Chapter 16: An Unexpected Wedding Gift

After a nice breakfast, the newlywed couple were at a loss as to what to do next. Rowena shyly attempted to ask him about himself, but his short answers divulged very little detail about his life or personality other than that he was a very guarded and private man. Rowena understood that was to be expected, but it still made for awkward conversation. So, she decided to stop trying.

They continued to eat in silence. It didn't really bother Rowena. She was not the type to need mindless chatter although she was curious about her new husband. 'Oh, well' she thought 'we have time to get to know each other.'

Rowena was astute. As she watched him eat, she realized it was not shyness nor even his natural mistrust of others that made their conversation stilted and difficult. She understood that he was deeply engrossed in thinking about something other than her. She wasn't jealous or hurt. But she was curious. A powerful man like Daimon must have a great deal on his mind.

Daimon knew nothing about entertaining women out of the bedroom. He did not attend parties, cultural festivals, sporting events, artistic performances, or any other entertainments common with the aristocracy. Truth be told, he didn't know if he would find them boring. He never really had the opportunity to discover if he'd like them since his father had him constantly training for battle even at a young age.

And, although his father was known for his lavish entertainments, Daimon was never invited to attend any of them. Until his wedding, that is. He knew there would be more festivities in the coming weeks, ostensibly to celebrate the Imperial Couple, but more for the Emperor's own self-gratification and self-glorification.

And he was not ready to risk transforming into the Beast if he entertained his wife in their bedroom. He was frustrated in more ways than one. He really was attracted to the beautiful woman who sat across the table smiling sweetly at him and trying to engage him in conversation. He'd never given much thought to women before. He admitted to himself that his lust was always directed towards battle, not pleasures of the flesh. But she awakened in him something he thought did not exist.

But he also had more important things on his mind than sexual pleasure. He was still confused as to why his father wanted him to get married and to this woman in particular. His father did nothing without a reason. and that was what had him so concerned.

He wasn't necessarily opposed to being married, he never really thought much about it. Up until now, his father only sent him out to conquer more kingdoms. From the age of 9, when he first discovered the ability to transform into the Beast, he had known nothing but war and blood and violence and victory. His father's greed kept him always on the path of destruction and left him no time to learn of the intimate ways between men and women, let alone experience them. And he feared how the Beast within him would react.

While Zhan fought by his side, he also had taken time out for pleasure with women. He was never serious about any of them, but he also in no way made promises he wouldn't keep. He encouraged his friend Daimon to do the same, but Daimon's fear of scaring or hurting a woman if he lost control of the Beast was too strong. And so, Daimon remained aloof from women and the pleasure they could bring. It never really bothered him though, he was so busy with the task of conquering nations that he had little time to think of anything else. Until now that is, as he sat across from the most stunning woman he had ever seen. And one whose mellifluous voice called him 'Dear Husband' in the most charming way.

But other things troubled him and occupied his mind. He had not heard from Killian in quite some time. Killian had left without saying much, as he was wont to do. But he did say he was investigating some troubling information he had received. He also said that he would say nothing else until he had more information. This was Killian's typical modus operandi. But for some reason, Daimon couldn't quite shake the feeling that something was very very wrong.

"Husband? Husband?"

Rowena's worried voice shook him from his reverie.

"Pardon?" he asked, slightly embarrassed that he'd ignored her and let his mind wander.

"I was just asking if you wanted anything else to eat."

"No, I'm not really hungry."

"Okay, then. How shall we spend the day?" she inquired fixing her intoxicating amethyst eyes upon him.

He shook his head and shrugged to indicate he had no idea what to do. "I'm sorry, Rowena. I'm not very good company." He didn't know what else to say.

"It can't be much fun for a decisive man of action to entertain a boring and frivolous little princess." Rowena said kindly.

"I don't think you are boring or frivolous." He said sincerely. He was surprised that she would describe herself that way. Although they just met, he could sense that she was neither boring nor frivolous. Far from it.

