Harvey didn't believe in love and didn't see the point of loving in this kind of society. He was part of the third estate — a freemen — which meant that he was more or less free, but continued to be subject to the authority of the nobles and warriors. He wasn't rich, didn't live in the most beautiful house, and worked a series of jobs that were just as physically hard as each other to bring his family what they needed. He lived alone with his father and brother, his mother had left a long time ago with a knight, and even if for a long time he had dreamed big, now that he found himself heating metal in a coal fire, he really wondered how to find happiness in his life. Harvey didn't believe in love until that day, when he saw her for the first time.
«I heard she'd be there»
«Who?»
«The princess»
«She's a myth, Marcus»
«Why do you say that? Maybe she really exists? I heard she's beautiful»
«Brother. No one has ever seen the princess, and according to rumors, she's been of marriageable age for a few years now, and yet, we've never heard of her or any ceremony. I'm telling you, she's a myth»
«But you're still coming, right? It's the first time we've been able to attend this kind of ceremony»
«What? See the nobles parade and show off their wealth? No, thanks. I have to work anyway»
With these last words, Harvey left the room, leaving his little brother alone to go to work and try to provide for his family. He knew that he could participate in this kind of social gathering for once, but in reality, he was not so interested and preferred to continue working. On that day, the whole town was discussing this feast, and Harvey did not escape the discussion with his father, Gordon.
«Son, you should go»
«I'm not interested, father»
«You're eighteen, you should do something else, you'll have your whole life to work. Go to that feast, at least once»
«I'll come by if I have time»
«Promise me»
«I promise you»
«Thank you, Harvey»
In the end, even though he had promised his father, he didn't plan on going, but that was without counting on his childhood best friend, Mike, who had convinced him in a few minutes by promising to steal alcohol and end the evening drunk outside the castle. So it was reluctantly that he accepted and watched with disgust the abundance on the banquet tables and the inhabitants throwing themselves on the food. In the middle of the evening, while the guards announced the arrival of the royal family and Harvey rolled his eyes, he watched as a man approached, small, a little chubby, slightly balding with a beard and mustache already gray. Next to him were a series of great lords and other important men, while the king stood next to a woman taller than him, redheaded, with drawn features. As he had satisfied his curiosity and was about to leave, he stopped dead in his tracks when his gaze fell on her. Walking behind the king and queen was a young redhead with long wavy hair down to her lower back, crowned with a gold tiara, wearing a burgundy dress, revealing her bare shoulders and cleavage, covering the rest of her body, and dragging on the ground as she walked slowly, staring straight ahead. Seeing her, his breath caught, but now, as she turned her face and their eyes met, he felt like his heart had stopped beating. He couldn't have said how long he stood there in the middle of the room staring at where she had appeared before him, but it was only when Mike tapped his shoulder that he returned to the harsh reality.
«What?»
«You're alright, brother?»
«I am, yes»
«Is this the princess who took your breath away?»
«We better go»murmured the young man before leaving the reception room.
If Harvey spent his night thinking about her beautiful eyes and long redhair, he wasn't the only one who was disturbed. Barely back in the part of her castle, Donna let herself fall back on her bed to chuckle gently, thinking back to the way this stranger had looked at her. The young princess was only sixteen years old and could count on the fingers of one hand how many times she had left the castle, she knew nothing about love, all she imagined was based on what the servants and maids told her. She knew nothing about the outside world, only stuck inside her golden prison waiting for someone to come and free her. Even if the young redhead was waiting for Prince Charming, she knew that her father was only postponing the inevitable and that she would probably end up married to another noble to form a political or military alliance as was supposed for women of her rank. But that didn't stop her from wanting to marry for love, even if she didn't believe in it, but the boy's deep chocolate eyes haunted her. He had the corner of his lips curled in such a particular way, a perfectly defined jawline and long, dirty blonde hair, reaching a little higher than his shoulders, a few strands in front of his temples. She knew she hadn't seen a lot of boys and men, but he was beautiful. That night, it only took a few seconds for the two young people to never forget each other despite the time. As Harvey was now nineteen, he was working in the blacksmith shop when he heard a noise. As soon as he went out, he observed several men in the distance, two of whom were in distress, and without even thinking or looking attentively, Harvey ran, disarming a man before using his own sword against him and fighting alone against three visible thieves. Taken with fear, the men quickly left the place, leaving Harvey alone with the old man and his guard.
«Are you alright, sir?»
«You just saved my life»
«It was my honor»
«I would like to reward you for saving my life. I am noble and have a deep friendship with the king. Ask me anything you want, I will make it happen»
«Knight me»
«I would make you a royal guard»
«Thank you, sir»
As promised, he arrived at the castle a few days later to become a guard. For almost a year, Harvey trained hard, harder than anyone, to stand out and show that he was the best of all, and one day, all his efforts paid off, and the twenty-year-old found himself becoming a royal guard stationed in the great hall. It wasn't the most exciting job, but he earned well, and his family lives more comfortably now. While he had been present at the castle for three weeks now, for the first time in almost two years, he felt his heart racing again. Usually, the king ate with his wife, a few nobles, and some members of the clergy, and as Harvey remained focused, he heard the sound of the large wooden door of the room before the King Paulsen spoke.
«What an honor. My dear daughter joins us for this dinner. Please, princess, please take a seatnext to your father »
Seeing her pass in the distance, still as beautiful as two years ago, Harvey felt his breath catch and his heart race while he did everything to stay focused, but impossible, he was under her spell, and obviously, he was not the only one. Donna didn't see him and continued to walk forward, staring in front of her without a sound, as she had been taught since birth, before sitting down when a servant had pulled out her chair. But the moment she sat down and looked up, she gasped softly. There he was, the mysterious boy who had stolen her heart two years ago and haunted her nights was in front of her and she had a hard time believing it, how was it possible? After a few hours, she turned back into her room, the memory of the young boy still in her mind. After that night, Donna would leave her part of the castle every day to join her father for evening meals while she and the mysterious stranger discreetly stared at each other, completely obsessed with each other. For several weeks, this game continued between the two of them, and if Harvey knew that she was the princess of the kingdom, the redhead had no idea of his name. So they continued to look at each other from afar, without ever trying anything, both being so watched that even exchanging glances was risky. If both of them thought they were doomed to never exchange a word, it was without counting on yet another banquet organized by the King in honor of a lord of a kingdom with whom they had just made a military alliance. A multitude of people were present, and if Donna remained silent behind her father while he talked, Harvey and the princess could not help but continue to look at each other with a soft smile. At the end of the evening, after having reported to her father that she was tired, her assigned guard was ordered to accompany her to her quarters while Harvey watched her leave the room from his post near the exit door. After she left, as he sighed and refocused on the feast, he was intrigued by noises coming from the corridor where she had just disappeared a few moments ago, despite the noise of the great hall. Listening carefully, he heard a high-pitched sound, like a female voice, followed by the sound of metal falling on the floor. Without thinking any further, he left his post to go into the hallway and see the guard on the ground, the princess completely paralyzed against the wall while a staggering man, smelling of alcohol from afar, was approaching her.
«Please, no»
While hearing the faint murmur of her soft voice, Harvey ran in the direction of the man before grabbing his shoulder, pulling him towards him, and punching his face. He knew that he should have perhaps adopted a more chivalrous behavior with a sword fight, but with the image of the paralyzed princess running in a loop in his head, he threw himself on the man, straddling him, to hit his face once more, then again, and again, until he moaned in pain and stopped struggling. Seeing the other guard — the one normally assigned to Donna — get up with difficulty, Harvey hastened to shout.
«Go warn the King. This man must be rotting in a cell»
Immediately, the man began to run into the Great Hall, leaving Harvey and Donna alone for the first time. Seeing her still a little shocked, he let the moment take over and approached her to put his hand on her jaw, gently caress her cheekbone with his finger, and whisper a few inches from her face.
