Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

“Which one is he?” Avinia asked. Her head was c****d to the side as she studied Kit, her face puckered up in contemplation.

“I told you. He has red hair. He’s tall, a bit lanky. Kind eyes. Green—but not the striking kind.” Kit had already given them every last detail of her encounter in the barn, and neither of her ladies had reacted the way she’d been hoping for.

“Hmmm,” Isla picked up a section of Kit’s long hair and began to comb it out. “I would think if he were worth remembering, I would know which one he is.”

“Yes, I was thinking exactly the same thing. There are so many attractive guards available to you, Katrinetta. You need a full grown man, not a boy child.”

“I agree. You want your first pleasuring to be with someone who knows precisely what he is doing.” Isla hit a tangle, making Kit squeal, but her cousin just kept right on combing.

“He’s not a boy child,” she argued. She was so disappointed that they weren’t happy for her. Rather, they seemed to think she’d made a mistake. “You’re one to talk anyway, Isla. How many pleasuring partners did you have during your entire Exploration? Three?”

“It’s not the number of partners that counts. It’s their capabilities,” Isla replied, pinning up the section of hair she’d been working on and moving to the last. “Besides, my Choosing begins in just a few days, and I will know exactly what I am looking for.”

“And that means you will have a new lady—temporarily,” Avinia reminded her. Kit’s face fell, as did Isla’s, which secretly made Kit happy. At least Isla enjoyed her assignment. “And I believe your mother will let you know who she has selected tomorrow.”

“Well, whoever she is, I hope that she is kind and generous.” Isla hit another snag, and Kit cried out again. “And gentle.”

“Pardon, Princess,” Isla replied, finishing her work. “But… I do think you should have a bit of council from me before I go off. When it comes to choosing men for your pleasuring, you certainly need some assistance.”

Kit twisted on her stool to look at their true faces rather than their reflections. “You don’t even know which one he is.”

Avinia glanced across the room at the clock. “Well, that can be remedied. Look! It’s half past five, and that means that the members of your guard who are not on duty are in the courtyard, going through their drills.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Isla nearly squealed. “Not only can you point him out to us, we can give you some advice.”

Kit felt her cheeks flush. “What? You expect me to spy on my own guards? To discuss them from the window while they are practicing their skills in order to keep me safe?”

“Yes, of course,” Avinia said with a shrug. “The kitchen girls do it. Why shouldn’t we?”

“We do it, too,” Isla said with a wicked grin.

Kit’s eyes enlarged. “I should say I never do!”

“No, of course you don’t,” Avinia replied. “We all know you’ve only had eyes for one man, though there have been enough times we’ve spied on him running about in the courtyard, bare chested.” Avinia’s eyes glazed over a bit, and Isla giggled. Kit felt as if she might vomit. Or explode. Why had it never occurred to her to watch her guards in training? Especially before Eli left?

“Come on, Katrinetta!” Isla urged. “These are important matters. Clearly, you haven’t any idea what you should be looking for.”

Kit disagreed and checked the time again. “I’m to be at my mother’s dining room in an hour.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. Come along.” Avinia grabbed her mistress by the elbow and pulled her to her feet. The train of Kit’s flowing pink gown caught on the leg of her stool, and it nearly tore before she could tug it free, but Avinia didn’t slow, so the princess reluctantly went along, though she wasn’t exactly sure why she wasn’t bouncing down the halls like the other two. Perhaps it was the sound of her mother’s voice catching in her mind, telling her it wasn’t something proper young ladies would do. But then, her mother had never specifically told her not to spy on the guards….

Two of the guardsmen were standing outside of her door, as was always the case, and as the three young women bounded down the hallway, the men fell into step behind them. Kit glanced over her shoulder to see if she recognized them. One was a large, musclebound brute of a man with flowing blond hair which he kept in a knot at the base of his neck when he was on duty. She’d seen him before when he was not, though, and remembered how attractive he looked with his hair flowing freely around his broad shoulders. She timidly smiled at him when he realized she was staring, but he kept his eyes straight ahead, as if he weren’t allowed to regard the woman he was protecting.

The other man was tall and not as muscular. He had a hard set jaw and eyes that were small for the width of his face. Kit had noticed him before, too, but only because she found him particularly unattractive compared to most of her guards. She thought he was nice enough, but she certainly wouldn’t consider him for a pleasuring. But then, she thought he was married to one of the women who worked in the kitchen, so it wouldn’t matter. She realized it was a shame she knew neither of their names and decided she needed to try to learn the names of all of her guards. After all, during her Choosing, she’d have to learn the names of each Representative from all forty-two provinces, so she may as well start practicing with her guardsmen.

