I Love You, My Cursed Prince

"My heart ... my heart ... it's hurting."

Normally, Muriel would have found that statement to be childish, but Prince Vidar said it with such intense pain that Muriel couldn't find any fault in his words. She didn't need to see him in order to know that he was in a bit of despair.

"I watched him, and I would've thrown him out a window, but the quickest route to him from the secret corridors was still not short enough. Doctor Bergson has my gratitude."

Muriel turned to her left. That's where the voice was coming from. "Would you have revealed yourself in order to save her?"

"That was my thought. It was an impulse, but I was willing to do it. Sadly, the secret corridors were not designed with entrances to most of the rooms in the keep."

"I'm certain that you would have been mortified. Your brother would likely have done what he could to humiliate you."

"A far better fate than having my mother go undefended."

Muriel nodded. "You're a good son."

He touched her throat very kindly, very sweetly. His fingernails had her shivering. They were short and blunt. "I feel ... I feel heavy and ill, as if my blood thickened and my muscles weakened."

His hand ... it trembled against her.

She heard a sniffle.

"Vidar, are you frightened?"

"Ye ... yes ... I mean to say ... I was frightened, but now I'm so ashamed and livid. I'm the master of this estate. The ruler of this province. I'm the princess' son. It was my duty to protect her, to protect everyone here, and I didn't." His hand moved up to her cheek. "Why aren't you disgusted with me? What if he had attacked you? Wouldn't you blame me for being so much less than a man?"

In truth, Muriel wanted to scold him. If he hadn't been hiding, he would have been able to get to his mother, probably before the doctor could have. But she didn't have the strength to. Prince Vidar's regretful voice drained all the fire out of her. "It was a dangerous situation, nowhere close to the ideal," she softly told him, "but perhaps we could learn from those events."

His thumb glided over her lips, careful and smooth but not too smooth. Muriel thought he might use pumice stones and wine to keep most of the calluses away. Occasionally she might feel something rough but she never commented on it.

His breath was close to her face.

"My brother wants to control you, Muriel. That's why he wants your attention. You're not doing as you should, or that's how he thinks. A woman should accept lavish gifts from royalty. A commoner should give into a prince's demands. He's the Crown Prince. He should have any woman he wants, but you're not playing his game. Those sorts of thoughts are why he came here. But the solution isn't to give into his demands. If you do that," here, Vidar's breath moved in and out in an uneven way as if he was trying to calm himself, "you'll be shattered."

"Vi ... Vidar!" Muriel entire body was suddenly cold. She quivered and tried not to weep. "I've often been afraid of some men, but never before have I felt so helpless at the mere thought of any person!"

"Oh ... Muriel!"

His fingers went to her topknot. His mouth went to hers.

It was affectionate, but it was also the saddest kiss she had ever received. He basically cried into her. She felt tears roll onto her cheeks, nose, and lips. For a mad second she thought she might drown in the man's tears.

***