by Honor James
“And that’s a good thing. You know who is loyal to you and who isn’t,” he said softly. Taking her hands, he led her back to the bed and helped her sit. “Turn around and let me see your back, Princess, so I know how bad it is.”
“I don’t know. It might be better to keep the salve and bindings on my back so that it can heal?” And so that they didn’t see where she had been lashed. It sounded like a great plan to her. “Yeah, it really might be best.”
“They’ll have to come off for your bath, and they should be changed anyway, sweetness,” Cedric told her softly. Brushing his fingers lightly to her cheek, he tipped her chin up. “We have to tell him about it, Cinderella. He’ll figure it out on his own rather quickly anyway.”
“Well, poop,” she muttered. “Are you sure he’s not going to be angry with me?” She didn’t do people angry with her very well. She had been beaten far too many times when someone was angry with her to take it well at all.
Cupping her face, he shook his head. “He may get angry around you, but he could never be angry at you, sweet princess,” he whispered. “And he would never, ever hurt you, Cinderella. He loves you, and Randulf could no more harm someone he loves than you could.”
“I love him as well. That’s why this is so difficult. I don’t want to cause him any additional stress, and I know that I will because of him seeing my back. It was only ten lashes, but it was still done with her favorite of utensils, the cat-o’-nine-tails.”
“Bloody bitch,” he muttered and then winced. “Sorry, I shouldn’t say that. Even if it is true, I still shouldn’t say it.” He smiled and then looked to the door. “Your bath is arriving, and you’ll need to tell him,” Cedric whispered before he stepped in front of her in case it wasn’t her bath.
When Randulf came in, Cindy fisted Cedric’s tunic in her hand. Pressing her forehead to the middle of his back, she waited for the bath to be prepared and the door to close finally. Stepping around Cedric, she looked to Randulf and dove right in. “Before I undress, you need to know something.” Chewing her lip, she hesitated only a moment and whispered, “When she found out that I was the one that was warning you, she had me whipped. Cedric thought I should tell you before you saw the evidence for yourself.”
Randulf just stared at her for a long time before looking to his friend, who gave a sharp nod. “She had you whipped?” he whispered, feeling his temper rising. At her little nod, he moved to her and cupping her face he stared down at her. “Why didn’t you tell me this right away?” he demanded quietly holding a tight leash on the anger rising fast. “That’s why you shied away when I hugged you in the laundry.” His mind made the connection.
“Yes,” she murmured. “It had hurt when you touched me because she had just had it done.” And she didn’t have the luxury of being able to be taken care of, too many people depended on her to do that. “I will heal, though. I’ve healed every other time before.”
Nodding he drew her in for a kiss, his hands resting lightly on her neck. “We need to get you into the bath and ensure that you are healing as you should. I will deal with her later,” he whispered softly to her. “I am so sorry, Cinderella, you should never have been touched in such a way by her and she will pay dearly for doing so.”
“It was worth it.” Cindy lifted her fingers and touched his. “Because it kept you from being trapped into an unwanted marriage, Randulf. That’s really what matters, right? We have to focus on the tomorrows and not the yesterdays.”
“Nothing is worth seeing you or any innocent hurt, Cinderella,” he protested with a sharp shake of his head. “Nothing is worth the blood of the innocents being spilled.” Kissing her again gently, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead to hers. “Let’s get you cleaned up and resting. The rest will wait for the moment.”
“As long as you are very sure.” Cindy pulled back and bit her lower lip. “Are you very sure? Are you going to be okay in here while I take my bath, or should you two possibly wait outside?” She was now a little nervous, not only to show her back but her nudity as well.
“If you would be more comfortable with a maid assisting with your bath, I’m sure we can find something to do out in the hall,” Cedric said from her back. “It’s your comfort he’s most worried about, Princess, not his.”
“I still worry about his as well,” Cindy shot back. “Would your people think even less of me if you were to remain? Since we are not married, and we have Cedric with us as well, and no I do not want you to leave,” she said when she saw Cedric opening his mouth to argue. “They won’t think poorly of me, of us, will they?”
