The Warlord's Daughter - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Adira kept everything together through the long day, riding in front of her men as they returned to their hidden camp. They didn't reach it before night fell, and so they set up a temporary camp as it got dark.

Adira gave orders as necessary, and discussed the situation with her top officers. She acted like nothing had happened since they received word of the cease fighting, except that her father was now dead and she was leading an army to reclaim their Kingdom.

Finally, a tent was prepared for her, and her aide made sure that she wouldn't be disturbed. She hadn't even had time to bathe, and the dried blood from earlier made her itch.

“Men...” she muttered. “They all know that I was made to marry and bed that man, and that I am covered in his blood, but do they offer any sympathy or even give me five minutes to clean up?”

She looked around her tent, and realized that there wasn't even a basin of water and a sponge. This was not so surprising since they hadn't brought such niceties with them, but it made her feel... angry. Furious! She stripped off her dress – once her favorite of the few that Tobin had made for her – and tossed it into the fire. Thankfully, they had thought to bring her a change of clothes; a uniform she'd often worn during battle.

Now naked, she used a rough towel to scrub the dried and flaking blood from her body. It worked surprisingly well even without water! Soon, she was sitting on the blankets provided for her. It was no more and no less comfortable than sleeping on the ground when herding sheep, but she felt like there were sharp spikes poking into her body wherever it touched the ground.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she kept brushing them away. I have no use for weakness and tears!

The giant appeared before her as if he was physically standing there. “You're finally awake! I thought I might have somehow damaged you after all when I held you by the throat. I have good news... My King has made you my bride. See for yourself.”

He handed her a thick and sturdy parchment creased from the folds that made it fit in his breast pocket. She read it numbly, still half dazed from passing out.

I hereby decree that if Adira, daughter of my enemy's highest Warlord, should happen to still be alive, she is to forever after be the wife of my highest Warlord.

After the decree, there was the actual marriage certificate, signed by the giant, his King, and a high priest. Nothing more was required to make it irrevocably official... except consummation.

“Please don't,” Adira whispered, bracing herself for the terrible reality she knew was going to happen.

“Don't be afraid,” he replied gently, stroking her hair. For that first time, at least, he tried to be a good husband. He tried not to hurt her. He even tried to make her feel pleasure, but she was numb with shock.

When it came down to it, he was simply too much bigger than her for there to be no pain, especially for her first time. He was also not a patient man, and quickly became rough and demanding. Adira endured it silently, a plan forming in her mind, a plan to rescue her sister.

She shook her head almost violently. “My plan is no longer possible!” She beat her forehead with the heel of her palm. “I refuse to think about him any longer!”

Beating her head seemed to help, so she continued until she could not stop the tears any longer. “I refuse to think about him!” She whispered desperately, but the tears wouldn't stop. She buried her face in her pillow, and sobbed as quietly as she could.

She cried until she threw up – careful not to get any on her bedding – and then she felt inexplicably better.

*******

A month later, Adira looked around her tent appreciatively. Now that they were actually in position to lay siege to the palace, they'd set up a relatively permanent camp just out of firing range. Her tent was the large command tent that had served her father so well for so long. The memories were warm and comforting, even as they made her sad that she would never see her father again.

Tossing the tent flap aside to make a dramatic exit, she strode straight to the group of waiting officers. The enemy King was still occupying their palace and capitol city, probably because it was more centrally located than his own now that practically the entire continent was united as one Kingdom. This gave her a tactical advantage.

As if no time at all had passed since their previous planning meeting, Adira continued their last discussion. “Remember, we don't want to risk hurting or starving our loyal citizens, so we will make this a peaceful siege... at first. We simply need to control all entrances and exits. If we do not allow them to receive supplies or aid of any kind, we will weaken them.”

Heads nodded in agreement. The officers supported her decision, and the regular soldiers – who were allowed to listen in – were touched that she cared enough about the civilians to try to minimize the trauma they would go through until the siege was over.

“We'll give the enemy King a few days to think about his situation before we increase the pressure on him to act. Let him think he is relatively safe in our well fortified city! Let him –”

Adira was about to launch into a rousing speech when she was cut short. Her aide cleared his throat almost timidly. “A word, my Princess?”

Adira nodded, but only because she noticed Natan and Amin standing next to him. She finished her speech quickly. “I have faith in our men and our ability to win this battle. We will take back our Kingdom! Dismissed!”

The soldiers cheered her for a moment, and then she walked back to her tent. Her aide gestured for her brothers to follow him as he followed her.

“What are you doing here?!” Adira roared. “I very clearly told you to go home!”

Natan crossed his arms and stared her down. “Unless you really were lying about everything, you're part of our family now. Of course we want to help you! Amin can join the healers, and I can join the archers or the staff fighters.”

