The Princess and The Warrior: Older Man Younger Woman Short Romance Read online

  The Princess and the Warrior

  Older Man, Younger Woman Short Romance

  By Haley Travis

  Copyright 2020 Haley Travis. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted or duplicated in any form whatsoever without express written permission of the author. This book is intended for sale to adults only. This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people or specific locations or details is completely coincidental, or intended fictitiously. All characters are over 18, no sex partners are related, all sex is consensual. This is fantasy. In the real world, everyone practices safe sex at all times. Right? Right.

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  ***

  CONTENTS

  Chapter One ~ Althea

  Chapter Two ~ Trax

  Chapter Three ~ Althea

  Chapter Four ~ Trax

  Chapter Five ~ Althea

  Chapter Six ~ Trax

  Chapter Seven ~ Althea

  Chapter Eight ~ Trax

  Chapter Nine ~ Althea

  Chapter Ten ~ Trax

  Chapter Eleven ~ Althea

  Chapter Twelve ~ Trax

  Chapter Thirteen ~ Althea

  Chapter Fourteen ~ Trax

  Chapter Fifteen ~ Althea

  Chapter Sixteen ~ Trax

  Epilogue ~ Althea

  Other Stories and About the Author

  Author’s Note:

  I write contemporary romance. This book shouldn’t exist. But after I wrote Owned by Pirates in March 2020, the idea for an Untouched Princess story popped into my head. I took a few notes, then tried to put it aside, yet the idea kept bouncing back. I think that every now and then, a writer should create a story simply because it amuses them. I hope that you like it too.

  Please also note that this book is NOT accurate to any particular historical time. Not even close.

  1

  _____

  Althea

  The rolling green fields, beautiful white farmhouses, and glittering blue river all looked so lovely from my arched stone window. Hundreds of people were going about their everyday lives down there. The butcher, the baker, and the little old woman at the foot of the hill who made beeswax candles.

  I could see them all from the window of my colossal bedroom at the west corner of my father's castle as I turned the antique porcelain cup in my hand, sipping the herbal tea I preferred to the more customary hot water with a spot of milk.

  Someday I hoped to walk among the people, and get to know a few of them. It would be wonderful to have a real conversation with someone who wasn’t terrified to look at me the wrong way. I imagined throwing my arms around someone in a genuine hug while we were sharing a laugh over a glass of mead in the pub.

  It must be joyous to be touched like a regular person. To be free to touch others. What a wild freedom ordinary people had. Alas, those were only dreams that wouldn’t come true for me for a few years, at least.

  Faresha and Lani, my two ladies-in-waiting, burst in the door before I could get lost in my usual late afternoon daydreams.

  “Princess Althea,” Faresha sang out merrily. I turned to see her holding out a very fancy white dress. “We must prepare you for a presentation in the throne room.”

  Different ladies-in-waiting had come and gone over time. These two had been with me for the past four years, since I turned fifteen , and were in fact the daughters of my mother’s ladies. It used to be simple for me to dress once they’d laid out whatever was deemed appropriate for that day, but things were different now. When I turned nineteen a few months ago, I was required to wear the more complicated, elaborate dresses of an adult lady of the court.

  It was incredibly tricky for the three of us to get me in and out of the enormous dresses without anyone touching me.

  I’d heard that some customs were quite different in various lands across the realm. But here, a high-born woman could not be touched between her fifth birthday and her wedding ceremony, except in an extreme emergency.

  I recalled that when I was ten, I cut my leg on a sharp rock. The doctor showed me how to bandage myself instead of cleaning the wound for me. I didn’t really care if he touched me or not. I was so upset and scared that all I wanted was a hug from my mother.

  But that would never have crossed her mind. She didn’t seem particularly interested in being a mother. She simply obeyed the King’s commands, did her royal duties, then hid in her bedchamber doing needlepoint and gossiping with her ladies-in-waiting.

  “What is today’s occasion?” I asked, knowing that the ladies always knew far more about the castle’s workings than I ever did. “Not another boring dinner where I’m expected to socialize with the elders, I hope.”

  Lani was bent over, straightening the hem of my skirt, and shot Faresha a glance. “Perhaps your father should explain things, your highness,” she said gently.

  That was strange. Usually, I was exceptionally well-prepared in advance for all events. If there were traveling dignitaries, I was given their names, and a list of topics to discuss, and often a list to avoid.

  Perhaps this was a last-minute affair, such as a simple dinner with one of my father’s extremely wealthy friends. I was often paraded around at those functions. Apparently, people needed to be reminded that since the King’s first daughter was married, his second daughter was now the ultimate prize. If they followed his every command and gave enough lavish gifts to the palace and his court, there was a tiny chance that one of their sons could win my hand.

