C. 7 Hole in the Wall

Sitting above him, I straddled his lap. There wasn't a chance that I was going to lie with him. Not now, and the plan to only lie with him on our wedding night might be a long shot. However, he smelled amazing! Fighting the urge to lean into him, I let the smell of pine and sage waft into my nose. I didn't know if I wanted this and he seemed more than happy to accompany any threads of loneliness with his own entertainment. Trying to avoid sitting on his lap, I could feel his member press against my thigh through his own pants. Sitting back on his knees, I refused to look at him. Keeping my gaze over his shoulder or on his neck. On the bed. Anywhere but his eyes.

I could feel his hands glide over my arms so gently it could be mistaken for an afternoon breeze. This made me snap back to attention. Taking a deep breath, my eyes swam for a focal point as I pressed my palms against his chest. Feeling fingers pinch my chin, I tried to close my eyes tight. This was my first mistake. In this single instance, Nicolaus grabbed my wrists, the sudden shift sending me toward him as he pinned them behind my back. In the same movement, he crushed his lips against mine.

This was my second mistake. In that one brief touch, I was intoxicated. Allowing his tongue to slip between my lips and teeth, he easily gained control. His touch had me frozen in place. My eyes stuck half way open as my heart leaped from my chest to my throat. Pounding in my ears.

Pressing against me further, Nicolaus chuckled lightly as he withdrew. I could feel something wrap around my wrists. It was cool, soft, and was not all that uncomfortable. Pulling my head back, I tried to wriggle free only to have him tug on the binding.

Leaning forward, his breath was soft and warm against my skin. The perspiration caused by this action sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel myself grow more aroused. Letting out a groan, I tried to twist my wrists free, feeling his shaky breath settle between my breasts.

"Your body betrays you, clearly."

Nicolaus purred in my ear. Firm hands gripped my sides now. Rough and unforgiving, as his teeth sank into the soft spot on my neck. Gasping, my chest heaved. This only added to his lustful advances. Feeling fingers tangle in my hair, I winced as it forced my head back. Looking at the tiles in the ceiling, someone had carved them to look like flowers. All the same, except one that looked to be replaced at some point.

Letting out another groan, I couldn't help but end it with a whimper as he pinched my collarbone. Feeling my chest sink as I forced my shoulders up to free my hands. All the while his body moved with mine, his lips leaving chilling trails along my skin.

"My, my trinket." He spoke low and against my chest, his left hand cupped my breast. Flicking my already erect nipple as he continued. "I know you've lain with another. I will allow that in your past. However, we are all but officially married. If you touch anyone else, I will punish you."

The last part came out as a growl. Goosebumps exploded over my body.

"Grant me the same liberty then." I growled back, pushing back against his weight. He didn't resist. In fact, he seemed pleased with the change. The tip of his nose running along my chest and neck nearly made me lose focus and submit fully to him. Using my shoulder, I tapped the bottom of his chin, smirking when he looked at me. "If you lay with another woman, I get to punish you."

Nicolaus chuckled as he exhaled a breath against my face. Nodding an agreement, I narrowed my eyes at him to show how serious I was..

"Very well, trinket." His hands gripped my thigh and the back of my head. Lips brushing mine as he tried to form words. His chest pressed against mine, forcing me back as far as he could. "We shall be faithful to one another until the end, yes?"

I had no intention of doing that. Regardless, I smiled back at him, putting my head back. I could feel his hand grip a fistful of hair. Holding me in place as the other ventured up my thigh. I would have to endure it.

Squeezing my eyes closed, I grunted and stretched as I felt my head rise and fall. Sniffing deeply, I took in the smell of pine and sweat. My eyes snapped open then, giving full view to a smoothly defined abdomen. There were black trousers coving his legs, though they were low on his hips, stopping just above an obvious erection.

Rolling my eyes with a groan, I pushed off of his chest and made for the door. Judging by how deep the colors had gotten in the sky, it was well into the evening. The summer hours bathing everything in a marvelous twilight.

"Leaving already?" I heard Nicolaus grumble from behind. "I thought we could continue where we left off."

Daring a look over my shoulder, he held up the length of silk that he had bound my wrists with earlier. The ghost of which came back with a flooding memory of how I had nearly given myself to him. This bothered me further, driven by the burning feeling I had emanating from my core.

Pressing my lips together, and turned to him with a shrug. "I was going to go get ready for the party."

Raising an eyebrow, Nicolaus swung his long legs out of the bed, stood, and slowly made his way in my direction. Instinctively, I took a step back, my hand coming to my chest as I looked him over. His erection was still there, throbbing under its confines.

"Nika, I really should get back to my rooms to get ready."

He continued forward. The stormy observation that raged behind his stony expression made my hands shake. This continued until my back was against the door. He was only twenty paces away.

"Why don't you stay, trinket? Call me Nika again, its been so long."

