crown of sorrow

@ ghost-

Amarille looked back toward the castle as she heard the clock tower strike noon, humming happily as Caspian pulled her into his lap, her arms snaking around his neck as she kissed him again. Normally she'd be rushing back to make it to lunch on time, but at the moment she didn't care, and she didn't think she would care as long as Caspian was here with her.

"I like that idea.." Amarille murmured soflty in agreement, running her fingers through his hair as she drew him closer. "Three months seems too long to wait.." she murmured as she tilted his head up to capture his lips in hers again, humming happily against them. She couldn't wait until she was married to him, and even if she wasn't sure she loved him yet, she knew that soon enough she would.

---

When Rainier was finished with his lunch he decided to go check on the princess himself, knocking on her door. "Princess? Are you alright? May I come in?" He called, waiting for a bit for her answer, but when it didn't come he frowned, knocking again. "Isolde? I'm going to open the door now, alright?" He said, opening up the door slowly, peaking in. He frowned as he saw the curtains were drawn, taking a few moments to let his eyes adjust as he looked around the room, spotting the princess curled up under her blankets, the meal he'd sent uneaten on the table.

"I see you got them lunch I sent.. Princess, you really will feel better if you eat." He encouraged, stepping in and shutting the door, although he didn't let his eyes linger on her, realizing she probably wasn't dressed properly for visitors at the moment.

Caspian rose to his feet, holding Amarille and pulling her up to so she didn't fall to the ground. His lips didn't leave hers for even a second as he took a few steps to left, pushing her back up against the hedge wall of the maze. All he could think about was kissing her lips, her neck, his hands moving along her curves... He slid his hands down her hips, grabbing the fabric of her dress in his fists in bunches, pulling it up as much as he could. He knew the effort was fruitless with how long the skirt was, but he wasn't thinking at all. He just wanted to touch her.

Breathing against the skin of her neck, listening to how each of her breaths came out as little gasps had put a permanent smirk on his face. "I can't wait to make you mine," he groaned, his fingers grazing over her stockings, catching just a hint of her legs under her dress as he hiked it up.

---

Isolde had full intentions to drag herself out of bed and get dressed once again, but instead, the comfort her bed offered her won the day. She didn't even hear the adviser knocking, only being alerted to his presence once he began to speak. Pulling the covers down from her face, she pushed herself up to sit against the headrest. The straps from her silk lacey slip were dropping down her shoulders and her hair was becoming tangled at the ends.

"I fell back asleep after the maid brought it..." She looked back over to the tray of food, still trying to snap herself awake. "I feel fine, I just needed to rest." It hadn't even dawned on her how inappropriate this meeting was. The adviser being alone with her in her room was already stepping over a line, not to mention how exposed she was.

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille squeaked in surprise as he stood with her in his arms, holding onto him tightly to steady herself, although as she felt herself being pressed back against the wall of the hedge she laughed briefly against his lips before she got lost in kissing him again. When he began to bunch up her skirts her fingers tangled in his hair, drawing her closer as he kissed that spot on her neck again, her head tilting back as she moaned. She knew that this was a bad idea, that they shouldn't because the Parliament would be furious with her if they did anything, but for once she didn't care what they'd say. She wanted this, so bad.

She groaned needily as she felt his fingers graze her stockings, her own fingers moving to undo the buttons of his jacket and the shirt underneath. Soon enough his jacket was laying on the ground behind them as they kissed, his shirt open at the front so her hands could explore the skin underneath as they kissed. "I'm already yours.." she breathed against his lips, kissing him deeply before pulling back a bit, bending down a bit so that she could help him bunch up the rest of her skirt, lips pressing little kisses and bites to his chest as she did.

---

Rainier caught a glimpse of the princess in that little slip and cursed silently, feeling his cock twitch in his pants as he forced himself to look away. Now was not the time to make a move, to take advantage of her. "That's alright, princess. I'm going to open the curtains a bit, alright?" He asked, stepping over to the window to tug them partway open, shedding a bit more light into the room.

"I'm.. I'm sorry that what I said earlier upset you, Isolde. I was just trying to be honest with you." He said, risking it to look over at her as he stood near the foot of her bed. The way the straps fell over her shoulders, the way the lace barely covered those gorgeous breasts.. It was a miracle he wasn't completely hard just looking at her, although he was sure he'd conjure up this image of her later, for his own personal enjoyment.

