Without love no man is a king

17.

The prince let Inara cool off for a few days before attempting to reconcile again, wandering around the castle grounds in search of her.
"You looking for the princess?" The gardener asked
"Yes. I am. Have you seen her?"
"Try the dungeon your highness. Saw her heading that way, she likes exploring the castle, she was following a mouse in that direction......if you don't mind me saying?"
"Go ahead"
"Her little feet must be frozen in this weather."
"I am sure they are however she is used to it. They do not cover their feet. Something I am yet to persuade her of, no matter how many pairs of socks and shoes I present her with, they are usually thrown at my head." The pair laughed together.

"Here...for the princess." The gardener pruned the last blooming rose "all done for the winter I reckon. Shame she likes to smell the roses on her way past."
"Thank you. I will be sure to give it to her."
"She's a real beauty. You lucky devil"
"She is" the prince smiled sadly
"Give it time" the gardener paused his weeding "must be hard. Coming from a place like that to a place like this. She likes to learn new words don't she." The gardener smiled "she has rose, mouse and spider now." He nodded proudly "asks everyday bless her. By pointing. She is not like the Drecontonians I know off. Still feisty but she's a good girl deep down. She likes to feed the birds crumbs, she's gentle, they come straight into her hand. Give her a little time to adjust your highness. I am sure you can work it out."

The prince made his way to the dungeon, being let in by the dungeon guards. "Inara? Are you in here?" He called out "Inara?" He asked seeing her sat on the floor by a cell, staring straight ahead "what are you.....lady Stephanie!" He gasped when he realised who was in the cell
"Your highness!" Lady Stephanie ran to the iron bars "have you come to free me?"
"I.....Inara? What are you doing here?"
"She comes everyday!" Lady Stephanie exclaimed "please I...." she reached through the bars. Inara shot up cutting her arm with her dagger, glaring angrily.
"Inara no! Stop!"
"Roland stop!" She retaliated "no eyes!" She tapped her eyes pointing into the cell. "no touch!"

"I came to find you, not see her! I thought you were exploring! Following the mice!"
"No eyes! No...no....touch!" She stomped her foot
"Of course not. No. No touch. No touch any woman but you." He shook his head.
"Death" she ran her finger across her neck offering her dagger "witch! Cut! Death!"
"No" he shook his head, putting the dagger away.
"Pig! Witch!" She spat into the cell, slapping his face, before storming out.

"Are you alright?" The prince asked into the cell
"No!"
"I can not stay. I am sorry. I have to go."
"How long are you keeping me here?"
"I have nothing to do with whatever this is." He observed the well decked out cell, creature comforts aplenty, not your usual dungeon dwelling. More of a lady in waiting's room, just behind bars.
"Can you stop your wife coming and staring at me! Poking me with a stick! spitting on me! Writing her witchcraft on the floor with her blood! It's the least you can do. She is a wild animal."
"Do not speak about my wife like that."

"Why are you not in here too?"
"Because the peace of our kingdom does not rest on your shoulders, it rests on mine! I told you to stay away! None of this would have happened if you'd just stayed away!"
"You could have thrown me out! Your hands were all over me as well as the other way around. You were enjoying it. You were participating willingly. You were buried deep inside me and could not get enough! You care for me admit it! You've bought me a rose! You clearly still have feelings for me!"
"This was for my wife not you! I have no feelings for you, I never have! Just....you are delusional."
"Am I? Set me up in a cottage somewhere. Somewhere discreet. So you can come and see me, be with me. This farce of a marriage is not what you want, you know it and I know it, the whole kingdom knows it. From the whispers I've heard you have not even consummated it yet. You clearly do not desire the savage barbarian! I told you you would not get what you need from her."

