Princess Lily

Chapter 8

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

Lily couldn’t help but let out a strangled laugh at his awful joke, hands still clutching the front of his shirt desperately. Then he was back, kissing her cheeks, her eyes, her chin before letting his lips go to a spot behind her ear. Lily let out a low groan and the heady rush of his touch made her knees buckle as her body warmed further under his touch. She nearly fell but his arms around her waist held her firm as the Crown Prince realized he needed to slow down lest he overwhelm her.

He patiently reminded himself that he needed to cool his ardor. So instead of continuing his kisses, he pulled back and held her against him, letting her rest her head against his chest as his fingers ran through her soft hair, touching her like he’d been wanting to since the first time he laid eyes on her.

“Fair warning!” Georg’s voice spoke from beyond the stable doors. “I’m coming in.”

Lily tried to pull away from James but he held her firmly against him.

“Sir Georg will see,” Lily argued, truly enjoying being in his embrace. “It’s not proper!”

"Since when have you cared what's proper?" asked Prince James cupping her chin and bringing her eyes up to meet his.

"Still-"

“The servants are coming to get the horses to draw up the carriage, your mother wants to leave now,” Goerg said quickly, walking into the stables to warn the couple.

James let his hands fall from Lily’s hips. He didn’t want to leave. Not when he’d just gotten Lily to give him a chance.

“Prince James-“ Lily began as a light bulb went off in Lily’s head.

“James, call me James.” The Prince said swiftly.

“James-“ Lily began shyly.”-you could always say you want to make sure Farmer Breuer gets a fair trial and stay back for it? That is, if matters of state do not urgently require your attention back at the palace.”

James face broke out in a grin.

“That’s a wonderful idea!” he exclaimed happily, hurrying off to feed his mother the story.

“That was actually quite good, you just insured that the farmers would get a fair trial instead of the Baron using his influence to keep them in jail,” Georg commented. 

He knew full well Prince James would not have braved his mother’s wrath for a few farmers unless the Prince had Lily’s influence behind him.

Lily gave Sir Georg a half-smile.

“I’d been hoping to ask Prince Carl to stay back for it, but now…” she shrugged helplessly. There was no use hiding their budding relationship from Sir Georg. “Please don’t tell anyone,” Lily pleaded.

“I can keep a secret, “ prince Georg assured her as the two walked out of the stables together to see if Prince James had made any headway with his mother .

*    *    *

"Bye mother!" James called.

"James! Carl! I want you two back as soon as the trials over!" The Empress rapped out before she took Sir Georg’s hand for assistance in getting into her ornate gold carriage.

Sir George and Sir Edison quickly got into the carriage they had come in after mock saluting Prince James.

"Yes mother!" yelled Carl and James to the Empress who had moved aside the curtains on her carriage to look at her sons.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" Lily asked Carl and James.

Both nodded and the plan was set in motion. Lily changed into her riding suite and the three of them were off riding through the forest.

"You're very skilled at horse-back riding," James commented.

"Thank you!" Lily called. "Watch this!"

She stood up carefully on her horse and jumped onto James' horse landing neatly behind him. She stood up again and got back on her horse. He was a brown horse with white patches here and there. Stormcloud wasn't trained yet and still needed time to recuperate from the Baron’s vile treatment.

"Race you to that hill!" Lily called and sped off.

Laughing the two princes followed. Unfortunately, they took a wrong turn but kept riding. The two young men didn't know they were lost. Lily, on the other, hand reached the hill and looked back to see that her companions were nowhere in sight.

"Carl I think we are lost." Said James looking around.

"I’ve no doubt you are right brother," agreed Carl.

 The sun was setting and they were hearing wolf howls.

Warily the two got down from their horses and led them by the reins.

James heard growls and turned around wolves were advancing on them from all sides now. Carls horse, in fright, whinnied and reared its front legs kicking Carl who fell to the ground and was knocked unconscious. James took his sword out prepared to die fighting.

*    *    * 

"Prince Carl! Prince James!" Lily called.

 She had been able to mobilize the villagers to form a search party. Lily suddenly spotted Prince Carl’s horse galloping towards her search party at full speed. Stark terror filled her heart as she recalled the wolves that inhabited this deep part of the forest. Wolves that didn’t care if your were a prince or a pauper. It was all the same to them.

"Follow me, the horse will take us to them!" called Lily riding on Prince Carl’s horse, the villagers not far behind.

She reached the clearing and saw James standing in front of his younger brother’s unconscious body protecting him. He dropped his sword in surprise and the villagers scared the wolves off as they put Carl on Lily’s horse. Lily didn't really mind having to ride with James. She wrapped her hands around his waist and put her head on his back as they trailed behind the search party.

Lily’s mother nearly fainted as she spotted young Prince Carl being laid into his bedroom completely unconscious. A physician was sent for immediately who checked Prince Carl, declaring that he simply had had a rather nasty fall and would be fine. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“I can’t imagine why they’re still here,” Helaine muttered with crossed arms at the dinner table. “They’ve already rejected me. They should leave before Lily gets us all thrown in jail for trying to injure a prince.”

“It was an accident!” Lily argued. “We were just racing!”

“And why is there a need for you to be racing with my ex-fiance’?” Helaine argued bitterly. “You should be angry at him for jilting me!”

Lily wisely held her tongue and it was a good thing too because Prince James walked into the dining room at that moment. He glanced at Lily with a small smile and took the seat across from her, reaching for the bread basket, which was empty. Seizing the opportunity to get away from Helaine’s stare, Lily volunteered to go get more bread from the kitchen.

She got a fresh basket of bread off the kitchen table and turned to see James standing there. He leaned in and put one hand on each side of the table, trapping Lily.

“They’re going to wonder why you came in here after me,” Lily challenged.

“I told them I came to ask you to send up a plate for Carl as well,” Prince James gave her a mischievous grin.

“And you couldn’t have asked me that very same thing at the dinner table? You didn’t need to follow me in here,” Lily commented. “Besides, I’ve already had a plate of food sent up for him.”

“ I know but…” Prince James suddenly trailed off, eyes boring into Lily’s.

“But what?” Lily asked, her heart pounding due to his intoxicating nearness.

"I want a kiss," he finally pouted.

Lily smiled. "Well I haven't seen you win any races. I won the last race so it should be me who gets a kiss."

James leaned in and Lily put the basket of bread on the table. He moved his hands to wrap them around her waist when suddenly, Lily moved and in one quick motion the basket of bread was in her hands and she was standing beside him.

"I never said I wanted a kiss from you," said Lily giggling and turned to walk away.

James didn't leave the kitchen though and when Lily came back in to grab more water, which he had known she would since the jug was empty on the dining table, he grabbed her.

"Yes but I always get what I want," he whispered in her ear.

 He dropped one of her wrists and let his hand trail down to the small of her back. He pulled her close.

Lily shivered in response to his touch. 

"Of course you do," she said in an almost defeated tone, giving in to the pleasurable feel of his hand on her back as she stood in his embrace. "You're a prince, the future emperor. People most likely bend over backwards to please you."

He dipped his head and planted a soft kiss on her mouth, quickly leaving before she could even realize he hadn’t disagreed with her statement.