by Kimber Swan
“I can help you, Miss.” She replies stepping towards the towel warmer.
“Please, just get Daniel for me. I mean the Duke.” I ask again, my patience thin at myself for forgetting the proper way to address him.
“But-.” She tries again.
“Please get him now!” I raise my voice, no longer sorry, but irritated about being ignored.
“But it wouldn’t be proper. He cannot come in here with you like this. What would people think?”
“I don’t care what people think. Get. Him. Now.” I state succinctly in case she does not understand. “Go!”
I splash water in her direction, getting her to move. She gasps, running off. Releasing the drain from the tub, I stand up wringing out my hair then let it fall below my shoulders in a mass of unruly waves. The door slams open as I reach for the towel and I hear a sharp intake of breath, not at all feminine, making me turn to face the intruder.
Daniel stands there unmoving. His eyes rake over my body, stopping longer at the junction of my legs are joined and again at my breasts. He kicks the door shut behind him without taking his gaze off me. Stunned, I grope blindly for the towel, but I realize I am nowhere near it.
He walks casually but with deliberate intent towards me. My first instinct is to step back, but I hold my ground. He reaches past me to grab the towel. His arms meet behind my back draping the towel over my shoulders, covering me completely. I can feel the warmth of his body emanating from him.
I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath since the door slammed open and let it out in a puff. The light headedness from the lack of oxygen causes me to sway slightly. Daniel clasps my shoulders steadying me. The warmth of his hands seep through the layer of thick towel, warming my chilled body. He gently moves a fallen wet lock of hair away from my face and behind my ear.
“Thank you.” I whisper.
He nods taking a step back, but his hands linger longer than is necessary. When his hands do let go, I feel a sudden chill in the air, as if the sun had been shining brightly only to be hidden by clouds. Not even the warmth of the towel can chase away this chill.
“I’m sorry to barge in but AnnaBelle made it sound like something was wrong. I should have knocked first.” He offers as an excuse as his eyes peruse my body again.
“It’s not as if you haven’t seen a naked woman before.” I reply, suddenly wondering how many women he has seen naked. I blush at my boldness.
“True.” He says without emotion. Then his eyes meet mine and he says, “But then again none of them were you.”
The ghost of a memory lingers, Mine.
There goes the pitter-patter of my heart again. I don’t know how healthy it is for my heart to be around him with the constant ups and downs. We both stand staring at each other, willing the other to make a move. His hand twitches at his side and my breath catches in anticipation.
He clears his throat, but his voice still comes out gravelly and heavily accented. “Did you need something?”
“Oh. Um.” I stutter, completely forgetting why I needed him.
He inquires, lips twitching in a suppressed smile. I have a totally different type of need for him now. I bite my lip in thought. I’m picturing him as naked as I am. A warm flush suffuses my cheeks at the erotic thoughts. His nostrils flare as he reads my mind.
“Oh right. Why didn’t you tell me about AnnaBelle?”
There we go. Brain waves are functioning again.
“Well, you haven’t actually been open to the topic of your new life. Remember you ran when I was talking to Dante?” He says sarcastically. “Anyway, I thought it best to let it happen.”
“Well you could have warned me or something.”
“Are you ready to talk now?”
“Now?” I look down at the state of my undress.
“When you’re dressed and ready, that is.”
I nod. He turns to leave, but turns back around.
“Daphne, however much I loved seeing you like this.” He waves his hands up down in front of me. “It can never happen again.”
“Why?” I ask feeling rejected.
“As princess and future queen, you are to be untouched until you’re married.” He replies coldly.
“What?” I choke out.
Can’t be touch by a man? What the hell?
“Let AnnaBelle help you get dressed and we’ll talk after.” He says, kissing me lightly on the cheek.
Daniel opens the door. He nearly bumps into Annabelle who is standing right outside. She bobs a curtsy as he passes. Once inside, she closes the door then bobs another curtsy at me.
Oh this is not going to do.
“AnnaBelle?” I say sweetly.
“Yes, your Highness.” She answers while removing brushes and combs from the cabinet.
“First off, if we are to get along, please call me Daphne.”
“Oh, I could never do that. You are to be my Queen. I can never be so informal with you.” She replies aghast.
“Yes, you can and you will. I was brought up much like you. I am no Princess, much less a Queen.”
“I couldn’t.”
Seeing as how I am getting nowhere because of her pigheadedness, I try a different approach.
“Please. I think you will likely be one of the few people who will certainly know me. How about this,” I barter, “when we are in public, talk to me and treat me as is expected, but when we’re in private let us be more informal?”
She taps a polished manicured nail against her lip in thought.
“What you say makes sense, but I have not been trained that way. It wouldn’t be right. What happens if I slip?”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll deal with that if it should happen. How much do you know about me?” I question, finished with drying myself.
“Not much except that hat he Due has explained. You’re King Michael’s daughter.”
“Well, yes that much is true as far as I know or have been told. Do you know that I have never been to Farquadt, besides being born there? I didn’t even know about my father until a few days ago.”
