The Queen and the Lion - Chapter 70

Standing next to the delicate and beautiful Lysian, Aslan, dressed in black, stood tall, and their contrasting appearances were striking. Yet, the queen’s joyful smile received the blessings of the people, and all the citizens of the kingdom cheered for them.

After the successful banquet, Aslan and Lysian headed to the prepared bridal chamber.

Snow-white curtains, snow-white wallpaper, snow-white bedding. Everything was pure white, like cotton flowers. It wasn’t their first experience, but this was a strong insistence by the head chamberlain, Dandelion, who argued that this had to be done according to tradition.

The amount of care he had put into it made it feel like being trapped inside an eggshell. With such excessive interior decoration, Aslan murmured with a bewildered expression.

“What is this, a snowfield?”

“Dandelion insisted on this, so why not grant such a simple wish?”

Lysian spoke, recalling Dandelion’s words, as if he would never be able to close his eyes if the bridal chamber wasn’t decorated in white. Aslan also vividly remembered how much Dandelion had been fixated on Lysian’s wedding, so he simply nodded in agreement.

Lysian stood in the center of the room and looked around the bridal chamber.

“Still, it’s not bad, is it? It’s like pretending it’s our first time. Now that I think about it, it reminds me of our first time. Shall we do it like that again?”

“A newlywed, bound, you say? Don’t be absurd.”

Though Lysian had said it lightly, it wasn’t something Aslan could easily brush off. The moment Lysian spoke, Aslan shuddered.

The day they first came together was as vivid as if it had been yesterday. They had been bound, the bed had collapsed, and they were left in disarray. The corners of Aslan’s lips stiffened.

Seeing Aslan’s desperate discomfort, Lysian pouted.

“You said earlier that you would let me bind you even if you became a king.”

“Th-That’s…”

When Lysian brought up what had been said on the balcony earlier, Aslan was left speechless.

Why had he answered so readily with “as much as you want” back then? Though Aslan could never absolutely refuse Lysian, he could have avoided the situation by adding words like “sometimes” or “occasionally.” Now, he inwardly lamented, regretting his words.

Seeing Aslan flustered, Lysian grinned mischievously. Then, taking a step closer to him, she asked with an innocent, almost oblivious look on her face,

“Was that a lie?”

“N-No. It’s just… it’s our first night as newlyweds.”

Aslan mumbled, trailing off. He glanced nervously at Lysian, unsure of what she might do.

Surely, she couldn’t seriously intend to bind him tonight. After all, it was their first night as newlyweds. Aslan thought that if he could just get through tonight without being bound, he’d be willing to accept being bound five or even ten times in the future. Of course, he had learned enough not to admit such things openly.

Lysian blinked leisurely.

Her violet eyes seemed to see through all of Aslan’s innermost thoughts, but at the same time, her gaze carried an innocent arrogance, as if she didn’t need to understand anything. Her eyes, paradoxically filled with wisdom and ignorance, made it difficult to read her true intentions.

Aslan looked at Lysian like a dog that had been commanded to “wait” in front of a tasty piece of meat. His light amber eyes shimmered with heat and anxiety. It was the gaze of a man desiring her, and it made his heart flutter while also burning his insides.

Lysian chuckled softly.

As Aslan had said, it was their first night as newlyweds. After the wedding she had dreamed of, today was the day Aslan became her king. It was a moment that was worth being gracious and merciful.

“I was just teasing you a little.”

Though Lysian said it was a joke, Aslan couldn’t easily relax. He waited for her to speak again, his heart filled with unease. Lysian’s eyes curved, and with a playful look, she grasped his heart and shook it.

Lysian granted her “permission” with a gentle, generous gaze.

“Then do as you please. I’m curious how you wanted to embrace your bride.”

As soon as Lysian’s approval was given, Aslan approached her like a beast with its leash undone. Then, he unleashed all the wildness that had been tightly restrained, showering her with rough kisses.

Aslan’s true nature, which he had suppressed in order to become a proper king according to the customs of Florea, now revealed itself, and a satisfied smile spread across Lysian’s lips.

Though she appreciated Aslan’s efforts for her, it was this side of him that Lysian had fallen for. Aslan’s urgency made Lysian’s body burn as well. Lysian reached out and pulled Aslan closer. The white dress, like magnolia petals, scattered between the points where their bodies met.

Aslan laid his beloved queen, his one and only bride, on the pristine white bedding. Lysian smiled at him, and the expression reflected in her violet eyes mirrored his own. They were once again certain that their future would be filled with happiness.

Thus, their love, in full bloom, would forever display its beauty in the kingdom of flowers.