Chapter 8.
The clatter of cutlery and noisy chatter reverberated all around Raelee.
It was dinner time for the rest of the kingdom, but breakfast time for her.
Eating porridge while her colleagues ate hearty meals and drank fine wine made her feel out of place. She felt isolated. Like she did not fit in with the others.
And they were not subtle with their curious stares or comments.
"Why is Raelee eating porridge at this time?" Someone whispered behind her.
"Didn't you hear the news? She's replaced Galion as the King's night guard."
"But I thought she was retiring?"
Raelee tried not to let their gossiping bother her.
"Must be the most boring job in the kingdom. I wonder if she's allowed to bring a book." That prompted laughter from the group behind her.
If only they knew.
Over the past week, word had spread through the ranks that she was the new night guard for the king. She saw the side eyes, the curious glances thrown in her direction. Everyone thought it was a pointless promotion since her job as a guard will be obsolete in five moons.
"The nerve of her. She's taking a job away from someone else." They whispered.
"I heard Daron was making her retire before they get married."
She gritted her teeth and pretended she couldn't hear their words.
She pushed aside her bowl. She didn't want to eat anymore. She wanted to go back to bed. Sleep was the only joy in her life.
That and the hope she felt with every day that passed.
With every night that she visited the king, the closer she was to leaving the Greenwood.
With every time her back hit his bed. Every instance where he collapsed on top of her with a grunt. With every snide comment and humiliating request he threw at her, she was closer to the end of their bargain.
With every day that passed, it was getting easier to walk through those doors.
Movement caught her eye at the entrance of the dining hall.
Tauriel and Legolas led the patrol group through the seated rows.
Her eyes followed them to the cornered off section of the hall. Where she used to sit.
The patrol guards had their own area. They never knew when they would return from the woods, so it was always prepped and ready for them.
They had been gone for two days this time.
All patrol guards were ordered to the gates two days ago. Details of the excursion were kept secret. None of the patrol guards spoke of what happened in the woods. If her circumstances were different, she would have badgered Daron or Tauriel for information. But now that she had her new 'job', she didn't really care all too much what happened in the patrols. She would be gone soon enough.
At the back of the group, Daron strolled leisurely past the other tables. She kept her face slightly down. If he noticed her, he would come over to talk. She still hadn't told him about the 'new post'.
He probably knew by now, but she couldn't be sure.
She had an earful from her father yesterday when she told him.
Declining the weekly family dinner in favour of taking a quick nap ahead of her post, quickly turned into a lengthy conversation.
Xxx
She knew her father too well. His irate expression kept her rooted where she stood.
He asked her if she wanted to tell him anything.
There was no use putting it off any longer.
She told him about the new 'post'.
Her father thought she was joking at first, but once she confirmed that she had been transferred, he simply set his mouth in a straight line. She thought he would have been pleased in a sense. It was a safe post. She remained within the kingdom's gates. What more could he have wanted?
"Why, out of all other elves, would he hire you for this post?"
"I-" She knew the answer to the question but couldn't verbalise it for obvious reasons. Her parents looked confused as she took too long to answer. "You would have to ask the king." She replied.
"Don't get smart with me, Raelee." He stood menacingly for a moment before her mother pulled him back to his seat with a look. Her father took a deep breath to calm down.
She continued to stand self-consciously as she waited for a lecture.
"Raelee, I don't need to remind you that I am an advisor to the King. I've worked very hard to be where I am today. If you embarrass me again, I guarantee-"
"I won't, I promise." He looked as if he didn't believe her. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't have much contact with the King. He wanted Galion to be his full-time butler, and he had heard that my contract ended with the patrol guards, so I was offered the night shift. I just have to sit in a chair all night, that's the long and the short of it."
That placated him slightly.
Her father questioned what would happen if there was a message for the king during the night. She was hesitant to answer because she didn't want to think about it.
So far it hadn't happened.
"She would have to go into the chambers to wake the king, darling." Her mother chimed in.
At that moment, his face paled as her role's responsibilities suddenly dawned on him.
The idea of his daughter ever entering the King's private chambers, without any supervision, was his worst nightmare.
Before he could start ranting at her again, she looked at the clock and noticed that she should start getting ready.
"I must run, my post is starting soon. I will see you tomorrow." She kissed her mother and father goodbye before they could stop her.
Xxx
At least she told her parents before they found out from someone else.
