by Nina Monroe
Tamzin felt her head lull to the side as Will pumped one and then two fingers inside of her. He maneuvered his thumb to massage her bud and he pressed his lips roughly against her neck, collarbone, and shoulder. She felt his teeth lightly press against her skin and Tamzin mewled. Slowly, Tamzin reached over and pressed her hand against his hardness in his pants.
Blindly, she tore at the laces of his breeches and snuck her hand into the pouch where she gripped his member lightly. She heard Will moan in her ear as Tamzin began to move her hand back and forth; her thumb swiped over the tip and Will groaned softly.
Tamzin felt the familiar build up and tightening in her stomach as she climaxed. She arched her feet off the ground as Will began to plunge his fingers in faster as he bit lightly on her shoulder. Tamzin squealed and let her head rest on his shoulder as her hand went lax against him. She watched Will remove his hand from under her dress and brought his fingers to his mouth. With her limbs feeling like jelly, Tamzin reached over and took him in her hand again. With her hot breath against his neck and face, Will felt his eyes roll back as he felt her soft hand rub his member.
He tried to concentrate on how good Tamzin's hand felt, on how much he was in love with her, but all Will could see was his mother's face in his mind. His eyes filled with tears as he couldn't feel himself coming to climax. Tamzin lifted her head from his shoulder and peered at him with concerned eyes.
"I can use my mouth? Or we can lie down? It's okay, I want to," she said as she began to lie down before Will stopped her. "Is it me? I know I look different..."
"It's not you, love," Will smiled as he adjusted his breeches. "You're beautiful, but I can't. I can't do this now." Will quickly brought his fingers to his eyes, where he hastily wiped his tears. "I think I just realized my mother is alive."
"And how does that make you feel?" Tamzin asked.
"Like I wish she was dead."
Chapter Sixteen
Tamzin didn't respond to Will's statement as the Bradford men brought in her various trunks, his single trunk, and his weapons. They all seemed in awe of Will before he barked at them to leave the couple be. Slowly, Tamzin sat down at the vanity while Will pulled out his sword and began to sharpen it. He focused solely on the blade as Tamzin changed her torn dress and fixed her makeup as she listened to the slide of the rock against the blade.
"What would you do if you found out your mother was alive?" Will asked as his hand stilled against the blade. He looked up from his sword and stared at Tamzin in the mirror.
"I would have been just as angry as you," Tamzin responded as she strained to turn her body to face him. "I cannot imagine what you're going through right now."
"I hate her, or I feel another strong emotion against her," Will said as he placed his blade on the bed next to him and pulled his tunic over his head. "My father took special care in how he beat me. Haven't you noticed all my scars are easily hidden by my tunic? She tells me she ran away because she couldn't cope. I didn't have that luxury," Will spat angrily as he slammed his hand against the bed. "I'm supposed to pity her?" Will asked as he watched Tamzin approach him and took a seat next to him.
"I don't think she wants you to believe that she abandoned you?" Tamzin said as she reached out and took his hand in hers.
"She did abandon me. There is nothing she can say to make me believe otherwise," Will growled as he gritted his teeth together. "We have to have dinner with them."
"And when we do, you just need to be courteous. I understand your anger with your mother completely, but your siblings haven't done anything to you," Tamzin said as she gently ran her nails over his skin. "After dinner, it will just be us. We can come back here or we can spend time with your men."
"I want to spend time with you," Will said as he turned to look at her. "You like Katya, then?"
"She seems sweet. She reminds me of Kendall," Tamzin smiled as she reached out and brushed his curls from his face. "You need another haircut."
"No, I want them to be afraid of the fiercest Northerner," Will smirked. "I want them to be afraid of me, at least slightly."
"You're not that intimidating," Tamzin responded.
"Oh, but I am," Will said as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck. "I never intimidated you in the slightest?"
"No, not at all," Tamzin said as she pushed lightly on his chest. "We don't need your little sister to see us."
"She's not my little sister," Will grumbled, but Tamzin wasn't deterred. "As far as I'm concerned, I am still an only child."
"You're going to have more family, whether you like it or not," Tamzin said as she looked down at her belly. "I feel like I grow every second."
"I want a family with you. You're my family," Will said as he touched her belly. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"I'm not the best, but I am certainly not the worst," Tamzin said as she kissed his cheek. "Everything will work out and if it doesn't, then it will in the end."
"You know how to make a man feel better," Will replied half sarcastically before he settled his hand over her belly. "But it did help."
"Soon, we will be safe again and we will know who we can trust and we can all go home," Tamzin said as she placed her hand on his. "If it would not offend you, I would like to get to know your sister."
"You make friends wherever you go," Will smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I think it is your best quality."
