by Kiki Leach
Norvack laughed. “Allow me to fulfill you, my favorite girl. I wish to be inside you.”
“No! I -- I mustn’t.” I dropped my hands and attempted to move away but he looped his hand around my arm and pulled me back. I nearly lost my balance but Norvack caught me in his strong arms before I could fall to the ground. He lifted me up, staring directly into my violet eyes.
“Once we are married, I shall have you,” he said.
I tenderly released myself from his tight grip and stepped back. “What happened was…” I shook my head. “It will never happen again. I told you that I do not belong to you, Norvack, I--”
“You do. You were mine the moment I summoned you, the moment you came. The latter of which I hope will never be your last time.”
I grinded my teeth, embarrassed. He took a step toward me and lightly stroked my cheek with the back of his soft hand. The last thing I wanted to admit was how much it soothed me, and how much I still wished for his hand to travel much lower.
“You have always been mine. I shall have you, my favorite girl. By your own free will, I shall have you.” He bent down toward my mouth as if he were going to kiss me. I circled my tongue around my lips and he mimicked the motion. I wanted him to kiss me deeply, strongly, but he didn’t and released my face. “Go,” he said. “I shall see you at daybreak.”
I was temporarily stunned but pulled myself together and exited his chambers, returning to my own.
Brigita was waiting for me on the bed when I reentered. I locked the door and fell back against it, clutching my head. I exhaled.
“What are you doing in here?”
“I came to help you dress for bed. Were you with the prince?” she asked. I nodded and she helped me remove my gown and headdress. “The queen went searching for him when she noticed you both missing from the celebration.”
“How long did it take her to notice?”
“Not long. The guests are just now leaving. The king wished for Norvack to say a few departing words, but said them instead. What were you doing with him?”
“He was going to teach me the waltz, but--” I stopped. “We never got around to that.”
She bugged her eyes. “Did you--?”
“No! No, I wouldn’t dream of it!” I lied. “But, he said he wishes to have me. Once we’re married, he said he shall. By my own free will, he shall have me.”
“By your own free will?” Her voice peaked. “Are you not attracted to him, Cinder?”
“Very.” I sounded breathy and eager and cleared my throat to shake the feelings I had. “He’s quite handsome. Perhaps the most handsome man I’ve ever seen in all of Denmark and beyond, of that I shall surely admit. But I’ve learned that handsome men are always the worst lovers. They wish to please themselves more than they wish to please you. Perhaps I shall find the ugliest man in the country and make him my lover while I’m married to Norvack!”
Brigita giggled and shook her head as she brushed my hair. “I have heard that Norvack is a truly wonderful lover, very kind and attentive.”
I puckered my brows and looked aside. “Really?”
“Yes. I imagine that being with him is like a dream come to life.”
“Hmm. For whom?” I asked. She remained silent. I sniffed and pinched my lips, admittedly jealous and a bit perturbed by her admission. “Well, from the mouths of those who only wish to bed him for his money and power, they shall say he was the best lover this side of the ocean. Tell me a true maiden who has been with Norvack of her own free will, if only because she was interested and for no other reason, and I shall show you that of a maiden ‘who hath been left so unsatisfied’.”
She stopped brushing my hair and looked down at me, grinning a little. “Is your biggest fear that he’s terrible?”
“I have no fears!” I said, jumping up from the bench and straightening my nightgown. “I certainly do not fear sex with the prince, I just do not wish for it!”
“How shall you continue to resist him, Cinder, as he wishes to have you?”
“I’ll manage.”
She stepped closer to me and squint. “Are you not the least bit curious about him?”
Of course I was curious, possibly about more than she had ever wished to know! Especially after having his cock in my hands. He was so large, he fit into both of my hands. The very thought of him fulfilling me with pleasure made my knees rattle and buckle. But I couldn’t very well admit such things aloud.
I smiled sweetly and placed my hands in front of me. “I should prepare for bed.”