«Are you alright, princess?»
«I think so, yes — Thank you»
At the same time, the sound of the doors was heard, and the two young people separated while the King and his close guard approached quickly.
«Princess, is everything alright?»
«Yes. I'm alright»
«Are you the young man who protected my daughter?»
«Yes, my king»
«From now on, you will take care of her protection, no one else»
«Your Grace»simply replied Harvey, nodding in approval.
As some of the guards took the drunken man away, the King turned to Harvey to address him in a firm voice.
«Protecting a princess is a great responsibility. From now on, you will sleep here in the castle, at the entrance to her wing where you will be at her service at all hours of the day and night. Understood?»
«Understood, my King»
With these last words, one of the king's guards advanced through the corridors to the princess's wing, hitherto unused by the young man, until the redhead disappeared, taken away by the servants as the older guard showed Harvey his new quarters and briefed him on everything that awaited him. Once he was gone, and as the young man let himself fall back onto the bed, he stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, realizing that a lot was expected of him and if he failed, he would probably have his head cut off, but as he looked around the bedroom, he couldn't help but think that, a few rooms away, the princess who had captured his heart years ago was sleeping peacefully knowing that he was protecting her, and that gave him butterflies in his stomach. He hadn't slept much that night, a mixture of stress, excitement, and apprehension invading him to finally wake up the next morning hearing a knock at his door and hurried to get ready to start his day. For her part, despite the distressing situation of the day before, Donna had never slept so well in her life, and, barely up, the maids refreshed her, dressed her, and brought her to the breakfast room where her breath caught at the sight of him. He was wearing the typical uniform of the royal guards as he watched her with his deep and beautiful eyes, making her bend her knees, while he settled on the other side of the table to eat in turn. Quickly, her ladies-in-waiting arrived and monopolized the conversation while Donna and Harvey continued to devour each other with their eyes without paying attention to the conversation. Barely finished, the princess added that she had to wander about her activities, abandoning the four young girls and finding herself alone for the first time with her guard.
«Hum, what's your name?»
«We're not supposed to exchange pleasantries, princess»
«There is no one around»
«I'm not sure this is a good idea»
«What? Are you afraid of my father?»
«Me? I'm not afraid of anything or anyone»
«Good. So, what's your name?»chuckled Donna.
«My name is Harvey, your highness»
«Harvey»
The way she had whispered his name had sent a shockwave through the young man's entire body, who felt his breath catch as she looked at him with her big green and brown eyes. If he didn't know what to say, it was the redhead who continued.
«I'm delighted to have met you, Harvey. My name is Donna»
«The honors are mine, princess»
«Donna» smiled the redhead.
«I won't— »
«Please. Call me Donna»
«Donna, right»
As he gave a ridiculous little bow, Donna couldn't help but laugh softly as Harvey fell even more in love with her. After that, the days passed, turning into weeks, as the young adults continued to remain professional when they were around each other, and chat and laugh together whenever they were alone. Neither could explain why, but they had never been as serene and happy as when they were together, so one night, as he was walking her back to her part of the castle after a royal banquet, the redhead went off to make a few confessions.
«I would like to go out»
«Go out?»
«Yes. I never leave the castle, and the few times I did, I was surrounded, hidden, and never able to enjoy it. I would just like to go out once and enjoy some fresh air»
Seeing the redhead and her sad look, Harvey would have done anything to make her smile again, and after greeting her for the evening, he had thought all night about what he could do, so in the middle of the night, he got up, and entered Donna's room before trying to wake her up gently. But as she opened her eyes and was about to scream seeing a man in the darkness of her room, Harvey was quick to put his hand over her mouth and whisper.
«Hey, don't worry, it's me»
«Harvey?»
«Yes. Come on, get dressed, I have something to show you»
While the guard was already dressed, he turned around, looking at the wall in front of him, while Donna got out of bed before putting on a large, thick cape over her long white nightgown, putting on her high boots, and pulling the hood over her head so as not to be recognized.
«I'm ready»
Without waiting, Harvey grabbed Donna's hand, intertwined their fingers while both felt their hearts racing, and silently headed into the dark corridors of the castle. Discreetly, they passed through all the secret passages of the edifice until they found themselves outside, where a horse was waiting for them, alone for miles. Harvey climbed up first before helping Donna to get behind him, and the horse began to gallop far and fast, Donna's arms surrounding Harvey's torso as their hearts pounded while they moved away from the castle. After a few minutes of racing, Harvey stopped the horse, and the redhead whispered in his ear.
«Where are we?»
«I used to come here when I was younger, the sunrise is beautiful, you should see it»
While he was already down from the horse, he looked at Donna, who was scanning the horizon with an uncertain look.
«Hey. Do you have faith in me?»
«You're the only one I have faith in»
«Join me, then»
He then delicately placed his hands on her hips to lift her slightly and remove her from the horse before placing her on the ground, tying the animal to a tree, and grabbing her hand to take her further. Barely sitting on the cliffside, Donna whispered.
«Thank you»
«It's my honor, princess»
For a few minutes, the two of them sat silently, one sitting next to the water on an old blanket Harvey had found, until Donna gasped at the sunrise in front of her.
«It's beautiful»
«Yes. It's been so long since I've seen this sunrise, and I'd forgotten how beautiful it was»
«Did you come here often?»
«When I was a child with my mother, yes»
«Not now anymore?»
«No. Before, this place gave me a certain peace and reminded me of the good times with my mother and my family, but she decided to leave and abandon us, so I didn't want to come here anymore, but I'm glad I introduced you to it, because no matter what I associate it with, it's still just as beautiful»
For a few seconds, both of them remained silent until Donna whispered.
«What happened with your mother?»
If Harvey had never spoken about it to anyone before, with the princess, it was different, and he felt like he could tell her anything. So for a long moment, they talked about their darkest secrets as the sun continued to rise, and the two of them sat next to each other at the time, their shoulders brushing with each subtle movement they made. While they had mostly been discussing Harvey, the guard cleared his throat before speaking softly.
«Can I ask you a more intimate question?»
«Of course»
«Why aren't you married yet?»
At Donna's silence, Harvey began to stammer.
«I'm sorry, I shouldn't. It's just that you're what? Nineteen, twenty, or something, and I'm not familiar with royalty, but I've heard that princesses were married earlier than that, so I was wondering. But if you don't want to answer, I'll understand»
«I'm eighteen»
«Oh»
«And I'm the sole heir to this kingdom. My father wants this marriage to be the most strategic marriage possible, so he's waiting for the perfect opportunity for it»
«And what do you think?»
«What I think doesn't matter, I just have to listen to my father»
«But between us, what do you think about this whole situation?»
«It's scaring me. I would like to marry for love. Ever since I was a teenager and I heard about love from my ladies-in-waiting or my servants, I want to live that, what they call passion, to be in love with a man who will also be in love with me, who will choose me because he loves me and not because it will seal a military or strategic agreement. I want to marry for love, but unfortunately it won't happen»
«You deserve to marry for love. You're sweet, kind, beautiful, and —»
Without even waiting, Donna placed her lips on Harvey's, and even though this kiss had lasted less than a second and consisted of just their mouths pressed together, both of them looked at each other with their mouths slightly open, wide eyes, and a shocked expression on their faces. Donna wasn't the first girl he kissed, often, when he had a little too much beer when he was going out with Mike, he ended up kissing a girl from time to time, but never in such a short time had he felt what he felt at that moment, like butterflies in his stomach, while she looked at him with her big, beautiful eyes. As for Donna, she had never kissed a boy, or even talked to one like she did with Harvey. Sometimes she would talk to other princes or dignitaries, but always accompanied and never for very long, but there, seeing him compliment her with the rays of sunlight reflecting on his face, she had let herself be carried away. She didn't even know what a kiss was, she had heard the rumors that it consisted of putting your lips on the other's and was eager to do the same, without thinking that she would be so hot despite the morning breeze. They didn't know how long they had stayed like that staring at each other, but as Donna was about to apologize, she was surprised to feel the guard's hand on her cheek followed by his lips on hers, but this time, it was different, because, if she had remained static a few minutes earlier, now, she felt Harvey's mouth move against hers and her lower lip being captured by the young man. Surprised, she opened her eyes to look at him and noticed that Harvey had closed his, shortly before tilting his head to the right, his nose sliding against hers, before he released her lower lip and recaptured her two lips between his. After that, Donna couldn't have said how much time had passed as she followed the pace imposed by the young man, and if they wished they could have stayed like that for the rest of their lives, when they heard the castle waking up in the distance, they parted ways.
