Thank you all for the feedback for the last chapter. I think that I rewrote that chapter many times. I had every intention of Helia unaliving Duncan, but I needed a way for Flora to show her powers which will set up the rest of the story and serve as a point in the sequel (yes, I am planning on writing a sequel because I honestly never know when to stop). I also wanted to give Flora a moment of saving Helia and showing everyone just how powerful she can be and someone not to mess with.
It was silent, too silent. The only sounds were the faint panting and sobs that escaped Flora's mouth as Helia held her close. Krystal stood above the kneeling prince with a collapsed handmaiden in his arms, looking around at the faces of a confused, shocked, and scared crowd. The green had dimmed around Flora and a few feet away laid a wrapped and dead general.
Flora did it. She had killed the man that had caused her so much pain. Duncan was gone and he could no longer torment Flora. However, both Helia and Krystal knew that just because the general was dead didn't mean that what he had done would not continue to haunt Flora for some time. The memory of his touch and the sting of his hit would remain on Flora's skin for longer than either Helia or Krystal could hope. Still, they would be with her through it all and there to joyfully remind her that the general could never touch her again.
Helia ran a hand over Flora's tangled hair in an attempt to soothe her. Her voice was weak as she quietly berated herself for what she had done. Even after everything that Duncan had done to her, the guilt of being the bringer of death had washed over herself. She was the same woman from the village that had destroyed everything in her path because they had killed her sister. Duncan was about to kill Helia, and Flora would not allow Helia to be taken away from her. She couldn't move when Duncan had assaulted her, but something inside of her sprang into action when she heard Krystal yell and the cool metal of the sword shone in the light of the last of the setting sun.
"What have I done?" Flora repeated as Helia continued to run his pale fingers through her brown hair. "What have I done? What have I done?"
Helia didn't know what to say. What could he say in this situation? Every response that he could think of had been wrong. If he told her it was okay, she would protest, insisting that she was a terrible person who one again allowed anger and fear to get the best of her. She would insist that she had gone too far and that she didn't want to kill the general. However, Helia knew that he would never let himself tell her that she was in the wrong. He would have killed Duncan himself if Flora hadn't shown up and begged him not to. What Flora had done was an accident, Helia was brimming with anticipation to the moment that he would bring down the sword and sever Duncan's head from his body. If anyone were the monster, he was, not Flora.
Never Flora.
But Helia remained silent as he allowed Flora to cry in his arms, the small crowd of servants and council members looking on. He paid them no mind to their stares as he held Flora in his arms. She was now his and she would be their queen, despite what they saw. Helia knew that the council would raise a fuss and for a while, the servants would look upon her with fear. That was until they remembered the same warm, kind, and gentle Flora that he had fallen in love with.
Placing a kiss to the top of her head, Helia noticed that the tears had stopped flowing from her eyes and the sounds of sobbing had ceased. He looked down and saw that the green had been completely washed away from her body and she had fallen asleep in his arms. He was sure that she had exerted a lot of power when she had killed Duncan. However, as his eyes traveled further, Helia noticed a pool of blood surrounding her legs. Panic began to set in as along with the green dissipating, the tan color from her skin began to fade. Helia wasted no time in rising to his feet and cradling Flora in his arms, ignoring the shooting pain in his abdomen, certain that a few ribs had been cracked. He had to get Flora back inside, away from prying eyes, and back to the warmth of a bed.
Entering the palace, Helia marched through the palace and made his way, as if automatically, to his room. He had to tend to Flora, he could not lose her. With every step that he took, her breathing became lighter, and her skin became more pale. Her body felt light in his arms and her skin had gone cold as a sweat broke across her body.
Fever.
No. No. No. No. He would not lose her. Not when Duncan was gone and he could finally scream his love for her from the mountain tops. He was going to marry her, she was going to be his queen, they would raise children together, and just like in the stories, they would live happily ever after. That was what was supposed to happen, right? They were supposed to be happy together. Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, the Princess and the Pea, Robin Hood and His Merry Men...he and Flora were supposed to be happy, just like the characters in the story.
Helia barged through the large door of his room, Flora in his arms and Krystal following behind him.
"Put her in the bathtub!" Krystal commanded and Helia was in no mood or position to protest.
Helia did as he was told and placed Flora into the empty bathtub, her body limp and her lips chapped as her breathing became more and more labored. She was covered in sweat, her hair sticking to her face. Helia brushed the curls away, desperate to see her face. So beautiful. He could not lose her, he couldn't.
"Helia, go fetch some water from the kitchen. Not too hot, not too cold. That is what the book that the physician had given to me instructed."
"But she-"
"Helia!"
"I cannot leave her," Helia didn't take his eyes off of Flora, "I cannot leave her when she is...when she is..."
