Instead, she bowed her head. “I am the Princess’s Lady in Waiting.” She looked at me and frowned. “Lady in Waiting in training.”
Scrunching my nose up at Rafael, who was standing over me, I quickly stuck my tongue out at him. Rafael gave me a wicked look and wiggled his fingers in my face. I grabbed his hand, allowing him to pull me into a standing position.
Dragging me into his arms, Rafael’s lips caressed my ear as he whispered, “I missed you.”
“Me too,” I murmured back, blush creeping up my neck as I glanced over to Amelia. “I’m not sure what the protocol is to let you leave.”
“Oh! Yes, Princess. I’ll just be in the castle. I’m set up in a small room next to yours if you need me.”
She took off running, leaving Rafael and me alone. Smiling, I leaned into Rafael’s body and he responded by tightening his arms around my waist and kissing my forehead. Seconds later he sighed and pulled away before clasping my hand in his and tugging me toward the stables. I had no idea what he was up to, but I went with it as Rafael ushered me inside and up the stairs into the hay loft. Seconds behind me, Rafael looked around before striding over to a small space, bare of hay. Shrugging the bag from his shoulder, he pulled out what looked like a blanket. Looking back, he caught my eye and winked.
I crossed my arms, giving him a mocking yawn and patted at my mouth.
Rafael snorted and went back to pulling things out of the bag. I leaned in as Rafael pulled out bread, cheese, dried fruit, and a bottle full of liquid, golden in color, along with a pair of cups. Standing, he placed his hands on his hips, surveying the spread laid out in front of us. Apparently, something was wrong as he grunted and leaned back down smoothing out a corner of the blanket. I cocked my head to the side and stared at his ass. Rafael turned his head and winked. I snapped my eyes back to his face and tried to pretend I had not just been staring at my fiancé’s backside. He did that on purpose, and last time I checked, I was supposed to be still mad at him; not having a romantic picnic in the stables.
Rafael raised his eyebrow in my direction, then sat. “Princess?”
I shook my head and padded over to his side, placing the books I was still carrying down on a hay bale. He eyed the big book and raised his brows. “Please tell me you don’t plan on ruining our date with that...that monstrosity of a book.”
Laughter bubbled out of me, and I shook my head. “I would never spoil a date with a history book.”
Rafael’s eyes narrowed, as he sized up the book.
“What are you thinking about?” I murmured, looking down at his face.
He reached up and grabbed my hand, tumbling me into his lap. “Just reminiscing on the last time my mother brought that thing out for me to read.”
I nudged him. “And?”
He snorted, eyes flashing amber as he stared at me. “I shifted and flew away.”
Eyes never leaving my face he reached out, grabbed a piece of cheese and popped it into his mouth. “I met you the next day.”
I leaned away so I could properly look him in the face. “Wait, what?”
He smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me back in. “You said you wouldn’t ruin our date with a history book.”
I rolled my eyes and tried to pout, but failed when Rafael dipped a piece of bread in some honey and held it up to my lips. I took the honey bread from him and munched on it, thinking about the journal.
“What about the other one?”
“The other what, Sweetness?”
I snorted at his pet name for me and absentmindedly took the glass of gold liquid out of Rafael’s hand, sipping on it. The taste of nectarines mixed with a floral undertone coated my tongue, followed by a slight burning in the back of my throat.
I tilted my head in the direction of the books, taking another sip of the tart wine. “That one, on top.”
Rafael shifted ever so slightly and nabbed the journal. “I’ve never seen this one before, looks old though.”
I nodded and brought the cup up to my lips. “Rafael, are you trying to get me drunk?”
Rafael’s eyes widened in fake concern, looking at the bottle then to me. “I would never. Also, if I may point out, you are the one who took my drink.”
I laughed as Rafael poured a glass for himself, promptly emptying it in two swallows. He snuggled me closer, dropping his head into the crevice of my neck.
“Now, Princess, tell me about this mystery book.”
Setting down the wine, I caressed the back of Rafael’s neck, and felt him stiffen slightly before relaxing back into my hand.
