A/N - Another chapter since I've got such nice reviews! Hope you enjoy it :)
The next morning Cordelia woke up right after the sun had rose, rolling over on her large, elaborate bed and letting out a small sigh before going to brush her hair. Her feet hurt from dancing with the foreign knights, but her mind still drifted to the dance she had shared with Misty, to the skin to skin contact that their hands and fingers had made, and to the soft kiss she had placed on top of the slightly tanned princess' hand. Thinking of it all made her feel butterflies in her stomach, despite it only being a chivalrous gesture between the betrothed princesses.
It was strange. Although there was no rule against two princesses marrying, Cordelia was sure that they would be the first ones to do so. A princess marrying a princess. What kind of lunacy is this? she thought, standing up from the bed and looking through the window, gasping at the sight. Wearing a dress, a young maiden with wild golden hair rode on a cream colored stallion across the gardens of the castle, her hair shining brightly under the warm sunlight. She had felt attracted to the girl from the moment she had seen her enter the throne room. It was strange, she had never felt so attracted to anyone so quickly, not even with Hank. She and he had been sharing some kisses since a few months prior to now, all of it having started with a victory kiss when the knight had won a sword fighting tournament, and then there were some stolen kisses in the corridors of the castle. But still, there was no love involved there, and Cordelia knew that. They were each other's pastime, a silly entertainment while they waited for Cordelia to get married. And maybe after— or at least that's what Cordelia had thought until the moment she had met the other princess. She liked the girl, she was someone that she felt she could talk to, from the moment she had gone to check if she was okay. And she is so beautiful. Nice, kind, smart… she will be a perfect queen someday. Hopefully she'll let me love her, and she love me. She knew it was crazy, but maybe— maybe—she could have started to fall in love with her. Maybe the stories Myrtle told me when I was little are true. Maybe love at first sight actually exists. "Myrtle!" Cordelia grinned broadly as she ran her hands through her hair and began to braid it again, running out of her chamber and down the corridor of the castle. "Prepare Artemisa's saddle and my riding garments."
Maybe I can convince her to go riding with me.
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Misty had always thought that riding her stallion was an amazing experience. The wind, the freedom, the gentle rocking of the horse under her as they rode through the castle's gardens. Everything made her feel powerful. Lutus and she had grown up together, the animal having been given to her when she was just four years old, and they had grown up together. They shared a connection, and felt each other's power as if she could read the stallion's mind and as if they had shared one heart. The sense of euphoria when they travelled at high speed, taking jumps, the green hills passing by. It was like a dream, holding onto the scrawly but beautiful flowing mane with Lutus' tail whipping behind.
It was then when she noticed another horse approaching close, catching her attention as she saw a glimpse of full lips twisted into a smile. She turned her face and slowed her horse, then grinned. "Your highness, what a pleasant surprise to see you here!" she exclaimed, looking at her with happiness in her eyes. She already loved spending time with the older girl, wanting to know if she was as amazing as her mother had told her she was. "Are you going somewhere, princess Cordelia?"
"I wanted to have a meal before the sword fighting tournament." she told, patting the saddlebag on the side of the horse and smiling slightly. She had prepared food for two, although Misty didn't need to know that. "Would you like to accompany me, your highness?" she questioned, making her horse start walking again and not giving her time to answer. The younger princess followed suit, watching how gracefully Cordelia rode on her horse. While the southern girl had been taught to ride athletically, like her father's second in command taught his knights, the older princess sat aside in a modest fashion, holding onto the reins strongly but graciously at the same time. "When did you learn to ride, princess?" Cordelia had spoken up, breaking Misty from her reverie.
"When I was six, your highness. My father's second in command, Sir Achard, was told to teach me the same way that his knights are taught so I became a good queen and I could go to battle when I was older. It's a tradition that girls in the south are raised like knights, just like boys are, although at the same time they are taught manners by their mothers. Do you know how to ride astride?" Misty asked.
"Yes I do. But queen Fiona does not let me ride astride on the castle's grounds, since she wants me to get accustomed to sit aside." the other told, guiding her horse towards the bordering forest that surrounded most of the lake. They remained silent for some moments, entering the highly roofed forest through a small path and following a slow, peaceful rhythm until they reached the shore. "I must ask you to wait one moment, princess. I want to ride astride while we talk, it's more convenient." with that she pulled from Artemisa's reins and dismounted, straightening her dress before mounting the white horse again. She looked at Misty and grinned at her. "Last one to get to the other side of the lake has to give the victory kiss to the knights!" she said happily before giving the stallion a tap with her heels, prompting it to start sprinting. The other princess looked at her, startled, before doing the same, laughing loudly.