"Helia! Go!" Krystal pulled Helia away from Flora, "And go get the physician!"
Helia stumbled back as his eyes still did not leave Flora. Krystal crouched down beside Flora and began to strip her of the thin, pink fabric. The rest of her body was about as pale as her face and the sweat had begun to collect between her breasts and on her chest. Helia watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath.
"Helia! Go now!" Krystal shouted again. "Hurry or I fear that we will be too late!"
Running out of his room, Helia charged down the corridors of the palace. He ran, knocking over servants and paying them no mind. He had to get to the kitchen and fetch the water that Krystal needed.
"Not too hot, not too cold. Not too hot, not too cold. Not too hot, not too cold." Helia repeated to himself like a mantra. He would not mess this up, he would get the temperature perfect and bring it to the princess. He would not fail. He would not let Flora...
They were supposed to be happy.
Reaching the kitchen, Hellia saw that it was empty. It was unusual for this time of day but he supposed that since most of the palace staff had been left on the grounds of the training arena. Helia grabbed a bucket from a stack in the corner of the kitchen before bringing it under the large water basin. Helia rolled up his bloodied sleeves and gripped the metal handle of the water pump, his knuckles screaming in pain as he began to pump the water. He didn't realize how beaten and broken his body had become in his fight with Duncan. His knuckles pierced with pain after having repeatedly brought them down to Duncan's face, his muscles weak with the force that he had exerted, and his side aching from the hard kicks to his ribs.
But Helia kept pumping, never stopping until the bucket had been filled to the brim with water.
Once the bucket was full, Helia pulled it away from the basin and made his way through the kitchen with haste. While the lack of servants was odd and would have been grounds for a widespread dismissal due to the servants not attending to their duties, Helia was thankful for the scarce presence. It made running through the halls with the full bucket easier, but with every hurried step that he took, water sloshed onto the ground, meaning less water for Flora. No matter, he would go back and fetch more if needed. He would fetch or do anything to make sure that Flora did not succumb to the same fate as his mother.
He would not lose her. Helia would not allow it. He would curse the spirits and demand that they bring her back.
"Helia," the voice was familiar, "Helia!"
Helia turned around to see Saladin heading his way, doing his best to avoid the small puddles that covered patches of the hallway. He looked concerned at the bloody prince carrying a large bucket of water.
"Helia, what is happening?" Saladin asked as he came closer to Helia.
"I need to bring this water back," Helia panted as he tried to catch his breath, "Flora...she is...I have to bring the water back to my room."
"Please, calm down." Saladin placed a hand on Helia's shoulder and Helia winced, "You must calm down and we must get you to a physician."
"No!" Helia exclaimed as he moved out of Saladin's touch, "No! I have to get this water to Flora, or she could die! She can't die! I won't let her die! Please, Saladin, help me! Get the physician and send him to my room!"
Saladin nodded his head as Helia shouted, "I shall. But then you must be tended to. Flora would never forgive you if you did not take care of yourself. And she would never forgive herself if you were to sacrifice yourself for her. Please, you must be looked after too and do what the physician tells you."
"Yes yes yes," Helia said as he closed his eyes and nodded his head. He just wanted to get back to his room with the water. "Please, just get the physician."
Saladin nodded and turned on his heels towards the direction where the physician was last seen in his office. Helia watched as the old man rushed down the hall, as fast as his old legs would take him, before he turned and made his way back to his room.
Opening the door, Helia could hear groaning from the washroom and soft protests, light and tired. Helia slammed the door behind him and ran to the washroom, not caring that water had splashed to the floor and soaked through the fur rug on the stone floor. Entering the washroom, Helia saw Krystal kneeling on the floor near the tub, doing her best to help Flora as she threw up.
"It's okay, Flora," Krystal rubbed Flora's bare back as Flora leaned over the bathtub to throw up.
"But the floor...and your gown," Flora groaned as she looked up at Krystal.
"I will clean the floor and I shall have the gown washed."
"But Helia-"
"Helia will not mind."
Helia walked further into the washroom, "No, I do not mind."
Flora turned her head and gave Helia a weak smile, "Helia, you're back."
"Of course I am."
Krystal rose to her feet, the vomit-stained gown heavy against her body as she grabbed the bucket of water from Helia's hands and brought it back to the bathtub. She dumped the water into the tub as the water managed to just barely submerge Flora's legs. Krystal shoved the bucket back into Helia's arm.
"Go, get more." Krystal commanded and Helia wasted no time in running out of the washroom to fetch more water from the kitchen.
"Will the water help me?" Flora asked, bringing Krystal's attention back to the woman in the tub.
"I do not know," Krystal answered as she sank back to her knees, "but it will keep Helia preoccupied as we wait for the physician. Nothing good can happen with a panicked prince hanging over my shoulder. At the very least, you shall have a bath and there is nothing wrong with having a bath."
