Daphne and Thoren- Free
"...it has become imperative that the princess marry, Your Majesty. I apologize for my candor, Your Majesty, but with rising tensions, Princess Daphne must make an advantageous match if we are to survive."
Oritel sat in the large council room as Daphne quietly listened on behind the door that had accidentally opened a crack.
"What about my other daughter, the Princess Bloom?" Oritel spoke, "She is engaged to Prince Sky of Eraklyon. Surely that is enough to assuage any fears."
"Still," the council member remarked, "Princess Bloom, while powerful, is not the next in line for the throne and her loyalties will lie with Eraklyon after her marriage. Princess Daphne will rule Domino and the people will feel more confident that she ascends the throne with a strong ally and partner."
Daphne wanted to burst into the room as her father slunk into his seat at the head of the table. She had just broken free of her confinement at Lake Roccaluce and now her father and the council were going to condemn her to another form of imprisonment? She would not accept it! She wouldn't!
"Very well," Oritel sighed as he placed his hand on his forehead and began to rub it in an attempt to calm the building headache, "I will think about it. Prepare a list of suitable candidates, and I will discuss the matter with the princess."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As Oritel and the rest of the council stood up, Daphne couldn't be caught at the door. Not like she wanted to stay there anyway. She couldn't listen to a room filled with men deciding her fate. When could she just be left alone? Would there ever be a time that she could just be truly free?
Stomping down the corridor of the palace, Daphne passed by maids and other palace servants and the usually kind and gentle princess paid the staff of the palace no mind. When Daphne reached her room, she threw open the doors to her room and barged in with a huff.
"What has gotten into you?"
Daphne looked over to the small seating area in the middle of her room to see her newest friend and confidant, Thoren, sitting on the small couch. She had met Thoren at Linphea and they quickly became friends. He was older than Bloom and her friends, which was nice, and he was Sky's older cousin which made Daphne's relationship quite strong as her younger sister and Sky were engaged. Daphne began to confide in Thoren about her concerns for Bloom and her friends as well as adjusting to her life as a corporeal being.
During that time, Daphne couldn't deny that she had developed feelings for the paladin. Which was probably why the discussion of her imminent marriage had frustrated her so much. Mainly because she knew that Thoren would not be on that list. He may have been the nephew of the Eraklyon king but as a crown princess, she would be expected to marry someone with their own title and some sort of influence over their land.
"Nothing," Daphne sighed as she plopped down in a chair next to the couch that Thoren was seated on.
"It certainly sounds like something." Thoren let out a soft chuckle which caused Daphne to quickly turn her head and glare at Thoren. Thoren's smile quickly fell as he cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, Thoren. I just..." Daphne took a deep breath as her amber eyes softened, "the council wants me to get married."
There was a momentary silence before Thoren spoke.
"I see," Thoren said as he leaned back on the couch, "did they say to whom?"
Daphne shook her head, "Apparently the council will be coming up with a list of qualified candidates."
"And why do they think that you should be married?"
"Because the council is filled with old men who think that a queen cannot rule without a king."
Daphne softly threw her head back and groaned. Thoren leaned forward and placed a hand gently on Daphne's knee, causing Daphne to return to an upright position.
"I am sure that your father would not do anything to hurt you, Daphne. He loves you and he will only do what is best."
Daphne looked at Thoren in his blue eyes, "I spent sixteen years trapped as a nymph in Lake Roccaluce and I feel that a marriage will just trap me for the rest of my life. I have been helping Bloom and the rest of the Winx since the moment I re-entered my body. I haven't explored Domino beyond the palace walls, I've never seen the streets at night, I've never..." Daphne took a deep breath, "I am tired of having everything decided for me, or cursed upon me."
Thoren was silent. He didn't know what to say or tell Daphne. He had never been in her position. Sure, he had responsibilities and rules that he had to follow being part of the Eraklyon nobility, but nothing compared to the duties and responsibilities that Daphne had as the crowned princess.
"I have barely lived at all and soon the purpose of my life will be to produce heirs until my father dies and then my life will be completely dedicated to Domino."
"Daphne I d-"
"Please, Thoren," Daphne sighed, "I just want to be alone right now."
Thoren exhaled before standing up and giving Daphne a small bow. Seeing her so dejected made Thoren realize that this was a moment when he had to take action. For so long he had shied away from acting and speaking out, but he had to do something for Daphne.
Night fell over Domino and Daphne, after taking dinner alone in her room, had fallen asleep. However, despite the late hour, Daphne found that her slumber would be short-lived.
Daphne slowly woke up when she felt something rocking her back and forth, urging her to wake.
"Wha...what is going on?" Daphne asked as her eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the moonlit room. As Daphne woke up and gained consciousness, she spotted Thoren standing above her with a pile of clothes in his hands.
"Shhh," Thoren put a finger to his lips, "we don't want to wake the rest of the palace and risk getting caught."
"Getting caught?" Daphne asked.
"Quickly," Thoren handed Daphne the pile of clothes, "put these on."
Daphne unfolded the clothes to see that they were men's clothes. No doubt some of Thoren's clothes. This did nothing to answer the millions of questions that were running through her mind.
"Thoren, what is going on?"
