Author: Hardguy Title: king (Work in Progress) Summary: The following story is a work in progress and is presented as is. It may be unformatted, contain misspellings, poor grammar, half constructed thoughts, and continuity errors. Story title may be misleading, as the plot may change during the writing process from the initial inspiration. If anything, it is presented in an effort to gauge reader interest. Keywords: M/f/g/g, ped, inc, bro/sis, cons, preg, mast, fantasy "I'm very sorry to tell you this, sir, but your father is dead." Those were the words Edward heard shortly after his 20th birthday, and they changed his life. No less than 10 minutes had passed after hearing this news, than he heard the sounds of chanting outside. Edward peered through the curtains of a nearby window and saw thousands of people gathered outside. The phrase they were chanting over and over became clear to him at this time as well. "...is dead. Long live the King! The king is dead. Long live the King! The king..." Edward looked to his most trusted advisor, Richard, who had just arrived by his side. His younger sisters, Ellen, 15, and Kathryn, 11, were a little farther back, their eyes red from crying. "Must I?" Edward asked Richard, nodding his head towards the window and the gathered masses outside in the square below, called by the tolling of the black bells that rang only when the king had died. "I beg of you, sire. Take the crown. Should you abdicate, we will be without a monarch for the next 3 years, as Lady Ellen has not yet come of age," Richard explained. Edward knew it was important that the throne of Midland not be left vacant, given the current state of affairs with their neighboring countries of Lusk, to the north, and Ashen, to the south. Midland had been established nearly 700 years ago following almost 60 years of constant war between the two countries. It was intended as a neutral ground to prevent further conflict between them. Each side ceded equal amounts of land to form a 200 kilometer wide buffer zone between them. The prince of Ashen wed the princess of Lusk and the royal family of Midland was established. Until recently, this arrangement had worked well to keep the peace between Lusk and Ashen. Twenty years ago, the crown prince of Lusk had been accused of smuggling through Midland a half-dozen girls from Ashen, and raping and torturing them. The charges were of course denied, and accusations were made on both sides. Midland was of course caught in the middle of this, and Edward's father, the newly crowned king of Midland at the time, filled his historical role as mediator between the two nations. A jury of 5 Ashen, 5 Lusk, and 5 Midland citizens was formed and found the prince to be guilty of the deed by a vote of 9 to 6. As the prince was being moved to Midland's custody for imprisonment, he was killed by a father of one of the victims. While Ashen hailed the assassin as a hero, Lusk demanded he be turned over to them. However, as it was a crime committed in Midland, the man was sentenced and jailed there. As expected, this created the perception that Ashen and Midland were conspiring against Lusk. Threats were made on both sides and war loomed again, with Midland forced once again to negotiate the peace. Although Midland's king was successful in calming tempers, following the peace process he fell ill from poisoning and never fully recovered, remaining partially paralyzed for the rest of his days. No proof was ever found that Lusk was behind the poisoning. Edward was born shortly after his father was crippled. The king's poisoning also affected his fertility, making it a miracle that Ellen was even conceived 5 years later. Kathryn was Edward and Ellen's half-sister, as the king's health had rendered him infertile, forcing his brother to take up the position of royal consort to the queen, who was a cousin of the Lusk prince that caused all this trouble in the first place. Although Edward was crown prince, his mother ruled in her husband's stead, which likely helped to heal some of the political wounds with Lusk quicker, as she favored them. Once he turned 18, Edward was elevated to co-rule with his mother, requiring agreement between them on all state matters. Although he was now legally old enough to become king, that would require his father to either die or leave the throne, and as the queen was in power, she would be the one to declare such an action on her husband's behalf. Now, though, with the king dead, the queen had lost her power, and it was on Edward to take up the title or leave it to his sisters to come of age. As Richard had said, if Edward were to abdicate, the crown would then wait for Ellen to turn 18, at which time she would have to choose a husband from Ashen, and would risk further problems with Lusk. The best situation for Midland would be for Edward to take the throne and a Lusk bride along with it in the hopes that it would help to calm tensions, as the princesses would be forced to take husbands from Ashen instead. "Where is the Queen?" Edward asked, referring to his mother by her title rather than her relation to him. The various maids and nannies in the castle were the women who raised him, his mother doing little more than carrying and birthing him and his sisters. "She has already left the castle for her home in Lusk," Richard said. The answer didn't surprise Edward, as his mother was not very popular in Midland, seen by many as a puppet of the Lusk crown. He turned to face his sisters, who were in an embrace, Ellen doing her best to comfort Kathryn. He went to them and put his arms around them both. The two girls clung to him as he stroked their hair. "I must address the people outside," he said to them. "I would like for both of you to accompany me, but do not dry your eyes. Your tears will help our country as it grieves." His sisters silently nodded and each took one of his hands and stood on either side of him. Edward led them to the curtained balcony where two guards stood at attention. Edward nodded to each guard, who, in unison, stepped towards the center of the closed curtains and parted them. Through the window, Edward could see the crowd below, who began to cheer loudly as the curtains were opened. "The doors, please," he said and the guards responded by opening the doors to the balcony. The noise of the people's cheers increased dramatically once that final barrier was removed. Edward felt his sister's grips on his hands tighten as the roar from the crowd startled them both. Kathryn was the more frightened of the two and grabbed hold of Edward's hand with both of hers. He smiled down at her reassuringly which brought a smile to her tear streaked face. "Let's go," he said to them, and together they strode out onto the balcony to the cheers of "Long Live King Edward!" from the crowd below. **** His speech to the people had been short, and Edward could tell that many were moved by the sight of the princesses' brave smiles through their tears. While he had returned to consult with his advisors, his sisters had gone to accompany their father's body to the same church where Edward, like his ancestors before him, was to be crowned and eventually eulogized when the end of his time too came. That however was still not certain. Edward had not yet decided if his place was on the throne or as the brother of the future queen. Ellen was still 3 years from being able to take power, which meant that if he did pass on the crown, his uncle Thomas, Kathryn's father, would become king, effectively locking out Ellen from the throne and putting Kathryn as the direct heir. Thomas never had any real power as consort to Edward's mother, and for that Edward was grateful. Thomas was something of a misfit, whose antics were always being cleaned up and covered up by royal officials. On more than one