"Son!" The kings bellowing voice traveled down the dark dungeon "I can not believe this!"
"It is not what it looks like"
"I have heard that before! If it is not what it looks like then why do I have your sobbing wife in my office rambling about the witch in the dungeon with her Roland! Gifting her roses!" He pointed at it "have you been sneaking down here to see her? To be with her? Are you still fornicating with this tart?"
"No! Ask the guard! It is the first time I have seen her. I came looking for Inara! The rose is for Inara!"
"Swear on your mother's grave"
"I swear on mother's grave" he growled out "as for you, call my wife a savage barbarian again and I will give the order to hang you myself! My marital bed is none of your concern! Or anyone's! I.do.not.want.you. Understand?"

"I have seen more of you than your wife has! You wanted me then!"
"Because you were easy! I was not your first by a country mile! You were not mine, do not flatter yourself. It was a frivolous Summer of fun that went too far and is now over! My wife does not give it up so easily. She is a woman of class!"
"Class! She walks in the dirt bare foot and spits like an animal."
"Her beauty far outweighs yours. I would rather bed her once than you every night! Whore!"
"Enough! Son we're leaving....Guard. No one is to be permitted in to see the wench. Not even the princess. You should have told me she was coming down here."

"Father forgive me. I am telling the truth! I have not seen or spoken to her. It is over as I promised. The gardener said....."
"I know" the king sighed "I know son. Come. She is in my office." The prince followed his father to his private study.
"Inara!" The prince rushed in, kneeling down to comfort her, she pushed him away angrily "for you" he offered his rose "it was for you. Not her. For my Inara. A beautiful flower for my beautiful Inara."
"For Inara?" She peeked up taking the rose gingerly, the prince smiling and nodding "rose" she showed the king
"That's right darling. It's alright. Roland was looking for you. Do you understand? I guess you don't."

"Inara new word" she informed the king
"What is it? This is how she asks for an explanation of something she has heard son. She tells me the word and we try and find a picture to match."
"What word Inara? Let me help?" The prince asked
"Consummate"
"Oh" the Prince blushed "I ummm. I am guessing you have overheard conversation in the castle, I have done so myself." he stood up searching for a book, flipping pages. "Here. Consummate. Consummate marriage. Copulate?"
"Swive?" She pointed
"That is what you call it? Swive I guess, I hope I am right and we are on the same page."

"No....no Erathern marriage? No consummate? No marriage? No swive no Erathern marriage?"
"No" the prince shook his head "not in the eyes of our law."
"Consummate" she nodded standing up taking his hand, pulling him along
"Wait, where are we going?"
"Swive. Consummate. Marriage. Peace. Danger. Father. Marriage."
"Slow down" he tried to stop her fast pace "it's alright."
"No like?" She asked him confused "no like Inara?"
"No I do. I do like. You are very beautiful."

"Like Swive witch?"
"No. Like swive you." He protested pointing at her
"No....no....no good?" She looked down between his legs
"Well not right here!" The prince laughed "witch gone! No more witch! Understand. Only you."
"No happy!"
"I know" he laughed nodding "believe me I know. I am sorry."
"Consummate.....for peace." She went back to pulling him along

"Father, a little help here."
"Just go with it son. It needs to be done. You know this."
"But she clearly still does not want to! She has just figured out it is part of our marriage laws! Is it not part of theirs? Her father came to check!"
"I do not know. Maybe she thought it was not a requirement as you did not in Dreconton? Or it needed to be done at a certain time."
"Oh. Maybe. I mean. Whoah alright slow down!" He tried to push her away when they reached his room
"Told you she was feisty."

"Well get out then!" The prince blushed "I do not think I've got much say in the matter."
"Enjoy it, it might be a one time thing, or it will bring you closer, you never know your luck" the king laughed "I will be outside, I will send for the necessary witnesses."
"Must you!" The prince flustered "wait! Understand? Wait!" The prince held the princesses hands still, stopping them removing his clothes.
"Yes I must. They will not take my word for it after what has occurred. They'll want to see the sheets after as well. To make sure Cedmond was true to his word. Good luck son." The king pulled the door to, leaving them to it. Listening in from the corridor.