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"I must admit, your highness, your riding skills are excellent." Cordelia told with a smile as she dismounted from her horse and straightened out her dress once again, then got hay to feed both horses that now stood in the sand of the small bay with their heads down. "What's your stallion's name, Misty?" she questioned, walking to the light brown stallion and caressing his muzzle.
"Lutus." the girl smiled, caressing his mane as they talked. "It means mud in latin… I know it's not quite a graceful name, but it fits him… After learning how to walk he ran into a swamp full of mud, then ran into the barn covered in it, staining everything that was in there." she explained, making Cordelia laugh, covering her mouth with her hand and looking at her with an amused gaze. Oh god, that is charming, she thought.
"Lutus." the princess repeated, grinning. "I like it." Cordelia moved to open the saddlebag, taking their food and then the girl's hand to guide her to the shore and sitting there. She looked at the calm water, smiling at the sight of the dark castle that rose over it. It was calm. It was quiet. It was perfect, or at least Cordelia thought so. "I used to come here when I was a little girl. I would escape the castle in the morning, through a passage next to the dungeons that ends near here, and I would spend my day collecting plants and going for a swim in the lake." she sighed, closing her eyes and inhaling the fresh air before an idea occurred to her. "Would you like to swim with me, your— Can I call you Misty?"
"Yes, that would be marvelous… Can I call you Cordelia, then?"
"Of course. If I get to call you Misty, you should call me by my name too. We are becoming... friends, after all. Now, lets go for a swim." the princess smiled kindly and stood up, removing the comfortable dress, moving the braid that hung on her back and looking at Misty over her shoulder. "Uh, could you… untie my corset?" she asked with an intense blush on her cheeks. The younger princess nodded, standing to untie the corset, taking in the sight of Cordelia's skin as it slowly started to expose itself as she helped her remove her dress. It dropped to the floor with no more than the faint sound of the fabric falling onto the sand. It was the first time that Cordelia had undressed in front of someone else that wasn't one of her maids. "You can turn around, if you feel uncomfortable." the princess whispered as she started to remove her undergarments.
Misty stayed silent, heart thumping loudly within her chest as she stared at the other revealing her shoulders and back. The young princess' eyes travelled the length of her spine and lower. Women strip and bathe in front of other women, it's not uncommon. the girl had told herself as she began to do the same, untying the front lace of her own corset and dropping it to the floor as she watched Cordelia pick up her dress and undergarments and leave them on a rock, then wading into the water gracefully. No one knew that spot of the shore, where trees and shrubs hid them from anyone who would try to look from any other spot of the lake. Cordelia was sure of that, the same way she was sure that Misty had not blinked until she was inside the water, not wanting to miss the breathtaking sight. The other sat down on a rock and watched, still in her undergarments. Mouth dry and cheeks flushed as she studied her body. Slight curves moved in water, and the young princess could imagine how the front of the older princess' torso would look like. Toned stomach, firm protruding breasts, pink, rock hard nipples. Cordelia turned around, and Misty inhaled a sharp breath. Her betrothed beauty was more than she had expected. Her wet skin, if only I could run my hands down her arms, trail down her spine, kiss my way down her chest and to her stomach… No, I must not think this way. She is my future wife. I must wait.
Her mother had talked to her about the night after the wedding, of what was supposed to happen between the two princesses hours after the feast. Her mother had told her about the fact that children were meant to be conceived the night a king married his queen, and that since they were two women no child would be conceived. She had questioned how two women could consummate their marriage, and her mother had kindly explained. Still, the thought of experiencing what she had been told to do made her shiver. It will be with Cordelia. I will be fine.
"Are you coming to swim with me, Misty?" Cordelia asked, insecure of if the girl meant to be her future wife should want her. She stared at Misty's body, taking in every single inch of her skin, noticing a long, thin scar on her shoulder and a smaller one on her chest, over her heart. "You look beautiful, my princess." she told softly, giving her a nod and then looking away before swimming deeper inside of the lake before the other could answer. Misty couldn't help but let a soft giggle before running to the lake and jumping into the water, her body diving through the ripples and emerging a few seconds after. Her wild blonde curls matted on her shoulders as she let out a loud laugh.
