Raegar woke up the next morning with Zahara cuddling up to him. At some point in the night, she'd woken up and tied her long, soft blonde hair into a ponytail to get comfortable. He grinned at the sight as he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. The Half-Elf muttered softly, her love-filled grey eyes fluttering open.
A bright smile spread across her face as she gazed at him. ''Good morning, my love,'' she said sweetly. ''Did you sleep well?''
''Yes,'' he nodded. ''I feel refreshed thanks to you.''
Zahara beamed before leaning forward, giving him a passionate kiss that he reciprocated as she pushed her body against his. This started things again as the two began making love until sunrise, and by the time they stopped, Selene burst through the door, a big smile on her face. ''Get up, you both! It's time for breakfast.''
''We're coming, you cheeky Demoness!'' The blonde shouted, throwing a pillow at the red-skinned girl.
She dodged the sudden attack and sprang onto the bed, landing atop Zahara with a playful thud. Raegar chuckled at their antics, then rose and stretched, his joints popping loudly in the quiet room. ''I'm going to take a bath, then get something to eat. My stomach is rumbling.''
The girls weren't listening as Zahara was fighting to get Selene off her, but it was useless as the Demoness had her pinned. He shook his head at the silliness and stepped into the nearby bathroom, stripping out of his pants before stepping into the hot water, only for it to envelop his body.
Raegar sighed as the water soothed his muscles, the steam rising in gentle swirls around him. He closed his eyes, letting the warmth seep into his bones, washing away the lingering stiffness from sleep. The faint sounds of Zahara and Selene's playful scuffle drifted through the door, their laughter muffled.
He smirked, shaking his head again at their silliness. Reaching for a bar of soap, he lathered it between his hands, the aroma filling the air. He scrubbed his arms and chest, the water turning slightly cloudy as it rinsed away the soap. His thoughts wandered to the day ahead, but for now, he savored the rare moment of quiet.
After a thorough rinse, he turned off the water, the sudden silence amplifying the distant giggles from the bedroom. Stepping out, he grabbed a towel and dried off, the fabric soft against his skin. He wrapped it around his waist and moved to the mirror, wiping away the fog to reveal his reflection.
His white hair was tousled, and a faint stubble shadowed his jaw. He ran a hand over it, debating whether to shave, but decided against it. Selene always liked a bit of scruff. Raegar opened the bathroom door, letting a wave of steam escape, and stepped back into the bedroom.
Zahara and Selene had finally untangled themselves, now sprawled across the bed, catching their breath between fits of laughter. He raised an eyebrow, amused. ''You two done wrestling, or should I come back later?''
The blonde grinned, brushing a lock of hair from her face. ''You're just jealous you missed out.''
Selene propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes glinting mischievously. ''Plenty of room for you next time, handsome.''
Raegar snorted, moving to the wardrobe. ''Tempting, but I've got things to do,'' he pulled out a shirt and trousers, the fabric simple but well-fitted, and began dressing. As he tugged on his boots, he glanced back at them. ''You planning to laze around all day, or are we getting moving?''
The girls exchanged a look, their smiles promising more mischief, but Zahara hopped off the bed first. ''Give us a minute, hero. We'll catch up.''
He nodded, grabbing his belt and fastening it around his waist. ''Better hurry. I'm not waiting forever.''
With a final glance at their playful grins, Raegar stepped toward the door and waited outside, giving Zahara and Selene time to prepare. As he crossed the threshold, he nearly collided with Drusilla, Dominique, and Alice, who stood clustered in the hallway. His brow furrowed slightly.
''Where's Yuki?'' he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
''Dahlia asked to meet with her,'' Alice cheerfully revealed, a grin stretching across her face. ''I believe the empress is asking about the special pictures.''
Raegar's curiosity skyrocketed. ''Pictures?''
