Trigger Warning: This chapter has very rough, consensual Lemon. My husband didn't like it but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
Eric swam up to the surface and made his way to the castle the same way he had done every day for the last twelve days. His fins turned to legs when he reached the shore, and he ran up the large stone stairs to the castle. The castle was dark and cold inside. Fall was here, and you could feel the chill in the air. Soon each room would need to be heated with firewood. With no one around, the servants remained in their quarters of the castle. He didn't bother going to his study or his room anymore; he went straight to the servant's quarters.
"Any word from Melody?" Eric asked eagerly every time.
"Prince Eric! You have a letter from the palace," Carlotta said cheerfully, jumping up from her chair and grabbing the letter off of an end table, "I didn't want to open it."
Eric rushed over and snatched the letter from her hands. He tore the seal of the envelope roughly and let the envelope fall to the floor as he opened the letter. He read it to himself first.
"She's at the palace! 'Dear Ariel and Eric, We wanted to inform you that Melody has been here with us, safe and sound at the palace since the date of this letter. We will make sure she's protected and taken care of. She is a pleasure and we have welcomed her to stay as long as she'd like. Please, don't be alarmed. All youth must find their own way when they're ready to. If anything changes, we will inform you immediately. We invite you to join us for Holiday and New Year celebrations. Surely, things will have settled by then. In the meantime, enjoy the new addition to your family. Give our regards to Tristan, Queen Athena and King Triton. We'll see you in a few months. Love, Adam and Belle.'" Eric read to Carlotta, who had tears in her eyes. "Emmett was telling the truth about not seeing her a few days ago."
"But, why would she go?" Carlotta asked, baffled.
"It's all my fault," Eric said to himself, "I pushed her away." He left the servant's quarters and went up to his bedroom. He no longer felt cold, but a cloud of depression lurked over him in his cold, dark room. He never realized how being away from Melody would make him feel. He wished he could take it all back.
It was the first of the month, and Melody felt her heart racing since she woke up that morning. She knew that Emmett would be arriving in town that day. It was almost three weeks since she had arrived at the Palace and had adjusted very nicely to the different lives of her family. She had been by Emmett's new place above the shoemaker's almost every day before his arrival. She adorned the bed with fine linens and made sure there were plenty of blankets to spare. She draped curtains over the windows and even put out some fresh flowers on his table.
She sourced a new rug from somewhere in the market and stocked his desk with fresh papers and art supplies. She sighed to herself before leaving it the night before. I hope he likes it, she thought.
"Have you heard from Harrison since he went back to Rotherham?" Belle asked Elizabeth over breakfast that morning.
"No," Elizabeth said flatly, playing with her food, "I don't care."
Adam looked at Belle and furrowed his brows.
"Elizabeth, do you want to go for a hunt this morning? It's deer and elk season," Adam suggested in an attempt to cheer her up.
"No," she echoed again.
"You'll hear from him," Melody told her, "Letters can take forever."
"I said I don't care! Can everyone just leave me alone?!" she shouted, annoyed with the topic altogether.
"Where's John?" Adam asked curiously.
"I'm not sure," Belle replied.
"Can you check the mirror?"
"Let's give him some time to show up, darling," Belle said, worried for John. She knew he hadn't spent the night at the palace again.
"Are you going into town today, Melody?" Adam asked. Melody nodded with a mouth full of food.
"We have some new book shipments that must be sorted at the library," Melody said.
"Speaking of the library- that reminds me. Belle, we caught a man a few weeks ago who was forging attendance vouchers for citizens in the North East Quadrant," Adam blurted out.
"Oh!" Belle gasped.
"We don't know how many he's done but apparently he's been operating for at least two months!"
"Where is he now?"
"He's in the dungeons. I had no idea how to sentence him. Thievery? Forgery? Treason against the Kingdom? I told the guards you would deal with him," Adam said.
"I'll go by after breakfast," Belle said.
"Can I go?" Melody asked eagerly.
"You don't want to go down into the dungeons," Adam said, "I won't say 'no' but I would really recommend against it."
"I'll meet you in town later today," Belle reassured her, silently taking Adam's side.
"Apologies for my tardiness," John said calmly as he entered the room.
"Did you sleep in this morning?" Adam asked.
"Didn't feel so great. Went out drinking last night," John lied.
"That's my boy!" Adam let out a big belly laugh, "Who was the lucky lady?"
"John drank and bed a whore last night? Let's throw a parade," Elizabeth said sarcastically, "Want to know what I did last night, father?"
"Absolutely not," Adam said, shaking his head furiously, "Please, don't."
"Too bad. I was just handed a letter that arrived from Rotherham this morning but you won't get it until I get my parade," John pulled out an envelope and waved it around. Elizabeth's eyes went wide.
"Give it here!"
"Hmm, I don't think so," John said coolly.
"Give it to me!" Elizabeth slammed her fist on the table.
"John," Belle nagged her son, knowing how far Elizabeth would take it.
"Alright, alright," he took the envelope and slid it across the table. Elizabeth grabbed it and ripped it open excitedly.
After reading the letter, Elizabeth got up abruptly, placed the letter in front of Belle, and stomped out of the dining hall. Belle took the letter and glanced at it.
"John," she nagged again, "It's an inventory of the book shipment." Adam and John chuckled to themselves.
"Princess Elizabeth," a butler walked in with a small tray in hand before Elizabeth could leave, "A letter from Rotherham addressed to you." Elizabeth shrieked, giddy with excitement. She grabbed the letter and headed off to her room.
"Did you know that was coming?" Adam asked John.
"Yes, I overheard them right before I walked in," John smiled to himself.
"Maybe now she'll quit sulking," Adam said, taking a sip of his tea.
That afternoon, Melody was in the library in town helping Lawrence, one of the teachers, sort through and organize the new shipment of books. The books were logged by name, author, quantity, and location on the shelf.
"What are we up to?" Melody asked the thin, balding man, "We've been at this all day."
"F," Lawrence responded. Melody groaned, "My eyes hurt."
"My bottom hurts," Lawrence joined her complaint. It was a chilly day out, and it had rained around noon, so the library was quiet that afternoon.
"I'm going to add some logs to the fire," Melody said, walking over to the fireplace.
"Good afternoon!" a sweet voice called from the door, letting a chill breeze in.
"Oh, my love," Lawrence got up to greet his wife warmly.
"I brought some muffins. I thought you'd both enjoy," she said to him.
"Hello, Ana," Melody greeted her.
"Your highness," Ana bowed, "Some muffins for you. Blueberry."
"My favorite, thank you!" Melody told her.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you," she said.
"No, we welcome the much needed break. Don't we, Lawrence? You can come by with muffins at any time! You can even come without muffins!" Melody laughed. They laughed with her as well out of courtesy. Melody grabbed a muffin and began to eat it sloppily, getting crumbs all over herself.
"Thank you, love," Lawrence said, "I'll be here only two more hours."
"Peter hasn't been feeling any better since this morning," Ana told Lawrence.
"Lawrence, go and I will finish up here," Melody told him.
"I couldn't possibly-" Lawrence started.
"No, go home to your wife and children. These books will be here tomorrow," Melody smiled.
"Thank you," he said, bowing several times, "Thank you very much, I will be here in the morning."
"Keep the muffins!" Ana said before heading out the door.
Melody didn't want to continue doing inventory alone - it was a two-person job. Instead, she focused on some piles of books that were returned and needed to go back to their place. She wondered if Emmett had arrived yet and whether he liked his new living quarters. About twenty minutes went by; she was halfway up a ladder when the front door opened and then closed again.
"This is the library," it was Belle's voice. Belle's voice continued pointing out and explaining things, and Melody felt too busy to turn and look. When she finally finished sorting one group of books, she climbed down to greet Belle and whoever she was with.
"Melody," Belle smiled, "This is Alexander." He was a tall, scruffy man with dark hair, dark eyes, thick eyebrows, and a strong nose. His hair was long and disheveled, and his beard dark and thick.
"Hello, it's great to meet you, Alexander," Melody said politely. He glanced at her but didn't acknowledge her.
"Is this it?" he asked Belle, unimpressed.
"The building extends back quite a ways. We have four more rooms and a second level," Melody said, defending the library. He still didn't acknowledge her.
"Alexander," Belle said, "I am giving you a second chance. I am expecting you to be able to follow a schedule, open and close the library, sort and organize the books, assist the townspeople who need help locating a book, and keep various logs of books in and out throughout the day. This isn't a punishment, it's paid labor. Well paid, for that matter. Do you think you're ready for this kind of responsibility?"
