by Lorelei Knox
Hunted
Fairest, Book 1
by Lorelei Knox
Once upon a time in a land far away a queen gave birth to a daughter during a blizzard. The baby had skin as white as the snow that was falling as she was born and a thick shock of dark hair. The king and queen were overjoyed to have such a lovely daughter. Only one thing marred their joy. The king’s sister Morwenna was ill-tempered and spiteful. She went out of her way to make those around her unhappy. She particularly hated the queen, whom she felt stole her place in the line of succession.
In spite of all this, Morwenna was still a member of the royal family. In an attempt to win her over, the king and queen made her the baby’s godmother. One of the privileges of being godmother was the right to name the child. The queen was nervous for the week leading up to the Naming Day; whatever Morwenna named the child would be binding. Would she choose a good name or would she use the opportunity to be unpleasant?
The fact Morwenna was in such high spirits on the Naming Day gave the king and queen pause. However, they could not, at that point, take the privilege of godmother away from Morwenna without causing a rift in the family, so they simply hoped for the best. Morwenna took great joy in the announcement of the name: Snow Whore, in “honor” of the girl’s mother. The king and queen were horrified and humiliated but there was nothing they could do to change their daughter’s formal name. They could, however, encourage a nickname and so they did. The lovely princess, from that day forward, was known to everyone except Morwenna simply as Snow. Morwenna, true to her malicious nature, used her niece’s full name and used it as often as possible.
Years passed and Snow grew into a lovely young lady, beloved of everyone who knew her. Everyone, that is, except for her Aunt Morwenna. Morwenna was surpassingly proud of her beauty and it aggravated her to no end that Snow’s beauty was increasing as her own was fading. Desperate, Morwenna turned to magic in an attempt to salvage what was left of her beauty. It worked; people remarked constantly that her beauty seemed to increase with each passing year. But magic always has a price and in Morwenna’s case it cost her what was left of her soul. Truth be told, she didn’t miss it.
If Morwenna had been spiteful before, losing her soul made her truly evil. She began to plot how to do away with her brother, his wife, and their daughter. If all three of them were dead, succession would pass to Morwenna and she would finally have the power she had always longed for. She saw her opportunity one day when the king and queen were taking a trip. As their carriage crossed a bridge she called up a mighty flood which washed the carriage away, killing them both. However, Snow was a problem. Morwenna had exhausted her magic summoning the flood and had none left to dispose of Snow. Morwenna used the other power she had at her disposal: gold. She paid a hunter to take Snow into the woods and kill her. Once that last problem was taken care of, Morwenna could ascend to queen of the kingdom.
Morwenna told Snow the hunter was taking her to meet her parents. Snow, sweet and trusting by nature, had no reason to disbelieve her aunt so she went along willingly. The hunter was a young man named Jack. He wasn’t evil but he was poor; the amount of gold Morwenna was offering would take care of his family for the rest of their lives. He justified what he was about to do by telling himself he would make sure Snow didn’t suffer. He had heard stories of Snow’s beauty and grace but he did not know if they were true - weren’t people required to say nice things about their rulers? As he watched her skipping along the forest path collecting flowers and humming a tune, he found himself being won over. Snow was interested in finding out more about Jack and peppered him with questions about his family, his life, and hunting. Soon it became apparent to Jack that he could not kill her.
Snow ran ahead; she had seen a particularly lovely patch of blue flowers she wanted to add to the bouquet she was collecting for her mother. Jack called after her, “Snow, stop.”
She stopped and looked at him, curious.
“I’ve brought you here under false pretenses,” Jack said, not knowing any way to tell her other than directly.
“What false pretenses?” she asked, her brow furrowing.
“Your aunt gave me instructions to bring you out to the woods and to - well, to do away with you. She told me I could have my way with you as well,” he said, blushing a deep red.
Snow’s cheeks colored as well. “My aunt would not do such a thing,” she said.
“She would, my lady, and she did.”
“Why do you lie to me like this?” Snow said, her voice breaking a bit.
“I promise you it is not a lie. Here is the gold that she gave me for the deed when she hired me. There is another bag awaiting me when I return.” He showed her the heavy bag filled with gold coins from the royal vault.
Snow realized he was telling the truth and she felt her heart sink. “But why?” she cried. “She has nothing to gain from killing me. My parents stand between her and the throne.”
Jack felt a lump in her throat. She did not know. News of the king’s and queen’s deaths was all over the city, but Snow lived a sheltered life in the castle. He desperately did not want to be the one to tell her but she deserved the truth. “My lady, it grieves me to tell you this, but your parents are dead.”
Snow fell to her knees, scattering the flowers she had collected. It took a moment for what he was saying to make sense. Once she realized the full extent of what he had said, she let out a wordless cry of lament. The forest animals who heard her stopped what they were doing, as if to acknowledge the depth of her sorrow. Jack’s heart felt like it was breaking.
She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. “Was it her doing?”
“I do not know, my lady. I heard it was a flood.”