"My mother always told me-"
"Clean heart, clean mind, clean body." Krystal finished the mantra. "And you have told me the same."
"You haven't bathed in days, Your Highness." Flora sighed.
"I shall bathe tonight." Krystal replied, "Please, do not worry about me now."
"I will always worry about you, Your Highness."
Krystal laughed, "You are to be married to a prince, Flora. Once the marriage contract is officially broken. There is no need to address me so formally. We shall practically be equals."
"I am not married to him yet, Your Highness." Flora sighed.
"Then please, as my friend, call me Krystal." Krystal rolled her eyes before resting a hand on Flora's, "You call the prince by his name so easily, why can you not do the same for me?"
"Because no matter where I go or who I marry, you will always be my princess. You are the one who has saved me time and time again, I owe you everything and I can never repay that debt."
"Call me by my name and your debt shall be paid in full."
Flora smiled at the young princess, but the smile was short lived as more bile came from her mouth. Krystal jumped back in shock as the vomit hit her feet.
"I am sorry." Flora groaned, "I don't know why I keep throwing up and my muscles are still so sore and I am so hot and..."
"It's okay, Flora," Krystal did her best to keep her voice calm, "you will be okay."
The sound of the door opening could be heard, and the sound of footsteps entered the bedroom. Krystal turned her head to see Saladin enter the washroom followed by the physician. The physician brought his sleeve up to his nose, the smell of vomit causing his own stomach to twist and turn under the stench.
"Saladin," Krystal once again hopped up to her feet, not caring about the state of her dress or how strongly she smelled of Flora's vomit, "you came."
"Of course, I ran into Helia in the corridor. I have brought the physician as requested."
Krystal nodded before looking behind Saladin and back at the physician who stood in the doorway, "Please, you must help her. She collapsed and she has been sweating ever since."
"Any bleeding?" the physician asked as he held his nose but neither Krystal nor Flora took offense, they knew it smelled.
"Not since Helia brought her back into the palace." Krystal answered.
"And the vomit?"
"Started only moments ago. Flora was weak and sweating but then she began vomiting. What is wrong?"
The physician walked further into the washroom, the smell of Flora's vomit becoming more familiar and less shocking to his senses. He knelt beside the bathtub and placed a hand on Flora's sweating brow and smiled.
"What is it?" Krystal asked, eager to know why the old man was smiling right before Flora leaned away from the physician to the other side of the bathtub and threw up.
The physician brought his hand back up to his nose and held his breath before speaking.
"Fortunately, there is no fever."
"But she is sweating. She was exhausted. She was pale. She could barely speak." Krystal protested as she looked down at Flora as she sat in a shallow tub of water.
"Yes, but people can sweat for many reasons." the physician pointed out, "And word travels fast in the palace that Flora exerted an unusual kind of energy. Energy that killed. Sweating? Yes. Exhausted? Yes. Your Highness, your handmaiden is no different than the men who have come to my practice because they overworked themselves on the training grounds. You said that there had been no more bleeding, she is not hot to the touch, and vomiting means that her body is able to get rid of anything in her body that is not supposed to be there."
Krystal smiled, "Then she shall be alright?"
The physician nodded, "Yes, she will be fine with some rest and proper nourishment. Make sure that she receives plenty of fluids. No food yet. Broth, tea, water. Just to keep up her strength."
A thud and sloshing sound filled the washroom, causing everyone to look to the entrance to see Helia in the doorway.
"She will be alright? She's not...she will..." Helia couldn't get out the words as a grateful and relieved smile spread across his face.
"Yes, Your Highness." the physician smiled, "Flora will be fine. But no more exertion of that caliber before you are healed. You have been lucky this time, I don't know if I will have such news if you were to do what you did just moments ago before you were fully healed."
"Helia," Saladin spoke, "please let the physician take a look at you. Now that you know Flora is safe."
Helia nodded as he made his way back inside of his room from the washroom. The sound of retching could be heard before vomit hit the floor once more.
"Sorry," Flora said once again, "I feel like it won't stop coming up and..." Flora placed a hand on her lower abdomen.
"What, Flora?" Krystal asked.
"I just...something feels odd."
"Odd? Are you hurting?" Krystal asked, her voice filled with panic.
Flora shook her head, "No, and that is the problem. My abdomen hasn't hurt since I..." Flora took a deep breath, not wanting to talk about the horrible thing she had done, "It doesn't hurt."
"Perhaps it was the adrenaline?"
"No," Flora looked at Krystal, "everything else still hurts. My jaw, my neck, my arm, my head...it still hurts when I swallow and at times when I breathe. But my abdomen? Nothing."
"Maybe it is a sign that you are healing. Nothing bad can come from no pain."
