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A Court of Knives [Magno x Empress]

Louis could feel that his victory was close, that she was about to give in to him. He smiled as she finally lowered herself and nodded as he felt her breath on his erect cock. He rested one of his hands on her head, still wearing the small crown which had been fitted as a diadem to hold her hair back. He could feel her hand grip it with authority, and it made him feel like surrendering his pleasure to her. In that position, it was something he could do, as she was after all, squatting before him. It was not a kneel, but it was close enough. He cared not for her prideful words, as long as she put him in her mouth. The flicker of her tongue made him gasp, causing him to stand on his toes as he held onto her head.

But she stopped. And this did anger him. He breathed in deeply, trying to calm himself down. This was just part of her game, and he could not let it break his defences, but it had. His smile faded and a stern and determined look stared at Dahlia as she undid her corset. He thought about his words carefully as he stared at her naked body on the bed, legs open, demanding him to take her and deliver on his promise.

"You are way too insolent, Dahlia," he said using her name to call her for the first time. "You can play with me for a while, but if you forget your place, you will regret it." Both inside and outside of the bedroom, if he wished, he could make her life a living hell. If she kept underestimating him, she would find out what a power hungry and reckless man he was. If she did not help in his ascension, he would simply crush her.

Recovering the half smirk, he climbed onto the bed, the crown still fixed to his head. Their royal symbols were the only accessories each of them were wearing, and although slightly awkward, it turned him on to feel the weight of the thin band of gold on his forehead. He placed a hand on Dahlia's heel, and the other on her knee, pushing her legs apart and smiling to her, staring at her eyes with determination. She had been promised an intense first night, and he would deliver on that. If she took it as a victory, then so be it, but he knew where his true power resided. The bedroom was simply an amusement, and so far, it was amusing to play along with her.

"I hope you are not tired yet, my lady. You can have it your way, but let's hope you don't turn out to be as desperate as your situation would suggest..."

He breathed in deeply and kissed her inner thigh. He moved up closer to her genitals, able to smell her wetness, and kissed the area just above her clit. He licked her labia slowly, not ashamed of tasting her juices, and he looked at her again. He held her hip in place with his hands, firmly, and dove back in, this time using his lips around her clit. He was patient with his motions, slow at first and gentle, making sure to ease her into the pleasure and responding to her movements with his mouth. As she grew more wet, he increased the speed of his licks, drawing a circle around her most sensitive point, and pulling her labia apart with his fingers for maximum contact. He could feel her becoming excited, and even though his jaw became tense, he looked back at her as he kept her in place. He was going to make her cum.
 
The sudden change in temperament was not quite expected. Dahlia had expected their battle to continue, feeling her body tense as he pressed his mouth between her thighs. Without thinking, a shuddering gasp slipped through plump lips as a hand began to gently thread through his hair, working around the crown still perched on his head. A shudder ran through her tanned body as a thin sheen of sweat began to show up as she finally felt the pleasure that had been so elusive before. As his tongue grew more bold, as did the moans that escaped her throat, louder and stronger as she closed her thighs around his cheeks, gripping his hair tightly as the pressure began to build from deep within, threatening to spill over the edge.

"Oh!" she cried out in pleasure as she arched her back, pressing herself hard into him. "My King! Yes, my darling king." She cried out as she began to aggressively tug at his hair, shaking hard from his ministrations.

The tips of her fingers brushed against the nape of his neck as her pulse quickened and she could feel herself beginning come undone beneath his ministrations. Never before had such intense pleasure taken her. A groan of unbridled pleasure escaped her lips as she clenched her fingers tighter in his hair. "Y-you - F-fuck." Her eyes rolled back as she came hard against his mouth, shivering from the remnants of pleasure that still pulsed throughout her body. Hard a heavy breathing filled her chest with air as she forced herself to begin to calm, not wishing to lose all grips just yet.