She nodded and curtsied, still eyeing me suspiciously. “Yes, Miss. Enjoy your first night’s sleep inside the palace. I will be back for you in the morning.”
As she left, I sat on the edge of my bed, reminiscing of the time spent in Norvack’s room.
I couldn’t resist him. She was right. How could I continue to keep it up, especially given that I had barely escaped with my breasts in tact even then? Maybe if I imagined he was his more vile brother.
A loud grunting sound came from outside my window as I slept soundlessly. As it got louder and seemingly more angry, forcing me to toss and turn against my white silken sheets, I rushed to the balcony. When I looked out, I saw Norvack on the lawn chopping blocks of wood. He was sweaty, his hair was messy. He was wearing no tunic, only his riding pants and boots. I stood watching him with my mouth hanging open and had a sudden urge to bring him water or a glass of his favorite, brandy. I forgot all about sleeping in that comfortable bed and wished instead to lead him to my bedroom, while he kissed me hard and allowed his fingers to fervently search for my clitoris beneath my gown. I leaned on the railing and rubbed my legs together as I watched him chop each long block into mere splinters. The muscles in his back tensed with each swing. I drew my hand to my mouth and bit down hard on my pinky. Perhaps he will be in need of a massage later, I thought. I couldn’t bear to imagine anyone else touching him the way I could. If I just overlooked whatever morals I had left and allowed myself to have him.
I shook the absurd notion from my head and closed my curtains, retuning to bed.
This was going to be much harder than I thought.
The Unanticipated
Breakfast came early that morning in the dining area located in the east wing near the lawn where we were to be married. The sun had nearly hit its peak, shining through the glass windows and shimmering off the gold walls opposite us. The room was so bright and warm, cozy. Norvack and I sat alone at the breakfast table, waiting for his parents to join us. He sat at the head of the table while I sat to the left of him at his request. I did my best to avoid his gaze, as he had been staring at me like a dessert tray the moment I had entered the room.
He tilted his head, resting his temple against his index finger. “How did you sleep last night?” he asked.
“Fine.”
“Fine…? Is your bed comfortable? It is one room I haven’t slept in.”
“You mean, alone?”
“That too.” He grinned.
One of the servants from the kitchen entered and nodded to Norvack. “Sir,” he said, “your father and mother will not be joining you this morning.”
“Is something the matter?”
“I am not sure. I was only informed that you and Cinder would be dining alone.”
He grabbed his head in frustration and squeezed his eyes tight. “Alright. We’re ready to be served, then.”
“Yes, sir.”
I snatched my napkin from the table, placing it in my lap, and took a sip of fresh squeezed orange juice, fruit straight from the garden. “Your father wishes to have nothing to do with me. He is not here because of me.”
“Possibly. Though, it does not excuse his behavior.”
“It is his kingdom, his palace. We cannot blame him, I certainly cannot. Not after what I have done.”
“What you have done is of no matter when my father is oblivious. He is not here because of who you are--”
“Of who I am, and where I come fr
om. The same place as your mother, yes? Why didn’t you tell me that she hailed from Hadenville?”
The servants then returned to the table with trays and trays of food, pancakes the size of giant saucers, ham and eggs, strips of bacon, and rows of fat sausage links snuggled between slices of fresh baked banana bread. A breakfast that could have fed an entire army, I could have eaten it all on my own if allowed. The aroma alone was enough to make my mouth water. As they platted our food, Norvack ordered brandy. I rolled my eyes.
“Do you ever take a day off of drinking?”
“Perhaps when we are married, that shall change.”
“I’m sure.” I took a bite from a plump sausage link. It melted into my mouth the same as butter. I looked at Norvack from the corner of my eye and noticed him purposely ignoring me for what seemed like the first time ever. I stared, attempting to capture his attention. “Why didn’t you tell me that the queen hailed from Hadenville?”
