Keys to the Kingdom

Keys to the Kingdom

By

Fiona Wilde

(c)2010 by Blushing Books(r) and Fiona Wilde

Copyright (c) 2010 by Blushing Books(r) and Fiona Wilde

All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Wilde, Fiona

Keys to the Kingdom

eBook ISBN: 978-1-60968-592-8

Cover Design by ABCD Graphics

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This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults. Nothing in this book should be interpreted as advocating any non-consensual spanking activity or the spanking of minors.

Chapter One

King Elgar sat on his throne, his once sturdy frame slumped now under the fur-lined purple cloak he wore. The skin of his face was parchment thin, showing the network of spider veins that ran down his cheek before being obscured by his snow-white beard. His eyes, watery and red rimmed as they were, still held an air of authority. When he spoke to the five men standing before him, his voice was shaky but still strong.

"The five sons of Randor," he said, his eyes traveling from one young man to another. "Five strong, vital young men." He paused. "Your father was a lucky man, even though the loss of his kingdom to rivals may have you believing otherwise. I've often thought it ironic that King Salazar lost his kingdom in the wars when he had sons to pass them to, when I held mine despite having no male heir."

He sighed heavily. "Daughters. Despite having two beautiful queens, riches and land, the one thing I desired above everything else - a son - was the one thing that I never got. Forty-five moons I waited, nine times five, only at the end to have the royal midwife come out with news she never wanted to give. A daughter. Then another and another and another and another. Five daughters who grew up so spoiled and coddled that now I'd be afraid of passing the kingdom to them even if I were to break with tradition and consider it."

His eyes moved down the line of men again. "That is why you are here. With no male heir, and no daughter disciplined enough to take over as head of Ardonia, I have come to a decision to assure that my kingdom and daughters will endure upon my death, and produce sons to succeed them, sons that will carry my blood if not my name."

"The five exiled princes of Randor - Kier, Justin, Quentin, Ivan and Leo - to each of you I offer the chance to inherit what your father lost. Lands. Titles. Wealth. And marriage to a beautiful princess."

He smiled then. "I'm speaking of my daughters, of course, and since nothing comes without being earned I will now reveal my terms."

The five princes looked at each other and then at the old king, their faces expectant.

"Before you win my daughters, you must first tame them."

The princes' collective sigh of relief was audible and they smiled, but their smiles faded as the old king began to laugh.

"Don't be so confident," he said. "My daughters are as headstrong as the wildest of wild horses that roam the hills above my forest. They are cunning as the foxes that raid the royal henhouses. They are as treacherous as the seas that batter the white cliffs atop which my castle sits. They need husbands who are strong and smart, husbands who can break them without breaking their spirits. My daughters cry out for good masters. Are you those men? If you are, then you will become the new rulers of Ardonia."

"We'll all be kings then?" asked the Leo the youngest.

"No. Not all," King Elgar said with a shake of his head. "The eldest of you, Keir, will be paired with Lenora, my eldest daughter. Of all my daughters, Lenora is the fairest and the fieriest. She has a raging temper and a warrior's heart. Had she been born a man she would be a great fighter. Among you, Kier is the strongest, and most suited to the challenge of taming her. It is only fair, since had your father lived he would have inherited Randor."

Kier nodded, indicating that he was willing to accept the challenge. His brothers looked at him with a bit of envy, but said nothing, for they all loved one another and had promised not ever to become divided and conquered as their former kingdom had been.

"My remaining daughters will be paired by age from the second oldest to the youngest. Justin will be paired with Fiona, who finds sport in sowing discord among others for her own amusement. Quentin, you will be paired with Angelica, whose innocent face often makes others forget that she is a consummate liar. Ivan, you will be paired with Luna whose mischievous streak knows no bounds. She's a smart girl, but does not know when to be serious."

Finally, he turned to Leo. "As for you, Prince Leo, the youngest of the princes of Randor, it is with a mixture of sadness and pity that I pair you with my youngest daughter. For the Princess Lark was not only indulged by her mother, but by her sisters. She has for her whole life gotten everything she wanted and will not accept being denied. She wants her way in everything and her tantrums have been known to put servants in tears and scatter birds from the rafters. She desperately needs to grow up, but does not know how. You are young, but I trust that you are nonetheless strong and wise enough to guide her along the path to adulthood, although she will no doubt kick and scream the whole way."

"Now," he said with a sigh. "Are you willing to accept this task? I do hope so, for I am old and eager to die in peace. And I cannot until I know my daughters are safe."

The princes nodded.

"Very well," the king said with a smile. "The girls will be informed of their betrothal by nightfall. You will all be required to succeed in your task before the eldest of you - Kier - will be seated as king and the younger brothers appointed his lords, and decreed to succeed him in the event of his death provided he has no sons. Understood?"

Again, the young men nodded.

"Very well," King Elgar said. "And now you will each be given a good meal and a fine room in which to sleep. I suggest you have a good rest, for no dragon could ever tax a man the way my daughters will tax each of you."

The five exiled princes bowed and moved from the room, leaving the old king smiling on his throne. For he knew they did not take his words seriously and would soon live to realize what a mistake they had made.