"Is that all?" he answered, "This is child's-work." He looked at Melody and smirked. Melody didn't like him one bit.
"Then you'll have no issues with this job. I'm vouching for you and we're taking a big risk by allowing you to do this," Belle said, "I hope you don't let me down. Here." Belle took out two gold pieces from her pocket and placed them on the table. "This is to get you started. I'm sure it's more than what you've made forging vouchers over the last two months."
"I didn't charge," Alexander smiled.
"That's very noble of you," Belle responded, "Now, please, help us on our end to help the people help themselves. Whoever taught you how to read must've really cared for you. Don't you want to pass that on to others?"
Alexander didn't answer but did look Belle straight in the eyes. He took the two pieces of gold from the table and put them in his pocket. Belle wasn't sure what else to say but hoped she got through to him just a little.
"Now, I'll leave you in Melody's capable hands. She will show you how our library system works and you're lucky you're here for our new inventory," Belle said, motioning toward the stacks of boxes lined up along the wall. Alexander winced at how much work there was to be done. "I'll be back in a couple of hours." Belle left the two alone in the library.
Alexander began to walk around the library, looking around at all of the shelves.
"Do you want to sort book returns or would you rather help with the new inventory?" Melody asked him. He didn't acknowledge her; it was almost as if she didn't exist. He had a strong musky odor that trailed behind everywhere he went.
He then sat down at the front desk where Lawrence was and ruffled through the inventory sheets.
"So, which one would you like to start with?" she asked again. He didn't respond. Instead, he grabbed a muffin and leaned back in the chair, looking at her while he ate it.
"Whatever," she sighed and grabbed another two stacks of book returns.
Melody was careful and meticulous when handling books. Nothing bothered her more than seeing a book that wasn't in its rightful place. She'd remove books that didn't belong along the way and added them to her pile of returns for sorting. Up and down the stairs she'd go. She noticed it was becoming harder to see as the day went on. When she was done with her stacks, she returned to the main room for more books.
Melody gasped as she saw the front desk covered in crumbs, and all of the muffins were gone.
"You ate all of my muffins?!" she shouted, mouth hanging open.
"Hey, look at that. You are smart," he laughed and got up from the chair.
"Look at this mess you've made!" she rushed over to the desk and picked up the sheets of paper, swatting crumbs off of them with her hands. She took a handkerchief and cleaned the crumbs off of the desk, catching some in her palm. She noticed that the floor was covered in crumbs as well.
Alexander let out a loud belch and walked out the front door.
"Hey! Where are you going?! Get back here!" she yelled, dropping the handkerchief and following him out the door. "What are you-?!" she started and then let out a sharp gasp.
Alexander whipped out his large, soft penis from his pants and leaned over a rosebush bed that was right next to the front door. He held himself with one hand and then leaned one hand against the building before releasing a strong stream of yellow fluid. He looked at Melody and smiled.
"You can't urinate there!" she said between her teeth, hoping no one would see. She put one hand up to cover her view as she looked around the town center. It looked like a storm was coming, and the crowds had dispersed.
"Why don't you go call a guard on me?" he smirked.
"Ugh, that stinks!" she covered her nose and headed back inside. She felt so annoyed; she didn't know what to do with herself. She grabbed a broom and began to sweep up the crumbs from off the chair and around the desk. Alexander came back a couple of minutes later.
"Don't touch anything!" Melody shouted at him as he reached for a book.
"No problem. I'll be upstairs taking a nap," he told her, heading toward the stairs.
"What? You haven't even done anything!" she dropped the broom and followed behind him.
"Don't follow me!" he turned and grabbed her arm forcefully, his face inches from her. "I don't like little girls; especially annoying ones who can't keep their mouths shut."
"I'm the princess of-" she started.
"I don't care," he hissed, "Go away." He released her roughly and headed up the stairs. Melody felt defeated and angry. She couldn't wait for Belle to get back to tell her what Alexander had done. She hoped he'd be placed back in the dungeons. That's what he smells of anyway; she thought as she smiled to herself.
Melody was cleaning the last bit of crumbs off the floor when Belle walked in cheerily.
"Hello! How did today go? Where's Alexander?" Belle asked.
"He's upstairs," Melody started, readying her posture and tongue with ammo, "He was-"
"Belle, you're back so soon?" Alexander walked down the steps with a book in his hand.
"Alexander, you look busy!" Belle said to him.
"It's been challenging, but fun," he smiled, "Melody showed me the shelving system and the inventory. She's been a huge help."
"That's wonderful! Melody has been a tremendous help for all of the programs in so many ways," Belle smiled at Melody warmly. Melody only glared at Alexander. "Are you alright, dear?" Belle asked her. Alexander let out the biggest smile Melody had ever seen.
"Uh huh," Melody nodded, "He's been- really, something!" Melody was lost for words.
"Anyway, it's getting dark. There's a storm coming. We're going to close up early today. Where's Lawrence?"
"His son, Peter, wasn't feeling well. I told him to head out about an hour ago," Melody informed her.
"Oh, dear. Poor thing. Well, I'm glad Alexander is here now to give you a hand. Alexander, I've made arrangements for you at the barber. He's open now and is expecting you before he closes up. It's right across the fountain, dear," Belle told him.
"Sure thing, Belle. Thank you," Alexander said and headed toward the door.
"Remember. 8 am sharp tomorrow morning," Belle reminded him.
"Goodbye," Alexander said, "Good bye, Melody." Melody pretended not to hear him.
"Let's go home," Belle told her.
"So, when do you think you'll stop by to see Emmett? Let him know you're here," Belle asked in the carriage on the ride home.
"I keep thinking about it, but I'd rather he gets settled first. I don't want him to know I had anything to do with it. He may not feel like he deserves it if he knows it was me. Besides, he might still be angry with me. Aunt Belle, can I confide something in you?" Melody asked.
"Of course. If you feel comfortable enough to do so."
"Emmett and I, we- well, went to bed together. Just once! I promise," Melody added, worried about her Aunt's judgment, "It was our first time and it was lovely."
"Thank you for sharing that very personal and private time in a woman's life with me," Belle said, "How do you feel about it?"
"I feel fine about it. I have no regrets. However, I ended things with Emmett the next morning and it crushed him. I did it to protect him and his family from my dad. He was out of control," Melody told her, "I tried to apologize to Emmett a few days later but he refused to talk or even look at me. I just want him to find his own way and be happy."
"I understand that," Belle said.
"Emmett also takes things very seriously. I care for him but I'm not sure I'm ready for a relationship that is so serious. Was Uncle Adam your first?" Melody asked. Belle hesitated a moment. "I apologize, please, don't answer that."
"No," Belle said firmly, "He wasn't even my second." Belle giggled, and it made Melody giggle, too.
"Who was your first?"
"It was a boy named Mark Mills," Belle remembered, "I was fifteen? I think. He was around the same age. He was quiet, sweet. He wasn't very smart but he'd go out of his way to bring me sweets or flowers almost everyday one summer. We did it behind an old barn near a stream. It wasn't the best experience but inexperienced men aren't very good at it at first," Belle whispered the last bit.
"And who was your second?" Melody asked, listening eagerly.
"Gaston, the village brute. It was an on and off thing for a couple of years. He was a selfish and lazy lover. Size was all he really had going for him; orgasms were very easy to achieve."
"Did you like it?"
"I liked the physical and not anything else. There was no emotional or intellectual connection. He asked me to marry him dozens of times," Belle laughed, lost in memory, "That idiot." Melody laughed as well.
"Do you mind if I ask- how is Uncle Adam, as a lover?" Melody asked cautiously. Belle looked at her a moment, deciding if she should tell her or not.
"Adam? Well, he's dominating, forceful, commanding," Belle said.
"Do you like that?"
"I love it!" Belle said between her teeth, her cheeks turning a light hue of pink.
"Do you tell Elizabeth about this kind of stuff?" Melody asked. Belle shook her head.
"She's never asked. Otherwise, I would. We keep very little from our children."
As the carriage pulled in front of the palace, Melody noticed Elizabeth came rushing out the door.
"Mel! Mel! Finally!" Elizabeth shouted as she ran toward her.
"Lizzy, what's wrong?"
"Harrison wants me to join him in Rotherham!"
"That's great! When?"
"Soon. I need to borrow your carpet - just one way. Please?" Elizabeth begged her little cousin.
"Of course!" Melody told her.
"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Elizabeth didn't acknowledge her mother and darted back up the steps to the palace. "I have to pack my things!"
