A Faerie Tale, Broken Ch. 02

Just as the sun was starting to set and her light to wane, she stepped into a small break in the trees. Another campfire crackled happily at her and the ground nearby was overrun with thick strawberry plants. Settling down for supper, Gretel opened her basket to find a pair of meat pies that had not been there this morning. "You know, you would make a far better husband. Even if I had to walk in the woods for the rest of my days."

Gretel spoke aloud, not knowing if Ravynth was even paying attention to her. Setting her pies by the fire to warm them through, her mind turned to Hansel. He would have discovered her gone by now. More than likely relieved to be done with her. "You could have stopped this if you had never let Marianne visit me, you know."

She continued to speak to the trees, finding some comfort in the sound of her own voice, "I think you have a great affection for her- something that goes beyond being her guardian." As she spoke, the fire hissed and the woods darkened ominously. Checking herself, Gretel drew closer to the fire. "Or I could simply be crazy. I shall wake up in my little house in the morning. The King will be married to someone else and I shall be content doing needlework until I am an old lady."

Pulling her pies from the fire, the woods returned to their regular pitch. The faint echos of songbirds in the distance trilled their goodnights as she ate then settled down to sleep.

Chapter Twelve: Cottage of Goodies

Gretel awoke in the morning once more to a bucket of water. After breaking her fast on quite a few strawberries nearly the size of her fist, she put out the fire then once more began to follow her trail of pebbles. Humming to herself, she was completely oblivious to neither the game she had been roped in, nor the time drawing ever closer.

***

Hansel was up with the first blush of morning. Eating a quick meal of bread and dried meat, he broke down his camp then followed the footsteps his wife had left behind. After walking a ways, Hansel's brows drew together. Crouching, he touched a small pebble with his finger. A few inches from it was another, then again. Thinking back, he recalled Gretel telling him of the pebbles she had placed in her pocket. It was faint, but it was there. Picking up his pace, Hansel began to walk swiftly down the path.

***

The day had been hot and sticky. Half way through, Gretel had stuffed the cloak into the basket. She realized that her words before had been rash. It would not be a very good life if she were trapped walking in these woods forever.

By the time she reached late afternoon, she was done. "Where am I going?! I really am ready to go home now!" Her voice echoed, but there was no response. Sighing, she broke out into a jog, hoping she could get wherever it was she was supposed to go much faster. Once again, as the sun began to settle, Gretel ran out into a large open clearing.

She stopped suddenly in her tracks, the pebble trail gone. Before her sat an uncomfortably familiar looking cottage, one she had hoped to forget. Instead of sugar and candy, it was made of wooden planks and ceramic shingles. The windows were pretty stained glass that sparkled rainbows across the ground.

Walking cautiously to the door, she knocked. When no one came to answer, she lifted the latch and poked her head in. A fire burned merrily in the fireplace and the inside looked clean and cozy. "Hello?" Stepping further inside, Gretel saw a small table with a note perched on top of it. Lifting it, she read the contents then sighed.

Dearest Queen Gretel of Veryn,

It has come to my attention that your husband is still rather fond of my Lady Marianne. In order to take measures in redirecting his affections, I have taken away his new toy-you. Hopefully he shall realize how easy it would be to lose you and that it was profound luck that you were dropped into his lap. Please enjoy this small cottage. Consider it a present.

Cordially,

Lord High Prince Ravynth of the Midnight Court

Looking around, she set down her basket and began to settle in. "Presents.. I think I would much have rathered a puppy."

***

Hansel found her second small camp and another hair pin lying in the grass. Slipping it into his pack, he could not help but feel like the Fae was taunting him. Despite moving faster than he would have expected Gretel to walk, and despite having not stopped to eat or drink, Hansel had not gained any ground. The sun was beginning to set and the path was becoming impossible to see.

With a growl, Hansel sat down and sighed. Resting his head in his hands, he swore he could smell her. The faint tinkle of feminine laughter carried on the breeze and he lifted his head. She was not here and he was being reminded that it was Ravynth's game. Settling down as best he could, Hansel tried to sleep. All night blue/violet eyes teased him from afar, soft laughter trying to draw him into the forest. He only had one day left to find Gretel.

