22. Sorcha

Chapter twenty-two

We made our way from the beach to the main pier. It was ginormous, made of a dark wood that stood above the ocean. There were a lot of different shops and food stalls around. I couldn't help but stop and look at each one. Maybe once we had some clothes, we could peruse a few.

Zarios pulled me into a store called A-pier-al Boutique, a small shop lined with different garments, hats, and jewelry.

"Hello," the shopkeeper said as we walked in. They were much shorter and older than Zarios, with wrinkles along their eyes and dark brown fur. "How can I help you, Grand Clarak?"

"Hello, Tufan," Zarios greeted. "My intended and I took a bit of a fall in the ocean, and we were looking for a change of clothes."

"Oh my," they said, taking us in. "It seems. I'm certain I can find something. Your intended would probably fit into something made for calves."

My eyes widened at Zarios, but Tufan paid us no mind, shuffling through the store to collect some options. They came back with a bunch of garments. "One of these should work," they said. "If not, I can pull some others. "

We were led to a changing room in the back with only one, large door. "I apologize, I only have one room since we're so small, but I figured you could share."

My cheeks pinkened, but Zarios said, "No problems. We'll come find you if we need you."

Zarios took the pile of clothes and led us into the room. For a dressing room, it was large, with a bench off to the side and a rack to hang things, but it felt like we were right on top of each other. The entire back wall was a mirror.

Looking at us, we looked a mess. My hair was wet and stringy, and my dress was silk, so the water made it splotchy as it dried unevenly. Zarios wasn't much better. On our walk, his hair had begun to dry, and it now stuck up in weird spots.

Zarios hung everything then turned to face me. "What would you like to do?" he asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"I can change first while you turn, or you can go first."

I hadn't thought of that. I warred with myself. Though I thought it could be a slippery slope to change together like this, but I didn't want to come across as a prude. "Just turn around," I said finally.

His tail flicked behind him, but he nodded. "Very well."

He passed me the first dress then stood in the corner, facing away from the mirror. The dress was black and a lot like the ones I'd already worn. This one had a high neckline with no sleeves and a sash that went around the back.

I grabbed for the ties in the dress I had on but could barely reach. I'd asked the woman who came in this morning to help me dress, though I had to explain it to her. Another reason I despised these garments. At least the ones here were easy to remove and put on yourself.

I continued my attempts at freeing myself to no success. I sighed and threw my hands into the skirts. Was it childish? Probably, but that didn't make it any less frustrating.

"Need help, Princess?" I heard him ask.

He must have heard my shuffling. "I'm fine," I said more confidently than I felt.

When I finally managed to grab hold of one of the ties, I dropped it when I went for the other. This went on for longer than I'd like to admit.

"We're going to be here all day if you don't let me help you," he said, rocking back and forth on his hooves.

I groaned. "Fine. I can't reach the ties."

He faced me and I put my back to him.

I felt his large hands on my back as he started pulling at the strings. I remembered how they felt on me yesterday. On my thighs, between my legs.

He fidgeted for a few moments, but nothing loosened. "Moons," he cursed. "How do you get yourself in this blasted thing?"

I laughed. "You need to undo the knot at the bottom and unlace the whole thing starting from the left. And for the record, I didn't. I had help."

He froze when I said that. I could see his angry expression in the mirror. "Who helped you?" he grumbled.

The sound strangely went right down to my cunt. "The maid who came in this morning," I told him.

He nodded and swallowed. Soon after, the ties were loosened, and I had to hold the front to keep it up.

I gazed up at him, and my breath caught when I met his gaze. He had that look in his eye I'd seen more often in the past few nights. Though I wanted to lean back against him and drop the front of my dress right then, I didn't. I couldn't.

Two nights ago, I thought things between us were changing. There seemed to be something there that wasn't there before. But the next morning, he brushed it off as if it never happened.