"I suppose you are right." Flora smiled. "It's still strange though. But not as strange as it will be to call you Krystal."
Krystal smiled, "Strange? I think that it sounds quite natural."
Changed and fed, Flora was laying in Helia's bed, the nausea passing, and the bleeding having stopped. She still hadn't bled, and the physician kept coming back to Helia's room to make sure that both she and Helia were alright. The fever hadn't returned and other than a few broken ribs, bruised knuckles, sore muscles, and a fractured nose, Helia would be fine. They both would be fine. However, broken bones and a bruised body would not keep Helia away from Flora.
The palace had been quiet all night, the servants whispering about what happened on the training grounds and still in shock over Flora's killing of the general. He was the general, it should have been harder to kill him but what was a strong man to a woman with powers fighting for the people that she loved? With the palace quiet and Duncan gone, Helia felt at peace and having Flora in his arms once again brought him more joy than he had ever thought possible.
Helia ran his hand absentmindedly through Flora's hair, his bandage around his knuckles softly rubbing against her scalp, lulling her to sleep. He watched as her swollen eyes slowly closed and her breathing became deeper as her body relaxed into sleep. She was still the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen and now, he was never letting her go. He would never let anything bad happen to her again. He was hard pressed to even let her out of his sight again, but he knew that she would put up a fight that he would be unable to win. And he knew that he could not protect her from everything. Though, if the events of the early evening were any indication, she did not need his protection. In fact, it seemed to be the other way around.
"Helia..." Flora sighed, causing Helia's hand to stop running through her hair.
"I thought that you were asleep." Helia said as he looked down at her face, her eyes closed, and her mouth formed into the same peaceful smile that she would wear when she was asleep.
"No," Flora replied softly, "I can't sleep."
"You aren't in pain, are you? Do you need to vomit again? Are you hungry?" Helia asked, a slight edge of panic to his voice.
"No," Flora smiled as far as her pained jaw would let her, "I'm just thinking."
"About?"
"Why would someone put letters in words if they are to be silent? And why do some words sound the same but are spelled differently? And why are some words spelled the same but sound different and have different meanings?"
"Is that really what you are thinking about?" Helia chuckled as he pulled Flora closer to him.
"It's better than thinking about all that has happened these past few days." Flora sighed. "It distracts me from what has happened and this feeling that I have inside of me."
"And what feeling might that be?" Helia asked.
Flora sat up in the bed, the pain that had been in her abdomen the night before and that morning having disappeared. She did not wince, and it felt odd considering the physician said that she might be in pain for at least a week as her body expelled the rest of the pregnancy. No more blood flowed out of her, and she felt...fine.
It was odd.
"Something isn't right, Helia. Something is wrong with my body. I have been in so much pain and after what happened today, on the training ground, I feel...fine. I shouldn't feel fine. The physician said that I shouldn't feel okay. So why do I feel okay?"
Flora placed a hand on her abdomen and pushed, nothing except a light tenderness that would arise from any kind of pressure placed on one's body.
"I don't know a lot about my powers," Flora turned her head to look down at Helia who was still lying on the bed, "but I heard a story about something like this happening before."
"What do you think is happening?" Helia asked.
"When I was younger, I overheard my mother talking to my father after she had come home from helping the miller's daughter deliver her first baby. A precious little boy, that's what my mother said." Flora smiled as she remembered the look of joy on her mother's face, "But my mother also said that something had happened during the delivery, that the baby had gotten tangled up in its own cord and soon there was no longer a heartbeat as my mother placed her ear to the woman's abdomen. My mother was sure that the miller's daughter had lost the baby. But what happened next, I will never forget because it was the first time that I heard of other people in the village like me."
Helia slowly sat up in the bed, his eyes never leaving Flora's smiling face.
"My mother said that the miller's daughter began to glow, like the way that I glow, and began pushing. Using all of her strength to birth her son. My mother was thankful that she was the only one in the room, my mother would dare not speak of the miller's daughter's secret for it was the same as mine, and the same as Miele's. But she began to push, and the glow became stronger as the baby slowly left from inside of her. And right as the baby had been born, she began to cry. Helia," Flora placed a hand on her own abdomen, "the baby was revived because of the mother's magic and the pain in my abdomen ceased after I used my magic..."
Helia placed one of his hands on top of Flora's, a wide smile stretching across his face, "Do you think?"
Flora shook her head, but the smile still remained, "I cannot be certain, not at least for a few weeks. I only began bleeding yesterday after..." Flora gulped, and her smile faltered, "but surely I would have passed the child by now and it's unlikely that..." she didn't want to think about it, "Helia, you have told me stories of magic, true love, and miracles. I knew that magic had existed, I know now that true love exists. Why shouldn't I also believe in the possibility of miracles?"