« We should turn back to the castle before anyone notices our absence »
«Of course»whispered Dona.
After getting up, Harvey held out his hand that the redhead quickly grabbed before getting on the horse and helping him in turn. A few minutes later, they arrived at the castle, where both of them discreetly entered the still sleeping edifice and as Donna was about to enter her room, the guard behind her, they heard a female voice echoing.
«Your highness, where were you?»
«Matilda»
«I was looking for you this morning to get dressed. Where were you?»
«I'm sorry, I didn't feel very well this morning, I needed some fresh air, and I asked the guard to accompany me outside»
«Have you left the castle?»
«No, Madam, we went up or we took shelter behind the parapet where we know that the princess was not likely to meet anyone and be seen»intervened Harvey.
«You did good — Your highness, let's get you ready for the day — Guard»
«Milady»
As the woman opened the door to the redhead's room, the two young people stared at each other intensely until they disappeared, leaving Harvey alone in the hall with butterflies in his stomach and his heart beating a thousand miles an hour, their kisses replayed on repeat in both of their heads. All day long, the princess went about her business while her guard followed her intently with his gaze, and if from the outside, he gave the impression of being simply devoted to his work, no one would have thought that, a few hours before, they were kissing in front of the sunrise while the whole castle thought they were asleep in their respective beds. After accompanying her to mass, then to the library to finally return her to her room, he waited until she was ready to finally discover her a little hour later, magnificent when a dress red passion and gold, its long undulating hair falling down to the lower back, so long that Harvey wanted to get lost in it before accompanying her in the corridor to the reception room. Barely alone in the corridors, she turned to give him a discreet smile while he quickly looked around him that there was really no one and grabbed her hand to kiss it several months and finally whisper against her palm.
«You're so beautiful»
«Thank you»
«I missed you today»
«I missed you too»
After that, they arrived in the great hall, where Donna spent the evening behind her father greeting the dignitaries and royalty of the other kingdom while she continued to feel Harvey's burning gaze on her, her corset suddenly too tight around her waist. Throughout the evening, she was presented, greeted, and conversed until being introduced to the heir of the royal family Kessler: Prince Thomas.
«Princess»
«Your Highness»
«It is an honor to finally meet you»
«Likewise»
Thomas wasn't ugly: he was tall, with light eyes, short brown hair, and a beautiful smile, and if Donna had to admit that he had to be the most handsome heir she had ever been introduced to, she couldn't get the magnificent guard who hadn't stopped staring at her since the beginning of the evening out of her head, a feeling of jealousy invading him now that he saw the redhead who made his heart beat conversing with another man. Out of politeness, she spoke with Thomas while stealing glances behind her to see Harvey watching her with a hint of anger on his face and his lips pursed. She knew Harvey by now, they had been spending all their alone time talking for weeks, and she knew that at that moment, he was so jealous that he would have been able to challenge Prince Thomas to a sword to be sure to have the princess, without knowing that her heart belonged to him since she had seen him in the great hall more than two years ago. After a while, while she still felt the guard's burning gaze on her, a feeling of warmth evaded her, her heart pounding and her stomach knotting, she cleared her throat before speaking in a soft voice.
«I'm sorry Prince Thomas, this evening has exhausted me, and I'm going to go back to my room»
«I understand. It was an honor, princess, and I can't wait to see you again next time»
«Likewise»
As Thomas grabbed the redhead's wrist to place a tender kiss on the back of her hand, Donna took a quick glance at Harvey, who was also straight as an arrow before approaching him.
«I want to go back to my room»
«Sure»
It was without a word that they walked the corridors side by side, Harvey ruminating while thinking about the man, and Donna torn between the excitement that he was so possessive with her and the anxiety of not knowing what to say. So once the big door that led to the princess's reserved wing was crossed, the redhead slipped her fingers around the guard's wrist to whisper.
«Hey, don't do that»
As she looked at him with big eyes, he couldn't help but sigh as he gently slid his hand over her cheek and whispered.
«I'm sorry. I'm a little..»
«Jealous?»smiled Donna.
«Very jealous»chuckled the guard.
«I saw that»
«It's just that... I was hoping so much that I would be the one talking to you all this evening, who could kiss your hand and caress your wrist»
As he spoke, he slowly approached her until the redhead found herself stuck between him and the wall, then delicately grabbed her fingers with his, placed a kiss on it, then on her palm, her wrist, and her forearm, before her skin disappeared, hidden under her dress, and Harvey came even closer as if it were possible to look at her for a few seconds, waiting for her approval. As she nodded softly, he gently placed his lips on her collarbone, then on her neck, and hearing the redhead moan softly, he pressed himself even more against her, their bodies intertwined, the guard's hands on either side of the redhead's head, before he began to devour her skin, depositing open mouthed kisses on all the accessible parts of her upper body. As he let his lips and a little saliva trail down her neck, her cleavage, behind her ear, and her jaw, Donna shouted her eyes wide open at her new unknown sensation that made her legs weak. To support herself, she slid her hands on the guard's hips while Harvey imitated her, keeping one hand against the wall, the other sliding down her back, completely surrounding her waist until finally placing his lips on hers. If the kiss this morning was intense, what she was experiencing right now, she couldn't believe it was real. For Harvey, he was unable to stop, completely intoxicated by the smell and taste of her skin while he could feel her breasts crushing against his chest and the redhead's heart pounding against him. Completely lost in the moment, as he held her lower lip between his, he tenderly slid his tongue against it as Donna opened her eyes wide, surprised by the gesture. But the moment she felt the guard's tongue lightly force the entrance to her mouth, she put a hand on his chest to push him and whisper.
«What are you doing?»
«I'm sorry, I've been too far»
«No, no. It's just.. I've never kissed anyone before you, and you surprised me with... that»
«Oh, sorry»
«It's fine. Don't worry, it's me»
«You trust me?»smiled Harvey as he continued to drop languorous open mouthed kisses on her neck.
«Always»whispered Donna as her eyes fluttered.
Soon their lips were sealed together, and when Harvey tried to slip his tongue in again, she let herself go and opened her mouth a little more. What happened next, Donna would never have imagined, but, as their tongues slid against each other, an involuntary moan escaped her throat as her knees buckled. Immediately, feeling her loss of balance, Harvey slid his hands under her ass to lift her, pinning her against the wall as Donna instinctively understood that she should wrap her legs around his waist, and at that moment, as Harvey was pressed even more against her, their tongues battling, they were thankful that the hem of her dress was loose, allowing this position. He couldn't tell how long they stayed like that, kissing passionately and wildly, both feeling their bodies ignite and feeling the sweat beading on their foreheads from how hot they were, but as both moaned loudly, the sound of footsteps on the stone floor echoed down the hallway, forcing the secret lovers to let go and pull away, their faces blushing and their lips swollen. Immediately, Donna entered her room, which was a few feet away, while Harvey walked towards his.
«Guard?»
«Milady?»
«What are you doing in the hallway so late?»
