Crowned Royalty

5

Miranda tossed and turned all night. Eventually she just got out of bed and slowly walked to the library. She walked up and down the rows of bookshelves letting her fingers drag across the books.
Once she sits upon the throne she won't be able to spend as much time in here. She sat down with a medical book and as her fingers danced across the pages she found herself thinking about Ben. She shook the thoughts away and sauntered back to bed.

As the weeks went on she found herself doing that often. Thinking about Ben and shaking away the thoughts. Even through all the important meetings about the transition of power from her father to her. She found herself wondering how Ben was doing in his own meetings about his rise to power. And funnily enough Ben was doing the same. He tried to listen to voices around him from the people in the room but all he heard was Miranda's voice and Miranda's laughter.

"Benji you seem distracted" Rosalind cleared her throat. Her brother had been having these moments of him zoning out and now here he is at dinner staring at his plate rather than eating his food

"Apologies" He looked at his sister

"Thinking of the princess" She chuckled

"Cute" He sipped his wine and finished his meal
They left the dining room and prepared themselves for bed.

"Goodnight brother" Rosalind stood in the doorway of her bedchamber and looked at her brother as he hesitated in front of their father's door
"He would be proud of you"
Her brother didn't respond but stared at the door
"You've been distracted but you've handled business very well"

"I shall see you in the morning" He walked away
She just watched as he walked. Passing his bedchamber and disappearing down the stairs. She sighed and just went to bed.

He walked the gardens and his mind began drifting to the princess. Little did he know he was on her mind and at that very moment she was making her way to him. In the cover of night she snuck away from her kingdom and decided to ride horseback to the Kingdom of MercyWest. Throwing caution to the wind. Tonight when she saw the nanny and her husband standing outside her young son's bedroom she didn't feel hurt. She wasn't even angry. She just was. And then she decided that even though she hadn't rode a horse since her youth she saddled up and headed in the direction of Prince Benjamin's Kingdom.

As Ben walked he came to the front gate.
"Your highness" The royal guard bowed to him

"Gentleman" He smiled "The kingdom is beautiful isn't it"

"Yes Sir it is" One of the guards nodded

"I want to say your family has guarded this kingdom generation after generation and I appreciate it" Prince Benjamin gave the guard a pat on the back

"Thank you sir" He smiled
Ben nodded and made his way to the other side of the fence.

"Sir do you need a guard" He asked

"No I just want to walk. I won't be far" Ben walked away from the guards. As he was walked he heard hooves. He turned to look for the source of the noise. A beautiful steed suddenly was halted before him
"Who goes there"

"A stranger in the night" Miranda chuckled as she dismounted the horse
Ben was elated to see her. She had been on his mind and now she stood before him having just rode in on a horse.

"Well this a pleasant surprise" He laughed
Miranda melted as she heard his laugh. They had met only once but yet he was all she could think about.

"I don't even know what I'm doing here" She shook her head. Embarrassed by the fact that she rode a horse to a kingdom she had never been to before to see a man she had met once yet kissed. Despite being married

"Come" He took the horse's lead and held Miranda's hand. He tied the horse in the stables and led Miranda to the wine cellar.

"This is where we keep the good stuff. Set aside for Balls and grand dinners" He smiled as he took a bottle off the rack. "Aged to perfection" he popped the cork with a wine opener and sipped from the bottle before handing it to Miranda
They sat, drank, and talked

"So wait he is engaged in a torrid affair with the nanny" Ben looked at Miranda in disbelief

"Yep" She nodded her head and she drank from the bottle

"The help" Ben scoffed. He is married to a literal Queen yet he chooses to engage with a nanny.

"But you know what I'm not even mad" She laughed maybe a little bit louder than she meant to "This wine is strong" She looked at the bottle

"You know why you shouldn't be mad. He is the loser here. I mean look at you. God I would love to have you has mine" Ben sipped from the bottle not realizing his admission was out loud rather than in his head like he meant it

"You would" Miranda looked at him

"Would what" He looked at her. Again getting lost in her big brown eyes and his mind overwhelmed by the thought of her lips against his. He smiled like an idiot again watching her watch him.

"Quit it" She giggled and play pushed him causing him to erupt into laughter as well

"I propose a toast" He struggled to his feet due to his intoxication "To the future Queen" He smirked
"May her reign be glorious and her husband kick rocks"
Miranda just laughed. This was the most fun she's had in a while.

"Cheers" Ben tipped the bottle to his lips and then to Miranda's. "Welp that bottle is done"

"I would like to acknowledge that we have actually gone through 3 bottles" She pointed to the empty bottles on the floor and stumbled to her feet

"Your highness I would say we are intoxicated" Ben helped her stand his hands roaming up her sides. Time seemed to both slow down and speed up. They stared at each other and admired one another. Miranda taking in the Prince's features up close. The gap between them slowly closing. Their lips finally connecting sending all sorts of feelings through the royals. As their mouths and bodies moved in sync both of them forgot about the things troubling them. In this moment only Ben and Miranda existed. No adulterous husbands, or royal obligations, or parental pressures. They were just two slightly in their mind but in reality very intoxicated people making out in a wine cellar.

Ben craved the princess but a wave of reality washed over him causing him to part ways from their kiss. He stared at her still standing there with her eyes closed. For a moment he thought she may have been asleep standing straight up but finally her eyes fluttered open.

"We should get some sleep" He cleared his throat

"I agree" The princess nodded "However I am in no condition to be riding a horse back to my kingdom"

"I agree" Ben nodded "Stay" He led her out of the cellar and into his bedchamber

"I'm not going to have sex with you Prince Benjamin" She looked at him. He looked at her and quietly chuckled and she felt slightly foolish for her declaration

"I wasn't assuming you were Princess Miranda. You are a grown woman and despite your husband being an idiot he is in fact your husband and neither myself nor you are the type of people who engage in anything trashy. So tonight would definitely be inappropriate to have sex" He smirked "however by you being here tonight I can assume a few things about your marriage"

"I wish I was not" She looked at him "But he is the only man I've ever been with"

"So that is serious to you. You don't just engage in anything lightly. Well neither do I" He laid down and she laid next to him "the truth is I could treat you so much better than he could but I will respect you" He kissed her forehead and laid back to fall asleep