The Emperor's Substitute Bride

Prologue

For the first time in months, they managed to sneak some time off of the ongoing war and make camp in the Melorian Valley.

Naomi had personally picked out the site flanked by two towering mountains. Along with her husband, Emperor Daegal, they pitched their tent some distance away from a beautiful, sparkling waterfall and its rushing sound drowned out the worries in her mind and filled her with a sense of peace.

On a closer listen, she could hear the soft hum of the beetles and the chirping of the crickets as she waited for Daegal to return from scouting.

The war against the invaders had been going on for two long years, exhausting resources, and the fighting population, and destroying the kingdoms and civilians under her care.

Naomi sighed deeply, the weight of the world bearing down heavily on her shoulders. She was the key to the invader's plan but she could not let them get their hands on what they wanted. She would guard it with everything in her.

Many lives had been lost in her and the prince's defense of the continent and its kingdoms but the invader saw life as meaningless, only wanting to conquer and rule over it all.

She was brought out from her thoughts by the rustling of the tent's flap. Instinctively, her hand gripped the hilt of the dagger at her hip till she felt the carvings biting into her palm. Her grip only relaxed when Daegal’s dark hair and chiseled face came into view in the dim flame of the candle and the light of a firefly that flew past his face.

He laid the flap down quietly and removed the sheathed sword at his hip, placing it on the ground beside their makeshift bed within his reach.

"We are alone, at least for now. I'll take another watch later so you can sleep longer. You have not slept well in weeks now and—"

"Neither have you, my love," Naomi reminded him. "That's why we're here, isn't it? The chimes you put in place will alert us if there's any attack which I don't think there will be. Okay?" Naomi stood from the bed and came to Daegal where he was kicking off his boots and about to take off his shirt.

"Let me." Daegal’s hand froze at the tails of his undershirt when Naomi laid her hands atop his, her eyes gazing up at him from under her lashes.

In one swift motion, she pulled his shirt off and threw it to the ground. Her chocolate brown eyes darkened with lust as she took in his powerful chest, peppered with light hairs that thinned as they extended down the hard ridges of his belly to disappear into the waistband of his breeches.

"Are you sure you do not want to rest, my Queen?" Daegal asked in a low tone, cupping her cheek in his rough palm.

"No, why do you ask?" Naomi's voice was wispy, distracted, as she ran her hands up his forearm and bulging biceps, tracing the veins and the muscles beneath before resting her arms around his neck. She had seen his body more times than she could count but was never tired of appreciating it.

"Because if you keep going, there will not be any other chance for you to do so." His hand wound around her waist, lifting her slightly. His breath fanned across her ear as he leaned in to whisper, "With the way I want you, I promise that you will not catch a wink of sleep unless I decide to have mercy on you."

Naomi pressed herself harder against his chest. "Do I look like I want mercy?"

Daegal bit into the sweet spot under her ear, eliciting a pleasured groan from her mouth. Her fingernails dug into his back as he licked and sucked on the spot, making her toes curl.

He swept her off her feet and immediately, she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands caressed her thighs and made their way up to squeeze her bum.

She could feel heat pooling at her center while one of his hands reached underneath her tight cotton shirt to trail her spine.

Wanting more of his touch, she removed her arms from his neck and took off her shirt, her full breasts spilling out to Daegal’s admiration.

Free from the shirt, his hand skimmed over her spine once again, causing goosebumps to erupt all over her skin.

She closed her eyes, basking in the euphoria as his tongue ran down her neck to flick at the dip between her collarbones. She felt a shudder rush through her when he placed a feather-light kiss there.

"Outside. Now," she commanded and without hesitation, Daegal obeyed her wishes and stepped out into the cool breeze of the moonlit night.

He laid her down on the soft grass and lowered himself atop her, keeping his weight on his arms to avoid crushing her body.

He kissed the tops of her breasts and flicked his tongue over one hard, ripened nipple. Her breathy mewls filled the air as he sucked on it while his hand rolled the other nipple between his fingers. He later replaced his fingers with his tongue and vice-versa.

Naomi panted and writhed under his delectable torture, her fingers digging into and pulling at his hair, drawing out guttural moans from him.

