Hakan
"Lucina," I said softly, a teasing smile lifting the corner of my mouth as I leaned forward, elbows resting lightly against the table. Candlelight flickered across my face, reflecting in her hesitant eyes. "Would you like to play a game with me?"
Her fingers tightened around the ornate wine goblet. She blinked, startled. "What kind of… game?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, equal parts wary and curious.
I reached for a small bottle sitting between us, tilting it so its deep crimson contents shimmered. "We'll take turns asking each other questions," I explained, letting the mystery linger in my tone. "What do you think?"
The nervousness faded from her face. "That sounds good," she said, nodding with a hint of excitement.
Setting the bottle down, I leaned back. "From now on, you can choose which questions you want to answer. But…" I paused, letting the air thicken between us, "if you don't want to answer, you have to drink some wine."
She nodded again, firmer this time. "Then I'll go first. Hmm…" Her gaze drifted over me as she thought, her expression growing sharper, bolder.
My heart thumped once—BA-BUMP—as she looked straight into me.
"What kind of man do you like?" I asked suddenly, cutting through her hesitation with deliberate boldness.
Her head jerked up. "P-Pardon?" she stammered, eyes wide, her entire posture jolting with shock.
"You have to give me a specific answer," I insisted playfully, leaning closer. "Someone who is smart?" I offered with a raised brow.
Lucina didn't answer—but her face flushed.
I tilted my head, pretending to ponder. "Or someone with a nice body?" My tone dropped mischievously. "How about someone who's rich? Serious!"
She blinked rapidly, like she couldn't believe the audacity.
Then, deliberately, I shifted my posture—reclining slightly, showcasing the lines of my bare torso, the candlelight tracing the striking tribal tattoo across my chest. My voice lowered, smooth and unhurried.
"Or do you like the sweet and romantic type?" I asked. "Someone with a nice body?"
My lips quirked upward. That's me, I thought smugly. He's also very intelligent…
Her cheeks deepened in color, her lips parting slightly as she stared, caught completely off guard.
Inside her mind, the thoughts hit like falling dominoes.
He's also very intelligent… and wealthy… and sweet… and sensitive…
Her eyes widened—realization striking hard.
Huh? Everything I like is… him?
Panic shot through her expression.
BUT I CAN'T SAY THAT! HE'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!
Then—GULP GULP—she took a full drink of wine, choosing alcohol over admission.
I grinned. "Is it a secret?" I teased. "Fine. It's your turn now."
She wiped her mouth quickly, regaining composure with a small, determined smile. I chuckled, amused by her attempt to reset the mood.
"Okay, okay," she said, leaning forward as she flashed me a challenging glare—the very one I had used on her moments earlier.
"Me?" I echoed, surprised by how quickly she retaliated.
She narrowed her eyes. "You have to give me a proper answer! Be honest! Don't joke around!" she commanded, quoting my own rule right back at me.
Then she inhaled, bracing herself as she asked,
"What kind of woman do you like, Hakan?"
For a moment, everything else quieted—the crackle of flames, the night wind outside, even the pulse in my own ears. I held her gaze, the air between us shifting from playful to sincere.
"I like women who aren't afraid of me," I answered slowly, choosing each word with care. "I want to meet someone who loves me for who I am… not because I am king."
A soft smile tugged at my lips. "Now it's your turn."
She didn't hesitate this time. Her eyes gleamed with genuine curiosity as she leaned in again.
"Were you always this good at talking?" she asked. "Did you struggle before because you were in a strange and unfamiliar land?"
---
My questions about her family—and about Castle Velk—struck her like an unexpected blow.
Lucina's entire body tensed. Her lashes trembled as she looked away, her mind spiraling somewhere dark.
Should I tell him the truth?
If he wants to know why I was hit… I'll have to tell him I'm an illegitimate child…
Her grip on the goblet tightened.
They say status doesn't matter if I bear a child… but if they find out I'm the daughter of a prostitute… they might think I'm dirty…
Her eyes widened suddenly—then she reached out and grabbed my hand.
"I-It's my turn!" she blurted out, her voice louder than before, almost panicked. Her fingers squeezed mine desperately, as if pulling herself back from the edge of confession. "That means your question doesn't count!"
"Ah—" I exhaled, startled by her sudden assertiveness. A small JOLT went through me, and I drew back a little, hands raised in surrender.