It was getting difficult to think, all she could do was breathe. In a way she had relinquished control and she was already berating herself for it. He was the instrument in her pleasure rather than the other way around. She refused to degrade herself to be his, but she had to bring herself some semblance of control back. With a heavy hand she began to push his head away from her.

"Lie back, my love." She spoke feverishly as she looked down upon him. "Lie back and let me show you true pleasure now that you have given unto me."
 
Louis felt her juices trickle into his mouth as Dahlia came and cried with pleasure. He let her grab onto his hairs and he kept holding her hips in place until the job was done and her shivering and gasping slowed down. He knew he had broken her status, and he smiled to finally hear her call him king. Perhaps she was one to respond more to the carrot than the stick, but Louis had plenty of both. He slid his hands up her body, caressing both of her breasts and moving up to her neck. He kissed it, his mouth still dirty with her fluids, and he ran the tip of his tongue up to her chin and across her lips, pressing his own against her in a new passionate kiss, forcing her to taste her own cum.

He could see her trying to regain control of the situation, breathing heavily, but he was not going to allow that. His body shifted to a side and he pushed her down slightly. He placed a hand on her neck and held her firmly, staring at her eyes with determination.

"Now, young queen, it is your time to please me. You will show me true pleasure, but you shall finish what you started." He forced her down, pushing her smaller body with ease until her head was level with his pelvis. He shifted the hand to the back of her head, and forced his cock inside her mouth without any hesitation. He allowed her a few seconds to ease it in, slowly, but as soon as he felt her tongue and her saliva begin to pleasure the tip, he pushed her in deeper. He still allowed her freedom to move up and down, he did not want to choke her, but he did not allow Dahlia to stop until he was satisfied.

"I know you are a sucker for power," he said, as he felt himself grow in her mouth and gasped, trying to hold on for a while longer. "I want you to show me how much you want to be queen, and I want you to prove that you are the best there... ah... is," he gulped. She was taking him close to the climax and he needed time to breathe. "I... you are... good, yes. Don't take it out and don't stop!" he ordered, as he placed another hand on the back of her head, not allowing her to remove his cock without great difficulty. He felt some precum escape into her mouth and he let his head fall back into the pillow, relaxing his body completely and releasing his grip.

Somehow, he had lost the strength to fight back. She could have made him cum inside her mouth, or taken it out and finished him elsewhere. He did not know, but he did exhale loudly as the tension was released and his semen escaped him. Of course, it was only the first orgasm of the night and he had more than enough energy to consummate the marriage as the law stated, but enjoying the pleasure of Dahlia's delicious mouth had been one of his fantasies since they had kissed that morning, and now it had become true.

"It appears we are now... even," he said, recovering his breath and looking at Dahlia, who somehow now had the advantage, as he recovered. "But our war is far from over, and we both know who will be the victor." He smiled, looking at her face with delight and a hint of gratefulness. He had truly enjoyed the experience and he wanted her to know it, even if it could be used against him.

His erection had slightly decreased, not to the point where it was flaccid, but enough for her to tease him about it. He regretted leaving that opening, but on the other hand, he had conquered her mouth and he had made her climax. Soon, she would be completely his. Louis always managed to obtain that which he set his eyes upon.
 
In the haze of the pleasure that had just taken her, she was shaky and weak. Dahlia had barely been aware of the young king's ministrations as he slid his hands across her body, reaching back up to her neck and mouth. Obscenely she could taste herself against his tongue still dirtied with her cum. It was an oddly erotic exchange, though she was far too gone to fully enjoy it or deny it, letting him ease himself astride her. Before being able to take control she felt herself pushed down until her head was riding against his hips. A soft frown touched her lips for only a moment. If she ended up in this position, she wanted to have been atop him giving it fully as a gift rather than forcefully by his hand.

But if this is what she would be doing, she would do it well. He did not need any more proof of her power as a Queen, and he would find that she was more adequate at such actions if she deigned to give a man the pleasure of her mouth. As he eased his cock by her lips, pressing it forcefully into her mouth, already she was beginning to form her own plan. Fine. He would find himself in a much weakened state.

