Intoxication: Chapter Two
I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me
My hands, they're strong
But my knees were far too weak,
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet
But there's a side to you
That I never knew, never knew.
All the things you'd say
They were never true, never true,
And the games you play
You would always win, always win.
But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!
When I lay with you
I could stay there
Close my eyes
Feel you here forever
You and me together
Nothing gets better
-Adele, Set Fire to the Rain
Despite the events earlier in the day, Amber entered the Valentine's Day brunch positively glowing. Everything was perfect, just as she planned it. At least the day wasn't a total failure; The party was a success if nothing else. She tried not to let her spirits dampen when she remembered how she had planned the day expecting to be on the arm of one of the most desirable princes in the realm instead of attending her own party all alone.
Fresh anger towards Hugo caused her eyes to narrow. Opening her fan with a snap, she surveyed the crowd. Hugo stood near the center of the gathering surrounded by a crowd fawning females. Word spread fast, she could see, and the sharks were already circling. Silently she cursed her failed plan. It would have been so satisfying to watch him grovel in front of his adoring fan club. Still, she reminded herself, a princess does not dwell on her mistakes. Though, she felt a pang of guilt for ruining Sofia's day, even accidentally. But she remained convinced that Sofia was worried over nothing. The potion had proven a failure, and with it Amber's plans for revenge.
Goose bumps prickled down her neck and she felt someone watching her. From across the room she caught the eye of Prince Zandar. He waved at her, a self-conscious flush darkening his cheeks. A coy smile tugged up the corners of her lips. There were easier, and more reliable ways to get revenge, like publicly getting over Hugo-The-Jerk in a day and moving on with a richer, handsomer prince.
She sauntered towards Zandar putting a subtle sway in her hips. The poor young man looked like a mouse caught in a trap, fragile and afraid. Amber smiled like a Cheshire cat.
Say something you idiot!
"Hi," Sofia managed, smiling brightly.
Perhaps too brightly as Cedric gave her a strange look. "Are you feeling all right?"
"Oh, yes," she cooed, her smile turning sultry. Everything in her suddenly felt loose and liquid. The hot, zinging buzz that had electrified her whole body upon first seeing him had lessened to slow waves of heat rolling up and down her belly.
Cedric studied her with a concerned look on his face. She realized was staring again.
"Er, um, I mean, I'm fine, thank you." She cleared her throat and tried to ignore the sudden strong desire to lean into him and rub her cheek against his robes. They looked soft and velvety and she wondered how they'd feel against her bare skin. Clearing her throat, she tried to remember what it was she came here to do. "I came to ...,"
"You came to what, exactly?"
She looked down at the book clutched to her chest, her thoughts going fuzzy.. "I came to wish you a happy Valentine's Day." Her head popped up, not entirely sure what she was saying.
"Ah, yes, that," he shrugged and she traced the ripple of his shoulders with her eyes. "I don't much care for the holiday, but thank you."
"I'm sorry," she frowned. "I don't have a card or anything."
"That's quite all right." His smile, somewhere between an indolent smirk and a self-deprecating frown, made her stomach flip flop. "Where are my manners? I was just about to make some tea, would you care to join me?"
"Yes, please," she purred before clamping her mouth shut.
Sofia followed him at a safe distance. Her hands seemed to itch to reach out and touch him. She set Madame Du Bois' book on the workbench and busied herself by fetching the chipped tea pot down from its customary shelf, before retrieving two mismatched cups. Their companionable relationship didn't much stand on ceremony. She's spent more time in this room than any other part of the castle, except perhaps her own room. From early on she showed an aptitude for magic, and as their friendship grew, Cedric took an interest in her education, tutoring her in the magical arts. Over the years she'd become intimately familiar with every nook and cranny of this tower.
She stole a glance at the royal sorcerer from underneath her lowered lashes. The bolt of electrified heat that raced down her spine made her feel as if she'd like to become intimately familiar with the tower's occupant as well.
Cedric prepared the kettle, muttering a spell to make a fountain of water shoot from the end of his wand. "I'm surprised to see you here today. Shouldn't you be downstairs attending to your guests?"
Sofia chewed on her bottom lip, not knowing how much truth she wanted to tell him, but reluctant to lie. "I was at the brunch earlier. Mom and dad sent me to find Amber. She was missing at breakfast."
"And did you?"