"It's so warm!" she told with amazement as she swam up next to Cordelia and splashed water onto her before swimming away in the crystal water. She could see the other princess swimming behind her, her fingertips caressing her feet some times before she finally passed her and then swam in front of her, floating and then splashing water onto her face in return. They spent an hour or so like that, giggling and laughing as they floated along together. They finally decided to come out and sit on a flat rock, laying down on it's surface and waiting for the sun to dry their bodies. "I love swimming." Misty stated with a smile, looking up at the clouds as she ran her fingers in circles above her navel. "You can feel the rush of energy and control, just like when you ride a horse, but when you simply lay and float in the water it gives you the calm your body just needs after that. Horse riding is still my favorite, though… Because that is just giving in to what your body is urging you to do, following your instincts without much thought. And when you and your horse sprint and jump, the power surges through your body and pours out of you, and it overwhelms you."
"Sounds a lot like making love…"
"I beg you pardon?" Misty looked over at the young woman with curiously innocent eyes. It was true that she was older, and that she was appealing to just about anyone, but the southern girl had never given a thought to the fact that Cordelia might not be pure anymore by the time they got married. "Have you… experienced that, your highness?" she asked in the softest voice she could muster, possibly the softest voice that Cordelia had ever heard. She looked like a scared child in that moment, looking over at her sheepishly.
"Oh, no." Cordelia shook her head and looked away, then turned to lay on her side and stare back at Misty. "I am still pure, I would never… Not with a man… Not until the wedding. But I have been told about it by my maid, Myrtle. She says that making love is one of the most beautiful experiences a woman can go through if they have the right lover." she smiled and couldn't help but move her hand to caress the girl's soft cheek. So breathtaking. I wish I could show her how attracted I am to her. Maybe… " I know this is not appropriate, Princess Misty, but… Well, I think that you radiate such breathtaking beauty, my princess." Cordelia started, voice lower than she had originally expected it to be. But Cordelia was overwhelmed by the girl's beauty, by the attraction she felt towards her. "Everything about you is desirable, and I hope I am a good lover to you. If I can, I will do my best to pleasure you in my every waking hour. I will satisfy you, make you moan. I already live aching to hear you moan my name, princess Misty." she was blushing deeply, but spoke confidently as she leaned closer, their breaths starting to melt together as Cordelia talked. "I cannot wait to touch you, to let my fingers run down your curves and kiss your lips over and over, and to give myself to you… I want to taste the sweet taste on your skin, and the salty taste of your sweat in the night. I want to touch your breasts, let my mouth reach them, to taste your skin on my lips. There's not a single inch that I do not wish to touch or kiss. Your lips, your jaw, your neck. Your collarbones and cleavage, your waist. Your hips. The soft flesh between your legs, so I can make pleasure overwhelm your entire body with no more than my lips, my fingers and my tongue. I want to hear you gasp and moan when I penetrate you, gently at first but more passionately as the hours pass, like I've been told to do. I will be forever yours, I promise it." Cordelia had stated, intention deeply rooted into each word. Misty's mouth was dry, an angry heat aching between her legs. All she wanted to do was to lean forward and let their lips touch, to feel her scorching lips against her skin and let them burn as they shared touches everywhere. She licked her own lips and leaned forward, mouth parted and eyes closing as she reached to brush the other's.
"Your highness?" they heard someone call from behind the trees. They quickly pulled away, both of them breathing heavily as they did so. "Your highness, the queen is looking for you." the voice approached the place as they hurriedly put on their undergarments, eyes focused on the bushes and the trees around them. "Your highness are you here?"
"One second, Sir Foxx! We are not decent!" Cordelia told, pulling her dress over her undergarments and then looking at Misty as she finished getting dressed too. She took their horses reins and walked towards the man that now stood next to the trees, looking between them with confusion laced into his expression, studying the situation. His jaw clenched as he realized just what exactly they could have been doing, naked and hidden behind the trees. The older princess could see the jealousy that swirled in his dark brown eyes as she and he both realized that they had never shared anything like that together, nothing like the moment the two blondes had shared. They had never done anything more than sharing kisses is the hidden corners of the castle, Hank groping her and wanting more and Cordelia stopping each time. She would never say it out loud, but she had always known that they were just having an affair that would soon end. She looked to Misty, who was attempting to tie her corset on, before taking a step towards the knight. "Why do you interrupt our swim, Sir Foxx?"
"The queen requests your assistance at the tournament, your highness." he told in a bitter tone, glaring at Cordelia. "Yours too," he informed hatefully, looking to the other girl, Misty's eyes wide at the man's tone. "Your highness." he added at last before turning around and walking towards his stallion, mounting it, and then riding away. Cordelia took Misty's hand and walked with her to their horses, caressing Misty's knuckles reassuringly before letting her go so that they could mount their horses and ride back.
Things are getting intense... Reviews will be very appreciated!