Lips carefully molding to his cock, she pulled back but not away, forming her lips around the tip of his cock and then letting her tongue flicker against it. Lightly she sucked before easing the rest of his length in. She started off at a slow pace, knowing well he was already excited for her. Her hand pressed to his hip to steady herself as she swept her tongue underneath his cock, letting it move in waves on the underside as she took it down into her throat. She could feel it twitching and pulsing against her tongue, leading her to bobbing faster up and down, increasing the pressure of her lips, sucking harder against him as she felt him begin to reach his zenith.

As soon as the precum touched her tongue she knew he was close.

She took him deep into her throat and let him cum there, swallowing around his cock and continuing to suck until he was done. Once she had swallowed it all, she pulled back and pushed him to his back in his weakened state, hopping and straddling him, lips turned in a smirk as she idly ran her fingers over her mouth. The taste of him still lingered.

"The gifts I deign give are always noteworthy, my king, and now you know just how sweet they can be." She purred as she let her nails run up his stomach and skirt over his chest. Her genitals were pressed against his own, still wet and warm from her own climax, yet now she longed for something to be inside of her. "Mm... You aren't finished are you? I still must make you a man. I should like to feel it when I do."

She leaned down, shifting herself to sit on his legs so he could not move with ease kissed the tip of his cock before trailing kisses up to his neck where she nipped. Then she met his lips once more, capturing them as she rocked her cunt against his cock, letting it run against her but not yet letting him enter her.

"Yes, darling, I know well who shall be the victor." She purred against his lips. "There is not even a competition."
 
Louis was pleased when Dahlia pushed him back and showed that there was no cum left in her mouth. She was a queen, but she would not hold back and avoid getting herself dirty to achieve her aims. A perfect woman? Perhaps as close as it could get. He shivered as she ran her fingers up his front, and felt himself harden again at the wet touch of her genitals. He was still covered in her saliva, and it felt like the perfect lubrication to push things further. As she kept grinding, his cock grew back to the shape it had taken inside her mouth, and Louis looked up, trying to focused. She was kissing his neck and he was running his fingers through her hair and grasping the bed sheets. He had not expected to regain his drive so quickly, but Dahlia was a force to be reckoned with.

"Ah..." he moaned. Feeling her drip onto him aroused him even more. "You definitely know... hmmm... how to please."

He kissed her again, and found himself aroused by the dirty taste of cum in her mouth. They were now equal, and they both carried the other's pleasure inside their lips. How to determine the victor, then? He tried to think of a strategy as he laid back, with the most beautiful woman he had ever fucked lusting for his cock and kissing his neck. It was very hard. He needed to make sure he outlasted her, and he was confident on his battle-trained stamina. But that would not be enough, he needed to make her beg him to continue. He had managed to force her to suck him out after one orgasm... he wondered what her limits would be.

"You seem... so sure of yourself..." he purred, caressing her neck and lower back, pulling her onto him. "But we still need to see... how much you can take."

One of his hands slid onto her perfectly round butt cheeks, and pushed it out slightly, squeezing it in the process. He pushed his shaft inside her as deep as he could, taking advantage of her weight, as she laid her hips on it. It slid in quickly and smoothly, sucked in by her wetness with ease. She was no virgin, but that did not matter to him, in fact, the smoothness of her vagina was even more arousing. He felt his cock twitch as it bumped against her cervix, but he was still far from climaxing again. He knew he had some time to work with.

"Go on, my queen, make me a man..." he stared deeply at her eyes, with defiance, "if you are woman enough, that is." He let his hand caress her neck and then grip the front of it, firmly, with enough strength to cut her breath for a few seconds. He relaxed it and lied back, but did not lose the tension which was gripping his entire body. He would let her do as she pleased for a while, and then he would take over for good. He looked up at the ceiling and breathed heavily, controlling the pleasure to avoid surrendering again to her grip. It would not be easy.
 
