Even though she was in a comfortable position, Judith's body occasionally trembled slightly. When she blinked, when she exhaled shallowly, when she felt the sheets against her fingertips without Franz knowing, Judith could feel the air quivering against her skin.
Every time Franz's gaze flew in her direction, she felt as if his gaze was touching her body, even though she knew he was only observing her draw.
'At first, I thought it was nothing special...'
Her lips seemed to be drying up. Judith unconsciously stuck out the tip of her tongue, and when her eyes met Franz's, she took a deep breath in embarrassment. Her heart pounded hard. Her face turned red, worried that he might have caught the obscene thoughts that had crossed her mind without her knowing.
“Judith.”
"...Yes?"
Franz leaned slightly over the canvas.
“If it’s hard, should we stop here for today?”
Judith's eyes blinked slowly. The light shone through her long eyelashes, casting faint shadows on her eyes. When she didn't answer, Franz leaned forward with a puzzled expression, and the unbuttoned collar of his shirt slid open, revealing more of his firm skin. Judith wondered if there was a trace of her fingertips passing through his well-proportioned, muscular shoulders. She shook her head slightly as she thought about it.
“No... it’s okay.”
Franz looked at her for a moment as if to say, “Is that so?” and then straightened his posture again. Meanwhile, Judith carefully examined every single part of Franz’s body that was visible beyond the canvas.
The arms are exposed through the rolled-up sleeves, or the hands clenched into fists and resting on the knees. The bluish veins and long legs are slightly visible even from afar, and the ankles and ankle bones are slightly visible under the hems of the pants. The high part of the instep draws a gentle curve.
Just by looking at them, she could recall the sensations of all those places. Each of them had a slightly different temperature and softness, so vivid that she could almost feel it with her fingertips. Perhaps Franz would be the same. If she followed the direction of Franz’s eyes, she could tell where his hands were touching her.
As the pencil tip glided across the dry, rough paper, Judith's body slowly drew closer to Franz. Her calves were slender as a bird, her knees ticklish, her buttocks rising like snow-covered hills, and her waist concave.
Franz, who was drawing the arms that were slightly covering the chest while sliding along the body that was lying down, lightly bit his lips. Although the room was not that hot, a light sweat was running down his temples. Judith on the canvas looked very similar to the real Judith, and at other times, completely different.
He wondered if it would look more similar if he colored it in, but he thought it was fine as is. He liked the shadows and curves of her face, left only by the pencil lines and rubbing marks.
Franz wiped off his graphite-blackened fingertips and slumped his shoulders for a moment. Judith’s eyes in the painting, looking in his direction, seemed to sparkle in the light. As if pleading, as if pleading. Franz now knew when Judith would make that kind of expression. He also knew what to do about it.
As Franz let out a short sigh and got up, Judith's gaze followed him upward. The sound of the pencil he had put down rolling on the side table was strangely loud.
“Have you finished drawing already?”
“Yeah. I think it just needs a little more work.”
“Then I want to see it too. Please show me.”
Judith, who had risen up with a smile, suddenly opened her eyes wide and leaned back. The cushions that had been piled up collapsed under the weight of her and Franz. Their hands of different sizes crossed and clasped their hands. His eyes, looking down at Judith, were shaking passionately. Franz, who was stroking her dark blue hair that was scattered like waves on the sheet, smiled slightly and said.
“I now know that drawing is not an easy task.”
“Why did you think that?”
“I keep thinking of other things.”
Hot lips pressed against Judith's nape. The breath touched her first, making her entire sense of touch stand on end, and then a burning heat covered her, and the feeling of her exposed skin biting into his hard teeth made her body tremble violently. She wanted to hug him and beg him.
“If I asked you what you were thinking, would you tell me?”
As she teased the small button on her fingertips, the fabric opened with a pop. Judith's hand carefully entered the loosely unbuttoned shirt and groped its way up Franz's rounded back.
“Yes? Your Majesty.”
Franz smiled. As his face slowly approached, Judith unconsciously held her breath and closed her eyes. The feeling of his lips touching her ear was vivid. When Franz whispered a few words, Judith’s face turned bright red.
“Did you really think that?”
“Why would I lie about something like this?”
Judith, who had been blinking in disbelief, finally burst into laughter. Franz's body leaned a little lower.
“Does that smile mean you give permission?”
“...I think I need to think about it.”
