The Last Princess of Lorrea Ch. 06

Henry looped his arm in hers, essentially supporting her down the stairs, ignoring her attempts to disentangle herself from him. He bent his head towards her ear, "You are gorgeous when you blush, do you know that? quite ravishing" he whispered, causing her to blush even deeper as she managed to suppress a shudder of revulsion.

They had reached the entrance hall, their footsteps echoing across the flagstone floor. Henry paused before the doors to the dining hall. "Now do you remember our agreement? That you keep a civil tongue?" he asked, his eyes piercing hers.

"I will if you will" she snapped. Why did she do that? Elena berated herself for her lack of filter. She really intended to say yes, even though she silently screamed no.

The Prince's eyes narrowed into slits. He thrust his hand to the junction of her sex and thighs while placing a steadying hand on her ass. Elena whimpered as he increased the pressure of his hand between her legs.

"Come again?" he growled.

"Yes! Yes! I will!" she gasped, squirming against his increasing pressure.

"Good girl" he growled. "Now, you are to enter behind me and speak only when spoken to- understood?" he asked, lifting her face by one finger under her chin.

"Yes" she mumbled, jerking her chin from his finger..

Satisfied with her answer, the prince nodded at the young boys posted outside the door. One of them pulled the doors open as the other announced their presence to the room.

"May I present, Henry, Prince of Kravaolia and Elena, the former Princess of Lorrea" said one of the boys in a loud voice.

Elena looked up, balling her hands into fists at such an introduction. She expected to see many more people but she spotted just two, the King and Caspian, standing beside a elegantly decorated table set for four. Such strange customs, she thought. Why announce when everyone in the room knows you? Egos, she decided. Over inflated egos. Henry strode into the room, Elena following him a few feet behind.

"Henry my boy, move aside, you are hiding the girl!" the king called, laughter in his voice. Henry moved aside, allowing the king to set eyes on the daughter of his fallen enemy. The king was dressed in robes of blood red velvet, which stretched across his large stomach. As King Xander approached her, Henry placed a hand on her shoulder, increasing the pressure. Elena understood the meaning but resisted nonetheless. Henry increased the pressure suddenly, causing her to issue a sharp cry, before she sunk to her knees in a bow. Henry lessened the pressure but his hand remained on her shoulder as his father approached.

"Just as stubborn as your father, I see" the king commented, as he lifted her chin between his fat fingers. "You are a pretty one, aren't you? Playing hide and seek in the forest's trees agrees with you my dear" he said, his words making her wince.

"Where are my manners? This is my nephew, Lord Caspian" the king said, bringing him forwards.

"We've met" said Caspian, his cold blue eyes looking into hers with such intensity that she looked away.

Henry removed his hand from her shoulder, permitting her to rise, yet Elena kept her eyes downcast, terrified of catching Caspian's piercing eyes.

"Shall we eat then?" said the king, indicating that everyone should sit down. The king sat at the head of the table, his son and nephew on either side of him. One of the uniformed boys pulled out a chair beside Henry, opposite Caspian, indicating that she should sit there.

Elena sat, her stomach in knots. Her situation didn't seem real to her, how could it be that she was sitting at a dinner table with those responsible with the murder of her people, her family? Why, just a few days ago she was alone and sleeping in a tree. Now she was surrounded by murderers. She bit her lip to keep the tears at bay as a wave of emotion threatened to engulf her.

The three men were tearing into their food, drinking deeply from their goblets while talking of the war. Elena went to her safe place again, where she imagined she was up a leafy tree back home with her parents.

"Henry, why doesn't she eat anything?" asked Caspian, feigning a sudden interest in her. He had been watching Elena out of the corner of his eye ever since she had arrived. He knew she was avoiding him out of fear.

Henry looked over at Elena, recognising that familiar vacant look. He placed a hand on her thigh, squeezing it suddenly, causing her head to snap up. Immediately she caught Caspian's hard gaze and looked back down at her empty plate.

