Princess Wilde Chapter 7, a sofia the first fanfic

Summary: Melker arrives and a struggle in the throne room results in a dramatic event.

Notes: This has been on hold for a while. Life has been extremely difficult of late, but I need some small shred of control of my life, and somehow writing something, anything has given me some satisfaction. Here's to hoping it lasts long enough for me to finish. We are actually pretty close to the end. Probably one more chapter after this! Sorry no beta - just trying to get this out there while inspiration is with me

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Oh, those kisses. Given the fact that we were about to be invaded by Hildegarde's family – my family? - we really spent far too long kissing in that chair. But, that kiss was just...glorious. Those kisses transformed my hope that he wanted me, into knowledge that he needed me. We were both scared and too-possessive and we needed each other, and I could taste that all in his kiss. He wanted me. He loved me. The pleasure he'd given me when I'd been a slave to the Heat was not just an act of fond pity. He really, actually loved me. He didn't need to make a romantic declaration on bended knee – I could feel it in the gentle kisses to my eyelids and my jaw, then the hot possession of his lips and the stroke of his tongue.

I was more than a little eager, even if I wasn't in Heat, and he smelled so amazingly good - finally and completely like himself - that I sank my teeth into the skin of his neck when he was slowly trying to drive me insane with nibbles to my earlobe. He growled – growled low and sexy, and thrust his hips up, almost knocking me from my perch on his lap.
I squirmed on his lap and felt the hard proof that he wanted me like I wanted him. And if we hadn't been squished on a too-small chair in the middle of Mom's sitting room, I would have made him show me more of just how much he wanted me. But competing with the hot thrum of my blood was the bubbling fear that some horrible old wolf wizard was downstairs about to be in a room with my Mom, who didn't really have much of a clue how to defend herself from magic.

I pulled myself away, Cedric's lips chasing after mine until we both almost fell to the floor. I giggled, and gave him a peck on the cheek, and he pouted that adorable pout.

"Let's defeat any invading Freezeburgian sorcerers, okay Cedric? Then we can have some fun with this." I added emphasis by rolling my hips one last time against his hardness, then pushed myself off and away from him.

"Fun is an understatement, you little tease. If you are so certain that it is me that you want, I plan on stealing you away and not letting you out of our bed for at least two days."

"Three days!" I counter-offered, and he sprang out of the chair and stomped toward me, robes billowing out around him.

Part of me really, truly, wanted him to catch me and pin me to the wall and do some very naughty things to me – but duty called. Well actually, Baileywick knocked.

"Princess Sofia? Are you still inside? Violet is looking for you, you need to get ready for a formal audience in the throne room."

"I'll be right there, Baileywick." I said loudly.

Cedric succeeded in pressing me against the door, then whispered in my ear so that his breath made me shiver deliciously, "I need to get some things done before we risk a meeting with Melker. Go get primped and polished, but do not go into that Throne Room without me! Wait in the secret hallway behind!"

"How did you..."

"I was a child in this castle once too. I don't think that much changed " He pressed his lips to mine one more time, and then with a flash of green smoke, he was gone.

I sighed deeply.

I didn't have the presence of mind to transport to my rooms. My body felt like I could go up in flames. It was different than the Heat. I was fully in control of my mind and my body, but I still wanted Cedric so much. I wanted him to know he was mine and I was his without a shadow of a doubt.

I walked quickly through the halls, aware of the chilly February air creeping in from the edges of the windows, the sound of my kitten-heeled shoes on the marble floors, and the need and anger blossoming in my mind and in my body until I wanted to tear the Royal House of Freezenburg limb from limb from keeping me from Cedric for even a moment. I was actually pretty scared of the intensity and violence of my thoughts toward King Henrik and Hildegarde and Astrid – and I realized my wolf was a vicious thing when she was thwarted. I knew I could never truly harm them- without cause. But I was beginning to think that with cause – I might be capable of some truly terrible things.

I dressed quickly, with Violet's scandalized mutterings in my ear. For I was not getting dressed for the formal visit of a royal diplomatic party. I had a simple coronet braid to keep my hair out of my way, and the thick linen shirt and trousers I wore on my forest nights, a simple pair of boots, a long vest, and my Amulet. My athame knife was strapped to my hip under the vest, and my wand was secured in a magical not-space within my sleeve, ready to be withdrawn at a thought from me.

I stared at myself in the mirror – my cheeks flushed with color, my eyes bright with determination, and fear churning in my gut. My family would likely find out what I was – the whole Kingdom might find out. But I wouldn't have to hide that part of me, or who I chose as my mate, any longer either. One thing I knew – I would not end up as the plaything of some ancient evil werewolf. I would rather die.

I waited as patiently as I could manage in the tiny room behind the throne, trying not to move too much and disturb the thick layer of dust and cobwebs covering the floor and the small table – the only item of furniture in the bare little chamber. I doubt Baileywick knew about this room – or there would be a lot less dust if he did! But Cedric knew – and he had been a child in this palace, years younger than my Dad or Aunt Tilly. What had it been like for him, not a royal, not a prince, but not exactly the child of a servant either? And with potent magic that could go awry, and the underlying instincts of a wolf beneath it all. I almost wished I could have known him then – grown up with him and been the friend he so badly needed. But I wouldn't change him now for the world. He was my wolf, my mate...and he was taking forever!

