sir George. While Marcus had three of his mercenaries," Quinus said.

"It's not hard to believe. A Dungeon that was building up a monster horde in the lower floors couldn't have been easy to conquer...," Johan replied.

"Well, Marcus thought it was a good time to split up on the sixth floor when we were taking on a horde of goblins. I used Sun's Smite to burn hundreds of them. And when we thought we were safe. Three Hobgoblins came at us from the ceiling... I thought my luck had finally run out," Quinus said.

Sir George nodded his head as he recalled the moment when he thought they were all done for.

"We thought that we were going to die," Sir George spoke up.

"Yeah, those things were vicious. Their blades were poisoned, and they had no care for anyone's well-being. The way they attacked. It was as if their sole purpose was to kill anything and everything in their path," Quinus said.

"How did you defeat the Hobgoblins?" Douglas asked.

Quinus had a glint in his eye and a smile crept on his face, "Well, it turned out that lady luck was still on my side. Because as the hobgoblins came at us, the earth under us started to move. And suddenly, multiple earth spikes shot up and pierced all of them, killing them instantly."

"You're telling me that's when the dark elf came into the picture?" Douglas asked.

"Refer to her as Lady Rya, General! I'm getting tired of you not giving her proper respect," Sir George demanded.

Douglas was taken aback by Sir George's outburst. If he wasn't the Crown Prince's retainer, then he would have reprimanded him. But since he was, he had to hold back his tongue.

"I don't trust the Dark Elves. No matter how many times you try to tell me they aren't evil. I fear she's trying to use us, and possibly control the kingdom," Douglas stated.

Quinus squared off against his General.

"You are my most trusted knight, Douglas. But you need to drop your prejudice towards the Dark Elves. They aren't what you were told in your youth. They aren't the same people as the ones from the Great War. And if you can't put these childish feelings aside. I will find a new general," Quinus stated.

"But, Your Highness... You can't—"

"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do, General. You are not my father and I won't let you speak down to me," Quinus interrupted him as he moved in close to the General. Douglas looked into the Prince's eyes and saw a fire burning within him. He'd never seen the Prince so serious before. He knew he was talented but he thought his personality was softer than his father's. He didn't expect the Prince to be this fierce. Douglas stepped back.

"I just want to make sure she's not using you, your Highness," Douglas stated.

Quinus' golden eyes glowed brightly. It reminded him of when Cyndre would become furious. But Quinus' eyes burned far more brighter than his father's when he was angry.

'His eyes remind me of a dragon's,' Douglas thought.

Johan was getting nervous about what his friend was going to do.

'Is he going to kill Douglas?'

Douglas was a great general, and Quinus respected him in the past. He would never think about killing him, but if Douglas pushed him to the brink. Who knows what the Prince would do?

"Your Highness?... I believe the General needs to know what Lady Rya has done to earn your trust," Johan said, trying to calm the situation.

Quinus looked over his shoulder at Johan. Making Johan swallowed his throat when Quinus' eyes looked at him. It was intense. Quinus thought for a moment before he looked back at Douglas.

"Do you know what we have been through this past month?" Quinus asked.

"I only heard bits and pieces, Your Highness... I only know that you succeeded and Viscount Marcus has died. I was also told that you chose to take... Lady Rya's hand in marriage. And I should watch out for the Duke and his men. That's all I've been told," Douglas replied.

Quinus stared at the General for a few seconds before speaking, "I guess I'll start at the beginning."

Johan internally sighed in relief. 'Looks like the Prince calmed down... Thank the Goddess...'

"Well, after she saved us and after we found out that she wasn't a brood maiden. She chose to help us find the Dungeon Core due to her ability to see the flow of ether in the dungeon. We didn't need Marcus' artifact with her by our side.

"She found the illusionary wall. After we traveled down a few more floors. Then, we came across a goblin's nest, General. Rows and rows of women who were unfortunate to become brood maidens." Quinus paused to let Douglas and Johan take in this information.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Your Highness. It must've been hard," Douglas said.

