Royal House of Grey - Chapter 6


Author's note: Thank you so much for your response for the last chapter. It was completely overwhelming and again, I found myself not being able to write as I wanted to make sure that it flowed right and just when I came up with the right idea for this next chapter, my laptop broke so I had to take it in to be fixed and I couldn't use my phone as it doesn't use the features that I use on the desktop so I apologise for the wait.

This is going to be a slow burn as my previous stories have been criticised for being too fast so it'll be slowed down but I promise you, it'll be worth it and it will be full of lemons! I hope you enjoy this next chapter and now that my laptop is fixed, I will be able to post more chapters quicker than I have been. Enjoy!


APOV

We've had a great wedding dinner. Only the best at Bellvue Palace! We had baked feta cheese with tomatoes for our starter, lobster for our main course and mango parfait with lemon sorbet which all of it was mouthwatering, even though I couldn't finish much of it as the anticipation suppressed my appetite. I've been having the most loveliest of chats with His Majesty, King Carrick and also making sure that me and Christian are obviously checking in with one another to carry on our act.

"You ok?" He asks me.

"Of course I am. I'm very entertained by your father's stories."

"Oh god, now I know you're lying. His stories are the most boring. You sure you don't need saving?" He looks at me worringly, his eyebrows forming a 'V' between them.

"I don't find them boring! I'm fine, promise." I assure him.

"Your funeral, Steele."

"Erm, I think you'll find it's Grey now." I raise my left eyebrow at him. Gotcha!

"Well, you haven't been formally intiated yet. Don't forget we still have the first dance to come."

Oh shit! This is going to be so embarrassing! Hello, you have selected me to try and see if I can assure the people of Bellvue of the mornachy's longetivity but just one other thing, I can't dance!

"Oh! Really? We have to do that?" I bite my lip in worry.

He looks at me for a split second, not saying anything. "Anastasia - what's wrong? It's just a little dance. All weddings do it."

"Erm, I probably should have mentioned this but I can't dance. Like at all."

"What do you mean you can't dance? Like are you trying to be modest and really, you're trained or you really, really can't dance?" He questions me.

"Really, really can't dance. You'll most likely end up getting injured if we dance together." He chuckles and then stops when he sees by my facial expression that I am really not kidding.

"Right - erm, don't worry - just before we dance, take your shoes off."

"My shoes? What does taking off my shoes got to do with helping me dance?!" I stress at him.

"Anastasia - calm down. It'll be ok, I have a plan. Just let me lead, ok?" I look at him questionly, wondering what he has up his sleeve. "Just leave it with me, I promise you it will be absolutely fine."

A part of me is reassured that he is taking my worry seriously, however I know my body and I know our first dance as a married couple will be horrifying and I'll be making the monarchy a laughing stock. Something I was brought in to prevent! Christian disappears and I focus on speaking to his father again. Maybe his stories will help distract me from the thought of embarrassing myself in front of all these people but also Christian.

All of a sudden, I hear the DJ announce over the microphone. "It's now time to kick off the wedding reception with the Bride and Groom's first dance! Will their Royal Highnesses make their way to the dance floor?" Oh shit! I quickly kick off my shoes under the table so no-one notices. Christian suddenly appears behind me and takes my hand in his hand, holding it up as if we are performing a ballroom dance. Oh god! We situate ourselves on the dance floor. I can't help but stare at the all the guests staring back at me, awaiting the magical first dance between their new Prince and Princess. Well it's been nice knowing all of you.

"Stare into my eyes." Christian awakens me from my thoughts. I stare up at him. He grabs my right hand and puts it on his left shoulder and holds my left hand in his. "Put your feet on top of mine." He whispers. I raise my eyebrows. I can't do that! "Your dress is covering your feet so no-one will notice. Just trust me." Well here goes nothing. I try to step on his feet subtly so no-one notices. I then start hearing the most beautiful song.

Your love is King

Crown you in my heart

Your love is King

I smile at Christian at the words of the song. How fitting! He starts to move us slightly. First we do a small box then all of a sudden, he starts to spin us as the chorus begins. I hear the applause of our guests, the cheering, the 'woop woops' and I'm finally starting to feel that we are doing well! I smile up at Christian and he returns it. His smile is absolutely breathtaking. This man is like a male model, any girl could have him yet he's here, making sure I am ok by letting me stand on his feet while he dances for the both of us. As the song draws to a close, he stops us and steps back so I take my feet back from his and he bows whilst holding my hand and kisses my hand. The guests clap and cheer. I am so glad that that is all sorted, thank God!

Further into the night, we've done our obligatory mingling and made sure that every guest had their two minutes of talking to us. I've popped into the bathroom for a little break to calm myself down when all of a sudden, the door slams open! I look towards the door and turn and see my father, completely purple with anger and looking at me with the widest eyes.