A red tint was beginning to burn across the princes' face, his eyes steadily staring at the princess's legs, watching as she bunched up the front of her skirt, holding it the best she could at her waist. The dark stockings she wore clung to her skin and Caspian fell to his knees, kissing up her thighs as his hands smoothed over her panties, before he grabbed the stockings and tore a hole in them. Could he have just pulled them down, yes, but all he could care to do was go as fast possible. "Oops," he smirked, the quick movement on his part caused Amarille to gasp in shock.

He kissed up her thighs, holding her at the knees so she couldn't pull away from him. Her body was trembling and he could feel just how hot she was, he could only hope he wasn't making her uncomfortable. The prince pulled at her undergarments with his teeth, pushing the crotch of her panties to the side to allow him just a little bit of clearance. Sliding his hand up the inside of her thigh, he forcefully parted her legs to give him more room. Her smooth skin was soft and tender as he kissed over her mound, trailing farther south so his tongue could slide between her lips.

The princess was so warm and wet, his tongue lapping up every bit of her essence before he left her cunt, kissing back up her stomach. His light eyes glanced upwards, hoping to see a look of pure ecstasy on her face. He would be repulsed with himself if she wasn't wanting any of this.

---

Isolde blinked rapidly when light poured into the dark room, quickly pulling the straps of her slip back up over her shoulders. "You were only telling me what I already feared would come true." The princess didn't sound heartbroken anymore, just defeated on the matter. It was a cold realization she would just have to live with. While she was asleep, the only peace that had come for her was the thought that once her sister and Caspian married, that the new king and her sister would Grant her immunity from the courts heinous plans.

She could hope.

Isolde looked up at Rainier once he stood at the foot of her bed, watching as he leaned against the bedposts. "I don't want to leave my kingdom. I don't want to be forced to..." Her voice was shaking, just thinking about the atrocious princes and king's she had met in the past, especially cringing at the way she had seen princesses and Queens be treated. "I don't want a crown."

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille watched closely as Caspian moved to his knees in front of her, flushed red from arousal. She gasped when he ripped her stockings, soft whimpers escaping her as he pushed her legs apart and kissed across her thighs and mound. She was about to say something when his tongue slid across her lips, the princess gasping in pleasure as her legs trembled, bracing one hand tangling one hand in his hair while the other held up her skirts.

"C-Caspian.." she moaned his name desperately, her arousal evident by how wet she was just from his kisses, her cunt throbbing needily under his tongue. She looked down at him as he pulled back to kiss up her stomach, letting out a needy whimper as she tugged at his hair, wondering why he'd stopped. She was uncomfortable standing against the hedge, and kept having to adjust the way she was holding her skirts, but she'd stand there for hours if it meant Caspian would keep doing what he was doing. "F-Feels so good.."

---

Rainier frowned as he spoke, moving to take a seat at the edge of her bed near her, resting his hand on hers comfortingly. "I won't let them send you away, Isolde. I promise you won't leave this kingdom unless you want to." He promised, squeezing her hand. Of course, he'd hope that she would marry him soon enough, and that he'd become King, but if she had no interest in the crown all the better for him, as she wouldn't try to question his rule.

"Then let's continue..." He whispered, reaching up and grabbing Amarille's hand away from her dress. The prince was thrilled to know the princess was enjoying herself, to know that he was pleasing her. Caspian gently pulled on her hand, his free hand reaching out to grab her waist when she was within his grasp. The couple gently toppled to the ground, the prince quick to take control of the situation as he rolled over and crawled over Amarille.

His hands pushed the skirt of her dress back up until it was bunched up around her waist. He let his hands graze back down her thighs, leaning over to trail his lips down her stomach, leaving small soft kisses in his wake.

"Where were we ...?" His hands pulled her legs apart once more, before he brought a hand to his crotch, rubbing his hardening cock. "You are so beautiful," he breathed, kissing over her mound while his other hand spread her open, his thumb rubbing gently over her clit. The prince continued kissing south until he could lick over her lips, moving his hand away so his tongue could find her clit.

---

Isolde looked up at Rainier through her eyelashes, feeling her heart in her throat. "You won't? You promise? Can you even promise that?" The princess seemed to relax a bit at his words. She hoped she could trust him, but she saw what trusting him had gotten her last time. Biting down on her bottom lip, she glanced across her room and caught a glance at herself. She wasn't scared to be so underdressed in front of a man, but how messy and tangled her hair had gotten in her sleep was another thing.