He sighed, "I'm sorry. I know nothing about entertaining women, especially cultured and sophisticated ones." His warm smile and sincere words melted her heart just a little.

She smiled sympathetically. "I'm just a young woman from a tiny kingdom. I'm not particularly cultured or sophisticated myself." She said self-deprecatingly.

Daimon disagreed, but he didn't really know how to tell her.

A hesitant knock on the door saved him.

"Enter." He commanded.

A servant entered with a large package. He bowed respectfully to the Imperial Couple.

"A wedding gift has arrived for you, Your Highness." The nervous man said. He did not like being in close proximity to the fearsome Crown Prince and liked even less the fact that he was interrupting the man's honeymoon. Fortunately, General Zhan had offered to accompany him.

"Who's it from?" Rowena inquired.

"I'm afraid I don't know. But I was given implicit instructions to ensure no one else opened it but you, Your Highness."

Daimon shrugged. He took the gift and removed the wrapping and lifted the lid.

Three venomous vipers shot out of the box straight towards Daimon's face as if fired from a crossbow. His battle-honed reflexes were nearly supernatural, but even he couldn't compare. Zhan, also, was too slow to react properly. Time seemed to stand still as both men were unable to stop the snakes' deadly trajectory.

"What pretty pets!" Rowena exclaimed.

Both men were flabbergasted as they stared at Rowena who held all three vipers in one hand and was looking at them adoringly despite their hissing and attempts to bite.

The terrified servant who delivered the package passed out from fear. It was more from anticipation of what the Crown Prince and Emperor would do to him and his family than from the shock of what the package contained. He wasn't even the courier who delivered the package. He simply had the misfortune of being at the entrance of the palace when it was delivered.

"Careful." Zhan warned. "They are the most venomous snakes in the world. One bite can kill in less than a minute."

Rowena blinked and looked at the two men innocently.

"Nonsense. These sweet little babies won't harm me." She said in all seriousness.

The men looked at her strangely. But sure enough the snakes, who moments before had been prepared to strike, appeared to be docile now. In fact, if they didn't know better, they'd swear their hisses sounded more like contented purrs.

Struck speechless and momentarily frozen in shock, the two men stared at Rowena who had now draped the largest viper around her neck as a scarf. The mid-size one she allowed to crawl on her right arm away from Daimon's side. The smallest one, she tucked into her hair around the chignon atop her head. She looked exotic and beautiful.

She giggled as the large snake's tongue flicked in and out as it travelled around her shoulders and over the swells of her breasts. She sighed contentedly and practically purred when she said, "Snakes give the best hugs and kisses."

The two remained speechless statues as they could only gape at the spectacle.

"May I please keep them?" she asked. "Afterall, they were a wedding gift."

Her last statement snapped the two men out of their stupor.

"Find the courier who delivered it and bring him to me immediately." Daimon ordered. Zhan nodded and was gone stepping over the unconscious and unlucky servant.

"Rowena," Daimon said seriously. "You can't keep them. They are extremely dangerous."

She pouted prettily. "They won't harm me. Or you." She spoke. "I told them not to."

"…" Daimon was trying to remain calm, but he was frustrated by her stubbornness and rather surprised by her foolishness. Until now, she had only impressed him with her cleverness.

"Rowena." He tried again but found himself unable to say anything while staring into her amethyst eyes. He sighed, defeated.

"At least keep them in a place where they won't get frightened and accidentally kill someone."

This tactic seemed to work, and she agreed wholeheartedly.

"Let us go visit the royal zookeepers. They will know what to do." He said.

"You have a royal zoo?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course. Father likes to keep dangerous animals around. It makes him feel even more powerful."

"We must go at once!" she exclaimed grabbing his hand and starting off before she realized she had no idea where she was going.

"I'll lead the way." Daimon said using his long strides to put a few feet of distance between them. No matter what promises she made, he was not keen on being in close proximity to the deadly creatures. Although anyone who observed them would think that the former bachelor had momentarily forgot he had a wife. But he knew she could keep up.