with a loud boom of laughter.
“Aye.” I smirk.
The four of us climb back onto our stallions and ride toward Kelna. We make our way through small villages, and I don’t spare a second glance when we ride right past Duraina’s home. Thinking of her, it only makes that clenching feeling worsen.
Thoughts of Sybilla consume me. The way that she looked after she found her release, the way she smiled up at me as if she’d fallen in deep love in just a moment. Then I watched that expression disappear in an instant, caused by my own harsh words.
Sybilla must learn that her duties are above everything as are my own. Love has no place in the monarchy. These are hard truths, ones that I have known since birth. She will learn eventually.
The crown, the throne, it is above all else. Even above love. There is no place in our world for passion and love the way there is for a common couple. She will understand and when we share our rare moments together alone, I will make up for what our relationship will lack as much as I possibly can.
The tavern comes into view, it’s the nicest place to spend the evening, and has not only the best food but the best bar wenches as well. Dismounting from Storm, I tie him to a post at the entrance of the inn.
There is a boy by the door and I instruct him to feed, water, and board the horses for the night. Making my way over to the inn’s keeper, I dip my chin and look down at the portly woman.
“Three rooms please, one of them a suite,” I coarsely demand.
She drops her chin, immediately realizing who I am. “Yes, Yer Majesty,” she mutters then calls out to someone behind her.
A girl appears, a young woman. Her face pinks as she gives me a poor excuse of a curtsy. “Please, this way, Your Highness,” she whispers.
“Have the boy bring baths into the rooms as well,” I call out to the woman.
She jerks her head and quickly goes about following my demands. We follow behind the young woman, each of us going into our rooms when she shows us to them with a promise to meet within the hour downstairs for food.
Sinking down onto the lumpy mattress, I close my eyes for a moment as I let out a groan. This bed wouldn’t be so bad if I had Sybilla lying naked in it, waiting for me to ravish her.
Lifting my hand over my head, I run my fingers through my hair at the thought of her. I’ve left her alone and although I shouldn’t, I feel a massive amount of guilt that is only intensifying with each mile, each hour, each minute that passes.
Soon the boy appears with my bath, and I go about washing myself before I dress and head down to the dining hall for something to eat and most definitely some ale to drink. And I do plan on drinking copious amounts of ale in hopes of getting the woman off of my mind.
“You’re in a piss mood, brother,” Lief barks as he downs his third ale.
There’s a wench on his lap, curled close to him, pressing her bosom against his chest as he speaks. Frederick has already disappeared around the corner with his own wench, no doubt to enjoy a tup and then go to bed to sleep like a sarding baby.
Asher is stumbling upstairs with his own woman, the young innkeeper’s daughter, though I shouldn’t be surprised, Asher is the youngest of the group and prefers a shyer sweeter woman to bed.
“I’m not,” I grumble as I stand to my feet.
I am in a piss mood. In fact, I’m in such a piss mood that I’m going to take my miserable self upstairs to my room and attempt to sleep. Leaving Lief to his wench, I stumble upstairs and into my chamber.
Slamming the door closed, I flip the lock and undress before I fall back onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, I can’t help my mind from wandering and when it does, as it has done over the past day, it makes its way to Sybilla.
My cock hardens the moment I think of her naked body open and waiting for me. She smiles at me, her voice a whisper in that odd accent of hers. Wrapping my hand around my cock, I jerk myself to memories of Sybilla’s body.
When I come, it’s with her name