"Eugh," she made a disgusted face at herself in the mirror, before pulling her hand away from Rainier so she could force herself to get out of bed. The princess grabbed her brush from her vanity, leaning against the table as she brushed out her hair. Her slip hiked further up her legs as she leaned against the vanity. Isolde wasn't sure if she was just too distracted in her own head to care that she was so exposed to her adviser, or if she felt like it was just okay because how he had been acting towards her.

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille blushed brightly as he tugged her close, holding onto him tightly as they toppled to the ground, her lips finding his as she helped him push her skirts up. Her hair had fallen out of its braid at some point and framed her face where she laid in the grass, kissing him deeply as he moved to hover over her, blushing as he called her beautiful and she noticed how he was touching himself through his pants.

She bit her lip excitedly as he tugged her legs apart, reaching her hand out to touch him, wanting to pleasure him too, but before she could he'd leaned down and was pleasuring her again, causing her to moan as she grabbed at the grass. "C-Caspian.." she moaned, tangling her fingers in his hair as he began to tease her clit.

---

Rainier nodded as she looked up at him, brushing his fingers against her cheek briefly. "I promise, I'll do all that I can." He offered her a little smile, noticing her face change when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. He chuckled at the face she made, watching as she got up and moved over to her vanity to brush out her hair, although he was surprised when she didn't do anything to cover herself up. His eyes raked over her body again, taking in that tiny slip, her long legs..

He cleared his throat a bit awkwardly as he stood, adjusting his pants to attempt to hide his arousal, although it wasn't too bad. "Would you like your lunch, princess? I had them prepare something you liked, in the hopes it would get you to eat.. I should leave you, if you're alright, that is?"

Caspian let his tongue explore her folds for a few minutes longer, flicking his tongue over her clit every once in a while. For the most part, he just enjoyed himself, enjoyed feeling Amarille's body trembling underneath of him, enjoyed hearing her try to fight back her moaning. His hand moved between his legs, unbuttoning his trousers to give his erection more room.

The prince pulled away, replacing his tongue with his fingers once again. Two fingers massaged and circled her clit, while he used his other hand to push his curly blonde hair out of his face, tucking strands roughly behind his ears. "Are you going to come for me, princess?" He teased, pressing his body against hers, pushing his cock into her leg as he kissed her roughly.

---

Isolde glanced up from the floor, fixing her eyes on the adviser as he spoke about leaving. "You didn't come all the way to my room just to make sure I'd eat ." Isolde didn't believe he would just come to check on her just because she was upset, he wanted something. She sat the brush back down on her vanity and ran her fingers through the ends of her wavy hair.

Her mouth went dry when she tried to ask him why he was being so... She couldn't even think of a word for it. Sweet, but also confusing. Butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach again as she pushed herself away from the vanity, stepping back towards the bed. Isolde glanced down and noticed how his trousers has grown a bit tighter over his crotch. Her eyes shot back to his as she crawled back up onto her bed. "Rainier, do you... Why... You've been acting weird towards me the last few days. Like holding my hands and things... Why?"

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille was a squirming mess under him as his fingers rubbed her clit, whimpering needily as she looked up at him, eyes filled with arousal and desperation, especially when she saw his free hand at his cock. "So big.." She kissed him back just as roughly, moaning into his mouth as she felt his erection press against her leg, reaching down to stroke him slowly as he continued to tease her.

"I-Im so close, Caspian..." She breathed between kisses, humming in pleasure before breaking their kiss to look up at him, spreading her legs wider as a blush heated up her cheeks. "Will.. Will you rub it against me?" She asked nervously, glancing down toward his cock. "I-I know you can't put it inside, but I want to feel it.. Please." She begged, attempting to shift her hips so he'd have a better angle to do what she wanted.

---

Rainier frowned as she spoke, shaking his head. "That's not true, princess. I was worried about you." He said as he watched her brush her fingers through her hair before she moved back over to her bed. He shifted awkwardly when he realized she'd noticed the bulge in his pants, having enough sense to let a faint blush appear on his cheeks. "I apologise, princess, please forgive me for being indecent." He said, considering how to answer her questions.

"Over the years I've considered your family my own. You've become a beautiful young woman, and I'd be a fool to not notice it. I supposed I've just let myself get carried away the past few days. I've worried about how you have handled your parents deaths, and now that your sister is the center of attention, I wanted to make sure that you were alright.. Please, forgive me if I've overstepped. I'm your advisor first, I ought to push any personal feelings aside."

