The Bed Wife: A Novella (The Bed Wife Chronicles Book 1)

by Suzanna Lynn

  The old man blushed slightly as comprehension took place. “Well… I… I see… Well…”

  Baylin patted the old man on the shoulder to send him on his way. “Do not worry. I was there, you know. I can account for all that happened.”

  Still flushed with embarrassment, the old man hobbled out of the room mumbling under his breath.

  Luana stared in silence at Baylin as her maids cleared the table and bed linens. Why? she thought. Why did he lie to protect me? She shook off the sentiment with another thought. It was merely his pride. He didn’t want to admit he had been denied.

  Baylin walked over to her and ran his hand down her shoulder and arm. She winced slightly from the pain of the pale purple bruises from their struggle the night before.

  “I should have had him treat these,” he said sadly, staring into her eyes.

  “It is fine,” she replied stiffly, attempting to shake off his hand. His very touch was like the warmth of the sun.

  One of her handmaids laid out a beautiful gown of pale blue and gold.

  “I need to dress for the day.” Luana made her way over to the handmaid. She hoped the excuse would give him reason to leave her to collect her thoughts.

  “I will be traveling to Rivermouth today. I will be back to sup with you,” he said as he made his way from the room.

  As he strode by the small breakfast table, he turned to her. “The quail eggs, were they to your liking?”

  Luana looked up at the hopeful smile on his face. He did have the eggs brought to her.

  She could not help but smile. “They were truly wonderful, Your Grace. Thank you.”

  He smiled warmly, nodded and left the room.

  Chapter Seven

  Prince Baylin had been forced to spend most of his days either in his father’s war council or on trips to Rivermouth to disperse the troll problem that continued to grow in the Kingdom. Though he tried to spend what time he could with Luana, and at times seemed to succeed at charming her, he felt she was still resentful of him.

  Baylin kept his promise to Luana by sleeping on the cushioned settee by the hearth instead of in the bed with her. It was extremely uncomfortable, but he did not want to be distant and sleep in separate chambers.

  One chilly morning Baylin woke to the soft sound of singing. He sat up slowly, stretching to relieve the aches in his tight, knotted muscles. He stood, walking over to the hearth and stirring the sleepy embers. The warm days of summer were passing and cool autumn days and cold nights were upon them. Looking around the room, Baylin could see that Luana was not in her bed. He could still hear the soft sound of a song that was coming from the balcony.

  Baylin drew a fur off the settee, pulling it around himself, and made his way out on the balcony.

  Luana stood, looking out over the Kingdom in the cool morning air. She wore a thin pale blue sleeping gown that dragged the ground, and her long hair trailed down her back. The sun’s warmth had not yet heated the valley, and Baylin could see Luana’s warm breath as she sang.

  The sound of Luana’s soft song brought Baylin to a time long forgotten to him. Back when they were both just children, life was much simpler and their dreams were much bigger.

  It was fairly early on that warm summer morning when Baylin set out from the castle. The sun had only just risen, and the birds sang a chorus as he made his way down the dusty road.

  When he arrived at the little goat farm, he could see Luana picking flowers on the edge of the forest. She was singing quietly to herself while her little goats played and munched on grass.

  Baylin hopped the fence and silently made his way up behind her in an attempt to sneak up on her. As he made his way through the tall grasses of the field, Luana’s lovely voice traveled on the wind to him.

  When he had almost reached her, his foot caught on a fallen branch that had been hidden by the grass and he fell on his hands, catching himself.

  The sound caused Luana to cry out and she turned to see what had caused it. “Oh! Baylin, you scared me.”

  Baylin laughed at her surprise as he stood himself upright. “Well, you should be paying better attention. What if I had been a troll?”

  Luana playfully grimaced at Baylin and picked up a long slender stick, pointing it at him. “Then I would strike him down where he stood.”

  Baylin laughed as he watched Luana swing her “sword” at him. “Okay, I’m sorry, I yield.”