Snow had no knowledge of her aunt’s dealings in magic. “Aunt Morwenna could not have caused a flood. But she could certainly capitalize on it. She realized if something happened to me, she would be queen.”
“That’s why we’re here, my lady.”
Snow took a moment to let all of this sink in. In the course of just a few minutes her entire world had been destroyed. Then she realized what a great gift Jack had given her; if he had not been such a good person she would already be dead. “Dear Jack!” She managed a watery smile. “You chose to spare me when you did not have to. But will you not call her wrath down on you?”
“She has asked for your heart, Princess.” Snow shuddered at this. “I will kill a deer and bring her its heart. You can escape.”
“Still, you are taking a risk and I appreciate it. Perhaps I can reward you. You said my aunt told you that you could have your way with me?”
“It shames me, my lady, but yes.”
“Then you shall.”
“Princess! You do not know what you offer!”
“I do,” she said resolutely. “My mother explained it to me. I may yet die in this forest and I do not want to die never having experienced that pleasure. I would also like to reward you for your mercy and it appears that the only thing I have left to offer is my.
self.”
“Are you certain?”
“Jack, I’ve never been more certain. Please, will you make love to me?”
She was so lovely and kind he would have had difficulty denying her anything. But to deny her something he wanted so badly? Jack was powerless to resist. He took her hand and drew her close, tentatively pulling her into an embrace. She was pliable and followed his lead, embracing him back as chastely as if hugging a brother. Jack leaned forward and touched his lips to hers and she startled. When he kissed her, she felt a twinge of something between her legs. Was it desire? Was it what her mother had told her about?
Snow was anxious to discover more.
She kissed him with her lips closed, unsure of what to do next. When his tongue touched her lip, she eased them open and his tongue was in her mouth, gently massaging her tongue. She experimented with this new form of kissing, moving her tongue into his mouth and repeating the motions. He sighed and she was pleased with herself; this felt like power. They kissed for quite a while, taking turns, enjoying the taste and the feel of one another.
It was a lovely day and the sun shone through the trees but they only had eyes for each other. Jack ran his fingers down her neck and she moaned, so he did it again. She never imagined a simple touch could feel so electrifying. If him touching her neck was this satisfying, she was scared of what would happen when he touched her more intimate parts: scared but excited as well. Jack trailed his fingers down her throat and traced the tops of her breasts and Snow’s breath stopped. She wanted him to keep going so badly. He seemed to be losing nerve so she took the situation into her own hands, unlacing her top and letting it fall onto the grass.
Jack stopped and just stared at her breasts. “They’re the most perfect things I’ve ever seen in my life,” he said quietly. “You are truly the most beautiful woman alive.”
Emboldened, Snow kissed him again, with more passion than before. He groaned and his hands returned to her breasts. She felt her nipples go hard as he brushed them. He touched her nipples gently, as if trying not to break her. It felt good but Snow longed for a harder touch. She thrust her breasts towards him and he took the hint. He squeezed a nipple between his fingers and she felt a dampness between her legs.
“Yes,” she said, “That. More of that, Jack.”
He pinched her nipple again and then gave the other the same treatment. He bent his head and took one of her hard nipples into his mouth. He sucked and her knees felt weak; he nibbled and they almost buckled. “Mmmm,” she purred, forgetting about everything except his mouth. Her parents, her aunt, her current situation - none of it mattered while Jack laved her breast.
He gave equal attention to the other breast and then began to work his way down. He kissed his way down her stomach. He reached her skirt and untied it, letting it pool around her feet. He continued to kiss down her hipbone and she wondered what he was going to do. When he parted her legs with his hand she gasped, finally understanding. She looked down into her eyes and he smiled and nodded. Snow was nervous; when she had said her mother explained things to her, it had been in a general sense. She had no idea about the specifics. But she trusted Jack quite literally with her life, so she took a breath and allowed him to part her legs.
“Am I - do I look right down there?” she asked nervously.
He laughed. “If I did not already think you were the most beautiful woman in the world, this would convince me.”
“I’m sorry it is damp down there,” she said. ”It is embarrassing.”
“You are damp, my darling, because you want me,” he said. “I’m honored. But I will warn you - you are likely to get much wetter before I am through with you.”
With that, he buried his face between her legs. She gasped when he ran his tongue the length of her folds and that gasp turned into a low moan as it flicked over a very sensitive part of her. She had no idea this much pleasure was possible. Jack seemed to know what he was doing. He focused on that little bundle of nerves, alternating flicking it with his tongue and licking with long, slow strokes. Snow continued moaning, almost overwhelmed by the sensations she was feeling. A sensation was beginning to build in her, radiating out from that spot which Jack was paying so much attention to. She felt as if she was almost able to fly. Still Jack continued her ministrations until that sensation grew and washed over her like a wave. She cried out and found her legs could no longer hold her. Still riding the wave of ecstasy she sunk to the ground.
Jack lay down next to her, slipping his arm under her shoulders to cradle her. “Are you alright?” he asked.