"Please, Daphne, just get dressed."
Thoren pulled Daphne out of bed and pushed her behind the divider where Daphne quickly changed out of her nightgown and into the clothes that Thoren had given her. They were big and baggy but with a few adjustments, they covered everything that needed to be covered comfortably.
"There," Daphne stepped from behind the partition and placed her hands on her hips, "I have changed. Now, will you please tell me what is going on?"
Thoren smiled as he walked towards Daphne and grabbed her hand. He led her to her window and placed his foot on the ledge.
"I am helping you not feel so trapped."
Thoren was about to step outside of the window when Daphne quickly pulled him back.
"What are you doing?!" Daphne aggressively whispered, "You cannot jump from here! You'll break your neck."
"There is a ledge," Thoren replied nonchalantly, "just hold my hand and you'll be fine. And no, you cannot transform or else our cover will be blown and I will be sent back to Eraklyon for trying to abscond with the princess. Just trust me."
Daphne's hand shook in Thoren's as he led her back over to the window and stepped out to the ledge.
"Very good," Thoren encouraged, "just a little more to the left. Do you feel that?"
Daphne nodded as she closed her eyes.
"If you keep your eyes closed then you are definitely going to fall." Thoren chuckled.
"I can't look. You can just be my eyes." Daphne replied as she gripped Thoren's hands tightly. She was sure that her hands were dripping with sweat. But Thoren did not let go.
Daphne's eyes remained closed as she felt Thoren pull her along the roof of the palace. She was really doing it. She was going to leave the palace for a night and explore the kingdom that she would someday rule. Well, she would explore the city at least. Daphne didn't know if it was the excitement of sneaking out or the giddiness that she felt that it was Thoren taking her that made her heart beat a million miles an hour. Daphne was not used to being in a body and this feeling was all brand new for her.
Suddenly, Daphne collided with something large and hard. She instinctually opened her eyes to see Thoren's large body standing in front of her.
"Why have we stopped?" Daphne asked.
Thoren shushed her yet again before turning around and smiling, "We have to wait for the guards to pass before we can jump down over the wall."
Daphne looked down and felt her stomach begin to flip around. She knew why her stomach was doing what it was doing. It had to be at least a thirty-foot drop. There was no way that she was going to be able to jump from such a height, unless there was some secret ladder that Thoren had brought along with him.
"I can't jump from this height, Thoren," Daphne stated, "at least not without transforming."
"I told you to trust me, Daphne." Thoren replied, "I am not going to let anything bad happen to you. You trust me, right?"
Daphne nodded her head.
"Good."
Both Daphne and Thoren were silent as they waited for the guards down below to pass by them on their patrol of the palace grounds. Daphne felt Thoren's body stiffen lightly against hers as he made his way over to the ledge of the palace roof. Placing his feet at the edge of the eaves, he bent his knees and jumped. Daphne would have let out a small yelp as Thoren disappeared from sight but her voice would not let her.
Daphne ran over to the edge of the roof to look down to see Thoren rising from a crouched position, completely unharmed. What kinds of things were they teaching at this paladin school? No wonder he was a captain; she didn't hear a thing as his feet hit the ground.
"Your turn." Thoren said as he looked up at Daphne.
Thoren may have been a paladin, but Daphne sure wasn't.
"I...I...I can't."
Daphne could feel the bones in her body rattle as she looked down at the ground that seemed to be millions of feet of the ground.
"Yes you can, Daphne."
"Go find a rope, or a ladder. Something to help me." Daphne instructed.
"I am already beyond the palace wall. I cannot get back in."
"Cannot get back in?!" Daphne exclaimed, "Then how are we supposed to get back?"
"Keep your voice down," Thoren harshly commanded, no longer speaking to the princess but to his friend, "I can get back in the palace but then that would delay our adventure."
"There isn't going to be an adventure if I crack my head open."
Thoren rolled his eyes and huffed, "I'll catch you."
"Catch me?"
"Yes, Daphne," Thoren chuckled as he held out his arms, "jump and I will catch you."
"Thoren, I am much too heavy."
"Daphne! Jump now before the guards come." Thoren commanded.
"I can't..."
"Jump, Daphne!"
"Thoren, I am telling you that I c-"
"JUMP!"
Daphne didn't know what came over her as she shut her eyes and felt her feet leave the solid roof. It felt just like flying and she almost forgot that she had wings. Panic was about to set in when all of a sudden, she felt her body collide with something, or someone. She opened her eyes and saw that she was safely nestled in Thoren's arms.
Amber met blue as Daphne stared into Thoren's eyes. She had never noticed how blue they truly were and she didn't want to pull away. It didn't help that Thoren too kept her gaze so intently.
"I told you that you could trust me," Thoren said with a smile. "I'll always catch you."
Daphne couldn't say anything as the reality of what she had done came crashing back to her. She had just jumped off the roof of the palace. She was crazy! But as Thoren placed Daphne back on shaky feet, Daphne looked around and saw the same town road that she saw from her bedroom window.
"Here," Thoren handed Daphne what looked to be a wool cap, "for your hair."