Just as it was taking every bit of discipline in me to not stomp my foot and bring up a cloud of dust (and a host of unwanted attention to myself), there was a muted green flash and Cedric appeared. He looked a bit wild – his hair disheveled and his cravat missing entirely.

He looked delicious. "Where have you been?" I hissed between my teeth just before pulling him toward me by the folds of his voluminous robes and kissing him firmly.

He started to sink into the kiss before pulling away and shaking his head as though to dissipate a confundus spell. "You are entirely too good at distracting me when I actually need to concentrate, you insatiable thing you." But he gave me a sly smirk that made my knees melt and my heart beat faster.

But Cedric's voice turned deep and serious, the firm voice he had when he was confident and solving a problem."I've made some calls for help, but they will be some time in arriving here. I assure you that Melker is widely hated, and if we can just hold him here without letting him cause permanent harm, we may be able to do a great deal of good for the Kingdom of Freezenburg."

I nodded, suddenly just as serious as he. The older I grew, the more I understood how much better off the people of some kingdoms were than others. I had to admit that my preferences in companions began to reflect how the people of certain kingdoms fared. I had barely spoken to Hildegarde in years once I understood how often her people went hungry and cold, while she was always dressed in the height of fashion.

"It is very possible that Melker will try to incite me, or you, to challenge him. That is the last resort! I have no idea how capable or powerful a wizard he must be, and the one of us who challenges will give the other choice of weapon. Either claw or wand, but not both. You must keep that fiery temper of yours, Sofia!" He yanked me to him and kissed me again, his long hands and arms wrapping around my back so tightly I thought we would fuse into one. His tongue stroked mine, desperate and pleading and still tasting so irresistibly good, like honey and green grass and the deep beautiful dark places in the forest where the scent of rich earth accompanied every step.

I didn't want someone else to fight my battles for me – but Enchancia was Cedric's territory as a Guardian, and until I was truly his mate, any battle for claim to the land was his by right.
When he finally loosened his hold on me and pressed one last kiss to my lips, it took me a long moment to open my eyes and float back down to earth. We stayed for a moment, looking into each others' eyes, before the sounds from outside finally filtered into our dusty den.

"Really, Your Majesty, trying to hide our cousin from the family is unkind. You may not have been born into Royalty, but even you must recognize the enormous break in protocol this treatment would mean. Surely you don't want to permanently damage relations between our nations?"

I growled softly, and Cedric chuckled. "Oh, Melker is an unmitigated ass – he knows we are here – can probably scent us. He is trying to make you mad, love."

"He's succeeding. But just because I'm angry, doesn't mean I'm stupid."

And with that I stepped away from him and spun my wand, reappearing in the throne room at Mom's side with precision. "Hello, King Henrik, Princess Astrid, Princess Hildegarde. Forgive my tardiness." I tried to sit regally, as though gowned in velvet and jewels rather than a simple shirt and trousers, on one of the small brocade-covered chairs next to Mom's throne that were meant for whichever of us Royal children happened to be participating in audiences that day. I made no acknowledgement of Melker whatsoever. I took in his medium stature, plain, ageless face, plain brown hair and veiled dark eyes and wondered how just evil could look so unassuming. He could have been forty or three hundred and forty. With him and Henrik, Astrid and Hildegarde were two other Freezenburg court members that were not familiar, and though no swords were allowed in the throne room, I wondered if they had other weapons on them. I flexed my wrist just so that I could feel my wand securely within the not-there pocket thrumming against my arm.

After Melker cleared his throat loudly, King Henrik stepped forward and opened his mouth, only to stop when another figure popped into existence by the throne – Cedric. Normally, Cedric was rarely a participant in these audiences, and when he was there he stood at the King's right hand but below the dais. But this time he'd appeared standing at my left, on the dais and almost touching my shoulder. It was the place of a consort, and I couldn't help the soft smile that touched my lips.

Cedric coughed softly, but all trace of his former obsequious cowering had long ago fled. His voice was even and crystal clear and thrummed deep within me, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, for my late arrival."

Mom tilted her head in acknowledgement, never taking her eyes from the Freezenburgians arrayed before them.

Melker's dark eyes were now hard and calculating. Apparently he hadn't counted on Cedric being there. Very good, it was always good to be underestimated, but worry still churned in my gut.

King Henrik started to speak once again, his hands clutching sporadically at a handkerchief in a clearly nervous way. "Queen Miranda, Princess….Princess Sofia. It is good to see you." I had once liked Henrik – though as I grew older I didn't like what I knew about how the people of his kingdom suffered. But Henrik was clearly miserable to be here and lying was not his forte. He would rather be any place else. Melker really did have the influence over the Freezenbergian royals that Cedric had said he did.

"It is always good to see an ally, King Henrik. Even when it is so unexpected. Is there an emergency, should we be concerned?"

Mom had really gotten good at being queen, hadn't she?

"No...No emergency. It's….its a good thing! Good. Yes, good! You see we've just discovered that Princess Sofia...she's our...our cousin."

Mom did an excellent job of looking politely shocked. "I know that Amber and James are cousins to you through their grandparents' marriage but how does that include my Sofia?"

