Soft light illuminated the large bedroom as Helia opened his eyes. The sun had not yet risen above the horizon, but dim light streamed through the windows. Helia squinted as he looked out the window and to the mountains. What time was it? Whatever time it was, it was way too early.
Without thinking, Helia turned around in his bed and his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he saw her. How could he have forgotten about the sleeping woman in his bed when she had given him the best night of his life? But there she was, soft brown hair falling in her face, the fur blanket draped across her hip, leaving her top half exposed. But she slept on her stomach, her arms wrapped around the pillow under her head as a soft snore escaped her mouth as she exhaled. Even then, with her hair a mess and her face still puffy from crying, Flora was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. He couldn't help but stare at her, hoping that she wouldn't wake up from her peaceful slumber right next to him.
Helia raised a pale hand and brought it up to lightly brush the hair away from Flora's face. A soft sigh escaped from her lips as she moved under his touch. Her arms wrapped tighter around the pillow under her head and nudged her head under Helia's touch. Helia smiled as Flora continued to sleep, a soft grin appearing on her face. He wondered what she was dreaming about. He hoped that it was something pleasant. She deserved nothing but pleasant dreams.
"Yes, mama..." Flora's voice was so soft as she spoke in her sleep, "...bread...hot..."
She was dreaming of home, of her family. Helia couldn't help but think about how happy she must have been in her dream. Was she in the kitchen with her mother? Was Miele there with her? What was her father doing? How he would have loved to meet her family and see Flora be with the people she loved more than anything. She said that she loved him, but he knew that he would never compare to her family. Helia had enough sense to know that to Flora, her family came first.
He didn't really know what that was like, to have the love of a family, but he was so happy that someone as amazing as Flora knew that she had the love of her family up until that tragic moment. What would her father think of him? Helia would have done anything to please him and let him know that he would always care for her. Would her mother like him? He was a prince, and didn't all mothers want their daughters to marry someone of good status? Though he did suppose that Flora's family would have just wanted her to be happy, no matter who she married. And her sister Miele. Helia knew that her opinion mattered the most. Flora talked about her younger sister at any point she could and Helia came to learn that if he were going to be on anyone's good side, it would be Miele's.
But he would never have to worry about that. He would only have to focus on his dysfunctional...family? His father was difficult, and Duncan might as well be the older brother he never asked for. His father would love that. Saladin had been supportive of his feelings for Flora but Helia could sense that Saladin was apprehensive about any budding relationship with Flora. Saladin continued to stress Flora's safety and making sure that he had thought everything through when he interacted with Flora.
He didn't want to think about what Saladin would say after tonight. Would Helia tell him what had happened with Flora? Helia hadn't planned on anything that happened that night. He never expected that Flora would have wanted to share their first time together tonight. Would Saladin be happy for him because he and Flora shared something so special with one another? Or would he tell him in his own way that Helia had been stupid? She had given him something so important and he had gladly accepted without a plan of how to carry on. Helia knew that there was no going back, that he would forever be in love with the princess's handmaiden and that nothing would ever change that. Would Saladin tell him that he was an idiot for falling so deep in love when there was no guarantee that he would ever be with her? Saladin had told him to find his happiness with Flora, but surely Saladin never expected it to go this far. Who would have loved Helia as much as Flora loved him? Nobody would have believed it.
Helia rolled onto his back, but his head was still turned to look at Flora, unable to peel his eyes away from her. She was just so perfect, it was more than he could comprehend, and he couldn't stop touching her face. It was so soft and beyond perfect. As he continued to stroke her high cheeks, Flora began to stir under his touch once again, but Helia's hand did not move away. It was as if he were stuck in a trance.
Flora took in a deep breath and her eyes slowly opened. Bright green eyes appeared behind brown eyelids as she squinted at Helia. She gave him a tired smile as she relaxed under his touch.
"I'm sorry," Helia's hand stilled on Flora's cheek, "I didn't mean to wake you. It's early, you can go back to sleep."
