4

"Hazel!" I turned my head to the side. Lucian was walking toward me "I was looking for you." "Really? I thought you would be happy if I got lost and you wouldn't have to see me again" I snapped resentful. As if he didn't hear me "let's go home" he said. Standing up "What if I don't want to?" I know I was being childish but I was angry and just wanted an apology or an explanation. He shot me a hard glare "You better listen to me or you won't like what I will do to you" he said under his breath. He was trembling, was he that angry? "Fine, you better explain to me once we are home." When we arrived to our chamber "so explain!" I said crossing my arms. "Explain what?" "Why you are behaving rudely and threatening me by saying that I won't like what you will do to me. What will you do?" I asked in a challenging tone. Surely he won't beat me, kill me or burn so what will he do? Starve me? Lock me in somewhere? He looked at me and I saw a glint in his eyes. "Maybe you will like what I will do to you" he said crossing the distance between us and backing me against the wall. A devilish smile appeared on his face as he placed his hands above my head on the wall and caged me against it with his much larger body. His spicy scent was like a drug coming off him stronger than before, intoxicating me. "I want to kiss you, to part your lips with my tongue and slide inside your mouth. I want to pin your n.a.k.e.d body underneath mine and feel you tremble while I do all kind of wicked things a man can possibly do to a woman. I want to hear soft m.o.a.ns of pleasure escape your beautiful lips" he said tracing his thumb over my lips. My breath caught in my throat as he leaned down and brushed his lips against my ear "I want to feel heat radiate from your body." God I was already aroused by his words and I couldn't breathe. I needed to get away but I felt weak in the knees so I put my hands on his chest to push him away which made him chuckle. "Why are you doing the opposite of what your body wants?" he asked. I don't know myself I just want to breathe. Maybe I am scared even though I am excited, Maybe I am not ready even though my legs are trembling. "Fine" he says as he lets me push him away "soon you will let me do all these things to you and more." He was behaving differently. Never has he approached me like this before,so straightforward. He was always slow and careful giving me time to think and breath. "I'll sleep in my room tonight otherwise I can't promise to behave myself" he says as he walks to his room. "Goodnight wife" and with that, he closes the door leaving me alone. I lay down on the bed trying to sleep but couldn't. He said he was burning with need so why did he push me away? Then he acted cold, then he told me he wanted to kiss me and do wicked things to me. I was really confused. After a while I fell asleep. "My lady, my lady wake up" I heard Ylvas voice. "Let me sleep" I said in a sleepy voice. "My lady please I need to prepare you and you have slept too long. You are not a child anymore you are a married woman." "Did she wake up?" what seemed like Lydia's voice asked. "No. I have been trying to wake her for a while." I heard the door open and then it got quiet. Finally. "Leave us. I will wake her up" a deep voice said. After a few seconds a spicy scent invaded my senses and I felt fingers remove the hair from my face placing it behind my ear. "Hazel…" "I want to sleep some more" I cut him off. "You couldn't sleep last night" he said. How did he know that? "I didn't mean to scare you." You didn't scare me. You made me want you then you hurt me then you made me angry and then aroused. God! I never felt so many feelings in one night before. "But I meant everything I said" he continued "I do want you and you will eventually admit you want me too"

I lay in the bathtub as Lydia washed my hair after Lucian had left to let me sleep some more. I knew she wanted to ask something but didn't know if she should so she was very quiet. "He kissed me" I said. Her eyes sparkled. "Really? Finally!" she said "How did it feel?" "It felt…" I remembered when our lips touched the warmth that spread through my body and when our lips separated the emptiness and coldness that came with it. I wanted more "It felt good" I said. "But you just kissed nothing more?" she asked. "No" "Don't worry there will be more" she said. "Lydia?" "Yes my lady" "How does the first time feel?" I asked. She sensed that I was worried it would hurt and that I wouldn't like it. Just the thought of being n.a.k.e.d in front of a man made my cheeks burn. "Don't worry. I am sure his highness will be gentle since he seems to care for you" she said reassuring me "trust me no man would have waited so long for the woman to agree. He would have taken you whether you liked it or not. I