night, Edward had seen his uncle hurrying women out of the castle's secret entrances as the poor girl tried to get dressed as she was pushed along. No doubt if he were to take power, any women who might have found themselves in delicate condition after one of these encounters would step forward, and very probably find themselves silenced. There was also the matter of Kathryn. Shortly after his ascension to co-rule with his mother, Edward had found Kathryn crying in her room, naked from the waist down and bleeding from her privates. Edward had wanted to take her to see the court doctor, but Kathryn insisted she was ok, as that was what Thomas had reassured her of when he put his fingers into her. Edward had been furious at his uncle as he cleaned his dear little sister's blood from the inside of her thighs, and had to restrain himself from beating the man to death as he warned his uncle to never touch Kathryn again. It had apparently worked, as Kathryn never told him of another incident, and Thomas did his best to steer clear of not only Kathryn, but Ellen as well after that. Certainly if Thomas became king, the abuse would resume without Edward around to prevent it. While that made for a very compelling reason for Edward to take up the throne, there remained the matter of his own personal freedom. All his life he had been groomed to become king, so there was a part of himself that yearned for some freedom. He knew little of the world outside the walls of this castle and the occasional trip made to other castles in both Ashen and Lusk. Peering through the curtains of the carriage that would take him to those places showed Edward a much simpler life that strangely appealed to him in comparison to this one of protocol and policy. A life where you were surrounded by friends and family instead of maids, nannies, and servants. A life with her... "M'lord..." The voice snapped Edward out of thought and he looked up to see Richard standing there. "Yes, Richard, what is it?" "The princesses have returned, sir. Lady Ellen has gone to bed and Lady Kathryn is asking for you in her room." "That late already?" Richard nodded. Ever since Edward had come to her rescue two years earlier, Kathryn had asked for him to tuck her in at night. Edward didn't mind at all as he loved his little sister very much, but lately the atmosphere had been awkward on his nightly visits. As he walked to her chamber, Edward passed the guard he had assigned to patrol outside her room. The guard was there specifically to watch for Thomas, and although his eyebrows had risen when Edward personally gave him those orders, he knew better than to ask why or to speak of it to others. "...my lady, you must..." "No!" Edward heard the sounds of this argument coming from his sister's room, and once he entered her doorway he saw why. The little girl was naked from head to toe, her long brown hair half braided and two of her personal servants arguing with her, one holding a nightgown while the other attempting to do up the rest of her hair. "You must wear something to bed, my lady! It is not becoming of you to sleep in the nude!" the servant insisted, holding the gown out at the naked princess. "I will not! You cannot make me!" Kathryn insisted, shaking her head, frustrating greatly the poor woman trying to braid her hair. She noticed her brother standing there and her cheeks reddened as she called out to him. "Edward!" The heir-to-the-throne's name startled the servant with the nightgown and Kathryn pushed past her and ran to her brother, throwing her arms around his waist. Although she was his little sister, Edward was still a man, and as such her naked young body pressed up against his triggered the obvious involuntary response. "Oh, my lord! I'm so sorry, but she will not dress appropriately for bed," the servant apologized. Edward looked down at his sister, who was giving him a big grin. "It's ok. You two may go," he told them. The servant laid the nightgown out on the bed and then she and the hair braider exited the room, pausing only briefly to bow before Edward and close the door. Edward put his hands on his youngest sister's shoulders and the girl released her hold on him and took a step backwards. She stood naked in front of him, her arms at her sides, making no attempt to cover herself. If Edward had been looking at her face, he'd have seen the big grin that spread across her red face as he took in her small pointy breast buds and her puffy hairless mound and slit. Of course he'd seen it two years ago when he had tended to her abused body, but now it stirred feelings in him that were less compassionate and more lustful. "Do you like it, Edward?" Kathryn asked shyly. Her voice caused Edward to visibly snap out of whatever trance her naked body had put him in. She giggled at his reaction. "D-do I like what, Kathryn?" he asked, a bit dumbly. "Looking at me...seeing me naked. Ellen said men liked to look at naked girls," Kathryn explained. Edward couldn't argue against that statement, but he did wonder what had gotten into his normally pure and innocent little sister. "Well, yes Kathryn, men do like to look at naked girls..." "So does that mean I got your thing hard?" the little nymph asked with a crooked smile. Edward's mind reeled. Where did she hear of such things? Edward didn't answer her, and instead went to her bed where he picked up her nightgown. "Put this on, Kathryn," he told her, holding it out. The girl pouted disappointedly for a moment and then took the gown, pulling it on over her nakedness. She then walked past him and sat on her bed to sulk. "I just wanted to know if your thing was hard," she said, her head bowed. Edward, not wishing to encourage her, but equally not wishing to upset her, sat down on the side of her bad and put his hand on her shoulder. "I think you are a beautiful girl, Kathryn, but you are also my dear sister-" "Half-sister," she corrected him. "Half-sister, yes, and it would make problems for both of us if we became familiar with each other's flesh. Now I want you to settle down and sleep. The funeral for father is only a day away." Kathryn scooted back on the bed and slid herself under the covers. Edward, as he had done for the past two years, pulled them up to her chin and then moved in for a kiss to her cheek. This time however, Kathryn surprised her brother and turned her head at the last second to have her lips meet his. Edward pulled back after a brief touch and frowned at her, receiving only giggles for his stare. He couldn't help himself and smiled at her as well. "Whatever has gotten into you, little one?" "I love you brother," she answered him, grinning him a huge smile. "I love you too, sister," he said to her, and then got up from her bed to leave the room. He was not halfway to the door before she called out to him. "Edward?" "Yes, Kathryn?" "Are you going to become king?" "I have not decided yet," he said, truthfully not having decided yet. "Should I?" "I think you would make a wonderful king. Good night, Edward." "Good night, Kathryn," he said, leaving the room. No sooner was the door shut, than if anyone had been around to hear in the darkness of Kathryn's room the whimpering sigh of a pre-teen princess. =2= Entering his own chamber, Edward undressed and lay down on the bed. He was still half-aroused by Kathryn's little display and he began to stroke his semi-limp member. Closing his eyes, a vision of her hairless cunt danced in his mind and before long he was spilling his seed into a small pool on his stomach. "Oh brother, what has you all worked up?" came a voice. Edward sat up suddenly and saw Ellen closing the door behind her. He pulled a sheet over his lap to cover his nakedness although it was not as though he and Ellen had never seen each other's bare bodies. He swore silently as he felt his cum roll down the