The Ambassador Ch 6

"They're ready for you inside," the secretary smiled at us as we entered the king's study. The last time I was in this room, we were talking about the Italians and the king was figuring out how to get rid of me. Now, the Italians were my power and the king was still trying to get me off his back.

"Prince Benedict, I hope last night was to your liking," the king greeted.

Ben looked to me as I sat down in one of the chairs, "Indeed."

Maxon's jaw twitched.

"I understand that you would like to discuss some…diplomatic changes between our countries."

Ben's hand landed on the back of my chair, "Yes. Italy is interested in an alliance with Illea, but with some…conditions."

I looked up at him, smiling slightly. He pushed my hair behind my ear, "As you know, we were hoping for a certain candidate to win the Selection, and, to be truthful, so were a lot of countries. Unfortunately, she lost, but, considering how well she did after the Selection, we're willing to overlook the insult."

"Who my wife is or should have been is not an insult to any country," Maxon said, "It's a personal choice that should not have been dictated by anyone from outside of the relationship."

"Indeed," Ben agreed, "And, rumor has it, that is was a personal choice. Regardless of how you chose your wife, you will have to deal with the political backlash from it. Italy is happy to help with that as long as certain events are put into place."

"Which are?" the king asked.

"Mio caro?" Ben asked, walking to look out the window behind the king and Maxon. That walk was a power shift and everyone in the room knew it. Illea was dealing with me now, not him.

"Italy would like to start a sort of ambassador between the two countries, but instead of there being an Illean ambassador in Italy and an Italian ambassador in Illea they would like one ambassador to go between the countries. It gets rid of one of the middle men."

"And I'm assuming they already have someone in mind," Maxon crossed his arms.

"They do. Me." The king scoffed, but I was too focused on Ben, who whispered to me in Italian, "My dear, you know how much I love it when you talk politics."

I continued, "They've gotten me ready for a life in politics and I have stakes in both countries as well as large followings in both. I am the natural choice."

"Because they made you so!"

"God, I could bend you over that chair right now."

"That doesn't really matter now, does it?"

The Illeans both stayed silent.

"Remember that one politics lesson that I ended up under the table, eating you out while you talked about Italian diplomacy?"

"The conditions for the alliance are that I am the ambassador, that I get a caste raise fit for my position, and a residence near the palace. Fortunately, the last one is already taken care of."

Maxon's jaw tightened, remembering the house that he gave me for my family.

"Those are the conditions for the ambassadorship."

"Last night I made love to you. Tonight, I'm going to fuck you. Which position would you like first?"

"And the others?"

"A general phase out of the castes during Maxon's reign."

"You would like to disassemble our whole country for this? In about fifteen years, you would like us to start wrecking the cornerstone of our country for one measly alliance?"

"I would personally like you on your hands and knees, but maybe you would prefer us against the door."

"No. We would like you to rebuild your country on a more suitable foundation in the next five years."

"Excuse me?" King Clarkson's face was red.

"Certain things have come up in reports about you, King Clarkson," Ben said in English, "Certain things that Italy can't have associated with it."

Maxon looked from Ben to me, his eyes blazing.

Ben noticed it, "Mio caro told no one. She would never betray your trust like that, but since you looked at her like that, I'm assuming she can affirm our reports. Since Italy, to put it simply, won't –."

"Mio caro." Maxon looked at me again, "What does that mean?"

I tilted my head a little bit, "It means 'my dear'."

"I'm confused how that report makes you think you have the right to mess with the succession of my nation." King Clarkson said.

"We don't." Ben agreed, "But if you want this alliance for your country, you will hand over the throne within the next five years to your son."

Maxon was about to explode, even through his mask, I could tell.

"Maxon-."

But I was too late. Maxon's fist came down on the desk in front of him, and I jumped in my seat. Ben took a step towards me.

"You cannot dictate what our country does. These conditions aren't conditions, they're demands. This is cohersion, and, while we can't arrest you, we can arrest America. Would you like that? Would you like us to throw your girlfriend in a cell?"

