Lost in the Woods Ch. 04

"It can be applied only when a maiden is about to marry. I wasn't. Moreover, I'm noble so he cannot do it. This awful law can be applied to peasants only." I said. He shook his head.

"He extended the privilege even to noble unmarried girls. The deflowering of a maiden is itself a marriage for a man with royal descent." He said.

I just shivered in reply.

"You're of royal descent, too." I ironically asked him after a while. He didn't reply. Why? For a moment he gazed at me, lost. Then, he regained his control and said:

"Clovis is a real deviant. You were his aim. He wanted you to be his wife. In other words: his sex slave."

I swallowed. "You're wrong. I know very well how horrible His Majesty is, because he killed my whole family. What do you expect me to do now? Do I have to stay here in this golden cage knowing that out there, somewhere, there is a monster that destroyed the entire Reign, my family and wants me to be his... whore?" I frankly asked him.

He stood up and made me sit again. Then, he kneeled before me, taking my hands in his. I trembled in pain and sorrow. Then he said: "Caroline. I know you're a fighter. I feel the same. But I can't stand the way Clovis is destroying all the beauties of our existence. Of my life. He looked at me with eyes full of sadness. He was so handsome. I squeezed his hands. I recalled his body against mine once again, and I wanted to cry so badly.

"Am I one of these beauties you want to protect?" I quietly asked. He didn't reply. He instead took my face in the palm of his hands and kissed me for a long, long time. I savoured his lips and tongue with full abandon.

"You didn't want me to become his amusement. Am I yours?" I asked when we could speak again.

"Am *I* your amusement, Caroline?" he asked in response.

"You're the one who saved me from misery." I answered.

"You're the one who saved me from solitude," he replied. I smiled.

"Good. We're both satisfied then." I playfully said, standing from the chair and heading for my room.

He took my hand. "I'm not..." he huskily whispered in my ear. I shivered; his scent came to my nostrils like a perfumed wind.

"I'll never be satisfied if I can't hold you in my bed." He said, placing a hand on my hip. The touch enough made me wet.

"I'm exhausted. Besides, you made a promise to me." I replied. He froze.

"You promised to keep me safe. And I cannot be safe if we continue this way. Goodnight, Guillaume."

He let me go. I walked away from him, and went to my room. I was already missing him, but felt so confused that I needed to be alone.

As I took off my clothes and wore my nightgown, I thought:

"This is incredible. My whole family and my town are destroyed. Everyone died but me. I thought I had walked away unnoticed. He wanted to spare me in order to have me."

I felt so miserable, sad and worried. Why was everything so complicated and unjust? The more Guillaume revealed, the more the difficulties in our situation increased.

I lay down, staring at the ceiling. The room was dark.

"What does he wants from me? Is this some messed up thing to do with his brother?" I asked to myself.

"How did Clovis found me? How did he know me?" I grabbed the sheets hard, my heart pounding painfully. I knew too well that I wanted from him.

Little by little, I drifted off to an uncomfortable sleep...

"Caroline...Caroline, are you awake?" Guillaume opened the door and stood in front of me.

"Mm, yes, now I am." I said, half asleep. "Why are you here?"

He quietly shut the door behind him and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I needed to talk to you." He answered.

"Again?" I coldly asked.

"Yes." He said, without moving.

"And do you have other terrible secrets to reveal? I couldn't stand another one." I replied, covering myself with the blankets. I sat up, completely awake.

He looked at me, his eyes glistening in the darkness. He looked somehow vulnerable.

"I just... didn't want you to be alone. I knew you were frightened and I don't really know what to say to you, but what I know is that I need to be... here with you. Whatever is that going on, and I know it's complicated, I'm not leaving you." He softly said.

I couldn't believe my ears. "I am so confused right now." I whispered.

"I am not letting go of you. Because I need you, and I think you do, too." He said.

"You're right. We need each other." I simply replied.

"The man who wants you is my brother and my worst enemy, I know. It's an awful situation. I wish I could change all the pain he caused." He whispered.

I couldn't hold back tears. "What if he finds you with me? I am just ruining people's lives." I said, shaking my head.

He was wearing a terrible expression as he answered: "Then I'll have to kill him."

He sighed. "But what if he finds you without me? I can't ever let that happen." He said, as he was speaking to himself.

