Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. Chapter Three Grace took two weeks to lull Rand into a false sense of belief before renewing her request for an annulment of their betrothal. She still had not found any footing upon the reviewing the laws governing the Royal Law of Marriage. She had read the law forwards, backwards, and even sideways and still no hope of being freed, unless, Rand would call it off. Which didn't seem even like a possibility. He was insistent about marrying her. Which he reminded her nightly. She didn't know which was worse. Being with him during the day or having him invade her dreams at night. It was almost midnight. She glanced at the clock. She was tired but was reluctant about going to sleep. But if she didn't slumber soon, Rand would walk the short distance across their shared balcony and check on her. He would have his time each night. Either in the dream state or physical. He had made it apparent that he didn't care which. So it was her choice. Did she wish to be seduced physically or mentally? Sighing she flipped over on her side and reached up and shut the light off. Rand stood outside of Gracie's room on the balcony. He watched the light turn off. He had wondered how many times he would have to wait upon her. She seemed to fight a little more each night, instead becoming more receptive to his advances. He was trying to go slowly and woo her as his father had advised but it was difficult to ask instead of take. His every instinct was to take her and keep her close to him. He wanted her in his bed and arms every night. This betrothal would never end. Sighing he pushed off the railing and walked towards her door. Laying his hand upon the handle he whispered the spell to unlock the french doors. Turning the handle, he was surprised when it did budge. Gazing through the gauzy fabric covering the doors, he could see her laying in her bed. Smiling slightly he entered her dreams. Gracie felt the moment that Rand choose to enter her dreams. It was like there was an electrical charge filling the air. She wasn't surprised when she felt him kiss the nape of her neck. She was still laying upon her bed. "Nice trick, Gracie. You'll have to teach me how to do that." He said as he wrapped his arms around her. With a sigh of relief he pulled her deeper into his embrace. As she squirmed against him, he tightened his arms. "Hold still, Gracie." "Let go of me." Gracie replied through gritted teeth. "Why? You'll have to get use to it. I intend to hold you every night after we get married." "How many times do I have to tell you, Rand. I don't want to get married. Pick another woman." "No other will do. It's your destiny Gracie. I've know since high school." "What!" She gasped. Sitting up, she managed to break his hold. "What do you mean you've known since high school." "Just what I said," Rand replied as he watched her pace back and forth. He wasn't surprised at her reaction but the sooner that she accepted her part in his life the quicker they could forge their union. Their time was short. "Then why did you let me think that I could be your advisor?" Gracie asked hotly. "All that training was for nothing. I have studied for the last ten years to become your advisor. When were you going to tell me, Your Highness? After I completed my Wizard Exam?" "That's enough Gracie!" Rand said angrily "I have done nothing but give you time. In all rights I should have claimed you after we graduated high school. I gave you time. I knew that you weren't ready. The extra training that you have gotten will heed us both well. There are rough times ahead of us. I have seen it. For the sake of our country we have to be united. As my wife, you will have more influence on me than any mere advisor would. And make no mistake Gracie, in two weeks we will be wed. There is no other for me. I won't call off our wedding. There are no loopholes in the Royal Law." He stood and turned to leave her. Then stopped. "And Gracie, you will take your Wizard Exam. Then we will be married. Sleep well, for when we wed you won't be getting much sleep." Then he disappeared. The next morning, Gracie went in search of her mother. Surely her mother would have some kind of advice for her. Before she could find her mother she found Queen Aria. "Good morning, Queen Aria." Quickly she curtsied to the queen. "Good morning, Lady Grace. And how many times have I told you that you do not need to bow to me, Grace. You are soon to be my daughter. And I couldn't have picked a more perfect person for my son. Rand has chosen well." Motioning for her to sit, the queen sat down across from her. "I wish that I could be as happy as everyone else is. But I can't help but think that Rand is to sophisticated and experienced for someone like me. I have very limited social experience to draw upon. I know as a future queen there is plenty of social obligations to see to. I will be like a fish out of water. I had planned on being behind the scenes, not in the lime light." "Relax, Gracie. These thing