I did my best to look charmingly perplexed, an expression I had grown really good at making in diplomatic situations. Cedric made a noise that must have been a suppressed snort, and I knocked the toe of my boot into his shoe to signal him to be quiet.

Henrik pulled at the handkerchief hard enough that I worried the thing was going to rip. "Yes...well...I...we….my daughter Hildy….she…."

Melker stepped forward, apparently unwilling to deal with his great-grandnephew's dithering, "Forgive me, your Majesty, Princess," he gave the barest nod to each of us in turn, and I knew that wherever Baileywick had concealed himself to spy on the goings-on in the room he was seething at the break in protocol, "I am the Royal Sorcerer, Prince Melker."

Cedric clearly snorted at this statement, and I stomped on his foot. He hopped up and down in pain for a moment and Melker stared at both of us, either in disbelief or disgust – it was hard to tell and I didn't much care.

Mom made a gesture for him to continue, and Melker pushed on, trying to seem like he was ignoring us, "It has come to my attention as one fascinated with the Royal lineage of my home, that there may be a distant family connection between your first husband, the Princess Sofia's birth father, and the House of Freezenburg."

Mom looked unperturbed. She'd really become an expert at looking unimpressed, but I could see that her fist had tightened where it rested on her lap in the voluminous folds of her heavy court dress. "I am aware of the connection. My husband Birk….Birgin, made it known to me that he wished no further contact with the family of his birth. I mean no insult, but I had no intentions of going against his wishes without a significant need."

Henrik stepped forward then, glancing at his daughters in a concerned way that made me suddenly nervous for them, "Well, Princess Sofia seems to be doing wonderfully well, but I am afraid that we really have need of her." He swallowed and turned to Melker as though looking for instructions from what was clearly his master.

Melker narrowed his eyes and instead of coaching King Henrik in his lines, took a few steps toward the dias and toward me, causing Cedric to let out a low growl. Melker looked at him and chuckled audibly. No one else was laughing. "Princess Sofia, you are everything that is lovely, and you may be able to be the savior of our nation. Both Princess Astrid and Princess Hildegarde have made good matches, but neither of them have yet proven to be fertile and produced an heir to our throne. We must have a male heir, an unfortunate law but difficult to have altered, you see."

I took a deep breath and did my best not to bite his head off. "How unenlightened, Sorcerer Melker." I refused to refer to him as a Prince. "Do you wish me to address your Privy Council? Perhaps I could help convince them that either Princess Astrid or Princess Hildegarde could be an excellent heir in their own right."

Melker narrowed his eyes for a second, before dropping a mocking little bow. "Pardon me, Princess Sofia, I am sure you could be quite convincing, but I would be honored if you would entertain another solution altogether. With your connections to the thrones of both Enchancia and Freezenburg, and my position as the nearest relative in a...junior line of succession, that our marriage might produce offspring that could inherit the throne without the risk of undue civil unrest. You would truly be saving the people of Freezenburg from strife, my beauty."

Cedric growled again, louder this time. I let him.

I gave the Freezenburg royal party a hard smile and harsh words, "I'm afraid that there are other, easier ways to help the people of Freezenburg, Melker. Perhaps not taxing them into poverty so deep that babies die of malnutrition?"

There was a shocked gasp from the entranceway, and Amber and Axel stood there, eyes wide. "Sofia!...I...that was not…." she remembered herself suddenly, sweeping into the room on a cloud of green silk skirts, Axel following an inch behind. She bowed her head to King Henrik and nodded to Hildegarde and Astrid, then stepped up onto the dais and stood staring at Cedric, clearly expecting him to move.

He narrowed his eyes at her and Amber looked completely shocked at his audacity, before Mom jumped in - "Amber, we weren't expecting you at this audience. When did you and Axel get back from skating?"

Amber blinked at mother, then answered while awkwardly moving around the solid pillar of Cedric to sit on another of the little chairs, "Just a few minutes ago, Mother. Axel was kind enough to wait while I dressed appropriately." Axel stood silently by Amber, trying very hard not to look at me. Of course, the last time he'd seen me I'd apparently been acting insane and tearing apart my bedroom with clawed fingers, so he might be right to be just a little scared of me.

Amber surveyed the room regally, and was about to speak when Melker cut her off, earning her instant disdain.

"We are in the middle of crucial diplomatic negotiations, Princess Ambia." Oh, Amber now surely hated the man, and sent him her sharpest glare of malice. He actually stumbled over his words then, the power of her glare was so strong.
"I...Freezenburg...has made an offer to your step-sister to be the mother of the future King of Freezenburg."

Amber, normally enamored by talk of bloodlines, continued to level Melker with her best look of frozen displeasure. Of course, she must be confused, having missed the discussion entirely regarding my family history.

"Yes, Amber, it is so very good to see you." Princess Hildegarde spoke up in her Freezeburgian clipped tones. "We have discovered that dear Sofia is actually a distant cousin of the Crown, and we would love her to join our family even more closely. She would truly be our salvation." Her gaze flicked toward Melker with a frisson of fear before her expression settled back to her typical resting face of "Princess-standard boredom".

