The Princess and her Knight

"I agree with you. I feel she cares for us, as well. And I admit I could use a night's rest. We never stop, do we? I forget sometimes how hard I push you all."

"No harder than you push yourself."

We came up to the house then, and it was a large, white building. The doors were wide open, and we walked up the steps together and went inside.

Inside, it was opened right up to one large room, and I gasped. One whole side was a massive bed, laid out on the floor, with blankets and pillows heaped all over it – it looked incredibly comfortable. That was to my left. To my right there was a table, heaped over with more than enough food for both of us. Straight ahead was a large rectangular pool, smelling fresh and clean, with herbs floating on the top of it.

Off to the side was a tiny room, which upon closer observation turned out to be a small room just for changing and for other private ablations. It held an abundance of towels and robes, combs and brushes, lotions, and other things to pamper oneself.

The pool turned out to be actually two pools in one. Most of it was only about two feet deep, perfect for sitting in, but off to one side was a circular section that was more like five feet deep. It would be wonderful to stand in. I dipped a finger in and found that the water was actually quite hot – like a hotspring!

"Where do we start, Leila?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's eat. Take off your warm things."

He obeyed; we washed our hands, and soon enough, sat down to eat. There was no meat anywhere on the table, but it was a delicious meal, with cheese, bread, nuts, berries, and sauces, all mixed together to form treats and soup and all kinds of foods. We were both very hungry and ate our fill.

After, we sat back. I smiled at Nathan. "I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to that pool of water."

"So am I. Do you want to go first...?"

I gave him a look. "What are you going to do, sit on the side and sulk? Come in with me."

He hesitated. "I don't have anything to wear."

"There are towels. Wrap one around yourself, you big dolt."

Nathan's eyes met mine and he seemed on the verge of saying something, but instead just nodded. "I admit, it sounds very nice. Very well. I'll be back."

He got up and went into the small changing room. It was only a few moments before he came out, a thick heavy towel wrapped around his waist, reaching his knees, and nothing else.

I couldn't help it; I stared. I had been wondering so long what he looked like under the shirt and here he was.

He was a large man – you couldn't tell, the way he dressed, but I could see it now. He was muscular and strong. His belly was very flat and cut nicely, and he had a light sprinkling of hair all over, leading down a trail into the towel. It was a little lighter on his chest than the hair on his head, almost golden colored. His shoulders were broad and wide, and his legs; powerful, as were his arms. I could just see the shelf of his hip bone, and the beginnings of the hollow that is so charming in a man at his upper thigh, hinting toward something lower.

I think my mouth was open for he chuckled a bit. "See something green?" I blushed scarlet.

"Um. Just that you are very handsome, Nathan."

"Why thank you, my lady," he made an exaggerated bow.

"Yes, um, I'll go next."

I went into the little room and shut the door behind me, and leaned against it and took a deep breath.

There were long towels for me, too, and I stripped down and then took one of the long towels and wrapped it around myself, covering myself from just under the shoulders to about mid-thigh. I put my hair up, took a deep breath, and came out.

Nathan was already sitting in the shallower part of the pool, with his back to me, and I took a moment to admire that long sloping back, and the strong shoulders. I walked over to the pool, and stepped in. It was indeed hot, and I yelped, and he laughed.

"Go slow, I had to."

I eased myself into the water slowly, right next to him. The water felt wonderful and I swear every muscle groaned in relief.

When I could finally sit, I shifted right against him. I took his arm and put it around me, and leaned against his chest, pressing my cheek against his skin, feeling his heartbeat. He looked down in surprise. I closed my eyes.

"Leila?"

"Yes, Nathan?"

His arm came around me and held me tightly all of a sudden. "Nothing. Forget I said anything."

For a long time, we just sat there, letting the water warm us.

As time passed, the water did not cool at all, and it felt just divine, I have to say. (Upon consideration I realized of course it was divine. How droll.) I was the first one to move. I slipped my hand over his chest, feeling the smooth, wet skin under my fingertips. Surprised by my own boldness, I ran my fingers across his nipple, feeling his body stiffen underneath me. I could feel his breath coming in short gasps, and suddenly I wanted him more than ever. I wanted to feel him, and I wanted his body against me, and I wanted him inside me.

