The Prince's Wedding

Feelings. 24

MELISSA.
          I stare at my reflection in the mirror as the maidens style my hair and get me ready for the day, while I observe the furniture in the background, my eyes stopping at my bed and bringing back memories of lying there with Prince Alexander.
          We hadn't spent the night together since then, but when we finally woke up that day, long after the sunrise had happened, it had felt magical...just like it used to when we spent nights together at his chambers. And since then, everything slowly started getting back to normal.
          Well, almost everything.
          Though I started hearing matters with him again, handling issues and eating with him every single day...we still hadn't spent any nights together since that day. It wasn't like I didn't want to...heck, I can't bring myself to stop thinking about sleeping next to him. But I guess I'm still gradually trying to trust him again, and I know that the instant I start sharing his bed...it won't exactly be a gradual process anymore.
          The maidens bow and leave, giving me the opportunity to observe my reflection in the mirror, just as a surprising knock comes on my door. Slowly, I walk up to it and open it to see Prince Alexander standing on the other side, a small smile on his face as his green eyes scan me in an admiring way.
          "Hey." I say, almost breathless and he smiles even wider, sending butterflies dancing in my gut.
        
          "Good morning." He replies, and I move back to let him in but he doesn't move.
          "It's okay." He says, "I'm here because I want to show you something."
          And I blink in surprise, observing the happy and slightly excited look on his face as my mind wonders on what exactly he might want to show me.
        
          "What is it?" I ask, just as he reaches out his hand for me.
        
          "Will you come with me?" he says and my gaze meets his one more time, trying to figure out what he's up to, before I take his hand.
          Prince Alexander leads me out of my chambers, down the hall and the stairwell to the ballroom.
        
          "Are we organising another ball?" I ask when we get to the entrance and he chuckles, turning to me.
        
          "No, we're not. But I want you to please close your eyes." He says, shocking me.
        
          "Close my eyes?"
        
          "Please. It's worth it." He assures me and I turn back to the ballroom, confused, before I take in a deep breath and shut my eyes.
        
          "Okay, they're closed." I say in a teasing tone and the next thing I feel are his hands, one on my shoulder and the other on my waist as he leads me into the ballroom, sending shivers through every nerve in my body.
        
          "Keep them closed." He whispers in that deep voice of his, still leading me forward, and I giggle.
        
          "They are closed."
        
          "Good." He says and we suddenly stop moving. Then he gently turns me to the side, almost as if I'm facing a wall, and takes his hands off.
        
          "Okay...you can open them now." He says and I open my eyes, expecting to see a wall, but my gaze comes in contact with a framed portrait and the person in the portrait...is me.
          I slowly let out a shuddering breath as I observe the beautiful portrait of me, hung besides his, amongst other portraits of past rulers of Nirvanian kingdom, with an engraved tag above it saying,
          'MELISSA REDMOND of Nirvania, First of her name.'
        
          "That's me." I manage to say, completely overwhelmed and Prince Alexander chuckles as he comes beside me, staring at the portrait too.
        
          "Last I checked, yeah."
        
          "Not just me..." I say, turning to him, my emotions suddenly in charge of my actions, "But me as a ruler of the kingdom. My portrait... my name... I..." I stop, absolutely speechless and touched.
          "You did this?" I ask him and he just shrugs, still smiling.
        
          "I may have organised the whole thing, ordered for your portrait and the engraved title, maybe asked the guards to bring it in when I knew you'd be asleep--"
        
          "What?" I laugh softly, amazed as I turn back to the portrait and then to him.
          "Are you allowed to do this?" I ask, still processing the whole ordeal and he gives me a look, like it's a question I shouldn't even be asking... those deep, green eyes locking me in a spell.
        
          "I'm allowed to do anything for the lady I'm going to marry. Plus you're going to be queen soon so--"
          Unable to resist, I throw my arms around him, merging our lips in a deep, emotion-driven kiss and he sighs against my lips, responding with equal passion.
          His hands wrap around my waist as he pulls me even closer and I surrender to the feeling I had missed for so long, granting him access as he kisses me deeply and I moan into his mouth.
        
          "I take it you like the surprise then?" he asks breathlessly as he pulls back a little and I smile.
        
          "I love it." I admit and he chuckles, kissing me again and taking my breath away...his hand sliding up my back to cradle my neck as he deepens the kiss, unlocking feelings in me that make me weak to my knees.
          I cling to him for support as I kiss him back, oblivious to anything else as I willingly surrender to my need of wanting him more and more—
        
          "Ahem." Someone clears their throat at the entrance to the ballroom and I jump away at the sound as I turn to the entrance just to see Felipe standing there.
          My cheeks burn in response and Prince Alexander turns as well, completely unfazed.
        
