by J. E. Taylor
I leaned my head against Misty’s cheek, devastated.
Chapter 11
Hoof beats in the mud turned me in the direction of the castle. Prince William stood out against the dark smoke that had settled over the town. His white horse trotted like it was in a damn horse show instead of trampling through the mud in front of the remains of my home. I looked back at the smoldering ashes unsure of the emotional storm brewing inside me.
“Elle!” Prince William dismounted and crossed to stand by my side and stare at the rubble with me.
His soft touch pulled my gaze away from the last of the smoke. His hand slid down my arm until his fingers threaded with mine. The simple gesture brought burning tears to the surface, but I blinked them back.
“You are welcome to stay at the palace,” he said.
He had no idea how grateful I was for that offer. My jaw trembled with a shiver, but I clamped my mouth closed, shutting the tremor down before my teeth joined in the chatter.
I nodded and allowed him to lead me and my horse away from the mess. As I walked, my uneven gait became more prevalent, so I reached down, plucking the solitary muddy shoe from my foot. With no shoes, the cold mud sifted between my toes, sending a chill up my back. I shivered, wrapping my arms around my midsection to try to conserve body heat.
“What do you have in the saddlebags?” he asked as he glanced at Misty.
“Spell books,” I answered. “They were in my father’s trunk.” I shrugged. “It seemed important not to leave them behind, especially since I intended on leaving town after the ball.”
Prince William chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer. “We can ride instead of walk, if you’d be more comfortable.”
I entertained the thought, but my feet had a healthy layer of mud which helped with the cold. “While riding back to the castle would be quicker, it would also be unbearably cold in my wet clothes.” My teeth chattered between words.
“You could always ride with me,” he said. “It would be a little warmer,” he added when I raised my eyebrows at him.
“I’m soaked, Your Highness.”
“I don’t mind. And please call me William. Your Highness is a bit formal for my betrothed, don’t you think?”
His words hit me like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky. I stopped and turned, looking up into his dark eyes.
He brushed a few strands of my wet hair off my cheek and smiled. “I made my choice the moment I saw you skipping rocks on the river.”
“Oh. You made your choice...” I started walking again, leaving him staring after me. I hid the smile that had formed on my lips. I had plenty of dreams about that day, and some were more risqué than others, but in almost every dream, I lost the bet.
He caught up with me and swept me up into his arms before depositing me on his horse. He climbed up behind me with Misty’s reins still in one hand. “Yes. I made the choice,” he whispered in my ear and wrapped his arm around me to grab his stallion’s reins before he pulled me flush against him.
His warmth seeped through my dress. While my back was toasty, the front of my body felt as if ice shards were pelting my skin. He tied Misty’s reins to the horn of the saddle and wrapped his arms around me as we cantered back to the palace.
I wasn’t the only one shivering, either, but he never once complained. In no time, we were back at the palace. He helped me dismount and handed over both sets of reins to the stable hand.
“Please bring Miss Seeley’s saddle bags to the guest chambers and have a lady-in-waiting run a hot bath for Miss Seeley.” He glanced at me, measuring me with his eyes. “I’m sure the queen has something suitable for Miss Seeley to wear. Please see to it that some clothes are delivered to the room as well.”
“Thank you, my lord,” I said and went to bow.
William caught my arms and shook his head. “You do not need to bow to me, nor do you need to be so formal. I thought I made that clear.”
His hand moved to the middle of my back, and he guided me inside the castle to a great room with a roaring fire. The music from the ball seeped through the walls, reminding me of all that had transpired this evening.
I stood as close to the flames as possible without jumping into the fireplace, and I glanced at him over my shoulder. He stood behind me to my right. Not nearly as adventurous as I was with the fire. But he wasn’t wearing a soaking gown. His hands splayed out like mine, soaking in the heat, and he smiled.
I shifted to stand next to him so I wouldn’t block the warmth. The silence stretched out.
“I’m sorry,” I finally said.
His eyebrows rose, and the smile on his face faded. “Why are you sorry?”
I hooked my thumb towards the music. “I ruined your evening.”
His laugh filled the room, and he gently turned me towards him. He leaned in and captured my lips in a kiss that transcended all my dreams. Sweet and sincere soon turned more erotic as he pulled me against him. His tongue explored my mouth in a seductive dance that made me want to peel my wet garments off and see what else his endearing mouth could do.
He pulled away. “You did not ruin my evening. You made it perfect.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Really? My stepmother caused a scene and set my house on fire, and then you froze your ass off riding back with me on your horse. And it looks like I ruined your fine clothes.” I waved at his wet clothes and the mud streaks on his pants. “And you call this a perfect night?”
The grin that spread on his lips sent a sweet tingle through my body. “Well, it hasn’t gotten this exciting around here in a while. And I do believe my ass is still intact. But you can check if the spirit moves you. So, yes, this has been a perfect night.”
My cheeks burned from more than the close proximity to the fire.
Prince William looked up and stepped back. “I do believe your lady-in-waiting is here to bring you to your room and a hot bath.” He bowed to me and turned, heading out of the door on the other side of the room.
