A Rogue's Revenge (Reworking...possibly 😜)

Chapter Three

Finn frowned as Clementine pulled off of him. An instant aching need coursed through him. He wasn't expecting to have this type of reaction to the Princess. Those uppity royals were never his type, stodgy women who wouldn't know heat even if a pot of boiling oil was thrown on them. He needed a woman that knew passion and would bask in the burning glow of arousle instead of shying away from a mans touch.

His contact with Princess Clementine was never supposed to involve a chat in the woods as if they were sitting down to high tea. No, he was supposed to keep his eye on her discreetly, making sure no one approached his father's new prize and guaranteeing the skittish princess make it to their nuptials pure and by any means necessary.

He scoffed as he thought about his 'father', the Duke was never fatherly toward him, for Finn was the result of the Duke's dalliance  with a  young and far too innocent chamber maid.  In a way the princess reminded him of the situation his mother had been in, young and pure and nothing but a conquest to the Duke.  His father had no love to spare for anyone not even his first born whom he  treated more like a servant or a man for hire to do his dirty work.  Never could a pureblooded royal sully their own hands.

Shaking his head he stood and reached a hand out to aid Clementine to her feet. He was careful to keep a healthy amount of space between them, after his reaction to her kiss, the less physical contact the better.  No matter how his mind was demanding he keep her close.

"We should be returning to the castle little dove.  There may yet be time to reason with your father.  And this forest really isn't a safe place for a princess to hide, let alone travel through unguarded."  He spoke that last bit only halfheartedly, as he knew his own father was ruthless enough to get his way no matter what.

Turning on his heel he stalked deeper into the forest, the sooner he he finished this task of returning the wayward princess to the castle fold and to his father's control, the sooner he could get away from the thoughts now slamming around in his head. And,  he preferred to complete it before the sun sank  into the western horizon or all bets were off on the fair princess arriving in the same pristine condition she was in when she left.

As he trudged through the underbrush, leading her back to the castle,  he tried to recall just when this woman got under his skin.  She was a task assigned to him, nothing more nothing less and yet something was off.  He couldn't place what it was, but it was there under his skin urging him to take his time, spend the night under the stars with this little dove, consequences be damned. 

He caught sight of her as he glanced over his shoulder, stumbling along  behind him dejected and resigned, a look that he didn't like seeing in her deep blue eyes.  Gone was the hurried pace with which she fled.  At first he thought it funny that she was so quick to follow after him as if she were a stray dog in the village begging for any scrap.

But now that he had spoken to her he realized how naive and oblivious she was and how idiotic it had been for her to venture out of her castle walls.  She was too innocent for the future that awaited her.  Clementine wasn't wrong in her deductions of his father's lack of love for her,  she was an unspoiled treasure for the taking, and take her his father would.

Knowing that she so willingly followed and put her trust in him annoyed him to no end now.  Did this woman have no thoughts to spare towards her safety?  She never even questioned him, just ran to catch up and caused herself injury in doing so, losing whatever chance she had at escaping.  His being assigned to guard her for the Duke, an inconvenience before, now seemed that a guard henceforth would be necessary.

"We need to pick up the pace Princess, if we want to get back before nightfall. The sun will be setting soon and I doubt the forest offers the type of accommodations that you are accustomed to,"  his tone was condescending and he glanced back at her once more,  just in time to catch the offended glare that was plastered all over her face.   He wanted to push that, force her out of that obedient shell.

"Just what do you mean by that statement Mr. Buchannon?  Do you take me for a damsel unable to fend for herself? There is nothing in this forest that would frighten me,"  Clementine uttered as she came to a halt, arms crossed tightly over her chest.  Finn heard the anger that arose  in her voice, like a dragon waking from a deep slumber, and smiled to himself as he wondered how often she tapped into her anger.

Thoughts of her anger making way to  passion excited him, made him want to push this innocent little dove to the edge, but to the edge of what he didn't know. Sparring with women was not something that interested him, but with this one...He stalked towards her, watching as her angry mask faltered slightly, confusion slipping on. 

Her eyes widened as he kept moving closer to her, invading her space, she stumbled back over a fallen branch and he closed the gap again.

 "What do you think you are doing?" She asked breathlessly as he  stayed silent, watching her reaction, waiting for her to push back.  Her tongue scraped across her lips and her breaths came in quick pants causing her bosom to rise and fall.

Finn's eyes were drawn to the pale and delicate cleavage heaving before him and his manhood twitched at the sight as  herded her off the path, corralling her against a lodgpole pine.  "Nothing in this forest would frighten you?  There are beasts in these woulds that would tear you limb from limb, gorge on your entrails and gnaw on your bones." 

A flicker of fear shone in Clementine's eyes as she tried to sidestep to the right but he was ready for her escape attempt and his arm shot out lightning fast quelling her attempt at freedom as he continued on, "And then you have those, like Lord Barros's hired goons, or gypsies and the likes there of, that would defile you in ways you would never recover."

Finn watched in amusement as that moment of fear transformed back into annoyance as she squared her shoulders and she spoke clearly and condescendingly to him,  "Don't forget those outlaws Mr. Buchannon! I hear those cads are the worst type of fiends, the lowest of the low if you ask me, especially the bastard sons of royalty skulking about like rats in the night."

Her words while spoken in a moderate tone hit him like a slap to the face.  All amusement was gone, she had hit him where it hurt and from the look on her face, she knew it.  Finn lowered his arm and backed away.  Thus was how it always was, nobles looked down their noses at those they felt beneath them and this little princess was no different and was not worth his time any longer.

He gave her one final glare, a cold sneer crossing his lips and he simply replied, "That we are Princess, that we are.  Enjoy your time in the forest, for now I bid you adieu." And with that he snatched the reins of the princess' horse, hoisted himself astride and left her where she stood, eyes wide mouth agape.