"Yeah, we found one brood maiden who hadn't given birth to goblin offsprings yet. I was ready to end her life until Rya stopped me," Quinus paused and looked at the ground.

"And then?" Douglas asked.

Quinus looked up to face Douglas, "She asked us to wait because she wanted to save her."

"It's impossible to save a brood maiden. It would've been kinder to kill her," Douglas replied.

"Yes. That's what we all believed, but she showed us that she's a healer, General... Rya went out of her way to save this woman. I was amazed at her ability to heal. I never seen anything like it," Quinus said.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Douglas was skeptical and Johan was a bit shocked.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. But did you say a Dark Elf could use healing magic? There haven't been any healers in centuries," Douglas said.

"Well, she is the first healer in centuries then. Because I saw this poor woman go from death's door to walking out of the dungeon alive and well," Quinus stated.

Douglas' skepticism turned to amazement.

"Really? Who did she save?" Johan asked.

"She saved the wolfkin, Lady Dalia," Sir George said.

"She saved that wolfkin? And she didn't want anything in return?" Douglas asked.

"She did it because she thought it was the right thing to do. And Dalia swore to serve her," Quinus stated.

"So, the wolfkin is still loyal to her and she helped you all clear the dungeon. Then, what happened next?" Douglas asked.

"Then... We ran into Marcus. I pressed the attack and pinned the traitorous bastard. Once the prince gave me the order. I executed that traitor with pleasure," Sir George stated.

"So then you found the dungeon core," Douglas asked.

"Not quite... There was a cave troll guarding the core room. At one point, Rya and I fell down to the final floor with the cave troll and the Hobgoblin King. She fought by my side and we almost died because the core was preventing her from using her earth magic.

"She found the core and used all her strength to open up its hiding spot for me to strike the core just as the cave troll was bearing down on us," Quinus said.

"How did you kill the cave troll?" Johan asked.

"Once the influence of the dungeon core was gone. Rya quickly created an earth spike and smashed that bastard through all the floors until it reached the surface and died in the sunlight... She's gone above and beyond in aiding me.

"She is an excellent fighter and her healing ability is unmatched... Her beauty is unlike any other woman. Her smile and laughter can warm the coldest of hearts... I love her, General... She is my everything and I will not let you speak down to her."

'And she's the only other person who's from Earth. Just like me. I have to protect her at all costs. If anyone finds out about her or if I lose her. I don't know what I'll do.'

Douglas stared at his Crown Prince and felt his forehead beginning to sweat. Quinus' eyes burned with determination and he wouldn't budge on this.

"Not only that, what happened in Ironside is what made me believe in her, Sir Douglas," Sir George chimed in.

"What do you mean, Sir George?" Johan asked.

"Well, out of Marcus' party. One lone mercenary escaped from us during our fight with the Hobgoblin horde and the cave troll... This Merc knew about her earth magic and made it back to his group and stalked her. We didn't know at the time, but she was collared with a rare slave collar that had complete control over her will. That wood elf with the blonde hair, Lady Nieren, was the one to witness her being kidnapped," Sir George said.

Johan and Douglas looked at each other and then back at the two men.

"You're telling me, the Black Roses collared her and tried to sell her?" Douglas asked.

"No, General... They tried to use her to conquer the city of Ironside. I requested Baron Zellin Coldforge to summon an army as quickly as possible and had my ranger, Percy, go in search of the Mercenaries. It was a mad dash to find her," Quinus stated.

General Douglas heard the rumors about Rudolf Rose and his infamous right-hand man, Jeremiah. Also known as "The Kings Slayer." Who single-handedly killed many powerful Kings and Nobles alike. It was a mystery as to how Jeremiah was able to kill so many kings and nobles. But everyone feared him if he was sent out to hunt you.

"You were able to assemble an army, my Lord? Was it large enough to stop the Black Roses?" Douglas asked.

"We had them outnumbered. But with Rya under their control. The odds were not in our favor...," Quinus stated.