"Eat Princess" Henry commanded, as he filled her plate with whatever was in reach.

"I.. I can't" she whispered hoarsely, she felt like her stomach was full of lead.

"I know you Lorrean's are all about etiquette, so where are your manners Princess? Isn't it rude to refuse food and drink in the company of others?" Caspian asked mockingly, his eyes narrowed maliciously, as the King chortled in response.

"Eat Princess" Henry repeated, his voice losing its soft edge, as he squeezed her thigh again.

Elena picked up her fork, speared a roasted potato and nibbled on it. She felt Henry remove his hand as he resumed the conversation. When she finished the potato, she lay down the fork, hoping that they would leave her be. Henry noticed this out of the corner of his eye and pulled her wine goblet towards her, touching her elbow lightly. Elena, who didn't need anymore prodding, nodded and drank from her goblet. Her first taste of wine in many years was blissful, warming her from within, she drunk deeply, draining her first cup rather quickly, which was closely followed by another.

The feast dragged on and on, Elena grew tired and slumped in her seat, only vaguely aware of the dinner conversation.

"Princess, where were you when we attacked your castle?" asked Caspian, his gaze not leaving Elena as he swirled the wine within his goblet.

The atmosphere around the table changed instantly. Elena sat up in her chair and looked up at Caspian's sneering face. "Why don't you tell me. I'm sure you were there that day, were you not?" she said, her voice bristling in anger.

Caspian didn't answer, he looked back at the princess, his lip curling into a smile.

Henry recognised the warning signs and grabbed Elena around her waist with one arm just as she attempted to lunge across the table at Caspian. He grabbed her wrist with his other hand, causing her to drop the butter knife that she was brandishing.

The guards around the room started forward, but the king raised his hand and called them off as Elena was returned to her seat. While all this was happening, Caspian never moved, not one inch. His cold eyes staring at the princess with such ferocity that even Henry was unnerved.

"No, no, my warrior Princess. That is unacceptable behavior on your behalf, remember our agreement?" he said in a voice tinkling with laughter, yet the vice-like grip on her thigh far from amusing.

Elena leaned back in her chair, trying to calm herself as the blood rushed in her ears. Henry filled her goblet once more and indicated that she should drink, which she did. Her hand holding the cup shaking in rage, causing her to spill a little of the wine.

"Caspian, tell me how you found out about your general's treachery in the Choppartian campaign? I love a tale of double crossing and spies, especially when they are caught" said the king through a mouthful of roasted lamb. Caspian tore his gaze away from the Princess and engaged his uncle in conversation. Henry was grateful for the change of subject and listened half-heartedly to the tale. After a few minutes, he noticed that the princess's eyes were closing slowly, her head drooping lower and lower.

"Father," he said, interrupting Caspian in the middle of explaining how many swings of the blunt axe it took to behead his general, "If it pleases you, I wish to retire for the evening. It seems my Princess has had a little too much wine and is about to fall off her chair." he said, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"There's no need for you to take her Henry, one of the boys can do it" the king answered, waving his goblet mid speech, signaling for a boy to come forward.

"I'm afraid I must insist father, it is not an easy climb to the north tower when you are carrying another person" he said.

"Very well, you may leave. I'll stay here with Caspian, this tale of his is certainly riveting! Scheming generals- my word, I hope i'll sleep well tonight" he laughed, clapping Caspian on the shoulder.

Henry stood and gently pulled the princess up. She stood on her feet, but swayed dangerously. Henry scooped her up in his strong arms, one hand under her knees and the other holding her back, as he clutched her tightly against his chest.

Elena's head was spinning, she was aware that she was moving but wasn't too sure how it was happening exactly. She wrapped her arms around Henry's neck at the sudden feeling of weightlessness.

Henry smirked as he felt her arms around him as he carried her out of the dining hall. "Send for Catherine" he ordered of one of the boys, who immediately set of at a run.

