by Paula Mabbel
The whole world felt black for a moment. She could hear her heart beating in her ears. She didn’t want to be there anymore. She wanted to be anywhere but with her family. Her tear-filled eyes glanced at the invitation that she had left on her bedside table.
She picked it up and looked at the delicate swirls of the letters that were singling her out as the guest of honor. She wanted to get away. She wanted to leave her family and never speak to them again. She wanted it more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.
She felt her thumbs rubbing up against the rough paper. Could she marry the prince? She asked herself. Could she marry someone she had no interest in if it meant getting away from her family? She thought back to the dance and the time she had spent with the prince.
She searched her memory for any sign of a connection, but there wasn’t one.
*****
The palace was just as grand as Lucia had remembered it to be. When they arrived, however, the garden was dark inside of lit up with candles, and they were led into a smaller hall than the one the ball had been held in.
It was just as impressive, though. Lucia could see the same gold trimmings and fancy painted details in the small hall. It had a large marble fireplace too, that had a roaring fire already living inside of it. The large dark mahogany table had already been dressed for dinner and Lucia found her place next to the eager prince and across from William the duke.
“You look beautiful tonight.” The prince said, as his eyes hungrily took their fill.
“Thank you.” Lucia said with a soft, but forced smile.
She had picked out a dark purple dress that flared out at the hip. She had only worn it once before because the corset tore into her ribcage, but she’d had very little else that had been appropriate for the occasion.
“Thank you for your kind invitation.” She added.
“You are more the welcome.” The prince smiled warmly. “I have been looking forward to the pleasure of your company.”
“That’s very kind.” Lucia said.
She could feel an internal pull to look over the table, but she refrained from doing so. She could feel William’s presence though, and it was driving her crazy.
“The weather has been lovely this year don’t you think?” The prince asked Lucia.
“Yes. It’s caused the garden to grow rapidly this year.” Lucia said with a distracted nod.
It wasn’t her fault, she reasoned with herself. The prince was just insanely dull. If he talked about something interesting then she would get William off her mind without any problems at all.
“Do you like gardening?” The prince asked with curious eyes.
“Yes, it’s something I used to do with my mother.” Lucia said.
She had been wrong. She couldn’t get William out of her head. She let her eyes glance over to him and her cheeks blushed when their eyes connected. She looked back at the prince quickly, but she could feel William’s eyes stay on her.
“You know Lucia can be awfully ignorant sometimes.” Lucia’s stepmother said when she spotted a gap in the conversation. “Dreadful, really.”
“I can assure you she isn’t being rude.” The prince replied.
Lucia smiled weakly at him. She didn’t look at her stepmother, but she could tell from the feel of the atmosphere that she was about to rage a full scale attack.
“Are you sure? I’ve always found her to be quite rude. Quite unlike my girls.” Her stepmother said smugly.
Lucia couldn’t help but turn around and look at her stepmother.
“Are you really choosing now to attack my character?” She asked, ignoring everybody else in the room.
“This is what I mean. No respect.” Her stepmother said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
“You must earn the respect you expect to receive.” Lucia said coldly.
“I’ve raised you as my own since I married your father.” Lucia’s stepmother said with a fake look of hurt on her face. “How could you say that?”
“I’m sure the prince doesn’t want this at his table.” Lucia said as she glanced back at him.
He had a look of confusion mixed with annoyance on his face, which Lucia didn’t like the look of. She had to stop rising to her stepmother’s arguments. She had to convince the prince that she was worth being his wife and she wasn’t doing that bickering with the evil woman who had taken Lucia’s home away from her.
“You look shaken.” The prince said with mild concern when Lucia turned her attention fully back to him.
“I’m sorry that you had to witness that.” Lucia said with a sad look in her eyes. “My family can run high with emotions sometimes.”
“Lucia please don’t let sadness reach your eyes like that.” The prince said with a frown.
Lucia didn’t say anything. Her attention quickly got taken by the maids who were bringing in the food. She watched as plate after plate of meats and vegetables got placed on the table.
“This is quite a feast.” She said and her stomach growled with approval.
“Well, this is the palace after all.” The prince said.
Lucia filled her plate with far more than she thought she would eat. She sat for a while paying attention only to the food in front of her. Everything tasted amazing and for a while that was enough, but as her stomach started to fill her attention got dragged back across the table to William.
“Please excuse me a moment.” Lucia said when William’s eyes met hers.
The prince looked up from his food and questioned her with his eyes.
“I just need to freshen up.” Lucia lied and then she walked quickly out of the room with her footsteps echoing over the sound of food being eaten.
She closed the door and her eyes for a moment. She needed to get William off of her head. She needed to focus on the prince because he was the only one who had shown a real interest in her. She sighed as she realized that she was probably always going to feel out of place.
