Third deleted scene (based upon Kayla's Once Upon a Dream) AKA Bathtub Smex
This the third, and final (yes Nonna, FINAL!) "deleted scene" that I have written, based upon Kayla's (daydreamer22688) series Once Upon a Dream, or otherwise "affectionately" known as Bathtub Smex.
Dedication: First, I dedicate this story to Magie, as her belated birthday present, and because I know how much she's been waiting for it. Second, to Anna, my Little Puppy, who started posting on FF again to get it! lol To Kayla, whose story (and the decidedly frustrating lack of smex) inspired it. And finally to Nonna, Jess, and everyone else who enjoyed the first two parts so much that they have continued to lovingly (I think) pester me for the third.
I hope you all enjoy, and that it was worth the wait!
Disclaimer: I do not have any rights of ownership over Zac and Nikki. I don't even own Prince Zachary and Servant Nicole, really. But I do own the bird! ;)
Rating: Oh geez. I never know what to say. Um, R?
Links to the first two stories are under the cut.
First Deleted Bathtub Scene
Second Deleted Bathtub Scene
Lavender.
Prince Zachary leaned in the doorway of the washroom, his right leg crossed in front of the left, arms crossed against his chest. He was watching her. And he was listening.
That morning, when he awoke to find her gone from his bed, he went in search. He found her in the scullery with Maybelle. They were softly singing a haunting song about days gone by and a lover that was lost in battle; a boy that would never become the man he was destined to be. Maybelle’s deep, rich voice paused, and Nicole’s soft, sweet voice could be better heard. It was beautiful, as beautiful as she herself was. Prince Zachary listened to her sing for several minutes, trying to place where he had heard the song before. He listened, hiding in an alcove just inside the scullery, until he heard footsteps coming around the corner, and ducked out of the way. All day he looked for her, listened for her, but she was nowhere to be found.
Walking into his bedchamber late that evening, he had been drawn to the same sweet, soft voice, singing the same song. Leaning in the doorway, he closed his eyes and focused intently on the melody. He felt that he had heard it in his dreams.
“Prince Zachary?” Nicole asked, before she had turned around.
“Yes, Nicole. It is I.”
Nicole turned away from the hearth, where she was heating the final cauldron of water, and her smile was hesitant and questioning before she turned to face the hearth again. Prince Zachary walked towards her, placing his hand upon her shoulder. The touch was electric, causing a shiver to run up her back.
“You were gone this morning, Nicole. I wondered if I had dreamed… if I had dreamed it all.”
“I am sorry, Zachary. I… I had to begin my duties. And, also, I did not think… I did not know if….” She looked away from him still.
Prince Zachary said nothing further, but walked towards the window. He glanced upon the tree, and sought the nest of their feathered friend. The nest was there, high in the branches amidst the young green leaves of Spring, but the bird was absent.
“Your bath will be ready very soon, Zachary. Perhaps you should undress now, if you like.” Nicole still faced the hearth.
“Won’t you help me?” he asked.
Only then did Nicole turn, so slowly, to face him again. Her cheeks were red and her expression was determined. “Please, Sir. No. Please, I cannot. I must not, I…” and she shook her head and wrung her hands. All night, in his arms, she had thought about what had happened between them. And she thought of the darling boy that she had lost to the war.
After his bath last night, she had come back to his bedchamber knowing what she wanted. Sensing what he wanted. He had made her feel things she had never imagined. But then, through the night, with the light of the dawn shining on his face, she regretted it. Nicole knew that she was a servant, and Zachary was a prince. A betrothed prince. She knew he could never be hers. Did she want to be his, in the only way that was possible for them? Did she want to be his secret?
Prince Zachary nodded, took a towel, and stepped back into his bedchamber. He undressed quickly, tossing his clothes upon a chair, and wrapped the towel around his hips. Returning to the doorway, he sought some expression upon Nicole’s face. She was pained, and he quickly looked away.
He sunk into the tub, and the warm, lavender-scented water enveloped him. He faced straight ahead, but his eyes were on her, across the room. She came towards him, the cloth and soap in her hands, and knelt beside the tub. He wanted to reach out to her, take her hand in his, take her face and kiss her madly. He had never kissed her. But he sat there, facing forwards, his eyes now closed.