«I just walked the princess back to her room. She was feeling tired after the banquet»
«I understand. Good night»
«Good night, Milady»
As soon as the woman left, Harvey stood in front of the door for a few seconds, not knowing what he was really waiting for, before going to his own bedroom and trying to fall asleep, the images of the redhead's body against his running in a loop in his head and the feeling of her mouth and tongue against his driving him crazy. Finally, after a few hours of tossing and turning in their beds, the two young people fell asleep until the next day, when Donna got up first and went to the guard's room just across the hallway to knock on the door. As he opened it dressed only in his underwear, Donna blushed at the sight of his outlined stomach and his swollen arms.
«Princess. Is everything alright?»
«I'm sorry. I thought — I thought you would have been awake already»
«It's fine. Do you need something?»
«Going out»
«Give me a moment. Do you want to come in?»
«I don't think it's a good idea, if someone saw us..»
«Yeah, you're right»
«I'll wait for you»smiled Donna.
«I'll hurry then — Oh, wait»
Before she even had time to understand what was happening, the princess saw her guard quickly check the hallway before pulling her towards him and kissing her passionately, feeling their smiles in the kiss. After that, Donna stepped aside, gave the young man time to get dressed while she waited in her room for him to come get her, and a few minutes later, when they thought they were alone, they heard one of the maids speak.
«Your highness? Do you want breakfast already? We haven't planned anything yet»
«Oh, no, don't worry, I was planning to get some air first, and then I'll come for breakfast»
«Get some air? But princess, you can't go out without the King's approval»
«Of course. I'll just go up to the top of the tower, where no one goes and where it's protected by the parapet. I'm not at risk, and my guard will stay in front of the door to make sure no one can follow me too»
«Understood. We are preparing breakfast for your return, then»
«Thank you very much»
Alone again, the new couple walked silently through the corridors of the castle before taking the stairs of one of the towers and climbing to the top. As Harvey brought up the rear, closing the door behind them, the couple found themselves truly alone, and the guard quickly grabbed the redhead's hand to pull her towards him and kiss her deeply, the princess stuck between the wall and him. Even though they were hidden by the parapets, they were still likely to be seen by other castle guards who were wandering along the ramparts, so when Donna whispered that they should be careful, Harvey turned them around before crouching down, the redhead's leg still around his waist and her arms around his neck, as he was gently lowering her to the ground, him on top of her, as they continued to kiss over and over, without stopping, their hot bodies shivering in the morning breeze. While they continued to kiss lavishly, Donna felt something hard against her tight, and as she tightened the grip of her leg around his waist, Harvey broke away hastily, straightening up and clearing his throat.
«What?»
«Nothing»
«Are you alright?»
«Yes, I'm sorry, it's just that, it's better that we stop here for now»
«I don't understand. Am I doing something wrong or —»
«No, no, it's perfect, you're perfect. It's just that we can't go any further and— »
«Oh»
«Yeah»
«Sorry, I didn't think about that»
«It's fine. Should we turn back downstairs to eat?»
«Of course»
Seeing the guard uncomfortable, Donna couldn't help but blush as they held out their hands for her to get up, and both waited a few minutes before going back down from the tower, their lips slightly less swollen, acting like the princess and her guard again. The rest of the day, Harvey accompanied the princess to all her activities, following her like her shadow and admiring her for hours, thinking about her warm body against his while his mind wandered. If for long hours, the moments alone together were almost nonexistent, both of them waited impatiently for the evening so that the guard would accompany the redhead back to her room, pretending to be tired, before making out against the wall, both of them moaning as they devoured each other, tongues sliding again and again together. After that, the days were similar: the first one who was up would wake the other, she would climb the tower pretending to need air, were making out on the stone floor until Harvey separated when this proximity became very complicated, before going back down for breakfast, separating while Donna got dressed for the day to finally accompany her to all her activities of the day: mass, library, her apartment, her walks in the supervised hallway of the castle, or time with her parents. Harvey was never far away, and even if they spent their days together, they anticipated so much the moment when they would find themselves alone in the darkness of the corridors of the castle. They had been seeing each other secretly for several weeks now, and the least we could say was that they were obsessed with each other, and if until now, their relationship was rather innocent, summed up in languorous and intense kisses, at twenty and eighteen years old, the two young people had desires for more and more. One morning, while they were busy kissing on the floor of the tower, Harvey's hands were as usual on Donna's cheeks or neck, but while he was lost in the moment, he felt the redhead's hand grab his own before moving it gently down until it slipped under the skirt of her dress.
«What are you doing?»
«You can touch me, you know»
«Your highness, I— »
«Donna»smiled the redhead.
«Donna, I'm sorry. I can not touch you under your clothes»
«And you can not kiss me like you're doing right now, but you're still doing it»
«You're right, yes»chuckled the guard.
«Harvey. You can touch me»
«Are you sure?»
«I am»
While she was still lying on her back, Harvey pushed himself up to find himself on his knees, looking at her with desire as she shivered. He gently lifted the bottom of her dress, revealing her boots first, and then, a few inches of her bare leg, where the guard gently placed the tips of his fingers and let them slide delicately against her soft and extremely pale skin. For a few seconds, he simply stared at this hanging strip of skin while Donna looked at him lustfully, seeing his mouth slightly open, as she decided to pull a little more on the bottom of her dress, revealing her entire knee while Harvey swallowed hard, seeing for the first time so much female anatomy. He then leaned down to tenderly place his lips against her skin while the princess's breath hitched. As she saw him gently drag his mouth against her skin, causing goosebumps all the way, she saw the guard raise his eyes to look at her, and the redhead thought that her heart was going to escape from her chest as it was beating so fast. Seeing that he was searching for approval in her gaze, she quickly nodded her head, and the young man started to place open mouthed kisses on her knee before going up along her thigh, only to push up slightly the men's underwear that she was wearing under her white nightgown to protect herself from the morning breeze, and as Harvey seemed no longer to want to stop, he continued to cover every inch of her skin with his mouth. Faced with the feeling of his lips against her skin, Donna closed her eyes as she let her head fall back to the ground, and while she tried her best not to make the noise, the moment Harvey sank his teeth into the flesh of her thigh and then soothed the pain with a lick, the redhead couldn't help herself, letting out a loud moan.
«Hey, someone could hear us»chuckled Harvey, his month still covering her skin.
«It's your fault»snorted Donna as she continued to shiver.
As he raised his head to look at her, her cheeks all flushed, he lifted the rest of the skirt up to her hips, revealing her two legs partially covered up to below the knees by her boots and socks, then by men's underwear from the middle of her thighs to her probable waist. Harvey was going crazy, not even knowing where to start, and, while he was totally lost, he devoured both of her tight before he hastened to kiss her languidly on her lips, his two hands caressing her upper leg until he murmured against her mouth.
«There are so many things I'm dreaming of doing to you»
If Donna was ready to take all the risks with him at that moment, the couple had to quickly bring themselves back to reality by the announcement of the change of guard, announcing at the same time that their time together was over and that the castle was going to start waking up soon. As he inspected the damage he had just inflicted on the redhead's thighs with an arrogant smile, Donna sighed.
«I hope none of my servants will notice that when they'll give me my bath tonight»
«I can come give you your bath if you want»
Seeing her blush, he chuckled before leaning down to kiss her once more, putting her skirt back in place and helping her get up, kissing her one last time, and leaving the tower together, the couple both wandering about their business of the day. That evening again, Harvey accompanied her to her room, where, after making sure they were alone, he quickly pinned her against the wall to kiss her languidly until they heard someone approaching. The days went by, and if their relationship had started with innocent kisses, each day they passed, the two young people went further and further. That morning, on the tower, while Harvey had already explored with his mouth almost all of the redhead's bottom, her arms, her neck, and her face, as they were again lying on the ground to shelter from the guards and not be seen, the redhead straddling the guard, Harvey did not expect her to guide his hands to her breasts. If he immediately removed them, surprised by the gesture, the redhead stammered.
