The Crown Prince started to sit on the mounting block, then examined it more closely and frowned. He removed a gold lace handkerchief from his inner cape pocket and spread it fastidiously over the dirty wooden block before sitting gingerly.
“I shall wait for you here,” he said again. “But don’t be long—I’m not accustomed to waiting.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Elli bowed quickly and took Demon by the halter. “Come on, sweet boy,” she told him. “I think I promised you some sweet biscuits and krispers so let’s get you unsaddled and settled down.”
Forty-Five
By the time Elli had locked the heavy jeweled saddle back in its special case and given Demon a quick rub-down, she was completely exhausted. She left the huge zorel contentedly munching the pile of krispers she had given him and shut the heavy stall door securely behind him.
Demon’s stall was reinforced in order to keep him in—otherwise he doubtless would have kicked the door down and escaped long ago. Because of the weight of the door, the latch was stiff and tricky to get right. Elli spent a moment fiddling with it, trying to make it latch securely. She almost had it when a heavy hand fell on her shoulder and someone spun her around.
“Oh!” Elli gasped. Looking up, (though not very far, since he wasn’t much taller than her) she saw it was the Crown Prince who had grabbed her.
“Did I not tell you to hurry, girl?” he demanded, glaring at her. Grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her out of the stables. “I’m not accustomed to waiting, you know!”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” Elli exclaimed, stumbling after him. She was flustered by the quick trip from Demon’s stall to the outside of the stables. “I just had to see to Demon—he worked hard for you today, you know. I couldn’t leave him without at least a quick rubdown!”
“As to that, I wouldn’t mind a ‘quick rubdown’ myself.” The Crown Prince leered at her. Then he grabbed her hand and put it on the meager bulge under his golden breeches.
“Ugh!” Elli made a face and yanked her hand away. All her honeyed words of flattery deserted her and she could only demand, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What I’ve been doing is sitting out here with my cock as stiff as a tree branch waiting for you to finish with that big brute so I could fuck you!” he snapped. “But you have the nerve to keep your Monarch waiting!”
“What are you talking about? You said you’d wait for me to give me a piece of the Lattice!” Elli exclaimed, staring at him. “You said that I would earn it by helping you make a good showing in the Grand Parade today.”
“I said nothing of the sort,” the Crown Prince said coolly. “I said that if we made a good show in the parade today, you would earn a chance to earn a piece of the Healing Lattice. Which you have and your chance is here—I will fuck you now so that you may earn the Lattice. So pull up your skirts and let’s get on with it!”
“No!” Elli gasped, when he reached for her again. “I won’t do that, no matter what you say!”
“You will too, you little whore!” The Crown Prince’s flat face turned an ugly shade of purple. “I saw how eager you were to take your lover’s cock last night.” He leaned forward, taking Elli by the throat before she could get away. “Only think how much more you’ll enjoy being plowed by a royal cock, my dear,” he purred, shoving his face into hers.
His breath smelled like rotten eggs, making Elli want to gag—but she could barely breathe with his fingers wrapped around her throat.
“Help!” she gasped, trying to push back from him. “Someone help me!”
But her voice came out weak and soft and anyway, as she looked around, Elli realized that all the grooms and stable hands who had been around just a little while ago were now gone.
“I sent the servants away, my dear,” the Crown Prince murmured, giving her an ugly smile. “I prefer to take my pleasure in private sometimes—does that surprise you?”
“Leave…me…alone!” Elli gasped. Things might look hopeless, but she hadn’t been raised with four older brothers for nothing—ever protective, they had taught her how to defend herself.
Putting her hands to her throat where the Tenebrian monarch was holding her, she managed to grab one of his fingers and bend it sharply backwards.
“Ouch!” the Crown Prince yelped and jerked his hand away. “How dare you lay a finger on my royal person?” he demanded, shaking his wounded hand.
“Well, you were laying more than a finger on me!” Elli pointed out, backing away towards Demon’s stall. She hoped the Crown Prince wouldn’t follow her further into the abandoned stables, but His Majesty was clearly used to getting what he wanted and unfortunately what he wanted right now was her. He followed, glaring at Elli.