His bath was quick this evening. Nicole dipped the cloth into the water, squeezing it across his shoulders and back, the warm water running down his tense muscles like a waterfall. He cupped his hands and splashed water on his head and face. He shook his head, spraying water on her dress, and she laughed, a girlish laugh, briefly, before becoming serious again. It was that laugh that led him to hope. They continued that way, water and lather and silence. He did not reach out to her, and she did not allow herself to touch him, save with the cloth, until the end.
Nicole was kneeling beside the old, copper tub, drying her hands on a towel. Prince Zachary was looking away, out the window, as he had for the last several minutes. She reached out her hand and gently ran her fingers along his jaw.
“You did not shave again today.”
He immediately took her hand in his. The stubble prickled against her fingers as he ran her hand along his jaw. “I did not shave, because I know you like it.”
He opened her palm and kissed the soft skin at the center. He held her hand firmly, not allowing her to pull it away, and kissed outwards to her wrist. He sucked at her wrist, and she felt like the blood was leaving her head and rushing there. The stubble scratched her arm as he kissed further along towards the inner crook at her elbow, where he licked and kissed the smooth, hot skin. Her breath had quickened and her eyes stared intently on his mouth. Instinctively, her other hand slid up the front of her body, and held her own breast. Closing her eyes, she could feel his mouth on her nipple, like it was still there. Like he had never stopped the night before. His other hand was then on her hand, on her breast, and it was this that startled her to open her eyes again. She pulled back her arm from his grasp, and ran.
Prince Zachary dressed, and sat restlessly in his chamber for some time. He rose, and paced back and forth between his bed and writing desk. He stopped before his bed and stared down at the place where she had slept the night before. He bent to his knees and stretched his hands out to feel the soft silk of the coverlet that had enveloped her. He laid his head down on the bed and let the softness graze against his cheek.
Closing his eyes, he thought of her. First, her smooth, hot skin trembling against his touch. The lock of dark hair that he always tucked behind her ear. Her small hands that held him, owned him. The deep, wild eyes that focused on him with a passion that drove him mad. Her breasts, so round and full, covered in the wet, red marks that his mouth had left. And he felt his body react, in that familiar way whenever he thought of a woman in his arms, giving herself to him. But then, the sound of chirping from the nest outside his window caused him to lift his head and open his eyes. He laughed, lightly, embarrassedly, then laid his head down again upon his forearm. He saw her in the garden, breathing in the scent of the spring flowers, a little skip in her step. He heard her voice singing of an old love, now gone, and a broken dream. He felt her in his arms as they danced before the fire amongst the refugees, the joy written plainly across her face. He heard her say his name. Zachary. And he felt the coldness that her running away had left upon him.
Prince Zachary stood up from beside his bed to continue his pacing. After a few moments, he suddenly grabbed the candle from his desk and ran towards his door and pulled it open. He was dressed only in his britches and a billowing white shirt, open at the neck, and well-worn indoor shoes. His hair was wet and the shadow upon his jaw was growing darker. But, he had no thoughts of his appearance. He only had thoughts of her.
Zachary ran through the dark and empty corridors and narrow stairwells of the house, his steps nearly silent in his soft leather shoes, until he came upon the servants’ quarters. He stopped at the large wooden door and caught his breath. As his hand reached out and took the cold iron handle, he hesitated. Just for a moment. Anyone could be on the other side. They would not dare ask him why he was there, but they would question him with their eyes, accuse him with their eyes. He knew he had to find her, and the only way to get to her was to go through this doorway and take a chance.
He turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. Peeking into the room, it was all in darkness and a cold emptiness. The fire had long since been put out. It had grown late, and the servants would all be in bed. What was he doing here? How did he hope to find her? What could he expect if he did find her? He knew the young staff shared rooms. He wouldn’t dream of intruding upon Amanda or Brittany. But, in desperation, he continued.
Cautiously, he ventured across the servants kitchen, through their sitting room, and into the corridor that he assumed led to their private rooms. He came upon dozens of narrow, closed doors that housed the vast sleeping staff of the manor. Each door was the same. He felt lost, as he stepped to the end of the hall. Turning the corner, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance. He was drawn to it, the beat of his heart quickening in his chest. Approaching the closed door, he heard a faint melody that made his breath catch in his throat. Placing his ear against the rough wood of the hand-cut door, he heard her voice. It was soft, slow, and pained. He gently pushed the door open a crack and listened with his eyes closed.
