Morgan stood at the window of her chambers, the dim light of the setting sun casting elongated shadows across the stone floor. She had recently returned from a trip to Camelot to see her brother Arthur, a visit she had dreaded. She had no love for Arthur; he was a reminder of everything she despised—a symbol of the throne that should have been hers. But that was not her primary concern. No, the true torment lay in the fact that he had not accompanied her. Instead, he had chosen to remain behind, and it gnawed at her insides like a ravenous beast.

She observed the distant hills, her mind clouded with thoughts of her husband and the unsettling changes in his behavior. He had been strange, withdrawing into himself, spending less time in her presence. Morgan was not foolish; she understood exactly what he intended to do in her absence. He was a barbarian—a civilized barbarian, perhaps, but still a barbarian. His instincts, primal and untamed, could easily lead him astray.

Driven by an obsessive need for control and an innate distrust, she dispatched a spy to follow him. When the report came back, her suspicions were confirmed: he was cheating on her. With common prostitutes, no less. The revelation stung her ego; how could he degrade himself with such lowborn filth? The thought of him consorting with those beneath her station made her skin crawl. Morgan’s eyes narrowed at the memory, her expression still blank but a storm brewed within her.

She would not allow this betrayal to go unpunished.

When he returned, she awaited him in his quarters, where he sat engrossed in a book. The sight of him—so calm, so oblivious to the turmoil she felt—irritated her further. She emerged from the shadows, her silhouette framed by the dim candlelight, her presence both commanding and disquieting.

“Dear,”she began, her tone deceptively sweet yet laced with an icy edge.“How was your time alone? It was... satisfactory?”

The question hung in the air, sharp as a blade. Morgan took a step closer, observing him with her piercing sky-blue eyes, studying the minutiae of his reaction, seeking any sign of guilt. She could sense the tension radiating from him, a flicker of uncertainty that pleased her—if only for a moment.

“It must have been quite enjoyable,”she continued, letting a slight smirk curl on her lips, though the expression was devoid of warmth.“I trust the company was... satisfactory as well?”