Sam's in love with someone other than the one he's to wed.

I was always told that great kings make sacrifices. My heart was my offering to make people happy. I was to marry another royal, Rachel. I had much respect for her but I wasn't comfortable with our arrangement. I was deeply in love with Mercedes.

Her family worked for mine for generations, so we've grown up together. She was patient. She cared for everyone. She was an employee, but in my eyes she was a queen. I always thought that she was too good to wait on my family hand and foot, so she became my family's stylist. She liked fashion, and I could easily find her. Whenever the chance came, I wanted to promote her to a position closer to me.

I stopped strolling through the halls when I noticed her working in a room. I noticed the frown on her face; she was beautiful, but the sight wasn't pleasant. I stepped forward and carefully pushed the door. "Mer-" I froze when the door slammed back in my face.

"Sam, you can't come in," Rachel spoke. "I'm in my dress."

"Um…" I couldn't ask for Mercedes when I had nothing for her to do: it would have look suspicious. I reminded Rachel of our prior appointments and walked away.

After hours of greeting and interviews, I just wanted to be with Mercedes. That night, as I passed through the kitchen I found Finn. I smiled and asked what he was doing.

"Rachel likes tea before bed," he answered as he finished.

Finn was the newest kitchen worker. When Rachel left her country, she insisted that Finn join. His role wasn't big. The senior staff gave him a lot of busy work like clearing the table and washing dishes. They didn't trust him with food prep, but Rachel wanted him there.

I offered to take it from him and was thankful that he declined. When Finn left, I continued to the staff quarters. I silently admire the beauty tucked into bed with her sketchbook. "I remember when you use to sleep," I joked, locking the door behind me. I approached her and leaned forward for a kiss.

"This room is rarely used for sleeping," Mercedes joked, putting her art supplies to the side.

I threw her covers back and joined her. I crawled over her as she rested on her back. "Oh, I've been thinking about you all day." I trailed kisses from her lips to her neck, only stopping to take in the scent of her body wash. My hand moved along her smooth skin under her gown, and to my surprise, she wasn't wearing underwear.

She huffed when my thumb rubbed over her clit and again when I entered fingers into her warm sex. She bit her lip to smother her moans, but her body gave signs of her satisfaction. She was getting wetter by the second. With her fingers in my hair, she pulled me back to her lips. Her hips rocked into the palm of my hand.

I waited until she was right at the edge of climaxing and then stopped. I withdrew, and Mercedes whimpered in protest. I tried to undress quickly, but I wasn't moving fast enough for her. I finished with help. I freed Mercedes of her gown and laid her back onto her pillow. Between her legs, I carefully rubbed my hard member against her soft folds, and then I pushed into her hole that no other man had entered.

The room was filled with the sound of our skin rubbing. Pleasure radiated. Our hips moved in sync. There is no rush, no panic. We loved hard with heavy kisses.

I fall into the mattress and pull Mercedes close; she fitted comfortably to my chest. I could only enjoy silence when we were together. I took her hand and lifted it. I admired her almond colored fingers in my pale hand.

Mercedes broke the still. "Rachel looked beautiful in her dress."

I wished she didn't bring Rachael up during our time together. "You can't design anything less than perfect." I turned, expecting to see her desk and wall covered with her fashion sketches. "Where's you-"

"I quit."

Woah, what was I hearing? "Quit what?"

"I quit," she repeated. She sat up and held the covers over her chest. "I turned in my resignation weeks ago, but I would never leave without letting you know. I was going to tell you."

"You're leaving?"

"A new stylist has been hired. My parents will continue to work, but I want different."

"But w- I-" I struggled to make words. I was hurt that she kept her secret for weeks. "Where would you go?"

She explained that she would live with her cousin. She wouldn't be far, but I still wasn't happy. "I am obligated to finish the wedding dress alterations, but after that..." She shrugged. "I'd be free to build my life the way I want it. You'd settle into your marriage easier if I was gone." Mercedes lifted her finger to shush me. She was silent for a long time. "You will be married in three days, and there's a lot of preparations left. I think you should get to bed." That was her way of kicking me out, and she didn't want to hear any debate.

My meeting with my father was a relief from wedding planning. My father was happy for me, but he wanted to know my plans for after the ceremony. "Help the people and make decisions with your county in mind," was the phrase he made all live by. He was very focused on my charity work.

A knock on the office door caused our conversation to halt. We both turned and waited for the visitor.

Mercedes peeked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Were finished for today," my father admitted, returning his attention to his stacks of paper. "Mercedes, do you mind taking the tray to the kitchen."

"No." I move the pitcher and glasses of water to the tray. "I will take it. You're a stylist - not a server."

She stopped me as I passed her. She took hold of the handles. "I will take it. I think you should talk to Rachel."

Rachel wasn't a malicious person, but I had to defend Mercedes. "What did she do to you?"

Mercedes quickly shook her head. "No, no. I helped her out of her dress then she started crying. It's been fifteen minutes."

Rachel sat in her robe. Her face was red and wet with tears. She spoke in murmurs that were too weak to hear clearly. She refused to accept the comfort from her old friend.

I asked Finn to leave, and then I took the seat beside the brunette. I rested one of my hands on her shoulder and the other reached for her hand. I tried to console her. I offered her food, water, and tea. "Is it the wedding? Your dress?"

Her cries grew louder.

I refused to leave her. I knew she would have had to calm down eventually. I pulled her into a hug, feeling her trembling. Because of our closeness, I was able to hear her more clearly.

"I can't. I can't do this," she lowly chanted. She wept for several more minutes. She had no more tears to cry. Rachel following my advice and began to take deep breaths. After another minute, she moved away and dabbed at her tear stained face. "I can't marry you," she admitted to me. "I wish I had told you earlier, but I didn't know how. I can't do it, Sam."

I silently thanked God.

She sniffed and looked at her hands in her lap. "I love Finn too much to continue."

"You love Finn?" I smiled, thinking that they were just like me and Mercedes. My smile dropped before she looked at me.

"More than anyone will ever understand." She took a slow inhale and fast exhale. "I was told not to rock the boat. The princess marries a prince… Not the help. People don't see how special Finn is. Sam, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to forgive," I admitted. I admired her for what she was doing. "Not a lot of people stand up for someone that they love."

We were calling the wedding off. I volunteered to address the staff alone. With much public attention invested in Rachel and I's relationship, I had to announce it to the press, but that would be done later. The flowers, cake, and anything else bought would be donated to a cause.

I found Mercedes in the wardrobe, planning my family's look for the next day. "You weren't at the staff meeting."

"I had a lot of work." She placed the jacket on the rack. Her eyes grew as I approached her for a kiss. "Sam," she warned and pointed to the open door.

I didn't care. I loved her, and everyone needed to know.

Thanks for reading the first 4 chapters of Love, Death & Samcedes. Please don't hesitate to review or leave a prompt. I will eventually be exploring the "death" portion of the title. These stories are a little more story driven than my other collection, so it might take me longer to update. My minimum goal is 18 chapters (15 New), and I'm determined to meet it.