Dahlia was far from done.

It was already far from her plan to have been forced to his hips, even if it was not on her knees. There needed to be a fine show of power. A demand of respect. To give an inch would allow him to take a mile. Advantaged and privileged, in some ways he made her angry simply by being. Yet, at the same time, he was far less easy to wrap about her nimble fingers than other men. Other men simply needed her to pout and flutter her lashes and suddenly they were besotted. No. Louis took far more time. And thus, in a strange way, Louis was far more fun. Her smile never left her as she looked down at him, as they should be.

It was exactly as they should be. Her atop him. Always.

His hands moved across her delicately, pulling her down, down, down, until a sharp gasp escaped her lips as his cock pierced her. Sinking she felt his full size within her, filling her up completely. His hand on her throat, she rocked her hips. A flush crossed her face as she felt him brush deep parts of herself. A soft pant was already on her plump lips. He was relaxed. She breathed. Concentrate.

Half-lidded sultry eyes looked down upon him. Almost lazily she pulled up, leaving only the tip within her body. Then she dropped back down, fully engulfing him. She arched her back, leaning over so her breasts brushed over his lips and then danced against his chest. Her hips continued their motions, she let her clit rub against him, feeling the pleasure build deep within her as she slipped up and down on him. Fevered lips pressed to his ear.

"You will leave this room, this night, a man. Oh my moon, my king." She pulled back sharply, gripping his hand she brought it first to her mouth to kiss, nipping lightly at his fingers before pressing them to her breasts, letting him feel their soft plumpness as they bounced in his hand. Her other breast freely gyrated with her motions, jiggling and bouncing in time. Her nipples were erect, hard as nubs. She let out a soft breathy moan.

"Oh my Emperor, my conqueror." She cried out in ecstasy as they fully fell into being entwined in the most intimate of ways. Let him come undone beneath her. Let him know her own conquering. She showed him what she could do. What she could give him. Even if he thought to go to another woman, he would never forget her. That she wished to make sure of.

There may have been many whores in the castle, but there was no other Dahlia.
 
Louis felt her hips rise and fall and could not help exhale with pleasure as she fell onto him, tight but smooth and clearly enjoying herself. He pulled himself up, sitting, while she rode him at a steady pace. His mouth found her breast and his lips kissed it, then his teeth, giving it a gentle nibble. It was hard, and he knew she was enjoying herself. Somehow, that aroused him even more. She had driven him to the point where he wanted to satisfy her, and he did not know whether it was a good sign. He was past all of that, his instincts were now taking over and he allowed them to.

She kept grinding and rocking her hips on him. Louis played with one of her nipples while the other one danced with her motions, and he awed at her natural beauty. He squeezed the plump breast with eagerness, time and time again, in rhythm with her motions. She increased her speed, and somehow, he increased his hardness, struggling to breathe as he felt himself close to climax once more. She was intelligent, there was no doubt. How she used the words moon, king, emperor and conqueror... his whole body echoed the pleasure of his genitals, and he gripped Dahlia's body with his hands, tightly, even digging in with his fingernails on her back. He felt her moisture begin to trickle onto his hips and his legs, but he was not yet at his climax.

"You will leave... oh!... this room as my queen!" He was struggling to finish his sentences with Dahlia rubbing herself against him and cumming on him, "and you will be loyal to your promises... as I have been to mine."

Louis wanted to finish, he could not stand it anymore. He pushed Dahlia to the side, rolling her over, and pinned her hands down with his own, smiling from the top. He had not won, that was clear, she had driven him crazy with desire and he just needed to finish, but he had at least made sure that Dahlia did not treat him as a child anymore. And she had not, her words were clear. Louis delighted himself with the image of her lips crying out conqueror and he thrusted into her, deep. His pace quickly became fast, excited, eager. He lowered his face onto hers and kissed her passionately, as his cock pounded against the back of her vagina.