Caspian thought for a moment about how horrible of an idea that was, wondering if he would be able to control himself but it was an invitation he wasn't going to pass on. Pulling his cock from his trousers, he pressed his tip against her, rubbing it gently up and down her slit. The head of his cock was glistening wet from rubbing against her and the more he stroked his length the more he had to fight the urge to push it inside of her.

He tried to distract himself from his own building climax as he watched her body writhe and tremble atop the grass. His breath was heavy as he moaned, feeling a tightness in his core and his thighs tensing. "Fucking gorgeous..." He breathed, his eyes running over her face as he watched her, his heart fluttering in his chest as he pumped his fist a little faster up and down his shaft. He was so close that he knew he'd have to pull off of her soon.

---

Isolde wasn't sure how to react, but she also wasn't sure how she felt about his answer. She had expected him to lie, accuse her of imagining things, anything other than admit to having feelings for her. The princess knew she felt something for him, but it could just be puppy love brought on by his sudden interest in her. Isolde did found herself forgetting to breathe often around Rainier, just a glance from his dark eyes enough to cause her heart to stop. Not to mention, he did have a way with words and a charm about him that did make him hard to resist.

"No need for apologies." Isolde whispered, noticing how his face had turned a bit pink. "You don't have to leave do you?" She was almost shocked by her own words, once again speaking before really thinking about what she was saying. The princess couldn't help but wonder about these personal feelings of his, wondering how deep they ran. Isolde sat up on her knees and reached out for Rainier's hand, pulling him gently to get him closer to the bed again.

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille knew it wasn't a good idea, knew that Caspian knew that too, but when he began to rub his cock into her folds she lost it, moaning and writhing on the grass below him as he continued to tease her clit. Her legs began to tremble, her back arching off the ground as she reached her climax, crying out his name. She'd never felt anything this good before, and she could only imagine how it would be after they were married. She pulled him in for a deep kiss as her orgasm rocked through her, knowing that he was close too.

After he spent himself she lay on the grass catching her breath, holding onto him tightly as they came down from their highs. Shifting a little she buried her face into the crook of his neck, a blush heating up her cheeks. "That was... W-We need to be married soon."

---

Rainier was surprised at how well she'd taken his confession, even more so when she asked him to stay. Of course, he expected her to put a dressing gown or something on and invite him to sit with her while she ate, and most certainly did not expect her to take his hand and pull her toward her bed.

"Your highness, I'm not sure that this is appropriate." He stated as he stepped forward as she pulled him closer, frowning a bit as he looked at her. "I shouldn't be in here alone, especially not when you're undressed.. If any of the other parliament members knew, I'd lose my head "

Caspian rolled over on his back, feeling the hot sun beating down on his bare chest. His breath was quick and heavy and he was finding it hard to calm himself back down. Glancing over towards the princess as she pressed herself against him, hiding her face in his neck, he couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes. As soon as possible."

The smile that had broken out across his face was still there as he closed his eyes, thinking about what bliss he would be in after their marriage. It could only feel better than this and already, he felt like he was lying on clouds. It only made him more proud to hear she had enjoyed herself too, that he had really, truly pleased her. "I'm sure if we rush through our courtship too soon, your court might grow wary of us, but maybe we could mention it by the weeks end."

---

"Relax, Rainier," she whispered, "We won't get caught. If it will make you feel better I can get dressed." Isolde chewed on her lip, still holding onto his hand. Lying in bed the majority of the day hadn't helped the princess feel better at all, in fact, it had done the opposite. Isolde had cried into her pillow over her sister, the predicament she found herself in and her parents. Her eyes were still glassy and slightly red and puffy. Hearing Rainier's confession about actually feeling something for her made her want his company, even if she wasn't sure how she felt. She craved to feel wanted.

"I still wish to be in my room, and I thought I wanted to be alone, but I think I'd prefer to have your company." It was impossible to speak above a whisper, hard enough already to force the words out of her mouth. Isolde wasn't used to appearing so vulnerable in front of anyone.

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille smiled as she heard him laugh, pressing a soft kiss to his neck before tilting her head to look up at him, reaching up to gently brush her fingers through his hair, just admiring him as they lay together under the sun. He looked so happy, so content, and she could only hope that they'd always be this way, even long after they married.

