“Come,” Antonio said. “This will be easier if you walk.”
Matilda approached Vitoria and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Kitten, we were so worried.”
Matilda kissed her lips. When she pulled back, Vitoria looked up and saw a tear trickling from her eye. She reached up and wiped it away.
“I’m fine,” Vitoria told her. “He didn’t hurt me.”
“I don’t know what we would have done if he had. Come, we have much to discuss.”
After securing Lord Marello in his dungeon, they went to his parlour to await the monarchs of Kiiessa. Matilda and Antonio refused the refreshments offered by his terrified servants and ordered them to leave. Antonio sat on the large sofa and pulled Vitoria down onto his lap, wrapping her in his arms. Matilda sat next to him and took one of Vitoria’s hands in hers. Vitoria leaned her head against his chest. It felt so good to be with them again, to touch them.
“Tell us what happened,” Matilda said.
Vitoria recounted her story.
“We will try her for treason,” Antonio said. “There was nothing on the border. It was all a plot concocted by Lord Marello, presumably to lure us away from you so that he could get you here.”
Matilda shook her head.
“We shouldn’t have both left you.”
“It’s your job,” Vitoria replied. “You’re the ruling monarchs. I had some time to think while I was here.”
She disentangled herself from Antonio and Matilda and stood up. It would be easier to have this conversation when they weren’t holding her.
“When I left my home, it was because I had nothing there. There was nothing left to lose. But when Lord Marello brought me here I did have something to lose. I have friends now and a place that feels like home and I feel like I could build a life in Kiilasalia.”
Matilda smiled and stood. She came to Vitoria and placed a hand on her arm, smiling.
“I’m glad you think so.”
Vitoria closed her eyes as tears threatened to spill. It was harder to say than she had imagined when sitting in that room, harder still with Matilda stroking her arm.
“I was going to enter into a contract with Mira, obviously that is off the table now that Drayga has broken it.”
“It was off the table the moment you set food on our lands,” Antonio growled. He stood and joined his mate, taking Vitoria’s free hand in his.
“I think we could come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
Matilda raised an eyebrow and said sardonically:
“Really?”
“You want my blood.” Her voice came out smaller than she had anticipated, it sounded weak where she wanted to sound strong and sure. “I need somewhere to live. I can provide you with blood and when you… When you…”
A lump had formed in her throat, and her vision blurred with tears she would not let fall. She pulled out of their grasp and took a few steps back, lowered her gaze so they wouldn’t see the tears.
“When you find your mate, I can give them my blood too. You will live as long as I do.”
“We have already found our mate,” Antonio said.
She closed her eyes and nodded. It had come much sooner than she had expected, and it felt like knives going into the cocoon around her heart.
“Then I shall serve them, too.”
“You, kitten,” Matilda told her. “You are our mate.”
She opened her eyes, the cocoon around her heart warming, tingling. They stepped towards her, closing the distance between them and Matilda pressed her hand to Vitoria’s heart.
“Can’t you feel it around your heart?” Matilda asked.
“The cocoon?”
“The mating bond. That’s your mating bond.”
“I’m mated?” Vitoria asked in wonder.
“Not yet,” Antonio said. “You are our mate, but to be mated involves a ceremony.”
“Did you know?” she directed her question at Antonio. “That day in the library when you said you hadn’t found your mate yet. Did you know it was me?”
Antonio brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
“I knew,” he admitted. “Our mating bond was triggered before we even met you. We had just been to a council meeting where they were insisting we must find our mate. We went back to our rooms at Autonno Palace and our mating bond was triggered. That’s how we found you the day you arrived.”
“And the cocoon… My mating bond, are you controlling that? I mean, the way it feels?”
So many things were falling into place but she still had so many questions.
“No,” Matilda said. “What you can feel are your emotions, they’re just…” She paused for a moment as though she was trying to think of the right word. “It’s like all of your emotions regarding your mates gather around your heart. Sometimes you can sense how your mates are feeling but you should be able to tell the difference.”
“Will we have a ceremony?”
Antonio moved around to the back of her and pulled her back against his chest, his lips at her ear as he spoke.
“Of course. Mating takes a fortnight, precious one. It will take time to plan a royal ceremony, but when we do… Oh the things we’re going to do to you in that time.”
Matilda grinned wickedly and stepped into Vitoria’s space.
“When the fortnight is up, you will never again doubt who you belong to.”
“You, mistress and master. I belong to you.”
“We love you, kitten,” Matilda said.
“And we always will,” Antonio added.
“I love you too.”
