He shook his head. “You won’t be gone. You will be here, and maybe even your family will forgive you. If you release her daughter, with time, Blissa may welcome you back into her life. She never wanted you gone, and—”
“Silence,” Maurelle said, covering her ears. “Don’t speak her name to me. Don’t speak of these ridiculous things. I don’t want their forgiveness. And I will not give them everything.”
Eldred nodded silently. He knew as much. And perhaps he should have lied to her. Perhaps he should have told her that he could be with her, even after everything. Only he knew it wasn’t true. Hers was a betrayal that was unforgivable. He could forgive anything short of what she had done, which was to enslave him to her will.
“If you do not plan to release me from my vow, then there is nothing else we have to say to each other.”
Maurelle shook her head. “I want you to do it tonight.”
Eldred shook his head. “I can’t,” he said,
“I command it, so you will.”
Eldred scoffed, and then nodded. “I can do it tonight,” he said, through gritted teeth. “But I will die if I do it tonight. I have foreseen it. Tonight is dangerous for me, and even though you should wish to take your chances with death, if I must strike—and you insist I must— I prefer to wait until tomorrow, when he sends the king’s servant back to the castle.”
All the color had drained from Maurelle’s face. “You’ve foreseen your death?”
“You know that all seers know when their own death is near, Maurelle,” he said, managing to keep his voice even, though he felt a certain terror within him at the prospect of his own demise. Everyone knew life was finite, but fairies could live up to two hundred years. Realizing his life would be so short was a cruelty. But knowing how he would die, that his death would save others, was a small measure of comfort.
“And if you wait until tomorrow,” Maurelle asked, kneading one hand with the other, her eyebrows squished in concern. “You’ll live?”
“Does the answer matter to you, Maurelle? If I say to you that I will die if you ask this of me, would you still ask it of me?”
“No, I wouldn’t,” she said, the words coming out quick and unequivocal. “I’d find another way to kill him. I wouldn’t hurt you, Eldred. I would never hurt you like that.”
He smiled painfully, and shook his head. “But you would hurt me like this, hurt me by making me a slave to your commands?”
“They trust you, and I trust you. I want someone I trust with them,” she said, her voice softer, pleading, as if she thought she could make him understand. “I just want your help.”
He nodded. “I will do what you want tomorrow, if it pleases you to wait a day and avoid my demise tonight.”
Maurelle stared at him, her eyes starting to moisten. “I would never hurt you, Eldred,” she said, wiping a tear away. “I’m sorry I have, and once it’s done, you’ll be rid of me. I hope you can forgive me.”
Eldred sighed and breathed out, knowing what he had to do. He took a step toward Maurelle, and wrapped his arms around her. “I know that you’re sorry in your own way, Maurelle, but doing this means we can’t be together. I forgive you for what you’ve done so far. However, for the things you are about to do, I can only ask that you reconsider. There is love in the hearts of many for you. If you let it in, you’ll do well.”
He felt her exhale into his chest with that phrase and knew his words had fallen on deaf ears. Though perhaps one more warning of the future would sway her. “Before I go, I want to remind you about the Sacred Pool.”
Maurelle pulled away from him and watched his face with concern. “Why do you speak to me about the Sacred Pool?”
“I know you’ve sought more power there. Just remember that the Sacred Pool can bestow powers to others, too, when powers are taken for unjust reasons.”
She closed her eyes, shook her head. “That’s …” she started, her voice high and shrill. “But it wouldn’t. I’ve not taken powers to invade another kingdom. That is the injustice that the scrolls talk about.”
“The scrolls of wisdom offer guidance,” Eldred said, his tone even. “They remind us that the Pool wants a world of balance. If you continue to take powers, the Sacred Pool might bestow a power on him.”
“On a human?”
“It is the human you seek to destroy without just reason.”
“My reason is just,” she said, with little conviction.
