AN: Oh, this chapter... *sigh*
So the verdict is in and I decided to go with the much longer road for this story. Rest assured, I will also give you a brief summary of how I planned the shorter road to go at the end of the story. The conclusion will be the same but the path we're taking there is far more adventurous!
I appreciate all your input! You guys are fantastic! Nothing but love for you all!
Also, I'll be out of town this weekend which means I won't be getting any writing done which further means there won't be a second chapter this weekend. You'll have to wait until Wednesday for an update. Sorry! :(
I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I do! Please let me know what you're thinking!
Sofia let out a heavy sigh as she looked out her window. It was late evening and there was still no word from Jonathan about Cedric's secret. She wanted to be patient but she felt as though she was running out of time. Baileywick would be back to check on her progress the very next day and she hadn't made any. She hadn't even gotten a hair from Cedric, let alone been able to give herself to him or obtain his blood.
Lucinda's instructions lay open on top of her bed right next to Cedric's folded up note. Both items were plaguing her.
She'd never felt more conflicted in her life. Deep down she knew that she had to kill Cedric and she had to do it soon. Waiting much longer would only cause complications. Her feelings on the matter were beginning to muddy as it was and that was a real problem.
She returned to her bed and picked up Lucinda's parchment to fold it back up. She then picked up Cedric's note and opened it, reading the words over again.
My beautiful wife...
It kept sticking in her head like a favorite tune. In her mind she heard his voice say it so sweetly, barely above a whisper like when he would speak to her with his mouth pressed against her throat.
She shivered at the thought and rolled her shoulders and head back as though shaking the ghost of him from her form. She needed to end this.
Her eyes scanned over the final statement on the paper.
I hope to see you again this evening.
She returned the note to its folded up state and tucked both pieces of parchment under her mattress right next to Jonathan's dagger. She then started out of her room and into the hall toward her husband's bedroom.
She stared at Cedric's door, her mind and body in turmoil. She was shaking with nerves but still determined that she was going to finally move forward with her plan, whatever the cost. She pushed the door open slowly and peered in to find him sitting right where she'd expected him; on his bed reading his book like he usually was.
His eyes flickered up to meet hers and a smile crossed his face. She did her best to return the smile with one of her own, though she worried it might look too forced.
"Good evening, Sofia." Cedric said quietly. "I'm glad you're here. I missed you today."
"Missed me?" Sofia asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she advanced hesitantly toward the bed. "I've been here all day."
"Yes, but I still missed your presence. It seems I've grown quite accustomed to having you by my side, my dear." Cedric replied. "I'll be relieved when you make a full recovery. It will be nice to have you downstairs with the rest of us. You won't be so far from reach."
Sofia took a seat on the bed and sat watching him quietly. She twiddled her thumbs, expecting him to continue the conversation but he only sat in silence and kept reading. It appeared it was up to her to keep some form of communication going. "I-I see you're still reading that book."
"I am indeed." Cedric said with a nod.
"Have you found what you're looking for yet?" Sofia asked.
"I wouldn't be reading it if I had, my dear." Cedric answered, giving his wife a lopsided smile.
Sofia chewed the inside of her cheek in annoyance. He always seemed to skirt around the things she was curious about. "Are you ever going to tell me what you're looking for or is that a secret too?"
Cedric cast a quick glance at the woman and let out a heavy sigh. "If you must know, I was looking for a spell that would remove the scarring 'round your ankles, assuming such a spell actually exists."
"O-oh." Sofia looked up at Cedric, caught off guard by the idea that he was looking to do something nice for her.
"It was meant to be a surprise for you." Cedric explained. "But now that you know you mustn't get your hopes up. I'm not finding much in the realm of removing deep-seated injuries."
"Is that the secret Abigail has been keeping for you?" Sofia asked in interest.
Cedric removed his glasses from his face and looked his wife over. He debated on whether or not to lie to her before choosing to just be honest. "No, I haven't spoken to your chambermaid about this."
Sofia blinked at him in thought for a moment. She wondered if she ought to press him more about his secret but quickly decided against it. "W-well, if you can't find a way to get rid of the scars it doesn't matter. I've already accepted that I'll have them for the rest of my life."
