Deck of Cards

by Johnson, ID

  Katey had managed to use the chamber pot and put it back in it’s secret location before Caleb heard her and came to her rescue. When he slowly opened the door, she was just climbing back under the bed sheets. He caught a glimpse of one leg as she pulled it back under the covers and paused for a moment, making sure she was comfortable and that he wasn’t blushing before he continued into the room.

  She looked much better. The color had returned to her cheeks. She looked more rested than he remembered seeing her before. The bed was large, considering the compact space of the room. He was able to sit on the edge while still giving her plenty of space. He looked at her face to see if she was alright with his proximity and she didn’t seem to mind. “Are you feeling better?” he asked.

  She was surprised but happy to see him, especially considering he seemed to be in a much better mood than during the last conversation they’d had. She nodded her head, yes, she was feeling much better.

  “Good,” he replied smiling. “I wanted to talk to you about what happened, but if now is not a good time, please let me know and I’ll come back later, when you’re better rested. “

  She looked away from him then. It was still difficult for her to look him in the eye, though it was getting easier. Still, she knew this would be a difficult conversation for both of them and she wished she could tell him it was alright, that he didn’t need to explain himself. Somehow, she understood why he had acted the way that he did and, remarkably, she was not angry with him. In fact, somehow, the incident seemed to make her grow even fonder of him, perhaps because she could see that he was human after all. He could show everyone else the warrior side, the infallible side. But she had seen him at his most vulnerable. Regardless of what the future may hold, she knew this experience had brought them together in a way no one else would ever understand.

  After a moment, she looked back in his direction. He was having trouble looking her in the face now. He felt horribly guilty for what he had done. The more he thought about it the more remorseful he became. He was eager to apologize and make things right between them but it was going to be difficult because, like most rulers, he was not used to having to say he was sorry.

  But there was a time and place for everything, and this was his

  “Rose, I just want you to know that I am whole-heartedly apologetic for what transpired in the kitchen yesterday.” He was not looking at her. He had found a lose thread in the bedcover and was intently studying it as he twirled it between his fingers. “I completely lost control of my temper and I hurt you. I hope you can forgive me and believe me when I say I promise I will never, ever hurt you again.” He looked up now and he had her full attention.

  He paused for a moment to study her face. Remembering back to when she first stepped out in front of the prison wagon, he had thought then that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Now, sitting here, so close to him, he could see just how perfect she really was.

  Katey began to blush under the weight of Caleb’s eyes. When he had so much as glanced in her direction before, she had vowed never to look at him straight on again. Now, it was becoming more difficult for her to allow herself to look away.

  Finally, he was able to continue, “Regardless of who you were before or what you’ve done, you’re here now. And I promise, I will always protect you.”

  She smiled, wishing so desperately that she could let him know who she really was. But without her ring, it would be so difficult and now, with her fingers burnt, she wouldn’t even be able to write. She had no hope for setting the record straight unless Rose decided to confess. In the meantime, Caleb would continue to think that she was a whore and feel as if she was beneath him, simply one of his subjects.

  She sighed, something he was not expecting. “Is something wrong?” he asked, afraid his apology had somehow offended her.

  Though she shook her head no, he could tell that there were tears welling up behind her blue eyes. “I’m sorry. Did I drudge up old memories?” She simply looked down at her hands folded in her lap, unable to communicate with him exactly why she was about to cry. “It’s alright,” he said and as the tears slowly began to fall down her cheeks, he caught each one and wiped them away.

  He wasn’t sure how she would react to his touch, knowing he had not always been so tender with her. But, as he wiped the tears from her eyes, she leaned into his hand, the soft skin of her cheek caressing his palm. He moved his hand up the side of her face to that shock of auburn hair and gently brushed it back. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated on feeling each sensation. She placed her right hand against the back of his hand as he slowly caressed her cheek, her neck, her lips. She felt him move forward on the bed, felt his hip pressing against the out side of hers, felt his breath as he leaned in, his lips hovering just beyond hers. She waited longingly for him to kiss her but when he didn’t do so immediately, she opened her eyes.