Everyone was silent as they thought about the situation that was described.

"How were you able to save her, Your Highness?" Douglas asked.

But Sir George answered, "I knew, going into this fight. That if Rya was forced to use her earth magic, then we were done for... I decided to go up against her in hopes of restraining her so His Highness could free her from the collar... She was a terrifying opponent. Killing the Ironside soldiers with ease. But her face was that of pain... She desperately tried to will her body to stop killing our soldiers, but her body would not obey her...

"When I faced her... She cried out and told me to run... But I needed to do my job. So she could be back on the prince's side... Her face, General, was one filled with remorse, fear, and regret. It was the hardest thing I have ever done... And she somehow will one of her attacks just enough to miss killing me on the spot... She gave me the chance to kill her, but I just hugged her... Those tears... Imagine a woman like her crying over a man like me... She doesn't have a damn evil bone in her body. She was the victim and was forced to become an executioner for the Black Roses..." Sir George sniffed while trying to do everything in his power not to shed a tear. Once he recomposed himself, he continued.

"After that. It was all a blur. I woke up with her worried face as she healed me and then she saved the prince from Jeremiah."

"She was hit with a sleeping arrow and I destroyed the fucking collar before I had to face Jeremiah... The Kings Slayer had a special Maja skill that transferred whatever damage done to him, to his opponent. I'm glad I didn't try to stab him in the heart... When Rya showed up to save me. She used her earth magic to create her golems, which you saw loading the second carriage, and when they attacked him the damage was done to the golem, instead of her. It was only a matter of time before Jeremiah ran out of mana and collapsed after taking a real hit from one of her earth golems. Rya killed him and then slaughtered the rest of the Mercenary group as I dealt with Rudolf Rose... She healed all the survivors of the Ironside Army... We would have lost two-thirds of twenty-five thousand men. If not for her intervention. We were lucky that they didn't know she was a healer. Otherwise, we wouldn't be standing here right now," Quinus finished.

Douglas and Johan were stunned. This was more than they expected. They were expecting the normal story of them going into the dungeon, killing the enemies, and retrieving the core. But the Black Roses' involvement and the fact that a Dark Elf could heal and fight. This was a lot to take in.

Douglas cleared his throat and spoke, "I appreciate what you told me here today, Your Highness. I didn't realize the depth of this story. I will make sure the King and Queen know that Lady Rya has not used dark magic on you. And I promise to treat her with more respect until it is truly earned."

Quinus nodded, "That's acceptable, General. Thank you for hearing us out."

Johan didn't want to feel this heavy atmosphere and felt like he should lighten the mood a bit, "Well, with that cleared up. Now we can get to the more important questions I have for you, Your Highness."

Quinus, Douglas, and George looked at the future Baron with confusion.

"Like what?" Quinus asked.

"Well, what I need is your advice. On how to get a woman, who's more powerful than me, to fall in love with me? I'm asking for a friend of course," Johan said with a smirk.

Quinus shook his head and smiled, "Is this about Lady Tayna?"

"YES! She... She doesn't want to do anything with me. She just wants me to leave her alone, but I think we could be so much more," Johan complained.

Quinus and Douglas burst out laughing.

Sir George shook his head, "It's very simple. Have you ignored her? Or are you constantly annoying her?"

"Ignored her? George, she ignores me!... So, I have no choice but to try to talk to her," Johan stated.

"How about flashing your purse full of gold? Do you have a nice ring or two?" Sir George asked.

"But she came with a large dowry when we were arranged to be married. Her noble father is a wealthy merchant and she gets a solid allowance," Johan said.

"Hmm... Have you tried forcing yourself on—"

"George!... Are you trying to kill his marriage?" Quinus scolded the knight.

"Sorry, My Prince. I'm trying to help him. So he doesn't come back asking me for advice," George replied.

Douglas shook his head, "You need to learn how to read the room."

"Johan, you need to be patient with her. Maybe you can find something in common for starters. Then you could move from there," Quinus advised.