"Having friends can be a good thing. They can help you decipher your enemies," Tamzin sighed into his embrace as Will wrapped his arm around her. "How do you want me to act around your mother?"
"Excuse me?" Will asked as he pulled away. "I never wanted to control you. I just asked you act "proper" around my men. I want you to be yourself when we are in private."
"I meant that I know your mother will invite me for tea soon, and I want to know how you wish for me to act. I plan on getting as much information out of her as possible, so if you think I should be sweet, then I will. However, if you want me to act like the Queen I am, and put her in her place, I certainly will," Tamzin grinned wickedly. "I don't take kindly to women who abandon my husband."
"Act however you see fit, my love," Will said as he gently tapped his fingers on her stomach. "What do you think of her husband?"
"I think you're named after him, and if you weren't a spitting image of your father, I would question your paternity," Tamzin joked, though Will gave her a stern look. "Do you wish he was your father? Willem?"
"I could say yes, but I know if he was my father and hadn't damaged me enough to make me who I am today, I never would have married you. I would endure endless years of abuse to keep you as my wife and the mother of my child," Will said genuinely as he stared at her belly. "I don't want to be here. I hate everyone here, but this is the safest place for you."
"I am more than honored to be your wife," Tamzin smiled as she leaned in for a kiss. Just as their lips touched, a knock at the door interrupted them. Like Turner Roth, Katya did not wait to be invited inside. After she opened the door, she stood awkwardly in the doorway as she came across their intimate position.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Highness," Katya spat out as she watched Will jump to his feet. "But dinner is served." She eyed Will warily before she focused on Tamzin. Tamzin had changed into another lilac dress, though she had foregone her cream cape. Her arms were bare and her breasts were pressed against the fabric, and Katya stared at her like she had never seen a woman dressed that way before.
"What are you staring at?" Will asked angrily as he took a step forward and clenched his fist as his side. He walked to his trunk and tore out a new tunic, which he threw over his head. After he dressed, he returned to his place next to Tamzin.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, but I'm not sure if your wife's dress is appropriate to wear..." Katya began.
"My wife can wear whatever she pleases..." Will defended, but stilled as he felt Tamzin take his hand. He helped her to her feet and watched as Katya cowered lightly
.
"Thank you for your concern, Katya," Tamzin replied sweetly. "But I am comfortable in this dress. If you wouldn't mind leading the way," Tamzin said as she extended her arm in the direction of the door. Katya smiled at Tamzin and turned around to lead them away. It was then that Tamzin gave Will a stern look and squeezed his hand so tight that her nails dug into his hand. Will grunted lightly as they left their chambers.
As they walked down the hallway, Will and Tamzin listened to the gasps of the servants as they saw Tamzin's attire. Though Will didn't find his wife's dress to be inappropriate, he did recognize why others would, especially in her condition. Her belly pressed her breasts against the fabric of the dress and the gown was lilac feathered. She wore her hair up in a braided bun, which revealed the deep back of the dress and the healing bite mark barely hidden by the thick strap across her shoulder.
Will grinned as he saw the bite; he liked marking her and hearing her moans as he pressed his teeth into her flesh. He never once hurt her, and never wanted it to hurt, but it was enough to make her come alive in his arms. Some small-minded people, who couldn’t handle a woman in a dress that wasn’t up to her neck, couldn’t understand their relationship.
Though the palace was large, Will could tell that the living quarters of the royals were kept to this wing of the palace. At the end of the hallway, Katya took a sharp left and opened the doors to a small dining area. The Bradfords didn't appear to eat with their nobles, which was something Will could appreciate.
The table was already full, with Aidan and Aurelia at the head. On one side was Willem and Nicola, and then Ethan and Hanna. Katya scurried to her place next to Hanna as Will pulled out the chair for Tamzin. They sat alone on their side and it was then that Will watched Tamzin straighten her shoulders as she sat down. Will took his seat next to her, which was directly across from his mother. He felt disgust rise up in himself as Nicola's eyes lingered on Tamzin for a moment.
"Have you settled into your chambers?" Aidan asked as the servants came and poured wine into everyone's goblets.
"Yes, it is lovely, thank you. We are grateful for your hospitality," Tamzin replied like the perfect Princess she was. Her smile lit up the room, and Will's grim expression barely lightened at how beautiful she was.
"We are happy to be accommodating," Nicola offered and Will barely contained his groan. He felt Tamzin's hand curl around his own, but she didn't grip him this time. As Will turned to face her, he saw her sad smile. After the servant filled his goblet, Will grabbed it and downed the contents. He found that he longed for the pomegranate wine from Roth Territory. Ethan let out an uncomfortable cough as Hanna shifted in her seat. "What is happening here needs to end."
"And what is happening here?" Will asked as he gripped the goblet tightly.