Daphne took the hat and placed it on her head and began stuffing her hair inside. Thoren chuckled as he walked behind Daphne and took off the hat. Before Daphne could say anything, Thoren had gathered Daphne's long, blonde hair and began to tightly wrap it up.
"At least try to make it look as if you are not hiding a sea of hair under a hat."
Daphne blushed as Thoren's hand grazed her neck. He pressed her gathered hair flat against her head before securing the hat back on her head.
"We will need a name for you," Thoren said.
"A name?" Daphne asked as she watched Thoren come to her side.
"Yes, a name. Something to call you when in the city. You are disguised as a boy and I don't think that I can call you Daphne."
Thoren began to walk along the road towards the city and away from the palace. Daphne scurried up to him, taking her first steps outside of the palace.
"Hmm, what about Sky?" Daphne asked, blurting out the first male name that she could think of.
"I am not calling you by my cousin's name." Thoren laughed, "Please, try to have some creativity, princess."
Daphne pouted as she thought of something a little more suitable. Or at least suitable enough for Thoren. Daphne was immediately brought back to the stories that she had read in the library at Alfea and the stories that Bloom would tell her that had been popular on Earth.
"What about Jack?"
Thoren thought for a moment and nodded his head, "I like it. Jack it is."
Daphne and Thoren had walked along the road towards the city, coming up with a backstory for Jack and why they were traveling together. They were to say that 'Jack' had been a family member coming to visit Domino. Daphne had no idea why someone would ask who they were and what they meant to one another, but she thought it better to be safe than sorry. If she had been found in the middle of the busy city at night and with Thoren, she would be in so much trouble and Thoren would be in even worse trouble. Nothing good ever came to the man who would dare sneak the princess out beyond the safety of the palace walls.
But as Daphne and Thoren entered the city, Daphne could see why her parents wanted to protect her but also felt deprived that she would have never experienced such a spectacle outside of the palace walls.
"There appears to be a festival tonight," Thoren remarked as he and Daphne passed by people in the street laughing and singing, carrying candles and sparklers. Even some of the people in the town were shooting off small fireworks. There were people laughing and drinking in the streets, there were some people playing games, and Daphne and Thoren even walked by a couple in an alleyway not-so-secretly engaging in some "festivities" of their own. Still, Daphne looked on in wonder at all of the sights, smells, and sounds of the city street.
Daphne leaned in closer to Thoren as they ventured deeper into the city. Both so that they might be able to hear each other better and so that they would not become separated. As Daphne stood closer to Thoren, she could feel her body begin to heat up and felt a pull towards Thoren that she had told herself to resist but her body urged her to move closer.
"What are they celebrating?" Daphne asked as she looked ahead at where she was going. She felt a large and strong hand on the small of her back as Thoren helped guide her through the crowded streets of Domino.
"For a woman who spends so much time in the library, I am surprised that you do not know of the Tale of Guirec and Taina."
When Daphne only looked up at Thoren with a clear expression of not knowing what Thoren was talking about, Thoren continued as they walked through the street.
"Well, Taina was said to be a princess of Domino who lived nearly a thousand years ago. Like any princess, she had all that she could ever hope for except one thing: Guirec. Guirec was a member of her father, the king's guard, who had trained and grown up in the palace alongside Taina. Taina loved Guirec and Guirec loved Taina. But then, Taina's father declared that she was to be married to a lord from Ohm. Taina defied her father and came up with a plan to leave with Guirec but on the night that she and Guirec were to escape, Taina's father found out about the plot and swiftly executed Guirec. Stricken by an inconsolable grief, Taina wore a dress of pure white and jumped from the tallest tower in the castle. Now, each year, citizens of Domino come together to celebrate the forbidden love of Guirec and Taina, knowing that their souls have been reunited in the afterlife. Think of it as some large and rambunctious wedding feast."
Daphne smiled at the story but couldn't help that Taina's story echoed hers in many ways. Both of them were forced to marry, not out of love but out of duty. Loving someone who she knew that she could not have. While Daphne was glad that she was not an anomaly, Daphne silently lamented how much it sucked to be a princess at times.
Thoren walked up to a stand with a plump man selling sparklers. He paid for two and gave one to Daphne before lighting them both.
"What am I supposed to do?" Daphne held out the sparkler as it began to shoot off brightly colored sparks.
Thoren chuckled, "Hold it and make a wish."
"What should I wish for?"
"Anything that you want." Thoren answered, "People will make a wish, just as Taina did when she wished to be with Guirec."
"But they never got to be together," Daphne replied.
"But they did," Thoren smiled, "maybe not in this life, but in the next one. Or so people believe. Just close your eyes and make a wish."
"Only if you do so too."
"I have nothing to wish for." Thoren said, "I have all that I could ever want."
Caught off guard by Thoren's words, Daphne looked up at Thoren and marveled at the way his cheekbones were illuminated by the bright light of the sparkler and the surrounding light of the candles and lanterns in the city. Once again, their gazes fell on one another and they did not break eye contact, not until the light of the sparklers had extinguished.
"Come on," Thoren quietly said, "I know somewhere that you might enjoy."
Making their way down the main road in the city, Thoren led Daphne to a pub filled with drunk festival attendees. Thoren found a table for both he and Daphne before leaving her to grab the both of them some drinks. As Thoren was away at the bar, Daphne took in her surroundings.
