“What are you thinking?” Amory asked.
“That I’m very lucky.”
Amory shook his head, his eyes filled with affection. “I’m the lucky one.”
The ball would continue long into the night, but Philip and Amory didn’t stay and celebrate with their guests. As soon as custom deemed it acceptable for them to retire from the party, Philip made sure they did. Let everyone enjoy themselves there. He looked forward to spending the rest of the night alone with Amory.
Philip and Amory had been firm that no one was to follow them to their suite to cheer or whatnot, as was often what happened when the prince married. So the crowd saw them off from the ballroom. Amory was blushing at the clapping and cheering. Philip couldn’t imagine how red Amory’s face would have been if they had been escorted to their bedchamber.
The sounds of music and merrymaking faded the farther they got from the ballroom, leaving him and Amory walking through empty corridors alone. Amory let out a quiet sigh and moved closer to him, brushing their fingers together before taking Philip’s hand. They encountered no one except silent guards on their walk to the other side of the palace and their suite. He wasn’t surprised—all of their guests were in the ballroom and the servants were discreet enough to make sure they weren’t seen.
He ushered Amory into the privacy of their suite and closed the door behind them, shutting out the world for the rest of the night. Servants had been in to light the candles and the fires. If they’d done as he requested, which they always did, wine and some of Amory’s favorite sweet pastries would have been left in the bedchamber.
Amory turned to him with the genuine, sweet smile he seemed to reserve for Philip. There was fatigue in his chocolate-dark eyes, but a glow of happiness too. Philip reached out and brushed at Amory’s hair before cupping his cheek. Amory closed his eyes and nuzzled into Philip’s palm.
“It’s our wedding night.”
“Yes.” Amory opened his eyes to look up at Philip.
“Long day.” He swept his thumb over Amory’s cheekbone, back and forth.
“But the best day.” No doubt of Amory’s sincerity, and Philip was surprised to find himself a little relieved. So much had happened recently, and so much went along with marrying the prince without everything else that happened, he wouldn’t have blamed Amory for having doubts.
“The very best.” He brushed a kiss over Amory’s lips. “You look tired.”
“You do too.”
“Too tired?”
“To consummate our marriage? Never too tired for that.”
“Come to bed?”
“Oh, yes.”
They walked into their bedchamber together, and yes, the wine and pastries were there. The bed had also been invitingly turned down. Amory smiled again as his gaze took in the room, but he just turned to Philip for another kiss, longer and deeper than the last. He loved kissing Amory, had from the very first. They could probably spend their whole wedding night kissing, and he wouldn’t be disappointed.
Well, he would be disappointed, but only because he had plans. He got nervous thinking about them, but his nerves were equaled, if not overshadowed, by anticipation. He figured that meant he was right about doing what he planned, so he would be disappointed if they did nothing but kiss that night. Some other night they could kiss for hours.
They undressed each other, hands fumbling with the fastenings of the fine wedding clothes, because they didn’t want to leave off kissing long enough to undress properly, but they finally managed it and collapsed on the bed in a tangle of limbs and bare skin and breathless laughter. For a long time, they lay together, kissing and touching. Philip reveled in it, letting it evolve naturally despite nerves and desire screaming at him to get on with things. But he always wanted Amory. He couldn’t believe sometimes that their passion continued to be so explosive, so consuming, but he also never wanted that to change.
Amory’s hands glided over his skin, grasping, caressing, passionate but gentle as only Amory could be. Philip let him take control of their kisses as they became more intense and held on, moving his hands over Amory’s skin and pulling him closer. He needed to feel Amory against him, smooth skin and lithe body and silky curling hair. Amory moaned, the sound sending shivers coursing through Philip.
“Pip, please,” Amory whispered against Philip’s lips.
“Yes,” he answered and stole another kiss before Amory rolled away to rummage in the nightstand. Amory was back an instant later, pressing a little bottle of oil into Philip’s hand, but Philip shook his head and gave it back.