"Your hostile nature is happening here," Nicola replied with a slight squeak in her voice. "I understand that this is a shock and you're angry..."
"No, you literally have no idea what I'm feeling," Will said as he directed his ice stare at her. "Did you expect that I would come here, find out you're alive, and feel intense happiness? And then to find out you left to start a new life with someone else?"
"We are not having this discussion now," Aidan's voice rang out in the dining room. "You are my grandson and I truly thought I would die before seeing the person you've become. I want the chance...no, I deserve the chance to get to know you," Aidan said genuinely as he slammed the goblet on the table. "I can see that Gregory has ruined you."
"Ruined?" Tamzin spoke up as she looked from the plate to Aidan. "You know nothing about Will."
"He hasn't made the best impression," Ethan spoke up for the first time. "He shouldn't have spoken to my mother in his tone."
"Your mother shouldn't have left me as a baby. As for ruined, my father never treated me the way I deserved but I am the commander of the finest army in the North or South..." Will defended.
"But that didn't stop the Johanssons from invading, taking your wife hostage, and then burnt your home to the ground," Willem said as the servants brought out their dinner and placed the plates in front of them. "You need us and we need you."
"Why do you need dear old damaged me?" Will asked as he felt the anger in him boil inside him.
"The Johanssons have been disturbing our trade routes for some time. We ask that, as you stay here, you teach my men how to fight against them," Aidan said as he dug his fork into the piece of meat.
"A town not far from here was massacred," Tamzin said absentmindedly as she was reminded of the young boy she couldn't save.
"They used spears, which is a weapon I am sure you still use. How do I know that you didn't order that town to be burned to the ground?" Will asked before he looked back to Willem. "Maybe it was you? Did you hope to lure me into a trap to murder myself and my wife?" Will took the knife in between his fingers and looked around the room.
"Why would I want to harm you?" Willem asked.
"Because my arrival would ruin your perfect life here. It's easy to ignore the fact that your wife gave birth to a child that wasn't yours if the child isn't here to remind you of it," Will answered before he stabbed the knife into the table. Hanna and Katya both jumped in their seats.
"I don't hate you and I don't wish you or your wife ill will. We didn't know you were coming and even though you are hostile, this family welcomes you, as you are our family," Willem said as his eyes flickered to Tamzin. "As for that town, we know nothing about it and we haven't used spears in years for battle. They are only used for patrols."
Will said nothing as he removed the knife from the table and began to cut into his meat. The remainder of dinner was silent as everyone eyed one another suspiciously and everyone chewed their food carefully. Tamzin noted that Paul had not joined them, which made her suspicious, but she didn't speak on the matter in front of the Bradfords. As they finished dinner, Tamzin looked up to see Nicola watching her with interest.
Will waited patiently for Tamzin to finish her meal and when she finished, he took her hand in his and stood. He didn't bow and Tamzin didn't curtsy as they left the room abruptly. When they were out of the dining room, Will let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Together and silently, they walked back to their chambers and when the door was closed, Will felt the tight bindings of his emotions loosen before they snapped open. He sat on the bed as he felt the sadness inside of him crawl up his throat and made him feel nauseous.
"I am ruined," he admitted as he felt the bed sink in next to him.
"You're not ruined. You aren't even close to the word," Tamzin said as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "You are brave and kind and smart. But I think you are doing nothing for yourself by continuing to be angry."
"She left me..."
"She did and it was wrong. It was so wrong, but you're getting a chance I will never have. I have a mother, but I know she loves my brother more, even if it's only a little bit. We may not be here long and if you never see her again, I know you will regret not taking this chance," Tamzin said as she placed his hand on her belly. "This is happening for a reason. We are here for a reason. To become the King you're destined to be, you need to get to know your mother."
"I have experienced enough of life to know that not everything needs some cosmic reason to happen," Will frowned as he felt his child move beneath his hand. "I was immature back there."
"They shouldn't have called you ruined," Tamzin defended as she reached out and untied his tunic. "Tomorrow is a new day and with every new day is the time to start over."
"I have made my first impression. I can never fix that," Will replied grimly.
"If they can't understand why you're upset, then there isn't a good reason to get to know them," Tamzin comforted before she felt Will shift and leaned in to press his lips against hers. It was a gentle kiss, so full of love and passion as Tamzin felt him press his fingers along her spine. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder as he gently pressed her down into the bed. On h
er side, Tamzin curled against Will as she broke their kiss. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Will whispered as he gently pulled the pins from her hair and watched her hair slowly fall against the pillows. "Do you think he was telling the truth? Willem, about the town?"
"I don't know," Tamzin frowned as Will pulled lightly on the sleeves of her dress. "Until we know otherwise, it would be wise to believe that these people could harm us."