"Are you comfortable with Elizabeth going to Rotherham with Harrison all by herself?" Melody asked Belle.
"I prefer having my children here with me. But, the decision is hers to make. Besides, of my children, she's the one I'm least worried about."
All night Melody had fought the urge to see Emmett and, for the first time, she was dreading to head to the library so early the following morning. She headed to the kitchen to grab a piece of bread and jam for breakfast, and Belle was already there.
"We'll bring these to the carriage for you," Belle said, "The red ribbon basket is for Lawrence. It's a large canteen of soup for the family. There are also some medicinal herbs in a pouch. Tell him to use them to brew tea for little Peter for the next 3 days. Send Lawrence home for the next week or until Peter is well. The blue ribbon basket is your lunch. Have a great day dear, I'll be by later."
Melody quickly stuffed her face with pastries as she walked.
As the carriage approached the library, Melody noticed there was at least one person waiting for it to open. There were a few people most days who would arrive around quarter to eight. A guard helped carry the baskets behind her as she searched for the key in her bag at the front door.
"We'll be open in a moment, sir," she told the man. She finally spotted the key and opened the door. "Place them right on the desk there," she told the guard. The man walked in behind them as well and began to wander around the library. Melody let out a big sigh, looking around at the amount of work there was to be done. She heard the 8 am church bell go off and people scurrying about outside. It was windy and dark; it would rain for sure that day.
She tidied the inventory logs and put them in alphabetical order, and then began to sort through the piles of books that were left out from the night before.
A few minutes later, Lawrence rushed through the door.
"Apologies for being late, princess," he huffed.
"Lawrence, it's great to see you! How is Peter?"
"Not well, we were up all night into the wee hours of the morning with him. Finally managed to get a few hours of sleep this morning but then I overslept," Lawrence told her.
"Well, not to worry. Belle asked me to tell you to take the week off- paid. And she sent this basket of soup for the family and there is a pouch of herbs for some tea," Melody pulled the red ribbon basket over toward her.
"Thank you so much- send my regards to Belle. Oh, here, I've got that, Princess," Lawrence said, taking the basket.
"The carriage may still be outside, I'll have them take you home. I know you live all the way up in the North West," Melody said, walking Laurence out of the library.
Melody arranged for the carriage to take Lawrence home, and she looked at the large clock in town. It was quarter past eight, and no sign of Alexander. Good, she thought to herself, hoping she'd have a peaceful, quiet day. The air was so nippy, she rushed back inside and headed toward the fireplace.
"What do you need me to do today?" the man who had walked in earlier asked as she leaned over the logs.
Melody looked up at the familiar, deep voice, and eyes went wide. It was Alexander; his black hair was cut and slicked back with a few strands coming forward on the right side of his face. His beard was shaved to the skin, exposing a wide, masculine jawline and thick neck. He looked at least ten years younger than the previous day. He was handsome in a rugged, manly way. Melody was lost for words.
"Start the fire," she said tersely, remembering what he had put her through the day before. Alexander grabbed a few logs and started rustling with a few things to get the fire going.
"When you're done, you can put away the return books," Melody told him, "They go in order by-"
"I know how it works," he responded. Melody rolled her eyes and sat at the front desk.
"There is a pile there that have been logged. You can put them away as well."
She began to go through the pile of books that needed to be added to the inventory. She'd write down the name and Author, shelf place, and quantity, and when she was done, She'd pile them on the side of the table beside her.
Every so often, she'd look up at Alexander, wondering if he knew what he was doing. She wondered what was going through his mind and why he was so abrasive. They didn't speak a word to each other for a few hours.
A mother and her son walked in a hurry to get out of the wind.
"Oh, your highness," she bowed, "It's great to see you today."
"Princess Melody!" the boy jumped on Melody's lap.
"Maxwell! Hello! Did you have some books to return today?" Melody asked, recognizing him from the StoryTime she held on Wednesdays at noon for the smaller children.
"Uh huh," he said.
"Get off of the princess this instant!" his mother scolded him.
"She lets me! Right, princess? You let us?" he asked her with large, bright eyes.
"Yes, it's fine," she said with a smile, "Maxwell, why don't you go pick out some more books for the week." Maxwell hopped off Melody eagerly and rushed off to the children's books.
"Ugh, I can't win with these children," the mother said, "We are returning five from Tuesday of last week. Mary Jones."
Melody grabbed the giant binder of logs and went all of the way to the last page; she flipped through it a bit. "Mary Jones, found you right here. Says here you borrowed six- which one do you still have?"
"The one about the duckling? We couldn't find it this morning, I promise we'll bring it back," Mary said, putting the books on the book return shelf.
"It's no trouble. I just have to log which ones are in and which are out," Melody explained.
They weren't there much longer as Maxwell came back with a pile of new books. Melody logged them all and sent them on their way.
Alexander walked back into the front and grabbed the new books added to the return shelf to put them away. Melody felt a little awkward with the silence.
"Belle sent us lunch," she told him. He didn't respond.
When the noon bell rang, Melody opened up the basket and prepared its contents on a cleared table of the library. She laid out a small tablecloth and then placed a ham and cheese sandwich across from her and her meatless sandwich at her place. There was also an assortment of grapes, cheeses, crackers, bread, and jams. The basket had a corked bottle of water and 2 cups.
"Ale-" Melody started, but he was already there, watching her, "This one is yours. Have a seat."
Alexander dragged the chair loudly across the floor and grabbed his sandwich. He chewed it sloppily, with his mouth open, bits of food falling down his shirt.
"So, are you from here originally?" she asked him, making conversation. His eyes were set on hers intensely. He didn't respond, just ate and stared. "Well?" she asked, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
She sighed and continued to eat her sandwich; she looked anywhere else but at him. He popped some grapes in his mouth. Melody opened the bottle of water and poured him a cup first and then poured one for herself. He gulped down the water in one slug and let out a loud burp. Melody shut her eyes, utterly annoyed. She had never been around someone with such few manners.
He stared at her as she continued to eat.
"You're just going to stare at me?" she asked, "Fine." She finished off her sandwich and had a sip of her water. Shortly after, she began to place the items back in the basket and cleaned up the table cloth - folding it neatly. Alexander got up as well and picked up where he had left off.
"Can I take these?" he asked Melody, pointing to a stack of books she had put aside that were already inventoried. She nodded. It was the second time he had spoken to her since that morning.
It began to pour outside, and every so often, Alexander would add a log to the fire to keep them warm. A couple of more hours went by, and the rain only became heavier and louder. Melody noticed she didn't hear much activity coming from the other room, so she decided to get up and check on him.
She saw no sign of him but did see a pile of books on the floor. She looked around for the books she had asked him to put away and saw that they were all placed in the correct order. She tried hard to find an error or a book out of place, but she couldn't. She was in the third room down from the main and had bent down to pick up the books off the floor.
She heard footsteps behind her as a shadow cast over her body from behind. She grabbed the four books from the ground and turned to face him. His eyes were curious but intense, and his thick eyebrows were relaxed. Melody noticed he had a scar from his temple to his left cheekbone. He walked in more closely to her, forcing her to take a couple of steps back.
Her heart rate began to increase, unsure of what he'd do. Alexander brought a hand to her face and spread it across her cheek. Her skin felt soft under his rough, calloused fingers and palm. He caressed the side of her face gently, gazing into her big blue eyes. Alexander brushed his thumb over her lips and slowly wedged it into her mouth. Melody's eyes went wide, feeling his thumb down her tongue.
"Ah-" her throat muffled a sound.
"Sshh," he hissed, "You know what to do, don't you?" Melody closed her eyes and slowly sucked on his thick thumb, relaxing her posture and tilting her head into his fingers that were spread across the side of her face. He moved his thumb against her tongue as she lapped it hungrily. Her eyes fluttered open, locked on his as she continued. "Look at how much prettier you look when you don't speak," he whispered.
He suddenly jammed another finger in roughly, using it to force her mouth open.
"Open wide," he told her, with his fingers shoved in her mouth. Melody opened wide, her heart pounding.
Alexander raised his other hand to her chest and pressed against where her nipple would be over the fabric of the dress. He pinched it lightly a few times until it jut out of its dwelling against the fabric.
Melody wanted to pull away or push him or yell or scream, but she couldn't, her body giving in to his strong presence and powerful masculine scent. She wasn't afraid; she was intrigued.
The front door opened and closed again.
"Hello? Melody?" it was Belle. Melody's eyes widened, nervous about being caught.