Amber turned toward me, and glanced up at Cedric looming over my shoulder, and the tiniest line appeared between her eyes as her brow furrowed as far as she would ever allow it to. Then her brow smoothed and she sat even straighter.

"I'm afraid we will have to find another reason to make this visit worthwhile, Hildy. Sofia is practically engaged to someone else, and I doubt she would possibly consider any alternative."

Hildegarde gasped, and Cedric coughed slightly, and I was awed once again at the strange way Amber's mind worked – and how occasionally she could arrive at amazing insights through the oddest chain of connections. Then again, she'd seen me just as Axel had, and she must have realized that Cedric was brought in to help me during the Heat.

Melker pushed completely past Henrik, walking forward toward the dais far enough that the guards on either side moved forward, their spears moving slightly from pointing safely at the ceiling.

Melker smiled, and it was a chilling sight. Then he spoke one word, "Pasirodo."

Cedric moved faster than I could have believed, his wand movements encasing the entire dais almost instantly in a blue shield. I also drew my wand, and I watched in horror as ten – no – twelve soldiers in black uniforms appeared out of thin air and slammed the pommels of their thick knives into the heads of the soldiers lining the throne room. And one was trapped with us, inside the dais, and his knife was pointed at the throat of my mother, The Queen of Enchancia.

"Mom!" I screamed. She moved, and the sharp steel bit into her skin, leaving a trail of blood just under her chin. She froze, her eyes huge.

"King Henrik." Cedric whispered through clenched teeth. "You realize that your Court Sorcerer has just declared war upon the nation of Enchancia."

Henrik replied with a mournful sound and proceeded to collapse to his knees, his legs no longer able to hold him. As Hildegarde and Astrid moved toward him making sounds of distress, it had been enough of a distraction for Cedric to whisper, "Take over the shield."

Barely moving, my wand slipped into my hand, and with a seamless transition my magic began to feed the shield protecting the dias.

Cedric still held his wand aloft, as though it was he straining to maintain the thick wall of magic around us. In truth, it wasn't a strain, he'd drilled me in this for long hours and I knew he could maintain a shield like this for hours without tiring - and then I noticed the wand - his family wand! He definitely was leaving nothing to chance. My stomach churned with worry for my mother, who was absolutely rigid but maintained a preternatural calm that I knew was the sign of a whole heap of raw anger.

Cedric put on his best sneer, "What do you think this could possibly gain you, Melker? Enchancia has enough allies that make it nearly impossible for any country to declare war on us. You are hated in the magical community. No other sorcerer would come to your aid, even if you did manage to get Sofia's agreement to come with you now - how on earth did you think you would keep a woman as powerful as her prisoner, much less your willing wife?"

Melker hissed back, "I think once I'd made her my wife most countries wouldn't give two figs what happened to her - and I plan to marry her immed…."

In mid-evil rant, Cedric flourished his family wand, and with a soft, "Carnea despare…" The black clad assassin with his knife to my mother's throat began to scream as the knife fell through his hand and clattered to the floor when the flesh of his entire arm disappeared, leaving nothing but bone. He backed away, the bones clattering as he moved, unable to function without muscle and sinew to hold them together. He backed into the blue magic shield that I held, and the magic rebounded on him, sending him into a blessed unconsciousness.

"Black magic!" Melker shouted triumphantly. "Black magic - clear and with dozens of witnesses. You, Cedric Goodwin, will be…"

"Rewarded for saving the Queen of Enchancia," my mother intoned, standing and staring down at the entirety of the Freezenbergian group - royals and assassins alike. Our guards were still down and vulnerable, but Melker apparently thought little of their lives as a bargaining chip.

"Atkurti…"Cedric intoned, moving his wand in a sensuous form that was distinctly different than the usual style of Hexley Hall. The assassin at our feet remained conscious, but the flesh of his arm began to reappear, layer upon layer - so quickly that in less than a minute the arm - bare now without a sleeve - was complete and whole.

"Black magic is about intent, you ass. In all your years, did you not study outside the narrow realms of local magical technique?" Cedric rolled his eyes theatrically and I giggled openly, understanding that making Melker angry - keeping him from thinking clearly, was part of Cedric's plan and nothing made bad men angrier than a woman laughing at them.

Melker stomped up the stairs until he was face to face with Cedric through the shield, practically ready to spit in his face.
"I challenge you, Cedric the Sensational, " Melker sneered, "for the right to Guard the Forests of Enchancia and the Tower of the Enchancian Castle."

Cedric grinned, a wide feral grin that made me clench with sudden blatant arousal. Both men turned to stare at me and I did my best not to blush. Wolves and their damn noses. Melker turned back to Cedric, even angrier with the evidence of my response to him.

"She hasn't been claimed - not fully. Though I can smell you on her. She is still free to be taken."

Amber and Mom let out angry shrieks at this, Axel let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and Cedric simply circled his Family wand again in another of those intricate circles he'd learned in our various journeys I'd dragged him on over the years. I knew the motion, and I made my own small movements in response, creating imperceptible weak spots in the magically shield just before he cast a spell in a calm and sure voice, "Incarceratus totalitis!"