"Father - what's going on?!"

"You must sleep with him tonight!" He orders me.

"Father - I'm not going to discuss this with you." I try to dismiss this uncomfortable topic.

"I've just caught your new husband feeling up one of the guests! You need to sleep with him tonight so we don't lose this deal!" What did he just say?

"Father - there's no way he was doing that. There's a clause in the contract strictly prohibiting him from any relationships than with me from the prouncement of our marriage. You've just had too much to drink." I try to calm down the tension seeping from my father's pores.

"Don't patronize me like that Anastasia! You will sleep with him tonight and that's that!"


CPOV

As Anastasia dismissed herself, Taylor approaches me and whispers in my ear.

"Mrs Lincoln is requesting your presence in the hallway, Your Royal Highness." Elena? I look at him and he tightens his mouth together.

I make my way to the hallway and see Elena, all dressed in black as if she is in mourning.

"Elena." I greet her.

"Christian - how are you feeling on this horrible day?" Her voice pitched in worry.

"Elena - how I'm feeling is none of your concern."

"When your mother told me you were entering an arranged marriage, I couldn't help but feel awful for you!"

"Elena - I'm fine. It is what it is." I assure her.

"Well..." She starts to walk slowly towards me and tilts her head in the crook of my shoulder. "You're always welcome to relieve your unhappiness in my quarters." She whispers in my ear and the feeling of her breath makes me shiver.

"You've had too much to drink, Elena. I will not be coming to you for any issues I may within this marriage." I tell her sternly and walk off.

I walk back into the ballroom and find Taylor.

"Make sure that there are things in place to stop Elena Lincoln from contacting me or showing up at Grey House. Don't pass this onto my mother. Just for me." I order him and Taylor nods in acceptance. "Do you know where Anastasia has gone?" I ask him whilst I look around the room.

"Her Royal Highness was in the toilet when I last checked on her five minutes ago." I nod and make my way towards the toilets. However as I approach the toilet door, I hear shouting coming from inside.

"THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE MEANT TO DO - I HATE TO TELL YOU THIS BUT HE IS NOT INTERESTED IN YOU. YOU ARE HERE TO FUCK HIM, GET PREGNANT AND GIVE THEM AN HEIR. THAT IS ALL!"

"Father! Please stop shouting at me! I haven't said no, I just didn't want to discuss a sensitive topic with you!" Anastasia?

"I WILL NOT HAVE MY DAUGHTER BE HUMILIATED BECAUSE HER HUSBAND CAN'T KEEP HIS HANDS TO HIMSELF AND IS ALL OVER ANOTHER WOMAN DRESSED IN BLACK!" What? "YOU WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU BED HIM BY TONIGHT SO HE DOESN'T LOSE INTEREST IN YOU, YOU HEAR ME?!" Oh my god! He saw Elena hitting on me and assumed I was cheating on Anastasia! On our wedding day! The nerve of this man.

"Yes Father." Her voice is barely audible. My blood is boiling from hearing the way he spoke to her. Especially saying that because of me, she needs to stoop low to keep me interested in her. I clench my fists together and walk away, searching for Taylor.


APOV

After the bollocking from my father, he leaves the bathroom and I stay a couple of minutes to freshen up and touch up my make-up. I cannot believe my father said he caught Christian feeling up someone? Did he really feel up someone? Surely not at our wedding reception? After I compose myself, I head back into the ballroom.

"Anastasia." Christian approaches me. "I'm sorry but your father decided to leave early. I hope that's ok." He looks a little distracted and seems to be looking at the floor.

"Christian - that's fine but looking at the floor instead of me is not fine and will blow our act." He peers up at me, whilst still avoiding my gaze. "Christian - what is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Ana. Let's just enjoy the rest of our evening, ok?" He holds his hand out and I take it. I feel as if there is something wrong. Maybe my father was right?

We spend the next hour mingling with guests and then go outside to the fireworks. Me and Christian sneak little glances at each other but I can tell something doesn't feel right. Maybe I need to do just do what my father said and just have sex with him tonight. I know we were talking about it but like was exciting, now it feels expected. An obligation.

After the fireworks, we start our farewells to all our remaining guests and we go back into the the Palace to our room for the evening. It is absolutely beautiful with cream and light blue. The duvet on the bed is so thick and plushy, I feel it will swallow me up if I lay in it! Beautiful gold mirror centers the room with a vanity in front of it. There's a tiny seating area right next to the ceiling to floor windows overlooking the gardens.

"All of your belongings are here. If there is anything you need or are missing anything important, just press number 2 on the telephone on the vanity. The calls come straight to my phone." He bows his head to us.

