Elemental Princess: Royal Lines (Elemental Series)

by M. M. Roethig

  The marking began just below the inside of her hand and made big sweeping loops on either side before curving into smaller swirls at the center to make a heart shaped raindrop.

  “What is this?” Kaesen asked as she traced the white lighted pattern that emanated from her body.

  “My father said some guardians receive a blessing from our ancestors with a gift: a marking that will connect us together in ways no one can understand . . . or break. These markings,” Alwen grabbed her hand and kissed the tender flesh of her new mark, “mean we will always be together in some way.”

  Alwen cupped her face gently in his hands and kissed her forehead.

  “I know I can’t have you the way I have always dreamed, but at least I will always be connected to you somehow and for that I am thankful.”

  Alwen dropped his hands and stood. He reached down to help Kaesen to her feet and pulled her into one last embrace.

  “I will always love you, Alwen. I will do what I can to break my parents agreement.”

  “Please don’t say things like that. I must be content with my life. I saw the look on Elzar’s face when your father proclaimed the marriage contract valid. Neither your father, or Elzar, will break the contract.” Alwen placed a kiss on the palm of her hand and turned to leave when Kaesen stopped him with a gentle hand to his arm.

  “Alwen, please,” she pleaded.

  Reluctantly, Alwen turned back to face her. Kaesen’s heart shattered in two when she noticed the silent tears streaming down his face.

  “This will be a lifetime of torture, but it is all I will ever have. You are the only woman I have ever loved.”

  Alwen pulled his arm free and walked from the barn as Kaesen fell to the ground . . .

  Chapter 3

  Two Years Later

  “Mother, may we talk?”

  “Of course, my darling.” Alana pulled Kaesen into a strong embrace before she ushered her into her chambers. “Your father has just left to call for Elzar and make the final arrangements.”

  The time of her wedding was fast approaching and the torturous thoughts of having to wed someone she did not love weighed on her heavily. Kaesen studied her mother for long silent moments and marveled at the strength she found there.

  Alana had deep blue eyes the color of the ocean, much like her own, and white hair, once the same color as Kaesen’s, that hung loosely around her face and down her back.

  Kaesen took her mother’s hand led her to side of the bed. When she took a seat, Alana looked on with sad eyes as she waited for the question she knew would come.

  “Is there nothing I can do to change this?” Kaesen asked for the millionth time. Each time she asked, she already knew the answer, but she could not stop herself from trying once more.

  “No, darling. There is not.”

  “Then you must help me block my thoughts. I can’t do this anymore, Mother.” Kaesen dropped her mother’s hand and turned her wrist over to where the small swirled mark shone against her pale skin, a constant reminder that Alwen may have access to her thoughts, but he was to never have access to her heart.

  She felt the tingle on her wrist as the mark gave off a light glow. Alwen could feel her distress and it broke her heart.

  “My duty is to have children with a man I do not love. I cannot stay connected to the man I love and put us both through the torture we’ve endured over the last two years. I just can’t.” Kaesen looked to her mother and waited for her to say something, anything, but she said nothing.

  A tear slipped from her eyes as she ran from the room.

  ><><><><

  Cold wind blew through Kaesen’s hair, whipping strands violently in her face. He was right behind her—the tingle in her wrist told her he was fast on her heels. Within moments, she could feel his mount move closer with each stride. Her horse, Star, was tiring fast. She could feel the heavy breath beneath her legs as she gripped tight and rode low to Star’s mane.

  “Corre, meu querido amigo,” Kaesen whispered into Star’s soft flesh. Star could not understand her words, but she would understand her thoughts. Run, my dear friend. With a fistful of brown and white mane, Kaesen squeezed tighter with her legs and let Star have her head. Star jolted forward with excitement.

  They were fast together, but they were no match for Alwen and his mount.

  Directly ahead, the forest disappeared and gave way to the beach, her final destination. Beautiful orange and red burned through the dense trees as daylight ended. Waves crashed into the sandy shore, narrowly missing the birds skimming over vibrant blues of water. The scene was breathtaking.