"Then I'll kill him," was my strong reply. He stared at me, then shook his head.

"You don't know how far he goes, how ruthless and inhuman he is, especially with his so called preys. The danger you bring me is nothing compared to the danger that you face without me. I take on this peril gladly, Caroline." He took a deep breath. "I do, because I've found you, and...I'm never ever letting go of you. Please, trust me."

I was totally speechless. My heart was bleeding with love. I just sat there, with Guillaume's eyes caressing my soul, for a moment that seemed an eternity. You love him, I kept repeating to myself over and over. You cannot lie to yourself. I didn't know what his words meant, but I was sure that he was starting to feel the special connection between us. I don't know what the future will bring, I thought. But I can stay by his side and know him more.

"Please, Caroline. Let me. Let me be with you." He softly asked.

I smiled, and he smiled back. I sensed relief and happiness. I caressed his face with my hand, and whispered: "I don't have any place to go, Guillaume. I just hope you won't get into any more troubles because of all this...I would like to cut that horrible King in pieces."

He placed his hand on mine, squeezing it and gazed into my eyes.

"Don't worry about me. This is trouble that has been coming a long time. And one day, we shall." He softly said.

I giggled after a while. "Besides, he cannot take what he wants. I'm no longer a virgin." I playfully said.

He smiled and stifled his laughter. "Yes, I'm aware of that fact..."

My hand was still in his, our fingers intertwined.

"There are very difficult times ahead. They may be horrible beyond imagining. But we can worry about them tomorrow. Come with me," he offered. He took my hand and led me throughout the corridor, until we reached his room.

Once in the master bedroom (golden King sized bed, wooden fine furniture, marmor ground) he laid me down on the bed and huskily said:

"For now, just know that I'm here as soon as you want me. And even if you don't, I'm still here."

I closed my eyes and let out a deep, long breath. "Say it again, Guillaume. Please."

"I'm here, Caroline. I'm here for you." He said.

I reached out for him and hugged him tightly. He held me close, pressing his body against mine and running his fingers through my hair.

I kissed his lips and caressed his back. I could hear the quick pounding of his heart.

"There is something I want to ask you. I don't care if I sound pathetic." I whispered.

"Ask away." He said, kissing my lips one more time.

"Make love to me." I whispered in his ear. "Don't you dare take me like you would with any woman." I so needed to feel his love and protection that I couldn't hold back these words.

"Shh," he soothed me. Then, he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me deeply.

I gave in to the kiss, our tongue met gently. He wrapped an arm around my waist, my breasts crushed against his chest. As the kiss deepened, he laid me down on the bed, our bodies locking together. I just wanted to melt into him.

Our legs intertwined. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him again, harder this time.

I let out a low moan as he slid a hand under the hem of my nightgown and caressed the smooth flesh of my thigh.

"I want you, Guillaume." I whispered in his ear.

"So do I...so do I." he whispered back. He kissed my jaw, my neck, running his hand further up my legs, stroking my ass and squeezing it gently.

"Oh God," I sighed as his hand went between my legs and found my already wet sex. He cupped it with his palm and started stroking up and down...I arched and dig my nail into his skin, opening my legs a little more.

"Take me," I almost pleaded, lost in pleasure and need.

"Not yet..." he said, running his tongue up my neck, behind my ear.

I was about to explode. I reached down and squeezed his ass. He was still fully clothed and I wanted to feel his naked skin.

He licked and sucked on my upper lip and pushed his middle finger inside me. My hips lifted off the bed. My hot, wet inner walls welcomed the delicate intrusion after some resistance, and he began thrusting it slowly. Our tongues fought each other and I squeezed his ass harder...he then rested his thumb on my swollen clit.

"Ohhh", I moaned into his mouth. I reached for his cock and found that he was incredibly hard in his pants. I unbuttoned them with shaky hands and closed my hand around it. He groaned, biting my neck. He inserted another finger in me, my pussy stretched.

The friction of his hand was enough to make me explode. He kept on twisting and rotating his fingers inside me slowly, teasingly.

"More." I begged, unable to open my eyes, my whole body tensed and demanding. He complied; as he increased the pace a long, strong orgasm made me shake from head to toe. I squeezed his hardness harder as I came, and I barely heard him gasp.

