May Death Do Us Part

Melissa half glanced at the maid who was keeping a distance from her like she was some wild animal who would pounce on her and tear her limb from limb at any second.

[Tch.. even if I needed something you don’t look like you’d be willing to help me out]

“No thank you I think I’m alright for now,” Melissa responded kindly.

“Someone will be up to prepare your bath,” the maid added on, “afterwards, your lunch will be brought to your chambers.”

“Lunch will be brought here?” Melissa scoffed and walked towards her window. What? Was she not invited to dine with everyone else?

“Yes..” the maid responded, “queen’s orders.”

[But of course]

Melissa turned to look at the maid and gave her a nod, “that would be lovely, thank you.”

.....

The maid curtsied and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Melissa then walked to her bed and sat down before sighing heavily. She had been in Ervelon four hours and she already wanted to leave, she felt so uncomfortable here, so unwelcome. And the thing that disturbed her the most was that this was Gareth’s home, if him and her married she’d have to live here with him forever. Did she really have the stomach for that? Living in a place where no one wanted her?

She looked around the white room with beautiful marble floors, a high ceiling, a balcony and cozy fireplace. “Well at least the room is nice,” she muttered to herself.

*

“Your grace! My name is Ronda, I’m the queen’s right hand maiden and...”

Gareth could see that the woman was incredibly nervous for some reason. “Were you sent here by the queen to ready my bath?”

“Yes!” Ronda responded with a vigorous nod, “that and ummmh..” the woman gulped and stood up straight to face the handsome elf, “that and any other needs you may deem fit your grace.” Ronda couldn’t stop herself from blushing at the man, prince Gareth was unbelievably handsome even by elf standards. Ronda had ventured the kindom far and wide and not once had she set eyes on a man as immaculate Gareth.

“Alright..” Gareth grabbed the woman by the hand, pulled her into his room and closed the door behind him. Ronda was completely flushed at his gesture, she didn’t think he’d jump for the idea like this.

“What was your name again?”

“Ronda your grace...”

“Okay Ronda, I need you to vow loyalty to me, can you do that?”

The woman’s face lit up like stop light at the mention of those words. They hadn’t even done anything yet and he was already wanting her to be loyal to him? Did this mean that she really did have a chance with the crowned prince?

“Can you do that?” Gareth repeated himself. He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and searched her eyes, “I need someone I can trust here, can I count on you.”

The elven woman was absolutely blissful, she was a bit hesitant about approaching the prince when the queen had suggested it because of how dotting he was with the nosferatu woman. But now she could see that she really did have a chance with him. “Of course your grace, I pledge my undying loyalty to you, I will never betray your trust.”

“Great!” The prince exclaimed with a wide smile, “now Ronda I want you to do something for me, and no one needs to know about it alright. It will be our little secret.”

The woman nodded enthusiastically without hesitation, “Anything your grace!”

“I want you to fill my bath up with lots of nice hot water, enough for two,” Gareth instructed her.

“For two...?” The woman’s throat went dry, did he want them to bathe together already? Gosh this was moving so fast, but she wasn’t complaining. The woman blushed at the thought of being naked in a bath with Gareth.

“You do that, and I’ll be right back alright?”

“Of course your grace, right away!”

The woman made her way to the separate room that had a sunken inbuilt bath and used her magic to fill it with water. Gareth walked out of the room into the hallway and began to walk towards where he had seen the maid lead Melissa. He couldn’t wait to hold her soft body against his in a nice hot bath, gods he missed her touch so much.

Melissa was sitting leisurely on the edge of her bed watching the beautiful scenery from her window when she heard someone calling her name from the hallway.

“Mel? Are you here?”

“Gary..?”

She slid off the silky white sheets of the bed and walked to her door, when she opened it she saw the elven prince sneaking around the hallway. “Gareth what are you-”

The man pulled the woman into his arms and hugged her tightly, but before he could kiss her, Melissa pulled him into her sleeping chambers and closed the door behind her. “What are you doing sneaking around?”

“Lets go talk about that in my room,” the prince responded slyly. He wrapped his arm around Melissa’s tiny waist and pulled her close. “What do you say?” The look that prince Gareth had in his eyes was one Melissa had seen befor me, he had that same look when he was intoxicated with wine and had humphed her, and when they were taking a bath at the river in Lenora. There was no doubt about it, Gareth was aroused and that made Melissa blush.

She placed her delicate hands on his bulging biceps and shook her head, “I don’t know if you heard this, but your mother doesn’t want us being in the same room.”

“I know,” the man whispered, he lowered his head and gave Melissa’s soft lips a sweet quick kiss. “She doesn’t have to know.”

The woman raised one brow at the smirking man, “you want to sneak me into your room? What if someone sees us?”

“They won’t,” the man responded, his voice was already laced with desire. He tightened his grip on her waist and cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand before pulling her into a deep kiss that left knots in Mel’s stomach. When he pulled away they were both looking at each other longingly. “You know you need this as much as I do..”

The redhead bit down on her lower lip to hide her smile. It had been a long and rough journey with a lot of tension and stress, and she knew this man would help melt it all away. “Okay.”

Gareth’s eyes flashed purple for a quick second and he gave her another kiss after which he held her hand and led her to the door. He opened it slowly and peaked out to make sure no one was approaching before both of them crept out of the room, tiptoeing towards the prince’s chambers. Melissa felt so naughty sneaking around like this and it made her feel a little excited, Gareth always found a way to bring out her inner child.

Meanwhile back in Gareth’s chambers, Ronda had just finished warming the water and scattering red rose petals in and around the tub. She had also taken the liberty of placing scented oils and ointments beside the bath that she would use to soothe the prince’s skin.

When the maiden heard Gareth’s door open, she hurriedly stood up and made her way to meet him, but was surprised to see him walking in hand in hand with the red haired nosferatu woman. “Umm your grace.. your bath is ready so maybe your guest can-”

“Excellent Ronda I knew I could count on you,” he closed the door and made the woman seat comfortably on the bed. The way he was so gentle with her and how he looked at her with so much adoration made Ronda’s heart ache.

The prince turned to the elf maiden and gave her a grateful smile, “I’ll make sure to call you if Mel and I need anything, I owe you one Ronda.”

Ronda’s eyes circled and her chest tightened. So the bath for two he was talking about was for him and that woman?! So he had never even been interested in her to begin with?!

“Ummh Ronda?” The man repeated himself to the woman who seemed frozen.

“Y- Yes your grace?”

“Will you please excuse us?” The man asked in the most polite way he could, but the words still shattered the maiden’s heart.

“O- of course your grace..”

The woman walked slowly out the door, her face as pale as a ghoul. Before the prince slammed the door behind her he whispered, “remember this is our little secret.”

Ronda felt like throwing up when the door slammed shut behind her. She felt so humiliated and stupid. How could the prince do this to her? She was beautiful, she was smart and she was an elf, someone of his kind. Why would he choose a woman like Melissa? She was of a different a race, a blood sucking, vile evil race! She wouldn’t even be able to bare him children to succeed the throne! What spell had this woman cast on their crowned prince?!