  With a look over her shoulder, Kaesen could see Alwen and his dark steed right on her flanks. He was close enough to grab her off her horse and drag her back to the castle. However, the gleam in his eye and smile on his face told Kaesen that he was enjoying the chase more than he should.

  Alwen nudged his mount forward as he passed Kaesen in a few long strides. His ebony hair had come loose from the tieback, which allowed the thick wavy strands to flow gracefully at his shoulders. His shirt stretched across his broad chest, pulled tight on his muscular form, and was almost see through with the sweat that soaked it. Kaesen could feel the burn in her cheeks as she watched him pass with grace and agility.

  Kaesen spurred Star forward as the beach loomed closer. She could feel the pull of the water up ahead as she raced toward it full on. Just before the beach gave way to the rolling waves, Alwen pulled up on his mount as Kaesen crashed into the surf.

  Star slowed when she hit the waves, then turned and pranced her way to the shallow water that seeped back into the ocean. Kaesen watched Alwen lead his horse to her, and she fought to guard the thoughts that ran rampant in her head.

  “Why are you here?” Kaesen was breathless and weary. Without thinking, Kaesen waved her hands in a circle as she watched the water rise upward to meet her and dance in midair. She could feel that Alwen was not surprised to see her absent-minded play with water. Over the years, he’d learned her quirky habits, habits that she now knew had somehow become dear to him.

  “It is my duty to protect you, Princess,” Alwen responded. Kaesen sighed at his response. She felt the restraint he used to remain proper and it irritated her

  “Alwen, you know I’ve asked you not to call me that. My name is Kaesen. We have known each other from the time we were little. Do you call me Princess just to annoy me?” Kaesen slipped from her horse, narrowly missing the water swirling around her that splashed back into the ocean. With the reins in her hand and her dress soaked through to her knees, Kaesen turned toward the shore. The hem of her pink silken gown floated on top of the water as she waded her way back to the sandy beach. This ride was supposed to rid her of her thoughts of him. No such luck.

  Alwen jumped from his horse and in three strides, he was by Kaesen’s side. He reached for her hand and turned her to face him. Kaesen tried to pull her hand free, but Alwen was relentless and held firm.

  “No, Kaesen. I don’t say it to annoy you. I say it to remind me.”

  Kaesen dropped her gaze to their clasped hands and fought back the tears that threatened to fall. She knew touching was forbidden and Alwen took great risk with his bold move, but she did not care. This was the first time in over two years that she’d felt the comfort of his hands, even if it was just the subtle contact of her hand in his.

  She could not be mad at him any more than she could fault his reasons for throwing her status back in her face. She was not free to follow her heart, and she cursed it for falling in love with only man she could never have.

  With tears streaming down her face, Kaesen pulled her hand free and put it to her throat to hold back the sob that threatened to escape. Alwen reached for her, but she stayed him with a hand.

  “I don’t want to marry Elzar. I don’t love him,” she managed to say through her emotion-filled throat as a tear slid down her face, dropped to the water at her feet, and disappeared. Kaesen turned and ran without a care of where she was
going. She just needed to get away.

  Alwen called after her, but Kaesen moved forward in a mindless effort to flee the pain in her heart. She broke free of the surf and made her way across the sandy beach. With each crashing wave mocking her from behind, Kaesen’s new world crushed her heart.

  With her vision blurred, Kaesen did not see the small driftwood lying in the sand until she tripped. She closed her eyes and waited for the ground to meet her, but strong arms caught her and pulled her into a rock hard chest. She gave into the physical comfort and cried with uncontrollable sobs.

  “I can’t marry him, Alwen. I can’t. You know what is in my heart, and Elzar is not there.” Kaesen stated her thoughts needlessly.

  Of course Alwen knew what was in her heart. He could read her thoughts and emotions like an open book, and she knew it killed him each time those thoughts crossed her mind. It was torture of the harshest kind for both of them.

