The Last Great Battle (NaNoWriMo story, on hold)

Chapter 5

25th day of the 4th month of the year 1793, in the Third Age

Gipfel Royal Palace, Montara

Royal Forest, Outer Gardens

Harmony came riding through the trees in her dark green velvet and brown leather riding costume, laughing, as Roger closely followed her on his horse.

“You think you can get away from me, hmm?” He called to her as he began to catch up.

“I do, My Lord!” She called back.

Roger laughed loudly as he rode up alongside her, grabbed her around the waist, and lifted her off of her horse and onto his. “You cannot get away from me or this,” they embraced passionately on his horse as he led it in a slow trot to the river where they could recapture Harmony’s horse.

Unfortunately, Pelot was high in a tree above this scene and saw the whole thing unfold. He had been practicing tree-climbing and surprise attacks from high places when he heard the horses crashing through the trees. As he sat there, torn with whether to tell Reanne about what he had seen or not, the woman in question appeared behind him.

Reanne laughed as Pelot jumped when she tapped him on the shoulder.

“That’s a first! I have never been able to surprise you before. Either I am better at this than I thought or you are having an off day.”

Pelot closed his eyes and sighed, “I don’t know which one either,” he said finally.

***

A few hours later, Harmony was having tea in her sitting room, in which Roger had invited himself to. Bridget, being a well-trained servant and happy to finally see her mistress happy, saw herself out as Roger entered.

“Ah, my darling! How goes it today?”

Harmony laughed as he pulled her into his arms, “My Lord, you should know as you managed to find me wherever I was today.”

“Enough with the ‘My Lord’s. Call me Roger,” he said as he left a trail of butterfly kisses across her jawbone.

“I cannot, My Lord. It is law in Glenece that all women should address all men as such. My mother does not even address her Lord Husband by his given name!”

This time, Roger laughed as he moved down to her collarbone. “I am sure she does in private,” he said quietly.

“Oh, pssh!” Harmony blushed, pushed away from him, and turned to sit back down on the sofa. She poured both of them a cup of tea and handed Roger the entire plate of sandwiches that had been left for her tea.

Roger took the whole plate and sat next to her on the sofa. “You knew I was coming?” he asked between bites.

“I had an idea, My Lord,” Harmony said calmly as she sipped her tea.

They chatted for about twenty more minutes before Roger set aside the plates and cups and embraced Harmony again. She kissed him back passionately then raised both hands to his chest and pushed against him as hard as she could. She raced to the fireplace before he could grab her again.

“My Lord, I cannot do this any longer,” she said all in a rush.

“What?”

“You are to be married to another woman in less than one day. I—we cannot continue in this manner any longer. In three hours your engagement ball will begin. We should end this now so that it is not so difficult later on.”

“What?” Roger said again. He had heard her words but his brain would not process their meaning. He felt like the whole castle was raining down around him.