To Catch a Merchant Princess Ch. 06

A second command word, the reverse of the first, burst from Alicia's lips. The blue light surrounding Thakkor winked out as she aimed the staff at him. He sucked in a great breath and sat up, trembling from the aftereffects of the magic.

Just as Thakkor rose, the double doors of the bedroom exploded inward. Both dressed in nothing more than their breeches, Glanster and Trell burst into the room. The former held a sparking orb, the latter a gleaming sword. Both turned their backs when they realized the danger was past, but not quickly enough to prevent Alicia's face from burning. Both had seen her standing nude in the moonlight, Thakkor's cum running down her legs.

"Are you both okay?" Trell asked with nervous embarrassment.

"Yeah, I think so," Thakkor answered as Alicia grabbed a sheet from the bed and wrapped it around her.

"Stand aside," Gwen demanded, and then rushed into the room. She scowled at the paralyzed wizard, and then turned back to Alicia. As she turned her head, her eyes widened and she pursed her lips in surprise. Thakkor walked unclad toward the bed, his impressive manhood swinging between his legs. Alicia's tales of passion took on a new dimension, forcing the Baroness to fight down a shudder.

"Did you use the paralysis enchantment in the staff upon him, My Lady?" Glanster asked.

Alicia nodded, and Gwen relayed the message as she sat down next to the blonde. "Yes, Glanster."

"We should bind him before the magic wears off. With a little time, I can contrive the means to question him without fearing his magic. In the meantime, we should strip him of his robes, bind his hands, and prevent him from speaking."

Thakkor let out a growl and turned around, seeing Alicia in good hands. "Not a problem." He walked up to the paralyzed wizard and grasped the neck of the man's robe. Thakkor's muscles bunched, and he ripped the robe from neck to waist in a single, powerful tear. A few more rips allowed him to remove the man's clothing completely.

Gwen pulled a sheet over her as well, as she was covered only slightly more than her nude friend. "We are covered," she announced to the two men waiting in the doorway, who immediately turned and stalked toward the wizard. Gwen glanced at the still nude Thakkor for a second, and then turned to twitch her eyebrows at Alicia.

The familiar gesture helped calm Gwen, though it deepened the color of her cheeks. She playfully slapped Gwen, but couldn't help smiling as well.

Trell bound the man's hands and feet with torn bits of his own robe while Glanster retrieved Thakkor's breeches so he could dress. Once he was covered, Thakkor asked, "Can he hear me? It seems like I could hear when he got me."

"Yes, he is simply unable to move his body. As you can see, he is blinking," Glanster answered.

"Good. Give me a second," Thakkor said as Trell prepared to put a makeshift gag in the paralyzed wizard's mouth.

Thakkor leaned in close to the man's ear and whispered something. The wizard's eyes widened, causing Alicia and Gwen to glance at each other in confusion. Thakkor turned away from the man with a satisfied smile, and Trell fixed the gag over the man's mouth.

A few minutes later, Alicia's magic wore off. Trell threw the bound man over his shoulder and carried him elsewhere for interrogation. Gwen and Glanster left as well, allowing Thakkor and Alicia to clean up and dress.

Perhaps an hour later, a weary-eyed scribe put down his pen when the intruder finished relating everything he knew. The count had sent him to kill Alicia in a last ditch attempt to prevent the inevitable accusations to come.

Gwen, now dressed in a far less scandalous manner, turned to Thakkor and asked, "What did you say to him? I would think that he would have resisted to at least some degree."

"I told him that he'd best sing like a bird or I'd slowly twist his nuts off with my bare hands and then feed them to him."

Every other man in the room stiffened and winced upon hearing those words, while Gwen and Alicia fought back chuckles. The wizard in question turned very pale.

Trell closed the cell door, confident in Glanster's magic sapping crystals to prevent the wizard's escape. "His testimony alone is enough to bring charges against the Count, but Ronald should be back tomorrow or the next day. The more evidence we have, the better."

"I agree," The Baroness announced, drawing a nod from her scowling husband at her side.

Trell suggested, "Let us return to our beds, then."

Thakkor gave Alicia's hand a squeeze and said to Trell, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Certainly," Trell agreed.

Thakkor gave Alicia a brief kiss, and then said, "I'll be up in just a minute."

"I will accompany you, Alicia," Gwen offered.

Alicia nodded and said, "Thank you," knowing full well that Gwen's reason for doing so had everything to do with seeing the both of them naked earlier. She also felt more comfortable casting her spell, previously forgotten in the excitement, with Thakkor out of the room.

When the magic confirmed that she was not in a fertile part of her cycle, she wasn't sure whether to be relieved, or disappointed.

†ΞΞΞ♥ΞΞΞ†

"Point!" Trell called, and then laughed.

Thakkor nursed the sore spot in his abdomen where Alicia's wooden sword had penetrated his guard.