"Wear something green for me tomorrow," he whispered, pulled away from her mouth, and stepped aside.
Melody rushed to the front room and cleared her throat.
"Aunt Belle, how are you? You really shouldn't have come down in the rain.
"I was already in town. How are things here?" Belle asked, drying herself off, "I brought you a rain jacket and one for Alexander, too. Where is he?"
"I'm right here," he said, walking out from the back room. Melody glanced at him and was mortified. He was licking the thumb that was just in her mouth. "Sorry, I was just finishing up some lunch," he lied. Adrenaline was still pumping through Melody's veins.
"I'm taking you both home," Belle told them, "Alexander, get in the carriage. Here, take this basket home with you, there's an extra sandwich in there and some leftovers."
The carriage ride was quiet and uncomfortable for Melody, taking Alexander all the way to his home in the North East Quadrant. After they dropped him off, Melody felt as if she could relax.
"Is everything alright between you and Alexander?" Belle asked, "How are things going?"
"Fine," Melody said quickly but then thought of what to elaborate on, "He's a little hard to talk to. We hardly speak to each other and he's the messiest eater I've ever seen." Belle giggled.
"He's been through a lot. Don't take any of it personally. He does seem intense," Belle acknowledged.
"Yes, very intense," Melody echoed.
Emmett watched the rain from the window of his place above the shoemaker. It was his second day in the big city, and he didn't think he'd miss his family so soon. He promised his mother he'd write every week. She said she wanted to hear every detail.
He thought of Melody almost every day and how much he wished he could take back the words he told her that night when she came by to apologize. He had never had a regret bigger than that one. He did try to find her at the castle before he came to the city, but Carlotta had told him that she was not there, most likely in Atlantica.
He looked around his room and wondered if everyone in an apprenticeship got a place that nice. He tried to go by Marcellus' that day and the day before, but there was no answer.
"Hey, boy!" old Paul called from downstairs, "Come for supper!"
Emmett brought down a loaf of bread and a fresh pot of tea.
"Oh, thank you," Paul's wife, Edna, took the items from his hands carefully, "Look at you. Such manners."
"It smells wonderful," Emmett told her, going to the kitchen to help set the table. He had already noticed where they had kept everything.
"Sit, sit!" Paul told him.
"It's alright, I don't mind. I want to earn my keep as much as I can."
"I wouldn't worry about that, dear, you seem to have people who really care for you," Edna said, referring to Belle and Melody.
"Oh, yes. My family is eager to hear back from me," he responded.
"That princess was here almost every single day doing one thing or another upstairs," Paul said, taking his seat.
"Princess? Which princess?" Emmett asked, his heart racing.
"Elizabeth?" Edna guessed, adding some wine to the table.
"Yes, that's it. Elizabeth, I think," old Paul said.
"Oh," Emmett responded, "That's very nice of her- and a bit surprising."
Emmett felt pathetic; why would Melody be there of all places? He decided he just needed to write to her and he did that evening.
Melody wondered how Emmett was getting on in his new place. He was only a 5-minute carpet ride away. Elizabeth was gone to Rotherham, so she felt like she had no one to talk to. She probably wouldn't have told Elizabeth about what happened with Alexander anyway, she thought to herself.
As much as she thought about Emmett, Alexander invaded her thoughts. Not only that but, it made her heart race the same way it did earlier that afternoon in the library. It's just another week or so, she thought. The library was a two-person job, and when Lawrence's son got better, she could go back to the classrooms or the meal program or do something else entirely.
Out of boredom that evening, she went down to Elizabeth's room and opened the door. Elizabeth's room made Melody's bedroom back at the castle look like an outhouse.
It had a royal bed and a full sitting area, and a small dining area. She even had a full lounge bed built below the window for reading or gazing out to the city. Melody walked into Elizabeth's closet, and it was the size of Melody's bedroom. Rows and rows of dresses and gowns, robes, blouses, and pants in all styles for all seasons.
It surprised Melody how much Elizabeth had owned given that it seemed like she practically wore the same thing every day.
"Are you alright?" Belle asked at the door.
"Oh, Belle, you startled me!" Melody jumped up, "Yes, I was just looking through Elizabeth's things, they're all so lovely."
"Isn't it? She doesn't wear any of it. They're mostly gifts. Were you looking for something in particular?"
"Something plain and comfortable," Melody said.
"Any color?" Belle asked, searching through the racks
"Green?"
The next day at the library was a busy one. The heavy rain had passed, and it was just cloudy with a light drizzle all day.
It seemed like as soon as someone would leave, someone else would enter. Alexander didn't bother speaking to anyone, especially not Melody. Around lunchtime, Alexander left the library, leaving Melody all alone to tend to everyone and manage the books. About twenty minutes later, Alexander walked back in with two small bundles in his hands. Melody was at the front desk when he placed one of the bundles on her desk and then headed upstairs.
He came back down moments later to take up several piles of books he had been stacking that belonged upstairs. Melody untied the bundle, which seemed to be something wrapped in a handkerchief. There were six warm deep-fried balls of something. Melody broke it apart with her hands and gave it a smell. It seemed to be Potato balls stuffed with cheese. Her mouth watered as she bit into each one, getting her fingers greasy with each grab- she'd wipe it on the already greasy handkerchief. They were delicious and just enough for a light lunch.
It was near closing time, and Belle wasn't going to come by that day, so Melody had ridden in on a horse. When the five o'clock bell rang, she locked the door to the library from the inside and wandered upstairs, taking some books with her. Alexander was there, sitting at a table sorting through books. Melody placed a pile of books on the table.
"Thank you for the potato thingies, they were really good," she told him, "Where did you get them from?" Alexander only stared at her
"Come here," he commanded aggressively. Melody became excited as she walked over beside him with as much calm as possible. "Put this in your mouth," he told her, handing her the handkerchief from his lunch.
"What?"
He sighed and stood up, towering over her feminine body. He shoved the handkerchief into her mouth, filling it up completely.
"You know I prefer you when you're silent," he said sinisterly. He sat back down and stared at her standing over him. He spread his legs, and Melody could see the bulge in his pants. Her breathing intensified as she tried hard to breathe through her nose.
"You know what I want to see," he told her. Melody began to lower the neckline of her dress. "No," he said, shaking his head. Melody hesitated a moment and lifted her green skirt above her waist, exposing long pantalettes that kept her warm in the cold. He stared at the pantalettes, and Melody soon lowered them down below her knees. Her legs were slowly revealed as she lifted her skirt up again.
Alexander sighed lightly, taking in the sight of the soft skin around her slit. He tugged at his crotch a few times. Something came over him, and in one motion, he tossed all of the books onto the floor. He lifted Melody by her waist and sat her in front of him on the table.
"Bend your legs and spread your knees," he commanded. Melody did as she was told, the handkerchief still in her mouth, keeping her from speaking.
"Is the door downstairs locked?" he asked; she nodded.
"Are you a virgin?" he asked; she shook her head. "Good," he smiled. He went to the window sill and found a long taper candle. Alexander handed it to her with a grin, and she looked at him, puzzled.
"You know what to do with it," he said, undoing his pants. Melody took the candle and placed it at the entrance of her hole. She was distracted by how massive his member was.
"If you don't hurry up, I'll shove it in there myself!" he huffed impatiently. Melody furrowed her brows and tossed the candle at him as hard as she could. He caught it in his chest and laughed. "You must really want me to do it," he told her. He took the end of the candle and pushed it inside her a little. Melody's breathing increased.
He drove it inside of her about halfway, in and out, getting it nice and wet. He began to stroke himself at the same time. Melody reached down and instinctively rubbed her clitoris. She thought about how crazy it was to have this strange, brutish conman who was just imprisoned in a dungeon shove a candle inside her woman parts. It made her skin burning hot thinking about it. She then closed her eyes and thought of Emmett kissing her tenderly and suckling on her breasts the way she loved. She missed him so much.
Alexander began to slap her inner thighs over and over again.
"Don't you dare stop," he warned her, watching her wince in pain as she continued to rub herself. Something about the pain brought her great pleasure. With each slap, she felt herself closer and closer to orgasm. Finally, she felt the sting of teeth marks as Alexander bit the soft, tender flesh of her thighs. Melody's body tensed up and then released as a warm, clear fluid squirted out of her and onto Alexander's cheek.
Alexander couldn't contain it any longer and shot his fluid over her crotch, covering her hand and dripping down the candle. He also got parts of her dress, table, and floor as well.
