In this Maze of Roses

Despite the eventful evening she had, dining and dancing with her suitors, Princess Glorianna insisted on taking a stroll through the rose garden. To Sir Walden, she didn’t seem the least bit tired or perhaps she did well in hiding it. If he had to wager a guess, perhaps she was feeling restless. The king and queen were holding a week’s worth of banquets and balls in celebration of her coming of age. They invited the nobles of their great kingdom, Sigismonda, and extended the invitation to their allies as well, those of royal lineage and nobility traveling from far and wide in order to see the crown princess. She was to spend time with each of them and pick the one she wished to wed by the end of the week. She had quite a number of suitors to choose from, all of whom had been vying for her attention in the dining hall and the ballroom earlier that night.

Sir Walden couldn’t blame them. If he were in their place, he’d do everything he could to win her heart. If he were in their place, he’d talk with her about her past times and duties over a grand feast. If he were in their place, he’d offer her his hand and ask her if she wished to dance with him. She’d give him her golden gloved hand and allow him to lead her in a waltz. Her wavy golden hair and her golden gown would sway as they moved about the ballroom floor, her emerald eyes beaming at him, only him. The other suitors would be reduced to onlookers, forced to look on as their chances with the princess slipped further and further away. Unfortunately, all of this was but a fantasy he indulged himself in as he watched her from the sidelines. In reality, all he could ever be for Princess Glorianna was her sword and shield, her protector, her knight.

As such, he led her through the corridors of the castle, the lantern he held (as well as the torches fastened to the walls) illuminating their path. She didn’t speak a word to him. All that could be heard between them were the sound of their footfalls, his boots and her heels on the marble floor. She acknowledged the guards they passed, however, addressing them by name as she gave them an amiable greeting. They responded in kind. Although he felt ignored, he couldn’t help but admire how well she treated her servants. In all of the time he has known her, (which was his whole life), she treated everyone she came across with the same courtesy and respect, regardless of their class.

When they reached the courtyard, Princess Glorianna stopped in front of the rose garden and turned to him, finally breaking the silence between them. “Sir Walden, would you please follow me inside?” She asked, softly, betraying a hint of vulnerability.

“Of course, princess.” He complied, following her through the garden until they arrived at a dead end. She turned to face him, but she appeared to be hesitant, fiddling with her fingers. He felt compelled to ask. “If I may be so bold, princess -?”

“No,” she interrupted. “As of this moment, I am not your princess. I am just Glorianna. I ask that you please address me as such. For tonight, at least.”

His eyes widened. He couldn’t believe what she was asking of him. She was asking him to speak to her as if he were her equal. How many times had he dreamed of being with her like this, freed from their titles and obligations? He shook his head. As much as he yearned for this, his dreams couldn’t possibly cross over into reality. Not without consequences. “I’m afraid that I cannot do that, princess.”

“Why not?” She asked, irate.

“With all due respect, princess, I doubt that I need to tell you why.”

“Why must you be so stubborn? There’s no need for any pretense here. We have no audience to entertain.”

She took his hands into a gentle hold. He exhaled through his nose and blushed as his eyes trailed to her red, heart-shaped lips, any sense of resolve he had crumbling. Although her back was to the wall, he was the one who was cornered. She got him trapped here in this maze of roses, offering him something he might never get again. He knew what that was, but he had to be sure. He had to ascertain her intentions. “What do you want from me, Princess Glorianna?”

“I don’t want to be with Sir Walden, the knight.” She took the lantern from his grasp and lowered herself down so that she could set it onto the ground. Once she straightened herself up again, she proceeded to move her hands up his muscled arms, over his wide shoulders, and around his neck. Her soft body pressed up against him, the sweet scent of roses overpowering his senses. “I want to be with Walden, the man.”

Walden gave into temptation, kissing her lips, holding her slender form close. He could taste the berries and wine she had earlier on her breath, vaguely reminded of the banquet, the ball, the feelings of longing and jealousy that cut him deeper than any blade could. He deepened the kiss and she moaned into his mouth, kindling the fire in his loins. He ached for more, to hold her closer still, to get underneath the skirt of her gown and bury himself in her heat. Judging by the way she kissed him and tugged at his pants, she wanted him just as much. They broke apart, panting, their hot breath overlapping in the cool night air. Her eyes were darkened with lust for him, only him. She eased herself down onto the ground and he followed, straddling her waist as he brought their lips back together in a fiery kiss.

Only the heavens above would know of their first and last consummation.