“Of course not, Princess,” Randulf said, stroking his fingers over her neck lightly. “Come, let’s get you into the water so you can soak and I’ll wash your hair. Cedric can keep you occupied with stories about our home and his antics that got me into much trouble as a child.”
Cindy grinned at that and nodded. “I have a feeling that he has a great deal of stories to tell, doesn’t he?” she asked softly. “All right, then let’s get me undressed and clean before the water gets too chilled?” She was hopeful that with a really good washing her hair color would come back to its yellow blonde instead of the muddy blond it was now.
Dropping his hands to the bottom of the tunic, Randulf gently lifted it. “Arms up, Princess,” he murmured, drawing it ever higher. Getting it off over her head, he tossed it toward the fireplace and was grateful that it went in to burn. Undoing her bottoms, he knelt and slid them down her legs.
Cindy covered her breasts with a hand and looked to them. “I have nothing else to wear,” she whispered when she watched the tunic catch fire. “Randulf, you can’t just burn my clothing. I need to be able to have something to wear to meet my father.”
“You will not be wearing these rags, Princess,” he said, throwing the pants into the fire. Standing, he caught her hands and pulled them away gently. “You are royalty, Cinderella, and you will be dressed in accordance to your position. I have one of the maids looking for clothing for you that they will fit to you.” Tugging her hands he moved toward the tub. “Climb in and let me see your back.”
“All right, but like I said please don’t be upset when you see the lashes?” she asked and then pulled her hair over her shoulder. “You can peel off the bandages and I would appreciate you not telling me just how bad it is if you wouldn’t mind. The cook has a salve that she puts on the lashes that helps it to feel better, heal better.”
Nodding, Randulf took a deep breath before he began to remove the wraps. Hissing out a breath when she was finally fully bare to him, he handed the bandages to Cedric. “Throw those into the fire as well and go and see if the cook has more of the salve and more clean bandages. She will need to be bound again to keep the wounds from being rubbed raw on her clothing.”
“I’ll see if her meal is ready as well,” Cedric said doing as Randulf asked before leaving the room.
When she was alone with him, Cindy looked up at Randulf. “Are you sure that you are going to be okay? I hate that I feel like I’m such a failure. I know that sounds strange but I do. I feel like a failure because I didn’t see the truth. My father would never, ever allow me to be harmed in the ways that she was allowing me to be harmed. I’m such an idiot.”
“Hardly that, love, you were blinded by the reality that you were forced to live,” he said quietly. “But now reality is being changed and the truth revealed. You now know the truth Cinderella and you will work with the truth that you have.” Shifting so he was at her side, he lifted her hand from the waters of the bath and squeezed it. “The past is the past. We can’t change it but we can learn from it and our mistakes. Taking that knowledge with us into the future is what will ensure we never make the mistakes again.”
“I hope that you are right,” Cindy murmured with a smile. “I think that for right now we should just deal with life, don’t you? I want to get clean. Take things one step at a time. I think that will be the best idea, one thing at a time,” she murmured. �
�Will you help me wash my hair please? It’s been so very long since I’ve been able to have it well and fully clean.”
Nodding Randulf drew a stool closer and sat on it. Wrapping his hand around the back of her neck he looked down at her. “Lean back so we can get it wet. While I wash it you should wash yourself and then we’ll rinse everything at the same time,” he said quietly. Leaning in he kissed her lips. “No one is ever going to hurt you again, Princess, my solemn vow to you.”
“I trust you,” Cindy murmured and reached out to touch her fingers to his cheek. “And I will do my very best to never allow harm to come to you either. I want a lifetime of learning again what love and laughter feels like.”
Smiling he nodded and kissed her once more before lowering her back into the water. Using his other hand he scooped water up over her hair. “I’ll be happy to be your guide in learning to laugh again, sweetheart. And really, Cedric is one that will likely have you in stitches you’ll be laughing so hard. He gets into telling a story and just embellishes to the point you’re no longer sure if he’s even telling you the truth but you can’t help but laugh and enjoy the moment.”