«Oh, sorry, I thought that —»
«No, sorry, it's me, I was surprised. Look, Donna, I don't want you to feel forced or anything»
«I'm not. I swear»
«Alright»
Quickly, the kisses resumed, and this time, the guard's hands explored the redhead's upper body until, again, the change of guard was announced, and they fled the tower to return to the wing of the castle reserved for the redhead. But as soon as they arrived in the dining room, they stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the King waiting for her.
«Father»
«Princess, I was waiting for you. I heard you went out to get some fresh air?»
«Yes. I discovered that getting some fresh air in the morning prevented me from having headaches at the end of the day»
«I don't remember allowing you to. You should always ask your King before doing so»
Seeing Donna out of arguments, Harvey continued.
«It's my fault, my King. If you don't mind, I'm the one who suggested this place to the princess. Being located furthest south, it's the tower least exposed to the outside world, moreover, the parapets offer sufficient visibility to ensure that no one sees us but also to the princess not to be exposed. We take advantage of going there in the morning before the change of guard to avoid meeting anyone before returning to the princess's quarters»
«You thought of everything»
«Of course, you asked me to watch over the princess, and that's what I do. I take my role seriously and meticulously, as you asked me»
«You are an asset to the royal guard, young man»
«Thank you, my King»
While the older man was about to leave the room, he turned around before addressing his daughter.
«Also, your belongings will be transferred to the east wing of the castle, princess. You will be safer in this part, it is more isolated than the one you occupy now»
«Of course, father»
«Matilda will show you your new quarterslater »
After a nod, the King left the room for good while Harvey stood in front of the door and Donna sat down at the table for breakfast. Even though they didn't look at each other, both of them were thinking the same thing: for the moment, only a corridor separated them and allowed them to spend hours making out in the darkness between their two bedrooms, but now, they had no idea what awaited them and how they could continue to see each other in secret if the moment just the two of them disappeared. After breakfast, everyone went about their business until the evening, when Matilda announced to the princess that she would lead her to her part of the castle while Harvey followed silently behind. As she discovered her new living room and dining room, the older woman pushed open two large doors leading to a large hallway and two rooms at the end.
«The princess's room is here, while you, guard, are right next door. In addition, princess, you have a balcony attached to your room, isolated from the rest of the castle to allow your morning walks to get some fresh air»
«Perfect»
«I'll leave you. Two guards are posted at night in front of the doors leading to the corridor, if you need them, they are waiting outside»
«Understand»
«The maids will come and take care of you, Princess»
«Thank you, Matilda»
While the older woman remained standing in front of them, Harvey decided to play the comedy by turning to the woman, bowing, before turning to Donna, doing the same and whispering.
«Good night Princess, I'm right next door if you need anything»
«Thank you, guard»
With these last words, the secret couple separated to each find themselves in their new room. Wanting to find out where she was going to get her morning breath of air from now on, she went out onto the terrace and smiled as she watched the sun set. As she scanned the horizon, she heard the sound of a door and felt her breath catch as she saw the guard come out. Seeing her, he couldn't help but smile widely before running towards her and taking her in his arms to cover her with kisses. If both were lost in their moments, Harvey's lips in the redhead's neck, they separated hastily to each return to their rooms when they heard the ladies-in-waiting call the princess from outside the room.
«See you tomorrow?»
«Of course»
As the redhead was helped into her bath and into her white dress to sleep, Donna couldn't stop thinking about her handsome guard sleeping on the other side of the wall and couldn't help but fall asleep, a smile on her face. Their new closeness made them so happy, and for months, the couple continued to live their romance in secret while rumors of marriages for the young princess invaded the corridors of the castle. Now aged twenty-one and nineteen, they tried to ignore the hallway noises and continued to wake up in the morning, join each other on the terrace to end up kissing and touching until hearing someone knock on the princess's door, before wandering about their business until later again when they isolated themselves on the terrace and spent the evening, then part of the night, talking, interrupting only to kiss each other. If they were convinced to be discreet, they would never have thought one day that their secret would be discovered. One morning, while they were on the terrace kissing, the guard's hands gently caressing the redhead's clothed ass, they heard a knock at the door, and after one last kiss, each returned to their room quickly so that they would not be noticed. Once the three maids were in the princess's bedroom, everyone made sure to prepare her for the day, while Matilda, the matriarch of the maids, gave the orders, the other two girls complied.
«Miss Zane, take care of the princess's hair»
«Of course»
For a few minutes, the brunette styled the redhead's hair until she heard the maid gasping silently, and Donna turned to look at her with wide eyes.
«Is everything okay?»
As Matilda waited for an answer, the two young women exchanged a look before nodding and continuing where they had left off. Nearly half an hour later, Matilda stood in front of the redhead to speak.
«I'm going to prepare breakfast with Miss Bennett. I'll leave you with Miss Zane, join us when you're done»
«Of course. Thank you, Matilda»
After waiting for the door to close and the footsteps to move away, Donna turned to the brunette and whispered.
«Why did you make that noise?»
Rachel had been one of the princess's companions for a few years now and was the one who got along best with Donna, with whom she had grown up. So when she saw her friend's face, she understood that something was wrong.
«I'm not stupid, Donna»
«What are you talking about?»
«The mark on your neck, it's the mark of a man»
«Rachel, what are you —»
«You know you can tell me anything, I'll never say anything»
«It's not what you think»
«Donna, you're a princess, you can't be a man. If the King finds out— »
«He'll execute him, I know. That's why you can't tell anyone»
«This has to stop»
«I can't»
«Why not?»
«I'm in love with him, Rachel»
«Princess, this is not— »
«Donna»
«Donna — Look, you know very well you can't choose your husband for love, what are you doing?»
«I know it's bad, I know. But I can't help it, I'm in love with him»
«What about him?»
«He's in love with me too»
«And is he a prince? A lord? Maybe a knight?»
Seeing the redhead face, the brunette sighed before murmuring.
«Don't tell me he's the guard. Harvey, right?»
«He is»
«And your rooms are next to each other? Donna, if your father or any nobles learn about that, he'll be executed, and your honor will be tarnished»
«No one will know»
«What's going to happen if he fathers an heir?»
«It won't happen, Rachel. We never went as far as.. producing an heir»
«Donna. I know it's not fair, but you're a princess, you can marry for love»
«I know, that's why I'm asking you to keep it a secret. Let me enjoy it before my father offers me in marriage to someone else and that we are forced to separate forever. Please, promise me, Rachel»
For a few seconds, the brunette said nothing, just looking at the princess while biting her lips softly. But seeing all the fear and love in the redhead's eyes as they were talking about the guard, she sighed before whispering.
«I promise you, but please, be careful»
«I will. Thank you, Rachel. You're a true friend»
Once ready, the princess went out before the two young women glanced at Harvey, who accompanied them to breakfast and then went about their business. In the evening, as planned, when Harvey had accompanied the redhead to her room and then locked himself in his and ended up on the terrace, Donna jumped on his lips to kiss him passionately. If Harvey liked this fiery side in his lover, he could feel that something was wrong with the princess.
«Hey, are you alright?»
«Rachel knows»
«What? Donna, I'll be executed if —»
«She won't talk»
«You don't know that»
«She promised me, no one lies to the princess»
«Donna»
« I don't want to be separated from you, never, it's you that I love»
«I love you too, and I promise you that if there was a way to marry you, I would have done it right away, but there is no way. The King will never accept and will kill me for having the audacity to ask for your hand»
«I can't live without you»
«Me neither, I prefer to die than to know you married to another, but we have no choice»
«I love you so much»
«I love you too»
That night, they kissed again and again, their tears running down their lips while all the love, sadness, and pain was felt in each kiss, caress, or moan. The next day, they went back to their lives, still hiding their relationship while hoping they would never have to separate, pushing the idea out of their minds until the night here they met for the make out evening session. Feeling Donna shivering, Harvey whispered against the skin of her neck.
