Shuriki let Esteban hold her while they fell asleep. When Esteban woke, she was gone. He didn't panic as he knew her schedule. Shuriki was in the palace library reading. She'd left him two alfajores out of the six he'd brought her.
Esteban plucked a cookie up off the plate intent on devouring it, but paused when he noticed a folded piece of paper sticking to the bottom. He peeled off the paper and unfolded it to read what Shuriki had written.
"Armando!"
The steward seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Si, Your Majesty?"
Esteban wrote something on the parchment before shoving it into the man's hand. "Gather the guards on this list. Tell them that they are to meet with me at the location and time I have specified. They're to come alone. Be sure each guard is alone when you approach them and that nobody overhears what's said. I mean it, Armando. Discretion's of the utmost importance. Once you're finished, burn this paper. Nobody's to see it-ever. If anybody discovers what was written on this piece of parchment, heads will roll, yours included. Do I make myself clear?"
Armando swallowed the lump of fear stuck in his throat. "Si. Crystal clear, Your Majesty."
Armando Gutierrez was a true friend and a good man. Esteban didn't trust anyone else to carry out his orders. Not even his royal malvago who had offered to be by his side when the time came for Shuriki's tormentors to be brought to justice.
No one would ever know where Miguel Leon, José Fuentes, Andreas Sosa or Pedro Ramirez had gone or what had happened to them. Except Shuriki. He would tell her whatever she wanted to know if it helped ease her fears.
Esteban met the men at the secret entrance that led to into the dungeons. Elena had used the door to sneak out back when they were young. It had proven instrumental as her way into the palace the day she'd dethroned Shuriki. Esteban was the only other person who'd known about it.
Lieutenant Fuentes was the dominant one in the group. Esteban knew by his attitude and how he carried himself. He was handsome, athletic, and intelligent, but the ninth son born into a wealthy family that held little to no influence in Avalor's royal court. He wouldn't be missed.
"Your Majesty, may I inquire as to why we were called here?"
If the young man thought adhering to decorum and exhibiting good manners would help him earn the king's favor or assist him in avoiding suspicion, he was sorely mistaken.
"You may not," Esteban replied.
His brusque tone caused Fuentes to step back and bow down. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I meant no offense."
Esteban turned his back to them. "Follow me."
The guards did as he ordered and followed him into the dungeon. None of them realized what they were in for until they stepped into the torture chamber.
Esteban stepped aside when the men turned toward him and Fiero stepped into the room. The malvago pointed a tamborita at the young guards shouting a spell that Esteban had never heard before. At first, it seemed as if the wizard hadn't used magic at all, but Esteban could sense the dark magic radiating from the guards. It made the hair on his arms and neck prickle and left him with goosebumps on his skin.
"Well?" Esteban demanded.
"It's done," Fiero assured him. "The spell will force them to do whatever you tell them to regardless of their own desires."
Esteban nodded. "Well done, Fiero. You may go."
Fiero bowed then sank back into the shadows. Where the old malvago went, Esteban couldn't say, nor did he care. He turned his full attention back to the four guards. "The time has come for you to answer for your crimes."
"What crimes?" Leon demanded. "We have done nothing wrong!"
"You assaulted mi reina," Esteban said. "Beat and violated her repeatedly. She's fortunate to have survived at all let alone with her fertility in tact."
"The bruja deserved far worse," Ramirez argued, "She was a despot!"
"He's right," Sosa agreed.
Fuentes smirked. "Young, hard cock is exactly what the putana needed. Made her docile, didn't it?"
Esteban drew his sword and shoved it up against Fuentes' throat pressing the tip of the long blade to his Adam's apple. "Do it. Say something else, I dare you."
When Fuentes refused to speak, Esteban sheathed his sword. He pointed to Ramirez. "You. Go lay on the table." He waited for the man to comply then turned to Leon and Sosa. "Tie him down." The two guards did as demanded.
Esteban commanded the other guards to watch as he shoved an old rag into Ramirez's mouth.
"You're all going to die in this room," he told them. "But before you do...I am going to make you suffer. You will do to each other the same things that you did to Shuriki. Only once you've felt her pain will I let you leave this world." He picked up a bucket of water. "Shall we begin?"
