by Sara Fields
She sat down and minutes later, a piping hot stack of pancakes was towering in front of her. Darrius sat down beside her and passed her a plate of fresh butter. She spread some on each pancake and then poured a heaping portion of syrup on top of them. Unable to help herself, she dug right in with a moan of pleasure.
She was starving. All the fun activities of the past few days had certainly drained her. She wolfed down her breakfast, leaving Darrius chuckling at her softly. When she finished, she gathered their dirty plates and washed them, all the while feeling sated and happy.
“Pack an extra outfit for tomorrow, sweetheart. Underclothes and anything you might need,” he commanded, his words filling her with a sense of warmth.
It took her no time at all to pack a small bag with her things. Darrius handed her some of his own clothes that she quickly put away with hers. In no time, the two of them were walking out of the cabin and tying their things onto Regan.
Darrius helped her up into the saddle and quickly mounted the horse beside her. Without any further delay, they were off in the direction of the city and she was safe in her man’s arms.
She couldn’t wait to get there. Every moment that passed seemed like a lifetime until finally, the tall rock gates came before them. They made their way to the entrance and people moved to let them pass. They looked right past her to Darrius sitting beside her with wide frightened eyes. She thought it a little weird, but ignored their reactions. Instead, she focused on the tall rock buildings inside the walls, built of a multitude of colored stones, from white, to red, to brown and gray.
The city was beautiful. It looked to her like it was straight out of the fairytales she’d read about with Darrius. Off in the not-too-far distance was a rock castle, standing taller overhead than any other structure in the city. Bustling streets met her view and she clapped her hands excitedly as they passed nearby street vendors.
“Chocolate for the pretty maiden, Necromancer?” a nearby man asked and she squealed with glee.
“Please, Daddy? Can I have a piece?” she pleaded, sticking out her lower lip a little.
He nodded curtly, glaring at the man and reaching into his pocket.
“No need. My gift for the fair lass, Necromancer. Thank you for choosing a woman for the sake of the people,” he murmured in deference.
The man passed the candy to Irena and she gladly took it. Darrius urged the horse forward quickly, leaving the man behind on the side of the road in a cloud of dust. Irena looked back and saw the man gazing back at her, his gaze both relieved and concerned. She hadn’t the slightest clue what it could have meant.
“What’s a necromancer?” she pressed.
“Nothing you need to worry your pretty head about, baby girl. Come now, the dress shop isn’t too far up the road. Let’s make haste and pick out something beautiful for our wedding.”
“I’d like that very much,” she said, feeling slightly uneasy. Why wouldn’t he tell her what a necromancer was?
“Darrius!” a low male voice called out and both turned to see who had called.
“Zed! Trey! It’s about time I saw you around here,” Darrius said with a grin. Irena recognized the two men from the night Darrius had rescued her, so she smiled and waved. They were both on horseback and had slowly walked up beside them.
Trey’s lips curled when he saw her, and she couldn’t help but notice as his eyes dropped to her bust line. Zed nodded curtly toward her, his eyes forever scanning their surroundings for danger.
“What have you been up to in the past few weeks, earning money or spending it?” Darrius asked the men with a chuckle.
Trey’s eyes darkened with a lusty smile. His long black hair hung to his shoulders. A long dark beard peppered with gray covered his chin, but to Irena, it seemed to make him both fierce and friendly at the same time. She waved back at him and he smiled broadly back at her.
“I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time in the city,” Trey said thoughtfully, unable to hold back a smirk. Darrius laughed loudly at his response.
“Why am I never surprised,” he mused, still chuckling.
Zed had a serious expression on his face. His mouth was set in a hard, unyielding line. She could tell the man wouldn’t take any nonsense. He even looked a little scary to her. Amidst his brown leather armor, she could count as many knives as she had fingers. Two swords peeked over each shoulder situated within a leather baldric. Heavy chainmail showed from underneath, creating an image of a mean to be feared. His brown hair was short, but well kept. He had a trimmed beard that made him look like a force to be reckoned with. His eyes were stern as he stared back at her, before turning back toward Darrius.
“I took a few jobs in the meantime, to keep my skills at their best. There were a few straggler goblins I took care of, since you’ve been busy with this one for so long,” Zed responded gruffly. Under his heavy scrutinizing gaze, Irena felt even smaller and snuggled back toward Darrius’s warm body behind her.
“I have some news, gentleman. Meet my future wife, Irena.”
Both men grinned.
“The great Necromancer, finally settling down, eh?” Trey smirked. “I’ll never understand the one-woman thing. Who could get used to the same flavor day after day?”
“One day, Trey, I think you will. But I imagine the woman for you will be one feisty woman in need of serious taming.”
“Ha! She’d have to accept that she’d have a red backside from my hand pretty often then!” he said with a laugh. She felt a blush creep over her face.
“Don’t worry, Trey. They’re out there. Irena here gets spanked fairly regularly.”
“Daddy!” she exclaimed, feeling herself flush even harder.
Instead, he laced his arm around her stomach and pulled her in tight to his chest. She felt his breath hot on her ear before he whispered to her.
