by Blake, Nova
When the horse slowed to a trot and then a walk, night had turned to day and I had no idea where we were. I drew myself up straight and stretched my arms to the side, rolling my shoulders to try and quell the ache of a position held too long.
"Where is this?" I asked Tol. I looked over my shoulder at him. He had dark circles under his eyes, and unlike me, I had a feeling he'd been awake for our whole ride.
"I… I'm not sure," he admitted. "I can't tell how far we've traveled, I just know it was faster than any horse I've ever been on before."
The horse in question stopped near a stream, lowering his head to drink. I took the opportunity to slip from his back and do the same. My mouth was dry as the desert and my body protested when I hit the ground.
"Please tell me I don't have to do that again," I groaned.
Tol slipped from the horse and approached me, kneading my shoulders with strong fingers. I groaned again, in pain and pleasure at the sensation, the knots in my muscles slipping away under his touch.
"It depends on what the plan is. Are we waiting here for the others, or do you want to find a town?"
I turned to face him and his hands slipped down my back, moving gently against me.
"Here, I think. They'll find us." I pulled away and headed to the river. My mask had come off sometime during the ride, and I wanted out of the rest of this getup. I looked like a princess, and right now I needed to be a hunter. This spot was as good as anywhere to stay. We had shelter from the trees and I could see several edible plants and berries nearby.
It was just a shame that the horse didn't come with a camping kit… Or a change of clothes.
I knelt at the river and cupped my hands, scooping fresh water into my mouth until some of the thirst was quenched. Then I stripped off the dress, grateful for the thin leggings beneath it, and the soft, lightweight tunic. It revealed more of the marks on my body, the Mark itself, and where quiver and bow stuck out from beneath my clothing.
Tol didn't ask about them, though I could see his eyes moving across my skin, taking it all in.
"You really are the True Queen, aren't you," he said, his voice almost reverential as he dropped to his knees beside me.
"I… Well. Maybe?" I shrugged, not wanting to confirm it, not able to admit it to him. I just couldn't bring myself to say the words out loud and claim it as the truth. "I could be. We need to get back to the Court of Stone, and then we'll know for sure."
He shook his head though, as if he didn't believe me. "No, I know. Trust me. I've lived in courts and dealt with royalty my whole life, and no one compares to you. I can feel it, the charge inside you. It's…" He spread his arms out, as if trying to encompass the world but unable to find the right word.
"It's not worth worrying about right now," I said, edging towards him and pulling his arms down to his sides. He slid his hands so that our fingers locked. "Right now, we still have to get to the court. And we should look for some wood, find something to eat—"
"Can I kiss you?" His words cut into my train of thought, brought me back to this moment, right here. My thirst was back, but this time it wasn't for water, but for him.
From the moment we had met there had been a connection. I could never have denied that, even though I tried. He'd fallen for me faster than any of my other men and I couldn't deny the draw I felt to him. Right in that moment, all I wanted was to kiss him and be kissed back. To lose myself in the sense of my body and his.
I crushed my lips to his and was surprised at the taste of him, deep and smooth, like well barreled wine, like oak and smoke. He drew me into his lap and I wrapped my legs around him as I gripped his back, one hand slipping up and into his hair as though I could possibly draw him closer to me. He kissed me so firmly, with so much passion that it took my breath away. I arched my body against him, crushing my breasts to his chest and wishing that there was less fabric between us.
He must have been thinking the same thing because he leaned away, broke the kiss so that he could strip his tunic over his head. I did the same, tossing it into a pile with his discarded cloth. His fingers traced along my chest binding, feather soft, making me giggle and gasp as he tickled me gently. And then he found the end and tugged it loose, unwinding, unwinding until my breasts were free. Gently, he cupped them in his hands. I arched back so that he could lower his head, catch one nipple in his mouth.
I gasped in pleasure and dug my nails into his back, wanting more. He moved to the other one, giving it the same treatment. The heat in my core felt like it might explode. Surely, he could feel me burning for him, even through my leggings and his pants.
"I need you," I said, my breath already jagged. "I want you."
Without a word he moved, rolling me until I was on my back, the grass itching against my skin as he knelt and dragged my leggings down, getting them caught on my court slippers and swearing under his breath when he couldn't get them off. Instead of stopping to try harder though, he just dragged his own pants down and hooked my leggings over his head so that they created a circle, my legs naturally wrapping around his waist to draw him in.
His fingers found my soft, damp opening and parted my lips. I let out a gasp and then grabbed his hand, not wanting to wait, not needing foreplay. I just wanted him inside me. Now.
"I need you," I said again, emphasising the word need. He locked eyes with me and got my message, rushing up my body like a flame until the tip of his cock rested at my entrance. I arched against him, beckoning him in and he responded with a gentle thrust, sliding inside me like this was exactly where he belonged, where he had always been meant to be.
I pressed my heels to his ass, taking him in as far as I could and delighting in the sensation of him filling me up. One of his hands caressed my nipple and the other delved into my hair, and I kissed him so hard, so long that it was like the only oxygen we needed was that of the other.