"I don't want you to have them." Cedric spoke quietly. "They're wretched. They're also entirely my fault and they should have never occurred. It's the least I can do to try and remove them."
Sofia glanced down at her ankles peeking out from the bottom of her nightgown. They were indeed hideous but she and Abigail were really the only ones to ever see them. All of her gowns were floor length and it wasn't as though she went anywhere to bare her feet anyhow. "They don't really bother me."
"They bother me." Cedric snapped. "They're a constant reminder. One I'd like to remove."
Sofia tensed at the tone of her husband's voice. There were layers of emotion underneath the anger but it was still the most prevalent. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly as she gave a meek response. "Removing the physical scar doesn't heal the emotional one, Cedric."
"Don't you think I know that?" Cedric grumbled, looking down at his wife in discomfort. "But I have to start somewhere."
Sofia looked away from the man, clutching her legs against herself. There was a long period of silence between them that seemed to stretch out forever. She knew she had to say something. If she didn't the whole evening would be spent awkwardly not speaking to each other and that wouldn't help her plan along at all. "Cedric-"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Cedric said, putting the book and glasses aside. "I-I'm not proud of what I've done to you, Sofia. I'd give anything in the world to take it all back. Unfortunately, no such magic exists. I can only try to make up for the things I can fix." He reached out and pressed his hand to her cheek, using it to bring her gaze back to his. "Forgive my outburst. I don't want to spend this evening with you upset at me."
"I'm... not upset with you." Sofia said and she paused to think about her words. Was she upset with Cedric? While she certainly despised him for everything he'd done to her and her family she supposed she couldn't begrudge him the raw emotion he felt at his own vile actions. He seemed genuinely remorseful for what he'd done and it was the first time she'd seen anything resembling real regret from him. If she was honest, it was a bit of a relief to know he felt that way.
She didn't know what else to say to him then so she offered a small smile to alleviate the tension, hoping beyond all hope that she could salvage the night. An uneasy smile crossed his features and he pressed his hand more securely against her face.
"I don't deserve you, Sofia." Cedric said before pressing his lips to his wife's forehead. He pulled back and moved to kiss her cheek, muttering to her softly. "But I'm going to do whatever it takes to change that."
Sofia's breath caught in her throat at Cedric's words. His voice was so tender, just like she'd imagined when she read his note. A shiver ran through her at the tone of sincerity there.
She moved to drape her arms over his shoulders and turned her head just slightly to the side to capture his mouth with hers. She parted her lips to invite him to deepen the kiss and he did so happily. His tongue moved slowly across hers, tempting a tiny moan from her throat.
She felt his hand move from her face to her thigh. His fingers were twitching against the fabric of her nightgown and it seemed as though he was waiting for an invitation. She pulled back from their kiss and stared up at him a bit apprehensively. "Tonight... please."
Cedric snickered at his wife's way of asking for sex. Her shyness about the matter was quite charming, even if her motive for wanting it was not. He supposed he should finally appease her. He was running out of excuses for denying her at this point anyhow and whatever she was planning, it didn't seem to involve his demise.
He pushed the nightgown up slowly above her hips and paused, looking down at her for permission to remove it entirely. He watched her reach up to the tie at her chest and give the ribbon a quick tug. He wrapped his hands in the intrusive fabric and pushed it slowly up her body and over her head to reveal her nude form beneath.
She didn't act as timid as she had been the night before. She didn't make any effort to cover herself, though he could tell by her body language that she still felt exposed in his presence.
Her hands were moving toward him, however, entangling themselves in his nightshirt. He smiled and allowed her to return the favor of undressing him. Once the cumbersome tunic was out of their way he pulled her close to feel the softness of her skin against his.
She smelled of lavender this evening. Coupled with her natural aroma, it was intoxicating.
He shifted to lie back and pulled her to straddle his lap. He wanted to look up at her, to see her above him in all her unabridged beauty. She was blushing cherry red and trying terribly hard to avoid his gaze. He reached up and placed his fingertips against her cheek. "Look at me, Sofia."
Sofia's eyes darted back to Cedric. He had such an amorous expression on his face and though it should have been unsettling, it only made her heart race. She felt his fingers trailing away from her face, down her shoulder and arm to clasp her hand. He brought the appendage to rest against his chest where she could feel his heart pounding against her palm.