  Luana dropped the makeshift sword as Baylin pulled out a small package wrapped in parchment paper. “I brought you something.”

  “What is it?” Luana asked as she took the gift eagerly in her hands.

  She tore the paper to tatters and revealed a small box with two strawberry tarts inside. “These are truly for me?”

  Baylin nodded at her with a smile. He liked bringing her things from the castle. He knew that she never received treats like these in the village, and her appreciation for them made him realize how truly fortunate he was. He had never thought it fair that he was allowed to have such nice things while others didn’t.

  Luana sat down on a bed of rich green clover before taking a bite of the delectable tart. “Mmm. Thank you, Baylin! You must sit and share one with me.”

  Baylin sat down next to her as she handed him a half a tart. The two talked as they snacked. When they were finished, they lay back on the clover bed and began guessing at the shapes of the clouds as they rolled by.

  “That one looks like a castle,” Luana said, pointing up into the sky. “Just like your home!”

  Baylin pointed at another cloud. “What about that one?”

  “That one looks like a Princess’s crown,” Luana replied.

  Baylin smiled to himself. He was so much happier in the field than he ever was in the castle.

  “Baylin?” Luana asked, still staring up into the sky.

  He turned his gaze from the clouds and looked at her. “Yes?”

  “Could I ever be a Princess? You know, like you are a Prince?” she asked with a smile on her face.

  The thought made Baylin sad. He turned his eyes back to the sky. “You have to be born a Princess.”

  The words did not seem to discourage Luana, however. “But Papa says you are to be King someday.”

  “So?” Baylin retorted.

  Luana sat up and looked down at Baylin on the ground. “Well, when a King marries, his wife becomes the Queen. So when we grow up, we can get married. Then I can stay with you in the castle and we could eat tarts all day!”

  Baylin sat up, laughing at Luana. “It doesn’t work like that.”

  Luana wrinkled her nose in defiance. “Why not? If you are King, you make the rules. It can work if you want it to.”

  Baylin smiled. “Well then, my Queen, what if we get tired of eating tarts?”

  Luana giggled. “We could go riding, attend feasts and balls. Oh, what fun we would have! And best of all, we would be together in the castle.”

  Baylin smiled at Luana’s cheerful grin. He reached back and picked a delicate white daisy from the tall grass and placed it in her silvery hair just behind her ear. He felt blessed to have such a true friend.

  The memory made Baylin’s heart swell as he thought of the laughing little girl. Outside of Ferric, Luana had been the only true friend he had ever known. He wished he could have those days back. If we had only been allowed to stay friends, how different out lives might have been.

  Baylin continued to admire Luana as he listened to her sing. Her voice was haunting to him and it pulled at his longing for her. “You sing beautifully.”

  Luana turned quickly at the sound of his voice. “Your Grace, apologies. I did not mean to wake you.”

  Baylin walked to Luana and wrapped the fur around her shoulders. “It was a wonderful way to wake.”

  Luana blushed slightly and looked away. Baylin loved the way her soft pale skin flushed a rose pink when he managed to charm her.

  “You must be cold,” Luana said, looking at Baylin’s bare chest as she hugged the
fur around her. “Please, let us go inside.”

  Luana started for the room but Baylin pulled her closer to him, tilting her chin up with his hand. She looked at him with those fierce emerald green eyes; he wanted to be lost in them. For the first time in weeks she seemed to have let her guard down. She was so striking that his heart hurt.

  Baylin leaned in close to Luana’s lips, waiting for her to pull away, but she didn’t. He could feel her breath against his face and smell her sweet skin. He wanted to savor this moment.

  As he leaned in to press his lips to hers, he heard a loud knock on the chamber door. Both Baylin and Luana were startled at the sound, and Luana quickly pulled away.

  Baylin sighed in frustration as he made his way into the chamber to the door.

  “Prince Baylin, apologies,” a guard said with a bow as Baylin opened the door. “His Grace the King has requested your presence at once for war council.”

