Chapter 54: Dine with me.

When Oisín received the invitation, he was just about to see Cathal off as he left on a ship for his yearly leave.

The Third Army did not belong to any of the three admirals, but because of their high ranks, all three had the right to give it orders. Admiral Doherty’s message appeared directly on his light brain. Her words were cold and straight to the point. "Next Friday. Dine with me."

She did not even add a "please."

Oisín quickly closed the message, but Cathal had already seen it. He looked a little surprised. "The Third Prince’s mother?"

Oisín replied coldly, "She probably wants to show me who’s in charge."

He had been openly pursuing the Third Prince, and rumours about the roses and irises had spread throughout the city. Every gossip board on the anonymous forums was full of discussions about them. There was no way the Third Prince’s mother had not heard about it.

Cathal thought for a moment and clicked his tongue. "Next Friday. That timing might be difficult for you."

After the first marking, the discomfort could last for up to two months. It had been almost half a month since Oisín last came into contact with Fionn’s scent. The scent left on his gloves and coat had completely disappeared, so he had been forced to increase his medicine dose.

Being in the same room as Lorcan now would be very difficult for him.

Oisín said, "I only hope she doesn’t make me kneel beside the Third Prince for two hours."

It was an old Zerg custom used to show authority. It was similar to an old human custom in some backward places where a new bride had to sit through a long ceremony to teach her how to behave. Many Zerg males enjoyed showing their power this way.

Kneeling for two hours was not a big problem. Oisín was not that weak. The real problem was having the male’s natural scent fill the room and create a strong attraction that was difficult to resist. The scent stirred up his body’s desires but was not enough to satisfy them. This only made his discomfort worse and his longing harder to bear. In that condition, controlling his instincts and behaving properly in front of someone of higher rank was not easy.

But if he lost control and behaved badly, marrying into the family would become even more difficult.

Cathal teased him. "That’s not the worst part. The worst would be kneeling for two hours, only for the Admiral to tell you that you’re not suitable for her child and order you to stay away."

Oisín did not deny it. "That could happen."

With the Collins Family’s wealth, Oisín was confident that Fionn would accept him. Judging by the Third Prince’s recent behaviour, including how he had praised Oisín’s photo, it seemed he still had some interest in him. As for the problems that were sure to come, Oisín would have to deal with them one at a time.

Suddenly, Oisín changed the subject. "Speaking of that, Cathal, you have good taste."

Cathal looked confused. "?"

Oisín explained, "The Third Prince really liked the photo you chose."

Cathal smiled proudly. "Of course. I chose it based on data about what males prefer."

Time passed quickly as Oisín spent his days handling official duties. Before he knew it, Friday had arrived.

He carefully made himself look neat, tying his silver hair into place one strand at a time. He chose a simple, proper uniform that would not attract too much attention. Then he injected three doses of medicine into his veins, the highest amount allowed by the drug rules. Carrying a bunch of pure white irises, he calmly boarded his ship.

During the days before the meeting, he had checked the address Admiral Doherty sent him several times.

Royal family dinners were usually held in private homes, but the Admiral had chosen a place in a busy shopping district.

Oisín flew his ship close to the shopping area and frowned slightly. The place was full of young people wearing casual clothes. Bright lights shone everywhere, and the streets were busy with traffic. Wearing his formal uniform with medals on his shoulders, he looked completely out of place.

This did not seem like somewhere an admiral would choose, so Oisín guessed that the young Third Prince must have picked the location.

Trying to guess the Third Prince’s preferences, Oisín straightened his uniform and thought, I hope those two aren’t crazy enough to make me kneel in public in the middle of a shopping centre.

Otherwise, he would become the main topic of discussion on the forums the next day.

He arrived at the restaurant that had been booked for the meeting. The place had already been cleared of other customers. After checking his name, a staff member smiled and said, "Please follow me."

Oisín nodded and followed the staff member inside, quietly looking at the decorations.

The floor was covered with woven mats made from rushes, so kneeling would not be too uncomfortable. The room also had good airflow, allowing fresh air to move through it and making the scent in the room disappear more quickly.

The waiter led him to a private room at the back.

Two sliding doors opened, revealing the scene inside. The Third Prince and the Admiral sat opposite each other. There were no chairs in the room. Instead, they were both kneeling on cushions around a small copper stove, where a pot of stew was bubbling.

System: "It’s your turn."

"Mm."

Lorcan placed some slices of lamb into the pot. Through the rising steam, he waved Oisín over. "Major General, kneel down."

Then he added with a smile, "Kneel on the cushion beside me."

He had spent two whole hours choosing this restaurant with floor cushions just so he could say those words.

_ _ _

Oisín gently rubbed his face against Lorcan’s palm, his blue eyes as beautiful as the sky or the sea. Anyone watching would have noticed how perfectly he knelt, showing off the shape of his jaw. Below his white uniform, the outline of his toned stomach was also clearly visible.

Oisín spoke softly, trying to please him. His voice was still sweet and gentle as he said, "Third Prince, the moonlight is so beautiful tonight. Perhaps we could... uh!"

He had been about to say more sweet words when someone pinched his cheek.

Lorcan pulled the soft skin outward and squeezed it as if he were shaping a piece of clay, making the handsome general’s face look round like a bun. "Don’t talk to me like that," he said firmly.

Oisín had always believed he understood males well. They enjoyed pleasure, liked being treated kindly, and loved hearing compliments. He had carefully controlled his voice and tone, making sure they sounded just right. So he could not understand why the male disliked it. He had no idea what he had done wrong.

Lorcan let out a quiet sigh.

He looked at Oisín, who was still half-kneeling on the floor. Oisín was trying hard to relax his eyebrows, but they remained tightly drawn together as if he were in pain. His silver hair was damp with sweat and shone softly.

