Chapter 7

seven

. . .

Lottie

Thundar might have abducted me, but I feel like a terrible person.

There was that moment in the bath, when he was holding me like I was the most precious thing he'd ever laid eyes on, and I should have been reveling in it. Instead, all I could think about was how he thinks I'm Princess Alexandra.

I almost told him the truth. Almost. But then he distracted me with the finger fucking and then Aysgoth came into view, and well… I blame it on the aphrodisiacs.

Yeah, let's go with that.

Still. I need to tell him. It's only fair.

Over the past five days, Thundar's revealed himself to be more than an entitled, barbarian prince. He cares about his people. He wants to create change and make life better for the less fortunate on his planet. In many ways, he actually reminds me of Alexandra herself.

And as much as I'm loyal to the crown princess, I think… I'm afraid that my loyalties might be shifting. As Alexandra's personal assistant, my influence on policy will always be limited, even when she ascends to the throne. But as queen of Aysgoth, there's no telling how much impact I can make. I could help Thundar transform Aysgarthian society. I could help him usher in a new era for his people.

And I can stay at his side.

Because against all odds, against any measure of common sense, I think I'm falling in love with him.

Gosh, only a few days ago my biggest concern was sticking to my boss's schedule and which red wine I was going to indulge in after a long, stressful day, and now…

Now, I'm dreaming of being royalty myself and changing lives.

This is probably the craziest thing that has happened since Thundar abducted me. It's not being stolen from my life on Earth, or escaping from my captor. It's the idea of me being someone more than just a girl from East London who strives for a better life. For a better future.

Have I gone mad? Is there something else in the food other than aphrodisiacs? Am I really about to be queen and more importantly do I really have no problem with that?

After our interlude officially ended, Fiotrix and her team brought me to the bathing chambers again for another pampering session. Then I was given this set of "clothes" that are basically a triangle bikini top and a thong. After five days of complete nudity, I almost feel overdressed.

Thundar gave me an official tour of his ship and introduced me to his second-in-command, Hailar, again. And apparently, the little stowaway dog that Thundar has named Thing made a new friend.

Sitting on the bed in Thundar's royal quarters, I give Thing scratches behind the ear. Hailmak, the little bluish-green animal with big ears and even bigger eyes, wiggles his way between us, sticking his head under my hand instead. Thing growls at him, but Mak just growls back.

"Okay, okay, there are plenty of scratches to go around. No need to fight."

The doors to the quarters whoosh open and Thundar struts in, wearing nothing more than his loincloth. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him.

We've done nothing but fuck for five days straight, and I've licked every single inch of that big, blue body. Even if I wasn't falling for him, I don't think I'd be able to give up regular access to that cock, that tongue, those hands.

Fuck, even now, I'm getting wet just by looking at him.

Thundar smiles, sly and seductive, like he can smell my arousal. The fabric of his loincloth lifts as he grows hard underneath.

I push Thing and Mak away from me and welcome Thundar into my arms instead. He settles comfortably between my thighs, like a puzzle piece slotting into place. It's hard to believe it's only been days. I don't remember what it's like not to have him here, in my arms, braced above me, destroying me with a kiss.

"Won't be long now," he says, dragging his lips down my neck, teasing my collarbone with his tongue. "Escort ships have been sent to accompany us down to the planet."

He pushes aside the fabric covering one breast to suck a nipple deep into his mouth. I arch into the wet heat and shudder when he bites down lightly. He smooths one hand down my hip, then between us to finger at my pussy.

"So wet for me already."

"Always," I breathe and as soon as the word leaves my mouth, I know. I want always with him. I want forever.

He wastes no time in pushing two fingers deep inside me, curling them up to massage that sensitive spot that never fails to drive me wild.

"Thundar, please. Don't tease."

He chuckles. "For you, my princess, anything."

Lifting his loincloth, he takes his cock and slides into my pussy in one continuous motion. We both pant, savoring the connection. He's so big, and he fills me so completely. I feel like I'm skewered on him, and honestly, I think I'm getting addicted to the feeling.

There's something I'm supposed to tell him. Something he needs to know.

But then he rears up, banishing every rational thought from my mind.