"No," Flora sighed, "I should get up and return to the servants' quarters before anyone else wakes up for the morning. I cannot serve in the same gown that I wore to the ball and imagine the scandal it would cause if I were to be seen coming out of the prince's room in the morning."
"Alright," Helia smiled, "but just a few more moments. Please?"
Flora nodded as she moved in the bed and crawled into Helia's arms. She was just as warm as she was earlier in the night. Her skin was just as soft as before and he felt her heartbeat against his chest. It was so comforting. But what was more comforting was that she was just as real as she had been earlier in the night. She was still here. His hands began to stroke through the length of her hair, his fingers getting caught in the small knots that formed in the brown locks after a few hours of sleep.
"If I could freeze time, I would stop it right now so that you would be able to stay forever by my side. Just the two of us." Helia whispered as his hands continued to caress the back of Flora's head as he could feel her breath hit his chest.
"But the sun soon will rise over the horizon, and I will go back to being the handmaiden of the princess and you, Your Highness, will return to being the prince." Flora sighed. The clock ticked in the corner of the room, counting the seconds that Flora had left to be wrapped up in Helia's arms. She didn't want to leave; she was warm and she felt at peace in his embrace. She hadn't felt a peace like that in years. Of course she wanted to completely envelop herself in the feeling; drown in the heavy cloud of relief that she felt wrapped in Helia's arms. But all good things had to come to an end. Time didn't stop and the clock kept ticking.
Flora wiggled out of Helia's arms and rose to a seated position on the bed. The blanket fell to her hips to cover her lower portion, falling from her chest as she raised her arms and stretched. Her back cracked as she raised her arms and Helia's eyes landed on her exposed chest that had jutted out with her stretching. Flora, suddenly aware of Helia's gaze, grabbed the dark furs and pulled them up to her chest.
"I have forgotten myself." Flora blushed as she brought the furs under her chin, covering herself completely. "I should have been more careful."
Helia sat up and placed a hand on top of Flora's, lowering them to the top of her chest, not wanting to expose Flora but Helia never wanted her to cover herself completely. Though, he had seen her chest before, and placed his mouth over her perfect breasts. Why was she being so shy now? Still, he would always respect her boundaries, she had already shared more with him than he deserved. Helia placed another hand on the side of Flora's face and cupped her jaw before pulling her into a kiss. It started off soft, but Flora soon leaned in and applied more pressure to his lips, deepening the kiss.
Flora's hands released the fur covers before bringing her arms up to wrap around Helia's neck, pulling him closer and with enough force, brought him on top of her as she fell back onto the bed. She hung onto him as her lips moved against his and his hands lowered from her jaw to brush down the center of her body, between her breasts before floating over her abdomen and settling onto her hips.
Helia's lips moved from Flora's and to the spot where Helia remembered that she had enjoyed the night before. Right under her ear and as if on cue, Flora let out a soft, breathy moan. It sounded just as fantastic as the night before and combined with the smell of her sweet skin and the feel of her wide hips in his hands, Helia was once again brought into a state of absolute bliss.
"Do you really have to leave?" Helia asked as the vibration of his voice coursed through the hollow of Flora's ear. "Are you certain that you can't stay?"
"Her Highness will be expecting me this morning..." Flora exhaled as Helia's hands moved lower from Flora's hip and to the top of her thighs. She raised her legs up into a bent position around Helia's waist and spread them open, Helia fitting comfortably in between them. She winced at the soreness in her muscles from the night before as she slowly widened her legs, not used to the feeling of having a man, or anyone for that matter, between them. But Helia seemed to fit so perfectly between them.
"I'll send someone else," Helia grinned, his sharp nose running along Flora's neck, "tell her that you are busy at the moment."
"And what am I busy with?" Flora giggled, wanting to know what Helia would come up with.
"A matter of royal importance. His Highness, the Crown Prince of Hademort, was in dire need of Flora's services. She is the only one who can solve the problem that he is having and would need her for the whole day."
"The whole day?"
"Yes, the whole day."
"As much as Flora would love to help," Flora pushed Helia up and away from her body with a soft push on his chest, "His Highness knows that Flora has made an oath to serve the princess first. She does not answer to the prince."
