Ylenna's POV
When she woke up, the sun was already shining strong in the sky.
— Good morning, your highness. It's way past time for you to get up. — Zena's voice reached her ears.
— Morning… — She muttered, suddenly remembering what had happened the night before. — Where's Rhovian?
— His highness woke up early. He called me to change the bedsheets and went to have breakfast in the dining hall.
— Ah… you have changed the bedsheets… I did not even notice. — Suddenly, Ylenna noticed that she was dressed. It had probably been Rhovian who dressed her.
— Your highness was quite deep in your slumber. — Zena couldn't suppress a smile.
Ylenna felt her face flushing with rubor and also smiled victoriously.
— So… Did he resist a lot? — Zena's question sounded nonchalant.
— I do not think he even tried to resist… — Ylenna giggled. — But he was dumbfounded for a few moments, in the beginning.
— Now that your highness has breached this barrier, his highness will act more affectionately towards you, I'm sure.
The princess sighed, hopeful.
— Zena, prepare my bath and bring my best sundress. I want to look splendid today.
In the kennel's, Ylenna played with the puppy for a few moments.
— I am sorry I have not visited often lately… but I will be coming more frequently. And soon you will get a name. — She told her.
— Your highness, 'tis time for luncheon. — Called Zena.
Upon arriving at the dining hall, she noticed her brothers-in-law and Rhavi's wife, Arletta.
— Your highnesses. It is not a common sight to meet you for luncheon. — She greeted them with a smile.
— Ah, sister. You are here! — Arletta greeted her with a hug. The both of them had been becoming acquainted by going on strolls in the garden. — Come eat, the pie is splendid today!
— Sister, — Rhavi called, his always wise expression sitting peacefully on his face. — you are gleaming, today. Until last week, I had only seen you wearing a gray complexion. Good news?
— Ah… It… his highness arrived from his mission last night. I am just happy that he is back.
— I see… — His eyes held an enigmatic shine, but Ylenna found it better to ignore.
— Do you think… He will be coming to have lunch with us, today? — Ylenna asked, shyly.
— My brother is too imprevisible, as you may have realized, by now. — Rhavi sounded as if you could hear his eyes rolling. — Also, he had some reports to pass on to our father. They are likely to have lunch together in his Majesty's office.
— I understand…
— Sister! — Arletta got Ylenna's attention back. — what do you think of going for a picnic with me and Amara?
Ylenna answered with a smile. It would be good to have another moment with Arletta, now that she was no longer a novice. She could take the chance to ask about how many times and how long it took them to be blessed with a baby.
— I would love it!
— Great. I will send word for my maid to arrange everything.
Amara was Rhavi and Arletta's little girl. She was a bit older than one and a half year.
— She gets smarter by the day. — Complimented Ylenna.
— Indeed. She is quite a lot like her father. — The heir princess smiled widely.
— Can you tell? — Ylenna's mouth opened.
— Oh, you end up catching on the little details when you watch them for a long time. — She said watching the girl playing with a flower, then approached Ylenna to confide: — And I am talking about both a child and a husband.
The young women shared a laugh, squeezing their eyes. Ylenna felt much more at ease since she befriended Arletta.
— Sister… I have a question for you. I hope you do not find me too… intruding. — Ylenna asked timidly.
— Please, do tell me! You know, we are sisters now. As their majesties' daughters-in-law, we must always be united.
— I appreciate our friendship so much. It is just… it may be quite an… intimate question.
— Oh… — Arletta's eyes gleamed with curiosity and excitement. — It is even more interesting now. Come on, spill it!
— How often… did you and… his royal highness, the Heir Prince…
— Oh, just call him Prince Rhavi. He hates all this formality. And also, it is just the two of us.
— Ah, sure. So, how many times did you… do that… until you got Amara?
— Oh… — the Heir Princess' mouth was open in a perfect circle. — So that was your curiosity.
— I-I apologize if I am being indiscreet. You do not have to answer if yo-
— I do not have to? — Arletta seemed outraged. — Darling, I so want to answer!
She giggled in excitement and adjusted her position on the picnic towel, getting ready to spill all the beans.
And there were sacks of beans being spilled that afternoon. Ylenna could not contain her shock with some of Arletta's remarks. The Heir Princess was not content in telling about the frequency of her and Prince Rhavi's intimate moments in their pursuit of a baby, but also began to talk about how there were various positions, places and even games that could be tried during an intercourse.
Ylenna's face was in a quite permanent state of rubor and she even felt a heat wave rising from her down parts when she imagined Rhovian and herself in such passionate and wild moments.
— But… you… should you not give it some rest after each time? I mean… What if you were already pregnant and kept engaged in such activities? Would the baby not be harmed?
At her question, Arletta seemed to shine.
— My darling sister. My husband and I only gave a break at doing it on the day Amara was born.
The Second Princess felt like her jaw was gonna fall from her head and eyes jump from their socks.
— H-Ho-How come?! Was the… was the purpose of it not… precisely to conceive a baby?
— Ylenna, my darling. — the older woman had a mischievous smile on her face. — You have done it. Can you tell me it is something you would not want to do more often than just to get a child?
The blood flushed intensely to the younger's cheeks. She was right. Though she was aware that men were known for doing everything to have a woman on their beds as often as possible, and that many unmarried women that lost their honors to those men ended up pregnant without a husband to father the child, she had not thought that royal women would also do it only for pleasure. But, again, she knew close to nothing until last night.
— Is it… a method of preventing disloyalty from one's husband? — She questioned, deep in thought.
— Oh, no. — Arletta dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. — If a man is loyal to his woman, he will be. It does not matter if they have not seen each other in years. On the other hand, if he cannot be loyal, he could have just come out from his wife's bedroom and be looking for another skirt to pull.
The thought of Rhovian being disloyal to her made Ylenna's heart shiver.
— So how… How does a woman prevent her husband from being disloyal? — Her question carried the heavy weight of fear.
— We do not, darling. — Arletta frowned and squeezed her eyes, scoffing. — We can just hope they have pride in their honors… but, of course, we can let them know about how terribly sad we would be if they dishonor the sacred marriage.
— Can we? But… would us being sad be enough of a reason to stop them?
The older then curled her lips, her shoulders going up and down while she gazed away. She spoke as if she was telling a story.
— If you are willing to go for the upper hand. Once, when Amara was less than six months old, during a ball, a Duke's daughter smiled too widely at Prince Rhavi during their dance. I then told him how terribly sad I would be if I had to watch our precious daughter crying from having lost her father, found dead to unknown circumstances after leaving some young lady's room…