His mouth left her nipple—his hands now palming at her breast and pulling gently at her nipples—and claimed her lips in a passionate kiss, his tongue parting her lips and delving into her mouth. She kissed him back fiercely, pulling herself up to grind on his bulging crotch. Her legs wrapped around his waist once more and with a push, she brought his hips down on her more, wanting to feel his weight on her.

The onslaught of pleasure wracked through her body. Groaning from the effort, she flipped their bodies over. Now straddling him, she broke their kiss and dragged her nails down his chest and his abdomen.

Desire filled her eyes when she finally undid the ropes that held his breeches together. Slowly, she rose to her feet and extended a hand. He took it and pulled himself up as well.

Naomi nodded to his trousers and catching her meaning, he pulled them down his muscular legs. Her longing stare rested on his hardened member and she dragged her tongue across her lips seductively.

Her intense gaze never breaking, she undid the loops of her traveling pants and forced them down her athletic legs, kicking them to the side.

Like a tigress, she prowled toward Daegal and came to a stop in front of him. When she made to touch him, a thought that she wanted to keep far away crossed her mind and before she could think better of it, she blurted it out.

"What are we going to do about Nezetta?"

Daegal’s face dropped. He took her hands in his and kissed each of her fingers. "We can worry about appealing to my sister's sense of reasoning and humanity on the morrow. Right now, I only want to be inside of you, thinking of nothing and no one else but you."

Naomi still seemed uncertain.

He grasped her waist and held her warm skin flush against his. "I will burn down this continent before letting anyone harm you, my beloved," he whispered against her neck.

Naomi gasped at the contact; removing his hand from her waist, she knelt and wrapped her fingers around the thickness of his throbbing length.

Her mouth enclosed around him and she caught the moment his breath hitched in his throat. Satisfied by the initial reaction, she took in most of him and then flicked her tongue around the head of his member and sucked before letting go with a pop.

Her fingers stroked him and his whimpers and pants increased even more.

Abruptly, she stopped and straightened. "Looks like I'm the one who won't be showing you any mercy." She smirked.

"Hm," he hummed, an innocent smile playing on his lips. Without warning, she was lifted off her feet and in the next second, she was on the ground again. A long moan erupted from her when she tried to speak as Daegal’s tongue delved into the crevices of her mounds; her body quivered in short spasms as the heady sensation washed over her.

He did not give her any opportunity to recover before he thrust into her.

The night was pierced by the combined music of their groans, mewls, pleas, and whimpers as they moved together spiritedly.

Naomi woke up smiling and chipper the next morning. Her naked body was covered with a blanket that she did not recall putting on. Her hand reached beside her but the ground was cold and moist from the dew.

"Daegal?" she called out, rising quickly to her feet and tying the blanket to her chest.

"Daegal!" she yelled when she received no response.

"Fuck," Naomi muttered. Fear clutched her heart in a tight fist; she picked up her discarded trousers and rushed into the tent. He wasn't there.

"No, no, no."

She threw on her clothes in a blink and tucked her dagger into her belt. "Relax, Naomi, he must have gone scouting again. Do not worry," she whispered to herself as she ran to the lake and washed her face.

Once the cool water splashed on her skin, she was taken back to their late-night swim and the very interesting events that followed. A small smile played on her lips after she rinsed her mouth with water and spat it on the ground next to her.

She shook her head from the memories before she would be tempted to set out to find Daegal and continue the night's activities.

Naomi busied herself with taking down the tent and packing it up. When Daegal still didn't return, she set everything down and set off to find him.

She hadn't taken more than five steps before Daegal’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I am here, my love."

She rounded on him. "Where have you been?! I was worried and then I assumed you went scouting and relaxed but then you didn't—" She stopped when she noticed he was dressed in full armor.

"We are under attack. One of our men just informed me. We must leave." Daegal’s face was grim.

Naomi blinked, unable to process what he was saying. "What do you mean? We drove them back. We were supposed to have at least two days to ourselves before..."

"He mentioned her. Doom's mistress."

Naomi's eyes widened in realization. "Nezetta."

.......

Naomi and Daegal immediately threw themselves into the battle. Not one for armor or sword fights, she threw a shield around herself for protection against the flying arrows—some flaming—and any other weapon.

