by C. J. Pinard
“Griffin!”
Hearing Georgina’s voice, he groaned inwardly.
Forcing a smile to his face, he turned to face a woman he couldn’t stand to be around. Not that she wasn’t easy on the eyes. In fact, the queen was lovely and he’d been more than relieved of that fact, especially after his father had notified him of their engagement. But, she was a chronic complainer, turned her nose up at everything, and was impossible to please. Even his sister didn’t get along with the woman, and Eva was the most patient and accepting person he knew.
“Where are you going?” Georgina asked, staring at him with suspicion.
For the past few weeks, she’d been acting very resentful, and even jealous, for no good reason. At one point, she asked Griffin if he was bedding another. He’d told her he wasn’t, although his wife was frigid and didn’t particularly seem to like sex, claiming it was “messy.” He could count the number of times on one hand that she’d performed her ‘wifely’ duties since her arrival in Syracuse.
“I’m off to visit Alexander.”
Her lips pursed together. “Really? Were you going to tell me? Or was I supposed to figure it out after not seeing you for several days?”
“I told you at dinner last night,” he replied, trying not to lose his cool.
She stared at him for a moment and then sighed. “You may have mentioned you were leaving, but you didn’t tell me it would be today.”
“What part of ‘I’m leaving for North Haven in the afternoon’ did you not understand?”
Georgina scowled at him. “That’s not what you said.”
“Yes, Georgina, it is exactly what I said. Look, I’m sorry if you didn’t hear me correctly. I’ll try and make myself more clear next time.”
She huffed. “Are you patronizing me?”
“No. Of course not,” he replied, his patience wearing thin. Every conversation seemed to end up in an argument, which was another reason he avoided her as much as he could.
“When will you be back?”
He told her he wasn’t sure and then excused himself. “I’m meeting with the sheriff in the courtyard. If you’d like to join me, you may.”
She wrinkled her nose. “No. I’m getting fitted for a new dress in a few minutes. I just wanted to catch you before you left.”
“Okay.” He stared at her for a minute and thought about kissing her, since it would be the right thing to do, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Knowing her, she’d flinch away anyway. “Well, pick out something nice for yourself,” he said before walking away.
“I will.”
He looked back over his shoulder. “Good. You deserve it.”
With a loud “harrumph”, she headed in the opposite direction.
When Griffin reached the courtyard, he noticed Mariselle first, her beauty jarring him just like last time. He knew she’d grow up to be pretty, but nothing like the vision standing before him.
“Marcus, Mariselle, what a nice surprise,” he said, meaning it.
“Good afternoon, Your Majesty,” Marcus said. “I hope we’re not catching you at a bad time?”
“No. I was just getting ready to visit Alexander. I heard you had some important news to share,” he replied.
“We do, actually,” Marcus said, lowering his voice. “Might I have a word with you alone?”
His eyes widened. What was this about? “Of course.”
Marcus looked at his daughter. “We’ll just be a minute. Why don’t you go and sit down on the bench over there?” he said, motioning toward the one by the flower garden.
“Yes, Father,” she replied and then walked toward it.
“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Marcus said, turning to him.
“Yes,” he admitted. “I imagine she has many suitors.”
He chuckled. “Yes, indeed. She’s already had a couple of proposals, too, but those aren’t going to work out.”
Griffin looked at him curiously. “She’s not interested?”
“No, but even more than that, she has something of great value. Something I imagine would be more suitable for a king.”
“I have to agree, she’s… beautiful enough to make any king a happy man. Unfortunately, if you’re meaning that she marry one of my brothers, it’s not possible. They can only wed another noble, mainly for alliances. Lord knows we need all the help we can get these days,” he said with a sigh.
“As king, you could overrule that, if there was a plausible enough reason, I’m sure.”
Griffin thought about it and nodded. “Yes, I suppose I could.”
Marcus grinned. “Then, that will be part of the offer.”
“I don’t understand where this is going. What offer?”
“To father the child of a king, she must be made queen. I won’t stand for anything less for my daughter.”
Griffin stared at the sheriff, wondering if he’d lost his mind.
The older man laughed. “Sorry. Let me get down to the point—I believe Mariselle can produce an heir to the throne. She’s… menstruating.”
24
MARISELLE WATCHED THEM from the bench and knew the exact moment her father had dropped the bomb. The shock on the king’s face was almost comical.
And what a fascinating face it was.
Sighing, she stared dreamily at Griffin, remembering all the times she’d secretly fantasized that one day he would come for her on a big, white steed, sweep her off of her feet, and carry her off into the sunset. Instead, he married someone else who looked more like his mother than a wife. Marcus had explained that their union had been forced upon Griffin by King Edward to secure an alliance between their kingdoms. Even so, it seemed so unfair to have to spend the rest of one’s life with someone they didn’t personally choose.
Mariselle thought of the other brothers whom she hadn’t seen in years. She imagined that they’d also grown up to be very handsome, and wondered what they looked like now. She knew the other three were living on different sides of the country, ruling their own part of the territory. Unlike Griffin, she’d heard that neither of the others were married, but imagined it wouldn’t last long.
