by Ivy Clyde
Cain wore a prideful smile.
My heart fluttered at that look reserved just for me. I smiled back despite my aching cheeks.
“Daria!” called another familiar voice.
Turning around, I saw Adal striding towards us. His gaze took in my face and at once, a frown marred his perfect lips. How awful did my face look after Helena’s slaps?
“Norvin and I found boxes of antidote in the kitchen,” said Adal. “While you kept them busy here, we were able to sneak inside the governor’s mansion. You have no idea about the conspiracies at work here.”
The air was filled with the stench of burning flesh. From the position of the stars overhead, I could tell it would be a few more hours until dawn.
“There’s no time to waste. We should start distributing the cure right away.”
“That’s no trouble,” said Adal. “There’s already a lot available along with a fresh batch bubbling in the kitchen. It looks like the saintess was about to cure the village and be on her way to Gweryn for a marriage.”
Cain gazed at Helena who was rooted to the spot. She was seething, her black eyes trained on me. It felt especially good to be smiling back at her now.
“Are there any capable men around?” Cain’s voice roared over the low buzz of the crowd. “I command all healthy men over the age of fifteen to come forward.”
It was a few minutes before a small force of doubtful-looking men gathered before Cain. A few were young but the rest were past the age of fifty. Had Helena poisoned most of the younger population?
“He will show you where the cure is,” said Cain, gesturing towards Adal. “Follow his lead and distribute it among the people who are sick.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” They gave clumsy bows.
“I told Norvin to stay out of sight,” whispered Adal. “Now that we’ve kicked the hornet’s nest, spies and enemies would be around, keeping watch.”
Cain nodded. “Good.”
The crowd broke away from the scene, all eagerly entering the governor’s mansion for the cure. Cain walked towards Helena. I followed after him, eager to see the saintess’s mask wrenched off her wicked face.
“Do I need any more proof?” asked Cain.
“What do you plan to do with me?”
“Give up on marrying me.”
Her head wrenched up to stare up at him. Shaking her head, she threw herself at him. “I did all this for you, my prince. You can’t push me away because of a few peasants. Let us kill the whole village so no one knows about this. You can marry me, the saintess who can cure any disease. ”
“Those peasants are my people!” he shouted, pushing her away from him. “And how dare you suggest such atrocity in front of me?”
Helena’s gaze fell on me. “It’s all your fault!” she seethed. “I will kill you!” She drew out a dirk from her belt, intent to plunge it inside my heart but Cain stopped her. Flames burst out of his palm to surround the knife’s hilt. It slipped out of Helena’s grip and fell to the ground. It glowed red.
“You will not hurt my people again,” said Cain in a low, warning tone.
Helena suddenly erupted out in laughter. “There’s nothing you can do if I choose to do so. You wouldn’t really go against my father, will you?”
Cain’s eyes blazed.
“Get out of Iorna,” he hissed through clenched teeth.
“Take me as your queen.”
“Never. A woman like you doesn’t deserve to be anywhere in my kingdom. Go now before I change my mind and kill you here right now.”
Helena’s gaze moved to the two maids who’d appeared near us. “Ready the horses. We’ll leave at once.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
“What did you do with Lord Carran and his household?” asked Cain when the maids disappeared inside the manor’s walls.
Helena scoffed. “The fool is locked up in the basement. The rest of the household is buried in the woods behind the house.”
I stared back at the woman before us. A cold shudder ran through me at the way she said it so calmly. While I never took pleasure in taking a life, Helena seemed completely apathetic to it. There was no remorse over the innocent lives she’d sacrificed for her selfish agenda.
The maids came out with more of their numbers. They each held reins to their horses, prepared to leave Carran before the people recovered from their sickness and drove them out themselves.
Helena walked towards the horse waiting for her. Before mounting, she glanced back at us.
“I will never forget the dishonor you brought on me, Prince Cain,” she said. “You’ll be paying for it.”
“Prince Cain didn’t ask you to go around poisoning people,” I spoke out at once. “You brought this on yourself. Thank your stars you’re able to escape and not being torn apart by the people whose families you destroyed.”
“You…I will make you burn!” she vowed.
I laughed in her face. “Even your daddy dragon wouldn’t be capable of that.”
“You will have to get through me to get to her,” said Cain, coming beside me to hold me against him. “No matter what you do, you’ll never be my queen. Word of your cruelty will spread. I will make sure you’re not welcome in any of the three kingdoms.”
Helena hissed a curse under her breath and mounted up her horse. She barked out commands at her maids and within seconds, they were riding down the street.
I exhaled out a breath. It had been one long day and I was exhausted.
22
Cain left me to rest in one of the smaller houses lining the back of the governor’s manor. Before leaving to supervise the distribution of the cure, he warned me to stay indoors.
“If there aren’t spies swarming here already, they will come soon,” said Cain. “Adal will leave at daybreak and Norvin will set off tomorrow noon. I don’t want them seen hanging around me or each other. You and I will leave for Gweryn day after tomorrow. Things should calm down by then.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I told him with a nod. “I can handle myself but you have to be careful out there.”
“I will,” he said, lingering a moment longer before leaving the room.