"Oh, he knows that." Helia smirked as he hovered over Flora, "Rumor has it that the prince does everything for her."
"What an odd prince to do something like that for someone like her."
"One does suppose that is what happens when the princess's handmaiden is so stunning, both inside and out. Everyone can see how easy it was for the moody, angry, prince to fall in love with her."
Flora reached up to Helia's face and placed a kiss on his lips as her hips began to move against Helia's. Helia's hands tightened on Flora's thighs as a jolt of pleasure shot from his crotch to his head. She was warm and wet again, and Helia desperately wanted more. He hoped that the movements of Flora's hips meant that she wanted more too. She had already blessed him beyond words the night before, he had to know which higher power he had pleased to make sure that he had continued to do it.
Helia felt the pressure mounting in the space between his legs as he grew harder and harder. Flora's moving hips against his growing erection did nothing to help. He needed her and when she exhaled a desperate whine, Helia returned with a moan of his own.
"Stunning, radiant, beautiful, kind, caring, brilliant, loving, patient..." Helia rubbed Flora's thigh before lining himself up and pushed in with a slow thrust of his hips. Flora arched her back and her hands left Helia to grip the sheets at her side. "...how could anyone not fall in love with a woman like that?"
Flora once again began to gradually glow a bright green and the ivy that had sprouted from before began to grow longer and small white flowers began to appear on the hanging branches. With her eyes lidded as Helia moved within her, they still began to shimmer like gems as the magic inside of her grew. The sensation of Helia in her and the words that he said falling into her ears brought about a strength that she was unaware that she had when with one quick move of her body, she was on top of Helia.
"Flora..." Helia's eyes widened in a very pleasant shock. He was more than happy to be under Flora at this moment, but her eyes were the brightest he had ever seen them and she looked at him in a way that he had never seen before. There was so much intensity behind them that Helia didn't know whether he should be afraid. But, when Flora began to rock her hips above Helia, all thoughts of worry were replaced with an immense amount of pleasure.
Flora's hands were placed on Helia's chest as she rocked her hips languidly over Helia, his length hitting her in new places and her sensitive clitoris rubbed against his hips, all of which sent her head into a whirlwind of all-consuming pleasure. Her soft pants were breathy as she closed her eyes and dug her nails softly into the expanse of Helia's chest. Helia's hands tightened around Flora's hips and fingertip-sized bruises were sure to form to match the ones on her thigh from earlier.
The way she moved her body above Helia brought more pleasure than Helia had ever thought was possible. And he had just made love to her a few hours prior. Her hips moved like waves, and he enjoyed seeing all of her. The curve of her hips dipping to her waist, her breasts swayed with every movement. Her hair was lightly tangled on top of her head and when she threw her head back, her lips parted as she let out a breathy moan. Helia let out a soft hiss as Flora's nails dug into his chest and dragged down. He had gotten many injuries from training but any mark from Flora was a badge of honor; worth more than any of the accolades that he had ever gotten before.
"Helia..." Flora whined, "you feel so good."
"I could say the same." Helia sighed as Flora continued to move her hips over Helia.
Flora's hands pushed down on Helia's chest as she began to move her hips faster and with more determination.
"So so good!" Flora exclaimed as the glow around her strengthened and brightened. Her head dropped back down and hung over Helia. Her eyes were still squeezed shut but consistent, high moans escaped from her pouty lips.
There was no way that Helia was going to let Flora go without a fight. He wanted a million more moments like this, Flora on top of him, her face contorted in pleasure, and her body rocking against his. He would commit every movement to memory and lock it away to remember for the rest of his life. As she moved up and down with every rock of her hips, he was getting closer and closer to his release and when moans escaped her lips, Helia became overwhelmed by the pleasure surrounding him.
"Flora, I love you. I love you. I love you." Helia repeated like a mantra, unable to say anything else. His love for Flora was all that he could think about. He was so close and as Flora's skin became a blinding green, Helia supposed that she wasn't far behind from finding her own orgasm.