“I have questions first.”
At my stern tone, Rafael lifted his head to look at me. “Why do I have the feeling I’m in trouble?”
I took in an exasperated breath and pushed away from Rafael as far as I could manage. I was still on his lap but he had loosened his grip around my waist just enough to where I could look at his face properly.
“I just have questions, Rafael.”
He groaned, knowing I was not going to let up until I got my way. “Ask away.”
I paused, biting at my lip, knowing these next questions and Rafael’s explanation could change everything. “The first day you showed up at my cabin, did you know who I was?”
Rafael let out a sigh and smiled softly. “Who I saw that day was a gorgeous woman kicking some spoiled teenage elf ass because she thought to protect me.” I scoffed and shoved his shoulder before he continued. “I had no idea who you were.”
Right.
That led me to my second question. “And after? After the medallion broke and you saw my eyes?”
Rafael shook his head as he picked up my hand, threading his fingers through mine. “Even then, I was still clueless, but I knew something was... off. The look of terror that flashed across your face and after, the rest of the night you were beyond tense. You wouldn’t look at me, you barely spoke to me. My Dragon wanted to know why you were suddenly afraid. It didn’t care that you were hiding your eye color. It took all my control that night to rein back my Dragon so he wouldn’t do something stupid, like pin you to the wall and demand answers. That is why I left so early the next day.”
I stared at Rafael, scarcely breathing. I had no idea he was so close to losing it that night. It made me wonder how tightly wound up his Dragon was.
I took in a sharp breath. “I... I probably would not have reacted well to that.”
Rafael threw his head back, laughing. “No, Maribella. Knowing you, you would have found a way to kick my ass all the way to the Southern Isles if my Dragon decided to push you around that day.”
“But you knew when you came back?” I choked, barely getting the words out. Rafael’s brows creased and he leaned over, grabbing my cup and handed it to me. I took a huge gulp downing the rest of the wine, waiting for his response.
“Yes.”
My whole body stilled, heart beating wildly in my chest. Silence stretched between us as Rafael mulled over his thoughts.
“I spent the first week in the archives room, not even knowing where to start. I knew it had to do with the color of your eyes. I pored over everything I could about creatures across this realm before I started flipping through some random scrolls. That was when I found the original contract with Sheharla and the following amendments.” Rafael paused, grabbing another piece of cheese and popped it into his mouth.
“I would have thought you would know all about the contract with Sheharla. Were you not preparing to take over once your parents retire?”
Rafael grimaced at my question. “Yes and no. It’s difficult to explain but, in a nutshell, only in this past year have my parents announced their retirement. I never paid much attention to the contract with Sheharla, that was my mother’s project. To be honest, I always thought my sister would take over the Stronghold.”
My mind reeled. “Wait. Hold up.” I pushed on Rafael’s shoulders and slipped off his lap. “You have a sister?”
Rafael grinned and shrugg
ed, taking a sip from his glass which he had refilled at some point. “Half-sister, older, but yes.”
I just stared at him, struggling to make words, “You...I...three years, Rafael! You never even mentioned a sibling.”
Rafael shrugged again, gripping my waist and pulling me back onto his lap. “I’m not done answering your questions, which means you have to stay right here.”
I scoffed at his audacity, almost wanting to sit elsewhere, but instead I crossed my arms and looked up at him.
Rafael narrowed his eyes in suspicion and murmured, “I didn’t expect that line to work.”
I rolled my eyes, throwing my hands up in defeat. Making a move to slip back off his lap, Rafael tightened his arms, keeping me in place.
“Well, I’m waiting.”
He snorted and dipped his head, nuzzling my neck.
“Rafael,” I growled. “Knock it off and tell me the rest of the story. Now.” I added extra emphasis on my now, and Rafael sighed before lifting his head.
“As you desire, Sweetness, but you’re not going to enjoy the rest of my explanation.”
Oddly enough, I had that feeling too.