In perfect synchrony, every one of Melker's men was wrapped in thick chains and dropped to the ground on their faces - I couldn't help but wince, but I was pleased that they were completely unable to support him now. Other than the fainting Henrik and the clearly cowed Hildegarde and Astrid, Melker stood alone on the other side of a newly impenetrable shield.

Then - Cedric did have a flare for the dramatic - he calmly stepped forward and straight through the buzzing magical shield - completely unaffected. No one but another magic user could fully understand the complexity and coordination necessary to do such a thing and make it look effortless.

The smug look that had frozen on Melker's face slowly faded as he was forced to back up in the face of Cedric's unflappable determination. Gone was the cowering, obsequious man he'd once been – though I'd been blind to those traits as a child I did realize later that he'd grown more confident since I'd known him, and since the first years he'd been the Royal Sorcerer. But now – now he was commanding. Resolute. Powerful.

Cedric held Melker's gaze as he slowly divested himself of shoes, and robes, leaving him in an open necked green shirt and breeches. He'd filled out over the years and wasn't the stick of a boy he'd been at twenty three when I'd first mat him. Too much running in the woods – too much good food I'd brought up to the Tower and forced him to eat. He was beautiful, and he was mine. Even Amber seemed to let out a little sigh as he stood there, every inch a Guardian.

"I am Cedric Goodwinson, Duke Silva, Guardian of the Enchancian Forest. I choose claw."

I blinked. "Duke?"

He grinned at me. "Care to be a Duchess?"

Amber gasped this time, and Mom chuckled, despite the scare she'd just had.

Melker growled, "She will be mine, you fool boy."

Cedric spoke before I could scream. "She is her own person, you grotesque mockery of a Guardian. She's not a prize to be won. She'll determine who she mates, not you and not I."

I smiled. Goddess, I loved this man. "Look at the mark on Duke Silva's neck – I think I've stated my claim rather nicely. I've made my choice. Now leave here while you still can!"

Melker growled at me, his eyes flashing nearly to black. "Quiet girl. A challenge has been made and accepted. Your role is to shut…" he was cut off by ringing syllables.

"The challenge has been spoken and accepted!" A sonorous voice soared out into the room, and with the crack of teleportation, one magic wielder after another appeared in the room in different colored clouds of smoke.

Cornered, Melker bared his teeth. "You called the Council? You sad weak wizard, worthless cur..."

"Silence!" Boomed out the voice of Merlin himself. "You've left your own Tower, Melker. You've declared challenge for the Enchancian Forest, and we are simply here to make certain it is a fair fight." Merlin nodded toward Cedric. "Go on, son. Show him that evil never really pays."

They were going to let them fight! Really, this was ridiculous. I stepped through the shield and strode forward, determined to hold on to Cedric and keep this ridiculous fight from taking place – surely with the Council here they could bring Melker to justice.

But Cedric turned, and smiled, his teeth wickedly sharp already. I could see that he was nervous - old habits die hard - but beyond determined. He needed to do this. Damn him. But I knew he could do it.

He would tear the other man to shreds.

He took his family wand and held it out to me and I took it knowing the intense trust in the act. In other places, among magical folk, it was as good as declaring us betrothed, according to the stories Winifred had told me over the years. My eyes flicked to the Council, who were all smiling, and to Melker, who was so stiff with anger it looked as though his bones would break from the tension of his muscles.

Melker sneered and tossed his own wand on the ground near Hildegarde, who leapt back from it like it was made of molten lava. "Fine, young fool. Claw it is." He began stripping off his jacket, revealing an average size frame to go with his average looks. She would have expected someone so vile to look the part, but he was unmemorable except for the cold anger in his eyes.

Merlin intoned, "Claw - fight to surrender or to the death."

I shivered, but Merlin kept on, as though he'd presided at a hundred of these duels. Perhaps he had.

"Begin!"

Melker began to shift, and it looked painful. He grew and stretched and it appeared that every bone in his body was breaking and reforming - and that it would have gone on for long minutes. But he didn't really have the chance. Cedric was already leaping, claw extended and teeth long and sharp - his transition as easy and seamless as it had ever been.

Cedric had Melker's throat between his teeth by the time the overconfident, smarmy wizard was even half transformed. But Melker was enormous when a wolf, so as the pain of Cedric's sharp teeth advanced his transformation faster, Cedric put all of himself into grappling with the giant gray and tan beast under him.

"Slash him!" I shouted - all mercy having left once I saw how terrified Hildegarde and Astrid were - I had a horrible suspicion of what they must have gone through at this monster's hands.

Melker shook forcefully, throwing Cedric a few feet, but Cedric recovered smoothly, never staying in one place long enough for the huge lumbering werewolf who tried to leap on top of him. My stomach was in knots, the bloodshed was horrible but strangely exciting as well.

Cedric flashed like black lightning all around Melker, raking his claws over muscles and into tender belly. Before I could take three breaths, Melker was bleeding from a dozen wounds, while Cedric had only a small scratch. The fight had truly been over before it barely begun, but Melker was too angry to concede.

Melker tried to gather himself up for one last attempt, when Cedric did the impossible - he teleported - without a wand! - to land on Melker's back, his teeth wrapped around his spinal cord. One bite, and Melker would be dead.

Melker slumped to the ground, whimpering.