"Oh my...Helia...ahhh..." Flora moved faster as the warmth of an impending orgasm rose up in her core, threatening to erupt once again. Tears of pleasure began to escape from her eyes as small leaves began to sprout from her skin under the haze of green that covered her body. It didn't hurt. Or maybe it did? She wasn't sure because the pleasure was becoming too much and numbed her to any possible pain that might have been.
With one last firm rock of her hips, Flora slammed down onto Helia, threw her head back, and let out a scream of ecstasy.
"HELIAAA!" Flora yelled his name as her body stiffened over him and the leaves that had sprouted out of her body had shot out and landed on top of Helia. As she screamed out his name, Helia felt an overwhelming sense of pride and adoration take over. When Flora had reached her peak, all she could shout out was his name. His name. Bless his mother for giving him a name that sounded so good coming from Flora's mouth. Though any name would sound just as good, so long as it was his and coming from Flora.
As Flora stilled above him, Helia began to thrust his hips and in one, two, three more thrusts of his hips, Helia came for the second time in a matter of hours and with the woman that he loved more than life itself. His arms wrapped around Flora's waist as he pulled her exhausted body closer to him, the glow dimming and her eyes returning to the life-filled green as opposed to eyes like glistening and cold gems.
Helia's hand rubbed Flora's back as they both did their best to regain some semblance of a normal breathing pattern. He could feel small indentations on her back where the leaves had been and when he lifted his hand, he saw a light coating of blood on his fingers.
"You're bleeding, Flora." Helia remarked in a mild panic, too exhausted at that moment to be even more vocally concerned.
"I am?" Flora sighed, not worried about the small openings in her skin.
"Are you not in pain?"
"All I feel is amazing, Helia." Flora placed a tender kiss on Helia's cheek.
Helia gently removed Flora from on top of him and sat up on the bed, his erection softening after his release and falling from Flora's limp body. Flora closed her eyes as she sprawled out over Helia's bed, her legs tangled in the thick bedding as she still breathed deeply trying to catch her breath. Helia threw his legs off of the bed and placed his feet on the fur rug by his bed. He stood up and made his way over to the wooden wardrobe, the cold stone hitting his feet.
Grabbing a pair of navy-blue satin pants, he placed his feet inside and pulled them up so they hung lazily on his slender hips. Helia walked to the small wash basin in the corner of his room to grab the white cloth hanging from the small bar and dipped it in the lukewarm water. He rang it out and walked back to his bed where Flora laid still, too tired to be able to move.
Helia placed the towel on Flora's back and began to wipe away the blood and sweat that covered her back, shoulders, arms, and legs. She jumped at the wet cloth on her back but slowly relaxed under Helia's careful touch.
"You didn't need to do that. I could have taken care of it when I returned to my room." Flora turned her head to look at Helia.
"I am the prince; I shall do what I want."
Flora exhaled through her nose as she smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the way the wet cloth felt over her skin. She could fall asleep all over again as Helia gently rubbed the cloth over her. It reminded her of the time that she had been climbing trees with Miele when they were young. Flora had climbed too high, where the branches had become too thin and brittle to hold the weight of a fifteen-year-old. The branch snapped and Flora had fallen to the ground, sore and with cuts all along her skin from passing the tree branches on the way down. Her mother had tended to her wounds, the same way Helia had now, and Flora once again felt like she was home with the prince. He would have no idea how happy he had made her.
With the blood clotted and wiped away from her skin, Helia set the pink-tinted cloth down on his bedside table. Helia slowly lowered himself down onto the bed and grabbed the blankets to wrap around their bodies. He pulled her into his arms, her back against his chest and the soft curve of her backside pressed against his satin covered thighs. Helia began placing light kisses on the small lines that marked her body, doing his best to be as gentle as possible.
"I really must go." Flora sighed as Helia continued to place kisses against her back and shoulders. "The sun shall be up soon, and I must prepare Her Highness for her day."
"Everything just seems so dark and empty when you are gone." Helia whispered against Flora's skin, his breath sending shivers down her back, or maybe it was the deep timbre of his voice. Always so smooth and deep, hypnotizing her with every word.