"Thank you Taylor." We wish him good night and that's it. All alone.

We sheepishly look at each other. I giggle a little and make a step towards him.

"Ana - I need to stop you." Oh shit. He doesn't want to do this with me. "I know what happened earlier this evening with your father and I know what he said to you. I'm not having you feel like you have to do this to just keep me on side." He finally looks at me after god knows how long.

"What do you mean you heard?"

"Taylor told me you were in the bathroom so I started heading there and I heard him shout at you, telling you that you needed to sleep with me to keep me interested."

"Did you also hear the reason why my father told me to sleep with you?" I defensely ask.

"Yes because I couldn't keep my hands off a woman dressed in black." He scrunches his eyebrows in disgust. "You don't believe that, right?"

I look up at him, scared to meet his gaze.

"Anastasia - I thought we understood each other now. I have signed a contract stating that I cannot go into any other relationships whilst we are married. Do you honestly think I would do something like that on the day of my wedding of said marriage?!" He raises his voice.

"How am I supposed to know?! We don't know each other! For all I know, you could have said that to me to get me to marry you and still cheat on me!" I match his tension.

"You are right, we don't know each other very well so let me just state this about myself. I do not believe in cheating. I am monogamous in my relationships and if I'm with someone who doesn't wish to be, the relationship is immediately terminated." He says sternly.

His answer makes me speechless. "Well...no need to make it sound dramatic..." I mumble. I look at him and he tries to repress a chuckle at my retort. We both start laughing and the tension is immediately relaxed.

"Ana - I wasn't feeling up another woman. I meant what I said - I will remain faithful for however long our marriage lasts. The woman your father saw me with is a friend." I'm not buying this.

"A friend?" I quiz him.

"An old friend." He states.

"An old friend whom you may have been intimate with before?" I quiz again. He nods in response to my question.

"Unfortunately yes. She's a friend of my family so I had no say about her not coming to our wedding. That's it."

"Why would my father think you were feeling her up if there was nothing between you two?" I step away from him looking out the window.

He looks at me and blows out a breath making his cheeks puff out in frustration. "She was coming onto me." I turn round, my mouth open in shock. "But I told her to back off and I went to Taylor afterwards and told him to take off any approved lists of contact. Ana - I swear to you." I look at him and he is looking at me sincerely with hope in his beautiful, grey eyes.

"It's so hard being married to someone whose had sex with others before." I state as a matter of fact. I wrap my arms around myself in comfort.

"Which leads to my next issue. I did not like the way your father spoke to you which is why when he came out, I ordered Taylor to escort him out."

I look at him with a sharp turn. "You did what?" I whisper in shock.

"Ana - your father spoke to you like a hired prostitute. I will not have you being spoken to or feeling that way because of someone who was so flat out drunk and honestly, doesn't appreciate what you are doing for him." I wrap my arms around myself again. Weirdly hearing what he did makes me feel... safe.

"I know he is your father and I may have acted quickly but there was no way I was going to stand there and let him carry on speaking to you like that. Which is also why we won't be having sex tonight."

"Why not? We spoke about it earlier, in the church?" I say a little disheartened now hearing all the context.

"If I had sex with you tonight, you would have thought it was because of what your Dad told you. That having sex with me would somehow make me feel more interested in you than I already am. I want to show to you that that is not the person I am or the husband I will be."

"But you've explained everyth-" I rush to solve this dispute.

"Ssssshhh, Ana." He puts his fingers to my lips. "I'm not saying ever. I'm just saying not tonight, ok? If we do, it'll be because we BOTH want to. Not because someone ordered you to because it would solve his issue." I know he's right. He is. If only he could have found that he was right about us actually having sex.

"Fine then. Thank you for saying that by the way. It was very sweet. I was very upset when he was shouting at me." I smile at him. He pays the favour back.

"So, are we ok then?" He queries.

"On one condition." He raises his eyebrow in wonder. "You help me out of my dress. Unfortunately, it is a corset so I need someone to undo it." He relaxes after my answer.

"I guess I could do that, Mrs Grey." I smile at the sound of that. Mrs Grey.

I turn around to show him the back of my dress and I see us in the mirror. I can see him staring at my neck down to my back. A little tease wouldn't hurt. He slowly starts unthreading the corset, widening at each row, making my body relax on every pull. He looks at me in the mirror and I blush.

"What have you got on under this?" I'm guessing he just caught a little sight of my lingerie underneath my dress.

"Nuh-uh!" I turn around to face him and back away towards the bathroom. "You had your chance but you chose to the Knight in shining armour so another time!" He shakes his head in disbelief as I back into the bathroom.