I shifted my position, half turning to face him, and looked up into his face. He looked back at me, his eyes full of emotion, his lips slightly parted, and I reached up and kissed his mouth. No dry innocent kiss this time. I let my lips meet his, and let my tongue slide inside his mouth. I felt a jolt as our tongues touched, and my hands tightened on his shoulders. His arms came around me, and pulled me close suddenly, and he kissed me fiercely, gripping my body against his.

He was the first one to break off the kiss, looking away. "Highness...." His voice trailed off, and I cupped his face and turned it toward me.

"Why did you stop?" I murmured.

"We can't do this. It's not right. You're promised to someone else."

"And if I wasn't promised to someone else? You still wouldn't? Don't you want to kiss me?"

He groaned. "It's not that. You're the princess, and I'm just a knight."

I lifted my body and seated myself boldly in his lap, and turned his face until his eyes met mine. They were shimmering with desire and frustrated want, and I felt myself go hot all over again.

"You're my knight, aren't you? Aren't you supposed to want what I want? Besides, none of that matters." I put my arms around him again and put my mouth close to his ear.

"I want you, here and now. I want you to remind me I'm alive, Nathan, please. I've been lonely and scared for so long."

He turned and looked at me again, and I could see the last bit of restraint starting to slip. I knew what the other thing he was thinking about was, though.

"Nathan, I want to tell you a secret – a very closely guarded secret. Listen to me."

"Yes?"

I smiled shyly. "I know what you're worried about, at least one of the things. And Nathan..." I pressed my forehead against his and, looking right into those gray eyes I loved so much, gave him an impish smile. "I'm not a virgin," I whispered.

He could not have looked more stunned if I had slapped him. I took the time to shift again. I was still sitting in his lap, but I was now sitting facing him, with my legs on either side of his hips. I knew the towel was hiked up high enough that he could have seen my nude sex if I had leaned back just a little, but I didn't care. When I moved, I had felt that his cock was hard underneath me, under the towel, and that was all I wanted to know – he wanted me as much as I wanted him.

"You're not?!"

I smiled, and mischievously ran my hands up his chest, feeling both of us shiver. "I'm not. So where's the harm? And I am a girl who knows what she wants, and I want you."

"But...who? When?"

I looked at him archly. "I may be naïve, Nathan, but I know a woman doesn't speak of her sexual exploits with one man to another." But his face still looked serious, so I relented a little. "It was my violin teacher. It was before you showed up in my life, so you couldn't have stopped me even if you wanted to. That was the only man...though not the only time."

He was giving me a somewhat sour and amused look. "I guess I should have been assigned to you a long time ago."

I looked at him coyly. "If only you had, Nathan, I promise you I never would have slept with my violin teacher. Heavens! Not when there was a much better option right in front of me."

"What?" he said, but I had leaned forward and kissed his mouth again, and this time he kissed me back without hesitation. "The violin teacher. You are a most improper young lady," he murmured into my mouth in disbelief, and shook his head. "I'll show you."

His hands went up my body then, from my waist to my shoulders, running over them, touching them, into my hair, where he wrapped it around his fingers and pulled gently, enough to lean my head back. His hot mouth dropped to my throat and I felt his warm wet tongue trace down it. I moaned; I wanted him so badly.

His knees came up and he leaned me gently against them, and tugged at my towel where it was tucked neatly. It came open without trouble, and I blushed as he laid it open, revealing my nude body to his hungry eyes.

"I always thought you were beautiful, Leila, but I had no idea." His hands tentatively came up, and touched my belly, my shoulders, before finally slipping down to my breasts. I watched him through half-lidded eyes as he cupped them, filling his hands with them, and suddenly he squeezed and I moaned.

I put my own hands over his. "And if I told you how long I've wanted you, Nathan..." I sat up again, keeping his hands on my breasts, and kissed him again and again. "Love me, Nathan, for a little while, make me forget where I am and what I've been through."

I shifted to my knees and dropped my hands to his towel, tugging it open, and letting it drop into the water. His cock sprang free, and I timidly dropped my hands to it. He was fully erect, and oh god I wanted it in me. I didn't hesitate any longer, but moved my wet sex over him and pressed him against me. I was tight – it had been a damn long time since I had had a man in me, but he was very hard and I was very wet, and he put his hands on my shoulders and pushed down.

