His wife whirled upon him and cried, “What? You expect me to rear another woman’s child but you don’t want to rear one that’s not yours?”
“No, I don’t,” he snarled.
“That’s not fair!” Lady Fontaine stomped her foot.
“It has nothing to do with fair!” Lord Fontaine trumpeted back. His voice rose. “It has to do with pride.”
“Pride?” His wife’s voice rose even higher. “What about repopulating our dismal island? What about having a family?” She burst into tears and stormed away. But halfway to the manor she turned around and shouted, “As soon as the queen lets offlanders onto the island, I’m taking a lover and I’m going to adopt all the children orphaned by that horrible Mouse King. It’s not your money, it’s mine!” Her chin lifted high, she swept into the house. If Kyla could have, she would have applauded.
* * * * *
Merlin had just started toward the stables when a huge fanfare of trumpets sounded. He clapped his hands over his ears. What was it with the Southern Isles and loud noise? They seemed to revel in revelry—and the more earsplitting, the better.
Then Lord Fontaine arrived, dressed in a foppish coat of scarlet and pink trimmed with pearls and diamonds. He rang a silver bell and everyone turned to him in hushed expectation.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming tonight to the Presentation Fête. The glorious Kyla, my new concubine, will be introduced to all of you.” With a flourish, Lord Fontaine rang his bell again and servants arrived, carrying a palanquin. The palanquin was curtained. As the crowd held its breath, Lord Fontaine pulled the curtain aside. And there was Kyla. She was stark naked, bound with silken ropes, and looked absolutely furious.
Merlin missed his footing and nearly fell. Only grabbing on to a portly guest saved him. He must be drunker than he thought. He was having hallucinations of Kyla bound and gagged. He peered closer. No, it was real. She was being led out of the palanquin now by four servants, and she wasn’t making things easy for anyone. Even tied hand and foot she managed to kick one servant in the balls and another got a knee in the chin and fell over backward. By Mistral, she was a dirty fighter! How could he have ever thought her a soft, spoiled fairy brat? He grinned as she clamped both of her legs around the palanquin’s frame and refused to let go. Now there was a spirited lass!
But what did they want with her? He frowned as they muscled her onto a large table set up in the middle of the garden and tied her down. An elderly man walked over.
“Behold our eminent doctor, Sir Giles.” Lord Fontaine ignored Kyla’s furious struggles and bowed to the old man. “He will tell us if the concubine is fit to bear my children.”
Standing next to Lord Fontaine was a tall, thin woman wearing a strained expression and sumptuous robes. Merlin guessed it was Lady Fontaine. She had a bandage on her head, he could see it even though she’d tried to hide it with a silk scarf and a diadem.
Merlin tried to get through the crowd, but everyone was pressing in, forming an impenetrable hedge. “Let me through,” he said, shoving guests aside, careless now of manners. He was an elf, by Mistral!
There seemed to be some sort of altercation going on. A woman screaming. Lord Fontaine yelling. And the murmur of voices in the crowd finally getting through to his brain.
“She’s pregnant! The new concubine is pregnant!”
Merlin froze. Kyla was pregnant already? May curses fall for a thousand years on Lord Fontaine! He felt as if he’d just been stabbed through the heart. He staggered, held up by the crowd, and the crowd was still commenting.
“Lord Fontaine is furious!” said one person.
“Yes, but would you want to rear another man’s child?” replied another.
“Another man’s child? Whose?” Merlin grabbed the guest around the neck and shook him.
The man grimaced. “I believe you’ve had too much wine, sir. How would I know who the wench slept with before?”
“Who she…” Merlin let go of him and turned to stare at Kyla. “She slept with me,” he said, and dashed toward her. Comprehension was slowly pushing its way into his brain, slowed no doubt by too much wine. And what was Lord Fontaine doing? He raised a whip and brought it down upon Kyla’s body.
That did it. Merlin erupted out of the crowd like a tornado, seized the lord by his collar and tossed him into the nearest fishpond. Then he tore Kyla’s bonds off and held her tightly. “Kyla,” he said.