He takes my ankles in his hands, hoisting them up to his shoulders. His hair floats down, two locks encircling my nipples, and a third wrapping around my clit. Then he fucks me, driving his cock into my quivering, abused pussy. His hair squeezes and pulls on my nipples, rubs against my clit. The combined sensations are too much and it doesn't take long before my orgasm crashes through me. Thundar follows soon after with a roar, flooding my pussy with his cum.

After, when we've both finally caught our breaths, I groan.

"Uh, I need to bathe again before we land."

"No, I want you like this, smelling like me, dripping with my essence."

I give him a gentle slap on his arm. "Such a barbarian."

He grunts in response.

It should gross me out, meeting a whole new alien race with his cum running down my legs. But I guess it's a testament to how far I've come that the idea doesn't really bother me. Huh. Weird.

But there is still that one thing.

"Um, Thundar, darling, there's something we need to talk about."

He hums sleepily, one hand drifting down between my legs like my pussy is some fidget spinner he can't resist playing with. "Don't worry, my princess, it is a mark of a mighty warrior to bring home a bride who has been visibly debauched."

There's so much wrong with that statement that I don't even know where to begin. But that's a conversation for another day.

I extricate myself from Thundar. We'll never get through this if he's continually distracted by sex. "Please, this is important."

That gets through to him. His gaze grows sharp and his expression grows concerned. "What is it, Lottie?"

I wince when he uses my name. I sit up and Thundar does too.

"Actually, about that. So, you know how Lottie is my nickname?"

"Yes, your full name is Alexandra Winifred Lillian Anne, Princess of Wales, but your friends call you Lottie."

I grimace. I can't believe he knows Alexandra's full name. Most people in the UK don't even know her second name is Winifred. Winifred. Poor thing. At least it's only a middle name.

"No, that's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm not Alexandra. I'm Charlotte, Alexandra's personal assistant."

Thundar stares at me and for a second I wonder whether our translators are malfunctioning.

"You're not Alexandra," he finally says with a hardness in his voice that I've never heard before, not even when he first stalked into the mating chambers all pompous and arrogant.

"No, I work–worked–for her." Guilt eats away at my stomach, making me a little nauseous and a lot woozy.

His eyes fade into a blue so icy, they almost look white. "You are a servant."

"Uh, no," I object, a flash of indignation helping to calm my roiling stomach. "I'm not a servant. I'm an employee. There's a huge difference."

One that Thundar doesn't seem to appreciate. He flies off the bed. "You lied to me!" he roars, pointing an accusing finger at me.

From the corner where Thing and Hailmak have been cuddling, they both jump at his outburst. Then Mak helps Thing climb up a bunch of furniture and they both disappear into a vent.

"I did. But in my defense, you abducted me," I point out.

"Liberated you!"

I roll my eyes, fighting back my irritation at that word. "My point is, your men were stomping around, growling at everyone. I realized they were looking for the princess. What was I supposed to do? Tell them where to find her? I had to protect her!"

"So you lie and pretend to be someone you're not?" he snarls.

The way he says it, like it's the most despicable thing he's ever heard, hurts way more than it should. But what did I expect? That he would laugh and brush it off and we'd waltz off into our happily ever after? Please, I know better than that.

"I had my reasons," I say, hating how my voice is tight with emotions.

"I thought I knew you."

The words are a knife right through my heart. But before I can respond, a chime rings.

"Your Brutal Highness, we are about to land," Hailar's voice comes from outside the door.

Thundar glares at me for a moment before letting out a growl and spinning on his heel. He stalks to the door, slams his palm on the pad next to it, and marches out without a backward glance.

I'm left sitting on the bed, shaking. What should I do now?

Hailar glances at me with a mix of confusion and amusement before following his prince. Behind him, Fiotrix pokes her head in.

She and her team of women have changed out of the ceremonial robes they wore during the interlude. Now they're wearing bikinis similar to my own. But she's holding a heavy fur cloak in her hands and she inches into the room.

"Princess, this is for you. His Brutal Highness reminded us that you will not be accustomed to the cold temperatures of Aysgoth."