With a yawn, she got up to leave the table and made her way back to her quarters.
Her stomach twisted as she thought of tonight.
Or perhaps she was just hungry.
She didn't eat for most of yesterday.
She debated grabbing something for the journey but decided against it.
Xxx
She was having a hard time catching her breath as he continued to move powerfully above her. She'd never been so fatigued from just lying on her back.
It seemed like hours ago when she walked into his chambers.
The king was in a sombre mood this evening. His eyes were cold and pensive. He barely spoke a word to her.
She briefly wanted to ask why he was in such a solemn mood, but internally scolded herself. There was no question and answer section of their bargain. She just wanted to be in and out.
He gave her another cup of wine. She was glad for it.
Once she was finished, she found herself unceremoniously swept up into strong arms. The king carried her to the bed while vulgarly describing what he was going to do to her.
"I am going to fuck you so hard." He rasped.
She was rather taken aback by his words. It was shocking to see this side of him. She didn't notice when he began taking off her clothes.
She felt like a rag doll, like she didn't have the strength to help him.
She couldn't repress the flush of heat she felt when he too, removed his clothes.
He hadn't been gentle with his entry or with the way his lips claimed hers as he thrust into her over and over.
His forefinger was making circles around her clit and her breathing became faster. The combination of it all is too much for her.
It felt good. She wants to tell him, but her mouth just utters a quiet moan.
Before all this, she would have never thought this would be enjoyable. Even imagine doing this, but right now, it all feels right. She doesn't think about the fact that he was the king of the Greenwood, that he had a son, and the fact that she was due to marry someone else.
"You are so wet." He moves his mouth to her breasts. He leans into her chest, taking her nipple between his fingers then into his mouth. She hisses as he uses his teeth to graze her nipple slightly, just pressing hard enough to border on pain and pleasure.
She moaned as he moved to the other nipple.
"Oh yes." She whispered.
"Did you say something?" He leant up to look into her eyes.
"No." She blushed. Where did that come from?
"Do you enjoy this?" He pinched the same nipple he had just been sucking. She did. It heightened the pleasure. It made the experience far more enjoyable.
"Yes." Her quiet voice spurred him on.
She could have jumped for joy when his mouth returned to her breasts. His lips surrounded one while his fingers tended to the other.
She grew louder. She wanted to be quiet in case someone knocked on the door. But it was like she was possessed.
The king is fucking her. It feels great. That is what counts here and now.
Not only that, but she is going to come. She can feel her thighs shaking and her toes curling and her feet rubbing against the sheets. Her hands grab at his back, as he speeds up. He moves his lips back to her collar bone. And she could feel his fingers tracing over her clit.
"My king…" She can't stop herself from saying that. His name rolls off her tongue the way his fingers rolls over her clit and her folds. She clenched around him. "Please, I-"
"Come for me."
It was hard for Raelee to focus on anything save the pleasure he was giving her. He's so good at this.
But why is he making such an effort to give her pleasure? Why does he care? She can't stop intrusive thoughts from entering her mind.
Or maybe he just likes to see her satisfied.
Whatever the reason, she hopes he keeps going.
Her own breathing is erratic, she can feel her orgasm on the horizon. If he would just move a little to the lef-
She gasps.
She comes.
She can feel the waves of pleasure pulsing through her insides, tightening and loosening and contracting once more all around his cock. Her back arches up off the bed, and her hands dig into his back, her legs like a vice around his hips.
His lips reclaimed hers as he grunts out his finish.
His mouth still claims hers, moving slightly in the aftermath, naturally unhurried and soft. This isn't like her innocent kisses as an adolescent, where Raelee had to think about what she was doing and how she was doing it. This is different, she just does it. They kiss as he pulls out of her, as he turns onto his side and he wraps an arm over her back, keeping her close.
It feels nice, his lips are warm and soft. Her tongue is sliding against his, testing and new, but not tentative or unwelcome. Raelee's eyes are closed and she can breathe in his scent, musk and sweat and something inherently royal underneath, sharp and almost spicy.
Right now, it seems like they are just two people. Just enjoying the moment.
This was nice. She liked kissing him. It felt-
Wait. No, they can't keep going. What is wrong with her? She shouldn't stay. She felt lightheaded. She needs to leave.
Their lips pulled apart as she sat up.
Her mouth opened and closed to say goodbye, but no words came out.
He didn't look concerned for her. Only slightly annoyed.
