22. Cora
Cora
“I have a declaration to make,” I announce to the princes, who stand before me in a room not far from my chambers.
I would not have minded speaking to them there, but this sitting room will give the appearance of propriety, though I do not have a chaperone.
If everything goes as I wish it to, then this will not matter once I am married.
“But my father tells me you have not reconciled.”
Tension suffocates the room. Neither man will look at the other.
None of us sit. Instead we stand in front of shelves of ancient books and with the dim light from the candles and the moon rising, harsh shadows cast down on their faces.
The scars Casen bears are more visible than I’ve ever seen them.
And I only wish to cup his jaw, offer him a kiss and then kiss his brother.
Tugging at the sleeve of my dress, I refuse the urge.
“Princess Cora,” Jasper begins. “We will respect whatever decisions you make, but I must apologize for the way—”
“Have you reconciled?” I interrupt, too nervous to care if I’m being rude. “Or are you only saying you’ll respect my decision because you don’t wish to cause a scandal?”
Jasper clenches his jaw, just as my heart does at the sight of them. “We say that because we respect you, princess. Not for any other reason.”
“Very well.” I stand up taller in my spot by the window.
“Because I also respect you and…feel for you both, I will apologize first. I should have told you both that I had seen another man within the hours of seeing each other. I do not believe it was wrong for me to find pleasure, but…I should have been more forthright.”
“Princess,” Jasper says and I stop him from continuing by raising my hand.
“But you have not been honest with me either.”
The princes exchange a glance, then look back at me.
“I’ve heard from my father,” I continue, “that there is another reason both of you are here.”
I look Jasper in the eye. His cheeks go red, but he does not flinch away.
“There is,” Jasper admits. “I meant to tell you in the garden, before—” At Jasper’s side, Casen shifts his weight. “It does not matter now. The truth, princess, is that I am not able to conceive children.”
Hearing the weight of agony in his tone breaks my heart. For the kingdoms to continue, heirs are required.
My father hinted as much during our brief conversation, but my stomach clenches with sorrow for Jasper. There is pain in his eyes as he speaks the words.
“It is important that I have an heir to carry my crown when I am gone,” he says. “The fate of my kingdom rests upon this. So we had discussed—we had thought it might be possible, with the right queen, to—”
“You wanted me to have your brother’s child, instead of yours?”
Casen nods. Jasper does not say anything to correct him. My heart races. It is obviously a topic of such pain, but the idea of it is thrilling to me.
“Is it not unfair to expect that of your brother, to have a child the kingdom would not know was his own?” I ask Jasper softly. “And I think it is unfair to expect that of me, to bed another man without having feelings for him. Was that your intention?”
“Not entirely,” the prince speaks quickly. “We extend our sincere apologies to you, Princess,” says Jasper. “I extend them personally as well. We had not exactly known the manner in which—”
I cut him off once again, my nerves rattling. “I accept your apology, and now I will tell you my wishes.”
Jasper nods to me. Both men straighten, as if they think I might deliver a blow with a sword.
“My heart belongs to both of you,” I say, my voice trembling. “That is the truth. I have found pleasure with each of you. I have found companionship as well. I know it is not conventional, but I do not wish to decide between you. I wish to have you both as my husbands.”
Jasper
For a moment, I cannot make sense of Cora’s words. Both of us? Such a thing is not possible.
Princess Cora is flushed and beautiful by the fire, and faces us with her chin up.
“Both of us,” I repeat. “Both of us in your bed?”
“And as my husbands.” Cora takes a deep breath.
“I am to be queen of two kingdoms. I wish to be an honest queen. I do not wish to bed one man and be the wife of another. I do not wish to come between you. If one must be in secret…so be it. But no secrets between us. And a true ceremony is desired.” She blushes harder at the innuendo she has just made.
“I have come to know you both, as much as I can in such a short time, and I know what you mean to each other. If you will accept it, I would have you both.”
I turn to my brother. Casen looks at Cora for a moment longer, then turns to face me. I can tell that he does not trust this good fortune.
“I’m sorry, Casen,” I murmur, and offer him my hand.
He puts his hand to his chest, silently offering his own apology, then clasps my hand back.
I do not know which one of us pulls the other in for an embrace, but we do.
The hug is short-lived, but the healing in the gesture is not.
We do not need to speak the mutual understanding aloud.
If this is what the princess wants, she shall get it.
“Now please,” Cora says. “Please, come to me. I can’t stand it any longer.” Her small plea is spoken with a touch of playfulness. One I’ve come to fall weak for.
She is ours.
I know what we have just agreed to, but as Casen and I cross the sitting room to Cora, it does not feel that it can possibly be this simple. It is only a matter of steps, but all the while I wait for Cora to laugh or perhaps change her mind.
She does not. The princess holds her arms out to both of us, and we wrap our arms around her, standing together for a few moments, saying nothing.
It is Casen who takes her chin in his hand and tips her face up for a kiss—but not to himself.
To me.
Then I thread my fingers through Cora’s hair and kiss her deeply. Her lips mold to mine and the small hum of devotion is everything I’ve needed in the past few hours.
Her body melts against mine, though I can feel herself press against Casen.
When Cora comes up for breath, Casen takes his turn.
My body is beginning to get over the shock of what’s happened. My cock hardens, and when Cora looks up at me again, I can see the same desire written on her face.
Quickly enough, we have removed her outer gown, and the three of us sink to the soft rug before the fire.
Casen
We don’t have time to give Princess Cora all the pleasure she desires. That is my only regret. As she kisses me, then turns to my brother, already panting, I am too lost in this victory.
I do not know how it is three people can be wed. I only know that if Princess Cora wishes it to be done, then it will be. It also feels as if this is what the Fates have planned for us. Why else would our entanglement have occurred?
I was not rejected.
Neither was Jasper.
And we both have fallen for her. I do not mind being wed in secret. But not from my brother.
It’s a strange feeling, that neither of the things I anticipated have come to pass. I had thought one of us would win, and one of us would lose. Now, on the rug with Cora, I’m beginning to see that there is yet another way.
I kiss the princess while Jasper slides his hand up her linen underdress. Her soft lips mold to mine. I part them gently with my tongue and enjoy the warmth of her mouth as I listen to my brother ensure she’s ready to take the both of us.
“So wet,” he says softly, and Cora arches on his fingers. While he touches her, I dip my hand into her collar and find the soft swells of her breasts. Her nipples rise to my touch.
And then, as I feel bolder, I move my hand under her underdress with my brother’s.
I find his fingers slicked with her pleasure, and as he pumps them inside her, I find her clit and begin to rub.
Her soft cries of pleasure and the way her head lulls back is everything to me.
I love the sight of her in the candlelight.
I love how together, we can show her the true pleasure she deserves.
Cora orgasms on both of our fingers, moaning against my lips.
We cannot spend all night in this sitting room.
We must give her more. Jasper lies on his back on the rug, undoing his pants, and I position Cora over him.
I move behind her, nudging his legs out of the way, and help her to ride him.
I slick up my cock with spit as well, my pants open, and rut against her ass until I come, Cora orgasming for the second time and Jasper lost in his pleasure.
“I need more of this,” Cora whimpers. “But we must—”
I kiss the side of her neck.
“We must finish our courtship,” Jasper says. “We must announce our engagement.”