"Hmph," he grunted, letting go of one hand to hold her body in place, and moving his lips to her hear, so she could her his grunts. "Let us be together... as long... as we can..." he increased his speed, feeling himself close to finishing. "And let's call... this... a draw!!" He came, finally, spilling all of his cum inside of her, but he did not withdraw himself yet. He recovered his breath for a few seconds, as his cock twitched inside her and the pleasure ran through each fibre in his body, but finally he collapsed on her. "There will be more chances for you to win," he smiled, teasingly.

He caressed her face and kissed her deeply once more, letting his tongue run over her lips and into her mouth, as he drank in her breath. This was the queen he had always dreamed of, and finally he knew he had found her.
 
The night grew late, and their play was coming to the crescendo, rising high until the tipping point was reached. Dahlia felt the familiar heat build between her legs as she tossed her head back and let out a loud moan of pleasure as she came hard about his cock, holding steady to him as her entire body was rocked back and forth with pleasure, pulsing and taking all the strength from her limbs as she felt satisfaction begin to worm deep within her. Yes, never had she felt such desire for the man in her bed. It was electrifying, leading her to feel a certain thrill when he flipped them over, pressing her body deep into the bed, hair flying about her, caressing her head like a halo as it spread across the sheets. She looked up through dark lashes, eyes hazed over with pleasure.

Her mouth stretched into an 'O' as he spilled his seed deep within her, causing her to let out a sharp gasp as the warm fluid filled her. Her head fell back, a thin sheen of sweat caused her body to glisten in the dim candlelight. Her breath came deep and heavy, her bosom rising with it. On the edge of her tongue, there were words, but it took her a few seconds to bring them fully past her lips.

"A draw, so it is." Her lips caught his and shared his passionate kiss, her hands came up, threading in his hair. It was close enough. He did prove his worth. And she had heard him clearly, she was recognized as his queen. A smile came against his lips as she looked up at him. It was, perhaps, not quite set in stone, but she could not help but feel inclined to be rather pleased with her current situation. It was a thrill to use men for her own political machinations, letting them think her the dimwitted woman while running all from behind. But to be recognized and challenged was different. It was good.

Louis desired that in a woman, such was obvious, or else he would have simply grown annoyed and taken her his way by force long ago.

"I know there will be. Perhaps you shall win one night... If I am feeling generous." She let her eyes slide over his face, finally letting herself relax back onto the bed after the long day they had been subjected to. Her hands carefully threaded through his hair. "Now I believe it is time to rest, dear husband, the fight has died down for now."
 
Louis smiled, somehow satisfied by the idea of gaining Dahlia's approval. Never before had he truly cared about the opinion of a woman, especially because he knew they were never sincere. He was a prince, and every girl he had slept him was wishing to marry him. Their fake orgasms, their eager hands and their lust for power had driven him sick, to the point where sex had become an unpleasant experience. But that night had been different. Dahlia was not a whore, she was already a lady of status, and she could have as easily as she had accepted him, completely despised him. He caressed her naked back and slid his hand up to her neck, through her hair and gently took her crown. He also lifted his own jewel and placed them both in the bedside table, next to each other.

"Ah, but I would consider us both to be victors tonight, am I wrong?" He kissed her cheek, tenderly, and tucked himself into the bed. "Good night, my darling."

----------

A kingdom did not run itself, that was something Louis had known from a long time ago, and he had people who he trusted in the most important positions. Nevertheless, he liked to take care of most important issues himself, as long as he had the energy for it, because otherwise, he risked being betrayed. Dahlia, on her end, had begun to take over some of those duties, and although he trusted her somewhat, he still felt like he should keep an eye on her. After all, Madesh was an enemy and she had proven to be an incredibly skilled actress when dealing with his uncle at the wedding.

His uncle was another problem. Reports said that he had been seen among the northern troops three days ago. How had he got to the border so quickly? And what was he planning? If Louis didn't know him better, he would have not even found that suspicious, but the fact that the old commander had taken so little time to get back to his soldiers made him uneasy. His advisors had not been able to give him any further details and although he was worried, any actions he could take to avoid a civil war would be preferable.