“Look, I'm touched that you want to help so badly, but I simply don't need you,” Adira replied bluntly. “I have plenty of soldiers... I have plenty of healers... There's no need for either of you to risk your lives.”

Her aide frowned in confusion. There was once a time when Adira would have gladly conscripted the entire male population of their Kingdom in an effort to win the war even a moment sooner. Her motto was that the greater their numbers, the greater their might.

“Princess? May I respectfully disagree? I think there is no such thing as too many healers. Should we encounter...” he faltered at her glare.

Adira closed her eyes and then turned her back on all of them. “If you want to enlist, fine. There's not really much I can do to stop you, except have you arrested. I warn you though, once you do, you will be nothing more than soldiers under my command. There will be no talking to me as if you are somehow special, and there will be no favors from me. If you cannot hold your own, you will be discharged! Understand?”

“Adira...” Amin murmured. “Even you need someone to talk to. Someone that you can confide in.”

Adira snorted in disbelief. “Look around! I have more people to talk to than I can count!”

Amin shook his head with a sigh. “Why wouldn't you let me give you any herbs to heal the damage that man may have caused?”

Adira was silent. Is he referring to physically or is he referring to the possibility of a child?

“It's not too late. I can still help,” Amin offered, cryptically confirming her suspicions.

Ironic, huh? I keep bemoaning that no one has offered me any sympathy, and here I pushed away those who were trying to... But I can't let them near me now. If I do, I'll never make it! I'll never be able to win back our Kingdom without breaking down and crying... without seeking comfort and forsaking all else.

She finally addressed her aide. “Major... Am I mistaken, or are two potential soldiers trying to be overly familiar with me?”

He hesitated, able to sense that there was so much more going on here, and that her adopted brothers were probably right when they insisted that she needed them. He alone had heard her sobbing at night – when she thought everyone else was asleep – too concerned to leave her alone, but unable to actually intrude.

“My Princess... maybe it would be prudent to consider what they are offering... They just want to –” He switched tactics abruptly. “You want nothing more than to rescue your sister, right?”

“Of course!” Adira stated emphatically.

“She is your family, and you would do anything to help her, right?”

“Yes...” Adira replied slowly, turning to look at him with narrowed eyes.

“From what I gather, these two helped save you when you were dying. They took you in, and they adopted you. They would do anything to help you,” he pointed out.

Adira was silent once more, her gaze focused on the ground. She couldn't argue the point. She had never tried to argue that point. She simply couldn't allow herself any weakness at the moment.

“When I have won... When I have rescued my sister, and I have the time and the luxury... That's when I'll let someone back into my heart. Until then... just leave me alone.”

Natan walked up to her, saying, “You've suffered nightmares for months. I'm sure they've probably gotten worse...” He pulled her into his arms. “Let us be there for you to wake you up when you start screaming.”

Adira rested her head on his chest, clutching his shirt in her hands. She stiffened, preparing to push him away. She took a deep breath, and sighed. “Fine... you can both be my personal bodyguards. Or dream guards, I suppose. You'll sleep in my tent and wake me up whenever I have a nightmare.” (Note: It took me three days to write that paragraph since I couldn't decide if she was going to accept them or push them away!)

Pushing Natan away, she stepped back. “During the day, you'll be assigned to the staff fighters, and Amin can serve in the healers' tents. Just... don't talk to me much. I don't want the men to get distracted wondering about you two when they should be focused on the battle that will eventually occur. Understand?”

Natan nodded his head, and Amin looked relieved as he replied. “Of course...” he faltered, unsure whether to call her Princess or Adira.

“Good,” Adira stated. “Major, show them around the camp, and let their superiors know what's going on.”

Her aide saluted. “Yes Princess!” He gestured for Natan and Amin to follow him, leading them to a private place to talk.

“Thank you!” He praised them sincerely. “She's needed someone by her side, and yet pushed everyone away. I – for one – am glad that you managed to talk some sense into her!”

“I'm just glad she listened,” Amin muttered, hurt that she seemed to push him away the most.

*******

“Don't touch me!” Adira screamed in her sleep. “I swear I'll kill you!”

Amin snapped awake and rushed from his pallet on the ground to the small but plush bed Adira thrashed about on.

“Get your hands off me, you beast! You monster!”

“Adira!” Amin whispered urgently to wake her without attracting attention. Well, at least not more attention than she was probably already attracting.

No longer yelling, but not yet awake, Adira seemed to be struggling to get away. Amin decided that gently shaking her awake would probably be more effective. He grabbed her by her shoulders, but didn't have a chance to shake her.

“I told you not to touch me!” Adira growled menacingly as she crushed Amin's hands in hers.

Amin gasped at the unexpected pain she caused. “Adira! Wake up!”

Natan quickly came to Amin's rescue by applying pressure to Adira's wrists. “Adira!” He quietly barked her name as he shook her.

