William helped me onto the horse, as the gown was too heavy to attempt climbing up myself. He approached my side, and his hands encircled my waist. William lifted me onto the horse with ease. After he made sure I was sitting on the right seat, he swung himself up in front of me, my hands grasping onto William's waist. my small hands curling around his firm body.
The horse moved under our feet at a slow and steady pace. away from the palace, "Where are we going?" I asked as the horse kept moving forward, its pace smooth and steady. William's voice reached my ears, and I listened carefully to his reply. "To Lekhaon Lake," he answered, his voice carrying a hint of mystery to it. "And we shall have it entrely to ourselves," he added.
Lekhaon Lake?
"I have heard of it, but I never went there," I admitted, my eyes following the steady pace of the horse as we travelled through the lush greenery. The roses of Astoria were famous for their scent and beauty, and Zorro was well-known for its lush greenery, which made it an ideal place for spending time with nature. The horse's hooves crunched on the path as it walked through the dense forest. The palace had long since disappeared from view. As far as the eye could see, there were nothing but trees.
"Here it is," William announced, as we finally arrived at the breathtaking Lekhaon Lake.
The horse's pace slowed, and he stopped at the edge of the lake. The sun's light danced and sparkled over the water, like little crystals. "Oh, my word..." I uttered, mesmerised by the sight of it. The serene beauty of the scene before me left me speechless. William gracefully got down, and then he reached down to help me off the horse. "I used to come here when I felt suffocated," he said, his tone revealing a hint of tenderness that hadn't been there before. It was a side of him that I had never seen before, as if he had been hiding this softer side all along. "Suffocated from my father's expectations," he continued, his words holding a hint of sadness in them. It was clear that his father had imposed heavy expectations on him as the heir to the throne, and this expectation had caused him to feel suffocated and trapped. "That was when I was a young lad," he affirmed. "Not now, of course," he added. "I know this marriage is arranged, and you probably hate me--" he began, but I quickly interrupted him. "No, I do not hate you." Make him fall in love with you. I reminded myself,
I found myself beginning to feel something for him...though I dared not name it yet.
I took a step closer to him. I felt my heart flutter as I moved closer to him. My gaze fell on his handsome face; his gentle, dark eyes met mine. His gaze shifted from my eyes to my lips, and I felt a shiver run through my body. I parted my lips slightly, wanting him to kiss me and wondering if he felt the same urge. Our lips were an inch away from one another, and the air became heavy with the promise of a kiss.
Finally,
His lips touched mine, his gentle grasp around my waist pulling me closer as our mouths mingled.
Our lips remained pressed together, holding the kiss for what felt like hours. as we pulled away, both of us panting and breathless after our embrace. I could feel my face burning red from the passion of our kiss. A rush of emotions flooded through me.
want, confusion, and need.
I was speechless, my thoughts all over the place. I tried to speak, but my voice failed me. "W-we should.." I uttered, my voice trailing off as I searched for words. He smiled, his expression revealing his pleasure at our embrace. "Walk?" he asked. I could only manage a nod in response, still feeling a bit breathless from our kiss. He reached out and gently took my hand.
Hand in hand, we began strolling along the lakeside.
As we were eating our noon meal, I informed William of my upcoming tea with the ladies of court this afternoon. His look held a hint of amusement. "Very well," he replied. "I shall be meeting with the royal councillors and attendants this afternoon." His words held a hint of authority as he spoke them. It was clear that he was a man of duty and responsibility. "It seems that both of us will be quite accupied this afternoon," I remarked before taking a bite of the vegetable dish. "Indeed," he said, nodding in agreement.
The silence between us grew for a moment before he suddenly spoke up. "What are you going to name her?" He asked, "I'm speaking of the horse," he clarified, a small smile playing on his lips. "Hm.." I muttered, thinking of a name that matched the beauty of the horse. "Pearl," I responded, saying the name out loud. Her coat was as white as a pearl.
It fits her perfectly.
"Pearl..." he murmured. "Now that she has a name, she shall be yours to care for."
The tea session in the palace's garden was the perfect place compared to the inside, allowing a more relaxed atmosphere where we could relax and enjoy the fresh air.
The Zorrian ladies in court were... more gossipy than our people, but I guess I had to get used to it.
"I am sure the wedding night went splendidly for you, your grace," Lady Frances said with a giggle. The other ladies of court laughed along with her, their eyes darting eagerly in my direction, waiting for my reaction. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks at the comment they made. "I heard that Princess Jane from the Oroa Kingdom went mad when she discovered that Prince William got betrothed," Lady Catherine said with a cheeky smirk. "She locked herself in her chambers for three days and refused to see anyone at all." The ladies all made a shocked sound, their expressions changing from amusement to surprise as they took a moment to take in Lady Catherine's statement. "O-Oh, is that so?" I responded, not knowing what else to say. Alina saw my nervous reaction as the ladies of court continued their talk. She cleared her throat, diverting their attention to hers. "I heard Lady Marie is expected with a child; is that true?" she questioned. "Lady Marie is indeed expecting a child, it seems," one lady remarked in a gossipy tone. Another lady nodded in agreement, remarking, "It's such a shame she got herself into that situation." "I'm afraid; I don't understand?" I asked, my eyes turning towards Alina with an expression of utter confusion. The ladies seemed to be talking about a scandal involving another female member of the court, but I had no idea who the mystery lady was. Lady Frances was the first to speak as she continued to whisper gossip amongst the ladies of court. "I've heard that Lady Marie has engaged in a premarital affair with one of the royal servants and is expecting his child now." "I guess lovers can't hide their passion these days," Lady Elizabeth replied with a sigh, chewing on her cake. The ladies tittered amongst themselves. "My husband and I were waiting for so long, but these two could not keep their hands to themselves." Lady Catherine shook her head in disapproval. They all nodded in agreement alongside her.