As he walked down the corridor to their bedroom, his eyes caught Dahlia, followed by a group of her maids. He signalled for his guards to wait, and he walked over to the group of women.

"Good day, ladies. I beg you forgive me for having a private word with my wife. Thank you." He signalled for them to leave, and took Dahlia's hand. He took her inside their chambers and closed the door carefully behind them.

"Why do you think we are here, alone?" He asked her, trying to gauge her knowledge about the internal affairs of the kingdom, as well as her thoughts on the matter. He did not want to trust a traitor. He expected her to be smart enough to have some insight, perhaps even more than him, and he wanted to use that. But if she turned out to be a useless politician, then he would just use her as a bed mate. She was pretty to look at, that was certain.
 
The visit had been expected.

There was not an if, only a when. Louis was a man of great intellect and not a tail whip, not a detail would go by without his notice. Dahlia had been hypervigilant. Always her spies were about, always fluttered words came to her awaiting ear from the ladies and maids that surrounded her. Her inner-most circle tittered in Madeshian, pressing themselves close and offering side-long looks to the man of their new kingdom. All of them had something put in the game that they played now, some of the most trusted from Madesh, it was assured they would not betray her. After all, now they had nowhere to go if they so tried. When Louis stopped them, Dahlia halted their conversation by raising a hand, beckoning them all to consider themselves dismissed for now as she stepped into the room with her new husband.

A delicate play was being put on whenever they were in public. There was always a certain relief that came when they were allowed privacy. She hummed as she stepped in, taking a seat in their private chambers and plucking a grape from a silver dish that glittered on the lacquered table. Lips stretched to press it into her mouth and she chewed as she pretended to think on his question.

"Mm... To admire my beauty?" She asked teasingly before waving the words away. "You see what is going on with your uncle too, no? I have already started investigating him, I figured he had plans beyond attempting to take me as his wife, from what I have gathered he is attempting to bring others into his allyship, I figured this is likely in order to stage a revolt. It is good you caught me at this hour, while I can do some things, many are best left to a king's hand."

She stood and walked over to Louis, arms spread.

"I have been investigating who may be on your uncle's side, but I believe it is best if you are the one to take action. Morale will lower if they believe a King weaker than his wife." She tapped her lip as she eyed him. "But... we may still need to prepare for a battle if worse comes to worst. Shall I kiss your sword now for luck?" Her teasing smirk had returned as she placed a hand on his chest. "I am sure my dear husband has not need of it though."
 
Louis smiled and took a grape too, after her playful comment. Yes, she was a smart young lady, there was no doubt about that. But the idea that Dahlia had started investigating things without him knowing made him slightly uncomfortable. Who was reporting into her? He hated not having control of these small affairs. Was it her group of handmaidens? He would need to have them all followed, he needed to find out how she was able to dig up information which was supposed to be confidential. However, he had to trust her, for the time being.

"Let's leave the subject of your beauty for the night," he replied, caressing the top of her hand as she pulled her towards a map of the kingdom. "I would be a bad king if I did not know what was going on with my uncle." He closed his eyes, trying to focus and measure his words precisely. He needed to be able to trust her for his initial plan to work out, but he also wanted her input on it. He rubbed his beardless chin and then pointed to the map.

"This territory," his finger drew a circle of about one third of the kingdom's size, around the northern sector, "is likely to fall under his control if it comes to war. It has access to the sea, protected by mountains, and hard to conquer if he decides to split off from my kingdom." He sighed, a civil war would be a disaster in itself, regardless of how hard it was to win it. "My father would have measured one army against the other, risked everything in combat, and most likely crushed the rebels and half of our country in the attempt." He tilted his head. "Now, that is a man for you, huh?"