«You're cold?»
«A bit, yeah»
«Alright, I'll let you turn back into your bedroom, then»
«I was thinking, maybe you can come with me»
«Donna, I— »
«Just to sleep, of course»
Unable to say no to her, he followed her to her room to lie down next to her and fall asleep. Doing this was a very bad idea because, after that night, the two young lovers were unable to separate and spend the night on their own anymore. First, they shared a bed, then they slept the whole night in each other's arms, then, their outside make out session turned into a bed make out session, causing even more intense sensations inside the two young people. If the guard had an idea of the reactions his body was facing when he was with her — men were talking a lot when it came to women — for the princess, she did not understand everything that was happening to her: the hot flashes, the weird sensation between her legs, the spasms in her stomach, all of this was unknown, and everything concerning intimate relationships was absolutely not explained to a young girl of her rank, so she let herself be carried away by all that with Harvey, discovering things she never thought. One night, while they were kissing passionately, Harvey sitting and Donna straddling him, she decided to slide her fingers under his shirt as usual before whispering.
«Do you mind if I take it off?»
«What? Hum, no, no, of course»
Slowly, Harvey raised his arms, and Donna slid the shirt over his head before he found himself shirtless. Wanting to be able to admire him better, the princess put her hands on his shoulders to push him so that his back was against the mattress and she was still sitting on him. For a few seconds, she let her fingers slide over his muscular torso thanks to all the hand-to-hand training that was imposed on him by his role as guard. She first let her fingers slide over his collarbones, then over the thin line that separated his pectorals before going down and drawing the outline of his slightly drawn abs, going lower and lower until she brushed the limit with his pants or some hairs connected his navel to something lower, causing the young man to involuntarily jerk his hips and moan.
«Sorry»
«It's alright»
For a few seconds, she continued to observe him before making the same journey with her mouth, letting her lips trail over the skin of his torso while he closed his eyes to try not to make a fool out of himself by coming in his pants. Feeling that it was too much, he took the princess's head between his hands before bringing it closer to his face and kissing her tenderly, trying to forget the pain in his pants. Feeling it was too much, he murmured against her lips.
«Can we stop?»
«Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't want to —»
«No, no, it's not that. I really want you, but it won't be reasonable to... you know»
«Yeah, of course»
«It's just, I don't want things to happen and you regret it later»
«You're right»
«Shall we sleep?»
«Of course»
«Good night, Donna»
«Good night, Harvey»
The next day, they parted ways as soon as the maids knocked on her door, Harvey escaping through the terrace to return to his room while Donna opened the door, meeting Rachel's gaze. Once ready, she left the room with the three women, blushing when she felt Harvey's gaze on her, the images of her hands on his chest, the guard's fingers caressing her thighs under her dress while his lips worked wonders on her neck. After breakfast, Donna went about her actvities, Harvey trained by running, wrestling, and practicing with weapons until the evening, when he walked her back to her room to end by making out in her bed, chatting until the middle of the night, and falling asleep in each other's arms. Days passed, and while the castle was busy preparing the princess's birthday, Harvey was racking his brains to find a gift for the redhead who had captured his heart almost a three years ago. The redhead was now twenty, and as the weeks went by, the two young lovers panicked at the idea of being separated as the young princess would be married to someone. While Donna was still sleeping soundly, she was gently awakened by Harvey's lips on her neck as he murmured against her skin.
«Rise and shine, my princess»
«Hum…»groaned the redhead.
«Good morning. Today is a special day»
«It is?»chuckled the redhead.
«Yeah»
«I wish I could have spent my birthday only with you»
«Me too. But you have to be ready because there is a ceremony in your honor tonight»
«Urgh»
«I know. Plus, your father gave us very specific instructions for tonight»
«Well, at least I'm safe»giggled the princess.
«As long as you're with me, you'll always be safe, I'll do anything to protect you»muttered Harvey while kissing her.
«I know»
«I love you so much»
«I love you too»
After a few minutes of still kissing, they were interrupted by the maids, who knocked on the door as he got out of bed quickly to go back to his own room. The rest of the day, Harvey was off duty while Donna got ready for tonight, and took advantage of this free time to go to his old job to prepare his surprise. Once finished, he hurried back to the castle, washed up quickly before putting on his guard outfit for the ceremonies, and waited for her to come out of her room. The moment he saw her, he felt his breath catch at seeing her so beautiful and graceful, a red dress that covered her body, her long, wavy red hair down to her lower back, and a gold necklace with rubies around her neck. After regaining his senses, he accompanied her to the reception room, where throughout the evening, he followed her, watching her closely while the King looked at the guard with a smile and raised his glass, as if to thank him for the good job he was doing, while in reality he was just busy making sure no man got too close to his girl. Hours passed, guests came and went, and as she whispered in her father's ear, who tilted his head before motioning for Harvey to approach.
«Guard, the princess would like to return to her room. Please, accompany her»
«Of course, my King»
With a nod, the princess headed for the exit, Harvey on her heels, while the two of them walked silently through the hallways until they reached the princess's room, the redhead grabbing the collar of his tunic and pulling him into the room with him. For a few minutes, they kissed again and again until he turned her around hastily, her back to him, facing his front, pushing her slightly until Donna put both her hands on the wall and Harvey began and unfastened the corset of his lover, placing his lips on the back of her neck. A few seconds, the dress slid to the floor, revealing the redhead's chains while Donna removed the guard's tunic and shirt, then his pants, finding himself shirtless and in breeches in front of the princess, who encouraged him to lie down in her bed. After a few minutes of kissing, Harvey separated before whispering.
«I have something for you»
«What?»
«Here»
As he grabbed his tunic that was dragging on the floor, still lying in bed, he felt it for a few seconds until he found what he was looking for and handed it to the redhead.
«Harvey»
«I did it myself in the old workshop I used to work in»
«It's beautiful»
«I wanted to offer you a ribbon, but I found it more personal, and the symbolic role of coins is all about securing a union»
«You shaped it into a heart shape»
«Because I love you»
«And you put our initials on it»
«Yeah»chuckled the guard.
As she stared at the love token he had just given her for a few seconds, she couldn't help but feel her heart melt as he looked at her lovingly. If she placed her lips on his in a delicate kiss, the moment quickly transformed into something languorous and fiery as Harvey flipped them over, to find himself lying on his lover, prolonging the kiss. While he was lost in the moment, he heard Donna whisper against his lips, then his neck.
«I wish for my birthday to be with you completely, without restraint and without impunity, having something with you that you and I will never have with no one else»
«What do you mean?»exhaled Harvey as he dropped kisses on her cheeks and jaw.
«I want us to be lover, completely, whatever that means»
Facing Donna's words, he froze as he wondered what to do, but as she slid her tongue into his neck, he whispered.
«There is something we can do»
This time, it was Donna who froze as she sat up to look at him with wide eyes before stammering.
«Harvey, I can't. What if we produced an heir?»
«Being intimate is not only producing heirs»
«What do you mean?»
«We can do think less... risky»
«Really?»
«Yes»
«Oh»
«Only if you want to»
«I do. Well, it's just… I'm not educated on this matter, and I've never done anything intimatewith anyone. Did you? »
«No. I mean, I heard guards talking about that. So maybe we can trytogether »
«There is no risk? Are you sure?»
«I promise you, my princess. You have faith in me?»