"Oh God", I sighed after I collapsed on the bed.

"You're made for this." he said, withdrawing his fingers from my hot channel and lifting my nightgown over my head. He then took off his clothes, leaving us naked in the darkness.

"Guillaume, take me." I said, feeling so wet and opened.

He smiled, but did not reply. He cupped my face and his lisp captured mine in a breathtaking embrace. I stared at him. I could hear his heartbeat. We held each other, but didn't speak for a long moment.

"Do you really want me to make love to you?" he quietly asked me after my breath slowed down again. I so wanted to ask him the meaning of his question, but decided to only nod.

He sat up on the bed. "Sit astride me.", he told me. I complied.

Kissing him deeply again, I wrapped my legs around his waist and realized that his hard cock was literally brushing against my most sensitive part. I moaned into his mouth.

"Please enter me..." I almost pleaded. He put one arm around my waist, pressing me against him even more. "Not yet, Caroline...let me enjoy your pleasure first."

"Again?" I whispered.

He grinned. "Rock against me...let me feel you." He said.

I began to move my hips. My slick labia caressed his length, and with them my clitoris received so much pleasure that I almost screamed. I bit his shoulder hard, and dug my nails into his back.

"Yes, like this." He said in a husky voice, his gaze lost in my eyes. I arched, another wave of pleasure moved from my hard, excited bud to my whole body. He tightened the grip on my hips. I knew that he could take me with a single move, but he didn't do it.

He began caressing my breasts with one hand, enjoying the sight of them swaying in rhythm with my thrusts. "Oh, God," I moaned. "I'm so close..." I warned him.

He kissed me, we were both panting and desperately trying to hold on...I could feel my inner walls starting to quiver, so close to another climax...and he was so hard, so excited from my strokes.

Without a single word he entered me. "OHHHH," I moaned, and began to rotate my hips even faster. This was enough to drive me wild. I started to rotate my hips faster.

He stopped me. "Oh God, Caroline...I'll explode in you now if you keep on like this. Feel me...open your eyes. Please..." he whispered in my ear.

I tried not to lose myself in the storm of pleasure who was violently approaching and opened my eyes. I saw a man who was staring at me with a loving look in his eyes and I couldn't help it: a single tear ran down my cheek. He cupped my face and kissed me on my lips, my nose, my neck. I began kissing him all over in response, licking and biting every portion of skin met by my mouth.

We began moving in unison. I literally impaled myself on his hardness, rocking my hips in rhythm with his thrusts. "Come, Caroline, come with me," he moaned while he kept staring into my eyes.

As he violently exploded inside my inner walls, I began my own orgasm and climaxed around him, shaking and screaming his name.

Several weeks passed by. Guillaume became a strict trainer who turned into a passionate lover during the night.

We trained with the sword and the bow for the days, he made me exercise and perform fictitious battles. I got used to the castle's life, and knew his men: they were loyal, simple people who'd become soldiers because life had been too hard for them and the hate for the King made them express all their strength. I admired this. I was feeling part of this people.

We even sent a messenger through the country in order to find my father's allies, but didn't get a response.

After three weeks I was completely renewed. I was full of energy, stronger and ready. Yet, every night Guillaume made love to me passionately, and I couldn't find the strength to leave him and begin my journey.

I was feeling safe, loved, but the dark figure of Clovis cast a dark shadow on my thoughts. I had to see him. I had to discover why I was his aim. I wanted to search for Guillaume's mother...and the only relative that was, in my opinion, still alive.

"I have a cousin that is, as far as I know, still alive. She's a nun." I said to Guillaume as we were sitting by a small secluded lake near the castle.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked me. I shrugged.

"I don't know if she's still alive. I was searching for her before I entered the Wild Woods, but her convent was destroyed as well." I explained. "Her name is Sister Helen."

"Was she at the St. Agatha's convent?" he queried. I nodded.

"I know her. She is a capable healer and helped me cure wounded soldiers and peasants during the last battle against my brother. And she's your cousin. Incredible." He said his eyes wide with astonishment. I was so happy. He knew her!

"Oh, Guillaume, I need to find her. She's my only relative still alive!" I cheerfully said and hugged him. He laughed. "It won't be difficult. She moves with the other survival sisters in order to cure ills. I will surely find her. She settled in a little town on the mountains, and she told me she would be there for a month or so."He said.

