Page 70 of Tashama
“Sire, she’s an unmarried maid of the highest royal rank. You cannot lie with her.”
“You won’t dictate to me, Carissian. You’re to advise me, nothing more.”
“Forgive me, sire.” Carissian bowed. “I’ll make the arrangements at once.”
Later that evening,Tashama was led back to the prince’s chambers, cloaked in darkness. As the black veils were removed from her face, she stared at the bed, clothed in pale blue,trimmed in gold. “This is the prince’s bedchambers,” she said to the guard.
“Yes, my lady,” the guard said.
“Where is the prince to stay?”
“I wouldn’t know, Princess.”
“Will Listra not attend to my needs tonight?”
“No one is to know you are here, my lady.”
“He’s trying to catch the thieves again.”
The guard smiled. “And he’ll be successful tonight, rest assured.”
“What am I to do?”
“My lady?”
“I’m tired, but I cannot sleep in the prince’s chambers.”
“His wish was for you to do so.”
The guard left the room, but two more stood nearby. She walked toward the pillow room, but one of the guards blocked her path. “You’re to stay in the prince’s bedchambers tonight, my lady.”
“I was going to sleep on the pillows.”
The guard stood firm.
“Very well.” Tashama returned to the prince’s bed, then pulled a blanket and two pillows from the mattress. She made a bed on the floor on the other side of the expansive room. After lying down, she soon fell asleep.
The prince smiled as he stared at his curtained bed, then walked over to it with a firm stride. Pulling aside the curtains, he furrowed his brow with concern as he found no sign of Tashama. “Guard!”
Two of the men rushed into the room while the prince waved at his bed.
“Over here,” one of the men said as he spied her sleeping across the room on the floor.
“Return her to my bed.”
The guard lifted her and laid her on the prince’s bed. She sank into the feather mattress. The prince whispered, “Leave us.” And the room was silent.
For over an hour, the prince studied her sleeping soundly as he sat in a chair nearby. The moonlight cast a shimmering light across her face, and her dark lashes fluttered with her dreams.
Finally, he took a deep breath and strode to the other side of the bed.
He pulled off his tunic, then climbed onto the mattress, and the motion made Tashama roll over to face him. He paused. Her chest rose with a gentle breath as he slipped closer to her. He reached out to touch the silky strands of golden curls, beckoning for his caress. She puckered her lips slightly. He leaned over to plant his lips against her mouth when armored boots clanked as they rushed into his room.
“Sire,” the man said, making the prince bolt from the bed.
He grabbed the knight’s arm so as not to rouse the princess and pulled him into the outer chambers. “Have you caught the thieves?”
“No, sire, the guard was nearly killed.”