"I'm sorry," I said gently, giving her space. "Please ask away."
Lucina lowered her head, thinking hard. The flickering candlelight painted her profile in soft golds and shadows. I let out a low CHUCKLE, lifting the small dice box between us as if encouraging her to take her turn.
She finally looked up.
Her eyes were steady, glimmering with a rare, fragile courage.
"What do you… think of me?"
I froze—not from discomfort, but from the weight of the question. Slowly, deliberately, I met her gaze.
"I like you," I said. My voice came out quieter, deeper than I expected. "I feel like I fall for you more and more every time I see you."
Her breath hitched.
"I don't want to hurt you in the slightest," I continued, letting my honesty show. "I just want you to be my Queen… and I want us to grow old together."
My hand rose almost instinctively, my thumb brushing her cheek, tracing the warmth of her skin. Her blush deepened under my touch.
I leaned in, closing the space between us until her breath mingled with mine.
"What about you?" I whispered. "How do you feel about me?"
A delicate, trembling silence filled the room.
Lucina looked flustered, her cheeks rosy, her fingers tightly clasped in her lap.
"To be honest…" she murmured, "t-there are times when you scare me a little."
A faint smile tugged at my lips—not mocking, but understanding. I knew the intensity I carried. I knew the shadow of a king could overwhelm.
"I want to hug you right now…" I breathed, my voice low and aching. "And I spend every night wishing I could fall asleep with you in my arms."
We sat together on the sofa, the single flame between us dancing softly, casting warm, gentle patterns along her face, her hands, the curve of her hair.
The world outside felt distant—irrelevant.
In that quiet pocket of space, just the two of us, the candlelight flickered between us, illuminating the deep connection we were forging.
Lucina's flustered panic from earlier had slowly melted into a determined fire. She seized the moment, her fingers shooting forward to grasp my hand.
"I-It's my turn! That means your question doesn't count!"
Her sudden burst of boldness startled me, but in a pleasant way.
"Ah," I murmured with a soft, amused smile. "I'm sorry. Please ask away."
A low CHUCKLE slipped from me as I leaned back, giving her the space she needed.
Lucina inhaled deeply, her chest rising, eyes meeting mine with a bravery that made something in me tighten.
"What do you… think of me?" she asked.
No teasing in her voice this time. No hesitation. Just raw vulnerability.
I felt my expression soften. Slowly, I reached out and cupped her cheek, my thumb brushing a delicate line across her heated skin.
"I like you," I said, honestly—deeply. "I feel like I fall for you more and more every time I see you."
Her breath stilled, her lips parting.
"I don't want to hurt you in the slightest," I continued, voice dropping. "I just want you to be my Queen… and I want us to grow old together."
The words lingered between us like a promise.
A dangerous, tender promise.
I leaned closer until my lips hovered just above hers.
"I want to hug you right now… and every night I wish I could fall asleep with you in my arms."
My voice was barely audible. "What about you? How do you feel about me?"
Lucina's cheeks flamed. She swallowed—and her hand reached out to clasp mine.
"To be honest… there are times where you scare me a little."
She squeezed my hand. "But I don't dislike you. And I'm not opposed… to sleeping with you."
Her blush deepened as she rushed to explain herself.
"I-It's just that you're so handsome, and you have such a nice body… I get embarrassed when I look at you."
Her eyes flicked to my tattoos, my chest—then away.
"And… I-I also worry that you'll do this kind of thing with other women. I don't want you to get close to anyone else but me!"
Her sudden burst of jealousy was so earnest, so unfiltered, that it tugged a laugh from my lips. I squeezed her hand, lifting it gently.
"I promise," I said sincerely. "I'll only do this with you."
And then I kissed her—slow, warm, a promise sealed against her lips.
She gasped softly into it, her hands curling into my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her easily into my lap, her white hair spilling against my chest, mixing with my own dark strands as she nestled into me.
"I'll only do this with you," I repeated softly, holding her tightly, savoring every second of her in my arms.
She felt so small there—so warm, so trusting.
And I felt my heartbeat calm for the first time in a long, long while.
Her white hair brushed my jaw. Her breathing steadied against my chest. The wine's warmth, combined with the heat of my body, slowly lulled her into a drowsy haze.
"Lucina…" I murmured, my hold tightening just slightly. "There's something I need to tell you."