"Helia..." Flora did her best to protest but his lips felt so good on her skin and his hands were warm against her stomach. She couldn't find the words to tell him she had to go nor find the energy to leave. That was until there was a soft knock on the door that caused Flora's body to stiffen and Helia's lips to still over Flora's body.
Helia spent a moment contemplating if he should answer. If he didn't, maybe they would go away but on the other hand, if they thought he was asleep, they might enter the room to prepare the room for the day. He looked down at Flora who was as stiff as a board in his arms, he took a breath and turned his head to the door.
"It is too early," Helia called out, "come back when there is sunlight."
"You have a busy day, Your Highness."
Saladin.
Helia felt Flora begin to relax in his arms hearing the familiar sound of Saladin's voice. While Flora hoped that Saladin would not walk into the room as she lay naked in Helia's arms, she was glad to know that Saladin was the best option to be standing behind the bedroom door.
"And Flora needs to get back to the servants' quarters lest others beyond myself learn about the night you shared together. You are lucky that I awake before the rest of the palace. I could hear you two from down the hall."
Flora's face reddened as Helia fell back onto the mattress and ran a hand over his face.
"That sneaky old man..." Helia groaned before shouting back to the door, "Leave! Now!"
"Yes, Your Highness." Saladin responded, "The rest of the castle will be awake shortly."
Helia turned his head to look back down at Flora, her head on his chest and her skin stained a deep pink. She placed a kiss on his chest before rising from the bed and grabbing the fur blanket to wrap around her body as she left the bed. Helia didn't know if he would ever be able to sleep alone again knowing what it was like to sleep with Flora by his side. The bed felt cold without her in it. Helia watched as Flora scurried over to the pile of white fabric and bent over to pick it up, her hair falling in her face. She rose and Helia sighed at the beautiful sight in front of him.
This must have been the feeling that his mother had talked about when she was younger. The warmth, the joy, the pure inexplicable happiness that overtook his body as he watched Flora slip on the white dress that she had worn to the ball. Her hair was a mess, her eyes heavy with sleep, and her skin was covered with small cuts from her loss of control as she came undone on top of him. Yet, she was still the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. He could look at her for hours. Perhaps he would commission a painting of her to hang in his bedroom. No, it would cause too much gossip, and Helia knew that not even the most talented painter in the world could truly capture every tiny detail about her that made her the most precious part of his life. Saladin had always said that Viviana had been a smart woman and Saladin, once again as always, was right.
Now dressed in the white gown that she had worn at the ball, Helia still was taken aback by how amazing she had looked. Helia hated to admit that Duncan was right in telling Flora that she should make one in every color. Ugh...Duncan...
"I will see you later today?" Flora asked as she walked back to the bed and sat on the edge, putting her shoes back onto her feet.
"Of course," Helia smiled as he placed a hand on Flora's, "though I don't know how I will be able to focus on the princess when you will be in the room with us."
"You will have to do your best, Your Highness." Flora gave Helia a quick kiss before rising to her feet, her hand still in his, "Her Highness doesn't like to be ignored."
Helia placed a kiss on Flora's hand before she said her final goodbyes and made her way out of the room, taking with her all the love and warmth she had brought with her.
The wind whipped through the blue and silver banners as Helia stood next to his father and the rest of the royal court at the entrance of the palace. He had forgotten about this. How could he forget about one of the best days of his life? The day that Duncan left for war and Helia would secretly pray that he never came back. That would solve a host of Helia's problems and would ensure that Flora would not marry the newly appointed general. Helia could handle the pomp that King Azrael had laid out for Duncan's send-off if that meant that Duncan would be gone.
The princess was there too, across the way dressed in a purple velvet gown and a fur cloak draped around her shoulders. She looked gorgeous as always, but Helia's attention was on the even more stunning woman next to the princess, her green eyes focused ahead of her at the ceremony of the High Priest of Hademort blessing Duncan and the rest of the troops. Helia thought that it was a pile of bullshit that was spewing from the High Priest's mouth but when he looked at Flora, Helia began to accept that maybe there was some higher power and that the priests who spent hours of devotion to the spirits were not as crazy as he once thought.