Her own heartbeat was echoing his in intensity, pulsing against her rib cage as though it was trying to escape. She placed her other hand against his chest and slid them both forward to cup the back of his neck. She leaned down and brushed her lips over his.
She could feel him beginning to tremble beneath her. There was a smidgen of satisfaction she received from being the one to make him quake with desire for a change. A pleased hum rose in her throat as he parted his lips anxiously and she could feel his bottom lip quivering against hers. She let her tongue slip past the open barrier to kiss him tauntingly.
She had him right where she wanted him.
Cedric moaned into his wife's mouth. She was snaking her arms around him to pull him close and he was weak to every bit of her touch. He managed to let his hand slide up her thigh until he reached the soft, damp folds of her womanhood. He ran his fingers across the sensitive flesh there before tucking them deeply within her. She let out a delicious gasp and he took the moment to grab her and roll her over. He looked down at her to see her eyes wide and swimming with many emotions. Fear didn't seem to be amongst them.
He watched her face as he readied her. Her lashes began to flutter with each gentle caress, unable to mask the pleasure slowly working its way through her body. She was panting heavily and he noticed that the corners of her mouth appeared to be upturned. A wide grin skipped its way across his features as he dipped his head to taste her throat.
"Cedric..." Sofia managed to croak out as she clenched the sheets beneath her. "Are we going to-"
"Yes, my queen." Cedric purred, pulling back to nuzzle her neck. "But I want to ready you. I want to make sure you feel the best you've ever felt, so I'm not going to rush things."
Sofia whimpered at Cedric's words. What he said and what he meant were two entirely different things and she was smart enough by now to catch on to what lie between. When he said he wasn't going to rush things he really meant that he was going to tease her to the brink of insanity before finally giving her what she was after.
He was going to put her through his own special kind of torture, though she supposed it could have been much, much worse.
His lips were pressing ever so sweetly against her chin and jawline as he continued to work his fingers back and forth inside her. She sighed softly, allowing the need he was stirring up within her to fully take hold.
Cedric smiled against his wife's flesh as he placed little pecks around her neck and face. He was still probing gently and her body was reacting fiercely to the stimulation. She was arching against his touch and small, involuntary moans began escaping from her beautifully parted lips.
He had her right where he wanted her.
He pulled back from her only long enough to remove his trousers and as he did so he caught the sight of her wriggling ever so slightly on the bed. It appeared as though she didn't want to be without his hands on her body. It was a sentiment they both seemed to share. He clasped her eagerly and pulled her against him as he placed a hungry kiss on her mouth.
He wondered if he ought to continue easing her walls open and prepare her further for their contact. After all, he didn't want to risk causing her any undue pain. But the way her body rose to meet his beckoned him to throw caution to the wind. He was going to take her.
Sofia felt Cedric shifting around, parting her legs easily with his own. He was hovering above her and she pulled back from their kiss long enough to look up at him. "Is it time?"
"Yes, it's time." Cedric whispered. He lowered himself down carefully, pressing his body over hers. He was poised at her entrance, anxious and racked with nerves when doubt began to crawl in. He felt at odds with himself. He knew she was only coming to him in this way because she planned to accomplish something from it. He'd allowed it to continue simply for the fact that he wanted her. He'd played dumb, pretending not to realize she was up to something but if he let her continue at this point there would be no going back for either of them. "A-are you sure you want this, Sofia? Once we do this... it's forever."
"I know it is." Sofia said on a whisper, trying to swallow the lump that was now rising in her throat at the idea that she was about to give Cedric, the man she loathed, the one thing she could never reclaim. "But I'm ready."
Cedric inhaled deeply and pressed the tip of his length against the soft haven awaiting him. He pushed forward slowly, careful not to give his wife any discomfort.
Sofia lulled her head to the side and made small gasps for air as she felt Cedric slipping within her. It was an entirely different sensation than his fingers. It felt fuller, more complete, though it also pained her a bit despite all that he'd done to prevent that. She was thankful when he finally buried himself fully and stayed completely motionless to allow her body to adjust.