And then, last night, I was carried off in a room full of people. I let myself get carried away…and let him change his mind in the morning. Though the logical part of me agreed there was nothing good that would come of having feelings for each other, the other part of me craved him in a way I couldn't reason with. I couldn't allow that part of me to get hurt again.

"You can turn back around," I said briskly.

A hand ran up my shoulder from the middle of my arm, making me shiver without meaning to. His gaze stayed on me, and he made no effort to move. "What if I didn't want to?" he asked slowly.

I let out a heavy sigh before I turned around. He took a step back, giving me a bit of room. "I had fun last night," I started, "and the night before. But I don't think I can do it again. I can't…" I didn't even know what to say. I couldn't separate myself from my feelings? I couldn't imagine how painful it would be to lose you after all of this?

Hurt flashed in his eyes. "You can't what?" he asked .

I couldn't say anything. I didn't know what I would say. "A secret for a secret?" he asked.

I nodded, moving my eyes down to my knotted hands. A secret for a secret.

"I thought I could quit you after one time," he said. It hurt, until, "but I was wrong."

My gaze met his. He seemed genuine. I swallowed hard. "I can't keep doing this if you keep pulling away from me the next morning."

His face remained the same. I wished I could tell what he was thinking, but he gave nothing away. It was as if time had stopped between us. I was holding my breath, waiting for him to respond.

"What if I stopped pulling away?" he asked.

I blinked. "You would stop?" I asked.

He nodded. "I don't want to pull away anymore either, and I'm sorry I did. I didn't mean to hurt you."

His hand ran up my cheek, and I leaned into his touch. "Promise?" I asked, gazing up at him.

He didn't answer. He pulled me into a hard kiss. This one felt different than others. Before, it always felt like there was some tension between us. Now that it was gone, though, the kiss felt more raw, more real. His tongue found its way in my mouth, and I melted into him.

I dropped my arms, and my dress fell to the floor with a wet plop. My stays went with it, so I was left only in my underwear.

I could hear the clinking of a belt and the hiss of a zipper. When I pulled away, Zarios was left fully bare. My eyes worked down from his large chest, over his strong middle, all the way down to his long cock.

My face felt like it would catch fire. I quickly glanced away.

I bit my bottom lip. He gripped my chin and pulled it free, stepping closer. "Don't hurt yourself," he said.

"I thought you liked when I hurt?" I challenged.

He huffed, not quite annoyed, but not quite amused. "I don't like seeing you hurt, but I do like causing you a bit of pain. And I think you like it too."

Even though I knew this could still end badly, I let him pull me in. "You are something else, Princess."

"You know I hate when you call me that," I gasped, though something about it in this context felt different.

His fingers trailed down my middle between my thighs. They slid to my center, under my underwear, and right through my wetness. I gasped, gripping his shoulders tighter.

"This tells me something different," he said. His fingers rounded my clit, and I melted into him.

I whimpered as he pulled them out. He looked to his fingers and made eye contact with me as he brought them to his lips, licking me off.

It was somehow one of the hottest things I'd ever seen. My gaze drifted back down to his cock, so thick and full. I couldn't help but wonder…

"Do you want to taste me?" he asked.

I nodded, having no idea how he read my mind like that.

"On your knees."

I sank down, my dress pillowing my knees, so I remained comfortable. He gripped his length and held it in front of me as his other hand snaked under my jaw, his thumb pressing into my mouth. "Open."

I opened for him, rolling my tongue out slightly. He guided his length to my lips and I let my tongue roll over the tip. A drop of pre-cum landed on my tongue, the musky flavor filling my senses.

Though I wanted to do this, my nerves began getting the better of me. I'd never done this. My only previous experience consisted of fumbling hands and didn't last very long. He hissed as we made contact, which made me feel more confident.

I took more of him, his cock stretching my mouth wide. When I reached the first bar, I ran my tongue over it, making him shiver. The metal was cool compared to the rest of him. I pulled back and looked up at him. At this angle, I could see more of his face than normal. His brow bone was prominent, and his eyes were slightly large.

