Princess Lily

Chapter 7

The next day, Lily woke up feeling miserable. Helaine was sulky and wasn’t speaking to anyone. Lily felt guilty for being part of the reason Prince James had broken off his engagement. She found herself in the stables, absently petting Stormcloud who still wouldn’t let anyone ride him. He had been mistreated by the evil Baron and Lily was trying to give the horse time to become accustomed to her.

She was surprised when she saw Georg enter the stables, his eyes downcast, a forlorn expression on his face. Prince James was by his side. Neither boy knew Lily was also inside the stables, hidden from sigh inside her horse's stall.

“I really like her,” Georg said listlessly. “But she’s a village girl. A commoner. I’m a noble. My father would never agree. So I’ve been ignoring her. These past few days have been amazing with her, but when your mother arrived, and I saw how much she couldn’t stand being around commoners, it made me realize that my parents will never accept Irina.” Lily gave a start as she realized that Georg was Irina’s nobleman and he was actually quite smitten with her. “There is no point in pursuing something with her that will go nowhere. I’d just be wasting her time.”

“It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks. You’re a grown man. An heir to a dukedom! You should be man enough to stand up to your parents and be with the girl you want. What type of duke will you become if you’re just going to be a pushover? Stand up for her man,” James urged his friend as they both moved to get their horses out. “At least one of us deserves to be with a girl who makes them happy. I’m most likely going to get stuck with Sasha, Duke Arnoff’s daughter.” James shuddered. “Mother’s already plotting, looking for the next eligible girl.”

Lily felt something twist in her stomach at the thought of Prince James married to another girl.

“Look at you, preaching to me to be with the girl I want and yet you’re no better off. I’ve seen the way you look at Miss Lily,” Georg retorted as his horse neighed in agreement.

James looked away from Georg, a firm set to his jaw. He wouldn’t admit that she’d rejected him.

“I just broke off a betrothal with her sister,” James finally said.

“So? It’s not like you two were in love. These things happen. Wasn’t the entire reason for you coming to see Helaine so that the two of you had a chance to discover if you suited each other or not?”

“She won’t have me,” James finally snapped churlishly.

Georg looked at James, momentarily stunned. To learn that Lily had rejected James, a chance to become the next Empress of one of the largest empires…It was simply unheard of.

“You must be mistaken,” Georg finally said decidedly.

“She asked me why I liked her…” James trailed off wearily before glaring at his friend who had just burst out laughing.

“I think you’ve got some convincing to do,” Georg chuckled. “Something you’ve never had to do in your entire life.” He let out a whoop of laughter before wheezing out, “James you better make her your empress because you’d be stupid not too realize she’s the best fit for country and king.”

“Have you ever heard of anything as ludicrous as trying to convince a girl to become the future empress? It’s just not done. It’s not-“ James made a face as he sounded that he was going to sound like his mother now, “-it’s not proper. She should just accept my courtship and proposal, which I will send after a suitable time of courtship has passed between us.”

It was then that Lily decided she needed to make herself known. She’d heard enough. James was just like his mother, worried about protocol and societal dictates.

“I’ve never cared about what’s proper,” Lily spoke up, stepping forward from behind Stormcloud.

Georg and James both started, reigns going slack in their hands. They had come in here to have a quiet moment together. They had thought the stables would  be deserted.

“And I would never want to marry someone for their title-“ Lily proceeded, arching an eyebrow at James. “I would want to be with someone because he cared about me, loved me, and made me happy.”

Just as Lily walked by Prince James to leave the stables, he grabbed her slim pale arm in his big strong hand.

“You think I’m a liar? That I don’t care about you?” James bit out.

Georg began retreating.

“I’ll just give you two some space,” he murmured, leaving the stables.

Neither looked his way as they glared at each other. 

“I don’t think you’re lying,” said Lily hotly. “I just think you’re so taken in by tales of my beauty that you want to be with the girl everyone has decided is beautiful. What if tomorrow, everyone starts saying Helaine is the most beautiful? Would you want to be with her? This skin will wrinkle, my hair will turn grey and these looks will fade. What then? Would you leave me?”