The pub was full of drunk men and women. The women wore dresses made of various shades of white to celebrate Taina and then men, well, the men were either busy drinking or busy trying to convince the women in white to leave the pub with them and go somewhere else. There was music, laughter, and even a fight that broke out between two very intoxicated men at the other end of the pub.
"Here we are," Thoren reappeared at the table, causing Daphne to snap out of her trance caused by the commotion at the pub.
Thoren placed two large steins of amber liquid on the table before sitting down across from Daphne.
"What is it?" Daphne asked as she looked down into the stein that had been placed in front of her.
Thoren chuckled before taking a gulp from his own stein.
"It's beer, Daphne."
Daphne leaned forward to smell the liquid, causing her nose to scrunch up. Thoren laughed as he looked at Daphne's disgusted face.
"It tastes better than it smells."
Daphne picked up the stein and brought it to her lips, the foam coating her top lip as she took a drink. It was not the best thing that she ever had to drink, but it really wasn't as bad as it smelled. She pulled away the stein, causing Thoren to laugh even harder.
"You have a..." Thoren indicated to his top lip before reaching forward across the table and wiping away the foam from Daphne's upper lip.
Daphne retracted from Thoren and hid her face, scared that Thoren would be able to see how much she was blushing.
"Sorry," Thoren looked away, "I wasn't thinking. Forgive me."
"You are forgiven," Daphne replied softly.
"Do you like the beer at least?" Thoren asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
"I do," Daphne answered before taking another sip, "it is refreshing on a hot night like tonight."
"That it is."
Daphne and Thoren drank in silence, still not over the moment when Thoren's hands connected with Daphne's lip. Daphne was having a hard enough time keeping her heart from exploding out of her chest. Who gave permission for a heart to beat so fast?
"It's just not fair." Daphne quietly said as she looked down at her half-empty stein.
"What's not fair?" Thoren asked, "I am more than happy to get you another beer if-"
"Why should I have to get married? Haven't I proven myself enough?" Daphne groaned.
Thoren merely stared ahead and listened, knowing better than to interrupt.
"When I was a child and Domino came under attack by the Ancestral Witches, I was the one who rushed in to save Bloom. I was the one who gave up my body and soul to be cursed for over sixteen years. I saved Domino! Me! Not some man! So why must I marry one before I can take the throne? It's ridiculous!"
Thoren took another gulp of his beer before looking Daphne seriously in the eye.
"Did Sky ever tell you about the reason why we didn't get along when we were younger?"
Daphne shook her head. She didn't know that Thoren and Sky didn't get along at some point.
"Well, to be honest, we just resolved our differences just recently." Thoren shrugged, "But yes, Sky and I didn't get along. When we were younger, Sky had been trained and primed to become the next King of Eraklyon. He was to be a fierce warrior, great leader, and all-around hero and nobody had any reservations about letting Sky know how amazing he was. So, I decided that I wanted that kind of acknowledgment too. I trained, read strategy, and helped in every way that I could...yet still, nothing I did went noticed. I left Eraklyon and joined the paladins where I learned that if I wanted something in this world, I had to fight for it. Eventually, I rose through the ranks and proved myself to be brave and strong and Sky finally stopped tormenting me."
"I don't know what this has to do with me."
Thoren smiled, "Daphne, you are a princess. We are not so different you and me. I was born from the daughter and eldest child of the former King of Eraklyon and you are a woman in a world controlled by men. If we want something, we cannot wait for someone to give it to us. If my mother knew that, she would be queen. If you do not want to get married, you have to tell them. Refuse any suitor that they put forth and remind them that you are the future queen of Domino and you will not be swayed by the wishes of a room filled with men."
"Thoren..." Daphne sighed, "the council-"
"The council is nothing without their queen."
Daphne smiled before she took another sip of her beer. She was going to be the Queen of Domino and after all that she has done and all that she had been through, she should be allowed to marry whoever she wants. But would they accept her choice? Would they accept the son of the daughter of the former King of Eraklyon? Did he even feel the same way about her as she did about him?
"Daphne," Thoren reached forward and grabbed Daphne's hand from across the table, causing Daphne's heart to resume its wild beating, "you should never do anything that you do not want to do. I know that I have no say in the matter but for what it is worth, you are the most selfless and beautiful person that I have ever met, both inside and out. Nobody should ever be allowed to tell you what to do."
Daphne let a small smile form on her lips, grateful for what Thoren had said and had done for her. He had given her a taste of freedom, though she had to admit that she would be cursing his name every time that she felt trapped in the palace. Once she was married, Daphne doubted that she would be able to have a night like this again. It wasn't that she was getting married the very next day but she knew that a suitor would be imminent and that preparations would immediately begin for a lavish wedding fit for a crown princess.
"Come on," Thoren said as he threw back the rest of his beer, "we need to hurry."
"Hurry?" Daphne looked up at Thoren as he stood up from the table.
"Yes, or we will be late for the show."
Daphne finished her stein of beer in a hurry, causing her to let out a large burp. Daphne covered her mouth in embarrassment and excused herself, but Thoren just smiled and let out a soft chuckle. Thoren reached down and held out his hand and Daphne placed her delicate palm in his. She was then led through the crowded pub and back onto the streets of Domino.
