(Ellion's POV)
"Obviously, you don't need me to tell you to keep what happened a secret." Queen Rhaella said as I was standing next to her at a respectable distance, "Ellion, if anybody finds out....."
We were at the Secret Gardens, next to the gondola and looking out to the waters. She was taking a walk with Rhaegar and after the Crown Prince wandered off, Her Grace gestured me over to speak. I had been using my Observation Haki to make sure nobody was nearby and listening.
We were in the clear.
"I know, Your Grace." I said, "You need not to worry about me."
"What we did...." She said softly, "It must remain a secret. Nobody should find out."
"I understand, Your Grace." I said, "You will not have to worry about me saying anything. I told you, didn't I? I will take care of everything. You don't have to live with the anxiety, You Grace."
"O-Okay...." She said, not wanting to look at me, "But how could you be so sure? Even speaking now scares me."
"Nobody is listening." I assured her
"But how do you know that?" She whispered
"Trust me on this." I said, looking at her, my hands behind my back, "Nobody is listening. Nobody is nearby. I will never risk you or anyone when it comes to something like this."
She looked at me, her beautiful eyes staring right at me. She looked so beautiful, her fair skin was glowing so nicely; it took the attention away from her bruises.
"I see...." She said, "I will trust you."
I nodded, "Thank you." I said, "Whatever the case is, I do not regret what we did."
She blushed and looked down, "...neither did I." She said softly, "It felt.....liberating, doing what we did."
"Yes." I said, "I am sure it did."
"If Aerys ever finds out." Her voice was a whisper
"You let me worry about that." I said, "Your Grace, just calm down. If we both keep quiet, the better."
"R-Right...." She composed herself, "You are right."
I nodded, "We must not be seen together alone that much." I said, "That way, people won't suspect much."
"I agree." She said as I began to walk away, "But Ellion."
I stopped and looked at her, "Yes?"
"I enjoyed it." She said, looking at me with a saddened expression, "Is it so wrong to admit that?"
I shook my head, "No, Your Grace." I said, "It is not wrong."
She had her hand up to her chest, "I.....I would like to feel that pleasure again." She said, "If it is possible."
I nodded, "I will see what I can do about that." I said, "For you, I will do anything, Your Grace."
She gave me a slight smile, her entire demeanor shifting to a positive one, "Thank you." She said, "I know this is the most vulgar of sins, but is it so wrong of me to feel pleasure? Ellion, is it?"
"I said it already....." I shook my head, "It is not wrong."
"When the other Houses arrive, we must be more discreet." She said softly, "Can we.....be together again before they arrive?"
This could be rather risky; having sex with the Queen again. The possibility of us getting caught could be high, but I can work with something like that. If she comes to my chamber again, it will be rather high. I don't put it past Aerys to suspect something is wrong.
I may have to work something out when it comes to that.
"I'll work on that, Your Grace." I said, "When the opportunity arises, I will be in your chambers, make no mistake."
"Thank you." She said
I started to walk away, "No problem."
********************
[Later That Night]
I was walking along the halls of the Red Keep, making past some patrolling guards. Considering that I had spent some time in the city, learning the layout of the streets back there, I thought I would the same with the castle.
Walking around the halls, spreading my Observation Haki all around like a radar, studying the layout completely. I could sense the presence of every insignificant living being that was creeping about in the vicinity: the bugs, the rats, and anything else.
I was doing this for around two hours, trying to get the entire Red Keep memorized. I was somewhat sure that a Keep this large would have its own secrets.
"Hm..." I said as I walked, holding an apple in my hand, "Interesting."
I stopped at a corner, noticing something strange. I turned and faced the wall, seeing the stone staring right at me as the flickering flame of the torch was illuminating it. Using my Observation Haki, I noticed that there was a strange pocket of space behind that wall.
I took a bite of the apple, "Hm....." I said, "What do we have here?"
I spread my Observation Haki outwards, which was acting like a radar. This way of using this Haki was only possible when I used my Sexual Cultivation to enhance it this way. I could send "waves" of observation haki out, and anything that they bounce off, I would be able to "see" it. Kinda like echolocation, but in a much more advanced way.
Using this would allow me to make out the layout of any building or location that I was in. I could see almost anything within the range, even inorganic matter.
And now, I was seeing that there was some sort of secret passage behind this wall, several dozen meters inside. I could sense that there was no specific chamber within the area, which did intrigue me.
I took another bite, "Interesting." I said as I spread my haki outwards even more, "A secret passage."
I began to walk along the wall, following the secret passage and trying to see where it led. I walked for what seemed like minutes, tracing the passage back to what I assume was the Royal Family wing, or at least one of them. From the looks of it, these passages could probably lead outside the keep.
I had to keep investigating it.
I took another bite and chewed on it, "I could use this." I said,
"This could benefit me."