Chosen By The Prince (7 page)

"I'm not going to hurt her. I'm just going to fuck her. I'm going to fuck her
a lot
."

His tongue lapped at the side of her face. She cringed away from him, disgusted.

The Prince's eyes flared.
 

"You know I can't allow that Henry."

"Oh that's right, if someone else contaminates your precious harlot, you can't have her anymore. Isn't that right?"

Jillian whimpered as Henry's hand slid up, cupping her breast and squeezing it painfully.

"Please Henry. I'll give you anything you want. Just ask."

"I want her. And now I've got her. Making you suffer is just an added bonus."

Jillian felt herself starting to faint, her body slipping in Henry's grasp as he held the blade to her throat. The Prince was reaching for her, a desperate look in his eyes.

"Henry. I am begging you. Please... I love her."

The words barely permeated the haze of fear Jillian was in. She started to fall forward, causing Henry to yank her roughly up again. His blade nicked her throat, causing a trickle of blood to dribble down her chest. She moaned.

"That's unfortunate but as you said, unavoidable. Don't worry, I'll send her back with my baby in her belly in a couple of months."

He laughed again and started dragging her backwards toward the window. Jillian felt him pushing her onto the ledge outside. She realized that she was nude and two stories up. Anyone standing in the courtyard could see her clearly. Her eyes opened finally, registering shock as he pushed her closer to the edge. She knew that her life was over. She stared at the Prince, looking deeply into his anguished eyes. And then she fell.

Faint sounds of revelry greeted Jillian when she woke. Her entire body was sore. She tried to stretch before realizing she couldn't move. She was tied to a wooden chair, sitting up. Her arms were pulled back behind her cruelly and her legs were spread, each tied to the outside of the chair legs with a rough and scratchy rope that scraped her skin cruelly. She moaned around the gag in her mouth.

She must be in a private room at a tavern she thought, straining to regain her sense of equilibrium. The sounds coming from below confirmed her suspicion. She heard gulls and the faint smell of the ocean drew her attention. A tavern near the wharf. Henry must be planning to escape by ship on the eastern sea. With her.

Henry.

She lifted her head, scanning the shadows of the room. There was someone there, in the shadows. He was lounging in a deep chair, his booted feet on a table. There was a tankard of something clasped in his fist. He pulled on it deeply then dropped the empty cup to the floor where it rolled across the room.

"Sleeping beauty is awake at last."

His words sounded slurred as he dropped his feet heavily to the floor. He stood and walked toward her, coming into the light. Her eyes were adjusting so she could see him. She could see the look on his face.

"I thought about defiling you while you slept but I decided I wanted to see your eyes. More fun that way, don't you think?"

She whimpered pitifully. He grinned at her cruelly and reached out, pulling down the sheet he'd partially covered her body with. Her nipples pointed obscenely into the air. She wasn't sure if it was the cold or the stimulant cream that was doing it.

He inhaled sharply and ran his hands over her breasts. She tried to speak to him through the gag, to get his attention, to make him stop. Her eyes searched his face but his gaze was intent on her body. He concentrated deeply as he massaged her round breasts again and again. Then he frowned, seeming to come out of his daze.

His eyes looked to hers. There was an accusation there.

"You were supposed to be mine."

She tried to reason with him but the gag muffled her words. He pulled a knife out of his boot and fingered it, considering. He reached for the gag in her mouth.

"Don't scream."

Jillian nodded her head, desperate to try... maybe she could make him listen to reason. He pulled it down around her throat.

"Please, Henry. Please... let me go. You don't want to do this..."

He frowned at her again, confusion dimming his blue eyes. She had once thought those eyes were so fine, so noble. He had no honor now. She closed her eyes, knowing she had to hide her disgust from him if she was to survive this.

"You must be thirsty."

He looked around, realizing he was out of ale. He unlocked the door and shouted down.

"More ale!"

Then he stood at the door, staring at her. Tears were in her eyes as she considered her predicament. If he touched her. If he invaded her body... she could no longer be with the Prince. That thought filled her with despair. She loved him. There was no point in denying it to herself any longer.

A servant brought two tankards of ale to the door, staring at her naked body in surprise. She tried to gesture to him but he was looking at her cleft, her legs spread obscenely by the rope. The sheet had slipped completely, revealing every inch of her. Henry handed the man some coin and clapped him on the back.

"What a beauty! Send her around when you're finished will you?"

"If there's anything left. I like my whores tied up."

The man laughed and left the room, giving her body a last long look and rubbing his groin. Jillian forced herself to breath as Henry approached her with the ale. He poured a good portion of one tankard down his gullet before reaching for her head. He tilted her chin back and made her swallow the bitter ale. She choked on it, tears streaming down her face now.
 

Henry stared down at her, a bulge growing by the second in his pants. His hand stroked the tears from her face tenderly. The gentleness of his hand made everything else he was doing so much worse. He was capable of kindness, even in his deranged state.

Why was he doing this to her?

"Henry, please. You don't have to do this. You could run and he would let you go. He cares for you. He'll forgive you."

A snarl crossed Henry's face as he leaned down, inches from her.

"Well, I don't forgive him!"

He grabbed her head and kissed her roughly, bruising her lips. Then his hand was at his buckle, removing his belt, shifting his pants down to reveal his engorged cock. It was long and heavily veined. It looked so pink and disgusting compared to the Prince's member.

She whimpered and tried to move away as he adjusted her body on the chair. He dragged her hips to the edge of the seat and spread her legs painfully, pushing them even further out to the sides.

"No!"

His hands were on her thighs as he stared down at his shaft when the door banged open. Guards swarmed the room as the Prince ran in and threw Henry off of her. His eyes were full of despair as he looked into her eyes. He covered her with his cloak and untied her as she wept. Her tears were of relief.
 

