SS charisma-updated---prt 8 pg 19 - Page 11

The boy sings his psalm, and the priest says the words. I give my oath and he gives his. Dimly, I see my mother's delighted face and the colours of the stained glass window throwing a rainbow at our feet on the stone floor of the chapel.

The priest says, 'and the ring?'

And the king says, ' a ring! I am a fool! I forgot! I don't have a ring for you.' He turns to my mother, 'your ladyship, can you lend me a ring?'

'oh but I have one,' I say, almost surprised at myself. ' I have one here.' From my pocket I take the ring shaped like the crown of England that came as a magic gift from my mother to bring me my heart's desire, and the king of England himself puts it on my finger for my wedding ring. And I am his wife.

His arm is tight around my waist as the boy sings the bidding. Then the king turns to my mother and says, your ladyship? Where can I take my bride?'

My mother smiles and gives him a key. ' there is a hunting lodge by the river.' She turns to me. 'river lodge. I had it made ready for you.'

He nods and sweeps me from the little chapel and lifts me onto his big hunter. He mounts behind me and I feel his arms tighten around me as he takes up the reins. We go at a walk along the riverbank and when I lean back I can feel his heart beating. When we see the lodge, he swings down from his horse and lifts me off. He takes the animal to the stalls to tie him while I open the door of the lodge.

It is a simple place with fire burning in the hearth, a jug of wedding ale and two cups on the wooden table, two stools set for eating the bread and cheese and meat, and a large wooden bed, made up with the best linen sheets. The room goes dark as he comes in the doorway, ducking his tall head under the beams.

'your grace'' I start and then I correct myself. 'my lord. Husband.'

'wife,' he says with quiet satisfaction. 'to bed.'

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The morning sun, which was so bright on the beams and the limewashed ceiling when we went to bed, is turning the place golden in the late afternoon when he says to me, 'Thank the lady of heaven that your father asked me to dinner. I am weak with hunger. I am dying of hunger. Let me out of bed, you witch.'

'I offered you bread and cheese two hours ago,' I point out, ' but you would not let me go three steps to the table to fetch it for you.'

'I was busy,' he says and pulls me back to his naked shoulder. At the smell of him and the touch of his skin I feel my desire for him rise again and we move together. His knowing fingers lighting flames of delight all over my body, cupping my breast, tracing my jaw line and bringing his fingers downwards to my cleavage up to my abdomen, his lips sucking every inch of my body. He brings me to a peak of gasping excitement before finally releasing himself. When we lie back, the room is rosy with the sunset and he gets out of bed. ' I must wash,' he says. 'shall I bring you a jug of water from the yard?'

His head brushes the ceiling, his body is perfect. I look him over with satisfaction, like a horsedealer looks at a beautiful stallion. He is tall and lean, his muscles hard, his chest broad, his shoulders strong. He smiles at me and my heart turns over for him. ' you would look as if you would eat me up,' he says.

'I would,' I say. 'I cannot sate my desire for you. I think I will have to keep you prisoner here and eat you up in little cutlets, day after day.'

' if I kept you prisoner I would devour you in one easy swallow,' he chuckles. ' but you would not get out till you were with child.'

'Oh!' the most delightful thought now strikes me. 'oh!, I shall give you sons, and they will be princes.'

'you will be the mother of the king of England, and the mother of my house, which will rule forever, please God'

'amen', I say devoutly. ' god send you safely home to me from your battle.'

'I always win,' he says in his supreme confidence. ' be happy Geet. You will not loose me on the battlefield.'

'and I shall be queen,' I say again. For the first time I understand, truly understand, that if he comes home from the battle and the true king Vicky is dead, then this young man will be the undisputed king of England ' and I shall be first in the land.

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Precap: 'YOU wh**e,' he says.

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