"I know that miracles exist." Helia remarked, "I know because it is a miracle that you love me, despite all that I do."
"Then I hope that we will have another little miracle to add to this world." Flora replied as she raised a hand to brush a strand of hair from Helia's face.
Helia placed a soft kiss on Flora's bruised cheek before he removed the fur blanket from his body and got out of bed. Flora watched through her still swollen eyes as Helia made his way to his wardrobe. He opened the wooden doors and on the top shelf, above the collection of shirts and trousers, there was a wooden box. Helia smiled and inhaled as he pulled it down and held it in his hands. Placing the box on his desk he flipped the small, silver latch and opened the box.
A bright glimmer hit his eyes as he came face to face with a silver crown, adorned with large sapphires and diamonds. He had asked Saladin to fetch him the crown from the vault in the gallery first thing that morning. It was just as he remembered; he hoped that Flora would like it.
Grabbing the crown in his hands, he turned around, hearing a gasp escape from Flora lips as he brought the ornate crown closer to her. He climbed back on the bed, kneeling before Flora as he looked down at the glimmering crown.
"It was my mother's," Helia remarked as he smiled fondly at the crown, "and you told me, before my birthday, that your father would have liked me. But Flora, I know that my mother would have loved you. Who couldn't love a woman like you? That is why I need to ask you something."
Helia looked up to see that Flora had mirrored his kneeled position on the bed, his shirt covering her body and her green eyes looking at him in anticipation and shock.
"I know that I told you earlier that I have asked the council to end the marriage contract between the princess and I so that I may marry you. But in my haste, I had yet to ask you. Flora of Linphea, First of Her Name, Guardian, Daughter of Rhodos and Alyssa, Sister of Miele," Flora let out a small giggle as Helia held the crown above her head, "I ask you not as the Crown Prince of Hademort but as Helia, to be my wife. I love you without limits and I would have no other as my side as my queen."
Flora smiled as tears began to flow from her eyes, tears of happiness as she continued to look at Helia.
"I am just a poor village girl..."
"And I am just a drunken and dour prince who is in love with a poor village girl." Helia chuckled, "It would be the honor of my life if you were to say yes and be by my side until I draw my last breath."
"Yes!" Flora exclaimed without hesitation before Helia quickly placed the crown on her head and placed his own lips on hers.
As Flora leaned into the kiss, the crown fell from her head and onto the soft fur blanket on top of the bed. She slowly raised her arms and brought them to wrap around Helia's neck, his hands settling on their familiar place on her hips.
His touch was one of the best sensations to ever meet her body, only behind the hugs from her parents and sister. Nothing would ever be that comforting, but Helia was a very close second. As his hands rested on her hips, Flora could feel the memory of Duncan's harsh touches lift away from her body. In Helia's touch Flora felt relief. She felt happiness.
She felt home.
She pulled away and reached to her side to grab the ornate crown in her hands. Flora held out the gem covered crown and gave it back to Helia.
"As future Queen of Hademort, this is yours." Helia said as he placed a hand on top of Flora's.
"It is too much." Flora blushed, the pink color coming through the dark color of her bruised cheek.
"Then I shall fashion you a new crown with whatever jewels you want. Any color, any size, it shall be yours."
"No," Flora shook her head, "flowers. I will wear a crown of flowers. The same crown my sister wore when...fragrant hibiscus and soft petunias, surrounded by baby's breath. On high holidays, a crown of hydrangeas and peonies. No jewels, just flowers."
Helia tucked away a strand of Flora's hair behind her ear before taking the crown from Flora's hands and placing it on the small table by his bedside.
"Whatever you would like," Helia smiled, "however, I don't think I can talk the court and council out of you not wearing the traditional crown for your coronation at our wedding. They are quite a stubborn bunch."
"Much like their prince?" Flora lightly teased.
"No," Helia smiled, "nobody can be that stubborn."
"I will wear whatever crown and whatever gown they decide to put me in, just as long as it is you who will be waiting for me at the end of the aisle."
Flora fell onto the bed and wrapped herself back into the fur blankets, Helia joining her just a moment later, the gleaming of the crown now hitting the back of his head. In his eyes, Flora was worth more than all the jewels in the world. He gently wrapped his arms around her, careful with how tightly he held her as she was in a precarious and unknown state. She either was still in the slow process of miscarriage or she miraculously carried the next King or Queen of Hademort. She was as delicate and as precious as a flower. Fitting that she would insist on wearing a crown of them instead of the jewel filled metal crown of Hademort.
"Will you tell me a story?" Flora asked as she settled into his arms, "It has been so long since you have told me one."
Helia chuckled as he pulled Flora slightly closer, feeling the firmness of her breasts against his chest. Still, not too tight.