Merlin stepped forward, "Challenger, do you yield? Do you except Cedric Goodwinson, Duke of Silva, as the undisputed Guardian of Enchancia?"

Melker half growled and half whimpered, and nodded his head. I heaved a sigh of relief, but I still felt filled with tension. The huge black wolf released the larger gray and Melker collapsed to the ground, paws splayed in exhaustion. It was a human Cedric, as always changing with amazing speed, who drew to standing with surprising grace, turning his back on Melker and walking toward me with a huge grin.

"What is happening!" Dad stood in the doorway, unnoticed until now, flanked by two guards and James. "What is the meaning of this?"

Melker took advantage of the sudden distraction, but I had been expecting something. Before the incompletely changed wizard could scramble toward his wand, I reacted by instinct, switching Cedric's family wand to my left hand and pulling out and throwing the athame I had been practicing with for months and unerringly pinning his hand to the stone floor just before it had reached his wand.

He half-growled half-screamed, still trapped between two forms, and Hildegarde ran up and thumped her many-times great uncle over the head with the blunt end of one of the Enchancian halberds our collapsed guards had dropped. Melker fell unconscious, turning human as he lay splayed on the floor in a heap.

Hildegarde screamed and began kicking Melker's unresponsive body, and Astrid dashed forward, joining her sister in a fit of kicks and screaming. The rest of the room stared at them, shocked beyond words, while Cedric arrived at my side, taking my hand firmly in his grip.

"Silence!" Merlin intoned, more than a little magic in his voice. Everyone hushed except for the gasping tears of Hildegarde and Astrid.

Surprisingly it was Dad who spoke up first. "I come home and there's this chaos in MY throne room that's the first thing I see. What on Earth is going on and is everyone except for that man," he pointed at Melker, "alright?" He looked at the dias and his eyes locked on to the smear of blood on Mom's neck, and his hard grew very, very hard.

"Who is responsible for harming my wife?" he ground out into the preternatural quiet.

Chatter erupted, but many many hands were pointing at the unconscious and bruised body of the - former - sorcerer of Freezenburg. There was a cacophony of explanations and recriminations, and I swayed on my feet, suddenly overwhelmed by all the noise and the release of tension.

"Should we go?" Cedric breathed in my ear. "I think this might be a good time to….'

"And you, Cedric. I didn't know…I didn't realize," Dad looked shaken at the changes that were being thrust upon him. "You really are a Guardian for Enchancia, aren't you?"

Cedric pursed his lips, and for a moment I could see him choke back the whiny response he might have given once. He set his shoulders and pulled in a breath, "Yes, your Majesty. I am the Guardian of Enchancia. And my family and I will be for a very long time. And I have….a question…for your daughter."

He gripped my hand, turning me toward him and then claiming my other hand that still held his family wand. When our hands met around the wand, the tip glowed brightly, causing most of the crowd of Council wizards and sorcerers to let out various sounds of recognition and positive whispers. A Family Wand wouldn't respond to just anyone this way.

Cedric sucked in another deep breath. "Sofia. I give you all that I am and ask for all that you are, everyday and in all ways. How do you answer?"

My mouth dropped open. Later I had hazy memories of shocked gasps, and Amber squealing before Mom actually covered her mouth. But in the most ancient traditions of Enchancia, he'd just recited a marriage pledge to me. There was only one possible answer.

"Yes! Cedric, I give you all that I am and ask for all that you are, everyday and in all ways. How do you answer?" I practically shouted, full of a sudden wave of happiness and energy enough to practically fly without any spells.

"Yes, Sofia. I'm yours." And he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, in front of my parents, my siblings, the Freezenburgian noble families, the guard and the Council of Wizards. Plenty of witnesses.

There was an absolute symphony of disharmonious yelling, cheering, clapping and catcalls. But I didn't care about any of it. Cedric let go of my hands, taking his - our - Family Wand in his hand. And with easy grace again morphed into the form of his wolf, his Wand disappearing into the not-space he had trained me to store my own wand in as well. Without a trace of self-consciousness, I also embodied my wolf, and another, even louder round of shocked gasps and yelling ensued, but Cedric and I were already running. The last thing I heard was Amber yelling, "Don't think you are getting out of planning a real wedding, Sofia. I have your tiara all picked out!"

Through the open doors of the throne room, down marble floored halls, out into the gardens, then out through the postern gate into the woods - his woods - our domain. I knew where he was leading me, and I dashed ahead, letting him know I was very much in favor of his plans. He nipped at my flanks and we danced around each other for a moment in shared glee before he sprinted ahead and I barked and followed.

It was the same cottage where I'd had my first Heat. It had been a frequent stop for us on the days we'd run together in the forest, and it was the perfect place to escape all the hundreds of questions that my family, and the nation, were likely to have.

We needed some time just for us.

But where was the house? I knew it was here, it had always been….oh, magic of course. Cedric blurred into his human form where I had stopped, just a few yards from the front door of the dilapidated cottage, and waved his hand, muttering something I couldn't quite hear, but I could feel. Like a veil had been drawn from my eyes, layers of protection spells pulled back, allowing a view through the dense forest and toward the cottage.