  There was no chance of that for at least another few years. Although the age to be wed was technically nineteen, my sister was not betrothed until she was twenty-one. Father had taken his time finding a suitable match that was both a good strategic alliance for the realm, and that my sister Maggera truly liked.

  Not just liked. My sister was lucky enough to have fallen in love with her husband Arnon, and recently shared that she was expecting their third child.

  After the ladies had fixed my dress, and I had styled my hair according to their directions, I left my bedchamber. As I left the room two tall soldiers snapped to attention, and they escorted me to the throne room without a word.

  Usually, I strolled around the castle freely. With a heavy heart, I wondered if the battle in the south was going poorly and if we were in some sort of danger. But my spirits lifted the moment I saw the white and gold celebration bunting swirling around the rafters of the throne room. A crowd of soldiers, dignitaries, and various nobles was gathered, watching the King intently.

  The Queen sat almost motionless beside my father, wearing her official blue robes. She waved me over to stand beside her, as I quickly glanced at the three men standing before the thrones. They were rough, dusty from their travels, and all wearing the leather and steel armor that marked them as our most ferocious fighters.

  “Finally,” my father announced, his deep voice booming through the vast room. “General, you may proceed.”

  The oldest of the three men stepped forward. “Thank you, your majesty.”

  I stood still beside my mother’s throne as the general proceeded to speak at length about the bloody battle in the south. Many wandering hunters had banded together with the kingdom of Skrinton , and had tried to breach our walls, killing several of our soldiers in the process. We would have all been in peril, he explained, were it not for the fast, quick swordsmanship and incredible bravery of Trax Varanger.

  My eyes fell upon the warrior that he gestured to. He was absolutely barbaric, with unkempt black hair and monstrous shoulders. Handsome, perhaps, if he were a more reasonable size, and without the gashes along his forearm. A ragged scar traced the edge of his jaw. His left hand was bleeding slightly through his bandages.

  I’d spent my entire life surrounded by refined, educated, elegant men of the royal court. This man was...savage. The way he was staring at me so intensely was terrifying. Yet as I took another careful look, his deep blue eyes weren’t vicious. They were almost kind. His full lips pulled up in a slight smile as he stared back at me.

  I watched as my father stood, stroking his salt and pepper beard. “Step forward, Trax Varanger.”

  Even though my father was slightly elevated on the platform, they were nearly eye to eye. “I shall give you the highest honor I have to bestow. To reward you for being our kingdom’s fiercest warrior, you will now be a member of the royal family, bound to this throne. I give you my daughter Althea’s hand in marriage.”

  My heart stopped as my eyes dropped to the warrior’s bloody hand. I felt the entire room full of people turn to stare at me, as all of the air in my body seemed to dissolve away. The swish of the ladies’ skirts, and the slight murmurs of surprise, circled the room.

  I was being given as a reward, a prize , to the giant brute. Not only would he be the first person to touch me since I was a child, he’d be the one to...take me...at the consummation ceremony. I wasn’t so naive that I didn’t know what that was all about.

  The lights grew dim and the floor began to wobble. The voices around me grew quieter as the stones of the floor shot upward toward my face.

  2

  _____

  Trax
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  This was the proudest day of my life. Although I was still nursing many deep bruises, sword gashes on my forearms, and a possible chipped bone or two, I had led our army to victory, conquering the evil kingdom of Skrinton for good. Or hopefully, for at least the next decade. And now I was receiving an audience with my King.

  An hour ago, when my general dragged me to the palace to receive my commendation, I expected a medal, or perhaps an ornamental sword. Instead, my general had pulled me into a quiet meeting where we were informed that the King was giving me the hand of his youngest daughter in marriage as a token of his thanks.

  Although I had heard that the King’s daughter had turned nineteen, I didn’t think that he would be betrothing her so quickly. And certainly not to a warrior. One would assume that her hand would go to a member of a neighboring royal family, or at the very least a noble, someone with an elevated position.

  As she had entered the room, it was as if an ethereal light shone around her. Her creamy, slightly olive skin, full, sweet lips, and deep brown eyes all made me feel tight and awkward through my stomach.

  Admiring her from afar was a secret hobby of every soldier. Nobody dared speak of the lust we all felt if we were lucky enough to have her pass by us. The idea of dishonoring her in any way was unthinkable.

  Yet now I was being given her hand in marriage, and expected to perform the consummation ceremony.

  Looking over to Althea as the news was announced, her hands fluttered frantically as she looked over to me. Her eyes half closed as her mouth fell open, then she pitched forward, fainting dead away.

