Loud, vulgar moans could be heard within the walls of a room attached to the expensive study of Sir Felton, the queen's personal aide and secretary.
The beautiful, young woman in his bed was as voluptuous and enticing as she was ambitious.
She had made the old man in her hands a mushy mess as he whimpered.
The young Miss Jean was only 24 years old, but she had been raised in the testy waters of court for years and years. She knew how the palace worked and how the people in it functioned. It was not easy for a woman to wield any sort of power unless they could be in bed with the reigning king. Sadly, for Jean, a queen ruled over the land.
This left Jean with only the option to seduce the men nearest the queen.
Jean had first set her eyes on the young, womanizing crown prince but he would be hard to keep the attention of, and he had already been captured by an extremely attractive temptress named Vella Heartrianne.
Jean resented the beautiful blond, but she did not waste time.
Sir Felton was an old, strict man who stayed by the queen's side at all times. He was perfect for Jean to get her hands on. Sir Felton was married but that had never stopped someone like Jean.
She had no qualms about upsetting marriages or any course of morality to get what she wanted.
The way she saw it, the wife was probably happy that she did not need to deal with her ugly husband anyway.
Sir Felton gasped as Jean pulled him into another erotic kiss. He was falling apart but Jean was not enjoying it.
She was thinking hard about her next move.
After she had captured Felton's affection, she had realized her folly.
There was another man on the horizon with far more power than Felton.
He was direct royalty himself and was unmarried.
If Jean played her cards right, she could get the Lord of the House of Ravenshade infatuated with her and guarantee a very well-paid for life. He was the younger cousin of her majesty, the queen and lived in the palace himself, keeping the bored monarch company and talking to her every day.
He was a handsome man. He had broad shoulders and a muscular build. He was much older than Jean found attractive but his fortune and power would make it up to her, she was sure.
There was no way the other ladies of the palace were not trying to marry him somehow.
Jean frowned.
She had to play her cards right.
Everything in this twisted royal landscape was about power.
And to get power, anyone would do anything.
Cassandra walked into the large dining hall, still shaken by her first meeting with the crown prince.
He was the most vulgar man she had ever met. Then again, she had not met many women. Her father's house had high walls and Cassandra has never dared to look past them.
With the way her father and Vella, her half sister, loved the court and its many people, Cassandra had expected them to be amazing people. Maybe cruel for she had heard many such stories but she had expected the people at the palace to be well-bred, educated, gracious and incredible.
The crown prince had shocked her completely.
How could such a horrible and stuck-up little boy ever be expected to rule their kingdom well?
Cassandra was frowning and Elizabeth nudged her quickly to get her to look up.
The hall was completely empty save the one table at the far end near a bright window.
Dame Agatha stood there, tall and stern as ever while five other young noble ladies who had been selected sat at the table drinking their soup with only the most perfect posture.
Phoebe stifled a groan from behind Cassandra, "Do not tell me we will be judged even whilst we eat?"
Elizabeth looked perplexed and almost ready to cry, "Is this how the next ten days will be?"
"Ladies," Charlotte scolded and Cassandra was grateful for her stern and perfect friend, "compose yourselves. This is why we are here. Remember?"
The women were silent for a few moments before they nodded.
"We are going to win!" Cassandra smiled, willing herself to forget the crown prince's deplorable behavior. She was here to win the queen's favour and win her father's love. What the little stuck-up prince did was none of her business.
"That is the right attitude, Cassandra," Charlotte gave her a pleasant smile. "Now let us go join the others and hope Dame Agatha does not see that terrible cut on your finger, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth whimpered, "Oh no! I cannot be sent home on the first day! I simply cannot!"
Cassandra found herself consoling and encouraging the frightened Elizabeth as the four made their way to their table at the front near Dame Agatha.
Through the constant changing of her emotions in the span of just one or more hours, Cassandra realized just how scary the palace was and wondered if she could compete and win.
She had to, she realized.
And in the company of her closest friends, she felt her heart become just a little at ease.
Things would go well.
She would survive the ten days.
She would impress Dame Agatha.
And then, she would earn what her father wanted more than anything else. She would earn the queen's favour and bring her father into court, just as he had always dreamed of being.
Cassandra could not help the smile that formed on her face at the thought.
Her steps hurried and her beautiful sea blue dress seemed to echo her sentiments as it shone in the morning sunlight.
The serenity in her mind was broken as she walked past her friends.
She was only a little distance away from Dame Agatha. Cassandra was walking quickly with measured and gracious steps when the large door to her right opened.
A man stepped into the large room and Cassandra collided straight into his hard chest.