Adira moaned, the nightmare finally releasing her. She slowly figured out what was going on, and opened her hands to release Amin. “Sorry.”

Natan released her hands as Amin shook his head to assure her that it wasn't her fault. “I could make you a tea to promote dreamless sleep.”

“Can you do that without impairing my senses?” Adira asked.

“No,” Amin replied. “It would put you into a deep and restful sleep.”

“I can't have that. I need to be able to wake up quickly if they decide to attack us in the middle of the night,” Adira explained morosely. Clearly she longed to have at least one night of peaceful sleep.

Amin nodded slowly. “How about I give you a tea to promote happiness instead? That won't leave you drowsy or impaired. Given time, it might help rid you of your nightmares.”

“Happiness, huh?” Adira murmured. Happiness used to be making my father proud of me, and now it's ignoring my problems and tending sheep. Can you really make a tea for that?

Out loud she agreed. “I guess it's worth a try, but it can wait until tomorrow. Right now, we should all get back to sleep.”

Natan and Amin nodded and then settled back into their pallets. They all dozed lightly for a few hours – all of them almost afraid to sleep in case another nightmare came. Just when it seemed like it was peaceful enough to risk a deep sleep, Adira groaned and sat up.

She held a hand to her mouth for a moment as she tried to fight the urge to be sick, but it inevitably grew too strong to resist. Tossing the blanket aside, she rushed to the basin. Thankfully, it was empty at the moment.

When she was done transferring the contents of her empty stomach to the basin, she held both hands over her stomach in an attempt to settle it down. The nausea was horrible!

At some point, Amin had sat up to watch her. She groaned as she looked at him.

“If you really want to help me, Amin, find a way to stop this!” Adira demanded. “This is the third morning in a row that I've woken up nauseous and I'm frankly surprised that I haven't lost weight since absolutely nothing looks good to eat! Is this happening because I can't sleep well, or is this a symptom of the grief I can no longer escape?”

Amin was quiet for a moment as he looked away from her, but then he squared his shoulders and faced her once more. Natan – who had also been sitting up watching her – looked incredibly sad.

“Morning sickness... is one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. If you want, I can certainly give you herbs to get rid of it,” Amin offered.

Adira literally reeled from the shock. She swayed and stumbled until she fell back into her bed. “I knew that this could happen, but I didn't realize...” I didn't let myself think about this possibility because I don't know what to do! “I need time to think.”

Amin nodded in acceptance.

Natan grumbled. “Then we should all try to get a little more sleep. The sun will be up soon.”

Adira chuckled. “Actually, here, we start our day before the sun rises. In fact, don't be surprised if –”

There was a knock on the wooden frame of the tent. “My Princess?”

“Breakfast arrives,” Adira finished her sentence. “Come on in.”

A woman – one of several that traveled with the army in order to cook food and support the healers – entered the tent.

“I brought you – Oh! I didn't realize there were others in here with you!”

Adira knew this woman was trustworthy, and good at keeping secrets. “These are my adopted brothers. They've come to guard me while I sleep,” she informed her with a smile. “That is not information to be shared... unless asked. I'm sure the men will eventually grow curious about my brothers, and it's better to just tell them rather than let them assume the worst.”

“I see,” the woman replied with a kindly smile. “Well anyway, I noticed that you haven't been eating much of anything lately, so I've brought you a glass of milk.”

“That actually sounds really good right about now!” Adira sat up and accepted the glass gratefully.

“Should I bring you a proper breakfast?” The woman asked.

Adira took a moment to think this over. “Hmm... yes, I think I would like to try eating. Bring enough for my brothers.”

“And me please,” her Aide added as he walked into the tent.

“Yes Princess; Major,” the woman nodded obediently, and left the tent.

“Princess, I've come to discuss your plan,” the major stated, clearly uncertain about actually discussing it in front of her brothers. It was a top secret plan after all.

Adira took a good look at Amin and Natan, who were both sitting up in their pallets at this point. It was not that she didn't trust them to know the plan, it was just that they weren't technically high enough ranked to sit in on the meetings that weren't open for everyone. At the moment, she simply didn't care.

“What about the plan?” She asked as she moved from her bed to sit at the table. The loose-fitting pants and shirt she wore while sleeping was wrinkled, but at least her hair wasn't a mess. Not that she really cared about her appearance, but it was important that she look like she was in charge of an army at all times.

“I've finished selecting men, and they're ready when you are,” the Major explained after sitting at the table. He had waited for her to gesture permission first.

“What about the scouts?” Adira wondered.

“They report that the way seems clear.”

Smiling at the first good news she had heard in a while, Adira took a deep and refreshing breath. “Good!”

The woman returned with her breakfast just then. “You seem much more cheerful now, Princess.”