“You forget our history, Maurelle. Or perhaps you never learned it well. Seers are taught the importance of history. If you do not understand the past, you cannot possibly understand the future, understand the signs of what is to come. You cannot see and help your king or queen understand the merits of the vision. So let me explain: our powers come from the Sacred Pool, and fairy bodies are uniquely designed to handle them, but certain powers are bestowed upon humans from time to time. They are often powers of the mind: levitation, foresight, telepathy, and sometimes flight. The greater the human’s need, the greater the human’s power.”
Maurelle bit her lower lip and stroked her chin. “And you think the Sacred Pool would help him?”
Eldred shrugged. He knew it would help him. His visions of the prince’s future had been clear, which meant the prince would gain a fairy power. Yet he didn’t want Maurelle to know it with certainty. “The Sacred Pool only offers powers to those it thinks is capable of handling them and to those people who can keep our world in balance.”
Maurelle shook her head, and gave a mild shiver. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’d have enough power to face the boy, but I won’t have to. You will take care of him tomorrow night.”
“And afterward, I won’t speak with you again,” he said. “You know that, and you’re fine with that?”
She swallowed. “Of course I’m not fine with it,” she said, frowning. “But that is the choice you make. If it were up to me, you would never leave my side.”
“But it has been up to you. For so long, you have had the choice to have me at your side in every way, and instead you rebuffed it because of your hatred of humans. And now you shackle me because of your hatred of one human in particular. You could choose to forgive King Errol and move on. He is long dead and his heirs are no more responsible for his actions than you are for your mother’s. You could choose to give yourself peace, and you could choose to release me.”
She stared at him with wavering eyes, with an expression that yearned to accept what he said, to do what he asked. “I will release you,” she said softly, and for a moment his heart soared. But it came crashing down again when she finished with, “As soon as you have done what I asked, you won’t be bound to me.”
He nodded. He closed his eyes and waited. He was ready to be released from her dream, released from her presence. Only, she didn’t do it. He stood there waiting, hoping she would cast him away. Minutes passed, his legs felt tired, and his eyes yearned to open. Finally, he did. She was standing inches from him, and she leaned and kissed his cheek.
“Goodbye, Eldred,” she said as he watched.
And suddenly he awoke, in the dark, in the forest, with Dwennon, James, and Bayard lying nearby. He squinted in the moonlight at Prince James. The boy had a smile on his sleeping face, and he surmised he had probably traveled in dream sleep to Rose. The boy had already gotten his power. He’d suspected as much, but hadn’t been sure. But in the moonlight, James cast the faint aura of fairy power. Eldred stared a moment more at the boy, then laid back down and closed his eyes. Tomorrow, he would be done.
Chapter 26
James was in wonderful spirits when he awoke. He felt stronger than ever. His heart sang, he felt power coursing through him, and it was something unlike he’d ever felt before. Perhaps it was how he had stayed alive those two weeks when he’d been kept with Briar Rose in the dream sleep unknowingly. Yet, this time was different. Even though it was dream, it had felt more real than any of the other dreams.
He was merging, somehow, meldi
ng the physical and mental layers and getting the physical benefits without being there. And it was such a benefit. Rose had explained to him the hatred of this wicked fairy, Maurelle. And now he understood. He understood too well what the great King Errol must have felt. The energy that surged through him made him feel strong and undefeatable. He could see why Errol might have an urge to conquer when he felt this powerful. When he felt as if he could crush any enemy beneath his fingers. Even now, he could see further than he’d been able to yesterday. Things way off in the distance were crisply visible. He could hear better.
He felt invincible, though he knew he wasn’t. He was still very vulnerable to magic. While he knew Maurelle had magic, he still liked his chances with Eldred and Dwennon by his side in battle.
Well, no, it would only be a battle if Maurelle made it one. Despite the power surging through him, despite his feelings of invulnerability, his feelings that he could conquer anything, he didn’t want to conquer anything. Nothing but this journey. He simply wanted to free Rose from the curse so that he could marry her.