I turned and beheld a young girl with fire-red hair and freckles who smiled at me and crossed the room.
“Hello, my lady, I am Miranda,” she said and took my hand. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into a hot bath.”
I looked down at the dress that had once been the most stunning of my mother’s gowns. The mud-caked hem dragged on the floor with the weight of the wet fabric. “I hope I can get all the mud off both my dress and my shoes.”
“I’ll take care of it for you, my lady,” Miranda said and pulled me along through the halls and up a back stairwell opposite where the ballroom had been.
“How old are you?” I asked.
“I’m almost eleven.” She smiled back at me. “And I’ve always wanted to take care of a princess.”
I laughed. “Princess?”
“Oh, yes, my lady. Rumor has it the royal wedding will occur before the week’s end.”
Before I could respond, she pulled me into a room with a large tub filled with steaming water that smelled like lavender and sage. I crossed, peeling the soiled dress from my skin without an ounce of modesty. All I could think of was that hot water taking the chill right out of my bones.
The minute my muddy foot breached the surface, I winced at the temperature, but it didn’t deter me. I sat down, and the burn of the water mixed with my cold skin created tingling pain from my neck down to my toes.
“My lady, what shall I do with this?” Miranda said.
I turned, remembering the girl was in the room. She held my wand between her thumb and forefinger like it would bite her if she held it wrong.
“You can put it on the table over here.” I patted the table next to me.
“I heard you put out the fire,” she said as she laid it down and handed me some scented soap and a cloth for me to clean the filth off my body.
I nodded.
“Thank you. My family lives out that way. If the fire had spread, they would have lost everything.”
/> I knew precisely how that felt. I had lost everything I owned. The only thing of my family’s that remained was the soiled dress and shoes along with the magic wand and spell books.
“You’re welcome,” I said.
She stepped behind me, started cupping water in her hands, and ran it through my hair.
I pulled away from her. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get the ash and soot out of your hair before I wash it, my lady.”
I blinked at her. I knew my feet were muddy, but I had no idea the state of what the rest of me looked like. “Do you have a mirror?”
She crossed to a small dressing table and picked up a handheld looking glass.
The minute I saw my reflection, I covered my mouth. My wide eyes stared back from a streaked face surrounded by soaking hair that didn’t resemble my normal fair color at all.
Prince William had kissed me looking like this. Mortification crept through me. I handed the mirror back, dunking myself under the surface of the water to speed up the effort to get clean.
When I resurfaced, Miranda was there with her gentle touch. She shampooed my hair while I scrubbed my skin with the soap she had given me. I dreaded rinsing in the grey water surrounding me, but the hot temperature did its magic. By the time I stood and stepped out, the water was murky with the dirt that had clung to my skin.
Miranda had a warm towel for me to wrap myself in along with a pair of cloth slippers for my feet. I grabbed my wand and stared at the soiled dress piled on the floor. My gaze dropped to the source of magic in my hand.
I smiled and glanced at Miranda before I wished my gown back to its original, stunning state. The air swirled, picking the dress up off the ground, and spinning it like a tornado. Dirt and grime stripped from the dress, cascading to the floor and created a circle of soot. When the dress was restored to it’s prior glory, I wished it away from the dirt and grime left on the floor. I held out my free arm, and it floated down and gently landed there.
“Wow,” Miranda said. Awe filled her voice, and then she shook her head, scurrying to the far corner where a broom sat.
“You don’t need to clean up my mess,” I said and willed the dirt into a bucket in the corner.
Each time I used the magic, the power in my soul increased, as did the clarity of my knowledge of my heritage. It overwhelmed me, and my knees shook.
Miranda was at my side in a flash. Her eyes were sincere as she reached to steady me. “My lady, are you okay?”
I smiled despite my light-headedness. My stomach rumbled.
Her face transformed. “Let’s get you to your room, and then I’ll fetch you something to eat.”
“That would be wonderful.” With all the excitement, I hadn’t had a bite to eat this evening, and the expenditure of magical energy was having an effect.
I let Miranda lead me to an ornate bedroom with an adjoining sitting room, and she brought me to a dressing table, forcing me to sit while she stripped the dress from my arms and laid it beside the saddlebags on the lounge chair. She returned and started brushing the knots out of my hair.
It was strange having someone pamper me. My mother used to brush my hair, and having this young girl taking care of me both left me uncomfortable and missing my mother more than I had since she’d died. Miranda braided my hair, and when she was done, she brought a simple dress of yellow silk over to me and helped slip it over my head.
“The queen said this was her favorite when she was your age.”
I smoothed the silk over my body. The dress was sleek and unlike anything I had ever seen in public. The neckline plunged in a V that revealed more of my breasts than I was comfortable with and the skirt ended just past my knees. I could not see returning to the ball in this.
“I have never seen a gown like this,” I said as my fingers ran across the form-fitting fabric.
“It’s a nightgown, my lady, not a formal gown,” Miranda said and smiled. “The queen’s clothing from her younger days fill these closets. She said you are welcome to anything you fancy that fits.”
My nightgown was floor-length and made of rough cotton. This strange fabric caressed my skin. I shifted as gooseflesh peppered my arms. Miranda noticed and handed me a robe made of the same silk fabric, but this covered my arms and my legs to the ankles.
