Such tricks with me

Iskander read the message written on the parchment as he reclined in his chair. The sound of the door opening drew his attention, and he watched as Yohana entered, balancing a tray in her hands. Setting aside the parchment, Iskander focused his gaze on her as she approached, the tray bearing a solitary glass catching his eye.

"His Majesty is to drink this before retiring for the night," Yohana murmured softly, her eyes avoiding his.

Iskander held the glass after putting away the scroll on the table. He inhaled its aroma and found it was an almond milk. "Why don't you drink it first?" he asked, causing Yohana to meet his gaze.

"Me? How can I drink from the same glass which is supposed for the King," Yohana objected.

"You may, as I grant you permission," Iskander replied, extending the glass towards her. "Besides, it's not uncommon for a king to have a servant taste their food and drink before consuming it," he explained, encouraging her to take the glass from him.

Yohana couldn't let him see through her plan and she set the tray on the small table. Taking the glass from Iskander she brought it close to her mouth while he watched her carefully.

He knew she had mixed something in it, but he didn't know she would be willing to drink instead of accepting her mistake.

Iskander sat straight before getting up and placed his hand on the glass to take it back from her. "Leave it. You don't need to drink because I don't plan on drinking this almond milk tonight," he proclaimed.

"Ahh, why?" Yohana pulled the glass in her direction and quickly turned around. She had to go steal the sleeping pill from the infirmary to make sure Iskander would drink it tonight. She drank half of the milk happily and presented the glass to Iskander.

"Nothing was there. His Majesty was concerned over nothing," Yohana stated with a smile.

Iskander accepted the glass from Yohana, noting her lack of reaction after drinking from it. As he raised the glass to his lips, his heightened senses detected the presence of aphrodisiacs in the concoction. A puzzled expression creased his brow as he glanced at Yohana.

'Why did she use aphrodisiacs instead of the sleeping pill?' he wondered silently.

"Isn't it warm in here?" Yohana murmured, fanning herself with her hand to cool down. Suddenly, she felt her pheromones stirring within her, causing an unexpected surge of heat throughout her body.

Iskander placed the glass of milk on the table and noticed Yohana's reaction. Because of aphrodisiacs, she getting to in a heat. It made him chuckle as a smile crept over his lips.

Yohana felt the heat rising in her cheeks as she drew nearer to Iskander, her hands trailing up his arms to his shoulders as she locked eyes with him. Iskander welcomed her advances, savoring the moment with her.

With one hand resting on his cheek, Yohana stood on tiptoe, leaning in to kiss him. "I desire this," she whispered, her eyes barely open, her words laden with longing.

Iskander gently grasped Yohana's shoulders, playfully tapping her forehead. "And what is it that you want to do?" he teased, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Yohana leaned in dangerously close, her lips almost brushing against his. "I want to kiss and..." she began, her voice trailing off as she pulled away suddenly, her words interrupted by a murmured confession of feeling overheated.

As Yohana began to undo the knots on the back of her dress, Iskander felt compelled to intervene. "Yohana, you shouldn't do that," he cautioned gently.

Yohana didn't listen to him and kept removing one knot after the other. Iskander finally caught her hands, thus stopping her from undressing in front of him. He didn't wish her to blame him in the morning when she would come in her right senses.

"Umm... I feel hot, Iskander," Yohana murmured.

Iskander wasted no time and swiftly carried Yohana on his shoulder to the bathhouse, despite her protests and thrashing. As he gently lowered her into the oversized bathtub, Yohana felt a sudden chill envelop her, her body still radiating heat from the aphrodisiac's effects.

Her eyes widened as Iskander poured a bucket full of cold water over her head, causing her to shiver involuntarily. Despite the shock of the cold water, Yohana began to feel relief as the chill gradually countered the intense heat coursing through her body.

Yohana was now her senses fully and she quickly stood up. She was fully drenched, and she turned to look at Iskander.

She shut her eyes as a towel was thrown at her face. "Come to the chamber after drying yourself and changing into another dress," Iskandar angrily said and left the bathhouse.

He sat on the recliner, waiting for Yohana to show herself. After ten minutes, she entered the chamber with her head low.

"Explain yourself. Why did you put aphrodisiacs in the milk?" Iskander asked. He tilted his head to gaze at her and found out her hair was still wet. She looked beautiful even in those simple clothes.

"I thought it was a sleeping pill," Yohana stated. "Thank you, Iskander, for not doing anything to me," she said with a genuine gratefulness.

"When I told you to not be oversmart with me, then I meant it," Iskander said and he approached her. His hand wrapped around her throat as he drew her close. She looked into his eyes with bewilderment. "Don't you think if I had to take you to my bed I would have done that very easily?" he asked.

"What is stopping the King then?" Yohana asked. "He knows I don't want to please him in the bed, yet he is adamant to have me," she asserted.

"Nothing is stopping me. But I don't force myself if the woman is not ready to do it," he proclaimed and let go of her neck. "You should stop playing such tricks with me," he proclaimed.