For a kingdom would mean nothing without her. Not to mention, he already was due a kingdom. He would rule after his father passed on, and that would likely not be for a while. In the meantime, he and Rose could rule each other’s hearts and spend many happy years doing in the real world what they did so well in the realm of dreams.
“You seem happy this morning,” Dwennon said as they took a break from their ride to let the horses water.
“I am,” he admitted. “I feel good. You were right. Seeing Rose in her dreams helped me. And with us both understanding the consequences, it was easy for me to leave her.”
“Easy?” Dwennon said, his old eyes falling squarely on James’ face. “Really?”
James nodded. “Shouldn’t it have been?”
Dwennon rubbed his chin between two fingers. “I thought it might be hard, given how deep in the dream sleep she is.” Dwennon’s eyes traced the form of James’ body as if examining him thoroughly. “You’re different,” the old man said, finally.
“I know,” he said. “I feel stronger.”
Dwennon shook his head. “It’s not just that,” he said. “You’ve got an air of magic about you.”
James couldn’t help but snicker at that. An air of magic about him? Whatever could that mean? “I’m just energized by Rose,” he said, staring at the old man who squinted at him as if trying to see something more. “You said it yourself.”
Dwennon shook his head. “There’s more. It’s why you were able to reach her so easily. It’s not a power to manipulate the physical world. It’s a gift of the mind, similar to that of a seer. But it is not the gift of sight you have.”
James’ smile faded. The old man seemed certain, and though a moment ago he’d been sure he was no different than last night, he was now beginning to wonder. The way the man looked at him, as if he were seeing something. And while James felt different, he wondered briefly if it could be true that he was now imbued with magic. “Being with Rose,” he started. “That can fill me with magic as well as strength?”
Dwennon shook his head. “No, but there is magic available to humans,” he said, sighing. “Fairies and humans aren’t that different, and if there are humans devoted to a worthy cause, humans unduly persecuted by a fairy, magic may come to them.”
James squinted at him. “So you think I now have magic?”
Dwennon nodded.
“What does the magic do?”
“I don’t know,” Dwennon said. “You will have to figure that out for yourself.”
* * *
They travelled the entire day, moving more quickly than they’d anticipated. If things continued to progress this easily, they would get to the castle before the sun set on the third day, rather than well into the night. He’d get to see a real sunset with Rose.
Tomorrow they would get to Rose in real life. But now, for tonight, he would get to her himself, in his own way. He lay down for the night, closed his eyes and traveled to her.
He found himself in their meadow, near the crystal pond. He called out her name, wondering where she was. She was almost always waiting for him when he arrived. He turned on the spot, searching for her in the distance.
Then, from the center of the clear water, there was a splash, and he saw Rose’s head emerge from the water. He grinned as he watched the water drip from her flaxen hair. “What are you doing in there?” he asked.
“I had been swimming,” she called out. “Then I thought I’d search on the bottom for pretty stones.”
That was so Rose. She liked pretty things. She was still in the water, her body submerged from the shoulders down. Only, she didn’t seem to be emerging from the water. “Are you coming to greet me?”
She shook her head and her lips quirked into a coy smile. “Why don’t you come join me?”
He raised a brow and thought about it for a moment. Why not? He disrobed quickly, leaving his clothes in heap on the shoreline. Rose was staring with a huge smile on her face as he stepped into the water. “What has you so happy?”
“The view,” she said. “It’s absolutely perfect from here.”
She was devilishly taunting. Wasn’t she? He waded into the cool water until he was almost fully submerged himself and standing right next to her. She grinned at him and said “So nice of you to join me.”
He slid his arms into the water, grabbing hold of her and pulling her close. She felt silky smooth in the cool water. “Nice of you to invite me.”
She giggled, and it reminded him of a mating call, a promise of good things to come. “Has your journey been well? I’ve been worried.”
Shaking his head, he leaned in and kissed her lips. “I’ve been focused on you. That makes the journey the easiest, most natural thing I’ve ever done.”
“You flatter me too much.”
