Chapter 97

“His Majesty will be here soon.”

That night, in the Queen’s Palace, Alicia was changing her robes as she sat on the bed listening to the Mrs. Cessley talk about Ivan.

He’d make his way to this room at any second and Alicia knew fully well that a series groups of aristocratic men would bear witness to their consummation.

She’d been silent since earlier and Mrs. Cessley took notice of it and held her hands. “My Queen, do you remember what I spoke of yesterday?”

Alicia nodded, her smile bitter.

Yesterday morning, Mrs. Cessley spoke in great detail what would occur on her and Ivan’s first night. It was her mother’s duty to instruct her, but she had long passed, so the Duchess stepped in and took the mother-like role for Alicia.

Her former Maid of Honor had, too, been instructed to teach Alicia what to do on her first night, but she was no help, only telling her to remain still and follow her husband’s instruction.

Alicia was ignorant of what occurred during the consummation process, only