"Mhh, a squirter," he said, wiping his cheek and then licking his hand. He licked the candle a few times before tossing it to the floor.
"Wear red tomorrow," he told her before fixing his pants, heading downstairs, and leaving out the front door.
Melody took the soaked handkerchief out of her mouth and cleaned up his fluid off of her body. She couldn't believe what she had just done. She cleaned up the books he threw on the floor, trying her best to fix some pages that had creased. She missed being held and embraced after an intimate moment like that, not abandoned, and left to clean herself up.
It caught her by surprise, but she found herself crying as she finished up in the library. She couldn't understand how Elizabeth could bed man after man and feel nothing.
The next day was a Sunday, which meant the library was closed, and Melody spent it around town with her hood up, seeing what Emmett was up to. She waited around near the street where he lived for him to come out. When he finally did, she felt her heart drop. He looked so handsome, and it looked like he had a fresh haircut. She followed him to a furniture shop near the town center. She wasn't sure what they were talking about inside, but he was in there for a long while. Emmett then went walking around town, seemingly aimlessly.
He stopped at the large fountain in the town center and threw a coin in. It took a lot of willpower not to run up to him and kiss him. She wanted to be with him so badly. Mostly because she was afraid for herself and afraid of the things her body allowed her to do over the last few days.
Emmett suddenly ran into Andrew, who was dressed in plain clothes. They greeted each other with a loose hug, the way men do, and seemed to be caught in conversation. Melody tried to get closer to listen to what they were saying.
"I live in the South West, too! You should come out with us tonight at the South West Pub," Andrew invited him.
"Alright, that'd be nice. I know no one else in town," Emmett told him.
"Well, you'll know twenty more people by tonight!" Andrew told him, "I'll see you later, around nine?"
"Great, see you then!" Emmett said cheerily. Andrew made eye contact with Melody and Melody darted around a corner. Emmett turned as well to see what Andrew was looking at.
"Later, Emmett," Andrew said, heading up toward the street where he saw Melody. He looked around the corner to find her there, leaning against the wall suspiciously.
"Why are you following me, Princess?" Andrew asked, standing very close to her.
"I-I wasn't following you. I- Please, don't tell Emmett I'm here in town or at the palace. Please," she begged Andrew.
"Oh, is that it? Why not?"
"Do you promise?" she asked.
"If you tell me why you don't want him to know," Andrew said cheekily with a smile. She forgot how handsome he was when he'd smile. She didn't like his line of questioning.
"If you keep this secret for me, I'll keep your secret," Melody said boldly.
"What secret?" Andrew huffed as if it were the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.
"Are you going to make me say it? The real reason you transferred from the castle to the palace?" she looked at him sternly with a raised brow. Andrew looked terrified.
"Hi," a deep voice appeared from out of nowhere; it was Alexander. He was facing Andrew, practically wedging himself into the conversation. Alexander stood a full head taller than Andrew. "What do you need with her?" Alexander asked Andrew, stepping closer to intimidate him.
Andrew looked at Melody and then up at the large man.
"Uh- I'll see you later, Mel. And that thing we talked about, you got it," Andrew said rapidly.
"You can go now," Alexander told him, and Andrew took off. Melody shook her head and walked in the opposite direction.
"Where are you going?" he asked her, chasing behind her.
"Leave me alone, Alexander!" she shouted at him, putting her hood up.
"You talk to random strangers on the street?" he protested angrily.
"That's a friend of mine and it's none of your business," she told him sternly.
"So you have many male friends?" he asked, "That's not a good look for a princess."
"Goodbye, I am ignoring you!" she said loudly.
Alexander yanked her by the arm and pulled her into a nearby alleyway.
"Stop!" she yelled, and he muffled her mouth with his large hand. He kicked a crate against a stone wall and propped his foot on it with his knee against the wall. He sat Melody right over him with her legs coming down each side of his thigh and pinned her body onto the stones.
"What's the matter with you, huh?"
"Get away from me, I detest you," she snarled at him. Having him near made her body sizzling hot, and she hated herself for it.
"I thought I told you to wear red today, didn't I?"
"You don't own me! You don't control me! You big brute," she yelled, trying to push herself free.
"I don't like seeing you with other men," he told her, "It drives me crazy."
"You're a lunatic, alright," Melody jeered, "They need to lock you back up and let you rot in the dungeons." Alexander leaned his face in very closely, brushing his nose against hers.
"Open your mouth," he told her.
"No!" she yelled and pressed her lips together. Alexander squeezed her cheeks together roughly, forcing her lips to pucker and her mouth open. He shoved his tongue in her mouth as far as it could go. Melody let out small squeals and whimpers, feeling her body overtake her mind. It wasn't long before she kissed him back hungrily. Alexander's kisses hurt, like the bruises and bite marks on her thigh hurt straddling his leg.
"See? You can't control yourself. You're not in control," he growled. Melody just wanted to be touched, to be kissed, to be desired.
"Touch me," she begged him, and he shoved his hand down her dress to grab her chest.
"Let's go back to my place," he told her.
"Yes," she nodded, rubbing herself against his thigh.
"Yeah? Let's go," he said, kissing her a few more times before setting her down onto her feet. He took her by the hand and led her out of the alley.
"Wait," she stopped him.
"What is it?"
"I can't do this," she pulled away.
"What do you mean?"
"I just can't. I have to go," she said. The carpet dropped down from the sky, and Melody hopped on it and flew away.
Melody couldn't sleep that night. She wanted Emmett, and her mind was polluted with Alexander. She couldn't stand it anymore. If she would be bedding anyone, it was to be Emmett and only him. She decided she would tell Emmett everything and apologize for all she had done and the pain she caused him.
She hopped on the carpet and headed out the window. She was eager to see him, excited to be held by him. She flew to Emmett's window in the South West Quadrant above the shoemaker; it was wedged open a small bit. Melody heard voices as she leaned near.
"You're beautiful," Emmett said. Melody peeked through the window and saw a naked Emmett kissing a naked girl with long, black hair- similar to her own. He lifted her up and laid her down in bed. Melody watched as the girl buried herself under the covers, and Emmett followed behind her. She felt a knot in her throat that she couldn't swallow away. She flew away on the carpet, high above the city- careful not to be seen. Melody felt that all she could do was curl herself into a ball and cry.
Everything she had done for him, and he didn't even know it. He was with someone else now, and it didn't matter anymore. Melody flew back to the castle to one of the balconies as she gazed up at the moon.
"Melody?" it was John, "Are you alright?"
Melody sniffled and nodded. John took a seat beside her and wrapped a blanket around the two of them. Melody leaned into John and began to sob on his shoulder.
"It's really over between us," she cried, "I saw Emmett with some girl tonight. She looked just like me, too, how sick is that?"
"Well, that tells you something," John said, wrapping his arm around her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Means it's not really over if he's finding women who look like you."
"He went out drinking with Andrew tonight," Melody told him.
"Figures," John huffed sharply.
"What does it feel like to not be able to be in public together?" Melody asked him. John was nervous to answer and hesitated a moment. "I saw you two in the barn the night of my party," she confessed.
"We need to be more careful. Well, it feels- not great," he said and rested his head on her head that was resting against his shoulder.
"Do you ever wish you weren't royal?" she asked him.
"All of the time," he admitted, "I'd love to escape somewhere where nobody knows me, and I can be a recluse for the rest of my days.
"That sounds amazing, can I come?" she laughed.
"Andrew is probably with a woman right now," John said.
"How does that make you feel?"
"It kills me," John blurted, "But he has to keep up with appearances. The only one who isn't doing a good job at it is me."
"Do you like women at all?" Melody asked.
"Not even a little bit," John said, wincing at the thought, "A couple of weeks ago we tried."
"Tried what?" Melody took her head off his shoulder.
"I can't believe I'm telling you this. We tried to bring in a woman. It was after a night out and he had made arrangements with someone he knows well. She's a beautiful woman, I just couldn't get into it. Watching him touch her- I couldn't handle it," John clenched his fists. "Sorry," John apologized to his innocent-looking cousin.
"No, I completely understand. It's kind of how I feel right now," Melody said.
"It's a really hard secret to have to live with your entire life. I feel ashamed. I wish I were different," John said.
"Oh, John, no," Melody hugged him tightly, "I love you so much just as you are. And I'm sure your parents love you, too."
"My father doesn't know," he said, "It would be the biggest disappointment of his life. I've even paid whores to spend the night just so he could think I-" John sighed out of frustration.
"Everything will be fine," Melody reassured him, with her arm around his back.