Alicia, feeling some bruises of her own, stood with one hand gripping her mock weapon while the other supported her on her bent knee. Sweat soaked the clothing of both combatants, as they'd sparred for more than an hour under the hot sun of the cobblestone courtyard.

Alicia had scored the first point, taking advantage of Thakkor's reluctance to engage her with the fullness of his ability. After she admonished him for not giving his all, Thakkor tossed away his reservations — as much as he was able — and fought back to take the lead by one point.

Alicia's unexpected and skillful thrust from a kneeling position had just evened the score.

Around them, the soldiers of the barony applauded, feeling a little lax in their own efforts after watching the energetic spar between the two lovers.

"Draw?" Thakkor suggested, panting for breath and wiping the sweat out of his eyes.

Alicia nodded in agreement, desperate to remove the thick, dark blouse she wore. An attempt to preserve her modesty once sweat soaked her clothing, the blouse had also served to absorb the heat of the sun and hasten the process.

"Off to the bath with the two of you," The Baroness declared. "You must be ready for this evening. We will dine in celebration of Count Yeltsin's rightful justice."

Alicia couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Though he must still stand trial, Alicia had given her testimony. With the evidence piled up against him, the Count would surely spend the remainder of his life in prison. Justice in Freeland rarely meted out the death penalty, and even the Count's foul crimes were not enough to cause consideration of it.

More importantly to Alicia, the men sent to take the Count into custody had searched his home. The information there uncovered a far wider plot, one aimed almost exclusively at destroying her father. With that information in hand, he would be able to circumvent the disasters, some of which were already in motion.

With the last of her obligations now complete, Alicia felt the call of the road. After retiring for the evening, she fully intended to speak to Thakkor about leaving to seek their life together.

For now, the bath called to her. She could tell by the glint in Thakkor's eye that he was thinking about sharing the bath — and more — with her.

Already surging with excitement from the mock combat, Alicia wholly approved of that notion.

†ΞΞΞ♥ΞΞΞ†

The dinner proved a lively and heartwarming evening. Alicia felt positively buoyant as the evening wound down to a close, and felt as though it was a perfect transition from her old life to the new one she would share with Thakkor.

Though he showed few outward signs, Alicia could tell that Thakkor was growing impatient and nervous as the night wore on. The connection they shared went deeper than anything she'd ever dreamed of, unto the point that she often knew what he was thinking. She also knew Gwen well enough to know that the Baroness was anticipating something, and was positively ready to burst waiting for it. When the Baroness started glancing with an obvious lack of patience at Thakkor, and Trell couldn't manage to contain a smile, Alicia narrowed her eyes and turned to her love.

"Exactly what sort of conspiracy is afoot?"

Thakkor cleared his throat and blushed, which caused Alicia's eyebrows to twitch upward. Thakkor pushed his seat back and stood, wearing a look similar to the one he'd worn during the ceremony marking Alicia's return home after her abduction.

"I've been doing some thinking," Thakkor began.

A thousand possibilities — most of them bad — flitted through Alicia's mind. Looking forward to finding her true place in life, she now feared that Thakkor had changed his mind. Yet somewhere deep inside, she knew the truth.

"You'll have to pardon me if I screw this up. I've never done it before, and I have no real idea what you're supposed to do." Thakkor reached into his pocket and pulled out something, keeping it in his closed hand. "Most people I know would probably call me a damn fool for this, but I think I'd be a damn fool if I didn't."

After saying those words, Thakkor cleared his throat yet again, and sank to one knee. Alicia's eyes filled with tears as the part of her that knew his heart cut through the dark ruminations attempting to dissuade her of his true purpose.

"Alicia, I've never met a woman like you, and I know I never will again." He opened his hand, revealing a beautiful, antique ring. "This was my mum's. I asked Trell to send someone to fetch it when we finished wringing out that wizard. Anyway — uhm — Alicia, will you marry me?"

Her heart soaring and tears of joy rolling down her face, Alicia slipped down out of her seat to kneel before him. "Yes — oh yes," she answered, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.

The room broke out into applause and cheers as the couple embraced. As Thakkor helped Alicia to rise, his expression a mixture of amazement and fear, Gwen quieted everyone else with a wave of her hand. "You could not possibly know how difficult I found it to hide this secret from you."

Alicia chuckled and wiped her eyes, snuggling up closer to Thakkor at the same time.

"I absolutely insist that you have the wedding here — as soon as possible. I also have gifts for the both of you in honor of the occasion." She clapped her hands, summoning servants who wheeled in two sheet-covered objects.

"I will not take no for an answer, as I have already went to exhaustive effort to convince my husband to spend the money."

Alicia had to purse her lips to avoid laughing when she saw color rise in the Baron's cheeks. She had little doubt as to the method of Gwen's convincing.

Gwen nodded, and the two servants whipped away the sheets to reveal wooden mannequins displaying suits of shining chain, and swords.

"Gwen, I will be exhausted after a minute of wearing that," Alicia argued, though her face certainly showed how much she appreciated the gift.

