Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance

Chapter 8-1

Chapter Eight

The music and dinner were pleasant enough, but Kit found each second that ticked by on the large grandfather clock across the room seemed to take an eternity. While her mother supplied her with several visiting nobles to entertain her, Kit hardly heard a word any of them said. Perhaps she would have found one or two of the men attractive if her mind were not elsewhere. When it was time for her to head off to her chambers, nearly four hours after the festivities had begun, she did so without remembering a single one of the gentlemen’s names.

Her mother had asked her several times what was on her mind, but with each question, Kit had only shrugged and said she wasn’t feeling like herself. As she headed down the long hallway with two other guards beside her, ones she remembered from her secret viewing out the window earlier but could not name, she tried to calm her nerves. It wasn’t as if she was feeling ill, but a stirring inside of her, something like the sensation she’d had leading up to her Proem, was an ever present effervescence, and she wasn’t sure whether she should be giddy or distraught.

The guards were silent as they led her down the hallway, and hardly another person was present as it was late, and most of the castle staff would’ve retired hours ago unless they were in the other wing helping with the dinner. The blister on her heel began to annoy her again, but she ignored it, trying to think instead of what was before her. She wondered if either of these gentlemen knew what she had planned with one of their fellow guardsmen.

They led her to her own chamber door, and she assumed that meant they were not informed, which was just as well. She would need the advice of Avinia and Isla before she went down the hall to the other chambers, the one she was to use for her Exploration now and then again for her Choosing when it was time. Although the room wasn’t required for any interaction she may have, during the Choosing it would be the primary place where she would invite the Representatives to pleasure her. It was especially designed for such activities, with a large, plush bed, and had an elongated antechamber for privacy. There was also a secret hiding place she could access, though she wasn’t sure why she might need it. Her mother had said she would know if it was ever necessary to use it and that she would tell her more later. Kit had only stared at her dumbfounded unable to see why it would ever be necessary.

“My Princess,” the taller of the two guards said as he opened the door. She nodded and walked through, noticing he had a slight smirk on his face, and she wondered if he had seen the girls spying or if he knew she wouldn’t be staying in her own chambers long.

Avinia and Isla were standing just inside the door, their hands fidgeting as they looked at her in anticipation. “Well? How was it?” Avinia asked. “Did you meet any suitable noblemen?”

“Did you invite any of them to your chambers?” Isla asked, her mouth split in a grin.

Kit could feel her face turning red. “Ladies, it wasn’t I who did the propositioning, and it wasn’t a nobleman, but you must help me prepare. I am scheduled for an encounter in my other chambers shortly.”

Squeals of delight from her cousins nearly deafened her, and before she knew what was happening, they began to pluck her clothing from her, replacing her long, full gown and even her underclothing with only a thin, white shift. It wasn’t her ordinary nightgown. Rather, it was made of softer material and had intricate lace at the bodice, which was cut lower than usual. The tops of Kit’s breasts peaked up over the edge in soft mounds, and Kit stared down at them as if they were foreign to her.

“You’re about to find out what those are for,” Isla teased, winking at her. She grabbed Kit’s thick red robe from its place near the bed and held it out so that the princess could slip her arms in. It wouldn’t do to walk down the hallway without it, particularly since the shift was so thin.

“Here are your satin slippers, my Lady,” Avinia said in an overly formal fashion.

Kit slid them on, glad to have something other than the offensive boots on her feet. “Very good.” She took a deep breath. “Now, any advice?”

“Who is it?” Avinia asked, leaning down as if there were others nearby who might overhear.

“Yes, is it anyone we know?” Isla asked, still smiling like a small girl at the circus.

Wrinkling up her nose, Avinia asked, “It isn’t that Dullen, is it?”

“No, of course not,” Kit replied, though she still didn’t quite understand why he was so repulsive to them. “If you must know, it is the guard from earlier, the one who watched us spy on the others.”

“The tall one with muscles that ripple against his uniform?” Isla licked her lips slowly.

“Terrowin?” Avinia asked, a little more surprised than excited it seemed.

“Yes, that’s him.” Kit hoped he would meet her oldest cousin’s requirements.

A slow smile spread across her face. “Yes, I think that he will do you well.”

Kit thought there might be something Avinia was holding back but didn’t have time to guess what it was. “That’s delightful to hear.” She took another deep breath and realized her hands were shaking.

“Do not fear him,” Avinia said placing a hand on her shoulder. “He will be gentle with you. He will teach you what you need to know.”

Realization washed over her as Kit came to understand her cousin’s expression. She knew Terrowin would take care of her because he had already pleasured Avinia. Kit assumed it must’ve been during her cousin’s Exploration because he didn’t seem as if he could’ve been a Representative, but then she had no idea how old he was or what his history was precisely, only that he was older than Kit, and she agreed he would serve her well.

“I suppose… I’m ready, then,” Kit said, rubbing her palms on the side of her robe to dry them of perspiration.