Shaking my head, I swallowed hard. I had only called him that in the letters we sent back-and-forth years ago. It was an accident and seemed to stick. Once I had called him this in front of his father and mine, when we were children. The look I had received was shriveling.

"Please, I don't want to be late."

Fifteen paces.

"We are already late. The king begins celebrations when he wants." He closed another five paces. He could reach out and grab me if he wanted. "The king might already be on his fifth or seventh serving of wine."

He was right against me now. Looking down at me with a gaze that was softer than any I had seen before. While the storm still raged, his features made it dissipate. Leaning down to kiss me, there was a brief knock before the door slammed against the back of my head. Being knocked forward wasn't what had upset me, nor was it the hit itself. No, what upset me was that a maid who didn't look like she knew her head from a hole in the ground bustled in, dropped the things she carried and, while she closed the door, began unlacing her dress.

Clearing my throat, I waited until she looked at me fully. It clearly engrossed her in what was about to happen that she looked at me for a good thirty seconds before her jaw dropped to the floor.

She saw me. She clearly saw Nicolaus, and she also took notice of how he still held me in my shocked state. Pushing up from him, I looked at her. I could see her shrink under my glare as I felt the anger roll off of me like smoke. Taking a deep breath, I gave Nicolaus a sidelong look, disgust plastered on my face and rage on every step as I threw the door open. It smacked hard against the wall behind it. So hard that it nearly smacked me on my way out as it slammed shut. If this was from my anger or from one of them, I didn't know and I didn't stick around to find out.

Approaching my door, I was nearly running. Lynx could barely catch up with me and when he finally did, it was only because I slammed and locked myself in my room. Clawing my fingers, I strangled an imaginary neck, grumbling to myself as I did so. I made it halfway across the room before I noticed the unfamiliar smell that wasn't there before.

Cherry blossom perfume.

"I would ask how you are feeling, but I can see that it isn't going that well." Eryn sighed from the bed, her flames spilling over the edge. "I told you this would not be easy."

"I know you did. I didn't expect it to be easy."

'I just want to know why I am so angry at seeing her.' Is what I wanted to say, but I didn't. Not that it mattered, Eryn could tell what happened or at least guess just by looking at me.

Getting up from the bed, Eryn strode over to me, wrapping her arms tightly around my shoulders. After a count, she took a deep breath and released it as she did me.

"I know this isn't want you want to hear." She started, her eyes focused on my throat, gauging my heartbeat. "However, it needs to be said. You might not agree with it, any of it. Not now and probably never. However, you are here now, so be here. You both had lovers before being saddled with one another. He might have had someone he wanted to be with just as bad as you did with Alex."

She was right. I didn't want to hear that. However, she wasn't wrong and while I hated to go back to his teachings in times like this, perhaps my humility wasn't one sided.

A light knock came from the door. It didn't open, so I assumed I had to open it myself. I didn't mind, but if it was Nicolaus, I didn't want to see him. Not right now.

Opening the door, a portly man stood with a collar that forced his head up. They made the uniform he adorned of the deepest of purple material with rich pink pinstripes. Biting my lips between my teeth, I fought back a laugh as I landed on his tiny feet. His legs could barely support him from the look of it but his feet. Blinking rapidly, I pulled my attention back to him. The sour expression on his face gave reverence to having a stick up one's ass.

"Yes?"

"I have a message from his highness, prince Nicolaus. He asks that I inform you he will be ready and down to meet you in exactly thirty minutes." The messenger announced. Voice crisp and clear, even speaking in a normal tone as to let anyone within earshot to hear what he had to say.

"Well, you can tell the prince-"

"Nyx!" Eryn hissed behind me. I could feel the stern expression burning into my back.

"You can tell him I will be ready and waiting for him."

With that, the messenger bowed, pivoted, and hurried off. I watched him for a moment, Lynx coming into view as I lingered. Looking up at him, I wished I had something to throw. His expression was nearly one of pity. I didn't need to be pitied by him. Stepping back, I slammed the door shut, putting my hand up in case it bounced back.

"Sweetie, I know this is hard."

"No, Eryn, I really don't think you do."

I fought tears from pouring down my cheeks. Every time I closed my eyes, I could imagine what he was doing with that ditsy servant girl. Had he gotten rid of his problem with her? If he had already broken the promise he made, as absent as I thought in the moment it was, why did it sting me so?

Eryn laughed softly, a barely audible sound that escaped her throat as she pulled open my closet doors and shuffled through the dresses provided. Soft, beautiful hues "Come on, let's get ready for the party."

Cleaned, dressed and feeling like a doll, I let Nicolaus lead me through the large carved hallways lit with candles. Behind us, the guards followed at a distance. Lynx was with them and seemed to have as much fun as I was at the moment.

"Why is this like a maze?" I grumbled, growing bored with whatever game he might be playing.

Nicolaus' hand tightened around mine as he continued through the halls. "Almost there."

