Forbidden Love
Chapter 2: Lord Cole
I wake in my room again. I do not remember how I got here, but the pounding of my head might have attributed to it.
"You're awake."
"Cole, what happened?" I ask.
"You passed out. I saw you falling and rushed over and caught you just before you hit the ground." Cole replies.
"Cole…" I say slowly. We are never formal with each other when we are alone.
"Jo, it was nothing more than wanting to make sure my friend was okay." He replies.
"My father won't see it that way." I reply.
"Let him think what he wants. I might not see the need for this tournament, but I will do everything that I can to win. I do not trust any of the other Lords with your well being." Cole says.
"I love someone you know." I say.
"As do I." He comments.
"My parents won't be thrilled with who I love." I say.
"I know. Neither will mine." He replies.
"What are we going to do?" I ask.
"We will have to lie to our parents. If there was any way to cancel these games and just move forward, then I would gladly do so." Cole says.
"Princess Josephine? Your mother and father would like to talk to you and Lord Cole." Lacey says through the door after knocking.
"They can come in." I say as I quickly take Cole's hand in mine and intertwine our fingers.
"How are you feeling Sweetheart?" My mother asks as my parents come in.
"Better. I think the corset was just a little tight." I say.
"Lord Cole, please explain your actions today." My father says. He's not even going to draw this out. He gets straight to the point.
"I care about the Princess' well being Sire. I saw that she was about to fall. The look on her face showed it. I didn't think about what I was going to do, I just acted." Cole says.
"Most of the time I do not condone acting without thinking first, but your actions today showed me that you care for my daughter. I cannot say the same for the other Lords…" My father says and I cut in.
"Father, are you saying that the other Lords are no longer here?" I ask.
"Do not interrupt me again Josephine. It is very un-Lady Like." My father says giving me a pointed stare. "But yes, that is what I am saying. The Dukes of Ogden, Yates and Daly have all left with their sons, leaving only Lord Cole here to take your hand in marriage. The ceremony will be on Friday." My father says before he and my mother walk out. "Oh, and I expect you both to be present at dinner tonight, appropriately dressed." My father adds before closing the door behind him.
Before Cole or I can say anything, there is a click from the door, indicating that it has been locked from the outside.
"Your father doesn't intend for me to bed you today, does he?" Cole asks.
"He just might. His parting words were 'appropriately dressed'. That coupled with the door being locked, I think that is exactly what he intends to have happen." I say with a sigh.
"Since neither of us can get out of this room, or, at this moment, be with the ones that we love, I will leave the decision of what happens up to you, Princess. I shall not force you into anything that you do not want to do… overall situation aside." Cole says.
"Cole, you are a very nice guy, and I'm sure that the girl you love is very special, but I will not betray my love by allowing you to bed me." I say after a moment.
"Princess?"
"Rico, is that you?" I ask getting up from my bed and hurrying over to the door.
"Yes, it's me. I have something to give you, may I come in?" Rico asks.
"Unfortunately, no, you can't come in. My father locked the door from the outside. He intends to have Lord Cole bed me today." I say as I lean against the door.
"Danny won't like that." Rico says.
"I know he won't. And it's not like Cole and I are going to do anything. But we can't leave." I say.
"I'm pushing a note under the door. It's from Danny. He said it's a small letter, so to wait for you to read it and then bring him your reply." Rico says.
My Dearest Princess,
I am sorry that I could not give you a proper Happy Birthday wish this morning. We both know that your parents would not have approved of that. Meet me tonight by the stables. Tell them that you and Lord Cole are going for a night ride. I refuse to allow our social statuses keep me from bedding you on your birthday; even if it's not in a proper bed.
All My Love,
Your Stable Boy
I look up at Cole after I'm done reading the letter.
"Will you be up for a night ride tonight My Lord?" I ask.
"I wouldn't miss it My Princess." Cole says.
I walk over to my desk and write out a quick reply. With a smile, I press my lips to the parchment under my name and walk back over to the door.
"Are you still there Rico?" I ask.
"Of course I am Princess." Rico replies.
"My reply is coming under the door; please make haste in getting it to Danny." I say as I push the parchment through the opening under the door.
"I shall make as much haste as I can Princess." Rico says.
"Thank you Court Jester." I reply.
"Jo, may I try something?" Cole asks.
"That depends on what it is you would like to try." I answer.
"Just this…" Cole says as he brushes my cheek with the back of his hand before slowly leaning in and pressing his lips to mine.
"Cole, I thought we had an understanding?" I ask as I push against his chest.
"I just wanted to see if kissing you would stir up any feelings that I might have had for you that I was unaware of. It did not, so it will not happen again." Cole says as he steps away from me.
"Wait…" I say taking a hold of his hand and pulling him back towards me.
"Yes Princess?" Cole asks.