  Baylin again sighed, this time in irritation. “Tell him I will be there soon.”

  Baylin closed the door and turned. Luana was sitting on the settee in front of the hearth with the fur wrapped around her.

  He made his way over to her and sat beside her. “I must go.”

  She stared at the glowing embers in the hearth and nodded slightly.

  Baylin could see the moment was gone. She had put up her walls again, and there would be no knocking them down today.

  He rose and dressed for council with the King.

  Chapter Eight

  Many weeks passed in the Kingdom with little excitement for Luana. She had been given plenty to entertain herself. She was brought any book she could want to add to her personal library. Prince Baylin even had tutors in the arts brought in to teach her painting and sculpture, even music.

  Each day, Baylin made attempts to spend time with her, to the point of eating his meals in his chambers exclusively. He still slept on the settee every night; though Luana was sure it must be uncomfortable.

  Most days they would discuss what she was reading, or the musical instrument she was attempting to learn. All the while, Luana felt as though it must be some kind of trick. She knew at some point the royal physician would either declare her unfit to carry children or it would come out that she was still a maiden. This couldn’t go on forever; she would either be forced to lay with him or banished from the Kingdom.

  Yet, she couldn’t refute her fondness for him. When she wasn’t trying to figure out the angles and tricks, Luana found she was growing comfortable with his presence, and lonely at the absence of it. Just as when they were children.

  One day, in particular, stood out in Luana’s memory. It was when Prince Baylin had decided to try and teach her the art of swordplay.

  Luana gave Baylin a puzzled look as he carried the wooden swords into the room. “Your Grace, what are those for?”

  Baylin gave her a smile that sent butterflies in her stomach. “I’m going to teach you how to use a sword.”

  “A sword?” Luana was even more baffled. “What need have I for a sword?”

  “The skills of sword fighting are taught to Keld women at a young age. They need not be lost on you,” he said, walking to her and placing the rough wooden sword in her hand. “You should always be prepared to defend yourself.”

  Luana raised an eyebrow as she stared at him with a smirk. “Defend myself from what, exactly?”

  Baylin smiled back and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “Hopefully, nothing. However, Keld women are taught at a young age to wield a sword, and I feel you should not be denied the same instructions.”

  Baylin walked up behind Luana, slightly pressing his body against hers as he positioned her in a defensive stance. “There, now keep that position.”

  He walked to the other side to face her, raising his own wooden sword. “Now I want you to swing at me.”

  Luana laughed at how ridiculous she thought she looked, but could not deny that the smile on Baylin’s face made it all the more enjoyable. She swung her sword playfully at Baylin. “This is silly.”

  Baylin laughed, “Now come on, be serious.”

  Luana straightened her posture and held the sword as he had instructed. She attempted to remove the smirk from her face, but Baylin’s expression made it impossible.

  She lunged at him with her sword, only to have him disarm her, grab her wrist, quickly spin her so her back was against his chest, and trapped her within his strong arms. They both laughed as Luana struggled against his embrace.

  “You missed,” Baylin whispered into her ear.

  Luana, still laughing, turned her head to respond and found his lips mere inches from her own. She looked up into his blue eyes. She could feel the soft hum of anticipation between them, as though time had stood still and they were the only two people left in the world. She knew she only needed to lean in to have him kiss her. Secretly, she wanted him to. “Kiss me,” she thought. She had longed to feel his lips against hers.

  Baylin moved his lips slightly closer to hers as though he would kiss her, but then he stopped. “Perhaps you were right. Maybe this is a bit foolish.” He released her from his embrace, setting both swords on a nearby table.

  She turned to face him. “True. We are no longer children.”

  Baylin looked gravely at the ground. “No, we undoubtedly are not.”

  Luana stepped a bit closer to him so that she could take his hand into her own. “But we need not deny ourselves the pleasures of acting childish from time to time.”

  Baylin looked up at her with a hopeful expression and smiled. He grabbed the two wooden swords in his hand. “You want to give it another go?”