“Pip?” Amory’s eyes were passion-dazed and puzzled.
“I want you to have me tonight.” Saying the words sent a rush along his nerves. He’d never done it before, never imagined doing it. He wasn’t sure why. He didn’t think his reluctance was about his being prince and his station. But more that he had never imagined having someone he trusted enough, which may have been because he was the prince and there weren’t many he could trust implicitly. But he had Amory. And Amory loved him more than Philip thought possible. Philip could feel that love every day, and Amory was everything to him. It felt right to share the experience with Amory.
Amory’s eyes widened almost comically. “You do?”
“Yes.”
“We’ve never done that before.”
“I know.” He ran his fingers through Amory’s hair, slowly, soothingly.
Amory nibbled on his lip. “I’ve never done that before.”
Amory’s nerves somehow calmed his own. “I know, love. I haven’t either.”
“You haven’t? You and….”
Philip was grateful Amory stopped speaking before he said the name of Philip’s former lover. He didn’t want anyone in their bed except the two of them.
“No, we didn’t. I never wanted to before now.” He kept stroking Amory’s hair, seeing the motion was calming Amory and enjoying the slide of Amory’s soft hair between his fingers.
“But you want to now?”
“Yes, I do. I want you inside me, Amory. I want to feel that, to have it with you. Only with you.”
Amory’s smile bloomed. Philip really did love that smile. He couldn’t resist kissing it.
“Do you want to, Amory?” He hadn’t considered it could be something Amory might not want to do when he realized what he wanted, but suddenly he worried he was pushing Amory.
Amory looked at him as if he were crazy. “Yes, of course, if you want to.”
He traced his fingers over Amory’s cheek. “So much. You’re nervous?”
Amory laughed a little. “Yes. I don’t want to do something wrong or hurt you.”
“You won’t. I know you won’t.” He kissed Amory. “It’s going to be wonderful, just as our first time together was. Please, love.”
“Yes.” Amory bent to kiss Philip. The kiss lengthened, went on and on, rebuilding passion the pause for conversation had banked. Amory’s hands began their caresses again, exploring every inch of Philip’s skin with those long, graceful fingers. Amory finally pulled his lips from Philip’s, but only to begin to trace the same path his fingers had taken. Amory kissed and nipped his way down Philip’s throat and over his chest, teasing at his nipples along the way, sending sparks through Philip’s body with every touch. He writhed under Amory’s touch, wanting more, wanting everything.
“Now, love, please,” he gasped as Amory sucked at one of his nipples.
Amory murmured an assent and retrieved the bottle of oil amid the blankets. A moment later slick fingers teased their way between his legs, stroking and pressing. Amory kissed him deeply as he pressed a finger inside. Philip gasped and moaned into the kiss, the intrusion strange but good. Wonderful too, because it was Amory inside him.
That thought echoed through his head as Amory replaced fingers with hard member. Philip expected discomfort, maybe even pain, whatever he’d told Amory, but there wasn’t any. He thought he would feel invaded, but he didn’t. He was vulnerable, yes, more
so than he’d imagined, but he knew Amory wouldn’t take advantage of that. He felt connected to Amory, intimate in a whole new way. Their bodies linked, their gazes held, their hands clasped. The pleasure of the connection was as great as the purely physical sensation, and the pleasure only built and spiraled as Amory moved inside him until it burst within him like showers of stars. Amory followed, calling out Philip’s name in almost stunned pleasure.
Afterward, they curled together. Philip managed to snag the blankets and pull them over him and Amory, who lay half on top of him, and then contemplated never moving again. Never moving sounded perfect. He was comfortable with Amory warm and sleepy against him. Yes, perfect just as they were.
After a while, Amory hummed a little and snuggled closer. “That was incredible. Thank you.”
“It was, so thank you.” He tightened his arms around Amory and nuzzled into his auburn curls. “We’ll have to do it again.”
