anthology Once Upon A Prince (Ellora's Cave)

by james

  The stallion entered the mare with one strong thrust. He cleaved into her body, his muscles bunching as his hooves dug for purchase in the soft grass. Straining, he thrust harder and harder, until suddenly he stopped, his body all aquiver, his nostrils flaring.

  The mare gave a wild whinny, and then the stallion slid off her back, spent. Lily could see the mare’s wetness mixed with the stallion’s seed on his dangling cock. The two horses were covered with lather. They stood for a while, shoulder to shoulder. Then the dream faded, and Lily found herself once more in the straw, her body aching with more need than she thought possible. All she had to do was touch herself lightly and she dissolved into a throbbing orgasm that left her panting, but feeling strangely empty.

  She buried her head in her arms and cried herself to sleep.

  * * * * *

  Prince Lupin was dreaming of his beautiful mystery woman. Wearing a red dress the color of rubies in the sun, she stood in the middle of a grassy meadow and held her arms out to him. Even in the daylight, he could not see her clearly. Although he strained to make out the color of her hair and her eyes, he couldn’t. Her features were lost in a nimbus of light. Were all dreams alike? He wondered why he could never seem to see his dream woman clearly. Was she enchanted?

  “Who are you? Why can’t I see you? Please tell me!” he begged, taking her hands and pulling her into his embrace.

  “I cannot,” she replied. Her voice was like sweet music to his ears though, and when her breasts brushed against his body, his heart pounded hard in his chest. As before, his cock grew stiff with excitement, and the lusty, red color of the dress did nothing to alleviate his desire. Instead, the sight and touch of the soft red fabric made it worse. He felt short of breath, and he thrust his hips towards her, straining to bring his throbbing cock in contact with her willowy body.

  She laughed and pressed against him, setting his blood afire. “In dreams, you can do as you like,” she said.

  “Take off your clothes then,” he ordered. “I am your prince. You must do as I say.” In real life he never would have dared to say that, but in his dream, he figured, he could get away with it.

  “Yes, Your Highness,” replied the maiden, and she lifted the dress over her head, baring her body. She threw the dress on the ground, and then lay down on it. The tall grass was as springy as a mattress, and the woman stretched her back and sighed. “This is delightful. Pray, join me here!”

  Prince Lupin hurried to strip off his clothes. Then he knelt in front of her, unsure of what to do next.

  “I await your orders, sir,” she said, her voice arch.

  Prince Lupin paused. He was a virgin, and had never made love before, except in his imagination. Well, this was the same as his imagination. He could do as he pleased, she’d said. “I order you to touch yourself, to pleasure yourself,” he said, remembering his dream.

  She lay on her back, her knees bent. At his words, she parted her knees and exposed her sex. Curly, ash blond hair surrounded it. His mouth went dry as she reached a slender hand down and slid one finger along the length of her sex, parting the lips and opening it to his avid gaze. Her finger stroked along the outer lips, then delved into the pink interior of her inner labia. Dark rose flesh grew slick as her finger twirled within it, and Prince Lupin’s cock twitched and throbbed with each heartbeat. He couldn’t tear his eyes from her hand, for now her finger had found a little nub and she was flicking it gently.

  Swallowing hard, Prince Lupin saw her sex grow wetter and slicker. Her fingers were slipping now, sliding clear into her vagina.

  His cock reared with impatience, and his hands shook as he grabbed at it, holding it tightly.

  “Now what?” she asked.

  Lupin had to think a minute. How did one make love to a princess? He’d seen his stallion plunge into a mare in heat, and that image was branded on his mind. Well, this was a dream, was it not? “Get on your hands and knees,” he ordered.

  She did, and he groaned aloud as he ran his hands over her smooth, luscious buttocks. He knelt behind her, and pressed his cock to her thighs. His stallion had reared over the mare’s back and grasped her neck with his strong teeth. He didn’t think he could do that, but he wanted to thrust as the stallion had, digging its hooves into the ground, its bright chestnut coat glistening with sweat. He grabbed her shoulders and tried to enter her, but his cock slipped sideways.

