Lost Princess (6 page)

“Thank you, lord Devlin.” I said in a quiet voice.

Devlin turned to his brother. “Max, I must say you’ve surprised me. Married nearly a day and your wife looks like she still likes you.”

Max scowled briefly, but then the slightest of smiles touched his lips.

Devlin again turned to me as the food reached the table. Had they waited for me? I’d have to move more quickly tomorrow. “Is it true, my lady? Has your short marriage been to your liking?”

I thought of what Max had done to and with me, and a blush rose on my face.

Devlin grinned at Max and laughed. “I’m glad to see it,” he said.

I ate slowly, thinking for once that perhaps this marriage wasn’t the doom I’d thought it might be. True, I couldn’t hide some of my antics from Max as I had before, but I could stay quiet and unobtrusive in my behavior, couldn’t I? I could keep my mouth closed and resist angering him.  I was almost sure I could do that.

Callista was waiting to ambush me after I ate. “Cousin!” she cried, hugging me as if I’d been on a month-long journey. “Are you all right? You will tell me everything,” she ordered. She pulled me to an alcove where we could speak somewhat freely. “What happened when you got to his room?”

“Callista,” I said, my eyes wide. “He said you were incorrect. He said it isn’t wrong for a woman to like what a man does to her.”

Callista frowned. “He said that?” She looked off, thinking. “Hmm. I wonder if there is mischief here among the ladies who told me that, or maybe it is the Regent who is unusual.“I shrugged, not particularly caring which. “But what happened?” she persisted.

“My lady,” came a polite voice. Callista and I whirled in guilt to see Marcus, the head cook waiting for us to notice him. “As lady of the castle, you will direct me in the meals I will serve?“I looked anxiously at Callista.

She put a hand on my shoulder. “Worry not, cousin. I’ll help.” We followed Marcus into the kitchens and my first day as lady of the castle began.

Chapter Five

Lunch was the least formal meal of the day, and people came and went as they wished, food served as needed. I had eaten a little with Callista as she tried to instruct me in some of the myriad of tasks I’d have to now perform. I wasn’t really paying attention, and she was getting annoyed.

“Kat, you can’t just bumble your way through this! Do you want to anger him?”

That caught me, and I focused on her. “No,” I admitted.

Callista softened then. “Is it so very terrible? Being with him, I mean?” She put her head close to mine, so we’d be unheard. We were alone at our table towards the edge of the large room. I’d sat so I could see the room in case Max came in and I’d need to go and sit with him. I wasn’t at all sure of what my responsibility was there. I could just add that to the other hundred responsibilities I wasn’t sure about.

“What do you mean?” I asked, and Callista gave me a frustrated look, sitting back a little.

“Is he cruel? Does he talk to you at all or is he always silent and angry?”

I said, “He speaks to me. And no, he’s not always angry.”

Callista looked at me pityingly. “Cousin, I’m so sorry. He said he would punish you—what did he do?”

“Uhh,” I hedged.

“You can tell me,” Callista insisted. “I am your family.”

“He didn’t actually punish me last night, although you were right in that our first time did hurt. But this morning it didn’t hurt, and—”

Callista’s eyes widened. “He made you do it again? But why? Maybe you’re already pregnant.“I blushed as I wondered how to tell her about the fabulous feelings he’d inspired in me.  “Katrina of Faralee! You are blushing! You never blush.”

I stood up, thankfully having eaten a sufficient amount. “I’m uh, I think I’ll go lie down for just a bit. I’m tired because I…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that, so I just let it hang there as I gave her a weak wave and headed towards my room. I was so focused on fleeing this uncomfortable inquisition that I dashed around the corner and straight into something that seemed as hard as a wall.

I gasped and stumbled back. Max’s hands came to my arms and steadied me. He looked down at me, his face in shadow. His deep voice made me feel unaccountably strange deep inside. “Wife, where do you hurry to that you rush into my arms?” I couldn’t tell if he was amused or angry. Knowing him, probably angry.

“I’m sorry, my lord,” I said, part of me wanting to escape before Callista caught me. If I was already in bed I could pretend sleep and possibly she’d leave me alone. I tried to back out of Max’s arms, but they tightened around me.