“He’s a wonderful man,” Cindy admitted and hissed as the water hit her back. Closing her eyes tightly she shook her head in his palm. “Don’t stop. I have to get clean so please do not stop. I will be okay.”
Nodding he helped her sit upright and then moved her hair over her shoulder. “I’ll wash your back and then scrub your hair while you wash all the front parts. Because if I wash the front parts you won’t end up clean and I’ll be very wet.” Smiling at her look he winked. “Trust me, Princess, I do know what I’m speaking of.”
“I do trust you or you wouldn’t be here now.” Cindy’s blush however rose in her cheeks and she winked. “Thank you for doing this for me, Randulf, remaining behind to help me get clean,” she murmured and took the soap from him so that she could wash all of her front parts that he spoke of.
Rinsing her back gently, he shook his head and moved her hair so he could wash it. “You don’t need to thank me, Cinderella. I did offer out of partially selfish reasons,” he admitted, taking some of the soap for her hair and gently working it through to her scalp and the ends. “It gave us time to be alone and the plus for me, getting you naked.” Randulf smiled at her.
That had her laughing and she shook her head. “Yes, I guess you did get me naked,” she teased. “You rascal, you.” She winked at him, however, and rinsed her breasts and then her arms. “And without a ring on my finger even. Whatever shall we do?”
“Well,” he rubbed the strands of her hair together with more soap. “We will just have to keep it very quiet and then rectify the situation at our earliest convenience. Wouldn’t want the gossip mongers spreading lies about my future wife after all. Plus”—he reached over for her hand and lifted it to his mouth—“I can’t wait to see my ring resting on your dainty fingers,” he whispered, dropping a kiss to her knuckles.
“I can’t wait for that either.” Cindy paused and then with a frown asked, “And how will Cedric fit into our relationship? I like him, I truly do, and I wouldn’t mind having a relationship like my mother and father had, but how will he fit? He won’t fall in love with someone and leave us, will he?”
“I think he’s already partially in love with you as well, Princess,” he said softly. Setting her hand down on the edge of the bath he looked her over. “Time to stand up and rinse off.” He got to his feet and held out his hands to her. “But you will need to ask Cedric the rest of your questions, love. I can’t answer for him even though I know some of them.”
Cindy nodded. “That’s only fair.” She smiled and looked up at Randulf. “He said the same about you. That you were already in love with me. Is that true? How could you love me when you thought I was naught more than a low maid?”
“While you may have been dressed like a maid I knew there was much more to you,” he said, lifting up the bucket of water to rinse her. “Eyes closed and if you wouldn’t mind, use your hands to ensure we get all the soap from your hair. As Cedric said I am in love with you, Princess, I think I’ve loved you since the moment I realized you were stealing a loaf of bread to help others.”
Cindy blushed at that. “And that will never happen again. I cannot sit by and allow my people to go hungry, and now that father is on his way home I know he will not allow it to happen either.” She did as he instructed and after the first pail of water she looked over her shoulder at him. “And the feelings go both ways by the way.”
Smiling at that he tipped his head as he grabbed the second pail. “I am very pleased to hear you say so, Princess. Would be a rather awkward wedding given I’d practically thrown myself upon your mercy to wed me only to have you say you felt nothing for me but mayhap gratitude. Close your eyes,” he said lifting the pail.
“Too true,” Cindy said and closed her eyes and held her breath for the second pail of water. “Then again I think that anyone would be a fool not to love you, Randulf. You are not only handsome but you are kind, generous, loving, and affectionate. All very good things in my mind.”
“I’m glad you see me that way,” he said softly. Reaching out, he ran his hand down the length of her hair to squeeze out some water. Gathering a towel, he wrapped it around her. “I happen to see you as beautiful, giving, open, and so truly amazing that I’m actually stunned that my heart doesn’t burst free of my chest from how much I feel for you.”