now vertical plane of his stomach and flow around the base of his manhood to wet the bed under him. "I, uh...just needed to relieve some stress with all that's gone on today," he lied to her, not sure how she'd react if he had told her the real reason. "I thought you had gone to bed?" "I laid down, but I could not sleep," Ellen said sitting down on the side of his bed. "I couldn't stop thinking of seeing father today. How peaceful he looked...but so frail and small. I was afraid the same might happen to you should something happen to disrupt the trinity." The trinity she referred to was a common term for the peace that Midland kept between Ashen and Lusk. "I agree, that would be a tragedy for the people, but in truth I have not yet decided if I will become king," he admitted to her. "There is much to consider as I also have my own desires outside of the crown." "You mean...Alexandra?" Edward nodded as the name sent a pang through his heart. It was on a trip to Ashen as a child that he had met her. She was the daughter of a servant that worked in the palace there and the two had often played together. As the Midland court alternated it's yearly trips between Lusk and Ashen, Edward only saw Alexandra once every two years, and each time she looked more and more beautiful to the prince despite the relative poverty she lived in and the simple clothing she wore. It was on one of these trips where the 14-year old prince and the 12-year old peasant girl stole away and willingly gave themselves to each other. They were found together by a guard as they dozed together and were forbidden to see each other by Edward's mother. The worry was that should Edward impregnate the girl, his claim to the throne would be lost as he was required by tradition to produce an heir with a mate from Lusk. If Edward's claim were to be invalidated, the influence of a Lusk queen would be lost in Midland as Ellen would then become the heir, taking an Ashen husband. Edward was never allowed to travel to Ashen again by his mother and by the time he was old enough that she could no longer restrict him, Alexandra's father was no longer employed at the palace. Luckily, the guard that had discovered the young lovers remained and presented Edward with a letter from Alexandra. She had written it before her father had left the service of the Ashen court and she pledged to remain unmarried and celibate for him to marry her some day. This was what Edward truly wished to do, and he had planned to do so once Ellen was old enough to block Thomas' claim to the crown as Kathryn's father. Now however, he was forced to make a choice which would prevent him from fulfilling this desired life but would protect his littlest sister. "Brother...I have been thinking," Ellen said, casting her eyes downward at Edward's lap. "As our mother was a lady of Lusk, then as her daughter, I too must be of Lusk, is that not correct?" "I suppose. You are required to wed a man of Ashen by virtue of your noble blood as well," Edward told her, not sure what she was getting at. He was taken quite by surprise as Ellen took hold of the blanket covering his lap and pulled it off of him, exposing his now relaxed cock and semen smeared belly and pubic hair. She took the lethargic organ in her hand and squeezed it gently, feeling it pulse in reaction to the touch. "Ellen...what are you-" "Then would it be possible for you to join with me and create an heir, so that I might rule as it's mother as ours did and you could then go to be with Alexandra?" Edward was speechless as his sister's idea was processed first by one brain, and then by the other in what was now the fastest growing part of his body. "Ellen, you are my sister! For us to do such a thing would be-" he was stopped in his words by his sister's sudden shedding of her night gown. Her apple sized breasts and bush of pubic hair were in stark contrast to that of not only Kathryn's immature body, but also the body of the young girl he made love to 6 years ago. Alexandra was 3 years older than the nude teen before him now and Edward suddenly found himself wondering what her adult body was like now. Before Edward could put in another word of protest, Ellen had straddled him, her dark curls tickling the underside of his rehardened cock. "I am only thinking of the best for both you and Kathryn," she told him as she leaned forward on him, causing him to lie down. "I also must admit, the prospect of you filling my body is also one that I have had for sometime. Ever since you first told me of Alexandra...I wanted to know such pleasures as well." She moved her hips forward, feeling his rigid shaft drag briefly against her moist feminine treasures before emerging between her thighs. She kissed him and then sat up to perch herself over his cock. As she prepared to impale herself on the upright shaft, Edward sat up and cupped her between the legs. "We cannot do this, Ellen," he told her firmly. "This is not the way." "But brother, I want-" she protested. "I appreciate your thoughts and I understand your reasons, but the child of such a union would be scandalous. It might even provoke war from Lusk as the heir would not be of a woman from their land and their values. Further I do not wish to saddle you with the responsibilities of not only a child but of ruling as well. You are young and beautiful, Ellen and I am indeed feeling lust for you at this moment, but mating ourselves together is not a proper thing for either of us to do." He could see the tears welling her eyes and felt sympathy for her. Edward withdrew his hand from between her legs and the princess quickly replaced it with her own out of embarrassment. So too did she cross her other arm over her firm lovely breasts. "Forgive me brother. You must think me a harlot for these shameful intentions," Ellen said as she turned her back to her brother's eyes. In fact, Edward could not find fault with her, as he had just given into his lust for Kathryn only minutes earlier. He rose up onto his knees and embraced his sister from behind to console her. "I do not, Ellen. Your heart was in the right place and I feel your intentions are pure, but it was not thought through well." He kissed her shoulder and she turned to look at him. Their eyes met and soon they were sharing in a taboo kiss, not just between siblings, but between heirs to the kingdom of Midland. "I love you, brother," she spoke to him as they broke apart. "Do forgive me for the desires that burn betwixt my thighs. They nearly made a disgrace of me." "I love you as well, dear Ellen," he said as he surprised her by sliding his hand over her abdomen and under her own hand to cup her between the legs once more. "Though we may not be permitted to create a child together, I find nothing wrong with enjoying ourselves in other ways." He started to rub her slick lips, making his eldest little sister moan away her frustrations and worries. "Oh brother! Do not stop, I beg you!" she panted as her legs parted more for his hand. Ellen was not merely moist, but was very noticeably wet between her legs. Her desires to be had by her own brother apparently ran deeper than the simple intention to create offspring. Edward made use of this wetness and stroked his fingers over the young lady's clitoris. Ellen clung to her brother, gasping as he touched her for the first time since they were curious young siblings. She had squealed in fright and pain when he clumsily penetrated her with a finger as a child, earning him a slap from his nanny who came running to see what was happening. This time there was no such supervision and his sister's vagina was much more welcoming to his invading finger. She was tight inside, but the interior was not as narrow a space as the mouth of her sex was, giving proof to her chastity. Edward couldn't help noting this difference and felt