          "Felipe." He says casually, "Is there a problem?"
        
          "My apologies for...interrupting, Your Majesty..."
          Kill me now.
          "But breakfast has been served and our guests from Meldova Kingdom will be here very soon." He says and Prince Alexander just nods.
        
          "We'll be there shortly, thank you." He says and Felipe just bows before leaving.
        
          "That was embarrassing." I mutter and Prince Alexander chuckles, turning back to me and planting a kiss on my forehead.
        
          "There was nothing to be embarrassed about."
        
          "We have guests from Meldova?" I ask and he nods as we make our way to the dining area.
        
          "Yes. The bridge to their kingdom has finally been completed and their king wants to show his gratitude. We'll sign a treaty today concerning the boundaries and rights of each kingdom not to be abused in using the bridge."
        
          "That's amazing. I can't believe I haven't seen it yet." I say and he turns to me with a smile.
        
          "You will. Tonight."
        
          ***
        
          ALEXANDER
          Ever since the bridge had been completed, I'd been meaning to take Melissa to see it and experience how beautiful a view it could give at night, but I hadn't exactly gotten the opportunity considering how busy we both were these past few weeks.
          Still, I want to take her there. I want to spend some private time with her...especially since we're no longer sharing my chambers. I want to show her I haven't forgotten about making her smile, about showing her how much she deserves and about how special she is. Plus I miss having her company just to myself and enjoying every bit of it...and that kiss she gave me this morning, after so long ago, made me realise she misses it too.
          And now, the opportunity is here, I have to make the best of it.
        
          "If you're sure you want to do this without taking a guard--" Caspian says as he walks towards me with Felipe, while I wait for Melissa at the main doors.
        
          "I'm sure."
        
          "Very well, Your Majesty. Please be careful." Felipe says, and they both bow before leaving, just as Melissa starts descending the stairs, dressed in a cute, dark blue gown.
        
          "Are you ready?" I ask her when she gets to me and she nods.
        
          "I am...but also a little nervous. Is there a special reason we're doing this at night?" she asks as I lead her to my horse and I simply help her up, chuckling.
        
          "I guess you'll find out when we get there."
          With that, I join her on the horse and ride out the castle gates. The bridge isn't particularly far from the castle and Melissa and I get therein time to see the moon rising over the horizon, casting a silvery white glow over the water.
          I hear her gasp beside me as we ride into the opening, which is completely empty compared to when the workers are here during day time.
          "It's... Oh, Stefan it's so beautiful." She says after I help her down and keep the horse near a tree.
        
          "Isn't it?" I say, joining her as she walks towards the bridge, her gaze fixated on the horizon far beyond and the dazzling night sky, while the water shimmers below.
        
          "It's like staring into another world....you can see more than a million stars!" she says, nearing the bridge, and then pausing for a bit to turn to me.
        
          "Can we get on the bridge?" She asks and I shrug, moving ahead and climbing on to it, then reaching out to her,
        
          "I don't see why not." I say and she giggles, taking my hand as she joins me. Her expression is one of utter bewilderment and I can't help but smile, instantly happy at how happy she is.
        
          "This is the most beautiful view I've ever seen in my entire life." She says in a dreamy voice, still walking forward until she gets to a point of satisfaction, several feet down the bridge from the entrance and she stops to take in the view.
          The sight of her enjoying every bit of it warms me up on the inside and I move towards her, slowly wrapping my arms around her from behind and she sighs, leaning into me.
          "Thank you for bringing me here." She whispers and I hold her even closer.
        
          "Thank you for agreeing to come." I whisper back and she turns in my arms to face me.
        
          "Of course. Why wouldn't I have?" she asks, her eyes searching mine and I sigh.
        
          "I don't know, Mel. I guess I've been a little worried because I can't afford to get anything wrong again. I don't want to make any more mistakes, especially when it has to do with you. I want things to be perfect." I tell her and I watch her eyes go soft.
        
          "Perfection, doesn't exist, Stefan...and it's not what I want from you. I don't want perfection, I don't want you walking on egg shells, I don't want you worried about making mistakes." She says and her hands slide up my arms to rest on either side of my face.
          "I just want you to be yourself. You've always been able to do that and that's what makes you unique, that's what made me accept to come here...not for perfection. Only you would think of something like this...and I accept you like that. I trust you for that." She says, warming my heart and I pull her into a kiss, savouring how she tastes, how she scents, and the feel of her body against mine. Melissa leans into the kiss, responding slowly and making soft moans that gradually drive me crazy.
        