“I’d enjoy that.”
“But not tonight.”
“Oh? Have something else in mind?” Amory lifted his head enough to look into Philip’s eyes.
“Well, we have to finish consummating the marriage.” He said it seriously, but mischief tried to curve his lips.
“Didn’t we do that?”
“We have to consummate it the other way around too, don’t we?”
Amory stared at him and then laughed. “Oh, that’s the rule, is it?”
He grinned. “Definitely.”
“Well, if it’s a rule….” Amory shifted to kiss Philip. “Then I suppose we have to.”
He chuckled and kissed Amory again before pulling him back down to lie against Philip’s chest. “In a little while.”
THEY LEFT the next morning for a few days at Alzata. Even if Philip couldn’t be completely out of reach of the palace and his duties, Amory was happy to have the time alone with him as something of a wedding trip. Philip seemed far more disgruntled with their inability to take more time away.
A cold rain fell in sheets the morning after their wedding, so they chose to make the short trip by carriage instead of horseback. Amory had no desire to ride in such weather, and Philip was even less enthusiastic. At least the rain hadn’t come yesterday, while they were being paraded around the city.
The carriage ride was surprisingly pleasant. They cuddled close together under a blanket for warmth. Amory chuckled as Philip leaned back against him, blatantly making himself comfortable with Amory as his pillow, but he didn’t argue or tease Philip about it. A long day yesterday, after several busy weeks, and a night—though incredible—involving very little sleep left him exhausted. He curled his arms around Philip and sank into the pleasure and warmth of holding Philip close, letting himself doze while Philip read.
Rain still poured down when they arrived at Alzata, and they were soaked in the short dash into the house. Philip’s whole demeanor radiated misery as he dripped on the marble floor. Amory steadfastly held back laughter, even though the task became difficult when Philip glared at him. Taking pity, he shuffled Philip into their bathing room and a steaming hot bath. Which he then followed Philip into, since he looked so inviting.
They emerged from the bathing room a long while later, wrapped in their dressing gowns, warm, smiling, and flushed, shoulders bumping and fingers brushing. A tureen of hearty soup and a loaf of freshly baked bread waited for them in their bedchamber. They ate a leisurely meal and sipped their wine as a maid slipped in to collect the dishes. Amory glanced out the windows. The downpour hadn’t slowed. He shivered looking at the icy rain, so he shut all the curtains, leaving them snug and warm. Philip rose from his chair. He carried their glasses to the bedside table and set them down.
Amory followed Philip into the big bed. Grinning, Philip pulled Amory in to curl at his side and tugged the covers up over both of them. Amory hummed happily and settled closer. Cozy and warm and comfortable, they sipped their wine and cuddled in the glow of the crackling fire. Philip stroked his fingers absently through Amory’s hair. Amory had absolutely no desire to move from that spot, maybe ever.
The rain continued unabated the entire time they were at Alzata, so they didn’t have to pretend to want to go outside and do something. Instead, they indulged themselves and stayed in bed or lounged about on the comfortable chairs in the sitting room next to their bedchamber. They read a little, and Amory did some sketching while Philip did the work he couldn’t put off. But mostly they stayed in bed, curled up like cats, lying together, kissing and touching. They made love often—in their bed, in the bath, on piles of blankets and pillows in front of the fire. The servants didn’t bat an eye when he and Philip directed their meals to be brought to their bedchamber.
They were decadent and lazy and wonderful, those days they snatched together. Reality and duty would intrude soon enough, but until then they enjoyed their time alone. No responsibilities, no worries, no fear for Amory’s safety. The entire world shrunk down to them. He knew it was impossible, but Amory sort of wished it could stay that way.
“Is something wrong?” Philip asked him as they lay cocooned in bed together on their last night before returning to the palace.
“No,” he replied just as quietly. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Well, something is bothering you. You look worried.” Philip took Amory’s hand and twined their fingers together between them.
“I’m not looking forward to leaving tomorrow.”
