The White Forest (Mages and Kingdoms Book 2) (15 page)

Amelie

Amelie wasn’t used to
the extra layers the soldiers were strapping to her chest and thighs. Leather weaves that barely gave enough freedom for the movements she was used to but necessary, she was told, to block a sword tip or slow an arrow. She realized how much she had come to rely on her magic as her armor in fights.

She wriggled to get some room in the armor and General Tatum replied by narrowing his eyes and pulling the straps tighter.

“The people may not remember your face, but I do. I know what you endured for them though the kingdom is blind to it. And I will see you out of this alive. Your Majesty.” Another determined pull on her leathers. “You are smaller than most soldiers, so we need to size your armor. So
hold still
.”

A small commotion to her left had Amelie disobeying the captain’s command and twisting to see what the ruckus was about. Three horses parted the soldiers on the field, riding a little faster than was safe through a sea of men. The horses reared slightly when they reached her and Seth, Talon, and Derrick dismounted.

“Why, for the love of all the heavens, are we always interrupting your half-crazy, hairbrained escapades?” Talon demanded coming over to shake her shoulders. “
What
do you think you’re doing?”

Amelie answered him, but her eyes remained locked on Seth who was regarding her with an unreadable expression. “I must do this for Candor. I must be the leader this kingdom needs. I must lead this battle.” She paused to look at Talon briefly before returning her stare to Seth and adding pointedly, “Your Prince is supposed to be in Draeden rallying support for our cause.”

Seth gestured to the tree line on the horizon. “I ran into Draeden reinforcements on their way into Candor as escorts for Prince Kernan and Princess Claudia. My father was thorough. One hundred and fifty men. They’ve been reassigned.”

“Reassigned?”

Seth nodded. “It’s settled. My men fight with Candor and I by your side.” Amelie began to protest, but Seth cut her off by stepping up to her, his face looking down to hers. “If your kingdom is to accept me as your husband, it starts here. At this battle. A united front against Grantham.”

Amelie said nothing. She couldn’t. Her nerves pounded.

“I can think of no greater inducement for King Armiss to throw everything he has at these bastards if it comes to that than having
both
of his sons’ interests tangled up in the decision.” Seth gave a small, imploring smile. “That is, if you’ll have me, Amelie.”

Wordlessly, Amelie began ripping at her leathers, pulling at the straps. Rolling his eyes affectionately, Talon assisted her, releasing the binds she frantically yanked at.

“I just did those-” the general started but was interrupted by a determined “Shhhh” from Talon.

Free from the constricting chest armor, Amelie threw herself at Seth who enveloped her in a fierce hug.

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. It was the only word she could muster for all her exploding emotions. “Yes. Yes.”

His grip tightened and he kissed her. Hard. In front of the five hundred watching sets of eyes of the Candor army. And Amelie, with nothing left of herself to give this man for he had already possessed her mind, heart, and soul just gave him the word over and over again in between their kisses. “Yes.”

Talon cleared his throat when enough time passed and the kisses grew so deep as to prompt the soldiers to divert their eyes from such a raw, private display of emotion. “Okay, okay. Let’s make royal babies after we knock some Granthamians around a bit, shall we?”

Amelie broke away first to cast him a grin and he fidgeted with his bow and arrow, his eyes misting slightly and his mouth unable to keep from turning upward. Seth pressed his forehead to her ear, heady with the release of his feelings for Amelie and still thirsty for her. With one last kiss pressed to the side of her head, he straightened himself and looked at the captain dead in the eye.

“There’s no stopping her from going into battle,” he said to him.

“Aye,” the general agreed.

“I’ll have your head if any harm befalls her,” Seth threatened.

“And I yours,” was General Tatum’s response. Seth bowed his head to the captain respectfully at his answer.

“If you two are done throwing your man parts about, we have an army to lead,” Amelie said impatiently, picking up her weapons.

“Armor!” the general barked before she could scoot away.

