***
The tournament is over an hour ago. And now, I stroke the mane of my mare, waiting for Sean to come down to the stable. Soon, we will depart to my house.
It’ll be over. But still I don’t feel happy or content. There is niggling voice in my head that tell me I miss something.
What is it?
Thinking back, I still remember the first time I met him. I was thirteen and he was nineteen. His face was taut, hard and scowling that time. And he was silent most of the time, letting his late father carrying the conversation. I thought he hated me back then. But my mother said that he had to give up something dear in order to follow his father wish. Silly of me, I didn’t understand what that meant. But years later, I know that he must be had someone he loved back then, and his father force him to be affianced with a child instead.
In that first meeting, the only nice thing he said was I played harp beautifully. I believe him of course. And for next few years, I try my hardest to play better. Maybe, he not really meant it, or he merely being polite. But he seemed enjoying listening to my play whenever his father force him to visit.
I sigh heavily. He confuses me. I hope he tells me if he like me or not, like other those young men. But again, I find those young men’s attention annoying at times.
I glance up to sky; the sun is descent rapidly in the west.
Where is he now? Should I drag him down? Yes, maybe I should.
With new determination, I walk back to White Tower. I walk as fast as a lady permitted to. And I throw his door open without knocking.
Immediately, I avert my eyes, and I feel myself blushing. He just finished his bath, and now, he is standing almost naked. He stands barred chested, tall and well-muscled. I think I am lucky that he wears a trouser.
Lucky? Really?
“I don’t hear knocking sound, my lady,” he drawls, “My hearing must be very bad these days.” I can hear amusement in his voice.
I glance back at him, trying to force my gaze to his face instead of to his bared skin, down there.
“We are supposed to go to my father house. Don’t you remember, my lord?” I ask with gritted teeth.
His brows furrowed, “Ah,” he says as if just remember it.
I try to tame my rising anger, and only stare dagger at him.
“You seem so eager to be done with me,” he says softly.
“Don’t you?”
Instead of answering my question, he says, “Who is he? Is it John? Or that boy who gives you red rose?” His voice is raising now.
“I am not like you. I don’t dally while I have fiancé,” I answer haughtily.
I see his eyes narrowed dangerously. Maybe I bit harsh to him. I never heard he dally with anyone before, save Lady Raina. But it might be untrue too.
“Do you think I am?” He walks closer to me. “You’re the one who flirt with my cousin outrageously. And he is not the only one, I hear. I am sure there are scores of them in this very castle. Am I wrong, my lady?”
It seems my fiancé not completely clueless or don’t care about my activity. But scores? My admirers are not that many.
Instead of hurt, I can help but feeling warmth and giddy.
“John is friend, and your cousin beside,” I say, and try my best not to grin. “But I can’t say the same with Lady Raina.”
“Oh Gods, her again.”
“Do you love her?” I ask weakly, afraid of his answer.
He comes near; we are toe to toe now. He tilts my chin, he glances down at me, and our eyes meet.
“I feel flattered that you jealous of her,” he smiles briefly.
“I am n— ”
He puts his finger in my lips. “Yes, you are,” he says softly.
“I just don’t like people takes what is mine.”
He closes his eyes for a moment. “Fine,” he rasps as he open his eyes again. I see a flicker of silver in his pale brown eyes.
“We’ll go to your father,” he adds and walks away, putting his tunic back, covering his naked skin.
Is that all? I don’t know why, but I feel disappointed.
“Why you send me those stones?” I ask him.
He halts his movement, leaving his tunic hanging open and looking back at me. “You stopped sending me a letter,” he says curtly, and then he back fastening his clothes.
“Letter?”
“Yes, your silly letters. I happen to love them,” he pauses, “I don’t mean to say silly. It just… you know, entertaining… something like that…” he adds apologetic.
I remember those letters. It started when I was fourteen, the time the Oracles discovered that I had the gift to control element. And my family sent me here, to Varan Castle, to start my training as disciple. I was bored to death so I sent letter to everyone, and he was one of them.
“Why did you stop anyway?” he asks.
I smile weakly. “Because I know it’s silly. My mother told me so.”