He looked back over his shoulder at Caius, one of his men-at-arms. “Go ahead without me. I will find you later.”

Caius left with a murmured, “Yes, my lord.”

Max drew me in even closer, lowering his head. “Kiss me, wife,” he ordered softly, giving me no chance to speak, let alone refuse. His mouth fastened over mine and a rush of feeling shot straight to my loins. My arms wound around his head and he partially lifted me against him, cutting off my breath. He set me suddenly on my feet, turning and taking my hand to pull me along behind him as his long strides ate up the hallway. I jogged along behind him, bewildered at his intent. We reached his chamber and he pulled me unceremoniously inside, shutting the door firmly behind him. He set the bar and turned to me, a hungry look on his face.

I swallowed and backed away a step, somewhat frightened by his intensity. “My lord?” I asked.

“Come here now, wife,” he said, stalking to me and giving me no chance to refuse, had I been going to do so. Actually I hadn’t even thought of what to do. His mouth descended on mine and his hands began to work the gown off my shoulders. I was mesmerized by the kiss and barely noticed his other movements until he released my mouth and, bending down, took one now-bare nipple into his mouth. I jumped, squealing a little, but he only held me tighter, doing as he wished.

I thought I might just lose the ability to stand, but before I did he lifted me up only to deposit me on the huge bed. He followed me down, and again attacked my breast, using one arm to prop himself up and the other hand to mound up my breast to give himself better access. He sucked hard, and I moaned in a mingled pain and ecstasy. “Lift up,” he said, moving his hand to urge me to lift my middle off the bed. He quickly pushed my skirt up, baring my legs to his fiery eyes. He glared down at the tight underwear I wore that looked a bit like a man’s tight pants cut high. He let me drop back down and although he didn’t appear to grab at it, a knife was now in his hand. I gasped, my eyes going wide.

Max looked at me, one eyebrow raised. He lowered the knife and let the flat of the blade touch my leg. I opened my mouth to apologize for whatever it was I’d done that deserved being stabbed, but he hushed me. He carefully but quickly cut the underwear off me, holding it up once he was done. The knife had disappeared back into its sheath. “I don’t want to find you wearing anything like this again,” he said seriously. “I won’t have anything like that between us when I want you.“He put his hand to me, testing my readiness. A slow smile began on his face, but before it could fully arrive he was over me, holding me down with a delicious weight. He loosened his pants, pushing them down. He pushed at my entrance, but he was too large simply to slide in, and he had to go slow and allow me to adjust myself to him. Still, it burned and tingled, and I couldn’t help writhing under him. Whether he appreciated my movements or disliked them, he suddenly pushed himself completely in and began to ride me.

I was overcome by sensations, and my hands slid over his back, his butt, his shoulders, only to return to his back. As he moved faster, nearly coming out of me with every stroke, I threw my head back and howled like a wounded animal as I seemed to explode inside. He growled something inarticulate in my ear, sliding a hand under my hips to pull me even closer. The pace and depth were sliding from pleasure and balancing on the edge of pain. But instead of pulling back or stiffening, I dug my fingernails into his back and rode the crest of sensation that was absolutely wonderful until Max found his pleasure as well with a cry to rival mine.

We panted together, catching our breath. Max recovered more quickly than I did, and rose, refastening his pants. He was still slightly out of breath as he remarked, “You never told me where you were off to when you ran into me.”  His voice was uncharacteristically lazy and relaxed. He gave me an expectant look, and I tried to pull my thoughts together enough to answer him.

“I was going to my room, my lord,” I said.

“Your room,” he repeated.

“Yes, I’d thought to take a nap because last night I was…” I realized he knew exactly why I was tired, and I shrugged, embarrassed.

“Wife, your place is here now, where I have access to you. Move your things in here this afternoon,” he ordered.

I hadn’t realized he’d want me here all the time. “But…” My voice faded.

“Speak, wife. Tell me your question.”

“I thought that…I mean, I could already be pregnant, so I thought…“Max tilted his head and considered me. “Katrina, you are my wife, and that means that whenever I want you, you’ll avail yourself to me. Wasn’t it you who screamed loud enough to cause my ears to ring just a few minutes ago? Do you tell me now you hope to avoid lying with me?”

