Queen Of Nothing

But his arms tightened around me and he rested his chin atop on head. "Princess, you had me worried for a while."

I wrapped my hand around his needing to feel as if I was anch.o.r.ed down. "I don"t remember any of the walk back. Or coming to the baths."

His brilliant amber eyes met mine and what I saw in them made my breath catch. "That"s the shock. I"ve seen it in my men. I"ve even had some who lost entire battles after witnessing the horrors of war." I found myself rather lost in his gaze. He was... incredible, if I was being honest with myself for once. Ca.s.sidy and I use to sit in the rose gardens and talk about our dream man and Sir Ramneal meant nearly every mark of what I"d said I had wanted. Almost perfect, except for that he was Althean. And that was unforgivable. "Arabella..."

He leaned down and I closed my eyes expecting for his lips to find mine but instead I felt a rag being being dragged across my cheek. I opened my eyes and he gave me a soft smile as he continued to wash my face. I wanted to smack myself for momentarily forgetting that I had my father"s ashes covering me. That I had felt as if I was going to die chocking on them. "Am I so pitiful?" I said trying to lighten the dour mood but there was no humor in my voice.

"Of course not." He smiled softly. "I"m just trying to be of use to you."

I grabbed his face in my hands forcing his eyes to meet mine. "Drake, don"t think I didn"t notice you coming to my aid on more than on occasion today. I honestly thought he was going to kill you the first time..."

The corner of his mouth turned up in that devilish half smile that did horrible things to my resolve. "So did I." I glared at him and he shook his head. "His magic... it"s not something I"d wish for you to experience."

I had heard whispers about the Althean king"s ability to boil ones blood but I had thought them nothing more than the exaggerations of the courtiers. But having seen the horror in Sir Ramneal"s eyes, the sweat break on his brow in a matter of seconds, and the way his entire body tensed I had no doubt that he was in a great deal of pain. My chin dropped to my chest as I thought about the fact that I could have lost him, my only comfort, and because he had hoped to save me. I realized then, if he were taken from me, my life would be endless darkness. He was the single ray of sunshine that managed to break free of the clouds that were graying my existence. He was ever kind. Quick to joke. Willing to fight for me, even against his king. And, willing to be mine if I would only say that I desired. But I was a coward. I could not voice my feelings, my needs. I was scared of what it would mean for me, my people. There was no possible way that this ended with Sir Ramneal and I sitting side by side on the throne. Though there was no future, did that mean I could not have him now? Honestly, there was a fair enough possibility that his king would kill both of us before all was finished. He had no love for me by any means and he had already showed that his men only lasted so long as they were useful. If Sir Ramneal continued to stand between him and his favorite play thing he would not be useful much longer. He needed me, even if just long enough to force me to marry him so he could claim my crown but he had plenty of men capable of "guarding" a captive princess.

"Princess," he said drawling my attention back to him. "where did you go?"

I parted my lips to tell him, but like the coward I was, I couldn"t make the words pa.s.s my tongue. Instead I grabbed his shoulders and pulled my self up pressing my lips to his. He gasped with surprised and then returned my kiss with fever. After a few moments of my lips devouring his he fisted his hands in my hair anchoring me to him before parting my lips with his tongue. He turned me so that I was straddling him and then pulled me tightly against his chest, all well his mouth explored my face and neck. His tongue traced the spot on my neck where my pulse was fluttering out of control before kissing his way down to my chest. As his was licking, sucking, and biting a rather delicate spot just above my neckline, I was untying his shirt and trying to pull it over his head.

"In a rush?" He smirked making no move to help me.

"Drake." I growled giving him the best glare I could muster while my body was burning from his touch.

He laughed kissing me lightly. "Very well, but your clothes stay on."

I chuckled against his lips. "As if it would matter in this gown."

He laughed against my lips. "Maybe I should thank my king."

I gave him a playful swat as I grabbed fistfuls of his silky brown hair pulling his lips to mine. Once he returned his mouth to my pleasure I allowed one of my hands to sink from his hair, down his jaw, and to his firm chest. Then man may as well been carved from stone, because his skin was the only thing soft about him. I sighed into his mouth as my hand moved from his chest down to his stomach and marveled at the rippling muscle that I found there. It almost felt as if I was running my hand over a washboard and that excited me in ways I dared not dwell on. As if he noticed the downward trajectory of my hand he grabbed it, flatting it against his chest where he covered it with his own.

He pulled away pressing his lips to my forehead before smiling softly at me. "Let"s not get carried away."

I sighed as I looked up into his amber eyes. "Of course..."

He chuckled, "least not in the bath. And not today."

I wrapped my arms around him ever grateful that he knew me well enough to know that if this continued it could be to hide my grief. Not that I didn"t enjoy the feel of his lips on me. "Drake..." I whispered.

He just stood up with me still tucked against his chest carrying me out of the bath. He sat me down and then went about looking for dry clothes. After handing me a towel and a man"s shirt he turned his back to me. "You should change."

"Into this?" I asked with an edge to my voice.

He smirked at me. "It will cover more than what you"ve on now."

I threw my head back laughing. "Of that I have no doubt."

He turned once more and I dried and changed quickly. "Are you going to change?"

"I"m fine. There"s not much big enough for me, anyways."

I nodded though he couldn"t see. I didn"t doubt it, he was taller than most men I knew, and broader as well.

"I"ve dressed."

He turned at me and smiled softly. "Excellent." He grabbed his cape from the floor wrapping it around me once more. "Let"s get you to bed."

"Oh, before we go..." I said as he knitted his brows at me. I smiled at him before grabbing the horrible black gown off the floor and throwing it into the steaming pool. "Time for bed?"

He threw his head back and laughed loudly before picking me up and carrying me down the hall.