He thanked the servant who brought him a glass of brandy and took a sip before digging into his plate of eggs. “It’s not something worth discussing,” he mumbled.
“You don’t believe that informing me of something as significant as that is worth discussing? She was the daughter of a prostitute and a vagabond! Why would you think to not inform me that?”
He sighed and dropped his shoulders, looking ahead. “Because it isn’t true.”
“What?”
“The story she fed you last night isn’t true. I have tried to avoid this, because as much as I despise her antics, she is still my mother.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin and looked over at me. “My parent’s did marry when my mother was only thirteen, but she was no commoner, she was wealthy. Her family promised her to Belarus at birth much like the princess was promised to me.” His voice lowered. He sounded ashamed and placed his hands on the table. “My mother did not hail from Hadenville, Cinder, she hailed from Copenhagen and lost her accent between the ages of twelve and fourteen.”
I furrowed my brows and shook my head. “Why would she lie about something like that? What’s the significance of informing me of such a--”
“Because it’s who she is,” he said with a sad smile; the skin crinkled around his eyes. “Perhaps you believed she was attempting to relate to you? She is a master of telling you whatever it is that you wish to hear, all the while whispering into the ears of everyone else around her something completely opposite of what she just relayed to you. My mother is quite the insincere woman. You shall learn how much overtime.”
“Is that so?” My eyes slipped away from his and I pondered. “She told me that you adored me in a way that astounded her. That she had never seen another man embrace a woman the way you embrace me. She said she feared you loved me too much, and that a love like that could be crippling, and dangerous… Was she only telling me what I wished to hear, or was she telling me the absolute truth?”
“Is that what you wished to hear, my favorite girl?”
“I don’t know, I… I wish for the truth.”
“You are aware of what I feel for you, Cinder. What I have always felt. That was perhaps the only thing my mother was truthful about all night.”
“How would she know that you felt this way? It doesn’t seem as if you have ever opened up to her about anything.”
“I haven’t.” He cleared his throat. “Months after the bakery, we traveled to the square together, and I saw you with a local beggar this time. He accused you of stealing the change from his hat or something, and my mother made a comment in regard to your ferocity, something unappealing. I sat in that carriage watching you as always, amazed and intrigued at the way you wrangled yourself out of that mess. She saw firsthand what I felt for you. All it takes is a single look for the entire world to know what I feel. That was not a lie.” He looked at me in a peculiar manner and dropped his fork to his plate. “Come with me,” he said, standing and extending his hand to me. “I wish to show you something.”
I drank the remainder of my orange juice and hesitantly placed my hand in his.
We traveled in silence as he led me to another wing of the palace, to what appeared to be a foundry room.
More natural light shown across the golden walls, the sun beaming down on the metal swords aligning them, each one with the tip facing north, with a year, sometimes a month and year, marked on a wooden board that sat beneath each gold plated handle. And then I saw an empty space. A space with a wooden board but no sword above it and I knew it was mine.
I snatched my hand from his and stood back in a fright. “Why are we in here?” He said nothing as he walked around me. I watched him move about like a snake and became tense, but tried not to show it. “These,” I continued, my tone slightly above a panic, “all of these belong to you?”
“Mm-hmm.” Norvack slipped his hands inside his pockets and looked up at each one. “There was a time when I received one sword per year. Then once a year became every month, courtesy of my mother. She changed the rules when a sword disappeared from the premises years ago. I have not replaced it since.”
“You mean my sword.” I lowered my voice to just above a shallow whisper. “The one I used to kill your brother. You never told her what happened to it? That it was stolen, even if not by whom?”
