January 7th 1517

Szczecin Palace, Norway

Queen Clara POV

I see my mother and stepfather (lover) enter the palace and have them shown to their rooms as they house beside me so I can check on them.

That, and so Raphael will have an easier time coming into my chambers to make love to me.

As soon as I think that, Raphael appears and backs me into the bed where we make passionate love to me five times.

''I have an idea my lover.'' I tell Raphael.

''And what idea would that be?'' he asks.

''Mother will get pregnant by Thor and me by you as people are getting suspicious and we switch the babes while they are still in the womb. The people will back off and you will have kids by me as I will transfer more so they will look like me and you.''

''An excellent idea lover. One of these days, I will kill Thor and be King and a husband to you.''

Before I can tell him not to, he has to leave as my ladies-in-waiting are returning and I redress and so does he before leaving through the secret tunnel.

I clean the air of the smell of sex and the ladies come in afterwards, never knowing I am sleeping with someone who is not my husband.

As no one knows and will never know as I am very discreet and will kill anyone who finds out as my sons would be branded bastards and I would be executed the very same day.

I may be three months but I am almost four as the new year is fast approaching and I had conceived on the tenth of September as mother conceived shortly after me.

If only he would not have lain with her then everything would be perfect and I would be content.

Lady Jasmine Black POV

I wake as my husband is coming back from lunch as it is one in the afternoon and I see my maids have left me something to eat and I consume it heartily.

Hearing that my daughter, Nadine is worrying about me, her father, and her siblings warms my heart as it seems Beryl doesn't worry about me.

Clara, Theodore, and Nadine have all showed their worry as the assassins are coming after me even when I am with child.

But Beryl has not even sent a letter to ask if I am well or to see if the assassins caused too much stress on my body to where I lost the babe which I did not but it is the principle of the thing.

But alas after everything I have done for that child, she doesn't even write to check on me.

My grandson's future bride, Princess Maria, niece to King Charles V is a beauty as we have seen paintings of her and she has visited with her mother, Princess Catalina of Spain.

The fifteen-year-old widow as her husband died in the war with Portugal and left her pregnant with four children.

Ferdinand, Daniel, Maria, and Anna.

Those poor children will never know their father and I feel bad for them.

Catalina was named after her aunt, Queen Catalina of France who lost her life after giving birth to the youngest of the French Royal children by her.

Raphael Black POV

I am drunk on the power of being father to Norway's heirs and England's Queen to where I cannot stop thinking of being King of Norway.

Now, only to find an untraceable poison and use it on Thor and then I shall marry Clara and be King.

I leave no traces of evidence that Clara's children are mine as we don't want any evidence leaking out.

But they almost find out of my ambition to be King and so, I destroy everything that would tie me to the attempted murder of King Thor.

Tis enough that I have to swallow my pride and be the Queen's stepfather and secret lover.

She is the mother of my heirs and yet, I cannot recognize them as such as doing so would be mine and Clara's death and I do not wish to die as I have a few years left.

January 11th 1517

Black Residence

I see a maid and I call her over to me and once she is close enough and she consents, I rip her underwear off, lower my pants freeing myself, and enter her, breaking her barrier in the process and still for a time then make sweet passionate love to her five times (impregnating her).

I send her to do her chores after telling her that she will be my only mistress and she will not marry as long as I live.

As Nadine is Queen of England, Ireland, and Wales and Clara is Queen of Norway with Theodore as Duke of Gloucester, Primrose the Duchess of Girona, and Beryl Duchess of Hamburg not to mention the little kids and the unborn babes, they will be safe.

Nadine needn't have worried as it was all for naught and we are fine.

Although I will never know how close we came to death as our empty home was attacked by assassins who when they realized we were somewhere safe, shattered things and left our home in a mess.

Nadine sends us a letter saying England's safe now but I look at Jasmine and I know she is not fit to travel so I get out my writing equipment.

Dear daughter,

We would come back at the earliest opportunity but your mother isn't ready to go on a ship as it seems she is carrying more than one and looks very fragile. Until we see each other again.

Your father,

Raphael Black

I send the letter to Nadine, letting her know that we won't be able to be there until her mother delivers.

Which is a month or two after she delivers and I know she wants us to be there.

But she knows why she has to wait as the health of her mother and siblings come first.