His thrusts became harder, faster and I arched my body, needing him to hit that spot inside me, hit it hard, pummel into me until I broke away from the kiss, the gasp and cry of my orgasm breaching my lips, echoing out into the daylight, caught by the leaves in the trees above us and scaring the birds from their nests. He cried out too, the tightening of my core around him drawing out an explosive climax, the tension inside me so delicious that I could have stayed like that forever.
"Oh gods," he groaned. "You feel so good, so right."
I smiled up at him, legs still wrapped around his waist, his cock still pressed inside me, and cupped his chin. "You feel amazing too." I looked to the side, seeing that the horse had decided to go and stand behind a tree, as if giving us a little privacy while we'd made love here in the grass by the river. I hadn't even stopped to think about whether anyone or anything might witness this. I had just needed it. The connection to Tol, the release of tension from the night before. The reassurance that I wasn't alone. Would never be alone. Not as long as one of my four men was there to watch my back, to care for me in the way that only they could.
Finally, he pulled out of me, though we lay together on the grass for a little longer, enjoying the cool breeze on skin, and smell of the woods and each other.
"Are you sure you don't want to find a town? A nice bed, a bath, a cooked meal…"
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. "You're not used to being out in the woods I gather. Like your comfort?"
"Well, I am a prince." He frowned, and then flopped over onto the grass so that he was lying on his back. We managed to untangle my pants from him, and I tugged them back on.
"Princes can sleep in the woods. Don't worry, I'll take care of you." I leaned over and kissed his cheek and then got up from the ground. "Besides, who said we can't have a hot meal?"
"How?" Tol sat up, confused.
I reached into my body and drew out my bow, then quickly pulled an arrow from the quiver.
"Magic," I said with a grin.
29
Jaelyn
We spent the rest of the day cooking rabbits and gathering some
food, using the fabric of my discarded overdress to carry everything. It felt good to have a few supplies; though it would feel even better to have a change of clothes. We'd stopped once while it was sunny to wash out our clothes and let them dry on hot rocks, making use of the time to nap and explore each other’s bodies.
I felt a little guilty that Tol and I could indulge in this, when I'd had no opportunities to make slow, exploratory love to the other men. Well, aside from Thomas. After this was all over, I would make time to get to know them in all senses. Every parts of their minds, bodies, souls.
Unless, of course, the arrows faded and so did the connection. My heart ached to think of that. Each of my men was so different to the others, and they were all important to me. Killian's soft nature, his internal peace, his flair for fashion. Farrow's quiet solemnity paired with his wry sense of humor. Thomas, who had always been mine, even when I denied him, his solid, steady nature, my best friend, always.
And now Tol, with his cheeky grin and adventurous spirit. His deep well of passion.
How could I do without any of them? I didn't want to.
I wouldn't.
"When do you think they'll catch up to us?" Tol asked, interrupting my thoughts. He was walking alongside the horse, while I sat astride its back. The horse never seemed to tire, always seemed to know what it was I wanted from him without me so much as nudging it. Which was handy, because there were no reins and no saddle.
"Let me see…" I closed my eyes and leaned against the horses back, letting my magic flow out of me into the world. The horse seemed to feel my need and added his fire to the mix, arrowing out from him to find the connection. It took mere moments and I locked on, my body heating with the reassurance of their presence. "Tonight, I think." I smiled. "And then tomorrow, we should arrive. Perfect."
"How do you do that?" he asked, his eyes wide with awe. "Do you think I can too?"
I shrugged and looked down at him. His hair was messier than it had been in the castle, but then we'd been sleeping rough for a couple of nights now. "You're all connected to me through your Marks, so it wouldn't surprise me if you could. Why not test it?"
"Just… Think about them?" He frowned and looked sceptical.
"I do, but then I know them better than you. Maybe focus on the arrow, send it out seeking other arrows. Like to like." The horse stopped and I slid off his back to the ground beside Tol. "Let me help."
I held a hand out and he took it. His flesh felt cool against my palm, but his fingers were firm, sure. With my other hand I nudged up his sleeve to expose his Mark.
"Close your eyes, and push out with your mind," I told him, and then I stroked his arrow, from fletch to tip. The gold of it flared to life and then zoomed down the rest of his arm and into the air, literally pointing in the direction of the others.
His eyes flashed open and he caught the gleam of it before it faded. "Oh my gods," he whispered. "That was real. That was magic."
"I – we – are magic, Tol," I said to him, grabbing both of his hands and squeezing them. "It takes a bit of time to get used to, and maybe it will all go away soon, once the True Queen is crowned."
"You are the True Queen."
"I might not be." I licked my lips, nervous. What we had was so new, despite it not feeling like that. I barely knew him, so I couldn't predict how he would react. "It might be the princess. We can't know until I return."
He slid his fingers up my arms, gripping my elbows. "No, you are the True Queen." He kissed me then, long and slow and tender, like every part of him was worshipping me, telling me with the very essence of his being that no matter what, I would be his True Queen. I kissed him back, desperate for that to be the truth, but then I pulled away, exhaling deeply to bring myself back to the here and now.
"Come on, let's find a good spot for the night. Somewhere we can all shelter."