"Huh?" She found herself easily distracted.
"Princess Amber, did you find her?"
"You could say that," she muttered.
Cedric cocked his right eye brow in question.
"I mean, yes, I did." She hurried on, "Since I was close to your tower, I thought I'd stop and say hello."
"How very kind of you." His voice sounded queer, as if he wasn't sure which emotion to display. "Still, I wouldn't want you to miss any of the fun on my account."
She surprised them both by reaching out to grasp his hand. "I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now."
A smile of genuine surprise and pleasure lit up his face. Their eyes locked and the look between them lengthened. Abruptly he realized he was staring and let go of her hand. "What's that?"
Sofia looked over to see the potions book. "That?" She struggled to remember why she had to tell him the truth. She slid the book farther away so it wasn't so conspicuous. "That's just some silly book Amber bought."
"Oh," was all he could say. When she didn't offer any more information on the matter he dropped it.
Sofia watched him disappear into the study, bringing the kettle to warm by the fire. Her grip on the tea tray tightened until her knuckles ached. What was she doing?
She should tell him.
She should.
She should simply open her mouth and tell him the truth: That she had been doused with an infatuation potion and come to him for the antidote. There was really no need to mention that the effects only seemed to kick in once she laid eyes upon him, or what they were currently doing to her: making every inch of her skin feel alive, aching with anticipation, craving his touch, or that she could feel her inhibitions dropping by the second.
It reminded her of the time James convinced her to drink champagne at Princess Hildegarde's last birthday party. The bubbles had tickled her nose, and it tasted so innocently sweet that she was completely drunk before she knew it. She had spent the remainder of that disastrous evening dancing like a fool, singing at the top of her lungs, and proclaiming her love for every single person there, including every footmen and the castle steward. A remarkably embarrassing affair, her friends still teased her about it.
She felt a bit drunk now. Intoxicated was a good word for it. Like champagne, she felt bubbly and light, no longer weighed down by indecision, embarrassment, or fear of rejection; all the things she usually felt around Cedric since the day she realized her feelings towards him went beyond friendship.
Looking down at Madame Du Bois' book of potions, she took a deep breath and tried to gather her scattered wits. What was she going to do?
Cedric walked into the study adjourning his workshop. For years this room had sat empty and unused until Sofia realized its existence. Now it was a cozy abode filled with odd bits of furniture pilfered from various parts of the castle. She had spent many rainy afternoons curled up in one of the high backed chairs with a book and a cup of cocoa. Their years of close friendship, not to mention mentor/pupil relationship created a veil of propriety that rendered their long hours together innocuous. No one paid any mind or thought it odd if the young woman spent the day sequestered in his study, or if the two of them took a day trip to Mystic Meadows.
Though it had taken some time, and nearly half a dozen instances of him helping to save the kingdom from extreme peril, the king and queen trusted him implicitly with their youngest child's well-being. In part, the unwavering trust of the royal family is what caused him to distance himself from her as of late. Everyone else trusted his judgment concerning her, but he was no longer certain he trusted himself.
Still, she was his dearest friend and he couldn't bear to treat her poorly. He wouldn't turn away her company on account of a wayward infatuation on his part. He had no illusions about their stations in life, he simply feared making a complete fool of himself. Any fantastical notions of affection beyond friendship were just that, a fantasy.
He set the kettle by the fire and scrubbed his hand over his tired face. He needed to get his emotions together. With her magnanimous nature and provincial beginnings, Sofia sometimes did or said things beyond the societal norm of her position to help those she cared about. She was far more warm and caring than the average royal, and he tried not to let his imagination run away with him. Though something about her today had him on edge. She seemed ... not her usual self.
He was being silly, or perhaps wistful. He always detested this damned holiday, he just never imagined it could turn him into such an insensible fool. That she had thought of him on such a day didn't mean a thing. She was always thinking of others. He was probably one in a long list of servants and staff she'd visited today. Besides, what could possibly happen over a simple cup of tea?
The shriek of a whistling kettle broke Sofia out of her reverie. She hadn't decided what she intended to do with regards to her predicament. Lost in her own thoughts, she brought the tea tray into the study and set it down on the little table by the fire. Too restless to sit still she watched with hooded eyes as Cedric moved about collecting cups, saucers, spoons, and the like. He prepared two cups of tea, one just the way she liked it.