Adira didn't say anything in return. She simply gestured for her brothers to join her at the table, and then thanked the woman for her service. It was true though. Now that she had a workable plan, everything seemed brighter.

Go To Chapter 8 

The Alliance - Part IV

Part IV

Phillip waited for the pair of guards to step away from him so that he could enter the parlor where his father and potential future wife waited for him. They paused to debate whether or not they should follow him, but then decided that since there was no escape from the room, they could wait outside the door.

“Thanks,” Phillip murmured sincerely, grateful for their respect of his privacy.

He removed all emotion from his face, and then entered the parlor. “You wanted to see me, father?”

His father subtly exhaled in relief. He hadn't been certain that his son would obey without attempting a small rebellion first. That Demon Prince has been such a bad influence on him! There was a time when he would never have dared to even consider disobeying me!

“Sit,” the King commanded, ignoring the fact that Phillip carried the child he considered his daughter.

Phillip complied, shifting Lita so that she sat on one knee. Lita stared at the King for a moment, and then shifted her attention to the woman sitting opposite the small ornate round tea table.

“You remember Sarenna?” The King asked.

“Oldest daughter of your best friend, Duke Winchester,” Phillip stated. “It's good to see you again, Sarenna.” They hadn't been around each other for more than a few minutes at a time since before Phillip turned 12 and his father had intensified his warrior training.

Sarenna smiled at him, her eyes drawn to the child in his lap. “It's been years! Tell me, what have you been up to?”

“Traveling,” Phillip replied, and then decided to actually tell her about some of his adventures. “Cedric and I wanted to see more of the world. At first, we made a pilgrimage to all the holy places in both our kingdoms. Then we decided to travel to someplace where no one knew who we were. To our surprise, almost everyone we met had at least heard about the Demon Prince and his husband. Thankfully, they didn't recognize us.”

“And what about the girl?” Sarenna asked.

Phillip explained how they'd unexpectedly became fathers one fateful night, and then bent to kiss Lita's cheek.

Lita was tired of the boring talk by this point. “Da? Lita play?”

Phillip pulled a carved wooden dolphin out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was her favorite toy. She took it from him, slid off his lap, and then found a clear spot to lay on the floor and pretend she was swimming in the ocean with the dolphins.

Phillip smiled, and then explained to Sarenna that Lita had spent a little more than half of her life so far befriending dolphins and thinking she was part fish.

“You let your daughter play in the ocean?” Sarenna asked, scandalized by the prospect. A lady is never allowed to be wild like a heathen!

“With our close supervision, of course,” Phillip assured her.

Sarenna tilted her head to the side and wrinkled her brow with a puzzled frown. “If we got married... would you take me swimming on a secluded Island beach?”

“I guess that depends on whether or not I'm on the front lines... Do you want me to?” Phillip asked, amused by the thought of this utterly prim and proper young lady letting the sun and ocean touch her naked body.

“I don't know, probably not, but it means a lot to me that you would.” She looked to her lap for a moment as she resisted the urge to pick at her nails. “You've... changed... You're different than I remember.”

Phillip thought back to the days before he met Cedric when his life consisted of training and preparing for the possibility of a hopeless war. He was often cold and distant. If he talked to anyone at all, it was in short sentences that got directly to the point.

The King had silently endured their conversation until now, but he felt that they were getting nowhere. “Regardless of how he's changed, the question is; do you think you would get along with Phillip?”

Sarenna knew that the King and her father would both pester her now until she gave a definitive answer. They both preferred that she say yes, but her father loved her enough to give her a limited choice. She had three candidates, and neither of the others had impressed her enough to agree to marriage. So far, Phillip seemed like the best of the three. He at least seemed... caring...

“Yes... I think we would do well together,” Sarenna answered a moment later.

“Excellent! We'll have the papers signed at once!” The King announced.

“Wait!” Sarenna protested. “Isn't this a bit sudden? Shouldn't there be a ceremony and –”

“Don't be silly, girl!” The King dismissed her concern. “This has already been delayed far too long as it is! I'm going to tell your father the good news, and we'll sign the marriage contract. You'll be married before dinner!” He left the room, overjoyed that things were finally going the way he wanted them to.

Sarenna stared at her hands.

“Don't worry,” Phillip murmured, taking hold of one of her hands to comfort her. “I won't force you to do anything until you feel ready.”

She chuckled derisively. “By custom, I should have been married at least a year ago. Only our fathers' hope has delayed the inevitable this long. I'm probably as ready as I am ever going to get.”

Phillip frowned as a thought occurred to him. “I wonder how they plan this to work? I mean I was officially moved into Cedric's chambers after our wedding, and I have no intention of moving out of them. Does that mean that you'll be moving in with me?”

“Wouldn't that be awkward with all of us in the same confined area?” Sarenna asked.