  It had been the first time since she entered the castle that Luana had felt at ease with the Prince.

  She felt sorry for Baylin. It had been nearly two months since being brought into the castle, and all of the other bed wives were with child. Prince Baylin was the heir to the Kingdom, yet he had no heir of his own. Luana could not deny that it was her own doing.

  One cool evening, Luana was out on the balcony painting the sunset when she heard the chamber door bang open. Assuming it was the Prince, she got up to greet him. However, when she entered the room, she found one of her handmaids standing beside Prince Baylin’s uncle, Lord Cadman.

  “Hello, Luana, is it?” Cadman asked in a sinister tone.

  Luana’s stomach tied in knots as fear took her. She knew something was not right. She gave a small bow. “Yes, my Lord.”

  “Do you find amusement in humiliating my nephew?” Lord Cadman hissed. He looked different from the last time Luana had seen him. His greasy hair was matted to his head, and he had a terribly unkempt beard. He stank of body odor and ale, and his nose looked like it had been broken several times. He had obviously just come out of a drunken stupor.

  Luana, trying to keep her composure, attempted to seem unshaken. “My Lord Cadman, I do beg your forgiveness. I am afraid I do not understand your meaning.”

  Cadman shoved the handmaid to her knees in front of Luana. “Your maid has informed me that my nephew does not lay with you at night. And Master Keon has been denied again and again to examine whether you are with child.”

  Fear and realization took her in a hot, heavy flush. This is it, she thought. He has come to humiliate me and cast me out.

  She couldn’t force out the painful feeling of heartbreak. She had grown to care about Baylin. But she would not give any of them the satisfaction of knowing it. She stood her ground in silence as Cadman spoke just inches from her face.

  His hot stinking breath beat against her face as he shouted. “So you think you are too good to spread your legs for the next King of Grasmere?”

  “No!” Luana tried to back away from the man. “You don’t understand…”

  “Well, you’re not too good for me!” He lunged and grabbed Luana by the arm. Swinging her around, he threw her into the round breakfast table, causing her to hit her head hard as she knocked the table over. In her dazed state, she could hear
the handmaid screaming.

  She felt the pain as Cadman grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet. She swung back, landing her elbow right in the stomach. Cadman’s grip loosened slightly as he coughed out at the pain.

  Luana turned to face Cadman, clawing at his hands and arms as best she could, but he was too powerful for her to fend off. He tightened his grip on her hair, stood up the table and pushed her, face down, onto it. Cadman tore open the back of her silk gown, exposing her body to him.

  She screamed and used the table to lever herself and kick back at him. She was fighting for her life.

  While she continued to scream and attempted to push herself off the table, he held her down with one hand.

  Cadman leaned forward, putting his mouth to her ear as the weight of his body pressed down on her. “Now you will know what it is like to be had by a true King of Grasmere.”

  Luana reached back behind her head and grabbed Cadman, digging her nails into the side of his face.

  Cadman screamed out as he pulled his face away. Luana felt the searing pain as he roughly slammed her head into the table.

  Luana knew it was over. This would be the humiliation that came before she was cast out. She continued to fight against his strength as she heard his pants slide to the ground.

  She braced herself for what was to come when she heard the door clang open and a booming yell. “No!”

  Luana felt the weight of Cadman’s grip leave her and heard a horrible crash. She turned to see Cadman lying in a pile of broken glass that used to be her tall looking glass. She screamed and fought as strong arms grabbed her around the waist.

  “Quiet now,” Luana heard Baylin’s voice soothe. “You’re safe. I am here.”

  Luana could not help but throw her arms around his neck while trying to stifle her sobs. She did not realize how safe he made her feel until she was in danger.

  Cadman pulled himself to his feet and swung a fist at Baylin, tripping over his pants and falling face first on the hard stone floor.

  “Get back,” Baylin ordered Luana as he protectively pushed her behind him.