Page 31

Somewhere in the distance I think I hear the dawn bell ring, but I feel I must be mistaken as I’m sure I’m still in a wonderful dream where I’m in bed with the prince.

Then a sudden realisation jolts me awake.

The dawn bell is ringing and I’m not dreaming, I really am in bed with the prince and they really are his arms wrapped around me.

“Good morning,” he breathes into my ear, and the whisper of his breath sends shivers of desire down my spine.

“Good morning,” I reply and smile as he tugs me closer to him and places a kiss on my bare shoulder.

“I suppose this is where you flee my chamber to pretend you spent the night in your own bed?”

It’s my turn to smile. “I suppose it is. However, if it’s any consolation I think I shall miss you a tiny bit and I think I would return if I lost another wager.”

He snort laughs into my shoulder, “If? I don’t make wagers I can’t win, Queen Elinor, and after last night I don’t think I have to make wagers with you in order to get you here.

” His voice becomes husky and I feel the heat of his lips on my neck.

Tendrils of desire twine along my skin and a corresponding heat flares in my core.

His hand sweeps down over my hip and moves up to my waist, and before I have a chance to draw in a gasp of air he is fondling my breast between his fingers.

“Do I?” he asks and the only response I have is a low groan.

“You may have presented me with other enticements,” I manage to say as my body flares to life with need.

He chuckles into my shoulder and the happy sound vibrates through me, amplifying my growing desire.

His hand continues to fondle my breast as the other one skims over my thigh and lifts my smock.

I barely have time to realise all this is really happening when his strong fingers dip down into my womanhood and I’m stunned to discover I’m already wet again.

He groans into my shoulder and the sound is low and feral, causing a shudder of pure lust to ripple through me.

I turn slightly, twine my arm around his neck and pull his lips to mine.

He kisses me with unbridled ferocity as his fingers start to massage my womanhood and he sets my body alight.

He quickly finds the throbbing bud at the apex of my womanhood and does that magic with his fingers until I am awash with pleasure and panting and moaning into his mouth.

As I lie sated in his arms I can feel the hard evidence of his own arousal against my buttocks. “Is it painful for you,” I ask, “not being able to release yourself inside me?”

I feel him smile against the back of my neck.

“It’s nothing I can’t cope with,” he replies, “but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m looking forward to the consummation of our union.”

After last night and this morning I have to admit I’m not just looking forward to it but am positively aching for it.

“I’ve been thinking,” I say in a quiet voice, as I’m not so sure of my words and where they will lead, “with a view to making that happen sooner rather than later, I’ve decided perhaps I could be the one to harvest you after all. ”

I feel him stiffen and I wince at his silence, unsure of its meaning. My inexperience in matters of the flesh can’t have gone unnoticed by him and perhaps he has had a change of heart in this regard.

“Turn and face me, Elinor,” he commands, and I reluctantly do so, loving the way he simply calls me by my name. “When can this happen?”

“I don’t know,” I reply as I wonder if that’s hope I see shining in his eyes. “I need to speak with Kes. She or one of the other Khaleeni will need to procure some pennyweed, the sacred herb we use to test the seed. All known supplies are kept in the Sky Temple.”

He brushes a lock of hair away from my cheek. “So, in a day or two?” he asks.

I nod. “Perhaps, yes. I’d say that’s a realistic timeframe but…” my voice falters as I don’t know how to formulate the rest of my sentence.

“But?”

I turn my head in an effort to look away from him and his questioning gaze, but his strong fingers gently grip my chin and turn my head back to him and tilt it upwards until I have no choice but to look into his eyes.

“But what?”

I take a deep breath. “I’m sure you’ve noticed by now I am most inexperienced in these matters, and I feel it’s only fair to tell you that I have no idea how to do it.”

He throws his head back and laughs and my sense of embarrassment deepens. “Prince Ronan,” I say in a delicate voice, “I think it's most indecent of you to laugh at me so, after I have confided my innermost fears in you.”

He stops laughing and looks down into my face. “I'm sorry, my Queen, it's just that you have nothing to worry about. I think it's sweet you're worried about your lack of experience but fear not, as I’m more than willing to guide you.”

I smile a half smile. “Really? You don't mind? You don't think me some silly girl?”

He smiles back, a smile full of warmth and caring.