Eventually exiting into a massive decorated hall. Floating lanterns bobbed just above the guests' heads, casting different shades of red and blue and green on their faces. Beautiful and terrifying, I had to keep myself from staring for too long at any of them. Everyone seemed to look down their noses at me. This had been expected. I was an outsider here, and it showed with every glance and whisper. Swallowing the lump growing in my throat, I barely heard our names called as we entered the great hall. After our announcement, the want to run away lessened.

Forcing that unexpected response down, I followed Nicolaus around the room. I firmly placed my hand in his wherever we went. As the night progressed, it introduced me too many lords and ladies, most of them allowing a polite greeting before their attention snapped back to Nicolaus. As a tray passed, he grabbed two goblets, handing one to me before he excused us from the growing group.

"Why do you do that?" I asked him when we were out of earshot.

"Do what? Refuse to let you leave me?" The grip on my hand tightened, but not enough to cause a reaction. "Because you look so beautiful that any man could run off with you if he chose. That aside, you've done well tonight." His grip loosened with his exhale, pressing a kiss on my temple for a long moment. "That is why I am happy to surprise you with something. I am going to go see about your ventures outside of the castle. You already want to be outside. I can see it on your face, my trinket. Just give me some time and I will have good news for you. He doesn't look to be entertaining anyone, but it might take a while. If you wonder back in there, be careful. Not everyone is as thrilled about this arrangement as I am. As we are." He placed a quick kiss on my hand before turning away. Easily moving through the crowd.

Finishing the wine in my goblet, I looked around for a pitcher to refill it. It was sweet and didn't seem to have much of an effect yet.

"My lady." A small man held a glass decanter, filled my goblet, and bowed before leaving.

No one had noticed I had been left alone. Breathing a sigh of relief, I tipped my drink back and swallowed easily. This time it took an effect as my body felt lighter. The small orbs of light that formed around the lanterns blurred, the guests still oblivious to my existence as I took another drink from the goblet. The music muffled, my feet planted firmly to the ground. I didn't want to venture in. Or out of the castle. I wanted out of this situation. Oddly, the thought of laying with Nicolaus seemed more inviting than this entire situation. No matter how the king tried to force it, there was no way he could command everyone to accept my presence.

To most everyone, I was a thorn in their side and as much as I wanted to admit this and prove it true; I had a duty for my family. Still, my mind drifted to Alex and how we would escape to the villages, dance around their fires and enjoy being with one another no matter what happened. My heart ached as I watched absently the bodies that twirled and flowed around one another.

A gentle breeze brought my attention to the tapestry on my left. The cloth was thick, red fabric. It displayed the design that was sewn into it in silver and gold. A noble tree that seemed to have long branches and even deeper roots. The branches were void of leaves and the roots seemed to be deliberately curved but didn't branch out themselves. Entangled instead within themselves as the tree above was bare. It seemed odd to be displayed here and, pulling at the edge, I could see a hidden passageway. Excitement radiated through my body before I slipped into the narrow corridor, not bothering to see if anyone noticed. Even if they did, I doubted they would report anything. I had ordered lynx to stay on the edge of everything and was out of sight from what I could find of him. It seemed it only took moving locations and a prince to do this for me.

Feeling along the walls, there was a soft glow coming from the ceiling, but not enough to illuminate the tunnel. The longer I was in here, the more my heart raced, my cheeks hurting from the insane grin that I carried. After what seemed like twenty minutes of walking, I found another door. This one was old, the wood rotted and splintered in places as I ran my hand over the surface, searching for the door pull. I felt splinters burrow into my skin before landing on the rusted metal. Pulling on it once, it didn't budge. A second and third time yielded the same results. Taking a step back, a screech made me jump, the skittering of claws on stone made me cringe. Turning to the door once again, I braced myself and, using my full weight, pulled back on the door. It popped loose. There was space just big enough for my fingers to fit in. I could smell fresh air instantly, drowning out the smell of rot.

The section on the other side of the door was dark, save for a sliver of light peeking from under what I assumed was another thick tapestry on the other side. I listened for anyone, voices or foot falls. Neither of which seemed to be close. Not the sound of voices at least, heavily armored footfalls made themselves known, but the echo was faint. Taking another minute to listen for anyone, I poked my head out from behind the tapestry before bringing myself out fully. I picked off a cobweb from my shoulder. Holding back a shriek, I waved my hand to get the thing off of my fingers. I gave myself a once over, checking for more of the sticky substance. There were some, though they were scattered about my body. I pulled them off as quickly as possible. I looked at the skirt of my dress. There hadn't seemed to be any damage to the fabric, luckily, from what I could see in the candlelight. Taking a deep breath, I looked around for the first time. Where I was, it seemed to be forgotten. There were ferns that spilled to the floor and candlelight, but otherwise, nothing stood around me. Not even a small chair for one to rest if they wanted.