"Can you send for Lord Vincent?" I asked one of the other guards, receiving a nod in response.
Now I just had to wait. It was almost impossible for me to concentrate on anything though. I just hoped Vincent would forgive me for my yelling last night. There really wasn't any excuse for me to be so jealous, but that was something I'd have to work on.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Vincent strolled into my office, a wary look on his face.
"Thank you," I blurted the moment he reached me.
"For?" The spot between his eyebrows scrunched as he considered me.
"For coming, even after I..."
"Of course I came. You were understandably angry."
"No, if I'd listened to you, then I wouldn't have needed to get like that."
"Not true. As you pointed out, you had no real reason to trust me. I've not done anything in the past to help you do so."
"Except being a maddeningly persistent pain in my ass."
"I'll be a pain in your ass still," he threw back with a wink.
Laughter bubbled up within me. "I bet you will."
"So I'm forgiven?"
"There's nothing to forgive," I replied. "It was all my fault."
"No, it wasn't. But let's put it in the past. Did you think over what I said? Do you..." he trailed off. Despite his bravado and brash nature, he didn't seem to want to outright ask me if I wanted him.
"Yes, I've thought about it. And Carter and Albert said some things too."
"Oh?"
I could see the nerves in his eyes, even if he wasn't voicing them at the moment. We'd have to work on that. I didn't want him thinking he couldn't talk to me about these things.
"If you still want me after all the things I said..."
Instead of waiting for me to finish, Vincent crushed his lips to mine, giving me a searing kiss full of passion and unrestrained lust.
"Let's talk more about that later," he suggested, almost growling with desire.
"I like that idea," I replied, already tugging his shirt loose.
Vincent ran his hands up my legs and cupped my ass, giving it a firm squeeze before he lifted me onto the desk and placed me upon it. The hard surface briefly reminded me of how careful we should be, but the thought was lost among the haze as Vincent's hands began their exploration again.
Deftly, I undid his shirt buttons and pushed it along with his jacket to the floor. My own shirt followed, along with my skirt once Vincent had lifted me up so I could wiggle out of it.
His gaze burned into me as I sat there wearing nothing more than a black lacy slip and my heels. Though I couldn't say I was keeping my eyes to myself either. Vincent's toned stomach and legs were on display to me already. It was almost a shame he was still wearing his boxers and I couldn't see what really mattered right now.
Vincent tangled his hand in my hair and dragged my face back to his. His lips latched on to mine and we lost ourselves into the passion of our kiss. This wasn't tender like Albert was. Nor was it just sensual like Carter. This was more primal. A side of myself I definitely kept hidden but Vincent was bringing out in me.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him into me, his clothed cock pressing up against me and causing me to squirm.
"Amara," he groaned. "We shouldn't."
"We should," I replied, slipping my hand between us and beneath the cotton of his boxer.
Vincent's eyes fluttered shut as I took his cock in my hand, squeezing lightly as I moved it.
"Yes, we should," he agreed after a moment or two.
He parted my legs further and began his exploration between my thighs. His fingers moved my thong to the side and teased me where I was the most sensitive.
I moaned and tipped my head back, exposing my neck to him. He took advantage of it, nibbling the soft skin there.
Two of his fingers slipped into me, moving with ease.
"Fuck, Amara."
I giggled. "I thought that's what we were doing." My last word was lost to a moan as he hit a spot deep within me.
"Not yet we're not. But it can be arranged."
"Please," I begged.
I regretted the word the moment his fingers left me and he stepped back.
"Noooo."
"I'm coming back." He smiled at me as he searched through his pockets. Understanding dawned over me and I smiled back lazily.
"Good."
Finding what he was looking for, he made his way back to me, ripping open the condom and sheathing himself with it.
Neither of us were fully undressed, but I didn't think that mattered. If anything, it made the situation all the hotter. He wanted me so much, he didn't want to wait for the clothes to come off. There was something satisfying with that.
He closed the gap between us once more, and snaked a hand around my back, pulling me closer to him. I shuffled along the desk to get closer, hoping he'd take the hint and guide himself into me.
"Please, Vincent, please," I begged. He couldn't miss that hint. Not without him being completely clueless.
He reached down for his cock, holding it within his hand and stroking. Damn, that was far hotter than I'd expected. I'd have to get him to touch himself while I watched at some point.
He guided himself to me, and with one hard thrust, seated himself inside me.
I tipped my head back as the long, loud, moan escaped from me.
My nails raked against his back, urging him to come closer, faster, harder.
Anything. I just wanted more of Vincent. I couldn't believe I hadn't known he liked me this much until now. How much of this had I missed by being so blind.
