Separate Crowns of One Heart

Twėnty-Fıvė

I roll over in bed and my cheek comes in contact with a cool pillow. The light from the sun bleeding through the windows warming my bare shoulders. I slowly open my eyes and look around to get a baring of where I am. The white sheets, blue and gold curtains, and arrangement of gold crowns on the dresser...

I'm in the suite but not in my bed. I turn my head and see the still-frozen frame of last night's film projected onto the wall. I'm in the Prince's bed. Lifting my head, I sit up in the bed and the blanket falls away from me. I'm in the Prince's bed naked. The events from last night come flooding back to me in bits and pieces.

A trail of love marks line my thigh, travel to the inside of my thigh, and disappear into my crotch. Wow. This must be why beeta is prohibited at the Academies. It has to be.

I lean back and feel something crinkle under me and I look back to find a note on the pillow behind me. Already knowing who it's from, I quickly unfold it.

𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭.

--𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞.

There would be awkwardness if I harbored actual feelings for him... or remembered all of what transpired in this bed last night (though I do remember enough to know it wasn't terrible). Taking the note with me, I walk to my side to put it away in the keepsake box along with all the other notes from him.

Instead of my usual bath, I go into the shower and lather my body with soap. As I scrub my body, my mind replaces my hands with the Prince's bigger ones. I turn my back to the stream of hot water from the showerhead and I can almost feel the Prince's hand on the small of my back, lifting me towards him.

Gods... I wish I had not asked for the beeta. Sure we might not have had sex otherwise, but if we had, then I would at least remember how it felt. Having sex one time with someone, I can do, but not knowing whether I enjoyed myself or not...?

A knock sounds on the entrance to the suite, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Enter!" Over the running water, I hear footsteps cross the suite, stop for a tick, and leave the room again, closing the door behind them.

I finish in the shower and wrap a towel around my wet body on my way out. A breakfast tray sits on the bedside table on my side of the suite. The scent of the food draws me in and I gravitate to the tray to inspect its contents. I'm picking a bowl of fruits when a tiny envelope catches my eye.

I lift it off the tray and read the small writing on the envelope.

𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐭.
-- 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞

Frowning, I open it and peer inside. It's a tiny pink pill. To prevent the conception of a child-- well, after a Male forgets the initial pill.

I pop the pill into my mouth and grab the pitcher of nectar to wash it down with, not bothering with a glass. With that problem dealt with, I sit down and put some food in my stomach while trying to decide what to do with my day. I notice a larger envelope sticking out from beneath the tray. It better not be from the Prince.