Cedric held himself up on trembling limbs to watch Sofia's reaction. She was looking elsewhere in the room, panting lightly as her walls around him shivered. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her mind. Was she already regretting this? Was she just trying to imagine she was anywhere else? He was too afraid to ask her and too afraid to try and press forward so he just stared at her in uncertainty.
He wasn't moving, she noted as she stared off into the distance. She could feel the warmth of his breath washing over her but other than his heaving chest, he wasn't moving a muscle. Whatever was holding him back was unclear but she hoped he got over it. She hadn't come this far for nothing.
She rolled her head back to look up at him, his face dressed in something akin to worry. She reached up to clasp the back of his neck and pulled him into a needy kiss. This seemed to break whatever spell he was under. He began thrusting carefully within her, patient so as not to cause her any undue pain.
Cedric slipped his arms around his wife to pull her close. He placed one hand at the small of her back to deepen himself within her. The other hand ran itself up to cup the back of her head. Holding her so close against him caused his already pounding heart to beat erratically. How he had wanted this for so very, very long.
He could feel every light tremor in her body as he rocked himself back and forth against her. Each plunge brought a small cry from her lips. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard in his life.
Sofia took several deep breaths but each time Cedric buried himself deep inside her it seemed to take the breath away in the form of a loud whimper. The pain was ever-present, though it was dulling more and more as time flitted by. Perhaps he hadn't been wrong to make her wait. Perhaps training her body to accept his hadn't been a selfish tool of torture after all. She couldn't imagine how badly it might have hurt otherwise.
She felt his hand against her face, brushing a few stray hairs aside as he stopped his movements within her. Her eyes darted to his to see him looking down at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" Cedric asked softly.
"I'm fine." Sofia answered before pausing in thought. She looked up at him curiously. "C-can you feel my pain?"
"I can." Cedric said with a nod. "Though, I have a very high tolerance for pain so it's hard for me to gauge how it's making you feel. I don't want you to suffer."
"I'm not suffering." Sofia replied, shaking her head. "The pain is dull. I don't mind it so much."
"Are you certain?" Cedric continued, afraid to pester her but even more afraid to harm her. "All I want is to make you feel good."
"It does feel good." Sofia admitted reluctantly. "Especially when you a-ah!"
He had begun thrusting again, cutting her words off with her own sounds of pleasure. She would've liked to have been irritated with him but he was so deep within her, stirring her desire to the point of pitiful moans ejecting themselves from her wide open mouth.
She gripped his arm tightly, nails digging into the flesh there. Whatever pain remained from their contact seemed minuscule against the length of him driving in and out of her.
Cedric could feel Sofia's walls completely giving way around him. The pain he'd felt seeping from her was nonexistent at this point, giving way to pure pleasure. It was impossible to know who's pleasure he was feeling; hers or his own.
He decided to pick up the pace a bit, to give her a small taste of all the things he had in store for her if she chose to continue coming to him this way. He grabbed a pillow from behind her head and lifted her up just long enough to place it underneath her, angling her up so that he could gain deeper access. He began thrusting again, delighting in the slight change of sensation.
She seemed entirely receptive of this. Her hands were pulling him closer and her legs were shifting to wrap around him. All of it was damn near overwhelming and he found he had to pause their movements again, this time for fear of losing himself. He pulled back, his face red in embarrassment as he looked at her apologetically. "G-give me a moment. Please."
Sofia blinked up at him in confusion before realization hit her. She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a knowing smile. "Who was it you said needs to work on their stamina?"
"I-I can't help it." Cedric said with a nervous laugh. "The way you feel, the way you look... e-everything about you has me so on edge."
"So let go." Sofia offered quietly.
"No, not yet." Cedric shook his head and thumbed over his wife's cheek. "I want to be the one to make you cum. Not the other way around."
"I don't see why it matters, Cedric." Sofia muttered, rocking her hips slightly to urge him to continue.
"It matters." Cedric insisted. "It matters more than you'll ever know."
Sofia fell silent, uncertain of exactly what he meant. She didn't see what the issue was. Whether he made her climax or the other way around, they'd both be getting pleasure. But she supposed it might be a sense of pride for him not to lose himself so quickly, especially after the big to-do he'd made about her inability to last longer than a few minutes.