«Always»
«Alright»
Without further ado, he stood up as the redhead was still lying on the bed, her long red hair forming a halo around her beautiful face. Once standing, he began to untie her boots, undoing her socks, removing them in turn before placing kisses along her entire legs until he reached her shorts. He then delicately lifted the white chains to her waist before hocking his fingers into the top of the shorts, raising his gaze to look at her with a mixture of apprehension and excitement as she nodded as if to give her approval. As he slowly lowered the shorts, he swallowed hard as he saw a female anatomy for the first time, feeling his shorts become more and more taut. Wanting to focus on the redhead, he completely removed the shortie before placing his lips on her bare thigh, getting closer and closer to her center, while she was panting, and he was apprehensive about doing things right. He closed his eyes to concentrate, remembering everything the other guards had said about what to do, before sliding his tongue in, feeling Donna's thighs closing around his head, her back arching, while she moaned softly.
«Oh, Harvey»
Seeing that it seemed to be working and was completely intoxicated by her taste and scent, he continued on and on, the redhead not stopping fidgeting under him, her hand sliding into his hair, as her moans became louder and louder. This night marked a new turning point in their relationship as, since that moment, the two young adults discovered their bodies and the pleasures of flesh, without ever taking any risk that could lead to a dishonor for the redhead and an execution of the young guard. If they were already madly in love and obsessed with each other, this new physical proximity had brought them even closer, to the point that it was becoming difficult to hide this intense love and devotion. But one morning, as they were walking down the hall, thinking they were alone, laughing together as she bumped into him, they heard a voice.
«Princess?»
Immediately, the two young adults stopped dead in their tracks when they recognized the Queen's voice as they turned slowly, Harvey regaining his guard posture a few steps from the princess.
«Mother »
«I would like to speak with my daughter, in private. You may leave, guards»
«My Queen»
As Harvey left the hall, accompanied by the Queen's guards too, mother and daughter found themselves alone as Laurel spoke in a low voice.
«This has to stop»
«I'm sorry, I don't think I understood what you're talking about»
«This guard, it has to stop, Donna»
«Mother, nothing —»
«You were a little too close and you two were talkingtogether »
«I stepped on his foot without meaning to, I just wanted to apologize»
«I saw the way you were looking at each other. Donna, if your father finds out, he will order his death»
«Mother»
«Since when?»
«I don't know what you're talking about»whispered the redhead.
«Donna, I'm talking to you as a mother, not as your queen. I know it's hard for women of our rank not to marry for love, especially if you've found the one, but you two, it won't happen»
«I'm in love with him, mother»
«I can imagine it, and he seems like a sweet boy, but you're not from the same rank, you have no chance of one day being happy in the eyes of everyone. So stop it now»
«I can't»
«What are you going to do when your father marries you? I'm sorry to remind you, but you're a princess, and our only heir, you're way past the age to marry, but your father is waiting for the strategic alliance to do it, but the day it happens, you and this guard will be separated forever»
«I know, but in the meantime, we're good together and —»
«And what? Are you waiting for your love story to be heard in the light of day? For the whole kingdom to know that you are secretly having a relationship with a commoner? Or what? For you two to produce an illegitimate heir to the throne?»
«We're not taking that kind of risk, mother»
«It has to stop, Donna»
Without even giving her time to answer, she called the guard back, and as Harvey approached, she left the hallway, leaving the two young adults alone, the redhead began to cry while explaining what she had just heard from her mother.
«I don't want it to stop, Harvey»
«As long as you want us to exist, we will»
«If my father found out— »
«He'll execute me, I know, but I won't give up on you, not now that you took my heart away, I'm gonna die without you anyway»
«What are we going to do?»
«Continue to enjoy the time we have together. Alright?»
«Alright»
After a tender kiss, Harvey kissed her tears away before placing his lips on hers again, then wandering about their business. Days passed, then weeks, and the couple continued their secret love affair, feeling the queen's disapproving gaze on them no matter what they did. They continued to pretend to be princess and guard during the day, only to lose themselves in each other's arms at night, feeling love and pleasure surrounding them. If they continued to love each other, always with the fear of being discovered, it was a bigger problem they were facing when the King, the Queen, their daughter, and a series of nobles and dignitaries were seated around the table one night. While Harvey was in a corner of the room, supposedly watching the princess when he was only admiring her, in a split second, he had the feeling that his heart had just been ripped out when the King spoke.
«King Hardman has a kingdom with much wealth and a capital army, it would be beneficial for us to ally ourselves with him»
«That is a wise idea, my King, how could you wish to conclude an alliance with him?»
«I will offer him my daughter in marriage»
The moment the words crossed the King's mouth, Harvey felt like he was suffocating, and just wanted to stick his sword in his heart when he saw the color leave the face of his beloved.
«Father— »
«Princess, this decision does not concern you. King Hardman lost his wife to a horrible disease a few months ago, he needs a new wife. You will be perfect for that, and your marriage will seal an alliance between our two kingdoms. I will send an official communiqué to the king tomorrow morning. Next matter?»
The rest of the talk, Harvey remained unmoved, his jaw clenched to keep from crying while Donna stared at the ground in front of her, tears streaming down her cheeks without stopping. Harvey and she knew very well who King Hardman was — a horrible man who had several conquests at the same time, violent, manipulative and who would use the princess only to procreate until he obtained an heir, while locking her in her room without her being able to see the color of the sky anymore. The redhead had been used to Harvey's passionate love, his devotion, his admiration, the evenings cuddling and chatting until falling asleep in each other's arms, she was not ready for the life Hardman would give her. Besides, Hardman was her father's age, shorter than her, and ungainly, she would never have that feeling of protection like when Harvey covered her with his entire body, when he put his entire weight on her until she could barely breathe, but she was okay with that because she loved him and felt safe in his arm. She couldn't spend hours sliding her fingers on his abs, him holding her against a wall to kiss her passionately, his arms bulging on either side of her face, his smile arrogant or sincere when he told her he loved her. She didn't want to lose all that, she loved him so much that the idea of living without him was even more unbearable than the idea of dying. At night, once they were alone, Donna was crying uncontrollably sitting on her bed while Harvey was pacing the room. As he heard her sobbing, he rushed to the bed to take her face in his hands and kiss her passionately while wiping her tears and whispering against her lips.
«Let's get married»
«What?»
«If you and I are married, King Hardman could not marry you because you'll already be mine»
«That's not how it works, they'll kill you, I'll be a widow, and my father will remarry me to King Hardman before you even take your last breath»
«Let's get married and disappear together, then. We'll live our lives together, far from the castle, with no one to come between us or separate us»
«I'm the princess of this kingdom, the sole heir to the throne, my father will send the entire royal guard to find me, and when they find us, I'll be locked in the castle, and you'll be hanging or beheading. We can't do that»
«Donna, I can't leave you with this man, I'm going to go crazy»
«We have no choice»
«I'll come with you»
«What?»
«I'll be your personal guard, I'll come with you wherever this marriage takes you, I'll guard your room so he doesn't get near you, and I'll even make you an heir so he doesn't have to touch you»
«Harvey»
«Please, have faith»
«I lost faith»
«Even in me?»
«This is more than you — than us — there is nothing we can do»
«I can't lose you, Donna. I won't survive without you, I'd rather die than know you're apart from me and with another man»
«Then let's die together»
«What?»
«I'd rather die than be without you, Harvey. So if they want to separate us, let's die together, at least we'll be together forever. What do you think?»
For a few seconds, he said nothing, much too shaken by the redhead's words. He didn't want her to die, especially not for him, but the idea that she could be married to this horrible king and be unhappy, made him understand her desire to do that. And even if they were going to make a decision that would change their lives forever, they didn't want to talk about it tonight, only wanting to enjoy each other when it was maybe the last time. The next day, they resumed their secret love story, still with the weight of knowing how they would end. Barely in the main hall, King Paulsen smiled widely, seeing his daughter arrive while he exclaimed.
«Princess»
«Father»
«I have excellent news. The King Hardman has accepted our proposal, and the marriage will take place in five days, after which you will go live with him in his kingdom»
At that moment, the world of the two young people collapsed, and their decision was made: in 5 days, they would end their lives to be together for eternity. So after a brief look, they both nodded while they swallowed hard: at twenty-one and twenty-two, their lives would stop dead for love, because the idea of being separated was more painful than disappearing from the face of the earth. So once the King's announcement was over, both of them went about their business, enjoying every second together until two days before the wedding, when Harvey showed up one evening in her room with two small bottles.
