The Princess and the Bard (Royals of the Realms #1)

Epilogue: How Vicious Cycles Begin

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Where are you going?" 

Taelan grabbed Alori's waist as she slid toward the edge of the bed.

Bright morning light winked through the cracks in the dark curtains on the opposite wall. They were in their new apartments, which had once belonged to her parents. Alori still felt strange occupying the space, particularly the bedchamber where she and her siblings had been conceived, but the king had paid to have the rooms redesigned as a gift to the newlyweds. It would have been rude to refuse such a kind, expensive gesture.

Taelan pulled her backward into his chest, rubbing his nose through her hair until he found her soft, yielding skin. 

Alori sighed, turning into his arms. "Don't you remember? I'm going to Ville-Tokki today to see Hira."

"Oh, I'd forgotten. Am I not invited?" 

He was adorable when he pouted, his eyes lazy with sleep. Alori smiled. 

"I think she might feel more comfortable talking to me alone, if you don't mind." 

She kissed him as if she hadn't just tried to sneak off without his noticing, dragging her teeth across his lower lip. Taelan's hand slid up her side, his fingertips grazing her breast, the dimple in his cheek peeking out beside the turned up edge of his lip.

"It's fine," he whispered. 

Alori leaned into his touch. "You're not making it easy to get ready." 

"No, I'm not." His drowsy half-smile broadened into a wicked grin. His hands came down on either side of her head, and a moment later he was straddling her hips.

Oh for the goddesses' sake, she didn't have time for this folly. Today's schedule was already getting away from her.

Except she did have the time, she really did.

How many times was this now? Alori had lost count. All she knew for certain was that the number had eclipsed once a week for six months, and then some. It hadn't taken nearly as long as she'd expected.

"I just want my wife all to myself a little while longer." 

Well, then...

Alori surrendered herself to the inevitable, their bodies finding a shared rhythm, a composition of taste and touch and tenderness. It was a short song, but she wasn't complaining. After last night, she hadn't expected he'd want her again so soon.

"Now I really have to get cleaned up." She climbed off the bed in a couple of well orchestrated movements, then bent down and gave Taelan one final kiss and a slap on the bottom before slipping away to the washroom.

♪♫♪

The ride to Ville-Tokki took a few hours. Kors and one of the other paladins, a man with dark features and a blinding smile, were her only company for the trip. She'd gotten to know Kors a little over the past month, so she made small talk by asking after his wife and young family living in Upper Topaz. Otherwise she didn't know what to say, which left an awkward silence stretching out between them along the winding country road.

Alori didn't like leaving Taelan behind. They were rarely apart these days, and she felt uneasy without him beside her. Since their wedding, he'd attended each council meeting with her, regardless of how menial. He'd even joined her in sitting for the court, hearing the grievances and requests of the citizens. Thankfully, nothing of grave consequence had happened since the breach in Ville-Tokki. There were always miscreants and the whisper of rogue mages but, by and large, things had been quiet.