The Accidental Prince

by Michelle Willingham

  ‘Leave the princess alone,’ Karl demanded.

  Captain Feldmann retreated. ‘I came to warn her, not to harm her. Her father’s men will be here soon.’

  Serena moved to stand behind Karl. ‘I’m not going back to the palace, Captain Feldmann. But if you help us, I’ll do everything I can to free your wife and son.’

  The man didn’t move, but his posture tensed. ‘They’re all I have.’

  Serena touched Karl’s shoulders, and murmured, ‘Let him go.’

  ‘He tried to take you against your will.’ Karl’s voice revealed his reluctance.

  ‘He asked me to go with him,’ Serena corrected. ‘But he never laid a hand upon me.’

  She needed an ally against her father’s men. If the worst happened, Captain Feldmann was her best hope.

  ‘Please,’ she whispered, leaning in to his shoulder.

  ‘Bernard, take his weapon,’ Karl ordered. The captain stood still while the footman removed it from his coat.

  Karl stepped back, keeping his arm across her as protection. Without another word, the guard disappeared into the streets. For a while, Serena worried that he might pursue the captain, but he remained in place.

  When it appeared safe again, Karl signalled Samuel to bring the carriage forward. ‘Is everything all right?’ Lady Hannah asked, leaning forward anxiously.

  Karl kissed her hand in greeting, and bid her welcome to the island. Though Serena knew it was a customary gesture, the flush on Hannah’s face sent an unexpected jealousy flaring through her.

  ‘I want you to return to the manor,’ Karl ordered, motioning for Bernard to go with them. ‘I’ll bring Serena back with me.’

  After the curricle was gone, Karl took Serena’s hand and led her to his waiting horse. Her complexion was pale, as if a silent terror had numbed her mind and body. ‘Are you certain you want to face your father? Or do you want to leave?’

  ‘I’m going to stay.’ She squared her shoulders, gripping her hands together. ‘I have to confront him, but you cannot stay with me.’

  ‘Try and stop me.’ He lifted her onto his horse, swinging up behind. Her skin was cold, but she didn’t move away when he brought his arms around her, to the reins.

  ‘I don’t want anything to happen to you,’ she admitted, so softly he wondered if he’d heard her right. A strange tightness formed inside him, and it seemed impossible that she should care about him, not after everything he’d done.

  ‘Don’t waste a thought over me,’ he said, guiding the horse along the water’s edge. He urged the animal into a swift canter, holding Serena close.

  ‘Where are we going?’

  His answer was to draw the horse to a stop. ‘Look there.’

  In the distance, several ships emerged upon the horizon. He knew she was searching for her father and his men, and the worry on her face made him keep his silence. For a long time, they simply stood there, overlooking the sea. The sun had grown warm, and it glittered against the waves.

  Karl caught her in his arms and held her tight. She smelled of flowers and sunlight, and he reassured her, ‘I’ll keep you safe. You have my vow.’

  ‘And yourself,’ she said. ‘Promise me.’

  He made no reply, but tilted her face up to kiss her. The words she’d spoken earlier washed over him. I don’t want anything to happen to you.

  No one had ever said that to him before. Never had anyone cared about him, and when Serena kissed him back, he met her mouth, showing her without words what he felt. It didn’t matter what happened to him now. All that mattered was protecting her. And he would … no matter what the cost to himself.

  A heaviness settled over him, and he fought to keep his kiss gentle, not letting her see the apprehension he was hiding. When her arms came around his neck, she held him close. ‘Everything would be different, if I weren’t a princess,’ she murmured.

  ‘What do you mean?’ He didn’t let her go, but breathed in the scent of her hair, keeping her body pressed against his.

  ‘I might have married you,’ she said, lifting her face to his. ‘If you were the sort of man who could love me.’

  He framed her face, sliding his hands down to her shoulders. ‘How much time do we have left?’

  ‘Perhaps hours, if we’re fortunate.’

  He rested his hands at her waist. ‘I arranged a gift for you today,’ he said. ‘I suppose now would be the best time to give it to you.’