"Let's see," Helia said as he ran through all of the stories in his head that he had committed to memory. Admittedly, there weren't a lot. "There is the story of Thumbelina. Another of my mother's favorites."
"What an odd name." Flora replied through a giggle.
"A fitting name for a woman the size of a thumb. Would you like to hear it?"
Helia could feel Flora's head nod against the plane of his collar and shoulder.
"There once was an old woman who had longed for a child, yet she could bear none. Having lost all hope, the old woman sought the advice of a witch. The witch saw the old woman's kindness and gave her a barleycorn, told her to run home and plant the small seed. The old woman did as the witch had told her and planted the seed. With love and care, the barleycorn grew into a beautiful flower that when bloomed, revealed a small girl, sleeping in the center of the flower, no bigger than the size of the woman's thumb. The woman named her daughter Thumbelina."
Flora listened as Helia told the tale of the small girl and how she was kidnapped by toads, saved by a field mouse who told her to marry an intelligent but greedy mole, then saved by a sparrow on the day of her wedding who whisks her far away. It was then that Thumbelina met a fairy-prince, just the right size for Thumbelina and they immediately fell in love.
"...the fairy-prince then asked Thumbelina for her hand in-" Helia stopped as he heard a soft moan escape Flora's mouth. He looked down to see her eyes shut. She must finally be drifting off to sleep, Helia thought. But when he felt Flora's hips move against his own, Helia questioned whether Flora had sleep on her mind.
"Flora what are you doing?"
"Just trying to be closer to you." Flora replied as she continued to move her hips against Helia's.
Helia wanted to curse his sensitivity towards the beautiful woman in his bed that would soon be his wife. He would wed her now if at all possible and skip the fanfare of a large wedding in front of the court and council. Just him and Flora, Krystal and Saladin would be there as witnesses to the union. But marriage slowly left his mind as Flora's hips kept moving causing Helia to question the intention of Flora's movements.
"Flora..." Helia did his best to suppress a moan and hopefully stop the blood that flowed from his head to his aching groin.
Flora raised her head to look up at Helia as her body kept moving, "I cannot seem to help it. Call it love, lust, desire or..." Flora sighed as a small grin formed on her face, "a symptom of my pregnancy but Helia, lying next to you is making me want you so much."
Helia raised a hand to cup Flora's face, "Just last night your legs were forced open, and you were taken and torn in two. I won't do anything that you-"
Flora raised a leg and wrapped it around Helia's waist, her body now flushed to his and his hardening member pressed to her body.
"And every time I am with you, I feel whole again." Flora leaned her head forward so now her forehead touched Helia's, "Please, Helia. I know it does not seem right, but I want you, need you. I love you."
"I love you too, Flora."
Flora's breath caught in her throat as Helia's clothed hips hit her sensitive clitoris. She had just killed the general who had so viciously attacked her the night before. In her mind, what she was doing felt rushed, but her body and heart needed Helia. She would never regret a moment with him, not in the moments that had passed, not in the future, and not now. Flora needed him to fully take away the memory of Duncan from her body. She wanted the general gone from her. She needed Helia.
Or maybe it was just the possible pregnancy hormones that made her want him despite all that happened to her.
Flora met Helia's mouth with her own as Helia continued to cup her face, his fingers still light and tender on her bruised skin. Helia was used to being the one so hungry and so desperate, but this time was different. Flora was the one to deepen the kiss and her body yearned to be closer to his. Helia was used to a shared enthusiasm or frankly, he had been more enthusiastic. Who wouldn't be with Flora? She was beautiful and everything that anybody could want. But the way that her body ground against his and her lips moved with his lips, for the first time, Helia thought that maybe Flora wanted him more than he wanted her. And he never thought that would be possible. He always wanted her; more than anything else in the world.
Warm hands met the waistband of the blue pants that Helia wore, sending a jolt from his stomach down to his cock, now fully hard and waiting to be met with Flora's warmth. Helia's hands left Flora's cheeks and wrapped around her waist, pulling her impossibly tight to him, allowing for her to adjust her legs and hips so that she was angled right above him. He could feel her on the tip of his cock, eager to feel more of her. So, with a soft upward motion of his hips, Helia gently sheathed himself inside of Flora, careful not to go too hard. He didn't want to hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her. And Helia made a silent promise to himself that he would do anything to make sure she was never hurt again.
Her breath hit his neck as she inhaled and exhaled with every thrust of Helia's hips. She was wet and when she began to place soft kisses on the pale skin of Helia's neck, Helia's hold around her waist tightened, and his hands snaked under the thick fabric of his shirt to touch the smooth skin of her back. The room was silent save for the small breaths that escaped Flora's mouth and the rustling of the bedding as Helia's hips continued to move underneath the fur blankets. It was soft and lazy but just as passionate as any time before.
