The Dark Witch And Her Knights

22 | Arbor

I had meant to scare her into casting a spell. Instead, someone thought what a perfect way and time to tamper with fate. It went too far before I realized what I was doing or what was happening. At that moment I knew both our lives had been irrevocably changed. I couldn't let her go. I couldn't steal a queen's innocence and turn my back on her as if she was a one-nighter or a harlot. Not like I wanted to either, I wanted to own her. And if she fell full with my child there was no way I would ever let her go.

The prophecy be damned.

I blamed the curse for what I did after. I gave her a potion to ensure she would fall heavy with child, officially chaining me to her for the rest of our lives. I lied, I told her it would help her sleep and ease her pain. Knowing she was an excellent potion maker I got rid of any herbs in the house she could use to protect herself against pregnancy. The feeling of having her was like nothing I had ever experienced before and couldn't let her go. Was it just the curse that made me act this way with her? Or had I fallen so hard for Sable I had grown an obsessive and possessive nature over her? I prayed to the devil she never finds out what that potion was for.

I noticed she had removed the fabric from around her wound and was trying to rewrap it. Moving closer, her lavender eyes sparkled up at me as she laughed at herself.

"Hum, how is it the healer can slay witch hunters and save lives but is beaten by simply bandaging herself?"

I gently tugged her aggrieved arm towards me and started redoing her work. The wound had stopped bleeding but would need to be stitched when we returned. Sable had tucked her sheet in around her chest so she wasn't holding the sides together for cover. Her half-wet dark hair shined blue as it fell around her face hit by the firelight. Her mark was revealed showing the spread of the curse.

"You mock me?" she asked bashfully.

"No, I praise you."

"What a terrible way to compliment someone," she remarked smirking at me. Her lips still blue from the cold had me worried.

Finishing off the new bandage I tied the knot to the side of her wound. Not waiting to hear her reluctance and disapproval, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into my lap against my chest. I was shocked when she didn't protest. She snuggled in without a word and closed her milky galaxy-like eyes resting against me peacefully. I took the quilt from over my shoulders and laid it over us hoping to warm her.

"Have you found peace with us being cursed together?"

"Is it odd that I have? I cannot tell if it is the curse or ..." Her eyes remained closed as she answered and I wanted nothing more than to be lost in them.

I brushed my knuckles over her cheek causing her eyes to open. Her sights fell to my chest looking at the spread of black veins. Her fingers lightly glided over them. "Or?" I urged.

"Does it hurt?" she prodded ignoring me.

"Yes, but I will fight it until it kills me. No one else will take my choice from me ever again," I told her shrugging it off.

"And if you can't fight it like the first time?" Her eyes had moved down from mine.

"You can cast now. You can stop me."

"Maybe I won't be able to. The thoughts of you in my mind," she shook her head closing her eyes.

I gripped her chin forcing her to look at me. "Finish," I demanded.

She bit on her bottom lip nervously.

"I can't stop them. I think of you all day whether it's good or bad. You plague my thoughts, my actions. It doesn't feel like the curse to me anymore," I cut her off pressing my lips against hers.

My hand weaved into her hair pulling her closer while the other found its way to her hip caressing her curves. I tugged on her roots causing her to gasp into my mouth as I took the opportunity to plunge my tongue into hers. Her hands landed on my chest. She wasn't pushing me away, she was exploring the planes and muscles.

Lightly pulling on her hair I forced her ministrations to a halt. "Tell me to stop." My hand moved from her hip to the tucked-in part of the sheet above her breast. "Tell me that you don't want me." Her pale cheeks flushed a deep red. I slowly started to tug on the sheet covering her. "Tell me I'm not everything you ever dreamed of in a man."

She looked at me, eyes gleaming with lust. "I can't." Her hand came to my cheek stroking my short beard. "You're asking me to do something the curse stops me from doing. Nor would I lie and say you're not the man of my dreams."

My hand landed over hers sealing it to my cheek as I leaned in and plundered her lips again. This woman did things to my heart I couldn't explain. If it was the curse I didn't care anymore. I had never experienced such joy before this. I returned to removing her sheet letting it fall to the floor of the cave. Tugging her calve I shifted her naked body so she was laid out upon the cloth.

Staring into her eyes I watched every crossing emotion as I climbed between her milky soft thighs. She was excited, nervous, and shy all at once. Hoping to calm her I slowly pressed kisses along her neck and collar bone while my hands rubbed soothing circles into her thighs. Her hands found their way to the waist of my shorts tugging them down.

My hands grasped her wrist halting her actions from going any further. Our foreheads pressed together as I leaned forward shutting my eyes. "I have come to deeply care for you; I fear you will hate me if we go any further. How do I know it is you that wants this- and not the curse?" I continued to hold her. I wanted words, not actions. I needed to know.

***

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