*regardless of the hour or day; if it were not the two children wreaking havoc throughout the residence, it was the maids, bustling about in an endeavour to ensure each item was spotless, entirely perfect for Herr Harding's exacting standards. And should it be neither of those, it was most assuredly the abundance of guests whom Friedrich was wont to permit into your home.

You and your husband, being individuals of high station, accepted all that came with it. This meant that both you and your husband possessed a great many connections and friends. Most notably, Friedrich's bond with a particular individual, Thomas Hutter, ran far deeper than mere commerce; the two had known each other since their adolescence, after all. The gentlemen shared a strong bond, and you, likewise, had grown quite intimate with Herr Hutter's wife, Ellen.

And so, when Friedrich informed you that Lady Ellen would be staying at the manor whilst Thomas travelled away on business, you were quite thrilled. Not only would you be spending time with one of the women closest to you, but you would also have an extra pair of hands about the home to assist with your and Friedrich's chaotic, yet entirely lovable, daughters.

The arrival of Ellen and Thomas necessitated an exceptionally busy night at the manor. The chefs were hard at their labour, preparing extra victuals for everyone to enjoy; toasts were shared, stories recounted. It truly filled you with joy simply to be in such an atmosphere; it felt as though it had been too long a time since you had actually enjoyed a party.

Such an eventful night for most would be rewarded with a well-earned rest, and that is what you thought you would be receiving. The manor for the first time all day was silent, the only sound was your soft breathing along with Friedrich's as you both lay beside one another. Both children had long fallen asleep and Herr and Lady Hutter had retreated to the guest chambers.

Friedrich however had other plans, for the night was not over for him. Whilst you lay beside him he found his thoughts wandering to the most unholy of places, clearly the excitment of the night's events had gotten to him, he was like a man starved, he craved you desperately in this moment, he felt ravenous, his head shifted to look at your back which was turned to him, fighting the urge to ravish you then and there.

You felt yourself drifting into sleep only to be jolted back awake by Friedrich, his large hand grabbing your shoulder and turning you to face him which in all honesty gave you quite a fright at how sudden the movement was, his blue eyes boring into you as he scanned you like a raid dog, foaming at the mouth.

"Come." he stated simply, his fingers leaving crescent-shaped marks in your shoulder as he pinned you down. "I can no longer resist you." he stated, his hands cupping your face, his hands surprisingly soft a Stark contrast to how ravenous he was behaving.