After accepting the congratulations and false smiles of several ambassadors, including the wily Haviettenese one, William returned to the high table and took his seat next to the most beautiful girl in the room. She was sitting straight and tall in her chair, but William could tell she was ill at ease with being the evening’s centre of attention.
Camilla’s fragile appearance worried him. He wondered if she was struggling to process the rapid change of events of the last several days. Counting back quickly, William realised, to his astonishnt, that it had only been a week since he had stumbled on Camilla and her ladies bathing in the creek. They hadn’t even been on speaking terms then and now they were betrothed.
Lord, I hope I can make her happy, he thought to himself. I hope I can be a good husband.
More than anything, William longed for the two of them to be able to hide away for a while, away from the prying eyes of the king and court. The monts when the two of were simply able to talk and quietly enjoy each other’s company, had been few and far between.
The frantic schedule would likely continue for the next few weeks though, culminating in the wedding itself. There would be official events to attend, dinners and balls, jousts and tournants to celebrate yet another royal union. He rembered the frenzy of events that had been held to celebrate Tom’s wedding a few months ago. Just thinking about them made him want to groan with exhaustion.
But William knew it was unavoidable. He was part of the great monster that was the Royal House of Devon and he knew he was required to play his part in public, whether he liked it or not. In fact, one of the ambassadors had even comnted that the queen was very excited about the nuptials. She had said she was determined to oversee a series of spectacular events to mark the last of her children to marry. If he wanted to have the bride of his choice, William knew he needed to play by Their Majesties’ rules.
Accepting the inevitable, he waved a servant over and served two slices of venison in red wine sauce onto Camilla’s plate.
"Eat." he instructed her firmly.
Camilla opened her mouth as if to protest but thought better of it. He watched as she cut herself a small piece and chewed it, then another. Once she finished, he placed so of his bread on her plate.
"Is this going to beco a habit of yours? To feed relentlessly?" Camilla looked a little alard.
"You’ll need all your energy for what’s ahead. And before your wanton little mind goes there," William remarked primly, "I was referring to the celebrations that Their Majesties will be holding in our honour over the next three months. Nothing more."
Camilla blushed and aid a kick at his shin under the table as he laughed.
- - -
As always, there was dancing after the dinner plates were cleared. William was glad that tonight at least, no man dared interrupt them by asking to cut in and sweep Camilla away. He was in no mood to be polite.
As they danced, he realised there was so much he still didn’t know about her and he was intensely curious. What was her favourite food? How old was she when she first wielded a sword? What mories did she have of her mother?
She looked up at him as if she could read his thoughts and smiled. "What’s making you look so puzzled?"
He suddenly felt a wave of sothing akin to shyness, which struck him as ridiculous. He’d never put much stock in won’s opinions of him or worried about offending them. But he truly wanted Camilla to think well of him, to never regret her decision to marry him.
William hesitated and then said, "I guess it’s just dawning on how much is still unknown between the two of us and yet here we are. I don’t even know your birthday."
Camilla laughed, the sound delighting him. "It’s the seventeenth day of April. And you can ask whatever you like, William. Any other night but tonight, though. It has been a very long day and I’m almost dead on my feet."
He looked down at her sleepy eyes and pouty lips, feeling the blood start rushing to his groin. "You’re right. We have the rest of our lives to get to know everything about each other." William replied with quiet satisfaction.
When the tune ended, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I’ll walk you back to your room. I won’t even try and convince you to let stay the night." He winked at her. She elbowed his ribs.
After accompanying Camilla back to her apartnts, he kissed her long and hard outside her presence chamber doors until they were both breathless. "I wish I could stay tonight, but it’s impossible." he murmured as he kissed her neck. With a reluctant final kiss, he watched her disappear through the doors.
William was at a loss over what to do. He was aching to spend the night with her, and not even to make love again. He just wanted to lie next her while she slept and look upon her flawless young face.
Twitching with restlessness, William instead sauntered back to the main hall where several of his friends and acquaintances were still slouched around a table, downing ale. Any hope of a peaceful end to the evening vanished the mont he sat down, when Prince Thomas turned to him abruptly.
"How’d you do it, Will? Tell ! How’d you get royal approval to marry the Princess of Moraigth?"
William accepted the cup of ale Robin handed him. "You were there, Tom. You heard His Majesty. There are plenty of advantages to an alliance with King Kenneth. For one, it’ll help secure our northern border-"
The n at the table started guffawing and shaking their heads. Thomas rolled his eyes. "Enough with that irrelevant shit. I’m trying to imagine what you had to promise in order to win such a prize."
"I didn’t have to sell my soul to the devil, if that’s what you’re asking . The king simply wants to use the wedding alliance to extend his dominance over Kenneth." William took a slow gulp of ale. "If my beloved uncle didn’t see any benefit for himself, he wouldn’t have given approval, no matter what I said. You know we’re all rely pieces on a chessboard to him."
"Well, you’re a lucky man, my lord." One of the n slurred. "The princess has drawn many eyes to her but her reputation has remained unsullied. That we know of, at least."
William gave him a frigid stare. "Be very careful how you speak of my future wife."
An awkward silence settled over the group. The sa knight spoke again after a few monts, trying to dispel the tension. "Shall we visit the Sumr Lotus then, my lord? To celebrate your good fortune?"
"What a good idea!" exclaid a second knight, equally drunk. "Such a sha Sir Bentworth isn’t here to join us, though. He has always enjoyed being part of these little outings."
William stood up, suddenly in a sullen mood. "I’m going to bed. I have no appetite for going whoring with you all."
"Are you sure, Your Grace? Three months is a long ti to wait, no matter how pretty a chit might be-" the knight’s voice was choked off by William’s sudden grip around the collar of his tunic.
"I warned you earlier." William’s voice was a quiet growl, his grip tightening as the panicked man’s face turned purple. "Speak about my betrothed that way again and I’ll cut you open from throat to belly." He unclenched his fist and walked away, hearing the man cough and splutter for air behind him.
William wandered aimlessly until he realised his feet had led him to the base of the main keep. He smiled wryly to himself when he realised where he was and knocked on the door.
"Co in," he heard the voice on the other side of the heavy door.
William stepped inside and shut the door behind him, his nose wrinkling at the acrid sll of burning herbs. The old man thumbing through a book peered up at him.
"Good evening, my young lord. What brings you here at this late hour?"
"I’m not ready to sleep yet but everyone seems to be getting on my wrong side..." William shrugged. "I think this might be the only part of the castle where I can find a little peace and quiet."
Tession indicated a timber stool and William sat down. The ti passed in companionable silence, the only sound the occasional turn of a page.
Eventually, Tession raised his head. "Are you finally happy then, William?"
"Yes." William replied with simple honesty.
The two n smiled at each other for a mont, before Tession resud his reading.
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