“Perhaps... but I think there could be freedom in it as well. In there, we could do whatever we want – or not as the case may be – and simply let others assume that we are doing as expected,” Phillip explained delicately.

It took Sarenna a moment, but then she smiled. “Oh! You mean that you were serious when you said that you would not force me until I am ready. If I had a room in the Heir's chambers, then our fathers would think that we were busy working on creating a child when really we could all simply be playing cards, or even nothing at all!”

Phillip nodded.

“That makes sense!” Sarenna exclaimed.

Her father walked into the parlor carrying a thick parchment. He was followed by Phillip's father. “Is it true? Did you really agree to marry Prince Phillip?”

Sarenna nodded, smiling confidently now. “Yes father.”

“Wonderful!” He set the parchment on the table, and then signed it. Phillip's father signed it a moment later, and then laughed triumphantly.

“It's done!”

Sarenna's father smiled a bit sadly. “If only your mother was still alive to prepare you for what's to come.” He kissed her on the cheek, and then left the room.

“Oh boy!” Sarenna exclaimed, nervous now.

Lita chose that moment to climb back into Phillip's lap. “Lita hungry!”

Phillip chuckled, but focused on his new wife. “Why don't you go to your room and pack. You can take your time and move in when you're ready. In the meantime, I need to feed my daughter, and talk to Cedric.”

Sarenna nodded, and watched as Phillip stood, bent over to pick up the wooden dolphin, and then left the room.

Lita was excited that she was going to get something to eat. Before they were even out of the parlor, she kissed Phillip on the cheek. “Love you, Da!”

“I love you too, Lita,” Phillip responded, blowing on her cheek and tickling her tummy.

Sarenna was so touched she almost cried. When she was alone, she placed a hand on her stomach and whispered to her future children. “You are lucky to have such a wonderful father!”

*****

Phillip entered the Heir's Chambers quietly, his thoughts occupied by all that had happened recently. Lita was busy eating a snack obtained directly from the palace kitchens. It was a small, hard, garlic flavored breadstick, and Lita was delighted to chew on it until it softened and melted in her mouth.

From Cedric's actual bedroom, he heard Princess Alanna ask, “So... am I carrying your child now?”

Cedric laughed. “It's possible, but usually it takes some practice.”

“Oh!” Alanna exclaimed softly with a rosy blush. “You mean that we get to do that again sometime?”

Phillip realized that he should probably announce his presence. “We're back!” He called out loudly. He purposely looked away from the open doorway so that Princess Alanna would realize that he respected her privacy.

She squeaked in alarm, hurriedly checking to make sure she was fully covered by a sheet.

Cedric wasted no time climbing out of bed and casually tossing on a robe. He absently tied the sash as he leaned against the frame of the door to his room. Something about the way Phillip clutched Lita told Cedric that Phillip was agitated or possibly upset.

“How are you?” Cedric asked.

Alanna decided that Cedric blocked the view enough that she could scramble out of bed and pull a robe on too. Even though it was thick and fluffy – fully covering her nudity – she didn't feel right about Phillip seeing her, but she literally couldn't put her dress back on without help.

“Married,” Phillip stated, his eyes rolled up and then to the side as he realized that he missed the important part. “Again.”

“That was quick!” Cedric exclaimed in surprise. He sensed his husband needed a hug, and set Lita on the floor to wander around for a bit before pulling Phillip into his arms.

“Yes it was!” Phillip agreed, resting his forehead on Cedric's. “I had no idea how any of our fathers pictured this working, so I told her to move in here when she's ready.”

Cedric nodded in acceptance. “There's plenty of room.”

They kissed tenderly, needing to affirm their love more than anything at the moment.

Princess Alanna finally succumbed to her curiosity. She stood behind them and cleared her throat delicately. “If Prince Phillip is technically your first wife, and I'm your second, how is it that he was allowed to marry someone else. Usually, wives may not marry again unless their husband has died.”

Phillip decided to explain it to her. “The law has always allowed for a man to have as many wives as he wanted, and it also allows men to marry other men.”

“And women can marry women,” Cedric added.

“Whenever a marriage hasn't or won't produce children, both partners are allowed to marry again. In our case, it was specifically part of the marriage treaty. My father insisted that I would have to be allowed to take wives so that I could provide heirs for my Kingdom,” Phillip finished.

“Oh!” Alanna exclaimed in understanding. “That makes a lot of sense actually.”

She then blushed and retreated to the second larger bedroom. Since there were no personal belongings in it, she had assumed that the chamber would be fine for her to use when they moved her into Cedric's chambers. A rope hung from the ceiling close to her not quite as massive bed, which she tugged on to summon her maid.

A second maid arrived with dinner for all of them just as the first finished readying her mistress. (Cedric had dressed himself.) A third maid took the opportunity to tidy up the place a bit – subtly taking away the blood spotted sheet to be placed in a box with the marriage documents. Sarenna arrived a few moments later, a pair of servants carrying her luggage.

