by Davis, Lia;
Heat instantly pools in my lower region. “What a bumbling pair of fools we may turn out to be.” I hate hearing the shakiness of my voice.
“I’m not worried, we have hours to figure it out.” My dress is pushed over my hips to pool at my feet. I hear a rustling noise before his hands come around my stomach and slide up toward my breasts. His bare chest presses against my back as he kisses my neck, his shaft settling against my lower back. All of these new feelings all at once are overwhelming, I spin away panting with nerves and need.
“I...I’m sorry. I got overwhelmed.”
“The blame is mine, I got too eager. Colin warned me to take it slow, I’m sorry.”
“You talked to Colin about this?” Surely my eyes are threatening to pop out of their sockets.
He’s adorable when he looks sheepish. “I knew this was a possibility so I wanted to be prepared. I wanted this to be perfect. I knew a lot of the basics, you don’t spend as much time around the castle as I do without seeing and hearing a lot more than you should.” He moves to the chair and sits on the edge. “It’s usually custom for men of my peerage to lay with a woman on his sixteenth birthday and trust me, Prince John tried. He paraded many women before me, sent them to my chambers at night, but to no avail. My father loved telling me stories about my mother and how in love they were. He always promised to let me marry for love so I would be as lucky as he was. I knew I wanted to wait for that mysterious feeling called love and part of me kept my vow because it made me feel closer to my father while he’s been gone. Not very manly of me, I know.”
I already knew I loved him, I’ve known since the dance, but this...this boy who is romantic and strong and loyal has truly captured my soul. Any remaining nervousness I had melts away and with a new determination, I slide my chemise off and kneel in front of him. Afraid to startle me again, he waits for me to make the first move.
The tips of my fingers are tickled as I run them through the small patch of hair on his chest. I push him back against the chair and stare into his eyes as I undo his pants. He pushes his hips up and helps me slide his clothes down to his ankles and off.
Coming eye to eye with his manhood is scarier than anything I’ve felt and that’s saying something considering how many robberies I’ve committed. I did once come upon Scarlet and her husband by the lake shortly before he left. I stood behind a tree, mesmerized at what she was doing to him. The looks on their faces as she rode him like a horse was one of pain but the sounds coming from them were anything but. Over the last two years, I have desperately wanted to ask her about the act but I never had the nerve. Now I regret that decision.
Tentatively I kiss the side of his penis and it is warmer than I expected. His intake of breath emboldens me. Without another thought, I take him fully in my mouth and suck. His hands thread through my hair as he gently leads my head into an in and out motion. It doesn’t take long for me to catch on and get into a steady rhythm.
An ache has started deep in my belly, I don’t know what is next but I know I need it.
“Sweet Jesus, Robin, I’m going to come without you if you continue on.”
Pulling off him, I look up in confusion. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Well no, it’s kind of the point, but Colin said I am to finish with you or not at all.”
“If you come now is it over, we can’t continue on?”
“I think we can do it many times if we want.”
“Then that’s settled.”
I dive back down and get a thrill at his guttural moan. It doesn’t take long before the talked about big finish happens. It’s shocking at first, hot liquid shoots to the back of my throat, causing me to gag and my eyes to water. I’m not so sure I like that, I hope all finishes are not like this.
Chapter Eighteen
It turns out coming is so much better than I expected. We struggled a little at first, I had only seen Scarlet on top so we looked like we were wrestling at first when we both thought we knew who did what.
It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I could have done without the pain when he first entered me but luckily he had prepared me for it. I found I rather like squeezing his ass cheeks as he thrusts inside me, by his groans I think he enjoyed it as well.
After our first time I am nervous, almost shy and unsure how to act toward him. I make a meat and cheese picnic on the carpet in front of the fire and wait hesitantly for him to join me. Watching him walk around naked stirs feelings in me I don’t know how to describe. I know this is short lived and soon we’ll have to return to our separate lives and separate classes, so I need to take my fill of him while I can.
As soon as his plate is empty, I push him back and straddle his hips. It is glorious sliding down his shaft slowly till he is buried deep. We are much smoother the second time, finding our strides quickly. The second time we finish, I see stars.
Laying on his chest, I feel complete relaxation as he draws patterns on my back with his fingertips. “Can we just stay here forever? Forget who we are and just be together?”
“As wonderful as that sounds, we both know that isn’t possible. Your mother needs you and my father expects me to succeed him. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I am eighteen tomorrow. I’ve talked to my father’s most trusted advisors and they agree, I can legally take control of the throne from Prince John. I will be interim king until my father returns.” He sits up, still holding onto me, and my legs naturally wrap around his hips. “Once I’m in control, I can remove the sheriff and you will be free.”
His words weigh heavily on me, I know he isn’t ready to be King and he’s only doing this for me. “I want nothing more than to have my freedom and see that pig taken down, but not at the cost of forcing you to take the throne before you are ready.”