          "We should focus on the view before I lose my mind." I say and she giggles, her face flushed red before she turns around to face the horizon.
        
          "I could stay here all night."
        
          "Well," I laugh, "We only have a few minutes before I take you back so Felipe doesn't get a heart attack." I say and we both start laughing. Just then, our horse starts neighing, the loud noise reaching us all the way from the landing and we both turn to the spot we kept it, but due to the distance I can barely see it.
        
          "Is that our horse?" Melissa asks, moving away from my hold, "I can't see it." She says and I hold her hand, sensing danger as I pull her back.
        
          "It must have gone into the woods and got lost. Stay here, I'll go get her." I say and start walking down the bridge, towards the landing.
        
          "Stefan..." Melissa calls from behind, sounding worried.
        
          "Don't worry, it couldn't have gotten far. Just stay here." And I hurry off the bridge and to the opening, which is now empty, the rope gone. The horse neighs again, a little into the shadows of the trees and I follow the sound, farther down until I spot it stuck near a tree.
          The closer I get, the clearer the view becomes and I stare in shock.
          It's not stuck...it's tied to the tree. I look around, suddenly alarmed as I check for the stranger but there's no one here....then it hits me.
          Oh no.
          Melissa.
          Her chilling scream suddenly comes from the bridge and I turn now, rushing out of the shadows and into the landing. Sure enough, I can see someone struggling with her on the bridge.
          No.
          "Melissa!" I yell, running towards them in alarm.
        
          "Stefan!" she screams.
        
          "No! Get away from her!" I yell, running as fast as I can, but the person succeeds and pushes Melissa off the bridge before my eyes.
        
          "NO!!" I yell just as she screams, plunging into the water.
          I increase my pace, suddenly filled with adrenaline at the sound of her gasping and choking.
        
          "Stefan!" she cries, choking.
          My heart is thudding in my ears but all I can think of is how much time I don't have as I get to the edge of the bridge, the person no longer in sight.
        
          "Melissa!" I yell, but I can't even hear her anymore, so I jump into the water without a second thought, panic taking over. The cold water bites into my skin the minute it hits me, but I swim deeper towards Melissa, already below surface and clearly unconscious.
          I quickly grab her by her torso and hoist her up, swimming us both to the surface.
          "Melissa..." I say, my voice shaking with fear as I swim as fast as I can towards land.
          "Melissa, please say something."
          It can't be too late, it just can't.
          But she's quiet, her face pale against the moonlight.
          I finally get to the sandy edge and I pull her up immediately, stretching her out on the ground.
        
          "Melissa." I say, panting and holding her face with shaky hands. She feels cold in my hands and I reach down to listen for a heartbeat but I can barely hear anything asides my own pounding heart. So I switch to survival mode and lock my palms together above her chest, rhythmically pressing down hard with enough pressure as I count.
         How did things get so wrong so fast?
          "1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3..." I repeat with each contact my palms have with her chest, then I lift her face and blow air into her mouth, a move I had seen a sailor do on one of his helpers.
          But she doesn't react.
          "No, no, no, no, come on." I say with fear, my voice shaking with each 'no' as I repeat the process again and again, my chest heavy and my heart pounding.
          "1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3..." I keep counting, over and over until suddenly, Melissa coughs, and then sputters out water as she gasps for breath. I let out a breath of relief and my shoulders slack at the sight of colour returning to her face as she opens her eyes.
          She's okay...
          "Stefan..." she moans.
        
          "You're okay." I pant, relieved as the heaviness melts away in my chest and I pull her into my arms.
          "Oh, Melissa. You're okay. I was so scared... I was terrified..." I say, holding her close as she holds me back, the fear of what could have happened still clear in my mind.
          "Please don't ever scare me like that again."
        
          "You saved me." She says weakly, "Thank you." She murmurs and I pull her back to look at her.
        
          "I'll do anything for you, and that goes without question. Now, let's get out of here."
         I gently carry her up and head for our horse, my mind alert for any sign of the stranger or anyone possibly hiding around.
          I should have come with a guard after all.
        
          ***
        
          MELISSA
          I stare out the window towards the water as I wrap my arms around my body, remembering how chilly it was when I fell in, how the cold bit at my skin and numbed my fingers and toes that I could barely swim ...and then I just lost consciousness.
      Who even was that person?
        
          "Are you okay?" I hear him say from behind me and I turn around to find him surprisingly close, his eyes staring down at me as his hands come up to gently hold my arms.
        