She pushed him away. “Let go of me, you drunken oaf!”
“It’s elf,” he said, trying to gather his thoughts. “Why are you so angry? I just saved you.”
“I wanted to knock that bastard into the fishpond myself!” She struggled again but he held her tight.
“Too late. I already did,” he said distractedly. He drew his sword and waved it at the guards, who stepped back prudently. “Stay away,” said Merlin. “She’s mine.”
Kyla’s expression softened and she kissed him. “Thank you for rescuing me. Can we go home now?”
“Here, take this.” He took his cloak off and gave it to her. She wrapped it around her shoulders. The guards didn’t bother them after Lady Fontaine came back and told Kyla she was free. She also gave her a decent robe to wear for the ride home. Kyla put it on then slumped against Merlin, her face pale with fatigue.
Merlin carried her on his lap all the way back to the castle. It made it damned hard to ride, but he didn’t try anything. He did have to tell Kyla about the queen though. It was the hardest thing he’d ever said, but he wanted to keep nothing from her.
She craned her neck and looked at him.
“Did you make love to her?”
“Well, not with my cock, but I touched her. I think Sebring would have liked it if I’d made love to her but to tell you the truth, I didn’t want to. All I could think of was you.”
Her cheeks grew pink, and she asked, “Do you always share with your brother?”
“I used to,” he said.
“Why didn’t you share me?” She sounded curious.
“I don’t know, but whenever I thought about it, I wanted to punch him in the nose. I still do. I think I’m the jealous type,” he admitted. He jingled his horse’s reins.
“How can you still be jealous? You drank the antidote.”
“Maybe it didn’t work. When I found out you were missing all I could think of was getting you back. I guess we’ll have to ask your cook for the real antidote.”
“I guess.” She sounded sad though.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I feel sick.”
“Do you want me to stop the horse?”
“Yes.” She got down and was copiously sick behind a bush. He had a flask of water and gave it to her and she drank it, grimacing.
“Is it because you’re pregnant?” He tried not to sound too anxious, but he felt anxious.
“No, it’s because I ate too much rich food. After months of plain fare it was too much. That will teach me to be a pig.”
He laughed, but talking about her pregnancy had made up his mind. He got down on his knees and took her hand. “You know, we don’t have to ask for the antidote. I want to marry you, after this war is over, and if I’m still alive. And don’t worry. If you want we can live in the city. I know how important parties and such are for you,” he said, looking at her carefully. A rosy flush spread across her cheeks and her eyes suddenly glittered with tears. He felt a stab of disquiet. “What’s the matter? Is my proposition so awful?”
She shook her head, making her tears fly like diamonds. “No, that’s not it at all. I was dreaming you’d say that. Dreaming you’d ask me to marry you. I love you, and I don’t want to take any antidote, ever.” She flung herself into his arms. “I’m so glad I’m having your child.”
He kissed her hair. She smelled like jasmine and roses and she felt like heaven. His arms tightened around her. “Let’s go back to the castle. In another minute, I’m going to tear out of my pants.
She reached down and tou
ched his hard-on. “Oh, I see!” She giggled.
The feel of her cool, slim fingers made chills run up his spine, but he managed to lift her on his horse and mount, then pull her back onto his lap. “Behave,” he said to her sternly. “Otherwise I shall fall off this horse, and I don’t want anything happening to you.”
“I’m not made of glass,” she said, but she looked pleased and settled against him, giving a deep sigh. A few minutes later he looked down and saw she’d fallen fast asleep. He was left alone with a raging hard-on, and a huge bubble of happiness that threatened to make his chest explode.
Merlin’s happiness lasted until he reached the castle and the reality of his situation sank in. He was with the woman he loved, but their lives depended on the queen’s ability to get pregnant. And until then, Hivernia was still at war, his friends were still fighting and dying, and he was stuck on the island.
* * * * *
A week went by. Merlin and Kyla were happy in their bubble. Sebring stayed with the queen, and he seemed happy as well. He asked Merlin and Kyla to join them in the bathhouse and they made love as a foursome, but Kyla and Merlin only wanted to make love to each other and not share.