“Never,” said James furiously, bringing her closer to him, circling his arms around her waist. “I don’t think you understood me correctly. When I talked about your  beauty not being an exaggeration Miss Lily. If you came to court at the palace, I’d show you ladies with nary a freckle on their smooth skin while your nose is practically littered with them from running around in the sun. I’d show you ladies who wear the finest clothes and keep their hair perfectly coifed, while your attire is not at all fashionable and your hair is constantly coming out of it’s silly bun.” His hand trailed up her side, leaving a burning sensation it’s wake. Lily gasped when he pulled her hair from it’s bun so that it fell down to her waist in luxurious waves of sun-silk. “I’d show you ladies you keep perfectly painted crimson mouths and rouge applied to their cheeks. Perfectly presentable women, falling over themselves to be with me. Even now, you’ve got a smudge of dirt on your cheek. You’re a wild spirit, and would become a laughing stock at court, tales of your beauty would be forgotten once people saw the attire you prance about in.”

“Oh you!” Lily exclaimed, pulling back from Prince James grasp. “If this is your way of trying to convince me you like me, you’re doing a terrible job! Insulting me—”

“I’m not insulting you!” James exclaimed angrily. “I’m telling you how much of a bad idea it is for me to like you, but I do.” He took a deep breath. “When I said tales of your beauty didn’t do you justice, I meant that no one ever spoke of your kind soul. Your empathy towards those less fortunate than you, or your keen sense of justice. No one spoke about how amazing you were.”

Lily’s breath caught in her throat, stunned at his admission.

“And it’s a terrible, terrible idea for us to want to be with each other, but I want you. You might end up hating me one day, because you belong here…in the country-side with your animals and woods, but I can’t deny what I feel for you-“ James stepped into her, a hand coming up to rub away the dirt on her cheek. Lily leaned into his touch unconsciously. “-no more than you can keep denying what you feel for me.” He ended sincerely.

Because even if Lily didn’t realize it, Prince James did. Lily was 16 and due to the traditional customs, she’d been sheltered her entire life from the attentions of men. Dating wasn’t common. Girls of nobility were meant to save themselves for an arranged marriage, the man usually chosen by the head of the household.

 She’d never been in a relationship before. She’d never had feelings for anyone before and she was unable to hide her emotions from him. He knew she liked him, felt an attraction for him. He also knew she was innocent and most likely sheltered when it came to men, much like all girls of the nobility were. Though it was apparent that Lily’s upbringing had been somewhat unconventional, it was painfully clear that she wasn’t a flirt and had never partaken in any sort of fling or dalliance with any of the village boys. Girls at court were much more experienced. Maybe that’s why Prince James found her like a breath of fresh air. She was so open and not the type to try and manipulate him or play games.

Truth be told, Lily was more naive than Prince James gave her credit for. She’d definitely been taught to be bold and speak her mind, but the Duchess had always been careful to guard Lily’s innocence and virtue. Lily herself had been much too busy beating the boys in horse races to have any sort of crush or relationship with them. And no village boy had dared to even try anything untoward with the Duke’s daughter.

“I know you feel it too. You care about me, just like I care about you. There’s something there, and we both deserve to be able to explore it with each other,” James urged, letting his thumb keep rubbing across her cheek bone.

Lily closed her eyes momentarily enjoying his touch before opening her eyes to look at him remorsefully.

“My sister will-“

“-forgive you when she sees you’re happy,” Prince James cut in easily.

Lily seemed to hesitate when faced with that argument. How was she supposed to tell him her sister didn’t care about her?

 Without waiting for another reason from her to reject him, James bent down, capturing her lips in an innocent kiss. Startled, Lily let his lips brush against hers, her heart beating a mile a minute as heat spread through her veins. She stood there, reveling in his lips against hers before trying to mimic his movements. Prince James urged her with his tongue to part her lips and she complied, a little surprised that this is what he wanted.

 Her cheeks reddened from the blood rushing in her veins. Never had she ever felt such passion. Her shaking hands came to clutch the front of the Prince’s shirt as her bottom lip became cushioned between two of his. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, a voice was screaming at her that she was wantonly kissing the future emperor of Fortius in a stable. But when his tongue swiped across hers before exploring her mouth so deliciously, all reason fled as she clutched him tighter. Feelings she’d never known could exist awoke inside her core as she became aware of her own feminine needs.

Prince James pulled away ever so slightly and whispered against her lips, “I think I just claimed my prize.”