The King's Bedchamber

I will always remember this moment I'm so happy I wish I was the moon.

I let my fingers trail through his beard to my surprise it was soft and smooth. My feet rested against his, as the evening dawned upon us so did a harsh chill. I held him tightly against me as I breathed against him.

He held her closer, wrapping the sheet and his arm around her shoulder protectively, still absent mindedly caressing her back.

"The moon?" he asked with a tired smile, crooking his neck to catch her gaze.

My fingers twirled some of his curly locks around my finger. I couldn-t take my eyes away from his eyes, they had a way of pulling me to him.

You are my sun and when the moon comes out each night a piece of it dies. As they were both so in love with each other they felt great sadnesss when it was time to part each day.

We may not love each other yet but James was my future and present. I respected him, honoured him and spent half my life thinking of nothing but him. No one could possibly make me feel like a priceless gem like he did.

He sighed contentedly, shutting his eyes as he felt her hands in his hair. Her touch was gentle and loving, he touched her hand as it brushed through his hair and opened his eyes - gazing at her earnestly.

"The Sun loved the Moon so much, he died every night to let her breathe," he replied and kissed her hand. He had an immediate wish to protect her, love her alone - beyond duty. He marvelled over her in his arms. After their meeting, he wondered if she could ever develop affection for him. He was King but mainly in name, more a humble soldier than a royal prince. Yet she was altogether Queen, graceful and wonderful in every way.

I feel the same sentiment of those words. You have my heart, it is placed next to yours as a testimony of my budding love for you.

Our bodies lay together in a sweaty mess his skin tasted like sea salt as my lips gently searched his body. My favourite place to lay a kiss upon him was his wrist. I lowered myself down his chest, pressing my head against the beating sound of his heart. It was here that I would now call my home within his heart.

He smiled to himself as she moved to rest her head on his chest, her comfort with him warmed his heart. James placed his hand over her hair, barely feeling the weight of her at all. He sighed and relaxed into his pillow, noticing the sweet smell of lavender from her hair, "What was it like in France...when you were a child?"

It was lovely I am one of nine children and my father is the first De Guise to grace france. All I had to do was close my eye's and I was their back in france. My mother is a remarkable woman, we grew up in the countryside. Our gardens were full of peonies plants in all marvelous colors. Every afternoon from spring to summer we would spend quality times with our mother. We would play cards sip on camomile tea, while the cherry blossom trees dropped it's petals on the grass. If I clossed my eye's the smell of the cherry blossom soothed away all of my homesickness. When my mother heard of our marriage she was stunned into silence! She is never a woman lost for words but, what I took from her was her grace in the matter. It never changed her or how she acted inwardly she was proud as you could see it in her smile.

He allowed himself to shut his eyes, his lips rested against the top of her hair as his index finger traced patterns on her shoulder. One of the maze in the gardens in Stirling, another of the inner workings of a musket...

Of course he already knew of her parents but to hear of her own memories was more interesting than any account he had received from his diplomats, "And you?" he began.

"How did you react to our marriage?"

I giggled as his fingers run around my shoulder it was a very sensual feeling. Could you do that a little harder. I rolled onto my belly, turning my face towards him as my arm laid over his chest. I could recall the day I found out that I was to marry a king. It was just before Easter the morning air hit ny chest like ice. Sitting in my mothers drawing room with our governess, we were reading the history of france when our father came in. The room was cleared leaving only me and my mother behind. Me and mother both thought I had been naughty as he paced for several seconds, leaning casually against the fireplace. He turned grinning, and said "you have been to chosen to be a queen. Their are currently talks in place to draw up an agreement." I remember looking at my mother not so sure what to say or do. For days I kept thinking me why me I don't have that much of a dowry to give a man.

His brown eyes opened and he immediately smiled - a bright flash, a warm grin. Hearing the soft sound of her laughter, for him, was sweeter than lark song. His hand touched her chin softly, moving so his knuckles caressed her jaw. He looked into her eyes. Blue, dark blue - deep and enrapturing.

"I remember receiving your portrait. It was a small thing, no bigger than the palm of your hand. Even in that..."

He glanced down, smiling to himself and let himself embrace her nearer as he recalled the memory. He was a boy when he first saw her face - a boy cosseted from the world, yearning from adventures. He was given paintings nearly every month; Scottish nobles, Irish nobles, English nobles...He didn't understand the purpose then, he admired the craftsmanship instead of the girl in the painting. Of course, he was just a boy then - yet to feel the warmth of a lover. The marriage treaty had already been signed when he saw Mary's portrait but he remembered catching his breath when he saw it.

"It was your eyes I remember. I thought they were bright then...but now. The painting pales in comparison."

I let my lips join his as my long legs entwined with his. I held him close to me that I could feel the beating of his heart against my chest. I always found my eye's to be child like I never really found people to take me seriously. I forced the top of myself on him allowing locks of my hair to tickle his chest. And I see that you have kept my cross.