"Excuse us. Excuse us." Thoren repeated as he led Daphne through the crowd that had formed in the middle of the street.
Daphne bumped into the people around her as she followed hand in hand with Thoren through the crowded street, feeling awful for all of the people that she had run into. If only they knew who she was, who she truly was. The crowd would part to make way for their princess and the next in line for the throne of Domino. But a few bumps and bruises were a small price to pay for a night of freedom away from the palace and away from her responsibilities.
Finding their way to the side of the crowd and by a lamp post, Thoren stopped in his tracks and Daphne collided with his back.
"Ow!" Daphne exclaimed as her nose hit Thoren's strong back.
Thoren turned around and grabbed Daphne's face to look it over, concern marring his features and worry filling his bright, blue eyes.
"Are you alright?" Thoren asked.
"Yeah," Daphne breathlessly answered, "just quit it with the stopping abruptly."
Thoren's face relaxed but his hands still had not left Daphne's cheeks. Daphne was sure that Thoren would be able to see the blush that had risen up to them, especially under the glow of the lamp light. Daphne felt the pulling sensation once again take over her body and she leaned forward, desperate to become closer with Thoren.
But as Daphne moved closer, Thoren gently pushed her back, letting go of her face.
"I think that this would be a good place to see the show."
Daphne couldn't let Thoren's rejection get to her. He was her friend. Her sister and his cousin were to be married, it would be selfish to complicate the matter. Plus, she was to be engaged soon if the council had any say. She shouldn't give in to her feelings lest she be sorely disappointed in the man that would become her husband. She knew she would never want them; Daphne would always want Thoren. It was easier to let something go when it was never yours to begin with.
"You can stand up here," Thored pointed to the concrete pedestal that the lamppost had been situated on. He held out his hand and helped Daphne up to stand on the concrete pedestal.
"What show are we se-"
Before Daphne could ask, a large boom filled the air and suddenly a bright light filled the sky.
Fireworks? Daphne thought to herself.
Suddenly the crowd began to cheer as one by one, fireworks were shot off into the sky.
"I wanted to make sure that you got a good view, princess."
Daphne looked down and smiled at Thoren, silently showing her gratitude. She had seen fireworks before but always from the comfort of a balcony at the palace. And when she was on her balcony, she couldn't hear the "Oohs" and "Ahhs" of the people of Domino. Everything was louder and brighter amongst the people. How could she have been so deprived? Was she really going to sleep through this?
But even the bright light and boom of the fireworks were nothing compared to the loud beating of her heart as she looked down and marveled at Thoren's face in the lights of the cities. Just as she watched him in the light of the sparklers, Daphne could not deny that he was gorgeous. His dark features contrasted by his bright, blue eyes captured her attention and his kindness and selflessness made Daphne want him more than a friend. Then again, Daphne had been stuck at the bottom of a lake for sixteen years, she didn't know very many people. But she didn't need to know; Thoren was it.
She couldn't have him, and with the way that he had lightly pushed her away, Daphne knew that he didn't want her anyway.
Daphne turned her head back up to the sky and watched the fireworks, trying to banish the thought of Thoren away from her head. She needed to cast away the thought that he could be anything more than a friend and the cousin of her soon-to-be brother-in-law. She needed to stop thinking that there would ever be a chance with Thoren.
But that didn't stop her from wanting him.
The crowd erupted into cheers as the fireworks came to an end. Daphne was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a hand gently touch the side of her leg.
"Do you need help getting down?" Thoren asked. Daphne nodded her head and bent down to grab Thoren's hand before he helped guide her back down to solid ground. His hands settled around her hips and she fought every urge that she had to lean into him. She didn't want to face rejection again and the last thing that she wanted was to lose a friend.
"Are you ready to head back to the palace?" Thoren asked.
Daphne looked around and saw that the pubs had still been filled but that the street vendors had begun shutting down their stalls.
"Is there anything else to do?"
Thoren shrugged and small blush came to his face, "Nothing befitting a princess."
"I am not a princess tonight, Thoren." Daphne stated, "I am 'Jack', remember?"
"It is bad enough that I have stolen you from the safety of the palace," Thoren said, "I think that I would lose my head if they found out that..."
"Found out what?" Daphne asked as Thoren's voice trailed away. She really wanted to know now.
"Thoren," Daphne reached forward and took Thoren's hand in hers, "you told me that you were going to show me the city. If I am to be married and essentially held prisoner in the palace, I want to see everything I can before that date. The good and the bad. I don't want to live my life with any regrets."
"Daphne...we could get in trouble. Big trouble."
"I will protect you from any trouble if my father or the council were to discover us." Daphne smiled.
"Daphne, we can't-"
"Please?" Daphne pleaded, "Please, Thoren. I want to see everything."
Thoren huffed as he looked around, as if looking out for someone who might be watching them. He looked down at Daphne and squeezed her hand.
"Alright," Thoren gave into Daphne's pleas, "but don't say that I did not warn you."