a sense of honor and pride at his sister's intention to have had him as her first. Laying Ellen on her back, Edward continued to explore inside her with his finger as he placed his lips on one of her small breasts and clutched on her nipple with his lips. "Oh my!" she cried at this new feeling of being stimulated in both places at once. Her body reacted to her older brother's nursing as well by tensing up on his finger. Edward hoped his next action would not hurt her and delivered a second finger into her birth canal. He could feel the tight ring of her virginity around his fingers, and from the way she gasped and winced at its introduction, he was sure it caused her some discomfort. "Is it ok, dear sister?" he asked her, pausing in his actions out of concern. "Yes, my brother...it's a most peculiar feeling of pleasure and pain and I don't think it wise for you to make it three, lest you intend to ruin me for marriage." Edward responded with a kiss on his sister's breast and carefully continued within her. His concern did not go unnoticed and heightened the princess' pleasure at trusting her body to her soon-to-be-king and brother. She felt his fingers brush over something inside of her that caused her entire body to shudder. "There! Go back, I beg you!" Edward did as she asked and noticed the intense response as well. Ellen began to make a sound that was like a cross between a grunt and a whimper as she built steadily towards orgasm, her pelvis bucking upward against his hand. Edward knew she was close now and intensified the thrusts of his fingers against the sensitive spot as he swirled his tongue on her pert nipple. "Edward, Edward!" she gasped, her formal speech all but forgotten as she called him by name. "Ooooh ooooh, yes yes, yesssss, aaaaahhhhh!" she cried out as she became consumed by orgasm. She could have sworn she felt something shoot out of her as though she herself were climaxing like a man, but with all else she was feeling at the moment she did not dwell on it. She squeezed down on his fingers, only slightly disappointed that it was not his cock inside her instead. Edward's cock was in fact pressed up against her thigh enjoying the bucking of her hips. Edward had been so focused on getting his sister off that he had mostly ignored his own arousal. While Ellen's orgasm slowly faded she took note of the hot shaft against her body and gripped it, making Edward jump in surprise. He moaned against her breast as she started stroking him. "My Ellen...that feels so...unnnh..." he panted, slipping his fingers from her sex, their task now completed. "Die for me, my brother...die for me as I died for you," she coaxed him as he matched her hand movements with his own thrusts. His refractory period did little to slow him down as he felt his fluids start moving through him. "My Ellen...my Ellen!" he cried out as he sprayed his royal seed upwards across her flat belly towards her breasts. She reveled in the feeling of the warm droplets on her body and his hot breath blowing over her breast as he came. Although she had failed entirely in her original task to mate and be bred by her brother, she had succeeded in relaxing and pleasing him as though she were his lover. She kissed the top of his head as she milked the last drops out of him, prompting him to raise his head and meet her lips in thanks. There was a yearning behind her mouth as they kissed, one that could only perhaps be explained by some long running desire to be this intimate with him. Edward could only feel sadness for his sister as he realized how much this meant to her, despite the fact that it would never be allowed to go beyond this one intimate moment between them. His lips left hers and he pulled back to see tears in her eyes. "Ellen..." "I knew, brother, that I was running out of time to lay with you in a lover's bed like this," she said, taking his hand in hers. The wetness on his palm and fingers made a squishing sound as she held it tightly. "Just once I wanted to...I wanted to be the only girl you looked at. I wanted to know you like Alexandra knew you years ago." She sat up and wiped the cum from her body, so that it did not trickle down and create an unwanted delicate situation in the near future. She turned away from her brother as she gathered her previously discarded gown and wrapped it around her and stood up. She looked over her shoulder at her naked brother and smiled through her tears. "Sleep well, my king," she said, and then left him alone in the room as quickly and as quietly as she had appeared. Edward watched her go and then looked down at his hand, still sticky and wet from her juices. "Sleep well, Ellen," he said and laid down on the bed where her warmth and scent lingered until morning. =3= The next day, the day before the funeral, passed quickly for all involved. Although the king had been ill for years, there were still last minute preparations that had to be seen to, and as the heir Edward had to see to them all. In the midst of reviewing the sermon that would be given during the service, a messenger delivered to him a note. It was from his mother, the former queen. It indicated that she would be returning tomorrow with the bridal emissary from Lusk: she was bringing Edward his bride. Although Edward did not know her, he knew who she would be. Nora, the eldest daughter of Lusk's royal family was about his age, and to his best recollection, she was very beautiful when last he had seen her briefly years ago. Several hundred years ago, for reasons lost to Edward's memory, the new king and queen of Midland were married in a joint ceremony with the funeral for the preceding monarch. Such a meshing of the two events not only saved money but had an uplifting effect on the citizens of Midland as their thoughts were turned towards the future and not focused on the loss of a leader. So it was that since then the royal funeral and the royal wedding were one in the same. This news put Edward into a reminiscent mood as he thought of Alexandra and how she was the one he truly wanted to be wed to. They had spoken of it to each other the day before they were torn apart. He remembered best the way that his pre-teen lover had pressed her lips to his after he told her that he was willing to give up his birthright to be with her. It was then that she blushed and shyly looked away as she told him how during the years since his last visit she had discovered how wonderful it felt when she would think of him while feeling between her thighs. She confessed that the kiss they just shared had stirred those feelings within her and that she was eager to do more. They were forced to part for the day after the kiss, but not before she asked him to meet her in a secret room she had found in the castle. He agreed, thinking that perhaps all they would do would be more kissing, and maybe some intimate fondling and exploring of each other's bodies. So the next day when she removed her dress, lay on her back, spread her legs, and asked him to enter her body, his surprise was as great as his desire for her. Her eyes had been locked on his cock from the moment it came into her view until the moment it pressed against her soft puffy lips. She alternated between surprised shrieks and gasping moans as he took her. Although she could not fight the tears running from her eyes, she nearly punctured her lip as she bit down on it bravely, enduring the pain she wanted to experience only with Edward. For his part, Edward was far from an experienced lover as well and lasted little more than a half-dozen thrusts within Alexandra. Regardless, the experience was a near religious one for him as he watched her face go through the joy of the pain he was bringing to her immaculate body. His eyes closed as he ejaculated into her and when he opened them she was looking up at him