“Listen to me very closely, I have been training for this my entire life. The best part about being royalty is we do what we want, when we want. You aren’t forcing me into anything. I am ready to take charge until my father’s return. Our people deserve a good ruler, they’ve been under Prince John’s reign for too long.”
“You are going to make a fine king.” Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him with every ounce of love I have inside me for this beautiful boy being forced into this all to save me.
“And now I have to get back to the palace before anyone gets suspicious. I will be back tomorrow as soon as I can.”
“And I shall make a special treat to celebrate your birthday.” I unwrap myself and stand so he can get dressed.
“You are treat enough for me but I would never turn down anything you make for me.” He dresses quickly and holds my hand all the way to the back door. “I hate leaving you, miss me while I’m gone.”
“As long as you miss me as well.” His throaty chuckle sends a tingle down my spine. With one final deep kiss, I wave as he leaves out the back gate.
I can’t help myself, I run back to the room and flop onto the bed. Cuddling the pillow against me, I inhale his scent. “Did I really just sleep with the prince?” I squeal and laugh till tears are running down my face. My dad isn’t even going to recognize me when he returns.
Chapter Nineteen
Singing makes everything better. I haven’t stopped singing since I woke up this morning. I have stew cooking and dessert made for Marion. I fell hard for him and it’s going to hurt like hell when whatever this is ends.
Hoof beats in the distance cause instant squirming in my belly. Was it just a week ago I was robbing carriages and having innocent thoughts about boys?
Eager to see him, I rush out the back door and to the garden gate. Confusion crosses my face, the stable doors are closed tight. Turning around to head back to the front, I freeze. Standing in the doorway looking murderous is the sheriff. His clothes are rumpled, his hair that’s usually tied back is loose and wild about his face.
“Of course you are in the one place I’m not allowed to search. Have you been enjoying yourself, living here playing the whore fo
r the prince? If I had known you were so easy to seduce I would have tried a different tact with you.”
“If you had tried anything like that with me, I would have bit your manhood off.” Inside I’m terrified, thankfully my voice sounds strong.
“I see our time together hasn’t broken that wild streak of yours.” With every step he takes toward me, I try to counter further away. “You have caused me quite a bit of trouble, Prince John as well. I imagine he’ll want to do worse things to you when he finds you.”
Utter confusion crosses my face. “Oh, you don’t know? You put ideas in that boy’s head and he has usurped the throne from Prince John. He called for an immediate pardon for you and banished me from the kingdom.”
His voice growing louder with each word, the crazy in his eyes amplifies. “As soon as he announced your freedom, I knew he was in on your escape and it dawned on me exactly where you would be. The problem is I have nowhere to go. So I figure you must be pretty special and I bet the prince would pay handsomely for your return. That is, of course, if he wants to start a scandal. Either way, I’ll get the money I need or a woman to service me.”
Nausea threatens to choke me. I can’t win a physical fight with him and I have no horse. My only shot is getting to his horse before he does. Lucky for me, our side stepping dance has put us evenly apart from the door. I take a deep breath and bolt for the door, I get a glimpse of his shocked face. In the house, I almost make it to the front door when I’m yanked backward by my hair. Why do they always use our hair against us?
“You think you are better than everyone else? You forget your place, I’ll enjoy reminding you.”
My face is scratched as he shoves me against the door. Out of the corner of my eye I see him pull rope out of his pocket. Fighting does no good but I’m determined go down swinging. Within seconds my wrists and ankles are bound.
“The prince is going to send every soldier after you, he’ll never stop searching for me.”
His laugh is ice down my spine. “You have a lot of confidence in how well you fucked him. He can have a different woman every night if he wants, you are nothing special.”
The wind is knocked out of me when he lifts me over his shoulder and carries me to his horse. He unceremoniously dumps me on the horse before climbing up himself. I watch the cabin disappear as he takes off into the forest. Please Lord, let the prince come for me.
Chapter Twenty
“You can’t keep me tied up here all day. Tie me to a log if you must but please just let me sit for a while.” The tears started a couple of hours ago, they are silent but there none the less.
My ribs are bruised from the hours of laying across his horse only to be tied to a tree with my hands above my head. I lost feeling in them a long time ago, but I can feel the hot stickiness of my blood running down my arms.
“It won’t be much longer, you have been so distracted trying to escape you missed the fools in the trees. It took me a little while, too, but this very specific whistle kept repeating every few miles.”
Hope explodes in my chest, have the merry men really been tracking us this whole time?
No sooner had I thought this when I see a lone horseman coming over the hill. Marion, sitting tall on his horse, looks like a king in his full royal dress.
“You can stop there, Your Highness. What has you riding out this far on such a lovely evening?” He’s forced to yell since he stopped Marion far away from us.
“It was very lenient of me to let you leave the kingdom without further punishment.”
“You never said I had to go alone.” If my hands were free, I’d love to smack the smile off his face.
“Let her go, come with me peacefully and I won’t sign your death warrant.” The strength and command in Marion’s voice brings fresh tears to my eyes.