  He was staring at her intently. She drew in a slow breath, lost somewhere in those eyes. “I want to kiss you,” he said quietly, just above a whisper. “But I don’t want to hurt you again. If. . . if you don’t want me to, then I won’t”

  Katey closed her eyes again and he instinctively knew what she wanted. His first kiss was slow and soft. He wanted to feel the fullness of her lips as they pressed against his. He pulled back, opening his eyes and watching for her reaction. She looked at him longingly and then slowly closed her eyes again. This time, he was more deliberate. As his lips pressed against hers, he slid his hand down her jaw line, running his fingers lightly across her chin and down her neck. He opened his mouth and she responded, allowing his tongue to slowly glide across the top of hers. His hand encircled her neck, his thumb slowly massaging the area just under her chin.

  With her uninjured hand, she took hold of his arm, encouraging him to continue to explore her body. Even though she still had bandages on her left hand, she placed it on the back of his head, pulling him in closer as he continued to kiss her even more passionately.

  Her chest was heaving. She longed to feel his hands on her breasts. She could feel his erection against her outer thigh and she wanted to reach for him, to let him know how badly she wanted him.

  Caleb, however, suddenly felt a wave of restraint, as he remembered what had happened just yesterday. He pulled back from her, leaving her breathless and biting her swollen bottom lip. “I’m sorry, “ he said. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He absently ran his hand through his hair. “You’re injured, you need your rest. I don’t want to take advantage of you.” He shifted on the bed as if he were going to stand and exit the room.

  Katey knew he was not taking advantage of her. She reached out to him, grabbing his arm as he faced away from her. He felt her slender fingers wrap around his wrist. He glanced at her over his shoulder. The blankets had slipped down and he could see the outline of her breasts against the thin white chemise.

  She held his wrist in her left hand with her uninjured fingers and her right hand was inside the sleeve of his tunic. There was something extremely sensual about the way she caressed the inside of his arm. He irrevocably thought that leaving was the right thing to do but he found himself lingering and with each second that passed, the more difficult it became to walk away.

  Katey shifted her position, coming to her knees, gathering her chemise as she did so. She stared into his eyes, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. As he turned to face her, he slid his hands beneath her gown. Her mouth came down to meet his and he responded hungrily. Any thoughts he had of walking away were out of the question now.

  He pulled her chemise off and Katey began to grope at the fasteners on his uniform. As he stood to undress, he pulled her along with him, continuing to kiss her as he slipped out of his clothing. Then, he gently tossed her back onto the bed, collapsing on top of her. The feel of his strong hands on her breasts, then cupping her bottom, made her long to feel him inside of her. She felt his fingers between her legs and pressed against his arm, yearning for him to sli
p them inside, which he did.

  He continued to kiss her mouth, her neck, her breasts as his fingers probed more deeply inside her. She arched her back, squeezing his arm in pleasure. He could see that she was ready, more than ready, so he slipped his hips between her waiting thighs. Her eyes were closed as he slowly slid inside of her. He wasn’t expecting her initial reaction. It seemed much tighter than he had expected and she bit her bottom lip as if she were in pain. She felt him hesitate and lowered her hands down his back, pressing him further inside of her. He obliged, taking it very slowly, giving her time to adjust. Eventually, she began to rhythmically move her hips along with his. He couldn’t believe how incredible her body felt. She ran her fingers down his chest, sending him reeling. He paused for a second, trying desperately to stay focused. He looked down at her and she slowly opened her eyes, meeting his gaze and smiling. He leaned down and kissed her lips gently before continuing.

  Never in her wildest dreams had Katey ever imagined her body could feel this way. As she began to climax, she thought, for a moment, she might actually cry out in pleasure. But she couldn’t and when they were done and Caleb lay on the bed next to her, she continued to feel her body spasm for several minutes.