“I feel the same way, Randulf,” Cindy confessed and then turned to him. “Okay, help me out of here and we will see about letting you take care of my back for me please?” Since she couldn’t reach, it would have to be him, Cedric, or the cook, one of them.
Wrapping his arm under her bottom, he lifted her up and out of the tub. Setting her on her feet, he smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her lips. “We will have to get you dressed, too, at some point. You are in no condition for half of what is going through my head. And the other half will have to wait until we’ve been together for a good long time.”
“Why is that?” Cindy asked him and moved away from him, taking the bathing sheet from him so she could get dry and wrap it around her body. “What is it that you have in mind that will have to wait for us to be together for so long?”
“Because it will shock you and it will take a while to ensure that your body, not just your mind, is ready for it all.” Moving toward her, he ran a light finger down her cheek. “I just want you to be safe and know you are loved, Cinderella. Everything else can wait until you are ready for it.”
“I look forward to that then,” Cindy said with a smile. “I look forward to everything we will do together because I have a feeling it will be spectacular, no matter what.” Cindy had a feeling that with these men as her teachers, her lovers, they would show her everything that would make all three of them happy.
“As do I, Princess,” he said softly. “Now, take a seat and let me attempt to dry your lovely blonde hair.” He lifted up a towel. “Sit, sit,” he encouraged with a smile.
Chapter Ten
Cindy paced nervously. Her hands threaded and twisted her hair in her fingers. Cedric hadn’t returned yet, and Randulf had gone to find him. She was, well, frankly she was a little worried. Yes, her door was locked and there was no way in unless she unbolted the door, but she was worried. What if they didn’t come back? What if they didn’t want to come back? What then?
Knocking on the door, Randulf heard silence. “Cinderella, love, open up please,” he called softly through the wood. Smiling when she opened the door, he stepped in with one tray and held the door for Cedric and his two trays. “He was seriously weighed down and was having trouble struggling up the stairs,” he told her.
Cindy just grinned. “I had thought that maybe you changed your minds,” she admitted to them bluntly and closed the door behind them, sliding the bolt once more. “But you came back. Both of you,” she said and looked to Cedric with a smile as well.
“Of course we cam
e back.” Cedric smiled at her before stumbling with his load to a table. Setting it down with a bang, he straightened, pressing a hand to his back with a groan. “I think they thought I was planning to feed an army. Every time I turned to leave, they added something more.”
Cindy smiled. “Are they happy? The kitchen staff, the people? Please tell me that they are happy and removing all of the vile things that woman had put up around my father’s home before he returns,” she all but begged.
Nodding he looked to her. “They are cleaning madly as we speak. The cooks are preparing a proper feast of all that the king loves to eat, and the maids are ensuring that everything he might see is free of her touch. They even brought in some of the villagers to assist. The king has ensured they will be paid and paid well for their service in ridding this place of her style.”
“Thank goodness,” Cindy murmured. “I know that the woman thought she had gone through all of Father’s coffers, but thankfully he was intelligent enough to hide some from her.” Which she had known about but never spoke a word of.
“Ah.” Cedric made a face. “Not your father the king, darling, but Randulf’s father the king is ensuring they are properly paid for their services. Though I’m sure your father will reimburse him at some point, not that he really should, mind you, bloody man is way too wealthy for his own good in my opinion.” He muttered the last bit.
“I heard that,” Randulf said, stepping up next to Cinderella with a grin. “Are you suggesting my father is too rich and doesn’t properly spread out that wealth?”
“I would never suggest anything of the sort,” Cedric protested a little too enthusiastically.
Cindy grinned and shook her head. “Goodness, are you sure that you two aren’t brothers? I mean, you two are so alike it’s, well, it’s a little strange. You even kind of look alike. Not that I’m complaining because I think that you are both incredibly handsome, but it’s a little funny, too. Especially since you argue like brothers as well.”