”And when my boy has gone from me
No further chance of victory
Lost in battle, on fields of red
I shall remember what he said
When last he held me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
‘I will return to you, one day
Look out for me when it is May
When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you’”
Prince Zachary opened his eyes when he realized that Nicole had stopped singing. Looking into the room, he saw that it was a large washroom, with a rough stone floor. A gentle fire was crackling away, providing some light and warmth in the otherwise cold room. He saw a white nightdress hanging over an old wooden chair. He heard a splash then, and his eyes were drawn to the right. Pushing the door open just a bit more, his open eyes widened when he saw the image before him. Laying in an old copper tub, water up to her neck, her feet perched upon the rim, was Nicole. Her hair was hanging loosely over the edge of the tub, in long, soft curls. The beat of his heart quickened as he pushed open the door and stepped upon the cold, gray stone.
Her back was towards him, and she could not see him. He closed the door, silently, and took several steps towards her. Lavender. He stopped and took a deep breath, the fresh scent working its way into his body and his mind. Without any further hesitation, he spoke her name.
“Nicole?” His voice was low and quiet, and questioning.
She gasped, and turned quickly in the tub, her feet now in the water and her arms covering her chest.
“Zachary!” she exclaimed.
“Shhh, you’ll wake someone!” he whispered, anxiously.
Zachary walked towards her as she bent her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. He stood beside the tub, to her right, for a moment, then stepped over to the fire. Sitting upon the hearth, he ran his hands through his hair and felt the heat on his back. Looking into her eyes, he noticed the tears and redness that he was certain were his fault.
“Nicole, you’ve been crying. I’m so…”
“It was not you. I was remembering…” and her voice drifted off as she looked away.
“Nicole. Look at me.”
She turned back to him, and forced herself to look into his eyes. So blue. The last lines of the song ran through her mind again.
Zachary rose and walked towards the tub. One hand reached down and brushed a curl from her forehead. He tucked it behind her ear, and his fingers lightly ran through her hair and along her shoulder. She sighed and closed her eyes. Zachary knelt behind the tub and kissed the top of her head. His hands gently pulled back her hair and he kissed her neck, his lips just brushing against her skin. Her legs then stretched out and her arms relaxed. The water rippled with her movement. He could see her body, all of her, through the water, and he longed to touch her.
His hands reached down and held her shoulders. Her sharp intake of breath encouraged him, as his hands stretched down over her collar bones and her chest. Dipping below the surface of the water, his fingers ran along the sides of her breasts.
“Zachary,” she breathed.
He pulled his hands away.
“Your sleeves, they are getting wet. You should… remove your shirt.”
He exhaled with relief, and pulled his shirt over his head, bundling it under his knees to soften the hard stone floor. As his hands returned to her breasts, she sat up straight and rested her head back against his bare chest. He pressed his cheek to hers, and she enjoyed the scratchiness of his stubble and the warmth of his breath against her skin. After several moments of caressing her breasts, the scent of lavender enveloping them, he removed his hands and backed away from her. She looked around, feeling cold without him touching her.
Within seconds, his hand was cupping her breast again, as he had moved to the side of the tub. He pinched her nipple, and her moan made him smile. His right hand tickled down her stomach and his left ran along her back. He then noticed a cloth in the water and dove in his hand to retrieve it, his wrist grazing her outer thigh. He squeezed the warm water down her back and over her shoulders. His eyes were captivated by the trickles of water running down her white skin. He loved the roundness of her shoulders, her back. With the soft cloth in his hand, he returned to his path down her stomach. She lowered herself in the tub, her legs parting slightly, unconsciously. With the cloth, he pressed lightly against her abdomen and she moaned at the sensation of the pressure. His smile widened and he licked his bottom lip.
“Zachary. Mmm,” she sighed. Her eyes closed, and her head rested back against the rim of the copper tub. Her knees were above the water level, and he bent to kiss each one. He let the cloth sink to the bottom of the tub, and slowly ran his fingertips along her thigh. Nearing the end of her thigh, he paused. He looked to her face for some sign of reassurance that he should continue. Just then, her eyes opened and she turned towards him. His fingers moved just an inch closer, and her eyes opened wider, wild with need.