“I think you protest too much, little girl. I bet your pussy is all nice and wet right now just thinking about being put over my knee. Isn’t that right?”
Much as she wanted to argue with him, she couldn’t. His prediction was spot on. Her body had heated, almost as though there was an electric current buzzing just under her skin. She could feel the evidence of her arousal dewing the folds between her thighs, knew the fabric of her chemise underneath her dress was damp from it.
“Ahhhh. Look at that. You can see how much she wants you all over her face. You should share such a treasure with me and Zed…”
“Over my dead body, Trey. This one is all mine. Find your own,” Darrius growled.
“Suit yourself,” Trey said, his voice light with laughter.
“You should be focused on training, Trey, not so worried about the next body to warm your bed,” Zed admonished him.
“You’re no fun, Zed. Has it been that long since you had one yourself? I’ll buy you one. My treat,” Trey teased with a smirk.
Zed simply grunted and maneuvered his horse a short distance away.
“Let’s get going. I’d much rather be on the plains than stuck here in the dank of this city,” he said with a grimace.
The four of them rode for a little while longer until they stopped in front of a storefront. Displayed in the windows were beautiful white wedding gowns, some in the style of big flashy ball gowns, others more subdued, but equally as gorgeous. Irena squealed with delight. She couldn’t wait to try some of them on.
Darrius swung down and picked her up off the horse, placing her feet on the ground beside him. She moved to take his hand and skip into the store, but instead when she tried to pull him forward, it felt like she was trying to move a boulder.
Looking back, she pouted with a confused look.
“Trey and Zed will watch after you. I have some business in town to attend to. Pick out the one that makes you feel like a princess. Do not worry about the price. Be a good girl and don’t wander off. I’ll be back in a few hours, ok?”
She pouted harder, but nodded with understanding.
“Alright. I’ll miss you
though.”
He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and she melted in his embrace. Happiness washed through her and her excitement returned.
“Promise you’ll hurry back?”
“Of course, baby girl. I promise. Now go have fun. I’ll be back in no time,” he said.
He stood and she turned to enter the store. A firm hand connected with her rear and she yelped in response. She looked back and giggled before opening the door into the shop. In no time, she was thoroughly taken by the racks and racks of beautiful dresses. The store was well lit and bright, with a few mannequins displaying some of the most intricate outfits she had ever seen. With a deep breath, she wandered further into the store.
An elderly woman came out and began to help her find the correct size. The woman introduced herself as Tania. She led Irena to a corner of the store with a small selection that she thought would be perfect for her. In that area in the store was one dress on display that arrested Irena’s attention, a mannequin that had seemingly been put aside rather than in the center of the store.
It was a ball gown straight out of her dreams. It was a soft white in color, with delicate pink lace woven around the bodice. Around the waist was a rouge-colored sash, which complemented the pink beads that bordered the sweetheart neckline. The bottom of the gown was a mesh fabric, designed in such a way that it reminded her of the petals of a rose.
She gasped when she saw it, and the woman smiled back at her.
“Let’s try it on. This is a dress fit for a princess!”
Irena followed the woman to a large dressing room in the back where she helped her to get out of her purple dress into the elegant gown. When she stared back into the mirror after everything was in place, she couldn’t help but gasp in shock. Speechless, she stared back at her reflection. Not only did she look the part of a princess, she felt like she was a queen. She had never felt more beautiful and regal in her entire life. The dress hugged her waistline like a glove, like it had been specifically made for her and only her.
She knew she’d found the dress of her dreams. It was perfect.
“May I show the men accompanying me?”
“Of course. Let me help you,” the woman said while taking her hand. “Follow me.”
The dress was easy to walk in and they were outside in the bright sunlight in no time. Both Zed and Trey looked back to see her emerge from the door, and soft inhales met her ears.
“Boy, that Darrius. He’s a lucky man,” Trey said, a bit breathlessly.
“You look beautiful, Irena,” Zed offered in his usual no-nonsense demeanor, his eyes leaving hers to search for dangers around them.
Irena smiled, feeling the picture of the perfect bride. A loud yell rose around them, distracting her. A small crowd had seemingly gathered around a nearby cart and a few faces were staring back at her with a confused expression. She turned back to the shop owner, feeling a bit unnerved.
“I’ll take it. Will you help me to take it off now?”
“Of course, let’s go inside.”
The two of them went back to the dressing room and Irena put her purple velvet dress back on again. She touched the wedding gown softly and smiled.
“Let me prepare your purchase and get it all wrapped up.”
“Thank you.”
Irena waited a few minutes before the woman handed her the gown wrapped up in a thick garment bag.
“It’s all taken care of on Darrius’s account. I hope you enjoy your day in the city. I wish you all the happiness in the world, sweet girl.”
“I can’t wait to be his wife.”
The smile on the woman’s face seemed a bit strained as she nodded. Finding it a bit odd, Irena waved goodbye and left the store. Both Trey and Zed were still out front.
Across the street, the crowd of people had grown larger. Some of them were pointing toward her, while speaking adamantly to some nearby armored guards. Narrowing her eyes at the strange sight, she tried to put it out of her mind.