I couldn’t help but be impressed by him. He was very aware of his responsibility towards his people. We were all exhausted but Cain wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of protecting them. For the first time, I personally wanted to eradicate the emperor who’d sapped all power from the royals of the four kingdoms. Without proper governance, common folk were suffering every day. Even as a ruling prince, Cain had to be wary of spies.
Even though he wanted me to stay inside the house, I went out to the stables near the temple. My horse was still accommodated there with my packs and bundles of herbs. The ache in my face was growing by the minute and my body felt sore with exhaustion. I’d used quite a lot of my inner force to control the wind and fire battling Helena’s mercenaries. A hot bath with my special herbs would help cure some of my fatigue.
I made sure to stay close to the shadows during my trip. It was an easy feat considering it was only a few hours after midnight. People were crowded in the manor but no one looked twice my way. They were too focused on the queue before them. Everyone wanted a cup of the cure to feed their ailing family members.
After getting back with my bundles, my next concern was to get water to boil the herbs. The hearth in the corner was stashed with dry twigs but I still needed water. Knowing Helena’s quarters to be equipped with basic toiletries, I snuck in there. It was empty but I stayed on alert.
To my luck, I found two large earthen pots of water in the corner of the bedroom. Going through her things, I found fresh linen towels and plenty of perfumed oils and facial pigments. It took two trips to carry the water back to my temporary room but the distance wasn’t long enough to tire me.
Starting a fire, I put a copper kettle to boil.
Once the water was warm, I poured some of it into a shallow basin and put the kettle to heat once more. When steam gushe
d out of the spout, I added the herbs to stew in it.
Making sure the door was closed, I stripped out of my clothes. Dipping a linen towel into the warm water, I began washing my body clean. With the fire burning near me, the heat soaked through my skin, warming me from the inside. I struggled to cleanse my face because of the bruises. Being as gentle as possible, I lightly dabbed and wiped it.
I could still taste the tang of blood inside my mouth. Pulling on a fresh cotton robe, I sat down on the floor. It would take a tiny amount of inner power to heal the insides of my cheeks. Closing my eyes, I channeled my healing magic towards it.
A minute later, my inner cheeks felt smooth. Most of the ache disturbing me earlier vanished as well, making me sigh in relief. Getting up from the floor, I checked on the kettle. The distinct smell of stewing herbs wafted towards me. The potion was ready.
Taking the kettle off the heat, I poured the medicine into a stone cup. Blowing on the steaming liquid, I went to sit on a chair nearby.
The first sip of the warm potion instantly energized me. It tasted bitter but left my body invigorated. I drank half of it in a single gulp.
A sudden knock on my door alerted me.
Holding a poisoned dart between my fingers, I headed to the door slowly. “Who is it?” I asked in a tight voice.
“Me.” It was Adal’s voice.
Putting away the dart, I opened the door. Adal’s gaze went down my face to the revealing robe I wore. A quick downward glance told me it’d come loose and half my milky breasts were on display. Not bothering to cover it, I said, “Come in.” When he stepped inside, I closed the door behind him.
“Are you all right, Daria?” he asked, coming close to me. His finger hooked under my chin to lift it up. Surprise and relief spread through his handsome features. “Your bruises look a lot better now.”
“Was it really ugly before?”
“They looked painful,” he said in a tight voice. His arms wrapped around me as he gently drew me close to his chest. My heart began racing at our closeness. I could feel his warmth seeping through the thin fabric of my robe. I tried to concentrate on what he was saying as heat pooled between my thighs.
“Norvin is staying on the outskirts of town. He may come and visit you tomorrow before he leaves. I wouldn’t have come so late but I ride out early in the morning.”
“I wish we could have stayed together longer,” I said, leaning my head on his chest and holding him close. Somehow, things were always easier with Adal. He seemed to understand my feelings the best. “It feels like I was just getting to know you.”
“You will see me again when you bring back the scrolls Cain hands you,” he whispered, burying his head in the side of my neck. “I am already missing you, Daria.”
I stepped away from him to look into his warm blue eyes. Heart pounding against my ribs, I rose on my toes to press my lips to his. A surprised gasp escaped him as he stared back at me. Disappointment hit me. Did I go too far?
Before I could take another step, Adal’s arm wrapped around my waist, drawing me closer as his lips descended down on me. I opened up to him willingly, eager for a taste of him. The mellow fragrance of sandalwood and sweet wine enveloped me as our kiss got deeper. At first, I was hesitant but soon I mimicked his movements, swirling my tongue around his.
This was my second kiss after sharing the first one with Norvin.
My heart swelled with joy as it thudded against my chest.
Adal’s lips moved down my chin. Soft moans escaped me as I arched my neck backward, giving him more access to the sensitive skin there.
“You taste so sweet, Daria,” he whispered, his hot breath fanning against the side of my neck as he kissed and nipped my soft skin.
My moans got louder as his hand rose to rest on my breast while the other was placed low on my hip. Wanting him to touch me more, I pressed against him.
“Tell me if this is going too far…” He whispered in my ear as his hands gently began kneading my breasts.