*
The palace was quiet when they returned. Matilda and Antonio ushered her into the conference room, where several of the monarchs and one of their babies waited for them. Matilda pulled out a seat and motioned for Vitoria to take it. When she did, her mates sat either side of her, Antonio resting a hand on her knee while Matilda’s arm was draped over Vitoria’s chair.
“Lucy has been arrested,” the Queen who was nursing the baby said. “We have suspended all guards from the palace pending investigation. We can’t be sure who was involved and who wasn’t.”
“Thank you, Polly, but who has taken over security?” Matilda asked. “I can’t have my mate in a palace with no security.”
“Better no security than guards who orchestrate her kidnap, no?”
“We’ve brought in guards from other palaces to cover,” one of the Kings said. “It won’t be the number of guards we usually have around here, but enough to guard external exits.”
“Very well,” Antonio said. “We can work with that. We’ll have to travel to Primavera soon for our mating ceremony anyway.”
The monarchs around the table all wore grins and calls of congratulations went up around her. Her own smile felt like it would split her face and she thanked them for their good wishes.
“So much to plan,” one of the Kings said. “How soon are we talking about?”
“As soon as possible,” Antonio replied. “A lunar cycle at most.”
“A lunar cycle?” Polly said. “But we must give businesses notice to plan for the holiday, and there are ceremonies to arrange. Antonio, this can’t be rushed.”
One of the other Queens agreed. “You are ruling monarchs, not young teenagers eager to be mated as soon as the Lencurinas can fit you in.”
“Were you not the ones telling us we must hurry and find our mate?” Matilda asked.
“You have found her. Now we must do this properly,” another King interjected. “We begin with the formal announcement and Vitoria’s presentation to her people.”
The door opened and a guard rushed in. “Your Majesties. There is a Dengara in the hallway and she is refusing to leave.”
All the monarchs rose.
“Can you not escort her out?” Antonio asked.
“No, Your Majesty. She can fly. She’s flying. She said her name is Mira and that Vitoria and Drayga know who she is.”
Matilda and Antonio marched out of the room, hands on their swords. She followed them out.
“Drayga broke my contract with her,” she said.
A tall, pale, blonde woman floated down to the ground and stopped in front of Matilda and Antonio.
“I am King Antonio. This is my mate, Matilda. Vitoria is our mate and whatever arrangement you had with her…”
“I’m not here for Vitoria,” Mira said. “I’m here for my mate. I’m here for Drayga.”
Epilogue
Vitoria’s whole body shook as she took her place at the back of the Lencurina. The sun shone through the stained-glass windows making pretty patterns on the stone floor. The choir sang joyful music, their voices drowning out the sound of laughter and cheering that came from outside of the sacred building. 300 of the most important Demalyn filled the pews. Vitoria took a deep, shaky breath. The scent of incense filled her nostrils, making her want to cough.
There were three aisles that met at the front of the Lencurina at the foot of the altar. She wished she could see Matilda and Antonio from where she stood, but there were too many people standing between them, and all she could see were the tops of their heads.
She closed her eyes, not wanting to focus on the crowded pews. Bad enough that she had to walk down the aisle in front of so many people, but these were the highest-ranking people from the region. Every monarch of Kiilasalia, and many monarchs from neighbouring countries, as well as politicians and celebrities, were waiting to watch her exchange vows with her mates.
She gripped her walking stick harder than was necessary. She hoped she didn’t fall and humiliate herself in front of everyone. She felt a hand on her bare arm and opened her eyes. The lencurina gave her a kind smile. She was an older woman with long grey hair that touched the floor. She wore the same long green robes all Demalyn lencurinas wore, and a gold chain that indicated she would be presiding over a royal mating ceremony.
“Are you ready?”
Ready to spend the rest of her life with Matilda and Antonio? Yes. Ready to walk down the aisle in front of 300 people? Never.
She nodded, and the lencurina turned and faced the front.
This was it.
The music changed, its pace slower, and the lencurina began a sedate walk down the aisle. Vitoria waited until she had taken five steps, just as they had rehearsed, and followed her. She kept her eyes ahead, ignoring the flashes of cameras and murmurs of voices. Were Matilda and Antonio as nervous as she was? She glanced to her left and saw Matilda following another lencurina down her own aisle. Her long red hair was loose and the breeze lifted it slightly as she walked. With her hand resting on her sword she looked fierce, like she was going into battle rather than meeting her mates at the altar. She looked to her right. Antonio’s long black hair was braided down his back, his muscular arms clasped behind him as he walked. He turned towards her, his mouth turning up into a smile when he saw her. Her mating bond warmed and she smiled back at him.
