Page 55 of The Princess's Pet

“How long before we’re ready to leave?” the Princess asked and I opened my eyes to find myself being carried down the long corridors of the royal residence halls. The Princess held me in her arms tightly, her movement so smooth I had no memory of being lifted. I was aware that I was in shorts and a t-shirt with a blanket wrapped around me.

“We will be ready to leave in 6 minutes my Royal Highness,” a guard responded.

The doors to the royal residence halls were opened wide and cold night air washed over me. There was no hint of light.

“What’s happening?” I asked against her as she descended the steps to a vehicle and carefully placed me inside. I missed her hold on me immediately.

“We’re returning to the kings’ castle and court,” she told me simply before rounding the vehicle and getting in the other side.

“In the middle of the night?” I asked my voice groggy with sleep and confusion. She didn’t answer me, and I rubbed my eyes and looked at her. Her expression was strained. She seemed to be deep in thought, her knee rising and falling.

I untangled myself from the blanket and scooted over to her pressing my forehead against her shoulder.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?” I asked and felt her press her lips against my head.

“We can’t talk now,” she said simply and I nodded my head against her in understanding.

I reached forward and took her hand in mine, my head resting against her shoulder, she didn’t protest.

A few minutes passed before a thumping on the roof of the car startled me and we began moving.

I fell asleep again during the journey and woke to bright morning light flashing through the surrounding mountains.

“We’re still traveling,” I commented as I sat up. The Princess turned to me and it was clear that she had not slept.

“We’re close now. We’re approaching via the private entrance through the Dark Mountains,” she told me and I looked out the window at the Dark Mountains with a mixture of intrigue and fear.

The Dark Mountains were so named as it was claimed that no light penetrated through the dense canopy to the ground below. I heard stories as a child that so many fell and found their death in the darkness of the forest that it was haunted and those brave enough to enter, rarely returned.

“Are the stories true?” I asked her. In the light of day, the mountains so close to us and the impenetrably thick forest that lined them didn’t seem all that scary.

“The Dark Mountains are dangerous only to those that are unfamiliar with how to navigate them,” she told me, her arm slipping around my waist and pulling me into her side.

“Are they dangerous to you?” I asked looking up at liquid silver. She smiled mischievously.

“The Dark Mountains and her forests were practically a second home during my childhood,” she said, bringing her free hand up to push my hair out of my face and brush her knuckles along my jaw.

“Really?” I asked a little surprised and excited. I couldn’t imagine the proper Princess next to me spending much time exploring haunted forests.

“Really.” She laughed and looked out the window as the mountains and trees grew nearer almost wistfully.

“Can you show them to me?” I asked.

“The trapped souls of slain soldiers waiting to attack any foolish enough to enter the darkness doesn’t scare you?” she asked teasingly.

“I’ve seen you with a sword, Ma’am. I’m sure you’ll keep me safe,” I replied playfully.

The Princess responded with a sly grin, she leaned forward and kissed me hard. When she pulled away, I was breathless and leaning forward for more. She allowed me to continue kissing her passionately and didn’t push me away when I climbed atop her lap and took her face in my hands. Her hands gripped my hips and held me steady. I only broke the kiss when my need for air couldn’t be ignored.

My forehead pressed against hers and her fingers pushed under my t-shirt to graze my skin.

“I’ll take you into the forest of the Dark Mountains,” she told me, her breath washing over my face, so close we were sharing air. “You’re mine,” she growled the words. “I’ll protect you from any threat, real or imagined,” she told me before her lips found mine hungrily again.

When I was breathless once more, she ended our kissing but kept her grip on my hips, trapping me on her lap. I slumped comfortably into her, chest to chest, head resting against her shoulder and nose pressed to her throat.

We sat like that for the remainder of the drive to the King’s castle. At one point we travelled through a pitch-black tunnel carved out of the mountainside after passing through a barricade manned by the king’s guard.

When we pulled to a stop the door was opened by a servant, an older man who looked very surprised to see me, his eyes wide and trained on me. The Princess patted my butt and helped me off her and out of the car. When she exited, her arm went around my waist pulling me closer.

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