“I don’t want to hurt your feelings,” said Kyla to the queen, “but I only want my husband to make love to me.”
“Your fiancé, you mean,” she said. Kyla had discovered the queen was something of a stickler for exactness.
“I appreciate your offer to let us have our wedding here, but I want to wait until the war in Hivernia is over,” Kyla told her.
“I know. I wish I would hurry up and get pregnant so that the army can go to help your country.”
“It’s not for lack of trying,” said Sebring. He had just finished making love to the queen and his face was flushed. They were all rather flushed, actually. The air in the royal chamber was musky with the scent of two very aroused women and two horny men. The sight of Sebring and Willow had excited Kyla, and she’d eagerly submitted to Merlin’s agile ministrations. While Sebring had gently stroked Willow, Merlin had thrust into Kyla and brought her to a peak of ecstasy.
Afterward they talked for a bit, curled up together in the silken sheets. There was a plate of fruit on the bed and Merlin was teasing Kyla with a slice of melon, placing it on her lips and then pulling it away when she went to bite it.
The sun set, and Merlin took Kyla back to their room, where she dressed for dinner. Life in the palace was very relaxing, but it was also boring, and Kyla was aching to know what was happening in Hivernia.
At the table that night, Queen Willow gathered her ministers together, stood, and said in a solemn voice, “I have an announcement to make that will bring great joy to the Southern Isles. I am expecting an heir to the throne. The army will leave for Hivernia tomorrow at dawn.”
Kyla half rose in her chair, and Merlin’s shocked gasp was drowned out by the wild applause of the ministers. They all got up to congratulate the queen. Sebring, looking a little ashen, stood by her side. Kyla looked at Merlin, but he looked as confused as she felt. Hadn’t the queen said just that afternoon that she wished she’d get pregnant? Had she been to see a doctor since then? That must be the reason.
Kyla suddenly felt giddy with relief. She was going back to Hivernia the next morning! The same thought must have struck Merlin at the exact moment, because he threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly.
“Home,” he said, his voice rough. “We’re going home!”
The next day the Southern Isle troops, led by Merlin and Sebring, left for Hivernia. Kyla went with Merlin. He would be dropping her off at her aunt’s castle.
The wind was at their backs and pushed the boats along at a fast clip. The weather was clement, the wind steady, and they made good time. In less than a fortnight they saw Hivernia’s shore and everyone gave a cheer.
Behind them the twenty boats of the Southern Isle’s army raised their standards. They also sounded the trumpets and made a huge racket, which made Sebring remark sourly that he was glad he wasn’t traveling with the musicians.
Kyla turned to Sebring with a frown. He’d been acting strangely melancholy for the whole trip—staying away from them and hardly speaking. Now, with Hivernia in view she dared ask him what was the matter.
Sebring looked startled, then said, “I fell in love with the queen, but she asked me to leave.”
“But why?” Merlin asked.
“Because my life will be in danger when everyone finds out her lie.” He paused, then said, “She invented her pregnancy in order to save Hivernia.”
“What?” Kyla felt faint. “She lied? But what will happen to her when the people of the Southern Isles find out?”
“I don’t know,” said Sebring, and his voice was as pale as ashes.
Kyla couldn’t think long about Sebring’s dilemma though. The southernmost seaport was barely a day’s sail away. Tomorrow she would be back with her aunt and Sebring and Merlin would be sailing north to join King Branagh’s army. Her heart felt like breaking and a terrible fear gnawed at her belly. What if this was the last night she would spend with Merlin? What if he were killed or maimed in the war? She couldn’t hide her tears, but she didn’t want Merlin to feel guilty for leaving her. She fled to their room below deck and hid under the covers.
“I know how you feel,” he said a little while later. He sat next to her and stroked her back. “I’m not afraid to go to war, but the thought of never seeing you again is terrifying.”
She rolled over and tried to smile, though it hurt her face. “I wish I’d never made that potion. It’s caused you too much pain.”