  It took him a few moments to catch his breath. He was an experienced lover but he had never felt this sort of bond before. Rose had taken him to places he had never been. Perhaps, he thought, this is the difference between having sex and making love.

  He could feel her shivering next to him. Though he would have liked to continue to gaze at her body, he reached down and pulled the blanket up over them, hoping she would be more comfortable. Her eyes were closed but he could tell she was not sleeping. He propped his head up on his hand and gazed down at her. After several seconds, she looked up at him, her blue eyes twinkling. He smiled down at her and rested his hand tenderly on the sheets on top of her stomach. “Are you alright?” he asked.

  She nodded. He had tiny beads of sweat in his hair and the sweet smell of his body made her want to lean up and kiss him. As if reading her mind, he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. “Come here,” he said, rolling onto his back and pulling her on to his chest. He was content to lie there holding her for the rest of the night, even though he knew he would surely be missed. Nevertheless, he was the king and for now the only business he wished to attend to was sleeping with this beautiful woman.

  As Katey fell asleep in Caleb’s arms, she thought, perhaps tonight she would not dream of bone-white hands and pools of blood. Perhaps, tonight, she would dream of riding horses off in to the sunset.

  ***

  The long ride through the night was over and James was perched atop the Landres Hill, waiting for Katey’s carriage to come in to view. His men had scoped the area and they felt very confident that everything was secure. At half past eight, he saw dust rising on the horizon and knew that must be her. As they came in to view, he could clearly see her carriage, surrounded by several mounted guards.

  Only half a mile or so from their destination, the troops escorting Katey were tired and ready to hand the princess over at last. They could see the liaisons from Placidia perched a top Landres Hill. As they approached the last bend in the road, they passed through a steep ravine. Just then, there was a volley of arrows from a top the hillside. One of the arrows struck the carriage driver directly in the throat. As he fell to the ground, he pulled the reins, causing the horses to whiney and buck. Other guards had been hit as well and utter chaos broke lose.

  From his vantage point on top of the hill, James could see the entire incident unfolding before his very eyes. Just after the volley of arrows, a large body of cavalry came storming in from behind the hill. There must have been at least sixty of them. Like a swarm of bees, they descended on Katey’s carriage, swallowing it up and carrying her off with them. “No!” James screamed. “Go! Stop them!” he ordered to his troops. They took off in pursuit but they were too far away and there was too much ground to cover. By the time they reached the bottom of the hill, Leopold’s men were gone. And so was Katey. Left in their wake were the bodies of all twenty of Caleb’s soldiers.

  James went down to make sure that none of them was suffering, unable to believe what he had just seen. He knew it was futile to attempt to chase Katey’s captures down, considering they were greatly outnumbered and had such an enormous head start. Had he known Leopold would dare directly attack Caleb’s own guard, had he considered the possibility that Leo would be willing to make such an offensive move against Placidia, he would have been far more cautious. He would have insisted on a much more secure transfer, possibly via the channel. Now, he had let down both of his sisters. Katey was back in harms way and Nichole would be furious with him.

  He sent word to Nichole of what had happened, pitying the messenger who had to deliver that dispatch. His next move was clear. This was just as much Caleb’s fault as it was his own and he would be responsible for helping right it. Whether they liked it or not, Placidia and Arteria were allies now, at least until Katey was safely found. And James would do whatever it took to get her back.

  ***

  By the time Katey awoke, Caleb was gone. She had slept incredibly well, like no previous time she could remember. A few times during the night, she had awoken, briefly, and feeling Caleb’s arms around her, she immediately fell back to sleep. Today, she resolved, she would find a way to make sure he knew who she really was. He deserved to know that she was a princess, someone worthy of his station. And yet, after dressing, she went straight to the kitchen to see Cook and to find out if she needed any help preparing the days meals.