Daphne had never been to a place like this before. As she and Thoren walked through the dark streets, deeper into the city, they came upon a building that bore no sign and looked as though it was a building that had been missed after the reconstruction after the destruction of the war. However, for as dead and dull as the building was on the outside, on the inside, there was plenty of life to be seen.
Sitting at tables, there were men throwing dice and playing cards, just like the games that Bloom taught her. There was a band playing at the back of the venue and there was alcohol flowing and beautiful women draping across the men who were gambling.
Thoren was right. If she had been caught here, Daphne would be in big trouble and so would Thoren. That was what made it all the more thrilling.
"What is this place?" Daphne asked, a bright smile on her face.
"A place where common men and women come to relax. It is rumored that a few high-born men will frequent the Golden Dragon."
Daphne smirked and leaned into Thoren, "And how do you know of this place?"
"The same way that I know about the secret passages in the palace, I have my ways."
So he wasn't going to tell her, huh?
Daphne rolled her eyes and walked further into the Golden Dragon, lured in by the gregarious men at one of the tables.
"...your dice are loaded, Garrick!" one of the men shouted.
"These dice belong to the Golden Dragon, Olen! You're just a sore loser!" the other man, who Daphne assumed to be Garrick, shouted back.
"You're a damn cheat!"
Suddenly Garrick stood up from his seat at the table and pounced on Olen, the two men falling back onto the floor as they engaged in a fight. Daphne felt something quickly tug her back and she collided with Thoren's strong arms, landing safely in them.
"Are you alright?" Thoren asked as he carefully looked over Daphne, searching for any kind of injuries.
Daphne shook her head, "You were quick to pull me away."
"Good," Thoren smiled, his arms still wrapped around Daphne, "I couldn't have the princess returning back to the palace in a worse condition than what I found her."
Daphne smiled and reveled in the feel of Thoren's arms around her. She could not fall prey to his warm, muscular, firm...
Daphne was the one to push away this time. She couldn't meet his gaze, so she looked around the large room and saw men and women going behind a curtain near the stage in the back of the room.
"Where are those people going?" Daphne asked.
Thoren looked back and quickly turned back to face Daphne, a nervous smile on his face.
"Nothing that concerns you, princess."
"You called me princess," Daphne narrowed her eyes, "and you were serious about it. Now I know that I must find out what is back there. Tell me."
"You are not going to-"
"I am the princess. I should know about these things." Daphne cut Thoren off.
"It is not-"
"Tell me!" Daphne commanded.
Without another word, Thoren grabbed Daphne's hand and dragged her across the room at a hurried pace, careful that they would not be seen. Thoren threw back the curtain and suddenly, sounds of moaning could be heard mixed in with the muffled sounds of the music in the main room.
Daphne's amber eyes were wide as she stood frozen in place.
"What is this place?" Daphne questioned as she looked at the people in the room, veiled behind a soft and sheer fabric. Daphne could only see silhouettes, but even she wasn't that naive to know what was going on.
"The Golden Dragon is also a brothel, Daphne," Thoren said plainly.
"I didn't know that such a place existed in Domino."
"Well, it does and you are to be the queen of it."
Daphne took a step further into the back room. Thoren reached forward and caught Daphne's wrist.
"What are you doing?"
Daphne looked back behind her shoulder and walked further into the brothel.
"Exploring."
She removed her wrist from Thoren's grasp and made her way further into the large back area of the Golden Dragon. Daphne passed by rows of beds covered by the thin veils. Some beds were open and some were occupied by employees and clients. As Daphne walked by the moans and shadows of couples engaged in carnal acts of pleasure, she felt her body growing hotter, her heart beating more rapidly, and the space between her legs becoming wet. Daphne reached the last bed in the row and saw that it was unoccupied. She turned around and looked at Thoren who only stared at her with shock as she pulled back the curtains.
"Come." Daphne whispered.
She let the veil fall closed behind her and Thoren stood on the outside, not sure that he had really heard him to follow her.
Daphne pulled back the veil again and commanded Thoren into the semi-private space. When Thoren would not move, she grabbed the fabric of his shirt and pulled him in. They were now both in the enclosed space, Daphne feeling bolder as she held Thoren's shirt in her hands.
"Daphne, what are you doing?"
Her lips were parted as she stared at Thoren. She wanted him. She wanted him so badly. With the sounds of moaning and the knowledge that she could not have him, it only made Daphne want Thoren even more.
As if by some other force, Daphne leaned forward and caught Thoren's lips in a soft kiss. His lips were softer than she thought, a marked difference from the sharp and angular features of his face. It was all so much better than she thought it was going to be. But then, Thoren lightly push her back and Daphne leaned forward, wanting more.
"Daphne..." Her name was like a breath that had escaped his lips.
"Please," Daphne begged as she placed her hands on his shoulders, "I want you."
"You are a princess. A princess who is going to marry a rich and powerful-"
"I. Want. You." Daphne replied through gritted teeth. "I don't want to be married. I want to be with you."
"You ha-"
"I am taking what I want," Daphne gripped Thoren's shoulders tighter, "just as you told me. I want you, I don't want anyone else and I will tell the council and my father that I am not marrying some fat, pompous lord and if they don't like it, they can have my crown and pass it on to someone else."
There was silence for a moment before Thoren opened his mouth to speak.
