Noticing the arrival of the new guest into their royal court, the Queen and King rise from their thrones. The Queen stands behind her King, placing her hand on his shoulder in reassurance. The King trembles under her arms, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here. The Queen, on the other hand, is placid, unperturbed. Queen Rena raises her other hand towards the visitor, speaking with a dignified and welcoming tone: "Greetings, sir {{user}}. A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance. I'm sure you are quite...puzzled...as to why a commoner like you has been brought to our court today. You feel frightened, perhaps? Well, cast those fears aside, I will explain the reason for our meeting right now." "As you know, I am Queen Rena IV, the ruler of our great kingdom. And this here," as Rena gestures to the King, he turns his head away, unable to look in {{user}}'s direction: "is my beloved husband, King Jasten of Floren." The Queen continues, seemingly unbothered by her husband's discomfort: "Jasten is...having issues. He seems unable to conceive a true heir. A male heir. 12 children we've birthed, all girls. As you must be aware, this is a dangerous situation. Our kingdom must have a prince. It is essential. As queen, I must make a heavy decision. And that decision involves you, {{user}}. You see, I believe that the ability to father a male child is an acquired technique-a skill that one can learn, just as any other skill. By my eye, you appear to be a man who is quite capable of producing a male child, sir {{user}}. And as such, I have decided that you are to be Jasten's guide, to teach Jasten how a man fathers a baby boy." Jasten squirms under Rena's arms, his face lighting up red with fear of what's about to be said. "And part of that teaching, sir {{user}}, involves becoming my lover." The comment hits Jasten like a mace to the chest. "B-But...darling!" Jasten finally can't help but interject, to plead once more for some other solution, some other way. He stares into Rena's eyes, hoping she finally realizes the absurdity of this ordeal. "Please! Please, Rena! Don't do this to me..." Rena grasps her husband's hand and pulls him in closer, her expression unchanging: "This is necessary, my beloved. This is what is best for us and the kingdom. And besides, I believe that you and {{user}} will come to be great friends." Friends. The word provokes a burst of rage in Jasten, anger that is somehow directed solely at the man before him. The idea of becoming friends with the bastard who was going to fuck his wife made his blood boil. "Apologies for the intrusion, sir {{user}}. Let us resume." Rena continues her proposition, either unaware or uncaring of her husband's inner turmoil: "As I was saying, you are to become my lover. We are to eat, sleep, bathe, fornicate, and coexist as a couple. After all, I believe that this is the only way to properly guarantee that a boy is born. Jasten will be by our side at all times, learning from your techniques. I will conceive a boy of your spawn, and in doing so, show Jasten the path to birthing our own prince." Rena feels Jasten grip her hand tighter and tighter, as the King's rage continues to bubble up inside him. "Now, now, Jasten," says Rena, calmly. "Why don't you show {{user}} around the castle, get acquainted with each other? How does that sound, sir {{user}}?" Jasten glares daggers at {{user}}, daring the commoner to see just what happens when a King is scorned.

Rena raises an eyebrow at the display of chains around killspec's wrist. Her husband sneers as well, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "A magus... You say you are a magus?" Rena asks, trying to hide her own surprise. She had heard of such creatures, powerful beings capable of bending the world's arcane energies to their will.

The King sits up straighter, suddenly paying more attention than ever before. "And you say...you can make a boy?" He leans forward eagerly, hope lighting his features for what feels like the first time in years. "Oh please, killspec! If that is so, then I shall beg on my knees! We will do anything, give you anything you desire!"

Rena elbows her husband gently, a hint of annoyance crossing her features. "Now, Jasten..." she begins, but the King simply ignores her, too consumed with his own desperation to pay her any mind. He glances up at killspec pleadingly, hands clasped together in an almost groveling gesture.

"Well...I suppose we can try your way," Rena finally says, more out of curiosity than any true conviction. "Perhaps with such a powerful being as yourself as my lover, Jasten will learn the correct technique faster." She glances over at her husband, still looking disapproving but resigned now. "Very well, then. Let us get to know each other, you and I...and may the best man's seed win."

Jasten starts at that, his jaw slack as he struggles to find the words. Finally, all he can manage is a quiet "T-Thank you..." before looking away, his face burning red with shame. He hadn't meant it like that...had he? Oh gods, he'd just been so desperate... Rena clears her throat, resting a hand on the King's shoulder in what might be seen as comfort or reprimand. "We'll discuss this later," she says gently, her eyes softening with understanding. To killspec, she adds, "Now then, why don't you come with me? I have a suite prepared for you, not far from our own." She gestures to their private quarters, just beyond the throne dais where they stand now. The King remains silent and still as the two exit the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts...and his growing hatred of killspec.

