“This is torture.” He grunted as he pulled her dress over her head.
Maxi peered up at him, dazed, as he looked back at her, his eyes roaming over her body, prone in her thin chemise.
He scowled as if regarding a mortal enemy. “I can’t. Not when you’re like this.” He breathed out a ragged sigh. “Do you have any idea…how hard it is to hold myself back?”
Maxi wanted to tell him he didn’t need to hold himself back, but her lips wouldn’t cooperate. His restraint only made her more anxious. She didn’t want his consideration; she wanted him to take her with urgent need. Perhaps then she could forget how worthless and wretched she was. She would gladly bear the pain and exhaustion if it meant being in his arms, where all her anxiety and loneliness could melt away.
Riftan sat quietly on the edge of the bed, his fingers brushing through her disheveled hair. He lightly traced her burning cheeks before seemingly giving in to his desires and cupping her breast. A moan snuck past her lips as she pressed her chest harder against Riftan’s hand. He let out a low growl and pushed his wet tongue into her mouth.
He tastes of wine.
Drowsy pleasure overtook her, making the blood rush to her ears and her heavy eyelids flutter. She waited for him to lift up her skirt and stoke the heat between her legs. Her core burned with the desire to feel his big, callused hands on her body.
But instead, he pulled back. Eyes shut, Maxi sensed him rising from the bed and heard his long sigh, but there was no time for disappointment to set in before she drifted off to sleep.
—
Maxi’s eyes slid openwhen she felt a rough tongue licking her face. It was Roy, the black kitten. His long whiskers tickled her until she sat up and rubbed her cheek.
As usual, Riftan was already gone. With a disappointed sigh, Maxi performed her morning ablutions and asked Ludis to help her dress. Fortunately, the wine headache from last night’s feast wasn’t as splitting this time.
“The princess went to visit the training grounds early this morning and asked to be notified when you awoke, my lady. Shall I go inform her now?”
Maxi wondered if monster raids gave people endless stores of stamina. Despite the long journey, Princess Agnes had arisen earlier than Maxi and had already started touring the grounds. Maxi frowned as she threw on a cloak.
“I-I had best go down to the village…with the princess. M-Make all the required preparations…. Ask the stables to prepare a carriage…and I would like a servant…who knows the village well…to accompany us.”
“I shall accompany you, my lady,” Ludis assured her.
Maxi’s shoulders sagged with relief. She’d offered to show the princess around Anatol, but the reality was that she did not know her way around at all, save for the path that led to the square and the market.
“Then…I’ll leave the preparation to you. I-I…shall go inform…Her Highness myself.”
Reluctantly, Maxi made her way to the great hall. Princess Agnes did not seem like a bad person, but Maxi still felt uncomfortable around her. Aside from the fact that she’d almost married Riftan, the princess’s penetrating gaze and uninhibited nature unsettled Maxi. On top of that, her true intentions for coming to Anatol were still a mystery. Maxi could not help but be wary. Agnes was a renowned sorceress in her own right. Would the king truly send her to such a far-flung region just to inspect the land?
But even if she has ulterior motives…it’s not as if I can do anything to stop it.
Realizing that she was spiraling into despondency again, Maxi collected herself and made her way to the knights’ training grounds.
It was sunnier than the previous day. The wind was chilly, but the sun was warm, and hints of green spoke of spring. Puffy clouds glided across the blue sky, and Maxi took a moment to gaze up at them wistfully before passing through the garden gate to the training grounds. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her.
The princess at the center of the yard, sparring with Sir Ursuline.
Again, the princess was dressed like a man, except this time in silver armor. Her movements were graceful as she swung a sword, but Sir Ursuline easily deflected her attacksas he barked instructions. “Your lower body is open. Bend your knees!”
Maxi reflexively shrank back at his sharp voice. Although Maxi had run into Sir Ursuline several times since his altercation with Riftan, she was still uneasy in his presence. There was an air of lingering unfriendliness between them. Just as Maxi was beginning to wonder if she should return to the castle, the princess slumped to the ground in exhaustion.
“Darn! Still can’t land a blow after all that training!” Agnes grumbled.
Ursuline smiled and sheathed his sword. “If I were to be bested by a sorceress, it would only be right that I be kicked out of the order.” His voice was so gentle that Maxi found it hard to believe that this was the sullen knight she’d known all this time. “Still, you have improved since I saw you last.”
“I’d have believed you if you were at least a little out of breath,” the princess muttered, head hung low in defeat.
After one last moment of hesitation, Maxi descended the stairs from the gate. The princess was wiping sweat from her face with a towel when she noticed Maxi approaching.
“Good morning, Maximilian.”
“G-Good…morning, Your Highness. I trust…you slept well…last night?”