“All right,” Avinia announced, drawing Kit right up next to the window. It was one of several that covered a large expanse of the wall in this section of the castle. It looked out on a courtyard surrounded by other exterior walls of Wrenbrook, so there was little threat of anyone invading the castle and using these large windows for their first entry point. Three such windows ran in intervals along the hallway here, and Kit enjoyed pacing this hall on days when it was misty so she couldn’t go outside but needed as much sunlight as she could soak in. She had never thought to stand here and watch a bunch of shirtless men run around outside. But now that she was doing so, the idea didn’t appall her as much as she let on.

Not all of the men were without tunics. Only about half, and it seemed to depend upon what they were practicing. There were several different activities going on, including jousting with wooden poles, swordplay, also with wooden weapons, while others were doing calisthenics or running. She could tell that Galter was giving most of the orders, as she would’ve expected. Of the fifty or so guardsmen she had at in her service, there were perhaps thirty here, which she assumed meant the others were either on free time or otherwise protecting her in ways she likely knew nothing about.

“All right. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?” Avinia asked, leaning in close to her ear. “I’m not saying you have to choose a guardsman, but you need to choose someone who can show you a thing or two, that’s all.”

“Yes, you want someone with some experience,” Isla agreed.

“Now, which one is this Dullen?” Avinia asked, and Kit immediately hushed her cousin, looking over her shoulder at the other two guards. Though they had stopped down the hall a bit, one leaning against each wall at attention, she was certain they could hear, and she didn’t think it was pertinent for any of them to know what she and Dullen had done. “Why are you hushing me?” Avinia asked. “They’re not going to say anything. They are in your service.”

“Yes, well, not saying and not knowing aren’t the same, are they?” Kit asked, and her mind immediately went to the Proem. What if the ugly guard was the one who knew her intimately? Then she remembered he was married, so it couldn’t have been him. Her eyes flickered to the other one, the handsome one with the flowing blond tresses. Now, that wouldn’t be so bad….

“Katrinetta, which one is he?” Isla asked in a sharp whisper that stung her cheek.

Kit scanned the yard for a shock of red hair and soon found him, though he wasn’t the only redhead amongst the men who had to be a good twenty feet below them and far enough across the courtyard that they hadn’t yet noticed their audience. “There. That one,” she said, pointing at him.

Immediately, both of her ladies began to giggle, and Kit felt her face going crimson all over again. “Beg pardon, Princess. I don’t mean to laugh,” Avinia said, though she did it just the same.

“He truly is a boy child,” Isla snickered, quietly. “I am so glad nothing more happened than a bit of booby grabbing.”

“Isla!” Kit scolded, glancing over her shoulder at the guards. She thought she saw a hint of amusement in the stoic brute’s expression but didn’t know for sure. The other was clearly smiling, though he fixed his face as Kit looked at him.

“All right, darling dearest,” Avinia said, taking Kit by the elbow again. “Look at that fellow over there, the one who looks as if he’s twice your age and could pick you up with one finger. That’s the sort of gent you want in your chambers, particularly early on. He certainly knows what he’s on about.”

“Yes, indeed,” Isla concurred. “Or that one.” She pointed at a stout figure with short black hair and dark skin that glistened in the sun. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and Kit felt a tingling sensation as she stared at his bare chest. He was fighting another man and besting him, and Kit’s tongue darted from between her lips of its own accord, causing Avinia to giggle again.

“Why ever are you laughing at me?” Kit asked, determined that her face would just stay beet red for the rest of her life. “You said I should find someone that piques my interest.”

“Yes, well, I guess we’ve found a likely candidate,” Avinia snickered.

“There are certainly many pros to choosing a well-endowed gentleman for your first pleasuring,” Isla continued, her voice low as if that might keep the guards from overhearing, though Kit didn’t think it likely. “While it feels much better than a smaller member poking around, it will also help get all of the stretching done at once.”

Kit was confused. “I thought the whole purpose of the Proem was to take care of that.”

“No, that’s just to break the barrier, to introduce you into the world so that you may not think of any of your suitors as more worthy of your affections than any of the others,” Avinia reminded her.

Of course, that had all been explained before at least a dozen times, but somehow Kit had gotten the impression the stretching had also been part of it. There had certainly been stretching, though she remembered how gentle the man behind the veil had been with her.

“Now, in my case,” Isla recounted, “the man I chose to invite to my chambers first was large, and since Mikali performed my Proem, the first time was very painful.” She looked grieved, and Kit wanted to remind her it wasn’t necessary to go over the story again. She’d already heard it many times before. “But after that, nothing was uncomfortable, and I was able to enjoy myself immensely each time.”

