One Year

Concubines

The cold winter turned even more cold before it began to melt. The new signs of life started showing as small buds on trees began to grow. Siri was in charge of organizing the Spring Hunt and have been just as busy at Ryu with running the government. They only saw each other at the end of the day when he would come back to their chambers to wash up and go to sleep next to her already sleeping body.

It was on one of these occasions that Ryu's lack of presence beside her made her wake up in the middle of the night. The cold, untouch bedside made her worry as she wore a night robe around her and opened the door. Meada stood up to bow and was about to speak when Siri cut her off.

"Where's the King?" Siri asked.

"In the study." Meada told her.

"You are dismissed for the night. Get some sleep. We'll be fine." Siri told her.

"This servant will be downstairs, just in case you need this servant." Meada said as she bowed and left.

Siri walked to Ryu's study and pushed open the door. Ryu immediately looked up from the desk and quickly rolled up the scrolls that he was just looking at.

"What's wrong?" Siri asked as she closed the door behind her. "What is it that you don't want me to see?"

"It's nothing." Ryu said as he got up from the desk to distract her from coming closer to his desk.

He caught her and held her in his arms as he kissed her lips. Siri sighed heavily letting him kiss her. Letting him take the lead, but when he pulled back to kiss her cheek, Siri was able to slip out of his embrace and run towards the desk. Her hands were on the scroll he tried to hide and she opened it to see a list of names before his hands descends over the scroll and pushed it down on the table.

"I told you it was nothing." Ryu told her as his anger rose slightly.

"If it was nothing than why can't you let me see it?" Siri questioned as she tried to move his hand off of the scroll.

"No." Ryu told her. "You'll be upset when you see it and I don't want to upset you."

"I won't be upset." Siri told him. "I promise."

"No. You're just saying that now so you can see it, but I know you'll be upset in the end anyways." Ryu told her.

"I promise I won't be upset." Siri argued. "If I get upset you can punish me any way you like."

Ryu hesitated. But he was tempted. "Even when we're having sex?"

"Yes, even when we're having sex." Siri agreed quickly.

"Fine. But don't tell me that I warned you." Ryu said as he took his hand off the scroll.

Siri took it and lifted it up to her face so she could read it. On the scroll was a row of names. They were names of the single noble young ladies of Yukah. Minister daughters and General daughters that still wanted their daughter to marry Ryu, even though he warned them of never stepping inside the Back Palace.

In total there were 20 names. Siri read through the names and knew all of them. And knew why he wanted to hide it away from her and didn't want her to see it.

"Their Fathers are still being blind to the fact that we love each other and your decree of not stepping into the Back Palace?" Siri asked.

"Em." Ryu said as he pulled her towards the couch on the side of the room and sat her straddling him so they could talk. "I have warned them repeatedly what would happen to their daughters, trying to deter them to another path, but they have been consistent in their urgings that I take on a concubine. They think that no man is willing to be faithful towards one woman. They think that if I have a Back Palace filled with women, I'll waver and wander their way. They think I won't be able to say no to their beauty, their innocence, and their talents."

Ryu kisses Siri softly before finishing his point.

"But they don't know you so they don't know what their daughters are up against."

Siri's heart felt light as she smiled sweetly at Ryu.

"Are they pressuring you everyday?" Siri asked.

"Since Lady Mia's funeral." Ryu admitted. "I've been able to push the choosing of a concubine because I told them I was giving Lady Mia the respect she was owed for saving you. But the petitions are getting outrageous."

"Then choose." Siri told him. "We'll choose them together. Then we interview them to see if this is what they want. If it is, they marry you. If it isn't, we'll reject them. Easy."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be?" Siri told him. "You made me promises and you have always been a man of your words, so why would I be mad? Besides, you and I both know, the moment you betray me, I'm gone with your penis in my bag as a keepsake."

Ryu laughed loudly at her bluff. "Yes. I did give you all my promises."

"Em." Siri said. "So why would I need to be upset, if you already know?"

"Then let's do as you say. We'll chose from the list, then interview them together. If they don't want what their Father decided for them, we'll let them go. If they still agree to the marriage and know how serious I am about not stepping inside the Back Palace, then we'll take them." Ryu agreed as he played with the ends of her hair.

"Are you still going to punish me?" Siri asked.

"No. Since you didn't get upset." Ryu told her.

A mischievous grin comes on her face as she quickly pushes herself off Ryu's lap and makes her way to the door. She opens it, but before she leaves, she turns around and asks him a last question.

"What if I get upset that you didn't punish me for getting upset? Would you punish me then?" Siri teased him as she quickly ran through the opened door she prepared ahead of time and ran towards their bedroom.

She could hear Ryu growl at her as she runs. He was already behind her within two steps and scooped her up into his arms and throws her over his shoulder like a sack. His hand comes up to slap her butt cheeks and a loud clap could be heard.

"You, My Queen. Did not disappoint this King."

Siri squealed as she giggled.

"You, My King. You better not disappoint this Queen tonight!"

Ryu laughs as they turn into their bedroom. Their laughter soon became moaning and groaning. Her moaning and groaning soon became pleas. Her pleas were not answered until the morning. Ryu made sure, he didn't disappoint his Queen.