I felt him enter me, and I cried out softly. "Nathan!" I said, and pushed myself further down onto him, working him into me, feeling him open me up, until his hips pressed against mine and he was fully engulfed in me.

He took me back in his arms, and his mouth met mine again, and as he kissed me, he began to work in and out of me. All I could think was I had finally gotten what I wanted years ago, Nathan's hard cock inside me, his arms around me, his large hands exploring my body, and his tongue in my mouth.

I felt him shift, and lift me in his arms, just enough for him to switch to his knees, and he laid me back in the water. He kept an arm around me, holding my head just above the water, and began to really fuck me, hard, and I felt years of pent-up passion in him as well. The water buoyed us both and I clung on for dear life as he pounded me, and without warning it all became too much for me and I cried out with my first orgasm.

I knew he wouldn't last much longer either, not with the pace he was setting, and I wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed up, grinding into him. He groaned, and suddenly I felt him lose all control, and spill into me. He thrust into me three or four more times, then, without ever losing his grip on me, sat back on his knees so I was in his lap again, and then stretched out his legs. He leaned against the side of the pool; I leaned in his arms, both of us sweaty and disheveled, but still so warm and cozy, his cock slowly slipping out of me.

I became aware of him kissing the top of my head, stroking my back. He chuckled. "That was fast and furious."

I looked up at him through my lashes. "I think we both wanted it very much."

"I admit, have been thinking about you for a long time, my sweet." A thrill went through me.

"I think I wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you." He kissed me again, and then there was silence for a bit. He spoke again.

"What we just did was very, very wrong."

"I know it was."

"We didn't even use anything, my sweet. What happens if you're with child?"

I kissed his nose fondly. "It won't happen."

"Why not? Is there something I should know?"

I nodded. "Some time ago, when I changed back to human, I asked Hannah about it. She told me the halflings have ways – certain herbs you can take, that ensures it never happens. I asked her to make me up a batch."

"Why? Were you expecting this?" He arched an eyebrow.

I shook my head. "Not quite." I hesitated. "But it's not pleasant, so I'll just say it quickly. Back in my human shape, I was afraid of being captured, or something worse happening to me –basically, rape. I thought about it at length, and decided that if it happened, I would go on and deal with it, but I wasn't going to bear someone's child."

He stroked my hair. "Poor thing. You've been through so much." He kissed me again, a long, loving kiss, and it was in that moment that I realized I loved this man, and had done so for a long time. I sat back and looked at him.

"What are you staring at this time?" he said, and I stroked his face.

"Nathan? What were to happen if I didn't marry Camden?"

He considered. "I don't know, what do you think would happen?"

"Do you think his father would withdraw his support?"

"Probably not. Duke van Stratton has always been superbly loyal."

"I don't need to tell him right away, either."

"Why? Do you have someone else in mind?"

I looked down. "There might be someone else, actually. Someone else I'd rather marry."

He looked at me and cocked his head. Realization dawned on his face. "Surely you don't mean..." I leaned forward and kissed him again.

"Let's not talk about it now. Just love me, would you?"

He smiled again. "I can do that." He lifted me in his arms again, and stood up out of the pool. Standing me up next to the pool, he picked up one of the dry towels, and began to wipe me down.

"You really are very beautiful, my princess."

"And you handsome, my knight." I looked at him through my eyelashes, admiring the long, sloping, muscular legs, the broad chest, the cock that had so recently been in me, already erect again, ready to be in me again.

He knelt by my legs and gently pushed them apart, and wiped between my legs. I could feel his semen seeping out of me, and I blushed out of both shyness and arousal. I wanted him again too.

"Close your eyes, dearest." I did so, and I felt him kiss my mound, and then felt his hand slip between my legs. He rubbed against my slit, and then slowly began to work a finger inside. His thumb went to my clit, and began to stroke it, in long, gentle strokes.

"Guide me, Leila," I heard him whisper. "Tell me what you want."

I put my hand over his, obediently, and moved his hand to the position I liked best, and encouraged him to stroke there. He did, rubbing the underside of my clit, making my knees weaken with the pleasure. His finger was now fully engulfed inside of me, and he slowly began to add a second one.