She nods in acknowledgment.
I continue. “Dante, my friend, well more like brother, is the only other person besides the Duke I will know here. I was hoping that maybe we, you and I, could be friends? I don’t have many friends to begin with and I think this new life will not allow me the friends I would traditionally earn on my own.”
“Oh.”
“I mean we’ll treat each other as we’re supposed to in public, however that is supposed to be, but I want to be able to speak candidly with you when we are alone. You know like girlfriends. Such as ask you questions that may not be appropriate elsewhere.”
I smile as I watch her think it over again, tapping her lip.
“When you put it like that, I don’t see why not.”
“Great!” I hug her before she changes her mind. “Did Daniel leave? Is it safe for me to leave the bathroom?”
“Yes, I heard the door close before the bathroom door closed.”
I go to open the door, but AnnaBelle gets to it first.
“Thank you.”
There is an outfit laid out on the bed when we enter.
“This looks perfect.” I acknowledge the outfit on the bed.
“I thought since you were just going to be talking with the Duke this would be most comfortable.”
“Good thinking. I think you and I are going to get along really good.”
“Well, I couldn’t leave you alone with the Duke in a state of undress.”
“No, I guess you couldn’t.” We laugh like school girls. “Though I wish you would have.”
I wink at her and she reddens.
She helps me dress as Daniel asked, even though it took longer than if I did it myself. The outfit is warm and comfortable, a long pink cashmere sweater matched with grey leggings and fluffy hot pink socks. My type of lounge wear.
“I can plait your hair if you would like?”
I
nod climbing on the huge bed. She looks at the dressing table then the bed and climbs behind me. Once settled, she sits cross legged like me.
The door in the living space opens and I hear someone ruffling around out there. Daniel peeks his head in and smiles when he sees us sitting on the bed like a couple of teenagers. AnnaBelle quickly jumps off as if it was on fire. She bobs a curtsy before leaving quickly. He smiles warmly at me
“Comfortable?” He asks.
“Hmm.” I respond. “What did you bring?”
“Tea, scones and other pastries. You said you liked pastries so I made sure there were some here for you eat.” He leans in to me conspiratorially and whispers, “I may not have been able to take you out on the town like you wanted in Paris, but I can at least have French baked pastries sent along.”
“Sounds delicious. Thank you.”
Daniel holds a chair out for me at the dining table and I oblige him. He walks down to the other end. We sit opposite each other. He shakes out his napkin placing it on his lap. This is wrong- me here and him there. Rising, I walk to his side of the table and sit to his left. He says nothing but tries to hide his smile.
“So, are you ready to truly talk about what it will mean when you become Princess?” He asks.
Not actually sure of the answer yet, I try to evade it by making as much small talk as possible. He plays along, knowing my stalling tactic for what it is. The first bite of the raspberry scone is divine. Not only did it melt in my mouth, but the raspberries were perfect in sweetness and without the seeds. The hot tea was delicious and aromatic.
“What type of tea is this?” I ask.
“English Breakfast.” He says, sipping his. “Do you like it?”
“Yes.” I reply taking the last bite of the scone. Once I wash it down with a final sip of tea, I say, “Okay, lay it on me
He chuckles.
“It seems to be the only thing we do is talk.” I say by way of an answer.
I feel his eyes burning into me and I flush. When I look up, I suddenly feel as naked as I was in the bathroom.
Looking away, he says, “Daphne, this is hard on me also.”
“What do you mean?”
The look he gives me makes me smile.
“I mean besides the obvious.” I blush.
He sighs. “When I look at you, all I want to do is touch you. It is taking most of my self-control not to touch you right now. From that first night when I saw you on the dance floor, I knew then you were meant to be mine.” He chuckles at himself. “I just didn’t know how true that was. When we touch, it is unlike anything I have ever felt. You’re different.”
I’m speechless.
“I have been with a few women, but when I touch you it is… I don’t know different. I can’t get enough of you. It’s like I can’t breathe if I’m not touching you. Then when I do touch you, I get to take a deep, easy breath. But then that ease becomes an overwhelming need to bury myself in you and mark you for all to know that you belong to me.”
“Oh.”
I feel my panties dampen at his words. I feel like I need to say something, anything, but I don’t know what. Daniel rises and walks to the couch.
“Have you ever felt this way before?” He asks, looking unsure of himself as he walks back to the chair, gripping it.
“No.”
“Daphne, I don’t mean to be forward, but this is going to come up often when we introduce you as Princess Freya. There will be much speculation and question about your purity. Have you ever been with another man?”
“Honesty, right?” I mutter.
He nods. His knuckles whiten on the chair back. The pulse at the side of his neck is visibly pulsating. The anticipation of my answer weighs heavily on him. I blow out my breath looking at my hands and then the words are out in a rush.
“No, I have not been with a man, but isn’t because I haven’t tried. For some reason at the last minute, I always chickened out.”
A few minutes pass without a word or sound. I’m afraid to look at him. I gather the courage and peek at him through the veil of my hair. He is looking at me thoughtfully. There seems to be a sense of relief that flashes across his expression. The silence is killing me.
