What Blooms At Midnight

Nineteen

"Carrilyn... The poor Dear likely needs something other than confections this early in the day... Please, leave him be." The Queen's voice is my saving grace as she calls off her daughter, the chocolates she has finally managed to sneak past my lips having been delicious, every bite given to me savored... The way that Her Majesty assured my parents that they had nothing to worry over before allowing them to excuse themselves having left me in awe of her elegance... Their exit from the room that is now mine coming after kissing me on the head while I stayed so very still in Prince Edmund's arms... My body relaxing now that there are two less sets of eyes watching me in wonder as I find myself so very ensnared in the royal arms that have shown no sign of trying to shift my body away from himself so that he might leave me and tend to his responsibilities, "Call down for something more proper to break his fast with if you still feel the need to dote on our sweet Jasper."

 But the amount of liquor hidden in them is more so than the Princess seems to realize... And my face finds its glowing and flushed no matter how I might try and cool myself by pressing my cheeks into Prince Edmund's collar... His hands still stroking my hair and granting me the most pleasant of gentle affections... Princess Carrilyn's face falling from happy to pouting just long enough to stick her tongue out at her mother before turning back to her attempt to coax me into biting into the morsel she tells me will taste of blackcurrant... 

No matter how badly I want to know what blackcurrant tastes of, her promises being that it will dance across my tongue much more wonderfully than the anise seed one or the one that had been filled with that powerful punch of perfumed orange blossoms and ginger... I am not sure if taking the bite offered would be wise with my body feeling as loose as it does at the moment... My limbs too warm for their own good, my hands clinging to Prince Edmund's cool shirt as though they hope that he'll cool my being down before they notice that I've gotten just a bit touched by the lovely treat that has been shared with me...

I've not ever been one to drink much or often outside of the weakened beer and watered-down wine that Mama had been instructed to give me in place of tea or water with my dinner... And yet here I am finding myself to be a lush eating liquor filled bonbons with the Princess being the one to insist on sharing each delicate bite with me insisting that she cannot possibly finish them all herself... The pouch that she had brought with her from the sitting room still very much full of the morsels that have me so very affected...Princess Carrilyn smiling as she holds the blackcurrant bonbon just within reach of my lips while promising, "One more bite of indulgence... And then I'll send one of the maids to the kitchen to fetch you anything you'd like"

...

Edmund

...

The fondness already present in Mother's voice finds itself mirrored in Carrilyn's voice as she continues to coo over my soulmate in much the same fashion I wish him to be treated warms my heart, the way she has done nothing but smile at my Angel making it known that she has found nothing but acceptance for the newest member of our family... Something for which I am glad... Even if I do so wish that she and Mother would leave us be so that I might be the one to shower my gentle mate in the affection he so richly deserves... 

I know better than to ask my family members to leave us be... Even if Jasper was not my Beloved they would still likely find themselves here, human guests having been rather sparse lately due to how many vampires have collected themselves here in order to bear witness to my transition into my Father's role knowing that it shall be a quiet and gradual shift from Prince to King... The humans in the area a bit wary of the added number of us still seeing us as predators still not entirely trusting of the word that we have given that huntings and savagery are things of our long ago past and not currently a threat to their wellbeing... Being around my Jasper is a refreshing experience for us all, his fragility making his presence seem that much more precious to more than just myself... 

That... And if I asked them to leave now, I would deprive myself of the vision that is my Beloved when I ensnare the bonbon that Carrilyn is offering him and tug it away from my sister's grasp... The way his mouth drops open over the smile he sees when he lifts his face from where it has sought shelter in the crook of my neck allowing me to slip the delicate confection past the lips I so badly wish that I had been able to claim earlier... The gentle grunt that sounds in the back of his throat when he notices what I have done coming when he bites into the chocolate only to find himself experiencing the lovely blackcurrant filling, his cheeks flushing just a bit darker... The pace of his heart quickening just a tad when he hides himself away again, though I am not sure I have need to be worried of it... Jasper's shyness so very obvious and so very endearing... 

I am not the only one who finds themselves awed at his delicate reaction, Mother and Carrilyn both frozen in place, Carrilyn on the edge of the bed and Mother in the chair she had chosen in the corner so that she might be able to observe the room and have her back turned towards no one... Both of them watching my stunning soulmate as he seeks comfort from me in such an innocent way... His arms working themselves around my waist just a bit more than they were before in the form of an embrace as he shivers his way just a bit closer to me so that he might hide from my smile while he savors the morsel currently melting on his tongue... The smallest whimper causing my family members to remember themselves, a look being shared before Carrilyn quietly announces that she is going to send for the kitchen to make Jasper some porridge or something equally as soothing, her and Mother both excusing themselves so that I might finally have time alone with the keeper of my heart.