with wonder. It was a moment of completion for the two youngsters. Nothing would ever feel more right to either of them, they thought, sealing the moment with a kiss before Edward's newly tested member was limply pushed out by his little lover's tight walls. As they lay aside each other in their afterglow, their hands clasped tightly, Alexandra whispered the words that remained and sustained Edward's love for her for the years of separation that would follow that day. "Now you'll be with me forever." This she said to him and then took his hand and placed it on her lower abdomen within which he had left a part of himself only minutes earlier. After that they dozed off together, happy in each other's arms until they were found and separated for the foreseeable future. Now, six years later, Edward had little choice but to shelve that memory as an unfulfilled dream and give himself to his country for the greater good. He set the letter aside and returned to his reviewing of tomorrow's sermon, but his mind was no longer focused on it. He lay the sermon down and stood up, his eyes needing a change of venue. Leaving the study that had been used by Midland kings since the castle was built, he headed toward the royal living quarters. He thought he might see what his sisters were up to, but the first family member he came upon was not one he particularly wanted to see. "Prince Edward! How are you today, my nephew?" asked Thomas, Edward's despicable uncle who had molested Kathryn a few years back. "Good day, uncle," Edward stated tersely without breaking his stride. He had little desire to speak to the man considering what he had done and would have banished him from the country already if he could have done so without making public his crimes against the young princess. "I was wondering perhaps if you might allow me to sit with the family tomorrow," Thomas requested, causing Edward to slow down some. "Your father was my brother after all," he said. Edward paused. His uncle did have a right to be at his only sibling's funeral, and should be honored accordingly not only because of the shared heredity but also as the former Queen's consort and father of Kathryn. "You may sit with us," Edward said without turning to face his uncle. "But should you so much as lay a finger on Kathryn, I shall personally put you in shackles until the day she herself is wed." Edward resumed his walk without even a glance back or the desire to hear Thomas' gratuities that followed. Edward's mood lightened however as he came to Kathryn's chamber door. He could hear Ellen's voice inside followed by Kathryn's giggles. He was about to knock on the door and enter the room, but thought better of it. His sisters, though not full siblings, had a deep bond between them that Edward dared not interrupt. In addition, he had not seen Ellen since last night, and whatever awkwardness might emerge between them in their first meeting since was not something that Edward wanted Kathryn to see. He turned to leave, just the sound of his youngest sister's laughter raising his spirits, when the door opened behind him and Ellen emerged, closing it behind her. She saw Edward and immediately her face flushed. "Brother...I did not think I would see you here," she said, fidgeting with her hands as she looked anywhere but at him. "Kathryn just laid down for a nap and I thought you would be busy with the preparations." "I was, but I needed a break after receiving a letter from mother," he said, his sister looking up at him with a knowing look in her eyes. "She's bringing your..." Ellen left the rest unsaid as Edward nodded. "Princess Nora. I must admit, I do not recall her especially well." "Yes, she did keep to herself mostly when we would visit Lusk," Ellen added. "I often felt as though she looked down upon us. In a way it reminded me of how mother would treat father, despite his poor health." "What she thinks of us will no longer matter I suppose," Edward said after a moment. "Tomorrow she will become one of us, and will bear the future of our nation," he stated, not missing the slight look of pain in Ellen's expression. She had after all tried to fill that same role the night before. "Yes, well, I must be going," she said a little hurriedly. "I'm sure my attendants will want to see to it that my dress will fit me properly tomorrow. If you'll excuse me," she said and then hurried off. It was clear to Edward that she had not yet gotten over him. There was little he felt that he could do about that, and left his sister alone to work through her feelings. He turned his attention again to the closed door. Ellen had said that Kathryn had just laid down for a nap and normally Edward wouldn't disturb his sister's rest, but he doubted she was already asleep. He opened the door, slowly and quietly and stuck his head in. In the curtain darkened room he could just make out the shape of her body on the bed. Her back was to him, and it looked as though she had changed into a nightgown. Slowly approaching the bed, he noticed there were no sheets covering her and she was laying with her knees pulled up to her chest. Edward only got as close as 6 feet from her bed when he heard her softly whimpering and moaning. He was about to ask her if she was feeling well or if she was hurting in someway when he saw that the nightgown was only half covering her bare bottom. Looking closer revealed movement in that area. Straining his eyes to see in the dim light he realized it was her hand. His brain put together the scene playing out before him and he felt compelled to turn and leave her in privacy. As he turned around she began to gasp out her climax. Although his brain was screaming at him to leave her alone, the sound of his littlest sister cumming was like a drug to him, especially since he'd stoked his lust for her body the night before after getting quite a show from the little girl. "Yes...oh yes...yes..." she moaned. Against his better judgment, Edward looked over his shoulder and watched her body shake and thrust her hips on the bed. Amidst the sounds of her body rustling on the bed was a wet squishing sound. He wanted desperately to see the source of those noises but getting any nearer to her would increase the chances of being seen by her, and he feared that she might scream thinking he was her father, and if the guards rushed in, who knew what they might think or whom they might tell. Edward moved as quietly and as quickly as he could and got out the door and shut it just as the little masturbator rolled over to face the door and relaxed into sleep. Edward hurried from the closed door to a nearby storeroom and in no time was relieving himself on the stone wall in a corner. He put a hand on the wall to steady himself following the frantic race to escape detection and groaned as the swiftly achieved orgasm drained out of him. His mind turned to last night once again and he found himself wondering if she had done that after he put her to bed. She certainly was dressed for it at the time. It couldn't be that Ellen was telling her about...and that made her... Edward shook his head to clear out that thought. She was probably just acting on her youthful urges as he and Alexandra had that day. Perhaps Ellen had shown her a way to settle down into a relaxing sleep. Maybe she was trying to relieve some anxiety over the death of her uncle. There were just too many possibilities and Edward didn't have the time go think over them all in detail. If anything, he decided it may just be best if he forgot he saw the whole thing. He was getting married tomorrow after all, and he didn't want to call out his little sister's name while he consummated the union with a woman who already held some preconceived notions about his kingdom and its people. He stuck his head out into the corridor to make sure nobody saw him