This time Ben's jaw tightened, "You can't."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because there would be an uproar, not only with your lower castes, but your politicians, who spent all last night talking with her, laughing with her, posing in pictures with her which are now on her social media accounts. Right now, she's a beloved concerned citizen that has a huge backing not only in this country but in ours as well.

"You jail her, you'll have uprisings in your country and a war with ours."

Maxon breathed heavily through his nose.

Ben turned and smiled at me, "How about I just pin you to bed stomach down?"

I knew my face was warming, and if he noticed Maxon would realize what exactly Ben was talking about.

"Maybe I'll just eat you out right here."

I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

"You can keep talking politics, if you want. I just think it would be much more fun with my head buried between your legs."

"Will you speak English, please?" Maxon was irate now.

Ben smiled at him, "I don't think you want me to."

I interrupted before an argument could escalate, "I think you're forgetting what you're getting in this alliance. You're getting help in the New Asian War, trading with the Meditereaen, and improved diplomatic relations with other countries in Europe. Italy may be small, but it is far more powerful than Illea on the international stage. The big reason that you aren't more powerful there is because of the caste system. No one wants to associate their country with that. This alliance and the conditions that make it will help you succeed. The country will have growing pains, sure, but it's better to go through those with an ally at your back than to do it without one."

I stood up, "Ben, shall we go?"

"Yes, my dear."

I grabbed his hand and turned back towards the Illeans, "You have 'til the end of today to ask us questions about the alliance, and the end of this week to let us know your decision. Have a good day."

(*&*) ?

Maxon found me in the gardens on our bench.

I was writing in a journal when I heard his foot steps, "Afternoon."

He was livid, "You do realize that Spanish and Italian are very similar, don't you?"

"I know. That's how I was able to learn it easily."

"So, you knew I would be able to figure out what he was talking about, didn't you?"

"I didn't think that you would care enough to try."

He scoffed, "Don't give me that, America. Don't talk to me like that."

I remained calm, "You don't control anything about me anymore. You should watch your mouth."

"I control your caste. How would you like to be an Eight, America?"

"Italy can get me out of the country, and then I'll be back to expensive food and lavish gowns," I tilted my head a little, still looking at him, "Of course, there will be the issue of rushing my citizenship there, but a marriage usually helps those things."
"Is that what all of our discussions are going to be? You threatening me to marry a foreign prince while he talks of fucking you in front of me?"

"Not fucking me. Eating me out."

He scoffed at I smirked at him, "Do you not eat Kriss out? How boring your sex life must be!"

"I've had enough, America."

"No, I've had enough. You chose her. I understand why you did, but you have to understand that now you can't control me. You have no say in what I do, who I bring into my bed, or what country I live in. You only have power over whether or not you are going to accept the terms of the alliance."

"You know he's never going to give up the crown that easily. He's never going to give up that power." He threw his hands up in the air and started pacing in front of me.

I took a deep breath, "Then…offer the Italians something else in exchange for more time."

"Like what? What do the Italians want that I have?"

I stood up, grabbing onto his coat and pulling him to a stop, my face only inches away from him, "Like I said, Italy has a lot of freedoms to offer someone of a low caste. If you were kind enough to pay for a couple of Eights to move to Italy and enough to pay for their first year in a new country then they might be able to give you five more years."

Maxon ran his hand through his hair, "Marlee. You want Marlee to go to Italy with you."

"We can take care of her there, Maxon."

He sighed, and nodded, "Yeah. You can. But, you have to get her from us first."

I took one more step closer to him, "If you want to stay off the throne, you will give us to her, and while you're at it, you can start shaping up."

Maxon was taken aback, "Excuse me?"

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but exploding in a meeting with a foreign diplomat isn't like you." I poked my finger into his chest at each word, "Shape up. Start acting like the man I told them about. Start acting like a king and not a little boy on his daddy's leash. You have a country to rule and a new wife to keep happy. Step up to the plate."

Then, I left him. Left him in a place that used to mean everything to us, but now meant nothing.

(*&*)?

We were invited back to the king's study within the hour.

I again took my place on a chair and Ben stood beside it with his hand on my shoulder.