“Which room is mine?” She asked.

Phillip looked to Cedric, who shrugged. “Why not take that one?” He pointed to the empty room next to the one he shared with Cedric. The servants promptly carried her things into her new room and started unpacking them. Sarenna had asked for her dinner to be sent here, and now sat staring at the waiting plate indecisively.

Phillip, Cedric, Lita, and Alanna were already eating since they didn't know when she planned to arrive. The two Princes exchanged a glance that said we're idiots! And then stood. Phillip introduced his bride to his husband and vice versa.

“Care to join us for dinner?” Cedric asked as Phillip pulled out a chair for his new wife.

She smiled, comforted by the familiarity of good manners. Accepting with a nod, Sarenna sat in the chair, waited for Phillip to push it closer to the table, and then quietly murmured her version of grace.

No one knew what to talk about, so they made idle chit chat. Alanna and Sarenna eventually started comparing palace gossip, and they all relaxed just a bit.

Lita climbed from her chair into Cedric's lap. He ruffled her hair and kissed her cheek. “Story, Da?”

It was fast approaching her normal bedtime, and her nap had been cut short, so she rubbed her eyes and yawned. The maid tending to them as they ate noticed this, and asked for permission to speak.

“My Prince, I would be happy to bring the little lady to the nursery and –”

“No,” both Cedric and Phillip stated, cutting her short.

“Lita belongs with us,” Cedric told the maid.

“Yes, my Prince,” she responded with a curtsey.

“You may go.”

She nodded and gathered all the dirty dishes before leaving. As she gathered them, Cedric began Lita's favorite bedtime story.

“When you were first born, you were so very tiny. We were afraid you were going to die, but we held you to our hearts,” Cedric cuddled her close, rocking her. When he was finished telling the story, Alanna was quietly weeping.

“That's such a beautiful story!” She burst out, glad that the maid had left and couldn't see her making a fool of herself.

“Thank you,” Cedric replied with a smile.

“Love you, Da!” Lita announced, kissing him on the cheek.

“Love you, Lita!” Cedric exclaimed, returning her kiss. He then handed her to Phillip.

Phillip repeated their little ritual, carrying her to an empty room. “I'll put her to bed in here, and stay with her until she falls asleep.”

While Phillip was preoccupied singing Lita to sleep, Cedric decided to summon a servant and order a bath. There was a huge tub permanently situated in the corner of his room, but it needed to be filled with water if they wanted to use it. The servants were quick, having the foresight to be ready for this possibility, and managed to have the bath ready before Phillip was done getting Lita to sleep.

“Good night,” Cedric wished his wife, and then kissed her. “May you have pleasant dreams.”

“Good night,” she murmured in return. Sarenna volunteered to help her change into her nightgown so that she could ask Alanna a few questions in private.

Cedric watched them disappear, happy that they at least had each other to talk to about this strange situation they'd all found themselves in. Phillip returned to the main room at that point, and grinned at Cedric suggestively.

“Are we actually alone?” Phillip asked.

“We are,” Cedric confirmed, stepping closer to him. They didn't notice the door to Alanna's room open just enough to let the two women spy on them.

“I was beginning to think that we might never be alone again,” Phillip murmured against Cedric's neck, and then bit him lightly.

Cedric moaned, turning Phillip's face so that he could kiss him. “I've had a bath prepared for us. It's waiting in my room... We should probably get in the tub before the water gets cold.”

“I agree!” Phillip stated eagerly, then laced his fingers through Cedric's and led him to their room.

“They sleep together?” Sarenna asked in astonishment.

“Apparently,” Alanna replied.

“Naked?” Sarenna wondered curiously.

“How should I know? Taking a bath first would seem to suggest so,” Alanna answered as she shut the door to her room once more.

“I'm... a little bit scared about, you know... Are you afraid too?” Sarenna asked, unbuttoning Alanna's dress.

Alanna smiled. “I was, but not any more. Believe me, I understand! I was raised in a convent after all. No one ever talked about it. I knew absolutely nothing until I got to the palace here and heard whispers and innuendo. From what I could tell, the women all thought it was some big joke, and the men... I think they spend most of their day just waiting for it to happen again.”

Sarenna was quiet for a moment. “I wasn't raised in a convent, but I wasn't told anything about it either. My father says that my mother would have told me what to expect, but she died a long time ago.”

Alanna blushed. “I can't tell you about it! It's... hard to describe, but I promise, there's nothing to fear. I rather liked it,” she confessed, her blush deepening, which she turned her head and covered with a hand.

Sarenna's eyes widened as she realized that Alanna had somehow found the time already to become one with her husband. “Well... do you at least understand now why no one talks about it?”