“Please don’t stop!” It was a demand as well as a plea. The place between my thighs was throbbing in rhythm with my heartbeat. I was desperate for him to touch me there.
Adal’s grasp on my breasts tightened. I breathed into his mouth as he kissed me fiercely.
With a tug, the front of my robes opened. Adal came to a sudden halt as his gaze took in the sight of my bare breasts. His eyes darkened as he pushed the robe off my shoulder.
Heat spread through my neck and onto my cheeks as Adal stared at my completely naked body. When his eyes locked into mine, I nodded, answering the unasked question. I wanted him.
With a sudden move, he swept me off my feet and into his arms. He made the short distance towards the bed in the corner and laid me among the pillows. As he got on top of me, my fingers began undoing the ties on the front of his tunic. I wanted to feel the hardness of his chest against my breasts.
Adal seemed as desperate as me. He pulled the tunic over his head and threw it on the floor, moving to capture my lips again. It felt incredible to have my soft breasts squashed against his hard chest. I could feel the hardness between his legs pressing against my thighs as he positioned himself over me.
While I was thoroughly enjoying the sensations exploding through my body, I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. Adal and I were being intimate and it was no dream.
“Ahhh!” I cried out as Adal’s lips closed around my tight nipple. He sucked on it hard, making my back arch off the bed. My fingers dug into his soft, golden curls as I held him in place.
“You’re so beautiful, Daria,” he said after a while. I was lying naked under him with only his breeches between us.
I gazed up into his warm blue eyes. Lust and affection swirled in those beautiful sapphire orbs. They were the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen in my life. I was suddenly breathless, transfixed. The look in his eyes was pulling me in deeper and deeper.
He lowered his head down my body, his warm lips skimming my breasts and the expanse of my stomach until they reached my sex. Parting the lips there, he let his tongue swirl inside the folds of my pussy.
“Adal.” His name was like a prayer on my lips as my hands grabbed onto the sheets.
The strokes of his tongue were luxurious, gentle and sure. My whole body ignited on fire. He whispered something but it was a guttural rumble in my ears. I could no longer hold onto my thoughts as pleasure pushed everything aside.
My body tightened.
My back arched away from the bed as he kissed, licked and sucked at the folds of my sex.
The sensations throbbing through my body rose higher, concentrating in my center until I could take it no longer. While I was taught the art of sex, no one ever told me it would feel this way. A dam seemed to collapse inside me. A sudden cry escaped me as waves of pleasure cascaded down my body, drowning every thought in my head.
My mouth was wide open as I gasped for breath. Adal was looking down at me as his fingers gently moved away the stray strands of hair from my face.
“You looked so beautiful as you came,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
“Please, Adal. I want you inside me.”
I was desperate for him to enter me. My body demanded it. My heart begged for it.
“Daria…I…” He was hesitating, suddenly unable to say the words on his lips.
“What is it?” I asked urgently. “Did I do something wrong?” Panic gripped me tight in its hold. Elga’s lessons on pleasing men went through my head. I could still feel his hardness against my thighs. As far as I knew, it meant he was aroused too. But then, why? Why was he holding himself back?
“I am not experienced, Daria,” he said in a low whisper.
I smiled. “Neither am I. But, Adal…” I sat up, putting my hands on the sides of his face. “You’ve already made me feel such pleasure. Perhaps, it’s time for me to reciprocate.”
Before he could say a thing, I pushed down on his shoulders to make him lie back on the
bed. My fingers untied the chords of his breeches and pulled them off his legs. His manhood sprang out and stood erect. Just as I was taught, I wrapped my fingers around the thick length.
“Daria…”
His cock felt incredibly hard and hot against the softness of my palm. As my hand moved up and down his shaft, it lengthened and got harder. Adal’s head fell back among the pillows as low groans escaped him.
Guessing I was doing it right, I took the thick head inside my mouth. I had to stretch wide to accommodate it inside. Slowly, hesitatingly I swallowed more of the length until the tip of his cock hit the back of my throat. My tongue swirled around the head while my hand moved up and down the part that was still outside my mouth.
“Oh, goddess! Daria!” Adal sounded breathless. His eyes were closed and his mouth was pressed tight in an expression of pain and pleasure.
Gaining more confidence, I began bobbing my head up and down his impossibly hardened shaft. Adal’s grunts were becoming hoarser by the second. He was desperately uttering my name. I could’ve never imagined how great it felt to give pleasure.
With a sudden move, he sat up and placed his hand over mine. “Stop, Daria.”
I looked up at him, worried.
“I won’t be able to control myself any longer if you keep going,” he said breathlessly. His chest was heaving. His eyes darkened as he pulled me close to him for a kiss.
Laying me on my back, he positioned himself over. With his lips on mine, he rubbed the tip of his cock against my wet folds.
The swirls of his tongue around mine distracted me as his head breached through my entrance. Pain flared up inside me as his thick girth slowly stretched my walls.
“Relax, Daria,” he breathed. “It’ll be okay.”
I inhaled deeply, willing my body to relax. My insides felt tight and full with his manhood entering me. With a sudden thrust, Adal buried himself fully inside me. I gasped out but his soft kisses distracted me once again.