The rest of the day was spent riding around. They rode the horses along the Mirrored Cliffs and through the Wildflower Fields.
Marie laughed with her Prince and they kissed and she felt happier than she ever had in her entire life. When the sun began to fall, they headed back towards the castle. Lune and Brego slowed to a steady trot as they entered the gates. They rode slowly through the grounds, to the stables...taking their time and enjoying it all the while.
"Have you seen the window overlooking the Western Cove?" He asks, as he lifts her off the saddle.
"I don't think so..."
"That's where the sun sets...it's incredible." He says, "If we hurry, we can make it before it falls." Marie smiles and takes his hand. They run around, through the Gardens in the West and when they reach the staircases leading into the castle, he pulls her up, knowing that she's winded.
"I've not done this much running since I was a child."
"I can see that." He teases her. "Don't worry, we're almost there." They reach the top of the first staircase and she bends down, trying to catch her breath. "Too much?" He questions, feeling slightly guilty.
"I just need a moment." Marie's taken aback by his following actions. Swiftly, he picks her up as though she's light as a feather.
"We haven't got a moment, Princess." She laughs as he carries them up the stairs and once they're at the top, she slips down and takes his hand again, following him inside the West Wing. They jog down the corridor and then he pulls them into a narrow hallway. All she knows is that she's glad her shoes are flat and she's not in heels. Finally, they slow to a stop and Marie is at a loss for words. The sky is painted with warm hues of pink and orange and the sun is a deep scarlet as it sinks towards the green horizon.
"Mon dieu..." She breathes. Together, hand in hand, they watch the sky grow darker, as the sun finally disappears from view.
"Wasn't that magnificent?" She shakes her head.
"You have showed me the most magical places today." Their hands are still clasped comfortably, connecting them.
"And they shall be ours...this land Marie...it is ours."
"This window...?" She breaks contact and moves flirtatiously behind him.
"This window is ours." He steps forward and walks her backward so that her back is flush against the glass.
"What about the sand?"
"The sand is ours." His fingers fold around her waist.
"And the meadow...?"
"The meadow is ours and the flowers...the fields and the trees. The gardens and the fountains."
"Everything is ours." She whispers as his face inches closer to hers.
"Everything is ours, Marie." His statement concurs with her's.
"J'ai hâte que notre vie soit ensemble."
"I've got to learn a bit of French, don't I?" She smiles, feeling blissful and happy.
"Oui tu fais." Yes, you do. He closes the gap between them by kissing her. It's fervent this time. Hungry. Marie feels the hunger as well. She pulls his neck down, bringing him as close as possible and his hands grip her waist harder. Their breathing becomes ragged as they continue to pull at one another, deepening the embrace as best as they can. Unsure of how far they are able to take this, they reluctantly pull away.
"Do you know what I reckon?" She loops her arms around his hips.
"What do you reckon, Prince Leopold?"
"I reckon...that I am the luckiest royal in all of Europe—no, I reckon I am the luckiest man in all of this world, Princess."
"Oh, is that so?"
"It is so, yes." He searches her face, desperately. "I am so certain of everything when I am with you. Certain that we will be great leaders...that I will be a great King. With you by my side every decision we make will be fair and just and good. And I am so certain of how I feel for you—what I feel for you."
"Everything feels right, doesn't it?"
"Yes..." He says, softly. "I believe in the stars and the silly notion that fate brings people together and...it brought you to me."
"Our countries brought me to you, darling."
"Maybe...or maybe it was the stars."
"Or perhaps...it was the sun and the moon."
"Perhaps it was..." They gaze at one another for a few moments. "I do have one more surprise for you."
"Another?" She rolls her eyes, playfully. "So many surprises..."
"If you'd like it to be the last, it shall be the last."
"I'll let you know after I see it." She allows him to pull her away from the window, back towards the main corridor. "As long as we don't have to run." She finds herself falling for his laugh.
"No more running, Marie. You have my word." They walk hand in hand through the entire castle, to the East Wing where her chambers were. Before her guards open the doors, Leo turns to her. "Close your eyes, my love."
"How will I know where I'm going?"
"I'll lead you, come on...close them, please." She gives him one more questionable look before doing what she's told. He guides her in and then she feels him behind her, his hands on her hips, keeping her safe. "Alright, stay right here..." She hears another set doors open and then he takes her hand and pulls her forward. "You can open them now." She does so, hesitantly and immediately, her eyes well up with tears. Four big, beautiful and vibrant hydrangea bushes decorate her previously empty balcony. Initially, she's too stunned to speak...he'd said that he would get these for her, she just didn't know he'd come through so quickly. "Are they what you told me about? I explained to our gardener exactly what you said to me, but I was afraid they wouldn't be what you wanted..."
"They're perfect—they are exactly what I wanted." His worried expression quickly turned to pride and joy. He pulled her face in as happy tears rolled down her face, and he kissed her warmly.
"Are you happy?" She nods, excitedly.
"I am...I am so happy." They kiss again and pure bliss is an understatement.
"You make happy terribly beautiful, Princess..."
