I swallowed hard, forcing my gaze back to his face. It was no help though. My stomach only tightened further as I took in his mismatched eyes that were both becoming black.
"What's that?" I breathed. He smelled of smoke, apples and mint.
Leopold's hand twisted through my hair, his teeth scraping my earlobe. "Embrasser ma fiancée.
His breath fanned out across my face as he lowered his mouth to mine, licking my lower lip. My breath caught in my throat, my legs winding around his hips as he slanted his lips over mine and kissed me fully, properly. Expertly, he nipped at my lower lip, sucking it between his own while simultaneously tugging at my hair. He was teasing me, driving me to distraction. I gave a breathless moan and tried to pull him closer to me. This seemed to spark some sort of reaction in Leopold as he lifted me with his good arm and began walking.
We fell backwards onto the bed, Leopold hovering over me. His lips moved to my throat, leaving a scorching trail across the hypersensitive skin. I took the opportunity to run my hands down the perfect planes of his chest. I could feel the muscles in his abdomen tighten as my fingers trailed downwards, exploring the dips and mounds of muscle. My fingers skirted up his sides and I dug my nails into the muscles of his back, trying to pull him down to me. "Attention," he growled and gently bit the bare skin of my shoulder, hands fisting the comforter on either side of my head.
My hands instantly slid to his lower back. I hooked my thumbs into his waistband in an attempt to keep them still. I went to apologize, but before I could, his mouth was back on mine. He groaned into my slightly parted lips, lowering himself on to me so that I could feel his weight pressing me into the mattress. His tongue licked along my bottom lip, begging for entrance, which I granted eagerly. He took a hold of my hands, pinning them above my head. I sensed what he was about to do and my body arched into him on its own accord, trying to resist the inevitable.
"Stay," I found myself breathing, voice thick.
Leopold groaned, panting against my neck. "You have no idea how tempting that is." His hand grabbed my thigh, squeezing almost painfully. He seemed to be fighting with himself.
I wriggled beneath him and Leopold released me. He rolled onto his back, eyes closed as he took deep breaths.
"I am going to miss you," I whispered, as I watched him curiously.
Leopold turned to face me, his eyes half open under heavy lids. "You and Phillipa will have so much fun with the wedding stuff, I will be back before you know it."
"Things are going to change again now, aren't they?" I asked quietly.
Leopold leaned forward and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I promise to keep you safe."
"Good morning ladies," Phillipa smiled as she pranced into the Green Room the next morning. She had a huge, bulging binder in her arms that she placed down on the coffee table with a deep thud. "Ready to get started?"
"What's that?" asked Rose, leaning forward in her chair so that she could flip the binder open. It opened to a page full of sketches of flowers and bouquets.
"That is the Royal Wedding Binder. It contains the detailed plans of almost all of the royal weddings in Solis History. Literally everything: bouquets, jewelry worn, dress patterns and detailing for the brides, bridesmaids and royal family, locations for the engagement balls, wedding ceremonies, receptions, speeches, guest lists, napkin makers, shoe designers, decorations and gift lists. Basically everything that we could possibly need to source out, and also everything we need to know to ensure each wedding is unique," explained Phillipa. "Do you remember the painting of Duchess Annette in her wedding dress?"
I nodded, as the memory of white tulle sleeves that were four feet in circumference came to mind.
"No one wants a repeat of that," agreed Rose.
"Why do we get wedding gifts?" I asked. "I mean, what could we possibly need? I know for a fact that we do not have to add to the copious amounts of silverware or crystal salad bowls in the castle."
"Gifts are usually tokens which represent the country who is giving the gift. For example, mom and dad got a diamond music box from Russia. There is a ballerina in a sapphire skirt inside that dances when the music is played. Canada often gives us a canoe."
"Seems like a bit of a waste," I said, as I tried to figure out where all of those canoes must be stored and what you could do with so many of them. "Can't we just say no to gifts?"
"You would probably insult some people," Phillipa said. "It doesn’t really matter right now. The first thing we have to do is figure out a date. I got a copy of yours and Leopold's schedules for the next year to plan around." She pulled out a folder and placed it on the open binder.