Which was no longer quite as I had remembered it. It was much more intact, windows covered in cheery green shutters, painted a soft brown that blended into the woods with ease. All the holes gone and faded paint was fresh. The door that had been leaning and barely still on his hinges was now straight and strong, with a bright brass lock that had not been there at all before.

I too returned to my human form and raised an eyebrow at Cedric, who actually blushed slightly, making me giggle.

"Planning on stealing me away?"

He suddenly looked serious. "No - I just wanted to preserve my fondest memories. I may have made a few improvements to house-"

My heart thudded in my chest, and I stepped closer and took his hand in mine, bringing it to my lips and pressing a kiss to his fingers. "Now, we can make new memories. Many new memories." I smiled, hoping I looked at least someone seductive, and something must have worked, because he was staring at my lips like he wanted to devour me.

He waved a hand at the gap in his veil and I could see the layers close behind us, at least three - no, four - intricate and subtle spells like that would it almost impossible to find this little house, unless you already knew where it was and could sense magic very well, it would simply cease to exist to the outside world.

Fine by me. This time he needed his wand, and I could see that his hand was actually shaking as he performed some intricate wand movement and words in a language I had no hopes of replicating full of trills and clicks, and the lock clicked open.

Fine by me. This time he needed his wand, and I could see that his hand was actually shaking as he performed some intricate hand movement and words in a language I had no hopes of replicating full of trills and clicks, and the lock clicked open.

He waved me forward, almost looking nervous, and I stepped inside. This was not just about preserving memories - for the inside was perfect. It was cozy, full of soft fabrics and wicker chairs, a thick carpet, and a huge bed in shades of deep plum and gray, that was much much sturdier than the creaky, half broken thing she recalled.

This wasn't about preserving memories, it was a place to dream of what could be.

I spun on my heels and stepped up to him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down into a firm, unapologetic kiss. He wanted a place to dream of being with me, when he'd given up hope that I would ever be his.

Foolish sorcerer.

I had been his for as long as I could remember. I would always choose him.

Somehow we moved across the floor, the door clicking shut and locking behind us, the fireplace cracking into life on it's own, the enchanted sheets turning down and waiting for us - none of which I'd noticed at the time. The world was his lips, his hands on me.

He was reverent, gentle but still enthusiastic as he unbuttoned and untied until I was mostly bare and he had let go of me to push me to sit on the bed while he pulled off my boots. He was still fully clothed, and I was impatient, but given our earlier encounters in this cottage I followed his lead, pulling off his vest, and pulling his shirt over his head, and then yanking on the waistband of his trousers while he was still lost in the folds of his tunic. I couldn't help but be a little mischievous - I think that was part of the reason why he loved me anyway.

Soon enough he was free of his linen prison and very naked. I wasn't expecting to be shy about it - but I was blushing bright and hot at the site of him - lean with just the smallest bit of muscle visible in his arms and thighs and along his torso, a light smattering of hair on his chest and extending from his navel down to his very stiff cock.

I'd seen it - I'd touched it - but it was still foreign and fascinating. I reached down to stroke it, and Cedric backed away, a smug smile on his face as he proceeded to pull the last of my underthings off of me until I was as bare as he. His eyes feasted on my naked skin and I did the same to him, looking my fill in comfortably heavy silence, with only our rapid breaths for music.

I backed up slowly and he followed, stalking me in a predatory way that made me throb for him. The back of my legs hit the bed and I sat, scooting backwards as gracefully as I could manage while Cedric climbed over me, running the tip of his long nose over my skin, from my stomach to my breasts to my neck and then my ear.

"Your scent is intoxicating, Duchess. My Duchess." he punctuated the my with a nip to the sensitive skin of my neck and I whimpered in response.

I sank my hands into his hair and pulled him to my lips and we kissed again, hard and hot. The scent of him filled my senses, so very right - so much more than my fuzzy memories of my Heat. He was fully, completely himself, and I wanted him more than I could stand. I arched my hips up and his cock slid against my stomach, so hard. He hissed softly, pulling away from my lips just enough to press tiny kisses and bites to my chin, and down my throat, making me giggling - it was half seductive tease and half ticklish torture and I could feel him grinning - just a wee bit of evil remaining within him.

Then he reached my breasts, capturing my left nipple in his mouth and he suckled hard, sending a bolt of fire through me straight to my womb that made me cry out. He did the same to the other one, short, sharp suction that made me slick and desperate for him. I had been ready for him for hours, weeks it seemed! But despite my wordless pleas, he continued down my body, until he was pressing a soft kiss between my thighs, right at my entrance, then his tongue stroked me lightly, smoothly, enchantingly.

I knew he'd only done this a few times, but gods he was a fast learner! I was soaring closer and closer to the precipice when he sucked hard on my clit and I flew high and long, screaming his name and my bliss to echo in the small room. Then, before I could recover, his fingers were inside of me, one and then two and then three, exploring and pressing and thrusting within me and I welcomed it - craved it.

Soon I came again, even harder - something I hadn't thought was possible Withing giving me a break, be began to move his fingers again, drawing more impossible pleasure from inside of me. It was terribly wonderful, but it wasn't what I wanted.

I wanted him in side of me, mated with me. Mine.

