His Common Queen (Temporary ending)

Chapter 4

Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. She allowed herself the morning to lie in bed and think about yesterday's events. She'd expressed her feelings to the King and though he hadn't told her how he felt about her, he seemed to reciprocate her feelings in one way or the other. After the kiss they shared, the King started whispering sweet nothings into Elizabeth's ear, making those butterflies in her stomach swoop with joy. Soon those whispered sweet nothings became a plea, a plea for him and her to be locked together in a different way than just locking lips.

"Let me have you," he'd whispered in Elizabeth's ear while twirling a lock of her blonde hair.

"I cannot, Your Majesty," she replied, feeling a shiver of pleasure run up her spine as he had nuzzled her neck. He refused to relent until he got the answer he wanted out of her, so he tried again.

"Why must you deprive yourself of what you so obviously want?" he questioned, pulling away from her to look straight at her.

"It will disgrace my family and tarnish our name. If only it were that simple, if it were merely about what I wanted and had no repercussions for those around me, I would not deprive myself. But even then, I would wish not to become just one of your mistresses." The King sat silently for a moment then smiled at her.

"Then marry me." For the second time that day the King had shocked her into silence. She was saved from having to say something as her mother called to tell them that lunch was ready. So instead of replying to his statement she merely asked him if he would join them for lunch. He declined, saying he needed to return to his hunting party, Elizabeth fetched her papers stating her claims to her late husband's land and waved the King goodbye as he rode off.

The next morning, Elizabeth got out of bed and dressed quickly, with a lazy smile on her face as she thought back to yesterday. While she was pinning her hair up she heard the floorboards creak with the heavy footsteps of someone coming down the hallway. The footsteps stopped in front of her door and a light knock filled the silent room.

"Come in," Elizabeth called. Adding the finishing touches to her hair, she turned around in her seat to look at the door. Jacquetta, Elizabeth's mother, entered and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Good morning, Mamma," Elizabeth greeted her, smiling radiantly at the woman.

"You're in an unusually good mood, given the circumstances," Jacquetta exclaimed, moving further into the room to sit on Elizabeth's bed. "Might that mood have something to do with a certain King?" A blush crept up into Elizabeth's cheeks at her mother's question, and she couldn't hold back the small breathy laugh that escaped her.

"Oh Mother! He is truly quite perfect," she gushed, peeling herself away from her chair and rushing over to her mother's side, a pretty smile on her lips and a dreamy look clouding her eyes. "I know how dreadfully inappropriate it is, but I just simply couldn't help myself. I didn't know what was happening, the words just came out. And then the next thing I knew his lips were on mine and it felt so wonderfully perfect I couldn't pull myself away from him!" The words were tumbling out of Elizabeth's mouth, and before she knew what she was doing it was like she was a child all over again, telling her mother all about her latest crush on one of the farmhands. Elizabeth sat there with pleading eyes, asking her mother what was to become of her and what could possibly happen next.

"Oh, my dear Elizabeth, this situation seems far more urgent than I had ever expected! You're in love with the man!" Jacquetta exclaimed. "Fear not, my girl, the winds whisper of your future, they carry secrets as old and wise as the mountains. The King loves you. However, we must see what fate has in store for you and the King, tonight. Meet me by the river behind the pine trees just before the light fades." With that, Jacquetta placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and left. Elizabeth sat on the bed for a while more thinking about what her mother had said. It wasn't wise for her mother to continue practicing witchcraft, although she did it more in the shadows now, since she'd stood trial for practicing witchcraft, but that didn't make it any more safe. Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror quickly. Being satisfied with the way she looked, she left her room to wake up her boys.