“Sing for me,” he said, hoarsely, as he teased his fingers around, but never on, her most intimate place.
“Oh, I could not,” she breathed.
“Please, Nicole.” He let his finger part her, stroke her, then linger motionless. “Sing for me.”
“What… what shall I sing?”
“You know. What you were singing earlier. What you were singing last night when I held you in my arms, when I was sleeping. I heard you in my dreams, Nicole. Sing for me, the ending of that song.” His fingertip pressed once against her and she inhaled sharply, her hips jerking. Staring into each other’s eyes, she sang in a beautiful, tender voice,
”When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you”
Prince Zachary smiled and nodded, his eyes continuing to watch her fixedly as he touched her again. His fingers expertly stroked and pressed and flicked her most tender place, entered her, felt her wet warmth contract against him. Her breath quickened as her hands gripped the edge of the tub. Her eyes squeezed shut and her toes curled and her head thrashed about and her hips ground against his hand, water splashing upon his chest. All the while, his eyes never left her face.
When she relaxed, sinking back against the tub, he reached out and took her in his arms. He pulled her tightly to him, her breasts against his chest and her soft curls against his cheek. His hands pressed into the softness of her back. He held her there until she shivered from the cold. Reluctantly letting her go, he stood and retrieved a large linen towel folded upon the hearth. Opening it up, he beckoned for her to stand. He took her hand to help her out of the tub and wrapped the warm towel around her.
When she had dressed, he took her hand and led her through the doorway into the silent narrow hall. She walked with him, hand in hand, their fingers entwined, until they reached his chamber. They stepped through the open door, and he closed it behind them, pushing the heavy lock into place. She took her hand from his and he quickly reached out and pulled at her white cotton nightdress. He let it run through his fingers as she walked away from him, towards the window.
“Nicole.” He followed her, standing beside her at the window. She was looking up at the moon, its white light glimmering in the sky. “Nicole, I want you. I want more than… I want all of you.” His eyes ran over her body, up and down. He pressed his hand to her heart. “I want you, here.” He pressed his fingertips against her temple. “I want you, here.” He lowered her hands to rest upon her hips, pulling her towards him. “What do you want?”
“I do not know what I want, Zachary. I know who I am, and I know who you are. I know what is expected of each of us. I know that we could never become man and….” She looked to him for any sign of disagreement, but saw none. “You are betrothed to Princess Vanessa. You are a prince, with a kingdom to inherit, a people to govern and a land to nurture. Where could I fit into that? I don’t know that I want to live my days as a secret, as a….” She stopped, unable to say any of the words that came to her mind.
“Nicole, I do not know what I can offer you. It is much more my father’s decision than my own. I only know how I feel, and that I would give you anything I could. All I have to give is my heart, and my honour, and they are yours.”
Nicole closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. She felt the strong muscles of his back beneath his thin shirt and the rhythm of his heart beat in her ear. She felt safe in his arms. She felt safe for the first time since she had escaped her homeland, since she had been a girl in her father’s home with a sweet blue-eyed boy holding her hand beneath the apple tree before their cottage. Opening her eyes, she lifted her head to Zachary and he kissed her, finally. Softly, gently, lovingly. And she knew that she did have his heart. Everything else would come, if it was to be. If not, she had the best of him, and he had the best of her.
Later that night, laying in his arms after making love, Nicole thought him asleep. She softly sang to herself, barely a whisper.
”And when my boy has gone from me
No further chance of victory
Lost in battle, on fields of red
I shall remember what he said
When last he held me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
‘I will return to you, one day
Look out for me when it is May
When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you’
In memory I hold your heart
And you and I shall never part
But this young man stepped from my dreams
And loves me true, for now it seems
That more than touch, he wants me for
Someone to trust and to adore
And he will hold me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
My darling boy, with eyes of blue,
I first knew love, for I knew you”
Nicole closed her eyes and nestled in closer to Zachary’s chest, never knowing that he was awake and heard each word, each note, of her song.
As he awoke in the morning, and reached out for her, the chirping of a bird outside his window, he knew that it had not been a dream. And he knew that she would be back. Nicole was his, and he was hers, and though he did not know what the future held for them, he had never felt more at peace in his life.