When I went back down, I took him further, feeling him press against the back of my throat. I went a bit further, making it almost to his ridge.

His hand gripped my hair, easing me on and off his cock. The control he had over me wasn't something I expected to enjoy, but surprisingly, I found I did. He pulled me all the way off, a strand of saliva still connecting us.

"If you want me to stop, hit my thigh," he said. "Understand?"

"Yes," I said, my voice hoarse.

"Good little Princess." His hand came up and gripped my hair before he plunged me down on his shaft, going down so far that he hit the back of my throat. I gagged around him, but he only pulled me back a slight bit before pulling me down even further.

He continued like that, fucking my face with abandon. It made me feel used in the hottest way.

"I'm going to come," he said in warning.

He pulled me back, but I pressed down, wanting to taste him. He seemed to catch the hint and picked up his pace. He pumped thrice more before he pushed almost down my throat and let out a harsh groan. He came down my throat, and I swallowed as much as I could. As I did, my throat squeezed his length harder, making him call out louder. Eventually, it was too much, and it spilled from the corners of my mouth.

He pulled out and jerked himself once, spilling the last bit of cum on my face. I wiped it with my finger and put it in my mouth, never breaking eye contact.

"Moons, Princess," he said. "What do you do to me?" He barreled towards me, lifting me and setting me on the bench in the changing room. He pulled the black fabric belt from one of my skirt options and tied my hands with it in a neat little bow.

"Hands above your head," he instructed, and I easily followed. I felt so laid out and exposed as he spread my thighs. He tore my underwear clean off, dropping the shreds to the floor. Then, his tongue was on me.

I had to turn my mouth to the side, covering it with my shoulder. He ate me as if I was his last meal. The cold I'd felt from being wet melted away, leaving me hot from the inside out.

His tongue fucked in and out of me. It was so long and thick, it stretched me slightly. "Please," I whispered, trying to stay quiet. Though we were in the back of the store, I didn't want to draw attention.

"Do you need something, Princess?" he asked. "I've never known you not to say exactly what you want."

Moons, this mouthy minotaur. "I need to come. Please," I begged. As much as I wished to fight him, he was right. I knew what I needed.

He growled low and fucked me harder with his tongue. One of his hands moved up to my clit, circling it the way he did the night before.

That was all it took. My orgasm rolled through me like a tidal wave, sending pleasure through all my nerves. He didn't stop, continuing even when it was too much. I tried pushing away, but he held tight, rolling me from one orgasm into the next.

It was so intense—almost too intense. He finally pulled back, licking his lips as he did. I slumped back against the bench, feeling utterly boneless.

A few seconds later, a knock came at the door. My eyes widened. "Everything okay in there?" Tufan called.

I looked to Zarios, who only smirked. "Amazing," he said in a suggestive tone. "We'll be out soon."

"Very well." I could hear his hoofbeats as they walked away.

"That was close," I breathed, standing to dress in earnest this time.

Zarios stepped into his pants. "I'm sure they knew."

I paused, my eyes wide. "What?"

He shrugged. "It's common for intended mates to be unable to keep their hands off each other. That's also why no one questioned our disappearance in Sobury. They expected us to disappear like that."

"You don't think they were…listening, do you?" Though, in honesty, the thought sort of excited me.

"I wouldn't guess. But who knows?"

Once we were finished dressing, we headed out.

Tufan was there with a smile on their face. "Did you find what you were looking for?" they asked.

"Yes," Zarios said. "Thank you." He threw a few gold pieces on the table, and we left.

We exited the shop and walked down the cobblestone path. I was happy to be out of those clothes. I wasn't even sure why I put that dress on. I was so angry, I couldn't think about being there. I didn't want anything to remind me of him, so I slid on one of my old dresses. Though I didn't like wearing them normally, in the moment, it made me feel separated from him in the way I needed.

Now, in more comfortable attire, my nose led me to something sweet and fried. I found the source at a stall with a large fish as the sign. "The Sweetfish," it read.