He had always thought that his father was a fool. Yes, a successful fool, but a fool nonetheless. And now he was rotting in his grave. Louis did not wish to plunge himself into a civil war against possible the best general in the kingdom. Surely most nobles would support him, but the four or five years of fighting which would take to bring his uncle to his knees would give him back a kingdom of ashes and hatred, which would not see glory in the whole of his lifetime. But allowing Thibaut to plot against him and acquire support without punishment, enlarging his army and resources to the point where they could contest for the throne, was also a mistake. There seemed to be no good decision, unless one decided to think outside the box. And Louis had an idea, but he wanted to see what Dahlia could come up with.

She seemed to imply that a fight would benefit him, and she was not entirely wrong, but she was not seeing the bigger picture. At the tease, Louis replied by offering her his sword's hilt, so she could kiss it. He knew he had said that with a double meaning, but he wanted to make sure she could separate flirting and politics.

"Although I am sure that, after kissing my sword, the luck would help me crush my enemies in the battlefield, but... Who knows what other swords ladies might be kissing?" he teased back, but he made it clear he was not his father. He was not going to rush into battle, and much less to prove a point. "I do agree, however, that I need to do something which asserts my strength as a king to earn the respect that I have most certainly received from you. And this can not be done by trickery and sneaking. It is, indeed, a complicated dilemma which we are facing. Fortunately, I have a wonderful queen to tell me how to solve it, or else, I might have to go with a very stupid idea of mine..."

He was almost sure that his idea would work, and it would solve all of his problems in one go. Now, would she be able to find it? Or would she come up with an equivalent strategy which required less time and effort? Louis picked another grape and chewed on it, while he crossed his arms and leant back, looking at Dahlia and expecting something intelligent from her.
 
A test.

She expected many to come, but it struck her as an annoyance more than anything. There was much to be said and done, though she already felt the edges of a plan come across the edge of her mind. Whether it would be better or worse than what he was formulating in his mind was irrelevant. A brow rose as her dark eyes met his, fingers brushed against the map as an idle expression crossed her features. A head tilt, a hum and then finally she turned back to him and spoke when she was sure her thoughts were in order, and her plan was that of Kings. That was what he had to be reminded of constantly, that she was not some backwater whore that could be fucked and tossed, but a she-king hidden within the body of a feeble woman.

"Yes, your father would have been too quick to jump to war when there are other means of keeping a country together." She tapped her fingers together, letting them steeple in front of her body as she nodded her head forward. "There is no doubt that is one way to show strength, but it would be a bare victory, our resources gone, and the country angry with the destruction and angrier with the taxes, worse- there will be nothing to pillage as it is all ours. Your father, he would have taken the chance. And he would have been a fool and remembered as a fool." She took in a breath and let a finger trace over the territory.

"My father had always spoken of war quite differently. Our army is sublime, but he knows how to use it craftily. Prepare for war, but never hope for it, he says. Heh, strange words for a conqueror, but I find they ring true here. Supreme excellence, after all, is conquering your enemy while nary lifting a finger. My plan falls in a few parts--"

She held up a finger. "One, a leader is nothing without his followers. We must ensure that others in the court find it less than beneficial to them to follow Thibault. I know of a few already but most importantly--" She smiled as she pressed a finger to her lips. "I believe I know his spymaster. If I could be so... forward I would like to get him on our side first and foremost. But, alongside him, if we truly wish to see your uncle deposed we must ensure the powerful vassals are on our side -- we shall offer them our gratitude, grant them lands and titles and give them favors so they are inclined to stay with us, leaving Thibaut with only scraps. His spymaster shall tell us his every plan, every move, and slow down his movements by feeding false information back to him."

She stepped to bend over the map and tilted her head as she thought on further. "Second, if we truly wish to see an end, your uncle must publicly bend the knee to you. His strength must be broken. He is a good general. Would have made a better head than your father, but he is old and tired. What is a king if he is senile? When his spirit is broken and he realizes he has no chance of winning, you will demand he publicly accept you as his king and become an ardent supporter, which will lend any who were supporting him to our side."