She was as lovely as ever, her hair now neatly brushed back into a braid wrapped around itself into a low bun. Her gown was a sage green color that matched the color of the herbs that she would bake with in the kitchen when they were together at night. The fabric was thicker than normal as summer had turned into fall, despite the snow being a constant fixture in Hademort. But Helia couldn't pull his eyes away when the dress had been so low cut, exposing the smooth skin of her sternum and the rounded sides of her breasts. A fur cloak covered her shoulders as she stood stoically next to the princess.
"...We ask that the spirits of the mountain and sky bless our most fearless and skilled general. That he brings honor to Hademort, pride to its people, and glory to our most high king."
Helia wanted to roll his eyes. Helia prayed that an avalanche would crush Duncan or that he would die on the battlefield. Perhaps he would catch a terrible cold and die. How ironic would it be for the great Duncan of Hademort to be taken out by the cold? But Helia soon banished the thought when he thought about Flora. No matter how much Flora disliked the general, she would have never wished harm to befall him, and she would scold Helia for having those thoughts. She was much too kind.
There was a small eruption of applause when Duncan rose from his genuflected position and held onto the end of his sword, the giant red jewel glinting in the bleak sunlight. Azrael stepped out of the line and approached Duncan and grabbed his forearm in a traditional handshake shared between comrades and countrymen. Helia looked to Flora in order to avoid the display of manly affection between his father and the man that his father wished was his son. Azrael had never greeted Helia so familiarly and it sent a pang of sadness and anger through Helia's chest.
Flora glanced to her side, her gaze locking with Helia's as she gave him a comforting smile. He took a deep breath and gave her a barely noticeable nod, not wanting to give away their small interaction. The members of the court were always on the lookout for something to gossip about and he would not have Flora thrown to the wolves because of him. She was already on the minds of so many people with the announcement of the engagement the night before. Had they realized that she had left before the announcement? What would they think if they knew she had been under the prince while his father announced that she would be marrying the general? They didn't know that Helia had his lips on her as her hands ran through his hair, her nails digging into his arm as he thrust inside of her. The gossip would be unceasing.
Call him obsessed but he couldn't wait to get her back into his bed. Being with her was the only thing that brought him any kind of happiness. Though watching the general saying his goodbyes was also pleasant to watch.
Until it wasn't.
"Safe travels, General." Krystal smiled as she took a step towards Duncan, Flora following behind the princess. Flora kept her head down, hoping to not draw attention to herself as the princess spoke. "We all are hoping for your safe return."
"I will do my best to return safe and sound, Your Highness." Duncan replied as he gave Krystal a polite bow. However, when he rose, his golden eyes fell onto Flora and a smirk rose to his face. He looked at her demure posture, his eyes settling on the exposed skin down the center of her chest. He licked his lips ever so slightly as he took a step towards Flora. Krystal stepped aside, allowing Duncan to say his goodbyes to his bride-to-be.
Duncan was now standing right in front of Flora, the smell of mint and pine coming from his body. It was different from Helia's warm scent of leather, cinnamon, and a burning fire. Duncan smelled cold and Flora was desperate for Helia's warmth.
"Don't look so forlorn, gorgeous. I will be back before you know it." Duncan placed a hand under Flora's chin and raised her head so that she was now gazing up at him. Her green eyes met gold as she did her best not to shy away from Duncan, she would not retreat into herself.
"Safe travels, General." Flora repeated the polite well-wishes that the princess had given him moments ago. She really did not want to say anymore to him.
"Oh, come now," Duncan chuckled, "surely you have something more to say to me. Something to give to me. A token to remember you by that I can keep with me at the encampment and on the battlefield? Afterall, you were sorely missed last night when our engagement was announced to the court."
Flora's eyes widened in shock. It was official, it had been announced to the court that she was to be married to the tall and ominous man who stood in front of her. What was she to do now? She didn't want him. Not in the slightest. She did not love him. Did Duncan know where she was last night? Why she wasn't at the ball when the announcement was made? He seemed to know about the meetings she had at Helia at night. Would he know about her spending the night with the prince and the way that she had moved over the prince as his hands held her with such care?