“Eventually, I tracked down my mother to ask her about you. She told me yes, there was a princess, and per contract if I ever ascended to the throne, I would be entitled to her, if that was what I wanted. I was shocked. I never knew and, in my disbelief, I asked why the Princess of Sheharla was living in the woods as a Rover.” Rafael paused and let his words sink in.
It took a second, then I let out a gasp. “No!”
A blush crept across Rafael’s cheeks, the dusting of freckles across his nose standing out. “I inadvertently outed you to my mother.”
Rafael glanced at my face and quickly averted his eyes. “Believe me, it was not my intention to betray you. Mother was intrigued, but promised not to send word back to Sheharla.”
Rafael squeezed me harder, my back ending up flush with his chest and I craned my neck back at his next words. “I was curious, though. I wanted to see you again, and so did my Dragon. You were...you were a mystery, and I wanted to know more about you.”
“Were you ever planning to tell me?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The time I came back, when you slapped the apple out of my hand.”
I frowned. “Rafael, that was three years ago!”
He groaned. “I know. It was just every time I saw you; I would play out how I would tell you who I was and then months passed... then years. Then, my parents announced they were advocating the throne. They named me their heir. I was furious. I was in love with you and I knew, I just knew if I told you now after all this time, if I asked you to marry me and come to the Stronghold, you would say no.”
“So instead you sent a messenger to Sheharla, outed me, set me up to be traded and forced into marriage like the contract stated you could.” The dead words echoed throughout the loft. My entire body felt numb. Rafael had betrayed me in the end, maneuvering me right where he needed me. He might be in love with me in his own way, but what he had done was inexcusable.
Rafael let out a low growl, his arms crushing my chest to the point where taking a full breath was a struggle. His breath was hot against my neck and ear as he leaned in and whispered, “I said no. I gave up my throne for you, Maribella. I told my parents to give it to my sister or a cousin. Gods below, I even told them to give it to the clan we are continuously at war with. I would not take the throne if it meant losing you.”
I struggled to breathe, unsure if it was from Rafael’s arms crushing my chest or if it was from his declaration.
Rafael’s chest rattled as he angrily took in a breath then let it out, hot air scalding against my skin. “Then that night happened.”
I managed to suck in some air and struggled against Rafael’s crushing grip. “Rafael...I...”
His grip loosened but before I could move, he had me turned around, straddling his lap, looking me straight in the eyes. All the air I managed to get into my lungs disappeared as I took in the pain and anger radiating across Rafael’s face. I could see it clear as day. He knew by telling me all of this, he could lose me. He thought I was going to leave him. Rafael’s jaw clenched, and he closed his eyes, hands threaded through my hair as he rested his forehead against mine.
“I didn’t know what she did, Maribella. I didn’t know.” His voice cracked, and my heart broke.
“Who?” I whispered, breath intermingling with Rafael’s, my lips scraping against his.
“The queen.” Rafael’s grip on my hair tightened, his entire body shaking under me as he struggled to maintain control. Eyes snapping open, their usual caramel color now rimmed in amber. In that second, it was my control that snapped, and I threaded my arms around his neck, fingers twining through his hair as I crushed my lips against his. Rafael fought to take control of the kiss as his hands slipped from my hair to the back of my neck and lower back. Breathless, I pushed away breaking the kiss as my entire body screamed at me not to.
“I would never leave you. I love you, Rafael.”
My declaration hung in the air. Time seemingly paused between one breath and the next. Rafael pulled me in, his hands a brand across my body, and I briefly wondered if the Fates just took my words as a challenge before I sunk into the bliss of Rafael’s lips on my own.
Chapter Seventeen
We’d woke early that morning to the horses snorting in the stables below us, before sneaking into the castle. Staring absentmindedly out the window of my room, I brushed the rest of the straw out from my hair and thought back to last night. Rafael and I had watched the sun rise, our legs dangling out of the small loft door. We never intended to stay in the stables overnight, but the bottle of wine had decided otherwise. After our heated kissing session, we broke apart, and I read to him from the first-hand account journal. It was fun to watch Rafael’s shocked expression; he’d never known of the journals and, like me, wanted to know more. We both agreed his mother had many secrets, and Rafael would be speaking to her after taking the throne. Flicking a piece of straw from the brush, I frowned. I had been selfish in thinking only of myself and how the contract affected me. Never once did I think how Rafael felt, nor had I even asked him if this was what he wanted.