s can be taught. You are a smart witch. I have faith in you. Have you ever wondered why the next King and Queen are chosen so early? Mica and I plan upon being around for a long time to come. I know that we plan to retire in a few months but both Mica and I will be there to help both Rand and you. We will be a fountain of knowledge for you to draw from. Don't fret about it Gracie. I have no doubt in your ability to be queen." Queen Aria said softly with great affection. "Well that's one issue that is easy enough to resolve. But what do I do about my lack of experience in lovemaking? I have no practical knowledge at all of men. As a matter of fact I have never had a lover. I have read plenty of books on the subject, when I thought that I might have a chance at having a relationship. When I realized that it wasn't my fate, I put those books away. So, I feel I am not suited to have one with the next king. And Rand will be much more experienced in this area. I do not want to be found lacking." "I see that no one has bothered to inform you about the Royal Law." The queen said softly. Standing up she motioned for Grace to follow her. "Come with me Gracie. This subject is best discussed in private." After the queen had made Gracie comfortable in her private sitting room, she left for a few short minutes to let her husband know that she wasn't to be disturbed for a period of time. "What's going on, my love?" Mica asked as he pulled his wife into his arms. "Our future daughter is concerned about her lack of experience. I am going to ease her fears. She is a wonderful woman but for some reason, Rand has failed to explain the Royal Law to her." "Now, Aria. You know that Rand is suppose to explain the law to her. On the night of their wedding. It is tradition." He said sternly. "I know. I am not going to go into details about this. I am merely going to give her some advice so she isn't sitting on pins and needles on her wedding night." When she returned to her sitting room, she found Grace curled up asleep next to her son. Smiling softly she greeted him. "Good morning Rand." "Morning, Mom." Rand replied softly. Gently he caressed Gracie's hair. "Did you let her sleep last night?" His mother asked him as she sat down in the chair across from the love seat that they occupied. "I didn't keep her up all night, Mom. But I wager that she didn't sleep any better than I did." "You slept separate?" "Yes. Mom. She didn't want me there. She was very angry with me when I disengaged our connection." "Then why would she have not slept?" "Our powers have already intertwined. It is uncomfortable for both of us to rest properly without holding the merge." "How has that already started?" "They intertwined on the night of our prom." "Was she aware of this?" "No. I have been holding the merge for both of us. But I wasn't feeling very charitable last night when I left." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "She is going to fight me to the end, I fear. She doesn't realize the bond between us. I may have waited for her. Gave her the extra time that she deserves but I couldn't be away from her. I still had to have her in my life. I still visited her in the deep of the night. Not that she will recall those dreams. I entered softly and left the same way. I wanted to give her the dream that she's been chasing since junior high." In his lap, Gracie stirred and snuggled deeper into him. "Are you holding the merge now?" His mother asked in awe. "Yes. I've learned to do many things Mom and still hold our merge. It has almost become second nature to me." "And you haven't explained to her how the mind merge is held and why?" "No. I haven't." "Why not?" "Because if I did I wasn't sure that I would be able to keep it a simple merge and not take it farther. Even the first time that I attempted to do it I had Jonathan. I didn't trust myself to let it go with just the merge the first time." "And the first time that you attempted this was the night of your prom?" "Yes. I'm a quick study. I learned how to control the urges quickly, so she wouldn't realize the true meaning behind the mind merge." "That may come back to haunt you." "I know. But it was imperative that I give her that extra time." "I know. I spoke with her earlier. She is concerned about becoming your wife, Rand. I won't lie about that. I am sure that she has told you about that. I eased her fears about the social end of becoming queen but I feel that her biggest fear lies in intimacy I have not told her anything that you should tell her but she does need some reassurance. She is unaware of the Royal Law or doesn't believe that it is still practiced." "I know. I will clarify that after we are wed. I do not want any more reasons for her reluctance to grow." Gracie woke slowly. She had been waiting for the Queen to return. Dear Lord, she had fallen asleep. How embarrassing! As she went to sit up, she felt the warmth that was wrapped around her. It was very familiar to her. Groaning silently she turned her head. And saw that