“You may have been a girl once, Queen Elinor, but I doubt you were ever silly, and just for the record, I happen to think you’re a very beautiful woman.

Furthermore, I consider myself lucky to be the man who will educate you in the art of love making. ”

He kisses the top of my head. “And as much as I’d like to spend the day in these chambers with you and continue that education, I think I’ve probably delayed you enough this morning.”

“I can’t think of a nicer way to be delayed,” I reply, as I reluctantly extricate myself from his arms and leave his bed. “I have some matters to attend to this morning, but perhaps we could ride out together this afternoon and I can show you more of Valensia and the surrounding valley.”

“I’d like that,” he says with a wide grin, and he looks so devastatingly handsome my stomach clenches with repressed desire.

“Good, I’ll inform the stables to have a horse ready for you,” I tell him and then turn and quickly leave before I change my mind and jump back into his bed.

I make my way along the Queen’s Passage, and as I step back into my own chamber I marvel at how much I am changed since I left it the night before.

***

“I see you kept your end of the wager,” Kes says from across the room and there’s no mistaking the note of amusement in her voice.

“Kes,” I say, my voice heightened with surprise, “what brings you to my chamber so early in the day?”

She rises from her chair and walks towards me, a broad grin on her face.

“Uh, uh, Elinor, don’t think you’re going to get away that easily,” she announces as she stops in front of me and scrutinises my face.

“Oh, I can see you had quite the night of it.” She laughs.

“I’m thinking your education in the matters of the bedroom is in good hands.

Good, firm, princely hands.” She continues to laugh, and the sound of Kes’ laughter is such a rare thing I can’t help myself from smiling.

“Yes, the prince has kindly offered to be my teacher in these matters,” I admit as I proceed to my chamber. “Now tell me, what is it that has you in my chamber at sunrise? Is anything the matter?”

“I can see he’s doing quite a good job,” she remarks and when I raise a warning eyebrow she continues with why she is here.

“You can rest easy, my Queen, there’s nothing the matter, but you asked me to let you know when the Ellerban soldiers are conscious.

So, I’m here to let you know that the brown-haired one has made remarkable progress and is not only awake, but he has also taken a number of steps from his bed.

He is somewhat confused as to how he came to be here and seems concerned that the prince is here too.

He has asked if it’s possible to speak with you. ”

I stop what I’m doing and look at Kes. “He’s walking and talking?”

“Yes,” she confirms.

“But this has only just happened?”

“Yes.”

“Does he recall what happened to him and who did it?”

“I’m not sure, my Queen, he hasn’t said much. He asked about his fellow soldier, and as I said, is confused and concerned as to why the prince is here.”

“And the prince usually visits them first thing in the morning?”

“Yes.”

I swiftly start to dress. “Then I need to go with you now and speak with the soldier. I must ask him to keep the part the prince’s brother played in their injuries a secret for the moment, as I fear how the prince will react to such news.”

Kes nods. “I agree, but it’s important we find out why Prince Mikil acted so towards these men.”

“Agreed. I just hope his memory is not affected in this regard,” I say as I pull on the trousers of my Khaleeni uniform.

***

I gently open the door to the soldier’s room, not wishing to awaken him if he is sleeping, but I’m completely unprepared for the sight that greets me.

He is standing just to my left, looking out the window, and is wearing nothing but a pair of loose cotton trousers.

His chest and abdomen are criss-crossed with raw-looking scars from his injuries but that doesn’t take away from how impressive both are.

His skin is golden brown, much like the colour of a hazelnut, and stretched taut across a body of well-defined muscles that start at his broad shoulders and taper inwards to his waist with a pronounced V shape disappearing into the trousers.

“Good morning,” I say, as I stifle a gasp of surprise. “I’m Queen Elinor, I believe you wish to see me. May I enter?”

He stares at me, as if in a slight state of shock, and remains speechless. I step further into the room and this seems to jolt him from his mesmerised state.

“Please,” he says, and I'm surprised at how rich and deep his voice is.

“Thank you,” I reply, as I move further into the room. “It's good to see you up and about. How are you feeling?”

“A lot better,” he replies, “thanks to you, your soldiers and your healer. I shall be forever indebted to you.”

A quiver of emotion underscores his last few words and I find myself unexpectedly affected by them.