Unlike Layla, Malyn often struggled to control her expression, and this was no exception. She frowned deeply at Layla’s words, pressing her fingers together to smooth the crease in her forehead as she spoke.

“Such a small task—anyone could handle it. And what if I’m still inside the king’s chamber past evening?”

“In that case, I can always teach her tomorrow.”

Malyn didn’t quite understand what Layla meant. But with Anessa looking awkwardly back and forth between them, Malyn decided not to press further.

Perhaps growing up as a princess had made her unaccustomed to having her mistakes pointed out to her. That’s what Malyn decided to think.

***

The young king wore a light mask. It wasn’t the usual one that covered his mouth and nose, but a golden mask that only covered his nose and the area below his cheekbones. Can he really show so much of his face? Is covering half enough? Is it acceptable if it’s not completely covered? How much of the witch’s curse must be exposed for everything to burn?

With such distracting thoughts, Malyn parted her lips. The king’s thin lips met hers. The rough feel of his thick beard against her chin was repulsive.

The king had broad shoulders and was heavy, and whenever he put his full weight on Malyn it was a struggle for her to support him. Even though he was slim for a man, it was still difficult. He didn’t bother to spread her legs, just positioned himself on top of her, concentrated on her lips and kissed them deeply – why, she didn’t know.

His lips were saturated with the smell of alcohol, as if he’d been drinking since midday. His warm tongue explored her mouth, moving in a way that felt strangely unreal. Soon he pulled his lips away, licking her neck lightly before biting into it.

“Ow.”

Malyn made a small sound of pain and the king laughed.

“Did that hurt?”

“No…”

“You’re lying.”

He struck her br*ast lightly with the palm of his hand, making a sound as flesh met flesh. Malyn flinched, but the king ignored her reaction and pinched her bare skin between his fingers.

“What did I say would happen if you lied?”

” Uh… You said I would be punished.”

“That’s right.”

Saying this, the king looked down at Malyn and stopped suddenly. By chance he noticed a mark where Layla had accidentally scratched her while helping her with her bath – a faint red line from a fingernail. The king laughed with interest.

“And what is this?”

“Oh, my maid made a mistake while helping me with my bath…”

“Is that so?”

With that, the king’s lips curled into a smile as he slapped her br*ast with his hand.

“Ah.”

Malyn gasped in pain. He struck a few more times before stopping, leaning close to her and whispering softly.”You haven’t lied to me about seeing other men, have you?”

“Of course not…”

Malyn replied startled, her voice shrinking as she tried to gauge his mood. The king asked again in a teasing tone.

“Judging by the way you flinched, it must be true.”

“No, no, it’s not…”

“Silence.”

There was still a tone of play in the king’s voice. Malyn couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious, though it was clear that the mood was not overly threatening.

“They say the princesses of Dion are quiet and modest, yet here you are in my chambers, showing no sign of shyness. Perhaps I should find out – who have you been with during the times I have not summoned you?”

“Really, I haven’t…”

The king slapped her br*asts again. The tender skin began to hurt unpleasantly. He watched her furrowed brow with amusement and leaned in to whisper.

“Look at that. It seems you’ve been with another man before you’ve seen me. You’re not as submissive as you used to be, and every time I slap you, your eyebrows knit together. You must have found another man to lean on.”

There was a hint of expectation in his eyes, and in that moment Malyn understood what he was hinting at. So this was his preference. She looked at him steadily, then smiled mischievously. When she saw his eyes crinkle behind the mask, she knew she’d guessed right.

“How could I dare to deceive someone as respected as you?”

“You little minx.”

The king reached out and cupped her cheek with a look of pure delight.

” You’re quite the actress, aren’t you? So who have you been with?”

“Oh…”

Malyn shifted slightly and let out a soft, shy laugh.

“I’ve only learned to serve you well. If you say I’ve been with someone else, I’m embarrassed.”

As she spoke, her hand brushed the front of the king’s clothing. Though he’d seemed perfectly content only moments before, he’d gone stiff again. It was clear that his tastes were not exactly conventional – simply slapping and pinching her hadn’t been enough.

They both knew that the accusations of her being with another man were false, as were her answers. But the king seemed to enjoy the thought of it, as if they were playing out a fantasy.

Gently running her fingers down the front of his trousers, Malyn murmured.

“Shall we see how much I’ve learnt?”

“Just don’t be too hard on me if I’m not perfect yet.”

“If you fall short, you’ll have to be punished.”

His voice was full of joy. Malyn smiled and tugged playfully at his slightly muffled collar, loosening it with practiced ease.

Every moment was a hardship.

There was a time on a cold day when she had nowhere to go and she stamped her feet in the street to keep warm. Her toes almost froze and turned black, as if her nails were dying. Then a hunter offered her shelter for ten days. Of course, during those ten days, the hunter tortured her in his warm, fire-lit home, so much so that she wondered if it would have been better to freeze to death.

Still, she had learned something useful: a way to end things quickly in difficult, gruelling situations. After all, once men had satisfied their own desires in bed, they usually collapsed immediately afterwards.

“You sly little thing…”

There was both amusement and pleasure in the king’s voice. He seemed to enjoy the way Malyn pressed herself against him. After all, the women who had been with the king were probably all of noble birth; none of them would have dared to play such tricks on him.

With a soft murmur and a flirtatious look, Malyn kissed him. As the sound of the kiss lingered, she whispered softly,

“I want to hold all that is yours, Your Majesty.”

It seemed that the only way to end this situation was to conceive a child quickly. After doing her best to please the king, Malyn gently brought up the subject. The king had said that only by having a child could he take off his mask. It wouldn’t be bad for either of them.

But, unexpectedly, the king laughed in disbelief. The amusement in his voice was gone. The game was over and she realised that once again the possibility of having a child was out of reach.

In a languid tone he said.

“It’s not going to happen that way.”

The implication was clear. Malyn felt a surge of anger, but forced a smile despite her bruised cheek. It would be dangerous to be disliked more than she already was, so she smiled brightly even though he wasn’t looking at her.

It was much later that Malyn pulled the cord to summon the maids.