* * *

Princess Lark stared through the casement and down into the courtyard, a pout almost but not quite spoiling her pretty looks.

"This is silly nonsense, trapping us up here like prisoners when he's down there with visitors. Why can't we go down to the hall?"

She walked over to a chair and flopped down, crossing her arms petulantly across her chest. "It's probably traveling merchants with pretty dresses and ribbons and mean old father won't let us see them."

"Oh shut up, Lark!" Lenora glared as she passed her youngest sister to occupy her place by the window. "Father never denies you anything. Besides, you have more dresses than you can wear. And they weren't merchants. They were men. Five of them."

Fiona walked over to join her, twirling a lock of red hair around her finger and stared down at the courtyard where a black coach stood.

"Who do you think they are," she asked Lenora. "The carriage looks as if it were once fine."

"It's not fine any longer," remarked Fiona. "I could get the upstairs maid to go down there on pretense of cleaning and see who they are."

"Father would see through that right away," Lenora said. "He knows your trickery."

"I could go down," Angelica offered. "I could burst into the hall and tell Father I've a grave pain and need the physician."

"Like he'd believe you," the two sisters said together. Angelica just rolled her eyes.

Finally, Luna joined them. "The carriage is under the window. I could throw the cat on the back of the horses pulling it. The horses would go berserk from fear and the uproar would cause them to all run out."

The others looked at her, incredulous.

"Are you seriously suggesting we throw a
cat
from the castle window?" Lenora's face grew angry and Luna took a step backward, not wanting to incur her eldest sister's wrath.

"It was just a suggestion," she sulked.

They watched as a servant walked from the house and said something to the coach driver who then took the horses and led them towards the stable.

"What's this? They're taking the carriage and horses in?" Lenora asked, raising an elegant eyebrow. She turned to her sisters. "Our guests appear to be staying."

A knock sounded on the door and the youngest rose to answer. It was a maid, come to tell them their father wanted to see them.

"Finally," said Fiona. "I'm quite eager to see who these important mystery guests are."

But when the princesses got to the hall, they found only their father still slumped on his throne and looking weary as ever. The girls looked around as they entered, their eyes questioning as they glanced at one another.

"Father," said Lenora, for being the eldest she was always the one to address him first. "I was under the impression we have guests. Where are they?"

"Retired for the evening," he said.

"Before meeting your daughters?" she asked peevishly. "Have you grown so ashamed of the gender of your children that you hide them away now?"

The old king sighed. "You know better than that, Lenora," he replied. "In fact, your suspicions are completely wrong. Our guests were invited here for the express purpose of meeting you."

"Really?" Angelic stepped forward, her sapphire eyes narrowed in suspicion. As a consummate liar, she always assumed others were lying as well. "Then if that's so, father, why aren't they here?"

"Because they were tired from their journey and have retired for the evening. And given the hour I would recommend that you do the same."

The sisters looked at one another.

"And who are these guests that we should even want to meet them," pressed Fiona.

"You will find out tomorrow," King Elgar said. "Consider it a surprise."

Lark clapped her hands together. "I love surprises," she said. "Are they artists, perchance, come to paint our portraits, for I would love a new one to hang above my mantle."

The other sisters turned to glare at her.

"Lark speaks only for herself," Luna said. "Not all of us like surprises."

"You do, but only if you're behind them," the king reminded his fourth-born child. "Remember the surprise snake you put in your last governess' sewing basket?"

Lark grinned. "That surprise was justified," she said. "We have done nothing to warrant your hiding the truth from us."

"And I am not." The old king rose to his feet, his knees creaking as he stood. "And as I said, you will find out on the morrow who our guests are and you will be given ample time to acquaint yourselves."

He walked to stand between Lenora and Fiona and put an arm through each of theirs. "Be a good group of daughters and walk an old man to his chambers, will you? It is always best to end one's day surrounded by beauty."

The girls looked at one another and smiled. Their father may have his ways, but he almost always knew what to say to make them feel loved and cherished. So flanked by his two eldest daughters and trailed by his three youngest, he made his way through the castle and to his chambers, where his girls bid him goodnight before retiring as well.

* * *

Getting to sleep wasn't quite so easy for the five princes. Each had been shown to a separate, comfortable room supplied with every comfort they could imagine - heavy oak beds hung with drapes to keep out the cold, wolf skin rugs to warm the stone floor, a crackling fire and a table laden with food and drink in silver plates and goblets.

But despite having individual quarters all five ended up meeting together in Kier's room, where they sat watching the eldest pacing back and forth as the moon rose outside the window behind him.

"There has to be a catch," Kier said. "There's always a catch. A kingship, lands, wealth, all for taming women? It's too easy."

"Perhaps they are ugly women," Leo said.

Justin shook his head. "No," he said. "The daughters of King Elgar are said to be the most beautiful in the land."

"By whom?" Quentin asked.

"By everyone," Ivan replied. "Besides, King Elgar wouldn't lie."

The princes grew silent.

"Perhaps they can't be tamed," offered Quentin.