I growled, letting the wolf out and shoving him away from me, rolling us both over until I was straddling his chest and pinning his upper arms with my knees. My wet, slick sex was pressed hard against the skin of his stomach.

He looked up at me with wild eyes, desperate and hungry. He thrashed under mer, gripping my bum as through he was trying to pull me higher, back toward his mouth again.

That isn't want I wanted.

"Take me, husband!"

He squirmed under me. "I don't want to hurt you, you need to be ready!"

I heard him, and he was telling the truth. But not the whole truth. I was too experienced with the many ways he'd tried to get away with lies or half-truths over the years.

"I'm so ready for you I'm leaving a puddle on your stomach. You are hurting me by not getting on it it!" I pushed away maidenly reserve and reached back and gripped his cock and he arched up under me, practically bucking me off of him.

"Stop it! Damn you minx!" He drew in a large breath and blew it out as I loosened my grip, but I let my fingers remain in place, lightly teasing the hot, silky surface of his hardness.

"What is the problem, Cedric? I'm trying very hard not to be offended that you don't want…"

He finally moved then, faster than I could believe, bucking me off and rolling to switch our positions, hovering over me, his hips between my thighs, his cokc pressed over my mons.

"Do not think for a moment I don't want you!" he growled, leaning down to kiss me voraciously. I was lost in his kiss for a long, sweet minute, the stroke of his tongue and the feeling of his cock pressed so close to where I felt so empty was so distracting. I finally woke up enough to bite his lower lip, softly but surely, enough to let him know I needed an answer. I needed more.

He pulled away, closing his eyes, his cheeks read and his expression full of embarrassment. "I am not at all sure that I won't empty my seed the moment I'm inside a woman - especially inside of you. I've wanted you for so long."

I smiled wide, flattered and touched by his concern. "That's okay, Cedric. I don't mind."

"Well you are practically the patron saint of Enchancia. Of course you'd say you don't mind. I mind! I want you to have more pleasure than any woman ever had. I want to fuck you until you forget your own name."

I must admit I whimpered at this. I was so turned on I think the sound of his voice alone could have made me come again without much effort.

"So - let's start then. Fuck me, come fast, and then fuck me again. Then make love to me until i can't walk and I'm hoarse from screaming. We've got a lifetime of loving ahead of us, love. Don't worry so much about the very beginning."

He kissed me again, firm and determined and then he pulled away, looking down as he held himself up on one arm, and then I felt his cock pressed against my entrance. I gasped, I couldn't help it, and I watched as he swallowed heavily, following the bob of his Adam's apple as time seemed to slow down.

He pressed inside, an itch. Two, and just as I was feeling the slight burn of being stretched open, he stopped, pulling in air between his clenched teeth.

Then he swirled a finger over my clit and I gasped again, unexpected pleasure flooding me. Something inside me I hadn't realized was tense relaxed, and he slid deeper. He groaned, visibly shaking, and I brought my hands up to his face, cupping his cheeks and bringing his eyes up to mine.

"I love you, Cedric. Let yourself have pleasure too. Please."

He bent to kiss me and his hips moved in concert, pressing deeper into me until his cock was fully sheathed. It was overwhleming and all-encompassing and wonderful. It was so, so full of him. Finally.

I wrapped my arms around his back, holding him to me as I widened my legs, drawing him even deeper. He hissed in response and looked at me with an expression of desperation.

"Wait! Just…just a minute." He sounded like he'd run a marathon and I waited, impatient but willing to do anything he needed. His face gradually relaxed, his shoulders dropped their tension, and he pulled his hips back slightly. Alarmed, I managed to wrap my legs around his thighs, pulling him back down and he thrust into me, making me squeak at the sensation, part pinch and part pleasure.

He chuckled, which felt very strange, "You are clearly eager for this to end very quickly."

"Either it can last forever, or it ends quickly and starts over again - I'm fine either way." I said cherrily, with the bright and happy tone I knew annoyed him the most.

He grimaced, distracted, pursing his lips and raising one eyebrow in a chastisement that was far too sexy at the moment. I had this weird desire to be disciplined by him, but I knew he would never go for it - too kinky. Instead I just smiled, wrinkling up my nose in a way that said, 'Yeah, I know I'm cute - so what?'

He growled again, and I channel actually clenched down in response to the sound and then he rolled his eyes "Impossible girl. This is definitely going to be quick if you keep doing these things to me."

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips before pulling back again and thrusting, once, twice, and then he had a rhythm, steady and wonderful. The feeling of fullness became fantastic, and pleasure bloomed hot in my core, deeper than any I'd felt before. He shifted slightly and pulled up my leg higher, up to his hips and suddenly the change of angle had me letting out short yips every time he hit deep, and I knew there was a very good chance that I would be able to…

He rubbed a thumb over my clit in a tight little circle and I was gone, squeezing him tight as my orgasm rolled through me like an out-of -control wagon. Somewhere in my bliss I felt a warmth pulse inside of me and heard him shout, and I knew he'd found his own release as well.

I slumped back into the mess we'd made of the sheets and pillows and smiled, still holding him to me with arms and legs and unwilling to let go - though I thought I might be boneless otherwise.

His weight on me felt wonderful, and I was more than happy to lie there and rest with him in my arms for the rest of the evening. He had other ideas.