was actually worried for you my lady but now that I got to see his highness I am sure he is a good man and will take good care of you." Everything she said was true. He never denied me anything and treated me well. I should be more understanding toward him and try and get close to him but why am I afraid? Am I afraid of him? Or afraid of myself around him? It's like I don't have control over my body and mind around him and his gaze and scent make me feel things I have never felt before. "And you have to admit your husband is one very good looking man. I can see how the maids drool over him" she smiled "he must have a lot of mistresses" she continued but regretted it when she realized what she had said. "I am sorry" she whispered with sad eyes "I didn't mean to…" "It's fine "I cut her off "It's not like I don't know". This was just my fate as a woman. After the bath Ylva came in and helped me dress up. I really missed the way she dressed me and made my hair. She knew my taste and what suited me best so she would always make me look beautiful, but this time she made me look even more beautiful. "What is the special occasion today?" I asked. "Nothing my lady. You should always look your best since you have such a good looking husband" she said winking at me. "Thank you" I said as another maid walked in. "Her highness? Where would you like to eat your breakfast?" she asked. "In the garden" it was my favorite place. Nodding she walked away. I stood up from my seat too look myself closer in the mirror. I was wearing a wine red dress with long loose sleeves but bare shoulder. It was tight around the waist and up but loose from the waist down. It had beautiful white patterns on the chest and at the end of the sleeves. My hair was divided into two half. A straight lower half and a curlie upper half held up by silver hairpins. "Your are amazing Ylva" I said satisfied with how I looked. "As long as you are happy, my lady" she smiled. I went to the garden where breakfast had been served. "Has Luc..I mean his highness had breakfast?" I asked the maid. "No her highness. His highness went to meet the crown prince, the king is unwell" she said. If the king is unwell I should go too I thought. I knew that the quarter next to ours was the crown princes quarters so I went over. As I walked in Levi came running to me "My lady" he said with a smile "thank you for the meal last time I never got to thank you." He is such a sweet kid and well behaved. Crouching down to his level "You are welcome. How old are you?"I asked. "I am ten. My lady?" his expression suddenly changed. "Yes" "Please protect uncle Lucian" "Why?" I asked curiously. "Because if the king dies my father will kill all my uncles." My heart stopped. I knew that to become a king a prince has to kill all his brother or exile them. Unfortunately most of them or almost all killed their brother to eliminate all kind of threat to the throne. I never liked that idea but I never thought much of it. Now that Lucian was involved I felt scared and worried and absolutely hated the idea. How can brothers kill each other? "My lady" a dark manly voice came from behind. Standing up I turned around. A soldier who seemed to be a higher rank according to his clothes, maybe a general stood there. "How can I help you?" he asked. "I am looking for the crown prince and his highness Lucian" I said. "The princes have gone too visit the king and I am sorry but no one else is allowed to visit" he said politely.I had a feeling that I have seen him before. "Have we met before?" I asked. "Yes my lady. I am one of his highness Lucians men" he explained "I brought you here on your wedding day." If he was one of Lucian's men and Lucian wasn't here what was he doing here? Did he follow me? "Are you following me?" I asked. "I apologize but it's my duty to keep you safe" he said with his deep voice. Was the situation that bad? "I am commander Lincoln, please let me escort you back my lady. It's not safe for you to be here." Lincoln escorted me back to our quarters where many soldiers were gathered some of them walking back and forth and some speaking in a serious tone. Ok the situations was definitely very bad. "Are you sure his highness is fine?"I asked Lincoln. "Don't worry my lady,I am sure he is fine" he assured. "Lincoln!" a man called from behind. Turning around a found a young man with long blonde hair and blue eyes walking toward us. He was wearing a military attire and had a smile on his face. Walking closer he looked even much younger maybe seventeen or eighteen. "My lady" he said and bowed then he turned to Lincoln and they hugged each other. "I am glad you are back" Lincoln said. "Yeah so am I. It's such a pain to be with the other princes, I am happy to be back here and hopefully I will stay here with prince Lucian