His lips grazed the skin of my neck, leaving me a whimpering mess as he thrust into me again.
Sweat dripped down my back, the exertion of the moment taking its toll on my body. But when it felt this good, I would take any and all consequences I could.
Vincent pulled away, his cock leaving me and making me feel far more empty than I had before we'd even started.
"Turn around," he requested.
At another time, I might have told him no, but at this moment in time, I needed him too much to argue.
I jumped off the desk, only just managing to steady myself. Turning around, I stood with my back to him.
"Lean over the desk," he instructed.
A shot of unadulterated lust shot through me and I did as he said, smoothing my hands over the hard surface and presenting my ass to him.
Vincent kneeled down behind me, his hands hooking over the straps of my underwear and swiftly pulled it down.
He leaned forward and blew softly against my sensitive skin, making me shudder and whimper all the more.
His tongue darted out and lapped against me, circling my clit with a gentle pressure which was impossible to recreate with anything but a tongue.
I moaned.
Vincent pulled away and got to his feet, smoothing his hands over my bare ass as he did.
"Do you like it hard, Amara?" he whispered.
"Yes," I answered instantly. Though at this point in time he could have asked me anything and I'd have said yes, so I wasn't sure how much that actually meant.
He didn't hesitate and drove into me with one powerful thrust, his cock burrowing itself deeper inside me than it had been before.
"Vincent," I moaned.
"Amara," he returned.
We lapsed into silence save for the moans and groans as we moved closer to the edge.
"I can't go much longer," I said through my panting.
"Come, Amara," he countered. "Let go."
His words unraveled something inside me and I let go, screaming out his name. A shudder within me let me know he was joining me in his release.
My vision swam and faded, the pleasure being the only thing I could think of.
Completely spent, I collapsed onto the desk, my only thought being that this wasn't quite what it was intended for.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I stood outside the double doo
rs, nerves fluttering in my stomach. Today was the big day. No matter what happened, I'd never be having another coronation after this. At least, I shouldn't be.
And if I did, there was no good reason for it.
"Stop worrying, you'll be fine," Carter said, dropping a tender kiss on my forehead.
"You don't know that," I countered. "What if I make a massive fool of myself?"
"You won't. I remember how many times you made me practice this walk with you when we were children."
My cheeks heated at the thought. I'd actually forgotten about that until now. It was probably better that way. I'd been an annoyingly precocious child in that way. Poor Carter really.
"This is different," I protested.
"It's not. Just pretend it's us and we're kids again. There was no one to care about how you looked then, and no one will care now."
"I think you'll find everyone will care now," I pointed out. "There'll be magazine columns for a week about this."
"Then if you mess up, we'll just release the fact you have three men in your bed to the world," Vincent suggested.
"What? No! You can't do that."
"It'll take your mind off something going wrong at your coronation." He shrugged. "But then again, maybe not. They might make you send Albert back to Belgium."
I looked away from two of my men and out into the congregation. That's where Albert was. Waiting for me in the crowds and unable to actually attend me.
To be fair, none of them could. Today was just about me. No one else had any role in it. No one else could control it. No one else had eyes just on them.
"Are you ready?" Vincent asked.
"To be Queen, or to be coronated?" I smiled weakly as I asked the question.
"The latter. You've been ready to be Queen your whole life."
"I wouldn't quite say my whole life," I countered.
"I would. You've always acted like the Queen you were going to be. Calm, fair and loving to all."
I laughed. "I wouldn't go too far. Aren't you supposed to be teasing me about all this anyway?"
Vincent shook his head. "Not today, Amara. Today is about you. If you never have a wedding then this will be the big day of your life."
"It's better than a wedding anyway," Carter pointed out. "You don't have to share this day with anyone else."
"But I want to share it with you," I replied. "All three of you."
Their eyes sparkled with unspoken adoration, but I didn't say anything. I really did want to share it with them. All three of them were important in my life. They knew that. And we were actually doing a fairly good job of balancing everything. At the moment. Then again, I'd been so busy in the few weeks leading up to the coronation, that I was just grateful to be able to spend the night in one of their arms, no matter which of them it was.
"You are sharing it with us. You have us now, and you'll have us at the end. It's just this middle bit you need to do alone." Vincent stepped forward and took me into his arms, being careful not to ruffle the ridiculous cape I was wearing.
"I love you," I whispered.
"I know you do," he replied. "After all, who wouldn't."
I leaned back and gave him a disapproving look. He was ridiculous when he wanted to be.
"I love you too," he said.
I'd take that. It was almost better than an apology.
