"She is quite something," Hannibal said. He didn't mind sharing Phedre. In fact, he too played chess with her. He also fucked her, but never hurt her. She had a grace about her that he quite loved and while he didn't like showing it, he simply wasn't into pain.

Sometimes he turned her over and fucked her differently, and closed his eyes and imagined her moans were someone else's. Imagined her arse and her marque were not hers but Alcuin's.