His face twisted. “No, don’t say that.” He bent down and brushed his lips over hers. She kissed him back, letting his tongue invade her mouth, claim her for his own. A rush of desire made her shake and she couldn’t get out of her clothes fast enough. She wanted to feel him plunging into her, wanted his cock wedged into her pussy as far as it could go.
“Slow down,” he whispered, running his hands over her sides and down her thighs. “I want this to last forever.”
A spasm shook her as he leaned down to kiss her again, and then she gasped as he sucked hard on her nipple, pulling it almost roughly into his mouth.
She pushed his shirt off, and then unbuckled his belt, pushing his pants down around his knees. “Try to run away from me now,” she teased.
He got up and laughed. “It is damned hard running with a hard-on. You should try it.” He pulled his pants the rest of the way off and then lunged at her. “Although if I were chasing you, I bet I could run faster than a satyr chases a nymph!”
“I should hope so,” she giggled.
He parted her thighs, his expression eager, and knelt between them. He kissed the delicate hollow just below her hip then parted her outer labia with gentle fingers, stroking her softly. He loved to tease her clit with his tongue while he eased his fingers into her slick passage. It drove her wild, and he would purposely bring her to the brink of an orgasm then pull away, leaving her panting and frustrated.
Her pussy grew sopping wet and she felt swollen and aching. His cock brushed against her legs teasingly, but when she tried to reach for it he stopped her. “No, if you touch me I won’t be able to wait.”
“Wait? I can’t wait,” she gasped as he twirled a finger into her passage and slurped hungrily at her clit. “I’m coming. Oh Mistral, take me!”
He didn’t need to be asked twice. Still on his knees, he pulled her to the edge of the bed and sheathed his cock in her. He hesitated, then drove into her until he was wedged tight. Then he twisted his hips, making it touch her in places she didn’t know could be touched. She uttered a scream of pure pleasure. Her legs hung over the edge of the bed, making her hips tilt upward and making his cock drive even deeper into her cunt.
Spasms shook him as he thrust in and out. His breath came in quick gasps and then suddenly she felt him coming. His muscles trembled as he held her by the hips, keeping his twitching cock buried in her. Sh
e felt an answering wave of contractions in her cunt, and another scream tore out of her throat as she came, her whole body rippling in gratification.
Afterward she cried while he held her. Her defenses had been utterly broken, and she was too tired to hide her feelings anymore. “Just prom…prom…promise me you’ll come home,” she sobbed.
He held her tightly but didn’t say anything. That was one promise he couldn’t make.
“I’ll love you as long as I live,” he said. And that was all she had to keep her hope alive with as she watched him sail away the next day.
Epilogue
The troops of the Southern Isles were highly trained, and combined with Hivernia’s forces, finally put an end to the Mouse King and his army of behemoths.
Merlin made it through the war and went back to Kyla, and they were married quietly in her aunt’s castle. They were happy to be together, but sorrowful as well. Sebring was not with them. During the last battle, he lost his life.
King Branagh and Queen Melflouise gave a huge celebration for the end of the war with the Mouse King. They honored the fallen and their heroes. Queen Melflouise, an archer, gave the medals of valor, and Merlin received one for himself and one for his twin, posthumously.
Kyla had seen King Branagh and Queen Melflouise before, but she was most fascinated by Merlin’s guardian, the elf healer Llewellyn, and Tamara, his d’ark t’uath bride. That tribe of elves was a mystery to her—a tribe of women who didn’t need men! But Tamara, Llewellyn’s wife, had left her tribe to marry a man and they seemed very happy together. The celebration lasted a full week, and although the music sparkled and wine flowed, it was colored with sorrow. Too many elves and fairies had died. Only the thought that the Mouse King had finally been defeated raised their spirits.
Kyla had a little girl and named her Willow. She didn’t want to go back to her life of parties and frivolity, and instead moved in with Merlin in his house in a small town in the north of Hivernia. She had a lot to get used to. She was the only fairy princess in town, and at first she thought she would have trouble making friends. But all the village womenfolk wanted her advice about clothing, dancing and how to be fashionable. She made friends quickly and found that she absolutely loved life in a small town. She hardly missed the pomp and ceremony of court.
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