Finally, they reached the altar. The three priestesses turned to face them. Matilda and Antonio each took one of her trembling hands in theirs.
“Lencurians,” one of the lencurinas began. “We come together to witness the mating of Vitoria of Calibrai, and Matilda and Antonio, ruling monarchs of Kiilasalia. Vitoria, are you here of your own free will?”
“I am.”
“Antonio, are you here of your own free will?”
“I am.”
“Matilda, are you here of your own free will?”
“I am.”
Each of the lencurinas walked to the altar and picked up a torque. Matilda, Vitoria, and Antonio had had them designed especially for the ceremony, with three thick gold bands interwoven together. The priestesses returned and stood in front of them, and each of them held out the torque to their monarch.
“This torque symbolises your union,” they said together. “By accepting this torque, you commit to a life together until death. By accepting this torque, you promise to protect and support each other. By accepting this torque, you promise to be true, and to love no other outside of the bonds of matehood. You promise this in front of the goddess Lencura. Queen Matilda, do you accept it?”
“I do,” Matilda’s voice was firm, sure. She bent her head down so the lencurina could place the torque around her neck.
“King Antonio, do you accept it?”
“I do.” The words were out of his mouth before they’d even finished their question. He bent down and the lencurina placed it on his neck.
“Vitoria, do you accept it?”
Her throat felt clogged with emotion and she blinked away the tears that had sprung to her eyes. She nodded. “I do.”
The gold felt cool and heavy against her warm skin. Her mating bond buzzed like it knew what was happening. She guessed it probably did.
“And so it is,” the lencurinas said. “You are mated.”
The choir began again, singing songs of joy and celebration as the congregation clapped and cheered.
She turned, first to Antonio, and then to Matilda, their wide grins matching her own.
“Thank you,” Matilda said quietly to the lencurinas.
“We look forward to Vitoria’s coronation. Now go, see your people.”
She turned towards the crowd who were on their feet. She caught sight of Drayga near the front. Her friend looked happy. Vitoria lifted her hand in an attempt to wave, but it was hard to do when you were holding someone else’s hand.
As they walked down the aisle together, Matilda and Antonio stopped to thank various important people for attending, and by the time they reached the exit it felt like another hour had passed. Guards flung open the doors as they approached and the roar of the crowd outside was ear-shattering.
Outside of the Lencurina, Matilda and Antonio helped her into the open top carriage. It was customary for the monarchs to walk from the temple to the palace, but Vitoria couldn’t walk that far. The breeze brushed through her hair, lifting it off her shoulders as she took a seat on the soft, cushioned bench. Matilda and Antonio joined her, one on each side.
The carriage moved slowly down the road towards the palace. Crowds lined the streets, throwing petals and cheering as they passed by. Vitoria smiled and waved. Her heart felt full. These were her people. This was her home. Contentment emanated from her mating her bond, suffusing her body. It felt like it was radiating out of her into the crowd. When she’d left Calibrai, she’d never hoped she could be so happy. She’d never imagined that someone like her would become Queen.
Maybe disabled women from Calibrai did get their fairy tale endings after all.
The End.
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Content Warnings (includes spoilers)
This book contains very explicit sex scenes between two women and a man. This includes bondage, D/s, discipline, spanking, and anal play. This novel depicts discipline outside of sex and as part of a D/s lifestyle.
One of the characters breaks her ankle.
Violence, including ableist violence.
Within this book characters eat, talk about food and drink alcohol.
There is homelessness, references to a past war, kidnapping, and a character held against her will (by the villain).
Different people have different triggers and it’s difficult to cover every possible trigger in a generic content warning. If you have a specific trigger or phobia and you are worried that this book may contain that, please tweet me @BrookeWinters33 and I will be happy to let you know if it’s contained in this book.
Acknowledgements
There are so many people who I need to thank for helping me with this book:
My family who support me unconditionally even though I won’t let them read my book or tell them my pen name.
My critiqu
e partners Sharon Buchbinder, Stefanie Simpson, Elisa Winther, and Tanya Chris and everyone at From the Heart Romance Writers critique group. This book would definitely not be what it is without all of you and I am so grateful for everything you contributed.
V Vee for sensitivity reading.
Laura Elliott for copy edits.
Everyone on twitter who has been so supportive and encouraging.
And finally, everyone who has bought this book. THANK YOU!
Brooke Winters
Brooke Winters is a romance writer from the UK. Brooke is autistic and has arthritis and fibromyalgia. She writes romance novels with disabled characters because she thinks that disabled people deserve happily ever afters too. Disability is not a tragedy and Brooke wants to show that to the world.
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Bound to the Monarchs Page 14