For a while, the only response she could formulate was a smile. “That was amazing!” she whispered. “Mama mentioned pleasure, but I had no idea it would feel like that.” She looked at him, a bit embarrassed. “Is that it? Are we done now?”
He laughed. “Not unless you want to be,” he said. “There’s usually a bit more to it; that was just the first part.”
She smiled radiantly. “So that might happen again?”
“If I’m doing my job right, yes.”
“And will it happen to you too?”
“Well, not quite like it did you, but something close to it.”
“Well what are we waiting for?” she said, laughing. “What happens next?”
“Usually next the man takes his pants off.”
She was reaching for his belt almost before he finished speaking. She unbuckled it, dropped his pants and gasped once again. “It is so… long. And hard. Are they all like that?”
Jack chuckled again, endeared by her curiosity. “Well, they come in all different sizes.”
“I like your size,” she said admiringly, running her fingers down the length. He sucked air in quickly and she realized the power she was quite literally holding in her hand. “Show me what to do.”
Jack wrapped her fingers around his shaft and showed her how to slowly stroke it. After a few repetitions she understood what he liked and took over. She stared at his face, fascinated, as he moaned in time with her strokes. Curious, she increased her speed. She got the response that she was hoping for - Jack seemed to very much like what she was doing. Snow was struck once again by how powerful she felt as she caressed him. She was surprised when he put his hand on hers to make her stop. “Not yet,” he gasped. “Not like this.”
“Did I do it wrong?” she asked nervously.
“No, darling, you did it perfectly. Do you remember the peak of pleasure I brought you to? You can have many of those without resting, but I can have only one. I want to save it.”
“So what do we do now?”
“Lay down here on the grass and I’ll show you.”
Snow lay on the grass, happy the sun had warmed it but nervous about what was going to happen next. She sensed that they were reaching an important point. Jack propped himself on top of her. “I just want to prepare you. This may hurt for a moment, but every girl I’ve been with has told me it’s over quickly,” he said. “I promise that I will be gentle.”
“And just how many girls have you been with, Jack?” she replied pertly.
“None as beautiful or sweet as you,” he said, kissing her nose.
He reached down and parted her legs. She took another deep breath and reminded herself he wouldn’t hurt her. Jack positioned himself at her entrance and then slid himself slowly inside her. Snow was grateful for the wetness between her legs; she was certain it made things easier. Even with the increased lubrication she still felt a sharp pain and bit her lip to keep from crying out. Jack was patient with her, waiting until her brown unfurrowed. “I am fine,” she whispered. “You can keep going.”
Jack pulled out and then slowly eased his way back into her tight tunnel. There was pain again and Snow tried not to let it show on her face. Once again he pulled out and slowly pushed himself back in and then something amazing happened. She felt her muscles relax and suddenly it didn’t seem like she was too tight for him - it seemed like a perfect fit. She pushed her hips up to let him know what had happened. He understood and began to speed up. This feeling was much different from what she’d felt when he used his mouth. Every time he slid into her she felt a sensation that radiated up into her belly and then throughout the rest of her body. She felt herself beginning to climb again with each stroke.
“Jack, it’s happening again!” she said.
“That’s a good thing,” he said, never slowing his pace. “Just let it happen.”
Snow gave in entirely to the sensations which were coursing through her body. She bucked her hips up once again and moaned and Jack responded by thrusting harder into her. She felt as if they were bo
th a part of something bigger, that they were working together towards something she did not quite understand. That was when her orgasm ripped through her. It was much more intense than the one she had previously and she screamed so loudly she was grateful there was no one around for miles. She felt herself tighten around Jack. That seemed to cause a reaction in him as well. His movements became jerky and then she heard him grunt and felt a warmth inside her. He pulled out and collapsed on the ground next to her.
“That was incredible,” he said, still breathing fast.
“It was more amazing than I ever could have imagined,” she responded, smiling.
They lay on the ground with their arms wrapped around each other. Suddenly Snow burst into tears. Jack held her as she sobbed.
“I cannot believe my parents are dead! And my aunt tried to kill me! What will I do now?”
“Come back to the village with me,” said Jack. “People love you and they do not love your Aunt Morwenna. When they hear what she tried to do they will support you.”
“But what if that plan fails? She will kill you for not doing as she said! I cannot allow you to take that chance for me,” said Snow through her tears.
“Then I will go away with you!”
“Jack, if you do not return Aunt Morwenna will know I am still alive. My best chance is for her to believe me dead. I have to disappear. Bring her the deer heart and let her think you did what she ordered. That will give me time to decide what I want to do.”
“At least let me bring you food and supplies. What will you do in the forest all by yourself?”
Snow had to admit she knew nothing of the forest. They agreed Jack would return before dark with supplies for her. Jack left her sitting on a rock, looking forlorn and beautiful, while he hunted the deer.
He returned to the castle and presented Morwenna with the heart. Morwenna was thrilled her plan had worked and immediately began making plans for her coronation. It made him ill to hear her cackle with delight because she thought her niece to be dead. Jack kept imagining Snow’s face as it lit up with pleasure. How could anyone wish her ill?