Duncan leaned in close, his mouth by Flora's ear as he lowered his voice and spoke.
"Remember what I told you about being a good girl. You will come to find that I become quite angry when my orders are not followed. You might be beautiful, but you are not above punishment."
He backed away as a final breath hit Flora's ear. She did her best not to tremble under Duncan, his threat causing her to stand in anxious fear. Duncan dared to smile down at her, as if he had not just whispered such threatening things in her ear.
"So what shall I receive, gorgeous?" Duncan returned his hand to under Flora's chin. She nodded, her eyes cast downward, daring not to meet the general's.
With a sinister smile, Duncan bent down and quickly captured Flora's lips with his own. Flora gasped and tried to move but Duncan's arms quickly embraced her and held her close to him. His tongue shot into her mouth as his lips moved against hers. Flora's protests were silenced in Duncan's mouth and muffled by his own moans. A tear escaped from her eyes as his hands moved lower onto her hips, the same place where Helia would place his hands. Duncan's hips pressed into Flora's as he held her tight, and Flora was desperate for Duncan to release her as she felt him growing against her.
"Aww," Krystal cooed as she watched Duncan's sudden display of affection, "Flora's crying. She never cries. She must be very worried for the general. I must say they look quite compatible. Flora is so lucky."
Once again, Krystal wouldn't shut up. But Helia couldn't blame her and her ignorant naivete. It wasn't her fault. How would she know about how horrible Duncan was? He was good at hiding how much of an ass he was, and everybody loved Duncan. He was the pride of Hademort. And Flora would not speak poorly about Duncan, nor would she go against the wishes of the princess or the king. And there was no way that Flora would ever tell Krystal about the nightly meetings between her and the prince, the most recent meeting culminating in giving into one another in euphoric intimacy.
Helia's hand curled into a fist as he looked on at Duncan with his hands around Flora, his mouth on hers, and the silent tears that had escaped Flora's eye. His jaw clenched and he turned his head, not able to watch. If he kept watching, Helia didn't know if he had the strength not to grab the ceremonial sword on his hip and run it through the general.
Flora was finally released from Duncan's hold, her lips swollen, and her cheeks stained with the tears that had fallen from her green eyes.
"Don't cry," Duncan chuckled, "I will be back before you know it. We will have to celebrate upon my return." Duncan leaned forward again and placed one last quick kiss on Flora's lips, "Be good."
Flora couldn't bring herself to look at him as he climbed on top of his horse, but she knew that his eyes were still on her. With a final bow of his head towards the king, Duncan commanded the troops and they all left beyond the walls of the palace, a cheering court sending them off to defeat the enemy. But all Flora could do was stare down at the snow, her body just as frozen as the feeling of Duncan's lips lingering on hers. She wanted to throw up as the taste of salted meat and alcohol coated her mouth and the warmth of Duncan's hands on her hips became etched into her memory, desperate for Helia to burn them away with his touch.
"Oh, Flora," Krystal exclaimed as she came back to stand next to Flora, "the general is so romantic. I can't believe you have received a kiss before I did. Maybe His Highness was paying attention to how a future husband treats his bride-to-be."
The tears resumed flowing from Flora's eyes as she stared ahead at the palace gate, the men having ridden past the visible horizon below the slope of the mountain. Her breathing became heavier as she continued to cry, and Krystal wrapped an arm around the sobbing handmaiden.
"Don't worry, Flora," Krystal placed her head on Flora's shoulder, "the general will be back before you know it. You'll see, he will come back a hero and you will be married. Imagine it, a hero's wife. Oh, Flora, you will be the envy of all the court."
Flora continued to sob as Helia silently looked on, wanting so desperately to comfort her. He wanted to replace Duncan's kiss with one of his own, but he couldn't. And not being able to comfort Flora brought about an indescribable pain.
"You will be Duncan's, Flora, and you will live happily ever after." Krystal rubbed Flora's shoulders.
"You'll see."