her intended was sleeping just as soundly as she had been. She smiled softly. He was indeed an attractive man. Being married to him would not be a hardship if all she had to do was watch him. But unfortunately that wasn't all that marriage entailed. Watching him sleep she wondered what he dreamed about at night. Then a slow smile came across her face. She could easily find out about his dreams. Just then he groaned deep in his throat. She couldn't resist. He had felt that it was his right to invade her sleep every night. Then surely she had the same rights to his. Tentatively she tried to initiate the dream merge. She wasn't use to starting the merge. He was the one that always reached first. Breathing deeply she concentrated on matching her heartbeat with his. It was the only way that she knew how to connect with him. At first she was surprised that she succeed. She found him in his bedroom. She could hear soft gasps and purrs of pleasure coming from his bed. Curiosity ran through her. Walking over the edge of the bed she was unprepared for what she saw. Rand was having a very erotic dream and it seemed that she was being an active participant. The moment that she saw her own dazed eyes, she became the woman laying under Rand. In his sleep, Rand immediately knew that it was no longer just a dream on his part. Somehow Gracie had managed to initiate a mind merge. And he was certain that she did not realize that she had. He was poised on the edge of claiming his lover when she entered his dream. Swearing under his breath he stiffened his will. "Oh Christ, Gracie." He groaned as he fought with his body. He could pet and hold her as much as he wanted in the dream world but he couldn't consummate their union while in the throes of a mind merge. The physical consummation had to come first. It just had to. Tradition demanded it. He nearly had it under control when she arched under him. Gracie was unprepared for the onslaught of pleasure that took hold of her when she replaced the dream Gracie. She was bombarded with instant pleasure and heat. Dear Lord the heat was intense. It felt as if her skin was going to burst if she didn't find relief. Instinct had her arching up against him. He groaned low in his throat as his great willpower started to unravel. Grasping her hips in his hands he fought to control her frantic movements. "No, Gracie, not like this. I can't do it like this. The other has to come first. It just has to." He groaned as she withered against him. "Please." She begged wrapping her legs around his waist even tighter. Groaning with despair and pleasure, he rolled them over until she was straddling his waist. Reaching up he ran his hands through her hair and pulled her down to lock their mouths together. After several moments of intense kissing he broke their kiss to drag in a deep breath of air. She pulled his hands down her body until they rest over her breasts. Pressing them to her aching flesh she moved her hips against the hard male body under her. Rand was barely hanging on by a thread. Gracie didn't realize that she was in the grip of ritualistic mating fever, the mezclar , but he was quite aware of it. And knew that no matter what pleasure he gave her it wouldn't be enough without the ritual words binding them together, heart, body, and soul. She would be able to climax but not find any real release until they were fully merged. What she was attempting to find, shouldn't be done until the dawning of the new moon before their vows were spoken. She would not be able to sustain the constant pressure of the mezclar for more than the forty-eight hours that was traditional. He had been told by his father when he asked that his own mother had nearly raped her new husband before the forty-eight hours were up. How was he going to find the strength to stop his beautiful Gracie when she wasn't fighting him but responding to him fully. Knowing that it was going to hurt like hell to stop, he groaned and pushed her off him. Rolling over the edge of the bed, he sat up and braced his head with his hands. Drawing in deep breaths he felt her moving behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. She was sitting up with the blanket pulled up to her chin against the head board. Raking a hand through his already tousled hair, he turned to face her. She was still breathing as fast as he was. "You picked a fine time to try and merge with me, mi reina ." "What was that?" She asked. "The mezclar. You accidently triggered it." He said roughly. "What is that? I don't know what you're talking about and how did I almost trigger it?" "I might as well tell you. The mezclar is a ritualistic mating that you and I will go through. It starts with the rise of the new moon before our wedding and reaches it's peak on our wedding night." "You've gotta be kidding." With a flip of her wrist she conjured her clothes out of the air. "No. When you mind merged with me you accidently triggered it. It can not happen until the new moon." "Why?" She asked as she felt the desire