As they walk to their private chambers, Rena takes in the commoner's appearance with interest. His muscles ripple beneath his clothes, and she can feel herself growing warm at the sight. "You are quite...impressive," she remarks, slowing her pace slightly so that Jasten has a chance to catch up. He glares at her in reply. "I trust you understand the importance of this arrangement?" Rena asks pointedly, ignoring his obvious jealousy. "This is for the good of our kingdom." She pauses as they enter their room, casting a meaningful look over at the bed that's been prepared for killspec. Jasten scowls, sitting down on the edge of his own bed with a sigh. "Yes...of course," he mutters, eyes still locked on the space between them. "I understand."

"That won't be necessary," Rena says curtly, her eyes narrowing at the sight of his magic once more. "We can handle such matters ourselves." She glares at her husband before turning back to killspec. "Now then...why don't we get settled in?" she asks with an attempt at a reassuring smile. "There's much to discuss, I'm sure." Jasten remains silent, his posture stiff and unyielding as he watches the exchange between his wife and their new 'ally'. His expression is tight with anger and resentment, betrayal writ large on his features.

"Very well," Rena says, deciding to change the subject. "Now, then...I understand that you've come from quite a distance. Perhaps you would like to tell us about yourself? Your family? Your home?" She gestures for him to sit on the bed, unfurling a warm smile as she takes a seat beside him. Jasten sighs heavily, leaning back against the headboard of his own bed and folding his arms across his chest. He looks askance at Rena but says nothing.

"Bounty hunting, hmm?" Rena muses, her expression carefully neutral. "That must be quite exciting." She pauses, studying him for a moment before asking delicately, "And what of your family? Do you ever see them? Or...do you wish to see them again?" Her tone is gentle and non-judgmental, but the King snorts derisively at the very idea. "Such an idiot," he mutters under his breath, glaring at killspec. "He left his family for power and luxury, and now he comes here thinking that he can just take whatever he wants from us?" Rena's face darkens at her husband's words, but she ignores him, continuing to speak with the commoner as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. "Well, we shall see," she says finally. "Perhaps in time you may wish to reconnect with your kin."

"Ah, but you never know," Rena replies with a small smile, patting killspec's arm sympathetically. "People can change. And perhaps they would be proud of the strong man that you have become." She glances over at her husband, hoping to gauge his reaction to this sentiment.

Jasten scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Very well," he grumbles, "perhaps I should show him around." With a huff, he sits up straight and crosses the room to killspec's bed. "Come on, then. Let us acquaint you with your temporary home." His tone is curt and unfriendly, but Rena ignores it, focusing instead on making killspec feel welcome in their palace.

Rena raises an eyebrow at the commoner's comment but decides not to dwell on it, instead following them out of their chambers. "Here is where you can relax," she says, leading him into a spacious sitting room. "And this is the dining hall, where we eat our meals." She gestures around the elaborately decorated area before adding with a small smile, "We also have an excellent library if you'd like to avail yourself of it." As they walk through the palace, Jasten silently seethes, unable to ignore his dislike for killspec any longer. He barely acknowledges the commoner's presence except when absolutely necessary and instead focuses on finding ways to make killspec as uncomfortable as possible during their time together.

"And this is my personal study," Rena continues, showing him into a beautiful room filled with antique furniture and bookshelves stretching ceiling-high. "I spend much of my time here, planning strategy and making decisions that will shape our kingdom's future." She turns to Jasten, her expression pleading once more. "Perhaps you could show him around the gardens? They are particularly beautiful this time of year." Jasten nods stiffly, though his expression remains unreadable as he leads killspec out of the study and back into the halls of the palace. The tension between them is palpable, each word they exchange feeling like a knife's edge as they navigate through the opulent surroundings. "The gardens are this way," Jasten says gruffly, gesturing toward a set of double doors at the far end of the hall. The air between them crackles with animosity, making the brief walk to the garden feel like an eternity.

"Well, we do try to maintain our image," Rena says with a hint of pride, walking alongside them through the opulent gardens. "After all, this is not just any kingdom; it's a place where magic and nature coexist in perfect harmony." She glances over at her husband, hoping he can't see the pleading expression in her eyes. Jasten only grunts noncommittally, his gaze fixed on the path ahead as they walk. The tension between them grows with every step, threatening to snap like a twig under their combined weight of animosity and jealousy. "And here," Rena continues, leading them to a hidden section of the garden tucked away behind a towering hedge, "is where I often come to think." The area is private and secluded, filled with fragrant flowers and lush greenery. "Do you have a special place like this in your travels?"

Rena raises an eyebrow at killspec's reply but doesn't comment further on it, content to let him answer in his own way. Turning back to her husband, she motions vaguely around them. "This place holds a special significance for me, Jasten...it's where I come when I need some quiet time to gather my thoughts and reflect." She pauses, studying his expression before adding softly, "I hope you don't mind that I shared it with killspec today." Jasten looks away, his jaw clenching as he fights down an angry retort. "No," he manages finally, the single word coming out bitter and strained. "No, of course not." He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever comes next in this unholy arrangement.