"Shhhh... it's alright. You're safe now, my love."

He scooped her up into his arms, carrying her from the room. She heard Henry shouting incoherently behind her. The Prince carried her outside and into a carriage where he tenderly held her close, the entire journey back to the castle.

She clung to his chest as he stroked her back, warming her.
 

"You were very brave, Jillian."

"I was so afraid. I tried to reason with him but he-"

The Prince stiffened.
 

"Shhhh... it's alright. I have to ask you Jillian. Did he-"

"No."

He squeezed her tightly.

"You can tell me. I won't send you away. I don't care about the stupid rules!"

She breathed deeply.
 

"He didn't. He was about to but he was so drunk. It made him move slowly."

He kissed her forehead.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No, he just looked at me. He kissed and he touched me- on my chest- but that's all."

"I'm so sorry Jillian. I never thought he would do something like that. I guess I never knew him at all."

"Me either. What will- happen to him?"

"He'll be tried and most likely executed. I'm so sorry Jillian. I wish none of this had happened..."

She turned her face into his shoulder and wept.

The Prince waited in her room while her maids bathed her, unwilling to leave her side. The Royal Physician came and looked her over, prescribing rest and opiate for the bruises around her wrists and ankles. The mark on her throat where Henry had cut her would leave a scar but there was nothing that could be done about it. The best they could do was treat it to prevent infection.

Finally they were alone. The Prince was feeding her a warm broth that seemed to make her sleepier by the minute.

"May I ask you a question?"

He stopped feeding her and nodded his assent.
 

"What is it Jillian?"

"I don't understand something."

He raised his eyebrows, lifting the spoon to her lips. She swallowed the broth.
 

"How did we get down from the window? I thought that surely I was about to-"

"Shhhh..."

The Prince lifted another spoonful to her lips, cutting off the unwelcome thought. She opened her mouth obediently. He sighed.

"Henry had men waiting outside. They caught you."

"Oh."

She blushed, realizing she had been nude. He held the spoon up again.

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat."

His look made it clear that this was a direct order. She opened her mouth again, allowing him to feed her the rest of the broth.

"You will rest now. Lay down."

She scooted down into the big bed. He kissed her forehead then stood and checked the window. Her eyes were growing heavy as she saw him take a seat by the fireplace. She woke briefly in the night and he was still there, staring into the flames. There was a pensive look on his face, as if he were grappling with a terrible problem. She wondered what it was before she once again drifted into unconsciousness.

The next day she was again confined to her room. There were workmen at her window early in the morning, affixing bars. It made her chamber feel like a prison, which in a way, it was. She'd managed to delude herself about that until now...

She paced around the room and nibbled at her breakfast. The doctor came to see her again before lunch. Her maids had yet to appear to bath or change her so she sat in her robe, staring out of the window.

When her lunch came on a rolling cart, her eyes widened. It was a huge meal, several platters full. She was not surprised when the Prince came in to join her. He looked tired as he kissed her.

He sat down and patted his knee. Jillian blushed as she sat on his lap. She wasn't sure she would get used to being treated like a treasured pet. It was nice to be held in his arms though. He fed her slowly, growling when she licked the food off of his fingers.
 

"You aren't hungry?"

"I already ate."

"Oh."

He held another forkful of fish to her lips.

"Open."

"I'm stuffed! They'll have to roll me into the dining room tonight!"

He smiled grimly and held the fork to her lips. She opened her mouth taking the food. He fed her a few more bites just to be perverse. She felt herself growing sleepy as he cradled her against his chest.

"I have to go away for a few days."

"What?"

"I would give anything for it not to be now."

"Am I to go with you?"

He squeezed her tightly.

"Not this time, little one."

She yawned and snuggled deeper into his shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

He stroked her back and laid a kiss on her soft hair.

"That I cannot tell you."

The Prince left early the next morning. He came to say goodbye, kissing her deeply and staring at her as if he were afraid he might never see her again.

Something was obviously wrong but she knew better than to ask him what it was. He hadn't made love to her the night before. She knew it was because of her ordeal but she couldn't help it. She wished he had taken her again and again. She would miss him. She would miss his touch.

She had little to do over the next week. She took all her meals in her room. Sephina came to take her for a walk once a day, but other than that she was alone. Most of the time she slept. They must be putting something in her food...

On the fourth morning she was surprised to hear a familiar voice in the hallway.
 

Her mother.

The door opened and she stared at her beautiful mother. She had always looked up to Lady Danielle. Her mother was a cold and haughty noblewoman who never had a hair out of place, and rarely a kind word for her daughter.

Her eyes were curious as she looked at her daughter. Removed. Jillian knew she must be disappointed that her daughter was no longer to become a Duchess. With a pang she realized she hadn't even asked what had happened to Duke Henry. Perhaps it was better not to know.

"Please come in, mother. Sit."

Her mother was staring at her as she took her seat. It was hard not to notice that Jillian was dressed to display her femininity. Her skin was freshly oiled and her eyes lined with kohl.

"You are well, Jillian?"

"Yes thank you. And yourself? Father?"

Her mother nodded, accepting a glass of wine from one of the maids. There were two separate vessels as usual. Jillian was handed another glass. She wondered if it was laced with sedatives again. Obviously they were drugging her. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it.

"We are well thank you."

Jillian smiled demurely and looked at her lap. There must be a reason for this visit. Her mother was nothing if not calculating.

"My dear, we wanted to discuss with you the situation with Haight. As you know, your father has business dealings there. It is of utmost importance that you be as circumspect as possible regarding the new Princess."

Jillian stared at her mother in shock. What was she talking about?

"You didn't know? Surely they must have prepared you..."

Jillian shook her head, dread pooling in her stomach.