A/N- After many weeks Sony has taken the liberty to get my laptop fixed! I'm so sorry for the long wait and I was elated that many of you sent in messages wondering when I was to upload my next chapter, well here it is and I hope you guys love it! There is a review button somewhere on this page… hint hint.
Sunlight hit her face and as soon as that happened, she rolled of the bed accidentally. It took a mere second to wake up completely and sit up to take in her surroundings. A draft alerted her that she was utterly nude. Her hand quickly went to grab the blanket off the bed but it was resisting. Lucy balanced herself on one knee and peered over the edge of the bed. Caspian was sprawled out with his cheeks bare and a deep snore emitting from him. She rapidly blushed at his state and stood up with her arms crossed over body.
Snips of what had happened last night crossed her mind instead of delving further into her blushing state, she found herself to reacting to the images. She lazily ran two fingers down his spine and loved the way she identified the discs at each upheaval. His back was relatively smooth and clear but her fingers found a faint pink scar near his right shoulder. She lightly touched it then stopped. If she was in this position, she would hate someone touching her while she slept but by looking back at was she and Caspian did last night, this was least of their problems. Again her hands found his brown locks and she lovingly ran her fingers through them. He stirred then yawned. Lucy's breathing stopped and she backed away.
Caspian finally got himself up and thankfully the sheets fell right before his pelvis. He stifled a yawn once more then looked up at Lucy. His glazed eyes looked over her body once before he stood up and started to grab his clothes. Lucy stood there naked while watching his every move. She expected him to have gotten up, question why she was standing their then grab her wrist, and plant one of those intoxicating butterfly kisses on them and pull her back in and repeat history. However, he was avoiding her eyes.
This angered Lucy, she wanted to question his motives but she feared whatever relationship they had just begun would crumble.
"Caspian?" She whispered.
He spared her a pitiful glance, "Get dressed." Then he left her cold and alone.
At first Lucy could not register what had happened. Surely Caspian didn't just leave her like that. He couldn't be that cold…could he?
It pained Caspian to treat her like that but he'll be damned to fancy himself in love again. She was just shag, a rather good one but nonetheless only a shag to set her in place. After they were to be married, he would shag her once more and let her fall pregnant with his heir and then he will cast her off to a lesser known wing of the castle. When Kings usually are bored and have no use for their current Queens, they hide them in the castle, away from prying eyes and allow them to lead a life of their own, perhaps take their own concubine. His jaw clenched as he thought of his Lucy underneath another man, no. She would not be privileged to that.
He couldn't dwell on her anymore, damn those sisters, they always have to cause conflict for him. Today was the day of his coronation; he was to be pampered today for the ceremony which he believed was at four in the afternoon.
"Sir! Where have you been?" Jonathon looked as if he stolen bread and ran; he bowed down to him quickly before acknowledging a group of beautiful maidens to whisk Caspian away to the baths. He didn't resist.
Lucy stood in shock even when Emily came in to the room. She tried to get her attention but Lucy said nothing and allowed Emily to guide her to her private bath. It was a large in ground pool filled with bubbles, Lucy feared she was going to drown in them but Emily insisted it only three feet high. Lucy slowly but surely entered the bath with one leg after another and pushed her maid away when she offered assistance to wash her hair. Lucy wanted to be alone.
"I will be holding your towels milady." Then she was gone.
Lucy looked up at the high ceilings which were by no doubt painted by some great artist. She let herself go under and stayed there. Maybe the oxygen deprivation would stop the oncoming tears but when it came to that point, she came back up and wailed. She grabbed one of the bathing accessories placed artfully on the side of bath and started to clean her intimate area, first softly then unnecessarily harder. She wanted his touch gone from her body. However, she could still smell and feel him. She kept scrubbing until she was sure her inner thighs were bleeding lightly.
She would never forgive that damn bastard but curse her, she still loved him! She angrily hit the waters and splashed the wall to her right. As her sobs ceased, she washed her hair then called out for the towels. On cue, Emily came in quickly and proceeded to wrap Lucy but she gasped before she did.
"Milady! Your legs! Let me call a nur- "
Lucy cut her off impatiently, "No. Let it be."
Emily bowed her head then wrapped her softly with the towels. "If I may speak so boldly milady?"
Lucy nodded her head.
"The Prince is a good man, I'm sure what has done was of a logical reason. He has always been kind to the poor, he helped get rid of conniving politicians, and he has a heart pure of gold –"
"Do you love him?" Lucy asked suddenly, it was amusing to see Emily's face as she flustered.
"No milady, I do not care for the male sex, you see…I've always been attracted to females," she said shyly before grabbing Lucy's dress and putting it on her.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of Emily," said Lucy softly.
Emily snorted then apologized, "I'm not but from the reaction of my family, you'd think I called out the devil."
Lucy was quiet as she dressed her, brushed her hair then added a touch of oil on it. When she was done, Lucy looked at herself in the mirror and applauded Emily for making her seem so bright and lively. She shrieked when Emily pushed up her skirts and bent down in from her. In her hand was a container of salve.
"I will have none of it, milady, and this will help get rid of it quickly; there is no need to hurt yourself over a man." When she was done, she pulled back her skirt and stood up as much as her tiny frame could. The pain was already subduing.