* * *
Within the next hour we'd come across the perfect spot. A small spring bubbled up from the ground and nearby was a copse that provided good shelter. Tol and I spent some time dragging branches to add extra protection from the northern wind coming down off the mountains, bringing with it the first chill of snow, and then we worked on layering leaves and moss, creating a slightly softer place to sleep than on the other nights.
I had no idea what state my men might be in, but from the connection, I knew that they were all alive; and that was the main thing. By the time they arrived, I'd just finished roasting a few rabbits over a fire. I had a feeling that the delicious scent of freshly cooked meet lured them in just as much as the pull of our bond.
I shot up from the ground and threw myself at Thomas. He caught me and swung me around, crushing me to his body. His relief was a physical thing coming off him in waves.
"I'm so glad to see you," he murmured into my hair as he put my feet back on the ground.
More arms crowded around me, Farrow and Killian, and the even Tol joined in with a jovial, "Hey, don't leave me out."
After I was sure I'd had enough, I pushed all the arms off me and inspected each of them, stroking their cheeks, peering into each set of eyes to make sure they knew that I saw them, that I'd missed them, that I needed to know they were okay.
"What happened?" I demanded.
"Food first," Farrow said.
"Please feed him. He's been groaning for hours," Killian added, patting his friend on the back.
"Come on then, lay down your burdens and let me serve." Tol sounded both ridiculous and kind in that moment. I imagined he hadn't served many people in his life, though his princely charm was clearly coming through.
They had two horses with them, and while Tol served up the meat, I led them to the river and got them watered, removing their saddles and brushing them down before tying them up close to my horse. He didn't seem at all bothered by their presence, which was a blessing.
Did horses that were also holy relics associate with regular horses?
Finally, I sat down and took my own serving. "Tell me," I said.
"It was fine," Thomas began. They threw us out, but no one got hurt. We had no idea where you'd got to."
"The king was not happy you ran off with a girl on a horse, Tol," Farrow said, his voice dripping with amusement. "I will never forget the look on his face."
"And mother?" Tol asked, raising an eyebrow.
Killian shook his head, looking solemn. "She barely moved."
"I swear he's been slipping something into her drinks so she doesn't embarrass him," Tol murmured darky. "Just as well I was there to do it for him."
"What happens to them all, once the True Queen takes the throne?" I'd never thought to ask the question, but it hit me now when I realized that Tol, Farrow, and Killian's families would no longer be able to claim the thrones in each of the courts. Anya and her mother… They wouldn't want to leave. Would not go quietly if it was I who rose to power.
Anxiety flooded my system at the thought. I didn't have an army behind me. It was just me and my men, a horse, a bow and quiver. The crown sat within the walls of Stone, and that was the final piece required. I'd not even given a thought to stealing that because when I set out from the court, I had only intended to reclaim the relics for Anya.
Not for myself.
No one answered my question, so I turned my gaze to Farrow. "You know the most about this, tell me."
He shrugged noncommittally. "In Terebellum, historically… Well, sometimes those rulers stay on as guardians of the court. One queen cannot be in all places at once. But, it really depends on who is there and, ah, how that turns out."
"Right." I sighed and pushed my hair back from my face. "So, your father would be fine, but there is no way that Tol's father and Killian's mother are going to bow down to me, not after I stole their relics."
Thomas gasped, awe in his eyes. "Did you just hear yourself?"
"What?" I shook my head, not getting his point.
"You said 'bow down to me', like you intend to take the throne."
"I�
�� I guess maybe I did." I bit my lip and glanced at my men. "I've changed. Things have changed. I don't even know if it's up to me, but I don't think I can go back to how it was. I'm more now, even if this magic leaves me. I've seen too much to just go back to hunting boar and fulfilling weekly requirements. And Anya… She's terrible." I shuddered, thinking of that selfish, bratty princess as the True Queen of our region.
"There's something I should probably tell you," Tol said. His voice was quiet, filled with dread. "Anya and I… We were meant to marry."
"What?" I spun to face him, my knees knocking against his leg.
"My father…" Tol cringed. "I met her once when we were much younger, and he promised me to her. When she became the True Queen. It was always assumed…"
"Why didn't you say anything?" I swallowed hard, trying to be rational but still feeling hurt. He could have told me at any time. He'd known I was returning to Stone. He knew.
"Because it doesn't matter, Jae," he said, the pleading in his voice too strong for me to deny. "I don't love her. I don't want her. I don't even know her." His shoulders slumped as the fight went out of him. "I just thought you should know before we got there. I didn't want you to find out from her. I never had any intention of—"
"Whatever," Thomas cut in. "If she'd been the True Queen, you'd probably have chosen her."
"I didn't know what – who – Jae was before I felt like this about her!" Tol shot to his feet and pointed at Thomas. "You are not me. You don't know anything."
"But I do," Farrow said, his firm words cutting the tension. He looked at me, eyes full of wisdom. "As soon as she touched you, you were a goner. It was like fate played a hand, destiny, magic. As soon as you were Marked, Jae was all that mattered in the world. You would do anything for her."
"Truth," Killian said, his voice was quiet, but no less firm.
Tol took a deep breath and sat back down.