Augustus rose from his throne and silenced the courtroom with a single, imperious gesture. "Everyone, leave us," he commanded, his deep voice ringing out with the unmistakable authority of a ruler. The assembled nobles, still abuzz with shocked whispers and scandalized murmurs, hastily filed out of the courtroom, casting curious glances at Violetta and Lucien as they passed.
As Cassian moved past Violetta, he paused, his gaze clashing with Lucien's in a silent battle of wills. The air between the two men crackled with a palpable tension, a mix of anger, jealousy, and a hint of something darker simmering in the depths of Cassian's eyes. He leaned in closer, his voice a low, threatening rasp as he spoke. "I'll talk to you outside," Cassian warned, a subtle menace underlying his words. "Just you wait." With that, he turned and strode out of the courtroom, leaving Lucien and Violetta alone with the King.
Augustus waited until the last of the nobles had exited, the heavy wooden doors of the courtroom slamming shut with a resounding boom. He fixed his gaze on Lucien, his eyes narrowing as he took in the man's defiant stance and the way he still held Violetta's waist possessively. "I believe I asked everyone to leave," Augustus said, a note of impatience creeping into his voice. "I would speak with my sister in private."
Violetta turned to Lucien, a look of gentle reproach in her violet eyes as she gazed up at him. "It's alright," she murmured, her slender fingers curling around his own. "Wait for me outside, my dear. I promise, I won't be long." She smiled softly, a look of tender affection softening her beautiful features as she gazed at Lucien with a silent plea in her eyes.
Lucien's eyes darkened with a fierce, possessive hunger as he gazed down at Violetta. Without warning, he swept her off her feet, pulling her lithe, curvaceous body flush against his own as he claimed her lips in a searing, passionate kiss. His mouth moved over hers with a desperate, almost punishing intensity, his tongue delving deep to taste the sweet, intoxicating essence of her. One large hand tangled in Violetta's silver-blonde hair, tilting her head back to grant him better access to the honeyed cavern of her mouth, while the other hand gripped the supple, rounded curve of her hip, pulling her even closer.
Violetta gasped, a soft, breathless sound that was swallowed by Lucien's ardent kiss. Her slender arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers sinking into the short, gray hair at his nape as she clung to him, surrendering to the overwhelming onslaught of sensation. She could feel the hard, thick length of Lucien's arousal pressing against her stomach, a blatant reminder of the pleasure they had shared and the ecstasy that awaited them in the privacy of their chambers. Violetta's heart raced, her blood singing with a fierce, primal need as Lucien's lips and tongue and teeth worked her into a frenzy of desperate, aching desire.
After long, tortuous moments, Lucien withdrew, his chest heaving with each ragged, uneven breath. Slowly, he lowered Violetta back to the ground, his hands lingering on her waist, his thumbs rubbing maddeningly slow circles over the delicate, lace-covered mounds of her breasts. "I'll be waiting outside," Lucien promised, his voice a low, rough rasp, a sound that held a dark, erotic promise of the delights to come. He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against the shell of Violetta's ear as he whispered, "Don't keep me waiting too long, my love. You know how...eager I am to have you all to myself."
Violetta turned to face her brother, a look of concern etched on her beautiful features as she took in the flush of Augustus' cheeks and the obvious discomfort in his eyes. She quickly closed the distance between them, her slender hands coming up to cup his face, her thumbs brushing gently over the heated skin. "Brother, are you alright?" Violetta asked, a note of worry coloring her melodic voice. "You face...it's all flushed. Is it a fever?" Her violet eyes searched her brother's face, a look of sisterly concern and affection softening her gaze.
Augustus tried to pull away, a look of embarrassment and a touch of annoyance flashing across his handsome features. "It's nothing," he said, his voice a gruff, dismissive rasp. But Violetta held fast, her fingers curling around his jaw as she tilted his head down to meet her piercing, questioning stare.
"How can it be nothing?" Violetta demanded, a look of exasperation and a hint of amusement playing at the corners of her lips. "Look at you, Augustus. Your face is as red as a ripe tomato!" She smiled, a sudden realization dawning in her eyes as she studied her brother's blushing countenance. "Oh, I see. It's because of...him, isn't it?" Violetta asked, a sly, teasing lilt to her voice. "Because of Lucien and me, and the way I...acted with him just now." A slow, wicked smile curved her lips, a look of mischievous delight in her violet eyes as she gazed up at her brother. "You're not used to seeing me so...affectionate with a man, are you?" Violetta teased, a playful, almost taunting note to her voice. "Well, get used to it, dear brother. For soon, you'll be seeing a great deal more of it." She smirked, a look of impish satisfaction in her gaze as she awaited her brother's reaction to her bold declaration.