to throbbing through her veins. "Because you won't last until the ceremony. It's just the way that it works. I am going to have my hands full if this is any indication. I want you like hell, Gracie. But I won't start this ritual until the time is right. It's the way that it has to be." "And if I push?" She asked, softly. Maybe this was the way out of their marriage. "You'll be miserable for the next two weeks, Gracie. And I'll be tired. I will make you climax again and again and it still won't be enough. And we'll still get married. And if we make it back down the aisle without both of us tearing each others clothes off it will be a miracle. So don't push me on this, Gracie. I want you to take your Wizard Exam and Placement. For your sake, so you will know that you are more to me than just my wife. That I cherish all parts of you. Even those that are frustrating." "And if I don't choose to participate in this mezclar?" "You won't have a choice, Gracie. What you felt just now is not even a tenth of what you'll feel when the new moon rises and the ritual begins. Neither one of us will be able to stop it from starting. The mezclar is that strong. And our chemistry is just as strong. There's no way to stop it now." "Great. Another decision taken out of my hands. You are the most arrogant and stubborn man I have ever met." "And you are the bossiest and sexiest woman that I have ever met." He returned as she disappeared from his dream. "That's probably why I love you." He whispered as the scent of her lingered behind. Gracie's Private Suite Rand stood in the doorway of Gracie's bathroom. She was laying in the tub, enjoying a bubble bath. Or trying to, he assumed, by the way that she was fidgeting she wasn't succeeding. And the bubbles looked as if they were almost gone. If he was a little less honorable he would walk over and drag her out of the tub and have his way with her. It had only been two days since their close call with the mezclar. The chemistry that had flared up between them had not lessened during that time. The dreams were coming more and more frequently. He was having them several times a night opposed to once a week. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive until their wedding. It was still ten days away. Maybe he needed to have a long talk with his father. He might have some ideas about dealing with this situation. But first he wanted a kiss from his soon to be wife. Walking across the short distance to the tub, he knelt down next to it. Even though her eyes were closed, he knew the moment that she knew that he was near. She stilled suddenly and then slowly opened her eyes. Before she could protest his actions he leaned in and captured her soft lips under his. Without as much as a protest she let herself be drug into his kiss. Somewhere midway through the kiss she raised her arms to clasp them around his neck. A soft groan escaped his throat. He knew he was tempting fate but could not resist the temptation of her mouth. Struggling for control of his senses, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. "Soon, Gracie, soon." He whispered. "We'll be together soon." He rose quickly and before she could protest, he was gone. With a moan, she slid under the water. This torture had to stop. The man hurried to the edge of the gardens, where he had promised to meet his boss. He knew that his boss would be angry about being kept waiting, but he had a devil of time ditching Jonathan, the king's best friend. He had just been assigned to him before the wedding plans started and Jonathan was a demanding task master. He expected hard work and wouldn't settle for less. He had a ready apology on his lips when he entered the gazebo. The other man stepped out of the shadows. "You're late." He told the man. "I know, sorry. Couldn't be avoided." He whined. "How is the progress going on finding her lover?" "Slow. I'm checking her school records right now. But it's gotta be done discretely or it'll raise to many red flags. I started at her high school, but it also could have been in college but don't worry I'll find him." he assured him. "Let's hope you do." Jonathan lifted Patience out of his car with care. They had a wonderful evening together. They had met and went out to dinner, followed by a musical. Patience had fallen asleep in the car during the forty minute drive back to her house. As she snuggled closer to him he stifled a groan. He had resisted temptation again and again since he had decided to pursue her. He was waiting for her to give him a clear sign that she was ready to take their budding relationship to the next level. As he walked up her walk, she mumbled in her sleep. He froze when he heard his name. She murmured it again and pressed her lips against his neck before dropping into a deeper sleep. Pausing at her door, he whispered the spell to unlock the door. Pushing it open with a sigh he carried her back to her bedroom. Muttering another spell, the blankets on her bed slid down to the foot a bed. Depositing her on the