"Something on your mind?" He asked.
"No no-I-" Why couldn't the words come out? She blinked out dark spots that appeared in her vision.
"You had no problem being vocal earlier." She blushed, looking away from him.
"I'm s-sorry."
"Why are you apologising?" He questioned softly.
"I…don't know what to say to you." She whispered.
"Why is that?" She sighed in response. "We were intimate only moments ago." She moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She didn't know how to reply. He scoffed quietly.
"You found it simple to speak with me before our previous trysts. You have still retained some of your previous nervousness, but I expected after the initial induction to this arrangement, you would become more comfortable around me."
She tried to concentrate on his words, but her head was becoming heavy.
"It is troubling that you still require a drink before you are willing to respond to my needs." She didn't want to admit it, but she was glad for the strong drinks he provided. She didn't want to think how she would act without that safety net. Without the courage it gave her. "And now you are trying very hard not to look at me." She felt herself being turned to face him. "Now is not the time for your sheepishness to impede our arrangement. What is wrong?"
She took a deep breath to settle her nerves.
"I don't know. I feel-" She didn't know how to put it into words. "I feel conflicted all the time."
"Why is that?"
She felt her breathing becoming shallow.
"At the start of our bargain, I found myself dreading the idea of… our bargain. The idea of keeping a secret from everyone was a horrible situation to imagine." A sigh escaped her. "But I got past my fears, and now I'm finding the physical nature of our bargain more enjoyable than I ever imagined I would. Anyone would feel conflicted given the circumstances."
"Enjoying our bargain is not a shameful act. You are over-thinking."
Raelee let out a quiet scoff at his blasé remark.
"You may not find it shameful, but I can't simply forget the fact that what we are doing is wrong in so many ways. I am meant to marry someone else and you are my king. You don't know what it's like walking around these halls, lying to everyone's faces, lying to my family. And then having to come here to you night after night."
She knew she had misspoken when his eyes narrowed at her.
"Have care how you speak." His cold eyes spurred her on.
"You wanted me to talk. You tell me to have care with my words and yet you declare that you're going to f-fuck me and all other filthy words that do nothing but demean me and instil my desire to leave Greenwood all the more."
He was quiet as she caught her breath. Where did that come from? Her heart was beating so fast from the adrenaline.
His steely gaze remained fixed on hers. She hardly knew the king, but she could tell that she had insulted him.
"You enjoyed them well enough." He challenged.
It took her a moment to gauge what he was implying.
She gapped slightly at him. How dare he insist something like that.
"I don't…"
"Do not lie to me." He grasped her chin to hold her gaze. "You've always been very good about being honest with me, I see no point why you should attempt otherwise now." She sighed in frustration. "I see how you react. How your body reacts. Why deny yourself these little pleasures?"
She wished that his words were falsehoods. Meant as a weapon to hurt her. But, he spoke the truth. She hated the way she reacted to his verbosity in bed. She never thought that there was this side of her. If only she could push it down. Make her body not enjoy his words.
"I don't know why I do." She was able to finish the sentence this time. He let go of her chin and she kept her eyes trained on his. "But I don't like the fact that I do."
A frown formed on his face. He wasn't pleased with her answer.
"Why is that?" She looked away. "Those words cause no harm," She scoffed internally. He knew about the power words held, "pain followed by pleasure does not either." What did he mean by that? "Do you think it makes you lesser somehow?" She didn't answer. "If not, then what harm is there in calling you a dirty little slut?" He smirked at her immediate reaction. He had never done that before.
"Because it's not true!" She squeaked out, insulted. Her blood began to boil.
"Truth in fucking?" He laughed sardonically. "How boring that would be." He saw the confusion on her features. "If you were royalty, you would understand."
"I don't want to understand anything about royalty. I want-" She tried to speak her mind, but she couldn't form the words. The more she tried, the more lost she felt.
Her face became flushed, a sensation of heat flooded her whole body.
"I want t-to leave."
Her breathing increased at rapid rate and numbness was setting in in her extremities.
With her last trace of composure, she tried to make her way to her strewn clothes. She started to feel dizzy, and her vision became cloudy. As her final thought took root in her anxious and confused mind, her legs finally failed her, causing her to collapse on the floor. Her eyes focused upward one last time where they were met by a pair of striking grey eyes that were becoming so familiar.
As he hovered over her, she closed her eyes and surrendered to the darkness.