She's My Queen

Chapter 6: The Kiss

"Why not?" He whispers in my ear, "we're going to be husband and wife."

My breath hitches as he slides his arm around my waist, drawing me tight against him. He brushes his lips against my neck and I shiver. His lips move down, down, down, onto my collarbone...above my breasts... He suddenly lifts his head, bringing his lips close to mine, as if to kiss me...but pauses. He closes his eyes, sighs, and mutters under his breath, "what is wrong with me..."

For a minute, I stand there, staring at his lips, finding them oddly appealing. No. No. No. I mentally pinch myself and push him away. "What are you doing?" I demand.

He chuckles and steps out of the room. "Don't worry, princess.  Remember, this marriage is simply political."

"Great," I cross my arms. "Then we can agree on this. No more physical contact. Ever."

"I'll send the servants in to help you bathe. I'm going for a walk, but join me for breakfast later."

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"Are you alright?" Edward asks as he eyes me from across the dinning table. He takes a sip of wine, his gaze fixed on me.

"Mhhmm," I shove an entire pastry into my mouth, earning a frown from him. Ignoring him, I grab a danish and devour it whole. God, after years of eating salads to maintain my weight, I've missed real food. Noticing that my plate is now empty, I reach over and grab a strawberry tart from his plate. He raises an eyebrow.

I take a bite before looking back at him. "Oh sorry! Were you going to eat that?"

He shakes his head, seeming stunned. "I've never met a girl. No. I've never met a person who eats half as much as you," Edward pushes his plate of barely touched bread and cheese towards me.

"Thanks," I snatch a piece of cheese. "I've been starving myself since I was like five years old."

"And why is that?"

"You know. Child star and all that. Its true what they say about the camera adding ten pounds." I nibble on a piece of bread before realizing what I had just said.

"The camera does what?"

"Err..." I stare down at my plate, flustered. "The camera...is a type of...er garment. I look fat when I wear it."

"And...phone? That is a garment as well?"

"Er...Something like that." I wipe my hand on a napkin and stand up. "So when do we arrive in England?"

"Tonight."

My heart leaps. Soon I'll be able to meet this mysterious Calchantis. "What are we doing after we arrive?"

Edward shrugs. "Get married. Make a baby."

I gawk at him. "No, we're not! You said it's purely political!"

"Listen, princess," he strides over, pushing me against the wall with his body, trapping me. "Your father sighed the papers. I sent my troops. You came on this ship." He lifts one of my fingers to his lips and kisses it. I shudder. "Like it or not, you are now mine. You will not say no to me."

I suck in a sharp breath as his other hand trails down my neck, my waist and to my abdomen. "And soon, you will be carrying my heir."

I stare up at him, breathless. "But you said it's only for power. Only political," I whisper.

"Exactly," he rubs my stomach slowly, "you, my queen, shall give birth to our most precious weapon. Our key to power." He releases me, taking a step back. "And don't worry, we'll keep it political. I won't touch you again after our son is born."

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Edward disappears for the rest of the day, and I am more than fine with it. The last thing I want to do after his pushing me against the wall and delivering a shocking speech to me is to spend the day with him. God I wish I could return home now. What the hell was that about having an heir and stuff?

Rolling my eyes, I grab Catherine's diary and plop down on my bed. I close my eyes and flip to a random page.

Calchantis tells me it's too dangerous. That it will upset the balance of nature. I'm scared, but this is my only chance. To wake up in a world where no one will know me. To start a new life. It's worth the risk.

I nearly drop the diary. Did Princess Catherine plan all this? By a new life, did she mean waking up in the future as me? With my head spinning, I collapse on my bed. If Catherine had a way of transporting herself to the future, then surely there must be a way to bring me back. And this Calchantis, he must be the key to all this.