pristine sheets, she was a sight that would surely haunt him the rest of the night. Covering her up, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Soon, Patience, we'll be together." Turning he left. Opening her eyes, Patience, smiled. "Sooner than you think, Jonathan." Turning over she snuggled into the bed. Standing in the open doorway, Jonathan barely heard her words. But hear them he did. A slow smile crossed his face. He waited patiently for her to drop into a deeper slumber, then he initiate the dream merge. Patience was unaware at the first that he was in her dream until she felt a warm body behind her. Rolling over she gazed into Jonathan's warm hazel eyes. "How?" She whispered. Not really sure if it was real or if she were merely dreaming. "Shh." He whispered before capturing her lips with his. As the kiss deepened, she groaned softly and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her deeper into his embrace. As the dream progressed, their clothes disappeared. Soon he was worshiping her tender breasts with damp kisses. She arched invitingly under him when he pulled her hardened nipple into his mouth. Suckling softly he listened to her soft groans. Patience ran her fingers through his damp hair . He growled with pleasure. She would soon come to realize that he loved having his hair played with. In fact if she would find that if she timed it right it would drive him over the edge. Letting her nipple slip from his mouth he trailed kisses back up her torso to capture her mouth again. As the kiss flew out of control again, she wrapped her legs around his waist and ground her mound against him. Anchoring her hips he tried to draw out their pleasure. "Not so fast, little one. We'll get there. No rush." He whispered against her lips before catching the lobe of her ear between his teeth. Nibbling softly he was very satisfied with her response to his advances. Eventually she decided that it was time for her to force the issue. She shifted enough under him to get into position. He growled again and attempted to pull her back under him. With a quick move of her legs she managed to flip him onto his back. He chuckled softly. She wanted to play rough, huh? Grasping her waist he rolled her back under him. And once again pinned her down against the bed. Laughing softly she arch her eyebrow as if to say, you think that will hold me? With another expert move that her sister had taught her she managed to pin him under her again. Before she could gloat , he flipped her over, this time onto her stomach. Immediately she got up on her hands and knees. Leaning over her he pinned her down. "My favorite position. How'd you know?" He whispered into her ear before he nibbled on her shoulder. Before she could protest, he entered her from behind and sank himself to the hilt. Both of them groaned raggedly. "Oh god." She groaned as the sensations rocked through her body. "God has nothing to do with this, little one. I do." He said between gritted teeth as he began to move. Before long, they were both covered with sweat. Just as they neared the peak, Jonathan's pager started to vibrate. "Christ, not now." He groaned. Knowing that he was going to have to answer the summons, he reached under her and placed his hand over her pleasure point and expertly stroked it. Immediately she reached completion. She arched back against him and exploded. Gasping raggedly he tried to pull away from her. He had to answer the summons. He didn't want to stop, he was so close. He didn't know if he had to will power to leave when he was this close. But he had to try. Pushing himself upright he attempted to withdraw, but he was not prepared for her to follow him. She arched her back and lifted her arms behind her to twine them around his neck. When she did she slid her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and toyed with them. And that was all that it took. He growled deep in his chest before grabbing her hips and locking her to him as he exploded violently. Growling he thrust himself repeatedly into her softness until the last tremor shook him and left him sated from his head to his toes. Standing in the doorway, Jonathan gasped harshly. That was more intense than anything that he had ever experienced. Reaching down he reluctantly he checked his pager. It didn't surprise him to see Rand's number in the display screen. "Rand, you have the worst timing. " "Thank you." Jonathan gaze immediately flew to the bed. Patience was sitting up amongst the rumpled blankets. Walking swiftly to her side, he leaned down and kissed her. "It was my pleasure." "I know." "I'm sorry I have to go now. His Highness beckons." "I know." As he started to leave she stopped him. "Jonathan, you might want to change your pants before meeting Rand. It might be a little embarrassing." Glancing down he saw the large wet spot on the front of his pants. "Next time, little one. I won't have any spots to worry about." "Really." "Yeah. I love the dream merge but I want the real thing. And I plan on having it."