Rolling onto her side she draped an arm over his torso, listening to him talk about their courtship before nodding a little. "I suppose you're right.. But wouldn't they be happy that we want to marry sooner?" She asked, gently brushing her fingers against his cheek with a little smile. "I thought I'd hate you, you know.. I didn't think you'd be so kind and loving, and I was dreading having to spend the rest of my life with you.. I'm sorry I ever thought that way about you."

---

Rainier's eyes softened as he listened, and for a moment something tugged at his heart, feeling actually bad for the princess. With a sigh he nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. "I'll stay, princess. But maybe put on a robe? That way if anyone else comes in, they won't think anything dubious is going on." He offered her a little smile, gently squeezing her hand again, wanting to reassure her that he wouldn't leave if she didn't want him to.

While he was very pleased with this development, knowing that if she was asking him to stay, that that likely meant she was beginning to fall for him, but he worried about the way he was feeling about her. Especially how concerned he'd been over the past hour or two for her. He didn't care about her, he only wanted her for the throne.

Caspian let his fingers run up and down his side as he listened, not surprised by her fears. "It's only natural, I don't blame you for being worried about the type of man I would be." He glanced down at her, watching as the gentle breeze picked up a few pieces of loose strands of her hair. "You surprised me, too. I thought you might be boring."

The prince laughed, letting his head fall back to look back up to the clouds. He imagined their wedding, hoping vaguely that his parents would come and that his brothers would to. They had been so happy to get rid of him that he was sure they wouldn't make an appearance. He still wanted to make sure their wedding was a happy celebration between two people who loved each other, surrounded by people who loved them.

"So, what does the lovely princess have left to do today?" Caspian licked his bottom lip, still able to faintly taste her. He ran his hand up her back, bringing his eyes back down from the sky to stare back down at his love.

---

Isolde glanced down at her slip, before blowing a strand of hair out of her face and sliding out of bed once more. She crossed the room to the adjoined bathroom, stepping inside to grab her robe off of the side of the bathtub. She pulled it on and tied it loosely at her waist, letting the collar hang open loosely.

Moving over to the tray that the servant had left by her bed, Isolde grabbed a few slices of the cut up apple, before sitting down at the small table in the center of her room. "I don't think you're worried about someone barging into my room, no one ever does. Why are you nervous around me?"

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille couldn't help but join in on his laughter as they talked about how worried they'd both been, smiling as his fingers ran up and down her side. "I think I'm incredibly boring, though. So don't get your hopes up too soon." She teased, pressing a kiss to his cheek before settling back down, gazing up at the clouds with him. She hummed softly when he asked about what she wanted to do with the rest of their day, taking a moment to think.

"Well, we should probably head back to the castle for lunch. And then maybe we could take that nap we talked about? I'm sure you're exhausted." She smiled over at him, reaching over to lace her fingers through his. "We could always talk about our wedding..? Or what we'll do after."

---

Some of the tension in Rainier's shoulders eased when she returned wearing her robe, grabbing the tray and carrying it over to the table where she'd taken her seat, setting it down before taking a seat across from her. He was glad to see her eating something, but he'd be happier if she ate a little more than just some apple slices.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable, princess." He explained when she asked, taking a slice of apple for himself. "I was your father's advisor, and now I serve you and your sister. I wouldn't want you to think that I'm trying to take advantage of you."

Caspian turned his head to the side, peering into Amarille's eyes. "What we'll do after?" He repeated it as if there was so much he wanted to say. "What would you want to do once your queen?" The prince figured it would be more interesting to hear what she had in mind, rather than speak about how he wanted to dismiss the majority of her court.

He ran his fingers along hers as they intertwined, his thumb gently rubbing over the back of her hand. When Caspian was finally king, all he wanted to do was make sure Amarille was completely comfortable in her own home and confident sitting on her throne, ruling her people. He didn't want rats and vultures whispering in her ear, trying to guide her hand. All he wanted to do was make sure that she made right decisions.

---

"Are you trying to take advantage of me, Irving?" Isolde teased him with his last name, her loaded question not baring any real malice. If she was smart, though, she would lean into her own question and actually reconsider why Rainier would all of a sudden seem so interested in her. The princess looked across the table at him, unable to ignore just how handsome he was. It did make her wonder what it would be like if she did find herself falling for Rainier. It wasn't impossible... He was a handsome man, smart, seemed kind enough....

