by Kami Bryant
“Anyone know what happened to our weapons?” asked Beau.
“Nope,” said Emberlyn. “I lost them,” and then she continued her violent vomiting.
After Juniper had slowed the speed of the skiff considerably and Emberlyn had stopped vomiting, Beau turned to her and asked, “What made you change your mind?”
“What do you mean?” asked Em.
“What changed your mind about me?”
“I haven’t changed my mind about you,” said Em arching a brow. “Your rebel group is a bunch of whiny babies, by the way. Just useless without you and their precious Miranda. I won’t shed a tear for that bitch,” grumbled Emberlyn.
Beau scoffed and asked, “Then why did you come to save me? Why didn’t you run?”
“I wasn’t going to let her run away,” said Juniper with sounding offended.
“Why were you shooting at your own soldiers? Why didn’t you just shoot me?”
“I was aiming at you,” said Em. “A queen is not supposed to be shooting protorifles. That was the first time I have ever shot one.”
“You are lying,” laughed Beau.
“Am I?” asked Em with a quizzical arched brow.
“You were worried about me. You love me,” and Beau smiled and leaned in to kiss Em. The queen slapped him angrily across his face.
“You are getting much too familiar, sir!” she shouted.
Beau turned to Juniper and the little mage shrugged her shoulders. “Damnit,” sighed Beau.
“I am sorry about Miranda,” whispered Juniper. “But I haven’t shed a tear either,” she said as she continued piloting the skiff.
“By the way, Juniper. You are a much better pilot than an ogre.”
“I am a much better everything than an ogre.”
“Worse flight I have ever been on,” huffed Beau. “You should have seen the size of his tusks,” he said laughing. “So small!” Juniper smiled and then laughed along with him as Em looked on, her brow arched.
“You are both ridiculously stupid,” declared Em which caused the two to giggle uncontrollably. “Bunch of fucking idiots,” sighed Emberlyn. “So stupid.”
THREE YEARS AGO, IN TRAETAN
Beau and Juniper stood hiding behind a Kenaf Blackhaw tree and watched Mormorant open the portal to Mirovia. That is, he was Mormorant when he wore the obsidian necklace which cast the glamour. When he took off the obsidian his glamour dropped, and he was Braxen Xarraz. His skin was blue, his ears were huge and pointed and his long amethyst colored fingernails sharp. His face had an almost catlike appearance and his teeth were as sharp as any predator.
Mormorant/Xarraz’s henchmen were huge, burly and green skinned. The ogre standing beside him wore red plaid pants, white shirt, brown vest, red cravat and suspenders. His ears were enormous, pointed and his arms were as thick as tree trunks. Mormorant gave the monster an obsidian necklace which cast a glamour on the monster.
“What is he doing?” asked Beau. “Why is he sending these ogres over to Mirovia? What is he planning?”
“He is building an army,” replied Juniper.
“How can we get through that portal?” asked Beau. “Can you cast an enchantment that will hide us and then we can sneak past them?”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Here,” said Beau as he took Em by her hand and led her across the meadow.
“Where are you taking me?” asked Em.
“There,” said Beau pointing at the blanket spread on the grass by Juniper’s stump. He led her over and then sat down on the blanket. On Juniper’s stump were two glasses and a bottle of wine. “Have a glass of wine with me?”
Em arched a brow and carefully knelt down and settled on the blanket. Beau poured a glass of wine and offered her the glass. Em took the glass from him and sipped at the wine. “Where did you get a bottle of Anchacchus?”
“Stole it,” chuckled Beau.
“Of course, you did,” smiled Em.
“Do you remember us yet?” asked Beau flirtatiously.
“No,” huffed Em as she downed her glass and motioned to Beau for a refill.
“Maybe I can remind you,” said Beau in a low voice as he moved closer to Em.
“Get away,” she shouted punching him playfully on the shoulder.
“We would go riding,” reminisced Beau. “My mare’s name was Buttermint and you rode a black stallion named Onyx. Do you still ride?”