"Now get out there and show them what our Queen is made of."
I smiled at the two of them once more, before turning away from them and knocking twice on the door. The signal that I was ready.
The guards on the other side swung the doors open and a fanfare started to play. If anyone had asked me on any day other than today, I would have been able to tell them what the song was that played. But as it stood, everything was just a little bit too hazy.
Slowly, I walked down the aisle, trying to ignore the people who had morphed into no more than blobs of colour. Like the song, if it had been another day, I'd have been able to talk anyone through the guest list. Just not today.
My dress and crimson robe with white trim dragged behind me, each of them so intricate and heavy that it was almost impossible for me to move. I was unlucky in that my coronation had landed in summer, meaning I not only had to walk in heavy clothing, but it was unbearably hot to do so. And that was made even worse by the robe of state.
I reached the front, the nerves fluttering my stomach as I reached the bishop at the front.
He gave me a reassuring smile as I seated myself on the Chair of Estate.
"Sirs, I here present unto you Amara, your undoubted Queen. Wherefore all you who are come this day to do your homage and service, are you willing to do the same?" the Archbishop asked the congregation.
As each side of the cathedral gave their affirmation, the nerves within me worsened. I fully believed I was able to perform my duty as Queen, but there was still a small amount of doubt resting within me.
But I didn't have to do this alone.
"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, and of your Possessions and other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?" the Archbishop asked me.
"I solemnly promise to do so," I answered.
"Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"
"I will."
"Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolable the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?"
I took a deep breath before speaking the last part of my vow. "All of this I promise to do. All that is promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God."
The Archbishop turned to one of his assistants and was presented with a Bible, which he in turn presented to me. "Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God."
The worst of the ceremony over, including the religious parts I'd been required to learn as now not only being the Head of State, but also the Head of the Church, the rest went in a blur. The whole ceremony itself was so full of antiquity that I was surprised it still held weight. But every coronation in England had used the Coronation Chair ever since the sixteen hundreds, and I wouldn't be the monarch to break that tradition.
I didn't want to think about the amount of time it took to go through all the various parts of the ceremony. The oath had been the smallest part of that. But the investing, anointing and communion were all an important part of the day according to tradition.
With another robe exchanged for the robes of estate around my shoulders, this one of gold brocade, we began the part that most people would normally associate with the coronation of a new monarch.
The Archbishop lifted the delicate St. Edward's Crown from the altar, before setting it back down and offering up a prayer. I wasn't too sure what the point of that was, but I didn't think it was wise of me to question it too much.
One of the Archbishop's attendants picked up the crown, and he, along with several other bishops, made their way to where I was sitting. The golden ornaments now sitting in my hands were beginning to get heavy, and I searched among the crowd for a familiar face.
Albert sat close to the front, a proud and adoring expression on his face as he watched me. Love radiated from him and I knew I’d done the right thing in waiting for today to tell him I loved him. It’d make the perfect ending to today.
Slowly, the Archbishop lowered the crown onto my head.
This was it. The moment I'd been brought up for my entire life.
Throughout the cathedral, peers of the realm and officers of arms donned their coronets.
"Long live the Queen. Long live the Queen. Long live the Queen," the congregation recited. The moments they were done, trumpets began to blare and the bells began to toll above us, as they would throughout the country. And several others.
I couldn't hear it over the noise, but I knew there would be gun salutes going off at the Tower of London at this exact moment.
"God crown you with a crown of glory and righteousness, that having a right faith and manifold fruit of good works, you may obtain the crown of an everlasting kingdom by the gift of him whose kingdom endureth forever," the Archbishop recited.
"Amen," the congregation offered.
It was done.
I was the Queen.
Epilogue
One Year Later…
The path was lit by flickering candle light as I made my way towards the summer house by the lake. I wasn't sure why the three of them wanted to meet me there, but I'd done what they wanted.
The light breeze brushed the skirt of my dress against my knees, and the warm scent of flowers filled the air. While it might be hot, this was one of my favourite times of the year. The smells, the colours. Everything. But I was glad we were going to be spending time by the water. The breeze coming off it would lighten the heat of the day.
I entered the summer house, noticing more candles dancing in the darkness. They'd gone all out to make this a romantic atmosphere, though I had no idea why.
Nor did I have any idea where they were at the moment. No matter where I looked, I couldn't spot any of my three men.
A small white card was propped up on the table, next to a small box that looked like it was designed for jewellery. Just what were those men of mine up to?
Curiosity got the better of me, and I stepped towards the table and picked up the small card.
I let out a small squeak as I read the elegant handwriting there.
"So...will you?" Carter asked from behind me.
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