Without love no man is a king

12.

Prince Roland readied himself for his nuptials, anxiously, wondering if she'd even go through with this. Three days back home and things had been...difficult. No linguist to help communicate was a major set back for all of them, frustration manifesting on both sides. The king decided the marriage would take place with a small congregation with a larger celebration after. Even this morning the prince was woken by frantic staff saying the princess had fled the castle in the night. He ran to the room she was staying in until after the wedding ceremony, down the corridor from his own bachelor room. He sighed when he saw the bed had not been slept in or even touched, nothing had been touched bar a small corner of the room Inara had tried to make her own. He'd found her asleep the first night, in the corner on some straw she had fetched from the stable, laid out on her horse hide, covered over with her hand woven blanket and wolf skin.

"I know where she is" the prince sighed out at his staff "I will fetch her myself so not to startle her." He made his way to the stables greeting Digory
"Morning your highness. Bit early for a ride? Shouldn't you be getting ready for the big event? Just about to get your horses ready. Not sure Netta will allow a royal saddle yet. Your bride gets upset with me when I try. Curses me out in Drecontonian, at least I presume from her facial expression and tone that what she is doing. Forgive me, something I can help with?"
"Looking for my runaway bride" the prince chuckled lowly "I had a hunch" he walked over to Netta's pen
"Bless her" Digory came to see the princess asleep on the straw, laying next to her horse

"Inara?" Roland gently stroked her hair, Digory smiling down at him "Inara? What are you doing out here. You are cold. We are to be married today so tonight you can sleep in with me. I promise. I will take care of you. Do not cry. Please. I have no way to comfort you...I think she is already home sick" he looked up at his friend
"I reckon so. That and lonely. From what I know of the Drecontonians, they are big on family. Not even blood. Her clan is her family. every bride wants their mother on their big day. She has no one. With no clue what to expect. She has not even stepped foot in a church before and will have no clue what anyone is saying. Perhaps she is afraid Roland...from what you told me of your Drecontonian wedding, it was eventful, blood was shed. Her life threatened and yours. Perhaps she is expecting the same."

"Of course she is. Come, it's alright. That's it...I think she is starting to trust me a little. She keeps holding my hand sweetly when she gets overwhelmed" Roland smiled when she allowed him to scoop her up, laying her head on his shoulder "Digory. I have a very important job for you. Ready the horses then come to the castle. They will be waiting for you."
"Anything your highness"
"Walk her in for me. Bar me, you are the only one she will interact with. She knows you love and care for the horses, this places you in high esteem to her. She will trust you. We've done most of our bonding over the last few days in these stables. Walking in to a church alone and scared is not right."
"It would be my honour your highness. I will do my best not to show you up and get your bride to the church on time."

The prince looked out of the window, sighing again at the sight of Inara protesting at the women following her, trying to prepare her, making her way back to the stables again...Digory running out and walking her back to the castle, tipping his flat cap up at the princes window that he knew he'd be watching out of.

"I am not sure she will go through with this father, she is terrified." the prince shook his head talking to the person stepping into his room
"Well....that is good news"
The prince spun around shocked at the voice of lady Stephanie in his private room. "You can not be in here! What are you doing? It is my wedding day!"
"You just said..."
"You need to leave. Stop coming to the castle!"
"Your father sent a personal invitation for my family to attend the wedding banquette." She smirked walking over to him "it is not too late to change your mind your highness" she ran her hands up his bare chest "you don't love her. She's not what you want. She's a wild animal."
"I have told you before to show her respect!"
"Are you showing her respect? If your words were true then you would have moved my hands by now....tell the king you have changed your mind. We can be together. You just have to...."
"No" he pushed her away, gripping his hair

"you don't understand what you are asking and I do not love you."
"Does she satisfy you?" Lady Stephanie did not give up, following him across the room "you can not tame a wild animal into a lady. You know you can't."
"You are not acting like a lady right now. Inara...."
"Can not give you what I can....." she attached her lips to his, flopping him backwards onto the bed "even if you go through with this farce, it does not mean you can not still have me. Plenty of prince's have mistress's. It is obviously what you want still. I can tell" she smirked again rubbing against his obvious arousal.
"We can't!"
"For old times sake, let me remind you of what you're giving up. She will not let you touch her and you know it. Move me into the castle and you can have what you will not get from her. You need a woman not a little girl." She reconnected their lips. His hands wandering under her dress, riding it up, pulling at her dress strings for better access to her bosom.

"Son...." the king walked in "Roland!" He snapped annoyed
"Darn it..it's not....get off me..." he flustered embarrassed
"Roland?" Inara ran in looking for him, stopping staring at the half undressed prince doing his trousers back up, lady Stephanie attempting to retie her dress strings quickly, her dress still dishevelled, the bed sheets crumpled.
"It's not what it looks like" the prince stepped towards her "please. She means nothing to me. I am marrying you."
"Son! I warned you! How could you do this? On your wedding day no doubt! The disrespect alone."
"I will go and...."
"You stay where you are young lady" the king bellowed angrily, Inara watching the king intrigued, interpreting his tone as angry even if she did not know the words. "I invited you here today so you could witness for yourself that your lover is no longer yours!"
"We are not lovers father."
"Could have fooled me! Don't take me for a fool! Don't you dare lie to me again boy! Do you realise what the pair of you have done! How many lives he will take because you can not keep your hands off this trollop!"

"Inara....forgive me...please." The prince begged "it will never happen again. It was a moment of weakness in a fretful situation and I...." he was cut off by a harsh slap across the face.
"You deserved that so do not even complain." The king warned him "good girl Inara." He praised the small girl infront of him, that was still watching him intently. Trying to figure him out. "Peace" he placed his hand on his heart.
"No peace" she shook her head pointing at the prince
"Please. I am sorry" Roland held her arm softly "understand? I am sorry."
"Quimby" she tearfully whimpered out at him "no happy."
"I know. I know you are not happy. But you will be. I will make you happy"
"Irana no happy. Roland no happy"
"I understand we must both be unhappy or it is not fair. that is what you are saying. Please. I want peace. We need peace. This will not happen again. With her or anyone. Let me try and make you happy, we can be happy. We have already had moments of happiness, let us forget this happened and build on that."

"Come. Let us get you ready my dear" the king guided a tearful Inara away "you'd better hope she goes through with it and does not do a runner back to her father. Not only for you but for all of us. He was not empty in his threat of what he would do to you and your trollop."
"What...." lady Stephanie panicked
"I told you! You do not know what you are asking of me! I asked you to leave!"
"Son! You were clearly enjoying yourself and a willing participate! You were caught red handed, buried deep in you whore. You can not place all the blame on her. Tell her what the Drecontonians do to unfaithful princes and their lovers. Maybe then she will get the idea to stay away."