He scowls a little. And oddly, I like when he does it. Maybe, I really have an odd taste of men.
“When someone in the thick of war, sometimes we need a bit of silliness,” he says solemnly.
It was war with neighboring kingdoms in the north, war that lasted almost three years.
“I thought I wouldn’t come back alive,” he smiles sadly. “I know many didn’t.”
He draws near me again. “If that so, you will be my brother bride not mine,” he adds.
Do you really prefer death than become my husband?
I feel like an invisible hand squeeze my heart. It is hurt.
“Let’s go, my lady,” he says as he walks to the door.
“Wait,” I stop him. I clutch his arm.
Can’t you at least try to love me? I want to ask.
“Kiss me,” I blurt. And seeing his shocked face, I add, “I never have been kissed before.
With long stride, he comes to me, and a grin playing in his sensual lips.
“And it seems not right as affianced la—”
He pulls me and cuts me with a kiss. It is gentle at first. He nibbles my lower lips, coaxing my lips to open. Then, he pulls me closer to his embrace.
Without I realize, he back me to the wall, and I feel his wandering hand everywhere.
“Is this what you want, my lady?” he asks with ragged breath.
“Yes…” I say amid the mad thud of my heart. “Will you marry me, my lord?”
He chuckles. “I should the one doing the asking,” he says while kissing my cheek, my jaw and down to my neck.
“It’s a yes, then,” I say breathless.
“I am doing a poor job if you’re still asking,” he says while raining kisses below my neck, and down still.
I catch my breath.
Oh, may.
I can feel he is doing his best to convince me now.
Oh, definitely, we should do this sooner.
***
Summer has come. Even as I lay down below the shade of a big oak tree, I still feel the scalding heat of the sun.
“I hate summer,” I mutter.
“Really?” asks Sean who lie down beside me. “If you feel hot, why don’t you take off your clothes?”
I turn to look at his grinning face. But his smile dies as fast as it comes.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Prince Rhys,” he says softly.
“It’ll be fine,” I say, I take his hand in mine.
“I hope so. But I am afraid war will break soon.”
I turn my body, and stay on my elbow, hovering over him.
“Let’s get married,” I say. I trace his lips with my finger.
He leans up, takes my cheek in his large hand, and brings my lips down to his.
“As your command, my lady,” he says between kisses.
The End
Another Books by Seoran Worg:
The Prince’s Shadows
Whispering Shadows
The Shadow’s Heart (upcoming)
Mai
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The Prince’s Shadows
The faceless Prince Lex, is the last pure blood and the heir of the throne, but many want him dead. The danger is lurking in the shadows, ready to catch him unaware.
In desperate attempt to protect her son, Empress Sera creates the Shadows. They are young men, with uncanny resemblance with her son. They should die and live for him, or so they supposed to be.
In the midst of political feud and imminent war, emerge a Hallowed, the powerful Blessed Warrior, and the first in two hundred years. She is Ava Worg, the seventeen years old daughter of a traitor. And she wants the empress pardon desperately.
Will she become the empire’s savior? Or its downfall instead?
A prince, a shadow and a rebel, they are thrown together by fate…
This is story of palace intrigues, royalty, power, and the struggle between duty and love. It is a journey of lost, a journey to find one place in the world, and what the meaning of sacrifice for the greater good is.
Whispering Shadows
In a land far away, in a land so different with our own, it is in a land where magic exist and alive.
For hundreds years, Varr Empire is led by The Varr family. People believe they are half a God. And they are blessed with beauty and gift to control elements: Wind, Ice and Fire.
They are in decades of war with neighboring nation, and now they are in peril, for their empress is in the brink of dead.
The Rebel – She is fierce Blessed Warrior, but she runs off with her rebel lover, eluding the empress army, and shirking her duty for love.
The child – She is child who comes from far away land. Driven by her gift of sight she comes, bringing her little brother, and crossing the west sea to the land of Gods.
The Princess – Now is a turbulent time. With the empress under the spell, the heavy burden of the empire is fallen to her shoulder.
One of them will wake up the empress.
This is journey of love and loss, a journey unraveling the past.
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