leaving the storeroom, and quickly headed back for his study to immerse himself once more in preparations for tomorrow. It was going to be a big day for them all. =4= Edward barely slept through the night. There was so much work for him to do, that he did not even get away to tuck Kathryn in for bed, although he some sense of relief for that considering the close call earlier in the day. He got up and looked out the window to see the workers preparing for the procession from the castle to the church. Less than a mile away he could see the steeple where his father currently lay. Edward couldn't help thinking that he would lay there one day as well, but hopefully that was far in the future. Today he would go there and marry and become the king. As his aides fitted him for the customary attire that all Midland kings had worn for their coronations, he received word that his mother would arrive with his bride-to-be during the ceremony. As a result, the funeral portion of the service would come first instead of last, and they would all have to wait for his queen to arrive before progressing further. He was the first to be ready to go, and he stood patiently by the doors of the castle with his entourage. The first to join him was Ellen. Their eyes met as she approached and she did not look away, but simply smiled at him. As sincere and together as she tried to look, there was still an element of sadness about her, though anybody who would notice would likely assume it was due to the king's passing. "Are you ready for this, brother?" she asked him. "I have to be," was the reply. "There's no avoiding any of it now," he told her. Ellen again put on a pained smile and touched her brother's arm as a show of support. They made small talk for the next 5 minutes, neither of them able to really speak their mind with so many others around them. Finally Kathryn joined them, and Edward found it hard to look at her as he had been able to before catching her playing with herself the day before. He wasn't able to ignore her though, as she came over and hugged him. "You didn't see me off to sleep last night, Edward," she complained to him. He hoped desperately that the erection he was getting from this close contact with her wouldn't show or be felt through the ceremonial robes he was wearing. He put his hand on her head and took care not to mess up her hair as he rubbed it gently. "I'm sorry Kathryn. I had work that couldn't wait for morning and I didn't get much sleep myself," he told her. She looked up at him with disappointed puppy dog eyes. "I really missed you," she said, and let go of him. "I know you did, dear Kathryn, and I'm sorry," he told her once more, before looking up at the gathered crowd of advisors, maids, butlers, and guards. "Is everybody ready?" he asked of them and received a chorus of affirmative answers. "Very well then, let's go." He gave a nod to the guards at the doors, and they turned and opened them, revealing a packed courtyard of commoners, who cheered loudly as their beloved royal family stepped out into the path that remained clear for them all the way to the church in the near distance. **** The funeral was a somewhat long and somber affair, heavily steeped in the usual talk of afterlife and the creator. Edward and his sisters were seated in the front row, with Thomas one row back alongside an empty seat for the absent queen. Most of the attending dignitaries were from Ashen, as the Lusk delegation was still en route with Edward's arranged fianc‚, resulting in a partially empty church for the initial ceremony. Almost 3 hours had passed since the funeral had begun and things were nearing an end. Despite the silence called for, there was a murmur through the guests speculating as to what was taking so long, almost to the point of conspiracy theories that this was some kind of attempt to ruin Midland politically and that an invasion force was on the way. Edward wanted to shake his head in disbelief as he heard these whispers, but knew better than to show such disrespect to his deceased father at this moment. He realized that the majority Ashen crowd would no doubt have similar things speculated about it were the situation to be reversed. "...and so we ask you, o'great creator of our lands that you look warmly upon the spirit of our dear Richard IX and hold him in your care so that we might see him again in death, as we have in life. This task we humbly request be taken into your hands." The priest rose from his kneeling position before the casket that held the body of the king, and turned towards the assembly. He glanced at the empty section of the pews that was reserved for Lusk and looked then to Edward to see if he should go on to the next task. The marriage was supposed to take place next, but in the event that the bride had not yet arrived, it was decided to go ahead with the rites of succession. Edward nodded and the priest began. "Who here claims the crown and position of the peacemaker of Midland?" "I do," said Edward as he rose from his seat. "Approach me, my son and kneel before-" the priest was interrupted by a guard that rushed into the sanctuary. "Her majesty the Queen and her royal highness Princess Beatrice of Lusk!" he announced loudly, causing commotion throughout the audience. A look of shock crossed over Edward's face, as he heard the princess' name announced. It was not Nora that came to marry him? "Beatrice?" he asked Ellen, who just shook her head with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't know Nora either. He looked then to Kathryn who's mouth was agog. He was about to ask her what was wrong when the trumpets sounded the entrance. He turned to face the entryway and saw his mother standing there. She stepped aside and the room collectively gasped, Edward and the priest included. Standing there in a gown of brilliant white was a small figure, no taller than maybe four-and-a-half feet tall. Her raven black hair cascaded out from under the veil that covered her face. She began to advance down the isle, Edward's mother on one side, and a man dressed in the colors of Lusk on the other, holding her hand. As they advanced to the front, the Lusk entourage quickly and quietly entered and took their seats. Edward could not tear his eyes away from what he was witnessing, thinking surely that this was some kind of joke. This Princess Beatrice, surely was no older than Kathryn was, and under the laws of Midland marriage, all women must be able to bear children before they are allowed to wed, especially if they are to become queen. As she advanced, Edward could see her face through the light mesh of the veil. She resembled the vague image he had in his mind of Nora, although she was obviously many years younger. His mother and his bride drew up along side him and his mother reached out her hand to him. "Mother, what is this?" she asked her, incredulous. "This is your wife, Edward. I know what you are thinking, and I assure you, her eligibility for the role is with in the law," she told him. Edward looked at the young girl, wondering why, even if she was fertile, it was not Nora he was marrying. "Come, Edward. You're making everybody wait," his mother said as she beckoned to him with her hand. He took it and joined his mother along side the young girl and her escort. The priest looked to Edward as if to ask that this was now the course to take, and Edward nodded. "Who delivers this girl to be wed?" the priest asked. "I, her father, do," said the man as he offered Beatrice's hand forward to the priest. The priest took her small hand, placed a ring onto her finger, and then turned to Edward's mother. "Who delivers this man to be wed?" he asked her. "I, his mother, do," she responded and offered Edward's hand to the priest. The priest took Edward's hand with his free hand, placed a ring upon