Still, Isolde found herself thinking back to Merek, even if falling for someone like Rainier would be easier. "You didn't make me uncomfortable," she took a bite of apple and thought back to his erection, "but I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille smiled at him as he turned to look at her, her free hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair from his eyes. "Hm.. I don't know. I want to help you become a great king, like my father. Oh, do you know where you'll want to have our rooms?" It was tradition for the king to decide what section of the castle he and his family had their bedrooms, offices and other areas, and she was looking forward to finding out where he wanted theirs to be. "My father chose the same rooms my grandfather did, and his grandfather before him, so that would be a more traditional route, but you can choose anywhere, since you're king." She smiled, leaning over to peck a kiss to his cheek.

When Amarille heard the clock tower again in the distance she sighed, forcing herself to sit up as she smoothed out her dress. "I suppose we better head back, especially if we want to eat before dinner."

---

Rainier smirked at her teasing, glad to see that she was feeling better. "Not at all, your highness." He chuckled as he took a bite of his slice of apple. Of course, if she really pressured him on the question she'd probably figure out that he was, in fact, trying to take advantage of her, but luckily for him she wasn't.

He shook his head when she mentioned being uncomfortable. "I'm not, don't worry about me. I just don't want to step out of line, princess." He explained with a smile, finishing his bite of apple before reaching for another. "So, where do you think the prince and princess have run off to instead of going to lunch?"

Caspian sat up and began buttoning his shirt back up, before standing to his feet and grabbing his jacket from the ground. He shook it off before sliding it back on, turning to offer Amarille a hand up. "I suppose we could stick with the traditional route, if you prefer." Caspian linked arms with the princess once she was back up on her feet. "But does the room have a good view?" He laughed as he led Amarille back through the maze.

Once they were out of the gardens and back into the castle, Caspian dropped her arm and crossed his over his chest. "You said you wanted to eat, princess?" He asked, guiding her towards the feast hall. He stopped her outside the doors and motioned for her to go sit, "I'll head down to the kitchens and ask them to prepare us something fresh." The prince watched Amarille head for the table, before he turned and headed a little farther down the hall, taking a small flight of stairs down to the kitchen.

He returned, about fifteen minutes later, with a pitcher and two goblets in his hands, followed by a servant carrying their meals. Caspian sat down next to Amarille, placing a cup in front of her before pouring her a glass of lemonade. "One of the cooks downstairs told me this was your favorite?" It had been a couple of hours since everyone else had eaten, the feast hall was completely empty except for the princess, the prince and the handmaiden currently tending to them.

---

Isolde crossed one leg over the other, relaxing back in her chair as she smirked, "Probably ran off somewhere looking for some privacy." The princess could think of a few places her sister liked to disappear too when she didn't want to be found, but she wasn't about to rattle them off to Rainier. She had learned her lesson there. "I'm surprised she actually seems to like him so much."

The princess crossed her arms over her chest, staring down at the tray of food, not really having an appetite. She didn't think there was anything wrong with the prince, he seemed like a lovely boy. Isolde was just shocked that the first suitor the court tried shoving on her, she actually was fond of. Isolde supposed it also made her happy for her sister though, relieved that she wasn't being forced to marry some kind of monster.

The clock tower rang from the middle of the kingdom and Isolde turned her head to look out the window. It was already three in the afternoon? "I suppose I'm probably keep you from something?" Isolde sighed gently, turning back to look at Rainier.

@ katahdin

@ ghost-

Amarille thanked Caspian for his help up, pressing a kiss to his cheek before smoothing out her dress, brushing any dirt and grass off as well as taking a moment to braid her hair loosely over her shoulder and help him adjust his shirt and jacket on properly, a faint blush on her cheek at the memory of what they'd done to become so disheveled. She smiled as she linked her arm through his and began the walk back to the castle, laughing a little as he asked about the view of the room. "Hm. It's not as good of a view as the one in the room that I showed you last night, but the room is much bigger and fancier, so that must count for something. I can give you a better tour of the rooms, if you'd like to see them."

She nodded when he asked about eating, letting him lead her to the dining hall, where she was both surprised and pleased to see was empty, having half expected a few lingering members of parliament to be there to harass her for being late. She nodded when he said he'd go to the kitchens to get them something to eat, taking her usual seat at the table and pouring them each a glass of water from a pitcher left at the table while she waited. She looked up when he returned, smiling as he watched him come over with a pitcher of lemonade and fill her glass, a little blush appearing on her cheeks as he asked if it was her favorite.