"Want to head inside? It's really cold out," John suggested.
"Do you want to spend the night with me tonight? We can sleep at opposite ends," Melody asked. John nodded.
"So, he puts it in your backside?" Melody's eyes were wide as she sat up in bed with her cousin, John, with treats scattered all over the bed. She felt like she was with Elizabeth. She realized how lucky John and Elizabeth were to have each other.
"Yes," John chuckled, "You have to get it oiled first, it feels incredible."
"Doesn't it hurt?"
"It can- if you're new to it or if you're not oiled enough," he explained, "Is this grossing you out?"
"No, not at all. I'm fascinated! So, do you do it to him, too?"
"I prefer to have it done to me than to do it to others. Some men prefer the opposite, like Andrew," John said. Sometimes we alternate, but it's rare.
"How many men have you been with?" she asked, hugging her pillow.
"Oh, boy," he said with a laugh, "I've lost count. One? Two Hundred?"
"Hundred!" she squealed, laughing along with him.
"What about you?" he asked.
"Only Emmett," she smiled to herself.
"That's sweet- the two of you will work it out."
"There's been kind of this other person," she said, blushing.
"Person? A woman?" he asked, curious about her word choice.
"No, a man. Do you remember at breakfast last week when Aunt Belle said she'd talk to a prisoner who was forging attendance vouchers and stuff?" Melody asked.
"Vaguely, I'm sorry. I don't pay attention a lot of the time to things my parents are talking about. So, this is or, was a prisoner from the dungeon?" he asked, a bit shocked. Melody nodded.
"He's been working at the library with me over the last few days," she said.
"How is he?"
"He's rude, cocky, he hardly even speaks to me most of the day! Then, he'll randomly turn into this controlling, sexual monster and I can't help but do everything he says. It's like I can't control myself," she said exasperatedly.
"It sounds like he's a Dominant and you're a Submissive," John informed her.
"What? What does that even mean?"
"It means, have fun, Mel," he laughed, "I love dominant men."
"John, look what he did to me," Melody extended her legs out from underneath her, raised her nightgown to her underwear, and spread them open. The inner parts of her thighs were red, purple, and heavily bruised.
"Oh, god, Mel! That is some serious bruising! Wait, is that a bite mark?" John was in complete shock, "You need to ice that and clean that bite up so you don't get an infection."
"I told you! He's like a sexual monster," she closed her legs and winced at the pain, "It still hurts."
"Did you enjoy it?" John asked, staring her down, "Be honest."
"Yes! I loved every second of it. I feel this rush around him. I hate him and want him at the same time. It's weird. We don't even kiss, he just does whatever he wants to me. Well, we did today."
"You saw him today?"
"Yes, in town. He followed me. He was being a jealous, raging lunatic," she told him.
"Well, be careful he doesn't really hurt you. Some men aren't very kind to women. Make sure it's never something you don't want or makes you uncomfortable," he lectured her.
"Yes, dad," she joked.
"I'm sorry- I'm sorry. Have fun. Like I said, I love dominant men."
"Does that mean I don't really love Emmett?"
"No. It means you're human. You're young, have fun, you have forever to commit to Emmett or anyone. It doesn't seem like he's very committed to you tonight. Why can't you do the same?"
John has a point, Melody thought to herself the next morning as she took the carriage into town. Belle came along with her.
"Alexander," Belle greeted him warmly, "Good morning! You're here early."
"Good morning," he said dryly. Neither he nor Melody looked at one another.
"Melody, go ahead and open up. Alexander, I could use you in one of the classrooms this morning," Belle said, walking off toward the fountain, and Alexander followed behind her.
Melody rushed inside and headed upstairs to make sure she had tidied up properly. She didn't want to leave any evidence of what had happened on Saturday. She froze as she heard the door open and then closed again downstairs. She fixed her hair and straightened out the skirt of her red dress.
After a few minutes and no one had come up, she walked downstairs curiously.
"Melody!" a man's voice said.
"Oh, hello, Lawrence! How are you?" Melody asked, a little disappointed, "How is Peter doing?"
"He's well on the mend now. How have you been managing it all? How's the new worker? I hear he's a prisoner from the dungeons. Crazy idea- I tell ya," he said disapprovingly, "Nothing will get past us with me here, no sire."
"He's been good. He won't speak much, but he knows the system well and isn't a bother," Melody told him, trying to get Laurence to ease up on the judgment.
Belle and Alexander walked through the door.
"Well, Melody, since we won't be short staffed anymore now with Lawrence and Alexander here, there won't be much use for you here," Belle said.
"Sure, Aunt Belle," Melody smiled.
"Ready for your next assignment? I'll wait for you outside."
"Where are the books I left here last week?" Lawrence began to fuss at Alexander. Melody and Alexander looked at each other before she walked out the door. He raised his eyebrows, his way of saying goodbye. "Go get the broom from out back, it's filthy in here," Lawrence commanded.
Melody felt a feeling that was bittersweet as she exited the library.
"It's so chilly out. Let's have tea and croissants in the carriage," Belle told her. Melody joined her aunt inside the carriage.
"Melody, I'd like to have a very serious conversation with you," Belle started sternly. Oh, great, Melody thought; John must've told her everything.
"What about?"
"Are you happy here with us?" Belle asked her.
"Of course, I am!" Melody exclaimed, "Why do you ask?"
"Well, it's my final month before I go on bedrest and I won't be able to run things the way I normally would," Belle told her, "I'm looking for a strong, smart leader who can manage things while I'm gone."
"Oh, I keep forgetting you have a real live baby growing inside of you," Melody lied; she was always aware of Belle's condition. "Who did you have in mind?"
"You, Melody," Belle told her.
"Me? Me?!" Melody was shocked, flattered, but shocked. "There is no way, I mean- there's so much you do and provide for everyone. I couldn't possibly fill those shoes-"
"Melody, I am confident that you can do it. You won't be on your own. You'll have help. And, I'll be with you for a whole month to get you ready."
"Are you sure?" Melody doubted herself.
"My only concern was perhaps that you were planning on leaving somewhere," Belle told her.
"No, of course not. I just don't want to let you down," Melody told her.
"I'm so proud of you," Belle leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "Any news about Emmett?"
"Oh, I don't know. I'm giving him his space," Melody shrugged.
The rest of the week was spent shadowing Belle everywhere she went, listening to every conversation she had while Melody took notes in a journal. Belle told her that she would be coming to town fewer days a week, and in about a month, she'll stop altogether.
It was early October, and most of the leaves on the trees were shades of yellow and orange. Melody thought of her parents on occasion and what they were up to— probably following Tristan around since they were always so bored with their own lives. If only they knew how fulfilling life could be by doing for others. She missed the ocean and being a mermaid; she sometimes missed her room and their chef's food- but not her family.
She saw Emmett around town a few times and tried to stay out of sight. She also saw Alexander staring her down; she could always feel his intense gaze on her. She caught him looking out the window of the second story of the library a few times. Sometimes they'd cross paths on the street and only gave each other looks and glances. Melody dropped into the library a few times to see how things were going, but Lawrence did all of the talking, and Alexander would never say a word.
It was a late evening when Melody decided she wouldn't spend Friday night inside of the palace. Melody used the carpet to take her to an alleyway in the North East Quadrant. She had a thick royal blue wool cloak on with her hood up. She walked up the grimey street and realized there was a lot of activity of people out and about on Friday night. Melody stopped in front of a small, Tudor-style building with a large brown, wooden door. She knocked on it a few times and waited, looking around at the people who were glaring at her. She felt so out of place. She knocked again and then heard the latch on the door turn.
Alexander opened the door about an inch to see who it was. When he realized it was Melody, he pulled her in and slammed the door. Alexander's large frame, olive tan skin, and rippling muscles were soaking wet. There was an old towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet, hanging down over the sides of his face. He had a sword in his hand and placed it down the table as he walked back to his washroom. He closed his washroom door, leaving Melody inside his place- alone.
Melody looked around the place. He had an old couch on the right and what seemed to be a stove at the far end near the washroom. There was a dining table against the wall next to the stairs. The stairs on the left went up to an area that overlooked the living room. That's where the bedrooms were, she assumed. The place was fairly tidy since it didn't have much in it. Melody took a look at the books on the table and fingered through them. Two were fictional, and one was on the architecture of canals. The place was dark, with a lantern burning on the table and one on the wall by the door.