“I have never told anyone but Brigita. And I would not have informed her either if I didn’t believe I could trust her. If I didn’t believe you could trust her.” He moved around me again and I followed his gaze. “This was one of my favorite rooms as a child,” he said. “I would spend hours here just looking at them all, gazing at their sharpened perfection. My father and I would practice jabs on one another as they do in the courtyard. He wanted me to learn how to attack an enemy, to be prepared if ever a need be, and he cut me once on the shoulder with that one.” Norvack tossed his hand to the highest sword on the right side of the room. “It was a deep cut and I wailed as the blood gushed from between the slit of my skin. My arm was stained and bruised for days. I sought his comfort but he called me a lass and said I should toughen up the same as my brother, Willem.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It was the first slip up my father ever made in regards to him. The brother whom I was not aware existed until I was thirteen years young. My father told me to keep it quiet then. Never tell a soul, he said, since he never meant to tell me about Willem’s true paternity at the time either. He wanted to wait. Only he and my mother knew. Until they got into an argument one night, one that awoke the entire palace staff from their deep slumber, and then everyone had become aware. But my father was an intelligent man, threatening their livelihood and families to keep them quiet. And they did, until the night Willem’s body was found near that fountain in Hadenville.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It isn’t your fault,” he said. “He attacked you. You had every right to defend yourself from his advances.”
“No, I mean I’m sorry that I never told you the reason he was found there. Weren’t you ever curious as to how his body got from the river to the cobblestone streets within the village? The Sheriff lied--”
“I’m aware of that.” He exhaled. “I did not just watch you kill my brother that night, Cinder. When I heard my father asking the sheriff and his men to go searching for Willem, I feared they would find you, so I followed you all the way back to Hadenville. I heard the Sheriff and his men talking and learned of what they had planned to do with Willem’s body.”
“Then you saw me leaping into Brigita’s home.”
He nodded. “She kept quiet for you that night and I knew that I could trust her with the truth.”
I turned away from him and smiled to myself. “I can’t believe you followed me all the way back to Hadenville on foot. It must have been quite tortuous that night.”
“I would do anything for you, Cinder.”
“Right down to keeping quiet that I murdered your brother…. Why did you despise him? It’s quite obvious why I or any other woman would wish to see him dead. Bu
t, why you?”
“Because my father loved him more than he ever loved me, just as he loved Willem’s mother more than he has ever loved mine. She was not just a mistress. I am quite assured that she was the love of his life, no matter what has been said of her.”
“What makes you think that?”
“The king has his chambers.” He paused. “He keeps a portrait of her beneath his bed there.”
I turned to him in shock and thought for a moment. “Why beneath his bed? Is he ashamed of her?”
“No. Not ashamed. He wishes to still have her. But a portrait of his mistress on the palace walls and in the face of his queen is quite unacceptable.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “And if his mistress were his wife?”
He grinned. “If she were his wife, he would happily place that portrait in every room of the palace if he could.”
“That must be a terrible feeling for your mother.”
He said nothing in response and traipsed about in a sluggish manner. And then he stopped suddenly to look back at me.
“I saw you watching me last night,” he said.
I laughed nervously. “What?”
“From your balcony. I saw you watching me as I chopped wood on the lawn.”
“I heard a noise and was curious, that was all.”
I tried walking away, but he looped his hand around my arm and pulled me to his body. “Curious about what?” He licked his lips.
I tried backing away from his face. “The noise,” I replied panting. “I heard grunting.”
“You left me feeling…” He grinded his teeth. “I had tension and needed to release it,” he said. Then he grinned and shook his head. “Cinder girl.”
He leaned down to my face and I dropped my head back, shutting my eyes, preparing to succumb to a deep kiss.
“Prince Norvack!” a rattled voice yelled out from the opposite side of the room. “Prince -- Prince Norvack!” Norvack hesitantly turned to an overwhelmed and grief-stricken servant who stood in the doorway of the room. He was breathing hard and his clothes were jumbled. His face reddened and his hands shook like mad. One could only assume he had raced throughout the entire palace, searching every room for Norvack until he found him with me. “It’s your father, sir, the king!” he said, his voice trembling. “You must come at once, sir. The king has--”