“The more partners you have, the better off you’ll be when it’s time for your Choosing. You’ll know what to expect from the various Representatives, and you’ll know who isn’t worth a second invite,” Avinia noted.

Kit’s head was spinning. “It all seems quite embarrassing, actually,” she admitted.

“Don’t think of it that way. This is your right as a noblewoman of royal blood,” Isla reminded her.

“And the men want to please you. Most of them find it satisfying as well.” Avinia smiled down at her, and Kit nodded, thinking that may be true. Dullen seemed to like their interaction for certain.

“I just can’t imagine asking a man to join me in my chambers, that’s all,” Kit admitted, placing a hand against her cheek to tell if the heat was radiating off of it. She did feel a bit of warmth.

“It’s simple. You’re the princess. You look him squarely in the eyes and say, ‘Your presence is requested in my chambers this evening,’” Avinia said with confidence.

“Yes, and he will most certainly be grateful,” Isla nodded.

“And—as for the fact that you should start with these fine specimens of your own guard, well, they are all regularly checked by the doctor. You shouldn’t need to worry about catching anything.” Avinia wrinkled up her nose.

Kit hadn’t truly considered that a possibility. “I thought… isn’t it a crime to have relations with a woman knowing you’re infected with a disease? And… isn’t it punishable by death if that woman is nobility?”

“Yes, but some men will do anything in order to have a chance to pleasure a noblewoman, I’m afraid.” Isla shook her head, morose again.

“I would think any nobleman who comes to pay a visit would also be of little risk. And Mikali swears the sheaths will catch most everything, particularly if that special cream provided to you is used generously.” Avinia patted Kit on the shoulder lovingly.

“Yes, I have heard that is true.” Kit’s nerves settled down a bit, but stories of women who had been infected with awful venereal diseases entered her mind, and she was bound and determined never to let that be her. “Can you tell?”

“If a man is ill?” Avinia asked. “No, not usually.”

“Not unless he has sores or puss,” Isla added, making an awful face that displayed her disgust.

The idea made Kit’s stomach churn. “All right. I think I would notice that.”

“Yes, but sometimes it takes a bit of time for it to show up. Which is why the physician will check all of the Representatives when they arrive, and then you will have several days before there are any relations between yourself and the men.”

“They are checked regularly. Mine have already been checked twice,” Isla noted.

From the sounds of it, there must be an epidemic out among the provinces of men spreading disease to poor unsuspecting women. Kit wondered how in the world she could possibly choose several men during her Exploration if there was a chance they would leave her nether regions itchy and bleeding.

“Don’t worry, love,” Avinia said, clearly seeing her worried expression. “It is all a precaution.”

“The men know the law, and they will abide by it, I’m certain. That’s why there are safe houses for those who are infected to go.” Isla’s smile seemed reassuring.

“And those places are not running over with so many of the afflicted there is no room in their beds,” Avinia noted.

Kit nodded, but she was still worried. In an attempt to take her mind off of the grotesque images that had filled her thoughts, she returned her attention to her guards. It was a warm spring day, and many of them were glistening in the late afternoon sun. A tingling sensation between her thighs brought a smile to her face. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, her cousins were correct—the men whose biceps rippled as they swung their swords, the ones with taut leg muscles that carried them easily on their feet—were more appealing physically than poor Dullen who still had a lot of growing up to do. Kit realized she’d felt comfortable with him because of his lack of experience. She knew he couldn’t possibly laugh at her or tell her she was inadequate in any way. Yet, having a man with a vast amount of experience teach her what to expect would also have its benefits.

“We should go,” Avinia said as a few stray glances from the yard focused in on them. “Not because they realize we are watching but because it is nearly time to visit your mother, and you do not want to be late.”

Kit glanced around, but there was no clock here. She didn’t question how Avinia knew; her cousin was almost always aware of the time somehow. It was one of her many gifts.

“Very well,” the princess said with a nod. “Thank you, ladies, for your lessons. I shall consider them.”

“You shall choose one of these grown men and invite him into your chambers in the next few days,” Isla said, her assertiveness a rarity and nearly foreign to Kit. “Otherwise, I shall not be around to hear what happens,” she said in a quiet whisper, next to the princess’s ear.

Kit giggled. Whether or not she’d repeat what transpired in her private chambers to her cousins was another matter to consider entirely, but it was nice to know they were excited about her journey. She only hoped she could find that excitement herself soon. So far, there had been nothing but butterflies of the trepidatious variety.