Suddenly, I felt completely dizzy and I would have fallen down if he hadn't caught me immediately. "What's wrong?" he quietly asked me when I recovered.

I shook my head.

"I don't' know. I'm tired after all the training of today's afternoon, that's all." I replied, my eyes to the ground.

We remained silent for a while. I'd love to know what he's thinking, I said to myself.

"We need your cousin for you, too. I have to search for her myself." he said.

"I will come with you," I stated. He shook his head.

"No." Was his sharp reply.

"Guillaume! I'm tired of being hidden. I need to see her, to see what's wrong in this town, to find some allies. I could help you." I nearly shouted.

"You will help me by staying here, safe and protected, Caroline. You could be very important for the sake of this country, believe me...but we must plan something against my brother first. We have to think about it very carefully, for every single move will cause our victory or our destruction. What I want is peace, and...a normal life." He sighed.

I decided it that night. I had to search for Clovis and understand why he destroyed my family. I was sure that I could do something, but I had to go alone. I didn't want him to think that Guillaume was somehow linked to me.

One day, I was sitting by a lake after a horse ride, dressed up like a boy in order to be safe. I was alone, Guillaume was away to get some supplies for the impending war. I was taking a rest when I realized that I had almost crossed the border between Guillaume's and Clovis' mansion. I could see a dark shape of a bigger castle in the distance, among the trees and I immediately recognize it.

I started to shake. This was perfect timing: I was alone. Dressed like a man. My blonde-red hair was hidden under my cap. I covered myself in a cloak and decided that it was time to take the risk.

I climbed on my horse and crossed the border, my heart throbbing at every step. I was maybe ruining my life forever, but I wanted to know.

After leaving my horse in the forest, I tried to find a way to enter the castle.

I stopped and stared and the building: it was huge, shaped like a pentagon, and completely white, like marble. Entering the main hall was impossible: too many guards were surrounding the building and the five towers.

I slowly came closer. Some guards, helped by some servants, were working in a spot not so far from the castle. Then, they went away.

Some barrels were placed in a corner. No one was watching me. I opened two: they were empty. I sneaked into one with no effort, hoping that they would be moved inside.

After some moments, the barrel was lifted by someone: I held my breath, hoping that no one discovered me...until I heard some noise and chatter.

I probably was in the royal kitchen. I prayed as hard as I could. Thank God no one opened the barrels and after some time the room feel into silence.

I held my breath and slowly came out of my hiding place. The room was dark.

I opened a door and found myself in the garden.

"What should I do, now?" I asked to myself. No sign of the King.

Suddenly, a man tapped my shoulder. "What are you doing here? The party is upstairs, in the main tower."

After some moment of pure terror, I realized that he had misunderstood me for a young man.

"Oh...well, I apologize, Sir. I got lost." I answered, using the lowest voice I could find.

"Never mind. Here, you can wear these. I'll lead you to the main hall."

He gave me a black cloak and a purple red mask. I wore them with shaky hands...the man laughed and asked me:

"Is this your first time here?"

I cleared my throat. "Indeed it is." He nodded.

"Follow me, please."

We climbed a large staircase and we reached a black wooden door.

"The party is here, young boy. Once you've entered, you must stay until the end. This is the King's will. For now, you are allowed to watch, then we'll see.'" He said.

I nodded and bowed. "Thank you, Sir."

The door opened and my eyes widened in shock.

I barely heard the door slamming behind me as another man pushed me inside, laughing.

"The boy's new, look at his face!" he ironically said to a fellow man beside him. I did not reply...

The hall was large and squared, with marble floor and dark walls. The big windows were covered by purple velvet curtains. All the guests-men and women, all young, beautiful and athletic- were only wearing a mask and cloak. Me, a young girl and two boys were fully clothed.

"Stay here with these other novices, young boy," the first man said. "And don't do anything except what we tell you to. Don't speak." I nodded and sat on a chair in a dark corner.

Where is the King, I asked myself. This must be one of his wicked parties. Something terrible will happen if I don't find the way back. I need Guillaume with me, and we need to attack Clovis in one of this circumstances. People who are lost in lust are less dangerous, I thought as I touched the knife hidden on the back of my thigh.