The sheriff unsheathes his dagger and presses it against my throat while most of his body is shielded by the tree. “How about I make a deal with you. If you can shoot an arrow between her hands and break the rope, I will let her go and be on my way. Miss and let’s just say this might not end so well.”
The sun has almost set and Marion is easily further than any of the targets we faced during the competition. I love him and trust him with my life but I’m not very confident my hands are going to make it out of this intact.
Marion says nothing as he climbs down from his horse and pulls out his bow and arrow. “How about on the count of three?”
He pulls back, the arrow held steady. “One...Two…” I close my eyes. “Three.”
Life slows down, I hear the whistle of the arrow slicing through the air. I feel it hit the tree, then intense relief that I have no pain but utter fear because that means he missed.
My eyes flutter open, the prince is running toward me. I hear the sheriff exhale as the knife falls away from my throat. His body crumples to the ground next to me and there are more arrows imbedded in his body than I can count. Some are quite intricate, others crudely made.
“Robin, are you okay? I’m sorry I let him get to you again.” Marion grabs the dagger from the ground and saws the ropes off my hands. Pain shoots down my shoulders and back as he helps me lower my arms. Intense tingling burns as the blood slowly starts circulating back to my hands.
“I knew you would find me but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to hang on long enough. How did you get here so quickly?”
Twigs and leaves crunch behind me. Turning to the sound, I see most of my merry men with Colin and some of his guards sprinkled in between.
“I’ve had your friends posted all around the cabin since you arrived there. I wasn’t going to take a chance on him finding you. As each person saw the next path he took, they would report it to us as we caught up then join us. He was so distracted by besting me, he missed everyone else surrounding him. It just took coordinating the shot for him to be completely unaware.”
“I have to ask, did you miss on purpose?”
“This is what you are thinking about right now?” His incredulous look makes me smile.
“I have no doubt I could have made the shot, being the best archer in the land.” The barb is exactly what is needed to lighten the mood. His men are quick to join in and give their opinions on whether he did it on purpose or not.
Joan and Scarlet pull me out of his arms and crush me between them. “I don’t know about you all but I have had enough violence to last a lifetime. I say we retire these disguises and find other ways to feed the village.” Scarlet’s idea has appeal.
“It will not be necessary for anyone to continue their questionable activities. I will not rule like Prince John did and Colin has already agreed to be our new sheriff. No one in my land is ever going to bed hungry again.”
I want to run into his arms and kiss him desperately but I know I can’t with his men watching. “Thank you, Your Highness, our families will be most pleased to hear this news.” For good measure, I curtsy, too. Out of the corner of my eye I see Joan and Scarlet give each other confused looks. I wasn’t even this proper at the dance.
“Robin, come have a seat and let me tend to your wounds.” Marion is holding strips of cloth and thanking one of his men for giving him a jug of water.
I sit gently, feeling awkward, “Don’t bother yourself with this, one of my friends can do it.”
As he kneels in front of me, my face turns red. He’s been King for one day and he’s already trying to cause a scandal.
“You really don’t know how to accept help, do you? Relax and let me do this for you.” He’s being incredibly gentle but that doesn’t make it sting any less. Finally, the blood is washed away and bandages applied. I wanted it to last much longer, this is probably the last time I’ll have his attention and it’s over too soon.
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Robin, please stop with the highness crap. I’m glad to see you can say it now without a sneer but I still don’t want you calling me that.” He rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat, he actuall
y seems nervous. “Actually, I was hoping you would call me husband?”
Chapter Twenty-One
I heard the words but I couldn’t possibly have heard those words. I find Scarlet and Joan staring at us with huge grins on their faces. They obviously can tell I’m in shock, their heads are going to fall off they are bobbing their heads up and down so fast.
“Surely you jest? I know your father gave you permission to marry whomever you want but I don’t think he meant a farmer’s daughter. He’ll never allow this, the peerage won’t accept it, either.” My voice has risen several octaves throughout my speech.
“Here’s the thing, I am King right now, so while the peerage might think they have a say in whether they like my new wife or not, they are sadly mistaken. They will respect you and treat you like a queen or risk losing their land.” He pulls me up and wraps me in his arms. “And as for my father, you have nothing to worry about, he is going to love you as much as I do. We should probably retire your pants, though, I’m not sure he can take that kind of shock. So how about it? Will you stand by me and help me heal the kingdom, keep me from making stupid mistakes and guide this land toward a better future for everyone?”
“Well, when you put it like that, how can a girl refuse?”
Epilogue
Six Months Later
“Don’t cry, my dear, you don’t want your tears to stain your gown.” My mother dabs my cheeks gently. “We can have another wedding ceremony when your father returns. We don’t know how much longer the war will last and he wouldn’t want you putting your life on hold.”
She pulls the lace veil over my face and leads me out into the hall. Joan and Scarlet look beautiful in their pale green gowns. The seamstress had to work a little magic at the last minute when we discovered Joan and her new husband, Colin, were expecting and her dress had gotten a little snug.