Dedication: First, I dedicate this story to Magie, as her belated birthday present, and because I know how much she's been waiting for it. Second, to Anna, my Little Puppy, who started posting on FF again to get it! lol To Kayla, whose story (and the decidedly frustrating lack of smex) inspired it. And finally to Nonna, Jess, and everyone else who enjoyed the first two parts so much that they have continued to lovingly (I think) pester me for the third.
I hope you all enjoy, and that it was worth the wait!
Disclaimer: I do not have any rights of ownership over Zac and Nikki. I don't even own Prince Zachary and Servant Nicole, really. But I do own the bird! ;)
Rating: Oh geez. I never know what to say. Um, R?
Links to the first two stories are under the cut.
First Deleted Bathtub Scene
Second Deleted Bathtub Scene
Lavender.
Prince Zachary leaned in the doorway of the washroom, his right leg crossed in front of the left, arms crossed against his chest. He was watching her. And he was listening.
That morning, when he awoke to find her gone from his bed, he went in search. He found her in the scullery with Maybelle. They were softly singing a haunting song about days gone by and a lover that was lost in battle; a boy that would never become the man he was destined to be. Maybelle’s deep, rich voice paused, and Nicole’s soft, sweet voice could be better heard. It was beautiful, as beautiful as she herself was. Prince Zachary listened to her sing for several minutes, trying to place where he had heard the song before. He listened, hiding in an alcove just inside the scullery, until he heard footsteps coming around the corner, and ducked out of the way. All day he looked for her, listened for her, but she was nowhere to be found.
Walking into his bedchamber late that evening, he had been drawn to the same sweet, soft voice, singing the same song. Leaning in the doorway, he closed his eyes and focused intently on the melody. He felt that he had heard it in his dreams.
“Prince Zachary?” Nicole asked, before she had turned around.
“Yes, Nicole. It is I.”
Nicole turned away from the hearth, where she was heating the final cauldron of water, and her smile was hesitant and questioning before she turned to face the hearth again. Prince Zachary walked towards her, placing his hand upon her shoulder. The touch was electric, causing a shiver to run up her back.
“You were gone this morning, Nicole. I wondered if I had dreamed… if I had dreamed it all.”
“I am sorry, Zachary. I… I had to begin my duties. And, also, I did not think… I did not know if….” She looked away from him still.
Prince Zachary said nothing further, but walked towards the window. He glanced upon the tree, and sought the nest of their feathered friend. The nest was there, high in the branches amidst the young green leaves of Spring, but the bird was absent.
“Your bath will be ready very soon, Zachary. Perhaps you should undress now, if you like.” Nicole still faced the hearth.
“Won’t you help me?” he asked.
Only then did Nicole turn, so slowly, to face him again. Her cheeks were red and her expression was determined. “Please, Sir. No. Please, I cannot. I must not, I…” and she shook her head and wrung her hands. All night, in his arms, she had thought about what had happened between them. And she thought of the darling boy that she had lost to the war.
After his bath last night, she had come back to his bedchamber knowing what she wanted. Sensing what he wanted. He had made her feel things she had never imagined. But then, through the night, with the light of the dawn shining on his face, she regretted it. Nicole knew that she was a servant, and Zachary was a prince. A betrothed prince. She knew he could never be hers. Did she want to be his, in the only way that was possible for them? Did she want to be his secret?
Prince Zachary nodded, took a towel, and stepped back into his bedchamber. He undressed quickly, tossing his clothes upon a chair, and wrapped the towel around his hips. Returning to the doorway, he sought some expression upon Nicole’s face. She was pained, and he quickly looked away.
He sunk into the tub, and the warm, lavender-scented water enveloped him. He faced straight ahead, but his eyes were on her, across the room. She came towards him, the cloth and soap in her hands, and knelt beside the tub. He wanted to reach out to her, take her hand in his, take her face and kiss her madly. He had never kissed her. But he sat there, facing forwards, his eyes now closed.
His bath was quick this evening. Nicole dipped the cloth into the water, squeezing it across his shoulders and back, the warm water running down his tense muscles like a waterfall. He cupped his hands and splashed water on his head and face. He shook his head, spraying water on her dress, and she laughed, a girlish laugh, briefly, before becoming serious again. It was that laugh that led him to hope. They continued that way, water and lather and silence. He did not reach out to her, and she did not allow herself to touch him, save with the cloth, until the end.