  “Let me help you,” she said, and took his cock in her hand. She placed it on the edge of her pink sex and leaned forward. “Now,” she cried, and then she pressed backwards.

  “Wait!” he cried, but it was too late. The sight of his cock disappearing into her slippery, pink flesh was too much for his overheated imagination. In a minute, he was spurting all over. He woke up, his cock firmly clasped in both hands, sticky with his cum.

  His heart was pounding, and he could hardly get his breath. He sat up and peered out the window. The moon was bright, and he could make out the rose garden. The white flowers seemed to glow in the dark. He wiped himself off with the sheets, sighing despondently. He was a prince, and would be expected to marry for political reasons. His bride would likely be one of the neighboring princesses, and he knew them. Some were pretty, and all were nice girls. But none stirred his heart—or his cock, like his dream maiden.

  He lay back in his bed, but didn’t get any more sleep. He had the strongest urge to toss his crown into the deepest well and live free. But in his heart he knew he would never do that. He would assume his responsibilities, even if it meant he’d never marry the woman of his dreams.

  * * * * *

  In the days that followed, Lily worked in the kitchen. With part of the magical donkey skin, she made a hooded cape to wear around over her head and shoulders to hide her beautiful face and her golden hair. The people in the kitchen drew away from her. The horrid donkey skin was an effective deterrent to any curiosity. She offered no name, so everyone just called her “Lady Donkey-skin,” in derision. She had the most menial jobs, but she worked hard and never complained.

  At night she went to the little shed behind the stables where she would make sure the shutters were drawn tightly before taking off her disguise.

  Lily learned to choose fragrances that pleased her. “Lavender,” she would say, and the bubbles would be would be scented with fresh lavender. Or she could ask for patchouli or orange blossom, or any perfume or flowery scent imaginable. Her favorite was yellow Damascus rose. She loved to undress and bathe each night, then she would crawl into her bed of fresh straw she covered with a linen sheet and sleep.

  Every day she tried to get a glimpse of the prince, but she never did. He would never have condescended to come to the kitchens, and as the drudge, she could never go anywhere he might see her.

  She toiled long hours. Her work was hard, but she didn’t mind. It kept her mind off her homesickness. And in the evening, she was too tired to lie in bed and fantasize about meeting a handsome prince, marrying him, and becoming a wise, kind ruler who would bring peace and prosperity to her people.

  Lily worked for three months without once seeing the prince. Then one day a messenger appeared in the kitchen. Everyone stopped working to hear his announcement.

  The messenger waited with tightly closed lips until everyone had stopped whispering and shuffling. Then with a haughty “Ahem!” he unrolled his scroll and read in a loud, reedy voice. “There is to be a great fête in the prince’s honor tomorrow night. The prince wishes the cooks to prepare a feast for three hundred people.

  “His wishes are as follows. First course, crystal clear consommé. Second course, guinea fowls stuffed with spiced fruit. Third course, roast veal with fresh green beans and scalloped potatoes. Fourth course, venison in wine sauce with pickled cherries. Fifth course, Brie cheese and mixed salad. Sixth course, dark chocolate cakes with roasted hazelnuts. There will be almond brandy for a digestive and then strong coffee and sugared almonds served on silver trays.”

  “As if we served everything on w
ooden platters.” The head cook sniffed when the messenger had gone. “Well, don’t just stand there everyone. Let’s get to work!”

  Everyone worked without stopping until midnight, and the next day they were all in the kitchens before dawn to prepare for the feast.

  “What is the prince like?” Lily asked a serving maid when she had a minute to rest. The sun was just starting to rise, and she’d already been working for three hours.

  “Oh he’s ever so lovely,” cooed the girl. “He’s got gorgeous brown eyes and dark red hair. He stands out from the crowd like a young eagle amidst pigeons. You can’t miss him.”