I looked at the long list of dates before me, my mouth falling open. Things were not even official yet, and it looked like I was booked in everywhere.
"We need about six months to plan the wedding. That would give us time for the galas, balls, garden parties, lessons, and a bunch of other necessary events, but it must take place before July twenty sixth, because that is Leopold's eighteenth birthday and his Coronation date," she took a deep breath and pursed her lips. "The earliest I see this working is February and that will be tight."
"Could we do it in March then? If our wedding takes place over the March Break, my mom and friends won't have to take time off from school," I explained.
"Of course, March might still be a little cold," Phillipa said, "But Kate Middleton made long sleeves popular, so there would be no problem dress-wise. You would be very fashionable and comfortable in long sleeves. There may be snow; the weather then is very unpredictable. Special arrangements will have to be made for all types of weather." Phillipa rambled as she began to tick off a list in her head. After a moment though, her words stopped dead, her eyes growing wide. "Do you know the dates of the holiday?" she asked.
Rose, who had been frowning beside me, made a little gasp, her full lips falling into a perfect 'o' as something clicked in her mind.
"Usually the third week of March," I told them. "I'm not sure the exact dates though."
"The eighteenth?" asked Phillipa, eyes glowing with excitement.
"It's very possible. Why?" I wondered.
"What is the Coronation date of Leopold I?" Rose asked me, somewhat impatiently. Apparently I was missing something.
"The eighteenth of March?" I guessed.
"Exactly!" Phillipa said beaming, she had a dreamy look in her eyes. "It would be so romantic, aligning yourselves with your star-crossed relatives like that."
"Maybe I could wear the necklace," I said. I wasn't sure if there was any other occasion it would seem even half acceptable to wear a jewel that large.
"Necklace?" Rose asked.
"The giant blue thing," I told her. "The one from the painting in the gallery."
"You don't mean Queen Catherine's?" said Phillipa. "That would be impossible. You must be mistaken."
I shook my head. "That's exactly what I mean. Governor Richard gave it to me a while ago."
"That necklace has been lost for centuries. It was taken off of Catherine when her tomb was raided during the French reign of Solis," said Rose.
"Well, it is in the top drawer of my desk down the hall," I shrugged.
"If that is true, Cat, you need to have M. Arsnault bring it to Felip later tonight. The necklace is a priceless heirloom; I have no idea how Governor Richard would have got it, nor why he would have kept it a secret." Phillipa looked troubled now. Her face had darkened, her eyes focusing on something out the window.
"Phillipa," Rose said after a moment, giving her a pointed look.
Phillipa shook her head, her usual smile returning. "Right, sorry. The eighteenth sounds perfect. I will have the proper people informed after it is cleared by the council. You should double check with your parents too, Cat."
"I called them last night," I said, grimacing slightly at the memory. Louis had taken it well, just as Leopold had said. He had told me that as long as I was sure, and that I was doing this out of love, not duty, then he wo
uld stand behind me.
Renée had been another matter. She cried. A lot. Firstly, over the fact that she had lost me as a daughter, then because my life was over, that I would not be coming back home to go back to High School or University. Then, about halfway through the call, she shed happy tears as she came to the realization that I was happy and loved Leopold. Her happiness morphed into disbelief as she processed that I was going to be the Queen of two countries. I listened patiently through it all, consoling and reassuring her, until she finally let me go.
I had avoided Tess and Alex so far. My parents were one thing; I knew they could always visit or even live here, and that they would be happy for me no matter what, but I wasn't sure how to tell my friends that I may never see them again. Between them going to university next year and starting their own lives, and me immersed in royal duties, I didn't see how much time together would be possible.
"That reminds me," Phillipa said, and reached down beside her. She pulled two sleek boxes off the ground and passed them to me. "Your cell phone and laptop," she explained. "Now that you are officially staying, they will help you stay in contact with everyone, and help you keep track of your schedule, not to mention the wedding details. I have taken the liberty to have all of the necessary programs and dates scheduled in already. It will update itself regularly through the castle's network."
"The best thing about them," Rose said smiling, "Is that the built-in tracking device makes it impossible to lose them."
The Inherited Series Book 1: The Inherited Page 22