"C-Cute?" Jasten stutters, taken aback by the unexpected comment. "Wh-what do you mean?" He looks to his wife for support, but all he finds is an amused smile playing on her lips. Rena merely shrugs, her expression unreadable. "Oh, I don't know...perhaps it's just me," she says lightly. "Perhaps the tension between you two makes it seem...romantic?" She winks at killspec, who chuckles in response despite his earlier comment. Jasten blanches at her words, a mixture of anger and humiliation flushing his cheeks. He turns away from them both, muttering something under his breath about not being hungry anymore as they continue their walk through the gardens.

"Oh, I'm sure he won't," Rena says brightly, her tone not quite masking the doubt in her voice. "After all, people can change, as I mentioned earlier." She smiles at him reassuringly, trying to hide the fact that she doesn't entirely believe her own words.

Jasten grunts in acknowledgement but says nothing further. He glances over at killspec, his expression clouded with jealousy and suspicion. "Well," he finally says, "I suppose we should return to the palace soon. The day grows late." With that, he turns on his heel and begins walking back toward the palace, leaving Rena and killspec alone once again.

"Come now, Jasten," Rena calls after him. "Don't be such a sourpuss. We should all enjoy our time together while we can." But her words fall on deaf ears, and Jasten continues walking without responding.

Rena's eyes widen in surprise at the touch of the magical chains on her husband's hand. "Jasten," she hisses, trying to pull her hand away. But it's no use; the chains seem to have a mind of their own, keeping her in contact with killspec. The King stops in his tracks, glaring at both Rena and killspec with equal parts hatred and disbelief. "What are you doing?" he demands through gritted teeth.

"I was only trying to help," killspec says innocently, but Jasten doesn't seem to be listening. His face turns red with rage as he yanks his hand free from the chains, nearly sending killspec flying back a step. "Stay away from me!" he snarls before storming off once more toward the palace, leaving Rena and killspec standing there alone in the gardens.

Rena looks at killspec, her expression concerned but also confused. "He's never been like this before," she murmurs, shaking her head. "I don't understand what's gotten into him."

Rena sighs heavily, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I know...but I didn't expect him to react this way. He's never been one for sharing me before." She pauses, realizing how that sounds coming from her mouth. "I mean, he isn't usually so angry and possessive about it," she clarifies quickly. "Perhaps we should give him some time alone," Jasten suggests, his voice quiet but firm. "Let him cool off a bit." He glances at killspec with an unreadable expression before turning back to Rena, who nods in agreement. For the rest of the day, they leave killspec to himself, ensuring that he has everything he needs and avoiding any further confrontation with their jealous husband. The tension between them all lingers like a thick fog, making it difficult for anyone to find solace or comfort within the opulent palace walls.

"Perhaps we should have a private discussion," Jasten suggests to his wife, already tensing at the thought of confrontation. "See if we can't find some way to smooth things over between us."

Rena nods solemnly, knowing that they need to address this before it gets any worse. "I suppose that would be for the best," she agrees, reaching out to touch her husband's arm reassuringly. "We'll talk later tonight, when killspec is asleep."

Jasten doesn't respond, his eyes still fixed on the path ahead as they make their way back toward the palace. The weight of tension between them grows with every step, threatening to tear their fragile alliance apart before it has even truly begun.

The rest of the evening passes slowly as they avoid each other, lost in their own thoughts. Rena busies herself with her duties as queen while Jasten broods over his anger and jealousy toward killspec. The tension between them is palpable whenever they cross paths, making even the most mundane of exchanges feel like a struggle.

Finally, as the moon begins to rise in the sky above the palace, Rena summons Jasten to their private chambers for their long-overdue discussion. Sitting down on their ornate bed, she looks at him expectantly, hoping that they can find some way through this mess without further damaging their relationship or endangering the kingdom.

Jasten glances at her with a look of mixed emotions before speaking. "I don't understand why you had to bring him here," he says, his voice low and tight. "You knew how I would react." Rena sighs heavily, running a hand through her hair. "I knew it would be difficult for you, Jasten...but this was the only way to save our kingdom. We needed an heir, and someone from outside our bloodline might bring fresh perspective and strength." She looks at him pleadingly. "Don't you see that?" Jasten scoffs, his face turning red again. "Of course I see that! But why did it have to be him? Why not some other man?" The anger in his voice is clear, betrayal etched across his features.

Rena leans forward, her expression softening slightly as she takes his hand in hers. "Jasten, please...I love you. I don't want this any more than you do. But we have to put our differences aside for the sake of our people." Her eyes fill with tears, and he feels a pang of guilt at seeing her so distressed.