Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 59: Mechanics
After continuing to keep an eye over Thomas and watching the celebrations continue a while longer, William wondered if he should just leave. The sense of false merriment in the room had put him in a sour mood. Two people who were repelled each other had been forced to pledge their lives together, solely to benefit their families. What was there to celebrate?
As he walked back to his original seat to grab his outer tunic, he saw Camilla sitting quietly at a table, back straight and poised like a young queen. There was a cluster of other ladies at the same table, the bride being one of them. However, Princess Eleanor had positioned her broad back to face Camilla, clearly intended to exclude her from the group.
Camilla didn’t look troubled but William felt pity for her. Even after several months, she was still considered an outsider, especially amongst the noble ladies. Her rank as a foreign princess earned her polite deference but not acceptance.
Against his better judgement, he took two wine goblets from a tray bearing servant and walked over to her. She looked up and smiled slightly when he approached, taking the goblet he offered as he sat down next to her.
"Enjoying the event, Princess?"
"I suppose, more than the groom at least. Then again, that is a fairly low bar." Camilla lowered her voice. "In truth though, I enjoyed myself far more when my friend Bess got married."
"Lord and Lady Taunsen, you mean? I’m not surprised. Weddings are much more enjoyable when the couple actually like each other." William gave a quick look in Tom’s direction to check his cousin hadn’t slid out of his seat and onto the floor.
"Hmmm. A couple who like each other. That sounds almost romantic coming from you, my lord."
William grinned. "Not at all. I’m not romantic in the slightest. But if I’m forced to get married one day, it would be helpful if it wasn’t to a woman I loathe."
"Do you ever think about how your life will change when you are married?"
"No, not really. Because I doubt my life will change very much. If I’m not on campaign, I still plan spend my days with my friends, hunting and riding."
"But what if your wife complains she wants you to spend that time with her instead?" Camilla was shocked but not surprised that the prince would refuse to change anything about his life for a mere wife.
"If she becomes too intolerable, I’ll just send her to one of my countryside manors. One of the privileges of being a husband, I guess." William shrugged cheerfully.
"My lord, you underestimate yourself. I’ve never heard more romantic language." Camilla deadpanned.
Laughing, William clinked his goblet lightly against hers. "Shall we toast to the bride and groom’s happiness then? That with time, they may grow to at least tolerate each other."
Camilla took a sip and then screwed up her face in a way that was both comical and adorable.
"You don’t care for the wine, Princess?"
"It’s a little too sweet for my tastes. But it seems to be very popular here." She subconsciously touched her lip that glistened with wine and William forced himself to look away.
"It’s King Edward’s favourite. Tom likes it too."
"Yes, I gathered Prince Thomas is fond of it. He’s certainly had plenty of it in the last few hours." Camilla looked over to where the groom had fallen asleep with his head on the table.
William followed her gaze. When he saw his sleeping cousin, he clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Goddammit Tom. You better wake up in time to consummate your marriage or there will be hell to pay."
Turning back to the princess, William softened his tone. "I hope you weren’t too offended by Tom’s behaviour on the dance floor. He’s not usually like that. He has been dreading today for a long time." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Camilla smiled and shook her head. "It’s sweet that you want to defend him but there’s no need. I know Prince Thomas is a decent man. He sounded pitiful more than anything else." Camilla’s smile then turned into a grimace. "He probably shouldn’t have spoken quite so loudly though, in case his wife’s kin overheard. Especially the part where he offered you his fortune to take his place in his marriage bed."
"Even if they did hear, it wouldn’t matter. There’s not enough gold on the entire continent to tempt me into warming Eleanor’s bed." William scowled in disgust.
"Well I don’t expect the bride is looking forward to it either. I can’t really blame her." Camilla murmured, more to herself.
William turned to her, eyebrows raised in surprise. "And what do you know about what goes on between a married couple, little Princess? I expect not very much."
Camilla ducked her head. "I can’t speak from experience, of course. Then again, you’re not married either, my lord."
"You understand you don’t have to be married to someone to lie with them, don’t you?"
"You do if you’re a royal girl." Camilla retorted. "We live by different rules, you and I."
"I suppose we do." William conceded. "But you didn’t answer my question. What do you know about what happens between a couple?"
Camilla started blushing. "Can we please talk about something else?"
"Hell no."
Camilla blushed harder. "Well, I know what’s supposed to happen, at least the...um...mechanics of it. What I don’t understand is why anyone would willingly do something that sounds so dreadful."
William started to laugh, utterly charmed by her innocence. "I can promise you it’s not as bad as it sounds. In fact, it can be very pleasurable."
Camilla shrugged half heartedly, refusing to look at him and likely unconvinced by his words. What he wouldn’t give to show her the pleasures he’d mentioned, he thought. Feeling the blood rush uncomfortably to his groin yet again, he shifted in his seat and took a gulp from his goblet.
William cleared his throat. "Who did you have such an enlightening conversation about mechanics with, then?" He expected her to confirm it had been one of her maids or ladies back in Moraigth.
To his surprise, she blushed even more and her reply was so quiet, he swore he’d misheard it.
"My brother."
"Your brother? Did I hear that right?" William almost spit out the wine he’d been sipping in shock. "Why? Why the hell would you discuss this with your brother, of all people?" He started to laugh uncontrollably.
"Keep your voice down!" Camilla hissed in a desperate tone. "Do you want all the guests to know my business?"
William threw his head back and laughed harder.
The words then tumbled out of the mortified girl, as if she were desperate for him to understand her reasons.
"Ther summer I turned fifteen, there was talk that my father was planning to betroth me to the son of Lord Jasper. At first I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening but soon everyone was talking about it. I was scared. The lord’s son was over twice my age. I had no idea what to expect if the wedding did happen."
"And you thought your poor brother was the best person to fill in your knowledge gap?" William was doing his best to stop laughing but he was losing the battle.
"No one else would tell me anything!" Camilla whispered defensively. "My mother was gone at that point and I have no older sisters. I tried to ask my nursemaid but she said it wasn’t a topic for ladies and that I was better off facing my wedding night not knowing what was to follow. The thought terrified me. So finally, I begged Malcolm to tell me what to expect."
"And he actually agreed?"
"Not at first." Camilla admitted. "He kept refusing and telling me to ask someone else. But I had no one else and just kept begging. Eventually he gave in and gave me an explanation." She shuddered in visible disgust. "Dear lord, it sounded awful."
William lent forward to rest his elbows on his knees, using one hand to wipe the tears of laughter from his eyes. "I wouldn’t expect any man would want to make the act sound too appealing when discussing it with his sister, of all people. Poor Malcolm."
"He did say it was the most uncomfortable conversation of his life. Afterwords he told me I was never to ask him for more information again on that matter. That I was the last person on the continent he ever wanted to speak about it with."
Camilla straightened her back in the chair and glared at him. "So now you know. Are you happy?"
William grinned at her. "More than you’ll ever know, little Princess. Thank you for making me laugh so much." He tipped his goblet in her direction. "Here’s to one day, you finding out that the mechanics aren’t quite as bad as Malcolm made them sound."