Amelie

The air was charged
with anticipation. Amelie ordered all the soldiers to rest and put a squadron with Derrick at the helm to keep a perimeter watch in case the Granthamians decided to test the waters. Everything settled on tomorrow. How she would ascend the throne - to great support or a carnivorous cabinet - depended on her actions tomorrow. Her worry was evident in her eyes. Seth had searched it out as they walked the grounds earlier.

"Trust yourself," he urged. "It has never led you astray."

"It led me away from you and I cannot think of what could be more astray than that."

Seth squeezed her hand. "It also brought you back. It will turn out all right, Amelie. In the end."

"All these men are counting on a stranger. They don't know me."

"But they will," Seth said softly. "You were hidden and it will take time. But there's something in you that people respond to upon meeting you. The core of you seeps out in small doses. In your words. In your facial expressions. In your actions. You will ensnare your people as you did me at the manor that night. And they will be better for it."

Amelie stopped walking and raised a hand to his cheek. He pressed his face into it and closed his eyes softly. "I love you, Prince," she whispered. His smile brushed her fingers.

When she began walking again, she was yanked slightly backwards. She looked back at their held hands and realized he hadn't begun walking with her. He tossed his head in the direction of the encampment behind them.

"We've come to my troops," he said. "I should bunk here with them for the night."

"Oh." Amelie knew that disappointment shaded her voice. But he was right. His men needed him. Her men needed her. This wasn't just rekindled love, this was the future of her kingdom and Draeden's as well. "Of course. We can meet with General Tatum at dawn, at the gnarled oak in the middle of the encampment."

Seth nodded.

"Until then," Amelie said.

"Until then," Seth repeated. Amelie turned and headed towards her camp. To her back Seth called, "I love you, too." The warm rush that swept through her caused her to pause for a moment. Then she smiled and, without turning around, continued on comforted by the feel of Seth's watchful eyes on her as she walked.

*                            *                            *

She had just begun to float into sleep when the heat of him stirred her. She opened her eyes and they instantly locked onto the steel blue of his. Wordlessly, he pulled her blanket from her body. Amelie rolled onto her back and propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes never leaving his stare.

And he stared. So quietly for so long that Amelie began to feel the weight of the silence. She opened her mouth to speak but he shook his head slowly. Then he dipped toward her and put his mouth on hers.

Softly at first. Almost hesitant as if he was rethinking his decision to invade her tent. But the taste of him sent Amelie's body reeling and her hips raised slightly in response. Feeling them brush his own, his body pushed down on hers and her elbows collapsed from under her. Her arms circled his neck and he kissed her hungrily.

She slept in nothing but a shift and she could feel Seth pause as his hand discovered this fact as soon as it slipped under her nightdress. His stuttered breath at this discovery blew across her neck and raised the hairs there in anticipation. His hand smoothed over her thigh and pushed up her shift, exposing her. It then moved to his belt, working the metal clasp until it gave way. With a few soft grunts and a shuffle of his legs, Seth rid himself of his pants. 

He stooped his head to kiss her again but Amelie stopped him with a hand pressed to his chest. His eyebrows creased together in question. Amelie kept the hand on his chest and pushed him slightly. The question in his eyes turned to a respectful resignation as he took this action to be a sign that they, for tonight, would remain physically separate. But Amelie kept the pressure on his chest and he allowed himself to be rocked backwards until he was no longer leaning over her but sitting in front of her.

She had him lift his arms and removed his tunic. The questioning look crept back onto his face. Amelie answered it by straddling him where he sat, facing him, taking his face in her hands. She shifted her position slightly so that he easily entered her. Her movements against him caused him to shudder.

His hands moved to her back, pressing her against him. Silently, she rocked her body over his. She moved quietly, their foreheads bent together, sharing the air between each other. There was a need in his expression and it was deep, going beyond this moment.