Nicole was kneeling beside the old, copper tub, drying her hands on a towel. Prince Zachary was looking away, out the window, as he had for the last several minutes. She reached out her hand and gently ran her fingers along his jaw.
“You did not shave again today.”
He immediately took her hand in his. The stubble prickled against her fingers as he ran her hand along his jaw. “I did not shave, because I know you like it.”
He opened her palm and kissed the soft skin at the center. He held her hand firmly, not allowing her to pull it away, and kissed outwards to her wrist. He sucked at her wrist, and she felt like the blood was leaving her head and rushing there. The stubble scratched her arm as he kissed further along towards the inner crook at her elbow, where he licked and kissed the smooth, hot skin. Her breath had quickened and her eyes stared intently on his mouth. Instinctively, her other hand slid up the front of her body, and held her own breast. Closing her eyes, she could feel his mouth on her nipple, like it was still there. Like he had never stopped the night before. His other hand was then on her hand, on her breast, and it was this that startled her to open her eyes again. She pulled back her arm from his grasp, and ran.
Prince Zachary dressed, and sat restlessly in his chamber for some time. He rose, and paced back and forth between his bed and writing desk. He stopped before his bed and stared down at the place where she had slept the night before. He bent to his knees and stretched his hands out to feel the soft silk of the coverlet that had enveloped her. He laid his head down on the bed and let the softness graze against his cheek.
Closing his eyes, he thought of her. First, her smooth, hot skin trembling against his touch. The lock of dark hair that he always tucked behind her ear. Her small hands that held him, owned him. The deep, wild eyes that focused on him with a passion that drove him mad. Her breasts, so round and full, covered in the wet, red marks that his mouth had left. And he felt his body react, in that familiar way whenever he thought of a woman in his arms, giving herself to him. But then, the sound of chirping from the nest outside his window caused him to lift his head and open his eyes. He laughed, lightly, embarrassedly, then laid his head down again upon his forearm. He saw her in the garden, breathing in the scent of the spring flowers, a little skip in her step. He heard her voice singing of an old love, now gone, and a broken dream. He felt her in his arms as they danced before the fire amongst the refugees, the joy written plainly across her face. He heard her say his name. Zachary. And he felt the coldness that her running away had left upon him.
Prince Zachary stood up from beside his bed to continue his pacing. After a few moments, he suddenly grabbed the candle from his desk and ran towards his door and pulled it open. He was dressed only in his britches and a billowing white shirt, open at the neck, and well-worn indoor shoes. His hair was wet and the shadow upon his jaw was growing darker. But, he had no thoughts of his appearance. He only had thoughts of her.
Zachary ran through the dark and empty corridors and narrow stairwells of the house, his steps nearly silent in his soft leather shoes, until he came upon the servants’ quarters. He stopped at the large wooden door and caught his breath. As his hand reached out and took the cold iron handle, he hesitated. Just for a moment. Anyone could be on the other side. They would not dare ask him why he was there, but they would question him with their eyes, accuse him with their eyes. He knew he had to find her, and the only way to get to her was to go through this doorway and take a chance.
He turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. Peeking into the room, it was all in darkness and a cold emptiness. The fire had long since been put out. It had grown late, and the servants would all be in bed. What was he doing here? How did he hope to find her? What could he expect if he did find her? He knew the young staff shared rooms. He wouldn’t dream of intruding upon Amanda or Brittany. But, in desperation, he continued.
Cautiously, he ventured across the servants kitchen, through their sitting room, and into the corridor that he assumed led to their private rooms. He came upon dozens of narrow, closed doors that housed the vast sleeping staff of the manor. Each door was the same. He felt lost, as he stepped to the end of the hall. Turning the corner, he saw a glimmer of light in the distance. He was drawn to it, the beat of his heart quickening in his chest. Approaching the closed door, he heard a faint melody that made his breath catch in his throat. Placing his ear against the rough wood of the hand-cut door, he heard her voice. It was soft, slow, and pained. He gently pushed the door open a crack and listened with his eyes closed.
