You can pray, but I have other methods.

I closed my eyes and let myself go, surrendering to the raw intensity of our lovemaking.

Her breath got heavy with pleasure as she gazed up at me. I leaned back, my lips brushing against hers in a soft kiss, worried I might bite her accidentally.

My arms wrapped around her waist and I lifted her a bit from the wet sheets.

"I want to be with you forever," I whispered, my lips trailing her neck, leaving bitemarks behind. "I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy."

Valleria's body arched under mine, leaving me completely under her spell. I continued to move with increasing urgency, my body responding instinctively to the overwhelming pleasure rushing through me.

I needed her to know just how much she meant to me, how she had become the very essence of my being. So, while our bodies moved as one, I whispered words of devotion against her skin, hoping to etch them into her soul. And in that moment, as her body tightened around mine and her cries of pleasure echoed in my ears, I allowed myself to release everything I had left in me.

We held each other close for a few moments, our bodies still trembling.

"No," I stopped her hand when she urged me to roll aside so she could take a bath, "I want a child from this very moment. Bear one for me, my beloved wife."

"I've been dreaming of starting a family with you, Maximilian. But it doesn't work like that. We have to pray for one, first." She said seriously and her frown forced me to laugh.

"Pagans have children, too." I rubbed her cheek and lied next to her, happy and content "I already explained all of it to you. You can get pregnant while we do things like this-"

"You are so indecent. Don't talk about it again!" her hands covered my mouth and instantly retreated again, as i grabbed her and licked her fingers.

"You are the naughty one. Luring me to fuck you rough like that. Playing with your body in front of your poor husband, giving him no other choice than to fill this sweet hole in between your legs." I chuckled, poking her red cheek.

"I'll pray anyway." She frowned at me suddenly, as she stirred a bit and glanced at me.

"Alright. But don't you dare praising him for what I did. I'm not trying so hard to put a baby in your belly to hear how God blessed you with a child. If it's someone's fault, I want to be the only one to blame." I sat up and reached for the plate, to be able to feed her the pie myself.

We spent the whole forenoon in bed. She fell asleep a while ago and I quietly left, well aware she need some time for a proper rest after our rough intercourse.

But I was in a good mood. My body was pleased and so was my mind.

'I love you so much. It's so good I wanna cry, she said.' I had to force myself to relax my cunning smile when I walked across the courtyard, accompanied by just two of my royal guards.

As I walked in the council hall, I noticed Peter with Stephen and some other man I barely recognized, standing a bit aside.