          "Yeah. It was just really...scary. I didn't even see his face." I admit and he pulls me into a warm hug, his arms holding me close as I rest my head on his chest and let out a sigh, enjoying the warmth radiating from his body.
        
          "I'm here now. I'm not leaving you again." He murmurs into my hair and those words give me a certain kind of relief I've never felt.
          I pull back a bit to stare into his eyes as I run my hand up his jaw, spreading my fingers through his neat beards and he just keeps staring back at me... Locking me in the moment.
          "I love you." He says softly, sounding sure, content and happy.
          I blink at him, surprised...his words seem to echo in the room, to float uninterrupted as they claim their space in my heart and in our lives.
          "I love you so much, Melissa. I never want to almost-lose-you to realise I should never wait to tell you that. I love you. So much. With all my heart." He says gently, with pure intention and I blink my tears away, letting them run down my cheeks as my vision clears...allowing me to see the emotions in his eyes.
          Then I stand on tiptoe and kiss him softly, creating a rhythm that deepens the kiss with each response, as emotions turn to desire which turns to passion. Prince Alexander moans, carrying me up by the waist and I wrap my legs around him as I press closer to him, instantly feeling his evidence of arousal rub me in unspeakable ways.
          I gasp against his lips and he just kisses me deeper, carrying me to his bed and gently dropping me on his heavenly sheets, as he kisses me senseless. I run my hands up his bare skin under his shirt and he groans, diverting the kiss to my neck and making a hot trail to my collar bone while his hands slowly come up my body, piling my gown up until he takes it off, breaking the kiss.
          "I guess this means you're not going back to your chambers." He mutters in a deep, husky voice and I just pull him back into a kiss, my hand quickly unbuttoning his shirt. The minute it comes off, the skin to skin contact awakens a deep arousal within me and a moan escapes my lips as I claw at him, breathing heavily, craving more.
          His lips thread warm, soft kisses lower and lower until I feel them wrap around a nipple and he slowly sucks on it, his hands lifting my legs up and roaming up my thigh. I moan even louder, arching my back and clawing at his hair as he nibbles and sucks, switching from one nipple to the other.
          "Yesss." I moan, my eyes rolling to the back in ultimate pleasure while his fingers trace a path between my legs and he slowly slides one inside me, drenching it instantly as it slips in and out of me.
          "Mmmm...." I whimper, overwhelmed and writhing under him while he keeps going, maintaining a rhythm as he slides his finger deep inside me and slowly out while he comes up a little to look at me, dark eyes observing me.
          I'm gripping his shoulders now, arching my hips in response to his torture as I keep moaning, louder and louder, needing more of him.
          "I want to make love to you." He says in that deep voice, watching me.
        
          "Please..." I beg, unsure of what I'm begging for but sure enough to know I want all of him and he pulls away, his eyes on mine as he sheds his last piece of clothing and joins me under the blanket.
          He slips a hand under my back as I wrap my arms around him, hypnotised by the intimacy of our bodies while he lifts my legs and stares deeply into my eyes.
          "Melissa..." he whispers, entering me slowly and taking my breath away with every inch, "You're the one." And those words, coupled with the unbelievable sensation of him inside me, cause the room to spin, dizzying me with emotions and need. Slowly, he retreats and enters me again, gradually starting a rhythm, touching me in places I've never known, showing me feelings I've never felt.
          I might cry...
          "Stefan..." I whimper, gripping his back and shoulders, gasping and moaning as his thrusts take me to another world. All that exists is him, holding me like I'm something fragile, whispering in my ear as his thrusts quicken and his breathing gets heavier.
          And I'm barely hanging on, our bodies seeming to merge into one as I take in everything. Every whisper, every thrust, every kiss carries me higher as I unravel under him, lost in a pool of pleasure.
          "Oh my..." I moan, my body shuddering under his and he intertwines our fingers, thrusting deeper and staring into my eyes.
          "Stefan, I..." I warn, close to tears by the overwhelming feeling of us making love. "I'm going to..."
        
          "It's okay." He says in a heavy, deep voice, "I'm here...and I love you."
        
          "I love you too." I confess at the peak of intimacy and our bodies collapse in waves of pleasure, causing me to hold on to him as I shudder in his arms and he groans into my neck. We stay that way, panting and when he finally moves back a little to look at me, a worried look masks his face.
        
          "Mel... you're crying. Did I hurt you?" he asks with a fearful tone and I can only smile as I move my hands from his shoulders to his face.
        
          "No, of course not. That was beautiful." I say and he sighs with relief, staring at me.
        
          "You know, you don't have to say you love me if you're not ready." he says and I chuckle, planting a kiss on his lips,
        
          "I know."