forever once the king dies" he said simply. "Be careful" Lincoln warned "he is not dead yet." "But his condition is very bad. He will either die tomorrow or the day after." I gasped and their gazes turned toward me. Lincoln cleared his throat "This is princess Hazel prince Lucian's wife" he said introducing me. "I guessed that" the young man said scratching his neck shyly and his eyes still avoiding me "I am Oliver. I apologize for my way of speaking. I can't keep my mouth shut" he admitted. "What happens if the kings dies?" I asked still worried about that fact "Nothing much" Oliver said shrugging his shoulders as if it was not much of a problem" we will fight for prince Lucian to take the throne" he smiled. "It not that easy" Lincoln said while my eyes landed on Lucian walking from far away. He was also wearing a military attire with a sword on his left side. He looked taller, stronger and even more dangerous wearing these clothes. His footsteps made a clicking sound that echoed through the hallway while his hair got blown away by the wind showing an expressionless face. "Your highness" Oliver smiled as Lucian walked closer and stood infront of us. "Good you are back alive" Lucian said patting Oliver's shoulder "Lincoln I will talk to you later but now I need to speak with my wife for a moment" he said as he turned his gaze to me. The men left us alone. Lucians took some steps back as his gaze traveled down by body and up again. He tilted his head a bit as his eyes glittered with amus.e.m.e.nt. "Did you dress up for me wife?" Oh God. I had forgotten how Ylva made me look. Was it too much? Maybe I overdid it. Walking closer he grabbed my chin lifting my head slightly he gazed into my eyes "you look so beautiful you make me forget all of my worries"

Lucian gazed down at Hazel as she blushed and he couldn't help but bring his hand up and caress her pink cheek with his thumb. Heavens knew how much he wanted to lean down and kiss her. She was tempting him with this red dress and her bare neck and shoulders. He had been surprised and relieved that he hadn't forced himself on her last night when his demon was in control.Seems that his demon craves Hazel as much as he does the only difference is that his demon doesn't care about Hazel's feelings while Lucian does. "Are you alright? I heard that the king is unwell" she asked worried. He had almost forgotten the big problem he had to deal with when he saw her. "Hazel, I want you to pack some clothes, we will leave the castle". He didn't want for Hazel to stay another minute here. The king could die anytime and he knew that he would be the one to be attacked first, since his brothers hated him. Hazel looked confused at him "I will explain everything on the way" he said "now hurry!". Once Hazel left Lincoln approached him "Your highness the horses are ready". "Did oliver get information on what by brothers plan to do?" Lucian asked. "Yes your highness. The crown prince is planning on attacking you first once the king dies and he has already pinned your brothers against each other, so that they kill each other and his job becomes easier". That sounded just like Pierre. Lucian had already expected that from his brother. "What did he tell them?" "That I don't know your highness. But your brothers have already began to travel to gather their allies to help them get the crown. You should do that as well." That would be the difficult part since not many would want to be his allies and help him because of the rumors about him. As if Lincoln read his thoughts he said "We should start with Maebeth kingdom." His wife's kingdom was a small kingdom that didn't have much power. Even if they agreed to help him it wouldn't be that much of a help. Lydia packed a few clothes for me while Ylva helped me get dressed into more comfortable clothes. Both were worried when I told them about the situation. Just to calm them down "everything is going to be alright" I said even though I myself wasn't sure about that. I walked out to the garden where Lucian seemed to be busy speaking to some soldiers. I just stood there staring at him. I have never seen him speak much before, he was a man of few words. Until now we never had a conversation that lasted long and I really wanted our marriage to work. "My lady" looking to my side I found a smiling Oliver approaching me. Something about him was different. He didn't look like the usually tough and silent soldier, he looked rather innocent and playful even though he was tall and looked strong. "Do you prefer a white or a black horse?" he asked. Did he expect me to ride myself? I knew that most princesses know how to ride, it was something a royalty should know but my father never even let me out let alone learn something. I was more a prisoner than a princess back home.