She walked down a long stone hallway until she reached a small room that looked like a miniature library. She walked in and sat down on one of the overly plush chairs. She just needed a minute. She just needed a minute to calm down and accept the situation. She just needed a minute to properly push William out of her head. She just needed a minute a breath without anybody watching her.
She closed her eyes again and listened to the silence that surrounded her. It was peaceful. She could feel her muscles starting to unwind a little and then a noise forced her eyes to jump open.
“I wondered where you’d gone.” William said as he walked into the room and closed the door behind him.
*****
“I should be getting back.” Lucia said and she stood up quickly.
“What’s the rush?” William asked her and smiled.
Lucia knew what the rush was. It was the rushing feeling of her heart as it beat twice its normal speed. She could feel her cheeks flushing as she looked at William.
“Well, I’m sure the prince wouldn’t be happy to know that we’re together. Alone in a small room.” Lucia said with a flirtatious smile.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t.” William said and he stepped forward.
Lucia could smell his aftershave as it mixed with the rich scent of the old books. It was hypnotic. The heat from the fire was making her feel hot under the collar and her thoughts weren’t helping matters.
“So I should go.” Lucia said, but there was no truth in her voice.
“Or you could stay?” William suggested, although he knew there was no need to.
“You know I thought you would be in touch.” Lucia said and then instantly regretted it.
She could feel herself getting embarrassed over giving away her thoughts of him.
“How could I get in touch when the prince has such a firm eye on you?” William asked.
Lucia looked into his deep honey brown eyes. She could see nothing but truth within them, and she nodded.
“You don’t look excited enough for a gi
rl who has a prince at her feet.” William observed.
“Perhaps I have no interest in marrying a prince.” Lucia said casually.
“Then do tell me who might it be that you wish to marry?” He pressed her for details.
“That would be assuming I wish to marry someone at all.” Lucia teased him.
“No girl rejects a prince without her own in sight.” William countered her teasing.
“Then perhaps I’m not a girl.” Lucia suggested.
“Then my eyes have been lying to me.” William said with a look of shock and outrage that made Lucia laugh.
“How can that be so?” She asked him.
“I know not.” William said, shaking his head. “But they show me only a very beautiful girl standing before me.” He finished and he took another step closer.
Lucia could feel his heat crossing over the space between them. His nose was almost touching hers. His breath felt hot and heavy against her cheek.
“Well, what would you do to such a beautiful girl?” she asked him in barely a whisper.
“I hardly think I can say it out loud in such company.” William said with a long and intense look.
“Then perhaps you should show me?” Lucia said softly.
“Perhaps I should.” William said and then he put his hand behind Lucia’s head and pulled her lips onto his.
At first Lucia wanted to pull away. She had gotten herself in too deep and she wanted to swim to shore, but when she moved to pull away she found herself stuck. Her body didn’t want to accept the conclusion that her mind had been made, and instead, it kissed William back harder.
She could feel herself growing hungry for his touch. She couldn’t ignore the sparks that were igniting under every brush of his fingertips. She felt his tongue slide across her bottom lip and its heat made her quiver in anticipation.
She let her shaking hands rest on his waist as he moved down from her waist. His touch was electric. It made every part of her want more. It made her mind race ahead to what might be coming next. She let her hands slide down his body and then she traced her way across his waistline.
She could hear his breathing getting caught in his chest. She could hear the way her every moved affected the beating of his heart. She looked into his eyes. She could see the same hunger that she felt coursing through them.
His hands fell further. She could feel the soft material of her dress riding up her leg, as he pulled it between his fingers. She let her fingertips dip below his waistline. She could feel his hardness waiting for her. It felt hot in her hand as she slowly stroked down it and then she pulled herself away, as his hand started to slide in between her legs.
“Tell me that you’re not interested in the prince.” William said, as he teased her peach with his fingers.
She could tell from his eyes that he was enjoying himself.
“I don’t want the prince.” She said with her eyes firmly on his.
He dipped his fingers deeper into her and she felt her back arch with pleasure.
“Tell me who you want.” William said and then he pushed deeper into her.
Lucia felt a deep groan leave her lips as she felt William sliding deeply inside of her and then she waited for him to do it again, but he didn’t.
“Tell me who you want.” He repeated.
“I want you.” Lucia said, because it was true. She wanted him now and she wanted him for the rest of time.
He pulled his fingers away from her and for a moment Lucia wondered whether she had given the wrong answer.
“I want you to turn around.” William said.
Lucia nodded and followed his instruction. She felt the heat from his hand as it found its place on the bottom of her back and then the gentle pressure as he pushed her over the chair. The noise of his zipper told her what was coming and she waited with baited breath for him to show her that she was wanted.
