Camilla allowed herself to be led through Magdaline Castle's winding maze of rooms and corridors while William briefly explained what purpose each space served. Every room seemed to have more than one entrance, every corridor seemed to have a hidden door. It made her long for the simplicity and logic of Arlen Castle, where everything had been laid out neatly and symmetrically, fanning out from the central hall.
Finally, William let her through a series of formal gardens and to the main training grounds. She saw a small group of young men at the archery butts, who waved when they noticed Prince William. Grinning, William waved back and approached them. Camilla recognised one of the men as Prince Thomas of Islia, youngest son of the king and queen. All the men stared at her with great interest.
William introduced Camilla to Sir Robin Sainsbury and Sir Francis Lowell, who greeted her politely along with Prince Thomas. William clapped the final man on the back while introducing him. "And this is my closest friend, Sir Richard Bentworth. Rich and I have been almost inseparable since the nursery."
Camilla bowed to Sir Richard, who gave her a slight nod, then slowly raked his gaze up and down her body. His small, deep set eyes were cold. Camilla stepped back under his scrutiny and he smirked, as if he enjoyed intimidating her.
"A pleasure to meet you, Princess." There was a hint of mockery in Sir Richard's voice when he mouthed her title. "I'm sure you'll serve many useful purposes during your stay at our court." His eyes dropped to Camilla's chest. His words seemed to have a second, darker meaning that made her uncomfortable. She crossed her arms protectively.
"I'm tired and wish to return to my rooms to rest. Thank you for the tour, Your Highness. I think I can find my own way back." Camilla bowed to the group of men and slipped away.
She wasn't entirely confident she'd be able to find her rooms without relying on other courtiers or castle staff for directions. But she would rather stumble around trying to find her bearings than endure Sir Richard's gaze. His eyes reminded her of the mercenaries who had found her in Arlen Castle. The memory made her shudder.
She shook her head, hoping she'd simply gotten the wrong first impression of Prince William's greatest friend.
- - -
Once the princess was out of earshot, Prince Thomas had uttered a low whistle. "What a beauty. I guess you're to be congratulated, my dear cousin. You definitely brought back the most appealing souvenir from our campaign."
"It's ironic how you order our men not to loot or pillage, then bring home the spoils of war for yourself." Richard noted with an edge in his voice.
William burst out laughing. "I haven't laid a hand on her! I'd be giving King Edward a reason to cut my balls off if I got too close to her. I think he wants to use her as a pawn when negotiating the ongoing border disputes with King Kenneth."
"I feel sorry for her." remarked Francis. "It must be hard to lose all your family and your home in a single day. The poor girl looks so young and lost."
"She's not all that young. She told the king she's sixteen." William said.
"Still, she's in a difficult situation. I can't see her returning to Moraigth anytime soon. Her uncle would lock her in a nunnery for the rest of her life or worse."
"Yes, I expect she'll be here for a while." sighed William. She would be a talking, breathing reminder of the one time in his life that a woman had looked at him with disdain instead of desire. He had spent the last few nights flirting and carousing with several ladies. But no matter how alluring they were, his mind wouldn't stop drifting back to the Moraigthian princess. It was simply unbearable.
Perhaps he could change that…
When the idea struck him, he bid his friends goodbye and explained he had an errand to run for His Majesty. Instead, he hurried to a series of small, interconnecting rooms at the base of the main keep. These were Tession's quarters, where he spent his days poring over ancient books and preparing various herbs and tonics.
"Good morning, Your Highness. What brings you here today?" Tession raised his eyes from the manuscript he had been studying and smiled in greeting at the prince, who was breathless from running to the keep.
"I have a request, old friend." William gave the healer his most charming grin. "You can concoct all sorts of potions, to fade bruises, break fevers and so on. I need you to make a potion for me."
Tession's smile vanished. "Are you in poor health, my lord? What are your symptoms?"
"No, no! It's not, well, it's not for me exactly."
"Well, then who needs the potion and to what purpose?"
"Just a court lady…" William wanted to remain as vague as possible, hoping the healer wouldn't ask too many questions. However, the stern look on Tession's face made him realise that he'd have to admit more details than he wanted. William sighed. "Very well, the potion is for the Princess of Moraigth." Deciding to be as blunt as possible, he added, "I need you to create a potion that will make her desire me."
Tession's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. William hurried to explain, worried the shock to the old man might stop his heart. "It's not what it sounds like! But I want her and she's, uh, a little hesitant. Surely you can provide a tonic that will help ease her doubts?"
"My lord, my potions and remedies heal physical ailments. But they cannot change a person's thoughts or emotions." Tession's face remained troubled. "Besides, you've never had any troubles luring the ladies into your bed in the past. What is so different-" Tession paused when the realisation hit him and he started chuckling.
William began regretting even broaching the topic, as the old man spluttered between laughs, "So you finally found a lady immune to your charms, who isn't awed by your royal rank and won't just lie with you. Oh, you've made my day, Your Grace!" He clutched his belly.
William felt his face burning and gritted his teeth. "I'm glad you find my problem so fucking amusing! Can you help me or not?"
"Only with advice, my young lord. The heart cannot be controlled with potions. If you feel differently about this princess compared to other ladies, you'll just have to work for her affections. Make an effort for once." Tession's face had gradually turned serious.
"She's no different to any other lady. I just want to lie with her once, that's all. If you're not willing to help me then so be it! I'll figure it out on my own." William turned on his heel and stomped out in frustration.