Shuriki was enjoying a hot bath and a glass of wine when the door to Esteban's room opened and closed. "Esteban?" She paused waiting for him to answer, but got no reply.
She knew someone was in the room. The guards wouldn't allow anybody into Esteban's chambers, not without announcing them beforehand, unless the person had used the servants' stairwell.
Shuriki frowned. Their servants never used the back stairs. Neither she nor Esteban trusted the palace staff well enough to leave the back door to their private apartments unlocked.
Shuriki climbed out of the tub and grabbed a knife off the platter of buttered bread, cheese and fruit she had been eating before tiptoeing out of the washroom to see what was going on.
Her heart leapt into her throat and she dropped the knife when she saw Esteban standing by the table washing blood off his hands. His shirt and jacket were stained with splotches and splatters of crimson.
She closed the distance between them.
"Esteban, what-?"
"It's not mine," he assured her as she inspected him for possible injuries.
"What happened?" she demanded.
"Let's just say the men who hurt you will never do so again and leave it at that."
Esteban was too tired to explain the punishments he'd inflicted on the men. How he'd poured buckets of water over their heads to nearly drown them or the way that their bones snapped and cracked on the spokes of the wheel. He'd employed each and every method known by the Avaloran torturerers from ripping the guards' fingernails off to pulling their shoulders out of the sockets before castrating and executing them.
Shuriki stared up at him with an expression he'd never seen before. For a moment Esteban feared he'd upset her by doing what he'd done to those who'd wronged her. He hadn't stopped to think how she might react to knowing he'd tortured men on her behalf. He had assumed she'd be pleased, relieved even, but what if that wasn't the case at all? What if Shuriki was appalled? Had he misunderstood what she'd intended in leaving him the names?
Women usually didn't have the stomach for torture, and in many cases, would've been disgusted by the idea. Esteban had assumed Shuriki was different, that she'd understand why such a course of action was necessary, that she'd be pleased. Had he been wrong?
"Shuriki-"
"Take off your clothes."
His eyes widened. "Huh?!"
"We have to get rid of the evidence," she explained, "That way no one will be able to blame you for the men's disappearance."
Esteban stood there and blinked repeatedly as if her words had stunned him into silence. It was almost like he was in a daze.
He's in shock, Shuriki realized.
In all the years that she'd known him, Esteban had never been neglectful or violent. Nor had he ever taken Avaloran law into his own hands. For him to do so now-to protect her-spoke volumes. She hadn't realized how far he was willing to go.
This sudden revelation of his mercurial nature...the dark side of him that she nor anyone else had ever seen before...it should've frightened or at the very least appalled Shuriki. It didn't. She found herself even more drawn to him. Knowing Esteban would go to such lengths just to defend and appease her aroused and excited the sorceress, endeared him to her in ways that she'd never thought possible.
She started removing his clothing for him while he stood there shaken by his own actions. She tried to wipe as much blood from his face and hands as she could with his cravat and undershirt before tossing them into the lit fireplace with his trousers and his coat. She even threw her own robe into the flames for good measure before practically dragging him into the washroom.
"Get in," she ordered, motioning to the tub.
Esteban did as directed lowering himself down in the lukewarm water without any complaint. Shuriki came over and nudged him.
"Make room."
Esteban seemed more than a little surprised, but rather than argue, just did what she told him to. Shuriki joined him in the tub.
"Clean yourself up the best you can or people will suspect something."
He took the damp cloth and the bar of soap she handed him and began scrubbing at his skin. It was more difficult than expected. His normally steady hands wouldn't stop trembling despite his best efforts.
Shuriki eventually took the rag away from him and ran the fabric over every inch of his body until his skin was red and almost raw to the touch. She washed his hair as well before she scrubbed her own hair and body to make sure no one would ever find anything that could be used to tie them to the guards' disappearance.
Shuriki was just about to stand up to get out of the tub when Esteban caught her off guard pulling her into his lap for a sudden, unexpected hug.