  When she entered the room, Cook greeted her with a smile and a hug. Katey wasn’t sure what time it was but she had, apparently missed breakfast. The other girls were bustling about. Only Val acknowledged her, the others seeming to guess why she had been absent and detesting her even more.

  “Well, if it isn’t my girl!” Cook had proclaimed. “How are you, Love? Is your hand still a throbbing? Let me look at it.” Katey had managed to re-bandage her hand that morning as it had come lose the night before. “You look well, Dearling!” she added. Leaning in closer, she added, “You’re glowing!”

  Cook clearly knew what had taken place the night before. Caleb had, after all, missed the evening meal. While she had attempted to cover for him, saying he had a lot of business to attend to, she wasn’t sure she had fooled everyone and there were plenty of rumors floating around the castle that morning. No one dare say anything to Caleb himself. However, they took note of how refreshed and happy he looked, something they had not seen since Matthew’s kidnapping so long ago. Whatever it was that had made the king so overjoyed, they were glad for it, even if it was a roll in the sack with the little mute girl from Clovington.

  Katey really wanted to meet with Rose that morning, to get her ring back. She felt empowered now, finally beginning to realize that, whether she could talk or not, she had a voice. She was ready to be heard at last. She wanted to see if Cook could let her know where Rose might be.

  Though Cook was busy bustling around the kitchen, and she insisted that Katey could not help, she began to realize that Katey was trying to tell her something. “What is it you’re trying to say, Dearling?” she asked, finally pausing a moment to give Katey her undivided attention.

  Katey raised her arms to signify she was asking a question. She looked around the room, hoping she would understand that the question was “where?” Then, she drew a little crown with her finger, signifying royalty, though neither she nor the fake Katey had actually worn a crown the entire time she had been there.

  Cook was confused but she did her best. “Are you asking where the king is, Love?” she asked.

  Though Katey would also like to know the answer to that question, she shook her head no and tried again. This time, she showed the crown sign again and then curtseyed, indicating that she was looking for a woman with a crown.

  Puzzled, Cook began to think out loud. “You’re looking for
a woman who wears a crown? Hmmm. Queen Maggie? No.”

  Katey grabbed a lock of her own red hair and pointed at it. She saw the realization on Cook’s face. “Oh! The princess! You’re looking for Princess Katherine!”

  Katey nodded, “Yes!” she was looking for Katherine. Where was she?

  “’Fraid I can’t help you with that, Love. Caleb packed her up and sent her back to Placidia yesterday morning. She’s half-way back to her family by now.”

  Katey’s face fell. How could Rose have possibly took pretending to be her so far? Now, how was she ever going to get her ring back? How was she going to let Caleb know who she was? But then it occurred to her that Rose was going to have her own set of problems when Nichole discovered that she had been tricked. She was just hopeful that Nichole didn’t blame Caleb. If she had the opportunity to communicate with her sister and let her know the true story, everything should be okay, but if she assumed Caleb had done this on purpose, there would be hell to pay. Either way, she would hate to be the real Rose.

  ***

  Caleb had left Rose in a deep sleep. He had also rested very well that night. He awoke early, refreshed, and ready to start the day. He had slipped out quietly so as not to wake her and he began his daily routine as usual. He felt that things were finally starting to turn around and he was hopeful that today would be the day that Matthew was found. He knew that Rose’s station was far beneath his own and he wasn’t exactly sure what Matthew would think of that. But he also knew that he was indebted to her for helping him escape and he thought, perhaps, that would be enough for him to understand how Caleb had developed feelings for her. Though he was beginning to think he wanted to marry her, being a king complicated that quite a bit and he knew he would have to find a way to discuss it with her.

  For now, however, he had enough matters at hand. There was always plenty of work to be done. Today, however, he did much of it with a smile on his face. He noticed the snickers and grins others flashed, thinking they were doing so behind his back. But he didn’t care. Yes, he had slept with Rose and yes, he hoped to do it again. He didn’t care who knew. He wanted the world to know.