“Mariselle,” called out her father, motioning to her.
She stood up, smoothed down her tunic, and walked back over.
“Good news, my dear. You’re going to be traveling with King Griffin to North Haven,” he said, looking excited.
Her eyebrows shot up. This was totally unexpected. “I am? Why?”
King Griffin cleared his throat. “Your father has informed me… it appears that you…”
She waited as he fumbled for words and still couldn’t believe that Marcus had spoken to the king about her menses, of all things. Part of her understood why, but it didn’t make it any less uncomfortable for either of them. As far as she was concerned, talking about sex itself was less humiliating.
He turned toward her father. “Marcus, maybe you should explain?”
“We believe you might be the only fertile woman in all of Syracuse. King Griffin wants to consult with his brother Alexander about it,” he replied.
“Why discuss it with him? To see if he’ll make me his queen so I can bear him a child?” she asked dryly.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” King Griffin replied, still looking uncomfortable. “First, we’ll need proof. If it’s true, then we’ll go from there, I imagine.”
“Wait a second, proof of what?” Mariselle asked, her eyes wide. “That I’m bleeding like a stuck pig?”
The king grimaced. “You never were one to mince words.”
“I find that being direct saves everyone a lot of time,” Mariselle replied. “And, considering the history we’ve had together, Your Majesty, if I were you, I’d take my word that I have it. Of course, if you really want to see the blood—”
“Enough, Mariselle,” her father cut in, looking embarrassed. He turned to the king and smiled grimly. “Well? If you want proof, you heard her. She’ll give it to you.”
“That’s oka
y,” Griffin replied, his eyes holding Mariselle’s. “If she says she’s a woman now, I believe her.”
“I was a woman long before I bled, Your Highness,” Mariselle replied, holding his gaze.
Marcus put a palm to his face and muttered something under his breath.
25
GRIFFIN’S MOUTH WENT dry. She was still a tease, only now instead of a child, she was definitely a woman. A very beautiful one with a wisdom in her eyes that made him wonder if she were still a virgin.
Marcus had mentioned her having suitors, and of course there were the offers of marriage. One night with such a beauty would probably make any man bend a knee. His eyes lowered to the curve of her breasts for a split second and what might be hidden under her tunic.
This time it was Marcus who cleared his throat. “Perhaps I should accompany Mariselle on this trip? She should have an escort.”
Griffin tore his gaze away from Mariselle. “She’ll be more than safe in my care. We’ll be traveling with my best knights and soldiers. No harm will come to her. You have my word.”
“And you’ll notify me of your decision before… it’s acted upon?” Marcus said.
Griffin smiled. “Yes. Of course.”
“Okay. We should probably go home and pack some of her belongings for the trip. How long will you be gone?”
“Originally, I was thinking a couple of weeks. But, considering the change of events, it might be longer. Don’t worry, Marcus, I’ll make sure to send you word as soon as I know for sure.”
Marcus frowned. “Your Majesty, I mean no impudence, but I don’t know if I feel comfortable sending my daughter away for so long without a guardian.”
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll have two personal attendants accompany us. They’ll treat her like a queen, I promise you,” Griffin said.
“Very well,” he replied with a sigh. “I can’t abandon the farm anyway. I guess it will have to be.”
Griffin relaxed. He knew it was wrong of him, but the thought of having Mariselle away from her father’s watchful eyes was making his cock swell. He was thankful that his surcoat covered the evidence of his wicked thoughts. “As far as gathering her belongings, there isn’t time for that. I’m already behind schedule. Allow me treat her to a new wardrobe in North Haven,” Griffin said, wanting to get away from the castle as soon as possible. He knew if Georgina caught wind of what was going on, she’d throw a fit and that wasn’t anything he felt like dealing with.
Mariselle’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
Griffin smiled. If there was one thing most women had in common, it was the love of new clothing. Seeing the excitement on her face, he promised himself to lavish her with whatever she desired. She would appreciate it, unlike the queen, who expected it. “Yes. Anything you need.”
“Father, is it okay?” she asked, looking at him hopefully.
“I suppose,” he replied, still looking troubled.
Mariselle touched his arm. “Are you all right, Father?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “Everything is happening so quickly. I just wasn’t prepared for it is all. I’m fine.”
She threw her arms around Marcus and hugged him. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m not a child anymore.”
“A father always worries about his daughter,” he said, looking directly at Griffin as he said it. “Especially when she’s all he has.”
Griffin assured him again that she would be safe in his care. “And, if she needs anything from home, we can send for it,” Griffin added.
Marcus nodded. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
26
AN HOUR LATER, after a tearful goodbye with her father, Mariselle found herself seated in a box carriage with King Griffin. A small army accompanied them, along with the two attendants the king had promised. They were in a separate carriage, and from what she could see, the women seemed excited about the trip.
“Where’s Queen Georgina? Isn’t she going to bid you farewell?” Mariselle asked, noticing the woman had yet to make an appearance.