When her heart started beating so fast? She whetted her lips with the tip of her tongue and tried to pick through the muddled tangle of sensible thoughts and insensible desires running rampant through her mind. No matter how she tried nothing would stick except the completely irresponsible inclination to tackle him on the worn settee.
Tackle him and do what? Her fevered mind asked. Her body answered with an obliging rush of warmth that made the tips of her breasts ache to match the sudden harsh yearning in her groin.
By all the gods and angels, she wanted ...
She wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, because she'd never, even in her wildest dreams, imagined her blood could boil like this.
But, she wanted.
She moved on impulse, standing closer to him than was proper, even for their close friendship. At that moment Cedric turned, a cup of tea perched in his hand. Surprised to find her so close behind him, he jumped, sloshing hot tea down the front of him.
"Merlin's mushrooms," he muttered, setting down the empty cup and swiping ineffectively at his wet robes.
"I'm so sorry," she said, sounding not very sorry at all. All of a sudden she felt very bold. "Let me help."
Sofia's small hands pushed his own aside, feeling brief shocks of electricity where their fingers brushed. She deftly untied the sash of his robes before slipping her hands inside. They slid up his chest, pushing the thick material off his shoulders.
Cedric started to feel the princess touching him so freely. Despite a decade of growing closeness, propriety created a cocoon of modesty that society and station dictated neither of them intrude upon. As the person of higher status Sofia had freer rein to bestow upon him the occasional affectionate caress, or hug, but Cedric was bound by decorum and servitude to never initiate such contact. This was the way of their lives, an ingrained system so embedded as to be above question. His surprise at a scant caress across his chest and shoulders was understandable and immediate. His widened eyes settled upon the crown of her hair, the only part of her he could see from his vantage point. The heavy robes fell to the floor in an inelegant heap, and she set about undoing his mustard cravat next.
"I don't believe my tie got any tea on it," he muttered, thoroughly out of his depth.
Sofia didn't hear him; she was entranced. Of course she had seen him without his sorcerer's robes before, but she had certainly never helped him undress. She watched enthralled as she uncovered his bare neck and throat. Something about the cut of his jaw line made her want to bury her nose in the hollow just below his ear. She leaned into him, closer than any friendly embrace. The sleek cap of her auburn hair fitted nicely under his chin and her hastened breath ghosted over his bare collarbone. Indecision warred within her. She wanted to kiss him. Not a quick peck on the cheek, or a delicate brush of the lips. She wanted to kiss him fully and deeply on the mouth.
She'd read and re-read tales filled with kisses, true and otherwise. She'd dreamed of this moment for years and never had it been like this. Not that she hadn't dreamed of kissing Cedric; she'd fantasized countless scenarios involving sequestered magic lessons or castle alcoves, but they paled in comparison to the burning desire alive inside her now.
Cedric's hands drifted up to gently cup her shoulders. Uncertainty was written in every line of his body. "Sofia?"
The slight tremor in his voice create a similar response in her body. Her hands moved before any slow-moving device like reason could follow, as if her skin craved all and any sensation. Even the brush of the slippery satin of his cravat made her fingertips tingle. Tilting her chin up, she found him looking down upon her, his eyes darkened with questions, uncertainties, and perhaps just a little hope. It was all the encouragement she needed to wind the loose ends of his tie around her hands, certain of what she intended to do, but still unconvinced it was a good idea.
Cedric was momentarily stuck dumb by the way she was looking at him. He's certainly never seen such raw and open longing on her face, and never dreamed that she would look at him that way. She tipped her head back, using the grip on his tie for balance as she raised up on her tip toes. He had just enough presence of mind to whisper, "What are you doing?" before her satiny mouth pressed against his own.
Physically it was the mere act of pressing their lips together, but inside it was a cataclysm. A riot of new, wild emotions vied for her attention. Delight and pleasure warmed her, while anticipation built a fire in her core. At first his mouth remained slack against hers until she tugged on the ends of his cravat, encouraging him.
Cedric woke from his initial shock. He had a brief flash of reason, completely certain encouraging her was a very bad idea indeed. Viciously he trampled that voice down and gave himself over to the moment. Impatient desire curled through his veins, heightened to a frenzy by her unexpected actions. Her lips parted in shy invitation and she made a startlingly erotic noise of satisfaction when his tongue slipped into her mouth.