"Esteban, what-"
"I'm not trying anything," he interrupted her. "Por favor, Shuriki...I need to hold you. Just for a little while."
She sighed. "If you must."
Shuriki draped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Despite what he might or might not have believed, she did want to comfort him. The poor man had done horrible things he would've never thought himself capable of all in the name of keeping her secret and reputation in tact. Truth be told, there wasn't a single man that she could name she had taken up with previously in the past that would've gone to such lengths just to ensure her safety and happiness. Esteban truly was the only one to ever care about her sanity or her health. The only one who made Shuriki want to care about and ensure his well-being.
She nuzzled his neck to try and comfort him. It seemed to work as his hands and body finally stopped trembling and he was able to bury his face in the crook of her neck without every last muscle tensing up from the stress of his actions earlier that evening. He eventually relaxed and released a heavy sigh.
Shuriki pressed her lips to his pulse savoring the steady, rhythmic beat of life while his mustachio and chin puff tickled the soft, sensitive skin on her shoulder as he continued to cling to her. Never had she felt such intimacy.
No political plays, mind games, witty banter, or unnecessary posturing. No more veiled insults, ludicrous expectations, or empty, backhanded compliments. Just two lonely, broken souls in desperate need of one another's warmth and compassion. To Shuriki who'd never let herself be vulnerable before it was both exhilarating and terrifying.
She felt as if someone had stripped her bare and all of her deepst, darkest secrets were right there for all the world to see. Esteban was the only barrier separating her from those with malicious intent. Her only true defender. In his arms Shuriki could escape from everything and everyone if only for a little while.
She tightened her arms around him and closed her eyes. If she couldn't take Avalor back as her own, she would at least have Esteban. This man, all that he was and had, would be hers and hers alone to keep no matter the cost or what anyone else thought or believed. Shuriki would settle for nothing less.
"Esteban?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
He didn't bother to reply or say "You're welcome". There was no need. The gratitude was evident in the way she held him.
"Esteban, the water's getting cold."
"Mmm..."
"Esteban, wake up! You cannot fall asleep in the tub!"
Esteban sighed. "Why not?"
"Because as your queen I forbid it," she huffed.
Esteban couldn't help smiling when Shuriki referred to herself as "his" queen. Not "the" queen. His. "Do you?"
"Yes! Now get out! I'm starting to prune..."
Esteban shook his head and chuckled as he stood and offered her his hand to help her out of the tub. "You're such a drama queen, Shuriki."
Shuriki took his hand batting her eyelashes playfully as she stood then pulled her hand from his to tease him. "Oh, Esteban, are you saying you'd want me any other way?"
He took her by surprise pulling her close just to whisper in her ear. "I'll take you any way that I can get you, mi amada."
Shuriki's breath hitched when she felt his warm breath on her neck. She shivered when Esteban kissed her shoulder and wanted to protest when he released her and took a step back. Did he have any idea what sort of an effect he had on her?
He handed her a towel then proceeded to dry himself off. "It's late. I don't know about you, querida, but after the day I have had, I could certainly do with some rest."
Shuriki nodded, though sleep was probably the farthest thing from her mind. She couldn't help stealing glances at him while she was toweling herself dry.
Esteban might not have been as athletic as some of the men at court, but he was still exceedingly attractive. Tall and wiry with a well-shaped rear, smooth, dark voice, nice hairstyle, good manners, and more than adequate at pleasing a lover. What was not like? Oh, yes, he could be acerbic, even a little imperious at times, but everyone had faults.
Shuriki caught a glimpse of his semi-aroused cock and couldn't help licking her lips. Heat dusted her cheeks a light pink as she remembered Ash's words about giving into Esteban and allowing him to have what he wanted.
Could she really do it? Make a life with him? Become a real queen? The kind Avalor both needed and deserved? Could she be a decent wife? A good mother? She'd never be perfect, but perhaps-against all odds and even her own better judgement-she'd be adequate?
Shuriki wasn't ready to give herself to Esteban. Not yet. She did want to become a better person, not just for him, but for herself. She was willing to change her ways. She had to or Esteban would suffer. He didn't have to die. Not on her orders or by her hand.