Lorcan opened the cabin door. "Come down with me."

The ship had already landed on the landing platform at the prince’s estate. The butler had guessed what was happening and was waiting nearby with the attendants. They took Lorcan’s coat and brought him some water and a towel.

Oisín quietly let out a breath of relief.

He had won the bet. The Third Prince really did seem to like him, at least enough to put up with his small requests.

Oisín thought carefully about the situation. Perhaps married life would not be so bad after all.

He forced a smile and was about to follow Lorcan when his legs suddenly became weak and sore. He stumbled forward and fell to his knees without meaning to.

Lorcan turned around and caught him. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine," Oisín replied with a smile as he tried to stand straight. "I’m sorry for behaving so carelessly. Please forgive me, Third Prince..."

Oisín’s behaviour was not simply about being polite. It was his way of protecting himself. Only by keeping up this act could he feel even a little safe.

Old habits could not be changed in a single day, and Lorcan did not bother saying much about it. Instead, he grabbed Oisín’s wrist and pulled him straight into the bedroom.

He pushed Oisín onto the bed, making him lie flat on his back. Then he looked him over from head to toe, as if trying to decide what to do first.

He needs my natural scent, but how much does he need, and how should I give it to him?

Oisín lay on the bed, giving in and lowering his guard. His soft waist was exposed as he looked at Lorcan with longing.

"Third Prince, I think... I really want..." He swallowed the last few words, leaving them unspoken. His unfinished words were as tempting as a hook meant to catch a fish.

Lorcan pressed his lips together.

Liar.

Oisín did not want this at all.

Love among the Zerg was not always pleasant. Often, it was the opposite. Proud males had many ways to make their partners suffer, including whips, restraints, and other methods. Females endured all of it because they needed the males’ natural scent, accepting even the painful results.

Oisín could have endured those cruel methods under normal circumstances. The problem was that he was already in terrible pain.

He was hurting so badly that even kneeling was difficult. He had nearly fallen while getting off the ship. At a time like this, rough intimacy was certainly not something he wanted to experience.

But he felt he had no choice except to endure it.

Because it was the only way he could get enough of the scent his body needed.

When Lorcan reached out to push him, Oisín’s pupils became smaller for a moment. He quickly relaxed and allowed Lorcan to take control, but Lorcan still noticed his reaction.

Perhaps because Lorcan’s expression was cold and his lips were pressed tightly together, Oisín raised himself slightly and quickly checked his appearance. Then he forced a smile.

"I’m sorry. I must look terrible right now. I need a little time to clean myself up. Please wait for me, Third Prince."

His hair was messy, his lip was cut and bleeding, and his face was pale. He looked far from presentable.

As he spoke, Oisín tried to get up and walk to the bathroom, but he could not even stand properly.

Lorcan clicked his tongue and pushed him back onto the bed. ’The Major General of the Third Army had become so weak that even the slightest touch made him fall back down.’

While Oisín stared at him in surprise, Lorcan leaned over and ran his fingers through his silver hair. He gently stroked it until Oisín shivered. Then he held him down and kissed him again and again.

Lorcan had always been quick to learn and good at almost everything. He had not played Star Warfare for long before reaching the top ranks on the national server. Kissing was no different. He learned quickly, and because he hated losing, he refused to let Oisín be better than him.

Oisín had studied the theory and understood it well, at least on paper, but he had little real experience. At first, he could handle someone as inexperienced as Lorcan. But once Lorcan learned what he was doing, Oisín could no longer keep up and was left struggling to catch his breath.

Worried that he was not giving Oisín enough of his natural scent, Lorcan made each kiss deeper. Before long, Oisín was completely worn out. Lorcan then began removing his uniform as carefully as someone unwrapping a gift. He undid the buttons but left the uniform hanging loosely around his body.

At some point, Oisín began to tremble slightly as Lorcan’s fingers moved over his medals and ribbons. Then his fingers moved across Oisín’s pale skin, which was marked with faint pink scars from old battles. The wounds had healed long ago, leaving only light marks behind, but Oisín still shivered when Lorcan touched them.

Lorcan asked quietly, "Does it hurt?"

The scars were so old that he could hardly imagine how much pain Oisín must have suffered when he got them.

Oisín took a breath. "It doesn’t hurt."

Facing the curious male, he gathered himself and explained, "I got this scar during the Clearing of the 22ndd District."

Lorcan followed the scar with his finger before tapping Oisín’s shoulder. "This one, right? Is this the medal?"

A metal badge was attached above his left shoulder. The words "22nd District Commemoration" were written on it.

Oisín’s eyes became distant as he remembered the past. "Yes..."

Back then, he had stood on a stage to receive that medal while wearing this same uniform. Female soldiers had cheered loudly below him, their voices rising like huge waves.

At that time, he had been the Iris Major General of the Third Army and the proudest eldest son of the Collins Family.

But now, he was lying beside a male, too weak to move properly. His uniform was hanging open, and the same medal was still attached to it.

Oisín gave a bitter smile. A quiet sadness filled his heart, but before he could think about it for long, his mind was already occupied with other things.

Lorcan bent down and kissed the scar.

The skin around it was surprisingly hot. Under the effect of the male’s natural scent, the uneven scar seemed to have become much more sensitive, as if it had suddenly developed nerves of its own.

Lorcan began kissing him from the collarbone. He had little experience and was a little clumsy, so he focused on gently calming Oisín’s trembling body.

Only after Oisín finally relaxed did Lorcan place his fingertips on the buttons of his uniform.

"May I?"

Oisín was surprised by the question, but then he smiled. "Of course. Please."