“I think I fail to flatter you enough, my love.” He leaned in, and his lips pressed against the soft skin of her neck and her whole body tremored. Here in the water, pressed so close, he could think of nothing more he wanted to do than to take her. Her skin was soft and supple pressed against hers, and he had already stiffened in her presence.
He glided his hands along her bare flesh beneath the water. Her hands caressed him, too. Her fingers cupped his butt cheeks and gave a little squeeze, pulling him closer. “I want you,” she whispered in his ear.
Not as much as he wanted her. “I think we linger longer here,” he said, his hand finding its way to her bosom. Her nipples were thick and hard and calling to him. He lowered his head to meet her chest, his tongue rimming her areola, and the rest of her body squirming involuntarily, a moan of delight. He lifted her into his arms, and she was light as a feather in the water, and walked with her to the shallow end of the cool pool.
As he lifted his head from her bosom, he delighted in watching the droplets of water that ran down her body, from her neck to her bosom, to her beautiful, charming belly button, then down to the fuzzy mane of hair that adorned her womanhood.
“What are you staring at?” she asked, an eyebrow raised in mischief.
“Those lucky droplets of water who have landed exactly where I wish to be.”
Rose stroked his cheek with a wet finger, and he turned his head in time to scoop the digit into his mouth, sucking it lightly. “You’re a prince,” Rose said, her voice playful. “You shouldn’t let another invade your domain. You must oust those wicked, wicked, droplets.”
He sat Rose in the shallow of the pond and she lay her head back, her body just barely kissed by the water. It all seemed to have receded away from her, leaving him simply his beautiful princess, ready and waiting for him. He didn’t question the physics of things here in the dreamscape, for he didn’t care about the water or the pond or anything else besides being with her.
He spread her legs and kneeled between them, leaning forward, blowing a breath across Rose’s belly and watching her skin tremble ever so slightly. “Water,” he said, lookin
g at her gorgeous muff. “It is time for you to be gone. The true ruler of this dominion has come to claim its prize.”
Rose laughed and ran her fingers through his hair. “You are very commanding,” she said proudly.
“Only, it’s not working,” James said. “I may have to send in my army to attack.”
Rose affected a look of perfect fear. “An attack,” she whispered. “I’m not sure I can endure such a thing.”
“Oh,” he whispered, blowing on the blond curly hair between her legs. “You must have the strength to endure such things, princess.”
With that, he plunged his face in between her legs, licking the opening to her insides, as she wriggled and gasped and he put his tongue to use, tasting her sweet insides and trying to bring her to a state of pure rapture. Her fingers ran through his hair as he caressed her insides, and when she was sufficiently dripping, he withdrew his head, and smirked at her. “See, all it takes to get rid of those intruders was a skilled army.”
Through labored breaths, she croaked out, “Very skilled indeed.” She smiled at him, and her delicate hands found his inner thigh slid up it, stopping at his balls, which she lightly stroked, forcing all thoughts to leave him, and he could only focus on the pleasure she afforded him as she played with his cock and balls, enlivening him. He was thick and hard, and the silkiness of her touch made him feel truly powerful.
He couldn’t take another moment without fully joining with her. He pulled back slightly and slipped a hand between her lips below, caressing them gently, feeling her wetness. She was ready for him and he was overdue for her. It felt as if it had been an eternity since he’d lain in the joy of her sweetness. He slipped himself inside of her, and felt the instant connection. It was like coming home after a long absence. He sucked in a breath, inhaling her scent, her essence, her love for him, all in that one gentle gasp.
She moaned in pleasure, a sound bewitching to his ears. And he pressed himself closer to her as he thrust inside her, each lunge filling him with pleasure, and leaving her trembling with ecstasy. Her soft moans thrilled him ever more, and as they came closer together, he sped his pace to keep time with her pleasure. Every gasp or shimmy that told the story of her pleasure increased his tenfold.
Dream Trysts: A Sleeping Beauty Story (Passion-Filled FairyTales Book 4) Page 15
