In Love With The Ebony Queen

A Lovely Night

I watch as my assigned body guards climb into their car and wait for us to make our move. "They are starting to bug me." I lean back into my seat. 

"Well if you weren't the princess of Armaus, I would try to lose them. But I'm not trying to get on the king's bad side." Dimitri shrugs.

We pull out of the parking lot and down the road. "So where to this time?" I asked. Dimitri said nothing. When I looked over at him, he was smiling. "Another surprise?" 

He nods. I don't press the issue after that. I like being surprised anyway. I am sure it will be amazing. I was already having a great time and I'm sure it can't get any better.

After about 10 minutes or so, we pull into another parking lot, although this one was more empty that the last. The sun was setting and it was getting dark outside. 

I looked out my window and my jaw dropped. Memories began playing in my head as I opened the truck door and step out. 

"Serena, are you okay?" Dimitri comes to my side. I am still in awe of the beautiful scenery in front of me. It is a beautiful white sandy beach and a beautiful blue ocean with the colors of the sunset dancing atop it. 

"My mother brought me here once. Only once. I loved it so much. She promised to bring me back but..." My heart got caught in my throat and tears filled my eyes. 

"Come on." Dimitri took my hand and gently led me closer to the water. I slipped off my shoes and walked with them in my hand.

As I got closer to the water, I could feel the cool breeze blow from it. "This is beautiful Dimitri. Thank you so much." I looked up at him and smiled. "You're very welcome. Serena? Do you hate me?" 

"Hmm? What? Why would you ask me that. Of course not." I didn't understand why he'd ask such a thing. "Well, you're about to." Dimitri scooped me up in his arms, then walked closer to the water and threw me in. 

"Dimitri! I'm gonna kill you!" I screamed at him. He laughed. As he was walking away from the water, I jumped on his back and pulled him in. 

"I just bought this shirt!" he yelled. "You?! How much do you think these jeans were!" I chuckled. After splashing and throwing each other around in the water for a while, we made our way back to the truck, soaking wet.

"That was so much fun. I've never done anything like that before." I couldn't stop laughing. For once I felt like a normal girl. I felt free. It was truly exhilarating.

The laughs quickly turned into incontrollable shivers and teeth chattering as the cool night air paired with my wet clothes threatened to freeze me to death. 

We pull into the driveway of Dimitri's home and rush inside. "Here, let me get you a towel." He leaves for a moment, then comes back with a large black towel and wraps it around me. 

"Your dad isn't here?" Dimitri nodded. He is probably at the bar tonight. He usually goes there after work to hang with his friends. Come on up to my room. We can watch tv."

"Sure, just let me go change first." Dimitri gives me another odd look I can't decipher, but I ignore it and go into the guest room to shower and change. 

"Where's the bathroom, again?" He points me in the right direction and then pulls off his soaked shirt. I had never seen Dimitri shirtless, and I couldn't help but stare. 

He was chiseled. I am not surprised though. He took an interest in working out years ago. But to see him like this- wet and shirtless...it made me think thoughts I don't recall ever thinking.

 I didn't realize how hard I was staring. It must have been hard because Dimitri chuckled and flexed his pecks. "You like?" he smirked. "Ugh, no. Go away." I lied. I don't think he bought it either, because he kept smirking as he turned to go to his room. 

I took a quick shower, then stepped out only to realize that I must have dropped my bra and top when I stopped to drool over Dimitri. 

"Damn it, I thought I brought it in here." I thought to myself. I put on my panties and shorts, then covered my breasts with the towel and peeked out the door to make sure Dimitri wasn't around. 

I spotted my shirt and bra at the other end of the hallway in front of the guest bedroom door. "Crap." I double checked the towel to make sure everything was covered, then I opened the door and quickly walked to the end of the hall to grab my things.

As I bent down to pick them up I heard footsteps behind me and I freeze. I turn around to see Dimitri. He looked almost emotionless. "Lose something?" 

Even though my bare back was all he could see, I felt exposed. "Turn around! A gentlemen never looks at a lady with her consent." I don't usually put on my princess voice, but it worked.

He turned around without any protest, and I hurried back into the guest room to finish getting dressed. I put lotion on my body and pulled up my hair. When I was done, I opened the door. Dimitri was standing there, looking out of the window. 

"What are you staring at?" I asked as I peered out the window behind him. "Your guards. Are they really going to stay away all night? Are they robots?" 

I shrugged. "I've been wondering that since I was little. We laugh and head up the secret stairs to his room. 

"Wow, it does look so much better up here at night." I looked at the ceiling that was now visibly glowing. "So you like being a normal girl for a day?" he asked as he threw himself down on his small couch. 

"Very much. I felt like I could be myself for once. I didn't have to worry about what others may think of me." I began thinking of the burden that will be falling on my shoulders in 2 years when I turn 18. 

