Love, and Other Torture Devices

“Just, slide down."

Almira's eyes narrow, "does this amuse you, Edmund?"

He shakes his head, attempting not to smile. "I'm not going to let you fall, Almira."

"You might."

"I got you all the way here and you didn't fall."

One of her eyebrows rises, "you weren't catching me sliding off a horse that's over twelve hands tall."

Edmund puts his arms up, "Almira."

"Edmund," she says, both of her feet freely dangling over the side of the tied horse.

"Sometime today, please."

Almira's face falls. "If I fall--"

"You won't."

Slowly, Almira pushes herself off of the horse.

Edmund catches her waist in his hands, slowly letting himself smirk. Poorly imitating her voice, he scrunches his nose, "if I fall."

"Put me down, Edmund." Almira says, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"As you wish, my Lady."

Almira brushes her dress off before accepting Edmund's arm and walking toward the noisy area.

"Prince Edmund," a man bows. "Thank you so much for coming today."

"Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Asher." Edmund nods. "I hope you don't mind, I brought my fiancée to watch the show as well."

The middle aged man nods eagerly, "of course. It's lovely to meet you, Princess Almira."

Almira contains her smile when the man addresses her and kisses her hand, "likewise."

"We didn't expect you to bring our future Queen with you, Your Highness. We'll rush to get another chair for her."

Edmund shakes his head, "no rush, Mr. Asher. My chair is big enough for the both of us."

He slowly nods and bows, "of course, Your Highness."

Almira lets Edmund drag her along and up a small set of steps. She looks around the circular pit -- there is a small crowd of people there to watch, as well, but they are all ground level. The platform that she and Edmund are on is surrounded by the gentlemen who escorted them from the castle.

"Almira," Edmund says quietly.

Looking away from the tied bear in the pit, Almira looks to see Edmund sitting in the throne-like chair. "What?"

"Come sit."

She walks over and stands beside the chair, "there's no room."

Edmund stares up at her.

"I am not sitting on your knee, Edmund." Almira says, looking at the pit.

He leans slightly, grabbing her wrist. "I'm not asking you to."

Almira leans down slightly, "I'm not some whore, Edmund. You're clearly mistaken."

"Or maybe you're mistaken. You're going to be my wife in less than two months. Sharing a seat with me would be far from the action of a whore."

She shakes her head, “it’s not sharing a seat, it’s sitting on your knee. Those are two completely different actions.”

“Almira,” Edmund growls under his breath, “do you really think I would do something that would make you look like a whore?”

She shrugs, “I don’t know.”

“Almira.”

“Edmund.”

He licks his lips, leaning back into the cushioned chair and releasing his grip on her wrist. Diverting his gaze for a moment, he slowly moves his glare back toward Almira.

The young woman looks away when Edmund’s blue eyes piece her own, darker, eyes. She licks her lips, slowly bowing her head.

The prince’s voice is calmer when he speaks again. “Almira.”

The ease in his tone does not calm Almira’s nerves. She slowly looks up, though, almost whispering when she speaks, “Edmund.”

Not saying a word, Edmund puts his hand out.

Placing her hand in Edmund’s, Almira lets her eyes meet his for just a moment.

Edmund gently pulls Almira closer to his throne with a smirk dancing on his lips.

Tucking a strand of long hair behind her ear, Almira lets Edmund practically pull her onto his left leg.

“See those people?” Edmund speaks quietly.

Almira nods, turning her head to look at her makeshift seat. “Yes. What about them?”

“Those are our people and one day, they will bow down to us.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Almira looks back across the pit. The amount of people at least doubled from the moment before.

“You will be their queen,” Edmund smiles, gently digging his fingers into her side.

Almira feels his hard fingers through her corset and dress.

“Does that not excite you?”

She nods quickly, putting a small, tight lipped smile on her face. “It excites me… very much.”