Alanna shook her head. “No, I really don't! When the sisters at the convent heard that I was leaving to get married, they all acted like something terrible was about to happen, but it wasn't terrible at all!”

By this time, Alanna was wearing only her under garments. She decided against the nightgown, and opted to wear the camisole and pantalets to bed. She pulled a robe on, and then offered to go to Sarenna's room and help her change.

“But you're a Princess! I'm supposed to wait on you, not the other way around!” Sarenna protested.

Alanna laughed. “Our husbands are married which makes us sisters now! Besides... you married a Prince, or did you forget?”

“Oh...” Sarenna felt like her stomach twisted. “I sort of did forget that! I guess that means I'm a Princess now too...”

Meanwhile, both Princes had washed themselves, cuddled up in the tub, and then fallen asleep. Their day really had been long and exhausting – emotionally rather than physically – and they finally felt like they could relax. The water grew cold enough to wake them.

Phillip woke first. “Cedric. Let's go to bed.”

Cedric murmured agreement, still more than half asleep. Phillip exited the tub, and then pulled Cedric out. He had just enough energy now to want a little bit of fun before he went to sleep. He helped Cedric into bed, rolled him over so that he was on his stomach, and then carefully entered him.

Cedric moaned to demonstrate that he was willing despite being practically unconscious.

“I love you,” Phillip whispered in Cedric's ear as he filled him a few minutes later. Cedric mumbled incoherently in response. Phillip took a moment to cover them with a blanket, and then lay on top of his husband.

His last thought as he drifted off was, if only we were laying on the secluded Island beach right now...

In the morning, Cedric woke first, and smiled at the way Phillip was laying on top of him – they were both face down. He rolled them so that Phillip was on his back, and then shifted so that he could kiss his husband. Phillip murmured sleepily as Cedric used a hand to provoke Phillip's shaft into cooperation.

“This is an excellent way to wake up,” Phillip remarked with a grin. Cedric responded by kissing him.

When Phillip was as hard as he could get, Cedric straddled his waist, facing him while lowering onto his shaft. It took a moment, but then Cedric was buried deep. They both moaned in pleasure.

Cedric began to bounce up and down, lightly at first, but then with increasing speed. The way Phillip moaned made Cedric think that Phillip was already close to pumping him full, which was good because Cedric was soon ready to squirt. He had a hand on his shaft racing back and forth until he couldn't hold back any longer. His hot semen burst forth with enough power to fly pretty far from it's origin.

Phillip half laughed half groaned in disgust, completely losing the urge to spill his load. “Ugh, you got that in my hair!”

Cedric laughed as he surveyed the mess. “And all over your chest.”

“There's even some on my nose!”

Just then, there was a demanding bang on the door. “DA! Lita want in!”

Cedric hastily grabbed a blanket and pulled it around them so that it covered Phiilip's legs, Cedrics buttocks, and a little bit of Phillip's abdomen as it covered Cedric's shaft. It was true that Lita had seen them naked before, but they always made sure that she didn't see them while they were having sex – or just had it.

A moment later, Lita repeated her insistent banging, and a soft knock on the door announced that at least on of their wives was with her. The door opened.

“I'm sorry, my Prince,” Princess Alanna began, “but Lita –”

Didn't wait for permission to enter. She jumped on their bed as Phillip used a pillow to wipe away the incriminating evidence. “Da!” She squealed as she flung herself into Cedric's arms.

Both Alanna and Sarenna stood just inside their room. Alanna blushed, but Sarenna looked confused. Neither was sure what exactly their husbands were doing, but it was obvious that they were doing something.

Lita flung herself from Cedric's arms onto Phillip's chest. She hugged him enthusiastically, prompting him to toss the pillow aside and return her hug.

Cedric ruffled her hair. “Lita, please go into the other room for a moment.”

She looked confused and upset at the same time. “Why?”

Cedric couldn't explain that it was so Alanna and Sarenna would leave the room, so he tried to think of a plausible explanation. He drew a blank, which made him chuckle. He grabbed her, and started tickling her.

“Ah!” She shrieked. “Ticklebugs!” Phillip started tickling her too.

Both women smiled. It was heartwarming to see the Princes play with their daughter.

Lita screeched and squirmed to get away from them until she finally managed to get free. She scrambled to the edge of the bed. “Catch Lita?”

Cedric noticed that Phillip was no longer inside him, having gone limp – they both had – so he subtly shifted off to the side. Phillip sat up and pretended to reach for Lita.

“I'm a scary giant, and I eat Litas for breakfast!” Phillip announced in a growly voice.

Lita shrieked a giggle, and jumped off the bed. “Can't catch me!”

Both men gave up on trying to preserve their modesty simply for their wives sake. If the women couldn't take a hint and leave, then they were going to get an eye full!