My heart clenched. I had run out of time to hide the truth.
"At the start, you were… just a human I brought back from a territory I planned to wipe out," I admitted, my voice rough. "So I wasn't going to bother telling you this."
Her fingers twitched faintly, but she didn't pull away.
"But then… I started to develop feelings for you."
My throat tightened. It was harder to say aloud than I imagined.
I pressed my forehead lightly to hers.
"I'm not simply a man," I confessed. "I belong to the Tayar tribe—the Guardian Dragons. Our bodies hold powerful fire energy, more potent than most Draconians."
The truth burned on my tongue.
"Women from other races… can't withstand it."
My voice softened with guilt.
"If they bear a Draconian's child, they often die from a long, painful illness. Some… even die the moment they sleep with one."
Images flashed through my mind like fire across scales—memories of ancient warnings, flames, funerals.
"And I grew scared you would reject me once you knew."
I gently lifted her face with both hands, staring into the features that had changed everything.
"I'm sorry for hiding this from you like a coward," I said. "And for telling you so late. If you reject me now… I'll leave you alone. I'll take you back to Velk if that's what you want."
The fear in my chest tightened to something unbearable.
"But if you're willing to die for me… and have the courage to bear my child, then—"
I felt her grow heavier in my arms.
My voice faltered.
"Lucina?"
I looked down.
She was completely asleep.
Face relaxed, lips parted slightly—
and then—
"SNORE."
I stared at her for a long moment.
My entire heart-swelling, vulnerable confession…
met with a snore.
Her white hair draped over my arm.
Her cheek pressed against my shoulder.
A tiny, unintentional snort escaped her again.
I exhaled a helpless laugh.
"She never ceases to surprise me."
Lucina slept soundly in my arms, her breaths warm and even against my skin. I couldn't help but laugh quietly to myself as I looked down at her peaceful face.
So everything I said last night—
my entire confession, my fear of rejection,
my admission about the deadly Draconian fire energy…
every word spoken with a heart laid bare—
…was answered with nothing more than a loud, content snore.
I shook my head, still smiling.
This woman had the uncanny ability to upend every expectation I had.
I shifted slightly, the sheets rustling softly as I adjusted myself. The movement stirred her from sleep. Her hand lifted instinctively, reaching out toward the warmth she sought even while unconscious.
Before she could drift away again, I gently took her hand in mine.
Her fingers curled around me, small and warm.
"It's so warm…" she murmured, her voice thick with drowsiness. She inched closer until her cheek found its place against my bare chest.
Her other hand drifted toward the gold chain resting against my collarbone. She clung to it sleepily, tugging me even nearer—as though afraid the heat would escape if she didn't hold on tight.
"Hakan…" she breathed out, a soft, dreamy sigh.
The way she said my name—so trusting, so unguarded—made something deep in my chest swell.
In that quiet, intimate moment, as the early light filtered through the curtains, I found myself murmuring:
"What am I going to do with you, honestly?"
I brushed a feather-light kiss against her forehead. Her lashes fluttered, though she didn't wake fully. Even asleep, she radiated a kind of bravery and honesty few possessed. But the fact that she could sleep through a confession that would terrify most people… that was a new level of baffling.
Still, I held her a little tighter.
Across the palace, morning had come with far less serenity.
Servants and attendants gathered in corners, their whispers buzzing through marble corridors like stirred bees.
Two women stood by a tall window overlooking the palace gardens, their conversation tense and disbelieving.
"Are you telling me they both spent the night together in his chambers?"
The first woman leaned forward, her eyes wide with shock as she took in the sunlight bathing the royal grounds.
The second nodded, her expression tight with concern.
"It's highly likely that the King slept with her…"
The words hung heavily between them.
She continued, lowering her voice as though afraid the walls themselves might carry the sound.
"He kept leaving that woman alone until now—but the King has never allowed a woman to spend the whole night in his chambers before."
Her companion swallowed, the implications sinking in.
"The ministers have all been talking about it," she added grimly. "They're saying it's the first time this kind of thing has ever happened."
Lucina spending a single night in my chambers—
a private, tender moment for us—
had already become a political storm for everyone else.
In the palace, nothing went unnoticed.
And this simple act had already transformed into a major political and social event in the kingdom, signifying a profound change in my behavior.