I put my face in my hands, acutely embarrassed at my response. Had I actually screamed? What if someone had heard?

I felt the bed dip as Max sat down next to me and pulled my hands from my burning face. I glanced up at him. “I’m sorry, my lord,” I said hurriedly. “My behavior is unseemly—”

“No,” he said in a hard voice. I bit my lip and waited. He looked at my tense face a long moment. “Katrina,” he said, his voice gentle now. “Never again apologize for your actions when you respond to me. Do you understand?“I looked up at him and his eyes seemed to burn into mine.

I couldn’t think of what to say. I believed him, but I’d been told it was wrong. I let my eyes drop to my lap, saying in a barely audible voice, “Truly? Or do you expect no better out of me?”

Max put his hands to my shoulders and lifted me so I was forced to look at him. “You will not doubt yourself in such a way. I forbid it. If I tell you something, you can be certain I do not flatter, and if I find your behavior lacking, you can be sure I’ll tell you that as well.” He held me up effortlessly; his muscles moving under his shirt in a way that made my mouth feel dry. He said, “I had thought when you had the nerve to run from this castle you were not weak and easily frightened.” He let me drop to the bed without warning. He stood, his face remote. “I appear to have been mistaken. You prove my case quite well that women are but fools.”

He could have said much to me—insulted me, castigated me, called me names, and I’d have held my tongue as I’d sworn to Callista I would. I had promised him during the wedding, and myself since that I’d be the gently-bred wife. But this was one area that pierced through all my honorable intensions. I forgot the Regent Maximus controlled my life down to the smallest minutia. I forgot everyone around him feared him. I forgot he might just kill me if I said the wrong thing, and certainly make me suffer if I angered him.

I found myself off the bed without a memory of having left it. I pulled up my dress over my breasts with sharp quick movements. “Fools are we? Are you smarter than I? Are you? You don’t even know me, nor are you interested in the abilities or talents of any of the women here. If someone ignores an ally and instead turns him into an enemy, who then is the fool?” My voice dripped with distain.

Maximus looked down at me, his face unreadable. He lifted a hand, but I danced away. “What will you do now, my lord husband? Will you beat me here? Or perhaps in front of the hall to shame me to the point that I will not even be able to order a simple meal? Will you dishonor me thus?” I pointedly turned my back on him. “Do as you will here in this room, but do not make my work directing the castle servants more difficult than it already is.”

I heard Max move behind me, and I turned to look at him somewhat warily. He was as emotionless as I’d ever seen him. Uh oh.

“Wife, you have challenged me here, and I will give you what you’ve asked for. Now I’ve not the time, and it will do you good to consider what I shall do to you when we retire this night.” He stepped forward and held my chin firmly, his mouth covering mine in a brief hard kiss. He turned and walked to the door, looking back at me as he left. “Until tonight, my lady wife.” I stared after him as he disappeared from my view, wondering what in the hell I’d just done.

The afternoon flew by as if it were on eagle’s wings. I was so quiet Callista finally cornered me and forced me to tell her what had happened with Max. When I told her what I’d said, she’d actually paled. “Oh, I knew you wouldn’t be able to avoid challenging him so. What should I do? How can I help you?” I think she was talking more to herself than me at this point. She looked off across the hall and spied Devlin. She grabbed my hand and pulled me over until we approached Devlin, earning his attention.Callista dropped into a deep curtsy. “My lord, please may I have a word?“Devlin nodded, bemused. Callista was a beauty, and when she put her mind to it she could charm the birds out of the trees.

“My lord, I so very appreciated your kindness when we behaved so horribly as to run from our home here. I am hoping now you will help me again, although I deserve nothing so kind from you.”

Devlin said, “Callista, ask what you will.”

“My cousin here was not raised as most women were. Her father raised her alone, and she was taught as if a boy and treated with the freedom that boys enjoy. Now she is a wife, and I fear she has angered your brother.” She lifted luminous eyes to him. “I am afraid he will seriously harm her. I beg you to help her. Could you intercede with your brother to reduce her punishment to something she can tolerate?”

Devlin looked at me with a shadow of surprise in his face. “What happened?”

Callista said, “She challenged him. She as much as called him a fool, and he says he will punish her this eve.”