”And when my boy has gone from me
No further chance of victory
Lost in battle, on fields of red
I shall remember what he said
When last he held me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
‘I will return to you, one day
Look out for me when it is May
When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you’”
Prince Zachary opened his eyes when he realized that Nicole had stopped singing. Looking into the room, he saw that it was a large washroom, with a rough stone floor. A gentle fire was crackling away, providing some light and warmth in the otherwise cold room. He saw a white nightdress hanging over an old wooden chair. He heard a splash then, and his eyes were drawn to the right. Pushing the door open just a bit more, his open eyes widened when he saw the image before him. Laying in an old copper tub, water up to her neck, her feet perched upon the rim, was Nicole. Her hair was hanging loosely over the edge of the tub, in long, soft curls. The beat of his heart quickened as he pushed open the door and stepped upon the cold, gray stone.
Her back was towards him, and she could not see him. He closed the door, silently, and took several steps towards her. Lavender. He stopped and took a deep breath, the fresh scent working its way into his body and his mind. Without any further hesitation, he spoke her name.
“Nicole?” His voice was low and quiet, and questioning.
She gasped, and turned quickly in the tub, her feet now in the water and her arms covering her chest.
“Zachary!” she exclaimed.
“Shhh, you’ll wake someone!” he whispered, anxiously.
Zachary walked towards her as she bent her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself. He stood beside the tub, to her right, for a moment, then stepped over to the fire. Sitting upon the hearth, he ran his hands through his hair and felt the heat on his back. Looking into her eyes, he noticed the tears and redness that he was certain were his fault.
“Nicole, you’ve been crying. I’m so…”
“It was not you. I was remembering…” and her voice drifted off as she looked away.
“Nicole. Look at me.”
She turned back to him, and forced herself to look into his eyes. So blue. The last lines of the song ran through her mind again.
Zachary rose and walked towards the tub. One hand reached down and brushed a curl from her forehead. He tucked it behind her ear, and his fingers lightly ran through her hair and along her shoulder. She sighed and closed her eyes. Zachary knelt behind the tub and kissed the top of her head. His hands gently pulled back her hair and he kissed her neck, his lips just brushing against her skin. Her legs then stretched out and her arms relaxed. The water rippled with her movement. He could see her body, all of her, through the water, and he longed to touch her.
His hands reached down and held her shoulders. Her sharp intake of breath encouraged him, as his hands stretched down over her collar bones and her chest. Dipping below the surface of the water, his fingers ran along the sides of her breasts.
“Zachary,” she breathed.
He pulled his hands away.
“Your sleeves, they are getting wet. You should… remove your shirt.”
He exhaled with relief, and pulled his shirt over his head, bundling it under his knees to soften the hard stone floor. As his hands returned to her breasts, she sat up straight and rested her head back against his bare chest. He pressed his cheek to hers, and she enjoyed the scratchiness of his stubble and the warmth of his breath against her skin. After several moments of caressing her breasts, the scent of lavender enveloping them, he removed his hands and backed away from her. She looked around, feeling cold without him touching her.
Within seconds, his hand was cupping her breast again, as he had moved to the side of the tub. He pinched her nipple, and her moan made him smile. His right hand tickled down her stomach and his left ran along her back. He then noticed a cloth in the water and dove in his hand to retrieve it, his wrist grazing her outer thigh. He squeezed the warm water down her back and over her shoulders. His eyes were captivated by the trickles of water running down her white skin. He loved the roundness of her shoulders, her back. With the soft cloth in his hand, he returned to his path down her stomach. She lowered herself in the tub, her legs parting slightly, unconsciously. With the cloth, he pressed lightly against her abdomen and she moaned at the sensation of the pressure. His smile widened and he licked his bottom lip.
“Zachary. Mmm,” she sighed. Her eyes closed, and her head rested back against the rim of the copper tub. Her knees were above the water level, and he bent to kiss each one. He let the cloth sink to the bottom of the tub, and slowly ran his fingertips along her thigh. Nearing the end of her thigh, he paused. He looked to her face for some sign of reassurance that he should continue. Just then, her eyes opened and she turned towards him. His fingers moved just an inch closer, and her eyes opened wider, wild with need.
“Sing for me,” he said, hoarsely, as he teased his fingers around, but never on, her most intimate place.