His hands found their way to her peach again and he stroked her gently. Lucia could feel her breathing getting deeper with every caress of his touch and she opened her legs to show him that she was ready.
She felt it against her peach first. It was hot and hard. Then he slowly thrust and Lucia’s world imploded around her.
She had never felt so alive. She had never felt such an overwhelming pleasure. She could feel William’s hands behind her as he continued to thrust himself in. His touch was gentle, but his thrusting was getting harder. She could feel him reaching deeper and deeper inside of her and all she could think of was that she didn’t want it to stop.
A feeling started to build between her legs. It overflowed into the rest of her body and pressed against her lungs. She couldn’t breath and her lungs burnt as though they were on fire, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was the overwhelming feeling that was drowning her in heaven and how she could get it out.
William sped up behind her as though he could read her mind. The feeling started to get stronger. Her mind went blank as it became the only thing that was important. She could hear herself groaning loudly, but she couldn’t stop the noises from coming out her lips. Then, just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore the feeling tore through her with a velocity that she wasn’t sure she would survive and her knees went weak, as she came.
*****
“So you want me, huh?” William said once he had caught his breath.
Lucia smiled at him sarcastically.
“I was just telling you what you wanted to hear.” She said.
“You’re going to hurt my feelings if you carry on.” William said with a faked pet lip.
“I’m sure.” Lucia said and then she reached her hand up to check her hair.
“Well, we should be getting back.” William said after a moment.
Lucia frowned.
“We can’t go back now.” She said in a worried voice.
“Why not?” William said with a blank face.
“After what we’ve just done?” Lucia said as though it didn’t need to be explained.
“Lucia.” William said and then he sighed. “You are a very beautiful girl, but you are the prince’s.” He said as though that was obvious too.
“But we just.” Lucia said, but she didn’t finish.
“It was nothing.” William said with a shrug and then walked out.
*****
Lucia looked down at the elegant white gown she was wearing. She could feel the weight of the netting pull down on her hips and winced a little when she tried to move. She looked beautiful. She looked like any future princess should look.
She could already hear the voices of the guests floating in through the window and she looked out nervously. It looked beautiful. A white silk runway with a wooden arch entwined with white roses. Lucia couldn’t have asked or expected for anything more.
She walked away from the window and sighed. She thought back to the night that she had shared with William and how she had not seen him since. The prince had proposed two months after that night and William had been right, without another prince in sight, she had said yes.
She wondered how the prince might react if he knew about their night of passion. She wondered whether he would still be willing to marry her. She shook her head. There was a reason she hadn’t told him the truth about that night. She knew he wouldn’t look at her again if she did.
A knock at the door pulled her attention away from the internal conflict that had been bothering her months. She walked slowly over to the door and opened it mid wince.
“Well, I knew you’d look beautiful, but wow.” William said.
Lucia didn’t say anything for a moment. She just stood in shock. It was like her mind just couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing. She was sure that she was dreaming.
“William?” She said finally.
“Well, at least you still remember me.” He said with a chuckle and then walked into the room.
Lucia didn’t try to stop him. She just watched as he walked in and sat down on the bed.
“I’ve missed you.” William said and his eyes were filled with sadness.
Lucia snorted.
“You walked away from me.” She said as though he needed to be reminded.
“I had to.” William said.
“Why?” Lucia demanded to know.
“Because you were the prince's.” William said with a weak shrug.
“I was no ones.” Lucia said and she couldn’t hide the anger and hurt from her voice. “What are you doing here?” She asked him.
“I can’t do this.” William said and gestured to Lucia and her dress.
“Do what?” She asked him.
“I can’t just stand by and watch you marry the wrong man. You should be marrying me. I should have never have walked out on you. I should have faced the prince like a man. I’m sorry.” He said and Lucia could tell that he meant every word.
“Well, it’s too late.” She said bitterly.
“It’s never too late.” William said and he stood up and walked over to her.
“It’s my wedding day.” She said.
“It’s never too late.” William repeated.
“It’s my wedding day.” Lucia said again, but this time more slowly.
“And like I said it’s never too late.” William said and then he leaned in and kissed her softly.
Lucia pushed him away.
“You don’t get to do this again.” She said and she could feel her cheeks burning hot from the tears that were tearing down them.
“Lucia, please I love you.” William pleaded.
Lucia stopped.
“What?” She asked.
“I love you.” William said again. “I need you in my life; please don’t make the wrong choice today.”
The sound of a harp playing sent Lucia’s heart into a frenzy. She was meant to be getting married. She was meant to be marrying the prince, but she knew in her heart that it was a mistake. She looked out of the window again at her perfect wedding and felt nothing but dread.
“You don’t run this time.” She said with a shaky voice.
“We run together.” William said and he smiled at her with a smile that reached right up into his eyes.
She nodded.