Dominique's giggle echoed as she dangled an Aether photograph of a thirteen-year-old him, mid-training with Rodric, his awkward stance frozen in time. His eyes widened, and he lunged to snatch it, but the Vampiress darted back, her laughter bubbling louder. ''How did you get that?'' he demanded.
Drusilla then revealed more, one of him as a fluffy-haired baby, one of Yuki holding him as a young girl. These pictures brought so many memories back that he couldn't help but smile at them. He gave up as Alice revealed. ''Yuki and your mother wanted us to see you throughout your life. I must say, Rae, you were a handsome baby.''
Raegar felt his cheeks heat up, making the three girls laugh, which was full of love, but was interrupted as Tracy rushed into the room, a panicked expression covering her cheeks as she exclaimed. ''The nobles are here to challenge you, Rae! And there's nothing Dahlia can do about it.''
''How many are there?'' he calmly asked.
''Ten, love.''
Without much thought, Raegar stood up and summoned his daggers with a ching before replying. ''Tell them all to meet me at the training fields, and make sure Dahlia attends. I want her to see me slaughter them.''
When the three girls heard this, their faces twisted, but Drusilla shouted. ''How dare they challenge my boy! I'll burn them with my dark magic!''
''We're with you, Dru!'' Dominique added, her shadow growing larger as the Death Knights waited to be freed.
''I'll punch the nobles in the face!'' Selene exclaimed, exiting the room.
''There's no need for any of that,'' Dahlia reassured as she appeared in the middle of them, amber eyes burning with rage. ''I'll burn their houses down to the ground, I'll make sure none of their relatives act up again.''
''No,'' Raegar interrupted. ''I'll fight them, and if their families have a problem, then I'll visit them with Arthur and the other Fusion Knight I'll get after this fight.''
When the group heard this, a shadow spilt from him as the armored blue knight appeared beside him as he continued. ''Plus, I have Arthur here to battle alongside me. That way, none of your families will be dragged into this war that's about to start.''
''War!'' Everyone exclaimed.
''They despise me for the power I hold and will stop at nothing to keep me from marrying Dahlia,'' Raegar announced, his voice low and intense as he paced before his gathered harem. ''The Dukes stand with us thanks to my grandparents, but the other houses? They'll come for me once I've cut down their heirs, pawns sent to their doom by lords too cowardly to face me themselves.''
Dahlia's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face, but he raised a hand to silence her concerns. ''I'll destroy their houses, root and stem, but it won't be quick or easy. It'll demand my attention, and in that moment, the Devils will strike again. Still, these nobles can't be spared. They scheme, they betray, they covet the throne, but I'll crush their ambitions before they can touch us.''
''You're turning into a statesman, Rae,'' Drusilla teased, her blue eyes glowed. ''But we'll be beside you, I want to burn some nobles.''
''I'll set my undead on them,'' Dominique added. ''Turn them into Zombies who serve me.''
''Our families will rally their forces,'' Alice revealed. ''Just send out the word, and grandfather will bring all our soldiers to your side!''
A proud smile spread across Raegar's face as he responded, his voice steady and commanding. ''Spread the word, once I've dealt with these ten nobles, I'll need support to handle the rest.''
With that, the group made their way to the training field at the back of the palace, where a tense scene awaited. A crowd of young nobles, his peers, stood clustered on one side, their eyes burning with defiance. Across from them, Raegar and Arthur stood alone, blades gleaming in their hands.
The lead noble, a brash young man, stepped forward, his voice ringing out across the field. ''This is a challenge to Raegar Blackwood, son of Count Aldric Blackwood. We fight to the death!''
Raegar let out a low chuckle before vanishing in a blur, reappearing before the noble with a feigned slash at his midsection. The young man yelped, fear flashing in his eyes, but managed to parry the strike as chaos erupted around them. The other nobles surged forward, weapons drawn, only for Arthur to leap into the fray, blocking blows aimed at his back.
The women watched in excitement as Raegar dashed around the training field cutting into the noble warriors, realizing they were amatuers compared to him. He ordered Arthur not to kill them but take them down.