  She studied him, but shook her head. ‘I don’t need any gifts, Karl.’

  ‘This one is different. It may not be something you want, but …’ he took her hand in his ‘… it may help you, once this is finished.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Let me show you.’

  Chapter Fifteen

  ‘You’re not going to drown me, are you?’ Serena held on to the sides of the sailboat, while the wind battered her bonnet. The skies were grey, and the dark waters of the North Sea appeared more grim than inviting.

  ‘I’ve sailed before, but it’s been a few years.’ He pulled at one of the ropes, adjusting the canvas sail and tying it off. ‘If we do capsize, we’ll die together.’

  ‘That’s not reassuring.’ When another wave tossed the boat, she lurched forward, landing on her knees. ‘Was this meant to be romantic?’

  Karl reached out to help her up. ‘The boat is yours. If it’s your wish, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.’

  He meant it. This was his way of offering to help her, if she no longer wished to face her father. Deep inside, her heart softened at his gesture. ‘I know this … journey of ours never turned out the way it should have,’ she said. Sadness clung to her heart as she saw the stoic expression on his face. ‘I want you to go back to Lohenberg. Create the life you were meant to have. Perhaps you could be an ambassador.’ The role would suit him, for he could be the voice of the king better than anyone.

  Karl edged his way closer and reached around her waist for another rope. ‘That’s not the life I want.’

  His hazel eyes held a steadiness and a sudden flash of anger. ‘There’s something else I want now.’ Within his expression, she saw a man who wasn’t going to let her go. A man bent upon possessing her.

  ‘What is it?’

  His mouth came close, resting above hers. ‘I want to watch you dancing in the rain until your gown is wet against your skin.’ He kissed her throat, his hands sliding over her shoulders. ‘I want to smash hazelnuts with rocks and hear your laughter.’

  When his arms closed around her, Serena released the tears gathering. ‘We had that, only a few days ago.’

  His hand passed over her tears, wiping the dampness away, then kissing her cheeks. ‘I want it back. And I want you to leave with me now.’

  ‘I wish I could give you my kingdom,’ she murmured, resting her head against his chest.

  ‘I don’t need it any more.’

  Another gust of wind struck the boat, and Karl adjusted the sails, bringing them closer to the shoreline. Serena realised it was a more isolated part of the island, one she’d never seen before.

  The bottom of the boat struck sand, and Karl disembarked, his legs sloshing through the frigid water. He hauled the vessel closer and lowered the sails, anchoring it. Grassy hills stretched from the sand, lined with occasional boulders of limestone. There were no houses or people, as far as she could see. They were alone here, and as he guided her up the hill, she revelled in the freedom.

  ‘Norway lies over there,’ he told her, pointing out toward the sea. ‘Or Sweden, if you’d prefer it.’

  Though she understood his offer to take her away was sincere, she couldn’t accept it. ‘He would only follow me there. I need to face him, Karl.’

  ‘Then I’m not leaving your side.’

  She stared at him, understanding that he would be caught up in her father’s fury and suffer for it. Or there would be fighting between the Lohenberg guards and her father’s soldiers. Her rebellion would cause men to be wounded or so
me might die.

  She took a deep breath, knowing that the only way she could protect any of them was to surrender herself and go back to Badenstein. Her father’s greatest weakness was his pride, and she could irrevocably damage it by publicly admitting her desire for freedom, abdicating the throne. The king would have no choice but to let her go, particularly if she threatened to expose his punishments and create a scandal.

  She didn’t doubt that he would strike her again. But she could endure the pain if it meant fighting for her freedom. And when she’d cut the ties to her country, she might find a way to be with Karl.

  ‘Why did you bring me here?’ she whispered.

  ‘To give you a choice. I didn’t want you to be taken against your will.’

  He led her to sit down upon the hill, and he joined her, staring out at the dark gray water. She untied her bonnet, setting it aside.

