Princess Lily

Chapter 19

 “So there’s actually something you don’t know how to do?” Prince James joked as he tied his skates.

The lake was frozen over and after Lily had taken brief nap in the middle of the day since she’d travelled for the better part of the night to get to James, Prince James had decided to take her ice-skating. It was something all the noble ladies of Fortius enjoyed.

“The weather never gets cold enough on my father’s lands in Leal. We have snow, but never enough to freeze over enough water to make it safe for ice-skating,” Lily explained as bent over her skates, trying to tie them properly.

Prince James chuckled, coming over to her and bending next to her, he helped her tie them. He then stood up, offering his hand to her which she took. Lily immediately stumbled into his arms and Prince James laughed.

“I like skating with you already,” he murmured, his arms around her waist as her body pressed against his.

Lily pushed him away gently, a sparkle In her eye.

“I’m going to be good enough one day to best even you,” she vowed as she took his hand and let him lead her onto the ice.

She fell again, this time on her butt.

“Oh!” Lily humphed, standing up and rubbing her sore backside.

“You need me to kiss it and make it better?” James teased, eyes gleaming as his hands travelled perilously close to her butt.

Lily batted his hands away, looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.

“You’re going to teach me how to do this,” she demanded, pointing a finger in his direction, not caring that she was being bossy with the future emperor.

James laughed, skating circles around her for a minute before going behind her and placing his hands on her waist. He leaned in and whispered into her ear, “Follow my lead, let me move you forward.”

And she did, trusting him to keep her from falling as he skated forward and held her firm whenever she stumbled.

“Now, try moving your feet, copy my movements,” Prince James instructed.

Lily complied, enjoying the warm feel of his hands on her waist, his breath tickling her ear whenever he leaned close to speak to her. Sooner, rather than later, she found herself leaning back into him, basking in his warmth.

“This is so much fun,” Lily commented enthusiastically as she let herself go forward without his help. She was getting the hang of this.

“I knew you’d enjoy it,” James said triumphantly.

He watched her skate around on her own without his support and felt like he must be lost in a dream. A dream where he was in a land of snow and ice and she was an ice princess, roaming about and enjoying herself. Her hair had come undone and fell down her back in luxurious waves, glinting pure gold in the sunlight. He momentarily pictured those same locks spread out across his bed before shaking the thought away. He was a gentlemen, and he would not entertain such thoughts when Lily had come here so trustingly. That was the most wonderful part about her. She didn’t have any wiles or schemes up her sleeve. She gave every part of herself with sincerity, and she was so pure , he had no doubt she’d have no qualms giving herself up entirely to him if he tried. But society would. She’d be ruined in their eyes. Even the title of future Empress wouldn’t do much to sway the public’s opinion. Theirs was a conservative society bogged down in protocols and a staunch belief that the little bit of worth a female held was either by her station in life or it was situated firmly between her legs. Villagers went by a loser code of conduct, but females of the nobility were meant to save themselves for the marriage bed. And most females were unfortunately left completely clueless when it came to the marital act in a foolhardy attempt by their mother's to preserve their delicate sensibilities. 

 He already knew he’d have to fight his mother tooth and nail to get her to agree to his betrothal with Lily. If she ever got wind of the fact that she’d come here, or worse, that they’d been intimate, it would make the fight for Lily by his side even harder.

So he got his desire under control, and skated over to Lily, grabbing her hand and giving her a twirl on the ice.

“How’d I do for a beginner?” she inquired with trusting doe-eyes.

“Perfect, you’re perfect,” James said honestly, bending down to give her a chaste kiss on the lips. Then he took a deep breath, grabbing her hand and got down on one knee.

Lily’s eyes widened in alarm.

“I’m done hiding our relationship from everyone,” James said on a shallow exhale.

His hand trembled in hers as his thumb skimmed over the ring he’d placed back on her finger earlier today.

“Will you do me the honor of being my wife? The mother of my children?” he queried.

“Me?” Lily asked in surprise.

James nodded earnestly.

“I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have by my side as my empress. You are perfect, despite the fact that you seem to have a soft spot for those good for nothing rebels,” he mumbled beneath his breath.

“Please, give them a chance,” Lily begged. “For me?”

James nodded almost imperceptibly but Lily caught it. She squealed happily, throwing herself into his arms so that he fell back on the cool ice. They both laughed.

“What about your answer to my proposal?” James asked incredulously, hugging her to him as she nearly squeezed the life out of him.

“Yes!” Lily exclaimed, planting a kiss on his jaw. “Yes, yes, yes,” she punctuated each word with a kiss along his jaw before her lips finally hovered over his. “It will always be yes,” she spoke before pressing her lips to his.

Feeling like the luckiest man alive, he kissed her back, his hand finally going down to squeeze her butt and press her more firmly against him. She was his now. He was going to make her his empress. Lily’s hands trailed over his shoulders, down his chest, wanting to feel him and explore him the same way his hands explored her body. She felt a bulge against her lower abdomen and an ache bloom between her legs. She rubbed against him experimentally, enjoying the feeling of pleasure coursing through her.

James pulled back, letting out a small groan. He was becoming aroused again.

“I’m sorry, are you in pain?” Lily queried, realizing she was half on top of him.

“The most exquisite kind,” James replied dryly as she removed herself from atop him and stood up.

“What can I do to help?” Lily queried, offering him a hand to help him stand.

James bit back a laugh as he realized she had no idea of her effect on him.

“A great many things,” James joked, placing an arm around her shoulders. “But another time. We have the rest of our lives for that.”

He grinned as he steered her back towards his residence, deciding that it was time to go home and inform his mother about everything.

“Rest of our lives for what?” Lily asked blankly.

James laughed again  and bent down to place a kiss on her temple.

“I think it’s time we both had dinner and then I’m leaving. I’d appreciate it Lily, if you stayed tonight and took one of my groomsmen with you in the morning instead of travelling alone. No one knows about our engagement yet but still, it’s not safe to travel alone.”

“Please stay tonight,” Lily asked him sweetly. “I want to be able to spend more time with you.”

If it had been anyone else but Lily, Prince James would have taken it as an invitation to do more than just sleep.

“I want too, but after our marriage, all my nights are yours. My days too. I must go speak with mother at once,” James explained.

Lily nodded, chewing her lip. James steered her back inside his residence, sitting her by the fire to warm up after their spring on the ice. They sat laughing over mugs of hot chocolate as they waited for dinner to be served.