"Here?"
Daphne nodded and that was all Thoren needed.
Thoren lunged forward and crashed his lips onto Daphne's. The force caused Daphne to fall back on the bed and his mouth moved above hers as the kiss became more heated. Daphne's hands moved from Thoren's shoulders to the back of his neck, her fingers carding through his dark brown hair. As the silky strands fell through her fingers, a chill went down Daphne's back as she felt Thoren's hands snake under her shirt and land on the bare skin of her side.
"I thought that you would never want me." Daphne sighed in between kisses, "You pushed me away."
"A guy like me doesn't deserve a woman like you." Thoren responded as he slowly pulled away from Daphne's lips. He looked into her eyes and the chill returned to Daphne's back, "You are a princess, and I am-"
Daphne's hands cupped Thoren's cheeks, "You are the son of the Princess Royal of Eraklyon. And you are the man that I love."
"Love?"
"Of course, Thoren!" Daphne scoffed.
"For how long?"
"Since the time you helped me with the Treant problem."
"I didn't help at all," Thoren laughed.
"You told me to get to the 'root of the problem' and then when it was solved, you encouraged me, and...it was then that I knew that you were the one for me, Thoren. And I don't want anyone else."
Thoren raised a hand and slid the wool cap off of Daphne's head, her blonde hair falling around her head like a magnificent halo.
"And I love you too, Daphne. From the moment I laid eyes on you."
Daphne smiled before Thoren returned her lips to hers. As they kissed, Thoren's hands returned to Daphne's side and as his hands traveled further up, Daphne arched her back. Gripping the fabric of the shirt, Thoren gently removed it from Daphne's body and was shocked to see that she was wearing nothing underneath. He wondered if it was the same below.
Deciding that it would be unfair for her to be the only one exposed, Daphne made quick work of Thoren's shirt and threw it to the side of the veiled enclosure.
As the sounds of moans became louder within the brothel and Thoren's lips continued to move over Daphne's, she became more and more excited for the prospect that Thoren was really about to become hers and she would become his. The council and her father would have no choice but to marry Daphne to Thoren as nobody would want a princess who had been with another.
A moan escaped Daphne's lips as Thoren's mouth moved from hers and began trailing hot kisses down her jaw and neck until he landed one on the top of her breast. Daphne's back arched again and her hands gripped Thoren's hair on top of his head.
"Lower," Daphne pleaded, "lower, please."
Thoren could not say no to the princess, not now. Daphne suddenly felt a sharp coldness hit the bottom part of her body as the pants that Thoren had leant her had been removed from her body. Thoren was also pleasantly surprised that just with her top, Daphne had not worn any undergarments below.
Daphne was now naked underneath Thoren and his lips traveled down her chest, to her stomach, and at the top of her thigh. Thoren grabbed Daphne's legs and spread them apart. A pleasant heat and the smell of something wet hit his face as he leaned in and placed two kisses on the inside of Daphne's thighs.
When Thoren's lips connected with Daphne's sensitive clitoris, Daphne gasped as her body got used to the sensation. Thoren wasted no time in licking up and down Daphne's folds, slowing each time he passed over her clitoris. Had Thoren done this before? Daphne wondered. He surely must have from the pleasure that he was giving her that caused her to grip the sheets that were on the bed.
"Thoren..." his name escaped Daphne's lips as it mixed with a moan. She felt the space between her legs tighten like they never had before and all she could focus on was Thoren's mouth on her. She could no longer hear the sounds coming from the other beds because all that mattered was happening on the bed she was on.
Should she had insisted that they do this someplace a little more romantic? Probably. Was this the most appropriate place for a princess? Absolutely not. But the way Daphne rationalized it was that if she and Thoren were going to get in trouble for being at a brothel, she might as well make it worth their while. And she wanted Thoren, she would have him anywhere.
As her body began to tighten under the pleasure coursing through her body, Daphne's hands moved from the sheets of the bed and back to the top of Thoren's head. She wrapped her fingers around his hair and pulled, a pained grunt coming from Thoren's mouth and vibrating along Daphne's center. She was so close. Her body felt that it might explode.
Daphne pulled Thoren's head away from her body, scared of what might happen if she allowed herself to release the built tension but also because Daphne wanted to share the moment with Thoren. Thoren raised up to his knees and wiped away the wetness from his mouth as he looked down and smiled at Daphne who lay naked underneath him.
Propping up on her elbows, Daphne looked up at Thoren through hooded eyelids and stuck one of her hands forward to land on the hard bulge that had formed at the front of Thoren's pants. Thoren placed a hand on Daphne's and took in a sharp inhalation.
"If we are to do this, there is no going back." Thoren whispered.
"I know." Daphne said in reply.
"If you do this and you don't love me, truly love me to marry me, your reputation will be ruined and your father will have a hard time making a match for you."
Daphne's gaze was tender as she looked at Thoren. She moved her hand from his hard erection and up to the waistband of Thoren's pants, gently beginning to tug.
"I do love you," Daphne remarked, "and I told you that I do not want anyone else. I will marry you or I will marry no one at all. So, please, allow me to be selfish just this once and ask you to be with me. If only for tonight."