his finger, and then addressed the audience. "Children of our creator, you have all united here to day to witness the continuation of peace in our lands. Through this union, may our people be one. Through this union..." Edward tuned out the speech as he stole glances at the little girl dressed up next to him. Through the veil that covered her face, he could see that she was indeed a very pretty young thing and she in no way appeared nervous or worried about what she was in the middle of doing. The wedding gown she wore gave nothing away about her body. Edward recalled his mother saying that she was a legal bride, though he had his doubts about her being able to nurse at such a young age. Edward felt his cock twitch a little, as he realized for the first time that he would be taking this small girl into his bed for the purpose of making a child with her. He had been so shocked just by the fact that he was going to be marring a child, that he hadn't even considered that he would be doing those kinds of things with her. He recalled how tight Alexandra had been on his manhood years ago, and he had certainly grown since then. Would he even be able to fit inside of his bride? Her marriage qualifications aside, would it even be legal for him to do such things with her? He jumped as his hand was placed on Beatrice's hand by the priest. He marveled at how small it was in his own. It was like he was holding Kathryn's hand, only a little tinier. As the priest let go of their hands, Edward and Beatrice turned towards each other. He looked down at her, as she looked up at him, a gentle smile on her face. Edward couldn't help giving her a smile in return, much like one would smile at a child they passed on a street. He could feel her eyes heavy upon him as they stared into his. It was a little uncomfortable, especially with a subtle throbbing in his pants from his prior thoughts. "...and now my children, it is with the great honor that I present to you, the strength of our nation, forged here before our eyes, Prince Edward and Princess Beatrice of Midland!" The crowd stood as they applauded and Edward lifted the veil from the girl's face. He looked at her unobstructed face for the first time, noting her natural beauty and apparent lack of make-up, except for what seemed to be a bit of added red on her small lips. As he leaned down to kiss her, she seemed to giggle a little at what was about to occur for the first time in her life, and raised herself on her toes at the last minute, pressing her lips suddenly and rather forcefully to his, taking him quite by surprise. There was a mixed roar of laughter and surprise from the guests, as what Edward had intended to be a very simple kiss on a girl's mouth became something more adult. It caused Edward to flashback to the kiss he had shared with Alexandra just before entering her. She had eagerly met his lips, just as Beatrice did now, although his young lover had not forced her tongue into his mouth as his child bride was now doing. Edward was quite simply too shocked to reject the young girl's actions, and was somewhat relieved when she stopped. His lips tingled and had a slight taste of her lip coloring on them, and he tried not to lick at it lest he be publicly branded a pervert. His new wife smiled sweetly up at him, her cheeks reddening at the boldness of her actions. Edward couldn't help feeling his cheeks flush as well, especially given that it had all occurred before an audience. "Who here claims the crown and position of the peacemaker of Midland?" asked the priest, for the second time. Edward turned away from Beatrice and again stated his intention. "I do." On these words, Beatrice stepped down from the steps on which she had Edward had just been wed, and knelt down some distance behind him. This was a common position for the spouse of any individual to take during an appointment ceremony. "Kneel, before me, my son," the priest instructed, and Edward took a knee. As he assumed the position of humility before the priest, he felt sweat upon his brow. It was not warm at all inside the cathedral, as he had already spent several hours in relative comfort. Although he appeared to all to be in a very natural position there, staring at the priest's feet, Edward found that his head was starting to spin and become light, and he felt that if he were to stand he would fall over. He closed his eyes, in an attempt to calm himself and steady his body, and the priest's words turned from something understandable, to a sort of constant mumble in Edward's ears. A weight was suddenly felt upon his head, and only the realization that he had just been crowned, caused Edward to keep his head steady enough to support the sudden weight. He felt cold all over, as seconds dragged into eternity. His knowledge of the ceremony told him that he would be asked to rise to his feet shortly after being crowned. He focused his senses on the priest's words, as he waited for the moment to arrive. "...and so dear Lord, we ask that you watch over and guide His Majesty King Edward the Fourth, and his faithful bride Her Majesty Queen Beatrice, for all the years that they lead us from the throne of our peaceful kingdom of Midland. Rise, King Edward! Rise, and lead us with your righteous hand!" Edward heard very little other than the priest's emphasis on the word 'rise' and struggled to his feet. He heard what sounded like a collective gasp as he started to turn. He had almost no sense of his balance and surmised only that he was likely stumbling around like a drunk in front of everybody. His vision blurred, he focused momentarily on his new bride who's face carried an expression of calm surprise. He did his best to smile at her before passing out, the sound of the freshly placed crown clattering to the floor escorting him into darkness. =5= Edward's world of black grew gradually lighter, a process that actually took only seconds, but felt like panicked hours to his mind which was quicker to recover. He felt stiff all over, and when he tried to make any sort of noise, a deep exhale of air was all that would leave his mouth. His sense of smell returned at the same rate as his sight, and while he could not immediately identify his surroundings with his eyes, he recognized the scent of the medicinal herbs that had been used in treating his father. That, and the soft feeling under his body, led him to the correct conclusion that he was in his bed. A hollow echo caught his attention next. His brain was unfocused still, and he could not find the direction from which it came, nor could he still move his head to look for the source. The sound abruptly stopped and he felt the bed move. Into his field of vision came the face of a young girl. Her face was many shades of gray, as though the color had been drained from her. She smiled and began to speak, her voice coming to Edward the same as the hollow echoes earlier, only now with a higher pitch to it. As her voice refined itself inside Edward's ear drums, the colors of her face returned as well, particularly the red of her lips. His mind grabbed onto this detail, as it was something familiar to him. Something important had just happened with those red lips...this little girl was somebody he knew. He continued to stare at her as she started to sing a lullaby that he knew from his youth. His mother used to sing it to him. It was a song that she had been taught while a princess of Lusk, and told to sing to her children and husband to soothe them. Edward found the strength to lift his head, and saw the marital crest of Lusk and Midland upon the girl's dress. He flexed and clenched his fingers as feeling returned to them, and felt a band of metal around one of them. She brushed aside some hair from her face, a ring upon her finger as well. That final piece of the puzzle unlocked whatever