  “I do know.” Alwen crushed her to him as if he could not get close enough. “You don’t know how long I have prayed for this moment, this stolen touch between us.”

  Alwen kissed the top of Kaesen’s head as he ran one hand through her wild silky waves, something she had dreamed of him doing for years.

  “Now that I finally have you in my arms, I don’t want to let you go.” Alwen tucked her head under his chin when Kaesen wrapped her arms around his middle and held on as if her life depended on it.

  “I’ve prayed for this moment, too,” she whispered into his chest. “Many nights I cried myself to sleep knowing I could never have a chance to hold you but wanting so desperately to.”

  “I know you have. It is my curse as your guardian to feel your every thought. You block them well most of the time, but there are moments . . .”Alwen’s sentence trailed off as he crushed her to him once more. Kaesen knew his heart was fast becoming the victor of his internal battle.

  ><><><><

  “I cannot marry Elzar. He scares me, Alwen.”

  “But what can you do?” Alwen loosened his grip and allowed Kaesen to pull back. He felt the thoughts that ran through her head and the despair that clenched her heart. Nothing. I can do nothing.

  The depths of her stormy blue eyes swimming in tears mesmerized him. A million thoughts went through his head at once. She has a duty to her people. You will never know the love of this woman. She has a duty to her parents. She is not for you. At that moment, when he looked into her eyes, Alwen focused on one thought alone and finally gave into the temptation.

  He gingerly placed both hands on the side of her face and brought his mouth down hard. Alwen knew the urgency in his kiss would bruise her tender lips, lips he had dreamt about for years, lips that had never kissed a man before, but he could not find the will to stop. His head screamed with all the reasons he should walk away now, but the pleas of his heart pulled him into submission.

  Kaesen responded with an urgency of her own that thrilled and terrified Alwen at the same time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snaked her fingers into his hair to pull him closer. When her hands filtered through his deep black hair, she whimpered and the noise brought him to his senses.

  Alwen pushed her away and turned to face the ocean. His breath came hard and uneven.

  Please. The thought filtered through Alwen’s head and he knew instantly the came from Kaesen. When he turned, he found her staring at him, her own breath deep and ragged, the plea in her eyes unbearable.

  “I . . . I am sorry, Kaesen.”

  Kaesen took a step toward him with outstretched hands, but Alwen instinctively stepped back.

  “Please don’t.” Kaesen responded with the hurt she felt when she dropped to her knees on the ground beneath. “I can’t marry him, Alwen. I won’t marry him.”

  “Kaesen, I am your protector. I can’t be more than that!” Alwen pushed his hands through his hair and gripped a fistful as if to pull the thoughts from his head.

  “Then protect me!” she screamed. The tears flowed readily again. “Protect my heart!”

  The anguish he felt radiating from her body was more than he could bear and he dropped to his knees in front of her.

  “Kaesen . . .”

  “No!” She cut him off. “Unless you can be honest with me, honest with yourself, I don’t want to hear it. You are supposed to protect me, and you do protect my body from harm. But my heart suffers every day. You swore to our ancestors on that night, you swore to me, Alwen. Take me from here!”

  Alwen gathered her in his arms and pulled her onto his lap. She fought him halfheartedly, but finally gave in to his strong embrace once more.

  Thoughts of their kiss filtered through her mind, torturing Alwen. He felt a fresh wave of tears bubble up in her chest and he groaned and pulled her tighter as he inhaled the fresh scent of her hair.

  “I do love you, Kaesen. I always have.”

  “Then take me from here. Take me away so we can be together.”

  “I have a sworn duty.”

  “To me! You have a sworn duty to me and I love you, Alwen. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”

  Alwen knew his heart was going to win this battle. He felt the desperate plea of her heart and he knew it matched his own.

  “Okay . . . Okay, my love. I cannot fight this anymore.”

  Kaesen threw her arms around his neck and pressed her desperate kisses to his throat as he spoke.

  “I will take you from here.”

  “I love you, Alwen. I love you,” she said between kisses.