"As you know," King Clarkson began, "We have some disagreements with the alliance, but we think we might have found something that will help soothe the compromise. My son, in all of his untrained youth, kept Marlee Tames as a servant in my household after making her an Eight."

I made myself look surprised.

He slid a paper onto the desk in front of me, "This is a document detailing how we are willing to let her give up her citizenship, along with her husband, and to support them both in their first year as Italian citizens."

I scanned over the paper in front of me, "And their accommodations? Their housing?"

"They will be given a town house in Rome."

"Near the palace?"

"Wherever they want."

"And have the couple signed off on these agreements? They want to leave the country?" Ben asked.

"They are willing to go."

My heart leapt, and I turned to Ben, "Ben?"

He gently took the paper from me, "What would you like in return?"

"Fifteen years 'til we transition the crown."

"You can have 8 years, that's it."

"Ten years."

Ben thought for a second, "Deal." He squeezed my shoulder and I covered his hand with mine breathing a sigh of relief. Marlee would come home. Marlee would come home to a brighter future, and I would have my best friend back.

"We have something else that might be tradable for more time," the king continued.

"And what's that?" Ben asked. We were both surprised. We had planned to bargain for Marlee, had planned before I even left Italy to take her back with me if she wanted to. But this was unplanned. This they had thought of without our prodding.

Maxon held a necklace between his thumbs and my sight narrowed only to it. Of course, he would. Of course, he would use my father against me, knowing that I would want it back.

Ben's hand tightened almost unbearably on my shoulder, "Give that here."

"In exchange for how much time?"

"Ben," I whispered.

"We shouldn't have to give you time for it. You should have given that to her the moment she walked into the palace!"

"Ben."

"We need more time, so how much will you give us? A year more?"

"Ben," I tugged on his arm, "Don't."

But, he wasn't listening. "Fine, you can have a year more. Give it to her."

Maxon chucked the necklace into my lap, and my hands clasped around it instantly, even though they were still shaking.

"We get eleven years instead of the original five. The castes will be phased out during mine and my child's reign. That's our final offer."

Ben's face remained stone cold, "Let's go, Ami."

He helped me up and to the door, with his hand on the door knob he turned towards the Illeans, "We'll bring your negotiations to the king. We'll let you know within the week's end, and we'll leave your palace by tomorrow morning. Have Marlee and her husband ready to go by then."

(*&*)?

"Bambino, what's wrong?" Ben asked, kneeling in front of me. He had led me to our room and had sat me on the bed, but I couldn't move, couldn't think about anything else besides what we had done.

"Ben…We fucked up. We fucked up big time."

"What are you talking about?"

"We shouldn't have…we shouldn't been together, shouldn't have started seeing each other."

"Bambino—."

"Don't you see what happened?" I grabbed the lapels of his suit. "We let them negotiate with what I wanted, and it got us Marlee, but we also gave up a card. A big one."

"What do you mean?"

"They know that they can get to you through me. They know that if I want something, you'll stop at nothing to give it to me."

"Of course I would, but—."

"Don't you see, Ben? You gave them a year, a year, for a necklace. Because it meant something to me. What if the next thing is something bigger? What if it costs Italy?"

"Ami—."

"We have to stop seeing each other."

Ben almost choked, "Excuse me?"

"If we're not together they can't use me against you. They don't have any leverage over you. If you let me go…you're free from them."

"Ami, Ami." I couldn't look at him. Not until he pulled on my face to make me look at him, "America. Listen to me very carefully. He does not scare me. Do you hear me? If they can use you against me then let them."

"You don't –."

"I understand perfectly, bambino. I'm not losing you. Not to him. Not to politics. Do you understand? I will love you 'til the day I die. Nothing is going to change that. And you know what? Maxon knows that."

"How do you know?"

"Because men like Maxon and I don't get over having a woman as lovely and as loving as you and get over it easily. Even if we appeared to have broken up, he would know he could still use you against me. So, bambino, I see no reason to let him tear us apart than to give him the satisfaction. Do you want to give him the satisfaction?"