Melody could hear the splashing of water and then the sound of something hitting the ground. Alexander stomped out of the washroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Without looking at her, he picked her up with one arm, and Melody clung to the side of his large body as he carried her up the stairs. There was a bed and a dresser with a lantern burning on it.
He placed her down on the floor and removed her cloak with his thick fingers. It was like undressing a doll. Melody looked up at him with her big eyes, and he stared back with his deep brown ones. He sat down on the bed, pulled her down to him, turned her over his knee, and pulled her skirt above her hips. Melody felt her temperature rising as her bare bottom was exposed to the air when he lowered her pantalettes.
Thwack! Alexander let down a mighty slap against her plump flesh. Melody gasped, the sound still echoing in the air.
"What was that for?" he asked her calmly.
"For not wearing red on Sunday," she said quietly, biting her lip.
"For disobeying me," he corrected her. He gave her another big slap. "What was that one for?"
"For talking to men in Public without your permission," she said, wincing in pain.
"For talking to men at all!" he yelled and gave her another smack, her cheeks turning bright red. "What's that for?!" he got louder.
"For leaving you in town on Sunday," she cried.
"For leaving me in the library all week with Lawrence!" he screamed, "I hate that man. He won't shut up!"
Melody suddenly started laughing.
"Don't laugh!" he told her. But Melody continued to laugh uncontrollably. "Stop laughing!" He stood her up and shook her shoulders, but she couldn't stop.
"That's funny to you? The nightmare I've been through all week is funny to you?!" he asked.
"Nightmare?!" she shrieked with laughter, breaking her silence, "You were in the dungeon for weeks!"
"It was quiet in there," he said, looking visibly annoyed.
"I'm sorry you were left with Lawrence in hell all week," she said sarcastically.
"Undress," he told her.
"No," she protested.
"Take that dress off!"
"No!" she yelled, crossing her arms. He rose to his feet, towering over her. Melody's head stopped somewhere around his pecs. He uncrossed her arms, grabbed her neckline, and ripped the fabric of her dress down the middle and all the way to her skirt. She gasped.
"So, you're wearing corsets now? Take that off or I will break it," he told her. He watched as she sighed and fiddled with the ribbons tied up her back. He watched the corset fall down her tight body and to her ankles.
"How old are you?" he asked, observing her small curves. She was afraid to answer.
"Does it matter?"
"Tell me," he said, "I have a moral compass, believe it or not."
"I choose 'Not'," she smirked.
"The more you talk, the more trouble you're going to get into," he warned her.
"With who?" Melody stepped out of her dress and pantalettes and removed her shoes.
"Where is all your hair?" he asked, looking at her middle.
"I shave it," she lied to him. The truth was, it took about three months of not turning into a mermaid for her pubic hair to start growing.
"Who for?"
"For myself. I like it smooth. Don't you?" she asked seductively.
"No. It's odd. I like women with womanly hair."
"Are you going to spank me for that as well?" she climbed onto his lap, wrapping her legs around his torso and allowing his large endowment to rub against her privates on his stomach.
"No, you enjoyed that too much," he said, adjusting himself and pulling her closer in. Melody wrapped her arms around his neck with her long black hair hugging her back.
"What's wrong?" she asked him, kissing his bottom lip.
"You scare me," he told her. Melody laughed.
"I scare you? You're seven feet tall!"
"I'm not seven feet tall," he said sternly.
"How could I possibly scare you?"
"You can get me into a lot of trouble. Why are you even here?" he asked.
"What are you afraid of? I'm not telling anyone," she kissed his lips and his chin.
"Why do you let me do those things to you? You must be sick," he said onto her lips.
"Me?" she laughed, "You're not the sick one for doing them? Why do you always want me to be quiet all of the time?"
"Because I could tell you like to talk," he smiled, "Did you like that?"
"No," she said, resting her head on his shoulder as they sat up at the edge of his bed. He embraced her more tightly and stroked up and down her back gently.
"Typically only whores allow me to do the things I've done to you. You actually like it," he said to her. Melody gasped, being compared to a whore.
"I don't like it," she lied.
"Oh?" Alexander brought his hand to her neck and held it out in front of him. He squeezed her neck tightly, making her gasp for air. He then pinched the lips of her privates with his other hand and slapped her clitoris a few times while he choked her. "Look at you," he said, feeling down beneath her legs, "You're soaking wet right now." Melody clasped at his strong hand as she struggled to breathe. He released her, and she huffed and puffed against him, resting her head on his shoulder again. "See? You're crazy!"
"I hated that," she lied again.
"What is it that you want?" he asked, "You want me to keep torturing you? To bed you? Huh, what?"
"I just- I don't know," she said, "Do you want me to leave you alone?"
"If you'd like. You already did this week," he said, and she giggled.
"Did you miss me?" she asked, surprised by how much they were speaking.
"Of course I did," he huffed, "I'm worried that you might be twelve years old."
"I'm not twelve!"
"Well, I'm more than double twelve and I've seen what angry fathers can do to men. You're a princess for god sakes. They'd behead me," he winced at the thought.
"Why did you do all of those things to me?"
"You were asking me to- with your eyes," he told her, "You think I wouldn't have just jammed it right in and left?"
"You've done that to women before?"
"Of course, I have. I'm a man," he chuckled, "Don't you have princes fawning all over you? Why aren't you married by now?"
"I don't like any of the princes I've met."
"Oh, I see, you are rebelling against daddy," he laughed.
"Am not!"
"Answer one question: Are you on speaking terms with your father right now?" he asked her.
"Can we go back to not speaking?" she groaned.
"I knew it!"
"What do you care anyway? I just want to have some fun and I thought I could have that with you tonight."
"So?" he asked.
"So, why are we still talking?" she grinned and kissed him. He kissed her back deeply and lifted her up with him off the bed.
"So you're just using me to get back at daddy, be tortured and have me make you achieve insane levels of pleasure you've never reached?" he asked.
"Uh huh," she nodded and kissed him eagerly. He threw her down on the bed and grabbed a handful of something from inside his drawer. Melody couldn't see because the room was too dark, and the lantern was too far away. He stomped over to her and laid down on his side beside her, watching her as she squirmed with arousal. He wasn't even touching her yet.
"Daddy's girl," he whispered, taking a small wooden object and brushing it lightly up and down her body and around her nipples. "Say you're a Daddy's girl."
"I'm a daddy's girl," she said softly.
"Who do you want to make happy?"
"My daddy," she said.
"And who is your daddy?" he asked, rubbing down between her legs.
"You are," she said.
"That's right, baby," he told her. Melody suddenly felt pressure on her left nipple and then a hard pinch.
"Ow!" she yelped.
"Now, now, baby. You have to make daddy happy," he told her. He adjusted the clothespin hanging off of her nipple and placed one on the other.
Melody took the clothespins off her nipple.
"It's too weird," Melody stopped him.
"What is?"
"I don't want to think about my dad. I just want you. Alexander," she told him, raising her hand and caressing his face. He hovered his body over hers and kissed her tenderly. Melody spread her legs and bent one knee up to allow his member to fall in between her. Alexander sucked on her breasts aggressively, digging his fingers into her back and running his nails down her skin. The scruff of his short beard chaffed her skin.
"Oh," he groaned, rubbing himself against her burning wet slit.
"Wait!" she stopped him, "I'm not a virgin but, I've only done this once before." She exhaled deeply.
"Are you nervous?" he asked her. He placed his thick head at her entrance. Melody winced.
"A little bit," she admitted. Alexander pushed himself in more deeply.
"Oh, oh, my," she felt herself being truly stretched.
"You sure are tight like a virgin," he told her and kissed her some more, "Relax, don't be scared." Alexander went deeper and deeper in, soon hitting her inner walls.
"Is it all in?" she asked, looking down.
"Most of it," he chuckled. "It's like a little girl hole, you're going to get me killed," he muttered as he began to pump himself in and out of her. Melody felt her walls tighten and a strong sensation built inside her; she didn't even have to rub. He was touching every nerve ending that existed inside of her.
"Mhh, this is so good," she moaned, feeling as if she'd burst, "Are you almost done?"
"Are you kidding? It's been forty-five seconds," he laughed and got to his knees, placing a pillow under her bottom. He thrust himself in and out of her, gently at first and then harder and harder each time. He leaned forward and pinched her nipple, giving it a long twist.
"Ahh," she groaned, panting out of breath. Feeling herself jammed hard by his manhood. She curled her toes and felt her body explode from the inside. It was an orgasm given by him, not as powerful as the ones where she rubbed herself, but she enjoyed it nonetheless. She became more lubricated, which made it easier for Alexander to go in deeper.