He nodded earnestly, taking the crucifix in his hand and pressing it to his lips, "I've grown so used to having it there,"he replied, "I have it on my person always..."

Her face was close to his, both of them veiled by the long curled tendrils of her hair, so he nudged his nose against hers and brushed away the hair from her face. With her rosy cheeks cupped in his big hands, he said - kissing her with a smile between each word, "You are so very beautiful."

Always.. I whispered as my hands touched his, taking them from my face I grazed my lips over his knuckles then down to the heel of his palm. To me you are beautiful. You are a beautiful man with a generous soul I truly don-t care if you are a king.

Upon her words his heart warmed and his gaze drifted to her lips on his hand. He couldn't abide the bows and curtsies he was greeted with daily. He felt the same as the other courtiers, of no greater importance. He was a soldier above all and accordingly he would bow to her, not her to him. She saw him beyond being a king and this was his heart's own delight.

"My only concern is for your safety...," he said and caught her gaze, tucking her hair behind her ear, "I will look after you... I swear I will not allow anything to happen to you because of me."

It touched me greatly to hear his words actually be said. I brought his head up to my chest, my fingers gently caressing the soft skin on his neck. What I felt for him was deep and meaningful something that people only falling in love could feel. I will always turn to you James. You are starting to mean a lot to me together, we could move mountains.

He nodded at her words. He would not seclude her from his duties nor keep her in the dark about the state. He sensed she was wise beyond her few years, already a Queen in her behaviour. She was younger than him, more naive but he was unenlightened in other ways. He'd known lust and love - but not the affection she gave him. The way she touched his neck was different...he would be content if it was only her whom he ever loved and was loved by again.

"After your coronation we shall," he took her slender fingers from his neck and kissed them tenderly, "Together."

Playfully I released my fingers from his grip only to wrap them around his neck again. I have no plans to go anywhere without you. And I hope that over the years you will still have as much passion for me as you did when we first met.. today. My coronation made me anixous I wasn't used to dealing with huge ammounts of attention. Once it was done though, I would finally get to see sterling castle the place that made James happy. I feel a strange feeling like I would fight to be by your side.

He bowed his head so he was closer to her. His dark eyes flickered to her lips and then to her eyes again. He moved closer and lingered, his mouth nearly touched hers. Then he allowed himself the sweet release of touching her lips, he sighed beneath the kiss - wrapping his arms around her.

"There need be no fight," he mumbled reassuringly. The thought of her in a struggle, any quarrel was an awful notion to bear, "As long as you want me then I will keep you by my side."

He glanced up and touched her chin, "For I am yours as you are mine."

I groaned like thunder as his lips touched my thirsty lips. I felt myself drown in an ocean of love, only needing to break our lips for a breath of air. I was falling for him as quickly as a petal falling from a flower.

He only took his lips from her's when he absolutely had to, taking a deep breath. He rested his forehead against her's - shutting his eyes. His hands held onto her cheeks, he could feel her warmth beneath his touch. He was at home.

If your body was a globe I would explore each and every part of it. I raised my eyebrow questionly as I let my legs wrap around his body.

He chuckled and drew the sheet gently away from her shoulder. Gradually he revealed the curve of her shoulder, then the dip of her chest which rose in a slight curve as he revealed her delicate breast. The final rays of sunlight for the day burned golden upon them, her skin almost sparkled. He sighed, wishing to remain in their balmy embrace with no disturbance. He press his hand lightly upon her heart.

"Yours is soft, delicate," he leaned in - more playful than he had been, nuzzling his head between the crook of her neck and her shoulder. His beard grazing her warm skin as his open mouth kissed her neck, "Mine is covered in grazes and scars."

He looked up, his deep and intense gaze again, "You are altogether more beautiful."

Why do I find it arousing that you have been in battle. Tentatively I touched one of his scars pressing my fingers gentle against it. Your scars are apart of who you are James. So I am not bothered by them one bit as long as you don't get a gashing one on your eyes. I have a secret it's a family secret... Now you are family I should tell you.

He laughed warmly at her endearing words, glancing to her hands on his rib. Her touch so soft compared to the blade that caused it. He kissed her jaw, his lips gently caressing their way to her forehead, "I promise I shall try not to."

James then settled back, leaning into his down feathered pillow. He tucked one arm behind his head while the other cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb tenderly skimmed over her cheek-bone,"Then tell me..."

He did not want to press her or force the topic. He would only accept what she said if she volunteered to speak and keep the secret with her...

His words chilled my blood I couldn't imagine him in battle. I stayed a top of him secretly feeling powerful of this position. This happened before I was born many many years ago. I think my mother told me because she carried guilt with her and if I was in her position, I wouldn't know what to do. I felt my throat close the thought of James.. the thought of this happening in our marriage made me feel queasy. My father had an affair years before I was born and my mother did something unforgivable. But somehow fate had intervened and the illegitimate child had been living at court all these years. She is actually one of my most trustworthy friends the thing is, do I tell her we are in actual fact sisters.