  “Get back to work!” cried the cook.

  Lily had to work until late, and the feast was already over when she finally finished her chores. The dancing was just about to begin, so she hurried to her shed, closed the shutters, and tore off her ragged clothes. She opened the walnut, took the dresses out and laid the silvery dress of desire on her bed. Then she said, “White lilac!” and jumped into the bubble bath.

  She washed her hair then got out, dried, and put on her silvery dress—the dress of desire. It hugged her body and showed every curve. Then she brushed her hair with the magic brush, and it was immediately dry and made into an intricate hairdo. She looked at herself in the magic mirror, put her magic ring on, and hurried to the ball.

  There was no problem getting admitted to the party—in her outfit she looked more regal than anyone there.

  “May we see your invitation?” the guard asked.

  Lily looked at him and smiled. “I left it in my coach. Would you be a dear and run after it? It should only be halfway down the drive. If you hurry, you might be able to catch it.”

  The guard just bowed and let her in the front door.

  She strolled down the hallway, admiring the castle. It was even more beautiful than the one she’d grown up in. She was thankful Violet had sent her somewhere nice. She’d been worried about her new home. The floors were all white marble, and there were lovely tapestries on the walls. The party was in the back part of the palace, on the terrace. Wide, white marble stairs led down to the terrace, and footmen carrying torches stood all around the edges and lit the assembly. Cunning lanterns hung from trees, and a group of musicians played from the minstrel’s gallery overlooking the terrace.

  Soon she was in the crowd, mingling, searching for the young prince. He was not hard to find. As the serving maid had said, he was lovely, and he stood out from the crowd. The crown on his head helped set him apart too. The prince had curly, dark russet hair, cut close to his well-shaped head. His face was narrow with good, strong bones, but his eyes were his most notable feature. They were foxy brown and slanted enough to make him look clever and just a bit mischievous. His mouth curled naturally into a smile, and when he caught sight of Lily, the dimples in the corners of his mouth deepened even more.

  “My lady,” he said, bowing. “I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Lupin.”

  “You may call me Lily,” said Lily.

  “Where are you from?” The prince took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

  “I’m here on a visit,” said Lily. She knew she mustn’t give away her identity or her father would come get her in an instant. He’d sent out missives to all the kingdoms, and there was a huge reward for her capture. She’d seen the posters on the kitchen door.

  “Have I seen you before?” The prince held her hand and stared at her.

  Lily felt her cheeks redden under his close scrutiny. “I don’t think so, Your Highness.”

  “Something about you is familiar. Perhaps we met at a reception somewhere. Let me guess, at a ball?”

  Lily shook her head.

  “No?” He looked undecided. “Well, it is of no importance. Shall we dance?”

  The silver dress worked its magic on the prince. He couldn’t stop dancing with her. That was fine with Lily. She was becoming infatuated with the prince.

  As the evening wore on, the prince managed to slip Lily out of the crowd and into the extensive gardens behind the castle. They strolled through the rose garden and sat on a white marble bench. The stone bench still held the warmth of the sun, and it seemed almost alive beneath Lily’s buttocks. She wore no underwear, so she felt the marble right to her skin. She shifted, pressing her cunt harder against the bench. A familiar heat was building in her belly. She was almost afraid to look at the prince. Would she be able to resist him?

  Prince Lupin took her hand. He studied it, a frown on his face. “You make me feel very strange,” said the young prince. “I’ve never met anyone like you before, and yet I feel as if I know you. I’m sure we’ve met somewhere before. You are unique. I think…” The prince broke off and stared into her eyes. “I believe I want to make love to you. It will be my first time. Will you let me?”

  Lily tensed. The mere feel of his long fingers brushing against her wrist intoxicated her. What would it be like to have him stroke her breasts? To slide those agile fingers under her dress and touch her burning cunt?