His grip on her back tightened. The length of him filled her. She moved in slow circles, enjoying the feeling of Seth inside her. Her breathing increased with his. She heard his breaths take on an erratic rhythm and she knew he was close to release. She felt him withhold and leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. His eyes locked onto hers and she held them as she increased her movements, driving him to the brink. She lost his gaze as his face contorted in ecstasy, his teeth biting his lower lip against the noise. He was beautiful to her as she watched his blue eyes cloud over and clear. His breaths were deep and ragged.  He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers. She took her liberties as he recovered, kissing his temple, his jaw. Stroking the spot behind his ear.

She then stretched back out on her pallet and pulled his arm to lie down with her. He resisted. She propped herself back up on her elbows and this time it was she who wore the questioning look. Would he not stay?

Seth took his hand and placed it on her thigh. He watched her as he lowered his head and kissed her there. Her breath hitched and her head rolled back. He kissed her again, lower, inner. She sighed. When he placed the next kiss even more intimately, she drew back and narrowed her eyes. He pulled himself up over the length of her and put one hand on her cheek. The pad of his thumb stroked the spot there and his eyes asked her for his trust. She covered his hand with her own and gave a hesitant nod. Smiling, he kissed her stomach then settled back down between her thighs. She tensed immediately but it quickly changed as heat grew under her skin. His kisses transformed into an exploration, his tongue caressing sensitive peaks and folds. Pleasure came in sporadic waves, mounting on top of one another until her back arched involuntarily.

Seth grabbed her free hand, the one that wasn't clutching her blanket in spasms, and kissed her palm as she came back down. Her eyes found his and his return smile was warm and full of love. He scooted up on the pallet and pulled her to him.

And she lay there in bliss until the world dropped away.

Seth

It was quiet. She
was asleep; he could feel the heaviness of it. She had spent the entire evening around camp keeping time with him. Balancing her movements with his. Aware of his proximity. Stealing glances when she didn't think he was looking.

He spent much of the night doing the same.

As they parted, as she walked back to her camp, his muscles twitched with the effort not to run after her and scoop her into his arms. He waited a patient three hours to talk strategy with his captains, share a somber brandy with his men, and see his soldiers to sleep. He and Talon exchanged a silent understanding. Talon had not spoken a word when Seth found him and Derrick and asked them to follow him to the northern border of Candor. Now, with the look that passed between them, their disagreement was buried. Their friendship was restored.

“The men will retire now,” Talon said, clapping a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “We have no need of you, Prince.”

Seth had wasted no time carving a determined path to her tent.

Now her back curved into his abdomen and pushed rhythmically against his body with her deep breaths of slumber. Her leg followed his, bent against his own, her foot pushed against his shin. Her skin was so dark. A deep brown, making his leg look pale in comparison. His hand caressed it lightly wanting to touch her in as many places as he could without disturbing her. He liked his liberal permission to gaze on her wherever and as intensely as he wished without her stirring in embarrassment.

His fingers ran over the jagged healing of her scar where the arrow sliced her skin that day at the lake and he had to still his hand for the feelings inside him welled up and his body had trouble containing them. She would be all right tomorrow. He was sure of it. As long as he was never two feet from her side, as long as he could draw his sword, nothing would cut her down. He believed with all his soul that fate would not dangle her life in front of him for a third time.

He pressed a kiss against her shoulder and she stirred enough to wriggle around and face him sleepily.

"Are you still awake?" she murmured, her eyes still closed.

He placed another kiss lightly on her forehead and she groaned, stretching into him and subsequently brushing her curled hair below against his groin. He immediately hardened in response but she settled her head in the crook of his arm unaware of the effect she was having on him.

"What time is it?" she slurred.

"Not yet morning," Seth answered. "Go back to sleep, my love."

"Don't leave, Seth," she whispered.

His heart hammered. "Never, Amelie," he said, brushing the hair off her cheek but he wasn't sure she heard him because the heaviness of her sleep descended upon them once again. "Never," he repeated taking her hand and following suit, closing his eyes against the night.