“You mean for fun? Of course not. I don’t leave my castle.”
“So, this is the most excitement that you’ve had since you can remember?” laughed Beau. “You have stuck with me because you were bored, and I have given you the most adventure that you’ve ever had? We always had the most fun going on our adventures. You loved exploring your lands. You weren’t supposed to be going out as much as you did. You were supposed to be the proper princess, but that wasn’t you. We went out exploring together. You were so wild then.”
“Really?” asked Em arching her brow.
“That’s your resting bitch face, huh?” asked Beau.
“Excuse me?” asked a shocked Emberlyn. “What did you just call me?”
“When you look at me like that. Like you are looking down at an insect. That queen bitch face. It’s kind of sexy,” said Beau lowering his voice and moving closer to Em and she once again pushed him away.
“Stop it,” she said.
“Come on, Em. I know that you are loving this. You are having fun; I know you are.”
“Shut up,” said Emberlyn fighting a grin. “You are so stupid.”
“I love you, Em. I’ve always loved you so much,” sighed Beau.
Emberlyn turned away from Beau, and gazed out across the clearing. “I don’t remember,” she whispered. ‘I wish I did,’ she thought to herself.
“I can help you remember,” whispered Beau back. “If you will let me,” and with that he moved close to Em and this time she didn’t push him away. Beau wrapped his hands around her tight waist and pulled her closer to his body. Em let the glass of wine fall out her hand and leaned into his embrace. Beau’s lips grazed her ear and she closed her eyes, as she felt his warm breath on her neck. He kissed her gently under her ear and then trailed gentle kisses down to her bare shoulder. Em’s breath hissed. Then Beau lifted Em into his lap and Em wrapped her arms around his back. “I love you so much. I will love you till the day I die,” and then he pressed his mouth against hers and for a minute everything disappeared and Em forgot that he was her captor and she was a queen. She soaked up the emotion and excitement and everything went away and for the first time she thought that she could love him back. For the first time since she saw him across the ball room at that masquerade ball so long ago, she believed him. She believed everything that he had ever said. They were in love. They had always been in love and she had just forgotten. Em soaked up Beau’s warmth and let him gently lower her down to the blanket till his body was tightly pressed against her own. Em felt her cold interior thaw as something within her began to change.
“I love you,” he whispered over and over as his hand lifted her skirt. “Do you love me, Em?” he asked, and she felt him lightly stroke her calf and her knee and then her thigh. For a second she felt herself think, ‘Yes, I love you too.’ Then Beau pulled himself away from her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I went too far. I apologize,” he grunted and Em sighed gently.
After Beau had escorted Em back to her mud hut, she had taken off her corset and her boots and settled down for bed. She could still taste Beau on her lips and feel his warm body pressed to hers. She lay in bed and fell asleep with his scent still deep in her nostrils and dreamed.
MANY YEARS AGO, IN MIROVIA
Beau held out his hand to Emberlyn and she placed her palm against his. “Come on,” he said. “It’s this way.”
“What is this way?” asked Em.
“That is a secret,” he said as he led Em through a narrow path in the trees and they came to the edge of a small cliff. When she looked down, she saw a p
ool of water and farther in the distance a water fall.
“It’s beautiful,” whispered Em.
“I thought you would like it. Come on, let’s go,” and with that Beau knelt down to pull off his boots, then he stood back up and started unbuttoning his shirt.
“What are you doing?” asked Em.
“Swimming,” he said grinning widely at Em.
Emberlyn couldn’t help but stare at Beau’s bare chest. His chiseled muscles, his tight waist, the downy soft treasure trail of body hair leading down from his belly button to his waistband. “Oh my god! Stop,” she shouted as Beau continued undressing and stripped off his pants. Emberlyn covered her eyes and then Beau clutched her wrists in his strong hands and gently pulled her hands away from her face.
“I love you,” he said deeply and kissed her. “I want you to look,” he said quietly and then turned his back and Em found herself staring without remorse at the round, creamy globes of his tight ass. Then Beau ran and took a flying jump off the cliff.
