The Crowned Captive

“For fuck’s sake, Rowan. It is me. Cordan. Just let me in,” Cordan yelled through the door.

Finally giving up on his time alone with the princess, Rowan rolled his eyes and unlocked the door for his friend. Cordan slipped through immediately, eyes immediately looking to and assessing Morana. The smell in the air, the flushed cheeks and the swollen lips of the princess did not escape his friend, but if he cared he did not show it. He turned to Rowan after a moment, levelling him with a withering look.

“There was an attack,” Rowan said with a shrug.

“I know that! What the hell happened? Who the hell was that to mow through all those guards and end up in front of the Princess’s cell with you the only survivor?”

“I wasn’t there when she was attacked.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because it was the king’s spies themselves who were the traitors. I was ordered to go kill the pair in the forest. I did, leaving nothing but ash, and then came straight back. I dealt with the situation.”

“Dealt with it? You left Morana naked in bed whilst you went off to kill some Rebels, with incompetent guards stationed at her door. If the doors hadn’t been spelled to only open with our touch, she would be god knows where! It was sloppy!”

“I assumed that the spies had sent for you, brother. I do not know why they didn’t. You would have been easier to kill, and then the Princess would truly be gone.”

Cordan looked as if he would hit Rowan then. Rage burned under his skin. Rowan welcomed it. He still had plenty of energy to release tonight if the princess was to be safe under his watch.

“Cordan, it is my fault I was naked. I had been too lazy to rise after-”

“After what, Morana? What excuse does he have?”

“I was excessively sore after training, and he helped me relieve that pain.”

“By fucking you?”

“Settle brother, it was a platonic massage, nothing more,” Rowan stood in, seeing the embarrassment rise on Morana’s cheeks. “It would be none of your business regardless.”

“My apologies, Morana,” Cordan finally mumbled after a pregnant pause. “I have too much adrenaline after everything, and not enough sense. I do believe it is my watch though.” Heavy eyes fell on Rowan. He did not miss the insinuation; Cordan did not trust Rowan alone in a room with Morana right now.

“It may be, but I am not leaving her side until every inch of the castle is scoured and approved clear of other Rebels. Fetch Ronak, Feryn and Myla to help you guard her tonight. Whoever the king has chosen will likely be here soon. Fetch her something to dress in for tonight too,” Rowan ordered, his friend’s face darkening with each line. Cordan nodded, unwilling to start another fight, and excused himself from the room reluctantly.

“You two are like teenagers sometimes,” Morana remarked once Cordan had left earshot.

“It is the adrenaline. It makes anybody, even women, want to fight or fuck after a battle,” Rowan explained, looking over at Morana with heavy eyelids. He wondered how far he could have gotten before Cordan stalked in.

“Well, you will be doing neither tonight, at least not in this room.”

“That is fine, Princess. The city has many taverns where I can fulfil my needs once I am done here.” He laughed as Morana frowned. “You don’t get to deny someone and then pout when they say they will find other ways to satisfy themselves elsewhere. Unless you decide you have some claim over them. Do you want a claim over me, Morana?”

“I most certainly do not,” she spat then, heat flaring high on her cheeks.

Rowan knew he walked a very dangerous line right now but wished to push it a little further at least. He grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it gently as he looked straight into her eyes. Her wave of arousal washed over him, and he grinned up at her then. She simply stared, her beautiful pouty lips ever slightly parted, as he stood back then. He knew if he pushed it, he probably could find his pleasure there, but did not want to ruin it. Not just yet, not until she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Not until she was no longer furious at him. The uncomfortable tightness in his leathers was proof enough of just how much he wanted her right now, for the second time that night. He did not hide it as he straightened, merely chuckling as she sucked in a quick breath at the size of it within his skin-tight leather pants. The trousers had obviously not impressed her then.

Her arousal became even more pungent as he stalked into the ensuite of the room, running the bath. He heard her follow him in, arousal still wafting from her. She knew he could smell it, yet did nothing to hide it. His eyebrows rose as he tested the water, his back still to her. When he turned, she said nothing, just watched him. Her eyes flitted to his groin, then back to his face, cheeks flushing.

“Is there something else I could help you with, Princess?” He asked, leaning against the filling bath.

“You have called me that since the day you kidnapped me. You referred to me as ‘Your Highness’ just this morning. Have you known the entire time?”

That was not a line of questioning that ended in any form of sexual release. Rowan sighed.

“No, I did not know. Just a lucky coincidence. I thought you a half-fae mutt, not worth my time nor energy until I had gotten rid of the human stink on you,” Rowan replied. Hurt flashed across her face, but he did not apologise for telling the truth. Not for this anyway.

“Why do you flirt with me so incessantly? Is this just how you talk to everyone?”

The question caught him by surprise and was a far more desirable question currently. He raised his eyebrow as he replied.

“Because I want you, Morana. You are an extremely attractive woman. And for the most part, no, I don’t flirt with everyone.”

Morana seemed to falter in the doorway, stuck between pouncing on him and leaving, he was sure. But if she wasn’t sure, he did not want her to do something that could ruin what was building between them. The bath now full enough, he turned off the taps and walked over to her.

“Bathe, and rest, Morana. Cordan or I will be outside and will bring your night clothes in and place them on the bed. If you need anything, let me know. We will talk about the rest tomorrow,” Rowan said, planting a kiss on her forehead. Her eyes fluttered as his hand cupped her face, and he bit back a sigh.

He was glad to see two guards already outside the sole window to the room, and four in the hallway as he closed the door behind him. Cordan was walking up the hallway, extremely pissed, with a nightgown in hand.

“Is the threat confirmed neutralised yet?” Rowan asked one of the king’s guards. The guard confirmed, and Rowan stalked away before Cordan could catch him.

He headed for the first tavern he could find, wanting a woman to bury his cock in and not caring who she was or how much she cost.