She held up a third finger. "Finally, we keep public relations up and bring up moral. Let's host a banquet or something of the like to solidify the vassals to our side. I can do a walk through the streets and offer money to the church and children to endear us. Let people come to love us, cherish us even, and let your uncle seem the scheming villain searching to interrupt the perfection we have made."

Dahlia leaned back on her heel and shrugged her shoulders demurely. "But I am only a witless woman. I know nothing. I am sure your thoughts are far beyond my own, dear husband." She waved away her own plan and turned to look out the window, letting the sun caress her tan cheeks. "But let us move quickly, time waits for no one."
 
Louis observed her attentively as she provided an answer. She was clearly analysing all the possibilities before coming up with an outcome, and she was cunning. Much better politician than most of his advisors, that was for sure. Still, she did lack a point of malice which Louis found even charming. She was, indeed, the pure princess who had been brought up in a safe castle.

"The plan you suggest is not bad, my queen. I am satisfied." He kissed her forehead gently, in gratitude. But also condescendingly. He still preferred her as a woman to share bed with, rather than a strategic leader, but having her attempt to scheme a plan for his own glory just excited him beyond imagining. It turned him on, especially as he looked at her breasts, in that position, leaning over the table... He was getting distracted.

"This is what a good politician would suggest, Dahlia, a wonderful strategy which could potentially work and avoid a war..." He tilted his head, rubbing his chin as he thought about the words to use. "However, I find it... slow. And too dependent on certain factors. One, we do not know for sure whether we can persuade Thibaut's spymaster to side with us, and I would prefer not to trust him, at all. His vassals, too, are an uncertainty. Some might be too loyal or too scared to turn to my side..." He took her hand and looked at her dark eyes. "A conqueror could not afford to carry out only those actions. Not if he wishes to be great."

"Instead, let us look at the bigger picture." Louis turned back to the map, and pointed with his stretched out hand to the region in the South. "Often, the solution is simply outside of the box." His finger now pointed to the neighbouring country of Madesh. "The best solution for a broken relationship is a common enemy. Look at us, married because of the fear or my uncle," he joked, although to a certain extent it had brought them together. He looked at her, trying to see how far into his plan she was following him.

"If Madesh were, for some reason, to attack our lands and break the pact which I have tried to uphold with our marriage, I would be forced to answer. And believe me, it is very likely that, four weeks from now, an attack occurs in our sudden border." He gave her a look which made it clear that he expected her to arrange for such an attack to occur, either through letters or messages to someone she could trust in her country. "Of course, in that situation, I would only be forced to answer, and who better to lead my armies against Madesh than my most seasoned general, Lord Thibaut. Of course, upon victory against our neighbours, I can promise him a wife almost as beautiful as yourself and control over a new province, almost as large as my kingdom." Louis grinned. "I know the greedy motherfucker, he won't refuse."

"Unfortunately, war is uncertain, is it not? It could well be the case that Thibaut catches a stray arrow and dies... unfortunately. It is also possible that his entire army becomes wiped." He still did not know which outcome was better. "Perhaps, even, the battle can be won for my kingdom, and he can go down as a hero..."

He moved over towards Dahlia, leaning on the map right next to her and placing his hand on her lower back, perhaps a bit too low. He came close enough to be whispering in her ear, and kissed her cheek before doing so. The crucial piece in this plan, was having Dahlia on his side. As long as this was the case, he would have a guaranteed positive outcome. But if Madesh did not attack or if they sided with Thibaut... well, that was a whole different scenario. He needed to count on her contacts in the country to break the treaty and initiate a war. Once that happened, they would have already won.

"Whatever the outcome, I like my position," he pulled her waist closer to his and turned her face with his hand, forcing her to sustain his gaze. "I'm sure you understand that your fate is tied to mine, and that we can make each other strong." He kissed her lips, deeply, patiently, and showed her how cold his heart was at the idea of sending thousands of soldiers to their graves. "Can I count on you?"
 
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