“Don’t make yourself too hot.”
The fingertips that were caressing under the chemise gained strength. Judith’s lips moved quietly. As Franz pulled the string on the headboard, the translucent curtains poured down and covered both sides of the bed. The dim shadows overlapped and soon began to move with the same breath.
On the day of Prince Erwin's birthday party, the palace was bustling from dawn. Not only Franz and Judith, but also the nobles, servants, and invited guests all woke up early in the morning. Only Prince Erwin, who was the only one involved, was sleeping soundly in his crib like a gentle lamb, unaware of what was happening.
“Your Majesty, His Highness Erwin has completed his preparations.”
Nurse Blanda brought Erwin into Judith's inner chamber. Before Judith could turn her head to look at the child, Mary Anne, who was fixing her crown, stamped her feet as if on the verge of tears.
“Your Majesty, look at Erwin! He looks like he just stepped out of a painting.”
Erwin, in Blanda's arms, looked cuter than ever. He was wearing a dark green baby's dress embroidered with the finest Willow or gold thread and lace shoes. Just as Mary Anne had said, he looked like a baby Prince in a picture. In his hands, however, he held the doll, the stitches of which were tattered, tightly.
“Because he just doesn’t want to leave the doll behind.”
Blanda said as she placed Erwin in Judith's arms. Judith nodded while soothing Erwin, who turned his head here and there with his round, blue eyes sparkling.
“He told me that he wants to take it with him wherever he goes. He has many other dolls, but he likes this one the most.”
“Babies are like that. Once they like something, they can’t give it up. But when something new catches their interest, they quickly forget about it. This will only get worse as they grow up.”
“I wonder what else he’ll like in the future besides dolls. Huh? Erwin, what will you like? Our little Prince.”
When she touched the tip of his cute nose, Erwin licked his small lips and babbled something earnestly. Laughter erupted from all sides at his attitude as if he was responding to Judith's words.
As Franz and Judith appeared on the central terrace of the Magnus Palace, holding Erwin in their arms, the people looking up cheered. There were ladies blowing kisses on the hand and young girls throwing flowers into the air. While Franz made a few short speeches, Erwin looked around, his small head constantly moving as if he were surprised by the commotion he had never experienced before.
The two men then took Erwin down to ride in a carriage around the square. The carriage, decorated with summer flowers in full bloom, passed through the gates, waving the flags representing Jedercayer and Rotair, and the applause continued.
“Erwin, how about the carriage? Do you like it?”
Erwin was in Franz’s arms. He was still holding his favorite doll tightly in his hand, and occasionally he opened and closed his small hands as if trying to grasp the empty air. Franz, who had been watching this quietly, burst out laughing and touched his son’s cheek.
“There’s nothing there, so what are you trying to catch?”
“I don’t know if it’s because the wind is so strange. It’s his first time riding in a carriage.”
As soon as Judith finished speaking, Erwin began to move his body, pointing somewhere with his little finger. Embarrassed, Franz held the baby tightly, lightly kissed the round crown of his head, and looked at the same place Erwin was looking. Then he began to slowly recite the things he saw one by one. The sky, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the mountains, the fields.
Erwin's eyes sparkled as if he understood everything Franz said and he moved his eyes diligently in the direction he was pointing.
Suddenly, Judith thought she knew a little about how the late King and Queen had raised Franz. They must have held little Franz in their arms like that and lovingly taught him each and everything they saw. Kissing him, stroking his light hair, whispering that they loved him.
That time wouldn't have lasted long, surely. Franz would have grown up. Erwin would grow up soon. Judith thought again that time had passed quickly. The twenty years or so she had lived without anyone knowing seemed terribly long.
She must be feeling the same way right now. The sun rising and setting must feel like eons.
Closing her eyes, Judith took a deep, very deep breath, letting the fresh early summer air fill her body. Suddenly, she realized that it was something she had longed for so long ago.
"Your Majesty."
"Hmm?"
“After the banquet today, I have somewhere to go.”
Franz looked at Judith as if to ask what that meant.
“You’re coming back... with me?”
Judith immediately shook her head.
“No, just me.”
“Alone? Where on earth are you going alone? What’s going on?”
“Nothing happened. Actually...”
Franz seemed determined to wait silently for Judith to speak, and he had no idea what she would say. Judith stared silently at the square, which was getting closer. She could see the people pouring out, waving colorful ribbons and cheering.