I stand on unsteady legs and let Fiotrix settle the cloak around my shoulders. It's light, but it immediately envelopes me with warmth. She slips booties made of similar fur onto my feet.

I don't want to leave the ship. I don't want to go out there and face whatever fate is waiting for me. Will Thundar still want me as his queen? Will they take me back to Earth? I'm not sure which option I prefer anymore.

I follow Fiotrix down through the ship until we reach an open hatch. Cold wind blows through, so much colder than anything I've ever felt before. I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself, and take a step back.

I hit a wall of flesh. It's Hailar, who grips my arms and propels me forward, giving me no choice but to step outside.

It's a blistering, winter landscape. Snow blows in mini wind funnels and white sunlight reflects off the icy ground. There are mountains in the distance, covered in snow and ice, and across the large flat courtyard is an ice castle that rivals the most majestic structures in Europe.

Hailar forces me down the steps toward the rows of men who have gathered to greet the ship. They're all big and blue, with long hair that wraps around their bodies. Like Thundar and Hailar, no one wears anything more than a loincloth, not even on their feet. But none of them look cold. In fact, they look like they sprouted directly from the frozen ground itself.

Thundar stands in front of an older man, speaking in those grunts and growls I've grown so used to. The older man sees me and Thundar turns to look at me too.

When Thundar's gaze lands on me, it chills me more than the weather ever could. I go cold inside.

"Thundar," I try to say, but the frigid wind steals my breath.

He turns away from me as if I'm nothing, as if we didn't spend the past five days all wrapped up in each other. He flicks his hand and Hailar drags me away.

I don't know where he's taking me. Frankly, I don't care. All I want is to find Thundar and explain. I want to sit him down so we can hash this out. He has to understand where I'm coming from. He has to believe that I care for him, that I love him. Despite how we met, despite his stupid false belief that he's liberated me, and despite how infuriating some of the Aysgarthian ways are… I've grown to love their brute of a prince.

Hailar deposits me in a room in the castle. It's not so different from Alexandra's room in Kensington Palace. It's more of a suite, a series of rooms that's much too big for one person.

In each room, a firepit has been set and lit, sending out enough warmth for me to take off the cloak without freezing to death. The floors are covered with rugs made of the same type of fur.

"Hailar, wait," I call out when he turns to leave. "I need to talk to Thundar."

He actually looks a little apologetic. "I'm afraid that's not possible."

"What do you mean? Take me to him." I use the same tone I've heard Alexandra use thousands of times when she's pissed and ordering us around.

"His Brutal Highness is occupied with the royal council."

"For how long? Will he come get me when he's done?"

Hailar hesitates before admitting, "It may be some time."

"What does that mean?" I press him, but it's too late. He's already slipped out of the room.

Fine. If he doesn't want to take me to Thundar, then I'll go find him myself. I grab the door handle and pull, but it doesn't budge. No matter how hard I yank it, it doesn't open. I stare at the door in disbelief. They've locked me in here. Like I'm a prisoner.

Like I'm an abducted princess.

Hysterical laughter bubbles up in me and I clamp a hand over my mouth to stop it from spilling out. I can't afford to fall to pieces now. I need to keep my shit together.

Someone will have to come at some point. They'll feed me, at least, won't they? I'll just bide my time.

Minutes tick by. Then hours. I pace through the rooms, from one end to the other. I riffle through all the shelves of books in a language I can't read, dig through the mostly empty drawers on the desks and dressers. The bathing chamber is massive, an entire spa with multiple pools, lounge areas, and even more rooms branching off everywhere.

I explore it all. I sit by the fire. And still, no one comes.

Has Thundar forgotten me? Is he so angry that he'll leave me here to rot? Did the time we spent together mean nothing to him?

I fall asleep at some point, only to wake up to someone shaking my shoulder. I jolt upright to find Fiotrix standing above me. I jump to my feet.

"Princess, I've brought food." She gestures to the tray set on a nearby table. I recognize some of the items from the ship.

My stomach grumbles, but I have more important things to do than eat.

I grab Fiotrix's arms, and she lets out a startled yelp. "Fiotrix, please, you have to get me out of here. You have to help me find Thundar."