Rafael left it all out in the open last night, giving me the chance to walk away back to my cabin in the woods. I scoffed and threw a dried apricot in his face. That led us to rolling around in the straw once more, which led up to us passing out curled up in each other’s arms.
A knock echoed through the room, startling me into the present. Amelia opened the door and stuck her head in, noticing that I was awake. Beaming a smile at me, she swung the door open, allowing herself and three other women into the room. That was when the real fun began.
The women quickly took the brush from my hand and sat me down into a chair. One started in on my hair, the other laid out my wedding dress, adding a few other things that looked like antique silver jewelry to a pile on the bed. I tried to get a better view before the woman behind me started doing something complicated with my hair. They had poor little Amelia frantically running around looking for little miscellaneous items that I apparently needed for my wedding day. One of the women stepped into view and told me to shut my eyes. I complied then promptly sneezed when she opened the powder box in her hands. Cracking open my eyes when everyone around me stopped talking, I murmured a sorry to the queen’s lady in waiting in front of me—who was now covered in face powder. The woman doing my hair started laughing.
I shut my eyes once more as the woman in front of me shook her head and started in on my eyes and mouth. Apparently, I didn’t need the face powder anymore.
It wasn’t long before I found myself waiting outside a massive wooden door. Taking in a deep breath, I shut my eyes. Beyond the door was Rafael, along with everyone else who was waiting. Traditionally speaking, the wedding was to be small, with only a handful of Dragons and elders in the Stronghold. Taking another dee
p breath, I tightened my hands around a small potted plant. It was a rare blooming tree, its flowers a dark purple and burnt orange. It was to be planted in the garden’s glass terrace as a symbol of union per Dragon custom. I was just thankful the ceramic pot was giving me something to do with my hands. Before one of the ladies in waiting gave me the plant to hold, I’d been nervously playing with the antique chain jewelry wrapped around my wrist and hand, ending at my fingers. It had also gotten stuck in my hair. It was a huge mess and the ladies in waiting had to untangle me and straighten the complicated braids. I looked down, scrunching my bare feet against the cold tile floor. My ankle and foot jewelry, made of the same antique silver, matched what was on my wrists and hands. The bottom of my dress billowed around my feet gently as a draft from the door opening hit it. Opening my eyes, I took a deep breath, the smell of old dirt, damp moss, and flowers overcame my senses. Lifting my head, I froze upon seeing Rafael at the end of the aisle. He was also barefoot, standing under an arch of blue vines and white starflowers, which shimmered as the wall of glass behind him reflected light into the garden. Rafael was dressed simply, in pitch-black trousers and a cream-colored shirt matching the material of my dress. It was rolled up at the sleeves and the ties at the front were open, showing off his firm chest. His hair was back in a messy but intricate half braid like mine, and he too held a small potted plant. Feet moving forward on their own accord, I drifted from the oddly cool dark gray stone to moist earth halfway down the aisle. I passed a few dozen people sitting on the carved out stone benches, matching the smooth stone on the ground, but my eyes were all for Rafael. Suddenly, I was standing in front of him. An older female Dragon with silvered hair stepped up to the worn-down stone dais in front of us, placing an equally old leather book down on a bed of blue vines. She cracked the book open to a page of old smudged writing near the middle and started reading out loud in the old language, switching to two other languages, including the common tongue. I cracked a smile when Rafael winked at me. The female Dragon cleared her throat, telling us to behave, and I looked down, blushing. She continued and we placed the potted blooming trees on the dais when the Dragon motioned for us to do so a few moments later. She sprinkled a mossy green powder over the plants making the vines move and intertwine with each other. We would be planting our intertwined blooming trees under the ancient hanging willow once the ceremony ended. The female Dragon gripped both our hands and said a few words in the old language. Rafael smiled softly and gently took my hand in his, turning me to face him.
The Rover Princess Page 11