"And that could be why you have four children," Lady Elizabeth added. Her words were met with a chorus of laughter.
"I have a question," I said, looking up from my cup of tea. They quickly grew silent, their expressions switching to surprise as they awaited my question. "Of course, your grace," one of the ladies replied enthusiastically, her tone tinged with kindness. "Is giving birth as painful as they say?"
"No, of course not," Lady Elizabeth quickly declared with a shake of her head. "Not painful at all," Lady Catherine added, her tone slightly louder than usual. "Just a little discomfort, but it passes," Lady Frances chimed in quickly, adding, "It just happens in a jiff." The ladies of the court quickly nodded at each other, as if confirming their mutual consensus on the issue.
The memory of my mother giving birth to my sister suddenly flashed in my mind, bringing some reality to the situation. The ladies of the court were withholding the truth from me. "The happiness of having a baby does fade the pain," Alina said swiftly, her voice full of kindness as she tried to ease my worries. She had been there when my mother gave birth to my younger sister, and her words held the weight of experience. "Absolutely! "Lady Catherine agreed, and all the other ladies of court nodded with her statement.
The thought of having a baby—a baby from the prince—filled me with unexpected emotions. I had known in all my years that someday I would marry and was expected to bear an heir for the kingdom. a responsibility that had been placed upon me from a young age. Yet, the thought of actually becoming a mother was a thrilling one, and I felt a tinge of curiosity and nervousness as I contemplated the possibility.
As the ladies of court took their leave, I observed them walk towards their carriages. After they had all departed, I slowly walked back to the palace with Alina by my side. "They were much more gossipy than I expected them to be," I murmured. "I couldn't agree more," Alina added in agreement, her tone of voice matching my sentiments. "I am still used to having tea with the ladies of court with my mother by my side," I explained in a gentle tone. "Now I am the one who is hosting these gatherings," I added. It was indeed a new role for me to play, one that I was still adjusting to. "Not alone," Alina remarked, holding my hand as a gesture of reassurance. I squeezed her hand gently in return. It felt good to know that I was not facing this new experience by myself. "I cannot believe we have spent hours just talking over tea," I murmured, feeling a bit surprised at how quickly the time had passed. We had discussed a variety of topics, and the ladies were indeed very garrulous. "The evening is coming close," Alina remarked as we walked through the hallway, her words a reminder that we had spent a considerable amount of time chatting and that the sun was soon to set. "The ball is close," I said, turning my attention to Alina as we walked. The ball was indeed almost upon us, and my nerviousness is rising.
"Has the Prince arrived yet?" I asked one of the guards that we passed on our way, curious to know his whereabouts. The guard quickly responded, "Yes, your grace, he is currently in the library room." "Alina," I said gently, my eyes resting on her as she listened intently. "I would like you to gather the handmaidens and prepare my attire for the ball," I continued, a smile playing on my lips.
I trusted Alina completely when it came to matters of dressing, and I knew that she would ensure that I looked my best for the upcoming event. "I would like to see my husband," I mouthed mischievously, She opened her mouth in shock, her eyes widening as she gasped. "Princess!" she whispered in disbelief. "I will trust you with the arrangements for my attire," I repeated in my usual soft manner, conveying my trust and confidence in her choices. Alina smiled, knowing that I was just teasing, and she curtsied in reply.
I entered the wide library, my eyes glancing around and taking in the expansive space. I looked for William and was able to spot him sitting at a large table near one of the windows, deep in focus as he perused through a number of texts. His appearance was quite elegant, and I felt a touch of admiration as I took in his appearance. "There you are," I remarked as I approached him. He looked up from his book, meeting my gaze with a pleased expression. His eyes seemed to light up when he saw me walk in, and I felt a flicker of heat rush through my cheeks at his welcoming response. "My love," he said softly as he came towards me, his hands resting on my waist in a gentle grip. "How was your afternoon?" he asked, his hand brushing my waist in a comforting manner. "Much gossip," I replied hastily, my voice laden with playful sarcasm. He chuckled in response. His lips touched mine in a brief kiss. "You have not prepared yourself yet," he remarked, his hand lifting to caress my cheek as he spoke. I chuckled in response, nodding my head in agreement. "I wanted to see you first," I whispered. William seemed taken aback by my reply, his forehead creasing slightly in mild confusion. However, he was quick to react; his lips met mine.
His kisses deepened as he held me closer; I couldn't resist myself from deepening the kiss.
surprised by my own actions.
I had never thought I could reach such a level of...boldness.
And I blame him for it.
William pushed me gently onto the large table. His hands gripped my waist tightly, his touch causing a shiver to run through my body. My breath came in ragged and shaky breaths as his lips explored mine. His kisses moved from my neck to above my breasts. I couldn't help but moan softly at his touch. "William, wait," I muttered, breathing heavily as his lips caressed my throat, his fingers slowly grazing the edge of my dress. "Someone is going to see us," I whispered softly, feeling a touch of fear as I glanced around the room. The library was indeed a large space, but we were still in a palace, where there were always servants and guards wandering about. "I guess we have to wait until our night encounter," he whispered softly against my lips, his voice barely audible as his breath mingled with my own. William lifted me gently off the table, taking me into his arms with a sweet look. He brought his lips to mine once again in a quick kiss, lingering for just a few moments before he let me go. "I shall make love to you until you forget your very own name," the Prince whispered in a low voice, his eyes flashing with lust. His words sent a shiver down my spine, "Until tonight then," he whispered, his voice filled with temptation and promise. I giggled softly as he put his forehead to mine, my hands resting lightly on his chest. We were both aware of the tension and heat that surrounded us.
yet we did not allow it to consume us fully.
yet.