***

The morning came and went without event. Gretel found a bath drawn when she awoke in the morning and a pretty blue dress waiting for her. Washed and dressed, she made herself a simple breakfast of bread and cheese and then went outside to pick flowers.

She had circled the clearing a few times, looking for the trail of pebbles that had lead her here. Not surprising, they were no longer there. Unless she wanted to risk wandering through the woods alone, and without a path, she was good and stuck.

As the sun rose high in the sky, the breeze brought the smell of the coming summer with it. Finding a sunny spot, she lay down in the grass to watch the clouds roll past.

That was how Hansel found her. Scattered wildflowers clinging to her hair and skirts, a small pile of them escaped her hand to be tugged away by the breeze. Dropping his pack to the ground gently, he rubbed his face, not certain he was seeing her. Asleep, well rested, she looked genuinely content. A small smile tugged at her lips. Garbed simply, without powder or jewels, she was more beautiful than she had been on their wedding day.

Cursing himself for being a bastard, he walked over and knelt down. Taking a piece of her hair, he gently pushed it out of her face and behind an ear. Unable to help himself, he stroked her cheek then gently bent to kiss her.

***

Gretel felt warm. Her stomach fluttered and something soft touched the corner of her lips before she felt a hand bury into her hair and a very hard body press down against her own. Gasping, her eyes shot open and she blinked up her husband. "Hansel?" A murmur was his only response as he began to trail kisses down the side of her neck.

Swallowing, she gasped again as his hand slipped up then down into her bodice. She knew she was dreaming. She had to be. His fingers slid around her nipple and pinched gently as he bit her throat. Gretel let out a soft groan and she heard a muttered curse a his hands left her.

Looking up in confusion, she found that Hansel had pulled a knife from his boot. Lowering it to the valley between her breasts, she held her breath as the blade shimmered then sliced through her bodice. "I will buy you a new one.." That is all she heard before the knife was tossed away and the simple gown torn clean open.

He spent a long moment looking down at her, his eyes darkening. It was then that Gretel realized it was not a strange dream. Turning bright red, her hands suddenly came up to cover her breasts. Reaching down to pull them away, he grinned slightly. "It is too late for that now, sweetling." His lips touched hers once more, lapping for entrance.

Slowly she relaxed, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as he kissed her. His hands kneaded her breasts, thumbs circling across her nipples. When she gasped in surprise, his tongue entered her mouth and he deepened the kiss. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable, her stomach clenching. She wanted more.. she wanted him to stop. Lifting a hand to her breast she tried to pull his hand away and he chuckled.

Sitting up, he looked down at her. She was flushed and her eyes were dewy. Pulling off his shirt, he grinned as her eyes widened. Staring at his naked chest, she did not even realize that he had removed his boots and breeches until his hands were on her hips and she was looking down at him. Sliding the rest of the ruined gown from her shoulders, he enjoyed watching her turn red as she felt the thickness of his erection rub against her intimately.

"I am sorry, sweetling. I really should have been paying much more attention to you. Sometimes a man needs some fresh air to get his head sorted."

Gretel inhaled sharply, his words cutting through her even as he rocked against her. She looked about to speak when he slid one of his hands down from her hips, his thumb finding and circling her clit. "Ah!" She yelped and tried to lift herself even as he chuckled once more, "relax, sweetling." He pressed into her harder and her thighs clenched. She bit her lip and moaned as his thumb began to slide down her slit then back up again, circling and grinding, only to slide back down again.

Hansel gently rolled Gretel back onto the grass, smiling as her hand wrapped around his wrist. Her eyes had closed tightly and her panting was doing all sorts of lovely things to her breasts. Leaning down to pull a nipple into his mouth, he lapped at her skin. "Feel how wet you are for me, sweet?"

His hand changed position and his thumb began to grind down on her clit. Letting out a yelp, her hips arched into the air and she whimpered. Taking her hips into his hands, he kissed back up the side of her throat, "look at me." Watching Gretel's eyes slowly open, he kissed her lips gently then slid himself deep inside. She inhaled sharply and bit her lip, nails digging deep into his back at the sharp pain. Hansel kissed her deeply and pulled out slightly, rocking his hips before he slid into her again. His groan mixed with hers as her fingers flexed once more into his skin.