Higher and higher Henry climbed, holding the princess tightly against him. Most of the time she lay still, occasionally mumbling incoherently. He arrived at the top of the tower, slightly out of breath. He crossed into her room and gently laid the princess on the bed, removing her shoes and hair pins. Catherine entered the room swiftly, bowing to the prince. "Yes my Prince? You summoned me?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, go to my study and bring back a little silver box, it should be in the bottom drawer of my desk" he ordered, as he sat down on the bed next to the drowsy princess.

"Yes sir" she answered, bowing her head before exiting the room.

In Catherine's absence he teased out Elena's hair, running his long fingers through her soft tresses. When his fingertips brushed against her scalp the princess turned her head towards his hand, nuzzling her cheek in his palm sleepily. He traced the line of her soft pouting lips, her drowsy state assuring the safety of his fingertips.

"Your lips are so soft, Elena... like small heavenly pillows" he whispered, as he leaned in, to kiss them. However, a small knock interrupted him just inches from her parted lips. Henry straightened up. "Enter" he sighed.

Catherine entered, carrying the small silver box, her face shining with perspiration from climbing the spiraling stairs twice in ten minutes.

Henry took the box from Catherine and said "You may leave, but do not go far. I will be calling on you in a few minutes time again."

"As you wish, my Prince" she wheezed, curtsying before leaving and closing the door behind her.

"I wish you would speak to me" he said as he stared longingly at her beautiful face, but Elena's only response was to sigh sleepily. He opened the lid of the box, revealing a small container with brown powder.

"Princess?" he called softly. No response. "Princess" he said a little more loudly, still no response. He placed the container beneath her nose and said "Elena".

Elena's eyelids fluttered, her nose feeling strangely sensitive. "Princess" Henry called again, but in a softer voice.

"What?" Elena groaned, her head spinning. She wished to return to that warm comfortable place she was dreaming of.

"I want to ask you a few questions" he said, his voice soft and even.

"Mmmm... so tired" she grumbled.

"Yes, three glasses of Kravaolian wine has that effect, my dear. Still, I have my questions" he said silkily.

Elena didn't understand what the disembodied voice wanted from her, she just wanted to return to the place with the puffy clouds that went on forever.

"You will you answer my questions first, then you may chase your dreams" he instructed, running a hand through her hair.

Elena did not care about the Voice, she just wanted it to stop and leave her alone. In her fuzzy mind the only way to achieve that was to answer the Voice's questions. "Questions... ask..." she mumbled.

"What happened when Lord Caspian came to visit you at your castle?" Henry asked- the question had been burning in him since the night before.

"Caspian... my parents... hunt... left" Elena said.

Frowning, Henry placed the box beneath her nose again, her eyelids snapped open, yet her gaze remained unfocused. "Again. Tell me what happened when Lord Caspian came to visit you at your castle" he instructed, closing the lid again.

Elena spoke in a voice no higher than a whisper. "Lord Caspian came to claim my hand in marriage... asked my parents... they said yes" she said sleepily.

"Then what happened?" asked Henry, surprise is his voice.

"Father said he still had to ask me... we went hunting... he killed for fun... didn't like that... didn't like him" Elena said thickly.

"And?" Henry prodded, opening the lid.

Elena wrinkled her nose. "He asked me to marry him... I said no... he asked why... bad man, I say... Caspian angry... very angry lord... tried to... pain... run..." she finished, her head falling to the side. Henry contemplated using the powder again. He wanted more answers, but knew it unwise -more than three nasal exposures could cause irreparable damage to her sense of smell. He sat by her bedside stroking her hair and watching her drift deeper into a wine induced sleep.

After a few minutes he shook his head, stood up and walked to the door. He opened it and was unsurprised to find Catherine sitting on the stairs. She stood as he approached her

"I'd like you to change the princess into her bedclothes that I sent up earlier" he said, pointing to a folded gown at the foot of the bed. " I will return in a few minutes time" he said, and went downstairs.

*

Henry was entering the great hall just as Caspian was climbing the grand staircase, no doubt heading to his quarters.