Griffin smiled wanly. “We already said our goodbyes.”
“She’s very pretty,” she said as their caravan began to move.
He nodded.
Mariselle had a feeling that the king wasn’t happy at all with their union. She didn’t dare ask him about it, although, she was dying to.
“Tell me about your brothers,” she said, changing the subject. “I haven’t seen them in so many years. Did they all grow up handsome, like you?”
Griffin gave her an arrogant grin. “Of course not.”
She laughed. “You goof. Still as cocky as ever. Tell me about Alexander. Does he still have a short temper?”
He nodded. “It’s worse than ever. He still spins those tall tales of his and exaggerates like never before, too.”
“Tall tales? If I remember correctly, many of his stories turned out to be true,” she replied.
He grunted. “That was then. This is now. Sometimes I think he gets confused on what is real and what isn’t.”
“Maybe he just needs a good woman to turn him the right way?”
“From what I hear, he has more than he knows what to do with,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What do you mean?”
He sighed. “Forget it. I shouldn’t be telling you all of this.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t,” Mariselle whispered with a grin.
Griffin was silent for several seconds and then relented. “Fine. Ever since moving into his castle, he’s had a harem of women, willing and ready to do his bidding.”
“An entire harem, huh?” Mariselle laughed. “I guess I can relate to that. I remember when I was really little and had crushes on all you boys.”
“You did, huh?”
“Yes. What little girl wouldn’t?” Mariselle stared ahead, smiling wistfully. “All I know is that I always jumped at the chance to visit the castle whenever Father offered to take me. Tell me, you must have known why I was always following you and the others around?”
His eyes sparkled. “Maybe.”
“Oh, of course you did,” she said, slapping his shoulder playfully. “Anyway, I used to pretend that you were all mine. I guess kind of like my own little harem, although… back then, my thoughts were strictly innocent.”
“And now?” Griffin asked in a low voice.
Their eyes met, and in that instant, Mariselle knew the king was thinking dirty thoughts. It gave her a secret thrill, one she felt all the way down to her pelvis. “Truthfully? I think it’s better to keep those things to myself. They could get me in trouble.”
27
GRIFFIN DREW IN a shaky breath.
This is wrong.
The wicked thoughts he was having about Mariselle were driving him crazy with desire. If she knew how badly he wanted her, she’d probably slap him.
And yet, he also knew the little imp was flirting with him again.
“So, what do you plan on doing with me when we get to North Haven?” Mariselle asked with a small smile.
What he ached to do was take her someplace private, tear off her clothes, run his hands over her soft curves, and bury himself deep inside of her heat, monthly or not.
“I’m not sure yet,” he said hoarsely, looking away.
“I take it the curse has affected the queen and she’s unable to bear you a child?”
Her brazen question should have surprised him, but it was Mariselle. He was used to it. “No. Unfortunately, she has not.”
“Yours is supposed to become the next monarch, right?”
He sighed. “Yes. That’s what was supposed to happen. I’m hoping the curse has been lifted, seeing that you…”
“Have my period?”
Griffin nodded.
“I hope for your sake, it’s true,” she said, looking ahead.
“Me, too.”
She was silent for several seconds. “However, if it’s not the case, I could very well be the only woman in the l
and who could give you what you desire,” she whispered.
“The queen would never allow it,” he murmured, unable to believe they were actually having such a conversation. “Anyway, if you can provide an heir to the throne, it would probably be with Alexander, since he’s next in line. And not married.”
“Would we get married then?”
“That’s something we’d need to discuss.”
“So, he would take my virginity away from me, and if I don’t give him a son, I will be tossed away?” she asked, an edge to her voice. “I don’t think that’s what my father had in mind. It’s certainly not in my best interest.”
“Your best interest is going to definitely be taken into consideration. I promise you,” he said, relieved to hear that she was still a virgin.
“I should hope so,” she replied, crossing her arms under her chest. “To be totally honest, this wasn’t my idea, anyway. It was my father’s.”
Griffin had figured as much.
“Mariselle,” he said, reaching over and taking her hand. “I promise that whatever happens, you will not be tossed away… like a whore. Trust me, okay?”
She stared into his eyes and nodded. “I trust you, Griffin.”
Feeling her small hand in his palm, he wondered if he could trust himself.
28
IT TOOK FOUR days to reach North Haven. Fortunately, they’d passed through several towns on the way so Mariselle was able to purchase items she needed, all paid for by King Griffin. Most of the things he bought for her were of necessity and he promised to send for a seamstress as soon they reached the castle.
“What do I need a seamstress for?” she asked.
His eyes swept over her figure. “For the gowns you’ll need of course.”
Bursting with excitement, Mariselle threw her arms around Griffin and hugged him. “I’ve never had anyone do that for me before. Thank you, Griffin.”
He hugged her back stiffly. “You’re welcome.”
Remembering that he was now the king and not someone a girl could hug whenever she wanted to, Mariselle suddenly felt foolish. She released him and stepped back. “I’m sorry. Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ve forgotten my place.” She finished it with a curtsey.