He groaned, completely shattered to find her taste as sweet and intoxicating as he'd imagined. He ravaged her willing mouth, expecting that this was his one and only chance to do so. Whatever trick of fate brought about this lapse in reasoning on her part, he would steal a few moments of pleasure before her better judgment caught up. Little did he know Sofia was disinclined to put a stop to his machinations. She swirled her tongue against his own, finding a graceful rhythm that left him breathless.
In her grasping quest to relieved the tension growing inside her, she pressed the full length of her body against his. Stretched so far up on her toes, she tipped forward, losing her balance and sending them both tumbling down upon the threadbare settee. She wasted no time gathering up her skirts and climbing onto his lap. Cedric had a moment to consider that things were getting out of hand, but it was hard to remember why with her silk stocking clad knees on either side of his hips. He slipped his hands around her waist, unsure if he intended to push her away or draw her closer. Before he could decide her mouth was upon his again, causing his thoughts to scatter.
Sofia felt alive and present, no second thoughts or worries about repercussions. The potion coursing through her made every touch vibrate with intensity. Her hands roved over his shoulders and neck. They plunged into his silky hair, bringing his mouth closer as she squirmed in his lap trying to assuage the hollow ache inside her.
His groan turned into a whine when her searching body found purchase on his stiff and growing arousal. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, while the other crooked up to curl his fingers over the back of her heavy corset. He leveraged both to pull her further down on his lap. They had one brief flash of blinding pleasure, punctuated by her surprised gasp, before he abruptly came to his senses.
One moment Sofia was incomprehensible, riding a wave of blistering sensation that brought promise of alleviating the needy ache building between her thighs, and in the next moment she found herself bereft of his warmth, dumped carelessly across the worn couch.
Cedric strode across the length of the room trying to put physical distance between them. Frustration registered in every taught line of his long frame. He raked his hands through his hair, trying to gather his sanity. This tender blossoming of passion threatened to ignited into a wildfire if he didn't put a stop to it. The tenuous thread of his control strained to breaking when he turned and saw the raw, erotic vision she portrayed among the old cushions. With rosy cheeks and swollen lips, her luminous eyes stared back, dazed and wanting. Her legs curled to the side, her skirts had bunched up about her waist. Posed in such a way he could plainly see the lace trimmed tops of her stockings as well as the bare skin of her thighs above. Abruptly he turned away, groaning in dismay.
"What's wrong?" she gasped, more than a little breathless.
He grasped the stone post of the door frame, tempted to bash his forehead against it.
"What's wrong?" His mirthless laughter was moderately hysterical. "Let's see, shall we. I've either completely lost all my faculties and am currently in the grip of a rather devious, albeit delightful, hallucination. Or this is, in fact, reality and we've both lost our minds."
She blinked at him.
"This," he gestured between them, "cannot happen."
"Why not?" She climbed off the settee, approaching him. She was on fire and only he could help her quench it. She was in no mood to be dissuaded.
Not once in all his years had he ever felt intimidated by the petite princess. She barely came up to his chin and was so slender he could fit his hands around her waist, but right now he felt stalked. He pushed his back against the door frame, clenching his fist to keep from touching her.
He took a fortifying breath. "Princess -"
"Call me Sofia," she giggled, very close to him now.
He couldn't surmise what brought on this change of personality in her. Perhaps it was this absurd holiday bringing out wild notions of love and lust. Regardless, he ignored her request. "I believe we both know nothing can happen between the two of us. You should go back to the party and we should both forget any of this ever happened."
She looked up at him through her dark lashes. Her rosebud mouth puckered up in a pout and she batted her eyes at him. It was a look she'd seen Amber use to near perfect effect. She could see Cedric's resolve weakening and took the advantage to run her hands up his chest to toy with the buttons of his vest. She just needed to chip away at him until he broke. The mercenary thought should have given her pause, but at the moment it only spurred her on.
"No one has to know," her voice was a sultry purr that surprised even her. She hadn't known this side of her existed. "Just this once Cedric, and then we can both walk away from here and act like nothing happened."
It was a seductive offer. Certainly more tempting than letting her leave him with an unfulfilled ache in his groin. But Sofia was someone special to him; she wasn't equal to a casual tumble with a willing chamber maid. Her sultry proposition tempted to the edge of depravity, but he held out against it.