  “Kaesen . . .” Alwen stilled her arms and took her face in his hands. “We must first speak with your parents.”

  Kaesen grabbed his shoulders and shook her head. He could sense the denial on the tip of her tongue but he pressed his forehead to hers and continued to explain.

  “We must talk with them first, try to have the engagement broken. If they refuse, we will leave together.”

  Kaesen smiled and nodded.

  Their bargain was sealed with a most desperate and searing kiss.

  ><><><><

  From the thick forest beyond the sandy beach, Isa watched as the two lovers embraced. Kaesen sat cradled in Alwen’s lap as he held and kissed her like a man starved.

  Envy burned in Isa’s heart. Her cheeks flushed from the anger welling in her chest. Her hands shook and she forced them to her sides to keep from lashing out.

  “I hate you,” Isa whispered to the distant forms that now stood to retrieve their horses. “You’ve ruined my life.”

  Isa ducked in the foliage of the trees as the two riders thundered past, heading toward the castle. When the beating hooves faded into the distance, Isa emerged from her hiding place and walked to the edge of the sandy shore.

  “I may not be able to control the elements, I may not be a princess, but I was supposed to have you. You promised,” Isa said to the water crashing around her feet as the memories of Elzar’s promises came back to haunt her.

  “I will not let you have him!” she promised as she pulled the tie from her hair and ran her fingers between her drab blonde kinks. She knew her thin frizzy hair was no match for Kaesen’s thick golden-brown locks. Elzar mentioned often how he dreamed of running his fingers through Kaesen’s hair once they were married. A perk, according to Elzar, that came with a marriage his father plotted from the beginning of his birth that would allow him to have ultimate control. And Elzar, despite his promises to Isa, was all too keen on fulfilling his father’s wish.

  But Isa knew something about Elzar that others did not know, and she knew he would follow her once her plan was put into action. She took care of Kiara years ago; she could take care of Kaesen now.

  With new determination, Isa stiffened her shoulders and headed back toward the castle. It was time to let everyone in on a secret.

  Chapter 4

  “Where have you been?” Livia, Kaesen’s live-in nanny, questioned, but Kaesen said nothing when she danced through the door with a dreamy look in her eyes. Instead, she turned and leaned h
er body on the heavy door and pushed it closed before she dropped her forehead to the smooth wood.

  After her ride on the beach, Kaesen found as many opportunities as she could to be near Alwen. She helped him attend the horses in the stables while they looked for any chance to steal more forbidden kisses and plot their escape. Time had gotten away from her, but she did not care.

  Thoughts of Alwen swirled around in her head as she touched her fingertips to the soft part of her lips and sighed.

  “Kaesen,” Livia pressed. After Kiara died, Livia became less of a nanny and more of a grandmother to her. A short, stout woman, Livia was in the latter years of life. Soft silver hair, plaited neatly, hung down to the middle of her back that rocked gently with the sway of her hips. She was very patient, and very observant. She never missed the look of longing on Kaesen’s face. “Young love is very hard to conceal,” she would say.

  Without thought, Kaesen threw her arms around her shoulders and squeezed with all her strength.

  “Oh, Liv! Today is the most beautiful day of my life. I must speak with my parents,” Kaesen said. “I must make them see.”

  Livia embraced Kaesen her in a loose hug again. Kaesen seemed to sense Livia’s apprehension. She always did.

  “Where are my parents? I must speak with them at once,” Kaesen asked before planting a kiss on Livia’s soft wrinkled cheek.

  “Kaesen, my dear, your parents are in the throne room.” Livia pushed Kaesen back, but did not release her shoulders. She still wore her dreamy expression, but she didn’t care.

  “They are in there with Elzar.” Livia looked heartbroken for destroying her happiness.

  Kaesen’s eyes dimmed. She understood why he was here. Her dream of being with Alwen had been dashed apart in the blink of an eye. Kaesen’s face turned white as the blood drained away.

  “I thought I had time,” she finally said.

  “My child, Elzar has requested the wedding be moved forward. He is very anxious to have the ceremony completed.”