The second time had no hurt nearly as much, but she felt uncomfortably full. Gritting her teeth she lay there, her muscles tense. Grinding into her with short, shallow strokes, his breath whispered into her ear, "relax sweetling, I promise the pain is over." True to his word, the dull soreness began to mix with something else. Her stomach fluttered and his thrusts became deeper. Moaning, her hands stroked down his back and she started lifting her hips to meet him.

Feeling her relax, Hansel growled and pulled out nearly all the way before slamming himself into to the hilt. Gretel's eyes flew open and she let out a high pitched squeak before her breath began to come out in sharp panting moans. Picking up the pace, he became lost in her, wrapping a hand deeply into her hair, he pulled her head up to ravage her mouth with kisses as he slammed into her over and over again.

Gretel was lost, her body winding tighter and tighter until suddenly something broke and she cried out loudly. Her muscles tightened around him and Hansel let out a groan as he thrust into her as far as he could and became lost in his own orgasm. Moving her hips weakly, Gretel shuttered as he continued until they both fell back to the grass, panting and spent. Nuzzling the side of her throat, Hansel grunted and rolled over to pull her on top of him. Stroking his hand down her hair, he tucked her securely against himself and they both fell asleep.

Chapter Thirteen: Happily Ever After

The couple spent two weeks alone in their cabin. Gretel had come to learn the unusual pitch her husband's eyes would take before he would pin to the closest surface he could find and ravage her. Hansel had come to find that his wife's mind was rather sharp. She had spent a large amount of time reading when she was trapped away from human contact. He had also discovered that the sway of her hips when she moved could be rather distracting.

They had even discovered the reason behind the warning that Ravynth had given them regarding Gretel's ring. Twisting it, the ring had fallen from her finger. Hansel's eyes had practically glowed and he had shoved her to the cold floor of the cottage. Without bothering to take off their clothes, he had pushed up her skirts, freed himself from his breeches, and thrust into her until they were both too spent to move. After that, Hansel had not minded so much that he was wed to a cursed woman. Gretel, on the other hand, had found that she would blush every time she looked down at her hand.

Of course, as all things must do, their time together came to an end. Hand in hand, they went for a walk. The scenery blurred around them and the next thing they knew they were stepping from beneath the archway that lead into the courtyard of the castle. A flurry of servants had Hansel brushing a quick kiss across her lips as she was brought upstairs to her chambers and he was pulled away for questioning.

Hours later, Hansel went looking for his wife, only to find her chamber empty. A knot forming in his stomach, he turned to storm away when Gretel's maid spoke up from the corner, "she is down in the library, Majesty."

Walking quickly down the stairs, he made his way to the library to find his wife curled up in a window seat with a large book in her lap. Stopping, he felt the knot ease and he relaxed. "You are beautiful."

Gretel looked up from her reading and smiled, "thank you, your Highness. You are rather handsome yourself." She fell silent then and blushed slightly as she watched him purposefully turn the lock on the door and begin stalking forward.

"You are also intelligent and kind. Infinitely patient.." Gretel held her breath as he spoke, head tilting back to look up at him. "That is why I love you so much. And I swear, the next time I tell you to go to our chambers and you are not there, I will strip you naked and chain you to my side for a month."

Her eyes blinked and then she jumped up, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you too. If I ever catch you speaking to another woman again when I am supposed to be waiting for you in our chambers, I shall have to drop my ring down the deepest well I can find." To that, Hansel chuckled and lifted her off of her feet, kissing her deeply. "You are welcome to do that any time you wish, Sweetling. I would not terribly mind."

***

Staring down into the surface of the fountain, Ravynth watched as Hansel proceeded to show his wife how much he adored her. Tapping the image once, the pool ripped and the image disappeared.

"And they lived happily ever after.."

His voice touched the air with a little bit or irony as his own gaze turned to watch Marianne flirt with a young noble. Her laughter floated back to him and he winced.

"Yes, happily ever after."

~§~§~ FINI ~§~§~

A kind thank you to everyone that wanted me to finish this, your encouragement is the only thing that got us to the end. There are two more tales floating around in my mind for the AFTB series, but I am not sure if I shall be able to sit down and do them yet. I apologize for any glaring misspellings or grammar mistakes. If I sat down and edited this until I was content with it, it would never be posted. I hope you all enjoy!