"Bed me just this once. We might as well do what my father expects us to do." I say as I lean against the wall next to my door and place Cole's hands on either side of my body.
"Jo, I won't do that. It is your birthday. You should be bedded by the one you love, not the one that you are being forced to marry. If asked, we will simply say that we are waiting until after the ceremony on Friday for me to bed you." Cole says pulling away again.
"You're right Lord Cole. It is my birthday. I am also the Princess. By status, I am your superior. Bed me now." I demand and Cole's eyes go wide. I never pull the Royal Card with him.
"Princess, I have to ask, did my actions just now in kissing you stir up feelings that you were not aware you possessed for me?" Coles asks.
"What does it matter? I will be bedded tonight by the one that I love. I want to be bedded by you now." I say with a stern look.
"Jo…" Cole starts but I pull him to me and press my lips to his. His kiss did stir up feelings in me; hopefully getting him to bed me will make those feelings go away.
"Cole, please, just this once." I beg. I am a princess, I should be above begging a lesser noble, but in this instance, I am not.
"Jo, wait." Cole says pulling away slightly to look into my eyes. He knows that I am hiding something. I can tell that he knows by the way he's staring.
"Please Cole, if we cannot find a way to prove to my parents that the man I love is worthy enough to have my hand in marriage, I need legitimate cause to prove my state." I say with a sigh.
"Your Love has successfully bedded you before." Cole says. It a statement, not a question, but I respond any way.
"Yes, he has. In the stable of all places, but we could not find a way to get him up here without being seen." I say as I walk over to my bed. The feelings have vanished.
"Then your sudden desire to have me bed you has nothing to do with my kiss. You are simply experiencing pregnancy emotions." Cole says simply.
"I guess that is what it is. Soon I won't be able to fit into my gowns. I will start to show and my parents will know that I was successfully bedded. If I cannot show them how worthy Danny is, then the only other option is for you to bed me." I explain.
"Does he know?" Cole asks.
"Yes, I told him right before I went to stay with you and the other Lords. He's happy, but he knows that things are far from easy." I say.
"I would like to meet him tonight. If it comes down to us having to marry, I would at least like to know the man that my wife will be sharing a bed with other than me." Cole says.
"What of your Love?" I ask.
"Like with your Love, she is hired help at my home. She is my service maid. She was hired to service me in any way I needed and desired, but when I met her, I knew that I couldn't use her like that. We became friends and then Lovers. There have been a couple times when I have successfully bedded her, but all the work she does around my living quarters to keep up the appearance, she has lost the baby both times." Cole explains.
"I am so sorry Cole." I say as I blink back tears.
"It is not your fault Jo." He replies.
"I know it is not my fault, but I cannot help but feel sorry for you both. Why did I not meet her when I was staying with you last week?" I question.
"You never came into my living quarters. She is not allowed to leave the room; if she does, she would be punished. I have tried talking to my father to get that banned, but he wouldn't listen to me." Cole says with a sigh.
"Princess, your father is here to speak with you and Lord Cole; please be decent." Lacey calls through the door.
"We are decent Father; you may come in." I say as Cole and I stand up and he places a hand on the small of my back.
As my father walks into the room, his eyes immediately go from us to the bed and then back to us. The bed is in the same state as it was when he and my mother left earlier, and we are still dressed.
"Lord Cole, why did you not take the time I gave you to bed my daughter. She is to be your wife by the end of the week. You should take any chance to get started on a family." My father says.
"We have been talking Sire. I do not want to bed Princess Josephine until after we are married. So many things could happen between now and the end of the week that I would hate to mess something up by bedding her before the wedding." Cole says.
"I see… Well, I just came up here to let you know that I have discussed the matter with the Queen and the Duke of Farrell, and we have all decided that you should not wait until the end of the week. The other Lords are no longer present, so there is no longer a need to drag this ceremony out. You two shall be married at sundown the night after this." My father says and my face falls.
"Sire, with all due respect to you, the Queen, and my father, I do not think it is wise to push the wedding up to tomorrow. Please allow the Princess and I time to get acclimated to waking in the same bed before we get married." Cole says quickly.
"Sweetheart, is that what you want as well; to keep the wedding on Friday to get acclimated to waking up with Lord Cole?" My father asks.
"Yes Father, it is. Plus, you already announced that the wedding would be on Friday; that is the day that everyone is going to get ready for. Pushing the wedding up to tomorrow would not give anyone enough time to plan anything. Do you not want your only daughter's wedding to be beautiful and planned out thoroughly?" I ask.
"I see your point. The wedding shall take place on Friday at sundown." My father says before exiting the room and locking the door behind him.
As soon as I no longer hear my father's retreating steps I turn to Cole and throw my arms around him.
"Thank you Cole." I say against his shoulder.
"You're welcome Princess. I'll do anything to ensure your happiness." He says.