Philip kissed Amory’s fingers. “I’m not looking forward to it either. These few days have been wonderful.”
He smiled. “They have.”
“We’ll come back as soon as we can.” Philip kissed his hand once more before giving it a squeeze. “Is that all that’s bothering you?”
He hesitated, thinking of what he needed to discuss with Philip. It hadn’t plagued him as much the past few days. Philip was wonderfully distracting. Amory must have hesitated too long, because Philip’s brow furrowed. “Something else is worrying you. What is it?”
“It’s not that something is worrying me, not really. I just… there’s something I want to talk to you about.” He stopped and laughed a little. “I guess I have been worrying over it.”
“Just tell me. You can tell me anything.” But Philip looked to be bracing himself for whatever Amory was going to say next.
“It’s not anything bad, I promise,” he hastened to reassure Philip. “Just something I wanted to talk about.”
“All right,” Philip said, his expression easing somewhat, but he was still far more tense than he had been a moment before. Amory felt terrible. Philip needed the relaxing time before their return to the palace. Perhaps he shouldn’t have brought it up, but Philip had asked, and Amory was tired of thinking about it all on his own.
“Remember when you asked me to marry you—”
“I couldn’t forget that.” Philip’s whole face changed with the memory, softening with affection.
“Neither could I.” The memory relaxed him despite his nerves, and he kissed Philip briefly, pulling back before he could get carried away. “We talked about your needing an heir, then.”
“And I told you not to worry about it.”
“I know.”
“I should be quiet and let you finish what you want to say, shouldn’t I?”
“Thank you. We talked about an heir, but we never talked about children, about whether we want a child separate from whether you need an heir. But you said something then, about how if you had a child, it would be our child, and I started thinking. Leaving aside the issue of an heir, do you want children, Pip?”
For a moment, Philip stared at him blankly. “That is not what I expected you to ask.”
Amory laughed a little. “What did you expect?”
“I’m not sure. I was just hoping you didn’t regret the wedding.” Philip continued before Amory could gather his wits and reply to that ridiculous statement. “All my life, it was something that was expected of me—I would produce heirs. No one talks about it
in any other way except as a duty, a responsibility to provide for the future. I would love any child I had, but I don’t think I ever thought about it any other way.”
“All right.”
“Is it… something you want? I said we could find someone who wouldn’t mind having a child for us. I’m sure there are women who would, knowing their child would be heir to the throne, though we would have to think about how to go about it.”
And Philip would do it, Amory knew, if Amory wanted a child, even though the expression on Philip’s face, the tension in his body, screamed he was uncomfortable with the idea of actually doing what he suggested. Amory loved him for it, that he would do something solely to make Amory happy. But Amory would never let him do something he didn’t want. “I think it might be something I want, if you do. Not only because I worry about your not having an heir, but because when you said the words ‘our child’ that day, I couldn’t get them out of my head. I realized that having a child together might be wonderful.”
“So you do want us to find someone.” Philip’s discomfort hadn’t lessened, but Amory doubted he realized it showed. Amory didn’t much care for the idea either for any number of reasons, the fact that he didn’t want to share Philip only one of them.
“No. I have another idea.” He took a deep breath—no going back once he told Philip. If Philip wanted it too, Amory was committed. He wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea, but, well, their child. “There was something in a book I read while I was studying with Jadis, a vague reference, but I remembered after that night. So I went looking to see if there was something to it, if it’s actually possible.”
Philip brushed Amory’s curls off his forehead, waiting patiently through Amory’s convoluted rambling. “If what is possible?”
“There’s a spell. It’s beyond me—I’m no sorcerer and barely a healer of any kind—so I’m not certain what it entails or if it would work, but if it did, it would allow a man to carry a child.” He stopped, biting his lip, and waited for Philip’s reaction. He couldn’t guess what it would be.
The Prince's Consort (Chronicles of Tournai Book 1) Page 24