Phillip lunged out of bed and almost caught Lita. She screeched, and ran to the other side of the bed where Cedric was waiting to pounce on her. She saw him at the last moment, and evaded.

Sarenna had both hands on her cheeks now, and turned her back on them. Alanna was blushing redder than she ever had before, but couldn't stop watching her gorgeous husband.

“M-m-my P-prince?” Alanna timidly asked for his attention.

Just then, Phillip caught Lita and started blowing raspberries on her bully button causing her to scream bloody murder. Cedric looked up at his wife and found her looking at him with a strange expression. The moment his eyes met hers, she looked to the floor.

“After breakfast... can we... try again?” She mumbled the last bit and looked away.

Sarenna gasped softly as she realized what Alanna must be referring to. She dared to peek at her husband, and saw him watching her with a strange grin.

“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Phillip replied, still staring at his wife. “What do you say Sarenna? Do you want me to try giving you a child too?”

Sarenna shook from the shock of being asked so directly. She avoided looking at any of them again, then nodded her head.

Cedric was grinning at his wife. “Just give us a few moments to clean up before breakfast.”

Alanna nodded. Tying to glance around without seeing anything she shouldn't, she pointed at Lita. “Shall I take her out of here?”

Lita saw the tub full of cold water just then, and squealed in excitement. “Swim!!!” She ran to the tub, tugging her clothes off as she went. A moment later, she jumped in with a large splash.

Both Cedric and Phillip laughed.

“No, I think she'll be fine in here for a bit longer,” Cedric replied.

Alanna nodded, touched Sarenna's arm lightly to gain her attention, and then gestured toward the door. Sarenna nodded, and they left.

In the relative privacy of the main room, Sarenna buried her face against Alanna's shoulder. “By the Lady! I thought I was going to die of embarrassment!”

“We must get used to it,” Alanna murmured, patting her back soothingly. “Our husband's are deeply in love. We are going to see them naked with each other very often.”

Sarenna nodded to indicate that it made sense. “I understand...”

A knock on the entrance to the chamber prompted Sarenna to rush to answer it. Her cheeks were still rosy from her blushing, and she looked almost on the verge of panic.

The maid carrying their breakfast studied Sarenna's appearance carefully. “Are you all right, my Lady, I mean my Princess?”

Sarenna nodded.

“If you'd like, I can bring you something. Something to settle your stomach, perhaps?” The maid persisted in concern.

“I'm fine,” Sarenna insisted.

The maid looked to Alanna for confirmation, and found her also red faced. “Are you ill, my Princess?”

Alanna shook her head. “We're both fine, just...”

“Oh!” The made gasped softly in understanding. “Just sore and awkward after the night...”

Sarenna's cheeks got a shade redder. She looked away but nodded.

The maid smiled sympathetically. “Don't worry, I brought some relaxing tea. It'll help calm you and sooth any muscles that may need soothing.”

Both Princesses simply nodded and thanked her for her thoughtfulness.

Cedric and Phillip emerged from their room fully dressed, and joined their wives at the table. Lita was sulking with her arms crossed, but she was clothed once more. Phillip was carrying her and kissed her cheek as he set her in a chair for breakfast. The sight of food immediately cheered her up.

Conversation was once again awkward to begin with, but then Sarenna had the bright idea to ask her husband more about his travels. She knew that he would instantly relax and then the entire atmosphere would change.

As they chatted, the maid took the opportunity to straighten up and make all the beds. When she was finished, she patiently waited for them to finish eating so that she could take away the dirty dishes. She also refilled their drinks as necessary.

When they were done, Cedric stood and held out a hand to Alanna. She looked at it and then up at him. With a deep breath and a smile, she placed her hand in his. He helped her to her feet, and then led her to her room.

Phillip looked at his bride questioningly, and she felt her cheeks grow hot. With one hand on her heart, she nodded.

“Will you stay for a bit to keep an eye on Lita,” Phillip asked the maid. “Or better yet, bring her to see the animals in the stables.”

The maid couldn't help but notice the silent agreement between them, and nodded her head obediently. “Yes, my Prince...”

Phillip got to his feet, waited for Sarenna to gather up the courage to get to her feet, and then followed her into her room.

The maid glanced back and forth between the two occupied rooms and wished that she was allowed to listen at the doors and maybe even catch a quick peek, but she wiped Lita's mouth clean and smiled at her.

“Want to see some puppies Lita?”

Lita frowned. “Puppies?”

“Come on, I'll show you!”

Lita looked at the open door of the room where her dads slept, and realized that they weren't there. She started to look a bit cranky, but the maid was used to caring for children. She smiled at Lita again, and tickled her cheek.

“Puppies are soft and so cute! They'll probably lick you.”

Lita bounced in growing excitement. “Lita see puppies!”

The maid held out her hands. “Come on then.”

Lita nodded, and they left the room.

Go To Part V