“I’m going to see Queen Gilsis. I have some last words to say to her.”
Every time Franz's gaze flew in her direction, she felt as if his gaze was touching her body, even though she knew he was only observing her draw.
'At first, I thought it was nothing special...'
Her lips seemed to be drying up. Judith unconsciously stuck out the tip of her tongue, and when her eyes met Franz's, she took a deep breath in embarrassment. Her heart pounded hard. Her face turned red, worried that he might have caught the obscene thoughts that had crossed her mind without her knowing.
“Judith.”
"...Yes?"
Franz leaned slightly over the canvas.
“If it’s hard, should we stop here for today?”
Judith's eyes blinked slowly. The light shone through her long eyelashes, casting faint shadows on her eyes. When she didn't answer, Franz leaned forward with a puzzled expression, and the unbuttoned collar of his shirt slid open, revealing more of his firm skin. Judith wondered if there was a trace of her fingertips passing through his well-proportioned, muscular shoulders. She shook her head slightly as she thought about it.
“No... it’s okay.”
Franz looked at her for a moment as if to say, “Is that so?” and then straightened his posture again. Meanwhile, Judith carefully examined every single part of Franz’s body that was visible beyond the canvas.
The arms are exposed through the rolled-up sleeves, or the hands clenched into fists and resting on the knees. The bluish veins and long legs are slightly visible even from afar, and the ankles and ankle bones are slightly visible under the hems of the pants. The high part of the instep draws a gentle curve.
Just by looking at them, she could recall the sensations of all those places. Each of them had a slightly different temperature and softness, so vivid that she could almost feel it with her fingertips. Perhaps Franz would be the same. If she followed the direction of Franz’s eyes, she could tell where his hands were touching her.
As the pencil tip glided across the dry, rough paper, Judith's body slowly drew closer to Franz. Her calves were slender as a bird, her knees ticklish, her buttocks rising like snow-covered hills, and her waist concave.
Franz, who was drawing the arms that were slightly covering the chest while sliding along the body that was lying down, lightly bit his lips. Although the room was not that hot, a light sweat was running down his temples. Judith on the canvas looked very similar to the real Judith, and at other times, completely different.
He wondered if it would look more similar if he colored it in, but he thought it was fine as is. He liked the shadows and curves of her face, left only by the pencil lines and rubbing marks.
Franz wiped off his graphite-blackened fingertips and slumped his shoulders for a moment. Judith’s eyes in the painting, looking in his direction, seemed to sparkle in the light. As if pleading, as if pleading. Franz now knew when Judith would make that kind of expression. He also knew what to do about it.
As Franz let out a short sigh and got up, Judith's gaze followed him upward. The sound of the pencil he had put down rolling on the side table was strangely loud.
“Have you finished drawing already?”
“Yeah. I think it just needs a little more work.”
“Then I want to see it too. Please show me.”
Judith, who had risen up with a smile, suddenly opened her eyes wide and leaned back. The cushions that had been piled up collapsed under the weight of her and Franz. Their hands of different sizes crossed and clasped their hands. His eyes, looking down at Judith, were shaking passionately. Franz, who was stroking her dark blue hair that was scattered like waves on the sheet, smiled slightly and said.
“I now know that drawing is not an easy task.”
“Why did you think that?”
“I keep thinking of other things.”
Hot lips pressed against Judith's nape. The breath touched her first, making her entire sense of touch stand on end, and then a burning heat covered her, and the feeling of her exposed skin biting into his hard teeth made her body tremble violently. She wanted to hug him and beg him.
“If I asked you what you were thinking, would you tell me?”
As she teased the small button on her fingertips, the fabric opened with a pop. Judith's hand carefully entered the loosely unbuttoned shirt and groped its way up Franz's rounded back.
“Yes? Your Majesty.”
Franz smiled. As his face slowly approached, Judith unconsciously held her breath and closed her eyes. The feeling of his lips touching her ear was vivid. When Franz whispered a few words, Judith’s face turned bright red.
“Did you really think that?”
“Why would I lie about something like this?”
Judith, who had been blinking in disbelief, finally burst into laughter. Franz's body leaned a little lower.
“Does that smile mean you give permission?”
“...I think I need to think about it.”
“Don’t make yourself too hot.”