I moved towards the building, Zarios following close behind. I could see small fried balls on a stick sprinkled with sugar.

We ordered two and continued our walk. When I bit into it, I was surprised to find a sour berry flavor. "What's in here?" I asked .

"It's Oji fruit jam," he said, shoving a full one into his mouth. "They grow in the mountains. Very hard to find."

"It's delicious." I pulled another off. When I bit into it, the jam burst and ran down my chin.

My hands were full, with the stick in one and the container in the other.

Before I could process, Zarios reached over and ran his finger over my chin, collecting all the jam. My cheeks burned as he brought that hand to his mouth and licked it clean off.

"Wouldn't want it to go to waste," he said with a wink.

I laughed and we continued to walk. There was a store at the end selling jewelry, and I couldn't help but think of my sisters. "Can we go there?" I asked.

"We can go wherever you'd like." Zarios looked past me for a moment. "Actually, can I meet you there in a moment? I have a stop to make."

"Sure."

I perused the different pendants and earrings, looking for something to catch my eye. The first I saw was a pair of earrings with a small paint palette on each. It made me think of Sybil. Not many knew, but Sybil used to be an excellent painter. I wasn't sure if she'd made anything since we were children, but she was talented.

It took me a bit longer, but I finally found something for Sage. It was a necklace with sunflowers along the chain. She kept a garden she was very fond of, and I thought she would love this.

I was about to check out when I noticed a small, ornate dagger. The hilt had a large red gem sitting in the middle with black metal filigree around it. It made me think of Zarios. Though it was a bit silly, I threw it on the counter and had the woman bag it up.

By the time I paid, Zarios was back with a small bag in hand. "What's that?" I asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about."

I wanted to press, but I let him have his secret. I had mine after all.

We stopped in a few more stores, not looking for anything in particular. Zarios picked up a few skeins of hand dyed wool for his mother, who he told me liked to knit.

"What's she like?" I asked as we walked.

He looked wistful for a moment. "My mother has always been stern but kind. She wanted me to succeed, and she always did everything she could to see me do so."

I smiled. "That sounds nice."

He nodded. "It seemed your mothers were similar."

I scoffed. "Not really. They want me to do what they want."

"How do you mean?" he asked.

"The whole reason I'm here is to prove I'm not just a soft princess. Since I was old enough to hold a wooden sword, I knew I wanted to be a part of the knights. I had to fight for years to even apply, and they did everything they could to stand in my way of passing."

I always wished my parents would be supportive of me. I knew they probably wanted to protect me, but I wasn't a child anymore. I didn't want to be protected .

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Though it may be selfish, I'm glad these events brought us both here. You've been an invaluable ally."

My cheeks pinked. His words made me think he really wouldn't take back those from earlier. "Do you think we should head back to prepare for tonight?"

He sighed. "I suppose." I followed his gaze to the horizon. "Why don't we watch the sunset for a moment? We have some time."

I nodded. He took my hand and led us to the edge of the pier. I sat on the side, my feet dangling over the water and my arms resting on the rail, as Zarios plopped down next to me. The sky was a beautiful mix of oranges, blues, and purples. You could see one of the moons already starting to appear, its small, pink form showing just on the horizon. The other moon would come out once it was fully dark. That one was larger and bluer in hue. There was some children's story about them, but I couldn't recall it now.

Seagulls flew across the coast, preparing for the night ahead. The water glittered as waves foamed to the shore. The ocean was beautiful, and I was glad I was here, seeing it for the first time I could remember with Zarios.

I leaned my head against his shoulder. I wasn't sure why, but in this moment, everything else felt a million miles away. It was as if there wasn't a traitor to stop or a knight ship to enter. There was only us and the sunset.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

His arm came around me, pulling me closer. "Yeah, Princess. It is."

Soon, the sun was hidden behind the horizon and the larger moon appeared. "We should probably go," I said.

He squeezed me briefly before standing and holding out his hand.

I took it and held on the whole walk back.