So she lay still, impatient as he placed tiny kisses against her throat and shoulder. She was slightly annoyed with him initially but she could see the look on his face. He was glancing at her between kisses and he looked absolutely petrified. She could feel how tense he was against her and she knew he was likely concerned that she was thinking poorly of him.
An immense desire to put his mind at ease flooded over her.
She grabbed his face between her hands and pulled him into a soft, longing kiss. The tension in his body seemed to melt away instantly, leaving him practically liquid against her. She trailed a hand to stroke gently up and down his spine and she received a shiver from him.
She brought her hips up slowly against his in an effort to entice him to do the same. He seemed reluctant at first but she persisted, grinding upward until he met her movements with his own.
Cedric pushed himself upright, kneeling now between his wife's legs as he drove the length of himself slowly inside her. She was staring up at him, her eyes full of more need than she could ever convey verbally. He brought his hand between them and placed his palm against the inside if her thigh. He let his thumb trail up her dampened folds until he found her clit, earning a loud gasp in response. He ran his thumb, slick with her essence, in small circles against the sensitive bud.
Sofia couldn't help the jerking reaction her body gave each time a jolt of pleasure went coursing through her. She was writhing against his touch, bucking wildly against him as he continued his efforts to satisfy her.
She could feel her climax building and she realized that she had also felt when he had come to the edge earlier. The two sensations were similar, though what she was feeling now was far more intense. Perhaps that was why he'd stopped before... he knew the release was much more potent when it was one's own. He wanted her to feel her own orgasm, not his.
Confused emotions began to cloud her mind but she tried not to think on them. All she wanted was release.
She grabbed hold of his arm and pulled herself up, grasping desperately at what she could to bring herself closer to him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck as she clung to him. "Cedric, please don't stop!"
Cedric felt heat wash over him at his wife's needful plea. She was on the cusp of an orgasm, he could feel, but his own was now building on top of that. He moved his hands to grip her tightly, one slipping to cup her rear and pull her up off the pillow while the other snaked around her back and clamped down on her shoulder.
He gritted his teeth, doing his best to stay upright as their necessitous grinding brought them both closer to climax.
Then he felt it happen... her orgasm, or his. Maybe it was his because it felt so powerful, but then she was crying out louder than she ever had before, nails digging into his flesh as her walls milked him with their delicate tremor.
He could remain upright no longer.
They toppled down onto the mattress together, still riding out the waves of their mutual gratification. He didn't want to pull away from her, though the part of him that needed to know if she was alright was already pushing himself up to stare down at her. He placed a trembling hand against her cheek and tried to find his voice. "Are you-"
"I'm fine." Sofia cut him off, anticipating his words before he could speak them. He was staring down at her, gasping for breath much like herself. He looked as though he had a mouthful of words he wanted to say but no way to force them out. Instead he lowered his head to nuzzle against her shoulder. She raised her hand to cup the back of his head and ran her fingers through his silky black locks. "How are you feeling?"
"Wonderful, my love." Cedric managed, smiling against her flesh.
Sofia's heart dropped at Cedric's words and she pushed herself up despite the weight of him on top of her. "What did you say?"
"I said I'm wonderful." Cedric replied, his brow crinkling at the sudden paleness of her face. "What-"
"Not that." Sofia said, shaking her head. "You said... you called me-"
"My love." Cedric replied, realizing the term that had fallen from his lips. It hadn't been a purposeful statement but he meant it all the same. He shrugged and raised the back of his hand against her cheek to caress her sweetly. "I love you, Sofia. Such an endearment shouldn't come as a shock."
Sofia shook her head again, this time almost violently. "No. No, you don't love me. You're just... just swept up in the moment."
Cedric frowned and looked his wife over. She looked petrified, like a deer staring down a hunter's bow and arrow. He reached for her but she pulled back rapidly, backing away from him almost as though she feared pain from his touch. "Sofia, I'm not going to hurt you. I love y-"
"Stop it." Sofia whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "Don't say that."
"Sofia..." Cedric stuck his hand out toward her again but she jumped from the bed and scurried toward the door. "Sofia, wait!"
But Sofia wasn't going to wait. She wasn't going to even bother to collect her nightgown. She threw the door open and bolted across the hall into her own room. Once inside she locked the door and rushed over to her bed to grab the dagger out from where she'd hidden it.