  Today would be their last afternoon together for a long time. Perhaps forever, if her plan didn’t work. The thought was like a jagged blade slicing her heart open, for Karl would always be the man who had shown her courage, who had taught her how to live without fear. She couldn’t find the words to show him the way she felt. But before she ventured back into the lion’s den, she wanted a precious memory for herself. Something that would let him know what he meant to her.

  The sunlight spilled over the hills, warming her skin. One by one, Serena removed the pins in her hair, placing them inside the bonnet for safekeeping. Her hair slid over her shoulders, and Karl was watching her with unguarded need. As if he were savouring the very sight of her.

  When she turned to him, she admitted, ‘I wish I could have married you.’

  ‘Then we’ll do it now. Right here.’

  Serena smiled at him, and he took her hands, staring into her eyes. ‘I, Karl Ludwig Eduard von Lohenberg, take you—’

  She saw the hooded desire in his face, and the last barrier in her heart crumbled away. ‘Serena Louisa Alexandra von Badenstein,’ she finished.

  ‘To be my wife.’

  Tears filled up her eyes, but she repeated the vow of marriage. It wasn’t legal, and there were no witnesses. In the eyes of the world, they weren’t married.

  But she understood the unspoken meaning behind his words. They were a promise, to love and protect her.

  When Karl bent to kiss her, his mouth was warm, demanding her surrender as he took her lips with his. She returned the kiss, seeking the forbidden tremors that he evoked within her body. Every part of her opened to him, knowing that his touch would never seek to hurt her.

  She guided his hands to the back of her gown, placing his fingers against the buttons. ‘Help me with these, Karl.’

  His mouth pressed to hers, his heated breath melting through her. ‘You don’t know what you’re asking of me.’

  ‘I’m asking you to love me. In this time we have left together.’

  In his eyes, she saw the dark resolve and he swore, ‘This isn’t finished between us, Serena. I’m not letting you go.’

  She gave him no answer, distracting him with her kiss. She didn’t care if she was throwing herself at him. This was their time together. A time when she would do as she wanted, not what she ought to do.

  Her kiss provoked him, and when his tongue slid against hers, she opened to him. Serena felt the buttons falling away, revealing her chemise and corset. Karl broke away, his breathing deep, his eyes burning into hers.

  Against her shoulders, she felt the heat of his hands. ‘Don’t stop,’ she breathed. Beneath her fingertips, she could feel his pulse pounding. She sent him a tentative smile, so afraid he would turn her away. ‘You’re quite good at taking things apart. Perhaps you should try it out with me.’

  Karl had never before seen a more beautiful female body. And it wasn’t because Serena was perfect. Her breasts were full, her skin pale and smooth. But when she lay back upon the grass, she stole the breath from his lungs.

  Though he’d once believed he couldn’t live as a common man, he could with her. If it meant waking up in her arms, watching her smile … he was willing to live in rags.

  He understood that she was planning to face the wrath of her father. And despite her insistence that he leave her, there was nothing she could say to make him go. He would protect her, no matter what the risk.

  ‘You’re so quiet,’ she said. ‘Was I wrong in … asking this of you?’

  He lay beside her, both of them resting upon a bed made of their clothing. Reaching out to her shoulder, he palmed the bare skin, moving down her arm to her hip. ‘No.’ He followed the path of his hand, moving his mouth over her skin. ‘I’m taking the time to memorise you.’

  The wind rippled through the grass, tightening her nipples. He saw the gooseflesh rising over her skin, and he tried to shield her body from the cool air. With her body beneath him, he could feel the softness of her curves, and he wanted her so badly, his hands were practically shaking.

  ‘In my mind, I’ve been with you a thousand times.’ He moved his mouth to the dip of her waist, his fingers spreading upward to caress her breasts. ‘I’ve touched you everywhere. I’ve discovered your most secret places.’ With that, he moved his hand between her legs, dipping his fingers against the cleft of her body. She gasped, her hands coming up to touch his shoulders.

  To be with this woman, to take her body with his, was a gift he was almost afraid to accept. Though he wanted her badly, he didn’t want to hurt her.