"And you have a terribly romantic way with words."
"Truly, I didn't know I had it in me until last night." He muses, lovingly. "You were so breathtaking...more so than anything we saw today. "You...are magic, Princess. And I am happy to be under your spell."
"And I am happy to be under yours." His lips envelop hers and she grips his leather vest for stability.
"Marry me tomorrow." His voice is below a whisper as he gazes down at her and her eyes search his. "The Treaty has been signed and the Spaniards are gone...there is nothing holding us back." She finds herself nodding, and she's not scared anymore. She doesn't even feel a little bit scared. He has made her feel so wonderful and safe...nothing could change that.
"Yes, I want to."
"Then we shall speak to my mother and father at dinner this evening."
"I must clean myself up...I'm covered in sand and horse hair." He laughs heartily and kisses her quickly, once more.
"You are beautiful. I'll see you in a little while." Their hands are sad to be empty, but she'll see him soon. "Enjoy your hydrangeas, Marie."
"I will." She smiles, "Thank you." She turns back towards the flowered covered shrubs.
"I see that everything has changed since last night." She's completely startled and unaware that he had been in the room.
"You frightened me!" She clutches her chest and her heart rate attempts to slow. "What are you doing here, Harry?"
"I was waiting for you. You were gone all day, and I was worried." He walks towards her. "But I see that I not need be."
"We went riding."
"So I heard." He clips, coldly. "Did he give you everything you wanted?"
"Stop."
"Did he make you feel good?" He continues to walk towards her, until her back is against the stone balcony. "Did he touch you?" His hand reaches for her waist and he takes it swiftly. The jade of his irises seems darker—emptier.
"He is able."
"He doesn't know you the way that I do."
"Stop it." His other hand grips her waist as well and she's locked in place.
"He doesn't know anything about women...he doesn't know where to touch you..." One of his hands moves up her bodice and stops just below her breast. Marie holds her breath as his thumb traces over the nerve. She shudders and feels herself harden. His touch alone terrified her. It made her feel things she'd never known. His hand fully cups her breast and the other moves down and manages to get beneath her dress.
"Harry, stop!" She cries, though she feels completely frozen in place. As soon as his hand reaches the lace of her undergarment, she gasps. His fingers tickle her skin and she cannot breathe, nor can she speak. She stands there, like a statue as he makes his way inside the course material. Another gasp is let go as he plunges two fingers inside of her, though not deep enough to hurt her.
"He'll never be able to make you feel this way..." He whispers, his breath hot against her ear. Her legs grow weak and when she can no longer keep herself up, he uses his free hand to keep her steady. "I know how good I make you feel, Marie..." She's unable to say a thing, as he pumps in and out of her. His mouth finds her neck and he kisses and sucks and bites until she's squirming in his arms. His fingers move faster and her breathing is ragged until suddenly multiple waves of intense pleasure rolls through her. Her eyes fall back along with her head and for more than half a minute, she's writhing in his embrace. He teases the incredibly sensitive nerve for a few seconds before finally pulling his hand out. She's shocked when he puts his fingers into his mouth. Her body is in uncharted territory and it is entirely betraying her. He knows exactly what he's just done and he smiles proudly, which only reminds her of Leopold's words from earlier in the day.
"Get out! I want you out of my room!" He chuckles.
"Tell me how good you feel."
"Stop."
"Tell me that you love me."
"Get out!" He doesn't. "How many of my ladies are you bedding?" Panic flashes across his face.
"What?"
"How many...of my ladies...are you taking to your bed?"
"I never take them to my bed." Tears fill her eyes at his response. "And none since I met you."
"You're lying." She seethes. He can't tell how much he knows, so he stays quiet. "Tell me the truth. Do not lie to me."
"Two of them." Although she's given herself to Leopold, she still feels completely shattered upon hearing this.
"While you were with me..."
"It wasn't like that." He moves towards her again and takes her sore neck in his hands, roughly. "I...I have needs, Marie. Needs that you cannot fill, as much as I want you to be able to fill them. You have to marry my brother first."
"You think I'd give myself to you now? After all of this?"
"I love you, I will never stop coming for you..." His mouth is on hers and he bites her lip. "And I will never stop wanting to make you come, again and again..."
"Get away from me."
"My heart is yours. I use your ladies' bodies sometimes to satisfy what you can't but they'll never have my heart. It will always be yours." She refuses to look at him now. Instead, turning her head completely away from him.
"Get out of my chambers, before I call my guards to get you out." He steps away from her and jumps onto the balcony wall.
"I know you love me, Marie. And I know you'll come around. Because that was the greatest pleasure you've ever endured." She bites her chapped lips and squeezes her eyes shut as tears roll down them. After a few moments, she goes to her door and opens it to find both of her trusted guards.
"Can we assist you, your grace?"
"Please alert my maidens that I need their assistance as soon as possible."
"Of course, your grace." She closes the door again and goes to her mirror. Her hand traces over the small bruises that he left across her neck. Guilt washed over her and she began to cry. What was this mess that she had gotten herself into?