Augustus sighed, a long, slow expulsion of breath as he gazed down at his sister's beautiful, smiling face. "Violetta, you can do as you please with Lord Lucien," he said, his deep voice a low, grudging murmur. "But...must you be so...open with your affections? Especially in front of me?" A look of discomfort and a hint of embarrassment flashed across Augustus' face, his blush deepening beneath Violetta's amused, teasing gaze.
Violetta's smile only widened, a look of indulgent amusement and a touch of wicked mischief dancing in her violet eyes. "I'll try to...restrain myself," she promised, a note of teasing laughter underlying her words. "But I make no promises, dear brother." She patted his cheek, her slender fingers lingering on the heated skin for a moment before she withdrew her touch. "You'll have to get used to it, you know. Once Lucien and I are married, there will be many more...opportunities for you to witness the depth of our passion." Violetta's voice was a low, suggestive purr, a sound that held a dark, erotic promise of the delights to come.
Augustus shuddered again, a look of resignation and a hint of acceptance settling over his handsome features. "Just...try to be discreet, Violetta," he pleaded, a note of brotherly exasperation coloring his deep, resonant voice. "I know I can't stop you from doing as you please with your...husband-to-be. But I would appreciate it if you could spare me the...details." He smiled then, a look of fond, indulgent affection softening his gaze as he looked down at his sister's beautiful, smiling face.
"You look happy, Violetta," he observed, a note of genuine pleasure coloring his deep, resonant voice. "I'm glad." He reached up to cover Violetta's hand with his own, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "You deserve to be happy, sister. After all you've been through..." Augustus' voice trailed off, a sudden lump forming in his throat as he thought of the years Violetta had spent after the death of her husband, the long, lonely nights she had endured without the comfort and companionship of a loving partner. "I'm truly glad to see you happy, dear sister," Augustus said, his voice a low, heartfelt murmur. "And that man seems to...worship you. And you wear the evidence of his devotion plainly on your face." He smiled softly, a look of genuine approval in his eyes as he gazed at his sister's blissful, radiant countenance.
Violetta's smile softened, a look of tender affection and a hint of pride in her violet eyes as she gazed up at her brother. "By the way, his name is Lucien, Lucien D'Artois," she said, a note of gentle reverence in her melodic voice. "Lucien," she repeated, rolling the name off her tongue as if savoring the taste of it. "I do love the sound of that name, don't you?" Violetta asked, a playful, almost dreamy note to her voice. "It has a certain...ring to it, don't you think?" She smiled, a look of mischievous satisfaction in her gaze as she waited for Augustus to react to the revelation of her beloved's identity.
Augustus repeated the name, a look of dawning recognition and a touch of surprise flashing across his handsome features. "Lucien René D'Artois," he murmured, his deep, resonant voice a low, thoughtful rasp. "Is he not the last surviving member of the fallen House of Viscount D'Artois?" Augustus asked, a note of curiosity and a hint of concern coloring his tone.
"Yes, his name is Lucien D'Artois," she confirmed, a note of possessive satisfaction in her melodic voice. "I'm surprised you know of his family, Augustus." Violetta tilted her head to the side, a look of curious interest in her gaze as she studied her brother's face.
Augustus' jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in his cheek as he fought to maintain his composure. "Of course I know of the D'Artois family," he said, his deep voice a low, grim rasp. "They are not a family one easily forgets." He paused, his hands clenching into fists at his sides as a wave of old, bitter memories washed over him. "Not too long ago, they tried to instigate an uprising against the crown," Augustus revealed, his voice a low, ominous growl. "They conspired with rebellious nobles and commoners alike, seeking to overthrow my rule and install a puppet king in my place." His eyes flashed with a sudden, blinding rage at the memory of that treachery. "I subdued the rebellion, of course. But I did not do so lightly." Augustus' voice was a low, grim murmur, a sound that held a dark, vengeful promise.
He turned to Violetta, his gaze searching her face for any sign of distress or disapproval. "I stripped the D'Artois family of their titles, their lands, and their wealth," Augustus revealed, his voice a low, unapologetic rasp. "I left them with nothing, a penniless, disgraced noble house, their name reviled and their honor forfeit." He paused, a sudden realization dawning in his eyes as he studied Violetta's face. "Tell me, Violetta, are you certain about this match?"