If the man was that handsome, she thought she might not only have to marry for her country. She thought she might be capable of marrying for love.
“Or at least lust,” she whispered, giggling before she turned back to her friends, who were watching her.
“See anything interesting?” Anais asked. It was true that Anais was her best friend, though her tongue was often sharp and her jokes extremely unfunny, offensively so. Helina thought she needed someone like that, someone to keep her in reality even as Anais kept her head in the clouds.
“A group of men, who all came through a portal.”
Remiel gasped. “Do you think he might be here to ask for your hand?”
Helina grinned, then shrugged. Her face was hot. “Maybe. They were all very handsome. I hope not all of them intend to ask, I would hate to have to choose.” She knew who she would choose, though. The tall, handsome stranger with the light hair. Only thinking of him made her whole body feel weak.
The one time when corsets truly were not out of style was for balls, especially balls for religious holidays. Every woman dressed in their finest clothes and made their waists as small as possible, especially if they were looking for a husband.
“This corset is so beautiful. Did Bella make it?” Anais asked as she held the ribbon of the corset tight for Remiel to tie. Bella was the best corsetière in all of Mindren, and maybe the whole world. Her creations were coveted by all, especially since she made them so infrequently. Corsetry was only her second job. Her first was caring for a whole stable of royal horses.
“Yes, she sent it to me for my last birthday. This is my first time wearing it.” Helina paused, taking a breath and looking at herself in the mirror. “I think it could go a tad tighter.”
“You're already a fine catch, Helina. I don't think we need to suffocate you,” Remiel chastised. She looked at Anais, who laughed and rolled her eyes. Remiel was a worrier, something of a mother for her group of friends. It helped that in her studies to become a member of The High Court, she was required to take nursing classes every single year.
Helina even asked if Remiel would be her midwife when she finally got married and fell pregnant. Remiel blushed at the thought, but she of course agreed.
“Well, if the handsome man from the portal is here to ask for my hand, I'll be sure to find out if he has any available brothers or friends for you, Anais.” Helina gave her friend a wicked smile, which faltered when the blue haired girl tugged on her corset strings.
“Don't tease me!”
They both laughed as the girls helped Helina dress. Her gown was pink satin, blushing like a secret admirer's rose. She wore a necklace her mother once wore, a black stone on a platinum chain, and dotted her lips with a lipstick spelled to make her lips more supple and pouty.
“You should wear the matching ring, too,” Remiel said, gazing at the onyx ring in her jewelry box. “The one she wore when she met King Orussus.”
Helina thought on it for a moment. Would her mother approve? Would Queen Anai think it romantic if her daughter met the love of her life wearing the same ring she did when she met hers? “Maybe I should,” Helina considered.
Remiel held it out to her, her small hand trembling. She treated Queen Anai's trinkets with such reverence. There was talk around the kingdom of pronouncing the missing queen a goddess. Remiel agreed with the movement, but couldn't petition with them without risking her future.
Taking the ring from her friend, Helina slipped it onto her right hand ring finger. It fit perfectly, though of course it was spelled to fit perfectly. She held it to the light. It looked lovely on her hand.
Would Anoud approve?
“I hope I finally get my marriage proposal,” Helina whispered as she stared at the ring.
“To be fair, you've turned down a fair number.” Anais said, braiding Helina's hair.
Shaking her head, Helina shot Anais a look. “You know that I have to marry for my country. It has to be at the right time, to the right person. Any old duke would never do. I need someone strong, and who cares for our people as much as I do. Someone willing to lead our armies while I lead those who stay home.”
“But what about love?” Remiel asked.
“A queen cannot marry for love.”
Anais snorted. “Your mom loved King Orussus.”
Nodding, Helina sighed. “But she was rare, wasn't she? The previous queen, before Queen Anai, was murdered by her husband. The one before that was the fourth of five wives, the fourth of seven mistresses. They were good leaders, but their marriage was not one of love.”
Remiel and Anais looked at one another, a look of worry and confusion. “Well, I think you'll be the exception, too,” said Remiel. “I think you'll find love.”