  She wanted to say, “Yes!” But she knew that if she did, all would be lost. Instead, she shook her head. “We’ve hardly talked. You don’t know me at all. You’re only interested in my looks.” There was a sadness in Lily’s heart that she couldn’t explain. “You didn’t say that you loved me, only that you wanted to make love to me.”

  “I’m a prince. I can’t say I love you to a woman unless I want to marry her, and I can’t marry a woman unless she’s worthy of my kingdom.”

  “How terribly unromantic,” said Lily. “You must look at every woman as a possible political statement.” She looked at him and smiled to take the sting from her words.

  He flushed. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let romance get in the way of my duties. I have an obligation to rule this kingdom and the people depend on me. How can I marry frivolously?” He stroked her arm, his hand lingering on the soft, silvery velvet of her dress.

  “You’re right, of course,” said Lily softly. She kissed his mouth. It was her undoing. Their lips lingered, pressed lightly together, then the kiss deepened. His tongue forced past her closed lips, opened them, and explored her mouth. He ran his hands up her arms and one hand found her breast and cupped it. His fingers brushed against her nipple, and it stiffened. He squeezed her breast, and then pinched her nipple. Lily groaned at the exquisite mixture of pleasure and pain.

  With a frustrated cry, she pushed him away.

  “What is it, my dearest one?” cried Prince Lupin.

  She stared at him, her eyes pleading. “Stop, please.”

  “Why?” His mouth gaped open almost comically.

  “I feel myself losing control.” Lily shifted on the bench. Her cunt felt swollen and hot, and she opened her legs so she could press it more firmly against the cool, white marble.

  “But I’m not.” He smiled. “Let me prove it to you.” He leaned closer and brushed her lips with his. Ever so lightly at first, then pressing harder, until her mouth was branded on his. He let her relax, then he drew back and gently licked her lower lip with his tongue. He traced the shape of her full lower lip, and then caught it in his teeth.

  Lily found her heart was pounding fast. Her face felt flushed, and excitement started to build like a swirling wind growing stronger every minute. She opened her mouth, and he explored its softness with his tongue, their teeth clicking together, their lips melding. Lily was entranced. Timidly, then more insistently, she met his tongue’s touch with her own exploration. Her hands clutched at Lupin’s broad shoulders and she pulled him closer, wanting to feel his hard body pressed to hers.

  He reached up and took her face in his hands, holding her head while he plumbed the depths of her mouth. His mouth was sweet, and she wanted more of it. His tongue drew a tickling line along her bottom lip and then he suckled it gently.

  Lily grasped him tightly to her. All her defenses were vanquished. She drew away with a little gasp. “I’ve thought about it. I
f you want to make love to me, you may, but it will be my first time too.” She thought of her fairy godmother and blushed. “My first real time.”

  Prince Lupin hesitated. “I desire you, but your words have made me realize I have responsibilities I hadn’t thought of before.” With his finger, he traced a line from her forehead down her nose and over her lips. He hesitated, then stroked her throat, her collarbones and then cupped one of her breasts. He kneaded it gently, his breath quickening. Lily’s nipples hardened through the soft material, pressing against it until she thought they’d poke holes in it.

  She leaned forward. Her mouth traced his upper lip, then she gently bit his lower lip and ran her tongue over it. His mouth was sweet, and she loved it when their tongues touched. Their mouths fastened together tightly, and Lily’s arms crept around his neck.

  Lily broke off, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. “Oh my,” she said, drawing back like a startled fawn.

  “Come, let me show you my labyrinth,” the prince said. The husky note in his voice excited her, and a powerful urge drew her gaze to his breeches. The sight of the telltale bulge—it looked enormous!—made Lily swallow hard. A sharp pang of desire stabbed into her cunt, which clenched with need. But she’d come to her senses. She couldn’t give herself to Prince Lupin now. Her future depended on him falling in love with her.

  “Perhaps some other time,” said Lily breathlessly. “I fear I should leave now.” She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to throw him down on the ground and rip his breeches off. But she didn’t want to give in to a dress the color of desire. She was made of stronger stuff than that.