“Oh, I could not,” she breathed.
“Please, Nicole.” He let his finger part her, stroke her, then linger motionless. “Sing for me.”
“What… what shall I sing?”
“You know. What you were singing earlier. What you were singing last night when I held you in my arms, when I was sleeping. I heard you in my dreams, Nicole. Sing for me, the ending of that song.” His fingertip pressed once against her and she inhaled sharply, her hips jerking. Staring into each other’s eyes, she sang in a beautiful, tender voice,
”When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you”
Prince Zachary smiled and nodded, his eyes continuing to watch her fixedly as he touched her again. His fingers expertly stroked and pressed and flicked her most tender place, entered her, felt her wet warmth contract against him. Her breath quickened as her hands gripped the edge of the tub. Her eyes squeezed shut and her toes curled and her head thrashed about and her hips ground against his hand, water splashing upon his chest. All the while, his eyes never left her face.
When she relaxed, sinking back against the tub, he reached out and took her in his arms. He pulled her tightly to him, her breasts against his chest and her soft curls against his cheek. His hands pressed into the softness of her back. He held her there until she shivered from the cold. Reluctantly letting her go, he stood and retrieved a large linen towel folded upon the hearth. Opening it up, he beckoned for her to stand. He took her hand to help her out of the tub and wrapped the warm towel around her.
When she had dressed, he took her hand and led her through the doorway into the silent narrow hall. She walked with him, hand in hand, their fingers entwined, until they reached his chamber. They stepped through the open door, and he closed it behind them, pushing the heavy lock into place. She took her hand from his and he quickly reached out and pulled at her white cotton nightdress. He let it run through his fingers as she walked away from him, towards the window.
“Nicole.” He followed her, standing beside her at the window. She was looking up at the moon, its white light glimmering in the sky. “Nicole, I want you. I want more than… I want all of you.” His eyes ran over her body, up and down. He pressed his hand to her heart. “I want you, here.” He pressed his fingertips against her temple. “I want you, here.” He lowered her hands to rest upon her hips, pulling her towards him. “What do you want?”
“I do not know what I want, Zachary. I know who I am, and I know who you are. I know what is expected of each of us. I know that we could never become man and….” She looked to him for any sign of disagreement, but saw none. “You are betrothed to Princess Vanessa. You are a prince, with a kingdom to inherit, a people to govern and a land to nurture. Where could I fit into that? I don’t know that I want to live my days as a secret, as a….” She stopped, unable to say any of the words that came to her mind.
“Nicole, I do not know what I can offer you. It is much more my father’s decision than my own. I only know how I feel, and that I would give you anything I could. All I have to give is my heart, and my honour, and they are yours.”
Nicole closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. She felt the strong muscles of his back beneath his thin shirt and the rhythm of his heart beat in her ear. She felt safe in his arms. She felt safe for the first time since she had escaped her homeland, since she had been a girl in her father’s home with a sweet blue-eyed boy holding her hand beneath the apple tree before their cottage. Opening her eyes, she lifted her head to Zachary and he kissed her, finally. Softly, gently, lovingly. And she knew that she did have his heart. Everything else would come, if it was to be. If not, she had the best of him, and he had the best of her.
Later that night, laying in his arms after making love, Nicole thought him asleep. She softly sang to herself, barely a whisper.
”And when my boy has gone from me
No further chance of victory
Lost in battle, on fields of red
I shall remember what he said
When last he held me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
‘I will return to you, one day
Look out for me when it is May
When birds sing sweetly in the trees
And flowers blossom for the bees
Your heart shall find new eyes of blue
That will be me, come back to you’
In memory I hold your heart
And you and I shall never part
But this young man stepped from my dreams
And loves me true, for now it seems
That more than touch, he wants me for
Someone to trust and to adore
And he will hold me in the night
His arms around me, warm and tight
My darling boy, with eyes of blue,
I first knew love, for I knew you”
Nicole closed her eyes and nestled in closer to Zachary’s chest, never knowing that he was awake and heard each word, each note, of her song.
As he awoke in the morning, and reached out for her, the chirping of a bird outside his window, he knew that it had not been a dream. And he knew that she would be back. Nicole was his, and he was hers, and though he did not know what the future held for them, he had never felt more at peace in his life.