I remembered the laugh as my mother had dragged me from the engagement celebration. The promise that I had made to make Maxon pay. "No, I don't."

Bne smiled at me, "Good."

But I didn't want good. "Ben." I opened my legs giving him a clear view between my legs from where he was kneeling on the floor, "Fuck me."

His eyes turned darker immediately, and he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on my thigh. But I didn't want gentle either.

"No, Ben," he looked up at me and I whispered, "Make me scream."

He gave me a devilish smile, "Stand up and strip."

I stood up and unzipped my dress as he undid his pants. I waited naked for his next command, already dripping wet.

"Get on the bed. I want you to play with yourself."

I let out an involuntary moan. I sat in the middle of the bed, my hands instantly going to my nipples.

"That's it, bambino. Mio amore, reach down. That's it. Play with your clit. Shit, bambino. Look at you."

My head fell back on the pillows, "Ben."

"He's never seen you like this, has he?"

"No," I gasped out.

"Never touched you. Never kissed you there. I'm the only man that's ever tasted you, aren't I?"

"Yes! Only you!"

"Don't make yourself come, bambino. That's only for me now. You never have to worry about it again. I'll make you come as much as you like, as hard as you like, but only me."

I keened at his possessive words, knowing that only I could make him say these things, make him lose control of himself at the thought of not having me. Only I could make him feel the need to know he had everything I was. And he did. Just like I had everything he was.

I stared up at him, my mouth falling open and a noise I had never heard came out.

Suddenly, Ben was leaning over me, he knocked my hand away and replaced it with his mouth. I nearly screamed. He worked me with fast, hard strokes and my toes curled.

"Ben. Ben. Ben." I couldn't help but chant his name until it turned into a high-pitched scream.

The Prince of Italy, clothed in nothing, turned me over until I was on my hands and knees. "I'm going to make you forget your own name. But I need you to tell me it's okay. Tell me we're okay, Ami, and I'll fuck you so hard it'll be permanently imprinted on your brain."

I moaned, "Yes. Yes, we're fine. Better than we ever were. Now fuck me."

He entered me and I had to grip the sheets to not fall over. He was so big and went so deep, and he set a pace so hard and fast that I came a second time before the effects of the first had worn off.

"Fuck. Fuck, Ben. Right there. Right there."

The head board started hitting the wall, but neither of us cared.

I keened again as Ben lifted me up so that my back was up against his. My head fell back on his shoulder, and he started whispering to me.

"Look at you. You're so beautiful, Ami."

I looked over my shoulder at him.

"No one else gets to see you like this. Touch you like this. Not him, not anyone else. I get to fuck you. I get to make love to you. No one else. Do you understand? You're mine, bambino. Not his, not anymore. He didn't realize what he had, but I do. I do, bambino, and I'll never forget it."

"Ben," I keened as his hand went between my legs.

"One more time, Ami. One more time. Tell him that you're mine. Scream it to him, Ami."

My mouth fell open and within a couple more thrusts I screamed my release.

I must have blacked out because the next thing I felt was a soft, wet cloth between my legs.

"Hey, bambino," Ben whispered softly, "You scared me for a second. Was I that good?"

I groaned, holding my arms out to him. He tossed the towel onto the floor and climbed into my arms.

"I lost you, Ami," he chuckled into my ear, "Where'd you go?"

"Heaven, probably. I didn't know that was possible."

"What? The fainting or the pleasure?"

I sighed happily, "Both."

Ben smiled down at me, his eyes turning thoughtful, "Do you think…"

"What?"

"Do you think that eventually, I mean, not now obviously, but sometime in the relative future, I mean, depending on how relative you want it, do you think that we could maybe, possibly-."

"Marry?"

He took a deep breath, "Yeah."

I burrowed further into the bed, "Absolutely, but you better propose to me when you're not riding a post-orgasm high."

He smiled at me, obviously elated, "No. Not then, although I do plan on fucking you plenty between now and then."

"How many times?"

"Hundreds of thousands of times."

I hummed, "Sounds like you better get busy then."

He was happy to do so.