1"I will miss you so much, Shayla," Merrick told his lover, moving his head down to kiss her neck. Last night, they hadn't really cared who would hear them making love and who wouldn't; they'd been too wrapped up in each other... literally.
"Merrick!" Shayla moaned in embarrassment. "I think that last night the whole palace heard just how much you will miss me."
"I do not see any guards busting into the chamber, sentencing us to death yet," he quipped, roughly entering her. Shayla gasped in surprise.
"I will not be able to walk after this," she complained as he started to thrust. "And I told the Grand Duke I was on my menses.." Suddenly, he withdrew, making Shayla give him a questioning look.
"I do not want to hurt you," Merrick explained. Shayla raised her eyebrow. Surely he had noticed what she told the Grand Duke was a lie? As if reading her mind, he elaborated. "I realise I was a little rough last night. I think maybe you have had enough."
"What about you?" she asked, referring to his rock hard shaft.
"I will take care of it," he conceded.
"No. I will," she remarked, pulling him into a quick kiss.
Before her protector could protest, the Grand Duchess moved the covers off his manhood and engulfed said object with her mouth. Merrick instantly cried out. Shayla smirked inwardly and bobbed her mouth up and down his shaft, relishing her lover's satisfied groans. She felt her own core grow hot as Merrick grabbed her hair, pushing her further down his shaft. Merrick's head fell back as came in her mouth.
"Princess!" he exclaimed, as she swallowed his seed. "I mean, Grand Duchess."
"That was nice," she commented, falling back onto the bed.
Suddenly, Merrick grabbed her royal legs and spread them indecently wide. Shayla blushed; she'd never been this exposed to him before because they usually did it under the covers. The Grand Duchess arched her back as her protector kissed her throbbing quim. He then smiled coyly and proceeded to suck the sensitive flesh, driving her wild with ecstasy. Shayla gripped his hair as he licked her, growing hard himself. It was mere moments before the bride came, gripping the bedsheets so tight that her knuckles turned white. Merrick eagerly drank her sweet juices as Shayla sighed in content.
Pulling Shayla towards him, Merrick positioned her above him, the tip of shaft touching the entrance of her quim. He grasped her slim waist as he once again delved into her tight folds, buried up to the hilt. He watched in awe as she moved up and down his shaft, her beautiful face suffused with desire. She threw her head back as Merrick thrusted upwards to meet her when she came down. After establishing a rhythm, the young couple climaxed within seconds of each other.
The Grand Duchess fell on top of her protector, panting heavily as their sweat fused. Merrick wrapped his arms around her small frame and they both took the time to remember how it felt to be pressed up against each other, hearts beating in unison.
"How long will you be gone?"
"Two months."
On the evening of that same day, the Grand Duchess departed the palace to accompany her husband to his castle. After almost one week of travelling, the pair reached their destination. Several servants ran forward to greet her, finally releasing her from the confines of the carriage. She hadn't been allowed to bring any of her ladies so she decided to bring a maid.
"Thank you," she said as the servant took her belongings inside. "But I will only keep my maid for company." The Grand Duchess didn't think she could trust anyone here...
To her relief, the Grand Duke jumped straight into business, leaving her and Siobhan on their own. They were escorted to her room - not the Grand Duke's - and left to unpack in peace. Despite it being a grand building, the Grand Duke's castle was rather glum. It seemed empty and dark, more like a prison than a home. But then again, her home was the palace. Not this place.
"Will I be staying with you, Your Royal Highness?" Siobhan questioned, referring to the chamber.
"Yes," she replied. "I hope you do not mind that I brought you here."
"Of course not, Your Royal Highness."
As Siobhan unpacked Shayla's things, the latter sauntered around the room while surveying it. She sat down on the bed, feeling a little light headed.
"The journey was far too long. If the Grand Duke did not unnecessarily stop so many times, we could have reached here a little earlier," Shayla complained, shaking the dizziness off.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Siobhan agreed, smiling at the older woman. Shayla suddenly frowned, as if realising something. "Is there anything wrong?"
"No. I was just wondering. My first child will probably be born here..." she mused. She knew that they had said they'd stay here for two months - well, a month and a half excluding travel time - but she knew better. Realistically speaking, being married to a grand duke - second only to archdukes, kings and emperors - she was supposed to stay at her husband's house until her father died. "And probably my second too. Maybe even my third."
"Pardon me, Your Royal Highness, but if I may..." Siobhan started, wringing her wrists nervously. "The way you are speaking is as if you are already withchild."
"No, of course not," the newly titled Grand Duchess protested. "We have not even consummated our marriage yet."
"Forgive me. But I was not talking about His Royal Highness. I was talking about Sir Merrick."
Shayla's heart sank and her face paled considerably. "Merrick?"
"My loyalty is to you, Your Royal Highness. I will not tell anyone," the maid reassured her mistress. The young grand duchess sighed in relief.
"How did you know?"
"The day after your engagement, Sir Merrick's valet fell ill and sent me to carry out his duty instead. When I entered his chamber and did so, I noticed blood on the bedsheets. Sir Merrick said it was from a wound but it did not look like so; I have washed sheets stained with virgin blood before. And then I saw your necklace on the desk. I remembered seeing you wear it for a few days and then never saw it again. However, after the night of your engagement, you suddenly started wearing it on a daily basis again. Had I not seen your circlet on the desk too, I may have considered it a coincidence," Siobhan narrated. "Suddenly, it all made sense. Why he called me to his chamber that day but suddenly rejected me when I arrived."
Shayla nodded in understanding. At least that meant it wasn't common knowledge. Just one very perceptive maid.
"I see. And in regards to your question... no. I do not believe I am. I was on my menses at the beginning of the month..." Shayla trailed off, her eyes widening. "But we had relations afterwards. The eve of the wedding, the wedding night itself and also the morning after."
Siobhan was a little taken aback. She had no idea it was that serious. Three days in a row? That was more than a typical affair. "So it is possible?"
"Yes. I heard that it is unlikely. But not impossible... What if I am withchild?!" she panicked. "What will I tell Viktor? If news reaches the palace, Father will know Merrick is responsible straight away!"
"Calm down, Your Royal Highness," Siobhan soothed, rubbing the distraught woman's back. "His Royal Highness does not need to know. Not yet. We should wait until your next menses is due. Then we will know."
The Grand Duchess of Org simply nodded. The two week wait was going to be long.
Three weeks later, the young woman was still waiting. The crushing anxiety and paranoia coupled with the miserable atmosphere of the castle was slowly suffocating her. Her maid always remained optimistic, telling her that at least the Grand Duke wasn't demanding her in his bed. However, Shayla almost wished he would; then she could at least pass off Merrick's child as his.
No. That wouldn't be right. Merrick's son but the Grand Duke's heir? Or Merrick's daughter but the Grand Duke's first 'child'? How would she ever look him in the eye again? Maybe she could force the Grand Duke's hand? Viktor would have to claim her child as his own to avoid scandal. But that still wouldn't be fair. Growing up under that tyrant, constantly telling yourself to bear it because he's your father... only to find out that he wasn't?
Her mind went into overdrive, ignoring the fact that nothing had been proven yet.
And then, at the beginning of her fourth week at the Grand Duke's castle, Shayla woke up to a familiar pain in her loins. A rush of relief surged through her as she spotted the blood on the bedsheets, not caring for the poor servant who would have to wash it all out. Sure enough, there was a part of her that was a little upset - after all, she often used to dream about having Merrick's child - but for the most part, she was happy. Bringing a child into the world of Viktor Adler would be cruel.