“All right. Will you return to this chamber tonight or sleep there?” Isla wanted to know.”

“I haven’t the foggiest,” Kit admitted.

Avinia gave a gleeful giggle, but it sounded forced, like she wanted to be happy for Kit, though she was actually concerned. “Have fun, cousin. That’s what pleasuring is all about.”

Kit nodded, drew in the deepest breath yet, and headed slowly toward the door. When she opened it, the two guards who had just escorted her to her room were still standing outside. Neither of them looked surprised to see her. “I am going to my other chambers,” she said, her head downcast and her eyes never leaving the smooth stone of the floor.

“Yes, my Princess,” the tall one said, and he turned and headed in that direction. She followed, the other guard behind her.

It only took a moment to reach the other room. The lead guard opened the door for her. She ducked inside, and the door closed behind her.

She entered the bedroom from the antechamber to see that the lantern by the bed was lit, though she was the only one in the room. She had a look around and found everything as it was the last time she’d been here except that next to the lamp there was a sheath and the lubrication Mikali had supplied her with, as if someone had come along to prepare the room for her. She wondered who might’ve done so, unless her cousins did it out of hopefulness. The linens on the bed were turned down as well.

Kit hardly had a chance to stand there and quake before she heard a rapping on the outside door. Her breath caught in her throat, and the idea that she was not ready filled her head. But the sound of footsteps let her know it was too late, that she was no longer alone, and she slowly turned around, telling herself to be calm, that it would be all right.

Terrowin stood in the doorway wearing only a thin white tunic and a pair of brown trousers, no shoes, no jerkin, no chainmail or other accoutrement associated with his station. His blond locks fell down over each shoulders, and even from across the room she could smell his musky scent. He was a man in every sense of the word.

Her stomach tightened and a tingling sensation began to spread between her legs. For a fleeting second, her mind flittered to Eli, but she knew she had to push thoughts of him away. He was never hers, and she would never be his. But Terrowin was here now, and he could teach her things she’d never imagined, take her to places she’d never been. Most of all, he could extinguish the flickering fear within her and quench her thirst for knowledge.

“My Princess,” he said, taking a few light steps in her direction, closing the door behind him. “You are radiant in the soft lamp light.”

“Thank you,” Kit replied, wondering just how well he could see her. She almost wished she’d extinguished the light in the brief moments she had before he entered so that only the moonlight streaming in the window next to the bed would illuminate her. The idea of having his eyes on her n***d body made her shudder a bit. But then, she wanted to see him, every inch of his muscular frame, so somehow she’d have to work around having his eyes on her.

He moved closer so that he was standing directly in front of her and gently reached up and stroked her cheek. At the touch of his rough hand on her skin, gooseflesh broke out all across her body, and Kit let out a soft sigh. His hand lingered on her jaw for a moment before sliding down to her neck, and with each subtle movement, Kit felt herself floating a little more.

Her hands went to his chest, more to steady herself at first than to see what he felt like, but once her palms came into contact with the solid wall of muscle, she let out a small gasp, and with an expert movement, Terrowin brought his mouth down on hers.

Kit’s lips parted as his tongue dove into her mouth. Any hesitation she felt was extinguished as he guided her to open, and a hunger began to build from deep within her. He tasted of strong liquor, a sweetness she hadn’t expected, and the feel of his tongue as it intertwined with hers had her breaths coming in short, raspy gasps.

Terrowin pulled back, but Kit wasn’t ready to let him go. Her hands were on either side of his face, her fingertips tangling with his short beard, and she pulled him to her, pressing her lips tightly against his. A low rumble from his throat alerted her he found her amusing, which was enough to bring her to her senses, and she released his mouth, though she did not move far from his sensual lips.

“You taste like strawberries, Princess.” His breath was warm against her neck.

“Please, you must call me by my name when we’re in here.” His hands were at her waist, caressing, moving lower with each stroke, and she found herself shifting in his arms so that she was nearer to him.

“Very well, then, Katrinetta.” He smiled down at her, and a familiarity she’d never felt with a man except… it didn’t matter. Terrowin seemed like someone she’d known for a very long time, and she felt wanted, needed, and safe in his powerful arms.

His lips traced a line down her neck, his tongue darting out from time to time to leave her breathless, wanting more, and a nip from his teeth against her earlobe had her knees weakening. Kit began to moan, a sound she didn’t recognize coming out of her own throat, but she enjoyed it just the same.

“That’s right, my love, take it all in. Let the enjoyment spread throughout your body.” His hand slipped beneath her robe to her breast, kneading it through the thin fabric of her shift, and when he let go of her to untie the obstruction, she longed for his hand to return to her. His thumb encircled her n****e, which hardened instantly. Kit gripped his neck and pulled him closer, needing to feel more of him.

Once again, Terrowin stopped, leaving her neck cold without his warm breath there. His hands moved back to her waist, and he looked her in the eye. “It’s time for you to undress, Katrinetta.”