Page 17 of Taken By the Barbarian King

It's certainly an annoyance when Lottie and I are trying to get intimate. Also, it yaps too much, but despite all that I've grown to like the little Thing.

Lottie bends over and picks it up, whispering at it and scratching under its neck.

I press the intercom button and lean toward the receiver.

"I need assistance."

I let go and it's not even a second before the response comes from the other side.

"Whatever you need, Your Most Brutal Highness."

"Brutal Highness?" Lottie mumbles but I focus on the task at hand.

"I need you to open the door," I tell the wen—woman on the other side.

"Oh, Your Highness, I… we're not allowed to..."

My hands ball into fists and I punch the wall next to the intercom when Lottie shoves the Thing into my hands and presses the intercom button herself.

"Hey, hi. What's your name?"

She glances at me and even though the Thing is wrestling in my arms all I can do is watch her.

"Fi-Fiotrix, ma'am."

"Fiotrix? What a wonderful name."

"Th-thank you," Fiotrix responds.

"I'm Ch--Alexandra. Listen, Fiotrix, you're doing a fantastic job. The interlude is only going splendidly because of your hard work. I couldn't thank you enough."

"Thank you, ma'am."

I don't know why she's chatting with the help but I'd be damned if I can stop staring at her.

"You don't have to thank me. Truly. Thundar and I have been enjoying our time so much and you and I both know if things are going well, there must be a woman behind the scenes."

"Uh, if you say so, ma’am."

"I do. And not only you, but your whole team is wonderful. A force to be reckoned with. You really should be doing much more than looking after horny royals, that's for sure."

A laugh comes through the speaker and Lottie smirks.

"You're too kind, ma'am."

"Just being honest. Now, Fiotrix, I know we're not allowed to leave but would you please make an exception for me? If you do that for me, I promise you, when I'm queen, I'm going to make sure you and your team are taken care of and promoted to much, much, better positions."

I'm supposed to tell her she won't have that kind of authority. That she can't make those kinds of promises, but I don't have the heart. Not when the word queen comes out so naturally from her lips and sounds so fitting. So perfect.

Lottie catches me watching her and she narrows her eyes. "What?"

"That won't work, you know--" I start when the door mechanism crackles and the door slides open with a heavy whoosh.

"You were saying?” She raises an eyebrow before she turns to the woman standing in front of us. “Thank you so much, Fiotrix." She's still wearing the ceremonial robe, unlike Lottie who seems to have embraced her nakedness and grabs Fiotrix's hand and shakes it.

Fiotrix's eyes go wide and she gasps but she daren't say anything. When Lottie lets go, she steps aside and we both come out. I put the Thing in Fiotrix's arms and tell her to take it for a run around the ship, maybe introduce it to Hailmak. Then I take Lottie by the hand and guide her to my royal quarters.

"Why did she look so shocked when I shook her hand?" Lottie whispers.

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