Helia quite liked being so close to Flora as she laid by his side, her lips on his neck and her body pressed to his. He liked the weight of her leg draped over his hips, pulling him closer as her muscles tightened with every thrust. It was as if he had gotten closer to Flora in a new way and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life finding all the ways that he could be with Flora. Duncan was gone, Flora had said "yes", and there was the small glimmer of hope that not all had been lost. Flora was his and he was Flora's.
"I can't believe that you are now mine..." Helia panted as he continued to move his hips, the kisses on his neck slowly turning into soft bites.
"And you are mine," Flora replied between her work on Helia's neck, "I will not have to share you."
"You have never had to share me, not really." Helia replied as his thrusts became a bit more hurried in pace. Flora responded by moving her hips the best she could in tandem with Helia's movements. Still, he would always find anything she did pleasing to him.
Flora's lips moved from Helia's neck as she concentrated on the familiar and pleasurable sensation that had begun to build in her abdomen. So much better than the sharp pains that had been there last night and during the day. She bit down on her bottom lip, careful not to bite down too hard and break open the small scab that had formed over her cut lip from Duncan's belt striking her across her face. Being with Helia made her forget the pain on her face and how her eyes were swollen, her lip cut, and her cheeks bruised. Helia always made her feel beautiful, both inside and out.
Just like the times before, Flora felt herself begin to glow as her orgasm came nearer and nearer to the edge. Helia looked at the glowing woman in his arms and watched as small pink flowers began to dot her hair, much different than the usual white. Still, he became lost in the beauty of the woman next to him. As the glow continued to grow, Helia could not feel the sharp pokes of thorns against his body. Another welcome change from previous encounters with a Flora who had become filled with lustful excitement.
He was so close. So close to his release and he could feel Flora's body tighten around him as she was close as well.
"Flora..." Helia groaned as he continued to move his hips, his cock slowly being squeezed by the muscles inside of Flora, "I am going to...I have to...Flora, let me..."
"Yes, Helia!" Flora exclaimed as her nails dug into the skin across Helia's chest, "Yes! Yes! YES!"
Helia kept moving, needing to reach the apex of his orgasm.
"I want to marry you tomorrow, Flora. I want to make you my princess tomorrow. I will go to the high priest and demand that he marry us first thing tomorrow morning. I need you." Helia said through grunts.
All Flora could do was look in his eyes and nod before placing a kiss on his lips.
The court and council would be upset but what could they do? He was the prince and as he used to love reminding Flora, he could do whatever he wanted in his kingdom. And if he wanted to marry Flora in his bedroom with the morning light as their only witness, he would do so without complaint. The court and council be damned!
"I will have no argument that my child is not the legitimate heir to this kingdom. Flora," Helia's hands moved down to Flora's abdomen, "I hope that your feeling is correct. I would give anything for it to be true."
"Me too," Flora said through a gasp, "if not..." Flora moaned, "then right now..."
"Yes," Helia replied to her unasked request, "anything you want. Anything at all. Ask and it will be yours."
"Please, Helia..."
Helia moved his hands from Flora's stomach back to their home on the small of her back. His fingertips dug into her skin; he would apologize for any added bruising to her body. With a final snap of his hips, Helia stilled inside of Flora, spilling inside of her. Her muscles contracted around his throbbing member as he came, and the rest of her body became stiff as her mouth hung open.
They looked at each other, wrapped in each other's arms as they both came. The glow around Flora was just as blinding as before but Helia had grown used to the light. Her hair was filled with small, pink flowers, and flower petals were scattered across the bed and resting in Helia's, long, dark hair. Flora brought her hand up and ran her tired fingers through Helia's soft hair.
"Helia," Flora whispered, "can you tell me the rest of the story?"
Helia closed his eyes and let out a soft chuckle as he had regained his senses. He leaned into Flora's soft touch and nodded his head.
"When the fairy-prince saw Thumbelina, he fell madly in love with her for she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He asked her for her hand in marriage and she said yes. Thumbelina married the prince, her mother and the sparrow in attendance. She was now the princess of all of the fairies and she and the prince lived happily ever after."
Flora closed her eyes and her hand remained on the strong and sharp planes of Helia's cheek, "I liked that story. A peasant girl born from a flower fell in love with a prince."
"Sounds familiar." Helia laughed as his hands traced light patterns over Flora's back. "What a very lucky prince."
"What a lucky girl born from a flower."
Flora had finally drifted off to sleep, her body still pressed against Helia's and her hand on Helia's face. Even when she was asleep, Helia did not have the heart to pull her warm hand from his face. Her fingers would twitch in her sleep and cause Helia to stay awake, but he didn't mind. He just looked at her as she slept, just as he had done in the past. Her lips parted, her face relaxed, and the faint sounds of her snoring filling his ears. She was beginning to sound like herself again and he could even see the slight sign of the swelling around her eyes starting to go down, leaving dark rings around her eyes. She was healing and that is all Helia could ask for.