Naomi hurled balls of roiling blue fire at the enemy soldiers but they were not harmed and that was the moment she registered that this was no ordinary battle. Doom's mistress was truly here.

Her eyes swept over the carnage around her till they settled on a familiar figure on a small hill, atop a dazzling white stallion, dressed in her signature black gown which flowed in the light breeze.

At the same time she noticed her, Daegal's hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Come. This ends now." He pointed his bloodstained sword at Nezetta's distant figure. Grabbing the reins of a passing warhorse, he halted it and hoisted himself on its back. He stretched his hand out to her and she took it, pulling herself up to sit behind Daegal.

The horse took off at its command and a while later, they arrived at the hill.

Nezetta's pitch eyes stared at them blankly as they dismounted.

"I'll talk to her, okay?" Naomi said to Daegal’s hearing alone and squeezed his hand.

"I do not like this but fine."

"Nezetta."

Nezetta came down from her mount, landing lightly on the rocky ground. She rose an eyebrow at Naomi, her face devoid of any emotion.

"Please, stop all this. The person you're working with will not help you. He's using you, Nezetta. Please, come with us. Come home," Naomi pleaded, taking a careful step toward her.

"Home?" A bitter laugh left Nezetta’s lips. "What home? I have never had a home, thanks to your husband over there." She pointed a finger at Daegal who held his sword in a tight grip, his knuckles turning white.

"Say I have one, who exactly am I coming home to?" Nezetta cocked her head to the side, waiting for Naomi’s answer.

"Me. You have me to come home to." After a beat, she added, "and Daegal."

"You?" Nezetta let out a dry chuckle. "I may have had you once. I loved you, Naomi but you were never mine. If you were, you would not be with him right now."

"You know what? Tell me now, tell me that you regret being with him and you'll come back to me. Say these words right now and this war will be over before you can blink." Nezetta folded her arms across her chest.

Naomi took another step. "You of all people know that I can't do that. I can do anything to make you forgive me but please, do not ask that of me." Naomi paused, a memory rising to the surface. "Besides, it's not as if you always loved me. You wanted me for a reason!"

"Naomi..." Daegal warned, his tone telling her not to incite Nezetta's wrath.

Naomi inhaled a calming breath. "Look, I know that I caused you immeasurable pain but please, please, this is not the way to punish me. You can't punish the world for what I have done to you. Look around you! You're wreaking havoc along with him!" She gestured to the chaos around her, at the sky brimming from the various spells in place.

Nezetta remained unflinching. "You were my whole world, Naomi Walker, and you were taken from me." She snapped her fingers. "Just like that."

A sadistic grin split her lips. "Now, I'm going to take your world away."

'She doesn't have it. She doesn't. She can't do anything as long as it remains in my possession.'  Naomi repeated in her head over and over.

She was pulled from her mantra when Nezetta began to conjure lightning. It crackled and sizzled, the sky darkening around them. Naomi heard the distinctive ring of Daegal’s enchanted sword as he removed it from its scabbard.

Nezetta laughed a maniacal sound that sent dread rushing up Naomi's spine. Naomi produced her magic in defense; ready to stop her from dealing another blow.

Naomi caught Nezetta’s gaze shift from her to Daegal standing off to her side.

"No!" she screamed and threw herself in front of Daegal. Before the lightning could hit her, she re-directed it and it torched a portion of the valley below.

Naomi didn't stop to think about her next actions. Grabbing her dagger, she unsheathed it and filled it with magic. The next second, she sent it flying to Nezetta, impaling her chest.

Only then did she realize what she had done.

She and Daegal rushed to Nezetta, catching her before she hit the ground.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't—Please..." Tears spilled from Naomi's eyes as Daegal frantically tried to heal the wound without pulling the blade out.

Blood spurted from Nezetta’s mouth when she parted her lips to speak.

"Don't say anything, you'll be fine. Daegal, hurry!" She smoothed down Nezetta’s hair with shaking hands.

Nezetta lifted a hand with all the strength she could muster but managed to clutch Naomi’s in a painful grip, her nails digging into the skin of her wrist.

"This is only the beginning, Naomi Walker."