Gwen shook her head. "No, no — I said no arguing. Now, go see — the both of you."

Thakkor led Alicia to the mannequins, and reached for the suit of chain obviously meant for him. His eyes widened in surprise as he grasped the chain. "This doesn't weigh more than a leather jerkin."

Alicia weighed her own chain shirt in her hand and had to agree. "I don't understand?"

"Magic," Glanster explained. "That chain is elf-forged, and imbued with fey magic. The swords are of the finest Dwarven steel, forged by master blacksmiths of that race and blessed by their gods."

Gwen walked over and took both Thakkor and Alicia's hands. "If I cannot dissuade you of seeking a life of adventure, then I will ensure that no harm befalls you while you do, if such is within my power."

"I don't know what to say," Alicia said.

"Thank you is usually considered appropriate," the Baroness responded in her instructor's tone, used so often over the years as she taught Alicia the ins and outs of behavior in proper society.

Alicia laughed and said, "Thank you, Gwen."

"You are quite welcome. Now, you should seek your rest. I fear I shall give you little opportunity from this point forward, until such time as I have you safely and well wed."

†ΞΞΞ♥ΞΞΞ†

Gwen proved true to her word, and Alicia scarcely had a moment alone over the next several days. What few minutes Gwen wasn't pressing decisions about settings and flowers upon her, she spent with Thakkor. The days flew by, and before she knew it, Alicia stood outside the great hall, dressed in her flowing white wedding gown.

A servant rushed in as Alicia awaited the music that would signal her entrance into the great hall. At her side, Trell stood ready to walk her down the aisle and give her away in her father's stead. Gwen covered her mouth for a moment, and then whispered back orders.

"What's wrong?" Alicia asked with great trepidation, fearing as nearly every bride does that disaster was lurking, threatening to destroy her special day.

Gwen sniffled and dabbed her eyes with a kerchief. "Nothing, dear Alicia. Nothing is wrong. Quite the opposite, in truth."

The door through which the servant had exited opened once more. Alicia's eyes welled up with tears and she sobbed, "Mother."

"Alicia, my dear, you look beautiful."

"I thought... I never expected..." Alicia stammered, too stunned for words.

Alicia's mother took a deep breath. "I do not approve of the decisions you have made. I will not condone them or support them." Her expression then softened, and she smiled. "I will not, however, miss the wedding of my only daughter. Nor will I refuse to offer my blessing to a union borne of love."

"Oh mother," Alicia sobbed, throwing her arms around her mother, who reciprocated the embrace.

Alicia's mother pushed her daughter away a few seconds later. "Now, enough of that. You will rumple your gown, and you have already ruined your face."

Gwen clapped her hands and gestured for the servants to fix Alicia's makeup.

"Thank you, Mother. I'm so sorry if I've disappointed you."

"You do not disappoint me, Alicia. You are a fine young woman. I question your wisdom, but my parents thought no better of me when I ran off with such a miscreant as your father."

Alicia scoffed as she stretched out her hands so the servants could adjust her gown. "Surely Grandmother and Grandfather didn't think so of Father."

"Oh, they most certainly did. We proved them wrong. I hope and pray, despite my misgivings, that you do the same."

"I am quite sure that the guests are growing impatient," Gwen suggested. "I will ensure that you have time to reach your seat before the bridal march."

"Thank you, My Lady." Alicia's mother then turned back to her daughter. "I am happy for you, Alicia."

"I love you, Mother," Alicia responded, taking her mother's hand.

"And I, you. Now go. Your happy day awaits."

A few minutes later, Alicia stepped into the great hall with a heart made even lighter by her mother's unexpected blessing. Thakkor looked resplendent in his formal wear — if a bit uncomfortable.

Alicia floated across the red carpeted aisle, flowers strewn across her path, and there married the love of her life with a joyful heart.

After two days of celebrating their union — mostly between the sheets — Thakkor and Alicia donned their new armor, mounted their plains horses, and set off in search of destiny.

†ΞΞΞ♥ΞΞΞ†

I hope you've enjoyed this story. I know I certainly enjoyed writing it. I already knew Alicia's history, but even I learned more about her early life as I wrote this tale. My characters really do live in my head, and I'm never exactly sure what they're going to reveal to me every time I sit down to write them.

Please do take a moment to vote ( and perhaps comment - I do love comments )

I'll take a minute to give you a bit of chronology ( as it stands ) for the stories in the "Nobles by Deed" series.

Casting off Convention

To Catch a Merchant Princess

Take Me Away

King Thakkorias

Blackhawk Hall

Queen Alicia

CoC and this story occur at almost the same point in time, while the remaining four stories occur around a decade later. I'll slowly fill in that gap as time goes along, as well as continue on with the sequel to Blackhawk Hall at some point.

All of these stories take place before "Danica" or "Sisters of the Mists" For those waiting on the next chapter of SOTM, it is in progress. As I must all too often of late, I apologize for the delays.