She walked down the street a short way and heard Zed’s and Trey’s horses behind her. The street was bustling with carts and merchants trying to sell their wares. One of them struck her fancy and she rushed over to see what he was selling.
His entire cart was adorned with sweet-looking dolls and stuffed teddy bears. She reached out to touch one and sighed at its fuzzy softness.
“You have a good eye there, little lady. That one there is handmade with love. If you like that one, you would sure like some of the ones in my special collection. It’s just down this alley right here. It’s not far.”
Too excited to pay attention to anything else, she followed the man some short ways down the road. They took a few turns and walked across a thin cobblestone drive into a dark store. A loud voice sounded behind her seconds before someone grabbed her wrist.
“Didn’t Darrius tell you not to wander off? If you were my girl, I’d make sure you didn’t sit down for a week. Lucky for you, Darrius will have to take care of that job. Let’s go,” Zed growled and she whimpered.
He dragged her backwards in the direction she had come. When they emerged out of the dark alley, the crowd had seemingly grown larger. Trey’s expression had grown serious as he looked back.
“I don’t like this,” he said out loud, his voice wary.
“Irena. Put up the hood on your cloak. Now,” Zed ordered.
“But it will mess up my hair,” she whined.
“I don’t care what Darrius will say. Put up your hood now or I’ll whip that bottom of yours with my belt until you do,” he said.
Her eyes opened wide and she quickly did as she was told. She pouted angrily and stormed off down the road, knowing that they would follow her. Who gave him the right to talk to her like that? She stomped her feet in protest.
The farther down the road she wandered, the busier it became. More and more carts were stuffed onto the sides of the street, with only scant inches between them. Merchants yelled, trying to sell their wares to any passersby.
The people around her seemed to be from all walks of life, from wearing fancy clothing to rags. They seemed taken with her and would whisper to whoever was with them, dropping gentle smiles in her direction. It all seemed a little weird, like they knew her.
Trying to be polite, she nodded back in at them and continued.
All at once, the mood of the people seemed to change from one of kindness to rampant danger. Knights on horseback charged down the street toward her and when she went to run away, she found herself surrounded. Wide-eyed and scared, she turned to try to find Zed and Trey, only to find them at sword-point and encircled by guards. They were trapped.
A big man on horseback slowly maneuvered further, his face grim as he looked toward Trey and Zed, then back at her. His face was marred with a large scar that spread from above his right eye down across his cheek. Dark blond hair hung to his shoulders and stubble pebbled across his chin. He looked like a commander of some sort.
“Princess Irena. We’re so glad to have finally found you. The king will be overjoyed that his missing daughter has finally been found. Come with me. You’re safe now,” he said, his voice kind.
“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about… I’m not a king’s daughter. There must be some mistake,” she protested, a sinking scary feeling settling in her stomach.
“Take those two into custody. I want to know how they’ve keep the princess hidden for well over a month in the walls of this city. The king is going to want to speak to them too. What they’ve done is treason,” he ordered angrily. His kind look had turned into a sort of sneer as he faced Zed and Trey.
Irena watched in horror as the two men were pulled off their horses and thrown in chains. Neither of them fought back, clearly overpowered by the multitude of royal guards. Trey and Zed were led away as a horse-drawn carriage pulled up next to her. Gold filigree inlays wound around the windows in intricate designs across the dark red cherry wood. Everything about it screamed wealth and opulence, even royalt
y.
Firm hands guided her into the carriage. The door shut behind her with a loud click, leaving her completely alone. She sat down and scooted close to the side window, moving a curtain to look outside.
With a cry, she saw that she was surrounded by the guards as her wheeled prison lurched forward. She was trapped.
Chapter Eleven
The carriage took her some ways off to the castle she had seen when she first entered the city. For the next few hours, people she didn’t know doted on her, fed her, changed her into another fancier outfit, and wouldn’t leave her alone for a single moment. Everywhere she looked she tried to spot Darrius, but to no avail. Distraught, she picked at the skirt of the overwhelming pink satin ball gown and tried talking to the maid who was attending her. When she addressed the girl, her eyes grew big in terror and she scampered away, quickly replaced by an older, silent woman. With a sigh, Irena didn’t try to ask any more questions. It was clear that no one was going to tell her what was going on.
Finally, she was brought into some royal hall where a man with a big gray beard was sitting on a throne. An oversized red velvet cape sat atop his shoulders. She gasped when she saw the gold crown atop his head, decorated with a multitude of jewels like she’d never seen. His every finger had a thick gold ring, further emphasizing the fact that this man was rich and extremely powerful.
His face seemed to warm when he saw her. Her escorts urged her forward, leaving her little choice but to obey.
“Irena! I’m so delighted to see you’re alive! You must be relieved to finally be back in your rightful place!” the man said.
Still confused, she furrowed her brow and tried to figure out what was going on. Just this morning, she’d been happy in bed with Darrius and now she was in some stranger’s clothes in front of some important man. She had no idea was happening, but knew she had to figure it out soon.