  She never took her eyes from him, though her cheeks flushed at the sight of his nudity. He stroked her hip, moving down her thigh. He explored her body, searching for the places that would arouse her. With his mouth and hands, he tried to show her what she meant to him.

  She shivered and he covered her body with his own, gently coaxing her legs open. It brought his shaft up against her silken hair, and the sensation made him want to open her, to slide deep within her body and find the fulfilment they both wanted.

  ‘Don’t be afraid,’ he said, stealing a kiss from her.

  ‘I know you won’t hurt me,’ she answered. Her trust made him all the more determined to bring her nothing but the deepest pleasure.

  Serena’s arms came around him, pressing her sweet breasts against him. When he lowered his mouth to taste her nipple, she trembled and opened her legs a little wider. As an experiment, he moved his erection against her centre, watching her response. Her fingers dug into his hair and she let out a soft moan.

  ‘Do you think this is what our wedding night might have been like, if I’d married you a week ago?’ she whispered, moving her hands down his back. The unexpected touch speared through him, making him want her more.

  ‘No.’ He moved to the side, facing her with a wicked smile. ‘We would have been in a bed, instead of out in the open where anyone could see us.’

  A flush came over her. ‘Do you think anyone will?’

  He stroked her stomach, down to the dark blond curls between her legs, and parted her thighs. ‘I don’t care if they do. They’ll only see me pleasuring you.’

  She closed her eyes at the touch of his hand, her breasts tightening. He felt the wetness of her desire against his fingers, and as he deepened the touch, caressing her intimately, her hands dug into his shoulders.

  ‘Karl,’ she murmured, her eyes opening. He slid a finger inside her, and her expression grew more intense. ‘These days I spent with you … I’ll never forget them. You made me happy.’

  Her admission seemed to transform Karl from gentle into a man bent upon arousing her. The fierce need in his eyes only darkened as he stimulated her flesh. She could feel herself stretching, rising higher as her body responded to him. But she didn’t want him to focus everything on her. Against her hip, she felt the rigid softness of his arousal.

  She’d never touched a naked man before, but she wanted to know if she could awaken the same feelings inside him. Slowly, she reached for him, curling her hand around his shaft.

  He inhaled, his hand stilling upon her. ‘Seren
a—’

  She dragged her hand over him, squeezing gently and found her own sense of power when he closed his eyes, drinking in her touch.

  ‘Am I hurting you?’

  ‘No, but you’re making it difficult to think clearly.’

  She pressed him back against the grass, marvelling at the strength of his body. Karl had lean, strong arms and a tapered waist. His powerful thighs were muscled from riding, and she sat against him, her hands over his chest. ‘I want to touch you.’

  He made no argument, as she lowered her mouth to his, kissing him while her palms moved across his body. There was a reddish scar from where the bullet had grazed him, days ago, and she avoided it so as not to hurt him. Lowering her mouth, she kissed his stomach, drawing closer to his manhood.

  When she touched it again, his eyes closed, his hands clenching against the grass. She stroked the head of him, sliding down his shaft while he grasped her hips.

  He guided her up, her knees around his waist, until his thickness was poised at her entrance. With his fingers, he teased her, dipping against her wetness until she started to move her own hand upon him. He guided her, showing her how to stroke him in a rhythm while he pressed against her body. The erotic sensations started to clench within her, and when he raised up to take her breast in his mouth, the blunt head of his shaft hovered at her entrance.

  She felt him slide inside an inch, and she held steady, watching him. Karl didn’t move, waiting for her response. Carefully, she withdrew, and then sank against him a little more. It was tight, but her body welcomed the feel of him. The thickness stretched her, but it was an arousal that touched her deep inside.

  Karl brought his hands up to touch her hooded flesh while he held steady inside her. ‘Wait,’ he breathed, keeping her poised with only the head of him inside her. He stroked her intimately, while his tongue laved the tight nipple. Serena felt her body growing languid, the arousal penetrating deeper. His rhythmic caresses started to take hold of her, and she began trembling as he rubbed her flesh. The motion pulled him deeper inside, and she gasped as the tightness seared through her, sheathing him fully.