“Beau!!” screamed Em as she ran over to the edge and looked down. She heard a ‘SPLASH’, so she knew that he was fine. ‘Right?’ she asked herself. ‘I am sure, he is fine.’ Emberlyn kept staring at the water waiting for his blond hair to pop up and when it didn’t, she screamed herself hoarse, “BEAU!!!” And then finally, she saw him rise to the surface. “Mr. Beauregard Bartholomew Kitchingham, you scared me!!!”
“I’m fine, Em,” he called up to her. “The water is really warm. I think it is fed by a hot spring. Come on down and swim with me.”
“NO!!! I am not going to do that. You will not see me naked until our wedding night, Beau.” He grinned up at her and floated on his back. Em covered her eyes again, though she did giggle when she did so.
“Come on down, Em. I want to show you the waterfall. There is a little cave behind it. That could be our secret place, Em. We could tell each other our secrets and leave little trinkets for each other in there.”
“You already know all my secrets, Beau!”
“Come on, Em!” called Beau.
“I will not!!!” she shouted down to him.
“Em, I am so sorry I scared you or embarrassed you. Come on, I will get dressed. There is a path over there,” he said pointing somewhere to Em’s right. “You can get down that way.”
“Fine!!” she shouted back.
“And Em,” Beau called up.
“What?”
“Could you bring my clothes down with you?”
“I have half a mind to throw them to you.”
“Em, come on. I am sorry that I teased you. Please?” he begged, his hands clutched together.
Emberlyn laughed at his antics and picked up his clothes and then turned to where Beau had said there was a path. She carefully stepped over stones, and pulled back a bush and found a small overgrown path. She carefully climbed down. “If I fall and die, I am coming back to HAUNT YOU!!” she shouted.
“You won’t fall, Em. Just take it slow,” called Beau.
Grumbling to herself about foolish boys and why was she even doing this, she continued to carefully climb down until she had made it down to Beau who was still splashing around in the pool. He swam over to her and started walking out of the water. This time Em didn’t look away. She looked at every inch of him and he was amazing. Beau grinned at her, pleased that she was looking. Emberlyn threw Beau’s pants at him and he easily caught them and bent over to slip them on.
“You need to behave yourself, Mr. Beauregard,” growled Em.
“Yes, your highness,” growled Beau and then once his pants were on, he rushed over to Em and caught her in his arms swinging her around.
“STOP!!! STOP!!!,” she said screaming and laughing. “You are so WET!!!”
“I want you to be wet,” Beau growled deeply. Em shook her head and Beau licked the side of her neck.
“Put me down, you beast!” she screamed.
“And you are my beauty,” said Beau kissing her firmly on her mouth.
“I am about to be a beast and push you into that water,” said Em with a haughty arch of her brow.
“I am yours to do as you will,” said Beau falling to his knees at her feet. “You are my queen, my Domina, do what you will to me, my love.”
Emberlyn lifted up her boot and placed her heel on Beau’s shoulder. “Lick my boot, you filthy animal,” she commanded. Beau grabbed her foot and licked up the side of her boot. “Stop it,” she giggled and pulled her boot away from his grasp.
“I will do anything you ask, my queen,” said Beau.
“Show me this cavern of yours slave,” commanded Em. Beau started to sit up and then Em pushed down on his shoulder. “Crawl,” she growled, and Beau turned away from Em and bent down to all fours and started to crawl. “Wait,” called Em. Then she bent over and straddled his back. “Go!” she shouted slapping his ass. Beau laughed and crawled on the rocks with Em sitting on his back. Then laughing, he grabbed Em’s ankles and carefully stood up with Em screaming and slipping. Beau lifted Em with his strong arms and Em clung to his shoulders and his head like a monkey. Then after some more squeals, Em safely mounted on his back, Beau steadying her legs while she held on to his shoulders, he continued walking down the path.