The three of them walked along in silence to Kit’s chambers, and once they were inside, the cousins went about readying her for dinner with her mother. There would be music before the meal was served, which was why she was expected so early, and Kit imagined her mother would introduce her to the son of some foreign dignitary, someone meant to find his way into her chambers. She was aware that queens had been bargaining with turns in their daughters’ beds for generations, and while that was just the way of it, Kit liked the idea of choosing one of her own guard members far better than the thought she might spend the night with a prince from another land who was only there because he was seeking pleasure as well. It was almost ironic that a queendom built on the belief that women superior to men and were entitled to be pleasured by them could make such deals, but that wouldn’t be the only law of the land that seemed backward to Kit.

Once she was ready, her cousins walked her to the door, and Kit stepped into the hallway to see that the same two guards who had escorted them to the windows were still on duty. She hoped her face did not betray her disappointment. She wished they would’ve switched out with two men who knew nothing of the previous conversation she’d had with her ladies, but then, she wondered how many of her guards had seen the trio spying on them. Surely, at least a few had noticed, and they had likely shared what they’d discovered with the rest of the men. There was little chance any of them could’ve escorted her without prior knowledge of their shenanigans.

They walked along in silence for what seemed like a league, though Kit knew it truly wasn’t that far. The low-heeled boots she wore beneath her pink gown were better for walking than some of the other footwear she often had thrust upon her, but she was thankful she wouldn’t be doing any dancing that night. When they were nearly three-quarters of the way there, she thought she may be developing a blister. She’d have to do her best to walk on without drawing attention to herself.

Her guards picked up on it immediately. “Are you well, my Princess?” the blond asked, slowing his pace slightly.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said quickly, not wishing to alarm anyone. Any chance at changing her shoes would make her late, and she would rather have a blister than anger her mother.

“We can slow down if you’d like,” the other guard, the married one, added.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Kit reiterated, but their pace did not pick up again, and part of her wanted to just run the rest of the way and get it over with. But she kept her shoulders square and her head held high.

“Your Majesty,” the blond began, his husky voice low, nearly a whisper, “I hope you don’t mind me addressing you, but… there is something I wish to say.”

Kit turned her head, an eyebrow raised. All of her guards knew she was just as fond of speaking to them as she was the rest of the people who lived and worked in the castle. She’d had lots of conversations with the men who escorted her, though never in front of her mother. Except for with Eli, of course. She pushed him out of her mind. “Yes, of course,” Kit said, returning her gaze to the hall in front of her.

He cleared his throat, and Kit felt a tightening low in her belly. There was something alluring about the sound, almost as if he were a wild beast who needed taming. “My Princess, I was not intentionally eavesdropping on your conversation earlier, but you should know, if you are in need of someone to teach you, I would willfully volunteer my time and expertise.”

Kit’s face caught on fire as her eyebrows shot up. She never would’ve expected him to say those words. She could easily think of a dozen or more statements she would’ve thought more likely than the ones he actually spoke. Without turning her head to face him, she cleared her throat, thinking she sounded like a mouse or a small child, and only managed, “Oh?”

“I hope that you don’t think me too forward, my Princess,” he continued, his voice husky. “But it would be an honor.”

The blister was long forgotten as she continued on to the music hall near her mother’s dining room. She must’ve taken a few dozen steps, not knowing what to say to him, but before she reached the entryway, where her mother’s guards would be sure to overhear, she took a deep breath, and remembering all that her cousins who loved her dearly had advised, Kit said, “Yes, thank you. I shall be in my chambers—the other ones—by eleven.” For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to call them what they were—her pleasuring chambers. But she knew he’d understand.

“Yes, my Princess,” he replied, and Kit thought she heard a snicker out of the other guard, though she did not turn her head in his direction either. She continued to face straight ahead.

As her guards handed her off to the others, her mother’s stern, scowling bucks, Kit said quietly. “Forgive me, but I’m unsure of your name.”

“It’s Terrowin, my Princess,” he said, his deep voice reverberating in her ear, though he did not stoop to whisper. And then, as if his message was sent on the wind, he added for only her to hear, “I shall be counting the minutes.”

A shiver went down her spine like the charged air of a lightning storm, and all of the fear and embarrassment she’d been holding inside dissipated, at least for that brief moment. Kit turned and looked at him, thinking her eyes must be twinkling, and his dark orbs smiled back at her, as if it was just their secret, something no one else ever need know.

Kit passed into the music hall thinking she may also be counting the minutes until she could leave this place. Perhaps by then the timidity she had felt would have returned, but something told her one night with Terrowin would change all of that forever.