door in his mind his recent memories had been locked in. This small girl sitting aside his bed singing to him was his wife. Her song ended, and she put her hand to his cheek and smiled. "Are you feeling better, my husband?" she asked. Edward opened his mouth and croaked something barely intelligible. He settled for giving her a weak smile and a nod. "You gave us all quite a fright when you fell like that. Your sisters cried the entire time at your side before the doctors bid them to let you rest. I too have been worried here by your side. I hope that my song reached you in your sleep. Your mother told me that it always helped to calm your illness as a child." The girl rose from her seat, and walked around to the end of the bed, where she was met by an attendant who seemed to emerge from the darkness that remained the limit of his still dulled vision. Her name was just out of reach in Edward's head, and he was only able to grasp at the first letter. He felt his throat strain just to speak it. "B...B...Be..." The young queen, standing in profile, looked to the side as the servant girl worked to undress her from the complexities of her bridal gown. "Beatrice. That is my name. I am sorry for the shock that my arrival in my elder sister's stead must have given you. Nora sadly remains a barren maid despite her age, and so she could not be a suitable bride for you, however my bleeding began on the last harvest." The last buckle upon the back of the gown came free, and like a butterfly from its chrysalis the young girl was free of the white shell. The attendant took the heavy gown away, and though Beatrice had just shed a considerable amount of weight, it did not appear that she had felt burdened by it at all. The dress was actually built around a steel breastplate as a matter of tradition reaching back to the first Midland royal wedding. That Beatrice did not appear fatigued or relieved once it had been removed was a testament to the poise and posture taught to the princesses of Lusk. Edward could only now see the true shape of her body. Under the wedding dress, she wore a simple white linen gown. This gown had matted itself to her body with sweat under the heavy traditional attire, the shape of her little budding breasts rivaling those of Kathryn's. Edward realized that she must have been wearing that dress since the moment she left Lusk almost a day ago. The attendant set about untying the woven laces on the back of the gown as another brought a bucket of water. No sooner had the first attendant exposed the girl's white skin, the other was sponging it off in a sort of improvised bath. "Apologies, my husband," Beatrice said as her top was peeled away from her moist young breasts. "I had intended to bathe before allowing you the privilege of exposing my body for our first coupling. Circumstances as they are now have taken that from your hands I am afraid." The servants finished undressing their new queen and Beatrice stood, legs and arms outstretched, as the two hurriedly sponged down every inch of her body. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips as the bright red makeup that had sealed her union with Edward was wiped away, leaving her looking even more like the preteen girl that she was. The attendants, finished with their work, silently left the room, shutting the chamber doors behind them. Beatrice moved along the foot of the bed, the footboard blocking any view Edward might have of her nether regions. She rounded the corner and he could see that unlike Kathryn, she had a small wispy patch of dark black hair upon her mound. It rather reminded him of Alexandra. Beatrice saw where his attention was directed and paused, shyly raising a hand with the intent to cover herself. It was the first time she had shown any crack in her composure and manners. It made her appear almost vulnerable. She did not follow through with her actions, and instead placed her hand higher on her stomach. "Again, I regret to you that I am not my sister. Her breasts are fuller, and her body more feminine despite her condition. I hope that my shortcomings do not interfere with our love making and productions." She stroked her belly, as if she was imagining herself full with child there. "I hope that you do not find me disagreeable as a partner in marriage." "N-n-no. I d-do n-not," Edward croaked, finding his voice for the first time since awakening. "I f-find you q-quite lovely." Though Beatrice's expression had been a calm smile all this time, she now was smiling with feeling and relief at her new husband. His words had melted away whatever trepidation remained and she strode to his side with new found confidence. She reached for the sheets that covered him and drew them down to below his waist. He was naked in the bed, he assumed under direction from the doctors earlier. His penis lay limp upon his lap, unfortunately the feeling was still rather dull in his lower body. "I-I am a-afraid th-that I ha-have not f-fully recovered yet," he apologized. "I understand, my husband. The doctors, they told me that you may not be able to perform tonight." She sat by his side on the bed, and with a hint of hesitation she slipped her small hand under his limp organ, holding it. "In truth...I am somewhat relieved. When it was learned that I was to wed you, my father's personal guard was brought to me along with a slave girl." This reminded Edward of Lusk's reliance still on slavery for its labor. "She was about my age, and was made to undress before me. My father's guard then did as well and performed the act of love making with her for me to watch. It was quite...a thing to see. I do not think I shall forget the sound of her cries as he pierced her." She lifted her legs and lay next to him, pressing her warm little body to his side. She continued to lazily fondle his penis, which at first he was unable to feel, but it seemed that a little stimulation was all that was needed to reawaken his lower body. Similarly he started to regain feeling in his arms and a tingling sensation in his fingers, through which he could feel her body heat. "I must admit to experiencing peculiar sensations between my legs as I observed them. With each of his thrusts, my loins pulsed with an energy I was not familiar with. I could not believe that an object of that size could ever enter the body of a girl that size. I am thus relieved that you do not appear to be similarly endowed." Her comment was innocent enough, but it stung at Edward's pride still. No doubt, he mused, she was in for a surprise when the time came. "He withdrew from her after a time, shouting greatly just prior. It was then that a great amount of fluids emptied from her. I was then informed that those fluids were the seed for a child. I certainly had no idea that such things took place when a child was made. It was quite informative." While she talked, Edward could feel his body coming back to life. It was as though her ministrations upon his nude body were recharging him, and he could feel himself becoming erect. Edward's returning arousal did not escape her notice, as Beatrice suddenly withdrew her hand in surprise as his erection slowly developed. "My!" she said with alarm, and watched with rapt attention as the organ slowly rotated from its original downward orientation to point upwards and grow in size. "Not endowed, you were saying?" he weakly chided her for her earlier comment. She did not respond, but placed her hesitant hand upon the rigid shaft, now considerably larger than when she had last been engaged with it. "My husband...does this mean...." she swallowed, no doubt earlier thinking that she would be deflowered at a later time, "does this mean that we might join as one tonight?" "Indeed, my wife, it does. However, I am afraid that I will not be able to mount you, as you had observed the act."