"Get on top of me," he told her.
"What?" she was terrified. Alexander rolled over, rolling her along with him, letting her pin him from the top.
"Bounce at your knees," he instructed her. Melody's face contorted, not being able to get all of him inside of her; it was too uncomfortable. "Lean forward," he huffed and pulled her on top of him. He grabbed her hips from below and thrust his hips up inside- in and out of her.
"Yes, yes!" she squealed, wanting more and more of him. She felt dirty and immoral and just- free. After a few minutes, Alexander stopped.
"Did you finish?" she asked.
"I'm just getting started," he laughed; he tossed her aside and jumped out of bed. He had her every way he could think of: with her hands on the dresser from behind, downstairs on the couch, on top of the table, leaning against the oven, on the stairs, picking her up and pinning her against the wall. Melody loved every moment of it, having orgasm after orgasm. She didn't know sex could be like this.
"I can't go much longer, I'm getting sore," she pleaded after a couple of hours, anxious for him to finish. Alexander covered her in kisses and carried her back to the bed. He laid her down gently like a perfect doll and ran his hands up and down her body.
"When I first saw you, I knew I'd have you here like this," he told her.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"I get every woman I want," he smiled.
"What a predictable lifestyle," she smirked.
"That's one of the reasons I prefer you to be silent," he said, grabbing his manhood and shoving it in her mouth. Melody squealed and moaned as her eyes went wide, feeling him all the way to her throat.
"Relax your jaw and breathe through your mouth," he told her with a smirk. He reached down and rubbed her swollen clitoris, making her body squirm under his touch. Her eyes were red and bulging as he continued to thrust himself against her tongue and down her throat.
"Mhh," she moaned, feeling her body tense. She hadn't rubbed herself the entire time, and this would make her go over the top.
"You look like a virgin but you like being used like a whore," he told her, "Come for me whore!" His words made Melody feel out of control. Hours of having her walls stretched and broken in built up to this. He saw her eyes rolling back and knew she was done. He was done as well; he smiled as he watched her eyes bulge when his warm fluid hit her throat. Melody gagged a little.
"Swallow it!" he commanded, leaving himself in her mouth until she did. She swallowed it quickly, hoping he'd pull it out of her mouth. He finally did. Melody caught her breath and coughed a few times onto the bed.
"Was that the fun you were looking for?" he laughed. Every inch of her felt sore, and her body was completely drained.
"Why didn't you finish inside of me?" she asked.
"Are you trying to get pregnant?" he told her.
"Oh, no. I didn't think of that," she said, a bit embarrassed.
"Now, get out. I like sleeping alone. Besides, we can't have the neighbors talking when they see you leaving here in the morning," he said with a yawn.
"Are you serious?" she said, extremely hurt. The thought of leaving after everything that happened made her feel used and discarded.
"No, move over," he laughed.
Over the next few weeks, Melody and Alexander continued their secret bedding. She would sometimes check in on Emmett through his window. She would find him drawing or reading or with a girl in his bed- sometimes the same one, sometimes different ones. It bothered her so much she just stopped checking in on him altogether. Her feelings for Alexander were a lot less complex. She knew nothing about him except that he didn't like to talk about- anything, really. She also didn't care to ask.
They did it anywhere they could get privacy for just five minutes. The best part about it, for Melody, was that it was never planned. She'd wear long sleeves and scarves to hide the bruises. Belle hadn't noticed much other than Melody growing quieter- which was something John would do when he had a secret to keep. She could tell Melody was up to something, but she couldn't figure out what. Belle also noticed she would mention Emmett's name less and less frequently.
"Which story would you like me to read for you first?" Melody asked the group of 4-6-year-olds who would show up for StoryTime on Wednesday afternoons.
"I want to sit on your lap," one little girl called out.
"No, I want to sit on her lap! I never had a turn!" a boy screamed and started to cry.
"Ok, come here," Melody told him, "Please, don't cry."
"He's lying!" another small child's voice said.
"Okay ONE, TWO… If I count to three we all go home," she told them sternly, feeling like Belle for a moment. The kids quietly settled down. "You'll take turns on my lap, okay?"
Melody started the first book, about a little frog. It had lots of pictures the children liked to see. She snuggled the boy closely to her as she read through the first book.
"Okay, who is next?" she asked. A little girl brought over a book and handed it to Melody. "Would you like to sit on my lap as well?" The little girl shook her head.
"Only babies need to sit on grownup's laps," she mocked the other children.
"You're so mean, that's why we don't play with you," someone called out.
"Hey!" Melody almost laughed but stopped herself, "Who is next?" A little girl who had asked before came over and plopped down on her lap. Melody hugged her tightly as she opened up another book. Someone walked into the classroom and didn't shut the door all the way, blowing it open for a few moments while Melody was reading to the group on the floor.
"Shut the door!" someone yelled. Melody looked over at the door and shivered. Some fall leaves blew into the room. A boy got up from the circle and raced to the door.
"Thank you so much! That was very nice of you," Melody told him. She continued reading book after book to the group warmly for the next hour until the next class started at 1 pm.
Emmett worked for the man who owned the furniture shop in the town center. He had just started the week prior on certain days. Emmett would help carve the rich mahogany or cherry wood to make tables, chairs, dressers, and armoires. He was already great at woodworking. He would carve beautiful intricate patterns into the corners of the wood. He had a real talent for it, and the shop owner knew he had someone special with Emmett.
He wasn't meant to be working that day, but they needed his help loading a table onto a cart. Right as they lifted the table and started walking to the cart, a kid darted from out of nowhere underneath the table and rushed into one of the buildings. Before Emmett realized what had happened, he felt his heart drop.
"Melody?" There was a young woman with black hair sitting on the floor with a child on her lap. He wasn't sure if it was her until she turned to look toward the door and the door soon closed afterward.
"Come on, boy!" the shop owner called out to Emmett.
"Oh, sorry about that!" Emmett said, snapped back from his distraction. They carried the table over to the cart and secured it tightly with ropes.
Emmett soon ran back to the building and looked through the window. It was some sort of classroom. Emmett watched as Melody read to the children vividly, putting on voices or simmering down fights. It made Emmett laugh to see her behave like his own mother. He was lost in the daydream of her.
He didn't want her to see him, afraid it would scare her off to find him in town. Instead, he rushed over to a guard who was standing near the door.
"What is that going on in there?"
"StoryTime, Wednesdays at Noon," the guard said stoically.
"What do they do in there? What is that building?" he asked.
"It's the Royal Learning Center. A school," the guard informed him.
"How can someone register to become a teacher?"
"The administration hall is there, next to the bakery. Speak with Belle or Melody," the guard told him. Melody! Emmett couldn't believe it. How long had she been in the same town as he?
Emmett rushed over to the administration hall, where it seemed like everyone was having their lunch.
"Hello," Emmett greeted them politely, "I was looking to become a teacher at the Royal Learning Center. Not for everyday but some days, most evenings."
"Teach what, love?" a woman asked him.
"Uh- anything really," he said.
"Can you read?"
"Yes, I definitely can read. I can paint, sculpt, woodwork… uh, I can teach math or maybe history?" Emmett was trying to find anything that would stick.
"Are you free Wednesdays?" Martha asked him from her chair.
"Why don't you come next Wednesday and you can teach art for an hour at 1 pm. Or better yet," Martha got up from her chair, "Why don't you start today?"
"Today? Absolutely!"
"I'd love an extra hour break," she muttered to herself. She dug around a supply closet for a stack of papers and a box of pencils. "Here," she said, shoving it into Emmett's chest, "Good luck. I'll be there at 2. They're having StoryTime right now with the princess, bless her heart- those demons. You have 15 minutes left if you want to get ready before you go."
"I- uh- thank you," Emmett said, "How long has the princess been in town?"
"Well over a month now," a man said from the back.
"She's a darling, everyone here loves her," the woman up front said.
"Thank you, everyone!" he said, taking the papers and pencils and heading across the fountain.
Emmett paced around the fountain anxiously, thinking of what he'd say to her.
"I'm so stupid!" he said to himself loudly; a few townspeople turned to look at him oddly. The 1 o'clock bell began to ring, and he rushed to the door.
"Okay, back to your seats, Martha will be here at any moment," he could hear Melody tell the group.
"Awww," the children whined and complained.
He took a deep breath and opened the door. He froze; he couldn't speak. She was more beautiful than ever. She looked at him, and her eyes went wide.
"Emmett?"
Team Emmett or Team Alexander?