«I found it»
«What is this?»
«Arsenic. The woman who prepared them told me it was quick and painless»
«Alright»
«Donna, are you sure?»
«I can't marry him»
«I know»
«So I'll do it, whether you do it with me or not»
«I will»
«Alright»
«I love you, Donna»
«I love you too, Harvey»
That night, they fell asleep like every other night, cuddling in each other's arms, until the next morning, the day before the wedding, while the castle was in turmoil with preparations for the ceremonies. As she walked out in her wedding dress, Harvey swallowed hard, thinking that she was probably going to die in that dress tomorrow. A few hours later, once the fittings were over, everyone went back to their activities as the couple dreaded their tomorrow, but as the family stood in a central hall, reading the terms of the marriage contract that King Paulsen had just signed, giving King Hardman the kingdom as an inheritance upon his death, Harvey watched as one of the guards quickly tapped on the door behind him. In a split second, four men burst into the mail hall, brandishing their swords in the air before cold-bloodedly killing the two guards present in the room as the women screamed at the sight of the bodies falling to the floor, while Harvey's blood boiled. He pushed Donna to the back of the room as the four men ran towards the King. Scared for his princess, Harvey rushed to stab the first man in the chest with his sword, who collapsed to the ground, then he turned to swing his weapon at a second, seeing him fall to the ground in turn, before planting a third man who was rushing towards him, only to run towards the fourth man to grab his hair and put his blade under his throat to shout in his ear.
«Who sent you?»
«I won't talk»
«Why did you want to kill the King?»
Faced with the man's silence, Harvey moved until he was facing King Paulsen and pressed his blade a little more on his neck before whispering in his ear.
«Talk»
As the man began to suffocate from the pressure on his throat, a series of other guards came running, watching the carnage on the ground, while Harvey still held the man's hair in a tight grip, the blade pressing more and more into his skin. After a while, as Harvey kicked the back of the man's legs, making him fall to his knees as the blade was ready to slit his throat, the man finally began to speak.
«It was King Hardman. He sent us to kill you so he could have your throne while getting the princessat the same time »
Seeing the King's face change, understanding the betrayal of the man who was going to marry his daughter, Harvey kneed the murderer in the back so that he fell in front of the King in a prostration position before grabbing the newly signed contract and throwing it into the fire in the hall chimney. As he turned, still angry at the situation mixed with the fear of having lost the woman of his life, he shouted to the other guards present who had arrived a little later.
«Take this man to the cell»
As soon as the man was out of the main hall, only the king, queen, princess, ladies-in-waiting, two nobles, and Harvey remained, and as the room fell silent, all shocked by what had just happened, it was the king who spoke first.
« Guard. What is your name, young man? »
«Harvey Specter, my King»
«I thank you for saving my life and that of my family. You are a valiant guard and deserve recognition for your heroic act in protecting me. Kneel before me»
Without even asking a question, he complied and approached to put one knee on the ground and bow his head to the King standing in front of him. Hearing the sound of the sword, the young man smiled as he understood what was going to happen. He first felt the tip of the blade touching his left shoulder, then his right shoulder, then he felt it brush the top of his head, before hearing the King announce in a loud voice.
«Rise, Sir Specter»
Once standing, the young knight fought a smile while the older man began to speak.
«As King, I have the honor of proclaiming you a knight after your act of bravery that you have faced today. You have my deepest respect and gratitude, and all your wishes will be granted»
«I want to marry the princess»
No one expected the young knight's request, but as he had just asked for permission to marry the redhead, Donna gasped while the king and everyone present looked at him with wide eyes. Faced with the silence in the room, Harvey decided to continue.
«You have no older son, and your heir will be the one who marries your daughter. You seek a successor who protects the land of your ancestors and who will do justice, a king who will protect his kingdom, and I give you my word, I would do it. I will protect this castle and your daughter as I have protected you all today, I will build the greatest army this kingdom, or this country has even seen. I will be the king you would like me to be, I promise you, I'll do anything and learn everything. I have only one wish, and that is to marry the princess»
For a few seconds, no one said anything, Harvey wondering if he had gone too far, Donna holding her breath, waiting for a response from her father, while the king took a breath before speaking.
«I have only one word. I promised to grant you all your wishes, and if it is to marry my daughter, may your wish be granted. You have my blessing»
If their first instinct would have been to run into each other's arms and kiss passionately until their lips bruised, both remained unmoved while the young knight simply nodded. Quickly, they were all around the table, signing a new marriage contract with this time, the name of the princess and the now-knight, the two lovers not stopping to throw glances at each other while the excitement rose in them. Once they both signed the document, the wedding preparations continued, the bride and groom separated until the wedding for the first time in over a year, as, barely in her room, she hastened to throw the two bottles of Arsenic over the castle railings, getting rid of the poison, a huge smile on her lips. That night, neither of them slept, first because they were no longer used to sleeping alone, then, because they were much too excited at the idea of getting married and finally being together for eternity in life, and not in death. That morning, when Donna found herself alone in her room with her mother, the Queen couldn't help but smile.
«Well, it looks like my daughter will have the honor of marrying for love»
«I do»
«I'm so happy for you»
«I'm so happy too, mother»
«Oh, I can see that»
As they both laughed, the princess telling how much she loved her now knight, the Queen couldn't help but be happy for the young redhead, who couldn't help but smile wildly. A few minutes later, the ladies in waiting arrived in the princess's room to prepare her for the wedding later. For his part, Harvey had just gotten out of the bath while women were dressing him in magnificent clothing: black pants, a red and gold doublet over his white shirt, all topped by a thick red velvet coat. He had never had the opportunity to wear this kind of clothing, but as he looked at himself a little, he couldn't help but smile, thinking about the fact that tonight, him, a commoner, would marry a princess he had fallen madly in love with as a teenager after just one look. The rest of the day passed quickly, and as he waited at the end of the altar, seeing the woman of his life approach wearing a magnificent dress the same color as his clothes, a gold tiara resting on her beautiful red hair, while her long train swept the ground with each step she took, he felt his breath catch. She was magnificent, and even though he loved her for who she was, he couldn't wait to consummate the marriage tonight. The ceremony was quick and as soon as the rings were exchanged, the priest announced them as husband and wife and invited the newlyweds to kiss. If they planned to exchange a hot and languorous kiss as usual, they had to continue to pretend that this marriage was innocent, so after a quick kiss, the young woman and the knight turned to the guests as they were announced once again as husband and wife, inheritors of the kingdom and descendants of the royal family of Paulsen, causing euphoria in the reception hall. The next ceremony consisted of a feast dedicated to the two young spouses before they slipped away to the new part of the castle dedicated to the new couple while they hastened to kiss each other as soon as the doors closed behind them. As usual, they began to slowly undress each other as the knight laid the redhead down on the enormous four-poster marital bed, loosening the curtains so that they were completely isolated as Harvey continued to undress his now-wife. It wasn't the first time they had seen each other naked, but this time they were going to take a step forward by consummating the marriage, something they had been holding back from doing for months.
«I'll go gently, I promise. If you feel uncomfortable or anything, tell me, and I'll stop»
«I have faith in you»
It didn't take much for the young knight to fulfill his duty as a husband, being gentle and delicate with his wife until he fell next to her minutes later, both panting.
«You're alright?»
«I am, yes»
«Wasn't it too painful?»
«It was perfect»
«I'm glad»
For a few seconds, they said nothing, simply trying to catch their breath until Donna nestled in his arms to kiss him tenderly, feeling her husband murmur against her lips.
«I love you so much, my princess»
« I love you too… my prince »