"I will be with you always, Daphne."
Thoren removed his pants and both he and Daphne were completely naked. Daphne did her best not to show the excitement, pleasure, and satisfaction as she took in Thoren's naked form. Years and years of training definitely did a body good, but she had to assume that the larger parts of him could be blamed on genetics or luck. As Thoren came closer to Daphne, she tried to calm her beating heart before opening her legs and waiting for Thoren to become one with her.
No.
She was the princess. Not some common whore to be fucked like a dog.
Reaching up, Daphne placed a hand on Thoren's chest, stopping him from continuing his descent onto Daphne.
"Daphne, are you-"
With a soft grunt, Thoren found himself on his back as Daphne quickly straddled him. With one of her delicate hands on his shoulder and the other slowly gripping his hard member, Daphne hovered above Thoren as she lined up her body with his. With a loud moan escaping Daphne's mouth, she sank down onto Thoren and stayed there for one moment.
It was uncomfortable and slightly painful but she had felt worse before. She would get used to it. Daphne saw Thoren's face, his eyes shut and his lips partly open. She wanted to lean down and kiss him, his face so erotic and lewd, but she was still getting used to the feeling of him between her legs.
"Are you okay, Daphne?" Thoren asked.
Daphne grinned softly, "More than okay."
With a tentative roll of her hips, Daphne adjusted on top of Thoren. Slowly and surely, the movements that Daphne made became stronger and less intentional; giving into pleasure and desire rather than thinking of what was right and wrong.
As a princess, Daphne had been taught that sex was only for procreation. That as the crown princess, she would have to marry someone and produce heirs to carry on the family dynasty. Sex had always been presented as something utilitarian, not to be enjoyed. But as Daphne moved over Thoren, Daphne wanted to curse everyone who never told her how wonderful it was to be with someone who you loved.
Being with Thoren and hearing his moans mix with hers was music to Daphne's ears. More beautiful than what she had ever heard before. When Thoren raised up to a seated position and wrapped an arm around Daphne's waist, she wanted to spend eternity just like that. As she moved on him, Daphne looked into Thoren's blue eyes before capturing his lips for another kiss. It was passionate but a little sloppy as Daphne's head became more and more filled with the mounting pleasure overtaking her body. She could not focus on anything else.
It was becoming too much.
"Thoren, I..." Daphne could not find the words.
Thoren's lips landed back onto Daphne's neck as he nipped and sucked at the soft and pale skin. Daphne threw her head back, letting her blonde hair cascade down her back and her chest press firmly onto Thoren's.
Daphne's nails began to dig into Thoren's back as she moved faster and harder above him. As she spoke, her breathless voice came out as a whine.
"I feel that I am going to explode," Daphne stated.
And it was true.
"Thoren, I can't hold on any longer." Daphne moaned.
"Let it go, Daphne," Thoren commanded, pulling his lips away from her neck and looking into Daphne's amber eyes, "Don't be afraid. I've got you."
So Daphne did as Thoren said. With a final roll of her hips, Daphne's grip on Thoren tightened and the tension inside of her snapped and exploded, much like the fireworks that she and Thoren had viewed earlier that night. It felt like a million sparklers were alight in her body and it felt absolutely magnificent. So magnificent that Daphne had hardly noticed that Thoren had begun thrusting into Daphne, desperate to find a release of his own, finally finding it and spilling inside of Daphne.
Heavy breathing filled the air as Daphne and Thoren returned to their senses. The cloud of intense pleasure began to fade away and made way for the feeling of comfort began to take over, like they both had been wrapped up in an invisible blanket.
"Sorry," Thoren panted as he rubbed Daphne's back gently.
"I am not." Daphne smiled against Thoren's shoulder as she remained straddled on top of him and snuggled warmly in his arms.
"I should have pushed you off of me at the end and now I fear that you may have no choice but to marry me."
Daphne looked down and saw a thick, opaque substance come out of her, not caring about the consequences. In fact, if anything were to come of this night, she would have a stronger case to her father and the council for letting her wed Thoren. A crown princess with a bastard? Unthinkable. There would be rioting in the streets and Daphne's position and life could be threatened.
"It is almost dawn," Thoren said as he brushed back some of Daphne's hair from her sweaty brow, "we should head back."
Daphne took a deep breath and nodded her head, "Stay with me when we get back."
"You know that I can't. It is bad enough that I already snuck you out of the palace and..."
Daphne laughed, "Very well then. But tomorrow night? Please say that you will come to me tomorrow night."
"If you call for me, I will be there."
"Every night?" Daphne asked.
"Every night," Thoren replied with a smile.
Daphne placed one last kiss on Thoren's lips, a kiss filled with love and gratitude. Daphne knew that if Thoren were by her side, she would feel a little less trapped. The weight of the crown would not feel so heavy and even the sadness in her life could be made happier with the knowledge that Thoren would be there to cheer her up. She would make sure that Thoren would be hers because, with Thoren, Daphne was fearless.
With Thoren, Daphne was free.
I haven't done this couple in quite some time. I am hoping that I will find more ways to write them :) I have loads of ideas for other couples (both canon and non) so stay tuned for the next story! As always, let me know what you think! I always enjoy reading your reviews!