“Thank you.”
“Before I go get you something to eat, would you like me to turn down your bed?”
I glanced at the large bed. It had been a long time since I slept on soft bedding. “I can do that if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, my lady.” She left the room.
I sighed, crossed to the bed, and folded the linens down. My hands ran across the soft fabric, almost as lush as the clothing I wore.
The door swung open, and the prince walked in with a tray of strawberries, grapes, bread, and pastries that smelled divine. He had a simple tunic that showed the definition of his muscular arms and chest and matching slacks. His dark hair was slicked back and wet, and any evidence of the soot from the fire was gone.
He stopped inside the door. Hunger flared in his eyes as he took me in. That devilish smile appeared. “I intercepted Miranda and promised her I would deliver your dinner, my lady.”
“Thank you,” I said, aware that all I had on was a simple silk layer between the prince and my skin.
He placed the tray on the table in the sitting room and waved to the couch in a silent invitation.
I padded across the floor and curled up on the corner of the couch within reach of the food. However, my appetite had vanished the moment he stepped in, replaced by a more carnal hunger. He stepped to the spot in front of me, dropped to his knee, and opened his hand, presenting a solitaire diamond ring to me.
“Marry me, Elle. Be my queen,” he said.
I stared at the diamond in his hand and then into his deep, sincere eyes. Doubt filled my mind, and my heart fluttered in my chest. I reached down and pinched the back of my hand, wincing at the sharp pain. I let out a nervous laugh and met his gaze. Dimples etched into his cheeks.
“This is real,” he said and slipped the ring on my finger. “As real as you want it to be.”
With him holding my hand in his and his proposal still hanging in the air between us, my entire body flushed. The sweetness in this moment sent a bolt of heat right between my legs as all the decadent dreams I had flashed before my eyes.
He finally lifted an eyebrow, and I realized I hadn’t answered him. I let out a soft laugh. “Yes, I would love to be your wife.”
His lips covered mine with the same seductive kiss he had given me in front of the fire while I was a soot-covered mess. But this time, he didn’t pull away. Instead, the kiss deepened, and his hands dropped from mine, fumbling with the sash of my robe. He pulled me to my feet and stripped the robe off.
“Intoxicating,” he whispered and pulled me against him, kissing my lips, my shoulder, my neck before he dropped to his knees, running his hands up my bare legs, pushing the hem of the nightdress higher.
My heart raced, and I licked my lips, unable to form a coherent thought as his touch ignited me. When his fingers ran up the inside of my thighs and brushed my center, I tilted my head back and threaded my hands into his wet hair. He grinned up at me and touched the same spot again.
“William.” His name escaped my lips in a breathless whisper.
“Is this what you want?” He moved his fingers against me again, teasing me.
“I just...”
He teased the spot again, stopping the words in my throat. He climbed to his feet, leaving his hand in place, slowly circling his fingers on a spot that left me speechless. This time, his kiss was possessive and thrilling. His tongue demanding even as his hand kept that slow, leisurely pace.
Heat built up, pooling in my belly, our breaths labored. He took my hand and placed it on the front of his pants. His manhood strained against the fabric, and he guided my hand up and down his long shaft.
A thrilling fear ran through me a
t his intentions, but I was under his spell and unwilling to let this desire end. After months of pain and torture at the hands of Lady Githa, this bodily pleasure was foreign and ever so welcomed. When his finger slid inside my folds, I moaned in his mouth.
My knees weakened at the yearning filling me. He lowered me onto the couch, falling to his knees between my legs. He pulled me to the edge and dropped his head so his tongue could play with the magic spot his fingers had plucked before.
The sins in my dream didn’t compare to this heaven. I moaned his name softly. Each lick brought me closer to the edge, and my hands fisted in his hair as the wave overtook me. I cried his name as wetness rushed from my core. He didn’t stop with my first orgasm. He continued until my body responded with each swipe of his tongue like an exquisite torture.
He kissed his way up my body through the silky nightshirt until his lips claimed my mouth. His hips pressed against me, grinding into the same spot his fingers and tongue had turned into an ultrasensitive bud. The cloth between us created a friction that was nearly enough to ignite.
His teeth nibbled my earlobe and I squealed. William’s soft chuckle filled my world. “I don’t want to wait until our wedding night,” he whispered. “I want you now.”
My heart pounded in my chest with want, but my mind clouded with fear. When William caught my glance, he paused, and the intense passion in his features softened. His hips slowed.
“I’ve never...” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
“I never presumed otherwise. If you want to wait...”
I sucked my lower lip between my teeth and studied his steady gaze. My body screamed for him. I wanted him as much as he appeared to want me, and yet I still hesitated. He started to pull away from me, and every cell reacted, pulling him back to my lips.
He groaned in my mouth and wrapped his arms around my waist. He stood, still kissing me, carried me to the large bed, and threw the covers aside. Before he lay me down, he stripped the silk fabric from my body. His tunic and pants followed, and he crawled on the bed towards me, the look in his eyes far from the sweet and gentle man I’d glimpsed before.