"Is that how you got that scar?"
"My father did this to me but I do not mind for it reminds me every day that I fought and I won."
Lucy said nothing and Emily took her bow and left.
I fought and I won.
Here was Emily, a young girl with a scar adorning her beautiful features, a maid for royalty saying she has won. It's funny to see how the littlest things can seem like victory.
She needed to speak to Caspian before the coronation and that she deserved to be treated like the woman marrying him not like a whore. She left her room and with long strides found herself in a completely different wing. Lucy was not good with getting lost. Her heart was racing and her hands shook, she was relieved when she saw a two guards walking to their post.
"Excuse me?"
The guards turned swiftly and bowed down before her as she ran up to them. "Could you tell me where Caspian's quarters are?"
"Of course milady, we will lead you there." One of the guards went behind her as the other led her. It was a necessary procedure to make sure no harm was to come to her. Lucy was saddened that these men are to sacrifice themselves for her, many who have families, if it was up to Lucy, she would banish such extremities.
They walked a short distance before coming before two other guards cutting them off. "The Prince wishes not to be disturbed.
Lucy turned towards the two guards helping her and thanked them for their help. When they left, Lucy turned to Caspian's guards, "I am to be Queen and I am sure you do not want get off on the wrong foot with me."
The guards looked at each other nervously before moving back and apologizing, they opened the doors for her and she strutted in his room. When the door clicked close, she relaxed and looked around his room. Her jaw dropped.
It was not a room she would associate with that bastard of a Prince. There was a large bed with silky black sheets, typical for a male but a small blanket was placed carefully over it. The background was a midnight blue while in the middle a large crescent moon was stitched into it; it was the same design of her bed. Then she realized it was a baby blanket, Caspian's baby blanket. She touched it and marveled at how soft it was.
She sat comfortably on his bed and looked up; around his walls were beautiful paintings. Some of a small boy with royal clothing, others were of meadows, and then there was one of a moon. In the corner of his room was a painting still a work in progress, Lucy could hardly tell what it was but to think Caspian as a painter softened her anger a bit. Perhaps Emily was right about Caspian, maybe she misjudged but then she thought back to this morning and her course of action was back on. Her ears heard a soft giggle through the archway and she made her way in there.
It was his baths, much larger than hers and she watched angrily as a dozen or so beautiful, lithe women tended to Caspian as he took his bath. They were seductively reaching into the waters around him and pouring it on his body.
"What is this? 101 Arabian Nights?" The girls were startled as Lucy said, "Get out! All of you!"
They scurried away like frightened mouse and then Lucy focused on Caspian. Caspian turned around and placed his arms on the edge of the bath.
"You look nice."
Lucy ignored his comment, "You listen to me Prince Caspian, and I will never be treated like that again! I am to be your wife, the Queen of this kingdom; you do not treat me like a….common whore! And these women…what the hell are you thinking? You don't just shag me then go off and please yourself with these…these…"
"Beautiful women?" Caspian said while raising an eyebrow.
"If you call hogs beautiful, then yes," Lucy placed her hands on her hips, "Is that all you heard from me? You are a real bastard, do you know that?"
"I'm a bastard? You're calling a King a bastard? You must really be out of your mind if you are entitled to such verbal ridicule. As I recall last night, I heard phrases such as, "Oh Caspian, I want you so bad. Oh Caspian you're so good!"
Lucy blushed, "I never said such things. You're pathetic and your ego is as big as your head!"
Caspian blinked then laughed at her weak insult, "You always were weak. No wonder you were only entrusted with a vial and a knife." He started to get out of the bath to reach for his towel and with the adrenaline taking out her better judgment; Lucy pushed Caspian back into the bath. His arms flayed before his body slapping hard against the water.
Lucy stood there for a few seconds, breathing rather hard, and then she was worried. Caspian was not coming back up.
She was jumping slightly as she said, "Oh no…Caspian, are you alright?"
She sighed happily as Caspian groaned and stood up. He walked up the steps with his hands on his back. Lucy was able to see his back and it was entirely red. Lucy felt sorry for doing something like that, it was not her and she felt tears threatening to spill.
"Oh Caspian, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…I was just so angry! Please let me help you, do you need ice? I'll go fetch it myself, hold on!" Lucy turned away but she felt a strong wet hand grab her wrist.
"Lucy? You talk too much."
She looked up at his face and her heart melted as she gazed up at him. There was no humor but a serious expression. His hands reached up and pushed her head towards him. His prune-like lips came down on hers and Lucy instantly responded. She smelled his familiar scent and it reminded her of the night before, she wanted him to take her again but she feared how he would treat her again. He pulled away from her and breathed into her hair.
"Who said I treat you like a whore?"
"But you just left me so quick and harshly!"
He looked into her eyes, "I didn't mean it like that, you just looked so beautiful, I thought you would regret what happened that night."
Little Caspian knew that he had spoken the truth, as much as he didn't want to fall in love with one of the sisters, he couldn't help it, he wanted to push her away again but the way her body felt against his body was driving him insane. He pulled her skirts up and pulled down her knickers. He kissed her deeply once more before looking down. He halted and stepped back.
"What in the bloody hell happened to you?"