When she was dressed and her hair done up, Remiel and Anais dismissed themselves to finish dressing themselves. Finally, Helina had a few minutes alone.
Poking her head out of her bedroom's door, she looked around for guards or, even worse, Anoud. The hallway was clear. Moving quickly, she dashed across the tiles without her shoes on, down the servant's staircase and into the kitchen.
There, alone, was the one face she'd wanted to see all night. He was the only cook on duty in the manor's kitchen, since most servants had been sent to the castle to prepare for the ball.
“Edward,” Helina whispered. The man, tall and with a long, handsome face, looked up from the bread he was kneading. His garnet colored hair was caked with flour, which also found its way to his nose and cheek.
“Helina!” Edward said, setting the dough into the freezer and wiping his hands on his apron. “It's so good to see you, especially since I could be fired tomorrow.”
Frowning, Helina touched his face tenderly, wiping away some of the flour. “Did Anoud threaten you, too?”
“All of us, actually. I hope the traitor is found before he does anything drastic.” His face went grim, his eyes focused only on hers. Looking down at her, Edward seemed as though he was holding back many emotions.
Touching his lips to hers, his shoulders relaxed and she pulled him closer to her. Edward holds her close. “I was so worried when I heard.”
“Anoud is hiring a taster, soon.” She hated the idea. She didn't want others to be in danger, just to protect herself.
They kissed again, and then again. Edward's hands grabbed her waist, sitting her on the kitchen counter so that she could reach his face without standing on her toes. His hands cupped her breasts.
“And by the way, you need to stop flirting with Anais. She's thinking of trying to start up an affair with you!”
Edward barked out a surprised laugh, and then pecked her lips. “Well, do you think I should have an affair with her?”
Pouting, Helina crossed her arms. “I most certainly do not.”
“Well, it isn't as if you can marry me. You've told me as much many times.”
“That's true,” she said, kissing his neck. “But every queen can have one extramarital lover. I want you to be mine. There are perks, you know.” She could feel his manhood growing within his pants as her lips brushed his skin. “Aside from being between my legs, that is.”
Grabbing him, she stroked his cock through his pants. He let out a deep, guttural sound. Like a gulp and a growl all at once. He kissed her fiercely, powerfully.
“Well, if there are perks, I just might take you up on your offer.” He spread her legs wide, pushing up her skirts to reveal her flesh. Stroking her, he felt her growing hotter. Wetter. He licked his lips.
Giggling, she held her skirts even higher. “You'll have to prove to me how bad you want it, then.”
Edward pushed her legs wider, his broad shoulders stretching as he did so. Dipping beneath the fabric of her dress, he found she was wearing nothing beneath it. No shoes. No stockings.
No panties.
He breathed hard, his stomach flipping. His cock was struggling against his pants, painfully so. He adjusted himself while kissing her soft thighs, his tongue flicking out now and then for a lick. She tasted like vanilla.
Spreading her labia, he tongued her pink, soft inner lips. With a squeal, Helina lifted her right leg onto his shoulder, opening herself wider for him.
His lips gripped her stiff nub, manipulating it in the most delicious ways. The man knew how to please a woman, and he loved pleasuring Helina. He slipped a finger inside of her, which elicited another squeal of pleasure.
Moving the finger in and out of her, he stroked her thigh with his other hand, enjoying the soft feel of her skin. She cooed and sighed below him, her clit twitching now and then when he hit just the right spot with his finger. He toyed with her nub with his tongue, pressing it hard and then soft.
When his erection was too much to bear, he stood and scooted Helina closer to him on the counter. She giggled and wrapped her arms and legs around him, which made it harder for him to undo his trousers.
They kissed, their tongues flicking in and out of each other's mouth. Edward loved the taste of her, how she tasted like honey. Caressing her breasts once his erection was free, he pulled her against him so that his cock pressed right against her slit.
“Ooh,” she purred. “You're so warm.”
“It'll be even warmer when I do this,” he grinned a wicked grin, pushing the head of his manhood inside of her. She moaned, her arms tensing around his neck as her sunk deep into her.