The fingertips that were caressing under the chemise gained strength. Judith’s lips moved quietly. As Franz pulled the string on the headboard, the translucent curtains poured down and covered both sides of the bed. The dim shadows overlapped and soon began to move with the same breath.
***
On the day of Prince Erwin's birthday party, the palace was bustling from dawn. Not only Franz and Judith, but also the nobles, servants, and invited guests all woke up early in the morning. Only Prince Erwin, who was the only one involved, was sleeping soundly in his crib like a gentle lamb, unaware of what was happening.
“Your Majesty, His Highness Erwin has completed his preparations.”
Nurse Blanda brought Erwin into Judith's inner chamber. Before Judith could turn her head to look at the child, Mary Anne, who was fixing her crown, stamped her feet as if on the verge of tears.
“Your Majesty, look at Erwin! He looks like he just stepped out of a painting.”
Erwin, in Blanda's arms, looked cuter than ever. He was wearing a dark green baby's dress embroidered with the finest Willow or gold thread and lace shoes. Just as Mary Anne had said, he looked like a baby Prince in a picture. In his hands, however, he held the doll, the stitches of which were tattered, tightly.
“Because he just doesn’t want to leave the doll behind.”
Blanda said as she placed Erwin in Judith's arms. Judith nodded while soothing Erwin, who turned his head here and there with his round, blue eyes sparkling.
“He told me that he wants to take it with him wherever he goes. He has many other dolls, but he likes this one the most.”
“Babies are like that. Once they like something, they can’t give it up. But when something new catches their interest, they quickly forget about it. This will only get worse as they grow up.”
“I wonder what else he’ll like in the future besides dolls. Huh? Erwin, what will you like? Our little Prince.”
When she touched the tip of his cute nose, Erwin licked his small lips and babbled something earnestly. Laughter erupted from all sides at his attitude as if he was responding to Judith's words.
As Franz and Judith appeared on the central terrace of the Magnus Palace, holding Erwin in their arms, the people looking up cheered. There were ladies blowing kisses on the hand and young girls throwing flowers into the air. While Franz made a few short speeches, Erwin looked around, his small head constantly moving as if he were surprised by the commotion he had never experienced before.
The two men then took Erwin down to ride in a carriage around the square. The carriage, decorated with summer flowers in full bloom, passed through the gates, waving the flags representing Jedercayer and Rotair, and the applause continued.
“Erwin, how about the carriage? Do you like it?”
Erwin was in Franz’s arms. He was still holding his favorite doll tightly in his hand, and occasionally he opened and closed his small hands as if trying to grasp the empty air. Franz, who had been watching this quietly, burst out laughing and touched his son’s cheek.
“There’s nothing there, so what are you trying to catch?”
“I don’t know if it’s because the wind is so strange. It’s his first time riding in a carriage.”
As soon as Judith finished speaking, Erwin began to move his body, pointing somewhere with his little finger. Embarrassed, Franz held the baby tightly, lightly kissed the round crown of his head, and looked at the same place Erwin was looking. Then he began to slowly recite the things he saw one by one. The sky, the sun, the clouds, the trees, the mountains, the fields.
Erwin's eyes sparkled as if he understood everything Franz said and he moved his eyes diligently in the direction he was pointing.
Suddenly, Judith thought she knew a little about how the late King and Queen had raised Franz. They must have held little Franz in their arms like that and lovingly taught him each and everything they saw. Kissing him, stroking his light hair, whispering that they loved him.
That time wouldn't have lasted long, surely. Franz would have grown up. Erwin would grow up soon. Judith thought again that time had passed quickly. The twenty years or so she had lived without anyone knowing seemed terribly long.
She must be feeling the same way right now. The sun rising and setting must feel like eons.
Closing her eyes, Judith took a deep, very deep breath, letting the fresh early summer air fill her body. Suddenly, she realized that it was something she had longed for so long ago.
"Your Majesty."
"Hmm?"
“After the banquet today, I have somewhere to go.”
Franz looked at Judith as if to ask what that meant.
“You’re coming back... with me?”
Judith immediately shook her head.
“No, just me.”
“Alone? Where on earth are you going alone? What’s going on?”
“Nothing happened. Actually...”
Franz seemed determined to wait silently for Judith to speak, and he had no idea what she would say. Judith stared silently at the square, which was getting closer. She could see the people pouring out, waving colorful ribbons and cheering.
“I’m going to see Queen Gilsis. I have some last words to say to her.”
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