"I didn't ask to be a princess." She didn't know where those words came from, or the conviction behind them, but more words followed in their wake, taking her by surprise. "Someday I'll be expected to marry a prince, or a duke, or a count. I know my parents will let me choose who I like, maybe even someone I care for, but I can't choose whoever I like. I can't marry you for instance, even if I wanted to.
"I'm not saying I want us to be married," she added hastily, sensing she'd strayed too far from her original point. "I'm just asking, can't I choose this for myself?"
His hands itched to hold her and he swayed forward. "I understand what you're saying. Truly, I do, but I cannot compromise you."
She'd been stealthily slipping the buttons of his vest free and came upon the last one. A naughty smile crinkled the corner of her mouth. "Who says you can't?"
"I say I can't." He grasped her wrists, stopping her from working on the buttons of his shirt next. He hadn't expected to bare his heart to her today, but he found himself admitting the truth. "I care about you too much to dishonor you this way."
She leaned forward, trapping their hands between them. The backs of his hands pressed against her breasts and she silently damned her thick corset. A frown puckered her brow. "Dishonor? How can it be dishonorable to be with someone who I care about, and who cares about me. You do care about me, don't you?"
"And they say there are no stupid questions." His biting sarcasm was tempered by the look in his eyes. "I thought princesses were supposed to be chaste. Didn't they teach you that at Royal Prep?"
She snorted indelicately. "You wouldn't say that if you knew half the princesses in the realm."
"You cannot be serious."
"I could tell you stories that would turn the rest of your hair grey," she laughed. "You never struck me as the type to believe in fairy tales."
"Maybe not," his eyes looked a little sad, "But you did."
She didn't know how to respond to that so she chose to ignore it. Besides, she was tired of talking. Flattening her hands against his chest she pressed her lips to the hollow of his throat. His grip on her wrists slackened as his head fell back. Her smiling lips ghosted over his Adam's apple, which bobbed up and down as he swallowed. She had to raise up on her tip toes again to reach the corner of his jaw. While her tongue plundered the sensitive spot below his ear she felt his hands slip around her hips to steady her.
"Please Cedric," she pleaded against his ear.
His groan was of pure torment. For a moment she believed she'd won until he gently pushed her away. "No."
Sofia blinked at him, uncomprehending for a moment. He used the delay to his advantage, moving out of her proximity. She followed him into the workshop, trailing him like a pet unexpectedly spurred by a beloved master, confused and abandoned.
With as much aplomb as he could muster, he threw open the tower door and motioned for her to leave. He despised himself for the wounded look on her face, but it couldn't be helped. If she didn't leave here - now - he would likely be the cause of a very different brand of damage. A nasty voice inside his head berated him for choosing today of all days to grow a conscience.
The blood in his ears had lessened to a dull roar. Still, he wished for the voluminous fold of his robes to hide the uncomfortable cut of his trousers across his aching groin. "I think it's best if you leave now." His formal courtesy was undercut by the pleading in his eyes. "Please, Sofia."
Her name rolled off his tongue like a caress and she shivered. Her obliging nature warred with this new carnal desire. The potion not only heightened every sensation, but turned her yearnings into selfish needs. She knew she was hurting him, but she couldn't help it; She wanted him too much.
And she could have him. Afforded a superior education, she had not learned the subtleties of every subject from personal deportment to inter-kingdom diplomacy without learning how to read and best an opponent. And she certainly knew this one. Cedric was a kind friend and a sensational sorcerer, but he could be vain as well as selfish. Compliments and flattery weren't going to get her what she wanted. She'd have to offer him something he couldn't refuse, and for that some bold action on her part was necessary.
Cedric softened in relief as Sofia approached, only to stiffen with dismay when she looked him straight in the eye and closed the door. If he expected her to persuade him, to plead or even beg, he was mistaken. She said not a word as she turned and went through another door, the one that lead to his personal chambers, loosening the ties of her gown as she went.
Author's note: What do you think? Let me know by kindly leaving a review. I was trying to keep them in character while slowly building the oc effects of the potion. This story started as a "Let's just douse her with something, have her throw herself at Cedric, and then hot monkey sex ensures." Once I started writing I became intrigued by the idea of if I could create one-off hot monkey sex AND keep the characters as in character as possible.
Your patience for M-rated goodness will be rewarded in chapter 3, I promise.