"Nathan..." I whispered, not sure what it was I was asking for, but I needn't have worried. He lifted my left leg over his shoulder, and shifted until he was directly underneath me. Then I felt his hot breath on my sex, and his sweet mouth gently kissed my clit, and I moaned.

I felt his tongue begin to explore my folds, and stroke my clit, and his fingers worked inside of me, grinding back and forth, until I began to move against him on my own. His other hand supported me, and it was a good thing, or I might have fallen in the pool.

I felt his other hand work around behind me, and a finger paused at the opening to my backside, as if asking permission. All I said was "please..." and he began to work a finger in there, too.

I was now moving against his wet mouth, as he finger-fucked me, loving me with his talented fingers and mouth and hands, and my own hands went to his hair, and curled in it, and I felt myself building. Nathan's face was pressed against my sex, and his tongue bathed me in warm wetness. The vision came to me, suddenly, of him riding his horse, those long legs pumping, and his back so straight and erect, and suddenly I realized again just who it was with his mouth on my clit and fingers in my ass and pussy, and I came, again, screaming his name.

He caught me as I began to fall, and pulled me down into his arms, and kissed my mouth. I tasted myself on his beard and skin, and I was immediately breathless with desire again. I couldn't get enough of this man, it seemed.

"You are a very bad girl, Princess; seducing your own knight," He whispered, chuckling, into my ear.

"I never thought of it like that. As if a knight was all I wanted. All I thought of was you, Nathan," I responded, as he picked me up in his arms.

He carried me to the bed and laid me amongst the pillows and the blankets, and cupped my chin. I pulled him down to me and kissed him again.

"I always used to watch you, Nathan. I was attracted to you from the start. I think I wanted you and didn't know it. Nathan...I think I'm in love with you."

He looked down at me, concern on his face. "Leiliana?"

"I am, Nathan. I need to know if you could possibly feel the same."

He kissed me. "Leliana, my princess, I have long since committed my whole life to you. I would have given up anything for you. Don't you know; you've always had my heart?"

I looked at him with love in my eyes. "Do you mean it, Nathan?"

"Of course, dear heart. I love you."

Then that was that. I cupped his face. "Then I will not marry Camden. I want you to marry me, Nathan, and I will make you king."

"Me?" His face broke into a rueful smile. "You've gone insane. Are you sure?"

"I don't want to be the rest of my life without love, Nathan. I know that now, after all that I've been through. I want my life to be full of love, every moment of it, and I want our children to know how in love we are. I know this is backwards, but Sir Nathan Borridan, will you obey your future queen in this?"

He was looking at me, troubled. "There will be talk. The nobles will have things to say."

"I don't care. I need a working king, anyway. Camden doesn't know anything about it, and moreover, he doesn't know me. I'll persuade them or I'll hide it from them and run roughshod over them if I have to."

He looked into my eyes for a long moment, my knight's serious gray eyes seemingly looking into my very soul, examining me closely. Then, he smiled, and my heart nearly stopped at the love in that gaze. He kissed me again.

"I am at my lady's service."

"Let me be at your service this time, Nathan."

"Hmm?"

I let my eyes flick down to his erect cock and back up to his face. I gave him my best doe-eyed look, and pushed him back, making him roll over, until he was on his back. I kissed his mouth, and then put my finger on his lips.

"If I told you something, Nathan, would you forever lord it over me?"

He laughed. "You're to be my queen. I think you can lord whatever you want over me."

"Except in the bedroom." I smiled at him. "I think you'll win, there."

"I might, at that. What is it that you wanted to tell me?"

I sat back, across his upper thighs, and let my gaze roam over his body. "I have wondered what you looked like naked a long, long time."

"Oh yes?"

"Oh, yes. I used to watch you when you were jousting, and then I'd go back and dream in my bed, thinking of you." I was running my hands over his chest now, sometimes letting him feel my nails, sometimes dipping into the dark mat of his pubic hair. His eyes were half-closed, and he looked blissfully content.

"Did you ever think of me that way, Nathan?" I bent down and kissed the tip of his erect penis, making him start a little.