She then sat, staring at the door as she waited for Cedric to try and enter like she knew he would. She heard the sound of him trying the latch but he was unsuccessful. He then began pounding on the door, calling her name and pleading that she let him in.
Tears were pouring down her face as she sat with the dagger clenched between both hands.
It was only a matter of time, she reasoned, before he left to fetch his wand and returned to unlock the door by magic. Eventually he stopped trying to reason with her to open the door and she heard the smacks of his bare feet on the tile as he stormed back across the hall.
She held her breath and waited, trembling in anticipation for him to come bursting through the door at any minute. But he never did. Time passed by at a crawl but she heard nothing more from him. After a while she felt braver. She rose from her bed, dagger still clenched in hand as she made her way over to the door.
She unlocked it cautiously and opened it a crack just to peek out.
There was no sign of life on the other side. Just his door across the hall, closed and staring at her menacingly. She closed her own door and locked it once again before rushing to her closet. She grabbed a gown and pulled it on before strapping the dagger's sheath to her leg. She placed the blade back in its sheath, slipped some shoes on her feet and started back out of her room.
The first few steps past Cedric's bedroom were terrifying but she managed them silently. Once she was far enough away she slipped into the passageway to the library and walked along with a purpose. From the library she made her way in search of Jonathan. If he was making his nightly rounds it would only be a matter of time before she ran into him in the same place she had the night she tried to kill Cedric.
She headed there and waited.
Hours ticked by before she finally caught sight of the captain of the guard. She stepped from the shadows and reached out to grab his arm.
"Shit!" Jonathan hissed as the queen caught him off guard. He whirled around to face her, whispering scoldingly. "You can't sneak up on me like that."
"I'm sorry. I just needed to talk to you." Sofia whispered back. "Jonathan, I can't do this anymore. I... I need to get out of here and I want to take what remains of my family with me."
"Sofia, that's never going to happen." Jonathan replied with a sigh. "The king has guards all over the grounds. Look, I could sneak you out by yourself but bringing the others with us is impossible."
"You're the captain of the guard." Sofia retorted. "The guards have to listen to you too. If you send them somewhere else-"
"They'll get suspicious and not a one of them would hesitate to roll over on me and take my job while sending me to the gallows." Jonathan paused and rubbed his throat worriedly. "Actually, the gallows might not be so bad compared to what the king would do to me."
"I'm not leaving without my family." Sofia insisted. "Will you help me or not?"
"I can't." Jonathan replied. "Why don't you continue with your plan? At least that way-"
"I've been trying. But things are complicated." Sofia muttered, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "Way more complicated than they should have become. And I feel like I'm wavering. I don't know if I have it in me to kill him. I did at one time but... but everything is changing now and I don't know if I can bring myself to do it anymore. H-he told me he loves me."
"And you believe him?" Jonathan asked with a scoff. "Sofia-"
"I know." Sofia said, shaking her head at her own foolishness. "I know I shouldn't believe a word that comes from his mouth but the way he was looking at me... I-I can't describe it. That's why I need to just leave. I need to get my family and get out of here."
"Like I said, not going to happen. Your family can barely walk on their own. You'd have to wheel them right out the front gate and there's no way that's going to go unnoticed." Jonathan replied. "I'm sorry, Sofia. The only way your family is getting out of here is over the king's dead body. You need to think long and hard about what's most important to you and go from there. Trying to escape at night when the castle is most heavily guarded is not an option."
Sofia blinked up at Jonathan, his words striking her with an idea. "Going at night isn't an option, but what about during the day?"
"What?" Jonathan looked at the queen in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
"I am." Sofia said with a smile. "Cedric keeps them locked up at night but he has Abigail tending to them during the day. If there aren't as many guards on duty during the day as there are at night it should be a lot easier."
"There may not be as many but there's still a lot." Jonathan said with a sigh. "It's probably not going to work either."
"We'll see about that, won't we?" Sofia said with a smirk. She took a step backward from Jonathan and started back toward her room. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jonathan. Meet me at one o'clock in the library."
"Sofia!" Jonathan whispered shrilly, calling after the retreating queen, though she didn't seem to hear him as she disappeared from sight. "Ah, fuck."