I would much rather live here in town and fall in love and marry whom I choose. "I am glad you had fun." He smiled at me. The more time I spend with Dimitri, the more beautiful I find him to be. 

"We have been friends for a very long time. I don't know if I ever told you this, but the day I met you, I felt so sad and alone. I never felt like I fit in with the other royals and noble families. 

You were the one of very few friends I ever had. Our friendship helped me deal with the death of my mother. I could never be more grateful for you."

He looked at me with soft eyes and a slight smile. "Do you think we'll still be friends after you get married?" The smile I just had on my face instantly disappeared. I never even thought about that.

I stared at him a moment, not even sure what to say. I felt tears form as I thought about the turn my life was going to take in only 2 short years. I got up from the couch and walked over to the tall window by the bed. 

"I don't even want to think about that. That entire situation just isn't fair. My father wants me to meet all these princes and noblemen and choose one to marry and become my king and rule my kingdom. 

He says it's the way things are done. That I could not rule by myself." I got angrier the more I spoke about it. Dimitri came to my side. "He got to marry for love. He and my mother grew up together. 

It was easy for them to marry and rule together. But apparently I do not get that luxury." Dimitri said nothing. "Let's not ruin this night with my 'woe is me' sob story."

"You can vent to me if you want to, Serena. That's what I'm here for." I looked at him with a smile on my face and tear filled eyes. 

"Thank you, Dimitri. You really are the best friend I've ever had. I love you." I realize the slip of the tongue and I instantly want to disappear. 

He looks at me for a moment with the same emotionless expression as he did a few times today. I still cannot figure out what it means or what he's thinking. 

I look at him a moment, completely embarrassed but try to save face. "You know what I mean. Like the annoying big brother I never asked for."

I laughed. I tried to take a step passed him but he puts his hand on my belly and stops me. I don't move, and he says nothing for a moment. 

I finally get the courage to look him in the face and he is looking down at me. "I love you too, Serena. I always have." 

My heart immediately starts beating like a drum in my chest. I exhale, trying to catch my breath. What exactly does he mean by that? 

I turn and now we are face to face. He moves his hand from my stomach to my side and it sends chills in places I have never felt before. 

"Is that true? That you love me as a brother?" He takes another step towards me as his other hand finds its way on the other side of my body. 

I know he has got to be able to hear my heart beat right now. Hell, he can probably see if too. "I- I, uh..." I cannot find the words. I have only ever been in a similar situation once when I was 13. 

I had a crush on this boy from a noble family who came to speak of trades between our lands. He grabbed me and kissed me. But he turned out to be an asshole, and I never wanted to be anywhere near him again.

But this, this was different. This is someone I have spent so much time with since I was 8 years old. He has been my friend of half of my life. 

Did he say he has always loved me? "Dimitri..." His body is flush against mine and I tremble. "I know I could never have you because you are royalty, but I could not live with myself if I never told you how I feel. 

You are my best friend. You are the reason my father and I lived so comfortably. You are the reason I got such a great education. I owe everything to you."

His hands make their way to both sides of my face and he tilts my head to make me look at him. "I'm in love with you, Princess Serena."

Those words from his deep voice make me breathless and I find myself breathing deeply. "Dimitri, I don't know what to say. "

"Tell me you feel the same way. Tell me you love me." Every time he speaks I feel the air around me get thinner. I feel like I have fought back any romantic feelings for him because he is my best friend. 

I also think it was because a part of me knew he and I could never be. But he has always seen me for who I am. He always made me feel the way I wanted to feel. 

I didn't have to fake the funk around him. I could be who I truly am. My hands made their way to his sides and I gripped his shirt. 

"I do love you, Dimitri." I finally managed to say. No times was wasted as he pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss. I thought it might kill me- I was completely breathless now. 

My heart was racing and my head was sent spinning. My body was tingling. After a few minutes of stealing my breath away, he finally let me go and looked deep into my eyes. 

"You are so beautiful- an ebony queen." He began kissing me again, only this time he traveled to my cheek and down onto my neck. 

The sensation of his lips against my neck was unlike any feeling I'd ever felt. I began tingling all over. Dimitri wrapped his arms around my waist and guided me to the couch without breaking our kiss.

He broke our kiss once again. "Maybe we should slow down before we...go too far." He gave me a smirk, then placed a soft kiss on my cheek. I was in awe of his chivalry and restraint. Most 19 year olds would be begging for it. 

He was right though. I wasn't ready for that. We composed ourselves and cuddled on the couch where I got to watch tv for the first time. 

I laid back in Dimitri's arms and every now and then he would place sweet kisses on my neck that made me moan his name. 

"I want to be with you." I said softly.

 "Only in my dreams." he whispered back.