“Well, are you going to say anything?”
The muscles in his jaw ticks. Another few minutes’ pass and as I am about to say something again, he is on me like white on rice, pulling me to my feet. His hands roam my body freely as if they own it. My hands slip under his shirt and glorify in the feel of his naked skin under my fingers. His hands find the edge of my shirt, seeking.
This is it. Finally!
He pulls away, breathing raggedly. My hopes dashed again. He rests his head against mine.
“You have made me the happiest man in all of Farquadt.”
Then he resumes kissing me again. I laugh against his lips, jubilant in his evident happiness with my virginity. Being a V card holder just paid off. We stand there holding each other for what seems like an eternity.
Chapter Sixteen
A man like Daniel doesn’t admit to weakness so when he told me he was close to losing control with me, I knew he trusted me. Most men in his position see weakness as a major fault, but not Daniel. He knew by admitting to me how he felt, he was making sacrifices. We just didn’t know the sacrifices we would have to make.
Kissing is the furthest we have gone since we met each other over eight months ago. Don’t get me wrong the kissing is great. The obstacle blocking us from going further is my title and all that that encompasses. The title requires the princess “to be pure at the time of her marriage to her future king and proof must be given,” whatever that means. In other words, I must be a virgin to get the crown.
There are times in life when you just want to get lost and right now is one of those times. I would like nothing more than to lose myself in Daniel emotionally. He is the “one.” We both knew it from the beginning. I feel safe with him, like nothing will ever harm me. He has proven to me over the last week the extremes he is willing to go to keep me safe.
Daniel is becoming terser as we get closer to Farquadt. Our time here on the barge has been idyllic, spending nearly every waking moment together, learning more about each other except the area where I truly would like to get to know him better. We are building a strong foundation for whatever the future holds for us.
Farquadt came into view early this morning. From this distance, it looks mysterious shrouded in low-lying clouds with misty mountain peaks and wooded flatlands. The grey sky is threatening to open up and douse the lands. From what I have been told, this is the type of weather that is normal for this part of the world.
Daniel pointed towards the summer castle where the King, my father, resides during the warmer months. Daniel lands are on the west side of the country. He explained it would be suspicious for a barge to land on the western coast when the main harbor is located on the eastern coast. We are going to drive from the port to his lands. The King’s current residence is visible from where we are now. The King’s land and Daniel’s share a border, which accounts for a little less than half the country’s land.
As I’m leaning on the railing looking at the waves, Daniel startles me from my reverie.
“Daphne, you need to come inside now. There are spies all over. We need to be careful from this moment on.” He says placing a hand at my lower back trying to guide me towards the door.
I resist his guiding hand and stop to turn around. When I look at him, I can’t help feeling a sense of awe. He is beautiful in that dangerous sort of way. The wind tosses his hair, giving it a disheveled look. By looking at him you would never know his station in life. Dark blue, denim jeans, motorcycle boots, and black, tight-fitted shirt topped off with a black leather jacket add to his overall sexual appeal. Maybe it is being this close to him for such a long period of time and sexual frustration, but marrying him sooner rather than later is becoming more and more a necessity. But he hasn’t said anything further on the subject.
>
“They can see me from there? You said they don’t know I actually exist. That there is only speculation. Wouldn’t they have to know I’m coming?”
“I don’t know who knows and who doesn’t. But someone knows and they’ve known my steps this far.” He sighs. “We don’t know how they found out about Paris. I don’t want to worry you unnecessarily, but there is a leak somewhere.”
This has been bothering him since this adventure began. He doesn’t know who he can trust and who he can’t.
“If for no other reason, come inside for me. Let me have you for a few more hours. Once we land, there won’t be any more of this.” He gestures between us.
“I don’t understand. I’m staying with you, right?” I ask, afraid I’ll be shipped off to some cloistered nunnery like they did to Mary Queen of Scots.
He nods solemnly.
“Then how will we not have time like this?”
“It won’t be right for us to be alone. You will have to be chaperoned at all times, whether it be maids, guards or your personal assistant.”
Only one part of that last statement registers.
“My personal assistant?” I balk.
“Your personal assistant? She will lead you in all things and know your schedules.”
“Why do I need one?”
“She is in essence your secretary. I had thought maybe you could have two.”
I don’t want one. Why would I want two?
“One will be knowledgeable in Farquadt and our ways, while the other….” He pauses to look at me with a glint in his eye. “The other could be Dante. I know you will want him close to you all the time and he knows you. He would lay down his life for you. If he is not this close to you like this, you may not see him as often as you’re used to. He would also be stopped automatically by security.”
At a loss of words, I stand there transfixed by him. Daniel understands how I feel about this whole situation and instead of making it worse, he is trying to find ways to have my two worlds meld. Would Dante have a problem with this? It doesn’t matter if he does or not, Daniel is thinking of me first. He is always thinking of me first. Slowly walking the short distance to him, I hug him.