"That makes sense... But I still haven't consummated the marriage yet. And I... I don't know what to do... down there... and doing all the things that are important to treat her right... I have no clue if she will let me join her in the same bed," Johan said shyly.

Douglas didn't want any part of this conversation and decided to stay out of it.

Quinus sighed and rubbed his face. He then spoke, "Okay... So, the first thing is to find out how she likes to be touched. If she is a virgin then she might not know yet. This means you need to look to see how her body language reacts to your touch... If she goes frigid then she not likely it. If she relax and closes her eyes, then she's into it. Or even better is if she bites her lower lip and her breathing because erratic. Once you see that then you know she likes what you're doing. Which means you might be able to make the next move. But you need to listen to her. Just because she is warming up to you doesn't mean you jump straight in and have sex with her. You still need her permission. So, if she says that you are hurting her or pushing too hard, then back off and slow down. She needs to trust you. Remember making love is a marathon not a sprint."

Johan nodded his head while Sir George pulled out a small notebook and quickly started writing notes down.

Douglas looked at him and said, "And why are you taking notes?"

Sir George blushed and said, "No reason... Just a personal journal is all."

Johan didn't care about that and wanted to know more.

"That's fine and all. But where do women like to be touched, and what can I do for her?" Johan asked.

Quinus raised his brow, 'Damn! I didn't know Johan was this helpless. But, I'm the Crown Prince, so this is my duty to my best friend.'

"Well, every woman is different so there's no foolproof method, but they have similar sweet spots. Usually the first thing you should do is get her relaxed. Whether that be kissing her cheek, playing with her hair, or rubbing her neck, just let her know that you're there. Then, if the mood is right. Start kissing her on the lips, then do some heavy petting and see where it goes. Don't push her too fast or she will get scared off. Remember, she doesn't want to be an object, she wants to be loved by someone she can trust. So don't just try to get your thing wet and leave her unsatisfied. If you do then she will never let you touch her again," Quinus stated.

Johan nodded his head and Sir George furiously wrote down every word the Crown Prince was saying.

"If things are going well then you can move on to the next part. Which is to focus on certain parts of the female body that are extremely sensitive to touch. The ears and neck are a good start like I said. So, kissing them can make her relaxed and excited, but the nipples and clitoris are a woman's weakness. Usually when she trusts you she will allow you to tease them. Just don't go hard on them, unless she demands it. So if she's letting you touch her body at will, them my suggestion to tease her weak spots. For example, don't grab a nipple and twist it. Rub it gently over the fabric of her dress, to make them erect. And when they are harden, then gently roll it between your fingers and give a light squeeze. If her breathing picks up, then you doing it right. But if you aren't then she will tell you or you can ask her.

"And you can do a similar thing to her clitoris, but don't directly rub it. Rub around it. You'll know when she wants you to touch her more when she starts opening her legs to give you easier access. But this is were I like to make her wait for the direct contact and let her feel the build-up. Usually she will demand you to touch her because she wants you to but is frustrated that you aren't. And when you make her admit that she needs you, then go at it. She will love it and then she will ask for more when she is ready. Also, you can tease her buttocks or rub her inner thigh. These spots can help with the build-up," Quinus instructed.

Johan nodded his head but looked liked he was having trouble following what the prince was saying and after a second he took a deep breath, "W-What is a clitoris, your Highness? I've never heard of it before."

Douglas, face palmed while Quinus cringed at the question.

"Ah, this is going to take longer than I thought, it's located around a woman's... Well, it's... In the area around her vagina..." Quinus stuttered as he tried to describe the clitoris.

Johan shook his head because he didn't know what the prince was implying, while Sir George asked, "Where exactly on the female genitalia is the clitoris located?"

'S-Sir George doesn't have a clue either!? Fuck me... Do I stop? No... That would make things even more awkward. Hoo boy, what did I get myself into,' Quinus thought as he mentally prepared himself for the long haul.

He continued explaining everything he could to Johan and Sir George. And after hours of talking, it was almost time for dinner.