Conquests within Forfeits. The Hemerwig Series

Ch. 12-Circus

Warning! There is a good bit of back and forth in this chapter. Sorry about that. I hope you guys will enjoy it!

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"If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have got anywhere." -Marilyn Monroe

Braeden's Pov

It's so great to be back in my kingdom. The smell of smoke that I often took for granted is comforting me in ways that I can't even begin to explain. Right now I'm helping Melrose get her things off the boat and realize that she wasn't kidding when she said she packed light. She only has two bags to carry on her arms and I have a huge rolling suitcase and a bag slung on one of my shoulders.

I take one of her bags and ask, "Like what you see so far?" Even though there isn't much landscape except for the trees and red dirt beneath our feet, I felt the need to ask.

Melrose looks me up and down before licking her lips and with a seductive tone says, "Most definitely, Prince."

I laugh at her attempt of flirting and look toward Dizzy and Prince Colin. He's carrying a few of Dizzy's many bags and I actually feel bad for him. We have to walk a little farther until our guards can bring the rest of our bags to the palace and Dizzy has never been known to pack light.

"You have a lot of rocks," Melrose says and I point toward the west.

"There's also a volcano in that direction. It erupts about every fifty years so a lot of my people stay away from there," I tell her. Melrose nods in understanding and I notice that she's taking everything in as I did while in her kingdom. Will she approve of my land or hate it as I hated hers in the beginning?

I am soon able to hand my bags to the guards and I stand closer to Melrose. Now that my hands are free, I want to do nothing but touch her. This is going to be a problem.

"So when can I shop?" Melrose asks and Dizzy looks back with a interested gleam in her eye that alerts every cell in my body.

"Did you just say you want to go shopping?" Dizzy asks and Melrose nods. Melrose takes an unnoticeable step closer to me and I glare at Dizzy to back off. For some reason Melrose isn't comfortable Dizzy's gaze and I don't like it.

Dizzy smiles brightly and grabs one of Melrose's hands. "Come on, there is a small shop just ahead and on the outskirts of the city. No one will see you. Brady I'm stealing her for a few hours. Get Colly some clothes because I want to go to the club later, please and thank you," Dizzy says.

Before I can protest, Dizzy is skipping hand in hand. My blood begins to boil and I clench my fists filling with flame. Dizzy should have listened to my warning. I hate not being obeyed.

Just when I really think about burning Dizzy as a warning, Melrose looks back at me with a light smile on her face. I relax immediately and wonder if Melrose wanted to go with Dizzy. Why was I getting so upset?

Melrose waves in my direction and I wave back with a light smile on my lips. She'll be fine because Dizzy knows I want Melrose back alive. I mean I hope Dizzy knows that.

Once Melrose is out of my view, I turn toward Prince Colin who is staring me down. "Dude what's your problem?" I ask and Prince Colin just shakes his head before looking away.

"Apparently I need clothes. Where should I go?" Prince Colin asks and I simply sigh. This is going to be a long afternoon.

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Melrose's Pov

"Dutchess I'm back!" Princess Desiree exclaims as we walk through a decent sized shop. The clothes on the rack don't really seem like clothes fit for royalty, or anyone for that matter, but the shop is really clean and organized. There is probably something in here I can work with to seem polite.