I wake up. The warm light of our chamber surrounds me. I can't remember where I am for a minute before it all comes flooding back to me. A heatwave flushes over my face as I realize I'm naked. Arthur is sprawled across the bed sleep beside me. He doesn't have a shirt and I don't check to see if he's wearing trousers. Instead I go and retrieve my undergarments and slip his shirt over my head, without any trousers or night gown. Just my underwear and his shirt. I crawl back into bed and Arthur bolts awake. I jolt backwards.
"Oh my god Arthur! You scared me! You almost gave me a heat attack!" I yell laying back down. He laughs.
"Sorry just a dream." He gently traces the outline of my eyebrows, then my nose, then my neck. I just stare at the muscle on his chest. He smiles brightly. But I can't help but think of one thing.
"I don't ever want you to take another mistress." I say boldly. He's a prince, he could do whatever he wanted, I'd have no say if he married another wife tomorrow! Fear fills me up at the thought. But he only nods his head.
"Of course you silly girl. After last night did you truly think I'd take another lover?" He say bending down to kiss me gently.
"Oh and." He begins rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed. "You may want to wear a collared dress love. I uh- got a bit carried away." I look down at my neck and chest and see several hickeys lining my skin. I laugh.
"Oh Arthur." I say sitting up and pushing him down. It was my turn to trace him. First I let my fingers trace the line of his brows. Then his nose, and eyes, then lips, then I let my finger slowly trace down his jawline, his neck, then to his chest. Even concentrating on this was making me feel tired and famished at the same time. He reads my eyes.
"How about breakfast and then we'll sleep in?" I nod and we go down to breakfast where several guards are eating still. They quickly stand at attention.
"So sorry your highness! We didn't expect you here this early" says a young guard. "Well leave immediately." They quickly begin to empty the room.
"Wait!" I yell to the guards the same one pokes his head in the door.
"Yes my lady?"
"Please come back in and join us for breakfast! I have yet to learn all of your names!" I say with a smile. They come back in and only after Arthur insists they sit down with us and continue eating.
"So." I begin. "Your names gentlemen." One wipes his mouth with a linen napkin and looks to me.
"Thomas malady, at your service!" He says with a bright smile turning back to his food. They continue in a line. Charles, Xavier, Alexander, Marcus, Pierre, Lincoln, and one more guard stays quiet. Refusing to speak.
"And who are you?" I ask. The man looks familiar though I don't know where I've seen him before.
"Um... this is Oliver malady. He is um.the guard that accompanied you on your ride out of the castle. He is upset with himself for letting you get hurt." The one named Thomas says.
I look to Oliver. "Young man." I say. He looks to me.
"Did you retrieve my husband when I was taken?" He nods.
"And did you help defend my husband against my captors?"
Again he nods.
"And am I sitting here with you, because you were able to get my husband to me before they could Finish me off?"
He nods looking down at his plate.
"Then you have done nothing wrong, you have served your princess, saved her. And I'd like for you to please lighten up finish your meal, and then accompany me along with the rest of your guards on a ride to the market. Understood?" He nods this time enthusiastically and gets up.
"I'll go get dressed malady!" He says quickly getting up and running out of the banquet hall.
Arthur smiles, "trip to the market hmm?" He asks.
"Yes." I say looking at him. "These men deserve a nice day out. I say with a smile."
"Don't you gentlemen?" They all smile and yell out their approval.
********************
After we go to the market I go back to my personal room to get dressed into my night clothes. Lilian and Diane assist me.
"So." Diane starts. "Just a normal night tonight?" She and Lilian look at me with bright smiles.
I nod.
"Yes tonight will just be a regular night." I say. This makes them both look disappointed. I laugh.
"Don't worry! Arthur and I are very happy. Nothing with ever, ever make us lose faith in each other!"