Outside of his room, Helia could hear the faint sound of voices and footsteps. He looked out the window and saw the dark sky and his head turned towards the large clock in the corner of the room to show that it was not yet midnight. The palace was usually asleep, and the servants were no longer roaming the halls. But there was a slight metallic sound to the footsteps and the voices grew louder.
Helia paid the sound no mind, if there was an emergency, there would have been bells ringing and commotion would have been heard all throughout the palace. There would be no mistake that something was wrong and Helia would have wasted no time in making sure that Flora and the princess were safe. But as the footsteps and voices grew louder, Helia could not help but to pay attention.
The footsteps and voices approached his door but when he had expected them to fade, they didn't. Were they stopped at his door? Why were they there?
Suddenly, the noises stopped and Helia slowly turned his head to the door and wrapped his arms tighter around Flora, but not enough to wake her. She still slept soundly, her snores still steady and her head snuggled against his chest.
BOOM!
The door came flying open and Flora's eyes snapped open as a host of armor-clad men and members of the council came pouring into the prince's room. The men in armor held swords and spears as they surrounded the bed, pointing them in Flora's direction.
Helia shot up in his bed and glared at the men who had entered his chambers, daring to disturb Flora from her sleep.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Helia roared, "Get out! Now!"
Flora looked up at the swords and spears pointed in her direction, fear filling her eyes as she moved her gaze from the weapons to the armored men.
"Flora of Linphea," one of the council members pulled out a scroll and unrolled it to read aloud, "you have been witnessed to have murdered General Duncan of Hademort in a manner most cruel using methods most unholy. You have also been accused of interfering with the marriage contract between His Highness, Crown Prince Helia of Hademort and Her Highness Princess Krystal of Linphea. In addition to a violation of the marriage contract, you have been accused of adultery for actions against your betrothed. For these accusations, Flora of Linphea, your arrest has been ordered. You will be taken into custody where you will await judgement."
Two of the men reached down to grab Flora by her arms, pulling her away from Helia and out of the bed. She kicked and fought the men, a slight green color tinting her skin as she fought back.
"Helia!" Flora shouted, "Helia!"
Helia got out of the bed and stood in front of the council member who read out Flora's arrest decree.
"I demand that you release her this instant!" Helia commanded as he glared at the old council member. "Release her now or I will have your heads!"
"I am sorry, Your Highness," the council member replied as he rolled the scroll back up and placed it in the inside pocket of his black jacket. "I must do what I have been instructed to do."
"I am your prince!" Helia yelled, "You will release her NOW!"
"I still cannot, Your Highness."
"Helia!" Flora continued to shout and fight as the two men still held onto her arms, dragging her out of the bedroom. Helia was thankful that he had given Flora one of his shirts to wear as it covered everything except her long, tan legs. "Helia help!"
As Flora shouted, she was reminded of her sister calling out to her. Had Miele felt this scared? Had she looked as afraid and angry as Helia looked right now? As the men gripped her arms, she felt their fingers dig into her arms, placing bruises on top of where Duncan had placed bruises of his own the night before.
"HELIA!"
Flora was pulled out of the room, but her shouts could be heard throughout the hall.
"Why can you not release her when I tell you to!? Whoever has given you the order, whoever has signed off on the arrest, I will have their head on a spike! Do you hear me?!" Helia threatened as he looked to the other members of the council and the remaining men in armor. "And if so much as a hair on Flora's head is out of place when I see her next, I will subject to a torture of which you could not believe that you will wish you were dead! Tell me who it is I must speak to ensure Flora's swift and painless release!"
"Your Highness," one of the council members spoke, "only one other in the kingdom has authority over you. The same one who signed the arrest decree."
Helia's heart dropped to his stomach and his narrow eyes widened.
Of course.
Of course he had signed off on her arrest. Flora had just killed the beloved and prodigal general and was in Helia's bed. How could Helia think that his problems were over? How could he think that he had finally gotten all that he had wanted? How could he think that he could be happy when he was still around? All he could think of was Flora and making sure that she was safe and knew that she was loved, especially after everything that she had been through that he had forgotten about him.
Helia grabbed a shirt from his wardrobe and threw it over his head before stepping out of his room. His bare feet stomped against the cold, stone floor of the corridor as he turned the corners of the empty halls. He heard another cry come from down the hall and he stopped, hating to hear Flora cry out to him like that. Had she cried like that the night before? He wanted to run after her to tell her that everything would be okay, that this was all just a misunderstanding. But Helia had to deal with something-someone-else. He would free Flora, he would get his happiness, and he would live happily-ever-after with the woman he loved.
But first, he had to deal with his father.