“Here, my queen,” said Beau as they came up to the waterfall. “Look it is here, behind the waterfall,” and with that Beau gently set Em down on her feet. He took her hand and they walked behind the waterfall to a little cave. The cave walls were covered with large pieces of quartz.
“It is so beautiful,” said Emberlyn.
Beau walked over, leaned down and Em could see that he had a gas lantern sitting there. He moved it to the opening of the cave but not too close to the waterfall. Then Em saw that there was a blanket sitting there and a little basket.
“Did you set up a picnic?” asked Em.
“I did. Come over here,” said Beau.
Emberlyn bent down and sat beside Beau on the blanket.
“My queen,” said Beau as he poured her a glass of wine and handed it to her.
“Mmmm,” said Em.
“Only the best for my queen,” answered Beau.
“You are incorrigible,” said Em shaking her head at him.
“I thought that this could be our secret place, Em.”
“You already said that,” answered Em.
“Yeah, I remember.”
“You also said you were going to tell me secrets.”
“I think about you at night,” whispered Beau.
“That isn’t a secret,” said Em leaning over and kissing him.
“Okay, here is the secret,” said Beau. Quietly he said to her, “I am a virgin too. I want it to be our first time together.”
“Beau,” whispered Em.
“On our wedding night,” said Beau. “I meant, of course.”
“Of course, you did,” laughed Em.
“I mean you are fifteen and I am nineteen, so I meant when we get married,” he stammered.
“You have been saving yourself for me?” asked Emberlyn.
“Of course, Em. There is no one in this world other than you that I want to touch and be with. I’ve known you since you were three and I was seven and I have loved you since. I have never looked at any other woman but you. Only you. Always you.”
“Always?” asked Em.
“Yes, always. Forever. Now you tell me a secret.”
“Okay,” said Emberlyn. “I am not a virgin.”
“Em!” shouted Beau spilling his glass of wine on the blanket.
Em laughed and said, “No, no I am kidding. That’s what you get for making me think that you had drowned.”
“That isn’t funny, Em. If any man ever so much as touches you or looks at you too long, I will kill him. I swear it.”
“Beau, stop. I was joking.”
“I am not laughing,” said Beau turning away from her.
“Stop your pouting,” said Em. And then she said, “Okay for real. Something that I have never told a
nyone. Uhhmm,” she started. “Okay, sometimes Vizier Mormorant scares me.”
“What did he do? I will kill HIM!!!”
“No, no, he hasn’t actually done anything. I mean sometimes it kind of seems like he is controlling my mother. I don’t know, I can’t really explain it but sometimes I guess, I feel his presence. I don’t know, like I think he is there watching me and I turn around, but no one is there. I guess that is stupid,” said Em. “I guess I am just imagining things.”
“No. I believe you,” said Beau wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “I will keep you safe from him.”
Em woke up with a start. She wasn’t even that surprised to see Juniper hovering a foot off the floor in a dark corner of her one room hut.
“Bad dream?” asked Juniper in her eerie whispery voice.
“Hey, Juniper we’re friends, right?”asked Em.
“No,” answered Juniper.
“Great. So, answer me this, how many women has Beau had sex with?”
“Why do you think that I would know that?”
“Of course, you know.”
“Many, many women. Maybe a hundred? I don’t know the exact number. I didn’t bother counting. He would pay a woman almost every night in Traetan and here in Mirovia.”
“Did he ever have sex with you?”
“No, of course not,” answered Juniper.
“Why?” asked Em.
“Because we are friends,” replied Juniper. “He had sex with prostitutes. Mostly prostitutes. He slept with a few women, for instance the vampire Layla in Traetan, without paying. Why do you ask?”
“He once promised me that our first time would be together,” answered Em. “I guess that was a lie. I am still a virgin, which is proper for an unmarried queen. I guess I could have taken a lover. I just haven’t been that interested. Maybe a part of me remembered to be loyal and wait for him. But he didn’t do the same for me,” ranted Emberlyn, her voice raising with her anger.
“You remember something? You had a memory of Beau?”