"Yes, it is.. My grandmother used to have them make the lemonade pink, but father always hated it, so they don't do it anymore." She laughed, thanking the handmaid that set their meals down in front of them, sipping her lemonade while she waited for them to be alone again. She liked spending time with him like this, away from everyone who would judge her and manipulate her, and she was hopeful that once they married they would live a long happy life together.

---

Rainier chuckled at Isolde's statement, shaking his head a little as he leaned back in his seat. "Your sister doesn't strike me as the kind to get caught sneaking around with a boy in the bushes." He smirked, finishing his second slice of apple. "Who knows, maybe she's just pretending to like him for everyone else's sake." He suggested. It seemed odd to him that she'd taken to the first suitor that they'd shoved at her, especially because he'd been hoping that she would refuse them all, which would force the parliament to perhaps give Isolde the crown.

He looked toward the window when he heard the clock tower chime, sitting up a bit in his seat. "It is getting late.. But you're not keeping me, princess. I'm happy to stay as long as you want me to." He smiled charmingly, pushing the tray of food a bit closer. "You should eat at least a little more, though. Dinner is still hours away."

Caspian had left Amarille not long after their late lunch, letting her go off to deal with some of the responsibilities that a soon-to-be queen must deal with. He hadn't really wanted to leave her alone to go speak with the vulturous men of her court, but the princess had insisted that the prince take a nap before dinner and Caspian hadn't been able to argue with her. The dark circles under his eyes had only gotten worse throughout the day and by the time they were walking around the halls of the castle after their lunch, he was shuffling along as slowly as a zombie.

The prince had given Amarille a small kiss on the top of her hand before disappearing from her side, returning to his room on the west side of the castle. He had promised to meet back up with her around dinner, but the prince would not be able to keep that promise.

Caspian locked his bedroom door, undressing out of his clothes from the day and then slipped underneath the different blankets and silk sheets. The sun was already beginning to set, the full moon slowly becoming more visible as the sky darkened. Caspian relaxed into the bed, feeling every muscle and bone of his body aching and throbbing, but he decided to blame it on his lack of sleep. Surely his body was sure sore and hurting from how long it had been going and nothing more.



Isolde had finally allowed Rainier to leave her room, deciding she had kept the adviser for far too long. She had finally succumbed to his nagging about eating more of the food he had brought and once she had, she freed herself from his company, giving him the excuse that she wanted to bathe before dinner. Rainier had stopped her at the door again to caress her face, glancing around the hall before kissing her hand and then leaving. She didn't understand him. Closing her bedroom and locking it, the princess hurried to her bathroom, grabbing the most simple dress she owned.

The princess had decided that she would not be joining the others for dinner, figuring that the best time to sneak out from the castle now would be during times everyone was gathered together. If Rainier was busy with his colleagues and eating, his mind shouldn't be wondering what she was up to. Her hands were trembling as she dressed herself, throwing on a vivid green cloak over her shoulders and glancing out the window to her balcony, seeing the guards stationed below on the ground. Cursing under her breath, she left her room, locking the door tightly, before heading out of the castle using one of the other numerous paths she had at her disposal.

Before leaving the castle, she did slip a note under her sisters door.

I won't be at dinner. Going to see Merek. Make up an excuse for me? xxx



Twenty minutes into dinner, it was obvious that the young prince and the younger princess were not going to make appearances. George, another one of the many members of parliament, cleared his throat before looking around the table, resting his eyes on Princess Amarille. "I assume the prince isn't feeling very well, we had someone knock on his door earlier before dinner with no answer, but... where is your sister?" The man didn't sound pleased in the slightest, glancing towards the men sitting on either side of him. "Has anyone checked her room? She didn't show during lunch at either."

It was clear the parliament members weren't very happy with her, grumbling among themselves as they all wondered why she was too busy to come for dinner.

Meanwhile, the prince they had also asked about, was writhing in pain and torture atop his bed, his skin splitting and his bones breaking to allow entry for the beast that was awakening under the light of the full moon. Caspian screamed out in pain, his cries of anguish morphing into a beastly roar as he fully transformed, claws ripping through the sheets on his bed and destroying the frame as he rose to his feet. The beast flung himself from the open window, down into the courtyard where he mauled and viciously attacked the few guards stationed there, before he reveled in the glowing moonlight.

@ katahdin