"Cousin, a word if you please" Henry called at his cousin's back.

Caspian turned around and climbed down the stairs, looking curiously into his cousin's face. "What can I help you with, my Prince? Perhaps you would like to join me in an evening of fun? I have a few girls that we captured last week in the forest of Portath, I was planning on keeping them for myself but I could be persuaded otherwise" he said, a sly grin playing across his sharp features.

"Maybe another time," Henry said dryly. "I wanted to ask you something about Princess Elena."

"Hmm, the Princess. Yes. Maybe she would like to join us tonight? The more the merrier" said Caspian, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I don't think the Princess would enjoy that. See, she was just telling me about your proposal many years ago" Henry said.

Caspian's face darkened. "Oh she did, did she? What exactly, pray tell, did she say?" he hissed.

"That's just it. I didn't get much out of her- just that you asked her to marry her and she said no. I had to use Avkaly powder and you know how fiddly that is. I was hoping you could fill in the blanks" Henry said, leaning against the bannister.

"You said it all. I asked, she turned me down. There is nothing more to tell" said Caspian, folding his arms over his chest.

"It sounded to me like you took her denial pretty badly cousin. What happened?" Henry asked, taking a step closer to his cousin.

"I may have lost my temper, but nothing worth mentioning. Now if you'll excuse me, my Prince, I don't want to keep a lady- I mean ladies, waiting" he said tersely before heading up the stairs.

Henry watched his cousin until he disappeared from sight. He knew that Caspian was not being totally truthful. Never mind, he told himself, Elena would tell him the full story some other time.

*

Catherine removed Elena's clothes easily, but dressing her in her bedclothes proved to be a challenge as the princess was unable to assist in her current drunken state, not to mention that she was unaccustomed to dressing anyone in bedclothes. Catherine half hoped the prince would return and order someone else to assist her, seeing how she fought to dress her. She even toyed with the idea of asking one of the guards but she knew the Prince would not approve. However, by the time the Prince did return, she was already pulling the covers over the princess, having managed to finally dress her. The prince dismissed the exhausted looking Catherine and closed the door behind her, satisfied with the sound of the lock sliding into place from the other side of the door.

Henry slowly removed his clothes, draping them over the chair by the fire. He added a log to the fire, standing before it for a minute as he felt the heat wash over his naked form. He brought his hands closer to the fire, warming them just a little more, before he turned around and headed towards Elena's bed. He gazed at the sleeping beauty for a moment before slipping under the cover, pulling her body against his, groaning as he felt the cloth of her bed clothes rub against his naked skin. How he wished that she would yield to the Kravaolian custom of sleeping, sans clothes. He could only imagine the feeling of her warm flesh against his. He pressed his lips against the back of her neck, breathing in her faint flowery scent. "So soft" he whispered.

Henry place his hand on her thigh and slowly pulled up the hem of her dress. He ran his warm hand over her soft thigh and gently kneaded her firm globe- no doubt born of two years climbing trees, he mused, as his hand delved in the valley below. His fingertips brushed lightly against her pussy lips, causing the princess to shift slightly in her sleep, but remain blissfully unaware. The prince continued to kiss her neck as one finger slid into her pussy, easily, as if she were waiting for him. He added another finger, eliciting a low moan from her sleeping lips. As his stroking picked up rhythm her breathing quickened- he felt her increased wetness between his fingers, her walls clamping down on his them after he pressed his thumb against her clit. Elena moaned loudly in her sleep, her moan vibrating through to Henry's chest, causing his hardness to pulse angrily against her backside. But Henry knew better- he knew the laws of a Kravaolian Prince- his only relief must be within a woman, his seed too valuable and not to be wasted. He wanted to look into Elena's eyes when he was ready and not like this, with a sleeping, drunken maiden.

Groaning in self defeat, Henry removed his hand from between her legs and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. He lay his head down and fell asleep, her flowery scent permeating his dreams.