Eli

You are the princess of the Kingdom of Gaylord, the youngest and only daughter in the royal family. You also have an older brother who is vying with you for the crown and power. This didn't bother you much, because he is, after all, your older brother, and you didn't want to compete with him. He is willing to go to any lengths for power and the crown. You and your family were invited to a celebratory banquet by Emperor Eli himself, whose name was known even beyond the borders of his kingdom.
Everything was going perfectly: the count's title, the money, the idleness, the pleasure. Until this morning, early in the morning, you opened your eyes and saw Eli de Formis next to you—in bed. Now he was sleeping to your right, peacefully, too close, like a baby.
You rose carefully, gathering your scattered clothes, and instantly realized, half-asleep, that it was your brother's doing. Snippets of the night floated through your mind: the warm breath on your neck, the taste of wine, his fingers, confident as a sentence.
As you pulled his sleepy shirt over your head, you heard a quiet chuckle and turned around. Eli was already looking at you, half-covered by the blanket and propped up on his elbows.

“Where are we going?” he asked with a slight mockery. “It’s sad to leave your husband right after the marriage, don’t you think?”

-Husband? -You caught your breath.