  In a blink, I lurched awkwardly to catch her, laying her at her horrified mother’s feet. Guilt flashed through me as I realized how terribly I had just broken royal protocol. Female royals are never touched until they are wed.

  “A thousand apologies, your Majesty, but I couldn’t allow the Princess to break her nose on her wedding day. With your permission, may I carry her to the window for some fresh air?”

  The tight-lipped woman nodded, and I gently carried my bride-to-be to the furthest window.

  “Princess, can you hear me?” I murmured.

  She began to stir, and I brought my lips to her ear. “Please, be still. I won’t harm you. This will be the only chance we have to talk before the ceremony.”

  “Hmm?” Her eyes fluttered open, then I felt her body tense in my arms.

  “Please, just listen. When I was invited here by the King to claim a prize for my victory in battle, I expected some trinket, not a beautiful wife. I’m just as shocked as you are. Yet we cannot break tradition. I’m sorry, I know you likely expected a very different husband. All I can promise you is that I’ll try my best to care for you .”

  Her hand reached up and her fingertips traced the scar on my jaw. “Did that hurt?” She was obviously still dazed, yet it warmed my heart that her first thought was worry for a stranger.

  “Yes, m’lady, but that’s nothing. My only concern now is for your comfort.”

  My hand stroked gently along her back as she wriggled against my touch. It was hard to imagine never having shaken someone’s hand, or not hugging anyone for the past fourteen years. She was clearly enjoying being held, even if it was just by a lowly commoner such as myself.

  Her dark, soulful eyes looked up at me as her luscious lips fell open. “Oh my. After the wedding. The, ah...ceremony...”

  I held her close as she shuddered. “I’ve already thought of a plan, your highness. But you’re going to have to trust me.” Placing her feet on the ground, I kept a hand on her back to steady her. “This entire matter will go more smoothly if you try to relax, and pretend to be happy about it.”

  She nodded. “Very well.” Her eyes closed for a moment as she took a slow breath. Then she looked up at me sadly. “I’ve always hated it when huge groups of people are staring at me, especially at official ceremonies.”

  “That can’t be helped right now. But I should tell you,” I leaned in to whisper in her ear, “you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. If you’ll forgive me for saying so, the only reason I didn’t faint myself when I saw you was that I had to catch you.”

  Her laughter rang through the room, and I looked up to see the King beckon us. Releasing my hold on her, I took a step back. “Let’s get married, your highness.”

  She nodded, swallowed hard, then walked with me to the front of the room.

  The crowd at the chapel was enormous. Mounted knights, the entire royal guard, and every wealthy citizen in the land filed into the small building. Those for whom there was no room inside hovered around outside.

  Luckily, the ceremony was short. Yet I could tell from the lusty glances of the seven elders that they were looking forward to the consummation ceremony.

  As far as I knew, only this realm continued the barbaric practice of the bride being taken for the first time in front of the elders. Their supervision was supposed to bring peace, blessings, and fertility upon the new couple, but all I could think was that it must be humiliating for the bride.

  It was terrible enough to be married off to a stranger, but to my mind having such an intimate moment in front of others was absolutely cruel. Surely no young maiden would wish to be tied to the ceremonial post and deflowered in front of older men, especially when she’d just met her husband moments ago.

  I had made a special request to the King the second I found out we were to be wed, and prayed that he would grant us this one tiny modification for his daughter.

  3

  _____

  Althea

  The knowledge that so many eyes were on me caused my vision to blur and my breathing to stutter. Somehow I managed to walk down the aisle on my father’s arm without tripping or fainting. A slight current of anger ran through me from the way he so easily traded my life in thanks for the security of the kingdom. I’d have to think more about that later. Right now I needed my full concentration to slide one foot in front of the other.

  My friends were all giving me strange glances, likely wondering if I’d be able to go through with both ceremonies. As a subject, I had to obey the King, even if I was his daughter. I obviously had no choice.

  There was a rumor that a bride refused once, and she was thrown in the dungeon for a month before being set free.

  Although a Princess would likely be locked in her room instead of the dungeon, my main concern was my family’s reputation. As the youngest daughter, I was considered a special prize. This warrior must have saved our entire army if I was being given to him. There was no way I could dishonor the traditions, even if they were grossly unjust.

  The ritual of the elders’ blessing was to ensure that a child would result from a couple’s very first union, and to safeguard the health and safety of all of the children to come.

  To me, it was also the most disturbing thing I’d ever heard of. How could you be intimate with a man if there were others in the room chanting?

  That particular private moment was cause for nervousness all by itself. I’d admired a few of the soldiers and security men before, but had never seen a man as massive or intimidating as Trax.